25 years on

Yesterday, one of my former Spurgeon's students - Martin Caesar - celebrated 25 years since he was ordained into ministry.  He asked me to preach again, 25 years on.  It was an exhilarating book-ending day.  For all sorts of reasons:

• Striking continuity. Martin and his wife were just as I remembered!  So committed to each other, to serving the Lord together, with a family now grown and embedded in church leadership elsewhere.  Later he shared sad news of some contemporaries who are no longer in ministry.  But what a thrill to catch up with his own story.  Strong and committed through 25 years.
• Signs following. His current Baptist church at Biggleswade (BBC !). Warm in friendship and buzzing with life, it was swollen by representatives of the three churches he served earlier in ministry.  Thanksgiving spilled over into every part of worship.  People genuinely wanted to celebrate his 25 years so far.  And to be together with him.   How happy to visit a church like this.
• Humility. With genuine humility Martin spoke to me before the service about his embarrassment with the personal focus on him. But he ensured that God was at the centre of the celebration by placing communion service at the heart of our worship,  emphasizing just how he/we owe everything to the God's grace in Jesus.  Prayers with hands laid on them as both made a fresh dedication 25 years on.
• Partnership. Ali, his wife, spoke in the service with such love and encouragement. She had collated reflections of Martin's 25 years from the three churches. What a joy to see her in action, so much part of the journey.
• Just fun. The communal meal afterwards was some meal....especially the deserts.  Christian hospitality.

Martin began as student the same year I started as Principal. This was the very first time I saw with my own eyes how a student with so much potential, making heavy vows and commitment at his ordination, had fulfilled so many hopes for his ministry.  What encouragement all round.  And it made me think.....see next post.....