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Halfway between Bedford and Kettering sits Rushden, a town with a growing population of 36,000 people. Tragically, the thousands who call Rushden “home” are quite bereft of local and visible gospel witness, not unlike much of Northamptonshire. The town used to have two churches of similar faith and order to GBP-partnering churches, but now has none within five miles. Even the once strong Wesleyan Methodist’s chapel on the High Road is up for sale. Within living memory, there were successful evangelistic crusades and church-run youth clubs. But those days are no more.
Or are they? Oliver Baker moved with his family from London to a small village nearby five years ago. As they have shopped and made contacts in Rushden, they have come to feel a burden for the people who live there. Oliver describes the scene:
“The population is aging, and the pavements are crowded with mobility scooters. Unlike the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, many of whom are wealthy and outwardly successful, many of the people you meet in Rushden are struggling with life. When we have been able to do some evangelism on the High Street the people have been more friendly and willing to talk than their counterparts in London. In the local cafes there are old folks drinking tea on their own, very keen to engage with anyone who will talk to them. At the local park there are young children who will latch on to any adult who will give them any attention.
We want to bring the Gospel to these people in spirit of love. We want to bring comfort to those who are in pain and hope to those who are despairing. We want to show love to those who have known very little of it in their lives. We want to show them Jesus Christ.”
This burden has led to an exploratory initiative with GBP. A series of six Sunday evening Zoom services led by Barry King - called “Grace for Rushden” - began on 21 February and will conclude on 28 March. Approaching 20 people attended the first gathering. Hopefully this will be a first step, not a final step, but as Barry says,
“We don’t know what the outcome will be. Will we be reporting that a church plant is continuing and progressing in Rushden or will someone else? We don’t have to know all of the answers before we proceed. We are proceeding based on the fact that God has placed on the hearts of a few of us that here is a town of over 30,000 people where the gospel needs to be preached.”
Pray for gospel seed sown through “Grace for Rushden” to bear fruit with people trusting Christ and a church planted.
Pray for clarity as to how best to proceed going forward after the “Grace for Rushden” series concludes.
Pray that God would revive his work in Northamptonshire, through evangelism, church planting, and revitalisation.
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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