City
Cities are centres for all forms of human activity and culture, both positive and negative. The gospel speaks to and transforms all aspects of a city’s life.
Each day Belfast’s complexion changes; every day it’s a slightly different city as people move in and out. It is a strategic city.
It is also a city on the rise after decades of conflict. Regeneration is transforming its “Quarters” and it is a beautiful and fascinating place to visit with rich and deep culture. In common with most urban centres, Belfast faces the challenges of poverty, addiction, lack of housing, antisocial behaviour and inequality of access to education and health. Financial, social and spiritual investment are needed to counter these and also Belfast’s pervasive scars from its recent history of strife.
In Trinity Church we believe there is a need to share the gospel with the people who live and work in Belfast, as well as applying the gospel to the public square and civic challenges. We feel this is best achieved by the restoration of church communities in the city, working as a hub with and for other churches. If the gospel in a city leads to human flourishing, it’s obvious to us in Trinity Church that Belfast will be enriched by gospel-centred churches.
A recent study for the BBC/RTE found that over 200,000 people in Belfast had no significant relationship with a church and this disengagement is even more prevalent in the under 40s.
The Church in Belfast is increasingly suburban. Churches in the inner urban core are struggling and some are closing. Areas around the centre still have people living there but are disconnected from church. Younger populations in the future will move to the city centre to study. As the church moves out, civic society and investment is moving in.
In Trinity Church we believe there is a need to share the gospel with these populations as well as applying the gospel to the public square and civic challenges. This is best done through a new gospel-centred, city-oriented church working as a hub with and for other churches.
STAGE 1
Structured worship & teaching – gospel-centred teaching and training in worship, small groups and courses.
STAGE 2
The Third Space - a 24/7 centre for community, evangelism and teaching; a place to do life together; a homely base to refill and refuel.
STAGE 3
Gospel transformation in the city – acting as a hub for and with the wider Church in the city by resourcing persuasive public square apologetics and evangelism, equipping people in Urban Faith at Work, empowering people through mercy ministries, and seeing areas that need churches have them through church planting and revitalisation.
“Cities have more of the image of God per square inch than any other place on earth.”