 Logo, Reachout Trust | |
| Formation | 1982 |
|---|---|
| Type | Evangelical Christian Ministry |
| Headquarters | Swansea |
| Location | |
Official language | English |
Chairman | Michael Thomas |
| Website | http://reachouttrust.org/ |
Reachout Trust is a Britishevangelical Christian organisation. Its stated aims are to "examine in the light of the Christiangospel the beliefs and practices of people within thecults,occults,new age and all not upholding to biblical truth."[1]
Reachout Trust addresses many different groups includingJehovah's Witnesses, theLatter Day Saint movement, andChristadelphians as well as the occult and New Age. Reachout Trust also produce information about other groups and religions and writes about various influential Christian figures (such astele-evangelists and authors) and various groups within non-evangelical Christianity, such asRoman Catholicism.
Reachout Trust communicates the perceived dangers of those groups' beliefs and/or practices to theevangelical Christian community and presents the Christiangospel from an evangelical perspective to members of those groups. Reachout also teaches the Christian Church about biblical warnings concerning error and how to engage with those holding to ideas the Bible identifies as errors. The organisation is based inSwansea, South Wales, UK. Reachout Trust produces articles on their website, and on a blog, publish books and booklets, have a YouTube channel, as well as having a presence on social media. They also visit interested churches and groups.
The organisation was formed in 1982, under director Doug Harris.[2] Their first newsletter, produced in 1984, was four pages long and consisted of a few hundred photocopies. That grew to aQuarterly sixteen pages sent out to several thousand individuals and churches across the country. These days the newsletter is online. In 1988, they publishedAwake! To the Watch Tower by Doug Harris, later cited as a reference by Linda Edwards[3] and Robert Crompton.[4] In 1996 they publishedMormonism A Gold Plated Religion by Michael and Ann Thomas.
The first Reachout Convention was held inNew Malden Baptist Church in 1984. After that, it moved toKingstanding Elim Church until 1991 when it was held at the Wycliffe Centre atHigh Wycombe. Having outgrown that venue, it moved in 1996 to the Pioneer Centre nearKidderminster. In 2008, it again moved to the more central location ofHothorpe Hall,Leicestershire. Since Doug Harris's death in 2013[5] the trust has moved more towards small groups, visiting churches, and online ministry. The first conference in ten years was held in September 2022 atThe Hayes Conference Centre, Warwick, Derbyshire. Having successfully held three conferences they are becoming again a fixture in the Reachout Trust year.
From a group of people at the first meeting, the organisation has grown to over a hundred attending a full weekend of seminars. Seminars and workshops cover all the main religions the Reachout Trust considerscults, including theLDS Church andJehovah's Witnesses, but also other groups such asFreemasonry, as well as instruction in dealing with the occult and theNew Age.[citation needed]
In 2002, David McKay of the group theJesus Christians contacted the Reachout Trust through apseudonym in order to elicit a response which he could then utilise to manipulate the media.[6] McKay's plan backfired, and the results were documented in an article inThe Guardian.[6] Also in 2002, a member of the organisation commented on the potential influence of the filmHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on young children, stating that it may influence children to explore theoccult.[7] In 2004, the organisation held a three-day conference in order to assist and consult with families affected by cults and the occult.[8][9]
In 2013 Reachout's founder, Doug Harris, died following a short illness. At the invitation of the trustees the leadership of the trust was taken up by Michael Thomas, a formerMormon and long-time friend and director of the trust,who worked alongside Doug Harris for many years.[5]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
