by Peter Ruck | Feb 16, 2017 | Blog
2016
The prayer from my heart was, “Lord I don’t know how much longer I have on this earth, days, weeks, months, years or tens of years. Lord I want to use whatever time I have left to serve you.”
One morning soon after this prayer, during my quiet time with The Lord, I was reading Romans 8v1, a familiar scripture – but not this morning. The Holy Spirit turned this scripture on its head. ‘So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.’ Then I saw clearly, ‘but there IS condemnation for those who DON’T belong to Christ Jesus.’ I saw in a new way Jesus’ heart for the lost. I just wept for the lost souls under condemnation, “Lord as I look around I see many lost souls.”
I knew from that morning Jesus wanted me to serve Him in reaching lost souls with a greater urgency and in new ways.
One morning, I was listening to Premier Christian Radio as I travelled to work. The programme featured prison ministry, and as I listened, they spoke of a prison ministry conference taking place at Holy Trinity Brompton Church in London. My heart leapt and I knew I had to go. I booked myself a place and went along. Christians involved in prison ministry from all parts of the country attended. The speakers were Spirit filled and shared amazing testimonies of the work of The Holy Spirit in prison.
I came away knowing in my heart that God was calling me to be part of this ministry. My prayer became, “How Lord? When Lord?”
Eighteen months passed and then at a ‘Churches Together’ meeting, Ian, then pastor of an Elim Church, asked if I would join him one Sunday taking a Sunday Chapel Service at a prison. In my heart I knew this was God opening the door which I had waited eighteen months for.
That first Sunday at the prison service I felt I belonged straight away. Speaking and sharing with the prisoners came so naturally to me. It has been a true blessing to be able to share Jesus Christ in prison with such ease.
One day God spoke to me clearly, “Don’t judge these men.” I have never forgotten this wisdom, and I know that it is key in this ministry.
I have attended the prison chapel services with Ian and his wife for six years now. We have shared testimonies and the word of God. At the end of each service there has always been a wonderful time to share and pray with these men.
Preparation for these services for me would begin some weeks before in prayer and meditation, seeking God’s heart for what He wanted to impart. It was on one such occasion that The Lord spoke, “I have come to set the captives free.” I was also given the scripture John 8v36, ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’
I shall never forget what happened over the next two weeks. The Holy Spirit would wake me up and say, “Write these words down…..” This continued until I had a whole A4 sheet of words. I then asked The Lord to help me make sense of these words. It became clear that these words were for those suffering with addiction to drugs and alcohol.
The Sunday came to share this word in the prison service. At the end of the service, prisoners came forward for prayer, some were in tears. Sadly we ran out of time to pray for all the prisoners. The Chaplain asked if we could stay on and go to the drug addiction wing and continue to pray for those wanting prayer. I saw over one hundred young men aged between eighteen to thirty-five years caught in the power of addiction. My heart went out to these lost men as I stood at the bottom of the staircase in this cell block. I said to The Lord, “I don’t know how I can help these men, but if you are calling me into this ministry you will have to make a way.”
A month later I was involved in ‘On the Move’, a three day annual street evangelistic outreach. It was on Saturday, the last day of this outreach at 14.00hrs, that two men came up to me and asked, “What’s been going on?” I explained ‘On the Move’ to them and they said they were from ‘Teen Challenge’, based in London. They themselves were ex drug and alcohol addicts who had just completed the eighteen month Teen Challenge drug and alcohol addiction programme. They had both received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour during this time. Jesus had changed their lives.
“God,” I said, “these men are the answer to my prayer.”
I shared with them about prison ministry and those suffering from addiction in prison. They gave me their card and said to speak to David at Teen Challenge. I did so, and was invited to visit the Teen Challenge centre. I told David what was on my heart, and he said they would help and support me in this work.
I then arranged a meeting with the then prison Chaplain and shared my heart with him and how God had led me to start work with those who have addiction problems. He was fully supportive and has since helped me in every way.
I have now worked for the past two years, one day a week, assisting those who are seeking help with addiction problems. I also help men who are open to God and are seeking Him further, as well as supporting those men who have already had an encounter with God.
I have found there is a freedom to share Jesus in prison that I have not experienced outside prison. These men know they are sinners. They have time to read the scriptures and supportive Christian literature, and many tell me they pray and need His help to turn their lives around.
by Peter Ruck | Jan 28, 2017 | Blog
Athletes in Action started in Brentwood in the Summer of 2012 when a team from Athletes in Action, Holland stayed on after the London Olympics to lead a sports mission in the town.
Since then we have continued to play sport and share the Gospel with local youth.
Based at the Brentwood Leisure Centre each Tuesday evening during school term, 6-a-side football is the most popular activity with the boys.
We are an ecumenical group supported by many of the local churches.
For more information on playing or helping please click here.
Melvyn Cooper – AIA Team Leader
by Peter Ruck | Jan 2, 2017 | Blog
We took to the streets in Harold Hill on Saturday afternoon inviting people to Sunday evening in the diner in the middle of the shopping centre. The Zeal team gave out invites with Healing Bus group with the local host Pastor Niyi. We had opportunities to pray for “healing on the street” this brought several people the following evening.
Sunday evening it was a packed house, the hot chocolate, teas and coffee’s flowed the Carol sheet were distributed around the tables. Everyone was joining in folk from the Zeal team, others from my home church Trinity and Pastor Niyi’s Good News Church sat amongst the people who had responded to our invites.
The Good News of Christ’s birth with readings by members of the Good News Church, Stories were shared. It was a joyful time with moving solo’s, Several testimonies of God’s grace and love. It was “Great working together bringing the Gospel to the community.
Our message was “Love came down at Christmas a gift for everyone, Jesus!”
It’s been wonderful to hear Pastor Niyi has spoken to several people who responded following the evening.
by Peter Ruck | Jan 2, 2017 | Blog
Peter Brown’s reflection on Zeal Outreach Ministries and prayer nights. Operating and supporting God’s work in the Kingdom of God.
Monday 31st October 2016.
“I am the way the truth and the life”
“Peter’s” notes
- Brentwood School’s Workers Trust – Nina Cooper
- Soul Food Christian Bookstall, High Street – David & Ute Liniker, Bernard Elkin, John & Jean Jordan, Mark Whitcombe & Peter Ruck.
- HMP Prison Ministry – Peter Brown (myself)
- Street Evangelism – “On the Move” Easter & Summer – “Many members of the team”
- Lighting Up Brentwood – “Many members of the team”
- Resouces – Chris Lincoln using is God given talents supporting many outreach events.Tent Ministry.
- Prayer Chain – Chris Lincoln –
- Street Pastors – Mark Whitcombe, Bernard Elkin, Ruth Weil, Ruth Austin
- Young People – Athletes in Action – Melvyn Cooper, Charles Kayode, Ellen & Susannah
- Homeless Young People – Susannah Cornhill
- Healing Ministry – Peter , John & the team
- Worldwide Evangelism – Peter Ruck & John Jordan
- Working with Local Churches – Equipping & Encouraging – Preaching Sharing Good News.
- Drugs Outreach Colombia – Rutie
- Liberia Container of Aid – Peter with many of the team.
- Teen Challenge – Many of the team Peter Brown, Liviu & Doug & Ruth Austin “By my Spirit says the Lord”
- Food Bank – Doug & Ruth Austin.
- Lighthouse – Peter Brown
- Manna Meals – Bernard Elkin, – Pastor Niyi – Good News Church
- Learning Differculties – Mick & Anne-Marie Spence
- Prayer Ministry – Continuing to pray for individuals ministries and events.
- Caring & Sharing Programme – Peter.
- Tent Ministry – The Zeal team – ongoing testimonies of God’s grace and healing
- Outreach/Healing meeting – Raj. Asian outreach
- What’s App Zeal prayer page – Charles Kayode
- I am so blessed to read this list from Peter Brown wonderful to hear the testimonies of what happened whilst I was away and how others are picking up the baton and joining.. Thank you Lord we give you all the Glory.
- God gave a vision and a directive for Zeal Outreach Ministries – “Passing the Baton”
- “ I press forward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:13)
by Peter Ruck | Dec 5, 2016 | Blog
The Tale of Three Trees Setting Takes place during a time before the birth of Christ during the birth of Christ and during his preaching ministry leading to the Cross and our redemption.
Today the message was for their family service, involving some youngsters playing the parts of the trees, along with my glove puppet Joe Crow. It was a united service for Good News Church & The New Testament Church of God in Harold Hill at the invitation of Pastor Niyi
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
New International Version (NIV)
27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that
are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.
The Story Begins
A farmer went out to sow three special seeds. He prepared the ground and planted them in the right place. He watered and nurtured them the sun shone on them. He continued to do this and they grew and grew until they were the tallest in area.
Every day the trees would talk to each other and have discussions. The birds would land on their branches the wind would blow the trees would shake. Each time they would come back to the same subject. They would ask each other what you want to be once you’re “chopped down” and made into something by the carpenter. They thought long and hard about this a toy, a table, or a great big chair. Eventually they made up their minds
The first tree said: I would like to be a bed for a king.
The second tree said: I would like to be a ship for a king.
The third tree said: I would like to be a signpost to show people were to go!
Many years passed by they would take every day over the next 40 years since the seeds were first planted. Then is come to the day when the carpenter came along with his axe to cut down the first of the trees.
The carpenter began to work on the first tree, he began to saw, chiselling , making joints then he rubbed it down with sandpaper. The tree was so excited he thought he was going to be a bed fit for a king! He then looked in the mirror and began to feel very sad. He wasn’t a bed fit for a king but a smelly old feeding trough for animals and was placed in the stable. He was really sad!
The carpenter took the second tree away and began to work on it. Sawing , planed to shape, hammering and chiselling then sandpaper the edges down until it was finished. The tree was so excited he couldn’t wait to look in the mirror. He was very sad when he saw he wasn’t a ship. He was a fishing boat, and was collected by some fishermen. They would take him off to sea empty their nets and he soon became very smelly. The tree was so sad!
The came to cut down the third tree and began to work on it in his workshop. He sawed and hammered and sawed and hammered, chiselled away and used the sandpaper to smooth the edges until it was finished. He was really excited could wait to look in the mirror to see himself as a signpost. He wasn’t a signpost but just a lump of wood. He was the saddest of all the trees.
That’s where the three trees stayed: one a feeding trough, one a fishing boat and one a lump of wood which the carpenter eventually gave to some soldiers. That could be the end. And a very sad ending it would be. But it is not.
One day God decided to send Jesus into the world. Jesus was born in a stable. There was no bed so he was placed in a feeding trough for animals.
When he was older, so many people wanted to hear him speak one day on a beach that he was forced back into the sea. Jesus saw a fishing boat and climbed in and began to speak to the people from there.
When Jesus’ time on earth was nearly finished he died on a cross nothing more than a lump of wood – for all the wrongs we had all done. And three days later, he rose from the grave.Heaven
The trees’ ambitions were fulfilled in the strangest ways.
The first tree wanted to be a bed for a king he became a bed for the King of Kings, King Jesus.
The tree that wanted to be a ship for a king became a ship for the King of Kings, King Jesus.
And the tree that wanted to show all the people which way to go became the tree that was to show the people the way to heaven. He became a signpost to heaven: the cross.
Those three trees were the happiest trees in the entire world. They not only became what they wanted to be, they became what God wanted them to be, And all because of King Jesus.
Let’s think about that signpost – That Cross what does this mean you? It brought an opportunity to share the Gospel message to everyone. Once more presenting them all will tracts and the Lord’s Prayer hands. “ Nice to see a little girl asking Pastor Niyi to read the prayer to her” Emphasis the importance of sowing seeds into lives.
