Shoe Leather Faith

A devotional daily commentary on the letter of James

Alan Hoare's infectious enthusiasm for digging deeper into God's word is evident throughout this powerful 64-day devotional study of the Book of James. As he explains James' teachings on difficult subjects such as trials and suffering, faith and action, wealth and poverty, anger and jealously, you will find yourself at once both refreshed and challenged in your daily life.

James' pastoral aim throughout is to develop in the church a faith that endures the journey of life, walking steadily through good times and hard times; a shoe leather faith.

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"'Shoe Leather Faith' is the latest offering of daily devotional readings from my friend Pastor Alan Hoare. For me, when Alan Hoare is mentioned, his pastoral heart and gift truly authenticates his writing. This is obviously a well-researched book. Here, the life and times, the world views and cultures surrounding James the apostle are clearly interpreted. Including seemingly bizarre observations such as the aside that the prayer life of James was such that his knees resembled those of a camel! James was a man who spent much of his life on his knees! However, it's the profound insight and reflections that come from Alan's lifetime of spiritual soaking and biblical integrity that bring to the reader challenge and hope, awareness and awe! I commend this book as a rich source of a deepening dependency on Christ and insight into His divine purposes."

Rev Canon Chris Bowater OSL
Retired Pastor; worship leader, mentor, musician, author and teacher
Co-founder of Worship Academy International

"Alan's love for God and His people shines through his latest devotional, 'Shoe Leather Faith'. As you study his writings, you'll hear the voice of Jesus beckoning you into a closer walk with Him. Alan's mission is to build strong Christians, steeped in God's Word; he certainly succeeds in this book, and I strongly recommend it to you."

Laurie Mellor
Head of Practice, The Mellor Practice, LighthouseWealth Limited
http://themellorpractice.co.uk 

"My own spiritual journey benefited enormously from Alan's enthusiastic passion for explaining the Scriptures to me as a friend. I wholeheartedly recommend his daily devotional: bite-sized nuggets of easy-to-understand yet challenging and life-changing theology. Great stuff!"

Andy Piercy
Singer / Songwriter; Worship Consultant; Record Producer

"Having worked alongside Alan for many years I have benefited from his excellent teaching gift in numerous ways. Whether in short daily devotions or in the preparing of materials on complex theological issues, Alan has faithfully devoted himself to teach God's word. These studies in James again reveal his attention to detail and his ability to 'rightly handle words of truth'. He loves to make the Bible accessible to all. I believe these daily studies will be a blessing to many."

Stuart Bell 
Senior Pastor, Alive Church, Lincoln
Leader, Ground Level Network

"Alan Hoare is one of the most devoted students of scripture I've been blessed to know, not just for his learning's sake but for his passionate belief in its power to effect godly change in our lives. As a long-time friend and colleague, few men that I've known have so consistently put aside time to 'mine' Scripture for all its worth. The result is a disciple of Christ who can unpeel scripture in layers, revealing God’s imminent presence through His Spirit-breathed Word."

Johnny Markin
Worship Pastor / Songwriter, 
Northview Community Church, Abbotsford, Canada

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Alan was born in the South of England in 1948. After leaving school, he started an apprenticeship in precision engineering, whilst being involved in a rock band most weekends. He graduated from Worthing Technical College with a City & Guilds in Precision Engineering. Alan became a Christian in March 1969. In 1971, he left his home Baptist church in Littlehampton, Sussex, to work with Operation Mobilisation in Southern France on a church planting team. He was there for two years. Upon returning to England, he studied at the Elim Pentecostal College, graduating with a Diploma in Theology. During that time, in 1974, he married Maureen (affectionately called Mo). In 1975, he became the assistant pastor of two Elim Pentecostal Churches in North London, and helped to pioneer two more.

In 1977, with Mo and their two small children, Ruth and Joseph, he travelled up to Lincoln to become the pastor of an Elim Pentecostal church in the city. He served there for nearly ten years. During that time, two more children, Simon and Sarah, were born into the family. 

In 1987, he joined the large and growing New Life church in Lincoln, and pastored a number of linked congregations around the area. In 1991, he came on staff at the church, and began to head up the pastoral and teaching ministry of the church. In 1993, their youngest son, Benjamin, was born. 

Since 2003, he has headed up a growing Bible class called 'X-Plore' in Lincoln, teaching theology classes on a monthly basis. He has also written and delivered devotions for the staff at the New Life Church (now 'Alive Church') for a number of years.  In 2009, he began a Master’s degree in theology at Mattersey Hall, near Doncaster, and graduated three years later. He has also been a contributor for Scripture Union’s online WordLive daily devotions. 

In 2011, he reduced his time at Lincoln to three days a week, and became the senior pastor, working two days a week, of a thriving New Life church in Boston, some forty miles east from Lincoln. This he did for about three years, and then helped with the transition of a new senior pastor. He now serves as the teaching pastor and part of the Boston leadership team. 

Alan retired completely from the staff in Lincoln in August 2013 to give himself to more study, writing and teaching. He has also been involved in Bible teaching around the area in various churches, and also in different countries.

Alan feels that his ministry is primarily about building strong and deep spiritual foundations. Strong and mature churches are made up of strong and mature believers. He teaches on the developing of a close and mature walk with Christ, believing that our spiritual roots are essential to the growing of a healthy Christian life. He is passionate about getting people to read the Bible for themselves!

He has delivered series of lectures on 'the life and times of Christ', 'the life and times of David', 'the life of the apostle Paul', 'spiritual theology' and also systematic theology, biblical and church history, to name but a few.

Alan and Mo have now been married over forty years, and have seen the five children grow up into fine adults. They have, to date, ten grandchildren!