The Record - March 2019 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

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

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

Published • The Record is produced by The Free Church of Scotland, Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS 0131 226 5286 offices@freechurch.org Advertising • Anyone wishing to advertise in The Record should contact the editor. For Subscriptions • The annual subscription price for The Record is £33. Cheques should be made payable to: Free Church of Scotland. Please contact the offices for overseas subscription costs. Details of the church's activities, latest news and people to contact are all available on the church's website: www.freechurch.org

For the visually impaired: Please contact Norman Kennedy on 01463 240192 for details of how to obtain The Record in an audio version.

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

THE RECORD

MARCH

Cover: Valtos Beach, Isle of Lewis ©Robert McCristall/Shutterstock.com

The Record • ISSN 2042-2970

WELCOME TO THE MARCH RECORD

CONTENTS

s usual in this edition we have a variety of news, views, columns, poetry, letters, theology and prayer!

Rather than list it all I just suggest that you read it…and please keep on sending us information, news and your views. One of the things that should be apparent to us all is that we are in the midst of spiritual warfare — and a battle for the soul of the nation and the souls of all human beings. Sometimes I fear that in the church we regard this situation as abnormal and we are looking to get heaven on earth. Whilst church should be a ‘safe space’, I’m not sure we should be looking to make it a comfort zone. We are dealing with realities that are beyond our ken. Recently a friend shared with me this rather wonderful quote from Annie Dillard. “On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions ... Why do people in church seem like cheerful, brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the Absolute? … Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us to where we can never return.” Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters (New York: Harper & Row, 1982) ‘Cheerless, brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the Absolute?’… Is that what we are? We are dealing with the reality of a Holy God. Or perhaps it is better to say that he is dealing with us. This is not a game. This is the most serious reality that we will ever face. Let’s make sure that when we gather together with the Lord’s people, we remember Whose presence we come in to. Incidentally Annie Dillard is not a believer — I find it strange but wonderful that in God’s common grace so many non-believers seem to understand and grasp aspects of our faith that sometimes we miss. We can learn from them — and we can pray that they would come to know the One who is the source of all Truth. • Enjoy this month’s magazine. See you next month! Yours in Christ

LESSONS FROM LEWIS; HOPE IN HARRIS

FREE CHURCH NEWS

ETS NEWS

TEN REASONS THE CHURCH SHOULD SING PSALMS Keith Getty and David Robertson

LETTERS

TRAIN OUR FINGERS FOR BATTLE Dr. James Hardy

SOMETHING MORE 2019 Hamish Sneddon

ECCLESIASTES: THE POVERTY OF WEALTH AND THE SECRET OF THE CONTENTED LIFE

DEUS VULT, MEDICE CURA: PART IV Anonymous

REASONS TO BELIEVE IN CREATION Dr. Antony Latham

BOOK REVIEWS

THE MISSIONARY SCARE PART 01 Shawna Williams

THE ISLANDS STUDY CONFERENCE Alasdair Macleod

LAUNCH FOR VOICES OF THANKSGIVING J.C. Whytock

FINANCES

PRAYER DIARY

MISSION MATTERS David Meredith

GAELIC Janet MacPhail

POETRY PAGE William Wordsworth

POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

David

2019

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

LESSONS FROM LEWIS;HOPE IN HARRIS BY THE EDITOR

The other thing that so impressed was the energy and humour. After three long sessions each day — people still wanted more fellowship and worship at 10pm! Where did they get the energy?! They easily outpaced us — even those who were substantially older! I was also greatly encouraged with the 25 young people at the Free Church Presbytery camp who came to the services and the fellowship on the Lord’s Day. There is hope for the Church when it has young people of such quality. I was also encouraged by the few young people who actually came to the conference — it would do both them and the conference good if more came next year. One of the joys of being in Tarbert is being able to attend North Harris Free Church led by David Macleod. The congregation manage to combine a warm and hospitable atmosphere with depth and biblical clarity. They also bring together the traditional and the contemporary — Gaelic Psalms and Getty hymns! Doubtless they have their troubles, as do all of us, but this is a church which gives hope and encouragement for the future. And that is sorely needed. Because:

established item on the christian calendar of

the western isles — there is a report from this year’s conference later in this magazine. But for me it was an encouraging and also disturbing experience — somewhat reflective of the state of the Church not only in the Western Isles, but also with lessons for the rest of Scotland.

THE ENCOURAGING FELLOWSHIP OF THE LORD’S PEOPLE The Harris hotel was a superb venue for the conference. It is a family run hotel that is the opposite of Fawlty Towers! The food was the best conference food I have experienced. Sinclair Ferguson had told me to look out for the breakfasts — he was right — of course Stornoway Black Pudding featured! But what makes this conference is the people. If there are a more hospitable and warm people in the world I have yet to meet them. This island has experienced many tragedies and hard times, but the kindness and hospitality is a continuing legacy of the impact of the Gospel. I saw that warmth and kindness in the faces of many who were at the conference. Speaking of the spirituality of the people sounds a bit like a new age cliché — one that my friend Alastair McIntosh would use! But it is nonetheless true. My fellow speaker Roger Simpson commented on the depth of some of the prayers. Annabel was deeply moved by a simple but profound prayer at worship on the Sunday morning, which brought us into the presence of Christ in such a real and tangible way. For me the Gaelic singing, as always, has an incredible capacity to move the heart and stir the spirit.

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THE CHURCH IN LEWIS AND HARRIS IS IN DEEP TROUBLE. There is no way round this. The Free Church is the largest denomination on the island, and it is also the denomination of which I am a minister, so I will refrain from commenting on the difficulties that other denominations are having. I will leave others to speak about their own. However it is clear that each denomination is struggling to come to terms with an increasingly secular society and a decline in spirituality. Forces, external and internal, are threatening to sink the church.

MARCH

©Janetmiles2013 — stock.adobe.com

he harris study conference is now a well-

The Free Church has particular issues to face. The tragic death of the former editor of The Record and the ongoing police investigation of a Free Church minister for ‘inappropriate’ conduct are the elephants in the room that have had an enormous impact on a small community. The hurt, pain and confusion are palpable. In some ways, though, these are just outer manifestations and symptoms of underlying issues. The Gates of Hell are always seeking to destroy the Church. They will never prevail, but they can give us an enormous buffeting and be used by the Lord to humble us and drive us to our knees. Sometimes the storms expose our own insecurities, hypocrisy and weakness. When that happens we can either pretend and act in denial, or we can repent and seek His grace and mercy. In the 1990s I did a small investigation into some numbers in the Free Church. One thing that astounded me was that between 1990 and 1994 the Free Church in Lewis lost 25% of its Sunday school attendance. That was a sign then that all was not well and that trouble was coming within the next couple of decades. I don’t think that the Church was prepared to face up to that trouble. We sometimes prefer to live off the glories of the past (‘the last stronghold of the pure Gospel’) or retreat into a narrow traditional ecclesiology, which on the surface appears biblical but in reality is primarily cultural. This leads to a lack of spiritual discernment and theological depth —

better. Those of us who are shepherds, ministers and elders, need to care for the sheep, not look to the sheep to bolster our fragile egos! We need to heed the Word of the Lord that came to Ezekiel: The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? — Ezekiel 34:1-2 (Read the whole chapter — it’s a sobering wake up call for us all!) There are questions of leadership, communication, vision, evangelism, discipleship and purpose that need to be both asked and answered — not just in Lewis but throughout the church.

This island has experienced many tragedies and hard times, but the kindness and hospitality is a continuing legacy of the impact of the Gospel. LESSONS FROM A SHIPWRECK AND A DISTILLERY En route home I was moved and thrilled by a piece of public art work — the Iolaire memorial in Stornoway harbour. The Iolaire tragedy is a reminder of how people are lost when shipwreck happens. The Church in Lewis is in grave danger of crashing on to the rocks of secularism, sectarianism and self-absorption. It’s time for us to wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die. The Church still has so much to offer the people of the Islands, and the rest of Scotland. But it needs to be reformed, renewed and revived. There are also lessons that we can learn from one of the good news stories in Harris — that of the Harris Distillery. Someone had a vision for a distillery that would employ local people in an area that desperately needed real permanent jobs. They invested in that vision and they took their time. So far they have managed to employ 33 people — they have trained up local people and they are beginning to produce their product and see the rewards for their labours. Even though they are still three years away from having their first whisky sold, they are selling a great deal of gin; and through clever marketing and establishing a reputation for quality, they have people beating a path to their door. Vision, patience, investment, leadership, time, quality, training, people, and a deep and abiding love — you get the picture? If we really love the Lord, love his Word and his Day… if we really love his people and love these beautiful islands, then can the Church not show the same determination, vision and passion as the Distillery?! What applies to Lewis and Harris surely applies to the rest of us. It’s time for us to get real, to repent and to pray that the Lord will revive and renew His Church in our land. •

Wearing the outer clothes of a bygone generation without having their heart just begets hypocrisy. which in turns exposes the church to the dangers of heresies both in practice and theology. When faced with external cultural pressures and internal spiritual troubles, there is a temptation (especially amongst younger ministers) to either: throw out the baby with the bath water and leave the good from the traditions of the past; or to attempt to return ‘to the ways of our Fathers’ — without knowing what those ways were and forgetting that at their best the ways of our Fathers’ were the ways of the Lord. We need to be asking the Lord what his way is for the Church today — not seeking to recreate for ourselves the culture and church of the past. Wearing the outer clothes of a bygone generation without having their heart just begets hypocrisy. The bottom line is that if the Free Church in Lewis retreats into ever decreasing ‘strongholds’, if it adopts the ‘remnant’ mentality and circles the wagons, it will die. And that is heartbreaking. The people I met at the Harris conference deserve

2019

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FREE CHURCH NEWS FREE CHURCH MINISTER RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD

ev. bob akroyd, free church minister and edinburgh theological seminary

(ets) lecturer, will become the 2018/19 recipient of the butler trust award for his outstanding work in her majesty’s prison (hmp) edinburgh. the national award presided over by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, recognises, celebrates, develops and disseminates outstanding work and best practice across UK prisons, probation and youth justice. In announcing the winners, The Butler Trust said Bob had been given the award for the “exceptional support he has provided to both prisoners and staff, and in recognition of his outstanding pastoral care helping families and colleagues through remembrance and grief as well as in celebrations of life.” Responding to his award, Bob said Edinburgh’s team of seven chaplains “serves a very diverse prison community”, and describes the work as “dynamic and demanding.” He said he tries “to treat each person with kindness and compassion and often ends each visit with prayer for them and their loved ones.” He recalls at one point being told, “You are a chaplain to the prisoners and not to the staff”, cheerfully noting: “I have ignored this advice over the last 17 years.” He added, “I think the whole prison community now realises that chaplains are there for everyone.” Initial Nominator and Acting Residential Officer Joanne Smith described Bob as “incredibly friendly, genuine and larger than life” and having the (widely noted) knack of being able to remember the name of every person he meets. “He is so well regarded,” she adds, “that in most Residential Halls at HMP Edinburgh, the Chaplaincy Book is regularly referred to and in fact physically labelled up as ‘Bob’s Book’. He is regularly requested by name, by the individuals in our care who wish to seek the support regardless of their own beliefs/faith or lack thereof in many cases.” She says “Bob does not expect anyone to share his faith, or even have a

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faith of their own, and is completely indiscriminate in his approach to supporting those around him.” She says that “as well as being a favourite within the prisoner population he is also regularly requested for by staff, who are going through a rough time, whether professionally or personally,” and adds her own “personal testimony to the fact that Bob delivers his full attention, making you feel safe and encapsulated by his love and devotion to God, delivering a support and guidance that I have never known anywhere or with anyone else before.” In short, she says, ‘Bob unlocks potential and transforms lives. He helps each individual to shoulder their burdens and empowers them to move forward to a more positive future, where they are able to successfully tackle life and its problems head on, becoming the best and strongest version of themselves… a version they might not have even known, or dared hope, existed before his unwavering hand was offered in support.’ The Butler Trust was set up in 1985 by Veronica Linklater (now Baroness Linklater of Butterstone), former prison governor Rev. Peter Timms OBE, and rformer editor of The Observer David Astorr, to recognise and celebrate outstanding practice by those working with offenders, through an annual award scheme. The Trust is named after Richard Austen Butler (RAB), later Lord Butler of Saffron Walden, who introduced a series of reforms to improve the management, care and rehabilitation of offenders. •

MARCH

GAVIN PEACOCK IN STORNOWAY

x-english premiership footballer and bbc match

their identity in Christ and grow in a relationship with Him through Bible reading, prayer and being an active member of a church. He also stressed the importance of having godly mentors and reading good books such as Christian biographies to strengthen their faith. Event organiser and Stornoway Free Church Elder Doonie Macleod said, “It was great that Gavin could take some time out to share his story with our youth group.” “We had over 70 young people attend, they were all very much engaged and interested in what he had to say.” • Gavin’s website can be found at www.gavinpeacock.net

of the day pundit turned christian minister gavin

peacock took some time out of his busy schedule to share his story and answer questions on faith and football from a youth group at Stornoway Free Church. Gavin, who used to be signed to Newcastle United and Chelsea at the height of his career, is now pastor at Calvary Grace Church in Calgary, Canada. Speaking of his path into ministry, he recalls the moment he knew it was time to follow God’s call, “I was reading the Bible – as I had done for many years - when I sensed a burning inside, not just to read it but to teach it. There was a desire to do it. But also a compulsion. A joyful compulsion, I’d call it. There’s a great joy when I preach or when I lead in a church but I also feel like I must do it.” In sharing the beginnings of his faith, Gavin told the group that he attended a youth fellowship at the age of 18 and it was at this point the seed of faith was sown. He came to realise that although he had all that the world could offer in one sense – money, fame and success – the young Christians he met at the youth group had a greater joy in their lives. Soon after he committed his life to Christ. Gavin’s story had a big impact on young people and leaders alike. He challenged them all to put God first and ‘hold lightly’ the things of the world like money, fame and achievements. He also encouraged them to find

Elder Donnie MacLeod in conversation with Gavin Peacock

NEW CAMP'S ADMINISTRATOR

and commitment to camps over the years and wish her well for the future.” Kirsten grew up in the Inverness area before heading to university in Edinburgh. After graduating in 2012 she moved to Lewis where she currently works for Community Energy Scotland, a small Scottish charity that helps community groups with renewable energy efficiency and energy innovation projects. Kirsten hopes to relocate to Edinburgh in the next few weeks. •

irsten macdonald has been appointed as the new free church youth camps administrator.

Kirsten will be based in the denomination’s offices in Edinburgh and expects to start around the end of February. Kirsten replaces Laura MacAulay who has been held the position since 2010. Mission Board Chairman Rev. Bob Akroyd said, “The Mission Board is delighted with Kirsten’s appointment. She brings to this post a wide range of life experience, relevant skills and a commitment to mission in the local church and in the global church. Kirsten is passionate to connect young people with the gospel and we pray that she will know God’s blessing in her new post and that young people would continue to come to know, follow and serve the Lord Jesus Christ through the ongoing work of Free Church Camps.” Free Church of Scotland Chief Executive Officer Scott Matheson said, “We had a strong field of applicants for this role and we look forward to welcoming Kirsten to the team.” “We’d also like to thank Laura for all her hard work

2019

Camp Administrator Kirsten MacDonald

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REVITALISATION TRAINING

The morning session began with a case study on St Peter’s Free Church, Dundee. Mr Robertson shared some of his 27 year experience serving the local church which began in single figures and has now grown to a weekly attendance of over 200. In a time of Q&A, the group discussed the difficulties of rural ministry compared to urban ministry. Acknowledging these difficulties, Mr Robertson said, “I’m not saying it’s easy anywhere, I think it’s difficult everywhere...but we need to be creative.” In the afternoon session, the group was joined by Mr MacDonald who discussed his time at Ferintosh and Resolis on the Black Isle and Portree. Offering some words of encouragement Mr MacDonald said, “The most important thing to remember is sovereignty. God continues to remind me that, ‘You can work your socks off in the community but I’m sovereign. I can use you but I don’t need you.’” He went on to say, “The Gospel isn’t outreach, it’s knowing your community, engaging with them and being one of them.” The two-year revitalisation track aims to provide a network for ministers to encourage and learn from one another. Please pray for them as they continue to meet and seek to serve wherever God has placed them. •

group of ministers from around the country met in edinburgh in january to discuss and encourage one another around the theme of

church revitalisation.

In a forum led by Mission Director Rev. David Meredith, the group heard from St Peter’s Free Church minister Rev. David Robertson and Portree’s Rev. Donnie G. MacDonald. The group explored many themes including finances, personal time management, resources, communities, local vision and strategies.

Church Revitalisation Forum in Edinburgh

INDUCTION IN CHRIST CHURCH OF REV. JONATHAN DE GROOT

n tuesday 29 th january , rev . jonathan de

Jonathan thanked those who had supported and encouraged him with the development of the church plant. •

groot was inducted to the congregation of christ church , glasgow , a church plant in

the north west of the city .

The induction took place in Partick Free Church during an ordinary meeting of the Free Presbytery of Glasgow and Argyll. They were joined during the proceedings by a sizeable number of Jonathan’s congregation, along with family and friends. Rev. Garry Brotherston, Bishopbriggs Free Church, preached on 1 Corinthians 3:1-15, emphasising that the fundamental requirement of any church was to preach Christ crucified. The “Questions” being satisfactorily answered and the Formula signed, Jonathan was inducted to the charge and given the right hand of fellowship by the Moderator of Presbytery, Rev. Rory Stott of Ayr Free Church, and members of Presbytery. Rev Ivor MacDonald, Hope Church Coatbridge, encouraged Jonathan to “be strong and courageous … for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9), and Rev. Iain Macaskill, Stirling Free Church, asked the members of the congregation present to promise to pray for their newly inducted minister.

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Jonathan de Groot with his wife Sheona and their children Joshua, Matthew and Rebecca.

MARCH

INDUCTION OF REV. CALUM IAIN MACLEOD IN URQUHART AND RESOLIS

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Induction Tea, Presentations and Speeches also in Dingwall Academy. After everyone had enjoyed a sumptuous spread, Rev. Sandy Sutherland (former Interim Moderator) took the Chair and read out as many messages and greetings as was practically possible from well-wishes and congregations, beginning with a message from the Back congregation that wished the sentiments of Psalm 122:7ff upon the new chapter in the life and ministry of Rev. Calum Iain and the Urquhart and Resolis congregation. This was followed by a letter from Rev. Chris Smart, the former minister, and family. This was both humorous and serious and, like all the messages, very much appreciated. The final greeting came from the Western Isles Presbytery and was given personally by Rev. Callum MacLeod (Shawbost) who, in wishing the Presbytery’s desire to see the new ministry prosper under God, gave thanks for Rev. Calum Iain’s ministry in both Barvas and Back.

of a the

presbytery of inverness , lochaber and ross met in dingwall academy for the induction of rev . calum

(formerly of Back Free Church, Lewis) to the pastoral charge of Urquhart (Ferintosh) and Resolis. This charge fell vacant on 3 rd July 2017 with the resignation of Rev. Chris Smart to be Senior Pastor in the Associated Presbyterian Church of America, Tampa, Florida. iain macleod

Calum with Rev. Donnie G. Macdonald (a previous minister)

The Moderator of the Presbytery, Rev. Sandy Sutherland (Fortrose), led the worship service and spoke on Reasons for The Call, using Hebrews 9: 27 as a guide. After Rev. John R de la Haye had led the congregation in the singing of Psalm 67, the Rev. MacLeod answered the relevant questions from The Practice of The Free Church, signed the Formula and, on being inducted, received the Right Hand of Fellowship from the Presbytery and the gathered ministers associated with the Presbytery. Thereafter, Rev. MacLeod and the congregation of Urquhart & Resolis were addressed, respectively, by Rev. Dr Malcolm MacLean (Greyfriars and Stratherrick) who challenged both the new minister and the congregation to be faithful to the Lord and to His cause. After the singing of Psalm 24:7-10 to the tune St George’s Edinburgh, Rev. Sutherland gave the grace and pronounced the benediction, after which the congregation was invited to wait for the

2019

Calum Martin leading the singing

The chairman then invited Rev. Neil MacLean to make a presentation to the new minister. Rev. MacLean spoke of the delight of the congregation in Rev. Calum Iain’s induction and of how there had been a real sense of God’s guidance in Rev. MacLeod’s calling. Mrs Cath Dalgetty presented gifts and flowers to Mrs Dina MacLeod and Calum and Dina’s three daughters: Anne-Marie, Rachel Kate and Eilidh. In reply Rev. MacLeod thanked the congregation for its kindness over the past days and for the gifts that he, his wife and family had received. Rev. MacLeod looked forward to his new ministry and getting to know everyone. Rev. MacLeod took the Chair for the remaining part of the Reception. In doing so, Rev. MacLeod first called on Dr Ian MacIver to make a presentation on behalf of the congregation to >>

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<< Rev. Sandy Sutherland. Dr MacIver reminded everyone that this was the second time that Rev. Sutherland had been the congregation’s interim moderator and thanked him most sincerely for his unstinting work on the congregation’s behalf. Along with a presentation to Rev. Sutherland, there was also a handsome cheque given to him for the Fortrose Free Church Building Fund. Rev. Sutherland thanked the congregation for its kindness and said that the vacancy’s smooth transition from one ministry to another was due to an active Kirk Session supported by an enthusiastic congregation. Rev. Sutherland presented the new minister with a map of the Black Isle (so that after being out visiting he could relocate the manse!) and a book of walks in the neighbourhood for Ruby the manse dog. The new minister called on Back Elder Mr Alex John MacLeod to speak and on Mr Calum Martin to sing. Mrs Catherine Joan MacDonald accompanied Mr Martin in leading the singing of ‘What a Friend we Have in Jesus’. Mr Alex John MacLeod said that the Back congregation would miss Rev. Calum Iain, Dina and family but they had appreciated their time with them and that Rev. MacLeod was both very practical and very pastoral. Rev. Dr. Malcolm MacLean (who had been at the Free Church College with the new minister) was the final invited guest to speak and did so humorously

in recalling College days as well as mentioning, on a more serious note, times in the ministry together. Mr Calum MacAulay and Miss Mairi Stewart from the congregation of Urquhart and Resolis then led the congregation in singing ‘Be Thou My Vision’. The new minister, prior to his closing remarks, paid tribute to long-serving minister and ‘inspiration’ Rev. Angus MacDonald (formerly in South Africa) who had made the journey from Lewis, despite infirmity, to be present at the induction. Rev. MacLeod then called on a former Free Church College contemporary, Rev. Dr Colin Dow (Glasgow City), to close with prayer. Thanks be to God. •

Calum Iain MacLeod and his wife Dina

WESTERN ISLES PRESBYTERY: YOUTH DISCIPLESHIP SUPPORTWORKER Closing date for applications: Friday 15th March This new role offers a highly enthusiastic and passionate youth worker the opportunity to be actively engaged in youth discipleship. The successful applicant will work with the youth committee of the Western Isles Presbytery to develop youth discipleship in congregations. They will work with existing youth leaders and Kirk Sessions to provide opportunities for young people to grow a resilient Christian faith. The role requires the post holder to demonstrate a clear Christian commitment and sympathy to the ethos and vision of the Free Church of Scotland. Therefore it is an occupational requirement for the post holder to be a Christian. Any enquiries, or for informal discussion, please contact Rev David Macleod on 07920 844260 or email david.macleod@me.com. 3 year fixed term contract (Initial 6 month probation period) Full-Time: 37 hrs p/w Salary: £20,000 plus expenses An application pack can be requested from: stuking@hotmail.com To apply send completed application form with covering letter to stuking@hotmail.com About the Free Church The Free Church of Scotland is committed to the proclamation and furtherance of the Christian faith in the nation of Scotland and beyond. We believe that faith in the person and works of our Lord Jesus Christ is humanity’s greatest need, since it is only by His perfect sinless life, sacrificial death on a cross, and bodily resurrection from the dead that we can be reconciled to God and granted eternal life. Safeguarding The Free Church of Scotland has a Christian care for the welfare of each individual and seeks to make the Church a safe place for all. In particular, the Church seeks to protect and safeguard all those who are especially vulnerable, both children and vulnerable adults, with whom it comes into contact through its activities and services. Scottish Charity — Registration Number SC047062

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MARCH

ETS NEWS BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

SABBATICAL STUDIES AT ETS Recently, DAVID BINGHAM, one of our Sabbatical Studies students, returned to the US after six months of studying at ETS. Below is a personal account of his time at ETS, which he found a beneficial and transformational experience.

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in scotland . After retiring in early 2018, I made the plunge to spend six months here. I researched seminaries and chose ETS for my sabbatical studies. This time of study, prayer, reading, attending classes, reflecting and thinking, meetings with supervisor, John Angus, speaking with students and professors, traveling, playing golf, visiting cousins and friends, and just living in Scotland have all contributed to what has been a fantastic sabbatical experience. I believe, with John’s guidance, my knowledge of God and me knowing God has been really transformational, especially in the last three months, and my understanding and faith has become more real than ever before. My reading of ‘A Faith to Live By’ (by Donald Macleod) began my study, followed by learning to unpack scripture, especially with my research on the divinity of Christ. I now believe I am a committed Christian. My reading of ‘Knowing God’ (J.I. Packer) alongside discussions in mid-November helped me come to a point where I felt I was accepting Christ all over again, but in a full acceptance and much more complete understanding. Since then, I believe more than ever before that God really is changing me and working with

sabbatical

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me in a closer relationship than I have ever had before. One thing that stood out for me is that the core group of teachers were all cohesive and in unity in their passion for God and passion for truth and passion for teaching and helping students learn about being the best pastors the students could be; there was a shared zeal and heart for equipping the young pastors. The team, including Heather, were dedicated and shared their hearts for the Lord in their common goals. They talked about theology combined with practical application, often relating it to current issues and current mindsets of the Scottish people around them – it seemed that everyone acted the gospel as well as talked it.

Auditing classes was a true joy and a very beneficial part of my sabbatical. It was a privilege to sit in on these fascinating lectures by the ETS teacher theologians, as well as participating in classroom discussions. Many classroom lessons tied directly to what I was studying myself at the time. This part of my ETS time was truly beneficial. As my sabbatical draws to a close, it is now time for me to move forward and combine continued learning with living the life of a disciple of Christ.’ • Considering Sabbatical Studies in Theology and Mission at ETS? We can tailor programmes to suit your needs and interests. Find out more on our website — ets.ac.uk

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hen we think of the psalms, most of us think

Despite the strong emphasis on public emotion in modernizing worship, the church often significantly truncates the human emotional experience.

solely of reading them.

But we should also sing them, particularly in the gathering of the church. Indeed, for 3,000 years the Psalter has been the songbook of God’s people. Here are 10 reasons why it’s important to sing the Psalms in your church today.

07. THEY TRANSFORM FAMILY WORSHIP The Psalms will revolutionize your private and family worship. Many years ago, not long after I (David) became a Christian, I visited a friend’s house in Tain in the Scottish Highlands. When we finished our meal, the father in the home announced: “Now we’ll have the books.” The books? What did he mean by that? I soon found out. Someone came in with Bibles and Psalm books. We read the Word, we prayed the Word, and we sang the Word. It was a profoundly moving experience and gave me an insight into why that particular family was full of such strong and godly Christians. Ever since, the Psalms have become the DNA of my life. I read or sing one at least every day. My small red Psalm book goes with me everywhere. In 2011, as I was seriously ill going in and out of a coma in the hospital, my family didn’t know what or how to pray. I was in great distress. So every night they sat and prayed a psalm with me. A consultant friend laminated Psalm 91, among others, and stuck them to the wall beside my bed. They sustained me.

01. THE BIBLE TELLS US TO That’s the strongest argument we’ve got. And it’s a good one! When we don’t take the Psalms seriously, our commitment to the Bible is called into question as well. 02. PSALMS ARE THE WORD OF GOD The Holy Spirit is the songwriter of the Psalms: They’re pure Scripture. One of the joys of focusing on Psalms for the last year is the amount of time I (Keith) have spent in Scripture. I also have the joy of listening to my little daughters running around the house singing Psalm 8 and Psalm 139. 03. PSALMS ARE THE SONGS JESUS SANG As a boy Jesus would have memorized and learned many if not all of the Psalms. The book of Psalms is the songbook of the Bible. They would become the soundtrack of his life. They can be the soundtrack of your life, too.

08. THEY WILL UNIFY OUR CHURCH FAMILIES In our modern church culture, where “worship wars” abound and people come from disparate church backgrounds (and no church background!), the Psalms unify all of Christendom. They are also “premodern” and “postmodern,” which unifies generations.

04. THEY GIVE US A MORE ‘AUTHENTIC’ PICTURE OF GOD For all that contemporary people apparently crave “authenticity in worship,” if we follow contemporary trends we’ll succumb to the bias of our church leaders or the movements they follow. For example, only 3 percent of modern worship songs mention anything eternal, and they rarely take on themes of God that make us uncomfortable. The Psalms, meanwhile, make us wince when we sing of God’s judgment and wrath. They also give us a far bigger, more beautiful, breathtaking picture of God’s glory.

09. THEY WILL REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR CHURCH FAMILY Your congregation is what they sing. We memorize what we sing. If you sing the Psalms, your congregation will have a vast amount of Scripture stored in their minds and hearts. Last night at our church, we sang the Getty version of Psalm 8 (we also sang parts of Psalm 107 and Psalm 25). It was beautiful. Some think our church’s unique selling point is our psalm-singing. One impeccably orthodox man wryly remarked, “I just can’t get my head ’round that psalm-singing thing!” Why not, though? I don’t understand why every evangelical church doesn’t sing psalms. If you want to worship in Spirit and truth, would it not help to use the songbook that the Spirit of Truth himself inspired?

05. PSALMS ARE CHRISTOLOGICAL Look at how often the New Testament uses the Psalms to speak of the life of Christ. Do you want to know what Christ felt like on the cross? Read Psalm 22. 06. THEY SPEAK TO THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF HUMAN EMOTION Psalms perfectly balance theology with emotion, justice with evangelism, the personal with the collective. One young woman told me (David) that she came to our church because we allowed her to be depressed. While “the church that allows you to be depressed” may not be the best advertising slogan in the modern world, I understood what she was saying. She struggled with depression, and we sometimes sang songs that gave voice to that depression and allowed her to express it.

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10. THEY ARE MISSIONAL Psalms are superb for evangelism in today’s world. One middle-aged hippy wandered into our church a few years ago. Afterward he said, “Dave, I loved that, man. Especially the plain chant. Singing 3,000-year-old words from Palestine … cool!” The Psalms are poetry in emotion that speak to the hearts of all peoples.

MARCH

SING PSALMS IN YOUR CHURCH So how can we improve our churches this Sunday? The Sing movement isn’t about the next big thing in worship. As we aspire to educate and inspire churches in singing, we’re more interested in going back—and the Psalms are the oldest and most biblical songs we have. Here are five things we can all do that will help us reclaim the Psalms: 1. Read the Psalms every day in your home. We started this three years ago, and it has been transformational. We highly recommend Tim Keller’s The Songs of Jesus as a devotional to help you think, pray, and sing to the Lord each day. 2. Fill your homes with the songs of the Psalms—let them fill your minds, hearts, mouths, imaginations, and souls. 3. Read the Psalms every Sunday in your services, using them as calls to worship and getting your whole church to read a psalm, perhaps responsively, if you don’t have liturgy. 4. Pray the Psalms. Use the Psalms to fill your prayers. 5. Sing the Psalms. Try some of these modern psalms, or perhaps older hymns inspired by psalms. The psalmist says, “I have hidden your word in my heart” (Ps. 119:11). We can “hide” God’s Word in our hearts by singing it, and we can proclaim that “hidden” Word to the world and the angels by singing it. What are we waiting for? • This article first appeared on The Gospel Coalition website — https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/ article/10-reasons-your-church-sing-psalms/

TEN REASONS THE CHURCH SHOULDSING PSALMS BY KEITH GETTY AND DAVID ROBERTSON

2019

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Keith Getty and his wife, Kristyn, have been at the forefront of the modern hymn movement over the past decade, bridging the gap between the traditional and the contemporary.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hello David, I’m Daniel from the Free Church in Castletown, Caithness. Thanks for all the work you do for the magazine. I’m writing about the title in the thought-provoking series that you’ve been running on transgender ideology. As a languages teacher, I’m sorry to say that it doesn’t make sense. “Deus vult” means “God wants”, but the phrase “Medice cura” is just the first two words of “Medice, cura te ipsum”, which is the Vulgate version of “Doctor (addressing him, vocative case), heal yourself” in Luke 4. “Deus vult medice cura” just makes no sense, as I say. Furthermore, in our evening services at Castletown we’ve been looking at 1 Corinthians 14, in the light of which it would seem wise to avoid untranslated foreign languages in church and in church magazines generally! Best wishes, Daniel Daniel — Great to hear from you. Thanks for the Latin lesson — It’s all Greek to me! But you are right it is important to get these things right. Mea Culpa…The Editor

Hi David I’m writing to you after reading that strange letter from Alan J F Fraser. I have no idea who he’s aiming this letter at or who he’s been talking to but I find it raises more questions than it answers. He appears to be confusing Darwin’s theory — On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life — with variation within the species. ( I am using the word ‘species’ in place of the biblical word ‘kind’.) The two are completely different and should not be lumped together under the label of ‘Evolution’. It would be more helpful to refer to them as, for example — Evolution as the Origin of the Species and Evolution within the Species. Alan J F Fraser writes — ‘If only the church would apply this thinking to the idea that life has evolved.’ What is he talking about? Is this life evolving from nothing or is he talking about the variations within the species after being released from Noah’s ark? As far as I’m concerned, Scripture is clear — Genesis 1:24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. There is the origin of the species. Each according to its kind. It is clear however that each ‘kind’ or species have varied considerably from the days of Noah but they still belong to their ‘kind’. Alan J F Fraser then goes on to say that he has seen a ‘shift’ in Free Church attitudes and a ‘fearfulness to face the evidence...’!? Really? He also says ‘It is simply assumed that evolution is atheistic.’ Which ‘evolution’ is he referring to? One is atheistic and the other is not. The rest of what he says is pointless without knowing what he’s referring to. Yours sincerely George MacAskill Thank you for your letter. I’m sure Alan may want to answer your questions. We do want to encourage healthy debate! The Editor

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13th February 2019 Dear Sir, Alan Fraser (Letters February issue) is right to encourage us to speak the truth about science and not to stick to traditional interpretations of scripture which are in obvious conflict with the scientific facts. He is particularly keen to defend the current Theory of Evolution. He was obviously unhappy with my article in the January edition which questioned some of the accepted beliefs about evolution, but he was kind enough not to refer to me by name. I also strongly believe that much harm is done to our witness when there is bias by some Christians against clear scientific evidence. I refer, for example, to those who insist against all reasonable evidence for a very young earth of only about 6,000 years age. Having said that, we have a duty not to blindly accept all current scientific theory simply because it is the held by a majority. Evolutionary theory is beset with difficulties; just a few of which I outlined inadequately in my article. Scientific paradigms come and go if we look at history. Evolution of some form has clearly occurred, but it is how it occurred that can be reasonably debated. Remember that Darwinism absolutely prohibits any purposeful direction in evolution. The public on the street understand this and they know that a blind evolutionary process out-rules a Creator; unless of course you are a deist and believe God had no involvement in it once he set up the universe. Richard Dawkins is at least right in one thing, Darwinism does allow him to be an intellectually satisfied atheist. How can having an open critical attitude to a theory be somehow wrong? This is not even a debate about the bible, the bible will take care of itself and does not need defending. There is a strong repugnance amongst both atheists and, oddly, some Christians against any critique of the Theory of Evolution, particularly if we dare to mention evidence of design. This repugnance should alert us to something more than scientific logic behind it. We are not even allowed to look for design because it implies the supernatural. How sad. It is a modern phenomenon that would be quite alien to the likes of, for example Isaac Newton or James Clerk Maxwell, and it lacks a proper spirit of scientific enquiry. Science has a great record in looking for design; archaeology and forensic science being examples. Applying such enquiry to biology is both legitimate and very revealing. I do not doubt Alan Fraser’s desire for truth and for a good witness to the world. As Christians we are agreed on this. It would be good to meet up together and discuss this further. Sincerely Antony Latham Antony –thank you for your letter. As they say, its good to talk! Let us know how you and Alan get on! The Editor

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

QUOTATIONS JOHN OWEN

“

They know nothing of the life and power of the gospel, nothing of the reality of the grace of God, nor do they believe aright one article of the Christian faith, whose hearts are not sensible of the love of Christ herein; nor is he sensible of the love of Christ, whose affections are not there and drawn out unto him. (From The Glory of Christ by John Owen)

2019

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TRAIN OUR FOR BATTL BY DR. JAMES HARDY

evelation

18:13

speaks

brutal

affirmed the veracity of written witness statements, so that their content could no longer be contested. Rubber industry counterpropaganda collapsed when pictures of dismembered and tortured Africans appeared. By using social media to share pro-life images we can now challenge the UK abortion industry in a similar fashion. People can deny any number of scriptural or ethical arguments about personhood in words, but the visible human features of an embryo image witness to the horror of abortion. Try giving someone a small lime fruit and saying that it fits in the palm of the hand like a 12 week gestation human embryo. The metaphor of ‘a lime in the hand’ embeds in the memory, while biological measurements will be readily forgotten. ‘The Endowment for Human Development’ (www.ehd. org) science website has amazing images of normal pregnancy. A labelled image of a human embryo with a scale measurement 7-8 weeks from conception, appears top left on-screen when the image gallery is accessed. The labelled monochrome darker MRI scan embryo image 9 weeks from conception takes a little longer to locate on the www.ehd.org image gallery. Both images expose the utter barbarity of the 1967 England and Wales Abortion Act, which allows abortion to the 24th week of pregnancy. To put this in context the Republic of Ireland recently legislated on allowing abortion to the 12 week of pregnancy (10 weeks from conception). Like defending the resurrection, our problem defending the unborn using images is too much evidence, rather than a lack of it. It may be profitable to intermittently surf one or two quality pro-life websites (e.g. ‘Society for the Protection of the Unborn Children’, ‘Brephos’), and to direct people to www.ehd.org science website images. Abortion arguably represents the greatest human rights violation in modern Britain. It also represents a vast opportunity for pastoral care and evangelism. Almost 20 years ago a Christian NHS colleague discussed abortion

demonic

wickedness that seeks to treat people as just

another commodity. Each of the nine million or more abortions in the UK has produced two victims, one dead, and one wounded. Christians should never be reduced to passivity by horrific abortion statistics. We need to fully exploit the amazing range of pro-life images that exist on-line. Facebook and social media give us an unprecedented chance to challenge abortion industry misinformation. A keyboard or iPhone may be one of the best weapons God gives us in the fight against abortion. The words of Psalm 144:1 might refer to our fingers being trained for this battle. A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Photos That Changed The World is by Glen Scrivener’s SpeakLife online ministry. This seven minute online film should encourage us to oppose abortion using images. If you watch and share only one short youtube film clip in 2019, consider this one. The film explores how Wilberforce and Abolitionists harnessed the power of images to keep the barbarity of slavery in British public consciousness. It notes how images empowered Martin Luther King and Civil Rights activists to resist segregation and racism. In 1955 images of fourteen year old Emmett Till’s battered face in a funeral casket seared the conscience of America. Nine years later the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed. We are reminded how images of a drowned toddler (Aylan Kurdi), compelled leaders like David Cameron to respond to the Syrian refugee crisis. The final minute of the film comes with a warning. Stark clinical imagery from abortion clinics shock viewers, before a terse penetrating question confronts us: “What will we do now?” The September 2018 edition of EN had an article by Dave Brennan of Brephos. ‘Please fight for the unborn’ reports how Sir Roger Casement’s dossier exposed grotesque abuses in the 19th century rubber industry of the Belgian Congo. A new technology, Kodak photographs,

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R FINGERS LE Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1 with me over coffee. That encouraged me to explore the case for Christ in depth and to become a Christian. It might be very helpful for small cluster groups of Christians to network on line, and to intermittently share around images of normal human development. Should we be encouraging each other to periodically feature images of early normal pregnancy on Facebook, on Church websites and in Church magazines? By not doing this we may be missing a prophetic opportunity to celebrate the incarnation, affirm human dignity and challenge the murderous cruelty of the abortion industry. Try counting the number of embryo images on the BPAS (British Pregnancy Advisory Service) or Marie Stopes or NHS abortion advice websites. As Adolf Eichmann feared Nazi hunter fingers knocking his door, Christian fingers on computers can give the abortion industry a wake up call. Our saviour developed in vulnerability, as a powerless human embryo in the virgin’s womb, and has promised to defeat every demonic power behind the enslavement described in Revelation 18:13. •

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Dr. James Hardy is a retired GP with an interest in evangelism and apologetics. Together with his medical degree he has an MA in Applied Theology.

2019

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SOMETHING MORE 2019 Edinburgh Christian Unions’ Mission Week BY HAMISH SNEDDON

any reading this will be familiar with the wonderful

work of uccf, the national evangelistic fellowship who exist to support Christian Unions in reaching students with the good news of Jesus Christ. They have the wonderful tagline of “giving every student a chance to hear and respond to the gospel,” and a fortnight ago that was happening full throttle right across Edinburgh. Each year the collected Edinburgh CUs band together to host a range of events aimed at reaching their campuses with God’s Word. Each university hosted their own lunchtime events where big questions were asked and answered, and in the evenings there were central events held at Central Hall, just in Tollcross. Each night people shared their testimonies, and in a relaxed atmosphere we opened up Mark’s Gospel and worked through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We were joined on a couple of evenings by Kate Forbes MSP and Garry Brotherston, (Bishopriggs), and along with UCCF Staff and Relay workers a few of our Ministry Trainees from St. Andrews were supporting the CUs; quite a Free Church presence, which was a joy to see! People sometimes ask why I’m so enthusiastic about Christian Union mission, as I’ve had the privilege over the years of being involved in a few. The answers are plentiful, but here are a few that can encourage us in our own mission fields.

The gospel really is the power of salvation. Now, I know one does not need to be on a university mission week to know this, but there really is no wind in the sails quite like seeing people trust in the Lord Jesus. We were privileged to see five young men and women begin walk with Jesus over the week, from all backgrounds. S-Y, a young woman from an Anglo-Chinese home, who asked the wonderful question, after lots and lots of other questions, “How can I start following Jesus?”; The young man broken by time in prison who was first moved by Garry’s testimony and then overcome by joy at the news of the Cross; G, the atheist on Monday who was in such rage at the claims of Christ that his Christian friend was genuinely nervous that he had come, and who by Friday had placed his life in the hands of Jesus and is now getting stuck in to church and Bible study. All are wonderful trophies of grace, and all are glorious reminders of the mercy and power of God! We can so often be surprised when people actually come to faith that we forget that this is who God is; the One who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love to all who call on Him. People are saved through hearing the gospel. This is perhaps again blindingly obvious, but if it were that plain we might be more bold in prayer, speech and invitation! It was a huge joy to see young Christians persistently putting Jesus first by inviting their friends to come along and meet him in God’s Word. I’m reminded of the men in Mark 2 who were so determined for their pal to be put at Jesus’ feet that they threw caution (and etiquette!) to the winds and dug a hole in a roof. We saw something of that in Edinburgh; and our confidence in God and the gospel should lead us as churches and individuals to be lovingly bold with our friends and family. Whether in events or over coffee, at the office or the home, over open Bibles or around fireplaces, we must be speakers of Jesus, prayers in the name of Jesus, and bold bringers such that people would meet him for themselves. That leads to the last thing… Jesus is way more compelling than we are. I was personally humbled and heartened again by the fact that Jesus is the greatest evangelist there is; not past tense, but present. By his Spirit he speaks today, and so all we have to do, whether up front preaching or next to someone in love, is to open up God’s Word with people and let Jesus speak. Some can think that you do “special” things with students to appeal to them; and of course, excellence, engagement and intentionality make a difference. But at heart, it doesn’t matter whether someone is 19 or 90: Jesus is Lord of all, and is more beautiful and believable than anything this world has to offer; let’s offer him boldly to all across Scotland and wherever he takes us! •

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considering the nature of public worship, Solomon now moves on to consider what kind of society we want to worship in.

ometimes we do not appreciate the freedoms and benefits that christianity has given us in the west.

It is like a child who has never known hunger and is therefore not so appreciative of food. In the West we have a Christian legacy that, although much of the heart has gone, still provides a ripple effect. One of these ripples is the notion that things should be done fairly and honestly, and that bribery and corruption should have no place in the political system. There are countries in the world where backhanders, bribes to police, and corruption of every sort are considered normal. They happen here but it is still expected that that will not be the case. I believe the primary reason for that is the continuing effect of the Christian principles which were so foundational in this country. Many of our parliamentarians and opinion makers forget this foundational truth. They need to be careful — in rejecting the roots they will eventually lose the fruits. It is a good thing that we ask what kind of society we want. What kind of society do you want to live in? What kind of person do you want to be? And again for the Christian this is crucial — we are not just concerned for ourselves — we are concerned for others. It’s why, after

1) THE CORRUPT SOCIETY v.8-9 Solomon speaks of the oppression of the poor — see also 3:16 and 4:1-3 — through a corrupt political system. ‘Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.’ (Deuteronomy 24:17, NIV) He also describes how a complex bureaucracy, instead of being a system of checks and balances, enables oppression and the denial of rights. Everything gets caught up in red tape — unless you have a good lawyer, money and power. The top official oppresses the next, who oppresses the other, all the way down until the bottom — the poor and the powerless. They are the ones who suffer. Sometimes corruption goes all the way to the top: the king profits from the fields. However it is better to have a government — even if it is corrupt, than to not have a government at all. We need stable government. It’s why Paul tells Timothy that the first thing the church should do is pray for politicians (1 Timothy 2:1-7). I wonder how many of our churches obey that biblical instruction?

THE

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FOR TODAY’S

SOCIETY ECCLESIASTES 5:8-20

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Myth No.2 — Money solves every problem and brings security. It does not. Solomon talks about the insecurity of the rich insomniac compared with the sleep of the poor labourer. He talks about a great evil — that wealth is hoarded and not used. It can be taken away as Job, who lost all his money through a series of misfortunes, could testify. ‘Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked’ (Psalm 37:16, NIV). It is the dreadful evil of having money and yet not being able to do anything with it. This is set into sharp contrast when we consider materialism in the light of eternity — we take nothing with us. ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ (Job 1:21, NIV) V17 is a brilliant summary. All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. They eat in darkness — alone. Preoccupation with wealth leads to frustration. It leads to sickness — stress, strain. And thus anger. Our plans are defeated and we get frustrated and angry. Does that not describe our society? Does it describe you? >>

We should seek a political system in which justice and rights are not denied. But we are not surprised when that does not happen, so we sometimes think that we should just leave politics to the politicians and get on with making money — will that not provide security? Which leads us on to Solomon’s second description of society: the materialist consumer society. 2) THE CONSUMER SOCIETY v.10-17 Myth No.1 — Money satisfies. The first problem with loving money is that we never get enough to satisfy. There is always room for more. As one’s wealth increases so do the bills. And so do one’s friends — as the prodigal son could testify. Everyone wants to be friends with the lottery winner. I read with some bemusement a columnist complaining in The Scotsman that an income of over £150,000 was not enough to live an ‘ordinary life’ in Edinburgh! ‘Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.’ (Isaiah 5:8, NIV) ‘For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.’ (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV)

THE POVERTY OF

WEALTH AND THE SECRET OF THE

CONTENTED

LIFE 2019

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<< 3) THE CONTENTED SOCIETY v.18-20. There is another life. Equally outward, real and observable. I love Matthew Henry’s observation on this passage: ‘Nature is content with little, grace with less but lust with nothing.’ What do we need to be content? Food and drink — the basics. The simple pleasures. Companionship, joy, satisfaction — including religious celebration. This is the simple and contented life. Satisfying work. ‘Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.’ (Isaiah 55:2, NIV) Wealth and possessions — the gift of God. We must be in control of our attitude to wealth and not the other way round. ‘I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.’ (Philippians 4:12, NIV) But if we have them we are to be thankful for them. I love Wesley’s motto: ‘Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.’ J D Rockefeller aged 53 was the world’s only billionaire — earning $1 million per week. He was a sick man — living on crackers and wheat because he was so worried.

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When he started to give his money away his life changed and his health improved dramatically — he lived to 98! Too contented to think? — There is a kind of disadvantage in being given these basic needs. Sometimes they lead to a contentment that means we are too busy to reflect upon our lives. And we do need to think about it and contemplate it — because there is more to life. Christian Contentment — Perhaps Solomon is being a little more positive than that. Perhaps he is saying that we are aware of the brevity of life but we so enjoy it that we do not spend all our days thinking that we are going to die. The Christian is able to live and enjoy each day as it comes. The worldly man looks to money and business to preoccupy him. The Christian has a life of joy and faith to preoccupy him. Secular life is a life of drudgery — Christian life is the opposite. We are to enjoy life. Think of it like this — the non-Christian life is like the person who goes to the best restaurants and has no taste buds. The Christian life is one of tasting and seeing that God is good, and richly enjoying everything that he gives us. Choose life! • ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ (Matthew 6:33, NIV)

MARCH

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

partners, whom they had thought were biologically female. Trans activists would say these trans-women were victims of hate crime; perhaps that is true, but these men were also victims of fraud, though that cannot excuse their violence. Modern society wishes to divorce sex from reproduction, but a man and trans-woman can never conceive naturally. This sort of confusion is a result of the modern concept of sex as purely a recreational activity. ‘Surely it doesn’t matter whom you’re having sex with as long as no one is hurt?’ If that’s the case, then surely at the very least, honesty between all partners is required? The plain truth is that biologically, transmen are not men and trans-women are not women, no matter how much they may wish it were true. Biblical Christians would be unable to accept transgender people as potential husband or wives, as essentially that is homosexuality. That leaves the potential trans Christian convert in a very difficult position.

ne of the core paradoxes of trans ideology is the tension between a rigid, binary view of sex and

the more nebulous concept of gender fluidity. Although the current transgender ideology zeitgeist seems monolithic, much of it crumbles under the application of logic. Gender-fluid people may identify with one gender one day, another the next, or perhaps no gender at all the next. Their gender self-perception is so far removed from their biological sex that their condition seems entirely illusory. Contrast this with the ex-female trans-man who takes testosterone supplements, builds muscle at the gym, grows a beard, perhaps undergoes surgery to produce a ‘neophallus’ and becomes the very model of a stereotypical ‘manly man’. Even among biological women, most are not ‘girly girls’, and amongst biological men, most are not stereotypical alpha males. What society calls ideals of toxic masculinity or toxic femininity are reinforced by transgender ideology.

It seems like the only people with an inviolable definition of their own gender are trans people – ‘I am what I say I am, and you must agree with me, despite all of the available evidence to the contrary.’ Without a rigid external reference for what male and female is, where does this desire to become another gender come from? If gender truly is fluid and all are on some kind of spectrum, why should we change ourselves to conform to one very rigid end of that spectrum? Especially if for some people, they can apparently choose their day-to-day gender at will? It seems strange that posting a billboard that says ‘woman = adult human female’ is somehow wrong and offensive, however one must not dare misgender a trans-woman as anything but ‘woman’ for fear of committing hate speech. It seems like the only people with an inviolable definition of their own gender are trans people – ‘I am what I say I am, and you must agree with me, despite all of the available evidence to the contrary.’ At one point in law, the term ‘gender fraud’ was used to describe someone who intentionally misled another as to their true gender. When trans-women are attacked by men with whom they had been in a relationship, is that related to this issue? Is there something fundamentally dishonest about presenting as a female to an unsuspecting potential male mate? Violence against anyone should not be condoned, but it speaks something that these men displayed such visceral reactions against intimate

2019

An especially tragic aspect is that transgender people give up their ability to conceive children, whether that is by only six months of hormone therapy, or by progressing to hysterectomy or orchiectomy. There is no opportunity to revert, and as with all medical interventions, a significant number of people regret going through it. Trans activists seem to play down this aspect and these people’s stories need to be heard by those considering transition. My final concern is about the ‘sunk cost’ fallacy and the relevance to trans-identifying children. One study states that if left alone, 85% of trans children will revert to being comfortable in their biological sex, though a large proportion will be homosexually oriented. The use of puberty blockers in children is to me a horrifying prospect. After all, if your family and your doctor and all those around you have encouraged you to take drugs to permanently alter your body, then why not progress all the way to surgery and the removal of sexual organs? If you’ve started, you’d better finish, right? You wouldn’t want to disappoint anyone, not your online friends or anyone in the ‘community’. You wouldn’t want to be a trans traitor, would you? Children can be cruel, even trans children. The effects of peer pressure should not be underestimated. •

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And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7

BY DR ANTONY LATHAM

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MARCH

In many ways we are unconscious of being conscious, rather like fish swimming all their lives who do not know what water is.

take

the

fact

consciousness

PERSONHOOD To be human involves a sense of personhood. There is a continuity in my life. I know that I am the same person that I was 10 years ago. I have a first-person knowledge of “me”, which has a phenomenal quality that defies a physical description. It is impossible to think of a physical object as a person. When I speak with someone or write to them, I do not believe I am addressing a ‘thing.’ Artificial intelligence enthusiasts will maintain that some machines behave like persons and even claim they are conscious. But the difference is obvious. Computers may do wonderful things but are programmed by us and even the most advanced semi-autonomous ones are just copying what we do and are not individual persons. They are not conscious. The philosopher John Searle in a classic paper has dismissed the possibility, even in the future, of computers being conscious.02

for

and yet it might surprise many that if we were to go into any university department of philosophy we would find people there who spend their entire academic lives trying to work out what exactly consciousness is, and how a physical object, the brain, could even have consciousness. Philosopher Jerry Fodor wrote: ‘Nobody has the slightest idea how anything material could be conscious.’01 There is nothing like the experience of being conscious. It is a unique experience. It cannot be described easily and certainly not in physical terms. In fact, to describe it requires adjectives which are only related to being conscious. It seems to be in a different category to anything else biological. It just does not fit easily with physical ‘stuff’. Consciousness in this discussion is not equated with the term we use medically, such as ‘levels of consciousness’. It is not the same as being awake, because we can have conscious thoughts when we are dreaming. In many ways we are unconscious of being conscious, rather like fish swimming all their lives who do not know what water is. Let us look at a few of its characteristics and then see why consciousness is something that, many would argue, requires an entirely different view of mankind, one that incorporates soul as well as body. granted most of the time

SENSATIONS When we see a colour, such as blue, there is something special about this experience. It is far more than simply registering a wavelength of light (which a machine can do easily). Then there is the sense of smell, such as that of the coffee I had this morning. The experience is more than the detection of certain molecules in the air. The same can be said of taste, touch, pain and hearing. Such experiences, known as qualia amongst philosophers, seem nonmaterial. To equate them with pure physical events in the brain seems impossible; it is known as the ‘hard problem’ of philosophy of mind.03 We know from studying the brain with MRI scanners that certain areas are correlated with such sensations, but (and this is crucial), correlation is not the same as being identical.

PRIVATE ACCESS One of the defining features of consciousness is private access. Only you are privileged to know the thoughts that you have. However skilled I am at describing my thoughts to you, I cannot really convey them properly and we always refer to examples of our own thoughts to try to understand the thoughts of others. Here is one interesting philosophical argument:

EMOTIONS Consciousness involves feelings such as sadness, fear, anger, hope and love. These are deeply personal and real. They are ‘about’ something and they have personal content. The question then arises: Can anything physical be ‘about’ something? Can a network of neurons, however complex, have emotions?

1: Mental states can only be privately accessed. 2: No physical state can be privately accessed. 3: Therefore, mental states are not physical states. This argument might seem obvious, but most philosophers and neuro-scientists have a world view that rules out anything non-physical. This is why the mystery of consciousness is such a hot topic amongst them.

2019

BELIEFS I might have a belief that Tolstoy was a better >>

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To be human involves a sense of personhood. There is a continuity in my life. I know that I am the same person that I was 10 years ago.

DESCARTES AND SUBSEQUENT PHILOSOPHERS Descartes is often described as the father of modern philosophy. He maintained that we are made of two ‘substances’, the physical body (including the brain) and the non-physical soul, both forming a functioning unit and both interacting with each other. He is well worth reading, even in small chunks, and he makes some very powerful arguments for his case.04 This is often known as ‘Cartesian Dualism’ or ‘Substance Dualism’. Since then most philosophers have endeavoured strenuously to refute him and there are now so many ‘isms’ that we cannot even begin to outline them here. ‘Monism’ is the idea that we are simply one substance which is physical. There are in-between ‘isms’ of many forms. ‘Property Dualism’, which comes in many varieties, accepts that consciousness is somehow non-physical, but it nevertheless claims that it is entirely, somehow, produced by the physical brain. Where does this leave the ordinary Christian when speaking to people about what we are as humans? Library shelves are filled with works by philosophers struggling mightily to explain consciousness, so we have a strong case for opening discussions on this topic. There are many reasons why we cannot be dismissed unthinkingly as mere biological machines.05 •

<< writer than Dickens. I might give plenty of examples but in the end that belief is a subjective feeling that is not reducible to something physical. I could not programme a belief into my computer even if an algorithm was made to judge between two writers. Once again, beliefs are ‘about’ things and are not reducible to material objects. FREE-WILL Perhaps the greatest obstacle to equating consciousness to mere brain activity is free-will. As individuals we have choice and can freely decide to do different things, even if tempered by past experiences or culture. We therefore have autonomy. Because of this we rightly hold people responsible for what they do, sometimes praising and sometimes even punishing them. A murderer is guilty and someone who receives a Victoria Cross in war is commended, because they both freely chose to do what they did. The problem is this: to have free-will requires genuine autonomy. A purely physical object, system or network of neurons in the brain is not autonomous. This is because such physical objects depend entirely on physical laws. If all we are is physical ‘stuff’ then a particular brain state right now is only in that state because of a prior physical brain state and external physical conditions, all under the laws of physics. Whether we look at classical physics or quantum physics, there is no freedom or autonomy in a physical system. This is of course debated endlessly amongst philosophers, neuro-scientists and some theologians, but the argument continues to hold water: if we have free-will, we must be more than physical. In fact, the Christian concept of the non-physical soul, free of the purely material constraints of the brain, does allow for genuine free-will.

04 05

Dr. Antony Latham is a GP based on the Isle of Harris. He is the writer of a number of books including The Naked Emporer: Darwinism Exposed and The Enigma of Consciousness — Reclaiming the Soul

©Sagittaria - stock.adobe.com

“I tell, you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.” Luke 12:4.

Jerry Fodor, (3 July 1992)."The Big Idea: Can there be a Science of Mind?" Times Literary Supplement. Searle, John. (1983). Can computers think? From Minds, Brains and Science, pp. 28-41. Harvard University Press. From David Chalmers (2002) in ‘Consciousness and its Place in Nature’. Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Mind. Descartes, Rene. (1641) Meditations on First Philosophy. Cambridge University Press. I commend reading about the Mind-Body problem (and plenty more) in: Williams, Peter S. (2013) A Faithful Guide to Philosophy. A Christian guide to the Love of Wisdom. Paternoster.

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The problem is this: to have free-will requires genuine autonomy. A purely physical object, system or network of neurons in the brain is not autonomous.

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BOOK REVIEWS As Free Church Books celebrates its First birthday, we have much to be glad about! The last year has been full of fantastic books, great events and best of all, you – our readers. To say thank you for your support we have a sale in our online shop, four new reviews (including one from our youngest ver reviewer!), and even more ways you can get involved. WHAT EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PRAYER NANCY GUTHRIE (2018) Rosa says: I read it at bedtime and it only takes a few minutes. I love how the sections of the book are different colours — e.g red pages for ‘Psalms’ and green pages for ‘Jesus teaches us to pray’. The colourful pictures help me understand the words and I love to read the ‘I can pray’ speech bubble out loud every night while mummy closes her eyes. It’s great having a ribbon bookmark attached to the book so we don’t lose our place. I am 7 and think it’s great for my age! It would be a great gift for other children too! Martha (Rosa's mum) says: This book is full of well chosen scripture verses, clear explanations and short prayers to help children discover how to speak to God. Beautifully illustrated & full of colour. • Rosa (age 7) & Martha Middlemiss, Haddington Community Church

HAVE NO FEAR JOHN LENNOX (2018) This booklet is not a how to do it manual of Christian witnessing on a one-to-one basis, but an invitation to do it. And it succeeds – or certainly ought to. One might be tempted to object that it is all very well for Lennox, with his massive intellect, his Irish wit, and his seemingly unflappable temperament, to pontificate about witness. But what about the rest of us? Lennox insists that, apart from being a duty, witnessing is possible for everyone. Expounding 1 Peter 3:13-17, he clears away some of the misunderstandings Christians have over what is and what is not our duty in this regard, our attitude to the other party to the conversation (always one of respect), our willingness to admit ignorance, and our preparedness to be resented or misrepresented. Lennox says (page 18) that we can all start, like Paul, by telling of our experience with the Lord. Few of us, however, have had Damascus road experiences like Paul's: and indeed no other New Testament account of one-to-one witness puts the same emphasis on personal testimony. To be fair, Lennox stresses the need for a broad biblical basis undergirding our witness and warmly commends a resource (The Word: One-to-One) embodying that emphasis. There is a lot in this little book to encourage and challenge, and is written with love and good humour. • Donald Mackay, Knox Church Perth

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THE POWER & SYMPATHY OF CHRIST J.C. RYLE (1889, REPUBLISHED 2018) The Power and Sympathy of Christ by J.C. Ryle is a wonderful exposition of John 11. In each chapter, Ryle warmly discusses a portion of John’s narrative, beginning with general lessons and then transitioning into detailed verse-by-verse exposition. The third chapter contains a particularly helpful discourse on faith and hope amid grief and sorrow. Additionally, the book is appended by a select compendium of hymns which aid in articulating some of the work’s larger themes. Although written in the late 19th century, the book’s clear and easy-to-read style makes it readily accessible to 21st century readers. However, it should be noted that while the style is accessible, the author does include certain expressions which may be unfamiliar to a modern audience. Despite this, Ryle’s short exposition contains many warm, helpful, and timeless truths which candidly consider life’s difficult realities whilst simultaneously and simply displaying the power and sympathy of Christ. • Connor Lord, ETS student

BOASTING JOSH MOODY (2018) Boasting is not necessarily the first topic you would think should be on the Christian’s radar. However, if you ponder scripture even briefly you can very quickly bring to mind verses that talk of boasting. In this book Moody takes us on a journey examining the Bible’s approach to the concept of ‘boasting’ alongside a discussion of its history and psychology. Why? So that we might boast right and be able to bear much fruit for the glory of God. At times it was hard, working though many bible verses to understand if the context was a positive or negative boast, but as is often the case — the destination is worth the journey. Through a detailed study of Romans 5:2, Moody takes us to a life changing place of deliberate and active boasting in Christ and his parting words that we cannot be quiet about Jesus if we love him are a direct and pure challenge to every Christian. • Carina Maciver, Dowanvale Free Church

Until 16th March, our online shop has 15% off all the titles on our homepage — that's fifteen great books at even better than bargain prices, including titles by Sinclair Ferguson, Tim Chester, David Robertson and Dayspring MacLeod. Just visit https://thefree.church/shop and enter the code FCBOOKS15 at checkout!

GET IN TOUCH: EMAIL: books@freechurch.org SHOP: https://thefree.church/shop

2019

WEBSITE: books.freechurch.org MAILING LIST: https://thefree.church/books-sign-up

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In the first of a series of three articles, SHAWNA WILLIAMS describes her sense of calling to serve as a missionary in Papua New Guinea.

‘P

lease. please god. anything. i’ll do anything else.

Just Please. Please do not send me to ‘Oogga Booga Land.” Welcome to the crazy journal ramblings of a terrified seventeen-year-old me. As I was frantically writing this in my journal, I was weeping like an insane person, trying to hold it together so that the cute boy sitting next to me in the auditorium would not think that I was unstable. Little did I know, that cute boy would one day be the father of my children, and that desperate plea would forever change the course of my life. Let’s start at the beginning. I am Shawna. I am an overall mediocre human being. I don’t say that so that you will now shower me with praise, I just say it because it is the truth. Once upon a time, I thought that I was going to be a massage therapist. I was fresh out of high school and looking for something to do with my life. It had to require me not being a genius or extremely talented, but I also didn’t want to starve. So, massage therapist it was! I found a school close to my home in Arizona. I was going to attend the eight-month program, get my degree, and move to San Diego to ‘live the dream.’ Or so I thought. Now would be an excellent time for you to insert a “dun dun dun” into the story. One night I was lying in bed, trying to sleep when a thought suddenly came to my mind. “Why don’t I go to church camp? I have never been and I am a senior in high school, so this summer will be my last chance! The spots have probably all been filled but I guess I could call the youth pastor over at the church and see what he has to say.” The next morning, I found myself to be the lucky owner of a spot at the camp! Turns out, someone had dropped out just a few days before and the spot was mine. Score! Fast forward to summer! I made it! I graduated high school! Now to enjoy myself at camp. Feel free to add another “dun, dun, dun” here. It was great. I made new friends, learned a lot about the Lord, sang new songs, and to be honest, I kept noticing that really cute guy that came as well. One night as we were finishing up worship, I felt that same nagging feeling that got me to camp in the first place. “You have all of these plans for your future, but none of them include me. What about me?” So of course, I responded, “Well God, if you want to change my plans, go for it! Just make it really clear so

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that I don’t have any excuse.” I did not say this with fear and trepidation. I basically said it because it made me feel like a good Christian, without having to actually do anything. Honestly, I did not expect the Lord to act. Like I said, mediocre here. What could he possibly do with me anyway? The very next morning I came to chapel, and as luck would have it, the only other person from our group I could find was the cute guy and he wanted to sit by me. Insert secret internal fist pump. We took our seats and the speaker began. I’ll take this moment to warn you. If you tell the Lord to have “free reign” in your life, you had better be willing to change some things. I was not prepared for what was coming next. The speaker was a missionary, from Papua New Guinea, who challenged every single one of us in that auditorium to missions. I can’t remember everything he said, but I remember bits and pieces here and there like, “Retirement is not for old age, it is for heaven when you can look around and know that there are people here that would not have been if you told God ‘no’.” “What kind of hopes and dreams do you have? Do they line up with God’s?” “The only thing that matters in this life is bringing him glory and sharing that hope with other people.” Remember how I told God to be clear if he wanted to change my path? Well, in that moment I honestly felt like someone had smacked me in the face with a 2X4. It was clear. Man, was it clear. The problem though was that I didn’t want it. There was nothing else I feared more in this world than being a missionary! What about my family? What about my future children? Oh, my word. My future kids! They would be SO weird! Would I ever get to wear makeup again? Would I have to wear a jean dress for the rest of my life? Speaking of kids, would I even be able to get married? How could I ever learn another language? How could God use me? There is not one thing in me that is impressive, and the truth is, I was afraid. I was so afraid. Before I could stop myself, I was an uncontrollable mess. Praying, begging God

2019

“anything else! I will do ANYTHING else, just please don’t make me be a missionary!” Here we are at the beginning. A weeping seventeenyear-old me asking the Lord to change his mind and the cute boy next to me looking at me with concern. “Is everything alright?” he asked. “I just really feel like the Lord is calling me to missions.” “Really, I do too.” I looked at him in utter disbelief. How could this be? The cute guy is not worried about his future kids? I guess guys don’t have to worry about make up. Turns out, he was afraid too, but he was trusting the Lord. We talked about it on the seventeen-hour bus ride home after we got applications to the missionary school together. I had to call the massage school and tell them that I had changed my mind. I lost my deposit. I told my parents. They cried. I was scared. That never changed. However, some things did change. I married the cute guy. His name is Coleton. We have two boys who seem to have a neverending supply of energy. We became missionaries. We have now lived in Papua New Guinea for five years, and guess what? Sometimes I still wear make up! I don’t wear jean dresses, and best of all, I really truly did learn another language. Actually, I learned two! I teach my oldest son through homeschool, and I regularly teach and disciple the women in our village in my third language! Turns out, being mediocre was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. When you are good at a lot of things, it’s easy to trust and rely on yourself, but when you are like me, the only thing you can rely on is the Lord. Do you feel inadequate? Unsuccessful? Normal? Afraid? Welcome to the club, we all do. Luckily, we serve a God who is able to do above and beyond what we can possibly imagine. He wants to blow your mind. He just needs you to say ‘yes’ first. •

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THE MISSIONARY SCARE PART 01

THE ISLANDS STUDY CONFERENCE

On Sunday all the Conference residents and visitors, including the Scaladale Free Church Youth Camp, joined the 11 am morning service at North Harris Free Church where Rev. David Robertson preached from Romans 8:38-39 on ‘The Conquering Church.’ The sermon was hope filled, encouraging and triumphant — who shall separate us from the love of Christ? No one and nothing! No matter what trials and tribulations we go through, we are on the winning side because Christ died for us and our sins have been forgiven forever! At 3.30pm we had the treat of Annabel Robertson being interviewed by her husband about her God given ministry as a Ministers wife, her own deep passion for outreach, and how she had supported and helped people as part of that outreach in Brora and Dundee. We also discussed the role of women in the church and the importance of women being active in serving and evangelising. At the 6pm service Rev. Roger Simpson again blessed us by reading from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, speaking on the theme ‘Good News in the Local Church.’ He exhorted us to tell people the things of ‘first importance’ — that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the grave! This is the Gospel — the message of hope that the sin ravished, guilt ridden, shame filled, failure feeling people around us need to hear! Paul Myers again spoke passionately and clearly (he spoke for several minutes every time Roger spoke) of his incredible deliverance from despair and addiction — a clear indication of the healing, transforming power of Jesus! After the evening service we went back to the Harris Hotel where the Conference is held (The North Harris Free Church is right next door to the Hotel) and heard a testimony from David about how he became a Christian and about his upcoming move to Australia. We also heard testimony from Roger on how he had once, by the Grace of God, after a long struggle and much prayer, helped a demon oppressed gangster, who he had invited to stay in his home, come to Christ! What a blessed, blessed weekend! God willing, next year’s Islands Study Conference is from 7th to the 9th February 2020 and the speakers are Rev. Alistair I Macleod and Rev. Robert Murdock. If you want a wonderful weekend of great teaching and fellowship in beautiful surroundings you can get the booking details on their website www.isc.scot •

8th-10th February 2019

BY ALASDAIR MACLEOD

y the grace of god, the islands study conference this

year

had

four

the

most

passionate

evangelists that i have ever heard!

Does Scotland today have a greater need than fervent prayer and passionate evangelism? Our very own Rev. David Robertson, Minister of St Peters Dundee, and his wife Annabel spoke alongside Rev. Roger Simpson, Associate Vicar of St. Michael Le Belfrey, York, and his fellow full-time evangelist Paul Myers. David spoke on ‘The Good News for Today’s Scotland’ and Roger spoke on ‘Lost for Words.’ The first lecture of the Conference was at 7.30pm on Friday night, where David spoke from Romans 1 on the theme ‘Regressive Society.’ He was the Consultant giving us the diagnosis and interpreting the scans — Scotland is dying and on life-support with a culture that is not progressing towards a tolerant and diverse utopia, as the secularists claim, but is instead actually regressing to a Greco-Roman pagan culture where all manner of sin is not only condoned but celebrated! But it was in that ancient pagan society that the New Testament fledgling church grew and prospered! On Saturday morning Roger spoke at 11am on the topic ‘Good News is Our Business’ where he read from Colossians 4. This was practical, step-by step advice about evangelism and how to do it. Prayer was double-emphasised because only God can give the increase. In his experience, most people came to Christ through the faithful, loving friendship of a Christian. People will only take our invites seriously if we are good friends to them and will only find us interesting if we are interested in them! After lunch David read from Romans 8 and spoke about ‘The Groaning Creation’ where he filled us with hope by showing us the cure for a terminally ill Scotland — Jesus Christ and Him crucified! To be inward looking is devastating for a church, so we need to be outward looking, applying the word of Christ to the culture that we live in. We must communicate clearly who Jesus is as most people in the UK just don’t know! Lecture 4 was at 8pm where Roger read from John 4 and spoke on the theme ‘Good News for Individuals’. His stories from being an evangelist for over 30 years were so inspiring! By the Grace of God, he has seen hundreds saved (including billionaires, gangsters and gladiators!) through personal evangelism or courses such as Alpha.

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Rev. Roger Simpson, Rev. David Robertson and Paul Myers

MARCH

LAUNCHES FOR VOICES OF THANKSGIVING BY J.C. WHYTOCK

he first launch for the book voices

dumisani

thanksgiving : theological

institute & bible school 1979- 2019 will

appropriately

held ,

previously announced , on march

2nd,

eastern cape , This launch will be held in conjunction with the annual awards and graduation exercises at Dumisani, when the installation for new senior leadership will occur together with the 40th anniversary events that weekend (see the background article in the October 2018, Record).

2019

the

south africa .

THE BOOK, VOICES OF THANKSGIVING Over twenty contributors have been involved in this book and it contains over 100 images. We are grateful to the publisher, Haddington House Trust in Canada, for undertaking the sponsorship of this book. This 40th anniversary publication was planned as a way to celebrate the past 4 decades

of ministry at Dumisani by providing a coffee-table style book with stories, photos and a vision for the future. An overview chapter has also been included of the history of Dumisani and its context within the Bible School Movement. It is hoped that Voices of Thanksgiving will be used to express our thanks to our partners for their support as well as to share the current redevelopment work on our campus. OTHER LAUNCHES BEING PLANNED FOR 2019 Canada and United States Following the official Africa launch on March 2nd, select distribution in South Africa will begin. The next official launches will be in Canada and the United States in late April and May, specifically in Michigan, New York state, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The goal is to have the Dumisani footprint taken to as many places as possible.

It is also hoped that with each launch word will spread about the need for visiting lecturers to serve at Dumisani, now that we have arrangements to handle such staffing. Talks on The Bible School Movement and the present vision of Dumisani will be interwoven in these North American book launches. United Kingdom Book launches in the United Kingdom are being planned for early June at select locations. Possible launch locations include Isle of Skye, Inverness, central Scotland, and Belfast. Please watch for forthcoming details as arrangements are being coordinated. Other locations will be considered as well. Dr and Mrs Whytock will be touring for these launches. Australasia Plans are being made for launches and talks in Australia in August. These will be held immediately following the General Assembly of the World Reformed Fellowship in Jakarta, Indonesia, which will hopefully also allow further exposure in Australasia that month. • These verses from Revelation 22:1-4 are a wonderful meditation as we commence these launches: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life… On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face…”

2019

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CONGREGATIONAL REMITTANCES JANUARY-DECEMBER 2018 EDINBURGH & PERTH Aberdeen Broughty Ferry Dundee — St Peters Edinburgh — Buccleuch Edinburgh — St Columba Edinburgh — Christ Church Falkirk Kirkcaldy Dunfermline Edinburgh — Leith Edinburgh — Grace Church Livingston London City Perth & Pitlochry St Andrews GLASGOW & ARGYLL Arran Ayr & Kilwinning Bishopbriggs Blackwood & Kirkmuirhill Campbeltown Coatbridge Cumbernauld Dumbarton Dumfries Dunblane East Kilbride Glasgow — Dowanvale Glasgow — Govanhill Glasgow — Partick Glasgow — City Greenock Dunoon & Strachur Lennoxtown Lochgilphead Tarbert Mull & Coll Newmilns Oban Stirling

2018

2017

£100,897 £86,612 £35,222 £38,581 £114,995 £66,707 £76,634 £76,516 £184,314 £145,159 £40,502 £39,620 £37,484 £35,900 £33,222 £31,700 £38,000 £34,397 £39,205 £38,517 £35,222 £33,800 £35,247 £31,725 £60,238 £72,161 £39,198 £42,167 £35,222 £31,700 £905,604 £805,262 £28,532 £27,500 £35,098 £33,835 £36,389 £30,839 £33,872 £33,080 £29,570 £9,558 £40,187 £40,338 £32,854 £32,017 £1,347 £1,793 £32,894 £18,050 £4,600 £1,700 £25,318 £30,373 £92,214 £85,889 £35,054 £33,800 £37,769 £35,922 £80,900 £78,344 £1,290 £1,567 £0 £0 £27,396 £26,500 £2,121 £1,200 £13,280 £16,750 £2,703 £1,804 £35,904 £34,380 £35,177 £34,034 £28,260 £33,800 £692,728 £643,072

INVERNESS, LOCHABER & ROSS Burghead £10,362 Dingwall & Strathpeffer £78,463 Gardenstown £42,904 Elgin & Forres £32,986 Fortrose £33,058 Fort William £4,565 Glenurquhart & Fort Augustus £30,213 Inverness — Free North £79,252 Inverness — West Church £4,683 Greyfriars Stratherrick £69,429 Kilmallie & Ardnamurchan £38,232 Kiltarlity & Kirkhill £34,797 Kiltearn £1,588 Badenoch £1,555 Knockbain £42,551 Maryburgh & Killearnan £32,668 Nairn £16,320 Urquhart & Resolis £45,060 Smithton-Culloden & Nairn £124,190 Urray & Strathconon £41,535

£11,147 £78,998 £39,450 £32,260 £31,801 £21,676 £30,515 £76,933 £29,783 £62,276 £63,878 £33,897 £4,250 £1,399 £39,175 £31,700 £0 £49,830 £136,820 £40,225 £764,411 £816,014

THE RECORD

NORTHERN Assynt & Eddrachillis Clyne Bonar Bridge/Lairg Dornoch Golspie Helmsdale & Kinbrace Lybster Castletown & Community Rogart Rosskeen Tain & Fearn Thurso & North Coast Wick & Keiss SKYE & WESTER ROSS Duirinish Gairloch, Kinlochewe & Torridon Lochalsh,Glenshiel & Glenelg Trotternish Lochbroom & Coigach Lochcarron & Applecross Plockton & Kyle Poolewe & Aultbea Portree Raasay Sleat & Strath WESTERN ISLES Western Isles Presbytery Back Barvas Callanish Carloway Cross Harris Kinloch Garrabost Lochs North Harris North Tolsta North Uist, Grimsay & Berneray Park Scalpay Shawbost South Uist & Benbecula Stornoway Stornoway High

REMITTANCE TOTAL Other Donations North America Ev. Presb. Church Donations — Individual Donations — Group/congregation Disaster&Relief/Youth Project

GRAND TOTAL

£1,353 £2,621 £32,428 £31,715 £19,164 £24,811 £1,290 £23,075 £8,121 £77,950 £75,573 £22,609 £1,350 £322,060

2018

2017 £768 £4,021 £30,328 £29,500 £10,041 £24,281 £1,280 £22,260 £4,021 £70,966 £66,810 £20,809 £1,260 £286,345

£33,000 £33,287 £1,688 £36,397 £36,564 £24,194 £35,250 £39,985 £68,294 £1,462 £32,199 £342,319

£33,800 £32,187 £1,688 £35,158 £35,304 £27,500 £34,845 £37,722 £43,814 £1,362 £28,033 £311,413

£10,000 £0 £107,952 £114,058 £41,413 £43,066 £51,963 £45,886 £50,750 £52,212 £55,230 £67,810 £32,457 £24,610 £34,567 £34,800 £95,536 £104,784 £61,900 £59,000 £42,100 £42,800 £34,550 £33,800 £34,700 £31,830 £34,000 £33,300 £32,400 £32,590 £39,557 £39,061 £17,938 £19,171 £250,153 £258,226 £39,700 £36,481 £1,066,866 £1,073,486 £4,093,988 £3,935,593

£0 £96,025 £30,482 £10,227 £136,734

£352 £90,130 £100,864 £16,905 £208,251

£4,230,722 £4,143,843

MARCH

PRAYER DIARY MAR/AP R 2019 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 Fri 15th Pray for all our young folk as they gather for the youth conference in Lendrick Muir this weekend. As Hamish Sneddon leads them on the theme ‘Life in Christ’, pray they will have a blessed time. Sat 16th Pray for the Cornerstone Bible College where Donald and Rosangela Fraser work. Several members of staff will be moving on at the end of this year, including the Principal. Sun 17th Pray for the congregation in Dumbarton and their interim moderator, Rev. Kenny Boyd, as they go to worship this morning. The town of Dumbarton has a large population. Mon 18th The Seminary is looking for a Church History course organiser. Pray that a suitable person will be appointed to work along with the staff. Tues 19th Give thanks for Mrs Catriona Cazaly and her faithful service to the church as Finance Manager. She retires at the end of May. Pray for the appointment of a new Finance Manager for the church. Wed 20th Pray for the new pupils and staff as they settle into the San Andres community. This is their first term, as the school year begins in March in Peru. Please pray they will form good relationships and be blessed eternally. Thurs 21st Tomorrow is World Water Day. Give thanks that we enjoy a constant supply of fresh clean water and pray for the efforts by many agencies (Tearfund etc.) working towards providing clean water and sanitation for the many in the world that do not have what we take for granted. Fri 22nd Pray for all those gathering in Pitlochry for the WEC prayer weekend this evening. Pray that they will be refreshed by relevant Bible teaching led by Dr Alistair Wilson.

Mon 25th According to Martin Luther, ‘Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of his willingness.’ Let us be found as a people of prayer. Tues 26th Give thanks for the prayer at the beginning of each day in Parliament and pray that this would continue as a meaningful part of our heritage. Wed 27th Pray specifically for your own Member of Parliament and especially for any Christian Members of Parliament you know. Thurs 28th Leading up to Brexit Day, let us pray for peace and stability in our nation and all our neighbours in mainland Europe.

Fri 5th Pray for special grace, wisdom and love for the Colegio school management team, especially for head teacher Cesar Morales and assistant head teacher Jose Garcia. Pray their lives would be an example and blessing. Sat 6th Give thanks for the number of children booked into our summer camps. Pray for them and for Kirsten Macdonald, the newly appointed Camps Administrator. Sun 7th This morning remember the small group gathering in Greenock. Pray for them and their interim moderator, Rev. Alasdair MacDonald, who also has responsibility for Dunoon and Strachur.

Fri 29th On Brexit Day pray for Theresa May and all those in government, remembering that our Lord is in ultimate control and has asked us to pray for those in authority.

Mon 8th Pray for those suffering daily in Yemen, where families are torn apart, and for Tearfund’s partners on the ground bringing hope and relief. It’s estimated that 85,000 children may have already died from extreme hunger.

Sat 30thAs tomorrow is Mothering Sunday, give thanks for all our families and pray for the biblical pattern of family life to be promoted in our land.

Tues 9th There are still about 37 million people living with HIV/ AIDS, mostly in Africa. Pray that they will be able to access help despite the discrimination they experience.

Sun 31st Remember the congregation in Partick and their acting interim moderator, Rev. Colin Dow. Their building is in a residential area, so pray for outreach and contacts made in the neighbourhood, that people will want to come and hear the gospel. Mon 1st Pray for the follow-up to the weekend in Skye last month when Rico Tice spoke. Pray that any who were challenged by his message will allow God’s Spirit to work in their lives. Tues 2nd Pray for the hundreds of people across the world who have been imprisoned unjustly. In many cases prison conditions are very harsh.

Sat 23rd Pray for our ministers’ wives as they gather in Inverness today. The speaker at this year’s Enspire is Ann Allen on the subject ‘Satisfied’.

Wed 3rd Praise God that the demand for Bibles in China is huge. United Bible Societies’ China Partnership provides free or heavily subsidized Bibles. Pray for continued permission to print Bibles each year in China.

Sun 24th Dunblane congregation are working hard to meet the needs of their community. Pray for them and their interim moderator, Rev. David Ford.

Thurs 4th As we access the internet on a daily basis, pray that we would be vigilant to protect ourselves and our children from those who use it for unwholesome purposes.

Wed 10th Pray that all our congregations would be looking to be revitalized. It is in our nature to resist moving out of our comfort zone – pray we would be open to God working among us. Thurs 11th Pray for the Board of Trustees as they are scheduled to meet today. Ask that their time of business would be profitable and to the glory of God. Fri 12th On International Day for Street Children, pray for the millions of children across the world who survive on the streets. Remember Marsali Campbell and the work of Dwelling Places in Uganda. Sat 13th As those attending the Saturday course meet for the last day of this session, pray that they will be encouraged by what they have learnt and be able to put it into use in their lives. Sat 14th This morning pray for the congregation in Lennoxtown and their interim moderator, Rev. Kenny Macleod. Pray for Alick Stewart as he studies while being their church worker.

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.

2019

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

t’s tough out there.

Evangelical Church growth in the UK is reckoned to be 0%, in Colombia it’s 6%, and even in China it’s 3%.01 At a recent talk at Edinburgh Theological Seminary, the evangelist Roger Carswell said that the last two years of his ministry were the toughest he has ever experienced because of a low response rate. We respond to this reality in various ways. Many of us are in simple denial so we exaggerate successes and explain away the numbers. Thom Rainer states that, ‘In my consulting experiences in the past, I found that estimated attendance was inflated by a factor of over 30%.’ Many of us recognise this self-denial, and this is dishonouring to the Lord. Renewal always begins with reality and an admission that the problem is deeper and more wide-spread than we even imagined. Another response is paralysis born out of a sense of despair. Many of our churches have not seen new people attend on a regular basis, and it’s been many years since they have witnessed the miracle of regeneration among us. An understandable response is one of resignation and a sense that we will see little fruit in a day of small things. But just because it’s understandable doesn’t make it right.

to the front. When it comes to our faith, the rules of natural discourse or engagement don’t seem to apply. Our default position in conversation appears to be an embarrassing silence and the refusal to walk through open doors. Even in our own houses of worship we inhabit the back seats or pews like rabbits frightened by the headlights of the gospel light. What hope is there of people walking across the room to tell their gospel story to someone when we are so fear-ridden that we won’t even walk to a front seat to display some interest and engagement in worship?

There is unity of spirit and strategy, joyous worship, overt evangelism, a mortification of faux-solemnity, and an expectation that God will work. However, there is hope. There is life. At a recent Mission Board night-away each person present was asked to speak about the last person in their congregation who came to follow Jesus. We heard of at least 10 stories of new disciples of Jesus within the last 6 months. St Columba’s, Edinburgh, recently released a growth chart which shows significant growth tracked exactly to the point when they started to plant churches. Our Revitalisation Track is up and running with much mutual encouragement. Each of the congregations where we are seeing real kingdom growth display similar characteristics. There is unity of spirit and strategy, joyous worship, overt evangelism, a mortification of faux-solemnity, and an expectation that God will work. At a recent prayer meeting in St Columba’s there was a collective buzz as a large congregation of young and old, men and women all prayed audibly with a request that God would move in global and national mission. The listening on earth is less important than the listening in heaven My fear? There are still too many of our congregations stifled by the starch of formality and closed to a lost world. Let’s ask the Spirit to wash out the starch. When God is at work it’s like the sudden filling of the streams in the Negev. Barrenness is transformed to fertility.•

Renewal always begins with reality and an admission that the problem is deeper and more wide-spread than we even imagined. Our response to a tough environment should involve neither sophistry or despair. The old hymn said it well, ‘Let us labour for the master, from the dawn ‘til setting sun, Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care.’ Labour in challenging days looks like more of us telling the story of the gospel to an increasing number of people. DL Moody made a pledge to share the gospel with at least one person each day. There could be an argument that this is a legalistic target and yet setting it may liberate us from our fears. The danger could be that we look for our daily ‘victim’ as the sun sets. Few of us would be in that zone if we think of the numerous natural opportunities we have to talk about our faith during the day What is it about Free Church people? We can talk with passion about numerous subjects from Brexit to wind farms. At concerts or football matches we strain to get

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Statistics from The Joshua Project www.joshuaproject.net

MARCH

Mìorbhail gràis (Amazing Grace)

LE JANET NICPHÀIL Lìonaidh e cridhe gach aon le dòchas agus taingealachd, agus lorgaidh sinn am facal-sa aig toiseach na litreach a sgrìobh an t-Abstol gu na Corintianaich. Bha mòran aige ri sgrìobhadh chun na h-eaglais’sa; bha iad a’cur feum air cronachadh, earail agus stiùireadh. Fhuair iad seo anns an litir a chaidh a sgrìobhadh thuca, ach cha b’ann mar sin a thòisich an t-Abstol air an litir idir. Leughaidh sinn facail glè mhisneachail aig toiseach na litreach, agus iomradh air a dhèanamh air a’ ghràs a thugadh dhaibh ann an Iosa Criosd, agus b’e Gràdh Dhè a bh’air cùl gach nì math a tha seo. B’e gràs a bha seo a bha a’ sruthadh o Ghràdh Dhè dhaibh. Tha sinn a’ faicinn na h-eaglais’-sa an toiseach, bho shealladh na tha an Cruthaidhear air a dhèanamh dhaibh agus annta. Is e gràs a tha seo a th’air an dèanamh làidir; tha an gràs-sa air an neartachadh agus air an lìonadh le dòchas. Dh’ iarr an teachdaire oirnn’ mar shluagh a bhith a leigeil le Facal Dhè a bhith gar misneachadh, agus nach e deagh chomhairle a tha an sin? B’e sluagh saidhbhir a bh’anns an t-sluagh-sa, agus b’e gràs Dhè a b’adhbhar dhan seo. Bha an Cruthaidhear air a bhith fialaidh dhan taobh. Tha tiodhlacan a tha math air a thoirt dhaibh-san a dh’ iarras seo air an Athair nèamhaidh. Chì sinn daoine a bha uair-eigin bochd, a-nis nan sluagh a tha air an dèanamh mar shluagh ‘gun dìth’. Is e gràs a tha seo a tha a’ daingneachadh fianais Chriosd anns an t-sluagh-sa. Chaidh an Soisgeul a dhèanamh cinnteach dhaibh. Leughaidh sinn anns an litir a chaidh a sgrìobhadh gu na Philipianaich na facail-sa, ‘Leasaichidh mo Dhia-sa ar n-uireasbhaidh uile, a-rèir a shaidhbhreis ann an Glòir tro Iosa Criosd’, agus nach e sin an obair mhìorbhaileach nach dèan duine ach an Cruthaidhear Fhèin? Is e seo Athair a tha a’ toirt iomadh tiodhlac air nach eil iad airidh dha shluagh. Is e gràs a bheir dhuinn tiodhlac an dòchais, tiodhlac a’ ghràidh agus sìth. Cha bhi càil ceàrr air obair a’ Chruthaidheir, ach faodaidh sluagh a bhith a’ fàs seachranach. Bheir an Cruthaidhear gach nì air a bheil iad a’ cur feum dha na Corintianaich. Chan eil sinn airidh air cùram mar seo, ach far am bi ar n-èiginn, an sin fritheilidh gràs oirnn’. Tha an Cruthaidhear ag iarraidh oirnn’ a bhith a’ creidsinn A gheallaidhean. Nì sinn seo le bhith ag earbs’ à gràs Dhè. Is ann an sin a gheibh sinn sìth.

2019

Cumaidh Fear-coimhead Israeil sinn gu bràth. Bidh E a’ toirt spionnadh dhuinn le bhith gar gleidheadh ’s gar neartachadh. Nuair a bhios sinn a’ faireachdainn lag, is e neart Dhè a bheir buaidh air ar n-anmhainneachd. Chan eil na Corintianaich airidh air a’ ghràs-sa, agus chan eil sinne a bharrachd. Feumaidh sinn a bhith a’ creidsinn gur e gràs Dhè am freagairt do gach feum a bhios oirnn’. Tha an gràs-sa a’ tighinn o shuas, agus is e gràs a chumas sinn gu ruig sinn ar dachaigh nèamhaidh. Gleidhidh an gràs-sa sinn, agus fàsaidh sinn làidir anns a’ ghràs-sa, agus bidh sinn an dòchas gum bi seo a’ ruighinn air muinntir eile. Nach e nì prìseil a bhiodh an sin? • (B’e an Dotair Urramach Cailean Dow a bha a’ searmonachadh, agus tha sinn a’ toirt taing dha).

Ùrnaigh Nuair bhios mo chridhe fo eagal nach tig Thu an àm èiginn. Thoir misneach, neart is creideamh dhomh gur Tusa Dia nach trèig mi. Ma bhios mi am fìor èiginn is mo neart cha mhòr air m’fhàgail, thig Thus’ a chur nam chuimhne gur Tusa Dia nach fhàg mi. Thoir orm gum bi mi cuimhneachail air sluagh sam bith an èiginn. Dèan farsaing, còir mo chridhe gu bhith cuimhneach air na feumaich.

s e facal àlainn a th ’ ann an ‘ gràs ’.

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POETRY PAGE LONDON, 1802 BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH Milton! Thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee: she is a fen Of stagnant waters: altar, sword and pen Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower Have forfeited their ancient English dower Of inward happiness. We are selfish men: O! raise us up, return to us again; And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power. Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart: Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea, Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free; So didst thou travel on life’s common way In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart The lowliest duties on herself did lay.

William Wordsworth (7 April 1770–23 April 1850) was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature.

Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash

Wordsworth begins the poem by wishing that Milton were still alive, for England hath need of thee. It is his opinion that England has stagnated morally in comparison to Milton's period. At a time when the UK is in desperate need of leadership this poem from Wordsworth laments that need and suggests a solution! •

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MARCH

THE LIGHT of THE WORLD

2019 London Conference

Alistair Begg, Sinclair Ferguson, Albert Mohler, Burk Parsons, and Michael Reeves

BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX

ho do you belong to?

It’s a question frequently heard on the lips of Lewis people, as they try to ‘place’ you. I think it’s probably a hobby that we islanders all get into as we age — and I’m not quite there yet. Nonetheless, every Wednesday afternoon, I trot along to a genealogy class in the college where I work, in an attempt to learn the art of the family historian. Now, my own family is a pretty complex mixture of Carloway, Harris, Achmore and Newmarket — four widely different parts of the Long Island – and even beginning to untangle those threads is not something I look upon with relish. Who knows what skeletons might come tumbling out of closets? Mind you, the nature of shameful family secrets here in Lewis usually ensures that they are already known to the entire community. Besides, when you have Achmore relations, as I do, there is also a very real sense in which the worst about you is already known. I don’t know where our preoccupation with lineage emanates from, but it is present throughout our recorded history. And, even the Vikings, who intruded into our family trees so rudely, were themselves great obsessives when it came to social history. They settled Iceland, and the record of who was who in that first settlement survives to this day, in the famous Landnamabok. It’s a luxury denied many, to know who they are and where they came from. Perhaps the reason I am largely indifferent to searching out my family’s past is because I feel secure in what I

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already know. But if there was a question over my paternity (pause as my mother has to be brought round from a swoon), which there isn’t, perhaps genealogy would take on a whole different meaning. The question of whose son Jesus was certainly became an issue. He had a place within an established human genealogy, certainly, but that seemed rather to complicate the other part of his identity. As we know, both Luke and Matthew recorded differing genealogies for him — the former tracing him back to Adam; the latter to Abraham. Biblical scholars vary as to why this might be so, and tend to favour the idea that they were actually tracing two different genealogies — Luke records Mary’s, and Matthew records that of Joseph, Jesus’ legal father. From those who do relish wallowing in research of their ancestry, I understand that mysteries of this kind are reasonably commonplace. They are what make the art of genealogy so addictive to some, in fact. At my class, I can only listen in admiration to my fellow students as they confess to staying up late in pursuit of some small ancestral detail, or of allowing the search to take over their lives. It is even, sometimes, reminiscent of the language of addiction, when they speak of ‘one more lead’. You can know who you are to the tenth generation or beyond. Between Jesus and Abraham there were reckoned to be eighteen generations, and more than sixty between Jesus and Adam. Still, however, his identity was in dispute. Not that people

questioned his relationship to Joseph, or Abraham, or anyone in between — they merely doubted that He was the Son of God. It seems paradoxical that this man, with not one, but two detailed genealogies, should be the one who supplies others with their true identity. Yet, all the incidents in his short life on earth were instructive, and so, perhaps, there is a useful genealogical lesson here for every one of us. You may think you know exactly who you are. It is possible for most islanders to take their patronymic backwards a few generations. Occasionally the flow will be interrupted by the presence of an unmarried mother, so a woman’s name might appear in the chain from time to time. Otherwise, though, our family trees are a reassurance of where we fit into this world. Christ did not fit in, however, despite all the evidence that he did. He was, on one side the adopted son of a carpenter; and on the other, the miraculous son of a virgin. Seen in this light, His genealogy is absolutely fitting: by blood, Christ was a miracle; and by adoption, he was the most humble of human beings. Put those two apparently contradictory lineages together and what do you have? He is nothing less than the Son of God, sent into our experience to render our human genealogies largely irrelevant. If we were to ask Jesus that same question — who do you belong to — his answer gives us not only his identity, but our own, because there can only be one response to ‘who do you say I am?’ •

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