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Open-Air Mission
‘Holding fast the faithful word...’
(Titus 1:9)
(Titus 1:9)
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‘Holding forth the word of life...’
(Philippians 2:16)
(Philippians 2:16)
Jim Henry
& Brenda
Open-air work across Dorset
and Somerset.
Click here to read
Jim’s latest article
My Testimony
I was brought up as a Roman Catholic in Gateshead. At 16 I joined the Royal Navy and gradually slipped into atheism. On leaving I welded in shipyards including Lowestoft where I began to question life. I dismissed Christianity, but the Buddhist philosophy of rebirth seemed to make sense.
My wife Brenda and I decided to move to the Orkney island of ‘Sanday’ in 1984. On the way there, who should we meet but Derek and Bridget Edwards, missionaries going to Sanday. I thought to myself, ‘nice couple, but narrow minded bigots’. Sometime later I was reading a book on power called ‘The Secret Doctrine’. Somehow I began to have a grave feeling of foreboding. I cried to God, ‘If you exist show me.’ Later I said to Derek I would go to a service at his church. The text was from Isaiah chapter 6 and the title was, ‘The majesty and awesome holiness of God Almighty’. I read the gospel of John at home and realised that Jesus on the cross was the great I AM. I had mocked and despised Him. Shocked as to who He truly was, I prayed: ‘Lord, you gave your Son – I don’t deserve to live, take my life.’ The Lord dealt with me and all I could say was: ‘Father, Father’.
In the providence of God one of my first prayers was: ‘Father make me a fisher of men’ and for over 20 years He has answered - one-to-one chatting about the gospel; in door-to-door work at Thompson’s Mission (Liverpool); with my workplace Christian Fellowship; with Mendip Gideons and Gillingham Baptist Church. Finally, the Open-Air Mission evangelists helped me to preach on the street. Ever since my conversion it has been my heart’s desire to proclaim the Name of the One I now love, but once rejected, before men
My wife Brenda and I decided to move to the Orkney island of ‘Sanday’ in 1984. On the way there, who should we meet but Derek and Bridget Edwards, missionaries going to Sanday. I thought to myself, ‘nice couple, but narrow minded bigots’. Sometime later I was reading a book on power called ‘The Secret Doctrine’. Somehow I began to have a grave feeling of foreboding. I cried to God, ‘If you exist show me.’ Later I said to Derek I would go to a service at his church. The text was from Isaiah chapter 6 and the title was, ‘The majesty and awesome holiness of God Almighty’. I read the gospel of John at home and realised that Jesus on the cross was the great I AM. I had mocked and despised Him. Shocked as to who He truly was, I prayed: ‘Lord, you gave your Son – I don’t deserve to live, take my life.’ The Lord dealt with me and all I could say was: ‘Father, Father’.
In the providence of God one of my first prayers was: ‘Father make me a fisher of men’ and for over 20 years He has answered - one-to-one chatting about the gospel; in door-to-door work at Thompson’s Mission (Liverpool); with my workplace Christian Fellowship; with Mendip Gideons and Gillingham Baptist Church. Finally, the Open-Air Mission evangelists helped me to preach on the street. Ever since my conversion it has been my heart’s desire to proclaim the Name of the One I now love, but once rejected, before men