EDITORIAL AND CONTENTS
CHALLENGE RELATIONSHIPS THE ETERNAL SPIRIT ST. PATRICK GAY MARRIAGE UPDATE POSTER - THE HOLY TRINITY UPDATE FROM GALWAY INTERVIEW - LOUISE BLAIR LES MISERABLES MALACHI THE VILLAGERS + EAST BELFAST UPDATE JARGON + PSALM 8 BOOK REVIEWS
At the end of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle gives an intriguing command: ‘Do not quench the Spirit’ (1 Thessalonians 5v19). This is certainly a difficult verse to understand. How can the work of the all-powerful Holy Spirit be quenched? We can smother the Spirit’s impact on our lives by indulging sin or making passing gifts the focus of our joy. However, I wonder whether there is a sense in which Paul’s warning is particularly applicable to Reformed Christians. Can we overreact to the excesses of Pentecostalism and fail to enjoy the Holy Spirit? The Spirit delights in pointing towards the glory of the Son and the Father, but we are not to ignore him. A greater understanding of his person and work will help us glorify and enjoy God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I hope that Andrew Stewart’s new series, which begins by examining the Spirit’s eternality, will help you love, worship and adore the Holy Spirit. To complement our new series, our latest committee member, Phil Aicken, has designed a poster on the doctrine of the Trinity. Our cover article is the latest installment in our outstanding series on relationships. I suspect you weren’t expecting to read the title ‘Singing from the same Hymn sheet’ on the front page of the Messenger! Mark Loughridge raises the importance of discussing theological issues in a relationship and how differences in belief interact with God’s design for marriage. Throughout this series we have seen examples of how our love for Jesus ought to transform how we approach relationships. One of the joys of a relationship is the feeling that you can discuss anything and everything with someone. However, this can become a problem if sharing each day’s every detail prevents you ever reaching more important topics. If you are seeking to build a relationship that will bring glory to him, you must plan and discuss how you will serve Christ’s precious bride together. In Mark’s words it’s time to ‘talk church’. There are many other superb articles in this issue. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our contributors for the hard work they have invested in producing clear, considered, and Christexalting content. I hope you enjoy the magazine. Yours in Christ,
Editor
The Messenger is the bi-monthly magazine of the Covenanter Youth, the young people’s association of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland. The subscription cost is £8/€10 per year (6 issues). Cheques made payable to the Messenger Magazine and sent to: Alistair Rolleston, 3 Hawthorn Close, Newtownards, BT23 8EU. Please visit our website for other payment and subscription options. You can contact the Messenger by email via messenger@rpc.org. 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.
Abigail Nelson Alistair Rolleston Andrew Morrison Emma Dunwoody James McCullough Philip Aicken Robert McCollum Stephen Steele -
CHALLENGE
en-shahdi, Flickr
AT THE END of 2012, YOLO was shortlisted for English Word of the Year by the Oxford English Dictionary. For those with little interest in contemporary slang, ‘YOLO’ is an acronym for ‘You Only Live Once.’ It became popularized by a particular music genre at the end of 2011 and since then it has become a very common, and sometimes overused, slogan. Many people have it written on clothes, some have it as a tattoo and some celebrities claim to have taken YOLO as their life motto. However, the phrase also became associated with young people engaging in reckless and idiotic behaviour, which they then posted about on social networking sites.
Perhaps for a different generation carpe diem (seize the day) would hold similar meaning. Some people who adopt phrases like these as their life motto take them to extreme levels. We often see non-Christians attempting to make the most of their one life by having a ‘good time’ or disregarding the gift of life they’ve been given in an attempt to enjoy themselves. But these words should mean something altogether different for us as Christians compared to those who live their lives without the sense of purpose Jesus gives. For Christians, ‘You Only Live Once’ is a false statement
to make. We are already living a new life which we have been given through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have died to our sinful nature, to the old way of living, and through Jesus new life has begun. From Genesis 1 we know that we are all made in God’s image, created in his likeness. There are many verses in the Psalms that speak of how God knows us as individuals and how he loves us (for example, the well-loved Psalm 139). This alone should make us respect our God-given lives and treat our bodies with the respect we are commanded to (1 Corinthians 6:19). When we remember the grace and mercy that is ours through the sacrifice of our Saviour and Lord, we should be full of praise - praise for the fresh start, for the freedom to come time and again before him in prayer, freedom to worship him every day. Our life, our new life in Christ Jesus, should be respected and cherished. However, this also brings us a challenge: to ensure that we use our lives in the way that they have been intended. As followers of Christ our main goal is to bring glory to him through everything we do with the life that he has given to us. When we do this, we will not view life the way this world does; rather we will be transformed by the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2), so that, through our speech, work and witness, we will live more and more to reflect Jesus, the Giver and Redeemer of our Emma Dunwoody precious lives. Limavady RPC
COVER ARTICLE
WHERE ARE YOU going to worship if you get married? His place? Her place? A ‘neutral’ place? Or will you go week about for a few months, and then choose? Or go to your church and hope everything will be OK; find out after a few months that it isn’t, then try their church, only to find that you aren’t really happy there either? Or will you decide to go to separate churches? It’s probably not an issue if you are going out with someone from the same denomination, but what if you are going out with someone from another denomination? In a previous generation it was traditional for the lady to go to the man’s church, but we live in different times. With increased mobility, an increased willingness to chop and change churches, and, in Northern Ireland at least, a huge number of options for church, it is perhaps more of an issue than it was. Have you talked theology yet? -
OK, maybe ‘theology’ sounds heavy; let’s call it ‘church’. Not perhaps the most romantic of suggestions, but if you love each other you owe it to each other to have this conversation.
Is it not enough to find another Christian? Does their theology actually matter? Some of you may be thinking surely any Christian is better than remaining single? If you think that, I would urge you to look at your priorities. Marriage is a partnership on every level - physical, emotional, and spiritual. This is not a subtle attempt to say that RPs should only date RPs. It isn’t about finding a theological soulmate who prefers tulips to roses, who ticks every box on your theological shopping list. Rather I want to flag up important issues that could be missed in starry-eyed romance. Let me give you some areas this impacts on: - Your ability as a husband to
lead or your ability as a wife to submit to his leadership, both of which impact God’s blessing on your marriage as well as your happiness within your marriage - Your spiritual welfare, growth and happiness - Your experience of the community of God’s people, and their experience of your fellowship - Your children’s experience of a godly marriage and commitment to church - Your witness - if one person isn’t comfortable in church, how will they bring others along? These are serious issues, not just affecting you but also impacting on the lives of others. It may be time to take off your rosy glasses and do more than just take it as it comes, hoping it turns out OK. Have the conversation.
Is this just about psalm singing and worship? No, it takes in a wide
COVER ARTICLE
range of areas. Let me ask some questions that may arise in different contexts: Will you accept the authority of a woman minister or elders? Are you prepared to be rebaptised in order to be a member of their church? Are you willing to not have your children baptised or be thought of as covenant children? Will you be content if the doctrines of grace (Reformed theology) aren’t taught, but are denied? What if the church believes you aren’t a proper Christian unless you speak in tongues or have some gifting of the Spirit? What about a host of other areas - end times, Sabbath day, prophecy, etc. - what if you do not agree with their teaching? And what about worship-will you be able to engage in worship using hymns and other worship songs? The questions apply for people coming to the RP Church too, particularly on the issues of Reformed theology, baptism, worship and charismatic gifts. Don’t assume that these are small issues for people.
Looking at Paul’s instructions to husbands and wives, he expects, commands even, that husbands are to lovingly lead and wives are to lovingly submit to this loving leading. This gives us one big question that would-be husbands and wives each need to consider before marriage: Women: Can I willingly submit to his choice of church and to what it teaches? Men: Have I lovingly considered, rather than assumed, whether or not she will be able to submit to my choice of church and my spiritual leadership?
Men, God has called you to be leaders in your relationship. You should honour your girlfriend by initiating the conversation. The final decision lies in your lap, and God
holds you accountable for it. It may be that your wife-to-be is willing to come to your church (maybe she sees that as part of the deal!) and that’s the end of the issue. In this case you have at least been considerate in raising the issue. It may be that she is less sure, and has questions about what you believe. You’ve probably talked about them already, but not in the context of where you will end up worshipping. You may wish to sit down with the minister or one of the elders and talk over the differences. It may be that she has no intention, or sees no possibility of coming to your church. That’s a worrying position. Who’s going to wear the trousers in your relationship? If a man is convinced of the church’s position, it would be wrong to go against his convictions and join another church with different standards. He should bring his wife along with him; that doesn’t mean dragging her there against her will but leading lovingly. If she isn’t convinced, then unless she can show it is sinful, she needs to obey the clear command to follow her husband’s lead. For men, the important issue is that they should lead with love in their marriages rather than let themselves be led, or drift along in a sea of indecision. Wimping out and leaving the choice up to her isn’t an option God gives you. Going to two different churches is an abdication of responsibility; so too is dithering, or sitting as adherents and committing to nowhere.
Girls, are you willing to join another denomination in order to submit to your husband’s choice of church, and to its practices? If you hold strong convictions about certain issues like Psalm singing or Baptism (and I believe you should!) that may narrow the field for you. It may mean not starting a relationship with someone who holds differing views, or ending a relationship. On the other hand, he may want to find out more about why you’re so convinced and it could be that he will come to your church. However, you cannot just assume that you can continue on as you
are and he will back down. That disrespects his convictions, and also the calling God has given to him to lead. Talk about it. On the other hand, if you do enter into a covenant of marriage then you are placing yourself under his leadership which, unless you can clearly call it sinful, is to be followed. If you end up in another denomination you need to be prepared to submit to their teaching - in the same way we require members of our congregations to ‘show a teachable and submissive spirit to the teaching of Holy Scripture as set forth in the testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church’. It doesn’t mean you necessarily agree, but that you can accept it, and not begrudgingly. The command to obey your husband is clearer by far than most doctrinal issues. That is your priority. It is more honouring to Christ for you to submit even if you disagree, than to force him to go against his calling and convictions. It is also more loving for him to hold firm to what he believes to be right than to compromise his calling and convictions to accommodate you. Your and his spiritual welfare depend on him leading. Don’t jeopardise it. I have the highest admiration for ladies I know, both inside and outside the RP Church, who have submitted to their husbands in this way. They are women of noble character who bring their husbands ‘good, not harm’ and are ‘worth far more than rubies’.
What I’m saying is this: Don’t assume about church, don’t assume love will smooth over everything, and don’t get into a position where you will find it hard to fulfil your Godgiven responsibilities. It’s a conversation you need to have sooner rather than Mark Loughridge later. Letterkenny RPC
NEW SERIES SERIES
A YOUNG WOMAN was being examined for church membership. The elders asked, “How many persons are there in the Godhead?” “Two,” she replied, “The Father and the Son”. Her minister quickly corrected her, “There are three persons in the Godhead. Have you forgotten about the Holy Spirit?” However, she had not forgotten and went on to explain, “I hear you call upon the name of God the Father and call people to trust in the Lord Jesus, yet I hear so little about the Holy Spirit. It seems there might as well be only two persons in the Godhead.” If this rebuke could be directed at us, we have a real problem on our hands. A defective view of God gives us a defective view of the Gospel. A fourth century defender of the doctrine of the Trinity, Gregory of Nazianzus, described the doctrine’s devotional impact. “I cannot think of the One, but I am immediately surrounded by the splendour of the Three; nor can I clearly discover the Three, but I am suddenly carried back to the One.” It is vitally important that we know each of the three persons in the Godhead – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. These articles will examine the Holy -
Spirit as he is the person in the Godhead most often overlooked. Let me suggest two reasons why this may be the case. 1. His distinct existence became evident only gradually as the history of salvation unfolded. He was recognised as a divine person only after the distinct existence of the Father and Son was acknowledged. Old Testament believers right down to the time of John the Baptist had only the faintest inkling of his existence (Acts 19:2). With hindsight we can look back into the Old Testament and see that he is both powerful and personal, distinguished from the other divine persons, yet equally God. 2. His distinct ministry is sometimes seen as less important than that of the Father and Son. They are seen to make the really big decisions and do the really important work. They are thought to delegate the less important and more routine tasks to the Holy Spirit. This mistaken thinking can be countered by highlighting the biblical teaching that the Holy Spirit is the Eternal Spirit. This description of the Holy Spirit is found, in a verse which focuses on the atoning work of Christ, Hebrews 9:14. Yet it is worth digging into the
rich vein of biblical doctrine which comes to the surface in these few words. The Holy Spirit has been eternally active at the heart of the Godhead in three areas.
Paul describes God’s plan of salvation in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. “From the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” There can be no doubt that the Holy Spirit has been chosen for a very important task and several verses reveal that he was party to God’s eternal discussion. In Genesis 1:26, God said “Let us make man.” This could be a plural of grandeur, but better still the plural of triunity. The Spirit was part of the collective decision to create. In Isaiah 40:12 the prophet asks a series of questions emphasising the uniqueness of Israel’s God. Only Jehovah could do these things. Then in v.13 he asks, “Who has understood the Spirit (mind) of God?” Whom did God consult when he made the world? Whose advice did he rely on? Certainly not that of any created being. Yet there in the discussion was the Spirit of Jehovah, doing what only God can do and knowing what only God can know.
NEW SERIES In John 15:26 our Lord describes the Holy Spirit as one who “goes forth” or “proceeds from the Father”. This verse is sometimes taken as a description of that mysterious relationship between the Father and the Spirit. But more probably (and simply) the verse describes the Spirit’s coming into the world to do the work he was given to do. The point to note is that he came “from beside the Father” just as our Lord had (see John 16:28 where similar words are used). Both God the Son and God the Spirit were with the Father in eternity past. The Holy Spirit is inseparable from the Triune God who planned and decreed everything. Together with the Father and the Son he was in Paul’s thoughts when he exclaimed, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?” (Romans 11:33-16). Is he likewise in our thoughts?
When God said, “Let there be light” and there was light, the Holy Spirit was at his side. His participation is specifically recorded in Genesis 1:2, “...the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” This does not imply that the Spirit of God came upon the scene after the work of creation had been completed. The Spirit of God hovered over the creation, shaping, perfecting, beautifying the world which the triune God had planned, so that in Genesis 1:31 he could look at the world he had made and see that it was “very good”. The beautifying work of the Spirit is acknowledged in Job 26:13, “By his breath the skies became fair.” Also Psalm 104:30, “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.” This verse could refer to the Spirit’s work as each new life comes into existence, but even that simply perpetuates the creative work of the Holy Spirit at the very beginning. So what is the significance of this testimony to the Spirit’s work of creation?
1. God did not create from a distance; rather he was in the midst of creation even as he created it. He identified this created world as a place where he would dwell with his creatures. God did not wait until the birth of Immanuel to enter his creation. From the very beginning his Spirit hovered over it. 2. What was said of Jesus in John 1:13 – “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” – can also be said of the Spirit. This reinforces the point that the Spirit is inseparable from God’s works. Not only is he active in salvation, he was active in creation. The beauty of this world is a reflection of his glory. He demonstrates God’s delight in the world he made and his desire for its restoration.
This perfect world did not remain perfect for long. The fall of Genesis 3 spoiled the paradise of Genesis 1-2. The Lord God was grieved at what he saw, as we see in Genesis 6:6, but he did not abandon the world he had created. Instead Genesis 6:3 tells us that his Spirit strove with fallen mankind. “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” God did not strive forever, but he did persist. He held
“ back his hand of judgment. He restrained evil men – even though they may not have realised what he was doing. Yes, even among wicked people who did not acknowledge him, the Spirit of God was at work. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 10.4) refers to these as “Common operations of the Spirit”. We may even call them acts of common grace, because they display God’s goodness even to a fallen world. We may wish that God did more than merely restrain wicked men.
We long for the day when he will remove them or save them, but we can be very glad that the Spirit of God does strive with them. Otherwise, life on earth would be impossible. From time to time we get a terrible insight into the tragic Lord-of-the-Flies world that results when the restraining influence of God’s Spirit is removed. God’s Spirit strove with the nation of Israel, but even some of them rebelled against him. “Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them” (Isaiah 63:10). Even David cast off the restraining hand of God as he lazed around on the roof of his house and let his eyes wander. He resisted the restraint of the Spirit and regretted it. David acknowledged this in his prayer of confession in Psalm 51:4. Then in v.11, David begged, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” Surely it is significant that David refers (for the very first time in the Old Testament) to the Spirit of the Lord as the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit who strives with sinners to restrain their destructive sinful natures. Not only does he restrain sinners, he also leads them back from their sin. Nehemiah describes this work of restoration in Nehemiah 9:19-20. “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert... You gave your good Spirit to instruct them.” This is a work that continues in Christians today. The Holy Spirit restrains us by awakening our consciences, by empowering the ministry of God’s Word to convict us, by chastening us when we sin, and by assuring us that God’s mercy awaits those who repent and return to God. Thankfully, the Spirit of God does more than simply restrain sin in us. God’s plan is to conquer sin and remove its every stain. Even as the Holy Spirit restrains us from pressing on in our sinful ways he also points us to the Conqueror who Andrew Stewart alone can purify us Geelong RPC from all sin.
FEATURE
Patrick’s Life EVERY 17TH MARCH Chicago dyes its river green. Throughout the world parades and celebrations are held as people raise a glass to the Patron Saint of Ireland, St Patrick. Yet how much do we actually know about this man who is celebrated each year? Is he anything more to us than an excuse for a day off school, university or work? While accounts about Patrick vary and there are many myths associated with him, we can be sure about, and draw lessons from, the key facts of this great missionary’s life. St. Patrick was born in Britain around 390A.D. He was brought up in a Christian home and taught the Gospel at a young age, yet at the age of sixteen Patrick was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland to be sold as a slave. During these lonely years living as a shepherd boy in pagan Ireland, Patrick wrote the following words: ‘And there the Lord opened my mind to an awareness of my unbelief, in order that, even so late, I might remember my transgressions and turn with all my heart to the Lord my God.’ Having become a Christian, Patrick grew in his relationship with God and, even at this young age, he spent many hours in prayer each day. After six years in slavery, Patrick was led by God in a dream to leave his master and complete a gruelling journey home. -
Yet, after a number of years at home, Patrick was to return to Ireland as a missionary, taking the Gospel to the land where he had been enslaved and surrounded by paganism. In faith, he sold all his possessions, including the land he had inherited from his father, and set off for Ireland. Upon arriving, Patrick faced the same grim spiritual situation - one of Paganism and idol worship. Patrick began his work as a missionary, travelling from clan to clan, seeking to convert first the leaders of the clan and then the rest of the people with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
What can we learn? > I found the way Patrick came to faith to be of great encouragement. He was taught the Gospel in his childhood, yet never came to faith. During his time in Ireland, in the most unlikely of circumstances, God used the seed of the Gospel planted in his life to sprout a saving faith in Patrick. We must not become discouraged when we perhaps don’t see the fruit of children’s work right away. The life of Patrick reminds us that we never know when God will use the seeds planted for his glory. > As a new convert, Patrick found himself living in a society not unlike our own - one full of unbelievers and idol worshippers – so Patrick devoted much of his time to prayer and, in doing so, set an example which we should follow. Are we
fully relying on God, handing everything over to him on a daily basis and seeking his guidance in all that we do? Are we desiring to grow more like him each day and praying that both we and others would have the grace to do this?
“ > For Patrick, the return to Ireland would not have been easy – this was the island where he had been enslaved, not where he had spent happy childhood family holidays. Yet he knew this was a country without the Gospel of Christ and so he answered God’s call and went. Reaching the world will not be easy or comfortable, yet we, like Patrick, and ultimately like Jesus, must be willing to leave our comfort zones behind. This may mean something as simple as praying for and seeking to reach those people in school with whom you just can’t seem to click, or perhaps you could consider moving to an unexpected mission field in Ireland or beyond. As you approach March 17th this year and are anticipating your day off or bemoaning not getting a holiday, try to focus also on who St Patrick was and these valuable lessons which we can learn from his life. Luke McCollum Limavady RPC
BOOK REVIEWS NEWS
David Steen Dromore RPC
ON 5TH FEBRUARY the House of Commons voted to approve the coalition government’s Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill. This proposal seeks to legalise gay marriage in England and Wales and offers an ‘opt-in’ system for religious organisations. This has prompted widespread anger and debate across many denominations, and caused no small amount of confusion concerning its impact on the institution of marriage, and in how Christians should respond. The most recent vote was part of the second reading of the Bill in the House of Commons. Now that the proposal has received approval it will go to committee for consideration and amendment, after which there will be a third reading in the Commons and another vote to approve any amendments. At this point the Bill will be passed to the House of Lords, where it may be further amended or delayed (but not indefinitely, as the Commons can force through a bill without the Lords’ consent). The Commons will then consider the Lords’ amendments, and once all amendments are approved, the bill will receive Royal assent (this is a formality; the Queen can’t actually veto anything). At this point the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament and passes into law. It’s important to note that the government’s recent actions will only impact upon England and Wales. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland hold devolved power to legislate for themselves on this matter, and, while the Scottish
government has its own plans to introduce a similar bill, there was very little support for the UK Bill among Northern Irish MPs, and so it is unlikely that NI will face the issue itself in the foreseeable future. This is not to diminish the seriousness of the Parliamentary vote, or to make us complacent, but should rather make us thankful for God’s grace to this particular province. God has defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). Any attempt to deviate from this design must be recognised as being in direct, sinful opposition to God’s Word. Any other reason to oppose the government’s actions (such as cultural tradition, or even the defence of the nuclear family) pales into insignificance next to this fact. God’s prescribed pattern for marriage displays, even in our fallen world, a picture of Christ’s love for his Church. Any attack on God’s definition of marriage may therefore be seen as an attempt to dilute this display of his love to us, his Church. In supporting the government’s Bill, our parliament has shown its intent to stray further from the will of God, and once again ignore the promises that this country made in the past to govern itself in accordance with his commands. The solemnity of this action cannot be overstated, and because of it our nation is deserving of God’s judgment and in great need of repentance. Although the actions of our government are grievous and require our repentance as a nation, it
would be easy to stray too far into a negative mindset and imagine that this is the end of the world. It is not. We have a sovereign, merciful God whose plans will not be hindered by the sinful will of man. He has created and defined marriage, so we can be assured that not only should gay marriage not exist, but also it cannot and will not. It cannot be brought about by the desires, decisions, language or laws of man. The covenant of marriage is, and always will remain, defined by the one who created it, and has revealed his plan to us in his Word. The instigation of same sex unions in this country will also not negate the ability of marriage to bring glory to God. Marriages conducted in the pattern laid down by God when he created Adam and Eve will continue to stand as a wonderful image of Christ’s sacrificial love for his people, and of their willing submission to his authority. Ever since sin entered the world there has never been a perfect marriage, yet in God’s sovereign plan he is still glorified through this covenant. The wrongful adoption of the word for same-sex unions will not change that. As part of God’s people who are living in a sinful world, the actions of our government should not surprise or alarm us, but rather drive us to God in humble prayer for mercy on our nation. We need not panic because laws are not our saviour. Our hope lies in the work of Jesus, for whose Gospel and glory we live (Mark 8:35).
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MISSION
GALWAY MISSION UPDATE
COVENANTER MISSION WORK in Galway stretches back to around 1850. In more recent times our mission worker James Anderson, and his wife Eileen, served here for twenty years from 1966. In 1984 Trevor McCauley was called to minister here and Covenant Fellowship, Galway was established during the following year. Five years later Raymond Blair was commissioned to minister alongside Trevor and shortly afterwards the team was strengthened further by the addition of our mission worker, Billy Hamilton. Following Trevor’s sudden death in November 1991, Raymond and Billy served together as pastor and evangelist for 20 years. In early 2011 Raymond accepted a call from Limavady R.P. Church and in May 2012 Peter Jemphrey was installed as the pastor to serve alongside Billy. Today Covenant Christian Fellowship, as it has been renamed, is a warm, small, diverse group of believers. On Sabbath mornings we meet at 11.30 for worship which is followed by Sabbath School. Our attendance varies between 25 and 35 people. It is a great blessing to worship with believers from Pakistan, Nigeria, America and other parts of the world, including some students. After our services we
enjoy time together over some tea and coffee. Every few months we have church lunches at which the Pakistani dishes are a real hit! Our typical Sabbath concludes with Billy leading a Bible study in his home. On Monday evenings the Hamiltons’ home hosts a “Talk English” class, an evangelistic Bible study for those learning English. We also have on Tuesdays and Thursdays two other home group Bible studies for discipleship. On Tuesday mornings the elders meet for weekly prayer and monthly session meetings. We believe that visiting our members at least twice a year is very important in our pastoral care of the Fellowship. On alternate Friday mornings there is a women’s study and prayer time. Our women also organise social times together and every so often the men too have social evenings. For our young people there is a youth group twice a month, usually on Friday evenings. This is a small group but the young folk really appreciate it. Our bookshop ministry in the centre of Galway provides wonderful opportunities to speak to needy people about the Gospel and to sell good books which will help them spiritually. Andrew Blackburn mans the shop four days a week whilst
Billy and Mary cover the other two days between them. Billy also runs a bookstall on Saturday mornings at the market. One-to-one work is very much part of our outreach, explaining the Gospel of grace to individuals and answering questions. Each summer we are joined by a GO Team for a week and together we distribute approximately 6000 4You magazines. We also conduct street evangelism and open-air preaching in the centre of Galway, along with door-to-door work in other parts of the city. We deeply appreciate your prayers for Christ’s work here. All around us we can see the spiritual confusion of multitudes caught up by Catholicism, Islam, the cults or the prosperity gospel. - Please pray for the Holy Spirit to convict many who are lost and to convert them to Christ as we spread God’s Gospel of grace through our lips and our lives and through literature. - Pray too for our Lord’s guidance as we seek to develop our singing of praise and our prayer life and as we consider possible new premises. - And pray for Christ’s people here to be increasingly confident in his kingship, passionate for his honour, hungry for his Word, committed to his mission and transformed into his likeness for his praise and glory. If you would like to receive monthly prayer news concerning Christ’s work here please contact Frank McMurray at fsmcmurray@gmail.com
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INTERVIEW
Š Mission Aviation Fellowship
Interview Louise Blair Louise, can you tell us a bit about your background - where you are from, what church you go to, and what you do? I grew up in Belfast, the eldest of four children and, after school, I studied Accountancy at UUJ, before qualifying as an Accountant in 1996. I belong to Knockbracken Reformed Presbyterian Church, where I am a teacher in the Sabbath School. I currently work as an Accountant in the Civil Service. Can you tell me a little about how you came to faith? I had the great blessing of growing up in a Christian home, and attended Newtownards RP Church. I became a Christian as a child, towards the end of my time in Primary School. As a teenager I attended Sabbath School, was involved in CY, Scripture Union and Church camps, all of which helped me grow in my faith. For a while you served with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). Can you tell us, who MAF are, how you came to be involved with them, and something of what God taught you during that time? MAF is an international organisation which works in close partnership with over 1,000 missions, providing flights and logistical support for their outreach to communities in developing nations. These missions include aid agencies, missions, relief and development organisations,
government departments, local churches and other national groups. Their work covers healthcare, emergency relief, development and the bringing of God's word. It is estimated that somewhere in the world every three minutes there is a MAF plane taking off or landing. I worked as Finance Manager in Mongolia for two years, and in Kenya for one year. I became involved with MAF when I applied to be placed on a register of Accountants who were seeking to work overseas. For about a year I had felt God leading me to do this, and began to try to find where he wanted me to serve. MAF used this register to recruit staff for shortterm service and contacted me initially about a post in Tanzania. However, I was subsequently offered and accepted a post in Mongolia, despite having to check its location on a map! At the end of my contract in Mongolia (which was extended three times!) I moved to work in Kenya with MAF. This was a much bigger, busier operation from which they operated flights into South Sudan and Somalia as well as all over Kenya. Whilst working for MAF, I discovered that those who support its work are also supporting the work of many other mission organisations. MAF ensures that the workers in many organisations are able to travel safely, and can perhaps be based in more remote parts of the country knowing that, in an emergency, MAF can be there in a
matter of hours. While working with MAF I was taught many, many things. These included the promise of Joshua 1v9, the blessing of being able to own a Bible in English, the amazement at God's creation when you see the first signs of spring following a winter in which temperatures dropped to minus 45C, and the need to support both in prayer and financially those who are called to facilitate mission work. What would you say to a young person considering spending some time on the mission field? My first piece of advice would be to share this with someone who can pray with you about it. Pray about the opportunities that there may be for you, research what organisations are looking for people with your skills, and consider short- term opportunities to serve to gain an understanding of what is involved in working in the developing world. Practical skills are very often in demand. How can we pray better for MAF? Where can we find out more about them? MAF have an excellent website, www.maf-uk.org, where you can follow their work and sign up for their quarterly updates, prayer diaries, and a fortnightly prayer letter which is emailed to supporters.
FEATURE
Hannah Drennan Trinity RPC
*Warning spoilers throughout* HAVE YOU HEARD the people sing? Lately it seems that the world and his wife have heard, seen and advertised their appreciation of the recent film ‘Les Miserables’ (or ‘Les Mis’ to show you’re in the know). This gritty adaptation of the popular 1980’s musical (itself an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel) has led to a revival of interest in this story of tragedy, humanity and redemption. One of the story’s main parallels is between the convict Jean Valjean and the upright Inspector Javert; the contrast between the convict shown grace and the officer who lives obsessively by the law is fundamental to the plot. Moreover, these characters can cast a shadow beyond the bounds of the story to remind us of important truths for ourselves. Much has been already been written by Christians comparing Valjean’s redemption, and the grace he is shown and subsequently shows to others, with the message of the Gospel. There are certainly striking parallels, and religious imagery and language are rife. In ‘Valjean’s Soliloquy’ he reacts to the undeserved mercy shown to him by the priest he was trying to steal from: ‘He told me that I have a soul/ How does he know?/What spirit came to move my life?/Is there another way to go?/I am reaching, but I fall...and I stare into the void/ To the whirlpool of my sin’. He struggles to fit the grace he has been shown into his hitherto bleak and meaningless existence as a prisoner for 20 years. He knows that justice -
demands punishment for what he has done and his own sin threatens to overwhelm him, but this small act of grace has opened his eyes to ‘another way to go’. This change comes to define him as he tries to show grace to others such as the fallen Fantine, the orphaned Cosette, and the wounded Marius. Valjean offers to sacrifice his own life as he carries Marius through the sewers to bring him to safety and join Valjean’s family by marrying Cosette – a picture inadequately reminiscent of Christ’s work on the cross.
“ This contrasts starkly with another principal character, police inspector Javert. In some ways the consummate Pharisee, the Inspector’s worldview is starkly and consistently monochrome. In the song ‘Stars’ he declaims: ‘Those who follow the path of the righteous shall have their reward...and those who falter and those who fall must pay the price.’ Legalism governs his every action as he obsessively pursues Valjean for breaking parole, and expects nothing but punishment when he falls short. Grace frees Valjean but ultimately destroys Javert. Javert’s life is spared by Valjean and when Javert subsequently finds himself unable to shoot Valjean the prospect of ‘his sins be(ing) forgiven and his crimes reprieved’ is too much for him. Javert declares that it must be ‘either
Valjean or Javert’ before committing suicide. Despite flaws in the picture these two characters still offer a powerful illustration of two approaches to the Gospel. Their two soliloquies are purposefully juxtaposed to the same music and similar lyrics to further contrast the men. One sinner dares to grasp the undeserved grace shown to him and, leaving behind the old man, is transformed. The other relies on justice rather than grace and cannot comprehend a world where a man does not pay the price for each of his own sins. Valjean and Javert are only very, very flawed shadows of the surpassing wonder of the greatest story of redemption and grace. This story could possibly be used as an opportunity for sharing the Gospel. I personally find it a powerful reminder of the Gospel’s greater beauty. Our good news is that deeply sinful people, not just the convict Valjean, can be redeemed. We are not bought by the gift of silver candlesticks as in the story, but by the sacrifice of God the Son; how candlesticks pale in comparison! A further challenge is that perhaps we find it easy to become emotional watching a film or musical and yet have become cold to the power of the greatest story. If we are surprised by the mercy shown by one character to another as a plot point in a story, how much more so should we be constantly coming back to the shocking scale of the undeserved grace shown us by Christ?
FEATURE
Jonny McCollum Cullybackey RPC
EDITING THE MESSENGER is hard work. Some time ago I was asked to write this article but nothing happened. The editor began to send friendly reminders by text and to subtly drop the subject into conversations. It didn't work. Sometimes something dramatic is needed. Sometimes the editor has to grab a writer firmly by the shoulders and shake until he gets the message. Incidentally, that’s the background to the final book of the Old Testament. There was an important message to deliver, but gentle reminders and subtle hints weren't going to do the job. Israel had lost its way. It had become a cesspit where adultery was normal, shady business deals were to be expected, and oppression of the needy was par for the course. It gets even worse as their worship was a travesty. The priests were hypocrites, the collection plates were empty, and the sacrifices were second-rate. Most tragic of all was the attitude of the people. The motto of Malachi's generation was, ‘It is vain to serve God’ (3v14). In their houses and on the streets, person after person slandered God. They dismissed him as a relic from the past, as a concept that's too
primitive for modern, enlightened man. Someone needed to shake things up. Enter Malachi. Malachi’s message to the grumblers can be summarised as, ‘Things might be going pretty well, but everything's about to change.’ His prophecy is a message about three messengers. There's Malachi himself, whose name means ‘my messenger’. There's John the Baptist (3v1). Then there's a third and final messenger – Jesus Christ, the son of God. Jesus, the messenger of the covenant, will come in fire and judgement (3v2). His day of wrath will burn like an oven and he will set the wicked ablaze (4v1). It was a horrifying message for a hardhearted people. Malachi warned the people of a sure and certain judgement to come. Do you need the same warning today? He exposed the people for what they really were but do you show the same symptoms? Do you worship God with all your heart (1v13)? Does God get the leftovers (or less) at the end of each day? Is your prayer life lukewarm at best? What about relationships, do you ignore God's wisdom when it comes to looking for a partner (2v11)? Do you exalt skindeep beauty over heartfelt devotion
to God? What's your attitude to the collection plate (3v8)? Does your student loan stop you from giving generously, yet stretch to cover the latest iPad? Do you contribute more to the profit margins of Superdry than the work of Christ's church? If truth be told, some of us need to be shaken until we get the message. However, this prophecy isn't all doom and gloom. There's a group of believers who swim against the tide. Malachi's message for them is full of comfort as he says, ‘God hasn't forgotten.’ The world may ignore you, but God pays attention. The world may disdain you, but God values you like treasure. And best of all, God spares his followers as if they were sons (v17). Malachi is a message of good news as it points us forward to Jesus, the better messenger. He is a son who served his Father and was obedient in all things. Yet, so that God could spare us, his sinful sons, he chose not to spare Jesus, his sinless son. The message of Malachi is that this selfsacrificing messenger is coming back. Give him second best, and expect to face his wrath. Serve him with a loving heart, and delight in the unparalleled blessings of his deliverance.
© darkmavis
SERIES
POP SONGS ARE easy to bash. Nevertheless, for a change I’d like to point out some commendable songwriting. ‘Twenty - seven strangers’ by the Villagers is perhaps not a very outstanding song. It deals with ordinariness. The lyrics narrate a very long- winded explanation to a lover about why he is late - the bus broke down. Perhaps, you consider it strange that someone went to such great lengths to write about a nuanced account of an everyday occurrence. It begs me to ask what could a broken-down bus signify? ‘The bus it came/ And everybody loaded in/ Twenty- seven strangers/ in a moving can.’ It’s easy to pick out that the ‘moving can’ is actually the bus. Why is the songwriter telling us this in such a roundabout way? Perhaps, they are prompting us to look at this scene from a different
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angle - to say that it’s strange that people congregate on buses and indifferently never communicate‘[they] separate without a sound.’ There is a lovely verse which tries to pin down the beauty in seeing reflections in the bus windows. ‘The fluorescent light/ Doubled everyone inside/ The baby’s face reflected/ In the shop fronts, in the sky.’ This is a commonplace sight that we often take for granted, though the songwriter calls us to stop and think about it. Since the Reformation people have made art about the everyday. They started to see the beauty of the everyday as signifying God’s presence with us as we go about our daily lives. Jesus saw God’s concern and care could be pictured in the everyday occurrence of shepherding sheep. So, maybe a broken-down bus signifies some bigger picture in the
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songwriter’s life. It could be an expression of the awkwardness and missing of the mark in this relationship. Alas, poets are rarely straightforward. Contrary to what pop culture promotes, songs are here for us to discern and not merely to consume. God calls us to be in the world but not of the world (Romans 12 v 2) but this does not allow us to be indifferent. Instead we should try to listen to those around us, even those whom we don’t initially understand. We ought to attempt to meet them halfway, enjoy the beauty of the everyday together, and point them to the author of such beauty. Jesus saw God's concern for us could be pictured in the everyday, menial task of shepherding Jessica Armstrong sheep. Fairview RPC
FEATURE
D.V. stands for ‘Deo volente’ – a Latin phrase meaning ‘God willing’.
Christians use the phrase ‘God willing’ when they are speaking about something that is planned for the future, e.g. “Camp will start, God willing, on Saturday 27th July”. D.V. is an abbreviation which is more often written (in announcements, letters, posters etc.) than spoken.
We see ‘God willing’ being used in the Bible. When Paul was about to leave Ephesus, they wanted him to stay for longer. Acts 18:21 says: “But on taking leave of them he said, ‘I will return to you if God wills,’ and he set sail from Ephesus.” Paul regularly used this type of
YOU ARE SURROUNDED by an identity crisis of pandemic proportions. The hearts of those around you cry out continually ‘Who am I?’ This crisis is partly borne from decades of being told that we are just a random collection of molecular structures, highly evolved animals shaped by the passing of the millennia. If truth be told it sucks to be told that your family tree backs up to pond scum. Psalm 8 is God’s answer for weary hearts fruitlessly searching for identity. It is a song to make us stand tall knowing our worth, to fall down realising something’s gone badly wrong and to rise up in praising God for providing Jesus. In Psalm 8 David is mesmerised at the sight of the night sky. The moon and stars, each set in place by God, have taken his breath away
language when he spoke about his plans for the future (e.g. Romans 1:10; 15:32; 1 Corinthians 4:19; 16:7). James 4:13-15 tells us that this is a good way to make our plans: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’"
James is saying that we can make our plans but they always depend on God’s bigger, greater plan. So we say ‘D.V.’ or ‘God willing’, in trust and humility, to recognise God’s sovereign control over our lives. It is a good way of reminding ourselves that: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
(v3) and overcome by this immense backdrop he cries out ‘What is man?’ Like a meteor the truth flashes across David’s mind. He and every human being are special, cared for by God (v4), created in God’s image, crowned with honour (v5), and made to rule God’s beautiful world (v6,7). Is it any wonder David belts out, ‘O LORD our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!’ Is man still God’s curator of creation with the entire universe in submission under his governance? What about that virus that is making me sneeze and my smelly mutt of a dog who simply won’t do what he is told? The crown on God’s vice regent has slipped and the image of God is tarnished because of our love affair with sin. Is it pointless to sing of what man ought to be or can we be restored, the
image renewed and the crown replaced? Psalm 8 shouts ‘YES!’ as it is ultimately about Jesus. He is the second Adam who was made a little lower than angels when he took up his humanity. Jesus rode into Jerusalem to die for sinners as the mouths of babes and infants shouted hosanna. Outside the city gate he died in the place of many and turned away the wrath of God. Three days later he rose and is now crowned with glory and honour at the Father’s right hand. So tell those around you, each so desperate to ‘find themselves’, it is time to look to Jesus. Look in faith and repentance to begin a wonderful renewal of your identity that will end in glory. Tell them they too can spend all eternity enjoying Jesus in a world far better than the one Adam was placed in.
REVIEW
THE GOOD NEWS WE ALMOST FORGOT: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th century catechism Kevin DeYoung Moody Publishers, 2010 WHAT IS YOUR only comfort in life and death? If you had been raised on the Heidelberg Catechism, your answer would probably be: ‘That I am not my own, but belong - body and soul, in life and in death - to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the Devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in Heaven...’ So begins a Catechism which is often described as more warm and personal than our own Westminster one. Yet the Heidelberg is not as well known today, even in Dutchbackground denominations where it has been a key document for centuries. Hence the title of Kevin DeYoung's recent book: The Good News we Almost Forgot. So why would we in Ireland be interested in a Catechism produced in Germany and mostly used in unfamiliar churches? Perhaps because after the Bible, Pilgrim's Progress and Thomas a Kempis' Imitation of Christ, it's the fourth most widely circulated book in the world. Furthermore, this year marks its 450th anniversary, and many are turning back to this almost-forgotten document. However, for me, the first question and answer of the Catechism is the clincher. The Heidelberg contains spiritual riches than most of us have been missing out on. -
Kevin De Young has written this book as part of the effort to spark a renewed interest in the Heidelberg Catechism. The Catechism consists of 129 questions split into three sections: guilt, grace and gratitude. 'Guilt' is by far the shortest section because, as De Young explains, the authors wanted the Catechism to be a means of comfort, not condemnation. De Young follows the Catechism’s traditional division into 52 Lord's Days (originally to facilitate using it as a basis for preaching), which means each
chapter usually contains 2 or 3 catechism questions on a similar theme. Most of the chapters are about 2 pages long, making the book ideal for reading as a 'pump primer' as part of daily devotions. This book’s real strength is De Young's writing style. It's easy for commentaries on catechisms to be theologically solid but as dry as dust. However, even a skim reading of the chapter headings hints that this one is different: 'It's really that bad', 'Achieving low self-esteem' and 'Vivacious Baby-Baptising' being a sample. You don't have to pick between something good and meaty, and something you actually want to read. The book would also be ideal to hand to a new Christian as it
covers the major doctrines of the faith in less than 250 pages, and never forgets to apply them to the heart of the reader. De Young also writes very graciously. He begins the chapter on baptism noting his respect and appreciation for his Baptist 'friends, colleagues and heroes in the faith' before embarking on a strong defence of infant Baptism. He even interacts with Roman Catholic theologians on Heidelberg's condemnation of the mass. You probably won't agree with everything De Young says specifically on the 2nd commandment (where he admits he's probably at odds with the Catechism's intent) and the 4th commandment (where he thinks he isn't). Yet these are only small quibbles with a book that will be helpful and heart-warming to anyone who reads it, whether a young Christian or someone who has been a believer for decades. As Jerry Bridges says in the foreword: 'Everyone is a theologian, like it or not.' The only question is whether we're bad theologians or good theologians. This book explains the basics in a fresh, challenging and heart-warming way. If only someone would do the same with our own Westminister catechism! Finishing with the last question and answer of the Heidelberg seems to be a fitting way to end: Q. 'What does that little word "Amen" express? A. "Amen" means, This is sure to be! It is even more sure that God listens to my prayer, than that I really desire what I pray for.' Stephen Steele Faughan RPC
REVIEWS
The Captive Princess by Wendy Lawton (£4.50 at Covenanter Book Centre) POCAHONTAS WASN’T JUST a Disney princess; she was a real Native American girl with an exciting story. She was a curious young girl who became friends with a group of people who came to her land, even though they were very different from her. She even risked her own life to save one of them when their two sides came into conflict. Pocahontas was captured and a ransom demanded. She later realised that she needed to be set free by Jesus Christ, because he is the only one who can save us from our sins. This is just one book in the ‘Daughters of the Faith’ series which tells real stories about young girls and women who got to know God better because of the different situations they found themselves in. The other girls in the series include: Eliza Spalding Warren (Indian Paintbrush), Phillis Wheatley (Freedom’s Pen), Mary Bunyan (The Tinker’s Daughter), Harriet Tubman (Courage to Run), Mary Chilton (Almost Home), Olive Oatman (Ransom’s Mark), Eliza Shirley (The Hallelujah Lass) and Anita Dittman (Shadow of His Hand). Pamela Loughridge Cloughmills RPC
GIRLS ADVENTURE CAMP REUNION 2012 was great fun. We all stayed in one big room at Lisburn RPC and enjoyed a rather lively atmosphere all weekend! Our first talk was by Christine Murphy who spoke about our need to hear the Gospel and live it out. Later that evening we had a pyjama party. This consisted of funny games and a slightly subtler version of a pillow fight. We also enjoyed a bit of pampering and relaxed after a hard week at school or work. Before lunch on Saturday we had our second talk of the weekend. Rachel McCollum spoke on the topic ‘How to spread the Gospel.’ She gave us a structured and creative way to share this amazing news! After lunch we headed out to Lisburn swimming pool. Some were more excited about the prospect of plunging into the water than others but everyone had a good time. The more adventurous
campers took to the slides, while the more sensible among us circled the Lazy River for most of the afternoon. After dinner, we split into the groups in which we would have workshop sessions addressing some of the big questions relevant to us today; homosexuality, suffering, and creation. These were extremely helpful and provided answers to many of the questions we may have been asked by non-Christian friends. After this we assumed we would be heading to bed but half an hour later,we found ourselves in an Apprentice-style Boardroom facing a somewhat different Lord Sugar, Karen and Nick. Our challenge was to make an advert for camp with only one prop. There were some hilarious results. We woke on Sabbath morning after a sleep that was neither long nor particularly peaceful. After breakfast and quiet time, we
Grow in Grace by Sinclair B. Ferguson. BEFORE I START you should know that I am not a great one for reading, so any book that I do read has to be very good, challenging and one that makes me want to come back to it. This book is excellent. Sinclair B. Ferguson looks at Jesus and his time on earth as fully man and fully God. Jesus grew in stature, grace, wisdom, knowledge and in his relationship with the Father. This is not saying that there was a stage at which he wasn't perfect but part of being fully man involved growing. Ferguson then goes on to say how we should be striving to be like Christ and grow in these areas of our lives. There is a lot to learn from this book, it will definitely make you think, and also it uses a lot of helpful Bible passages to show you where he is coming from. I highly recommend this book. Gavin Blackwell Trinity RPC
remained in Lisburn and attended their Bible class, where Professor Robert McCollum was speaking about what we can learn from Mary. In the morning service, Prof McCollum’s sermon was on Hagar in Genesis 16. Hagar’s realisation of ‘You are the God who sees me,’ presented a challenging and comforting message to us. After church we said some reluctant goodbyes to our friends. As usual camp was full of fellowship, great talks and the much-anticipated camp banter. On behalf of all the girls, we’d like to thank Fiona, the officers and the cooks for all their hard work. We would also like to thank Lisburn RPC for our lovely Sabbath lunch and for the use their facilities during the weekend. Sharon Hanna and Bethany Petrie
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