The Record - May 2019 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND MAY 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 CHARITY REGISTERED IN SCOTLAND SCO48111

Prayer Diary • Mrs Mairi Macdonald ian.macdonald57@btinternet.com Design & Layout • Fin Macrae @DUFI Art www.dufi-art.com The Record • ISSN 2042-2970

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THE RECORD

MAY

Cover: ©Photo by Loic Salan on Shutterstock

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

WELCOME TO THE MAY RECORD

CONTENTS

hat are we trying to do with the magazine?

Creative people are often accused of not having a plan — and organized people are often accused of not being creative. Every month when we draw up The Record (as you read this we are already working on the next editions) we do have a purpose. Firstly we want to provide you with church news — this month we have news of a café outreach, obituaries, new office-bearers, conferences, finance and prayer. Then we want to help you understand what is going on in our culture — this month we look at the new divorce laws and the question of vaccination. There is a review article on an important book Twelve Ways Your Phone is Changing You. We try to look beyond our own shores — Nepal features strongly this month, as does missionary work in Central Asia. An important part of The Record are the reviews — this month we feature several books. Undergirding all this is our biblical theology. What does God say? This month we continue our studies in Ecclesiastes and we examine mission theology. In addition we have our regular columnist, Catriona Murray, the Gaelic page, the poetry page and a letter. As always we begin with the editorial — in which I try to provoke unto love and good works, stimulate thinking and encourage prayer (and action). These are our aims. Ultimately of course it is all under the one aim — to glorify God and seek first his kingdom and righteousness. Let us pray that the Assembly will be a blessed and challenging time. May the Lord bless not only the Free Church, but also the whole of His Church throughout Scotland and indeed beyond. •

CHURCH ABLAZE Editorial

FREE CHURCH NEWS

FINANCES

PRAYER DIARY

NO FAULT DIVORCES James Mildred

ETS NEWS

TREKKING IN NEPAL Luke Paton

THE GANGSTER TOUCHED BY GRACE

FROM THE HIGHLANDS TO THE MISSION FIELD: RUTH SHILLAKER

ECCLESIASTES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS, INTO THE LIFE

OBITUARY: DUNCAN MACKAY Murdo M. Campbell

OBITUARY: DUNCAN MEIN Nigel Anderson

TWELVE WAYS YOUR PHONE IS CHANGING YOU

YOUTH CONFERENCE Allan Macmillan

DEUS VULT, MEDICE CURA: A CHRISTIAN MEDICAL APPROACH TO VACCINATION SCEPTICS. PART 01

MISSIONARY MANTRA PART 03 Shawna Williams

BOOK REVIEWS

LETTERS

MISSION MATTERS David Meredith

GAELIC Janet MacPhail

POETRY PAGE William Cowper

POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

See you next month, The Editor

2019

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BY THE EDITOR

H B

t’s general assembly month.

Probably the last time I will write an Assembly editorial. As I look back over the past years it seems that nothing ever really changes. In 2016 we made a last-minute plea to the Church of Scotland not to change its, and the biblical, definition of marriage. Of course if they were not going to listen to the evangelicals within their own church, or the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, they were certainly not going to play a blind bit of attention to the Free Church. Last year in Assembly month we looked at what John Owen has to say about the apostate Church and tried to apply some lessons not only to the Church of Scotland and the Free Church, but also in a wider context. This year as we head to the Assemblies again there is one image that sticks in my mind — the cathedral of Notre Dame — ablaze in Paris. Whilst at the time of writing the causes of the fire are not yet known, it appears unlikely that it was done deliberately but was rather the result of an accident during renovation work. However, the fire was able to take hold so quickly because of decades of neglect. It is a parable of the whole church in the Western world today — and a parable of the Church in Scotland. Apart from a few militant fundamentalist secularists, no one in Scotland is deliberately setting out to destroy the Church from outwith. No — it is the neglect and attacks from within that are doing so much harm. This is seen in different ways.

some evangelicals seem to get more upset that heresy is questioned from outwith the church than they are that it is practiced within. There is a more subtle ‘liberalism’ that creeps into the Church as well — including the Free Church. It’s when we are infected by the values of this age and absorb them almost unwittingly. The idols and ideologies of this world quickly become ours — only with a Christian cloak. Materialism, greed, power and identity politics are as cancerous to the Church as they are to the society. I have no doubt that the Church in Scotland will continue. But do we really just want to be a middle-class heritage club acting as a social work agency with no sense of the radicalness of the Gospel? Unless we wake up and repent we will find that it is Christ himself who fights against us as he warned the church in Pergamum. We must not tolerate false teaching in our midst — of any sort. There is almost nothing that is more harmful to the cause of the Gospel and the health of the Church. Nevertheless I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. -Revelation 2:14-16 THE DEADLINESS OF LEGALISM Whereas liberalism takes away from the Gospel, legalism adds to it. Like liberalism it is often done with good intentions. Legalists see the antinomianism and the destructiveness of liberalism and so want to protect the castle of the Gospel by building our own walls and moats around it. Sometimes we turn cultural expressions of faith into non-negotiable shibboleths. At other times it’s as though we have fallen into a deep sleep and have stopped working. Our legalism is tied in with preservation and maintenance, rather than challenging and building up. Sadly, all too often personal

THE DESTRUCTIVENESS OF LIBERALISM This Easter, Morningside Parish Church — the church of the former moderator Rev. Dr Derek Browning — had the ex-bishop of Edinburgh, Richard Holloway, lead their Good Friday services. Richard Holloway is now an agnostic. He does not believe in any sense in the God of the Bible. So here we have a major church in the denomination having a man who does not believe in the cross, the resurrection or even Jesus as the Son of God — leading the Easter services. And not a squeak from anyone in the Church? And yet if any outsider were to dare to make any comment,

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©Photo by Loic Salan on Shutterstock

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THE DELIVERANCE OF THE LORD It does not have to be this way. We don’t have to reflect the values of the culture. We don’t have to play the games. We don’t have to give up on the idea of holiness, beauty and love. God did not give us a spirit of timidity and fear but that of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Power, love and self-discipline — this triunity of godly qualities are so desperately needed in the church today. How and where can we get them? The answer, as always, comes from Scripture. Paul tells Timothy it is God who gives these things. That does not mean that we passively sit back and wait for the Lord to do the work. In fact, the opposite is stated. We are to fan into flame the gift of God. We are not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. We are called to live a holy life. We are to know whom we have believed and grow in that knowledge. We are to keep the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. We are to guard, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the good deposit given to us. We must not throw it away. We must not sell our birthright for the pottage of this world. The opposite of power, love and self-discipline is weakness, hatred and indiscipline. We need to be on our knees in the private place, bearing witness in the marketplace and listening with open and obedient hearts in the school of the Lord. The crisis facing Scotland’s sinking churches will not be dealt with by rearranging presbyteries, developing new methodologies or creating new excuses for our pathetic disobedience. The demons are in too deep. This crisis can only be dealt with through prayer, renewal and repentance. •

self-preservation and pride mean that we will look to the rules before we look to the Ruler. Christ warned the Church in Sardis: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. -Revelation 3:1-3 THE DENIAL OF LIFE Both liberalism and legalism lead to the denial of life. Sometimes I wonder if those of us who are aware of the dangers of either taking away from, or adding to, the Gospel nonetheless fall into the avoidance trap. What is that? It is when, aware of the dangers, you are just looking to survive. It is a kind of bunker mentality – hanging on until Jesus comes. But we are not meant to live like that. We may be satisfied that at this moment in time there is no major heresy in our church, or great scandal. But that’s not enough. If there is no life, then heresy and scandal will inevitably follow. If there is life — sometimes that life will shine its light and illuminate the heresy and scandal that is already there. In the midst of a tepid culture — which is slowly turning up the heat, almost imperceptibly, so that we are slowly boiled like frogs — there is a danger that we ourselves become lukewarm. Passionate about religion — in this culture? We dare not. And yet we have to be passionate about Christ. He does not want, deserve or accept a lukewarm reaction. As he told the Laodiceans: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. -Revelation 3:14-16

2019

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Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. -Revelation 3:19-22

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FREE CHURCH NEWS DONATION TO TEARFUND

free

church

scotland

has

made

‘The Free Church of Scotland is supporting the relief efforts of Tearfund through this donation from its Disaster and Relief Fund and we would encourage congregations, Deacons’ Courts and concerned individuals to consider supporting this relief effort too. ‘Can we all commit to pray for those nations and peoples most affected by this tragedy, that God himself might be their comfort and shield.’ The donation came from the Free Church’s Disaster and Relief Fund. Congregations and individuals are encouraged to donate to the fund to enable the Church to continue to respond to such emergencies and to continue to pray for the people of Southern Africa. Donations can be made to the fund through the website www.freechurch.org or by emailing the office direct: offices@freechurch.org Previously, money from the fund has been used for humanitarian work in Darfur, Sudan, Yemen, the Philippines, Pakistan and Haiti. •

donation of £10,000 to tearfund to assist those in malawi , mozambique and zimbabwe

who were recently affected by cyclone idai .

Cyclone Idai has devastated large parts of southern Africa, where winds of up to 106 mph have torn down homes and other buildings, and severe flooding has left thousands displaced and homeless. Reports indicate over 1.5 million people have been affected. In Zimbabwe, 92 people have died in the east and south of the country. Meanwhile, flooding in Malawi, caused by the rains before the cyclone made landfall, left 122 dead. In Mozambique’s Sofala and Manica Provinces, 74 people have died, with more than 1,508 injured and 7,095 displaced. Rev. Dr Bob Akroyd, Chairman of the Mission Board said, ‘Cyclone Idai is a natural catastrophe on a monumental scale. Lives have been lost, homes have been washed away and livelihoods have been destroyed. The scale of devastation is only now beginning to be revealed.

Devastation caused by Cyclone Idai in Praia Nova, Mozambique

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MAY

ST. PETER'S CAFÉ OUTREACH IN DUNDEE

t peter’s free church, in partnership with solas,

‘We’ve seen people become Christians, others sign up to follow up courses such as Christianity Explored or Alpha, and Christians who have brought friends to these events have incredible follow-up conversations with their friends. ‘I’d love to see every church across the country put on events in “neutral spaces” near them and show that far from abandoning the public square, the Church believes the gospel has something to say in the public square.’•

launched a city centre cafe outreach event last

month in dundee’s city centre. The event is designed to give Christians the opportunity to bring their friends and family to hear the Gospel in a neutral setting while also encouraging people to ask questions on the night. Andy Bannister, Director of Solas, a ministry organisation which aims to bring the Gospel into the public square, gave a talk entitled, ‘Jesus: Man, Myth or More?’ to a crowded café audience. Commenting on the event, Andy said, ‘In our increasingly secular world, where many people would never darken the door of a church, it’s hugely important that the Church goes to them. ‘At Solas, we find when we go to the places where people are – pubs, cafés, universities, workplaces etc – and tackle the honest questions that so many people have about the big questions of life, showing that in Christianity there are answers to be found—we find when you do that, God works in amazing ways.

Venue for St Peter's café outreach last month

SHAWBOST — ORDINATION AND INDUCTION OF NEW OFFICE-BEARERS

t was a special day at shawbost on sunday, 24th march

The new office-bearers were welcomed by the Kirk Session and congratulated by the congregation at the end of the service. It was a time of encouragement as we welcomed friends and families from different parts. And it was a time of hope for the future as all the children from the Sunday School joined with the congregation to be part of the ordination and induction service. •

2019 with the ordination and induction of new elders

and deacons in the congregation. The Kirk Session met with the congregation for public worship when the minister, Callum Macleod, preached a suitable sermon from 1 Timothy 3:14-16. After commenting on Paul’s concern for the future of the church and the danger of failure, the minister spoke of the Church of Christ and its mission, its ministry and its management, laying emphasis on the importance of the godliness of the Church’s office-bearers and that of Christians in general. The service then proceeded to the ordination and induction of Mr Iain H. Mackay to the office of the eldership, and that of Mr Donald I. MacPhail, Mr Matthew Hebditch, and Mr Alex Morrison to the office of the deaconship. After following the usual practice of answering the prescribed questions and signing the Formula, the minister addressed the new office-bearers on their role as Christ’s representatives, their need to maintain a good reputation, and their separate but sometimes overlapping responsibilities.

2019

Pictured L to R: Donald MacPhail, Matthew Hebditch, Callum Macleod (Minister), Alex Morrison and Iain H. Mackay

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CONGREGATIONAL REMITTANCES JANUARY-MARCH 2019 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

2019

2018

£16,950 £11,661 £6,676 £8,638 £22,783 £21,065 £10,728 £10,629 £27,536 £39,440 £0 £10,588 £5,693 £8,700 £5,000 £5,100 £10,620 £9,200 £9,708 £9,453 £5,892 £8,638 £6,004 £5,870 £12,806 £16,795 £8,519 £7,117 £2,946 £5,758 £151,864 £178,650

£3,600 £3,000 £8,996 £7,720 £9,124 £5,136 £8,270 £8,270 £7,517 £2,100 £11,230 £6,773 £8,388 £7,858 £0 £210 £11,200 £1,050 £0 £0 £0 £7,500 £19,930 £19,000 £2,988 £0 £8,930 £8,787 £13,424 £12,902 £336 £622 £0 £0 £7,999 £6,000 £394 £3,962 £150 £150 £8,320 £8,920 £5,700 £8,460 £7,040 £7,100 £143,534 £125,519

INVERNESS, LOCHABER & ROSS Burghead £1,154 Dingwall & Strathpeffer £10,500 Gardenstown £9,978 Elgin & Forres £6,573 Fortrose £8,659 Fort William £0 Glenurquhart & Fort Augustus £3,757 Inverness — Free North £19,875 Greyfriars Stratherrick £14,005 Kilmallie & Ardnamurchan £9,390 Kiltarlity & Kirkhill £8,890 Kiltearn £1,320 Badenoch £809 Knockbain £7,232 Maryburgh & Killearnan £5,525 Nairn £8,288 Urquhart & Resolis £15,160 Smithton-Culloden & Nairn £34,180 Urray & Strathconon £10,000

£670 £10,500 £8,450 £6,300 £7,925 £4,114 £6,250 £19,326 £15,912 £15,920 £3,817 £1,100 £0 £10,051 £5,200 £0 £14,600 £46,080 £11,000 £175,293 £187,215

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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 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

2019

£330 £150 £3,800 £8,073 £4,791 £6,330 £620 £3,100 £1,110 £9,000 £0 £4,000 £330 £41,634

£330 £0 £6,600 £7,350 £2,250 £6,065 £500 £2,700 £0 £6,333 £6,217 £3,000 £315 £41,660

£5,430 £8,688 £450 £6,172 £8,987 £4,240 £8,837 £6,483 £18,639 £315 £6,600 £74,841

£7,620 £8,500 £300 £6,175 £8,790 £2,800 £9,088 £7,064 £12,975 £315 £6,600 £70,226

£24,489 £7,288 £9,758 £9,858 £12,390 £8,000 £5,892 £14,233 £14,700 £10,417 £7,392 £9,409 £8,288 £5,600 £8,700 £30 £58,660 £7,358 £222,462

£25,610 £10,422 £11,207 £12,538 £12,010 £11,233 £8,638 £14,614 £14,600 £9,175 £8,638 £8,638 £8,503 £8,100 £8,400 £30 £63,015 £9,175 £244,546

£809,625

£847,816

£1,225 £0 £18,399 £22,086 £,5405 £47,114

£0 £0 £14,452 £4,157 £1,500 £20,109

£856,739

£867,925

MAY

PRAYER DIARY MAY/JU NE 2019 ‘…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’ Matthew 5:16 Wed 15th Give thanks for another successful youth conference where many of our 16-30s were encouraged in their faith. Thurs 16th Give thanks for the life and witness of Mrs Doreen Boyd and pray for her four children and the wider family as they grieve for her. Fri 17th Pray for all those involved in the Annual Awards Ceremony in the Seminary today and give thanks for the completion of another academic year. Sat 18th Pray for safety in travel for all the ladies going to the WfM AGM in Glasgow today. Ask that a blessed time will be had by all. Sun 19th Remember those gathering for worship in Kingussie today. Pray for Rev. John de la Haye, their interim moderator, and Dr Alistair Wilson, their caretaker. Mon 20th As the General Assembly begins today, pray for safety in travel for all the commissioners and for Rev. Angus MacRae as he gives the opening address. Tues 21st As business begins at the Assembly today pray especially for Rev. Donnie G MacDonald, the Moderator. Wed 22nd Continue to uphold the proceedings at the Assembly in prayer. Pray that all the discussions and decisions taken will be Godhonouring. Thurs 23rd As commissioners leave the Assembly, pray that they will be encouraged by their time working with each other and have safety in their return journeys. Fri 24th Many students in university, college and schools are reaching the end of their courses. Pray that they will seek God’s guidance for their future careers. Sat 25th Give thanks for the police and security services who, in more and more situations, put their lives at risk to protect us.

Sun 26th Pray for the congregation in Burghead as they witness in their community with Rev. Murdo Macleod as interim moderator and ministry associate Mr Peter Turnbull. Mon 27th Christians are asked to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Let us constantly bring our government and all those in Parliament to the throne of grace. Tues 28th Pray for our ministers as they engage with their CPD programme, that this will be of benefit to their ministry. Wed 29th Pray for the Mayan people of Guatemala, that the Bible Society project to translate the Bible into their language will enable them to understand God’s Word more fully. Thurs 30th Pray for the outreach café on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the refurbished Perth building and for Emma Smith and her work as church administrator. Fri 31st Mission International has teams going to Haiti in May, and Burundi in June and September. Pray that the Lord will enable them to achieve all that he has purposed for them. Sat 1st Give thanks for doctors who are standing up to those within the Royal College of Physicians who have dropped their opposition to assisted suicide. Pray that this will remain illegal across the UK. Sun 2nd Pray for the vacant congregation of Gardenstown New Church and for Rev. Murdo Macleod, their interim moderator. Mon 3rd Pray that the Lord will be pleased to grant to the Church more candidates for the ministry. Tues 4th Pray that the materials HaGefen are producing to provide sound, biblical teaching to new believers will be widely used.

Thurs 6th Give thanks with the Kyle congregation that their church refurbishment is progressing. Pray for them as they look to use the building to reach the community for Jesus. Fri 7th Remember our Queen and all the royal family in prayer. Give thanks for Her Majesty’s life and witness. Sat 8th Today has been designated by the Free Church as a fundraising day for our summer camps programme. Pray that all planned events will be successful. Sun 9th As today is prayer day for camps, pray especially for any children you know who are going to camp this summer and for all the teams preparing to run the camps. Mon 10th There is a need for Christian teachers to join the staff in Wellspring Academy, N’Djamena, Chad. Pray for the people of God’s choice to make themselves known. Tues 11th Pray that teachers and pupils will not be compelled to agree with LGBT+ lifestyles and will be free to express Christian beliefs. Wed 12th Praise God with the Fortrose congregation for their new building. Pray for them as they look for a minister to lead them in this new chapter of their work in their community. Thurs 13th Pray for candidates for the ministry who combine parttime studies with service in their local church, that the right balance of activities will be maintained. Fri 14th Pray for all the ministers in our denomination as they are often under a lot of pressure, with many having to act as interim moderators for other congregations as well as looking after their own.

Wed 5th There are more than one million fatherless children in Britain. Pray for them, especially those who are at risk of being drawn into gangs and led astray.

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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WHY NEW DIVORCE LAWS UNDERMINE MARRIAGE

The existing law in England and Wales sent a message that marriage mattered, and therefore there needed to be serious reasons for a spouse to leave such a life-long commitment as marriage should be. This is much closer to the biblical view that marriage is to be held in high regard and divorce is only to be granted in limited and exceptional circumstances. Now that message is being ripped apart, and instead marriage is being cheapened because the new laws send a message that separation should be easy. Staggeringly, the Government’s own impact assessment warned of a spike in divorce levels as a result of these changes. There is also international evidence showing that in other parts of the world where no-fault divorce has been introduced, divorce rates have increased. Family breakdown across the United Kingdom is already at record levels, costing billions annually. These proposals will further this highly disturbing trend. Of course, the UK Government is only playing catchup with the Scottish Parliament, which made these changes more than a decade ago. It shows that once again Scotland has led the way in undermining marriage and promoting ‘socially liberal’ and secular ideology at the expense of children and families. In the public consultation, 80% of respondents did not agree with the plan to replace the five-facts system with a notification system. Meanwhile, 83% did not agree with removing the right to contest a divorce if one spouse did not want it to go ahead. The UK Government is pressing ahead anyway, much like the Scottish Government did back in 2005. It also ignored the concerns expressed by Christians and those from other faith communities who expressed opposition to no-fault divorce. When the Scottish Parliament debated the new proposals at Stage 3, only twelve MSPs voted against the plans, while 104 voted in favour. MPs still need to scrutinise the legislation. Let’s hope, that unlike most of their MSP colleagues, they are brave enough to make the case against and reject these damaging plans. •

he uk government has announced that it intends to push ahead with plans to radically change

divorce law in england and wales. If the legislation is passed by Parliament, it means essentially divorce on demand. What is being proposed is even more radical than the current system in Scotland, which was changed in 2005 to move towards no-fault divorce. At that time, the Scottish Government reduced the waiting periods for divorce from five years to two years without consent and from one year to six months with consent. They also abolished adultery as a stand-alone ground for divorce and changed the law so that it only became one among many evidences of unreasonable behaviour. The UK Government’s proposals will mean the biggest change to divorce law in England and Wales for fifty years. Under the current system, a court cannot issue a decree of divorce unless the marriage has broken down irretrievably. A court cannot hold that marriage has broken down irretrievably unless the petitioner can show that one of five criteria has been met. These are: adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, two years’ separation with the consent of both parties and five years’ continuous separation where one party doesn’t agree to the proposed divorce. This approach means you must give a reason for divorcing your spouse. Now the Government is proposing to introduce a new notification system. Irretrievable breakdown will be the sole ground for divorce. There will no longer be any need to give a more specific reason for the divorce. Six months after a petition is submitted to the court, a divorce will be granted. Call it no-fault divorce, no-reason divorce or divorce on demand. The right to contest a divorce will also be removed. The changes will undoubtedly make divorce easier. They will allow bored spouses to just leave and the state will encourage them to do so. It will mean the person wanting to end the marriage will have the most power, removing any legal recognition of the reality of serious misconduct and abuse as a contributing factor in the breakdown of the marriage. It is not progressive. Rather it is a backwards step that strikes at the very foundation of marriage as an institution. It reflects a secular view of marriage, viewing it in highly individualistic terms and without giving due recognition to it as a solemn covenant or adequately considering the impact of marital breakdown upon children.

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James Mildred is CARE’s Communications Manager. He has previously worked for The Scottish Parliament and is one of the co-founders of The Holy Political Podcast (https://bit.ly/2UoZOKO) and continues writing for both Premier Christianity and Christian Today.

MAY

©Photo by Rocsana Nicoleta Gurza from Pexels

BY JAMES MILDRED

2019

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ETS NEWS BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

EDINBURGH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - FIVE YEARS ON

f someone asks,

‘how

old you?’ then usually the

it is an amazing blessing to look back over the past five years and see that many more people from across the wider church, and the wider world, have come to study. Alongside more students, the last five years have also seen the development of new courses. From the Access Course for entry level study right through to the new MTh in Missiology, there have been new study opportunities for all levels. There have also been specialist courses established, such as those for Independent Church Ministry and for Presbyterian Church Ministry. Alongside these, long established courses, such at the BTh and the Saturday Course, have continued to thrive. This wide range of programmes is a great reminder that there are opportunities for everyone at the Seminary. Participating in these new courses has been made easier over the past five years though investment in new technology. In particular the Seminary now has the facilities for distance learning and many students study online from across Scotland and even overseas. This makes studying much more flexible, particularly for people who are studying part time. However, while the higher number of students was a huge encouragement, it did create one rather major

answer is easy (apart from for those of us who don’t

want to reveal the truth of our age!). But if someone asks, ‘How old is ETS?’, then in some ways it is not such a simple question to answer. At one level ETS is old, very old! As we saw a few months ago, the teaching of theological students on the Mound stretches back over 175 years. But although the institution has a long history, the name ‘Edinburgh Theological Seminary’ is still young. In fact, it is only five years old. Back in May 2014, the General Assembly gave the Free Church College a new name. Five years on, we can look back and see what has happened in these early years of ETS. One of the greatest encouragements of the last five years has been the increased number of students. This was one of the great hopes that lay behind the new name. The Free Church College didn’t need a new name because there was something wrong with it, it needed a new name in order to help show everyone what a brilliant place it was. For many years, the College was perhaps at risk of being a hidden gem. But the change of name has helped to give the Seminary a wider audience which the Free Church College always deserved. Today,

Over the past 5 years, ETS has welcomed many new students.

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problem: some of the lecture rooms were now too small! Therefore, to accommodate the larger numbers, some refurbishment work was done, particularly on the fifth floor where some smaller rooms were combined into a larger lecture space. The end result is that now ETS has three large lecture rooms, along with several smaller study rooms where students can work when they are not in class.

local church that the knowledge and skills acquired can be tested and put into practice. And on the other hand, the local church needs ETS. In a day where Christians find their faith increasingly marginalised in society and where the gospel is ever more countercultural, there is a huge need for men and women to be well equipped with the Bible’s teaching and with the knowledge and skills that will enable local churches to connect with the communities and needs around them. Hand in hand, the Seminary and the local church are an excellent team.

...a goal of all theological study is to equip people to go out with good news of Jesus and to fulfil the Great Commission.

Scotland desperately needs more and more people to be well trained in handling the Bible and to be able to help reach out to people living in such a broken world.

Alongside new rooms, new students and new technologies, the past five years have also seen the establishment of a whole new department! Today, alongside Systematic Theology, Church History, Old and New Testament and Practical Theology, there is also a Mission department based in the newly created Centre for Mission. This has further helped to build up connections with the wider church and it reinforces the fact that a goal of all theological study is to equip people to go out with good news of Jesus and to fulfil the Great Commission. But perhaps most importantly, the past five years have seen the Seminary build up closer relationships with local churches. In terms of training people, whether that is full time ministry candidates or others who want to be equipped to serve in other ways, the link between the Seminary and the local church is crucial. On the one hand, ETS needs the local church in order to train people well. While there is a huge amount that you can learn a classroom, it is in the

So a lot has happened in the past five years. A huge amount of thanks must go to the staff at ETS who have worked so hard to achieve all that they have. And above all, we are so thankful to God for his guidance, provision and protection. But looking ahead, there is a lot more still to do. Scotland desperately needs more and more people to be well trained in handling the Bible and to be able to help reach out to people living in such a broken world. We need to train people who can go and help revitalise churches across the nation and we need to prepare people who will be ready to go and help plant new ones. There is a amazing potential. The last five years have been brilliant. Let’s pray that the next five are even better!•

Prof John Angus MacLeod teaching Greek in the new lecture room at ETS.

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TREKING IN NEPAL LUKE PATON tells of his journey to Nepal, climbing a mountain and seeing the work of AIDSLink in Nepal.

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Generation were delighted to be able to support Luke Paton, from Ayr, with a Small Grant Fund for his short term mission trip to Nepal with Operation Mobilisation (OM) last year. Read on to hear about Luke’s time in Nepal...

areas during the earthquake in April 2015, specifically Langtang village. An avalanche/landslide left a 7000m peak behind the village and destroyed everything in its path leading to the deaths of 300 people in the Langtang village. The path used today goes over the top of the landslide which is strange to walk across as the old village and all the people that were killed in the earthquake are still buried beneath. The scale of the devastation is hard to comprehend until you are walking across the rubble gazing up at the mountain side. We managed to reach the summit of Tsergo Ri, the 5000m peak, in line with our original plan. The feeling of reaching the top was great, it was especially good to know that I could go home and tell people that we had succeeded in what we set out to achieve. The views from the top of the mountain were amazing, from the panoramic snow-capped mountains to the glaciers and valley floor below. On completion of reaching the peak we started our 2 day hike back to the bus park before making our journey back to Kathmandu. After carrying an 18kg bag for 6 days, the bus was like luxury, I could simply sit back and try to enjoy the extremely bumpy/loud ride! Our first day back in Kathmandu was my last full day in Nepal. This day we went and visited the AIDSLink training centre in Kathmandu where I learned of all the work that AIDSLink perform. In 2017 AIDSLink were

rom the 6th to 18th october 2018 i was in nepal as part of an om short term mission trip.

The trip's purpose was to raise money for AIDSLink Nepal, which is an organisation helping people suffering from HIV/AIDS in Kathmandu and surrounding villages. In order to raise the money, we would be trekking in the Langtang region of Nepal up to 5000m. On arriving in Nepal, I quickly realised that I was no longer in the west! The drive from the airport to Martin and Karin’s house (my hosts) was around 30 mins from the airport. This journey was a good introduction to Nepal — from the taxi that we were sitting in to the road surface and motorbikes swerving to miss each other by an inch. The first full day in Nepal was used to educate me on Nepali culture. Martin highlighted some of the differences between Nepal and the UK in terms of how people operate. This was useful as it allowed me to communicate/relate better to the various people we came across. I also visited the OM centre in Kathmandu where they train people and farm the land. OM employ local Nepali people to work on the farm which allows for them to get to know the local people and hopefully share

©Photo by Luke Paton

AIDSLink assists people by educating others to break down these barriers as well as providing medicine to individuals to slow the effects of HIV/AIDS on their lives. their faith. I spent the evening of the first day walking around the local area and packing for the hike ahead! On the second day we caught a bus from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi as the starting point of our trek. The bus journey was around 8 hours in total although the distance travelled was not huge, the road surface and traffic were the reason that the journey was so long! The bus driver ensured that all his passengers were happy throughout the journey by playing Nepali music as loud as possible, I heard the music so much that I actually could recognise some of the songs on the return journey! Our trek from around 1450m to 5000m took 6 days in total, we hiked from 1450m to 3800m in two days and had a smaller day hike at 3800m to help to acclimatise our bodies. We then went for the 5000m peak on the fourth day before starting our decent back to 1450m on the fifth day, taking 2 days in total. The overall trek was good, although there were some sections that were tougher than others; the whole of the summit day being pretty tough! The views were amazing which made up for any time where my body was sore/tired. The trek takes in jungle at the lower levels, pushing through to smaller mountains in the middle before reaching the snow-capped Himalayas at the top of our trek. The Langtang valley was one of the worst affected

2019

able to assist 1500 people in Nepal suffering from HIV/ AIDS, and with the money that people generously gave AIDSLink will be able to continue this good work. I was able to see the accommodation that people will use when staying at the centre and learn about the challenges of suffering from HIV/AIDS in Nepal. One of the hardest things for people is that they can be pushed out by their families or villages when they discover that a person is suffering from HIV/AIDS, this is due to a belief that it can be passed on from being in that person’s company. AIDSLink assists people by educating others to break down these barriers as well as providing medicine to individuals to slow the effects of HIV/AIDS on their lives. I managed to meet a friend from Nepal who had studied in Scotland before returning to Nepal to start a theological college and church. Suraj* showed me the city that he is from, Bhaktapur and explained lots of the Hindu traditions. He has an amazing testimony. In summary, I really enjoyed my time in Nepal. From seeing the work carried out by OM, to the loudness of Kathmandu, to the quietness of the mountains: it is an amazing place. I would definitely recommend a trip to Nepal with OM for anyone who wishes to see how OM are working in Nepal and perhaps climb a mountain on the side. • *See next page for Suraj's amazing testimony.

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THE GANGSTER TOUCHED BY GRACE The amazing story of how a Nepalese gangster had his life completely changed by God

ituated on the eastern edge of nepal’s kathmandu

from the life of crime. While at school he befriended a neighbour and classmate. Often walking the same route to school, he was surprised to find his friend was one of “them”: a “cow-eater”. “Cows are sacred in Nepal, and Christians are coweaters. Since all Westerners are Christians, they were all cow-eaters. That was my background. I honoured cow as a goddess and worshipped her. But my neighbour and I became friends, and then eventually one day he told me about Jesus.” “When I discovered he was a cow-eating Christian, I got so angry I almost knocked him down. But because he was very humble and kind, I did nothing to him. He told me Jesus could forgive my sins.” “That sentence was the first seed sown in my heart, yet my sinful heart suppressed it.” “Upon my friend’s request, I started going to church because I wanted to see musical instruments and play them. The seed of the word, began to sprout under the preaching of the minister.” “One night when I was reading the Bible, I felt the word was coming so alive to me, and simultaneously each and every word pierced my heart.” “Then I knelt before Jesus and committed my life to him.” “I was baptized soon after my conversion. I actively served the church for some years. Everyone was shocked at my conversion. Some of my relatives rebuked me for abandoning ancestral tradition and religion.”

valley lies bhaktapur, a town of around 80,000 people whose culture and traditions are steeped

in the multi-deific religion of hinduism.

Replete with temples and blood-soaked shrines to some of the 330 million Hindu gods, its dusty brickpaved streets bustle with labourers, cyclists, merchants, vagabonds as well as the odd tied-up sacred cow. It’s from this city that a powerful gang leader journeys from a life of violence, extortion and intimidation to one of grace, mercy and forgiveness. A BACKGROUND OF BLOOD Suraj Kasula was brought up in an orthodox Hindu family who to this day still offer blood sacrifices to one of its many deities. Describing his upbringing Suraj said, “My childhood had very strong similarities to the Old Testament, especially in regard to the ceremonial laws. Like every orthodox Hindu family, every year our family’s sins were transferred onto a male goat and then we sacrificed it. We collected and sprinkled its blood on the doorposts of our house.” Eventually, the realisation that these idols had no practical effect on the decisions he made in his life meant he felt able to live a life unhindered by guilt. At 16 he was enticed by a life of crime. Forming his own knife gang, armed robbery meant he could amass wealth and accumulate power by intimidation. “It’s very easy to form a gang in Bhaktapur because most of the youth don’t go to school or have jobs. We kept an arsenal of knives and steel rods in case a fight broke out. The gang and crime became my satisfaction. I found joy in it.” “Over time, I became locally well known, and the people in my village were afraid of me. Everybody knew I was a thug. My bad name and fame began spreading.” Although his gods were powerless to stop him, local law enforcement eventually did. His prolific crimes and notoriety meant he was a target for violent police reprisals. “Because of my actions, I ended up twice behind bars where police seriously tortured me.”

STUDY By now Suraj was hungry for more theological training and set his heart on studying abroad. “My longing to dig deeper into the scriptures grew day by day. Eventually, I was determined that I would study theology at a seminary abroad.” “At first I tried the USA, but my visa was denied. Then I applied to Scotland. However, I had no idea about the seminary in Scotland, so I applied to study Travel and Tourism in Ayr.” “I attended the service at Ayr Free Church from where I came to know about Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS).” “I applied and was accepted. I drank Reformed Theology at ETS under brilliant professors. I did not sense a call for ministry immediately though. It was a gradual process. I began to sense it in my second year. My vision to go into ministry, plant churches, and

CONVERSION It was during this time he heeded the advice of his mother to return to education as a means of escape

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establish a seminary in Nepal all grew together as I was convinced that God was calling me back to Nepal.” THE RETURN TO NEPAL “Returning back to Nepal was the right decision. Just after the beginning of my ministry here, God gave us some new families who believe in Christ. It was like a God-given sign to me that hugely encouraged me to move forward to win many to Christ.” “God not only multiplied our church but also blessed us with a seminary (Bhaktapur Theological Seminary) and a new church plant with a missionary couple who now look after it.” PRAYER “I greatly appreciate the ceaseless support of Generation, both prayers and financial support. Moreover, Generation shares and updates our ongoing work and encourages churches to pray for us. The fund they provide helps me to support my family so that I can be involved fully in ministry and within the seminary.” “We would appreciate it if you could please pray for Nepal. The gospel is sweeping across Nepal, growing many churches. Pray that God would protect the church from persecution.” “Pray for Shekinah Evangelical Church and pray that our ministry would continue to be fruitful. We are hoping to plant more churches across Nepal in days to come.” “Pray that God would raise up evangelists, pastors, and preachers from our church to work in God’s harvest. And also please pray for new converts who are getting ready for baptism.” “Pray for our seminary and students who are studying reformed theology.” “Please pray for my wife Roshani, and my daughters Hadassah and newly born Esther. “I just want to thank you all for your love, care, support and especially your prayers, which we need most. We love when Scottish visitors visit Nepal and stay with us. We have one or two Scottish visitors each year. I hope this will continue.” • Suraj is the minister of Shekina Evangelical Church in Bhaktapur. He is married to Roshina and has two daughters: Hadassah and Esther.

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FROM THE HIGHLANDS TO THE MISSION FIELD

RUTH SHILLAKER is interviewed about serving in Central Asian with Operation Mercy and Operation Mobilisation. Ruth, tell us where you live and what church you attend. Well, I grew up in Lochcarron and attended the Free Church there. I then moved to Edinburgh, to study, and whilst there I attended Chalmers Church. I now live in Central Asia and work here.

provide training for people who are carers in the community. Living life here, learning the language, building friendships and becoming part of the community (as much as you can as a foreigner) is an integral part of the work we do too. Do you find your work opens your eyes to the needs of those in the country? The needs are so complex and deep that after only a year here, I am still in the beginnings of learning what they are. But in saying that, I could never learn about them unless I was here—living among the people—talking, sharing, experiencing and spending time with them. I feel especially drawn to teen girls who are looking at the prospect of marriage in the next few years. Women hold a lower social status on the ladder, especially new brides, who often serve the family as a servant, meaning relationships between the new bride and mother-in-law can be tenuous. I want to see these young women learning their value and worth, not believing what society says about them. I want them to know how God views them. However, as with any relationship, this takes time. A large barrier here is time as the young women I want to reach are so busy with school and household chores. I want to iterate that not all families are like this! There are some kind and gentle families who care for their new daughters-in-law. I have noticed that despite being extremely hospitable, the people here are suspicious of those outside their families. Living here has helped me to see that, despite living in close proximity to their family members, people can’t be completely open about their thoughts and feelings that don’t meet social expectations. A vicious circle! This holds an opportunity for me because thankfully, as foreigners, people feel they can be more open with us because we don’t hold the same cultural expectations. They also know we won’t gossip about it later, which creates a safe place to talk. Through this we can build relationships and speak Truth into their lives and situations, and ultimately bring hope to them.

How did you hear about OM and what position did you decide to apply for? I was familiar with OM growing up, so it was one the of the first organisations I looked at. They shared the same beliefs and visions as I did, and the idea of joining them excited me because of that. I had been scrolling through the job opportunities on their website when one really stood out to me. It didn’t say much due to security, just ‘Occupational Therapy in Central Asia’. I didn’t even know what countries Central Asia comprised of, but for weeks it was on my mind. As I prayed and sought advice from others, I really felt pulled to pursue this opportunity. After speaking with someone from OM, it was clear that the job encompassed everything I was looking for. The thought of then not pursuing it didn’t sit well with me at all! As I didn’t have a particular place on my heart, I chose to be sent to the country that would need my skills the most. Since then, God has given me a love for the people here in Central Asia and I couldn’t be happier serving them.

Can you share any highs or lows about your work in Central Asia? It’s typical but one of my biggest lows is language barriers. Despite having learned the language, there are still many situations where I am completely lost; however, it’s also one of my highs. It can be fun to see how I’m continuously progressing. It’s also allowed relationships to develop, often based on my poor language and laughing at my mistakes (because there are many) — it’s humbling and a great way

Tell us more about the work you are doing. I currently work in a small, unreached Muslim community with children who have disabilities. The nature of the work means that I often work with the families, particularly the mothers too. We provide interventions, support and advice through groups; we also provide one-on-one sessions and counselling. We also work with the local government to

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to establish friendships. People are so kind and patient that it isn’t something that’s stressful — just frustrating! Lack of independence can be a challenge as I live in a conservative community. If it gets late after fellowship or a team meeting, I have to ask someone to walk me home. However, compared to other places, I have a surprising amount of freedom. The highs far outweigh any lows. The people’s hospitality is like no other. I’ve felt so welcomed by everyone. I have been smothered in kisses by a grandmother; referred to as ‘daughter’ by a local teacher in the mosque; woken early in the morning by the neighbour — to help curl her daughter’s hair for a performance at kindergarten; I’ve regularly had meals passed over our shared wall from the neighbour; I’ve been invited to strangers’ homes; been to wedding

celebrations; I’ve become the ‘big daughter’ of my previous host family — and so the list goes on! For those who are reading this, would you encourage them to step out of their comfort zone and do something? If so, why? Yes — do it! If you feel called, step out and trust God. It’s not nearly as daunting as it seems. Everyone’s experience is different, but my experience has not lived up to my nervous expectations of hardships. There are tough times but the honour of being able to befriend people in Central Asia and experience their culture far outweighs any challenges. My team and field are very supportive and have become like family. Mostly, though, I am constantly amazed that I am able to live here, among these people, and speak previously unheard messages of Truth into people’s lives. •

WOMEN FOR MISSION ANNUAL MEETING Women for Mission’s 2019 annual meeting will take place at 2pm on Saturday, 18th May in Glasgow City Free Church. Join us as we give thanks for the funds raised through our Community Connections project and as we launch our new project for 2019/20. We look forward to hearing from our speakers, who will update us on their work in various places around the world. Barbara Davies will tell us about her work in Marseille, Caitriona Nicholson will speak to us about her work in China, and we hope also to hear from some of the young people who received a grant from our Support a Volunteer fund. If you’d be interested in the possibility of booking a seat on a bus to Glasgow from Dingwall & Inverness, please contact Marion Gray at marion.macaulay@hotmail.co.uk or on 07717452226 by Saturday, 4th May.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Have you been fundraising for WfM’s 2018/19 project, Community Connections? If so, please note the donations secretary has changed. Donations should now be sent to Mairi Macdonald, Greenfaulds, 8 Linicro, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9YN. Community Connections is raising funds for medical work in Bulgaria, helping disabled refugees in the Middle East and building work in the Philippines as well as WfM’s Heart for Home fund, which provides small grants for community outreach in the UK. To find out more about about our project or to download posters and leaflets, visit https://www.womenformission.org/fundraising-project

2019

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t’s hard to accept we live in the shadowlands

—

as we saw last month

—

There is plenty to see, but an inward wandering desire prevents us from ever being entirely content. Sometimes what we see and then desire makes us lose even what we have. Luther mentions Aesop’s fable about the dog who snatches at the meat in the mirror and then loses the morsel in its mouth. Name and Claim it? v10-12 are the middle of the book and really mark the end of reflecting on the past — the emphasis from now on will be looking at the future. Naming is important in the Bible; indeed it is important in our culture, whether is was man giving name to all the animals or today the abuse of power that can often occur through labelling. To name is to have knowledge and control of someone. What the preacher is saying here is that we cannot escape our limitations. We can name things, we can question things, we can study things. We can even debate the how and why of things with God — like Job did. But God is way beyond that. What is the point of arguing with God about the way things are? Words cannot change the world. The more the words, the less the meaning. If ever there was a verse for social media that is surely a main contender! Perhaps some think this verse should be above every pulpit! But this is not really an argument for short sermons but rather an observation that words sometimes add to the futility of life.

when we have such

seemingly concrete realities in our everyday lives.

In this month’s Ecclesiastes passage Solomon reflects further on what we can see, taste and feel all around us every day, and then he asks two key questions. He begins with the senses. Taste. We work to eat. ‘The labourer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on’ (Proverbs 16:26, NIV). We work to survive — but as the treadmill goes round our inner life is left longing for fulfilment and satisfaction is not felt. Even if we are physically full, we are not satisfied. Bread alone does not meet our deepest needs. Nor does the fanciest of foods or the finest of wines. But we still work for them as though they do. Think. Maybe wisdom and education is the way. Perhaps there is a really smart poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others — to ingratiate himself? But what do the poor gain by that. See. The eyes are part of our physical equipment — we can use them to enjoy life and find contentment. Chapter 11:9 says, ‘Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see,but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.' But — ‘The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.’ (Ecc.1: 9)

THE

GOSPEL Photo by Paweł L on Pexels.

FOR TODAY’S

SOCIETY ECCLESIASTES 6:7-12

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Here are the real questions of life: What will satisfy? We need something that will be adequate for every day, which will be lifelong and not merely passing, which can cope with the inherent futility of life under the sun and the shortness of life. Something that brings us meaning and takes us out of the shadows. Who knows what is good for a person in life? Is there any human philosophy or religion that can answer this? Who can tell? Are there are no absolute values to live for and no practical certainties to plan for? This is what life is like. Who knows what is good in human existence? God knows. And this is where the Gospel comes in. This is where Jesus comes in. "I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) Have it to the full.

Yes — we can know and name. We can understand and grow. Yes — we can enjoy all the good things that we have in this world. But only when we realise that every good and perfect gift is from above. 'Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.' (1 Timothy 6:17-19) Yes — there is meaning, there is contentment, and that is found in Christ. ‘You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.’ (Psalm 16:11, NIV)

In terms of all the questions and statements that have been raised: Yes — there is an afterlife. The dead are judged according to what they have done. Yes — there is more to this life. There is more than bread and more than materialism. Yes — there are words that have meaning and bring life. 'In the beginning was the Word.' (John 1:1) '...man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' (Deuteronomy 8:3)

The British essayist and poet Joseph Addison (1672– 1718) wrote, ‘The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.’ Addison probably didn’t have Christianity in mind when he wrote that, but it still applies. We have all three in Jesus Christ! Christian, you have it. Unbeliever, what do you have? Do you want it? Seek and you shall find… •

OUT OF THE

SHADOWS, INTO THE

LIFE. 2019

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THE LATE DUNCAN MACKAY (1927-2018) BY REV. MURDO M. CAMPBELL

uncan

mackay

life’s

was

gentlemen.

one

He lived and died as a man devoted to his family, dedicated to the Lord and dutiful in his work. Duncan was an only child, born on the 6th of February 1927 in the small rural village of Ballantrushal on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. After his early years in school, Duncan left home and enrolled in an engineering course in Glasgow, which led to a job working on the railway for a few years. Yet, Duncan had to return home due to family illness, and unemployment was looking a distinct possibility with little movement on the island. At that time, however, the island was experiencing a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit as revival was sweeping through the villages. Although a regular adherent in church, it was during the 1949-52 revival in Barvas that Duncan came under conviction of sin and confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. Duncan professed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in March 1952 at the age of 25 and would remain a member of Barvas Free Church for the next 66 years. Duncan began what was to be a very successful civil engineering business in the early 1950’s, when he started offering his services as an agricultural contractor, having bought his first tractor, a Ferguson TE20 Petrol Tractor along with plough and harrows. Ploughing, harrowing and bringing home the peats was only the beginning of what was to be an expanding business. With his hard-working and reliable reputation spreading throughout the island, Duncan’s workload dramatically increased. In order to keep up with demand and with the need to embrace modern technology, Duncan then bought his first lorry. As time progressed, Duncan not only of

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embraced the changing world around him, he also embraced family life. Duncan married Jessie from the Isle of Great Bernera (also converted during the Lewis Revivals) in 1964 and they were blessed with a family of three sons and a daughter: Donald, Murdoch (Buddy), Chrismaran (Chris) and Hector. When Duncan bought his first digger in 1971, Duncan’s family would not only prove integral to building his family home, they would also play a crucial part in establishing the family business, Duncan Mackay & Sons Ltd. In August 1982 Duncan was ordained to the office of elder. By this time, Duncan already served the congregation as a Sunday School teacher, but he suitably adorned the office of eldership with his gracious and humble character. As a man, Duncan was known and loved for his work ethic; he gave his all whether on a contract, the croft or in church. In fact, it wasn’t unusual for Duncan to wear his church suit under his boiler suit on prayer meeting night, just to save a few minutes and ensure he got to church on time! Unashamedly, Duncan was a man of God who was blessed with a full, healthy and long life. Although his ailments were predominantly due to wear and tear through hard work, with hip replacements along with a few other spare parts, he remained determinedly active until his death on 21st December 2018, aged 91 years. The Kirk Session of Barvas Free Church recently recorded in the Kirk Session minutes that, ‘although Duncan was unable to attend the means of grace during the last few years of his life, nevertheless it was both a privilege and a pleasure to have had fellowship with Duncan during this time. Being

in his company was edifying and it was obvious that he was often at the Throne of Grace. Duncan’s passing has left a huge void in our fellowship and Kirk Session. We thank God for his life, testimony and witness. We also praise God for the significant contribution he made to our congregation over many years. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his widow Jessie, his family Donald, Murdoch (Buddy), Chris and Hector, all the grandchildren, great-grandchildren and indeed the wider family circle. We commit them to the God of all grace and comfort.’ If there were words that could summarise the Christian character, conduct and conversation of Duncan Mackay, they would be the concluding words of Paul’s letter to Timothy: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8). •

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THE LATE DUNCAN MEIN (1954-2019) BY REV. NIGEL ANDERSON

was born in Edinburgh on 5th Feb 1954 to Margaret and Rab Mein. Duncan spent his early years in Oxgangs and at ten years old moved to Newbridge. There he worked in the tyre factory where his father had been a foreman for many years. Duncan became an avid fan of motorbikes and liked to ride about in his Suzuki and leathers with his long hair blowing in the wind. In July 1979 he married Lis; on their biking honeymoon they stayed with Lis’ Christian friend and a year later they became Christians. They were blessed with three children: Cat, Mark and Rachel. In 1981, as Lis was pregnant with their first child, Cat, Duncan took voluntary redundancy from the tyre factory and after that spent three years unemployed, dabbling in door-to-door sales and struggling to find work. During his time of unemployment he started reading and studying the Bible and theology. His appetite for the deep things of God was awakened. After this period of unemployment he got tired of waiting for work to come to him and in 1984 started his own business cleaning windows. He took sound advice from his father-in-law and strove to be the best window cleaner around. He would show up in torrential rain and snow and at times people would just pay him for showing up even though it was impossible to clean the windows. Now, having his second and third child born into the world, Mark and Rachel, he decided to call his business CMR Services (C – Cat; M – Mark; R – Rachel). He wanted to be reminded always why he was working — that it was to provide for his family. This spurred him on through some very hard times, including spending four years in a caravan without any running water. After 16 years of hardship, at this low point his business flourished. Work was an important part of Duncan’s life, and no matter the weather or circumstance he would persist in his commitments. In February 2002, Duncan was inducted and ordained as an elder of Livingston Free Church and was an outstanding and faithful servant. His commitment to the cause of the gospel was evident in his work with the Sunday School, as Superintendent, and in his regular attendance at the means of grace on the Lord’s Day and in midweek meetings. Even in his latter years, when his health was failing, he maintained a spiritual alertness and devotion, particularly in his prayer life. In 2013 Duncan was diagnosed with emphysema, which, after two years, had progressed to the point where he could no longer cope with the physical work. As a result, in 2015 he took his daughter Cat

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into the business full-time and continued with the administrative side of the work. In the last three years of Duncan’s life he continued to find things to do. Idleness not being something he wanted to succumb to, he joined Facebook groups and started sharing excerpts from many Christian books, including commentaries and scriptural devotions. His interactions with others and his commitment to sharing daily the scriptures and thoughts on them made him stand out and many people looked forward to his posts. He was asked to be an administrator and moderator of several sites and in the end he had so many groups that he had more than 100,000 people all over the world reading his posts. He counselled them in private messages and video calls, never telling people he was ill. He was invited to visit his friends in their countries and has impacted many people including in Jamaica, the USA, the Philippines, India and many parts of Africa. During this time Duncan’s wife Lis took care of his every need. And as his disease worsened, his daughters Rachel and Cat took on regular roles helping with various aspects of his care. Duncan died peacefully on 29th January 2019, Mark and Kirsty having been with him for so much of his last stay in hospital, and with Lis, Cat and Rachel beside him when he passed into glory. We commend to God’s care and keeping his wife, Lis, his son Mark, daughter-in-law Kirsty, and their children, Robert Thomas and Callum Duncan; and his daughters, Cat and Rachel. Duncan has gone to be with the Lord in the glory of heaven, where we have that promise of heavenly reunion for all who know Jesus as Saviour. •

uncan mein

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invisible.” And it’s not only our elders, but also the impoverished, the cognitively disabled, children, the less educated, the less literate, the less cosmopolitan, and non-Westerners. In effect, our online communities “render invisible the majority of the human race.” (Alastair Roberts, p.71) “Maybe this is a key function of church attendance in the digital age. We must withdraw from our online worlds to gather as a body in our local churches.”(p.72)

ot since the invention of the printing press has there been an invention which has changed the world as much as that of the internet, and

the smart phone.

The vast majority of us now carry these powerful computers around with us wherever we go. But just as the printing press could be used for great good (printing bibles and books) and great harm (pornography and hatred), so the internet can be used for good and bad. As Christians we need help in seeking to understand the power of the tool that we have been given. This is where Tony Reinke’s 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You comes in. This book asks the key question – do you control your phone or does you phone control you? It is one of the best and most important books any 21st Century Christian could read. It really is that good. In summary, the book looks at how smart phones enable and disable our lives – and gives us lots of practical help to make sure that it is our servant and not our master. A revealing insight right at the beginning comes from the story he tells about Steve Jobs. In 2010 after Apple launched the iPad a reporter asked Jobs, “So, your kids must love the iPad?” He responded, “They haven’t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” Reinke then goes on to give a ‘little theology of technology’ which is helpful and stimulating, before explaining the 12 ways our phones have changed us. Here are a few quotes.

04. WE LOSE OUR LITERACY “Digital reading is unnecessarily hurried, and this habit bleeds into how we read our bibles.” (p.85) 05. WE FEED ON THE PRODUCED “People used to do things and then post them, and the approval you gain from what ever you were putting out there was a byproduct of the actual activity. Now the anticipated approval is what’s driving the behaviour or activity, so there’s just sort of been this reversal. Phones with social connections transform us – and our friends and children – into actors. That’s huge.” (p.97) 06. WE BECOME WHAT WE LIKE “Social media has become the new PR firm of the brand Self, and we check our feed compulsively and find it near impossible to turn away from looking at – and loving – our ‘second self’. So when we talk about ‘smart phone addiction’, often what we are talking about is the addiction of looking at ourselves.” (p.109)

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01. WE ARE ADDICTED TO DISTRACTION “Facebook addicts have the ability to control their behaviour, but they don’t have the motivation to control this behaviour because they don’t see the consequences to be that severe.” Ofir Turel, Psychologist (p.42) “I have discovered that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber.” (Pascal, p.45) “It is difficult to serve God with our heart, soul, strength and mind when we are diverted and distracted and multitasking everything.” (Douglas Groothuis, p.47) “Our spiritual condition is one of spiritual ADD.” (Bruce Hindmarsh, p.47)

07. WE GET LONELY “Isolation is both a promise and the price of technological advance. ‘The problem is that we invite loneliness, even though it makes us miserable. The history of our use of technology is a history of isolation desired and achieved.’”(Stephen Marche, p.121) “By preserving our isolation, we unwittingly walk right into one of the world’s most brilliant marketing traps. ‘For manufacturers and marketers, human beings are best when they are alone, since individuals are forced to buy one consumer item each, whereas family or community members share,’ (Slade, p.123) “Permit not your minds to be easily distracted, or you will often have your devotion destroyed.”(Charles Spurgeon, p.128)

02. WE IGNORE OUR FLESH AND BLOOD. “Online anger is a consequence of the division in our lives– our attention is divided, our minds are divided, and our digital personas are separated from flesh and blood.” (p.58) “The Christian’s challenge is to love not in tweets and text only but even more in deed and physical presence.” (p.60)

08. WE GET COMFORTABLE IN SECRET VICES “Anonymity is where sin flourishes, and anonymity is the most pervasive lie of the digital age. The clicks of our fingertips reveal the dark waters of our hearts, and every sin – every double tap and every click – will be accounted for.” (p.134) “We scoff at self limited understanding of this fallen world, and yet God has said some knowledge is forbidden, because some knowing will destroy us – as seen in the insatiable curiosity that leads into deeper and deeper addiction to more and more lurid forms of pornography.” (p.136)

03. WE CRAVE IMMEDIATE APPROVAL “We easily settle into digital villages of friends who think just like us and escape from people who are unlike us. Our phones buffer us from diversity, warns Roberts. Although “generational differences are fundamentally constitutive differences for the human race… new media is one of many ways our elders are rendered

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TWELVE WAYS YOUR PHONE IS CHANGING YOU

“It is better to enter heaven having decided to never use the Internet again, rather than going to hell clicking on everything you desire.” (Sinclair Ferguson, p.137) ”Like a head-on collision of freight trains, the gospel of consumerism and the gospel of Christ smash: the gospel of consumerism says: everything you could possibly imagine for your earthly happiness and comfort is available in a dozen options, sizes, colours, and price points. The gospel of Jesus Christ says: everything you could possibly need for your supreme joy and eternal comfort is now invisible to the human eye.” (p.141) 09. WE LOSE MEANING “Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much information that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared that the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.” (Neil Postman, p.145) “In this digital age of overwhelming content, we must not relinquish ourselves to passivity or egoism. And we certainly must not drown in a series of irrelevant news and gossip. Instead, we must learn to treasure what is most valuable in the universe – God. When we turn to God, we find that the most precious wisdom and knowledge is not hidden under a mountain or embedded in the newest device, but found in Jesus Christ. He defines the purpose and meaning of all life. He orients what is truly important and valuable for us in the digital age, and in every age.” (p.152) 10. WE FEAR MISSING OUT ”We live in an attention economy and we are constantly connected to the Empire of the entertainment industry complex. We hate being left out so we focus on the next big thing and we forget about the big glorious realities of the creation of God. It’s not just that we fear missing out information we also fear missing affirmation.” 11. WE BECOME HARSH TO ONE ANOTHER “We understand that lying is immoral. But is passing along damaging truth immoral? It seems almost a moral responsibility. This is why the Biblical definition of slander is countercultural to the smartphone generation. By such reasoning, criticism behind another’s back is thought to be all right, as long as it is true. Likewise, denigrating gossip (of course it is never called gossip!) is okay if the information is true. Thus many believers use truth as a license to self-righteously diminish other’s reputations. What is done in the name of exposing truth with a single goal of undermining someone’s character, is an expression of slander.” (R. Kent Hughes, p.167) “The easiest work in the world is to find fault.” (Charles Spurgeon, p.169) >>

A summary of the Tony Rienke book that comments on our sometimes unhealthy connection to our phones.

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POSITIVELY PRESBYTERIAN

>> 12. WE LOSE OUR PLACE IN TIME “Human sexuality is a created reality, designed by God, meant to weave together the fabric of human existence, generating new family units and producing future generations. Pornography rips sexuality out of this crucial context and historical significance.” (p.182) “We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exist between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously– no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.” (CS Lewis, p.184)

he 2019 positively presbyterian conference is to be held at lendrick muir, kinross from the 19th

The programme starts with dinner at 6:30pm on Monday 19th August and finishes with lunch at 1pm on Wednesday 21st August. It would be good to see you at the conference where you will enjoy talks, times of fellowship and relaxation. Please note the dates in your diary. The cost of the conference will be £130. Day visitors are also welcome. (Fee for Tuesday will be £35 and for Wednesday £30). Please note that this year you should pay by debit/ credit card in advance online for your place at the conference. To pay, please visit www.freechurch.org/donate. In the description box, enter ‘Positively Presbyterian 2019’ and the amount of £130. You may, if you wish, pay a non-refundable deposit of £30, with the balance to be paid before the conference. Do let your congregation know about this event. It is open to all: ministers, office-bearers, non-ordained workers, men and women. The programme of speakers and topics is being finalised and will be published as soon as possible. Please address any queries to Clive Bailey, booking secretary to positivelypresbyterian@gmail.com www.suscotland.org.uk/lendrickmuir

CONCLUSION: LIVING SMARTPHONE SMART Our phones amplify our addiction to distractions and thereby splinter our perception of place and time Our phones push us to evade the limits of embodiment and thereby causes to treat one another harshly. Our phones feed our craving for immediate approval and promise to hedge against our fear of missing out. Our phones undermine key literary skills and, because of our lack of discipline, make it increasingly difficult for us to identify ultimate meaning. Our phones offer us a buffet of produced media and tempt us to indulge in visual vices. Our phones overtake and distort our identity and tempt us towards unhealthy isolation and loneliness. He then suggests counteracting life disciplines: We minimise unnecessary distractions in life to hear from God and to find our place in God and unfolding history. We embrace our flesh and blood embodiment and handle one another with grace and gentleness. We aim at God’s ultimate approval and find that, in Christ, we have no ultimate regrets to fear. We treasure the gift of literacy and prioritise God’s word. We listen to God’s voice in creation and find a fountain of delight in the unseen Christ. We treasure Christ to be moulded into his image and seek to serve the legitimate needs of our neighbours.

General Assembly Pop-up Bookshop

“I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked.” (CS Lewis, p.191) “We must watch for signs that our worship is veering off course. We can no longer simply worship God in admiration or pray to him without a compulsive fidgeting for our phones. We talk more about God than we talk to him. Our hearts are more interested in following empty patterns of worship than encountering the Spirit. Our worship on Sunday seems flat, but our week is filled with an endless quest for Christian advice to fix what we know is wrong. We seek a mechanical relationship with God, searching for new techniques to fill the spiritual void in our lives. Signs such as these reveal how technology degrades our priorities. But worship calls for redirection in our lives.” (p.193) •

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21st august.

THREE DAYS ONLY! 20th-22nd May 2019 St Columba’s Free Church, Edinburgh Great books at unbeatable prices.

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YOUTH CONFERENCE MARCH 2019 A report on this year's encouraging and challenging event by the Youth Conference Convenor, ALLAN MACMILLAN.

ach plays

year host

lendrick to

the

muir ever-

growing free church youth

conference.

This year Hamish Sneddon, Associate Pastor at St Andrews Free Church, was our main speaker and we looked at the theme ‘Life in Christ’ from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The four main talks took us on a journey through ‘Jesus Christ Our Deliverer’, ‘Jesus Christ the Head of All Things’, ‘Jesus Christ The Victor’ and finally, ‘Jesus Christ our Life’. In these talks, we explored the reality of what it means as a Christian to have union with Christ and how that truth impacts our everyday life. We were challenged to examine where we find fulfilment, and whether we find that in Christ himself or whether we are finding it in worldly pleasures. Hamish reminded us of Christ’s redeeming love and encouraged us to consider how we are to serve him. Were there ways in which we could be better using our gifts for Christ, whether that be in school, university, church, work or ministry? The conference itself has a wide demographic, 16-30, which encompasses people who are very young in their faith along with more mature Christians who have had a lot more life experience. This itself is a huge challenge to any speaker when considering how to apply a point, but we were blessed to have a speaker this year who navigated this challenge exceptionally well. I spoke to people across the age spectrum who all commented on how much the talks had impacted them. On Saturday we had seven seminar speakers come and explore a number of different Christian topics in a more informal manner. We had topics ranging from ‘The Proof of The Resurrection’ and ‘Help! I’m Wandering Away from Jesus’ to

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‘Social Media’ and ‘Mental Health’. These are often topics that we rarely get to hear about in our church settings and are current issues that young people (and not so young people!) in the church today have to deal with. It was so helpful getting to hear a Christian perspective on these topics and how we should approach them as followers of Jesus. One of our focusses this year was looking at ways in which the conference could provide opportunities for the attendees to serve the church. It was great to be able to have Operation Mobilisation in attendance at the conference and they were blown away by the number of young people that were interested in serving the Lord on the international mission field. We also got to hear from Iver Martin about ministry opportunities through Edinburgh Theological Seminary, and finally from Neil MacMillan through our Sunday seminar about Generation and ways we can serve the local, national and international church. I would be doing a disservice to the conference if I didn’t mention the food. We had a brilliant team of cooks, led by Beth MacIver, who provided the highest quality, tasty meals over the weekend. They are gifted beyond belief and the way they serve is a beautiful picture of Christ; we are so thankful for them. This was my sixth year at the conference and was undoubtedly one of my favourites. If you are between 16 and 30, I would encourage you to come next year. I received the following message from a friend the day after the conference was over which filled me with such joy: “Hey man. Just want to say thanks for convincing me to go to the Youth Conference. It was one of the best and most challenging weekends I have ever had. Hope you are well rested.” This is exactly what we were praying for before the conference and it is a real encouragement to know it has been blessed to those in attendance. I would recommend to anyone, of any age, that you check out the talks from the weekend on the youth conference website: www.freechurchyouthconference. com/recordings. Keep up to date with information on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ freechurchyouthconference) why not like or follow us and tell the younger ones in your church to come along next year! This is my last year on the organising committee so I will be handing the baton over next year to the highly capable team who love Jesus and who will organise a fantastic conference. •

Main speaker Hamish Sneddon, Associate Pastor at St Andrews Free Church

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DEUS VULT, MEDICE CURA A Christian medical approach to vaccination sceptics. An ANONYMOUS contribution

PART 01

and brought here.) The disease is still prevalent in 125 other countries. So far, the only disease that we have completely managed to eradicate with vaccination is smallpox. This shows that it can be done, with enough effort and coordination. So far in 2019, the preventable disease with the highest media profile has been measles. Again, think about the last time you knew someone with measles. It’s just a bad cold, with a few spots, right? Why should we worry about that? Before vaccinations commenced in 1963, the measles virus killed 2.6 million people a year. That’s 10% of the people who caught it. Up to 30% of the survivors lived with complications, which can include severe pneumonia, permanent brain damage and hearing loss. Even with modern medicine, the death and complication rate of the measles infection has not changed. Measles is the MOST

hen was the last time you met a person suffering from diphtheria?

Or a child crippled by polio? Or someone whose minor wound led to paralysis and death from tetanus? Most people reading this will probably not even know what diphtheria is. The eradication of such once common, lethal infectious diseases is one of the biggest success stories of modern medicine, comparable with the advent of good sanitation and the development of antiseptics. Once we thought diseases were caused by an imbalance of ‘humours’ within the body; now we know that many ailments common to mankind are caused by microscopic living organisms like bacteria and viruses that invade the body and can cause permanent disability or death. As much as antibiotics are wonderful at killing infections once they start, what could be better than preventing these diseases in the first place?

There will always be people who cannot have vaccines because of chronic illness or immunosuppression. It is the responsibility of the rest of us to safeguard these vulnerable groups. Christians especially should engage with this responsibility. Some sobering statistics: before the modern medicine, the mortality (death) rate of patients who caught diphtheria was 50% on average, but higher in children under the age of 5 and adults over 40. In the 1920s, around 200,000 cases were reported annually with around 15,000 deaths. Now there is a worldwide vaccination programme and in 2016 only 7,100 cases were reported worldwide. In the USA, less than five cases have been reported in the last ten years. Whooping cough is a major cause of infant death worldwide, is 80% infectious amongst unvaccinated individuals and is especially severe if caught by newborns. If a single infected child coughs once in a doctor’s waiting room of unvaccinated people, 80% will catch the infection from such minimal contact. Inexplicably, the disease spikes in prevalence every 3-4 years. In 2008, 16 million cases were reported to the WHO and 195,000 children died. The WHO estimates that vaccination prevented 687,000 further deaths. In the UK, 14 children died from pertussis infection in 2012; 18 died between 2013-16. Polio — which although has the potential to kill, more often maims with lifelong physical disability — is on track to be eradicated by 2020 if present immunisation rates are maintained. The last UK outbreak was in the 1970s, the last confirmed case was in 1984 and eradication within the UK was confirmed in 1988. (This does not include cases caught outwith the UK

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infectious human pathogen, with a 90% infection rate amongst the unvaccinated. In 2000, wordwide measles deaths reached 545,000. In 2017, this dropped to 111,000. The important concept to understand about immunisation is that it is not only a medical intervention for the protection of the individual, but for the populace as a whole — what we call ‘herd immunity’. No medical treatment is 100% fool-proof. Certain vaccines may only have an 80-90% response rate in an individual. However, if the target of 95% immunisation rate is achieved, the mathematics of probability dictate that a virus will be unable to reach a critical enough foothold within a population to multiply into an outbreak. Too many of the people around an infected person will be immune; the virus will be unable to spread. A drop in immunisation rates triggers a higher probability of infected people meeting unvaccinated people, who meet other unvaccinated people, and this snowballs into an outbreak. Then even some vaccinated people are at risk, those whose bodies have been unable to mount a correct immune response to their immunisation. There will always be people who cannot have vaccines because of chronic illness or immunosuppression. Newborn babies are at huge risk. It is the responsibility of the rest of us to safeguard these vulnerable groups. Christians especially should engage with this responsibility. •

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In her final article for The Record, SHAWNA WILLIAMS compares her expectations of missionary life with the humbling reality.

he missionary mantra should be this: plan on changing plans.

Once I finally got used to the idea that God could use insignificant little ole me as a missionary, I started to make plans. I was going to be awesome! We would move to Papua New Guinea, learn the national language quickly, and jump into a brand-new work! We would never work in a support role, because we were there for the ‘tough’ job of church planting. We would be Rockstar language learners, live in the most remote of locations, fly in helicopters, and be outstanding in every way! I am not sure that I was being honest with myself or that I even realised that I had these crazy high expectations, but just under the surface they festered. Now let us look at reality. We moved to PNG, check. We learned the national language, check. Pretty much from there on out, everything changed. Even though we learned the national language quickly, there were no other ‘free’ families like us in PNG at the time, so we had no one to form a team with. This started the longest ‘waiting’ period of my life. No one else came over looking for a team for another year. During that time, I was so insecure. I kept thinking ‘What’s wrong with us? Why doesn’t anyone want to form a team with us! Don’t they know how awesome we are?!’ We plugged into full-time support roles on one of the missionary bases and worked to keep other church planters in the bush. We felt alone in a lot of ways because this wasn’t what we came over to do! We came for the action! The hands-on work in the villages! Why wasn’t God allowing us to do it?

I tell every new missionary coming over to come without expectations and be willing to be flexible. I was not willing to be flexible and, as a result, had many challenging phases here. After a year, we finally found another family to partner with. Next came the task of choosing a village to move into. Like I mentioned before, we wanted to be in one of the most remote locations in PNG. Helicopter only. Hardcore. So, we looked into many works that fit the bill. As we looked at all of these new works, the Lord kept closing doors. Again, I didn’t understand what he was doing. Why? Why wouldn’t

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THE MISSIONARY MANTRA PART 03 he want us to reach the lost? Why did he continue to close door after door to these locations that had no access to the gospel? After many attempts to work in these remote locations, we finally concluded that we should look at joining existing works. An existing work is a location that has already been open for many years, but with little fruit. Sometimes missionaries have left, sometimes illness has made it impossible to continue to minister, sometimes it is still open simply because there is not enough help to bring the newly born church to maturity. Again, we started making plans. If we were going to join a work, it would not be in the highlands of PNG. Those people had horrible reputations for being volatile, brash, and for having some of the most difficult languages in the world. So that was clearly out. I look back on all of these things and think that the Lord must have just been snickering at us as we made all of the plans. Guess where we ended up. We joined an existing work in the highlands of PNG, with a hard language, tough people, and that we could reach by road. No helicopter here. The plans that we made as we were coming to this country were completely obliterated. Every single thing on that ‘list’ was not given to us. We thought that just because we had made the ‘humble’ choice to be missionaries that the Lord would bless our every effort. We were so wrong. Instead it looked like this: ‘Oh, you want this? You won’t have it, but you will have me.’‘You think this is best? It isn’t, and you will learn to trust me.’ ‘You think you are making a big sacrifice, that’s nice, I sacrificed my only son.’ During all the periods of waiting and begging the Lord to give us what we wanted, he instead gave us what was best. Some of his best was waiting when we didn’t want to. Growing when we thought that we already had all of the answers. Learning about all of our blind spots. Trusting when we were afraid. I tell every new missionary coming over to come without expectations and be willing to be flexible. I was not willing to be flexible and, as a result, had many challenging phases here.

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Praise the Lord that he never just leaves us the way we are. Growing to be more Christ-like every day is just as important to him as reaching the lost. I hope these words have shattered some of the misconceptions you may have about missionaries. Just because we live in other countries doesn’t mean that we have this superhuman power to be selfless, humble, and joyful at all times. That is simply not true. We are normal people who bring nothing to the table. We don’t excel in all areas of the Christian life. We have to cling to Christ every day just like everyone else. The job of a missionary is truly impossible. No human can change the worldview of another person by their own efforts. No one can change beliefs that have been established since the tower of Babel. We are completely hopeless, helpless, and lost. But in the face of the impossible tasks we remember and cling to his promises that ‘nothing is impossible with God’. Luke 1:37

Please continue to pray for Coleton, Shawna and their family as they embark on a furlough year visiting family and speaking about their work. For updates, you can follow ‘Coleton and Shawna in PNG’ on Facebook or @williams2png •

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BOOK REVIEWS This month we have four interesting, and very different, books under review for you. If you would like to review books — old or new — for us, you can now sign up to our *NEW* reviewers mailing list. You don’t need any experience, just a passion for good Christian books. Sign up at https://thefree.church/books-reviewers. ENJOYING GOD TIM CHESTER (2018) Enjoying God is an outstanding book. At its heart, the book is all about the Trinity. It will remind you of the glory and wonder of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But at the same time, the book is also all about the fact that daily life as a Christian is hard going. And that is why this book is so good; it is a brilliant reminder of God’s presence with us and his care towards us in every situation we face. Whatever struggles, failures and disappointments we experience, this book reminds us that all of these are means through which we can enjoy the love and goodness of God in our lives. It is easy to read and accessible to all. It will teach you without making you feel clueless, it will encourage you without making you feel guilty, and it will motivate you without making you feel like a failure. It’s worth repeating — Enjoying God is an outstanding book. • Thomas Davis St. Columba's Free Church GRACE BE WITH YOU DALE RALPH DAVIS (2018) Dale Ralph Davis is my favourite Old Testament commentator and writer. I love his erudition, humour, and the way he invariably brings alive and applies in a contemporary and Gospel every Old Testament passage he addresses. I love the way he makes the Old Testament Scriptures fresh and Christ-orientated. This booklet is basically a collection of 58 benedictions pronounced by DRD at the end of various sermons preached between 2013 and 2018. Many of these are direct biblical benedictions, whilst many others are worded so closely together it feels like the same blessing repeated with a very slight variation on the same theme. Each one reflects a different aspect of the work and witness of the Persons of the Trinity. A glowing Foreword by Derek Thomas and equally glowing Afterword by Sinclair Ferguson highly commend the book. It makes for an encouraging and inspiring read but I feel that had there been some explanation, reflection or application for each blessing the content would be more commendable.• Colin Macleod Gairloch, Kinlochewe & Torridon Free Church

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KATHARINA: DELIVERANCE MARGARET SKEA (2017) Katharina, the narrator of this historical novel, is remarkably ordinary. Her faith isn’t the strongest, nor are her decisions always right. And yet she also (spoiler alert!), married one of the most prominent men of the Reformation Era — Martin Luther himself. How? As the author herself admits, little factual detail is known about Katharina von Bora, but the events of her life provide a remarkable frame for this fictional tapestry to hang on. It offers a fascinating insight into the challenges faced by Luther and the other early Reformers, whilst also not scrimping on the everyday detail of Katharina’s experiences. It is a good historical novel, complete with danger, romance, riots and friendship. But where it really excels is in evoking the religious-political climate in which Katharina lived, and which caused her faith to develop and deepen into something real. This novel isn’t fact, but it is admirably well-written and faithful fiction. I am glad to recommend it.• Miriam Montgomery Free Church Books CAN SCIENCE EXPLAIN EVERYTHING? JOHN LENNOX (2019) Professor John Lennox of Oxford University packs a lot into this gripping small paperback. The one hundred and twenty five pages could be read in one sitting, but there may be merit in exploring the ten chapters over a number of days. The book is laced with anecdotes, quotes and measured interpretation of complex questions. Bloggers, writers, and preachers will enjoy this book. Everyday sharers of the faith will find a treasure trove of material to reuse or recycle. John Lennox exudes passion from every pore as he confronts the New Atheism, and his science-theology scholarship is combined with sublime writing skill. Time alone will tell if this little book finds a permanent niche among the classics on private apologetics library shelves. Is there is something of a C.S. Lewis or a G.K. Chesterton here, in the author’s remarkable ability to make complex ideas penetrable to a wider audience? A wilderness fishing or camping expedition, with baked beans the staple ration, can be ruined by failure to pack a tin opener. Much has been spoken or written about “plausibility structure”, and how the Church often gets a limited hearing from younger people who have been bewitched by scientism (“Science can explain everything”). This book may be the tin opener some of us need to challenge “scientism”. We may need to be conditioned to seeing science as a springboard for evangelism, and an excellent

opening gambit for spiritual discussion. Science rather than human sexuality may be the nettle that the Church in the West desperately needs to grasp currently. John Lennox may have gifted the Church a supremely useful resource here at remarkably low cost.• James Hardy Skainos Church, Belfast

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2019

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BOOK REVIEW A glowing review of a new book recommended for new and old Christians alike to train themselves in looking at the world through Christ’s eyes.

ne of the artefacts on display at the r.r.s.

and you had to hit the side of the machine until finally the penny dropped (literally) and it spat out your can of Coke. Sometimes the full implications of the gospel take a long time to sink in. Martin Luther had the solution. In his commentary on Galatians, the great Reformer insisted that the core message of the gospel is ‘the principal article of all Christian doctrine, wherein the knowledge of all godliness consisteth. Most necessary it is therefore, that we should know this article well, teach it unto others, and beat it into their heads continually.’ Following Jesus seeks to hit home the impact of the gospel for the whole of life, and to remind existing believers that Christ claims every part of them and their lives for himself. Sinclair Ferguson writes, ‘Standing in the great tradition of preachers who were once lawyers, Andrew Randall skilfully unfolds from Scripture “the truth…and nothing but the truth” about what it means to be a Christian. Fresh and compelling, shrewd and honest, winsome and reliable, Following Jesus is exactly the kind of book every young Christian should read, while at the same time it offers a wonderful review course for seasoned disciples. Read it on your own, or with others; discuss it in house groups; give it away to help a friend. It should lead you to the clear “verdict’ – that you want to follow Jesus for the rest of your life!’ •

discovery in dundee, the ship which robert scott and ernest shackleton took to the antarctic in

1901, is a pair of snow goggles which scott used. Essential

for the prevention of ‘snow blindness’, these are clumsy wooden goggles with his initials carved into the top, and a cross carved out at each eye for visibility. Throughout his expedition, Scott would have looked at the Antarctic world through the lens of a cross. The purpose of this new book by Andrew Randall, minister of Grace Church Larbert, is to encourage new and existing believers to view the whole of life through the lens of Christ crucified and risen. In the context in which we find ourselves today, it can no longer be taken for granted that new Christians will share a basic Judaeo-Christian worldview or ethic. Those who put their trust in Christ will increasingly lack a heritage of family faith, or even cultural Christianity, and will often have no idea what it means to live the Christian life. Never having seen examples of gracious and godly living, instead they will have been thoroughly influenced throughout their lives by a culture which has long since departed from its Christian heritage. In contrast to those coming into the faith in years gone by, they will find the Christian way of life an alien one rather than a familiar one. Following Jesus: The Essentials of Christian Discipleship is an introduction to the Christian life. Its thrust is to ground believers in the church and in the ordinary means of grace, encouraging healthy and biblical attitudes to these basic things which will nurture them throughout their Christian lives. Designed to be one of the first books a Reformed pastor would want to give to a new believer, it lays the groundwork of faith in Christ and then sets out the significance of the Bible, the church and prayer. It sets out to show how the gospel impacts every part of life, from the daily pursuit of growing holiness to the way we make choices in life, from how we conduct our relationships to the way we’re called to work, steward, evangelise, suffer and endure. In all these areas, this book seeks to ground the imperatives of Christian living in the indicatives of the gospel, while providing genuinely practical guidance to new believers. It charts a course of responsible Christian liberty which avoids both legalism and licence. In this way the new believer is also being trained to think ‘Christianly’ about the whole of life. The book could equally be used as a refresher course for those who have been following Jesus for some years. Kathy Keller speaks of a vending machine in an apartment where she and Tim Keller lived in New York. Often the coins would get jammed in the mechanism,

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FOLLOWING JESUS: THE ESSENTIALS OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP ANDREW M RANDALL BANNER OF TRUTH (2018)

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

As an atheist who regularly reads The Record, I was encouraged to read Alan Fraser’s letter in the February edition (although the mention of God spoilt it). I was also impressed with the diplomatic way he addresses Antony Latham’s article in the January edition, which clearly missed the science editors peer review. I feel that in the current sociological and political climate, where support for vulnerable sections of our society have been abandoned because of financial cuts, we have an immediate support crisis, particularly in remote communities. These issues range from poverty, debt, worrying about exams, hunger, depression, low self-worth, a general feeling of worthlessness and associated problems. This is an obvious role for the church through parent toddler, youth groups, bands, choirs, food banks, talks, simply providing a locus to allow people to come and talk to each other and by doing so understand that they are not alone. For the wider agnostic/atheistic or “other denomination” community to engage, it is essential that a conservative congregation or the wider church do not write off mainstream science as nonsense when the ONLY way it can be accepted is if it is based on facts, disprovable hypothesis and repeatable experiments. If this continues, the hardworking youth group leader thinking only of how they can better other peoples lives or those who commit hundreds of hours of their lives to a cause within the church are marginalised, church numbers continue their decline and financial issues limit what can be done. If Dr Latham wishes to promote his views, he must do what the rest of us must do to get our ideas accepted, that is to write a paper, show the evidence, get it peer reviewed, present it at a conference and take the Q&A interrogation afterwards. I would however caution his use of emotive language such as “strong repugnance amongst both atheists and oddly some Christians against any critique of the theory of evolution…”. I would suggest that it is not the repugnance of others that is the issue here but more his poor argument not being accepted. When a statement is made in the main article such as “While one would be forgiven for thinking that scientists have, more or less, sorted out a lineage from ape to human in the fossil record…”, a schoolkid would remind him that we evolved from a common ancestor and not from apes. I hope this debate can continue, since I do not wish to see the destruction of the Free Church by the anti- science, antievolution, anti-LGBT, anti-other religion conservation faction. It’s easy to fall into the siloed thinking of an echo chamber, reinforcing your personal (or collective) views. Why not promote love for others and “treating others as one’s self would wish to be treated” more than attempting to disprove science? I think Jesus would approve more of that, after all, if you are right, he had a hand in the creation of science. Yours aye John Perry

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

Positively Presbyterian

- 21st august. The programme starts with dinner at 6:30pm on Monday 19 August and finishes with lunch at 1pm on Wednesday 21st August. It would be good to see you at the conference where you will enjoy talks, times of fellowship and relaxation. Please note the dates in your diary. The cost of the conference will be £130. Day visitors are also welcome. (Fee for Tuesday will be £35 and for Wednesday £30). Please note that this year you should pay by debit/credit card in advance online for your place at the conference. To pay, please visit www.freechurch.org/donate. In the description box, enter ‘Positively Presbyterian 2019’ and the amount of £130. You may, if you wish, pay a non-refundable deposit of £30, with the balance to be paid before the conference. Do let your congregation know about this event. It is open to all: ministers, office-bearers, non-ordained workers, men and women. The programme of speakers and topics is being finalised and will be published as soon as possible. Please address any queries to Clive Bailey, booking secretary to positivelypresbyterian@gmail.com www.suscotland.org.uk/lendrickmuir

2019

he 2019 positively presbyterian conference is to be held at lendrick muir, kinross from the 19th th

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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.

over in ten minutes. God is sovereign in salvation and he will melt the heart and change the will, not you. Among the wisest words ever said are those of John the Baptist, who said, ‘I am not the Christ.’ Tell the story of the gospel and then tell your story, then leave it. Pray and walk away. If there is another opportunity then God may give it to you to go through that door, or he may use someone else. In secular Europe church planting is slow work. I would expect it to take at least ten years for a Free Church of Scotland congregation to move from initial pre-plant to being a fully viable congregation which is in a position to plant another church. In practical terms this means that the plant will require financial support for a long period. Planters are like farmers, they must have the gift of patience. The wider church must have the dual gifts of wisdom and encouragement as they watch the fledgling churches grow. It is not helpful to criticise from the sidelines. It is helpful to fund some fertiliser, support additional workers and come into the field with spade. We are then called to this long obedience in one direction. Growth is slow but it’s still growth. Living things do grow but the rate of growth is slow. In the UK in 2019 it is reckoned that if you have a church of 100 people then you can expect one person each year to be added to that congregation by conversion. As I go around I yearn for that change in mindset and vision which sees a move from managing decline to expecting growth. What if the congregation you belonged to saw one adult baptism though profession of faith each year for the next five years? Expect growth but don’t be frustrated because it appears slow.•

ew things illustrate the spirit of the age more than the demand for instant results .

Our grandparents were both amazed and thankful that JD Williams could get a boiler suit to Watten within a week; we are frustrated that the Amazon Fulfilment Centre can’t get an engine to Unst in an afternoon. The expectation for the immediate has influenced our expectations in mission, evangelism and church growth. We read the blog of some congregation that has gone from a handful to a mega-church in a few years. The successful pastor is portrayed as the man who has moved from zero to hero in what seems like no time at all. Look at the images that the Bible gives us of church-planting and growth. The concept of ‘the plant’ is a good one because the route from seed to fruit bearer is by no means instant. Consider how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop. Remember how our childish selves planted our seeds in the empty yoghurt carton at school and then peeked at the seed every few hours to look for progress? Life itself is a slow-burning process. We all know that it takes nine months from seed to that first cry, and that’s only the beginning! At the level of individuals coming to faith, the dramatic instant conversion is more the exception than the rule. In my experience the average journey from unbelief to faith takes about five years. People talk about a ‘Damascus road experience’, but Paul’s story is hardly that of instant conversion. It took a while for the penny to drop from the martyrdom of Stephen in Acts 7 to his dramatic change in Acts 9. When you witness, you are part of a process. Don’t behave as if it’s up to you to get the whole deal

QUOTATIONS GREG SHERIDAN

“

Christians in a secular culture must always practice a mixture of withdrawal and engagement. Merely going to church for an hour a week involves some amount of withdrawal. There must be enough withdrawal to sustain the spirit, to provide safe spaces for the faith to relax and renew, to seek fellowship with other Christians, to provide space to think the culture through. Yet at the same time there must be wholehearted engagement with all the marvellous people around, many of whom will not be Christians. There must be engagement in the great conversation about what constitutes a good life, about civic purpose, about the shape we want our civilisation to take.

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” MAY

Cuibhreann mo chùp’ (My Sure Portion) LE JANET NICPHÀIL

‘I

s e an tighearna mo chuibhreann’.

e a th’air iarraidh oirnn’ a bhith a’ cumail oirnn’ a’coimhead ris an Tighearna, a thug slighe dha Mhac ri choiseachd agus a thug slighe dhuinne cuideachd. Mar a fhuair Esan cuideachadh, gheibh sinne cobhair le bhith a’ cur ar dòchas ann. Tron bheatha-sa, bha Criosd air A stiùireadh, agus Aodhair Israeil a’ gabhail grèim air A dheas-làimh. Tha sinne cuideachd air ar buachailleachd air slighe na beatha-sa. Leughaidh sinn na facail-sa ann an Salm air a bheil sinn glè eòlach,’Is e an Tighearna mo bhuachaille’. Bha an t-Àrd- bhuachaille cùramach mu Mhac gràdhach anns gach ceum a ghabh E. Bha E, saoilidh sinn, a’ coimhead ach an robh cùisean a’ dol Leis. Bha co-chomann eatorra, agus cluinnidh sinn briathran na misneachd, ‘Is Tusa mo Mhac gràdhach anns am bheil mo mhòr thlachd’. Tha sùil gràidh, sùil tlachd agus sùil misnich Air fad na slighe, agus nach àlainn an smuain sin? Tha Iosa Fhèin le spàirn airson a dhol air adhart a’ coileanadh na h-obrach. Tha E glaiste ann an làmh Athar, agus mar sin chì sinn ciall nam facal, ‘cha ghluaisear Mi’, ach bidh E buan, agus bidh E beò gu maireannach. Abair facail mhisneachail do shluagh Dhè a’ dol tro gach èiginn a choinnicheas riu a-bhos? Airson gun tug Esan a’ bhuaidh, bheir iadsan a’ bhuaidh mar an ceudna.• (B’e an t-Urramach C. Macleòid, ministear Shiaboist, a bha a’ searmonachadh agus tha sinn a’ toirt taing dha.) Tha teasgasg is eòlas anns gach ceum den t-sligh’. Bidh nithean a nì lomadh a’ briseadh iomadach cridh’. Ach le bhith coimhead rin Athair gheibh iad teagasg bhios fìor, ’s ged bhiodh Màrah nan eachdraidh ruigear Elim na sìth.

B’iad sin na facail a chuala sinn mar cheann-teagaisg o chionn ghoirid. Bhruidhinn an teachdaire air Criosd a’ tighinn a-steach dhan t-saoghal, agus bha e a’ cur na ceist, ‘Dè a bha E a’ faicinn a’ tighinn a-steach dhan t-saoghal’? Thuirt e an toiseach gu robh cuibhreann ann, mar gum biodh. B’e seo talamh a chaidh a chur a-mach Dha, agus a-rithist dh’ainmich e cupan, no freastal a bh’air a chur a-mach Dha. Bha Getsemane gu bhith na eachdraidh, agus b’e seo, ‘cupan a thug Athair Dha ri òl’. B’e an Tighearna Fhèin cuibhreann agus cupan a’ Mhessiah; mar a bha treubh Lèbhi, b’e an Tighearna a b’oighreachd dhaibh. Bha Clann Israeil Aige cuideachd mar oighreachd. Tha E ag ràdh ann an Soisgeul Eòin, ‘Bu Leatsa iad agus thug Thu dhòmhs’ iad’, agus leughaidh sinn ann an Leabhar nan Salm gur beannaicht’ an sluagh a ròghnaich E mar oighreachd Dha Fhèin. Tha sòlas air a dhùsgadh ann an cridhe Chriosd a’smaoineachadh air an oighreachd. Thuirt an teachdaire gu robh ceòl na chridhe, airson gu robh an Eaglais-sa mar oighreachd aig Dia. Tha sòlas aig Criosd cuideachd anns an Tighearna, mar a leughas sinn anns an t-Salm-sa. Tha sluagh Dhè a’ beannachadh Dhè le bhith ag adhradh Dha, agus tha Criosd a’ beannachadh Dhè; b’e adhradh a bha na bheatha gu h-iomlan. Tron oidhche bha àirnean ga theagasg; b’e sin, A chogais, A thoil agus A dhòigh-smaoineachaidh. Tha Criosd na eisimpleir dhuinn fhìn. Gheibh sinne cuideachd teagasg agus eòlas, ma dh’fheitheas sinn air an Tighearna. Bha Criosd suidhichte. Leughaidh sinn na facail, ‘cha ghluaisear Mi’. Chuir E an Tighearn’ roimhe, agus bha E a’ coimhead Ris airson gach cuideachadh. Leughaidh sinn anns an t-Seann Tiomnadh gu robh Clann Israeil aig Beinn Shinài, agus an aghaidh air a’ bheinn; a-rithist aig àm eile bha an aghaidh air a’ phàilliun. Bha iad mar gum biodh a’ cur an Tighearn’ romhpa, agus a’ dubhadh a-mach gach cuspair eile. Nach eil deagh theagasg ann an seo dhuinne? Nuair a thèid daoine a thoirt bhuainn anns an t-saoghal, gur

2019

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POETRY PAGE LIGHT SHINING OUT OF DARKNESS BY WILLIAM COWPER

God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sov’reign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding ev’ry hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flow’r. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.

Photo by Mi Min on Unsplash

William Cowper (1731– 1800) was an English poet and writer of hymns. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry and in many ways was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "the best modern poet". He also wrote a number of anti-slavery poems and his friendship with John Newton (the writer of "Amazing Grace"), who was an avid anti-slavery campaigner, resulted in Cowper being asked to write in support of the Abolitionist campaign.

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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 ‘D

ouble don ’ t care ’ ( tha seo dà - choma ) was one of my father ’ s

great

sayings ,

which i have lately adopted .

It is the attitude I have had to don, along with that crucial armour of God, when dealing with the slings and arrows of outrageous social media. There is nothing so wounding to a preachy, grandstanding secularist as a Christian who ignores them. Or appears to ignore them, at any rate. We should, properly, be taking them to the throne of grace, and leaving them to him. I confess, however, that I don’t always quite manage that. By and large, though, I have managed to find a way of dealing with these tiresome people and their sometimes cruel ways. Ultimately, pity is what does it — pity, and remembrance of a time when I was as they are now. Thus, too, I might have remained, had it not been for that very throne and that very grace. The devil isn’t keen, though, on the likes of me having a strategy to manage his minions. That is not how he wants the story to end at all — and so he has thrown me a few curveballs that, I confess, are proving harder to bat away. It’s because the main curveballs that have been coming my way are strange attitudes from fellow Christians. I think we do our church a great wrong if we pretend everything is perfect, when it patently is not. So, I’m going to stop that pretence — not from malice, not from a desire to have the last word, or to upset anyone, but because it is true. Lack of perfection is to

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be expected in any gathering of human beings, saved or otherwise. What I’m talking about, however, is more than mere imperfection. I won’t write of specific cases, but I will say that I have been subject to bullying in a church context. Of course, I am not unique — google it and you will see a plethora of articles on the subject. They tell you what such bullying looks like, how it feels, and how we should deal with it. The church as an institution doesn’t want to deal with bullying, however; it wants to ignore it. Indeed, whenever I have experienced it, that is what I’ve been told every time: best ignore. ‘Let it go’, and ‘that’s just how s/he is’ have got to be the two I have heard most often. Now, I understand that I have a responsibility as a Christian to crucify self, and not to nurse hurts or harbour grudges. What about the corporate responsibility of the church, however? Does it not have a duty to care for and protect its people? Equally important, should it not correct them when they step out of line? We know that those who will not read the Bible will instead look at the church, that body of God’s people, set apart for him. And what is God like? He is holy. That is what we are called to show forth: God’s perfection. If, as a church, we merely show a sinning world more sin, then he will have nothing in us. Indeed, it’s surely part of the loving care we are to have, one for the other, that admits the need at times for discipline.

Please don’t misunderstand: ‘discipline’ is always meant, in God’s purpose for his church, as a restorative. Throughout the Old Testament narrative, he repeatedly chastised the Israelites, bringing them low only in order to raise them up again. It was his love that caused God’s anger to burn against them at times; and it was that same love which moved his heart to mercy. I usually get through these kinds of trials by prayer, and remembrance, as I have said — not least by reminding myself of all the many sins I myself give willing accommodation to. Ultimately, I have to be philosophical and believe that these hurtful experiences are shaping and moulding me. What, though, of the bullies themselves — mired in selfrighteousness, or Pharisaic holier-than-thou-ness, who will restore them? Neglecting to discipline in love is neglecting to honour God’s church, which is his precious possession. We dishonour him by permitting the bride of Christ to be marred by any kind of sin, and by failing to help his people in need. If we do not care for the church as we are called to do, he has left us in no doubt what the result will be — and who wouldn’t face the truth rather than live in a church from which the lampstand has been removed?•

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