A journey of great challenges and greater rewards

From scenes of Ararat to life in Antalya

James grew up in a family that travelled far and frequently, but it wasn’t until the age of 10 that he first became interested in Turkey. “My father travelled here to climb Mt. Ararat, and I remember being very intrigued with all his pictures and stories. That was a memorable introduction for a young boy to the mysterious land of Turkey,” he explains.

That interest was rekindled while he was at Denver Seminary, training to become a Christian pastor. “Turkey was perhaps an odd place to want to go to serve as a pastor, since there were virtually no Protestant Christians in the country at the time,” he highlights. “But for me that translated into need, and worthwhile ministry, and I was exceedingly thankful for a wife who was willing and even eager to move to Turkey with her unconventionally minded husband. So, in 1990, we sold most of our belongings, packed up what was left, and moved for the long-term to Turkey, a country which we had never visited.”

For the first five years they lived in İstanbul, where James became interim pastor and then associate pastor of the Union Church of İstanbul. In 1996 they moved to Antalya, where he and his wife Renata founded St. Paul Union Church. James has served there as pastor ever since.

One of his favorite aspects of Turkish culture is the sense of family that permeates it. “I cherish being able to address in public a perfect stranger as ‘ağabey’ [big brother] or ‘kızım’ [my girl],” he points out, adding, “Coming from a culture where ‘family’ is very narrowly defined, and where young people are taught not to talk with strangers, this familial aspect of the Turkish culture is not just refreshing and attractive, it is, I think, one of the society’s greatest strengths. I believe Turkey’s example in this area of ‘family’ is at least as important as Turkey’s modeling democracy for neighboring nations.”

What do his children think about having been brought up here? “They would not have wished to have been raised in any other way,” he observes, explaining: “They love having been brought up here in Turkey. At times there may have been temptations to envy cousins and friends in Western countries where there are nicer playgrounds and fancier toys, but my children have developed a deep appreciation for their exceptional experiential wealth. That’s a kind of wealth that yields lasting fruit that cannot so easily be lost or taken away.”

So, has living in Turkey always been easy and pleasant? “If you can imagine a day that dawns cloudy, windy, rainy and cold, and gradually clears, warms up and winds calm down, until you have an afternoon that is sunny and pleasant in every way, then you can appreciate how living in Turkey has been for me,” he explains. “My first years in İstanbul were the hardest years of my life. Since then, however, my satisfaction with life has greatly increased, despite the challenges and crises we’ve had to work through. This last decade in Antalya has been truly delightful and fulfilling -- probably the best years of my life so far.”

Cloudy times on the way

When asked about some of his toughest times in Turkey, he had to reflect a bit and tells us: “When we moved to İstanbul in 1990, there was no natural gas. The air pollution was by far the worst we had ever experienced, and that in itself was very taxing on our bodies. Emotionally, we were missing our families and our culture and familiar surroundings. Life was extremely stressful. We almost didn’t make it through those first few years, but we certainly thank God that we did.

“Another difficult set of times has been first establishing the St. Paul Cultural Center, back in 1996, and now expanding it, 15 years later. As helpful and accommodating as the city has been on both occasions, still, working with certain persons has proven to be exceedingly difficult and just getting something started from scratch has been a great challenge.”

Has the St. Paul Cultural Center been worth all the challenges along the way? “Yes, by all means, yes,” he tells us. “We established the SPCC ‘for the good of Antalya and the glory of God,’ and I believe we’ve fulfilled that motto very well. We really do want to serve the people of this city in a variety of manageable ways, in addition to using the facility as our meeting place.”

When asked about the ways in which the St. Paul Cultural Center serves the community, James responds: “From Monday Morning Monkeys [a mother-toddler play group] to Sunday evening worship services in Russian, all kinds of activities take place at the SPCC. The list of regular activities is long, and in addition we have a steady flow of tourists and locals who use meeting rooms at the SPCC, or simply visit Paul’s Place, our café, for gourmet coffee drinks and desserts at great prices.

“But currently, due to troubles with our architect, the St. Paul Cultural Center is undergoing an extended closure. It’s very unfortunate, but we’re depending upon the powers that be to enable us to reopen sooner rather than later. In any case, we’re confident that the best years of the SPCC are still ahead.”

Research on top of responsibilities

James is also currently working on a PhD research project, through Leiden University, that will result in the first historical analysis of the emerging Turkish Protestant Church. His interest in this area started when he was in İstanbul.

“At the Union Church of İstanbul, a Turkish-speaking worship service was held each Sunday after the English-speaking worship service and I attended that Turkish service a few times, and found it very intriguing,” he explains. “When my family and I moved to Antalya to start the St. Paul Union Church, I encountered a small house fellowship of Turkish believers also meeting there. So, in 1999, when we built the St. Paul Cultural Center, we invited that group of believers to hold regular worship services in our building. Ever since then they have been renters at the SPCC, and it’s been a mutually beneficial situation. They have really grown in number.

“I find it remarkable that, while the 10 or so ancient Christian churches in Turkey are, for the most part, struggling to stay alive, there’s been this new group of distinctly Turkish Christians in the country that has not only started from scratch, about 30 or so years ago, but which has grown on average of about 14 percent a year, and against all kinds of odds. Such a phenomenon, it seems to me, is worthy of research.”

And how is his research progressing? “I’m researching through personal interviews. I’ve created my own historical documents -- over 90 of them now. Of course, I’m also using whatever publications are relevant, but there’s relatively little that has been written about this church and its history. But through my research I’ve been deeply impressed by the commitment of these Turkish Christians. Many of us in the West are led to faith in Christ on a kind of ‘public transport system,’ with comforts and companions on the way. It’s easy for us, and expected -- like being a Muslim is here in Turkey. But for Turks who have chosen to become followers of Christ, they have journeyed to that decision largely alone -- ‘on foot’ so to speak, and with an array of hazards and hardships on the way. I’ve found such commitment, and the steadfastness that follows it, not only remarkable, but also very moving.”

He aims to complete his dissertation by the end of November 2011. When asked what he would like to see happen as a result of his research, James replied: “I’d like to spread the story of the Turkish Protestant Church, as well as raise awareness of its legitimacy. And I would also like to inspire others to further the research themselves in creative and helpful ways.”

The journey’s end or more to come?

As he approaches the end of his 21st year of journeying through life in Turkey, he tells us what the future holds: “My five-year work permit as a pastor expires in May of 2012. That’s coming soon! And along with it comes a question mark. Nevertheless, I’m a real believer in the virtue of stability. It gives rise to a growing level of influence and effectiveness that one should hesitate to let go of for the sake of something new. So, as long as my influence and effectiveness continue to grow here in Antalya and at the St. Paul Union Church and the St. Paul Cultural Center, I intend to stay and continue to serve.

“With my doctorate, I do hope to do more speaking and teaching in various locations, including on tours. In cooperation with select tour companies and guides, I’ve been organizing and leading tours in Turkey since 1994. I love introducing newcomers to the terrific historical sites in this country.

“But my most rewarding service will continue to take place right here in Antalya, in the city that I proudly call home.”