Much More Abundantly Than We Asked or Imagined

A common prayer request that we have made in the last year has been to do with the search for a venue. It has been a search with some disappointments along the way and recently we were denied the use of a chapel in a school that we were hoping to use. However, God rules in Madrid like every other part of this world and He, "is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think..." (Eph 3:20).

The same day, that we received news of the chapel, an email arrived informing us about a venue in the centre of the city (to share with another church). The truth is that we were not planning to meet in the centre because the majority of Madrileños don´t live there. They live in the neighbourhoods outside of the centre. However, the frustration with the search for a venue forced us to consider it and during this process we realised that God wasn't only giving us a new venue but a new strategy.

The truth is that with this venue we will be able to gather people far more easily (this is a real challenge in a large city) and, at the same time, change the groups to be far more missional in their neighbourhoods. We would never have seen it without the frustrations that we have experienced looking for a venue. This is the effect of the God of Ephesians 3:20. In fact, we were thinking of launching the church this year and I believe this venue has catapulted us ahead of where we were expecting to be.

We are very grateful to you all for your prayers for a venue for us. God has answered them far more abundantly than we asked or imagined. We have begun to meet there fortnightly and within two months we will have our weekly Sunday meeting there. This will give us some time to change the groups and focus on the mission ahead as well as raise the extra funds required. We ask that you would continue praying for these things, for us and for Madrid.

Many, many thanks.