Newsletter - February 2023
Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ Matthew 4:19
Simon Peter, a young man, was invited to follow Jesus. The natural respond would be ‘Where?’ But Peter and the other disciples simply followed. Not because of what they were to do, but because of who they were following. The critical thing was who they were going with.
It is the same for each of us. The critical thing is to be following Jesus’ lead.
I’m having the privilege of seeing the way the Lord is leading some amazing Gospel Entrepreneurs. It would be easy to do what Peter did; to compare how Jesus is working in different lives. But John’s Gospel reminds us that when Peter saw John and asked Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus’ answer was blunt: ’…what is that to you? You must follow me’ (John 21:21-22).
Our calling is to follow Jesus and not to compare ourselves others.
Thank you for being part of Gospel Entrepreneurs. Pray that we continue to follow the Lord’s leading and guiding.
Roy Crowne
Gospel Entrepreneurs founder
GROWING WRESTLING CHURCHES
Gareth ‘Angel’ Thompson, featured in the video above, is joining the Gospel Entrepreneurs’ team to work with Roy Crowne and Steve Gee, with a special focus on planting churches. Roy met Gareth recently to talk to him about his dream of expanding his successful wresting church to help people in other areas who may have had difficult childhoods and volatile family situations.
A pro-wrestler, Gareth became a Christian 10 years ago and set up the church in Bradford. They bought a £3,000 wrestling ring. Thursdays are wrestling nights. They give food to homeless people on Saturdays and the building hosts church on a Sunday.
Gareth identifies with the broken background of many of those who come along. He was sexually abused between the ages of seven and eight and slept in a retail park bin for two months after his mother, who had issues with alcohol, kicked him out on the streets.
He never returned home and stayed in hostels before finding work.
‘The two things that helped me get my life back on track are wrestling and the church,’ he says.
‘The driving force behind the training school is sharing my story and using my past to help others - maybe someone who comes in the door hears something that's the start of their journey.’
‘The Bradford Church of Wrestling’ was shown on BBC One in Yorkshire, the North West and Lincolnshire and is available on iPlayer. Pray for Gareth, Roy and Steve as they develop this vision.
GT Ministries is in partnership with the Fountains Church in Bradford.
PROVISION HOUSE DUDLEY
Provision House provides furniture, household essentials, clothing, food, advice and training to families and individuals who are in need. The charity was started by Gospel Entrepreneur Mark Price and is based in Dudley in the West Midlands. Roy is working with Mark to build on this amazing work that provides a helping hand so that those in need can step up into a better and more comfortable way of living; to have hope and a brighter future. Find out more at provisionhouse.co.uk
BUILDING STRONG FAMILIES
Beth Mumby has the classic entrepreneur’s spirit. She saw a gap and has stepped up to fill it with Close-Knit CIC. This social enterprise, based in Middlesbrough and working across Teesside, helps parents and caregivers connect with their children.
Beth, who has two young children and 10 years of experience in supporting families, says, ‘I am inspired by how God created us to grow and develop in a context of relationship and family; the value and importance Jesus places on people, and the innovation of the Holy Spirit in finding solutions to lots of the problems we face today.’
Close-Knit CIC wants children to have secure, nurturing relationships with their caregivers to enable them to thrive in childhood, increasing their chances of positive life outcomes in the future, impacting the whole of society. Beth has already attracted funding from a range of secular sources and is aiming to expand across the North East and beyond. Find out more at close-knit.org.uk
RETREAT IN MAY – GROWING
Last year we took a dozen Gospel Entrepreneurs away for a 24-hour retreat to hear from God and each other. This year we are expanding the retreat to 45 people. It will be held in May by invitation.
PODCASTS
Here’s a link to our latest podcast series. A new series will be out in the autumn.
NEWS ARCHIVE
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Thanks for your prayers and support.