Teaching in New Area (Taito) & Annex Prison

Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.


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Disciples Disciple

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

October 8, 2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you had an encouraging day with God’s people yesterday as we did here. Our time of worship yesterday was very uplifting. Before Sunday School and teaching time, members of the congregation are invited to choose songs that God has brought to their minds and hearts. Between the singing of songs, the opportunity is given for the believers to read aloud scripture passages that God has used in speaking to them during the previous week. They are also encouraged to give witness of their gratitude for the way they God has worked specifically in their lives during the week.

This is our practice because God’s word clearly teaches us to “…consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…” (Hebrews 10:24-25) and “speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)

On Sunday afternoons we have a church leadership meeting to discuss how we are seeing God at work and how we can best proceed to do what He has given us to do. We are very encouraged by the spiritual growth of the members of the congregation and the way they are applying God’s teaching to their lives daily.

Besides Sunday School and worship there are a number of gatherings that take place during the week for learning and mutual encouragement. Here is what this week looks like: Tuesday morning, Judy participates in a ladies’ prayer meeting that is hosted this week by Amanda in her home in Plaisance-du-Touch. Tuesday evening I lead a Bible study from Ephesians in a home in city of Pibrac. Wednesday morning Judy participates in a Bible study led by our co-worker Wendy in the city of Toulouse. Wednesday afternoon I have a live interactive Bible study on internet studying the Gospel of John. Thursday evening Philip is leading a Bible study in Job held in a member’s home in the city of Cugnaux. Saturday evening Philip and Amanda host the Youth meeting in their home.

These meetings don’t take place in a vacuum. Philip works as an engineer and will be in Sweden a couple days this week. Philip and Amanda’s family is very active with four teenagers going to 3 different schools in three different towns and Amanda gives many piano lessons several days a week. All of us have other activities where we seek to contact unsaved people. We love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. Disciples disciple. Last weekend our two older granddaughters, Abigail (17) and Nathalie (16) were at a rustic conference location. They along with two of their Christian friends implemented a Bible program they had put together for the entire weekend and took care of a dozen children ages 18 months to 11 while missionary friends of ours from Bordeaux had leadership training for the leaders in their church plant and outreach ministries.

God has raised up good teachers in our church. There are two ladies and two men in the church who also teach. There are folks who were saved here who now are active as members and teachers in churches in other countries. What a joy to serve here and have you as our ministry partners. Please pray for us. Pray for God to help us to be effective in communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ and continue to make disciples who will also make disciples.

In God’s field in France,
John and Judy Hatcher

John Mark & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online


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Every Disciple is a Missionary

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

August 31, 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The news from Southern France is good. Participation in the Sunday meetings has been good. This coming Saturday, September 2, will be the first youth meeting for the new school year. It has been a great blessing to have Philip and Amanda and our grandchildren serving with us. What great missionaries they are. Our Granddaughters have been very effective in reaching their friends in the public schools where they attend. Their parents have done and continue to do a great job in encouraging the girls in their walk with Christ and have been great examples as they reach out to their neighbors, co-workers and others with whom they have formed relationships in their community.

Our passion is to make disciples and every disciple is a missionary. This is how the Gospel impacted lives in the first decades following the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Jerusalem on Pentecost. Note Luke’s inspired words, “And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (emphasis is mine) Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. (Acts 8:1-4) Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. (Acts 11:19-21)

Judy has completed the therapy following her kneecap surgery but continues to work hard at getting full normal use of her leg. We walk in the neighborhood and exercise at the YMCA in Evansville. In these two activities, we have been able to make many contacts and have had many good conversations. Judy is now meeting weekly with a lady she met who needs Christ. They are studying through the Gospel of Matthew.

Peggy is doing better. One of the blessings we have is to participate in a Bible study she has with a couple in her home. The lady trusted Christ after being in a Bible study with Peggy for over a year and a half. She has followed the Lord in baptism. The husband is very interested. Just since we have been here the study has gone through the two letters from Peter and is now in first John.

Thank you for your faithful participation in the ministry in France and the continued support as we serve here while waiting to return to France.

Rejoicing in Christ, John and Judy

Temporary Address
John and Judy Hatcher
1901 Shepherd Dr.
Evansville, IN 47715
jmhatcher[at]aol.com

Field Address
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

Click here to donate to BFM.


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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [September 2013]

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

September 2, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Lord has blessed us with an encouraging month in our regular Sunday meetings and Bible studies. We have Bible studies that meet every day of the week except Saturday. God uses your regular giving to meet our physical needs and your prayers contribute to the fruitfulness of the our ministry in France. We thank God daily for you.

I am spending time individually each week with a couple of young single men who have trusted the Lord and been baptized here. One is a 30 year old software engineer and the other is 24 old who has no special training, no job at present and lives with his parents. Making disciples is more than just preaching and church meeting activities. It requires investing a lot of time helping believers put into practice what our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded. It involves teaching how to study God’s Word and applying it to daily life, challenging, encouraging and praying. Our Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul lived daily with those they were helping to become disciples of Christ.

One of the young men with whom John Mark meets for discipleship.

Even though we are 60 years old, we are still learning. I will give you one example of how this sometimes happens. Recently we were invited to a military ceremony by our neighbor across the street. He was turning over the command of the regional military logistical services and moving on to a different assignment. After the military pomp and circumstances, we were invited to share a meal with the others present. Most of these were military personnel and their families. Hughes, the commander and neighbor who invited us, introduced us to Nicholas, a fellow officer, with whom we spent a considerable amount of time in conversation. Because so many people here are atheist, I had tried to emphasize God’s power, love and grace by mentioning when appropriate that we are blessed in some specific way. About the third time I said something like that in this conversation, Nicholas interjected, “I like the fact that you say ‘blessed’. We usually say, ‘I was lucky’.” Happily, I thought, “He’s getting it.” Then he added, “Because it is not just luck, our hard work is rewarded.” I tried to explain, “No, I mean we receive many blessings we do not deserve.” But, he insisted, “No, you should not be ashamed to admit that your hard work is rewarded.” I am not sure that I ever did really get across to him the reality of God’s grace, but I did make a mental note about how this particular phrase does not mean the same thing to others around me here as it does to me.

So, Hughes and his family moved away and we are anticipating the arrival of the new owners of this house across the street from us hoping to share the gospel with them. Of the 5 houses immediately across the street from us, 4 are having a change of occupancy in the next couple of months. Our field is constantly changing and this gives us added opportunities to demonstrate and present the Good News of Jesus Christ.

One of the ladies who is moving from across the street to a neighboring city with her husband declared herself to be an atheist when they moved in 9 years ago. We have spent a lot of time with them and had innumerable opportunities to share the gospel. She has come to only one special service, if my memory serves me right. But, she now believes that God exists and that He has intervened personally in her life. Last week she volunteered to us that even after they move she is planning on coming over from the neighboring town to our Sunday meetings.

And, so, we keep sowing and you keep helping us. Thanks!

Blessed by God and realizing it in France,
John and Judy Hatcher

4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

Click here to donate to BFM.


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