"It's nice when you see somebody's ministry match who they are. I can see Jesus in you."

Some of the comments from my preaching since the last newsletter have been really encouraging. Add to this the numbers of people responding to the gospel, and the excellent numbers of people coming to the evangelistic events, it is no wonder that find myself being encouraged. It's good to know that we are heading in the right direction. Here are some more recent comments to encourage you in prayer. "Your preaching is down to earth with a higher message". "A lady brought 11 people with her when she knew you were speaking"; From an unbeliever, "Are you Mark Greenwood, My friend told me so much about you I couldn't wait to hear you speak".  

One Sunday morning, in preparation for a mission, I had just finished teaching a church about sharing the gospel. The meeting was finished and a lady came to see me immediately. She wanted to become a Christian. Isn't it amazing that the gospel is powerful, even when it is a "this is how you share it" session.

Am I satisfied? Never! I want to see more unbelievers attending our events and meetings, and more people becoming Christians. Please pray to this effect. I have become aware over the last few months that we really are missionaries to Britain.

I trust that you will enjoy reading this newsletter. There are a couple of major things that I would like to write about and then I will take you on a whistle stop tour of our recent ministry. I hope you enjoy it and join me in rejoicing in all that God has done and all that he has promised.

I have been absolutely amazed and encouraged over the last 6 months as I have watched the Lord truly provide for me and the Trust in ways I have not seen before and for that I want to say thank you.

Thanks - to God!

Robin was born at 3:06 in the morning on the 30 th April weighing in at 7 pounds 9 ounces. Emma was in labour for only 4 hours; she was brilliant and still is. Robin is blessed to have such a good Mum. Mum and daughter are doing well. Apart from 8 days of stomach upset she seems to be settling and sleeping.

Thanks - to you!

In January we hit a place where we couldn't pay my salary and expenses. Being a quiet time of the year we didn't have preaching engagements to bring funds in. With gifts of £800 and £400 we were soon in a better place. We are truly grateful for the generosity of people who want to give to what we do.

As Emma and I looked toward the birth of our first child, I have to confess to some fear as to how we would manage financially. I am grateful to the Forty: Three Trust, as once again they blessed us by taking on more administration by seeking to let you, our prayer partners, know about our financial situation. I am staggered as the response you have made financially in standing with us. We have received huge one off gifts and our monthly standing orders have increased, thank you. We are not totally there yet but we are heading in the right direction. May I say once more, your support means I can keep going as a full time evangelist and therefore keep telling people about Jesus. Thanks for supporting us as missionaries to Britain.

Thanks - to The Forty: Three trust

In 1988 I trained in evangelism for 2 years. Since then I have worked alone, praying much that God would bring along support staff and office facilities. The trustees have felt for some time that a change is needed in the life of The Goings Trust in order that we can maximise my effectiveness as an evangelist. With the arrival of Robin we desperately needed God to take off the burden of responsibility, so that I could continue in evangelism. I am thrilled to bits that, on October 1 st , The Goings Trust will merge with the Forty: Three Trust. Our trustees Adam Carver and Phil Starbuck will move across to be part of the Forty: Three Trust board, which is very exciting: two evangelistic organisations pooling their resources in order that His Good News is preached in this land. I will join the Forty: Three Trust as a full-time staff evangelist alongside Ian Knox and Trust Manager, Darren Burgess. Whilst this is a great opportunity for my future ministry, we still desperately need you to stand with us as you have been, both in prayer and finance. I need to be mostly self funding for the first few years, and without your protection in prayer I wouldn't have got this far.

On a more practical note, so that we don't break the data protection act we need to inform you that your details will be merged into the Forty: Three Trust mailing list after I join. This is to enable you to hear of the amazing things that we will be doing as a trust. Unless you contact Darren in the office we will assume you are happy to remain with us.

Preaching news

December - This was a wonderful month of opportunity to preach the gospel over the Christmas period. It started with a men's evening in an Indian restaurant in Halesowen. A great night with around 80 men, of whom about half were not Christians. A few days later and we kicked off the 13 event Christmas tour taking in Clevedon, Wrenthorp, Chesterfield, Carlisle, Shipley, Loughborough, Burton on Trent, Maltby, Shipley again, Goldethorp, Dewsbury, Halifax and finally Buttershaw. A great tour with many unbelievers present.

January - As always a quite month as churches and I recover from Christmas! Once again the associates of J. John and Andy Economides met for our annual retreat. I hosted our Inspire evangelism network, at which about a dozen people in evangelism attend to encourage one another. The first Reality Event at Wrenthorp mission saw me start a number that I would speak at over the year, Shane Lynch was the special guest along with my good friend Steve Legg. Reading Elim church to preach drew a close to January.

February - My friend John Froud (no stranger to this newsletter) and I went to Barnoldswick to dedicate, lead and preach at our friend's children's dedication service. (I dedicated twins!!!) I also preached at Bradford Uni. CU, Derby City church to prepare them for our mission in July, Sunbridge Rd mission, Immanuel School lent festival and a youth event. I took my school of evangelism to Dewsbury, went to the Alpha UK strategy day and then performed at the Zephfest. As March drew to a close I joined the 40:3 Trust team on a mission to Bury.

March - The Bury mission carried on into the first week of March, a good week with many people responding to the gospel. Another reality event at Wrenthorp where I worked with Jimmy Cricket, who was very complimentary about my preaching of the gospel. The very next morning it was off to Malvern where I took a team of 6 people to saturate the schools in Malvern, which would lead up to a youth event on the Thursday evening. We thank God that many responded to the gospel and we met someone from the last mission who had responded and was still going on with God. What else? A men's breakfast, the school of evangelism, Huddersfield Uni. CU and finally another mission prep talk at Derby City church. It was then on to Southampton to bring Emma home from the last time she would work there.

April - A mission in Gloucester with an excellent team of young people. As J. John celebrated 25 years in evangelism Emma and I were honoured to be one of his guests at the afternoon lunch. It was a joy to join with the John family to celebrate this exciting time. I took my school of evangelism to Newspring church, Loughborough and I spoke at a youth event in Chesterfield. Then it was a lay training course for the Northeast region of Elim, the same day a men's event in Peterborough and the following day 2 services at Westcliffe Rd chapel. With a couple of days filming, Inspire evangelism network and a couple of days networking at the Elim conference, that took me right up to the day Robin was born (she was due 11 May).

May - Other than the Forty: Three Trust Retreat day and Wrenthorp mission for their reality event with special guest Lisa Potts, I enjoyed my 2 weeks paternity leave. The rest of May I worked on my talks for the Summer. This was really good as it also gave me a chance to learn the first steps of being a Dad.

June - Well this month was back to real life with my first night away from Emma and Robin!!! It was difficult enough leaving Emma, but now Robin is around it is even more difficult. I travelled to Burton to speak at a youth event where at the end I was told "they are never quiet". It does encourage me when God helps you in this way. Saturday night the church hosted a barn dance where about 30 unbelievers came along. It was a great night where I spoke about God being the caller in our life (caller being a barn dance caller for those who don't know). It was great to hear some good feedback about my talks from non-Christians. Sunday I preached at both of the churches congregations, where people responded to the gospel, please pray for all the people that respond to the gospel.

The Future

As I move into the next phase of my ministry I want to thank you once more for the support you have shown me over the years, and I pray that you will stay by my side as we walk together to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.