Jerome O’Brien
I am a refugee, and the son of a refugee. My parents have lived on three continents. I have lived on two. I am one of the scatterlings of Africa and for most of my life, I have had no place to call my home.
Whilst my life may be characterised by the absence of a home, the incongruity of it all is that 40 years ago I discovered my Father in Heaven through His Son, Jesus Christ, by the working of the Holy Spirit. I was raised in a Christian family, and when I was studying Law at university in South Africa, I fell into a ‘good crowd’ of Christian believers. Through their conversation and encouragement, I was persuaded that the best thing that I could do with my life, was to commit it to following Jesus Christ. It remains the best decision that I have ever made. From that day to this, I have known with certainty that I have a heavenly home assured to me by God as revealed in His Word, the Holy Bible.
So I do not define myself by where I live, or my history, or by which denomination I am part of; rather, I define myself in terms of one all important and eternally significant relationship: I am a child of God. He is my Home, my Refuge, my Fortress, my Redeemer and my truest Guide, and my Saviour.
So I seek to follow Him wherever He leads me. God has placed in my heart a desire to reveal Christ and to demonstrate His teachings to the people of the area where I am currently living: Rumbling Bridge, Muckhart, Glendevon, Crook of Devon, Saline, and the surrounding area. In addition, God has made it possible for me to lead a new start for the congregation of St Andrew’s Church in Auchterarder. So this beautiful part of Scotland is now my home and where I minister.
If you are not certain where you ‘belong’; if you are unsure about your eternal home, then please may I encourage you and urge you to consider deeply the person and claims of Jesus Christ. He is not an historical figure written in the pages of an ancient meaningless text, but He is real, and alive and truly able to help, guide and meet your deepest needs. I know this to be true for my own life. I know what it means to be ‘home’.
Jim Newell
My name is Jim Newell and until recently I was working with Scotland’s most vulnerable young people and children. Working with these children makes you see the world from a different perspective. Certainly, different from the one before, when I was a minister of religion for some 37 years. Its not a nice or a great word that “religion.” I have never liked it; it sparks too much of rites and ritual and boredom. When people say to me that they are not interested in religion I say neither am I. Thankfully I do not have religion, instead a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That came about when I was young, twelve. I had been sent to church and been part of some of the youth organisations.
Everything changed when I went to a Gospel meeting, and I saw some ordinary family men with something I did not have. I wanted it and afterwards took steps to ask how to become a Christian, not in the roll book sense, but in the real sense of being born again and accepting Jesus into my heart. I understand it a wee bit more now but back then it was a step of faith and acceptance of my needing to be saved. Jesus saved me that day, it was 26th March 1972. Ok so that was a long time ago now, but the life I have known has been shaped by Jesus Christ. I did not always find the changes He would make in my life easy, but looking back I have to say His were the best ones, not mine. Jesus’ decision to bring me back into ministry again I have found challenging, humbling, yet greatly rewarding.
As the new assistant minister at St. Andrews, being part of people’s spiritual journey is refreshingly renewing. It means together we are engaging in the great adventure of faith, in belonging to Jesus not just today nor tomorrow, but forever. Together we share a living relationship with Jesus that takes us from here to eternity in heaven. In fact, eternity has already begun because Jesus has our whole future planned out for us. How about yours, what does today, tomorrow and eternity mean for you? Let me say that a relationship with Jesus is so much better that an empty religion or even having no faith at all. Jesus said it plainly and truly when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man come to the father except through me.” He is amazing, discover Him with confidence and if you are struggling come and talk with us and learn how to meet Jesus. I asked someone to show me, and it changed my life. So can you.