Valued yet humble?

I heard of a young and very earnest Christian man who became concerned about his high opinions of himself.  In prayer meeting after prayer meeting he was heard to cry out passionately, "Lord, make me nothing!"  Eventually an older Christian brother could stand it no more and after hearing this prayer for yet another time responded with, "Brother, you ARE nothing.  Accept it by faith!"

Realising what it means to be adopted into God's family should at one and the same time, enable us to feel secure and valued, yet humbled and delivered from the need to strive for approbation. When i was on mission in Devon many years ago I met a Christian couple who had adopted a young girl and were concerned that one of their natural sons was giving her a hard time.  They need not have worried as the wiry youngster reminded the boy concerned that his parents had to have him but that they chose  to have her!

Jesus had useful things to say about those who wanted to be seen as important by trying to take the most important seats at a banquet.  He also took his disciples to task regarding this so common human failing as recorded in Mark 9: 33 - 35.

During this past week Pope Francis has been in the news regarding his leadership style and moves to make his role more collegiate rather than autocratic.  For all Christians in leadership situations it is vital not to 'act like servants' but to remember that this is what we are.  But for some of us it seems that it doesn't come too easily. How tempting it is to want to feel important and have others respect us.  How hard it is genuinely not to care how we are regarded as long as we serve well.

My own Christian ministry background was certainly one that enhanced the status of elders and ministers, carrying with it the expectation that others would submissively follow our lead.  Coming into the Congregational understanding of authority within churches was at first a rude shock.  But then it became personally liberating and exciting.  As I have written in earlier posts those in church leadership who feel that they have some greater authority given them by their call to ministry need to be careful that the authority they exercise has not been stolen from their congregations!

One of the words associated with Christianity is 'fellowship'.  It is a word that expresses something treasured among us.  It carries that sense of belonging, of good company, of caring for one another, and more.  You probably know that the Greek word in the New Testament we have translated into English as fellowship, is Koinonia.  It carries the sense of partnership and sharing.  It is my opinion that to have proper fellowship no one can be superior or subordinate.  As we think about the fact of the humble circumstances in which Jesus was born and the status of those with whom the news was first shared, perhaps "being nothing" in terms of importance is something we could all remember.  Perhaps too, we could try to seek out someone who feels less important than others and try to communicate how precious they really are.

The News:
On a personal level, Doreen was able to join us for church at Yelvertoft last Sunday morning and has made slow and quiet progress through the week.  I picked up one of the viruses (the one with the nasty cough) but will be OK for our special Christmas outreach service at Yelvertoft tomorrow
morning.

Last Tuesday in the prison the choir received an invitation to sing some Christmas carols and songs in the Prison Visitor Centre this coming Tuesday afternoon.  I guess it will be background music but it's an interesting opportunity.  All the men were happy to accept the invitation.

On Wednesday I was invited to lead a Christmas event at the village Senior Circle.  Not all are Christians so it was another opportunity to share something of the gospel.

I value your prayers as we have mailed out over 1200 Christmas newsletters to those on the Mission for Christ mailing list.  In the summer of 2012 when I became a trustee of that organisation the only database we could find had more names than that but many of them were people I had known in the 1970s.  The charity cannot afford to lose active prayer partners but neither has it the money to lose mailing to people who might either be in the glory or have moved long ago.  This is the last general mailing form which we hope to have a smaller but effective list.

We are grateful that a friend enabled us the use of a franking machine which saved us £200 on stamps as franking is discounted.

Seeing to the Mission for Christ newsletter production and mailing took up a lot of time and set back time needed to get our own messages out.  If you don't get one before Christmas I hope you will understand.  The Bible says something about preferring others!

I hope that, like the shepherds in the biblical account, we recognise the birth of Jesus as something to tell others about.  We pray that many will learn just why God came into the world in this way. The event this Sunday morning is all about celebration and welcome.  It starts with good hospitality and continues in the same way as we open the doors of the chapel to the village.  If you read this in time please pray for a good turnout.

I am in prison on Tuesday.  We have a Christmas communion service on Wednesday.  Next Sunday (29th) I will be leading the service at the prison before travelling to Yelvertoft.  Christmas and New Year is often a bad time for those in prison.  This presents both a challenge and an opportunity not only for those who serve through the chaplaincy but also for the Christians within the prison community.  Please pray for them.

If anyone has a spare moment and would like to chat during the holiday season you are welcome to call me on Skype or phone.  (if you don't have the details some are on the website at www.ruralmissionsolutions.org.uk)  If you are on your own then please do call, though we welcome hearing from anyone.  May I take this opportunity to thank those who have already sent cards and those who have sent their news and annual donations.  Thank you all.

Yours in happy fellowship,

Barry

Getting the facts right please.

At this time of year I find myself concerned to once again encourage those who share the account of the birth of Jesus to get the facts right - or at least as nearly right as it is possible. Watching the current TV series on the Bible disturbs me as various matters are omitted while others are injected into the story line that are in contradiction to the record of scripture.  If it is important for people to read and believe the Bible then it is vital that we take care neither to get the facts wrong nor to so embellish the story that it deviates from the truth.  Something as profound as the coming of the Son of God into this world ought to be treated with special care.

TV, cinema and computer games present us with fantastic stories with super heroes, people possessed of special abilities, and imaginary alien creatures.  I sometimes find myself wondering whether the gospel story sound like just another fantasy when we speak of a virgin birth, turning water into wine, walking on water and rising from the dead. But my anxiety is relieved when I remember that the Holy Spirit bears witness to, and convinces of, the truth.

A recent article in The Guardian newspaper revealed that children are generally not as gullible as many think.  However, the research has revealed that many more children believe that Santa is real (even up to the age of 9 sometimes) than believe that Harry Potter is real.  Of course, they may have a vested interest in believing in someone who can supply them with so many gifts each year!  Personally, I suspect that many children continue to act as if they believe in Father Christmas even when they have realised that is just a myth.

Of course, it will always be a matter of controversy for Christian parents whether or not they play along with the Father Christmas myth.  There is no evidence that going along with the myth leads later to psychological problems arising from disappointment.  It genuinely seems, however, that children are capable of discerning the difference between a report  about a man dressed in red who rides around on an airborne sleigh and drops down chimneys all over the world and the report of a miracle baby born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago.  I don't have any qualms about playing Father Christmas for the children in reception calls in our local school.  Children seem to be able to discern truth.

But I feel altogether comfortable when I hear, in a church context, the story of Immanuel distorted and embellished with fantasy.  Mary was given an opportunity to check out the dependability of Gabriel's message having been told that her relative (unlikely to be a first cousin), Elizabeth was six months pregnant.  She did so without delay and remained with Elizabeth and Zechariah for three months.  Returning to Nazareth, having probably been away from Joseph, and now already three months pregnant, one can understand his initial concern.

There is no reference to Mary arriving on a donkey or of the wise men arriving on camels. It might have been more comfortable for Mary to be in a cart supported by cushions, but we don't know.  There is no reference in the Bible to a stable, though there is reference to a manger.  It is not uncommon in the Middle East for the living quarters to be upstairs above the equivalent of a modern-day garage.  The word sometimes translated "Inn" is elsewhere in the New Testament translated as the "Upper Room" or Guest Room".  It is possible that they would have headed for the home of a relative or friend but what is clear is that there was no normal accommodation for the visitors from Nazareth who had just arrived.

The Bible does not tell us that the angel and the host of angels appeared above the shepherds in the sky.  There is no reference to choirs or singing.  The shepherds "hurried off" to check out the angels' story so they would not have wanted to travel with sheep or deprive any young lamb of the care of its mother.  And of course there is nothing in the Bible about oxen or an ass.  Incidentally, that funny traditional manger depicted in many nativity plays would not be likely.  A manger was usually a wall-mounted item used to provide hay for horses and donkeys and at their head height.

Since Mary and Joseph had to present Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem (a few miles from Bethlehem but almost 100 miles from Nazareth) on the eighth day after his birth it is almost certain that they remained in Bethlehem  and that the Magi (not kings and not necessarily three - just two or more) visited them in the house after that date as they fled to Egypt that night after the Magi left.

It seems to me that we have a plain choice.  Either we tell the story in the way that Matthew and Luke record it for us, as part of the gospel of truth, or we wrap it up in fantasy and wonder why people don't believe. The inauspicious nature of his birth complements the wonder of his conception and the extraordinary nature of who was born that day - no mere male child but, as Charles Wesley puts it, "God contracted to a span".

Personal News this week
Doreen has ventured out to local shops a few times on her electric mobility scooter this week.  I'd rather she did not do so but understand her frustration and impatience for the fractures in her spine to heal.  I'm still having to do the bulk of domestic duties but Doreen is able to manage some tasks occasionally, but then needs to rest to relieve pain.

Ministry News
We were saddened to hear that Elaine Robinson died very recently.  While we rejoice that she is now with the Lord and that we shall meet again, this is  a sad time for those who were close to her, especially her husband, Don.  Don and Elaine have been active evangelists in rural areas for many years distributing gospel newspapers. Please pray for Don.

Last Sunday afternoon I was in HMP Gartree for the Christmas Service led by the Salvation Army band and songsters from Kettering.  The Prison Male Voice Choir sang one carol with the songsters and one partly written by me to a tune I composed a few weeks ago (I'd like to think it was a gift from the Lord).  This was received with long and generous applause.  The Salvation Army Band would like to arrange a setting for brass band, for which I am delighted.  The whole service was a great blessing.

Last week I gave a wrong date about forthcoming times in prison.  I shall be there on 24th and 31st but also taking the service on 29th December.

There was a good school assembly last Monday.  This Sunday, the Revd John Harris is taking the meeting at Yelvertoft so I have a little rest.  This Wednesday 18th I will be leading a Christmas carol event for the Senior Circle in Yelvertoft.  On Sunday 22nd we have our annual "Christmas Warmer" instead of a regular service.  This is built around hospitality and is very informal.  Carols are chosen by our visitors and the story of Christmas will be woven between these. Sometimes doing things differently to a traditional carols and lessons helps people to listen.

Thanks to all who have sent cards or messages already, and for the many kind comments of appreciation regarding these weekly missives.

I pray the Lord will abundantly bless you.

Barry

Latest Praise & Prayer News

Dear friends,

Personal News
In my last post I shared with you that Doreen, my wife,  had suffered from a bad fall and that we were expecting an MRI appointment.  On Monday 25th, following a school ministry I drove Doreen to the fracture clinic at Kettering General hospital.  She had been in acute pain since the previous Friday and some medicine for pain relief had to be stopped as it was causing a complication for another health condition she has.  The consultant with whom we  met felt that an MRI was not necessary.  He stated that x-rays showed that Doreen had suffered a number of compression or wedge fractures to vertebrae in the past and these had healed.  The current fractures would take time to heal but the best they could do was to advise on pain management.  He dictated a letter to our GP.

So last Monday we met with our GP who was very sympathetic (possibly because he had a bad fall recently and suffered a compression fracture!). He prescribed some pain management that is more helpful.  Overall I think there is some slight improvement but we are not expecting too much this side of Christmas.  Apparently Doreen has both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in her spine.  For the past two weeks I have become responsible for domestic duties on top of trying to ensure that I honour my regular responsibilities as far as possible. In the last 48 hours we have moved towards sharing these but it remains a concern to try to get Doreen not to do what might prove harmful or extend her suffering.  Seeing Doreen in chronic and acute pain is a new experience after 38 years of marriage.  She only took paracetamol once previously!

Both of us wish to express appreciation for the many kind messages we have received.

Prison Ministry News
On Sunday 24th November I took the morning service at Gartree Prison and had an amazing time.  The sense of God's presence was wonderful.  I had great liberty in mininistry and there were copious expressions of appreciation.

On December 1st there was an inter-faith celebration of faith and hope mostly by music ad testimony.  I heard several amazing and clear testimonies from members of the choir I help to lead. These were really powerful.  Two members of the choir performed musical items on the piano.  One of these composes his own music and has won prestigious awards while in prison.  The choir chose to sing "In Christ alone my hope if found" and "The Holy City".  You probably know that the former is a more contemporary Christian hymn.  The latter is an older item based on Revelation 21.  The quality of the singing of The Holy City (especially) was absolute perfection and really communicated the message.  It's humbling to share in times like these with men who have been given life sentences, and to see how God is at work and to feel that perhaps I can play a small part in this.

This Sunday, 8th December we have a Christmas Carol Service led by Kettering salvation army.  The choir are singing two carols, one with words partly written by me and a tune recently composed and called "Gartree".  I shall also be in the prison on 24th, 30th and 31st December. The Christmas season is hard on prisoners so I value your prayers.

Yelvertoft Ministry News
Today (Saturday 7th December) we held our first "Messy" event which we called "Get Messy for Christmas".  This was both a stand-alone event but also serves as a platform from which to launch a regular monthly programme in 2014.  We had a team of five (two doing this kind of thing for the first time), 18 children and two mums. It has proved a hit.  Many mums picking up children joined with the two that stayed and helped in expressing appreciation and promising support for future events.  I am so thankful to God as I have been praying that we could get a children and family ministry established from the church.

Sundays and Thursday Bible Discussion (to which folk from the local Parish Church also attend) have continued to be blessed.  There is a spirit of love and generosity in the church which makes me rejoice.  The recipe books which resulted from the recent Pudding Festival are expected any day and are being sold to raise more money for the local Air Ambulance Service. We may be a small village church but what a privilege to have people with a heart to serve others in Jesus' name!

Mission for Christ/Action for Christ
My domestic situation has meant that there has been no further progress in preparing the Mission for Christ 2011 and 2012 annual reports and accounts.  Working on historic matters when the trustee who was running the charity failed to provide documentation for massive expenses is a real challenge.  Please pray that this will be completed before the year end and that the new trustees for Mission for Christ can be appointed and the charity put under Action for Christ for the continuance of its ministry.  My fellow trustees and I hope to send out a Christmas letter to MfC prayer partners but we only have a historic list to work with and have lost contact with many good friends.

Rural Mission Solutions/Sunrise Ministries
Sadly, I have not been able to pick up on the research work over recent weeks.  I mentioned ion the last post that the Charity Commission were pressing me to complete the MfC reports and accounts.  This has then been followed by Doreen's accident.  I find this delay very frustrating.  I am doing my best to keep up to date with administration and bookings.

It was good to hold a local rural mission support meeting for church leaders in south Leicestershire, north Northamptonshire and Rutland this week.  Our thanks are due to Torch Trust for the Blind that provided the venue.

Other matters for prayer
I would like to repeat the request for prayers for Heather who used to be employed by Action for Christ.  AfC can can only engage her services on an ad hoc basis and she really needs employment.  She was recently interviewed for a job that would be very suitable.  Heather is a faithful servant.  Please pray that the Lord will direct her into employment.

John, one of our trustees and who has worked for Churches Together in England is now redundant and is praying that the Lord will open up new ministry for him.  John has MS and in the summer underwent surgery for bowel cancer.  Travel is now very difficult for him.  John is a good friend and a faithful minister.

At the General Synod of the Church of England a resolution was passed calling the Church to prioritise intentional evangelism.  I am seeking, through my role in the Rural Evangelism Network to ensure that rural evangelism is a key part of these exciting developments.  Please pray for these discussions.

In the last two weeks two major Christian denominations have indicated that financial constraints have limited their commitment to rural evangelism.  With something like ten million people living in our villages and scattered communities this sounds bad.  If it were a city of ten million I cannot imagine they would withdraw from serving it.  Adding to my disquiet is the news that one Anglican diocese is making some key mission staff redundant and closing down two key departments.  One of those suffering through this decision is a good friend and colleague but it would be inappropriate to mention his name or the diocese here.

Closing Thoughts
I am grateful for the warm words of encouragement I have received regarding some of the topics I have written about in these postings. This time I thought I would keep it simple.  So all I want to add is to ask how you are going to follow in the steps of the Bethlehem shepherds and spread the good news of God's gift for our salvation?

Sunday 8th - 10.45am Yelvertoft.  3.15pm Gartree Prison
Monday 9th - 1.00pm Lubenham School
Tuesday 10th - 11.00 Yelvertoft School Assembly Planning Meeting. 1.30 Gartree Prison
Sunday 15th - Yelvertoft.

Thank you for your prayers and the encouragement of letters and emails.  Please keep in touch.

Barry

Vulnerability

About t en days ago (before all the sad news about Paul Flowers) I wrote down the word "Vulnerable" with a view to using the concept for last weekends news blog.  However, once I started writing it took on a different direction.  I think what had triggered this thought was the way in which in many situations we seem disinclined to acknowledge personal vulnerability, preferring instead to project a more positive image of ourselves and of the churches and organisations we represent.

As someone brought up on the King James Version of the Bible my mind went to James 5:15 which reads "Confess your faults to one another...." The word 'faults' implies a certain weakness, a propensity to get things wrong, or a vulnerability.  However,  the KJV betrays a certain anti-catholic bias perhaps in that the word used in the Greek text is hamartia which is usually translated sin. Indeed in the letter from James the same Greek word appears five other times and on each occasion the KJV translators render it sin. (see 1:15 (twice), 2:9, 4:17, and 5:20).

But perhaps reading these other passages provides an understanding of what James understands sin to be.  Take, for example the passage in chapter 4 where  he states that just failing to do what you know is good, is sin.  Again in chapter 5:20 "erring from the truth" is sin within the life of a Christian.  Maybe, in the light of all that James has to say about practical Christian living there cannot be one among us who can avoid being defined as a sinner!

Is it more healthy to be more open about our human nature and our propensity to mess up and miss opportunities to do the right thing?  I had a personal experience this week regarding the aspect of knowing what is good and failing to do it.  I had been asked by a colleague on the prison chaplaincy team if I would talk with someone who was a Hindu and who had recently lost his father.  The person making the request made clear that it was not important for me to stay and meet with this man as he intended to speak with him anyway.  Time was short and if I said I would meet with him it would take up at least another hour, and I had a pile of work to do. So I said that it was not very convenient at that time.  He said it didn't matter and he would meet with him.  But as I left the room I knew I should have said I would stay.  But the opportunity had passed and could not be recovered (though I tried).  I came home feeling bad about myself.

Acknowledging when we mess up in such a way does require being willing to make ourselves vulnerable. Naturally, we want to be thought of as 'better than that'. So instead of being honest we project the image we would rather people saw, even if it's a lie.  A number of years ago a ministry colleague told me about his experience in attending a ministers fraternal meeting.  Each person had to give a short report about their church and he was amazed to hear such glowing stories.  He felt people were not being entirely honest.  Feeling that there must be someone who was struggling and not a brilliantly successful minister he deliberately spoke about some negative issues when it came to his turn.  To his surprise all who had yet to share their story responded by stating that they were glad that their churches weren't like that!  They just had to keep up the illusion.

The Bible makes clear that putting spin on things is not righteous.  The stories of the Bible, both Old Testament and New, reveal children of God who have feet of clay.  Take King David for example, or Moses getting angry, or Peter who is openly accused of hypocrisy (and then Paul writes to a church and tells them all about it!).  The Bible tells us that if any in leadership in the churches sin they should be publicly rebuked.  But when we are confronted with the weakness and failing of a fellow believer, we should always act in love, and be aware that we too will be judged in the way that we judge others.

In Romans 15:14 Paul commends the Christians in Rome because they were able to admonish one another.  An admonition is not harsh criticism.  Rather it is positive, helpful and supportive corrective advice.  This passage suggests that their maturity enabled them both to admonish and to be admonished.  So obviously there was at least some degree of honesty about weakness and failings. Could it be that our inability to make the spiritual progress we should be making is a lack of honesty about ourselves, both before God and one another?  Perhaps there is more than one way of understanding what is meant by the Sunday lie in! In the light of the Coop Bank debacle and the embarrassment caused to the Methodist Church I wonder whether at sometime in the past Paul Flowers allowed himself to be more concerned about image rather than honesty, which then became a bad habit.

Recent News
This week I came under considerable pressure from the Charity Commission regarding the Christian Mission I have been endeavouring to help.  This meant that several important things (including spending time on my research as planned) had to be sacrificed in order to get several jobs completed.  I had to agree certain deadlines with the Commission and have been able to meet all except those beyond my control.  The Action for Christ aspects are now all up to date.  Part of the tasks has involved preparing some accounts for the original charity, Mission for Christ.  As the Mission bookkeeper and I started working on these various further serious matters have come to light regarding the actions of a former trustee.  Working on these historic matters has been very stressful for Heather, the bookkeeper who has also been unwell.  We are grateful that we can rely on Heather and I ask you to pray for her as we work through these tasks.

On Friday Doreen, my wife, had a nasty fall in our garden, landing badly on her back and probably cracking a few vertebrae.  We spent that afternoon and part of the evening in a local A& having examinations and x-rays.  We return on Monday afternoon when we anticipate her having an MRI scan. She is in significant pain and I have had to take on the role of carer.  So more juggling of priorities.  Please pray that she gets the MRI and that appropriate actions follow.  It does not help that she already has peripheral neuropathy caused by deterioration to the spinal column.  This affects her balance and ability to walk.

The Coming Week
Sunday 24 -  9.00 Gartree Prison and 10.45 Yelvertoft Congregational Church
Monday 25 - 1.00 School Assembly, Lubenham, Leics. Immediately following Doreen has an appointment at Kettering Hospital.
Tuesday 36 - 1.00 to 3.30 Gartree Prison.  Then travelling to East Sussex if Doreen is fit enough to be left.
Wednesday to Friday 27 - 29 Activities in East Sussex related to Mission for Christ.
Sunday  1st December - Yelvertoft.

There is further work on bookkeeping for Mission for Christ required and, if possible, some time must be given to the research.

All this is subject to Doreen's health.  My responsibility as her husband is part of ministry and a trust from God.

Thank you for your prayers and also thanks for those providing financial support for the ministry.  Please excuse me if I fail to acknowledge correspondence and gifts at this time.

Barry

Who planned this journey?

Three weeks have passed since my last Praise & Prayer News.  The first week was accounted for as Doreen and I took a short autumn break.  Since returning I have found myself kept busy so that various routine plans have been disturbed including the writing of this blog/newsletter.

The Break
I am often taken to task for not taking as much holiday as I should.  I also find that planning holidays which Doreen might find enjoyable, especially as her peripheral neuropathy limits what we would like to do, is far from easy. The idea of spending some days in Snowdonia, north Wales came to mind and the possibility of going up Snowdon on the mountain railway appealed, sop off we set.

Through the week before our departure we watched the weather forecast eagerly.  Sometimes there is a period of clear and sunny weather at the end of October, but this year it looked as if high winds and plenty of rain would ruin our plans.  As it turned out, it felt as if what happened each day had been planned by a knowledgeable  tour guide.  We arrived on a Tuesday evening as we could not leave until my regular visit to prison had taken place (we were expecting to give a concert around that time).  The farm B&B we had booked proved splendid (I recommend Farmstay UK to anyone looking for good hospitality). Wednesday looked like being the least bad weather but a phone call to the Snowdonia Mountain Railway informed us there were no places available on trips that day.  Our host urged us to just turn up and ask again, which we did.  There were just two seats available on the late morning train!

We found ourselves joining a coach party that had booked as part of a tour.  We squeezed into the last compartment and found ourselves in excellent company.  The scenery was wonderful, as was the recorded commentary.  Partway we paused at Hebron, (see Genesis 13) where the remains of a small chapel can still be seen.  Obviously it had been built to serve the scattered upland farming community.  Apparently, it was still in periodic use until fairly recently. We journey on but just over half way up the mountain we had to turn back because the wind was too strong.  But it had been a lovely and informative trip and the company insisted on refunding everyone's fares.  Nice trip for free!

While waiting for the train we called in at the 'Electric Mountain', an amazing feat of engineering with a vast cavern carved out inside the mountain to house a hydro-electricity generating station,  Our hope to take the tour on day two was now frustrated as there were no places.  So instead day two was spent visiting the local slate museum.  Some of this is out of doors but a break in the weather made it possible for us to enjoy the full experience.  This included a brilliant talk and demonstration from a man for whom this was his last day at work.  We would have lost out had we come on the third day.

That third day we had booked into a tour inside 'Electric Mountain'.  It poured with rain so being inside was the perfect solution. It felt as if someone was adjusting our schedule perfectly.  Brilliant as the engineering is, this system depend absolutely on a partnership with God's creation in order to keep the lights on at peak times across the country.

Saturday was wet and windy so Doreen suggested a trip to the pictures.  She was keen to see 'Philomena'.  We very rarely go to the pictures but would not have wanted to miss seeing this moving film. Judy Dench at her best and an amazing piece of work by Steve Coogan as writer, co-producer and seriously good actor.  The film demonstrates another aspect of Ireland's unhappy past and how young unmarried women were mistreated by the Catholic Church.  The scenes towards the end deal with the issue of forgiveness and justice perfectly.  Another positive outcome from a day that could so easily have been wasted.

Sunday was to be our final day.  I had asked our host about local churches and she consulted a friend who attended a Welsh-speaking chapel and found that they provided translation to English via headphones.  It was another wet and windy morning and I dropped Doreen off at the doorway while I went in search of a place to park the car.  As She reached the outer door two other people arrived from the opposite direction.  One 'just happened' to be the friend of our host who looked after Doreen perfectly.  The timing was incredible!  Although we were in Caernarfon it felt just like a village church and home from home.  Excellent welcome, good fellowship, engaging ministry, generous love, enjoyable singing (I managed one whole hymn in Welsh and knew it well in English).

We emerged to sunshine and after lunch we spent our final afternoon driving over the mountains.  A casually planned route took us on what is apparently one of the best journeys in the area with breathtaking beauty and the first autumn snow resting on the tops of the mountains.

You may well be bored reading about something so personal as a short holiday in Wales.  I share it because it genuinely felt as if all my plans had been taken and readjusted so that it could not have been better.  It was a microcosm of my life since I handed it over to God.  Of course things go wrong and there are the equivalent of wet and windy days, but we are secure in his care and the plans he has for our lives are those that are best.

Prison
Sadly, the expected concert has never happened but the choir has been given the opportunity to sing at a Celebration of Faith and Hope within the prison community.  We have prepared 'The Holy City' (based on revelation 21) and 'In Christ alone my hope is found'.  The event takes place at the end of this month.

Remembering
A major feature of recent days has been the annual Remembrance Day. The village school had asked if I would take the children in year six to their regular act of remembrance on the Friday morning (8th).  I gladly accepted and offered some extra time.  This resulted in an hour's lesson with the top class, a school assembly and the time at the war memorial with the children.  Lots of positive responses from children and teachers!  I was back in school last Tuesday for a routine visitor assembly on the theme of light.

From the school visit on Friday I set off to Stafford for the cremation followed by a thanksgiving service for a former Office manager in my days in Mission for Christ.  David Woodward had proved a rock during his time with us.  He arrived together with his wife, Barbara and their friend, Beth and the three proved a formidable and precious team.  David's daughter, Ruth is a children's evangelist and had also worked with us.  Ruth asked me if I would like to say a few words at the Thanksgiving Service which I was glad to do, though unprepared.  It had been over 25 years since we had worked together.  The trio had used retirement years as a gateway to service.  Wonderfully, David and Barbara's son, Dr Michael Woodward has just started doing the same working with OMF in Cambodia.  Would that more would use such opportunities.

On our homeward way from  our short break in Wales Doreen and I called in to visit Alfred and Sylvia Lavender who now live near Stoke.  Sylvia has not been well and has spent many weeks in hospital and is currently in a care home where the four of us met up.  I had worked with Alfred for 25 years and we had both married our wives during that time.  Alfred is an extremely talented and under-appreciated evangelist with a real passion for sharing the gospel.  It was good to fellowship, talk and pray together.

Good News in the Countryside in Southwell
On behgalf of the Rural Evangelism Network and on Wednesday 13th November I led sessions for the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham on rural evangelism. Those attending included some with experience in rural ministry; others were newly appointed. It proved a good group to work with and our resources are on their website.  It was good to meet up with the Revd Jonathan Smithurst and others from his benefice on the borders of Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire which I had served with an Away Day in the past.

Yelvertoft
The ministry in the village moves forward steadily.  Our recent Pudding Festival and the United Remembrance Service have reinforced our image of being here to serve and bless the community in the Lord's name.  In a few weeks time we launch what we hope will be a monthly form of Messy Church. Please pray as the information starts to go around the village.

Mission for Christ/Action for Christ
Pressure from the Charity Commission has meant that the task of recovering the Mission from a disaster caused by illegal actions and mismanagement by a former trustee has had to take priority again.  Mission for Christ is the organisation in which I worked for 25 years with Alfred and many others.  Monica Cook, who still works as a valued colleague, trained and worked in the Mission. Apart from his wrong-doing, the former trustee has proved uncooperative as we have sought to put affairs in order.  This has protracted things but we are slowly getting there.  A formal agreement between the Mission and another Christian charity in Yorkshire is now about to be signed.  He had left this in a terrible mess.  Apart from taking £26,500 from the charity illegally, he claimed enormous expenses and failed to provide evidence to support much of this.  He had managed to get away with this by reducing the number of trustees and by obtaining authority to draw funds direct from the bank electronically.

I came back on board as a trustee in June 2012 and have been working with the Charity Commission, Companies House, the Police and various other authorities since then.  A Mission once worth over £700,000 had been reduced to a few hundreds of pounds and an uncertain future.  Yet, amazingly, the Lord has been supplying sufficient funds to keep the work afloat while we sort out the problems inherited and seek God's guidance regarding the future.  New trustees are waiting to be appointed and the final stages of the rescue plan agreed with the Charity Commission should be completed before the end of this year.

Pondering on the way that the Lord has provided to keep the remnant of this once very active Mission going took my mind to the account of Elijah at Kerith (see 1Kings 17).  The whole land was in crisis because of ungodly leadership.  At a time of famine the Lord took care of his servant.  Kerith was a place of miraculous provision, but it was a provision for a limited time as God had further plans for Elijah. We believe that God still has plans for Mission for Christ.  For the moment in the midst of the sad situation in which I found it, God has been clearly nurturing its life, and I and the current team of trustees are grateful.

God's provision and protection of Elijah during this time of crisis is among the most amazing accounts of God's provision.  Twice each day food was delivered to him.  I am not an expert in Hebrew but read somewhere that the word translated 'ravens' could have been a common term for Arabs.  There is plenty of evidence in scripture for ways in which God sovereignly interacts with other creatures.  But the lesson here perhaps is not so much about that but that God made such consistent provision for his servant: not just a daily provision, but twice daily.  With God, all things are possible.

The Onward Journey
Our hope remains in the God who guides and provides.  We can do no better than to put our lives into his hands to serve him, whether in big or small ways, with all that we have.  I have experienced the truth behind such catch phrases as "Where God guides, he provides" and "What God orders he pays for".  While I know where my journey will end I have no idea what lies ahead (though I still have hopes and dreams).   Your continued prayers are asked for Monica and myself in our own ministry of Sunrise Ministries and Rural Mission Solutions.  Please also pray for all with whom we network and serve, especially the Mission for Christ situation at this time.

Thank you.

Barry

Through the Storm

I am writing this as, according to the UK weather forecast, we are about to be battered by a storm possibly as strong as the 1987 hurricane.  How well I remember that.  I awoke in the night with the three storey terraced house which was our home vibrating at the force of the wind.  The next morning revealed the many millions of pounds of damage in Hastings alone.  The roof of our Mission headquarters (one of the largest buildings in the town and prominent above the seafront) had lost a section of its roof.  What remained had been lifted off, twisted round and set down at a crazy angle.  I am hoping that this coming storm will not be as bad and that no lives will be lost on land or sea.

There are four familiar storm stories in the Bible.  Jonah experienced a storm at sea when he sought to run away from God's purposes in his life. Once he realised the reason for the storm and took a sacrificial step of faith, the storm ceased, he was saved, men worshipped God, and he was soon back on the right course for his life.  This passage of scripture was used by God to speak to me during an emotional and spiritual storm through 1987 and into 1988.  It took a perfect storm to get me to take a leap of faith in which I discovered God's purposes for my life at that time.

The gospels record two storm events.  In one the disciples are own their own in the middle of the night when Jesus comes to them, walking on the water.  They discover that what they feared might overwhelm them was under his feet.  On another occasion the disciples waken a sleeping Jesus during a storm on the lake.  "Don't you care that we could be perishing?" they ask.  Jesus rebuked the storm and rebuked them for their lack of trust. Another lesson learned.

The final storm at sea was experienced by Paul and others because someone chose to take his counsel from man rather than God.  But thanks to divine wisdom, no one lost their life, though the ship and possessions were lost.  Sometimes we pass through stormy periods in our lives as a result of our own failure to surrender to God's will.  Sometimes, like Paul, we experience stormy situations because of the foolishness of others.  But God promises to be with us through the storm, so we should never lose our trust and rest in him.

It is two weeks since my last Praise & Prayer blog.  The first of these started with the Sunday morning meeting at Yelvertoft and a journey to Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire that evening.  After a night in a country B and B I was off to London for a Sunrise Ministries trustees meeting.  It was good to meet again with the team of trustees.  Monica Cook and I are grateful for their support.  An encouraging and useful meeting completed and I was off back to Hoddesdon to meet with colleagues in the Churches Group for Evangelisation at the High Leigh Conference Centre. I slipped away a little early from the CRG meeting on Tuesday morning to travel back to Herstmonceux in East Sussex and the church where I was minister for 15 years.  The reason fore the trip was to share in a service of thanksgiving and celebration for the life of Desmond Luck, a wonderful Christian who I had come to know in one of my first evangelistic missions at the age of 17.  It was a joy to see so many good friends.

On Wednesday morning I met with leaders from other rural missions and followed this with a ministry in song and word at the Senior Circle meeting in Yelvertoft.  Thursday saw Doreen and me back in Yelvertoft for our regular Bible Discussion meeting.  These prove so rewarding as the group enjoy drawing treasures out of studying Isaiah.On Friday I joined many thousands of others at an all night prayer meeting in London at which Hope14 was officially launched.  I left before midnight to get a few hours sleep before returning to Market Harborough and then on to Yelvertoft again for a great Pudding Festival.

The Pudding Festival was a fund raiser for the local Air Ambulance Service but it brought a good number into the church that had never been to an event there before.  It was a fantastic evening and photos of the puddings and their recipes will be appearing in a book.  Once sold and the funds added to the donations on the night we might find our fund raising effort moving towards a thousand pounds!  The spirit of generosity that evening was like being bathed in the gospel.  Please pray for those who attended and sampled grace.

Sundays at Yelvertoft have been proving exciting as we are currently using them to explore various parts of the Bible as we seek to build up the big picture.  So much blessing is coming as God speaks through his word and into the lives of the congregation. You might like to take a look at the booklet written to introduce people to the treasure that is the Bible.  You can find it at www.yelvertoftchurch.org.uk.  This Sunday evening I also took the service at the Church of the Good Shepherd in the village of Newton, near Rugby.  I had not realised it was Bible Sunday when I planned to speak on Esther.  The service caused a real buzz as people thrilled to the Bible story retold with contemporary illustrations. "What a wonderful evening we have had" one lady repeated several times.

Last Monday was the first day of re-engaging with the university research project studying rural evangelism. The plan is to set aside every Monday for this project as far as possible. On Tuesday it was back to work with the choir in HMP Gartree.  On Wednesday I chaired the Churches Rural Group meeting at the Arthur Rank Centre in Warwickshire.  On Thursday it was Bible Discussion again with more treasures from Isaiah, followed by a journey to Peterborough to take the handover from our Area Children and Families Worker as she starts maternity leave.  Finally, Saturday afternoon was a planning meeting for "Get Messy for Christmas", which we hope will be the launch of a monthly "Messy" event in Yelvertoft.  This has been the subject of prayer for over a year so it is great to see it taking shape.

It has been an exciting two weeks but mostly because of the evidence of God at work changing people's lives, including mine.  This week, immediately after the regular time in Gartree Prison, Doreen and I are heading for North Wales for a week's break.  There hasn't been much opportunity for recreation in this very busy year.  we are hoping the storm will have blown itself out and that we will get a few clear days to enable a trip up Snowdon. Though we will not have any engagements until Tuesday 5th November please keep us in your prayers.  We have truly felt the impact of answered prayers in so many ways during recent months.

In a recent Sunday morning at Yelvertoft our Bible exploration took us to Joshua and included the battle at Rephidim (Exodus 17).  While Joshua's skills and strength were needed in the fight, the vital work was done on the mountain as hands were held up to the Lord.  We know that "It is not by might, nor by power, but by God's Spirit" as Zechariah prophesied (Zech 4:6). Please pray as we recharge our batteries.  Your prayers are being answered.

Thank you.

Barry

"In Journeyings Oft"

Slight change in format this week.  I will share news and prayer requests first and then share a biblical reflection afterwards.

The Past Week
A major problem has been trying to cope with all electronic communications via my mobile phone.  This was cause by a change in telephone and broadband supplier.  The original promised date for both was 24th September.  This was revised to 30th September.  The phone was connected on that date but internet connection came on 11th October.  This was frustrating, time consuming and costly.  I am hoping to get adequate compensation from the ISP.  All is now working well.  Previously, I had suffered a problem with a rogue programme having hijacked aspects of my laptop computer.  This took several days to put right.

Last Sunday I continued the theme of exploring the Bible at Yelvertoft and focused on Joshua.  While preparing this I realised that the Book of Joshua and the Acts of the Apostles are both "what happened next" accounts.  Since Moses is a type of Christ it also seems that Joshua prefigures the apostles.  The more I looked at this the similarities seemed obvious.  Joshua was servant to Moses and learned from him.  He had to learn about conflict and the fact that the outcome of battle depended on prayer.  Exceptionally he was with Moses as he went up the mountain to commune with God and receive divine instructions for the faith and life of God's people.  The twelve also received instruction from their Master; some also accompanied their Master up a mountain for communion with the Father. Both had experiences of the Holy Spirit.  Joshua, like Peter got some things wrong.  Both Moses and Jesus concluded their ministries on a mountain and commissioned and set aside their followers to complete what had begun.

Monday and Tuesday were spent struggling with administration and preparing for ministry later in the week.  I also had my regular visit to HMP Gartree on Tuesday.  On Wednesday morning I travelled to Winchester University for a Supervision Meeting with Professor Messer, the head of department.  It was a useful meeting and good to get back on tracks.  From Winchester I travelled to Denmark Hill, London where I taught on the salvation Army's Safeguarding Course through the Thursday morning and afternoon.  On this occasion there were 21 delegates including some senior officers as well as Corps Officers and various youth, children and families workers.  This is always a demanding ministry but the group were excellent to work with and it was encouraging to get many good comments.

Friday was dedicated mostly to trying to catch up with jobs that had got behind because of the IT problems. Saturday morning I participated in in an Area Executive Meeting for the Congregational Federation, held in Leicester.  The remainder of the day being spent preparing for the Sunrise Ministries trustees meeting on Monday.

The coming week - key activities
Sunday (a ministry-free day).  In the evening travelling to Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.
Monday - travel into London for Sunrise Ministries trustees meeting (This is the body that oversees all my activities other than my ministry at Yelvertoft and with the Congregational Federation).  During the afternoon I travel back to Hoddesdon and join other colleagues in the Churches Group for Evangelization with meetings running through to 12.00 on Tuesday.  At this time I start a journey to Herstmonceux, East Sussex for the funeral and thanksgiving service for Desmond Luck, an old friend and member of the church there.  I first met Desmond in 1964 when I was part of a team conducting a mission in the village.  I travel back home that evening.
Wednesday - I travel to Corby in the morning to meet with leaders of other national organisations doing mission or resourcing mission in rural areas.  I then rush to Yelvertoft where I will be singing and speaking at a senior citizens meeting.
Thursday - We hold the regular Bible Discussion Meeting in Yelvertoft.  Friday I plan to attend the Hope14  Launch Meeting in London.

As you will see this means two busy weeks back to back.  I need your prayers please.

Closing Thoughts. 
Each of the writers of the four gospels in the Bible record the "Great Commission" but in distinctly different ways.  I wonder whether you have ever given these differences any thought.  Mark records what we are told to do and where we are to do it: proclaim the good news to everyone in the world.  Matthew records why we are supposed to do this: to make more disciples of Jesus.  Luke (in Acts 1) reminds us how we should do this: we are to bear witness to Jesus through our own experience of knowing Christ.  We are also reminded of our need to be filled with the Holy Spirit to undertake this task. John also records the how: we are to do this in the same way that Jesus was sent: as a loving and sacrificial servant, offering our lives for the blessing of others.

To respond to that Commission, which is the duty of every Christian, we need to take on board each different aspect emphasised by the writers of the Gospels.  The who is now us.  The when is us now!

I pray that you will know God's abundant blessing on your coming week.  Thank you for your partnership.

Barry

Clouds and more clouds, but...

Dear friends,

It is almost certain that at some time in your life you will have referred to the fact that above the clouds the sun is still shining. We often say something like that to assure people that God’s love towards them is always there – even when all they can see are the clouds of difficulty and troubles.  One dark damp and miserable day I took off on a flight to somewhere and thought about this as we were passing through the storm clouds.  But instead of breaking through to sunshine we broke through to a space between two layers of clouds!  There were more clouds above!  Of course, eventually we rose above these into the blaze of sunshine.

This time last week I was relieved that my technical problems with my laptop were over and I was looking forward to life with a new Internet Service Provider (ISP) due to take place on Monday morning.  According to the information when I had signed up to the new ISP I should have received a new wifi broadband router during that past week.  As it had not arrived I phoned and after a 30 minute wait followed by a subsequent 10 minute wait I received an apology that something had gone wrong so the broadband would not be on until last Wednesday 30^th (a week after the date I was first promised).  We had hit another layer of cloud!

The new phone line was working on Monday as promised.  The router arrived on Tuesday and I eagerly looked forwards to Wednesday. After midday on Wednesday there was no internet service so I phoned and had yet another 30 minute wait only to be told “something had gone wrong” and it should now be fixed BUT there would be no broadband service until after 10^th October.  How many layers of cloud can there be?

In the bigger scale of things these frustrations are hardly worth mentioning, though at the time trying to handle all internet use with the aid of my mobile phone and limited internet access has been frustrating. Meanwhile two very relevant spiritual aspects have coincided with these frustrations.  The first of these was a request to participate in a short drama at the start of last Saturday’s Mission and Society meeting.  The theme was Peter recovering after his disastrous attempt to walk on water.  The message was problems and troubles will come your way but keep your eyes on the Lord and not on your problems.  I can kind of see the relevance of that now!

For the second spiritual element I turn to my dear niece’s blog at http://vickicottingham.blogsport.com this weekend.  Vicki who suffers from ME and endures significant chronic pain writes this weekend about fighting against the tendency to indulge in self-pity. It’s a brilliant blog so please take a look for me.  So now I am stopping whining about clouds.  But, seriously, you too may have been going through a rough time – and even one problem on top of another.  If that is the case then remember that clouds serve an important purpose and we could not do without them.  Try to look away from the clouds and spend a little quality time with the Lord.  Slip on your favourite Christian CD. Meditate on all that God has done for you.  Try to find God even if he seems to be engaging in hide and seek.  He is there and wants to hold you tight.

An elderly Methodist minister was famous for starting his services off with a prayer that always began “Lord I want to praise you for…” He used to walk to the various chapels, often down country lanes and found much to praise God for.  But on one occasion he had walked through a storm and arrived dripping wet.  As he stood in the pulpit, a puddle of rainwater forming around his feet, a member of the congregation murmured, “He’ll find nothing to praise God for today”.  The preacher raised his hands heavenward and uttered “Lord, I want to praise you that it doesn’t rain like this every day”.

I am so thankful that my dilemma with the internet has happened during a relatively less busy time.  I want to praise him that I have been able to stay in contact through the mobile phone.  I want to praise him that various people who have been expecting communications and files via the internet have been very understanding.  I especially want to praise God that there are no communication difficulties with him (other than those of our own making). I want to praise God for all he is and all he has done and is still doing for me.

We had a great service last Sunday in the prison.  One of the songs the prison choir has been practising for our next concert is “The Holy City”.  One of the members of the choir had offered to sing it as a solo in the service and I felt it was right to say yes.  After praying about it I felt that I should plan the service in the light of this song which is based on Revelation 21 where John sees the New Jerusalem descending from heaven.  I felt drawn to speak about visions and spoke on three interspersed with appropriate hymns and songs.  The first was Jacob’s vision in which he learned that God was in the place and had a plan for his life despite his bad character.  The second was Peter’s vision at Joppa where he learned that God’s love reaches to all humankind and not just the ‘special people’.  The third was John’s vision.  With the congregation joining songs of praise we read parts of Revelation chapters 5 and 7.  Then Michael, one of my prison friends read the opening verses of chapter 21 and this was followed without delay with that solo.  We concluded the service to tumultuous applause!  Some had clearly caught a vision of God’s great love and the gospel, and a home we can all look forward to, where there will be no more pain or sorrow.

This Week…

I value your prayers for the following:
·    Sunday 6^th – 1030 at Yelvertoft Congregational Church.  In the afternoon Doreen and I will be attending our Area Autumn Assembly.
·        Tuesday 8^th – HMP Gartree
·        Wednesday 9^th – Winchester University Supervision meeting trying to get my research back on track.
·        Thursday 10^th – Teaching on sexual abuse issues at the Salvation Army College in London to a mixed group drawn from within the SA.
·        Saturday 12^th – 11.00 Congregational Federation Area Executive meeting in Leicester.
·        Sunday 13^th  - Rest day.

Also please pray that the broadband will be connected this week.  There will be a lot of catching up to do at the end of the week.

Please pray for former colleagues, Alfred and Sylvia Lavender.  Sylvia is in Hospital and has been for many weeks.  Please pray as Alfred seeks to arrange a place where she can receive appropriate care.  It’s a tough time for them.

A few friends have gone on to glory over the past week.  Among them a dear man called Desmond who leaves behind Josie.  This couple are among those among whom I served way back in the sixties and later pastored from 1990 to 2005.  I will miss Desmond who has gone where there are no clouds!  Please pray for Josie.

As I sit typing this and wondering whether I will manage to get it sent out to you and published as a blog I find myself more aware of God’s blessing and a deep desire to shout a Hallelujah!  God is good (did I hear you say “All the time”?).

I pray that you will have a good week, and that you will overflow with praise to God – our faithful God.

Thank you for your fellowship.

Barry

Helpful Memories; Powerful Words

Thank you for bearing with me last weekend.  I am glad to say that the problems with my laptop now appear to have been corrected.  I might have lost a few files but at least the tool is working now.  I am grateful to a Christian contact who pointed me in the right direction.  I guess that sits well with the thoughts I shared last week regarding encouraging people to make a response to the gospel message.  I received many encouraging comments and one thoughtful reflection to which I have yet to respond.

Tomorrow (Sunday 29th) I will be taking the service at HMP Gartree at 9.00 and will then pick up Doreen and make our way to join our friends at Yelvertoft where John Harris will be taking the meeting.  We are thankful for friends such as John who share in the ministry in the village.

On Tuesday morning I will be meeting with others on our Holiday at Home team to review the past year's event and plan for the future.  Please pray for wisdom.  In the afternoon I will be back into HMP Gartree.  It is then a relatively quiet week with only a Friday evening activity to attend.

We are not sure at the moment how much communications will be interrupted during this week.  We have a new telephone and internet provider due to take over from Monday and the changeover for the internet might be affected.  If all else fails we have a mobile phone on 07720 322 213.

The relative quietness of the coming week contrasts with the activity of the past week.  On Sunday we had a great Harvest Thanksgiving at Yelvertoft with Charles Smith from the Farming Community Network as our speaker.  Our harvest offerings included quite a quantity of tinned and packeted food that then went off for our local foodbank and homeless drop in ministry.  Monday's Rural Round Table (Fresh Expressions) was productive.  On Tuesday we were pleased to meet with some church leaders from Ireland.  On Thursday we had a fantastic Bible discussion meeting looking at Isaiah 40.  Friday evening and today have been spent in Nottingham in meetings to encourage and promote mission.

What an interesting week it has been in the news.  Developments regarding Syria and Iran need soaking in prayer.  One odd headline that caught my attention relates to work being carried out by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a gene that overwrites old memories with new ones. It was suggested that this could be very helpful for people suffering from post traumatic stress or possibly people who experienced abuse in the past.  Although I have not experienced a deep trauma I have had my share of some pretty horrendous experiences that are now bad memories.  Yet I know that God has used these as part of what has been needed to mould me into the minister I am today.  In many ways bad memories can be helpful especially when these are offered up to God to redeem.  Personally, I would rather see people going down that road rather than wanting the memories wiped as in the Total Recall film.  I know that some reading this will have suffered some pretty dreadful stuff.  I wonder how the idea of overwriting those memories sits with you?

My closing thoughts are on how particular we are in the ministry of God's word.  On a scale of such particularity I think I would score myself fairly highly.  I do not like to sit under ministry that takes scripture out of context or that uses it inappropriately.  When preparing to speak I try to ensure that my ministry is 'sound'.  But isn't that the way we should be when working with God's precious word.  We should take care to understand the truth correctly and minister it faithfully. But against that fact I found myself intrigued at Paul's comments from his imprisonment in Rome regarding what was happening around him  See Philippians 1: 12-18.

Paul refers to people who were preaching the gospel.  Some were motivated by God at work in their lives.  Others were motivated by a desire to stir up trouble for Paul.  But Paul rejoiced over both situations because the gospel was being proclaimed.  I well remember the first time that I was asked to speak in a major conference.  I was still very young.  Other speakers were older, experienced and very competent. I sat up well into the small hours of the morning working on my message and how I would deliver it.  Then, as exhaustion took over, I felt the Lord saying that it didn't matter about the quality of the pen; it was what it wrote that had power to change lives.

It would be presumptuous to think that I had managed to grasp the truth perfectly.  At my best I guess I am an imperfect Bible teacher and evangelist.  I am just glad that God blesses his word to the hearts of the readers and hearers despite human frailty.  The power is in the gospel not our intellectual ability to articulate it.  I would rather have people sharing the truths of Gods word according to their understanding and ability, even if that is poor, than I would have the multitude of dumb Christians with which our land is occupied.

I will continue to be as faithful as I can be in seeking to understand truth from scripture, and in communicating it as often as I can, but like Moses I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets (Numbers 11:29).  I wonder if Paul had that in mind when he write what he did to the Philippians!

Go! Share God's word wherever and whenever you can.  Do so carefully, gently, and as best you can.  But share it please.  It has power once proclaimed.

Barry

Making a Decision

This as been a frustrating week. The problems began when I downloaded some software on the internet. The website offered some additional programmes and I must have inadvertently ticked a box I had not intended.  The next thing was to discover that my internet search engines had been hijacked. It proved difficult to restore my settings, so I downloaded another programme to help me.  The first attempt merely restored the problem once again. A second attempt was working well (I think) but an interruption led to several important files disappearing along with the ability to search the drives on my computer!

My thoughts as I pondered this week's news took me to a well known verse of scripture from Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my household we will serve the Lord".

A colleague in the Salvation Army has recently completed some research on how many denominations use 'Altar Calls'. For any unfamiliar with this term it refers to the practise of encouraging people to make an immediate response to the message of the gospel. It seems that few now regularly do so. Indeed some traditions that you would expect to be more forthright in their preaching of the gospel more commonly provide invitations for people with physical needs to come forward for prayer for healing than hey invite people to welcome Christ into their lives.

I have calculated that, over the years I must have followed the preaching of an evangelistic message by giving an invitation and opportunity for people to respond to the gospel somewhere between 1000 and 2000 times. Usually this was done very discreetly. Many hundreds will have responded and given their lives to the Lord. Evangelism has three stages.  The first is engagement, or finding the right and appropriate opportunity to share the message of the gospel. The second is sharing the story, and this could take various forms. The third stage is providing an appropriate and sensitive way of encouraging a response. Jesus did not hold back from encouraging people to respond to his ministry.  The early Christians also provided a challenge to respond to their message. Today in the UK there is an abundance of sharing the gospel message but often there will be no challenge to respond.

When calling certain men to become his disciples Jesus told them that they would become 'fishers of men'. These men we're used to catching fish, not just influencing them. 

I remember a national meeting of evangelists back around the late 60s. Already it seemed that traditional patterns of evangelism might be waning. One well known evangelist commented that he felt that the greatest skill that comes with the gift of an evangelist is the ability to know how to draw in the met. I think he may well be right.  Over the years it has been my privilege to train others in evangelism and that has included passing on best practise in providing that challenge. While there are many ways in which the challenge can be given, it basically has two elements. The first is to ask is a person would like to turn to Jesus and invite him into their life. The second is to ask if they would like to do it now.

Once when we were conducting an evangelistic mission for an urban Anglican church I encouraged the local vicar to make the 'altar call' at the end of the final service. Although he was a conservative evangelical he had never given such an invitation in his life. He had listened to me on several occasions. Nervously, he invited anyone in the congregation wanting to commit their lives to God to make their way to the front during the singing of the closing hymn. He then turned his back on the congregation and knelt in prayer. As we sang I watched as steadily people responded to his gentle invitation. When he arose and turned round the look of surprise and joy on his face was wonderful. For years he had preached the gospel like a man going fishing without a net!

Why had he been nervous? It was fear of failure. Some people have their own theological reasons for not wanting to give an invitation. I cannot agree with them, though I understand their concern. Conviction and conversion are the work of the Holy Spirit. Trying to manipulate emotions, conducting an altar call like an auctioneer trying to squeeze out one more bid, or using scare tactics are among inappropriate ways of making an invitation. But a simple challenge, such as Joshua made, might be just what someone needs to help them take that step of faith.  We can do it from the platform or in one to one conversations, but let's do it, and have confidence in God.

From the Diary 22-29 September 2013

For your prayers this week please follow our activities each day. Every day will bring opportunity to share the story and provide an invitation.

This Sunday, 22nd is Harvest Thanksgiving at Yelvertoft and we have Charles Smith the CEO of Farming Community Network (formerly Farm Crisis network) as our speaker, and we will give produce to our local foodbank.

On Monday I will be sharing in a rural round table for Fresh Expressions in London.

On Tuesday I am joining our General Secretary of the Congregational Federation meeting some Christian leaders from Ireland.

On Thursday I will be doing some pastoral visits and leading our Bible Discussion Meeting.

On the evening of Friday 28th and though Saturday 29th I will be taking part in Mission Committee meetings in Nottingham.

On Sunday 29th I will be taking the service at HMP Gartner on Leicestershire.

Thank you very sincerely for your interest and prayer.

Barry

Flexible Priorities

From time to time I find myself reflecting on the diverse aspects of ministry in which I am involved.  During the 50 years in which I have been involved in Christian ministry I have felt that God has  led me into various situations.  I started out as a young evangelist back in 1963.  Somewhere around 1966 the organisation in which I was trained and was working lost a very talented Secretary.  By that time I had been given some administrative responsibility.  Before I knew what was happening I had become the General Secretary of the Mission.  Some of the Mission's activities had led to church planting and with it I gained pastoral experience.  In 1968 I was asked to jointly pastor a church, and remained there for around 21 years.  Throughout this time my knowledge and expertise in charity administration grew, and found expression in various ways, including the formation of the national Network for Rural Evangelism.

The next noticeable stage was the development of teaching and training as the Mission created a unique rural mission training centre and I undertook a large part of the teaching and strategic development.  I found the regular pastoral and leadership ministry complemented the itinerant aspects as I was still involved in planning and working in itinerant evangelism.  For this reason I was happy, when the ministry at my first church came to a close after 21 years, to work with the Congregational church at Herstmonceux.  Here, Doreen and I spent almost 15 very happy years as at the same time I developed the mission enabling ministry of Rural Sunrise.  But this in turn led to new areas of responsibility within the denomination, first as Area Chairman and involvement on various Committees, then as President of the Congregational Federation.  About this time I was asked to represent the Federation in the production of a specialist book on the pastoral care of people who had suffered sexual abuse.  That opened up yet another area of expertise and ministry.

The call to move to the East Midlands led into ministry within a local prison.  This very distinct activity provides a healthy break each week and the opportunity to indulge my love of choral singing.  While various areas of responsibility have been left behind along the way; others have remained with me.

So it is that I find myself  engaged in evangelism, church leadership, pastoral ministry, management, advocacy, research, writing, teaching, consultancy and music on a regular basis.  If you were to ask me what is the "main" thing I am not sure how I would answer.  I am not the architect of what has happened.  I just try to tackle each task as it comes along depending on God's grace to fulfil expectations.  I don't consider any aspect irrelevant.  Priorities therefore vary from time to time.

The latter part of this week I was taking part in the Enabling Group of Churches Together in England.  Frankly this is the most surprising of all the kind of things in which I am involved.  When I started out in rural evangelism the policy was to "work with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ".  While this could be described as "interdenominational", the churches with which we worked were exclusively evangelical.  An incident in 1972 led to helping to develop an inter-agency and inter-Church network that was more representative of various traditions.  The effect of this was to open my eyes to the presence and work of God within expressions of Christianity that I would previously have avoided.

A request from the then Convenor of the Congregational Federations Inter-Church Board (ICB) to help strengthen links with evangelical networks led to my representing the Federation within various ecumenical (Churches Together) bodies.  I eventually became the ICB Convenor and in that capacity I was present this week at the CTE Enabling Group meeting.  Here I sat, ate, worshipped, discussed and prayed with representatives from Catholic, Orthodox, Black Majority, Pentecostal, Anglican, Baptist, Salvation Army, Methodist, URC, Quaker, Moravian and Lutheran traditions (I may have left others out).

Some reading this and who pray for the ministries in which I am involved might find this disturbing.  But I have long since found that God is present and at work in situations which once - but longer -surprised me.  I find sisters and brothers in Christ; people who love the same God and Lord Jesus as I do; people who rejoice in the same gospel of salvation and who are committed to sharing in God's mission.  Some of these see themselves to be called of God towards an organic and structural unity.  Others, including me, see unity of all Christians as a present given that we need to nurture and express in better ways.  All recognise the challenges and difficulties and commit themselves to seek God's help in a journey to which we believe ourselves to be called by God.

I share this with you not to draw attention to myself in any way but rather to be honest about the journey on which God has taken me.  My theology as far as the gospel is concerned has never changed.  I am still a passionate evangelist.  But this week called for a temporary adjustment to priorities that I see as valid and part of my personal journey with God.  Like Peter, reporting on his experience at the home of Cornelius, I am unable and unwilling to stand in God's way (Acts 11:17).

Praise and Prayer Please...

• join me in giving thanks for a truly blessed time at the CTE EG meeting;
• give thanks for a precious time in Bradford last weekend for Tony and Sue's anniversay celebrations;
• praise God for blessings that Monica has been experiencing in Kenya.
• for God's provision for our needs;
• for the life and ministry at Yelvertoft.  We welcome new people, rejoice in seeing others sharing more in ministry, have had a wonderful Bible discussion meeting looking at Isaiah 11 and 12, and had a great time with a Christian evangelistic leader from India this past week.
• pray for the regular activities at Yelvertoft, Sundays and in the week;
• pray for the regular work in HMP Gartree on Tuesday;
• pray for a school assembly on Tuesday;
• pray for the Editorial group for Country Way meeting on Thursday (I hope you enjoyed our most recent issue);
• pray for wisdom regarding time management and priorities;
• pray for the areas of management and administration that are part of each day's work for God;
• pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ within Syria and Egypt who are experiencing serious oppression from Islamic extremists.  It is costing many of them their homes, livelihoods, sometimes liberty and even their lives.  My own links of fellowship within Syria is with the Armenian Evangelical Church.

The privilege of service for and with God is an unspeakable joy.  I hope that what I have written above might make you think about your own journey with the Lord.  I hope that you too can see how God has led you and grown your gifting and experience along the way.  As William Carey, that great Baptist missionary encouraged, "Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God".

Thank you for praying.

Barry

Mirrors or Stars?

During the past weekend we had the privilege and pleasure of sharing in anniversary celebrations for  a couple of friends in ministry in a Baptist Church in Bradford.  Tony and Sue Newnham worked with Doreen and me many years ago in Mission for Christ a rural evangelistic ministry.  Tony was responsible for music and technical matters in those days and Sue managed a large Christian bookshop.  The Lord has led them over the years and twenty years ago they began their first experience in pastoral leadership of a church.  We had a great weekend with them, members of their church and other friends.  It was good to meet with two other former co-workers in MfC and some others who share in our current ministry.

Preparation for speaking at this event suffered from the fact that I had a demanding programme through last week.  However, as I had prayed about the weekend I had felt drawn to explore models for ministry from Paul's letter to the Christians at Philippi.  I love this book and there is so much that informs the subject. One of the areas of the letter that often seems neglected is the last part of chapter 2.  The early par of the chapter contains the great hymn about Jesus and describes how he graciously humbled himself for us and our salvation.  This is followed by a "Therefore" that tells us how he was then raised up and given honour.  But then a second "Therefore" follows.  Paul writes about how he expected the church to respond in the light of what went before.

If they respond appropriately Paul states, "Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life" (NIV).  We could link this concept top what Paul wrote in 2Corinthians 3: 12-18 where he refers back to the experience of Moses whose face shone (radiated) glory after seeing God on the mountain.  He argues that we should also be being transformed (or transfigured) into God's likeness as we... Now here is the nub of the matter.  Paul uses an expression unique in the New Testament.  Literally it means to look into a mirror.  The NIV translates it "contemplate".  What the original language implies is that we are seeing the glory of God - but indirectly.  As we gaze on this we are made like him.

Keen that we should not assume anything good coming from ourselves many have stated that what happens is that we are reflecting his likeness.  But what we need to note is that it is the image of the glory of God that is being reflected towards us.  We are not seeing it directly but indirectly as we contemplate the glory of the revelation of God through Jesus Christ and the saving work he has accomplished, and that is being furthered in our lives by the Spirit of God within us.  What is not stated here is that we are reflecting that image.  But we are being transformed.

Paul specifically uses a word that is translated as "stars" in Philippians 2:15.  The original Greek word means an object that emits light.  The moon is inanimate and does not emit light; it reflects the light of the sun.  Our sun is in fact a star.  The light with which we are to shine should be coming from within us, though it has its origin in God.  As we spend time consciously in God's presence, and become immersed in the wonder of the gospel, and as God's word works within us, it is as if we are charged up like a battery.  Another illustration would be an electric storage heater.  It emits heat but only because it has received previous input.

Let's continue to spend time contemplating the reflected glory of God revealed in the gospel of grace so that we are transformed - changed from glory to glory.  Don't be a passive mirror; become a dynamic star and shine in today's dark world.

Give thanks...

• For God's blessing during my recent ministry in Bradford.
• For God's blessing on meetings Monica Cook has held in Nairobi and Obambo, Kenya.
• For safety in our travels at home and abroad.
• For God's provision for our needs.  Give thanks for those who help to keep us on the road through their donations.
• For God's grace through a very demanding past week.
• For invitations to share God's word in song and spoken ministry.
• That the work of Action for Christ is being sustained.
• For encouraging feedback from our activities.  It's always good to know that people are being blessed.

Please pray...

• Ministry this week in Yelvertoft: pastoral visits, Bible discussion meeting on Thursday morning,  special mission meeting Thursday evening, and next Sunday morning.
• My regular visit to HMP Gartree on Tuesday.
• Administrative work this week for Rural Mission Solutions and the Rural Evangelism Network.
• As I re-engage with the research work with Winchester University
• For Monica Cook who is busy in Obambo, Kenya
• For wisdom as there are a couple of aspects of Mission for Christ that need to be completed but are delayed by communication problems.  We are also still following up requests for assistance from the police and Charity Commission as we address historic matters before I came on board.
• For growth in Gift Aid support for Rural mission Solutions.  Our work in the UK is not in difficulty but a few more regular sponsors would be helpful.
• Pray for our continuing outreach through the internet and publications.
• Open doors for the ministry of the gospel in rural Britain.
• For the members of Dunks Green Evangelical Free Church in Kent.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1: 4-6

Barry