Catalyst Magazine - April 23

Catalyst Magzine, Issue 10

Catalyst Magazine is a termly connection point for our Catalyst family: sharing news and stories, upcoming events, and highlights from around the world. It’s a way of keeping connected as a movement, keep us focussed on what we're called to and a place to celebrate all that God is doing. I hope that you are inspired by the power of the resurrection life of Christ as you see the evidence of it flowing through our family of churches. With love, Simon.

Simon Holley Leads the Catalyst Team

Welcome Michael Feulner

I would like to share my experiences and thoughts about a move of God which I have been privileged to experience over the last two months.

On Monday morning, the 6th of February I woke up and looked at my phone for new messages. 47 new messages alone in the Turkish church leaders WhatsApp group. Earthquakemagnitude 7.8 - East Turkiye. The information at that time was still sparsely, but one thing was clear to me right away - it was a big hit and the damage would be enormous. 24 year earlier, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake shook the Istanbul region and caused one million people to be homeless, and death to at least 17 thousand people. My family and I moved to Turkiye in order to help long-term and we have been living here ever since.

On that Monday morning messages kept coming in on my phone my thoughts were busy with what just happened to the people in Southeast Turkiye. There was one haunting question on my mind. How do we have to respond now? Having served in two earthquake disasters before, I knew that if you go in you won’t get out easily. Counting the costs, asking

God what we should do and the feeling of being completely overwhelmed was what I was struggling with. This was probably how the Levite and the priest felt when they saw the beaten up man on the side of the street. It is so easy to find good excuses and to look the other way. The Good Samaritan stopped his journey, canceled his plans and did the right thing –attending to the needs of an injured person at any cost. For God it is not a question of what to do in such a situation. His heart of love and compassion moves us to action, gives us faith and silences our excuses and worries.

On the following day we sent the first teams to the affected area. There are no trained disaster or rescue workers among us, but we all can use what we have. All of a sudden our churches

Michael leads a Catalyst hub of churches based in Turkiye.

responded and we had ministries up and running in five different locations, even into Syria; all of them attending to the most essential needs –food, water, clothes and shelters. Several church leaders have left their cities to set up shelters or start a food kitchen. Others followed and now two month after the earthquake volunteers from our churches keep going there and taking turns. Anyone who has been there once can hardly wait to go again.

I wonder why it takes a disaster or persecution for the church to do what we are called to do. Jesus told us to go into all the world to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:18-20) and that after we will receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The Spirit was poured out but the church wasn’t going, but enjoyed a time of growth and blessing staying together in one place. Only after persecution started the church was kind of forced to spread out and as a result revival happened

in Samaria (Acts 8) and the church in Antioch (Acts 11) was planted.

I believe that the church model that aims for growth for its own sake, which then leads to more chairs for people to SIT on, makes it more difficult for the church to carry out the commandment of Christ to GO. Our church meetings and buildings often consume too much time, energy and resources which takes away from us engaging with the needy and broken in our world. I argue that if the body of Christ lived more in the spirit of Isaiah 61:1-3 outside the church building, we would draw more people to Christ than would be possible through trendy and seeker-friendly worship services.

We owe the privilege of knowing Christ to bold, obedient and God-loving believers that left their homeland to make Christ known where he was

Foranextendedversionofthisarticle,plusloads more, check out theCatalystBlog

not known before. One of the first who did this and pioneered the mission to the Gentiles was the apostle Paul. God called him on his first mission trip while being a part of the church in Antioch (Acts 13). Antioch today is called Antakya, a Turkish city which happens to be the most damaged place in the earthquake. The gospel went out of Antakya to the world and now the believers from all over the world come back to Antakya to return the blessing they received. Pray with us, that this city will see God’s grace and glory again, that God will build his church in Antakya to become again a light and blessing for the nations.

Finally, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the wider Catalyst family for responding so generously in the wake of this tragedy. Your donations have enabled our churches to help and bless the victims in Turkiye and Syria in a meaningful way. I am proud to be part of this family.

Much love, Michael

Feulner

Ukraine One Year Update

It has now been a year since Russia began ‘military exercises’ that turned into an invasion of Ukraine.

The war led to largescale displacement of the Ukrainian people. Catalyst and our wider Newfrontiers family initially responded by raising funds to distribute to the Ukrainian churches and churches in neighbouring nations, such as Poland, who took in a large number of refugees. Our response efforts

soon turned to finding housing for the women and children who wanted to take up the UK Government’s offer of allowing refugees to be housed by host families.

Andrey Bondarenko who looks after many Ukrainian churches updates us on how things are progressing in the Ukraine.

https://catalystnetwork.org/blog-media/

Claire Vaux from the Catalyst Ukraine Response team lets us know how its been for families who have settled in the UK.

Suburbs of Kiev before the bombing. Credit: Unsplash

Flooding in Malawi

You may have seen news of the devastating storm "Freddy" which has passed twice over Malawi. Over the last 5 years I have been making friends with Patrick and Alex, 2 of the emerging apostolic team there. We have 50+ churches there and 150 of their church members have been made homeless in this crisis of storm, avalanche and floods. I, together with Richard Green (All Nations Bedford), have been in touch with them and have helped form a crisis plan to provide food, blankets and shelter. This has been budgeted to cost £10,000 and we hope to raise this money as soon as we can. Please pray for Malawi.

Thanks, and love,

Richard Thomas, Catalyst HUB Leader

Can you help?

If you are able to contribute anything to this effort, please use the reference "FLOODS" and send to Hope Church Worcester. Sort Code 40-47-17. Account 70499544.

We will speedily send on to our Catalyst account in Malawi to relieve this suffering. Any help will be very well used - initially for shelter, emergency food aid and blankets.

Richard Green, Emmanuel Rucyaba, Uganda, Richard Thomas, Alex and Patrick who lead Malawi churches.

r s o ies

DAVE MAY EMMANUEL, SHEFFIELD

DONNA ELLIOTT NEW LIFE, MILTON KEYNES

Last year we decided to open a church for our homeless and vulnerable guests that have been coming to our events over the last 4 years. We run our service directly after narcotics anonymous opening our doors at 1:15 for food with the service beginning at 1:30. We run a service based on a ‘normal’ service starting with prayer, testimonies (open mic) style, worship and then a preach. We regularly receive approx. 45 guests with 7 of our guests giving their lives to Jesus!

A guest on our recent Alpha Course was so impressed with the course that he now wants to offer it alongside other courses at the gym that he owns.

ON THE BLOG

For extended versions of some of these stories, plusloadsmore,checkouttheCatalystBlog

We've also been partnering with other demoninations and churches to prayer walk the streets of Sheffield.

r s o ies

ANDY JOHNSTON KINGS CHURCH, SOUTHAMPTON

In mid-March Nigel Paterson and I spent a week in the Lahore area of Pakistan. We visited two house church networks that they have built relationship with and are looking to connect with Catalyst. We saw many first-time responses to the Gospel and a number of significant healings and had the privilege of baptising some new believers. Please pray for these Churches - they are being built amongst the poorest communities in the nation and the believers in Pakistan are a persecuted minority. Nevertheless, they are bold in

ON THE BLOG

For extended versions of some of these stories, plusloadsmore,checkouttheCatalystBlog

their proclamation of Jesus and determined to bring justice and freedom to those in indentured work (i.e. slavery) in the brick kiln factories.

What is God doing where you are?

DAVID LYALL CITY CHURCH, NEWCASTLE

Since last September, our friends from the Vineyard church have given us a van full of food each week for our pop-up pantry held on Wednesday morning in an arts centre in a diverse part of Newcastle. Every week local residents come and shop at our pop-up food pantry. It has been so easy to share Jesus with them, pray with them. We are overwhelmed by the openness to Jesus.

RESONATE GLOBAL CONFERENCE

PHIL WILTHEW, CATALYST

Highlights from their recent conference.

NICK BRENNAN KINGS, SOUTHAMPTON

18 months ago Dave and Emily Williams moved with their 4 children into a tough estate, Weston to lead the ministry at The Hope Centre, a building we had bought in faith for £1. Recently Kings have been given £250,000 by the church of England to plant a new church into the same Estate. More >

Events & Resources

GLOBAL PRAYER DAY

11TH MAY

Join us for another Global Prayer Day and call out to God for matters great and small, home and abroad.

Details to follow

UNREACHED 2023 ONLINE

9-10TH JUNE

With guest speakers Owen Hylton (London, UK) and Michael Feulner (Yalova, Turkiye)

and a wide range of seminars and break-out spaces with mission practitioners from across the Newfrontiers family and across the globe, sharing their wisdom for wherever you find yourself on the crosscultural journey, this year’s Unreached Conference will focus on God’s mission to create peace between all peoples, through Jesus Christ, and how we can play our part.

BOOK NOW

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

FOLLOW DISCIPLESHIP COURSE

Jubilee+

Follow. is a 10-session discipleship course that is all about knowing Jesus better and becoming more like Him.

MULTIPLY CONFERENCE

24TH JUNE, IN-PERSON

+ ONLINE

We have an exciting and varied line-up of speakers. We are thrilled to have:

• Steve Nicholson - Church Planting Director for Vineyard Churches

• Andrey Bondorenko - leader of The Nations, Newfrontiers sphere: Serving churches in Ukraine, India and across Europe.

• Pastor Sam Amara - serving and planting churches across West Africa

OVERFLOW YOUTH MATERIALS

Jubilee+

Overflow is our 10-session resource unpacking God's heart for the vulnerable. It's designed for those working with 5-11 yr olds.

• Chris and Lisa Mason - planting a new Disciple Making church in Bradford, UK.

• Tony Thompson - leading and encouraging the planting of diverse teams and churches.

knowing God UP - Knowing God

InthissectionofthemagazinewecelebratewhoGodisand whatHehasdoneforus,ouridentityasHischildrenandgive spacetolisteningtowhatHeissayingtous.

Hopes through Resurrection Sam Amara

The empty tomb is the pride of the Christian faith. It is sign of victory over death and all the consequences of sin. And this is the light of hope in dark world of hopelessness, pains and misery.

Today, we are confronted daily with woes of wars in Ukraine, earthquakes in Turkey, devastating famine and drought in the east Africa, terrorism in Nigeria, and other part of the world: where hundreds of people had lost their lives. These events filled people’s mind with despair,

fears and hopelessness. However, believers found a living hope in Christ alone (Col. 1:27) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, the hopes of his disciples were seemly dashed, because they had expected that he would liberate Israel from the oppressive rule of Roman Emperor. The disciples hide themselves in fear not knowing what to do and what will become of their faith and ministry. Though, Jesus clearly told them of his resurrection before his death yet they did not understand it.

But on the third, early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and other women went to his tomb to anoint his body. When they arrived at the tomb, they were amazed that the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty, they entered the tomb, and saw a young man clothed on white robe, sitting on right side (Mark 16:5)But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going

before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” (Matt 28:5,6) They went with great joy from the tomb. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Praise God, Jesus is alive, the power of grave could not hold him captive. Death is defeated and hope is renewed. What are the implications of the resurrection to believers and the Catalyst network of churches?

1Firstly, the resurrection of Jesus is the hope of the gospel, Paul argued that if Jesus is not risen from the dead, our preaching is empty, and faith is futile (1Cor 15:14-15). Therefore, the death and resurrection of Jesus is the substance on which our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ stands. It is by resurrection that Christ was declared to be the Son of God (Rom 1:4) No wonder, Apostle Peter boldly declared on

1 Corinthians 15:14

the Pentecost - you killed him but God raised him to life and exalted him to right hand of God. (Acts 2:33). The gospel proclaims the message of the living Christ and Savior who is actively involve in saving, forgiving, healing, setting people free from all forms of bondage. And the gospel reveals that Christ in me is the hope of glory. “if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I,

And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

2Secondly, the resurrection celebrates renewed hope of victory over seeming defeat, setback and disappointment. When Jesus was crucified, the religious leaders of the Jews rejoiced, they said to themselves, at last, we have destroyed him, his ministry and Messianic claims. And Satan rejoiced thinking to himself , ‘at last I have finally finished him’. Death was the end of all men and their journey on earth. The disciples were confused, afraid and somewhat disappointed. Their hope in the Messiah was dashed and broken, though Jesus had on many occasions told them that he would die

and resurrect on the third day but they did not understand him. Remember the conversation between Jesus and two disciples (though they did not know it was he) on their way to Emmaus, they expressed their disappointment when they said to him ‘we hoped’ he was the one to redeem Israel but they killed him “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened (Luke 24:21). Other disciples like Peter, James, John, Matthew, Philip and so on who had left everything and followed Jesus Christ, felt a little disappointed and said to themselves.. ‘was that the end of it all’. Peter took his nets and went back to fishing. Mary Magdalena who Jesus delivered of many demons and restored to a life of dignity, was broken and felt a deep sense of grieve, disappointment, and defeat . It seemed that all the miracles, signs, healing, signs and wonders had come to an abrupt end. What a tragic end? However, just as the enemies were about to celebrate the victory, Jesus broke the chain of death, up, he rose back to life. Death was defeated! ⚫ Sam

Amara, Hub Leader

ON THE BLOG

For an extended version of this article, plusloadsmore,checkouttheCatalystBlog

Paul, became a minister.” (Col 1:23)

What's God saying to Catalyst?

At the start of this year Catalyst gathered a number of prophetic voices together and asked them to be seeking God on our behalf. We have collected together some of those prophetic words and summarised them to give you a flavour of the things the Father has been speaking to us about.

PHIL WILTHEW, Bedford, UK

I feel God is moving us from the pool of Bethesda to Ezekiel’s river. The pool of Bethesda represents the occasional stirring where many miss out, many stay invalids and many stay dependent on others to carry them. The man there had been sick for 38 years. Long term spiritual sickness that God is coming to combat.

Whereas Ezekiel’s River flows to the dead places and makes them live. It's not about our effort to jump in but Gods work that finds me. The further the river gets from the temple the deeper it gets. And the Dead sea is transformed by meeting the river.

God is saying "Stop doing what you’ve done for the last 38 years! It isn't working!" I feel it is about a season of moving from pragmatism to faith. There is an invitation into a radical seismic shift

that will be a departure from waiting for the waters to stir. There's an Invitation to partner with God. In the economy of God every new move will cost you everything you currently have.

Charlene

Frammingham, Bedford, UK

I saw a broad calm river and God came down and touched the river and it divided into 3 different rivers. These gained momentum and were wild, full of new momentum and life. I saw the river go to 3 places:

• The city

• The farmlands

• The waterfall

I believe God is sharpening our purpose and focus. We're moving into a time of expansion and multiplication, new

momentum. We will see supernatural breakthrough for kingdom influence in the marketplace (city). I see many coming out of banks and stock market traders coming to the river. Believers were stopping the assignments of suicide over peoples lives who felt hopeless.

The second river (farmland) represented a large harvest, new season of sowing and reaping and going. The third river disappeared but I could hear it's roar and power - It was a waterfall. I fell this is a new move of the spirit and it comes from our surrender to Gods power being poured out.

Abi Flavell, Hull, UK

The day before we all met to discuss what God had been saying to us, I went for a walk somewhere I had not been before. God

lead me to stand in a river make my way towards a waterfall. I felt I was being shown a physical picture of a move of God on the horizon. Could hear its roar coming. In the coming season I believe God is saying we must prepare for this move of God by:

• Prioritising His presence.

• Get our people ready to yield to Holy Spirits voice and be quick to obey.

• Ready labourers that know how to disciple those that will turn to Jesus.

• Learn to take risks, be prepared to suffer, to surrender and to be sent.

Ian Ormesher, Munich, Germany

I saw lava flowing around the world, crossing borders and nations. It was unstoppable movement leaving fertile soil in its wake.

God is going to use Catalyst as a movement of power, crossing borders. Not stoppable. There will be growth! We should not limit ourselves to where we are at the moment. We must lift our eyes and see the whole world as a mission field.

God will establish connections with other movements. Together with these movements we will reached unreached people groups, such as North Korea. God will make connections for us in China, Japan and Indonesia. I see Japan being rocked - releasing fire from that nation, spreading to other countries. God is going to use us to bring reconciliation to nations at war/ previously at war, such as Ukraine and Russia.

Paul Worth, Northampton, UK

As I prayed about Catalyst I had the following pictures:

1 - I see a large wide river, an obstacle to be crossed. There is a pontoon bridge erected to enable a crossing. Its like a scene from WWII, this is a strategic crossing, it’s about forward advance. This is a Kingdom Advance and it involves risk.

2 - I see two cups, one has grace written on it and the other has love written on it. The cup marked with love is overflowing but the cup marked with grace was nearly empty. I sensed God saying that grace was needed in this season and to ask for more of his grace.

3 - I see a dandelion head in full seed and then the wind begins to blow and the seed is scattered. Now I see a wild flower meadow which is a roit of colour and I hear God saying, 'Its a season of grass roots and new wild growth.' I sense we are to embrace that new season and water that which God is doing, encouraging wild growth. I believe that young people have a significant part to play in this.

Rob Davy, Solihull, UK

Firstly, I felt a commendation from the Father for the Catalyst Team for holding the course, not giving up and building bridges, for their peace keeping and gentle leadership. I see God’s favour over you for the honour you have shown to those who have fathered us.

But there is a difference between an inheritance and a legacy. There is a tremendous legacy in NewFrontiers which you have stewarded well but now it is time to spend the inheritance. To use what you have been given to create a legacy for future generations. It’s time (Kairos) to nail your colours to the mast, to set out your stall. To lay out the vision that has been growing inside of you, to draw out the plan you have been imagining.

I see the wind will get up. And the wind is key to the

next 5 years especially. There will be storms, there will be disruption but you will learn how to walk on stormy seas if you will keep your eyes on me. You will learn how to sail and catch the wind as it blows and there will be great power as you are driven along in the wind. When this happens resist the temptation to administrate the wind. God will show you have to navigate the wind and stormy seas. Because I also see, great shifts in the balance of power that goes from the West to East from North to South. As the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, I see a reorientation of influence in the world and in the church over the next 10 years. Such as in the rise and fall of Empires I see a great shift in the balance of powers where the sun shall set on the dominance of Western Power and start to rise again on the East which is where much of world influence will come in lifetimes of many of us.

Themes: SPIRIT-LED MOVEMENT & UNUSUAL, 'WILD' GROWTH

Whether it was pictures of rivers, lava, or scattered seeds, it seems clear that God wants us to see that He is on the move and His purposes for the Earth cannot be stopped. This seems like an invitation to listen to Him and partner closely with what He is doing. Perhaps, at the expense of some of our own plans/agendas.

FROM PRAGMATISM TO FAITH

It always seems risky to part from the way things have always been done and take steps of faith. Yet, it seems clear God is preparing us for unusual growth and multiplication, as well as requiring a more radical faith and responsiveness to the Spirit. We must practice walking with more sensitivity to the spirit in all we do.

INHERITANCE VS LEGACY

Phil and Rob's words both had elements that encouraged us to be prepared to spend the inheritance that we've been given in order to receive the next thing God is doing and sew into a legacy for coming generations.

This is part of the disruption I see and the wind that will blow and the storms that will arise in this next season of the church and for which is is training and preparing us.

Worship Wins the War Caroline Holley

On New Year’s Day I woke up having had a vivid dream that we have felt is part of God’s prophetic guidance for us for 2023.

In the dream Simon and I went to visit a church who had recently been given a new building.They were showing us around and telling us that the building was built around an old disused battle ship. There was literally an old battle ship within the walls - right in the fabric of the building!

They thought this was fabulous because it made the church ‘bullet proof!’ They showed us all around and then they took us into what was the helm of the ship, which I kept calling the cockpit in the dream.

Right at the front of the building, in what would have been the command centre for the battle ship, was now a huge music studio. It was full of really valuable vintage music equipment and they told us that this is where they make and record and export worship. I stood amazed in the space and kept saying, “Of course! This makes so much sense. Worship at the helm! We must lead into the battle with worship! We will win the war with worship! We will win the war with worship!” I woke up with a clear sense that worship is our strategy and our safety - it’s the way we do battle.

Psalm 22:3 says that God inhabits our praises. We know that when God comes, the enemy has to flee. I also felt that this was a dream about legacy. The old battleship had fought hard and had

retired and now the battles of the past created a safe foundation for the new. The music equipment was high quality vintage, which speaks of craftsmanship that stands the test of time.

It strikes me that though this world will pass away in the end, worship is a good investment because it is something will go on even into eternity. I feel prompted to ask us (me included!), are we investing in the currency of heaven - in things that are eternal? Are we worshipping before, during, and after the battle?

I think 2023 is a particular year to win the war with worship! ⚫ Caroline Holley

IN - Developing Community

InthissectionofthemagazinewecelebratewhoGodhas calledustobeandallwearefulfillingtogether.

Meet John and Alison Risbridger

Want to grow in your leadership?

You may know that Andrew Wilson is stepping down from leading our Catalyst Ledasership and Theology Training after many years. We were thrilled to announce that John & Alison Risbridger are taking on leading our well renowned Leadership and Theology Training School. Watch the full interview with them above.

Join our two-year training course for leaders and develop your leadership skills, theology, doctrine, and character. Wherever you’re called to lead – in your church, your workplace or your community –Leadership & Theology Training is designed to help you develop your gift to become the leader you were called to be. This course is a critical foundation for every new and existing Catalyst leader!

Join us this September by clicking the button.

Current students attending Leadership and Theology Training

Those in their teens and 20s gathered together in March to be reenvisioned for the church and the lost.

A stellar panel of speakers including Taylor Bentliff, Andy McCullough, Katherine Brown and Tom Scrivens brough some incredible challenges and encouragements to those present. Why not join Project 24 next year? Dates coming soon.

Learning from the Leadership of the Persecuted Church

I can’t begin to describe what a privilege it has been to learn from believers in East Africa, one of the most persecuted parts of the world.

Just under 10 years ago Martyn Dunsford, myself, and a few others started to pull together some key believers in the Horn of Africa, envisioning and empowering them to begin making an indigenous church planting movement link in with Newfrontiers. This work, whilst small (a few hundred believers in total), is now in every part of the Horn of Africa and it was good to spend time with them recently as I joined them for a conference reflecting on the key developments over this time with just under 40 leaders gathered. The movement has grown from individual, dispersed, despondent believers to an emerging apostolic church network that has withstood opposition, persecution, imprisonment, and beatings. People have tried

to divide them and control them with both threats and bribes and whilst a few have succumbed, going away from the faith or away from the movement, the majority have not.

They have preached the gospel, baptised believers, provided for the poor in a global pandemic, helped the destitute in one of the worst droughts East Africa is facing and visited those in prison. They have organised themselves to be able to provide a robust legal challenge when one of them is arrested for their faith, have built/currently building Safe Houses in 3 nations for people to flee to.

Believers gathered to worship and be encouraged

In 3 of the nation’s where there is currently legal freedom, they have set up NGO’s for the work as they are boldly declaring to the local people that there are Christians and a Church present there.

Some believers we will refer to as B and J, gave updates on what God has been doing in them and through them recently. B’s Facebook and YouTube programme is regularly being viewed over 58,000 times! B is giving himself to

Apologetics to help clear common obstacles in peoples mind who come from an Islamic background, breaking down arguments that they would have had reinforced multiple times in the mosques. He is also working on translating the Bible into an easy-to-read version of the local language. J has given himself to trying to push for religious freedom in his area of the Horn; meeting with top diplomats from various nations to put pressure on his country. In addition, he has an upcoming meeting with the President of this area to try to push this forward (please pray for wisdom, favour, and protection for him).

Please pray:

• Pray for rain. The drought continues and will cause much more death as they now go into the dry season.

• Pray for more safe houses for people fleeing religious persecution to flee to.

• Pray for the leaders as there is increasing pressure on the team leaders to travel to oversee the growing ministry, outreach projects and humanitarian works. However, despite the risk and cost they look to seek first the kingdom of God, trusting him to provide for all their other needs.

Over the next few days we were reminded of what God did amongst the Moravians movement, pulling out some similarities on how that movement started and the importance of prayer. We encouraged them to persevere in Christ and then looked at lessons from the Galatians on following the Spirit rather than the law. I re-underlined the importance of grace as I went through Eph 2:1-10 looking at how we have been Saved in Christ by grace through faith, finishing with 12 ways this should shape how churches built on grace are.

God has achieved so much over the last decade amongst the East African believers, it really is very exciting to think about all he has done in a short space of time, which in turn increases faith for all he will want to do over the coming years. I encouraged them to believe, “that God is wanting to build a glorious Church right across the Horn of Africa in every city, town, village, and meeting place. “For He can do more than we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20-21).

⚫ Simon Fry

ON THE BLOG

For an extended version of this article, plusloadsmore,checkouttheCatalystBlog

Family in Dangerous Places Pyn Shabong

In September of last year, I travelled alone to a state in Northeast India, for the first time. This state shares a border with the neighbouring country of Myanmar, which many are fleeing because of the civil war there.

My journey began with God telling me to go to the border after I shared my frustration with Him about not being able to travel to Myanmar to visit my Christian brothers and sisters, whom I served with for over a decade. My intention was to go and help the refugees who had fled Myanmar in order to avoid being killed by the Burmese military.

God told me that He would make a way, and that is exactly what He did

I left the UK with no idea of how I was going to reach the border, but God told me that He would make a way, and that is exactly what He did. First, I travelled from Shillong in Meghalaya to Aizwal in Mizoram,

Refugees receiving blankets

where I visited many of my relatives for the first time in nearly 40 years. They introduced me to H, who drove me to a border town. After an eight and a half hour drive, we finally made it to the border,

Can you help?

Recently we have been able to supply blankets to families in the area, yet the refugees remain desperately in need of help. I invite you to join me not only in praying for them, but also in raising £100,000 to help them. We are working together with Impulse NGO Network, who will be sending us frequent reports on the distribution of resources on the ground.

To find out more, please visit their website: https:// impulsengonetwork.org or contact me via my church Exchange Church, Aylesbury: info@exchange.uk.net

where I met K & S, who work for a charity there. They took me to visit the local village council and two refugee camps. There are just 5000 people living in the village, but they have welcomed over 7000 refugees – what an amazing example of hospitality!

While I was in the village I met R who chairs the Young Mizo Association (YMA), and who monitors the distribution of resources in the camps. Wounded people are arriving in the camp every day. The day before I arrived there had been a bomb blast and shooting by the Burmese military across the border in Myanmar. I heard stories of young boys and girls being shot and killed. Later, under the protection of the Indian border security force, the YMA was able to retrieve their bodies for a proper burial.

Most of the refugees in the camps I visited are from a Christian background. In one camp I met a pastor and his wife who gather together with sixty other people every Saturday and Sunday, encouraging them with the message of God’s “agape” love and the undiminished hope that they have in Christ.

Me and the team spent some time talking and praying with the pastor, and before we left we were offered tea. Knowing the area and where the water comes from, it was really hard for me to accept this offer, but I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to say yes. We drank the tea and thankfully no one was sick afterwards.

As winter approached and temperatures dropped below zero, the need for warmth, shelter and food has been urgent and will remain so during the colder months.

I hope and pray that God would speak to you through what I have written and that he would stir your heart with compassion for these people.

⚫ Pyn Shabong

OUT - Kingdom Impact

#LovingThePoor #WorldMission #ShapingSociety #MakingDisciples

Inthissectionofthemagazinewefocusonreachingthelost, influencingtheculturearoundus,helpingthoseinneedand reachingtheunreachedpeoplesoftheworldwiththegospel.

Making Disciples

One of the great privileges of this last year has been seeing the zeal of the Ukrainian church amongst the nations; scattered by war throughout Ukraine and Europe and yet prioritising the great commission as they go.

Working with the ‘Nations’ sphere, led by Andrey Bondarenko, Tim Simmonds and I have had the opportunity to learn from our Ukrainian family, enjoy wonderful food and bring training on the things God is teaching us.

In February, I had the joy of travelling with Andrey to Krakow to spend two days with leaders from across Ukraine and Europe to train them in ‘Disciple-Making’ – obedience-based discipleship leading to disciples that make disciples, and churches that plant churches.

We had a lot of fun as we poured over scripture using a simple 'Discovery Bible Study' method, and looked to respond to and share what we were reading as soon as possible.

One of the leaders went straight from session one on the first day to the local coffee shop as he wanted to share the story we had just looked at. He shared it with the barista and returned the next

day to share another story and to ask if they would like to look at more stories about Jesus. What was incredible about this was the leader’s obedience to scripture and hunger to share God’s word – he heard God’s word, responded in obedience to God’s word and went out immediately and shared God’s word.

A couple of months on and we’re beginning to hear stories of new groups, having been served practically by local believers, coming together to read the bible, discovering God’s grace through the pages of God’s word.

God is doing something beautiful in Ukraine and, through the Ukrainian church, into Europe and beyond. Let’s pray for wave upon wave of new disciples that make new disciples and plant new churches all across Ukraine and Europe.

⚫ Chris Mason

Krakow, Poland Credit: Unsplash

foods escalating in price; and the eyewatering cost of filling up a car these days.

In November 2019, at Jubilee+ we published a booklet called A Deepening Crisis? In it, we described the prophetic sense we had, along with many others, that the lives the poorest were about to get harder. We added the question mark to the title because we weren’t sure how or why this would happen. We believed God had spoken clearly to us through his prophets, but humanly speaking, it didn’t seem that likely.

Then, at the start of 2020, a whole bunch of words we hadn’t really used much before suddenly became a common part of our vocabulary: ‘pandemic’, ‘lockdown’, ‘face masks’, ‘social distancing’, and many more. The coronavirus pandemic hit us all.

Politicians, journalists and social commentators started calling it ‘the great leveller’ – after all, if

though, because charities, churches and others pushed back against this language, pointing out that, yes, we are all in the same storm, but no, we’re not all in the same boat. Some weathered the worst of the pandemic as if they were in a cruise liner; others, like they were clinging to a piece of driftwood in the middle of the raging seas.

The needs in our communities skyrocketed. And it’s in that context that the cost of living crisis arrived. Many of us – individually and as

churches – were already working or volunteering flat-out, compassionately loving our neighbours with a renewed energy and commitment. New projects sprang up, existing projects expanded. So when the cost of living crisis hit, many of us wondered if we could do any more.

The lives of the poorest around us are going to continue to get harder. The prophetic words that led Jubilee+ to publish A Deepening Crisis? indicated a lengthy period of hardship was coming. We are in it now, but it’s only just started. It’s time for us to proclaim Jesus boldly, expect to see signs, wonders and salvation in our social action, and to see transformed lives and, on the back of that, changed churches.

Our Research Tells Us...

Three things Jubilee+ has observed in about the cost of living crisis, particularly in churches in the UK – in Catalyst, Newfrontiers, and beyond – are:

1Churches are becoming more strategic in their outlook on poverty in their communities, and wanting to go deeper rather than broader. Most of us aren’t hoping to open many more projects, we’re looking to see lives changed by empowering people to come out of poverty, and then to help others out too.

2There is a renewed call to discipleship when it comes to the poverty and injustice around us – we really seem to be moving into a season where the call to Christlikeness is causing us to grow one step at a time into greater hearts for and expressions of mercy, compassion, generosity, concern for justice, welcome, and even righteous anger about the distress people are facing. This is why Jubilee+ has just launched a discipleship course, Follow.

3Our desire to see people saved is leading us to be more intentional about making sure Jesus is proclaimed and hope in him is offered to those we’re serving. We’ve heard about Darlington foodbank, where no one was saved in the first eight years of their foodbank, but where scores have been saved, healed and some set free of addictions, during the pandemic. Most of us are hungry for this to be true in all of our churches! But we’re realising that our social action had been drifting away from Jesus, becoming just good works, and now a lot of us are working hard to arrest that trend in its tracks.

JubileePlusexisttohelpchurcheschangethelivesofthose livinginpovertyintheircommunities. @JubileePlus

Reaching the 'Ends of the Earth' as a local church

I have had the privilege of leading King’s Church High Wycombe since May 2019, although I’ve been part of the church since becoming a Christian in 1994. King’s is a diverse, multi-ethnic church that reflects the diversity of the town of High Wycombe.

The church started as a small group of people meeting in a living room in the early 1970s that was quickly brought to life by receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Over the years, we grew to fill school halls and various other locations until we were able to build our own building on a plot in the town centre in 1994. We became part of Newfrontiers in 2007, and joined Catalyst in September 2020 – and we love being part of this family of churches!

We also love High Wycombe (not many people do)! Our vision is to become a diverse

church of thousands that surrounds and saturates High Wycombe with the love of Jesus – this includes a passion to reach the most marginalised and vulnerable people in our town, and so we invest a lot in ministries that reach out with the love and hope of Jesus to the homeless, the sex workers, refugees, those struggling with addiction, those in debt and those who are isolated.

While High Wycombe is our ‘Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria’, we are also passionate about ‘the ends of the earth’. We have an apostolic relationship with a church in Kathmandu in

A church service at King’s Church Kathmandu (KCK)

Nepal (King’s Church Kathmandu), which is involved in church planting in some remote Himalayan regions. This is a relationship that has grown over the last 20 years, and we

Wycliffe Bible Translators

For more information about Wycliffe and how to get involved, contact Neil Graham ngraham@ wycliffe.org.uk, who is the Director for Churches at Wycliffe and member of King’s.

recently gave £120,000 for the church to own a piece of land to build on – the building work is progressing well!

Another area of overseas involvement is supporting a couple who work with Wycliffe Bible Translators and their field partner, SIL.

Jackie has been part of King’s Church for many years and, having approached the church about her call to mission, King’s sent her to work with Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1998. She has worked with different communities, helping them develop literacy materials and train teachers to teach literacy in local languages, as well as being director of the work in South Sudan for nine years. Her husband, Wes, is a translation consultant and has worked with local translators to finish five New Testaments. He is currently working with a sixth group, Laarim, preparing for publication of their New Testament along with parts of the Old Testament. As a result of their amazing work, in challenging circumstances, a number of people groups can now enjoy the Bible in their mother tongue. ⚫ John Harbour

ON THE BLOG

For an extended version of this article, plusloadsmore,checkouttheCatalystBlog

A Sunday service at King’s Church High Wycombe

Jackie and Wes with the Gbaya Bible translators

The land in Kathmandu where building work has started

Faith in the Arts Meet Artist Jeremy Bunce

Part of our calling together as Catalyst churches is to extend the Kingdom into all of society around us. One of the ways we do this is through our arts initiative Sputnik, who support and sponsor Christian artists. We interviewed Jem Bunce an artist from Cornwall and asked him what inspires him and what role his faith plays in his work. You can watch the full interview over the page and you can find Jem's artwork soon to be featured in the Chaiya Arts Award exhibition taking place at Gallery@OXO at the Bargehouse Gallery on London’s Southbank 7-16 April 2023, 11-6pm. At the exhibition Jem will display a 'Portrait of Gin' (left) a lady he met that is part of the underground church in a persecuted nation.

I believe artists are prophets Jem Bunce

Artworks featured: Portrait of Gin Treasure within Wheal-Maid Poldoce Reimagined Parrog Sea Ink Sketch

To purchase works from Jeremy visit jeremybunce.co.uk

As those made in the image of God, God has given us imagination.

Kingdom Come at School Rachel Martin

I work in a secondary school in the Black Country (just outside Birmingham, UK.). Last summer I was given the opportunity to set up an internal alternative provision. This is essentially a separate school for teenagers who have significant trauma and behaviour concerns and would otherwise be permanently excluded from school. Most local authorities have separate alternative provisions for their young people, but these are not funded well and the children rarely leave with any qualifications or post 16 provision.

During the set up, we saw God provide in miraculous ways. I sent a message on my church Whatsapp group asking if anyone had any spare furniture and appliances and was given 2 fridges, 2 sofas, a microwave, kettle and toaster. A massive band of volunteers from

I wanted the ARRCC to be marked by a God like generosity; we provide everything for the students

church supported me with painting/ building work, ferrying around furniture and helping me rearrange 3 classrooms. My colleagues were blown away by this and our school finance team considered changing their working hours to a Sunday to see if they could get more free stuff from church for the wider school! I wanted to

ARRCC Classroom

ensure the young people were given as many opportunities as possible and set them up for a positive future. I wanted the ARRCC (Aspiration, Resilience, Respect and Care Centre) to be marked by a God like generosity; we provide everything for the students, all their equipment, uniform, computers, breakfast, lunch, etc.

Right from the offset, we asked the students to help us shape the culture of the provision, we sat round a table and wrote out the ‘ARRCC family values’. One of which was "As many fresh starts as we need!", I spoke about the bible verse 'new mercies every morning' and have referenced this several times throughout the year. In fact more recently, I was challenging a student on their behaviour and they said to me "Miss M, I don't think I should have a punishment because 'new mercies'!!" It was very surreal to have a student quote scripture at me to try and get out of detention! The work itself is exhausting and tiring, but SO rewarding. Each of my

students is their own success story, and I believe genuinely shows the power of the gospel. All of our students- apart from one- have increased their attendance in school by over 50%,. Prior to this year, none of the children were attending school for a full day and now all of them are coming into school every day for the whole day. We have seen a massive improvement in their learning levels and we have 5 out of 6 of our year 11s applying for colleges.

One of our year 11s was very involved in gang crime, including drug running and county lines. He would go missing for days at a time and hadn't attended school for more than 2 days at a time in 3 years. He now has 90% attendance, is doing work experience at a mechanics and is due to start an apprenticeship with them next month. He has not had a missing episode since starting with us.

Giving these children what they need and what they were designed for - unconditional love, consistent and persistent forgiveness, and hope, as well as feeding and clothing them has transformed their lives. I have recently been asked to double the provision for this age group (15 and 16 year olds) and create a provision for the younger half of the school (11-13 year olds). This is SO exciting and really feels like a God opportunity, but is a massive task. I am excited to watch God provide again and to partner with him in loving more young people. ⚫ Rachel Martin

Giving these children what they need and what they were designed for - unconditional love, consistent and persistent forgiveness, and hope, as well as feeding and clothing them has transformed their lives.

You are Called to Influence Karen Kircher

Whilst it’s true that the church ‘gathers’ on a Sunday, the church actually spends most of its week being ‘scattered’ into every area of society. Have you ever considered that God’s missional plan for you sits in your everyday life?

Only a small percentage of Christians are called to full time church ministry, but we are all instructed to, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

(Matthew 28:19)

By radically changing the way you think about work and learning how to partner with God as you go about your daily activities you can experience greater job satisfaction as you bring Kingdom influence and transformation to those around you.

Wherever God has positioned you this is where you are called to influence.

How you live, daily as a Christian, including the many hours spent at work, matters to God.

On the 26 April I will begin the ‘Called to Influence Group Training Series’, which explores how we can develop as Kingdom influencers in the marketplace and it will run over eight consecutive Wednesday evenings,

19.00-21.00 UK time via Zoom. The training series provides easily accessible materials for any Christian group to use, whether church or work-based.

Running over seven modules, each containing an introduction/reflection, online training video, discussion, learning review and prayer time. Workbooks detailing how to run the training series are available from our online store and provide space to record personal reflection and learning as the series progresses, and is a helpful resource post training.

Testimonial

Julian Mott from Kings House Perth (KHP) church, tells us why they decided to do the Called to Influence course.

We watched the videos and used the follow up material in the course booklet over a period of 8 weeks. We made it part of our KHP Hub groups which meet for a meal and fellowship every Thursday and Friday in homes in the city.

It was a great course. A mixture of biblical material with real life applications.

Bedford, is a Leadership Consultant and runs an organisation called Leading Leaders.

If you or someone from your church are interested in joining Karen’s online course, please register at by clicking below.

There was great sense of sharing our real work lives around the materials and yet with a “Kingdom coming more” perspective which was unique. We have prayed for work situations before but never combined with “Kingdom coming more” thinking at the same time.

Since the course two people have moved jobs. One moving into caring profession from mainline teaching. The course had a major influence on her.

We also saw breakthroughs in peoples working lives. One person was able to forgive a very difficult colleague and bring a different atmosphere to work. Also, another person working in the research industry had a senior work colleague come and apologised for poor communications for the first time in 20 years of working with them.

Unreached Network: Sent

Too many cross-cultural gospel witnesses are not sent by their local church. Yet Paul, in Romans 10, is emphatic; “How are they to preach unless they are sent?” Sent-ness is an essential part of going. Why does this matter so much?

First off, to be sent is to be authorised. There is no authority without authorisation. Rife individualism, “God told me to do this and so I don’t care what anyone thinks” is poison to the global Church. Receiving nations often speak of the havoc wrought by individualistic, unaccountable Western missionaries. Sadly, Mission agencies have sometimes been willing vehicles to facilitate disgruntled pioneer types who are determined to fulfil their “calling.” Yet the local church misses out on the privilege of being part of the journey, the individual misses out on love and support, and the ensuing disciples miss out on future international family connection.

Christ clearly taught that in order to exercise authority, one must be under authority. Authority, in the Kingdom of God, is never without family, never without accountability. To have one’s local church, together with one’s apostolic network lovingly send one is to benefit from their prayers, from a spiritual flow of anointing and authorisation, as anointing and calling in the New Testament are corporate, communal, relational.

Secondly, to be sent is to be known, loved, held. Churches are families who care for one another,

and where you are going you will need that care, that interest, that love. So many of the challenges which lie ahead, be they disappointment, loneliness, grief, loss, illness, betrayal, burnout are personal, emotional challenges. You will need to work these through with longhaul friends, with trusted shepherds, not just with strategists and overseers. You are going to need friends who are with you for the long journey, in success and failure, in going out and returning, through your various phases of life and ministry. Especially if you are single. ⚫ Andy McCullough

ON THE BLOG

For an extended version of this article, visit theUnreachedBlog

The Unreached Network works with Newfrontiers churches who are committedtoengagingunreached peoplegroupsworldwide. @UnreachedN

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A Worldwide Family Catalyst Apostolic Hubs

Catalyst is a movement of churches building communities that raise disciples who change the world. With our roots in Newfrontiers, we are a family of 600+ churches connected together through genuine relationship and served by a number of apostolic teams who aim to equip churches to raise pioneering disciples that see God's kingdom fill the earth.

TEAM LEADER

Matt Hatch

LEEDS, UK

Connecting churches and ministries in the north of the UK, US, Africa, Middle East and New Zeland.

TEAM LEADERS

Martin Tibbert & Sam Amara

BEDFORD, UK & LAGOS, NIGERIA

Connecting churches from 10 different nations.

TEAM LEADER

Phil Wilthew

BEDFORD, UK

Connecting churches in the UK, Europe and New Zealand, working into dozens of nations around

catalystnetwork.org

TEAM LEADER

Matt Partridge

OXFORD, UK

Connecting churches in the UK and impacting the nations; particularly the Middle East and the Russian-speaking world.

TEAM LEADER

Andy Johnston

SUSSEX, UK

Connecting churches in the South-East of England and reaching out internationally into East Africa, Europe, and South-East Asia.

TEAM LEADER

Michael Feulner

YALOVA, TURKEY

Connecting churches across Turkey, as well as Farsi and Turkish speaking churches in Europe.

TEAM LEADERS

Tim Simmonds & Richard Thomas

MANCHESTER & WORCESTER, UK

Connecting churches in the west of the UK, reaching into nations around the world.

TEAM LEADER

Richard Wightman

MILTON KEYNES, UK

Connecting churches and ministries in Southern Europe, Kenya and Asia, in addition to the UK