Jack and his wife, Audrey

Committing his life to God as a teenager has given Jack Bancroft a peace and joy he never would have though possible.

Now more than half a century later, after years of faithful service in the church, he can look back on a history of God’s constant guidance and help and have the assurance of a joyful future.

“I’ve been a Christian 55 years and I’ve not regretted a minute of my life with God,” he said.

“It excites me when I think about what I am looking forward to after this life.”

Jack had attended church occasionally as a child and learned about God through his parents and a local Sunday school.

“I had a good impression of God growing up and was always pushed along a Christian path,” he said.

“They never forced me to go, but as a child, you sometimes need a bit of pushing. They always instilled in me what was right.”

While working on a farm- owned by his future father and mother-in-law- Jack got to know Brian Lawton, who took him to the Elim church at Fredora Avenue. It was here, in September 1952, aged 17, that he became a Christian.

“There was a group of us that wanted to make that decision and I can remember very vividly that it had a big effect on me,” he said.

“The hymn writers got it dead on- there’s a chorus that goes: ‘He saves, he keeps and he satisfies the longing in my heart’. I remember when I went home that night, I was nearly jumping! It was quite a revelation. In fact, we had some quite high gates at our house and when I got to them, I didn’t open them, I just went over the top!”

Jack was soon asked to become church secretary- a role that he continued for 40 years. He also became a deacon soon after.

Jack also got to know his future wife, Audrey, through the church. They married at a Weslyan chapel where Audrey’s mother played the organ.

Once the couple had their own children- Jenny and Susan- the legacy of a Christian upbringing was passed onto their own daughters.

“They were wheeled to church in prams and have always gone since they were small,” said Jack

“We’ve always believed that it’s so important to have a Christian upbringing, because the world is very strong at pulling people away towards things that are supposed to be good, but in the end it’s the worst thing you could do.”

Their commitment paid off and both daughters became Christians and now play in Clifton Christian Centre’s worship group.

Jack has seen many answered prayers over the years. His granddaughter was struck with appendicitis while the family was on holiday. A local hospital had failed to diagnose two-year-old Lydia’s stomach pains, but while in Southampton, waiting to board a cruise, she was taken to the doctor, who referred her to Southampton hospital. Her appendix had burst.

“It turned out that it was one of the best hospitals in the country that had been featured on television” said Jack.

“When we saw her on return from holiday, she was completely well again.”

One miracle vividly remembered was when a builder was cutting through a supposedly dead electric cable while knocking down the old wooden church building at Fredora Avenue.

“We had paid the electricity company to turn it off, but it hadn’t happened,” said Jack.

“I was stood close by and suddenly there was a great bang and a flash and all the lights went out. The equipment he was cutting with just burned and melted. But he wasn’t harmed at all.”

Another occasion he remembers is when a group of drunken men stormed into the church service with beer cans and caused a disruption.

“We had several strong men in the church and a couple of them were policemen, so the lads were frog-marched out,” he said.

“The great thing was that the ringleader came back some years later and apologised. He had become a Christian and was attending a church in Fleetwood.”

He also saw God respond when the church was getting too overcrowded to fit everyone in.

An old jubilee temple on Waterloo Road had closed down and the then minister, Pastor Thompson, took half the congregation to the new building.  It became Blackpool Christian Centre.

“There have been many difficulties that God has seen me through, even though you don’t always realise at the time”, said Jack.

“I’ve also felt at times that the voice of God has come through quite forcefully about something. When I’ve done what God said, it’s worked out right. I do believe that God asks you to do things sometimes and if you don’t, things can often go pear-shaped.”

Now in retirement after 40 years with British Rail, Jack continues help wherever needed in church, including serving communion and helping with the Thursday parents and toddler group with his wife.

“I would just like to carry on doing the best I can for as long as I can,” he said.

“As you get older, you think more about what is going to happen in the future, but I get a peace when I think about the end of my life. When you feel you are part of God’s will and God’s future you’ve no need to worry. God’s given me a freedom, a joy and a peace that I certainly didn’t have before I knew him, and has continued to do so throughout my life with Him.”