The Record - September 2022 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND SEPTEMBER 2022 • £2.00

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

How will you remember them?

Missions News • David Meredith Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS mairi@freechurch.org WfM Editor • Fiona Macaskill 8 Campsie Drive, Glasgow, G61 3HY rfmacaskill@me.com Gaelic Editor • Janet MacPhail 24 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA 01851 710354

11days of Remembrance with SASRA

Seminary News • William Mackenzie Edinburgh Theological Seminary, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh EH1 2LS offices@ets.ac.uk Prayer Diary • Shona McGuire seonaid1954@hotmail.co.uk

sasra.org.uk/remembrance

Design & Layout • Fin Macrae @DUFI Art www.dufi-art.com The Record • ISSN 2042-2970 Published • The Record is produced by The Free Church of Scotland, Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS 0131 226 5286 offices@freechurch.org

For Subscriptions • The annual subscription This QR Code will direct you to the digital version of the price for The Record is £33. Cheques should be magazine on ISSUU. Available for 30 days for current print made payable to: Free Church of Scotland. Please subscribers. contact the offices for overseas subscription costs. iPhone: Open your camera app and hold the lens above Details of the church's activities, latest news and the QR Code, it will automatically detect the link which people to contact are all available on the church's you can click on to open. website: www.freechurch.org Android: Download QR Code Reader from Google Play For the visually impaired: Please contact Norman Store and follow app directions. Kennedy on 01463 240192 for details of how to obtain The Record in an audio version.

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

THE RECORD

SEPTEMBER

Cover: Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash

Advertising • Anyone wishing to advertise in The Record should contact the editor.

CONTENTS

WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER RECORD

elcome to the latest edition of the record.

04 LISTENING TO THE GLOBAL CHURCH Alistair I. Wilson

This month’s edition is packed with Free Church news and encouraging pieces written by numerous contributors. Do look out for the editorial piece by Rev Dr Alistair I. Wilson as he explores the topic of listening to the Global Church. He reflects that: ‘Every Christian has been drawn by God’s grace into a family with many members, into a body in which we all need each other.’ There is a thought-provoking piece by Dr Hannah Macleod about social challenges and needs in rural communities. She looks at issues of isolation, deprivation, dysfunction, and health needs, and suggests some ways the local church can help. As we look at the need for fellowship and the importance of community, we give thanks to the Lord for the fantastic Free Church Youth Camps that have been held this summer. Pray for the hundreds of young people who have attended these camps. Look out for the photo special to see just some of the highlights from this year’s camps. More events will be taking place for young people including the Big Free Rally next month (October) and a new Teens’ conference in June 2023. In other news, a new editor is being sought for The Record. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the magazine so it can continue to publish a variety of content including church news, theological insights, and thoughtful pieces from contributors in Scotland and beyond. If you would like to send in your church news or letters for the next edition, please do so by emailing editor@freechurch.org Yours in Christ

FREE CHURCH NEWS

WORLD NEWS Egypt, Nigeria, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Australia

GIDEON Donald Mackay

SOCIAL CHALLENGES AND NEEDS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES Hannah Macleod

DONALD MACCRIMMON MACKAY: SCIENTIST, PHILOSOPHER, APOLOGIST (PART I) George M. Coghill

A HEALTHY GOSPEL CHURCH... IS IN LOVE WITH JESUS AND HIS MISSION Neil MacMillan

FOOD FOR FELLOWSHIP

WfM UPDATE Fiona Macaskill

OBITUARIES: NEIL MACLEAN

BOOK REVIEWS

MISSION MATTERS David Meredith

POETRY PAGE Charles Wesley

PAGES FROM ADAM'S DIARY: AN AFGHAN DOCTOR

PRAYER DIARY

BHO BHUAIREAS GU FOIS Janet MacPhail

POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

Sarah Robinson

That in all things he might have the pre-eminence Colossians 1:18 2022

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Listening to the Global Church

©Iryna80- stock.adobe.com

REV DR ALISTAIR I. WILSON, Lecturer and Postgraduate Supervisor at Edinburgh Theological Seminary, explores the blessings we receive if we open our ears

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LEARNING HOW TO LISTEN According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "The first service one owes to others in the community involves listening to them. Just as our love for God begins with listening to God’s Word, the beginning of love for other Christians is learning to listen to them." Several years ago, I wrote a blog post entitled ‘Listening to the Global Church’. In that post, I encouraged readers to engage with some excellent resources. Dr Eddie Arthur kindly provided a link to my post and also highlighted some issues that required further reflection, encouraging his readers to ‘really listen to the Global Church’. I would like to consider this topic again here. The Bible includes a significant amount of instruction on listening. The first duty of God’s people is to hear God’s voice. The human capacity to hear reflects the nature of God as one who not only speaks but also hears. Psalm 116 opens with the following words (Psalm 116: 1–2): I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The language of ‘hearing’, when used with reference to God, indicates that God gives careful attention to the voice of his people. There is an act of orientation towards the one who speaks (‘he turned his ear to me’). This characteristic of God is the foundation for understanding how God’s people are called to hear the voice of others. The foundation of the confession of the people of Israel was the Shema (from the Hebrew verb meaning ‘to hear’: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). In the words of Jesus and in the Revelation of John, true hearing goes beyond mere sense-perception; it is attentive listening to the voice of Jesus and the voice of the Spirit (e.g., Mark 4:9, 23; Revelation 2:11, 17, 29). Sadly, those who have physical ears do not always display that readiness to hear God’s voice (Deuteronomy 29:4; Mark 4:12). It is not only to God that God’s people are to listen. James 1:19 offers a general principle for human interaction: ‘My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry’. God’s people have a responsibility to listen to other people whom God has graciously given as guides and sources of wisdom. For example, Proverbs 1:8 reads, Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Similarly, Paul reminds the believers in Colossae that, ‘you have already heard [about the hope stored in heaven] in the true message of the gospel’ (Colossians 1:5) and then explains that ‘You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf’ (Colossians 1:7). It might seem that listening is a natural ability that is instinctive to all who have the physical capacity to hear sound. Anyone who has had experience of attempting to communicate with other people will know, however, that listening is a skill that must be learned. Bonhoeffer continues, "We do God’s work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have to “offer” something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking." In what follows, I will briefly suggest some ways that we might give greater attention to ‘listening to the Global Church’.

WHAT IS ‘THE GLOBAL CHURCH’? In a sense, as Eddie Arthur, observes, there is no such thing as ‘the Global Church’! This shorthand phrase might suggest that wherever we look in the world we will find churches with similar characteristics. This view could easily lead to stereotypes. As far as possible, we should listen to individual Christians and local Christian communities and hear their perspectives expressed in their own words. The same kind of issue arises when we attempt to describe what ‘a Muslim believes’ or what ‘a Buddhist believes’. We must not create templates which we then impose on all members of a particular community. The remarkable expansion of Christianity in the twentieth century and the first part of the twenty-first century has frequently been noted. Lionel Young has summarised the situation recently,

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“God’s people have a responsibility to listen to other people whom God has graciously given as guides and sources of wisdom.” In the year 1900 more than 80 percent of the world’s Christians were either European or Anglo American — and nearly all of the world’s missionaries were being sent out to Africa, Asia, or Latin America from Western nations. In an extraordinary turn of events, spanning a little more than 100 years, the demographic center of Christianity dramatically shifted to the Southern Hemisphere. Today the vast majority of Christians, nearly 70 percent, are African, Asian, or Latin American and nearly half of the world’s full-time cross cultural missionaries are being sent out from the non-Western world. In spite of these huge changes, however, many Christians and Christian leaders in the so-called ‘Western’ church will rarely, if ever, listen to preaching or teaching by Christians from Asia, Africa, or Latin America or read the work of authors from the church in these regions. How might we change this situation?

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD LISTENING 1. Good listening is an act of love Jesus summed up the law of the prophets in two commands (Matthew 22:37– 40): “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” So how does this relate to listening to the global church? The answer is that there is only one true church composed of all those who have been united to Jesus Christ by faith and who have received the Spirit of God. Paul describes this church using the metaphor of a body and shows that everyone who is in Christ is necessarily connected to everyone else who is in Christ. Paul explicitly states that one part of the body cannot say to another part, “I don’t need you” (1 Corinthians 12:21). Even if Christians in the West believe that they have perfectly good resources from their own context, they are obligated to Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world simply because they are united to each other as part of one body and they are commanded to love them as themselves. That will require listening to them. This is particularly the case as increased migration in recent years means that it is highly likely that Christians in the UK (and other ‘Western’ nations) have Christians from the ‘Majority World’ in our local communities and perhaps in our churches. Will we show our love for them by listening to them? Of course, the same principle holds regardless of where Christians are located. African Christians should listen to the voice of Christians from Latin America and Asia and Oceania and from the Global North. And the same is true in every combination. We all need each other. 2. Good listening requires effort Listening well requires an act of the will. This is always true, but it is particularly the case with respect to listening to Christians in (or from) the “Global South” because we may well have to look beyond the favourite authors and speakers in our Christian circles. The church in the West has a huge array of resources to enable theological study and Christian discipleship, reflecting the comparative wealth of the church in those areas. In past decades it would have been difficult for Christians in the UK to access the work of Christians in Africa, Asia, Latin America or Oceania because their books or talks would not have been distributed widely in our region. This has changed dramatically in recent years, particularly due to the work of Langham Partnership. Langham Publishing now has a huge range of books written by ‘Majority World’ authors (langhamliterature. org). Teachers, preachers, students, and general readers can easily purchase books by Christians from the Global South. Similarly, anyone with internet access can now hear talks by Christian thinkers from the Global South.

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“Every Christian has been drawn by God’s grace into a family with many members, into a body in which we all need each other.” Even with these resources so readily available, we must make the decision to look for materials which may be unfamiliar and to include them as a resource for our Christian growth, along with the materials from our own context which are valuable. This may mean that we choose to forego the opportunity to read another book by our favourite author and instead make time to listen to the perspective of a Christian from another part of the world. Another aspect of the effort required to truly listen is the possibility that we (or, at least, some of us) may have to work at learning other languages to hear other believers in their own words. Many believers do not speak English as their first language. Christians have long emphasised the importance for preachers of learning Hebrew and Greek so as to hear God’s word properly and accurately. Are we prepared to show similar care and attention towards the words of our Christian brothers and sisters? 3. Good listening requires patience Communication between cultures can be demanding and is full of challenges. It may be easier to listen to a talk by someone who shares our language, has a familiar accent, uses well-known vocabulary and illustrations, than to listen to someone whose language and culture are very different. Perhaps an author may express a point in a way that is unfamiliar, perhaps even jarring. How should we respond? In Ephesians 4:2, Paul urges Christians to ‘Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.’ If we are prepared mutually to bear with each other, perhaps we will be able to understand each other better and learn to appreciate our distinctive characteristics and cultural expressions. Perhaps we could truly hear each other and learn from each other. 4. Good listening requires discernment It is very important to emphasise that good listening to Majority World Christians does not imply that we are obliged to accept everything that they say. Likewise, Majority World Christians are not obliged to accept everything that Western Christians say. Those who profess to be followers of Jesus have many different perspectives. Some of these fall within the bounds of orthodoxy, others do not. Some brothers and sisters in Christ hold differing positions on doctrine or church practice which mean that we need different organisational structures even while we acknowledge each other as belonging to the same family. Even within the same theological tradition, we may find that cultural factors shape our understanding of Scripture or theology. In other cases, teachers claiming to be part of the Christian church teach serious doctrinal and pastoral errors which are unacceptable within the church. Listening carefully to each other with both patience and discernment is required so that we, by God’s grace, learn from each other and preserve the Christian confession from corruption.

CONCLUSION A marvellous opportunity to appreciate more fully the richness and diversity of the people of God awaits us. Every Christian has been drawn by God’s grace into a family with many members, into a body in which we all need each other. Wherever we live, whatever our ethnicity and cultural heritage, we look forward to worshipping together in the new heavens and the new earth (Revelation 7:9). Will we take the opportunity to listen well to each other now so that, by the power of God’s Spirit, we may share the path of discipleship together and be a blessing to each other on the way? Alistair’s blog post entitled ‘Listening to the Global Church’ can be found at thesethingsarewritten.wordpress.com Dr Eddie Arthur’s blog post entitled ‘Really Listening to the Global Church’ can be found at kouya.net

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FREE CHURCH NEWS DUNBLANE FREE CHURCH UPDATE

as they have welcomed two new office bearers to the church and a prize-giving service has been held for youngsters. The church welcomed Dr Jenson Lim and Mr William (Billy) Clarkson as Elder and Deacon, respectively. Jenson is a university lecturer while Billy is a retired operations executive, and both are already active members of Dunblane Free Church. To mark the end of the school year, all children who attended the Kirk4Kids Sunday School and Creche received a gift at a prize-giving service. The Kirk4Kids Sunday School encourages primary-school-aged children to learn about God in a fun-filled way, and the Kirk4Kids Creche helps little tots to play, explore, and enjoy learning Bible stories in a safe environment. Jenson said: “Well done to the children for their participation! Please continue to pray for the salvation of our children and ongoing work of K4K in the neighbourhood.” • t has been a busy time at dunblane free church

SERVICE AT GRACE CHURCH, MONTROSE

ev ciarán kelleher delivered his first sermon as the minister/church planter of grace church montrose on sunday 3rd july,

along with his wife Sarah and son Taghg, and were warmly welcomed to Montrose by the congregation. Ciarán’s sermon was from John chapter 2, where he explained that whether you are new to the church or have been a believer for many years, you need to “come and see Jesus.” He explained that this passage is a foretaste of the new creation, where tears and suffering will be no more. Following the service Ciarán, Sarah and Taghg were presented with welcome gifts and the congregation shared in a time of fellowship & refreshments together. •

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COULD YOU BE THE NEXT EDITOR OF THE RECORD?

An honorarium will be given for the role. This is a great opportunity to get involved in The Record so it can continue to publish a variety of content including church news, theological insights, and thoughtful pieces from contributors in Scotland and beyond. It is currently published 11 times a year and is produced in paper and digital format. Processes will be put in place for the editor to be supported by the Communications Group and Communications Manager and for the editor to liaise with the Communications Manager ahead of editions to ensure good links between The Record and central Communications Team. There is flexibility to shape the role around candidates’ prior commitments and availability. For more details, contact Sarah Robinson, Communications Manager at the Free Church of Scotland, at sarah.robinson@freechurch.org •

new editor is being sought for the record

– can you help ?

The Free Church of Scotland is looking for someone to take up the post which involves arranging contributions from other people, editing submissions, writing content, and working with the designer on the design and layout of the magazine. The Editor, under the oversight of the Communication Group and the Board of Trustees, is responsible for all aspects of The Record, including the budget and financial oversight of the publication. The Editor’s skills and experience need to match the remit of the role. They also need to be a communicant member of the Free Church of Scotland and a person of some maturity in Christian life. The role, which can be carried out remotely, is likely to require around 20-25 hours per month.

TEENS’ CONFERENCE

date has been announced for a new teens ’

Organisers say that, like the Youth Camps, youngsters need to be in that school year in the January prior to the event. Rev Andy Longwe of London City Presbyterian Church will be the guest speaker. More details will be available in coming months. •

conference being run by the free church of scotl and .

The event will take place between 23rd and 25th June 2023 at Lendrick Muir. It will be held for young people in S5-S6.

2023

TEENS' CONFERENCE Living for Jesus in a hostile world

SAVE THE DATE

23RD - 25TH JUNE 2023

LENDRICK MUIR, PERTHSHIRE Guest Speaker

ANDY LONGWE

OPEN TO ALL IN S5 - S6 (AS OF JAN 2023)

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

Minister of London City Presbyterian Church

freechurch.org

2022

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FCYC PHOTO SPECIAL

ction-packed youth camps have been held for

assault course by Scottish Assault Courses. Nine camps were held in total. They were held in Renfrew, Oswestry and Kincraig. Here is a selection of photos from the camps. Enjoy! Registration for next year’s camps is set to open later this year. More details to follow. •

around 250 young people this summer.

During the camps, the youngsters met together to discuss God’s Word, as well as taking part in a variety of activities, depending on which camp they attended. Activities included bubble football, swimming, safari parks, paintballing and a very muddy

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WfM CONFERENCE

he wfm women’s conference will take place on saturday 17th september in culloden-balloch baptist church in inverness.

Helen Thorne, who is the author of several books including “Hope in an Anxious World”, will be the main speaker. There will also be updates from Rosangela Fraser (WEC), Mairi Beaton (FCYC) and Dina (Community House Damaris). Tickets can be booked via www.womenformission. org or phone 01224 742911 or 07756 820158 if you are unable to book online. Tickets cost £20 for adults, £15 for students and £10 for under 18s. The cost includes lunch and refreshments. There will also be craft stalls, book stalls and baking so remember to take some change. •

BIG FREE RALLY

he big free rally is set to take place on saturday 1st october at smithton free church in inverness.

The event, which is open to everyone in P5 upwards, is a chance for young people to reunite with friends made at camp, although you don’t need to have been to camp to come to the Rally. The title for the Rally is Being Real. Rev Ben Fiddian will be speaking on the theme of integrity. The hosts will be Sheona Forbes and Euan MacDonald. Games, talks, a quiz, prayer and praise will take place throughout the day. The cost for the day is £5. There is an additional fee of £10 if you require FCYC transport. Numbers dependant, we hope to have buses travelling from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ullapool. We can offer chaperoned transport from Stornoway; however, you will be expected to purchase your own ferry tickets. Details on how to pay will be sent to you after you book. To book, go to: form.jotform.com/222141783685359. •

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KILTARLITY FC EVENTS

There will be a chance to ask questions directly during the Q&A. Organisers said: “We will help you become confident and empowered to talk about Jesus more naturally, engage in evangelism that persuades people, and feel equipped to answer the questions of your friends. “You are warmly invited to join us for this exciting event aimed to help you share the good news of Jesus with the people in your life.” Tickets are £10. Under 18s are free. Tickets are available via the online booking system, Eventbrite. Search for Confident Christianity Half Day Conference (Solas) on Eventbrite for more details. There will also be a book stall from 10ofThose available at the conference. An outreach event for teenagers called Redemption: Questioning Faith will be held in the evening, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. There will be a couple of games and then Clare Williams will be giving a short talk on the question - Is Christianity dangerous? After that we will have Domino’s Pizza and other snacks available for everyone before we host a Grill a Christian session with Andy Bannister and Clare Williams where you can ask them any question you like about life and faith. This event is completely free, but you do need to book. Tickets for this event are also available from Eventrbrite. Search for Redemption: Questioning Faith on Eventbrite for more details. •

olas is partnering with kiltarlity free church to hold two events this month.

On Saturday 24th September, a Confident Christianity Conference will be held in the morning and an outreach event for teenagers will take place in the evening. Rev Stephen Allison, of Kiltarlity Free Church, said: “We are pleased to have Solas joining with us to run these two important events. We recognise how hard it is to speak about faith today but it is essential in our ever changing society that Christians are equipped to share their faith in a winsome and persuasive way. Our Confident Christianity Conference is a great way to help Christians feel more confident as they seek to speak out. And we are particularly excited about our evening event - this is a new idea for Solas, seeking to reach out to Teenagers and help them to think through what they believe themselves.” Solas Centre for Public Christianity is a ministry organisation based in Scotland. It seeks to persuasively communicate the transforming truth of who Jesus is and equip others to do the same. The Confident Christianity Half Day Conference – Sharing the Gospel in an Age of Uncertainty will be held from 9am to 1pm (doors open at 8.30am). Speakers Andy Bannister, Clare Williams and Gavin Matthews will share the following talks: Evangelism to the Apathetic; Does Jesus matter in our age of moral outrage? and Persuasive Evangelism: A Biblical Model?

GALASHIELS INDUCTION

BY REV DAVID MEREDITH

craig

anderson

has

been

ordained

daughter church at Charleston who are now sending one of their most gifted members to Galashiels. The role of mother church to Galashiels will now be taken over by Buccleuch Free Church, Edinburgh. Galashiels is the latest in the Free Church plan to establish 30 new churches in Scotland by 2030. •

and

inducted into a new church plant in galashiels.

On Friday 12th August St Peter’s Free Church, Dundee was the setting for a historic ordination service. Rev Craig Anderson was set apart by the presbytery of Edinburgh and Perth through the solemn laying on of hands to be a minister of the gospel, he was also inducted to the new church plant of Galashiels Free Church. It was an unusual event in that Craig was inducted into a congregation which does not yet exist! Craig, along with his wife Amy will move to Galashiels to establish a new church plant in that significant Borders town. The service was conducted by Rev Andy Pearson, Moderator of Presbytery who by a happy co-incidence is senior minister of St Peter’s, the mother church of Charleston Community Church where Craig had been serving as an elder. The sermon was preached by Rev Andy Robertson, minister at Charleston. The evening was another link in a wonderful chain where the revitalised St Peter’s gave birth to the

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New minister Rev Craig Anderson (L) with Rev Andy Pearson (R)

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WORLD NEWS

AMERICAS AFRICA EUROPE ASIA AUSTRALASIA AT LEAST 41 DEAD IN CHURCH FIRE BBC News At least 41 people have died following the outbreak of a fire at a church in Giza, Egypt. The fire caused a stampede, blocking the entrance, with many of the victims being crushed as they attempted to escape. The fire erupted as 5000 people gathered for Mass at the Coptic Abu Sifin church. Father Farid Fahmy, from another nearby church, told the AFP news agency that the fire was caused by a generator short circuiting. ‘The power was out, and they were using a generator. When the power came back, it caused an overload.’ Fire services have said the cause of the fire is unclear. Yasir Munir, who attended the Mass and was able to escape the fire, told Reuters ‘People were gathering on the third and fourth floor, and we saw smoke coming from the second floor. People rushed to go down the stairs and started falling on top of each other. Then we heard a bang and sparks and fire coming out of the window.’ Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al- Sisi, has ordered the armed forces to rebuild the church and has offered his ‘sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims.’ •

SIX MEN ARRESTED FOR PENTECOST CHURCH ATTACK Open Doors UK On Sunday 5th June, at least 40 Christians were killed, and dozens injured in an attack on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, southwest Nigeria, that had gathered to celebrate Pentecost. Many believers were also abducted, including the presiding priest of the service. During the service, attackers entered the building, setting off explosives. As worshippers fled, they were met by gunmen who shot at them outside the exits. Open Doors UK have reported that six men have now been arrested in relation to the attack. General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff, informed Nigerian media that investigations had to led to the arrest of four of the men responsible. Just a few hours later, two more men connected with the attack were also arrested. According to the Director of Defence Information, Jimmy Akpor, the men responsible are associated with the Islamic State of the West Province – an offshoot of Boko Haram with links to Islamic State. Among those arrested was Abdulhaleem Idris, who is responsible for committing previously coordinated attacks. Open Doors UK is urging Christians to ‘ask God that justice would be done in the courts, and that Christian communities would be safe from further violence. As Jesus instructed, we also pray for those who persecute believers: ask that God would have mercy on these six men and show them his love, so they would turn from their wickedness and choose to follow Jesus.’ •

ISLAMISTS BEHEAD TWO CHRISTIANS Barnabas Fund Islamist militants have attacked a minibus in the Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique and beheaded two Christians. The killings, which took place on 30th July, were claimed by alShabaab, the Islamic State (IS) of Mozambique. In a statement, IS-Mozambique declared ‘By the grace of God almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate... killed two Christians, beheading them, and shooting them with weapons.’ In 2017, Islamists gained effective control of an area of Cabo Delgado. Since, the region has been termed ‘the Land of Fear’ on account of the many horrific acts of violence carried out against both Christians and moderate Muslims. Barnabas Fund are asking Christians to pray ‘that the violence perpetrated against Christians and others by IS militants will come to an end, and that peace will be restored to Cabo Delgado and the surrounding areas.’ •

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REFLECTIONS ON CHURCH GROWTH 1 YEAR AFTER TALIBAN TAKEOVER Release International 15th August 2022 is exactly one year since the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan, and the persecution of Christians has continued. However, the hopeless situation Afghanistan faces has caused many young Afghans to question their convictions and there are now early signs that the Christian faith could be growing in the country. Christians continue to be in grave danger in Afghanistan. A viewer of SAT-7, a TV company aiming to bring the Gospel to the Middle East and North Africa, said ‘The security situation for someone like me who has accepted another faith is extremely concerning.’ Another viewer reported ‘The Taliban have started doing house-tohouse searches and are confiscating people’s smart phones.’ Many Christians have fled Afghanistan, but some have chosen to remain in their country, to serve their people and continue to be a witness there. According to the President of Square One World Media, Shoaib Ebadi, many young Afghans have become disillusioned with what is happening around them and have begun asking questions. ‘They are eager to hear about new things because their way of life that has continued for centuries has not brought peace or forgiveness, and the people are not prospering. It’s always fighting and revenge.’ He continued, ‘They are questioning everything: their own faith, their past, their present, their future... We teach the Afghan people how to know Jesus and understand his teaching. That’s the big thing that can change the hearts of people inside Afghanistan.’ Shoaib Ebadi claims that despite or because of persecution, the growth of Christianity in Afghanistan has surpassed even that of Iran, where the Christian faith is well known to be growing rapidly. Ebadi told Release International, ‘The growth of the church in Afghanistan is ten times faster than in Iran.’ Partners of Release International in Afghanistan are ‘calling for prayer for Afghan Christians to be touched by the Holy Spirit and strengthened in their faith, and for breakthrough in their country.’ • Taliban flag on the wall of US Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan

TAJIK CHURCH GROWS DESPITE PERSECUTION Open Doors UK Protestant Christians in Tajikistan have been told that they can ‘no longer register any new churches.’ The announcement came in late May and was made by Chair of the State Committee for Religious Affairs and Regulation of Traditions, Ceremonies and Rituals, Salaymon Davatzoda. He also announced that children would not be able to participate in church activities, including a ban on religious camps. Without state registration, church gatherings are illegal and those participating face danger of punishment. However, a Tajik church leader shared that ‘despite all the prohibitions, the church in Tajikistan is growing.’ He added, ‘Whether they will register churches or not, please pray for us so that we remain faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ and continue His work while we live.’ •

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ANGLICAN CHURCH DIVIDES OVER SAME-SEX MARRIAGE Premier Christian News A group of conservative bishops and lay people have separated from the Australian Anglican Church and have formed a new diocese. Led by former Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Glenn Davies, the group is encouraging any Anglicans unhappy with progressive bishops to join them. The move follows the Australian Anglican Church’s decision to allow each diocese to come to their own decision on whether to allow same-sex weddings. Whilst the group registered the new diocese with the charities commission in October 2021, it was at the recent Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Canberra, Australia that the diocese was announced. The new diocese, which will be known as Diocese of the Southern Cross, will operate under the conservative Anglican movement, GAFCON and will cover all of Australia. The diocese will also not be “in communion” with Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Justin Welby. In his announcement, Archbishop Glenn said ‘I think you’ll see the Diocese of the Southern Cross will have a significant impact. It will send shivers down the spines of some bishops in the Anglican Church of Australia.’ He added, ‘For those who cannot live under the liberal regime of a bishop, they can come and thoroughly be Anglican under a bishop.’ •

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GIDEON BY DONALD MACKAY

ideon is one of the best known and best loved of the judges of israel.

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'Gideon Frightens His Enemies in Their Campown', Antonio Tempesta (1613)

His story is striking and colourful, and his name is used as the emblem of a worldwide Biblereading and distribution network. The background of the story is the era of the judges, around 1200- 1000 BC, following the inspired leadership of Moses and Joshua. The settlement of Palestine by the Israelite tribes was accompanied by a decline in monotheistic religion and a breakdown in solidarity of the tribes, which rather than a nation became something like the amphictyonic league of ancient Greece — a loose association for mutual defence, stronger at some times than others. It took the charismatic leadership of Samuel and David to recall the tribes to a national unity focused on Yahwistic worship and a central sanctuary. Gideon therefore features in a pattern of tribal disunity associated with a decay of religion and the judgment of God. He belonged to the minor aristocracy of Manasseh, at a time when the central highlands of Israel were being overrun by hordes of Midianite Bedouin from the east. These were seasonal raiders rather than occupiers, but the effect on the inhabitants was much the same, resembling the devastation caused by a flock of locusts. For seven years the annual incursion continued, until the tribes cried out to God for deliverance. Gideon was much exercised by all this — not merely by the famine induced by the raiders, but by the apparent failure of God to intervene on behalf of his people. While he was wrestling with this problem, he was confronted by a being described as “the angel of

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God” (but also as God himself). To begin with, Gideon appears not to have realised whom he was dealing with, because he engaged with the visitor in an almost combative way. It is instructive to follow how the Lord dealt with Gideon in the exchanges that ensued, taking the equivalent of a whole chapter of 30 to 40 verses. He began with a promise of deliverance from the Midianite menace — by the hand of Gideon himself. Next there was a challenge: to take a stand for Yahweh by demolishing the altar of Baal, an action which demanded courage and commitment. This commitment was essential because the Midianites had now assembled a huge army, crossed the Jordan, and prepared themselves to crush the Israelite tribes once and for all. Next, once Gideon had raised the fiery cross and gathered a defence force among several of the other tribes — Asher, Zebulon and Naphtali as well as Manasseh — there followed a series of tests of faith. The first, imposed by Gideon, was for God to show himself committed by miraculously keeping a fleece wet, and then dry, in defiance of the elements. Then God ordered Gideon to dismiss, first, two-thirds of his army and, second, all but one-thirtieth of those who remained. Finally, for Gideon’s encouragement, he was bidden to steal into the enemy’s camp and there receive evidence of their low morale and foreboding of defeat. Having done this, we are told, Gideon bowed his head and worshipped. The stratagem Gideon employed to defeat the Midianites was a masterpiece of psychology and surprise. His tiny force infiltrated the enemy’s lines during the night watch, equipped with nothing more than trumpets and torches shrouded in pottery jars. The 300 warriors suddenly smashed the jars, sounded the trumpets and raised a fearsome war cry. The effect was to create the impression of a far larger force and to induce panic among the Midianite troops and, perhaps more significantly, among their huge armada of war camels. In the darkness, the Midianites fought each other and soon fled in confusion. As the Bedouin horde sought to retreat eastwards across the Jordan the Ephraimites, now alerted, seized the fords and slaughtered many, including the Midianite chieftains Oreb and Zeeb. 15,000, however, survived and took refuge in the wilds of Transjordan, with Gideon following. As he and his valiant 300 crossed the Jordan — “faint yet pursuing” — they called on the inhabitants of Succoth and Peniel for provisions, but were rudely turned away. They carried on and took the 15,000 by surprise at Karkor, routing them completely and capturing their two remaining leaders, Zebah and Zalmunna. On his return to Israel, Gideon revealed the two sides of his character. First, he took bloody vengeance on the men of Succoth and Penuel for their lack of hospitality on his outward journey. Then, confronted by the leaders of Ephraim — who were always touchy about their own position of primacy in Israel — complaining that they were left out of the initial mobilisation of the defence force, Gideon showed tact and diplomacy by pointing up their success in defeating Oreb and Zeeb. And now, how was this great victory to be consolidated in Israel? A grateful army turned to Gideon, who now enjoyed immense status and presence, and invited him to rule and to start a dynasty. With great restraint, Gideon declined. He knew that the judges who had preceded him had resisted the temptation of kingship, recognising that Israel had been founded as a theocracy. Besides, he probably realised that the jealous tribe of Ephraim would never accept a Manassite as ruler. But Gideon, at this point, showed a fatal weakness. While he acknowledged God as the true deliverer of Israel, he wanted the divine rule to be expressed in a material form, and that not in the form of the ark of the covenant but of a gilded symbol — not dissimilar to the golden calf of an earlier generation. And so, a golden ephod, the weight of a suitcase, became a snare, not only to Gideon and his family but to the whole nation. Gideon erred in other ways as well. He took many wives, and had a concubine from the heathen city of Shechem. It seems that he acted as a sort of judge and that he looked to find a successor from among his seventy sons. It was an irony that it was his Shechem son who succeeded him, after systematically murdering the legitimate progeny. Immediately after Gideon’s death, we are told, the people of Israel fell away from the worship of Yahweh and followed the Baals. They also failed to honour the memory of their great hero who had been responsible, under God, for the survival of the nation. It is well that the sacred historian made good that failure, by leaving an unforgettable memoir of his deeds. • Donald Mackay is a member of Knox Free Church, Perth.

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SOCIAL CHALLENGES AND NEEDS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES “Rural life is not all pretty…social and spiritual issues in today’s rurality: Behind the myth of the rural idyll are many people who struggle with health and social issues”.

the metal shop shutters and commercial bins regularly set on fire. Struggles with isolation, deprivation and addiction existed. This may seem a far cry from the beautiful sounds and scenery of Skye, but under the surface the same issues exist. As individuals we’re not dissimilar. On the surface, the scenery of our lives can look chaotic or serene, some appear to have it all sorted and some not so much. Underneath we battle the same issues. At the seminar, we focused on just one or two of the many interrelated challenges in the rural context, looking at how we (the church) can bring the love and compassion of Jesus to these situations.

his was the brief and billing i was given to facilitate

seminar

this

year’s

rural

church conference.

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind… Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37. This was the framework in which we discussed the issues. My own perspective is that of a GP, working in Skye for 13 years but having grown up in the city. I spent my teenage years living in one of the less salubrious parts of Dundee, above the local betting shop. The soundtrack of each weekend was shouting, singing and sometimes fighting on the street below, as the pubs emptied out. Bottles or fists were banged along

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ISOLATION Contributing factors to isolation in personal, professional and church life include travel time, lack of transport links, lack of broadband connectivity and physical distance from family and friends. It could be argued

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Photo by Ewan Harvey on Unsplash

DR. HANNAH MACLEOD looks at issues of isolation, deprivation, dysfunction and health needs, and suggests some ways the local church can help.

that those from minority ethnic groups, and “incomers”, are perhaps more at risk. Though communities rallied magnificently during the pandemic, it heightened that sense of isolation for many.

We know from scripture and personal experience that relationship with Jesus is the only answer to the brokenness in our lives, the only hope, the only place joy can be found. For those of us who have taken hold of Jesus and put our faith in him, that faith and the love in us which comes from Jesus demands action. Be a church for everyone, where anyone can come in, feel welcome, included, have some space if needed and hear the Truth and the Good News. Rural communities tend to be less diverse than cities, but churches should still reflect the communities they are in. We need to be churches for the isolated, for natives, incomers, second-homeowners, professionals, tradespeople, unemployed, families, singles, young, old, addicts, the unwell, the thriving, caregivers, the vulnerable, the abused and the housebound. All made by God, loved by God and all sinners needing him. Knowledge of and prayer about local issues are a necessary pre-requisite to addressing them. We need to know the people we live, mix and work with. We are integral parts of our communities but can often end up doing our own ‘church’ things. Rurally, people are a limited resource and there is often no need to reinvent the wheel and have specifically churchrun projects when individuals in the church can get involved in the local food bank, befriending scheme, or with other voluntary organisations, serving the community in this way. We can offer friendship, companionship and coworkmanship, which is mutually beneficial and rewarding, while remembering that oft quoted phrase that ‘people are people, not projects’. There is no agenda in these relationships, other than to love people with the love we have received, to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly, alongside... Maintaining trust and confidences are an important part of any friendship but perhaps even more so in small rural communities or churches. Avoiding gossip is vital. As a church we can also provide basic practical help if needed, e.g. transport. Lifts to nursery, school, the doctors, to visit relatives in care homes or hospitals, to collect shopping or go to church. Offer childcare, or a couple of hours respite support for carers. Consider a local Christians Against Poverty group or start a food bank if there isn’t one locally. Perhaps for someone “offline” the church can facilitate internet access. Buildings can and have been vaccination centres, conference centres, somewhere for the local Scouts, Mother and Toddlers’ or AA groups to meet. The church building may be that alcohol-free social space that’s lacking for people to meet day to day. Rural life may not always be pretty, but the challenges provide the church with opportunity to serve in the name of Jesus and to function as salt and light, as we seek to love our neighbours. •

DEPRIVATION AND DYSFUNCTION The cost-of-living crisis is biting. The government recognises that fuel poverty in rural Scotland is three times that of urban Scotland. Affordable housing is hard to come by and the cost of the weekly grocery shop is eye watering. Employment opportunities in rural areas can look a bit different. It may be work is seasonal, or two jobs are required. What the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation terms ‘access deprivation’ exists in rural areas. This is a recognition of difficulty in accessing services such as healthcare, social care, and childcare. Sadly, abuse and neglect also exist in the hills and glens, as they do in the streets and lanes. We have a list of ‘looked after children’ at the medical centre and are grateful for the work of the local women’s aid and young carers group.

HEALTH NEEDS In rural Scotland (with local exceptions) a greater proportion of elderly make up our communities. This naturally creates an increased demand on health and social care services, as well as on families to provide care, where state resources are unable to meet the need. Whatever age, a hospital trip can be a sixhour return journey. If a relative needs 24 hour care, or a lengthy hospital stay, there may be nowhere near home this can be offered, leading to physical separation at great emotional cost to all. Fewer health care resources across the spectrum are available rurally (hospital beds, specialist nurses, clinics, scans, etc). Third sector organisations are also less resourced. Addiction, a struggle for many, is often tied in with the issues of isolation, deprivation or dysfunction already touched on. Alcohol deaths are on the rise since the pandemic. For some in the rural context, anonymity may not feel possible at the local alcoholics anonymous group, or it may be there is no group. Alcohol-free social spaces can be harder to come by out of the city and there’s little specific research on alcohol problems in rural Scotland. Admitting problems and getting help can be harder and take real courage in a small community, when the perception is that everyone knows everyone’s business. As well as in the context of addiction, this issue of perceived lack of anonymity can create an obstacle to accessing other services offering physical and mental health care, or even just the option of being able to attend church without feeling conspicuous.

ACTION

Dr. Hannah Macleod is a GP on the Isle of Skye and a member in Portree Free Church

What can we, the local church, do about all this?

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DONALD MACCRIMMON MACKAY (1922 – 1987) Scientist, Philosopher, Apologist (Part I) BY GEORGE M. COGHILL

his year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of donald maccrimmon mackay, an eminent scientist and christian apologist.

He was a pioneer in the early days of Information Theory, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience, yet a significant number of readers of this magazine will not have heard of him. This would not have bothered him: he did not reckon analysis of his personal life important, preferring that his ideas be scrutinised instead. So who was he and why is he important? In this article I will present an overview of his life and in the next an outline of his ideas.

EARLY YEARS Donald MacKay was born in Lybster, Caithness, the eldest child (and only son) of Henry (a Free Church minister and GP) and Janet MacKay. Two of his sisters, Anna and Elizabeth, married Free Church ministers, and another, Helen, managed the Free Church Bookroom for many years (succeeded by his nephew Martin Cameron). Much of his childhood was spent in Wick, where he attended the High School. Growing up in the Free Church Donald received a solid biblical and theological education, both in church and at home, which stood him in good stead in later years. During his teenage years Donald developed a keen interest in physics, particularly electronics, and set up a laboratory in the garden shed. This was a time when radio communication was becoming more readily available commercially, and his ability to keep the family radio operating properly and to repair friends’ radios enabled him to demonstrate his entrepreneurial spirit. He set up his own little business and was in such demand that he was able to supplement the family finances. Such was his proficiency in practical electronics that a wartime colleague commented that “Donald must have been born with a soldering iron in his hand.” He finished his time in secondary education as Dux of Wick High School and went on to study Physics (with a specialisation in Electronics) at the University of St Andrews in 1940. Because of the exigencies of war the honours degree, normally four years, was squeezed into three. As part of the war effort there was a programme set up to find the best young scientific minds to work on top secret projects. Donald, with prizes for physics and maths and a first class honours degree, was identified as an ideal candidate and approached to work at the Admiralty Research Establishment (ARE) on what would come to be known as Radar. One unfortunate aspect of the religious climate in the early part of the twentieth century was a tendency to defend Christianity by “clever arguments to show the limits of science”. As a science student he found these underwhelming which created a crisis of faith. While he did not stop attending church completely, religion took a back seat during most of his undergraduate career.

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YOUNG RESEARCHER AND ACADEMIC Donald moved to the South of England to carry out the initial work that would inform the rest of his career. The development and construction of radar equipment involved a thorough understanding of the new disciplines of Communication and Information as well as Control Theory, and Donald quickly became an expert in these. But he was not a disengaged backroom boffin; he was fully involved with the development, deployment and commissioning of the state-of-the-art equipment and spent time at sea monitoring its performance and effectiveness. One of his fellow researchers at ARE was a Christian who invited him along to the (High Anglican) church he attended. Donald accepted the invitation and over time, through the patient pastoral engagement of the vicar, entered a renewed and deeper understanding of Christianity. He now had a passion to serve his Saviour and carry out excellent scientific research (the latter being a manifestation of the former); but his previous experience gave him a lifelong distaste for anything that smacked of a ‘God-of-the-gaps’ approach to the relation between Christianity and Science. After the war Donald took up the post of Lecturer in Physics at King’s College (part of the University of London) where he continued his research in Information and Computing, which in his case was Analogue Computing (for which he received a Ph.D. in 1950). This was a time when scientists were becoming interested in whether machines could be made to behave like humans and “think” for themselves. (The term “Artificial Intelligence” had not yet been coined. That did not happen till the Dartmouth Conference in 1955, at which Donald was a British delegate.) The discussion was mainly focussed around the new digital computers, but Donald was not convinced that that was the correct way to look at the problem: "...being an analogue man...". He did not think it was entirely correct to think of it as analogue either, but as some form of hybrid system. These days we are used to hearing about the successes of Machine Learning (especially “Deep” Learning) but what is not generally known is that one of the earliest Machine Learning systems was built by Donald at King’s College in the late 1940s. It was fairly basic by today’s standards, but it could adapt its behaviour, based on observations, to successfully drop ballbearings on a target. In the late 1940s a group of young researchers around London got together to discuss ideas in Cybernetics and Philosophy of Science. They called themselves “The Ratio Club” and included, as well as Donald, Alan Turing. No professors were allowed to join in order to allow free discussion (it was felt that someone at professorial level would have an unfair advantage in these discussions). As a young lecturer at King’s College he learned the effect of a ‘word in season’. The Christian staff in the college would meet for lunch from time to time, and on one occasion the professor of New Testament, R. V. G. Tasker, enquired concerning what evangelicals actually believed. Donald suggested that he could find out first hand by going to hear Martyn Lloyd Jones who was giving a talk in the College organised by the Christian Union. Tasker attended the meeting and his thinking was changed. He is now remembered as the editor of the IVP Tyndale New Testament Commentary series. During this time he met and fell in love with a fellow physicist, Valerie Wood. The two were married in 1955 and started a family, which eventually consisted of two boys and three girls. Four of them followed in the broadly scientific footsteps of their parents while one became an accountant, showing that Donald’s business acumen was also passed to the next generation. Donald lived to the west of the city but he would make the journey in to the centre the hear Martyn Lloyd Jones when he could. He was also involved with the Free Church in London, mainly for midweek meetings as it was fairly easy to get to from King’s. He was also instrumental in encouraging his brother-inlaw, Hector Cameron, to serve the congregation there. While at King’s, his interest in the relation between Science and Religion grew and he became engaged with the Research Scientists Christian Fellowship

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(RSCF, now named Christians in Science, CiS). This organisation had started in the early 1940s under the leadership of Oliver Barclay. Donald’s involvement had such an influence on the group that one recent commentator could write: “Only after a young brain scientist named Donald M. MacKay joined the group in 1948 did the RSCF find its message of the complementary relationship between Science and Christianity”. As his thinking developed he became more interested in understanding the one intelligent being to whom we have ready access (humans) rather than trying to create artificial ones. In 1951 the shift to Neuroscience was completed after he spent a year as a Rockefeller Fellow in the United States. He still continued to work in the Physics department at King’s, but in 1960 he was head-hunted by the newly established Keele University to fill the research chair endowed by Granada television: “The Granada Chair in Communication” (the name was later changed to “Communication and Neuroscience”) a position he held till his retirement in 1982. A building on the Keele University campus is named in his honour.

PROFESSOR AND LATER YEARS At Keele he established a world leading interdisciplinary team studying the sensory communication systems of the brain. An example of this is one of Donald and Valerie’s last set of experiments. Roger Sperry had won the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology for his work on “split brain syndrome” which occurs in patients who have the bundle of nerve fibres joining the two hemispheres of the brain (the Corpus Collosum) severed as a treatment for epilepsy. Sperry speculated, based on his experimental results, that doing this created “two persons in one cranial space”. Donald and Valerie set out to test this hypothesis and found that while the two sides of the brain could be made to compete, this could only be pursued so far and ultimately the unity of the person would shine through. Throughout his academic career Donald engaged with philosophers and theologians on issues related to the mind/body problem and the relation between Science and Theology, to which he made significant contributions. In all his dealings with others, whether in conversation or debate, he sought to bring glory to Jesus by conducting himself as a Christian gentleman. This is clearly demonstrated in a televised discussion with B. F. Skinner (the major proponent of Behaviourism in the 20th Century). This debate is available on YouTube. About three quarters of the way through, Skinner is well beaten and the host, William Buckley Jr, is starting to pounce on him, at which point Donald steps in and provides Skinner with a graceful way out; it didn’t help Skinner’s argument but it preserved his dignity. Mackay’s reputation continued to grow over the rest of his career. This resulted in his receiving an increasing number of responsibilities and accolades. Examples of these reflect the breadth of this respect. As well as being the founding editor of two major scientific journals (Experimental Brain Research and Biological Cybernetics) he was an international member of the Neuroscience group at MIT, foreign member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science and recipient of the Heinrich Helmholtz Prize for Distinguished Research in the Cognitive Neurosciences. But it is in the domain of Science and Religion that his lasting legacy resides, and the last of these accolades was in these areas. A few months before his death from throat cancer he gave the Gifford Lectures at Glasgow University in 1986. Donald MacKay ended his earthly sojourn and entered the presence of the Saviour he had served so well in March 1987. • “Those Christians who knew Donald personally give thanks to God for the life and gifts that he gave to him. It was a privilege to see at work someone who was so wholly committed to the obedient service of his Maker and who so readily recognised his sovereignty over his own life and the whole of creation.” Paul Helm, Evangel, 1987.

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A Healthy Gospel Church... is in love with Jesus and his mission BY REV NEIL MACMILLAN

esus came to seek and to save the lost.

Redemptive mission is at the heart of who God is and what he is doing in this world. Our calling as his church is to share in that mission by making Jesus work of salvation known to our nation and many nations. In Luke 24, the risen Christ gives his disciples a stunning insight into his understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures. ‘Then he (Jesus) opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’ The narrative of Scripture centres around the mission of God – the Messiah will suffer and rise – and the mission of his church – repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. Evangelism is so central to the life of the Christian Church that a church that is not evangelising is forfeiting the right to be recognised as a church. A healthy church is a church that has evangelism at the heart of all it does. Evangelism is not one thing that a church does amongst many others. In a healthy gospel church, evangelism permeates every aspect of church life. Our youth work, our women’s ministry, our preaching, our praise, our mercy ministries, our prayer meetings are all shaped by the clarion call of Jesus to make him known and to show his love to the world. This drive to evangelise and tell the good news will lead us to church planting. In the New Testament, church planting is not a fringe activity, but is a normal part of church life alongside preaching, prayer, generosity, and service. Healthy gospel churches reproduce. A friend of mine will often remark that all congregations should be able to say about church planting, ‘if we could we would, and when we can we will.’ Because we are part of a presbyterian denomination, where we partner in the work of the gospel, every church can be a church planting church. We can be involved through partnering with the church plants and the 30 x 30 project. We can be involved through prayer for the church planters and their families. We can be involved through giving money to support new church plants. We can be involved by moving home to help a new church get started. Being a healthy gospel church means loving God and loving the people around us. When we love people, our heart is for their salvation – that they will find new life in Christ. If this impulse is missing from us, personally or from our church, then the best place to begin is in prayer. Simply ask God to soften your heart and to give you a deep compassion for those who are without Christ and so without hope in this world. • Rev Neil MacMillan is the minister at Cornerstone, Edinburgh

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FOOD FOR FELLOWSHIP Tell us about yourself Hi, my name is Marion Gray (Macaulay), I am married to Iain and we worship in Knockbain Free Church, North Kessock. I grew up on the Isle of North Uist with my mum, dad and brother Andrew. We moved to the Isle of Lewis when I was about 11 years old. I left school and headed off to Glasgow to study Primary teaching at Jordanhill and then taught in Glasgow for 11 years before moving to North Kessock three years ago. I absolutely love teaching and love the children entrusted to me each year. I have been very blessed to have worshipped in wonderful congregations. My time in Glasgow was very special and I enjoyed blessed times, there especially in my early days as a student and young worker where fellowship and food were central to many gatherings. It was in Dowanvale that I made my deepest friendships and where I met my husband Iain. Service to the church and those who did not yet know the Lord has been a big emphasis in all the congregations I have been part of. Finding roles and opportunities to serve was encouraged and this led me to wanting to serve further afield. In 2006 I had the opportunity to go to Moldova for the summer to help run camps and it has been a privilege to be part of the work there and to see it grow and for the church there to be strengthened. The Moldovans have become part of my family and we have very strong links and speak weekly. I have visited almost 20 times now, have attended weddings and some even made it over to our own wedding.

What’s your thoughts on food and fellowship? Food is an essential part to fellowship and church life. Whilst in Glasgow I was part of our Saturday café, which was a blessing and joy to be part of. Conversations with the community are much easier to start over a tea and a ‘Dowanvale Doubler.’™ It gives us all a common starting point; everyone loves food and to eat together. I was brought up in a home where food and sharing meals was important and part of our family life. Hospitality was something I experienced and our home was not just ours, it was to be shared and opened to all. Many stories, life experiences, advice, support and strengthened relationships happened around a table sharing food. Since coming to Knockbain Free Church we have experienced wonderful hospitality and people opening their homes to us and it has been the best way to get to know people and care for them. It is a wonderful example of building relationships and sharing in the Gospel. Before we moved to Inverness my husband and I were shopping in town and saw a furniture shop that had a closing down sale. We went in and ended up leaving with a huge dining table, chairs and a bench. At that time, we were in a flat and when we were looking to buy our house in Inverness, we had to make sure we bought somewhere that could fit the table! It was central to our family life and how we wanted to serve, host and engage. Being in fellowship over food and around a table revealed a lot to me about our Lord. Our engagement with others need not be fancy, it is a simple activity that brings people together. Every culture shares food together and it teaches us humility, sacrifice and showing love. Luke’s Gospel, especially, records Jesus attending many meals. This was his main way to interact and connect with people. In his fellowship around food we see his commitment to mission and his promises.

What’s your favourite Moldovan recipe? Picking one recipe to share is always hard but I have decided to share a very popular Moldovan dessert. I chose this more for the story behind it. It is a simple, easy and humble wee dessert and so delicious. It is called Cuşma lui Guguţă (cushma loo-ee gug-oot-za). The Moldovans refer to it as Guguţă’s hat. Guguţă was a character in traditional Moldovan folklore. He was a small shepherd with a big traditional woollen hat who wanted to protect his village from the harsh, cold winter and fit everyone under his hat. This is a great reflection of Moldovan spirit, a determined, loving and caring nation. We saw this as we saw their response to the Ukrainian refugees, a small and poor country but with big hearts.

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How long have you been involved in WfM? I have been involved with WFM since 2018. It has been a privilege to hear and engage with different organisations, and to see the commitment of the women of the Free Church in raising funds is incredible. It is always amazing to see the hard work and dedication of the charities that we support. It is so important that we are aware of the different needs we have at home and abroad and how we can support them. •

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M OLD OVAN

CUŞMA LUI GUGUŢĂ (cushma loo-ee gug-oot-za)

Ingredients:

• • • • • • •

CREPES: Milk (500ml) Flour (250g) Sugar (1tbsp) Unsalted butter, melted (50g) Vanilla extract (1tsp) 3 eggs beaten Pinch of salt

• • • •

FILLING Sour cherries (450g, pitted) Sour cream (300g) Sugar (2tbsp) Chocolate (100g)

Instructions

• • • • •

• • • • • •

CREPES Warm the milk slightly for about 1-2 minutes in a pan. Add the milk to a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Then add the 50g of melted butter. Add the beaten eggs to the bowl. With a whisk, slowly incorporate the 250g of flour until the batter is smooth. Preheat a medium-sized frying pan on a medium heat. Grease the pan with butter. Make the crepes one by one. Cook for about 2 minutes on one side until the bottom is cooked and then flip the crepe and cook for about 1 minute on the other side. FILLING Add 2 tbsp of sugar to the sour cream in a bowl and mix. (Taste may need to be adjusted). Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge to rest. Take each crepe, fill it with sour cherries, and roll it. Place 4 crepes side by side on the plate. Cover crepes with the sour cream mix. Keep adding cherry-filled crepes to create a pyramid, ensuring there is a layer of the sour cream mix between each layer. Finally cover the whole pyramid with the sour cream mix and grate some chocolate over it.

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WfM UPDATE BY FIONA MACASKILL

and afternoon, each session consisting of three activities; the activities were Adventure, Challenge, Pool (everyone’s favourite for cooling off), Sports, Art’s & Crafts and Bible. Around 3.30pm the kids would be picked up by parents and the counsellors would sometimes spend time with each other or go home until we had staff meetings on a Monday, bible study on a Wednesday etc. I was able to take part with the generous support of the WFM ‘Support a Volunteer’ fund. I would like to thank them for their help, and hope to go back next summer to help again.

write as the forecasted heatwave has made an uncharacteristically

early

arrival

this

year .

This is usually the rainy week when those of us who are teachers bemoan the speed with which the long holiday has disappeared and pupils sit sulkily in the shoe department telling their parents that every other child in the whole school will be wearing trainers. Next week is when the sun comes out! Summer holidays do seem endless when seen through the eyes of the young. Whether it be a rose tinted view or just the excitement of camp and travel and time spent with friends, we are delighted that we are able to support some of our young people through our Support a Volunteer fund in WFM. I am especially delighted to be able to share the following report from my daughter Sophie who spent several weeks in the USA at the start of the summer:

The start of the new term marks a new academic year and hopefully a more normal one. Our young people have had a great time at camp and are now looking forward to the Big Free in September. There is also a day out for the women of the Church. Our conference is taking place on the 17th September in Inverness. If you haven’t already booked then check out our website womenformission.org for online booking or further details. We are welcoming Helen Thorne who is the author of a number of books including “Hope in an Anxious World”. She will be talking on the theme of Hope: an anchor for the soul. There will be lunch and also craft stalls. Spaces are limited so please do book if you haven’t already done so. As ever, we would love to keep in touch about what you are doing to raise money for this year’s project. Please contact us through the website or tag us in your social media. We love to see new ideas for fundraising. Let’s see if we can break the £50,000 this year! We are called Women for Mission but we aren’t fussy about men fund raising too. If you aren’t sure who we are supporting this year then please look at our website. •

This summer I spent two weeks working at a day camp that was run by the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA. The camp was held at Point Pleasant which is a property owned by IPC where they hold their evening services during the summer months but also runs as the centre for the day camp as there is plenty of room for the kids to run around and explore, whether that’s crab hunting in the marsh, jumping off the dock at high tide or swimming in the pool. The campers attending were aged 5-11 but I worked both weeks with the ‘Middle Girls’ group who were between 7 and 9 years old. My cousin, some of our friends, and I would typically arrive at Point Pleasant, where the camp was held, just before 8.30am when the campers would start arriving for the day ahead. Our day was split into two sessions, morning

QUOTATIONS: We are secure, not because we hold tightly to Jesus, but because He holds tightly to us. R. C. Sproul

How do we bring glory to God? The Bible’s short answer is: by growing more and more like Jesus Christ. Sinclair B. Ferguson

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DUNCAN MACLEAN (1939-2022) BY REV JAMES MACIVER

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publicity or reputation. This was one of the most impressive features of Duncan’s life, and meant that his sincere, compassionate regard for others was respected by many in the community as well as in the Church. The Church was integral to Duncan’s life as a Christian. Public worship was never a mere duty, but a loving act of devotion to God. He served as a deacon and elder in Buccleuch and Greyfriars Free Church, Edinburgh and in Stornoway Free Church. He performed his duties as an office bearer of the church with a consistent love for his Saviour and out of a genuine desire to do good to others. This was evident in his dedication to pastoral visitation, which he continued to conduct even after his own health had begun to deteriorate. It was never enough for Duncan merely to carry out a visit. For him it was both an act of devotion to Christ and a ministry of care to the visitee. This was especially the case with the housebound and the bereaved, who always voiced their appreciation of Duncan’s visits. His Christian compassion and sense of service to the community brought him to be closely involved, from its inception, with the Bethesda Care Home and Hospice in Stornoway. The hospice opened in 1992, and Duncan served as Chair of its Board for 6 years. Requiring a substantial portion of its income from charitable donations, Bethesda Hospice soon benefitted from his fundraising abilities which came to be much admired. Duncan retired from the Western Isles Hospital in 2004. This allowed him to pursue another cause dear to his Christian heart: medical mission work. From the Spring of 2005, along with Annabelle, he regularly visited Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Nepal, typically providing six-to-eight-week periods of surgical and medical care, increasing to four and a half months in Bangladesh in 2009. Apart from his time in Nepal, where he spent a month as one of a team, his service was single-handed, daily, and involved being constantly on call. He served for several years as Chair of the Western Isles Free Church Mission Support Group, providing leadership and biblical wisdom. He is survived by his widow Annabelle, three children Catherine, Alasdair, and Hamish, and six grandchildren. To them all we extend our deepest sympathy with our prayer that God will continue to uphold and comfort them. •

stornoway free church were deeply sorry to learn of the death of their elder duncan

maclean, on 14th april 2022.

Duncan was born on 9th September 1939 in Lochcarron, Wester Ross. In 1957 he contracted polio, resulting in his decision to study medicine rather than science. He trained in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Great Ormond Street, London, and was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. While in Edinburgh he met Annabelle Maciver, and they married in Inverness in 1968. In 1978 he became consultant surgeon in the Lewis Hospital, Stornoway, a position he occupied single-handedly for the next 20 years. With the opening of the new Western Isles Hospital in 1992, he benefited from the appointment of an orthopaedic colleague. In addition to his work in the hospital he regularly carried out home visits to patients, held surgical clinics in Harris and shared in outpatient and operating sessions in the Uist and Barra Hospital in Benbecula. Although rightly admired and respected for his medical skills, his strong Christian faith was the outstanding feature of his life, indeed the motivating factor behind every facet of it. He made his profession of faith in 1962. In family, church activities and professional responsibilities, it was his love for his Saviour that lay behind his dedication and faithfulness in all these aspects of his life. In Duncan’s case, to do a thing well required that it be done in devotion to the Lord, and this had the added advantage of things being done by him in a quiet, unassuming way, not in a manner that courted

‘And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit,“that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them.”’ Revelation 14:13.

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BOOK REVIEWS Our books this month are all about identity, but are richly varied in presenting the truth of our place in Christ. THE LEAST, THE LAST AND THE LOST MEZ MCCONNELL (2021) Mez McConnell’s stated aim in writing this important and challenging book is to ‘generate fruitful discussion’. To do this, he sets out to demonstrate that those living in marginalised and socially deprived areas are currently being failed by the majority of evangelical churches, which are mainly middle class and isolated from these communities. This is a robust book both in terms of analysis and application, and outlines clearly what he feels needs to be done to enable the poor localities of the UK to receive the hope of the Gospel. The incontrovertible legitimacy of this book’s position emanates from years of practical ministry and proven experience. McConnell and his co-contributors stridently and rightly maintain that it is only the Gospel that can help those living in poverty. What is needed, therefore, they believe, is establishing and maintaining well-resourced churches preaching and living out the good news of Jesus at the heart of these neighbourhoods. It would be beneficial, indeed, if church leaders and members throughout the UK were to consider the book’s main thrust carefully and prayerfully and to address this need by urgently implementing the many proposals outlined. The individual reader, also, will have much to ponder and enact as a result of reading this pivotal work. • This book is available from 10ofthose.com Gari Lewis, Bedyddwyr Cymraeg Tabernacl (Tabernacle Welsh Baptist), Llwynhendy

GOD AND THE TRANSGENDER DEBATE (2ND EDITION) ANDREW T. WALKER (2022) Andrew Walker has written one of the most useful books on gender issues that I have ever read. It is sympathetically written but not in such a way as to regard anyone with pity or censure. Instead, he takes the wide view of people on both sides of the gender debate and respectfully discusses their world view before the throne of grace. He openly admits that he is heterosexual and therefore heteronormative in his views – a new word for my dictionary. This means that his understanding is not experiential but rather compassionate and loving. Walker takes us from the Garden of Eden, where the world and human relationships were totally good and completely perfect, to the utter degradation of man’s fall into sin. As we follow the story of man being made in the image of God, to the present day of man making man in his own image, doing everything that is right within his own eyes and getting it all wrong, the depths of sadness for what might have been increase. Yet Walker has hope. It is this hope that is his guiding light throughout the whole book. Man can be redeemed even when he or she tries to put his or her body right by cutting parts of it off in order to feel better. There is a common theme which runs through the book illustrated by Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair Cover Shot. No one, says Walker, can truly disguise the God given biological truth about themselves. We are men and women, made in the image of God, each one unique and loved beyond measure. The most helpful part of this book has been the biblical debate simply employed by Walker to show that we all inhabit this earth together as fallen human beings. We cannot therefore dismiss anyone on grounds of sexual differences. Instead, we need to return to God’s word and be ready to live the life he calls us to in the image of which he made us, knowing that he can transform us in his likeness. • This book is available from 10ofthose.com Ruth Aird, Bruntsfield Evangelical Church, Edinburgh

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BOOK OF THE MONTH 7 MYTHS ABOUT SINGLENESS SAM ALLBERRY (2019) At last! A book about singleness that I didn’t want to hurl across the room in frustration. Sam Allberry addresses this oft-ignored subject in a refreshingly forthright and realistic way by discussing 7 commonly held myths about singleness: that the single life is too hard, requires a special calling, means no intimacy, means no family, hinders ministry, wastes your sexuality and is easy. Allberry uncovers the false thinking behind each of the 7 assumptions and presents a clear biblical view of singleness as a positive gift and blessing from God. As a bonus, there is a brief appendix outlining 4 ways to avoid sexual temptation based on Proverbs 5. Allberry is forthright about how both the modern western church and our secular society tend to favour and even idolise the coupled life, downgrading and marginalising singleness in the process. This book provides a muchneeded corrective by examining key scripture passages and unpacking their often counter-cultural application, affirming the intrinsic goodness of Christian singleness. I particularly appreciated Allberry’s comments on Jesus’ singleness: ‘The marriage he came for was the one all of us who are in him will enjoy with him for eternity. His singleness on earth bore witness to this ultimate marriage he had come to establish.’ (p120) In a similar way, the presence of single people in the church points towards the reality of the life to come and celibacy itself can be viewed as a means of longing for the ultimate satisfaction we await in Jesus. Drawing from his own experience as a long-term single, Allberry’s approach is neither glib, patronising nor stoic. As a single person, I found myself agreeing and nodding as I read through the book, thinking that this has been written by someone who has understood singleness from the inside.

WHO AM I? TERRY JOHNSON (2020) Terry Johnson has been the senior minister of IPC Savannah for over 30 years. A leading figure in American Reformed circles, Terry is a well-known author and speaker. My rule of thumb has been, ‘if Johnson writes it, get it’. I’ve never yet been disappointed. The subtitle of this book is ‘what the Bible teaches about Christian identity’. This is one of the most controversial questions confronting Christians in the Western world today, especially for our younger people, as identity politics have complicated the issue. However, ‘Who Am I’ is not a critique of identity politics as much as it is a clear Biblical definition of our identity as Christians. But in order to critique the former, we need first to be confident in the latter. Terry devotes the first half of his book to the question of Christian identity in light of the doctrine of Christian salvation. He argues for balance in our understanding of who we are ‘in Christ’. He memorably writes, ‘Who am I? It’s simple. I am a Christian, a sinner saved by grace, a disciple of Christ.’ Throughout this section, Terry helpfully drives home the force of Christian truth in areas such as race and gender. The second half of ‘Who Am I’ is divided into three sections. The first describes what Terry calls ‘our core identity’ as

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Written in an accessible and conversational tone, this book is a must-read not only for Christian singles but also for those who are married. Understanding what the Bible teaches about singleness is vital for helping the church fulfil its role as a true family as well as provide authority and clarity for speaking into our contemporary cultural crisis of sexuality and identity. • This book is available from MoundBooks.com Catriona Macdonald, Buccleuch Free Church, Edinburgh Christians. Under this heading, he deals with who we are as Sons of God (and siblings), Sinners, Sheep and Saints. The second describes our ‘active identity’ as Servants, Subjects and Students. The third describes our ‘combative identity’ as Sojourners, Sportsmen and Soldiers. A brilliant expositor, Johnson allows the Bible to speak for itself. In view of how deceptively dissimilar the culture of Western Europe is from the American Deep South, I confess that I found the second half of ‘Who Am I’ more ‘preach-able’ than the first, although for balance, both are required. I would recommend this book to all Christians for either devotional reading or as a primer for deeper study. Terry, known for his deadpan humour, lack of common sense and liking for fish and chips from Anstruther, would sit back in his professorial study chair, pour himself a cup of English breakfast tea and smile at the question – ‘Who am I? It’s simple. I am a Christian, saved by grace, a disciple of Christ.’ • This book is available from Amazon.co.uk Colin Dow, Glasgow City Free Church

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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

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As disciples of Jesus, we want to be humble like him. Reflect on the fact that he, who created the universe, became a servant. His throne and wholly deserved universal acclamation was discarded as he willingly replaced the crown with a cross, and the adoration with mocking. Red light warning. Our current mission philosophy could easily jettison the key value of humility. Watchfulness is required. God is jealous for His own honour and He will not share it with another. Our church planting plan is to see 30 new churches in Scotland by 2030. Remember the old Yiddish proverb, ‘We plan, God laughs.’ The aim is an aspiration, even a longing, it should not become either an idol or a rod to beat ourselves up with. The number is not the most important issue. It is not a race but a desire to see the kingdom grow through healthy gospel churches. It is an ambitious target because it would result in the denomination growing by nearly 30% in 15 years. It would buck the growth trend for every other presbyterian church in Scotland which could easily become fertile ground for the growth of man-centred hubris. As a denomination, we have learned some hard lessons in the last decade. We have witnessed moral failure, illness as well as a pandemic and financial crash. Do not forget that we have also experienced God’s grace-laden provision in terms of finance and conversion growth. This is wholly the doing of the Lord and it must be wondrous in our eyes. So many of our congregations have witnessed significant renewal. Who remembers when St Columba’s, Edinburgh was at the point of closure? What about St Peter’s, Dundee which was off the scale in terms of challenges? Kiltarlity was in single figure membership and umilit y

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Campbeltown was hanging by a thread. St Columba’s has gone on to be the mother church to 4 thriving daughter churches and St Peter’s begat St Andrews which has thrived and has turned into a veritable minister factory. Humility comes easily when we remember that none of this was possible without the miracle of God’s mighty power. Humility is not the opposite of confidence; it is its necessary twin. There was no person as humble as Jesus and yet he was the most confident person who ever lived. Mission can be weary work but it can also be easy and light. How can this be? Listen to Jesus, ‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:29) Some years ago, Rick Warren appeared at our Portree church during a holiday in Skye. He spoke encouraging words to the preacher but I am thankful for his famous quote on humility. ‘Humility is not denying your strengths; humility is being honest about your weaknesses.’ At the other end of the theological scale is John Flavel who wrote, ‘When God intends to fill a soul, he first makes it empty. When he intends to enrich a soul, he first makes it poor. When he intends to exalt a soul, he first makes it sensible to its own miseries, wants and nothingness.’ My point. If Christ-produced humility is not at the heart of our mission, then all our work is a travesty, mere wood, hay and stubble which will be burned up in the fire of judgment. If, however, we proceed in total dependence on the Holy Spirit and with the attitude of a servant, we will experience the blessing of God. Is it not the case that there is no limit to what we can do if God gets the credit? •

SEPTEMBER

POETRY PAGE LOVE'S SACRIFICE BY CHARLES WESLEY

O thou who camest from above, The pure, celestial fire to impart, Kindle a flame of sacred love On the mean altar of my heart, There let it for thy glory burn With inextinguishable blaze. And trembling to its Source return, In humble prayer and fervent praise. Jesus, confirm my heart’s desire To work, and speak, and think for thee, Still let me guard the holy fire, And still stir up thy gift in me, Ready for all thy perfect will My acts of faith and love repeat, ‘Till death thy endless mercies seal, And make my sacrifice complete.

Photo by Gruescu Ovidiu on Unsplash

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) is best known for his prolific hymn writing, his poetry, and for being one of the founding fathers of the Methodist denomination of Christianity (although he objected to separating from the Church of England). Wesley wrote more than six thousand hymns, which are marked by their strong doctrinal content, a richness of scriptural and literary allusion, and the variety of his metrical and stanza forms. Love’s Sacrifice, published in Short Hymns in 1762, is also known as “O Thou Who Camest From Above” and is often sung in four stanzas. •

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PAGES FROM ADAM’S DIARY, PART 2: An Afghan Doctor A brother, known to some of us as Dr Adam, has served the Lord among his suffering church for many years. Dr Adam has also ministered in various parts of the world among refugees. We have asked his permission to print some of the stories of his life and service for the encouragement of readers of The Record. For well understood reasons, the names of people and places have usually been changed or omitted. This piece was first published in September 2020, during the pandemic. It is being re-printed as we want to ensure that Dr Adam’s stories reach as many people as possible.

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It was as though this man and his wife were passing through a door and over a bridge—from darkness into light, from death to life.

from his eyes. His wife, watching her husband, was now overcome by emotion. It was as though the Spirit of God had passed through the room. Right before my eyes, I was seeing a spiritual metamorphosis. It was as though this man and his wife were passing through a door and over a bridge — from darkness into light, from death to life. And what a change God brought into the heart of this man, his wife and their children! The evidence of the reality of the transformation followed quickly. A few months later, he who had gone through such upheaval to leave Afghanistan and come to Europe took his family and went back to Afghanistan. I learned he had rented a house and opened a makeshift clinic in the north. He was using that clinic and medicine as a means of spreading the Gospel. No human ideology can achieve that kind of transformation in the life of person, from self-preservation to selflessness. Only Christ can do that! As far as I know, he is still in Afghanistan, not only as a medical doctor but as a light, as an ambassador of Christ and harbinger of life in a country choked and ravaged by an ideology of hate, ignorance, violence and death. What God has done through the life of this former refugee one day will be made known in heaven. A brave, lone man, empowered by the Spirit of God, mightier than ten armies of the Taliban, amidst such despair and darkness. They are bent on evil but he has been sent forth for enduring good. Not long after meeting this Afghan family, I was visiting a dear pastor friend of mine in Scotland. He invited me to go with him to see his son’s farm where they also raised sheep. When we arrived at the farm, the son told his father that earlier that day, he had taken 100 sheep to the market, but two were kept because they were pet sheep for his 12-year-old sister. She was with us to visit her brother and sister-in-law. Then my friend asked, ‘Where are the two sheep?’ (Both of whom had been named.) We looked around and noticed several hundred meters away on the side of a hill what appeared like two small white cotton balls. The young man said, ‘There they are!’ He called their names, but they did not respond. Then my friend called, but again, no response. He asked me to call. Still no response. Then the young girl to whom the two sheep belonged, in her soft child’s voice, called them by their names. Upon hearing her voice, it was as though two rockets had been launched. They turned around, dashed down the hillside, jumping over brush and heather, and soon they were right at her feet. It was a beautiful illustration of the words of our Lord when he told those who were rejecting him, ‘My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. A stranger they will not follow. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me’ (John 10:3-17). •.

ne of the fields in which i have had the blessing and the privilege to serve our saviour is among the refugees and asylum seekers in

Photo by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash

different countries of europe.

As I follow our Lord through his fields, there are always extraordinary and unforgettable encounters and events. One such incident happened in one of my visits to a refugee camp several years ago when an Afghan medical doctor came to one of our introduction-to-theChristian-faith and Bible-study gatherings. He continued to come in the following days. He had fled Afghanistan with his wife and their two young daughters. They had gone through unbelievable ordeals to make their way to Europe. Although he had suffered at the hands of the Taliban, he seemed devoted to Islam. He was an intelligent and gracious man. For a whole week, he came to all of our meetings, and afterward, he often insisted that I go to his small camp room, where he and his family lived. He was interested to learn why I had ‘changed my religion’. ‘What caused you to become a Christian?’ I told him that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was the most beautiful message I had ever heard. I noted that, in the face of Christ, I saw the face of God; in his teaching, I heard the truth; and in his words, I heard the words of God. I explained, ‘No other person has ever impacted every aspect of human history for good as Jesus Christ has.’ On one occasion, I was teaching John chapter 10, and our Lord’s statement that ‘My sheep hear my voice and they follow me’. I told him that this passage was knitted to the preceding account about the man who was born blind and Jesus had healed him. This blind man could now see, in the face of Jesus the man, the face of God because he was one of his sheep. On the other side were the religious leaders who, in their own estimation, were enlightened and righteous. However, that external piety had blinded them to the wretched condition of their hearts. They thought they were able to see when, in fact, they were blind (John 9:39-41). They were seeing the man, a Galilean carpenter, but they were unable to perceive that they were looking into the face of God (Colossians 1:15-20). My Afghan doctor friend was listening intently. As I was elucidating the meaning of the words of Christ that ‘His sheep hear his voice’, I was sitting on the floor and he was sitting in front of me. His head was down. As he was looking at the floor, I noticed he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. With that, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit, with much urgency and emphasis, to ask him, ‘Doctor Shah (not his real name), are you hearing the call of the Great Shepherd?’ Without saying a word, he nodded his head, ‘Yes!’ Tears were streaming

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SEP-OCT 2022 PRAYER DIARY ‘First we meditate on Jesus and then we go out and look for him in disguise.’ Mother Theresa Let us pray this month for God’s Son. Please send any prayer requests to Mrs Shona McGuire at seonaid1954@hotmail.co.uk Mon 12th – Wed 14th ‘He came down to Earth from heaven who was God and Lord of all.’ It wasn’t a last-ditch attempt to solve the problem of sin. It was always God’s plan to send his Son. God chose the time, the place and the family. Pray for the ability to explain this extraordinary mission to others. Healthy Gospel Church prayer point: We are thankful that church leaders are supported in their roles through training at the Edinburgh Theological Seminary and from Free Church boards and committees. Pray that God will continue to sustain leaders, after an unprecedented two years. Thu 15th – Sun 18th Jesus was born, grew up and lived as a human. Matt Haig in his book The Humans describes us as ‘bipedal lifeforms of mid-range intelligence, living a largely deluded existence on a small, waterlogged planet in a very lonely corner of the universe.’ What must it have felt like to leave behind your immortality and become mortal... to feel warmth and touch, to eat and drink with a human family. Give thanks daily that Jesus accepted this mission. Mon 19th – Wed 21st Jesus introduced a completely new way of thinking. He explained to his followers in Luke 13 that bad things did not happen exclusively to bad people or good things to good people. We are all at God’s mercy. Pray that he would be merciful to us and that we would show mercy to others. Thu 22nd - Sun 25th Jesus performed many miracles. Did he do it to convince people of who he was or perhaps show them what might be possible in the future? His miracles didn’t usually contradict natural law but rather replicated the normal activity of creation at a different speed. It appears more likely that he did them to help people, to show love for God’s people. Pray for help in loving the people we find hard to love.

were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.’ It makes you wonder about the ‘other things.’ Give thanks to God for 33 years that changed the world. Thu 29th – Sun 2nd Jesus came to Earth with the goal of leaving after transferring his mission to his followers. Well that’s us! There are days when you watch the news and wonder if we are really worth saving at all and then along comes a story about what humans are prepared to do for each other. The most worrying aspect is that people judge a faith by its followers and that's a big mistake. Often the kindest people in the world are atheists. Pray that we would look to Jesus, remembering how much he must have loved us, and not give up on each other. Mon 3rd – Wed 5th Hayley Mills’ mother wrote a book which was turned into a film called ‘Whistle down the Wind’ about a group of children who find an injured man in the barn and think he is Jesus. They bring him food and blankets. They talk with him and show him love and respect and it transforms the convict who had never been shown mercy before. Pray that our eyes would be open to the needs of others and that we would not rush to judgment. Thu 6th – Sun 9th He never wrote a book He never painted a picture He never raised an army He never travelled far He had no formal education He never owned any property He taught for three short years yet had more effect upon the history of mankind than any other human who has ever existed. Pray for the faith to believe that he is who he said he was.•

Mon 26th – Wed 28th He stayed for 33 years. John 21:25 tells us, ’Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them

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Bho bhuaireas gu fois (From turmoil to peace) LE JANET NICPHÀIL

uair a leughas sinn am bìoball,

is e glè thric buaireadh a leughas sinn, agus ann an dòigh air chor-eigin, an Cruthaidhear a' riaghladh os cionn gach suidheachadh agus a' toirt A rùintean Fhèin gu buil. Mar a tha sinn air a ràdh gu math tric, is e seo a rinn E aig an fhìor thoiseach, ann an Gàrradh Edein. Cheadaich E do nàmhaid a thighinn a- steach don dachaigh bheannaichte-sa, agus dh'èist Eubha agus Adhamh ri guth an nàmhaid. Chì sinn an uair sin Dia ag ullachadh freagairt dhaibh, a-mach às an t-suidheachadh uabhasach-sa. Tha craobh na beatha air a dìon le claidheamh lasrach, agus tha Adhamh agus Eubha a-nis a-muigh ann an saoghal fuar a tha ag iarraidh orra saothair a dhèanamh le fallus an gnùis. Nach b' e seo a bha eucoltach ris an dachaigh a dh' fhàg iad? Tha teaghlaichean a' tighinn às an dèidh, agus leughaidh sinn glè thric mu bhuaireadh anns an dachaigh. Tha seo ag adhbharachadh cron gu leòr. Aig amannan chì sinn strìth agus farmad eadar buill teaghlaich, agus suidhichidhean èiginneach ag èirigh a-mach às an seo. Uaireanan, tha freagairt iongantach aig a' Chruthaidhear airson nì math a thoirt às an olc. Chì sinn aig amannan eile, rìoghachd ag èirigh an aghaidh rìoghachd eile, agus glè thric bidh cogaidhean, marbhadh agus mòran tròimh-chèile ann. Tha e duilich dhuinn a' chùis a rèiteach nar breithneachadh, ach tuigidh sinn glè thric gu bheil an Cruthaidhear a' toirt A rùintean Fhèin gu buil, eadhon à suidhichidhean uabhasach nar sùilean-ne. Nach eil eachdraidh Iob fhèin na thòimhseachan? Tha sinn a' leughadh an iomraidh a tha an Fhìrinn a' toirt air, ach chì sinn e, agus call mòr air a thighinn air a dhachaigh, air fhèin 's air a theaghlach. Cha robh freagairtean an t-saoghail-sa gu feum do dh' Iob. B'e ceistean à tìr eile a thug air a bhith tostach, agus esan air thalamh agus Cruthaidhear mòr a' riaghladh. Chan urrainn dhuinn gun a bhith a'faighneachd mòran cheistean, ach ma thèid sinn leotha gu Dia glic, is e sin an t-aon àite sam faigh sinn cuideachadh sam bith. Leughaidh sinn mu gach sàrachadh a rinneadh air fàidhean a' Chruthaidheir. Nach do ràinig am fàidh, Ieremiah, ìre far an tuirt e,' Och nach robh agam anns an fhàsach pàillean fir-thurais, a-chum

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gu fàgainn mo shluagh, agus gun imichinn uapa!' B'e na fàidhean a bha a' tighinn le facal A' Chruthaidheir, agus mar sin, bhiodh gu cinnteach buaireadh nan eachdraidh, agus A rùn Fhèin aig Dia anns na nithean sin. Ach 's ann a chì sinn fìor shàrachadh, buaireadh agus fulangas ann am beatha an t-Slànaigheir air thalamh. 'Shàraicheadh E agus rinneadh ainneart Air, gidheadh cha do dh'fhosgail E A bheul.' A-mach às gach buaireadh agus fulangas, b' Esan an curaidh buadhach, a dh'ullaich le saothair-gràidh, slighe gu àite far nach bi droch rùn, aimhreit, buaireadh no troimh-chèile sam bith. Mar a tha am bàrd ag ràdh, 'Bidh iad seachad air gach cunnart, bha gan ruith an Gleann nan Deòir'. Nuair a gheibh sluagh Dhè dhachaigh, cha bhi iad air am buaireadh tuilleadh, agus cha bhi mìrùn anns an dachaigh nèamhaidh. Bidh ceòl-molaidh a' tighinn bho gach aon Dhà-san a thug iad à slochd uamhann, à saoghal buaireant' gu 'baile-tàimh is fois'. Nach ann aig sluagh a' Chruthaidheir a tha an gealladh iongantach, gum bi iad air an stiùireadh a-bhos, 'air bealach ceart f'an cois',agus andèidh sin, gu faic iad aghaidh an Tì sin a shaor iad gu bhith nan cloinn dha Fhèin ann am baile sìtheil? Dachaigh ionmhiannaicht' gu cinnteach do shluagh Dhè. •

WWW.FREECHURCH.ORG

BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX I

remember,

long

ago,

spending

warm,

her — the victim — rather than the perpetrator. I know that this was an accurate depiction of attitudes at that time, and it is this which makes for uncomfortable viewing. I don’t suggest that we remain unenlightened in our attitudes to sexual violence, but we have utterly failed to deal with the consequences of it or, more widely, with unplanned pregnancy arising from consensual relationships. Sadly, stories like that of ‘The Road Dance’, often ended with the mother committing infanticide because in a mind disarranged by fear, the shame of bearing and raising an illegitimate child eclipsed the sin of murder. They wanted only to put the evidence of their shame from them so that the judgemental community might never know how far they had fallen. These women chose private hell over public ignominy. When you see it in a film, set against the primitive backdrop of Garenin, and supported by attitudes so quaint that we feel superior in our modern understanding, we ignore the fact that actually, little has changed in how we deal with situations like these. Unplanned pregnancy can be ‘fixed’. It can be made like it never happened. Put it away, tuck it out of sight, a secret between the woman and her doctor. Your neighbours never have to know that there was a baby and that’s all that matters — that and the fact that you are not saddled with a child you never wanted. But, in private, these women are suffering. Society now offers them no more comfort than it did in the days of ‘The Road Dance’, except that it has legalised a remedy of death. It says much about us that our solution for fear and inconvenience is still pretence. Abortion cannot alter the fact that there was a child. It denies life in this world to the baby, but it cannot negate its existence. Nor, in Christian compassion should we forget the other victims: the mothers, for mothers they are. These lines by Alice Meynell on stillbirth apply just as much to women persuaded to terminate a pregnancy: ‘Ten years ago was born in pain A child not now forlorn But oh, ten years ago in vain, A mother, a mother was born’. •

sunny

Photo by Dorothea Witter-Rieder on Wikipedia Commons

september week in a blackhouse at garenin. The small

knot of restored homes seem to cling together for shelter from the elements, facing one another for comfort, and resolutely ignoring the Atlantic in all its crashing and raging just a short distance away. These houses strike the modern eye as strictly functional — their very architecture an acknowledgement that the wind and rain will have the final say. Any daylight that could make its way in did so through the meanest of apertures and had then to fight with peat smoke for supremacy within. In the earlier design of blackhouses, the fire was set in the middle of the floor, and a small opening in the thatch served as an inadequate chimney. Pots and kettles were boiled over the flames, suspended from a chain which any schoolchild will tell you, was called a ‘srablaidh’. Our forebears owned so few things that it is possible for us to label them easily, and to understand their purpose. Money was not plentiful and purchases were, by necessity, few and practical. Most modern island homes retain some remnant of the blackhouse-dwelling ancestors’ life: a tea set, a pair of wally dugs, or a clock, perhaps. These prized objects were often wedding gifts, or bought with money earned by the herring girls — young women who worked hard and must have craved beauty, whether in the form of a pretty frock, or the gleam of painted porcelain shining on a smoky dresser. The recent film of John Mackay’s book, ‘The Road Dance’ was shot on location at Garenin, where the story was set and, indeed, where the real events which inspired the author, actually took place. On screen, much was made of the claustrophobic nature of village life then. We see the young protagonist trying to find a place for herself in the world, pursuing a gentle romance with her poetically-inclined neighbour and — ultimately — trying to hide a shocking crime and the tragic consequences of it. This is a remnant of blackhouse life with which we also still live but, unlike the chiming clocks or the china dogs, it isn’t nostalgic or cosy. Watching the story unfold on the big screen, I was repelled by the fact that the young woman felt that the rape shamed

THE RECORD

SEPTEMBER