If you were to visit the estate of Mackworth, near Derby, chances are you’d soon stumble across St. Francis Mackworth - a local church that lies in the heart of the estate and is dedicated to serving its local community. 

Andy Bond, Pastor at St. Francis describes how last year, a local 65-year-old lady visited the church for the very first time. “She mentioned how much she loved the singing but came away with so many questions.”  

She was invited to several church events and took part in the Alpha course. Despite having little academic background, she has completed a dozen Christian books in the last six months, one of them being Hope Together’s Mark’s Gospel.  

“She took it, read it and it impacted her greatly. She's come to faith; a real living faith in Jesus. She’s even started to help out at a service I host in a local retirement home” shares Andy. “She's going to reaffirm her baptism vows by full immersion in a few weeks' time. It impacted her massively.” 

When Andy first arrived in Mackworth, he wanted to encourage people to read the Bible more, so they made the decision to have Bibles on seats in the services. During a sermon, they will put a passage reference on screen but not the actual text so that people are encouraged to open the Bible and start reading it for themselves.  

“Before we read scripture, we always give a brief explanation of the Bible for those who are new. We also explain that there is no such thing as a silly question and that if you’re about to start reading the Bible for the first time, one of the accounts of Jesus’ life is a good place to start.” 

The church keeps a supply of Hope Together’s Mark’s Gospel on hand to give away at every opportunity. “It was one of our young guys who heads up our church football team that introduced me to Hope Together’s version of Mark’s Gospel”, explains Andy. “I was so impressed with how amazing they look and how cheap they are! You can have it on your office table or by the doorway. We’ve given away loads and people often ask if they can take one.” 

“Being written in the NIRV, we also know it would be easy for people to read and understand.” For those who prefer to listen to the Bible than read it, there’s also a QR code at the back of the book which provides access to an online audible version. “Almost every week we’ll say that the Mark’s Gospels have been really helpful to people reading the Bible for the first time and exploring Christianity.”  

St. Francis Mackworth have also started giving them out during the Alpha course, “We find that for many, it’s a good place to start the scriptures. They find it accessible” says Andy.

“When parents ask to have their baby baptised, the couple and godparents are asked by the church to attend the first four weeks of an Alpha course so that they have an understanding of the gospel.”
 
“Last year there was one couple who did the four sessions required and then stopped coming, but the Godparents asked if they could carry on and do the whole of Alpha. They then went on to complete Pete Greig’s Prayer Course. A year on, they’re doing the Discovery Bible Study using the Mark’s Gospels. They’re not quite in church yet but they’re reading the scriptures and praying regularly.” says Andy. 

Andy also shares how one lady became a Christian after watching a live-streamed service and now leads the youth group at St. Francis. “Her Dad is a complete atheist and one day she asked him if he had ever read any of the Bible. He hadn’t and so she was able to give him a copy of Mark’s Gospel.” 

“I think because they look good and there are images in them it's less intimidating for those who don't like reading” says Andy. The imagery and design of these books, along with the low cost has meant that St. Francis has been able to bring these eye-witness accounts of Jesus into so many aspects of church life. The NIRV translation paired with the photography and magazine-style layout means that they have become the starting place for many exploring Christianity in Mackworth.

Pick up your copy of Mark's Gospel today.