GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

Kevan McLaughlin is not just a member at the First Century Apostolic Church at Battersea in Manchester. He currently serves that congregation as an assistant pastor and he loves what he does for God.

The assistant pastor, who served for a while as an evangelist, has been holding his current post for more than five years, but he has been following and working for the Lord since 1993 when he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ.

Pastor McLaughlin has also worked as a Sunday school teacher, but despite his substantive role, he is still involved in evangelism; but he believes that his calling is really to be a pastor.

When he surrendered his life to Christ 17 years ago, McLaughlin was in the field helping his father to plant some crops.

"I was in the field talking to my father who is a farmer and who is also an elder in the church, who assists in presiding over another church; and he was encouraging me just after leaving high school at age 18. He encouraged me just as I was about to enter the world of work; and he asked me why not give my heart to the Lord," said McLaughlin.

He stressed that his father begged him to change his life and so he thought about his father's suggestion, went to church that same evening while a convention was in progress and, according to him, everything simply fell in place from there on.

good and bad times

The assistant pastor said since he surrendered his life to the Lord, although he has been having some wonderful times with his Maker, he has experienced a mixture of tough times, good times and bad times. However, according to him, with the Lord all things work together for good. Times he said are never always easy, but he has learnt to trust in God.

"I just keep relying on the Lord, keep praying, talk to for example my bishop and so on and sometimes I find comfort in the Word of God; and God always has His way of helping whenever He is involved in situations," acknowledged McLaughlin about times when he is faced with challenges.

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