Prominent evangelist Eric Delve has died.
In the 1960s and 70s, Delve became a widespread and popular itinerant [travelling] evangelist. Eventually, he decided to "settle down" and trained as a minister - at Trinity College, Bristol - being ordained in 1990.
Delve became the vicar of St Luke's Maidstone, Kent, in 1996. He worked there for 16 years, until his retirement in 2013; from that point, he was released from parish work and able to return to his itinerant ministry.
J. John, who describes Delve as a "dear and trusted friend" [1] wrote: "[Eric] spoke with passion and dynamism: he was honest, he was humorous, he was authentic and I found he spoke to me in a compelling way that no other preacher did."
"Eric [was] compelling and creative," J. John continues. "Yet I think these gifts would have been worthless except for one other gift of his: compassion. Eric cared for people. He had been outside the Christian faith and he knew the poverty and pain there and, in contrast, the riches of a life in Christ.
"Eric’s care for people showed in actions. Part of that caring was, quite simply, that he took risks. So, as a very inexperienced evangelist, he invited me to join him on a university mission. It was a challenge for us both, but over a hundred university missions later, I think I can say his risk worked out!
"Eric stretched me, guided me and encouraged me, and I owe him a great debt. Quite frequently I felt myself in the privileged role of Timothy with Paul.
"Eric lives on now in eternity with the Lord he served. On earth he now also lives on with those whom he brought to Christ and through those whom he taught to preach."
"Eric, I salute and honour you," J. John concludes.
Paying tribute on Facebook, Greg Downes [2] - who first met Delve aged 15 - writes: "[Eric] never quite lived to 100 but nonetheless achieved more for the kingdom in his 83 years than most of us could even if we lived to 1000.
"[I’ll] never think of him as the late Eric Delve, but the great communicator with impeccable timing who made a deep and lasting impression on a teenage boy (himself destined to be an evangelist though he didn’t yet know it).
"Well done, good and faithful servant- your legacy will shine like the stars for ever and ever!"
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