New Diocesan Reader has a passion to teach the Bible
It was exciting to see 11 new diocesan readers being commissioned in Down Cathedral in late June. Meet David Armstrong from Donaghcloney Parish:
I grew up in a Christian home and started following Jesus at the age of eight. During my teenage years, I wanted to grow in my faith and become closer with God. However, I did this by seeking out new and exciting “experiences” with God, things and events that made me feel close to God. The knock–on effect from this was that I drifted between churches, chasing that feeling of being close to God.
In His mercy though, in my early twenties I found myself back at Donaghcloney Parish, sitting under good, sound Bible teaching from several different clergy. Through this teaching I came to understand that to be close to God, I needed to be rooted in the truths of His Word – not allowing my feelings to lead my faith, but the facts of the gospel. Through mission trips, and studying the Bible, I also began to understand that the most loving thing we can do as God’s people, is to share the gospel with the world around us, and it is a task for all of us to undertake, not just some.
I wanted to study to become a lay reader to become more effective at teaching scripture when opportunities arise. The preaching and liturgical elements of the training that were run within the diocese have been of great help and I would like to thank Revd Willie Nixon, Canon Dr Bryan Follis and Revd Adrian Dorrian for their faithfulness and clarity in teaching and leading these sessions.
I look forward to my ministry as a lay reader in Donaghcloney Parish, the diocese and also in the opportunities that I have through my work in Crosslinks Mission Society. I would also like to thank Canon Revd Bryan Martin for all of his support, encouragement, teaching and godly example over the years, that have helped me to reach this point in my ministry. Above all I pray that through the teaching of scripture, and the work of the Holy Spirit, some may come to know Christ as their Lord and Saviour.