FIEC Resources for Church Leaders

The rise of the charismatic and pentecostal movements, plus societal and technological developments, meant that churches have had to respond to change in recent centuries - including how they approached corporate worship.

In this In:Progress webinar, Graham Beynon (Associate National Director) covers changes in 20th- and 21st-century church history and how they have affected corporate worship in evangelical churches.

The webinar covers the standardisation of services, the role of emotion and expression in sung worship, the updating of old hymns, and how new technology has led to the danger of "worship consumerism".

Further reading on this topic is available on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/theology-and-technology-on-corporate-worship.

This is part 3 of 3 in the 'Singing with the Saints' webinar series.

About the speaker: Graham is one of FIEC's Associate National Directors, helping churches and their leaders by managing FIEC’s team of Local Directors overseeing church planting, and giving advice and training.

About the series: In this In:Progress webinar course, Graham Beynon (FIEC Associate National Director) looks at key moments in the history of independent worship and draws lessons for our corporate worship today.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

The church in the 18th- and 19th-centuries was influenced by the surrounding culture and therefore needed to understand how corporate worship could be expressed contextually without compromising to the culture.

In this In:Progress webinar, Graham Beynon (Associate National Director) explores how different church leaders during those years approached corporate worship and what lessons we can learn for our practice today.

The webinar includes examples from Isaac Watts, the Wesley brothers, the Salvation Army, and others, as well as how culture has influenced where churches meet and how sung worship is accompanied.

Further reading on this topic is available on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/cultural-influences-on-corporate-worship.

This is part 2 of 3 in the 'Singing with the Saints' webinar series.

About the speaker: Graham is one of FIEC's Associate National Directors, helping churches and their leaders by managing FIEC’s team of Local Directors overseeing church planting, and giving advice and training.

About the series: In this In:Progress webinar course, Graham Beynon (FIEC Associate National Director) looks at key moments in the history of independent worship and draws lessons for our corporate worship today.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

In light of the Protestant Reformation, the early Independents wrestled with what should guide or shape our corporate worship.

In this In:Progress webinar, Graham Beynon (Associate National Director) explores 16th- and 17th-century church history and theology to help us understand where the principles that underpin our corporate worship today came from.

The webinar covers the Reformation and early separatists, the normative and regulative principles of worship, different approaches to corporate worship, and what worship is acceptable to God.

Further reading on this topic is available on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/the-shape-of-corporate-worship.

This is part 1 of 3 in the 'Singing with the Saints' webinar series.

About the speaker: Graham is one of FIEC's Associate National Directors, helping churches and their leaders by managing FIEC’s team of Local Directors overseeing church planting, and giving advice and training.

About the series: In this In:Progress webinar course, Graham Beynon (FIEC Associate National Director) looks at key moments in the history of independent worship and draws lessons for our corporate worship today.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

When people in our churches fall out, we need to help them work out how they can stay united in Christ or be reconciled in him.

We need to understand what kind of category of issue we are dealing with, we need to caution people against assigning motives, and help them take responsibility for their side. In this way, we can help people maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.

In this video, first produced for our 2026 Local Conferences, Graham Beynon (FIEC Associate National Director) shares advice on fostering unity when there is disagreement in the local church.

About the speaker: Graham is one of FIEC's Associate National Directors, helping churches and their leaders by managing FIEC’s team of Local Directors overseeing church planting, and giving advice and training.

About the series: We know that we are united in Christ, who has created ‘one new humanity’ (Ephesians 2:15). That unity is precious and beautiful, but it can also be challenging to live out. These videos help us understand how that can happen, produced for FIEC's 2026 Local Conferences across the country.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

We will encounter generational differences in church life. But instead of dividing our churches, they can enable us to show what God's people really looks like.

Unlike any other institution, local churches bring people together across the human lifespan. We don't gather because we're at the same age or stage, we gather because we have something deeper in common.

In this video, first produced for our 2026 Local Conferences, Pete Dray (Interim Lead Pastor, Redeemer Church, Leeds) shares advice on fostering unity between generations in the local church.

About the speaker: Peter serves as Interim Lead Pastor at Redeemer Church in Headingley, Leeds. He previously worked in student ministry for two decades, holding a number of roles for UCCF.

About the series: We know that we are united in Christ, who has created ‘one new humanity’ (Ephesians 2:15). That unity is precious and beautiful, but it can also be challenging to live out. These videos help us understand how that can happen, produced for FIEC's 2026 Local Conferences across the country.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

Unity between brothers and sisters in the church is seen in healthy, respectful relationships between men and women as equal members of the church and co-heirs in Christ.

But what does that look like in church life? How can we move towards better reflecting God's good design of men and women united as God's image bearers?

In this video, first produced for our 2026 Local Conferences, Rachel Sloan (Women's Ministry Coordinator, Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh) shares advice on fostering unity between genders in the local church.

About the speaker: Rachel is one of FIEC's Director for Women's Ministry. She works for FIEC alongside working as Women's Ministry Coordinator for Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh.

About the series: We know that we are united in Christ, who has created ‘one new humanity’ (Ephesians 2:15). That unity is precious and beautiful, but it can also be challenging to live out. These videos help us understand how that can happen, produced for FIEC's 2026 Local Conferences across the country.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

How can we make sure we are united in Christ across cultures? How can leaders set an example of this in church life?

In this video, first produced for our 2026 Local Conferences, Lucas Coelho (pastor, Sunbridge Road Mission, Bradford) shares advice on fostering unity between cultures in the local church.

About the speaker: Lucas is Pastor (Children & Families) at Sunbridge Road Mission in the centre of Bradford, West Yorkshire.

About the series: We know that we are united in Christ, who has created ‘one new humanity’ (Ephesians 2:15). That unity is precious and beautiful, but it can also be challenging to live out. These videos help us understand how that can happen, produced for FIEC's 2026 Local Conferences across the country.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

There are 740,000 students from overseas studying at UK universities: the nations are at our doorstep! Many of these students come from countries where gospel access is difficult or even impossible.

In this seminar, Penny (Friends International) helps us consider how we can welcome overseas visitors who are only here for a short while. And she suggests how we can send back students, especially to places where gospel work is very small or even secret.

This is a seminar from the 2025 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 10-12 November 2025.

About the speaker: Penny (hidden identity) serves as a Staff Worker for Friends International, growing friendships and faith with international students in the UK.

About the Leaders' Conference: The title of the 2025 Leaders' Conference was Church Without Borders, exploring how we can serve God’s mission in a mobile world.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

Short-term mission trips sometimes get a bad rep. Others find them wonderfully challenging and life-changing.

What part does short-term mission have in the world of mission, and how can local churches maximise this opportunity whilst avoiding the pitfalls?

Mike Smailes (Lansdowne Church, Bournemouth) leads this seminar. He is a trustee of a mission organisation and started his interest in mission with short-term mission trips.

This is a seminar from the 2025 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 10-12 November 2025.

About the speaker: Mike is one of the Associate Pastors at Lansdowne Church, Bournemouth, with specific responsibility for mission.

About the Leaders' Conference: The title of the 2025 Leaders' Conference was Church Without Borders, exploring how we can serve God’s mission in a mobile world.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.

Our mobile world is more connected than ever. This has profound implications for the work of mission, and also for supporting those who serve around the world.

OneHundredFold uses mobile technology to enable mission and works with churches and organisations, such as UFM Worldwide. In this seminar, Ed (OneHundredFold) will energise and enthuse us about this kind of work without overwhelming us.

Maybe your next church missionary will be an IT specialist?

This is a seminar from the 2025 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 10-12 November 2025.

About the speaker: Ed (identity hidden) is the founder and CEO of OneHundredFold, a missional team focused on redeeming technology, making Christ known, and changing nations.

About the Leaders' Conference: The title of the 2025 Leaders' Conference was Church Without Borders, exploring how we can serve God’s mission in a mobile world.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Find out more: https://fiec.org.uk.