About us
Stuart King
Stuart and Phyllis King worked for many years as missionaries in Africa.
Stuart, supported by his wife, pioneered and headed up the work of MAF-UK for 40 years. (See "Hope has Wings" published originally by Harper Collins and now by Mission Aviation Fellowship UK. www.maf-uk.org)
Stuart also served as an elder in his local church for 23 years.
Through many years’ experience of teaching, of leading small home groups, and running discipleship and leadership courses, Stuart and Phyllis felt burdened to develop, not just another ‘course’, but to encourage a lifestyle that enables Christians to experience a close daily walk with the Lord, and as a result ‘Discipleship With A Difference’ was ‘born’.
Stuart is President Emeritus of Mission Aviation Fellowship International and an enthusiastic and founding Trustee of Christ Followers.
He lives an ‘unquiet’ life in Folkestone, Kent.
Wilf Ashburn
Wilf is a retired career Civil Servant who focussed on employment and training initiatives and disciplines.
Latterly primarily involved in encouraging private and public sector partnerships, aiming to improve enterprise and economic regeneration in local communities, especially in the inner cities.
He is a past trustee and fundraising employee with the Shaftesbury Society now known as Livability, and is still a company law member.
Wilf is also one of the founding trustees of Christ Followers.
Wilf is married to Madeleine, with two children and six grandchildren and lives in Folkestone, Kent.
Celebrates being a lifelong supporter of Newcastle United FC.
Ruth Whitaker
Ruth leads the team at Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF UK), raising awareness of the worldwide work of the charity in the UK so that people will be inspired to join or to support the work in developing countries.
MAF is a worldwide Christian mission organisation flying light aircraft in developing countries to enable aid, relief, medical help and the hope of the gospel to reach isolated and remote communities, living in difficult to reach places.
Ruth joined MAF UK from the aircraft manufacturer Airbus. Having trained as an aeronautical engineer, she gained wide experience in project management, procurement, business development and customer support within the aircraft industry.
Having grown up in a Christian home, Ruth made a personal commitment as a teenager, however, cannot remember a time when God was not a key part of her life.
Ruth currently lives in Kent and is a member of Life Church in Folkestone.
She is one of the founding trustees of Christ Followers, believing in the importance of developing disciples, a passion ignited in her after attending the Lausanne Congress (Capetown) in 2010.
Alex Cotter
Alex drew the short straw and became the Executive trustee when Christ Followers Charitable Trust was founded in 2012.
He grew up in a Christian home where practical faith was a real example and an inspiration.
Working alongside Stuart King, he helped to organise the discipleship programme at Cheriton Baptist Church in Folkestone.
Having spent all his working life in the construction industry, and 28 years of those running a small business, it was something of a surprise when he became aware that God was calling him to leave it all behind and concentrate on ‘discipleship’.
Remarkably, his wife and two grown up children didn’t question his sanity!
His heartfelt passion is to see churches ‘grow in depth’, and to encourage, particularly new believers, to discover a deeper, more personal walk with Christ.
His other heartfelt passion is to see Spurs win the Premier league – something his wife and two Arsenal supporter children do have cause to question his sanity!
Our History & Vision
Our vision is to equip and encourage others through Discipleship with a difference to be disciples of Jesus, living Christ-centred lives.
Christ Followers Charitable Trust was established in response to the Great Commission given by Jesus – to go into all the world and make disciples (see Matthew 28 verse 19).
We make available the Discipleship with a difference course, which is specifically designed for groups, where learning together encourages growth together, as a community of believers.
Originally developed by Stuart and Phyllis King, this course is intended to be practical, challenging and encouraging.
We believe that solid foundations are of vital importance if our lives are to grow into the maturity of Christlikeness. So this is where we begin, to teach, encourage, and empower you to become an authentic and joyful Christian disciple. In essence, it is all focused on the relationship with Jesus Christ first and foremost, affecting all of our life, for the whole of our life.
So, whether you are a brand-new Christian or you have walked with Him for many years, we pray you will learn, grow and be encouraged.
About the authors
Stuart and Phyllis King worked for many years as missionaries in Africa. In the UK, Stuart also served as an elder in his local church for 23 years. He was President Emeritus of Mission Aviation Fellowship International, and supported by his wife, pioneered and headed up the work of MAF-UK for 40 years. (See “Hope has Wings” published originally by Harper Collins and now by MAF.)
After many years of experience of teaching, of leading small home groups, and running discipleship and leadership courses, they felt burdened to develop, not just a ‘course’, but to encourage a lifestyle that enables Christians to experience a close daily walk with the Lord. That through it, they should grow in Christlikeness; learning to find His will and purposes for their lives, encouraged to reach out to others, and strengthened to persevere through the trials and difficulties of life, and to grow in their love for God.
Alex
Executive Trustee
Ruth
Trustee
Annie
Trustee
Stuart King
Stuart and Phyllis King worked for many years as missionaries in Africa.
Stuart, supported by his wife, pioneered and headed up the work of MAF-UK for 40 years. (See "Hope has Wings" published originally by Harper Collins and now by Mission Aviation Fellowship UK. www.maf-uk.org)
Stuart also served as an elder in his local church for 23 years.
Through many years’ experience of teaching, of leading small home groups, and running discipleship and leadership courses, Stuart and Phyllis felt burdened to develop, not just another ‘course’, but to encourage a lifestyle that enables Christians to experience a close daily walk with the Lord, and as a result ‘Discipleship With A Difference’ was ‘born’.
Stuart is President Emeritus of Mission Aviation Fellowship International and an enthusiastic and founding Trustee of Christ Followers.
He lives an ‘unquiet’ life in Folkestone, Kent.
Wilf Ashburn
Wilf is a retired career Civil Servant who focussed on employment and training initiatives and disciplines.
Latterly primarily involved in encouraging private and public sector partnerships, aiming to improve enterprise and economic regeneration in local communities, especially in the inner cities.
He is a past trustee and fundraising employee with the Shaftesbury Society now known as Livability, and is still a company law member.
Wilf is also one of the founding trustees of Christ Followers.
Wilf is married to Madeleine, with two children and six grandchildren and lives in Folkestone, Kent.
Celebrates being a lifelong supporter of Newcastle United FC.
Ruth Whitaker
Ruth leads the team at Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF UK), raising awareness of the worldwide work of the charity in the UK so that people will be inspired to join or to support the work in developing countries.
MAF is a worldwide Christian mission organisation flying light aircraft in developing countries to enable aid, relief, medical help and the hope of the gospel to reach isolated and remote communities, living in difficult to reach places.
Ruth joined MAF UK from the aircraft manufacturer Airbus. Having trained as an aeronautical engineer, she gained wide experience in project management, procurement, business development and customer support within the aircraft industry.
Having grown up in a Christian home, Ruth made a personal commitment as a teenager, however, cannot remember a time when God was not a key part of her life.
Ruth currently lives in Kent and is a member of Life Church in Folkestone.
She is one of the founding trustees of Christ Followers, believing in the importance of developing disciples, a passion ignited in her after attending the Lausanne Congress (Capetown) in 2010.
Alex Cotter
Alex drew the short straw and became the Executive trustee when Christ Followers Charitable Trust was founded in 2012.
He grew up in a Christian home where practical faith was a real example and an inspiration.
Working alongside Stuart King, he helped to organise the discipleship programme at Cheriton Baptist Church in Folkestone.
Having spent all his working life in the construction industry, and 28 years of those running a small business, it was something of a surprise when he became aware that God was calling him to leave it all behind and concentrate on ‘discipleship’.
Remarkably, his wife and two grown up children didn’t question his sanity!
His heartfelt passion is to see churches ‘grow in depth’, and to encourage, particularly new believers, to discover a deeper, more personal walk with Christ.
His other heartfelt passion is to see Spurs win the Premier league – something his wife and two Arsenal supporter children do have cause to question his sanity!
