Andy Muir - Stranraer
“I went to church with my mum and gran when I was young, but they left when our church closed. The only time I was in church for the next thirty-odd years, was for funerals and weddings, but a seed had definitely been planted…”
In my thirties and forties, I developed a keen interest in history, which led to religion, and trying to understand exactly what I believed. Fate brought me to work in the home of the late theologian Geoffrey Grogan’s (IVP Commentaries on Isaiah and Psalms). daughter. I commented on the lovely bookcase filled with many of her father’s books, and a conversation about faith followed. Overwhelmed by my endless questions, she suggested I try an Alpha Course. One had already started locally, and although I would have been welcomed, I waited another year for the next one.
During the course were invited to go to the church and pray to receive the Holy Spirit. I went in alone, sat down to pray, and almost instantly I became aware of a tingling on my head and at the fine hair follicles on my cheeks. Just as this happened two of the Alpha helpers entered the church… and I made a swift exit!
My explanation
As an ex-motor mechanic, I was always analytical; always looking for a cause and effect where possible, and so, I convinced myself there was a perfectly rational explanation. My head was bowed in prayer, so perhaps having my head and my heart on the same level, increased blood flow and pressure, which in turn fed the follicles more. Deep down though, I always knew that wasn’t the full truth, I just had to satisfy myself before accepting the real reason.
Soon after, I was on holiday and visited St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. Out of curiosity I repeated the same “experiment”, and felt exactly the same tingling again. It was like static electricity with the sensation you get if you rub a balloon against clothing and bring it near your head. Once again, I reassured myself that this must be to do with blood pressure!
After returning from holiday, I woke around 2 or 3am one morning and was about to pick up my iPad when I realised this was the perfect moment to pray this prayer again. No distractions, no physical movement, or sudden change in posture this time. So, I asked God to show me if this was really of him, and for the Holy Spirit to come and fill me.
Left in awe
Immediately my prayer ended, the sensation returned. It began gently on my head, then flowed slowly down my face, shoulders, and chest, growing in strength as it did. It felt just like that mild electrical ripple that sometimes runs through your body after an involuntary shiver, but without the movement, and in a much more controlled and focussed fashion. It grew in intensity, and just as I almost began to form a thought of how intense this might become, the feeling receded and was gone. At that moment, all doubt left me. This was undeniably of God. I was left in awe!
I so wanted to wake my wife to tell her, but I knew the response I’d get at 3am! When I did tell her later, she nodded without really looking at me, much like I do when we’re clothes shopping if she asks my opinion on a top. Whenever I had the opportunity, I told everyone, but few understood. Then I realised, it didn’t need to be understood by others. It was meant for me. My doubts had now been replaced with certainty. My faith, even with little understanding at this point, was now like a rock. From that day on, no matter what questions or struggles I faced, either in Scripture, or in life, I knew God was real, and that he knew me and loved me enough to reach out to me, personally!
Anointing of Aaron
As I learned more, one thing that troubled me was that I couldn’t reconcile the experience, biblically, until one day, around 2 years later when speaking to another minister about this, he casually said, “Yes, that’s like the anointing of Aaron in Psalm 133:2. Instead of oil. You’ve received a spiritual anointing.” I was delighted to hear this, as it all made perfect sense now!
Following the Alpha course, I had decided I would return to church, but soon realised my knowledge was lacking. When I asked my minister what was available, he mentioned there was an online American course, or an access course through Highland Theological College. He told me not to be put off by the fact it was done through a university, because I could simply take the Old and New Testament modules. But once I started, I couldn’t stop. God had given me a hunger to learn more, after over thirty years away from education! I completed the course, began serving in church, trained with the presbytery worship team, and people then began joking that I would soon be a minister. Eventually, I began to recognise the call myself.
I applied and was later accepted for full-time ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Church of Scotland. I completed my theology degree and then my probation period, and was ordained into Stranraer Parish Church in September 2022... at 54 years and 6 months old! If I had delayed by just one year, I would have been too old under their rules of being under 55 at ordination at that time. God’s timing was exact! He let me roam until the very last moment, and then when I didn’t correct things myself, he picked me up instead and put me back onto the right track.
Having Jesus in my life has changed everything.
I see life through a completely different lens. Where I once saw value in money and status and other worldly things, I now find the greatest reward is in serving others. I know the contentment Christ has brought to my life, and I long to share that with others. Ministry is much more demanding than I expected, often exhausting, yet I wouldn’t trade it for a second. I now continually advertise Alpha outside the church, and I run courses at least three times a year, mainly for people with questions about faith, but I have also found it is fantastic for those have been in the church for decades, but had yet to discover what it really means to have a relationship with Jesus.
I often think to myself, what if I hadn’t worked in that house? But then, God had already decided that for me!