Macedonia Update October 2025

Hi everyone, here is our latest update from Macedonia

Bible Study

This month our Wednesday night bible study will have been running for a year! We asked one of the participants, who also takes on a leadership role in the group to write a short message to all our readers to describe how it has helped him in his walk with Jesus:

First I would like to say big thank you to Ian and Katie for opening their home to us and inviting us every Wednesday for bible studies and not giving up from the idea, but instead been very consistent in their plan to continue it at every cost! At the beginning I didn't think that we will have some big benefit from it, but as weeks and months were passing I understood the real value of it!

At first I understood that coming at bible study every Wednesday was keeping my fire for God burning much more than only going every Sunday at church so it was a blessing to me! Now I had two days a week hanging out with Christian friends and learning about God's ways! Also everytime we are challenged to think through certain scriptures much deeper then when we just read the Bible and researching what God wants to tell us with it and also how we can apply it in our daily living! So it is fun for me to research God's word together with other people and listening to other opinions and ideas that are different than mine!

Also at the other hand God sometimes can use this opportunity to tell a word to someone for other person in the group or we can pray for one another and we use this time for many beneficial things that help us grow in Christ! Also I can say we've become much better friends thanks to this bible study with everyone in the group and now going to church is even more fun meeting your great friends and brothers and sister while praising the Lord!

I would recommend this practice to everyone that is a Christian to be challenged to see God's word differently than only reading trough out the Bible and spending time with brothers and sisters at least once more that only going once a week at church! I Just want to add that bible study has become a habit to us and skipping it feels like something is missing! This is my honest opinion I am really happy to be a part of the Bible study group!

We are really thankful to God for what he is doing through this group. Our heart is to see both spiritual and numerical growth as we journey together as a family on mission. We are excited for what God wants to do in and through those we journey with.

“Let the little children come to me”

Now that the schools are back from summer holidays, Katie and Kristen have re-started their work with the Capernaum ministry. In September, they visited the school for visually impaired children for the first time since the summer holidays. They had a wonderful time together and the children were pleased to have the team return. One child, who attended for her first time, described the club as ‘like a party’.

Our other work with children is our Children & Families Bible study which has been running for two years now. We believed God had called us to run something like this from our home and so we got going. Over the two years we have learned a lot and developed different ways of teaching and engaging with the children. It has been great to invest in the children and it is a highlight of our week! We enjoy the family atmosphere in our home and each session ends with a meal together. There have been times when we have prayed about if it is the best use of time and resources, but God told us to press on, even with a small number. It is a reminder that this is God’s work, not ours and the measures he uses are different to ours.

We believe that every child we minister to is valuable to Jesus:

Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:16-17)

Any opportunity to share the word of God and the love of God with a child is important and we hope that the investment that is made now will stay with them and grow over the course of their lives.

Scott & Hristina’s Wedding

September was a very special month for us. Our good friend and missionary team-mate Scott Jackson got married to his fiancée Hristina at a wonderful God-honouring ceremony and celebration. It was a delight for us to be able to join in with their celebrations, including the Macedonian traditions of collecting the bride from her parent’s home and leading an ‘Oro’ dance.

Scott has been an important part of our family for many years, both before and after we moved from the UK to live in Skopje. He supported us in our first few years here before he was called to live in Macedonia himself and since then he has continued to invest in and disciple many in the church. We are so thankful that God has brought Hristina into his life and we are excited for what God will do in and through them both as they begin their life together.

Prayer:

Thank you for your prayers, please could you pray for the following:

• Please give thanks for the marriage of Scott and Hristina.
• Please give thanks for the children that are coming to the children’s class and pray that we will be able to invest as much as we can in their discipleship for as long as they are journeying with us.
• We are thankful that God is at work in the hearts of all who join with our bible study groups, please pray that all will be able to keep going in their walk with Jesus. 
• Please give thanks for the work of the Capernaum ministry and pray for further opportunities and continued favour with the school.

Thank you for reading our news. We hope all is well with you all, 

Ian, Katie, Kristen and Josiah.

  Donate Now