Can a church multiply quickly in the UK?
Pete Benest shares an exciting journey that has resulted in interactions with more than 250 people in Shepshed.
In addition to being part of the ECM Britain office team, I am leading a church plant in my hometown of Shepshed, Leicestershire. It was only 16 months ago that we felt God lead my wife and I to start a church in our home. This wasn’t something I ever thought I’d do and at times I have felt completely out of my depth, but God has blessed us so much.
Within two months we had too many people to stay in our home so we moved into a classroom sized meeting space. By our first birthday we had outgrown even this as more families and children joined us. Our congregation of 40 people now meets in a 200-year old chapel that we share with another church.
We have seen people join us for many reasons. Some people had not been back to church since Covid but wanted to get back into a church community. Others joined through the Alpha Course we ran in the autumn. At a recent baptism service two people responded to the gospel message and started their walk with Jesus.
We are trying to be involved in the community too. We booked a pitch at the summer Shepshed Carnival offering free games, face painting and craft, alongside free kids Bible stories and Alpha/Christian literature. Altogether, we must have interacted with over 250 people from the town.
To read his story in our latest magazine - click here