One of these was the Right. Reverend Dr Brian King.
Mark Tronson picks up the story. A number of Christian sports identities in Australia with USA and UK sports mission links invited me to the 2nd World Congress on Sports Mission in 1982.
I put this very special invitation as a Baptist Minister to the veracity of the Baptist Union of NSW and the InterChurch Trade & Industry Mission [ITIM] with whom I was serving as an Industrial Padre to Shell Australia [for 2 days a week].
They both affirmed I should attend and ascertain where the Lord might lead in relationship to a mission to Australian professional (elite) sport. My reports to the Baptists and ITIM "saw me endorsed" to develop a Ministry to Australia's Professional Sports as a Faith Mission.
ITIM CEO the (late) Reverend Ken McDowell and I met with each of the Heads of Churches. The Anglican Church appointed Brian King as their Head of Church representative in Sports Ministry.
Bishop Brian King was an international rugby player and NSW Waratahs representative, and having met with Brian, the first thing we did together was host a Sports Ministry Seminar in Sydney (at his church) in which Church delegates attended to gain a 'sports theology' momentum.
Dr King became my Vice-Chairman, and I phoned him regularly as matters of joy came to hand as the Lord increased this ministry. Moreover, he was a man of much wisdom. Brian King and I met many athletes offering support. On one occasion we lunched with Wallaby captain Nick Farr-Jones, Brian spoke the things of the Lord into Nick's heart.
Then when in 1994 Sydney was awarded the 2000 Olympics, Bishop King and I called Heads of Churches to meet and established the Sydney 2000 Olympic Outreach.
A few years earlier Dr King had supervised my doctoral work on setting out 'one unit' on Sports Ministry of an undergraduate theological degree. Later he and I met with the Higher Education Board [Sports Chaplains doctoral dissertations with UOA]. On another occasion Bishop King hosted Sports Chaplains at St Andrews House re: 1998 Australian Institute of Sport Sexual Harassment Contact Training Seminar.
Dr King was with me for our sports ministry's successful 1998 ATO Audit, and this stress upon me, and those subsequent 1999 wiles led me to the intensive care heart ward. In this, Bishop King stood tall.
Heads of Churches released us in 2000 'to our own ministry WBA' rejoicing in 18 years of faithfulness. Brian & Pamela King soon after semi-retired to UK, returning to Sydney in 2005 and he passed into Glory 18 months later.
Brian King's remarkable Kingdom focus and uncanny spiritual insight into a man's heart proved over and over to be an 'angel unawares'!
