Echoes Of Andrew Corsie

Capital 2020 Made Simple

Blog piece by Steve Morris

A Capital idea can get a little grassroots help from its friends

Capital 2020 is one of those great ideas (in a previous life I’d have called it a brand) that everyone can get behind. The call to be Confident, Compassionate and creative is surely on the side of the angels. Which church wouldn’t want to be any of these?
But even great ideas need a bit of help to really sustain them and build momentum. And key to that is helping see that this isn’t just for the mega churches with plenty of oomph who can set up new churches and put in worship bands and the like.
The hidden beauty of Capital 2020 is that anyone can start straight away for free. And that what a church is already doing probably already fits into 2020 and so they have a head start. You might say, that this great brand idea has a very low point of entry, which is all to the good. The good news is that this is a movement that works and one that you can get into PDQ.
An example. In our place we started Foodbank collections. It was no big drama. We just plonked an old bin at the doors of the church and hand-wrote a sign saying of to the foodbank each week. I did a talk from the front ot on it. Someone volunteered to drive the food down each week. Hey presto! A simple idea. A step onto the Compassionate rung of CV2200,
Loads of free and single ideas tick boxes. The coffee club for older folk is Compassionate, so would something like the knitting club set up at St Hugh’s Northolt. The new idea of going and singing carols in the town centre is creative. And the list could go on.
We are going to collect loads of simple ideas. Ideas that come for free. Ideas that regular churches, perhaps with a single vicar and no administrator can do. This CV2200 Made Simple…or as I have taken to calling Homespun 2200.
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A good start made
Capital Vision 2020 has made a great start. It is inspiring and people are really doing some great things around it – see the videos on the website. It has the great advantage of being a well realised idea.
In brand terms it holds together. It has a simple core idea and then some very effective descriptor words. These words – Confident, Compassionate and Creative – are a masterstroke.
As a a strapline it means anyone can get involved. Who would not want to be creative? What Church would not thieve by being more compassionate? And are we not called to be confident in our proclaiming and living the message of Jesus?
How to grow ideas into action
There are certain things that can stop really good ideas growing into action. And some things that can help them.
1. The idea looks good but seems complicated to get into
2. It seems like you have to do a lot to get started
3. It seems good for well-resourced outfits, but not for us….
The key is:
1. To make the entry point easy
2. To show how some of things we already do fit into the idea _ we are already on the path.
3. There are different entry points that lead to the same destination.

A fresh idea – Homespun 2020
The videos are really good on big initiatives, by mainly big and well-resourced Churches. HTB-type churches are very good at this kind of thing anyway. They thrive on creativity and are really confident in their presentation of the gospel and the use of new and social media.
But what about the masses of other churches and clergy who are starting from a different place? Here in Neasden, what could we do? And what could we do now, for free, straightaway.
Any big idea like V2020 has to have word of mouth and begin with lots of small ideas, easy to implement to get people going and feel part of it.
So let us put together, say, 50 things you can do now that can get V2020 going – even if you are vicar who has no admin support, or a church with no money, or a church that is a bit stuck. 2020 Made Easy.
Here’s another thing. Many churches will already be doing V2020 without knowing it and these can then be used to show how we are part of this big idea.
For instance at St Catherine’s we did three simple things and looking back they all were free and helped us start V2020.
1. We got an old plastic bin, hand-wrote Food Pin on It and I asked people if they could help. Stephen Chamberlain came down and did a talk. We now fill the tub. And what could be more on-brand Compassionate than this. An easy win.
2. 2 We have been stuck in our church and joyless. Last Christmas we decided to get our winter coats on and go and sing carols in the pubs in Neasden. 40 turned up from St C. It was wonderful really. Looking back that was Creative.
3. I am a big advocate of helping us to answer people’s questions. I studied apologetics and helping Christians be able to deal with the big 5 questions really helps them to be confident of sharing their faith. I know the London Challenge wants to train a select few to do media. But I feel we can help a whole congregation listen to their friends and give a reason for their hope. Questions come up all the rime like doesn’t religion lead to war. I ran a five sermon series where we tackled one question a week. Isn’t this about the value Confidence?

V2020 Top 50s
Can we put together/build up under each heading 50 (100) things any church can do to start the ball rolling? These could go on the web ad be printable fact sheets. I am thinking homespun ideas.
Do something on the 5 big questions on the website. Perhaps INTERVIEW SOMEONE LIKE Alister McGrath for each question and signal other resources? Offer workshops?
Recasting Confident and Creative
1. Can we add an apologetics dimension to Confident? Confident is also being confident about sharing our faith in conversation etc….reasons to believe.
2. Creative is a state of mind as much as a set of skills. Many traditional activities (clubs for lonely people, bingo) can be creative in a church that wants to reach people.