In Depth:  Mike Mellor

Three well-known organisations joined forces in a new project in September, in order to train and inspire each and every Christian to share their faith.

Pocket Testament League and Good News Newspaper linked with Outreach UK to equip and encourage individual Christians, through their local church, to share their faith. Following the launch, Trevor Dickerson (Outreach UK) was asked why ‘Casting Your Nets’ was so needed: ‘So often evangelism has been seen as the domain and priority of the few who are called as evangelists – or for those who seem to have a special gift or certain personality for spreading the gospel. But this is a task in which every single believer needs to be involved, and we have a deep desire to be a support to the local church in order that every Christian can be confident, motivated and engaged in the glorious task of spreading the good news of the gospel message.’

The Heatherlands Centre in Ferndown, near Bournemouth, was packed on 30 April to see Giles Woodcraft inducted to the pastorate at Hope Church.

As Pastor for Evangelism, he will work as co-pastor alongside Stuart Fisher the Pastor for Teaching. There was a real sense of joy and expectancy as the church – originally a church plant from Moordown Baptist Church and now an independent FIEC church – enters this new phase.

In these days of decline and cutbacks, expansion is always an enormous encouragement, and Outreach UK (OUK) was, in July, delighted to announce the appointment of two men to help with the recent growth of interest in the one-to-one sharing of our faith.

Duncan Hunter in Manchester will be responsible for the North West of England and Simon Terry in Leicester will take care of the Midlands.