Lewis was ordained deacon in 1978 and priest in 1979. After a curacy at Christ the King, Salfords, Surrey, in the Diocese of Southwark he became Chaplain of Thames Polytechnic in 1980.[6] He was Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Welling, Southwark from 1984 to 1991 when he became Team Rector of Worcester South East and later Rural Dean of Worcester and Canon of Worcester Cathedral.