The Fellowship of Evangelical Churches (FIEC), founded at the turn of the century, is one of our fastest growing church networks. The Other Cheek asked Andrew Heard, the FIEC chair and senior minister of EV Church on the NSW Central Coast, what, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, might explain their growth.
1. FIEC, perhaps the youngest denomination in Australia, is among the fastest growing. FIEC turns up in the NCLS Sunday attendance stats in 2021 at 11,500 and by 2024 is at 15,800. Do those figures seem right to you?
Numbers seem right, yes
2. God is sovereign, yet there will be human factors involved. What are the main ones?
There’s lots to be encouraged by. The bulk of our churches are new plants. These have their own unique energy. Lots of our churches are growing and seeing regular conversions. Even the longer established ones are still growing. We have a number of very big churches that are seeing the same rate of genuine conversions as smaller church plants. In each of the churches there’s lots of focused energy around reaching the lost and maturing the saints.
But it’s important to note that some of our growth is what might be called ‘transfer’ growth. Already planted/established churches that have existed on their own for some time have been slowly connecting into our fellowship and becoming part of us. So our growth doesn’t entirely represent simple conversion growth.
‘Human factors’ for those that are growing? Lots to be said here.
We’re a new movement and so benefit from the simplicity that exists with new things. As a denomination we’re still able to focus on the main game regularly and repeatedly – make disciples. So there’s a great deal of shared clarity among the leaders of our churches. They’re all very focused on the main thing.
(some of this is possible because Sydney [Anglican] Diocese lends us some of their professional standards support – we are very thankful to them).
As we age we will need to watch the danger of fragmented concerns and priorities.
We’re very lean. Again, we’re young. And supported by others.
3. What lessons has FIEC learned in church planting?
We’re very much part of the Reach Australia movement. All our planters go through RA assessment processes and are part of the whole RA world of cohorts, coaching, and conferences.
Big lesson is that planting and established church ministries do much better when we do them together with others who are aiming at the same thing. The support, energy, and expertise we gain from each other is invaluable.
So lessons will be the same lessons learnt in the Reach Australia world.
A couple of key thoughts?
• Leadership matters. The right leader is key.
• Plant with a positive vision to reach the region. We don’t do reactive planting. we don’t plant to just provide evangelicals a place to hear the bible taught – as important as that is.
• Plant with a larger enough core group that you are able to provide a healthy range of ministries for any new person or family that arrives.
4. Has geography or the religious history of where you have planted churches played a role? What strategies worked?
In some cases.
Sociology as a explanation of spiritual things is a tricky discipline. It’s possible to see some external historical factors playing into the growth. But we also see churches established and growing in places no one would have anticipated – until after the event 🙂
Before they plant they were told it’s not possible. After they grow and grow they’re told it was always going to be easy in that place.
The truth is that God graciously honours the sincere and faithful desire to sacrificially serve him.
5, What plans or strategies is FIEC pursuing for 2025 and beyond? What do you need more of?
• Godly and capable church planters.
• And buildings.
We desperately need buildings. Most of our work uses rented facilities – school halls, community centres, etc. There are a few strengths to this; but not as many as people imagine. There is a reason almost every church in the western world owns its own buildings. For long term work we need to find a way to buy and build. Very, very costly. Older denominations ought never sell off their buildings. We could use them!!
6. What encouragement should Christians take from the FIEC story?
It’s not the soil.
There’s no doubt many places across Australia are harder than other places. but a faithful, God honouring ministry that is established with a positive vision to reach the lost can grow a ministry in the vast majority of places in Australia.
Image: EV Church Central Coast where Andrew Heard is the senior Minister