From Lent to Lunchtimes: How One Small Step Sparked Something Bigger – Suzy Pearson – Ballsall Common
This Lent, we decided to run a Start course – a simple, welcoming space for anyone curious about the Christian faith. We timed it to follow our Warm Welcome Café, hoping people might stay on. In the end, no café visitors did… but something even more unexpected happened.
Three teenagers from the local secondary school showed up.
The next week, they brought a friend.
The week after, their sister joined in.
And the week after that? Another friend!
What began with three curious teens quickly grew into a group of young people exploring faith together. Over the weeks, they began reading their Bibles, praying regularly, and even started asking about baptism and confirmation.
When we asked, “What next?”, they suggested starting a lunchtime group at school to continue exploring the Bible. During the course, they’d discovered one of their teachers was a Christian, so they asked if this might be possible.
The response? A resounding yes! The teacher offered to support them, and they now have permission to start the club.
Sometimes the fruit of our ministry doesn’t grow in the way we expect, but it grows all the same.
This story is a beautiful reminder that small, faithful steps (like running a simple course) can lead to surprising, Spirit-led outcomes.
- Could you run a Start course or something similar in your community?
- Could you create a space where faith is explored, questions are welcomed, and lives are quietly transformed?
You never know who might walk through the door.