We also caught up recently with Tim Malton and Mark Otty.
Both are known for their many years working in the City of London, Tim at Credit Suisse in investment banking specialising in emerging markets, and Mark at EY (formerly Ernst & Young), where he was UK Chairman, and Global Vice Chair with responsibility for the business across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. However, both have also been actively involved for many years with their local churches in South West London and Sevenoaks and with various Christian charities.
Tim and Mark, having worked very hard for many years, why are not putting your feet up and enjoying your retirement by playing golf or going on holiday all the time? Why is it worth investing your time, talents, and treasure in gospel causes?
Tim: I am married to Suzanne and we have three grown up children and two grandchildren so family takes some time. I also enjoy all sorts of things from cycling, skiing, walking and sailing to opera and art. I even recently took up flying but have discovered that I am not a natural pilot! I dislike golf and am a bit limited on the talent front so that wouldn’t be a good use of my time. The truth is that I wish I was a great evangelist, someone who could explain the gospel with great ease and help people to see things as they really are. However, I am not, but with age and experience, I have come to realise that I am loved by God and that my sins are forgiven, in whole and not in part. So, as the book title reads, ‘How then should we live?’. God has been so very kind and gracious to me in my career and so if in some faltering and rather amateur way, I can help build his Kingdom, that seems to me a good use of the time I have left.
Mark: I am husband to Tania and father to Michael, Jordan, and Yeeun. I have followed Jesus since late teenage years, and my entire life has been a blessing from God. Everything that I did prior to retiring from ‘formal employment’ was done in His strength and by His grace. In this context, I consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to support initiatives that honour God.
Given the number of good things you could be partnering with and supporting, why are you passionate about the ministry and opportunities of Great Truths?
Mark: I remember distinctly a prayer in the ‘Bible in One Year’ about making God known throughout the world. In Great Truths there is an opportunity to make this a reality. I am totally convinced by the size of the opportunity and scale of the need in what I would refer to as the developing world. I believe that Great Truths has the potential to make a very real and practical difference to the lives of pastors who seek to make Jesus known in their countries and communities. When you read and listen to the material and think about the size of the potential audience it is easy to get excited about the difference which Great Truths can make.
Tim: The church in Africa, Asia and elsewhere needs people who understand and can communicate biblical truth. Only a limited few are fortunate enough to attend a Bible college or to get formal training. So the question becomes how do you reach the greatest number of people in the most accessible and efficient way possible and at zero cost to them. Great Truths aims to do just that with well-written, informative, interesting and correctly pitched material in both text and audio format. Obviously the key is to know your market, both so you can communicate with your readers but also to have the right contacts at the right level to approve and commend Great Truths. Ben Dean has many years of experience of teaching the Bible and theology in Africa and knows many of their church leaders, and has a great ability to communicate Christian truth in an interesting and informative way. Likewise, Mark O’Donoghue has many years’ experience, not only in leading a thriving local church, but also in the commercial world with the need to deliver projects in time and on budget.
