Multicultural Church ⚫ Jubilee+ ⚫ Multiply ⚫ Church Plant News ⚫ Disciple Making Stories ⚫ Apostolic Hubs
#MakingDisciples
What happens when you have to flee your mission field?
+ church planting updates #Prophetic
Unstoppable God
The power of the prophetic #ShapingSociety
Meet Music Artist Kwakzino
How Christ is shaping the music scene
Catalyst
Magazine Multiplying Churches, Disciples and Extending the Kingdom
#News
Catalyst Festival is Back! New Venue, New Festival Same Passion.
When we recapture God’s vision for the church, maybe then we’ll see revival #LovingthePoor
November 2023 Issue 12
Catalyst Magazine - 1
Catalyst Magazine, Issue 12 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 you enjoy this edition as we look at the big picture and also stories from individuals who are making a difference with their lives. With so many challenges across the nations it's such a joy to be part of a bigger family together.
With love, Simon. Simon Holley, Leads the Catalyst Team Photo by Tetiana Grypachevska on Unsplash
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Contents Welcome & News 04 Welcome From Simon Holley 07 Stories & Events 10 Festival News #News
UP 15 16 18 20 New to Catalyst?
Not connected to with Catalyst church yet? Visit the ABOUT page on our website and find a church near you and get plugged in!
#Worship
#Prophetic
#Devotion
Worshipping in the Storm Equipping Worship Teams Unstoppable God My Walk with Jesus
IN 22 Creating Healthy Multicultural Congregations 24 Project 24 #Leadership
#Equipping
FIND A CHURCH
OUT 27 Planting Churches, Making Disciples 32 Disciple Making Stories 34 Meet Music Artist Kwakzino 36 Jubilee+ 38 Multiplying Churches: A movement of faith and growth 41 Get to know our Apostolic Hubs #MakingDisciples
Got a story to share?
Feature in next terms Catalyst Magazine by contacting stories@catalystnetwork.org
Follow CatalystNetwork catalystchurches catalystchurches catalystchurches
#LovingThePoor
#WorldMission
#ShapingSociety
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Catalyst Magazine - 3
Welcome
Simon Holley leads the Catalyst Network and the Kings Arms Church in Bedford in the UK.
Welcome to another edition of Catalst Magazine. At our UK leaders gathering in November we restated our purpose as: "Catalyst is an apostolic movement starting and strengthening churches that multiply disciples to see God's kingdom fill the Earth." It encapsulates what we’re trying to do and believing God for together. These aren't just words to us; they're a reflection of our deepest hopes and our commitment to make a real difference in the world. Looking back, I'm humbled by what we've achieved together. We've seen communities strengthened and lives changed. We’ve seen at least 300 churches planted in the last 10 years. We’ve grown and developed from a UK based movement to one made up of more than 800 churches that’s increasingly spanning a huge proportion of the world and now serving into over 45 nations. We now have 7 apostolic hubs that are carrying the real apostolic ministry and that are increasingly made up of people from multiple nations and that make Catalyst what it is. Sure, there’s work to be done. We’re a long way from where we need to be. I'm constantly reminded that there's so much more to do. But we have to be grateful for all the Lord has done and is doing! There are over 100 churches that have been planted in the last 12 months or will be 4 - Catalyst Magazine
300
at least
Welcome Simon Holley
churches planted in the last 10 years
800
churches worldwide
45
nations apostolic hubs
7
in the next 12 months. We have disciples and leaders being raised up in many places - some in extremely challenging circumstances. I loved this story recently shared with me
“I felt a Muslim woman from Iraq at our language cafe is also a person of peace. We haven’t related outside of that setting much, but she’s always very warm, kind, turns the conversation to deeper things. So I prayed and messaged her and asked if her and her husband and kids would be open to spending time with my family, and she said “Richard my family have been discussing this for a few weeks, we had decided we wanted to relate more.” We are now all going to eat food together next weekend when her husband is off
work and able to join. I’m loving the course!” There are many out there still searching for hope, still in need of the transformative love we've experienced but we’re slowly and surely training and sending more and more people to bring the love of God and the power of the kingdom into their lives. Recently, I've been thinking a lot about what's next for us. In a quiet moment of prayer, I felt a nudge, a whisper in my spirit, saying, 'train 1000 church planters.' At first, this idea seemed overwhelming – even impossible. But then I remembered that God has spoken to us like this before and we raised far more than the £100,000 he asked us to raise for the covid fund. If it’s from Him then he will enable us to not only achieve it Catalyst Magazine - 5
Welcome
but maybe even to exceed it! This goal – to train 1000 church planters – is a big one. It's about more than numbers; it's about reaching, training and sending people with the hope we have. It's about being there for others in a world that often feels disconnected and divided. We’d have to focus not just on quantity but on quality. The coaching and support, both financial and otherwise, would be immense. I’ve shared this with the Catalyst Strategy Team and we felt that we should weigh this word together. For us to achieve it would take all of us - from Manchester to Malawi and from Nigeria to New Zealand. Women and men would both need to play their part, as would old and young. This won’t fly if it’s a banner on a website. It would need to be something we owned together. I don't have all the answers, and honestly, I'm not sure what this will look like. But I'm excited about the possibilities. So, as we move forward, let's keep the conversation going. We shared it at a recent Catalyst Leaders event and it did feel as if we had a rise of faith. But I’d love to hear from you. Let's share our thoughts, our concerns, and our dreams as we think about this and weigh it together. So 6 - Catalyst Magazine
I felt a nudge, a whisper in my spirit, saying, 'train 1000 church planters. please pray about this goal and ask God what this means for your church and hub. Let's seek God together to help us decide if this is something we should aim for. We might not know exactly where this path will lead, but I'm confident that together, we can make a huge difference in the nations that we’re working in. Thanks for being part of this journey. Here's to stepping into the future with hope! Much love, Simon
t o r ies s BELIEVER, MIDDLE EAST An Iranian man is given a bible that he starts reading in secret on his phone, so much so his wife thinks he's having an affair. The man tells her he has become a Christian. She is very angry! He takes her to meet friends who love Jesus. They're celebrating the death of Jesus. All dancing. Shouting hallelujah. She left angry and asked him for a divorce. That night she went to bed. Jesus came in a dream. Jesus told her he is the truth. And I want you to follow me. This happened a number of times. Soon the wife has to admit to husband and became a Christian. ON THE BLOG
For extended versions of some of these stories, plus loads more, check out the Catalyst Blog
CHURCH PLANTERS RUSSIA
One of our church planters met a student while teaching them English online. She slowly begins to share faith with her. After praying a short prayer for a new job, the next morning she told them she had been offered three jobs! She ended up getting her dream job and from there the lady began to ask questions about God. She is in Serbia but they continue to have home group online and reading the bible. She has received healing from depression and something left her stomach. Now she has become a Christian and wants get baptised. They are working out how to do that from hundreds of miles apart! Catalyst Magazine - 7
t o r ies s CATALYST LEADERS CATALYST TOGETHER PLUS CONFERENCE Leaders from across Catalyst came together in person and online, over the last two days to worship, enjoy the presence of God and seek Him for increased unity, joy and courage for the journey ahead. Some audio from the Conference will soon be available. ON THE BLOG
For extended versions of some of these stories, plus loads more, check out the Catalyst Blog 8 - Catalyst Magazine
What is God doing where you are? Encourage others by telling your story! Email stories@catalystnetwork.org
MATTY WARDEN MOSAIC, LEEDS Matty works as Mosaic's prison worker in Armley prison. He is currently discipling Bobby, who is a former European bare-knuckle boxing champion and iis a new believer. Bobby has started a bible study and a new person has come to the Discovery Bible Study every week and they are now up to 7 people!
RIVER CITY CHURCH, HULL We baptised a lady recently after someone in the church had shared Jesus with her after they met 14 years ago in antenatal classes. She couldn’t accept it at the time because she was seeking meaning in other spiritual places. They lost touch and the christian assumed she must have put her off. About 5 months ago the lady called out of the blue desperate for Jesus! She’d had several dreams about Jesus. In one of them she saw news being broadcast to the whole world saying “Jesus’s heart is the key to salvation for the whole world and everyone can access it. No-one has to be left behind.” After that she accepted Jesus for herself and has been sharing at work. CATALYST LEADERS NEWFRONTIERS GLOBAL '23 IN CYPRUS Apostolic leaders gathered with others from across the wider family of Newfrontiers to share stories of encouragement and learnings from research being conducted across the movement. Catalyst Magazine - 9
New Venue. New Festival. Same Passion. 23rd-26th August 2024 Stafford Showground We couldn't be more excited to confirm that Catalyst Festival is back! Next August we will gather together in person at Stafford Showground, just north of Birmingham. It will be the first time returning to a Festival gathering since Covid19 cancelled our last festival in 2020. We have missed gathering all of our churches toegther and we are looking forward to the opportunity to be back together once more. The Catalyst Festival is all about gathering, loving God and mission — empowering us to make a difference in our workplaces, communities and nations. We believe God has called us to be a blessing in every part of our society, using our skills and passions for the common good. And we also believe God has called us to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world. So every two years our network of churches gather together to worship Jesus, hear from the Bible, enjoy one another’s gifts, and get caught up in the bigger picture of what God’s doing. ON THE BLOG
10 - Catalyst Magazine
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Catalyst Magazine - 11
#News
Events & Resources PRAYER DAY 18TH JANUARY
Join our Global Family around the world to stand together in prayer. 4 Different calls in 4 differnt times zones will take place all lead by local leaders.
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MULTIPLY 24 JUNE 22ND, CATALYST'S CHURCH PLANTING CONFERENCE Multiply runs through multiple streams
GOD'S BIG STORY STARTING JANUARY, VARIOUS LOCATIONS
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God’s Big Story is a one-year part-time course taking you on a journey from Creation to Revelation. This ‘zoomed-out’ approach will equip students with an overview of the Bible. 12 - Catalyst Magazine
including our annual Multiply Conference, Multiply+ (a one-to-one mentoring scheme) and the Multiply Podcast. MORE
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Metamorphosis Matt Hatch Unlocking your spiritual transformation through healthy discipleship.
MORE
PROJECT 24, 1-2 MARCH 2024 Project is all about seeing a move of God amongst GenZs, Millennials, students and 20s. We want this generation to find God, hope and purpose. BOOK NOW
BROADCAST NETWORK CHURCH PLANTING / DISCIPLEMAKING RESOURCES Invisible Divides Natalie Williams & Paul Brown An excellent resource on overcoming the divides between classes in the church.
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Their heart is to multiply God's mission by serving and equipping those on the front line. Find courses, articles, podcasts, videos, books and live events and much more.
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Catalyst Magazine - 13
knowing God UP - Knowing God #Prophetic
#Devotion
#Worship
#Identity
In this section of the magazine we celebrate who God is and what He has done for us, our identity as His children and give space to listening to what He is saying to us. 14 - Catalyst Magazine
#Worship
Worshipping in the Storm Luke Savory from Hull in the UK would describe himself as neurodiverse. He writes for us about worshipping God ‘in the midst of the storm’ after being recently made redundant. For many years, I struggled with crippling anxiety, which affected every day of my life. Over the past 10 years, God has taken me on a journey out of that and into ever increasing freedom, helping me to embrace the good aspects of my highly analytical mind, and learn where I just need to lean on and trust in him. This was tested when I recently found myself in a storm that, just a few short years before, would usually have set off spiralling anxiety once more. A year and a bit into a new job, at the beginning of this September (2023), there was a message on the company messaging system, asking us to check our emails for some important company news.
In that moment, before I even received the email, I just knew what it was about (and this wasn't my anxious mind, it was a different kind of knowing). After reading the email, and subsequently having a short meeting with my manager, that thought was confirmed. They were making redundancies, and I was one of them. I was down for leading worship on the Sunday of that week, and to my surprise, one of the very first thoughts I had in that moment of finding out was "there is no way I am giving up leading worship on Sunday, the enemy is not winning this one". Not only that, but I was filled with an overwhelming peace and joy, something which I knew in my head that Christians should experience, but I never had. The week was a complete rollercoaster of emotions, including being exhausted from job searching and CV writing, but I held on to the desire to keep worshipping. That Sunday, I did lead worship, and God showed up in an incredibly powerful way, and many experienced His presence. I did manage to sing some words through the tears that also came, but even the tears seemed like worship to me. ON THE BLOG
For an extended version of this article, plus loads more, check out the Catalyst Blog Catalyst Magazine - 15
#Worship
Equipping Worship Teams Alecs Atkinson God is so clearly on the move in our nation. He is reviving His people and renewing our hearts to worship Him. All across the UK, churches have had incredible moments of encounter with the presence of God, where people have been so moved by meeting with the Holy Spirit that their lives are forever changed. What an amazing privilege it is to be led in worship by our worship teams. For those of us who serve on worship teams, these pinnacle mountain-top moments represent so much of why we do what we do. However, so much of worship ministry is the unseen; the hours of prayer, practice and preparation. We are called to humbly serve our churches week after week as an overflow of our own devotion to Jesus. Just as Jesus taught His disciples in the parable of the talents, we are given gifts from God that should be used, not hidden away. There 16 - Catalyst Magazine
So much of worship ministry is the unseen... we are called to humbly serve our churches week after week as an overflow of our own devotion to Jesus. is such a need for us to invest in our worship teams. We are called to fan into flame the gift that God has put in us, and we can do that by providing support and encouragement to those who serve us in worship.
How can we see that which God has given us, grow and therefore serve our churches well? We believe that the quality of a team is the sum value of all of its individual parts, and so we want to provide a context where we can learn together, encourage one another and be equipped to more effectively lead our churches in worship. As a worship leader or a musician, what are the big challenges you are facing right now? Maybe you’re serving week after week and feeling tired and a bit burnt out. Perhaps recently your team has shrunk and you’re trying to figure out how to build your team. Or maybe when you read about the church in the New Testament and the power of the Holy Spirit, you long to
see more of that in your church. Maybe, like us, since regathering after COVID, you’re looking for a context to train and develop your team to the next level in their gifting. We believe that God is calling us to build gifted and anointed worship teams to lead His people deeper into His presence so that the Church in the UK will look different as a result. Whatever challenge you’re facing, rather than feeling isolated and separate, by joining together as worship teams from churches of all shapes and sizes, we can be refreshed and equipped to enter a new season of fruitfulness as we learn from one another. The Worship Learning Community is a oneyear programme for worship teams to be connected, trained, and equipped to lead worship in their churches. In this year, you and your team get to go to 3 in-person gatherings, where we will worship together, hear from experienced worship pastors, worship leaders, musicians and songwriters, as well as attend seminars discussing the practical side of worship teams. You and your team will also get assigned a coach for a year, where you’ll be able to get helpful, direct input into your specific situations. And most importantly, you will get to plan with your team to put strategies in place! ⚫ Alecs Atkinson
If you are a worship pastor, you can book you and 4 people from your team to come to our 3 gatherings in 2024! worshiplearningcommunity.com worshiplearningcommunity Catalyst Magazine - 17
#Prophetic
Unstoppable God The power of the prophetic in unprecedented times.
When the world continues to shake what prophetic promises can we hang on to?
18 - Catalyst Magazine
Since our last edition of Catalyst Magazine another major earthquake has hit the middle east and another war has broken out. Back in January of this year I gathered with some prophetic people to listen to God on behalf of Catalyst. We sought his leading, wisdom and courage. Little did we anticipate how needed it would be this year. One of the signifcant pictures that came out of that time was that of lava flowing across the nations. This lava was unstoppable and crossed the borders of country after country, irrespective of boundaries or obstacles. The force of the lava flow was powerful and unstoppable, leaving fertile soil in its wake. Ian Ormesher (Munich) who brought the picture felt the lava represented the flow of an unstoppable move of God. He saw it flow across dividing lines, across war zones and previously unreached places. He felt this was a promise for Catalyst that we would be used by God to bring peace between warring countries, that together we would reach into areas previously
unreached with the gospel and partner with other movements to see the gospel spread. Later on this year I heard another prophetic word about lava. Brought during a meeting at Kings Church in Southampton, the person bringing the word, happened to have witnessed a volcano begin to errupt whilst on a trip overseas. Watching from a safe distance the person remarked on how those he was with lingered to watch the spectacle well into the night, lava flowed like a river of fire down the side of the mountain. It was terrifying and awe-inspiring in equal measure. After witnessing such a seizmic event he felt God begin to speak to him through it... He felt God was promising He would visit His people again with a river of fire. A move of God that would be characteristed by: 1/ Powerful evangelistic preaching 2/ Purity of devotion to Jesus 3/ Power - God visiting his church in power.
”
This lava was unstoppable and crossed the borders of country after country, irrespective of boundaries or obstacles. The force of the lava flow was powerful and unstoppable... the flow of an unstoppable move of God.
It's not hard to see God is on the move in many terrifying, yet awe-inspiring ways across the earth. Yet, the prophetic allows God's people to be encouraged even in the midst of trial. Let us therefore be spurred on by this simple truth that these prophetic pictures reveal: Jesus is on the move and like unstoppable lava, the good news about Him will not be stopped or be emptied of its power. Even as the world continues to shake. let us keep serving Him in confidence. ⚫ Abi Flavell Catalyst Magazine - 19
#Devotion
My walk with Jesus Suna from the Middle East
Devotional Series
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In this issue of Catalyst Magazine we continue a new series called 'My Walk with Jesus'. As a global family of believers across the world we recognise there is much wisdom and learning to be gained from listening to one anothers experiences. Suna, a painter from the Middle East, shares how Jesus had spoken to her through a recent painting she was working on. She encourages us to keep Jesus our utmost focus and avoid the distractions of life. Translated from Turkish with English subtitles.
SHARE STORY
What are you learning in your walk with Jesus?
We want to hear it! Share your short story with us in video format (less than 5 minutes), in English or your native language. stories@catalystnetwork.org
20 - Catalyst Magazine
IN - Developing Community #Equipping
#BeingFamily
#SpiritFilled
#Leadership
In this section of the magazine we celebrate who God has called us to be and all we are fulfilling together.
Catalyst Magazine - 21
#Leadership
Creating Healthy Multicultural Congregations Linda Geevanathan Linda Geevanathan and Tony Thompson, from Hope Church Luton, recently lead a seminar in our recent Catalyst Leaders Conference on the topic of creating healthy multicultural congregations. Luton is about one third Asian, a third white and a third other ethnicities. It is a very multicultural area, if you have ever been to Luton it is a very underpriviledged area. Our journey has been, over the last 20 years, to realise that the church needs to reflect the community that is it buidling into. Not just in the congregation, but at all levels of leadership reflecting the wide breath of diversity. This journey has been costly and painful. On a Sunday I don't take my wallet 22 - Catalyst Magazine
On a Sunday I don't take my wallet to church, there is often someone very inebriated, along with street workers, along with refugees, along with children and doctors and nurses all in the church together.
to church, there is often someone very inebriated, along with street workers, along with refugees, along with children and doctors and nurses all in the church together. That's not always comfortable. When someone calls the church to say "oops I left my kindle at church can you see if it is still there?",
and I have to call that person back to say, I'm sorry it has been stolen. That is not comfortable. Of course it has been stolen because there are people on their different paths towards Jesus. When I find myself having moments where I wish it were easier, I have to remember where Jesus would have been, it would have been among people like this. I am reminded of what my calling and our calling as the church is to love those he brings into our body. So we journey with people from all sorts of backgrounds and it is not easy or comfortable. ⚫ Listen to more...
Catalyst Magazine - 23
#Equipping
Project 24 Tim Simmonds All the best Projects are really simple with one objective that is clear and obvious. No fuss. No complication. We want to get this one thing done! Project24 is simple. We want to see this generation of 20s and students be devoted to God. There you go! Simple right? Everything else comes from devotion to God. When people are devoted to God, his way of doing things and his plans (Projects?) great things happen. Mountains are moved, mustard seeds are planted and the Kingdom is sought first. God calls each generation to follow him and I am praying that we see this generation give themselves to God. The church in the UK needs to identifying, training and releasing the next wave of Ephesians 4 ministry. We should be looking to our 18-29 years olds for apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers. It’s my hope that Project can be a small part in facilitating a whole new generation being 24 - Catalyst Magazine
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called by God to serve his church in this nation and further afield. At Project24 (1-2 March 2024 in Milton Keynes) we are going after boldness. We want to encourage each other to be bold in pray, holiness, evangelism and church planting. We’ve got a great line up of speakers (Andrew Wilson, TJ Koleoso, Katherine Brown and Sam Ward) and a brilliant worship team. We will also have a few seminars so we can think a little more deeply on some tricky subjects. Anyways, the cheap tickets have all gone but the remaining tickets are still really cheap! Go to projectstudents20s.com, book tickets and then find yourself a hotel in gorgeous Milton Keynes. ⚫ Tim Simmonds
Catalyst Magazine - 25
OUT - Kingdom Impact #MakingDisciples
#LovingThePoor
#WorldMission
#ShapingSociety
In this section of the magazine we focus on reaching the lost, influencing the culture around us, helping those in need and reaching the unreached peoples of the world with the gospel. 26 - Catalyst Magazine
#MakingDisciples
Planting Churches, Making Disciples Church planters from across our movement, update us on all God is doing as the gospel reaches the ends of the Earth. Eastbound!
EAST LEEDS, UK Jack and Mez Carter have been feeling God speak to them about planting a new church, Jack tells us all about it. There is so much we could say about the last few years, but for both of us there has been a growing sense of urgency and desire to share the living hope we have. The phrase ‘this is not a dress rehearsal’ has been a constant travel companion on our journey. That journey has also featured, on a personal level, the relinquishing of control and comfort, and deeper trust in Him. It’s been a time where we have felt a deeper call to be motivated by love in what we do; 1 John 4:19 tells us that ‘We love because he
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first loved us.’ Our prayer is that people in East Leeds would know of this great life-changing and transforming love. What next? From January, on a half-termly basis, we are going to gather to pray, worship and cast vision in East Leeds. All are welcome but especially those who feel called to come or who are exploring the call to come. Email us at jack@theoakchurch.co.uk or get in touch on 07762024335. We would love to hear from you. ⚫ Jack and Mez Carter ON THE BLOG
For an extended version of this article, plus loads more, check out the Catalyst Blog Catalyst Magazine - 27
#MakingDisciples
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Grace of God Church Cotonou, Togo
Pastor John Adon tells us of witchcdoctors encountering the Holy Spirit and turning to Jesus!
Forming Teams with Native Leaders
Middle East
When we moved 7 years ago from Western Europe to a major city in the Middle East, our desire to encourage local leadership was key part of our heart to serve an unreached people group. Establishing a new community here has been a long journey but by Gods grace we have just appointed a leadership team (3 elders and a deacon), including locals alongside those of us from other nations. Here are a few things we have learnt along the way.
‘‘Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.’’ John 12:24 Our journey has taken us from being a team of ‘seeds’ from the UK being planted into the middle eastern ground… to where we are now, a 28 - Catalyst Magazine
diverse community with a culturally mixed leadership team. We have had many moments of change, this took a huge step up 18 months after moving, as our weekly team gatherings ramped up to include a couple of local believers who God has connected us with. So some 9 months ahead of launching public gathering, our weekly team gatherings transitioned into our new language. This was a nervous & delicate moment for sure! But isn’t this just the kingdom way, a risk involving private change that precedes public ministry and breakthrough. For us this language step was huge, it was the start of a great change, but thankfully the local believers who joined us were very patient with us! We had made a significant step on the journey towards enabling cross cultural leadership! Language demonstrates value, in the country we now call home, how you address someone immediately communicates respect, value and also closeness to them. For example in the world of work here there is lingo
that if understood instils belonging, but if not reveals you as an outsider.
Language is a key. Language is also the gateway into a culture, it is a way of expressing/ communicating things, that if we privately value enough, then we then start to work on how to communicate that value and love in a public way, meaning we are able to engage the people we are trying to reach. What we are talking about is really about contextualising not just a part of our ministry, but our entire lives, so that our public ministry is not asking people to journey to us, but demonstrates that we have already journeyed to them! But language learning is HARD, and very hard indeed if the target is fluency. So sadly as we started to transition into a more ‘local’ expression
speaking the local language in all settings it did become harder for some of the initial team and due to challenges with work and integration sadly some had to return to the UK. For us a resurrection, that has enabled us to see a genuine blended community, the desire being to remove any barrier for locals, intentionally seeking to honour and invite locals, encouraging them to help shape everything alongside us, this is obviously not simply about language. In particular having local champions and guides who have a heart to see a local expression of Gods people and we now have locals more actively shaping church life than those of us from other cultures. As we have continued to develop we have seen many others added in, some local believers who are new to the city alongside locals who have come to faith and been added to us. We have for some time had over 50% of our community made up of our local members. As our culture honours and reflects kingdom aspects of the context we are in, we have seen local believers growing, serving and carrying increasing responsibility as we communicate this is not ‘our’ church, but also very much ‘theirs’ or perhaps more truly ‘ours’. One of our local brothers has now been appointed as a elder and as he grows in Gods values and gospel culture, we see that through his leadership a long term transformation is at work, another seed / a planting of the gospel in this precious land and so together we are able to believe for an indigenous movement of Jesus apprentices to arise and reach this nation!
ON THE BLOG
For an extended version of this article, you can read it on the Catalyst Blog Catalyst Magazine - 29
#MakingDisciples
Stock photo from Unsplash
What happens when you have to flee your mission field?
Middle East
"When are you leaving?" My housemate and her husband asked. "In half an hour", I replied. "Are you coming back?" Immediately I answered their question with positive enthusiasm reassuring them that I'll be back in a week or two. As their kids came to kiss me goodnight one-by-one they too asked the same question to which their mum replied, "she's just going away for a few days to see her friend". We all knew it would be longer than that. It has now been a month and we still do not know when we might go back. The emotions and feelings in this month have been, as probably expected, all over the place. First, there's the adrenaline rush of suddenly having to leave. Your brain can't quite compute what is actually ON THE BLOG
For an extended version of this article, you can read it on the Catalyst Blog 30 - Catalyst Magazine
happening and just wishing you had more of the one thing you know you don't have, time. Packing my bag half full now wishing I had put my multiple journals from the age of 10 in it, felt like a whirlwind. I had thought to put my journals in it, but then what seemed to concern me most at the time was not having a heavy bag, completely denying the fact that I wouldn't be back soon. It wasn't even a conscious denial. It felt like an inability, that my brain simply couldn't work properly. Denial was next, alongside a burning anger and shame in me that I had left the people I live with and my best friend who called me only a few hours earlier scared because all the Americans she knew had left and me replying that it'll be ok (unbeknown to me that I too would go the same day, only adding to her fear). The night in the airport, the plane journey, the first day in a neighbouring country because I couldn't face leaving the region yet, yet with no tears and a cold heart. I had cut it off. It was only at the end
of the second day in the neighboring country during a zoom pr-yer meeting for the conflict when someone pr-yed for my host family who I had left behind when the tears started coming. I had to start engaging because if I didn't, I would be worse later on. The day after that I travelled to the UK. It was cold. Far too cold for my liking but I had managed to at least bring a jacket! Having people I could call up without any notice to ask if I could stay with them for an unknown amount of time awakened me even more to the incredible community I have. I honestly don't know how I would have coped in the weeks that followed without them. It made me think how important communities and 'safe' people or places are and wondering how people
do this if they don't have such a community. This is certainly something sending communities need to consider; do you have a safe community readily emotionally available for a worker suddenly plucked out of their situation? Tears then became my constant state of being. I was crying as I met up with people for breakfast the following morning, crying as I sat at the back of a community meeting, crying in the office with my colleagues who only really work with me online, crying in my sleep, crying as I read the news, crying on the bus, you name it. All the time thinking, I'm not even in the conflict, I know no one directly impacted by it, why are you responding so emotionally? Because I have just been removed from the people who I love and I have been taken from somewhere I feel called to, I'm constantly thinking about what this holds for the future, you name it. Goodness, is this how refugees feel? Is this how displaced people feel? Do they have the support and care that they need? I can say now that while my emotions about it all are much less extreme than they were when I first left, they're still present. They come in waves, and it's just a matter of riding these waves. What's important for every person who has left, single or married, is to have the safe people and places you need to go back to in times of emergencies. Allow yourself to be vulnerable with your safe people. If you don't have these safe people or places, you need to start forming/building them. What's important for sending groups is to help the worker/s find these safe people and places ready for them to come back to. I am extremely grateful for the community I have - thank you for helping me, thank you for listening, thank you for allowing me to be vulnerable, thank you for letting me cry and collapse on you. Thank you God. Thank you for your faithfulness, thank you for your goodness, thank you for your everlasting presence. Catalyst Magazine - 31
#MakingDisciples
Disciple Making Each term Simon Holley runs a Disciple Makers Training Course to encourage every beliver to join the Father on His mission to seek and save the lost. We share some of the stories from the course and other disciple makers across our family...
Claire - Healing prayer team in Costa We prayed for a new guy for his foot and it got healed. He had to test it out later and next week he said it was 99 percent better.
Justine
So exciting last night to have Jay share that he has given his life to Jesus, the evidence was in his face. The week before we had practiced the 3 circles tool and he had gone home to ask God to meet with him. Jay has been going to Alpha so the multi ways of reaching him has born fruit
Siji
There was very good opportunity for me to share the good news to a lady and her sister today. She was very fearful of dying and she had a dream that her dead family member calling to go with them. I said let me share my faith about life after death, and shared the gospel from fall at garden and resurrection in another garden. She was very tearful to know that she is created by God and fully loved and accepted by God. Please pray that she will have an encounter with Jesus and will give life to Him! 32 - Catalyst Magazine
Philip and Caroline
A couple of weeks back I sat down with a young Indian guy in our church called Joel and his friend Sidhi who is a nominal Hindu. We actually did the same Discovery Bible Study from Mark 4 as we did last night. Very early days but it was clear God was speaking directly to him and also that Joel could see how simple it is to make disciples in this fashion. We're meeting for our next DBS this Friday.
Richard
Just an encouragement to never give up. 40 years ago I became the first saved Christian in my family. No one understood or wanted to know about Jesus. While I was over in South Africa in
October all of my family approached me to pray with them and I had the joy of getting my 80 year old mom her first Bible, doing a DBS with my 62 year old sister, mom and my nephew and his wife. Over the 3 weeks I watched the word change them and prayed with them for salvation. Before I left I had the joy of baptizing all four. It was all so natural and full of grace. Never underestimate God's grace in your lives, your unsaved family see the difference. If you haven't discovered the DBS app do have a look at it, I used it with my mom and it was great.
Do you and others from your church want to reach the lost more effectively?
Disciple Makers Training
8 week zoom course with Simon Holley Suitable for individuals or groups.
Find out about the next course visit catalystnetwork.org/events
Recommended Tools The Three Circles Gospel Tool - tell the good news simply
Sasha
We did Discovery Bible Study this morning with our Russian guys plus one Norwegian and one French ( both are non Christian). Thank you for your prayers! We needed it! We did it in English. And it went wonderful! We took parable about pearl of great value. Both the people from other nations want to come next time.
Discover Bible App 30 simple studies available in 25 languages
Waha Bible Study App Group-centric app allowing anyone to lead a pre-recorded bible study.
Catalyst Magazine - 33
#ShapingSociety
Faith in the Arts
Meet Music Artist Kwakzino 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.
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If you would like to make life-changing, kingdomfocussed, artistic projects happen you can become a patron at sptnk.co.uk/patrons
There’s never been such a healthy time for artists to express themselves.
With the help of our patrons community, Sputnik gave a grant to London rapper Kwakzino, for his new project ‘Livewire’. Joel Wilson spoke to Kwakz about his journey, process and hopes; they also discuss why hip-hop and grime seem uniquely accepting of expressions of faith, with mainstream artists from Stormzy to Kendrick leading the trend.
wire, a ball of energy. Until God came and grounded me. That’s why I like to say it’s ‘because of him’, he’s connected me, and now I’m in the circuit and now everything’s flowing, instead of being all over the place.
Can you introduce yourself and your creative work?
So who’s your audience for this? What do you want people to get from your work?
My name is Kwakz, aka Kwakzino. I’m a lyricist, rapper – I also do youthwork, putting on community projects for young people. I feel the Lord gave me a gift when I was young, sparked a passion in me when I was 13 years old, and it’s continued with me ever since.
It’s a question I’ve asked myself for years. My music is targeted at the hopeless – because God gave me hope Tell us a little about the project – but not in an inauthentic Sputnik is funding. way, or cheesy way, just in The project is a song called Livewire. It’s reflecting an honest way. on the journey, and how God came into my life. There’s never been such a Before God came into my life, I was like a live 34 - Catalyst Magazine
Keep up with Kwakzino on Instagram.
PLAY NOW
healthy time for artists to express themselves. I’m a Christian and I make music, but the majority of my fans are not Christians.
Can you talk a little bit about themes or concepts that are recurring in your work?
who am I going to abuse? Who am I going to negatively affect today? God provided me a way out. I was facing jail – the judge said if you ever come back to me, you’re going straight to jail. I managed to get out of my area my God’s grace. That’s when I started working with young people – I didn’t want them to be making the same steps I had. I’ve been doing youthwork heavily for the last 8 years.
Because of my life, and the circle my life has gone on, in my music I talk about this. What it was Well God worked on me. I like before God, what it’s like since God. I won’t lie, was living a negative lifestyle; I wrote about it so much, I hated it! I was sick and selling drugs, robbing, tired of talking about the street. I’ve talked about treating girls wrong. It was it. I was like God, I need a new song now. anger. God knew I didn’t want to live the lifestyle. I ON THE BLOG hated myself. I couldn’t even look myself in the mirror. For an extended version of this article, you can read it on the Sputnik Blog Every day my mindset wasCatalyst Magazine - 35
#LovingThePoor
Beyond Ourselves Natalie Williams I grew up in relative poverty in Hastings, a wonderful but deprived seaside town that a national newspaper once called “Hell-on-Sea”. I’m from a working class family and, when I started going to church as a teenager, it wasn’t because I was on a deep spiritual quest for absolute truth. It was because I liked a boy. But God had other ideas. By His mercy, I became a Christian. This was quite a shock to me. I didn’t know much about the Bible or church. I suddenly found myself in an unfamiliar world. But this wasn’t just a spiritual shock, but also a culture shock relating to class. The majority in my church were middle class, and behaved in ways I did not understand and had not seen before. My ‘go to’ example is usually meals – lovely Christians started inviting me for dinner, but I’d never seen food served the way they served it. There were lots of other differences too, touching on values, attitudes and behaviours connected to communication, authority, money, community, aspirations, and even faith. I felt like I didn’t fit in. To be honest, even though I’ve been a Christian for 30 years and in Christian leadership for 12, I
36 - Catalyst Magazine
still often feel like I don’t fit in. Over the years, I’ve seen people of similar and tougher backgrounds to mine come to faith in Jesus, get baptised, and promptly disappear from church life within six months. There are all sorts of reasons for this, I’m sure, but undoubtedly one of them is that most British churches are very middle class, leading those who aren’t to sometimes feel alienated, excluded and even offended. When Catalyst pastor Paul Brown and I were writing our book on class issues in British churches, Invisible Divides, several people told us we were making a big deal about something that isn’t an issue. But truthfully, the only people who said that to us are middle class. On the flipside, those from
Jubilee Plus exist to help churches change the lives of those living in poverty in their communities. @JubileePlus
a working class background thanked us for working on it. People we don’t know even got in touch via social media to tell us how needed the book is. According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, 60 per cent of people in Britain identify themselves as working class. This percentage has not changed since 1983! Of those who call themselves working class, 82% believe there is a ‘wide divide’ between the classes. In the past, when revival has come to our nation, it’s typically come through those who live in poverty or who are working class. It rarely ‘trickles down’. It usually starts on the ground and spreads up. If we want to see revival in our nation, we need to
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If we want to see revival... we need to... be much more proactive in reaching out to those who might not be like the majority in our churches.
humble ourselves and be much more proactive in reaching out to those who might not be like the majority in our churches. By ‘reaching out’, I mean becoming genuine friends with, mixing with, loving and caring for and learning from people who are different to us, whose life experiences don’t mirror our own. That’s the beauty of the church, isn’t it? That people from all walks of life walk shoulder-toshoulder as we follow Jesus together. We are meant to display a unity that draws a watching world to Jesus. No one marvels at unity among a group of likeminded people. The only unity that causes wonder is a unity among diversity. Our churches should be full of people who would never naturally mix, but are united in their love of Jesus. When we recapture God’s vision for the church, maybe then we’ll see revival.. ⚫ Natalie Williams
Catalyst Magazine - 37
#MakingDisciples
Multiplying Churches: A Movement of Faith and Growth Martin Tibbert In the dynamic world of church planting, Catalyst is seeking to move forward in faith with a compelling new vision: "Multiplying churches and disciples to advance God's kingdom". This vision encompasses three key areas that shape the movement's trajectory and impact. Focusing on Catalyst's church planting journey, we want to celebrate all that God has done, whilst looking in faith to the future.
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[It] is not simply a matter of getting a number of individuals saved; it is about the advance of God’s community in the earth.
banner of God's kingdom. As we explore the past and present, questions arise: Are we planting more churches Celebrating Church Planting now than in the past? Across Catalyst Where are the hot spots A recent leaders conference allowed Catalyst to for church planting? What reflect on the last decade's achievements and lessons are we learning? strategise for the coming years. Over the past These questions serve as ten years, we have planted over 300 churches markers to gauge Catalyst's across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, growth and adaptability. and Australasia. Africa is a particular hot spot The trajectory is with remarkable and encouraging stories being encouraging, as over a shared across the continent. We are seeing LOG2-year period (last year many nations and diverse locations where and the next 12 months) the seeds of faith have been sown, fostering there will be more than vibrant communities that thrive under the 100 churches planted. This 38 - Catalyst Magazine
Stock photo from Unsplash
is demonstrating our growing commitment to advancing God's kingdom through church planting.
Equipping and Resources
Two initiatives that are already playing a significant role in this endeavour are:
Why Plant More Churches? Delving into the heart of the matter, the question arises: Why plant more churches? The answers are diverse but converge on one overarching theme: the extension of God's community, God’s people. Whilst many can testify – including myself – that church planting is the most effective form of evangelism, our commitment to church planting comes from a promise to Abraham. One that we inherit and carry today; God's historical desire to have
MULTIPLY 24 JUNE 22ND, CATALYST'S CHURCH PLANTING CONFERENCE
Multiply 2024 will be held in Bedford, UK on 22 June with keynote speaker Steve Nicholson.
Steve is based in Chicago and until recently was Director for Church Planting for Vineyard-USA.
BROADCAST NETWORK CHURCH PLANTING / DISCIPLEMAKING RESOURCES
MORE
Catalyst Magazine - 39
a people, a family, spanning all nations. Church planting, as beautifully articulated by Terry Virgo, “is not simply a matter of getting a number of individuals saved; it is about the advance of God’s community in the earth.... I believe that we should evaluate church planting from a completely different perspective. God has always been interested in having a people, a family.”
Becoming a Church Planting Movement Looking forward, Catalyst aims to propel a new wave of church planting, driven by clear apostolic vision and strategy. As shared recently by Simon Holley, we want to ask the question, what would it look like if we were to train 1000 church planters? As we process and weigh this faith-goal, many are already expressing excitement about what the future might hold. Local churches and teams are urged to embrace a vision and strategy for planting churches in their specific contexts, echoing the Acts 1:8 mandate to reach Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Additionally, there's a call for a commitment to train and send leaders, emphasizing the importance of leadership development and multiplication. In conclusion, Catalyst's journey is one marked by faith, growth, and a growing commitment to advancing God's kingdom through multiplying 40 - Catalyst Magazine
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Catalyst's journey is one marked by faith, growth, and a growing commitment to advancing God's kingdom through multiplying churches and disciples. churches and disciples. As we celebrate our past, grapple with the present, and envision for the future, we emerge with renewed confidence and inspiration to spread the transformative message of Christ around the globe. Let's join hands and continue to plant more churches, shaping a future where God's love knows no bounds. ⚫ Martin Tibbert
A Worldwide Family 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.
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Connecting churches from across the UK, Europe and New Zealand, working into dozens of nations around the world, and hosts of the annual Resonate. Global conference.
Feature in next terms Catalyst Magazine by contacting stories@catalystnetwork.org
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Simon Holley Wendy Mann
Rob Davey
TEAM LEADER
Phil Wilthew BEDFORD, UK
Charlene Frammingham
Duncan Hanton
Catalyst Magazine - 41
www.catalystnetwork.org
communications@catalystnetwork.org 42 - Catalyst Magazine