Jono Thorne
Who manages our money?
Who manages our money?

Foundations | A new course

Understanding God and his word strengthens us. It gives us more stability in difficult times, confidence in evangelism, and motivation to live for Him. Many of us know these benefits, but we struggle to find the time or willpower to go deeper. The prospect of self-directed study can feel daunting or beyond our current capacity.

We have set up Foundations to address this exact challenge. Over nine weeks, we will explore the core beliefs and practices of the Christian faith and draw out their life-changing implications. This course is a space where you can wrestle with your questions, firm up your convictions and chart a course towards deeper spiritual formation.

When

  • Nine consecutive Tuesday evenings from 7.15pm. Beginning Tuesday 28th May.

Where

  • Oval House (SW9)

Who

  • You might be a long-time Christian wanting a deeper understanding of the faith to articulate it better and live it out well. You might be wrestling with doubts and questions and looking for clarity. You might be new to the faith and want a fuller understanding of what God calls you to. All are welcome.

Content

  • Each week we will explore a foundational belief or practice of the Christian faith. These include:
     

  1. God: Delving into the nature and character of the Almighty

  2. Man: Exploring the beauty, brokenness and redemption of humanity

  3. Gospel: Grasping the good news that saves and transforms

  4. Scripture: Learning to cherish and delight in God’s word

  5. Prayer: Confidently approaching the throne of grace

  6. Community: Being a part of the family of God

  7. Growth (Part 1): Dying to sin

  8. Growth (Part 2): Living to righteousness

  9. Worship: Living for God in all of life

     

If you have any questions, please contact Daniel via email (daniel@grace.london) or speak to him after one of our Sunday services.

Six Baptisms

Last Sunday (17th March), we had the pleasure of celebrating six baptisms. These brothers and sisters shared all that Jesus has done in their lives and were baptised as a public declaration of their faith. Each testimony was vastly different, but the kindness and power of God saturated them all, as you can read below.

Frank

“For my family, everything changed due to the war. We left behind our city, our extended family, and our friends. We found temporary safety in Uganda and became refugees. We did not have consistent access to basic human needs, and there was so much suffering. It was the lowest point of my life.

“During this time, I turned to the living God. I remember praying on my knees one day, feeling so much pain and hopelessness, and asking God to help my family. I could feel God there with me.”

Malachai

“I became obsessed with spiritual warfare and my desire to be a part of the grand plan of things. I was trying to shove my head into a place where it didn't belong, which ended in me going on a journey with psychedelics.

“It's been a year since my last trip. A serious message during that experience and while sober has warned me not to touch psychedelics anymore - and this time, I heeded the instruction. Since then, I have been walking with Christ, who I've fully dedicated myself to.”

Marius

“My week-long trip to Namibia turned into almost three months after a cycling accident. Elandia and her family embraced me with so much love during this time. They continued to share the gospel with me and what it means to follow Christ. I could see their words in action.

“After this, I could not rationalise living for myself anymore. Even though I'd actively defended doing so for so long, it did not make sense after what I had seen from people who truly love Christ. I also personally experienced God's love and grace over my life.”

Miyuki

“I was reintroduced to Christianity during a Grace London carol service. There was something different about that evening. The Christmas carols I remembered from my youth finally made sense, and I wanted to believe the words I sang.

“It took me five months before I had the confidence to ask my friend to invite me again, to which he said, “You do know that you can just turn up, right?” Fine. So I did. They couldn't get rid of me, even if they tried.”

Natasha

“In the depths of my despair, I knew I needed God. So, I gave my life to Christ just before my 21st birthday. I felt hopeful and at peace, and I practically saw God's work at hand in my life in healing and bringing me out of depression.

“Since accepting Christ into my life, my walk has not been easy. I've experienced deep disappointment and grief along the way, and out of my pain, I tried to hide from my heavenly Father. Yet, he did not turn away from me but continued to come after me to comfort my grieving heart.”

Tarell

“I met a girl from Turkey on a dating app, and after a year of talking, I flew out to meet her. When I arrived, she took me to her church as she had recently become a Christian herself. I saw firsthand what a personal relationship with God can look like. 

“I met the pastor there and unloaded all my questions about Christianity. At the end of our conversation, he gave me a gift I'll never forget - a Bible that belonged to his best friend, who had recently passed away. That night, I went home and spoke to God for the first time.”

Let’s thank God for all he has done in these individuals' lives and pray that many more in London will come to know him. If you’re considering getting baptised, please speak to one of the pastors after a Sunday service or mention it to your life group leaders. They would love to hear from you!

The Paradox of Leadership

Finding great leaders in any sphere – be it in the church or the world – is a difficult thing. I believe that this is because of a great paradox of leadership that can be summed up like this: Those who ought to lead are usually unable or unwilling, and those available and willing are least suitable to lead.

Very often, those most worthy of leadership in any sphere are (i) already deeply committed to fruitful work elsewhere, and (ii) self-effacing and therefore disinterested in position or recognition. And therefore, they are somewhat unavailable or unwilling to take on leadership.

On the other hand, those who are most available and eager to lead are often (i) available because they are not already deeply committed to fruitful work elsewhere, and (ii) least suitable or worthy for leadership precisely because of their eagerness to put themselves forward – a desire for recognition that eclipses any genuine ability or qualification for the role.

The political arena illustrates this paradox very well. The people we most need in political leadership as public servants are usually those who have demonstrated exceptional ability and character outside politics (e.g. in business, charity, or the military), and have no real interest in position or power. But, they may be reluctant to enter the political fray for these reasons. Then again, the people we least need in political leadership are usually those who have done nothing except pursue a political career, and are eager to climb into a position of power by whatever means possible. Such people often lack character, convictions, experience, and wisdom.

Surely, this is part of the reason why Jesus chose the most unlikely men as his apostles. He didn’t follow the typical pattern of the rabbis, who selected the most promising and able boys as their disciples. Christ’s men were not picked out from the rabbinical schools or drawn from the pharisaical elites. They were remarkable for the fact that they were ‘uneducated, common men’ (Acts 4.13). Maybe you could argue that Paul was an exception. But when Jesus called him, he had to undergo a complete dismantling of his former life with all his past ambitions and desires, so that he reached a point of true brokenness and humility.

There’s a profound challenge to us all in this.

For some, you may look at your life and see that God is using you in the work you’re doing. There’s real favour on your life. But you feel that you’re carrying a considerable load, and you don’t have a strong desire to step into something new. The challenge to you may be this: Are you wrongly avoiding God’s calling to leadership (whether in the church or the world), and are you withholding your gifts and experience in a way that is impoverishing others? Are you dodging the opportunities to step up, even though it’s clear to you and those around you that you have more to offer?

For others, you need to take a long look at yourself and ask why you are not being given the opportunities you crave. Are you really being faithful with what’s in front of you? Are you demonstrating a readiness to carry responsibility without pursuing recognition? Do you desire leadership too much, and what does that say about your heart?

Spring Reading

Most of us aspire to read more. We desire to be better informed or deeper thinkers, but life often gets in the way. Time slips by.

With the limited time we have, we ought to use it wisely. We can’t afford to waste it on poorly written or misinformed books. So, I’ve shared some of my favourite Christian books, all worth your attention.

The Secret Place of Thunder by John Starke. I need to reread this book. I devoured it over the summer and found it nourishing to my soul. In it, Starke shows us the beauty of an obscure life in a world of posturing and performing.

There’s a part of many of us that longs for notoriety, but Christ advocates something better and altogether different. He commands that our giving, prayer and fasting be done in secret, removed from the gaze of others. As Starke describes, there’s great freedom when we embrace this hidden life poured out for God alone.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Classics are classics for a reason, so I discovered. I read this only a few months ago after having had it on my reading list for years. This book is profound, imaginative and, most surprisingly, incredibly witty. It made me reflect but also smirk. It is both deep and light-hearted. It was a joy to read, perhaps also helped by the short chapter lengths.

Remaking the World by Andrew Wilson. The West is weird. Very weird. The norms we embody would be unrecognisable to those living centuries before us - and so too for much of the non-western world today. We are an anomaly. But why? How did we get here as a society?

Wilson tackles this complex question with much-needed clarity. He glides between philosophy, geography, sociology, and science as he helps us locate our place in world history. Useful reading for anyone wanting to critically and thoughtfully engage with secularism.

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun. I read this relatively soon after surrendering my life to Jesus and found it captivating. I couldn’t put it down. Since then, I’ve reread it several times, and it never fails to grab you by the collar and shake you awake from spiritual slumber.

Brother Yun tells his personal story of coming to faith in communist China as a teenager before becoming a church leader and facing the fiery trials of professing biblical Christianity in a hostile state. Shocking, inspiring, and raw, this read is not for the faint-hearted.

Surprised by Jesus by Dane Ortland. You probably know Dane Ortlund from his book Gentle and Lowly. It’s a great read. In my opinion, Surprised by Jesus is equally good. Ortland takes us on a flyover tour of the four gospels, drawing out the overarching message and design of each. It may sound academic, but it’s incredibly accessible and written to continually surprise you with the undeserved grace of God towards sinners.

Is male headship in marriage a dangerous idea?

A lot of people believe that the doctrine of male headship & authority in the home is a dangerous idea that inevitably leads to the oppression of women. Are they right?

The answer is not straightforward.

In her book, The Toxic War on Masculinity, Nancy Pearcey describes two contrasting pieces of evidence on this subject from a US context. On the one hand, she shows that, 
 

Compared to secular men, devout Christian family men who attend church regularly are more loving husbands and more engaged fathers. They have the lowest rates of divorce. And astonishingly, they have the lowest rates of domestic violence of any major group in America. (p.15)


In other words, on average, devout Christian men are better husbands than secular men. She then goes on to show an astonishing contrast:
 

Surprisingly, research has found that nominal Christian men have the highest rates of divorce and domestic violence – even higher than secular men. (p.15)


Here, ‘nominal’ means a person who identifies as Christian because of their background, but rarely goes to church. The research about such men is tragic and woeful:
 

They spend less time with their children, either in discipline or in shared activities. Their wives report significantly lower levels of happiness. And their marriages are far less stable. (p.37)


If devout men make the best husbands, then nominal Christian men make the worst. How can we explain that? 

When a man is truly surrendered to Jesus, then he understands his role as head of the home in a radically Christ-centred way. Having authority is in itself neither a good nor bad thing, neither safe nor dangerous in itself. The issue is what you do with that authority. And when a godly man understands his position of responsibility, and then interprets that authority by looking at the example of Jesus, then he seeks to follow that example in the power of the Spirit by laying down his life for his wife and children.

But when a man cherry-picks his theology by embracing male headship, but denying the demands of Christ to die to himself and live a life of surrender, then he becomes dangerous. He’s like a toddler playing with a weapon: He has power but no clue how to use it. In his selfishness and self-centred desires, he ends up abusing his authority and harming those nearest to him. He becomes a brute and a bully, grunting about his God-given rights and privileges, wielding his superior strength and stature to harmful ends, and wreaking destruction in his wake. He reads his Bible ‘through a grid of male superiority and entitlement’ and then manipulates its teaching ‘to justify [his] abusive behaviour’ (p.37).

And this is, in the microcosm of the family, the story of the world. It’s the story of divine power, might, and authority invested in humanity as the pinnacle of creation. Then of that power wielded to the oppression of one another and of the earth itself. But finally, it's the story of that calling to rule being redeemed in Christ Jesus, the selfless husband of his people, and gracious Lord of his creation. Maranatha! Our Lord, come!

Update from Glasgow

You may remember Iain Kennedy visiting Grace London in May ‘23 to preach for us. Iain leads one of our partner churches, Glasgow Grace (the same name is purely coincidental!). He and the team in Glasgow have been a blessing to us over the years, so we’ve asked him to introduce himself and give us an update since last spring. Read more below.
 

Both ‘Graces’ are part of the Advance Movement, a network of churches stretching five continents, united by a vision to see new churches planted and healthily growing. The movement seeks to see the gospel reach every nation, community, and person - for the good news of Jesus to reach the ends of the earth. Grace London is one of over 130 churches in Advance.

Iain, tell us about yourself.

I’m married to Lyndsay, and we have two kids, Annabel (6) and Finlay (4). I was born in Glasgow, and after Lyndsay and I got married, we settled here for a few years. However, we increasingly felt called to the church plant, so we moved south. We first wanted to be part of a church that 1) honours God’s Word, 2) eagerly desires the gifts of the Spirit, and 3) is determined to reach the lost for Jesus, but not many churches in Scotland fitted that description. So, we settled in the South Coast and instantly felt at home at Gateway Church, Poole.
 

Why did you decide to plant a church in Glasgow?

After an encouraging weekend as a church exploring the gift of prophecy, we gathered for a leaders' breakfast. Over coffee and eggs, the team started to pray and prophesy over us. The prophetic words were clear about us returning to Glasgow to establish a new church, and after more than a year of prayer and discernment with the elders, we all agreed that we should plant Glasgow Grace!
 

What’s been happening in the life of the church since your visit to London last spring?

The past year has been full of new life. We have seen more and more people come to faith, including from completely unchurched backgrounds, and there have been loads of child thanksgivings! We are so thankful to God after a couple of really tough years. Only 18 months ago, we were nomads meeting in random venues at various times and were struggling financially. We have now made up our monthly deficit and have a growing team getting ready to plant in the southeast of Glasgow. The gospel is desperately needed there. With all this going on, I’m thankful for the strength of our expanded eldership team – Dennis and Lewis have been seamless and brilliant additions. 

Iain, Lyndsay, Annabel & Finlay

What’s been most encouraging about this time?

It’s hugely encouraging to see people who have come to our meetings week after week finally taking the plunge and trusting Jesus with their lives. Perhaps most surprising is the impact this is having on their colleagues, friends and family members. They keep turning up now. We pray that this is just the beginning!
 

How can we pray for you?

With growth comes great joy and added complexity. Please pray that we will both celebrate what God is doing and make wise decisions about how to go forward together as a church family. Please also pray for how we engage with what is going on in the culture around us.
 

What does it mean to be part of the Advance Movement? 

Being part of Advance has strengthened us in all kinds of ways. We have benefitted from excellent teaching, encouraging worship, financial help (including your extremely generous support last year) and prayer after prayer. These are simply the overflow of genuine gospel friendships. There are very few like-minded churches here in Glasgow, so we are very thankful to be able to walk this road with you and other churches in the UK and abroad. Thank you for partnering with us. We love you guys and continue to pray for you.


Let's thank God for what he's doing at Glasgow Grace and pray for Iain & Lyndsay and the rest of the team there! 

Dom & Sabine's Story

Dom and Sabine recently started following Jesus. But their story started a while back, under the warm glow of lamps in a central London cafe. Discussing questions of life and faith - with a plate of food and a hot drink in hand - opened the door to Christ in their lives. They tell us more below about themselves and their experience on the Salt Course below.

Tell us about yourselves.

Dom: I grew up near London, moved to France as a teenager, and returned to the UK to finish my studies. I've worked in London for the last three years and enjoy cooking and going to the gym in my spare time.

Sabine: I'm from New Jersey, right outside New York City, and have lived in London for the last few years. I also enjoy staying active as well as reading, volunteering, travelling, and exploring new restaurants. 

What was your experience of faith growing up?

Sabine: In the US, faith is closely tied to politics. I found the dialogue off-putting, and I didn't like some of what I was hearing from church leaders and others who called themselves Christians. So, although I grew up Catholic, this caused me to distance myself from organised religion. Even so, I felt like something was missing in my life.

Dom: Intellectually, I always believed there must be a God. There had to be some higher being to cause matter to exist or the Big Bang. I knew logically, but that’s where it ended for me.

 

How did you come across the Salt Course?

Dom: My manager told me about a Salt Live talk titled, ‘The Crisis of Masculinity’. I was curious, so I went along and found it interesting. Afterwards, they talked about the Salt Course, starting the following Tuesday. I had the spare time. Free food was on offer. I was there.

Dominic & Sabine

What was your impression of the Salt Course?

Dom: The Salt Course was very different to my previous experiences with religion because it engaged with faith intellectually. It felt like a safe space, and I didn't feel judged for disagreeing, asking questions, or challenging what people were saying. It was a great environment for discussion.

Sabine: I found it really interesting, and it didn't feel like religion was being pushed on you. It left me wanting to come back. I ended up going to every session and wanted to learn and experience more.

 

How has the Salt Course impacted your lives?

Sabine: Thanks to the Salt Course, I began to rebuild a relationship with God, got to know the Grace London community, and started going to Sunday services. I now have God as the anchor of my life. I know that I can go to him no matter what. I know that I have a church community too. That's made such a difference. I live in a city far from my family, where I don't know many people, but because of Salt, I now know God and realise how loving he is and how much he cares for me. I have made him number one in my life.
 

Let's give thanks for what God has done in Dom and Sabine's life and prayerfully consider who you could invite to the upcoming Salt Course, starting Tuesday 13th February, 7.30pm @ Costa Coffee, SE1 8LP.

Introducing Daniel

2024 has already seen changes to the church staff team with the exciting addition of Daniel Ogbonna. Daniel is our newest Pastor-in-Training, whose role involves hands-on pastoring and training at the Union School of Theology. He is also helping to run The City Fellowship and a course on the foundations of the Christian faith. He tells us more about his story and his role below.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, but have called London home for the last decade. I arrived here as an engineering student, then worked in management consulting, moved into the finance industry, and now I'm transitioning into full-time ministry at Grace. 
 

How did you come to faith in Jesus? 

Although I grew up in a devout Christian home and had always been active in church, it wasn't until the end of 2019 that I truly came to faith. I reached the end of myself and realised that I could not live a righteous life by simply working hard at it. I needed God's grace to forgive and transform me. I exchanged confidence in my efforts for trust in Christ's merit and saw God start to change my character, desires and affections from the inside out.

Daniel, our new Pastor-In-Training (third from the left)

What made you switch from your previous job to the church staff team? 

About six months after coming to faith, I started to sense God putting a desire in my heart for pastoral ministry and growing a gift for teaching his Word. Serving in different ways at Grace allowed me to test this calling within community. So, by the time this role came up, I felt certain that God was calling me to ministry. I had to to go for it.
 

Tell us more. What makes you passionate about pastoral ministry? 

It’s a privilege to be involved in the work God is doing in and through our church, as he calls the lost to himself and believers to lives of greater devotion. Sharing and teaching God's Word is one of the most God-glorifying, life-giving, eternity-shaping activities I get to do. I feel God's delight when I do it, and I can't think of a better way to invest my time and energy in this brief life here on earth.
 

How can we pray for you and the ministry? 

Please pray that I will continue to abide in the Vine and walk closely with Jesus amidst the growing busyness of ministry. I also need wisdom to manage my time well, as I’m working part-time for my old employer until the end of February.

Modern life stinks

Part of the evangelical witness right now should be to point out that modern life stinks. Its technology makes us lonely. Its sexuality makes us empty. Its psychotherapy makes us self-obsessed. Many people are on the brink of oblivion, held back in some cases only by medication or political identity. We struggle to articulate why we should continue to live.

– Samuel James


In some ways, the effort to do apologetics (i.e. make a defence of the Christian faith) gets easier and more straightforward as our culture moves further away from God. Eventually, a world without God and without his truth gets so dark that people begin to wonder what’s gone wrong, and they start to grope around searching for a light.

Our Salt Live events are an effort to engage in cultural apologetics. We want to hone in on those aspects of modern life where people are feeling the pain, the confusion, or the inadequacy of existence without God, and then show them the way back to him. With that in mind, I'm thrilled to announce our next Salt Live event:

 

The Age of Self-Obsession: Is narcissism slowly destroying us?

Tuesday, 6th February at 7.30pm

 

Jeremy will be wrestling with the phenomenon of self-obsession expressed in all the ways we are encouraged to put ourselves first, step into the spotlight, turn our gaze inward. And he’ll show how this has led us into deeper misery and isolation.

How can we resist the culture of self? How can we begin to find freedom through self-forgetfulness? And what is the real path to happiness if not a focus on ourselves?

We would love for the church family to come to this, not least so that we all can get sharper at cultural apologetics. But more importantly, we would love for you to start thinking about who you will invite.


A New Years Resolution?

Have you given any thought to New Year's resolutions this year? 

I used to be sceptical of them, but over the past few years, I've become more convinced of the value of making resolutions i.e. commitments to pursue specific personal goals. You may not achieve what you hoped, but if you aim at nothing, that's often what you achieve. 

I wouldn't restrict such commitments just to a new calendar year. Instead, I'd encourage you to regularly take time to step back, and assess each aspect of your life (your spiritual life, your relationships, your work, your responsibilities, and patterns of life), and reflect (with the Lord) on how you might need to make adjustments. 

As you're doing that, let me make one suggestion that might be helpful for your walk with God: establish a triplet with a couple of Christian friends.  

Have you got a couple of friends you could commit to meeting regularly (either weekly or bi-weekly), who you'll commit to being honest with, sharing your struggles, confessing your sin, reminding each other of the gospel, and praying for each other? 

I ask, partly because we're starting a Community Bible Reading plan as a church. You're still able to join the WhatsApp group if you'd like to (where we'll share weekly devotional content). You're welcome to follow along individually, but I think you'd get a lot out of forming a triplet with a couple of other folks. Alongside being honest with each other, you could reflect each week on what you've been reading and how you feel like God has been speaking to you through scripture. 

I know some of us in London feel lonely. We cast about, asking, "who are my friends?". One of my main learnings about friendship as an adult is life is full of potential friends. It's simply a matter of who you commit time to. The more you regularly invest time in another person, the better friends you become. So, the question, for 2024, is who will you commit to?  

Others of us feel like we have lots of relationships, but we haven't experienced deep, spiritual friendship like this. There's something incredibly special about choosing to be radically honest with a couple of people, and engaging with the hardest elements of your lives together. 

So, whether you're doing CBR or not, I'd encourage you to find a couple of people (who you might not know so well to begin with), and commit, perhaps for a few months at first, to meeting regularly. If you're honest, and enter in, asking how can I encourage, pray and serve the other two, I'm pretty confident you'll find it immensely life-giving. 

My favourite reads of this past year

I think every Christian should try and read (or listen to) good books that stretch you and cause you to grow. We’re living at a time when thinking has become more shallow; when we’re more likely to snack on short videos and hot takes rather than sit and think with furrowed brow, chewing on a pencil. One thing you can do to stand apart from the lemming-like madness of the modern age is simply read more, and read more deeply. It’s a proven method of growing more wise.

That said, not all books are equal. Some of them are actually worthless. I’ve learned to pay much closer attention to the recommendations of other people. 

In that spirit, I thought I’d share my five favourite books from my reading over the past year.

The Genesis of Gender by Abigail Favale. Apart from anything else, this is a wonderfully well written book. Favale is a professor at the University of Notre Dame and a very gifted writer. She has been on a journey, having been immersed in feminist and gender studies literature, and then in her adult life converting to Christianity as a Catholic some years ago. This gives her a unique and provocative perspective on the question of what it means to be a woman. I don’t agree with everything in this book, but I loved it nonetheless.
 

The Thrill of Orthodoxy by Trevin Wax. It’s very sad to hear of so many people ‘deconstructing’ their faith these days in a reaction against whatever forms of Christianity they’ve experienced. If they don’t abandon faith altogether, they usually end up with some kind of altered and adapted version of Christianity: pared down, stripped back, pruned of all the awkward, thorny and difficult parts, but actually no longer orthodox and no longer Christianity at all. In this brilliant book, Wax makes a case for ancient orthodoxy in all of its complexity and wonder.

Humility by Gavin Ortlund. We’re living in the age of narcissism, when life is a performance and social media is the stage. The more you think about this, the more nauseating it becomes. But the gospel calls us to joyful self-forgetfulness. It’s a kind of freedom that only comes through humility. And I believe that humility is at the heart of our faith, not only because Jesus is the humble servant, but also because nobody can call themselves a Christ-follower unless they have humbly acknowledged their utter bankruptcy and inadequacy and need for him. This small book on humility is punchy and provocative. I loved it.

Confessions by Augustine of Hippo. It’s a little embarrassing that it has taken me until this year to finally read this classic. I was persuaded to have (another) crack at it after reading John Piper’s short biography of Augustine. Confessions is a truly unique book written by one of the most influential theologians of all time. Growing up in the North African part of the Roman Empire in the 300–400s AD, Augustine was captured by certain philosophies and religious beliefs, and was a slave to lust. He was interested in Christianity, but he didn’t want to give up sex outside marriage. His believing mother, Monica, was a woman of prayer who had prophetic dreams confirming that her son would come to know Jesus. Augustine finally buckled and acknowledged Jesus as Lord, and history was altered by the impact he would have. This book is written to God as a confession or prayer in which Augustine mingles together his story with some philosophy in a strange way. There were moments when I gasped, and moments when I scratched my head in confusion.

The Death of Porn by Ray Ortlund. It is no secret that pornography is one of the most destructive forces we face today, and that young men especially are too often the casualties as they get bound up in chains of shame and lust. I sometimes wonder how different the Church of Jesus would look today if porn were not so easily available. In this brilliant book, Ortlund senior (father to Gavin of Humility and Dane of Gentle & Lowly) writes a series of letters to young men. It’s a heartfelt plea to get serious in dealing with this issue personally, and then joining the cause of justice by seeking to eradicate porn altogether. It’s a life-giving, hopeful and encouraging read. But perhaps not one to give as a Christmas gift.

 

Walking Miracles

Every testimony recounts a miracle. Only the Holy Spirit can give us a spiritual pulse and exchange our cold hearts for beating ones. We may imagine that our first steps towards Jesus were our own, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Before God breathed on us, we were dead in our sins. A corpse cannot bring itself to life.

Our recent baptisms testify to the miracle-working power of God. Jesus, the dead-raiser, is alive today, and His signature is all over these brothers' and sisters’ lives.

Ambrose


“As I wrestled with God's Word and tried to understand it intellectually, I turned to a friend and asked him, "How can I be sure that God is real and Jesus is who he says he is?” To which he responded, “The proof is in the pudding. If you want to know that God is real, pray to him and ask, 'Jesus, if you're real, reveal yourself to me.'”

“For the first time in over a decade, I knelt by my bed and prayed that prayer.  The very same week, Jesus revealed himself to me in a dream.  He saw that my heart was finally softening, and I was seeking him.”

Angelica
 

“When I was 12 years old, I decided to read a daily devotional my grandmother sent me, explaining the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. I was absorbed in the story. I decided that Easter morning to give my life to Christ, and it was then that I first encountered God's presence. 

“There has not been a moment in my life since when I have not come to face God’s love. It has met me downtrodden in the darkest alleys, where no man can reach. His love has been a reaching hand and has filled me with favour and joy.”

Davinya
 

“I was riddled with self-hatred, shame, and self-pity and no longer wanted to live. In May, I went on a trip to visit my family in Trinidad, and whilst my gran and I were talking, she mentioned church in passing. I said to her that I wanted to go. 

“The second time I went, I walked up to the altar, and as the pastor prayed over me, I started sobbing like never before. I called out to God and kept saying how sorry I was and how much I needed him. That was when I surrendered and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Despite 27 years of rejecting Him, He welcomed me with open arms.”

Eunice
 

“I followed the freshers' craze, trying to fill the emptiness inside of me, but nothing worked. As I lay in bed one night, I felt even more alone. At that moment, God reminded me of Him, and he was gently calling me back. 

“I also started attending church regularly and looked forward to going more each week. Through this, I began to see my sinfulness. I truly understood why Christ had to die and that it was my sin that he bore on the cross. It was no longer just a concept but became personal.”

Faith
 

"The Lord made his love real to me at the height of my shame and condemnation. His healing and cleansing love washed over me, and I finally experienced the liberating power of his love.

“After lockdown, he placed me in an amazing Christian community that pointed me to Christ. During this time, I asked a lot of questions, wrestled with the Bible and church doctrine, and ultimately discovered Jesus for myself.”

Michelle
 

“ I felt lost, so I started attending a local church and learning about Jesus. There, God began to show me that my ‘good girl’ facade was just that, a facade. Underneath, I feared people’s opinions of me, thought horrible things about others, and clung to bitterness.

“But now, every wrong thing I've done has been washed away. Jesus Christ, the perfect man, gave his life for my forgiveness. I don’t have to carry that shame or bitterness anymore. It was a slow process, but eight years ago, I gave my life to Christ.”

Nick

“In my first year at university, I met several Christian friends who invited me to seeker-friendly events, to church, and to have dinner together. These 'strange' Christian friends shared the gospel and themselves, and I was blessed for it. During that summer, I began reading the gospels, and one morning, as I sat typing out my reflections, I heard a voice. The Lord spoke to me in a non-audible way that I do not know how else to explain and said, "You are my son.""

 

The only Christian work is good work well done

"The Church's approach to an intelligent carpenter is usually confined to exhorting him not to be drunk and disorderly in his leisure hours, and to come to church on Sundays. What the Church should be telling him is this: that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables.

The only Christian work is good work well done. Let the Church see to it that the workers are Christian people and do their work well, as to God: then all the work will be Christian work, whether it is Church embroidery or sewage-farming."
 

- Dorothy L. Sayers, “Why Work?” (1949)

While table-making may no longer be a common occupation among sophisticated Londoners, the implications of Dorothy Sayers’ essay remain. The beauty of the gospel is for our whole lives, not just Sundays. We spend most of our time working, and there is so much that Christian teaching has to say to our vocational lives. 

We’ve opened applications for the January 2024 cohort of The City Fellowship (TCF), a nine-month discipleship program designed to equip you to live out the gospel in the work God has called you to. Redeemer Presbyterian Church’s The Gotham Fellowship inspired the program, which we ran for the first time in 2022 with a graduating class of twelve men and women. Seeing lives changed and men and women mobilised to integrate their faith and work was a joy. I am so happy to help bring this program back in 2024 with the help of Daniel Ogbonna and Robyn Burriss.

The City Fellowship Class of ‘22

The program is intense, but that is its secret sauce. Working through readings from the likes of Augustine, Owen, Bonhoeffer, and Keller will stretch you. The vulnerability that comes from being spiritually formed and the deep community that emerges will stretch you. The head-heart-hands approach to the material, which invites you to put learning into action, will stretch you.
 
Do you want to be trained and nurtured for effective and faithful leadership in your vocation and the world? If so, please find out more on our webpage and complete the application by mid-December. We will also be holding a virtual info session on Monday, 27th November, at 7pm, which you are very welcome to register for.

Student Stories

I came to London as a student in September 2019. My first few months in London were a blur of activity. Among thousands of other freshers, I had to make new friends, learn new skills - including how to use a washing machine - and find my feet in a new city. Finding a church community was vital as I settled here, as many other students will also testify. We've asked Bekah, Bessie and Brendan to tell us more about their experience as students in our church community...

1. What was your first impression of Grace?

Brendan: During my first service, the zeal and authenticity of the sung worship struck me. People were excited and hungry to praise God together, and it made a deep impression on me. From there, I knew I wanted to be part of the church.

Bessie: I remember Andrew preaching about denying yourself and taking up your cross. I thought I would give myself a few weeks to see if the teaching was rooted in the Bible, but this was a 'say no more!' moment. What a topic for your first sermon at a new church!

Bekah: ​​My first impression was that Grace was a church determined to have counter-cultural and uncompromising faith in the centre of a busy city. The strong sense of community also struck me. People loved and supported one another like family, and I wanted to be a part of that. 

Brendan, Imperial College London & Queen Mary University graduate

2. How have you grown spiritually whilst being part of the church family?

Bessie: Grace has given me a sharp vision of how God’s priorities and ways differ from our culture’s, be it regarding success, purpose, security, or leisure. Here, I am encouraged to think deeply about the implications of biblical truth in my day-to-day life. Grace is also where I fully surrendered my life to Jesus and got baptised!

Bekah: Friendships with people of all life stages and backgrounds have played a huge role in growing my faith. I have learnt the power of being vulnerable with others and coming under Christ to experience his strength through different seasons of life. Jesus’ power is made perfect in our weaknesses, and the conversations I’ve had through deep, honest friendships have grown my dependence on God and refined my understanding of his goodness and grace.

Brendan: I have grown in my love for Christ and gained a richer understanding of what it means to follow Christ. The Bible-focused preaching here at Grace has helped me to develop a fuller understanding of the Word and learn that following Christ involves letting Him work in every area of my life.

Bekah, King's College London graduate

3. What advice would you give new students coming to Grace London? 

Bekah: Commit to coming each Sunday, and join a life group and serving team. Seeing people each week, regularly worshipping together, and hearing the truth were much needed for me. It helped me to settle early on and feel part of what God is doing in the church and city.

Bessie: Make friends with older people! You will benefit from their wisdom and feel more at home in the city. And take every opportunity you can to get to know people, especially outside of Sundays. It’s easier to do in your first year when you have more time. 

Brendan: Join a life group and commit to investing in friendships in the church. Life group is a great opportunity to meet others and discuss God’s Word. I have learnt much from hearing how other Christians think through and apply scripture. Deep friendships in church are also vital for our spiritual health, so take the time to be intentional and invest in them.

Bessie at her University of Arts London graduation day

Leaving home and coming to university is a significant moment of transition in someone's life. It's vital that Christian students find a church community that they can get knitted into. And that non-Christian students find a place where they can explore faith. Don't underestimate the impact of welcoming students into your home and helping them get connected into the church family. Why not consider how you can bless and invest in freshers and other students joining the church? 

Introducing Andrea

If you have been part of Grace for any length of time, you have probably been greeted at the door by the beaming smile of Andrea Rugasira. Andrea joined the staff team as Events and Hospitality Coordinator this September. She heads up the Welcome team and helps organise our Sunday and mid-week events. Andrea tells us more about her story and her role below.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up with my parents and four siblings in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. In 2014, after spending a year in Kenya, I moved to England to attend a school in Great Malvern, a small picturesque town in the West Midlands. A few years later, I moved to Reading to study for a degree in Geography and graduated in 2022. Shortly after, I accepted a job offer in London as a Graduate Engineer.

My loved ones would say I am a frequent crier, wide smiler and girly giggler. I spend my free time watching cooking shows, hanging out with friends/family, going on walks, and singing along loudly to music, mostly in key.
 

Many may not know, but Andrea came to faith relatively recently. Andrea, could you share your story?

My childhood was marked by insecurity and self-consciousness. I wanted to be carefree and ‘normal’ but instead obsessed over what others thought of me and doubted whether I was truly loved. I had a skewed understanding of God, believing that if I were ‘good’, God would make things work out. I tried my best to follow the rules and respect my elders, and on the surface, I seemed like a mature, well-adjusted child. But I was not the good person I strived to be and felt inwardly torn in two.

During my teenage years, my parents divorced, and my family began to experience emotional and financial hardships. This unsettled my worldview as I didn’t believe I deserved any of it. So, I gave up striving to be good and rejected God entirely. I began to indulge the lusts of the flesh and opened the door to them. Yet, my preoccupation with ‘being good’ still lingered, and I developed a deep sense of shame and crippling anxiety as I wallowed in thoughts of regret. I felt defeated and hopeless.

In 2020, my brother Cezar became a Christian and began sharing the good news of the resurrection. For the first time, I heard I could be made new in Christ and washed of all my sins. The Holy Spirit began to connect this truth with my heart and mind - the sinless perfection I was looking for in myself, I found in Christ Jesus. Finally, I found rest, peace, and joy. Jesus filled my empty heart and dead life with himself. Shortly after my conversion in 2021, my older brother invited me to visit Grace and almost immediately, I decided to settle here.
 

What made you switch from your previous job to the church staff team?

After joining Grace, I developed an overwhelming love for the church. Separately, I felt God was preparing me for a hospitality-centred role, but I didn't know when or where this would be. I began praying into this, and shortly after, Grace started advertising for an Events and Hospitality Coordinator. After careful discussion and prayer, I knew I had to apply for the role.

The role involves planning events, leading church hospitality and everything in between. I am passionate about meeting newcomers and helping them find their place in the church family, which is central to the role.
 

Tell us more. Why is Sunday hospitality important for the health of the church? 

On Sundays, anyone walking through the doors falls into one of two groups: visitors and those who consider Grace their home. It can be overwhelming as a visitor walking into a hall of strangers who look like they all know each other. Meeting newcomers as they arrive, connecting with them, and introducing them to others is a joy and helps them find their place in the family. It's equally a joy welcoming those already part of the church at our Sunday and midweek gatherings. Ultimately, we are a family gathering to enjoy God’s presence and each other.

 

How can we pray for you and the ministry?

I would appreciate prayer for healthy rhythms of rest and activity. Please also pray that the Lord will bring more volunteers to serve in the Welcome team as the church grows. 

My prayer for the Welcome team is that we have an increasing missional focus and display something of the gospel as we draw near and serve at church gatherings. 

If you're interested in joining the Welcome team, please get in touch. The team are responsible for greeting newcomers and setting up refreshments for our Sunday services. Volunteers serve usually no more than once a month and play a vital role in the church family.

Weekend Away & more

There is something great about spending day-to-day life together in a family. The car journeys, supermarket trips or nights in, though seemingly very ordinary, are where relationships are formed and we get to know each another deeply. And yet there is also something wonderfully exciting about the family holiday—a long weekend, week, or fortnight away from the city. We leave the mundane, the distractions and the life admin to have uninterrupted time together. Many of our fondest memories are made here.

We need both the ordinary and the extra special, and life in the family of God is much the same. The Israelite rhythm of the year followed times of regular sacrifice and thanksgiving, interrupted by longer festivals dedicated to remembering God's goodness and feasting together. Both are necessary and good for our souls.

Here at Grace, we have planned a number of church events aside from our regular weekly meetings. Our church weekend away and men's and women's events allow us to spend extended time as a church family and hear from God together. 

Although you can't sign up to them yet, we'd love to have you there, so make sure to put the following dates in your calendar.

Weekend Away

28th - 30th June 2024

Join us from Friday night to Sunday afternoon for our church weekend away. We'll be heading back to Ashburnham place. We look forward to a weekend packed full of good teaching, times of worship, combined with plenty of fun and laughter. 

Women's Events

Thursday 23rd November, 7.30pm @ LNS
Saturday 2nd March, 10.30am - 5pm @ LNS
Thursday 13th June, 7.30pm @ LNS

The women of Grace London will be holding several events throughout 2023-24, with a focus on hearing from God and building relationships together. They are a great opportunity for us to apply God's word practically to our lives and spend time together. 

Men's Event

17th - 20th April 2024

Join us from Wednesday evening to Saturday as we enjoy fellowship together and explore how scripture speaks to us, particularly as men. We will hear from God's word, consider how it applies to our lives, and spend quality time together.

Stories from the Salt Course

We're delighted to announce the next Salt Course is starting on the 24th October. 

We've been running the course for a number of years now, and have had the privilege of hosting hundreds of curious Londoners for meaty discussions about life's big questions.

The premise is simple. Each week, we have food together, a thought-provoking talk on the subject and then plenty of time to discuss that week's question in groups. Guests come from all sorts of backgrounds and beliefs. For many guests, it's a way of exploring the Christian faith. For others, it's a context to bring their thoughts and objections. Each week explores a different question, including:

Meaning: Isn't there more to life than this?
Satisfaction: How can I be happy?
Truth: Who can I trust?
Morality: How can I be good?
Hope: Is there a future for humanity?
Peace: How do we overcome anxiety?

The next course starts on Tuesday 24th October and runs for six consecutive Tuesday evenings (until 28th November). Find out more at www.saltcourse.co.uk. This week, we asked Chloe & Tom, who did the course last year, to share some of their reflections.

"I grew up Catholic and was always attending church on Sunday, but I felt like it was an obligation and so never really formed a genuine relationship with God. Faith very much felt like something that I should tick off my list as a way to obey my parents. So, I ended up drifting away in my teenage years. 

I heard about Salt at a Sunday service. I'm generally quite open-minded, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to just go for one session. I ended up attending the whole course and there was one discussion about practising forgiveness towards other people and yourself which particularly stuck with me. As someone who has grown up lacking in self-compassion and who has experienced church hurt, it was an important conversation to have and I remember the group being very supportive.

It's really cool to see how much I've changed and grown over the last year or so. I have really come out of the other side knowing that God has always been there with me even when I didn't think he was."

Chloe

"Something has always drawn me to the countercultural aspect of Christianity. When I moved away for university, I had a countercultural ‘Christian’ zeal inside of me, but never had a church community or the time to really consider who Jesus was. It just all seemed a bit too complicated for me and I never felt like I had the tools to look into it. That's where the Salt Course really helped me.

The course was an explorative discussion and an environment where you could pose questions that didn't have to sound intelligent. It was for everyone. I was a bit worried that the course wouldn’t properly address common objections to the Bible and Jesus, but the talks actively engaged with these.

The Salt Course played a pivotal role in my Christian journey, as it allowed me to deeply look into Christianity, and led me to acknowledge and love Christ. Now, I truly believe that Christ is Lord and came as God in the flesh to die for us. And I think when you believe that, you're hooked!"

Tom

Introducing George and Becs

Last Sunday, at both services, we were introduced to George & Becs Style. George is our new Pastor-in-Training. We thought many of you would like to get to know them a little better, so we've included an interview with them below. 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

[George] I’m a Londoner, born and bred. I was raised in a non-Christian home and grew up with the classic London cocktail of chasing achievement in work, success in relationships and pursuing a five-year plan. It was in the final year of my degree in primary education, whilst on a semester abroad in the United States, that I encountered Christ for the first time and all my previous pursuits changed. When I came back I was baptised and have been following him ever since. 



And Becs, what about you? Tell us a bit about yourself.  

[Becs] Well, I'm from Hornchurch (Essex) and grew up in a Christian home. I’m one of seven, so life growing up was always action-packed. Something that the Lord really has put on my heart is his love for the vulnerable in society. I’ve mostly worked in the charity sector, working with those who are homeless or struggle with addiction, but in the past couple of years have found myself working in schools alongside teenagers and young adults with learning difficulties. Care for these amazing people really is a passion of mine. At some point in the future, George and I want to adopt or be involved in foster care.

George and I met online nearly three years ago, mid-COVID pandemic lockdown. We started dating — lots and lots of walks before lockdown was lifted — and we were eventually married. We celebrated our one-year anniversary this April. 



Becs, what were the first things that struck you about Grace London when you started attending?

[Becs] I really enjoyed Andrew and Jeremy’s preaching, I always feel like I’ve been fed so well sitting under God’s word brought by them, but for me personally, the thing that stuck with me the most is the intensity and passion of the times of worship in the service. Music has always been important to me and was even a big part of how I came to Christ and so to be in a room surrounded by people who sing so loudly and boldly as we declare beautiful things of God, that’s really powerful to me.



Back to you, George. You're joining us as our church's new Pastor-in-Training; how did you end up deciding on a life in vocational ministry? 

[George] I remember from the moment I began my walk with Christ I felt the sense of the Lord's call over my whole life and that sense was only strengthened by people, encouraging me into deeper aspects of service. I remember my pastor at the time sending me the link to our church's internship programme telling me that he thought I should seriously consider signing up. Then, when busy London life seemed to be put on pause during the pandemic, and I wasn't busying myself looking after kids in the school classroom, I was able to spend time intentionally discerning this call. That led me to leave my job as a primary school teacher and start full-time study at Oak Hill Theological College in North London, whilst working for my church at the same time. 



We’re excited to have you both part of the church! What are you most excited about in this role? And what are your hopes for our church?

[George] Am I allowed to say everything? I think the thing I'm most excited for is getting to know the whole church family and beginning to walk alongside them, encouraging them and supporting them: helping to build them up in their walk with Christ.

My hope for the church, as we continue to seek the Lord, is to be building his kingdom here in London, as it is in heaven; that we grow as a community, as a family, as a body, that loves one another, seeks to build each other up and lives together in fellowship… A church that is the salt and light to a city that is crying out for what can only be offered by God's precious gospel.



George and Becs, how can we be praying for you both and your ministry at Grace London?

[George] Thank you for asking. I guess firstly, that the Lord will help us get settled quickly into the rhythms and patterns of church life. Please also pray for us as we expecting a baby in spring next year! 

[Becs] My pregnancy hasn't been the easiest so far. And has stopped me from involving myself in church life as much as I would like. So, please pray for us and for our unborn baby.

Welcome to George & Becs! 

Introducing Harrison

Harrison is one of our interns and is about to begin the second year of his internship with us, with a focus on evangelism and discipleship. On any given week, you might find him leading a Bible study with those exploring Christianity, studying for his theology course, or chatting to people on a local estate. Since becoming a Christian just over three years ago, Harrison has continued to grow in his passion for Christ and urgency to share the good news with those around him. We thought we'd ask him a few questions about one of the ministries that he's involved in - street evangelism on the south bank. 

Why do you go out on the streets to do evangelism? 

After becoming a Christian, and joining Grace, I had plenty of opportunities to get involved in different evangelistic opportunities and events, such as the Salt Course, Salt Live, bible studies (for non-Christians) and street outreach. Jeremy and I would sometimes go out to the south bank and chat with people sitting there. For the first few times, I remember pretty much hiding behind Jeremy in conversation, but as time went on I began to feel more and more comfortable talking to strangers about my faith. It wasn’t as frightening as I first thought. I think these small conversations really gave me a love for street outreach. Once I got over that initial fear, I began to see the importance of leaning on God in weakness and seeking God’s Spirit to empower me. Now I think it’s something every Christian should consider getting involved in!

What does street outreach involve?

On some Sundays, we meet at 1:30pm at LNS, and make our way to the south bank. Once we’ve set up the table, a few of us start handing out tracts and gospels, and chat with people who stop to see what we have on display. After just over an hour, we meet back at the table, pack up and share how it went for everyone. This is one of my favourite parts as there are always stories of people having conversations that they wouldn’t have otherwise had, and it’s great to see how encouraged people are who haven’t done this before and how the Lord blessed the work, as they have stepped out in faith. As a result of our street outreach, we’ve had people come to church services and Salt Live events, had great inter-faith exchanges and evangelistic chats, prayed with people and handed out a large number of Christian materials.

What’s a memorable conversation or chat that someone’s shared?

Just over a month ago, I gave a gospel tract to a man on Southbank and just a few minutes later, his teenage son came over asking for more. He said he was a Christian and was really encouraged to see other believers out in the streets telling people about Jesus. He also told me that he’d hand out the tracts that I’d given him on his way home as well as to his friends in his hometown of Cambridge. It was a good reminder to me that we’re not only witnessing to the lost, but encouraging and building up the Church when they see people seeking to be bold for Christ.

If you are interested in getting involved in street outreach, just get in touch with Harrison (07368 817640, harrison@grace.london). He's always keen for more people to get involved. 

Get to know our worship team

There was a time (a beautiful time, mind you) when it would not be uncommon for Grace London's Sunday worship team to be short of a pianist, a guitarist or a cajonist and for Andrew Haslam to spontaneously jump up onstage himself to pick up the slack and play one of the instruments to fill the band out. That time seems to be just a fading memory of the past, since, over the last few years, our worship ministry has become a robust, lively, creative group of rotating worship leaders and musicians helping us to meet with God through praise and song each week.

We have Pete Mills, who heads up the worship team, to thank for a lot of this transformation as Pete has worked hard both behind the stage and in front of it to help shape the Grace London worship vibe that you experience each Sunday. Alongside Pete, we also have Jono Thorne, who is joining our staff team this month. Jono will take over as my maternity cover, helping out with Grace London's communications and digital work for part of the week, and then as worship coordinator for the other part. Jono will also take on some theology studies at Crosslands.

Get to know Pete and Jono a bit more in the interview below:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Pete: I spent the first 24 years of my life in the North East of England, growing up in a small town called Stockton-on-Tees before going to study music in Newcastle. This is where Nats and I met as we were both a part of Cornerstone Church Newcastle, which is also part of the Advance Movement. During our first year of marriage, we felt God call us down to London, thinking that we'd be here for a short time. But here we are six years later with Ezra (our lively 11-month old boy) and a wonderful church family! Outside of church and work, I'm a long-suffering supporter of Middlesbrough FC and I enjoy trying to find my favourite albums on vinyl.

Jono: I grew up in Coventry in the West Midlands with my parents and two older sisters. After finishing school, I decided to take a gap year and moved to Brighton where I worked as a worship intern for a church called Emmanuel. As I was preparing to move to London to start my undergraduate degree, a friend mentioned Grace London to me and so I decided to visit on my first Sunday in the city. I soon decided to settle at Grace and have been here the last four years. In my spare time I enjoy (unsurprisingly!) playing guitar and songwriting, bouldering and reading.

How many instruments do you play? 

Pete: The threshold for 'play' is debatable, but I think I've played six different instruments on stage.

Jono: Four - I learned clarinet from a young age and taught myself guitar as a teen. I also play bass and saxophone.

Pete, Can you share with us a bit more about your role and what you do on a day to day basis/Sunday? 

Pete: I'm responsible for enabling our musicians and technicians to flourish when we gather as a church family. This involves everything from leading sung worship to helping the tech team get everything ready for a gathering. Each Sunday can look quite different depending on what's needed, but it could involve auditioning people for the worship team, deciding new songs with our worship leaders or fixing some technical issues that inevitably occur!

What have you seen change since you first began leading the worship team until now? 

Pete: The most obvious change is the size of the team. When I first started, there were some team members who were serving every Sunday, as we didn't have enough people on certain instruments. There are now over 40 people on the team and I serve alongside five brilliant worship leaders who help to facilitate our times of sung worship.

Many people might not know that the team actually wrote a few original songs which we sing on Sundays. How did this come about and how has that whole process been? 

Pete: Yes, it's been great to see how this has developed over the past year. Nats and I wrote a song about the prodigal son over lockdown and thought it could be a blessing to our church, so we decided to start singing it on Sundays. From there, several people encouraged us to write more, so we put together a small songwriting group to write songs that were engaging, theologically rich and could be easily sung by a church congregation. We now have four original songs that we sing as a church and it's been incredibly rewarding to see how they've encouraged people in their faith.* 

And this is where Jono comes in as for a few days a week, he will help you with worship and song composition.

Pete: Jono in particular is a song ideas machine, and I'm very much looking forward to him being able to give even more time to this as he joins the staff team.

Jono, you’ve been on the worship team for a while now and have just recently re-joined the staff team as worship coordinator and (my!) communications maternity cover. What led you to take on these roles?

Jono: After working at Grace part-time during university, I decided to venture into corporate communications over the last year. However, I've had a passion for worship and composition for some time and had hoped at some point that I'd be able to do it in a professional capacity, though I was unsure when. So, I jumped at the opportunity to rejoin the staff team at Grace and combine my professional experience and passion to support the church in this role. When I'm not working in the office, I'll be studying theology online at Crosslands, exploring the bible with people from across the UK and the further afield.

What are you most excited about doing in this role? What are you hoping it will look like?

Jono: I’m hoping the role will involve lots of collaboration with other church and staff members as well as the opportunity to think creatively and produce engaging content.

Do you find it challenging to worship when you have to do it in an “official” capacity? 

Pete: There can be a challenge around the sincerity of our worship and I'm mindful of ensuring that my worship remains devotional rather than it becoming just 'my job'. I think it's something that every worship leader has to wrestle with and we must regularly examine our hearts to discern what the object of our worship is. But this is also true for everyone - Jesus calls us to be worshippers who worship in spirit and truth, so we must never be content with insincere worship.

What does worship mean to you?

Pete: True worship is the continuous giving of all that we are to God and this affects our whole life, not just the songs we sing on a Sunday. To worship God is to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength - this should affect how we sing on Sundays as well as how we live our lives during the rest of the week. Worship brings feelings of awe, reverence, contentment and joy, which can only be found in their ultimate sense when Christ is the object of our worship.

Jono: I would describe worship as a joyful sacrifice. Like how the Israelites would offer the first-fruits of their harvest on the altar, for us, true worship involves surrendering to God everything in our lives and giving Him the place of highest honour in our hearts. It is a costly act, but one that brings deep joy and rest.

What is important for you in selecting a song to sing on a Sunday? 

Pete: I think it's important for us to start our times of worship by declaring something about God before we sing something about our response. This is why we'll often start our services with something like 'King of Kings' or 'Lion and the Lamb' before singing a song like 'God I look to you'. It's a small thing but I think it helps us to keep Christ at the centre of it all.

Jono: It may sound like a no-brainer but I always try to include mention of Jesus in the first couple of songs. God has revealed himself most abundantly through Jesus - and He is the object of worship! - so I find it helpful to explicitly refer to Jesus early on in the setlist.

How can we pray for you and the ministry? 

Pete: Please pray that God would bring us more skilled musicians and technicians as the church continues to grow. There is a real love for the church family in both teams and this is evident as they pray for the church before band rehearsals every Sunday. Please pray for this to continue and for an even deeper love for the church. 

Jono: Over the last few weeks, I’ve been dwelling on Jesus’ Great Commission to make disciples of all nations and so I would appreciate prayer that my work in the team would serve to advance God’s kingdom and bring those outside the church to know Him. My prayer too is that as a worship team, we would have an increasingly missional focus and that through our times of worship we might encourage the church to share the gospel with others.

Can you share with us the link to the Grace London Spotify playlist? 

Pete: Absolutely! Here it is.

*In case you were wondering, the four original Grace London worship songs are:

  • Better

  • Come to the King

  • Crucible

  • The Grace of the Father