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!
“Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6). The apostle Paul wrote these words to the church at Philippi from the anxiety-inducing confines of imprisonment, facing an uncertain future that included the prospect of death. While in prison he was dependent on gifts from other people, including already impoverished churches like that in Philippi, to meet his practical needs. As if that weren’t bad enough, some Christians were taking advantage of Paul’s removal from the mission field to build their own profiles as rivals, and false teachers were also taking advantage by sharing their error among the churches, which were themselves dividing over personal disagreements unbecoming of Christians. Paul knew about the “anything” that causes anxiety, but still said “do not be anxious about anything”.
Leagrave Baptist Church is led by Pastor Hezron Muwowo, who moved to Leagrave with his wife Charity and two youngest sons in 2017. What are their anxieties? A church is being planted and leadership recognised. Thanks to the generosity of many, not least through GBP, they have been able to purchase and refurbish a church building. They have received support from other churches in nearby towns and villages, and have had encouragements in the wider community. They see the goodness of God toward them in many ways as they reflect on the past and serve in the future, and they anticipate more of his goodness as they look to the future. But even as the same apostle who said “do not be anxious” elsewhere spoke about his anxiety for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28), the church at Leagrave is anxious for the salvation of their community.
Paul follows up his negative discouragement of anxiety with a positive encouragement to pray, and the church at Leagrave has taken that seriously. Hezron reports: “Our anxieties - regarding whether we will see many conversions and local people joining the church - have turned into prayer requests and by the grace of God we have seen people join us.” Two people are now professing faith and awaiting baptism. People are gathering to worship. The reach of the church has increased over the past year - far beyond the local area - with significant numbers joining the church’s lockdown Zoom meetings on Sundays and Thursdays from towns and cities across England as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland, the US, Jamaica, and New Zealand. “This has been a huge encouragement to take the gospel from a local setting at Leagrave to a global one. Indeed, we can say, God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform!”
Pray that even as Leagrave Baptist Church responds to anxiety with prayer, the peace of God would guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Join the church at Leagrave in praying for conversions and church growth from within the community.
Praise God for the successful purchase and refurbishment of the church’s building, and pray that they would steward this resource well for Christ’s kingdom.
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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