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Mike
was converted in 1982 just before his nineteenth birthday. At the time
he was working in banking in central London and continued in that
occupation until August 1986. Mike
attended the Emmanuel Pentecostal Church (Assemblies of God) in Dartford
and served wherever there was a need or in whatever capacity asked of
him by the leadership -
Evangelism; Teaching Sunday School; Youth Group Oversight Team;
Drama and occasional Preaching. Mike
left his employment in August 1986 to respond to the call of God. In May
and June of 1986 a number of events occurred through which he knew that
the time had now arrived for him to start training for the ministry. And
so, in early September 1986, he departed from England and went to
Holland on the first step of a long and exciting adventure with Jesus.
He went to a Bible and Evangelism Training School in the south of
Holland called "Jong en Vrij" in
obedience to the Holy Spirit. Upon completing his studies there,
he was asked to join the full-time staff of the school, where he became
responsible for the Teaching Curriculum, the Pastoral Care, led
Evangelism Teams all throughout that country, preached at conventions
and performed Christian Drama Productions. After
four years of this and teaching at that Bible School, the Lord led him
to Youth With A Mission (Y.W.A.M.), in Amsterdam where he did a
Discipleship Training School and later did missionary and outreach work
in Asia with that organisation, ministering in Hong Kong, Taiwan and
China. Throughout
all of these years, and indeed since, Mike and his wife Jacky have lived
by faith. They have never asked for money, nor sent out newsletters
asking for money but rather have trusted in God`s promise to them that
He would supply all of their needs. They
returned to England and worked for a short time with their ´home´
church in Dartford before joining a Y.W.A.M. Team in Brixton, South
London. There they developed a prison outreach ministry to Brixton and
Wandsworth Prisons - occasionally also going to Holloway and Wormwood
Scrubs. In addition, they work among many of the homeless people in
London and have become very familiar with that scene. In
the mid 1990`s Mike and Jacky were leading their own small Y.W.A.M. Team
in central London when the Lord started speaking to them about having
their own church. Therefore,
in obedience to that heavenly call, Mike and Jacky jointly started Holy
Nation Church with another believer and became Pastors of Holy Nation
Church with Mike preaching that first service in a small upper room next
to Victoria Station. As
it now is, Holy Nation Church began in 1998 and has developed into a
powerful church where the true word of God is preached without
compromise, the members sincerely love one another and the glory and
presence of God are continually manifest within the meetings. The
congregation love to worship Jesus and we make no apology for devoting
plenty of time for this. Mike
and Jacky have a real burden for the nations. They have led or been part
of teams which have brought the gospel to many countries including
Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Albania, Hungary, South Korea,
Portugal, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Kenya, Rwanda and, as mentioned China, Taiwan and Hong Kong not to mention of
course the years in Holland when they literally travelled throughout the
whole country with the gospel. Mike has also ministered in several
countries and at conferences and teaching retreats. |
Mike Burgess