Tom Seymour
Although I did not have a dramatic conversion, I believe that I have plenty to share, and would like to emphasise the need to have fellowship with God and follow his way.
Early life
I was brought up in a traditional Anglican Church, which my parents attended in south-east England. This has had a church on the same site since the 11th century.
But as a child I only went to church to see my friends and to have fun, up to the age of 14, When I went to a large youth camp, aged 14 and realised I had to have my own faith, that I was not a Christian because I was brought up as a Christian. But that I had to make my own choice. I also joined Northlands Church around this time enjoying becoming part of a family church where I was seen as myself not as my parent’s son.
I think my parents always thought I was a Christian up to this point; they became Christians early on in their marriage. My friends could see an immediate difference as I stopped bullying some of them.
After College when I was 18 I had my first mission experience and also going abroad without my parents, we mostly did building work, working with the local people, eating a lot of different food, and sharing my life with other Christians.
I then went on to university and got on with my life keeping in touch with the Church and running one of the CU home groups. Then I came back home and got on with my life struggled through many short term roles.
Picked out for his Service
Then when I was 25, I went with my church on a trip to Bulgaria; I had gone along for a holiday not expecting God to find much use for me there, But after a week of playing sport and doing kids work which I did not enjoy.
I was shown a room with 15 computers which had been donated over five years before, and used to be greatly used, but the equipment had all got broken over time, but they had kept it all, as they thought the equipment still had some value, but after a week I could only get one pc to barely work and had to advise them to throw the majority away as the room was more useful empty. Just they had been waiting for someone to have the confidence to clear it out.
Then eight months later my parents got an email, of a prayer request from a mission partner of my church, that at their office in Mongolia, they needed someone to do IT support.
I felt God’s calling, so things happened so quickly that within two months, of thinking about it I arrived in Mongolia. I felt the role was such a good one like it was now or never. As the office was not too large and people I knew where there. Originally I only went for four months and ended up going for two years, as I enjoyed it so much.
As my time in Mongolia came to an end, I decided to go to Redcliffe College to find out more academically about God and about the missionaries I worked with, where I studied many different subjects all at the same time, with different topics lots of changes. But this gave me a heart to study men’s ministry, which is neglected in the church and how through working together men are built up.
Since College I spent a while searching again for work then after taking some exams got a part-time role in Brighton and started my own business, and became a leader at Northlands church. Now we are waiting to see where God leads us next but making sure he uses us now in this place.