NoPlaceLeft Essex

David Bareham, Essex

I’m writing a book on Acts and the Movement of God. I was looking for a current story to go with the story of Peter and Cornelius. I came across this interview from 2018 and thought it does the job well.

David Bareham is a successful church planter and pastor in Essex, England. He launched the church in 1995 and since then it has grown steadily to 500 people, helped by the influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Africa. Around forty nations attend the church. Most years, they add about fifteen people to the church by conversion, many through the Alpha course. In addition, the church has planted four churches in Essex.

Yet it troubled David that they were reaching so few people in the community. Most of their growth came from existing Christians.

Then he heard of a local pastor, Russell Godward, who had stepped down from his church to focus entirely on reaching people far from God. At first, he thought Russell was crazy. When Russell invited him to a training he agreed, but arrived skeptical. I was with Russell that day, and I remember David’s searching questions.

But David kept coming back for more. He attended three identical training events until he was sure there was something in this. The training covered the basic Biblical foundation and skills in sharing the gospel and making disciples followed by time in the community connecting with people and sharing the gospel.

David kept pressing in because he wanted to see his church reaching lost people in their community. He spent time with Russell out in the community offering prayer, sharing the gospel. David believed if you’re going to bring change into your church you have to immerse yourself in it first.

It embarrassed him that as a church leader, it was years since he had led someone to Christ. He felt he didn’t have the time to connect with people outside the church. If someone came to know Christ, he had no discipleship plan, apart from, “Come to church, listen to my sermons, join a life group and sign up for Alpha in four months.”

He prayed he would lead someone to Christ every month. God answered his prayer. He formed a discipleship group for new believers. Using a discovery approach, they worked through the Commands of Christ, learning how to follow Jesus and make disciples.

A young man called Ben came to Christ, David baptized him and invited him to do the Commands of Christ. When he asked Ben who else he could bring, Ben invited his mother and grandmother. On the first night, both turned and believed.

David trained Ben to share the gospel with his friends, which he did. Ben was not confident, so he’d call David and ask when can you come over and share the gospel with my friend? On a holiday to Spain, Ben finally led one of his friends to Christ, but not before he sent a text to David saying, “Help, I’ve forgotten the prayer I ask them to pray!”

While this was happening, David was working with his elders to gain support for the new direction. He’d been on a journey, and he didn’t want to leave them behind. On one occasion they needed more time and so he canceled a church training and gave them time. But he didn’t stop sharing the gospel and making disciples.

Stories circulated throughout the church of the new decisions to follow Christ. They were baptizing people with no church background, who were joining Discovery Groups, and making disciples.

As God was at work, the church culture was shifting, and the elders embraced the new direction. David remembers it took about one year for God to turn him around, then another two years to win wide support in the church, but it wasn’t time wasted. All along the way, the gospel was getting out and people were turning and following Christ.

David has formed a team to take the training to every life group in the church. He and his team now train throughout Britain and Europe, helping other churches to reach out beyond their four walls.