Monday, March 19, 2012

49 part Deux


Its been a few days but next instalment of the 49 people who have influenced my 49 years:


11. Ernest Shearman - Pastor Shearman wouldn't know me from Adam although he sill alive and well into his 90's living in Nottingham. As a visiting speaker at one of our conventions at Cairnbulg AOG he spoke over my life words that brought a small level of understanding to a very young boy of what God wanted me to do with my life.

12. William Dillon - On a sunny day in September 1982 I arrived at Mattersey Hall Bible College. My mum and dad drove off and left and suddenly I was alone knowing no one and a touch scared. Then this guy with an Belfast accent came and said hello. That was the start of a long friendship with my big brother. For the next year we were almost inseparable. I had the privilege of being his best man and I could have been no prouder than to have him stand by my side on the day I got married. I haven't seen him for many years but more recently we have made contact again and its just great to hear his voice. He is facing difficult health issues. So pray for him if you can.

13. David Priest - Another colleague from college days. I shared a dorm with him for the first year and roomed next to him for the following year. Dave made a trips up to my home with me even landing fish for my dad at some unearthly hour in Peterhead. Thankfully nearly 30 years later we still have some contact with each other and I am honoured to have known such a genuine guy.

14. John Phillips - The day Pastor Phillips walked into our lecture room in the first year of Mattersey is etched in my memory. His subject "The Doctrine of God". For an hour I was mesmerised as he unfolded the Glory of God and made the scriptures or "sciptures" as his north east accent would say it. That day I had a new goal for my life to be able to teach God's Word taking people to the heights of glory in the way he had just done for me.

15. Keith Green - OK I've never met him in fact he had died in a plane accident before I first heard even one of his albums. But the day that Chris Bowater as part of a worship lecture at Mattersey played one of his songs for us, my heart was gripped! His in your face passionate prophetic message kicked me around the room. Even now 30 years later his songs bring me to tears. His song Prodigal Son is for me still the most emotion packed rendition of the most clear story explaining the fathers heart towards men in the whole of the Bible. On the day that I heard that my heart started a journey of grace that was still confused till many years later when I encountered a book that bears the name of the title of my blog. But more of that later.

16+ to follow.

The first 10.

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