On June 25th 2025, we received a phone call from Paul Hudson (Elim’s regional leader of the Midlands and the Northeast) to ask us if we would go and lead Kidderminster Elim for a year. The same question that has been asked of us all our Elim ministry, would you go to Porth? Would you go to East Africa, Blackpool, Halifax (this was to help our great friends, Dave and Karen Green) Newcastle, Whitley Bay. We’ve always said ‘yes’.
Most of the above have been curve balls, we never looked for any of them, they came to us.
Kidderminster was most certainly a curve ball! We were leaving our beloved Kingdom life church, Newcastle in the September of 2025, but the situation in Kidderminster needed me (I was appointed by Paul as the senior pastor) with John firmly by my side, to begin as soon as possible. So, for 6 weeks, we took it on whilst living in Newcastle. John and I would alternate. One of us would travel down on the Saturday to preach on the Sunday and if it were my turn, I’d stay for a couple of days in the office, trying to get to grips with this new setting.
What we found was a deeply hurting church – the ending is amazing – so stay with me!
The atmosphere was hard, due to confusion, pain, some couldn’t agree with Elim’s handling of the situation, and we were parachuted in. No interview, no getting to know each other. Imagine it – One week they didn’t know us from Adam, and the next I was their pastor. Tough days and weeks for everyone. By August we even wondered if we could continue! We wrote to Paul to say, ‘beam us up Scottie!’ There were so many situations that we were facing. Not just John and I but the congregation too.
Within a few weeks, most of the leadership left, two worship leaders and some of the congregation.
I knew our vision couldn’t be about reaching Kidderminster, we weren’t there for that. I believe God told us to love and empower the people and to implement Acts 2:42.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to the breaking of bread, fellowship and prayer”
As I look back in my journal, it’s hard to believe how hard it was for those first couple of months.
One of the things I wrote was, ‘we can either tread water until a new pastor comes, or we take it on, treading water will drive us made and taking it on will mean spiritual warfare.’
We took it on. We turned Tuesday nights into prayer and the word and quickly gathered around 25-30 people every week to pray. This became the core of the church. Every church has one and the best place for you to know where your core is, is who comes to pray. We had great times and by September, people were beginning to tell us, things are shifting.
We had moved to Wales by now, so the travelling was 3 hours less. Sundays began at 6.00am, on the road by 7 to get to church by 9. Sundays began to be free-er. Comments like, ‘the Holy Spirit is here’ ‘it’s like a breath of fresh air’ ‘we feel like a family’ began to flow. I watched people take initiatives like moving chairs, washing up, cooking, signing up for rotas, taking on new ministries. It was wonderful to watch.
By November we had a new working team, including those from the original team who stayed. We gelled quickly and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them.
The worship team gradually built back up. God was building his church.
By the time we got to Christmas- parties, celebrations, and snow machines, I knew we’d reached a landmark! It was a family.
Mine and Johns responsibility was to plant and water. God would cause the growth.
We’ve seen salvations and growth in ways we could never have imagined back in July 25. I feel immensely proud of Kidderminster Elim Church. For the people who trusted me to lead them – my first lead pastor role – thank you.
In February of this year, it was time to announce that the leadership had appointed a new pastor. We had 7 weeks left!
Easter Sunday would be our last.
That, of course, was yesterday! (5th April 2026). We baptised 5 people, the church was packed and full of joy, yes, we shed some tears, goodbyes are never easy, but the overriding emotion was one of celebration as you can see from the photos! God has done incredible things in a short space of time.
As I reflect over the last nine months, what have I learned? It’s not rocket science.
Go to work in prayer, love God, love people, speak truth in love, teach the word of God, have fun, empower people into ministry.
I may not be the pastor of Kidderminster Elim Church anymore, but I know we’ve made friends for life!
9 months, 10,000 miles. Was it hard? Yes. Was it challenging? Yes. Was it worth it? 10,000 times yes!!
If you’d like to watch our last service, click the link below
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