28 months ago, Adrian Watts left Oak Hill Theological College. He moved to Bradford and started a church plant with his fellow-pastor, Tom Swinney. Over the next couple of days, The Good Book Blog talks to Adrian about why he chose to plant in Bradford and how things are going ...
Tell us 2 things that delight your heart as you look back over the past year or so
1) Seeing Trinity Church go from a plant to a small established congregation.
Two and half years ago, Tom, his wife Caroline and I were eating a chilli together discussing for the first time the possibility of working together on a church plant in West Yorkshire. Today I sit in the office with Tom as I write a Bible study on Acts 12 for tomorrow evening's Growth Group. Recently we welcomed new students at the Fresher’s Fayre at the Trinity Church stall. Last year we were called as a church plant and now we are known as a church. It is incredible how God has answered our prayers to establish this new church. We have fifteen committed core members who are growing in maturity. The church has a growing fringe and plenty of opportunities to do evangelism.
2) Christians from other churches who have supported the work of Trinity Church.
We came to Bradford with very little. I personally had to trust the Lord in ways that I have never had to trust him before. However, in the face of so many unknowns, we now know God’s generous provision. A number of churches have supported us financially as well as many individuals so that Trinity can have two full time workers. The Lord has provided people to do our website, our publicity and our accounts. He has provided us with the Midland Hotel, where we meet each Sunday, and with people to help with the music.
Tell us 2 things that break your heart each time you focus on them
1) How God's people have to suffer under false teachers.
One of the things that has shocked me during my time in Bradford is the impact of confusing and false teaching in the Christian community. Although it is right to be upset by leaders who are not carrying out their duties as they should, I am most upset by how it impacts upon God’s people. I have met with people who have been hurt by wrong teaching and who are now disillusioned with church. I have met with people who are pursuing sin without being cared for or warned. I am very conscious that these things are serious and are ultimately matters of life and death.
2) That the gospel is not taught in a way that it can be understood.
God saved me whilst I was a student at university. I came from a background where religion was considered to be of little importance and when I became a Christian one of my strongest emotions was ‘why didn’t somebody tell me the gospel before?’ I remember going back to my local village church and asking the vicar why did he not tell me the gospel when he used to come to our primary school. The bottom line is not that people have heard, understood and rejected the gospel, but that people have not heard the gospel in a way they can understand. Bradford is a huge city and what burdens me most is there are many people here who still do not know Christ.
Adrian Watts is one of the pastors at Trinity Church, Bradford
