C.S. Lewis’ Aslan, the lion of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is introduced to the Pensieve children in striking language. Mr. Beaver responds to Lucy’s fears of meeting a lion, ‘Safe? ... Who said anything about safe? ‘ Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King.’ Such powerful writing leaves an imprint upon the reader. I have found Lewis’ description of Aslan useful when thinking of the greater Saviour to whom the author wanted to point. Jesus is not to be trusted because he is safe. He is far from safe. Jesus is to be trusted because he is good. His goodness is part of the essence of who he is and we can rely upon it. I first encountered Lewis through his spell-binding children’s fantasies of lions, fawns and centaurs. However, he also wrote many influential Christian books. His spiritual writings have flaws but many Reformed preachers happily celebrate his vivid imagination. Fifty years on from the Ulsterman’s death Andrew Clarke explains to us the benefits he has found in the writings of this clever and confused Christian. Elsewhere in this issue, Alistair Rolleston marks another fiftieth anniversary by examining the spiritual imagery in television’s longest-running science fiction programme, Doctor Who. Carl Trueman continues his early church series by introducing us to the Apostolic Fathers and we have a fascinating interview with Martin and Mary Crossin. Although other media outlets increasingly ignore the Syrian conflict, we’re grateful to Philip Dunwoody for considering the Christian response to events in the Middle East. We’ve also compiled an article about the historic mission work conduct by Irish and American Covenanters in Syria. I hope it will help you remember Syria in prayer. We know that Christians have been caught in the middle of this conflict; perhaps there are even some with links to our Church’s first foreign mission. I hope you enjoy the issue,
Abigail Nelson Alistair Rolleston Andrew Morrison Emma Dunwoody James McCullough Philip Aicken Robert McCollum Stephen Steele
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.
Photo: Alan Turkus
Moaning about things is practically a social necessity. Where would we be in awkward encounters with acquaintances if we couldn’t share a mutual dislike of current weather, workloads or petrol prices? In this country, even when wishing to compliment we allow things to be ‘not too bad’. Staffroom conversation in a part-time job I had was almost exclusively limited to negative discussion of 1. The Boss, 2. The Weather or 3. Ill People We Know. One exception was the lunchtime entirely spent in outrage when the price of custard escalated by 10p. These sorts of situations make it challenging to “go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel” (Mark 16v15). How can we share the Gospel with people whose most spiritual conversation regards how many were at yesterday’s funeral? Philippians 2v15 is a regularly quoted verse on witnessing, ‘so that you may be... without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe’. What isn’t always pointed out though is that the verse before tells us how: ‘Do everything without complaining or arguing.’ How can we shine in a dark world? By not moaning! Of course, we should be praying for opportunities to
speak to people directly about spiritual matters, and seizing them when they come. But when the conversation we’re in is no deeper than gurning about trivialities, perhaps the most effective thing we can do is simply not join in. It’s harder than it sounds. Try spending a day without complaining about anything! Yet this is a big way in which we can be marked out as different – shining lights in a dark world. Even apart from witnessing, not complaining helps us obey a repeated command from God! ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!’ (Philippians 4v4). We are to be a joyful people, and you can’t complain and rejoice simultaneously. Of course, our ultimate example is Christ. Looking to him in this matter, it’s embarrassing to think about some of the insignificant things we moan about daily. We are only forgiven the sin of complaint because he died without it. ‘He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.’ (Isaiah 53v7)
"DEARLY BELOVED" the minister begins. "We have just sung Ps. 109. It is wicked.� Things do not improve. He seems to doubt other parts of Scripture as well. The message is decidedly Arminian, and the speaker seems unsure as to how Christ's death atones for sin. He declares he does not believe in total depravity, though it seems just as likely that he doesn't understand it either. At one point you are quite sure you heard him comment favourably on purgatory. I am not sure how we would respond, but I hope we would do Jenny Geddes proud. Yet far from flinging stools about, we seem very content to fill our lugs with C.S Lewis, despite his unhappy beliefs.
How can this be? For one thing, Lewis was not an office-bearer. He was not a teacher in the church, was under no subscription vows, and readily confessed his lack of expertise in matter of doctrine. He is simply a Christian layman who was good at turning a sentence. He has no more moral authority than Enid Blyton. But a more important reason is that there are lots and lots of positives to be enjoyed. C.S Lewis is much like a little girl - you know, the one with the little curl right in the middle of the forehead. When he is bad, he is pretty dreadful, but when he is good, he is splendidly brilliant. And the good news is that the good stuff is in
good supply. With some discernment there is much to be enjoyed. Here, in no particular order, are some things I appreciate in his writing.
Calvin famously begins the Institutes debating whether to start with knowledge of God, or knowledge of man. And while Lewis may be stinker at theology, his insights into our personality and behaviour are extremely helpful. As the Apostle James might note, what profit is it for a man to correctly define total depravity, complete with lengthy footnotes, if not also killing real and actual sin in his own life?
The Screwtape Letters are very helpful in this. There Screwtape, a senior devil, writes a series of letters to a junior devil advising on the best methods of temptation. Ch. 14, on humility, is a brilliant combination of humour, clear-thinking and practicality. The mistake is thinking that humility means the hot babe imagining herself ugly, or that clever -clogs must consider himself a dimwit (I paraphrase somewhat). That person is still self-absorbed, and merely adds dishonesty to pride: the trick is 'self-forgetfulness', getting one's mind 'off the subject of his own value altogether'. Elsewhere in the book Screwtape suggests: “Surely you know that if a man can't be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighbourhood looking for the church that 'suits' him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.” (Ch. 16) Later he comments: “She's the sort of woman who lives for others - you can tell the others by their hunted expression.” (Ch. 26)
What more can be said!
Fat volumes of theology have their place, and not just as doorstops, or temporary table legs. But putting the thing simply and memorably is unusual. Lewis does it for Christians; he does it for unbelievers. He does it attractively, and in various forms: letters, fantasy, science fiction, talks and essays. His style is deceptively simple. You will look in vain for padding, vain repetition, or pointless statements of the obvious. Instead
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there are excellent illustrations, and a complete mastery of words. I like the simplicity in Mere Christianity with which Lewis expresses the famous ‘trilemma’. He argues that as we encounter Jesus in the Gospels we must recognize him as bad, mad or God: "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. " There is, in fact, some complexity here. You or I, and certainly any professor of English literature, might be tempted to throw in phrases like 'hermeneutical strategy' or 'critical interpretative matrix' - just to show, you see, that the theory has a bit of sophistication. Lewis talks about poached eggs. And surely no one (unless personally called Eustace) could resist this opening: "There was once a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) I suppose someone might
legitimately wonder if 'Clive Staples' is such a huge advance.
The bulk of C.S Lewis's energy was devoted to explaining and defending the faith. Mere Christianity is perhaps the best known, but Miracles and The Abolition of Man are also important contributions. Firstly, Lewis reminds us of the silliness of the creature attacking his creator. We see this in the provocatively titled God in the Dock, or in this excellent description of belief (for anyone interested, this is straightforward presuppositional apologetics): “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." (Is Theology Poetry?) Perhaps most helpful of all is his use of morality as a point of contact with the sceptic. Much of Mere Christianity tries to show that everyone, at some point, acknowledges right and wrong, and that that is inconsistent with relativism or materialism. Lewis could count on greater moral consensus than we on this, but the point still works. The shrillest denouncers of the great 'sins' of our age - homophobia, inequality, intolerance - often seem the most insistent on a godless, random universe of clashing atoms. Yet such a universe reduces moral discussion to babble. This tension can open up discussion on the Gospel, or at least help answer problems concerning God and evil. If you think the great temptation for Reformed Presbyterians today is pipe-smoking and flirtation with High-Church thinking, it is probably best to give our friend a miss. But if you suspect the greater danger is that we don't think at all, read half as much as we should, and are absorbing secular assumptions at an alarming rate - well, some Lewis would certainly sort a Christmas present or two.
CUSH4CHRIST IS A MODERN NAME that is inspired by an ancient promise. The LORD Almighty promised that the peoples of the Cush (Kush) Kingdom would bring him offerings (Isaiah 18:7) and stretch out their hands to him in worship (Psalm 68:31). The privilege of serving the largest of the Cush peoples, the Dinka, began when Vince Ward helped a Dinka family settle in Ottawa, Canada. Over years of meeting more Dinka in Canada and on a short-term trip to Kenya, the Lord called Vince to go and make disciples in Sudan. Vince married his friend, Julie, in June of 2002. From 2002-2005 he finished his theological studies and presbytery exams in Canada. During this period, under the counsel of the Ottawa session, Vince and Julie visited the Aweil Dinka in Kenya and South Sudan several times and began to plan for the establishment of this mission. In January 2006, having the support of the Reformed Presbyterian Global Missions Board (RPCNA), the Lord set apart the Ward family and Heather Huizing to settle in a village called Parot. After two years of learning the Dinka language and culture and with the addition of the Andrew Stringer family, organized training of church planters began. There were many challenges in finding faithful men for the work of ministry. But in December 2009, three men were ordained and became the founding teaching elders for a new denomination.
Over the years, the Cush4Christ team has been blessed with many workers. The Stringer family and Heather Huizing served the team for several years and returned to North America. The Daniel Faris family, Scott Brinkerhoff and Jan Buchanan are all currently serving along with the Wards. There have also been many short-term workers who have come to fill specific needs along the way. Motivated by the vision of seeing a “a gospel-centered church for every community in Aweil and beyond�, our mission has had as its first priority the making of disciples and the training of men to plant, strengthen and multiply Reformed and Presbyterian churches (now over a dozen). We have developed curriculum to train elders, deacons and church members. In the effort to strengthen the local churches we have also diversified our efforts into the following areas: Media - We rejoice in the widespread and abundant sowing of the Word through Weer Bei (Redemption) FM, which broadcasts 4.5 hours of Christian programming six days a week to tens of thousands of listeners. Education - From the youngest to the oldest we are seeking to make the Word accessible and understandable. Cush Christian School provides a Christ-centered education for young children, Bible study fellowships have been growing in the secondary schools, and a church-based adult literacy program is to begin next year.
Mercy - We are also seeking to equip the local churches to respond to the overwhelming diaconal needs around. With an emphasis on a biblical worldview, church members are being trained in preventative health as well as the use of plants and trees to treat sickness and improve health. Our team has faced many trials yet we rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ who is building his Church. Join us in this Kingdom ministry to the Dinka people of Aweil and beyond. Visit us on our website www.cush4christ.org to download a new prayer guide every month with specific prayer requests (also at facebook/cush4christ).
“… [Learn] to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause…” – Isaiah 1:17
A very bloody civil war. Since spring 2011, the government of President Bashar al-Assad has been fighting anti-government rebels who want to see political change in the Middle-Eastern country. Assad took over from his father, Hafez, as President in 2000. His family are rich and influential. Hafez became President because he was a general in the army. Syria’s problems stem, as in Northern Ireland, from sectarian divisions. The Assads are part of a small minority of Muslims/ secularists in Syria known as Alawites, whilst the majority population are Sunni Muslims with much more conservative and traditional beliefs. Assad and his cohorts have had a lot of power for a long time and have enjoyed telling everyone else what to do - hence their reluctance to give up any political control.
Absolutely awful: 100,000 people have been killed in 2 ½ years and 2 million refugees have fled to neighbouring countries and are living in squalor, half of them children. On 21st August perhaps as many as 1,400 civilians were killed in a sarin gas attack which was most likely carried out by the Assad government. So unpopular is Assad and such is the appetite for change in the country that the official Syrian army has split in two; the Free Syrian Army formed in 2011 to fight against the Syrian Army. They have amassed plenty of support and, though they enjoyed some success in their operations in 2012, over the
past six months they have been beaten back by government forces. Caught in the crossfire have been the hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians, many of them forced from their homes and some of them forced to choose sides by the more extreme operatives of either the government or the rebels.
It’s too difficult. Syria’s geographic location means that lots of Muslim extremists, known as jihadists (members/supporters of terror groups like Al Qaeda or Al Shabaab) either pass through the country or have arrived to join in the fighting against Assad’s government. So although the likes of Britain, France and the USA are not big fans of Assad, they also wouldn’t want to see some of his enemies topple him and take control of Syria, a country that borders Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon – all countries that Muslim extremists like to hide out, train or meet openly in. There is also little appetite in Europe or America for heavy involvement in yet another Middle Eastern conflict, following on from the recent nightmares in Afghanistan and Iraq. The only other “big players” capable of stepping in with force are Russia and China, who are in fact close allies of Assad for their own economic and military reasons.
The use of chemical weapons in military conflict has been banned for over 100 years. Half-hearted military strikes were threatened by the US and France as punishment if it was proven that the Assad
government used sarin gas to kill civilians. However, before definitive proof could be produced, the regime promised to put beyond use all the chemical weapons that they previously denied having. The United Nations has passed a resolution outlining how Syria should destroy all its deadly chemical weapons, under UN supervision, within the next fourteen months. The untrustworthiness of the parties involved and the large stockpiles of weapons make this seem unlikely.
God’s Word tells us that we are living in “the last days”, and wars, and rumours of wars, and hardship and suffering around the world will, sadly, remain with us until the end. But as Christians, we’re also told to pray for God’s Kingdom to come, his will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. So we should pray for justice in Syria. We should send practical help to trustworthy agencies in Syria. We should pray for a peaceful end to the conflict in Syria. I also think it would be great if, instead of enduring unimpressive world leaders who prove themselves to be inadequate and untrustworthy; instead of hearing daily of thousands of people losing their lives for a futile cause; instead of wondering when all these conflicts end, it would be great if one king for everyone would just appear. He could destroy all the godless rulers with one swipe of his iron sceptre, he could carry all his chosen people away to safety, and he could finally show this broken world what true justice really looks like. Good thing King Jesus is coming soon.
The first Irish Covenanter foreign missionary, James Martin, arrived in Syria in 1872 and over the next eighty years the mission efforts were marked by both suffering and success. American RP missionaries first arrived in Syria in 1856 and repeatedly asked the Irish Church for an additional worker. Theological student James Torrens was the first volunteer in 1868 but sadly he died before he completed his studies. Three years later the senior American missionary, R. J. Dodds, died unexpectedly. This deeply saddened the Irish Synod and prompted them to call James Martin, a licentiate of the Eastern Presbytery and a medical student, to the foreign mission work. His ordination was described by the Covenanter as ‘an epoch in the history of our church’. Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire, which although weakened in power was ruthless in its authority. Those not Muslims were severely treated and during this period of mission hundreds of thousands of Armenians were massacred. Muslims converting faced execution, often by family. Some of the mission’s converts were murdered. At times hostility broke out against the work, with threat to life and property. There was little redress in the courts. The opposition of the dominant Orthodox Church to the mission work was sometimes equally dangerous. It is worth noting that many whom the media presently refer to as Syrian Christians would have been regarded by Dr. Martin as gospelimpeding papists. When Martin arrived in Syria the main goal was to establish Christian schools to train native evangelists. His work in Antioch enjoyed success in spite of opposition. Medical services were a means of contact and opening gospel
opportunities. Scriptures were circulated and Christian education established. Other missionaries arrived and by 1890 the congregation in Antioch was 71, 37 of whom were communicants. Mission work in Syria was costly. Dr Martin experienced much sorrow on the mission field, losing both his 3 month old daughter and his 23 year old wife Elizabeth. He then married Rebecca Crawford. Their 5 year old son died in 1887. Rebecca then died in 1896. He married again in 1904 and had two children. By 1900 the mission in Syria was well established. The school at Idlib had 40 to 50 attending and at Alexandretta 180. By 1906 despite much official and local opposition the building work of the missionary compound was completed. This included a dwelling house, school rooms, medical centre and a meeting place for worship. During this period the situation in the Turkish Empire was desperate. After the genocidal policies of the Sultan’s rule, he was deposed and replaced by revolutionaries who hastened the policy of persecution. The mission sought to assist and shelter Armenian refugees, but along with foreign powers they were unable to prevent the massacres. The impact of the Balkan war forced the Irish missionaries to leave for Cyprus in September 1914. Dr Samuel H. Kennedy, who had joined the mission team in 1896, was imprisoned in Turkey for two months and then expelled. Aware of the costs and dangers of missionary work William Lytle, grandfather of present RP Missionary Andrew Lytle, volunteered in 1916 to serve in Syria. He spent much time with Dr Martin studying Arabic and further equipped himself for service through medical studies. Four years after
their expulsion, British control of Syria enabled the missionaries to return. They found the mission property in Antioch ransacked. The church had suffered. Some had died, many had emigrated and false teaching had caused much distress. Dr Martin retired from the work in 1931 and died in Belfast at the age of 86. Rev. William Lytle with his wife and son then moved to the premises in Antioch. Dr and Mrs Kennedy continued rebuilding the work and other missionaries joined the team. Amidst the European political tensions of the late 1930s, Britain ceded part of Syria to Turkey. New restrictions greatly impeded missionary work as Christian education was forbidden, and many from the church emigrated or moved to other parts of Syria. Some missionaries moved home and others to other countries to continue mission work. In 1951, when the Lytles were expelled from Syria, there were over 100 boys from all over the Arab world in the boarding department. The Lytles relocated to Lebanon . The Irish RP Church gave many resources and some of its finest people to the mission work in Syria. We may have little left to show from this work but it glorified King Jesus as our missionaries served faithfully, saw people converted and established churches. We can look forward to learning more of the Syrian mission’s legacy in heaven. At present we ought to remember the people of Syria in prayer and consider how we too can fulfil James Martin’s charge ‘to set Christ before the heathen.’
‘Tell everybody I’m on my way, new friends and new places to see. With blues skies ahead yes I’m on my way and there’s nowhere else that I’d rather be; I’m on my way.’ Some of you reading this will recognise the lyrics from the Disney movie, Brother Bear. The song ‘On my way’ regularly filled my head as I set off on my American adventure. For some reason this was a recurring theme as I boarded flight after flight across the continent of the United States of America. 65 Days, 1 Country, 3 mission teams, 8 States, 10 Flights and approximately 10442 miles later I had had the opportunity to tell people whom I met about Jesus, make new friends, see new places and enjoy the beautiful country and blues skies that God has created. For these opportunities I am thankful. Here is a small snapshot of my summer in America. Whilst in Seattle, the team, Jordan, Mary, Hannah and I, served the Reformed Presbyterian Church there and personally I was encouraged by the kindness, love and fellowship of the congregation as we worked alongside them in a variety of ways throughout the week. A highlight for me was the opportunity to do door- to-door evangelism in Portland, Oregon which is about 3 hours from Seattle
and to attend the first evening service of this new church plant. There are 3 core families and it was exciting to worship with them and to see the Gospel being taken to another part of our world. The purpose of the Colorado Springs Mission team was to provide teaching for the kids programme at Horn Creek Family Camp. I was the teacher for the 3 year olds and fell in love with 9 lovely children in my class. It was such a privilege to be able to teach them about creation and to invest time in young lives. I joined the middle school devotions in the evening and it was a blessing to get alongside some of the girls to share and chat with them. White Lake is a camp that happens every summer for 2 weeks, first for Kids and Teens Camp and secondly for Family Camp. During the first week I was a counsellor for a cabin of girls of varying ages. The church was reaching out to these girls who were refugees. This was an exciting cabin which was full of life but it was real blessing to show them love and to be part of their lives. For Family Camp I was a counsellor for girls aged 13-18. This was a wide age- range but I thoroughly enjoyed getting alongside the girls to share with and encourage them. Many of you will have heard
William Carey’s famous quote, ‘Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.’ I was reminded of this quote as I sat in a Coleraine CU meeting last April, ‘Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left, your descendants will dispossess the nations and settle in their desolate cities’ (Isaiah 54 v 2-3). The speaker that evening was encouraging the students not to waste their summers but to go and do something big for God. However, this doesn’t only apply to our summers but to our lives. Are we attempting great things for God and expecting God to act in big ways? This won’t be the same for everyone. God has made us with differing gifts and abilities, at different stages in life with different commitments and responsibilities. For some it will mean taking a leap of faith and going away and for others it will simply mean making the most of the God-given opportunities that we have here and now in school, university or work. ‘Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God’ and as you go you will meet new friends, new people and go to new places as you serve God.
ONE CHANCE is the heartwarming and enchantingly endearing tale of Paul Potts - a bullied singing enthusiast who becomes the most unlikely of amateur operatic superstars. The film opens with a young Potts, passionate from boyhood about singing, being hounded by the boys, then men, who would continue to bully him throughout his life. The film goes on to show the rollercoaster of emotional ups and downs, the opportunities and disappointments, the many setbacks that plague Potts. From singing in pub talent shows in Port Talbot (Wales) to opera school in Venice and a performance in front of Luciano Pavarotti himself we see Potts defying some seemingly insurmountable challenges to chase his dreams. There’s a love story, heartache, nerves, obstacles, a lot of illness and a fairy-tale ending. Potts eventually finds himself on Britain’s Got Talent, where he makes his name, stunning the judges and the viewers. Without spoiling anything (it is a biopic, after all) Potts goes on to win, and now is living his dreams performing, married to the love of his life. What’s not to love? The cast, especially the leads, James Corden and Alexandra Roach, are charming. The film’s inoffensive nature and
ending leave you with that delightful tingly feeling that there can be a happily ever after. This is British feel good film at its finest.
I appreciated this film perhaps for the simple fact that it did not focus on the BGT storyline, instead ONE CHANCE is about the journey: Potts’ journey on what he calls “the opera of his life”. It was not a smooth journey by any means, (perhaps highlighted and sensationalised a little by the film) but Potts’ journey is the inspiring tale of the underdog, clinging fiercely to his dream, driven
to achieve against all odds. Herein we find the key; Paul Potts was driven by that singular desire, that goal, with support along the way. Can we say that we are as singular or intentional in our Christian lives? Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) For we have a much greater goal, a more glorious prize than BGT. Furthermore, we have the assurance that we will one day get to Heaven and receive our reward; yet how we often become passionless, lacklustre and bogged down by the hindrances of this life. Let us strive forward through our lives, our journeys, with this singleness of mind, towards our heavenly prize. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Martin: I was born in West Belfast in 1974 and grew up in a nationalist area called Lenadoon. I have two brothers and two sisters. My parents did their best to keep me from being influenced by sectarianism and the anti-social behaviour that went on in our housing estate. We were very religious, like most people, and went to Mass at least once a week. I have an Honours Degree in Pure Mathematics from Queen’s. Mary: I originally come from Claudy, Co. Derry. I am the youngest of 7 children. I was brought up in a loving home where religion grounded in the Catholic faith was a big part of our daily lives. On leaving school I worked with horses for a few years and went on to work in the Civil Service, before travelling to Australia for a year with my sister. On my return I got the opportunity to study music in Donegal.
We both met in 2001 at a music performance course which was based in Falcarragh, Co. Donegal. Martin was teaching audio recording at the studio there and Mary was a student on the course!
Martin: I learnt my first tunes on the tin whistle when I was 7 and my obsession with practising guitar caused me to have to repeat all of my GCSEs! As a late teenager, I acquired a set of uilleann pipes and in 2003 I won the All Ireland title at the Fleadh Ceol in Clonmel, Tipperary. Thereafter I set about learning to make the instrument and this has developed into a parttime business, alongside teaching guitar for the Donegal Education and Training Board. I regularly play gigs, especially during the summer months. Mary: It was really when I left school that I pursued my interest in music. I enjoyed singing and sang in the choir. I also tried the fiddle and piano for a time but singing was my main forte. I attended a few traditional singing workshops and discovered this genre was best suited to my voice. Whilst on the music course in Falcarragh a friend
loaned me a harp and I really enjoyed playing it, so I acquired a harp of my own. I feel really blessed that God has given us the opportunity to use our musical gifts for his glory. This year we have played at a couple of outreach events, charity concerts and an RP wedding!
The uilleann pipes are a reed instrument with up to 7 reeds to control. The materials I use are ebony, blackwood, brass and alternative ivory. All of the components and many of the tools are hand made on a lathe and milling machine. It can take from 3 weeks to 3 months to complete an order depending on the type of instrument. The most challenging part of the process is fine tuning the instrument and making those reeds! If you want to know more, my website is www.uilleannpipes.ie . I appreciate being able to work from home and it is convenient for Mary and our children if they need me to drive them somewhere.
Martin: We both became Christians by the power of God’s Word. My dad became a Christian when I was around 10 years old and he would often go on about why Jesus died but it wouldn’t resonate with me. About 9 years ago I borrowed a Bible from home, wanting to prove for myself that it wasn’t a reliable book. I made a list of some apparent inconsistencies to investigate. Initially I was surprised at how short my list was and at how quickly I was striking out each one. I was also surprised at how much Bible reading I was doing! I felt that slowly God was taking a hold of me. One day I prayed to God in a very personal way, asking that he would make himself known to me, if he was really there. Nothing happened. A few days later, while I was out for a walk, I got a sense of how awesome the world was and then a strong impression that the God I had recently prayed to had created all of this beauty. Immediately I was aware that God was more holy than I had ever before appreciated. When I got home, I knew that Jesus Christ was really God and could not help
myself from reading more about his life and death. Everything I was now reading made sense. Then I read about how the Holy Spirit helps believers to unpack God’s Word and this in turn was then reaffirming God’s Word to me! Mary: We both became Christians around the same time, but as with everyone’s walk with God it is an individual and personal experience. I had started reading the Bible whilst in music school. Although I didn’t realise it, God was starting to mould me then. As part of our course I learnt about Scots Gaelic psalm singing in the Isle of Lewis and even went on a student exchange to Uist in the Outer Hebrides, all paving the way for psalm singing worship! My conscience became more sensitive and I could sense God urging me to clean up my act. Martin and I attended Bible meetings and I was really amazed at how the Bible was explained and how the message of the Gospel was so simple, that God’s forgiveness is free, not by our efforts, and that, as Jesus died for all our sins, the debt was now paid in full! I had never heard that before. God opened my eyes and my heart; I repented and believed. It was not a sudden dramatic conversion, just quietly and gradually. It was not an easy step to take. Every new Christian has lifestyle changes to make, plus the pain and misunderstanding it brought to my family and friends. Trying to explain that I had become a Christian and not a Protestant was hard to get across. God gave me the grace to step out in faith and I am thankful that my family and friends still support and love me.
Having begun our Christian journey with a strong emphasis on God’s Word we needed to find a Church. Through meeting other Christians and listening to a number of preachers, we had an idea that ‘Reformed’ Churches would share our interest in God’s Word. We typed into Google ‘Reformed Church + Derry’ and Faughan RP Church came up first! We received a warm welcome and knew that God was with us. However, we were still living in North West Donegal and the closest RP Church was in Milford, an hour’s drive away. We have been living in Milford for the last three years and as a young family have benefitted both
spiritually and practically by living closer to the church.
Once we appreciate how holy our God is, we need to worship him on his terms. No other poetry can surpass his Word in the Psalms and no instrument maker has ever surpassed the amazing versatility and portability of the human voice!
Martin: Matthew Henry’s six volume Commentary were the first Christian books I bought and were very helpful in getting me to understand the Bible. Stuart Olyott's book on Romans, The Gospel as it really is, was recommended to me. It helped me to appreciate my salvation even more. One of the first books I studied with our minister, Mark Loughridge, was Disciplines of a Godly Man by R Kent Hughes. I felt that, as a young Christian, I had been put on the right track again. Studying this book with Mark helped me to appreciate what a godly man looks like and to deepen my appreciation of Jesus Christ, the perfect man. Mary: I read Abraham, Living by faith by David Prior shortly after we moved to Milford and it was helpful as we had just moved to a new town where we knew no one outside of our church family. God told Abraham to leave what was familiar to him. Abraham trusted and followed God’s call and we are trying to follow also. My 7th Monsoon by Naomi Reed is about a missionary’s life in Nepal. Its focus is on how life is in seasons and how God is at work, affirming that there is a reason behind each and every season in our life. A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. Praying does not come easy for me, and I was interested to find that I’m not the only one. This book came highly recommended by Mark Loughridge and it takes you back to basics in prayer.
Martin: Many times I have refused paid gigs due to my faith that the Lord’s Day should be set apart. It is a challenge to explain this to my fellow musicians. I pray for opportunities to share with them the importance of Jesus Christ. Mary: Since becoming a Christian, I am more selective as to what songs I sing. A lot of secular and traditional songs have unsuitable lyrics, so I have to go to great lengths to learn new songs that are compatible with my beliefs.
We would appreciate the following prayers: That we continue to develop our spiritual lives together as a family and individually. For opportunities to use our gifts to God’s glory. That our church family in Milford would flourish and that we could develop real and lasting friendships with people from the locality.
ALL THOUGHTFUL CHRISTIANS should be familiar with the writers known as the Apostolic Fathers. Like a lot of terminology, this is a scholarly construct: there was no group which self-consciously called itself the Apostolic Fathers; rather, the term is used as a means of categorizing a broad collection of writings from the years immediately after the close of the apostolic era. Their proximity to the time of the apostles makes them interesting as providing fascinating glimpses into the life of the church in its earliest post-biblical form. The writings represent various genres. There are a large number of letters, a summary of the faith with an early liturgy, an account of a martyrdom and a piece of
apocalyptic. Often, all that we know about the authors or the events they describe are simply the documents themselves. We know of Ignatius of Antioch, for example, simply because of the surviving letters of his which we have. Over the years, the collection has grown as new texts have been discovered. The late nineteenth century saw the discovery of a work called the Didache, or the Teaching of the Twelve, which may even have been written as early as the end of the first century. Thus, it may well have been the product of those who themselves sat at the feet of the apostles. Currently, the writings included in the Apostolic Fathers are: The Letter of Barnabas
The Teaching of the Twelve (The Didache) The Letters of Ignatius The Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians The Martyrdom of Polycarp The First Letter of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians The Second Letter of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians The Shepherd of Hermas The Letter to Diognetus These are available for free online or in a number of decent translations. So, why specifically are they worth reading? First, as noted above, they give unique insight into the church’s development in the years after the
apostles had all died. While the apostles were alive, the church had a group of men to whom she could obviously turn for leadership. Once they had gone, the pressing question became one of authority, ecclesiastical and theological. Paul, of course, points clearly in the pastoral epistles towards the path which the church should take: holding fast to the apostolic teaching and appointing competent men to positions of institutional leadership as elders and deacons. Both developments are evident in the Apostolic Fathers. Particularly in the letters of Ignatius we find neat summaries of the Christian faith. These are particularly focused on the reality of the historical person of the Lord Jesus Christ, almost certainly in response to an early church heresy called Docetism which denied that Christ was actually a real human being. Ignatius also had a very high view of office in the church. More than any other Apostolic Father, he underlined the need for the church to respect elders. Indeed, he went as far as to argue that the church should not meet formally as the church without the presence of an elder. Conservative Roman Catholics see in Ignatius the origins of their own very high view of bishops but such a view involves a considerable amount of reading later developments into earlier texts. In fact, Ignatius’s high view of the eldership is entirely consistent with later Presbyterian views of church government. On both counts, therefore, the ecclesiastical and theological issues highlighted by Paul in the pastoral letters are picked up and developed in the Apostolic Fathers. There are other areas where the
Apostolic Fathers are also of great interest to Christians in the twentyfirst century. Anyone who reads widely in contemporary cultural attitudes to Christianity will know that the doctrines of the Christian canon (the books to be included in the Bible) and the authority of scripture (how is scripture authoritative) are both very vexed issues. The Apostolic Fathers speak to both of these issues. First, as to canon, it is remarkable that these texts already quote with confidence and ease many of the central books of the New Testament as having a special status. Second, as to authority, they quote such texts with the apparent belief that such quotations are definitive in terms of settling arguments. In other words, if Paul or one of the gospels says it, then that is the end of the matter. This is important because it indicates that the church immediately after the apostles seems to have had a competent grasp of what the basic New Testament canon looked like and that it was to function authoritatively in the church. In short, Ignatius seems to have understood that Paul’s writing had a different status and authority to those he was producing himself. While church structure and Scripture are perhaps the two most interesting aspect of the Apostolic Fathers, the document known as the Didache offers a number of unique points of interest. Part of the document presents a vision of the practical Christian life. To Protestant eyes, this might seem a little legalistic because it places before the reader a view of Christianity which is strongly moral and practical in its orientation.
Certainly that is one real weakness in the document; but it does give a glimpse of the kind of moral issues being faced by the church at that time. Most interesting perhaps is the specific anathema against abortion. This is a burning social question today and yet here is clear evidence that it has been so right from the very inception of the postapostolic church. The other half of the Didache is a series of practical statements about worship. Perhaps this might grate a little with those of us who stand in the line of Puritan Presbyterianism and have a natural distrust of formal liturgy as trending towards formalism but the Didache contains liturgies for baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Setting aside the debate about formal liturgy, what is clear is the Christianity of the Didache (and thus the Christianity of the immediate post-apostolic church) wanted to see the church having coherent, intelligent and theologically informed worship. It is a timely reminder that one cannot reject formal liturgy without making sure one replaces it with something that guarantees reverence and theological care in worship. The Apostolic Fathers are probably not high on the reading lists of young Christians today. That is a shame, for this strange collection of writings offers both fascinating information on early Christianity and should also build our confidence that we do indeed stand in line with earlier – indeed, the earliest – generations of Christians. That our brothers and sisters at the end of the first century and beginning of the second believed in the importance of reverent worship, elders, the authority of scripture and a basic canon should be a source of great reassurance to us.
© BBC
HE’S 900 YEARS OLD and virtually immortal. He’s the last of his kind, a Time Lord, from the planet Gallifrey, in the constellation Kasterborous. He has a time machine in the shape of a blue 1940s London police telephone box. It’s a bit broken. Over the past 50 years, the world’s longest running Sci-Fi TV show has been broadcast around the world, following the adventures of the eponymous Doctor (and his companion), as he tries to sort out the universe as best he can. Whether it be stopping World War III, the Dalek Empire as they try to disintegrate the universe, or simply reuniting a lost little boy with his mother, he exists to try and make things right. He spends his entire life trying to fix what’s broken, with his jovial, laughing and often downright comical antics. He’s viewed the world over as the selfless hero, the man who would sacrifice everything he has so that others can carry on living. However, contrary to popular thought, the Doctor is not a “good” man. The Doctor’s running from something. There’s a reason why he spends his time trying to help other people and save the galaxy. It’s guilt and shame - huge, immovable weights on his back that force him to spend his days trying to redeem himself from the scale of the
atrocities that he has committed. But instead of all of his endeavours making him feel better, ultimately, they simply compound his guilt. His victories are only a temporary relief, and he knows that there will always be more losses. He says so much to every person who travels with him: it will be dangerous, you may not survive. He’s leading them on what appears to be the most fantastic trip to their deaths which, ultimately, he can’t stop. So we have here an immortal being who spends his life trying to protect us little tiny humans. Remind you of anyone?
“ There are definite and clear Messianic influences on the Doctor’s character that I trust you can all see. But more important are the differences between the two. The Doctor does what he does because he feels guilty and he’s trying to escape from that guilt. Why did Christ do what he did? John 3:16 has the answer:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” There it is - not guilt, nor shame, not out of a sense of duty, or because of a debt that needed repaid. Love, pure, all-encompassing, all-covering love, that covers completely the sins of is people. More than that, Christ isn’t promising to protect our temporal, mortal lives. He's promising to protect our souls and inviting us to spend an eternity with him. He’s not interested in asking us to come along for the ride and then abandoning us at death’s door. He wants it all because we were bought with a blood price. So, what’s our response? Do we treat Christ like the King he is? Or do we treat him like the Doctor, good to call on every now and again to come in and save the day before we move on with our lives? If you think that’s what you want, remember what happens to the Doctor’s companions - they all die. Christ isn’t interested in making brief appearances in the lives of his companions; He paid for it all, he wants it all and, if we give it all to him, we will get immeasurably more in return.
GIRLS’ ADVENTURE CAMP returned for another year to the Royal School, Armagh from 20th to 27th July 2013. I think we can safely say that everyone had a really good week and that it won’t be forgotten. This year the talks were on different parables, for example, the wise and foolish builders and the unmerciful servant. The Thoughts for the Day were on “big words” like justification and sanctification. In evening worship we learnt about different songs, what we can learn from song lyrics and how we have to be careful when it comes to music. This was all very challenging and helpful to us. We also had a seminar on Wednesday evening about submission in different areas of life. On Sabbath we went to church in Newry and had a lovely lunch provided by the ladies there. That
evening we heard about the work Asia Link does in India and we were given some prayer points to remember. Throughout the rest of the week we had squad games every day. We played uni-hock, volleyball and bucket ball, which were? very competitive, as they? went towards the squad points at the end of the week. We also did a craft where we made stuffed owls, which we all thought were extremely cute! We had an “It’s a Knockout”, a piratethemed day, a bake-off, a vintage garden party (where we learnt the Charleston and played games like croquet) and a Mad Hatter’s tea party. As well as all this we went to ‘Funtasia’ in Drogheda, where some of us went on the high ropes course, while the rest went to the waterpark. We also went to Newry
where we did bowling and laser quest. And of course . . . we went shopping! A highlight of the week was the wonderful food the cooks prepared. All the activities made us really hungry, and the meal times were eagerly awaited by everyone. During our free time we had lots of fun and banter, and friendships were both made and renewed. I’m sure that every girl is looking forward to Camp Reunion, where we can all catch up with each other again.
©tarotastic
YOU ARE SURRONDED by a legion of advisers. Some offer quiet and subtle guidance whilst others shout loudly, demanding to be heard. This is what David experienced. When things were tough and ‘the wicked were bending their bow’ his counsellors told him to ‘flee like a bird to your mountain’. When we come under pressure godless counsellors give us the same advice: ease up on following Jesus and look after number one. In Psalm 11 David wisely ignores foolish guidance and asks ‘How can you say to my soul flee?’ This Psalm teaches us how to respond to pressure and chattering fools.
In the latter part of the Psalm it is as if David is asking his advisers, ‘Aren’t you missing something?’ He tells them that when ‘the foundations are destroyed’ those who love God don’t scarper, bail out on God or blend in with the world. David tells his advisers that, if he is to run, he will run straight to his faithful promise-making, promise-keeping LORD. He knows there are no random events in his life; ‘The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven.’ He knows that ‘The LORD tests the righteous.’ Your Father is seeking to put muscle on you, wanting your scrawny faith to fill out into completeness in Jesus Christ.
Christian, your life is on track for the most spectacular sight imaginable: ‘The upright shall behold his face.’ But perhaps as you face pressure you even begin to doubt that you are included in ‘the upright’. Remember that, although Christ was the perfectly upright man, God hid his face from his own Son. Our sinless Saviour drank a cup of ‘fire and sulphur and a scorching wind’ as he faced the judgment his people deserved and gave them his righteous deeds. Make this your confidence that you will gaze on your Redeemer’s face. As the pressure bears down on you keep running to Jesus, fix your eyes on him, and tune out every fool that tells you, ‘Flee.’