Peace At Any Price?

Over recent weeks I have touched on the issue of disagreement between Christians and the biblical pattern for correction.  On this occasion I want to address a similar issue and share some of the random thoughts that have been passing through my mind.  But I will try not to repeat things I have written before.

Part of the responsibilities I carry is as the Convenor of the Congregational Federation's Inter-Church Board.  The Board carries the shared responsibility for representing the Federation in ecumenical contexts, meeting with people from other Christian traditions, and sometimes even other faiths.  Many years ago I joined a Christian mission organisation that claimed to work with and for 'anyone who loved the Lord Jesus Christ' (a kind of qualified ecumenism).  In the context of my ministry as a prison chaplain I also interact with chaplains and prisoners of other faiths, and when it comes to Christian denominations prison cannot afford much space to indulge every shade of Christianity.

In all these situations I have never felt that I have had to compromise my personal theological views nor have I ever been asked to do anything I might be ashamed or even embarrassed about (though some might find  some things slightly strange).  What is more important I feel that I have been able to express the love of God I feel filling my heart and to stay in tune with the Lord.  I recall that when Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment he did not respond by, for example, by stating a policy on baptism or suggest it was to do with the inerrancy of scripture.  I am not suggesting that doctrine is not important, but I am saddened when we find our attitude prevents our discovering God at work in places we might find strange.

We know that Peter struggled with the idea of entering into a gentile's home and had to quickly rethink his theological ideas when the Holy Spirit came upon the gentiles in the home of Cornelius (Acts 10).  God will not allow himself to be limited by a commitment to a creed or doctrinal statement.  I have sometimes found God's presence and power at work in places that some Christians I know would feel he should never have attended!  What this does not mean is that I have to embrace everything that others believe or practise.  It does mean that I have to ensure I have an open heart and mind and that I am ready to seek God for how he wants me to respond when i see him at work in places I might think of as 'strange'.

But it isn't just doctrinal or ecclesial differences that cause disunity.  Both Matthew 18:15-17 and 2 Corinthians 2:8-11, and 1 Timothy 5:1,2 indicate situations where there is some division because of behaviour.  In the Matthew passage we see the steps that are taken top try to resolve a problem.  In the Corinthian situation there is concern for healing and restoration, and in Timothy it is about disciple that shows love and respect.  Our unity in Christ is a precious trust from God that we are to nurture.  Where conduct has caused a problem we dare not rely on secular wisdom and processes to sort it out.  In the kingdom of God we should always do things God's way.

Managing differences God's way is not easy but is vital for it is where we dwell together in unity that God commands the blessing (Psalm 133).  One of my sad memories goes back 50 years to a country church that had two organists in the congregation.  It seemed that whichever one was not playing had a critical spirit towards the one that was playing.  Perhaps the non-player felt it was too fast or too slow.  I have no idea who was right - or if either of them was right, but I remember that you could sometimes cut the atmosphere with a knife.  That was so painful for all concerned.  Clearly there was hurt that needed a gentle spirit to enable all to be blessed.

When I was a young minister in a team situation two splendid young people who were engaged to be married came to tell me that she had become pregnant.  It was the shared 'wisdom' of the team that we had to remove them both from their positions of leadership among the youth to show that the church disapproved of pre-marital intercourse.  They were also suspended from taking any public part in services for six months.  You might feel that this was appropriate, or you may feel it to have been harsh.  But the far greater tragedy, in my opinion, was that there was no public reassurance of love and fellowship as the passage in 2 Corinthians suggests.  I deeply regret that failure to show love and oneness in Christ.  We let them down, we let the church down, and we let God down.

In the real world division and difference will happen.  The New Testament records such division within the early Christians but that does not free us from the responsibility to seek unity whenever we can.  If some separation of pathways becomes necessary then we should show the same love that Abraham showed to Lot.  He allowed Lot to have the apparently better pathway and expressed a hope that there would be no conflict between them or their respective servants (Genesis 13:8,9).

Is there a division that needs to be healed?  Are you able to take any steps to bring about that healing?  Is it possible that a lack of unity in your church or between churches might be grieving God? We do not need to paper over cracks or force others to see things the way we do.  If we open ourselves to the Spirit of Jesus we should find a unity that can accept difference.  That's not 'peace at any price'; it is peace at the price of the cross.

From the Diary

•  I had a blessed and profitable time meeting with leaders from other rural mission organisations last Thursday.
• The prison choir concert was fantastic - a real 'good news' event.  When I took the service in prison this morning it was still buzzing!  We also had an excellent service this morning with over 50 men attending. Please pray for M, one of the choir who has just been released.  Chaplaincy has put him in touch with a local church.
• Last week's school assembly I talked about the Christian adventure and used the story of Gladys Aylward in summary form.  Afterwards a boy from year 6 asked to borrow the book of her life.  Please pray for W as he reads this story.
• This evening I am taking the service at Husbands Bosworth Methodist Church and will also include a testimony by one of our young adults from Yelvertoft.  Doreen and i are also taking an older Christian lady who used to work in the National Childrens' Home in Hastings when I used to visit school friends for tea!
• A different school assembly this Monday.  Pray for wisdom and inspiration.
• Tuesday afternoon - back to prison and expecting even more to join the choir. 
• Wednesday evening - CF Area staff support meeting.  Please pray for wisdom.
• Thursday morning - Bible Discussion Meeting at Yelvertoft.
• Saturday afternoon I am preaching at an induction service at a Leicestershire rural church.
• Sunday - ministry at Yelvertoft

As ever, thank you for your prayers and practical support.  Why not look me up on Facebook?

Barry

A Cause to Die For?

I am not sure whether or not I think I understand people such as the many young Muslims who have left our shores to take part in the conflict in countries such as Syria and Iraq.  Of course understanding is not the same as sympathising.  I certainly do not sympathise with any aspect of what they do.  I guess that the process of radicalising someone must begin with eliciting sympathy for a cause.  What I have been thinking about is the significance of actually having a cause that you want to fight for, or possibly die for.

The recently published video of young men urging others to join in the jihad was entitled "There is no life without jihad" and in it the concept of taking part in jihad was offered as a cure for depression.  This is clearly marketing something to people who feel that their life has no real purpose.  Once religious fervour and political ideology combine the result is scary, and we have far too many examples of this in history, including some that involve Christianity.  Unfortunately, it is all too easy to extract parts of the Bible or the Koran that would seem to justify violent action, but this is an abuse of Scripture.

For Christians, the supreme example of a life with a purpose would be Jesus.  Here is a man with a cause.  It is impossible to read the gospels without becoming aware that there was a reason for his life. From the moment of his baptism and throughout his earthly ministry the focus of his life is clearly in serving others.  Luke records Peter's description of Jesus in Cornelius' house (Acts 10) as "...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.".  But Jesus also preached and taught in an uncompromising way even if he had critics in his audience.  As he was later to say to Pilate, "In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." (John 18:37)

That statement also reveals something of the character of his teaching.  The power lies in the content of his teaching; not in the style.  The apostle Paul, another clearly driven person, also states the same thing about the gospel.  It is the content of the message that has power not the way in which it was delivered. See Romans 1:16,17  and 1Corinthians 1: 16-18 where Paul makes this clear.  So both in the life of Jesus and the life of Paul the purpose is about caring and compassion, about helping and serving.  It is not so much about a purpose to fight for as it is a purpose to die for - and in both cases that was literal.

As a young boy in Sunday School one of my biblical heroes was Daniel.  He committed himself in the service of his captors but refused to compromise his faith, even in the midst of great danger.  We used to sing a Sunday school hymn that went "Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone, Dare to have a purpose firm, And dare to make it known".  PP Bliss wrote this around 1873 and there are a number of hymns from this period that can seem to reflect an aggressive image of Christian service.  But Daniel did not adopt an aggressive stance.  References to spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6 are about defence against the devil not aggressive evangelisation.

To seek any form of world peace by means of aggression or coercion is to deny the aim by the means adopted.  Those who carry the burden of political responsibility or the responsibility to maintain law and order have to determine what is an appropriate response to aggression, but within the context of religion any cause that has to be advanced through violence is not worth following.

But I am left wondering whether we have bored Christians, people without a passion and a sense of purpose.  It is time to wake up and realise that we do have a purpose to which God is calling us in which we do not need to use worldly weapons and where the battle ground starts within our own hearts.  So let us follow our Master's example and go around doing good and speaking words of life whenever and wherever we can. People of other faiths or none are not the enemy.  The kingdom of God will not come through violence but by taking on the battle with our own propensity to sin and then being and sharing good news lovingly with others.  It's time to "Stand up, stand up for Jesus" but to do it in HIS way.

From the diary

School Assemblies.  Last week in one school I was asked to speak on forgiveness.  This week in another school on Tuesday I am asked to link the theme "adventure" with the Acts of the Apostles.  Both situations are Primary Schools (Key stage 1 and 2) and I have only a few minutes to say something useful and memorable.

Prison Ministry.  This Wednesday our choir has the opportunity to offer a service in song and drama to fellow prisoners and some invited guests.  Our final practise is on Tuesday afternoon and we are probably half prepared.  It has been challenging as for several weeks now we keep attracting others.  They must like the hard work I give them!  Working through music is a real ministry to and through the men as part of rehabilitation.

Sundays. 22nd at Yelvertoft.  29th at HMP Gartree in the morning and Husbands Bosworth Methodist in the evening.

Rural Mission leaders. a group of five 'CEOs'  from rural mission organisations meet periodically.  I am hosting a meeting on Thursday morning in Market Harborough.

There is plenty of other activity through the week and I need your prayers each day please.

Thank you.

Barry

Sinners welcome here?

"When [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, 

but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. 

He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord 

and that the Lord had spoken to him, 

and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus."

(Acts 9:26,27)

After Saul had his encounter with the risen Christ we read in Acts chapter 9 that Ananias, a rather reluctant servant of God, was sent to visit and pray for him for the recovery of his sight and that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit.  We then read that he remained in Damascus for several days during which time he preached in the Synagogues that Jesus was indeed the Christ.  Opposition developed and for his safety he left Damascus secretly and made his way to Jerusalem.

I wonder what kind of reception he imagined he might receive but doubt and fear clearly obstructed his welcome.  It took an intervention by Barnabas to open the way.  Similar advocacy is still required in some denominations even to get as far as the communion table.  I'm not sure that this is what we are supposed to learn from this passage. Is exclusivity a mark of a Christian community?

Some time around 1985 when I was studying with the Open University I had to attend Aston University for a weekend and hoped I could find a way to get to church early on the Sunday morning.  To my surprise a Church Army sister called Dianne was also on the course and when she discovered I was a Christian the two of us decided to set off to find a local church that had an early morning communion service (assuming it would be Church of England).  We toured the Area but discovered that none of the nearly churches had an early morning service.  I muttered to Dianne that perhaps this was how Saul felt when he arrived at Jerusalem eager to get into the life of the church, then added that all we needed was a 'Barnabas'

One evangelical vicar suggested we should contact the vicar at Erdington, the other side of the M6, but pointed out that he was from the catholic wing of the C of E. We rang him late on Saturday evening explaining that we were a couple of evangelists on an course at Aston for the weekend and asking whether he had an early Sunday service at which we would be welcome.  He informed us it was a Rite B service and that we would be welcome.

On arrival we found a small congregation in a glass panelled side chapel.  We were welcomed warmly at the door.  When the priest arrived I noted that his stole was decorated with symbolic flames.  He began by welcoming Dianne and me by name and explaining who we were and that we needed to get began to Aston for a lecture and whether the congregation would mind if he adjusted the normal Rite B do as to shorten it slightly.  All agreed and turned to us with welcoming smiles.  The service began.  

When we got to the point where we were encouraged to give a sign of peace to one another, both Dianne and I had a queue of friendly sisters and brothers.  The welcome and love was so delightful.  Suddenly, Dianne let out a loud sequel and when I asked her why she said she had just realised that the name of the church we were in was St Barnabas!

It would have been around ten years later, when I was minister at Herstmonceux Free Church (Congregational) that we had cause to review our practise relating to church membership.  Our services were open to anyone and we had seen steady growth.  We also kept an open communion table welcoming all 'who loved the Lord Jesus Christ' to partake of the emblems.  We even had open Church Meetings (these are the heart of our governance in the Congregational tradition), though only members could vote.  Membership is important in Congregational polity as the members at that time acted as managing trustees.

But the majority of our regular congregation steadfastly declined to become members.  This was due in part to unhappy experiences in other churches.  As we thought and prayed about this situation two things seemed significant.  The first of these was that the nature of membership reinforced the institutional aspect of church and we didn't want to project an image of church as an institution.  The second matter was more serious.  We preached a gospel in which Jesus declared that whoever came to him he would never turn away.  Not once did he restrict his love, welcome and ministry to anyone.  He never asked for a statement of faith or a definition of the nature of God, or the inspiration of scripture before he gave his touch of healing and blessing.  Our process of membership, which required a positive outcome after a visit from two deacons, seemed strangely at odds with the gospel we preached which was the very foundation of our church's existence.

So it was that we took the bold step to change.  We ceased using the term 'member' in public.  Instead we spoke of people as being 'part of the church'.  We introduced a simple covenant as the basis for being part of the church and determined that this should be signed annually by anyone who wished to be part of the church.  Each year the covenant signature was sufficient until the end of January the following year with an invitation to sign that year's covenant of fellowship once again.

In a single day most of the adults who had declined to become members happily signed the Covenant.  We were also delighted that a number of children and teenagers also signed.  I had explained that only those 18 and over would assume legal responsibility for managing the affairs of the church.  In introducing this change the Church Meeting had also determined that the leadership team could suspend anyone's rights as part of the church on the grounds of heresy,immorality, or unhealthy contention.  There was a right of appeal to the Church Meeting.

As far as I know the practise at Herstmonceux has been continued and we adopted it in my current church at Yelvertoft.  We have had lots of enquiries from other churches who have found this expression of church membership attractive.  Of course, legal requirements of many churches would not allow such liberty.  But I share this story because institutional church is a major turn-off for many.  In a desire to keep the church 'pure' we might find that our practise does not sit well with the message we proclaim.  I hope that like St Barnabas, Erdington, people feel truly welcome and included, and that we ensure that any hoops they might have to jump through are large and low, presented as a positive step rather than an examination to be passed.

Of course church membership based upon an annually renewable Covenant is not unique to us.  Our Covenant of Fellowship states, “In response to God's gracious promises and commands, we covenant to walk together in all the ways of the Lord, as he has revealed them or will reveal them through his Spirit and through the scriptures.  We freely and gladly bind ourselves, his grace enabling us, to live in loving communion with one another as becomes members of a church of Christ.”  Some Christian friends who hold a more conservative view and require an assent to certain doctrine essential for church membership might think our approach rather liberal.  But that has never become an issue in our experience.  

Of course I understand and respect alternative views on the subject.  I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I write.  But how does your church express God's loving welcome to fullness of life in Christ?  Who are your Barnabas's?

Items for Praise

I am grateful for safe and happy journeys to and from Northern Ireland this week.  I am also grateful for the welcome, kindness and hospitality expressed by the Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland.

I give thanks that the prison authorities have confirmed the date for the event which gives the choir members an opportunity of serving others.

Items for Prayer

For those survivors of domestic abuse (sexual or otherwise) who will find Father's Day a painful reminder.  Pray for wisdom and sensitivity as we talk about a father's love.  It means something different to some.

Ministry at Yelvertoft on Sunday and Thursday mornings.

School Assembly at Lubenham, Leicestershire on Monday.

The penultimate choir practice before the event on Tuesday.  A lot of polish and confidence building still needed among a willing group of men.  All have committed serious crime and carry a burden from which they might never find relief. Chaplaincy is a challenging ministry and prayers for discernment and wisdom for the chaplaincy team are always appreciated.

Thank you.

Barry

Lament

  "...they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’  

How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?"

(Psalm 137: 3b-4)

I have to admit that the Book of Lamentations is not one with which I am familiar (apart from knowing that it follows Jeremiah and allegedly written by that prophet).  I am familiar with just a few verses but have never had an interest in studying either the book or the tradition of lamenting.

Some will remember that ironically parts of Psalm 137 became a pop song sung by Boney M: "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea we wept when we remembered Zion".  The pop version and its accompanying joyful video is based on a rastafarian combination of bits of two psalms.  But the clap-along and dance version is exactly the opposite of what Psalm 137 is all about.

The Psalm is closely associated with the exile experience suffered by the people of Jerusalem and Judea after they had been conquered by the Babylonians in the sixth century BC.  To assert their authority over a conquered nation it was common for the people of the losing side to be taken and dispersed among the territories of their conquerors. So the psalmist presents us with a group of exiled Jews away from their homeland and mockingly asked to sing some of their joyful songs of Zion - songs that reflected praise to God and enjoyment of his blessing.  But the musicians had hung up their harps and felt they could not sing.

What we do not know is whether they felt that the place and circumstances they were in rendered it inappropriate to sing the Lord's song, or whether they were so overwhelmed by misery that they couldn't sing a song of praise.  Perhaps both but more of the latter as they sat down and wept.  "How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"

Psalm 137 is not unique among the Psalms in expressing sorrow and frustration; there are many other examples and trying to understand the mindset of the psalmists is a valuable exercise.  If you take some time to read and reflect on the whole Psalm you will get a pretty clear idea of how they were feeling about their circumstances.  They were not only sad, they were angry.  

Verses 4 to 6 is an expression of a determination about remembering what they had lost.  So strongly is this expressed that the psalmist wishes terrible physical consequences on himself if he forgets. Basically, the musician would rather suffer permanent disability and never be able to play and sing again if he forgets where he has come from.

But the remaining verses are violent, calling on God to punish those who have done this to them.  The last verse is particularly painful to read.  We need to remember that just because these words are contained in Scripture they are the revelation of natural human reactions and not a revelation of what God thinks and feels.  In fact we note that this attitude is in marked contrast to the prophetic words of Jeremiah where, in Jeremiah chapter 29, the prophet encourages them to accept their circumstances, settle down and be a blessing to their captors.

We could say that God wanted them to learn from their situation which had been brought about by their self confidence and failure to trust God and walk in his ways.  It is a kind of foreshadowing of the teaching of Jesus about turning the other cheek and going a second mile.  But the natural response was to feel the apparent injustice and to hit out.  But part of the experience of spiritual progress must include lamenting when things are not right.

Recently, certain events in one area of my life and ministry disturbed and distressed me.  An early response was to confront the injustice.  I raised a number of questions about the sad situation that had developed - all of which I felt and still feel were perfectly justified.   The situation causing the distress was not something happening to me but that was happening to both a person and an organisation that mean a great deal to me.  As time went by and as the pain and concern I had were not addressed, my initial anger turned into deep lament.  I had never felt this in such a deep way before.

The first response was to cry to God to come and do something about the situation and right the apparent wrong.  I reflected on what had been lost in the process and began to deeply mourn its loss.  I was angry about it and expressed this to the key people whose actions had brought about this situation, though I did not call on God for their destruction.  But then my lament began to deepen and change.  I began to consider what might have led to crisis.  I began to see how there had been various failures going back in time.  If only something had been done about it sooner.  I asked myself whether I could have done something to prevent this crisis coming.

Now I was not only lamenting what had happened, but also for everyone that had been involved and its sad consequences.  This was not diminishing aspects I still consider unjust, but it was a significant spiritual experience - a kind of shared pain for all caught up in the situation or suffering its consequences.  The phrase "lessons to be learned" began to be uttered by people close to the problem.  I too have lessons to be learned.

My period of lamentation seems not yet over.  Sunday was Pentecost and a cause for celebration and hope, but planning such a service and choosing appropriate hymns was more difficult than usual.  Sometimes, the situation we are in and the blessing we have lost make it hard to sing the Lord's song in this strange metaphorical land.  For the Jews it would be a long time before they were back in the land and a song of joy would peel out from the praise party walking the rebuilt wall of Jerusalem.  And even then there were tears as the people realised how far they had drifted from what could and should have been (see Nehemiah 8:9,10).

An inappropriate degree of self confidence and presumption brought about their downfall and was the real cause of their sorrow.  They needed to learn that no one can presume on God's providence and that humility unlocks the door to the blessings.  Where there is no humility there is likely to be humbling.  And when humbling has done its work songs can be sung again.

The story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem starts with him hearing of the poor state of Jerusalem and those living there.  He then sat down and wept.  What followed was persistent prayer, fresh vision, fresh courage and revival.  Could it be that we do not have sufficient cause to be joyful because we haven't learned to lament our comparative spiritual poverty?

Causes to be thankful

• Helpful and encouraging Sunrise trustees meeting recently with encouraging plans for the future;
• A safe return by my colleague, Monica, following her work over recent weeks in Africa.  We are glad that God kept her safe and blessed her ministry;
• At last we have a date for a prison choir concert and an opportunity for the choir to serve and bless others;
• Great school assembly;
• Good fellowship with many friends and colleagues;
• Safety in travelling, and health & strength;
• Most of all for God's faithfulness - undeserved.

Causes for Prayer

• I am travelling to Northern Ireland thus week where I will be attending the General Synod of the Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland from Tuesday and leaving to come home on Thursday afternoon;
• That I will walk close to God and make room to listen to him throughout each day;
• That the prison authorities will confirm the dates of the prison event this week (it's planned for the 25th June and notices have to go out).
• That in the midst of my lamentation that God will help all concerned to find special grace;
• For an elderly man with whom a casual conversation meant a great deal after he had left his wife very ill in hospital.  He was overwhelmed at what was little more than a few moments of care and seemed to think I might have been an angel!  Note to self: be more caring to strangers who might feel very lonely and need to know God loves them.
• Provision of sufficient funds to enable our ongoing ministry;
• Safety in travelling;
• Preparation for the weekend's ministry.

Thank you for your fellowship,

Barry