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The nature of a Christian is to pioneer; like the rock climber who goes out in front, finding hands and footholds, putting in cleats and laying down the ropes for others to follow up the rock face. The pioneer has a forerunner heart, he’s in a place of change and acceleration and often without language to explain what he’s doing. He has no road map or blueprint as he walks off the known map.
And so it was for me after 25 years of ministry in a thriving church on the edge of London and Essex, one with a successful Christian school as part of its ministry, I sensed something was stirring. Having passed on the leadership to younger people, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable for my wife Julie and me to settle into a more relaxed lifestyle and to enjoy the fruits of what we, together with others, had sown over the years, but no, a wake-up call was coming!
Pioneers, having heard the call of the Lord, can’t settle and some form of journey usually follows. The Bible is full of such stories and characters. The questions and challenges they will have faced many times before will have to be faced again. Are they ready to journey? To leave familiar terrain, family and friends? Who will they travel with? Are they prepared for trouble? What must they leave behind and what must they take with them for the journey?
It wasn’t long before Julie and I, together with a number of friends, found ourselves living in the Yorkshire Dales and meeting from house to house. But five years on, just as we began to settle into this new way of life, Covid hit and we were no longer able to meet together! By now, most of us in our late sixties and early seventies, we could have been forgiven for thinking our pioneering days were over, but soon God was speaking again!
This resulted in us moving to Canonbie in the Scottish borders where we purchased Byreburnfoot House, a Victorian country house plus three cottages on the estate. The house was built on the River Esk around 1850 and is set in an area rich with historical significance since Canonbie was the site of a medieval Augustinian Priory.
This enabled some of our friends to move in with us forming a small community of believers. Eventually this gave birth to Canonbie Christian Retreat Centre, a place for Christians to gather with purpose.
So, can we now settle? Only God can answer that! In the meantime, we believe the greatest pioneering journey we’re called to make isn’t an outward one where we do something i.e., exchange one Christian experience for another, but an inner journey of faith where we become something i.e. a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.
As we know, Christianity isn’t a self-improvement programme, but an exchange of life – as we die daily to our self-life we become vessels that God can fill with his. As we embark on this pioneering journey age counts for nothing!
If you need space to hear what God might be calling you to pioneer, or your need is for spiritual renewal, to realign with the Lord’s direction for your life, to simply spend quality time with him, or to find a refuge away from the busyness of everyday life, we invite you to use our retreat centre nestled in our peaceful grounds and delightful gardens.
Whatever your need, we would love to welcome you! Find out more here.
