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OMF UK's Area Mobiliser Team

OMF UK’s recent restructuring has resulted in a new team of ‘area mobilisers’ whose core ministry is to come alongside churches and individuals at a local level to help them discover the difference they can make in God’s plan for the nations. Our mobilisers want to inform about and inspire action towards reaching East Asia’s peoples with the gospel (in its fullest, holistic sense), but they also want to listen, guide and sensitively empower young people; addressing their fears and nurturing their dreams about engaging in cross-cultural mission.

Released to relate

As administrative and coordinating work with candidates and missionaries on home assignment from Asia has been transferred to the National Office in Borough Green, Kent, our former Regional Directors for Scotland and West England are now giving more time to mentoring and advising inquirers, church leaders, mission committees and student groups. Phil & Cath Steed are drawing on a decade’s experience of mobilisation ministry in Scotland to serve as Area Mobilisers there. Charles & Liz Chalmers continue as mobilisers in West England but also take responsibility for all of Wales, having formerly looked after South Wales only. Guido & Linda Braschi also continue as mobilisers for the Greater London area, but now extend to Surrey.

Welcomed to relate

Tim Jenkins has accepted our offer to become Area Mobiliser for an East England area, North of the Thames. Tim (with his wife Sue) were OMF members from 1999 to 2004, serving first as Business Manager at Chefoo School for missionary children in Malaysia, and then in the Personnel department at International Headquarters, Singapore. Tim and Sue live with their two teenage children in Whittlesford, a few miles south of Cambridge.

Mark Sinclair has started as another Area Mobiliser in East England, covering Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Sussex and Kent. Based in Colchester, Mark will also allocate up to half his time to national mobilisation projects. Mark with Shirley have served with OMF in Cambodia since 2001, in varied ministries including initiating a new M.Sc in the IT programme of the Royal University of Phnom Penh. The Sinclairs remain committed to ministry in Cambodia long term, but will live in the UK until 2014.

Andy & Jenni Stevens have accepted our offer to be Area Mobilisers for South West England from Cornwall to Berkshire. Andy will continue to coordinate mobilisation for China nationally during a transition period of at least a year. During this time we will seek to move towards sharing responsibility for China mobilisation across the UK and Ireland between several members of the emerging mobilisation team including Andy.

Richard Crofts has accepted our offer to become Area Mobiliser for North England. Richard comes to us with over 12 years’ Mobilisation and Personnel experience with SAMS (South American Missionary Society) and prior to that, 10 years’ mission work in Tanzania in Theological Education by Extension (TEE), evangelism, youth work and agricultural development. Richard will work from his family home in Bakewell, Derbyshire and be supported by Matt Guest, as a part-time volunteer mobiliser among young people, based in Manchester.

Nathaniel & Donna Jennings have accepted our offer to become Area Mobilisers for Ireland. The Jennings are currently members of SIM and served in evangelism and discipleship in Bangladesh from 2008. Previously they both taught at Grace International School in Dhaka. They returned to Northern Ireland in Summer 2010 for family reasons and now sense the Lord leading them into mobilisation ministry.

The Jennings’ ministry will be supported by Laura-Jane Meas and Claire Harfitt, who have been and will continue to serve as part-time mobilisers in Ireland.

Short-term mission for millennials

A key way Generation Y can experience authentic community with God’s people worldwide and learn how to make a difference for the Gospel’s sake is through short-term mission. OMF UK is investing in this through the recent appointment of Derrick Burns as the new leader of our Serve Asia programme. Derrick comes to us with extensive experience of ministry to youth and student-age young people as the former Director of Wycombe Youth for Christ, a youth pastor, and through mobilising young people in Brazil for mission among unreached people groups.

Derrick is also responsible for Serve Asia individual placements while Kathryn Bowen continues to oversee our teams programme. They are working closely with Area Mobilisers who help them promote the programme and orientate, debrief and follow-up those who take part.

Digitally adept

Today's young people are the most digitally-savvy generation yet to reach adulthood. ‘In a survey for JW Intelligence, most 18- to 29-year-olds said they would give up going out rather than loose their internet connection or mobile phone.’ OMF’s media team, comprising Tony Waghorn, Chris Watts, Alice Cross and Emma Howden, are tackling this challenge head-on to create mission resources in digital and print media that connect with today’s young people.

Pray:

• That the Lord would mould this group of mobilisers (new and old) into a coherent and visionary team that can connect effectively with Generation Y and others.
• For the new mobilisers as they complete their applications to join OMF as members and that the Lord will provide the prayer and financial support to confirm them starting in ministry.
• For the next step in our vision which is for area mobilisers to recruit, train and support volunteers who can extend the reach of ministry into hundreds (even thousands more Millennials.