Glyn and Sophia Barrett
A CHURCH PLANT IN MANCHESTER
Asked why he has planted a church in Manchester, Pastor Glyn Barrett sits back in his office chair and smiles. Expecting a deep spiritual answer, I get ready to write a lot down the quirky Australian 5 response. But I’m somewhat shocked. ‘Manchester City are my favourite football team. The idea of being close to them really excites me,’ he chuckles.
Joking aside, Glyn’s love for the Blues is not the real reason he’s left his home of 12 years in Sheffield for this big transfer to the other side of the Pennines.
The Youth Alive chief revealed how a series of prophetic words from preachers across the world convinced him God was calling him there. ‘J’d been at Hope City, Sheffield, with Dave and Jenny Gilpin, and was happy. It’s a growing, creative church and I was delighted to be a part of it. ‘One of our church advisers said they thought I should go to Manchester. But we weren’t ready, so put the idea on the shelf.
A couple of years later in 2005, I was watching a game of cricket with my friend Russell Evans, who said he believed God was calling me to Manchester. Mal Fletcher then said the same thing, as did a few guys at a Planet-shakers Conference. God was getting our attention but I didn’t want to push it, and said that if it were God’s will, he would have to speak to Dave and Jenny. I didn’t mention it to them.
Amazingly, Dave came to us shortly afterwards and said he wanted to go day morning services from April, but in September officially launched Audacious City Church.
Lively, vibrant and full of passion, the church has risen to nearly 300 people in a mere three months. Situated just five minutes’ walk away from the centre of Manchester, its youthful congregation believes for big things in the exciting city. In a move that would frustrate traditionalists, Glyn has swapped hymn books for Starbucks by choosing to hold his midweek life groups in the city’s coffee shops.
His seeker-sensitive mentality sees church newcomers receive a pack of free mints on their first visit, along with a 25 per cent discount at their bookstore. Church notices are somewhat unusual, being filmed and shown on big screen for ‘Audacious TV’ It’s this type of contemporary approach that Glyn reckons can bring spiritual change to Manchester, notorious for its crime and violence.
He told JOY, ‘The church is called to be prophetic and is called to be creative. We need to show people what life can be like. It should be the norm for churches with to be contemporary. Coffee-shop life groups are non-threatening, and people can invite their neighbours. We have no worship in the groups, it’s not about that. It’s about people coming together, having a coffee, watching a DVD and having a discussion, before having some more coffee.
‘I’ve never been happy with going to people’s houses for small groups. It’s never been something I’ve found comfortable. The buzzing atmosphere of a coffee shop makes it great and appealing to anyone.But despite this relaxed approach, Glyn is very much a man on a mission. Backed by a £40,000 donation from Planet-shakers in Australia and an £18,000 offering from the church’s congregation, Glyn is adamant he can make a difference.
As a church we want to have our fingers in as many pies as possible. Manchester is known for its music, sport, business, politics and student world. We want to be a church that can influence all those key areas. ‘We’re in a central location, we have the resources and we aim for big things here in Manchester. We can be relaxed, but neither do we want to miss out on the supernatural. ‘We’re praying for words of knowledge, words of wisdom and words of prophecy.
‘We want a book of Acts church, and want the Spirit of God to be mainstream, not in a way that freaks people out but in a way where people take note that God is still moving and speaking today’.
Glyn, Sophia and their team have a tough challenge in front of them, but their rawness and passion will no doubt bring in the crowds.
