Open Doors to Share the Gospel

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Missionaries John and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

September 9, 2022

Dear Co-Laborers,

Thank you for your faithful support in many different ways. Compared to last month this one has been relatively quiet. We enjoyed having Lydia and Adam (our daughter and son-in-law) along with their children with us for nearly a month. These rare moments with family are a great blessing.

One day when Judy was at the grocery store near our house along with one our granddaughters, she was stopped by a young lady who had heard them speaking in English. This lady has a son in grade school, and she wants him to become proficient in English. They set up a time to come by our house while our grandchildren were still here. Judy has had continuing contact and walks with this lady. God opens doors for us to have relationships with people with whom we can share the gospel.

One of the ladies in our church is a chiropractor and a people magnet. She called me the other day because one of her patients had approached her seeking information for her daughter’s sake. The patient said that her 12-year-old daughter wanted to get baptized. The family has no religious practice. The request is interesting considering the fact that only about 2% of French people are practicing Catholics, less than one half of a percent are evangelical believers. I do not yet know what instigated this desire in the girl. The mother told Anaelle, the chiropractor from our church, that she had approached her on the subject because she thought Protestants were more open than Catholics.

Anaelle called me to discuss the best way to talk to this lady and her daughter about baptism. The lady lives on the other side of the metropolitan area of Toulouse from us. Coming to meetings here would be quite a drive, but we are hoping to see her Sunday.

We are very encouraged with the Bible studies and hope to be starting a new one in a different city this month.

May God bless you and use you as His light where you are.

In His service with you,
John and Judy

Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.


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God at Work Through Bible Studies

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Missionaries John and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

December 15, 2021

Dear Fellow laborers,

A new year is beginning, and we have no idea how it will end. May our Lord and Savior through His Spirit indwelling us enable us to live each day in His presence. Judy and I are very thankful for the faithful support we receive from you. We hope that you will be encouraged by what God is doing here in the South of France.

It has been a blessing to see a good number of participants in the Sunday meetings during the past month. We would have to look back to the pre-Covid days to see as many in attendance. Better yet, in addition to the members and regular attendees, we have had several first-time visitors. A couple of these are ladies who have been involved in a weekly Bible study for some time. One grew up in a muslim family with a father who is an Imam.

The excellent question you may be asking is, “What gets these people to come to Bible studies or Sunday meetings?” The answer is, “They are touched by people just like you who are part of the congregation.” The two ladies I just mentioned were touched by Anaëlle, a lady who is part of our church. Ra— met Anaëlle when they were both getting their hair done. A conversation ensued and out of it a friendship. Anaëlle realized that her new friend was searching. She invited her to participate in an ongoing ladies Bible study and Ra— began participating and has become very interested.

Anaëlle is a chiropractor. Ste—– came for an adjustment. As Anaëlle listened to her, she realized that Ste—- was quite depressed and looking for answers. When Anaëlle suggested that she might find help in their Bible study, Ste—– began attending. She now gives evidence of having trusted the Lord and is planning on attending our Sunday meetings regularly.

Judy and I are also very encouraged by the Bible study that has restarted at Mazere. A couple of the attendees are ladies with whom Douceline has been having one-on-one Bible studies for years.

You may have asked the question, “How do these Bible studies work?” The participants get together, the leader asks questions that allows participants to share what is happening in their lives. A believer leads in prayer and then the Bible study gets underway. We begin a book of the Bible and continue to study it until we are completely through that book. After reading the passage for a given Bible study the leader asks questions to which the answers are in the passage just read and lets participants vocalize the answers as they find them in the text being studied. Sometimes background information from other books of the Bible or history are given but we do not lecture. The purpose is to help enquirers find the answers God has given in His written revelation. IT WORKS! This is how most to the people in our congregation have come to Christ.

Well, I have a Bible study starting in about an hour, so I had better wrap this letter up.

May God bless you, your family, your friends and your church as the new year begins.

From France,
Judy and John Hatcher

Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.


Read more
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