'New Christian heritage network will reach thousands with a gospel message' 

Church-based, actively Christian groups have teamed up to create a new network of Christian heritage tour operators, writes Adrian Gray

With recent major anniversaries like the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the 400th anniversary of the ‘Mayflower’ to come in 2020, there is increasing interest in the Christian heritage of Britain. Much of this is focused on tourists, but millions of British people are also interested in ‘their’ cultural history. Many organisations now exist to offer visits, tours and ‘experiences’ of Christian heritage.

But only some of them are Christian, and only some are Bible-based. So how do we separate out the ‘Christian’ heritage organisations from the organisations that merely cover Christian material?

The answer to this question is provided by the creation of a new network of Church-based, actively Christian groups and individuals. This new network has founder members in London, Norwich, Oxford, Cambridge, Harwich/Essex, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Lincolnshire-Nottinghamshire; members provide tours, exhibitions and resources for visitors from near and far, but always on the basis of a sound Biblical faith. You can see all the members on the new network website: christianheritagenetwork.org.uk

This means that visitors, especially from overseas, can be confident that they are booking a tour or a visit with people who use Christian history to help us think about Christianity today, to have real fellowship with fellow Christians, and often to share the message of Christ to non-believers through natural discussion.

The network also encourages the formation of new groups in suitable regions of the UK, so that every region might one day be using its own unique Christian story to explain the faith of the past and the present.

Adrian Gray is a member of Retford Baptist Church and director of Pilgrims & Prophets, which organises Christian heritage tours in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire