‘The choir is a true reflection of our multicultural church’
With more than 20 years’ experience in evangelism and discipleship, Lawrence Jah has taken time away from being a pastor in The Gambia to help a church in Glasgow grow its cross-cultural gospel ministry.
Since arriving in the summer of 2021 with his wife Elizabeth and their daughter Priscilla, Lawrence has devoted his time to building friendships with those from diverse cultural backgrounds, including West African asylum seekers, refugees, and international students from Nigeria, who are living locally.
He also runs activities to help the Africans members of Harper stay firmly rooted in their faith and connected with the wider church family.
Reflecting on his first 18 months in Glasgow, Lawrence says: “By the grace of God, I’ve been privileged to engage with people, not only from African backgrounds, but from all nations, ethnicities and cultures.
“Now those who’ve been coming to church at Harper, need to be properly integrated into the wider Harper family life to reflect a multicultural and multi-lingual church.”
One of Lawrence’s key achievements in 2022 was helping to fulfil an ambition of pastor Alan Knight to launch the first African choir at Harper.
The choir now sings regularly as part of the Sunday service and even performed for SIM UK Director Steve Smith when he visited the church in October.
“The Harper African Voice Choir is a true reflection of the impact of cross-cultural mission in and through us in Glasgow,” says Lawrence, who is hoping to stay on for a third year of ministry so he can build on the foundations he’s already laid.
“This is key because they majority of those we’ve been privileged to share the gospel with, have not been established in their faith,” he adds.
By Kerry Allan
Please pray
- That the thousands of tracts Lawrence has distributed on the streets and among families during door-to-door, will have a life-transforming impacts on those who read them.
- For God’s financial provision and visa extension to allow the Jah family to stay in Glasgow for another year.
- For new ministry opportunities for Harper Church to reach the lost in Glasgow in 2023.