Feba On the Road

Feba CEO Bob Chambers is hitting the road again and heading off to week three of The Keswick Convention.

With the Feba stand in tow, he'll be joining 15,000 other Christians in the gorgeous Lake District for an event dedicated to the development of Christian mission.

The central vision of Keswick Ministries is to see the people of God equipped, encouraged and refreshed to fulfil that calling, directed and guided by God’s Word in the power of his Spirit, for the glory of his Son.

Back at the office we helped Bob fill up his car with Feba goodies for visitors to our stand, and asked him a few quick questions about the week ahead:

Have you been to the Keswick Convention before?

Yes, several times. I started going with my family when our younger son was still in a travel cot – in our tent! We missed a few years when we were living overseas but were very pleased to return in 2013. We all love it! The main teaching events and sung worship are always good, they offer some fascinating seminars, the kids work has gone down well with our two, and camping (optional) is great fun even in the rain!

What was your favourite or memorable moment last time you were there?

A lady who was stewarding approached me on the Feba stand and said "Thank you". She recounted how as a child she had listened - with her mother - to Feba broadcasts on the radio in India, and she told me how grateful she was for the part those broadcasts had played in the development of her own Christian faith. Many years later, she now lives in the UK and continues to follow Christ.

Find out more about our work in Asia.

What are you looking forward to during Keswick week 3?

It's a tremendous privilege to get out 'on the road' with Feba and to meet supporters face-to-face. There really is no substitute for that sort of direct personal contact – it's a wonderful opportunity to share more about what God is doing through Feba, and to hear how we can best serve our supporters too. And of course it's especially encouraging to be able to introduce people to Feba for the first time, and witness that moment when people 'get it'! I get excited about Feba's ministry, and I love to see other people enthused too.

I've been to several similar events and can honestly say that Keswick has a special place in my heart – there's something about the Convention that does set it apart. Maybe that's a combination of its history (what a heritage!), the format (non campus, informal, integrated), and the focus (solid Bible teaching and strong mission track).

Feba's stand will be in "BaseCamp" exhibition at Keswick, what can people come to the stand for?

If you're already a supporter or if you've visited the stand at Keswick in previous years then please feel free to drop by and simply say "Hi!". If you don't know Feba, then we've got a video to watch, copies of our current literature, some resources for churches, a craft activity for young children, free Feba pens, bookmarks and even baked beans! [You'll have to come to the stand if you want to find out more!]

What are you most excited about sharing with visitors coming to the stand?

There are all sorts of exciting things going on across our current portfolio of projects – where do I start?! I suppose there's always a danger that I'll feel a closer affinity for those projects I've had opportunity to visit, but I'll try to be fair in the airtime I give to various projects! In general terms, I love sharing about how people are using radio and other media in 'mission' to demonstrate God's love in all sorts of ways and to communicate the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What's it like being on the Feba stand at an event?

You never know quite what to expect! The days can be long and tiring, but the conversations are invariably engaging and rewarding. There will almost certainly be a mix of existing supporters – some long standing and some newer. I was at another event recently and met someone who had been supporting Feba for fifty years – I reckon that'll take some beating! I've also met former staff and missionaries who have served with Feba in the Seychelles, a central part of Feba's history.

Any further thoughts?

I'd really encourage anyone attending Keswick or any other similar event to make good use of the opportunity to have a look at the exhibition. Despite what some people might perhaps think, I'm not there to 'sell' Feba and certainly don't ever want to make anyone feel under any pressure to get involved; I'm fairly confident that would be true of other exhibitors too. My desire – my prayer – is that we'd have some God-ordained conversations with people who want to know what God is doing in the world. As mission agencies, that's what we're about. God's busy - there is a lot happening - and no-one can possibly support everything, of course we understand that! But do at least have a look around and consider prayerfully how you might be part of God's plan.

As an organisation using media for transformation, we were thrilled to hear the Bible teachings from Keswick are being recorded and the audio is available free to listen online and to download here.

*Photo of Bob Chambers and his family courtesy can be found in the Keswick Ministries Convention brochure online here.