The Record - June 2018 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND JUNE 2018 • £1.50

Editor • Rev. David A Robertson The Editor, The Record, St Peter’s Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee, DD1 4JJ 07825 748752 drobertson@freechurch.org Missions News • Mrs Sarah Johnson Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS sarah@freechurch.org WFM Editor • Sarah Cumming 31 Doune Park, Dalgety Bay, KY11 9LX sarah.cumming@hotmail.co.uk Gaelic Editor • Janet MacPhail 24 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA 01851 710354 Seminary News • Rev. Thomas Davis Free Church Manse, Carloway, Isle of Lewis thomasanduna@btinternet.com Prayer Diary • Mrs Mairi Macdonald ian.macdonald57@btinternet.com Copy Editor • Dayspring MacLeod 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 Details of the church's activities, latest news and people to contact are all available on the church's website: www.freechurch.org Advertising • Anyone wishing to advertise in The Record should contact the editor. For Subscriptions • The annual subscription price for The Record is £30. Cheques should be made payable to: Free Church of Scotland. Please contact the offices for overseas subscription costs.

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THE RECORD

JUNE

CONTENTS

WELCOME TO THE JUNE RECORD

s we go to print the free church general assembly is in full swing .

We will have a full report in the July/August extended edition. From what I have heard so far (thanks to the internet in Australia, where I am still on sabbatical) there is a good and realistic tone provided both by the retiring and current Moderators' addresses. And how we need that! This month as well as all the usual features we focus on Billy Graham and on the need for contemporary evangelism in today’s society. There is a feeling that evangelism and theology don’t mix — or that we should ‘get them in first’ and then teach them proper theology. I have even come across Reformed churches who seem to think that it is better to leave charismatics and Arminians to get on with the evangelism (because they do it better) and then we can come in and teach the new Christians the ‘way of God more perfectly’. That’s an appalling theology and an appalling methodology and ecclesiology. We need to find a way to take our robust biblical theology and use it to proclaim Christ into a Scotland that so desperately needs it. Rather than compromise or hide our biblical understanding, we should use it as the basis for our outreach. There is a thought — what would a contemporary Reformed evangelism look like? I hope that this month’s magazine will help us reflect a little on the answer. One other matter I must mention — the death of Murdo Murchison, whose book we have been serializing. He is a personal and dear friend, whom we will miss deeply until we meet again in glory. May the Lord raise up 100 more elders like him! If that happened then Scotland would be a very different place. We continue to pray for Margaret and the family.

DOES SCOTLAND NEED ANOTHER BILLY GRAHAM?

FREE CHURCH NEWS

PRAYER DIARY

NEWS Dave Landrum

CAN PSYCHOLOGY EXPLAIN BILLY GRAHAM'S SUCCESS? James Hardy

THE MIRACLE OF THE KELVIN HALL Euan G Dodds

PERSONAL EVANGELISM, JOY AND THE LESSONS OF A No.9 David Meredith

OBITUARIES: MURDO MURCHISON GAVIN S. FORREST

THE RECORD INTERVIEWS: IRENE HOWAT Dayspring MacLeod

ECCLESIASTES: THE BURDEN AND THE BEAUTY

ETS CENTRE FOR MISSION Thomas Davis

BOOK REVIEWS

CHRISTIAN DOCTORS IN THE EYE OF THE STORM John Martin

CAN A MINNOW CRITIQUE A WHALE? Simon Manchester

LETTER FROM SOUTH KOREA Callum Bowsie

POETRY PAGE Irene Howat

GAELIC Janet MacPhail

THE SLOG OF DESPOND Dayspring MacLeod

POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

Yours in Christ The Editor "Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. Acts 5:20-21

2018

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DOES SCOTL ANOTHER BIL BY THE EDITOR

atching

the

bbc

documentary

‘ six

1) WHY WAS THERE NOT A LONGER LASTING IMPACT OF THE GRAHAM CRUSADES ON SCOTLAND? My view is that they were not radical enough. Too many people saw them as opportunities to recruit people for the church, and not for Christ. Or perhaps it would be better to say that the church was not radical enough. I don’t think the problem was primarily with the crusades — but rather with the churches that many people were then fed into. The church in Scotland has declined because in many areas we have turned away from the word of God. Some have retreated into an unbiblical legalism, but it appears as though the vast majority have gone the opposite direction, into a liberalism that takes away from the word of God. When the storm winds of the 1960’s swept into society (sexual permissiveness, anti-authority attitudes and materialism), the church, weakened from within, was not able to stand. Today if you want to see where we are just consider the following couple of headlines from the Church of Scotland Assembly. “Church of Scotland moves closer to Same Sex Marriage” and “Church of Scotland could be close to extinction by 2030”. The problem is the church, not the society.

weeks to save the world ’ about billy

graham was utterly fascinating . The 1950s was a different era and a very different Scotland. The majority of people were associated with the church, and holding a six week massive evangelistic campaign in the Kelvin hall made a great deal of sense. It would be impossible to do that nowadays. I was intrigued by the people I actually knew in the documentary — even though I was not even a gleam in my father’s eye at that time! What also struck me was the level of cynicism from the Rev. Johnston Mackay who himself has done a great deal of harm to the cause of the Gospel, in his stewardship as BBC Scotland’s religious affairs producer. I am not primarily concerned in this editorial with the impact of the Graham crusades, which whilst not as effective and long lasting in their impact as his 1959 Australian crusade, nonetheless were not as ineffective as the programme claimed. Many people were converted and that did have a lasting impact on Scotland — even if it were not as much as we would like. My own father was greatly affected by one of the relay meetings. I recall a Free Church lady who told me that she went to meet Billy Graham off the train because she knew ‘he was the man that was going to convert me’. She attended every single meeting for the six weeks before she went forward at the last meeting. I also recall a ministers' conference where a number of men were being highly critical of Billy Graham and his methods. Free Church minister David Paterson was not impressed by this and in his own inimitable way stood up and said “brothers, how many of you were converted through Billy Graham’s ministry?” Apparently it was about half of them! I am also reminded of DL Moody’s famous retort to someone who was complaining about his methods. “I prefer the way I do evangelism, to the way you don’t!” We need to consider carefully how we communicate the gospel in today’s Scotland.

THE RECORD

2) DO WE NEED ANOTHER BILLY GRAHAM IN SCOTLAND TODAY? No. It’s a different era and something other than crusade evangelism is needed. Crusade evangelism was relevant in an era when vast numbers of people were pre-disposed to go to church. That is no longer the case. It is doubtful whether 5% of the Scottish population regularly attends church. When Franklin Graham came to Perth we struggled to even half fill the 10,000 seater Perth stadium. The money would be better spent in other ways. We don’t need one Billy Graham, or a Ravi Zacharias. We need 10,000. 3) HOW DO WE BRING THE GOOD NEWS TO SCOTLAND TODAY? This is the £64,000 question. The main difficulty is that much of our evangelism is based on outdated models that are more appropriate to another age. Let

JUNE

me explain it in this way. Let's imagine that there is an evangelism scale of one to ten where at level ten people know the Scriptures from back to front, study Calvin’s Institutes and regularly conduct bible studies in Greek and Hebrew. At level one are those who, when you ask them to turn to page one of the Bible, ask ‘ What’s a bible?” The trouble is that much of our evangelism is aimed at around level 4 and 5. We both assume too much and expect too little.

it was a great Gospel sermon which should be warmly welcomed. I was personally dismayed to see how many Free Church people fell for that. Bishop Curry does not believe the Bible, does not accept the Jesus of the Bible and his version of the love of Christ on the cross was that it was exemplary, not an atonement. He persecutes those in his own denomination who hold to a biblical position on marriage and yet so many of us welcomed what he had to say. My fear is that we are so desperate that we are willing to accept heresy as long as it seems to offer an opportunity to speak about Christ. Such an approach is fundamentally flawed. CHURCH — We tend to think of evangelism as an individual pursuit. It is not. Just as it takes a whole church to raise a child, so it takes a whole church to proclaim the Gospel. Our churches need to make evangelism as a core part of our DNA. CONTEMPORARY — We don’t live in the 1st, 16th or 20th centuries. We live in the 21st century with all its opportunities and problems. We need to study our culture. We need to understand how people think. We need to grasp the wider picture of what is going on. We need to listen to our local communities. And then we need to make sure we are speaking to the people who are there, not the ones we imagine. CHRIST CENTERED — This is the key. We do not proclaim ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord. Of course we all agree with that in theory, but is it our practice? We are not about proclaiming the Free Church, or ourselves, or building up our Church. We want people to see the beauty and glory of Christ — and we want him to be glorified through the building up of his church. When that is our desire we will fervently pray, bear witness and work with all his energy to bring his good news to all the people of Scotland and beyond. •

Can I suggest that evangelism in 21st century Scotland needs to follow the seven C’s? CREATIVITY — We need to be much more imaginative in how we communicate the Gospel. Creativity is in the nature of our Creator and he has made us in his image. There is a danger in being programmatic. There are no programmes that, useful as they are, will be the key for evangelizing Scotland. We need to set our people free to be creative as they seek to bring the Good News to the people of Scotland COURAGE — This is not going to be easy. There is hostility to the Gospel in much of contemporary culture — and even within the Church. The temptation is to keep our heads down and claim that we are quietly working away. But there comes a time to speak up and speak out. With great boldness the apostles testified to the saving grace of Jesus. Where is our boldness? COMPASSION — Harshness and evangelism should be strangers to one another. But sadly fear, sin and frustration can cause us to react with hardness and hostility to those we are seeking to evangelise. That must never happen. Our hearts should break for those who are dead in sins and trespasses and who are on their way to a lost eternity. The Gospel is not ‘you are saved’ — it is 'you can be saved if you come to know Christ'. CONFESSIONAL — There is a view that theology and evangelism don’t mix. In the hysteria surrounding the sermon of Bishop Michael Curry at the Royal wedding in May, there were those who suggested that just because his sermon mentioned Jesus, the Bible and the Cross,

2018

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

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Photo courtesy of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

AND NEED LLY GRAHAM?

FREE CHURCH NEWS ROSSKEEN MINISTRY TEAM

he month of april saw the free church’s team of n.o.w.s

(non-ordained workers) grow as Iain Morrison began work as Rosskeen Free Church’s new Ministry Assistant. Iain will work alongside the ministry team of Rev. Calum ‘Honda’ MacMillan and minister-in-training John Wilson and brings a variety of gifts that we hope will strengthen the various work and ministries of the congregation. Iain’s post is for one year and will see him assist in a broad spectrum of church life — pastoral work, preaching, school assemblies and volunteering in our café. Prior to coming to Rosskeen, Iain studied at ETS, and before that he was a teacher at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, latterly as a Depute Head. Calum ‘Honda’ was a pupil when Iain was a teacher and is so far resisting the urge to keep calling him ‘Sir’! Iain has settled well into his new role and new

surroundings and we are thankful to the Lord for bringing him to us. The Lord’s provision has been evident throughout the process and the generosity of the congregation has been nothing short of breathtaking. The congregation gave, like the Macedonian churches (2 Corinthians 8:3), above and beyond what could have been anticipated to enable the post to go ahead, as well as enabling the refurbishment of a flat for accommodation and the provision of a house in the interim. We want to publicly thank the many who have supported this post in so many different ways. Your generosity has been humbling and a great encouragement to Iain and to the church leadership. Please pray for Iain, his family, and the Rosskeen congregation as we go forward, that we would continue to see the Lord’s blessing among us.•

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PRAYER DIARY JUNE/JULY 2018

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. Psalm 150:6 Fri 15th Please pray with Suraj Kasula for Nepali Christianity. There has been heightened persecution against Christians and Suraj asks us to continue to pray that the spread of the gospel would never be stopped. Sat 16th Tearfund partners in India are working to bring love and hope to people who have been trafficked. Pray that they will be kept safe both physically and mentally in this oppressive, emotionally disturbing and unhygienic environment. Sun 17th Pray for Rev. Howard Stone as he serves as interim moderator of the congregation in Lybster. Pray for the congregation as they meet today to worship God. Mon 18th Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Heb 13:3 Tues 19th Give thanks for the life and service of Rev. A. Fraser, who passed away last month. Praise God for Alastair’s patient endurance of his illness and pray for the family. Wed 20th Pray for all those who mourn, and especially remember the Murchison family and give thanks for Murdo’s dedicated service to the church and his Saviour. Thurs 21st The Board of Trustees meet today. Pray for them as they discuss church business. Fri 22nd Dundee elders are having a day conference this month and seek the Lord’s guidance for the way ahead for a growing congregation. Pray for Rev. David Robertson on his sabbatical. Sat 23rd Rev. Patrick Jok asks for prayer for the Sudanese Reformed Church, especially in regard to the reopening and rebuilding of three churches destroyed during the 2013 conflict in Juba (Khor Woliang, Gudele and Gueri) and planting of two new churches (Hai Baraka and Gumba) in Juba. Sun 24th Pray for the Rogart congregation and Rev. Duncan Macleod, their interim moderator. May they know the Lord’s presence with them today. Mon 25th Leadership Boot Camp runs in Lendrickmuir this week. Pray that all those who attend will be blessed and prepared for future service in the church.

Tues 26th Steadfast Global request prayer as they plan a return visit to Iraq towards the end of June with a seven-strong medical team from Scotland. Please pray that visas will be granted in good time and that the team will be prepared spiritually and emotionally for the situations they will encounter during the trip. Wed 27th Pray for the thousands of Christians who work in and visit our schools. As the school year draws to an end, pray for safety and refreshment over the holidays. Thurs 28th Remember all the young folk you know who are leaving school this term. Plead that as they find their way in the wider world they will put their trust in the Lord. Fri 29th Pray for Muslims who are thirsty to know more about Christ. Remember too those who have suffered at the hands of those who show real hatred towards Christians. Sat 30th Pray for the Bible Society in the Gulf as they organise seminars focusing on teaching Bible truths for church leaders and clergy. Remember them too as they provide training and teaching for 30 Sunday School teachers.

Wed 6th Scripture Union organise many camps over the summer months. Pray for all the young folk who will attend camps, where they can have fun in a safe environment and get the opportunity to explore the Christian faith. Thurs 7th Comrie Camp with Murray and Donna Graham and Senior Football with Rod Morrison begin today. Pray that all will be blessed spiritually as well as physically. Fri 8th Pray for the congregation in Wick as they look to the Lord for guidance for their future, and for Rev. Howard Stone, their interim moderator. Sat 9th Roddy Macleod asks people to pray that he would have wise words and God-given opportunities to share the living Word with many soldiers daily. Pray the Lord would use Readers as they go around the bases. Thurs 10th The St Andrews congregation ask us to pray for their evangelism as a church family and for an ongoing desire and wisdom to reach the town of St Andrews as well as the university students.

Fri 1st Give thanks for all the work done by our Sunday School teachers throughout the year. Pray for all those who will look after the young folk during summer holidays and that our young folk will grow up wanting to know more about our Lord.

Fri 11th Pray for 20schemes as they work towards their long-term desire to see Scotland’s housing schemes transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ through the revitalisation and planting of gospel-preaching churches.

Sat 2nd Please pray for Christian broadcasting around the world. Give thanks for the listeners who call to discuss religious issues and ask questions about what they have heard.

Sat 12th Remember the plight of refugees in Britain seeking asylum, who are living on £37.75 of government support per week. Pray especially for unaccompanied children, who have reached safety in the UK but are uncertain of their future.

Sun 3rd Continue to remember Grace Lan as she discusses messianic prophecies with her Hebrew Bible study group. Pray that they will see Jesus, the Messiah. Mon 4th Pray for the Christianity Explored course being held in Kirkcaldy in July, which is for those who come to their Saturday café. Pray that many would come and be changed by the power of God. Remember Tom Penman as he leads this venture. Tues 5th Our church’s camps programme begins today. Pray that all those young folk travelling to Oswestry Junior Camp, and Howard Stone and his team, that they will have a blessed time.

Sun 13th Oswestry Junior Camp with Andrew Martin and Laura MacGillivray and the Senior camp with Andy and Caireen Robertson as leaders begin today. Pray for all the youngsters as they reunite with old friends and make new ones. Mon 14th Three more camps begin today. Susan MacLean leads Kincraig, Matthew Hunt leads Junior Football, and Deuan Jones and Paula White lead one at the new venue in Renfrew. Pray for God’s blessing on all the campers and leaders.

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

2018

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NEWS THIS IS WELCOME NEWS FROM DAVE LANDRUM OF THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE: The government has abandoned plans to register and inspect out-of-school education settings, announcing this in a report on their call for evidence released today.

n so doing , they have taken an important step to protect

religious freedom . In deciding not to pursue their proposals to register settings that teach for more than 6 to 8 hours a week, the Government have acknowledged the concerns in the 73 per cent of formal responses that rejected this proposal. Responses to the call for evidence also highlighted deep reservations about Ofsted having a role in investigating out-of-school settings: around 75 per cent of responses disagreed with this proposal. The Government noted that these responses ‘expressed concerns about Ofsted’s capacity, expertise and neutrality in dealing with such settings.’ The Evangelical Alliance spoke up when the call for evidence was made more than two years ago. We pointed out the unintended consequences of the initial proposals for civil society, such as many church activities like Sunday Schools and youth groups being subjected to government regulation and inspection. We welcome the Government’s response, and the intention to

make use of existing powers to tackle important concerns around safeguarding and health and safety, ensuring that children are protected and cared for. Importantly, these plans do not now immediately threaten civil liberties by creating a new regulatory regime of inspection. Dr David Landrum, director of advocacy at the Evangelical Alliance, responded to the announcement: ‘As we expected, the report shows how strongly faith groups, parents and others feel about proposals to register and regulate out-of-school settings, and in particular about the role of Ofsted. Indeed many these proposals, which were launched by former education secretary Nicky Morgan, represented a classic example of religious illiteracy. These proposals would have had a profound effect on religious freedom and fundamental human rights, and consequently we welcome the news that the Government are listening to the concerns of those who responded.’ Freedom of religion or belief benefits both people of faith and of no faith. Indeed, it is the litmus test for a free society. The

Government has rightly seen that churches and the activities they provide are a positive force for society and not a threat they need to regulate. As an alternative, the Government is proposing targeted interventions, using existing powers as part of a multi-agency approach. However, the Evangelical Alliance will retain a watchful eye on other proposals concerning new powers or defined standards for those who operate out-of-school settings that may replicate these misconceived proposals, which had the potential to create statesanctioned religion. Dr Landrum continued, ‘Christianity has been an incredible force for good throughout British society, and it still is today. Freedom of religion is essential for this vital work to continue and grow in the future, and also for the work of so many other groups and organisations in civil society. ‘We also look forward to working with the Government to tackle radicalisation and violent extremism, especially through the role that local churches can play in building stronger communities.’ •

We would love to hear from you…please write the editor at: The Record, St Peters Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee, DD1 4JJ or e-mail drobertson@freechurch.org THE RECORD

JUNE

CAN PSYCHOLOGY EXPLAIN BILLY GRAHAM’S SUCCESS? BY JAMES HARDY

internet

forum

recently

discussed

might wish to reflect on the mystery of how such an unusual story has persisted for 20 centuries (in a ruthlessly destructive human world where false ideas are unmasked over years and decades, or much shorter time spans).

this

question .

There was a suggestion that Billy Graham’s personality and marketing strategies could explain the powerful impact of his message. I posted an answer to the forum which included some of the following ideas.

One Solitary Life He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant. He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30. Then, for three years, he was an itinerant preacher.  He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a home. He didn’t go to college. He never lived in a big city. He never travelled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself.  He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his garments, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave, through the pity of a friend.  Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. I am well within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned – put together – have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one, solitary life.

Billy Graham’s simple message had three key elements.  1) We have all broken God’s Ten Commandments, and our relationship (or friendship) with God has been destroyed as a result of our evil behaviour and attitudes.  2) Jesus (God) died on the cross to save us from the consequences of our sin, and to restore our friendship with God. God showed that the gospel message is true, and to be believed, by raising Jesus from death. People who take time to honestly seek God, carefully exploring the evidence for Christ ‘s resurrection, will see that the gospel is true and demands a human response. The Bible promises that those who seek God wholeheartedly will be found by God and given assurance that the gospel is true.  3) God, as revealed in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is no cosmic bully. We must all choose the path of life that only Christ offers us, or remain forever in a state of permanent alienation from God.  Billy Graham believed that the gospel meets the deepest human need; it is true; it works in everyday human life when properly tested; and it makes sense. He believed that there was no human life, and nowhere within the bounds of space or time, that the gospel message could not work. From Beijing to San Francisco to Greenland to Tierra del Fuego the gospel message has impacted human lives, and the gospel penetrates all human cultures. People like Billy Graham, who faithfully follow the gospel call to become evangelists, confidently expect to see supernatural conversions. Christians might argue that psychological speculation around the reason for Billy Graham’s massive success risks missing the ‘elephant in the room’. The gospel quite simply is true. Jesus is risen and alive, Jesus is God, and Jesus answers our prayers. The gospel might sound absurd to many modern people, particularly those from a healthcare or science background. Why not read James Francis’ short essay below and be challenged by it? You

2018

Can psychological theories really explain why an estimated two billion or more people follow Christ twenty centuries after his death? The words of Jesus – ‘Seek and you will find, ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened unto you’ – have been drawing people to God for almost 2,000 years and will retain that power until the Lord returns. Are people who try to attribute Billy Graham’s success to psychology simply running away from the selfevident truth promised in the Bible that those who seek God will find him? •

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THE MIRACLE OF THE KELVIN HALL I

n the early

1950s bbc religious broadcasting, under

the 21st of March and the 30th of April 1955. Any discussion of the Crusade summons forth superlatives. In the book written soon afterwards, and edited by Allan himself, the contributors could speak of the ‘greatest evangelistic campaign in the history of Scotland’.1 In the days preceding it, Scottish newspapers carried special articles about the crusade. The largest poster ever printed in Scotland was suspended above the Kelvin Hall bearing Glasgow’s motto, ‘Let Glasgow Flourish by the Preaching of the Word and the Praising of His Name’. As Graham’s sleeper car crossed the border from England, he was greeted by groups of Scottish Christians singing hymns on station platforms. During the subsequent six weeks, he preached six nights a week at the Kelvin Hall to capacity crowds. Graham’s musical partners, Cliff Barrows and George Beverley Shea, led a thousand-strong choir before an audience of 15,000. Radio relay meetings were broadcast to thirty-five venues around the country. Buses were organised from different towns and cities to attend the meetings. Church members would only be given a seat if they brought an un-churched friend — an operation dubbed ‘Operation Andrew’. Associated meetings were conducted throughout the country, including Graham preaching at Tynecastle Stadium in Edinburgh and, at the close of the crusade, to 100,000 in Hampden Park. The Good Friday service was broadcast live on television around the country — a first for Billy himself — and was watched by an audience second only to the Coronation. The numbers of those who attended or listened to relays are quite remarkable. In the six weeks of the Crusade, 1,185,360 people in Scotland attended Crusade meetings of some description. 830,670 came to the nightly meetings in Kelvin Hall and to the closing rallies in Ibrox stadium and Hampden Park. 217,700 attended at services of the Relay Mission and 136,990 were at other meetings addressed by Billy or his Team members during the Crusade. The total number of enquirers in Scotland was 26,457.2

the leadership of rev. ronald falconer, organised

two scottish radio missions. The Church of Scotland General Assembly noted that these missions made a deep impression and had a considerable influence in encouraging congregations to consider more seriously their evangelistic responsibilities. Following this interest, ‘Tell Scotland’ was constituted with the Rev. Tom Allan, one of the broadcasters, as the field co-ordinator. This movement had three underlying principles and planned a three-phase strategy. It was recognised that effective evangelism was a continuing engagement with the world, and that the church was the agent of mission and the ‘layman’ needed training for the task of witness. Phase 1 (Sep. 1953 - June 1954) was planned to encourage the discussion of mission among ministers and office-bearers. Phase 2 (Sep. 1954 - June 1955) was to recruit and train the ‘lay forces’ of the Church through congregational groups — what we would now know as small groups — for witness and service. Phase 3 (beginning 1955) was to see the outgoing mission of the church community to witness to the Lordship of Christ in word and deed. However, after Phase 2, Allan felt there was a need to kindle some further ‘spark’ before Phase 3. In 1954 he attended the Billy Graham Crusade in Harringay, London. This was a heady time spiritually. During the twelve weeks of the mission, some two million people attended the crusade with over 36,000 going forward to make a ‘decision’. On the final evening, Graham preached to a crowd of 12,000 — the largest religious congregation ever gathered in the UK. Some felt revival was in the air. It is easy to see why Allan was caught up in the excitement of it all. He returned to Scotland and persuaded the committee through his enthusiasm. After a heated debate at its General Assembly, The Church of Scotland agreed to invite Graham — his first invitation from a national church — and plans were put in place for the six-week ‘All Scotland Crusade’ between

THE RECORD

JUNE

Photo courtesy of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

BY EUAN G DODDS

There is no doubt the crusade made a significant impact on the spiritual temperature of the nation, but there is disagreement as to whether it made any lasting difference. Prof. John Highet of Glasgow University published a detailed statistical survey of national churchgoing in 1960. He recognised that 1956, the year after the Crusade, was the high-water mark of church attendance after the war, but numbers had declined since then.3 Rev. Frank Bardgett has written a very detailed and balanced analysis and offers the sober judgement that the campaigns of 1955-56, exciting as they were, had less lasting impact than had been expected.4 Others, though, are less positive. Rev. Ron Ferguson argued that the bulk of the audiences each evening were regular, middle-class churchgoers.5 Prof. James Whyte believed that the Crusade was ultimately counter-productive. For an organisation that purposed to encourage the layman into mission, it did the very opposite: ‘The do-it-yourself evangelism of inarticulate church members was stopped in its tracks by the slick professionalism of the Graham organization. The majority sank back in happy passivity, assured that the task of evangelism would be accomplished by the “magic helper” from across the ocean…. The Tell Scotland Movement never recovered from this colossal diversion.’6 There are those who view the fruit of the Crusade in a positive light. Prof. David Bebbington believed that Billy administered ‘a powerful tonic’.7 In his personal memoir, Oliver Barclay recalled that membership of the Church of Scotland peaked soon after, with church attendance in Glasgow up by 10,000 in 1956. Bible sales rose and the circulation of Scripture Union daily Bible reading notes rose 12,000. He concluded, ‘Graham reached all classes of society in Scotland as in England, and helped to make classical evangelicalism more acceptable’.8 The Crusade appears to have made a significant, if short-lived, impact upon church commitment in Scotland. Ultimately it made a huge difference in the lives of those converted and their families. Allan was in no doubt of what had happened. In his regular newspaper column, he defended the Crusade from its critics. He wrote, ‘Many other things I could write about — the deepening of the life of the Scottish churches, the new and vivid interest in religion throughout the country, the continuing work of ordinary Kirk folk in the “Tell Scotland” Movement. You can’t measure these things by numbers. But make no mistake — the crusade made its own unique contribution to them all.’9 He pointed to the large numbers of young men and women who had either received Christ as Lord during one meeting,

or who had consecrated themselves to his service in ministry or missionary work as a consequence of the events of 1955. He claimed to know hundreds who still stand ‘four square by their faith’ and that within his own congregation, ‘some of my best church workers today were Billy Graham converts’.10 He was in no doubt that God had owned and blessed Graham’s time in Scotland. Reflecting on the reasons for this, he later wrote: ‘For these past ten years I have been closely associated with Dr Graham in his evangelistic work … I am convinced that ultimately his work depends on his humble, committed proclamation of the Gospel based on the authority of the Word of God.’11 Inspired by his example, Allan held regular Saturday evening ‘youth rallies’, firstly in the Kelvin Hall and later at his own St George’s-Tron church. The vision of these rallies was clear: to lead young men and women to confess a personal faith in Christ and consecrate themselves to his service. Up to 5,000 young people would queue to attend these monthly meetings. Allan later exported the same rally format to different parts of Glasgow during preaching missions and then abroad. He travelled repeatedly to Canada with his policeman friend, David McNee (now Sir David McNee, the former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police). They led their own evangelistic crusades, preaching and singing to crowds of up to 12,000. Allan recognised that mass evangelism wasn’t a ‘silver bullet’, but it had its place in God’s purposes: ‘It [mass evangelism] is one ¾ only one ¾ of the roads along which the church is going to be prepared for mission. It has always been an accepted part of the Church’s ministry: and I believe that we must recognise again the place of preaching for a verdict as part of the Church’s divine commission.’ 12 Whether these large-scale rallies would attract such crowds in our contemporary post-Christian society is a matter for debate, but Graham’s ministry reminds us — as it did Tom Allan — of the absolute priority of prayerfully preaching the Word of God and calling people to repentance and faith in Christ. May God bless the declaration of the gospel in this day as we seek once more to ‘Tell Scotland’ of our Lord and Saviour. •

FOOTNOTES 1 Billy Graham, Crusade in Scotland, 8 2 T. Allan, ed., Crusade in Scotland, 8 3 J. Highet, The Scottish Churches: A Review of their State 400 Years After the Reformation. 4 F. Bardgett, The Tell Scotland Movement: Failure and Success, 139. 5 R. Ferguson, George MacLeod, 274. 6 J. Whyte, Foreword in Allan, The Face of My Parish.

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Euan Dodds serves as the Associate Minister at Holyrood Evangelical Church in Edinburgh. He is completing a BA in theological studies at Highland Theological College. He has undertaken a dissertation into the evangelistic ministry of Rev. Tom Allan and is happy to consider invitations to give a lecture on this subject

8 9

10 11 12

D.W. Bebbington, Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s, 258-259. O. Barclay, Evangelicalism in Britain 1935-1995, 71. T. Allan, AA 6.11.15 ‘Products of the Crusade’, Evening Times, 24/03/56. T. Allan, ‘The Honest Truth’, The Sunday Post, 08/07/62. T. Allan, ‘The Bible Comes Alive’, The Christian, 24/01/64. AA 6.7.6 Growing Points: Mass Evangelism, 21/06/56, 16. WEEKLY PRAYER

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PERSONAL EVANGELISM, JOY AND THE LESSONS OF A No.9 BY REV. DAVID MEREDITH, MISSION DIRECTOR

evangelistically

motivated

church

the question is: Where are the people? The church is a context from which we evangelise, but it is only part of the evangelistic matrix. The New Testament church grew rapidly when the members of that church commended their new-found faith to their family and social communities. In fact, the key to a church that sees significant conversion growth is the presence of people who are intentionally speaking about their faith; the oldschool term used to be ‘witnessing’. We do not let the church do the mission; we are the church. Do not let the church organisation become our proxy for evangelism. Look at Acts. The pattern is very similar: things happened, the gospel was presented, lives were changed and people told others about what was going on and explained the gospel. If you want a church to model evangelism, then you needn’t look further than Antioch in Acts 11. This was a church peopled by folks who had been scattered by persecution. At first, they shared the gospel with their own people group, i.e. Jews. As they got involved in a more diverse population they began to speak to Gentile Greeks, telling them the good news also. A key phrase is ‘the Lord’s hand was with

can

seriously hinder evangelism.

That’s one of those sentences where you have to slow things down and unpack what you are trying to communicate. In the Free Church, we have spent considerable time and effort looking at how we structure church as a public gathering. Any leadership team worthy of the name will have looked at everything. Our buildings will have been examined to see if they are fit for purpose and if we are good stewards of the assets God has entrusted to us. Our preaching will have been analysed and adjusted if it has been found lacking. Key questions will have been asked: Is Jesus proclaimed with clarity? Is the gospel evident at every point? Is the language intelligible and contemporary and applied to our generation? Every local church has a distinct culture and the Session will have analysed this with a view to excising the weird and unintelligible and have set the ethos to reflect winsome, God-glorifying normality. Remember this: a healthy evangelistic church will have all these things, but it will have so much more. We have a church, we may even have a steeple, but

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in love and brought us home. He has smiled on us and brought us to the feast. We have enjoyed his company, and been nourished with the finest food and wine; he now commands us to tell others about his lavish offer of life and freedom. We are not beggars telling other beggars where to find bread. We were homeless, but we are now part of the royal family; more than that, we are united to Christ. Our response: silence. In this context, silence is not golden — it’s selfish at best and criminal at worst. Our silence is a sin. Methodology is another stumbling block. Where does one begin? Reflection on strategies for witnessing is not a bad thing. At one level, there is no need for coaching. The un-named Samaritan woman of John 4 was not an approved Evangelism Explosion practitioner when she said, ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?’ Few things are

as powerful as ordinary people telling their story. The narrative of your conversion is always surprising. It roots authentic spiritual experience in the reality of an observable life. People will see that the new birth does not always emerge out of a life of dramatic debauchery, like so many of the testimonies that people like to hear in the ‘drama-fest’ which has fed many fellowships. Begin today by telling your story to someone. Remember, the subject of the story is Jesus; never us. Let’s not despise strategy altogether. If we are naturally shy, we can learn to engage people we meet by ‘chance’ on life’s journeys. If we are called to give a reason for the hope that is within us, then it’s no bad thing to think out that hope in a logical way to enable us to share it. Discipleship is another way to speak of mentoring, coaching and modelling good practice. As a denomination we can offer a short morning course entitled ‘Gossiping the Gospel’, which will introduce you to very basic concepts in personal evangelism. Stirling Free Church recently hosted a course on Christian Life and Witness facilitated by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. These courses are never the silver bullet,

the one-stop shop that solves all witnessing problems. They are a good beginning and they can begin to influence a congregation towards fostering a culture of evangelism. We can share successes and failures, fears and encouragements as we realise that we share the same trepidation about speaking naturally about Jesus. During the course of writing this article I popped into my favourite Italian sandwich shop in Edinburgh. Piera, the owner, was in great form. The shop was full, and he started to talk about the ‘Legendary No. 9’, a baguette filled with ‘smokin’ chicken with a chili kick’. He addressed the waiting queue, speaking with such passion and conviction about the No.9 that he sold eight of them. We all laughed with Piera: seven out of the eight confessed that the No. 9 was not their initial target. We had been converted. I thought, what a great evangelist he would make! We have savored the ‘bread of life’; let’s now speak in such a way that the people around us will taste, see and tell. Just imagine what could happen if we spoke with a similar joy; only with us, the Lord’s hand would be in there with us. •

2018

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them’. The result: a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. In one of our best-run new church plants, 25% of the congregation had no previous immediate church attendance before engaging with the congregation. If this figure were replicated throughout the denomination, we would be a serious threat to the kingdom of darkness! Motivation, or lack of it, seems to be an issue. In the past we might have used the word ‘zeal’, a concept which now seems strangely foreign to us. If we wanted to employ a wider vocabulary, then ‘passion’ and even ‘burden’ give us an insight into what ought to encourage us to share our faith. If we are among those who are silent about our faith, now would be a good time to enquire within for the reason. Our privatised religion indicates a malfunction at the root of our experience of Christ. We have experienced grace. God has reached out

THE LATE MURDO MURCHISON (1958-2018) BY REV. DAVID MEREDITH

of the most influential and well-known Free Church elders passed away in the early hours of Sunday, 22nd april. Murdo Murchison had lived with a terminal diagnosis for the previous 18 months, during which he started a blog that was marked by candid reflections on life and death and a wholly transparent desire to spread the gospel to as many people as was humanly possible. The blog was adapted into a best-selling book entitled One Good Owner. Murdo was born, the eldest of three children, into a respected Christian family in Kyle of Lochalsh in Wester Ross. His parents were Finlay and Elspeth Murchison. His grandfather, whose name he bore, was also an elder in the local Free Church and was known locally as ‘Muchie’. The older Murdo had built up substantial business interests in the Kyle area ranging from the motor trade and transport to fishing and a bakery. The younger Murdo was a serial entrepreneur who clearly followed the example of his grandfather. After serving an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic in the family garage in Kyle, Murdo moved to Inverness where he was employed by Donald MacKenzie Motors. It was clear that he had both a talent and ambition that could not be satisfied in Inverness. He then became a regional manager for Lancia. After a few years he followed the inevitable path of founding his own eponymous car sales business, first in Stirling and latterly in Doune. If business was hard-wired into his psyche, then the Spirit was also at work in him, guiding him to use his natural drive, acumen and vision for the gospel. He had become a Christian in his mid-teens after an awakening in the Kyle area. Like his father and grandfather before him, he became an active lay-preacher in the Wester Ross area. He was a boy preacher but his sermons were always marked by a particular urgency. He used his organisational skills to develop a series of evangelistic meetings from the Free North Church as well as helping to bring life into the Inverness and North Youth Fellowship, which had lost much of its energy. After his relocation to Gargunnock he joined the Dunblane congregation and was made an elder at an early stage. He continued to preach, but this time he used his newfound ability as a pilot for gospel intent by flying into Mull and other far-flung places to take services. Murdo married Margaret Smith, a daughter of the Scalpay manse. It was a happy marriage that produced three children: Sarah, Murdo and

Duncan. Margaret cared for Murdo to an unusually high degree, literally rarely leaving his side during the last five months of his life. The Gargunnock days were especially fruitful for both Murdo and Margaret. He had purchased the former historic manse of Gargunnock, Dinning House. This large and commodious house was soon pressed into action for the furtherance of the Kingdom. Large after-church fellowships were organised for Sunday evenings. The local church was always central in Murdo’s evangelism and discipleship. He was a man of vision, and when others were satisfied with small things he thought big. This vision was as far from a man-centred approach as you could imagine; in fact, it was his high view of the power and majesty of God that informed his insatiable drive for growth and development in the church. He had a burden for the city of Stirling. This led him to be the main driver behind the new church plant in the ‘city of the rock’. He never felt the call to be an ordained minister of word and sacrament, although he clearly had the intellectual capacity and personality to fulfil that calling. He was called to serve the local church as a supportive member, a position that ought never to be despised.

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It is difficult to understand why a man like Murdo was taken at a young age. If he was ever frustrated during his illness, it was simply because he had a sense that he had more to achieve. His time had come, and we believe that on passing to glory he immediately heard

the words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ The sympathy of the whole church is with Margaret and the family as well as with his mother, brother and sister, who all miss him dearly. We do not mourn as those without hope.•

columba’s, the largest church building in Stirling, was packed on Saturday, 28th April for the funeral service of Murdo Murchison. The service was led by Rev. David Meredith, Mission Director, a lifelong friend of the family, who had been best man at Murdo and Margaret’s wedding. Rev. Iain MacAskill, minister of Stirling Free Church, led the congregation in prayer, and Rev. Alasdair MacDonald, former minister of Dunblane, read from 2 Corinthians 5.

Dr Jim Boyd, a family friend, led the congregation in the singing of Psalms 118 and 46, and Esther Anderson accompanied the congregation on piano as they sang the Townend version of Amazing Grace. A large number of people joined the family at the grave at Gargunnock, where the gathering were reminded of our belief that ‘The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.’ •

THE LATE GAVIN S. FORREST (1941-2017) BY HAMISH TAYLOR

the passing of Gavin Scott Forrest on the evening of Tuesday, 26th December was not unexpected, it has left a very significant void in the community of South Harris. Brought up in the Isle of Man, Gavin had an illustrious career in the British Army, where he rose to the rank of Major, initially in the 2nd Parachute Regiment and subsequently in the intelligence services. While in that service, he was awarded an MBE at the age of 37 for his outstanding work as a member of BRIXMIS, a liaison unit working behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany. Back in the UK, Gavin was recruited by the security department of the Atomic Energy Authority, and became Director of Security for all nuclear establishments within the country. In ‘retirement’ Gavin, with his wife Gillian, moved to Harris in 1994. Here they gently observed and adopted the local culture, quietly and unobtrusively blending into the local community, to become valued and highly respected within a wide range of community

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hile

activities, including very active and successful crofting. A man of deep personal faith, it was within the Church that some of Gavin’s wide range of qualities were revealed. As an elder and laypreacher in the Church of Scotland, and latterly in the Free Church, he adorned his roles with grace and deep humility. It is a revealing fact that, because of his great qualities of wisdom and leadership over a particularly difficult period, Gavin was elected Moderator of the Church of Scotland Presbytery of Uist for four consecutive years and declined election for a fifth term. It is possible that this is historically unique within Presbyterian Scotland, where a Moderator normally holds office for only one year. Over the last four years, during which the symptoms of his final illness could only be abated, Gavin’s diligent witness in word, attitude and action continued to shine brightly, and he attended church with unfailing diligence. It is notable that apart from one stormy Sabbath, his only absence through the latter part of his illness

was a mere two days before he was gathered gently into the arms of his Saviour. The number attending his funeral spoke eloquently of the deep respect in which Gavin was held, and as we commit Gillian, Isla and Tracey and their extended family to the grace of the God of all comfort, we who are left for a little longer will cherish his memory and his example, as in our hearts we echo the words respectfully spoken of him in the days following his passing. • The righteous man’s memorial shall prove everlasting. Psalm 112:6

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THE RECORD INTERVIEWS.... IRENE HOWAT Many Record readers know Irene Howat as an author of children’s books, longtime editor of our children’s magazines The Instructor and Compass, and wife of Rev. Angus Howat, retired minister and Assistant Clerk to Assembly. But did you know she has written over fifty books in her career, and sold over a million? DAYSPRING MACLEOD spoke to Irene to review her life’s work to date and her most recent projects. DM: When did you start writing? IH: I’ve always written; I’ve been writing poetry since my schooldays. My career started in the 80s, when, having become increasingly disabled, I studied systematic theology and church history at the Free Church College. Douglas MacMillan asked to see my notes, as he knew I was studying the theology of living with pain. Douglas asked if he could show the notes to a friend — who turned out to be William MacKenzie at Christian Focus Publications. Those notes were published as Pain My Companion. Since then CFP have often allowed me to write my own ideas. My most successful series has been the Ten Boys/Girls Who… which accounts for nine-tenths of my total sales (over 900,000). Have you had interesting encounters and communication from readers? Yes — notably, a boy from Texas who thanked me for still being alive to write more books! Testimonies I’ve worked on have found a good response. Sometimes people want to share their own hard experiences, and often I’ve prayed that prayer from Philippians 4:7, that my mind

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and heart would be guarded, because I can’t bear all of their problems myself. Amazingly, if someone tries to discuss with me a harrowing story that I’ve written, I find I’ve completely forgotten it – but if I happen to meet the person I’ve written about, I can suddenly remember every detail. It’s part of how God guards me. You mentioned that you have a disability; I hadn’t realised that. Yes, I was in a wheelchair for a year while Angus was in college, and that started my career as a writer. I honestly thank God for it. And he has used it in other ways too. There was one occasion when I was asked to write about a missionary who’d worked with children with polio in Africa. She didn’t want to write the story, but her mission wanted it. She’d prayed the right person would come to write the book if this was the Lord’s doing. When I came to her door, she was so overwhelmed by God’s answer that she physically moved away from me. She’d worked with kids on crutches, and I had crutches — she needed a disabled person to ask the right questions, and to understand the answers. That book became In Strength Not Our Own.

How have you found that your career has affected your spiritual life? Sometimes through the people I write about. Helen Roseveare became one of my closest friends, and to walk the last ten years of her life with her was beautiful. Her books meant a lot to me as a teenager. She called me up one day and I didn’t believe it was her — she was asking for help finishing a book! We used to speak often on the telephone, and Helen ended every call with ‘Keep on keeping on.’ Another subject who affected me spiritually was Dimitry Mustafin, whom I approached after hearing him at Keswick (his book became My Beloved Russia). Dimitry had become a Christian while studying in Italy and smuggled a Bible home for his mother. She revealed that she was a Christian but had never told him because the KGB had taken away her father, a preacher. Eventually Dimitry was able to take Bibles openly to prisoners at a local jail almost every day, and became known as a good influence. At a dinner there one day he was introduced to an executioner who had worked at the time that his grandfather had been martyred

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in that prison. Dimitry couldn’t shake his hand – he pushed his hands into his pockets. And then the man said ‘Teach me to pray,’ and he had to pray with the man. When I hear a story like that, my difficulty in walking for the past thirty years doesn’t feel like something I can complain about. You write poetry in both English and Scots. Yes. If you write Christian poetry in English, no publisher will touch it. If you do it in Scots, even really overtly Christian poetry, it may well be accepted. This is a missionary area that’s available to us! And people who read poetry don’t just skim, they actually think through it. Tell me about your recent Scots poetry book. The Crackit Cup. I wrote it for the centenary of the end of the Great War this year. I’d been thinking about the necessity of not repeating history. It’s the story of man who didn’t go to war because he was not intellectually able. Yet, in his brokenness, he was able to hold his village together. This character, Tam, had been on my mind for a while and I loved him before I wrote him! Another thing you’re actively working on just now is the Story-a-Month Club, where you email a story of a Christian hero to kids once a month, along with colouring and puzzle sheets. The SAM Club grew out of my concern that children are brought up with celebrities, not heroes. They don’t know David Livingstone or Florence Nightingale. I introduce these Christian heroes so that children can understand that, in God’s plans, they can be like the person in the story. Membership is free now for anyone who wants to sign up. There’s a theme in your writing that you’re interested in discipleship. So what would your advice to be others who would like to make a career in Christian writing? Do it. People talk about writing but don’t do it! Find a successful writer to mentor you. Be encouraged by them and learn from them. Try not to see it as a potential job! Most people don’t earn a living from it, but you can still be used by God. And another resource is the Scottish Fellowship of Christian Writers. •

Irene’s Story-a-Month Club is a free resource for children (of all ages!) who would like to discover a different Christian hero each month. Many of her subjects are little known or told from a fresh point of view, which makes the story a fun read for both children and parents – or grandparents! Colouring and puzzle sheets are included. Visit story-a-month-club.org.uk for a sample pack.

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hose of us who are older will often remark how quickly the years have gone by. Those of us who

are getting older (100% — even for those who think they can stay forever young) should recognise that every day/month/year that goes by has gone, and we won’t get them back. Despite HG Wells and Hollywood, there is no time machine which will enable us to get back the years. Time is precious — an unswappable commodity. I was recently in a discussion with someone who worked out that he was paid £250 per day for the work he does, and he was concerned about how he spent his time, because it is valued and valuable. Last month we saw that there is a time for everything. This month’s passage (Ecclesiastes 3:11) is a beautiful reflection on the burden of time. If the notion of time is difficult enough to understand and hurts my head even thinking about it, the idea of eternity, to which the Preacher now turns, blows my mind. Time is one thing. Timelessness is quite another. I remember, as a child, trying to imagine not existing. It was impossible. Impossible because God has set eternity in our hearts. To me this is the greatest apologetic for God — the sense of beauty and the sense of eternity in the human heart. There is something inside us that gives us that awareness of eternity. We have a capacity for eternal things; we are concerned about the future; we want to understand from the beginning to the end; and we have a sense of wonder, of beauty, that transcends our immediate situation. This leads us to a Godconsciousness that is part of our nature. Paul tells us that we are naturally theists because ‘since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse’ (see Romans 1:18-21). This is interesting because, whereas most contemporary atheists think it is an obvious point that humans are born atheistic and have to be ‘indoctrinated’ to believe in God, there are those who agree with Richard Dawkins and the psychologist Dorothy Kelman that we are instinctively born with an awareness of a Creator. They regard this as an evolutionary throwback that people need to be ‘educated’ out of. The Bible’s perspective is that we have this inbuilt awareness of God because He is. We are made in his image and we have this sense of eternity and beauty within us. There is a negative side to this. It is a burden. We have this sense of eternity and this sense of beauty. But we cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to the end. Walter Kaiser speaks of this as being ‘a deep-seated desire, a compulsive drive. To know the character, composition and meaning of the world…and to discern its purpose and destiny.’ There is nothing under the sun that can ultimately satisfy this sense of the eternal — there is always a striving after beauty, a striving after the One. We have a desire to progress — we long for beauty. We long to improve and to make things better.

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GOSPEL FOR TODAY’S SOCIETY: ECCLESIASTES 3:9-11 THE RECORD

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We boast about being ‘progressive’ in terms of values, but the only real progress we have made is technological. However, the progress that has brought us the internet and penicillin has also brought us nuclear weapons and global warming. In many ways, with labour-saving devices and the increase in leisure and pleasure time, we should be freer to enjoy life — but we are frustrated and disappointed that freedom and comfort have not brought meaning and peace to our lives. Take for example, the internet. It is a brilliant invention that brings many wonderful things and possibilities — you may be reading this because of it! But as with all human inventions, there is a downside. This week a former Facebook vice-president, Chamath Palihapitiya, gave a widely reported talk at Stanford Graduate School of Business, in which he lamented his role in creating Facebook: ‘The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works. No civil discourse, no cooperation, misinformation, mistruth.’ There are so many wonderful things about modern life, but it is a fact that the most technologically advanced countries are also marked by family breakdown, drug addiction, abortion, violent crime, homelessness and suicide. As Malcolm Muggeridge observed, ‘The result is almost invariably the exact opposite of what’s intended. Thus expanding public education has served to increase illiteracy; half a century of pacifist agitation has resulted in the two most ferocious and destructive wars in history; political egalitarianism has made for a heightened class-consciousness…and sexual freedom has led to erotomania on a scale hitherto undreamed of.’ What is the solution to this burden? We need to bring God into the equation. Not human religion. Not manmade gods. But God. The word for beauty in v.11 (Yapeh) is very close to Yahweh — the name for God. The sense of beauty within us is what CS Lewis called ‘drippings of grace’, which point us to Christ. These are moments of transcendence. Personally, for me this means Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, sitting in Glen Doll in the Scottish Highlands, holding a newborn baby in my arms. All of us experience moments like these. It’s what we do with them that counts. Without God we forget and misuse them. God gives us the capacity for pleasure — taste buds, sexual drive and the ability to appreciate beauty – but without him that will lead to overindulgence and destruction. We turn nudity into pornography, wine into alcoholism, food into gluttony, and human diversity into racism and prejudice. Instead of being good gifts they become destructive to us. Our life becomes a waste — either frittered away or burnt out in overactivity. God has given us this burden of eternity and the desire for beauty. He has also given us the source of that beauty — the fountain of light, life and love — Christ. This summer, in the midst of all our fragility, stress, sin and ugliness, may the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us. •

BURDEN AND THE BEAUTY 2018

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THE

ETS CENTRE FOR MISSION BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

ne of the main projects currently happening at ets is the development of the new centre for mission. This

is a very exciting development and one that we hope will provide a wide range of training opportunities for the mission of the church, both in Scotland and overseas. The Centre for Mission is based on the top floor of the ETS building, where there are several newly refurbished rooms and study areas. It will also have access to the larger lecture rooms in ETS for workshops and conferences. The Centre for Mission already has a well-resourced library, which is growing bigger all the time. As well as new purchases, the library has recently benefitted from some excellent material donated by experienced missionaries and scholars of mission. There are also facilities for online study and distance learning. But what exactly is going to happen at ETS Centre for Mission? Who can study there? And what can you learn? Well, here is a brief outline of the plan. The courses at the Centre for Mission are going to be structured across four different levels. LEVEL 1. SERVING TOGETHER: GIFTS FOR LOCAL MISSION These are courses designed to equip local congregations to reach out to the communities around them. This is a foundational part of the Centre for Mission because, ever since the New Testament, the local church has been the primary means through which the good news of Jesus Christ has spread. These courses aim to help God’s people develop their gifts, serve in their congregation and reach out to the local community. Examples of the type of course that will be offered are training for deacons, elders, treasurers, Sunday School teachers, youth workers, and for husbands, wives and families. LEVEL 2. SETTING OUT: MENTORED FOR MISSION These courses aim to provide focused training for men and women hoping to enter into particular mission work, either here in Scotland or overseas. Some areas of mission require specialist knowledge and skills, so the aim of these courses is to give opportunities for those who are setting out on mission to learn from those who already have experience in the particular mission field to which God is calling them. This of course follows the pattern set in the New Testament; when the young Timothy was preparing to carry the responsibility of bringing the gospel to the next generation, he was given a wealth of advice from Paul, who was near the end of his ministry and ready to share what he had learned. It is precisely this kind of model the ETS Centre for Mission will follow – learning from those who have served before. Under this umbrella, we hope to offer those who are ‘setting out’ Short Mission Courses and specific one-to-one Mentoring for Mission. Examples of the areas that will be covered are: • Bible and mission • Mission in the modern world – historicalsketches • Motivating mission • Spiritual conflict • Engaging with religions • Current issues in mission • Creative access mission • Cross-cultural mission • Urban and rural church planting • Urban and rural church revitalisation

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LEVEL 3. TIME OUT: REFRESHMENT IN MISSION These are refresher courses – sabbaticals – for those who need some ‘time out’ in order to be strengthened to go back into mission and ministry. That might be missionaries overseas, people involved in outreach activity in Scotland, or those who are in pastoral ministry. Courses can be chosen on an individual basis, so are therefore tailored to suit specific needs. It is hoped that this can be an enormous help to missionaries who are already on the field and need refreshment, encouragement, or perhaps the theological training they were not able to get before they began to serve. Refresher courses can be short research periods extending from a week to three months or more, with or without supervision. Such sabbaticals will be of real help for pastors or others who are thinking through ethical, biblical, theological, historical, ecclesiastical or missiological issues which will impact their congregational life and mission. LEVEL 4. DIGGING DEEP: RESEARCH FOR MISSION This level will provide postgraduate missiological programmes. At the heart of these courses lies the conviction that mission is not something that should be viewed simply as a practical, hands-on activity. Mission should also be the subject of the highest level of academic research and study. Such research will enable students to think through particular missiological issues and to understand the new challenges to mission that arise in an ever-changing world. Such research is very valuable in order to deliver training and education in theology and mission. Initially, students will be able to choose between two postgraduate programmes. They can study for the Master of Theology, which is a research-based degree involving either one year of full-time (on-campus) study or two years of part-time (off-campus) study. Alternatively, they can choose the Master of Theology in Missiology. This is a programme delivered by means of prescribed courses involving either one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. This will enable students to focus in on several areas that suit their interests, such as the Bible, Theology and Mission, History and Mission, Current Issues in Mission, and Mission into the 21st Century. The Centre for Mission is being co-ordinated by Prof John Angus MacLeod and Dr Alistair Wilson. Prof John Angus commented, ‘Our aim in the ETS Centre for Mission is to serve God’s servants and prepare God’s people for God’s mission. That’s a huge, but honourable, task, and it really is great that the Free Church of Scotland is so keen to support this vision.’ Dr Wilson added, ‘Mission is a task of such great importance that it deserves the whole-hearted investment of our best human, intellectual, and financial resources. It is a great privilege to serve the church through the ETS Centre for Mission as we seek to enthuse, inform, and equip God’s people for participation in God’s mission.’ Please continue to pray for the ongoing development for the Centre for Mission. Our great hope is that it will help many, many people to go out and share the gospel. So we look forward to welcoming you as Centre for Mission students! •

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BOOK REVIEWS

The Church in Antioch — First Century Lessons for Church Life Today Not many books have been based on the life of this prominent church. MALCOLM MACLEAN reviews one that has.

from reading the Book of Acts that the church in Antioch played a prominent role in the spread of the Christian faith in its early days. Antioch was where believers were first given the name ‘Christians’ and it was there that the believers began to bring the gospel to Gentiles. The church also had a competent leadership, among whom were Barnabas and Paul. It was from this church that the so-called missionary journeys of Paul commenced, and he returned to it whenever each journey was over. Rather surprisingly, given its prominence, there are not many books based on the life of this church, although one can read about what took place there in commentaries on Acts. So this book by William Nelson, which explores the features of this church mentioned by Luke and considers how they can be applied in church life today, is useful. It is not difficult for contemporary churches to work out whether their structures and methods are as flexible and useful as those once found in Antioch. Of course, the ones mentioned about Antioch are the biblical standard and we judge our churches by what they did. They are not mentioned just to be admired, however, but also to be imitated. What features were found in this church? In twelve chapters, t is obvious

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the author points out that it was a well-led church, a well-fed church, a worshipping church, a praying church, an evangelistic church, a Holy Spirit-based church, a united church, a giving church, a hospitable church, a maturing church and an encouraging church. One need only look at the adjectives in the list to see why the church prospered. Questions arise today about the quality of leadership, the depth and relevance of teaching, the nature of worship, the decline in attendances, the effectiveness of prayer meetings, the failure to make much penetration in urban situations with the gospel, and the reality of the presence of the Spirit in our gatherings. This book may not ask all the questions and does not provide all the answers. Yet it gives an opportunity to reflect on church life and assess where we are in comparison to a New Testament church that clearly displayed the features of a gospel church. • It would be useful for leaders and others to meet together and discuss the aspects of church life mentioned in each chapter. The chapters are followed by some questions and others could easily be added to them as far as local situations are concerned. After all, one thing seems true, and that is that churches like the one in Antioch will know divine blessing. •

THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH WILLIAM NELSON DAYONE (2018) WWW.DAYONE.CO.UK £7.00

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FREE CHURCH BOOKS: REVIEWS Planting Missional Churches, Ed Stetzer & Daniel Im (2006) There is no doubt that church planting is a ‘thing’ just now in the Free Church — and everywhere. It’s a subject that generates excitement but is also met with indifference or even antipathy. If you want to understand the biblical basis and also the ministry philosophy behind planting, then this is the ‘go to’ book. People are puzzled by certain aspects of church planting, including the pre-plant phase and the role of the core group. Folk may ask why you would wish to plant a new church, sometimes just yards from an existing church. These are all understandable and legitimate questions. Every congregation would benefit from the thinking behind church planting, and for this reason the book would benefit all. • David Meredith, Mission Director Divine Comedy – Human Tragedy, Glen Scrivener (2018) Don’t be fooled into thinking that small books can’t carry a powerful message. This compact but fastpaced book examines whether life is a comedy or tragedy and takes us on the journey travelled by Jesus from the heavenly heights to the depths, and back again. Scrivener does well to acknowledge the harsh realities of our tragic world but presents the sure and certain hope that a resurrected Jesus has given us: ‘It’s the stuff of fairy tales. Except that this fairy tale has come true.’ Believer, I challenge you to read this book, then pass it to a non-believing friend. It will make both of you think carefully about your life story and how Jesus has entered it. • Carina Maciver, Dowanvale Free Church Why I Believe, Roger Carswell (2018) Is the Bible the Word of God? Is the Devil real? Why is the world such a mess? Is there life after death? Is Jesus the only way to God? These questions, and more, are explored in Roger Carswell’s Why I Believe. Ever the evangelist, Roger writes not only to inform but to transform by calling the reader to receive Christ. Whilst this is written with the non-believer in mind, I would say it is particularly suitable for the seeker or new Christian. The final chapter is incredibly helpful in the way it lays down foundations for new Christians. • John Caldwell, Stirling Free Church

Heaven on Earth, Derek Thomas (2018) This is a brilliant little book about a mind-blowingly big subject. It is all about heaven. But in particular, Thomas reminds us that the biblical promise is not that we will spend our time sitting on clouds and playing harps. The promise is a new heaven and a new earth; a renewed creation where the world in which we live now will be transformed. It will be free from the curse of sin and restored to everything that it was originally made to be. The book touches on many issues that we don’t often talk about; what happens when we die, what heaven (before the Second Coming) will be like, and then what we should expect when Jesus returns, and after the whole of creation is renewed. One of the best parts of the book is that it raises (and almost always tries to answer) very practical questions about the new creation. Will we know each other? Thomas says yes. Will we eat there? Yes again. Will there be music, art and literature? Absolutely. Will there be dogs?! Yes, he actually asks that question, but you’ll have to read the book yourself to get the answer! These questions are great because a) we all think about them but are probably too shy to ask, and b) the answers emphasise what an exciting prospect it is to be spending eternity with Jesus in his amazing new creation. And that is really the best part of the whole book. It is a reminder that, for the Christian, the best is yet to come, and at the heart of that is the fact that we will spend eternity together worshipping, serving and enjoying our perfect Saviour, Jesus Christ.• Thomas Davis, Carloway Free Church

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2018

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Christian Doctors in the Eye of the Storm CMF Head of Communications, JOHN MARTIN, reports on its 2018 National Conference

‘H

ow should we respond when we are critiqued,

It has launched a network of doctors working with refugees and asylum seekers. Many of them come to the UK with medical issues not often seen here. Some have suffered torture. As one speaker told the conference, to work with them a Christian doctor needs, like the Apostle Paul, to be ‘very culturally competent – he knew how to align.’ He said people in Europe continue to mistreat the alien, a problem that was rife as long ago as the time of the prophet Ezekiel. CMF seeks to be a fellowship, facing outwards to ethical issues and social justice, inwards in mutual support. One CMF veteran member attending the conference told me she joined CMF in 1957. ‘In those days junior doctors were moved about all the time. I owe so much to older CMF members who kept in touch with me and mentored me, both in my career in paediatric medicine and my faith.’ CMF conferences are family friendly. In addition to the 400 adults attending, there were 80 children with their own programme provided by a team from Youth With a Mission. I met three generations of one family: grandparents now beyond retirement age, parents and four children. ‘In the early days when our children were young,’ the grandfather recalled, ‘work as a GP was very demanding. But our kids so looked forward to the CMF conferences, so they pushed us into coming.’ There are about 600 CMF members in Scotland, and the Fellowship operates in regions roughly akin to those of the three Scottish National Health Service regions. During the last twelve months CMF has begun to devolve more of its work onto local teams, with one pilot region in Scotland. Leading the work is Dr Audrey Chalmers, who combines CMF with two days a week as an emergency doctor in the northeast of Glasgow. ‘My hope is to release local Christian doctors to serve Christ in the workplace. I want to see Christian doctors better supported, better equipped to serve Christ in the NHS.’ There has been a spurt of growth, particularly in the Inverness area. A new medical school due to open shortly in Inverness will provide new opportunities for student evangelism and for graduate doctors to offer hospitality and support to students. ‘I get enormous satisfaction from seeing younger doctors mature in their faith and develop a heart for mission,’ Audrey says. •

or even worse, deliberately slandered?’

Michael Ramsden, from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, posed this question to 400 Christian doctors, medical students and nurses. They had assembled for the 2018 national conference of the Christian Medical Fellowship, in Stone, Staffordshire (28-29 April). He said Christians today find themselves ‘in an increasingly angry and slanderous world where people seem willing to make up just about anything about anybody to achieve their ends.’ CMF chose the conference theme ‘Dare to Stand’, reflecting how Christian doctors need to be counter-cultural, ready and equipped to oppose the prevailing tide. Michael Ramsden drew from the example of the Apostle Paul and the Corinthians for clues on how to meet the demands a hostile culture places on us, noting that his response to slander and attack was not self-righteous pity, which is so much the tenor of our times. ‘When we are selfrighteously angry we get into trouble so quickly.’

CMF, with a membership of 4,000 doctors and 1,000 medical students, increasingly finds itself in the eye of the storm. CMF CEO Dr Peter Saunders reflects that Christian doctors face extraordinary pressures. ‘Not only do we often feel asked to do the impossible with inadequate resources, but our own sense of duty can drive us to take on responsibilities that surpass our ability to cope.’ As well as supporting its members, the Fellowship is active in public policy issues. There have been more than ten failed attempts in recent years to legislate for assisted suicide in the various UK parliaments. Now those campaigning for it have shifted focus to fighting through the courts. Guernsey and the Isle of Man likewise are assisted suicide battlegrounds and CMF is resourcing locals in opposition. The conference seminar programme included sharing experiences of sensitive issues for Christian doctors like dealing with abortion requests and transgender patients. While serving in the National Health Service is demanding, the vision of CMF extends beyond the British Isles. Over 200 members work internationally. Whereas once most of these were in missionary service, a CMF member working outside the UK today may be a trainer, researcher, engaged in public health or a whole variety of government and NGO posts. A further challenge for CMF members is migrant health.

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CAN A MINNOW CRITIQUE A WHALE? BY SIMON MANCHESTER Dear friends, I’ve never been to it, but I’m conscious that in my very secular city we have a famous gathering called ‘Hillsong’ which must surely say to our city that the church is not old and dead. Not only is the original Hillsong here, but there are Hillsong plants in many cities in the world, and their music is known and sung widely. (I remember meeting a lifesaver in Hawaii and all he knew about Australia was Hillsong!) The pastor Brian Houston is my age and we’ve never met, but I’m conscious that he is a remarkable leader and someone, unlike so many of us, who encourages and rejoices in positive ways about life and ministry! And now I’ve read his new book, There is More: When the World Says You Can’t, God Says You Can. There is much in the book that is valuable. I loved his quote from Corrie ten Boom that ‘when a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away your ticket and jump, you sit still and trust the driver’. But having been reading the Bible for forty-eight years, I find something is centrally different about his approach and mine. And since his approach has affected more people than mine ever will, I find myself cautious about commenting, yet concerned as well. It’s a strange thing to take the Joseph example and talk about the need to dream dreams. The Bible is descriptive about God’s work in and through Joseph but not prescriptive that I should be a dreamer. The New Testament has nothing to say — that I can think of — on the profit of dreaming. It’s also a strange thing to take the incident where Jesus tells the disciples to put out into the deep to catch fish — and then use the illustration to urge us to take risks, etc. The actual effect of the incident in Luke 5 is to make Peter conscious of sin and Jesus’ holiness, not to be adventurous. What I think I’m reading in the book is a great emphasis on me and what God might do for and through me — rather than a great emphasis on him and what he is at work to do for his own glory as he uses us to that end. I’m giving you my hunch. One example of this is the power of the word. Brian Houston says that our words hold creative power. ‘They can breathe life into dead situations, create hope where there was none. You can speak life into your marriage, your spouse, your families. You can speak destiny and purpose into your children’s little bodies…into your wellbeing and your finances’ (page 71). What the Bible says is that God speaks powerfully, but it sounds in the book as if God’s creative word becomes mine. Another example is where he quotes from 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 on the ‘natural, then the spiritual body’. The apostle is explaining what God will do in changing our earthly body one day into a resurrection body. But Brian Houston gives the work to me to pursue my natural obligations with a view to producing my spiritual progress. The task has moved from God to me. One of the very honest parts of the book is the emphasis on troubles and trials in the Christian life. He does not present some victorious and triumphant Christianity, but is honest and realistic (though I’m not sure what it means that Jesus ‘died to bring heaven to earth’ on page 94). What I am saying in all this, as I read this book and reflect on an amazing work that has reached tens of thousands who gather in Hillsong churches around the world, is who is at the centre of the message? Because it’s a very different thing to be told that he (the Lord) has great power and might — and to be told that I might have it as well. If I take what only he can do and make it something that I can do (or he will help me do), then even my praise will shift from ‘you are worthy’ to ‘you are helpful’. Pray for us all to be truly Christ-centred. • Yours, Simon Manchester

2018

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Letter from

South Korea BY CALLUM BOWSIE

‘N

more war!’ Those three words from one of my students gave me goosebumps as I walked into my classroom today. Being able to hear a young child of any country utter those words is very powerful. My students had just watched, live at school, the leaders of North and South Korea meet at the DMZ border to agree to end a 65-year war. It truly was a momentous moment in Korean history and world politics. o

tensions. Although it seems that Korea’s safer than the UK now! The events started turning when the Koreas teamed up for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, which I had the privilege of attending in March. From that, a summit was announced between not only North and South Korea, but America also. I deliberately don’t write about NK for a number of reasons. One is because of the Western sensationalism of NK which has

we should not allow conflict to become its lowest common dominator, especially if we want that conflict to end. I detest it when it happens in my own country (Northern Ireland), and likewise, Koreans detest it when the only fascination with their country is a conflict. What annoys them further is when this tragic and enduring conflict becomes the subject of dramatisation and even comedy abroad and thus only perpetuates the

'When we met, it’s harder. We realised we cannot be separated, we are one nation, and that is how I felt.’ It has been an interesting year to live in Korea, to say the least. I came here seven months ago when tensions were at an alltime high. People thought I was crazy, but I came out of a love for Korea and in spite of the

only added to the problem. In my own weekly blog from SK, despite requests, I’ve yet to mention the issue of NK for this reason. SK is a beautiful and fascinating country in its own right. So is NK for that matter, and

misunderstanding of Koreans, both north and south. Ironically, by coming to Korea I got away from all the hype over Korea. Here the issue of NK is not talked about at all really unless something significant happens. However, it is

Leaders of North and South Korea shake hands at the DMZ border.

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an abiding issue that clearly sits at the back of many Koreans’ minds. Deep down, Koreans north and south long for reunification. They realise that a divided peninsula is a divided family and the division has divided real families — including the ancestry of two Korean leaders. It’s this ancient ancestry that should and can trump contemporary politics and it’s why, if there’s ever been an unnecessary border, it’s Korea’s. In Kim’s own words today,

process does not deal with the complex issues in a respectful manner and supported by an impartial international community. The goal should be peace, and from that unity will come naturally, God willing. The hard work is only starting, most notably that of reconciliation. It is a long process and it needs those who have the disposition to encourage genuine truth, justice, forgiveness and ultimately repentance.

been more prayer meetings about the Korean summit than anyone can count. And weren’t the results striking?! It’s testimony that peace is not only achieved through diplomacy but through prayer, often for decades. May we respond to our own personal and national strife with such persistent prayer too. And may we remember that God’s seemingly unusual timings and ways are always perfect! •

Throughout the world — be it in Northern Ireland, South Africa, or Rwanda — it has been a strong Christian church that has been instrumental in each reconciliation process. Fortunately for Korea, the Church here is arguably one of the most formidable church bodies in the world (it has the second largest number of missionaries serving abroad, behind America), and I believe that if they remain faithful, they are up to the task. Wonderfully, the Korean Church already takes very seriously their mission to their sister nation. Early morning prayer meetings for NK are a common occurrence throughout all the church denominations here. This week alone there have

This is my last Letter from South Korea, but you can receive my weekly blog from SK by emailing: Cbowsie@hotmail.co.uk

A united Korean team at the Winter Olympics.

‘When we met, it’s harder. We realised we cannot be separated, we are one nation, and that is how I felt.’ God is at work in Korea! The Korean Church and the wider circle praying for Korea have believed this for some years now. We have seen God answer prayers, stir hearts, open doors, and reveal himself! God has certainly not forgotten about the Korean people and nor should we. But there are many challenges ahead and Korea must not get ahead of itself. Right now, North and South Korea could not be any more different from each other. Therefore, merely aiming for reunification is futile if the

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Callum at Gyeongbokgung (the main royal palace of Korea, built in 1395).

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POETRY PAGE ROBBIE 1 BY IRENE HOWAT IN SCOTS AND IN ENGLISH

Robbie 1

A thoucht o hame, a wearit fur hame. Hame wis narrer by me nor the fechtin.

I thought about home, I longed for home. Home was nearer to me than the fighting.

A herkent peewits ower the brattle an the souch o the hame wun as A sprachled up an ower, up an ower, up an ower.

I heard lapwing calling above the noise of battle and the soft sighing winds of home as I scrambled up and over, up and over, up and over.

A cud hare the bairn yaummerin an hud a waff o Masie aside me.

I could hear my baby burbling and smell Maisie by my side.

A kent A wis gaun gyte, bit it wis easement tae be gyte it Passchendaele.

I knew I was going mad, but it was a comfort to be mad at Passchendaele.

ÂŠDTImaging - stock.adobe.com

Robbie 1

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Dochas gun chrioch (Endless Hope) LE JANET NICPHÀIL

haoil mi gun cuala sinn searmon o chionn ghoirid a bha mar ‘chuirm de nithean blasta, cuirm de fhìon aosta air a dheagh tharraing’. Anns an t-searmon bha sinn a’ cuimhneachadh air an Abstol Pòl anns a’ phrìosan, ann an suidheachadh glè mhì-chofhurtail, ach inntinn ann an Glòir còmhla ri Criosd, an staid a bha e a’ faicinn a b’ fheàrr a bh’ann. Bha e ceangailte ann am prìosan, ach gidheadh, bha Fear còmhla ris anns a’ phrìosan a bha a’ cumail a chridhe ris, agus a bha a’ cumail a dhòchais beò. Chleachd e an suidheachadh-sa gu bhith a’ searmonachadh, agus chualas mu dheidhinn eadhon anns an lùchairt. Ged a bha Pòl, an t-Abstol, togarrach gu falbh, smaoinich sinn air iomadh nì a cheangladh duine ris an t-saoghal a bha an làthair: b’iad sin teaghlach, dàimhean agus luchd-gràidh, ach nuair a thigeadh an t-àm dhuinn seo fhàgail, bhiodh ròp’ an dèidh ròp’ mar gum biodh, air fhuasgladh, gus mu dheireadh an robh gach ròp’ a bha gar ceangal ris an t-saoghal-sa air fhuasgladh, agus an uair sin bha am fear no an tè, a’fàgail an t-saoghail-sa gu bhith beò maille ri Criosd. B’e samhla àlainn a bh’ann a bhith a’ faicinn beatha mar bhàta ceangailte aig cala, agus aon an-dèidh aon de na ceanglaichean air am fuasgladh, gus mu dheireadh am faic sinn am bàta a’ falbh. Thuirt an teachdaire gu faodadh iomadh duine a bhith san èisteachd a bha a’ cuimhneachadh air blàths an dachaighean uair-eigin le luchd-gràidh a bha socair, coibhneil, ach an-diugh ’s dòcha nach robh duine air fhàgail annta. Bha sinn a’ faireachdainn san èisteachd gur e a bh’annainn ‘Clann na Sìorraidheachd’, agus biodh ar beatha an seo milis no searbh, thigeadh crìoch air anns an àite-sa. Dh’fhaodadh criomag den bhàrdachd ‘ Triall nan Athraichean’ le Pàdruig Caimbeul nach maireann, a bhith glè fhreagarrach, agus am bàrd a’ faicinn ginealach an-dèidh ginealach a’ falbh. ‘Mar uisge nan aibhnichean làn tha astar gu sàl nan cùrs’ a’ caitheamh gach fìn’ agus àl mar bhleideagaibh bàn am bùrn’. Bha an t-Abstol Pòl eudmhor na Chrìosdaidh, ’s nach do dh’fhàg e dìleab de sgrìobhaidhean againn? Bha e cuideachd eudmhor an-aghaidh nan Crìosdaidhean mus tàinig atharrachadh air, ag aontachadh ri bàs Stèphein, ach nuair a thàinig an solas na chridhe air an rathad a Dhamascus, b’e sin nuair a chaidh a bheatha a thoirt gu tur dhan Chruthaidhear. Bha adhbhar a’ Chruthaidheir agus ainm mòr a’ Chruthaidheir air a thogail an-àirde agus e cho eudmhor a‘ fianaiseachadh air A thaobh.

2018

Nuair a chitheadh sinn prìsealachd an ainm sin, b’e ar staid fhìn agus ar peacaidhean fhìn a bha a’ dèanamh dragh dhuinn. A-rithist a’ beachdachadh air mar a bha an t-Abstol air a theannachadh eadar dhà nì,‘ fantainn san fheòil, no bàs fhaotainn agus a bhith maille ri Criosd’, thuirt an teachdaire gu robh Soisgeulaiche ainmeil a bhàsaich o chionn ghoirid ag ràdh uair-eigin,‘An là a chluinneas sibh gun do bhàsaich mise, na creidibh facal dheth; bidh mise nas beò an uair sin na bha mi a-riamh’. Bha misneach air a thoirt dhaibhsan nach robh cinnteach an robh fìor chreideamh aca; chaidh a ràdh gur e a bha seo ach sìol neo-thruaillidh. Bha seo misneachail dhan t-sluagh air fad, a dh’ fhaodadh a bhith a’ caoidh an staid gu spioradail. Bha Facal Dhè a’ beathachadh an t-sluaigh agus a’ misneachadh iomadh cridhe san èisteachd gu bhith a’ dèanamh roghainn den chuid mhaith sin nach toirear bhuapa. Nam biodh Criosd aca aig deireadh gach nì, b’e dòchas gun chrìoch a bha romhpa, ach mur biodh Criosd aca, b’e crìoch gun dòchas a bh’ann. Facail shòlaimte dhuinn uile. (B’e an t-Urramach Seumas MacDhòmhnaill a bha a’ searmonachadh agus tha sinn a’ toirt taing dha). Anns a’ phrìosan. Nam shuidhe an seo a’ cuimhneachadh air an t-Solas ghlòrmhor shoillseach ud. Chaidh mo bheatha a chur mun cuairt an là nach tèid à cuimhne dhomh. Ach an-dràsta tha mi beò mì-chofhurtail le dòchas mòr. Nì prìosan cùbaid glè mhath dhomhs’ ’s cluinnear san lùchairt mu Shlànaighear beò. Bidh mi taingeil Dha gu sìor airson an dòchais ’s gun air crìoch. Bidh mo bheatha-sa na Làimh Àit’ tèarainte gu ruig mi a-null. •

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t’s

that time again . The time where David Robertson, the editor, the boss, the head honcho, reaches out to his chief underling, the columnist/ copy editor, with an ominous message. ‘Have you got your column for June?’ No, folks, I don’t have my column for June. For the first time in a while, I looked back in my mental files and thought: I’ve got nothing. Oh, it’s not that God hasn’t been speaking to me throughout the last few weeks. It’s been a month of realising my weakness. Repeatedly. Like when the three-year-old was going through a period of particular defiance, coinciding with my own period of particular impatience, and the baby’s period of learning how to hit really hard. That was

housework, the conviction of sin and scariness of repentance, the worry, the failure. But enough about me… Elsewhere in this issue, David Meredith points out that, in a testimony, Jesus should always be the subject of the story. Do you know what kind of story sees ME as the subject? A story with a God-shaped hole. One where ME is relying on her own strength to get through the parenting crisis, the worries, the exhaustion, the goodbyes, even the repentance. And since mine is not even a particularly hard life, just an ordinary life, I’m sure many of you have been to this place too. I wouldn’t say it’s as bad as a Slough of Despond. More a Slog of Despond. We’re just slogging along, some

THE SLOG OF DESPOND BY DAYSPRING MACLEOD

when I realised I need God’s strength to be a parent, and I need the humility of asking for help and advice and even criticism. There were days when my primary ‘thanskgiving’ was ‘thank you the day is over’. And when I realised that the renovations on our house are not going to take place as soon as I had hoped, meaning that I also won’t be going home to America as soon as I had hoped. That was when I realised that I need to submit to God’s plans, not try to push mine through. Incumbent on this was realising that I will only see my parents for four full days this year. My parents are getting older. So are my kids. The separation hurts, if possible, more every time we say goodbye. So I made a conscious decision to give thanks for the brief period we would have together rather than mourning the time we didn’t have. A resolution that went out the window the second they left for the airport. And then there were the long interruptions in the night when the baby was waking up for an hour each night with eczema. There was the almost complete lack of freelance work for weeks at a time. There was the discouragement and anxiety and feelings of helplessness when I saw people I’ve been praying for for years taking backward steps. There were the unanswered emails, the writer’s block, the lack of time and sleep, the repetition of

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months. We’re reading, we’re praying. We’re just not relying. We have faith that he’s there, just not faith that he’ll help. What if there were abundance? What if some miracle-worker came along one day and said ‘Excuse me, dear, that’s too heavy for you. Give it here — I’ll carry it. No, ALL of it — all or nothing! ‘Yes, goodbyes are hard…I’ll tell you what, would it help if you knew a day was coming when you wouldn’t have to do that again? And yes, I know it’s scary not having work; but if you’re working all the time, when would you get to rest? I’ll take care of the shortfall, don’t worry about that. ‘It certainly is hard to see people you love struggling in life — but you’re not their provider, and you’re not their Holy Spirit. I Am. You keep talking to me about them, and if I want you to use you in their lives, I’ll go with you, and I’ll give you the words. ‘Too heavy for me? You want to take it back? No, this yoke is mine. Just remember one thing. Stay in step. Look for Me. If this is my burden, this is my story.’• I will…heal them, and reveal to them the abundance of peace. Jeremiah 33:6

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Positively Presbyterian Conference 2018 The 2018 Positively Presbyterian conference is to be held at Lendrick Muir, Rumbling Bridge, Kinross. KY13 0QA (www.suscotland.org.uk/lendrickmuir) th The programme starts with Dinner at 6.30 p.m. on Monday 20 August and finishes with lunch nd at 1.00 p.m. on Wednesday 22 August. It would be good to see you at the conference where you will enjoy the talks, times of fellowship and relaxation. Please note the dates in your diary. The cost of the conference will be ￡120 which can either be paid in advance or at the event. Day visitors are also welcome. (Fee for Tuesday will be ￡35.00 and for Wednesday ￡30.00) Do let your congregation know about this event. It is open to all: ministers, office-bearers, non-ordained workers, men and women. To book just email Clive Bailey at cliveandruth@gmail.com as soon as possible. Programme: Monday 20th August 6.30 pm 8.00 – 9.15 9.15-10.00 Tuesday 21st August 8.00 - 9.30: 9.30 - 11.00 11.00 - 11.30 11.30 - 1.00 1.00 2.30- 4.00 4.30 - 6.00 6.00 - 8.00 8.00 - 9.30 9.30 - 10.00 10.00 Wednesday 22nd August 8.00 - 9.30 9.30 - 11.00 11.00 - 11.30 11.30 - 1.00 1.00 Lunch

Pos Pres Dinner Session 1: Rev. David Meredith “Missio Dei” Evening Worship – Rev. Angus Macrae Breakfast and devotional – Rev. Angus Macrae Session 2-Rev. Dr. John Ross- “Billy Graham-His life and legacy” Coffee Session 3: Rev. Ivor Macdonald- “Scottish Identity- a Christian view" Lunch + Free time Football Match : North v South (County v City) Session 4: Rev. Kenny Boyd- “The Italian Job … crosscultural mission in Europe today.’ Dinner Session 5: Rev. Dr. Alistair Wilson- “The other Bavinck” Coffee Evening Worship – Rev. Angus Macrae Breakfast and devotional - Rev. Angus Macrae Session 6: Rev. Daniel Sladek- “What can we do with the Imprecatory Psalms?” Coffee Session 7: Dr Calum MacKellar- “What is the debate about transgenderism all about?”

BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX

Photo: Authors own

uite

apart

the

‘last

from

being

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of the pure gospel’ (a soubriquet no island Christian would own), Lewis also sometimes feels to me like the last bastion of acceptable discrimination. I have the great fortune to be a Gaelic speaker, as well as a member of the Free Church, and so find myself responsible for simultaneously draining the local economy with my insatiable demand for bilingual road signs, and preventing the rest of the community from enjoying itself in any way whatsoever. It is interesting, if a little dispiriting, to notice how the language and the denomination have been derided down through the years — with apparently little protest. Their journeys have been parallel in many ways, with no one from outwith either the Gaelic community or the Free Church having much of a good word to say about either. Growing up, I frequently attended the Free Church Seminary in Stornoway with my parents. They were both of a generation which preferred to know God in the language of Eden. As a consequence, my handle on ecclesiastical Gaelic is better than most people of my generation can boast. More importantly, I can worship in the language of my parents and my community — and yes, there is something special about it. In other parts of the island, unfortunately, congregations have had to forego Gaelic services because there is little demand, or little available pulpit supply. Fewer and

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fewer newly-ordained ministers are sufficiently fluent in Gaelic to be able to preach the Word. Of course, we have to acknowledge that it is the message, and not the medium, which should take precedence; the main concern is that the Gospel should be preached in a way that everyone can understand — otherwise, we risk breaching one of the fundamental tenets of the Reformation. Where the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers sadly few, we must deploy our crews with both eyes on the lost. I know this is true: it is common sense and it is realistic. In the business of spreading the Good News, we should not get hung up on an issue as political as minority language. But it’s quite hard to apply that logic to matters of the heart — and your mother tongue is very much that. Besides, the argument is all too familiar from other situations. We don’t need Gaelic; why waste scarce resources on something that won’t benefit you in the long run; everyone who speaks Gaelic also speaks English.... In fact, of the many minority languages spoken in this country, Gaelic seems to be the only one which has to justify its own existence by being ‘useful’ or ‘profitable’. Many of my brother and sister Gaels were denied fluency in the language by their parents, educated by a system that wanted them to see no intrinsic value in their own language. When Gaelic was the real language of communities like mine, the doors of education and progress were barred against it. To ‘get on’, the mildly ambitious

Gael had to ‘get out’ — not just in the physical sense of leaving home, but in the emotional sense of divesting themselves of their Gaelicness. And, make no mistake, there is much more to it than being able to speak the language. Churches in Lewis, like the Free (other Presbyterian denominations are available), took on a uniquely Gaelic aspect. A congregation in Stornoway or Ness was culturally distinct from one in Inverness or Edinburgh, because the best churches reflect the community in which they grow, without — of course — compromising on spiritual essentials. So, while the schoolmaster might well thrash you for speaking your first language, the minister never would. I don’t think it’s going too far to say that the Presbyterian church in the Highlands, and especially the Islands, maintained Gaelic as a high-register language when it was despised by every educational institution in the land. Now fewer of us speak Gaelic, and it is no longer the first language of hearth and home. There remains, however, an argument for the Free Church to keep faith with it, as long as there is a remnant of that generation which loves God uniquely in its own mother tongue. Though I see the Gaelic element of my congregation diminished from what it was in number, there is a quality to worship among old, seasoned Christians which cannot be dimmed. And where, in Donald MacAulay’s words: I listened to the psalm: the tune transporting us on a tide as mysterious as Maol Duin’s.•

JUNE