Who Can You Reach?
Over the next few weeks, I will be posting a series of guest blogs from different members of our staff team. This week, I have asked Joe Macnamara, our Downham Site Pastor, to give us an update on how things have been going at the Downham site.
It is hard to believe that we are 7 months into the year already. We have had some fantastic times at the Downham site and God has been doing some incredible things. A particular highlight for me was the baptisms back in April. One of those being baptised encouraged us that his journey to faith in God began with a stranger handing him a Bible in a busy coffee shop. It was unexpected but confirmed that God was speaking to him, and he visited King's shortly after that which resulted in him attending the Alpha course and becoming a Christian. You never know what such a small act of faith, like giving someone a Bible and encouraging them to read it, can do. On this occasion it led to someone being baptised and becoming a member of the church.
As a church we are passionate about reaching the local community and it has been great to see that Rainbow Rhymes continues to be very popular. Many local parents come along, and the team have been able to support and encourage them. Recently, one of the team was able to support a mum who speaks very little English get the correct level of support for her child – the family are now attending on Sundays which is great. You can find out more about Rainbow Rhymes here.
All of the above reminds me of one of my favourite stories about Jesus, recorded in Mark 1:35-39. Jesus is doing some remarkable things: healing people, driving out unclean spirits and calling disciples to come and follow him. He was starting to get very popular, in fact v37 tells us everyone is looking for him because they want him to do more and more. But what does Jesus do? He tells his disciples, “Let us go to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came.” You see it so early on in his ministry that Jesus came to reach many people.
He would have had every reason to stay where he was – he could have deepened the relationships he already had; he could have taken time to rest and reflect on all God was doing – neither of which are bad things. However, he was passionate to continue to seek and save the lost, the very thing he came to do. I love that we as a church are passionate about continuing to reach the community around us.
In the coming months, across the summer and into the autumn term, my hope and prayer is that the Downham site, and in fact the entire church can continue to reach more and more people with the good news of Jesus – there is nothing more life changing than that! As we prepare for the summer, why not take some time to pray and consider who are some of the people that God has put around you to reach? You never know where a simple conversation or gesture, like giving someone a Bible, can lead to…
