Dr Dave amazes visitors to CRE 

The next Baptist Union President, Dr Dave Gregory, amazed visitors to the Christian Resources Exhibition with his Messy Church experiments

The one-time research meteorologist at the Met office and the European Weather Centre became a Baptist minister some years ago and now uses his scientific knowledge to give a sparkle to his ministry.

At CRE in Sandown Park, Surrey, he wowed visitors with science-based experiments that speak of aspects of the Christian faith. They were shown how to make rainbows, fill balloons with carbon dioxide, and how to turn a cup of water upside down without the water pouring out.

The minister - often called Dr Dave because of his innovative approach - becomes President of the Baptist Union in May next year. He said, 'It demonstrates that we cannot understand all things, but God provides a way.'

He first talked of his own interest in science at the age of six when the Apollo moon missions were in the news and of his loss of faith which was revived when he went to university to study science.

As an advocate of the Messy Church at his own church, Croxley Green Baptist Church, in Rickmansworth, he refined aspects of that work by adding a scientific touch which was so successful that he recently edited the book Messy Church Does Science - 100 science-based ideas for explaining differing aspects of God.

Speaking of CRE he added, 'I am a great advocate. I have not been for some time and am amazed at the resources available to Christians. If they get to see what is available it can inject a lot of ideas into local church life.'