LONDON RIPE FOR HARVEST

By Joanna Shone

Further openness in London.

After arriving home from outreach in London earlier this year, I have been so excited to hear the reports of how our work there has been followed up! It was such an amazing opportunity to be a part of the first wave of teams to London. Still the true blessing is now I'm hearing about how God is multiplying and using what we did there at the start of the year. He uses our obedience to develop fruit, people get saved, come to know God and are discipled.

Now the second wave is done and the third wave is beginning voices in many parts of London are proclaiming the Bible in public places, walking the streets, waiting on God and seeing Him move! While doing street evangelism, one team member had two people at separate times break down crying because they had family that were dying of cancer. One of the two had lost family members that morning and the team was able to comfort, pray, and share Jesus with her.

"She brought her family together and got us to hold hands as we prayed for her, right there in the middle of her shop."

One of the scriptures a team reports is John 4:35-36; "[Jesus says], 'You know the saying, "Four months between planting and harvest." But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!'" He wasn't referring to physical crops - He was talking about people. People who are lost, and He was commissioning us to find them. The seed of the Gospel has been deeply rooted into the foundations and history of London, London is open and ready for harvest.

---

"I want to learn how to talk to this God," he said.

In one borough ministry included door-to-door evangelism. After a day with few results, the group went out in a final attempt after dinner. "We arrived at our final contact on our list when we were greeted by a man named BJ. A combination of God's Word and a testimony clicked for BJ. He then opened up to us. Because of his openness he has allowed us to come back. We have been able to visit him weekly and continue to build a friendship with him."

Building real relationship and handing those connections over to be a part of the next wave to hit the city. We want to see more teams to cover the 33 London boroughs. There are so many ways to be used by God in the city of London this year!

"True change for London needs everyone's gifts all investing toward God's agenda."