Richard Scott took part in his first mission as lead evangelist for TFM, supporting the deanery mission in Southend in Essex.

 

Here are some of Richard's stories from the mission.

While on door to door work one person, when asked the question,  If you could ask God one question, what would it be?  replied  “Will he pay my bills?”   He already has!   Another when asked, If you could know God personally, would you be interested?  Replied  “Yes. I’d like to have Him on my phone on speed dial!!  Another guy we met  - 1st time I've heard this - felt that what matters is not living a good life but merely trying hard. Even if in you were in prison that might be more acceptable to God than living a clean life as long as you are trying. Sounds exhausting, how hard is hard enough?

I had a sense in the middle of one night, that while we were leading people through the KGP booklet, maybe we weren't going far enough with some and should pluck up courage and encourage them to pray the commitment prayer right there and then. This was linked to the Parable of the Sower explanation in Luke 8 - which I've always concentrated on in terms of the 3 situations which commonly lead to non-fruitfulness, but that night sensed God wanting us to look at the seed entering good soil. So I put it to the team, challenging all to lead people to Christ. That next morning, we did so, and then led an 18 year old student lad and a 40 year old man to the Lord.

Another man I spoke to - 30 years old with young kids - said it was amazing, he'd been thinking quite a lot about death and what would happen to his kids if he died? So going through the survey was easy, and invited him and his family to breakfast church on Sunday morning. Also spoke with a woman whose husband, a dentist, had secondary brain tumours.  I prayed with her and let her know that statistically we have the proof that God heals and that her husband might like to read my book. She said we were meant to meet that day!
 

As ever we meet very needy people

As ever we meet very needy people.  I prayed with 2 ladies at a mental health meeting whose sons are schizophrenic and we prayed with another whose son bullies her.  At an evening aimed especially at addicts and the homeless, after praying for one man up before court and another who'd lost his memory through excess alcohol, the latter immediately went over and prayed on his knees for a fellow with a broken leg!



 

Here is some feedback after the mission from Fr James McCluskey, one of the deanery team who invited TFM.

I must write and thank the TFM team that engaged in mission at St. Luke's this last week.  Collectively they prayed well, worked hard and went into schools, a pub, helped with a whole school assembly in church with a total of 650 children and adults in attendance.

 

The team were outstanding ambassadors for TFM

They talked to many people that use my church Centre such as 'Active life for Women' and staff that run a schools reintegration programme, they produced an outstanding school assembly that was praised by a senior year 4 teacher, they witnessed to an allotment project that we run, and spoke to the men I have here every Wednesday on 'Community Payback'.  

They helped educate over 100 young children and youths that attend all the Baden Powell groups (Rainbows/Brownies/Beavers/Cubs/Scouts). They gave testimony of their faith, they led a quiz night and gave testimony throughout the rounds of questions.
In addition they encouraged 62 people that attended the 'Tough Talk' event we held in our church. They gave testimony in our church services and prayed for healing upon many.  They called on 900 doors completing hundreds of surveys.

The team were outstanding ambassadors for TFM and it was beautiful to see their inroads into evangelism in the Parish of St. Luke's. They often worked over 12hrs per day. They could not have offered any more. Truly, truly remarkable witness for Jesus.