South Park Chapel in Ilford appointed Shenazzer Ephraim as evangelist and disciple maker at a service on 26 January.
The chapel was founded in 1906 and has been seeking to make Jesus known ever since. Times have changed and the demographic has changed but the gospel is still the same and is still the power of God to save people.
A small independent evangelical church with a strong commitment to the ministry of all members, a few years ago they decided that to build the work they should employ a full-time Elder. Since then Jeremy Middleton has served in this role along with his wife Mary. Jeremy is now retiring, and Shenazzer has joined from Dundonald Church.
Church longings
He will be an Elder along with Alberto Erulin and Jason Freeman. The church wants to deepen its faith, increase in love for Jesus, each other and the lost and grow as fishers of people, committed to Jesus’ mission of making disciples in a multicultural neighbourhood. They want more of their neighbours to know Jesus as their saviour and Lord.
Shenazzer and his wife Naomi were commissioned in this task on Saturday 26 January. The church were encouraged by a sermon from Richard Coekin of Co-Mission Dundonald Church to be inspired by Isaiah 6.1-8. Isaiah saw God in his glory and awesome holiness. When we appreciate how great, pure and majestic is our God, we are filled with a deep sense of our own unworthiness and weakness. Yet instead of destroying us, God has purified us for his service by Jesus’ blood – and knowing God’s grace compels us to tell our neighbours and colleagues that they too can be saved.
The church has been taking this Good News to neighbours by equipping one another to be disciple makers 24/7, door-to-door visitors, and through children’s and youth work and expository Bible teaching. The church’s prayer is that God will increase the impact of his work in Ilford through this little church, to the glory of Jesus.
