Birmingham City Mission Updates
John Platt 9th April 2025
Dear prayer supporters,
A brief update on the work over the last 2 or 3 weeks.
Fulfil
A further comment or two about the Fulfil youth event a few weeks ago:…
A teacher who brough some students from their Christian club said that ‘one of our students went home after Fulfil and shared the gospel with his non-believing parents for the first time by sharing about what he learned and being empowered to share his own testimony!
A Muslim young person took a NT and showed interest.
Assemblies
Thank you for your prayers for the recent Easter assemblies: Hope amid Disappointment. We have so far covered about 24 schools with 6 or 7 more to go during the rest of this week.
In total - during the four weeks leading up to this Friday – the team and church partners will have covered 31 schools in person. And an additional 1 virtual. Delivering 99 Assemblies and 4 Lessons.
It has been thrilling to see openings into about 3 new schools and to enable local church partners to come into those schools to co-deliver the material alongside us and to strengthen those links. Members of staff have asked us if we would come back for more assemblies after Easter. We pray that this might indeed happen.
Would you continue to pray that hope will be ministered to the students and their teachers both on a horizontal and vertical level, in their lives and spiritually.
A team member came across a young person in their school who attends their youth group. She told them that her friendship group and herself have recently decided that God exists, and that they should stop using God’s name in vain. She said that she found the assembly really encouraging because she keeps making the mistake even though she doesn’t want to. The assembly taught her to be hopeful.
You can view the Easter assembly if you like, and you are very welcome to use it in your projects and churches this season if you like. Here is the full video:
Full video - Hope Despite Disappointment - Easter video 2025.m4v
RE Lessons.
We have recently done some Easter lessons. As part of this we have looked at theories of the missing body of Jesus (‘Investigating the body’ activity)
When a team member asked the students to put their hands up at the end for which of the theories they supported the majority put their hands up for the last one that Jesus both died and rose again. A number of these students appeared to be of an Islamic background (the teacher also mentioned that the majority of the students were Muslim). One of the presumably Muslim students thanked us both at the end and also said hi to both of the team the next day when we saw him in the corridor
Please find more BCM info below including info on our Spring Convention (9-10th May – with some excellent speakers) and a link to download our April prayer letter.
Thank you for your prayer and support.
Wishing you all every blessing in our Lord,
John
John Platt 9th December 2024
Dear prayer supporters,
Thank you for your prayers for BCM youth team’s Christmas secondary school programme so far this season. Over the last fortnight we have visited 14 schools doing 28 assemblies and 3 R.E lessons.
It has all gone well so far. One of the lessons was at an independent Christian school, another at an independent Islamic schools – showing the range of schools we visit and the (perhaps surprising) opportunities we have to present Christ. One of last week’s assemblies was disrupted by a pupil letting off a Stink bomb during the presentation! The staff intervened and dealt with the situation before we could continue shortly after!
We would value continued prayer for the programme continuing this week and for the next fortnight. This coming week we will be visiting a further 9 schools doing 30 assemblies and 2 R.E lessons. The week after we will be visiting 9 more schools delivering 29 assemblies. (An overall total of 32 schools doing 77 assemblies and 5 lessons during the whole four week long period).
Please pray that the bookings wouldn't be cancelled and for health and energy and safe travels, and for the tech to work! And, most importantly, that the young people would have ears to hear the good news and would consider what really matters in life.
You are welcome to view the full video of the assembly. It’s a recording of the whole 11 minute assembly being delivered. Open it by clicking on this link: Christmas Assembly 2024 - Full pre-recorded video - Reaching The Goal.m4v It’s a big file so it’s worth downloading it first. Let me know if you have any problems accessing it.
Here is an alternative means of accessing it, if needed: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rMEuf8tk5zeb0rpeIwWPSEXhse7cP6F4/view?usp=drive_link
The presenters are friends of BCM Rianne Card and Rich Hendrikson (a supporter and friend of our family) and a certain man you may recognise!
This assembly is on ‘Reaching the Goal’ based on the Wise Men journey to see Jesus and his journey from heaven to earth to save sinners.
How for Jesus his goal in rescuing & helping people motivated him to make his great cosmic journey; how for the Magi their Goal of seeing Jesus motivated them to make their epic journey to visit Jesus. And, our worthwhile goals can motivate us with our journeys in life.
Thank you for your continued support. Will let you know how it all goes.
See BCM’s December newsletter attached for your information and prayers.
Every blessing in Christ,
John
BCM Youth Team Update December 2024
Dear friends,
Hope you are well and knowing God’s strength and grace each day. And here we are into December and Advent! See below updates from earlier this term along with upcoming plans including the youth team’s upcoming Christmas schools programme.
Thank you for your support of my work. I am sorry it has been a long time since my previous contact. A lot has happened since then.
NEWS THIS TERM
Oliver and Kam joined BCM’s Youth Team in early October. An existing colleague also began working with me part-time. So I have three new colleagues! (see photo attached). It’s a sudden change from me being the only team member for the previous6 months (although supported by a number of volunteers). So I am thankful for this new era of our youth ministry and am seeking to lay the right foundations and train the team well and use them according to their giftings – finding the right opportunities and ventures for them.
Recent schools visits
In October and early November we visited 17 schools, doing assemblies at 15 of them and lessons at 2 schools. We delivered two assembly presentations to the schools: ‘Overcoming': Resilience (how various figures from history overcame including Jesus our Lord in order to save his people from sin) and ’Love your Neighbour’ based on the Good Samaritan (with Jesus as the Ultimate Good Samaritan, the Great ‘Rescuer’).
The R.E lessons were at Aston Manor Academy and at Bournville School (first time we have been there since 2019) were both on GCSE Key Christian Beliefs. John was able to present about the Oneness and Triune Nature of God, Christ’s identity and mission: incarnation, life, atoning death for sin, resurrection, ascension, reign and return. And, the difference these truths make in the lives of practicing Christians. With the second lesson (a 2 hour lesson at Aston Manor) Olly joined John in answering the many questions that students had for us, largely the standard Islamic objections type of questions!
FULFIL, 15th November
205 young people from 19 churches came to the autumn Fulfil youth event. They enjoyed an action packed evening of praise music, messages and gospel presentation. Clare Williams of Real Questions gave a gospel presentation and covered questions that young people often ask.
A school group came (the C.U club at a local school held on a Friday afternoon, led by 2 Christian teachers). Over 40 students attend the club, half of whom are Muslims and they are open to hearing about Jesus. The teachers brought along 31 students in two minibuses from their locally based school to Fulfil! One Muslim girl later told her teacher: ' this was the best thing ever’!!
A number of the Muslims took Christian literature too from the literature table.
It is a joy to bring young people together from across the city to worship God together and grow in their understanding of Christ.
Coming up……
I would value prayer for our Christmas assemblies in secondary schools taking place during the lead up to Christmas. This four-week programme begins next week (Mon 25th Nov) and lasts until Friday 20th December. It is done in partnership with our volunteers and church partners. We will each be visiting 2-3 schools on average per day over the period. Our aim is, as ever, to present what the Bible teaches about Jesus’ identity and mission in coming to earth. We visit various types of school including one or two Islamic schools and Alternative Provision centres.
Around 30 schools will receive our Christmas assembly and/or lesson equating to several thousand young people and their teachers.
This year’s Christmas assembly will be on ‘Reaching the Goal’ based on the Wise Men journey to see Jesus and his journey from heaven to earth to save sinners. (see a couple of images from the assembly Powerpoint attached).
How a worthwhile goal can motivate us on our journey toward it. We encourage students to think of and purse goals and dreams that are truly worthwhile – ones that last and truly matter (we are praying that they will discover that this is Jesus!).
How for Jesus his goal in rescuing & helping people motivated him to make his great journey from heaven to earth; how for the Magi their Goal of seeing Jesus motivated them to make their epic journey to visit Jesus. And, our worthwhile goals can motivate us with our journeys in life.
So, I would be grateful if you would remember this in prayer as and when this comes to mind perhaps along these lines:
-for health, and energy to fulfil the bookings and for safe travel across the city;
-for good partnership in delivery with local churches and our volunteers;
-for BCM’s links with schools to be strengthened;
-the Lord to protect this work from any who may not be supportive of our work;
- that the Lord may work in the hearts of all of the young people and staff over the Christmas period;
-that these bookings will lead to further and regular opportunities for us in each of these schools
We praise God for all these open doors of opportunity and we pray that the Holy Spirit will be at work to bring the light and knowledge of Christ and that help will be brought to many amid their different circumstances. Pray for us as a team that we would know the Lord’s strength, unity and wisdom over the next few weeks and that we would have a restorative break over Christmas with family.
I also have preaching engagements throughout December for which I’d value prayer.
You will find below BCM’s recent news updates and publications. If you don’t receive this regularly via post or email contact our office to arrange. So, see the below.
Thank you for your support and prayers.
Much appreciated and every blessing,
John