Partnership Update – September 2017

Dear Partner in the Gospel

 

I trust you will be able to take a few minutes to read and pray through this update. 

 

Thinking that the essential principles of Spirit-empowered preaching were well covered by other speakers, Art Azurdia asked if he might simply expound a text when he spoke at last month’s GBP Conference. That was no problem. That’s exactly what we wanted him to do. What was slightly unexpected is how explicitly evangelistic the messages – particularly the second one – were. It was Spirit-empowered preaching at it’s best. So, we have not been surprised to hear of three young people present at the conference who have now requested baptism in their local churches. We give thanks to God for this wonderful blessing. Next year’s conference is planned for 21st-23rd August at Swanwick when we look forward to welcoming Brian Croft as our main speaker. The theme is church revitalisation.

 

Four years ago Grace Baptist Church Wood Green sent me along with my wife and three youngest children to lead an effort to replant a Baptist witness in Edlesborough. I rejoice that during this time we have not only seen the church successfully replanted at Edlesborough but have been able to be involved in the planting of a new church in Leagrave last year and the revitalisation of an existing church in Dunstable this year. Having now been called to serve as pastor at Dunstable Baptist Church, I preached for the last time as pastor at Edlesborough last Sunday. This picture was taken after the service with Timothy Reynolds (new pastor at Edlesborough) and Hezron Muwowo (new pastor at Leagrave). Please pray that these three churches will continue to impact their communities for Christ and that additional churches in the region will be planted, replanted, or revitalised.

We are delighted that the Lord has raised up Hezron Muwowo and his family to lead the work at Leagrave. They have moved to the area and Hezron has now begun his work. Please pray that they will quickly settle into life and ministry in this challenging ministry environment. Please also pray for us as we mount an effort to purchase the building where the church plant meets within the next six months.

We praise the Lord for raising up Mark Hope and his family from the church at Bradford on Avon to assist with various evangelism projects in Wiltshire. Please pray for the Hopes and their ongoing work in Bradford on Avon alongside their new involvement in GBP-related projects in the county. Please pray especially for Mark as he follows up on contacts made through the recent Is God good? tour of churches.

 

We are seeking to help the church plant in North Edinburgh to purchase their meeting place in Logie Green by the end of this month. Would you please prayerfully consider helping with this project. £20,000 is needed by 1 October 2017.

 

Please join us in prayer for the ongoing work of church planting in Bydgoszcz, Poland; the Paris Effective Evangelism Conference the 22nd-23rd of September and a training event in Khmelnitsky, Ukraine on 30th September. The Lord is at work across Europe. What a privilege to be a part – albeit small – of what He is doing.

 

We would be very pleased if you could join us on Saturday, 14th October at 3pm for my induction to the pastorate of Dunstable Baptist Church. Stuart Olyott will be preaching and a buffet tea will

follow the meeting. Do let us know if you are planning to attend for catering purposes. Also, if you are travelling from a distance you may be interested to know that Geoff Thomas will be preaching

in both services on Sunday, 15th October. We would be happy to have you visit with us then as well.

 

Warmly in Christ