Soldier saved by ‘divine intervention’ aims for pulpit

A former soldier who gave his life to the Lord after narrowly escaping death is now training for ministry.

Kevin Stewart (pictured) and his squad were in a Land Rover on the streets of Bagram, Afghanistan, when a lorry filled with explosives smashed into the vehicle. “It was filled to the brim with enough explosives to flatten the whole area, my whole squad, and all the civilians nearby,” Stewart told The Telegraph.

Stewart puts it down to “divine intervention” that he didn’t die in the collision – which happened in the early 2000s – stating: “I cheated death because God had a use for me.”

In the hours following the crash, Stewart heard the words of Psalm 23 (which he’d heard at school) echo in his mind: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

After leaving the army in 2006, Stewart experienced the effects of trauma, and what he describes as “moral injury”, suffering from regret and guilt. He took up bodybuilding, a “positive” hobby – but one that didn’t last; he contracted meningitis, and, after suffering a subsequent injury, he started drinking. He suffered from what he calls “the darkness” and became suicidal.

Stewart received help from charity The Not Forgotten – which works with veterans and serving military personnel. As he began to get better, his mind returned to Psalm 23.

“I’d forgotten about it for so long while I was in this dark valley, but by chance I picked up my old Bible from my army days and read that psalm again,” Stewart said. “It all came back to me at once – that day – and it was like God was speaking directly to me, like He was with me, His rod and His staff to guide me.”

Stewart started attending church in 2019. “I had hope and strength, and that’s when I decided to give my life to Christ,” he said. “I wanted to know more, what had happened, what all this was about.” Stewart opted to study theology; he recalls having a “huge desire to learn,” despite not having been at school for over 20 years. Stewart began to volunteer as a lay preacher, after seeing a need at rural churches in the area.

Again, describing the events that day in Afghanistan, Stewart said it changed his perspective on life: “It was God’s will for me and everybody else to live that day. I just put it down to God’s providence.”

Now 46, in the third year of his theology degree and training for ministry, Stewart hopes to rejoin the army as a chaplain.