Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [September 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
August 24, 2015
Dear Fellow Servants,
We are enjoying the Lord’s blessings and hope you are too. As with most of you, we are nearing the end of school vacation. Summers in France are quite different from those in the USA. Most people leave town for about a month which means that at any given time during the summer about half of the houses in our neighborhood are empty. However, this can be useful in building relationships with people. Since most scheduled activities are on hold, people have more time to visit.
During the past few weeks we have had people to our home for meals and gone to the homes of others to eat with them. Some of our most effective moments for communicating the Gospel is in these settings. During the past month we have had people in our home for the first time and spent hours talking to them. We have also been able to reconnect with people that we have not seen for some time.
Another important activity this month has been planning for the coming school year. This includes deciding what God wants us to teach in Sunday School and Bible studies during the coming year, where we need to start new projects and what we need to stop doing. Judy and I have decided to work on optimizing the relationships God has given us. We have a large number of friends as a result of the activities in which we are or have been involved, but have a difficult time finding time to have these folks over for meals where important conversations take place. Since evening time is always at a premium and is when we can see people, I have decided to stop singing in the community choir in order to dedicate more time to cultivating friendships.
A number of young folks who have attended services, Sunday School and meetings with us as they were growing up are now in College. We are concerned because a number of these have never professed faith in Christ. Amanda, our daughter-in-law, is starting a fellowship/Bible study time with the girls who attend local colleges. If we can get some boys interested, we will have a boys meeting and from time to time have all the students meet together.
Two days ago Judy and I were blessed with the birth of our 12th grandchild. We are going to be in the Chicago area during the month of September so that we can visit with our children there and help with the newborn. This will also give me the opportunity to spend a few days with Mom and Dad and Paul and Wanda. The Lord willing, I plan to be with them to celebrate Mom’s 90th birthday.
Thank you for your faithful support and prayers. God is blessing your investment and we are delighted to be on the team with you.
Sharing the Good News in France,
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 [August 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
August 1, 2015
Dear Fellow Servants,
We hope that you are enjoying the Lord’s blessings this summer. Many of you are busy with Vacation Bible School and Youth and Family camps. The effort invested in these summer ministries is well worth it. During our lifetime we have seen many come to Christ and mature spiritually through Christian camps and evangelistic outreach to youth.
The month of July was quite busy which makes me happy. On the 4th of July, the annual neighborhood dinner was held. We are very grateful for this gathering because it gives us the opportunity to build relationships, get acquainted with folks and witness. These usually start at about 6pm and continue to 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning. And at the end there is the clean up.
This year I had the opportunity to communicate our reason for believing with two neighbors. One of these is a professed atheist and the other is an agnostic. This is not the exception in France. Our yard is bordered by four other yards. Three of these four immediate neighbors are atheist. However, we have a cordial relationship with all of them. We sow in hope. According to Christ, our behavior is essential in communicating the gospel to these folks. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Good works in this context does not seem to refer to church activities, but serving others for Jesus sake. Daily, we must ask ourselves, “How can I show the love of Christ to this (or that) individual in my actions?” The apostle Paul seems to mean this in the counsel to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Several years ago a new neighbor informed us that she was an atheist. A little while later she said, “You know I don’t believe in God, but we feel so good when you and Judy are around.” And…we did share meals together quite often. These usually included at least one other family. Often, this lady’s husband would say to everyone at the table, “I have just about come to agree with John” and then to me, “John, tell them what you believe.” About four years after meeting them, she invited us to help her celebrate her 50th birthday along with about 70 or 80 people from all over France. Just as everyone was getting ready to dig in, she stopped them and pointing to Judy and me, said, “These are some of our best friends. He is a pastor. John, please say a few words.” Unexpectedly, she called on me to share the gospel with her friends. Not too long before they moved to a neighboring town, she came running over, knocked on the door to tell us, “I want you to know that I now believe in God and that He has worked personally in my life.” From atheism to this point in her life was a stretch of about 10 years. We love what we are doing in France.
Evidence of God at work in new disciples has also been a part of the blessings this month. Many years ago Judy and I started driving weekly to the city of Mazere which is a bit over an hour’s drive each way. The purpose was to have a weekly Bible study with Douceline, a young Christian lady who lived there, and who was very discouraged because she was alone and over an hour’s drive from any church. She has grown in the Lord. She started to invite people she met to the Bible study. Some of them are now saved. She now sees herself as a missionary to this spiritually needy area. About a dozen persons come to the Bible study and she has individual Bibles studies with others. While she was gone on vacation this summer, a couple that has been coming for about two years invited us hold the Bible study in their home. Then another lady who has been coming for about a year invited us to hold the next one at her home and to stay for dinner afterwards. This is one of the individuals with whom Douceline has been having Bible studies investigating the Gospel. This lady who invited us is married to a likable young man who is an atheist. I will include some snapshots of the evening.
Well, I will save the rest for another month. This letter is beginning to look like a journal. Thank you for your regular participation in what God is doing here. We thank God for you daily. May His richest blessings fill your life.
Joyfully sharing the Good News in 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 [July 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
June 27, 2015
Dear Fellow Servants,
It hardly seems possible that I last wrote you just 4 weeks ago. This has been a busy and blessed month and it seems to me as if 3 months have passed since my last letter to you.
On Tuesday of this week our daughter Lydia gave birth to a beautiful daughter, our 11th grandchild. We are full and running over with God’s blessings. I will insert here a few words from Lydia written the morning following Jeanette Miriam’s birth:
Jeanette: a form of John, meaning “God is gracious”, also a bit of a family name for me. This name reminds us (and hopefully someday her) of the gracious gift of legacy she has. A legacy that includes, but extends far beyond the “Johns” in her family line. A legacy not focused on great acts performed for God, but on God’s great grace extended to those who go before her. Grace that has been extended in all seasons. We want her to know this legacy, because we want her to know this God, whose grace will carry her.
Miriam: the Hebrew form of “Mary”, mother of Jesus. A woman who surrendered herself to the will of God as his servant. Clueless, as she treasured the early events of her son’s life in her heart, what her surrender would mean. Bearing the weight of social stigma was only the beginning of the sword that would pierce her own soul as Simeon prophesied. She was called to be a refugee, to face the fear of a twelve year old runaway, to be “pushed out” of her son’s life on account of strangers, to watch her eldest child crucified surrounded by lies. May our daughter someday have the faith to declare herself fully surrendered to the will of God, even though she has no clue what His will may bring.
Judy was able to be there at the time of the birth and is staying 3 more weeks to help with the newborn and 3 other children. I am in France with the weeks scheduled tight and basking in the sunshine of God’s grace though missing Judy tremendously.
Just as Jeanette was being born, I was at funeral in a town north of us. A brother of a man I discipled for several years was killed in a paragliding accident. The Religious structure was packed with people and many were standing outside the door. There were over 300 people present in the middle of a work day. The man whose empty body lay in the casket before us was 48 years old at the time of his death and left a widow with 2 teenage sons. I grieved at the empty pagan christianity displayed in the traditional religious ceremony. I observed my friend who was with his family while not participating in the hopeless activities other than to help his mother as she got up and down to participate in various parts of the mass. I prayed that God would open the eyes of the family and draw them to Himself. I prayed that Jean-François would have the privilege of leading them to Christ.
In last month’s letter I mentioned that a lady in the assembly at Tournefeuille had given birth to a baby girl. The day after I wrote was Sunday and the child’s father insisted that they come to Sunday morning service on their way home from the hospital. This was a first for me. In over 40 years of pastoring, I do not remember anyone bringing their newborn child to church on the way home from the hospital. This father has attended regularly for several years. He asked that we sing a particular song of praise (not available in English) for this special Sunday. This young man lost one parent when he was 10 and the other when he was 13. They both claimed to be atheist. We continue to pray for him.
In the last letter, I also mentioned that we were to have a Youth meeting later in the day. A young lady was here for the first time brought by one of the kids who comes to church here. On the way home she told the mother of the youth who brought her that she felt like she was barging in because she did not believe in God. This opened the door for the mother to witness to her.
These are just a few of the incidents where we have seen God at work this month. We have had great Bible studies at all of our locations and new visitors who showed a real interest. Thank you for participating with us in what God is doing here. The dividends are out of this world!
You fellow servants in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
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 [June 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
May 30, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hit the ground running after returning from the Conference hosted by Thompson Rd. Baptist Church and it had been a good month. I am writing while waiting for the young people to arrive for the Youth meeting here in our home this evening. We continue to be very encouraged by this part of the outreach here. God has given us open doors with a broad age range in the ministry here.
This week, one of the believers in Tournefeuille gave birth to their second child, a baby girl. I am attaching some pictures of the baby shower given for her. This mother comes regularly accompanied by her unsaved husband and four year old son. The age range in our meetings in six different towns is quite evenly distributed over the entire spectrum of human life. It is our desire to reach people of all ages and God is enabling us to do this.
There have been new people on a regular basis in our various meetings and this is also a good thing to see.
Thank you, those who have been praying for J***** since the Spring Conference. I saw her last night for the first time since returning and she told me how much she and her children enjoyed the meeting and Sunday School. She volunteered that she would be returning. Please continue to pray for her and many others to whom we have open doors.
Last night, the choir in which I sing had a concert and while I was waiting for our entrance time I heard a group of the singers near mean discussing how God is all of us and He is everything or in everything. This pantheistic idea is rather popular among those who claim to believe in “something”. Many others readily express the fact that they are atheist. A majority of folks here find it ludicrous to believe that there is only one supreme, creator God and the only way to Him is through Jesus Christ, who is God. But, some believe.
Ask God to help us be consistent witnesses of Him and for the work of the Holy Spirit to draw sinners to the Savior.
Thank you for your faithful support.
Gratefully giving the Good News in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Face to Face is Better than Facebook: How you can help connecting with your missionaries while on furlough
by John Mark Hatcher, missionary to France
We are grateful for the many conveniences available to us that facilitate communication worldwide. But, there is no better way to communicate than face to face.
Judy and I have lived and worked in France for 16 years. We are profoundly grateful for the faithful support that we receive from many people we have not met. But, we want to meet you. I think all the missionaries you support want to meet you personally. Why? New generations and new members in churches have a difficult time relating to missionaries they have never met. It is easier to understand the vision and passion of a missionary when you can personally talk to them and listen to them. The missionary better knows how to communicate with his supporters when he knows them personally. A missionary may be used by the Lord to help you reach out to folks in your community who need Christ. The missionary understands better how to pray for people he knows personally.
Making these personal contacts is not always easy because we can not be away from the work we are called to do for long periods of time. The longest amount of time Judy and I have spent in the United States since moving to France was 11 weeks. So, it is important that we make the best use of these short visits to the USA if we are to meet are supporters.
Here is what you can do to make this happen:
- When you see in our letters that we are going to be in the USA, contact us as soon as possible to set up a time to visit you or your church.
- Do not worry about not being able to give a big love offering. We know that churches are often strapped financially.
- If you know of a car that is available for us to use, let us know. It is expensive and difficult to purchase a car for a few weeks and then resell it. It is much less expensive to pay for insurance (and even monthly car payments) on a car loaned to us. So, if you have a car that is not being used (even temporarily) that you could loan to us when we are in the USA, contact us or David Parks.
You are important as an integral part of what God is doing.
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [May 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
May 7, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
During the month since I last wrote you we have covered a lot of miles and seen evidence of God at work in the USA as well as in France. We arrived home last Saturday night after being away for 13 days. The Tournefeuille church meets in our home so we couldn’t sleep in on Sunday morning! It was good to be back with our church family here in France.
The return trip began in Lexington where we participated in two important events. Both of which were a delight and the cause of much thanksgiving on our part. The first of these was the Spring Conference hosted by Thompson Rd. Baptist Church. It had been six years since we last attended this conference. The fellowship was great, the singing was great, the food was great, the messages were great! The theme: Knowing Christ and Making Christ Knows was aptly addressed and we are encouraged by what God is doing.
John & Alta Hatcher with some of their family, including all their children who remain on earth.
As we were waiting for the beginning of the first service just inside the entrance to the church’s home we were nearly knocked off our feet by the surprise (to us) arrival of Mary and Vince Watson, faithful members of Emmanuel Baptist Church during the last 10 years or so of our ministry there. Words can not describe the delight this evoked in our hearts. I had also noticed that Pastor Steve Hall was to speak. This intrigued me for two reasons: First, I didn’t think Steve was in the loop of Baptist Faith Missions, and secondly, I didn’t know he was a pastor! As it turned out, it was the Steve Hall I we knew who was at the Conference with his lovely wife, Deb (formerly Terrell). We were able to renew our acquaintance and review what God has done and is doing. And, these two couples were just four among many wonderful friends in the family God that we were able to visit with. Time was just too short! Thanks Thompson Rd. Church and all the others who worked so tirelessly to be the conduit used by God to provide all of these blessings.
John A. Hatcher celebrating his 90th birthday!
The other great event we celebrated in Lexington was Dad’s 90th birthday. He was born in Alexandria, KY. just a bit north. What a delight to be there for this wonderful occasion and to review with family the innumerable blessings that we have received from our dear Heavenly Father. We were able to visit with many family members from four generations that we had not seen in a long time. During two weeks I was able to visit with my parents and all of my siblings who are still on earth. What a feast and foretaste of heaven! I am including a picture of the birthday celebration.
We hit the ground running here in France. There have been services and Bible studies every day since we returned and each day has been packed with other things that needed to get done. The list is still not exhausted, but this helps us not notice the jet lag so much.
While in Lexington, we received the message that a young lady, who is in the same community choir as I, came on Sunday bringing her two children. I have had the opportunity to talk about the Lord to her and she seems quite interested. She said she enjoyed the meeting and said she would be back.
Thank you for your participation in our lives and ministry.
Rejoicing in France,
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 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
April 7, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Spring Conference hosted by Thompson Rd. Baptist Church starts 3 weeks from yesterday and we hope to see you there. It has been six years since we last participated in this conference in Lexington, KY. It is not possible for us to be away from Tournefeuille, France for lengthy periods of time, particularly during the school year, without adversely affecting the work here. We will be in the USA for just a few days to celebrate Dad’s 90th birthday and to attend the Spring Missionary Conference.
The main work here in Tournefeuille is going quite well. I am including some pictures taken during the song part of the service Sunday. We have had new visitors and promises from several others to come as well. The Lord has given us a number of good contacts lately and we are grateful for these opportunities to share the Good News.
At Pujaudran, our newest Bible study there have been new folks at each meeting and a great participation. The couple who host this Bible study came here in a job transfer and we met them shortly after they arrived. They were already believers and are great recruiters. Eva, the wife, was born in Malta to Polish parents. She grew up in Australia where she was taken to a Baptist Youth camp by a friend. She trusted the Lord and was baptized in a Baptist church. He grew up in a family of believers and trusted the Lord early in life. Their example underscores the importance of making disciples who are in love with the Lord and ready to communicate that love with others.
In Mazere, things are also going quite well. At our meeting last Wednesday we had two first time participants. Douceline the young lady who hosts this study in her home also has Bible studies with two other ladies at other times during the week. We are very encouraged by what is happening in this town.
There are other Bible studies that we do not lead. Philip and Amanda have a Bible study once a week and Wendy, the single missionary who works with us also hosts a weekly Bible study.
Inductive Bible studies are the primary means that we use to communicate the Gospel to those who do not know Christ. After people trust the Lord, these continue and become the primary means of discipleship. When people do not know God or do not have any knowledge of His word, they must first understand before they can trust. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. A passage which encouraged us to move in this direction is Paul’s experience at Ephesus which led to Gospel being propagated throughout Asia Minor where Paul himself was not able to enter earlier, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:9-10)
So, we continue and are thankful daily for your faith support.
Anticipating getting to see you at the Lexington Conference,
John and Judy
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [March 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
March 5, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the Lord’s blessings. You are a blessing to us and the work of the Lord in France.
As mentioned in our last letter, Darrell and Shirley Messer were with us for a few days early in February. We certainly enjoyed visiting with them. Unfortunately, our winter school vacation started just as they arrived and our Sunday meeting was a record low for the last couple of years. Several of our regularly scheduled Bible studies and activities did not take place for the same reason, but the Messers were able to see some of what God is doing here.
Two days ago, Judy and I celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that it was really that long ago. When I was about ten years old, my mother encouraged us in one of our family devotional times to begin praying for the person God wanted us to marry. I began doing this on a regular basis and God certainly answered my prayers. As Christ and the apostle Paul tell us, some people receive the gift of being able to serve the Lord as a single person. I am so grateful for several believers that I know who have committed their lives to the service of God as single people. The Lord created us and knows us intimately. He certainly knew that I would not be very effective alone. I am thankful beyond words for the life and ministry mate God gave me.
Last week we started a new Bible study in the neighboring department. We had intended on starting it two months ago but the host couple lost a newborn child and postponed the first meeting. I had met this couple last November when they arrived in our area with a job transfer. What a wonderful surprise we had for the kick off last Wednesday. Thinking that there would be perhaps 6 individuals present, we were thrilled to have a dozen. This new couple are great recruiters. Judy and I both delightfully await what God will do through this Bible study. Our other Bible studies are going well as are the Sunday meetings.
Dad turns 90 in April and we are planning to be in the US for just a few days to celebrate this event with Dad and the family and also to attend the Spring Missions Conference hosted by Thompson Rd. Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. It has been 6 years since we were last at this conference. I would love to see you there.
We pray that God will meet your needs and use you as His light where you live. Please pray for us.
Proclaiming the Good News in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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