The heavy metal guitarist and the nerd

I did my ministry training at Multicultural Bible Ministry ("MBM") church in 2002-03. One of the other MTS trainees was a guy called Jim Mobbs. We couldn't be more different. He came from a fairly rough background - heavy metal music, drugs, alcohol, the works. And there I was - clean living, Christian parents, nerdy bookworm. But the two of us got on really well. There was one classic moment at a staff planning retreat when the two of us talked about how in our school days, we used to hate people like the other one of us. I used to be really scared of heavy metal drug & alcohol types - like Jim! And - to be honest - I used to dismiss them as no-hopers. And Jimbo said he used to despise nerdy bookworms like me. But there we were, ministering alongside each other - and loving it!
Well after ministry training, I lost track of Jim for a while. He trained at Sydney Missionary and Bible College ("SMBC"), and married an MBM girl, Vivienne. But I didn't see either of them for some years.
Why am I telling you all this?
Well, it just so happens that I was at Hobart airport this morning. I was there to welcome the new assistant minister for Cornerstone Presbyterian church - a bloke by the name of Jim Mobbs - and his wife Vivienne. And so after all these years, we're gonna be ministering side-by-side again - even if it's only for a couple of weeks. The heavy metal guitarist and the nerd.

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