Every day for the next month, I am going to be posting profiles I have written about local churches for the Grace Baptist Partnership Month of Prayer and Giving. Please read, pray, and give as able for this important ministry. Day 14: Hitchin.
Through your prayers and giving, you are our partners in proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that we would continue to do so with all boldness and without hindrance!
Sometimes people have an idealised view of the early church: “We wish we could go back to the way things were in the book of Acts”. Presumably they do not mean widows being neglected in relief distribution because of their language and culture, or questions about whether Gentiles could be filled with the Holy Spirit, and if so, what if any changes that would entail, or extremely transient communities, frequent dispersals, and persecution for following Christ. Upon further examination, what is generally meant is “We wish we could go back to the way things were in Acts 2:42-47”. That makes more sense. The church in Jerusalem, empowered with the Holy Spirit, were evidently filled with love for God and each other and devoted to Christian distinctiveness with unity, impact, worship, and witness. Everyone who saw it was amazed by God. That’s ultimately what we long for, that our churches would be amazed by God.
But somehow, somewhere, some churches lose that amazement and their love grows cold. This happened at the church in Ephesus. Revelation 2:4-5 tells the sad tale: “you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” And Pastor Tom Forryan fears it has happened at Grace Baptist Church Hitchin. The church needs revitalisation. The trajectory is not encouraging: it has been years since anyone was baptised or added to the membership. The church needs the Lord to give them a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy so that they grieve over their sin and its cost at the cross of Christ (Zechariah 12:10). If they are amazed by God and astounded by his grace, then it is hoped they will repent and return to their first love.
While there is work that needs to be done inside the life of the church, the witness that needs to be taking place outside has not gone away. In fact, it only increases and grows more urgent. Even as Tom seeks for the Lord to revitalise the church by the Holy Spirit, a key aspect of that is emboldened witness. People amazed by God and astounded by his grace, will talk about it! Tom has been seeking to build a culture of evangelism in the church through regular evangelism and more occasional outreach weeks. This year, they are planning an outreach week from 20-27 June with the theme, “What is God?” May the truth of what God is not only reach the lost in their community, but grip the church with its transforming power!
Praise God for past blessings and resources passed on from previous generations.
Pray that God would revitalise the church, granting them repentance, a return to their first love, a spirit of supplication, and Spirit-filled worship and witness.
Pray for fruit from regular evangelism and especially from the coming Summer’s outreach week.
You can make a gift to Grace Baptist Partnership and the ongoing work of leadership training, church planting and revitalisation, using this link: Donate | Grace Baptist Partnership.
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