Barnabas Ministries UK

Testimonies of Peter and Cath Walley 

What would be the expectations of anyone who walked into a Pentecostal Church meeting for the very first time? Could you arrive with any idea of what you would find, or could any prior experience prepare you for what you were about to encounter? 

In the summer of 1989 as I was walking through Rotherham, South Yorkshire, I noticed a group of people stood outside of a coach which was parked in the town centre.  They were smiling politely at passers-by and chatting with those who took the time to stop.  As I drew closer it was obvious to me that this was a Christian group and I began to mentally formulate my excuse and escape route - polite smile, sorry I’m too busy and a quick cross over on to the other side of the road. 

However something strange began to happen, I felt almost compelled to go and talk to them but had no idea why and even more uncharacteristically accepted an invitation to attend a meeting that Sunday evening at Rotherham New Life Christian centre. As I travelled home I wondered what my wife would say when I told her that I was going to church that Sunday (we were both 29 years old and had never attended church before and usually found other things to do with our weekends)? Her answer was equally baffling to me, Good; I’ll come with you! T

hat first Sunday evening we found a church that was vibrant, warm and welcoming. We didn’t fully understand all that happened in an environment, which was totally new to us, and we probably didn’t even understand the language that we were hearing (where was Calvary and what did we need saving from?) but something (or someone!) had started to stir up our lives over the next week.  

The following Sunday evening found us both sat in the Gospel meeting and when the preacher (Pastor Ernest Anderson) told the Good News of Jesus Christ and asked with every head bowed and every eye closed, Will you accept him now as your Lord and Saviour? I knew with all my heart that the answer was yes.  Upon opening my eyes and to my continued surprise I found that my wife (Cath) had made the same decision at the same moment. What a wonderful Saviour we have in Jesus, his grace and mercy never fail and he allowed us to begin the greatest journey of all together with him. 

So what course did the journey take over the next eighteen years? Our early years saw us Baptised in water by total immersion, Born again by the Holy Spirit, children dedicated and eagerly desiring more of God.After just a few years however we found ourselves drifting and seemed to find more reasons not to attend church. 

Whilst visiting relatives in Australia we were invited to a church meeting and experienced first hand the God who desires that none shall be lost.  We received a message that confirmed God’s great love for us in an intimate and personal way.  Once again God demonstrated his love and mercy and once again he met us at the point of our need simultaneously. We began to again fellowship regularly and become part of two more church communities as we twice more moved house (Sheffield Christian Life Centre and Herringthorpe United Reformed Church).

We thank God for all those who have helped us so much along the way and in more recent years encouraged us to be involved with Alpha courses and preaching at churches in our surrounding area. 

The more involved we became in the things of God, the more we felt his call upon our lives and in the summer of 2006 we both left our jobs and I began full time study at Mattersey Hall Bible College.  We moved house again, this time to Retford to be nearer to the college and Cath found work at a local nursery where she has since introduced a Christian programme for the 2-5 years. 

Has the journey this far been all that we expected? No, it has been so much more. It has been surprising, challenging, rewarding, always exciting and never dull. But above all it has been a journey that declares our God’s faithfulness, his grace and mercy and his unfailing love! The intention of our hearts is to give him all the glory that he truly deserves in every aspect of our lives. We have a wonderful Saviour don’t we!

 Blessings Pete and Cath Walley