When Peter met Jamie

Peter Baker | 20:49, Tuesday 27th August 2012 

There's truth in the statement, "Some people stay in our lives awhile, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same."

I was introduced to Jamie Rasmussen online about four months ago. Jamie is the Senior Pastor of Scottsdale Bible Church near Phoenix, Arizona. The online 'date' was made for us by the Principal of Tyndale House Cambridge, Dr Peter J Williams. Peter and I work together on the UCCF Trust Board. And he just so happened to know that Jamie was looking for a like-minded pastor in the UK with whom he might build a friendship and perhaps a church partnership.

So like the beginning of many modern friendships, it took place in cyber space. We Skyped a few times and then got serious.  Jamie was visiting the UK as part of a trip to the European Leaders Forum in Hungary, which Scottsdale has helped to resource.

We tried to meet up in London but failed. Eventually he caught a train to Cardiff with a staff colleague and so I was able to show him around Highfields and the Bay. There was a very obvious connection with similar ministry perspectives. During the day Jamie said, "Why don’t you bring a couple of your senior leaders with you to visit Scottsdale? We'll cover everything."

So on September 3rd Phil Jenkins, Chris Street and myself, together with our wives, will fly out to the US, the eight day visit entirely paid for by the generosity of this large 6000 member church.

One of my vision themes this year has been Partnership, so the purpose of the visit to Scottsdale is to see if Peter and Jamie can be really good friends and what a church partnership might look like.

Pray for safety, energy and a good learning experience on all sides.  

We are two nations divided by a common language, but we are one in Christ, in faith, hope and love. And I always like to meet people who may leave a footprint on my heart.