Imagine living in a post-church society. As you walk down the street, you
find beautiful, old church buildings, and each one seems eager to tell its
story. Excited, you enter one of the churches, but it seems strangely empty. Is
anyone here?

You leave the church and resume your walk down the street.
Suddenly it hits you, the people here desperately need to know that they have a
Father in heaven. They need to know how much He loves them and wants to be a
vital part of their lives.

At first, it surprises you. You are in a first world country, and the people
there can have almost anything they want, but they still lack something.
Churches have been around for hundreds of years, but few people attend. You
sense a great spiritual emptiness in the community.

You know the feeling.
Before you met Jesus, your own life seemed empty. You longed for unconditional
love and for a reason to live. Then you found out that God loves you and has a
plan for your life. You began a relationship with Him, and your life changed
dramatically.

As you think about this, you realize that the people in
this country need to know what you know, to have what you have. They desperately
need someone to show them what it looks like to have a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ. Who will tell them? Who will show them? Will you?

Answering the
Call:

The above story really happened. In fact,
it has happened over and over again for years. The place is Salford, England,
and the person walking down the street is every missionary that AIM has ever
sent there. For the past six summers, AIM has put a short term team in Salford
for a week or two. These teams accomplish many things for the Kingdom of God,
but they always go home. No one stays to follow up with those who come to Christ
or to continue reaching out to the lost. The harvest is plentiful, but the
workers have been few. Until now….

Discipleship:

Near Manchester,
Salford is a great place to live. FYM will minister alongside of the Broughton
Team Ministry (Anglican ministers & their church staff), which currently
involves three urban priority area parishes in the city of Salford and the
northwestern edge of Manchester City Centre. Broughton is predominantly a white,
working class area with a large orthodox Jewish community, a growing Asian
population and a number of refugee families. There is a small Afro-Carribean
population and a significant number of international students and their
families, who are mainly connected with Salford University. The area ranks among
the thirty poorest municipal wards in the country. Unemployment is high compared
to city, regional and national averages. Many areas in Salford have suffered
from rapid neighborhood decline and abandonment; however, a great deal of
redevelopment is underway.

Ministry:

Participants will
each develop an internship, most of which will be supporting roles to the local
churches. Opportunities for ministry include starting a cell/discipleship group
with people who have been reached by previous AIM trips, developing a nurture
program for teens who attend Space (youth evangelistic concerts), holiday clubs,
Going Bananas (like a one-day VBS), school assemblies, working with primary and
secondary schools, joining and leading a housegroup, supporting Alpha course (a
discipleship class), community action, visiting elderly members of local church
congregations, and assisting with Sunday services across a team of
churches.