I am one of many who yesterday, through Facebook, received a notification of the sad but not unexpected passing of my friend Paul Slennett, long time owner of Southend Christian Bookshop and fondly known to many among Southend’s Christian community and a lot further afield. The announcement read:

“It is with sadness that we announce that Paul Slennett, long-time director of our Christian Bookshop, was taken from us on 24th July after a few months of illness.  He has left his mark in many ways, including instigating the “Jesus is Alive!” postmark in 1989. Paul has always had a big heart for helping the homeless and reaching out to prisoners across the country, and often walked paths that others feared to tread. We are grateful to know that he is now experiencing for himself the truth that Jesus is alive! His funeral will be for close family only, but a thanksgiving service is being planned for a later date. We will keep you posted.”

I have known Paul for a long time. I can’t recall when we first met – maybe when he took over Southend Christian Bookshop or with his involvement in some inter-church enterprise, such as SEELEF. It wasn’t until sometime later I got to know him a lot better. It struck me, he was at the forefront of making the Christian voice heard, such as concerning his “Jesus is Alive” interest, and challenging things detrimental to the common good. He also played a part in bringing Southend’s diverse Christian community together.  As an avid reader (and also writer) of Christian books, I was naturally drawn to Southend Christian Bookshop. Like many, I admired Paul’s approach, which was not about making money (often the shop traded at a loss). For him, it was a way in which to serve the wider church – and while at it attracting the marginalised, in particular the homeless. 57 West (now Southend City Church), was a church plant reaching out to the homeless; Paul provided them with their first premises, next to his shop (thus the name). When I was instrumental in starting Southend Homeless Action Network (SHAN), I did so with the help of Paul, who also saw the need and, behind the scenes, playing his part in helping promote that work.

For a number of years, even until earlier this year, when both of us were becoming doddery, we would meet up regularly for breakfast or lunch at different venues, and besides chewing over the food, which we both enjoyed, we would do so concerning the issues of the day and share what each of us were getting up to. He had a compassionate heart and much expectation as to what God wanted to do. I loved hearing reports of his getting books into prisons and practical aid to places like Zimbabwe. He loved Israel. He was keen to gift Bibles to those who wanted them and was able to give many away from the shop. Paul was a great encourager to many. Whilst having a strong faith of the more conservative variety, he also sought the unity of true believers. I found in Paul a kindred spirit because, unusually, he was a rare and much needed prophetic voice for our times. Evidence of that can be found in his book “Earthquake in the City”. Some of what he prophesied, notably concerning a coming earthquake to the City of London, is yet to happen.

I loved his simple childlike faith and winsome and optimistic character (and he was a character), that was largely void of rancour or bitterness. I loved his openness and honesty. I smile thinking of our last meeting, when it happened both of us were struggling to walk unaided (him due to his Parkinsons diagnosis) from the place we had just eaten to the car park. His solution was to ask “Father” to help us – and He did! It was not long after that he was admitted to hospital. When toward the end of May a few of us met at the Southend Christian Bookshop, shortly about to close for good (check out here for a report on what happened), we were able to involve Paul, from his bedside, via Zoom. Losing the bookshop was sad and a big loss, and it can’t be lost on us that having worked so hard keeping it going for so long, that two months after closing he died.

Paul was certainly someone who made a difference in a positive way – that much can be ascertained by checking out the many comments found on social media relating to his death announcement. He will leave a gap and always we hope and pray others will be raised up that will fill it. Those who criticised Paul or steered clear of him because of his uncompromising and “in your face” implementation of his Christian faith, may have a point. But Paul was a servant of God, first and foremost, who will be much missed by many. Our sad loss is heaven’s gain.  As we contemplate what next after Paul, let’s reflect on something that Charles Wesley once pointed out …