We thought it would be good to introduce The Sola ‘Panellists’ in a little more detail than the brief introduction on our website allows—especially for the sake of those who don't know us personally. So over the next couple of months, I (Sandy) will interview them—one per week—with the same basic set of get-to-know-you questions.

Today we start with our convenor, Tony Payne. SG

Tony, how did you come to Christ?

I'm usually never asked to give my testimony at evangelistic events because it's so weird. Very briefly: I grew up as a fairly nominal Anglican in Lismore, NSW (Grafton Diocese, fairly high church), tagging along to church with Mum semi-regularly.

There were two main turning points. One was becoming heavily involved in a Catholic youth movement called YCS at school (having originally joined, somewhat predictably, to pursue a girl). I finished up as one of the diocesan leaders of YCS, even though I was about the only non-Catholic involved. By this stage (aged 16 or so), I was a confused God-fearer who knew that Christ was Very Important but had no idea what that meant or what the gospel really was.

Then came the second turning point—a spur of the moment decision by Mum for us to both catch the 12-hour overnight bus to Sydney in April 1979 to hear Billy Graham. I heard Dr Graham preach on Manasseh, the most evil king of Israel, who filled the streets of Jerusalem with blood, but who eventually repented in chains in Babylon, and was forgiven by God. I can still hear the call: “If Manasseh can be forgiven, YOU can be forgiven”. The clink of the pennies dropping was matched by the sound of my feet on the concrete stairs as I ran to the front.

How do you occupy your time?

Being a husband and father of five teenagers accounts for a reasonable swathe of it. The rest of the time, I work as the Publishing Director at Matthias Media (which means taking responsibility for everything we publish, as well doing some writing and editing).

Tell us a bit about your other interests.

I have too many interests and they are too varied. If, as Chappo¹ says, there will be plenty of time to pursue our interests in the new creation, I will have a ball playing and/or watching cricket and most forms of football (my teams: Sydney Swans, St George, Waratahs, Minnesota Vikings, Arsenal); I will finally get my golf handicap below 10 (lifelong dream); I will have time to play the guitar more (classical and steel-string), and to work on all the photos that I've taken but which sit on the computer waiting for ‘post-production’ and printing; I'd listen to more music (Bach, Mozart, Radiohead, U2, Coldplay, Yes, George Harrison, The Angels), and I would read!

¹ Chappo = John Chapman, retired Sydney-based evangelist, author and trainer of preachers.

What are you reading now?

• Blue at the Mizzen, which is Number 20 in the 20-volume Patrick O'Brian series of Aubrey-Maturin historical novels
• a really cheeky but helpful book about writing called Bird by Bird
• a modern edition of John Owen's Overcoming Sin and Temptation
• and Allan Bloom's quite amazing take on Western intellectual history The Closing of the American Mind.

Next on the shelf in fiction is Ian McEwan's Atonement or Helen Garner's The Spare Room.

What are five books that have really helped you grow as a Christian?

• The Fight by John White (remember when that was the book for new Christians?)
• Knowing God and Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by Jim Packer
• The Everlasting God (now republished in The Selected Works of Broughton Knox (Volume 1) by Broughton Knox
• Resurrection and Moral Order by Oliver O'Donovan.

What are three books you'd recommend as must-reads right now?

My favourite book at the moment is Living in the Underworld by Peter Bolt. I think Bolty has done a brilliant job of examining a controversial and difficult subject with insight, humour and profundity. You have to read it. [SG: Actually, you'd think as Publishing Director, Tony would know the correct title is Living with the Underworld!] [KB: That's what sub-editors are for.]

For something that's written from a Reformed-Evangelical theological viewpoint but will get under your skin and challenge your assumptions about church, read Total Church by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester.

And for a brilliant big-picture analysis of how modernity and postmodernity have affected our culture and our churches, Above All Earthly Pow'rs by David F Wells.

What would your friends say are your hobby horses?

I can't help being an editor; I've been doing it for too long. So I bug my children endlessly by correcting them or other people (grammar, pronunciation, facts, biblical arguments, sermon structure, you name it!).

What is something that makes you angry?

I very rarely get angry, to be honest. ‘Phlegmatic’, I think, is the word. What does get me going is when my wife or kids suffer an injustice or are somehow mistreated, and I am powerless to do much about it.

Who is someone who inspires you?

Any time I chat with Phillip Jensen (which is much too rarely these days), I come away with new vigour for gospel ministry, and usually a new idea.

What is your ideal day off?

Sleeping in, followed by reading the paper over a full cooked breakfast, finishing just in time to roll into the lounge room for the start of a test cricket match, emerging at around 4 for a late afternoon stroll with Ali, with a family takeaway dinner and movie night to finish.

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