"
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered
me faithful, appointing me to his service ....... The grace of our Lord
was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that
are in Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 1:12-14 NIV
Anything
I am or have done is only because of the grace of God in my life. I
consider myself an unworthy servant but rejoice that He chose me to
serve the King.
The
following brief resume of my ministry is an opportunity for me to look
back and see what God has done and to encourage me to look forward,
for He has assured me that this promise is for me.
"I
will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The
LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death."Psalm
118:17,18. NIV
I was
a young boy when God saved me by His grace after a church service in
Dungannon Baptist Church on Sunday 13th March 1955.
As a
young teen, I was interested in missionary biographies, and in particular
the books about the 5 young men who gave their lives for the Lord as
they witnessed to the Auca Indians in Ecuador. Through these books and
through a number of missionary speakers in our town, I began to have
a conviction that God had a plan for my life that included Christian
service. One evening at the church prayer meeting, I told the Lord I
would go wherever he wanted me to be His servant.
My youth
leader took me and other young people to meetings where we learned to
give our testimony and preach. My Pastor regularly took me to a little
church in the country for a late Sunday service where he encouraged
my participation. Later I teamed up with a friend called Gerald Rodgers
and we preached around a number of churches together. For 30 years Gerald
was Pastor of two churches -Grange Baptist church, Co Antrim and Bellaghy
Baptist Church, Co Londonderry. He has now retired.
I attended
Dungannon Royal School for 5 years and successfully passed Senior Certificate
but, because I was the oldest in the family, my parents felt I should
leave school and earn some income for the home. I really longed to be
an architect and still have a great interest in it. I sometimes dream
of things I might have done and yet I know my life has been in the hands
of the Master Planner. I shared this with a friend recently and received
these most encouraging words.
"You already are an architect! the raw materials you use are
so precious and of such a fine texture that they are hard to see with
the human eye but walk a little closer to that kingdom you are helping
to build and you see mansions of the finest gold and silver, walls covered
in precious stones shining in the everlasting sunshine. Such fine architecture
that only the best in the land are allowed to work on this master project!!"
In
the early sixties, I was introduced to the ministry of Child
Evangelism Fellowship in Ireland. As a boy I had sat in some of
the first meetings that CEF conducted in Ireland. Now aged 16 and just
left school, I saw the Lord opening a door of service for me among children.
I was one of the foundation members of the local CEF Youth Challenge
- a monthly meeting for young people where we could find fellowship
and be equipped for evangelism. We conducted children's open-air meetings,
missions and clubs. My first clubs were in Ballygawley Cadet hall and
in Greystone in the old Mullycar Baptist Church building.
I became
a member of the local CEF area committee. It was an exciting evening
when we became the first Irish committee to decide to call a full-time
worker. Mervyn Moffett came in the Autumn of 1966 and spent two years
in the area. When he left, the committee turned to their youngest member
and said "David, we want you to look after the work until we get
another worker." In such a simple way I began a ministry in CEF
that was to last for 20 years.
At first
I worked part time. I left work in June 1969 and attended the CEF Institute,
held in Lamorlaye near Paris, before returning to be full-time Local
Director of my home area.
European
Bible Institute, Lamorlaye, Paris
The
class of 1969
I always
had a vision to serve the Lord overseas but the Lord never opened that
door. My ministry was to be at home, though in later years He gave me
many opportunities to have a part in overseas work.
Almost
17 years were spent serving the Lord in the Mid-Ulster area, from Clogher
in the west to Swatragh in the north, including the main towns of Dungannon,
Cookstown and Magherafelt. God blessed those years; thousands upon thousands
of boys and girls heard the gospel and I rejoice today to be able to
look around and see the wonderful work of grace that continues in many
lives.
In the
early 80's I was invited to lead the work of CEF into Eastern Europe.
At that time the ministry was based in Vienna. Although the Iron Curtain
was still tightly closed, a great ministry had been carried on for years.
Despite going to meet the workers for a week and twice receiving a unanimous
call to lead them, I was sure the Lord had something else for me to
do. It was very difficult to say no to such a challenging ministry.
It was to be nearly 20 years before God gave me the wonderful privilege
of ministering directly in Eastern Europe. Today I have dear friends
who live and minister there and am privileged to have a part in supporting
them.
In the
mid 80's I was invited to join the staff at Kilchzimmer,
the European CEF
Centre in Switzerland.
Kilchzimmer
I was
called to teach students at the Institutes, travelling there for 3 weeks
each summer and autumn. The remainder of my time was given to Teacher
Training throughout Ireland and the writing of children's Bible lessons.
Teacher Training was an area of the ministry that I really enjoyed.
We had left a strong training programme in Mid-Ulster and this new emphasis
was to provide me with a wonderful opportunity to impact upon the ministry
to children around the world.
But
a conviction was growing that the Lord was leading me in a very different
direction. Writing was not my gift; I found it very difficult to produce
lessons in a style that met with the approval of all the workers throughout
Europe. (This was the first attempt to adapt American text and evangelism
methods for Europeans and there was some initial resistance. Today that
vision has become a reality.) While I loved teaching in Kilchzimmer,
I was moving about a lot and missing a personal interaction with people.
Because
of these and other frustrations it became clear that the Lord was unsettling
me. With great sadness but with a sense of anticipation, I informed
CEF that I was leaving the mission in April 1988. At that point I had
no idea where the Lord was leading me.
I still
have a great admiration for the ministry of CEF and indeed am privileged
to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Specialised
Books Ministry of CEF. Teaching materials and manuals are provided
free of charge to thousands of children's workers around the world.
This ministry was led by my good friend Sam Doherty who was my first
contact in CEF when, as a boy, I sat in some of his meetings in our
village.
Baptist
ministry - Evangelism and church planting.
Being
a convinced baptist, I made enquiries about work with Baptist
Youth in Ireland. Financial constraints hindered the employing another
worker but a shared ministry was explored by Baptist Youth and Baptist
Missions. Jim Henry was leader of the Evangelism and Church Planting
team. He was the only full-time staff member and for health reasons
he needed help. An arrangement was put in place where I would be employed
by Baptist Missions but would spend two days each week working with
Baptist Youth.
It was
a challenging task seeking to balance two responsibilities that quickly
developed. With Jim, I conducted evangelistic campaigns all over Northern
Ireland, in cities and rural communities. With Baptist Youth a new training
course for teachers was established, training days were held in many
parts of Ireland, an in-depth survey of children's work in our churches
was produced and some children's missions conducted. After two years,
pressure of developments in Baptist Missions work, brought this partnership
with Baptist Youth to an end.
The
main focus of my ministry with Jim Henry was to plant churches in the
"commuter belt" that was growing around Belfast. Before I
joined the Church planting team, God had blessed and established churches
in Moira (where I was to later become Pastor) and in Saintfield. I came
along just as work was beginning in Crumlin. A large part of my time
over three years was given to nurturing the few believers there and
laying foundations for the Baptist Church that is established and growing
in Crumlin. I also spent a lot of time over a two-year period in Donaghadee
seeking to plant a church there. Today both towns have a strong Baptist
witness for the gospel, fine buildings and a Pastor of their own.
It was
becoming clear that the demands of the work were too heavy for Jim Henry's
health condition. The time was drawing near for change of leadership
and focus. I was asked to support the small church in Castlederg and
to seek to encourage the Baptist witness in the West. A vision was growing
for church planting along the border counties of the Irish Republic.
I was given the task of surveying the border counties with a view to
Baptist Mission getting involved in the region. God was later to bless
that outreach and today there is a witness in several border regions
and a Baptist church in Cavan.
At
this time I was also seeking God's will for my own future. Baptist missions
were thinking through how best to develop the ministry in Northern Ireland
when there were such great needs and new openings in the South. I had
also had an approach from a church to be their assistant Pastor. In
the early summer of 1990, Jim and I had held a Tent mission in Bleary,
outside Lurgan, as an outreach from Lurgan
Baptist church. I did not know then that the church wanted to appoint
an assistant to Pastor Alec Judd but before the end of the year I had
received a call.
Baptist
Pastoral ministry
After
much heart searching, consulting with Baptist Missions and prayer, I
believed the Lord wanted me to move to Lurgan. I was inducted there
on 30th April 1991. Four challenging but fruitful years followed.
Farewell
service in Lurgan
During
my time in Lurgan I was invited to become a part time lecturer at the
Irish Baptist
College; that ministry continued until my illness interrupted it.
Previously I had assisted with some lectures in Belfast
Bible College for a couple of years. My subject was the Evangelism
of Children. Over the years I have been greatly privileged to have a
part in preparing many students for Christian ministry in Ireland and
around the world.
Lurgan
is only 5 miles from Moira. Over the years in Baptist Missions and in
Lurgan I had opportunities to fellowship with Moira baptists and occasionally
help in their services. In the Autumn of 1994, the Moira elders approached
me enquiring about my future plans in Lurgan. Pastor Judd had indicated
to the Lurgan Church that he planned to retire at the end of 1995. I
believed the Lord had opened this door and at the end of April 1995,
I moved from Lurgan to be Pastor of Moira
Baptist Church.
After
eight years, my ministry in Moira has ended. I had hoped to spend a
great deal more time there and had so many plans for the future of the
ministry. But God's ways are not our ways. I am seeking God's plan for
my future ministry once I have my heart transplant. While illness delays
"active" service, I am thankful for this 2hearts
ministry the Lord has given me. Your prayers are appreciated.
