GB: Could you tell us a bit about yourself, your background, call to Christ etc?
AR: Hi Gary, thanks for having me on your blog. I enjoy reading your thoughts and links from 'afar'. I am really blessed by your enthusiasm for Christ, His Word and good books. You've also almost converted me to the ESVSB a few times, but not yet! (GB: I'll pray for this)
The stuff about myself is fairly boring. I'm 31 years old, was brought up in Bangor, Co.Down by two wonderful Christian parents, alongside the best older brother you could possibly hope to find, was educated at Gransha Boys High School, Bangor Grammar School, Queens University and the Irish Baptist College.
The stuff about what God has done in my life is much more interesting!
I was brought up in a family where God was honoured, where His Word was read, and where Christ was upheld as the only Saviour. At the age of four I made a commitment to Christ, which was carried through my primary school years. As is the case with many people who have this kind of testimony, I slipped back and didn't honour God at all at high school. I embodied a lot of behaviours which were to my shame, and which certainly didn't speak for Christ. But God is gracious.
At age 16/17 he drew me to Himself in a compelling way. We were attending Newtownards Baptist Church and the Pastor there (Harold Chambers) spoke with such conviction and clarity that I thought my parents had tipped him off about my need to be restored (they hadn't of course)!! God intervened in my life through His Word and changed my heart. In retrospect I now wonder if this was truly my moment of conversion. Either way, God has been gracious to me, has saved me and has kept me.
GB: What were the shaping influences that Christ used in your early Christian life to shape, disciple & teach you?
AR: First of all family, as mentioned above. As a new father it comes home to me with fresh force just how big a responsibility it is to be the spiritual head of a home and to have the care of a wife and a young child in my charge. My parents honoured God and blessed me by doing this.
Secondly, God has put a number of people in my path who have discipled me. I've mentioned my former Pastor (who I eventually worked with as an assistant!), but others were also highly instrumental in helping me. I can think of one elder from Newtownards Baptist, George McConkey who took time with me, who listened to my questions, and who patiently pointed me to honouring Scripture in my life.
In my early twenties I was really influenced by a missionary in Peru, John Brew, who is without doubt the best read man I know! He pointed me to the wealth of Reformed theology and this was a life changing experience. The ironic thing is that John and I are now colleagues here on the field.
My older brother, David, is also a major source of encouragement. We share the same theological convictions and it is great to have this link with such loving fellowship.
GB: One for the ladies: Could you tell us about meeting, romancing & winning the hand of Carolyn?
AR: With pleasure! We met at Newtownards Baptist Church, became great friends, and this friendship blossomed into romance. When we started dating she was just turning 16 and I was 18 (we were doing our GCSEs and A-levels!). We believe that God brought us together, kept us together, and led us to marriage in 2003.
There isn't a day that goes by when I don't thank God for giving me such a wonderful wife. We have a partnership together which can only be a gift of God's grace. She's my best friend, wisest counsellor and most trusted critic. I'll not labour the point here - I've tried to put my feelings for her in writing before and have failed miserably. Let's just say that I'm a very blessed and very grateful man!
GB: You are serving Christ with Baptist Missions in Peru, you also serve us with ‘The Road to Peru’ a blog helping us to get a glimpse of your ministry there. But could you sum up a bit about the culture, country & people of Peru?
AR: Peru is a nation of 28 million people, about 50% of whom live in poverty. Peru is a proud nation, deeply patriotic and sentimental. There are charms and challenges to the place. The biggest issue is the disparity between the richest and poorest. There is very little evidence of a middle class, only the rich and the poor with very little communication between the two. Peruvians generally are warm hearted people, with a sense of humour very similar to that of Northern Ireland.
Sadly corruption is endemic in the society, and this reaches its way right down from the highest levels of government to the petty theft which is commonplace on the streets of its cities. Peru isn't unique in this, though, and the UK is morally and institutionally depraved in ways that this country isn't. Peru is Catholic in religion, although this is mixed with heavy doses of animism and tradional folk religion/occultism.
GB: You were a Pastor in N.Ireland, what did Jesus do to call you from that arena into missions?
AR: The main catalyst was when God took my Dad to heaven. Prior to that dreadful time in October 2004, Carolyn and I had been sensing God speaking to us about the need to be willing to go. Dad's death distilled a lot of our priorities into one main objective - living for eternity. In the painful days and months that followed his passing we began to sense with increasing conviction that God was speaking to us in His Word about coming here. We knew God's voice so strongly and consistently that to stay at home in pastoral work would have been disobedience. We have an ESV Journaling Bible and its pages are filled with the ways in which God spoke at that time.
GB: Did you face any criticism over this move?
AR: Thankfully, not much. We are blessed to be members of the Church in which I was Pastor (Armagh Baptist) and our elders and fellow members 'got' what we were doing immediately! Mission had been a major burden of my preaching ministry and so I think they were expecting that we would eventually be involved in some kind of missions work, at least for a period! They have supported us in an overwhelming way.
I know that others outside of that circle of people may have had criticisms, but they have seldom been articulated to me. When they have I've been pretty clear about the force of God's call (or should that be pretty forcible about the clarity of God's call?!).
GB: What advice would you give to a pastor who may be sensing God’s call to move into foreign missions?
AR: Be sure that God is calling you to take this step. There is much to be done in the UK, and in Northern Ireland that can't be done on the mission field. Be sure that you will bring the needed skill set to the country you are considering, and be open to the advice and wisdom of others who may be able to help you decide if that is the case.
With all of those safeguards in place - when God tells you to go, go. I'm firmly of the opinion that this is simply a matter of geography. Paul was a global missionary but also a local church worker (Acts 13) and he seems to have mixed his ministry across continents and contexts. It may be a big deal to people who have a limited understanding of what a Pastor's true role is, but for those who understand that there are no boundaries in making the Gospel known and teaching God's people the step will seem smaller, and more logical.
I'd also highly recommend the second sermon in Spurgeon's 'All Round Ministry' and John Piper's sentiments about asking God each year whether or not he should go to the mission field.
GB: I’m sure that packing up & moving to a foreign country is a huge ordeal in itself, but surely having a young child; Grace, adds to the stress of that. To people who are considering missions or even short term missions, but who have young children what encouragement or advice would you give?
AR: Do what God asks, and follow where He leads. With that, however, be sensible about the age/stage your child is at, and sensitive to the fact that this might be part of God's guidance about where you can and cannot go. Be sure that adequate resources and support systems are in place for successfully transitioning your child to the field, and be prepared for just how hard it is to take a child away from grandparents and other family members. None of these factors should be a deterrent to obedience to God's call, but it is also important to be realistic and clear eyed about the realities of bringing a child to another culture. Above all of that though, do what God asks, and follow where He leads. He is faithful, He will provide.
>> Part Two>>
