Converse

It is a great pleasure to be able to re-launch my new blog missional-life.com with one of the most visited pages interviews from my previous blog theologising.info . Mike Betts leads Lowestoft Community Church (Part of Newfrontiers) and also the growing apostolic sphere of Newfrontiers Churches in the East of England, Northern Europe and Canada

Adam Bradley: Please can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

Mike Betts: I was born and raised in Lowestoft. I am married to my wonderful wife Sue for 25 years this November. We have one son Sam who is 21 and successfully got a first in his degree which made us very proud! I love my town and also have a passion for the nations. I carry a twin heart beat in this regard. I think healthy local church life must have a perspective on the nations. I helped write WORD plus, which is a theological training course, completed by over 6000 people now in several nations. I lead a team overseeing churches in the east of England, Scandinavia, the Baltic nations, Canada, Poland and now we are starting a church plant in Turkey. I love fly fishing for trout and good friends and wine! My wife and I have had to learn about living with disability and pain for many years now and this has given us a perspective and reliance on the grace of God that has become quite precious to us. We love our local church and believe God wants it to grow large and see many trained to serve God.

Adam Bradley: Please can you tell me some of the highlights of your testimony?

Mike Betts: My Father died when I was 7 but his certainty of where he was going had a deep impact on me even at that age. At 17 I gave my life to Christ after hearing the gospel proclaimed for the first time so I could understand it. This made me aware of the need for clarity in preaching as often that is all that holds people back. I was baptised in the Holy Spirit at 18 without even knowing what it was! A friend explained it to me and I then spoke in tongues and began to prophecy. I helped start youth for Christ in Waveney as church was pretty naff! In those days. Then I saw the biblical vision of the local church and was ruined for anything else. I felt God speak to me very clearly at around 19 about serving him in leadership, it was a very powerful moment which remains with me even today.

Adam Bradley: What church do you lead/involved in? (Background, movement/denomination, philosophy of ministry, etc)

Mike Betts: I lead Lowestoft Community Church which is part of New Frontiers. I came from a Brethren background so we did not believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit for today, it was a huge and pleasant surprise to me when I discovered how wrong and seriously wrong this was. I was ruined by the Holy Sprit early on in my conversion and found the anticipation of the Holy Spirit and his activity in local church life the real deal. I want word and Spirit in equal and powerful measures

Adam Bradley: What books are your currently reading?

Mike Betts: The reason for God, A higher throne, Axiom, Mark’s gospel (Edwards)

Adam Bradley: What’s sermons/preachers are you listening to at the moment (the i-pod question)?

Mike Betts: Driscoll on the Lord’s Supper

Adam Bradley: Why is church planting such a passion for you?

Mike Betts: To bring new life and a new foundation of New Testament values is much easier than trying to reshape an existing foundation. Also to reach nations and places where there is no expression of grace and other key New Testament foundations in local church life is a huge privilege

Adam Bradley: What would you say are the three most important principles for any young want-to-be church planter?

Mike Betts: Character, Character and character

Adam Bradley: Here’s your opportunity to say anything else you like…

Mike Betts: I feel myself to be quite a ‘soft target’ in that I do not have lots of strength and resources humanly. But I have found that God is with me and again and again surprises me at how much he delights in using the weak and frail. The local church when it works right is the most amazing thing on planet earth. I want to get as many people as possible to taste and see that the Lord is good. I also believe that apostles and prophets working together is dynamite when it comes to building the local church and extending the kingdom. How do people lead church without these gifts?

Adam Bradley: Mike, thanks so much for this interview!