The Record - January 2020 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND JANUARY 2019 • £2.00

Editor • John Macdonald The Editor, The Record, Beltone, Moray Street Blackford PH4 1QF editor@freechurch.org News Editor • Dayspring MacLeod dayspring.macleod@icloud.com 07974 261567 Missions News • 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 • 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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THE RECORD

JANUARY

Cover: Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Published • The Record is produced by The Free Church of Scotland, Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS 0131 226 5286 offices@freechurch.org

CONTENTS

WELCOME TO THE JANUARY RECORD

appy new year !

04 EVERY SQUARE INCH The Editor

This point in the calendar often becomes a time for reflection and for planning. It seems natural when one year has ended and another is beginning to consider the past twelve months, and to set goals for the next. It can be inspiring to resolutely aim for progress with the clean slate that a new year seems to offer. But, it can also be discouraging to look back on the things left undone from last year. It is no bad thing to have goals, though. They can serve as an encouragement to press on. It is also good to assess where we are in our walk with God. If we do so seriously, we will need to admit that we are never where we want to be. We continually fall short. But, despite this, we shouldn’t be discouraged. We may disappoint ourselves, but Jesus never disappoints. He is able ‘to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us’ (Ephesians 3:20), and it is in his strength that we can boldly enter this new year. The way ahead, personally, spiritually and even politically, is unknown to us. But all is known to God. As we enter the fray, we pray with David that our Heavenly Father would know our hearts and our anxious thoughts, and that he would lead us in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23). • Please send your comments on the magazine, letters, news from your congregation or suggestions for articles to: editor@freechurch.org or by post to the Free Church Offices.

WORLD NEWS UK, USA, Burkino Faso, Ethiopia, China, Samoa, Australia

BALM OF GILEAD VACCINATION SCEPTICS PART 04 Anonymous

PRAYER DIARY

FREE CHURCH NEWS FCYC Camps 60 Years and Camp Brochures, Pray for Workers, New Western Isles Youth Worker, Tape Ministry, Falkirk Winter Lectures

MEN NEED A VISION OF THE GLORY OF GODLINESS Joe Barnard

ETS NEWS Thomas Davis

THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF WATER Roddie Rankin

THE RETURN OF MACKAYS MEMOIRS William M Mackay and Donald Eric Mackay

BILL ANDERSON: AN APPRECIATION Donald Macleod

STREET CONNECT Kathryn Thomson

WHY DID GOD RAISE JESUS FROM DEATH? PART 2 Iain Gill

BOOK REVIEWS

EPIC Dayspring MacLeod

MISSION MATTERS David Meredith

BLIADHNA MHATH ÙR DHUIBH Janet MacPhail

POETRY PAGE Ben Fiddian

Yours in Christ John

That in all things he might have the pre-eminence Colossians 1:18 2020

40 POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

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EVERY SQUARE INCH BY THE EDITOR

Â©Jim - stock.adobe.com

Christian concerns extend beyond the important issues of abortion, gender and sexuality. THE RECORD

JANUARY

s we come to terms with the waves of december’s election, and the parliamentarians it washed ashore, it is worth reflecting on how we decided which box to cross on the ballot paper.

Even if we reached the same conclusion as some of our non-Christian neighbours, the thought process which brought us there should have been radically different. But was it?

A CHRISTIAN MIND Dr Harry Blamires, a student of C.S. Lewis, published his book The Christian Mind in 1963. The 1960s is often seen as a turning point in Western church history — an era when the church retreated from the public square, and in some cases capitulated to the demands of the prevailing culture. Blamires’ book has never been out of print because his critique remains vitally relevant today. He observed that, while there is still a Christian ethic, a Christian practice and a Christian spirituality, ‘there is no longer a Christian mind’. Blamires saw the increasing influence of secular ways of thinking on Christians. His concern was not that believers might disagree on matters of politics or public policy. He was concerned that, very often, we do not form our opinions with reference to our faith. Blamires argued that Christians ‘will think pragmatically, politically, but not Christianly. In almost all cases you will find that views are wholly determined by political allegiance.’ But what is needed is that we adopt ‘the view which sets all earthly issues within the context of the eternal, the view which Every issue is a Christian issue. A mind being relates all human problems — social, political, cultural — to the doctrinal renewed by the Holy Spirit will approach every foundations of the Christian Faith, decision, personal or political, in a completely the view which sees all things here below in terms of God’s supremacy different way from a mind which has not been and earth’s transitoriness, in terms of set free from the law of sin and death. Heaven and Hell.’ The Christian Mind inspired the founding of the Christian Institute and was described by John Stott as ‘one of the most influential’ books he has ever read. But is Blamires’ polemic exaggerated when applied to Christians today? He writes that the lack of a Christian mind prevents us from discussing the political, social and cultural issues affecting society from a Christian perspective. Yet, there is a lively Christian discourse around some important public policy issues. Perhaps this means that we have reclaimed our Christian minds.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

EVERY ISSUE IS A CHRISTIAN ISSUE But if we have moved on since Blamires drew his conclusions, then it seems we have not come far enough. In the realm of politics and public policy, Western Christians are in real danger of becoming a niche pressure group. We have given the world the strong impression that we care about only three issues. The evidence of this emerges from any political conversation with a non-Christian, or when a high-profile Christian politician is interviewed. Regardless of their relevance to the discussion, at least one of these three areas will be raised. It is inarguable that abortion, gender and sexuality are vital issues, deserving of our attention and our action. But they are not the sum total of what matters. It may be that these are the areas which people think define Christians’ views on public policy because they are distinctive — these are the matters on which we stand out most from the society around us. If this is so then it should not — must not — continue to be the case. Such an approach denies the sovereignty of God. Controversial views are those which go against the grain. Our stance on abortion, gender and sexuality certainly do that. But if we are in step with the world on everything else, then we are failing to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

2020

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What is needed is that we adopt ‘the view which sets all earthly issues within the context of the eternal, the view which relates all human problems – social, political, cultural – to the doctrinal foundations of the Christian Faith, the view which sees all things here below in terms of God’s supremacy and earth’s transitoriness, in terms of Heaven and Hell.’ The believers in Acts chapters 2-5 were distinctive from their society. They held to the same gospel as we do, so we may assume that they were outraged by the permission of infanticide and child abandonment which they were likely to have come across. Indeed, there is some historical evidence which suggests Christians in the Roman world made efforts to rescue abandoned children. Yet, in Acts chapter 4, it was their approach to their material possessions and their love for each other which set them apart. Those who owned property gave sacrificially to their brothers and sisters so that ‘there was not a needy person among them’ (Acts 4:34). These were people who were serious about applying a Christian mind to the political and economic decisions made in their community. In his famous speech at the opening the Free University of Amsterdam in 1880, Abraham Kuyper said, ‘no single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: “Mine!”’ In other words, every issue is a Christian issue. A mind being renewed by the Holy Spirit will approach every decision, personal or political, in a completely different way from a mind which has not been set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). How does this work out in practice? Not, certainly, in utter agreement. Two Christians, diligently searching the Scriptures for wisdom, may reach different conclusions on the role of the state in social care or the threshold for the top rate of income tax. However, there are boundaries. The parable of the Good Samaritan shows that neither is permitted to conclude that their neighbours can be left to fend for themselves. Cultivating a Christian mind and applying it to each social, cultural and political question we face is a lifetime’s work. But there can be few better places to start than Micah 6:8, ‘…what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’ The framing of this verse emphasises the simplicity of the instruction. But it also conveys its depth. The verse provides a three-point guide to developing a Christian mind.

DO JUSTICE We praise God for being just. In a world beset by sin and by oppression, it is a relief to learn that God will ultimately bring justice to bear. We also thank God that, by his grace and through his Son, we do not face the condemnation which justice demands (Romans 3:23-24). But we must also realise that God expects his people to do justice. How is justice done? Justice is ‘giving people what they are due, whether punishment or protection or care’ (Timothy Keller). In Leviticus 24:22 we read, ‘You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God.’ People are to be treated equitably by the community; wrongdoing is to be dealt with according to the merits of the case and not the status of the accused.

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Walking humbly with God means setting aside our priorities in favour of his. It means trusting his wisdom rather than relying on the world’s analysis. It means enthroning him in our lives so that his decrees direct our responses to the choices which confront us. This is how a Christian mind works. We are also instructed to ‘defend the rights of the poor and needy’ (Proverbs 31:9). People’s rights should be honoured. Particular attention needs to be paid to people whose circumstances make it more likely that their rights will be unjustly denied. The Old Testament consistently refers to widows, orphans, immigrants and the poor — groups whose lack of power made them more vulnerable to injustice. Even in our modern welfare state there are people whose circumstances — homelessness, indebtedness, loneliness — mean justice is more difficult to find.

LOVE KINDNESS To love kindness is to reflect God’s compassion and grace towards fallen humanity. This part of the verse describes the motivation behind the pursuit of justice. We should be concerned about people who are vulnerable to injustice because God is concerned about them. He is the God who ‘executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry’ (Psalm 146:7), he is ‘Father of the fatherless and protector of widows’ (Psalm 68:5). All of humanity is created in God’s image — circumstance cannot change that. So, Scripture tells us that, ‘Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honours him’ (Proverbs 14:31). In this way, being motivated by kindness to pursue justice is a vital part of Christian witness. K. Edward Copeland writes: ‘When Christians disengage from the struggle for justice for all people, the adornment of the gospel and the credibility of the church are at stake. The world rarely searches out the claims of Christ but always scrutinizes those who claim to be Christians. The world exegetes our hearts by our actions to test the veracity and attractiveness of our message. When we ignore, discount, or offer simplistic answers to social injustice we tarnish our credibility and diminish the glory of God.’

WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD Walking humbly with God means setting aside our priorities in favour of his. It means trusting his wisdom rather than relying on the world’s analysis. It means enthroning him in our lives so that his decrees direct our responses to the choices which confront us. This is how a Christian mind works. We acknowledge that God is sovereign over every square inch of human existence. We recognise the depth of his wisdom and knowledge (Romans 11:33). We seek to emulate his lovingkindness towards our neighbours. We strive to do justice. In every issue we face and every decision we make — whether choosing a candidate for political office, dedicating our time to a policy concern or any other sphere of human experience — we do not make up our minds as the world does. We must continue to stand apart on the issues of abortion, gender and sexuality. But we must also ensure that it is not the influence of secular society but the revealed will and wisdom of God which shapes our views on everything else.

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WORLD NEWS

AMERICAS AFRICA EUROPE ASIA AUSTRALASIA GREEN LIGHT (AMERICAS)

CHRISTIAN DOCTOR CAN CONTINUE TO PRAY (EUROPE)

The World Evangelical Alliance has launched a campaign to get 20% of its members to convert to clean energy by 2025. The global network, with which the Free Church is affiliated through our membership of the World Reformed Fellowship, announced a partnership with American firm Smart Roofs Solar Inc. Together, they will be offering support to churches seeking to use green energy. The campaign, known as Project 20.’25, aims to engage evangelicals because they have generally been slow to engage with environmental issues. A 2015 Pew survey found that only 28% of US evangelicals thought climate change was caused by human activity, compared with more than half of Americans overall. Brian Webb director of Climate Caretakers, an organization that engages Christians on climate change, said, ‘The idea behind the WEA initiative… is simply a response to our biblical call to love God, love our neighbours, and care for what he has made… If Christians aren’t leading the way, that’s a shame. We’re missing out on an opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s love for the world by taking seriously our role as stewards of God’s creation.’

Christian Concern report that a complaint lodged by the National Secular Society (NSS) against Dr Richard Scott has been dismissed by the General Medical Council. The NSS had complained that Dr Scott was ‘continuing to pray and promote Christianity during consultations in an attempt to convert patients.’ However, the GMC concluded that ‘There is no first-hand account or complaint from any patient about Dr Scott’s practice. The NSS sent an anonymous hearsay account about how Dr Scott expressed his religious beliefs…there is no convincing evidence that Dr Scott imposes his personal religious beliefs upon potentially vulnerable patients.’ The GMC advised Dr Scott to document discussions of faith he has with his patients and noted that prayer must only be offered in line with GMC guidance on personal beliefs and medical practice. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said the outcome ‘gives reassurance to Christian doctors and professionals across the UK that they can share their faith in the workplace’.

SCRIPTURE TECH (AMERICAS) People are increasingly using technology to access Scripture. Research shows that reading on a screen inhibits comprehension, takes more mental energy and makes it harder to remember what has been read. Nevertheless, free online versions of Scripture are making God’s word easier to access. One of the most popular resources, YouVersion’s Bible app, includes 2,013 Bible versions in 1,343 languages. The 400 million users of YouVersion read 35.6 billion chapters of Scripture on their phones or computers during 2019. Use of the app increased most in Algeria, Chad and Poland. The verse most often shared, highlighted and saved by users in 2019 was Philippians 4:6, ‘do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.’ Another popular website, Bible Gateway, receives visitors from almost every country in the world. Content manager, Jonathan Petersen, commented, ‘we’re honoured to be able to bring the Word of God wherever it’s needed.’

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CHURCH ATTACK (AFRICA) 14 young men were killed in an attack on a church in the east of Burkina Faso in December. The church is affiliated with Serving in Mission (SIM). Matthew Walsh, Director of SIM Burkina Faso said, ‘Prior to the attack, the churches in the region were not overly fearful, but due to increasing violence in the country and previous attacks targeting Christians, everyone was sensitive to the possibility.’ Burkina Faso is a majorityMuslim country, and had for many years been tolerant towards other faiths. However, attacks on churches by Islamic extremists are becoming more common. Henri Yé, president of the Federation of Evangelical Churches and Missions in Burkina Faso, told Christianity Today, ‘Once again, our values of tolerance, forgiveness, and love were violated. The freedom of worship enshrined in our Basic Law has been trampled on. However, it is in the love of God and our neighbour, in unity and solidarity, by ridding ourselves of all spirit of fear and revenge that we will eventually overcome. ‘We would like Christians around the world to join us in prayer. There is no need for the church in Burkina Faso to be fearful; no need to be angry nor to complain. Just pray that the Lord, the Prince of Peace, rescues Burkina Faso from terrorism, from threat and fear. The Lord will give us victory over those who oppress us.’

ANCIENT CHRISTIAN ROOTS (AFRICA)

GENE EDITING (ASIA) MIT Technology Review has published details of a gene editing procedure conducted by the biophysicist He Jiankui on human embryos. The twin girls, born last year in China, are the world’s first geneedited babies. The intention of the process was to alter the babies’ genes to make them resistant to HIV. However, the documents which have been released suggest that the experiment failed, and may have created unintended genetic mutations instead. Fyodor Urnov, a genome-editing scientist at University of California, Berkeley, described the way the procedure was carried out as an ‘egregious violation of elementary norms of ethics’. The longterm consequences for the health of the twins are unknown.

Archaeologists recently discovered the oldest known church in sub-Saharan Africa. The excavation took place 30 miles northeast of Aksum, in the highlands of northern Ethiopia. The dig uncovered a building 18 metres long and 12 metres wide which resembles an ancient Roman basilica. Researchers also found a stone pendant carved with a cross and the ancient Ethiopic word ‘venerable,’ as well as an inscription on one of the church’s walls asking ‘for Christ [to be] favourable to us.’ According to Smithsonian.com, archaeologists have concluded that the church was built in the fourth century, about the same time as the Roman Emperor Constantine I converted to Christianity on his deathbed. Although historians know very little about the Aksum Empire, which ruled the area at the time, the discovery confirms the Ethiopian tradition that Christianity arrived in the country during this era.

SAMOA MEASLES OUTBREAK (AUSTRALASIA) Children in Samoa were temporarily banned from attending public gatherings, including church services, in December due to a measles outbreak which has killed more than 70 people, including 61 children. Prior to the outbreak, less than one third of people on the island had been vaccinated, according to Reuters news agency. A national emergency was declared in November and, by early December, 82% of children under 4 years old, and 93% of 5 – 19 year olds had been immunised. Nevertheless, more than 5,000 people have contracted measles and the government’s effort to encourage vaccination continues. ‘Some of our people pay a visit to traditional healers thinking that measles is a typical tropical disease, which it is not,’ Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told the Associated Press. Leaupepe Kasiano Leaupepe, chairman of the National Council of Churches, helped to organise a national day of prayer on 1st December. ‘We ask for God’s healing powers over our nation suffering from this disease,’ he said. ‘We ask all church leaders to remember our country in your prayers. We also pray for grieving families who have lost loved ones especially the children.’

RUGBY SETTLEMENT (AUSTRALASIA) Professional rugby player, Israel Folau, has reached an undisclosed settlement with Rugby Australia after he was sacked for a post on social media. Folau’s Instagram post stated that ‘hell awaits...drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars’ and others, and called for repentance. Folau had been suing Rugby Australia. The two parties issued a joint statement that Folau published ‘genuinely held religious beliefs’ and had not intended to hurt or offend. Rugby Australia apologised for ‘any hurt or harm caused to the Folaus’. Martyn Iles, Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, said: ‘People of all faiths need clear protections to speak openly about their beliefs. The true meaning of inclusiveness, diversity, and tolerance is to accept differences, including differences of faith and belief’.

2020

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Balm of Gilead VACCINATION SCEPTICS - PART 04 Medical ethics from a Christian perspective. An ANONYMOUS contribution

or from infection, will know that is just not true. Bad things happen to ‘good’ people. Read the entire book of Job. That’s the point of it. This world is tainted by sin; it is filled with dangers, sadness, heartbreak. It is not faithlessness that leads to parents protecting their children. It is good parenting, and faith in that which God has provided for us. Children do not die because we didn’t pray hard enough or because we’re not good enough Christians. I can’t help but think of the joke where a man is drowning and someone rows past in a boat. He declines their offer of help because ‘I’ve prayed to God, so He will save me’. He ignores similar offers of help from a passing submarine and helicopter, much to the pilots’ confusion. When he inevitably drowns and awakes in Heaven, he asks God why he didn’t save him after he prayed so hard for it. God says ‘But I sent you a boat, a submarine and a helicopter – why didn’t you take those?’ I feel vaccination is similar. I can imagine the parent of a child who has died from measles asking God a

he australian government recently voted to enact one of the strictest pro-vaccination

laws in the world. Not only can children only attend nursery/daycare/school if vaccinated, but parents who refuse to vaccinate their children have their tax relief and benefits cut. When hit in the wallet, people’s conscientious objections to vaccinations seem to disappear, as Australia now reports their highest vaccination rate ever amongst children. If only the USA would follow suit. The recent measles emergency in Washington State is driven by pockets of anti-vaccination sentiment, where in some areas less than 80% of school-age children are vaccinated at all. It’s hardly a surprise then that a disease as rampantly virulent as measles took hold. Many schools in the USA do have mandatory vaccination requirements; however, there are medical exemptions and ‘religious/ non-medical’ exemption clauses for parents who do not wish their children vaccinated. What are we to make of parents who claim religious exemption from vaccination? Of course the Bible says

Disease does not discriminate between believers and non-believers. It is wrong for us to put God to the test by not doing everything we can to protect our children and the other vulnerable people around us. nothing about vaccination, much the same as it says nothing about antiseptics, toilet paper, motor cars or canned food. Are we to take the argument that because the Bible doesn’t mention it, we shouldn’t do it? That is a ridiculous idea that no sane Bible teacher or mainstream denomination would ever promote. Such objections then originate from either ignorance or a faulty view of scripture. Other objections that immunisations are ‘against nature’ are so vague as to be hopelessly illogical. Living in concrete homes, driving cars and flying aeroplanes are ‘against nature’. If we were all to live fully in tune ‘with nature’, I expect we’d all be living in caves as huntergatherers. Personally, I’d miss my central heating. One argument that infuriates me is that the act of vaccinating your child against disease somehow demonstrates a lack of faith in God. But what is a parent’s job if it isn’t to protect their child? We cannot blindly assume that God will keep all believers’ children safe from all kind of harm. Any parent whose child has died in an accident, or from childhood cancer,

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similar question – ‘Why didn’t you save my child after I prayed for them?’ ‘Why didn’t you use the vaccines I sent you?’ would be the answer I’d expect. Disease does not discriminate between believers and nonbelievers. It is wrong for us to put God to the test by not doing everything we can to protect our children and the other vulnerable people around us. As a doctor, a parent, and a Christian who cares for the welfare of newborn babies and vulnerable patients who cannot be vaccinated, I am apoplectic at the injustice of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. They are selfish and their inaction puts others at risk. I honestly feel that vaccination should be legally mandatory and parents who refuse should be prosecuted and their children vaccinated anyway. For us to act otherwise would be a dereliction of our duty as a parents, Christians, doctors, nurses, and citizens. ‘But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever’ (1 Timothy 5:8). •

JANUARY

DEC/JAN 2019 PRAYER DIARY Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 Wed 15th Praise God that 35 schools registered for SU’s SHINE in Schools last year. Pray on for lasting fruit – fearless witness and faith in Jesus. Thurs 16th Pray regularly preparation for this year’s the campers, leaders & and Camps administrator MacDonald.

for the camps, cooks, Kirsten

Sun 26th Remember Rev. James Beaton, interim moderator for the small congregation of Mull and Coll, as he and they witness in these islands.

Thurs 6th The WEC International college in Holland trains people from across the globe. Pray for Donald and Rosangela Fraser as they serve there.

Mon 27th Pray for the Lord’s leading and guiding as the Scottish board of SU seek to appoint a new CEO, as Andy Bathgate is retiring in March.

Fri 7th As more regulations come into place with regard to working with young folk, pray that our churches keeps abreast with all of these.

Fri 17th Pray for the Queen and the royal family, that they would have wisdom as they lead the nation and that they would all come to have a living faith in Jesus Christ.

Tues 28th Thank God for our health service and pray for all those you know who work in the fields of medicine and healthcare as they often deal with difficult situations.

Sat 18th As we prepare for another Lord’s Day, let us pray that the Lord will speak to us as his Word is preached and that those who come faithfully to church but have not yet understood and believed the message will be stirred by his Spirit.

Wed 29th Pray for the work of Bible translation across the world and the organisations working to make it possible for people to read and study God’s Word in their own language.

Sun 19th Pray for the congregation of Lochgilphead and Tarbert as they gather to worship today, that they and their interim moderator, Rev. Rodger Crooks, will be able to influence their community for good. Mon 20th Pray for all those working in our church plants, especially those in deprived areas like Merkinch in Inverness and Charleston in Dundee. Tues 21st This year MAF celebrates 75 years of bringing help, hope and healing to isolated people throughout the world. Give praise and thanks to God for their continued vision to serve. Wed 22nd Pray for those who have been elected into Parliament, that they would serve our nation with integrity. Thurs 23rd Pray that secularists’ efforts to uproot Christian principles and practices in our society will not succeed. Fri 24th While HIV does not get much press in our country, pray for the millions of people around the world who are living with HIV. Pray for them and those who are working to stop the epidemic. Sat 25th Pray about the plans to plant a church in Chapelhall, Airdrie, between Coatbridge and Cumbernauld Free Churches. Pray that God will lead them to the right man to head this venture.

Thurs 30th Portree Free Church have a site purchased and plans for their new building. They have been fundraising for many years and hope to begin building this year. Pray for completion for them. Fri 31st Tain Free Church also have a site purchased and plans drawn for a new building, but at the moment are short on finance to get the project up and running. Pray for them. Sat 1st The WfM committee meet in Perth today. Pray for safety in travel for them and wisdom in their planning and decision-making. Sun 2nd Pray for the small congregation in Kingussie as they join in worship today. Ask that their interim moderator, Rev. John de la Haye, and Dr Alistair Wilson will be able to help the congregation grow in that town and surrounding area. Mon 3rd Pray for those making policies on education in Scotland, that they would work to protect Christians in education – student, parent and teacher alike. Tues 4th Pray for the work of Operacion San Andres (OSA), which is being supported by WfM, as they aim to increase their work among women and teenagers.

Sat 8th Pray especially for the person who is going to lead in your worship services tomorrow. Pray that they will be encouraged in their preparation and blessed by the Lord. Sun 9th This morning pray for the congregation in Burghead under the leadership of their church worker, Peter Turnbull, and interim moderator, Rev. Donald Martin. Mon 10th Our brothers and sisters in Pakistan live in very challenging circumstances as they seek to live for the Lord in a hostile country. Please pray that God will bring the multiple abuses they experience to an end. Tues 11th Praise God for the freedom and availability we have to read his Word. Pray for the Scottish Bible Society as they work to make the Bible more easily accessed worldwide. Wed 12th Pray for the people who are in the UK because of danger in their own country, that as they seek asylum, they will also find the truth of the gospel and a Christian fellowship to join. Thurs 13th Give thanks for all the unpaid carers in the country. Pray that they will be strengthened in what is often a demanding, stressful and isolated role. Fri 14th Pray that all those who gather in Falkirk this evening will be blessed and encouraged to continue in their witness for the Messiah as Rev. John Brand lectures on ‘The Man of Sorrows’.

Wed 5th Pray for all those involved in WoOD in Govanhill as they work with all the different ethnic groups in their area. A WfM project is aiming to support them this year.

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.

2020

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FREE CHURCH NEWS FCYC CELEBRATES 60 YEARS

020 marks the 60th anniversary of free church youth camps — week-long residential holidays for young

people. Over the years FCYC have provided an opportunity for thousands of young people to hear the Word of God in a relaxed, informal environment. As part of the celebrations, we’re planning a trip down memory lane, and if you have any old photos of FCYC through the years, we’d love to have a look at them! Please scan them at a high resolution and email them to camps@freechurch.org along with the year and the camp at which the photo was taken, and who is in the photo, by the end of February 2020. Thank you! •

FCYC BROCHURES

ree church youth camps

(fcyc)

2020 brochures are

now available !

All families with a child/children at camp in 2019 should have received a copy of the brochure in the post, and brochures will be available from your local Free Church as well. If you know any young people in your local community who might be interested in coming to camp next year, please give them a copy of the brochure — all young people from Primary 5 up to Secondary 6 are welcome. More information is also available on our brand new website: freechurchyouthcamps.org Parents/guardians should register their child/children via the FCYC website, if possible before the allocation day on 20th January. (Registrations can still be made after the 20th January, but the first round of allocations will be made on this day so young people registered before this day will be more likely to get a place.) If you have any questions or would like to request more copies of the brochure, please get in touch with Kirsten at camps@freechurch.org •

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FREE CHURCH NEWS PRAY FOR WORKERS

BY GORDON MATHESON

n 1st december 2019, the board of ministry invited congregations across the free church (and among our many friends and sister churches) to pray the prayer of luke 10:2:

‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ The scale of the need for gospel workers in our church is fast becoming one of the biggest challenges we face in seeking to win Scotland anew for Christ. We are asking congregations to pray for ‘at least 60 new workers in a decade’. That is a stark figure — but one rooted in the realities of Free Church ministry in Scotland at the close of 2019.

CHURCH PLANTING: 30 BY 2030 We’re only about a tenth of the way to a vision outlined at the 2018 General Assembly, of 30 new church plants by 2030. That means we need at least 25 new church planters in the next decade.

VACANCIES & RETIREMENTS We have fifteen pastoral vacancies right now — all with permission to call a minister. Congregations can, and do, look outside the Free Church to fill these posts. But in the main, we fill vacancies by calling ministers from within the denomination. The next decade will also see 10-15 more ministers retire from existing works. This outstrips our training numbers! We will probably need closer to 25 new ministers to fill pastoral vacancies over the next decade.

REVITALISATION The Free Church has about a dozen congregations that are not able to financially support a full-time pastoral ministry. We don’t just want to see new churches arise to replace these old ones! Winning Scotland anew means planting, revitalising, and sustaining churches. All of this goes hand in hand. We want to see the gospel prosper in towns like Greenock, Lochgilphead and Wick, and in rural communities like Glenelg, Assynt, and Rogart. We have a merciful God who gives us creative ways of getting workers into these sorts of situations, but we still need the workers to go into these parts of the harvest field.

NOWS: NON-ORDAINED WORKERS Whether it’s women’s workers, youth workers, alcohol and addiction workers, or workplace chaplaincy, healthy churches exhibit all sorts of ministries to effectively fulfil the Great Commission. We long to see God raise up workers in all these aspects of non-pulpit ministry too.

LONG TERM: 10:02 EVERY DAY We hope it’s apparent that this is going to take a long-term commitment from our church. There is a cost to individuals coming under God’s call. There is a cost to congregations becoming seed-beds for new workers to test God’s call and grow in apprenticeships. There is a cost to the church in training these workers and supporting them in ministry. But our God promises to not just meet, but exceed the requests of his people. That’s why we ask people not only to pray on 1st December, but are asking that we all commit to pray the prayer of Luke 10:2 at 10:02am each day.

SET AN ALARM. ASK GOD FOR WORKERS FOR HIS HARVEST. At least 60 workers over the coming decade is just a drop in the ocean. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his fields. Resources have been provided for use by congregations, and can be downloaded at: bit.ly/2YBTS59 • Rev. Gordon Matheson is minister of Sleat & Strath Free Church and a member of the Free Church Board of Ministry

2020

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FREE CHURCH NEWS WESTERN ISLES PRESBYTERY WELCOMES NEW YOUTH WORKER

he western isles presbytery is pleased to announce

the

appointment

gordon

macleod as youth discipleship support worker.

Gordon, who is an elder in the North Harris congregation, will take up the post in March 2020, God willing. His remit will include working with youth leaders and Kirk Sessions to develop youth discipleship in congregations across the Western Isles. He will coordinate the existing Presbytery youth work such as the hugely popular Presbytery youth camps and Big YF and look for new opportunities to develop these. Gordon succeeds Alison Macdonald, who was the Presbytery Youth Worker from 2005-2015. The change in title of this post reflects the change in remit and emphasis. Please give thanks to God for this appointment and pray for Gordon as he prepares to take up the post. â&#x20AC;˘

Gordon Macleod

TAPE MINISTRY GOES ONLINE

BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

heard many years ago. For others, Legacy will give the opportunity to hear many of these preachers for the very first time. The Free Church and the wider church in Scotland has a long and rich preaching heritage. For generations, the gospel has been preached each week all across the nation. God used many men to change hearts and lives through the transforming power of the gospel. Now, thanks to the hard work of those who helped bring this website together, the legacy of those who have gone before us can be heard again. Our prayer is that these sermons from the past will continue be used by God to change lives today and into the future. â&#x20AC;˘

new online sermon resource has just been launched by the free church of scotland.

However, while the website itself is brand new, the content of the site is old! In fact, it is a collection of over 1,000 sermons preached over the past sixty years. Gathered from the old tape ministry of yesteryear, legacy.freechurch.org contains sermons delivered across the country during the last century. Sermons from Rev. Douglas MacMillan, Prof R A Finlayson, Rev. Murdo Alex Macleod, Rev. Donald Lamont, Prof John Murray and many others can now be easily accessed, downloaded and listened to. For many readers, legacy.freechurch.org will give the opportunity to listen again to the preachers they

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JANUARY

FREE CHURCH NEWS FALKIRK WINTER LECTURES

he annual falkirk free church winter lecture series began on friday , 8 th november .

This year the guest speaker is the Rev. John Brand, Pastor of Grace Community Church, Broxburn, and Principal of Edinburgh Bible College. John delivered the lectures back in 2016/17 on the Book of Jude. This time, John will deliver five monthly lectures on the theme ‘Man

of Sorrows: Studies in Isaiah 53’. The series takes an extended look at a great Old Testament chapter that anticipates the Messiah. November and December’s lectures were met with great interest, and there is still the opportunity to catch the last three instalments — all are welcome to attend. The remaining lectures will take place on 10th January, 14th February and 13th March. Each lecture takes place at 7:30pm at Falkirk Free Church. Refreshments will be served, and parking is available at the church: Beaumont Drive, Carron, Falkirk, FK2 8SN. •

ISLANDS STUDY CONFERENCE HARRIS HOTEL, TARBERT, ISLE OF HARRIS 7th-9th February 2020 SPEAKERS

SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOCUS

Rev. Alasdair I Macleod Edinburgh “The Praying of Christ”

Rev. Kennny I Macleod Stornoway Free Church My Years in Ministry

Rev. Dr Robert Murdock Faith Mission College Principal “The Body, The Love Story, The Athlete” Residential cost-£175 Student Discount Available (Application in writing with £10.00 non-refundable Booking Fee per person) Booking Secretary (Hotel Residents & Day Visitors) Chrissie Macleod Mobile: 07584 497567 Tel: 01851 820 632 Email: chrissie.macleod@googlemail.com Chairman Murdo Graham Mobile: 07833 552100 Tel: 01851 820 696 Email: bookharrisconference@mail.com

2020

Conference website: www.isc.scot

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THE BLIND SPOT In the NHS physicians are taught a simple truth: the common things are common. The idea is that, when analyzing the symptoms of patients, a doctor should first consider mundane ailments before entertaining more exotic diagnoses. If a child has a cough, the first thought should be a cold, not tuberculosis. If an old man has joint pain, look for arthritis before testing for cancer. The method is to start basic until the obvious and regular are ruled out. The same wisdom can be applied to thinking about the spiritual condition of Christian men. Before launching into diatribes about church or culture, or branding all men lazy and self-absorbed, one ought to ask a simple ‘what if’ question: what if, in spite of the books written, the professionally trained clergy, and the prolific spread of parachurch ministries, there was a blind spot at the center of men’s discipleship? A blind spot, by definition, is a place where one’s vision is obstructed. Too often a blind spot exists unknowingly, as many disgruntled drivers have figured out. So here is something to consider. Missed in the hustle and bustle of men’s ministry is an oversight as shocking as it is obvious: Christian men are being told to pursue spiritual maturity without being given a model of what spiritual maturity is. In the cascade of voices telling men to prioritize discipleship and promoting spiritual disciplines, a gap is festering like an open wound. Men are not being given a blueprint of spiritual fitness.

I CAN’T BE WHAT I CAN’T SEE Why does this matter? Two reasons. First, vision clarifies action. Human beings have the remarkable ability to see an unrealised state of being. A traveler can stand on a hilltop and survey the horizon. In the distance he sees a majestic peak and imagines himself standing on the crest of it. Reoriented, he continues his journey. A sculptor stares at a block of marble. He imagines two children at play, an emblem of joy, safety, and civic spirit. Grabbing a chisel, he begins to sculpt stone into predetermined form. A young man peers into his forties. He foresees a loving family, a respectable life of service and employment, and a heart renewed in the shape of a cross. This in view, he navigates college, dating, and Netflix. Such is the spiritual power of vision: to see concretely a future state of affairs so that a line can be traced from here to there. Second, vision motivates. Ambition is vision, a compelling view of a future self coated with significance and value. A man foresees himself with a large house, expensive car, and liberal budget and, like wind in sails, feels himself constrained to go and achieve the dream. Another imagines himself devoting all of his spare time to meeting with unbelievers and young Christians to train them in the gospel. He is swept down a different path. Both men have vision. For both, vision is motivation. The opposite is also true: without vision there is no ambition. It is pointless to ask a man to sacrifice for anything without giving him a soul-gripping insight into the value of the object. How does one motivate a fifteen-year-old boy to do trigonometry homework instead of play video games? Neither carrot nor stick is ideal. The best method is to instill a vision of attending a selective university and pursuing a meaningful career. Only by valuing something more than pleasure will a young man feel motivated to solve equations instead of kill orcs. Something similar is true among Christian men. Without vision, men are unmotivated and lost. They do not know where to go, and deep down they question whether the pilgrimage of faith is worthy of the call to self-deny and carry a cross.

THE MISSION OF CROSS TRAINING MINISTRIES In view of this clinical gap, the mission of Cross Training Ministries is to train men in spiritual fitness, first and foremost, by giving them a compelling vision of godliness. Vision is not the only condition that promotes spiritual growth – discipline, camaraderie, and training are also important. Nonetheless, the gap left gaping wide thus far in men’s ministry is the failure to convince ordinary men of the glory of a cross-centred life. Our aim is to give men such a vision of Christ that, in the words of Isaac Watts, they irrepressibly declare: Were the whole realm of nature mine That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine Demands my soul, my life, my all. • Rev Joe Barnard was formerly minister at Kiltarlity Free Church, and is now Executive Director of Cross Training Ministries www.xtrainingministries.com.

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JANUARY

MEN NEED A VISION

OF THE GLORY OF

GODLINESS BY REV JOE BARNARD

2020

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ETS NEWS

BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2020

s a new year begins , there is much to look forward to .

Over the coming months, we have two special lectures: the MacMillan Lecture in Evangelism and the Annual Lecture in Scottish Church History and Theology. These events are always open to the public, so please look out for details as they are announced and remember that you are all welcome to join us. We are also looking forward to continuing our programme of World Mission Days. These take place twice every semester and they are a brilliant opportunity to hear more about global mission and to pray for this work. On a World Mission Day, regular classes are cancelled, and instead all students and staff come together to hear guest speakers from around the world. Again, the mission days are open to the public and we would be delighted to have you join us. Details of all these events are shared through our social media channels, our website and our mailing lists. In 2020, we are also looking forward to welcoming additional members to the Seminary Board and Senate of ETS. Our Senate includes all of the teaching staff and oversees the content and delivery of the courses at ETS. The Seminary Board is made up of ministers and elders from Free Church congregations. They are supported by the Principal (Iver Martin), one other member of ETS staff (currently Alistair Wilson), one student representative (currently Donald M Macleod) and the Chairman of the Board of Ministry (currently Angus Macrae). The Board is responsible for overall governance of the seminary as well as practical matters such as building maintenance, budgeting and staff recruitment. As part of the review process undertaken for the 2019 General Assembly, a recommendation was made that the Senate and the Board should have some additional members and advisers to help with the work. This extra support to both of these committees will be a huge help as it will allow for a wider range of experiences to feed into the life and work of ETS. On the subject of staff, we are delighted that Ruth Smith has been able to increase from a part-time to a full-time role in her position as Administrative Assistant. Among other things, Ruth is responsible for the everexpanding ETS library and for ensuring that the distance learning facilities and online learning platforms are all working as they should. Ruth has been a hugely valuable member of staff and we are delighted that her involvement in the seminary is increasing. For teaching staff, the Seminary Board are still working towards making a permanent appointment for our Church History Course Organiser. Since the retirement of Prof John McIntosh, Rev. Nigel Anderson has very kindly taken on the role of temporary Course Organiser. However, we are hopeful that in 2020 we will be able to make a permeant appointment to this position. Overall, we have so much to be thankful to God for. 2019 has been a very encouraging year and as we look ahead to 2020, we pray that God would continue to bless and encourage our staff and students. We hope that ETS can continue to serve the church in every way possible. â&#x20AC;˘

ETS PRINCIPAL AT ETS!

n november, iver martin and malcolm maclean

(chairman

of the seminary board) travelled from one ets to another in order to attend the annual meeting of the evangelical

theological society in san diego, usa.

This annual conference brings together speakers and delegates from theological training centres across the world. Iver and Malcolm have regularly represented ETS at ETS(!) over a number of years. Conferences like these are very important for building up connections between our seminary and the global church. â&#x20AC;˘

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Rev. Iver Martin, Principal, ETS

JANUARY

ETS NEWS

BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

FIRST GRADUATES FOR MTh IN MISSIOLOGY

n 6th december, we were delighted to see some of our post-graduate students mark the completion of their studies at the winter

graduation ceremony at glasgow university.

Among these were Paul Carey and Graeme Wilkinson, our first ever graduates from the new Master of Theology in Missiology. This degree was first launched in 2018 as part of the new ETS Centre for Mission. The graduation of our first cohort of students is an important milestone for the seminary. The Centre for Mission has been established to help support the work of mission both in Scotland and beyond. It is immensely encouraging to see the beginnings of a new generation of men and women studying mission to post-graduate level. As a church, mission is at the heart of our identity, goal and purpose, and therefore it deserves to be studied at the highest level. The Master of Theology in Missiology pushes students to look in depth at a wide range of topics from mission in the Old Testament right through to current issues of church-planting and cross-cultural connections. We wish Paul and Graeme well as they move on from their studies to the next stage of their service and we hope and pray that there will be many more who follow in their footsteps to study mission at ETS. Also graduating were John van Eyk, who was awarded a Master of Theology (by research) and our own Principal, Iver Martin, who has successfully completed the Master of Theology in Scottish Church History and Theology. Iver has been studying this course as part of his role at ETS and as result he is now lecturing part of the Church History course on our BTh degree. The graduation ceremony is an important reminder of our strong links with Glasgow University. We are very thankful for the continued support of the university in its partnership with ETS. •

John van Eyk

Graeme Wilkinson

QUOTATIONS: ST. AUGUSTINE

“

He so loved us that, for our sake, he was made man in time, although through him all times were made. He was made man, who made man. He was created of a mother whom he created. He was carried by hands that he formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, he the Word without whom all human eloquence is mute. St Augustine, Sermon 188

2020

”

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Photo by Samara Doole on Unsplash

THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF WATER RODDIE RANKIN reflects on the marvellous truth of the incarnation.

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JANUARY

ll god’s best for 2020!

It’s that time again when we raise our glasses to toast the New Year. So, what’s in your glass? Not telling? Truth is, whether it is Laphroaig or lemonade, it’s almost all the same stuff. Whether liquid or in frozen cubes, your drink is mostly water. And you’ll probably begin the year swallowing it down without a thought about how remarkable this most commonplace of substances is. So, let’s also raise our glasses to extol the wonder of water and its extraordinary importance in our lives. Let’s embark on the year ahead with a 2020 vision of the substance that is the first and the last to be mentioned in our Bibles. It plays a critical role in God’s purposes for our lives, and yet its virtues are largely unsung.

This winter, of course, God may spread the snow like wool and scatter the frost like ashes.03 The novelty of this may catch us unprepared as we skid off the road, or may send us outdoors excitedly to ski, skate or sledge. For this we benefit from another quirk of water: it is slippery when frozen. What else do you know that you can slide on when solid? Try to imagine the Winter Olympics if ice were grippy! For further water wonder, get outside and examine the snowflakes. Depending on temperature and humidity, you may see snow fall as needles, prisms, columns or hexagonal plates, or more delightfully as six-branched stars, each one unique. It remains a mystery why all six branches grow identically. Back inside you’ll need a drink to warm you up, allowing you to observe further important water facts we depend on daily. It takes an unusual amount of extra energy to boil water into vapour, otherwise your kettle would explode when it reached boiling point. Once hot, water keeps its temperature better than just about any other substance. This ensures your tea, hot water bottle, your body (mostly water) and the sea don’t cool down too quickly in winter. And if you go for reverse psychology and choose an iced drink, it also takes a lot of extra energy to melt ice, which makes it great for chilling drinks — and for slowing the effects of global warming. There is nothing like water. Our Heavenly Father has based all life on its presence. Praise him for his wisdom.

WATER IN DAILY LIFE Many of our activities in this New Year will illustrate our dependent relationship with water. Let us give thanks that, unlike the Samaritan woman, we do not face an arduous walk in searing midday heat to obtain it.01 Refreshing, clean, potable water is available instantly on tap. We’ll begin each day with a wash or invigorating shower, clean our teeth and flush the toilet. During the night we’ll lose more than a pint of water through our skin, through sweat, breathing and trips to the water-closet, so we’ll need to rehydrate with a water-based drink like tea. Minutes into the day and we have already relied heavily upon one of the stand-out properties of water. You can dissolve just about anything in water: the sugar in your tea, the salts on your sweaty skin, and thousands of waste products from your body in your urine. It is proverbial, however, that water and oil do not mix. If they did, the petrochemical industry would not exist, and plastics would be hard to come by — so blame water for the environmental crisis! On the other hand, our skin produces oils to keep it healthy, so washing in water leaves them intact. Unwisely, we insist on adding soap, which strips away those oils; then we buy expensive moisturisers to put them back. Save money by washing without soap! Again, has it ever struck you how unlikely it is that our climate mainly serves up water as a convenient liquid? This only happens over a very narrow band of temperatures. Almost all the water in the solar system is frozen solid, but Earth sits in the narrow ‘Goldilocks’ region close enough to the sun to melt the ice, and not too close to boil it. Praise God for our finely-tuned world! He draws up the drops of water, which distil as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.02

2020

WATER AND HUMAN LIFE About 60% of an adult body is water. We spend our first nine months floating in it, and the rest of our days ensuring we have enough of it. Little wonder! Every one of the trillions of cells in our bodies are filled with water, so it is the medium in which the reactions of life take place. For example, proteins, when hot off the cell’s ‘printing press’, are long and ungainly. They need to be folded up compactly to do their job. This ‘origami’ is based on whether or not different parts of the protein are attracted to water. Again, water forms ‘wires’ in cells, through which electricity travels to aid in the storage of your body’s energy. Your blood is mostly blood cells carried along in water. Your heart, then, is a water pump; your kidneys water filters. Your brain and abdominal organs are submerged in water; it fills your inner ear and your eyeballs; it lubricates your joints and cools you down when you sweat it. In the orchestra of life, water is the conductor.

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WATER AND WORSHIP

It is no surprise, then, that the Bible is preoccupied with rain and rivers, springs and wells, water from rocks and bitter sources made sweet. For truly, as Jesus said, ‘everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again’.04 The greatest of all disasters for life on Earth is drought. God’s judgements on sinful man are therefore symbolised as water drying up, becoming bitter or like blood.05

In Bible times God was often invoked as the direct agent of the phenomena of nature: ‘The breath of God produces ice ... He loads the clouds with moisture ... He says to the rain shower, “Be a mighty downpour”.’09 Today we understand he wrote laws into nature which dictate tomorrow’s weather and whatever else water is up to. That doesn’t mean the future is determined and prayer is pointless. No, the Lord is mightier than the thunder of great waters,10 and has power to calm storms.11 Again, science tells us that water is the unique elixir of life because of a special attraction, known as the hydrogen bond, between its tiny building blocks. But our God transcends the ways of water. He created it from nothing, walked on it as on a pavement, and turned it into vintage wine.12These laws and miracles should still elicit amazement and personal faith, as they once did.13 What is your response? Like the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day, do we study laws and witness miracles, yet refuse to come to him for life?14 Many are our sins. If it were not so we would walk on water with Jesus and not sink helplessly under its weight.15 And while water has many talents, it cannot wash away sins as Pilate imagined.16 To cleanse your life from guilt, for guilt a life must be given. The Giver of Laws and Weaver of Wonders offers his. From his side flow blood and water. He is dead for us. From his death flows rivers of living waters fully to cleanse our lives. In these cleansing waters he invites us to wash, and having washed, to invite others too. ‘The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.’17 In token of this new-found inner purity, he commands us to be baptised in water, and to serve as he has done, washing with water one another’s feet,18 and offering cups of water in his name.19 Through this obedience we shall know his Spirit flow from within us like rivers of living water,20 and shall know his faithful love which many waters cannot quench.21 Our thirsty hearts will thrill with longing for our home, where the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb.22 So, joyfully draw water from the wells of salvation,23 and raise your glass with me. Here’s to the ever-flowing springs of water’s wonders, through Jesus Christ our Creator, Lord and Saviour! •

WATERWORLD In scripture, land was formed upon the waters, out of water and by water.06 God separated land and water, and water in the sky from water below.07 We cannot be dogmatic about the timescales and processes he used, but we can certainly still see water shaping our world today. Leonardo da Vinci said, ‘in time, and with water, everything changes’. Left to work, water will rust, weather, erode and remove everything: coasts, continents, cities and civilisations. It wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil.08 As it freezes it can shatter rocks; when it flows in glaciers it grinds mountains to rubble. Local geologists tell me ground level would have been a mile above where I presently sit before the most recent ice ages laid the bones of the land bare. Staying with ice, has it struck you as marvellous that ice floats? Freeze liquids other than water and they sink. But if water froze from the bottom up it would destroy life on river, lake and sea beds. Once again water amazes, praise God! Also, surface ice helps cool the world by reflecting warm sunlight back to space. As it diminishes, the dark seas exposed absorb that heat, warming our world even faster. In climate terms water is king. Oceanic currents move heat around the planet. In the atmosphere above, air circulations at different latitudes move moisture, or the lack of it, onto the land. This circulation is largely determined by the temperature of the sea. It turns out that these great movements of water are very sensitive to the overall temperature of the planet. The evidence of this may be seen where regions are now becoming uninhabitable through lack of rain, while others are being inundated with floods, as global temperatures rise. These catastrophes are but a foretaste according to climate scientists. They point to the record of climate history preserved in ancient layers of Antarctic ice. This record unequivocally connects rising levels of CO2, rising global temperature, and chaotic changes for life on Earth, and goes back half a million years. More than we realise, our destiny will be determined by the vagaries and properties of that most idiosyncratic of substances, water. This was also true for civilisation in Mesopotamia in Noah’s day. Our Lord had a plan to rescue Noah from the flood. It was not ‘do nothing and I’ll sort it’. Instead it involved Noah in a century of mockery, hard work and sacrifice. Perhaps the Christian Church needs to follow Noah’s example and start taking the self-denying lead in confronting climate meltdown.

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Rev. Roddie M. Rankin is minister of Kyle and Plockton Free Church 01 02 03 04 05

06 07 08 09 10 11

John 4:6-7 Job 36:27-28 Psalm 147:16 John 4:13 Jeremiah 8:14, Revelation 8:11, 11:6, 16:4 Psalms 24:2, 136:6; 2 Peter 3:5 Genesis 1:6-10 Job 14:19 Job 37:6,10,11 Psalm 93:4 Mark 4:39

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

John 1:3, 6:19, 2:9 Mark 6:51; John 2:11 John 5:36-40 Matthew 14:28-31 Matthew 27:24 Revelation 22:17 Acts 2:38, John 13:14 Mark 9:41 John 7:37-39 Song of Songs 8:7 Revelation 22:1 Isaiah 12:3

JANUARY

ENSPIRE 2020 Greyfriars Free Church, Inverness

Saturday 7 March 2020 9.30am - 4pm

'Sisterhood' Teachings from Titus Speakers: Ann Allen and Katherine Davidson

An event for ministers' wives. Friendship. Food. Worship

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND PLEASE CONTACT ENSPIRE.WOMEN@GMAIL.COM

Creche available

BY REV. WILLIAM M MACKAY AND DONALD ERIC MACKAY

ast year, there was a concert in the queen’s hall, edinburgh.

The concert was given by the pupils and former pupils of Broughton High School, the City of Edinburgh music school catering for gifted youngsters from the ages of four to 19. The programme included a selection of collaborative pieces following on from a workshop period and masterclass sessions at the school as well as a re-creation of Martyn Bennett’s final piece, Mackay’s Memoirs, written to commemorate Broughton High School’s centenary in 1999. Who was Martyn Bennett, and why did he write a piece of music for pipes, clarsach and orchestra called Mackay’s Memoirs? Martyn was a student of music, born in 1971, who died tragically young of cancer in 2005. At the age of ten he arrived in Badenoch from Canada with his mother. He played several musical instruments, but had no formal training in any of them. He was already playing the chanter and his mother asked Dr Mackay, a piper and the local GP, to teach him to play the bagpipes. With the music in front of them, Dr Mackay would play a piece to emphasize the phrasing and Martyn would then play it. About this time the possibility of Martyn going to the City of Edinburgh School of Music came up, and Dr Mackay and the then Laird, Grant of Rothiemurchus, supported his application. On Martyn’s return from interview in Edinburgh, Dr Mackay was surprised to learn that Martyn had to reapply six months later when he had learned to read music! It transpired that Martyn had a very keen ear and was able to reproduce what had just been played to him without reference to the written music. Needless to say, this deficiency was quickly set right. From 1986 to 1990 he was a student at Broughton High School before gaining a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). When Dr Mackay died, some members of the family wished to set up a public memorial. It was agreed to set up a prize fund to be administered by the College of Piping for a monetary prize for the best Higher Music candidate offering the pipes as his main instrument, and to commission a piece of music featuring the pipes. Searching for a suitable young Scottish composer, three names came up, one of which was Martyn Bennett’s. He was approached and was delighted to accept the commission, warning that a precise time scale for its production would be difficult. Not long after, he got in touch to say that the City of Edinburgh Music School had approached him with a request that he compose a piece to mark the Centenary of Broughton High School, where one of the conditions was that every pupil of the Music School take part. Martyn wondered if the two requests could be combined in a single composition and the family of Dr Mackay readily acceded. The piece was called Mackay’s Memoirs. Why was the music called Mackay’s Memoirs? The composition was written in honour of Martyn’s former bagpipe tutor — the late Dr Kenneth A Mackay of Badenoch — after reading his medical and personal journals written while he was a Free Church of Scotland missionary doctor in Moyobamba, Peru. There are more than 100 pages of vivid description of travel along the rivers and the tracks of north-eastern Peru, and Martyn must have been fascinated as he read of Dr Mackay’s experiences.

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Dr Mackay returned to Scotland in 1938 and continued to practise medicine in Glasgow and later in Laggan, not far from Newtonmore. It was in Laggan, in the property of the practice, that he held his week-long piping camps in spring, tutoring boys and girls, among them Martyn Bennett. When Martyn moved to Edinburgh, Dr Mackay recommended a tutor who would take him further in his skill on the pipes. It is clear that Martyn appreciated the interest that Dr Mackay had taken in him. The title of the piece he composed and the subject of it reflects that appreciation. The piece opens with the reading of Psalm 121 by Eric, the elder son of Dr Mackay, who, as a boy, shared with him in his travels in Peru. It features the Scottish bagpipes and Peruvian flute (quena) music, along with voices, clarsach and classical orchestra. It was first performed at a concert in the Usher Hall and later in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh as part of the celebration of the opening on 1st July, 1999 of the reconvened Scottish Parliament, and was televised live from the Gardens. Martyn, on the first occasion, was in the audience. Early in the piece, when the piper was dominant, Martyn crept behind him and gently adjusted the drones. With his keen hearing, he had probably heard some slight discord. Martyn described his time at the City of Edinburgh Music School as ‘without doubt the most important three years of my life. It was at Broughton that I received lessons in composition, violin and piano, learned to read and write music and immersed myself in the surrounding energy of other highly talented and motivated young musicians. The amount of knowledge I gained in those three years was absolutely vital to my future career and the route which I would follow. It was fantastic. An explosion of learning that was without doubt the best time of my life.’ At the concert on 4th March, the compere was Ms Lisa Kerr, who was a student at the City of Edinburgh Music School from 1984 to 1990 and a contemporary of Martyn Bennett there. After a highly successful career in music broadcasting and the strategy sector, since 2016 she has been Principal of Gordonstoun. • Rev. William M Mackay is a contributing author to Crown Him Lord of All: Essays on the Life and Witness of the Free Church of Scotland. Donald Eric Mackay was the elder son of Dr Kenneth Mackay. Born in Moyobamba, he attained the rank of Surgeon Commander in the Royal Navy. He passed away in October 2019 at the age of 91.

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BILL ANDERSON: AN APPRECIATION BY DONALD MACLEOD

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he could move it if it was causing an obstruction. I discovered then not only that he didn’t drive, but that the reason for it was that shapes were but a blur to him. From that point onwards, I made it my practice when I turned up for work in the morning and found him dutifully patrolling the car park, to speak first, knowing that otherwise he wouldn’t recognise me. I discovered, too, that he could read only by holding the document right up to his face and viewing it through a special glass. To a man of Bill’s well-trained mind, lively intellect and addiction to books, this must have been a cruel blow. But he never said so. Instead, he responded to it in the most positive way: he devoted his life to caring for blind people. Under the auspices of the Royal National Institute for the Blind, he trained as a Home Teacher for the Blind, a course of training which in those days aimed at a high level of skill not only in reading Braille but in writing it. It was while undergoing this training that Bill met Sheila West, who was taking a similar course. Sheila was the daughter of a Congregational minister whose translation to successive pastoral charges had meant regular family moves to cities as diverse as York, Paisley and Sunderland. Bill and Sheila married in May 1959, and apart from her work with the blind, Sheila was also a Licentiate of the London College of Music, a qualified music teacher, and an accomplished pianist; and though she was never the College’s official pianist she was for a time the Lecturer in Psalmody. It would be interesting to know whether that experience confirmed her faith in the old adage, ‘Anyone who can speak, can sing.’ By the time Bill finished his professional career he was Superintendent of the Perth and Kinross Society for the Blind. Even after he left the employment of the Society, however, he stayed in touch with many who had been his clients during his professional life, many of whom lived in difficult, and some in distressing, circumstances. One of these, ‘Charlie,’ he regularly visited once a week to the very end, and his help was not confined to words. Bill Anderson, had his circumstances been different, would have made an outstanding social worker.

hen bill anderson first came to work at the free church college in 1974 his official job description was ‘janitor’,

and humble though it sounds, and unlikely though it seems, it provided an ideal opportunity to develop his many interests. Still, we have to say, first of all, that he was an excellent janitor: invariably smart in appearance, punctual, eminently presentable, and exceedingly proud of his domain. He not only kept the doors faithfully, in the best traditions of the Roman ianitor. He kept an eye out for small structural problems that might become big ones, carefully tended the forecourt, and quickly persuaded intruders that they had no right to be in the car park. He and his family also bore with patience and fortitude the stress of living on the premises, especially when the building underwent extensive refurbishment between 1975 and 1978 and they had to endure the constant presence of tradesmen and the inescapable grime and chaos. But Bill was never only a janitor, and in due course, his designation was quite rightly changed to ‘College Curator’. There was, indeed, much to care for: not only thousands of books, but historic documents, letters, paintings, portraits, busts, a copy of the National Covenant of 1638, Disruption memorabilia and above all D. O. Hill’s famed Disruption painting. To an archivist and historian, the building was paradise. Bill was its official custodian, and he was in his element, like a wee boy in a sweetie-shop. Yet he couldn’t read any of the documents.

PROVIDENCE DECREEING ITS OWN COURSE William Steel Anderson was born on 24th May 1930 in Ecclefechan, the Dumfries-shire village which also had the less notable honour of being the birthplace of Thomas Carlyle. The eldest of ten children, Bill had to shoulder responsibilities from an early age, and the prospect of going on to higher education could not even have been the stuff of dreams. He left school at fourteen, and was briefly apprenticed to a plumber before being called up for National Service with the Royal Navy. After National Service he found employment with a local pharmacist, who, by all accounts, would have been happy to make the position permanent. Bill certainly found the experience highly educative, and it may explain his later interest in herbal medicines and his taste for what, to me, were funny-coloured teas. But whatever may have been Bill’s plans as he approached his mid-twenties, providence decreed its own course. At the age of twenty-five he was diagnosed as suffering from macular degeneration: the most common cause of blindness in over-sixties, but extremely rare in people of Bill’s age. From that point onwards his vision was seriously, and progressively, impaired, but he covered it up so brilliantly that I discovered it only by accident, when, very early in my time at College, I handed Bill my car keys so that

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CONTACT WITH THE FREE CHURCH In his early days, Bill had no contact with the Free Church, his family being connected to the Church of Scotland, but by 1958 he was a regular attender at Buccleuch and Greyfriars, Edinburgh. Behind this lay a chance encounter with the then-minister of Buccleuch, Rev. Murdo Nicolson, a gifted evangelist for whom Bill retained a deep and life-long affection. This first period at Buccleuch was interrupted by his transfer to Perth, where he attended what was then Perth and Scone Free Church, but on his return to Edinburgh the Buccleuch connection was resumed, and retained to the end of his days. For some three or four years he also served as an elder,

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but became increasingly convinced that he could not give the office the level of service it deserved. He found himself unable to give a proper welcome to those coming through the church door because he couldn’t recognise them; and he found homevisitation hazardous and frustrating. It was hard to navigate streets and locate addresses, especially at night, when everything was a blur. Bill began his work at the College in 1974 and served, with a brief interlude, till 1996. Though not born and bred to the Free Church, he loved its message, its history and its principles; and next to these, and for their sake, he loved the Mound Buildings; within the Mound Buildings, his special love was the Presbytery Hall; and within the Presbytery Hall, was his most special love, D. O. Hill’s painting of the Disruption. On this subject, Bill was the leading expert, frequently consulted by other official experts in search of information and advice. It was amazing, considering his impaired insight, to see him point out unerringly the various figures, while at the same time filling in the background and highlighting details of the painting’s composition. Retiring from his position at College was a serious emotional wrench, and whenever he visited the building in later years he would slip down to the Presbytery Hall, and run his finger along its historic table to check if it had been properly dusted. Old habits died hard. But if Bill loved the Mound buildings, he also loved the city of Edinburgh and its historic buildings. For many students, the most memorable part of their College experience was the Historical Tour which Mr Anderson gave as part of their Induction Programme, but he was also frequently called upon to act as Guide to other parties, especially those from American churches anxious to explore both their Scottish heritage and their Presbyterian roots. Unfortunately, many of these visitors hadn’t calculated on either the distance the party would have to cover or the pace at which they would be driven along, and on more than one occasion exhausted souls had to drop out and take a taxi back to their hotel: to Mr Anderson’s amusement it has to be said, and something of a boost to his national pride. But history wasn’t his only interest. He was also deeply versed in the world of architecture and art, and a compulsive collector of beautiful objects: so much so that when you visited his home you were frightened to sneeze, in case some precious plate or miniature fell from the well. He did, however, have his own way of relieving the pressure on space: rewarding the least favour with a gift from his collection. The by-product of his interest in art was that we were kept up to date on the latest exhibitions at one of Edinburgh’s galleries; and each one was a ‘must see.’ We were also told of the latest treasure to

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have been sold at some absurd price at an auction in London or Paris, New York or Amsterdam; or, in tones of great sadness, of yet another British treasure lost to some overseas buyer. All of Bill’s interests came together in his truly excellent booklet, A Guide to the Free Church of Scotland College and Offices. Thoroughly researched, rich in detail, and beautifully written, it will serve as an enduring tribute to his knowledge of historic Edinburgh, to his fascination with art and architecture, and above all to his love for the noble building which he deemed it such an honour to serve. Here we learn that the Senate Room reflects the Victorian revival of interest in the Jacobean style of the 17th century; that the panelling is of Oregon pine, and probably the first import of this timber to Britain; that the carvings above the four doors are in the style of Grinling Gibbons, the 17th-century English woodcarver; that the ceiling, the chief glory of the room, has a heavy cornice decorated with heraldic devices in various colours; that several of the faces in the Disruption painting were not painted from contemporary calotypes, but from life, when the men were much older; and that the commemorative Disruption brooch was not merely an ornament, but a practical piece of jewellery designed to tie the shawls of Free Church ladies. All in all, it is a production which does the Church proud; and we can be sure that Mrs Anderson’s careful proof-reading contributed significantly to the end result.

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE Bill Anderson was not given to talking about his own spiritual experience. He would occasionally share his worries, and sometimes his hurts, but seldom, if ever, did he sit down to have a real conversation; thinking, I now realise, that your time was too precious, and that he mustn’t detain you. We know nothing, for example, of the circumstances of his conversion. What we do know, however, is that he was a man of prayer. In public, they were brief, pointed and free of clichés; in private, they covered, morning and evening, a long list of friends, clients and acquaintances whose needs he knew and whose burdens he bore. But the sum of it all is that his faith, deep and well-founded, outcropped not in words but in life; a life of service; a life that overcame a handicap that in most men would have been fatal to any kind of creativity; a life that reached down to others for whom no one cared. It was a privilege to walk part of the journey with him. Mr Anderson is survived by his wife, Sheila, and by their children: Nigel (minister of Livingston Free Church), Edwin, Trevor, Shona and Owen. Donald and their families, and his brother Murdo and sister Margaret to the God of all comfort. •

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STREET CONNECT

Offering hope and opportunity in Jesus’ name

BY KATHRYN THOMSON

treet connect is a charity that reaches out to and supports people who are struggling with

homelessness, addiction and mental health. Our aim is to reach the people on the outskirts of society — the people who need our support now more than ever. Street Connect started when co-founders Ricky and Julie McAddock decided to try and reach those who were marginalised and were vulnerable in society due to drug addiction, homelessness and it's associated problems. Julie and Ricky not only had direct experience of the chaos that addiction causes in one’s life, but also the transforming Ricky and Julie McAddock freedom that faith can bring to this lifestyle. After reaching out to their local community through their church in Glasgow city centre, the work and the need had grown so much so that they formed Street Connect a year later, in May 2014. Today, the charity works in seven different locations around the UK, many of which have grown from partnerships with churches in their local area. The most recent of these locations is Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill, which is partnered with Hope Free Church. This project has been running since September 2019 and is managed mostly by volunteers from the church with the support of a few of our trained staff members. The vision of Street Connect is to work in partnership with local churches, so that they can do the work of God’s love in their community by reaching out to the people who are isolated and marginalised right on their doorstep. The project at Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill functions as a drop-in café, where anyone is welcome to come along and chat to the team, and enjoy a free tea or coffee and a bite to eat. This work happens in the community centre in Kirkmuirhill. Though this is not the church building itself, it has proved to be a benefit as it is in a good location and a known central point for local people. The feedback we have had from the team there has been really positive in the quality of conversations and connections they have made with people. On one occasion, the volunteers reported that someone who had come along to the café on his own one week came back with some friends the next week after highly recommending it to them. It is always so encouraging to hear that people in the

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The team from Hope Church

community are connecting with the outreach and are enthusiastic about being involved. As one volunteer said, ‘It is early days for the Drop-in Café here in Blackwood. We are most encouraged by the contacts already made and it is great to work alongside our brothers and sisters from Street Connect.’ The work of Street Connect has three projects through which you can support people in your area. The first, Making Connections, includes running drop-in cafés and street outreach in order to get to know people. The next project is Building Freedom, which goes a bit deeper into establishing how to help participants on an individual level. This includes groupwork, one-to-one support and residential rehab referrals, to name a few. The final project is Resettlement Support, which offers advice and support to individuals settling back into society. This could include helping participants to find volunteering opportunities that are right for them or placing a participant in one of our move-on flats while they establish their next steps and find healthy routines for themselves. It’s exciting to see churches involved in each of these different stages, supporting people in their area and understanding what the need is and how they can meet it. God has given us opportunities to support a variety of communities, and in these times, when drug-related deaths are rising in Scotland and the UK, it seems all the more important that we are actively reaching out to people who have slipped through the net and are in need of support and guidance. If your church would like to find out more about getting involved with the work of Street Connect, visit www. streetconnect.co.uk/church-partnerships to find out more. We are also always looking for people to partner with us and support our work financially and in prayer. To find out more about this or any of the above, email us at info@streetconnect.co.uk or visit our website, www. streetconnect.co.uk.

•

Kathryn Thomson is Street Connect’s Communications Officer

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PART 2 JESUS RESURRECTION IS GOD’S ‘YES’ TO JESUS’ SACRIFICIAL DEATH

BY IAIN GILL A series of short articles about Jesus’ resurrection.

resurrection

motivates

believers

witness

because

demonstrates that jesus truly is who he claimed to be, the messiah.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn :The Resurrection of Christ (1639)

In Acts chapter 5 the disciples are in trouble with Jerusalem’s religious authorities. Accused of preaching about Jesus in spite of being told to stop, they said in their defence: ‘The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.’ Subsequently flogged, then freed, ‘they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ’. The resurrection is a motivator also for the non-Christian to become a Christian. When Peter preached his famous sermon on the day of Pentecost, he effectively said, ‘You killed him; God raised him.’ Three thousand were saved! The Bible says that the people were ‘cut to the heart’. What made the difference, other than the obvious outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Peter’s sermon had made clear that by means of the resurrection God had demonstrated that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah promised in the Old Testament, the Saviour of the world. Read it for yourself, in Acts chapter 2. It is all about the resurrection and its consequence: ‘God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ’ (verse 36). Behind the drama of the resurrection was the cross. It all must have been hard to understand in these first few days; we look back through two thousand years of reflection. But the resurrection showed that whatever the death of Jesus means, the effectiveness of that death was approved by God. In Hebrews we read ‘… we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all’ (Hebrews 10:10). Jesus’ resurrection is God’s ‘YES’ to Jesus’ sacrificial death. •

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BOOK REVIEWS Start the new year, start a new book. Each of these four books offers a different perspective on a familiar idea, from the Bible to prayer to children’s devotions. All are available at https://thefree.church/shop. PURSUING A HEART OF WISDOM JOHN KWASNY (2019) Now as much as ever, pastors, parents, and youth leaders need a solid biblical framework from which to counsel young adults (teenagers particularly) in relation to the many challenges facing them today. Although many resources for this are available, too often they are based on a secular foundation rather than on a biblical, theological one. This book is a welcome alternative. Taking the Bible as his source, Dr John C. Kwasny combines biblical teaching with sound practical application. The opening three chapters deal with (a) biblical presuppositions; (b) the practice of a biblical counselling process; and (c) the partnership of parents and church in the gospel. The following fifteen chapters deal with typical teenage problems and set out a biblical, pastoral and practical approach to these. These include anxiety, depression, drugs and alcohol, gender and identity, pornography, sex, and suicide. Each chapter contains sections on ‘a named example’ of the behaviour, the ‘typical problems associated with it’, an ‘evaluation’, ‘biblical principles’, and finally ‘wisdom pointers’. Dr Kwasny’s approach is marked by clarity, directness, understanding and compassion, while remaining faithful to the gospel. The print is clear, and the style makes for easy reading. The inner margins, though, are rather narrow, resulting in the need to constantly press the book down, so that holding the book can be tiring. However, the contents are excellent, and I heartily recommend it as a most welcome resource. • James Maciver, Stornoway Free Church

FOLLOW JESUS WITH PETER MATTHEW SLEEMAN (2019) Often when we teach the Bible to children we go to the stories of the Old Testament such as Noah, Joseph and Abraham, or we go to the Gospels and teach the parables and miracles. Sometimes we leave other books out. Matthew Sleeman presents a new translation of 1 Peter for children suitable for mid to late primary school, perhaps a little younger with adult help, so that they may 'grow up into the light and life of the full breadth of God' s Word.’ Matthew has broken down Peter's letter into 25 sections which would be ideal for leading children in Bible reading or encouraging children to read the Bible on their own. Sunday School teachers would also find it helpful in teaching 1 Peter to younger children. This book is a helpful reminder that all of God's Word is useful and that children can learn so much from these, perhaps less taught, books in the Bible. • Allan Shearer, Dunblane Free Church

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FRESH PATHWAYS IN PRAYER JULIAN HARDYMAN (2019)

READING BETWEEN THE LINES GLEN SCRIVENER (2019)

This book is like a cosy wee chat with the best kind of friend; the one who will support and encourage you, but also insistently challenge you to be a better person. Or in this case, a better pray-er. It is undemanding, yet skewering. It is kind, yet persistent. It is very well-written, and constantly leads the reader back to a conversation with God. Through 14 chapters, Hardyman deals with most of our excuses for why we don’t pray as well or as often as we should. It is a book ideally suited for reading with a friend, or with someone who is exploring faith in Jesus for the first time. However, I challenge even the most mature Christian not to see echoes of themselves in some of the examples. Indeed, one of the most attractive characteristics of the book is the author’s willingness to share his own fears and failings, from sermon preparation to marital harmony. It makes his message even more approachable, but he never sinks into self-pity or false humility. Of all the things to enjoy about this book, I particularly appreciated the sections which describe a conversation between a Christian who is struggling, and a more mature Christian friend. They offer a great example for anyone in pastoral work to use when discipling people who struggle to pray, and they are equally helpful if you are reading the book as that person who doesn’t find it easy to talk to God. There are a multitude of books on prayer available, and many are excellent. Where this one excels, however, is in its approachability. If you give this book away to someone, you can be sure they will be in safe hands. • Miriam Montgomery, Free Church Books

The first volume of Glen’s daily Scripture readings through the whole Bible offers the reader 181 daily reflections from the beginning of Genesis to the close of Zechariah. Whilst Reading Between The Lines takes you from the first to the thirty-eighth book of the Old Testament, journeying through history books, law, poetry and prophecy, the theme is consistent throughout. Glen’s daily studies reinforce the wonderful Gospel truth at the heart of all Scripture. From the majesty of the Lord as creator to the anguish of David in the Psalms, Glen points the reader to our triune God in a reflective, genuine and emotive manner. Each reflection is short enough to be managed in the morning before work, or the evening before bed, yet not so short as to be devoid of good, solid spiritual truth. Glen has written a helpful book of short studies that could guide the reader through the whole story of the Old Testament, reinforcing the truths of who our glorious God is, and who we are before, and in, him. I look forward to opening up Volume 2, and exploring the New Testament through these studies! • Ed Creedy, St Andrews Free Church

GET IN TOUCH: EMAIL: books@freechurch.org SHOP: https://thefree.church/shop WEBSITE: books.freechurch.org MAILING LIST: https://thefree.church/books-sign-up

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EPIC DAYSPRING MACLEOD looks at the big picture.

appy new year!

I for one am interested to see what the Twenties will look like. Will they ‘roar’ as loudly as the last ones? I very much doubt that America will lurch back into Prohibitionism, though it may be possible that political unrest could lead to another Depression. There’s always debate in philosophical circles as to whether history is circular or linear. Of course, like sound moving in waves and particles, it is both. Nations always rise and fall, that’s circular; but they are different nations, so that’s linear. For a biblical example, just think of the Book of Judges. There’s a strong sense of déja-vu every couple of chapters as the nation of Israel, which had just learned a hard lesson and turned back to God, lapses again when the generation that experienced the hardship starts to die out. Albeit at the start of a new year and new decade, I’m spending a lot of time living in the past. On this occasion I don’t mean my own past, with the deep homesickness and nostalgia it inspires, but our common, historical past. I’ve always been interested in history, but from 2016, when a combination of climate change, nuclear brinksmanship, postmodern morality, Trump and Brexit led many to believe we were living in times of unprecedented instability, I’ve wanted to explore whether this is the case.

While some of our current crises amount to nothing more than ‘wars and rumours of wars,’ others make me think that God is using humanity’s industrial-scale selfishness and destructive ingenuity to bring nearer the end of all things. How can Trump be, as is often claimed, the most vulgar and maverick politician in history when Julius Caesar was a vain fop who attacked the Republic and changed the constitutional setup of Rome? How can the Church be in unheard-of peril when, after the French Revolution, Robespierre replaced Christianity with the preposterous Cult of Reason? Isolationism

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is nothing new, and the resurgence of the far right is frighteningly reminiscent of the 1930s (including in Germany, where neo-Nazis are reclaiming pride in their heritage). Our current moral wasteland is simply evolving toward the natural conclusion of Nietzche’s statement that ‘God is dead,’ and the liberal thought-police that enforce the ‘progressive’ standards and silence opposition are familiar to anyone who has read of McCarthyism in America, or any other society in the process of ‘purifying’ itself to remove unacceptable elements. Of course, there are some elements that really are unique. Industrialism and technology have given us labour-saving, globalising, influencing, destroying, and consuming abilities we’ve never had before. There have always been wars, but it has not always been possible to destroy entire cities with a single bomb. There were not always ‘icebergs’ of trash floating in our oceans. Scientists who have been warning of a hole in the ozone layer since my childhood are now telling us we have only a few years to ensure the earth remains habitable. While some of our current crises amount to nothing more than ‘wars and rumours of wars,’ others make me think that God is using humanity’s industrial-scale selfishness and destructive ingenuity to bring nearer the end of all things. It was in 2016 that Christian Focus first asked me to write a biographical novel for their Trailblazer series about great believers from the past. I spent the next year writing about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose courage in standing up not for his country but for his church cost him his life but has inspired further generations to live out his courage. In 2018 I wrote another Trailblazer about John Chrysostom, whose commitment to speaking truth to power sent him into exile and hastened his death. I’ve been working on the story of Martin Luther for another project. It is striking how each of these great Christians lived in mighty power once they had taken the decisive step that laid down their lives — Bonhoeffer deciding to return to the turmoil in Germany from the It is only God’s Word that anchors us in our safety of New York; Chrysostom purpose and fulfilment, that gives us any cause openly criticising his empress’s vanity when his insistence on church for courage, that lends us power, that speaks purity had already made him many hope into the despair of the 21st century. enemies; Luther publicly pointing out the corruption of his employer, the Catholic Church. These men were living without fear because they had already chosen the path that led to hardship and death. They were living in Christ because their lives were hidden in him. History teaches us many hard lessons. Its threads can show us how a situation has come about, where we are in a national or moral context, and how our nation or society is likely to evolve in the next stages of its life. But to read the threads, it is necessary to know history: to read it, discuss it, handle it. And to know how to serve God in our own time with wisdom and courage, it helps a great deal to know the lives of those Christians who have gone before us, through the fire at times, but with grace and authority. While knowing history is important, knowing the Bible is, of course, the Christian’s real imperative. Without God’s Word assuring us of his control and sovereignty over this world, history is meaningless; not only that, but our present and future are meaningless. It is only God’s Word that anchors us in our purpose and fulfilment, that gives us any cause for courage, that lends us power, that speaks hope into the despair of the 21st century. And it is God’s Word that tells us not only where we’ve been, not only of the universality of sin and the need of a Saviour, not only of Christ’s lordship over eternity past, but also tells us of the future. Some of what it tells us is mysterious and even frightening: we are speechless before some of the images in Revelation. But it speaks much more powerfully, much more comfortingly, of the throne room of the Lamb, before which every soul throughout all of history will bow. It tells us of the songs of the saints, and of everlasting glory. It tells us that every tear of every believer will be wiped away. It tells us in 2020, as it told the first disciples two thousand years ago, ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you.' •

2019

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

Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 we see that the believers in the churches in Philippi, Berea and Thessalonica gave to other churches and individuals. The irony is that these churches were not affluent, but at times of ‘extreme poverty’ they gave to the point of ‘rich generosity’ (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). In the New Testament people were both called and sent from one nation to another. We have the servanthearted Epaphroditus, who risked his life and health for the gospel, and who willingly travelled from Philippi to Rome. We have Epaphroditus figures in the shape of American missionaries: Will Traub, Greg Doty and Phil Stogner. These men serve us along with their wives and families in diverse and needy situations at ETS and in Dunfermline and Glasgow. Our American friends ask nothing of us in return; they

t is no secret that our wider church family benefits in an extraordinary way from the generosity of american

churches. American giving has come in two areas: finance and personnel. Over the last five years we have received almost one million pounds from churches and individuals. Much of this has come from the UK Partnership, which is a coalition of 22 American churches who have pledged to contribute to Free Church of Scotland congregations. These contributions have been given largely but not exclusively to new church plants. There is no doubt that without this generous help these churches could not have been started, yet alone sustained. The UK Partnership (UKP) was initiated by a number of us who were friends through ministry and who had formed significant relationships with American ministers

Our American friends ask nothing of us in return; they give with grace. When they visit us it is to learn and to encourage further. In engaging with Scotland they witness one of the most secular cultures in the western world. give with grace. When they visit us it is to learn and to encourage further. In engaging with Scotland they witness one of the most secular cultures in the western world. Our experience is that as they return and report, they become more insightful and nuanced in dealing with the post-Christian philosophy which is now prevalent in the Bible belt of the USA. What we give them is a glimpse of their own future and strategies to engage with it. Let’s then be thankful for these churches across the ocean who have answered the Macedonian call. They have been sons and daughters of encouragement to us. Eternity will reveal the consequences of their sacrificial giving. Our friends speak of a long-standing debt that they have to Scotland. Not only did Presbyterianism emerge from the Scottish Reformation, but our forefathers sailed to the New World with a vision of a better life. With that perspective they are not a different people, but our kith and kin. In a greater sense they are family, bound by the Spirit and united with us in the gospel. We thank them, we honour them, but most of all our praise goes to our great God, the Father of all nations. •

and churches. The key figure in this was the Rev. Ed Norton, one of the associate ministers at Independent Presbyterian Church, Memphis. Ed has the gift of bringing people together. He is kingdom-orientated and has a love and respect for Scotland. In a recent letter he inadvertently alluded to the motivation behind the UKP when he quoted CS Lewis: ‘What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.’ The United States has been blessed with many strong and wealthy churches. It is still the largest missionarysending nation in the world. It would be misleading to give the impression that the only supporters were large mega-churches. I am thankful for smaller congregations like Hope Church in Winston Salem, NC, which has supported our work. The giving of the Americans comes out of a generous spirit and a culture of radical philanthropy among individuals. I think of the businessman who fully funded the salary of one of our planters for two years and also contributed towards the building renovation of another new church. These are people who take the Bible seriously. In 2

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Bliadhna mhath ùr dhuibh (A good New Year to you)

LE JANET NICPHÀIL

aoilidh sinn gu bheil gach bliadhna a’ dol

Chan eil slighe fhurast’ ann; is e nì eadardhealaicht’ a bhios na shàrachadh dhuinn uile, ach, ‘S aithne Dha-san sinn, ar cruth ’s ar dealbh’, agus E cho cuimhneach air nach eil annainn ach ‘duslach talmhainn’. Dh’ fhaodadh gun canadh cuid gur e teachdaireachd bhrònach a tha seo aig toiseach bliadhn’ ùir. Chan e idir; is e a tha seo ag ràdh rinn gu sìmplidh, ach nach eil e gu deifir dè a bhios nar freastal, tha an Cruthaidhear glè chomasach air a làimhseachadh agus a rèiteach, agus tha E comasach air ar neartachadh gach là den bhliadhn’ a tha romhainn. Fàgaidh facail mar seo sìth nar cridheachan, sìth nach toir an saoghal bhuainn, agus is iomadh oidhirp a thèid a dhèanamh gus ar sìth a thoirt air falbh.

seachad nas luaithe na an tè a chaidh roimhpe.

Bhiodh e feumail dhuinn a bhith a’ cuimhneachadh gur e ‘beatha saighdeir’ a tha romhainn mar Chrìosdaidhean, ’s mar sin gu feum ar spioradan a bhith èasgaidh, ullaichte fa chomhair iomadh suidheachadh a dh’ fhaodadh a bhith na shàrachadh dhuinn. Tha an t-aodach- airm air ainmeachadh leis an Abstol Pòl nuair a tha e a’ sgrìobhadh a-chum nan Ephèsianach. Tha e ag iarraidh orra-san agus oirnne uile, armachd Dhè a chur oirnn’, oir tha tha iadsan a tha nar n-aghaidh gu cinnteach làidir. Aig toiseach bliadhn’ eile der beatha, nach biodh e feumail dhuinn a bhith a’ toirt seo air-ais gur cuimhne? Chan e ‘talamh sìth’ a bhios ann am beatha a’ Chrìosdaidh glè thric. Aig amannan, tha i nas coltaich ri raon-cogaidh, ach bha fios aig a’ Chruthaidhear air an seo, agus tha èideadh ann dhuinn, airson ar còmhdach agus ar dìon. Eadhon air talamh an-shocrach, faodaidh sinn a bhith glè mhothachail air sìth Dhè, agus air cuideachadh a’ Chruthaidheir anns gach ceum. Cò aig a bha cogadh coltach ri a Mhac Fhèin? Nuair a bhios sinn a’ cnuasachadh air na dh’ fhuiling E, saoilidh sinn nach bu chòir dhuinne gu bràth gearan, oir bha an t-slighe a chaidh a chur roimhe àmhgharach anns gach ceum. Bha A shùil air an aoibhneas a chuireadh roimhe, agus nach fhaod an Crìosdaidh a bhith a’ meòrachadh air taobh thall Iòrdain, far nach eil imnidh sam bith. Is iomadh là a chumas sin sluagh Dhè èasgaidh agus feumail anns an t-saoghal. Choisinn Criosd slàint’ A shluaigh tro fhulangasan mòra, agus bu chòir dhuinn a bhith taingeil darìreabh airson gach nì a rinn E air ar son. Ann am meadhan gach sàrachadh nar freastal fhìn, chì sinn bogha-frois dòchais, a’ cur nar cuimhne geallaidhean ar n-Athar, nach fhàg agus nach trèig E sinn, ’s gu bheil A chùram dhinn barrachd air nas urrainn dhuinn a thuigsinn. Chan eil tinneas, àmhghar agus doilgheasspioraid furast’ an giùlain, ach ma thig Esan le A làthaireachd, gus na nithean sin a bheannachadh dhuinn, gu cinnteach, ‘Bu mhath dhuinn gu robh sinn ann an àmhghar’.

2020

Ged dh’ fhaodadh sinne bhith glè shàraicht’ ’s nithean duilich gar cràidh-ne, tha ar n-Athair le A shùil oirnn’ bidh E faisg ged nach biodh daoin’ ann. Cumaidh Esan teann A ghrèim oirnn’ nuair as teinne bhios ar n-èiginn, fàgaidh sinn air uchd A thròcair gach uallach trom tha an Gleann nan Deòir-sa. Bheir E Fhèin dhuinn tuilleadh dòchais gu bheil Aige-san làn eòlas air gach uallach bhios air daoine beò an tìm ’s iad air an taobh-sa. •

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POETRY PAGE LAMENTATIONS 3:1-33 BY BEN FIDDIAN It is the rod of God which strikes me Afflicting me the whole day long. His anger drives me into darkness And from His judgments who can flee? Besieged by bitter tribulations, He wastes my flesh and breaks my bones. Is this life or death’s desolation — My soul a tomb where no light shines? God’s heavy chains of justice I wear, He walls me in, He blocks my path And when I cry to Him for mercy, In anger He shuts out my prayer. God makes my soul His prey; He hunts me. His arrows hit their mark: my heart. He poured this bitter cup of torment. He steals my peace, gives misery. Hope still in God, His kindness recall: Daily renewed His mercies are, Unchanging faithfulness, and sure love. “He is my portion,” says my soul. Wait for the Lord; seek His salvation. Quietly bear your Father’s will. Soon He will lift this painful burden And show you His abundant love.

This paraphrase of Lamentations 3:1-33 was written by Ben Fiddian, a member of Buccleuch Free Church, Edinburgh. It can be sung to Spiritus Vitae (commonly known as the tune to ‘O Breath of Life’) •

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JANUARY

BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX H

aving a woman as your first-footer was considered to be a harbinger of bad

luck all over the gàidhealtachd at

one time.

Men — especially the young variety — were welcomed with open arms, but women were expected to follow behind those of the other gender. And, readers, you will never know how hard I had to resist the temptation to insert here, ‘just like in the Free Church’. However, it wouldn’t be true, so I didn’t put it in (she said, desperately back-pedalling). In fact, down through the ages, and across many cultures, women had quite long experience of being treated as second-class citizens. Read our own history and witness them being used as pawns in political marriages for the accrual of wealth, of land and of influence. They could possess none of those things themselves, but often acted as conduits for their husbands to achieve greatness. At other times, they were executed as witches for being different or — I strongly suspect — displaying the sort of cleverness that some men felt threatened by. Even in literature, the mostly male authors tended to write their women to type: pretty, simpering marriage-fodder, or frightful bluestockings, always with their nose in a book. Or moral vacuums whose entire reason for being is to corrupt men. Jesus met one of the latter kind at the well in Samaria. She came to draw water when she knew her neighbours would not be there, judging and whispering behind their hands. It is quite likely that

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they were as happy to be shunned as she was to avoid them. The Son of God, however, was not so squeamish, and entered into conversation with her in a way that I fully recognise: he asked her for a drink of water. My first meaningful encounter with him was not dissimilar. I was a child of nine, and had been reading a book of devotionals given to me by a family friend. A persistent theme of the author’s was this: Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart; why do you go on ignoring him, leaving him out in the cold? I believe that this was the start of my relationship with him. He appealed, through this little Victorian reader, to the female, nurturing part of me and — child though I was — I responded to it. Jesus knows us, and he speaks to who we are. There is no blanket approach, nor does he think in stereotypes. Sometimes, I think that perhaps stereotyping is a problem for the church. Oh, I don’t mean the image of a black-hatted minister, spoiling everyone’s fun, or the sour-faced women in hats so beloved of every tabloid cartoonist. I mean that we, as a church, tend to put people into big, broad, convenient categories. We have missions and projects to help the homeless, the unchurched, the housebound, the elderly, young people…and so on. Now, of course, a certain amount of categorisation is necessary from a practical perspective. Even an unreasonable harpy like myself can admit that to be true. However, when it comes to reaching out, there is nothing

like the example of our Saviour to remind us that people are individuals. In fact, I think it’s helpful to our witness not to consider the unsaved as one seething mass of humanity, but as many versions and variations of ourselves, waiting on that personal relationship with Christ to set them free. Impatient though we may be to see more souls won to his cause, conversion — even if it appears to be en masse at times of revival — always happens one-to-one. For myself, and the woman of Samaria, the outcomes were a little different. Filled with joy and zeal, she rushed headlong towards the people from whom she had been hiding, ready to share the joyful news that they might be saved. I love her story and wish with all my heart that I had been more like her. She was so emptied of self and so filled with grace that she forgot both their slights and her own selfconsciousness in the hurry to simply reach out with the truth. Jesus judged perfectly, as we would expect, in the manner of his dealing with her. He wasn’t taken up with her sinful lifestyle, because he knew something that we also know — but seem reluctant to take to ourselves: that he is sufficient to cover all our shortcomings. There was no need for the one who sees our hearts to concern himself with outward stereotypes. For him, her gender, her ethnicity, and even her sin were of no consequence, once she had seen for herself what the Saviour can do. •

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