My Hope brekky 1The My Hope UK Prayer Breakfast for leaders and representatives of churches in Thurrock, Havering, Brentwood and beyond took place on Saturday 4 October at Thurrock Hotel.

Of the 53 people who originally registered to come, 45 actually attended. A group came from Castle Point and we had two representatives from the UK Korean church who’d come from Surrey.

The gathering was opened by Tim Harrold, the My Hope UK Regional Coordinator for Essex & Kent, with a welcome to the delegates and special guests. A full English breakfast followed with all the attendant networking.

A time of worship was led by Noel Robinson of City Gates (Elim), Ilford.

This was followed by an illustrated talk by Martin Shotbolt, who is the National Church Relationship Coordinator for the My Hope UK initiative of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Great Britian (BGEA UK).

Using PowerPoint and DVDs, Martin talked on:

  • What is the BGEA?
  • What is My Hope UK and The Cross DVD?
  • Billy Graham’s connection with the UK
  • What does the My Hope UK initiative offer?
  • How does the initiative work?
  • Stories from My Hope USA

This was followed by an opportunity to ask questions.

My Hope brekky 2Then Simon Barrington, Executive Director of the BGEA UK and Samaritan’s Purse, gave an empassioned address emphasising the Great Commission of Jesus to his disciples, to make more disciples.

Simon made the point that a believer is like a FedEx man: each is given an important package that must be delivered – and that package is the Good News of Jesus Christ. Only a lousy FedEx man would keep the package to himself and not pass it on.

Tim Harrold then led 15 minutes of prayer, in ‘Korean style’. He began by remembering that in March 20011 in the very same room, Rock Thurrock was lauched. That was also a partnership with the BGEA, and led to a three events at the Civic Hall in Grays with Will Graham speaking and the band LZ7 performing. He reminded everyone that over 300 decisions were made at Rock Thurrock – amounting to 16% of the audience, two times the expected response.

Tim quoted Billy Graham at Tilbury Docks in 1954 (see links to videos below) just as he was embarking to the US – he talked about the spiritual hunger in post-war UK. In 2014, a few miles from Tilbury, there is a new spiritual hunger: the world needs to be reintroduced to Jesus.

The three areas for prayer were:

  • How can they believe if they don’t hear the message?
    • for My Hope UK / Billy Graham’s message of The Cross DVD to reach not thousands but millions
    • not for statistics, but stories
    • for adaptability, flexibility and creativity: The Cross can be used from the big gospel event down to one-to-one
  • My Hope UK logoGo and make disciples
  • Pray to The Lord of the harvest to send out workers
    • for the church to step up and be bold
    • for the seed that is the name of Jesus to be planted in YOUR borough / town
    • for disciples – not converts – to be made
  • Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
  • Be transformed by the renewing of your mind
    • for the church of Jesus needs to realise and reclaim it’s identity
      • for a move of the Holy Spirit across the UK, which some might term ‘revival’
      • in Coleraine, NI, Alan Scott reports on Twitter that “231 people have come to faith in our town this month. Something is definitely shifting.”
      • Eastgate is invited by Gravesham Council onto the streets of Gravesend because “the atmospehere always changes”
      • Mission Britain is restoring the on-the-streets evangelistic and discipleship-making zeal of Fox, Wesley, Boothe, the Jeffries and others

Another time of worship was had with Noel Robinson, before Kim Dobson, My Hope UK Regional Coordinator for East London and West Essex, closed the event.

Find out more about My Hope UK and register for free resources

MY HOPE UK – free DVD resource from the BGEA for this Autumn 2014
Promo DVDs available from Tim Harrold