We are writing to let you know about some exciting events and a new publication – and to invite your prayers!
Very soon the Mathetes Trust will embark on two full scale parish missions, the first since the foundation of the Trust. Roger will be spending a week in Purley, near Reading, with a team of 9 people, and a week in Breaston, near Derby, with a team of 12. The vicar in Purley is David Archer, and the vicar in Breaston is Chris Smedley. Both are excellent guys in their 40s with a heart for mission. In Breaston the Methodist church will also be closely involved. At both missions Roger will be supported by Richard Scott, the Director of Through Faith Missions and one of our Associates.
So, to cut to the chase: we are looking for people who will provide prayer backup during the period September 22nd until October 17th. If would like to pray, we will send bulletins each Tuesday and Friday with details of the events we would like you to cover, as well as feedback on what has happened so far.
Roger has been involved in many parish missions, some of them very fruitful. This time, we have decided on an innovation: we will be working not just with a visiting team, but also in each church with a home team. During the summer we have been working closely with the home teams, providing encouragement and training in evangelism and going out onto the streets together. For every visitor, there will be two or three home team members. By doing it this way, we hope to leave behind a home team that is equipped both to follow up those who want to take things further, and to lead their churches into growth over the coming years.
“We all get one life to live and deep down we’re all asking the same question – what’s it all about?”
During the mission week, there will be three kinds of activity.
Men’s curry night…
Youth chill-out..
Cream tea…
Youth theatre workshop
Special healing service…
Ladies down the pub…
Singing for fun…
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Every day we will use any spare time to do cold calling, using the well tested TFM questionnaire and relying on Richard’s expert leadership. We are finding that most people receive us warmly, and that we often get opportunities to share the gospel or to pray for the needs of the people we meet.
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Secondly, each member of the home team will be hosting a meeting in their own home, to which they will invite friends, family and neighbours. We will share our testimonies with the guests, listen to them, try to answer their questions and then before we go home share the gospel with them. Roger has found from experience that it is in these meetings that the best work of the mission is often done.
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Finally, we will have a lot of bigger meetings – on church premises, in restaurants, in village halls, usually with refreshments, always around a specific topic, and often aimed at a specific age group. For example Roger is preparing a talk on ‘Has Science made God unnecessary?’ to be given to men at a restaurant in Purley following a curry meal, and we are currently deciding who is to speak at a Youth chill-out evening on the Friday. For a complete list of events at Purley check out their mission website.
The Mathetes Trust 