Last ever ibelieve column

August 22, 2016

Well chaps, after I don’t know how long (maybe a couple of years) of voluntarily writing this column I’ve decided its time to move on and make way for a pal of mine who took over leading Christian Vision for Men from me a year or so ago. You’ll love what Nathan Blackaby has to say. He’s also an Essex boy who rides a motorbike but he’s about 8 years younger than me and has a better beard thats currently devoid of grey hairs.

Life’s a funny thing compromising of many chapters and seasons and you never know whats around the corner. As for me – I’m full on helping to lead a movement called The Message. A full on evangelistic movement committed to telling people about Jesus and working predominately in the poorest urban communities of the UK. I love it and it totally fits where I’m at. You see, about seven or so months ago I read something in the bible that totally gripped me.
“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
1 cor 2:2

Its a statement by one of the greatest pioneering leader the world has ever known, the apostle Paul. Unlike me, he was a man steeped in learning and culture and yet despite the fact that he probably could’ve turned his hand to anything he came to the conclusion that for him, the driving force of his life was to tell people about Jesus Christ. I have come to the same conclusion and so as I write this from my sofa on a weeks holiday at home, I’m contemplating the next chapter.

Who knows where life will lead any of us? All I do know is that I want to squeeze as much juice out of my life as possible, bag a bunch of adventures and crack on with doing gospel stuff as the main focus. Balance is of course important and so over the next year I’ve planned a few adventures, from motorcycling with my mates across Europe for 4 days (Nathan is part of that jaunt), taking my kids on adventures (just back from a flying visit to The Netherlands with my youngest), having travelling and life adventures with Karen my wife and probably be writing another book or two as an idea grips me. (Have you seen my latest called “the man prayer manual” published by CWR? Written for blokes like me who struggle with prayer). But surrounding all of that is Gods call to me to get back to what I first started doing 20 years ago when I was 24 years old – focussing on being a rampant evangelist.

What about you? We’ve got one shot at this sensational adventure called life – and I for one recommend that you grab it by both hands and skid and slide your way to the finish line. You could be an accountant, a binman, an policeman, a van driver… whatever it is you do, can you make the gospel and living life to the max your focus?

If you want to keep in touch with the latest thoughts, books, adventures, triumphs and disasters you can find me on twitter or Facebook – and who knows, maybe the occasional feature in ibelieve?

My old man was a detective for many years who tacked everything from armed robbery gangs to serial killers. He has a great life statement that I keep close to my heart, as I sign off I’ll share it with you. I reckon the apostle Paul had a bit of this going on:-

“Nothing ever happened to a bloke who didn’t have a go.”

See you around

Carl

Tags: column, gospel, life