Andrew Stewart-Darling: ‘Cut yourself some slack, be kind to yourself, and be at peace with imperfection’

Writer, mentor and consultant, Andrew Stewart-Darling champions the role of humility and gratitude in Christian parenting

Andrew, tell us a little bit about yourself

I was born in Hampton Court with much of my early life lived by the River Thames – school, college and work all happened along this rich vein of water. It has come to symbolise the ebb and flow of my life and been my constant reminder of God’s continual presence.

Before becoming a church planter, I worked in advertising, moving from copywriter to creative director, strategy director to consultant. Alongside that career, I felt God’s call to ministry, trained for three years at theological college, joining Riverside Vineyard Church and later helping to reestablish an Anglican church in West London before planting a Vineyard church in south Suffolk. I’ve been in ministry about 28 years. Last year I published my first book, Life Interrupted: God’s Invitations to Change. I run a mentorship programme for young leaders and consult Open Doors in the UK and around the world.

I’m privileged to have had parents who stayed together for nearly 60 years. I’ve been married to Emma for 31 years, and we have three daughters, my youngest just starting university this Autumn.

Tell us about your experience of faith as a child

We went to a local Anglican parish church, conservative evangelical in style, though my parents had come from a high church background. The church was known then as a “temperance” church – so, that meant no alcohol, Sunday newspapers, TV, washing clothes or buying anything on the Sabbath – but my parents were more