Andy Kind: “Your children are the main characters in your story — you’re just the prologue”

Comedian, preacher and writer Andy Kind reflects on the centrality of stories in bringing up children

Andy, tell us a bit about yourself

I was born in Birmingham, spent the first three years of my life in Kidderminster, and then Mum and Dad moved to Newcastle-under-Lyme. It was agreed that as a three-year-old I’d go with them — along with my little sister, who was one and a half at the time! Mum and Dad have lived there ever since, and although I’ve moved around quite a bit, I’ve been back here for the last three and a half years. It’s home again.

I was raised in a Christian home, but not an evangelical one. Mum and Dad are both first-generation believers. My mum’s mum was a Christadelphian, but Mum became a born-again Christian in the late ’70s or early ’80s, and Dad, who’s always been quieter and less demonstrative, came to faith around the same time. They were part of the charismatic movement in the ’80s, which they eventually got a bit burned by, as many did.

I grew up with faith around me

So, I grew up with faith around me, but I never went to Spring Harvest or things like that, and I didn’t have a single Christian friend until I was 24. I became a Christian in my early twenties, largely through my mum’s influence — though I’ve realised since that my dad had a big influence too, just in a different way.

I had a lovely childhood, almost perfect really. I studied modern languages at university, came out not knowing what to do next, but felt drawn to ……