What links a city in Yorkshire with a community in Denmark and a refugee camp in Greece? The plans and purposes of God, of course!

We recently heard about a Yorkshire church with a Farsi-speaking congregation of asylum seekers and settled refugees. Despite the difficulties of ministering to them during COVID-19 restrictions, the congregation has grown through 2020 with more than 25 newly arrived members. Some left their home countries due to their faith, others encountered Jesus during their journey and some are seekers who are meeting Christians for the first time and joining online services to find out more.

The pastor told us recently that one young man who arrived in the UK via Denmark last year was part way through a Come Follow Me (CFM) course with a church there. He was able to continue meeting with his group in Denmark via Whatsapp and completed the course since arriving in England. We praise God that, despite moving across the continent, social media allowed him to complete all the lessons rather than leave it unfinished, and that he benefitted from the continuity of being able to do the whole course with his advisor and group.

Another couple arrived in the UK in the autumn having spent a long period of time in a refugee camp in Greece, where some Christian workers took them through the CFM course. When they joined the Yorkshire church they were surprised to find that people there knew Come Follow Me.

A Persian member of the church (herself a CFM graduate and advisor) was running a small Bible Study group which this couple and the young man have been attending. Seeing their depth of knowledge and commitment to Christ, she is now helping them to start up two more Bible study groups among their contacts.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

We rejoice with the church that the work of Christians across Europe who are using the Come Follow Me course as a tool for Bible study and a deeper understanding of the Christian faith is bearing fruit in the lives of these believers.

We recently launched a web-app version of Come Follow Me on an e-learning platform called GrowSpace, which makes it possible for people to access the course on a computer or smartphone. Find out more: www.word.org.uk/growspace

We also have an online training programme for those who want to become CFM advisors. Find out more: training@word.org.uk