Gilbert was wrong!

PC world?

GILBERT WAS WRONG!
A policeman’s lot is a happy one!
By Robin Oake
Authentic Media. 226 pages. £8.99
ISBN 978-1-85078-837-9

Question — Can a Christian be a police officer? Or can a police officer be a Christian?

In his autobiography Robin Oake testifies ‘Yes, you can!’ as he tells of his life as a Christian policeman, and his lot has been a happy one as he has known the Lord’s keeping through his career. He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1957 and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Chief Constable of the Isle of Man Constabulary, retiring in the late 1990s.

He shares some experiences in his police work and refers to opportunities that the Lord gave him whereby he was able to witness to particular individuals, and some resulting encouragements. In the interviews for promotion he was often questioned about his Christian faith; and he was throughout his career active in the Christian Police Association (as was Sir James Anderton, his Chief Constable in Manchester).

The Lord gave him access to high places in his work; took him through bombings and riots — the Moss Side situation in Manchester was very interesting. At Bramshill Police College in a debate he was asked if he could personally forgive someone and he said as a Christian that he could. A few years later Robin Oake and family had to deal with the shock of the murder of their son Stephen while on duty with the Special Branch.

It is a challenging book — it challenges one’s Christian witness in the daily run of life. At his retirement Robin Oake gives thanks to God for calling him into the police service and for the opportunities to serve him. Can we say that about our lives?

Peter Stead,
pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Halifax

© Evangelicals Now - September 2009
Please consider supporting this ministry by subscribing.

• Request Free Sample

Main Articles

• Bless you!
• The Commentary
  Why the West is going west
• Scary scholars - frightened freshers!
  How to help new students
• A different vision
  Anne Roberts looks at the Piquant Visibilia project
• What we can learn from Charles Simeon
• Monthly youth leaders column
  Young people and senior citizens
• The Music Exchange
  Keep it simple, stupid
• Letter from America
  Holidays and holy days
• The Third Degree
  UCCF: serving the church
• Playing at praying?
• Darwin's eyesight?

Other articles

• Creation
• I did it his way - Hugh Hill tells us his story
• Run to win the prize
• Inside story - the life of John Stott - An extract
• Risking the truth: interviews on handing truth and error in the church - An extract - Ligon Duncan on Federal Vision
• Too much, too soon - Does sex education work?
• Katyn - A disturbing film reviewed
• The last TV evangelist
• John Calvin
• The story of Ann Griffiths
• The call and the commission
• Let's study Matthew
• Gilbert was wrong! - A policeman's lot is a happy one!
• Behind every smile
• Counsel your flock - Fulfilling your role as a teaching shepherd
• Think God, think science - Conversations on life, the universe and faith
• Maximum life - All for the glory of God
• Pathway to Jesus
• God is back - How the global rise of faith is changing the world
• Risking the truth - Handling error in the church