| New Year - New Job |
|
‘Interest in faith and spirituality is alive and well, but people are not connecting with the life and teaching of Jesus,’ said Gareth. ‘I want to help change that using contemporary media in creative, imaginative ways that break through the noise all around us.’ Gareth’s family life and work experience have given him a special insight into his role. ‘My father was a Methodist minister so I grew up in a Christian home and went to church regularly. But I didn’t go to a church school, and like many young people I didn’t really grasp that what Jesus said was applicable to me! But I was very aware of the fact that there was something about his teaching you just couldn’t ignore. My friends didn’t understand what my dad did at all, and trying to explain it made me think all the more about what exactly it meant to be a follower of Jesus. ‘I was always pretty focused on myself and my own concerns. It was only when I got much older that I found faith relevant to my whole life and I started to explore what it would mean to allow my faith to shape the decisions 
to explore what it would mean to allow my faith to shape the decisions 
‘My first job was in the tax office – someone’s got to do it! I spent a few years in Germany teaching English and did various temporary jobs. All in all I spent the best part of 13 years wondering what to do with my life. ‘I was actually doing quite well in the IT industry but really felt that my Christian faith should impact my working life more not just my private or Sunday life. That doesn’t mean that you can’t live out your beliefs in any workplace, but I wanted to do something that was more directly related to my growing interest in Jesus’ teaching.’ So Gareth went to work for a charity for the homeless called Shelter. ‘It was definitely the right thing to do. It was a very practical expression of my faith. Now, some seven years on, I find myself working for the churches! Growing up in the 70s and 80s I didn’t feel the church could communicate with me. As my faith and understanding grew I wanted to be part of a solution to that. I wanted to help the church get the message over in a way that is more culturally relevant. Everything I’ve done over the past 20 years has really set me up for this job.’ The Christian Enquiry Agency works on behalf of all the major churches of Britain and Ireland. Through the rejesus.co.uk website you can read stories about real people who are following Jesus today and facts about the person of Jesus. Send off the coupon on page 8 for details. ‘It’s as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago,’ says Gareth. |
Gareth Squire, 40, started a new job last January. He is Director of the Christian Enquiry Agency (CEA) and Development Manager for the rejesus.co.uk website. 2007 was a busy year for him. So what has he learnt and what are his hopes for 2008?
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|