MattGlover.com

I’m away at a retreat this week, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to share a bit of my story. This was written for my Supervised Theological Field Education paper in 2006 and was called “My Operational Theology and Model for Theological Reflection”.

I’m happy to answer any questions if you’re happy to ask them…

The definition of theology that was first given to me during the early years of my studies was ‘Theology is the conversation between the things of God and the things of our context.’ In the years that have past since then, I have come to recognize the truth in these words and the importance of maintaining the ‘conversation’ at each stage and place of my life and ministry. As I look back over the path I have taken, it seems that this definition has worked its way into my thinking well before it was put into words. Many people and events have played their part in this and it is the purpose of this paper to explore how they have shaped my theology and, in turn, the way I operate as a pastor and think through life, faith and God.

Home and Family

As a child I was a bit of a loner. I had friends and was popular, but given the choice, I preferred the quiet and some space for myself. My Lego adventures were ‘epic’ and hours were spent drawing with anything, and on anything I could find. From quite early in my life I can remember talking to God in these ‘alone’ times. It was usually a three-way conversation between God, myself and my shadow, but strange as it may seem, it was a close knit trio that stays with me to this day!

My family at this time were not big church-goers, but I hesitate to say they had no faith. Christianity was rarely discussed openly in my home and I can only remember my Mum and Dad praying in my presence once – on the night we were all baptised together. But they served others with every ounce of energy they had. They always volunteered to help with our school fetes and activities, they took positions on our sporting club committees, they made meals, cleaned and ironed for those that faced a crisis, and although they rarely went, they spent many Saturday mornings making the gardens and grounds of church look as good as they could.

As a result of some good pastoral care when my Dad was very sick, my folks slowly got back into church attendance, and now are quite regular at the church they belong too. As a teenager though, I made the trip to church twice each Sunday by foot, as the rest of my family slept in or watched the Sunday night movie. My faith development seemed a solitary journey, but one that suited my character and was shaped by my parents in ways that I would never have guessed, and am only starting to appreciate now.  

Continued tomorrow…