THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND THE RECORD Brave New Scotland David J Randall The Church and Its College John Angus MacLeod The Future of Sunday School - Joe Barnard MAY 2014/ 1.50
WHO S WHO Editor / Malcolm Maclean 56 Castle Heather Crescent, Inverness, IV2 4BF macleanmalcolmm@outlook.com Missions Editors / David and Olwen Ford 7 Foxes Grove, Lenzie, G66 5BN 0141 578 6748 davidandolwen@hotmail.com Gaelic Editor / Janet MacPhail 24 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA Copy Editor and Prayer Diary Dayspring MacLeod 0131 226 5286 / dayspring.macleod@btinternet.com Reviews Editor All reviews should be sent to Malcolm Maclean Design J MacQueen The Free Church of Scotland Has over 100 churches in Scotland, two churches in London, and five churches in North America Has sister churches founded by mission work in India, Peru and South Africa Has a full-time Theological College in the heart of Edinburgh for the training of ministers and other Christian workers Subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith Sustains an extensive missionary programme relative to the size of the denomination Is committed to evangelising Scotland with the gospel of Jesus Christ Publishes three magazines: The Record for adults, Free for teenagers, and The Instructor for children Please visit our website at www.freechurch.org WHAT S WHAT The views expressed in this magazine are those of the editors and contributors, which are understood to reflect generally the theological position of the Free Church of Scotland, unless otherwise stated. Unsigned articles are by the editor. No material can be published unless the full name and address of the contributor is supplied. The preferred method of submission is electronic in Word. The magazine also publishes from time to time the Church s official policies and statements. Unless you indicate otherwise, we will assume that, if suitable, your letter is available for publication, either in the magazine or on the website. Anonymous letters will be ignored. Advertising: anyone wishing to advertise in the magazine should contact the Editor. Similarly, anyone wishing to have an insert should contact him for information. The Record/ISSN 2042-2970 SUBSCRIPTIONS Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS 0131 226 5286 Miriam@freechurchofscotland.org.uk The annual subscription price for The Record is 25. This includes postage and packing. Cheques should be made payable to: Free Church of Scotland. Please contact us for overseas subscription costs. Record Blog address is http://freechurchrecord.blogspot.co.uk/ The Record of the Free Church of Scotland is recorded on a memory stick and is available for the visually impaired. It requires a special player to listen to it. The memory stick is sent and returned in a special freepost packet. If you know someone who requires this facility, please ring Norman Kennedy at 01463240192. The Record is produced by the Free Church of Scotland Scottish charity number SC012925 www.freechurch.org Page 2 May 2014
Editorial Later this month our annual General Assembly will meet in Edinburgh. No doubt there will be many important decisions to be made. Behind each of them will lie very good reasons and along with each decision there will be certain anticipations of what will be the outcomes. Nevertheless the reality is that no one knows what the consequences will be. Yet that ignorance is not really a cause for concern because we know the One who guides his church, and we can be confident that he, the Lord of the church, will guide our decision-making or overrule any mistakes we make. This has been the story of the church since the beginning. The prospect of having to make decisions about which the outcomes are unknown as disturbed some church leaders in every period. But part of the calling of leadership is to make intelligent decisions about the unknown future. Perhaps the delegates who gathered at the Council of Jerusalem were apprehensive as they met to decide what to do about the response of Gentile believers to the Old Testament ceremonial law. For some of the delegates the assumption was that the Gentiles should be compelled to keep it. Other delegates, including Paul, thought differently and were prepared to stand their ground in order to bring about a decision of which Christ would approve. I don't think Paul stood for his decision because he knew what the outcome would be. Nor did he decide his viewpoint based on what the 'important' and 'influential' in Jerusalem might think. Neither did Paul make his decision because he was his own man. Instead he made it because he was Christ's man unafraid of the future consequences of decisions he knew were right and Christ-honouring. At the moment I don't know what issues will need to be decided at this year's Assembly. But since the process is under the supervision of the Head of the church we can be hopeful that they will be guided by him in their decision-making, and that he who has planned the future will guide them for whom it is an unknown future. Ω Contents The Single Christian and the Married Church Elizabeth McHugh Page 4 Brave New Scotland David J Randall Page 5 Jesus: Our Example in Prayer Alex J. MacDonald Page 6 Imagining the Future of Sunday Schools Joe Barnard Page 8 The Church and Its College John Angus MacLeod Page 10 Interview with Daniel Sladek Dayspring MacLeod Page 12 News A Great Day in Falkirk Perth Member Celebrates 100 Years Govan Free Church Page 13 Page 13 Finance and the Way Forward for the Free Church James Fraser Page 16 Obituary Rev. Alastair Ross Page 18 Reviews Page 20 The Matrix Shona McGuire Page 22 Gaelic Page 23 From the Frontiers Page 24 South African Encounter Going Global Key Issues (4) Contextualization Once Upon a Time Nel McCabe Prayer Diary Page 29 The Final Reel Heroes: Super? Dayspring MacLeod Page 32 May 2014 Page 3
DEVOYIONAL The Single Christian and the Married Church Elizabeth McHugh Kermit the Frog (from The Muppets) once said It s not easy being green and Kermit, being a green frog, knew what he was talking about. Kermit was definitely one of a kind on The Muppets. If Kermit didn t find it easy to be green, reflect on the role of the pastor, the ordained minister of a congregation. They do not have the easiest job either. They minister to the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor, the old and the young, the parents and the childless, the married and the single. All these people have different needs at different times in their lives. They come into church in different combinations. Can the pastor, or the church, meet the needs of them all? Is it possible? Consider the single Christian, single in the sense of not being married (not a solo Christian standing in a room). They will come into church at different points in their lives. Some will only be single until early adulthood, some will come to singleness after divorce or being in a long-term relationship (straight or gay), some will come to church when they are widowed with no family at all or no family nearby, and some will be single all of their lives. (Apologies for any aspects of singleness that have been missed out of this list.) How can their needs be met? What are their needs? Do they see the church as a place to go on a Sunday so that they can worship God with others? Or is the congregation that they attend just a place to go to get out of the house, one congregation being as much use for that purpose as any other? For some people (single or otherwise), that is a possibility. How difficult is it for single Christians to go to a church, to enter a building and be part of a congregation for the first time, where they do not know anyone? For some it will be easy, for others less so. How does the congregation receive the single Christian? With warmth and openness? Let us hope so. However, what if the congregation does not react that way? What if the single person feels that for their congregation the idea of a church family only applies to those that are married? No congregation will admit to that, of course, but it is perfectly possible that congregations project this image, even when they don t mean to. Are single Christians going to church, or staying away from it, with a large chip on their shoulder, thinking that the church is not the place for single people? Again, this requires reflection on the part of the single Christian, because no one, including them, is perfect. Do single Christians go to church because they see the Church as a face to face version of a Christian online dating agency? Perhaps not On the other hand, given how difficult it is to meet people of the right Christian persuasion, why not? But where does that leave single Christians in a church congregation populated predominantly by married people? Lost and alone or uplifted by the example of the married Christians they are surrounded by? It has to be remembered that the needs of single Christians are different from those of married people, and different from one another. A single person facing up to the possibility of being childless may look at their singleness differently from the single parent. A single person who longs for marriage will be different from one who does not care to ever be married. A single person facing the end of their life will be different from a single person for whom death seems a far-off eventuality. A gregarious single person will interact with a congregation in a different way from a shy single person. There will be times when quoting Jeremiah 29:11 to a single person will uplift them and there will be times when it will seem almost like a cruelty. (Admittedly, that could equally apply to a married person.) Do single Christians and married Christians need to try and bridge the gap of understanding between each other? Some of the best friendships in a congregation can happen when single and married Christians learn more about the lives of each other, spending time in the company of one another outside of the worship time. Of course friendships cannot be forced everyone is human, after all - and there will be times when both sides need space. The church, pastors, and individual congregations have to consider if, or how, they accommodate single Christians, and single Christians have to consider if, or how, they accommodate the church. However, there has to be willingness on both sides. If not, such cracks as there are will only get wider, to the detriment of all. Ω Page 4 May 2014
BRAVE NEW SCOTLAND! David J Randall Chairman: Solas (Centre for Public Christianity) I n commenting on the introduction of same-sex marriage, Mr Alex Neil, the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing, has said that this decision sends out a message about the new Scotland we are creating. We fear that this assessment is tragically true. The decision does send out a message about the new Scotland that our parliament is trying to create, and this new Scotland is: A country in which politicians think they have the power to change the meaning of words. A country in which democracy is under threat. Parliament deliberately ignored the results of its own consultation (two of every three people who responded to its own consultation were against this change), so that the public is left wondering what was the point of asking (and whether it will ever be worth responding to a consultation again). It can only be deeply disturbing to voters that parliament has acted in such a cavalier and undemocratic fashion. A country in which many politicians have allowed a tiny minority of the tiny minority of people who are homosexually orientated to persuade them to defy common sense, elementary biology and the wisdom of the ages even (in a tell-tale symbol) turning to applaud toward the gallery. A country in which politicians (and a Health Secretary even) happily lead some people into situations that involve health risks (and acquiesce in the endeavour to sweep all such health issues under the carpet). A country in which politicians have prepared the way for the persecution of decent law-abiding citizens. The promise of so-called protections will prove to be meaningless and this decision will lead to legal cases, loss of employment, etc. Even before this legislation, a police chaplain in Strathclyde was sacked for privately expressing the view that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. Many jobs and professions will become out-of-bounds for conscientious Christians. A country in which reasoned argument is ignored. Replies received from MSPs have simply stated a disagreement without engaging with the arguments put forward, answering points made, or taking seriously the consequences that will flow from this historic decision. A country that thinks it knows better than the God who created the world and who instituted marriage for the good of human society. It is greatly to be feared that Mr Neil is right this decision does send out a message about the brave new country which he and others are trying to create. May God have mercy on us! Following hard upon the heels of that decision is the plan in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act that every child in Scotland (up to the age of 18) should be allocated a named person. Is this another signal of the development of state control over the lives of citizens? Does it represent a threat to the social and familial freedom we have enjoyed for many generations? The problem with the Act is that the intention of MSPs in passing this Bill may prove to be different from its outcome. Generally, parents know what is best for their children and should not be subject to any big brother looking over their shoulders, but where children and young people are under threat, it is clearly good and right that there should be systems of intervention. Such a desire to protect the wellbeing of children is to be applauded. But there are two problems with it. One is the logistical problem of providing such named persons and the likelihood that the implementation of the plan will have the effect of lessening such safeguards by stretching resources so thinly that the welfare of vulnerable children will be endangered rather than protected. The other problem is the longer-term outcome of the Act. Things have a way of moving on and the introduction of named persons may lead to a situation that goes far beyond what present MSPs intend. The obvious analogy is with the 1967 Abortion Act, which intended to allow abortion in certain limited circumstances and we all know what has happened since. This Children and Young People (Scotland) Act has the potential to become a means for the state snooping into family life, the enforcement of the politically correct liberal agenda being pursued by our Parliament. They tell us that named persons could not require parents to bring up their children in a particular way, but the passing of this legislation could be the thin end of a very unwelcome wedge, leading to unwarranted and unwelcome intrusion into family life. How long will it be, for example, before refusal to comply with politically correct liberal attitudes on homosexual practice and marriage will become a cause for intrusion on parental rights? Lord, save us from this brave new world, this new Scotland which our parliament is seeking to create. Ω SCOTLAND May 2014 Page 5
CONFERENCE TALKS Jesus Our Example in Prayer Alex J MacDonald We sometimes use the expression coming in on a wing and a prayer. It originates from a 1943 song, which was based on the words of the pilot of a disabled plane speaking to the control tower. It s as if prayer is the last resort, and a rather hopeless one at that! But for the Christian, prayer should be the first resort, not the last! Why? Because of the example of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus. You might think if there was ever anyone who didn t need to pray, it was Jesus the perfect Son of God with a sinless human nature! And yet we read that not only did Jesus attend public prayers in the synagogue and Temple, not only did he pray with his disciples, but he also prayed privately. What can we learn from this for ourselves and how we pray? The sheer fact that Jesus prayed We read in Luke 6:12, One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. This is not an isolated example, as is clear from the following: Luke 3:21 When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened... Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Matthew 14:23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone... Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. Matthew 26:36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, Sit here while I go over there and pray. In addition, we have three examples of Jesus prayers: The Lord s Prayer which is really a model for his followers, but also can give us insights into how Jesus prayed (probably the only part he could not have prayed himself was Forgive us our debts ). John 17 here we have Jesus prayer for his own work, for the disciples and for his church. Gethsemane Jesus wrestling in prayer about his own great work of atonement. We also have various short one-sentence prayers, such as Father, forgive them; they don t know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). It is clear that prayer for Jesus was as natural as breathing or eating particularly private prayer. Is this part of Jesus example that we should follow? It ought to be, as we are even more in need of it than Jesus. We need forgiveness of sins as well as deliverance from temptation. The place Jesus prayed He went out into the mountains. We also read that he went to solitary places to pray. In the mountains it is easier to get a sense of proportion. All the doings of men shrink to their proper scale in comparison with the works of God in creation. Of course we can t all go out in the hills to pray! Page 6 May 2014
But we ought to try to get away from all distractions. Jesus taught us: But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:6). It is important too not to draw attention to yourself like the Pharisees did. In one sense, it doesn t matter where we pray, but it s best to take advantage of quietness and privacy. Sometimes you may wonder why you can t sleep. Maybe God is giving you an opportunity to pray? The time Jesus prayed He prayed at night-time he spent the night praying to God (Luke 6:12). Again, it was quiet at night. There were no distractions, either from the crowds wanting his help, or his enemies wanting to attack him. It is important that you find a quiet time for prayer when you are not likely to be disturbed. While others slept, Jesus kept watch. Sometimes you may wonder why you can t sleep. Maybe God is giving you an opportunity to pray? Even when we are ill, and we don t have much strength to pray, we can still manage short, one-sentence prayers. But perhaps, like Jesus, we should get up early to pray (Mark 1:35). You may not be at your best first thing in the morning (!), but often it is the quietest time. Notice too that, in Luke 6:12, we are told that Jesus spent the night praying to God. Have you ever spent the night in prayer? I know I haven t! How far short we come of the example of Jesus! Jesus wanted his disciples to watch and pray while he prayed, but they couldn t even last one hour. And yet we can take comfort from the fact that while we sleep, Jesus is praying for us! He is our Great High Priest, our Advocate with the Father. Why Jesus prayed What were the circumstances in which Jesus prayed in Luke 6? Firstly, he faced opposition. Then Jesus said to them, I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it? He looked round at them all, and then said to the man, Stretch out your hand. He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus (vv. 9-11). Prayer is the right way to deal with opposition and trouble. Secondly, Jesus was preparing to commission his disciples When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew. (Luke 6:13-14). Jesus was discussing these things with his Father. Prayer is the right preparation for making important decisions. At a more general level, why did Jesus pray? Jesus prayed out of love for his Father. He loved to talk with his Father. In his incarnate human state, he was developing this relationship that he had with the Father from all eternity, now in new circumstances. We ought to pray because we love to speak to our heavenly Father, and we want to develop this new relationship we have been given in God s grace. There was also love for his people. He was interceding for his disciples, for his church, for us! (John 17) And he continues to intercede for us in his High Priestly work (Hebrews 7:25). So we ought to pray because we love God s people. Jesus also prayed out of concern for his work, for instance in Gethsemane. But this was his constant concern, as we see from Hebrews 5:7 During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. We ought also to be praying for the success of Christ s work that his finished work would be applied to sinners so that they would be saved. So is prayer a kind of last resort thing for you coming in on a wing and a prayer? Or is it as natural as breathing to share with Jesus your concerns, your hopes, your fears, your longings, your confessions, your pleadings for yourself and others? Is it your deepest desire to offer him your praise and adoration and love? If we have received Jesus as Saviour and Lord, then we want to follow him to follow his example, and included in that example is prayer. Ω CONFERENCE TALKS May 2014 Page 7
SUNDAY SCHOOL Imagining the Future of Sunday Schools Joe Barnard E veryone used to talk about the big storm. People knew it would hit eventually. At the start of every hurricane season you would hear adults and kids chatting about whether this would be the year when a category 5 hurricane would punch the mouth of the Mississippi River and fill New Orleans like a sink with a clogged drain. But for some reason politicians and city planners failed to prepare for the predictable. Rather than rebuilding levees, re-directing new construction, and checking to be sure that evacuation routes were adequate, they practiced the all too common rule if it s not broken, don t fix it, not realising that inadequate planning is itself a political defect. Then, in 2005, a colossal storm struck the city, and the whole world witnessed the embarrassment of not planning. Secularism is a storm worth preparing for. I hope for change, but right now the church is not winning many battles in the culture war. From our institutions to life in our neighbourhoods, from the values expressed through popular culture to the underlying presuppositions of school curriculum, society is increasingly defining herself in opposition to the church. For the person in the pew, this means that now is the time to put pressure on church leaders to avoid repeating the political blunder of prioritising present need at the expense of future planning. In a previous article I argued that the inherited model of Sunday School, though not broken, is nonetheless in need of fixing. The 21 st century is not the same as the 19 th century, and thus the inherited model of Sunday School needs revision in order to meet the needs of children growing up in an evolving world. My purpose here is to sketch a model of what a future Sunday School might look like. Now, reaching consensus is like finding one s balance on a tightrope a lean too far in any direction is perilous to the enterprise. Our goal must be clear: a solution that might appeal to a majority. This means that all versions of idealism are to be avoided. There are some, for example, who would argue that a more radical approach is needed to counter secularism, such as setting up independent Christian schools. Having worked in Christian education, I m more than sympathetic to their plea. However, in order to keep this discussion firmly planted in the soil of realism, the following must be acknowledged: first, that there is not yet widespread interest among evangelical families for religious schools; second, that Scotland currently lacks the culture and economic climate to pay for education (and education is never free); and third, that the denomination, itself struggling financially, is not in a position to finance or subsidise the costs of new schools. This means, at present, the hope for independent schools is wishful thinking. A voice rebuts, The church shouldn t have to foot the bill for education because that s the job of the State. The argument continues, If a secular state is willing to finance Catholic schools, a well known fact in modern Scotland, why shouldn t we expect the same treatment for new evangelical schools? Without rehearing the well known fait accompli of 1900, the relevant point here is that relying on the government to solve the woes of secularism is the modern equivalent to requesting Egyptian horses to buffer the threat of Assyria. One doubts whether the Edinburgh of 2050 will smile favourably on schools that pervert youth by teaching, among other things, that homosexuality is a sin. This rabbit trail helps to highlight why Sunday School is indeed the choice means for training youth in the coming years. The benefit of Sunday School is that it s an institution already in existence and therefore already accepted by churches and households. The challenge is to not allow the form of Sunday School to be rigid, but rather to see the institution as clay that can be reworked into something more suitable for today. My own proposal is the following: robust, worldviewcrafting Sunday Schools that are trans-congregational and Presbytery-subsidised, that provide training for parents as well as children and young adults. Allow me to elaborate: Page 8 May 2014
Robust means substantial. The church has all too often confused her desire for relevance with her children s desire for entertainment. Nothing Christian should be boring; however, the material of Sunday School must be as weighty as the needs of children. The test of relevance is reality: children need a theology that actually enlightens their existence; that makes sense of the world they inhabit; and that puts their lives in the context of a living truth called covenant. Worldview training would provide this. Many churches are already preparing for worldview by teaching children the overarching story of the Bible and by instructing children in theology and ethics. But this is just the raw material out of which a house must be built. These disparate elements must be drawn together into a framework that would, on the one hand, provide a coherent vision of life, and, on the other, provide a point of view from which to engage the surrounding culture. Finally, parents must confess that, generally speaking, their worldviews are no more sanctified than their children s. The Sunday Schools I am proposing would provide a ready structure for parents, as well as children, to receive high quality Christian teaching on topics that fall outside of the purview of Sunday worship. One can imagine a day on which, while teenagers are being taught a lesson on the idolatry of self in the music of Will.i.am, parents are wrestling with questions about how to protect the purity of children in a technological age. Meanwhile, a third seminar runs for general interest comparing and contrasting Christian and secular worldviews. Of course, the eventual hope would be to devise a set curriculum that would ensure that all basic worldview elements are covered. The long-term goal would be to graduate children who on top of orthodox theology and fine-tuned consciences have the intellectual tools needed to demolish strongholds and to make every thought obedient to Christ (II Corinthians 10:4-5). SUNDAY SCHOOL The long-term goal would be to graduate children who, on top of orthodox theology and fine-tuned consciences, have the intellectual tools needed to Such training could not happen adequately within the current structure of church. One must imagine something more akin to an actual Sunday school that meets during a two hour block on Sunday afternoons so as not to interfere with morning and evening services. By necessity, these schools would need to be trans-congregational in order to assure that teachers are stimulating and classes are full. A hub the size of Inverness might only service one or two of these schools, and video conferencing might enable instruction from city hubs to be broadcast to rural areas. Quality is always at a cost, literally. Buildings would need to be heated, materials purchased, and, in time, small stipends given to teachers. A Baptist or congregational model of church could never pull off an effort requiring so much organization and united effort. Fortunately, we are positively Presbyterian, which means that, harnessing the missional power of our Presbyterian structure, these Sunday Schools could fall under the oversight and within the budgets of Presbyteries. demolish strongholds and to make every thought obedient to Christ I d ask sceptics to consider the recent success of the Porterbrook training program. Porterbrook s success is only partially based on the quality of its material; its popularity is equally due to the niche it has filled by providing a discipleship program that requires less commitment and money than Bible College but more than a traditional Bible study group. Is there not a comparable niche to be filled for training youth and families? Imagine a day when evangelicals all around Scotland look to Free Church Sunday Schools to train their youth, because only the Free Church has had the innovative spirit and institutional structure to create a valid third option: something requiring less commitment and money than an independent school but something capable of far more than any inherited model. Ω May 2014 Page 9
COLLEGE The Church and Its College John Angus MacLeod The Free Church of Scotland and its College are living through a time when they have to take stock of what is core and must not be dispensed with, and what can be changed without affecting their mission under the Lord Jesus Christ. No one who passionately cares about glorifying God in Scotland will be at ease as they go through these processes especially when it is perceived that they are partially, at least, driven by financial pressures. One particular concern has to do with the relationship between the Church and its College. The imminent change of name from Free Church College to Edinburgh Theological Seminary has been suggested by some to be evidence of a trend that can only harm the cause of Christ in Scotland and beyond. I want to describe the kind of institution that the Free Church College is at present, and what my colleagues and I intend that Edinburgh Theological Seminary will continue to be in the future. The Seminary is and will be avowedly confessional. This does not simply mean that those who teach within the Seminary subscribe to the Confession of Faith. It also means that what is taught in the Seminary will reflect the main emphases of the Confession. Central to this confessional framework is the Department of Systematic Theology. It has traditionally been shaped as the library is shaped by the doctrines of the Confession of Faith. Within this department, the whole counsel of God is explained and taught. Moreover, it is taught at the level that enables students to know the main doctrines well enough to both proclaim and defend them. The Seminary is and will be biblically reformed. In Systematic Theology, the core doctrine has to do with the doctrine of revelation and its relation to Scripture: the Bible is the Word of God. Good biblical studies will approach the Word of God with an unwavering respect for the divinely inspired nature of the material in terms both of the bigger picture and the finer details. The importance of the detail provides the reason for the study of the biblical languages, in particular Greek and Hebrew. The Free Church has always insisted that all Free Candidates who intend to be ordained as teaching elders be required to study Greek and Hebrew. There are other forms of Christian service that will not require such intimate knowledge of Greek and Hebrew and the Seminary wishes to be of help in their theological education as well. However, Edinburgh Theological Seminary has no intention of shifting from its strong recommendation that all those who are preparing for a full-time teaching ministry anywhere in the church of Christ should study Greek and Hebrew. Indeed, this is one of our niche offerings. The Seminary is and will be denominationally rooted. The Seminary is linked to the Free Church of Scotland and no one wants that to change. The Seminary will continue to be known as the Free Church of Scotland s College. That is part of its strength, not its weakness. The College has helped the Church keep its focus in the past; and the Church has helped the College by its care in appointing and overseeing those who would teach. Yes, we want other denominations to share in this avowedly confessional, biblically reformed theological education, but not at the expense of its connection with Page 10 May 2014
the Church. Edinburgh Theological Seminary is totally at ease with this denominational rootedness, believing that it provides strength, stability and purpose. In its transition to Edinburgh Theological Seminary, this College has no intention of dispensing with its Scottishness. Indeed, we consider this to be another element of our niche. We believe that our postgraduate courses in Scottish Church History and Theology offer something that no other theological college offers. The Seminary is and will be academically validated. In 2000, the Free Church College, at the instigation of the church and its candidates, asked for academic validation of its main course and received it without altering what it had always taught. It remains as avowedly confessional and as reformed in its biblical studies as ever. Indeed, Glasgow University recognised the uniqueness of our validated programmes within a Scottish reformed heritage, and are happy not only to validate relevant programmes but to play a role in supporting this reformed heritage. Why validation? The reasoning was that the students were already doing the work, and knew that it was worthy of a degree award. This would enable the Seminary to train students from other denominations, offering a degree course that was still avowedly confessional and biblically reformed. This validation by Glasgow University provides an opportunity for mission in the wider theological educational training associated with the mission of the church of Christ. Edinburgh Theological Seminary has no intention of dispensing with this. The Seminary is and will be unashamedly vocational. The ethos of the Seminary is vocational. The content of the programmes both undergraduate and postgraduate are thoroughly vocational. This affects the selection of the material that is taught in the departments. The Bachelor of Theology and the Master of Theology (both Taught and Research) may be academic programmes, but they are taught firmly within a vocational framework. Because the Seminary sees itself as vocational at its core, it also offers programmes other than those validated by the University of Glasgow. The Certificate in Theology and the Diploma in Christian Studies are intended to encourage Christians of all ages to delve deeper into the Word of God and provide opportunities for local discipleship. The Diploma in Christian Youthwork is a means of providing selected theological and practical training for those who wish to be involved in discipling and evangelising young people. The Diploma in Christian Ministry and Theology provides further opportunities for those already in various forms of pastoral ministry to develop vocational gifts and pursue supervised theological/pastoral research in areas that are related to their present spheres of ministry or to future areas of service. These programmes, like the Bachelor of Theology and the Masters in Theology, are all taught within a vocational ethos and serve to enable Christians from all denominations to prepare for ministry. The Seminary, like the Church, is determined that this vocational emphasis should not be lost. The Seminary is and will be enthusiastically missional. Like many other conservative denominations, the Free Church of Scotland is increasingly aware of the need to reach out to all parts of Scotland, and to nations beyond our own shores, with the gospel of the grace of God. While many of our students go into already established ministries, others seek to bring the gospel into new areas, planting new churches, revitalising old ones. All of them seek to bring the Word of God to rural regions or urban conurbations in a way that is faithful to the truth and relevant to their own generation. Edinburgh Theological Seminary is equipped to prepare missionaries for reaching out to such a secular world. It does so not at the expense of a theological focus, but by offering, in addition, training in defending and proclaiming the faith. These hugely important aspects are delivered by those who are recognised specialists in mission, apologetics, ethics and crosscultural evangelism. Edinburgh Theological Seminary will retain and develop this missional emphasis for the benefit of individuals and denominations in Europe and beyond who are equally burdened to prepare for mission in the 21 st century. Conclusion In conclusion, this is the kind of theological education I wish to be involved in one that is: avowedly confessional biblically reformed denominationally rooted academically validated unashamedly vocational enthusiastically missional The change of name from Free Church College to Edinburgh Theological Seminary will certainly help the Free Church and its College to share this theological education in a manner that will, with God s help, benefit the wider evangelical community as it seeks to serve the Lord and his mission. That is my desire, the desire of Principal Martin, and the desire of all my teaching colleagues. Ω COLLEGE May 2014 Page 11
INTERVIEW The new American lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament talks to Dayspring MacLeod I m from Iowa, in the Midwest. My wife is from Edinburgh and we met in London when I was doing a placement to London City Presbyterian Church. I went back to the States and she was still in the UK, but we kept in touch over e-mail. When we got engaged, I found it easier to come here than her going to the States. I grew up in a church-going family and attended a school run by our church. So I had a general awareness of Christianity and the Bible, yet I never had any idea of the Gospel. I was afraid of God, because I knew I was accountable to him and one day would have to answer to him for my life. Which hadn t been terrible, humanly speaking, but I knew it hadn t been the way it should have been. That s where I was when I went to university. I did a year abroad in France, and there was another American there who went to a Baptist church. She took me to the student group there. Many of the people I knew in France were Muslims, and I realised my views were not very different from Islam! The student group studied Islam as a topic one night, and invited some Muslims along to come and talk about their beliefs. All the Christians there were objecting to what they were saying, and I felt really bizarre because I felt I was on the Muslim side rather than the Christian side! One night I talked to one of these Muslims one-on-one, and he explained that in the Koran, Jesus wasn t crucified. I believed he had been crucified, but I didn t know what difference it made whether he was or not. So I suppose the first thing was realising I wasn t a Christian I thought I was because I had a Christian background. I started reading the Bible and eventually came to understand why Jesus died, so he could forgive our sins. I became a Presbyterian through the internet. I came back to the States and went to a big Baptist church. In France, it was a tiny, elderly congregation. I went from that to a huge church with thousands of members and two morning services to get everyone in! As a result of reading information I found on the internet, I eventually came to identify with the Reformed faith and settled into a Presbyterian church. My call to the ministry was quite gradual. I was involved in Campus Crusade in university and came to feel that I wanted to do student ministry full-time after uni, but that I had to have some sort of training. The church I was in kept putting me on a different track, to be in the ministry. I still wasn t sure what I wanted to do when I went to seminary, but eventually came to the conclusion that I d rather be working in a congregation. Looking back, I can see God directing me to what I do now. None of it was what I originally envisioned! When I was in theological college, I was thinking about going into some sort of teaching training ministers and such. I thought about going to Nigeria. In the end, I ended up in London, then the Free Church. After spending seven years as the minister in Duirinish, it seemed increasingly unlikely that I d be teaching. It came as a shock when I was called to the College! So where I am now has very little to do with any plans of mine. I always had an interest in languages and the Old Testament. Before seminary, I was taking classical Greek at the university in my hometown, and there was an Orthodox Jew studying Greek because he was interested in that period. And in the end, we agreed that he would tutor me in Hebrew and then we d read Greek together. So we met in the Hillel centre, and for one hour we d do Hebrew and then we d read through Galatians. To be able to teach others is a huge opportunity. I m really enjoying it. The College has been similar to what I expected. What s been different is the whole issue of pedagogy and how you teach. Prior to that, I had thought more in terms of content. What we re teaching is not just information, but skills that they can go out and use, interpreting the Bible. So how do you best teach them how to do that? One of the privileges of my job is that I keep growing through teaching others. We re doing historical books now; I find that fascinating, to be able to study that myself, much less teaching them to do it. I couldn t have a better job. We miss our friends in Skye, and the kids miss their friends. But Edinburgh s an amazing place to live, and we ve been blessed the way the boys have settled into school. I m really amazed we get to live here! Page 12 May 2014
This is a very exciting time for the Free Church and the gospel in Scotland. Obviously there are things in our society and situations in the Church that are depressing to us. People have gone through difficult times in their congregations and their denominations. But I think it s a really exciting time. When I was in Edinburgh before, I don t remember anyone talking about church planting or at least not doing it. Now there s Craigentinny, Morningside, Stirling, Govan, maybe some others and this is just in the Free Church. There are also things like 20 Schemes in Niddrie. There are four students from one congregation in my Old Testament class, and they re all planning to go into some form of ministry. In some congregations they d be amazed to have four new people, full stop. But some of these guys have recently been converted from non-christian backgrounds and are now training for the ministry. They come to the College along with people from other evangelical churches in Scotland. In the past that wouldn t have happened. There s a real opportunity for the Church in Scotland, and for the College to be part of that, training people. Teaching at the College is hugely different from the ministry. I miss contact with people outwith the church. I still have as much contact with people in the church, but where I was, I had quite a bit of contact with the community outside the Free Church. That doesn t come so naturally here, though we re still settling in. Paul s letters have been influential in my Christian life. Particularly Ephesians 2, as it s largely how I became a Christian in the first place. With my background, I really needed to know about God s righteousness, not ours. Please remember the Free Church College staff and students in your prayers! Thank you for talking to us, Daniel. A Great Day in Falkirk A gathering of around 250 people of all ages met at the Dawson Mission Hall in Carron, Falkirk, on Saturday 1st March at 2.30 for the induction of Rev. David S. Randall to the charge of Falkirk Free Church. The congregation had been vacant since the departure of previous minister Rev. Norman Mackay to set up a new congregation in Govan, Glasgow. The induction service was presided over by Rev. John Johnstone, the minister of Kirkcaldy Free Church and current Moderator of the Edinburgh & Perth Presbytery, to which Falkirk belongs. He preached from Ephesians 4:12, Preparing God s people for works of service, stressing that all believers are to be ministers of the Gospel. Following the sermon, Rev. Nigel Anderson, Clerk of the Free Church Board of Ministry, gave a narrative of proceedings during the period of the vacancy leading up to the call to Mr Randall and its confirmation by the presbytery. Thereafter the Moderator addressed Mr Randall with the questions of The Formula which all Free Church Ministers are required to sign and, having obtained correct answers, announced Mr Randall s appointment as Minister of Falkirk Free Church and engaged in prayer for him, his family and the Falkirk congregation. Mr Randall was then greeted with the right hand of fellowship by the Presbytery Members present and by a large number of ministers from the local congregations, as well as from the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas. Amongst these were Mr Randall s brother, Rev. Andrew Randall, and his father, Rev. David J. Randall. Mr Randall Sr. and Rev. Ivor MacDonald of Hope Church Coatbridge both gave testimonial addresses for the new minister, commending him to the congregation and to God s grace. Rev. Alex MacDonald of Buccleuch and Greyfriars gave a very moving address to the new minister, and Professor Bob Akroyd delivered a similar exhortation to the Falkirk congregation. Following the final psalm and the benediction, presentations were made to the new minister by Donald Matheson, Falkirk Session Clerk, to Mrs Linnea Randall by Mrs Anna McInnes, a founding member of the congregation, and to Luke, Stephen, Megan, and Sophie Randall by four Falkirk Trailblazers Sol and Eilidh Macmillan, Duncan Morrison, and David Nicolson. The final presentation was made to Prof Akroyd by Donald Matheson, thanking him for his sterling services to the congregation as Interim Moderator during the vacancy. The new minister concluded the proceedings in the Dawson Hall by inviting all present to proceed to the Free Church, where a good range of refreshments awaited them, and asking God s blessing on this meal. Around 200 people accepted this invitation and enjoyed a very warm period of fellowship over the meal. It was particularly gratifying to have a large contingent from Mr Randall s previous congregation of Newmilns present at the service and the refreshments. Ω Donald Matheson NEWS May 2014 Page 13
NEWS Perth Member Celebrates 100th Birthday On 5th February friends and family gathered at North Inch House in Perth to celebrate a remarkable milestone in the life of Miss Chirsty Maclean as she marked her 100th birthday. Chirsty received her telegram from the Queen, as well as many greetings from her friends congratulating her on reaching this marvellous milestone and wishing her God s richest blessings for the days ahead. Chirsty Maclean (a second cousin of Rev. Fergus Macdonald) was born in Boreray, a small island to the north of North Uist, to Colin and Catherine Maclean the second of six children. By 1920, the Maclean family were the only residents of an island which had at the turn of the 20th century supported 119 inhabitants. In the 1950s, Chirsty left Boreray and found work as a cook, eventually becoming head cook at Fernbrae Hospital in Dundee, where her excellent culinary skills were greatly appreciated. Her sister Dolina followed her to the mainland to seek employment. After their father s death in 1962, the family left the island for good and Chirsty, her two surviving sisters, Dolina and Effie, and elder brother Ronald settled in Stanley, Perthshire, while their other brother Donald Archie moved to the Highlands, eventually settling near Dundonnell in Wester Ross. His children, Catriona, Joan and Coleen, were frequent visitors to Stanley and regarded being with their aunts and uncle as the highlight of their holidays! The same held true later for the grand-nephews and niece. Maybe as a result of their years on Boreray with only their immediate family for company, Chirsty and Dolina gave the impression of being quiet and private people. Yet in their home the sisters were full of fun and stimulating conversation, and they gave a warm welcome to anyone, young or old, who came to visit. Keen gardeners both on Boreray and in Stanley, they were delighted to share their fruit and vegetables with friends and family. Chirsty and Dolina began to worship at the Free Church in Perth under the ministry of Rev. David Paterson, and they attended faithfully whenever they were able until Dolina s tragic death in 2008. Now resident at North Inch House in Perth and unable to come to services, Chirsty enjoys being visited by members of the congregation. She has a love for the things of God and appreciates it whenever anyone reads God s Word and prays with her, especially in her native Gaelic. Perth minister Rev. Paul Gibson said: It was such a joy to be with Chirsty to celebrate her 100th birthday I ve never been to a 100th birthday party before! Chirsty is loved dearly by our congregation and I m sure I speak for all the believers at Knox Church Perth, and indeed for Chirsty s family, when I say that I am thankful to God for his faithfulness in sustaining Chirsty all these years, for giving her such an evident faith in Christ, and for the blessing that she has in turn brought and continues to bring to all of us as her fellow pilgrims on the road to glory. Ω Page 14 May 2014
Govan Free Church New Premises for the Free Church in Govan As of 1 March 2014, the new Govan Free Church Office will be located within the Pearce Institute, 840-860 Govan Road, G51-3UU. The Pearce Institute, known to locals as the PI, has been at the heart of the Govan community since 1906. The PI is home to a significant number of community groups sharing the common aim of meeting the needs of the people of Govan and is an iconic landmark. With a wide range of accommodation, the PI can offer organisations an ideal venue for meetings, conferences, social functions, recreational pursuits and leisure activities. The office space that the Free Church is renting will be large enough to accommodate small group study and Christianity Explored courses. Greater numbers can be accommodated by the bigger halls within the building. NEWS New Friends for the Free Church in Govan From the 2013 General Assembly s endorsement of the work to March 2014, a total of around 40,000 has been contributed to the Govan Church Plant. To date, around 27 Free Church of Scotland congregations have contributed towards Norman s stipend fund. In addition to this, four USA-based congregations have committed funding to the project. All of this represents an astonishing provision of God thus far and has been a source of immense encouragement to all who are praying for the new venture. Rev. Norman Mackay and his wife Alison were invited to 10 th Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 7-11 November 2013 in order to share about the Govan Church Plant. 10 th Presbyterian is one of the supporting churches. New Season for the Free Church in Govan Our prayers are all being directed towards the establishment of a church that is built around unchurched people coming to Christ. Do pray that God in his providence will enable us to share the gospel with these folks and their families. We are in the process of purchasing all the necessary Christianity Explored materials and promotional literature to enable us to plan towards setting up the courses. Ω May 2014 Page 15
FINANCE Finance and the Way Ahead for the Free Church James Fraser chairs the Board of Trustees, a group made up of elders and ministers from Free Church congregations across Scotland. The group has strategic oversight over all of the income and expenditure incurred by the denomination. In this article for The Record, James explains the Board s work with the Church s finances and the progress made.. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work (Nehemiah 2:18b). The Board of Trustees, with the support of the Assembly, is taking steps to realign the way in which the Church organises its activities with the money which you provide so that we maximise our impact on communities in Scotland and in other parts of the world. Squaring the Books For many years the Church has spent more money than it has received. This money is spent in three main areas: (1) payment and support for ministers the responsibility of the Home Missions Board (HMB); (2) the support of international mission the responsibility of the International Missions Board (IMB); and (3) training the responsibility of the Board of Ministry which admits, oversees and offers financial support to students for ministry; and also of the College Board which oversees the expenditure of the Free Church College. The effect of spending more than we have received is that legacies and property sales have been used to meet deficits and the Church s reserves have been depleted. The Assembly has backed the Board s efforts to create a sustainable Church. This means that we have to do three things: (i) grow our income; (ii) cut our expenditure in line with our income; and (iii) ensure that we are spending our money efficiently and effectively. A Sustainable Church Our starting point is that the prime purpose of the Church is NOT to balance its books BUT to obey our Lord and carry out the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20. Some time ago we initiated a process of clarifying the strategy of the Church to ensure that the Church had a clearly articulated purpose and vision and could measure all its activities and the use of its money against the primary purpose. The General Assembly endorsed our vision as Mission through Local Churches. This vision is applicable whether at home or abroad and is of course in line with the Great Commission itself and with the strategy followed by the early Church. Financial health is merely the means. Page 16 May 2014
The Board of Trustees is examining the way in which we raise money and spend it. We want to ensure that it is applied to its primary purpose of winning souls through local churches and building up Christ s disciples within these churches. The Board is grateful for the work undertaken by HMB, IMB, the Board of Ministry and the College Board to meet the target reductions in expenditure and to re-examine the way in which we use and distribute funding to bring the Church s books into balance. The Board believes that the work of these groups will not only make the Church more efficient in its stewardship but also lead to new thinking about the way in which we organise ourselves. We hope there is potential to streamline the Church s somewhat unwieldy committee system to reduce central overheads and also to ensure that when people gather together we make the best use of their time. The test of innovative thinking is clear is it scriptural and does it lead to more vibrant local churches? Ministry HMB, IMB, Board of Ministry and the College Board are re-examining their strategies with a view to aligning expenditure with available income, to increasing income, and to ensuring effective spend. The Board of Trustees is happy with the progress being made in all the areas but recognises that some are more challenging than others. The area of the biggest spend and therefore of greatest challenge is that of ministry. Accordingly the remainder of this article is devoted to that area. Ministers lead local churches and preaching is central to the way in which the Church conducts itself. It follows from this that the Church has to produce well-trained personnel, to promote healthy and active local congregations and to spread ministry in an intelligent and proportionate way. For a long time the Church has tried to maintain the same pattern of ministry wherever the Church is and has been active. The maintenance of the same pattern of ministry without due regard to the resources available in each congregation to meet ministry is unsustainable. Whilst we firmly believe that it is good for stronger churches to help weaker churches, we have to recognise that the scope for doing this has to be limited by the need to have stronger churches in the first place and to increase the proportion of churches which fall into this bracket. If all strong churches expend too much of their resources on weaker churches, they too will become weaker churches and the system will collapse. Furthermore the Church has an obligation not just to where it promoted ministry in the past but to the areas of 21 st Century Scotland which lack evangelical ministry the Church has to reflect the population distribution of Scotland today. To this end, with the Board s support, HMB are focussed on reducing the degree of subsidisation in the Church and are considering innovative ways of maintaining ministry at a lower cost in areas which are unable to meet the full costs of having their own minister. Consideration is being given in future to allowing such congregations, with the support of their Presbyteries, to seek the services of an ordained minister on a lower level of stipend with a possible reduction in the duties to be undertaken. The stipend paid would be set in line with the congregation s ability to meet the associated costs. Under this arrangement, the congregation would be free to have a minister but would have to work out a method, perhaps through tent-making, of ensuring that the minster could be financially supported. The Church will of course continue to support some congregations which cannot remit the requisite amount for normal stipend whether as new ventures or as redevelopments but will do so from a limited central budget under the control of HMB, and will not, as has often been past practice, continue the support year in year out where no progress to viability has occurred. Ensuring a margin between income and expenditure that enables the Church to fund development will create a central opportunities fund into which Presbyteries can bid. These proposals are being formulated to make this Church policy from May s Assembly, subject, of course, to the approval of commissioners. The situations where there are already ministers in congregations, which cannot remit the requisite funds to support their stipends, will continue to be examined on an individual basis. There are many potential solutions such as mergers and unions, looking for new sources of funding, and considering new ways perhaps exploiting modern technology of bringing ministry to parts of the country where the current support is sparse. Sometimes congregations have assets in the form of surplus property and land and occasionally even money, which could be utilised to support ministry, at least in the short term. All of these things are being looked at to ensure that as far as possible existing ministers are not displaced and that the Church can manage the process of adjustment by other means. New Growth We want to use the so-called windfall funding legacies and property sales to create a New Opportunities Fund. This would be an exciting new venture that all congregations could bid into with the support of their Presbytery, to secure additional funding for promoting their work. We hope such a fund could become operational by the 2016 General Assembly at the latest. FINANCE May 2014 Page 17
FINANCE All of these different proposals are designed to promote the future growth of the Church. In a day when we are constantly told Christianity has no relevance to life in the 21st century, it is remarkable that for the second consecutive year our offerings have increased in our denomination. The number of people coming to our services each week has also grown. People are still coming forward to answer a call to ministry. Ministers from other denominations and some of their people wish to join us. We welcome growth but recognise that we still have to restrain cost, as the extent of growth is not yet sufficient to fill the gap. In any case it is good stewardship to examine how we use our money since we must always ensure that it is used to secure maximum impact and for front-line activity. For the green shoots of growth we are immensely thankful to God, and on behalf of the Board I would like to express our gratitude for the loyalty, support and sacrifice of our members and adherents across Scotland. May I urge you to keep giving to the Lord s work, as well as praying for the Holy Spirit to guide us in our task, as well as dwelling in the lives of men and women in our country and beyond? I think of the Free Church as a precious jewel. It is a costly jewel because its Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, submitted to death on the cross He incurred His Father s wrath not for anything He did, but for what we collectively do, have done and will do on this earth. In His graciousness He has invited us, with all our flaws, to have a part in His work of conversion and regeneration. Our message and theology do not change, but in each generation we must use all available gifts, tools and resources to bring the Gospel effectively to the masses of people in our society who need to hear it. We must ensure that the resources are used in the best possible way to deliver our mission. We owe this duty to the Lord who is the ultimate provider; we also owe this duty to the people who give to the Lord s work through our Church. This should be built into our DNA because this was exactly the mind of Thomas Chalmers and the great Free Church leaders who founded the Church of Scotland, Free, all those years ago. Your Views I hope this short article will stimulate curiosity, debate and opinion not in the public press, but within the Church itself. It is impossible to cover everything in a short magazine article; more information will appear on the Free Church website in due course. I can be contacted personally at jmfraserbusiness@gmail.com and will be very happy to answer issues raised by any readers. Ω Rev. Alastair Ross (1923-2014) Alex J MacDonald Alastair Ross was born in 1923 in the village of Alness in Ross-shire. His father was from Ullapool and owned a draper s shop on Alness High Street. In his teens, Alastair used to ring the bell at the Rosskeen church where his father was the main precentor. He grew up in a Christian home where he was lovingly and faithfully taught the Word. And he also paid tribute to the minister at the time, Rev. John Macdonald, saying: Mr Macdonald encouraged at least one lad from Rosskeen to seek the road that leads us to the Lamb. This grew into his own personal testimony, which formed his commitment to a life of Christian service and stood him in good stead for his time in the Royal Air Force. Alastair shipped out to Singapore during the Second World War - seven weeks out and seven weeks back - with constant seasickness. He never travelled by boat again! Any trips to Lewis were by plane. On leaving the RAF he went to study at the Free Church College, where he demonstrated the characteristic enthusiasm and drive that he brought to every area of his life. His first call was to Strathpeffer Free Church in 1951, where he ministered for one year before marrying Lilian Leitch, and consequently was blessed with two children, Ian and Susanne. Ministry in Strathpeffer often included four services on a Sunday. Later in life, when his memory was failing, he could still recall each preaching station and the time of every service, even after 60 years. Alastair represented a very rich vein of Free Church spirituality - east coast highland spirituality - something shared with such stalwarts as W.R. MacKay, Duncan Leitch, George Dunnet and many others. He was a loyal Free Churchman but he also had a catholicity of spirit which was expressed in the whole Keswick/Strathpeffer Convention tradition. During his ministry in Strathpeffer, Alastair served as Secretary of the Scottish Northern Convention, which saw large and enthusiastic attendances of people of nearly every denomination from a wide area of the Northern Highlands. Page 18 May 2014
He then moved in 1962 to Hope Street Free Church in Glasgow (later known as St Vincent Street and now Glasgow City), where he enjoyed all the challenges of a city congregation and the diversity and richness of that pastorate. Whilst there, the couple were blessed with their third child, Fiona. A young person who heard him preach in Hope Street around 1963 said, His preaching captivated me, and noted that the introduction to his sermon immediately pointed to Christ. A short but happy ministry in Oban Free Church followed (from 1972-77), where the beauty of the Western seaboard and the warmth of the people gave Alastair and Lilian great joy. During this period he was honoured to serve as the Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland in 1974. Alastair s final ministry was in Buccleuch and Greyfriars, Edinburgh, where he enjoyed the stimulus of both professors and students with the support of a devoted congregation. This blessed his ministry, resulting in many Christian friends across denominations and continents. It was during his time in Buccleuch that a major renovation was carried out on the building, and it was remarkable that the congregation grew during that time of disruption and dislocation. This was due in no small measure to Alastair s ministry. Alastair loved the Psalms and traditional hymns, and could often be heard singing the bass line around the manse! His musical gifts were recognised by the Church at large, and for many years he was the precentor at the General Assembly. Alastair s preaching was characterised by the ABC of Alliteration, Brevity and Clarity. His congregations found his sermons memorable, stimulating and always Christ-centred. He was also a good listener and a discerning and sympathetic pastor, with a good sense of humour. The latter was illustrated when, during a Nativity play, one of the children asked, Does no-one ever listen to the minister in this church? To which Mr Ross responded with a loud Amen! He also had a huge influence on young people and there are several men in the ministry now who recognise that influence. He was an encourager of young men and realised that they had so much to give to the future. He seemed to revel in the possibilities of the next generation and certainly did not have an arrogant mindset which saw youth as a threat. Alastair was also noted for his impatience with longwindedness, waffle and meetings that dragged on unnecessarily! The late Clement Graham once remarked: Alastair has only two speeds - full steam ahead and full stop! He retired in 1988, and in retirement his busy nature was satisfied by lecturing at the Faith Mission College and cultivating a colourful garden, which was enjoyed by all. Even in advanced age it was rare for Alastair to miss a service on Sunday or a prayer meeting on Wednesday. Long after his memory had faded, in prayer he was lucid, and expressed a warm love for the Saviour, and as always evidenced a warm pastor s heart for people. Subsequent ministers in Buccleuch found that Alastair was, without doubt, the most encouraging listener in the whole church. Every comment he made was affectionate and designed to build up and edify. No one could wish for a more gracious former minister to sit in the congregation. He was helpful and supportive in every way. We express our deepest sympathy to Alastair s widow Lilian, and to their family: to Ian and Elspeth, to Susanne, and to Fiona and Cole and their sons, Ross and Wesley. While we mourn the loss of a great man of God, we rejoice that for him the fight is over, the race is won and the tears are wiped away. His energy and zeal are now devoted fully to the Lord whom he served and loved so faithfully in his lifetime on earth. Ω OBITUARY May 2014 Page 19
R David Robertson (2013) Magnificent Obsession Christian Focus 239 pages E V I E W S The subtitle, Why Jesus is great, clearly indicates the focus of this popular apologetics book. I wish the individual chapter headings also had been given subtitles. Ten chapters with tiles beginning with the letter M show an artistry that I appreciate but which fail to indicate clearly the topic of each chapter. Even if subtitles were added to the inevitable future editions of such a magnificent book, I would still also ask for an index. I did not find it easy to go back to reread topics that had impressed me, either for the information laid out or the way in which it was presented. Having got the negatives out of the way (I had to find some fault if I was to be taken seriously as a reviewer), I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already started giving it to those with serious questions about Christianity and the Bible. Not only does the book address some of the most serious questions raised by new atheists, it does so with a style that makes it a pleasure to read. Perhaps my favourite quote is, What I am presenting to you is the church of Jesus Christ in all her beautiful ugliness. The topics covered are: Man the historical Jesus; Miracles evidence for the supernatural activity of Jesus; Messenger the Bible as a reliable witness to Jesus; Murdered the meaning of the crucifixion; Marvellous the fact of the resurrection; Meaning the divinity of Jesus and the Trinity; Mission the miraculous survival and growth of the church; Modern current attacks on faith and the Bible; Maranatha the second coming of Christ (including teaching on Hell, hell is about justice, and Heaven, where the focus is even more on Jesus); Magnificent answering the agnostic, adding the voice of experience, and closing with paragraphs on Jesus Christ is that brings us back to the central theme: Jesus. Some topics show David s willingness to take on difficult issues. Who else would choose to use the very flawed history of the church or hell as strong arguments for Christian faith? He doesn t shy away from the controversial. Throughout David calls on an impressive array of authors, from early Christian sources, through Calvin, to a recent Pope, indicating that his theme belonged fairly and squarely at the heart of mainstream Christianity. He also incorporates quotes from the opposition. Add to this his fund of human stories, his characteristic clarity of argument and a graciousness (is this the new David?) towards those he considers to be not only mistaken but seriously wrong, and the mix is compelling reading. Ω Alan J. F. Fraser Page 20 May 2014
Andrew King Be Bright: Living for Christ at University, Day One Publications, 2013 On finishing this book, I had to say that, for helpful and practical advice, it is one of the best I have ever read. I only wish I knew someone going to university, so I could pass it on to them. This book, as the title might well suggest, is aimed at the young Christian about to set off for, and then during their time at, university. However, despite having left university just under three years ago, I still found it most useful in terms of living for Christ in the workplace. It is easy to read and, though the print is small, so is the book! Therefore, although I m sure it would not be the author s intention, the entire book could be read in the space of a couple of hours. Written in five parts, the author breaks down his advice into helpful chunks, with a total of 14 short chapters. Covering practical topics such as money management and preparing for studying, the author also addresses making godly friends and joining a local church. All guidance is balanced and given with gentleness and respect, the attitude the author encourages young Christians to have as they build up friendships with Christians and non-christians alike. The author highlights that youngsters may come across other Christians who do not hold some of the same beliefs and ideals that they do, and that they will most certainly come across those who do not believe in God at all. Dr King highlights the importance of Christian identity, and I found one of the most helpful chapters to be Your Worldview. This book s aim is to support young Christians as they leave the comfort of their own homes and step into a world full of polytheism, henotheism, pantheism, deism, atheism and agnosticism. It encourages them to question what they believe, only in order to come to a greater understanding of why they believe it, to hold fast to the infallible Word of God, and to be bright for Christ at university. Ω Alex MacQueen, Inverness Dale Ralph Davis The Message of Daniel: The Bible Speaks Today, 2013, IVP, 17pp. The Book of Daniel brings us into contact with a man God raised up to serve him in the political power centres of Babylon and Persia. We are familiar with the stories of the fiery furnace and the lions den and know that Daniel interpreted several dreams. Sadly, we might also be aware that the message of the book has been distorted by all kinds of prophetic schemes. Therefore, we need a reliable guide to take us through the various incidents described in the book, and in this commentary by Dale Ralph Davis we have such a provision. Davis explains the background to the book, clarifies the meaning of several difficult passages, and applies the message of Daniel to our contemporary situations. He does so with an engaging style and many helpful illustrations, some drawn from the Bible and others from history and from biographies. The contents of the commentary are the outcome of a familiarity with Daniel obtained by preaching through the book in a congregational setting. This enables the author to be sympathetic with the problems that other preachers encounter when trying to do the same. Of course, his teaching role as a former professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary gives him further insights into how the text should be handled, and so we have in this volume a combination of scholarly awareness, pastoral insight and preaching clarity. And the book is very suitable for those who, while not called to preach, find themselves leading or participating in a Bible Study group. Highly recommended. Ω Malcolm Maclean, Inverness REVIEWS May 2014 Page 21
DEVOTIONAL I The Matrix Shona McGuire n the Matrix, Morpheus tells Neo, Take the blue pill; you will wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. Take the red pill; you stay with me in wonderland and I will show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. You have to decide you are on your own. For those who have never watched the movie, it describes the population as living in a dream world that they think is real but they are actually in suspended animation. Morpheus is offering Neo a way out. Many people today are living with no thought or expectation outside of their daily lives. They have closed themselves off to the possibility that there may be something more. If you told an atheist that you believe in miracles, that anything was possible, they would probably call you narrow-minded, although logic would dictate the opposite. But I am afraid they have thrown logic out of the window and all that remains is life in the Matrix. You have to make a decision. It is a matter of preference. Christians choose to live in a universe with a creator and a purpose. We can only presume that atheists choose the opposite because they prefer it that way. People believe what they want to believe. They are afraid to open their eyes and see in case it interferes with their lifestyle. When most people say I can t believe, they mean they don t wish to. Atheists find it easier to believe that we are suspended here on the edge of the universe, where even the slightest adjustment to gravity would make life impossible, with no one in charge and no grand plan. Surely that takes faith! For a long time I thought you could persuade people, by fact and logic, to be a Christian, but then realised it was impossible. GK Chesterton said in Orthodoxy, I can only say my evidence for Christianity is of the same vivid but varied kind as his evidence against it. Can the same facts point to Christianity and atheism at the same time, depending on your bias? Peter Hitchens wrote an amazing book called The Rage Against God to rebut his brother Christopher s angry attack on religion. The book aims to help us better understand our unbelieving friends and sow some small seeds of doubt in their minds and to perhaps persuade atheists to at least hesitate over their choices. You have to make a decision. It is a matter of preference. Christians choose to live in a universe with a creator and a purpose. He writes, I do not loathe atheists as my brother Christopher claims to loathe believers. I understand that he sees things differently. As long as he can convince himself nobody else can persuade him. Though he often assumes the moral truths are selfevident, attributes purpose to the universe and swerves dangerously round the problem of conscience which surely cannot be conscience if he is right he is astonishingly unable to grasp that these assumptions are problems for his argument. Sadly, Christopher Hitchens has since died, but this book shows how two brothers can see the same set of proofs and choose opposing directions. The Bible describes people who turn away as stiff-necked, blind or hard-hearted, but we can choose not to be. If we want him, he will want us. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7: Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened. In his book Living Water, Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones says: The possibilities are glorious, they are endless. Realise that: seek them and do not be satisfied until you know the mighty power of the life of God working in your life, lifting you up above and outside yourself. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. -Matt. 7:13-14 CHOOSE NOW Ω Page 22 May 2014
Dìleab Bidh e tric na cheist oirnn dè an dìleab a tha sinn a fàgail don ghinealach a tha a tighinn às ar dèidh. Leis an seo, chan e maoin saoghalta, ach ionmhas spioradail, air am bi sinn a smaoineachadh. Ged a bha bochdainn mhòr air a Ghàidhealtachd agus anns na h-eileanan, o chionn ceud bliadhna, b e àm nan eachdraidh a bh ann nuair a thog an Cruthaidhear Dha Fhèin fianaisean soilleir le tòrr tàlant, a sheas airson adhbhar nan linn, agus gu dearbh, tha sinn taingeil gu bheil E a dèanamh sin fhathast. Tha e tòrr nas fhasa a dhol chun a Chruthaidheir ann an èiginn, le dìth sam bith, na tha e a bhith a dol thuige le taingealachd spioraid airson nach eil dìth aimsireil oirnn. Bha daoine a fàs eòlach air a bhith a bruidhinn ris a Chruthaidhear; bha iad a làimhseachadh freagairtean an ùrnaighean, agus seo a fàsgadh nam facal a-mach às an cridheachan, Is Dia ro mhòr Iehòbhah Rìgh mòr os cionn gach dia Doimhneachd na talmhainn tha na làimh s leis neart nan cnoc s nan sliabh. Bha daoine bochd nan crannchur, ach bha beartas aca a thug iad leotha, agus sheall iad dhan teaghlaichean far an robh an neart, an cuideachadh agus an earbs. Aig an àm a bha seo anns na h-eileanan, air a Ghàidhealtachd agus an ceàrnaidhean eile de dh Alba, b i a Ghàidhlig cànan an t-sluaigh. B ann innt a ghabhadh iad altachadh, a ghabhadh iad nan leabhraichean, agus b ann innt a dhèanadh iad ùrnaigh, agus a sheinneadh iad ceòl Dhàsan a bha còmhla riutha anns gach sàrachadh. Thug an Cruthaidhear neart don ghinealach sin gu coinneachadh ri iomadh doilghios nan teaghlaichean, agus fhuair iad cuideachadh bhuaithe gu bhith a seasamh ris a bhriseadh-cridhe a rinn dà chogadh orra. Nuair a sheinneadh iadsan, Is e an Dia seo fèin ar Dia, gu sìorraidh is gu bràth, bha na facail a tighinn à doimhneachd am bith, s iad a taiceachadh Air, nuair nach robh feum ann an gàirdean feòlmhor. Shaothraich iad a-muigh agus rinn iad àiteach, s iad mar sin a cur eòlas air a chruthachadh, s air mar a dh fhàsadh nithean eadar-dhealaichte. Bha mar seo an eachdraidh phearsanta gu lèir gan cumail faisg air a Chruthaidhear, no air an t-saoghal a rinn E. Tha fios gu robh iomadh nì ceàrr san linn ud cuideachd. Chan atharraich cridhe an duine ann am bochdainn no le saidhbhreas, ach san fharsaingeachd, cha robh airgead aig mòran ann, agus cha robh cus chothromanan aca a taobh fòghlaim a bharrachd. Fhuair an linn nan dèidh gach cothrom. Cha robh acras oirnn a-riamh, ach leis an sin thig dì-chuimhn a- steach. Ann an Leabhar Dheuteronomi, tha na facail-sa air an lorg gu math tric, Cuimhnichidh tu, agus fios aig a Chruthaidhear cho furast sa bha e do shluagh sam bith nì a dhì-chuimhneachadh. Tha adhartasan glè mhath ann an-diugh, ach tha sinn cho dualtach a bhith air ar slugadh suas le gnothaichean saoghalta s nach bi mòran ùine againn Dhàsan dom feum sinn cunntas a thoirt. Feumaidh sinn ùine a dhèanamh airson seo, ann an linn le cabhaig, agus daoine a dol gun sguir, ach ann am prioba, ma tha seo na rùn-san, dh fhaodadh seo atharrachadh, agus feumaidh sinn a bhith deiseil. Nach eil riaghailt Mhìcah aig a Chruthaidhear do gach linn, Dè a tha an Tighearna ag iarraidh ort ach ceartas a dhèanamh, tròcair a ghràdhachadh agus gluasad gu h-iriosal maille rid Dhia? Nach math gur e sin an riaghailt anns gach linn, biodh an linn bochd no beartach? Gluais thusa gu socair le cridhe tha sèimh. Ma thig bochdainn no beartas tha d Athair air nèamh. Fàg an dìleab-s gu soilleir aig sluagh thig ad dhèidh s chithear blàthan air thalamh s seinn nan eun às a dhèidh. GAELIC May 2014 Page 23
MISSION South African Encounter: Interview with Principal Alistair Wilson, Dumisani Theological Institute What words come to your mind in association with your experience of Africa? As I write this, the first word to come into my mind is hot! (We are experiencing very high temperatures and humidity right now.) But if I think a little less about my present physical comfort, then I think of warmth, in terms of personal relationships and general friendliness rather than just temperature: Spiritual many people are involved in churches and make some profession of Christian faith, but there are also many other forms of religious belief which are incompatible with Christian faith; Needy there is no escaping the huge needs here; many people lack work and adequate schooling, health care, housing, water and sanitation. At times the scale of the need is overwhelming. But there is also the less obvious spiritual need of so many people who either do not know or believe in Jesus Christ, or who confess Jesus but have all kinds of confused ideas about Christian faith; Hope many people here are looking for hope in difficult circumstances. Jesus offers true hope. Nelson Mandela's life and mission have been celebrated globally. What's your impression of their significance? The death of Nelson Mandela on 5 December 2013 was clearly a very significant moment in the history of South Africa. I am cautious about making bold statements about a person whom I only know through some of his writings and the media, but he seems to me to have been used by God to embody reconciliation and forgiveness in a way which made a crucial difference in a very difficult moment in South Africa s history. I do not know if Mr Mandela (or Madiba, as he is frequently known) had put his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. He would perhaps have heard the gospel from his early years in a mission school. But his life appears to reflect some of the characteristics which lie at the heart of the gospel. I do not think Mandela was a saint (as that term is commonly used), but he was a frail, fallen, human being who needed a Saviour and who forgave others in a remarkable way. I hope that he found that Saviour. How do you motivate students to study theology? I have had students in both South Africa and Scotland who have been highly intelligent and highly motivated and disciplined. I have also had some students who have been lazy and wanted to get a qualification for as little work as possible. Human nature is the same all over the world. I encourage every student in every place to tackle their studies wholeheartedly, as unto the Lord (Col 3:23). I also try to help them see why the issues we are discussing are important and interesting. If I am enthusiastic, there is more chance that they will be also! How much theological education is necessary for pastors? A good pastor will always be a learner. They should be a disciple first and foremost, and disciple simply means learner. I have heard of young men who have started to pastor a church without formal theological training but have done a great job, perhaps because they were part of a church in which they were well grounded in the gospel through a preaching and teaching ministry and through mentorship. But that seems to me to be the exception rather than the rule. And even in such situations, the person concerned will have to devote their future ministry to being a constant learner. Page 24 May 2014
MISSION I encourage our students to devote as much time as they possibly can to preparation for ministry. Even if that is only a few hours each week, it is something. But then, whether someone has done formal studies for only a few weeks or for many years, the key is to keep on learning. In Africa the church has grown tremendously in the last 30 years. What are the joys and problems associated with that growth? It is wonderful to meet people everywhere in South Africa who acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Whether it is the person who serves you coffee in a coffee shop or the person at the till in a supermarket, we often meet Christians. But many Christians (and many preachers) have a very limited or even distorted understanding of the gospel, and these distortions can be very harmful. We rejoice at every person who truly comes to a simple faith in Jesus as Lord, but good biblical teaching is absolutely essential for the future health of the church in Africa. What can Scottish Christians learn from South African Christians? Christians should always be ready to learn from each other. I think that the learning should always be a two-way experience. This particular Scottish Christian has certainly appreciated the openness of many South African Christians regarding their faith and their enthusiastic singing of praise. Perhaps we can also learn something about finding our joy in the Lord even in difficult circumstances. Ω May 2014 Page 25
MISSION Tatars Going Global Dangerous To Be A Woman Photo: IMB Southern Baptist Convention Photo: IMB Southern Baptist Convention The most dangerous place to be born a girl is India. It has the world's highest female mortality rate up to five years of age, and it is also estimated that the country traffics 1.2 million child prostitutes annually. UN Report, Central Bureau of Investigation, India And... After three years of conflict and turmoil, Syria is now one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a child. In their thousands, children have lost lives and limbs, along with virtually every aspect of their childhood. They have seen the most terrible things and forget normal social and emotional responses. One little boy who came across the border with his parents had stopped speaking entirely. Under Siege: The Devastating Impact on Children of Three Years of Conflict in Syria, UNICEF Troubles in Crimea have brought international attention to the Tatar people. Worldwide, numbers of Tatars are about the same as the population of Scotland. Their name means 'archer' and as an ethnic group they are found in many former USSR republics. While 90% are Muslim, about 3% have been converted to Christianity. The New Testament was translated into their language in 2001. Moyobamba Care At the moment we re working with a man who suffered a stroke and has become very dependent. He didn t have any therapy afterwards, so we ve been trying to do what we can to help, and teaching his family how to do so in between visits. He was initially lying in bed all day sleeping, and waking at night. We gave advice on how to improve his sleepwake cycle and then worked on his sitting balance. With a bit of practice, he was able to improve from five seconds sitting up to a good few minutes, which then made it possible for him to partially feed himself. Karen Leckie, Moyobamba Page 26 May 2014
Ukrainian President Chad Church Life I attend the biggest French EET (Evangelical Church of Chad) in the city, with over 1,000 adults and 500 children. It has been a challenge for me to be in such a big church. Going to the weekly cell group prayer meeting (about 100 people) is a help in getting to know some people, especially as they break into pairs to pray. Joan Mackenzie, N djamena, Chad Oleksandr Turchynov, acting President of Ukraine since February 2014, is an elder in the Kiev Word of Life Centre Baptist Church and a lay preacher. The Church belongs to the Evangelical Baptist Union of Ukraine. His wife, Hannah, is Head of Foreign Languages at a university, and they have one son. He is renowned for being teetotal, a non-smoker and opposed to same-sex marriage. Only about 4% of Ukraine is evangelical; the majority belong to the Orthodox Church. South African Rededication Friday, 7 March 2014 marked the rededication of the old study house which was opened in 1991. Today we praise the Lord for supplying all our needs, to enable us to refurbish this building and reopen it as the new Dumisani offices. We remembered the Women for Mission group who worked so hard to enable us to do this, as well as a few other church groups who contributed toward this undertaking. We also celebrated the 35 th Anniversary of Dumisani Theological Institute, and we praise the Lord for the many men and women who have gone before us to make this ministry possible. A small group of staff, governors, past students, and current students gathered to celebrate together. We continue to seek God s will for our college as we approach the next milestone. MISSION Most Popular Bible verses Bible website BibleGateway.com was visited 456 million times in 2013. The majority of users were aged 18-34. The most popular searches were, in order: 1. John 3:16 For God so loved the world... 2. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you... 3. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through... 4. Romans 8:28... all things work together for good... 5. Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd... 6. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart... 7. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind... 8. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world... 9. Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything... 10. Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous... BibleGateway Blog Shelly Lombard, South Africa New Habits I ve just got used to drinking water straight from the tap, putting toilet paper down the toilet and waiting patiently in queues and now I m going back to relearn different habits. Catriona Macdonald on her return to Peru from Scotland May 2014 Page 27
MISSION David Miller Key Issues in Missions (Part 4) David Miller Lecturer in Mission Studies International Christian College, Glasgow Contextualization Contextualisation refers to the process of the Christian message finding expression within particular cultures, historical situations and contexts. In some circles the word inculturation is used, but the two terms are virtually interchangeable. The expression emerged in the 1970s, although there are numerous examples throughout history of contextual forms of Christianity emerging. It is in fact a process which began as soon as the Gospel moved from its original Jewish setting into the gentile world, and Christians had to begin asking questions such as What does it mean to be a Christian in a Greek setting? and If I become a Christian, do I need to become culturally Jewish? The answers to these questions affect Christian ethics, doctrine, and language. And they are questions which Christians have had to ask again every time the Gospel moves from one culture to another, hence its significance for missiology. Many examples of contextual forms of Christianity which have emerged in the twentieth century have been concerned with questions of social justice, notably the various expressions of liberation theology which have emerged in Latin America, among blacks in North America, in South Africa, among the dalits (the outcaste peoples) in India, and the minjung (the working masses) in South Korea. >>>>>>>>>> Page 28 May 2014
In large parts of sub-saharan Africa, where there has been substantial Christian growth over the last hundred years, the place of pre-christian religious traditions, the understanding of ancestors, and the whole realm of the activity of spirits have become major issues of discussion. Is it all right, for example, to use as a name for God the name of the High God of the traditional religion present before Christianity came? (Most African Christians answer yes to this question.) African expressions of Christianity have emerged to challenge the Western model which much 19th and 20th century mission brought with it. Evangelicals are often cautious about contextualisation and contextual expressions of theology. This is partly because these have often emerged from liberal churches which place less emphasis on the authority of Scripture, and which are more willing to adopt local resources from a culture's pre-christian or non-christian tradition. It is, however, partly because Western evangelicals are also culturally blinkered. We assume that our own expressions of Christian faith and practice are somehow pure and untainted by our culture, but, as Bosch and others have demonstrated, Western evangelicalism is strongly influenced by modernity and the Enlightenment. Increasingly, evangelicals involved in mission both as missiologists and as practitioners have embraced the concept of contextualisation, seeing it as vital to enable Christianity to be expressed in culturally appropriate forms, and to be freed from its image as a western religion. Increasing numbers of attacks on Christians by militant Islamic groups in places such as Pakistan, Indonesia, and Nigeria highlights the importance of this. Contextualisation must not be seen simply as a tool to make mission more effective. Truly authentic contextualisation will occur naturally as the Gospel takes root and bears fruit spontaneously within particular cultures. The particular challenge for evangelicals is to let Scripture remain authoritative within any culture, but to realise that all interpretations of the Scripture are affected by cultural presuppositions. Developing good skills in hermeneutics is vital. Ω We give you a warm invitation to our Annual Meeting on Thursday, 22 May at 2pm Presbytery Hall, FC College, Edinburgh News from Africa and Glasgow Viva South America final update Launch of new project Annual theme Tea and fellowship Crèche Prayer Diary May 2014 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 THU 1 FRI 2 SAT 3 SUN 4 MON 5 TUE 6 WED 7 THU 8 FRI 9 SAT 10 SUN 11 MON 12 TUE 13 WED 14 THU 15 Pray for Gerry and Fiona Dolan, the husband-and-wife team running Rosskeen Free Church s new Community Centre, Capstone. Ask that they will enjoy the work and will have opportunities to show and share Christ with many visitors who come through the doors. Pray for Rev. Iain Watson, the former Church of Scotland minister now leading the Blackwood & Kirkmuirhill congregation linked to Hope Church Coatbridge. Pray that both minister and congregation would thrive and grow, enjoying God s blessing. Pray for the friends and family of Keane Wallis-Bennett, who passed away last month when a wall collapsed at Liberton High School. Ask the Lord to draw near to them and to give teachers and administrators wisdom to ensure such tragedy never happens again. Remember the small congregation of Dunoon today as they celebrate Communion, that they would know strength and power beyond their numbers as they give glory to the Saviour. Pray for the nation of Turkey, which is almost entirely unreached, and especially for Benjamin Von Rensburg, an ordained Free Church minister, who leads an evangelical church in Istanbul. Pray that they will know the power of the Holy Spirit and see much fruit there. Give thanks that Dumisani was able to rededicate its old study house in March. Praise the Lord for his provision and pray that it will make a real difference in the practical running of the College. Thank the Lord for preserving and upholding Christy Maclean through 100 years, and also give thanks that she has always pointed to him as the source of her peace and strength. May this be a wonderful testimony to young people! Ask him to continue his presence with her. The Edinburgh Christian Ladies Fellowship has their last meeting of the year today, with an AGM and puddings. Ask the Lord to bless this time together and to be with each of the ladies during the summer hiatus, teaching her ever more about himself. Remember Mez McConnell and 20 Schemes as he has recently spoken about his work in Inverness. Ask the Lord to open doors for the ministry to begin in that city, and once begun, to flourish. The Scottish Reformed Conference takes place today, with Sinclair Ferguson as the main speaker. Pray a blessing on this time of Christians coming together, that iron would sharpen iron and all would grow nearer to Christ. Give thanks for former Free Church minister David Strain s appointment as main pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi. This is a very large and prolific church: ask God to spiritually protect David and his family and to give them rest in the midst of busyness. Pray for Tom Muir as he finishes his studies at the College and turns his thoughts to full-time ministry. Ask the Lord to show him a clear and certain future, and to use him mightily in his service. Pray for the Care Van which Edinburgh City Mission sends through Edinburgh every evening to look after the homeless. Pray that relationships would be built and souls would be saved. Pray for your unconverted friends and family, that God in his mercy would open their eyes and hearts, and you would have the joy of new brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for Cobham Free Church as its minister, David Miller, takes up his role as Moderator this month. Ask the Lord to strengthen them as David will be away from time to time, and to increase their unity and show him great support during this busy time. May 2014 Page 29
Prayer Diary May 2014 If you have any requests for prayer or praise for the July Prayer Diary, please send them now to Dayspring MacLeod: 0131 226 5286 or dayspring.macleod@btinternet.com FRI 16 SAT 17 SUN 18 MON 19 TUE 20 WED 21 THU 22 FRI 23 SAT 24 SUN 25 MON 26 TUE 27 WED 28 THU 29 FRI 30 SAT 31 The College holds its closing service tonight. Give thanks for a full and eventful year. Remember the students who will be returning next year, asking the Lord to continue leading and teaching them during the summer placements. Remember Andrew Longwe, who is graduating from the College this year. Ask the Lord to guide every aspect of his new ministry, to help Andrew listen for his voice, and to bless him in wisdom and grace. Pray for the Resolis congregation as they observe Communion today. May they be aware of both ministering to the Lord, and Christ ministering to them, leading to loving humility and renewed service. Our Assembly starts tonight with a sermon, fellowship and the induction of the new Moderator. Pray especially for Rev. Angus Howat as he preaches and hands down the mantle. Remember Rev. David Miller as he leads worship and then presides over the first day s business. Ask the Lord to be help him be wise and gracious in leading the Assembly. The College report takes place today. Pray for an encouraging discussion on this, and for good decisions toward the future of the College. The WfM has their annual Ladies Meeting today in the FC Offices. Pray that their worship will be pleasing to God and that it will be a time of joyful, refreshing fellowship for old and new friends. Give thanks for another year s Assembly for the Moderator, commissioners, precentors, caterers, stewards, and all those who organised the week. May the Lord bless them all in the year to come! Pray for our Trustees as they face the difficult task of managing the Church s budget and future strategy for missions. Ask the Lord to give them great insight and to help them hear his voice, fixing their sights on the beginner and completer of their faith. Continue to seek the Lord over the future of Scotland, especially in light of David Randall s sobering article. Ask the Lord to bless this land and its politicians with revival and a new seeking after his ways, and that he would use the work of Solas to shine a light in the nation. The Govan church plant is developing well, with new premises and new supporters. Pray that many local people will come along to services and find there both practical help and the Comforter of their souls. Pray for the nation of India, and particularly the oppressed and endangered women and children. Ask the Lord to raise up new leaders who would recognise the worth of all humanity and would also have the necessary wisdom to deal with crippling poverty and undereducation. Pray for the Tatar people whose situation has been highlighted by the conflict in the Crimea. Pray that the Gospel would spread among them like wildfire and that they would find a new identity as a people in Christ. Pray for Joan Mackenze in her life in Chad, that she would know solid teaching and wholehearted worship in her church, and would grow in deep and uplifting friendships with people in her house group. Bring the new Ukrainian president Oleksandr Turchynov before the Lord. Pray that he will be a humble leader, not evangelical in name only but led by Christ and eager to see the Gospel flourish in the region. Give thanks for Nel and Ray McCabe s testimonies of coming to Christ and their work among the Jews. Pray for Ray as he fights cancer, that he would continue to know peace and would also experience the Lord s healing according to his will. Once Upon a Time... Nel McCabe recounts how she really came to know God When the Germans invaded my country of the Netherlands, I was still attending a Christian primary school, the middle child of my parents' five. Ours was a happy churchgoing family where mealtime began and finished with prayers and a Bible reading after the evening meal. My turning to God in private increased during the war, especially when danger loomed. A diploma in Child Care and my interest in foreign languages gave me the opportunity in my early twenties to become nanny to the three children of a gentleman farmer in England, and I thought of myself as a Christian. At a local church youth group I met Ray. He instructed us in Scottish country dancing, which he had learned during his National Service training in Edinburgh. Ray hardly ever attended church, and during the years of our developing friendship we did not discuss our religious beliefs. Three months prior to our wedding our youth group attended a Billy Graham rally, and during the long return journey Ray was absolutely silent. I wondered why. Over time I noticed that Ray enjoyed going to church, stopped working on Sundays, even bought himself a Bible and had an inner calm; all, I thought, due to my good influence. However, one evening we attended an evangelistic meeting where the gospel was explained, and as we left Ray said with a radiant face, Now I know what has happened in me! I could have answered, And I have discovered that I am not a Christian. I had always by passed Christ's sacrifice as God's way to forgive me because I thought myself good enough. I was deeply shaken; the foundation of my life was crumbling. Then I became angry towards God for allowing me to misunderstand the Bible, which then turned to resistance to God. An unhappy year followed until Jesus pierced my stubborn resistance with the question from Matt 16:15 Who do you say I am, Nelly: an example only, or your Saviour? With deep contrition, the answer was my Saviour. At last Ray and I knew the right foundation to our marriage, and our life's aim has been to help Jewish people towards the right answer to Who do you think Jesus Christ is? The recurrence of Ray's cancer is leading us to a deeper knowledge of God, and the promise in John 14:24. We will come and make our abode with [you] is our greatest comfort as we go into a future safely left in our Father's hands. Ω Page 30 May 2014
To order any of the books listed in this magazine, you can visit our online shop: http://bookshop.freechurch.org/index.asp Payment can be arranged on this site by PayPal. FREE CHURCH BOOKSHOP 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 2LS Tel: 0131 718 4141 bookshop@freechurchofscotland.org.uk www.freechurch.org/bookshop It Can t Be As Simple as That Douglas MacMillan (reprint now available). 0.85 Share this small but powerful booklet with your friends, share it with your family, share it with everyone who needs to know Christ. This is Douglas MacMillan's personal account of his conversion. As an atheist, he couldn't accept the simplicity of either Christianity or the Big Bang theory. When a friend held out two hands and said, In this hand, I'll give you everything you are afraid of losing; and in this hand I'll give you Christ, Douglas realised that it was a simple choice after all. Romans 1-7 For You: For Reading, For Feeding, For Leading Timothy Keller. 9.99 This book s purpose is exciting ordinary Christians in their faith and equipping teachers and preachers in their work. Romans 1 7 For You walks readers through the first half of the book of Romans, engaging minds and stirring hearts as it shows how the gospel message of righteousness received changes our perspectives of God, our lives, and eternity. Combining close attention to the detail of the text with Tim Keller's gift for clear explanation and compelling insights as he connects timeless Bible truths to today's world, this is a uniquely flexible resource. You Can Pray Tim Chester. 9.00 You aren't a great pray-er? Not a problem. There aren't any great prayers, only a great God. If you're easily distracted when praying, you're not alone. In fact, if you struggle to pray in the first place, that's not unusual either. Tim Chester tells us how we can be great pray-ers. And he admits that that's a really bold claim. 'The secret of great praying has nothing to do with human effort or skill,' he explains. 'Lots of people would like to think that it does because they want to make prayer an achievement.' But the secret of great praying is... knowing three things about God: That God the Father loves to hear us pray That God the Son makes every prayer pleasing to God That God the Holy Spirit helps us as we pray Tim looks at why prayer is easy (how we pray), why prayer is difficult (why we pray), and the arguments and priorities of prayer (what we pray). Prayer is a child asking her father for help. And that's not beyond any one of us. Bible Study also available: Romans 1-7 The Gift of God: 7 Studies For Individuals or Groups Timothy Keller. 3.49 Timothy Keller unwraps God's gift of a right relationship with him, showing how it changes our eternal futures and our lives today. This is the third in the series of Keller s commentaries. Galatians and Judges For You are also available as are study guides. May 2014 Page 31
THE FINAL REEL Many Christian reviewers draw attention to the fact that most superhero movies are a secular world s cry for a saviour. I would like to make a distinction between the two different types of superheroes. The traditional hero is essentially human but possesses supernatural powers as a result of genetic mutation, radiation, spider bite, science experiment gone awry, etc. Often he will defend the world from an equally supernatural villain, so that his specific abilities become the world s only hope. The other kind of saviour character is the action hero. While not usually termed superheroes, these characters exploits and skills are so extraordinary that they show a kind of invincibility. Jack Bauer, James Bond, and Batman (yes, I m counting him here as he does not have supernatural powers) would all be dead many times over in real life! The threats they face are human terrorists, gangsters, monomaniac psychopaths but with such exaggerated threats that they can only be met by heroes with equally profound abilities. There is even a thinking man s version, in which only the cleverest person in the world Sherlock Holmes, Dr House, the star of any Nordic crime drama can outsmart the world s greatest criminal mastermind/disease/serial killer. Of course, the most iconic of all superheroes is the original: Superman. He is also unique in that he is not technically human, but an alien. His powers are mostly human characteristics taken to an extreme: unthinkable speed, vision, and strength. His virtues are also supernatural; he is inhumanly virtuous, highminded, pure, insightful, and shows inerrant good judgement. If the parallels with Christ aren t clear enough from his selfless character, Man of Steel shows Superman hovering above the earth, arms outstretched, virtually identical to the Salvador Dali painting Christ of Saint John of the Cross which hangs in Kelvingrove. And consider these parallels: Superman knows he is from another world, but was sent to earth as a baby and disguises himself as an ordinary human while keeping his good deeds secret; he is able to resurrect people by reversing time; his nemesis is Lex Luthor, a devious but human threat who is clearly inferior to Superman in his nature and destined for defeat. You might think there would be many uplifting themes in Superman s story, and for some of his films, you might be right. That being said, buy one of the Christopher Reeves films and give Man of Steel a miss. This is one of the origin stories that has become so popular from other franchises such as X-Men, Star Trek and Batman. It s meant to be a psychological study focussing on the character s essential humanity, but Superman s real past is limited to a few scenes of Krypton s demise and a simulation of his dead father filling him in on the backstory. The acting and script are formulaic, the effects and even some of the costumes are clearly CGI, the fight scenes are dull, and while I have no problem with a thirtysomething Lois Lane in theory, in practice it adds to the feeling that there is nothing young or fresh or new about this film. It feels like something that was released solely to boost the summer box office, a cog in a machine. There are much better offerings from the past few years: see X- Men Origins, Kenneth Branaugh s Thor, or J.J. Abrams Star Trek for epic films that at least amuse, or Christopher Nolan s Batman trilogy for a dark, gritty superhero. The movie industry will undoubtedly continue inventing saviours as long as audiences stream into the cinema to gain two hours assurance that all is right with the world, that there is hope, that there is something bigger than themselves. But the characters even the best heroes are all cheap imitations. Forget Man of Steel and spend some time with a Saviour who has no kryptonite! Man of Steel is rated 12A for infrequent profanity and non-gory violence. Ω Page 32 May 2014