Celebrating a Year of 100 i Gymru: Highlights, Lessons, and Hopes

Ben and Lois Franks

Psalm 127 v 1
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain."

Last weekend we celebrated one year of Cant i Gymru. CRAZY TIMES! It has been a year of many highs coupled with some challenges, but all the while we’ve sensed God’s hand with us as we seek to establish this vision of planting 100 healthy churches in the next 10 years. There is so much to be thankful for, so many moments where we’ve seen God’s hand of provision and signs of life across the church in Wales. But one of the things that we have been convinced of again and again is that God truly is building his Church. For 100 Cymru, this is just the beginning but we are so excited about the journey we are on! Thank you for joining us!

So, as those with the joy and privilege of leading this initiative, we thought our 1st anniversary was a good moment to share some things we are celebrating, some lessons we’ve learned and some hopes for the year ahead – here goes!

5 Things we're celebrating

1. By God’s grace, the Cant i Gymru vision has been warmly received across the Body of Christ. It’s been a privilege to meet with people across the breadth of denominations and networks faithfully preaching Christ in Wales and we count it a privilege to enjoy this unity and togetherness. Our Leader’s Day in Builth Wells was especially wonderful as people from across the country and theological spectrum gathered together to dream about our nation being won for Christ.
2. We know this vision needs much prayer! And we’re super encouraged by the foundation of prayer that is being laid. We’ve mobilised 31 daily hours of prayer for Wales (we’re still aiming for 100 though so sign up if you haven’t yet!) and have hosted prayer gatherings across the nation. As we plead with the Lord to move in our land, we’re trusting that He will move and bring His transformation.
   • Merthyr; our first public gathering was a precious time of passionate prayer, with deep unity and expectation.
   • The day of prayer in Blaenau was wonderful. Standing alongside one of the recently launched church plants and crying out for Blaenau, North Wales and the whole nation ‘as it is in Heaven’.
   • In Cardiff we gathered alongside brothers and sisters from Korea and sensed the Lord powerfully in our midst.
3. 6 church plants have started gathering on Sundays! This is what it’s all about! Faith-filled pioneers stepping out in faith to push back the darkness and proclaim the light of Christ. COME ON!
4. Getting to support church planters on the ground has been such a joy! In January we ran our RESET weekend, where we took away church-planting couples for a weekend of reflecting, encouragement and support as we looked ahead together to a new year. It was a life-giving, refocusing and restorative time and we can’t wait for the next RESET in January!
5. The little conversations we’ve had have been such an encouragement. From chats with church planters, future church planters, and churches who want to plant churches, through to patrons, supporters and prayer warriors, the different relationships we have the privilege of building have spurred us on no end!

5 Lessons We’ve Learned

1. Vision breathes life into God’s people.
   There’s a real hunger in the nation to see change and we’re honoured the 100 i Gymru vision has given some focus and energy to push on together.
2. Mobilising people and resources is HARD!
   We can’t do this alone. We really are in this together and need all the help we can get. The Body has many parts and there are unique contributions needed to reach our goal of 100 churches in 10 years. Will you join us on the journey? Could you help with translation? Could you commit to giving financially? Will you commit to praying or even co-ordinating a prayer gathering with your church like some have done already? If you could help in any way, please do get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!
3. There’s great joy in working across our differences.
   We have learned so much from speaking with people who don’t necessarily think like us or do things in the same way! There has been real unity this year and we’re loving learning to hold some things more loosely, whilst still committing wholeheartedly to core values.
4. Faith is a precious commodity!
   This vision takes some BIG faith. 100 churches in 10 years…In a nation that is rejecting the Lord and choosing darkness? Impossible! BUT FOR GOD! And we have the faith to believe this is possible IN HIM! There have been several moments where we’ve felt the enemy try to steal our confidence in the God we serve and the promises of His word. But it’s walking by faith and not by sight that enables us to grasp hold of the miraculous!
5. Friendship is the joy of ministry.
   Whether it's working together in our incredible team, or across our friendships in the Nation and World, doing this as friends with purpose is the richest experience we could have asked to be part of.

5 Focuses for the Next 12 Months

1. The Next Generation
   This vision is only possible if the next generation is envisioned, empowered and equipped. We need to raise up a new generation of church planters who will lead the charge into every corner and community of our land. The potential is huge and we will be spending a lot of time and energy in the year ahead trying to unlock it!
2. Continuing to raise up prayer in the land
   We don’t just need some good ideas or a well-organised church planting initiative. What we need is a move of God. The further we’ve waded into the 100 Cymru vision the more hungry we’ve become to call upon the name of the Lord to ‘Rise up and help us’ in these days. We are excited about the prospects of prayer celebrations, intercessor gatherings and continuing to mobilise our army of ordinary intercessors.
   
   Prayer is not glamorous work, but we believe that God is hearing our prayers and responding by His grace. 31 hours of daily prayer is wonderful…But we’re aiming for 100 so we have a bit of a way to go! Can you help? Please share our prayer sign-up with some people. This year we’re aiming for more exposure globally; sharing our vision and generating support to reach Wales for Christ.
3. Mobilising the church
   We feel like we’ve only just scratched the surface of our burden to mobilise the church across the land. We see so much potential in the local church. So many future leaders. Churches who could lead the charge of planting new churches in the years ahead. We’ve got some big plans for gathering and inspiring Christians across the land – watch this space. Exciting news coming soon!
4. Structure and Sustainability
   There’s been great joy in grabbing hold of this vision as a group of friends and trying to kick-start it into action. But the truth is, with local church responsibilities and young families we all ran hard last year and it has taken its toll. This year we have a keen focus on structure and sustainability. That means bringing in some part-time staff and putting together the right processes for the growth we hope to see in the coming years. It also means adding a training program for EQUIPPING church planters so that those who feel the call can find the training they need.
5. New Church Plants
   Ultimately we are hoping that the next 12 months mean more pioneering leaders hearing the call to ‘Go’ to new places, and new church plants being pioneered in different corners and communities of Cymru. We are praying that more future planters would begin to emerge, that plants in the pipeline would take their first steps of faith and that those who have planted would be going from strength to strength. It’s not easy work, but we keep on hearing the same well-known verse resonating in our Spirits ‘The harvest is plentiful’ – Lord, let it be so!

So there you have it! 5 things we’re celebrating, 5 lessons we’ve learned and 5 focusses for the next 12 months. Believe us…We could have written a whole lot more!

Thank you for all your support and encouragement over the past 12 months. Please do keep joining with us on the journey.

Big love, Ben and Lo X