LIFT UP, stand up, get up - the call was to action at the latest Multiply UK Leaders Conference, held at Cornhill Manor in Northamptonshire.

In the midst of a very bleak picture for church in the UK, the radical church is becoming more and more distinct, as Huw Lewis, Multiply Director, pointed out. "There's a job to do."

"Commissioned into chaos" is how Kelly Bartholomew described it! "To build, you need to learn many things," he said (and he knows what he's talking about - as well as being a member of the Jesus Fellowship's apostolic team, he is also a builder by trade.)

"But you also need to have a covenant, a mutual commitment that says 'I'll be with you all my life'. If you create a perfect situation for yourself, all neat and comfortable, you'll die. Life comes from letting people 'poke' us."

Kelly also exhorted the group to take risks with people - as God had with them - in order to build. "You're not building your own kingdom. Your responsibility is to enable the PEOPLE God gives you to grow into who they are in God. Your outlook should be: 'I've got to commission you to leave me.'"

Laurence, one of those very next-generation leaders, could vouch for the success of this approach and smashed ageism in the church: "We've all received the same Spirit that attracted Jesus' disciples, whatever our background - or age."

"Glory Hallelujah, He Reigns", we sang. "But does He?" asked Steve Calam, Apostolic Team Member. "In Chronicles, they had to make King David king. Yes, he was anointed. But if they hadn't made him king in practice, he'd have had no power and no real kingdom. So, who's going to 'make' Jesus reign today? We are!

"And if we are to do this, we need to strengthen one another. In Multiply, as for Jesus Fellowship, relationships will always be number one. A listening ear, regional meetings, regular communication and much more are all available to members."

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