This Monday I spoke briefly at his funeral. Geoff was 94 and my mentor and friend. For over twenty years he and his late wife Helen rose early in the morning to pray for me, and many others, by name and according to the details of our lives and ministries. I know this, because they often told me so and offered good evidence of their prayerfulness by their pertinent enquiries about such and such a matter that I’d mentioned before. Their love and concern for us was palpable. Their home was a place of welcome, hospitality, humility, biblical wisdom and prayer.
Geoff had been a WWII veteran in three theatres of war, and returning to Australia answered the Lord’s call to serve in pastoral ministry. He grew up in the inner east, but planted a church in Croydon, serving it for 25 years. His subsequent itinerant ministry took him to countries in almost every continent, and to the little Asian congregation in Richmond where we first met.
One Friday night, he was leading the Bible study on the life of Jonathan, the son of Saul, who led his armour-bearer up the hill towards the enemies, leading God’s people to an inspiring victory. He looked at me and asked (rhetorically), ‘Will you be a Jonathan?’ The group burst out in laughter, for everyone (except Geoff) knew that was my name. Geoff wondered aloud if that had been a prophetic word. He prayed for me that night, and on many other occasions since.
Geoff was a retired Pentecostal minister with a blessed bathtub. In his Croydon home many a person got baptised (even re-baptised) and emerged out of the water gushing with the gift of tongues. It was one of his special ministries, but he never pressed it on me or on anyone else. We disagreed on re-baptism and many other doctrines, but none of that affected the depth of love he had for me, or I for him.
What united us was our love for Christ and the Bible, and a shared passion for evangelism. Geoff and Helen’s lives were transparent in their godliness, humility, and Christ-likeness in a way that I had not seen before or since. I’ve met many who have had more robust theological resources, more ‘successful’ ministries, a greater Christian following… but none who have more clearly exemplified God’s love in Christ to me.
His funeral was funny, uplifting, Gospel-centred, and filled with the grace of God in Christ. I guess I was a bit ‘on duty’ as one of the speakers. Grief followed after when I had time one evening this week to think on what I’ve lost now that he has gone to his reward. His and Helen’s life and ministry make me want to love people more deeply, grow in prayerfulness and passion for the Word, and actually live out much much more the things that I say I believe. You can hold me to that.
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