Why Catalyst Ministries? A dictionary definition of a catalyst is 'a person who causes or promotes change by their presence in a situation or their input into it'. It involves getting things started, initiating, pioneering, starting a chain reaction.
Our Mission
Our mission as catalysts is to encourage and challenge Christians to RISE up, discover and fulfil YOUR part in God's Agenda: the Great Commission.
It is to helpre-ignitethe missions heritage in the UK by helping you and your church gain a deeper understanding of what missions really is and fully embrace God's heart and ultimate purpose - to reach ALL peoples.
It is to plead the cause of the many peoples who remain unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our specific cross-cultural focus is to reach and train the Chinese, especially the emerging younger generation who will be China's future leaders.
Through our base in Thailand, we also seek to help envision, strengthen and support the Thai Church in being a 'gateway community' in and out of China.
Reaching the lost Igniting a heart for mission Sharing God's Word Encouraging people
In turn, we will Raise awareness, Impact society, Stimulate action, and Effect change.
Many famous pioneer missionaries have come from the UK: Willam Carey, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor and CT Studd are a few of them. Their decisions to step out and obey God have made a lasting impact on our world. Whether in the UK or abroad, we can RISE up, step out, and make a lasting impact in OUR world too.
How God led us into "World Missions" God has a divine plan and purpose for every person who is conceived on this earth. In fact, the Bible states that before the foundation of the world God saw us in His heart and set us apart.
As children growing up, Stuart and Michelle both had a sense that their lives were going to be ‘different’. Stuart, as a fifth generation Christian, strongly knew the call of God on his life from the age of 18. He knew he was called to preach and also sensed that it would involve travel. Little did he know that it would involve overseas mission and living in China. He knew nothing of missions as he grew up.
At a young age, Michelle experienced the painful realities of a broken home which led her on a difficult journey to find true love and meaning in life. She attended a local Church of England as a young child and had an awareness of God but she was not told she could have a personal relationship with God through Jesus and had no understanding of the gospel.
In 1987, Stuart was instrumental in leading Michelle to the Lord. Her life radically changed from that time and they were married the following year. A young family soon followed and Stuart was progressing with his career as a business administrator in the electricity industry. However, they were both keenly aware that God had called them to something else.
In 1992, increasingly challenged by Christ’s demands of true discipleship, they received God’s call to be ‘missionaries’. Two years later they knew it was time to step out into what God had for them, whatever that involved. Stuart left his job and they sold their house and belongings and embarked on training with Youth With A Mission. This included overseas training and preparation in Albania and Thailand. In 1996, with 3 children aged 6, 4 and 1, and committed monthly support of just over £600 from friends and a church in Bristol, they left England for China.
After 7 years of pioneering in China, including time in Thailand, and experiencing the faithful provision of God, the Lord directed Stuart and Michelle to establish Catalyst Ministries UK, based in Bradford, West Yorkshire in 2003. In 2007, they returned to South East Asia.
As ‘catalysts’, Stuart and Michelle raise mission awareness and involvement through:
• Mission talks/training seminars which challenge and help Christians and local churches to rise and respond to God’s call to missions and help them find their role in God’s global purpose • Their own website, written publications and mission materials, including a ministry publication called Catalyst, which includes a specific China Aware section • Promoting good mission books and resources (often not generally available within the UK) • Development of an on-line Mission Aware Centre providing resources and information on world mission • Promoting and organizing short-term mission trips • Reaching cross-culturally to the Chinese and Thai peoples.
This ministry is independently financed through the regular giving and gifts of partners and supporters. Catalyst Ministries UK is an Associate Ministry of YWAM England (www.ywam-england.com) through its base at The King's Lodge, Nuneaton, England (www.thekingslodge.com).
'CATALYST' MAGAZINE
CATALYST is a publication of Catalyst Ministries UK. It is designed to help Raise awareness, Impact society, Stimulate action and Effect change by challenging and encouraging all believers to get involved in reaching our world. Mission Aware, Care Aware and Prayer Aware sections help us understand missions, help those involved and know how to pray. A separate China Aware section is devoted to helping envision and empower UK churches in reaching Chinese in their communities. We have had some very positive feedback from people who have received CATALYST.
Many famous pioneer missionaries have come from the UK: Willam Carey, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor and CT Studd are a few of them. Their decisions to step out and obey God have made a lasting impact on our world. Whether in the UK or abroad, we can RISE up, step out, and make a lasting impact in OUR world too.
This ministry is independently financed through the regular giving and gifts of partners and supporters. Catalyst Ministries UK is an Associate Ministry of YWAM England (
