GEM UK is

Missional DNA of GEM UK

Christ Centred

We are devoted and dependent on Christ in all we do.

For us, mission is all about Jesus! Jesus is the source and centre of our faith, hope, and Love. United and rooted in Him through faith, we seek to be with Him, become like Him, and do what He did.

Christ-Centred living places Jesus at the heart of everything we are and do. He is the source and centre of our faith, hope, and love, shaping our identity and purpose. It is all about Jesus—His life, His teachings, His example, and His redeeming work. United with Him through faith and rooted in His love, we strive to live in daily devotion and dependence on Him, drawing our strength and guidance from His presence.

To be Christ-centred means seeking to be with Jesus in intimate communion, abiding in Him through prayer, worship, and the Word. It involves a transformative journey to become like Jesus, allowing His character to be formed in us as we grow in humility, compassion, and holiness. Finally, it compels us to do what Jesus did, actively participating in His mission to bring healing, restoration, and the good news of the gospel to the world.

(John 15:1-8)

Committed to Passionate Prayer

Passionate prayer is the foundation and fuel of our life and mission.

Prayer grounding us in dependence on God’s presence and power while igniting our passion and perseverance to reach the nations with the gospel.

Passionate Prayer is both the foundation and fuel of our lives and mission, anchoring us in dependence on God’s presence and power while igniting our passion to reach the nations with the gospel. Prayer is not an add-on but the essential core of everything we do, shaping our hearts and aligning our actions with God’s will. It fosters an intimate communion with Jesus through listening prayer, where we seek His guidance, wisdom, and presence. At the same time, it drives us outward in intercessory prayer, as we lift up the neighbourhoods of the UK and the nations of Europe, asking God to transform hearts and open doors for the gospel.

Passionate prayer empowers us to persevere in challenges, unites us as His people, and sustains the mission to make Jesus known across cultures and communities. Through prayer, we declare our complete dependence on Him and invite His Spirit to work through us for His glory.

(Luke 18:1-8)

Engaging Evangelism

We are broken-hearted for the lost and open-mouthed with good news.

As we go, we boldly proclaim the gospel daily and deliberately so every man, woman and child can encounter the transforming power of Jesus.

Engaging Evangelism is a call to live out the gospel with boldness and intentionality, driven by a deep awareness of the need for every person to encounter the transforming power of Jesus. It means sharing the good news daily and deliberately, recognising that evangelism is not an occasional task but an integral part of our lives as followers of Christ. As we go about our day-to-day lives, we proclaim the gospel with courage and compassion, trusting in its power to bring salvation and renewal. This practice is not limited to words alone but is accompanied by actions that reflect Christ’s love, making the message of hope tangible and accessible.

Engaging evangelism ensures that no man, woman, or child is beyond the reach of hearing and experiencing the life-changing grace of Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 5:13-16)

Kingdom Collaboration

We believe it will take catalytic and creative innovation to grow Christ’s Kingdom.

We know we cannot do this alone so we collaborate with a servant-hearted posture and strategic initiative for the greatest kingdom impact.

Kingdom Collaboration is the recognition that advancing Christ’s Kingdom requires a unified effort, as no single individual or organisation can achieve this mission alone. It involves fostering partnerships marked by servant-hearted humility, where collaboration is not about competition but about leveraging diverse strengths and resources for a shared purpose. Through catalytic innovation, we seek creative and transformative ways to grow God’s Kingdom, aligning efforts and strategies to maximise collective impact. This approach emphasises working together with a spirit of mutual respect, trust, and shared vision, ensuring that the gospel reaches further and deeper as we serve together for God’s glory and the good of others.

(Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Missional Multiplication

It will take many moments and movements that multiply our impact.

We invest in a posture of apprenticeship to release workers, leaders, and churches to obey the Great Commission's call.

Missional Multiplication is the intentional effort to create moments of meaningful impact and movements that expand the reach of God’s mission through replication and discipleship. It begins with investing in individuals, equipping and empowering them to grow as disciples of Jesus, and fostering a heart for making more disciples. This approach is grounded in the principle that the gospel’s power is multiplied as each person is equipped to reach others, creating a ripple effect that transforms communities and cultures.

Through prayerful dependence, strategic actions, and a commitment to faithfulness, missional multiplication ensures that the work of the Kingdom grows exponentially, impacting both the present and future generations for Christ.

(Matthew 13:1-23)

Why Europe?

We believe Europe is the most overlooked mission field in the world.

Most European countries have a population where less than 3% claim a relationship with Jesus. Many Europeans can go their entire lives never interacting with a Believer of Jesus. Europe is the intersection of world cultures. Now, the ongoing refugee crisis has brought the nations to the shores of Europe, making it more critical for world revival than ever before. The economic, political, and immigration turmoil of the last decade has laid the foundation for Europeans to be ready to meet Jesus and His followers.

GEM is about making disciples who make disciples.

Senior Leadership Team

Rev. Jeremy Dearing | CEO

Rev. Jez (Jeremy) Dearing is married to Jo and has four children: Boaz, Mary, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Living in Birmingham, a city he loves, Jez has dedicated over 30 years to gospel ministry. For the past 16 years, he has focused on church planting while also serving as a Trustee for GEM for 9 years and now leading GEM UK for the last 4 years. A passionate football fan, Jez proudly supports his beloved Tottenham Hotspur.

Josh Walsh | Director of Ministry Development

Originally from Northern Ireland, Josh lives on the Wirral, Merseyside. He has a love for sport—playing or coaching—and spending quality time with his family and local church community. Before joining GEM UK, Josh served as the Lead Pastor for 10 years at a church he planted on the Wirral; Before that, he was involved in Sports Ministry, using football as a tool to share the gospel. Josh actively partnered with networks and organisations, including Acts 29, overseeing assessment of church planters. He is dedicated to strategic collaboration among church networks to achieve a greater missional impact across the UK, now focusing on enhancing the effectiveness and impact of GEM UK's mission.

Barry Mason | Director of Mobilisation & Partnerships

Barry is a Teesside boy, now living in Kidderminster with his wife, Becca and their 3 children. Barry became a Christian as a teenager, being introduced to the idea of following Jesus alongside the call to go into ministry as a natural hand in hand decision. He studied Sports Science & Physical Education, and went on to serve with British, and then Wyre Forest Youth for Christ ministries. He continues to engage in local sports, hanging up his rugby boots to start bouncing a basketball and loves thinking of really big sums to try and solve.

Sally Gates | Chief Operating Officer

Sally is originally from the USA, now resides in Brighton, UK with her husband, Reece. With over a decade of experience in ministry, Sally previously served in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where she led a team focused on reaching university students and youth. In her current role as Chief Operating Officer for GEM UK, she oversees HR and personnel management. Beyond her operational responsibilities, Sally volunteers locally at a food bank and soup kitchen, mentors young believers, and offers personal training.

Paul Foinette | Chief Financial Officer

Paul studied Accountancy at University before spending around 35 years in Financial control within manufacturing industry. He then left to join the full-time leadership team in his local church where he served for 15 years, also gaining experience in charity finance, before joining GEM UK in 2022. Paul lives in Scotland and is married to Heather and they have one son, Blair. Paul loves football, cricket and WWII history, and is also the treasurer for a Veterans charity.

Andy Mackie | Focus City Birmingham Lead

Andy lives in Birmingham and has a passion to see the city and region transformed by the kingdom of God. Originally from Edinburgh, he came to Birmingham as a post-grad student, married Ruth, and led a church. He has run many outreach initiatives, scores of Alpha Courses, and released people into a variety of missional endeavours. Through strong city relationships with other leaders, he has been instrumental in enabling and supporting a number of city-wide projects, prayer initiatives and training programmes. He is now focusing his energies and efforts on the wider church, overseeing the development of GEM's Focus City initiative in Birmingham, including the delivery of IMMERSE missional disciple-making & leadership skills training.

Carly Parsons | Assistant to the CEO

Carly comes from Tennessee and now has made her home in Birmingham, England with her husband Mark. Given her passion for creativity and evangelism, Carly works with her local church engaging with internationals through English class and a weekly baking workshop. In her admin role, Carly helps in the runnings of GEM UK in order to provide support to the leadership and workers across the UK.

Board of Trustees

John Rhodes - Chairperson

Jon Burns

Rachelle Neal

Dani Keith

Rev Jeremy Dearing

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