Our vision, values and priorities
We have a rich history of relationship and shared activity, and are committed to working together as local churches, to plant churches in new areas, run larger events together, and support existing churches to be healthy communities of mission and discipleship.
Salt & Light Advance is a family of churches and locations within the Salt & Light International family of churches. Advance churches are located in Wales, Worcestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.
Current priorities
In 2022 we identified 6 key development priorities for our work together:
spiritual life: helping churches foster increasing spiritual life, including through School of the Spirit
evangelism: nurturing missional culture in our churches, training and ministries
training: catalysing the development of a culture of training and discipleship
church planting: learning afresh to plant and support churches
other nations: supporting teams to go to unreached people groups, and developing intercultural churches in the UK
societal impact: helping individuals and churches contribute to the transformation of UK society
Wider family
We are also part of the Salt & Light International family of churches, with whom we share many foundational values, practices and priorities.
History
The family of churches that is now Salt & Light Advance started to form in the 1970s when the charismatic renewal (aka British New Church Movement) transformed individuals and reshaped churches, including the Cote Baptist Church (founded 1703, now Aston & Cote Community Church, see history) and a new housechurch in Witney.
Several churches were planted, including many within Oxfordshire, and several other churches connected into the emerging family of churches. Together the group of churches became one of the key centres within an international family of churches now known as Salt & Light Ministries. More of that wider history, including the history of the Advance churches, can be read in free short booklet The Journey.
Salt & Light UK went through a number of changes in the late 2010s, during which Salt & Light Advance emerged in 2017, recognising the long-standing relationships and shared vision betrween the churches in this part of the UK.