Chapter Chat: Lord saved my life, and three others, on day of IRA ambush, says Rev Rodney Beacom

Then a member of the RUC Reserve, he and colleagues came under Provisional IRA attack – “literally facing the fine line between life and death”.

“I am convinced that the Lord literally spared or saved our lives that day,” he said.

Today, the Rev Beacom ministers to the Presbyterian congregations of Lisbellaw, Lisnaskea, Maguiresbridge, and Newtownbutler, where he has served for almost 13 years.

Happily married to Laura for 34 years, the couple have three grown up children, and “three adorable grandchildren”.

He joined the Royal Black Institution in the early 1990s, becoming a member of Lisbellaw Crimson Arrow RBP 392.

Currently Fermanagh’s County Grand Chaplain, he said: “I suppose I’ve always been interested in what we call ‘the loyal orders’ since childhood, as my father was a life-long member of both the Orange and Black institutions.

“As a child I was always impressed by the pristine turnout of the Royal Black for our Church services and August demonstration, and so for me it was what we might say ‘the natural thing to do’ to join our local Royal Black Preceptory.”

Rev Beacom has released a DVD – ‘Crossing the Line’ – which tells the story of how he was personally affected by the Troubles, and his journey to faith.

He said: “I am an electrician by trade and joined the RUCR in 1987… almost thirty years ago I was injured, along with three colleagues, and a prisoner who was in my custody.

“I had arrested the suspect earlier in the day for the alleged murder of an off-duty police officer and two soldiers, and it was while we were travelling to RUC Castlereagh for questioning that we were ambushed by the PIRA.

“This was what we might call a textbook ambush. The PIRA had taken a family hostage overnight, stolen a lorry from which they mounted their attack on a busy main road, and when we entered what we call the ‘killing zone’ we were literally defenceless.

“When a surprise attack or ambush is mounted and you’re in a police car with three other men, there’s nowhere to go for cover, and we were literally facing the fine line between life and death.”

Rev Beacom added: “Nobody should have got out of the police car alive that day, and many people in similar situations didn’t, but by God’s grace we did, all four of us.”

As to his journey to faith, Rev Beacom said “it took another 11 years, four months, and 19 days before I was saved and born again in Jesus … and that was when I crossed the line from death into life, and life to the full in Christ. (Hence the name of the DVD).

Rev Beacom began training for the ministry in his early 40s, having spent “almost 18 months trying to avoid that call”.

“The reason I tried to avoid it was because I was a very young Christian. I had only been saved and born again and professing saving faith in Jesus for about four years before I was accepted to Union College for training for the ministry.”

His minister asked him on several occasions if he would consider applying for studies within the Presbyterian Church.

He was lecturing full-time in electrical installation and engineering and felt that “giving up a good job to go and study for the ministry was challenging, considering I had a wife and family to provide for”.

As the voices calling him to the ministry persisted, he “asked the Lord to give me three clear signs as to why I should apply”, promising to do so if his prayers were answered.

“First, my son who knew nothing about what I would call ‘my pledge to the Lord’ gave me a photocopy of an article, which he had been reading on a call to ministry.

“Then, a friend gave me a book with a marker at page 176, and underlined on the page was John 15:16, ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last’.

“And finally, a retired RUC inspector sent me a letter in which she said, “The Presbyterian Church in Ireland need men like you in the pulpit.”

• ‘Crossing the Line’ DVDs are priced at £10. To obtain a copy, contact Stuart Brooker, Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland (07968 738491) or [email protected]