“On Earth as it is in Heaven” – The 2019 HeartEdge Conference - Report from Day 2

Cormac Russell addresses the HeartEdge Conference, speaking about Asset Based Community Development

In his introduction to the delegates pack for the 2019 HeartEdge Conference, Sam Wells wrote: “HeartEdge believes the Spirit is alive and working both within and beyond the church, and is especially concerned to focus on the beyond.”

Day Two of the conference sought to continue that trajectory; the first “beyond” of concern to us today being the world of finance and commerce. During Day One, I felt awash with wisdom flowing from those ‘in’ the church. Today, I felt there were times when the tide could turn the other way - when the conference might have usefully heard more from those outside. Such as the 5.5 million “micro enterprises” which make up over 96% of businesses registered in the UK today. Even if each is owned and run by just one person (people like me), that accounts for 8% of the population. Winnie Varghese said at the opening of the conference, that we “do theology with our lives.” If that is so, I think we have a lot to learn from their lives - which happen to be greater in number than those who attend church on a Sunday.