Backstory

Here’s a bit about an unusual church high up in the Chilterns, between High Wycombe, Great Missenden and Princes Risborough. Speen Church is a church in Speen Village, but not a typical village church. The vision is bigger. I am the Pastor – probably ‘lead minister’ would be a more accurate description – of this team-minded and community-orientated church with members drawn from three towns and a number of villages all around. The church is to an extent shaped by the ministries they are involved in across the area including One Can Trust, Wycombe Street Angels, Wycombe Homeless Connection and Night Shelter, Saunderton Lodge hostel, Prayer for Wycombe, Princes Risborough Lighthouse, various Churches Together and Christians in the Community groupings. We are active in living out Christian values in professional practices, businesses, schools, central government, and their own neighbourhoods with involvements in the worlds of fine art, music, design, marketing, IT, engineering, manufacturing, education, social work, the health service and strong relationships with other churches, church leaders and good networks. We love God, love each other and love our wider community, and we enjoy increasing freedom and awareness of the Holy Spirit whenever we gather. Which all says quite a lot about where I am coming from, and what excites me, personally.

We are a Baptist church, but not very; and my accreditation as an ordained minister is with the Baptist Union, but it isn’t my identity. I trained at Spurgeon’s College in South London, but that isn’t my uniform. I like to preach but I’m more passionate about equipping people, making disciples and prayer ministry. I’m about growing big-hearted people and letting God grow His church. Which He is doing.

And, back to this blog and what it is for: I am a champion of God’s word, whether proclaimed or declared or taught or shared or read. But we need more than a monologue, however stirring the oratory. We need teaching we can access, engage with and kick about a bit with our friends to see where it goes. So this is place where I can experiment with different forms and approaches – and you can tell me what works for you.