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An exciting future

An interview with Stephen Gaukroger

Stephen Gaukroger is giving the main Bible readings at Word Alive 1998.
Stephen is leader of the pastoral team at Gold Hill Baptist Church in Buckinghamshire. The author of over a dozen books, he is also the Chairman of the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association in Europe, a member of the Spring Harvest Executive and of the Word Alive Committee.
EN was able to interview him as he prepared for Word Alive.

Colossians?

Q: Colossians is the main Bible reading at Word Alive this year, can you tell us the thinking behind this particular book being chosen?

A: We have chosen the book of Colossians as a wonderful resource to help us apply our faith to our daily Christian life. We will be taking eight major themes from the book of Colossians and trying to work out their implications for the 95% of our lives which we don't spend in church. These themes are salvation, mission, false teaching, enemy activity, work, relationships, evangelism and persistence. The clear emphasis is on making sense of the biblical teaching in the context of those parts of our lives which are not surrounded by the Christian community. We are very keen to help people apply their faith at the sharp end of their lives.
Of course, the Bible readings will take a whole chapter of the book of Colossians on each of the four mornings, giving an overview of the material in the whole chapter.

Moving churches

Q: You have moved churches in the last year or so. Has it been difficult to let go of one group of people and take up another?

A: Yes! I have certainly been going through a period of transition. Leaving Stopsley in Luton was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I felt that I had invested so much of my life and energy there that to leave it behind was an enormous wrench.
However, coming to Gold Hill has been one of the most thrilling things in my life! Kind and godly people have bent over backwards to make me feel loved and welcomed and I feel tremendously at home here. There are some differences between the two churches and the communities in which they find themselves. Nevertheless, human need remains the same wherever you are. I continue to find people responding encouragingly to the preaching of the Word and being open to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. But moving house and moving church is certainly not something you would want to do on a regular basis!

Into the future

Q: What are your thoughts on the future of evangelicalism as we approach the millennium?
A: I am filled with two opposite feelings as we approach the millennium. I feel both of these things intensely and at the same time! Firstly, there are enormously worrying signs in both society and the church. Ignorance of the Bible is epidemic and the situation is hardly better in some of our churches. Many Christians are almost indistinguishable from their non-Christian counterparts in terms of their morality, integrity and lifestyle. I feel a combination of deep anger and great sadness when I look at some parts of the evangelical church. Dead orthodoxy and unbiblical lunacy compete at the extremes of evangelicalism.
On the other hand, I sense a great mood of openness among people who are not Christians. I have rarely found it easier to talk about my faith. Certainly the church as an institution is viewed very much as passe, but there is an incredible spiritual hunger. Churches which learn to focus on their great missionary purpose and equip their people to build friendships with non-Christians and be salt and light to them, can, I think, look forward to an exciting future.