Ignite summer 2018

SUMMER 2O18

I G N ITE SPARKING PASSION FOR THE GOSPEL ACROSS THE UK

No limits! One church’s story of renewal

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WELCOME 1O Counties evangelists are involved in a wide range of ministries that engage them in both direct evangelism, and in training and equipping others. In this edition of Ignite, it is great to hear of a revitalisation programme that has helped transform a local church from a weekly attendance of 6 to over 100, with the support of evangelist Will Andrews.

Our desire is to extend partnership with local churches, and it is great to welcome Craig and Georgie Dowling, who will be based at Sladebrook Evangelical church in Bath, whilst training with Counties. We also welcome Ashley George, our first ever Counties Training Officer. Ash will be helping us to do the work of the Evangelist as expressed in Ephesians 4:11 ‘equipping God’s people.’ This is vital work, as the local church is the means of reaching our nation with the Gospel.

Finally, we all need to know the sustaining power of God to continue to serve Him well. Don’t miss the interview with Victor Jack, who has experienced God’s faithfulness over 54 years as a Counties evangelist.

May God strengthen you as you make Jesus known, Martin Erwin, CEO Counties

A copy of The Hub magazine from partner organisation Church Planting Initiative (CPI) has been included with this copy of Ignite. CPI is a collaboration between Counties, Church Growth Trust, GLO and Partnership. It aims to bring people and independent churches together to transform lives and communities through church planting initiatives.

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A look at the impact of Counties work

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New evangelists News

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Neighbourhood Chaplains coming to a town near you?

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Finances News

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Church is revitalised Feature Counties exists to make Jesus known across the UK through our evangelists, exhibitions and resources, in biblically faithful and culturally relevant ways.

Counties (Formerly Counties Evangelistic Work) is a Registered Charity No. 264278 and a Company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales No. 1041761 Address: Counties 30 Haynes Road, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3HD Telephone: 01373 823 013 Email: office@countiesuk.org www.countiesuk.org Thank you for your valued partnership. We are glad to make Ignite available free of charge.

It costs approximately £5 per year to produce and distribute this newsletter to you.

Every additional contribution will help us continue in our mission.

Editor: Helen Rimmer - helen@teaforthree.co.uk Design: Hullo Creative - www.hullocreative.com

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Maintaining your passion Bible Teaching

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Just a Minute with Ash George

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4 O VE RV IE W

OVE R VIE W 5

“ I was recently invited to join a

Making Jesus known across the UK the work of Counties Evangelists last month* at a glance

multi-agency group looking at the resettlement of offenders in the community - reporting to the Hertfordshire Criminal Justice Board.

This is an honour but I also believe it can really have positive impact on outcomes for those returning home to Hertfordshire. Please pray with us for positive outcomes that benefit the whole community.

SCHOOL

“

Kim Hobbs

Counties Hertfordshire evangelist

7 7 1 s

ool

Sch

ted visi

speaking to

38,691 school students

28 Evangelists

876

66

Homes visited

Online conversations

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Evangelists

Trained

219 People

148 People Attended Discovery Groups

Preached

To

Occasions

People

178 7579

102 5 Indications of Salvation

Baptisms

“ It was wonderful to hear Greg (Filipino seafarer) share with me how Jesus Christ has transformed his life. He proudly announced that he was ‘born again!’ and his faith had now become real!

I encouraged him with prayer and daily readings to use as a source of encouragement.”

- Steve Loader, Bristol evangelist. *March 2018

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“ G O D G A V E M E A S T R O N G D E S I R E TO B E PA RT O F COUNTIES” Meet new Counties trainee evangelists Craig and Georgie Dowling who plan to share their

What did you do before you joined Counties?

and Bristol.

I was an Anglican evangelist, I studied Evangelism at St John’s York, and worked as a Pioneer Minister across the UK.

Welcome to Counties! What will you

Why did you join Counties?

love of Jesus with people in the cities of Bath

be doing?

Our focus will be the evangelism in the cities of Bath and Bristol, and the surrounding areas, with a particular outreach to the poor and deprived housing areas, alongside city centre homelessness. Closer to my home, I will be serving as Community Evangelist with Sladebrook Evangelical Church, in Bath, as well as running faith discussion groups and offering all the local churches help and assistance to engage in 21st century evangelism.

I have always had a foot in the independent evangelical circles and over my last two years of Anglican service I was able to spend a lot more time amongst a lot of the work. God gave me a strong desire to be part of it! God stirred up my heart to explore the work and over time God called me to join in!

How will Counties help support you in your ministry?

Counties has been a fantastic support and help from word go! They have spiritually guided me, prayed for me, put me in contact with others, encouraged me to live by faith, and have committed to financially supporting me.

What do you do in your spare time?

I love hill walking with my family, we enjoy days out in the countryside, I love music particularly the music of the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Favourite Bible verse and why?

pic of Craig, wife Georgie, Noah, 5, and one-yearold Bethany

NEIGHBOURHOOD CHAPLAINS – COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU?

Matthew 11 v 28! “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (NIV). Because I have genuinely seen Jesus live this out in my life! It’s also very easy to lead people to faith with.

Churches from around the country have been finding out more about a Counties scheme to help combat loneliness in communities.

Neighbourhood Chaplains aims to equip and encourage church volunteers to reach out to their neighbourhoods through house to house visiting.

A series of information events have been held in Dorset, South Wales and Wiltshire with 50 church leaders attending to find out more about the scheme.

Jenny Rossiter, Resources Officer at Counties, said: “The response from churches at these events has been really positive and we have many now interested in launching Neighbourhood Chaplains in their local areas. “ We plan to hold more of these events throughout the year, so if anyone is interested in being a host venue then do get in touch.”

A joint churches training event will be held at New Life Church, Cardiff, CF5 3AU, on Saturday 16 June. Churches will need to register their details with Counties office to attend.

For more details call Jenny Rossiter on 01373 823013 or email resources@countiesuk.org

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THANKING GOD FOR HIS PROVISION

Direct gifts to evangelists

Every year Counties treasurer Simon Bennett reports to the AGM about the finances of Counties. Here, Ignite highlights the headlines from his report.

The trustees decided to change its policy on gifts made by supporters through Counties with an expressed wish for them to be passed onto evangelists, these are now reported in a separate restricted ‘Evangelist Fund’ rather than passed through the General Fund.

Income consistent

Income streams

Income streams have remained consistent over the last two years. Simon noted: “We remain very grateful to those who follow the example of the Macedonian church who keep giving to us in keeping with God’s will. However, with costs ever increasing it has been very challenging for the charity to adjust when income is reduced or static, especially when there are numerous opportunities to grow the Lord’s kingdom.”

“ And they did not do as we expected, but gave of themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” 2 Corinthians 8: 5 Deficits The overall deficit for the charity for year to 30 September 2017 was £126,839 (2016 - £190,729). Simon explained: “Whilst we did receive £94,016 of legacies and £31,138 of gains on investments; we did incur extra costs during the year in relation to Key to Life, the appointment of new staff, office costs, and the production of Ignite.”

Nearly 75% of the charity’s income is from trusts and legacies. Simon said: “The trust income is essential to the ongoing operation of Counties as it brings an element of stability to our income which offsets, to some extent, the fluctuations in legacies.

churches and individuals. It is hoped this can be increased through visits to churches from evangelists.

• G rants – Counties is actively approaching a number of charitable trusts for financial support for specific aspects of its work.

• L egacies – making people aware of the blessings that legacies bring to God’s work. A Legacy Pack has been produced to help people when they are writing their wills.

General fund income

“Whilst legacies and trust income are important, our vision is to grow the work of Counties and pursue new opportunities by increasing the proportion of income received from other areas. “ Cutting back on expenditure As a result of legacies being lower than usual, certain areas of expenditure have been cut back for 2017/18 to enable Counties to keep within its budget setting and reserves policy.

Increasing income for the future To help meet the cost of some exciting new opportunities, Counties trustees are looking at ways to help increase income streams for the future. These are:

Simon Bennett

• D eputation – currently only 15% of Counties income comes via gifts from

Simon concluded: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters for their commitment making Jesus known across the UK. Please encourage your churches to pray for and financially support the work of Counties.”

1 O LIF E STO R IES

LIF E STOR IE S 11

“ D O N ’ T L I M I T G O D !

DON’T BE SURPRISED B Y W H AT H E C A N D O ! ” An independent church in Kent - which

meeting in their home, with a desire to

has grown from a handful of members to

start a new Bible-based church. A ‘chance’

over 100 people - is thankful for the advice

meeting on the street, where Simon

and support given to them from Counties

says he literally ‘bumped into’ Frank led

Hertfordshire evangelist Will Andrews,

to a connection, which three years later

who has helped support them in their

resulted in the church building being

faith-building journey.

handed over to Simon and his team.

Neighbourhood Church, which began as

Simon explained: “We felt this was an

a house group with Simon and Joy Lang

affirmation from God that this is what He

and two other people, has just completed

wanted us to do. I mean it’s not every day

the Church Strengthening Initiative with

you get given a building! At the time I was

support from Will.

working part time in the print business

heart of commuter belt town Beckenham but back in 2007 it was a different story.

The building, which Neighbourhood Church now meets in, was originally Cromwell Road Gospel Hall with just three elderly members, including elder Frank Betts, who were very concerned about its future but praying to God to do something.

On the other side of town, Simon and Joy had left their Anglican church and were

and we were struggling to do what was in our hearts. The building was in a state of disrepair and we had no finances to allow me to work full time in the ministry.”

In early 2011, a leaflet about the JW Laing Trust ‘Church Strengthening Initiative’ (CSI) dropped through the letter box of the church and Simon applied to join the scheme. Counties evangelist Will Andrews was assigned to be their advisor, and later that year carried out a ‘secret worshipper’ visit to the church with wife Lynne.

Photo by Keith Mindham

It is now a vibrant community hub in the

Neighbourhood Church is thriving

Pastor Simon Lang

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LIF E STOR IE S 13

Health check

Strategic thinking

The CSI scheme was set up to assist

He continued: “I encouraged them to

churches who needed finance to support

keep doing what I believed God had

the placement of a new church worker.

started. None of the leadership had been

Following an initial ‘secret visit’, the

a member of an independent church

advisor would give the church a ‘health-

before, let alone led one. I offered advice

check’ and if the situation was considered

and gave some help with some strategic

viable part-funding would be given for

thinking to create a journey that people

five years. During these years the advisor

could follow.

would be available to give advice and carry out a yearly review.

“As I was in Hertfordshire and Neighbourhood Church was in Kent

Will said: “We were thrilled with what

my input was limited, and every time I

we saw, but were aware of the issues of

visited to carry out a review I felt like a

the situation. The old Gospel Hall was in

distant uncle who had helped them crawl,

reality closed to the community and few

wobble, begin to walk and slowly mature

in the neighbourhood really noticed it or

into what God wanted them to be.”

knew what went on inside.

God at work “Initially, my role was to get Simon and his team accepted onto the CSI scheme, as they did not fit the criteria. This was quite hard work, but I was an enthusiastic advocate for them as I was convinced that God was at work at Neighbourhood Church. They were such a keen and committed group of young adults with a genuine desire to serve God and make a difference in their community.”

Will’s initial task was to facilitate the practicalities that enabled Simon to give up work and become the full-time pastor.

Over the five years, Will also gave plenty of encouragement to the leadership team.

Neighbourhood Church celebrated its 10th birthday last year with a street party and now runs a community coffee shop, Alpha course, mums and tots and hires out the building for community events.

Gift from God Simon said: “We’re very conscious that we don’t have all the answers! God has been good, gracious and patient with us, working sometimes in our haphazardness! We sometimes wonder how we got to where we’re at now and then remind ourselves it’s because of God.

Evangelist Will Andrews

provided an answer to that question. Ten

“Sadly, the CSI is no longer available. But

years ago, there were six of us, now there

the advantages and benefits of having

are more than 100 of us.

a church health check and accepting

“We thank God for the CSI funding and advice given from Will – we would not be where we are now without it. The annual visits from Will were a real sharpening experience for us and helped keep us

input from a third-party really can help a church. God can work if a leadership are willing to honestly look at their situation and move forward. Prayer needs to be linked with action.”

on track, providing a useful outside

Will Andrews is one of a number of

perspective from an experienced person.”

Counties evangelists who have been

Advice to churches Will offers the following advice to churches who may be in a similar position: “This church did not primarily grow because it did anything new or inventive.

“The CSI funding was a literal gift from

It grew because a group of people were

God to us. It came at a time when we

open to God’s leading, wanted to follow

were thinking through how we as a small

Biblical principles and be relevant to their

church could afford a full-time pastor. It

neighbourhood.

carrying out church health checks for many years. Church health checks and church revitalisation is supported by Counties in fellowship with our sister organisations GLO and Partnership.

For more details contact us on: office@countiesuk.org

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B IB LE TE A C HING 15

M A I N TA I N I N G Y O U R PA S S I O N AND WALK WITH GOD Suffolk evangelist Victor Jack has been working with Counties since 1964. As well as preaching on Sundays, leading Alpha courses, training events and weekend retreats for churches, the 80 yearold is also currently supporting his son in a new church plant which has grown from around 20 to over 100 in three years, the majority being new Christians. But how does he do it? Ignite meets up with Victor to find out how he has maintained his passion for evangelism after all these years.

Can you describe your journey to faith?

Why did you join Counties?

Our journey with Counties began 54 years ago as a result of an invitation to work with Counties, from a butcher in Suffolk, called David Golding. I replied to his letter stating that I didn’t feel equipped for such a responsibility. He wrote again and urged

Victor Jack

me to reconsider the invitation. I went for a day’s walk in Dartmoor to seek God’s will and after eight weeks training with Dick

has seen over 250,000 people attend the

evangelism in this special place were

Saunders, I sensed that this was God’s will

many organised events.

unlimited as we hosted individuals and

for us. It has been a privilege to belong to Counties because of the sense of family and mutual encouragement that such a ministry provides.

It has been a privilege too, to help establish two youth ministries known as

countries.

Ipswich Christian Youth Ministries and

I wrote a small book, some 48 years

Bury Christian Youth, both of which are

ago, called ‘Believe and Be Baptized’ in

Describe some of the work you have

doing a significant work in our schools. I

done over the years.

was part of the Federal Board that planned

Where do I begin? We held over 150

groups of visitors from over 70 different

Mission England and then to chair the mission in Ipswich for Dr Billy Graham.

the back of a marquee in the middle of a mission. This has gone into some 80 different languages without us promoting it and to my amazement is still being used

I had the privilege of being raised in a

missions in Suffolk, as a result we were

strong and stable Christian environment.

privileged to see many people of all

My parents prayed that all of their sons

ages commit their lives to God and this

would become Christians, be useful in

led to the establishment of Sizewell

Christian work and marry women who

Hall Christian Conference and Camping

We made some 60 visits to Jerusalem,

were totally committed as Christians. They

Centre. The centre, which includes an

working at the Garden Tomb and leading

Counties has supported us by supplying

saw their prayers answered for all seven.

African Village, is now in its 43rd year and

tours to Israel. The opportunities for

larger and larger marquees over the years as

Over 20,000 attended Portman Road football ground for five days, a significant number for this rural area.

today.

What support has Counties given to you as an evangelist?

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B IB LE TE A C HING 17

well as monthly gifts to assist us, resources to help us and prayer to sustain us.

What does it mean to be an evangelist?

What are the highs and lows?

An evangelist is a bearer of good news and someone who has an undying passion to reach into the bruised and broken world in which we live. An evangelist faces the challenge of being culturally relevant; ‘anchored to the rock (the word) and geared to the times.’ The ‘highs’ are witnessing God at work transforming

Victor Jack with Justin Baptiste, who he has mentored at his local church.

people by His love and power. The ‘lows’ are seeing those who promised much fall by the wayside.

Have there been times when you wanted to give up, turn your back on it all?

No, I have never felt like giving up because I have always been privileged to see God at work and this has been the motivation to keep going. There have been times when I have been disappointed when promising young Christians have ‘dropped out’ of the

fit playing sport, walking and now playing golf. Eating good food and getting regular sleep is also important. There have been so many opportunities for witness on the golf course.

What would you say to someone who feels less enthusiastic than they once did in their faith?

race and when other converts that we have

It is essential to constantly seek to be filled

planted in churches, have been turned

with the Holy Spirit. I have often gone back

away by negative and narrow- minded

to the words of Jesus; “If anyone is thirsty

believers.

let him come to me and drink. Whoever

How do you do it? You seem to have so much energy and are always active?

I have often said that the Christian life is a mixture of God’s grace and our grit. I owe my good health to God but I have needed to take care of my body. I have kept myself

believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of water will flow from within him.”

‘By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.’

(John 7.37-39). This has been a key verse for me. We often get too busy and feel dry and empty as a result. All we can do is to fall on

our knees and seek afresh to be filled by

What are you currently involved in

the Spirit of Jesus; then and only then will

ministry-wise?

there be streams of living water flowing out to others.

At the moment I am spending time with eight different men from the church

How do you maintain your personal

plant, nurturing those who have come

relationship with God?

to faith and encouraging others who are

For many years I have walked about three miles first thing in the morning in order to relax my mind, tone up my body and refresh my spirit. I can always tear into a days work after that, instead of starting the day feeling tired and stressed because there is so much work in the office waiting to be done. I have always maintained a regular time of Bible reading and prayer in the morning. For me this is indispensable; for my own spiritual growth and often this prepares me for situations and individuals I meet during the day.

facing challenges and serious illnesses.

Funerals and weddings also fill up my diary. I am looking forward to speaking at a conference at Sizewell Hall in October and speaking at the student’s Graduation Ceremony at Moorlands College in November. I have also been invited to speak for the second time at a Memorial Service in St Mary’s in Bury St Edmunds, when over 600 people gather to remember the loved ones they have lost in the current year.

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YOUR LOCAL EVANGELISTS

JUST A MINUTE – WITH ASH GEORGE

B AT H

SOMERSET

Mike & Su Strange

SUBSCRIBE

BEDFORDSHIRE

SUFFOLK

Please send me:

Craig & Georgie Dowling (ETP) Colin & Linda Johnson

BRISTOL & AVON Steve & Dawn Loader

Ignite meets new Training Officer Ash George, 31, from Bristol.

What will you be doing in your new role?

I will be helping to strengthen our evangelists training programme, working alongside evangelists to establish regional schools of evangelism and pioneering a gap year programme. I will not be the only person delivering training. Many others have a role to play and I’d like to draw together the complementary gifts of others in a way that best serves programmes new and old.

Why do people need to be trained in evangelism?

Paul speaks of Christ giving evangelists to the church to equip believers for evangelism. Jesus has made this a priority, so should we! Many of us lack clarity in the content of the Gospel, we can shy away from opportunities or resort to thinking that others can do it instead. We could all do with help!

What does Counties offer which is unique to churches in terms of training?

The breadth of diversity in Counties may not be found in every local church. We have evangelists across the country from a range of backgrounds reaching people with the Gospel in a variety of ways. If there is a type of ministry that you can imagine - we probably have someone involved in it and willing to invest in others.

What did you do before you joined Counties?

I worked at the University of Bristol Students’ Union overseeing the development of sports teams and managing recreational exercise programmes.

What are you looking forward to in this new role?

Seeing more evangelists emerge! I’m looking forward to working alongside others to help believers in the UK church grow more confident and passionate about making Jesus known.

What do you do in your spare time?

I coach athletics for my local club Bristol & West AC. I am on the planning team for a local community arts festival and I’m also a keen chef.

What church do you go to? Any areas of ministry there?

I’m part of City Church Bristol. I lead a house group with my wife Jess and serve on the welcome team on a Sunday morning.

Our prime ministry at the moment is helping to pioneer a new site in the east of the city. This has meant spending a lot of time meeting people and connecting with the community.

Favourite Bible verse and why?

I can’t pick a single verse. The book of Acts.

God is at work building his Church and draws in pretty ordinary folks to work with him. This is a big encouragement!

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Address

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ESSEX

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everley & Bryan Bedford B Steve Ellacott (AE) David & Katie Symons AE – Associate Evangelist ETP– Evangelist Training Programme

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SENIORS & WIDOWS Grace Anderson, Tom & Madelene Bathgate, Jean Campbell, Roger & Hazel Chilvers, Lionel Clargo, Ray & Carol Dadswell, Rose Geary, Stephen & Jean Gillham, Victor Jack, Andy & Miriam Jelfs, Phyllis Jenkins, Hettie Hall, Wendy Iliffe, John & Jane Martin, Ruby Powell, Betty Saunders, Gladys Whittern.

Your details will be kept on our database and may be shared with a local Counties Evangelist, but with no other persons or organisations.

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Your feedback is always appreciated.

THANK YOU

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At Mercure Daventry Court Hotel, Northants Guest speaker: Lindsay Brown - involved in student ministry with IFES for 3O+ years “Offering a blend of solid Bible teaching and inspiring worship in keynote sessions, together with a range of engaging small group sessions and opportunities for warm fellowship and relaxation.” £159 per person (Price includes accommodation, food and conference.

A single occupancy supplement of £50 applies). The first 50 children (16 years and under) go FREE when sharing with parents

To book: visit www.livingthepassion.org or phone O1698 21O323