I think it’s possible to be able to read, and yet to be kind of illiterate.

There was no encouragement to read when I was growing up. Very rarely, my family would read for entertainment, in the same way you might switch on the television, but with no desire to grow, gain a wider understanding on life or on any particular subject. Perhaps there was a concept that such reading was the reserve of the middle classes or ‘the clever’. Maybe there was a sense that there was no space in your average working class life for ideas beyond your station, or something to that effect.

I didn’t have a passion for reading as a child maybe because of some of that. If I read, it was at school and because I had to. Even into my early teens, the only books I had a working knowledge of were Ladybird Books – largely fairy tales. Now, granted, they have a power of their own. Who, upon reading the story of Chicken Licken, can fail to get some sort of grasp between the sky falling down and being hit by small falling tree debris – valuable tool to understand life events at times! That, and living a rich childhood vicariously through the exploits of Our Wullie.

It was my Christian conversion which lead to a passion for reading. My earliest serious reading forays were into my small red Gideon’s Bible. I don’t really believe I got beyond the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s gospel (the first segment of the New Testament) before I was, as they say, ‘hooked.’ I was confronted by ideas of integrity, intentionality, purpose and someone and something bigger than my small self and my small community to something which was epic. The gospels were my mainstays for many years in that initial period, but transformative nonetheless.

I very soon picked up a passion for evangelism as the reality of this change of life became increasingly real. I wanted to know how to explain faith to others and how to go about it. Amazingly, this did more for my grasp of the gospel than it did for my evangelistic efforts but that’s another story!’

My passion for learning how to share the gospel were then fueled by the great corpus of Salvation Army literature – from stories of the pioneering history of the movement to the writing of the Booths, and then to more contemporary reflections on life lived in the context of ‘The Army’. I devoured everything I came across because it was just so fascinating. I was thrilled, and my horizons grew. There are so many of their lives and passions which still inspire me today – these mission pioneers were my pin ups!

At the very basic level, I was in the process of becoming increasingly literate and it changed me. It is still changing me. And THAT, for me, is the richness of reading. For me, it’s the process of moving beyond being a small thinker with simplistic ideas based on small assumptions about people, the world and what makes it tick. It is to step beyond the mindset of my own indigenous tribe and realise that people live and think differently. I realise that whilst there are things that I believe to be true and right, I don’t know even 1% of things that can be known in the entire world and that, really, I should remain inquisitive and open.

This has been particularly true in my continued reading as a preacher, pastor, missioner, chaplain, evangelist and mission leader. I’ve been infuriated, inspired, bored, challenge, affirmed, scared, and radically altered by the ideas of others. The perpetual challenge is to help it all land – to ground it in experience. I enjoy the out there ideas as ‘thought exercises’, but I’m always looking for ways that integrate my learning into life, an in particular, into life and ministry.

I think it is also so important, as inferred above, to read out of your silo – to burst out of your echo chamber – and to either learn to think differently, or at least to be able to just see where someone else is coming from.

There’s a big difference between being able to read and being literate. In whatever format that learning comes, be it books, interviews, podcasts, audio books, art, music or [insert your own thing], deliberate consumption of enriching material is one of the most valuable things you’ll ever do for yourself, those you live round, and – without being overly dramatic – the future of common humanity!

Hope you have some books on your Christmas list. What are you reading at the moment? What is it showing you?

I sometimes get back home in the middle of the day. As we’re usually out for most of the daytime, our central heating system isn’t due to be on. These last few days, instead of heating the whole house, I’ve just been heating the room I’m in using the log burner. You can’t just set the fire though. There’s usually ash and dross from the last fire, then the fire has to be laid before its set alight. Finally, it’s not a fully fledged fire until there are people to share it with.

A conversation earlier reminded me of the reality of this in the spiritual sense. There are many spiritually cold hearths here on our Island. There are remnants of old fires in old houses with none to clear them out, tend them, sweep them clear and rebuild the fire. Once kindled, a fire needs stokers – those who will add fuel and ensure the air gets around it.

We will not be content on Arran for spiritual fires to lay dormant or waning.

No. We will gather those to clear our the ashes and cinders of former days. To sweep clear. To set a new fire. We’ll gather those to stoke it, and around the fire we will hear the tales from God of the adventures we must embark upon.

Come, Holy Fire.
Bring cleansing, renewal and warmth.
Stoke the dying devotion of our hearts;
set us ablaze with your passion
for your Name, the Island, the Nation
and the World.

In the mindset of the early Celtic saints, one of the aims was to journey until you found the ‘place of your resurrection.’ The idea is that there is a place that God is calling you to – a place where you worship, work, and pray until the day Christ comes to take you home! The place from which you enter Glory! Whilst the Celts had other reasons to wander for the love of Christ, they were ultimately on a search for this place.

The place could be a place, a task, a cause, or any number of things, but often tied up with a real place. Place has a rather Hebraic resonance in the hearts of the Celtic saints – places were significant, and some were described as ‘thin places’, where the veil between heaven and earth was so thin that the God-connection was stronger. You know, like putting your 4G router at the window rather than in darkest recess of the house behind all the walls and barriers.

Whilst I am realistic enough to know that things change and circumstances intervene, my heart resounds with the idea of my ‘place of resurrection’ being here on Arran. You’ll be fed up me telling you that it has such a unique place in my personal and family history, but also recently as God has awakened me to him in a new way through a vision about the landscape of this island.

Back in the early 2000s, I came across a Scots Gaelic word that I immediately adopted as an alternative name that I use as a username on things and on my personal email. It’s the word ‘turasaiche’. You may have noticed it if you know me well. The word means a variety of things: pilgrim, vagabond, wanderer, traveller…and maybe even ‘tramp.’ Since leaving Scotland in the early 2000s, that’s what its felt like to be me!

My prayer vision of Arran back in May 2021 which kickstarted the remarkable chain of events which have brought us here started with me laying in an open grave under stormy skies in Irvine, where I was first born, and then being lifted out over stormy seas to the shore at Sannox before ascending the glen. It was a death and resurrection experience, even if only in a waking vision. Out of the grave and carried to a place where I received a new name and a new call.

Tonight I stood in the cemetery behind my Arran home beside the graves of my great-grandparents, 2x-great-grandparents and 3x-greatgrandparents. There’s still some space in the ground just a little down the hill. I’d happily live, work, pray and die here until Christ comes again. I’ve never been able to say that about any place before. I’m tentative but hopeful! There’s a work to do here and I’m willing and undaunted.

What or where is your own ‘place of resurrection’? It’s worth going on the journey to find it!

It is wonderful to be here in Arran. It hasn’t quite registered fully that we’re not just here on a short break or holiday. The last year has meant several trips back and forward visiting Sannox Christian Centre and also Arran Baptist Church who, between them, will have a good chunk of my time in this new season of ministry. I’ve begun to get an insight on what’s happening at Sannox, and my induction to the Baptist Church ministry on the island is later in the month. Quite nice not preaching every week at the moment!

Since arriving, some wonderful news has encouraged us no end with regards accommodation. And, whilst our removal company are a bit on the busy side to enable them to deliver our possessions to us on the island, we hope to be in and settled into our new place by the end of August.

We do have some very interesting (but friendly!) neighbours in our new home. We will be living in a house by Kilbride cemetery in Lamlash. Less than 200/300 yards away from the front door are the resting places of my great-grandparents, my great-great grandparents and several other family members. Just down the hill and along is the parish church where my grandparents were married, and behind that, the home where my gran’s 14 brothers and sisters were brought up. Round the corner from there, the birthplace cottage of my great-grandfather. The roots are quite literally in the soil here and I feel quite at home. There are, of course, living family members on the island and hopefully we’ll catch up with them before too long.

There will be, in time, lots of of things to say and updates to bring. Needless to say, life and ministry will be very different here in this unique situation. I already know something of the challenges that we’ll face, but beginning to dream with others what opportunities we can create to serve this ‘island parish.’

An Arran Blessing:

“Bless, O Lord, the thing on which my eye doth rest.
Bless, O Lord, the thing on which my hope doth rest.
Bless, O Lord, my reason and my purpose.
Bless, O bless through them, O Lord of life.

Now Bless, O Lord, the Isle of Arran
And bless thy people here before thee.
And make they face to shine upon us,
And bring us closer, Lord, to Thee.”

Jesus trains up his disciples for the practical work of mission and sharing the gospel.  In Luke 9 we see he sends out the 12 disciples.  Hands-on training for his key soon-to-be movement leaders.  In Luke 10, he sends out the 72 on a very similar mission.  By the time we get to the day of the ascension of Jesus, Matthew 28 gives the command to all of the disciples to live on this same mission.  So, how does Jesus’ insight help us with our own task?

1.       PRAY (Luke 10: 1 – 2)

All of Jesus disciples, regardless of circumstance, can engage in this first principle: pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers.  We need to pray that God will raise up the church to bear witness to his name.

2.       EXPECT SOME OPPOSITION (Luke 10: 3)

Jesus expects that, as people opposed him, they would be opposed.  The good news is good news to those whose hearts are ready, but an insult to those who are self-sufficient.  We need to toughen up and be prepared.

3.       GO SIMPLY (Luke 10: 4)

Many turn the simple work of the gospel into a multi-thousand pound enterprise.  Jesus tells the disciples to go simply.  This is, firstly, a reminder that as they go they will be guests to people, not hosts.  Secondly, it is a reminder that we have a people centred gospel – it’s all about relationships.

4.       SEEK THE PERSON OF PEACE (Luke 10: 5 – 6)

Jesus is saying that the Spirit will have prepared people to hear the message.  Seek after them – don’t be too disheartened or distracted by those who are not in the place to hear.  Pray!  A person of peace can open up opportunities to particular groups of people, families or places, so the gospel can often be spread to more than one person.  Note it is a household that Jesus instructs the disciples to engage.

5.       LONG TERM VIEW (Luke 10: 7 – 8)

Note, again, that those who share the message are guests.  Mission happens on the turf and terms of those who are receiving.  We are so bent on an invitational mode that this can be a challenge for us to know how to ‘go’.  Where are the places God might be sending you to go to build up relationships on the long term, eating and drinking as you go?

6.       IT’S GOD’S MISSION (Luke 10: 16)

Don’t take rejection personally.  The gospel can be a hard pill to swallow.  Those rejecting you will be rejecting Jesus and His Father who sent him.  We are but the messengers.  Out invitation is to keep heart and move on with grace.

Questions to consider

1. Could you set an alarm on your phone at 10:02 (mirroring the verse numbers) to remind you to pray to the Lord of the Harvest about the harvest field and home and abroad?

2.  Do you feel equipped to be able to speak for the Lord?  Could you explain the gospel to someone who’d never heard it?  Could you lead someone through a confession of faith and help them have a ‘good birth’?

3.  Are there people in your life who may be ‘people of peace’ – people who would be open to hearing from you?  If not, how can you move into places where this is a possibility?

4.  If you are really unable to engage person–to–person, are there other ways you can work?  Could you increase your giving to enable mission?  Could you put pen to paper or use your social media creatively?

5.  Reflect on what it is that stops you taking the steps in sharing faith.  Having identified them, what steps might you take to over come them?  You might like to speak to a pastor or other trusted leader who could guide you.

Yep – I’m in that ‘neither here nor there’ place. I’m seeking to do what I can to fulfil and round off ministry at HBC and also got half an eye to work that I’ll pick up in Arran in August, whilst also thinking through logistics of moving, somewhere to live, and all that. It’s definitely not that there’s a lack of stuff to do, but these in between spaces are very strange places to inhabit. You’d think I’d get used to it, but you really don’t.

There’s something very resonant in the scriptures about this in-between place. The Israelites ate the passover in their travel clothes and wandered the desert for a generation. We read that the Son of Man had no place to lay his head. We read that we inhabit the Kingdom of God which has come but not fully. We are ‘in Christ’ and ‘seated in Heavenly realms’ but also living fairly regular lives here on earth.

We are in-between people.

The gift of the in-between is the gift of being able to hold things lightly – to recognise the impermanence of everything around us. Soon not only our location, but our roles, our relationships, our priorities, and pretty much everything else will be in an entirely new place. Not only are we evaluating our physical stuff – what we will take – but I’m also evaluating ideas, ways of being and thinking, modes of mission and ministry…even various aspects of theology that are long overdue a revisit.

I’m having a right good clear out – and that feels good. I’m a fairly eclectic person in that I appreciate all sorts of things from all sorts of traditions, backgrounds and perspectives, but there are times when that feels very cluttered. Spiritually speaking, I’m in a season where I’m after a new simplicity. It’s not that I don’t want to think things through or become close-minded…what I mean is that I am in a season of holding many things more lightly, but delighting in the simplicity of the things that just are.

For me, theologically, that’s the Lordship of Christ and obedience to him. It’s his saving and sanctifying grace, the power of the gospel as real good news, and the privilege of co-mission with God. For me, that’s the foundation of everything – the foundation for discipleship, marriage, family life, ministry and everything else. There’s a great freedom in this.

I’m in-between all sorts of things, but Jesus is the solid foundation.

There’s lots of transitions and significant moments happening in life in general right now, but it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t take time to write a few lines on my experience of being welcomed, given the ‘right hand of fellowship’, and commissioned as a Fully Accredited Baptist minister this weekend at the Baptist Assembly in Bournemouth. My stay in the Baptist Union of Great Britain will be very short as I transfer to the Baptist Union of Scotland in the summer, but it was so good to mark this stage of my journey in ministry. In many ways, I always had a sense that going through the process of accreditation here in England was, at some point, always going to be a hopeful gateway back to ministry in Scotland – both unions have reciprocal arrangements for the transfer of ministers between the two organisations in the wider Baptist family – and its another one of things that has fallen into place in the most timely manner for this next season of life and ministry.

The process of accreditation was a reasonably simple one for me, having been in ministry for 22 years and transferring in from another denomination. Yet, a short module of study on Baptist History and Principles and a series of interviews led to being added to ‘the list’ back in October 2021 and the welcome on Saturday 14th May in the evening session of the Assembly. It’s a blessing when others can hear and affirm your journey, and humbling that they ‘let me in’ without any sort of probation or need for any ‘extra’ requirements to be filled.

It was great, too, that the new Baptist President, Rev Hayley Young, was one of the hand shakers! I’ve had the pleasure of being Hayley’s colleague when she was pastoring a church in the next town to us before moving to another role up North and taking on the presidency of Baptists Together. Totally wonderful to know there are women of my generation like Hayley offering bold leadership in these days.

If you’d have asked me back in 1998 when I was starting out training for ministry at the International Christian College in Glasgow if I’d ever thought I’d end up a baptist minister, I’d have laughed with incredulity. Not only because I was a committed Salvationists at the time and couldn’t imagine life outside the Salvation Army, but because I was always so impressed by the strong faith, commitment, theology and heart of my baptist friends. I always felt a little inferior, and still the ‘impostor syndrome’ kicks in! Bit, it is a privilege to serve and I’m looking forward to getting to know the Baptist family in Scotland having been away from there for some time.

Yet, here we are. After a long theological, practical, and ecclesiastical search and exploration since leaving the Army I’ve found a new spiritual home for the long haul. There’s something radical at the heart of the baptist charism that sings to me – the simple covenant commitment to the Lordship of Christ, being a believers church discerning God’s voice and direction together, and that deeply missional pulse at the heart of it all. Like other families of Christians it has its own unique challenges, but there is no group of Christians who doesn’t have that…just ask the apostle Paul!

I’m so thankful to all the folks who’ve encouraged me on the journey: the fellowship and leadership team of Hertford Baptist Church; Spurgeon’s College; Churches in Communities International, and especially the Rev Trevor Howard and the Rev Agnita Oyawale; the Central Baptist Association; the Revs Geoff Colmer, Stephen Copson, Simon Carver, Maureen Hider, Andrew Hemmens, Simon Cragg; the Rev Martin Hodson of the Baptist Union of Scotland; the fellowship of Arran Baptist Church…and countless other friends who speak into my life with encourgment and challenge. Here begins the next chapter.

You’ll probably know two things about a ceilidh: 1) its hard to spell if you aren’t familiar with Scottish Gaelic; 2) modern versions involve some pretty energetic dancing which requires vigour. Contrast it with ‘Scottish Country Dancing’ – which is more of a ‘Royal Family at Balmoral’ gentile affair than a real good ceilidh.

The word ceilidh means something much broader than its more modern usage as a Scottish dance night. It means ‘gathering’, and ceilidhs have been a part of Scottish, Irish and even Northumbrian and Anglo-Saxon history for a long time. Ceilidhs were at the centre of the community – gatherings for story, song, a tune, food, conversation, warmth and community…and maybe the odd dance if there was room.

Fast forward to the late 20th century growing up in Scotland, whilst we didn’t call them ceilidhs, they were part of my upbringing. Extended family and friends gathering on a Saturday night – food, drink, songs, uncle on the accordion, lively conversation and just generally being family. It died out along with some of the elder members of the family and they rarely happen in the same way now.

I think, looking back, I’ve always been trying to see if the ceilidh can be replicated in the the context of the church. Here’s why I think the model lends itself:

1. Multi-voiced – everyone brings something or contributes something, whether that’s food, drink, music, story, song or [insert your own]. The church at its fullest in scripture, I believe, in its open participatory nature. We see this in 1 Corinthians where everyone has something prepared to bring to the gathering, in partnership with spiritual gifts, teaching, worship and the Lord’s supper in the context of the agape (love) meal.
2. Informal – order is important for gatherings, but they’d never have worked if everyone was sat in rows watching granny at the front. The gatherings had a dynamism and such a warmth and spirit. They were in the round, everyone seated in the front room, spilling into the kitchen or the hall. If you’ve ever sat in church and wondered ‘what on earth’, then you know what I mean. I’ve had the privilege over the years of seeing and encouraging glimpses of this emerge in churches I’ve been a part of. It looks nothing like a church service…but should that really be the normative experience of the people of God? I’m just not sure it’s what Jesus had in mind.
3. Relational – I grew up in a community where I had close relationships with great-aunts and uncles, first cousins once and twice removed, across all generations, and where that extended to neighbours and friends. A really close knit community where, even now, I can go home and still be surrounded by family but people in the community we knew really, really well. That did spill into the churches that existed in my home town, and those folks became family too. Relationships are where it’s at. And it is relationships that pull people together. It is the quality of the relationships that make the party. You’ll never build an authentically attractive church community without a deeper camaraderie. My granny built a closer community than any parish church could.
4. Hospitable – you just always get fed and watered. I was once part of a church where we had the policy of ‘no eat, no meet’ – eating together was at the centre. This was especially important when including people who maybe, because of social circumstances, never ate with their families. Food is a great leveller, and it is key for church. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus is either at a meal, leaving a meal, or heading to a meal. It’s biblical to eat… and it’s missional!

So – who knows? I’d like to explore and maybe plant a ceilidh church. Maybe each surrounding village could have one. Jesus loved a party, and I’m sure he’d come.

It isn’t a surprise to anyone that I’ve been longing to get back to Scotland since the day I left in 2010! Ministry opportunities invited us ever deeper south, but I’ve always had a strong pull to Scotland. Even at bible college, when all the mission agencies would come in to entice you of to some far distant land, all I wanted to do was work for the gospel in Scotland! However, travels to different places have been a valuable learning experience!

I wanted to take the opportunity to share the testimony of these last 9 months or so as God has stepped in with a jolt to catch my attention. I made the journey to visit the Isle of Arran last year as a result of a vision that came to me in prayer which featured Arran like none I’ve ever had.

The vision was like this: from the beach at Irvine, my home town, I was carried over stormy seas and placed in the bay at Sannox, in the north east of the island. Before me were the small, homely cottages, and the path leading from the beach up towards Glen Sannox that I was to take. I passed some oaks, and headed towards the foot of a mountain and rested on a rock.

Asking the Lord about this, he said, ‘I am carrying you beyond the storm. You will embody warm hospitality for those journeying on. You will be a deeply-rooted oaky guide, accompanying people through the Glen to ascend the hill of my presence. You are Sannox.’

In obedience to this, I formally applied to add Sannox to my middle names, along with McDowall, my grandmother’s maiden name, who is an Arran native…born just a few miles south of Sannox in the village of Lamlash. I understood this vision to be God using familiar places and ideas to just refocus me for the next season. I fully believed, and still believe, that this vision can serve me as a picture for ministry regardless of where I am.

However, several weeks after this, I shared this experience with a group on an online retreat. The leader of the retreat, amazed, said I should speak to him about Sannox, after which he introduced me to Sannox Christian Centre – a Celtic retreat/prayer centre – right in the heart of the hamlet at Sannox at the foot of the hill. So, I decided I should head up, check it out, and spend some time in prayer there to hear what God was saying.

I made my pilgrimage and, arriving on the Island and driving up to Sannox, I stopped at the beach in my vision, ascended Glen Sannox, passed the oaks, up the path and sat on the rock, amazed that this landscape that I’d never walked in was as in my vision. I know the island well, but I had never been up Glen Sannox before!! There, I worshipped and prayed for the blessing of salvation for Ayrshire, Scotland, and the nations. I turned back down the hill when, suddenly, the wind fell and there was a silence. The Lord said ‘you are my son, and with you I am well pleased.’ I thanked God and headed down to the centre for evening prayer – the scripture reading chosen was Jesus on the mount of transfiguration: ‘This is my son, and with him I am well pleased.’

I then took up my room in ‘Dundarroch’, the centres accommodation, which means ‘hill of the oaks.’ On leaving, I signed my name Andrew Sannox McDowall Clark in the visitors book and offered a blessing. Translated, my name means ‘clerical man, son of a dark stranger in the sandy bay’. Seems apt!

Conversations with others means all of this has gone from what I assumed was a vision to cheer and encourage, to a strong possibility of living and serving the Lord on the Isle of Arran, the home of my ancestors for many generations. There are a few live conversations going on just now, heading towards something reasonably concrete!

Do you know what? Even if circumstances and practicalities should prevent us living and working there, the voice and movement of God in these last 10 months is all the encouragement I need to know that the Lord has me in his heart and in his hand. I’ve come home to myself, regardless of my geography. Having said that, we are trusting him in the conversations we are having and praying ‘your Kingdom come, your will be done.’

So, in the words of Dougie McLean ‘Caledonia is calling and I’m going home!’

Moving to Arran will involve a significant degree of pioneering and, by nature of mission in reasonably far flung island communities, I may need to raise some of the finance I need to be able to live and minister there. I am exploring a few different possibilities, ranging from some work I can do to support my ministry, to being a ministry recipient via Stewardship, and a few other entrepreneurial ideas which will add up to what we will need as a family. Leaving the details to God at the moment until we know a little more. I look forward to sharing in more detail exactly what I’ll be up to when the conversations are sufficiently finalised.

So, there you have it recorded – it has been an exciting journey and I’m looking forward to seeing what God will do. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the Lord’s name is to be praised.

Life is changing once more: after nearly five years in Hertford, and 12 years ‘down south’, the hopes of returning north which have fuelled many an hour of prayer are opening up in some spectacular ways. With every thought of moving to the next chapter there is a grieving to endure and that is real right now – the pull of the familiar is always strong, even when the opening of the new chapter is thoroughly and divinely compelling!

The reality is that in each place we have been in ministry over 20 years, relationships go deep and the level of personal investment in a situation is deep. As soon as an announcement is made that you’re moving on, the game shifts. You’re then into handover mode for the ministry as well as transition mode for yourself. In addition, you’ve got another eye on practicalities and transitions to be made. That really does involve a particular mindset in order to get the balance right for the transition.

Whilst the call to be ministering on the Isle of Arran off the Ayrshire coast has been an amazing story in and of itself, I am moving into a pioneering setting and there are many unknowns as far as the details are concerned, although much of that will become clearer sooner rather than later. I’ve sought to prioritise the strength of call, believing that God will provide the necessary things we need in order for this to come to full fruition.

So, here are the ways we need some prayers right now:

• ongoing discussion about how my time will be spent on the Isle of Arran, and the financial resources for that to happen. We are open to initially raising part of our financial support if needed in order to be faithful to the call God has given to see the ministry launch and transition. More detail to follow!
• an opening for Tracy to teach in one of the island’s schools, or in other suitable work.
• for good transition for the girls into new schools and for a good round off to their year where we are now
• a good end to this particular chapter so far as it depends on me.

I am really looking forward to sharing more detail of my future work once the details are fixed. It is so exciting! I pinch myself every day that God has called me to this opportunity – a role which it feels God has been preparing me for over a decade and which dovetails perfectly into who God has shaped me to be over many years. Let me put it in context: the essence of the kind of ministry I’m hoping will emerge first started as a seed in my heart back in 2007! It is a long-burn of a vision and it appears the time is now right!