An Interview with Joshua Jones

On Friday afternoon I had the joy of spending some time with my good friend Joshua Jones. Joshua is a rather mad American pastor, who has been serving one of the great local churches of Nottingham as a Student/Youth pastor for the past 3 and a half years. He self-describes as a "Christian, Reformed, Charismatic, Evangelical, Arminian, Complementarian, conservative. Oh, and a literal biblicist", which is quite a fun blend of things (and echoes some of the values this blog aims towards. Joshua blogs over at Sanity's Cove. Anyway, enough about this, lets get on with the interview.

(Joshua's answers to my questions are all italics, occasionally I will interject (In brackets as 'TC')

Lets get to know you a bit first - the describing words are helpful but not the full picture...

1) As a non-Anglican ministering in an Anglican Church, what brought you to St. Nics in the first place?
It has to be God! God brought me here in the same way he brought Joseph to Egypt - kicking and screaming. On the way to Geneva to take up a post, and I didn't get a visa. I was without a job. Steve Silvester (The leader of the Church) called me on the phone one day. He said to come check out St Nic's. Amazingly, he chose me. However, the first three months on the job, I woke up depressed because I wasn't in Geneva...

2) So, why this interview, why are you leaving St Nic's?
We felt for some time that God was leading us away from St Nic's, but not sure what to. Recently both our hearts have been in World Horizons - the mission organisation that got us here in the first place. It feels like time to move on. (I asked Joshua if there was anything wrong with St. Nic's...) nothing wrong with St. Nic's, at least beyond the fact that there is something wrong with every church!

3) Ok, that makes sense, but what exactly will you be doing?
I will be working with university students to introduce them to world mission! I'll primarily be helping to facilitate short term mission trips, as I've done with St. Nic's students. I'll do this for some time, and so you'll likely see me at things like missions fairs. We aren't yet sure where we'll be based. (I urged Joshua to stay in the UK - I'm selfish like that - but it could be the US, and anywhere in either country!)

4) Where will you be living?
It could be Nottingham! It could be the UK, it could be the USA. According to World Horizons, both countries are somewhat lacking in university 'recruitment' for world mission. My time with St. Nic's ends in April, another three months. If we go back to America it would be this summer (2013) but we could be here for a few more years yet. We don't know! Pray for us!

5) Why World Horizons and not Tearfund/Christian Aid/Open Doors/etc?
Mostly because of existing relationships. It was them that got me to move when I was 19/20, and also the same from Irdi (Joshua's wife) who is from Copenhagen. World Horizons are relational and flexible. I have the ability to write my own job description, though I do have to raise my own salary!

6) Ok, that sounds awesome, but what about what you are leaving? What will you miss about St. Nic's?
The people I disciple. Spiritual sons and spiritual daughters. (TC - Joshua has an amazing gift of discipling Christian students and youth. The transformation in some of my friends has been amazing - tempting to move to St. Nic's!)

7) Good answer. What have you learned from your time at St. Nic's?
Great friendships! The last three and a half years have been most fruitful for ministry, in terms of making disciples. Open doors for the Gospel. It's been a great time of personal growth. St. Nic's was kind enough to take a non-Anglican into its leadership. They could have picked someone more theologically close. I'm not a progressive Anglican. I'm a Conservative Evangelical. I'm very grateful to them for that. On the personal level my time at St. Nic's has stretched my character to learn how to work with people with whom I have real theological differences. I've become a better person because of it. My views are as firm as ever, but my graciousness has increased.

8) If the students you pastor and those you have spoken to through CU's had learned only on thing, what would it be? (Joshua being the influential and wide-ranging teacher he is, I got several bullet points)

No man is greater than his worship.

The Bible is perfect.

Heaven will be wonderful.

Hell will be hot.

Eternity will be a long time.

It's good to talk to people about God.

It's better to talk to God about people. 

Don't drink light beer.

God is not a chick.

9) What would you say to the students you leave behind who are wondering where to turn for what God has given to them through you?
Scripture is a great start. See next question.

10) Who are your top ten writers/preachers?

E.M.Bounds on prayer - taught me so much on prayer.
Tim Keller - so much stuff, especially the Gospel.
Paul Washer - an intense Gospel preacher.
Mark Driscoll - He's funny.
David Pawson - fantastic bible teacher 
John Piper - He loves Jesus.
Andrew Murray - especially his book 'Waiting on God'.
Randy Alcorn - his book on Heaven is fantastic.
Douglas Wilson- some brilliant stuff and some stupid stuff. Incredible mind but says some dumb stuff. Stuff he says that is good, is really good.
Mary Kassian - Great Canadian chick theologian. Brilliant complementarian chick.

11) Going quickly back to St. Nic's, do you have a replacement?
No. It's not St. Nic's protocol that I have any role in choosing my replacement. They may split the roles. I don't know - I currently oversee youth and students. 

12) What would you say to that person?
Love Jesus. Love Scripture. Love teenagers. Love students. And I hope you have a lot of thick skin.

13) The last three questions are a bit different, but I'm asking them anyway. Why this blog?
A couple of bloggers that I passed. Could have gone to. You are out of the St. Nic's bubble. If there's any misunderstanding I don't want to drag my own students in. (TC - thanks Joshua!) I am not known only among St. Nic's but also the whole CU (in Nottingham) The readership of you blog includes other churches. 

14) As an outsider, what do you think the biggest obstacles are for the UK evangelical Church?
I'm from America. I've lived in Iceland, France, Ireland, and my wife is Danish. We also work with a missions organisation that focuses on the Muslim world. We have a fair taste of the Church. By comparison, the UK evangelical Church is very good at speaking the language of culture, but has blindly opened itself to theological liberalism. And they are totally unaware. What is considered mainstream here is considered theologically liberal in most other countries where the Evangelical church has develop. Its failure to clearly adress gender issues has made it powerless in the face of the pro-gay agenda. There is a cowardice in confessing the innerrancy of Scripture.

15) Finally, how can we be praying for you?
For spiritual protection! The enemy tends to attack most strategically during times of transition, like Jesus moving from carpenter to preacher. For my whole family. For clear direction as I will largely be creating my new post. For knowing whether to stay in Nottingham or go back to the USA. For the youth and students I pastor, that God would continue the good work that he begun inside them. That the fruit would remain.

And that's that! If you want to check out Joshua's blog (warning, if his answers have wound you up, his blog will even more) then head over to Sanity's Cove. If you want to check out St. Nic's, its website is here. Finally, you can find the website for World Horizons by following this link.