It has become increasingly clear to us that, as a network of church-planting churches, we need to concentrate our focus and finances especially on training future pastor-teachers. In saying this, we are not implying that training for other kinds of ministry is unimportant. Rather, we are simply stressing that the role of pastor-teacher is vital to the future of God’s kingdom in London – for the flourishing of existing churches and planting of more – and therefore needs deliberate, intentional focus and sacrificial investment.

This need is much greater and more pressing than we might at first think. Andy Mason has recently challenged us to recognise that, over the next 25 years, Co-Mission will need 30 more pastor-teachers just to stand still (a replacement rate) and another 50 leaders to plant new churches (at the conservative, minimum ambition of planting twice a year). In addition we’ll want to be net givers of gospel workers to other parts of the UK and overseas. All this means we need to see 80–100 pastors raised up in the next 25 years – that’s three or four every year. 

And that will involve significant financial investment to remove (or lower) the barriers to people shifting to training for ministry in an expensive city. The plan is that this investment will come from an exciting alliance of the local church, Co-Mission central funding and the Gospel Training Trust (a new national trust being set up). Much of this funding remains to be raised. This will be a big stretch for our faith as a network but that will be spiritually very good for us.

Please would you join us in praying to the Lord to raise up these workers for his harvest field. Pray for an explosion of spiritual energy. Pray for those who should think about being a ministry trainee (could that be you?). Pray for the finances that will be needed. Pray for pastors seeking to entrust the gospel ministry to the next generation. Pray for increased love for the Lord and love for the lost, increased courage and willingness to sacrifice, and kingdom-mindedness.

Raising up and training more than 80 pastor-teachers over the next quarter century is not going to be easy. In fact it will be humanly impossible. But with God it is possible. In the early days of Co-Mission many gospel workers were raised up, who have planted churches across the city. It can happen again.