Biography of Vic Jackopson
20 July 1941
Born. Malvern, England
01 June 1942
Separated from the family and sent to wartime evacuation to Christchurch
05 November 1942
Father died and permanently separated from family
/1956
At Hollybrook Orphanage, in Southampton
/1957
9 months as boy soldier with Army Catering Corps, Aldershot
/1959
Homeless on the streets of Southampton
/1960
Arrested
While in Winchester Prison, Vic read a Gideon Bible and came to faith. On release from prison he was homeless, and sent to a probation hostel in London, where he quickly became a member of Chatsworth Baptist Church in West Norwood.
/1960
Vic started preaching
Vic started preaching the gospel and set up one of the very first Christian Rock groups called – The Messengers.
/1968
Student. Spurgeon’s College, London
/1969
Research
Research project in the United States of America studying experimental youth work and race relations in an urban context, visiting every major city throughout the country as the guest of the Southern and American Baptist Associations.
/1974
Minister, East Hill Baptist Church, London
/1977
Minister, Godstone Baptist Church
/1985
First National Director, Evangelism Explosion, U.K. and then first person responsible for EE in all European countries
/2010
Founder and President of Hope Now
Founder and President of Hope Now, with offices in Southampton UK, Atlanta, USA and Cherkassy, Ukraine. www.hopenow.org.uk and www.kompaspark.com. In the early years of Hope Now, Vic travelled widely as an evangelist, conducting crusades in Selma in Alabama, Kisumu in Kenya, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, Prague and Bratislava in the former Czechoslovakia (with special guest, moon landing astronaut, Col. James Irwin)
In this period, Vic conducted an extensive ministry for 5 years to New Age Travellers and the Glastonbury Festival. He also established a prison ministry, created a home for homeless children, and provided funds to build ten new churches and a sports facility for a school in a poor township community called Langa.
Сame to Cherkassy, Ukraine
Came to Cherkasy, Ukraine to write a report for the Baptist World Alliance, which led to his first involvement in ministry to Prison 62 and later to an extensive ministry among orphans and homeless children, medical ministries, students, the formation of a Bible School and the building of new churches.
Created Kompas Park
Created Kompas Park, to provide a Summer camping, conference and recreational facility for young and old in Khreshchatyk, Cherkassy.
May 2010
Received the MBE from Her Majesty the Queen
Received the MBE from Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle, for services to children and orphans in Ukraine
August 2010
Received from the International Police Association
Received from the International Police Association, a medal for Courage and Professionalism in rescuing homeless children in South Africa and Ukraine.
September 2010
Awarded Medal from Cherkassy Rada
Awarded Medal from Cherkassy Rada for outstanding service to the people of Cherkassy Oblast.
October 2010
Retired
Retired, along with wife Sue, for personal health reasons, but was able to continue preaching and teaching internationally without the strain of leading Hope Now.
May 2011
Became the international representative of Our Father’s Arms
Became the international representative of Our Father’s Arms, in order to continue ministry in Ukraine.
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August 2013
Sue was confirmed as having Early Onset Alzheimer’s
Sue was confirmed as having Early Onset Alzheimer’s and, one month later, with cancer. It required Vic to focus all his attention on Sue until her death 28th July 2017. 47 years of marriage and partnership in ministry.
January 2018
Returned to OFA
Returned to OFA and preaching and mentoring the next generation of Christian evangelists and missionaries. Vic is available to churches throughout the UK and Ukraine as an evangelist and teacher.
September 2020
NOW
Updating autobiography
Vic is currently updating his autobiography, with chapters appearing in blog format on this website once a week.