It had been months of silence. When we returned from the Middle East, our hearts were full of stories – and yet empty. We had given all we had. We had seen God move: a church planted outside a major city, Jesus proclaimed in places we never imagined setting foot. It was beautiful. It was hard. And when it was done, we were tired.
So we rested. We prayed. We asked God what was next. Because when you have walked the dusty streets of the Middle East with the gospel in your hands, you cannot simply “move on.” You need vision. You need clarity. You need Him. Slowly, through prayer and the counsel of others, the Lord made the next step clear: UFM. Again and again, His people pointed us in that direction. Scriptures spoke of being sent, not going alone (Romans 10:14–15). Our church affirmed it. And so, UFM became His answer – His way of saying: I am not done with you yet.
UFM exists to walk alongside churches and mission workers with care, accountability, and prayer. They are not just an organisation but a family – rooted in the local church, the gospel and committed to Christ’s glory among the nations.
At the same time, God opened a door for me to serve as assistant pastor at a church in Somerset, while also pursuing further study. This is no accident. If the unchurched are to have a church, it needs shepherds shaped not by zeal alone but by the Spirit – tested, humbled, equipped, and taught to love Christ’s Bride. This season is one of learning: to preach faithfully, to walk with the broken, to guard the truth, and to serve with patience.
Archie and Adam’s stories
Meanwhile, the Spirit is at work far beyond us. In another major Middle Eastern city, Archie* – once frail and starving – now gathers sixty people weekly, breaking open the Scriptures with them. What changed him was not religion but the real presence of Jesus: Father, Friend, Provider, Healer.
… once a fighter for ISIS … grace remade him, and today he leads a small flock …
In a neighbouring Middle Eastern country, Adam* – once a fighter for ISIS – now preaches the gospel he once despised. Grace broke him, grace remade him, and today he leads a small flock under constant danger, with tears and trembling, but with Christ’s power.
A vision for a house of healing
And now, before us lies our destination. A city scarred by war, haunted by memories, yet longing for peace. God has given us a vision of a church there: not just a building, but a healing house – a place where the weary find rest, where the broken discover forgiveness, where disciples are made and sent out with the gospel.
This is the story God is writing. From silence to sending. From weakness to strength. And all of it for one purpose: that the name of Jesus would be lifted high, in the Middle East and to the ends of the earth.
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory” Psalm 115:1.
*Names and identities have been changed
Main photograph: for illustration purposes only
C&E were appointed to UFM as Associate Mission Partners in early 2025. They carry a long-term vision to see churches planted and local leaders raised in the heart of the Middle East.