Church leaders, students and ministry practitioners gathered at Oak Hill on June 9th for the college's annual School of Theology, exploring the theme Class and Ministry in the UK Today.
The conference addressed a question that is receiving increasing attention across British society and within the church: how does class shape our lives, our communities and our ministries?
The day opened with a plenary from Matthew Sleeman, who introduced key questions around the history and development of class in Britain and provided a framework for understanding its contemporary significance. Delegates then heard from Jason Roach, Kevin Croft and Maegen Webb of London City Mission, who reflected on the realities of class in local church life and the challenges and opportunities it presents for gospel ministry. The final plenary address, from Kirsten Birkett, considered how changing social and cultural trends may shape conversations about class in the years ahead.
“
Every speaker had something valuable to say as we grappled with this complex topic and how to honour Jesus as Lord in every part of our life - personally and as churches.
It encouraged me to be authentically "me-in-Christ" as I learn to love people across differences and point myself and others to our "now-and-not-yet" hope in Jesus.
Rupert Cowan
Student
Alongside the plenary sessions, attendees chose from a range of seminars examining ministry in particular contexts. These included reflections on post-industrial communities, urban estates, coastal towns and contemporary London. Together, they highlighted the diversity of communities across the UK and the importance of understanding the social realities in which ministry takes place.
“
“It was a pleasure to run two sessions at the conference, both looking at mission in post-industrial communities. In many cases, the benefit class are more affluent through government handouts, but they have a new set of relational challenges around loneliness, meaning and purpose that the gospel speaks into. Listening to the other speakers, I was encouraged by the similarities of approach that our church has to ministries in other deprived areas. The practical sessions were undergirded by academic rigour, with an excellent presentation that defined class and another that looked at the trend towards Christian nationalism among working class communities.”
John Funnell
Pastor of Noddfa Church Abersychan (Welsh Valleys)
Throughout the day, speakers encouraged participants not simply to analyse class as a social phenomenon but to consider how the gospel speaks into questions of identity, dignity, belonging and community. Delegates were challenged to examine their own assumptions and to think carefully about how churches can be places of welcome and flourishing for people from every background.
The School of Theology forms part of Oak Hill's commitment to helping churches think theologically and practically about the challenges facing ministry today. While the conference did not seek to provide simple answers, it offered an opportunity to learn from Scripture, from one another and from the varied experiences of Christians serving across the country.
As conversations continued over lunch and beyond the final session, the value of bringing together theological reflection and lived experience was clear. The hope of the day was not merely greater understanding, but more faithful ministry: churches better equipped to serve the communities God has called them to reach.
