Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [April 2016]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
April 2, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
When Sunday comes near the first of the month I usually wait until Monday to write the news for the past month just in case something really exciting happens on Sunday. However, it looks like Sunday and Monday are going to be really wild and crazy, so you get the Saturday version of news.
Monday is the funeral of Mr. Pham, a friend of ours. Two of his children are members of the church here at Tournefeuille. He grew up in a well-to-do family in Vietnam who were an exception, they were believers. He came to France to do University studies. At that time Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) was a French colony. Nearly 20 years later in 1975, Jade, who would become his wife, fled from Vietnam as part of a group of “boat people”. They were lost at sea and rescued by a passing ship. She was the only person who had trusted Christ in her family who, like most Vietnamese, were Buddhist. Three of their four children have placed their faith in Christ. After a year studying the Bible with me the youngest son trusted Christ and followed the Lord in baptism. He now goes to a Baptist church in Paris.
About a week ago we received an email from a lady that we had not seen in about 8 or 9 years. We met Tania and her husband when they moved in across the street from us. They attended services with their 3 children regularly for about 3 or 4 years. Neither of them made a confession of faith. In the exchange of mail and pictures we learned that two of their children still read their Bibles. Only eternity will reveal how their lives were impacted by the Word of God.
This morning I received a call from a former neighbor who attended services here for a period of time but who we have not seen in over two years. He called to tell me he was getting married and that he and his wife to be wanted to talk to me about following Christ and baptism.
A picture of a Sunday Service in France. Jean-Luc, the man on the right end of the first row, is the man who led the services two weeks ago.
I am including a picture of a Sunday service here. Jean-Luc, the man on the right end of the first row, is the man who led the services two weeks ago.
Last Sunday we had a wonderful service. The children and young people presented songs, prophecy and New Testament witness about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We followed their presentation with an alternation of Scriptures and songs on the same theme.
Thank you for your prayers and faithful support.
Seeing God at work in southern France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
February 4, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It seems impossible that another month has passed since I last wrote you. It has been a good month and we see God at work. There are also areas that we are concerned about and pray about.
Our new Bible studies and prayer meetings are going well. I will mention some of these new ones. This afternoon Judy and I will be meeting with a couple of ladies with whom we have started a weekly Bible study. Both of them are believers, but are married to unsaved men. We have a good relationship with both of these men. One of them comes to the Sunday meetings from time to time. Judy and I are very encouraged by the spiritual growth that we see in both of these ladies. One of them has become quite involved in visiting elderly people in her community. She does this by participating with a social organization that has as its primary focus the welfare of older citizens. This lady from our church has had a number of opportunities to witness to the people she visits and is very excited about it.
Amanda, our daughter-in-law and a wonderful partner in ministry here, is meeting with girls who are College students for Bible study. One of the three girls in this Bible study has trusted Christ but is not yet baptized. The other two have come to church and youth meetings but have never made a public confession of faith.
The men in the church are now meeting one Saturday morning each month to pray together. We are hoping that this will give us the opportunity to more effectively encourage and disciple these men.
Another lady has started a prayer meeting with ladies on Tuesday mornings and one couple is trying to get a Friday night Bible study going in their home.
Philip, Amanda, and their four daughters
One of our concerns is the children of families who come to church here. We would like to see the saved parents be more active in helping their children know the Bible. Nearly all the adults in our church besides Judy, me, Philip and Amanda were saved as adults or teenagers and come from families where no one else was saved. They did not have Christian parents to teach them or be examples for them. Since they were saved as adults they do not always understand a child’s capacity to know God. We are praying and planning on helping these families teach their children the Bible more effectively. Please pray with us and for these families.
Our regular and longer term Bible studies are going well.
I have asked Amanda, our daughter-in-law, to write the letter next month to give you a different perspective. Abigail, our oldest granddaughter publishes the monthly church bulletin and Nathalie the second in birth order designed and maintains the church’s website. They are involved in working with the children and all the girls are our main point of contact to get kids from the community to come to outreach activities. Philip, Amanda and the four girls are a major component in what God is doing here. We ask that you pray for them as you pray for us.
May God’s richest blessings be evident to you,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [January 2016]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
January 4, 2016
Dear Fellow Laborers,
We hope that this finds you enjoying the Lord’s blessings and growing in your walk with Christ. Your continued faithfulness in your service to us is a blessing to us. Judy’s sister, Peggy, spent the last couple of weeks with us and we enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with her and Philip’s family during the Holidays.
Earlier in December, we were able to have dinner with one of our former members who now lives in Hamburg, Germany. Joachim was the first person baptized here in Tournefeuille. It was great to hear how God is continuing to work in his life and the life of his family. The fact that there is so much mobility in our area resulting from job transfers means that those who have been saved and discipled often move away. However, as one studies the book of Acts as we are doing on Sundays here, it is obvious that the early history of the churches of Jesus Christ were greatly affected by mobility. We are not persecuted as they were, but mobility is used by God for the spread of the Gospel and the multiplication of disciples. So, we work hard at helping new believers live out the life of Christ.
Children in Sunday School Class in Tournefeuille
A picture of the Sunday School class wall which represents our church: a school of fish following Jesus.
Yesterday, after the morning meeting, the Tournefeuille church had a meal together to fellowship and celebrate what God has done for us. Though a couple of families could not be with us, we had a very full house. As we review the past year, we see progress in the work here and that encourages us as we anticipate what God will do here during the coming year. The new prayer times and Bible studies are going well and several of the believers are taking on new responsibilities. We have several new believers who are awaiting baptism.
I am including a picture of one of the Sunday School classes and another of the class wall which represents our church: a school of fish following Jesus.
Thank you again for your faithfulness. May God crown this year of your life with His blessings and don’t forget to “Brighten the corner where you are …”!
Your team members in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [December 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
December 4, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
May this find you enjoying the blessings provided by our Creator and Father. We have certainly seen God at work this month. We thank each of you who expressed your concern and who have prayed for us following the attacks in Paris. This along with the killings in the United States of America has dominated the news here. These events remind us that humanity is broken and that there is no hope outside of Jesus Christ. The events have opened doors of opportunity to talk about the hope that we have in Him.
Our Youth meeting the weekend after my last letter to you was very good. Our discussion was about God speaking to us in these last days by His Son and what we learn about God in Jesus. The majority of the 15 young people who were present are not Christians. They come because they have been befriended by the youth from the church who are Christians. It is very encouraging to see the missionary spirit in those who are saved.
We have also been blessed by a renewal of desire to serve in the members of our congregation. Last Sunday we spent the entire service presenting the outreach and disciple making activities. Several believers committed themselves to serve in Sunday school, youth meetings, home groups and other areas of ministry. This past month two prayer meetings and a college age Bible study that meet in homes during the week have been started and are going well.
We are very encouraged, as well, by the meetings in the city of Mazere. A couple and a lady in the group have asked to host meetings in their homes so we are now meeting on a rotating basis in three different homes in this area. It is great to see the participants taking ownership and showing concern for the salvation of their acquaintances and families.
This month Judy received her long term residents card. We have worked toward this goal for over ten years. Up to this time we have had to spend several days each year on the process of renewing our annual “visitor permits”. I received my long term residents card at the beginning of this year.
The Hatchers visited a museum where Douceline is chief staff.
(Left to Right: David, Pennie, Douceline, Judy)
On Tuesday of this week David, my brother from Brazil and his dear wife Pennie arrived to spend a week with us. They were last here about 13 years ago. We have had a very enjoyable time visiting and talking about what God is doing around us.
Please continue to pray for Eva, the young mother that I mentioned in my last letter and for her husband. She has now been confined to bed in the hospital for two months to avoid an untimely delivery. She is thrilled that she has been able to witness to her doctor. I was even able to talk to him about our ministry here during one of our visits to the hospital. Her husband, who is also a believer works hard as an aeronautical engineer and they have a two year old son at home.
I am including a photo of our visit to a museum where Douceline is chief staff. She is the single lady who hosts our Bible study in Mazere and who in addition has a couple of evangelistic Bible studies with unsaved ladies.
Thank you for your faithful support and prayers. May God richly bless you, work in you where you are and provide for all of your needs.
Your fellow servants in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [October 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
October 2, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope this finds you enjoying the Fall colors of our Father’s creation and many other blessings. Judy and I have been home for just a few hours from a month long trip to the United States.
A good part of this time was spent helping David and his wife Dulce following the birth of their 4th child, our 12th grandchild. The oldest child in their family is 7 years old. We were glad to be able to help them with the newborn Lua and others as the school year started. We were also able to spend some valuable time with our daughter Lydia and help them with their four children ages 2 months to 6 years old as Adam, our son-in-law recovered from surgery.
The same day that Adam had surgery in Chicago, Judy was in Cincinnati to help our oldest daughter Laura who was having a serious surgery to place a plate in her forearm to correct damage caused by an accident the week before. We were glad to be able to be of assistance.
Celebrating Alta Hatcher’s 90th birthday!
(Front: John & Alta Hatcher / Back L to R: Paul Hatcher, Kathy Barros, John Mark Hatcher)
On the very day the surgeries were taking place up north, September 14, I was in Clermont, FL with Mom and Dad, Paul (my brother) and Wanda and Kathy (my sister) celebrating Mom’s 90th birthday. The week spent with them was very enjoyable as I also got to spend time with many other friends and family members. We enjoyed a wonderful meal with many on September 15th to again celebrate Mom’s birthday. This allowed us to spend some quality time with Doug and Ramona King our long term friends and supporters.
I thoroughly enjoyed speaking at Hope Baptist Church in the Cincinnati area on September 6 and was blessed by the great hospitality of Steve and Debbie Hall and their family while in their home. Their heart to share the love and Good News of Christ to those in need is evident. We anticipate what God will be doing through this young church.
While in Evansville, IN for a few hours Judy and I were able to visit great friends and fellow servants whom we had the privilege of working with for a quarter of a century, Jim and Carolyn Evans and Frank and Sylvia Schofner. They still are on the front line serving the Lord in Evansville and they faithfully support our ministry in France. While we were rushing around the US, Judy’s dear sister shuttled us, loaned us her car and did many other things to help us as she always does. She also continues to be active daily in reaching others for Christ and discipling believers. God has blessed us far beyond our ability to enumerate.
Meanwhile, things are going well at the church in Tournefeuille and we restart all of our other Bible studies this coming week.
Thanks for your faithful support and prayers.
Sharing the Good News in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [August 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
August 1, 2015
Dear Fellow Servants,
We hope that you are enjoying the Lord’s blessings this summer. Many of you are busy with Vacation Bible School and Youth and Family camps. The effort invested in these summer ministries is well worth it. During our lifetime we have seen many come to Christ and mature spiritually through Christian camps and evangelistic outreach to youth.
The month of July was quite busy which makes me happy. On the 4th of July, the annual neighborhood dinner was held. We are very grateful for this gathering because it gives us the opportunity to build relationships, get acquainted with folks and witness. These usually start at about 6pm and continue to 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning. And at the end there is the clean up.
This year I had the opportunity to communicate our reason for believing with two neighbors. One of these is a professed atheist and the other is an agnostic. This is not the exception in France. Our yard is bordered by four other yards. Three of these four immediate neighbors are atheist. However, we have a cordial relationship with all of them. We sow in hope. According to Christ, our behavior is essential in communicating the gospel to these folks. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Good works in this context does not seem to refer to church activities, but serving others for Jesus sake. Daily, we must ask ourselves, “How can I show the love of Christ to this (or that) individual in my actions?” The apostle Paul seems to mean this in the counsel to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Several years ago a new neighbor informed us that she was an atheist. A little while later she said, “You know I don’t believe in God, but we feel so good when you and Judy are around.” And…we did share meals together quite often. These usually included at least one other family. Often, this lady’s husband would say to everyone at the table, “I have just about come to agree with John” and then to me, “John, tell them what you believe.” About four years after meeting them, she invited us to help her celebrate her 50th birthday along with about 70 or 80 people from all over France. Just as everyone was getting ready to dig in, she stopped them and pointing to Judy and me, said, “These are some of our best friends. He is a pastor. John, please say a few words.” Unexpectedly, she called on me to share the gospel with her friends. Not too long before they moved to a neighboring town, she came running over, knocked on the door to tell us, “I want you to know that I now believe in God and that He has worked personally in my life.” From atheism to this point in her life was a stretch of about 10 years. We love what we are doing in France.
Evidence of God at work in new disciples has also been a part of the blessings this month. Many years ago Judy and I started driving weekly to the city of Mazere which is a bit over an hour’s drive each way. The purpose was to have a weekly Bible study with Douceline, a young Christian lady who lived there, and who was very discouraged because she was alone and over an hour’s drive from any church. She has grown in the Lord. She started to invite people she met to the Bible study. Some of them are now saved. She now sees herself as a missionary to this spiritually needy area. About a dozen persons come to the Bible study and she has individual Bibles studies with others. While she was gone on vacation this summer, a couple that has been coming for about two years invited us hold the Bible study in their home. Then another lady who has been coming for about a year invited us to hold the next one at her home and to stay for dinner afterwards. This is one of the individuals with whom Douceline has been having Bible studies investigating the Gospel. This lady who invited us is married to a likable young man who is an atheist. I will include some snapshots of the evening.
Well, I will save the rest for another month. This letter is beginning to look like a journal. Thank you for your regular participation in what God is doing here. We thank God for you daily. May His richest blessings fill your life.
Joyfully sharing the Good News in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [July 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
June 27, 2015
Dear Fellow Servants,
It hardly seems possible that I last wrote you just 4 weeks ago. This has been a busy and blessed month and it seems to me as if 3 months have passed since my last letter to you.
On Tuesday of this week our daughter Lydia gave birth to a beautiful daughter, our 11th grandchild. We are full and running over with God’s blessings. I will insert here a few words from Lydia written the morning following Jeanette Miriam’s birth:
Jeanette: a form of John, meaning “God is gracious”, also a bit of a family name for me. This name reminds us (and hopefully someday her) of the gracious gift of legacy she has. A legacy that includes, but extends far beyond the “Johns” in her family line. A legacy not focused on great acts performed for God, but on God’s great grace extended to those who go before her. Grace that has been extended in all seasons. We want her to know this legacy, because we want her to know this God, whose grace will carry her.
Miriam: the Hebrew form of “Mary”, mother of Jesus. A woman who surrendered herself to the will of God as his servant. Clueless, as she treasured the early events of her son’s life in her heart, what her surrender would mean. Bearing the weight of social stigma was only the beginning of the sword that would pierce her own soul as Simeon prophesied. She was called to be a refugee, to face the fear of a twelve year old runaway, to be “pushed out” of her son’s life on account of strangers, to watch her eldest child crucified surrounded by lies. May our daughter someday have the faith to declare herself fully surrendered to the will of God, even though she has no clue what His will may bring.
Judy was able to be there at the time of the birth and is staying 3 more weeks to help with the newborn and 3 other children. I am in France with the weeks scheduled tight and basking in the sunshine of God’s grace though missing Judy tremendously.
Just as Jeanette was being born, I was at funeral in a town north of us. A brother of a man I discipled for several years was killed in a paragliding accident. The Religious structure was packed with people and many were standing outside the door. There were over 300 people present in the middle of a work day. The man whose empty body lay in the casket before us was 48 years old at the time of his death and left a widow with 2 teenage sons. I grieved at the empty pagan christianity displayed in the traditional religious ceremony. I observed my friend who was with his family while not participating in the hopeless activities other than to help his mother as she got up and down to participate in various parts of the mass. I prayed that God would open the eyes of the family and draw them to Himself. I prayed that Jean-François would have the privilege of leading them to Christ.
In last month’s letter I mentioned that a lady in the assembly at Tournefeuille had given birth to a baby girl. The day after I wrote was Sunday and the child’s father insisted that they come to Sunday morning service on their way home from the hospital. This was a first for me. In over 40 years of pastoring, I do not remember anyone bringing their newborn child to church on the way home from the hospital. This father has attended regularly for several years. He asked that we sing a particular song of praise (not available in English) for this special Sunday. This young man lost one parent when he was 10 and the other when he was 13. They both claimed to be atheist. We continue to pray for him.
In the last letter, I also mentioned that we were to have a Youth meeting later in the day. A young lady was here for the first time brought by one of the kids who comes to church here. On the way home she told the mother of the youth who brought her that she felt like she was barging in because she did not believe in God. This opened the door for the mother to witness to her.
These are just a few of the incidents where we have seen God at work this month. We have had great Bible studies at all of our locations and new visitors who showed a real interest. Thank you for participating with us in what God is doing here. The dividends are out of this world!
You fellow servants in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [May 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
May 7, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
During the month since I last wrote you we have covered a lot of miles and seen evidence of God at work in the USA as well as in France. We arrived home last Saturday night after being away for 13 days. The Tournefeuille church meets in our home so we couldn’t sleep in on Sunday morning! It was good to be back with our church family here in France.
The return trip began in Lexington where we participated in two important events. Both of which were a delight and the cause of much thanksgiving on our part. The first of these was the Spring Conference hosted by Thompson Rd. Baptist Church. It had been six years since we last attended this conference. The fellowship was great, the singing was great, the food was great, the messages were great! The theme: Knowing Christ and Making Christ Knows was aptly addressed and we are encouraged by what God is doing.
John & Alta Hatcher with some of their family, including all their children who remain on earth.
As we were waiting for the beginning of the first service just inside the entrance to the church’s home we were nearly knocked off our feet by the surprise (to us) arrival of Mary and Vince Watson, faithful members of Emmanuel Baptist Church during the last 10 years or so of our ministry there. Words can not describe the delight this evoked in our hearts. I had also noticed that Pastor Steve Hall was to speak. This intrigued me for two reasons: First, I didn’t think Steve was in the loop of Baptist Faith Missions, and secondly, I didn’t know he was a pastor! As it turned out, it was the Steve Hall I we knew who was at the Conference with his lovely wife, Deb (formerly Terrell). We were able to renew our acquaintance and review what God has done and is doing. And, these two couples were just four among many wonderful friends in the family God that we were able to visit with. Time was just too short! Thanks Thompson Rd. Church and all the others who worked so tirelessly to be the conduit used by God to provide all of these blessings.
John A. Hatcher celebrating his 90th birthday!
The other great event we celebrated in Lexington was Dad’s 90th birthday. He was born in Alexandria, KY. just a bit north. What a delight to be there for this wonderful occasion and to review with family the innumerable blessings that we have received from our dear Heavenly Father. We were able to visit with many family members from four generations that we had not seen in a long time. During two weeks I was able to visit with my parents and all of my siblings who are still on earth. What a feast and foretaste of heaven! I am including a picture of the birthday celebration.
We hit the ground running here in France. There have been services and Bible studies every day since we returned and each day has been packed with other things that needed to get done. The list is still not exhausted, but this helps us not notice the jet lag so much.
While in Lexington, we received the message that a young lady, who is in the same community choir as I, came on Sunday bringing her two children. I have had the opportunity to talk about the Lord to her and she seems quite interested. She said she enjoyed the meeting and said she would be back.
Thank you for your participation in our lives and ministry.
Rejoicing in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
