Journeys of Faith: Simon Evans
Throughout Lent we'll be hearing stories of faith from across the Diocese. This week we hear from Simon Evans, our Young Faith Matters Lead...
Looking back at my childhood, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t believe God existed. For me, it was always a question of devotion not belief. One foot in the world while having another in youth groups and Christian camps. Those in school would have called me a Christian because I went to church on a Sunday, but the way I lived my life probably didn’t set me apart in any way.
In my teenage years I was fortunate enough that my mum and dad drove me to an amazing youth group with 20+ boys and girls my age at a different church. There I felt that I belonged and had community, feeling less alone as one of only a handful of Christians in my school. The youth leaders were so caring and fun yet loved Jesus and were great role models for me learning to follow Jesus. Annual Christian camps left me with an undeniable belief in the love of God and His power to transform lives, but the day to day living for the other 51 weeks was difficult for someone wanting to fit in and be like his friends. The yearly camps were mountain top experiences, but true devotion is developed by learning to follow God in the valleys.
It wasn’t until University I truly realised my need for God’s grace and forgiveness, when I’d lost sight of who I was in a search for affirmation and acceptance. But God’s love and grace drew me in and called me back to a life with Jesus and taking my faith seriously. Jesus met me in a powerful way: taking my brokenness, shame and all my mistakes and cleansing them completely. Since then, it has been a continual lesson in God fulfilling my need for affirmation and acceptance, leading me to wholeness in Christ.
This experience as a teenager has inspired me to help young people experience the same things I did. Having adults who love you, call you on and help reveal Jesus to you; the only one who can truly satisfy all our desires. I’ve learnt that God’s love for me is unconditional and unfathomable, and my passion now is to help people discover who God is and how much of a loving Father he is to them.
I strongly believe there is no limit to how much young people can experience the Holy Spirit, leaning on Paul’s words to his young mentee Timothy: ‘Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching’ (1 Timothy 4:12-13).
his is my desire, that young people would devote themselves to Jesus, and not have to experience the same mistakes I did by being half-hearted in following God as a teenager.
Over the last 12 years since I re-committed myself to Christ, He is taking me on a journey of realising that my character, trying to look like the person of Jesus and living like him, is more important than trying to do things for God. I am trying to learn how to be like Jesus in this world and share the love of Christ with those around me. Devotion is the key, putting Jesus as Lord of our lives as we are His clay, and He is the potter. On this journey, I long to be bold and courageous in sharing what Jesus has done for me and how He has changed my life.