Towards a Christian Vision for the Bristol region in 2026

Christian Community

Prayer

• Across ALL churches for all spheres of life
• Authority to release the transformation of the region
• Coordinated prayer cover

Unity

• Different but ONE in Christ
• Expression of city church that enhances and complements local church instead of competing.
• Support network for Christian leaders
• Church expressions rooted in local neighbourhoods, as well as networks.
• Churches overcoming fragmentation, and creating inclusive communities.
• Compassion and forgiveness affirmed by all.

Incarnational and Evangelistic

• Missionaries in all of life: word and action
• Church turned inside out: change of MINDSET
• Churches that equip their members to live distinctively missional lives.
• Churches establish healthy balance between gathered and scattered expressions of their life.
• Churches recognising, supporting and releasing people in their particular giftings.
• Missional emphasis towards poor and needy

Family and Community

• Christians with leadership gifts exercising those in the community.
• Reversal of family breakdown (+ all resulting problems)
• Restore marriage, parenting: modelled by Christians.
• Support for Christians in every area of life, and so enabling them to be outward looking.
• Gatherings of Christian parents across communities supporting each other through stages of life.
• Respect for the elderly - safety from crime, less poverty.
• Care for the elderly - less loneliness - in families.
• Asking older folk what they would like to see in their community (listening and encouragement)

Social Action and Politics

• Transformation to communities: by local churches.
• Working closely with council and police: regeneration
• Peace to our streets. Crime down
• Good relationships with Muslims and people of other faiths or none.
• Awareness of extreme Islam/terrorism.-decreased threat.
• Justice permeates society.
• Value-driven decision making as the political norm.
• Conflict resolution skills readily available.
• No women working the streets and local churches worthy of such guests.
• Resources poured into deprived areas, especially youth.

Education, Youth and Students

• Great improvements in Bristol's schools - eg. behaviour and broader approach (not just targets).
• Many young people and students becoming disciples.
• Popular Gap year projects that offer an alternative to hedonistic, environment burning opportunities.
• New avenues of communicating different perspectives of Jesus in schools to counter world's view.
• Unity of student work across area offering different perspectives but without conflict.

Healthcare

• Love the whole person: spiritual, emotional as well as physical
• Balance: scientific excellence and holistic care.
• Developing new and innovative approaches to delivering healthcare.
• Meet the commissioners.
• Elderly crisis programme. Teens. Refugees.
• Change in the culture of sexual behaviour.
• Links to abortion.
• Stop the culture of confrontation: Christians v secular humanists (eg science, abortion etc)
• Engage with people of goodwill.
• Expose local Healthcare professionals to international mission (eg trips to India).

Arts, Media, Sport

• More Christian values eg positive news (BBC and local media)
• Christians released to be creative.
• Less influence of money.
• Christians using these areas to reach friends.
• Education on a Christian worldview for those in the arts.
• Greater Christian influence.
• Funding for Christian Arts.
• More Christians to publish, produce etc.
• Lighting and Salting out beyond the Christian sub-culture.
• Artists of all sorts with distinctive art offerings on all levels.
• High public profile.
• Educational resources, well funded groups and leaders.
• Producing leaders Reproduction
• Prayer.

Business and Work: Marketplace

• Better balance between work/family.
• Influence workplace: more ethical business.
• Recognition amongst believers that God wants them to extend His Kingdom into the realm of their daily working lives.
• Believers to come to an appreciation that God has prepared work for each individual which fits into His master plan for the stewardship of His creation.
• As believers begin to outwork these truths, so the spiritual, social and economic climate changes.

Global Issues, Global Mission, Environment

• Christians modelling sustainable lifestyles.
• Christians speaking up for global justice, going/supporting global mission.
• Greater engagement of Bristol region Christians in global issues and perspectives.
• Bringing God's hope for a healed world.