In this video and blog post, I want to introduce you properly to my good friend, pastor and evangelist Steve Maile. Some of you may already recognise Steve from my recent video and article concerning his arrest while preaching the Gospel in Britain. However, there is much more to Steve than one incident with the police.
Where Did Steve Maile’s Story Begin?
Steve’s story takes us back many years to New Zealand. His parents had divorced, and as a teenager he emigrated to New Zealand. Being separated from much of his family was difficult, and although outwardly things appeared to be going reasonably well, inwardly there was a very different story.
By the age of 19, Steve had established himself professionally as a chef and was also playing football at a high level. From the outside, someone might have looked at his life and thought that he had everything going for him. But Steve explained during our conversation that he was carrying inner turmoil and pain resulting from a broken family and a broken life.
Like so many people do, he tried to fill that emptiness through the things the world offered him. There was drinking, partying and a lifestyle centred around doing whatever felt good at the time.
Steve describes it as living according to hedonism. There may be pleasure in that lifestyle for a time, but eventually there are consequences. What looks like freedom can very quickly turn into bondage, emptiness and disappointment.
That is something we discussed at some length during the interview. The world is very good at presenting certain lifestyles as normal and desirable. We are constantly encouraged to live for the weekend, drink heavily, chase pleasure and do whatever makes us feel good. What is spoken about far less frequently are the consequences that often follow.
A Street Preacher And John 3:16
One Friday night, Steve was on his way to a disco with some Italian friends in Auckland. On the corner of Queen Street and Wellesley Street stood an elderly man with an open Bible.
He was preaching from one of the best-known verses in the Bible, John 3:16.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”
The preacher then pointed towards Steve and told him that Jesus Christ loved him.
Something happened at that moment. Steve describes experiencing the anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit. It was one of those apparently simple encounters that God can use to change the entire direction of someone’s life.
A man standing on a street corner with an open Bible could easily have been ignored. Yet more than four decades later, we can see something of the fruit that came from that man’s willingness to stand publicly and proclaim Jesus Christ.
There is a lesson in that for every Christian. We do not always know what God is doing when we speak to someone, hand somebody a Gospel tract, pray for a stranger or simply tell another person that Jesus loves them. We may never see the full result ourselves.
This is one reason why I believe evangelism matters so much. You can browse more articles on this subject in the Evangelism section of A Countryman’s View.
Steve Gives His Life To Jesus Christ
Not long afterwards, Steve attended a meeting connected with the charismatic movement within the Catholic Church. At another gathering, he saw a young man he had known at school stand up and ask who wanted to give their life to Jesus.
Steve responded.
He was taken into a chapel area, where a Franciscan monk named Brother Ray spoke to him. Brother Ray told Steve that Jesus was knocking at the door of his heart and asked whether he was willing to open the door.
Steve’s answer was yes.
He closed his eyes, raised his hands and asked Jesus to come into his heart. Steve describes what followed as a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit. He felt the power and love of God come over him from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.
He fell to the ground and began to weep. Much of the pain and hurt that he had carried appeared to pour out of him. When he eventually stood up, he knew that something fundamental had changed.
Jesus Christ was no longer simply part of a religion that Steve knew about. Steve knew Him personally.
Religion Or Relationship?
This was an important theme running through our conversation. Steve had a religious background. He had been brought up Catholic and understood church attendance, confession, candles and religious traditions. But knowing about Christianity and personally knowing Jesus Christ are not necessarily the same thing.
I could relate to that from my own experience. I was brought up in a Christian family and knew plenty about Christianity, yet there came a point in my own life when I personally had to say yes to Jesus.
It was when I genuinely came to Christ that things began to make sense in a way they had not before. The Holy Spirit changes everything.
This is why Jesus spoke about the necessity of being born again. Christianity is not merely adopting a moral code or placing a Christian label on ourselves. Something happens spiritually when a person genuinely comes to Christ.
I have written more fully about this in How To Accept Jesus Christ Today. If you are reading this and you are unsure what it really means to become a Christian, I encourage you to read that article.
Called To Be An Evangelist
One of the questions I asked Steve was how long it took after becoming a Christian before he felt that God was calling him into ministry.
His answer was remarkable: almost immediately.
Steve said that from the beginning he knew God had called him to be an evangelist. He did not necessarily understand everything that calling would involve, but he knew that God had put something inside him that he could not ignore.
At the time, there were other very real opportunities available to him. He was working as a professional chef and had been offered an opportunity which could have led to an extremely successful career in the restaurant business. He was also heavily involved in football.
Yet after encountering Jesus, his priorities changed.
When he told people that he was turning down opportunities because Jesus had called him to preach, some thought he had lost his mind. Even his mother initially thought that he had suffered some kind of breakdown.
But Steve knew what God had spoken into his heart.
Your Testimony Is Powerful
Another subject we discussed was the importance of a Christian’s personal testimony.
Sometimes Christians hear dramatic testimonies and feel that their own story is not particularly important. Perhaps they were raised in a Christian family and never went seriously off the rails. They may think that because they do not have a dramatic conversion story involving drugs, alcohol, crime or some other major crisis, their testimony does not carry the same weight.
Steve made the important point that every testimony is individual.
One person’s story does not have to look like another person’s story. God works with people individually, and what He has done in your life is worth sharing.
Revelation 12:11 speaks about overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. There is enormous power in telling people simply and honestly what Jesus Christ has done for you.
You don’t need to be a theologian. You don’t need a platform, a television programme or thousands of social media followers. If you know Jesus Christ, you have a story.
Do Not Be Ashamed Of The Gospel
During our discussion we also came to Romans 1:16, where Paul says that he is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.
That seems particularly relevant today.
There is enormous pressure in Western society to keep Christianity private. You can believe what you want, we are effectively told, provided you do not speak too loudly about it.
But that is not how the early Church operated, and it is not how people like Steve have lived their lives.
The Gospel is good news, and good news is meant to be shared.
There have been increasing discussions about the place of Christian preaching in public life. Steve himself recently found that very issue becoming personal when he was arrested while preaching. I discussed that incident in more detail in Arrested For Preaching Jesus In The UK – A Sign Of The Times?.
Whatever difficulties may come, the Great Commission has not changed.
An Extraordinary Connection With Reinhard Bonnke
One of the fascinating parts of Steve’s story concerns the late Reinhard Bonnke.
Anyone who has followed evangelistic ministry over the last few decades will probably recognise Bonnke’s name. His ministry became particularly associated with enormous Gospel campaigns across Africa.
While Steve was still in New Zealand, he heard that Reinhard Bonnke was coming to the country. Steve attended a meeting where he watched footage of Bonnke preaching in Africa and saw thousands of people responding to the Gospel.
Once again, Steve says that the Holy Spirit came powerfully upon him.
He became convinced that God was telling him that he would go to Africa, spend time with this evangelist, learn from him and eventually be used himself in worldwide evangelism.
That may have sounded extraordinary at the time, but events moved remarkably quickly.
A letter was sent to Reinhard Bonnke concerning Steve, and the response came back inviting him to Africa. Within weeks, Steve was on an aeroplane.
A Year In Africa
Steve spent approximately a year working alongside Reinhard Bonnke’s ministry, based in South Africa but travelling to different parts of the continent.
He witnessed first-hand a remarkable period of evangelistic ministry.
During the interview, Steve recalled being present around the period of Bonnke’s large tent meetings and the dramatic events surrounding the destruction of one of the tents. Rather than stopping the ministry, the setback ultimately became part of something much larger.
Steve later maintained a close relationship with Reinhard Bonnke and described him not merely as a famous evangelist but as a genuine, humble man with an almost childlike quality about his faith.
I also mentioned during our conversation that I attended a week of Reinhard Bonnke’s training in London in 2013. What struck me was that despite the enormous ministry associated with his name, in person he was an ordinary man with a very large personality and a tremendous passion for the Gospel.
Coming To Britain
Following his time in Africa, Steve eventually came to Britain. Reinhard Bonnke connected him with Wynne Lewis at Kensington Temple in London, and Steve continued pursuing evangelism.
He later worked alongside Christian leaders in Hertfordshire and became heavily involved in preaching throughout Britain.
Steve spoke about travelling around the country in a small Mini Traveller filled with Gospel tracts. He and those working alongside him went into schools, preached on the streets and took every opportunity they could to speak about Jesus.
He recalls occasions when large numbers of young people responded to the Gospel in schools.
Those were different times in some respects. Today, Christian ministry within schools can face considerably more restrictions, but the need for young people to hear genuine hope has certainly not disappeared.
The World Offers A Counterfeit Freedom
Our conversation moved back to something that affects almost everyone: what the world tells us will make us happy.
The message is everywhere. Live for yourself. Do what feels good. Drink. Party. Chase experiences. Follow your feelings.
It is sold as freedom.
But Steve had already lived that way before becoming a Christian, and he knew where it had taken him. Beneath the outward lifestyle were depression, pain and emptiness.
Jesus offered something entirely different.
That does not mean Christians never have difficulties. Christianity is certainly not a promise that every day will be easy. But there is an enormous difference between trying to face life alone and knowing the presence, purpose and hope of Jesus Christ.
The deeper problem facing our society is spiritual, something I discussed in my article The World’s Greatest Crisis Isn’t Political – It’s Spiritual.
We can argue endlessly about politics, economics and culture, and those issues certainly matter. However, changing governments cannot change the human heart. Only God can do that.
Forty-Five Years Of Preaching Jesus
What strikes me about Steve is the length of time he has continued doing what he believes God called him to do.
His ministry has taken him to many nations. He has preached on streets, in churches and at evangelistic events. He has become a pastor as well as an evangelist, and his passion for reaching people has remained.
Steve told me that, apart from a period of serious illness when he was physically unable to continue at his normal pace, he has remained active in ministry throughout his Christian life.
He spoke about three things that have remained with him: his passion for Jesus, his passion for the lost and his passion for God’s house.
That sort of perseverance is something we can all learn from.
Healing And The Power Of God
We also touched briefly on healing.
I believe the Bible means what it says, and I believe that God still heals today. I have personally prayed for people and seen healing take place, and I have also seen Steve pray for people.
I mentioned an occasion in Watford when I witnessed Steve pray for a woman we encountered at a bus stop.
There is much within Christianity that we will never fully understand with our natural minds. However, I do not believe we should remove parts of the Bible simply because they do not fit neatly into modern thinking.
If this subject interests you, you may also want to read Are You Praying For Healing?, where I look more closely at healing, faith, the new birth and the work of the Holy Spirit.
What If You Don’t Know Jesus Christ?
Towards the end of the interview, I asked Steve to speak directly to anyone watching who does not yet know Jesus Christ.
This is perhaps the most important part of the entire interview.
You may have read everything above and thought, “That is all very well for Steve and Roy, but I don’t really understand what they are talking about.”
I understand that.
There was a time when I could not see it either. I had been brought up around Christianity, but I knew that I personally was not going to become a Christian. In fact, I had ridiculed Christianity.
Yet God had other ideas.
People were praying for me, and eventually I reached the point where I realised there had to be more to life than simply working hard, playing hard and eventually dying.
When I finally said yes to Jesus, everything changed.
Steve explained the Gospel very simply at the conclusion of our interview. Jesus Christ loves you. He died for you. He went to the cross for your sins, was buried and rose again.
Salvation is not about becoming religious.
It is about surrendering your life to Jesus Christ.
You Can Receive Jesus Christ Today
If you are reading this and you do not know Jesus Christ personally, you do not have to wait for another day.
You can come to Him as you are.
As Steve explained, repentance involves a genuine change of heart and mind. We recognise our need for a Saviour and turn towards Jesus.
Romans 10 speaks about believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth. Salvation is received by faith in Jesus Christ.
If you would like a fuller explanation, please read How To Accept Jesus Christ Today.
You can also pray sincerely from your heart. The exact wording is not a magic formula; what matters is that you genuinely mean what you are saying.
Heavenly Father, I ask You, Jesus, to come into my heart and into my life. Wash away my sins and save me. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. Change me, cleanse me and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer sincerely, I would genuinely like to hear from you. Please feel free to leave a comment or contact me through A Countryman’s View.
Getting saved is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning. I encourage you to begin reading the Bible, pray regularly and find a good Bible-believing church where Jesus Christ and the full Gospel are preached.
Steve And I Are Planning To Go To Thessaloniki
Right at the end of our conversation, we also spoke about something that I am particularly looking forward to.
Steve and I are planning to travel to Thessaloniki in Greece, where we hope to spend time sharing the Gospel with people.
Thessaloniki is particularly interesting from a biblical perspective. The Apostle Paul preached there, and the New Testament contains his letters to the Thessalonians.
Our desire is simple. We want to tell people about Jesus.
Steve plans to bring equipment that will enable us to preach and use music publicly. We also hope to work alongside local Christians, churches and pastors where possible.
I have spent a considerable amount of time in Greece and have a real love for the country and its people. Greece has an extraordinary Christian history, but having a Christian heritage is not the same as personally knowing Jesus Christ.
People everywhere need the Gospel.
We would therefore greatly appreciate your prayers for this trip. Please pray that God opens the right doors, brings us into contact with the right people and gives us opportunities to share Jesus Christ clearly and boldly.
This Is Only The Beginning Of Steve’s Story
One thing became obvious while recording this interview: half an hour goes very quickly!
I had prepared considerably more questions than we managed to cover, which means there is plenty more to discuss with Steve another time.
We have barely begun to talk about his many years of evangelism, the countries he has visited, the people he has encountered, his experiences preaching on the streets, his ministry as a pastor and, of course, the events surrounding his recent arrest.
So, this is certainly not intended to be the final interview.
I hope to have Steve back on A Countryman’s View again very soon so that we can continue his story.
We Must Keep Preaching The Gospel
Perhaps the strongest message I took from our conversation is a very simple one: the Gospel still works.
The world has changed enormously since Steve first heard that elderly street preacher quoting John 3:16 in Auckland. Technology has changed. Society has changed. Attitudes towards Christianity have changed.
Jesus Christ has not changed.
The message that transformed Steve as a 19-year-old is the same Gospel we need to proclaim today.
Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
We do not need to invent a new Gospel to suit a changing world. We need to proclaim the true Gospel with love, courage and the power of the Holy Spirit.
That may mean preaching from a platform. It may mean talking to somebody over a cup of tea. It may mean sharing your testimony with a work colleague, praying for someone who is struggling, speaking to somebody on the street or sharing a Christian video online.
We all have different callings, but every Christian can point somebody towards Jesus.
Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Steve Maile, and I hope you enjoy watching it too.
Steve’s story is a powerful reminder that God can take a life going in one direction and completely transform it. A 19-year-old young man on his way to a disco encountered someone willing to stand on a street corner and proclaim John 3:16. That encounter became one of the steps that changed the course of his life.
More than 45 years later, Steve is still preaching the same Jesus.
That should encourage us never to underestimate what God can do through one conversation, one prayer, one testimony or one act of obedience.
If you enjoyed this interview, please share the video and article with others. And if you would like to read more content centred on sharing Jesus Christ, visit my Evangelism articles.
You may also find these related posts helpful:
- Arrested For Preaching Jesus In The UK – A Sign Of The Times?
- How To Accept Jesus Christ Today
- Are You Praying For Healing?
- The World’s Greatest Crisis Isn’t Political – It’s Spiritual
- More Evangelism Articles From A Countryman’s View
Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. And if you have a question for Steve that you would like me to consider asking in our next interview, you are also very welcome to leave that below.
Thanks for reading and watching.
Roy Bretton
A Countryman’s View
acountrymansview.com
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