There is one Sunday evening that is forever etched in my memory. The church service had just finished. As usual, various people were in the kitchen, preparing a meal for us to enjoy together. The room buzzed with activity, conversation flowed freely, and the sound of laughter floated into the main hall. Then suddenly, the atmosphere was shattered.
Out of nowhere, a fire had broken out. For what seemed like forever, everyone in the kitchen stood motionless while the fire raged. The problem was clear. The need to act was obvious. However, knowing what to do and how to do it in the heat of the moment was daunting and unfamiliar.
At this point a London City Missionary, who happened to be with us that evening stepped in, pulled out a fire safety blanket and laid it on the fire.
I’m forever thankful for his quick thinking. But it was what happened next that was equally incredible.
Once he had leapt into action, others began to understand the part that they could play and got involved. The heat was cut off, the fire extinguisher was retrieved, phones emerged from pockets and protocols were put in place.
Thankfully what could have spelled disaster for our church family, has become a shared story of teamwork in the face of adversity.
London City Mission exists, to partner with churches to tackle the fires raging around them, to equip them to know how to act in daunting and unfamiliar territory and crucially, to walk alongside them to put theory into practice.two people don’t know anyone who would tell them the good news that help is available through the gospel.
In other words, the problem is clear, the need to act is obvious, but knowing exactly what to do in the heat of the moment can seem daunting and unfamiliar.
London City Mission exists, to partner with churches to tackle the fires raging around them, to equip them to know how to act in dauting and unfamiliar territory and crucially, to walk alongside them to put theory into practice.
Wonderfully, there are many stories emerging across London of how fires are being put out and how church members are being encouraged to play their part and get involved.
One such example is a church in East London. They run a foodbank with a team of volunteers that connects with many local people, week in week out. Many of them have never heard about Jesus. London City Mission has partnered with them to place a missionary alongside the foodbank team to model gospel conversations. Our aim is that the church members who make the food bank work week by week would have a new level of confidence to speak for Jesus over the coming weeks and months.
At the same time, other church members are not just praying, but practically preparing to welcome people from different backgrounds through a training course happening at the same time.
Elsewhere in London, members of one church are travelling into Webber Street to run evening meals. Some guests have been so encouraged that they have asked for directions to church! At another church, gospel newspapers are being handed out in the rain and sparking incredible conversations about Jesus.
At yet another, one church member prayed with a visitor to a foodbank who was amazed at the care that she was being shown. And still another church which is offering legal advocacy work is now finding clients excited about discovery bible studies. Stories are shared across London of teamwork in the face of spiritual adversity.
Week by week it can look very ordinary, but in reality, something extraordinary is happening. People from different backgrounds are making sacrifices to serve. Their love for one another tells its own story of God’s grace. And as the church members are encouraged to reach out into uncharted territory, the flames of their love for Christ are being fanned in a new way - even as new flames are kindled in the hearts of others. It is this renewed energy for Christ, enabled by our missionaries, that keeps the gospel ringing out in different ways and in different places across London.
And just as I pen this, a report has come in from a missionary that reads like this: “one person who has been coming to help us for the last few months was invited to church on Sunday and it was there, he gave his life to Christ.”
May there be many more stories shared of teamwork, empowered by God’s grace, that are bearing fruit in the days and weeks to come.
Find out more about how LCM can help your church share the urgent message of the gospel with people around you here.
LCM shares the gospel alongside the local church of London, equipping everyday Christians to lovingly bring a message of hope in Christ to those least likely to hear it.
Registered Charity No. 247186
