John and Flick Hindley - UK |
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email:
hindley[at]crosslinks.org
The Plant
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The Hindleys, along with fellow Crosslinks' Associates Phil and Louise Keymer are founders of "The Plant" More details can be found on their own web site - www.theplant.net
John writes: "Despite sounding about as southern as Surrey, I was born in Yorkshire at a very young age, and began life in Guiseley. My dad was a bank manager, and we moved round the country a lot – down to Oxsted in Surrey when I was six, up to Edinburgh at nine, down to Langley, a village near Stratford at twelve. I went to Uni in Exeter to do History and Politics, planning to become a History teacher. God had other plans! I’d been brought up as a Christian, and been to a range of churches. At Uni I was struck by the wonder of Jesus’ death on the cross in my place, and the need to tell others about it. I worked (in the loosest definition of the word!) for two years in Chesham, Buckinghamshire as a church youth worker. I loved the idea of being able to tell people about Jesus full-time, so studied the Bible at Oak Hill College in London for three years, then came up to Bolton to be ordained in the Church of England and serve as assistant minister in a church. Flick and I got married a year after that. Last move (so far) is to Manchester, to The Plant."
Introducing The Plant
Manchester has one of the biggest student populations in Europe.
With five major university institutions all within a few miles of each other, the main campus area of Manchester, just south of the city centre, is the epicentre of a student community numbering at least 65,000.
Although gospel work is undoubtedly taking place in this area, activity levels and resources are inadequate when viewed in the context of such massive student numbers.
Whilst there are some churches that are specifically engaged in evangelising, supporting and training students - there are not enough. It is against this backdrop that ‘The Plant’ has been conceived.
Our central objective is to evangelise the student community and to establish an informal, evangelical congregation in the university campus area: ‘The Plant’.
The Plant’s primary aim will be to see more students hearing the gospel, coming to faith and being supported, trained and equipped to follow Christ for the rest of their lives. Our entire outlook, ethos and programme are determined by this aim.