Yesterday, we received the news that Jeremy Marshall had died. I had the privilege of interviewing Jeremy for one of our Afternoon Tea Facebook sessions during the COVID19 pandemic. Although we didn’t get to meet in person Jeremy became a friend, someone it was a privilege to know as a brother in the Lord. He was someone that you could turn to for advice and despite all the pressures on his time and his frail health, he would make time for you.
Jeremy had been a senior and successful city banker, the CEO of one of the oldest banks when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He wasn’t given long to live but in fact continued and was active for the Gospel for a good seven years.
One of the things Jeremy was concerned about was ensuring that Gospel work was properly resourced and so he was willing to give time and advice and help link Christians working on the front line, especially in less reached contexts as well as helping those needing support to connect with those who wanted to give support. He was heavily involved with the work of Stewardship and developing the work of Kingdom Bank.
This concern arose out of a passion for evangelism that came from a deep and obvious love for his Lord. Jeremy was first and foremost an evangelist. He loved using and encouraging The Word One to One and he loved speaking about his saviour. Jeremy would share his own testimony with deep honesty.
He didn’t sugar coat or gloss over the reality of suffering and pain. I remember when I interviewed him that he didn’t seek to play down fear as though it was somehow unspiritual to admit to being afraid in the face of a terminal diagnosis. This honesty coupled with gentleness and obvious trust in Lord taught us much about how to walk with those who are suffering and how to face suffering and sickness ourselves.
Jeremy will be greatly missed. Yet for him, it is a better thing by far. He is now with his Lord and saviour and has heard the welcome “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Faithroots 