STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY
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Editorial
STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY
JULY + AUGUST 2015 Editorial Team Editor | JAMES MCCULLOUGH Secretary | ABIGAIL NELSON Design | ANDREW MORRISON Treasurer | ALISTAIR ROLLESTON Distribution | EMMA DUNWOODY Features | HELEN MCKELVEY Design | MICHAEL MCKELVEY Features | STEPHEN STEELE messenger.rpc.org To advertise in The Messenger, please contact advertise@messenger.rpc.org SUBSCRIPTIONS Digital editions (PDF and e-reader) are available for free at our website Paper subscriptions cost £8 per year for 6 issues, and can be paid for online or through your congregation’s Messenger agent For any general queries, please contact subscriptions@messenger.rpc.org
Every summer our denomination’s summer mission teams play an important part in the outreach efforts of local congregations. If Go Teams were judged purely on the numbers of new converts generated there would be little room for encouragement. These teams are not a silver bullet for mission. It would be foolish to expect leaflet distribution to be more effective than intentional friendship and hospitality in bringing people under the preaching of the Word. Go Teams are invaluable, not due to outward results, but because of how effective they are in discipling members of the team and congregation. They are a unique opportunity to learn more about Jesus as you serve alongside and they foster a deep affection for the church. Students with an endless summer have no excuse not to be involved but recent teams have also featured those who have taken time off from work to serve. I’ve been challenged by their example. Jesus loved the church enough to do something radical about it and we are called to love the church in our actions. When we commit we will be blessed far more than we will ever lose. In addition to learning about a selection of this summer’s teams, we’ve also have reports from several Camps. The final challenging instalment in our ‘Reaching Deprived Areas’ series calls us to show genuine love to those who need it most. The impact of intentional evangelism is powerfully illustrated by June Whitla’s captivating testimony. ‘Openness Unhindered’, Rosaria Butterfield’s second book, moves beyond the author’s personal story to address wider social and theological issues. On a very sombre note we have also republished a Desiring God article as the start of our response to the Planned Parenthood scandal. I hope the diverse range of articles provide you with much food for thought. I’d also like to welcome Michael McKelvey to our team. He’s been brave (or foolish) enough to help Andy with the mammoth task of designing the magazine. It’s great to have you on board, Michael. Yours, James
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 | JULY - AUGUST 2o15
Reaching Deprived Areas
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How do we reach people with Jesus’ good news in the housing estate or scheme near our house or church?
INside out - film review
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SENIOR camp REPORT
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WHAT SHOULD A CHRISTIAN’S EMOTIONS LOOK LIKE? WE REVIEW PIXAR’S LATEST OFFERING
FIND OUT WHY ONE CAMPER KEEPS ON COMING BACK, EVEN AT “THE GRAND OLD AGE OF 20”
integrity challenge
Recent high profile scandals have brought into question the integrity of different sports. In 2007 McLaren was fined following the F1 ‘spygate’ scandal when important technical information was leaked from a rival team. In 2013 Lance Armstrong admitted banned performance-enhancing drugs helped him win each of his seven Tour de France titles. This year the media has followed the stories surrounding ‘Deflate-gate’ in the NFL by the New England Patriots and the bribes received by FIFA delegates for World Cup bids. Every time a scandal comes to light there is a great outcry throughout the media but does our interest in integrity go further than the world of sport? Are we as keen to uphold integrity in our daily lives? Is it important to us? Are you as likely to commit plagiarism, illegally copy a computer program, steal time, lie in your tax returns, tell people what they want to hear, make false promises and selectively obey the laws as those who do not profess the name of Christ do? The Biblical idea of integrity has the root idea of ‘wholeness’. Integrity should characterise the entire person and not just part of him. He is entirely righteous and honest. Take time to read Psalm 15 to see how the Bible pictures the wholeness of a man with integrity.
The story of Ananias and Sapphira should further spur us on towards lives shaped by integrity. They deceived the Church when they sold property and acted as if they were giving all the proceeds. God took their lives for this sin. This story can shock us because they suffered death for such a ‘small’ sin but this shows us is how little we understand the holiness of God. Integrity is one of the greatest needs of the Church today. It cannot expect to prosper if its members are deceptive. Deception wounds the Church and is a sin against God as Peter said to Ananias, “You have not lied to man, but to God’”(Acts 5v4). Does a lack of integrity create a barrier to the Gospel with the nonChristians we meet daily? We must discipline ourselves to be truthful in all that we say. The Bible calls us to be honest in everything we do as we follow the perfect man of integrity, Jesus. His integrity secured our salvation, so let us therefore declare with Job, “Till I die, I will not put away my integrity from me” (Job 27v5b).
roger sloan Cookstown Fellowship
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SERIES
reaching deprived areas with the gospel
How do we reach people with Jesus’ good news in the housing estate (or scheme) near our house or church? In these articles we’re highlighting three important ways (which actually apply to reaching people in any time or place): 1. Learn the culture 2. Live in the area 3. Love the people We’ve already seen 1 and 2, so now: 3. LOVE THE PEOPLE This may seem obvious, but we need pointers even in this. Too many well-meaning Christians – because of the clear and often desperate needs in housing schemes – want to just ‘love people into the kingdom’. It doesn’t work. It isn’t enough. It doesn’t work because they need Jesus, not just our love. But it also doesn’t work because schemes have loads of con artists, rip-off merchants and cheats! They’ll help themselves to all the ‘love’ you’ll give, plus anything else that’s going! Biblical love is not mushy. It’s practical and firm and seeks someone’s good and development. Here are two tips: Love them by doing everyday life with them – in an intentional way 70% of people in the UK, not just in schemes, have no intention of ever going to church (see Everyday Church, p15). So how does the church reach that 70%? The answer probably won’t lie in church programmes and events, but in normal life. So evangelism doesn’t have to mean lots of extra activities for you or your church – just being more intentional in what you’re already doing. 4 THE MESSENGER | JULY - AUGUST 2o15
This is even more important in deprived areas. There are already lots of activities going on, so get involved! Maybe, instead of starting a church ‘Parents and Kids’ group and expecting them to come, go to the one already organised in the community centre. Don’t start a church football team; join the local team. This is about doing normal, everyday life with non-Christians. If your dog needs walked, walk it with your neighbour. If you need to borrow a lawnmower, borrow it from the guy next door instead of someone in church. Shop in the local shop, even if it costs a bit more than the big chains – you’ll see people you know that way. Initially, most people in our church were new to the area. Their family and friends were somewhere else and they didn’t have many connections with locals. So they started intentionally doing Pilates or going to the gym or card-making classes in the school where church meets – so that they would meet people. Now we pray for those people in our church prayer meeting. They meet up with them and build those relationships. Some have been to church, but only because the relationship was there first. None of these things are spectacular in themselves, but done in a deliberate way they can be very effective for building
relationships for the Gospel. Be informal. Be flexible. It doesn’t always have to include Bible study or prayer. Simply do life with people. Love and get involved in the community you’re reaching. There are probably lots of negatives and it’s easy to focus on them in deprived areas. But there are lots of positives too. Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in Babylon (Jer. 29) told them to seek the prosperity and pray for the place God had put them. That should be our attitude too. Read Everyday Church for more on this. Don’t love in a way that actually harms! This is a massive temptation for Christians – that, when we’re dealing with obviously needy people, we ‘love’ them by giving them stuff or doing stuff for them. That makes us feel good, but often it harms that person more than it helps them. An important book if you want to help needy people is When Helping Hurts. Its key idea is that need is really about broken relationships – towards God, his creation, other people and ourselves. Dealing with poverty means fixing these broken relationships. Another vital point they make is that properly loving someone means not doing for them what they can and should do for themselves. Loving someone means developing them and moving them on, not
simply giving them a handout that they’ll need again in a few days or weeks. This won’t always look like love to the other person! Their attitude may be: ‘I’ve no food; you’re a Christian, so give me money’! We’ll say ‘No ... but if you want, you can wash our car and we’ll come with you to the shop and buy £10 of food.’ And while you do that, you get a chance to chat to the person – why do they have no money? What happened to their benefits? How can they budget better? Many Christians would have given him money – and felt like they’d done their bit. But has it helped him if he spends that on drugs? It’s not our job to help people sin. This is about loving people as those who are equally broken. Your attitude can’t be: ‘I’m the saviour and I’m here to help you.’ It needs to be: ‘I’m broken and needy too. Are there ways you can help me?’ We’ve seen this work in our church family when a guy with no money has fixed people’s bikes, or a mum-to-be goes for advice to a single mum of four. A word to women (but most of it applies to men too!) In our housing scheme, there are far more women than men. Many are single mums. Most are very vulnerable with complex needs. Many (80%+) have been sexually abused in the past, so it’s often unwise to have a man advise or invest in them. They do need examples of good, godly husbands and dads, but the type of support, friendship, mentoring and intimacy in prayer, counsel and care they need has to come from solid, godly women who are closely involved in their lives and in it for the long haul.
Loving someone means developing them and moving them on, not simply giving them a handout that they’ll need again in a few days or weeks. This is something we need to be very intentional about in the RP Church because our leaders are all men – but you don’t need to be in leadership to ‘pastor’ someone. In fact, it’s probably an advantage that you’re not in leadership because you’re seen as normal! Evangelism isn’t seeing them at something once a week and speaking about everything but Jesus until the monthly evangelistic service rolls round! Do everyday life with these women – go with them to appointments, have them over for a natter while you’re doing dishes, do your shopping together, watch X Factor and eat a chippy. Talk about Jesus when it’s relevant.
Be open and honest about that. If they have questions, get the Bible out and say, ‘Let’s look at what it says.’ Make it natural. Drop the Gospel into the conversation when there’s an opportunity, like when they say, ‘I wish I could start again’ or ‘I don’t know how we got into this mess.’ These are great opportunities to talk about the One who forgives and restores.
It’s equally important that it’s women discipling new Christian women. Lots of the Bible will be totally foreign to these women, so they need to discover what a Biblical woman looks like and how God expects her to think, speak and act. This will be a process. Remember that becoming Christians for them means potentially losing a lot. The cost will probably be very high for her to follow Jesus, so good Bible study, lots of investment, patience, good tight accountability, mentoring and lots of prayer are needed. We need to spell out God’s Word and live it with them too. In Christian circles we’re used to set formats of church on Sunday and once a week Bible study. That’s just not enough for a new Christian whose life is now much harder than it was before she became a Christian. If she has to leave behind family (and friends as close as family) – people who are in each other’s houses daily, texting all the time, phoning each other – then we can’t offer less. We’re not saying you need to have everyone you know in the house everyday – you’d go crazy! But you also can’t fill your week with everything else and just give them whatever time is left over. Let them into your life; let them see you ‘warts and all’. They need examples (not just theory) of what it looks like to love their husbands and their kids. They need to see what selfcontrol looks like in real life, when you’re shattered, the kids are fighting and the house is a tip half an hour after you tidied it. They need to see humility in us and learn that in the times we don’t get it right (often!), we need the same grace we tell them about. They need someone to ask that ‘what do I do when this happens?’ question. Be prepared – you’ll probably be asked about sex, but, if their view of sex comes from being abused by their uncle when they were six, it’s up to us to redeem the whole subject
Biblically. Don’t shy away! Women need women. They need more than us parachuting in and out of their lives once a month, or being like yet another worker who’s just there to fix their problems. This creates even more dependency and not real active faith. They need women who will do life with them every day, who make faith real for them. Don’t worry if you can’t relate to everything – point them to the Healer. It will be costly and scary and hard – but it’s also an amazing privilege. God will be showing himself to you in the process, not just those you’re ‘ministering’ to. Conclusion Sometimes the people we’re getting to know will be hard to love – but sure that’s true of any of us! However, it needs to be genuine love – love for them as people, not as projects - like when Jesus saw the crowds and had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). Pray for a heart for people like this. Pray and fight against coldness and hardness and resentment. This is difficult when you hear the same stories over and over again, or when you see that many problems are selfinflicted. But always remember that SIN is their problem, not the outward behaviours or messes you see. And that we’re broken, needy sinners too.
Peter and Emma Loughridge North Edinburgh RPC Thanks for reading! If you want to know more, read: • When Helping Hurts: How to Allevi-
ate Poverty without Hurting the Poor and Yourself (Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert) • Everyday Church: Mission by Being Good Neighbours (Tim Chester and Steve Timmis) • Unreached: Growing Churches in Working-Class and Deprived Areas (Tim Chester) All available at Covenanter Book Centre!
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persOnal testimOny june whitlA
June Whitla attends Southside RPC in Indianapolis where her husband David, originally from Trinity RPC, is the pastor. David and June met during a mission team to Scotland. A qualified primary school teacher (who did part of her training in Ballyrobert, County Antrim!), she now homeschools their 5 children. I remember keeping milk out in the snow because we didn’t have a refrigerator, heating our mobile home by keeping the oven door open all night, going to the Salvation Army at Christmas time, making regular trips to the local food pantry, and travelling in the back of a pickup truck to move across the country. My childhood memories also include domestic violence, gross immorality, alcoholism, and the women and children’s shelter. In Exodus 20:5-6, God says He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him, but shows steadfast 6 THE MESSENGER | JULY - AUGUST 2o15
love to thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments. It seemed
that I was ripe to follow in the line of the iniquity of my fathers, but God had a dif-
ferent plan, a plan that came before my fathers and began at the foundation of the world, that I would be holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:4). By God’s grace I do not remember a time when I didn’t know that there was a God, that I was a sinner, and that if I wasn’t a Christian I would be condemned to hell for eternity. After my parents divorced when I was six, my mom went through a church phase that God used to expose me to these truths. Every Friday night as a church we watched apocalyptic movies, and I think I prayed to receive Christ at every weekly altar call. As time moved
on, the church phase ended, but it left me with a fear of death and hell. I decided that since so much of my life was outside of my control as a child, my objective would be to survive childhood years. Then I’d become a Christian when I was grown up and could make more of my own decisions. Praise the Lord that, by His Holy Spirit, He didn’t allow me to grow up before He called me to Himself. When I was 12 and visiting a Baptist church next door with some of my fellow trailer-park kids, the pastor preached on the end times, and I was again afraid of hell. The Lord brought to mind the verse, “Today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). I must have heard it somewhere before. I was impressed with the reality that I didn’t have the promise of tomorrow. After the service, I went to the Sunday school teacher and asked her to pray with me to become a Christian. She prayed with me, and (I believe) my conversion was genuine. I never saw that teacher again, and I suppose she likely assumed I was just another trailer-park kid who would be thrown back to the world. This is a reminder to me to take seriously God’s work in the lives of young people. He takes us from our desperate situation; He chooses to place His love upon us; and He then goes even further to call Himself our Father! After about a year worshiping in a different church, someone from the Columbus Reformed Presbyterian Church invited me to attend with their family. At this point, God took me from being a Christian because of a fear of hell to serving Christ because of love for the grace He had shown me. I learned about the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man that has created a great chasm between the two. I came to understand better the greatness of a Savior who has bridged such a chasm by His perfect life and atoning death. This understanding produced a much more living faith and greater obedience to Christ, springing from gratitude to God for His work accomplished on my behalf. I could say a lot about what the people of the Columbus RP Church, then pastored by Jerry O’Neill, mean to me to this day, but I want to particularly focus on one aspect. This congregation took me in. They picked me up for church, led me through lots of Bible study, and took me out for ice cream and to presbytery family camp. My favorite thing, though, is that they let me into their lives. I am now a
busy young mom with lots of little kids, so I know it is not always easy to let someone else into everyday life; but that’s what these families did, and that’s what made so much difference. I saw in these families strong marriages where the husband and wife actually liked each other and were friends. I saw kids who were secure and protected and loved and trained. I learned that people actually live like this; I had only seen this kind of family on television. I saw something modeled that I wanted for myself. This continues to be a lesson for me: it is important to share the gospel through neighborhood outreach, but we have to be willing to let people into our lives and be a part of theirs. This can be messy, inconvenient, and emotionally exhausting, but I am so thankful that I met people who were up for it. As I continued as a part of the Columbus RPC, my family situation deteriorated even more, and eventually declined to the point that I needed to be in a different place. One of the wonderful couples in the Columbus church adopted me into their family. Talk about inviting messiness, inconvenience, and emotional exhaustion into your life! Paper and ink could never fully express my love for Jim and Carnel McFarland and my gratitude to God for using them in my life. They took a 15-yearold kid who they knew was very needy, requiring a lot of time and energy, and they chose to love me. They chose to have me as their daughter. Sound familiar? That’s the gospel! God predestined and adopted according to His purpose and for His own glory. They have shown me the love of Christ in a beautiful way. Isn’t this what Christ has done for all of us? He takes us from our desperate situation; He chooses to place His love upon us; and He then goes even further to call Himself our Father! What wonder is behind the Scripture that speaks of the greatness of that love that the Father has lavished on us that we should be called sons of God (1 John 3:1)! Jim and Carnel McFarland could not be any more my Mum and Dad had I been born to them. The Lord has blessed me in their home and as part of their family. They helped me work through many trials and emotions and shared in many joys. They protected and counseled me through my courtship with my wonderful husband, David, and they remain important counselors, confidants, and friends for us both. My husband often tells me that he married above himself. Isn’t that sweet, given my background? We have come from very different upbringings and even differ-
ent countries, but it is amazing how much we relate to each other in terms of Christian experience. David is more than I would have thought to ask the Lord for. I know
him better than anybody, and I am always struck by the genuineness of his faith and his desire for the Lord. He doesn’t nag me in my walk before the Lord, but constantly challenges me by his example. He is a wonderful tool that God is using in my sanctification. God has blessed our marriage with five crazy kids. If you have kids, you will know that these are another of the tools that God is using for my sanctification. My kids are the most forgiving people I know. I am constantly challenged with my own selfishness and aware of my dependence on the Lord as I clearly see my shortcomings and inadequacies. Our family lives on the southside of Indianapolis in Indiana, where David pastors. One of our favorite things to do together is to serve in the church here. It’s a great life! I have learned, and continue to learn, much about our God as I reflect on His dealings with me. As we go through hard things in life, God builds a track record of His faithfulness so that we might come through stronger in our faith. I love that God and His character are objective and unchanging despite my own subjective feelings. I appreciate that sometimes being calmed and quieted is a resolution rather than a result of our outside circumstances. Praise God that we are not victims of our circumstances or doomed to a certain path because of where we’ve come from. God heals even when scars remain. This story is the long answer when someone asks how I became a Christian. The shorter answer is really the same story that I share with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ: the grace of God worked out in the life of a sinner. To Him be the glory!
June whitla Southside RPC, Indianapolis
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Boys’ adventure camp report Boys’ Adventure Camp returned for another year to Regent House where despite some worrying forecasts, we were blessed with a week of decent weather. Each morning throughout the week we heard a talk on the book of James, each focusing on a different important aspect of the Christian life such as perseverance, worldliness and taming the tongue. In the evening we had the opportunity to discuss these talks in more detail and think about how we could apply what we had heard to our lives. We both really enjoyed discussion groups this year and found them very challenging and a time of real blessing. Another highlight of the week for us was on Sunday when Craig McMillan talked to us about the difference his faith and trust in God had on his life after he was paralysed at the age of 17 in a rugby accident and reminded us that although we may make plans for our lives, God may have
a very different but better plan in mind. Many great activities were held throughout the week. These involved outings to Lisburn, Belfast Activity Centre, Dundonald and other places where activities like ice-skating, swimming, bowling and mountain biking were on offer.
Team challenge was on Thursday and as well as being great fun, gave us a chance to get our old clothes nice and dirty. After the trip home wrapped in our fashionable bin bags, a long shower was appreciated...perhaps a bit too long for some.
On Friday we went into town where an officer hunt was held and after that we had the chance to do a bit of shopping and “splash out” on some quality presents for some quality officers. An evening activity was held each night such as a game show or movie night. This was followed by supper and evening worship after which it was soon time for bed after a busy day but for some the fun didn’t stop after lights out. BAC 2015 was a great experience and we are so glad to have had the opportunity to come to camp over the past 3 years to make new friends and be strengthened in our faith and we will leave with many great memories. Thanks again to Steven and the team of officers and cooks who gave up their time to make this week possible.
Calvin Quigley & Ross Fallows Airdrie RPC, Kilraughts RPC
College Opening Lecture Tuesday 6th October 8pm Norris Wilson 8 THE MESSENGER | JULY - AUGUST 2o15
senior camp 2O15 Having just attended my 5th Senior Camp (which, as I am sure many former campers would point out, is not actually that many) I was surprised by the looks of confusion I received from younger campers who couldn’t quite believe I was still coming to Camp at the grand old age of 20! So what is it that brings me back to Camp every year? I want to highlight two reasons why I have gone to camp every summer, and, that I hope will encourage others of Senior Camp age to see why coming to camp for 4,5,6+ years is not only perfectly acceptable, but also hugely beneficial. Firstly, the teaching; in my five years of Camp, it has been second to none. This year, Rev. Warren Peel spoke on the book of Revelation, a book that is widely perceived as complicated, and perhaps even irrelevant in the 21st century. Not only did Warren do a fantastic job in explaining some of the imagery found in the book, but he
also highlighted the relevance of the book today, explaining in his first talk that the society described in the book of Revelation is extremely similar to the one we currently live in. Every year so far, Senior Camp has proved to be the week of the year from which I have benefitted most spiritually – we have a great opportunity to have a week like this every summer, which doesn’t have to stop once you turn 18. Secondly, the opportunity to spend time with lots of Christians of your own age. Particularly once you go to university and, if like me, you live with non-Christians throughout the academic year, having the opportunity to be around other Christians for a week is a great encouragement. It’s also a reminder that other people are going through exactly the same struggles as you. It is a week to build up friendships with people you have been going to Camp with for several years; I met many of my closest friends through Camps, and it
is great to be able to spend a week with them every summer! This year at Camp, I think many would agree that the activities were some of the best yet; some of the classics returned (McCollum’s Madness, competitive sports and the party (this year spiced up with UV paint) as well as some new things - a day trip to Dublin and, my personal favourite, outdoor activities in Carlingford. Where else could you experience such a smorgasbord of activities in one week? Senior Camp has it all! Finally, from personal experience, I have enjoyed Camp more and more each year, despite having been perhaps a little hesitant to reapply. So when the forms come out for next year, I hope many of you will decide to go back!
REBEkah KERR Knockbracken RPC
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SERIES
Naomi
a woman of faith
women of the bible As a child, I wasn’t too pleased about being the namesake of the Biblical Naomi: she was, to me, a sad old lady who fled Israel when times were tough and had some fairly strange ideas about the best way to find a husband. She also seemed completely overshadowed by her daughterin-law: courageous, faithful Ruth who, as well as having a royal great-grandson, had a whole book named for her. (Full disclosure: my attitude probably wasn’t helped by the fact that my older sister is named after the heroic Ruth.) However, over time I’ve come to appreciate Naomi more and to realise that there is a lot that we can learn from her life and character as a woman of faith, as described in the short, gripping book of Ruth, which I encourage you to read.
world. We must use our time here wisely; like Naomi, we should look for opportunities to tell those around us of our God, and live in a way that draws others to us, so that they will want to know the ‘reason for the hope that is in you’ (1 Peter 3v15).
Faith in Hard Times Even in her grief and destitution, when Naomi’s situation seems hopeless, she acknowledges God’s work in her life (Ruth 1v21). In her mourning for her husband and sons, she recognises that it is God who is in charge of her situation and who has brought her back to Bethlehem, though she
Faith in a Foreign Land Although Naomi and her family did move to Moab when famine struck Israel, they didn’t forget their God. Naomi’s love and godliness made such an impact on her Moabite daughters-in-law that, following the early deaths of their husbands, they were willing to leave their country and families behind to return with her to Bethlehem. It is apparent that through Naomi speaking of her God and his laws, Ruth came to know God as her own Lord, leading to her famous declaration of love and loyalty in Ruth 1v16, ‘Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.’ Whether you travel the world or spend your whole life in one town, if you are a follower of Christ you are also a foreigner: your home is Heaven, not this 12 THE MESSENGER | JULY - AUGUST 2o15
does not yet see the purpose. It’s important for us to remember that, while it’s easy to believe in a loving God when things are going our way, faith that gives up in times of crisis is not real faith. You may not understand or enjoy parts of God’s plans for your life, but, even if you’re sick, lonely, struggling at school or work, or facing other situations that you find challenging, the one thing you can hold onto is the fact that
‘the Lord will fulfil his purpose for [you]’ (Psalm 138v8).
Faith in the Redeemer God guides Ruth to work in the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s husband and a redeemer, one of those who can buy her family’s land and keep the family name going. When Naomi hears of Boaz’s kindness to Ruth, she immediately praises God, realising that it is through this man that God will rescue them. She encourages Ruth to place herself in Boaz’s care, relying fully on his integrity and action to do all that is required to redeem them (Ruth 3v18). Naomi’s trust in Boaz is rewarded; he and Ruth ultimately marry and the family name and lands are preserved through the birth of their son, Obed. While Naomi’s story ends with an almost Disney-worthy happy-ever-after, if we finish reading it and only wonder when we’ll get our own fairy-tale ending, we’ve missed the bigger picture. Obed was a child born to save his family from losing their lands and place in Israel’s history, but his descendent, Jesus, was born to save all those chosen to be in God’s family from losing their souls and to give them a place in Heaven. In Boaz, too, we see more than just the hero of a romantic drama; he foreshadows Christ, who has done all that is required to redeem us and in whom, like Naomi, we must put our faith.
NAOMI STEen North Edinburgh RPC
SERIES
psalm 21 It is easy to be a gloomy, doleful, negative, Eeyore-type character. Being a happy, positive, encouraging follower of Jesus Christ often seems much trickier. The daily bombardment of sad and bad news takes its toll on the happy-heart reserves of even the most upbeat believer. So is it possible to heed the command of God, ‘Rejoice, I say it again rejoice’ ? Of course, it is. Otherwise for God to have commanded such joy would be a cruel joke. King David and his people had many reasons to be filled with gloom and doom even without depressing, daily newsfeed notifications. Day and daily they were hated, ridiculed and reviled; yet in this song the king is rejoicing (v1) and his people are rejoicing (v13). So what was their secret and what counsel is there here for followers
of the Great King, Jesus Christ, so that we too can be always rejoicing? In v2-7 the followers of king David were watching their victorious king return from battle and were thanking God for all the victory he had bestowed on their king, ‘You have given him his heart’s desire’ (v2). David had dealt repeated death blows on his enemies and received ‘a crown of fine gold’. He was the sure and certain indisputable victor. In v8-12 the followers of King David turned to think of the future and they were filled not with despair but with hopeful anticipation that their king would again be victorious, and deal with all his enemies. These twin truths of the king’s past victory and his certain future victory changed everything. As we let the wheels of our hearts
run along the twin tracks of King Jesus’ present victory and his future victory we too will experience much more joy. Rejoice our King has been to the battle of Golgotha and defeated the enemy of sin and Satan and death. Rejoice - our King will deal with every last one of his enemies. Some willingly bow in faith and repentance to his rule and reign but all others when he comes he will ‘swallow up in his wrath’ (v9). So get on track, Christian, and let these truths cause your heart and soul to roll along much more joyfully and shout out,
‘Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength. We will sing and praise your power.’ (v13)
David mccullough Dromore RPC
Eastern Presbytery C.Y. Events
#ChristiansMakeMistakes Come and learn from Biblical Characters who made mistakes but God still used for His glory! 16th-18th October: E.P Weekend, Jonah - Knockbracken R.P.C Friday 20th November: Thomas - Woodstock Rd., R.P.C Friday 18th December: Winter Party, Sarah Shaftesbury Square R.P.C Friday 19th February: Samson, Dromara R.P.C Friday 18th March: Multi-Sport Event, Peter, Lisburn LeisurePlex & Lisburn R.P.C Friday 22nd April: Praise Service, Martha, Trinity R.P.C
all starting at 8pm STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY
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2o15 go teams We arrived on Sabbath, in time for the evening service. Joel Loughridge preached on Psalm 3, preparing us for the week of service ahead. The team was then introduced to the congregation over supper, before we all went to stay with different families of the church. Monday morning involved preparation for the week ahead; we discussed our plans for the Holiday Bible Club and spent time in prayer. In the afternoon we started our studies on 1 Peter, reading the chapters privately before discussing them together. We also looked at the book, ‘Spiritual Disciplines’ by Donald Whitney. The week of Bible studies was demanding on our tired brains but I greatly benefitted from them spiritually, as did the rest of the team,
and they helped us as we served together. The morning Holiday Bible Club ran smoothly, the team worked really well together and we appreciate the amount of preparation members of the congregation had done in advance. The children seemed to really enjoy singing, hearing and learning God’s Word, as well as playing together. The theme was ‘Superheroes, Jesus the real superhero’. We used some of the miracles in the New Testament to show the children how powerful Jesus is. On Wednesday we had the traditional ‘Pensioners’ Tea Party’. Everyone was entertained by jokes, musical items and Irish dancing. Before being served tea and cakes, Joel gave a short Bible talk. The evenings were very relaxed, in which we spent time with young people from the village and other churches. We played games, did crafts and had some competitive tournaments, such as table tennis and intense Jenga! Each evening was concluded with an epilogue, either based around a well-known Bible verse, or someone’s testimony. On our last day, we took the Youth Club on a trip, where we did crazy golf carting, archery, bull riding and team building games. It was a really great finish to the busy week. This was my first Go team. I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot from it. I encourage anyone who is considering being on a team next year to go for it! Thank you so much to everyone in Cloughmills: those who cooked delicious meals for us, gave us hospitality and made us feel so welcome. We received so much more than we gave.
bethan mcdonnell Trinity RPC Galway Go Team 2015 began with a long day travelling, damp weather and a bit of car trouble but this failed to dampen the enthusiasm, energy and excitement of this group of young people. Each day we distributed the 4You magazine alongside leaflets for the talk on Angels which was held on the Thursday evening. This distribution throughout Galway presented each member of the team with opportunities to speak to people about the magazine and Christianity, whilst working on their upper arm strength by carrying handfuls of magazines. As one would expect, there were mixed reactions to the work being carried out. At times magazines 14 THE MESSENGER | JULY - AUGUST 2o15
were refused (on one occasion by someone who believed they were ‘Christian enough’), yet on other occasions it was clear that God had been working in individuals’ lives for some time and they wanted to know more about Christ. On most evenings, in the bustling main street of Galway city, evangelism took place through talks by Billy Hamilton and Peter Jemphrey. These talks were engaging, interesting and informative for both passers-by and the team. The Lord used Billy’s commanding voice and Peter’s infectious smile to cause many to stop, listen and consider the message. This led to conversations about God and free literature was offered. It became apparent how many people knew nothing of the Lord and his power to save them from the destruction of this world.
The team had to learn not to become disheartened by those who had no desire to hear of the amazing truth of our Saviour. Despite the interest of some, during street evangelism and Raymond Blair’s talk on Angels, the scepticism of others was apparent. Psalm 139 reminds us that no matter how far we try to flee from God’s presence he will always be there. It is our responsibility to pray for those who were present at any of these events that they may have their hearts changed by God’s love. Romans chapter one was the focus of the team Bible
studies and these verses became more relevant and encouraging as the week progressed. Paul explains how the people of Rome have turned away from God, yet we remember his declaration of Romans 1v16, ‘For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings Salvation to everyone who believes.’
Most of the team arrived on Saturday afternoon. We woke up the next day bright and early for the Sunday morning service, in which Rev. Nigel Agnew preached on Revelation 12. Afterwards we had a wonderful dinner provided by Dot Murphy, and then in the evening we sang a few Psalms, which were introduced by the team. On Monday we distributed all of our leaflets and, despite Peter McCollum driving the wrong way up a one-way street, we spent the afternoon preparing the hall for the week ahead. The Holiday Bible Club and Teens’ Club began on Tuesday, and we started each day at Riverside at 9:15 am. The Holiday Bible Club started at 10:00 am, in which we explained to the children the life of Joseph. Deborah Throne gave the first lesson to the children. We also sang songs, learned Bible verses, played games and had some interesting quizzes, all led by various members of the team. Most afternoons we had discipleship classes led by Mr Agnew. In the evenings there was the Teens’ Club. David Matthess gave the first talk and afterwards there was an entertaining games show.
Each day followed a similar schedule, with Esther McCollum giving the lesson for the Holiday Bible Club on Wednesday, and at the Teens’ Club we organised a Pea Fair, with Andrew Harvey giving the second talk. On Thursday afternoon we took to the streets with the famous Cup O’Joe and, as they entertained with music, the rest of the team were able to talk to those who stopped by to listen. This gave us the opportunity to hand out invitations to the Friday night barbecue. Peter McCollum delivered the lesson for the Kids’ Club, and Benjamin Agnew ultimately finished off with the last Teens’ Club talk. On Friday Mrs Janneth McCune presented the final talk for the children. The rest of the day was spent preparing for the barbecue where we enjoyed the games and quiz. The week concluded with a witty poem written by Deborah Cartmill, Deborah Alexander and Deborah Throne.
hannah kelso-mason Drimbolg RPC
JacoB matthess Ballenon and Ballylane RPC
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On the 28th of June the Go team assembled at Glenmanus church for the evening service. There were 11 of us on the team: Sarah McNeil, Rachel Fallows, Rebecca Hanna, Grace, Anna, Esther and Scott (all McCollums), Gavin McCaughan, Philip Coulter, Jacob Matthess and myself. As a team we got on very well and enjoyed the fellowship together (although there was a lot of cheating in a competitive game of four on a couch - more on the girls part). During the week our days consisted of leaflet distribution in the morning, followed by a bible study on the book of Jonah and then the Holiday Bible Club in the evening. We distributed
two leaflets to houses all over Portrush and Portstewart. One leaflet invited the people to meetings in the Ramada hotel where Robert Robb was talking about depression, the other invited them to the Summer Bible Readings taking place in the church the following week. We managed to distribute all 5000 leaflets quickly and safely thanks to God, we even had time to give out some leaflets and talk to people on the promenade. God was working in our distribution as both of these meetings were well attended. On Wednesday afternoon we organised afternoon tea and entertainment (with our talents or lack of talents in some case) for the Friendship Group. Gavin brought the afternoon to a close with an epilogue based on Psalm 148 which we all sang. The Holiday Bible Club took place from Monday to Thursday and was based on stories from the book of Acts with the title “Message Unstoppable�. God provided just under 20 kids and most attended every day. On the Thursday the parents had the chance to come along and listen to what the kids had learned and hear them singing the psalm choruses and then enjoy some icecream. This brought the Holiday Bible Club and the Go team to an end.
Daniel kennedy Kilraughts RPC
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SERIES SERIES
inside out film review
Inside Out, the latest offering from Disney Pixar (the legends that brought us UP!), is a worthy successor to UP!’s success. Witty, warm and beautifully animated, Inside Out follows the story of Riley Anderson, an 11-year-old moving from Minnesota to San Francisco. Or, rather, it is the story of Riley’s emotions: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear and Anger, as they try to keep Riley happy and bubbly in the face of a life-changing move. An unfortunate accident in headquarters lands Joy and Sadness in Riley’s long-term memory, leaving Disgust, Fear and Anger to control Riley’s emotions whilst Joy and Sadness
must work together to get back to HQ and save her and all her memories. Cue chaos and adventures will have you laughing and crying out loud, possibly in equal amounts. Inside Out has something for all the family, young and old, and everyone will enjoy it.*
I imagine it will become an instant Pixar classic. Particularly enjoyable are the forays
Joy in Inside Out is not a representation of real lasting joy. In reality, she is just happiness, a fleeting emotion into the minds of others. I recommend you stay for the credits. Much of Inside Out revolves around the developing relationship between Joy and Sadness. Joy tries to get Sadness to see the brighter side of life, whilst Sadness lives very much as a wet blanket (or so Joy thinks). Throughout the course of the adventure, Joy must learn that Sadness is as much a part of Riley as Joy is. Just as the Preacher says in Ecclesiastes 3:4 there is a time for
everything, sadness and joy must cohabit in our fallen world. But Joy in Inside Out is not a representation of real lasting joy. In reality, she is just happiness, a fleeting emotion. The Bible teaches us that true joy is something deeper, something much more real. How is it that Paul can say in 2 Corinthians 7:4 that his joy is overflowing when he is deeply afflicted? Joy is one of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and comes from the Lord and knowing him, not from comfort in our circumstances, nor from the happy glow that accompanies the best things in life. Our joy is fixed in the sure and certain hope of our salvation. It can be desperately easy, especially as young people, to get caught up and tossed around by a riot of emotions and changing circumstances. How can we find true joy here on earth? By seeking the presence of the Lord. “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 *5/5 McKelveys surveyed enjoyed this film on a rare family outing to the cinema.
Helen McKelvey Cullybackey RPC
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Guest
Planned Parenthood How Much Longer?
After a two-year undercover operation, a group of pro-life activists has produced a series of videos uncovering the truth behind the polished veneer of Planned Parenthood. This private firm, part funded by taxpayer dollars, is the largest provider of abortion services in America. The article below is part of the raw reaction to the callous words and actions of Planned Parenthood as they dissect living children to sell them piece by piece for maximum profit. In one sense, there are really just two types of people when it comes to the topic of abortion: those who think it is okay to kill unborn babies, and those who think it’s wrong. If you don’t think you’re in one of these categories, you still are; you’re just confused. Confusion, though, isn’t the most terrible thing. It means there is still hope, and, in fact, this hopeful condition likely characterizes the general public of the United States. Most people don’t have a deep conviction about unborn babies. Most people don’t even think about unborn babies unless it’s an election year or the news runs a story. Even most who support abortion can only repeat the rhetoric they’ve heard from devotees. And therefore, if confusion is what’s really popular, the question becomes: What will it take for abortion activists to convince the general public that their position is a psychotic threat to humanity? When will the rhetoric about women’s health and women’s rights be exposed for what it truly is (since, of course, by women’s ‘health’ and women’s ‘rights’ they must not mean the near 28 million girls aborted since 1973)? What will it take?Where is the tipping point when the truth of Planned Parenthood can no longer be ignored by the popular conscience? Abortion’s Self-Destruction Mind-changing momentum 18 THE MESSENGER | JULY - AUGUST 2o15
is
beginning to build, and to our surprise, it’s not so much from the direct work of pro-life advocates, but from the unmasked mishaps of abortion activists themselves. Yes, that’s right. They’ve ironically stumbled into a suicide mission. What if, counter-conventional as it may seem, the greatest felt gains for unborn humans will come by the abortion industry’s self-destruction? Last year there was the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains reportedly awarded for exceeding their abortion quota. That is to say, in addition to other reports of such quotas, there was a certain number of abortions that the clinic was prescribed to perform and when they surpassed that number they were honored, all of which backfires against the language of abortions as safe, legal, and rare. But that is really nothing compared to the recent video that exposes Planned Parenthood for selling the body parts of infant corpses. If the thought of abortionists high-fiving each other over surpassing their abortion quotas doesn’t unsettle you, just watch the video of Deborah Nucatola chomp her food and sip her wine as she talks about selling aborted baby heads. You can watch the full two hours and forty minutes of conversation. Apparently, according to Nucatola, Planned Parenthood’s Senior Director of Medical Services, not only is abortion “safe, legal, and rare,” but it’s a pretty big
money-maker if you can keep those heads and livers intact as you extract the baby feet first. How Much Longer, America? Once again, we’re not supposed to know about this industry. Planned Parenthood doesn’t want us to know, especially since it’s illegal. But we do know.And if we open our eyes, we’ll never think the same way again about their organization and their lit tle tagline, “Care. No matter what.” Care? They receive millions of taxpayer dollars, and our president tells them to keep up “the good work” — to butcher babies and sell their body parts? Care? Sooner or later, Planned Parenthood, the conviction-less masses are going to start scratching their heads. Please, just keep talking. Just keep doing what you do. The lights are coming on, and you’ve got nowhere to hide. The question for the rest of us is how long it is before we feel the cumulative effect. How much time will we give the abortion industry before they self-destruct? How much longer, America? How long are we going to let this go on?How many more conversations need to leak? How much more blood must be spilt? How many more body parts must be dismembered, packaged, and sold before we realize this whole thing is a nightmare? God, may it end soon. © 2015 Jonathan Parnell, desiringGod.org
See back page for details on how to get your copy
Rosaria Butterfield’s name is one familiar to many of us now, after the runaway success of her first book, ‘Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert’. It’s not difficult to see why; the compelling story of how a tenured English professor at a prestigious American university, comfortably living in a lesbian relationship, an active member of the local LGBT community, comes to faith in Christ through the ministry of a local (Reformed Presbyterian) pastor, and, in her own words, loses everything but the dog, before some years later ending up a pastor’s wife. If you’ve not read it, put this magazine down (not something a committee member says lightly!) and obtain a copy - it’s a fantastic, well-written read. Her just released followup, ‘Openness Unhindered’, is less autobiographical and more about how her unusual journey through life is helping her in her ministry now. It
OPenness unhindered BOOK review
also provides useful advice on how to improve on our witness to others. The book is not a difficult read nor is anything of what Rosaria says particularly groundbreaking. Nonetheless, when I look through my Kindle highlights there are dozens of passages I have highlighted that I have found helpful, insightful or challenging. There is explanation of the lies in misunderstanding homosexual sin as somehow unforgivable in God’s sight, and the real danger of the modern church believing in a ‘pray-the-gay-away’ Gospel. There is simple expansion of the principle of sanctification, and how it is worked out through obedience to the Word of God. There is advice on how to identify sin that we are clinging to, the best way to deal with it, and a reminder of the grievousness of sin in a holy God’s sight. Cultural explanation is abundant as well, with chapters 4 and 5 helping to establish how homosexuality got to the place in our society that it is today,
tracing it back to the mistakes of 19th century academics and the relentless pressure of sin. The final few chapters of the book are devoted to the Church, and here the most practical advice for the Church as a community arises. There’s a lovely bit on conflict resolution (again, LGBT-centred but the main principles are universal) and how to represent Christ to the world; if we’re anti-sin, we need to be publicly, loudly, clearly and repeatedly showing those around us that there is a better way. I think here, perhaps, there are a few ideas surrounding adoption that perhaps stray from the biblical model of the family, but it’s a paragraph at most, and certainly not a reason to ignore picking up this excellent read.
Alistair rolleston Newtownards RPC
they had bought. Later that evening we went to the swimming pool. The girls who were at GDC for the last time got a Chinese takeaway meal at about 11pm!
Girls’ Discovery Camp, for girls aged 10 to 12, was held at Ballycastle High from 1st to 8th August 2015. The days followed a routine: • Talk: The leaders took it in turn to present the talks in a “One Another” series. The talks explained how to treat others. They were entitled: Love One Another; Serve One Another; Pray for One Another, Encourage One Another and Forgive One Another. • ABC: this stands for activity, baking and craft. We were split into 3 groups for this. In activity we played things like bucket ball. For baking we made Crunchie Buns and Oreo Truffles whilst in craft we decorated pots and made bracelets. My favourite “ABC” was baking because we got to lick the spoon!
•Outings: Horse riding was organized for Wednesday and I think it was one of everyone’s favourite events. We walked to the beach on Thursday and played games and made marble runs in our squads, which had about 4 or 5 people each. On Friday we went shopping in Coleraine and all of the girls came back pleased with what
• Other Events: On arrival we got to know the names of the other girls by playing games. The next day we went to Dervock RPC and had a delicious lunch. A man named Rev. Sid Garland told us about Nigeria. On Monday we went surfing and did Beach Olympics, which everyone enjoyed. Tuesday was a Theme Day, which involved all of us, including the leaders, dressing up in costumes related to the theme of chocolate bars or the book, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. Some people got prizes for their costumes. On Thursday evening there was a camp concert when all the girls grouped together and performed different plays such as ‘The Gruffalo’ or gymnastic displays. I should also say that the meals were excellent. We all had a thoroughly enjoyable week at camp and I will remember it because it was my very first Camp. Thank you to the Leaders and Cooks!
Anna Finch Loughbrickland RPC STRENGTHENING REFORMED YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THE NATIONS FOR GOD’S GLORY
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