Reunions

I will return shortly to my oral history but I must mention a service last Saturday.  Mat Wilson was inducted to the pastorate of Shirley Baptist Church and he invited me to preach. I suffered flashback....it was over 20 years that this was my regular task as students left Spurgeon's College.  Mat left in 2000 to serve as Pioneer Missionary in Albania, later as Director of the International Mission Training College in Birmingham, and most recently as senior pastor of Pavilion Christian Community in Rowheath. A colourful and demanding journey of service, accompanied by his gifted wife Hannah and family.  And now he had received a unanimous call from Shirley.

The large church building was packed - I couldn't see more than a couple of empty chairs at the front. Singing was joyous with the right balance of worship, seriousness and sheer delight at the new thing God was doing.

And a key reason why this service meant even more to me was the fact that five ministers in the congregation were all students in my era at Spurgeon's.  Neil, now a Regional Minister led the service.  Ed, Nick and Mark were Mat's contemporaries and as we greeted each other I was deeply encouraged (yes, I think deeply is the right adverb) that all these men, with wives happily partnering, were still in active ministry, still (they said) grateful for their training in Spurgeon's and still on fire for God.  That's quite wonderful, isn't it?  They commented about words they heard way back in college chapel.  One said that throughout his ministry he kept reminding himself of three things I once said:  God made you. God loves you. God wants to use you.  I have no recollection of saying that (!) but you can imagine for an old Baptist minister its humbling to hear years later some God words stuck.

So, deeply encouraged and grateful.