Dr Stephen McAuley

Jesus didn't need the loaves and fish. I mean, He made a universe out of nothing; five thousand roast beef dinners would have been no trouble at all. But He told His disciples, "You give them something to eat,” then took what they managed to scrape together, blessed it and used it to meet a need that, to them, was overwhelming.

Forty or more years in Christian ministry have made me all too aware of another overwhelming need: a multitude of Jesus’ followers weak and struggling for lack of proper nourishment, starving for His word. It thrills me to see God raising up and sending out a new generation of skilled Bible expositors but still, the words will not leave me, "You give them something to eat.”

So here it is. My meagre five loaves and two fish. Some of it's old stuff that's been sitting on my hard drive doing nothing, left-overs from past years of ministry. Some of it's new, because I still love to preach God's word and count every opportunity a privilege. I offer it praying that God will bless and use it to meet, perhaps, a little of the need.

Who am I? My name is Stephen McAuley. I was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1956 and born again in 1969. I studied medicine and after graduating in 1981 gained some valuable experience as a psychiatrist in the NHS. But before long I realised that the Christian community lacked competent people who could help believers struggling with mental and emotional disorders. No, we are not exempt.

In 1986 I left medical practice, set up a Christian counselling service, ran training courses for pastors and helped establish a counselling course, for young people starting out in Christian ministry, at Belfast Bible College. All of it rooted in the conviction that we have been made by God to live for Him and will only function at our best when we do.

In time, others took over that work and, in 2004, I became full-time pastor of Killicomaine Evangelical Church in Portadown, where I served until I retired in 2022.


These days I’m a husband, father, grandfather… and part-time pastor of Thurles Baptist Church in County Tipperary, Ireland. It seems the time for retirement is not yet.

 

I've been married to Janet for just over forty years. We have four daughters, all married now, and seven grandchildren. God has blessed us beyond measure.