Anthony Fisher shares his experience of introducing a group of local lads to the good news of Jesus.
I live in Speke – a poor estate on the south side of Liverpool. My wife Elaine and I attend a family-sized church of around 70 people made up of all ages. We probably look very unimpressive on the outside, but we love loving the Lord together and are a close church family who are trying to find creative ways of reaching out to the 15,000 people who live in Speke.
Getting to know our neighbours
When we moved here six years ago, we came with a strong conviction that where we live is not an accident and that we have a responsibility for evangelising in our local area. Before long, we got a chance to go out for a meal with George. On the way home, I asked him if I could tell him about Jesus one day. He said yes and that was the door in.
Sadly soon after that he got poorly and deteriorated in health very quickly. I was able to share the good news of Jesus with him before he died.
His boys wanted to know what I had said to him, so I told them about the hope we can have in Jesus in the face of death.
They wanted to find out more and so I set up what we called the ‘Good News Club’, which would be round at our house on a Wednesday night for about an hour and a half. We started off by using the SOUL films (without the handbooks, which felt too formal) and discussing them. A young guy from church who lived on the estate came to my house to do this with me as he was their sort of age.
Challenges
There were many times I felt like giving up. Often they just didn’t turn up, or they would be late – it would just be really hard to get them together. Elaine would make some cakes and take them over to them anyway, and we’d try again the following week.
After a particularly difficult period, we took a break. A few months later there was a renewed interest from the guys themselves and they asked if we could start it up again, but round at their house (one of the lads was released from prison with a tag and couldn’t be out of the house after 7pm).
It has been a joy and a privilege to see God at work in these lads’ lives. Some of the best moments of my life have been in the Good News Club. There have been really special moments, like hearing them really praying from their hearts, or talking about when they first really believed the gospel (for Ryan it was when he was in the bath one day!).
It has increased my confidence that even if people look like they’re unlikely to be saved, God is the God of miracles.
