Rev. John and Cathy Benyon
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS
John and Cathy Beynon have been married for 22 years. They have 4 children, Josiah (19), Jacob (17), Jemima (7) and Reuben (5)
I have been in full-time Christian ministry for over 25 years after completing a theology degree at Cambridge University. During that time, I have had the privilege of working in a variety of different ministries and geographical locations. I started my ministry working as an evangelist, working with students and young people, and also helping various Anglican and Methodist churches to reach out effectively.
In 1988 I co-founded the Beverley Community Church, which I led for several years. In 1992, Cathy and myself and I pioneered a ministry on the Longhill estate, an urban-priority housing estate in East Hull. We have always had a heart to reach those places and people untouched by the gospel, especially the poor and those in need. Cathy continued to lead this ministry for 12 years.
Around 1995, the main focus of my ministry was with a missionary organisation called World Horizons. I became the leader of their work in the UK and later became a part of the Global leadership team. During this time I learned a lot about leadership and the practicalities of running large organisations. From 95 – 2000 I was also involved in leading a Bible & MissionTraining school for the Pentecostal Movement of Iceland. The school ran for 3 months each year, so I had to spend a lot of time away from home, and got very used to a lifestyle of travelling
In the year 2000, my ministry took a significant change of direction after receiving a clear call to a ministry of prayer. I co-founded a national prayer ministry in France called Object France, which was involved in mobilising hundreds of French churches in 40 days of prayer and fasting each year from 2001 up until the present time. Since 2002 I have also been involved in mobilising Churches to pray in Norway, first on a national level and then more specifically in Oslo, working with Churches from many different denominations and cultural backgrounds across the city.
I was really excited when the Lord called us to start a new Church in Beverley. I have lived in Beverley since 1976, even though the main focus of my ministry has been overseas for the last 14 years. I really love this town, and am excited about being involved in local ministry again. I am looking forward to see what God is going to do here.
INFLUENCES
As a young Christian I was deeply influenced by Operation Mobilisation and their call to mission and a radical life-style. More recently, I have been strongly influenced by the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, where the revival fires are still burning just as strongly as when the “Toronto Blessing” first broke out in 1994. Over the past
few years, I have had the privilege of getting to know John and Carol Arnott personally, and have been involved in conferences in Norway and Iceland with them and several others from their team. However, the most significant influence on my life in recent years has been the International House of Prayer, led by Mike Bickle, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. They have been praying and worshiping the Lord 24 hours a day since 1999! They have almost 1000 full-time staff now, whose main ministry is to pray and worship the Lord! I love their dedication in seeking the Lord’s face and their commitment to a life-style of prayer and fasting.
Cathy writes:
My life is full and varied, and no day is ever the same. I have four children aged 5 – 19 years. Young children and teens make an interesting mix of music and mayhem to fill every moment!
Since my early teens, my faith has always been central to my life. Becoming a Christian at a Billy Graham rally in 1985 was the beginning of a journey with God that has been and is still very exciting.
In my early teens, I attended Sunday School at BaintonMethodistChurch. My four brothers and sisters also joined with me and an extra Sunday School teacher was brought in to help from a nearby village! A local Methodist Lay Preacher taught me how to take services and lead worship from the tender age of 14 years.
As a young Christian I was deeply influenced by Operation Mobilisation and their call to mission and a radical life-style. More recently, I have been strongly influenced by the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, where the revival fires are still burning just as strongly as when the “Toronto Blessing” first broke out in 1994. Over the past
few years, I have had the privilege of getting to know John and Carol Arnott personally, and have been involved in conferences in Norway and Iceland with them and several others from their team. However, the most significant influence on my life in recent years has been the International House of Prayer, led by Mike Bickle, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. They have been praying and worshiping the Lord 24 hours a day since 1999! They have almost 1000 full-time staff now, whose main ministry is to pray and worship the Lord! I love their dedication in seeking the Lord’s face and their commitment to a life-style of prayer and fasting.
Barnabas Ministries UK 
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