Evangelism Archives - King's Arms Church

A few weeks ago, I returned from an incredible time serving churches across East Africa at their apostolic conference and, as I’ve been processing and reflecting, I want to share some lessons these remarkable leaders taught me:

1. God is Working in the Most Unexpected Places

Imagine sitting in a room, hearing report after report of God’s movement across East Africa. Salvations and healings weren’t just occasional testimonies — they were pouring in from every nation represented. Churches are being planted by the hundreds (including in some nations I can’t name for security reasons). The Gospel is even reaching pygmy communities who had never heard of Jesus before.

It’s humbling to realise that while we sometimes wonder if God can change the seemingly Gospel-resistant people around us, He’s doing extraordinary things in some of the toughest places on earth.

2. Lack of Resources is No Excuse for Disobedience

This hit me hard. In some regions, every single worker is a volunteer. No salaries. No support structures. Yet, these leaders are faithfully planting churches and reaching the lost with whatever they have.

It made me question how often I’ve allowed “lack of resources” to become my excuse for not stepping out in faith.

3. The Gospel Challenges Every Culture

We often talk about our cultural battles in the West, but my eyes were opened to very different challenges these churches face:

FGM (Female G Mutilation) – a heartbreaking reality where young girls are brutally harmed in the name of cultural “purity”
Polygamy – imagine the complexity of discipling community leaders who have three or four wives when they come to faith

What struck me most was this truth: while every culture tempts us to compromise, God’s Word provides wisdom and grace for standing firm — no matter how difficult the situation.

4. Courage Grows Best in Team

The stories of persecution were sobering. They shared about imprisonments and street beatings. One leader shared how most of his pastors have machete scars on their faces and bodies where they have been chased by tribesman driving them out of their villages.

But, here’s what amazed me: they weren’t facing it alone. These teams stood together, drawing strength from each other in ways that reminded me of the early church in Acts.

It made me want to stir up some fresh courage buddies for the mission that I’m on.

5. The Future Belongs to Entrepreneurial Ministry

So many leaders I met were also entrepreneurs by necessity. They’re running fruit tree farms, pig businesses, and taxi services — not just to survive, but to support their church and the local community.

It confirmed my conviction that “tent-making” is going to be the future of church leadership if we want to raise enough leaders to reach our nations.

6. The Power of Praying Together

There’s something profound about praying in the same room with people you’ve only prayed for from a distance. It reminded me that we truly are one family in Christ, regardless of our nationalities or circumstances.

I’ve added several leaders to my prayer calendar so that I can continue to stand with them.

As I continue to process these lessons, I’m asking myself (and now you):

Which of these lessons challenges you the most?
How might God be calling you to step out in faith, even with limited resources?
What would it look like for you to stand firm in your cultural context?

Much love,
Simon Holley and the eFocus team

Wherever we are in life, we are building communities of some sort, be it family, a church life group or a whole congregation. In my role leading our new 3pm Blunham location, I’ve had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about building community and I’ve boiled down to these top five things I’ve been learning:

1. SMALL TALK, BIG TALK

Building community, small or large, requires people to connect and form relationships by talking to one another. To this end, we should always be asking ourselves, how am I making it easy to talk to each other in this community?

We have to make space for small talk: the weather or the football. We also have to make space for big talk, or else our community becomes just a social club. For us at Blunham, we love catching up over a coffee after services and prayer meetings, and we also love building time into our meetings to talk about the bigger things in life.

Small talk by itself won’t grow a community. Big talk only can become intense. In your community, are you building in time for both?

2. BUILDING COMMUNITY TAKES TIME

There is no replacement for time spent in one another’s company. There is no shortcut for this.

To truly know one another, we need time in each other’s company and time to develop trust to be vulnerable. Have you ever tried being vulnerable with someone you’ve only just met? Me neither. These things take time.

Communication is more about listening than talking, and so in your community, are you taking the time to listen well?

3. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL

The rewards of building community are huge. One of my favourite weeks as a Sunday location was in March when we met as a community to have lunch. The overwhelming majority of the community came along and we had a great time of connection over some delicious home-cooked food. They had wanted to be part of it. This would never have been possible without having put the time in first.

4. BUILDING SOMETIMES MEANS BUILDING (FLATPACK)

One of my favourite moments in building the community at Blunham was the afternoon we literally spent doing some building! We had a delivery of flat-packed sofas and chairs to help refurbish the rear hall in the building. I made an appeal for helpers and was amazed at the number of people who showed up with their expertise, tools and time. What spurred us on was the fact that we were all working towards an endpoint we valued.

We wanted to see the room transformed, and what I learnt was that having a sense of common purpose bound us together.

5. ADVENTURE WITH PEOPLE YOU TRUST

Building a community of any sort is an adventure in itself, a step into the unknown. The future of your community might face unexpected challenges. The only way to approach this healthily is to go on this adventure with people you trust, people who you know will stand by you and fight for the community.

I have been so grateful for the community at Blunham who have been so trustworthy and dependable in all we have ventured in together, willing to help out in so many ways. I know that we can see through anything that comes our way.

Let’s continue building healthy, strong community around us as we become all that God has called us to be.

Much love,
John Wright and the eFocus team

If you’d like to see how building our Blunham community is progressing, or even considering joining us for a season as we seek to build and grow, we would love to have you! We meet on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month at 3pm.

Find out more at kingsarms.org/blunham

Have you heard the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child’?

We are keenly aware that a parent needs as much support as they can get to raise a child, despite the claims of our individualistic society. We might mostly live in nuclear families but we desperately need those who live beyond the four walls of our home.

Yet, how often I find myself limited in how I can be part of the village for the people around me. I so often lack the time, finance or wisdom to really support them and make a difference.

In comes the concept of prayer…

*Click to download a PDF version. The calendar can also be find in the Devoted booklets/journals.*

The reason I’ve loved using the prayer calendar is because it prompts me where so often my human efforts fall down. I love my Auntie, but sometimes she slips to the back of my mind. Now, on the 13th of every month, my prayers turn to her again, often accompanied by a message asking her how she’s doing.

I’ve found many times that on the day that I’m praying for a certain neighbour I see them in the street, or it happens to be a day of a hospital appointment when I text the person I’m praying for. I have had one university friend call me on the very day I’d first written down her name, to tell me that she had started Alpha. And two others I was praying for are now walking in relationship with God again after some time away. Our prayers are powerful!

Now I have a list of 30 people who I am in the habit of bringing before God in prayer each month and I’m loving those people in one of the best ways I know how: by praying for them.

If you, like me, need help to not get overwhelmed with a whole list of things to pray, can I invite you to join me in using the prayer calendar and set a daily reminder? I leave a physical copy by the chair where I sit to drink my coffee and read my Bible, it could be by the kettle or the toothbrush — whatever works for you!

Let’s partner with God in praying for those in our village.

Much love,
Katy Ryland and the eFocus team

With it being Halloween next week, you might be busy making plans and working out what you’re going to do. Maybe you have children wanting to be taken trick or treating? Perhaps, you’re someone who has always turns off all the lights and hides in a back room? Or, you’re really excited about welcoming people to your door and you’re wondering how to best use this opportunity to share the love of Jesus? Personally, I feel like Halloween is a bit like marmite — you either dread it or you are really excited about it. Whichever you category you fall into, something we can all do is to prepare for it in one way or another.

So, what are you going to do this Halloween? I’d encourage you to take time to prayerfully decide on the best decision for you and your family, and to resist judging the choices of others. Remember, you don’t have to get involved in some of the darker elements of the day in order to make it memorable; even using it to point towards light, hope and healing. Something we teach our children at King’s Kids is to ask themselves, “How can we be more like Jesus?” That would be a great question to start with.

Whether you have children or not, here are some suggestions to spread hope instead of fear this Halloween; bringing peace into a situation that can normally be quite scary:

Get creative

Carve a pumpkin with positive or uplifting artwork to display outside of your home. (Scroll down for some ideas!) Or, put up some autumnal decorations to bring cheer to passers-by and convey a message of hope.

Check on your neighbours

Perhaps you have neighbours who might feel vulnerable during this season, why not invite them round for a coffee? Or, drop off some goodies and have a friendly doorstep chat?

Celebrate Jesus

We will be having a Light & Praise party for those at church and within our community with primary aged children. Bring the family, or come along and help us put on this event, and eat lots of sweet treats in the process!

Let the kids take charge

Encourage your children to pray and ask God for ideas. At King’s Kids we give our children lots of opportunities to grow in their ability to hear God’s voice. Maybe they want to make some cards with prophetic words to hand out to trick or treaters? Be bold in asking those visiting your door if there is anything you can pray for.

Need more ideas?

For additional resources and information, check out the following…

Parenting for Faith has some helpful articles on navigating Halloween
Bag of Hope (UCB) and Pumpkin Heroes (WorldVision) offer material you can order to hand out to trick or treaters as well as activity packs.

However Halloween will look for you this year, let’s use the occasion to celebrate Jesus, the Light of the World! He came to bring Hope and Peace to everyone, and we have the privilege of partnering with Him, not just in this season, but every day.

Much love,

Nicky Stanyard and the eFocus Team

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will He do, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

God is on the move amongst us and we are witnessing an increase in healings during our gatherings. We recently launched our Healing Room which takes place on the first Sunday morning of each month at King’s House, and we’re hearing testimonies of people being healed or noticing improvements in their conditions. Previous prophetic words over us have declared that we would be a ‘house of miracles’. We want to be a church that continues to push for more breakthroughs and the miraculous.

Let’s hear from Claire and Gill, who are a part of our Healing Room Team, as they encourage us to keep believing for more than we have seen, and why we are called to go after Signs and Wonders:

Signs and Wonders point people to Jesus

In the early church, signs and wonders were a completely normal part of life. When Philip proclaimed Christ in Samaria, “They paid attention to what he said with one accord when they heard and saw the signs that he did. Unclean spirits came out with a loud voice and many who were paralysed, or lame were healed.” Acts 8:6-7

Paul said that his ministry was a combination of both message and miracles. Miracles were central to his gospel ministry. He said, “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling and my speech and my message were not in plausible words or wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:3-5

Signs and Wonders demonstrate His kingdom

Jesus told His disciples to proclaim and demonstrate His Kingdom wherever they went and this is still His commission for every believer today. He chooses to move through you and I as we walk in intimacy with Him.

Like Paul, we have been empowered to carry His miracle-working power with us into every environment and situation; not in our strength but because of His grace.

Signs and Wonders should be expected!

When we speak the name of Jesus we can expect signs and wonders to follow. In a coffee shop in our town, I (Claire) have seen God powerfully move when we’ve laid hands on the sick or invited His peace. I’ve seen how a sign and a wonder has opened a door for us to introduce someone to Jesus.

Signs and wonders are what we are made for; it’s the natural overflow and outcome of spending time with Jesus. As He fills us with His presence and power, we impact everyone that we come into contact with, making room for God to work.

Signs and Wonders are always available

When we allow faith and expectation to overshadow our doubt and cynicism, we suddenly can’t help but become aware that the Father is always working in our everyday lives (yes!) and in the people around us.

God is more passionate and eager to reveal Himself to people than we realise. He cannot help Himself! The question isn’t whether He will show up, but rather whether we are looking, listening and perceiving Him at work. I (Claire) have often found that when I’m in conversations with people, I start to sense the Holy Spirit’s presence, and sure enough the person I am speaking to shares how they are having a significant encounter with something supernatural; something they would never forget.

Signs and Wonders take us on amazing adventures!

Whilst interceding and worshipping on my (Gill’s) dog walks, I have sometimes found feathers and smelt a sweet fragrance. A patient told me (Gill) of an experience where a dove flew through their window and circled them, filling the room with peace! At work, we also had an abnormal ECG totally normalise on repeating it, which is impossible in the natural.

My (Gill’s) husband, Steve, once had a dream where he so clearly remembers sharing the Gospel with a Muslim lady, the same description of a woman I had prayed with for healing in A&E the evening before.

Our loving Father is so wonderful in leaving signs everywhere for us to delight in.

Let’s embark on this adventure of asking for more signs and wonders as we share His love and goodness with those around us.

Much love,
Claire Coggan, Gill Cronau and the eFocus Team