Gunnersbury Baptist Church (GBC) in Chiswick, West London, welcomed Michael Williams as assistant to Tim Manson at an induction service on September 14.
Michael, married to Sarah, has been based in Canterbury, working in retail while also on the Cornhill Training Course in London. Prior to that he was full-time on the ministry team at Emmanuel, Canterbury, preaching and working with children and students. Michael and Sarah were joined at the induction by friends from Emmanuel and by family from Spicer Street, St Albans.
Richard Hagan, minister at Emmanuel, spoke from 2 Timothy 3.10-16, where he challenged Michael to copy and learn from the ambitions, attitudes and afflictions of worthy leaders. He urged him to continue with the gospel, and to search, study and consult Scripture first and always.
Tim Manson then spoke to the GBC members from Ephesians 4.11-13, describing Paul’s list as the victorious Christ’s gift to the church. Pastors are Christ’s gifts to the church for the purpose of equipping us for Christ’s goal for the church: unity and maturity. The pastor is not a bus driver (where the rest of us sit back and let him do the work). ‘Rather, we are a sports team, where the pastor is more like the coach,’ he said.
