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This is a text-only version of an article first published on Monday, 17 November 2014. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
The Captain who led the CofE cricket team to victory in a recent final against the Vatican tells Jo Duckles of his journey from a Brethren family upbringing to becoming Chaplain of Bradfield College in rural Berkshire. "My sister and I were brought up in a strict tradition with two services on Sunday mornings and a Crusader class in the afternoon," says the Revd Steve Gray.
Steve's dad was a dentist and he describes his childhood as a comfortable existence.
He was sent to a school similar to the independent Bradfield College where he developed a passion for sport. "Cricket was my passion but I was most gifted at hockey, I've played in the national league, and I was really into running half marathons and marathons," says Steve, whose mountain bike catches my eye as we walk into the hallway of the building that houses his comfortable study.
He remembers growing up in Eastbourne, Sussex and finding the scenery spiritually inspiring.
"I would run on the South Downs and over the Seven Sisters regularly, alongside the sea and the sky," he says.
"I was baptised at 14 and the Crusader classes had a very strong influence. "
While the Crusaders helped develop Steve's faith, he left the Brethren in his mid-teens to worship at a Baptist Church where he was heavily influenced by the Revd Jonathan Woodhouse who is now Chaplain General to the Army.
"I was looking for role models.
I was baptised at 14 and the Crusader classes had a very strong influence.
My best friend's brother died in a rugby accident and I was fearful of what was on the other side of death. "Steve at first wanted to be a PE teacher but was put off after a year and Jonathan encouraged him to think about theological college.
Already considering ordination he did a year of Biblical Studies at Capernwray Hall in Lancashire, where he grew in confidence learning scripture and doing practical work in schools and prisons.
On leaving he went on to do a degree at Spurgeons College (the Baptist theological college) but when he enquired about ordination he was advised to get more life experience.
Inspired by an article in the Tear Times, he volunteered with the African Evangelical Fellowship. He found himself in Durban, working in Indian townships.
This was invaluable experience in 1989 to 1990 when FW de Klerk was dismantling Apartheid and Nelson Mandela was released from prison.
Steve took up a PGCE place in Religious Studies at Cambridge University before spending a year teaching at Borden Grammar School in Kent.
That was the beginning of his Anglican connections, as he married Fiona in 1992 and the couple got involved in Holy Trinity, Sittingbourne.
Again Steve began thinking about ordination and was confirmed. His sporting life was flourishing, as he was playing both hockey and cricket to a high standard and he moved on to become the lay chaplain of Wycliffe College in Stroud, following a Lay Readers course.
It was on his second selection conference, in 1997 that Steve was accepted for training and was ordained in 2000 in Gloucester Cathedral.
After a four year curacy at Christ Church, Cheltenham, Steve went back to see Jonathan Woodhouse, to enquire about becoming a Padre in the Royal Marines. After training he was told there was a shortage of Navy Padres and was sent to sea, with no prospect of joining the Marines.
Disappointed, he withdrew from the forces and, not sure what to do next, he worked in a tea shop, carried out weddings and funerals for the Gloucester Diocese and even swept leaves from the drives of former parishioners to earn a living.
"It was eye opening.
Even the tea shop showed me what it was to serve while having little.
God really honoured that and it taught me so much.
Obviously it was an up and down period," he says. Eventually Steve took a role as Chaplain at Sherborne School in Dorset.
There he combined his school role with helping out in parish churches.
He ran the original marathon from Marathon (the town in Greece) to Athens with three students, raising £15,000 for a Rwandan friend's orphanage.
After Sherborne Steve served as Rector of Graffham combined with a part-time Chaplaincy at Seaford College until September 2013 when he was contacted by Bradfield head teacher, Simon Henderson, who had worked with him in Sherborne.
Now he combines teaching GCSE RE and history with coaching football, hockey and cricket alongside his chaplaincy duties.
He runs services, including confirmation classes for students and has set up an alternative style Compline on Wednesdays, which is contemplative and candlelit.
"It's great because it's a weekly day boarding school so on Sundays I help the priest in charge of the benefice," says Steve.
"I have learnt more from cricket than from the more individual sports. "
And of course he remains passionate about sport, finishing his fourth triathlon this year.
His enthusiasm for cricket is infectious.
"I have learnt more from cricket than from the more individual sports.
It's a lot of fun and I've developed a lot of friendships through it.
You never know what will happen from one wicket to the other. " He says it was an honour to captain the CofE side against the Vatican.
"We had Evensong at Canterbury Cathedral then the faith forum.
It was lovely.
Both sides wanted to win but it was a fair and even game.
We won with five balls to spare and the Vatican team was made up of Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Indian students. "Steve is married to Fiona, a former physiotherapist who now works in schools supporting children with dyslexia and special needs.
The couple have three daughters aged 12, 14 and 16.