'A great story with a contemporary twist'

Telling the story of the remarkable John Griffiths, a former coal miner who became principal of the Baptist college in Cardiff, provides food for thought for Christians today: how do we reach out to the many young people longing for a God they are not able to name? By Paul Beasley Murray

 
I am delighted to be able to draw your attention to For Christ and for Wales, a collection of essays in honour of the life and ministry of John Griffiths (1875-1947). John Griffiths, you might rightly say, who was he? He was one of yesterday’s servants of Christ who has been long forgotten – except by the family to which Caroline, my wife, belongs. ForJohn Griffiths was her paternal grandfather: he was her Taid (the term people in North Wales use for grandfather). He was a remarkable man, who as a teenager went to work in the coal mines of North Wales and who ended up as principal of the Baptist college in Cardiff. In my judgement, his story should have been told many years ago. However, thankfully the story has now been told.
 
However, For Christ and for Wales is not just an exercise in biography and church history. It has also been an opportunity to reflect more generally on what patterns of mission and ministry might be appropriate for today.
 
As editor of For Christ and for Wales I have been blessed with the help of various friends to make this book possible. In addition to Adrian Walters, a Baptist who has been researching the life of John Griffiths within the wider context of Welsh nonconformity, I have been able to call upon three distinguished church leaders.

In the first place, Densil Morgan, a distinguished Welsh theologian and historian, who is currently President of the Welsh Baptist Union.

Secondly, John Weaver, a former Principal of the Baptist college in Cardiff, who is also a prolific author himself.

Thirdly, Rob James, a former student of the Baptist college in Cardiff, who has exercised a wide-ranging ministry and is the Executive Chair of the Evangelical Alliance in Wales.
 
The headings of the essays which make up this volume indicate the scope of the book:
 

1. The Early Years (1875-1908) and the Ammanford Years (1908-1925) of John Griffiths by Adrian Walters
2. The Cardiff Years (1925-1947) of John Griffiths by Paul Beasley-Murray
3. Thoughts about Taid by Lynette and Gareth Hughes
4. Treasured Memories by Caroline Beasley-Murray
5. John Griffiths and the Culture of Welsh Nonconformity (1870-1945) by Densil Morgan
6. Ministerial Training in Wales (1947-2023) by John Weaver
7. Church Life in Wales Today by Rob James

 
As the ‘blurb’ on the back cover states: 'Although the essays are focussed on Wales, they provide food for thought for Christians beyond Wales. The group today who are most likely to pray regularly are people under thirty-five, are the demographic missing in our churches. They are ‘spiritual’ but not ‘religious’. How do we reach out to the many who are longing for God, even though it is a God they are not yet able to name?'
 

100 pages in length, For Christ and for Wales has not been published through normal commercial channels, but by the College of Baptist Ministers in association with PB-M Books.

Including UK postage and packing it retails at £5. To purchase a copy contact Paul at paulbeasleymurray@gmail.com 

Paul Beasley-Murray was ordained in 1970. He was Minister of Altrincham Baptist Church (1973 to 1986), Principal of Spurgeon’s College (1986 to 1992) and Senior Minister of Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford (1993 to 2014)

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