GENEVA Interview with Andrew Heard

Andrew Heard, Al Stewart and Mikey Lynch have recently announced the beginning of a new national church planting network, GENEVA. Here’s an interview with Andrew Heard.

Why plant churches?

Because of the gospel imperative to keep proclaiming Christ to the world. We want to swamp Australia with healthy, energetic, theologically grounded churches that can turn our county upside down by reaching thousands more for Christ.

What’s the aim of GENEVA? What’s the idea behind the name GENEVA?

The aim of Geneva is to be a servant to the denominations and networks. It isn’t interested in being anything in itself. We want to be a tool that others use. The power of pooling our resources across the various denominations and networks from around the country is that we can do much more than we could do separately.

We’ve identified five things:

1. better able to raise the profile of planting and keep it raised,
2. recruit planters,
3. provide high quality assessment by experienced Australian planters,
4. equip and resource with ongoing tools to do the job (an interactive website is being developed) and importantly,
5. establish a far more extensive mentoring and coaching program for planters as they go back into their various networks.

Geneva wants to help establish strong theologically driven churches which are able to engage effectively in our changing culture and so grow.

Why Geneva as a name? When we looked around for a name that captured what we were about we kept coming back to the events in the 16th Century around the city of Geneva. Hundreds of young men were drawn to the city from different cultural backgrounds to be immersed in the theology of the gospel. But it was such a vibrant theology that it then drove them back out to be hard core missionaries into Catholic France and the rest of the world. It is a little known fact but from the years 1555 to 1562 1,250 churches were planted out of Geneva. Some of them grew to number thousands in attendance. We are praying God might do a similar work today.

What are its theological distinctives?

At the core of Geneva is a desire to guard against unreflective pragmatism. We want to establish new churches that have as their DNA a commitment to being theologically grounded and driven. We’ve taken a lot time to work on a doctrine statement that expresses where we stand on a whole range of issues. Of course, the downside of doing this is that not everyone will be able to join us. But we have our eye on the next 50yrs and so want to start with a solid foundation.

Some distinctives? Strongly reformed, missional, male preaching, a focus on the centre rather than on secondary matters such as the charismatic disputes of recent times.

What’s the relationship with American networks such as Acts 29?

Acts 29 are great friends and supporters. They have given us permission to use all their materials and have given their time to provide teaching input as we need it. Men outside of Acts 29 like Mark Dever have thrown their support behind Geneva. We look forward to a great partnership with these guys.

However, Geneva is an independent Australian group. We are deeply concerned to raise up Australian leadership and not keep looking to America for the answers. At present we have in our network a host of highly experienced Australian church planters – from around the country. These guys are keen to become coaches to the next crop of you guys coming through.

You’re already part of FIEC (Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches). What will GENEVA do that FIEC isn’t already doing?

FIEC is a formal fellowship of churches. It exists to provide support and fellowship to independent churches across Australia. Geneva is a different beast. It is focused entirely on raising up planters, assessing them, equipping, providing resources and coaching and then planting them back into existing networks.

FIEC was working on doing all of this itself but has now determined that Geneva could do it far better and so has outsourced this role to Geneva. The new Sydney Dicoesan planting department under Al’s leadership will do the same.

Who should think about church planting and being part of GENEVA?

Anyone who wants to plant a ‘grounded’ and ‘growing’ church and do it in fellowship with a crowd of guys who have already done it.

What type of mentoring/coaching will GENEVA offer church planters?

We offer 3 levels:

1. Annual conferences (the first at Collaroy – Dec 7-9 called In The Chute);
2. Link with an established planter for fortnightly coaching;
3. Training intensives through the year with OS and national guys. These will cover everything from planting, to preaching, to leadership development, to growing finances, etc.

What should young guys do who want to consider planting with GENEVA?

Contact us on – inthechute@gmail.com