A new church plant in what was the third most deprived estate in England last year is growing rapidly – however, gang activity is making it dangerous.
Founded by missionary Jônatas Bragatto just before Easter 2021, the Word and Spirit Church in Thorntree, Middlesbrough, is a small independent Reformed church which began with just three members. The last evangelical church in the area had closed 14 years earlier.
The church meets in a local community hub and has, said Bragatto, ‘seen miracles’ each month since it started. There are now 18 official members and Sunday congregations are in the thirties. Eight new people attended the Christmas Day service, including six from Hindu backgrounds.
Bragatto’s use of social media as an evangelistic tool is proving fruitful. One converted student, a Hindu, came to a service after seeing a video on Instagram and inviting him to her home to share the gospel.
Thorntree has a high level of crime. In March, Bragatto said worshipping has ‘become very dangerous’, with tyres slashed and threats and vandalism almost every week. He said: ‘Please pray for us.’
One Sunday, he said he had to stop in the middle of his sermon to call the police when a gang ‘stormed into the building harassing our people’. The police said it was not an emergency.
Bragatto left Brazil in 2017 after a calling by God to come to the UK. He ministered at a small evangelical Free Church of England church before being made redundant.
