Daniel Kirk
1. How did you become a Christian?
I grew up in a good Christian family where my parents Gillian and Andrew nurtured my siblings Alasdair, Nicky and me in the ways of God. I remember being challenged to make a personal commitment at a Christian camp when I was 14 – after the talk on the Cross. Although I believed before, I consider that as my conversion point because I realised then that I had to be Jesus’ disciple and follow Him wholeheartedly.
2. What lessons have you learnt since that you would want to pass on to a younger Christian version of yourself?
To ask for discipleship from a Christian leader, and to be involved in discipling others (there’s such joy in doing so).
To have listened more closely to advice from my elders and betters!
To have been more diligent in my studies – women, food and sport are good gifts from God, but I don’t think I was a good witness in my early academic studies. I also wished I had taken Biblical languages more seriously.
3. How would you describe your prayer life?
As an extrovert I find it much easier praying with others, so I try to base my private prayer around my Bible and devotional readings. I like reading the Bible in different versions and languages to continually see God’s word in fresh ways. I am currently enjoying Love, Death & Resurrection (the NT without chapters and verses) and Daily Readings: The Puritans. I use Prayer Mate sporadically.
4. Which two or three Christian books apart from the Bible have most influenced your faith?
Is five alright? Discipleship by Juan Carlos Ortiz, Ministerio dirigido por Jesús by Ajith Fernando (I think it is in English too), Knowing God by Packer, God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew, and The Biography of James Hudson Taylor.
5. Who or what have been your biggest Christian influences?
My father, Andrew Kirk; John Stott; youth leaders at Christ Church Roxeth and on Lymington camps; UCCF workers at uni; Neil Rees of World Horizons; and Alex and Beti Sainz of Gethsemaní Baptist Church in Mexico City.
And countless living and dead authors too!
6. What are the main challenges you believe Christians face today?
Fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission! Having a strong personal relationship with God and putting Him before everything else – especially the values of success and materialism that are prevalent outside and within the church.
7. What encourages & what discourages you?
Current discouragement is mainly the leadership of the Church of England – not just those who are teaching another gospel, but those who call themselves evangelicals but seem to have been sucked into the English disease of being nice rather than radical, as Jesus was – who lovingly, clearly and boldly preached a gospel of repentance and faith – rather than succumbing to the spirit of the age.
My wife Ellelein and I are often encouraged when we see people growing in Christ, whether our sons David and Joshua or other members of our congregation. And we recently had a visit from a couple, one of whom had been a lay preacher and the other an apprentice in our church plant in Valparaiso, who have now gone to serve in Argentina; catching up and sharing with them was very encouraging.
8. What makes you laugh?
Myself, quite a bit. Last Sunday I used a story of our dog as an illustration when I was preaching; the congregation laughed more than I expected and it turned out that I kept using my younger son’s name rather than the dog’s! I seem to be making more and more faux pas these days. Being with good friends and being outrageous together. Animal videos that Ellelein shows me.
9. What would you want to say to the wider evangelical world?
That God is good; His purposes are always fulfilled, no matter what the opposition is or what our failures might suggest.
That when we pray and trust God, the Holy Spirit can do mighty things with us, especially through our weaknesses, when we wholeheartedly trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ and His word.
That the global church, despite great persecution, is growing and transforming the world, and that we serve that same triune God here in the UK.
10. Which Biblical person (other than Jesus) do you most look forward to meeting in glory and why?
Apart from my namesake who seems to be quite an amazing person, I think Barnabas. He took great risks in his ministry, for example reaching out to Saul; was full of the Holy Spirit; had a generous and encouraging nature (for example when he restored John Mark); was happy to overshadowed by Paul; and in everything was of great service in the preaching of the good news of the Kingdom of God.
