As I look back over the years I can recall the words of Jon.2.2 “I know that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.”
I have happy memories of a childhood spent in our home in Aghadowey, Northern Ireland, where my Christian parents brought up their four children in the fear of the Lord. For the first 11 years of my life I attended Coleraine Terrace Row Presbyterian Church along with my parents. For some years both my father and mother were exercised before the Lord as to the Scriptural pattern of gathering and I well remember the time, in 1967, when we left this large building in Coleraine to gather in a tin hut at Ballylintagh Gospel Hall. With its coal-burning stove in the middle of the hall one was always sure of a warm welcome!
At the age of 12 the Lord spoke to me through words spoken by my Sunday school teacher Carson Dinsmore. On the 20th April while speaking on Jn.3 he stressed the need of the new birth. About Nicodemus he said, “His first birth was defective and he needed to be born again.” The Holy Spirit used these words to impress upon me the thought, if Nicodemus needed salvation so did I. It was in the early hours of Monday morning the 21st that I accepted Christ as my Saviour. I was baptized in Ballymoney Gospel Hall in September 1972 and received into fellowship in Ballylintagh.
Two years later (November 1974) at the age of 18 I stood at my father’s graveside devastated. The Lord had taken him home suddenly at the age of 49 and it was a loud voice to me regarding the brevity of life. In February 1976 God intervened in my life by preserving me in a serious car accident, which left me in hospital for six months. God taught me another important lesson as I lay on my hospital bed — life was to be lived to serve Him and not lived to satisfy self. My outlook in life changed and it was on the 15th May 1978 that God spoke to me regarding serving Him through Phil.4. It was an experience that was as clear and definite as the day of my salvation. Through days of difficulties and loneliness on the mission field I have often looked back to this experience. My personal dealings with God that day have been a source of support and strength.
Many older brethren took an interest in me. Alex Doey was a godly brother in Ballylintagh who gave me wise advice. Tommy Jamieson (Coleraine) often asked me to accompany him when he went preaching. Overseeing brethren in Ballylintagh taught me and it was in those years that I learnt the preciousness of the local assembly and the importance of an effective local testimony. Over time they gave me responsibility in the Sunday school, opening the Bible reading as well as helping in the open-air gospel meetings.
In 1982 I married Rhoda Hanna (Londonderry) and we made our home in Garvagh and moved to the local assembly at Killykergan. Ten happy years were spent in Garvagh and we greatly benefited from the ministry of Samuel Ussher. Sammy, as he was known, knew his Bible and lived out the truth of it in his daily life. Most weekdays he was found in our home and after telling me what he had enjoyed from the Scriptures that morning he would often turn to me and say “And where have you been reading today?” The other elders in Killykergan always sought to encourage me, giving me responsibility in opening the Bible reading, in the Sunday school and in preaching in the open air. Shortly after arriving in Garvagh we commenced a weekly Monday night children’s meeting in our home along with John Stewart and Tom Stewart before others joined to help. It was a privilege to see up to 100 children attending. We kept active in preaching the gospel each Saturday night of the year in the open air as well as Monday evenings through the summer months. We also had the privilege of helping out in a number of series of gospel meetings along with brethren Eric Wishart, Jim Fillis, William Millar and Albert Aiken.
Since that spring morning 15th May 1978 I had been “assuredly gathering” what the mind and will of the Lord was for my life. Rhoda and I had not mentioned our exercise to anyone, yet on Sunday 15th September 1991 while accompanying one of our elders, John Stewart, to a gospel meeting he said among other things, “You should be out in the Lord’s work.” Confirmation was given that others had confidence in me and so I made my exercise known.
On the 5th November I met my overseeing brethren and soon after that Rhoda and I were commended by the Killykergan, Ballylintagh, Lisachrin and Moneydig assemblies to the grace of God for the Lord’s work. The door was opening and after selling our house and moving into rented accommodation we applied for a visa to Norway. Standing in the Norwegian Embassy in London I was told there was little point in applying and that if I did apply, it would take six months before I would get a response. Three weeks and three days later we had our visas!
Leaving family behind was difficult for us all. Three days before my father died, though he was healthy and well with never a day’s illness in 26 years, his last words to me were: “If anything happens to me make sure you look after your mother.” In serving the Lord difficult decisions and choices have to be made and true are the words of Lk.14.26. On the 7th October 1992 we left Northern Ireland for Norway.
More than twelve years have passed and we look back with joy as to what the Lord has done. Rhoda has been a blessing to me as we have served the Lord together. The Lord has saved our three children and we have seen them baptized and gathered to the Lord’s name. It has pleased the Lord to save others whom we have contacted through our weekly meetings or as a result of street work. Eleven years we lived in Kristiansand, raised a family and that without a local assembly or young Christian company for our children Esther, Thomas and Andrew. We have missed family, friends and fellowship but look back over these years confident in the fact that we were doing what the Lord called us to do.
God calls to the work and so it is important to work where and when He calls, Acts 13:2. He guides while in that work opening or closing doors as He wills, Acts 16.6-10. Through a contact we made in Norway in 1994 an assembly work has been established in the town of Lutsk, Ukraine. A lot has been accomplished since the assembly in Lutsk met to remember the Lord for the first time on April 21st 2002. The work there is progressing and the assembly has grown. Souls have been saved and baptized. Assembly truths have been taught and practiced and our heart’s desire is to see a Scriptural work develop. Over the past two years or so, I have made eight visits and enjoyed working with my fellow brethren from Northern Ireland, America and Canada. After much prayer and in fellowship with our commending elders we have left Norway to live in Ukraine. Many things will be different but the commission remains the same — preach to all and teach “all things.” Our confidence for the future is in a God who has not failed us in the past. Your continued prayers are valued.
Serving the Lord demands conversion, a concern “Lord what wilt Thou have me to do,” a call Acts 26:19, commendation Acts 14:26, communication Acts 14:27, conviction Rom.1:16, cleanness of life 2Thess.3:7 and commitment 2Tim.4:7.
God called Jonah who was his servant in the Northern Kingdom to go and do a work in Nineveh to the south. Jonah sought to run away. WILL YOU?
1Cor.9:16 Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.