I hope you are enjoying finding out about the Jubilee team as much as I am. This week we find out more about Simon, seen here with Beccy.
Introducing Simon
How did you become a Christian?
For my 7th birthday my parents bought me a set of Scripture Union children’s Bible reading notes. My birthday is around Easter time and so the notes were all about the Easter story. Although I’d heard the stories before, having been brought up in a Christian home and gone to Sunday school, something sorted of clicked and made sense for the first time. One evening in May as I was laying on my bed before going to sleep I prayed that God would forgive me for all the wrong things I’d done and help me to follow him.
Who is your favourite bible character and why?
Am I allowed to say ‘Jesus’ because He is Everything!! If I’m not allowed to say Him, then it’s too difficult to choose. I’ll give you 2…!
Timothy – I love the picture which emerges in 1 and 2 Timothy of him being sent by Paul to lead the church in Ephesus. He was young, loved the word of God and was asked to teach the truth faithfully, raise up leaders who would raise up leaders, live a godly life and be an example to others, etc. I suppose I felt an affinity with his early years of being brought up in a Christian home and having the truth of the Scriptures taught to him by his godly mother and grandmother and also have found comfort in the fact that he had to continually be reminded to go back to God as his source of affirmation & calling.
Enoch – by faith he walked with God and then was not found any more because God took him. I’d love to go like that!!
How did you become part of Jubilee Church?
About 4 years ago God began to speak to us and make it clear that He was preparing us to move to a new place. We’d heard about Jubilee and so in February 2013 we visited! God had made it clear to Beccy that He was going to move us to Solihull but I needed some convincing – not because I didn’t want to come, but because I wanted to be certain that this was what God was saying. Through a series of pictures, prophetic words and conversations God did make it clear that this was the right place for us to be. Rob & Alison were extremely helpful in the process. We finally arrived in October 2013 where we were given the most amazing welcome by our family!
How do you keep an appropriate church/work/life balance?
This is definitely something I have to keep an eye on. I’m married to Beccy who is a great help in trying to keep me from overcommitting to things. It’s great to know that she knows me well, sees my blindspots and is good at encouraging me to stop and take some time out. In recent years I’ve travelled with work a fair amount. I try to use journeys and overnight stays productively to read or study or pray and am learning to view them as a blessing rather than simply ‘time away from home’. I find that when I use these times well they can help refresh me.
I know the importance of my own devotional time with God and aim to prioritise that as I find it is time spent with God that helps bring balance to a busy schedule. Also, having young children means that I am constantly reminded of the importance of playing games/football/chasing round/Lego/etc which definitely brings balance to other activities!
What are your hobbies?
I don’t have any major hobbies! I enjoy watching all sorts of sports and regularly use the gym. I enjoy reading and also going out for walks, especially when you have to wrap up warm and walk through fallen leaves or snow!
In recent years I’ve tried my hand at a bit of gardening by attempting to grow some vegetables. Results have been a little mixed!
Who has had the most influence on your life and in what way?
My parents had a huge influence in bringing me up to know about Jesus & understand the truth about Him. My dad was a Baptist minister and so I listened to his teaching & preaching for years. It was my mum who first introduced me to the Holy Spirit and prayed for me to be filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues. Also, my dad’s parents were significant people. I still remember conversations I had as a 7 year old with my Grampy about the Bible, and my Nanny was influential in helping to shape me as a person.
When I was a student and a young man I was part of Jubilee Church, Coventry. The two elders – George Tee & Kim McCaffrey – spent a lot of time investing in me, taking risks with me in allowing me to lead, encouraging me to develop in my relationship with God, and helping to lay strong foundations in my life.
We also have some very dear friends from university days who now serve God in other places. They have stood with us over the years and have definitely helped to shape who we are today.
Sum up your role in the church in 7 words
Serving others through teaching & pointing to Jesus! (the & doesn’t count as a word!)
Which is your favourite book in the Bible and why?
You have got to be kidding me!
If you push me I’ll have to say that Colossians is one of my top 66. I love the rich revelation of Christ in it and the way Paul’s aim is to bring the Colossian church to maturity.
What is God speaking to you about at the moment?
Discipleship. I believe that I’ve not really grasped the true significance of this and am searching Scripture for a depth of understanding of what being a disciple really means.
Answer with one word your choice from each of these either/or questions
1. Bright colours or neutral tones? Neutral
2. Raisins or nuts? Raisins
3. Picnic or nice restaurant? Nice restaurant
4. Fiction or non-fiction? Non-fiction
5. Read on a Kindle or paperback book? Paperback
6. Go to a play or a musical? Musical
7. Have a night out or evening in? Evening in
8. Whitfield or Wesley? Wesley
9. Calvin or Luther? Calvin
10. X Factor or Strictly? Strictly
Thank you Simon. It’s been great to find out more about you. Simon is the author of weekly blog posts at Glimpses of Jesus. He also writes at The Sharpened Sword.
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