Le Fras Strydom
1. How did you become a Christian?
As an occasional churchgoer, I thought the evangelism training course ‘Be a contagious Christian’ was just what I needed to get more serious with my faith. I heard others speak about their ‘relationship’ with Jesus, and realised for the first time that I wasn’t a Christian at all! A month later I responded to an altar call during a Charismatic church service in Wimbledon. I was born on the fourth of July, 2004.
2. What lessons have you learnt since that you would want to pass on to a younger Christian version of yourself?
The Lord’s work in my life and the lives of others is all a work of His grace. I’d say pray more, trust more, and don’t try and control everything.
3. How would you describe your prayer life?
I’m deeply grateful for the gift of prayer. I find praying with others stimulates my personal prayer life, and that I need that constant encouragement.
4. Which two or three Christian books apart from the Bible have most influenced your faith?
Knowing God by Jim Packer. The Pleasures of God by John Piper. And my dad’s favourite book, How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn. It’s not a Christian book, but a beautifully written novel which for me did the same job as Ecclesiastes does.
5. Who or what have been your biggest Christian influences?
A beautiful man called Vijay Menon who in his 90s is still irrepressible in his love for the Lord Jesus and in spreading the gospel of Christ! Many, many other brothers and sisters too.
6. What are the main challenges you believe Christians face today?
A lack of confidence in the gospel – and in our Western culture, ‘the cares of this world’ and ‘the deceitfulness of riches’.
7. What encourages and what discourages you?
My pastor’s preaching and gathering with church family on a Sunday have been wonderful recent sources of encouragement.
I’m not that easily discouraged… but yes, sin in my own heart is probably the biggest discouragement.
8. What makes you laugh?
My pastor Ollie’s Mr Bean moments and my wife Suzanne narrating her reading of the minds of all manner of animals as they go about their peculiar business.
9. What would you want to say to the wider evangelical world?
Mmmmm… I’d say Jesus is alive, He is on the throne, and He is coming back!
10. Which Biblical person (other than Jesus) do you most look forward to meeting in glory and why?
Blind Bartimaeus – they couldn’t shut him up from crying to the Lord for mercy!
