This new history of ICS by Brian Underwood focuses particularly on ICS’s church-planting initiatives in the last ten years as well as drawing out important lessons for future local and international mission through church-planting. In an era when Christians—especially in western Europe—seem to struggle to make the gospel of Jesus Christ heard, Intercontinental Church Society’s planting and re-planting of international English-language churches in mainland Europe deserves study. ICS is, too, an unusual mission agency: with its help TUI Thomson is the only tour operator that features chaplains on its holidays for the over fifty-fives.

This accessible, contemporary missionary history examines a decade in the life of this evangelical Anglican agency’s long history, analyses the contemporary cultural context, and describes a Society that is confident in the Christ of the Scriptures, co-operative in attitude and which serves people of every conceivable denomination and nationality in the language of some 25% of the world’s population. It demonstrates, too, the contribution a voluntary agency can make when encouraged by the Church to pursue its specialist calling. It is both relevant and inspiring.

What subjects does the book cover?

• The first 170 years of ICS’s work especially in Canada, Australia and Europe.
• The cultural and spiritual context of mission in Europe in the closing years of the 20th century
• ICS’s partnership with established chaplaincies in Europe and the development of its seasonal ministry from 1992 to 2002
• A detailed survey of ICS’s church-planting work from 1995 onwards
• An analysis of the Society’s contribution to mission
• A look forward into the shape of Christian mission in the 21st century
  
  
  

The author

This is The Revd Brian Underwood’s third book about ICS. Brian studied at Durham and Oxford universities, taught, and was ordained in the Church of England in 1959. He has served in various ICS-supported chaplaincies in Europe, and recently retired from parish ministry in the Diocese of St. Albans.

What others say…

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, says in his Foreword to the book ‘the endeavours of many of our forebears can be a much-needed inspiration for us today…The continuing role of mission agencies like ICS is no less important now than 181 years ago when its work began. With English now amongst the world’s most spoken languages, ICS’s vision of communicating the treasures of the gospel through that medium deserves all the encouragement we can give.’

Canon Michael Green (Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and former Advisor to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on Evangelism) says of the book: ‘It is particularly well written and researched. The quality of the chaplains, the emphasis on evangelism and nurture, the lay leadership and the strong educative emphasis are among the strengths of this mission. ICS has always had a pioneering spirit, a heart for evangelism and firm convictions about the biblical message. Under Christ, those are three qualities which tend to produce much fruit, as is evident in the case of ICS.’

This book should inform and encourage anyone who has ever involved in an ICS-supported chaplaincy (your church will probably be featured!), all those concerned to see the gospel spread in Europe, and anyone with an interest in church-planting, church history and/or missiology.

How to order

Price £7.99

Publication: 14 December 2004. Publisher: ICS; printer: Cambridge University Press; ISBN 0-9537435-2-7; stitched paperback with colour and mono plates. Size 210 x 148mm; 288 pages plus 16 pages of colour plates.

Click here to order online or call 01926 – 430 347 (international: +44 1926 – 430 347); MasterCard or Visa accepted.

We will endeavour to despatch your order within seven working days of receipt. If you are unhappy with the book, you may return it/them at your expense in original condition within seven working days of delivery for a refund.

Special features of the book include

Australia

Faith and New Frontiers records the fascinating story of the planting and nurturing of English-speaking churches worldwide, which in reality begins with the Western Australian Missionary Society (WAMS) in 1835. Unlike the Newfoundland School Society – an educational organization – founded in 1823, WAMS was founded for direct evangelism and church-planting work. Its principal architects (Frederick Irwin and George Moore) at the Swan River colony had a broad vision that embraced the rest of Australia and beyond – to colonies of English speakers elsewhere. The name Colonial Church Society was taken in 1838. In time it became known as the Intercontinental Church Society (ICS). The Society was instrumental in the foundation of Bush Church Aid Society

Canada

ICS’s story also began in Newfoundland in 1823 when Samuel Codner founded the Newfoundland School Society, which engaged first in education of the poor. Soon however the Society moved into in evangelism and pastoral care of settlers, church planting and other educational work to tertiary level. ICS thus laid the foundations of educational and ecclesiastical structures in Canada (as in many other countries). The Society’s personnel served there until the beginning of World War II.