As some of you may know, I am a member of Ammanford Evangelical Church (AKA Ammanfordchurch.com). In the past few years in which I have been a member, the church has seen exciting gospel growth. I witnessed spiritual growth in young people when I helped out with the youth. I have seen the church grow in number and fellowship. We have seen new projects start up and help the community, such as the food bank, feeding hundreds of people already. One of the more recent exciting gospel growths is the recent church plant in Crosshands.
Cross Hands Church is being planted by the people of Ammanford Evangelical Church. God is calling us to plant a church and reach out to the nearly 25,000 people living in the Gwendraeth Valley with the Gospel.
The church is very much in the early stages of its life, and for the moment it is trying to establish who the core members of the church are going to be. They meeting on a Sunday afternoon to worship God through singing, praying and being shaped by the Gospel. During the week there will be bibles studies held to encourage and grow the community of Christ followers that are building up in the church.
I have had the privilege of attending two meetings in Crosshands so far. I have been to quite a few electric atmospheres in my life. One that sticks out in my mind is following the mighty Swansea City to Wembley stadium to earn promotion to the Premier league. Almost 90,000 passionate football fans packed in. I can honestly say that I am more buzzing about Crosshands than I was about my Wembley experience.
There is nothing better than seeing a group of messy, broken people being shaped by Jesus. Matt Bounds preached from Philippians 2:12-18,
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
That sermon should be uploaded here in the next couple of days. It is well worth a listen.
Can I urge you to pray for Crosshands Church and for the the Gwendraeth Valley as a whole. This place, just like every other, needs the Gospel. Only the Gospel will satisfy. Nothing but the Gospel will offer any sort of hope. Church plants, like the one in Crosshands, can only survive if the Gospel is being released. There is a great verse in Psalm 127:1,
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain.
You can read more about Crosshandschurch.com here. You can also read an excellent article about it here.
am Jamie, and I am a Christ follower. I love Jesus but more importantly he loves me and made the ultimate sacrifice of his son so that all the things I have done, and will do, have been forgiven. And now I know God, and I pursue to know him more. Motivated and transformed by his grace I live for God, to glorify him by enjoying him.
the shed 
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