Bethel Evangelical Church, Clydach
  • Finding faith
  • Sermons
  • Find us
  • Contact us
  • New here?
    Let’s get introduced
    • About Us
      • Our beliefs
      • Our history
      • Our photos
      • Our sermons
    • Bethel people
    • What does God offer?
    • Contact us
    • Find us
  • What’s on
    Something for everyone
    • Sunday worship
    • Finding faith
      • Food for Thought
    • Fellowship and growth
      • Bible study and prayer
      • Fellowship groups
      • Growing together… in God’s Word
      • Oasis
      • Time2Talk
    • Children and youth
      • Sunday school
      • Adventurers and Discoverers
      • Impact
    • Special events this Easter
  • Meet us
    Stories of changed lives
    • Anna — I learned to trust God
    • Siân — I found something better
    • Esther — It feels like I’m finally alive!
    • Mary — I am a much calmer and happier person
    • Friends of Bethel
      • Garin Jenkins — God has been with me all my life
      • Billy Burns — He tried to kill me, but when I met him, I liked him
      • Alison Stewart — The truth set me free from heroin addiction
      • John Mosey — My daughter was killed at Lockerbie
Colin’s story

Unlike alcohol, success or sport, turning to Jesus has brought me true and lasting happiness

I didn’t have an easy time when I was growing up. My dad died when I was four, and when I was a teenager I became seriously ill with pneumonia and pleurisy. I was so desperate I asked God for help, but when I recovered I soon forgot all about God.

I later got a grant to study medicine at Liverpool University, but in my fifth year I had a motorcycle accident which shattered my leg confined me to hospital — but as a patient, not a student. I just didn’t have the money to re-do the year so I had to give it up.

So in 1957 I moved to Swansea and joined the Swansea Borough Police Force. I married Jean in 1963; we settled in Ynystawe, and had three daughters.  My mother-in-law’s friend insisted on taking our girls to Bethel. Jean and I were happy for them to go but weren’t particularly interested in going ourselves.

But in 1977 God started to intervene in my life. Being Detective Sergeant in the Drugs Squad was challenging work and I spent a lot of time in pubs and clubs where the drug users were. About that time Jean and I were invited by our daughters to a meeting which the young people were taking at Bethel. We had refused so many invitations previously, we thought we ought to go. I sat there and watched the young people — their faces radiated such joy and happiness. It really moved me. It was such a contrast to the young drug users I was dealing with in my work; I knew the drug users never found happiness through taking drugs — indeed, many ended their lives.

Seeing their happiness made me interested enough to start attending Bethel myself. I had thought that academic success, alcohol, playing rugby and other things like that would bring lasting happiness. But I’d found that it didn’t last.

Then in the last hour of the last day of 1977, whilst attending a New Year’s Eve service, I heard these words of Jesus: “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. It became a personal invitation to me and I accepted Jesus as my personal Saviour there and then, and became a new person in the Lord. From then on I wanted to live for the Lord. My life had changed. I used to drink and I enjoyed smoking but I no longer wanted to do those things and gave them up immediately. What God had given me was so much more wonderful than anything the world had to offer. I went for a walk on the first morning of 1978 and I remember breathing in the pure fresh air and thinking how wonderful creation was. It was a new year and I was a new person.

I know now that everlasting happiness can only be found by accepting Jesus as Saviour. Unlike alcohol, success or sport, turning to Jesus has brought me true and lasting happiness.

Colin’s story is not unusual at Bethel. Many have found that God has given them lasting peace and happiness that they never expected to find. Why not come along to one of our meetings and see for yourself?
Special events this Easter
"He is not here, for he has risen." You are most welcome to join with us as we celebrate Jesus' death and resurrection this Easter. Our main service is Easter Sunday morning at 10:30am - an all-age service followed by refreshments. We will also be meeting Easter Sunday evening at 6pm. If you are unable…
More about Special events this Easter…

Latest Tweets

…

Connect with us

Recent sermons

  • As the Lord had told him on July 6, 2025.
  • When pigs fly on July 6, 2025.
  • Just deserts? on June 29, 2025.
  • I saw a true vision of Jesus on June 29, 2025.
  • Yet I will rejoice on June 22, 2025.

 Bethel Evangelical Church, Heol-y-nant, Clydach     Tel: 01792 828095     Registered charity: 1142690