Why Mark Greenwood is excited about what lies ahead for him and the Elim movement

At the start of 2017, Mark Greenwood began working alongside Gary Gibbs in Elim’s Reach department as National Evangelist. We caught up with him to find out what lay behind this strategic move.

Mark, congratulations! Tell us the background to your appointment

Thank you! I’m very excited about what lies ahead!

At the beginning of 2016, I felt God speak to me about something happening within the year that would significantly change the way I carried out my ministry. I was so convinced that I shared with a few people that within twelve months I wouldn’t be working through The Forty-Three Trust (my ministry name). Subsequently, a national organisation approached me with an opportunity to work for them which was very exciting.

I was even more excited when the post of National Reach Evangelist became available as it better suited my gifts and in particular my passion to work with local churches. I began to wonder if this was what God meant and so I prayerfully progressed with this in my heart and mind.

I have been a full-time itinerant evangelist since 1988. I trained and started my ministry with OAC ministries. Throughout my ministry, I have spent a lot of time working with other Christian organisations such as Operation Mobilisation, UCB media, The Evangelical Alliance and Christians Against Poverty to name a few. I also set up an evangelism academy with Youth for Christ which helps young evangelists to discover and develop their evangelistic gifting.

Over the past 17 years, I have been working with local churches (mainly through the Forty Three Trust) to help to create a healthy culture of evangelism that is sustainable and effective. My passion for working with local churches has increased and the opportunity with Reach seemed to match the trajectory God had been taking me on.

You have been part of Elim for many years. Does this help you going forward?

I have been very much a part of Elim for many years being ordained as an Elim minister (Evangelist), as well as being on the REACH core team helping to support Gary in different ways e.g. writing for Direction, seminars at the conference and all round discussions about evangelism.

Around 50% of my diary is always booked up with various Elim churches both in preaching as well as working with and supporting the leaders, helping them create a healthy culture of evangelism in their congregations. I have also worked with two different Elim churches part-time heading up their evangelism which helps me better understand the challenges locally.

On a wider Elim level, for the past three years, I’ve led the brilliant team that runs Elim Festival. I’ve taken teams from Elim churches on mission around the UK. I’ve hosted and organised two days each year for the Elim Evangelists (one of which was for their Elim networks). I’ve mentored and trained young evangelists as well as coaching seasoned leaders in evangelistic communication.

I have always enjoyed really good relationships in Elim and have always felt valued by the National Leadership Team as well as pastors. I have been encouraged by them as they’ve cheered me on in my ministry and now I look forward to serving the movement in a more focused way.

As you look to the future, what would be your hopes, dreams and aspirations in this new role?

Looking back through my ministry I can see the road God has been taking me on and in each season He has been equipping me and training me for the next. I am really excited for this new season with Reach. I have never experienced a more intensive time when God has spoken to me through His word and the prophetic than I have experienced over the past 18 months.

It has been incredible to see God move things into place to confirm and fulfil years of his promises to me. I am humbled and excited. Since I started the process of application my prayer has been that God would use me, along with the broader Elim family and team to help our movement become the most effective and fruitful it has even been in terms of seeing people come to a real faith in God. I look forward to working with you all!

Mark is available to serve Elim churches in evangelistic ministry. Click here to get in contact.