Valerie Griffiths: 1933-2022
Valerie Griffiths, a gifted Bible teacher and advocate for women in the church, died on 5 December 2022
Valerie’s example and teaching inspired a generation of Christian women to find their place in the church and mission. Serving alongside her husband Michael, Valerie brought her own unique contribution, supporting, encouraging and teaching Christians – both men and women – in Japan, Singapore, Canada and the UK. Since the early 1970s, the local church that sent and supported Valerie and Michael was Guilford Baptist Church, Millmead.
Valerie was born in Beaconsfield in 1933 and grew up in a Christian home as the eldest of three children. She came to faith in Christ as a child and would go on to study theology at Oxford. This direction was perhaps influenced by her mother, who was in demand as a speaker at church women’s meetings among the Brethren and more widely across the country.
As a doctor’s daughter, it was appropriate that before going to Oxford Valerie got her first taste of serving the Lord overseas at a Christian hospital in Nazareth. While serving there, she felt a clear call to serve cross-culturally and preach the gospel, which grew stronger with time.
At St Hugh’s College, Valerie was one of only two women in her year reading theology in the 1950s. She not only excelled academically, but also found time to serve in the Christian Union, serve in beach missions and, in December 1952, join a conference on the English Puritans at Martyn Lloyd Jones’ Westminster Chapel in London. At the conference she met Michael for the first time and their friendship blossomed through connections over student work and serving together at several missions.
Michael and Valerie married in 1956 and sailed for Asia the following year. They served together in Japan for ten years. While much of Valerie’s time was occupied with caring for a growing family, she learnt Japanese and took every opportunity she could to use it in preaching and teaching in local churches. Raising John, Bronwen and Nigel, Valerie had opportunities to share the good news of Jesus with Japanese mothers. Her English classes and her cookery classes – in porridge, orange marmalade and chutney among other Western dishes – became legendary.
The family moved to Singapore in 1969 as Michael took on the role of OMF General Director. This was a challenging time for Valerie as she did not have a defined role or an obvious way to use her gifts. She could occasionally join Michael on his overseas trips, but the arrival of Glyn in 1969 meant a lot of time was spent in the home. Nevertheless, she was an encouragement to many women in OMF and did have some opportunities to speak up for her sisters in Christ. Outside of the mission, Valerie taught Old Testament to students from across Asia at the Discipleship Training Centre up to post-graduate level. She also found great joy in befriending Japanese women in Singapore. Together with Michael, she was instrumental in starting the Japan Christian Fellowship there. Nearly 50 years on, the fellowship continues to thrive today.
Stepping down as General Director in 1980, Michael was keen to find an area he and Valerie could serve in together. At London Bible College (now London School of Theology), Michael served as Principal while Valerie taught Old Testament and became a valued mentor for female students.
At this time Valerie also got involved in the Men Women and God initiative started by John Stott and Kathy Kaey under the Evangelical Alliance. The movement explored the role of women in the Church and sought to encourage Christian women through a series of conferences and other initiatives. Valerie was a keynote speaker at the first of these conferences and continued to support the organisation for the next 20 years, until it was felt it had met its objectives and the conferences ended. Dr Elaine Storkey, later Executive Director of the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity and President of Tearfund, got to know Valerie well in these years.
Speaking at Valerie’s thanksgiving service, Storkey recalled that the movement was due to be called Women Men and God, but a printers’ error on the publicity for the first conference reversed the order! Valerie was a pivotal figure in this movement, which had a significant influence at a time when the role of women was hotly debated in the church. Not only was Valerie’s scholarship and writing – particularly her studies in the Old Testament – significant in supporting the movement, her character and temperament modelled what the movement stood for. Storkey remembered Valerie as being firm and decisive, yet very gentle and winsome: ‘most of all, she was a very good friend. She was incredibly, incredibly loyal, and persevering. [She was] kind and gentle with people who didn't agree with her. Never strident, never hostile, never wanting to win an argument, always wanting to go the extra mile. Because for her what was important was the honour of Jesus Christ [and] the truth of the scriptures, and the Christian faith. She embodied that and communicated it in her own person, like nobody else I know.’
The 1990s saw Valerie and Michael move to Canada, where they served together at Regent College in Vancover. Besides teaching a course on Women in Ministry and Mission and co-teaching a course with Michael on missionary life, Valerie also completed a Masters on the ministry of women in the China Inland Mission and OMF from 1920 to 1990. This later formed the basis of her critically acclaimed book Not Less Than Everything which came out in 2004. Valerie also learnt to ski in her 50s and enjoyed making the most of life in Canada, even dipping her toe in the Artic Ocean!
Returning to the UK in 1993, Valerie and Michael served together as Ministers at Large for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students until 1998. Their home church, however, was Guilford Baptist Church. Here they got involved in a new church plant and in teaching ministries, where Valerie’s passion and enthusiasm for teaching the Old Testament was especially appreciated. Her guided tours of the British Museum are still fondly remembered by many in the church, not to mention her kindness, compassion, and delicious desserts.
Valerie leaves a wonderful legacy of faithfulness and service, the true impact of which for sisters and brothers in Christ around the world will only be known on the last day. Until then, she will rest from her labours in the presence of the Lord she served for her deeds will follow her (Revelation 13:14).
Reuben Grace
A recording of the thanksgiving service at the Millmead Centre, Guilford Baptist Church can be found on YouTube.