John Kirkby
31 March 2009 at 15:53pm

I’ve just returned from what has been a fantastic time in both Australia and New Zealand. First of all, my two weeks in New Zealand were absolutely incredible. To see five CAP Centres rolled out and working successfully in just 14 months was incredible. What’s more, the team there is inspirational, with Tara settling into her new role well too after moving out from the UK to head up our NZ Partnership Team.

Then, off I went to Australia, where it was simply
awe-inspiring to see the turnaround in the charity over the past two months. To think of how difficult things were in January and now to see how God has completely transformed things leaves me nearly speechless. I also had the privilege of seeing CAP Money launched across the country too; yet more good news for those in financial difficulty and a key resource and tool for churches to effectively reach out to the lost and hurting in their local communities.

Touching down in the UK, it was all systems go again. Barely had I walked back in to Jubilee Mill and it was time to welcome another fantastic group of Centre Managers and Debt Coaches for training. In a few days’ time, we will release this bunch of inspirational and servant-hearted people to open 11 new centres across the UK, including our 100th centre! More Debt Coaches will also assist existing centres as they continue to grow and flourish.

As I stand on the brink of this milestone of 100 centres across the UK, I’m filled with excitement about what God is doing in and through us and I’m inspired to once again push forward to our vision of a centre in every town and city across the UK by 2021.  Come on!

John

Matt Barlow
25 March 2009 at 15:59pm

As John makes his way back to the UK after two fantastic weeks in Oz and New Zealand, we are gearing up for some exciting developments here in Bradford. Next week we are welcoming over 24 new Centre Managers and Debt Coaches to Jubilee Mill as we prepare to open another 13 centres next month.

It’s not every day you turn 100 and April’s training marks a truly significant milestone for us as a charity as we welcome our one-hundreth centre to join CAP’s ever-growing network. Not only that, amongst the new centres we will see openings in strategic towns and cities where we currently don’t have a presence; a fantastic development as we move towards our 2021 vision of seeing a CAP Centre in every town and city across the UK. I can’t wait!

Please pray for all our new staff as they come to Jubilee Mill for training at this crucial time. There is so much to take in during a short period of time, but I know that through these people and our new partner churches we can continue to transform the UK one life at a time.

Keep checking back on the CAP website for the latest information and praise God for all that He is doing in and through us.

Matt

John Kirkby
19 March 2009 at 13:49pm

Well, here I am on the other side of the world, having safely arrived in New Zealand last week. As you’ll know from reading this blog, I don’t like to sit still for too long and I had the awesome privilege of launching CAP Money NZ on Sunday. As always, God was incredibly faithful and prepared the way for all that we did. We were overwhelmed by the 15 churches that had committed to training up Money Coaches from among their congregations and the response to the first session was brilliant; people were clearly up for the challenge of changing New Zealand one life at a time.

It is fantastic to spend time with Gareth and Heather Jones as they continue the pioneering work of CAP in New Zealand. They are such an inspiration to me; their faith, drive and perseverance are a powerful combination and I know that through them, God has laid an excellent and steady foundation on which we can build in later years. They’ll be coming back to the UK in the next few months, but until then, we’re ‘all hands on deck’, continuing to train up CAP Money Coaches and expanding our centre network across this country.  Keep your eyes peeled for exciting updates!

Yours in Christ
John

John Kirkby
10 March 2009 at 15:51pm

What an incredible staff conference we had last week. Passion, as it's known, took place in the stunning setting of Bradford Cathedral - a fantastic opportunity for all our Centre Managers, Debt Coaches and Head Office staff to come together, praise God for all that He has done over the past year and be filled with faith and passion for all that lies ahead. It was a brilliant day and we all felt totally inspired. Together, we can change this nation through God's power! Then, in the evening, it was time to relax and enjoy our 'Staff Awards Dinner', once again in the setting of Bradford Cathedral.

Following the meal, we had the chance to honour some of the CAP staff who have really stood out over the past year. We had awards to mark the Best New Centre, Head Office Staff Member of the Year and awards to honour long service. It was a great privilege and honour for me to present Matt and Josie Barlow with an award marking their ten years of incredible service at CAP. They are both an inspiration and such close friends.

Well, things don't stand still for long, and on Wednesday 11 March I'm off to New Zealand to support and build on the amazing work that is happening over there. Please pray for safe travel and that God continues to do amazing and miraculous things in CAP NZ as Gareth and Heather Jones prepare to travel back to the UK. They have been amazing in pioneering a foundation for CAP's work in that country and we pray God will bless them as a result of their hard work and commitment.

God Bless
John

John Kirkby
02 March 2009 at 10:39am

It’s seldom that words fail me, but I came close on Wednesday night when we had the absolute God-given privilege of winning 'The Sunday Times Best Small Company to Work For 2009'. This is an outstanding achievement and in the six-year history of the awards, no company has ever won two years in a row. I can’t quite believe it has happened!

God is amazing; not only has He enabled us to build a charity that offers the most to those with the least and free so many people from the misery of debt, but He has also enabled us to build a fantastic place in which to work. This award is an outstanding achievement and I’m so proud of everyone who contributed to making CAP the 'Best Small Company to Work For', two years in a row!

We won!

John

John Kirkby
26 February 2009 at 10:05am

Wow – what a fantastic week we’ve just had. After the amazing response CAP received over the weekend in Oxford and Belfast, it was all systems go when I returned to Bradford. Things never stay still for very long here at CAP and on Tuesday we welcomed leaders from another 16 churches to Jubilee Mill; people passionate about reaching out to their local communities with God’s love. It was humbling to see how far people had travelled to meet with us – Northern Ireland, Scotland, South-West England and many were from key areas where we want to open centres this year; God is good!

Then it was off to London on Wednesday for the Sunday Times Best Small Companies Awards. What a God-given opportunity to once again demonstrate all that God can do with a bunch of ordinary people from Bradford! As you know, we won last year and we have the results of this year’s awards too. However, I’ve got to keep my lips sealed until Sunday about how we did; I can’t wait to share the news with you, but you’re going to have to visit my blog on Monday 2 March to find out!

In anticipation of great things…

John

John Kirkby
17 February 2009 at 12:10pm

Well, what an incredible couple of weeks it has been! God has continued to show his faithfulness to us in so many ways. After I landed in Australia, we saw miracle after miracle as we worked hard to raise additional funds for CAP Oz. After just one week, over $450,000 had been raised and we were almost speechless at how quickly God had acted. In our wildest dreams, we didn’t expect God to answer our prayers so quickly and so comprehensively. We were overwhelmed and God made His massive plans for CAP Oz pretty clear. 

Then, it was back to the UK and the many exciting things that are happening over here.  One of the greatest privileges of management is being able to invest in and raise up the next generation of managers and leaders. I’ve just spent a fantastic two days away, training, inspiring and investing in our head office managers at a wonderful country hotel near Leeds. These guys are something else. I feel so confident that CAP will continue to grow and flourish with these people in management and it was exciting to say the least as we shared our dreams for the future, thought about how we could be the best possible managers and enjoyed relaxing with one another. What a privilege!

After that, I went straight to the Salt and Light Leaders’ Conference in Oxford. It was fantastic to be among so many Godly and gifted leaders, passionate about communicating Jesus’ love and seeing their churches grow. I was also blown away by their support for CAP, following my talk. Our stall was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people approaching us afterwards to see how they could partner with CAP and minister to the most poor and marginalised in their local communities with Jesus’ love. Following so many fantastic, inspirational conversations, we were also blessed with an incredible 140 Life Changers! God is good!

God bless
John

John Kirkby
23 January 2009 at 04:22pm

Wow what a week I've had! As you know, I have been working with the team in Australia for the last eight years. Throughout the last 13 years of CAP, we have faced many many huge challenges head on, particularly financial, each one seemingly an impossible hurdle to climb. (Read about these by ordering your free copy of my story Nevertheless here.) Well, just when I thought 'it was beginning to look like it was safe to go back into the water,' we have hit a huge hurdle in Australia. The result is that I decided on Thursday that I needed to go and stand with the team to support them in all that needs to be done to get through. I remain certain for God's provision of wisdom and grace for me as I fly out on Saturday 24 January and that He, as He always has, will bring us through. Please pray for me over the next ten days and I will keep you updated as we move ahead. I look forward to seeing God deliver us for the benefit of the poor, the broken and the lost in Australia. I appreciate your prayers.

God bless
John

John Kirkby
16 January 2009 at 02:29pm

It’s been a challenging start to the year, but a great one too. I feel an amazing sense of ‘wow’ when I think about how 2009 will see us increase the number of CAP Centres by over 40%, open 35 more centres, continue to help our 8000 existing clients and add another 8000 in just one year! It sounds bonkers but it’s so exciting!

Then, when I think about the quality and professionalism of the team at Head Office in Bradford and across our soon-to-be 95 centres, it fills me with pride in what God has done and a great sense of ‘we can do this!’

I’ve had my fair share of international challenges over the last two weeks, particularly in New Zealand, but again I’m overwhelmed by God’s miraculous provision. Stephen Roberts, who heads up CAP Central here in the UK, has just travelled half way across the globe with his wife, Christine, to assist with the running of CAP New Zealand.

This was an answer to prayer in response to a desperate need for someone to help lead the charity out there. The great news is, Heather Jones (who has been heading up CAP NZ with her husband Gareth) is Stephen and Christine’s daughter and she’s expecting her firstborn to arrive within a few weeks. God’s timing is perfect!

I had a great weekend last weekend as I visited St Thomas’ Philadelphia church in Sheffield for the launch of their brand new CAP centre. It is always fantastic to see churches getting behind our vision and people willing to do what they can do to reach out into their local communities.

I’ve got a feeling 2009 is going to be the usual rollercoaster that the past 13 years have been, but that’s the way we’ve grown to love it! It’s great to have you along for the ride!

God bless
John.