A British reader writes:
Having read ANKoC when it first appeared in the UK, I was very
excited to be able to hear you speak when you came to Birmingham late
last November. I bought your most recent book, which it’s taken me just
over a month to read (it was a busy time with Christmas!) and I want to
thank you for your insight, energy and humility which is so
refreshing.
I come from a Methodist background and for the last 20 years I’ve been
part of an evangelical Anglican church in a relatively affluent market
town in shire England. For the last 10 years I’ve got increasingly
frustrated by the incompetence, arrogance and hostility of our
leadership at both national and local level (even though as a church
warden for four years I was once part of it). The debacle over women
bishops was the final straw, prompting me to ‘resign’ my membership of
the church, although I continue to worship with my family at the same
church.
The worst thing is that the only form of true evangelism recognised by
most of my evangelical friends is that of full-time church ministry
preaching the Word. I’ve spent 16 years working in the commercial world
bearing witness to the Other, followed by 10 years working in the not-
for-profit sector helping people build peace and poverty both
internationally and domestically. None of this seems of any value to my
evangelical friends in building the Kingdom – perhaps it’s also my
involvement with unfashionable local community groups, Liberal Democrat
politics and the music and poetry of Leonard Cohen!
I can’t pretend to understand all that you wrote about in your most
recent book, but I do want you to know it’s been a huge inspiration.
Thank you so much.
with best wishes for 2013.
As always, I’m grateful for these encouraging words – and for insight into people’s experience in seeking to follow Christ in today’s context.