Meet Our Pastor
Martin Bunkum
Pastor
A Pastoral letter to everyone who is involved with CleerWay Community Church
and anyone else who is interested
Revival and retirement!
The inspiration for this letter came out of questions written on CleerWay Community Church’s WhatsApp prayer community.
I have been very encouraged that there is much talk in CleerWay about revival and it didn’t start with me! So, what do we mean by revival?
I have just been to see my Mum who for the fourth time was deemed to be about to die. Every time I go to see her, see seems to revive and carry on again for a few days or even weeks. She needed a revival because she was weak and near to death. This, I believe, is the state of the church in our country.
All through my life I have witnessed the decline of church attendance, the closing of church buildings and the general secularisation of society. If ever the church (our church) needed revival, it is now. Revival is God’s idea, not ours. There have been many revivals in our land over the past centuries and every one has been different! When God sends a revival it will be different than we expect and it will be like nothing we have ever experienced!
For many years I was a part of a small church in Golberdon (not far from here) which constantly prayed for revival, and it never came. Occasional blessings from God, but not revival. I believe the faithful prayers of those people are stored in heaven, waiting for the right time. Maybe it is now or maybe we will have to wait a bit longer. I am sure of this; the day will come when God sends his revival – like a breath of fresh air waking us all up!
Will we be ready? Yes and no. Yes because the Lord is preparing us. No because “we didn’t expect it to be like this”. The day will come when many will want to know the Lord. The question has been asked, “Who will disciple them?" What does being a disciple mean? – A learner. The best people to teach a learner to drive are those who have recently past their test, as they know the highway code and haven’t had time to pick up any bad habits. Every one of us who knows the Lord will be teachers (actually we are now) - even the young in the faith will be able to teach.
I have absolute confidence that a fruitful time is on the way. It is true of some past revivals that because of a lack of teaching and leading they petered out much too quickly. CleerWay is a part of Churches together in Liskeard and I can assure you that we are not alone. There are so many like-minded Ministers of the Gospel in our area and should we see a revival we will all be in it together. After all, that’s what being church is all about – different churches all working side by side, leading people to Jesus.
So you say, “What is it to you Martin? You’re retiring aren’t you?” Let me explain.
About ten years ago I noticed a pattern in my life. Approximately every ten years there were major changes in my life. As I came to realise this, I noticed that much of the change was out of my control, ultimately brought glory to God and moved me to the place I was meant to be; therefore several years ago I informed the leaders of CleerWay that when I was sixty I would retire as Pastor and make way for a new person to lead the church into the next phase of its life.
Sharon and I are not moving away; we intend to be a part of CleerWay and serve in whatever way is most helpful. I intend to continue to produce talks for the “online” ministry and will be open to preaching and encouraging wherever I am invited to do so. I am excited about the next ten years and if revival comes I will be very much a part of it! No slippers and an armchair for me!! All this is God willing.
None of us expected all the events of the last year, but God is making a way through.
In closing this LONG letter, I want to thank you all for your faithful service and reflection of Jesus, in fact that’s the key in whatever you are doing - try to reflect Him, so that others are drawn closer to Him.
With love to you all,
Martin x
Martin has been the pastor of CleerWay Community Church since it started. He lives in Tremar with his wife Sharon. They have three grown up children, Helen, Colin and Kevin.
Martin was brought up at Trevigro near Golberdon; Sharon comes from Harrowbarrow. They met at Callington Young farmers Club and married in 1982. Martin’s father was well known for producing good quality beef cattle. Martin and Sharon, both keen farmers, took over the family farm, milking 70 dairy cows and having a flock of 150 breeding ewes.
In 1991 the farm was sold and they moved into pastoral ministry, first of all in Looe with the Methodist Church then later on with Grace Community Church. Martin was ordained into the ministry by International Gospel Outreach in 1994.
Martin is now a self-employed builder and gardener; Sharon works at a local supermarket.
Martin’s other roles include Street Pastor and counselling supervisor for SALT (Sexual Abuse Listening Therapy) and a Pregnancy Crisis centre.
Martin and Sharon have a ministry of restoration and welcome people from all walks of life to the church they pastor. They believe that no-one is too bad or too difficult for Jesus to help. There is hope for everybody, and they have seen first-hand the transforming power of God at work. Martin has extensive experience in listening and counselling and understands that people need to be accepted just as they are. He has a great desire to reach out to people who would not normally set foot inside a church building. He believes God wants the church to put love into action and find real ways of caring.