Recently, one of our supporting churches in the United States sent me a list of questions aimed at understanding our ministry in Wales more fully. After reflecting on my answers, I thought that others might be interested to read some of them and so I plan to post those here (slightly edited for a more general audience) over the next couple of weeks. This is the second installment of the series: click here to read Part 1.
Can you describe your primary strategies in fulfilling your role?
I will summarize my responsibilities at “church development worker” for Temple Baptist Church in the following way: (1) advising and working alongside the elders and wider leadership team in the local church, (2) intentional discipleship through teaching, preaching, & training believers, both formally and informally, (3) developing, implementing & overseeing a ministry internship program (two interns at the moment), (4) building a missional strategy that will enable and empower local believers to reach Continue reading
[See previous article, 
In spite of the weaknesses of evangelical Christianity in the United States, it does appear much more healthy and robust when placed alongside the average congregation in Wales, the only principality in the United Kingdom where this author has gained sufficient experience to make any credible observations. The average congregation in the valleys of South Wales consists of twenty-five adults: 75% of them would be over 60 years of age and the remaining attendees would be younger couples with infants and/or young children. Two generations are virtually missing from most congregations—teens and adults who are old enough to be parents of teens. 
Man, I really miss my soul food, especially the typical Southern-style breakfast. It’s one of the huge sacrifices (according to me) that I made in moving to Wales nearly four years ago: no access to the sort of Southern-fried meats and vegetables that I grew up on my home state of Mississippi. No wonder heart disease runs in my family for generations! That may also explain why my cholesterol has dropped to a very healthy level over the past couple of years.
One Jewish carpenter. A hand-picked team of twelve working class Jewish men who were required to leave their occupations and follow the carpenter around the regions of Galilee. A message about the present reality of God’s kingdom. Miraculous cures of the sick: people raised from the dead. Spiritual eyes and ears opened by the life-changing message and the power of an unseen member of the Trinity accompanying them. Religious systems overturned and conservative theologians of his day unmasked as religious bigots, blind charlatans, imperialistic traditionalists. The weak, marginalized nobodies given priority over the powerful and wealthy elite of his day. Imagine being part of it all!
I spent several hours in 
