Messenger March 2016 by Andrew Morrison

Editorial STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

THE WORLD in which we live is marked by rapid development. As a students today, we face many challenges that were not as evident when our parents were students. Several students have shared with us the specific problems that they face in their line of study, and I hope that those at school, or about to embark on their university careers, will find it useful to hear how others interact with their studies. May we all be encouraged by their faithfulness in serving God through their studies. However, these issues are not limited to those in full time education. In a world obsessed by technological advances, Mark Loughridge sheds helpful light on our need to rethink how we use the technology we have. Andrew McKelvey, in the first of a 3 part series, walks us through what it really means to be human. In the West, where we have forgotten what hunger is, Philip Moffett encourages us too reconsider fasting as an important spiritual discipline in a world of excess. I hope too that you will be encouraged by the reports from the Airdrie and Nantes GO teams, and that you will prayerfully consider involvement in the teams to come over Summer 2016. Yours in Christ,

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IN THIS ISSUE Scan this code to subcribe online for free FACEBOOK | Like us at facebook.com/THEMESSENGERMAG TWITTER | Follow us at twitter.com/MESSENGER_MAG All news items and articles must be with the committee by the first of the month prior to publication and be in accordance to the requested word count. Any reports of events, camps or go teams should be no longer than 350 words. The Editorial team reserve the right to alter the content and adjust the layout of all work submitted. S.D.G.

“Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control” 2 Peter 1:4-5 2 THE MESSENGER | ISSUE TWO 2016

humanity

THE FIRST IN A THREE-PART SERIES ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN

go teams 2016

8-9

film review

THE NEXT IN THE SERIES LOOKS AT ‘RISEN’

10-11

REPORTS FROM THE EASTER TEAMS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEAMS THIS SUMMER

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say,

REJOICE Philippians 4:4

CHALLENGE

Rejoice in the lord FOR THE CHRISTIAN, rejoicing is not an optional activity but rather a command to be obeyed. God’s commands reveal his will for our lives and so it is his will that we live joyful lives! God’s character and glory must be revealed and as a rejoicing, joyful God, his joy must also be displayed, ‘Splendour and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place’ (1 Chronicles 16:27). As Christians, God lives within us; we are his image-bearers and our lives should be characterised by Godbehaviours. Joy is not just a by-product of knowing God but rather something he is and evidence of his Spirit within us (Gal 5:22). The word used in 1 Peter 1:3-8 for rejoicing is ‘agalliao’ meaning exuberant rejoicing or exulting; this is exceeding joy! But something must happen inside us to make us leap for joy like this. The only way to have such effervescent, exceeding gladness is to have Jesus firmly planted in our souls so that in every situation it is he that overflows. We rejoice that at the cross Jesus made a way that he might dwell in us,

‘I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness’ (Isaiah 61:10). Nothing can remove our joy because Christ’s work is complete; however, we must embrace the means by which joy is made manifest: through our trials, weaknesses and sufferings, ‘In this you rejoice, though . . . you have been grieved by various trials… and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory’ (1 Peter 1:6-8). To rejoice is the repeated action of joy, and we must make the choice within our souls to allow the fountain of joy and living water to gush forth, even in the darkest of times. Is our joy based on circumstances? Does it fade when someone overlooks/criticises us or we receive bad news from a corner of our lives? Or do we continue to be exceedingly joyful in the small inconveniences of life right through to the harshest of trials? In trials, a greater measure of grace is supplied to enable our joyful leaping, ‘For the joy of the LORD is

your strength’ (Nehemiah 8:10). It is one of our key weapons against the kingdom of darkness as the enemy aims to dull our ability to reflect Christ in difficult times. As Christians we function differently to the world, we are to be vessels through which Christ’s joy can shout, and the moments of darkness in this world are our greatest opportunities, ‘But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed’ (1 Peter 4:13). Joy is not a feeling but a Person and this Person never changes. It is not conjured up by the power of positive thinking, but by the power of a life surrendered to and in communion with God, ‘You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore’ (Psalm 16:11).

AMY MCCOLLUM Ballymoney RPC

STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

There is a spiritual discipline that is not talked about much, and it has not been stressed from our pulpits. Yet it is a spiritual discipline that is mentioned 77 times in the Word of God. Have we forgotten about fasting?

IN THIS ARTICLE I want to highlight the place of fasting within Scripture and amongst God’s people historically. The purpose is so that we consider the benefit of fasting, and perhaps even begin to utilize this neglected gift of God. There are different occasions when fasting is used in the Bible, but always true fasting accompanies prayer. When David’s son was close to death David fasted and prayed (2 Samuel 12:6). When Esther was queen, on hearing of the proclamation to kill all the Jews, God’s people fasted and prayed. And again as Esther was going to approach king Xerxes she asked the people to fast and pray (Esther 4:3, 16). In the days of Ezra, as the Jews were preparing to return on the dangerous journey back to Jerusalem, they fasted and prayed for safety and protection. In the New Testament the church’s normal practice was to fast and pray (Acts 13:2), and in response to God setting Barnabas and Paul apart for missionary work the church again fasted and prayed (Acts 13:3). In choosing elders for the church, and in committing them to the Lord, the church did so with prayer and fasting (Acts 14:23). In Mark 2:18-20 Jesus was questioned about why his disciples did not fast. Jesus’ response was that, while the bridegroom was with them, it would not be suitable to fast, but when the bridegroom is taken away then they will fast. Fasting and prayer took place when mourning, when pleading with God, when repenting, in times of personal crisis and national crisis, when decisions had to be made, when God’s people were undertaking a difficult task, and, as Jesus said in Mark 2, when he returns to his Father and his disciples are looking forward to his second coming. Historically, Reformed Christians have involved themselves in fasting. John Calvin devotes 7 sections of his Christian Institutes to the topic of fasting. He writes, “When…disaster seems to impend over a province and people, then also it is the

duty of pastors to exhort the Church to fasting” (Calvin’s Institutes book 4 chapter 12 section 17). The Westminster Larger Catechism in answer 108 says, “The duties required in the second commandment are…religious fasting”. Within Scripture, and within our Reformed heritage, fasting was an important spiritual discipline. So why have we neglected it? There are several reasons why I think fasting does not feature on our spiritual radar as it should. Firstly, we don’t want to be like the hypocrites. Jesus warned us not to be like the Pharisees who make a show of their fasting (Matthew 6:16-18). But he also warned us not to pray like the Pharisees, and we would never think of doing away with prayer. Secondly, is fasting not superstitious? We see other religions using fasting as a means to gain favour with God. For some fasting is a self-righteous act where we can earn our way into God’s good books. This is clearly a false view of fasting. However, just because others use fasting in a wrong way does not mean that we should never fast. The third reason that some people give is that they believe fasting will put them off praying. “My tummy rumbling will distract me from spending time with God.” The problem with this argument is that our belly becomes our god (Philippians 3:19). We are saying that we want to satisfy this god before coming to our Heavenly Father. One of the purposes

For some fasting is a selfrighteous act where we can earn our way into God’s good books. This is clearly a false view of fasting. of fasting is to develop a sacrificial spirit. We live in an age of instant satisfaction, yet we should be developing patience. We should be working at our dependence on God. When we are hungry we are reminded that we are to be praying. Far from distracting us our hunger can help to focus our thoughts and bring us back to God in prayer. So what should we expect when we fast? We should expect that our spiritual lives will be enriched as we humbly deny ourselves and learn to entrust ourselves to God’s mercy and grace. We should expect

our prayer life to develop because fasting and prayer go together. We use the time of fasting to come to God in prayer. And as we fast we should expect that our anticipation of Christ’s return will be heightened as we remind ourselves that the bridegroom is away, but he is returning. Fasting does not guarantee us the answer we want in prayer, and we are not binding God to our whims and desires, but fasting will drive us to the throne of God’s grace and humble us before him. So, when to fast? We can fast on our own. This can be done when we are repenting of a certain sin, when we are facing a big decision, when we are going through times of doubt or fear. We could forgo our lunch and spend that time in prayer. This can be done at home, at work or school. What about fasting with your friends - taking time out together to pray

about your witnessing opportunities, praying over struggles you can share, or a crisis in your life. Families can fast together - when coping with illness, planning for education, work or retirement. Many of our families already pray together, so why not fast together as well. As congregations we can also fast when we are choosing elders or deacons, when we are planning and holding outreach events, when we are holding special times of prayer. And as a denomination, like Calvin says, “When…disaster seems to impend over a province and people, then also it is the duty of pastors to exhort the Church to fasting.” There are many disasters and impending disasters in our nation. Perhaps along with praying it would do us good, and the Church good, to think of including this much neglected gift in our spiritual disciplines.

PHILIP MOFFETT Cullybackey RPC

STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

We asked five students about how they interact with their courses as christians: What do you find particularly challenging in your studies? How does your faith make what you are studying valuable? How do you see God using your studies?

here’s what they had to say... Danielle Robinson & Kate Corney - Medicine, QUB Personally, my biggest challenge has simply been not having enough time. This surprised me – what about suffering or the big ethical issues like abortion? Obviously, these are difficult, but in some ways I expected that. My views are constantly challenged, but God gives grace to deal with this. But trying to juggle normal life, study and other responsibilities sometimes feels impossible. All too often, the first thing I let slip is meaningful Bible reading and prayer. Avoiding the temptation to be too busy is a struggle, but Isaiah 40:31 reminds me where we are to find our strength. In a personal way, my studies have revealed my need to rely totally on God in every part of my life, and his absolute sovereignty over man. In a more practical way, I have met people at their most vulnerable and have had the opportunity to be a witness to them. Medicine has a 100% failure rate, as everyone dies sooner or later. Recently, I’ve watched both a 21-year-old and a 70-year-old die slowly in hospital. It is only the knowledge that God does all things well, his wisdom is unsearchable and he is in control of his Creation that enables me be to have peace despite this and to mourn with those who mourn. My faith causes me to marvel at his Creation (people are far more complex than I imagined!) and look forward more to being with Jesus, who knows what it is to suffer and has completely defeated death. God uses medicine over and over to remind me that ‘He has put his treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to him and not to us.’ In terms of those I meet in hospitals (staff and patients), the nature of medicine opens the door to talk about things that really matter – life, death, eternity, meaning, happiness and much more, and even on one occasion to read the Bible with a terminally ill Christian patient. 6 THE MESSENGER | ISSUE TWO 2016

Reuben McCollum - Finance, QUB

I’ve really enjoyed my course so far and if you’re interested in business or working with numbers and maths, then applying it to real life situations, this is a course you should consider. As a Christian I have found my course quite challenging, just as you would any degree course. In particular, most of my class mates in Queens Business School have chosen to study the course in the pursuit of a high flying, well paid, professional job. This goal is a constantly in mind, as the majority of my course looks at methods of maximizing the wealth of not only yourself but also the clients you may have in a future career. Of course it must be said, to have a great deal of wealth is not wrong or evil but what commonly follows large amounts of money and wealth (you’ll learn the difference between the two in finance), is the love of that money and wealth. This is what I find to be one of the biggest challenges in my course; it is important to continually refocus my goals and sights on Christ and my service to Him. Finance is in every business and everyone’s life in some shape or form. To be in finance and have a Christian faith is very valuable. You can end up working with all types of people in all walks of life. So I see my course as a very valuable tool that I will be able to use to further the Gospel and honour God now and in my later life. Without doubt, ‘the future’ opens up some great conversations with the non-Christians in my class about where they see themselves, and why they want to do certain jobs. This allows the chance to share why I want to study finance and is often an easy way to start talking about Christ in a more natural and open way.

Rebekah Kerr - Modern Languages, University of Cambridge

As a Christian studying modern languages it is easy to see how the communication skills acquired are valuable: speaking other languages allows me to participate in mission teams in many other countries in Europe and further afield. However, from day to day, when the study of literature forms the basis of my degree, it is often much easier to separate my faith from my studies and to see it as the ‘academic’ side. Consequently, I am aware of the importance of actively engaging with my studies both as a student and as a Christian. This highlights several things for me in particular: Being a Christian and studying literature is challenging! Much of the philosophical literature I study questions or completely ignores the existence of God. Often the authors articulate their viewpoint very well, making it quite convincing, sometimes even to the point of having me question my own views; this has really encouraged me to spend time reflecting on /studying what I believe and why. Being a Christian actually makes understanding different viewpoints, cultures and languages through the study of literature valuable – there is an overall aim of understanding other people rather than just understanding for the sake of academia. Finally, and perhaps rather obviously, being both a Christian and a student (particularly in a university like Cambridge) is a great opportunity to glorify God through your attitude to work: being committed to your studies but not (as I have a tendency to do) making education/career goals the most important thing in your life.

Claire Kennedy - Contemporary Applied Arts, UUB Hey, for those who don’t know me, my name is Claire Kennedy and I am studying Contemporary Applied Arts at Ulster University, Belfast. I work with clay on the potter’s wheel, making all sorts of pots, mugs and jugs! As a Christian within Art College I find it particularly challenging to talk to people about Jesus. There is quite a bit of hatred towards a lot of the Christian views, the main would be Christian opinions on homosexuality. There is very little opportunity to express your views and I find that I have to choose my words very carefully. I try to express my view through my actions as I find they are more effective than words because sometimes speaking will cause arguments that you can never win. I can see God using me through my studies as I work, using my hands to work with the clay. God has given me so much and I want to praise him through my work. It can be hard to see how making a mug or a plate can be glorifying God. However, using the abilities and strength God has given me I try to do this to the best of my ability and glorify him through the making process. Being a Christian in university is tough, but God is everywhere. You can show the love of Jesus even through the simple things and pray that God will be glorified within your university or college. STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

part 1: where we are now How would you respond if someone asked you the following questions: What does it mean to be human? What makes a person? Who are we, really? These are questions which have been asked throughout human history, and perhaps never more than now. We live in a society which is changing rapidly: continually crossing lines and blurring boundaries. This leaves many confused about their identity, worth and significance because these are issues that relate directly to our understanding of who we are. As we seek to come to conclusions and find clarity, does Christianity have anything of worth to say? I believe wholeheartedly that it does, but letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first set the scene by looking at our society and some of the other views that exist. AS WE think about our society, it is clear that ours is the age of the individual, where personal freedom reigns in career, hobbies, relationships and sexuality. The empty souls of our day seek to find fulfilment in these things and others, and are never fully satisfied. Ours is also an age of contradictions; in just one example, human babies are aborted in their thousands and yet we spend vast sums helping couples to conceive and keeping premature babies alive. In many hospitals in England, the 8 THE MESSENGER | ISSUE TWO 2016

department carrying out abortions and the neonatal intensive care unit will be right beside each other or, at the very least, in the same building. Many people today have an understanding of humanity that is not consistent; they pick and choose what to think when, and their ethical decisions are guided more by their own desires than by a coherent and consistent application of what they believe. This has come about because ours is an age in which many views compete and in which Truth has been relegated to a

matter of opinion. As you watch the news, read articles and hear people talk, engage with what you see and read and hear. Pick out these trends and tendencies in our society, because understanding our society will help us to speak to it. Another aspect of our day which we must note is the staggering pace of scientific progress. The man-machine hybrid, once only to be found in the realm of science fiction, is a reality. Robotic hands can be fused to human nervous systems and

those who have lost a hand can be given one which functions remarkably well. Artificial organs are being developed in laboratories. In the far East, robot nurses are being made to look exactly like human beings,

programmed to be compassionate, nevertiring carers for an ageing population. Animals have already been cloned; why not humans? Designer babies, selected for gender, appearance, abilities and character are a possibility. Our knowledge of our DNA and how it is expressed is growing all the time; who can predict what we will discover next? In the light of this rapid change and the blurring of lines between human beings and animals and machines, it is little wonder that confusion abounds about who we are. So, what are some of the views of what it means to be a human? Well, there are still many around the world who believe that human beings were made by some god or gods, or at least some sort of universal force. Their exact understanding of who we are and the practical significance of this varies greatly and is beyond the scope of our discussion in this article. Suffice to say that, while there may be some similarities between these views and the Christian perspective we will study in a later article, the differences are not insignificant. However, probably the most prevalent view in the secular West (and increasingly large swathes of the world) is that we have evolved to our present state

over millions of years. From a single celled organism, a combination of matter, time and chance has brought us to where we are. We are animals; the DNA we share with

the rest of life on earth shows that we are essentially the same as all other creatures. Only our more highly developed brain separates us from other primates. We are a separate species, but this does not give us any special position or value. Value rather comes from what we are able to do and to be defined as a person one must be able to do what a person can do; a particular attribute or ability is arbitrarily chosen and, if you have that attribute or ability, then you are a person. Different people have, at different times, chosen different attributes by which to define personhood and determine value. In our day, a combination of attributes tend to be used. For example, if someone has the ability to have rational thought, selfawareness, relationships with others and pleasurable experiences then that someone is a person. Each of us has these attributes in degrees and so this results in a hierarchy of humanity. Professor John Wyatt, a Christian professor of ethics, describes the outcome of this thinking clearly; ‘The inevitable conclusion from this argument is that society consists of a hierarchy: at the top are the prize specimens

of humanity – the Olympic athlete, the Nobel Prize winner – then ordinary, healthy, adult human beings; then the less healthy, with enough brain activity to recognise their own existence; and then the non-persons – babies, the brain-damaged, the mentally disabled, the sufferers with Alzheimer’s disease, those whose lives are of little value. All of us fit somewhere in the pecking order, and the value of our life goes up or down according to the passage of events.’ It is not hard to see how this view can be used to justify everything from abortion of foetuses and experimentation on embryos to the intentional medical killing of those who are seen as not having value: the sick, the disabled or the old. It has to be said that many atheistic evolutionists do not take their views about who we are to their ultimate conclusion, but some do.

Peter Singer, a bioethics professor, said, in 1979, ‘Human babies are not born selfaware, or capable of grasping that they exist over time. They are not persons...therefore the life of a newborn is of less value t h a n the life of a pig, a dog or a chimpanzee.’

In the light of this rapid change and the blurring of lines between human beings and animals and machines, it is little wonder that confusion abounds about who we are I suspect that many people who would describe themselves as atheists or evolutionists would be aghast at such sentiment. And yet, there is a logic to Singer’s position. He has extrapolated his views and made ethical judgements in the light of them. I think that, in those who perhaps share Singer’s fundamental beliefs but refute his application of those beliefs, we see something of the image of God, God’s common grace and human conscience at work, but that’s another matter. The fact remains that I believe that the evolutionary viewpoint which makes value judgements about each and every human life is awful. It leaves us living in a world which is terrifying in the extreme; at any moment one’s very humanity can be stripped away. Is this just the way things are, or is there an alternative way to look at the world and understand our humanity that is more compassionate and hopeful? How are we to respond to a society in confusion? What are we to believe about scientific progress? We will hopefully begin to answer these questions in our next article, as we turn to God’s Word to see what it really means to be human.

ANDREW MCKELVEY Cullybackey RPC

STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

Galway

Our GO Team is about: 1. Fellowship and fun. The congregation really appreciates teams coming to help and finds their fellowship together to be a great blessing. 2. Bible study and prayer. Each morning begins with Bible study and prayer, which equips us in our task of spreading the gospel. Praying for God’s Spirit to convert people to Christ is a vital part of the team’s work. 3. Evangelism. We will spread the good news by giving out magazines, speaking with people about their beliefs, and helping organise a special meeting. Team members will also have the opportunity to work in our bookshop for a and take part in an open-air presentation of the Gospel.

Cookstown

Mid-Ulster is an area of the country where many like the idea of Church but do not love or know the Gospel. And the churchy connection that many have is sadly all they hold on to. Come and join us for a few days in July to pray for the townland of Cookstown and to speak to the people about the Lord Jesus who came to save those who believe in him. - Prayer - Leaflet Drop - Public Meeting

Newry

The Newry GO Team will be distributing leaflets and running a Holiday Bible Club.

Bailiesmills

We run an annual Summer Bible Club for 40-50 primary school children. This enables us to build relationships with local families. Everything at the club is geared towards teaching the Word of God, and so we expect everyone who takes part to aim for excellence in whatever they are doing. To this end, we organize an orientation evening a month before the club. Bailiesmills is an elderly congregation. It is something of a surprise to us that God has given us a ministry to children, and we do what we can to seize this opportunity.

Milford

Milford is a town where very few people have heard the good news about Jesus. This year’s GO Team is an exciting opportunity to bring that good news to the area. We believe that by far the most productive work we can possibly do is to pray for God to work in people’s lives, so we will be taking time each week to pray for the spread of the gospel in this part of Donegal. Over the last few years GO Teams have helped us to run a Holiday Bible Club in one of the local housing estates. This has helped us to build a relationship with some of the children and families who live there, and this year we plan to to run that club again.

Glenmanus

The Glenmanus congregation will be having a week of outreach in Portrush. They will be giving out leaflets in the town, holding a Holiday Bible Club, and organising a friendship group. Members of the GO Team will help to organise these events.

Stranraer

Imagine a town where only 0.5% of people even attend a gospel-preaching church. Imagine being 2 hours from the nearest church in your denomination. Imagine your church not being able to pay a full-time minister for over 30 years. Imagine a church built to hold 700 people (and regularly packed out) reduced down to 20. That’s the situation in Stranraer. Yet in a day when many churches in the town are closing down, God has preserved the church in Stranraer. New converts have brought a fresh excitement to the congregation. The Stranraer GO Team will have opportunities to encourage the small group of believers here, to pray that Christ will build his church, and to invite people to come and hear His Word.

Cloughmills

The main events of the week will be a Holiday Bible Club for Primary School age kids, Youth Club for secondary school age, and a Pensioners’ Tea Party. But the focus through the week is on you coming alongside us to help in our outreach work, and on giving you an opportunity to grow through serving God and studying together. We hope you will get more than you give. STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

OUTSOURCING MEMORY & WIRED FoR DISTRACTION If you are scanning this article - stop - you need to read it. Not because I am important, but because your mind matters! OVER THE LAST few years I have had a minor, but growing, niggle about my ability to remember and make connections with clarity and sharpness. Was it simply growing older, or the impact of several general anaesthetics in a short space of time, or was it something else? I began to suspect my use of the internet/computer/email/facebook was contributing to a disconnectedness and fragmentedness in my own thinking. I would be working at something at my desk and, after a few minutes reading, I’d look up and check my email, follow a link and then return to reading. I read a little (Tim Challies’ book, The Next Story) and found that we were 12 THE MESSENGER | ISSUE TWO 2016

indeed rewiring our minds for distraction - consider how often you check your phone - there has been no alert, but we check nonetheless—mid-sentence or in the middle of another task.

But there is more to it than simply distraction. I found I was less able

to remember what I had read, but was able to remember where to find it – eg, “I read about that recently in such and such a book. It was really helpful”, but ask me what was helpful, and I’d be stuck! My mind seemed to have become like a web browser - retaining little, but filled with bookmarks of where to find things. It was as if I had outsourced my memory to the internet! And my use of the internet had in return trained me to just remember where to find things, rather than the actual content—even if it was in a book rather than the web. Our use of technology radically shapes and reshapes our cognitive processes. It has always been this way, from the wheel,

to the clock, to the book. But where the internet differs is that it seriously overloads our working memory to the extent that we cannot file and filter the information we take in.

Nicholas Carr’s book ‘The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read and remember’ has been around since 2010, but I’ve only just read it. It is essential reading for those who care about how the internet impacts our thinking and remembering. Carr’s own experience was similar to mine, and he traces its roots to the rise of the internet as an irreplaceable tool in modern living. He looks at how its form, more than its content, shapes and reshapes our neural pathways, and impacts our ability to think and remember. He has a great quote that sums up how I feel: “Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.” With endless links needing assessment - will I click or not, is this worthwhile or not - we become experts in decision-making, but that constant need to

make decisions, coupled with the torrent of information linked to everything we read online, overloads our working memory and impedes our ability to retain - and not just retain the stuff we are working at on the web, but other stuff too. Carr writes, “The influx of competing messages that we receive whenever we go online not only overloads our working memory, it makes it much harder for our frontal lobes to concentrate our attention on any one thing. The process of memory consolidation can’t even get started. And, thanks once again to the plasticity of our neuronal pathways, the more we use the Web, the more we train our brain to be distracted… Our brains become adept at forgetting, inept at remembering.” “As our use of the Web makes it

harder for us to lock information into our biological memory, we’re forced to rely more and more on the Net’s capacious and easily searchable artificial memory, even if it makes us shallower thinkers.” That last sentence is sobering. As Christians we are called by God to hide his Word in our hearts, to meditate, to think deeply and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Unthinking use of the internet militates against this. More than ever we need to “gird up the loins of our minds’”(1 Peter 1:13), not just about what we think, but to guard the very process of thinking itself. Already this article is too long for our web generation - but I will write a few more lines in the hope that we can spark a quiet rebellion.

the torrent of information linked to everything we read online, overloads our working memory and impedes our ability to retain stuff

Work on depth Depth in your reading and thinking. Force your mind to work. Give it space to work, away from Wifi, and cell phone. Limit interruption.

Consider paper Reading a physical book imprints much more on the memory than we realise. Consider whether printed matter is a better way to read what really matters—especially your Bible.

Surf judiciously Realising that the surfing, more than the content, is shaping your mind. In a telling image one writer describes the content of media as ‘the juicy meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind’ - except in this case, the mind itself is what is being robbed. A note from the author: Nicholas Carr’s book “The Shallows” is essential reading (read a paper copy!)

Due to the plasticity of the brain and its neural pathways, this situation is remediable. In fact, one of the wonderful things about reading Carr’s book is to see how utterly incredible and complex the brain is - I found myself in awe and worship of our Creator on several occasions. So let’s browse and surf with intentionality. Let’s limit our distractions so we can guard our cognitive processes. Here’s a few suggestions:

Build space in Give yourself space after you have read something to let it sink in. Look for ways to reinforce it, e.g. talking with others about it.

Don’t fill space up i.e. always using social media/surfing as a way to fill in a few spare moments. Give your mind a break, to let it consolidate whatever you have just been working at.

This article was adapted with author’s permission from: gentlereformation.org

Work on memorizing Memorize chunks of Scripture - and use your spare moments to recall and meditate. That way you are strengthening your mind and sanctifying your heart in one go!

MARK LOUGHRIDGE New Life Fellowship, Letterkenny

STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

BETWEEN THE dates of 23rd and 28th March the team from Northern Ireland, combined with some members of the Airdrie congregation, had the challenge of delivering 15,000 leaflets, containing information about Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church and their Mission week, to the surrounding areas. The team from Northern Ireland, consisting of Ross Fallows, Marcus Kelso, Stephen Kelso, Eleanor McCollum, Scott McCollum, David McCullough, Lydia Nelson, Sarah-Jane Wilson, arrived on Wednesday 23rd March when we had time to get settled in and play some games before heading to bed. On Thursday 24th March we began our leaflet distribution; beginning at 10 o’clock we all went to our designated areas and began posting our leaflets - we did so until 12 o’clock. At this stage we headed back to the church for lunch and to get more leaflets for the afternoon session. The afternoon distribution started at 2 o’clock and finished at 4 o’clock. We had 34 regions to cover around the Airdrie area in three days. We covered 32 of these

before we ran out of leaflets. After the afternoon session we had dinner and then met up with the CY for various activities over the few nights we were there. After we had played some games with the CY we had our team devotions, followed by a time

of prayer and Psalm singing. Shortly after devotions had finished we headed to bed in preparation for the next day. Our nightly devotions were taken by members of the team. We looked at: Luke 4- based on witnessing; John 4- based on how to work whilst being tired; Job 4- based on fear and courage; Matthew 11- based on rest; Colossians 4- based on

walking in wisdom. Sabbath was a very different day, as God has commanded we use it as a day of rest. The team met in the church hall with some members of the congregation for a prayer meeting before the church service in the morning. Rev. Andrew Quigley led both services on Sabbath, which were taken from Luke chapter 11; the morning service was entitled “Our Father”, and following on from that the evening service was entitled “Hallowed be your name.” It was encouraging to hear these sermons from Andrew Quigley, and we were happy that he had recovered from an illness to be able to speak so well. Pray for: the church in Scotland; all those at Airdrie, that they will be good witnesses through and for Christ.

DAVID MCCULLOUGH Trinity RPC

PSALM 24: WHo is this king of glory? EVERYTHING WE HAVE, even the beating of our hearts, is from God and for God. To put it in David’s words, ‘The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof; the world and all those who dwell therein’ (v1). Sadly, we take what God has graciously given and use it for ourselves. We make ourselves the centre of the universe, ignore God and rebel against the giver of every good gift. When David asks the big question, ‘Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?’ (v3a) or to put it another way, ‘Who shall stand in his holy place?’ (v3b), then the answer is obvious - certainly not you or I. Our hands aren’t clean, our souls 14 THE MESSENGER | ISSUE TWO 2016

not pure and our words not true. Left to ourselves there would be no blessing, no righteousness and no heavenly home. Does this mean that Heaven is going to be rather sparsely populated? Thankfully not. God sent the King of Glory, his own son, whose hands were always perfectly clean, his heart perpetually pure and his words constantly true and trustworthy. Jews had psalms for particular days of the week and they frequently sang Psalm 24 on Sundays. As Jesus approached Jerusalem on a donkey, the prophetic song of David would have echoed across the city, ‘Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory

may come in’ (v7). He had arrived as a man on a great mission - to lay down his life for his friends, to bear their sin and endure the holy wrath of God that they deserved. When his work was done the gates of Heaven opened to receive home the King of glory. One day Heaven’s gates will open again and this glorious King will come in all his splendour. Will you be ready? ‘Seek the face of the God of Jacob’ (v6).

DAVID MCCULLOUGH Dromore RPC

SONGS OF THE SPIRIT

The place of psalms in the worship of god THERE WERE, on occasion, times during praise at my university CU when I thought to myself, “These are great praise songs. I like the words and the modern melody. It’d be nice if we could sing songs like this in church.” Have you, like me, ever doubted our position on exclusive psalmody after a great night of corporate praise at your school or university CU? Have you ever been tempted to think that our views on praise are outdated, stuffy and, dare I say, dull? We can face the pressure of fitting in, of knowing the words to the latest worship song. We stand mute in CU thinking that everyone around us must think that we aren’t a Christian, or at least a very good one. If you feel this way already, or if you are setting sail for University come September, I would challenge you to read on the subject of the psalms, and why as a denomination we believe what we do. I highly recommend the book, ‘Songs of the Spirit: The place of psalms in the worship of God’ edited by Kenneth Stewart (Glasgow RPC) but contributed to by 10 other authors. I found this book exceptionally

was, ‘A Christian community without the Psalter has lost an incomparable treasure, and by taking it back into use will recover resources it never dreamed it had.’ This book laid to rest many of my queries on this issue. Whilst we must always remember that the attitude of our heart matters just as much as the words in our mouths when we worship, nonetheless we can have perfect confidence when singing the psalms because they are wholly approved by God, something that simply cannot be said of even the best human compositions. Give this book a go and rediscover the church’s forgotten gem, the Songs of the Spirit. helpful, not only because it’s packed with comprehensive biblical arguments for exclusive psalm singing, but also because it reinvigorates the reader towards a genuine appreciation and love for the psalms. The book addresses why we should sing psalms, the presence of Christ in the psalms, musical accompaniment, whether the Psalter is enough and much more besides. One particular quote I enjoyed

HANNAH DUNWOODY Dervock RPC

STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

DESERT ISLAND VERSE

ROMANS 8: 31-32

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” IT FILLS ME with such a joy even as I type, to once again take in the overwhelming significance of these amazing words from Romans 8. I attempted last year to write a new verse every week on a chalkboard in my room in order to learn it; however this plan didn’t last very long after writing up these verses, because I simply couldn’t remove them! They are such a powerful reminder to me, especially when I am feeling weak, of my security in Christ that can’t be taken away. So often in my Christian life I struggle with feelings that God doesn’t really want me that much; after all, what do I do for him? I fail him all the time and I don’t show much promise of becoming perfect anytime soon. Could God honestly 16 THE MESSENGER | ISSUE TWO 2016

love me as much as I’m supposed to believe? From a human mindset, I really don’t have that much to offer God. And according to this mindset, I find it easy to see God as a disgruntled manager who begrudgingly tolerates me but who is really waiting to cast me off after I’ve committed just one sin too many. However, in the face of these doubts about assurance of salvation, these verses are revolutionary. Their simple and obvious logic is so wonderful and reassuring, and they leave absolutely no room for scepticism about God’s love. If God went to all the pain of sending his own Son to the cross to die in my place, why would he want to keep me from joining him in the fellowship that has been

bought? Why would he go to such lengths to save us only to withhold this love from those who want it? It doesn’t make sense. Furthermore, what good thing could he withhold from us after willingly offering up his own Son? What could be greater than this gift? Moreover, if God is on our side, who or what can ever be against us? The message just gets better and better. This truly is the good news; Hallelujah!

RACHEL NELSON Trinity RPC

Images coutesy of Columbia Pictures

RISEN

FILM REVIEW “WHAT ARE you seeking?” asks Peter Firth’s Pontius Pilate. “A day without death… Peace” comes the reply from a world-weary Clavius (played by Joseph Fiennes). From the very first scene of Risen, it’s clear that we’re joining Clavius on a journey, a search that began long before he discovered the empty tomb of the Nazarene called Yeshua. After the box-office success of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ in 2004, a sequel based on the resurrection story was in the offing for quite some time, and finally arrived in cinemas this year. Kevin Reynolds’ Risen is much more grounded in Scripture than recent ‘biblical epics’ such as Noah and Exodus: Gods and Kings. Those films did include characters and events recorded in Scripture, but they were meshed in with myths and legends from false religions. Risen is different; though it does change the details of a couple of individuals, its attention to biblical detail is noticeable, even if the central character, Clavius, is fictional. A Roman tribune, Clavius, sees no more merit to the claims of a Jewish Messiah than to any of the Roman gods he prays to. When the body of ‘the Nazarene’ disappears after his crucifixion, Pilate tasks Clavius with finding it and dealing with those who presumably stole it from the tomb. Clavius’ investigation brings him into contact with some of the Nazarene’s closest followers, and eventually he tracks

down the inner circle of disciples most loyal to Yeshua. Risen will win no awards for its acting, script or visual effects – all of which

are solid but not spectacular – and in terms of storytelling, it is an uneven film, with some violent scenes at the beginning before we simmer down to a slower pace. The grim way in which the Romans concluded crucifixions is also portrayed, perhaps to the point of straining the film’s 12A certificate. Nonetheless, in terms of its faithfulness to the biblical record, Risen is commendable. As the story goes on, Clavius essentially becomes a spectator to the gospel accounts, particularly those found in the Gospel of John. ‘Yeshua’ is portrayed by Cliff Curtis, and is brought into the story more directly than the trailers might suggest. Questions remain about the appropriateness of these sorts of films, whether produced by Christians or by Hollywood. As God’s image-bearers, we are created to enjoy any artwork that brings glory to him; but even setting aside the important issue of an actor portraying

the Lord Jesus, is the goal of a movie like Risen to promote widespread revival among cinema-goers? At one point in the film, Clavius is cautioned, “You see, and yet you still doubt – imagine the doubts of those who will never see.” Perhaps Risen is designed to dispel those doubts, but the words of the Lord Jesus himself in John 20:29 should be considered. There, Thomas sees Jesus’ nail-pierced hands and spearpierced side and finally believes; then Jesus says to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Risen follows Clavius on a journey out of unbelief, but it is one that relies heavily on seeing before believing. Yet physical sight of the risen Saviour is not a requirement for men and women to respond to the Gospel; Paul says in Romans 10 that faith comes through hearing the Word of God, and that is where we should focus our efforts and energies in terms of our evangelism. Nonetheless, as an artistic portrayal of the biblical facts, Risen is a respectful, suspenseful and at times touching film, which certainly affirms, as do Christians, that the resurrection changes everything.

PHILIP DUNWOODY Dervock RPC

STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY

Each individual Nantes GO team has its own distinctive flavour. Although for the most part, the work is the same, each year brings new challenges. Here the team share some of their reflections (or réflexions) on this year’s mission... Graham Moffett

Nantes 2016 was a wonderful experience of sharing in fellowship, friendship and fun. More importantly, we were serving our Heavenly Father by helping ‘the workers in Nantes’ reach out to the people of Nantes. Our efforts alone were imperfect. We may have distributed a large number of ‘Réflexions’ and had some opportunities to witness, though greatly limited for a variety of reasons – mostly our lack of ability to speak French, but also a sad lack of interest of many of the recipients. However, we trust and pray that God will break down barriers and bring people into his fold.

Robert McCaughan

After a few tiring days on the streets doing leaflet distribution, it was amusing that the person who appeared to be coping best was our energetic leader Graham! Even though I have limited French, I enjoyed taking part in all the activities through the week. We had many laughs!

Lydia Pollock As a French student I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of this GO team. It was amazing to see the work of Malcolm, Muriel, Andrew and Heather in Nantes and to be an encouragement to them. I particularly enjoyed getting to meet and chat to students at events like the English Café quiz night. I want to thank everyone for their prayerful support and encourage you to continue upholding this work in prayer.

Faith Moore

I had an amazing time; it was a very busy but rewarding trip. For me the highlight was the Irish night as it gave us the opportunity to meet some of the people from the local area and have a time of fun and fellowship with them as we enjoyed a time of dance followed by a short epilogue from Malcolm and lots of delicious tray bakes from N.I.

Hannah Fallows

When I first arrived in Nantes, I didn’t really know what to expect. I don’t think I realised quite how much walking was involved in distributing leaflets! I really enjoyed getting to know the people in the church, and participating in all the different activities in the church, such as the English Café and the Youth Club. A big merci beaucoup must go to the Lytles and the Balls for all their hard work, and all the wonderful food!

18 THE MESSENGER | ISSUE TWO 2016

Georgina Boyd I learned that I take simple conversation for granted. In Nantes, my first thought when babbling to a stranger was, how can I invite them to church in such limited French? Now I’m back home I plan to readdress evangelistic opportunities.

Grace Carson ‘Every day’s a leg day’- an accurate description of the Nantes GO Team, walking ~20km a day. Helping deliver 40,000 leaflets over 10 days changes your perspective of postboxes, but also of how important it is for people to hear God’s Word. The words contained within ‘Réflexions’ were by far the most valuable the people of Nantes will ever hear – those of the salvation which they so desperately need. Our prayer is that these words will impact the lives of people reached by the leaflets. This experience has left me with a greater desire and more confidence to reach out to those around me.

Helen McKelvey

GO team no. 5 for me was one of the most exhausting, though it was nothing short of a joy to be back in Nantes. It is incredible to see the resilience and continuing faithful service of our missionaries, who give so selflessly of themselves, all the time.

John Neilly From the kindness of the Balls and Lytles to the labour of the distribution, the Nantes GO team has been a truly unforgettable time. It’s amazing to see God working through the leaflets given out, through the conversations on the street and through our missionaries’ passionate witness for Christ.

Hannah Kelso-Mason

This was a fantastic experience which strengthened and challenged me personally and spiritually. Mark 10: 13-16 says that we are to ‘let the little children come...because the kingdom of God belongs to them’. Involvement with the children at Youth Club and Children’s Club emphasised to me the freedom we have in N.I. to speak to children and young people about God’s Word in so many situations: in school, Church and Holiday Bible Clubs. In France, it was obvious the children do not have these opportunities to hear about the wonderful message of our Loving Heavenly Father and his perfect Son who came to seek and to save. Let us rejoice and not be complacent in Northern Ireland about the blessings we have received.

RAHAB

A WOMAN OF FAITH I’M NOT QUITE sure what it is that I like so much about the story of Rahab. On paper, a lying prostitute doesn’t really seem like the best candidate for a role model or heroine of the Bible. But when you read her story there is undoubtedly a lot we can learn from this woman. Despite her dodgy background she ultimately married an Israelite and has a lineage which is vitally important to the Gospel, being an ancestor of Joseph, husband of Jesus’ mother Mary. If you are unfamiliar with the story of Rahab it is found in the book of Joshua, chapters 2 and 6. She saved the lives of the Jewish spies who went into Jericho, hiding them on her roof and helping them to escape, after lying to the authorities. She and her family were then saved as the rest of Jericho was destroyed by the Israelites. Being a Canaanite prostitute, Rahab was part of a hugely pagan culture. Jericho was a hotbed of idolatry. Rahab may have been caught up in some of the vilest and degrading pagan worship of the time. And yet, this woman was well-informed about the Israelites, about their escape from Egypt and about what their God had done for them. Without any teaching, without the Bible and living surrounded by sin she came to her decision about who God was. Graciously, God gave Rahab faith, and used this faith to bring about his own plans. She told the spies, “…all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you” (Joshua

2:9). The people of Jericho were terrified because of the God the Israelites had on their side. However, we are not told of anyone else who came to the same, true conclusion that Rahab did; “For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below”(Joshua 2:11). Interestingly, Rahab is one of the first Gentile converts in the Bible. She is saved by faith alone, not by simply being born into the church. But what else do we learn from Rahab’s story? Firstly, I think her story is an important reminder to us all that God uses anyone and everyone. Despite her background and profession, Rahab was an integral part of God’s plan. None of us are beyond God’s ability to use us, no matter how very sinful we may feel. Equally, we must never dismiss anyone as being too far beyond redemption. Rahab didn’t have the ‘typical’ Christian upbringing, yet remarkably she trusted in God enough to put the lives of his servants above her own. Secondly, this passage is a good reminder that true faith will show outward action. Rahab confessed her faith in God, then she followed through on it, exactly as the spies told her to. In Hebrews 11: 31 she is even quoted as a great example of faith in action. Similarly, we are reminded in James 2:25-26 that “…faith without deeds is dead”; again Rahab is quoted as an example. What Rahab did was incredibly risky; she

showed great courage in taking care of the spies. Her only motivation for doing this was her faith in the true God. Finally, this passage points to Jesus. Rahab was graciously rescued from the physical destruction of Jericho. But, more importantly, she was rescued from spiritual destruction. A pagan, Canaanite woman was welcomed into the church because she put her faith in God; her slate was wiped clean and her past forgotten about. Jesus is ready to do the same for each and every one of us. He is ready to wipe away the sins from our past, ready to welcome us into his kingdom, but we must be like Rahab. We must be ready to admit who Christ is, to put our faith into action by accepting Christ as Saviour and trying to live this out in our lives. “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2: 25-26).

EMMA DUNWOODY Limavady RPC

STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY