An interview with Andrew Barry

Today we interview Andrew Barry.

How did you come to Christ?

I grew up in a Christian family. Thanks be to God for giving me such a great Mum and Dad! Although I went to church throughout my childhood, I don’t think the penny dropped until I was in Year 10. I just moved to St Matthias (the original home of The Briefing), and three things happened:

1. I heard an amazing sermon series on the book of Ecclesiastes by Ken Simpson, and I understood for the first time that I couldn’t hold onto everything else, but I could hold onto Christ.
2. I was discipled by Martin Pakula (whom I hold in the highest regard) and a brilliant group of youth leaders. They pushed us so hard. I went out with them sharing Two Ways to Live on a university campus when I was in Year 12. They put flesh and blood on to what it was to live for Christ.
3. When I joined St Matthias, I met Christians my age who actually wanted to talk about God and who actually wanted to pray. I liked them so much, I ended up marrying one of them!

How do you occupy your time?

I’m married to Ruth, and we have four boys and a little girl. I love them so much. We are a pretty quirky family, but we have a lot of fun together.

I used to serve at Christians in Media. (Can I send a huge hello to Dominic and all those I hold with such fondness?) Now I serve at Jannali Anglican Church as assistant to a Neil Fitzpatrick, who is a great boss. (Have I used the word ‘great’ too much? I feel like the luckiest man in the world when I consider the people whom God has brought into my life. So often I feel like the guy in It’s a Wonderful Life!) Almost all the people at Jannali are committed to Christ, and are seeking to use their gifts and reach their friends.

My main responsibilities are the pastoral, prayer and preaching leadership of Sunday evening church and our new Saturday church plant that starts on the 2nd May. I am really looking forward to seeing where God will take both congregations this year.

Tell us a bit about your other interests.

I love talking with Ruth about anything; being the biggest kid in the family, and yet taking responsibility and teaching them; singing with Ruth; sleeping; reading weird books on diverse topics; seeing my mates; sometimes playing computer games (I have a love/hate relationship with them); paddling my kayak around the amazing Sutherland Shire waterways; B-grade ‘big animal’ movies; the American Office; Iron Chef; old classic movies; hot spicy food; and going on bushwalks.

What are some books and/or preachers who have really helped you grow as a Christian?

I married being Christian with my love for second-hand book shopping, and the partnership has been very fruitful.

I first collected and read all the old IVP (and similar) pamphlets written by the likes of Stott, Packer, Anderson, Hughes, and was greatly stretched in my thinking. I still have them all. At 5 or 10c a piece, they were worth their weight in gold.

When I was younger, I supplemented the world view-expanding teaching I received from Phillip Jensen, Al Stewart and others with tape after tape of D Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Can I recommend him also as a very different model of preaching? I now see they are starting to put more and more of his sermons online. Yes!

Of more recent times, I have benefitted from the ministry of John Piper through his books and online talks.

What are you reading now?

I’m reading some of Karl Barth’s church dogmatics for my Masters in Theology. He is fascinating at so many points. But I think he lays foundations for a hopeful kind of universalism. I’m not sure how much I want to say about this right now.

What websites do you check religiously?

• This illustrious site
• SydneyAnglicans.net: the new site is much better than the old one
• Craig Schwarze’s blog: my doyen of the blogosphere
• Sydney Weather: does that make me old?
• Phillip Jensen: I have benefited so much from this man of God

Not to mention my wife’s, my brother’s and many of my friends’ blogs.

What would your friends say are your hobbyhorses?

I have a real hobbyhorse against any form of a debtor’s ethic—paying God back for what he has done, or somehow living our new lives based on our sense of gratitude to God. This is damaging and unbiblical. I will post about this in due time. We are actually called to live changed lives in Christ because of the present and future realities: we are new in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit, God is our God, there will be a judgement day, those who trust in Christ are citizens of heaven, and so on.

Even more importantly, I really worry about a trend I see of softening the Bible—particularly when it comes to the uniqueness of salvation in Christ and the realities of God’s terrifying judgement. When we diminish hell, we diminish the glories of the cross and the love of God.

What would be your ideal day off?

Waking really early; taking the kids out of school; going to Wattamalla beach; paddling in the kayak; going fishing; having a good prayer time; playing some soccer; playing a board game at home; watching a documentary like Wild China (I love watching that kind of stuff with the kids); having friends over; eating an awesome dinner; drinking a couple of good coffees; going for a walk; reading a lot; enjoying some Ruth time; getting a good night’s sleep. It’s impossible to do all of these, but two or three is pretty good!

Many thanks, Andrew!