'More than confessions... useful lessons'

Jon Magee has been a Baptist minister for 41 years. His new book Confessions of a Baptist Minister reflects lessons learned in those years - and the call of God that underpins them

 
Confessions of a Baptist minister? What kind of confessions can come from a Baptist minister?
How does such an expression fit into a Baptistic theology?

As one reader has said, this is 'more than confessions, it is useful lessons.' My hope is that other readers will discover the same thing for their lives too.

I am the Baptist minister at Perry, Cambridgeshire, since 2019 and I have just published my third book, called Confessions of a Baptist Minister. In March 2024 I celebrated 41 years of full time pastoral ministry and decided that this was the time to record some of the experiences of ministry.

Ministry has not been just a quiet life but has led me to be available for a variety of interesting situations. I have been there for a plane crash on a remote Hebridean hill side, faced a man armed with a gun, and also ministered to alcoholics and drug addicts as well as the regular forms of Baptist church ministry. Confessions of a Baptist Minister reveals that there is much to be gained reaching across the cultural divides of life.

In short this book reveals that ministry really is an exciting life.

Though there is so much to speak of about ministry itself, the call of God into ministry is something that must always be highlighted. So it is the starting point of my confessions. For me it was a long journey as God gave his encouragement by speaking of His ability when I kept saying I was not able. I needed to learn that God is looking for our availability more than our ability. When the going gets tough, as it can do, I have found that to come through it we need to have a strong confidence in the calling of God.

It has been said that we can learn a lot from our mistakes, but how much better if the lessons can be learnt from the mistakes of another. My own ministry began on a remote Hebridean island where one had to budget for at least one overnight stop if I was to have the benefit of support and fellowship from a fellow Baptist minister. Such fellowship and support I know is important, but I never had that luxury.

There is something more important than my story. My hope is that as the story is told it will reveal something of the Lord who not only can meet our every need but needs to be at the heart of every ministry. There is a revelation between every story of the word of God.

As one reader has said 'I really appreciated the way you wove biblical teaching and reflection into your stories.'

My hope is that the Confessions of a Baptist Minister will be the means of enabling others who are seeking to discover the call of God in their lives, whether that be pastoral ministry or any other call of God. But also may it be the means of enabling for all seeking to find a way on their spiritual journey of life. As the author I am more than happy if any wish to use my stories as illustrations for public speaking or preaching as God is presented to those who maybe seeking the Lord's direction.

David Kinder, former Lead Chaplain at Littlehey prison, Cambridgeshire, wrote the foreword and says 'Firstly, this book is like a string of pearls. Jon is the cord that joins them all together, each pearl is a person. Some of these people were on their own journey and crossed Jon’s path, others were people like Baden Powell who influenced Jon’s approach to that journey.

'Secondly, it is confessional in the way it is delivered. Jon is very honest, conveying to the reader his deepest thoughts and emotions, including acknowledging his own mistakes or errors of judgement. The stories within are humorous, heart breaking, inspirational, unique and totally human. Faith in Jesus is the golden thread running through each chapter.'

My first two books spoke of my experiences in Aden, South Yemen, during extreme terrorism and in Singapore during very challenging times. From Barren Rocks to Living Stones is the story of Aden in 1966/67. Paradise Island, Heavenly Journey speaks of the experiences in Singapore.

I have learned that those experiences have taught me how God can bring us through the worst moments of life. It was also great preparation for any hard knocks one might know in ministry as we also discover the joy of the Lord through many situations.
 

Confessions of a Baptist Minister by Jon Magee is published by AuthorHouse UK

Jon Magee is a a Baptist minister currently serving in Cambridgeshire, England,  having been in full time pastoral ministry for nearly 42 years. 

He had a nomadic youth living in Singapore, Yemen, Kenya, Cyprus, Malta, and Germany. Jon was later to study at the Bible Training Institute and the Baptist College, both of which were in Glasgow, Scotland

In 1983 he was ordained as a Baptist Minister and has ministered in Scotland, England, and briefly in USA.

Do you have a view? Share your thoughts via our letters' page.