Rehoboth Baptist Church » Important & Interesting!

News from the Bible Society, received 27/02/26

Andrew — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:07:15 +0000

This week we’ve reached four years of full-scale war in Ukraine. It’s a heartbreaking anniversary, but we can say confidently that God has moved in power during these years. As they’ve lost everything, many Ukrainians have turned to Christ and experienced spiritual transformation. The Bible Society team there, led by Revd Anatoliy Raychynets, has covered the coun-try sharing God’s love. They’ve given food, medicine and blankets, but often found people wanting the Bible most of all.

Since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian Bible Society has distributed approximately 1.6 million Bibles, nearly 1,000 copies per day. As the war enters its fourth year, the demand for Scripture remains exceptionally high. Official figures announced by the President of Ukraine cited 55,000 military deaths as of the end of 2025, though the real number is believed to be significantly higher. This figure does not include the wounded, missing, or those held in captivity, each of whom represents a family deeply affected by loss and uncertainty. With approximately 1 million people currently serving in the armed forces, and a 70 per cent increase in civilian casualties in 2025 compared to 2024, the moral, emotional, and spiritual strain across the popu-lation is immense. Each casualty represents not just an individual, but an entire family impacted by grief, uncertainty, and emotional strain. ‘All of this affects people’s moral, mental, and even physical well-being,’ Anatoliy said. ‘They are in need of support and comfort. As a result, the population of Ukraine is increasingly turning to churches of various denominations for help.’

Based on capacity and analysis of previous years, in 2026 Bible Society aims to distribute 300,000–400,000 Bibles, which is approximately 1,000 copies per day. While Ukraine needs millions of copies of Scripture and related literature, the team in Kyiv is setting realistic yet ambitious goals aligned with its logistical and financial capacity. Demand is strong across both adults and children, though in different ways.

William Wilberforce 24th August 1759 – 29th July 1833

Andrew — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 18:31:42 +0000

William Wilberforce was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade. He was a native of Kingston on Hull, Yorkshire beginning his political career in 1780 and becoming an independent MP for York-shire in 1784-1812.

He was converted in 1785 and became an evangelical Anglican which meant huge changes to his lifestyle and a lifelong concern for reform.

In 1787 he came into contact with a group of activists against the slave trade. These included amongst others Granville Sharp, Hannah More & Charles Middleton.

Wilberforce championed missionary work in India and saw the foundation of the Church Missionary Society (now Church Mission Society) . And the establishment of a free colony in Sierra Leone.

In his later years he supported the campaign for the complete abolition of slavery. That led to the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Wilberforce died just 3 days after hearing that the passage of the act through Parliament had been assured. He is buried in Westminster Abbey close to his friend William Pitt the younger.

Wilberforce also sought out John Newton the converted slave trader. And throughout their friendship and correspondence Newton encouraged Wilberforce to stay the course, to continue the fight against the evils of the slave trade. He considered that God had raised up Wilberforce to serve God and the church. He viewed Wilberforce as a rare combination of “Christian and statesman.”!

Newton referenced him as a Daniel who in dire and critical circumstances trusted God and was faithful. He went further to reassure him that God’s grace would be sufficient, but that Wilberforce could do nothing without Him. In these words “May the Lord bless you, my dear Sir. May He be your Sun and Shield and fill you with all joy and peace.”

Those encouragements allowed Wilberforce to stay the course, to win the prize – abolition of slavery and to receive the crown of Life!

May we be like Newton and encourage one another every opportunity we have. And take heart from William Wilberforce’s trust and Godly commitment to a cause that changed the face of British history. Great and small victories are achieved and we are blessed by knowing that with God nothing is impossible!

Praying for Prisoners

Andrew — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 18:25:33 +0000

For some years I have been very mindful of the Christian work that goes on in our prisons. Back in my time living in Milton Keynes I had the privilege of visiting HMP in MK.

This is a top security Prison housing some of our worst offenders. Men on life sentences.

I joined the Sycamore Tree Trust, a restitutional justice scheme that went into the prisons to share Scripture & to underline that there was a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. I saw in our meetings men who were seeking to make amends for their crimes & admitting their need of a Saviour.

When I moved to Reading I joined Philippa and Gerard Crispin in the Prison Resources Charity. Visiting Reading YOI Prison I heard many heart breaking stories from young men whose lives were often marred by neglect, family break ups and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But the opportunity to hear the saving message of the gospel and for them to hear that Christ died for sin-ners was an experience so new to them and several accepted Christ as their Saviour!

Moving on then into Horsham, although not being able to visit prisons, Steve and I encountered Daylight Prison Ministry. Whilst not visiting actual prisons we joined their prayer group and so daily we are directed to pray for various HMPs. It is so really encouraging to hear the various ac-counts of the work of chaplains and the burgeoning longing of those in Prison for “freedom”. The freedom that comes from knowing that there is redemption in Christ. We are thrilled that Bibles are being distributed in those prisons and even baptisms are taking place!

For me, a further opportunity to support the work of the gospel in Prison is the letter writing facility. So I now write to one prisoner and while it takes time to get a reply, this man, spiritually is close to my heart. And we pray for him daily. He has become a Christian while in prison and hopes to be released in the summer. So he needs our prayer.

These words of the Lord from Isaiah 42:7…”to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from pris-on and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”, are surely so apposite.

So we continue to pray for those in darkness that the light of the gospel will break into their lives and they will be saved!

Sandra

Mission Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow – GBM Annual Day 2025

Andrew — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:06:36 +0000

As always the GBM Annual Day 2025 (25/10) was a very enjoyable, thought provoking and informative day.
Fiona, Calix, Andrew and I attended the Annual General Meeting in the morning, during which Daryl Jones reflected on his 12 years as Mission Director. During the next 12 months Daryl will be retiring, but will stay on to provide a thorough handover to his successor.

During the day different current day missionaries gave presentations either at one hour sessions or in the main afternoon meeting:
Theo Donner (Colombia), Alison Ezdenci (Serbia), Daniel Caballero (Peru), Paul Guttridge (Kazakhstan), Andrej Kempczzynski (Poland), Nathan Javed (Bradford), and the Radio team (Africa), some ran their sessions twice.

In addition Julia Jones ran a session about the Ladies’ Auxiliary Zenana in the Tamil region of India, which was followed by a session led by Hanson Manova a current day Pastor in Tamil Nadu.

For those who were not attending as delegates there were three sessions that took place at the same time as the AGM.

One of the sessions that Fiona and I attended was about the Envision Programme. At the session Paul Brunning (Head of Communications) asked:

“Do you ever think I could be a missionary? or, I don’t know if I could be a missionary or, at least perhaps not yet. If so the Envision Programme could be for you.”

The envision programmes are short term mission opportunities, there are three types:

Apprenticeships – two years in length tailor made for the individual
Placements 1 – 9 months long also tailor made
Teams – 1- 4 weeks long these are advertised for a specific location and time which individuals can apply to participate

These programmes are for people of all ages, for example a recent Teams programme was made up a group of people of all ages who went to support the outreach work at James Hammonds’ church in Bordeaux. On this occasion five young people gave a refreshing and enthusiastic report back on the Envision Programme to South Africa this Summer. During the four week programme they had worked at a township childrens’ centre, an orphanage, with homeless people and participated in a holiday club for 300 children.

Each of the young people spoke of how they felt God’s closeness and help during the trip and, as one said “You can never be completely ready for a trip like this but God works through us in our weakness”.

The focus of the first of the two main sessions was the Lord’s work in the Tamal region of India. Past, Present and Future work.
During the final session there was a presentation to Theo and Sonja Donner for their 40 plus years of service in Columbia, as they have reached the age of 70 they will now be associate missionaries; however Theo will continue to teach at the Biblical Seminary of Columbia and writing. Sonja thanked everyone for the bubble of prayer that has kept them safe.

If you would like to find out more about their work in Columbia speak to Calix who attended their talk earlier in the day.
The day ended with a message from Ray Evans (not Davis, Andrew!) from Bedford. Ray spoke on Acts 16 v 6-10 when Paul had the vision begging them to come over to Macedonia– Pray, Go and Speak. Whether we are called to be missionaries or not we can all pray that the Lord will give us the opportunities to speak and share the Gospel. He ended by reminding us that Jesus ends the Great Commission (Matthew 21 v18-20) with “I am surely with you to the very end of the age”

This was Fiona’s first time at the GBM Day “It was a wonderful day, a lot to do but not enough time to do everything. I don’t see why more people aren’t attending this very important and interesting day” ….. perhaps next year?

Rachel

Mission Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Andrew — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 11:59:40 +0000

Have you ever thought “I would like to know more about the GBM missionaries that we pray for”?

Why not come along to the Grace Baptist Mission Annual Day on Saturday 25th October, at the Friends House, Euston, London.
When Jesus gave his Church the Great Commission, he promised to be with us ‘always, to the end of the age’ (Matthew
28:20). That’s how long the Church’s mission will last—2000 years and counting!

GBM’s history stretches back for only 164 of those years. But by God’s grace, we trust that there is more to come. At Annual Mission Day 2025 we will be look ing back at some of the things the Lord has done through GBM, and looking for
ward in hope and expectation.

We’ll hear how past mission is bearing fruit, how today’s missionaries continue to labour faithfully, and how future needs call us to remain in the task. This is mission yesterday, today and tomorrow. Choose from a programme of mission
ary presentations throughout the day, meet the exhibitors, and gather to worship together with Christians from many churches.

God willing, we will be joined by Theo and Sonja Donner, Nathan and Urpha Javed, Daniel Caballero, Andrzej Kempczyński, the GBM Radio Team, friends from Serbia, Central Asia, India, and more. Ray Evans (Bedford) will close the
day for us with ministry from God’s word.

Please ask Andrew or me if you would like to know more.

Rachel

Running the Race & on Tour

Andrew — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:11:45 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of joining with a number of friends for a trip to northern France to see several of the early stages of the Tour de France. Every evening we pored over the tour route to select the best place to view the race and cycled out to it out from our hotel every morning.

As you may know cycling is a big thing in France and the Tour de France is about as big as it gets. Preparation for the race takes place well in advance – indeed the route for next year’s race is already known (spoiler – the 2027 Tour will start in Edinburgh!) and every village, town and city that the race passes through seem to take the day off. Crowds of people wait patiently along the route, vying to get the get the best view of their favourite cyclist or team flashing past in a blur. And before that there is the Caravanne a possession of floats advertising everything from snack foods to home energy efficiency to Parc Asterix.

So to crib a few words from the Tour de France website about the Caravanne:

LA CARAVANE DU TOUR DE FRANCE”, IN A FEW WORDS:

A continuous show lasting more than 30 minutes

A show stretching 10 km

30 brands represented

4 safety information cars at the front and rear of the Caravan

12 republican guard riders and 4 dispatch bikers to control the Caravan

3 medical vehicles…

As an Asterix and Obelix fan, Parc Asterix was my favourite – its quite something to see a giant Asterix and Obelix whizzing by. And the spectators get quite excited when free advertising goodies are thrown out from the Caravane. I was rather disappointed not to get tickets to Parc Asterix…. but I did get a rather nice LeClerk supermarket Tour de France T shirt!

Like the riders competing in the Tour de France, scripture teaches us that we too are in a race, and like the Tour, one in which perseverance and endurance are the key – yet whilst they rigorously train and then race over three weeks, 21 stages and 2075 miles for an earthly prize that will fade over time, we train through and with the grace of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit for a race with a much more important prize – a prize that lasts for ever – eternal life with our Father in Heaven.

As we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 vs 24-25

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the

prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 16:48:16 +0000

The 2025 Rehoboth Awayday – Dalesdown 14th June If you weren’t there, you missed a great day of fellowship and helpful thoughts, instructions from the Word, and discussion together! We’re thankful to David Skull joining us from Grace Church Brighton to lead our thoughts.

Session 1 on The Church’s Great Commission was, as Stuart says, about the Good News for failed disciples & a great commission for all disciples.

Three headings:

1 Task – Go & make disciples

2 Helps – the Power of Jesus (all authority); the Presence of Jesus

3 Steps – Go; Baptize (important to baptize in the name of the triune God); Teach

Session 2 touched on Lessons from the Great Commission Noting Jesus’ discernment as seen in Matt 9: 35 – 38, the need for prayer for the spread of the Gospel in our area – prayer walking, for instance; for compassion for the lost people of Horsham, and the determination to go & proclaim.

Session 3 brought us more lessons from Jesus Particularly from Mark ch 1, where the writer jumps straight in with ‘The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah …’ Jesus receives the affirmation of His Father, then straight into the spiritual battle with Satan; we, like the disciples when they were called, soon meet the attempts of the devil to discourage and defeat us, but we have the Lord with us who has called us to follow Him.

I was struck with the thought that in verses 29-34, the whole town came to the door of Peter’s house where his mother in law had been made well, to hear from Jesus and to seek healing. May our witness from Rehoboth be such that people will want to come to find the Saviour.

Truly a blessed day spending those hours together with the Lord.

The weekend continued on the Sunday as David helped us consider the soul winning church in Jerusalem in our Sunday morning service,

Then, following a bumper BBQ, in a short service in the garden, we had the thought of how we can be a soul winning church. Yes, we Rehobothians!

Steve

GBM Week of Prayer

Andrew — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 19:32:49 +0000

The focus of GBM’s 2025 Week of Prayer is South America and Africa. These regions include some areas where the gospel is making significant progress and churches are growing strongly, and others where the picture is much darker and Chris tians face significant opposition. Yet whatever the circumstances faced by our missionaries and those they serve, we are called to pray: ‘Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise… The effective prayer of a righteous person has great power’ (James 5:13, 16b)—‘praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication… keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints’ (Ephesians 6:18). Praying for our brothers and sisters in the world wide church is a duty, but also a great privilege. Please join with GBM during their Week of Prayer—Sunday 8 to Sunday 15 June—to pray for some of the missionaries and their ministries in South America and Africa. Each day will focus on the work of different missionary(s). Each day there will be a Zoom prayer meeting with the missionary(s)

Sunday, 8 June 3:00pm – Ronny & Rocio Tipismana in Arequipa, Peru

Monday, 9 June 1:00pm – Theo & Sonja Donner in Medellín, Colombia

Tuesday, 10 June 7:30pm – Sarah Clay in Huaraz, Peru

Wednesday, 11 June 2:00pm – Daniel & Ellie Caballero, serving the church in Latin America

Thursday, 12 June 4:00pm – Anthony & Roxanna Green in Arequipa, Peru

Friday, 13 June 2:00pm – Graham & Sally Jones in Kisumu, Kenya

Saturday, 14 June 9:00am – Ian & Hélène Flanders, Radio for francophone Africa

Sunday, 15 June 3:00pm – Phil & Carolyn, serving the church in West Africa

You can register to join the prayer meetings at:

https://www.gbm.org.uk/week-of-prayer-zoom-prayer-meeting-registration/

You can find out more about the week of prayer in GBM Herald Magazine or on the GBM web site https://www.gbm.org.uk/week-of-prayer-zoom-prayer-meeting-registration/

Each morning I will post on Whatsapp information about that day’s prayer focus.

Rachel

“God speaks my language “

Andrew — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 14:49:55 +0000

GBWA(SW) Fellowship day
Saturday March15th Grace Church Guildford Park
“God speaks my language “

After a very warm welcome and a hot cup of tea we settled into our seats for a morning of challenge and fun with Marina Swainston – Harrison from the Christian group “2:19 “. She encouraged us to consider what a migrant is, where we meet them in the Bible, and how we should treat them particularly when introducing them to the Gospel.

As if that wasn’t enough, the afternoon session was introduced by Dr Nicola Eades, a palliative care expert and nursing tutor, who continued the theme of welcoming a newcomer to our community and in particular to our churches. The time disap-peared quickly as she held our attention with different interactive games and group work . A fascinating and compelling day for us all.

We pray that we feel better equipped to welcome a stranger into our churches and ultimately God’s family.

Gill Beadle

What on earth is a Missionary?

Andrew — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 11:07:20 +0000

We had an interesting morning with Daryl & Julia Jones from Grace Baptist Mission last month (even if some of us had to watch online! Daryl ministered the Word to us, focussing on What a Missionary is and also on the nature of, and requirements for a sending church.

From Acts 11: 19-26 we saw how believers were scattered after Stephen’s death, spreading the word not just to Jews, but also to Greeks (Gentiles), and how that ‘the Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.’ Antioch was one of those places receiving the gospel, some 300 miles north of Jerusalem.

Later in Acts 13: 1-3 we see the church there, under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, sending Barnabas and Saul out as missionaries, and later in chapter 14: 26-28 they were reporting back to their supporting church about the things God had done through them.

Three important facts were stressed:

1. The Gospel is for all people – the whole world.

2. The Bible is for all people – mission churches are Bible churches.

3. The Church is for all people – have to live the Bible out with other Christians.

Priorities of a sending church – Has a heart to work together.

- Expecting God to call individuals

- Listening for God

- Confirming God’s call

- Counting the cost

- Remembering it’s God’s work

But to get back to what a Missionary should be:

- A Missionary Loves Jesus

- Is like Jesus

- Loves people

- Team player

- Church centred

- Experienced

- Obedient

God’s call God’s work God’s servants – What will you do?