“Cross carrying evangelist Clive Cornish could not speak more highly of the welcome he always receives in Pembrokeshire,” said Baptist Pastor Rob James. “He has carried his cross in many different parts of the world, but wanted to stress last week that the welcome he receives here really does stand out. It was epitomised last week when on his fourth visit, the local apostolic church heard that he needed a bed for the night and booked him and his companion into a local hotel.

He continued: “Clive is no ordinary evangelist. He came from a background of drink, drugs and prison and only went to church for a bit of fun. But it was God who had the last laugh when he was challenged to discover the truth for himself. It only took a prayer, but it was that prayer that changed his life. He says it left him feeling clean and renewed in an instant. And that feeling has never left him.

“Clive doesn’t like to ram what he believes down peoples’ throats but he does want to be where people are in a way that confronts them with the love of God he sees expressed in the life and death of Jesus. And while he does not expect everyone to make a wooden cross and imitate him, Clive issues this challenge to our churches: if we want to give Jesus to our community today, we need to take the masks off and be in the real world. We are dealing with people who don’t want or need church. It’s time to take church to them. Wherever possible, get outside the four walls of your church. Show Jesus outside your perimeter. We say ‘Bring them in but Jesus replies ‘No I want you to go.’”