meet the ministers

October 30, 2012 at 7:57 am (Meet The Ministers)

Rev. John and Cathy Benyon

ABOUT THE FOUNDERS

John and Cathy Beynon have been married for 22 years. They have 4 children, Josiah (19), Jacob (17), Jemima (7) and Reuben (5)

I have been in full-time Christian ministry for over 25 years after completing a theology degree at Cambridge University. During that time, I have had the privilege of working in a variety of different ministries and geographical locations. I started my ministry working as an evangelist, working with students and young people, and also helping various Anglican and Methodist churches to reach out effectively.

In 1988 I co-founded the Beverley Community Church, which I led for several years. In 1992, Cathy and myself and I pioneered a ministry on the Longhill estate, an urban-priority housing estate in East Hull. We have always had a heart to reach those places and people untouched by the gospel, especially the poor and those in need. Cathy continued to lead this ministry for 12 years.

Around 1995, the main focus of my ministry was with a missionary organisation called World Horizons. I became the leader of their work in the UK and later became a part of the Global leadership team. During this time I learned a lot about leadership and the practicalities of running large organisations. From 95 – 2000 I was also involved in leading a Bible & MissionTraining school for the Pentecostal Movement of Iceland. The school ran for 3 months each year, so I had to spend a lot of time away from home, and got very used to a lifestyle of  travelling

In the year 2000, my ministry took a significant change of direction after receiving a clear call to a ministry of prayer. I co-founded a national prayer ministry in France called Object France, which was involved in mobilising hundreds of French churches in 40 days of prayer and fasting each year from 2001 up until the present time. Since 2002 I have also been involved in mobilising Churches to pray in Norway, first on a national level and then more specifically in Oslo, working with Churches from many different denominations and cultural backgrounds across the city.

 I was really excited when the Lord called us to start a new Church in Beverley. I have lived in Beverley since 1976, even though the main focus of my ministry has been overseas for the last 14 years. I really love this town, and am excited about being involved in local ministry again. I am looking forward to see what God is going to do here.

INFLUENCES

As a young Christian I was deeply influenced by Operation Mobilisation and their call to mission and a radical life-style. More recently, I have been strongly influenced by the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, where the revival fires are still burning just as strongly as when the “Toronto Blessing” first broke out in 1994. Over the past
few years, I have had the privilege of getting to know John and Carol Arnott personally, and have been involved in conferences in Norway and Iceland with them and several others from their team. However, the most significant influence on my life in recent years has been the International House of Prayer, led by Mike Bickle, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. They have been praying and worshiping the Lord 24 hours a day since 1999! They have almost 1000 full-time staff now, whose main ministry is to pray and worship the Lord! I love their dedication in seeking the Lord’s face and their commitment to a life-style of prayer and fasting.

Cathy writes:

My life is full and varied, and no day is ever the same. I have four children aged 5 – 19 years. Young children and teens make an interesting mix of music and mayhem to fill every moment!

Since my early teens, my faith has always been central to my life. Becoming a Christian at a Billy Graham rally in 1985 was the beginning of a journey with God that has been and is still very exciting.

In my early teens, I attended Sunday School at BaintonMethodistChurch. My four brothers and sisters also joined with me and an extra Sunday School teacher was brought in to help from a nearby village! A local Methodist Lay Preacher taught me how to take services and lead worship from the tender age of 14 years.

As a young Christian I was deeply influenced by Operation Mobilisation and their call to mission and a radical life-style. More recently, I have been strongly influenced by the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, where the revival fires are still burning just as strongly as when the “Toronto Blessing” first broke out in 1994. Over the past
few years, I have had the privilege of getting to know John and Carol Arnott personally, and have been involved in conferences in Norway and Iceland with them and several others from their team. However, the most significant influence on my life in recent years has been the International House of Prayer, led by Mike Bickle, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. They have been praying and worshiping the Lord 24 hours a day since 1999! They have almost 1000 full-time staff now, whose main ministry is to pray and worship the Lord! I love their dedication in seeking the Lord’s face and their commitment to a life-style of prayer and fasting. 

 

 
 

 

 

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living devotions

October 30, 2012 at 7:46 am (Living Devotions)

Rev. E. Anderson

CREATING A GOOD ATMOSPHERE

Living Senior Ministries

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” –Matthew 5:23-24

Mstislav “Slava” Rostropovich is a world-famous cellist. Since his exile from his native Russia in 1974, he has lived in the West. When Communist hard-liners pulled a coup several years ago, Slava was in Paris. But instead of scurrying back to the U.S. and safety, he and his family flew straight home to Moscow.

There, he took up his place in the Russian FederationBuilding that President Boris Yeltsin and his elected allies vowed to hold against every assault. In the darkened corridors, someone gave him an automatic rifle, but he returned it. Rather, he took out his cello and gave an impromptu recital to break the awful tension of the siege.

It’s amazing how something beautiful can quell a division. You’ve probably heard of the stories from the World War I battlefronts where opposing sides ceased fighting for Christmas day, and even sang carols together. It was the focus on something greater that unified them and pushed their division to the side.

There’s nothing more beautiful than Jesus. And because of that, we as believers should never let conflict with other Christians hinder us from our worship of Him. Choose Christ over conflict, and let unity under Him overwhelm all division.

PRAYER CHALLENGE

Ask God to help you and others pursue Christ so that any division would be dissolved as you focus on Him.

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leaderhip factors

October 30, 2012 at 7:43 am (Leadership Factors)

Rev. Philip Pye

PILGRIMMAGE

Psalm 84:5 ‘Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage’

I write this devotional in the very week that, 390 years ago in 1620, just over 100 Pilgrim Fathers set sail from Plymouth heading to the New World, later to become the United States of America.

Pilgrimage is defined as ‘A journey – especially a long one – and a journey of purpose’. The literal travels of the brave and intrepid Pilgrim Fathers are inspirational to all who desire to be pilgrim leaders. What is required for such a life and ministry journey?

A VISION TO FUEL IT: ‘A leader is one who sees more than others, who sees further than others see and who sees before others do,’ Leroy Eims.

A value to undergird it: ‘Our values will affect our priorities, outlook and decisions on the immediate in the light of the ultimate.’

A VALOUR TO SUSTAIN IT – The Pilgrim Fathers did not undertake their trip primarily motivated by financial gain but: ‘For the glory of God and the advancement of the faith’. It was not without cost. For all leaders on occasions the waves seem mountainous, the waters perilous, the obstacles dangerous. The pilgrim leader is going to need guts!

Their legacy was immense, with the freedoms they believed in later enshrined in the constitution of the emerging nation of America. Here we are nearly 400 years later still impacted by believers committed to a journey.

Fellow leader don’t draw back or be sidetracked – continue to the goal to which Christ has called you, and be inspired afresh by the words of an ancient hymn (yep, ancient language too) to be a pilgrim!

He who would valiant be, gainst all disaster

Let him in constancy follow the Master

There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent

His first avowed intent, to be a pilgrim

 

 

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