I first met Ben at Heathrow Airport more than 25 years ago. He was wearing a bandana and carrying a guitar case, and just looked cool. I had invited him and John Dickson to the UK to do a series of outreach meetings in churches, schools and youth groups, and to go to a Christian conference to speak and perform. It was the start of a friendship that continued and grew over the years. John and Ben returned to do another mission I was involved with organising in Wimbledon, and subsequently Ben moved to the UK to join my church as an assistant pastor.
Ben was always enormous fun to be around. He had a sharp mind, a quick wit, and a careful, determined and compassionate way of sharing Jesus with people. He never forgot the pit from which he, along with John, had been dug. He never tired of telling the story of how, as a wild young man with “disaster” written all over him, he was rescued by Christ for a life of purpose and meaning through the kindness, patience and careful teaching of an older woman who had adopted him as her personal gospel project.
Ben and his wife Karen were a glorious team, and found avenues of gospel opportunity in unlikely and creative places—singing (of course); doing outreach to models and fashion designers at London Fashion Week; and among medics and health professionals through Karen’s work with the World Health Organisation.
Ben moved on from our church to pour his energy and creativity into a new plant, The Boathouse Church in Putney. It became a church that reflected his own character—full of kindness, compassion, and with a constant desire to reach out and share the love of Jesus with others. I know that many others at The Good Book Company have their own memories of Ben, and kindness, compassions and desire to reach the lost characterise all of them, whether it was his willingness to preach at a church that was in between pastors, or him giving his Saturday morning to speak at an evangelism training event with Becky Manley Pippert back in 2015.
Ben’s struggle with the cancer that has eventually overcome him started two years ago. But Ben’s faith in Jesus shone all the brighter through the treatments, operations and frustrations as the illness progressed. He was never, to my knowledge, self-pitying or despairing. And he continued to work on the manuscript of his last book, Seven Reasons to (Re)Consider Christianity, which he made a goal to see published before he died, aiming in particular to be able to give a copy to his dad. It’s been a privilege for us at TGBC to help and support Ben in seeing that dream made a reality.
We grieve along with those who knew and loved him—especially with Karen and his life-long friend John. But we rejoice in the sure hope that he now sees face to face the Saviour whom he worshipped and served so well. And we will continue to pray what we know that he was praying: that there will be many who will greet their brother Ben in eternity and thank him for writing a book that was part of their own journey from disaster to discipleship.
Thank you, Ben. And see you soon.
Tim Thornborough is the founder and Publishing Director of The Good Book Company. He is series editor of Explore Bible-reading notes, the author of The Very Best Bible Stories series, and has contributed to many books published by The Good Book Company and others. Tim is married to Kathy, and they have three adult daughters.
