Jamie Brockhurst comes from London and met Fiona at university. She wanted to explore Christianity, so they started reading the Bible one-to-one together.
Why did you start meeting up to read the Bible with someone?
I knew that Christianity was something I wanted to explore, but I didn’t feel I had the tools to explore it on my own. So it was an incredible opportunity to look at Christianity with a good friend who knew what they were talking about, and who I knew wouldn’t try to force her religion on me. We’re using resources which focus on non-Christians learning about the Bible, and as that describes my situations, it seemed perfect.
How did you feel before you started doing it?
To be honest, before these one-to-ones I was a bit nervous about exploring Christianity. I feared I wouldn’t be able to explore it without people trying to force me to convert to Christianity. I was also a bit scared that people might be dedicating their life to something that I might decide was just made up. And I didn’t want to start to believe something that’s not true either. I appreciate that’s a strange view, and I don’t feel like that anymore!
What's been good about doing it? What's been different to what you had expected?
It’s been fantastic that the questions and passages we work off in the sessions let us go onto further questions. It’s not a lecture, it is more an opportunity for me to ask Fiona questions as we go along, and question the religion. This is important to me because if I am going to become a Christian then I want to know that I have looked and questioned it from every angle, rather than to just be told: “This is how it is, so accept it.”
Because Fiona is so willing to answer my questions I think that is why we have made so much progress, and I find myself looking forward to the sessions and taking a lot away with me.
What would you say you've learned, and how would you say you've changed, from doing the one-to-ones?
I have learned a lot! And I can now say that my beliefs in God and Christ have been strengthened. I am not ready to call myself a Christian just yet, but inside me I know that I want to feel passionate about God and I want to explore until I get there.
What would you say to someone who's interested in finding out what the Bible says, but isn't sure they want to meet up to look at it with just one other person?
I’d say give it a go. When I first started in the back of my mind I thought: “I might as well try it out… if I don’t like it then I can always stop.” This way you know you have nothing to lose. I found myself getting hooked though, and now I enjoy the sessions!
I’d also say ask questions if you don’t understand something—that way, you'll be able to clear up any confusion about the truth about the Bible.
Jamie and Fiona have been trialling the next book in the one2one series by Andrew Cornes. Working through Luke's Gospel, they're particularly designed for helping people to explore Christianity as part of a one-to-one relationship. They'll be coming out in the autumn, but in the meantime there are plenty of other resources like this that you could use if you know someone like Jamie.
For a short introduction to what one-to-oneing is, just click here.
Carl is Editorial Director at The Good Book Company and is a member of Grace Church Worcester Park, London. He is the best-selling author of The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross and God's Big Promises Bible Storybook, and also serves as series editor of the God's Word for You series. Before joining TGBC, he worked as a journalist and then as a teacher, and pastored a congregation in Hull. Carl is married to Lizzie, and they have two children. He studied history at Oxford University.
