Charlie Macdonald

Charlie became a Christian when she was seven years old. Beginning her Christian journey at such an early age has formed the foundation of her heart for mission. She explains, "I know God wants to meet with young people because of my personal experience. One of my favourite stories in the Bible is Mark 10:13-16, when Jesus becomes angry because his disciples wrongly presume that he is too busy or important to meet with children. Jesus still wants to meet with children today!"

Today, Charlie leads LCM’s Schools Team, coming alongside churches across London, encouraging, supporting, and equipping them to love their local school communities. She first moved to London in 1999 and has been working with children in the heart of the East End ever since. She passionately believes the gospel is relevant and life-changing for children of all ages.

One such child was *Aisha, a 10-year-old girl. “Why do YOU choose to believe in Jesus?” was the question she asked Charlie. This girl had just experienced the Life Exhibition – an interactive exhibition teaching children about Jesus – that Charlie and her team organised alongside local churches and other Christian charities. The exhibition had taken this young student on a journey, and she had questions.

“The event certainly left an impression on this young girl. She picked up on the fact that we were not born Christians and that we all had a choice to make. It was a great opportunity for me to tell a bit of my story,” recalls Charlie.

She continues, “The one million young people in London belong to a post-Christian generation. The 3,000 schools in our capital are important local community hubs, full of young people who do not know that there is a God or who Jesus is."

The Schools Team’s heart is to ensure there’s a Christian witness in every London school, and that every school is connected to its local church.

Charlie lives in Bethnal Green with her husband, four children, and a pet dog and rabbit. She loves running and can’t resist an East London bagel!