Representing Barnabas Fund...
Country: United Kingdom
In your Church
Church representatives are greatly valued members of the wider Barnabas Fund team. Serving voluntarily, they are a voice for the persecuted Church worldwide within their local congregations.
The role does not require a significant time commitment - just 15 minutes a month on average - and can be adapted to suit the individual and their church.
What does a representative do?
- Publicise the plight of Christians who suffer persecution, discrimination or disadvantage because of their faith. The primary way of doing this is by distributing the "Barnabas Aid" magazine and other printed materials to church members.
- Encourage prayer by raising items at church prayer meetings and/or for the church's notice sheet; perhaps setting up a local prayer group.
- Raise financial support. Encourage the church to consider allocating part of its outward giving and/or holding a special offering for Barnabas Fund.
- Promote special events such as Suffering Church Sunday and encourage people to support petitions and campaigns.
What support is available?
- Information: In addition to our regular material (e.g. "Barnabas Aid" magazine, Prayer Focus Update), Barnabas reps receive a bimonthly Reps' Briefing , which highlights key information to pass on to their church.
- Resources: We are happy to provide reps with resources on our ministry and the projects we support, such as pictures, PowerPoint presentations, posters and leaflets.
- Training days: Reps are invited to regional briefing days where they can meet Barnabas staff, hear about how Barnabas Fund works and learn more about the situation of persecuted Christians around the world.
In your Area
This role is similar to that of church rep but involves promoting the work of Barnabas Fund across a local area rather than within a particular church. As with the church rep, the area rep can tailor the role to suit themselves and their community.
They may organise and promote Barnabas Fund meetings, with a visiting speaker, or area prayer meetings for people from a number of local churches and Christian groups.
As a speaker
Barnabas Fund receives frequent enquiries from groups and churches of varying sizes for someone to come and speak to them about the persecuted Church and how Barnabas Fund is helping to transform the lives of suffering Christians.
We need more volunteers who are gifted in preaching and public speaking to give a voice to Christians around the world who cannot speak for themselves.
- Time: Barnabas Fund speakers need only commit to a few engagements a year, at services and events that fit in with their schedule.
- Tools: speakers are provided with briefings and materials including DVDs and PowerPoint presentations.
- Travel: speakers arrange their own transport but reasonable expenses are available.
Barnabas Fund's Development Manager Peter Burnett says:
Helping and supporting the persecuted Church is not just about giving financially - prayer is at the centre of what we do. But for people to pray and give, they need to be told about the need. For the work of Barnabas Fund to be effective, we need people who are willing to step out and go that extra mile; people who will be a voice for our brothers and sisters who are discriminated against because of their faith in our Lord. I would love to hear from you if you could represent Barnabas Fund in your church, your area or as a speaker.
For more information contact Alastair Kirk on 01672 564938 or info@barnabasfund.org
Please note that there is a short application form for church reps, area reps and speakers. For church reps we also seek the endorsement of the church minister, and for area reps and speakers we take up references.
