Packed House! Ministering through Youth Meetings, English Nights, & More
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
October 3, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In many ways the past month seems to have gone by very quickly. It has been an encouraging month. Yesterday, we had a packed out house and were glad that we had purchased additional folding chairs a couple of weeks ago. On Saturday night, there were 18 young people at the youth meeting and some who wanted to come were not unable to do so. The topic for the meeting was the injustice in the world and in us and how Jesus Christ is just and justifier of those who believe.
At the same time as the youth meeting was going on, Judy was across the Metropolitan Area of Toulouse assisting Wendy with English night. Wendy has been doing this effectively for many years now. It is open to all who would like to attend and work on improving their English communication skills. This is very important to those who want to advance in jobs. They share a meal, watch an English video and then discuss the content. The purpose is to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
In these two meetings taking place on the same night, there were people from middle school to middle age (older if you count Judy and me) representing many different orientations in life. A few are believers and want their friends to know Christ. People come to the meetings because they feel loved and welcomed. Some who used to come with friends come of their own initiative and invite others. We want to love others as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. Thank you for helping us be ambassadors for Christ here.
Nearly all who come to Christ are touched first by encounter outside of church meetings. The church meetings have as their primary purpose helping God’s children learn and put into practice what Jesus has taught us.
Last week we had the privilege of dinner with Joachim who was in town briefly for a job-related activity. He was the first person baptized here. He and his family are now actively serving the Lord near Hamburg, Germany. Thirteen years ago Judy, Amanda and I were at a city park and Amanda met a young mother from former East Germany. Amanda cultivated a friendship with this lady who desperately needed encouraging friends and that led to Amanda meeting Angela. Angela had recently become a Christian before moving to France. God brought them to us when we were praying for a person who could translate from French to German. God answered our prayers and along with Angela brought Joachim into our lives. He was friendly, intrigued by Angela’s belief, but not particularly interested himself. For a couple of years, they met with Philip and Amanda to study the Bible. This is a very short version of how God brought Joachim to Himself.
We were also surprised to see Samuel show up Sunday. He is now active in a church in Paris where he now lives. About three years ago he began studying the Bible with me. A year later he trusted Christ and then publicly professed his faith in baptism.
It is always a thrill to see those to whom God has allowed us to be light and salt following Him. So, we continue to ask God to keep our eyes open as we walk. We ask God to help us seek those who are lost. We continue the Bible studies and prayer meetings with believers and seek ways to help them put into practice the life to which Christ has called all of us. There are believers hosting Bible studies, prayer meetings and serving in various ways in their surroundings and God is giving Life through His Son!
Thank you for helping us be a light here. May God help you be a light where you are.
In France for Christ,
John and Judy Hatcher
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Rotating Bible Studies in Mazere, Sowing in Hope
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
September 7, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I hope this finds you well and enjoying the Lord’s faithfulness. It just dawned on me that I have not written a letter this month to update you on what God is doing here. I have been affected a bit by sciatica the last couple of months and it is difficult to type at the computer. So, I have gotten out of my regular routines. This is not all bad. God uses all things for His glory! Thank each of you for the regularity of your giving and praying for us. Each of you is also living life in a physical body on a fallen earth and it is not always “a piece of cake”. We really do appreciate your faithfulness and pray for you.
One of the things that I can do is walk. So, I walk and walk. Besides keeping me in shape it also opens up doors of opportunity. During the past few days I have had a number of good conversations about spiritual matters and about what we are doing here. These have been with people that we know and whose path I crossed as I walked or new people that God has brought into our lives.
During the month of August we have had unusually well attended meetings. Normally at this time of the year many are on vacation, but this year seems to have been different and we have had excellent services and Bible studies.
Normally we do not have youth outreach meeting in August because there are few young people at home. However, our granddaughters were in contact with many of their friends who were already back home so Philip and Amanda decided to host an “early” youth meeting. We were all thrilled by the 14 young people who came and participated. About half of these are unsaved and from homes where there are no Christians.
This Bible Study in Mazere started around 2004 when John & Judy started driving down about an hour from their home to have weekly Bible Study with Douceline.
In addition to this Bible Study, Douceline also now leads two evangelistic Bible Studies with other ladies.
I am enclosing a couple of pictures of the Bible Study last night at Mazere which is about an hour south of us. You will see that we are eating. Douceline, the young lady in whose home this outreach started turned 43 yesterday. In the last couple of years some of the folks who were invited by Douceline asked if they could host it in their homes. So, this Bible study now rotates among 4 homes. You might find this strange, but it actually is a blessing. When members of the group host, they take “ownership”. They are more likely to invite their friends to their home. This study first started about a dozen years ago when Judy and I started driving down weekly to have a Bible study with Douceline, a believer who had just moved from our area to a job in Mazere, who knew no other believers in the area and was very discouraged. In addition to this Bible study, this single lady now leads two evangelistic Bible studies with other ladies.
There are multitudes who need Christ so we just keep sowing; asking God for wisdom to do so effectively. Our church in Tournefeuille is now reaching out to 7 other communities. This is not much when you consider the fact that there are about 35,000 communities in France that need the Gospel. We sow in hope and God produces!
May the Lord richly bless you,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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God Connects Believers in Unique Ways
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
August 6, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Yesterday evening about 9pm, as I was lying back in a garden chair enjoying the sunset and talking to the Lord, I realized that I had not yet written my August newsletter. So, here it is a bit late. Judy and I have been back home in France for about a month. At the beginning of July we enjoyed a wonderful week with all of our children and grandchildren. It had been 10 years since we had been together with all of our children and since then God has given us 8 more grandchildren for a total of 12.
As in the US, this is the vacation time between school years and therefore our attendance is reduced considerably. Most of the families in our congregation are originally from other areas of France and moved to this area for jobs. During vacation they often return to be near their extended families elsewhere in France. However, we have had good services and Bible studies with those who are here.
We have also had the opportunity to spend some time with some of our neighbors who need the Lord. Inviting neighbors for dinner is a great way to share Christ. We have had several good conversations during the last couple of weeks. One of our backyard neighbors informed us that the folks who had moved in across the street from them were “protestants” and so she had told them about us. We had been watching to catch them at home to invite them to services. A couple of weeks ago there was a knock on our front door and it was the sister of the new “protestant” neighbor asking about services. A couple of days later, she, her son and her brother were here for Sunday services. They indeed are believers who have moved here from an African country. Their father is a pastor. This illustrates a number of things: News spreads fast and people take note of the arrival of believers in their neighborhood. Christians are noticeable because they are a small minority. Only about 1 in every 200 people claim to be evangelical believers in France and most of these are immigrants from other countries.
Speaking of immigrants from other countries, about the time we arrived home I was contacted by Bruno, a Baptist young man from Portugal. His wife is a pediatrician and they have lived in France for a year. They live about 120 miles north of us and we are the closest Baptist church to them that he has found. Baptist believers are very scarce. Only one in every 21,667 people in France claim to be Baptist (of any kind). That is less than 0.005%. Look up the statistics for your state. So, you understand how I often realize that the picture is not so clear to many American believers when some well-meaning person in America says to me something like, “Things are about as bad spiritually here as they are in France.”
So, the couple I just mentioned are planning on driving down to be with us tomorrow. He was saved 6 years ago when he attended a baptismal service of a Baptist church in his town in northern Portugal. He was formerly a devout Catholic. So, you may be asking, “How did he find you?” This is what he wrote to me, “aujourd’hui, Dieu m’a mis dans ma tête de rechercher dans les liens de missions américaines. Dans le lien https://www.baptistfaithmissions.org/John_Mark_and_Judy_Hatcher.aspx, je vous trouvez comme missionnaire en France. Quelle merveille de Dieu! “—which translates as, “Today God gave me the idea of looking up links for American missionaries. On the site www.baptistfaithmissions.org/John_Mark_and_Judy_Hatcher.aspx I found you who are missionaries in France. What a wonderful blessing from God!”
So, take time now to thank God for the work that Sarah Wainright and others do and have done to make our news available online! This is not the first time we have been found this way. And, be careful what you post online including Facebook! The world is watching!
Thank all of you for your faithful support and prayers. May God richly bless you.
Joyfully serving in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Making Disciples, Investing in Lives
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
July 1, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
About three months ago, Judy and I were returning from an evening visit with Philip and Amanda. Judy was very quiet which signals my need to ask myself what I did or said wrong. Pondering this question brought me to the realization that this time I was not guilty. Philip and Amanda had been discussing their upcoming summer trip to the USA. As you know, they work with us in France. Once every two years they return to Indiana to see Amanda’s family and Philip’s siblings. On this particular evening they were discussing their plans to meet up with our other children. It has been 10 years since we have been together with all of our children. It seems that a longing to be with them was on Judy’s mind. My slow brain kicked into gear and I suggested that we should join them. After remonstrating a bit, Judy conceded to the idea and here we are in Chicago enjoying our children here while waiting to be with all of them next week.
Little did we know that it would give us the opportunity to spend last moments with a dear friend in Evansville. In 1974, when I began pastoring the small congregation which was later named Emmanuel Baptist Church, Gayle Evans had just turned 12. Last year she was diagnosed with aggressive ALS and when we arrived in Chicago from France she was nearing the end of her days on earth. A couple days later we drove to Evansville and spent two memorable days with this extended family that is so dear to us; sad because Gayle’s departure was imminent; rejoicing because her earthly struggles would be replaced by the Lord’s presence.
Here are some words I share with permission from Yvonne Dooms who came to know Christ in those early days at Morgan Ave. B. C. “I visited with the family of a childhood friend who died this week of ALS. As I stood in the visitation line, the memories of years ago came flooding back. Going to the Spring Conference in Lexington with John and Judy Hatcher and sleeping on Peggy and Robin’s living room floor; Listening to the muppets on a cassette recorder the whole way there and back; Hanging out with my sister Teresa and Gayle and Joanie Evans on Sunday afternoons and then singing together on Sunday nights. Going on vacation with my family to Columbus, Indiana and when we showed up at the motel pool there was Joanie and Gayle swimming. My biggest memory of Gayle was a Sunday School class in the old gray house where she shared her testimony with Judy and I; Just the three of us sitting in an old kitchen on folding chairs while Gayle Anne told us how she had turned her life over to Christ that previous week. I thank God for her life and for allowing me to be a part of it even for a little while.”
Our job is to make disciples and invest in their lives. This is a multi-way process as they and others invest in our lives. This is the calling we have all received. One you share with us, to God be the Glory!
This is what we are doing in France. Earlier this week I received this note from Wendy, the single lady who works with us in France. “Just wanted to let you know that all went well on Sunday morning. Denis did a great job leading and there was a good turnout. Everyone participated…Pascaline joined Jean-Luc and Lea in playing a few of the songs. I was super proud!!! It was a wonderful Sunday morning with almost everyone in attendance.” Denis is one of the church members who led Sunday. His daughter was just baptized last week. Pascaline was also baptized at the same time. She takes piano lessons from Amanda. Jean-Luc, another one of our members will be leading this coming Sunday. One of these days all of God’s children from every tongue, tribe and nation will be together physically. “What a day of rejoicing that will be!!!
Being in the USA also gave me the opportunity to fly down to Florida to spend a few days with Paul and Wanda and my parents. I feel so blessed by God and you are part of that. May you enjoy our heavenly Father’s richest blessings.
Your fellow servants,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Unbelieving Families Hear the Gospel at Baptismal Service in France
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
June 1, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I have wept a lot in the last couple of weeks. No, I am not sad, I am rejoicing. Rarely do I cry when I am sad, but when I am overwhelmed with joy the tears flow. Sunday we had a baptismal service and four young ladies were baptized. Two of these are our youngest grandchildren who live here in France. Camille is 12 years old and Emily is 10 years old. They had both trusted Christ some time ago. One of the others baptized is a college student who has come to church meetings with her family for several years as well as youth meetings. She now is a regular participant in Bible studies that Amanda has with college girls. I will tell you a bit more about the other girl.
Seven years ago I was praying for opportunities to become acquainted with people in our community in order to share the gospel with them. Judy noticed in the local paper that a choir was being formed. I inquired and decided that it would be a venue for meeting and witnessing to people. The only people that I recognized out of the 70 or so at the first practice was a couple that arrived shortly after me. They had just moved into a house about 100 feet from ours. We started going to practice together and I soon found out that he was reared in an atheist family and she had received catholic baptism as a child. They had a boy and girl about the age of our older grandchildren here.
We invited the children to come to the next Vacation Bible School we held. They had other plans for that week but the mother asked about the Sunday classes for children. Her daughter was interested in coming. The rest of the family has never come once on Sundays but the daughter has come regularly for about 6 years. Last year her mother told me that when her daughter first started coming she was afraid of dying but that this was no longer the case.
Two weeks ago, the mother and daughter stopped by because the daughter wanted to follow the Lord in baptism and the mother said that they would like for us to use their house for the service and baptize in their pool. There were over 50 people at the service last Sunday. The son of the hosting couple beamed the whole service and baptism live using “Skype” to both sets of grandparents. The paternal grandparents are both atheists. The message given by Philip was a clear presentation of Salvation by grace from Ephesians chapter 2. The parents were both greatly moved by the service and baptisms. Pray with us for the salvation of this entire family.
I am including pictures taken by a young married man who has been coming for about five years. He was orphaned early in life. I think he was 11 when his mother died and 13 when his father died. They both professed to be atheists. He is the husband of one of our members and hardly ever misses on Sundays or the monthly men’s prayer breakfast. He has confidence that God opens doors that are good for them. Please pray for his salvation.
I am filled with joy as I see God at work in believers and touching the hearts of those who have not yet believed.
Rejoicing in Southern France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [May 2016]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
May 4, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We were glad to hear through my parents that you had a good Spring Conference. Thanks, Thompson Road Baptist Church for hosting this conference and for all who worked so hard to make it happen.
The past month has been marked by meetings with people from the past in whose lives God is working. Sometimes we just about give up on any progress taking place in lives of people but continue to pray for them. Then God surprises us by bringing them back across our path or bringing about notable changes in them. That has been the case with several people this month and has been very encouraging.
Near the end of this month we are planning a baptismal service. Two believers have asked to be baptized and we hope there will be several more. There are others who come regularly and who have made professions of faith but have not been baptized. Although only about 2% of people attend the Catholic church with any regularity in our town and over half claim to be atheist, they usually come when asked to a baptism. In the cultural mind, it is similar to being invited to a wedding and you would not want to hurt the invitee’s feelings. So, we have always had a number of guests at baptisms and we give a short message clearly presenting the gospel.
A young 7th grade lady accompanies the congregation on piano for the first time.
One of the men in our congregation led the service for the first time three weeks ago and did an excellent job. Also, last Sunday, a young 7th grade lady who is the only one in her family (neighbors and friends of ours) accompanied singing for part of the music worship. I am including a picture Judy took of her playing for the first time in Church service.
Judy and I are in good health. We thank God for your faithful support which enables us to be ambassadors for Christ here in southern France. God has enabled us to have a ministry which touches a number of cities. You are a part of this ministry. May God bless each of you, provide for your needs and use you where you are.
In Christ in Southern France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [April 2016]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
April 2, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
When Sunday comes near the first of the month I usually wait until Monday to write the news for the past month just in case something really exciting happens on Sunday. However, it looks like Sunday and Monday are going to be really wild and crazy, so you get the Saturday version of news.
Monday is the funeral of Mr. Pham, a friend of ours. Two of his children are members of the church here at Tournefeuille. He grew up in a well-to-do family in Vietnam who were an exception, they were believers. He came to France to do University studies. At that time Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) was a French colony. Nearly 20 years later in 1975, Jade, who would become his wife, fled from Vietnam as part of a group of “boat people”. They were lost at sea and rescued by a passing ship. She was the only person who had trusted Christ in her family who, like most Vietnamese, were Buddhist. Three of their four children have placed their faith in Christ. After a year studying the Bible with me the youngest son trusted Christ and followed the Lord in baptism. He now goes to a Baptist church in Paris.
About a week ago we received an email from a lady that we had not seen in about 8 or 9 years. We met Tania and her husband when they moved in across the street from us. They attended services with their 3 children regularly for about 3 or 4 years. Neither of them made a confession of faith. In the exchange of mail and pictures we learned that two of their children still read their Bibles. Only eternity will reveal how their lives were impacted by the Word of God.
This morning I received a call from a former neighbor who attended services here for a period of time but who we have not seen in over two years. He called to tell me he was getting married and that he and his wife to be wanted to talk to me about following Christ and baptism.
A picture of a Sunday Service in France. Jean-Luc, the man on the right end of the first row, is the man who led the services two weeks ago.
I am including a picture of a Sunday service here. Jean-Luc, the man on the right end of the first row, is the man who led the services two weeks ago.
Last Sunday we had a wonderful service. The children and young people presented songs, prophecy and New Testament witness about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We followed their presentation with an alternation of Scriptures and songs on the same theme.
Thank you for your prayers and faithful support.
Seeing God at work in southern France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
February 4, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It seems impossible that another month has passed since I last wrote you. It has been a good month and we see God at work. There are also areas that we are concerned about and pray about.
Our new Bible studies and prayer meetings are going well. I will mention some of these new ones. This afternoon Judy and I will be meeting with a couple of ladies with whom we have started a weekly Bible study. Both of them are believers, but are married to unsaved men. We have a good relationship with both of these men. One of them comes to the Sunday meetings from time to time. Judy and I are very encouraged by the spiritual growth that we see in both of these ladies. One of them has become quite involved in visiting elderly people in her community. She does this by participating with a social organization that has as its primary focus the welfare of older citizens. This lady from our church has had a number of opportunities to witness to the people she visits and is very excited about it.
Amanda, our daughter-in-law and a wonderful partner in ministry here, is meeting with girls who are College students for Bible study. One of the three girls in this Bible study has trusted Christ but is not yet baptized. The other two have come to church and youth meetings but have never made a public confession of faith.
The men in the church are now meeting one Saturday morning each month to pray together. We are hoping that this will give us the opportunity to more effectively encourage and disciple these men.
Another lady has started a prayer meeting with ladies on Tuesday mornings and one couple is trying to get a Friday night Bible study going in their home.
Philip, Amanda, and their four daughters
One of our concerns is the children of families who come to church here. We would like to see the saved parents be more active in helping their children know the Bible. Nearly all the adults in our church besides Judy, me, Philip and Amanda were saved as adults or teenagers and come from families where no one else was saved. They did not have Christian parents to teach them or be examples for them. Since they were saved as adults they do not always understand a child’s capacity to know God. We are praying and planning on helping these families teach their children the Bible more effectively. Please pray with us and for these families.
Our regular and longer term Bible studies are going well.
I have asked Amanda, our daughter-in-law, to write the letter next month to give you a different perspective. Abigail, our oldest granddaughter publishes the monthly church bulletin and Nathalie the second in birth order designed and maintains the church’s website. They are involved in working with the children and all the girls are our main point of contact to get kids from the community to come to outreach activities. Philip, Amanda and the four girls are a major component in what God is doing here. We ask that you pray for them as you pray for us.
May God’s richest blessings be evident to you,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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