In Depth:  interview

Elaine Macdonald is a member of The Bridge Church, Cardiff. Influenced by her experience as a UCCF staff worker in the early 1990s, she is passionate about one-to-one discipleship. She is currently a member of the Evangelical Movement of Wales management board.

1. How did you become a Christian?
By my mid-twenties, I’d arrived at a place of believing in a creator, sustainer God, but had no sense of a personal, redeemer God. My upbringing had given me a clear sense of right and wrong, and I thought that if I lived as good a life as I could, all would be well in the end. I became a high school teacher, and a colleague who had become a good friend invited me to church (there was something different about her, and how she handled life). Someone preached on Psalm 139, God’s Spirit revealed to me who He was, and who I was. I was amazed that such a God would be interested in such a one as me. He became my rescuer, and His right hand holds me fast.

Israel Oluwole Olofinjana is director of One People Commission, part of the Evangelical Alliance.

He is a Baptist minister and has led two multi-ethnic Baptist churches and an independent charismatic church. He is the founding director of Centre for Missionaries from the Majority World, a mission network initiative that provides cross-cultural training to reverse missionaries in Britain. He is a consultant to the executive team of Lausanne Europe, advising them on matters related to diaspora ministries in Europe.

Mark Meynell has recently become a freelance writer and teacher, having pastored in local churches, taught in an East African seminary and, for the last 22 years, served with Langham Preaching (a programme of Langham Partnership).

1. How did you become a Christian?

Ryan King is pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Wood Green, London and works with Grace Baptist Partnership on Europe-related leadership development and church planting projects.

He is the author of Every Man’s Conscience: Early English Baptists and the Fight for Religious Liberty (H&E Academic) and is married to Uliana, who he met while speaking at a conference in Ukraine, and together they have a daughter, Sara.

Darren Moore is the minister of Chelmsford Presbyterian Church and is a native-born Essex boy!

He is a trustee at European Missionary Fellowship (EMF) and a contributor on Gospel Reformation. He is married to Glad and father of Josiah.

Donald John is an elder at Cambridge Presbyterian Church and President of Westminster Seminary UK as well as Professor of Historical Theology. He is also a trustee of the Banner of Truth and Tyndale House.

1. How did you become a Christian?

Layo lives in London and says of herself: ‘I am joyfully culturally British and of African descent. I fill my time by working in Parliament as an Organisational Development Consultant, working for my church part-time and being an aunty, sister, daughter and friend.’

1. How did you become a Christian?

I don’t remember! I’m privileged to have been brought up in a Christian family, and I have grown to understand my need for Jesus as my Lord and Saviour over the years. It’s been a long and incredible adventure being a disciple.

John Woods

Following the publication of the new book, The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary, en reviews editor John Woods spoke to the author, Christopher Ash, at Tyndale House.

Christopher is a Scholar-in-Residence at Tyndale House in Cambridge.

Dan Steel is the Principal of Yarnton Manor, and was formerly the pastor of Magdalen Road Church for a number of years.

1. How did you become a Christian?

1. How did you become a Christian?

Milla Ling-Davies

In a magnificent display of unity, over 5,000 Christians from across 202 countries and territories gather in Seoul, South Korea this September. Together they will pray, listen, and discuss how Christians across the world can fulfil Jesus’ command in Matthew 28 to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’.

This ‘once in a generation’ event is run by the Lausanne Movement, which exists to mobilise Christians to collaborate in order to fulfil the Great Commission. This gathering, their fourth Congress, is only the fourth time such meeting has taken place since the movement was formed in 1974.

John Woods

en reviews editor John Woods speaks to Michael Reeves. Reeves oversees the work of Union School of Theology, and teaches in the areas of systematic and historical theology and also on preaching and spiritual formation. He is a local church minister, Director of the European Theologians Network, and speaks and teaches regularly worldwide. Previously he has been Head of Theology for student organisation UCCF and an Associate Minster at All Souls, Langham Place. He is married to Bethan and they have two daughters.

JW: What do you do when you are not preaching, teaching or writing?

1. How did you become a Christian?

I grew up in a Christian family and heard the gospel taught regularly at church. When I was 11, I was challenged during an evening service about my need to respond to Christ personally because I was more sinful than I knew and couldn’t clean myself up. I understood then that only Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to pay for all my sin, and I repented and expressed my trust in Him alone for salvation. I experienced great joy and assurance in knowing my sin was forgiven forever.