“We need to make a difference”
“We need to make a difference”
Meet South West Pioneer Hub student Matthew Falk, who is connecting pioneer study with his role in the food industry.
by Helen Harwood,
Matthew, please tell us how you came to be part of the Southwest Hub course.*
I really felt that God was calling me to make a difference and I had been praying for some time for that opportunity.
I have always felt deeply connected with nature, and having four children who love being outside and are fascinated by nature has opened my eyes to what damage we have done to our world over time.
Towards the end of last year, I began exploring the possibility that God might be calling me into a deeper relationship beyond the day-to-day work life balance and it was at that point I came across the South West Pioneers course which looked really interesting and challenging.
I must have read about the course up to 10 times before finally believing this could actually be what God was calling me towards. I emailed the hub leader to enquire and very quickly heard back.
From that moment on, and the subsequent discernment conversations and feedback, I knew this was what the spirit had been calling me towards.
Matthew, can you tell me a bit about your work in the food industry?
I have been lucky enough to work in the food industry for the last 20 years; working for some amazing organisations and learning from incredible people.
On this journey I have worked for brands that not only deliver amazing products but are closely connected with nature and have given me a real sense of the impact the food industry has on our world.
I have always worked in commercial marketing and been focused on delivering consumer insights and solutions that add value. I am continually learning and always wanting to make a difference which gives me a real sense of purpose to what I do.
What is great is being able to see how positive changes we make now can improve the future whether that be on animal welfare, the environmental, health and nutrition, or the local community.
I know you have an interest in organic farming and the benefit it can bring to our precious environment. You told me module 4 – ‘Pioneering in the Rural Church’ – was based on an organic farm in Somerset. Please tell us more.
The module was based on Pitney Farm in Somerset, a beautiful, organic farm in a quiet location. As a farm they are self-sufficient and utilise each part the land; and even have their own shop and cafe serving delicious food.
Being in a rural location and at one with the elements was fascinating. One of the highlights was hearing how there had been very little rain for months and how reliant we are on God for our provision. We prayed into this and very shortly after, the heavens opened giving some relief to the land. It felt like prayer being answered.
While there we walked bare footed on the soil, stood silently and observed, listened to nature and connected, and praised God for how lucky we are to enjoy his precious resources.
What I particularly enjoyed was hearing the passion for organic farming methods, how it benefits the soil health, and how connected farmers are with their land, animals, and the seasons. It was very inspiring to hear in a world in which we are very disconnected from our food.
Can you talk more about your thoughts and ideas around creation and how you relate this to various Bible passages?
If you spend even a small amount of time trying to make sense of creation, I think there can be no doubt that this world has a creator.
God’s magic is all around us for us to see and experience. From the morning bird song, the spider weaving its web, the colours of the leaves on the trees, the rainbow in the sky, the wind blowing on your face… I could go on. The intricacies of creation and its design are beyond what our human brains can imagine or explain.
I take Jesus’ advice from Matthew 18:2–4, where we are told to become like little children. With this approach I find it transforms your thinking and you believe even though you can’t see or use human reason to explain creation.
In Genesis 2:15 God commands Adam to work and take care of creation. We are stewards entrusted to take care of the earth. Sadly, over time we have failed to live up to this command and are now faced with famine, poor harvests, pollution, climate change and food insecurity.
There is no time to lose, we need to make a difference and we can through the choices we make. Organic farming offers a solution to not only eat naturally, but to care for our environment and encourage biodiversity.
With just 3 per cent of the UK’s agricultural land organic there is a real opportunity for change and to restore the land to its natural, God given state. With my role in the food industry, I hope I can play a part in making a positive difference.
Can you tell us more about what’s happened since module 4, your work with organic eggs and how you have implemented things learnt in the module?
Since the module I have been able to have multiple conversations regarding organic eggs both internally and externally. They are the most natural type of eggs, the hens enjoy the highest welfare, and the farms have higher biodiversity due to not using pesticides. All three of these things are important to egg consumers, particularly the younger generation who are driving a lot of growth in the egg market.
In my role I have the opportunity to influence the direction of travel of the category and with a rising demand for natural, health foods, that have lower impact on the environment I have transferred my passion for organic food and the environment with what I learnt and felt at Pitney Farm into action. While I can’t see or share any visible results yet I am praying God will lead me and his will to be done.
That all sounds amazing. How can we pray for you, Matthew?
Please can you pray that God can use me to make a difference: that my experience, knowledge, and passion will rub off on others, I will continue to learn, and that God will continue to lead me, and present opportunities I can handle with wisdom and grace.
* CMS Certificate in Pioneer Mission Southwest Hub is led by Tina Hodgett. There are regional hubs that offer a Certificate in Pioneer Mission (this is different from the Certificate which is the first year of the BA course that runs in Oxford accredited by Durham University).
