The Record - September 2019 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

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

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

In association with

NEW VENUE : Dingwall Free Church, High St, Dingwall

Sun 22nd - Thurs 26th Sept 2019 Sun 22nd OPENING MEETING 8pm Speaker: Tim Chester

PROGRAMME

Missions News • Sarah Johnson Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS sarah@freechurch.org WFM Editor • Sarah Cumming 31 Doune Park, Dalgety Bay, KY11 9LX sarah.cumming@hotmail.co.uk Gaelic Editor • Janet MacPhail 24 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA 01851 710354 Seminary News • Rev. Thomas Davis St. Columba's Free Church, Johnston Terrace Edinburgh, EH1 2PW thomas@stcolumbas.freechurch.org

Mon 23rd—Thurs 26th 10am Daily Morning Prayer Meetings 11am Bible Readings with Derek Lamont Theme: Four Great O.T. Stories 7:30pm Evening Sessions: Tim Chester Theme: The Person Of Christ SPECIAL EVENTS: Tue 25th 12:30pm Christian Leaders’ Meeting Speaker: Derek Lamont Theme: Encouragement: Learning from Barnabas Venue: HTC Dingwall Wed 26th 7:30pm Communion Thu 27th 12:30pm Mission Focus Lunch

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

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THE RECORD

SEPTEMBER

Cover: Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

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

WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER RECORD

CONTENTS

his month ’ s edition of the record picks up

THE RECORD IN A POST-TRUTH SOCIETY The Editor

WORLD NEWS UK, Germany, USA, Bolivia, DRC, Turkey, Iran, China, Philipines

FREE CHURCH NEWS Fortrose Free Church, New minister in Dunblane , WfM Annual Meeting, Youth Camps, Dumisani Fundraiser

HOME FROM HOME Jody and Matty Guy

ETS NEWS Thomas Davis

COMPASSION UK: A VISION TRIP TO ETHIOPIA Iain MacAskill

THE LEWIS CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE: HOW GOOD A THING

A STORY OF A BOY John M MacPherson

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A MIRACLE HAPPENS? Roddie Rankin

OF RARE BEAUTY AND EXCELLENCE The Editor

OBITUARIES

BOOK REVIEWS

SOLAS: GOING FORWARD WITH THE GOSPEL Gavin Matthews

OBEDIENCE TRANSFORMED Dayspring MacLeod

MISSION MATTERS David Meredith

GAELIC Janet MacPhail

POETRY PAGE Horatius Bonar

PRAYER DIARY

POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

where the last edition left off .

We continue to bring you news from around the Free Church, from the mission field and from around the world. We also have comment, analysis and reviews which encourage us to think about contemporary culture with a Christian mind. I’m grateful to David Robertson for the blueprint he has left, and for the advice he has generously given me. Fin Macrae, our designer, has a vital role in ensuring The Record’s message is communicated. I appreciate his patience and support. I’m also very thankful that our regular contributors, Dayspring MacLeod, Catriona Murray, Thomas Davis, David Meredith, Janet MacPhail, Sarah Cumming, Miriam Montgomery and Mairi Macdonald, are willing to continue enriching the magazine with their writing month by month. Particular thanks to those of you who have sent material for this edition of the magazine, or who have graciously responded to a request from me. The Record is really a church-wide work. I’ve recently been enjoying reading 100+ years’ worth of old copies, purloined from Colin R. Morrison at the Free Church Offices. The archives show a church which has, in God’s gracious providence, been through difficult circumstances as well as times of great blessing. But The Record also shows a church which has refused the temptation to retreat into insularity, and a people whose desire is to carry the truth of the gospel into their society and around the world. May we follow in their footsteps. Please send your comments on the magazine or suggestions for articles to: editor@freechurch. org; and any news items from your congregation to dayspring.macleod@icloud.com. You can also send items by post to the Free Church Offices. • Yours in Christ John

That in all things he might have the pre-eminence Colossians 1:18 2019

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BY THE EDITOR

THE RECORD IN A PO

hy are you reading the record?

We live in the era of instant reaction, of disposable commentary. Technology may allow anyone to publicly share their opinion at any moment; but our culture requires them to share it. Whether a voice is heard above the noise this creates depends only on the attention that voice can attract. Negative attention works just as well as positive, and so it is the ideas of the loud and of the provocative which are heard. These ideas are presented to millions of minds with equal weight, regardless of the intellectual sand they are built on. What can a 150-year-old church magazine hope to achieve in such a culture? We quickly got used to the fact that a couple of thoughtless sentences published on Twitter could direct the news headlines. Often we enjoyed the idea that the flow of information was in the hands of the people rather than a few media corporations. But now it seems that affairs of state can be conducted in the same way. The ability to attract attention has brought with it the opportunity to win elections.

Untruths are not good enough for people seeking to be faithful to the One who knows the end from the beginning.

©Paul Brady - stock.adobe.com

The sheer amount of information, comment and invective our society generates, and the speed at which it is produced, is overwhelming. Keeping up with it is virtually impossible. The result is that political scandal and accusations of wrongdoing no longer need to be confronted and explained. They are simply buried in the torrent of fresh controversy. In these circumstances the truth is difficult to discern. It’s even easier to distort. Is the promise that Brexit will boost NHS spending by £350 million per week a realistic expectation? Is it a cynical ploy to secure votes? An exaggeration by well-meaning optimists? Or is it just more attention-grabbing noise? Our culture has lost trust in the idea of an objective reality, of facts that we can agree on. We have perhaps reached the logical conclusion of the rejection of absolute truth. In our day, a counsellor to the President of the United States can present statements which contradict the evidence as ‘alternative facts’. Not lies, not distortions, not even exaggerations. Rather, a totally different interpretation of reality in order to make it fit a certain agenda. Who could have imagined that, in the scientific era, people would be called upon to justify their position that the Earth is a globe? That the Earth is round has been the settled and shared understanding of humanity since the Middle Ages. The fact was demonstrated by the circumnavigation achieved by the Magellan-Elcano expedition, completed in 1522. Nevertheless, this understanding is being

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SEPTEMBER

OST-TRUTH SOCIETY questioned today. ‘Earth is flat’ may be written on road signs and in the recesses of the internet as a genuine attempt at persuasion towards truth. It may be a subversive statement aimed at eroding trust in received wisdom. It may even be someone having a laugh at the expense of the mainstream. Regardless, it is a statement unburdened by the need to justify itself with evidence. Liberal political commentators will tell us that we are living in a society which is not only post-modern and post-Christian, but post-truth as well. Such a society has found some clarity on what it isn’t, but is clearly still searching for what it is. Trying to keep up with this changing, truthless culture can feel like being trapped in a vortex, at constant risk of being pulled under. Twenty-four-hour news organisations struggle to keep on top of events at times. A monthly print publication has little chance at all. It would be easy to get swept along in the post-truth current. The most successful alternative facts ensure things are murky enough that an air of plausibility remains. People tend to interpret information in a way that supports what they already think. So are those who share ambiguous and

As Christians, we are privileged to be free from the post-truth vortex. We stand on the solid rock of Scripture. false information conspiring or merely in denial? Either way they are using the prevailing wind to gain a personal advantage. We must resist the temptation to do likewise. Psalm 101:7 warns that ‘No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.’ But what is required to stem the post-truth tide? Commenting on the ‘code’ of duelling with deadly weapons when one’s name had been slandered, 19th-century U.S. Senator Charles Gibson argued that ‘the code preserved a dignity, justice and decorum that have since been lost, to the great detriment of the professions, the public and the government. The present generation will think me barbarous but I believe that some lives lost in protecting the tone of the bar and the press, on which the Republic itself so largely depends, are well spent.’ This is barbarous, indeed — violence is a sinful response to the problem. But Gibson’s view illustrates the extremes required to constrain false and vitriolic speech by force. We must follow a different course. As believers in inerrant Scripture, we must hold on to what is true and factual. Even when the truth challenges our own view of the world. Untruths are not good enough for people seeking to be faithful to the One who knows the end from the beginning. The Bible has been studied, argued over, analysed and written about as much as any text in human history — and yet it stands as trustworthy in the scientific age as it was in ancient times. As the angel of the Lord allowed Jacob to wrestle with him, so God graciously permits his Word to be scrutinised >>

2019

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<< by humanity. This is part of the beauty and wonder of a God who reveals himself to us. We need not, therefore, hide from evidence, science or opposition. We can rely on God’s Word to stand eternally as the truth. We do not need alternative facts. Nor to chase the attention of our culture. We simply need a thorough knowledge of the truth God has revealed so we can re-tell it to others. So, in a post-truth culture, why are you reading The Record? What purpose does it serve for you? During the early 20th century, The Record’s cover declared it to be ‘A witness for evangelical truth and the principles of the covenanted reformation’. A firm foundation, and one at odds with our post-truth culture. As Christians, we are

Russia?) to domestic affairs (is antisemitism entrenched in the Labour party?) to entertainment (who is ‘H’ in Line of Duty?) we want to know the answer — we want to know the truth. As creatures made in the image of the God who is truth, this is no surprise. In a society which rewards vitriol and the scale of a lie more than humble honesty, we cannot compete for attention on the culture’s terms. We trust that we have the truth people are searching for. What we need, therefore, is thoughtful comment which encourages the cultivation of a Christian mind, fit to respond to the noise and the anger and the confusion of our time. We should be ready to speak a word in season to reform our culture, remembering that

We trust that we have the truth people are searching for God was not in the earthquake, but in the still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12). The Record’s archive shows a church that is outwardlooking. A church which is not afraid to wrestle and disagree. A church deeply concerned to be an effective witness while remaining willing to challenge the prevailing culture. A church not afraid to address current affairs, recognising that Christ is Lord of all. This, then, is the role of The Record in a post-truth society: to faithfully chronicle the life of the Free Church; to help us respond to the culture with a Christian mind; and in doing both of these things to share the truth of the gospel in humility and love. •

©Paul Brady - stock.adobe.com

privileged to be free from the post-truth vortex. We stand on the solid rock of Scripture. Of course, we stand here by grace and not through our own insight, so we have no cleverness to boast of. But what we do have is a gift of truth to share. When the truth is shared it will come up against the scepticism and cynicism swirling around our culture. But has humanity really outgrown the idea of shared knowledge and mutually agreed truth? Or are we just pretending we have when it suits us? In fact, people are yearning for truth, for solid ground. From international relations (is there anything going on between President Trump and

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SEPTEMBER

THOUSANDS OF FREE RESOURCES ARE JUST A CLICK AWAY With the free Ligonier app, trustworthy teaching is always within reach. Whether you’re at home or on the go, you’ll have immediate access to thousands of discipleship resources, including daily devotionals, video teaching series, our biblical and theological chat service, and much more. It’s like carrying a theological library with you at no cost, and every day there’s something new to study. Just search for “Ligonier” in your app store to get started.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE LIGONIER APP TODAY.

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WORLD NEWS

EUROPEAMERICASAFRICAASIAAUSTRALASIA

UPDATES FROM THE CHURCH AROUND THE WORLD GERMANY TO SHELTER PERSECUTED RUSSIANS (EUROPE) A court has ruled that a Russian Baptist family who left their home country following attacks and threats can seek asylum in Germany, according to Christianity Today. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees originally rejected the family’s application based on guarantees of freedom of belief in Russia’s constitution. However, a court in Düsseldorf reversed this decision, agreeing that anti-missionary laws in Russia are likely to put evangelistically-minded faith groups at risk of government persecution. IN GOD THEY TRUST? (AMERICAS) The Pew Research Centre, a respected opinion polling organisation, has found that—for the first time in at least ten years — Americans now think that churches and religious organisations have a more positive impact on their country than the technology companies whose products are relied upon in daily life. In recent years, tech giants like Apple and Facebook have enjoyed the trust of the American public: 7 in 10 people viewed them as a positive influence on society in 2015. Today, 50% of people view these companies positively, slightly less than the 52% who see churches and other religious organisations as positive. Recent controversies related to how tech firms use people’s personal data are believed to be the cause of this sudden loss in trust. Churches and tech companies both remain well ahead of banks (39%), large corporations (32%) and the national news media (25%) in terms of their perceived positive influence.

CHURCHES OUTNUMBER PUBS (EUROPE) Research commissioned by the National Churches Trust has found that the UK now has more churches than pubs. There are currently around 40,300 church buildings being used for worship, whereas more than 11,000 UK pubs have closed in the last decade, leaving about 39,000 in operation. Peter Brierley, Chief Executive of The Brierley Consultancy which carried out the research, said: ‘Although some Anglican, Roman Catholic and Methodist church buildings have closed in recent years, this loss has been outweighed by the growth of new Evangelical and Pentecostal church congregations.’

PERSECUTION LEADS TO SANCTIONS? (EUROPE) A report commissioned by the British Foreign Office concluded that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world. The report, written by the Bishop of Truro, Philip Mounstephen, shows that discriminatory laws and violence are used by governments as well as non-state groups to target Christians. Bishop Mounstephen has recommended that the UK impose sanctions against countries who carry out persecution. He notes that persecution of Christians in the Middle East is ‘particularly egregious’. The Bishop has therefore suggested that a United Nations Security Council Resolution be sought to call upon governments in the Middle East and North Africa to protect Christians and to allow UN observers to monitor the security arrangements that are in place. While the previous foreign secretary promised to enact all of the report’s recommendations were he to become prime minister, there has been no comment yet from the newly installed foreign secretary or prime minister on the issue of persecution.

EQUALITY IN BOLIVIA (AMERICAS) Despite banning evangelism last year (a policy since reversed), Bolivian president Evo Morales has worked with Christian organisations to draft and pass legislation giving evangelicals in the country the same rights as the Catholic church. The legislation will make it easier for evangelical churches to gain recognition under the law. Munir Chiquie, president of the National Association of Evangelicals of Bolivia, described the law as ‘a qualitative leap in the development and understanding of this fundamental freedom that is inseparable from the freedoms of worship, conscience and thought.’

THE RECORD

SEPTEMBER

CHURCH BUILDING IN TURKEY (ASIA) Agence France-Presse reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has laid the foundation stone for the first new church building since the country was founded in 1923. The building is being funded by the Syrian Orthodox Christians who will worship there. President Erdogan told those assembled at the event: ‘Our geographic location has been the centre of religious, ethnic, cultural and racial diversity… Our hearts and doors have always been open to the oppressed.’ However, Open Doors, an organisation which supports the persecuted church, ranks Turkey 26th on their World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most persecution.

HUMAN-MONKEY HYBRID (ASIA) A team of scientists from Spain and the USA have engineered the first human-monkey chimeras: monkey embryos containing human cells. Spanish newspaper El País reports that the work was carried out in China ‘to avoid legal issues’. The ultimate aim of the research is to produce organs for transplantation into humans, addressing a lack of available organs and problems of organ rejection. Reports suggest the embryos are not being allowed to develop for more than a few weeks currently, but the chimeras would need to gestate for significantly longer to allow organs to grow. There is debate among biologists regarding ethical issues, a primary concern being the possibility that this will result in animals which exhibit human characteristics in behaviour or appearance.

GROWTH IN IRAN (ASIA) Operation World research shows that Iran has the fastest-growing evangelical church in the world. The Joshua Project reports that there were about 175,000 ethnic Iranian Christians in the country in 2010, despite there being only around 500 in 1979. Writing in Evangelicals Now, Afshin Ziafat argues that this remarkable growth has four main causes. A stagnating economy and continued oppression by the Islamic regime is bringing disillusionment with Islam. Persecution has brought attention to Christian leaders and stimulated growth. The Iranian Christian diaspora has been using the internet and social media to communicate the gospel message into Iran. Despite the actions of the authorities, millions of Bibles are distributed throughout the country. VIOLENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES (ASIA) Church leaders in the Philippines have criticised the government following the murder of a local pastor. Pastor Ernesto Javier Estella of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines was killed by gunmen in early August. The Ecumenical Bishops Forum in the country has claimed: ‘The number of violent attacks against Christian human rights defenders has alarmingly increased in the three years of President Rodrigo Duterte’s government…His avowed contempt for human rights has provided the institutional framework of this violence being committed against those who uphold the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the human person…The regression of our country’s democracy, the embodiment of a tyrannical regime and the oppression of the people are fuelling the national catastrophe. President Duterte is guilty of destroying democracy and in subverting the rule of law, and for such betrayal of our country and people’s interest, has lost all the legitimacy to lead the nation.’ The Bishops have called on Christians to stand up for human rights in the Philippines.

FIGHTING EBOLA (AFRICA) The Christian Post reports that humanitarian group World Relief has teamed up with 300 local churches to fight the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In July, the World Health Organisation declared the Ebola outbreak in DRC a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. World Relief’s Director of Humanitarian and Disaster Response, Charles Franzen, told the Christian Post that their church partners are providing facilities for infection control and are holding meetings to raise awareness about the disease. However, armed conflicts in the region are making it difficult for medical personnel to find and treat those affected.

2019

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FREE CHURCH NEWS FIRST SERVICE IN FORTROSE FREE CHURCH

n sunday, 19th may 2019, the fortrose free

events. The overall costs of the £880k project still leave the congregation with a mortgage; but, in his opening remarks, Mr Sutherland thanked the congregation for its sacrificial giving since 2004 (when a Building Fund was set up) and he also wished, on behalf of himself and his former congregation, to sincerely thank everyone in the wider Church who contributed towards the building project. This was very much appreciated. In his sermons, Mr Sutherland spoke, in the morning, from Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:6: ‘I tell you, something greater than the temple is here’; and in the evening he spoke on ‘Jesus went around doing good’, from Acts 10:38, noting that the church building is not an end in itself and that the new building was to be used for good as followers of Jesus endeavoured, in his strength, to emulate him and ‘go around doing good’ not for salvation but out of it. An official church opening service will take place in due course.•

church congregation met for the first time in

their new church building. The congregation’s former minister, Rev. Sandy Sutherland, was invited to conduct both services, which were well attended by the regular worshippers and joined, especially at the evening service, by friends from other local congregations. Due to serious structural faults in the former church building, it was demolished in September 2017 with the new purpose-built church erected on the same site. It had been hoped that the new building would have been completed prior to Mr Sutherland’s retirement in February, but due to delays in the construction, the project didn’t reach completion until May this year. Early on in the construction, a deeper foundation had to be made than was expected, with a resulting increase in the building budget of £105k! Undeterred, the congregation set about raising the extra funding required through sponsorship and congregational

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SEPTEMBER

NEW MINISTER IN DUNBLANE

pray for us and Dunblane because we know that it is not by might and not by power but by God's Spirit that his work is done.’ The congregation are very grateful to the Kirk Session, Rev. Ken Cameron, Ally Lunan and Session Clerk Innes Macleod, and to deacon Gavin Millar. Their dedication to the church, and their heart for the people of Dunblane, has maintained unity of purpose during an extended period of vacancy and has ensured that the church is active in reaching out with the gospel to the town it serves. The congregation is also indebted to Rev. David Ford, who, as Interim Moderator, has organised excellent pulpit supply and has led the vacancy committee graciously and effectively. Subject to the approval of Presbytery, Allan Shearer’s induction will be held in St Blane’s Church of Scotland at 2pm on Saturday, 5th October 2019. •

he congregation of dunblane free church are delighted that rev. allan shearer has accepted

the call to become their minister. Dunblane has been vacant for six years, since the retirement of much-loved former minister Rev. Alasdair MacDonald. Alasdair oversaw the development of the congregation from a church extension to a charge in its own right. Having been encouraged by the arrival of new families into the church in the last year, the congregation look forward with great anticipation to what the Lord has planned for this new stage of their witness in Dunblane. Allan said, ‘Joanna and I are very excited about the call to Dunblane Free Church. We are so thankful for the prayers of brothers and sisters in Christ while awaiting a call and in considering the call to Dunblane. We are looking forward to joining the team. Please continue to

WOMEN FOR MISSION’S 2019 ANNUAL MEETING BY SARAH CUMMING

omen for mission’s annual meeting took place

from Caitriana, who works in Central Asia, and from Iain Murchison, who received a Support a Volunteer grant to help with travel costs when he went to work with children in Mozambique. Ruth Campos spoke to us about the work of Operación San Andrés, an organisation for which WfM will be raising funds as part of its 2019/20 project, Mobilising for Mission. As well as raising funds to help Operación San Andrés develop their work in Lima, Peru, Mobilising for Mission will raise funds for Donald and Rosangela Fraser, who work with WEC in Holland; for training for Free Church Youth Camp leaders; and for World on Our Doorstep, which provides cultural awareness training to church leaders and volunteers. Find out more at womenformission.org/ mobilising-for-mission. •

in glasgow city free church on saturday, 18th

may. Through their Community Connections project, Women for Mission had been raising funds to help disabled refugees in the Middle East, building work in Manila and medical support in Bulgaria, and to boost the WfM Heart for Home fund. In the last year over £40,000 has been raised through the generosity of WfM’s supporters across the country. Around 140 women gathered in Glasgow to give thanks to God and to hear from people who have been helped through WfM’s different projects. It was a great joy to hear from a mother in the Middle East whose son has benefited from the services of the charity we’ve supported to help disabled refugees. Her gratitude was clear to see. Barbara Davies, who works in France, spoke to us about some of the challenges faced by the people she and her husband work with. We also heard

Sarah Cumming is The Record Women for Mission Editor

Fiona Macaskill addressing delegates at WfM Annual Meeting

2019

Iain Murchison talking about his experiences in Mozambique

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FREE CHURCH YOUTH CAMPS 2019 BY KIRSTEN MACDONALD

hursday , 4 th the

july

marked

celebration

independence day for 33

campers as they left their homes and set off on a great adventure …

Those from the north of Scotland joined other campers at various points on the way south on the long journey to Oswestry. The following Saturday saw the start of another two camps in Kincraig and Dunbar. Four weeks later, the final two Free Church Youth Camps, in Kincraig and Renfrew, came to an end, leaving over 300 sleep-deprived, well-fed and happy young people. Eleven camps were held this year across the four different locations. Around 130 volunteers took part as leaders, cooks and drivers. Along with the annual trips to Alton Towers and Blair Drummond Safari Park, campers enjoyed water sports, bubble football and trampolining. The meals provided by the volunteer cooks were of their usual exceptional standard and portion-size! One of the best parts of each day was the evening talk and discussion groups, where the campers asked questions about what they’d been learning from God’s Word and discussed how it applies to their lives. The leader of Renfrew Kids’ Camp, Paula White, explained what a great opportunity it was to have the campers for a week, to be able to build on things they may have learnt at school or Sunday School, and to help them see the big picture and how the Bible fits together rather than just being a collection of individual stories. She also enjoyed discussing with campers how some of the leaders grew up in Christian homes, just like them, and that

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not having a dramatic story of how they became a Christian is completely normal. We’re hugely grateful to God that everything went so well, and especially that so many young people had the opportunity to hear more about him, to ask questions, and to see through the lives of the leaders what it means to live in Christian community. We would appreciate your prayers for all of the campers now that they have returned home—that those who are already part of a church congregation would be encouraged, upheld and discipled and that they would continue to grow, and that those who are not yet involved in a local church would quickly become so. We are also so thankful for the support of the wider church—for driving, chaperoning, baking, and for praying and giving words of encouragement just when they were needed—and for our leaders, cooks and drivers who gave so much time and energy to planning, preparing and running the camps. Donald Macleod, Free Church Youth Camps Supervisor, comments: ‘It was very humbling to visit so many

of the camps and see firsthand the excellent work and commitment of the FCYC volunteers who provide a camps programme that is so diverse, engaging and attractive to our campers. We are also greatly indebted to those who spent so much time preparing for camp talks, ensuring that they were relevant, challenging and Christ-centred. Without the commitment of the FCYC volunteers and office-based staff, this wonderful ministry of the Free Church would not be possible. We are greatly encouraged that so many of this year’s campers are keen to come back next year.’ The campers were particularly impressed with the leaders and cooks who made their time at camp so enjoyable and challenging. They expressed great appreciation for the food that was provided, and for the example that was set by those who served them. The thoughts of many campers were summed up by a comment overheard during one camp: ‘I just don’t want this camp to end!’ • Kirsten Macdonald is the Free Church Camps Administrator. Find out more about the camps at freechurchyouthcamps.org

SEPTEMBER

DUMISANI FUNDRAISER

2 nd june 2019 , sisters joanna (13) and

and coffee. Beth was given the job of collecting the money. The mums and grandmas helped in all the ways that mums and grandmas do. Small tables were set up and beautifully decorated with tablecloths, fine china, and delicious baked goods. The girls provided a small sheet of information about the work of Dumisani and noted that this year is a very special year for the college, the 40 th anniversary. On the actual day of the event, 9 th July, the hard work of planning and preparation was well rewarded. At the end of the morning, when the girls opened the shoebox and counted the proceeds, they discovered they had raised almost £800 towards the new kitchen. News of this generous support has already reached Dumisani, and it is not hard to imagine what encouragement it has provided. May the Lord be pleased to uplift many through this inspiring act of kindness from five young girls who already have hearts to serve in the great missionary work of the church. •

catherine (11) lipp set out from their home

grandparents , The four were planning to attend evening worship at the Free Church in Staffin, Isle of Skye, followed by a missionary report on Dumisani Theological Institute and Bible School in South Africa. That evening, Joanna and Catherine were surprised to learn that Dumisani no longer has a kitchen to use as the former kitchen was condemned in 2018. They wondered how they might be able to help. Within a fortnight, a plan had been formed. Together with friends from church, Kate (12), Lucy (10), and Beth (7), they began to organise a coffee morning at the Fortrose Free Church to raise funds toward a new kitchen at Dumisani. A shoebox was covered in paper and topped with a drawing of the South African flag to make a donation box. A Dumisani banner was made along with other decorations to make the hall look special. Joanna, Catherine, Kate and Lucy would help to serve tea finlay

near

and

inverness

christine

with

their

mackenzie .

The girls who planned the event! (L to R) Joanna Lipp, Lucy Knight, Beth Knight, Catherine Lipp and Kate Knight

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SEPTEMBER

Home From Home S

ummer is in full swing here in st andrews,

but in a few short weeks the tourists and golfers will depart to make way for the new and returning students—the group which makes up about 40% of the town’s population during term-time. For us as a church it’s an exciting time, as we wait to see who God will bring to be a part of our church family. We are quite a mixed congregation in terms of age demographic. Over the years our local congregation has grown a lot, but the students make up the majority of the congregation. By the end of the summer we’ll have said goodbye to about 40 people— undergraduates, postgraduates and their families—and now we have to prepare ourselves to say hello to many more. Some of them will be staying for four years, others will only be here for one, but we want to welcome and invest deeply in whomever God brings our way. Many students will want to visit several local churches before making a decision to settle. The Christian Union will put on a ‘Church Search’ at the beginning of Freshers’ Week and will have representatives from a selection of churches to bring first-years along to the church of their choice. So that means that for the first few weeks of term we can expect big groups of students coming through our doors to check us out, some of whom will stay and some of whom will decide to settle elsewhere. As you can imagine, those Sundays are busy ones! Our aim is to give everyone a warm, Christ-like welcome. We’ll have our eyes peeled for new faces, and as a staff team we’ll try our best to make contact with as many of them as we can. The students and wider congregation will be seeking to do the same thing, and it’s genuinely such a joy to the church family working together to welcome newcomers. Many of us will arrange to meet new students for coffee through the week, and we’ll be inviting them along to our weekly student Bible studies.

2019

We also try to invite as many new students to lunch on those first few Sundays as well, so that they can spend time meeting some older students. We have people volunteer to host, cook, bring drinks—and though it can be a bit of a squeeze it’s a great way for new folk to see what the fellowship will be like. Welcoming new students is a privilege, and we have seen time and again how important early investment can be. We have met many over the years who have arrived from Christian homes but are very much in the process of deciding whether they are going to make their faith their own now that they’re away from their parents’ gaze. Some will have seen how appealing the worldly student lifestyle can be during Freshers’ Week, and will have come to church simply to please their parents with no intention of getting involved. It’s with that in mind that we try to get alongside people and help them see the importance of living for Jesus during their time at university and beyond. If you’re a parent who’s about to send off their child to university, be encouraged that there are many churches who are seeking to invest in their students and will already be praying for them before they’ve even met them. A practical way to encourage them could be to research and recommend churches in the place they’re moving to, and to try to put them in touch with Christians there if you know any. Ultimately, though, this is a point in their lives where they have to make up their own mind whether they are going to follow Christ at university, and though you can’t be there to watch over what they do, be encouraged that they will never be away from the gaze of their Heavenly Father. • Jody Guy is Women’s Worker at St Andrews Free Church; her husband Matty Guy is a Leader in Training at St Andrews Free Church and a candidate for the ministry.

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JODY and MATTY GUY look forward to welcoming new students to St Andrews Free Church

ETS NEWS BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

ETS SATURDAY COURSE 2019/20

his month, the ets saturday course gets underway for the

imagery, and what does it mean? Is it a book full of secret codes? Is it meant to frighten Christians? Is it talking about the past, the present or the future? What does it tell us about God and his plans, about history, and how the story will end? For many it can seem confusing, and many people have different views on what it means. But is it really all that complicated? In these eight lectures, students will explore Revelation and will examine the reasons why this last book in the Bible is not as confusing or daunting as it may first appear. In fact, this unique book in the Bible could very well be the most encouraging of them all. Finally, this year’s lectures in Practical Theology will be delivered by Rev. Andy Longwe, minister of Cumbernauld Free Church. Andy’s topic will be His-Story of Revival in Scotland: from Patrick Hamilton to Duncan Campbell. Scotland has a rich history of revival over the last 500 years and these lectures will take students on a journey from the 1500s right through to the 20th century, looking at key people, places and periods in which God did remarkable work. Revival is a wonderful topic to think about. Indeed, many people still in our churches can remember firsthand the Revivals of the last century. But it is not often that we get the chance to study this great topic in more detail. These lectures will give students the chance to do exactly that. The course will begin by looking at what the term revival means, and will emphasise that this is a multi-faceted phenomenon. It will also examine the key people who were used by God, some of whom remain very famous today, but others who may not be so well known but who nevertheless were used mightily in God’s purposes. The study of Revival is a great reminder of all that God can do, but it is also a reminder of the remarkably rich heritage that exists in Scotland’s spiritual history. Although the church may seem weak in Scotland today, the story of of our Revivals shows us that even in times of spiritual barrenness, again and again, God has breathed new life into our nation through the work of his Spirit. The Saturday Course is open to anyone. There are no entrance qualifications, and although quite a number of students will work towards completing the assignments, you can just come along and listen if you prefer, like many others. It is also a great opportunity to meet fellow students from other churches as we share fellowship together and build up gospel friendship as we study the truths of God’s Word. There are more

2019/20 session. Every year, the Saturday

Course gives people across the country the opportunity to get a taste of theological study and to learn more about what the Bible says and about what God has done throughout the history of the church. Each year, three different topics are taught over a series of lectures delivered once a month on a Saturday. People can come and listen live at ETS (or in Stornoway, Ayr or Glasgow), or they can connect online anywhere, and it is a great opportunity to dig a little deeper in the study of the Christian gospel. Here is a summary of what Saturday Course students can look forward to this year. ETS Principal Iver Martin will be lecturing in Christian Doctrine and in particular will be looking at Worship in Theology and Practice. This course will look at the history, theology and practice of worship. Iver commented, ‘Today, although we would all agree that worship is at the heart of our church, not enough attention is being given to liturgy. And even that term “liturgy” can mean different things to different people. So, it is a neglected area, but a vital one. We have much to rediscover about what our forefathers did and didn’t do in regard to the whole question of how we are to worship God.’ The course will look at what worship is, and explore the similarities and differences between worship in the Old and New Testaments. It will then look at how worship has developed over the history the church, how in many ways the church made mistakes, and how at the Reformation there was a rediscovery of the simplicity and majesty of worship. Finally, the course will look at worship in the church today and explore questions like: What does purity of worship mean? What are the essential elements of worship? Today there are many different views and opinions about worship. This course is a chance to learn more about these and to come to a clearer understanding of how worship has been approached and understood in the life of the church. The lectures in Biblical Studies will be delivered by ETS’s New Testament Professor, John Angus MacLeod, and are entitled What Christians need to know for today and tomorrow: Studies in the Book of Revelation. Sometimes Revelation can seem to be a hard book to read. People can feel overwhelmed or intimidated by it and as a result they avoid reading it. Revelation is a unique book in the Bible. Why is it full of dramatic

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details about the Saturday Course, and all the other study options at ETS, on our website: ets.ac.uk. We look forward to welcoming you! •

Rev. Thomas Davis is a lecturer at Edinburgh Theological Seminary and Assistant Minister at St Columba’s Free Church, Edinburgh.

BADENOCH FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, RUTHVEN ROAD, KINGUSSIE FOUR PUBLIC LECTURES

OUR HUMAN QUEST: A LIFE WORTH LIVING CLIVE EVERY-CLAYTON EMERITUS LECTURER IN APOLOGETICS AT BBI AND CUPEI, BRUSSELS Our generation faces a crisis of understanding who we are and why we are here. Scientific and philosophical answers prove inadequate to lighten our darkness and appease our souls. Where can we turn to find out who we really are and what we are here for? SUNDAY EVENINGS OCTOBER AT 7 PM Oct 06

UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF: What is man and what are we worth? Human origins, dignity and value

Oct 13

PLEASING YOURSELF: The ‘good life’ and how to enjoy it Human flourishing and fulfilment

Oct 20

LOVING YOURSELF: True self-acceptance and the key to happiness Human hunger for love

Oct 27

FINDING YOURSELF: Why am I here and where am I going? Human purpose and hope

After each lecture there will be a time for questions/discussion. Refreshments will also be served.

ALL WELCOME - FREE ENTRY

BY IAIN MACASKILL

COMPASSION UK: A VISION TRIP TO ETHIOPIA

long with other church leaders, i recently

It was great that between us we managed to cover this gap and we were given the opportunity to meet the families of these children in their own homes. The cost of basic sponsorship is only 83p per day. Therefore, small sacrifices like giving up a newspaper or a coffee easily covers the cost of changing a child’s life. The highlight for me was on the last evening of our trip when we met three graduates from the Child Sponsorship Programme. These young adults are now sponsoring children in Ethiopia themselves. One of the young men is now a lawyer and the other a banker. The young lady we met, Rediet, works for the Ethiopian health service. She wrote to me: ‘My sister and I were the first girls to pass the general examination to enter university from our Compassion project and the first to join university from our neighbourhood. I was the first person to gain a Bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine from the children supported by Compassion. I am now doing my Master’s degree in Tropical Infectious Diseases and will hopefully graduate this year. Compassion introduced me to a lot of things. Foremost for me was meeting Jesus and following in his footsteps. The other important persons that I met were my sweet-hearted sponsors. Their letters were so amazing, encouraging and supportive. They sent me Bible verses and lessons to enable me to understand the Scriptures better.’ It was encouraging that our General Assembly this year gave a slot to Don Esson to promote Compassion UK and to encourage ministers to consider hosting ‘Compassion Sunday’ in their congregations. By the time you read this, we will have hosted such an event in Stirling, where opportunity will have been given to sponsor twenty Ethiopian children. These children are currently living in abject poverty, spiritually and physically. Rediet’s testimony shows what can be done and gives hope. May the Lord lay it on our hearts to respond with compassion to help those who are currently facing desperate situations. • For more information contact Don Esson (done@ compassionuk.org) or visit www.compassionuk.org

journeyed on a vision trip to ethiopia.

The aim was to see firsthand the work being done by Compassion, whose mission is to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. The work of Compassion spans over 67 years and has grown dramatically from its modest beginnings. In 1952, the Reverend Everett Swanson travelled to South Korea to preach the gospel to the troops in the Republic of Korea army. During his visit, his heart was broken by the plight of war orphans. On his return to America, Reverend Swanson launched a ministry to help these orphans. Today nearly two million children in 25 developing countries benefit from his vision. Compassion’s work in Ethiopia began in 1993, helping local churches give Ethiopian children the opportunity to rise above their circumstances and be all that God created them to be. Compassion’s sponsored children grow up acquiring skills and resources to support themselves and their families. As they fulfil the values that they have been taught, many become change-makers in their communities. In the three projects we visited, we saw how the approach to child development is very much holistic, serving the spiritual, emotional, physical, social, educational and economic needs of the children. Having been involved in Moldova Ministries for a number of years, I have witnessed extreme poverty. However, what I saw in Ethiopia was a different level altogether. It was quite humbling to visit homes that were so basic. This is because we were always offered hospitality, which invariably consisted of some bread, nuts and freshly brewed coffee.

Rev. Iain MacAskill is minister of Stirling Free Church.

Iain Macaskill "I got my football out..."

We were told by Don Esson, our group leader and Compassion UK’s Scotland Manager, that some of the children we were visiting were still awaiting sponsorship.

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THE LEWIS CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE: HOW GOOD A THING DAVID MURRAY of the Conference’s organising committee speaks to The Record about a fruitful and unifying event in the Western Isles. David, can you tell us the history of the Lewis Christian Conference? The Lewis Christian Conference came about in 2011 when a group of Christians from different denominations formed an organizing committee. We wanted to invite preachers from different parts of the world to address us in Stornoway. We have met monthly for prayer ever since and the Lord has been faithful in providing for our needs.

preacher with a profound knowledge of the Scriptures and it was a great blessing to have him preach for us. Dr Smith Jr also participated in a radio broadcast for Isles FM. The programme was memorable and a real blessing to listen to. He spoke of his childhood and coming to faith, of preaching to the deacons in his church as a 14-yearold, and of the heartbreaking story of his son’s murder and how he has been brought by the Lord to forgive the murderer and now regularly writes to him. He longs to see his son’s murderer converted to Christ. We were also blessed to have representatives from the Christian Institute, SASRA, Lewis Christian Bookshop and the Trinitarian Bible Society present at this year’s conference.

The Conference is ecumenical. How does that work? The inter-denominational ethos of the conference has helped foster better fellowship between believers in different churches. We aim to leave our denominational differences and allegiances to one side over the conference weekend. We encourage all of the Lord’s people to attend. Our speakers preach in different denominations on the Lord’s Day of the conference weekend. Speakers have preached in Church of Scotland, Free Church, APC and Free Church (Continuing) congregations over the past eight years. This provides an opportunity for believers to fellowship and visit other denominations during the conference. We focus on what we have in common and strive to include brethren from all of the evangelical churches of Lewis. A text we use regularly is Psalm 133:1, ‘Behold, how good a thing it is when brethren dwell together in unity.’ We have experienced times of the Lord’s near presence during the meetings and fellowships. We are sensitive not to cause any unnecessary offence to any of the Lord’s people and to be as inclusive and encouraging as possible. The conference weekends have been times of blessing and enrichment to the Lord’s people on the Island and to visitors who have joined us from other places. We are grateful for everyone who supports the conference from year to year, and to all the ministers who support the work. They have been a real encouragement to us as a committee over the years.

I understand that Keswick Ministries have been a support. Keswick have a real interest in the conference in Lewis and have sent regular e-mails of encouragement. Many our speakers have previously spoken at Keswick and other Bible conferences. Many of our committee have been richly blessed through attending Keswick. I think we have managed to blend a Keswick experience with our Psalm-singing tradition in a way that works in our local context. The All One in Christ motto of Keswick is very much what we seek to bring to the Lewis Christian Conference. We are, however, an independent conference. All funds are raised locally through door collections, and we sometimes receive donations from local congregations. We really have to go on by faith. When we organised our first conference we had no funds in place and we were amazed at how the Lord provided finance to cover all of the costs of the conference. What plans does the Committee have to develop the Conference? We are always considering ways to enhance the conference. We wish to support and enrich the work of the Gospel that goes on throughout the year and are always seeking to work with youth leaders, ministers and congregations to encourage them in their work. At this point our speaker for 2020 has not yet been confirmed! Please keep an eye on our website: www.lewischristianconference.com for updates.

What are some of the standout memories from this year’s Conference? We were really privileged to have Dr Robert Smith Jr, professor of preaching at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, as our main speaker this year. Dr Smith’s wife, Dr Wanda Taylor Smith, addressed a Women’s Prayer Breakfast. They also spoke about the Lord’s work in their lives at a fellowship meeting in Back Free Church and at After Hours, a meeting for those aged 16-30, in the Woodlands Centre in Stornoway. We are greatly encouraged by the number of young people who have come to the conference, it gives us hope for the future. Dr Smith Jr gave three messages at the conference meetings from the Book of Joshua. These addresses were challenging, enlightening and encouraging. Dr Smith is a passionate, powerful

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How would you like us to pray for the Conference? We would love for the Lord to use the conference to bless the church in Lewis. We would value prayer for the Lord to continue to provide for our needs. Our main aim is for the conference to remain faithful to declaring the Word of God in a Christ-honouring way. Encouraging all of the Lord’s people, broadening our view and experience of the church of Christ, fostering fellowship and growth among the Lord’s people. •

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A STORY OF A BOY

The work of building the church and sustaining its leaders in Latin America

BY JOHN M MACPHERSON

he boy’s name is manuel.

When he was ten years old, his parents took him to a well-known school in the city of Lima. They had tried for two years to matriculate him in Colegio San Andrés, but each time there was no vacancy. But now Manuel was due to sit an entrance exam, which he did, and passed it with flying colours. He entered P6 and by the time he finished P7, he had gained the prize for the best pupil in Primary. Five years later he emerged as the best pupil in Secondary. During his years in San Andrés, Manuel learned a lot about the Bible. Though not yet a Christian, he wanted to learn more, so as a medical student he began to attend services in a Presbyterian church, whose minister was also a former pupil of Colegio San Andrés. Not long afterwards he put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, became a member of the congregation and eventually was ordained an elder. After graduation he married Pati from Colombia, and went to work as a doctor in her home country. In the meantime another doctor, the son of one of the first converts of Free Church missionary work in northern Peru, had opened a clinic in the Peruvian town of Moyobamba, with the name of Clínica San Lucas. Its main aim was to provide medical attention to women and children from poorer backgrounds, and it was not long before Dr Apolos Landa found himself needing

Youth leaders conference, Bogota, Columbia

the Free Church College and the Principal Macleod Scholarship Fund, so he applied successfully for a grant. Manuel, Pati and their children arrived in Edinburgh in time to begin the 1994-95 session. At that time Manuel didn’t know whether he should return to medical practice, but having become fluent in English, he found himself increasingly in demand as a preacher and a speaker at missionary conferences. After much prayer and discussion with Free Church friends, Manuel and Pati both felt that he should devote the rest of his life to the ministry of the Word, while continuing to make pastoral use of his medical expertise. They became members of the Buccleuch congregation and Manuel applied to the Presbytery of Edinburgh & Perth to be received as a Free Church minister. He was readily accepted and, following that step, was appointed by the International Missions Board as a Free Church missionary.

Church leaders and mentors in El Salvador

another doctor to help him. So it was that Manuel and Pati found themselves serving the Lord for several years in Moyobamba, becoming members of the local Presbyterian church. Through his work in the church, Manuel felt increasingly that he should become better equipped biblically and theologically. Friends told him about

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A seminar in Medellin, Columbia

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A CHANGE OF DIRECTION If there had been a suitable opening in Peru, Manuel might have gone back to where it all began when he was a boy. Instead, he was invited to teach in the Biblical Seminary of Colombia in the city of Medellín, at that time a centre of drug trafficking and a hotbed of terrorist activity. But God was at work, both in the Seminary and in the infamous local prison, and drug traffickers and terrorists came to salvation. Manuel was eventually appointed Principal of the Seminary, a highly stressful job involving fundraising, liaison with bureaucratic Government departments and the pastoral care of students and pastors traumatised by violence. The death toll of hundreds of thousands throughout Colombia wreaked material and spiritual havoc upon individuals, families and congregations. All of this led in recent years to Manuel resigning as Principal. To begin with he continued teaching, but knew that God’s call was to undertake a ministry of encouraging, teaching and counselling pastors and their families throughout Colombia and beyond. As their children left home, Pati undertook further studies in Christian counselling. As a couple they were often called on to show how biblical principles should be applied in church and family life. A CRUCIAL MINISTRY TO STRUGGLING PASTORS As the years passed, it became clear to Manuel and Pati that pastors and their families in Medellín, throughout Colombia, and indeed in several neighbouring countries were crying out for the kind of spiritual and emotional help, firmly based on the teaching of God’s Word, which they were able to provide. Many pastors who had refused to compromise with drug traffickers and terrorists had been driven out of their churches and their homes and were struggling to cope with the traumatic impact on their ministries and their families. Equally, many other pastors with a heart for evangelism and a desire to be faithful shepherds of their flocks were becoming aware that their theological training, often in poorly staffed Bible schools with a shallow understanding of ‘the whole counsel of God’, had not equipped them for the task of building up the people of God through faithful preaching and teaching. No wonder Manuel can be found spending hours on end counselling discouraged and stressed-out pastors! No wonder his monthly breakfasts for church leaders, containing a solid diet of expository Bible teaching, are attracting ever bigger attendances, so that a larger venue is urgently required! A NEW PARTNERSHIP The ten-year-old boy who first heard the Gospel in Colegio San Andrés is still following and serving the Saviour in Latin America. For the Free Church of Scotland it has been a great privilege and blessing to have played a significant part in this ministry and to have provided generous financial support. But a new chapter has begun. The Free Church Mission Board,

Rev. John M MacPherson was minister of Cole Abbey Presbyterian Church (now London City Presbyterian Church) until he retired in 2000. Before that, he was headmaster of Colegio San Andrés.

Manuel and Pati

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after reviewing its global mission priorities, has decided that the work in Colombia no longer fits into its overall strategy. This means that, from July 2019, its financial support for the Reaños came to an end. This has had two consequences. Firstly, the Reaños have been welcomed as missionaries of Latin Link, with which they have had a warm fraternal relationship during all their years in Colombia. Latin Link will provide pastoral oversight and will also serve as a channel for gifts supporting the Reaños’ work. Secondly, there has been a groundswell of concern throughout the Free Church for the welfare of the Reaño family and a desire that their ministries, so clearly being used and blessed by God, should continue. Gifts have been received from congregations and individuals that will ensure their full support until the end of 2019. How true that ‘God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work’ (2 Cor. 9:8). Manuel and Pati hope to visit Scotland in the autumn, when they will have the opportunity to share news about their work with both Free Church and Latin Link-connected congregations. Arrangements for Free Church visits will be made by Iain MacAskill, minister in Stirling; and for Latin Link visits by Mike Fernández, Scottish Coordinator. In addition, Mike will be glad to provide information about how to contribute to the Reaños’ support from 2020 onwards (Scotland@ latinlink.org.uk ; 0131 554 7744 and 07763 009597). This story of a boy began nearly fifty years ago. It has not yet finished, and only God will write the final chapter. •

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A MIRACLE HAPPENS?

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RODDIE RANKIN rediscovers the awe in Jesus’ healing of the man with a withered hand Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11

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With the added insights of science we behold Jesus’ miracles and declare with wonder, as Pharaoh’s magicians did: “This is the finger of God.”

a rose come into bloom, understand the witnesses’ excited reaction, grasp that the miracles are signposts pointing to the presence of God, and seek to use them to reinforce our devotion to Jesus. In doing so we may bypass the wonder. It is worthwhile revisiting Jesus’ miracles with modern eyes, in order to rekindle that wonder for a generation nurtured on science. Jesus’ works of power can dazzle us afresh when we consider what is actually involved in producing the miracle. We must see beyond the hand’s burgeoning flesh as witnessed by those in the synagogue. Our analysis must probe the very nature of what is taking place. As that withered hand is healing, new tissue is arising which before was absent. Bone is growing; newly fashioned ligaments, tendons and muscles appear; countless arteries, capillaries and veins materialise and take up their myriad positions. Likewise, from nowhere a complex web of nerves arise, weave and connect, reaching back up the man’s arm and neck and into his brain. There, a minute labyrinth of neurons is created, arranged and wired into his brain to provide motor control so precise that it looks like it took a lifetime of practice to achieve. And then there is the production of extra skin to cover it all, with its many layers, glands and hairs, so that, perhaps, like Naaman, this new flesh is like that of a young boy. In all this we have not even begun to consider that all of these elements are made of cells which themselves are profoundly complex, yet in the miracle spring up from nothing in their billions! Put like this we realise that what Jesus is doing is not a medical procedure. It is not even using the body’s healing powers in an accelerated way. Jesus does more than manipulate pre-existing material. This is a phenomenon that takes place at the level of fundamental particles. It is an atomic procedure. And it involves creation from nothing. For the record, a healthy adult hand has about 50 million million million million atoms. That’s 5 with 25 zeros after it. That is a staggeringly large number. Yet, for the hand to be restored, each one of those atoms must be the right kind of atom for the job it must do. Each one must be in the correct place at the right time. Each one must be combined in a precise way with other atoms to make the molecules of life, and these molecules must be combined to make the structures present in the hand. Finally, if they are >>

t has probably been a while since you were last brought to a halt by an overwhelming sense of

wonder. You live in a culture which is constantly trying to impress or shock. You’ve seen it all, or at least watched the YouTube video. It takes a lot to astonish you these days. That being the case, when you read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ miracles, you are probably not moved to wonder and praise, as Jesus’ first followers routinely were. The following reflection attempts to rekindle amazement in response to Jesus’ works of power. Take a trip to a 1st-century synagogue in Galilee where a man with a shrivelled hand sits prominently in the congregation listening to Jesus Christ preach. This hand, his right hand, is literally dried up. It is withered, rigid, shrunken, useless. The muscle has wasted; nerve function has ceased. There is tension and expectation in the air. They centre, improbably, around that wasted hand: will Jesus restore it on the Sabbath day? Suddenly he fixes his attention on the man, and with authority demands that he stretch out that withered hand. The atmosphere is electric. What did the man see as Jesus commanded him to extend his hand? He looked, and there was the same stunted stick-hand as before, but invested with the potential of Jesus’ creative word. He believed the impossible, and that claw where a hand should have been began to regenerate, strengthen and grow to mirror his healthy left hand. The bone, muscle and skin seemed to arise spontaneously before his eyes. The renewal of his hand might have been a cameo part in Ezekiel’s vision. The dry bones lived! It was a miracle. The words used in the gospels to describe such marvels give us rich insight into what is happening. They are works of power, which stand entirely apart from the normal natural order, and which can only be explained as the action of God. Consequently they elicit wonder and praise from the witnesses. In the case of this miracle they also provoke hatred from those who were indignant that God had dared to work on the Sabbath! Our observation of Jesus’ first-century miracles takes place long after the praise, applause and hostility have faded. We read of them from a great distance, and once familiar with the stories, may respond to them in a matter-of-fact way. We imagine the scenes, perhaps visualise the dead hand open like

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Wonder and amazement are not just for the days when the dry bones live. Our God is worthy of endless praise!

<< not already present in the withered hand, each atom must be created from nothing. All of this happens within a few seconds of action coordinated and unified by a master mind. This transcendent intellect simultaneously generates, knows and manipulates every single one of those atoms. The consciousness that can master the myriad details of countless atoms is beyond our comprehension. The mind that is capable of coordinating these things must be massively more complex than our most advanced supercomputer. It must have a complete understanding of the fundamental nature of matter and access to the underlying nature of the universe. And we are not forgetting that even atoms are not the smallest bricks in the building of creation, but are themselves composed of smaller particles which add another layer of complexity to the miracle. All this, for what might have seemed a relatively simple healing! And our exploration of what a miracle like this takes could be applied similarly to most of Jesus’ miracles. Surely what we have uncovered should move us also to wonder? There is no magician, physician or technician who can do anything remotely like this. Nor will there ever be. No human or extra-terrestrial, angel or devil. The laws of physics forbid creation from nothing, and preclude the knowledge of the where and what of elementary particles. There is only one Person, then, capable of restoring a shrivelled hand. With the added insights of science we behold Jesus’ miracles and declare with wonder, as Pharaoh’s magicians did: “This is the finger of God.” In Jesus, God has stooped in miraculous compassion to address human need. Through Jesus, God exercises his unique Lordship over creation. He knows it exhaustively and intervenes within it as he pleases. He may adjust reality at any time, like an artist adding touches to a canvas he has been working on for many years. With a stroke he adds a fully-functioning hand where none had been. This is a wonder indeed! So what is the nature of this canvas we call reality, to which the divine artist may add detail at any time? True, it is a carnival of fundamental particles. But that is not the last word on what the cosmos consists of. These particles are not self-existent. That is, they do not determine their own existence, or derive their

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properties from themselves. Only God is like that. So, we may ask what the particles are made of, or, more perceptively, what is the underlying scaffold on which they are built, soil in which they grow, or nursery which gives them birth? For various reasons many physicists tend to shy away from this question. Sir Roger Penrose is one eminent scientist who has pondered the essence of matter. He says, “The best we can do at this stage is simply to refer to the mathematical equations that the elementary particles satisfy.” Perhaps we can do better than that, however, by pondering where those mathematical laws arise from and what sustains them. Since physicists presently hold out no hope of us being able to access knowledge of that scientifically, we must look to another source. Whoever restored the withered hand knows! He had to know in order to produce the miracle. God knows what gives the particles their properties. In addition, since there is no one else capable of orchestrating this miraculous symphony of particles, it is reasonable to conclude that God created and sustains the underlying reality on which the laws of nature are written and through which they operate. In him all things hold together, and he upholds all things by the word of his power. Miracles, then, are not the only phenomena requiring minute molecular mastery—so too does the very existence of the world, and of our own bodies. We also are miracles: moment-by-moment masterpieces of God’s attention, law and command. The shrivelled hand was a miracle before it was healed. God is thinking about us and generating our existence continually. All existence is a miracle. How precious, then, are his thoughts of us. Wonder and amazement are not just for the days when the dry bones live. They are for now and always; for the persistent miracle of everything. Our God is worthy of endless praise! • Rev. Roddie M. Rankin is minister of Kyle and Plockton Free Church

SEPTEMBER

OF RARE BEAUTY AND EXCELLENCE BY THE EDITOR

he burn of ferintosh is an important location in the spiritual history of the highlands,

and has also played a significant role in the history of the Free Church. It lies between Alcaig and the Cromarty Bridge, by the New Urquhart Cemetery. The natural amphitheatre was used during the 18th and 19th centuries for huge annual communion services, for which people travelled up to fifty miles to attend. The parish minister from 1813 was Rev. Dr John Macdonald, later known as The Apostle of the North. Dr Macdonald spent some of 1842 and 1843 travelling the Highlands, informing the people of the stand he and others intended to take at the forthcoming Church of Scotland General Assembly. After speaking he would ask people to sign their agreement to what was planned, and in this way gathered a great deal of support from the people of the Highlands. The first Sunday after the Disruption Assembly, when 450 ministers left to form the Free Church of Scotland, Dr Macdonald preached at the Burn. His Gaelic text that day was Galatians 5:1: ‘For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.’ He continued to preach at the Burn of Ferintosh until a new church was built for the congregation. Outdoor Gaelic communions were held at the Burn until the 1950s, and Urquhart (Ferintosh) and Resolis Free Church still hold outdoor summer services there. William Laidlaw, poet and assistant to Sir Walter Scott, writes of a communion service at the Burn: We set out on Sabbath to the communion at Ferintosh, near Dingwall, to which the people resort from fifty miles distant. Dr Macdonald, the minister, who attracts this concourse of persons, was the son of a weaver in Caithness (but from the Celtic population of the mountains there). He preached the sermon in the church in English, with a command of language, and a justness of tone, action, and reasoning — keeping close to the pure metaphysics of Calvin — that I have seldom, if ever, heard surpassed. He had great energy on all points, but it never touched on extravagance. The Gaelic congregation sat in a dell of a long, hollow, oval shape bordered with hazel, birch and wild roses. It seemed to be formed for the purpose. We walked around the outside of the congregated thousands and looked down on the glen from the upper end, and the scene was really indescribable. Two-thirds of those present were women, dressed mostly in large, high, wide, muslin caps, the back

part standing up like the head of a paper kite, and ornamented with ribbons. They had wrapped around them bright coloured plaid shawls, the predominant hue being scarlet. It was a warm breezy day, one of the most glorious in June. The place will be about half a mile from the Firth, on the south side, and at an elevation of five hundred feet. Dingwall was just obvious at the foot of Ben Wyvis, still spotted with wreaths of snow. Over the town, with its modern castle, its church, and Lombardy poplars, we saw the richly cultivated valley of Strathpeffer. The tufted rocks and woods of Brahan were a few miles to the south, and fields of wheat and potatoes, separated by hedgerows of trees, intervened. Farther off, the high peaked mountains that divide the county of Inverness from Ross-shire towered in the distance. I never saw such a scene. We sat down on the brae among the people, the long white communion tables being conspicuous at the bottom. The congregation began singing the psalm to one of the old plaintive wild tunes that I am told are only sung in the Gaelic service. The people all sing, but in such an extended multitude they could not sing together. They chanted, as it were, in masses or large groups. I can compare the singing to nothing earthly, except it be imagining what would be the effect of a gigantic and tremendous Aeolian harp, with hundreds of strings! There was no resisting the impression. After coming a little to myself I went and paced the length and breadth of the amphitheatre, taking averages and carefully noting, as well as I could, how the people were sitting together, and I could not in this way make less than nine thousand five hundred, besides those in the church, amounting, perhaps, to one thousand five hundred. Most of the gentlemen of the neighbourhood, with their families, were there. I enjoyed the scene as something perfect in its way, and of rare beauty and excellence. For more on the Burn in the Disruption era, see The Apostle of the North, by Rev. J. Kennedy. • Thanks to Kenneth Cormack, Smithton and Culloden Free Church, for suggesting a feature on the Burn of Ferintosh. Thanks also to Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society for kindly granting permission to use images from their collection. RCHS is a virtual museum founded in 1998 to record the history of the 36 communities within Ross and Cromarty (rossandcromartyheritage.org.uk).

Free Church Youth Camps Every year hundreds of young people attend Free Church youth camps (FCYC). For most it’s much more than a holiday; it’s a time to learn, form new friendships and enjoy fellowship, none of which would be possible without the hard work and generosity of the camp leaders. FCYC hope to develop audio-visual training resources for leaders and they’re also keen to facilitate a group of leaders undergoing D1 driver training. This will allow them drive minibuses for campers, reducing costs over time.

INTRODUCING

Mobilising for Mission

Through Mobilising for Mission, WfM will raise funds to help FCYC produce audiovisual training resources and contribute to leaders’ D1 driver training.

Women for Mission’s 2019/2020 Project World on Our Doorstep Govanhill is the UK’s most ethnically and linguistically diverse square mile outside of London. A partnership between Govanhill Free Church, Interserve and The Well Multicultural Resource Centre, The World on Our Doorstep (WoOD) provides cultural awareness training to church volunteers and leaders. Mobilising for Mission will raise funds to help WoOD develop, promote and facilitate this training to further equip, encourage and engage the church in its mission.

Over the next year, with your help, we hope to raise funds for: Free Church Youth Camps World on Our Doorstep Donald & Rosangela Fraser Operación San Andrés

WfM’s Mobilising for Mission project will raise funds to help WoOD develop, promote and facilitate this training to further equip, encourage and engage the church in its mission.

Donations Please send all donations to the donations secretary Mairi Macdonald Greenfaulds 8 Linicro, Portree Isle of Skye, IV51 9YN

Donald & Rosangela Fraser

For bank payment info: E: donations@womenformission.org T: 01470 542215

Members of Plockton and Kyle Free Church congregation, Donald and Rosangela Fraser have been serving with WEC (Worldwide Evangelism for Christ) International for several years. Currently serving as cooks in the WEC International college in Holland, the Frasers continue to raise their own support year after year. With an increasing need to replace their car, WfM would like to contribute to their support through Mobilising for Mission.

Need more leaflets & posters? Contact WfM via the email address below to order more leaflets and posters: E: publicity@womenformission.org

Through Mobilising for Mission, WfM will raise funds to help support the Frasers as they serve with WEC International.

Operación San Andrés

Women for Mission

Founded by Luis Campos, a former student of Colegio San Andrés, Operación San Andrés (OSA) is dedicated to transforming the community of Collique, Peru with the power of the gospel. Five years ago, OSA planted a church, Luz de Esperanza. Being a new and growing church, Luz de Esperanza’s needs are many. They’d like to fit a sound system in their church, they need basic kitchen equipment and they would love to be able to increase their work amongst women and teenagers.

WfM raises funds for mission projects which seek to offer help in areas of health, education, poverty and disaster around the world. WfM encourage the women in the Free Church to use their gifts to these ends. WfM facilitate prayer and support for home and international mission.

WfM’s Mobilising for Mission project will raise funds to help Luz de Esperanza develop the work they’ve begun. 2019

facebook.com/womenformission 27

www.womenformission.org

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THE LATE MARTIN CAMERON (1955-2019) BY ALAN FRASER

artin cameron was born in London on 24th April 1955, a beloved son to Hector and Anna Cameron, and a much-loved brother to Jane. Martin married Mags Macleod in 1992. They were blessed with three sons: Calum, Neil and David. For twenty-two years Martin faithfully and diligently served as an elder in Urquhart and Resolis Free Church, twenty-one of these years as a most competent Session Clerk. Martin’s ecclesiastical roots stretch back over three generations of wellknown ministers in the Free Church: Hector Cameron (Back), William Cameron (Resolis), and Hector Cameron his father, whose calling introduced his family to London, Lybster, Drumchapel, Wick, Dornoch, Aberdeen and Killearnan & Fortrose. Martin’s love of Resolis started at an early age as he spent holidays with his paternal grandmother in Newhall. It was with a profound sense of gratitude that he lived to see his eldest son Calum recently complete his studies for the ministry at Edinburgh Theological Seminary. Following a brief stint as a council librarian in Aberdeen, Martin dedicated his whole life and his considerable gifts to the service of Christ, becoming well known to many in the church during his time in the Free Church Bookshop, Edinburgh; his eventful time with Blythswood, Evanton; and finally the Highland Theological College, initially in Elgin in a development role, before becoming full-time librarian in Dingwall. A fellow elder recalls being roped into a day trip to Manchester University in a seven-tonne truck to pick up a donation of books. In his immense contribution to the life of Urquhart and Resolis, many appreciated his prayers, his practical and pastoral support, his wisdom in church courts and his musical gifts both as a precentor and latterly also providing instrumental accompaniment for the praise.

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His sister Jane commented on his early musical abilities by recalling her brother in the Dornoch manse, home from Edinburgh University, introducing her to Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin when he wasn’t playing Frederic Chopin on his baby grand piano! In all of these areas of service Martin made many friends who remember him, not so much for his undoubted intellectual abilities and knowledge of a wide range of subjects from music to theology and from Scottish Church history to languages, including Gaelic, German and French, but will remember him more as a gracious Christian gentleman—a Barnabas, a true son of encouragement—one who had a particular concern for young people and children and loved to help where he could. When remembering Martin the following words of Scripture come to mind: ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’. He lived out the fruit of the Spirit with a warm smile. On a number of occasions he was nominated by HTC students as ‘Support Staff Member of the Year,’ and twice was awarded the UHI Support Staff Member of the Year. He certainly found his niche at HTC, not only as a librarian but also as an ambassador for the college to many churches in the USA. His good memory, his grasp of detail and of principle, and his easy way with people all endeared him and the college he represented to a wide circle of influential people. Many others remember his sense of humour, his ability to mimic any accent, his gift of finding the funny side of life and making others laugh. He was a truly human being, made in the image of his Creator and transformed by grace, and able to enjoy and help others enjoy the good things our Creator has given to us. He found a love of the Scottish mountains at a camp in Kyle when he accompanied a few other sixteen-

year-olds on a few days’ adventure in the Kintail hills. Martin went on to climb 180 Munros. Martin passed into the near presence of his Saviour on Tuesday, 11th June 2019 at the Highland Hospice in Inverness. On Tuesday, 18th June Martin’s funeral service was conducted by Rev. Calum Iain Macleod, who paid tribute to the encouragement he had received from Martin in his final days. The church in Dingwall, chosen as the most suitable church available in the vicinity of Urquhart and Resolis, was filled to capacity with many standing, for a service that will be remembered for the palpable presence of the Holy Spirit in the prayers, Scripture reading, preaching and not least the praise. Words cannot describe that foretaste of heaven. Jesus said of Nathanael, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit.’ It was Martin’s sincerity and warmth that will be most remembered and most missed by all his colleagues and friends, but especially by Mags, Calum, Neil and David, and his sister Jane, with her husband Ian and her son Adam. We commend them, in their grief and sorrow, to the God of all comfort who is able to provide sweetness in the days of bitterness and light in the midst of darkness. •

SEPTEMBER

THE LATE DOREEN W. BOYD (1934-2019) BY B.G. AND E.G.

oreen was born and brought up in leith ,

one of four children born to Thomas and Gladys Paterson. Her father was a ship’s pilot in the port there. As a teenager Doreen came to know Jesus as her Saviour at a youth camp. A school friend, Sandra Macleod, brought her to church and youth meetings at St Columba’s Free Church in Edinburgh, so Doreen came faithfully to sit with the Macleod family for many years. As a student teacher she met Archie Boyd there, and in September 1958 they were married before going up to Keiss to start married life in his first charge there. They were a perfect team—in Keiss, and later in Shettleston and in Brora. The manse was a happy and harmonious place with an ever open door. Sharon, Ruth and Sandy were born in Keiss, and Kenny in Shettleston, and in later years all of them gave Archie and Doreen the great joy of knowing that they also followed the same Lord. Doreen was a wonderful cook, and her table was always set so nicely with embroidered cloth, and china cups and saucers, which made her guests feel special. She had many talents—fine embroidery, painting, reciting poetry, but far above them all she loved her Lord and served him in every way she could. She led Women’s Bible Studies with well prepared, original and interesting insights and taught Sunday School for many years. She and Archie took their pastoral responsibilities very seriously and in each place they loved their people and cared for them deeply. Alongside their pastoral responsibilities they had a passionate interest in Foreign Missions, and as a young couple they had hoped to serve abroad themselves, but health concerns meant that they could not do that. When Archie became Foreign Missions Secretary, Doreen often held the fort at home while he made long visits to our mission fields in Africa, India and Peru. Doreen was able to

2019

accompany him on two of his trips—to India and to Canada. She was a member of the WfM Committee for many years. In 1977 Archie was appointed Professor of Greek and New Testament, and later Principal, at the Free Church College. Always he had Doreen’s full support, and especially during his long illness. At the time of his death she found the Lord to be a full support to her, as well as in the following ten years of her life. Always the Lord came first and she wanted any glory that came her way to be directed to him. As her minister said, ‘She was a godly matriarch’! There came a day when the ambulance had to be called for her. As she was being stretchered away she said, ‘Now I want NO resuscitation. I know where I am going, and I am happy to go!’ But they did resuscitate her—twice! As she recovered at home her family each took turns to come and stay with her, and those were precious times to them all. A few weeks later she appeared for the first time since her illness to the Women’s Meeting in St Columba’s, all happed up on a day of high wind and rain. She received quite an ovation! But the following evening she collapsed again—and this time there was no resuscitation. She went to be with the Lord she had served so long and she was ‘happy to be there’. We miss her. But we are conscious of those who are missing her even more: her family of four and their families. To each of these we offer our sympathy and our prayers and commit them to the faith and love of the Lord who was so precious to Doreen. •

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BOOK REVIEWS We are in a season of great books being published about the spread of the gospel in Africa. In the summer issue of The Record, we highlighted Maud Kells’ memoir An Open Door, and the new Dumisani Voices of Thanksgiving 40th anniversary book. This month, we continue in the same theme with three more books about God’s work on that continent. Each of these books has important lessons to teach us about God, His Kingdom, and its spread at home and internationally. FOOTPRINTS IN THE AFRICAN SAND: MY LIFE & TIMES MICHAEL CASSIDY (2019) The Christian church in Africa has grown phenomenally in numerical terms in the last century and will have a significant impact on the worldwide church in future. The health of the church in Africa should, therefore, be a matter of importance to every Christian. In this memoir Michael Cassidy, the founder of African Enterprise, tells the story of his life from his early days in Lesotho to the present (Michael is now in his eighties). In doing so, he emphasises that 'My testimony is of a weak vessel that the Lord decided to use in a very complicated context to make a difference in it through the power of his Spirit' (xiii). Michael tells of how he grew up in a loving family with many privileges. Christianity was given some reverence by his parents (particularly his father) but was not a significant part of his family life. Following his schooling, Michael had the opportunity to study in the UK at Cambridge. While he did not excel academically there, he tells of the momentous change that occurred as he became a Christian through the witness of Christian friends and the ministry of Billy Graham. Theological studies in the USA followed and there, along with several friends, Michael founded African Enterprise. The mission of African Enterprise is to 'Evangelize the Cities of Africa through Word and Deed in Partnership with the Church' (461). Michael tells of how opportunities to carry out this mission opened to him and his colleagues so that AE now has ministry teams in ten African countries. It is fascinating to see how Michael and other Christians were enabled to bring Christian testimony into the turbulent politics of South Africa at the time of the end of Apartheid. AE also played an important role in the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda. This is a substantial book (over 470 pages in length), but it is written with a light touch, and frequently with flashes of humour. There are

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numerous photographs and citations from personal correspondence which give a personal flavour to the book. It is a memoir, not a critical history, so that there are occasions where the reader might wish to have fuller reflection on circumstances. Generally, however, Michael tells his story carefully and thoughtfully. At a number of points I would express theological points differently or want to discuss theological claims further, but Michael's faith in Jesus and commitment to Scripture come through strongly. I warmly commend this book to all who love Africa and long for the good of the global church.• Alistair Wilson, Edinburgh Theological Seminary (Available from SPCK)

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COUNTING THE COST: KIDNAPPED IN THE NIGER DELTA DAVID & SHIRLEY DONOVAN (2019) You would think that finding yourself kidnapped, staring at guns and machetes on the very edge of death, you would need to be of a strong and courageous mind to survive. But this book is about weakness and fear, pointing continually to the God who is strong despite the malice and evil that penetrated the high walls and strong gates of the mission house on the Niger Delta. Over a period of 22 days sitting on a mattress with the face of their dead colleague clear in their minds, David, Shirley and Alannah learnt what the call of God really meant. They had one Bible between them and wore only their nightclothes, everything else having been stripped away in a single frenzied moment. They spent their time on the pontoon laying down their lives before the living God, telling their captors of the urgency of salvation. Much of the time they lived that witness in small daily actions, occasionally they used words. Shirley’s chapter on grace is particularly pertinent as she personally struggled with the commodity of grace, given hour by hour to take and use whenever she had need of it. The morning of their rescue they heard from nowhere a song which said that ‘God will make a way’, grace indeed. This is not a read for the fainthearted, but for those who will listen to their challenging call for action which reverberates through every tenet of their book.• Ruth E. Aird, Edinburgh Theological Seminary (Available from Free Church Books) NEW JUNGLE, SAME OLD MONKEYS MARGARET ANNE LAWSON WITH DAYSPRING MACLEOD (2017) In this book, ‘Annie’ gives a short introduction to her life, how she became a Christian, a Missionary and how she ended up working with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) in Tanzania as a mechanic. Life in Tanzania soon became home, or the ‘new normal’ as she called it. Life had its ups and downs, but throughout her life there God was her source of strength, joy and comfort and it was to Him that she constantly turned for direction. Her bout of malaria and subsequent ME did not deter her from obeying God’s will for her and carrying out the work at hand. For me, though, the beauty of the story of her life unfolds in the last few chapters of the book as she returns to Scotland, marries, and though she becomes ill, her personality and the grace of God in her life shine through as seen in the lovely tribute her husband writes of her at the end.• Fiona M. Talbot, Plockton & Kyle Free Church (Available from MAF)

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

2019

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

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BOOK REVIEW ANDREW MACLEOD recommends David Robertson's new book as a great way to get prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have.

asked myself the question, what made me pick up this

give away my own copy on the night, so I made an order to Christian Focus (CFP) for a batch and am now making my second order as the first lot went immediately. The book is targeted to answer teenagers’ questions and it definitely does that. However, I think it does so much more than that. A.S.K. is a resource that every single one of us can be using as we engage with our friends and neighbours each day when they ask about the Trinity, Hell, transgenderism, the end of the world, and so on. The book equips us to be more confident in our personal evangelism. We don’t just know what the right answer is, we can discern why it is the right answer. Personally, as I have been reading A.S.K., I have become more inquisitive. Questions I didn’t know I had, or thought I knew the answers to, are springing to mind and David Robertson’s book is proving to be a helpful source to turn to and then point me in a direction for further study. This book is a must-have for every church. It provides answers for our young people and anyone wanting to explore deeper into Christianity. It is a great resource to help church members share the Gospel. It will ensure that every one of us asking and answering questions don’t just know the right answers, but know why these answers are right. •

Was it the sales pitch from the 10ofthose rep? Was it the intriguing front cover? Actually, I bought it because I thought this would be a reasonable resource to give to some of our youngsters in the church. Yet, the reality is that this book has been equipping me for how I may answer my own, my friends’ and my family’s questions about Christianity. A.S.K. is a book which does exactly what it says on the tin: ‘Real World Questions/Real Word Answers’. David Robertson has provided a resource which we would do well to have on our shelves whether we are the pastor, elder, member or questioner. Any of us can know the right answer to give, but we may not know why it is the right answer. David not only answers these questions, but he does so, every time, from a biblical perspective. I have been to hundreds of fellowships in my youth and heard almost all of the questions featured in the book being asked. Sometimes the answers were helpful; other times the group stumbled in the dark. This book would provide a biblical framework for such questions to be asked and answered in the fellowship setting. At the end of each chapter is a short section called ‘Consider’. Helpfully, the reader is encouraged to think a little deeper about the subject and is pointed in a useful direction. But, of course, giving yourself two and a half pages per question doesn’t leave a lot of room for explanation, so a great feature about this book is that it points us to others. A.S.K. acknowledges that it is a launchpad to further study. The book acknowledges the importance of prayer. To whom else should we go with our questions, but to the Lord? David leads the reader in prayer at the end of each chapter, submitting to God’s leading and correction. As I was preaching at our mid-week meeting in Tain and Fearn FC, I alluded to one of the questions in the book: ‘If God really wants a relationship with me, why doesn’t he show himself more clearly?’ I was able to share some of the points of evidence given in the book, including an amazing example from Dr John Lennox. But David summed it up at the end by turning the question around to the questioner: ‘God has made himself clear, so maybe the fault lies elsewhere. Maybe the problem is not with God being silent, but us being unwilling to listen.’ We had a cup of tea after the meeting and it was so encouraging. I’ve rarely seen a reaction like I did that night. People were enthused as I engaged with the book. The folks were discussing the sermon at length with each other, bringing up other questions they had and wanting to know how to adequately answer their friends. I was delighted to book at the free church general assembly?

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A.S.K.: REAL WORLD QUESTIONS/REAL WORLD ANSWERS DAVID ROBERTSON (2019) CHRISTIAN FOCUS PUBLICATIONS £7.37 at thefree.church/books-ask

SEPTEMBER

NEW

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? In the face of false doctrines and distortions of the truth, Christians must be prepared to boldly confess what they believe. The Westminster Confession of Faith equips you to do just that. In his book Truths We Confess, now thoroughly revised and available in a single, accessible volume, Dr. R.C. Sproul surveys this remarkable confession—explaining its insights, applying them to modern life, and helping you answer the question, “What do you believe?”

Now available at: Evangelical Bookshop (Northern Ireland), FM Bookshops (Scotland), and CLC Christian Bookshops (UK)

Solas: Going Forward with the Gospel BY GAVIN MATTHEWS

e may live in an increasingly secular society,

them to…it’s not been an easy journey to come to know Jesus, but it’s completely changed my life since that talk. The most important thing in the world has become the most important thing in my life. God has changed everything I do through his love. I’m not saying living as a Christian is easy; you will be challenged by people, by groups in society, by suffering, by conflict, through problems in work and with family. But we know that through it all, our God, the saviour of the unworthy, who gave his life for the wretched, is with us always.’ Solas are in the process of recruiting a second evangelist/apologist to drive the work forward, such is the demand. Online, the Solas team are busy too. Their ever-expanding range of Short Answers videos are proving to be hugely popular, with over half a million engagements, whilst their website is a growing storehouse of evangelistic and apologetics-related articles, stories, testimonies and analysis visited by thousands of people each week. Solas was initially born some years ago out of St Peter’s Free Church in Dundee, but is now interdenominational, working with churches across the evangelical family. Times and personnel may have changed at Solas, but one thing remains absolutely central to their work: taking the gospel of Christ to those outside the church who need to hear it. The reality of today is that most people are living for created things, rather than for their creator, and serving things such as money, possessions, sex, pleasure or power, which is as destructive as it is tragic. What drives us forward, says Andy Bannister, ‘is the fact that the gospel of Christ is both true and liberating — it is the power of God for salvation. God is glorified whenever Christ is preached, but I honestly can’t think of anything more wonderful than when we see someone responding and trusting Christ.’•

but the Solas Centre for Public Christianity team are discovering that people’s hunger for the gospel is growing all the time. Evangelistic events are full to overflowing, people are responding to Jesus, and ever more churches and Christian groups are asking for Solas’s help to train them in how to share their faith more effectively with their colleagues and friends. ‘Solas is primarily focused on two things,’ says Solas Director Andy Bannister, ‘evangelism and evangelism training. In our evangelism we find ourselves in cafés, coffee shops, pubs, restaurants or hotels, speaking to ordinary people about Jesus. In our evangelism training we work with churches and church leaders, helping to equip them with the skills and confidence they need to speak about Jesus today.’ Solas has been known over the years for their focus on apologetics, or ‘persuasive evangelism’, and this continues today. Again, Andy Bannister explains, ‘People always come with their questions. When people bring their friends to one of our events and we speak about Jesus, the responses vary hugely, but what always happens is that they want answers to questions as diverse as “Hasn’t science disproved Christianity?” or “If God is good, why have I suffered so much?” The Solas team are regularly reminded that when you take people’s questions seriously, when you listen well and engage seriously, you can often remove the stumbling blocks that prevent people considering faith in Christ seriously.’ The work of Solas is expanding, as churches and mission agencies call them to work in gospel partnership, and so the work is hugely varied. Ops Manager Alan Dunn said, ‘One night we might be doing an evangelistic event in a coffee shop in Dundee, the next night in a curry house in Inverness, then the next week a student CU campus mission with UCCF. Or we might be training a presbytery in Edinburgh, SU leaders in Glasgow, or helping young people to stand up for their faith at school.’ Meanwhile Solas’s Confident Christianity conferences, which are now being held all over the country, are helping to encourage and equip thousands of Christians for the task of everyday mission. Nathaniel, who describes himself as someone who ‘hated God’, ended up at a Solas event at Dundee University for the free lunch. He says of Andy Bannister’s message: ‘I remember clearly being hooked almost from the beginning, as he talked about God as a loving Father, not forcing his children to love him but wanting

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To find out more about Solas, including how your church could work with them, or to pray for and support their work, go to www.solas-cpc.org. The work of Solas relies upon a growing army of Christians across the country who think that evangelism is really important: why not prayerfully consider supporting them for £3 a month — in return, Solas will send you the helpful book Why We Still Believe (including chapters by Andy Bannister and David Robertson) as a gift. Sign up at solas-cpc.org/ book-offer. Gavin Matthews is Communications & Development Manager for Solas Centre for Public Christianity

SEPTEMBER

oments of realisation are a great thing , but

neighbour giving a small gift, a church member providing a dinner or coming to babysit, an old friend coming back into my life and walking alongside me. Humbled by an avalanche of small kindnesses, I wish I could give as well as receive. That’s when someone at church asks for my help with a project. I’m grateful for the opportunity to bless someone else — and just as I’m finishing that work, so many other assignments pour in that I can barely schedule them all. I wonder if all these things were replenishments at all, or simply that the Lord was pointing out to me ways in which he already habitually blesses me. What I do know is that thankfulness replaced

— like at a women ’ s pastoral workers ’ conference . ‘What are some of the things that stop us serving others?’ asked the leader, sitting immediately to my right. A few women named things, and then I opened my mouth and it poured out, only half-realised: ‘I’m afraid to give anything to others — time, money, energy — because I’m afraid God won’t replenish me.’ As I sat there paralysed by my awful admission, the leader nodded warmly. ‘Me too.’ Now, of course I know the Lord replenishes his awkward when they come in public

OBEDIENCE TRANSFORMED DAYSPRING MACLEOD talks about learning to be a cheerful giver.

people. He leads them by still waters; he is no man’s debtor; he gives his children good gifts. I believe this like I believe heaven awaits us after we die — I know it’s true, but I don’t always live like it’s true. I scare myself with the little WHAT IF. Fast forward a few months. It’s a really tight month. A big credit card bill looms. I’ve already cut my monthly budget. It’s our first year buying school uniforms. But I remember I’m due to tithe on some income I’ve received through editing. I want to obey — but can I afford to? How can we make up for that money? As I ponder, a request comes in. A family from church is in serious need. I know immediately what we have to do and my husband agrees at once. The next morning, a new job is waiting in my inbox. The payment will cover all we gave the night before — plus the cost for a car headlight bulb I did not yet know needed replaced. Encouraged by this replenishment, I wonder how we can afford to give more. Then I remember my mother sending me information about paying reduced student loans. I call up the company and they immediately tell me I’m eligible to pay nothing at all for the next year. In one swift move the Lord provides a respite for me and a proportion I can give back to him. I would not have asked for this. I would not have thought of it. But he did! There are other things. The littlest things — a

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obedience as my chief motivation in service. What little I could give to him wasn’t just recompensed; it’s more that I saw how it simply couldn’t compare to the ways he was blessing me in the first place. I am preaching no prosperity gospel. I’m not telling you that good tithing makes for full storehouses. Sometimes we’ll make a sacrifice for the gospel that turns out to be really sacrificial — painfully so. Which is a scary thought, as long as we’re looking at our own circumstances and not the Lord’s proven kindness and generosity. Like Peter, we sink when we look at the waves rather than the Lord — it’s easy to get paralyzed by the WHAT IF. And yet, along with the other paradoxes of our faith, even when we don’t receive back in kind, God replenishes when we give in faith. He never leaves us empty as long as he is what we ultimately seek. If you give in gratitude, you will always have the eyes to see your cup running over. So don’t ask, What should I give? Ask, What have I already been given? Finally — if it’s really scary for you, as it was for me — I’d challenge you to ask the Lord, ‘How can I give more back to you? In money, time or effort?’ and know that he will answer• We love him because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

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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.

et’s

talk about money as a missional tool. Churches cost serious money to run and one of the marks of a lively church is that it is always struggling to meet its budget. A congregation with a sense of its own financial strength thinks that it does not need a thing. The church at Laodicea was such a body; it was dead. The Free Church of Scotland is struggling for money these days; we need to talk about it. The good news is that the struggle is coming from the pressure of growth. Through wise management we avoid the eye-watering deficits of the past. The number of self-supporting congregations is growing and mission moving up the agenda (note, it ought to be #1 anyway).

situations we are seeing miracles. We are forced to rely on God when there is nothing in the bank. What would it take to see a flow of financial resources flood into our churches? Financial generosity is triggered by at least two things. Firstly we ask: is there is a need? In the context of the Free Church there certainly is. Much of our vision is being stifled through lack of finance. Thirty new churches seems ridiculous from one point of view. I agree — it’s a ridiculously modest ambition. Many of our existing congregations struggle through lack of staffing resources and a need for buildings. The fields are crying out for a harvest but we don’t have a decent combine. Secondly, is it an investment? The honest answer is

He is not interested in vanity projects which are ‘of the moment’. Do not be afraid sometimes to dream bigger dreams. Remember, we are coming to a King, so ‘large petitions with you bring.’ The denomination turned over £5.7 million in its accounts last year. Not many people realise that we have 260 people on the payroll. This includes our 85 serving ministers and over 100 retirees. There are cash assets and buildings assets, but most of the cash is out on loan to congregations and the Mound buildings are security in the pension fund. You get the picture. Millions more have been spent in local congregations as crumbling buildings have been renovated and modernised. The Aultbea story is worth multiple re-telling as a rural church transforms a damp and crumbling liability into a gospel-oriented asset. The same story has been repeated in Dundee and Dingwall. We have some super modern buildings in the shape of the extended Smithton and Kilmallie. At the last General Assembly there was the acknowledgment that our ambitious church-planting vision was being funded significantly through the generosity of American friends. Did you know that it costs a minimum of £50,000 per year to fund a new congregation? If you add the cost of buildings, the figure rises to over £100,000. Don’t get me wrong; struggle is good. In many of our

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that sometimes it is and other times it is not. Gospel investment looks different to commercial investment. Sometimes the fruit takes a long time to be obvious. There are other situations where investment is obvious. I’m thinking now of one of our churches which is tantalisingly close to achieving a dream building which would lead to a doubling of its size within two years and a multiplication of its influence. It needs to find £1m in six weeks! I think of another situation which needs another minister now to take it to a new level. To the spenders I would ask that you prayerfully place your scheme before the Lord. He is not interested in vanity projects which are ‘of the moment’. Do not be afraid sometimes to dream bigger dreams. Remember, we are coming to a King, so ‘large petitions with you bring.’ One of our most recent church building projects is probably already too small because financial worries cut the size. To the givers, I would ask you to be generous, but to go upstream and look at both your motive and your relationship to the Lord Jesus. It was James Denney who said, ‘What we spend in pity and charity is not tribute paid to a tyrant, but the response of gratitude to our Redeemer. •

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Togaidh Mise M’ eaglais (I will build my Church) LE JANET NICPHÀIL

ro mhìosan an t-samhraidh,

tha sinn air mòran a chluinntinn mu obair a’ Chruthaidheir ann an iomadh ceàrnaidh den t-saoghal. Tha seo glè mhisneachail, nuair a tha sinne anns an fharsaingeachd, anns an rìoghachd-sa, mothachail air àireamh- sluaigh nar n-eaglaisean a’ crìonadh. Bheir sgeulachdan à tìrean eile misneach agus dòchas dhuinn, agus sinn glè thric a’ coimhead air-ais agus a’ cuimhneachadh air na nithean mòra a rinn an Cruthaidhear anns a’ Ghàidhealtachd anns na làithean a dh’ fhalbh. Rinn E obair mhòr as fhiach a chumail air chuimhne, anns na h-Eileanan cuideachd. Chuir E iomadh teachdaire thugainn a shearmonaich an Soisgeul gu dùrachdach; tha E a’ dèanamh sin fhathast agus tha sinn taingeil airson sin, ged a tha an luchdèisteachd a’ fàs gu math gann aig amannan. Feumaidh sinn a bhith a’ gleachd ris ann an ùrnaigh, agus ’s iongantach gu bheil sinn a’ dèanamh seo mar a bu chòir dhuinn. Tha tachartas no dhà glè mhisneachail air a bhith againn fhìn ann an Leòdhas cuideachd, agus is e seo beagan mun deidhinn gu cridheachan a thogail agus a mhisneachadh.

Gun tigeadh sluagh gu Slànaighear a stiùireas iad tron t-saoghal ’s a bheir dhachaigh sàbhailt’ iad gu taigh gun bhròn, gun chaoineadh. Gu faiceadh iad an cunnart anns am bheil iad ’s iad às d’ aonais ’s gun cuireadh Tusa èiginn orr’ bhith rèidh riut fhads tha ùin’ ac’. Gum biodh ceòl an dachaighean is moladh mòr is cliù dhut gun sheall Thu a-riamh ri saoghal bha cho aingidh nan uil’ chùisean. Gum beannaicheadh Tu na coinneamhan th’ann am Barabhas airson ùine ’s gu faic sinn freagairt ùrnaigh ’s mòran dhaoine air an saoradh.

ha coinneamhan soisgeulach ann am barabhas o chionn mìos no dhà,

agus abair gu robh làithean beannaicht’ againn ag èisteachd ris an t-Soisgeul agus ag adhradh còmhla ri càirdean a shiubhail bho air feadh an eilein. Bha e math a bhith còmhla ri bràithrean is peathraichean a thionail à iomadh ceàrnaidh den eilean airson uair a thìde de mholadh,’s de dh’ èisteachd ri Facal Dhè. Bha an Cruthaidhear air tadhal air an sgìre-sa faisg air seachdad bliadhna air-ais, agus bha dùsgadh spioradail ann aig an àm sin. Is e seo rann no dhà ag iarraidh air a’ Chruthaidhear an t-aon nì a dhèanamh uair eile.

2019

Gun tilleadh Tus’ a dh’àiteachan anns na dh’fhàg Thu làrach, ’s gun cluinnear fuaim an turtair is an dorchadas air fàgail.

Dìnnear W. F. M

Òg Mhìos, bha feasgar àlainn againn ann an Steòrnabhagh, nuair a thionail sinn còmhla ri mòran chàirdean à iomadh sgìr’ ann an Leòdhas agus anns na Hearadh. B’ann airson airgead a thional do dh’ obair na h-eaglais’ thall thairis a bha an tachartas-sa ann. Ghabh sinn biadh còmhla, agus choinnich sinn ri seann eòlaich agus chuir sinn eòlas air tè no dhà air nach robh sinn eòlach roimhe. Is e nì math a th’ann an sin fhèin. B’e Megan Patterson a bha a’ bruidhinn agus gu dearbh b’ fhiach i èisteachd rithe. B’e ‘Ag èisteachd ri guth a’ Bhuachaill’’, an cuspair air na bhruidhinn i rinn. Rinn i soilleir dhuinn gu robh sinn ag obair dhan Chruthaidhear anns gach nì ris an robh sinn a’ cur ar làmh. Dh’ fhaodadh an obair a bhith thall thairis no dh’ fhaodadh sinn a bhith a’ frithealadh air muinntir a bha a’ cur feum air ar cuideachadh. Bha e air iarraidh oirnn’ gach nì a dhèanamh a-chum A Ghlòire-san. Tha e gu math furast’ seo a dhì-chuimhneachadh, ach nam biodh e fa chomhair ar n-inntinnean tric, ’s iongantach mur biodh an t-slighe dhuilich nas fhasa a coiseachd. A-rithist, bha e math a bhith còmhla, agus obair Dhè air feadh an t-saoghail a’ toirt oirnn’ a bhith ann an cuideachd muinntir eile aig an robh ùidh ann an sin.• ig toiseach an

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POETRY PAGE BE TRUE BY HORATIUS BONAR

Thou must be true thyself, If thou the truth wouldst teach Thy soul must overflow, if thou Another’s soul would’st reach: It needs the overflow of heart To give the lips full speech. Think truly, and thy thoughts Shall the world’s famine feed; Speak truly, and each word of thine Shall be a fruitful seed; Live truly, and thy life shall be A great and noble creed.

Horatius Bonar (1808–1889) was a minister and poet, but is chiefly remembered as ‘the prince of Scottish hymn writers’. He entered the ministry of the Church of Scotland in 1837, and joined the Free Church at the Disruption in 1843. He received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Aberdeen in 1853. In 1867 Bonar was inducted into Chalmers Memorial Church in Edinburgh, and in 1883 was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. Be True is Bonar’s reflection that the Christian’s life must reflect the gospel they profess if their witness is to be effective: ‘whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked’ (1 John 2:6). •

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PRAYER DIARY SEPT/OCT 2019

‘Devote yourselves to prayer, and be thankful'. Sun 15th Pray for the vacant congregation of Lybster, Bruar, Latheron and Berridale, and Rev. Howard Stone (Int. Mod.). Our rural congregations have added difficulties due to the distance and sparse population. Mon 16th Pray for Mr John MacDonald as he takes on the role as editor-designate of The Record. Tues 17th Pray for Boris Johnson, our prime minister, that he will be a man of integrity who will inspire unity and loyalty in parliament and our country. Wed 18th Give thanks that there is a prayer used in the House of Commons before every session. Pray that the words recited would be considered and parliamentarians would lay aside private interests and prejudices for the good of our nation. Thurs 19th Pray for our parliament and First Nicola Sturgeon as they the big issues around the Scotland.

Scottish Minister consider future of

Fri 20th Pray that God will be at work in Jewish lives as Philip Amos speaks in Glasgow this month on ‘The Lamb’s Book of Life’. Sat 21st Pray that all those who gather in Portree today for the Ladies’ Day will know the Lord’s blessing, and pray for Fiona Christie and Caitriana Nicholson as they speak. Sun 22nd Remember the Rogart congregation and Rev. Duncan Macleod, their interim moderator, as they seek to witness in their community. Mon 23rd Give thanks for the new ministry begun in Gardenstown. Pray for Rev. Robin Gray and his wife Megan as they settle into the work there with their baby daughter. Tues 24th Pray for the many vacant congregations throughout the church, and for our newly licensed men, that they will be guided as to their future places of ministry. Wed 25th Continue to remember Angus and Kirsty McKellar as they settle into their work in Pyongyang University of Science and Technology Medical School in DPRK.

Thurs 26th Pray that the church family in Kirkcaldy would be encouraged and emboldened after their outreach day at the beginning of the month. Fri 27th The Palestinian Bible Society have developed a Biblebased programme to build up the faith and knowledge of their young folk. Pray for the team leaders and volunteers and for lasting fruit. Sat 28th Pray for all the young folk attending the Big Free Rally today. Tomorrow has been designated Camps Thanksgiving Day. Give thanks for all who attended camp and for those who committed their lives to Christ over the summer and pray daily for any you know as they begin to witness to their peers. Sun 29th Pray for the congregation of Wick and Keiss and Rev. Howard Stone, their interim moderator. Wick has a large population with many souls who need the gospel. Mon 30th Scripture Union want to see an increase in prayer for schools, so that every school in Scotland becomes a prayed-for school. Pray for your local school today. Tues 1st Give thanks for the many years of relative peace and freedom from war in Europe. Pray for continued stability in this geographic area. Wed 2nd There are many Christians who do not live in a land free from war. Pray that they may know the peace that comes from knowing Jesus despite the battles raging in their lands. Thurs 3rd Pray for the increasing number of desperate migrants fleeing oppression in their own countries, paying extortionate fees to people-smugglers and risking their lives in overcrowded boats. Fri 4th Pray for guidance for those working in the Scottish Justice Directorate as they oversee prisons, probation services, rehabilitation, youth justice and sentencing.

Colossians 4:2-3 into the church family and the community of Dunblane. Sun 6th Pray for the vacant congregation of Glenelg and Arnisdale, Lochalsh and Glenshiel. Give thanks for the work of Rev. Roddy Rankin, interim moderator, and Mr Ken Macdonald, their church worker in the community. Mon 7th This week is Baby Loss Awareness Week. Pray that more precious babies will be born safely and not lost through miscarriage, stillbirth or abortion. Tues 8th Pray that Christians who work in the creative industries will be salt and light through their lives, their music and art as they share their love of Christ. Wed 9th Pray for the many teachers in our denomination who may have to teach pupils about same-sex relationships and gender issues. Pray for wisdom. Thurs 10th Give thanks that many of our ministers still have access to school assemblies. Pray that this may continue and the opportunities would be a blessing to many. Fri 11th Pray for any care homes in your neighbourhood. Give thanks for places where elderly and infirmed are looked after. Sat 12th Pray for carers, often poorly paid and with lack of time and resources to properly care for their patients. Sun 13th Pray for the vacant congregation of Trotternish, and Rev. Gordon Matheson, their interim moderator. Give thanks for the varied ministry during the vacancy and continue to pray that they will be guided to the man God has chosen to lead the witness in the community. Mon 14th Pray for all the students and staff at ETS as they begin their mid-semester break today.

Sat 5th Praise God with the Dunblane Congregation as Rev. Allan Shearer is inducted as minister of the congregation today. Pray for blessing on his ministry as he and his wife, Joanna, enter

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.

BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

y late mother-in-law used to be a great woman for

having the last word. Apparently, she would leave the room during a disagreement with her husband in order to ensure that he could never have the final say. Although by the time I met her she was a widow and suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, this wee insight tells me that she was, in her day, a lady after my own heart. I too love to win arguments. It isn’t that I purposely go looking for them, or have any conscious desire to foster disagreement, but I confess to a certain relish for delivering a clincher when sparring with words. Recently, I had a robust debate with a friend. He isn’t a professing Christian, but our spats (almost always goodnatured) frequently ascend into the theological. His day had been somewhat trying, and then he and I had our difference of opinion, which seemed to put the tin lid on matters, and he said in exasperation, ‘Women! And this all started with a woman too, of course, putting the whole world wrong!’ Equally frustrated by his bull-headedness, I bit back, ‘Well, if Adam had been anything like you, there would have been no Fall — because you wouldn’t have listened to anything a woman told you in the first place.’ Being a Lewisman, I rather think he took this as a compliment. But this whole episode chimed with something I had heard the previous evening, from the pulpit of our own church — that,

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in preaching or witnessing, whether verbally or in print, the role of the Christian is not to win an argument. The minister meant, I think, that point-scoring is unseemly and unloving; not that we are to refrain from discussing the Gospel message, or being apologists for the truth. There is a particular challenge to online witness. Something about the forum I use most often — Facebook — invites vitriol and invective, and it is necessary to recall Peter’s exhortation that we not pay reviling with reviling. For a naturally sarcastic person, it is all too easy to bite back in kind, but I am well aware that this damages my own personal witness and that of the church. People should not have it to say about me that I am no better than they when it comes to the tone and the language used in discussions about faith, or anything else for that matter. Our conduct is part of our witness. We ought to be as gentle as doves. But, you see, therein lies a problem that many of us have with the interpretation of Scripture. There is a strong tendency to be selective in our recall. Speaking to someone after this particular sermon, they remarked, ‘Well, as the minister said, we shouldn’t be getting into arguments.’ That is not exactly what he meant, though. Implicit in the message was, I think, what I missed out in my previous quote — and what is lacking in our witness as a church generally — we ought to be as gentle as doves, but also

as wise as serpents. In other words, while we certainly want to represent gentle Jesus, meek and mild, there is also the side to him which overturned tables in the temple, and which rebuked his own disciples when they fell short. His anger, of course, like every other aspect of his being, was righteous. Ours can, all too often, be about pride. I want to win every argument, because it means that I don’t have to climb down and lose face. But that cannot be the foundation for witnessing to unbelievers, because it is not about me. If we seek their conversion, or even their conviction, our part in it is infinitesimal. We may tell them of Christ, we may testify to what he has done for us, but we can do no more. However, in talking and telling, there has also to be a strong element of showing. What impression do I give of Christ’s power in my life if I fling words at them like darts? This is where wisdom is required, and no little restraint. The moment an unbeliever shows that they are enjoying the opportunity to blaspheme and offend, then it is time to be silent and retreat into prayer. Leave them to God. Witnessing, as I am finding out, is a spiritual test for me as much as for any unconverted person with whom I communicate. It is an exercise of my own faith to learn when to be silent, as much as it is to muster the courage to speak.•

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