'There is always grace. Never stay away from God'
1. How did you become a Christian?
I was brought up in a Christian home, going to chapel three times on a Sunday, but I didn’t think Christianity was real or relevant – especially as the majority in the chapel were the purple rinse brigade (but lovely).
When I was a teenager my sister got ‘born again’ and started to take me to a local Christian youth group. It was here that I heard people my age, speaking my language, praying to a real God about relevant things to me. I quickly came to see that the gospel I had heard growing up was real, and I put my trust in Jesus.
2. What lessons have you learnt since that you would want to pass on to a younger Christian version of yourself?
There is always grace. Never stay away from God, wallow in sin, or chase after other gods. Seek the Lord every day. His mercies are new every morning – great is His faithfulness!
3. How would you describe your prayer life?
A work in progress. I have struggled with prayer over the years. But reading A Praying Life by Paul Miller helped me to see the Fatherhood of God was key. God wants to hear my prayers – all of them! Then discovering the Psalms as a school of prayer has really helped me pray about all of life. So I use the Psalms and some historic prayers to help me in my organised devotions, and I find that gives me the words I need in my more organic times of prayer.
4. Which two or three Christian books apart from the Bible have most influenced your faith?
The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbs had a huge impact on my life, and continues to do so. To see that God loves me, even in weakness – especially in my weakness! – has changed my life. I still quote ‘there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us’ regularly. A more recent book is Serving without Sinking by John Hindley. When I first read that we had to learn to let Jesus serve us before we serve Him, I nearly stopped reading the book! But as I reflected and read on, I saw that was total truth. What a Saviour we have!
5. Who or what have been your biggest Christian influences?
Kevin Adams was the leader of the youth group I was converted in, and I later became his assistant pastor. His passion for communicating the gospel, loving his congregation, reading church history, and his humour, have all had an impact on me. Maybe the most significant year in my discipleship was as a Relay worker with students. The teaching I heard and skills I learnt then were foundational for pastoral ministry.
6. What are the main challenges you believe Christians face today?
Learning how to be on the periphery of society, stand for the truth, yet do it like Christ. We have gone from being the morality police (which wasn’t great either!) to being considered immoral. We are out of step on so many issues of the day. But we need to learn how to keep the gospel the main thing, point people to Jesus, and speak the truth in love and with great compassion.
7. What encourages and what discourages you?
Being the pastor of a smaller church with slow growth, a conversion is always the biggest encouragement. I love seeing evidences of grace. Lack of sleep makes me discouraged – it makes me a grumpy old man.
8. What makes you laugh?
Fail videos on YouTube! Basically, anything like ‘You’ve Been Framed’. Very lowbrow. Sorry.
9. What would you want to say to the wider evangelical world?
Be generous. As Richard Sibbs wrote: ‘The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoky, offensive souls. Oh, that that Spirit would breathe into our spirits the same merciful disposition!’
10. Which Biblical person (other than Jesus) do you most look forward to meeting in glory and why?
John Mark. I find him such an encouragement. A repeated failure who could have just given up. I think we’d have a lot in common. But, by the grace of God, he kept going, even after Paul seems to have given up on him. And, in the end, he becomes useful to Paul again. Grace is wonderful.
