Less than five minutes into the conversation with James Robson it becomes apparent that he is passionate about teaching people the Word of God. Wrestling with Scripture is at the heart of what motivates him, as is his desire to follow Jesus and be changed in the process.
As a child, James, one of three boys, loved all kinds of sports and games. Everything was a challenge and a competition. While one of his brothers became one of England’s top professional bridge players and the other runs an investment bank, the Lord had different plans for James.
Christian leaflets in the bin
When he arrived at university to study Latin and Greek, James considered himself an atheist and had no second thoughts when throwing Christian leaflets in the bin.
Yet James became very disillusioned with what he felt to be the superficial life in Oxford. ‘I had reached what I thought was the top of the tree, was going to play bridge and golf for Oxford, but as I look back, it is clear that I was missing something’, he says.
‘One night, I had too much to drink and bumped into two Christian girls in the college. I thought it would be a good idea to argue with them about their faith. They prayed for me and invited me to OICCU (Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union).
‘I heard that Christ loved not just the world, but me, enough to die. I learned that he was risen from the dead and that I needed to be right with him. I still remember realising that this was not merely a historic fact but demanded a response. February 12th 1985, I knelt down by my bed in Pembroke College and prayed.’
Michael Green’s influence
One day later, James attended a student communion service with 150 students, something he will never forget. Michael Green, who would become very influential in James’s Christian walk, came up to him asking who he was and how long he had been a Christian. ‘Soon after, I found a prayer card in my pigeon hole inviting me to tea. He was one of the first people to encourage me to commit to regular Bible study and prayer. By God’s grace, I have been disciplined with this since.’
During this season, James discovered that he was not going to make the golf team. Previously, this would have been a huge disappointment, but, now, with a new life in Christ, he felt a peace he had not felt before and knew that God had changed his heart.
Training a new generation
James has been greatly encouraged by the writings of C.S. Lewis, Michael Green, John Stott and Jim Packer. His passion to see the church hear the Word of God, obey it and reach a lost and broken world, took him to teaching at Oak Hill and Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, training a new generation of gospel workers.
Most recently, James has accepted the position of Ministry Director for Keswick Ministries. He joins the charity after nearly seven years as Senior Tutor at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford. ‘I am very much looking forward to this new challenge. My desire is to bring continuity to the incredible legacy Keswick Ministries carries, but also appropriating what God is doing for this day. We must never be afraid to “Sing to the Lord a new song”, to step out and do something new for his kingdom. I want to see God bless the church in the North, from Manchester all the way to Scotland, and desire for Keswick to play its part, not as a parachurch, but as a gospel-centred resource.’
Deuteronomy and us
During this summer’s seminars at the Convention, James will be teaching on Deuteronomy. He says: ‘One of the things that has really struck me on preparing is the sense in which every day is a ‘today’ moment. In Deuteronomy, the people of God are on the edge of the promised land, in the plains of Moab, gathered around the Word of God. This, however, is not just a historic event, but a picture of our life as Christians today. It comforts us and it challenges us right here, right now. Deuteronomy reminds us of the contemporary nature of God’s Word. It was not just for then, but also for today. God calls us to look back to his faithfulness in rescuing us, and to trust and obey him for the future. Every day!
James is married to Bridget and they have two daughters, Anna, 20, and Naomi, 18. He enjoys golf, mountain-biking, hill-walking (especially in the Lake District!), growing vegetables and armchair cricket.
