They started calling me billy graham...

Interview on TWUK stand at Spring Harvest Week 3 day 4 Arvo with Jack Leves

What caught you and brought you to this stand?
Just interested!

Are you retired now?
Yes nearly 70.

Where did you work?
ICI

When you joined ICI was there a Christian group there?
No, nothing

OK so tell us the story of how you developed one...
I went to see the manager and asked if I could start a Christian fellowship and he said – get on with it. So I did.

How many years ago did this happen?
About 30 years ago at least.

What did you do?
Wrote to the Workers Christian fellowship and asked for some ideas. Then I went round the workplace and found out where the Christians were and got them all together. Then we had a meeting at lunchtimes. We had bible studies once a week and some outreaches. So at Easter, Christmas and Whit we put out the Christmas story and preached the gospel and gave out tracks.

Did you use outside speakers?
We didn’t get anyone else in to do it – we did the preaching ourselves. We believed that in the situation we were ambassadors for Christ. Why should we get others to do it - we’re there so get on with it!

So did you see people come to know Jesus?
Average about 10. We saw backsliders come back.

Wonderful – was running your Christian workplace group always this easy?
We had our difficulties in industry. They put on my office door 'vicar'. Then they took that off and started calling me Billy Graham and that stook! It wasn’t always easy.

Any advise for Christians wanting to start a fellowship in their factory?
My advice - pray over it first. Make sure you’re doing God’s work first and not your own. If you still feel it’s God’s will go and see your manager and just say, “I want to start a Christian Group, what do you think about it?” and then just leave it with God. That’s all that you can do. Find the other Christians that are there and start praying!

Thanks Jack