Summer update
I love stories. I heard one recently talking to a (relatively) young man with a young family, that he had taken years and years to realise God was real and to put his faith in Jesus. He said that he then told his uncle that he had become a Christian and the uncle replied that was great as he had been praying for him for 20 years.
Have you a story like that?
Have you been praying for someone to put their faith in Jesus for that long?
Or longer?
Do you see evangelism in that long term way?
I would love to hear.
I apologise that it has been a while since there was an Evangelism Consultancy update but that does not mean life has been quiet. Since being appointed an Assistant Headteacher at the end of 2023, the balance and pace of life has changed. In case you are thinking it, yes I have recently read and am reflecting on the ruthless elimination of hurry …
But it is all positive in and out of school, as shown in the highlights below.
Highlights
Good Friday service and Community event
I preached at the Churches Together in Chelmsford Good Friday morning service in the High Street on ‘Get the right message’ – notice the right message not your, my or any message – and then was part of the organising team for an event there in the afternoon with 50 volunteers from 10 churches serving free food, playing quality soul music and offering crafts, spiritual spa treatments and chat for the many passers-by that we met. We wanted to try to do something for the community – and did it.
Effective evangelism presentation
I spoke at a meeting of the church reps that support Counties evangelists in Essex on what effective evangelism looks like in the church today and how to plan for it – all in 25 mins which even the organiser said was a tough call. I gave some suggestions for a church evangelism health check for them and their church leaders and what to do with the results for them, the leaders and their churches.
The Word on the Street outreach
We were out on Chelmsford High Street on Good Friday and Saturdays in May and June again with lots of great conversations and two people becoming Christians, which is fantastic. The next challenge as always is to try and encourage all of them to take the next step forward.
Street Pastors training
I led a Saturday morning training for the Southend Street Pastors team on how we can pray to connect with people. This involved theory and practice, thinking about how prayer still connects with people today and how to pray for anything (Philippians 4 v 6) and everything, which is for everyone to be saved (1 Tim 2 v 4), on the streets, in churches and on our own.
Coming up
Meeting with a Jehovah’s Witness
I have made a link with a Jehovah’s Witness who is regularly out in Chelmsford High Street and after a number of good conversations, we have met up a couple of times one to one and will be again over the summer to talk about our similarities and differences. Conversations are open, honest and respectful so please pray for them and him.
Love Essex Southend event
Following such a great day last year, more Southend churches are involved this year in putting on free music, offering giveaways and speaking with people in the street on 14th September. I have been asked to oversee the four street teams this year so please pray for lots more spiritually significant encounters.
UEC work?
I had a meeting with the Secretary of the Union of Evangelical Churches, a group of 14 churches across London and Essex, who I have known for a number of years and we agreed that I would offer evangelism consultancy to all their churches. I have written a ‘CV’ that will be presented to their leadership team in the autumn so please pray churches will be open for whatever support and guidance is needed for them to communicate Jesus more to more people around them.
Christmas Cafe Church service
I was asked back in 2023 to put this in my diary by Great Leighs Free Church – we like planning in advance! I will be leading and preaching at this event.
I know it is still summer…
The Word back on the Street
The team has three more Saturdays booked for the autumn. Please give thanks for these opportunities and that we will make the most of them.
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