Ten years ago, Advance Groups began as a small experiment in missional community. Today, the movement has 335,000 members across 106 countries, and over one million people have heard the gospel through its networks. That is a story worth pausing to celebrate.

Ben Jack, Global Head of Advance, reflects on a decade of growth that has been anything but linear. The movement has faced setbacks, adapted to different cultural contexts, and learned hard lessons along the way. But the core conviction has remained constant: that ordinary Christians, gathered in small groups and equipped to share their faith, can reach their communities in ways that no professional programme ever could.

The church planting fruit in Portugal and Pakistan is particularly striking. These are not easy mission fields — Portugal has deep Catholic roots and significant secularisation; Pakistan presents obvious challenges for Christian witness. The fact that Advance Groups are taking root in both contexts speaks to the adaptability of the model and the power of local ownership.

For The Message Trust, this anniversary is not a moment to rest on past achievements. It is a launching pad. The question Ben Jack is asking is not 'how did we get here?' but 'where are we going next?' — and the answer, it seems, is everywhere.