The author of
Confidence in the Word
is Michael Kemp.
Michael has not written this page out of selfish ambition or vain conceit (Philippians 2:3 (NIV)).
Rather, he has included it as a testimony of how the Lord has been pleased to guide and use
one "mere Christian" over many years, as an encouragement to others to be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (1
Corinthians 15:58).
To God be all the glory!
Born just three months before the outbreak of the Second World War, Michael grew
up in the Midlands and south-east London. After leaving school in 1957 he trained as a cost accountant in a light engineering
company
in north Kent, and continued working with various engineering concerns for
fourteen years, followed by seven years in music publishing. In 1978
Michael joined the Bible Society where he served in a financial capacity for
very nearly fifteen years.
Working for the Bible Society greatly increased Michael's love for the
Scriptures, and he gradually developed a concern to help others value and use
the Bible more. In 1988, the Church Michael then attended sponsored him for a
week-long Institute in Biblical Studies at
Waverley Abbey. This proved a formative experience,
and he returned home convinced that the remainder of his life's work would be inextricably bound up with the Bible. Two years later, during a period of illness,
Michael vowed that should the Lord spare his life, he would devote the
rest of his
days to helping people to know, love, understand and use the Scriptures. The
research into personal Bible use he encountered
while at Bible Society prompted him to compile
Confidence in the Word as an opus dei
as a part of fulfilling his vow.
Michael
initially began to develop the idea as an introductory taught course for a local Bible School for which he continues to hold a vision (see
Hopes and Dreams).
When initial feedback from those with whom he shared the proposal proved
somewhat discouraging,
it was
Michael's wife, Ann, who suggested he should instead offer
the course to the world in the form of a website.
Since leaving Bible Society in April 1993,
2 Timothy 2:15 has become Michael's "job description". In order to increase
his competence in the Scriptures he studied for a diploma of theology with
Bible Ministry College International and was subsequently ordained by the College
in 1997. Michael has also has trained to teach the
Walk Thru' the Bible
Old Testament seminar, and broadcast a short series of Bible studies on
Trans World Radio-UK. During 2000
and 2004, he helped arrange public readings of the Scriptures at
Rodbourne Cheney Baptist Church and has also been
an Editor and Examination Secretary for
Go Teach Publications.
In 2003, Michael decided to retire completely from accountancy in order to be fully available to the Lord.
As well as maintaining and developing Confidence
in the Word he has also renewed his association with TWR by auditioning US-sourced programmes prior to transmission in the UK. His other current activities include preaching, maintaining his Church's website, and
ongoing deepening of his
knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures. He also hopes he may eventually realise
his long held ambition to get to grips with New Testament Greek. Michael may
also occasionally be seen behind the counter at the
Lighthouse Bookshop in
Highworth.
For some time Michael has also intended to write a book
which would help older men to be strong in the Lord in their latter years. He is
also keen to help retired men and women to renew their sense of vocation.
Although he may now be "retired" in the eyes of the world, Michael
considers himself "refired" for the Lord's work!
His constant prayer is: "Show me the path
where I should walk, O Lord: point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you" (Psalm 25:4-5).
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Michael grew up in a church-going home,
being baptised in infancy and confirmed at 14 while a choirboy at his Parish Church.
Confirmation made a deep impression on him, and the associated discipline of regular communion taught him the importance of individual responsibility in spiritual matters. His first meaningful encounter with the Scriptures took place in his early twenties, when he was introduced to the then newly published translation of the
complete New Testament by J B Phillips.
However, Michael dates his evangelical conversion only from
February 1971, when he was
almost 32. While preparing an essay on the atonement during his training as a Reader
in the Church of England, he became convinced Jesus Christ had died for him personally and that all he needed to do in order to be saved was simply to accept this fact in faith.
Rather like John Wesley, on that unforgettable May evening at Aldersgate in 1738, Michael found his heart strangely warmed and received an
inner assurance of salvation which has never since left him which he equates
with being baptised in the Holy Spirit.
Baptism by immersion in 1989 proved another milestone in Michael's spiritual journey, for it released the Lord's ability to enable
him to grow in the special favour and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18).
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 Michael is married to Ann (left) his wife of 38 years. Their home for the past
20 years has been in
the Haydon Wick area of Swindon, Wiltshire, England.
The Lord has blessed Michael and Ann with five boys and four girls, whose ages range from 37 to 13. The three oldest are now married with
nine children of their own between them.
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Michael welcomes opportunities to expound the Scriptures and encourage personal Bible reading. Although
himself a protestant evangelical, he is always willing to visit any church or Christian
gathering where he may be of help, irrespective of
its denomination or tradition. In particular, Michael values opportunities to
visit small groups of dedicated believers who value the Bible as the authentic
and authoritative Word of God, and who are endeavouring to order their lives in
accordance with its teachings, especially in unfavourable situations.
It is Michael's invariable practice to offer any personal ministry
as a free gift to the Lord's people.
Michael is also keen to assist others working in the same
field as himself by arranging local meetings for public Bible reading,
exposition or instruction.
(Ways to get in touch with Michael may be found on
our How to Contact Us page.)
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Since 1998, Michael has had a vision for a
permanent Bible School
in Swindon (Wiltshire, UK) where "ordinary" believers could receive guidance and encouragement to help them
use the Bible for their personal benefit and the encouragement of fellow
believers. The aim of the School would be to provide practical help with reading
and understanding the Bible itself,
and applying the Scriptures to everyday life, rather than to teach about the Bible in an academic manner.
Michael sees this as a small contribution towards overcoming
the present famine of hearing the Lord's Word in the UK (see Amos 8:11-13).
Michael would be delighted to hear from anyone who shares the
same or similar vision, whether in Swindon or elsewhere.
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