Trying to follow God's guidance

I would like to start by thanking all those who contacted me after reading last week's news.  In addition to phone calls and emails I also had a visit from a friend who came to pray with me and I am aware of one church that included prayer for me in their Sunday morning service.  I am grateful, and would ask that you continue to make what I shared last week a matter of prayer.

Early in the week I received a phone call from a man I had not heard of previously.  He told me that he was an evangelist and had felt that God was calling him to move to Market Harborough, though he wasn't sure why.  I wondered whether God had already answered prayer!  He was oblivious to what I had written last week.  We met up on Friday in Market Harborough where he was also meeting a mutual friend from Kent.  While he doesn't match the profile I had described it would be interesting to see what God might be unfolding.  Renny is 62 and is an interesting character.  It would be helpful if you would pray for wisdom and guidance regarding this contact please.

This Sunday I am not at Yelvertoft as I had indicated in the last letter.  I received an email stating that friends at Goodwood Evangelical Church, Leicester were looking forward to my visit to take a Family Service for them this Sunday!  I was able to trace the initial enquiry but not my confirmation of that engagement.  However, the fault must be mine and I am now looking forward to my ministry there tomorrow.  The challenge then was to ensure that Yelvertoft was appropriately covered.  Surprisingly, the husband of a friend of one of the members visiting this weekend happens to be a Baptist minister.  Problem solved.  Please pray for him and for me in the two respective meetings.

On Wednesday I travelled to London for a meeting of the Churches Group for Evangelization, meeting up with a number of key UK Christian leaders.  This is a valuable coordinating group and I attend to represent the Congregational Federation and the Rural Evangelism Network.  Among the discussion it was encouraging to learn of the large number of Fresh Expressions of Church within the Church of England.  As we each shared news from our various constituencies it was a blessing to see how God is at work.

Women's World Day of Prayer takes place this coming Friday.  I have been invited to speak at a meeting in the village of Crick, Northamptonshire.  I spoke there on a previous occasion and the Lord blessed that ministry.  I value your prayers for this event, and for Jean who will be leading it.

Next Sunday (4h March) I expect to be at Yelvertoft!

In closing I would like to ask your prayers for my work at Gartree Prison, and for all those who are part of the Chaplaincy team there.  Some time ago I asked for prayer for 'C' who I had  found particularly difficult.  The transformation has been amazing and he is now a great asset to the choir.  We have several new members of the choir and as they settle in there is inevitably some less than helpful interaction.  It is not serious but I would value your prayers especially as last Tuesday and this coming Tuesday we have to work on a couple of difficult songs.  The practice includes singing Christian music and we have 30 minutes after practice when we chat over coffee.  These can be very precious conversations.  I feel that this is a privilege.

On those occasions and in many other situations there are matters that are too confidential to share.  Your prayers - on a daily basis if possible - are very much appreciated.

• For the Lord to raise up the much needed help for various aspects of our ministry
• For the weekend ministry at Yelvertoft and at Goodwood Evangelical Church
• For the preparation of a number of important rural consultations around the country, for wisdom in planning and preparing for these
• For my work at Gartree (please pray for all Christian chaplains and volunteers)
• For the Women's World Day of Prayer meeting on Friday
• For God's provision for the financial needs of the ministry
• For guidance and wisdom regarding the conversations with Renny

As always please pray that I will walk closely with the Lord and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in all that I do.

Thank you.

Barry

"Like a son with his father..."

Dear friends,

This week I want to ask for your prayers on a specific subject that affects me deeply.  The title of this post comes from Philippians chapter two verse twenty two, and refers to Timothy.  Paul is writing from prison but longs to visit the church at Philippi.  While he cannot get to them he hopes to send Timothy and tells them why.  He says that Timothy has the same soul as himself - that's the meaning behind being 'like-minded' (KJV).  The NIV is weak in translating it "No one like him".  Timothy cared every but as much as Paul and yearned to bless them.  His interest in the church is genuine (the Greek employs a term that expresses absolute integrity).  He is not self-interested but acts in the interests of Jesus Christ.  He has been "proved".  This implies some serious testing has taken place.  He has a servant heart.  And how and where has he learned all this?  From working with Paul.

It was common in these days for a son to become as it were apprenticed to their father who would teach and demonstrate the knowledge, art and skills of his trade.  Thus they would be imparted.  How well this had happened in the life of the young man from Lystra who learned the gospel on the knees of his mother and grandmother.

My friends, my heart is heavy.  I am 66 years old and though still active I know the time ahead will be shorter than the time it has already been my privilege to serve the Lord.  I long to have a Timothy, or Joshua, or Elisha.  There is more work to be done than I will ever accomplish so what qualities am I looking for?

• A deep love of God and especially for that great sacrifice that tore at the heart of God for us and our salvation;
• A hunger to draw truth from God's word;
• A passion for the salvation of others;
• A heart that seeks not self gratification but always seeks God's will and to be a blessing to others;
• A recognition of  utter dependence upon God;
• A willingness to look to glory for the ultimate reward rather than fame or fortune here and now;
• An 'Oliver' soul that cries out for MORE of God.

Who will care for the work at Yelvertoft when my time comes to let this go?  Who will genuinely care for the flock and lead them in the way of God's will for them?

Who will do the teaching of the mission paradigm to develop missionary congregations where all the gifts God has placed within the local church work together on a common discerned agenda with tailored mission strategies (i.e. Rural Mission Solutions)?

Who will promote cooperation and the welfare of others engaged in rural mission and evangelism through the Rural Evangelism Network?

Who within the Congregational Federation will take on the work of representing within ecumenical dialogue this sweet expression of church that emerges from the pages of scripture and expresses kingdom values?

Please pray with me - not just this week but in the weeks ahead.  I am not indispensable.  God could lay me aside at any time he chooses.  I have not sought to establish any kind of ministry that must continue into the distant future.  But my hands are full and I feel the need to find people who will work alongside me in these particular four roles.  Elisha cried "Where is the God of Elijah?" (2Kings 2:14).  My hearty cries, "Where is the Elisha of my God?"  Please pray with me.

Other Prayer Issues

I have some important study in connection with my research that must be completed this week.

I have some important work to complete for colleagues in Germany this week.

I have to find time to write letters to those who have kindly given for the work of Rural Mission Solutions, and write some other articles, and do the banking, and .... Administration tends to get out off too often but must be done.

Pray for blessing to rest on those touched by ministry over recent weeks - especially for GW who gave her young heart to the Lord recently.

This Sunday and next I am at Yelvertoft.  On Monday I have a school assembly and a telephone conference.  On Tuesday I will be in Gartree Prison once again.  On Thursday I have a telephone supervision meeting from Winchester University and need to show progress being made!

And how are you?  What has God been saying to you?  Is your journey proving difficult?  Can I rejoice with you or pray for you?  Please let me know.

Please do not underestimate the value of your prayers on our behalf, The earnest prayers of a righteous person avails much.

Barry

Christianity in a secular society

Towards the end of this week two events have raised the issue of Christianity in the contemporary UK society that has become pluralistic.  One of these has been the failure at the Court of Appeal for Peter and Hazelmary who run a Guest House in Cornwall and ran into problems when they refused a room to a homosexual couple.  The other event was the Court's decision that holding prayers at the start of the Bideford Council Meetings was not right.

Both events make it seem like Christianity is being marginalised and that secular and anti-Christian organisations are gaining the day.  But I'm not sure that is quite right and I think it is important that as Christians losing rights we have had for centuries we should learn how to respond to these situations.  That said I am sure that there is an atheist and secular agenda.

I am delighted that Pete and Hazelmary are exploring how they can continue to operate commercially.  The particular case was sad as there were plenty of other places in the area that would have been happy to accommodate the homosexual couple but it seemed that the homosexual couple were not prepared to accommodate Pete's and Hazelmary's values.  The Council Meetings can compromise and have prayers off-agenda five minutes before the business starts, and I hope they do that.

Last Sunday at Yelvertoft I was reflecting on how the early Christians operated in a hostile environment.  Some who will read this letter live in countries where Christianity is a minority faith or restricted by law so they are already used to such situations.  We considered Paul's defence before the Sanhedrin, Felix, Festus and Agrippa.  Paul had not looked for conflict.  On the contrary he had taken steps to avoid provoking the Jews in Jerusalem, which in the event failed to reduce their hostility.  From their point of view Paul was destroying their beliefs and values.  God had told Paul from the beginning where his pathway would lie.  Recent prophetic utterances had warned Paul what was immediately in front of him if he went to Jerusalem.  Should we consider what happened to be a failure?

Of course not.  On each occasion Paul was able to give a reasoned explanation of the Christian faith and to share his personal testimony.  Also along the way various people came to faith and Christians were strengthened in their faith and witness because of Paul's suffering.  Paul's letter to the church at Philippi illustrates this as there were even some in Caesar s household who came to faith.  In God's purposes even rejection, suffering, and injustice can become positive developments.  The greatest example of all is the cross of Christ.  That was not a defeat.

I know that some will ague that Christianity is the State religion and we have a State Church that is established but I'm not sure how helpful that is.  At the end of the day the gospel is about personal relationship with God and with fellow believers.  Our strength is in that relationship not in law.  Yes, there are some gains by having an established Church but our calling to be light and salt is not dependent upon a formal relationship to UK governance, and there might well be significant losses brought about by the current situation.  Whatever the benefits or losses arising from our former relationship to the State, what we need today is Christians who are in love with Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, loving their neighbours, moulded and motivated by the Word of God.  But such a development might bring marginalisation and persecution.  But would we prefer indifference?

The Past Week
What a great time we had at Yelvertoft last week!  Despite the snow we managed to make it to church, had a good meeting and then all went to lunch to celebrate Peter's 90th birthday.  There is a quality of life and fellowship in small rural churches that you cannot find in larger gatherings.  Yes, it would be nice to have a worship band and some more activities, but what we have is incredibly precious.

On Monday I travelled down to Winchester for a session for research students (had I told you that the formal process with Winchester University has passed and I am now a bana fide research student?).  There were about a dozen of us around the tables exploring the nature of knowledge - what can be known, how it might be known, and how we could go about establishing the knowledge.  All that will seem irrelevant for most readers but it is a necessary area for academic research.  As part of the programme we had to consider certain statements  and determine whether or not the were absolutely true.  Among these was John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God".  Most of the students are not doing theology or religious studies but we had a great discussion as you will imagine!

This week
Activities include...
Sunday 12th - I am taking the morning and evening services at Market Harborough Congregational Church.
Monday 13th - Free day with a visit from family from Eastbourne.
Tuesday 14th - Gartree Prison
Thursday 15th - Bible Discussion Group, Yelvertoft (last in the series on Philippians)
Saturday 17th - Congregational Federation's Mission and Society Committee, Nottingham
Sunday 19th - Yelvertoft.
As usual there are many other activities through the week, research related study and administration to keep me out of mischief.  Thank you for your prayers.  Please give thanks for God's blessing on the ministry and for the provision he makes for our daily needs and the operation of our ministry.  We thank God for you.

Barry

Ministry brings blessing and excitement

Hello!

I am writing this weekly Praise and Prayer News on Saturday morning.  I should be studying but most of the morning has been spent (so far unsuccessfully) trying to find B and B in Winchester for Monday night.  I have to attend a session at the University on Monday evening and it ends too late to get a train home and driving doesn't seem an option.  So I am taking a break to write this and to thank you for your prayers.

The Past Week
My ministry at Foulsham Baptist Church, Norfolk last Sunday brought blessing to me.  It was just a great time meeting old friends and making some new ones too.  Two people responded to the message of the gospel and many others commented on how helpful it had been.  In the afternoon I led a session looking at rural evangelism.  Please pray for those who have opened their hearts to the Lord.

The Thursday Bible Discussion Group really buzzed this week, though we were sorry that illness, accident, and family commitments reduced our number slightly.  We looked at Philippians 3: 12- 4:1 which revealed Paul to have a sense of humour but also a tender and loving heart.  We had previously explored 3:12-14 but needed to go back slightly to get some context.  It seems to me that Paul is being a bit of a tease in verse 15.  Having emphasised that he was not yet perfect (v 12) he now addresses his remarks to those who consider themselves to be perfect or mature (it is the same basic Greek word in both verses)!  Some clearly did not have the same attitude that Paul had regarding the fact that there was still more to discover.  To rub it in he then seems to say that if these 'perfect ones' did not quite agree with him God would open their eyes to the truth!  We also noted his profound sadness regarding what we concluded were professing to follow Jesus but whose lives were focused on the sensual and this world.

Paul contrasts with this those whose city home is heaven and who longing is to see Jesus.  Many years ago a missionary who had spent many years away from home returned to the USA on the same ship as a politician.  The missionary received a kind welcome from a couple who had come to pick him up from the ship.  Meanwhile the politician had a ticker tape welcome with a band and crowds to cheer.  Somewhat discouraged by the comparison between the two welcomes he commented on it to those who had collected it.  Whereupon they responded to remind him that he was not yet home!  Our home is heaven, and what a welcome awaits us!

Two Congregational meetings this week proved useful.  On Wednesday I was in Nottingham for a Pastoral Care Board and on Friday in Leicester for an Area Executive meeting.  Good work done at both.

The Coming Week
Sunday 5th - Yelvertoft, Northants (following the morning meeting we will be celebrating the 90th birthday of one of our members)
Monday 6th - Winchester University
Tuesday 7th - Gartree Prison, Leicestershire
Wednesday 8th - Bible Discussion Group, Yelvertoft
Sunday 12th - Market Harborough Congregational Church

As the weather forecast is not good your prayers for safety in travelling will be appreciated, ad of course that each day will bring opportunity to share something of God's love and the good news with others.

Thank you.

Barry