What is Project40?
Stuart and Ceri Lees were both converted in December 1980, were married in 1982, and now have four children and seven grandchildren.
Since 1985 they have been involved in church leadership and for 25 years (1997-2022) they served at Christchurch Fulham. In 2005 they ran the first Jesus Ministry conference in the UK and since that time have been running a church and developing Jesus Ministry in the UK and abroad.
For as long as we can remember we have carried a burden for our nation and a deep conviction that we will see a great Move of God take place in the nation in our lifetime. We have experienced a number of visions, dreams and Rhema words from God that have burned within us for many years and which burn within us still.
In 2019 God spoke to us that it was time to start talking about revival more clearly. This in turn led to a period of seeking God during the lockdown, which in turn led to the awareness that God was asking us to step out of parish ministry and invest more fully into the wider vision to prepare a highway for our God.
We carry two deep convictions that we see at the centre of the role of Project40. The first is to stir faith and vision for Revival so that we, the Church, might prepare well and be ready to ride the tidal wave of God’s Activity when he releases it in His own good timing.
The second is the conviction that the Church of Jesus Christ carries great supernatural identity, authority and anointing and at present we are seeing only a fraction of our potential being realised. These days are crucial to prepare a supernaturally shaped Church for the awesome supernatural assignment that is set before us - the salvation of a nation.
Project40 is an apostolic expression of Jesus Ministry in the UK as we look ahead and prepare for the Revival of the Church and the Great Awakening of our Nation.
The challenge
Our nation is in a desperate state with only a fraction of the population serving the living God. It is estimated that only 5% of the nation are born again Bible believing Christians, which means that 95% of the nation do not serve the Living God. The spiritual effect of this is huge and as Isaiah the prophet wrote ‘darkness, thick darkness discovers the people.' Isaiah 60:2. Unbelief, idol worship and the rejection of Christ are hallmarks of our day.
The effect of this darkness on the Church has been like an oil spill from a tanker coating the wings of seabirds. The Church in our nation is clogged with unbelief and a great cleansing and reviving work of the Spirit is needed.
Our vision
We believe the Lord has shown us that a radical revival of the Church in the UK is on its way, and flowing out of this will be an Awakening of the nation. We believe that this Move of God will not be short or superficial but will be long-lasting and have a deep and transformative effect on the culture and identity of Britain. This is God’s great work and is to His Honour and Glory.
Our Mission
We believe our mission is:
- To empower the local Church, that it might walk in it's supernatural identity and activate the supernatural gifts and weapons that it already carries in the Spirit. The values and teaching found in Jesus Ministry are foundational to this purpose.
- To support Church leaders as they develop a vibrant supernatural culture in the local Church.
- To unleash the anointing of prophets and intercessors to impact the course of the destiny of our nation.
- In inspire faith, vision and understanding for the coming Revival and Great Awakening in our nation.
- To release teaching and ministry that brings wholeness and healing, so that believers are enabled to live whole and healthy lives.
Our Strategy
- Jesus Ministry Conferences, training events, seminars and workshops that activate the anointing that God's people carry.
- Restorative ministry for leaders on the front line.
- Developing resource materials for use in the local Church.
- Ministry trips to local churches to invest into lasting change.
- Activating commando units of prophets and intercessors to wreak havoc on the enemy.
- Developing relational unity and cooperation between different streams of the Spirit within the wider Church.
We believe God is at work in this nation in many different ways and through many different streams of the Spirit. We do not believe we are more significant, nor more anointed than other streams, but we do believe that we are called to play our part and bring our flavour and our contribution to the great work that is already underway. We are excited and full of anticipation to see what the Lord does in the days ahead. We are daunted by it the challenge but we are also full of hope because through God all things are possible!
Stuart and Ceri Lees