The Record - June/July 2023 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND JUNE/JULY 2023 • £2.00

Interim Editor • Sarah Robinson The Editor, Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS editor@freechurch.org

Mission News • David Meredith Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS mission@freechurch.org WfM Editor • Fiona Macaskill 8 Campsie Drive, Glasgow, G61 3HY rfmacaskill@me.com Gaelic Editor • Janet MacPhail 24 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA 01851 710354 Seminary News • William Mackenzie Edinburgh Theological Seminary, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh EH1 2LS offices@ets.ac.uk Prayer Diary • Sarah Robinson editor@freechurch.org Design & Layout • Fin Macrae @DUFI Art www.dufi-art.com The Record • ISSN 2042-2970 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 Advertising • Anyone wishing to advertise in The Record should contact the editor.

Details of the church's activities, latest news and people to contact are all available on the church's website: www.freechurch.org

This QR Code will direct you to the digital version of the magazine on ISSUU. Available for 30 days for current print subscribers. iPhone: Open your camera app and hold the lens above the QR Code, it will automatically detect the link which you can click on to open. Android: Download QR Code Reader from Google Play Store and follow app directions.

The Free Church of Scotland is a registered charity SC012925 • Women for Mission is a registered charity SC03898

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

Cover: Photo byNeely Wang on Lightstock

For Subscriptions • The subscription price for The Record is £33 for 12 editions over two years. Cheques should be made payable to: Free Church of Scotland. Please contact the offices for overseas subscription costs.

CONTENTS

WELCOME TO THE JUNE/JULY RECORD

elcome to this latest edition of the record.

04 REPORT FROM THE 2023 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND Moderators Sermons, Report of the Board of Trustees, Report of the Board of Ministry, Report of the Edinburgh Theological Seminary, Report of the Mission Board, Public Engagement Coordinator Report, Christian Education Group

This is a bumper edition with updates about the General Assembly which was held in May. The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body in the Free Church of Scotland and meets for a week in Edinburgh every May to discuss church business and set policy. There was a real sense of unity as commissioners, made up of ministers and elders from churches around Scotland, met together to make decisions on church business and have fellowship together. It was an encouraging week as the vision statement of ‘A healthy Gospel church for every community in Scotland’ ran throughout the reports. It is exciting to see that God is at work in our churches, in our presbyteries and across the denomination. There was an address from the Lord High Commissioner — His Majesty the King’s representative to the General Assembly — as well as speeches from guests from other organisations, including Elaine Duncan from the Scottish Bible Society, Joel Upton from Affinity and Chris Ringland from Evangelical Alliance Scotland. On the final day Prof Rev Dr Bob Akroyd, Moderator of the General Assembly, organised for doughnuts to be given out to commissioners in the morning break. They were very well received. Perhaps it will be a new tradition for the Assembly to take on… Do take a look at the General Assembly coverage on pages 4-17. We recognise the passing of Prof Donald Macleod, who passed away on Sunday 21st May at his home in Morningside, Edinburgh. He was 82. Tributes have been paid to him by ministers during the General Assembly. A full tribute will be available in an upcoming edition of The Record. In this edition you’ll find a selection of contributions from Women for Mission, Rev David Meredith and Catriona Murray. Do be encouraged.

PHOTOS FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2023

FREE CHURCH NEWS

WfM UPDATE Fiona Macaskill

REFLECTIONS Sean Ankers

FOOD FOR FELLOWSHIP

PAGES FROM ADAM'S DIARY: PROVISION OF A TOY AND THE NATURE OF UNBELIEF

ETS NEWS

BOOK REVIEWS

MISSION MATTERS David Meredith

POETRY PAGE The Journey

PRAYER DIARY

OIGHREACHD CHINNTEACH Janet MacPhail

40 POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

We hope you continue to enjoy reading The Record. If you would like to send in your church news or letters, email editor@freechurch.org • Yours in Christ Sarah Robinson

That in all things he might have the pre-eminence Colossians 1:18 2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

Revelation 21 describes a new heaven and a new earth — it is a city, a garden and it is populated by a variety of people. Mr Martin also spoke about God’s abounding love towards his people. He said: “He loves us with an extraordinary and a unique love — a love that we can hold on to and be assured of tonight; it’s a love that will see us through all of the difficulties that we experience, all the weariness, frustrations, that will bring us into eternity, and will present us to him spotless.” He reminded commissioners that “Jesus promises that he will wipe away every tear from our eyes — he knows the tears we shed now.

eflections about the certain future we have in the lord jesus christ were the focal point of the opening session of the 2023

general assembly .

With particular reference to the late Prof Donald Macleod who had passed away the evening before, Rev Iver Martin, gave a thought-provoking sermon on three passages in Revelation 21. Mr Martin said: “Not only are we united in thankfulness to the Lord for all he gave us in Donald, but I think it more appropriate, as a cloud hangs over our Assembly, to focus our minds on the great promises that God gives to us; the certain future that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

“He has promised to gather his people to put a new song in their mouths and to open up their hearts to the sound of the Gospel, so that they, by faith, will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ.” Finally, Mr Martin spoke about the joy that one day believers will experience in “seeing” Jesus face to face, and suggested that to see his face meant more than optical sight. “When we see the face of Jesus, we will have a fullness of understanding and a perfection of love and thankfulness that we’ve never been able to experience in this life because sin drags us down all the time.” He recalled Robert Murray McCheyne who wrote:

2023

“When I stand before the throne, dressed in beauty not my own, when I see thee as thou art, love thee with unsinning heart, then, Lord, shall I fully know, not till then, how much I owe.” “That’s what I believe seeing the face of Jesus will be,” said Mr Martin. •

The opening session continued with a number of items including approving the appointment of Prof Rev Dr Bob Akroyd as the Moderator for 2023 General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. He was presented with a Bible by Elaine Duncan, Chief Executive of the Scottish Bible Society. •

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

THE MODERATOR'S ADDRESS “Whatever care we have for the lost, Jesus cares more; whatever effort we make to reach the lost, Jesus does more; whatever cost we experience in proclaiming the gospel, Jesus incurs more — much more.”

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

ev prof bob akroyd, who oversees systematic

“Our vision is A Healthy Gospel Church for Every Community in Scotland. This work is impossible. Do we see a plentiful harvest? We surely need more workers. We have also set a goal, namely 30 by 30. Thirty new churches planted by 2030. We need more preachers, pastors, and planters. I would suggest that our greatest need is more evangelists.” He added: “We have average talents. We are ordinary in so many regards. Do we have a confidence in the gospel we preach? Do we have a confidence in the Jesus we proclaim? God tends to use people who take him at his word.” Mr Akroyd spoke about the two men — Douglas MacMillan and Kenny MacDonald — who greatly impacted him. He shared how God uses ordinary people to see extraordinary results. God does this so that we can see how extraordinary he is. He quoted William Faulkner who said: “They are not monuments, but footprints. A monument only says, ‘At least I got this far,’ while a footprint says, ‘This is where I was when I moved again.’” Mr Akroyd said: “I love monuments, statues, and plaques. Faulkner is right — these physical commemorations are static. Footprints are dynamic. They are transient because those who made them are moving.” He spoke about three Christians — Hudson Taylor, Dwight L. Moody and Spurgeon — who stepped out in faith to share the gospel. He invited commissioners to be “encouraged by these men and inspired by their example”. He spoke about how we are commanded and implored to share the gospel: “In 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” He said: “The message of the gospel is come. You are welcome. Jesus says, ‘Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ “Whatever care we have for the lost, Jesus cares more; whatever effort we make to reach the lost, Jesus does more; whatever cost we experience in proclaiming the gospel, Jesus incurs more — much more. “Our message is come. I fear that many within our wider audience feel like the message is go, as in go away. We need to make every effort to warmly welcome people to the good news of Jesus Christ to assure them the welcome mat is out. “We are in the marketplace. We must try harder to capture the attention of potential customers. We need to make sure our voice is being heard. “Let me close with the final invitation of the Bible — Revelation 22:17, 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.” •

theology and practical theology at edinburgh theological

seminary,

will

serve

the

moderator of the general assembly of the free church of scotland in 2023-24.

He delivered his Moderator’s Address to commissioners and guests. He said: “My theme is evangelism — proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ — his life, his death, and his resurrection. There has never been a time when the need for the gospel has been greater nor a time when the prospects for evangelism have been greater.” During his address, Mr Akroyd paid tribute to the late Professor Donald Macleod who passed away on Sunday 21st May 2023. He said: “I want to add my own words of tribute as we mark the passing of Professor Donald Macleod. Donald preached the first sermon that I ever heard. It was on Psalm 14:1, ‘the fool says in his heart, there is no God.’ Shortly after being converted, I sat in on Donald’s lectures. I began to understand how the Christian message fits together. When I was a student at the Free Church College, I completed a dissertation on, ‘The Free Offer of the Gospel’ under Donald’s supervision. This dissertation changed my life.” He added: “Many of us feel ill-equipped for presenting the gospel. We do not do it that well. Donald Macleod often quoted this aphorism, ‘If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.’ Whether eloquent or not, articulate or not, passionate or not, we proclaim the gospel — even if we do it badly. George Whitefield said, ‘Other men may preach the gospel better than I, but no man can preach a better gospel.’ “Let me continue by quoting the words of Jesus in Matthew 9:35-38. Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ “Jesus begins with an indicative and then proceeds to an imperative. Jesus says what he sees. There is a plentiful harvest and a dearth of workers. Jesus sees helpless and harassed people — sheep without a shepherd. I think we would see the problems but I seriously doubt whether we would conclude there was a plentiful harvest. “Jesus commands us to pray — to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. The Lord of the harvest is not reluctant to answer. In 1886, Hudson Taylor called for 100 new workers for China. By the end of that year 102 new workers were on their way to China. When we ask, the Lord of the Harvest answers. Taylor said, ‘There are three stages to every great work of God; first it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.’

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES VISION AND STRATEGY

a particular encouragement. It has been wonderful to see congregations, individual members, and partners from other denominations get behind the vision and actively pursue increased spiritual health. The Healthy Church Gatherings in Presbyteries are the next step in promoting the vision.

Donald Forsyth, Chair of the Board of Trustees, said: “A Healthy Gospel Church for Every Community in Scotland is our vision statement as adopted by the General Assembly in 2021. Over the last 12 months we have been working towards the realisation of the vision. “The vision statement has gained currency much more than we could have anticipated. We are clearly all on the same Psalm sheet, which is really positive. “The vision statement has really drawn different parts, and different boards of the church together. There is a real sense of coalescing around the vision statement and the chairs of the boards have been having quarterly joint meetings, called the interboard forum, where we discuss the common issues and make sure that we’re all on track.” Commissioners heard that the Board of Trustees has been pursuing the vision as it has worked with Boards and Presbyteries to support the ministry of local congregations. The Board was delighted to see progress during the year in the planting of new churches, the development of existing congregations, and improvements to the Ministerin-Training programme. There have been important staff appointments at Edinburgh Theological Seminary and helpful improvements in the communication of news stories on our websites and through social media. The Free Church of Scotland Day of Prayer in November, with the online prayer meeting led by the Moderator, Rev Iver Martin, was

ASSEMBLY CLERKS’ OFFICE Commissioners approved recommendations for Rev Neil Lachie Macdonald to replace Rev Nigel Anderson, as Assistant Clerk, and Rev Malcolm Macleod to be reappointed as Principal Clerk, with the appointment to be reviewed by the Board of Trustees every two years, up to the maximum six-year term.

FINANCE AND TREASURY The Board of Trustees in its report expressed thanks to congregations and individual members for their efforts to maintain remittance levels and mission donations during 2022. It has been another difficult year as the economy began initially to recover from the COVID pandemic but was then impacted by the war in Ukraine. The Board recognises the significant challenges faced by individuals and congregations in the year ahead with high fuel costs and the rises in general cost of living. On receiving the report, the General Assembly gave thanks to God that the Church was able to meet its expenditure in 2022 and to once again start the new year in a good financial position with the ability to continue its mission and ministry.

FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND INCOME AND EXPENDITURE INCOME

FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND EXPENDITURE 2022

EXPENDITURE

Ministry and Mission

£6m

Central Support

£5m

Edinburgh Theological Seminary

£4m £3m £2m £1m £0 2022 BUDGET

THE RECORD

2022 ACTUAL

2023 BUDGET

JUNE/JULY

PROPERTY AND CONGREGATIONAL FUNDS

Safeguarding, Risk Management, Health and Safety, and Complaints Process. The Board would like to thank Mr Donald Macleod and his team of Safeguarding Trainers for the sustained efforts to provide updated training to members of the Free Church. The Compliance Group is aware of the upcoming challenges for congregations in relation to the Register of Controlling Interests for Property. The Operations Manager and the Legal & Compliance Officer have been working with the Scottish Churches Committee to make the Scottish Government aware of the difficulties for churches. The Project Management Group has completed its work on the revision of the Church’s disciplinary procedures. It has consulted widely with Presbyteries and Boards and has sought professional legal opinion. The Board thanked Mr James Fraser, Rev Stephen Allison, Rev Malcolm Macleod, and other members of the PMG, recognising the huge amount of time and effort that has gone into revising the discipline legislation.

A Sub-Group reviewed the existing manse arrangements and affirmed again the position of the General Assembly that a congregation should own a manse and the Minister should live in it. Any exception to that arrangement should only be with the approval of the Board of Trustees. The Sub-Group also considered what support can be given to Ministers to help them own a property to live in during retirement if they want to do so. The Board has approached professional advisers about possible deposit loans and equity share arrangements for buy-to-let properties or retirement mortgages. The Sub-group also recommended an increase in the Life Assurance provision for Ministers and that this be extended beyond age 65 and up to retirement age. The Board is actively seeking to implement these recommendations.

COMMUNICATIONS The Communications Group has continued to progress the communication strategy and to make improvements to websites and the sharing of news stories. There have been updates to the main website and five smaller sites have now come to an end, with that information being put on the central Free Church site instead. The Generation Podcast has become the Healthy Church Podcast. The Communications Team continues to highlight news stories from congregations and activities of the denomination through the social media accounts. The publication of the Record magazine has been reduced to every second month. The Communications Group will continue to review the future of the publication. The Board of Trustees is grateful to Rev Iver Martin for his services as Media Officer. The General Assembly has appointed Mr Martin for a final four-year term.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY REMITS Commissioners approved Church Planting Governance, prepared by the Board of Trustees and the Assembly Clerks’ Office, as instructed by previous Assemblies.

GOVERNANCE AND STRATEGY The General Assembly approved the appointment of a Board of Ministry Officer/Coordinator to support the Board of Ministry. Donald A Macleod has taken up the role, on a part-time basis, for a two-year period with the appointment to be reviewed by the Board of Ministry in consultation with the Board of Trustees before the end of the two-year term. •

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GROUP The Board of Trustees appointed Mr Jamie Gillies as a member of the Group. The Board of Trustees continues to seek one additional member, with relevant skills and experience, to serve as part of the Group. The General Assembly thank Rev Gordon Matheson for his work on the Public Engagement Group. They also thanked all other group members of the Group for their ongoing work. The General Assembly instructed the Board of Trustees to continue to seek the appointment of a Free Church Parliamentary Liaison Officer. • See separate report by Stephen Allison, Public Engagement Co-ordinator

LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE The Compliance Sub-Group has continued to support congregations in the areas of

2023

Donald Forsyth, Chair of the Board of Trustees

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MINISTRY Rev Paul Clarke, Chair of the Board of Ministry, said: “I want to thank God for the privilege of sharing in this work. The work of ministry is dear to all our hearts and the hearts of all God’s people. It is a huge privilege to think together about how we can care for our ministers better and about how we can seek to recruit, identify, train and, under God, to help to grow the ministers who take the work of our denomination forward over the next few years. A huge amount has been done over many years but there is a huge amount still to go.” The Report noted: “The Board of Ministry has been urging the Church to commit to praying for more workers for a number of years now. In his great kindness, the Lord has heard and begun to answer our prayers, and we are pleased to report that, in addition to the fifteen Free Church candidates currently in training, the Board has, in recent weeks, recognised a further nine men as candidates for ministry. However, as encouraging as this news is, a significant need for workers remains if we are to realise, by God’s grace, our vision of ‘A Healthy Ggospel Church for every Community in Scotland.’ We ask you, therefore, to persevere in prayer and not lose heart, asking that the Lord will continue to entrust us with godly and gifted candidates, as well as training Churches in which they can be formed as men of God and Ministers of the Word, alongside the excellent theological education they receive at ETS. “In addition to praying, the Board recognises that our congregations have a role to play in the raising up of future servants of the gospel. If we want our ‘pipeline’ of future workers to continue and deepen, we need all of our congregations to invest sacrificially in discipling all of their members, to identify those whom the Lord may be setting aside for this form of service, and to initiate opportunities for them to test their teaching gifts. In some instances, that will require a change of Church culture. The Board is keen to collaborate with congregations and Presbyteries to help us all to be more proactive in this area.” The Board gave thanks to God for everyone involved, including Rev Derek Lamont as he steps down from the leadership of the Ministry Team and hands it on to Rev Colin L. Macleod.

Rev Thomas Davis, Board of Ministry

He said: “Work is ongoing to increase the co-ordination between the various parties involved in training.” He said the Student Team sits under the Board of Ministry, in close consultation with ETS. “That partnership is crucial and central to the training of ministers,” he said. “At the same time there is partnership with presbyteries and with local congregations seeking to train.” He said that the Board is improving training to avoid duplication and to avoid people being stretched too far. “We are working hard to improve that. There’s still a little bit to go but we’ve definitely made progress,” he said. There has been the development of an additional training element called ‘Wednesday School of Ministry’. The Student Team has partnered with ETS to provide additional training on Wednesday afternoons during the ETS term-time for all Free Church Candidates. These classes combine a preaching class (led by Dr Cory Brock and Dr Zack Purvis) and seminars covering key topics related to ministry that would lie beyond the scope of the BTh course. The Board received very positive feedback from Candidates attending the Wednesday School of Ministry classes. Looking ahead to 2023 onwards, the Board has been working with ETS to streamline further, the training seminars and the Presbyterian Church Ministry Module. Rev Davis has given thanks to the Bonar Trust for their financial provision for training. Looking ahead, the Student Team will be seeking greater clarity in terms of how it can support and develop the work of training churches. The Board has recognised the need for more formal assessment, induction and ongoing training of local congregations seeking to be Training Churches. It is hoped that more formal structures will be developed.

STUDENT TEAM Rev Thomas Davis spoke about the work taking place in the student team. He said they have been refining and modifying processes that have been put in place in recent years.

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

MINISTRY TEAM Rev Colin L. Macleod has spoken about the Ministry Team, saying: “Our role is to look after and to care for you (ministers) – and your families.” “A Healthy Gospel Church needs healthy gospel ministry and healthy gospel ministers.” The ministry team is concerned with ensuring that ministers and their families receive care, support, professional development, and training so that they thrive in the work they do. Mr Macleod has led in the area of Presbytery Pastoral Care (PPT) and Mentoring and has set up regular meetings to share good practice and encourage the effective running of Teams to ensure pastoral care coverage in each Presbytery. The report says: “Our whole emphasis is to stress good relations between Ministers, where there is trust and mutual care at the local level, and to ensure that Presbyterial connections are not confined to dealing with formal business and run-of-the-mill duty. “The Board want to stress the importance of Ministers having effective mentoring or coaching support and, in conjunction with the Mission Board, we seek to ensure that new Ministers and Church Planters especially have this support and accountability in place.” Rev Colin L. Macleod, Ministry Team Leader

There are two strands to the Board’s provision for lifelong training – Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and the In-service Development Course that is run each January. Since the 2022 Assembly, the Board has organised two online webinars as development opportunities. The first was ‘Leading Well’ led by Dr Jason Leitch and Rev Roddy Rankin, and the second one was ‘Preaching to Connect’ by Dr Michael Keller. Participants enjoyed a very successful time at the In-Service Development Course at Grace Church, Leith, this January. With a variety of good in-house speakers, great food, and an excellent sense of camaraderie, fellowship and fun, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The Board will continue to focus the talks on the central themes of Character (Christlikeness), Conviction (theological and doctrinal), and Competence (preaching, pastoring and leadership). Each In-Service programme will also have sessions on contemporary thought and culture. •

REPORT OF THE EDINBURGH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY BOARD William MacKenzie, chair of the Seminary Board, commended the work of the seminary. He said: “It’s clear to me that ETS is a precious inheritance for the Free Church of Scotland. It’s not an exaggeration to say that ETS is the premier Confessional seminary in the UK and that’s down to the result of the commitment that has be shown to ETS, down through the years, by the denomination, the Free Church of Scotland, and also the labours of lecturers and staff who have worked unstintingly to get to where it is today, including the dear departed Prof Macleod.” He said the teaching at ETS is shaping ministers and having an impact beyond the Free Church of Scotland into Scotland, and beyond. The ETS report states: “Theological education at all levels remains every bit as important as it ever has been. Our increasingly secular society

2023

poses searching questions and Christians need to be equipped to address these questions. It is the contention of ETS that a solid foundation in Scripture and the Reformed theology that flows from it will, with the help of the Spirit, equip Christians to stand with confidence and address a society that needs the truth of the Gospel more than ever. “ETS confidently holds fast to its Confessional basis, while seeking to impact the wider church across Scotland and beyond.” Mr Mackenzie encouraged commissioners to lookout for people who will benefit from teaching at ETS. He said: “I want to ask you for your support. We want us to send us your people. We want you to be looking in your congregations and people you know for men who might be called to ministry, for people who might want to do further education,

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

there is the Access to Theology courses, there’s the Saturday Course. Having that education available to your congregations is a wonderful gift. ETS is here to serve the church.” Commissioners heard that it’s been an exciting year for ETS. With the appointment of Dr Ben Castaneda to the New Testament department, the Old Testament Lecturer Rev Daniel Sladek returning from sabbatical, and Church History lecturer Dr Zachary Purvis entering his second year, “there is a feeling of a new beginning for the life of ETS”, the report states. It adds: “Additionally, there is a strong collegiate feel, with staff and students interacting well which we hope will help the students grow in grace and the knowledge of God — that element of discipleship that is a critical component to a well-rounded theological education.” Looking ahead, the ETS Board and Senate have agreed that having the Systematic Theology Department and the Practical Theology Department handled by one individual is unsustainable. The report says: “In many respects, Systematic Theology is a unique selling point of ETS and we consider the training of pastors as our primary task so having a dedicated faculty member for each Department is the optimal option. At present we do not have funding for this additional role but while we seek funding — with a focused effort to seek funding outwith the denominational sources — we have begun the process of determining the steps required to make the aspiration a reality.” The report has recorded the support given to ETS. It states: “The Board and the Seminary are fully aware of the level of financial support that the Free Church of Scotland provides. We are most grateful for this support and acknowledge the sacrifice that is being made by the denomination to ensure the work of ETS is able to continue. We also acknowledge the support in other ways too, not least that of prayer which we are conscious

William Mackenzie, Chair of the Seminary Board, addresses delegates

of. We are grateful to be part of a work of the denomination and seek to support the work of it, and its Boards, to the best of our ability.” In 2022 the ETS Board bade farewell to two long-term board members — Rev Dr Fergus Macdonald and previous Chairman, Rev Dr Malcolm Maclean. Their contributions over the years have been invaluable and their wise counsel and advice will be missed. A written report was provided by Student Representative David Trimble, who said: “The student body is thankful for the privilege of being able to commit time to study and better understand God’s word. What we do at ETS, as we study, write essays, and share life together, is teaching us to love and know our Saviour more. For many, it is training us for the responsibilities of pastoral ministry to come. And for all, it is instilling a lifelong love of learning about our God who has called us to love him, know him, and faithfully serve him.” •

REPORT OF THE MISSION BOARD Rev David Macleod, Chair of the Mission Board, introduced the Mission Board. He said: “I think one of the most encouraging things as we go from one report to another is that they are all very much connected. Sometimes that’s not very clear when you sit through assemblies but with this assembly, we can see the common thread that goes throughout these reports: we want to be a healthy gospel church and we want to see a healthy gospel church for

THE RECORD

every community in Scotland, and beyond. We want to see and hear the name of Jesus lifted up and the gospel of Jesus proclaimed throughout the nation and further than that to all nations.” The work of the Mission Board is carried out via four smaller Groups comprised of Mission Board members and experienced practitioners – Church Planting, Church Development, Church Equipping, and Global Mission.

JUNE/JULY

CHURCH DEVELOPMENT Rev David Meredith spoke about church redevelopment and global mission. He said: “All of our churches require redevelopment. Every single congregation is placed in a mission situation.” He spoke about the work that goes on with development, including the church development track, which is an annual cohort of around 8 to 10 ministers. He said they are also looking at rural ministry and are exploring the possibility of the appointment of a part-time Rural Ministry Development Officer who would be largely funded through external fundraising.

Rev David Meredith, Mission Director

GLOBAL MISSION Mr Meredith said: “As we look at Global mission, we have a variety of funding destinations. Note the variety of mission – for example, Jewish, European and a variety of Asian countries, perhaps a more varied portfolio of international mission than we have ever had. One of our congregations is looking to send a missionary to Bolivia. Marsali Campbell previously served in Uganda, Africa, and now she’s looking to move to Bolivia in South America. That’s typical of Free Church mission today, where a local congregation takes the main responsibility. So we’re devolving global mission responsibility from the centre, which was not efficient, to local congregations. “We note the passing of George Verwer, an inspirational figure as so many of us were inspired by OM. OM are one of our partners along with OMF.”

are older and further on in their faith help those who are younger – and we want to see those who are younger build relationships with those who have many years’ experiences ahead of them.” He highlighted the wonderful publication of the daily devotionals, saying that the author Rev William D. Graham is “a grandfather in the faith” who has written the devotional “to the collective grandchildren among us.” He also highlighted the ongoing work of the youth conference. He spoke at the latest conference in March. He said: “Standing at that youth conference seeing a new generation rising up, hungry for the gospel and ready to tell people about Jesus was incredibly encouraging, and it’s wonderful to see that work ongoing.” He highlighted the new Teens’ Conference which is taking place in June. Donald A Macleod spoke about the Free Church Youth Camps, saying that last summer 9 camps took place. In total 253 campers attended, with 88 leaders and 22 cooks volunteering. He said that feedback was extremely positive and FCYC are very grateful to God for His provision. God willing, there will be 10 camps this summer. There are currently 280 campers registered to attend. The Board gives thanks to Miss Mairi Beaton and Mr Donald Macleod, Camps Supervisor, for all their work in bringing the Camps programme together.

CHURCH EQUIPPING Rev Thomas Davis spoke about the work of Church Equipping group, a subgroup of the Mission Board. He said: “A key aspect of a healthy gospel church is a church family where all the generations are supporting one another and helping one another in the life and work of the church. That’s something that as a church equipping group we see as hugely important whereby the generations across the age profile of our churches are working together to support one another. We want to see those who

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

CHURCH PLANTING

Other church plants include Charleston in Dundee, Haddington Community Church, Levenmouth, Montrose, Govan, NP500 and Merkinch. Commissioners were told about the Leadership Boot Camp, which will resume this August. The report included updates about the ongoing work of Women for Mission, including details about the Annual meeting, biennial conference and updated cookbook. The Board wish to thank Mr Meredith and Simon Kennedy for their diligent work in recording and producing the Healthy Gospel Church podcast. The Board thanks all the guests who have taken part in the podcasts. •

Rev Tom Muir spoke about the work of church planting and the goal of planting 30 churches by 2030. He said it is part of a wider vision of A Healthy Gospel Church for every Community in Scotland. Rev Tom Muir leads monthly training using ‘City to City Incubator’ materials for those in their first two years of church planting. He meets together with church planters including Innes and Anna Macsween (Tornagrain, in the north), Duncan and Lydia Murchison (Helensburgh in the West), Craig and Amy Anderson (Galashiels, in the south) and Robin Silson and his wife (Winchburgh, in the east).

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR REPORT Rev Stephen Allison, Public Engagement Coordinator, has provided this report to the General Assembly about the Public Engagement Group as they respond to consultations and meet representatives from other organisations. In addition, he told commissioners that the Free Church of Scotland have now been invited to be members of the Scottish Government Faith and Belief Representatives Group. This is an opportunity to attend meetings with the Scottish Government’s Faith and Belief Team — a group of civil servants with responsibility for increasing engagement between faith organisations and Government — and to interact directly with other civil servants and Government ministers on proposed legislation, often prior to consultations being formally launched. The report says: “The main work of the Public Engagement Group has been responding to consultations since the last General Assembly and we are grateful to the support received from many members of the Free Church of Scotland with specialist knowledge and expertise in a variety of areas. “The Group responded to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill call for views. Whilst we recognise the difficulties experienced by people with gender dysphoria, and seek to care for them within our Church, we made clear that we believe that gender is neither a choice nor a social construct. We are, therefore, not convinced that automatically affirming someone’s understanding of themselves is the best way to care for them. “In particular, we were concerned that a move away from requiring a medical diagnosis and supporting medical evidence will result in less support being given to those who are wrestling with their identity. We are also concerned about lowering the minimum age to sixteen, which will lead to more young people making life-altering

THE RECORD

Rev Stephen Allison, Public Engagement Coordinator

decisions without proper support. We also shared the concerns of a number of women’s organisations around the loss of women-only safe spaces and the increased risks this poses for women and girls. “The Group also responded to the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill Consultation which is seeking to introduce so called “buffer” zones around abortion clinics. We do not advocate pro-life vigils as a wise or appropriate way to engage with this issue. However, we oppose buffer zones as a disproportionate interference with freedom of expression, which sets a dangerous precedent of the state being able to ban both protests and efforts to persuade individuals to change their mind on controversial issues. A democratic society should allow free and open debate. “In addition to these issues, we have continued to

JUNE/JULY

encourage the wider Church to engage with MSPs in relation to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. We have encouraged Presbyteries to meet with local MSPs to outline their opposition to the bill. We also are particularly encouraging those in healthcare professions to seek meetings with MSPs to outline their concerns. “Finally, we have been involved in work opposing the proposed ban on conversion practices — particularly related to sexual orientation and gender identity. I have written letters to newspapers outlining our concerns, including a letter co-written with the Parliamentary Representative of the Bishops Conference of Scotland. I have also met with several MSPs to express our concerns. “Issues around a proposed ban on conversion practices represents one of the biggest threats to the spiritual independence of the Church that we have faced since the Disruption. The Scottish Government’s Expert Group Report suggests that simply teaching on the goodness of marriage could amount to conversion practices and that the Government should have the right to remove

the licence of ministers if they fall foul of the proposed legislation. In addition to the impact on the Church, there are also immense ramifications for parents who fail to affirm their child’s declared gender identity or sexual orientation. Whilst we oppose abusive and coercive conversion practices, these practices are already illegal in Scotland and accordingly any proposed ban is directed against the ordinary activity of churches and parents. We would call on the prayers of the whole Church as we continue to oppose the proposed ban on conversion practices.” The report noted that in his role, Mr Allison has met representatives from organisations including Care, the Catholic Church in Scotland, the Church of Scotland, the Apostolic Church, the Christian Institute, Evangelical Alliance, Greater Love and Logos Scotland. He has also been part of the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office, the Care Not Killing Steering Group and the Social Issues Team of Affinity and is a formal supporter of the Let Us Pray Campaign opposing the proposed ban on Conversion Therapy. •

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION GROUP A permanent Christian Education Group is set to be established as a sub-group of the Mission Board. It is set to be established following concerns raised at the General Assembly about the Relationship, Sexual Health and Parenthood curriculum in schools. At the Assembly, commissioners received an update from the Steering Group which was appointed by the Mission Board in June 2021 to address concerns raised at that year’s Assembly regarding the resources provided to support the Relationship, Sexual Health and Parenthood area of Curriculum for Excellence. The Mission Board welcomed the appointment of Ms Kirsty Moffat last September as Project Leader of the joint project with Christian Values in Education (Scotland) to develop new resources. The Steering Group has created several resources: a Relationships, Sexual Health, and Parenthood (RSHP) – A Guide for Parents and Carers leaflet; a resource for teachers; and a survey on Christian schools. Following on from discussions about the work that has already been undertaken and the potential for more work to be done and further support to be given, the General Assembly has directed the Mission Board to establish a permanent Christian Education Group as a sub-group of the Board. The remit of the sub-group will be to discuss and respond to ongoing developments in Education

2023

in Scotland, particularly as it relates to Christian worldview, Relationship, Sexual Health, and Parenting Education (RSHP) and other issues of morality in the Curriculum for Education in schools and early childhood centres in Scotland. It will also explore partnerships with other organisations in Scotland who are engaged in Christian education. The sub-group will continue to equip and support local parents and churches to engage with Local Authorities, schools and early childhood centres in relation to these issues and support parents who have opted for home education. It will also support Christian teachers and staff in state schools and early childhood centres and educate and inform the wider Church of what is currently being taught in Scottish Schools and early childhood centres. The membership of the sub-group will be appointed by the Mission Board. It will include at least two Ministers, two Elders and two additional members of the Free Church of Scotland and to use such advisers as they deem helpful from time to time. Where possible at least some of the members of the sub-group should be either teaching practitioners or those who have recent experience of delivering the Health and Wellbeing and the RSHP elements of Curriculum for Excellence in Scottish schools. •

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

PHOTOS FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2023 All Photos here and in Assembly Article courtesy of Toby Long and Sarah Robinson.

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

FREE CHURCH NEWS BUCCLEUCH FREE CHURCH REOPENED

uccleuch free church in edinburgh has now reopened following a huge revamp of the building .

Sunday services have resumed there, and it is being used for other events such as prayer times and a joint communion with the Edinburgh Korean Church. The church has recently undergone a significant refurbishment to make the 19th-century building warm, flexible for multi-use and suitable for modern needs. One of the most significant changes to the church is the removal of the pews. This alteration has allowed a more flexible space to accommodate a broader range of community events, services, and gatherings. With the removal of the pews, the church can now accommodate more people and be arranged in different configurations to suit various needs. The refurbishment also included lighting, sound, and heating system upgrades. The outdated lighting was replaced with energy-efficient alternatives, resulting in a brighter and more inviting atmosphere. At the same time, the improved sound system will deliver greater sound quality for those in the building and those online. The new underfloor heating system will ensure the space remains warm and comfortable even during the coldest Scottish winter months. Commenting on the project, Rev James Ross said, ‘The project helped us to think more deeply about

renewal, our worship, our discipleship, our sense of mission and evangelism. ‘The entire project was made possible thanks to the generosity and support of members and friends of the congregation. We are immensely grateful to all those who contributed, financially or in other ways, to make this refurbishment a reality. We look forward to welcoming our community into the refurbished building.’ To find out more about the Renew Buccleuch Project and how it fits in with the Healthy Gospel Church Vision come along to one of our upcoming Healthy Church Gatherings. •

FREE CHURCH YOUTH CAMPS 2023

Bible and its relevance to their lives through informal daily talks and times for questions and discussion. Campers are encouraged to make the most of this informal setting to ask questions and to explore the Christian faith for themselves. Do pray for the young people as they attend the camps, that their faith will grow and be strengthened as they spend time hearing God’s Word alongside their peers.

ampers will be enjoying a week full of great food, friends, and fun at a series of free church youth camps this summer.

Ten camps are taking place in three locations across the UK: Kincraig and Renfrew in Scotland and Oswestry in England. Young people, aged from 10 to 18, will have the opportunity to take part in various activities, games and challenges, as well as to learn more about the

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

The camps will be taking place on the following dates; for full details visit freechurchyouthcamps.org: Junior Football, Saturday 1st to Saturday 8th July Kincraig Kids 3, Saturday 1st to Saturday 8th July Oswestry Seniors 1, Thursday 6th to Friday 14th July Renfrew Kids, Saturday 8th to Saturday 15th July Kincraig Juniors, Saturday 8th to Saturday 15th July

Oswestry Juniors, Friday 14th to Saturday 22nd July Oswestry Seniors 2, Friday 14th to Saturday 22nd July Kincraig Kids 1, Saturday 15th to Saturday 22nd July Renfrew Juniors, Saturday 15th to Saturday 22nd July Kincraig Kids 2, Saturday 22nd to Saturday 29th July

In preparation for the camps, both a Leaders’ and Cooks’ Day and Team Leaders’ Day were held. Over 70 volunteers met at Smithton Church for the Leaders’ and Cooks’ Day. Rev Chris Davidson, church planter in Merkinch, opened the day with a devotional to focus people’s minds on the purpose of FCYC. Rev Calum ‘Honda’ Macmillan, Rev Iain ‘Cheeks’ Morrison and Sheona Glass led workshops on training topics related to the camps. There was also worship and prayer time, a team building challenge, and the chance to catch up with friends. Mairi Beaton, Camps Co-ordinator, said: “We praise God for all our volunteers and the great effort they made to be with us on the day; we pray that it was a blessing to them all.” A Team Leaders’ Day was held at St Peter’s Free Church in Dundee. Rev Will Lind from St Peter’s opened the day with a devotional from Philippians before leading the morning session. Discussion groups were held and Emily Brown (the UCCF staff worker in St Andrews) led the afternoon session. Donald A Macleod, Camps Supervisor, said: “It was great to have our Team Leaders together for the opportunity to share and learn from each other’s experiences. We are so thankful to Will and Emily for joining us, and for sharing practical advice to help make our camps the best they can be.” Look out for a selection of photos from the Free Church Youth Camps in the next edition of The Record. •

FINANCIAL AID FOR PERU AFTER CYCLONE YAKU

free

church

scotland,

through

The Free Church of Scotland is grateful to God for the work of OSA and we are prayerful that his financial support will enable OSA to provide help and support to those who are in great need in the aftermath of the cyclone. The Mission Board wants to encourage churches in Scotland to continue to pray for God’s comfort to be known by believers across the global church. Please pray for those who are affected. Please pray that OSA would be guided continually by the Lord throughout their relief efforts with the people in Collique and that their work would ultimately bring glory to God’s name across the nations. •

its

disaster and relief fund, has sent £2,500 to operación san andrés (osa) to support their

relief work after cyclone yaku hit.

The cyclone's impact has caused increased rainfall which has caused damage to crops, infrastructure, and property by overflowing rivers. One of the areas affected is Collique, on the northern outskirts of Lima. Collique is where OSA serves. OSA is responding to critical situations of need among the families we serve in Collique. One of the ways they intend to serve the families in Collique is assessing needs on an individual basis, and by providing waterproof roofing.

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

SLAVERY UPDATE

eviewing the links between the free church of scotland and the historical slave trade is the aim of a new

group being set up by the free church’s board of trustees.

Details about the group were given by Donald Forsyth, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, during the General Assembly. He said: 'The Board of Trustees has set up a group to review the links between our denomination and the historical slave trade. Given the importance of this issue I have asked our recently retired moderator, Rev Iver Martin, to chair this group and we’ll publish the findings in due course. We must be mindful that slavery is not a thing of the past; slavery continues to be an abhorrent feature in the world today and, just as many of our spiritual fathers were fighting for the end of slavery, so must we.' Following the announcement of the group, Neil DM MacLeod, of St Columba’s Free Church of Scotland, said: 'I want to commend the trustees on the appointment of Iver Martin to lead a sub-committee to look at the issues of the legacy of slavery arising from the decisions of the 19th century Free Church. This is a hugely important moment for our denomination, and one that must be dealt with care, respect, and transparency.' He said the setting up of this subcommittee is timely 'with the steady drumbeat' of books and articles looking into the Free Church and its connections to slavery. A report will be produced in due course. •

MINISTERS MEET TOGETHER AT CHURCH DEVELOPMENT TRACK

peakers from a diverse range of churches attended a church development track meeting in edinburgh . seminars were led by dave richards ( anglican ), andy paterson , ( baptist ) and cory brock

(presbyterian). The Free Church of Scotland’s Mission Board facilitates a series of sessions which stimulate church development. The ministers engage with a wide range of subjects ranging from ‘professionalism in ministry’ to ‘how to cultivate a mission culture in your church’. David Meredith, Mission Director said: ‘There is a palpable sense of excitement in the room as the guys listen both to the speakers and to each other about what God is doing and can do. An added benefit is that the relationships within the group morphed from being colleague level, then to friend and beyond that to a band of brothers engaged in the greatest task, the spread of the good news about Jesus.’ •

Rev Robin Gray and Rev Murdo Campbell

Rev Gavino Fioretti and Rev David Court

THE RECORD

Andy Paterson, pastoral team at Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh

JUNE/JULY

LEITH ELDER MEMORIAL FREE CHURCH: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE BY REV JOHN MACPHERSON

now is. He also told of a memorable baptism when a teenage girl publicly professed her faith in Christ. And believe it or not, every one of the guest speakers kept to their limit of three minutes! The guest preacher was Rev Alasdair I Macleod, minister from 1997-2003. His focus was on the Good Shepherd, who had led and blessed his flock in Leith for so long and will continue to answer the prayers of previous generations of Leith believers. He emphasised that the Good Shepherd who cares for his flock is the one who challenges his people to remember that “I have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must bring them also.” But the past and the present lead on to the future. Gospel witness in densely populated Leith will continue, specifically when Rev Derek Lamont will take up responsibility for a new church plant in the area early in 2024. As Derek closed the service with prayer, there was a profound sense of thankfulness that ending services does not mean that Christ is no longer building his church in Leith. Far from it! Join us in prayer and in glad expectation as we look for his blessing in days to come. •

special service has been held in leith free church with the central theme being: “we’ll praise him for all that is past and trust him for

all that’s to come.”

Why so special? To answer that, we need to look to the past. The Kirk Session has spent much time discussing the future of the congregation, given that more than half of the members are over seventy and only a small minority live in or near Leith. Also, several families and individuals have had to leave Edinburgh for work or housing reasons. Different options were considered, but finally both the Session and the congregation agreed sadly but unanimously that services should be ended from the end of March. It was agreed to hold a final Thanksgiving Service, together with former members and friends. This proved to be a very joyful occasion, ably led by Rev David Court, when a congregation of about 150 filled the place with stirring praise to God and eager listening to God’s Word being preached. Rev James Beaton, who was brought up in the congregation, evoked memories of Sunday School outings where a double-decker bus with windows open and streamers flying made its way to the chosen location. Rev Colin L Macleod, minister from 2006-2011 sent greetings, reminiscing about the Free Light Lunch at Leith Free Church when large numbers of homeless, addicted or lonely people would come along, some of them being drawn to personal faith. Rev Murdo Macleod, minister in Nairn, spoke of his years as member and elder in Leith, giving thanks for the warmth of the welcome he and his family received. Excellent preaching, close fellowship and vision for outreach were hallmarks of their years in Leith. Rev Colin F Macleod, the most recent minister, recounted by video from Back some of the improvements to the building which made it the well-maintained and welcoming place that it

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

REJUVANATE LUNCHES

ejuvenate lunch is an outreach event run by dunblane free church in collaboration with dementia friendly dunblane. On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, the church hosts between 25-40 people

from the local community for a free soup and sandwich lunch provided by local cafes, with copious amounts of cake for dessert! After lunch, there is usually a short musical performance and, most crucially, a talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The lunches were started back in 2017 by the Kirk Session when Rev Iain Macdonald was the Interim Moderator. It was a monthly outreach then and was initially funded through voluntary donations. Since the beginning of 2023, we have been blessed to obtain funding from the Dunblane Development Trust and the Dunblane Windfarm, which has allowed us to expand this activity from one to two Saturdays each month – so twice the number of opportunities to proclaim Christ and show Christian love in a practical way! Pray that the organisation for this outreach activity will go smoothly. But most importantly, please pray that the talks and personal evangelism will bear spiritual fruit for the glory of God. “... he who wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30 •

ENSPIRE 2023 BY JOANNA WILKS

encouraged us in the commitment to connections by being reliable week by week and the slow process of earning trust in the community. Maddie Murray spoke of moving to a new community and making new connections in the context of planting a new church. We discussed what we heard in small groups and shared the joys and sorrows of connections and disconnections we’ve seen in our churches and communities. We prayed for one another, encouraging each other to be intentional in making and growing connections with those around us to point others to Jesus. Through the day we were blessed by the Enspire team putting on the event so warmly, the musicians pointing us to Jesus through music, and the kitchen team feeding us so well. Enspire is a day event for the wives of church ministers and those in training from across Scotland. If you’d like more information or would like to receive information about next year’s event, please get in touch with the Enspire team on enspire.women@gmail.com •

here was a warm welcome on a cold day for ministers ’ wives from across scotland gathering for the 10 th anniversary of enspire .

This year the theme was “Only Connect” explored through talks and small group discussions. Rosemary MacDonald (Coatbridge) encouraged us to make our primary connection with Jesus before connecting with others. She warmly encouraged us with real world examples of connections people in her community have made with their church family seemingly out of the blue, but discovered that there had been many years of faithful prayer by family members who were geographically far away. Rosemary exhorted us to ‘cherish our salvation’ and we encouraged each other by sharing how that is worked out in our own contexts. Johan Smith encouraged us by sharing about connections she has made and developed, and particularly encouraged us in making connections through hospitality to bless others, not impress others. Grace Smith spoke about her ministry making connections in the Borders. She

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

RUTH CAMPBELL NEW ALBUM - THE PRODIGALS

member of covenant church in newmilns has released a new album called the prodigals.

Ruth Campbell is a Scottish Christian singer/songwriter. She was born in Inverness and brought up in a Christian family that attended the Free North Church. She studied music in Aberdeen where she worshipped in Bon Accord Free Church. After teaching in the Black Isle, Ruth moved to Ayrshire when she married Duncan and they have been blessed with three children, Blair, Eva and Grace. She and her husband are members of Covenant Church in Newmilns. With her first album, Ruth supported Runrig on tour and played at Belladrum Festival. After a break to have her family, she started writing and recording new material. Irene Howat, the Christian author, has been a tremendous mentor and dear friend to Ruth, listening, guiding and encouraging her on this journey. Her sound is based on vocals, piano and guitar. Supporting her on the album is Susan Stirling, of Jiggered Ceilidh Band, who has been a fantastic addition, providing beautiful violin and vocal harmonies. Scott Wood, of Skerryvore, Celtic Worship, and Jar Henderson played haunting whistles and Uillean pipes. Ruth has also had the support of her son Blair, and friends both in her own church and other local churches singing on the album. It was recorded by Eddie Macarthur at Stealth Recording Studio in Glasgow. Ruth says: ‘So many emotions have been involved in completing this: joy, tears, excitement, fear, to name but a few. Although I love to sing and play, I know I am not the best singer or musician, that I’m a super nervous performer and a terrible overthinker. Despite all of that, my one constant purpose throughout is to share the gospel and the goodness of God through my songs. To God be the glory.’ Ruth’s new album is available on CD and all streaming platforms. For more details, please go to www.ruthcampbellmusic.com •

WALK WITH ME DEVOTIONALS

ack by popular demand! a new stock of the walk with me devotionals by billy graham has arrived:

Walk with Me, A year’s worth of reflections on the Scriptures. The devotionals cost £8 plus postage and packaging and will be available from the Free Church offices. The books can be ordered individually or in bulk from the office. Email: offices@freechurch.org •

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

WfM ANNUAL MEETING BY FIONA MACASKILL

people, parents and teachers to have Christians supporting them to thrive in the Scottish school system. We are delighted to be able to highlight and support the invaluable work CVE are doing. Please do use the links on our website to find out more about them and how you can meaningfully pray and act. Breaking Barriers will also be supporting three other charities, and videos outlining their work were shown. International Justice Mission are a global movement of Christian lawyers, social workers, investigators and survivors working to end slavery and violence, until all are free. Release International is a Christian ministry called to love and serve persecuted Christians. International Mission to Jewish People is a UKbased interdenominational evangelistic society committed to sharing the Good News of Jesus the Messiah with Jewish people. Again please do look at our website to find out more information about what these groups do to help those who are trapped in one way or another

he sun came out for the wfm annual meeting in aberdeen . It was coffee outside weather

as people came from all corners of the country to learn more about the encouragements we have seen in this past year and hear about our exciting new project Breaking Barriers. The meeting was once again broadcast on YouTube and many tuned in to join remotely. Our theme for the 23/24 project is Breaking Barriers and we were able to learn a little about each of the four organisations we are supporting this coming year. Each of these groups works in their own unique ways to break down barriers, be they physical, mental or spiritual. We welcomed Megan Patterson from Christian Values for Education to talk to us about the work of CVE. Megan is chair of CVE. Megan loves to encourage Christian teachers and helps teachers to develop a biblical approach to the whole of classroom life. She shared a little about the work that CVE is doing to influence what is being taught in our schools, and in particular about the needs of our young

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

and need the help of the gospel to set them free. We will also focus on each of these organisations in more detail over the coming year in this slot. The annual meeting is also an opportunity to look back at previous groups we have supported and to find out what impact the money we have given has had. We were delighted to welcome Kam Cockburn, a local worker with Bethany Trust who will be benefitting from the 22/23 project Refuge and Strength. It was so encouraging to hear about how Kam has gone from volunteering to now working as a Community Development Worker. She shared with us the amazing work that Bethany do helping to bring an anchor to lives that are often rocked by storms of some form or another. The practical way in which relationships are built through activities such as cooking classes and other life skills is really inspirational. The gospel is worked out in practice daily in the work of Bethany and we are excited to see how the money they will shortly receive will further this. Sarah Cumming is no stranger to WFM, having written the articles for The Record for many years. She came to the Annual Meeting to talk to us about the work she does with Choices in Dunfermline. For over 20 years Choices Dunfermline has been providing support to people who have experienced stillbirth, miscarriage, termination & unplanned pregnancy. Sarah was involved with the organisation for 15 years, managing it from 2017 until very recently. She told us about the amazing

2023

work God is doing in bringing healing to lives which have been broken by loss. Please pray for Choices as they seek to show God’s love in action while not being able to openly speak about it. Pray that those who are helped would see God in those who are helping them. To find out more go to www.choicesdunfermline.org It was a real pleasure to hear about Emily Giffen’s experiences in Peru last summer. Emily received a grant from our Support a Volunteer fund. Last summer she went to Moyabamba and stayed with David and Martha MacPherson, who are now working there. She spent her mornings in the Annie Soper school teaching about nutrition. This was maybe not surprising for a medical student but the fact that she had to do it in Spanish was quite the achievement as she didn’t really speak much Spanish ¡Muy bien! In the afternoons she gave music lessons and even had a mini orchestra who gave a concert in the local concert hall. It is always encouraging to hear about the experiences of those who apply to SaV for a grant and we would love to have more people make use of this so please do look on our website for details. You don’t have to be a student; you are only as old as you feel! It was great to take the Annual Meeting on tour to Aberdeen and the afternoon tea was certainly the icing on the cake. If you didn’t make it along then the whole thing is available to watch on YouTube via our website. •

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

READ THROUGH JOHN 3:1-15 Back in January, many of us in Drumnadrochit found ourselves trying to clear over a foot of snow from paths and driveways. It took a gritter, hours of shovelling and at least one tractor to clear enough of our road just for cars to skid off to work and back. Then came a thaw on the Saturday night. What a surprise to wake up on Sunday morning and find roads, pavements and gardens almost totally snow-free! It really brought home the difference between the effect of our days of efforts and the impact of one night’s thaw. Or to look at it another way, the difference between human power and God’s power. Keep that picture in your mind as we now walk through John chapter 3. We’re going to meet Nicodemus, see how God gives what we cannot get ourselves, and by his grace live this coming week not in our strength but his. In chapter 2 Jesus causes a huge uproar at the temple, but in chapter 3 the story changes pace. It’s night-time in ancient Israel. No phone pings, no electric lighting, no cars in the street. Everyone is asleep. Everyone, except for a Jewish leader called Nicodemus. He was on the ruling council called the Sanhedrin, the most powerful religious and cultural organisation in Judea. His status in the group was likely also down to the fact that he was a wealthy figure. So as we picture Nicodemus, we see someone who just seems to have it all together in life. Can you think of someone like that in your life? How would you describe them? Successful? Complete? Not clearly in need of anything? Well, that was Nicodemus. He comes to Jesus under cover of darkness, and as we read on it’s not obvious that he needs something from Jesus so much as he thinks he has something to offer. “Rabbi, we know you have come from God. Otherwise you could never do the things you are doing.” Sounds flattering. Sounds a bit like an important member of a big company paying a small, independent business a visit, commenting on how they like what they do, and suggesting a partnership. At least a group within the Sanhedrin are keen to have Jesus on board. How might you feel in that position? Tempted to make use of the clout and power of the bigger organisation to help your own? Jesus’ response seems jarring. “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Why would Jesus say this? Nicodemus’ next question gives us the answer: “How can someone be born when they are old?” Though a religious ruler and observant Jew, Nicodemus has worked hard to get where he is, and he can’t understand that being part of the kingdom of God isn’t about our achievements but God’s work. No one can re-birth themselves — we didn’t have much input in our birth, either! — but God can raise the dead. Jesus says that someone like Nicodemus, steeped as he is the Bible story, should understand this already. Talking about the wind and the Spirit (the same word in the Hebrew of our Old Testament), Jesus refers back to Ezekiel chapters 36 and 37, where God gives the prophet a vision of dry, lifeless bones coming back to life as a whole army of remade humans. Nicodemus simply doesn’t get it, though. He is blinded by the success of his own efforts to the reality that he is in fact helplessly outside God’s kingdom, and only a baptism of repentance and the life-giving presence of God in our lives can bring us in (this is what Jesus means by water and Spirit in verse 5). Perhaps you feel weak and powerless to share the good news with someone you know who has done well in life. They don’t think they need anything, and it would be a climb-down to admit they need rescuing! But there is hope. This word Jesus planted in Nicodemus’ heart starts to grow and bear fruit. When Jesus is crucified, he experiences the most shameful death imaginable in the Roman world. But Nicodemus and a colleague contract ritual uncleanness — excluding them from Passover celebrations — and risk serious loss of face to carry Jesus’ body down from the cross, anoint and wrap him and place him in a new tomb. Bearing public disgrace for Jesus’ sake proves to us looking at Nicodemus that he has seen Jesus’ glory and put his trust in him. Pray on for those who appear to have no need of Jesus, that they would see his glory and believe. Because God’s power to raise the dead is as much greater than our power as his thaw is greater than our shovel! • Rev Sean Ankers is minister of Loch Ness Free Church (Glenurquhart & Fort Augustus)

THE RECORD

REFLECTIONS Photo by Kreisson Lisungi on Unsplash

BY REV. SEAN ANKERS

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

of the year, but since October 2019 he has been making soup every week without fail. This has been a real lifeline for the villagers because they have been hugely affected by lockdown — it is a very rural community and usually the adults would travel to work fruit picking, or in hospitality and other seasonal work around Bulgaria and further abroad, sending money home to their families, but the pandemic has made this impossible, and even now, things are slow to return to normal. Having the soup kitchen continue to run all year round without stopping has been a blessing for the whole village, because being able to rely on a warm meal has taken so much worry away from families who are really living with poverty and hardship, and being able to come together and fellowship and celebrate what God is doing is an essential part of church life. We really appreciate the dedication and work Pastor Petar and his wife put in to make all this happen. Bear Necessities was an answer to an unspoken prayer in our hearts to be involved in something which God would bless, where we could both share and witness His love. Both Christina and Cathey had attended church Sunday Schools and youth groups in our childhood, and had had faith and a relationship with God, but things had happened which had made us lose faith and trust in the church, and we had lost that relationship and trust for God over time. It was actually the moment when we were able to purchase the soup kitchen house that we realised that this work that was happening was definitely something God was doing, that God was miraculously answering prayers and providing things that we could not even dream of, and no amount of good works by Christina and Cathey could have achieved this! This turning point brought us back to Christina’s home church, Rosskeen, and back into relationship with God. We are so blessed to be able to see the love and care he nurtures between his people, and so often it is sharing a simple meal which is at the heart of that. Similar to the Greek Moussaka but made with potatoes instead of aubergines, this is a simple and delicious Bulgarian dish. It’s made slightly differently depending on where you are in Bulgaria and who is making it! Summer savory is available at most shops or markets, it really does make all the difference. •

ear necessities is a scottish charity lead by christina ross and cathey reece,

with the support of many other key people in both Scotland and Bulgaria, most especially Pastor Rumen and his wife from Sliven and Pastor Petar in Orizari. Christina and Cathey both live in Alness and attend Rosskeen Free Church. Christina is married to Alan and they have one grown-up son and two beautiful grandsons. Christina works for the NHS Blood Donor Service as a trainee venepuncturist. Cathey is married to Karl and they have three daughters and a foster son. Cathey works for Action for Children. We started Bear Necessities 12 years ago to support the children from a small village in Bulgaria to attend school, and it has been blessed by God to continue and grow from there. We have chosen this moussaka recipe because it is one of the things we have really enjoyed eating on our visits to Bulgaria. Neither of us are adventurous eaters; we are big fans of the mince, tatties and macaroni cheese that we grew up with in the Highlands. Some of the favourite foods of our hosts which we have been offered on our travels around Bulgaria have given us pause – for example chicken hearts salad, boneless lamb head, pigs’ ears and many strange dried sausage varieties! Being offered moussaka was a real moment of celebration, because our hosts had hit on something that we really enjoyed, and being able to share a meal together is like home from home. We have made this ourselves at home, and adapted the recipe to suit our own tastes, for example using beef mince. It’s a real link with our friends whenever we eat it with our families here. Food plays a huge part in Bear Necessities because the heart of our project is a social kitchen. In the early days of Bear Necessities Pastor Petar wanted to prepare soup for the people he served in the village of Orizari. He felt their basic need for nutrition and love was something he had to meet as their pastor. Bear Necessities provided a gas canister and a huge pot and some ingredients, and he got to work just outside his hand-built home. People came from all around the village with pots and bottles and took soup for their families. That was way back in 2012; now we have a house in the centre of the village, equipped with a catering kitchen and space to host many people to sit in and eat together. Pastor Petar has been making soup several nights a week for both Gypsy and Bulgarian families — initially only during the colder months

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

FOOD FOR FELLOWSHIP

BЏLБДГIДЙ MОЏSSДЌД Ingredients • 500 grams mince, veal or pork or mixture • 1 onion, diced • 100ml canned tomatoes • 1kg potatoes, peeled and cubed – about 11/2 cm • 1 tbsp oil • 1tbsp salt • 1tbsp sweet paprika • 1tbsp summer savory • 1 large carrot, small dice (optional) Topping • 3 tbsp oil or butter • 3 tbsp flour • 750ml milk • 3 eggs • salt and pepper • cheese (optional) cheddar/feta/mozzarella

Method • Heat oven to 200/180 fan/gas mark 6. Fry the onion and the carrot (if using) in the oil for about 3 minutes. Add the mince and brown. Then add tomatoes, potatoes, paprika, summer savory, salt and black pepper. Transfer to an oven-proof dish, pour over hot water to cover and cook for an hour. • After about 40 minutes, start making the topping. Warm oil or melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and stir until slightly golden. Gradually add cold milk and keep mixing until smooth. Add the salt and a grind or two of black pepper. Add the 3 eggs to the sauce and mix well. • The moussaka should be about ready, the potatoes will be cooked and most of the water absorbed. Take the moussaka out of the oven and pour over the topping. Add a sprinkle of cheese if you like. Pop back in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with green veggies if you like. Note - please don't replace the water with stock!

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

PAGES FROM ADAM’S DIARY Provision of a Toy and the Nature of Unbelief A brother, known to some of us as Dr Adam, has served the Lord among his suffering church for many years. Dr Adam has also ministered in various parts of the world among refugees. We have asked his permission to print some of the stories of his life and service for the encouragement of readers of The Record. For well understood reasons, the names of people and places have usually been changed or omitted.

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

“Of all people, why should believers doubt God’s supernatural interventions? He does it every day of our lives, and we are not even aware of it.”

ometime ago, on the lord’s day, i was in a

seemed juvenile. They felt this was like someone asking Rolls-Royce to manufacture a nail. However, the rejection of that miracle reminded me of sceptics who reject any notion of a miracle. They say people in the ancient world did not know all that we know (which is true). They often thought something was a miracle when, in fact, today we can easily find a rational explanation. Such people go to great lengths, sometimes bordering on the ridiculous, to explain away miracles. I recall an Old Testament lecture in which the scholar was commenting on God parting the Red Sea before the children of Israel while they were being pursued by Pharoah’s army. He noted, ‘There was no parting of the Red Sea; it was a sea of reeds. What actually happened was that the Israelites passed through a marshy area, a sea of reeds, a shallow body of water through which people could have easily walked.’ A student from the back of the room exclaimed, ‘By God, this is even a greater miracle! Imagine that God would drown an entire Egyptian army with their horses and chariots in one foot of water!’ The scepticism expressed about God creating a toy was also reminiscent of the often fruitless circular conversations I have had with proponents of evolution who reject creation regardless of all the evidence to the contrary and all the many problems with the evolutionary theory. I attribute their refusal to accept creation as part of a pathology of unbelief and rejection of God. Such people are willing to resort to the most outlandish and, at times, foolish of reasonings, which require tremendous leaps of faith in order to avoid acknowledging that this splendid universe speaks of a Creator. Science is, in fact, theology, if it is approached with an unbiased mind and eyes gifted with sight. David wrote, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.’ (Psalm 19:1-4) Every particle, every blade of grass and even the little bumble bee speak and sing of the unfathomable wisdom and creative mind of the One who designed and made them. The simplest, most trivial response to those who doubt creation is this: order and complexity. The mind-defying panorama of the detailed, orderly complexity of the designs in the visible world eliminates chance, beginning from the subatomic

refugee camp teaching and conducting the worship for a group of asylum seekers who

had come to faith in our lord. After our morning

service, a friend, who had driven me there, spoke to me about a Christian family who had been in that camp earlier as refugees. He said their young daughter was unwell. He asked if I was willing to go with him to visit and spend some time with them. I agreed. However, I thought we ought to first find a toy for the child so we would not go emptyhanded. It was now midafternoon. As we drove around looking for a store, we could not find any place open. It was becoming late and eventually we gave up. Disappointed, we decided to get on the motorway to reach their home faster and not use the side roads. As we were driving, we passed a Shell petrol station with a food mart attached to it. I asked my friend to stop. I thought I might be able to find at least a box of chocolates or some flowers to take with us. But we had overshot the station by several hundred meters. Rather than risking an accident by reversing the car back to the station, I asked him to wait on the shoulder of the road, and I would walk back to the place to see if I could find a gift. As I opened the door and stepped out, right next to the front tyre of the passenger side was placed a beautiful, large toy elephant! In disbelief, I picked it up and showed it to my friend who was equally surprised. As we both reflected, we were astonished and overjoyed at the Lord’s provision. So, in the end, we did not go empty-handed to visit the child and her family after all. On arrival at their home, seeing the toy elephant, the little girl perked up and could not have been happier! I later told this story to a couple of my friends who dismissed it as just another coincidence into which I was reading too much. However, the likelihood of this being a happy, lucky accident was infinitesimal. It was close to impossible to find a brand-new toy placed on the shoulder of a motorway exactly at the spot our car had come to a stop. Furthermore, we chose that route to their home from among several other possible routes. There could be no explanation other than the One who created the heavens and the earth created a toy. Of all people, why should believers doubt God’s supernatural interventions? He does it every day of our lives, and we are not even aware of it. Perhaps my friends who doubted felt that this was beneath God, who created the universe, to create a little toy. It

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

“Every particle, every blade of grass and even the little bumble bee speak and sing of the unfathomable wisdom and creative mind of the One who designed and made them.” to the atomic, from molecular structures upward to the intricacy of living organisms. Those who are familiar with particle physics, organic chemistry, biology, genetics, the structure of living organisms, supreme among them, human beings and the human mind, know very well the mindboggling unimaginable thousands of variables which work together in precise harmony. The meticulous order and processes of these designs point, speak and sing of a designer. The mathematical impossibility of chance in the design of the universe and in the myriads of various structures within it, for example, the formation of proteins, genes, chromosomes, or human eyes, perception and the brain and countless other examples, have been repeatedly demonstrated. It is impossible that these can be the results of natural selection and evolutionary processes regardless of the length of time needed. There is a clear design and, therefore, there must be a Designer. It is as simple and self-evident as that. Even a child can perceive it when he or she asks, ‘Who made us?’ The mind-defying organisation, symmetry and sequences in the designs makes chance impossible. Let me give you two examples: let us say that we can gather a million monkeys and put before each of them a typewriter and mountains of paper to type upon and have them bang away for a thousand years. Afterward if one were to collate and look through the papers, now and again, we might find a sensible word, a sentence or even a short paragraph. But it would be impossible to find Plato’s Republic, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Tolstoy’s War and Peace or Rumi’s Masnavi – just to name a few. Or it would be just as impossible that a lightning bolt would randomly strike a junk yard and there would appear a Boeing 787 or an Airbus A380. However, those devoted to evolution will not listen and will not be dissuaded irrespective of the evidence – such is the pathology of unbelief, because once they have admitted the possibility of creation, they must acknowledge the Creator. If they do that, there follows consequences to which they are not willing to submit (Romans 1:18-22). The nature of unbelief is such that it completely distorts the thinking of an unbeliever. Soon after our Saviour raised Lazarus from the dead, the leading members of the Jewish religion council were informed. There was no question that Lazarus had died and was put into a grave. When the Lord Jesus approached Lazarus’ grave, his sister, Martha,

THE RECORD

said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.’ (John 11:38) After Lazarus was raised from the dead, we are told, ‘Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”…So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.’ (John 11:45-53) Such is the nature of unbelief. These so called ‘religious teachers of Israel’ knew the magnitude of the miracle. However, they had already determined in their hearts that they would not believe and they would not accept the Saviour as their Saviour. He did not fit their expected paradigm. There could have been no greater evidence leading to faith than the raising of a dead man. However, when a person has made a determination in his or her heart that, ‘I will not believe,’ he or she will not be persuaded even if the dead were to rise or someone come down from heaven to warn such a person to turn from his sins (Luke 16:19-31). I have learned during these years of serving our Lord that the very stories of God’s magnificent work of salvation, intervention and provision which make the hearts of believers leap for joy and stand up and shout, ‘Glory to God in the highest!’, those very accounts harden the hearts of unbelievers and sceptics. The apostle Paul alludes to this fact. The very message of the Gospel which brings life to some results in death in others. In his second epistle to the Corinthians, he writes, ‘But thanks be to God, who, in Christ, always leads us in triumphal procession and, through us, spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.’ (2 Corinthians 2:14-16) •

JUNE/JULY

ETS NEWS ETS AWARDS AND THANKSGIVING CEREMONY

ets

awards

and

thanksgiving

ceremony took place on friday 12th may at st columba’s free church of

scotland, edinburgh.

The ceremony was an important opportunity for family and friends to see students receive recognition for their hard labour over the past academic year. Some rousing singing, prayer and a Bible reading were followed by a series of presentations to deserving students, some of whom were leaving ETS and moving on to a further chapter. Iver Martin then gave some reflections of the past year, paying tribute in particular to Rev Will Traub who had helped teach Old Testament for ten years and who was now in the process of returning to the USA. Simon Rehberg and David Trimble were then given the platform, presenting their own uniquely humorous perspectives of what it was like to be students at ETS. The evening was rounded off with some concluding observations from Ephesians 3 from the Principal. The ceremony has become one of the highlights in the ETS calendar where a good number of friends and supporters join with staff and students to celebrate the students’ hard work, encourage the work of the Seminary and unite in thanksgiving •

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

BOOK REVIEWS Our books this month offer the best of writers connected with the Free Church, along with titles designed to start or encourage you on your way with the Lord. WHY WE’RE PROTESTANT NATE PICKOWICZ (2022) He’d connected with the church 6 months ago, and had since become a Christian. The guy I was meeting had a lot of questions. His upbringing was a blend of Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy; in his hometown these churches faced each other across the street. Now he wanted to know why we were different. What kind of church was this, and how had we got here? It was as I wondered how to help my new friend that Why We’re Protestant fell into my hands. Nate Pickowicz has done the Church a great service in combining a potted history of the European Reformation with a clear explanation of the five solas in an attractive book you could read in a morning. It’s pitched mainly at Christians and church-goers who struggle to distinguish between Catholicism and gospel churches. As nominal church-going declines in Scotland, I don’t imagine this as pressing a problem here as it is in Pickowicz’s New England. However, I would say this book is pitched ‘high’, so would be suitable for any Christian who wants a historical primer to the Reformation, or to refresh their understanding of gospel truth. Or indeed, Christians who want a book to give a friend who is unsure what kind of church they’re walking into! I hesitated before giving this book to my friend as it hits head issues more than heart issues. But his recommendation ultimately means more than mine. When I asked him what he’d taken away from it, he said it was that we can do nothing to be saved – it’s only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Now he knows what kind of church we are, and a bit of where we come from. I’m thankful for Why We’re Protestant. • This book is available from Mound Books (moundbooks.com) Joe Hall, Bon Accord Free Church, Aberdeen

THE POWER AND THE GLORY JOHN STUART ROSS (2022) This is a fascinating book that tells the remarkable story of the birth of the church in Manchuria and Korea through the agency of little-known Scottish United Presbyterian missionary John Ross. His unrelated namesake does a very good job of reconstructing and interpreting his life in the context of the influences of 19th century Scottish church life, Britain’s colonial impact upon China, and emerging missionary thinking. Ross was a pioneer in seeing the necessity of the evangelisation of these countries being carried out primarily by local believers. He therefore planned individual discipleship and collective local leadership of churches from early on in his ministry. He ensured that early Chinese converts were well taught and then sent them out to evangelise. The story of the founding of the work in the Korean border areas is particularly fascinating and gives a sample of Ross’s approach. Working close to the border Ross was intrigued to know more of the country, which was then closed to foreigners. By careful observation and questioning of reluctant traders he was able to learn the Korean language and translate the scriptures. The church was

THE RECORD

then founded with the minimum human agency of a recent convert selling copies of Luke as he travelled as a trader. As a result, groups of worshippers arose in many different places. Reading this I was intrigued to think of how this remarkable founding of the church may have shaped its life during the periods of Japanese occupation and current totalitarian rule. The book contains much more on Ross’s life and work, including the development of the Manchurian church, its maturing and revival. At times I found the changes in narrative timeline slightly confusing. Also, the very detailed description of aspects of Scottish church life during Ross’s youth and discussion of other missionary characters at times seemed slightly out of step with the lighter picture painted of Ross’s own activities due to the lack of sources available on his life. However, these are minor quibbles. John S Ross has done a great service in bringing this hidden figure into the light and the book is well worth reading to better inform us of the history of the Church in this very important but much neglected part of the world. • This book is available from moundbooks.com Duncan MacPherson, North Harris Free Church

JUNE/JULY

BOOK OF THE MONTH FLOURISHING IN TENSIONS MICHAEL BRÄUTIGAM (2022) Flourishing in Tensions, by Michael Bräutigam, is a beautifully written book about discipleship. As the title suggests, the book recognises that the life of discipleship is often one of tensions. As we follow Jesus, we are frequently confronted with questions and challenges, whether in theology or in life experience, where we do not have all the answers and we are not able to explain everything. But these tensions are not a reason to despair. In fact, they are an opportunity to flourish as we recognise that it is only Jesus who has all the answers, and we find comfort, hope and peace as we trust and follow him. The book offers many profound and helpful insights. First, the author draws threads from the discipline of psychology which are helpfully woven into discussions about how we should cultivate a mindset that will help our discipleship. Secondly, the book interacts with a vast wealth of knowledge from some of the greatest theologians of history, particularly Martin Luther and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. As a result, the reader is led through centuries of wisdom as these theologians wrestled with the challenges of life as a disciple. Finally, the book offers some profound observations of its own. Particularly striking is the recognition that, in a culture that often speaks of leadership, not enough is said about follow-ship. As disciples, our primary aim is not to be great leaders, it is to be great followers. This book would be of benefit to all Christians, but perhaps especially for those a little further on in their walk and who are ready for some deeper thinking. The book is like a walk in the Scottish hills; at times it will stretch you, but the viewpoint it gives you will take your breath away. • This book is available from Wipf & Stock (wipfandstock.com) Thomas Davis, Carloway Free Church

BEFORE YOU SHARE YOUR FAITH MATT SMETHURST (2022) Before You Share Your Faith is not a book on evangelism. Instead, it's a short primer exploring what we can do to prepare our hearts and minds for the simple (but often daunting) task of talking about Jesus. It's not a book on practicalities (though Smethurst provides plenty of personal stories to illustrate his points) but rather it addresses our heart attitude through chapters such as "Grasp the Gospel" and "Love the Lost." Crucially, in his conclusion Smethurst reminds us that evangelism must always come, first and foremost, from our desire for God's glory, making it, ultimately, an act of worship. Of course, at just over a hundred pages, there's little here that is especially ground-breaking. What Smethurst does well, however, is to clearly and concisely address some of our primary struggles with evangelism (fear, missing opportunities, not knowing the answers, etc) and respond with simple gospel truth. There's a lot packed into this short book, and a helpful "recommended resources" section is included at the end for anyone who wants to read more. Before You Share Your Faith does an excellent job of clarifying a really challenging topic, giving us just enough to think about without wandering off into digressions or debates. What I appreciated most about the book was Smethurst's tone. He openly acknowledges all the difficult emotions surrounding evangelism, particularly guilt and fear, and he responds to those emotions with humility and gentleness. Rather than lecturing us, Smethurst describes times where he's been scared, or failed in some way (such as the time he ignored a perfect opportunity for evangelism and instead rushed off to go write his book on evangelism!). These stories make the book relatable, but thankfully it never falls into the trap of saying, "everyone messes up, so it's fine if you do, too." Instead, Smethurst takes our guilt and our fear and he uses them to lead us to the gospel. Before You Share Your Faith is short enough to be read in a day, but there's enough here to keep us thinking long after we've put it back on the shelf. For anyone who finds evangelism challenging (so, essentially, for everyone), Before You Share Your Faith will provide the encouragement we need to honour God through telling others about Him. • This book is available from Mound Books (moundbooks.com) Rachel Horrocks-Birss, St Andrews Free Church

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

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

ur simple vision statement of gospel

church

for

every

‘a healthy

community

make us ashamed as that strength was created through a history of revival combined with a sense of social justice. We were not the Church of the landlords but of the people. Today, however, we aspire to minister to every type of community. It is not unthinkable to imagine a new presbytery in the Borders. A number of churches in Angus and the Mearns may be a way off, but not impossible. It calls us to humility because reaching the whole of Scotland cannot be done by ourselves alone. The thought of that is ridiculous. Remember, we are the church of Thomas Chalmers, one of the greatest catholic Christians Scotland has ever seen. We are Easter people so we believe that life can come through the process of death. The week before Easter, the last service was held at Leith Elder Memorial. That congregation has now come to an end. There is hope because we hope to start a new congregation in the first quarter of 2024 when Rev Derek Lamont moves from St Columba’s to plant in Leith. Once we had only two churches in the centre of Edinburgh, soon we will have two in the historic area of Leith. We have not forgotten Wick, Paisley, and Greenock which we yearn to see replanted or revitalised. We ask that ministers both new and old consider the call to ‘every community in Scotland’ and be open to go to towns like Campbeltown or Dumfries. Local churches should be sending churches. It may be tiny South Uist and Benbecula who sent a couple into a challenging mission situation. I think of Kilmallie who sent a young couple to Athens, Greece and who were so encouraged by a visit from their minister. This is Free Church global mission today. We have direct mission interest in so many parts of the world as well as a ministry to diaspora people groups in the UK. It is an honour to play a small part in the developing culture of mission in the Free Church. All growth is dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit. This must be stated and not taken for granted. There is no doubt that we are in leaner times but we are not in barren times. God is still at work, people are being saved, the dead still receive new life. •

scotland’ has been so helpful.

Certain elements stand out. The key word for me is ‘gospel’. It’s a debated term. On the liberal side of the Church there is the claim that it’s been hijacked by fundamentalists. It’s a synonym for a rather narrow and doctrinaire literalist interpretation of the Bible. On the conservative side there is the claim that it has replaced Christ as the distinctive marker of the Church. Are we ashamed of the name that is above every name? We are clear in what the gospel is. It is primarily the message that ‘Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures’ (1 Cor 15: 3,4). A Christian is a person trusting in this truth and casting themselves on Christ by faith alone. Proclamation of the gospel is a declaration of this truth and a call to repent and believe the gospel. The mission of the Church is simple. It is to make disciples of all nations. Making disciples is the primary task of the Church. Evangelism and teaching by instruction and example are how we disciple. Evangelism is spreading the gospel as widely as we can; teaching involves preaching and living out our faith within the Christian community and wider society. I like the word ‘healthy’. Size is not the main issue. There can be very healthy small churches and patently unhealthy large churches. It challenges us to be most in the main things. Health comes from having the basics functioning well. Healthy churches foster winsome Christian character and tend to make the unbeliever believe that ‘God is really among you.’ (1 Cor 14:25) Healthy means that there is a joyful spirit and if there is conflict, that it’s healthy. Healthy means that believers thrive in a Christ-saturated atmosphere. The call to minister to ‘every community’ is a game-changer for the Free Church. The truth is that for various historical reasons our strength was in the Highlands and Islands. Our history need not

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

POETRY PAGE THE JOURNEY R.S. THOMAS And if you go up that way, you will meet with a man Leading a horse, whose eyes declare: There is no God. Take no notice. There will be other roads and other men With the same creed, whose lips yet utter Friendlier greeting, men who have learned To pack a little of the sun’s light In their cold eyes, whose hands are waiting For your hand. But do not linger. A smile is payment; the road runs on With many turnings towards the tall Tree to which the believer is nailed.

R.S. Thomas (29 March 1913 – 25 September 2000) was a Welsh Anglican priest and poet. His works dealt primarily with topics of spirituality and nationalism.

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

JUN-JUL 2023 PRAYER DIARY ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ Hebrews 10:23-24 June Week 3 Pray for the families within the Church. Ask God to bless and strengthen marriages, parenting relationships, and family dynamics. May their homes be filled with God’s love, peace, and unity. Ask God to grant parents wisdom and grace as they raise their children in the ways of the Lord.

July Week 3 Pray for all the leaders within the church. Ask God to grant them wisdom, discernment, and humility as they navigate various challenges and make important choices. May they be led by God’s Word and his Spirit and may they align their actions with his purposes. July Week 4 Pray for the growth and multiplication of Free Church of Scotland congregations. Bless efforts to plant new churches and expand and revitalise existing ones. Raise up leaders, provide resources, and ignite a passion for reaching new communities with the gospel.

June Week 4 Pray for the Teens’ Conference on 23rd - 25th June, that it would be a transformative and impactful experience for all the attendees, and that they would encounter God in a personal and meaningful way. June Week 5 Pray for the evangelistic efforts of the Free Church of Scotland. Grant boldness and clarity to all of us as we share the gospel. May God open people’s hearts and minds to receive the message of salvation, that many may come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

August Week 1 Bring the financial needs of the Free Church of Scotland before the Lord. May he provide abundantly for every ministry and initiative. May generous hearts be stirred to give faithfully, enabling the church to carry out its mission effectively across this land and beyond. •

July Week 1 Pray for the youth leaders and volunteers involved in our Youth Camps, that they would be filled with compassion, patience, and wisdom as they guide and mentor the young people they are serving, leaving a lasting impact on their lives.

PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER WEEKLY PRAYER POINTS What a privilege we have in prayer! We can approach the throne of grace with utmost confidence that we are coming before a God who knows us perfectly and loves us endlessly. Each week we send out a prayer calendar, via email, with prayer points for the week ahead. These include specific prayer points from our churches and mission partners. For more information, and to sign up, go to: www.freechurch.org/prayer

July Week 2 Pray for our congregations as they reach out to their communities with the message of hope in Jesus Christ. May God bless initiatives that serve the marginalised, the vulnerable, and those in need. May God empower volunteers and staff to be instruments of his compassion and love, bringing hope and practical help to those they serve.

FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND DAY OF PRAYER The Free Church of Scotland Day of Prayer will take place on Wednesday 29th November 2023. Each congregation is encouraged to arrange time for prayer in a way that is suitable for their own situation. To help guide our prayers on the day we will prepare resources and prayer points that will be circulated closer to the time. For now, please save the date in your dairies.

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

Oighreachd chinnteach (A sure inreritance) LE JANET NICPHÀIL A Pheadair, tha thu an àite ged rinn thu là àicheadh d'aithne is do chàirdeas ri Tighearna na Glòir. An dùil an dèan fad na sìorraidheachd do riarachadh an dìomhaireachd a' sealltainn dhut cho fialaidh 's a bha A ghràdh a bha cho mòr ort?

Is e seo Cruthaidhear gnìomhach. Nach e E Fhèin a bhuilich anail air gach aon a th'air thalamh? Nach e E Fhèin a tha a' cumail suas nan uile nithean le facal A chumhachd? Carson a bhiodh aon duine san t-saoghal pròiseil? Chan eil eòlas, tàlant no comas sam bith aig aon duine beò nach tugadh dhaibh gu saor bhon Chruthaidhear, agus buinidh glòir sam bith Dhà-san a-mhàin. Tha e duilich dhuinn a bhith a' greimeachadh ri na nithean sin ann am fìrinn, oir tha sinn cho talmhaidh nar dòigh-smaoineachaidh. Nach e an t-Abstol Peadar a tha a' toirt fosgladhinntinn dhuinn air an oighreachd a dh'ullaicheadh dhuinn mus do leagadh bunaitean na talmhainn? Tha e cuideachd a' fosgladh ar n-inntinn gu bhith a' tuigsinn gach balla-dìon de ghleidheadh a tha an Cruthaidhear a' cur oirnn' a-bhos. Tha cumhachd Dhè gar gleidheadh, tre chreidimh, airson slàinte a tha romhainn. Gu cinnteach nach fhaod sinn a ràdh, 'Nithean leis am miann leis na h-ainglean beachdachadh'? Bhiodh e feumail dhuinn a bhith a' cuimhneachadh air rìoghachdan a tha fhathast gun Fhacal Dhè nan cànan fhèin. Tha sluagh air an geur-leanmhain ann an àitean eile; tha tròimh-chèile agus buaireadh ann an ceàrnaidhean eile. Is e a bhith a' leudachadh ar lèirsinn agus ar n-ùrnaighean, gus an cluinneadh mòran eile an sgeul phrìseil-sa. •

A bheil e na iongnadh gur e an t-Abstol Peadar a tha a' sgrìobhadh mu thèarainteachd agus mu ghleidheadh sluagh Dhè? Nach robh e fhèin glè mhothachail air an seo na eachdraidh fhèin, agus nach eil a h-uile Crìosdaidh ann an dòigh bheag no mhòr, mothachail air cuideachd?

Tha e a' dèanamh iomradh air tèarainteachd na h-oighreachd a th'air ullachadh do shluagh a' Chruthaidheir. Tha i neo-thruaillidh, agus cha shearg i às; agus tha seo glèidhte, agus air a chumail do shluagh Dhè, gus an tig an t-àm dhaibh a mealltainn. Ma tha gleidheadh Dhè oirre, tha an oighreachd cinnteach. Chan e a-mhàin gu bheil an oighreachd air a cumail do shluagh a' Chruthaidheir, ach tha iad fhèin air an dìon le cumhachd Dhè, agus E air tiodhlac a' chreidimh a bhuileachadh air A shluagh, agus tha an creideamh-sa aca agus an sùil ri slàinte a tha air ullachadh romhpa, ach a thèid fhoillseachadh anns an aimsir dheireannaich. Nach ann aig a' Chruthaidhear a tha an grèim teann air A shluagh? Cha leig Esan às A ghrèim gu sìorraidh. 'A' ghrian cha bhuail i iad san là, no a' ghealach fòs san oidhch'. Nì Dia an coimhead o gach olc, 's cuiridh dìon air an anam a-chaoidh.' Chì sinn gur ann air taobh Dhè a tha an obair gu lèir. Is ann bhuaithe a fhuair iad tiodhlac na h-athghineamhain. Is Esan a dh'ullaich slighe na Rèite dhaibh, agus is e A chumhachd-san a thog Criosd o na mairbh. Is e a dh'ullaich an oighreachd a shealbhaicheas iad, agus is e cumhachd Dhè a tha a' cumail A shluaigh. Chan e an neart fhèin a nì seo. Nach sinn a bhiodh tròcaireach nan tuigeadh sinn seo? Chan eil annainn ach soithichean glè lag, ach le neart Dhè annainn, tha sinn làidir, ach Dhàsan buinidh a' ghlòir airson seo. 'Chan fhannaich an Cruthaidhear, agus cha sgìthich E, agus chan urrainnear A thuigse a rannsachadh.' Nach eil sin follaiseach bho na sgrìobh an t-Abstol Peadar?

2023

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX W

weasel words, ‘did God really…?’ It is a depressingly familiar trajectory from there: question our own understanding of God; doubt God’s meaning; challenge God’s authority; deny God’s existence; make ourselves God in his stead. HBO has attracted controversy by announcing that JK Rowling will be the executive producer on the new series; this means that she will have the final word. One dictionary definition of the role says that such a person must have a ‘cohesive vision’ of the finished project. It remains to be seen whether she will be allowed to fulfil this role, untrammelled by considerations of political correctness and gender terrorism. The project can go nowhere, however, unless she is trusted and left to get on with realising her vision. God’s plan, on the other hand, is moving inexorably towards fulfilment. However hard we try, as his creatures, to rebel and even to remove his executive power, he is making good on all the promises he has ever given. This is the reason for all the antipathy, not just directly against God, but against women like JK Rowling as well, for trying to defend the truth. She is not just under attack as creator of the Potterverse, but because she — perhaps unwittingly — has taken a stance on the side of truth. And truth is not a moveable feast; it is that most despised of things, an absolute. Wishing that a thing were so does not in itself bring about change, however much a person may want it. In the Potter books, young Harry is an orphan and, one day, finds the Mirror of Erised – it shows you whatever your heart most desires. He loses hours, days, sitting in front of it, gazing at himself surrounded by his loving parents and family. But it is an illusion, and one that can only harm the person whose heart is led astray. The tragedy of a world which seeks to dethrone its maker lies in the fact that, were it possible to succeed in this endeavour, we would only find ourselves orphaned and grasping after a mirage. What we think is happiness — to be in charge of our own destinies — really is the most frightening prospect of all. We perceive this tendency writ large in the campaign of trans activism … but do we also recognise in it our own besetting sin: the urge to become God? •

hen you live in a village that is regarded as the witchcraft capital of lewis, it’s easy to consider yourself as having an affinity

with other magical worlds. Like most people of my

generation, I started by going through the wardrobe to Narnia and, a little later, dropping by Bag End to hobnob with The Hobbit. As an adult I beguiled many hours travelling by bus northwards to Thurso reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Once, while absorbed in The Two Towers, I glanced across the aisle to see a wee bodach with exactly the same book in hand. We nodded at each other, a tacit acknowledgement of our special, magical journey, far beyond anything Citylink normally offers. Undoubtedly, though, the publishing sensation of my lifetime came from the pen of JK Rowling. The launch of each successive book in the sevenvolume sequence became more and more eagerly anticipated. A successful film franchise confirmed the status of the Potterverse as THE fantasy world to conjure with, bar none. Now, we hear that the books are to be made into a television series by HBO and Potter fans are already getting excited about the end product. Quite another sort of excitement is brewing, though, amongst those who find themselves ‘offended’ by the views of JK Rowling. She has said repeatedly that a person’s sex is immutable, and that women must have their exclusive spaces and rights protected. The result has been vituperation and vitriol aimed in her general direction by those who think that transition is not only possible but must be positively venerated. Some in the gender lobby are demanding that people stop purchasing her books and Potter merchandise, that she be no-platformed, that she be silenced, that she be — in modern parlance — cancelled. In a quite repugnant concession to these unjust sentiments, a reunion of those involved with the Warner Bros films did not include JK Rowling, the founder of the feast. The author and finisher of the Potterverse is being expunged from it. Somehow, her creation is regarded as not only separate from JK Rowling, but absolutely none of her business. We should not be surprised, for this is merely a representation of what has been playing out in our own universe since humanity was first duped by the

THE RECORD

JUNE/JULY

The Record - June/July 2023

Articles inside

MISSION MATTERS

ETS AWARDS AND THANKSGIVING CEREMONY

THE MODERATOR'S ADDRESS