Ministry Update :: 6 Nov 2006

Great news! Our ministry in the United Kingdom is continuing with some exciting new partnerships under development:

• Temple Baptist Church – An evangelical church in Pontypridd (where we have been living for the past 27 months) has invited me to work alongside their elder team as a “church development worker” on a part-time basis, approximately three days per week. Among other things, I will be engaged in a variety of ministries: coaching, training, and encouraging small group leaders; developing new and creative methods of reaching those who do not yet know Christ; developing a new strategy for year-round ministry interns and supervising the interns that are expected this summer; facilitating increased ministry effectiveness; re-engaging the church’s ministry to a nearby university; teaching/preaching on an occasional basis; and serving as liaison with Waleswide, a new church planting initiative in Wales (see below). Temple is affiliated with the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the Evangelical Alliance (EA).
• Highfields Free Church – I recently met with the senior pastor, at his invitation, to discuss ways that we could work together in a church planting partnership. Located in the capitol of Cardiff, this large city church has recently sent out a young man to plant a new church in Pontypool, only 18 miles way, and we are discussing ways that I could be used to encourage him in this work. Highfields is affiliated with the Evangelical Alliance (EA) and the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).
• Waleswide – It was a privilege for me to serve briefly on the initial steering group of this national church planting initiative. Now that I have the freedom to invest in other evangelical ventures, I have offered my experience and time for consultation, coaching, training, so that new churches can be formed and existing churches strengthened throughout Wales. God has so graciously provided for us once again! My passion for church planting has not changed in the least, just in case you’re wondering. In fact, I personally feel that the Lord has given me even greater liberty and a wider scope for ministry in the United Kingdom. The elders at Temple Baptist are very supportive of this life-long passion, and we are hopeful that the church may become a training center for church planters through the new internship strategy that I am developing for them. I am also still responding to frequent requests from church planters in North America. Just two weeks ago, I spent six to seven hours carefully editing one church planter’s application for at-large status in the Southern Baptist Convention: a sensitive and important matter at a time when Reformed evangelical men are being shunned and even denied funding in some state conventions. As I have said before, it’s amazing how much can be accomplished through e-mail and telephone contact: most church planters don’t need someone to hold their hand, but an experienced guide to point them in the right direction! We continually need your prayers! And our family deeply appreciates the financial support being provided by a number of churches and individuals in the United States. If it weren’t for you, there is no way that we could remain in the UK. Thanks for “holding the ropes” for us!