The year was 2005. Shane Goodyear, now LCM Missionary in Lambeth, was yet to know that seeds would be planted that year that would change his eternity.

He was living what he thought was his “best life”. Drinking. Partying. Spending time and money pursuing pleasure while stacking shelves at M&S to earn a living.

Like the prodigal son, his life was as far from God as you could get. But God had other plans.

Christians will almost always remember who it was that first introduced us to Jesus, being grateful for that gospel seed they planted in us. For Shane, it’s no different.

“His name was Jordan. He was just another guy who was working with me. He was about my age. He had recently become a Christian, about six months before,” Shane recalls.

“He shared the grace and salvation found in Jesus by telling everyone they were going to hell, which was an interesting strategy. But he became friends with everyone, and he was still preaching the gospel.”

Shane, however, wasn’t ready to receive that truth. “I was not in a good place at that time.”

Jordan kept approaching Shane, telling him about Jesus.

“He was persistent, and I remember thinking, I can’t deal with this Christian. So, when he gave me DVDs about joining Jesus’s crew and the reliability of the Old and New Testament, I just took them home and put them in my drawer somewhere.”

God is persistent.

About a year later, Jordan was still witnessing to Shane at a very difficult time.

“My life was basically falling apart because of my drug addiction. I was struggling to keep my job. All my wages were going on drugs and going out.

“I was a pretty defeated person. I was also a very angry person,” Shane reveals.

“I remember questioning if this was all there was to life. One morning, I was watching a programme about Darwinian evolution on television. And I just remember watching it, thinking, is that it? Is this what my life is meant to be now? A mindless seeking of pleasure?

“I remember thinking if I'm just an animal, what's the point of pleasure? What's the point?”

And then God spoke.

As clear as the day outside Shane’s window, Shane felt an overwhelming urge to read the Bible.

“Now I come from a non-Christian household, but my mum did have an old Bible. I remember finding it and reading it. I read the first couple of chapters of Genesis thinking it sounded more plausible – that God created the world in a set time, and he created human beings.”

It was then that Shane remembered the DVDs Jordan gave him. Shane searched the house for them, and within about five minutes, he had located them.

He watched the DVD on the reliability of the Old Testament and believed it. He watched the one on the reliability of the New Testament and believed it. Then he watched the final DVD about ‘joining Jesus’ crew’.

“The commentator basically said you're either part of the world's crew that is destined to go to hell, or you can become part of Jesus's crew because he died on the cross for you to rescue you. And if you believe in him, you have your sins forgiven, and you will live a new life.”

God pours out his love and mercy

Shane believed.

“Martin Luther said when he understood what salvation was, it was like the gates of heaven opened up to him,” says Shane.

“It was a similar thing for me. That moment wasn't a normal moment for me. I felt a lot of my struggles melt away. I felt like the anger, hatred, and addiction at the core of my being no longer had its grip on me.

“I remember experiencing Jesus's love and the sun shining through the window. I was born again.”

Jordan’s role

When Jordan started to share the gospel with Shane, he thought he was over the top. Shane didn’t like it.

“But now I realise Jordan was being honest with me, telling me who Jesus was and the consequences of not accepting him,” says Shane.

“So Jordan became a good friend of mine.”

Jordan died two years ago. He, too, had his struggles – particularly with mental health – and God called him home to glory.

“I am so grateful for Jordan’s honesty and boldness. It just goes to show, right? Having been in the church for almost twenty years and in ministry for the past 12 years or so, I have met many Christians who think of success in terms of big stadiums full of people coming to Christ.

“But Jordan was a guy who became a Christian from an estate, struggled with mental health issues all his life, came from a broken family, and humbly told people about Jesus.

“God works through ordinary people.”

Bold, powerful, and nice. That is how Shane chooses to remember Jordan, the first person who introduced him to Jesus.

Now, LCM Missionary for Lambeth Shane Goodyear seeks to witness Christ, his death, and his resurrection to people from all backgrounds who come from and live on council estates. As part of his work with LCM, he trains Christians to share their faith with people who were brought up or are currently living in this context.

Is God calling you to share the gospel with people in your community? Visit lcm.org.uk/estates to download your free guide – 10 ways to build gospel bridges into your community – for some helpful tips.