The Record - December 2018 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND DECEMBER 2018 • £2.00

Editor • Rev. David A Robertson The Editor, The Record, St Peter’s Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee, DD1 4JJ 07825 748752 drobertson@freechurch.org News Editor • Dayspring MacLeod dayspring.macleod@icloud.com 07974 261567 Missions News • Mrs Sarah Johnson Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS sarah@freechurch.org WFM Editor • Sarah Cumming 31 Doune Park, Dalgety Bay, KY11 9LX sarah.cumming@hotmail.co.uk Gaelic Editor • Janet MacPhail 24 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA 01851 710354 Seminary News • Rev. Thomas Davis St. Columba's Free Church, Johnston Terrace Edinburgh, EH1 2PW thomas@stcolumbas.freechurch.org Prayer Diary • Mrs Mairi Macdonald ian.macdonald57@btinternet.com Design & Layout • Fin Macrae @DUFI Art www.dufi-art.com The Record • ISSN 2042-2970

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CONTENTS

WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER RECORD

on our way home, we went 10pm to get some food for the morning. Within minutes of all the Guy Fawkes paraphernalia being brought down, Asda had Christmas stuff up. On Nov 5th. There is almost no chance of Christmas being abandoned as a festival by our society — because it is too valuable to the gods of our culture — the gods of commerce. I like the lights at Christmas, especially as the nights get longer. I like Christmas carols on Classic FM in December. I love the Christmas show at the Dundee Rep. But I stay away from Dundee city centre for the six weeks before Christmas. I cannot stand the commercialism and the sickly use of the name of Jesus for drunkenness, crudity and commercial excess. It is enough to make one long for the days when the Church did not celebrate Christmas. And yet, there is a golden opportunity here that must not be missed. This is one time of the year when we have public permission to sing, pray and proclaim the name of the Christ. It is, after all, his time. As churches we need to learn how to do that imaginatively, creatively and above all in a manner which honours and glorifies Christ. Let’s not give our culture what it wants — let’s give it who it needs. I remember one Church of Scotland minister who faced his 1,000-strong Christmas Eve congregation (normal congregation 100), many of whom were drunk, and instead of offering some twee remarks worthy of a beauty queen contestant about world peace, actually proclaimed the Gospel. The next year his congregation had halved. Good for him! Whilst we don’t want our congregations to halve, neither do we want them to come because we feed them meaningless sap. Better a sermon of truth with love than a feast of the crass commercialism and pietistic tripe that is so often the standard spiritual diet. This month’s Record has a great deal for you to think about, pray about and discuss. May the Lord richly bless you and yours this Christmas and may, in the midst of winter, his light shine through in all that you say, do and experience. • n november the 5

A CHRISTMAS TALE

FREE CHURCH NEWS

LIFE AFTER ETS: INNES MACSWEEN

IS ANY RELIGION TRUE? Clive Every-Clayton

ETS NEWS

THE TURNING Tom Lennie

OBITUARIES:JOHN L. MACKAY, NORMAN MORRISON, ALEC GEORGE MACKINNON

DEUS VULT, MEDICE CURA: PART I Anonymous

ECCLESIASTES: THE CURE FOR LONELINESS

SIX LESSONS ON COUNTING THE COST OF MINISTRY Katie Johnson

POVERTY SAFARI: PART II Mez McConnell

WOMEN FOR MISSION AWAY DAY Donna MacIver

TEN YEARS IN COLOMBIA Fiona Christie

MISSION MATTERS David Meredith

BOOK REVIEWS

FROM CHRISTMAS PAST TO FUTURE GLORY Dayspring MacLeod

GAELIC Janet MacPhail

DEVOTIONAL: THE INSPIRATION OF FAITH Callum Macleod

POETRY PAGE Gerard Manley Hopkins

PRAYER DIARY

POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

into asda at

See you next month! Yours in Christ The Editor

2018

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Twas the night before Christmas... and the Free Church preacher was in his usual place of a Saturday night, preparing for the services the following day. As usual he was fearful and anticipatory. There was the normal sense of anticipation — after all, gathering to worship the living God is a wonderful thing — who knows what He may do on any Lord’s Day. But the fear was a little more than usual. The following day was Sunday the 25th of December. Given that it is the only ‘Christian’ festival which still resonates in the British public conscience, the preacher should have expected a bumper congregation and a sense of celebration and rejoicing at the birth of Jesus Christ. Yet he feared that this would be his lowest congregation of the year. There were good reasons for that — many people in his congregation had gone away for the holidays. Some returned to the land/area of their birth to be with family and friends; others had joined the 10% of Scotland’s population who streamed through the airports to head for sunnier climes. He knew that there were adherents who would be reluctant to come out on Christmas Day. And he knew that there were those who would struggle with the whole idea of the Free Church celebrating Christmas at all. As the preacher sat in his study, looking at the Word, thinking of the coming Lord’s Day, he also felt a sense of thankfulness. What a wonderful message! What a wonderful Lord! The Son of God becoming human. Is there any concept more wonderful than the Incarnation? He remembered the time when he would have been able to pray about the Incarnation and preach about the Incarnation, and yet not sing about the Incarnation. Thankfully those days were gone, and now they could sing the rich theology of many of the great incarnational carols. To think that for the only time in the year the Gospel was being sung on television, on the radio, in schools and in the streets! And sung with such wonderful theology: Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb! Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel. ‘Who is He in yonder stall? At whose feet the Shepherds fall, Tis the Lord! O wondrous story, Tis the Lord, the King of Glory.

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It struck him as somewhat ironic that, not for the first time, the secular humanists and those of his brothers who considered themselves ‘traditional Calvinists’ would agree in seeking to take the Christ out of Christmas. The secularists would argue that Christmas should be a secular/pagan festival; the traditionalists would argue that it already was. Both would agree that it should not be seriously celebrated. Perhaps, the >>

THE RECORD

DECEMBER

A Christmas Tale REFLECTIONS ON CHRISTMAS PAST BY THE EDITOR

2018

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It struck him as somewhat ironic that, not for the first time, the secular humanists and those of his brothers who considered themselves ‘traditional Calvinists’ would agree in seeking to take the Christ out of Christmas. << preacher reflected, in days gone by there was no harm, and indeed plenty to be said for, the non-celebration of Christmas. In fact, it was a position he once held with some vigour (although not enough vigour to refuse turkey, presents or some of the other trimmings!). However, as he grew older and wiser, he had come to see that Christmas was one occasion where the Christian Gospel could easily and clearly be proclaimed to the wider community. As a point of connect it was almost perfect. More than that, he himself had come to appreciate more and more the value of setting aside a season of time to reflect upon something as wonderful as God becoming man. In theory he knew that he should be rejoicing in that at all times, but that was just theory. Practice was what was needed.

the season, and yet cancelling worship of Jesus on the Lord’s Day? Amazingly, that same newspaper had a letter the following week from a young man who wanted to know why the evangelicals had cancelled their evening services — why was worshipping Christ seen as an imposition? Good question. And then, as the preacher was wondering if this lack of public worship on Christmas Day was a peculiarity of his city or country, his eye fell upon an article in Leadership Today entitled Closed for Christmas. Apparently this Christmas, several of the megachurches in the US, including Mars Hill and Willow Creek, decided to close for Christmas. Willow Creek was reported as closing ‘so members can focus on the family’. A spokesperson for the church declared that ‘Church leaders decided that organising services on a Christmas Sunday would not be the most effective use of staff and volunteer resources’. How sad, thought the preacher. It has come to this. Church is about the personal convenience and comfort of the consumerist Christian. Church should not be imposed. It is a business that seeks its own particular brand of consumer. And amazing how the mantra of ‘it’s for my family’ or ‘I’m tired and need some personal space’ have become so much part of the psychological make-up of the non-legalistic Christian today. What amazed the preacher, and almost caused him to choke on his chosen beverage, was the justification for the closure of churches on Christmas Day. According to Leadership Today, closing on Christmas was not a new thing — in fact, it could be traced to America’s Puritan past. The Puritans believed that Christmas was either a pagan or a Romish festival and therefore should not be celebrated. What astonished the preacher about this article was the breathtaking ignorance and misuse of history. The Puritans did not celebrate Christmas Day but they would have been horrified at the notion of cancelling services on the Lord’s Day — especially in order to celebrate Christmas! The problem was not that churches or Christians chose not to celebrate Christmas — that after all is an individual choice — the celebration of the 25th of December is not mandatory for any Christian. However, worshipping Jesus on the Lord’s Day is. As he reflected on this, the preacher reached for his drink and sat staring at the log fire wondering where all this was going. That week the preacher had received several letters, e-mails and calls from people from the ‘world’ who had heard him on a radio discussion programme. They had confirmed his suspicion that modern Scottish society is not as secular as is sometimes portrayed. There are many people who are spiritually searching and who are

Twas a Night After Christmas… and the preacher reflected on what had been. Sunday morning was not as bad as he had feared. Although most of the regular congregation were away, some were still around, and there were even a couple of new people. And it was good to celebrate together on Christmas morning, on the Lord’s Day, the birth of Jesus. The evening was somewhat different. That morning about 10,000 people had been in churches in his city. As far as the preacher knew there was only one evening service — with even the evangelical churches deciding that worship on Sunday evening was too much to expect on Christmas Day. But only a grand total of twelve people came to communion that evening. The communion itself was actually an enjoyable occasion. And very appropriate. What better to celebrate Christmas than to remember Christ’s birth in the morning, and his death in the evening? But why was there so little interest in coming to publicly worship Jesus on the day when the people were supposed to be remembering his birthday? The preacher knew he could say nothing — any comment would be immediately be met with the usual cry of ‘legalism, legalism’! Anyway, nagging never works. Years of pleading with people to fill up crèche and coffee rotas had taught him that. The preacher thought about an advert he had seen in the local newspaper the day before Christmas — SATURDAY DECEMBER 24TH — CAROL SERVICE AT 7PM SUNDAY DECEMBER 25TH — NO SERVICE JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON ALL WELCOME. Did the evangelical church which placed that advert not realise the irony in declaring that Jesus is the reason for

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desperate to hear the real Gospel. But the trouble is that they just do not associate it with the Church. Firstly, they have been indoctrinated into the view that anyone who holds firmly to any biblical belief is some kind of redneck ignorant fundamentalist. Secondly, the alternative of the ‘nice liberal’ is not an attractive one to them either — appearing wet, weak and meaningless — who really wants baptised political correctness? And then there is the problem of the Church itself having adopted a corporate, individualistic consumerist mentality. Thus it has lost its radical cutting edge. The Church has become a blunt instrument incapable of cutting through the secular skin of our society. Thus when faced with the cynicism of columnists such as Robert Frampton of The Times, most Christians are ill-equipped to do anything other than shrug their shoulders and say ‘oh well’. Mr Frampton had indulged his atheism in The Times on Christmas Eve — ‘Christianity? Yes to the hymns and the ethics, no to the theology, the mythology and the metaphysics. The Ten Commandments? Marvellously effective basis for personal morality and social control. Jesus died on the Cross for our sins? Mystifying and offensive. Heaven and Hell? Hell, no. Heaven? Useful holding opinion to soften the blow of mortality, hamsters, grandparents and victims of natural disasters alike.’ And so on. The preacher felt the frustration rising again. Why was such thinking (clever but so easily answered) to be left alone? If only those who had the pulpits in the big churches and in the marketplaces of television

and radio could take the opportunity to take Mr Frampton’s ‘yes to the hymns’ and explain the marvellous theology of ‘veiled in flesh the Godhead see’. And so the preacher approached the end of the year. What lay ahead in the coming year? There were clouds on the horizon — the trouble was that the preacher was not sure what kind of clouds they were. Were they showers of blessing? Or storms of opposition? Perhaps both? But, O Lord, thought the preacher, please don’t let this coming year be dry. Send the rain. And the sunshine. Don’t let us live in a land where it is always winter and never Christmas. Don’t let us live in a consumerist culture where we worship the gifts rather than the Giver. He wished it could be Christ’s Time every day. Happy Christmas. Happy New Year. • In fact the mystery of Christ is in danger of being rejected, just because it is so exceedingly marvellous. God dwelt in human nature! He who transcended all creation existed as a human being! The Invisible One became visible in flesh! The Lofty One from heaven existed in the likeness of earthly reality! The Pure Spirit could be handled! The One who by very nature possesses freedom came in a slave’s form. The One who blesses the whole universe became accursed! He who is perfect righteousness was reckoned among transgressors! Life itself came to us in the guise of death! These things are all true because His human body that tasted death was the very body of Him who is God’s own Son by nature. Cyril of Alexandria

2018

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...why was there so little interest in coming to publicly worship Jesus on the day when the people were supposed to be remembering his birthday?

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FREE CHURCH NEWS PHOTO EXHIBITION

understanding of the local community is whether or not we can as a church produce accurate social commentary such as the production James has inspired." Dates to be announced and admission free. •

his month the govan free church will be hosting a photojournalism exhibition of the area by a

collective of the local community. One of the photojournalists — James Holloway, who is the engine behind the exhibit, is a community development worker within Govan and worships with Govan Free Church. Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast) that employs images in order to tell a story and capture social realities. Photojournalists must be well informed and knowledgeable about events happening right outside their door while working within a rigid ethical framework which demands that the work be both honest and impartial whilst telling the story in strictly journalistic terms .Rev. Norman Mackay who has pioneered the church planting venture in Govan comments, "It is essential that any congregation located within a given community should possess an understanding of that community. One litmus test we can apply in order to evaluate our

NEW COMMUNITY CHURCH WORKER IN DUNFERMLINE

Mr Ross explained, "We submitted our proposal to MTTW and prayed for the Lord's provision. We were eventually matched to Greg Dotty by MTTW and Generation." "Greg had been Executive Pastor at a PCA congregation, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Annapolis (EPA) for 10 years. He'd come to Scotland, visiting Dundee and St Andrews on short mission trips eventually becoming persuaded that Scotland should be where he served God." "Greg will be concentrating on a few areas of work, particularly youth and discipleship which he has experience of and will be taking up some preaching duties as well. In the community, the hope is that Greg and his family simply live out their Christian lives making friends with folks who they are able to share the Good News with." "Dunfermline Free Church is thankful for Mission To The World, Generation and everyone who has sponsored Greg to join us. We’re thankful to EPA for their role in sending and supporting Greg. We’ve got a full-time worker, trained and experienced, which we couldn’t afford and to us, he’s free of charge. Give thanks for those who send us helpers."

unfermline free church welcomed greg doty to their congregation at the weekend as their new

church and communities worker. Over the past few years, the congregation had been searching for someone to help share some of the workload from minister Rev. Jeremey Ross and others, helping to free up their time to pursue and strengthen new relationships within the community. Mr Ross said, "We live in a town of 53,000 serving another 20,000 in smaller towns and villages where most people don’t follow Jesus. We're a relatively small congregation but we've grown to a point where we need help to take it to the next level in reaching people for the Gospel." The Free Church of Scotland's mission organisation, 'Generation', has developed a partnership with Mission to the World (MTTW), the international mission wing of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Congregations including Dunfermline were invited by Generation to submit a proposal on how they might use a worker sponsored by MTTW.

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When asked how the wider Church could pray for the Dunfermline congregation Mr Ross said, "We’d love you to pray for the Dotys. It’s not just Greg, but his wife Leanne who has left her work (now not allowed to work for immigration reasons) and Renee (14) and Kaitlin (10). They keep smiling but we know it’s hard and they miss lots of people along with school systems and ways of doing things they were familiar with. Pray that they’d all be happy here." "Our prayer is that the success of Greg’s work here will make it clear that God called him here because God had an obvious purpose to use him to bring many people from Dunfermline to himself through Greg’s work and witness. Please join us by praying for success." •

John Morrison (Elder), Jeremy Ross (Pastor), Greg Doty (Elder)

CHURCH PLANTING EVENTS

built deep friendships, prayed with and for one another and had great fun! I was encouraged and delighted to hear stories of how Jesus is building his church around the world. After the course in NYC, I went to Spanish River Church in Florida for their church planters’ retreat. As a church, Spanish River has, for a number of decades, given 20% of their annual income towards church planting! I had been invited to attend as one of their funded church planters. I joined with around one hundred other church planters from all over the world for teaching (from Glynn Harrison), seminars and fellowship. It was a refreshing time and I felt the warmth of gospel partnership from our North American brothers and sisters who are burdened by the spiritual need in our nation. This was a fantastic opportunity for me as we church plant in Glasgow. The experience made an impact on both head and heart. The benefit, though, was coming back not with more methods or strategies but a greater desire to follow Jesus and make him known in Glasgow. •

n the autumn i had the privilege of attending two church planting events in the usa.

The first was the City to City International Intensive in New York. City to City started through Redeemer Presbyterian Church and developed a church planting training program designed to prepare and equip pastors for planting new churches in cities across the world. Through a course of set reading and classroom teaching we considered how the gospel applies to our own life, marriage and ministry, as well as our church, community and city.

Rev. Jonathan de Groot is leading a church planting group called Christ Church Glasgow.

International Intensive with Tim Keller, New York

The learning experience was highly interactive, grounded in the Scriptures and practical, forcing us to work through the principles for our different contexts. We were taught by Tim Keller, John Thomas, Robert Elkin, Mark Reynolds, Robert Guerrero from City to City. One of the most useful sessions for me was the personal coaching I received from a church planter who took time to understand my story and our church plant in order to push me on to the next stage of development. There were fifteen on the course hailing from Brazil, Dominican Republic, Rwanda, Congo, South Africa, Turkey, Australia, Finland, Portugal and Scotland! The diversity added to the richness of the interaction. We

2018

Spanish River retreat, Florida

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ADOPT A CAMP

ree church youth camps 2018

— it’s

all over now,

camps, managing their teams, their spiritual talks and outings so brilliantly, and all within budget. We were also blessed with the most fantastic variety and quality of food again this year. FCYC cooks are wonderfully gifted and integral members of every team. They can’t be praised highly enough for their budgeting, planning and delivery of three square meals a day plus snacks, S’Mores and so much more! To the drivers and chaperones who were called upon at the last minute — you’re the best! We praise God for putting it on your heart to help out and often go the extra mile to make sure the campers got to their destination safely. And the campers…what a bunch! All the team leaders have commented on the good behaviour of their campers, their openness, willingness to take part in everything and of course, their sense of fun. Some campers have now begun their own personal walks of faith with Jesus, whilst others are building on their knowledge and understanding of Him. Before and during camp, every single camper was prayed for by name, and we would ask that, if you know a camper, you would join us in continuing to pray for him or her without ceasing. I often set Ephesians 4:16 at the end of my messages as it is so illustrative of how Free Church Youth Camps works. Everyone works together, using all their different talents and skills, building each other up in love as they work to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the campers. To God be all the praise and glory! • [Laura MacAuley] ‘From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.’ Ephesians 4:16

but for some campers, their personal walk with their

saviour jesus christ is just beginning. After months of praying, planning, arranging and rearranging, over 347 young people, together with 146 leaders, cooks, chaperones and drivers, have been to one of our twelve summer youth camps. Praise God for his goodness and for all the blessings and answers to prayer we have seen over the last six weeks. Temperatures soared for the first few weeks of the school holidays. It was almost too hot at times for the Senior Football Camp to play football, and dorms were stifling for the Oswestry campers, but through it all they had fun, and when the weather cooled back down to a normal Scottish summer they continued to have fun. So many of the campers told us in their feedback forms that their camp was ‘THE BEST CAMP EVER!!!’ This summer we developed the ‘Adopt a Camp’ scheme, which was valuable for all those who got involved. Thanks to all the churches who joined us in this. We hope we can keep the lines of communication open and continue to build each other up moving forward. ‘Adopt a Camp’ allowed for a real ‘community’ to prosper between churches and camps. Churches were given information about a particular camp, along with specific prayer points, weeks in advance of camp, and they prayerfully supported the camps. Some churches also gave their camp money for an extra activity or for giving the campers books or Bibles, and this was gratefully received. We are immensely thankful that there were no major accidents or incidents at any of the camps. Team leaders should be applauded for running twelve amazingly unique

ISLANDS STUDY CONFERENCE HARRIS HOTEL, TARBERT, ISLE OF HARRIS 8th-10th February 2019 SPEAKERS

Rev. David Andrew Robertson St. Peters Free Church, Dundee “The Good News for Today's Scotland”

Rev. Roger Simpson Archbishop of York's Evangelist for the Northern Province “Lost for Words”

Residential cost-£165 Student Discount Available (Application in writing with £10.00 non-refundable Booking Fee per person) Booking Secretary (Hotel Residents only) Chrissie Macleod Mobile: 07584 497567 Tel: 01851 820 632 Email: chrissie.macleod@googlemail.com Booking Secretary (Day Visitors for Meals/Buffets only) Kathryn Graham Mobile: 07833 552101 Tel: 01851 820 696 Email: bookharrisconference@mail.com Conference website: www.isc.scot

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LIFE AFTER ETS.... REV. INNES MACSWEEN We recently caught up with Rev. Innes Macsween, assistant minister at Smithton Free Church and Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS) graduate. We asked him about his time at ETS and how it prepared him for future ministry Why did you decide to study at ETS? If I'm honest, initially it was because I grew up in the Free Church! I was converted in my early teens, felt called to the ministry at 17, and was accepted as a candidate for ministry at 19. I didn't enter ETS until I was 24, however, and having garnered more experience outside of the Free Church I was increasingly convinced that ETS was the best available place for me to study for ministry in Scotland. It was a large, but not the whole, part of my preparation and my training.

envelop you in their hopes and their warmth and their fears, and it becomes a long-term process of walking side by side to try and give God the glory in knowing Jesus and making him known. What prayer points would you ask the Church to keep in mind when they pray for you? "It's not about us!" is our personal ministry motto here in Smithton. It's about Him. Please pray that this would increasingly be reflected in my preaching, wisdom, humility, discipline, and so on. Please pray for the youth work and young adult Bible Studies I'm involved in — something I'm constantly challenged on to try and do better and better — and for my continuing voluntary work with UCCF, helping UHI students when I can and speaking at different universities. Most of all, please do pray for Smithton — that God would be glorified in how we all live, witness, work, parent, worship, plant new churches, fellowship and pastor each other. Basically, that more and more we would know Jesus and make him known! •

Which aspects of your studies did you find particularly useful for future ministry? 3 things: getting enough of a grip with the original languages of Greek and Hebrew; the intense period of study, analysis, investigation, and fellowship that gave time to shape my soul and discipline; and the opportunity to be equipped through practical teaching, placements, and lessons from our past! What would you say to someone who was thinking about applying to ETS? Remember that no one 'thing' is sufficiently comprehensive to prepare us for a life of ministry: Take the time necessary to gain experience first - to see things from outwith our natural perspectives; be part of a church context desiring to disciple and equip you clearly in the areas not covered by ETS, like our character; if you wish to become a pastor-preacher then surround yourself with clear preaching, clear feedback, and clear accountability; and make the most of it — you may not have a time like this again!

Innes Macsween is originally from Ness in the Isle of Lewis. Converted during a particularly fruitful time among young people on the island, he felt called to the ministry at 17. Innes studied Scottish Literature at Glasgow University and spent a year working with UCCF as a Relay Worker in Cambridge, then studied for the ministry at ETS until 2017 when he was ordained as the Assistant Minister at SmithtonCulloden Free Church, Inverness.

After graduating you began serving the Smithton congregation in September last year as an Assistant Minister — what have you learned from your experiences so far? I've learned how little I know. I've learned that there is a lot more I need to learn. I've learned how invaluable a committed senior minister is, who gives invaluable, robust feedback in all areas — preaching, pastoring, time-keeping, rest, etc. I've learned that humility and teachability are absolutely necessary when you start out in ministry — I need to listen to other ministers, elders, experienced people, and so on. I've learned how wonderful a church family can be — how they

2018

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IS ANY RELIGION TRUE?

Part of a lecture given by CLIVE EVERY-CLAYTON on 16th October 2018 under the title: ‘Is Christianity the only truth about God? What about other religions’ contrary views?’

reflection fits in with the biblical teaching of Romans 1:18-25. Man discerns from contemplating nature and the universe that there must be a God behind it all. The apostle teaches that there is a general revelation of God given in his creation, which provides glimpses of truth that man can reflect upon. Though this is not a saving revelation, it does furnish elements allowing thinkers to know that God exists, and from there to imagine what God might be like and what he must demand. This is the way that all the religions of the world have come into being, with the sole exception of the Judeo-Christian revelation. Behind every religion is some prophet proposing a concept of God, and because they start out from God’s general revelation in nature, such invented religions may include some valid insights.

t is a controversial statement these days to affirm that there is such a thing as truth in religion.

We live in an age of ‘post-truth’ where people’s ideas about existential issues are fashioned more by feeling than by facts. We also hear a lot about ‘fake news’. Isn’t there also ‘fake religious news’? Some people believe that all religious ‘truth’ is fake. Can we ever find truth about religion and about God at all? How can false and erroneous ideas be exposed if truth cannot be found? There are essentially two approaches that can be followed in an effort to find truth in matters of religion: the first, which this article will deal with, is human reflection; the second is divine revelation. Many people these days think Christians are arrogant and intolerant to hold that Christianity is the only truth about God. The underlying reason for their criticism is that they see religious ‘truth’ as merely man’s ideas, the fruit of human reflection. If religion is merely the fruit of man’s supposed bright thinking, how can he claim absolute truth for his personal views?

Two words that link in with this approach are pluralism and relativism. PLURALISM The fact of immigration of peoples of different religions into our country has alerted us to the existence of a number of faiths that were previously known only at a distance. This cultural plurality has encouraged philosophical pluralism – the idea that all religions are somehow valid, each seemingly as good as the next. Popular pluralism says that all religions are the same. Christianity stood out in the pluralism of the Roman Empire, where, according to Edward Gibbon, ‘The various modes of worship… were all considered by the people to be equally true, by the philosophers to be equally false and by the magistrates to be equally useful.’ In the context of pluralism, no one religion could seriously claim to be the only true one.

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Truth by its very nature is intolerant of that which is false. A striking example of religion originating from human reflection is the experience of Buddha. Seeing the suffering of mankind, he spent years wandering around and wondering about what might be the cause and the answer to such a problem. Then one day his philosophic answer dawned on him. The religion that came out of that insight was essentially the result of human reflection. Many other religious gurus have invented their religion by a similar process, some more sophisticated than others. This phenomenon of religion arising from human

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RELATIVISM When people say to us ‘Your religion is good for you,’ implying it is not good or true for them, they are being relativists. They think that there is no absolute truth in religion, because we are all limited to our human ideas – and everyone’s ideas are relative to their own upbringing or preferences. Since no one has the absolute truth about God, everyone’s ideas should be tolerated –except the claim to possess absolute truth! The key issue is this: pluralism and relativism arise within the framework of understanding religious truth as coming only from human reflection. Indeed, if ideas about God are merely that – human concepts invented by religious thinkers – then there is no absolute truth in religion. Everything is simply human speculation and there can be no guarantee that there is a god who corresponds to one’s projected ideas. The logical conclusion of this is SCEPTICISM: no truth can ever be found about God and religion at all. Just as human reason has been unable to discover an absolutely true philosophic system, so neither has human reflection been able to invent an absolutely true religion. This is the climate that characterises our postmodern culture today. In this agnostic and hopeless context, our Christian claim to bring the truth of God comes across as bizarre to our contemporaries. Why? Because our message is perceived as only our human view (whereas we know it is truth given by divine revelation). So our ‘opinion’ is condemned as intolerant and arrogant.

We should gently explain to the relativist that his own position is untenable: when he affirms, ‘All truth about religion is relative,’ he is actually claiming to give absolute truth about religious truth. His statement contradicts itself. It also betrays an intolerant attitude. ARROGANT? It is indeed arrogant if we insist that our human ideas about God are the only right ones. But that is not what Christians actually say. We don’t claim that our ideas are right: we have been convinced that God’s revelation speaks true truth about God, and having trusted in Christ, we have experienced the truth of his promises. So we feel free to share what we have discovered. We are not putting forward the ideas that come from our brilliant human reflection; we are simply transmitting what God the Lord has spoken through his prophets and through the sending of his Son into the world. We seek to do this with humility, recognising that our grasp of this revealed truth is not perfect – our knowledge is not absolute. But the source of our religion, God’s inspired revelation, is absolutely true; it has persuaded us of its real truth, and we desire humbly to share that with our contemporaries. We want to proclaim Gospel truth and urge others, with respect, to believe it as the truth of God. We dare to call on people to repent of their false ideas and to trust in the Son of God, with that spiritual authority that comes from our own submission to the God of truth. • Clive Every-Clayton is Emeritus lecturer in apologetics at BBI and CUPEI, Brussels and a member of Badenoch Free Church, Kingussie

How do we respond to this? INTOLERANT? First, we need to be clear that all religions are intolerant: Ravi Zacharias, specialist in the field, insists: ‘All religions do not say that all religions are the same. At the heart of every religion is an uncompromising commitment to a particular way of defining who God is or is not…. Every religion at its core is exclusive.’1Jews and Christians disagree about whether Jesus was the Messiah; Christians and Muslims disagree about whether Jesus died and rose from the dead. Hindus believe in 300,000,000 gods, while Muslims believe in only one. The fact is that truth by its very nature is intolerant of that which is false. In game quizzes on TV, if the contestant gives a wrong answer, he doesn’t get the prize money. Christians are convinced that God has revealed truth about himself through Jesus, who calls himself ‘a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God’ (John 8:40). ‘The Father who has sent me has given me a commandment—about what to say and what to speak,’ he asserts. ‘What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me’ (John 12:49-50). He tells us that God, his Father, is ‘the only true God’ whose ‘word is truth’ (John 17:3, 17). Having believed that, we have a criterion by which to tell which religious ideas are false. ‘God alone, ultimately, can speak correctly about God’, as Blaise Pascal said2. People’s human ideas must be corrected by the truth that God himself has spoken in his revealed word.

2018

Ravi Zacharias, Jesus among other Gods, Thomas Nelson, 2000, p7. In his Pensées §303/799.

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ETS NEWS BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

175 YEARS OF THEOLOGICAL TRAINING

n 1st november 1843, not long after the free

Fairbairn (who taught in Aberdeen and Glasgow), James Bannerman, John ‘Rabbi’ Duncan, Robert Candlish and George Smeaton. These men all left an important legacy of teaching and writing that are still widely valued today.

church of scotland had been formed in may of that year, the new training college of the free

church of scotland commenced its first academic session at 80 george street in edinburgh.

Originally, this training facility for the Free Church was called New College (although the New College building itself didn’t open until 1850). It then became the Free Church College in the aftermath of the formation of the United Free Church in 1900 and the continuation of a now smaller Free Church of Scotland. Then, in 2014, the Free Church College was renamed Edinburgh Theological Seminary. However, these three names all refer to the same institution.

Throughout the 20th century, although the Free Church did not have the same level of resources that it enjoyed in the early years, there were still many great servants raised up by God to teach at the college. In the early 20th century, John Macleod and Donald Maclean each served as Principal. The former wrote a very valuable book about Scottish Theology, and the latter had important connections with the wider Reformed Church across Britain and the world. Indeed, in 1940, while both these men were on the faculty, the Free Church College welcomed a young preacher who had recently began ministering in London. This preacher gave a series of addresses at the college on the letter to the Romans and so many people came to hear him that the crowd spilled out in to the corridors of the college. His name? Martyn Lloyd-Jones. The second half of the 20th century saw more faithful work from the college as generation after generation of ministers were trained by men like G.N.M. Collins, R.A. Finlayson, Clement Graham and Douglas MacMillan. During these years the college welcomed numerous students from overseas and established lasting connections with Reformed churches across the globe. In more recent years the college was blessed with two professors who each gave over thirty years of their lives to lecturing. In the Old Testament department, the late John L. Mackay taught nearly every Free Church minister alive today and gave an outstanding contribution to Old Testament scholarship and preaching through his numerous commentaries. And in Systematic Theology, Donald Macleod has spent the last four decades leading

Back in 1843, the College’s first Principal and Professor of Divinity was Dr Thomas Chalmers, who was a hugely influential figure in the formation of the Free Church and was a very highly respected preacher and churchman. But he did not live long after the formation of the college, dying in 1847. He was succeeded as Principal by William Cunningham, an immensely capable theologian who helped establish the training curriculum for the college in these formative years. Over time the college grew quickly, and soon there were additional colleges opened in Aberdeen and Glasgow. This actually caused quite a bit of controversy at the time; some wanted to concentrate resources on one central college in Edinburgh, while others wanted to make sure that there were training institutions in the three major urban centres in Scotland. There was a big debate over several years, but in the end, it was the latter who won the day. During these early years the college was blessed with some very gifted teachers. Alongside the outstanding Chalmers and Cunningham, there were men like Patrick

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students to a greater appreciation and understanding of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Today, the college is known as Edinburgh Theological Seminary, but the long heritage of the years as New College and the Free Church College remains very

we look with hope and excitement to the future, we also remain profoundly thankful for the blessings of the past. On 1st November 2018, which was the 175th anniversary of the opening day back in 1843, Professor Donald Macleod, Principal Emeritus, delivered a lecture in Presbytery Hall which reflected on the principles that lay behind the Disruption and their relevance for the Church today. This lecture was organised by the student Theological Society at Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS), and in it listeners were reminded of that fact that behind all the efforts of academic study and ministerial training lie biblical principles that must always be applied and never forgotten. The Free Church was formed with a deep passion and commitment to needs of the whole of Scotland: urban and rural, highland and lowland.In the years to come our prayer is that ETS, the training college of the Free Church of Scotland, will continue to train men and women who can go and serve all over Scotland and beyond to tell people the good news of Jesus Christ. •

precious. It is an enormous privilege for the staff and students today to be part of this long line of servants whom God has raised up over the past 175 years. As

ETS MARKS 175TH BIRTHDAY WITH PUBLIC LECTURE BY ROBIN GRAY

1st

november

1843,

the

new

would lead to the Disruption itself. A minister might be suitable for the pastorate in general, but it was up to the congregation to decide if he was right for them in particular. Professor Macleod urged that we never lose sight of this important principle. Thirdly, a fundamental conviction of the Disruption Free Church was that the strong helped the weak. One of Chalmers’ great achievements under God was the Sustentation Fund, to which every church contributed according their means, but from which came an equal dividend for every congregation, ensuring buildings, manses and stipends for ministers in areas where sufficient funds could not have been raised locally. This provided a lifeline for churches in poorer areas or who needed additional support for a range of reasons, helping the Church to forward its aims of getting the gospel within reach of everyone. The importance of the strong helping the weak, he said, was something we should remember and apply today. For all the importance of these ideals and aims, however, Professor Macleod reminded the audience that he was not called to preach ‘Free Church Principles’, but to preach Christ Crucified. We should always remember our highest and central principle, from which all others must flow. The Theological Society would like to thank Professor Macleod for such a stimulating lecture, and those many members of the public who attended. •

college

established by the free church of scotland for the training of its ministers began its

first academic session under its first principal , dr thomas chalmers .

To mark the 175th anniversary of this historic event, the student Theological Society at ETS hosted a public lecture by Professor Donald Macleod entitled ‘Free Church Principles: The Disruption and Today’ on Thursday, 1st November. Speaking to a full Presbytery Hall at the Free Church building on the Mound, Professor Macleod outlined three key principles that drove Dr Chalmers and his colleagues in the lead up to and following the Disruption in May 1843. The first was ‘the Christian good of Scotland’: they wanted a Church that was evangelical and truly nationwide that would put the gospel in reach of everyone, whether they lived in inner-city slums or small rural villages. They also cared deeply about issues of national concern such as better housing for the urban poor, accessibility of education for all and the plight of those ejected from their homes in the Highland Clearances. They wanted to see all of Scottish life benefit from the presence of a vibrant Church. The second principle was the right of every congregation to elect its own minister. This principle went back to the earliest days of the Reformation, yet it had rarely been enjoyed, and it was an issue that

2018

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– DECISIONS OR DISCIPLES? Revival expert TOM LENNIE discusses the positive and negative impact of a new street evangelism trend.

I’ve had contact with someone on the leadership team of a Baptist church in Reading, and he said that two, three or four people have been added to some churches across the city as a result of the campaign. Nothing remotely approaching six hundred, itself less than a third of the 1,850 figure. And yet the entire national Turning initiative is based purely on the ‘phenomenal’ success of the supposed mighty ‘outpouring’ of the Spirit on Reading in 2016, sweeping powerfully across the town. And this is part of the problem — the significant hype that has accompanied the campaign. No true move of the Spirit requires hype. Where you find a lot of puffed-up talk in regard to a spiritual awakening, it’s a tell-tale sign there was no genuine revival in the first place. And the Turning was reported by its own leaders as a great spiritual awakening. A Christian friend of mine who has lived in Reading for years told me he had never heard of the Turning till I recently asked him about it. To this day he knows no one who claims to have come to Christ through it. The main operational concern with the initiative is the near obsession with clocking up ‘Decisions’. When I looked, the Turning’s website said nothing about the number of people being discipled and joining churches over time. Its focus seems purely directed on the number of decisions made on the street. Christ calls for a deeper response — a response of the heart. This is not so easily ascertainable. It’s not that a decision is in itself wrong — but it cannot be taken as synonymous with a true conversion. Yet the Turning seems infatuated with them. On a daily basis, Yinka Oyekan, founder of the initiative, inserted in huge bold type on his Facebook page the number of decisions recorded each day of the campaign in Scotland’s capital city. Scores of his followers exulted enthusiastically over such amazing moving of the Spirit — signs of a great spiritual movement. I’ve tried to politely engage with Yinka by email and on Facebook, thanking him for his heart for evangelism, and sharing a few of my concerns, hoping to receive a constructive reply. But he refused

he turning is an evangelistic campaign that was begun in reading, uk in 2016 by the local

gate church, having been imported from the States (where it was introduced by revivalist Rodney Howard Browne). Following a prescribed method of street outreach, a total of 1,850 people was said to have accepted the invitation to pray to accept Christ over a four-week period in the Berkshire town. It was seen as a miraculous response. Based on these results, the Turning has become a massive national and international initiative, with hundreds of (mainly charismatic) churches all over the country being involved. So far in Scotland, The Turning has done its rounds in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. There are a number of positive aspects to the Turning. Not least is the fact that it challenges

Where you find a lot of puffedup talk in regard to a spiritual awakening, it’s a tell-tale sign there was no genuine revival in the first place. believers to step beyond the safety of their cosy fellowships and reach out to a world that is spiritually dying. It is firing believers with enthusiasm to share their faith with those who know nothing of Christ and his message of salvation. And it encourages churches of differing streams to come together, encourage each other, and work as a team. But while one cannot but applaud such heart-desire to share the gospel, the methodology used appears to be somewhat suspect. In a report given at a meeting I attended, it was stated that as many as one third of the 1,850 people that made decisions have subsequently become associated with churches and are going on in their faith. Such a proportion would be any evangelist’s dream come true! A third works out at just over six hundred extra churchgoers — which would be a massive boost to Reading’s congregations in such a short time.

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to engage with me in any form, and quickly proceeded to block me completely. Budding evangelists are required to stick closely to a prescribed script. Following a brief introduction, three short Scripture verses are quoted in succession. A prayer is offered, during which the person is invited to repeat a version of the ‘sinner’s prayer’. Emphasis is placed throughout on being quick. From the opening ‘hi’, the entire process can be over in a few minutes. The person continues on his way — now apparently a new creature in Christ — and another ‘decision’ is added to Facebook.

We’re trying to get folk saved who don’t even know they’re lost. We need to leave the Holy Spirit to do his work — in his time. Jesus said regarding a person’s character, ‘Ye shall know them by their fruit’. He never said, ‘Ye shall know them by their decision’, or even, ‘Ye shall know them by their sincerity’. It takes considerable time after seeds are sown for fruit to appear — far more time than modern-day evangelism is willing to wait, apparently. American Bible teacher Paul Washer is so strong in his opposition to decisionism that he terms it ‘idolatry’, because it encourages people to put faith in a decision made rather than in Christ himself and his finished work on the cross.

Photo by Timon Studler at Unsplash

It encourages people to put faith in a decision made rather than in Christ himself and his finished work on the cross.

He never said, ‘Ye shall know them by their decision’, or even, ‘Ye shall know them by their sincerity’.

A common response is that even if just one or two people prove to have genuinely come to Christ through such strategy, then the whole campaign will have been worth it, because just one person’s salvation is utterly priceless. Certainly we should rejoice over any genuine conversion. But how many people might we also be turning away from Christ by our instant-results methodology? Someone makes an instant ‘decision’, without remotely considering the cost (because no one told them there would be any) — leading the street-evangelist to confirm they are now a new creation. There may be no change whatsoever in their lives, yet they may go through life thinking they must be a Christian, because of the ‘decision’ they once made. Alternatively, knowing their ‘decision’ didn’t lead to any positive change, they may well become cynical towards the gospel and harden towards it, because they once ‘tried it’ and it proved a complete sham. It appears to be the infatuation of the presentday Church to get instant results that leads to this corruption. We dare not cheapen the gospel in this way. Leonard Ravenhill calls it plucking unripe fruit.

2018

I long to see the people of my neighbourhood and city come into a true personal knowledge of Christ. It won’t be by following some quick-fix strategy, but by obeying the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit for our own precious locality. To the extent that the Turning is inspiring Christians to get out there and share the gospel within their needy communities it’s a positive thing. But how we do so is very important. I do believe the harvest is ripe. We need to be bold, and be ready to become the answers to our own prayers for our neighbourhoods. Lord, send the workers into the harvest field — following the leading of your Spirit all the way. • Tom Lennie is the author of Glory in the Glen: A History of Evangelical Awakenings in Scotland 18801940 and Land of Many Revivals: A History of Christian Revivals in Scotland over Four Centuries, 1527-1857. Continuing the series, Scotland Ablaze: The TwentyYear Fire of Revival That Swept Scotland 1857-79 is due to be released in December 2018.

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THE LATE JOHN L MACKAY (1948-2018) BY REV. IVER MARTIN

he news of the passing of principal

emeritus

mackay on october

john

25th 2018

came as a shock to the free church of scotland and beyond, and was met with a profound sense of loss.

John L Mackay was born in Glasgow on 4th June 1948, the elder son of John Mackay and Margaret Lamb. Having attended Hutcheson’s Grammar School, he graduated with 1st class honours in Mathematics and Political Economy from the University of Glasgow before continuing his studies at Oxford University. When, after graduation from Oxford, John was offered a position as an economist with the government, as a young Christian, he began to wrestle with the question over where to apply his gifts. Between 1973 and 1976 he lectured in Economics and Statistics at the University of Dundee. During those years he came to terms with a sense of the Lord’s calling into ministry; so, in 1976 he began study at the then Free Church College. Concurrently, he undertook a Bachelor of Divinity degree with the University of London, graduating in 1979 with 1st class honours. (He had taught himself both Hebrew and Russian as a young man!) In February 1980 John was ordained and inducted as minister of Rosskeen Free Church. There, his pulpit and pastoral ministry was fruitful, faithful and proactive with a lively engagement in youth work and the initiation of services in Milnafua. It was a time of planting seed, much of which came to fruition in later years during the ministry of his successor, Kenny Macdonald. Within eight months of his arrival in Rosskeen, he had met and married Mary Lamont, a Christian schoolteacher who herself had been seeking God’s guidance over her future. Their marriage was to be a truly happy one. John L was a loving and selfless husband; and when, in the course of time, John and Fiona were born, John L was a caring,

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attentive and patient father, never missing an opportunity to teach his children, often in creative and entertaining ways; and occasionally indulging in some sheer fun. Such family devotion has left a legacy of lasting and precious memories. It was not long before the Church seized the opportunity to make further use of John’s academic skills. In 1983 he was appointed Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at the Free Church College, a position he held for the next thirty years. This meant that an entire generation of Free Church ministers, and many others, were taught the language and theology of the Old Testament by him. The many complexities of learning Hebrew inevitably resulted in casualties among the student body. Yet, however disastrous exam results were, John L was never demeaning towards those whose academic skills were lacking. Hebrew difficulties were contrasted by the sheer delight of sitting in Prof Mackay’s Old Testament theology classes, where Scripture passages which, for many, had been hitherto obscure, were opened up; and the entire Older Testament brought together under the Covenant framework, and located within God’s overall plan of salvation in Jesus. Classes usually ended with Q&A in which, time and again, he demonstrated a unique ability to think through an issue, and then clearly explain it, off the top of his head, with the minimum use of words. But, whatever the academic quality of his classes, John’s lectures always took account of the complexities of the pastorate, knowing, as he did, that most of his students would soon have to face them. Each lecture, no matter how intellectually stimulating, was tethered in the real world of real ministry, often interspersed with anecdotes, many of them personal, revealing something of the warmth and mischievous humour which characterised him.

In 1993 Prof Mackay’s knowledge of Church practice and administrative skills were recognised by the General Assembly in his appointment as Principal Clerk, a role which he undertook for the next seven rather difficult years. During that period the urgent need of the hour was authoritative, impartial, professional guidance. That guidance was found in John L’s impeccable logic, clarity of thought, and thorough knowledge of Church practice, helped of course by a commanding presence, precise diction and insistence upon decorum. (It was only after he retired as Assembly Clerk that commissioners felt safe to take their jackets off!) But his interests extended even beyond the classroom and the Assembly floor. John loved sung praise, and was extensively involved in the translation and production of Sing Psalms, an excellent rendition of the Psalms which has been received throughout the Church worldwide, and has recently been included in the new edition of the Trinity Hymnal. In 2010 Prof. Mackay was appointed as Principal of the Free Church College, a position he held until his retirement in 2013. The fact that in the midst of such a heavy workload he was able to write a proliferation of Old Testament commentaries is in itself testimony to his vast ability. His commentaries, which have been widely received, bear the two important qualities of rigorous scholarship and accessibility to the ordinary Bible student. John loved his family, and indeed all that went on around his home. In recent years there were health challenges, which he faced with quiet grace; but for most of the time he was able to be productive in writing and other activities. His prayers continued to be full of praise to God, to whom he was thankful for all the blessings he had enjoyed. John L Mackay

DECEMBER

passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, 25th October, surrounded by his loving family. He was 70. As a self-effacing and humble servant, John would have deplored the prospect of adulation. But we do give thanks for what God did through the use of his many gifts. John L was given ten talents; and his legacy is that he put these to

the best possible use for the glory of Christ and his kingdom. To John L’s wife, Mary, along with the rest of the family – son John and his wife, Anne, and their son, Roy; daughter Fiona and her husband Ian; as well as John L’s brother, Alistair, and the wider family — we extend our deepest and prayerful sympathies, and commit them to the God of peace. •

FUNERAL OF JOHN L MACKAY

t columba’s was deliberately chosen as the venue for the funeral

service

respect

of principal emeritus john l mackay partly because of its proximity to the free church college where he lectured for thirty years.

But, as the location of the annual General Assembly where John L served as senior Clerk for seven years, the St Columba’s church building was an all-too-familiar one to him. The service began with a tribute given by Rev. Iver Martin, Principal

of Edinburgh Theological Seminary (formerly the Free Church College), who spoke of John L’s immense academic ability, personal warmth and love for family. Having taught himself the Hebrew language as a very young man, and after a brief career as an Economics lecturer, he spent three years as a Free Church minister in Rosskeen before being appointed Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament in 1983. The service, led by Rev. Colin Macleod (Leith Free Church), was attended

by a large crowd of friends from far afield, who had come to pay tribute to John L’s life and to give thanks for what he meant to them. A scripture reading by Prof. John McIntosh was followed by an address by another former colleague, Prof. John Angus MacLeod, who warmly focused upon the Temple, the City, the Worship and the Glory of what is to come as described in Revelation 22. John L Mackay’s passing came as a great shock to the Free Church and beyond, and his loss is widely felt. •

THE LATE NORMAN MORRISON (1932-2018) BY KIRK SESSION, CROSS FREE CHURCH

orman morrison, ‘tormod bàn a’ ghladstoin’, was

From his earliest memory Norman was surrounded by a rich heritage of Christian faith in the family home at Adabrock. He was widely read and well versed in literature and Scripture. The realisation of his own salvation, through the finished work of the Saviour, came to him in 1970 as he sat in a library in Glasgow reading the work of John Donne, the 17th-century poet and one-time Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Norman professed faith along with Rachel in October 1973, and was elected as a deacon in the Partick Highland congregation in 1975 and as an elder in February 1982. He served as Session Clerk for a number of years. Norman was a man of exceptional grace and wisdom, blessed with an excellent memory. His minutes as Session Clerk were perfectly transcribed for posterity although he took no written notes during the meetings. He served in this role for eighteen years in Cross and around eight years in the Partick Highland congregation. His duties as Session Clerk in Cross, which he relinquished last October, included spending some time with each preacher in the vestry before the service. Many will recall these fleeting moments, when Norman would invariably have a word of encouragement and wisdom as he prepared to lead the preacher into the sanctuary.

one of twelve children born to christina murray of swainbost, ness, the second wife of donald

morrison, ‘an gladston’. There were also six children from

Donald’s first marriage to Christina Macleod of Fivepenny, who died in 1923. Norman was born into this busy household at 14 Adabrock on 5 June 1932. Educated at Lionel School, he joined the merchant navy at age 17 and sailed with the Lyle Shipping Company, Port Line, Blue Star Line and the New Zealand Shipping Company. He came ashore at age 27, when he married Rachel Gillies of Park House, South Dell. They were married by Rev. Malcolm Morrison at Partick Highland Free Church on 3 November 1959. It was a marriage that would be a true harmony of like minds as they sojourned together in union with their Lord for nearly sixty years. After Norman left the merchant navy he was employed for a time on the Clyde Docks before joining the police in Glasgow, where he served for around four years. He then worked as a Schools Attendance Officer in Glasgow and continued in this work for 25 years until he retired. Norman and Rachel returned to Ness in 1995 and settled in Rachel’s old family home in South Dell with her sister, Catherine.

2018

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The marriage bond with Rachel was broken when Norman passed away in the Western Isles Hospital in the early hours of Sunday, 15 July, at age 86. We now extend condolences and offer our prayerful support to Rachel, and to Norman’s brothers, Donald Finlay and Donald John, and sisters, Dolag, Flora and Nora. We remember too Rachel’s sister, Cathie, at Park Cottage, and all the extended family. We as a Kirk Session, along with

many others, lament Norman’s passing. We have all lost a true friend who was blessed with abundant spiritual gifts and graces. God has now taken home a good and faithful servant who will be fondly remembered in this parish and in many Christian fellowships. • ‘Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty...’ Isaiah 33:17

THE LATE ALEC MACKINNON (1936-2018) BY REV. CALUM IAIN MACLEOD

lec george mackinnon was born

glasgow

25th

october 1936 and passed to

his eternal rest on 20th february 2018.

He was the second son of Donald and Mary Anne Mackinnon, who, after moving back to Lewis, lived for some time in Mary Anne’s home village of Caversta in South Lochs. Alec George started his education in the local school at Kershader but soon afterwards the family moved to 20 Crossbost. He continued his primary education in Fidigarry School, Ranish, and afterwards attended the Nicolson Institute and Balmacara Agricultural School for his secondary education. On leaving school he embarked on a career pathway taken by many of his contemporaries at that time as, after completing a five-year apprenticeship with Kilpatrick’s, well known electrical contractors in Paisley, he became an officer in the Merchant Navy. The next ten years saw him sailing to many parts of the world, especially the then-prominent trading routes to Australia, New Zealand and South America, as an electrician with the famous Blue Star Line. This was a career with which he fully intended to continue, but providential circumstances, in the course of a period of home leave in 1968, appear to have compelled him to change direction. During this time at home his mother died very suddenly and the family croft passed to Alec George,

THE RECORD

a responsibility he took up with immediate effect. Ever resourceful, he combined crofting activities with work as a self-employed electrical contractor until, some years later, he joined the local authority as a maintenance electrician, where he remained until retirement. An even bigger change of direction, however, was imminent as it was around this time that he became a highly committed Christian, ultimately making public profession of his faith in September 1969. In August 1968 Alec George and Rhoda Macleod of 44 Crossbost were married and set up home at No 20. This was a union which was to last for close on fifty years, and was blessed with a family of three – Mairi Anne, Rhona and Donnie. Moreover, it established a prominent Christian base which was much visited during the many Communion seasons which followed. Alec George was by nature an engaging and lively personality who set about every task, whether secular or spiritual, with consummate enthusiasm. This trait characterised his Christian walk, which he embraced with unbridled passion. He loved to debate healthy theological concepts and lost no opportunity to do so. His commitment to the Christian cause was further manifested through his valuable service as an office-bearer. He was ordained as a deacon in 1976 and as an elder

in 1985. His diligence in those offices was immense and he also gave valuable service outwith the congregation as a the member of the Western Isles Presbytery, not only on behalf of the Lochs congregation but for several years as Assessor Elder for Leverburgh. His latter years were not easy as bouts of ill health prevailed on numerous occasions. In each instance, however, his natural enthusiasm tended to result in a ‘business as usual’ approach immediately following his discharge from hospital. That approach prevailed until his very last confinement, when it became clear to him that would be no way back. His faith never waned, however, and this continued to be clear to the very end. The ongoing sympathy of the congregation, and the community, is extended to Rhoda, Mary Anne, Rhona and Donnie as well as to Alec George’s beloved grandchildren. •

DECEMBER

DEUS VULT, MEDICE CURA A Christian medical approach to transgender ideology and patients. An ANONYMOUS contribution PART 1

‘“ L

et us create man in our own image”

— male and female he created them.’ An oft-quoted portion of Genesis, a simple truism accepted without question by generations untold until now. Something has happened in modern western society; a tipping point has been reached where our deepest perceptions of what it means to be human are challenged by new, ‘progressive’ ideology. What are we as Bible-believing Christians and medical professionals to make of this, especially when those most influenced by trans ideology seem to be our young, vulnerable brothers, sisters and patients? As with all things in medicine, first we must return to first principles. The vast majority of human beings are born with 46 chromosomes, two of which are the sex chromosomes — X and Y. Women have XX, men XY. The genes contained within these complex constructs control how we grow and develop in the womb. Most human beings develop along tightly defined, sex-specific pathways. Men have testes, women have ovaries. This statement of biological fact should not be contentious, yet somehow in modern society

chromosome. All embryos begin as phenotypically female; only with the presence of certain specialised hormones at developmentally critical periods does sex organ differentiation occur. Recent evidence suggests that other external factors such as maternal hormones affect brain and body development. The expression of genes can be turned on or off (epigenetics) by external factors, and this may cause parts of the body to fail to ‘match up’, for example with the development of brain structure later in gestation, long after physical sex has been determined. Due to our fallen world, if something can go wrong with any aspect of human development, then it is certain that in some people, it will. This includes early sexual development. Scientific studies are contradictory about the physical differences between male and female brains. Some suggest minimal structural and functional difference between brains of both sexes, while other postmortem studies suggest that ‘trans’ brains appear more in line with their chosen gender rather than that ‘assigned at birth’. Scientific clarity is reduced further by the mangling

it has become so. A prominent billboard was recently removed because it contained the worlds ‘woman = adult human female’. Scientifically, that is a correct statement, yet for some people it may cause offence. The very reason it causes offence is complex and has much to do with the fluidity of language, culture and individuals’ selfidentification (or not) with stereotypical norms. The presence of ‘intersex’ conditions do cause blurred lines in regards to biological sex. Some children are born with ambiguous genitalia, and there is a rare condition where apparently female children develop into males in adolescence. Rare conditions such as Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome and Swyers Sydrome affect biological XY males in such a profound way that they may be born with entirely female genitalia and sometimes even sex organs. Numerous cases of childbirth using IVF have been recorded in these genetically male yet phenotypically female individuals. Of course they are unable to reproduce naturally. Intersex people are often conflated with transgender or non-binary, but the distinction here is important — these are identifiable genetic disorders with a physical cause, as opposed to those associated with feelings and self-identification. Masculinisation or feminisation of the foetus in the womb is not as simple as the presence or otherwise of a Y

of language, such as in the above ‘assigned gender’ rather than ‘biological sex’. Such semantic opacity seems designed to intentionally muddle discussion. The outspoken trans lobby demand that all must use their ‘correct’ terminology — ‘trans’, ‘cis’, etc — as when one controls language, one controls the thoughts of others. Even more concerning is the attempt to silence all scientific research that threatens them. The news reports stories of retracted papers, de-funded research and thinly veiled threats towards academics who dare to research the underlying causes of transgenderism or the possibly negative outcomes of transitioned patients. This sets a dangerous precedent – we need research to understand the human mind and body, for how else do we correct medical mistakes? How else do we learn from error? Fundamentalist ideology, which always believes itself to be right, must not control knowledge and scientific progress. That instead is the purpose of ethics. Christian doctors have the responsibility to care for their patients — trans patients included — using the most up-to-date, relevant and wide-ranging knowledge at their disposal. •

The outspoken trans lobby demand that all must use their ‘correct’ terminology — ‘trans’, ‘cis’, etc — as when one controls language, one controls the thoughts of others.

2018

In the next article I will discuss more about the link between mind, body and gender self-identification.

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he government can fix everything. someone has to!

phrase ‘there was a man (or woman) all alone’. What is the point of being famous and wealthy if you have no family or friends? This is particularly about friendship and should not be restricted to marriage — though one hopes that one’s marriage partner will also be a friend! At a personal level I am thankful that I married my best friend and I can sing along with Don Williams, ‘You’re My Best Friend’! Loneliness has always been a problem, but it is perhaps especially so in our society. According to the aforementioned government report there are nine million people in the UK who always, or mostly, feel lonely. It’s a problem recognised in our media. The long-running Australian soap reminds us of the importance of ‘good neighbours who become good friends’. Yet how many of us live in streets where we don’t even know the names of our neighbours (other than when the Amazon parcel arrives!), never mind identify them as friends? Likewise, Netflix have just introduced a new generation to the everpopular Friends, with its instantly recognisable theme tune ‘I’ll Be There for You’. How many of us have friends who will be there for us? How many of us have substituted the handful of friends that come from deep and committed relationships for the hundreds of online friends who mean virtually nothing? Solomon speaks of the pits, coldness and bandits that faced the ancient traveller. A friend is better in these situations. When there is an accident, when we feel inadequate, when we are in trouble, then we do need friends. Two are better than one for work. Two are better than one for our ‘walk’, both physically and spiritually; if you are cold it is good to have a friend. In terms of spiritual

And since the government is the highest authority known to secular man, it must be the solution to every problem. Including the problem of loneliness. Thus Prime Minister May, in response to a report from the Jo Cox Commission, appointed a ‘Minister for Loneliness’, Tracey Crouch, who was also the minister for sports and civil society, until her principled resignation over the government’s delay to reduce the limits on fixed-odds betting terminals. It seems that loneliness is not a new problem. In this month’s Ecclesiastes passage (ch.4:7-12) Solomon recognises the problem. Earlier (https://www. christiantoday.com/article/ecclesiastes-4-oppressionenvy-and-contentment/124729.htm) he had considered the law courts and the marketplace — now he moves on to the traveller. The lonely businessman. Sometimes I go to speak at conferences and end up staying at airport hotels, popular with business travellers. It’s fascinating to people-watch! Being a travelling businessman sounds a glamorous life, jetting all over the world, staying in hotels, eating out, meeting people, and yet far too often there is a weariness and above all a loneliness. Solomon speaks of a man who works hard, who makes money but travels alone. Who is he doing it for? He perhaps never stops to think why he is doing it. Until the end. He is the lonely hardworking individual, without companionship, without satisfaction — the miser. On one journey to the US I picked up the inflight magazine, and what caught my eye was the advert for top businesspersons’ introductions. It reminded me of this

THE

GOSPEL FOR TODAY’S SOCIETY ECCLESIASTES 4:7-12 THE RECORD

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coldness think of how we are meant to encourage and help one another. ‘Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ’ (Galatians 6:1-2, NIV). Notice the increase in number from two to three. The more friends the better. The picture of the three cords woven together is a beautiful picture of what real friendship is. Perhaps each of us needs to take time and reflect about the quality, or lack thereof, of our friendships? When my church ran a camp for children from a deprived background they loved singing the Christian songs…perhaps the most popular was one that, although it was not a normal Sunday School song, seemed very appropriate for a Christian camp — Bill Withers’ ‘Lean On Me’. Sometimes in our lives we all have pain We all have sorrow But if we are wise We know that there’s always tomorrow Lean on me, when you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on For it won’t be long ‘Til I’m gonna need Somebody to lean on Chapter 4 deals with the oppressed having no comforter, a man without the companionship of family and friends, and a lonely king. The early Church had some quite fanciful interpretations of this passage. Jerome, for example, saw in the threefold cord the faith, hope and love of 1 Corinthians. Ambrose was more interesting — in speaking of Christ as the friend who sticks closer than a brother, he sees him as the one who lifts up the companion when he falls, the one who warms, and the one who went from the prison to be a king. He points us to the real solution for loneliness. There was and is a desperate need for real friendship. Not manipulative, or exploitative — but real. Strength is gained from human relationships, but the greatest relationship and friendship of all is found in Christ. He is the one who provides meaning. Ultimately, of course, only Christ can be the perfect friend. He says to his disciples, ‘I have called you friends.’ It’s a most moving and beautiful picture. He is our friend. He is our reason for working. He is our raison d’être (reason for being). He is our real minister for loneliness! ‘What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.’ Do you know him? •

CURE FOR

LONELINESS 2018

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Photo by kelvin balingit on Unsplash

THE

SIX LESSONS ON COUNTING THE COST OF MINISTRY BY KATIE JOHNSON

he seventh 20schemes weekender has come to a close and over 100 people from all over the world are heading home , encouraged to continue in the ministries in which god has placed them .

Every six months, 20schemes, a church-planting organisation based in Edinburgh, hosts their weekend conference called the Weekender. The Weekender is a time for teaching and networking geared to those serving in urban deprived settings. The theme was Counting the Cost, which focussed on the challenges that accompany church-planting in particularly hard places. In addition to the sessions, attendees were able to hear testimonies from Acts 29 church planters from four different continents, planting in some of the hardest places on earth. These planters are part of the Acts 29 initiative Church in Hard Places, a resource-sharing collaborative that trains and supports indigenous church leaders in poor communities. Here are the top six things we learned when it comes to counting the cost of ministry:

‘People will hurt and abuse us. It’s guaranteed it will happen in ministry...when this happens we still need to be sacrificial.’ On the Friday night, Paul McLouglan, a 20schemes church planter in Edinburgh, spoke on the cost of denying yourself. When we follow Jesus, the battle begins, which is to daily deny ourselves and live for the Saviour. In ministry, when others may hurt and abuse us, we must still deny ourselves and be sacrificial, just as Jesus was for us on the cross. •

Paul McLouglan speaks on denying yourself

‘We must not make our comfort an idol. Comfort has been weaponised by the devil to make Christians disengaged, apathetic and unwilling to be engaged in conflict.’ Chris Davidson, a 20schemes church planter in Inverness, gave a challenging talk on the cost of moving in. The most effective discipleship happens when we live amongst the people that we are reaching. The concept of travelling forty minutes to get into a scheme to do ministry, but not be among the people, will more than likely lead to failure. We must be involved in the community. •

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‘Our husbands don’t work 9-to-5 jobs. We have to be flexible with our time despite when we feel like time is being snatched away. I have to keep in mind that the end goal is to serve the Lord in my work as a planter ’s wife.’ A panel of women from across the UK discussed questions on the cost of being a planter ’s wife. It was a good reminder that looking after the spiritual wellbeing of your wife is important and needs to take priority. •

When our expectations are based on anything but the Word of God, we will feel defeated.

‘Far too often we can be distracted by what we want or don’t have rather than just getting out there and doing the mission God has put before us. He’s given us everything we need...the Holy Spirit.’ Ian Williamson, a church planter with Medhurst Ministries, spoke on the cost of feeling defeated. Having dealt with a struggling church plant and selfpity, Ian shared about his personal struggles, which resound with so many in ministry. But he reminded us that when our expectations are based on anything but the Word of God, we will feel defeated. We have to look to Jesus, rather than the success of our ministries, for validation. •

Matthew Spandler-Davison (L) and Samuel Leballo (R) in discussion

‘Some people think friendship is enough to disciple people. A new Christian cannot grow apart from learning the Word of God. We must teach them the Bible.’ Mez McConnell, director of 20schemes, discussed the cost of caring for new believers. In hard places, becoming a Christian means, in many cases, giving up friends and family who will reject you. The church must then step up and become their new family in a very real sense. This means more than just loving them practically, but also discipling them. •

‘Yes, there are heartaches and people can walk away, but when one sinner repents there is rejoicing in heaven and our ministry is worth it.’ Andy Constable, co-pastor of Niddrie Community Church, ended the Weekender talking about the joys of scheme ministry. Yes, there are downs in discipleship, but along with the downs are ups, and along with them come the greatest joys in life. Despite the challenges, serving the Lord in hard places is all worth it for the sake of even one. •

Andy Constable shares the joy of ministry

About 20schemes: 20schemes is bringing the light of the gospel to Scotland’s schemes through church planting and revitalization. Millions of Scotland’s poorest are perishing without the good news of Jesus. We believe that the local church is the answer. Visit 20schemes.com to find out how you can get involved. 20schemes is a ministry of Niddrie Community Church (Edinburgh, Scotland) in partnership with 20schemes Incorporated, an integrated auxiliary of Bardstown Christian Fellowship (Kentucky, USA).

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POVERTY SAFARI: UNDERSTANDING THE ANGER OF BRITAIN’S UNDERCLASS by Darren McGarvey A series of articles by MEZ McCONNELL of 20schemes on this Orwell Prize-winning book looking at the causes of poverty in Scotland

Part II: Gentrification; Good or Evil? when

disseminating

the

effects

6. Bad: If it means that the new middle class bring with them their individualism and personal materialism (which they often do). 7. Bad: If you are a church (like ours) that saw huge swathes of local children in their Sunday Schools diminish to nothing as people were relocated. 8. Good: Skills and a growing work ethic return to the community. 9. Bad: The community is destroyed by those who move in as first-time buyers and have no communal interest other than securing their foot on the property ladder and moving up and out as soon as possible. 10. Bad: If you would like to own your own home but can’t because of ridiculously high property prices (and rentals). 11. Good: If you are a landlord, for the reasons stated above. 12. Bad: For those wanting to rent but who don’t meet the criteria of the new landlords because their income falls well below requirements.

gentrification in our schemes. To him this process is basically about, ‘the practice of getting rid of any evidence that the community is working-class’ (p74). It’s hard to disagree when I look at my own community. Street names that have stood for many decades have been canned to reflect the wishes of the incoming middle-class buyers. Huge posters have gone up all over the scheme of families with perfect teeth, and smiling children playing on the rug in their beautiful new ‘townhouse’. Even the local flats on the estate had a multi-million-pound facelift which the locals cynically (and most likely truthfully) say was done so that the housing managers could easily sell the new apartments and townhouses that now face the old, decrepit flats. It’s not hard to see why so many people roll their eyes whenever they hear the word ‘regeneration’. The very homes they grew up in and played around as children, perhaps before raising families of their own, are often only remembered as terrible mistakes; embarrassing blemishes which had to be erased from the city skyline…. Regeneration exposes the ravine between people who see this community as a ‘project’ or a ‘scheme’, an ongoing enterprise or a problem to solve, and the people who actually live here. (pp75-76) I am in little doubt that the vast majority of workingclass people, small business owners and the local authorities view the regeneration of Niddrie as a good and healthy thing. It is often associated with ‘weeding out’ the inherent social problems and ‘lifting up’ the area in which it occurs. Much can be said about this topic, but I just wanted to point out a few good and bad points of the gentrification of our housing schemes.

So, is this process good or bad for Niddrie? It’s difficult to tell. Niddrie is certainly a quieter place than it once was. A safer place? Not particularly. The new people moving in are suspicious of the locals, and vice-versa. It has enhanced a divide that has always been there, but now it is on their doorstep. A guy watching a young family move into a £200K house on the site of where his pals used to live is not best pleased about it. Of course, the wealthy move in and are huddled together, marked out by their shiny new homes, and are a target for many. On the other hand, there is a renewed sense of pride about the place. The arts are still going strong and there is still a good community vibe and lots of great local initiatives. There have been a couple of locals who have started businesses and are doing well for themselves thanks to community grants. But this is an experiment in social engineering that will be measured in another ten years. At the moment the ‘indigenous’ community (those that are left) are going along with it (they have to) and new people are tentatively moving in. How (and if) we move toward communal synergism will be the interesting thing. Certainly, it offer challenges to us as a church as we seek to model Christian community (with poor and middle-class believers together) but it has also caused us difficulties with incomers who call us ‘the junkie church’ because we are so established with the indigenous populace. •

1. Good: If you own your own home and your housing prices go up as the area improves. 2. Bad: If you don’t own your own home and you have to move out of a place you have lived in for generations to make way for developers. It appears that gentrification might just make the poor poorer! (Surprise surprise.) 3. Good: If you are a local business, because new people and redevelopment attract new consumers. 4. Good: If you are involved in the building industry (for obvious reasons). 5. Good: If you have been plagued by ‘problem people’ and ‘drug houses’ which are being removed from the area.

THE RECORD

In the final part we discuss conclusions and solutions for those living in poverty.

DECEMBER

Photo by Katie Johnson at 20schemes.com

cgarvey is at his angriest (and most correct)

A guy watching a young family move into a ÂŁ200K house on the site of where his pals used to live is not best pleased about it.

2018

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WOMEN FOR MISSION IN WESTERN ISLES DONNA MACIVER writes about an evening of fellowship, praise and enlightenment.

in 2014. It was enlightening and heartwarming to hear about the way in which the Scottish Bible Society supports the work of the Bible societies in both these countries. In Malawi, they met a pastor of a remote village who had to depend on an incomplete Bible — Genesis 42 to 1 Corinthians. You can imagine his delight to get a complete Bible. We were given an insight into some personal stories of hardship and incredible poverty. The Bible Society of Malawi reaches out to a needy people through projects such as Let the Children Encounter Christ and Family Scripture Engagement. Moira then went on to give some reflections on her visit to Rwanda in 2014. Her account of the people she had met and what she’d seen, her pictures of people and her insights into the effects of the indescribable horror of what the people had suffered was very moving. Four years later, she herself cannot speak about her experience without difficulty, and quite a few in the audience were fighting their emotions as we saw and absorbed the personal stories of suffering and forgiveness — stories which are rooted in hope, as the country engages in rebuilding following the genocide of twenty years ago. The Bible society in Rwanda, with projects such as Trauma Healing and The Good Samaritan, tries to ensure that the Bible is the key resource in reaching out to people who have experienced such unimaginable horror. After a further hymn, beautifully sung, from Marion Rae Graham, Fiona Maclean gave a vote of thanks to all those who had contributed to the success of the evening : Moira McCarrell, Marion Rae Graham, the committee of the Western Isles WfM for organising the event, and the management and staff of the Cabarfeidh Hotel for hosting the evening. Above all, she praised our Lord and Saviour for his goodness to us. The evening closed with a singing from Psalm 119, led by Katie Ann Macleod. •

he 12 th annual wfm event for the ladies of the women for mission groups in the western isles was held on the evening of friday , 8 th

june 2018 in the cabarfeidh hotel in stornoway .

As in previous years, a very special time of fellowship, encouragement and renewing of acquaintance was enjoyed by the ladies present. The event is organised by the committee of the Western Isles WfM and is chaired by Donna MacIver. The event opened with prayer, led by Mrs Dina Macleod, after which a delicious meal was served by an efficient, friendly and well-managed team. The ladies joined together to praise the Lord with the singing of Psalm 36, led by Katie Ann Macleod. Donna Maciver then introduced the 2018-19 WfM Main Project, ‘Community Connections’, focusing on raising funds for medical support in Bulgaria, building a ministry and training centre in Manila in the Philippines, helping disabled refugees in the Middle East, and for community outreach in the United Kingdom. All funds raised at the evening event will be channelled to the project. Donna then welcomed Marion Rae Graham, who had led the praise at last year’s event, but had this year been asked to sing solo items, which she did beautifully.

Moira McCarrell (front LHS) with members of the WfM Western Isles comittee

The speaker for the evening was Moira McCarrell of Inverness, a former teacher who since her retirement has become increasingly involved with the work of the Scottish Bible Society and is now the Scottish Bible Society ambassador for the Highlands and North of Scotland. An excellent communicator, Moira gave an illustrated talk based on her visit to Malawi with SBS in 2017 and on her visit to Rwanda

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DECEMBER

TEN YEARS IN COLOMBIA

BY FIONA CHRISTIE

HOW IT ALL BEGAN ‘Would you consider teaching English in the Seminary?’ asked Dr Manuel Reaño as I began my Colombian holiday back in 2006. I had met the Reaños in Scotland in the early nineties and kept in touch with them after they returned to Colombia in 1998. They had often invited me to visit but it wasn’t until 2006 that I finally faced my fears and bought a plane ticket. It didn’t take long for me to see God’s hand in Manuel’s invitation, and in 2008 I returned to Medellín on a two-year assignment with the mission Latin Link to set up an English language programme in the Bible Seminary of Colombia, of which Manuel was then the Rector. While at the Seminary, I visited communities on Colombia’s Atlantic coast affected by the country’s long-running civil conflict and was moved by the desperate need of the people I met. When Latin Link member Simon Walsh invited me to participate in a new project called the Funky Frog Clubs (now run by the Vive Foundation) to equip churches in those communities to work with children, I was ready to return longer term, which I did in 2011.

wonderful to see shy young (and older) people blossoming as they take on responsibilities within the Clubs, training others, participating in the writing of the curriculum and as members of staff. Parents, too, have been reached by the witness of the Clubs. LATIN LINK COLOMBIA Latin Link works with churches to facilitate mission to and from Latin America and is beginning to get involved in the mobilization of missionaries from Latin America within Latin America and to Europe. Latin Link Colombia sent its first missionary to Bolivia in 2009, and from 2014, when I became Leader of Latin Link Colombia team, I began to receive enquiries from Colombians interested in international mission. In 2015 we sent a short-term missionary to work with an Anglican church in Manchester, and three Colombians based in Colombia with international ministries have recently joined Latin Link as long-term members. Three short-term missionaries are preparing to serve outside Colombia, one in Peru and a couple in Spain. MY NEXT STEPS Having completed the tasks that I felt the Lord had for me in Colombia, and needing to spend more time with my family, I decided to return to Scotland for good in March 2018. I’m taking some time out just now and then I’ll be looking for work and possible opportunities for further training in the Edinburgh area. YOUR NEXT STEPS Please pray for the nation of Colombia as it faces an uncertain future under the leadership of recently-elected President Iván Duque. Pray for the Colombian church as it seeks to be salt and light in a very corrupt and violent society. Pray for the work of the Vive Foundation and the Funky Frog Clubs as they continue to train leaders to disciple children and produce Bible teaching materials. Pray for Latin Link Colombia as the team develops as missionary mobilizers. •

Children having fun at their Funky Frog Club

THE FUNKY FROG CLUBS The Funky Frog Clubs are designed to enable churches to disciple the children in their communities. In their Club, children participate in a games afternoon, and on Sundays, they worship God and learn the story of the Bible in a dynamic and systematic way. Club leaders also commit to praying once a week for the children and for the activities of the Club. For several years, my role was to manage the production of the Bible teaching curriculum. We aimed to produce original materials that were both theologically rigorous and culturally appropriate in contexts where children are often vulnerable to violence, child labour, sexual exploitation and neglect. The Funky Frog curriculum tells the story of the Bible in six acts: Creation, the Fall, the Story of Israel, Jesus, the Church and the New Creation, and each year, six series of eight lessons are produced. Originally these lessons were just for the Funky Frog Clubs, but now scores of churches around Colombia use the curriculum in their Sunday Schools. We were confident that loving relationships and consistent Bible teaching would have an impact on the children, which they did, but we didn’t expect the Clubs to have such a transformative effect on the leaders. It has been

2018

If you would like to support the Vive Foundation and the more than forty Funky Frog Clubs, you can do so online: https://www.latinlink.org.uk/appeal/vive-foundation.

Fiona (LHS) with her Vive colleagues

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MISSION MATTERS I

There were of course other speakers, including our friend Giotis Kantartzis from the First Evangelical Church, Athens, Greece, who gave an outstanding exposition of Acts 16:1-10. Anke Steinbach, who lives and works in Hamburg, Germany, and who developed and leads the Faith & Work ministry in Hamburgprojekt, called Wirkungskreis, spoke on ‘Faith in Work’. The test of a good conference is that it follows you. What followed me? Church-planting in the Free Church is essential as we seek to reach our nation. New churches are the environment where most new Christians are born and nurtured. Our goal of planting thirty new churches by 2030 is not ridiculous but a modest contribution to reaching out to Scotland. The thinking out of how the gospel is proclaimed and how churches can be effective in a church-planting situation is wholly transferable to older churches looking to be effective. Formula One racing seems esoteric and high-end, but the insights gained as pioneers on the racetrack will find their way into your Ford Focus at some point. We need to see the reality of secular Scotland and focus our message and methodology to engage that. One of Keller’s observations is that in the Western world we are the first generation to see that the main thing we have to be saved from is the idea that we don’t need salvation. There is a rising generation who are being catechized through social media. One of the implications of this is that a young person from Marrishader will think in a similar way to their cohort in Morningside. The urban/ rural divide is more mythical than real. Two services and a Wednesday night does not cut it. People are formed and discipled through community. Community involves much more intense life-on-life involvement in the shape of shared meals, intentional mentoring and efforts to build community. When the primacy of preaching gives way to the exclusivity of preaching, a culture of passivity and consumerism sets in. Despair and discouragement need not be the final word. According to Pew Research, there is a decline in secularism in the world. Atheists, agnostics and other people who do not affiliate with any religion, though increasing in countries such as the United States and France, will make up a declining share of the world’s total population. We have a hope. We have a task unfinished. •

magine 600 people who are passionate about the church gathered in one place to pray, talk and dream about

creating new churches all over europe. At the beginning of November, I was part of a group of five ministers from the Free Church who attended the European Redeemer City to City Church Planting Conference in Krakow, Poland. The keynote speaker was Dr Tim Keller. Tim spoke at four plenary sessions on gospel movements in the world, cities, churches and in the individual heart. Keller is an unusual speaker, the antithesis of the grandstyle dramatic preacher. He unpacks the Bible and applies it to the culture of today with power. I know of no other preacher so steeped in the reformed, Presbyterian tradition who is able to exegete the culture like he does. Preachers out there, watch and learn. Some Keller quotes from the conference to get you in the mood:

‘Each revival is different, you never get to Narnia the same way twice.’ ‘People are attracted to living lives in living churches as they were to the burning bush. They are attracted because they cannot explain it.’ ‘Most churches don’t want to make changes until they are in trouble.’

Derek Lamont, Tom Muir, Scotty Smith, Mike Armentrout, Neil MacMillan in Krakow

THE RECORD

DECEMBER

A monthly take on some of the mission work the Free Church is involved in by our Mission Director, DAVID MEREDITH.

Give a book. Give Jesus. Give life. MIRIAM MONTGOMERY on why it's good to gift books...

ver the last few years, a new gift-giving trend has

emerged: Something they want, Something they need, Something to wear, Something to read. The idea behind this four-fold giving is to help people to limit their excessive, and often sacrificial, spending on gifts and to buy more thoughtfully for their loved ones. In our age of electronic gadgetry and out of control consumerism, the four-fold giving model combines individualism with practicality and generosity with a more sustainable approach to giving. It isn’t proscriptive, but it can provide some structure to what can be a crazy time of year. At Free Church Books, we are naturally delighted with the last part of this four-fold gift: ‘something to read’. Books are timeless, re-usable, encouraging, escapist, informative and quiet! They encourage imagination, stimulate thought and often start conversations. So this year, before you reach for the chocolates, the toiletries, the technology, pause for a moment. What about a book?

A BOOK THAT KEEPS ON GIVING There are so many amazing books out there. There are books you just have to pull an all-nighter to finish, books you like to take slowly to make the most of, books you come back to year after year. This is, of course, true of our favourite novel, or nonfiction book, but it is also true of Christian books too. Good Christian books, through the gospel of Jesus Christ they proclaim, have the power to challenge, encourage, heal, create community, and best of all — give life. No, I’m not claiming that books have supernatural powers! Only God does. But books and the Bible above all others have the Word of life; the glorious truth about our Saviour Jesus Christ. How many people come to faith each year by

2018

reading through a gospel? There is something about the written word that is unavoidable. It will linger in your thoughts; it can delight and intrigue all at once. Over the past year, Free Church Books has reviewed nearly fifty great books, and that’s only scratching the surface of what’s available! From Derek Prime’s A Good Old Age to Rosaria Butterfield’s The Gospel Comes with a House Key, we’ve been blown away by the diversity and quality of the good Christian books out there — and more are being published every day. There are books about God’s love, God’s compassion, science, history, new publications, old classics, devotionals for all tastes — the list goes on. So when you start your Christmas shopping, come and visit our online shop — you're sure to find something you’d like to give and receive too! A GIVEAWAY BOOK As well as making great gifts, books can also be a good way of leaving a lasting impression with those visitors your church only gets at this time of year. You know the ones I mean — they come for the carols and the candlelight, the mince pies and mulled apple juice, and then they disappear again for another year. Well, why not consider giving them a very short book about the true meaning of Christmas as they leave? You just never know at what quiet moment over the festive season they might spot it lying around and read a page or two. You might even see them back in church in January! We’ve reviewed a few to help you choose, including William Taylor’s pamphlet Good News, Great Joy to Paul William’s Christmas: The Greatest Gift.(see this is on next page!) You can shop the whole range at https://thefree.church/bookschristmas. They are short, cheap and good — what’s not to love? Go on. Give a book. Give Jesus. Give life.•

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BOOK REVIEWS Christmas is almost upon us, but it’s not too late to get a giveaway book for your seasonal visitors! This month, we also have titles on church leadership, history and autobiography for you. The Grid: Establishing Leadership Training in the Local Church Adrian Reynolds (2018) Godly and effective church leaders are vital to the health of any local church. Thus, training church leaders must be a priority in every church to ensure that our leaders are equipped and competent for service. In The Grid, Adrian Reynolds has done an excellent job in writing a very easy-to-read and easy-to-use practical guide to assist church leaders in thinking through (1) the biblical necessity of training church leaders and (2) how we review and assess church leaders. In the first part of the book, Reynolds answers why training is so important and, in the second part, he kindly gifts us a guide to plan and evaluate our training priorities. The beauty of Reynold’s Grid is that he sees his book not as a silver bullet to our problems but as a discussion tool that can help to set priorities for church leaders. The advantage of The Grid is that it can be easily adapted to suit any church context, so I personally think this book would be ideal for any ministry team, Kirk Session, and Deacons’ Court to use. • Andy Longwe, Cumbernauld Free Church

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Spoke in the Wheel Dayspring MacLeod (2018) I read this book not knowing anything about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer other than he was a pastor who lived during the Second World War. It was very easy to read, with familiar language and cleverly written in a narrative style. It would translate well into a drama as there is only one main scene set in a girls’ schoolroom in Schoenburg, Germany. The prisoners in this room have been brought from various parts of Germany at the end of the war, to live in a state of hope or despair depending on their offences. It is this state that compels them each to have their own personal consultation with the well-known protestant pastor who put his God before the Fuhrer. Through their questions on life and death, Bonhoeffer tells his own story of conversion and a passion for the Word of God no matter where this takes him. His famous quote 'I intended to master God — but He mastered me' led him through the fear of prison and death and eventually to the hangman's noose. A riveting and inspiring read that makes me want to delve more into this man of God. • Ruth Aird, Bruntsfield Evangelical Church

THE RECORD

DECEMBER

A New Name Emma Scrivener (2012) You could say that this is a brutally honest book, but in reality, it’s a beautifully honest book. Emma tells the story of her anorexia, her mental health, and her sense of identity with refreshing realism and analysis. Personally, it is her honesty as a Christian that relapsed back into her illness after theological training and while working for a church, that reminds me that we are rarely the people we portray ourselves to be. Even as she heartbreakingly shares the long-term physical consequences of her illness, it is the ongoing gift of our new name and identity in Jesus that is the greatest takeaway from this book. This is not a book that describes everyone’s story, but neither is it just a book for those that suffer with anorexia — her openness lays bare the lies and traps that enslave those of us who suffer or have suffered with any variety of mental health issue. It’s also a must-read book for those of us who want help to understand and walk alongside. Please buy it, read it, and pass it on to a friend, whether they know Jesus yet or not! • Innes Macsween, Smithton-Culloden Free Church

Christmas: The Greatest Gift Paul Williams (2017) At just under 50 pages, The Greatest Gift is substantial for a giveaway book, but it is well worth it. Starting with the idea that for many the Christmas message feels a bit like Sellotape (“You can’t get into it”), Williams enticingly unpacks the greatest Christmas gift — life in Jesus. He leads the reader through all the familiar aspects of Christmas and explains how Jesus is better than all the good things and redeems all the bad. This book is comforting, uplifting, and to the point. Its end message is direct — ‘To have God’s gift, you have to take it!’ — but it offers advice and a sample prayer of how to do it. • Miriam Montgomery, Free Church Books GET IN TOUCH: EMAIL: books@freechurch.org SHOP: https://thefree.church/shop

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QUOTATIONS CHRYSOSTOM

“

I should wonder if any of the rulers be saved. O how many have been coached to hell in the chariots of earthly pleasures, while others have been whipped to heaven by the rod of affliction! How few. Like the daughter of Tyre, come to Christ with a gift! How few among the rich intreat his favour! The heart may be kept humble, by considering of what a clogging nature earthly things are to a soul heartily engaged in the way to heaven; they shut out much of heaven from us at present, though they may not shut us out of heaven at last. If you consider yourself under of the notion of a stranger in this world, travelling for heaven and seeking a better country, then you have as much reason to be taken and delighted with these things, as a weary horse has with a heavy cloth bag

2018

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FROM CHRIS TO FUTURE G D

ecember 386. john , a popular priest in antioch

that he urged his listeners to take the five days before Christmas off from work in order to spend the entire time examining their consciences, forgiving their debtors, and repaying anything stolen. And all this wasn’t because he believed some kind of extra condemnation was due to those who took Communion unworthily at Christmas, but so that people would come with a worthy gift to lay before Christ, as the Magi did: ‘They brought gold; you must bring temperance and virtue. They brought incense; you must bring pure prayers, which are spiritual incense. They brought myrrh; you must bring humility and a humble heart and love.’

(he had not yet been appointed Archbishop of Constantinople or accorded the nickname Chrysostom, Golden Tongue), has written a treatise explaining why Christ’s birth should be celebrated on 25 December. Antioch is the first city to formally celebrate Christmas. Here’s an excerpt from John’s pre-Christmas sermon, delivered on 20 December: Isn’t it absurd to take so much care over bodily concerns, so that many days before the feast approaches you get your best clothes out of your chests and get them ready, and you buy shoes, and enjoy a more lavish table, and over and above that you take thought for many provisions from all quarters, and in every respect you clean yourself up and make yourself look good? On the other hand, you take no account of your soul, which is neglected, dirty, squalid, wasted from hunger and still unclean.

The babe in the manger is the Lamb once slain; the angels who appeared to the shepherds are those who keep silence in heaven during the final judgement.

I love this. The very first Christmas celebration, and what a picture! The Christians of Antioch are clearly excited to finally have religious warrant to go out and party like the pagans. No doubt they copied many of the preparations their neighbours were making for the feast of Saturnalia. The first Christmas, overtaken by consumerism. The most fashionable shoes! Makeovers, pampering sessions, new hairstyles! Tables groaning with pastries, lobsters, wine, Baileys! Okay, maybe not Baileys, but you get the idea. Plus ça change…

There are two ways in which I’ve felt trapped by Christmas in recent years. One is, of course, by the consumerism. The social necessity of gift-buying for everyone from family members to friends’ kids, dressing up, special baking, visiting the Christmas market, buying the Christmas crackers, prosecco and Quality Street. Consumerism and social obligation raise up the spectre of Christmas Present. The other entrapment, equally painful in another way, is nostalgia. I say nostalgia and not tradition because there’s a sadness inherent in the former. Tradition exists to bring comfort; nostalgia destroys it. Tradition is toasting the Queen after dinner. Nostalgia is buying yourself the same sweeties your parents used to put in your stocking because you can’t bear not to see them on Christmas morning. It’s a celebration of what is past, what is lost. For some of us it will be missing our own childhood, for others missing our children when they were young. Missing a spouse, a lifestyle, a home. Christmas music, whether

Tradition exists to bring comfort; nostalgia destroys it. The sermon is familiar too, a variation of don’t get carried away with the festivities, remember the reason for the season. Surely that’s one most of us preach to ourselves every year! Except that Chrysostom goes further than that. To him, Christmas isn’t just a time of worship and adoration, it’s a time of repentance. In his age, feast days were a special season of Communion. So seriously did John take repentance

THE RECORD

DECEMBER

STMAS PAST GLORY DAYSPRING MACLEOD brings us up to date from the fourth century to eternity future!

by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard, or Michael Bublé, exists largely to capitalise on these feelings. We feed on sentiment in December. We punish ourselves with it, haunted by the Ghost of Christmas Past. The memory of that perfect gift we got as a child renders every following Christmas morning anticlimactic. The absence of family and friends fills us with poignancy and regret. Don’t get me wrong, remembering should be a part of this season, especially as we near the end of the year. But so often it can become a wallowing, a concrete loneliness. For many, ‘it’s the most wonderful time of the year’ sounds like a farce, because it can be the saddest. So, past and present each have their pitfalls at this festive season. What do Christians have to do with the Ghost of Christmas Future? In fact, I think where we are going wrong may be spending far too little time considering this element. We tend to think of Christmas as a time we celebrate a past event. Chrysostom knew that our meditation of Christ’s birth, leading us as it does to think on his life, death and resurrection, look toward the future. As he puts it toward the end of his sermon: ‘And just as here on earth you will welcome God with great honour, so too will he receive you in heaven with great glory, as he pays you back ten-thousandfold for your obedience.’ At Christmas we should not just look back at our own lives, or at the familiar story of shepherds and wise men, but forward into eternity. The babe in the manger is the Lamb once slain; the angels who appeared to the shepherds are those who keep silence in heaven during the final judgement; and we who look fondly on the picture of the Bethlehem stable are those who will one day bow the knee before the King of heaven and earth. •

2018

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Dathan an fhoghair (Autumn Colours) LE JANET NICPHÀIL nuair a chì sinn duilleach nan craobh air an talamh, agus iad seo mar òr, dorch ruadh agus iomadh dath eile. Siud na blàthan a bha fad an t-samhraidh gu h-àrd air meangan nan craobh, agus tha iad buileach àlainn nuair a tha iad air an obair, mar gum biodh, a dhèanamh. Nach ann mar seo a tha beatha seann Chrìosdaidh? Nuair a chì ise no esan iad fhèin a’ fàilneachadh, glè thric tha socair nan conaltradh, ’s nan gluasad, agus bidh sinn a’ faicinn nithean nach fhaiceadh sinn idir nuair a bha iad ann an treun an neirt. ‘ S an àm am bi iad aosmhor liath bheir iad mor-mheas a-mach’. Tha an Cruthaidhear air an duine fhàgail ann an saoghal àlainn, làn den h-uile seòrsa dath. Nach e obair A mheuran Fhèin a th’anns gach nì, agus ciamar nach biodh e bòidheach? Glè thric is e sùilean airson seo fhaicinn a tha a dhìth oirnne, oir tha sinn a’ dì-chuimhneachadh cho aithghearr gur e obair A Làimh’ a th’anns gach nì. Is e saoghal beartach a tha seo, agus ann an iomadh dòigh, tha sluagh a’ Chruthaidheir a choinnicheas sinn air thalamh ga dhèanamh maiseach cuideachd. Aig an àm-sa den bhliadhna, chan e dìreach dreach an fhoghair a bu chòir dhuinn a mholadh, ach saidhbhreas a’ Chruthaidheir dhuinn ann an iomadh dòigh. Chan eil àireamh air na dòighean a th’ Aige gu bhith a’ nochdadh fhialaidheachd dhuinn. Tha biadh air a’ bhòrd ann am pailteas, nuair a tha dùthchannan eile le dìth agus le gort. Is còir dhuinn a-rèist cridheachan taingeil a bhith againn, oir gu cinnteach, chan e airidheachd sam bith annainne as coireach ris an seo. Is e E Fhèin Athair na Tròcair, agus tha E gu cinnteach a’ frasadh A thiodhlacan oirnne, ged nach eil sinn airidh air an seo. Tha e math a bhith a’ toirt taing Dha, agus a bhith mothachail gur e tiodhlac a th’anns gach nì a tha a’ tighinn thugainn bhuaithe. Nuair a tha pailteas air a thoirt dhuinne, bhiodh e math a bhith cuimhneach air mòran eile a th’ann an suidheachadh glè eadar-dhealaicht’. Chan eil cho fada bho bha na h-eileanan-sa ann am fìor bhochdainn. Nach iongantach gu bheil an Cruthaidhear air saoghal cho tlachdmhor dhan t-sùil fhàgail againn? Tron bhliadhna, chì sinn ùrachadh agus fàs an earraich, dathan soilleir làidir an t-samhraidh agus a-nis dathan àlainn an fhoghair; cha mhòr nach can sinn gur iad as bòidhch’ a th’ann.•

THE RECORD

Nuair a chailleas sgìre sluagh a bha ag ùrnaigh, agus a bha ag iarraidh gum biodh buaidh le searmonachadh an Fhacail, gu cinnteach is e call mòr a tha seo. Tha aonranachd ann agus tha cianalas ann, ach tha taingealachd ann gu bheil iad sàbhailt’ aig dachaigh nas fheàrr na lorgar san t-saoghal-sa. Mar iomadh sgìre eile, tha call mar sin air a thighinn oirnne o chionn ghoirid, agus dh’ iarradh sinn dhan h-uile coitheanal gu faiceadh iad sluagh a’ cur an aghaidh air Dia na sìorraidheachd fhads a tha Là na Slàint’ ann. Nuair a tha adhbhar Dhè a’ cur feum air a bhith air a neartachadh, nach iarr sinn air Tighearn’ an Fhogharaidh tadhal oirnn’, agus air a h-uile sgìr’ eile le bheannachd. Nach e sin fhèin a dhèanadh an t-eadar-dhealachadh? Màiri Ma bha thu bòidheach air an talamh ’s ann nì thu deàlradh anns na Flaitheas. Bidh tu an co-chomann nèamhaidh An t-Uan ’s na lean E a-bhos nan ceuman. O nach ann agaibh bhios an t-òran Moladh nach cualas air thalamh a sheòrsa. Co-sheirm ro-ghrinn is sluagh le òran a’ moladh gun d’ fhuair iad air thalamh do thròcair. Tha sibhse ann an àite sàbhailt’ Cha bhi nàmhaid air ar sàil ann. Tha sibh a-nise fad o bhuaireadh Gach sùil air Criosd; ’s is sibhs’ as duais Dha. Taing airson gun d’ chuir sinn eòlas oirbh a-bhos; tè ghrinn bha bòidheach. Mòr ann an tuigse, ’s mòr ann an eòlas ’s mòr ann an caomhalachd ri daoin’ de gach seòrsa. ©Smileus - stock.adobe.com

è cho àlainn sa tha dathan an fhoghair,

DECEMBER

DEVOTIONAL: THE INSPIRATION OF FAITH BY REV. CALLUM MACLEOD

of faith also because when we look to Jesus we learn something of the perspective of 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 12:2). The perspective under which Jesus lived the life of faith is hugely instructive. So often, our faith is controlled and influenced by circumstances and we falter. Jesus was influenced and controlled only by where the Father was and what the Father had promised Him. His outlook was heavenward and the more he went forward in doing the Father’s will the more he was Himself inspired to continue towards the finishing line. And so he inspires us as we follow Him! A fellow used to pass a massive construction site on his way to work. One day he stopped and asked people what they were doing. One worker answered, “Hauling dirt.” Another replied, “Cutting stones.” Standing up straight, a third man replied cheerfully, “I’m building a cathedral.” The goal was extraordinary, and it was this that motivated what seemed on the surface to be nothing more than dull routine. We need to think like this when it comes to serving the Lord. If we do so, our Christian lives will be transformed, and our joy will be complete. In the words of A.W. Tozer, ‘When the eyes of the soul looking out to meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun right here on earth.’ •

e are not surprised that the life of faith presented in the word of god has jesus

christ at its centre. in the highest sense, the Christian life is all about Jesus — all about what He did, why He did it, and what He wants us to do for Him now. What is it that should inspire us as we live the Christian life?’ In many ways, faith is the defining characteristic of the Christian life — “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). We are inspired by the Lord Jesus because he is the panorama of our faith — “we run the race with endurance looking to Jesus...” (Hebrews 12:2). The attraction of Jesus arises from the beauty of His person, the perfection of His life, and His loving commitment in the gruesome death on the cross. The eye of faith finds Jesus irresistible and the more we understand about what He has done for us the more we are resolved to do His will and committed to serving Him. Navigating our path through life as Christians can be quite challenging and finding the right path makes the difference between losing our way and reaching our destination. We are inspired by the Lord Jesus because he is at the centre of the Christian life as the pioneer of our faith — He is “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). We realise that Jesus was not a superman who doesn’t understand the challenges we face. We discover that not only is He like us because He became one of us, but He is also like us in that He sensed His need of the help of God. He prayed in time of need. He trusted in the Father. He was the model disciple who “learned obedience” (Hebrews 5:8) as he served God. He was the first to enter into resurrection life and glory. He has boldly gone where no one has gone before! And he did so, not simply so that he could occupy it himself, but that we would occupy it with Him. Jesus is the original faith trailblazer — He is the first person to go to Paradise and he shows us it is also possible for us to follow Him there. The flip side of this is that Jesus understands what the Christian life is like. He was “in every respect tested as we are” (Hebrews 4:16). And so we can always look at his example and be inspired as the model of faith par excellence; and when we face difficulties, we know we can come to Him and “receive mercy and grace to help in time of need” [Hebrews 4:16). Negotiating our way through the challenges of faith can be equally challenging for us as Christians. Life has the habit of coming up with things that we don’t expect and sometimes throwing a spanner in the works of faith as we follow the Lord Jesus. Suffering is part of the programme! But we are inspired as we live the life

2018

Pop-up Bookshop TWO DAYS ONLY! 15th & 16th January 2019 Edinburgh Theological Seminary, The Mound Great books at unbeatable prices.

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POETRY PAGE ROYALLY RECLAIMING HIS OWN BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

Now burn, new born to the world, Doubled-naturèd name, The heaven-flung, heart-fleshed, maiden-furled Miracle-in-Mary-of-flame, Mid-numbered he in three of the thunder-throne! Not a dooms-day dazzle in his coming nor dark as he came; Kind, but royally reclaiming his own; A released shower, let flash to the shire, not a lightning of fíre hard-hurled. From Wreck of the Deutschland by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) was a brilliant Oxford scholar whose innovative poems were published only long after his death. It was while he was training for the Jesuit priesthood that his superior asked him to compose a poem about the shipwrecked Deutschland, a tragedy in which 157 souls were lost, including five nuns who had been forced into exile by an anti-Catholic Germany. Poetry came second to faith for Hopkins, and as in all his work, even this disaster circled back round to God’s creation and Christ’s work.•

THE RECORD

DECEMBER

PRAYER DIARY DEC/JA N 2019

‘But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’ Joshua 24:15 (NIVUK) Sat 15th Please remember in your prayers the families of the late Principal J.L.Mackay and Miss Mary Urquhart. Give thanks to God for their lives and service to the church.

Wed 26th Give thanks that the UK Government agreed to cut the maximum stakes on addictive gambling machines and pray it comes into effect quickly.

Sun 16th Remember the vacant congregation of Brora. Give thanks for the nucleus of believers who gather from week to week and for Rev. Roddy MacRae as interim moderator.

Thurs 27th Please pray for the congregation of Lochgilphead, recently de-linked from Tarbert. This small group are thankful for the supply they receive and are keen to see the gospel impact their community. Pray also that the Lord will encourage them.

Mon 17th Free Church Youth Camps would value prayers, asking God to guide those making plans for the 2019 Camp Programme, and that he would call all the leaders and cooks required to run the camps.

Sat 5th Pray that Mission International trustees find the wisdom to make the appropriate decisions regarding the ongoing work of the organisation. Thank God for their partners and pray for God’s blessing on them as they make progress in their communities. Sun 6th Wick and Keiss is another vacant congregation in the Northern Presbytery. Rev. Howard Stone has a difficult time covering a large area. Pray that they will soon be settled with a minister.

Tues 18th Today is International Migrants Day. Ask God to draw near to each of the millions of refugees and migrants crossing international borders.

Fr 28th Pray with thanksgiving and for the Lord's blessing upon Dr Greg Phillips, who is leaving Dumisani in January 2019 to take up a new post at Mukhanyo Theological College. Thank the Lord for Greg, who has been with Dumisani for seven years, and pray the Lord's blessing for this new ministry opportunity.

Wed 19th Give thanks with the Leith congregation as they have received a grant of £10,000 towards the upgrade of their building. Pray that this will enhance their witness in the community.

Sat 29th Give thanks that there are laws in the Dominican Republic stating that Scripture must be read and taught in their schools. Pray for the Bible Society as they aim to provide a Bible for every student.

Tues 8th Pray for growth in the Fairtrade movement as more demand that companies pay sustainable prices to farmers and workers in the developing world and provide more favourable working conditions.

Thurs 20th Steadfast Global thank all of their faithful supporters who have been standing with them over 2018. Pray for the team as they plan a number of overseas trips and schedule various speaking engagements around Scotland in 2019.

Sun 30th Remember the Rogart congregation and their interim moderator, Rev. Duncan Macleod, as they seek to witness in their community.

Wed 9th Remember First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her Cabinet. Pray that godly wisdom and values will influence them as they deal with the issues before them.

Mon 31st At the end of the year give thanks for God’s continued faithfulness to us as a denomination and pray that we will stay faithful to his truth in our changing world.

Thurs 10th Give thanks for those who face danger themselves in order to deliver others who are in danger, such as firefighters, police, rescue boat crews, and armed forces.

Tues 1st Pray for protection on this New Year’s Day and ask that the Lord will give wisdom to those in position of influence and leadership in our country.

Fri 11th Give thanks for all the volunteers sorting donations, delivering orders to foodbanks and spending time with clients as they visit foodbank centres.

Wed 2nd Remember the San Andres school leadership team as they plan to introduce more classes in English this year. Pray for wisdom and grace in choosing new staff and in implementing changes.

Sat 12th Pray for all those attending the Saturday course in ETS today. Give thanks that many have enrolled from all around the world.

Fri 21st As our children look forward to holidays from school, pray that they will have a real sense of what the birth of our Saviour means for all those who believe in him. Sat 22nd Pray that the special edition of Luke’s Gospel produced by the Bible Society with Christmas in mind will be read in many homes over the Christmas period. Sun 23rd Pray for the vacant congregation meeting in Lybster and for Rev. Howard Stone as he serves as their interim moderator. Mon 24th Pray for safety for all those who are travelling to be with family and friends over the festive season. Remember also those who are lonely and mourning the passing of loved ones. Tues 25th ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’

Thurs 3rd Pray for wisdom for the Session and church family in St Andrews as they look to move forwards in regard to a building in St Andrews. Fri 4th Pray for those seeking to share their faith with their friends and family – that God would provide the right opportunities and words to say, that people may be connected to other members of the church and from there into the church itself.

Mon 7th Many children and young people are getting excited about choosing the camp they want to go to this summer. Pray that many will be able go to the camp of their choice and that they will hear the good news of the Gospel.

Sun 13th Pray for those gathering for worship in Glenelg. Remember Rev. Roddy Rankin, their interim moderator, and church worker Ken Macdonald. Mon 14th Many Christians elsewhere in the world do not share the religious liberty we enjoy. Pray that we will guard our freedom well.

Prayer requests to: ian.macdonald57@btinternet.com. Please take time to send requests for your congregation or ministry to be included in forthcoming Records. These prayer notes are prepared 5 weeks in advance of publication.

BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX I

n early november , i had the surreal experience of chatting

about santa claus to complete

strangers .

This was not some random act on my part, you will understand, but an interview intended for broadcast on Christmas Eve — one of those light, frothy confections, where various Gaels reminisce about their favourite ever presents, and recall the dread day when the scales finally fell from their eyes regarding the fellow in red. Encouraged to speak about my most memorable presents, I began with the year of the Wendy house — a construction of plastic poles, with a PVC cover, standing proudly on the sitting room hearth rug. Inside this fabulous edifice was a doll’s cot which was meant to have a dropside, but it transpired that Santa was equally as mishap-prone as my own father when it came to DIY. Nestling on a pristine, white blanket was a baby doll as realistic as I’d ever seen — bald, that is, as opposed to those fright-wig types that were the stuff of nightmares. My father was absent, as he always was on Christmas morning. By virtue of being the only man on the staff of the County Hospital, it fell to him to don the red suit there and dole out talc to bewildered cailleachs. While my mother cooked a gargantuan turkey, and filled an enormous glass bowl with the obligatory trifle, I sat in my new house, cradling my new baby – not just a perfect gender stereotype in every way, but quite possibly a fire hazard in my PVC

THE RECORD

home, right by a coal-fuelled blaze. Remembering days gone by is a tendency that most of us have towards the year-end. Inevitably, at Christmas, we will recall those other times, and they will awaken something in us. Laughing with the interviewer about the tacky foil decorations, and the naff coloured lights that abounded in the eighties, I realised that it was not any of that paraphernalia which gave those festive times their warm glow. Nor was it the much-cherished presents to which we awoke on those longdistant mornings. It is not original to remark that Christmas has been taken over by consumerism, but it is undeniably true. By the time I was a married woman, the present list had become much more expensive. Jewellery, perfume, technology…lovingly bought by a husband who spoiled me. Yet, living without him by my side now, it is not those things that come to my mind when I think of the festive seasons we spent together. My home looks just the same as it always has in December. I put up a big tree and cover it with white lights. The garden provides holly for the mantelpiece. Candles are lit at dusk, and glow warmly in their glass holders. Everything seems identical, but nothing is as it was. His chair is empty; the house is silent. So, what prevents this from being a scene of unutterable misery and dejection? How can I bear to do all the things I used to, only without him by my side?

What prevents the poignancy from driving me to spend December sitting in the dark and weeping? Two things — both of which were present in all these Christmases, going right back to the very first in Bethlehem — make all the difference. There is love, and there is hope. Neither of these are as the world understands them. I know, because I was once that way myself, and I firmly believed that the day Donnie was taken from me would see the extinguishing of all hope, and the end of love. In human terms, these emotions are as fragile as a glass bauble, and as transient as a snowflake in the wind. Lovely though they seem, they are tissue-paper things, and no foundation upon which to build your life. Christian hope is not actually mere hope, but confidence — the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life. It is coming; we have only to wait. And Christian love is ours because He first loved us: a love that does not waver, and will never leave us. When you have seen that the Creator of all things loved you to the point of permitting His Son to die, to be made sin for you, Christmas can truly be seen in its proper light. So, while we will always look back, and miss those who have gone before us, Advent is really about what lies ahead. And what lies ahead is not the silent home, nor the empty chair, but a house of many mansions, and a throne upon which our King of Kings is seated forever. •

DECEMBER