Mourning Loss and Finding Hope After 4 Deaths Across 3 Countries
December 12, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for your participation with us in service of our Savior in Southern France. During the last two weeks our lives and the lives of many of our friends have been touched by death; four deaths in three different countries. On the first of December a close friend of a lady who has participated in the Bible study in Mazère died. As far as we know this individual died without Christ.
Two days later S—, an Iranian lady who has come to our L’Union Bible study with her husband since it began, lost her oldest sister who was like a second mother to her. This sister lives in Iran, which makes contact with them a bit difficult. S— was very sad, but could not go to Iran to be with her extended family. She and her husband escaped Iran in 1986. He is a very kind man, but was sent to prison twice in Iran for political reasons. They have actively participated in the Bible study since it began about 4 years ago. He always reads the text we are studying in advance. This couple knew nothing from the Bible or about Jesus being the Savior when they first started coming. As far as I know, neither one of them have personally placed their faith in Christ, but they are very interested. Please pray for them to put their faith in Christ.
On the same day that this lady died in Iran, a close friend and our spiritual sister, Pat Thomas died in North Carolina, USA. She and her husband, Ken Thomas, arrived in southern Indiana in 1978 and became great friends and teammates of ours in the service of the Lord. Ken was pastor of Grove Baptist Church and they were wonderful active servants of the Lord as they compassionately touched lives and made disciples. We will miss Pat here on earth but look forward to being reunited with her in heaven.
Four days later the hostess of our Bible study in Mazère communicated with us about the death of her daughter-in-law’s mother. We were passively acquainted with Jean-Daniel and Jacqueline’s son and his wife. I was very surprised to receive a call from the son a day or two later asking if I would be able to preach the funeral of Isabelle, his mother-in-law. She and her husband were believers and members of a “sectish” church not too far from where we have the Bible study. They had left the church because of its “off the wall teachings”, but Isabelle was well known for loving people and sharing the good news. I preached the funeral yesterday. Isabelle and her husband Jean-Paul had 5 adult children and 6 grandchildren. This loving family and many friends were at the outdoor funeral in the cemetery. It lasted and hour and they wanted me to clearly present the gospel. We connected with many people and are looking forward to how God will touch the lives of those who were present. Some indicated that they wanted to contact me and discuss spiritual matters. Please pray with us for the gospel to reach the many individuals touched by these four deaths.
May God richly bless and encourage each of you.
Your fellow servants,
Judy and John Hatcher
Contact Info:
John Mark & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
jmhatcher@aol.com
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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Delighting in God’s Work Through Bible Studies Across France
December 13, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior. We are getting along fine and hope you are as well. We are excited to see God at work and to have you as fellow servants and supporters.
Judy and I just returned from a visit with Patricia in her home. You may remember our request for your intercession on her behalf in our last letter. Frankly, I did not think she would be able to return to her apartment. I was wrong. She is receiving nutrition through a stomach tube as she is not able to swallow. A medical worker comes to her place each evening to load and activate the feeding mechanism. Barbara, one of the ladies from our church, has spent numerous hours visiting Patricia and seeking to help in the administrative aspects of her care. Please continue to pray for this needy lady that she might clearly understand and trust Christ as her Savior.
In the Fall of 2022, we began a new Bible study in the city of L’Union. The hostess was the only person besides us who was a believer. She wanted her friends to come to Christ. There are now usually 9 people at this Bible study. As perceived in their conversation, understanding of the Bible and regular worship service involvement, two seemed to have trusted Christ, though they have not yet made a public profession. The hostess followed Christ in baptism this past summer and we now have another believer from our church participating. God is at work and we are delighted. Please continue to pray for this Bible study.
Our Bible study in Mazeres is growing and last month a young army officer who attends professed his faith in Christ.
We have started a new Bible study in the City of Auterive and there are 10 people participating. These are believers or individuals who are very interested in studying the Bible.
This week, a lady with whom Judy and I have been meeting for about a year and a half trusted Christ as Savior. The history of her life is a wreck. However, in retrospect it is obvious that God has been intervening for years in her life to draw her to Himself. Our first contact with her was three years ago through her chiropractor who is a member of the church that meets in our home. This new believer has a son in first grade and a husband who both need Christ. Please pray for her.
Our Father is at work in many other ways around us and we are very encouraged. Let us all express our thanks to our Lord and continue to intercede for those who need a Savior and for believers in their spiritual growth.
We are delighted to have you ministering with us.
In Christ,
Judy and John
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
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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Evangelism, Shepherding, & Training Across Southern France
October 17, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for serving with us. God is changing lives in wonderful ways. Our ministry is quite broad, challenging and encouraging. It is a mixture of evangelism, shepherding and training. Judy and I spend time in personal counseling of individuals on a regular basis. We are driven to pray for wisdom, patience and the work of God in people’s heart. So, in the process, we grow in our relationship with our Father and Savior as well.
There is a new regular participant in our Bible study in the city of Mazeres. This young man is a carrier sub-officer in the army. This Bible study is made up of individuals who have already placed their faith in Christ. We are presently studying the Gospel of Luke.
We are starting a new Bible Study in the city of Auterive. A family from our church moved there a couple of years ago and are excited to host this Bible Study.
The Bible study in the city of L’Union is going very well. It is exciting to see the way God is touching the lives of the seekers who participate without missing. One lady seems to have trusted Christ though she has not made public profession of faith. The husband of the Iranian couple who fled their country years ago always thanks me with a great smile at the conclusion of each study.
Our three other studies are going well, and we are very encouraged by the way God is working in the lives of the participants. The regular Sunday meetings here in Plaisance du Touch are also going well. Philip is now doing the teaching as we study through the book of Acts. One young lady who trusted the Lord about a year ago is very involved in the study of the Word and church activities in addition to her Engineering Studies and job. She is the only believer in her family.
Philip and Amanda are self-supporting missionaries who work with us. A number of believers are passionately involved in serving the Lord and this is very encouraging to us.
May you enjoy God’s richest blessings,
John and Judy
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
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
Celebrating 25 Years of Sharing the Good News in France
September 2, 2024
Dear Fellow laborers,
We are back in France following a good trip to the USA for the wedding or our oldest granddaughter, Abigail. It was great to see friends and extended family members. Judy and I spent the last couple of weeks in Chicago where we had great moments with our children, their good spouses and eight grandchildren! God has abundantly blessed us in more ways than we could ever count. Both of our children who live in Chicago celebrated 20 years of marriage this summer. Their children range from 9 to 16 years old and are very enjoyable to be around.
David and Dulce celebrated their twenty years of marriage by spending a week in Mozambique. Judy and I got to enjoy their children and Lydia and Adam’s children during this time. It was wonderful. But, “ya just gotta do whacha gotta do”!
Four days after our return we had a great baptismal service at the encounter of two mountain rivers. Blandine, the hostess for our Bible studies in the city of L’Union followed the Lord in baptism. She is the only person in this Bible study with “seekers” who has made a profession of faith. All of the participants are very interested. All of them drove nearly a couple of hours to be at the baptism. There were about 50 people at the baptismal service. Most of these were not believers. We tried to give a clear Gospel message, and all were very attentive.
After the baptism we had a picnic with those who attended. Judy, Philip, Amanda and I spent most of the afternoon discussing spiritual matters with those who were there. One lady, who started coming to the Bible study at Blandine’s home about a year ago, is delighted with what she is learning about Christ. She has not made a public profession of faith, but I would not be surprised if that happens soon. On March 15th (less than 6 months ago) she began reading her Bible. She has read the entire Old Testament, the Gospels and a good number of the epistles! Jesus declared, “Seek and you will find”!
Speaking of celebrations, in a couple of weeks Judy and I will complete 25 years of sharing the Good News in Southern France. Philip and Amanda have been our partners in ministry for 23 years. Time passes fast. We thank God for the privilege of serving our Savior here. What a delight to see God change lives. Thank you for your participation with us.
Thankfully in Christ,
John and Judy
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
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
French Ladies Express Interest in Reading the Bible
March 18, 2024
Dear Fellow Servants of Christ,
Judy and I hope you are enjoying the Spring of God’s creation. We are delighted to have you as partners in the service of our Savior.
The past few weeks have been an encouragement to us. A good illustration are the events of our last Bible study in the city of L’Union. You may remember us mentioning in our last letter that the lady who hosts this meeting expressed her desire to be baptized. Typically, the Iranian couple who never misses was not there because they were hosting an extended family member who lives in Iran. The three other ladies at these studies are French ladies who were drawn to the Bible study by what they see in the hostess.
In these meetings, we are studying through the Gospel of John. We were approaching the end of our study of chapter 12 when the ladies began asking us many questions. The Good News of Jesus Christ is clearly touching the core of their beings. One of the last who originally presented herself as syncretist, appealing to eastern religious philosophies, is now expressing her delight in what she is reading in the Bible. Another lady was catechized as a child in the Catholic religion of her mother and predecessors. She stopped participating at the age of 17 because she saw no hope in the rituals. She told Judy that she bemoans the years that she wasted because she did not know there was anything else. We arrived home from that study at 12:30 a.m.! The following day I received a lengthy text from her stating that she had decided to read the Bible and wanting a recommendation of where to start and a good sequence for reading the books of the Old and New Testaments.
For more than a dozen years we have been having well attended youth meetings. Most of those who participate are in middle school and high school. These have been very effective in evangelizing and discipling these age groups. Last week Philip and Amanda hosted the first meeting of university-aged young adults. There were 11 young adults present and the meeting went very well.
Our other regular meetings in a half dozen different places are going quite well and we are greatly encouraged by what God is doing.
With much gratitude,
John and Judy Hatcher
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
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
Bible Studies Going Well
February 14, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope this finds you enjoying the Lord’s blessings. This past Sunday, Timo (a young man who started coming with his family when he was in Primary School) gave the message at our church service. He made a public profession of faith and was baptized about a year and a half ago. He has grown by leaps and bounds. Though he is a quiet guy, he has brought many friends.
Timo gave a message based on “A Case for Christ”. He got the word out to his friends, and we had a room full of university-aged young people. One young man who was present has recently left the Watch Tower Society religious group. He has trusted Christ and is excited about serving the Lord.
Our Bible Studies with the former Jehovah’s Witness participant are going well. She and her family desperately need a church with which they can fellowship. This is a great problem here in France. The closest Baptist church that we know of is over an hour drive from this family. They are about a three-hours’ drive from us. It would cost them about $50.00 in toll plus about the same amount in fuel. Judy and I are thankful that we are able to have Bible study with them using the Internet.
A couple of days before our Bible Study in L’Union last week, Blandine (the host) texted inviting us to dinner and indicating she would like to talk to us. We were not able to have dinner together as we had another Bible Study scheduled at this time. However, we did manage to get to her house a bit ahead of time. When asked what she wanted to discuss the answer was, “I want to get baptized.” She has been saved for many years and has had the dream of getting baptized in the Jordan River. She decided that she need to stop dreaming and follow the Lord in baptism. So, it is on the schedule!
There is a lady who comes to one of the Bible studies in Mazere has not made a profession of faith. She is married to a man who is a vocal atheist. Last night at the Bible study she mentioned someone that she wanted to invite to come.
We have been touched by deaths and serious surgeries during the last few days. Our hearts go out to the families touched by these painful circumstances here and in the USA. It reminds us of the necessity of sharing the Good News.
Thank you for your participation in the work God has sent us to do.
John and Judy
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
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
Two Baptized and a New Bible Study in English
October 16, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the Lord’s blessings. Since I last wrote to you, things have exploded in Israel and Gaza. It isn’t the first time it has happened in our lifetimes or during the last several thousand years. It is good for us to remember that God is on the throne. It is important to put our trust in Him; not in human strength or wisdom. Our present Sunday study is the Book of Isaiah. The present events underscore God’s message to Israel through Isaiah.
Yesterday, the son of the couple that hosts our Bible study in the city to L’Union was baptized. It is delightful to witness his enthusiasm for Christ. It is wonderful to see how God works through His children to bring others to himself.
If you have been praying for our newest Bible study with the couple who left the Watchtower Society, God is answering your prayers. Please continue to pray. The lady is quite interested and seems to have truly placed her faith in Jesus Christ. The husband seems to be more reticent; perhaps fearing that he will fall prey to another religious slavery machine. Upon reading this letter, would you pray for their witness to the wife’s family. They will be visiting them during the next couple of weeks and this family is also controlled by the Watchtower Society.
We have been very encouraged by the participation in our Sunday meetings. One lady who had not come for a long time is now attending. She shows an interest and the desire to continue. Another young lady (in first year of University) who trusted the Lord a few months ago through the influence of a Christian young man she was attracted to in High School attends regularly with great interest. She followed the Lord in baptism a couple of weeks ago. You may remember reading in our letter in late Spring about the many young people who came to Youth meeting through contact with Timo, who trusted the Lord and was baptized last summer. This young lady is one of these young people.
This week we will be beginning a second Bible Study in the city of Mazere. It will be in English to attract individuals who want to improve their English. Some folks that we did not previously know have committed to participate. These are contacts of the hostess who works in the Library and Museum in this City. We will be studying through the Gospel of Mark.
Thanks for participating with us in these endeavors.
Yours fellow servants in Christ,
John and Judy
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
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
God is Answering Your Prayers
February 15, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are grateful to God for your faithful support for many years. Our Father is answering your prayers. The Church meetings in Tournefeuille and Bible studies in six different locations are going quite well. We are doing studies in Isaiah, John, Hebrews, Ruth and a couple of topical studies. Some of these studies are with believers who are growing in the faith and encouraging one another. Other studies are with lost people who are interested in learning about Christ.
The newest Bible Study in the city of L’Union is, besides the hostess, a meeting with seekers. The term seekers fits them well because they do not miss and have become increasingly more open. One lady, who drives about a dozen miles to the meetings, has noticeably become more open and touched by the Gospel. In the beginning she was quite confrontational. It now is obvious that she has encased herself in an armor to protect sentimental wounds that have accumulated over her 56 years of life. She has invited us and others in the group to come to her house tomorrow. Please continue to pray for these folks. Jesus said, “Seek and you will find.”
Our youth meetings have been very exciting. As I mentioned in my last letter, our present study series is about being a witness for Christ. One way to express our faith is to communicate to others how God has worked in our lives. It may be telling how Christ brought you to Himself or how He has worked in your life since you trusted Him. The youth have been enthusiastic about sharing their testimonies and hearing the testimonies of others.
By the time you read this, Judy and I will have celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. It has been a wonderful life serving the Lord together on three different continents. She is a terrific teammate as well as a very loving spouse who has personally helped me grow spiritually. God has blessed us with four wonderful children, two wonderful daughters-in-law and a fine son-in-law. They are all serving the Lord in many different areas. We are really blessed to have 12 lovely grandchildren. Most recently God added a fine Christian grandson-in-law!
Many of you have been a part of our lives for many years and we thank God for you.
Serving our Savior together in France,
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.
Read more
