Bath City Church's Stewart Keiller's New Book 'The Pearl Hunter'
Stewart Keiller is the leader of Bath City Church, but he's also the author of three books. In this 'Q and A' he tells us about his latest title 'Pearl Hunters', the inspiration behind the title, writing it by the Mediterranean and the value and purpose of encounter with God. "I had been reflecting on the core value for us as a church and seeking God for what church and the christian life was all about when he led me to the story of Moses who cried out to God and saying that unless God went with them as a people then they didn't want to go any further - the presence of God in the centre of us as individuals and the community of God is what it is all about. At Bath City Church if you cut us open like a stick of rock we read the presence of God."
(PICTURES: PEARL HUNTERS AND STEWART KEILLER)
Your new book is all about avoiding the trappings and frustrations we can experience in 'church' and pursuing that which is of greatest value - the presence of God - Do you feel 'Pearl Hunters' is particularly relevant to society and Christians today? If so why?
I think that if we focus on anything but the presence of God we miss the point! We
can get embroiled in social action, evangelism and training but if our focus is not on His presence then we miss the point. Don't get me wrong, we need to missional, but if we don't carry the power of the presence of God then we dont really have anything to say to our hungry and hurting world.
The book is described on 'Cross Rhthyms' as covering 'what it will take to make the Church distinctive once again?', 'The value and purpose of "encounter", 'How to avoid the trap of fear, frustration and fatigue', 'How to go deeper with God' and 'How your church community can become a people of presence'? ...These are all very real life issues, does this mirror your own journey with God? Is being 'real' and helping people to overcome hurdles in their faith very important to you?
We need to be more spiritual as disciples of Christ. We live so carnally most of the time rather than spiritually. You know the phrase 'so spiritually minded no earthly good', well I'm not so sure that is true. I think we need to be more spiritually minded to be any earthly good.
Too many of us are looking for human solutions when we should be living as ambassadors of heaven, seated with Christ in heavenly places. I'm not talking about being spiritually weird or disconnected from real life, I mean that we should be bubbling with the reality of our spiritual life, the Holy Spirit working in us, the invisible kingdom at work, alive and real. Physical world being changed by spiritual reality. If we loose authentic encounter with God we loose touch with what is really real.
Do you have any basic advice for anyone wanting to get deeper with God?
ASK SEEK KNOCK... keep asking God, keep seeking him and keep banging on the door of heaven... the persistent widow in the gospel didn't get what she asked for becasue she was a friend but because she was persistent.... keep at it!
Now 'Pearl Hunters' is published have you had any positive feedback?
It is in most Christian bookshops and people seem to enjoy its earthy style.
How long did it take you to write it? And how was the actual process of writing it for you?
Difficult to say exactly but it took a year to bring it all together. This is my third book, and I find that I get an idea that changes then something will give me a spurt and it comes together. I wrote a lot of it on holiday early in the morning looking over the mediterranean!!! before my kids got up!
Do you have any more books you're planning on writing?
I'm working on a book about the kingdom of God, something about eternity and I would like to get a story about the book of Job out ... that's me, spinning many plates!
How do you stop church from becoming 'boring' for you?
Church boring? There is one thing that church is not, and that is boring. If church is boring then you are not doing church.
I saw you getting 'zapped' on youtube at the Jesus Culture event (last year) is coming along to conferences and events aimed at connecting to God a key move for Christians today?
I think you can overdose on conference, the issue is not conferences but go to where you get some life! One of the things we love to do at BCC is give people a blast of the Holy Spirit, a divine encounter so they are filled up to go out...