Facing a Different Future

Some have described it as a ‘wind of change’; others have spoken of an ‘earthquake’.  What is indisputable is that, in the UK, we are facing a different future.  For Christians this means trying to understand the times and spirit of the age and then to live out our faith and bring god’s word into the situation in ways that are relevant.  Christians are meant to be prophetic both in how we live what we say.  Of course, these are early days following a major change, so we should be careful and prayerful as we seek to engage in the ‘double listening’ essential for Christian witness.

Since the referendum my thoughts have turned to two Old Testament characters and one prophetic passage that has been subject to misunderstanding.

The first character from the Hebrew Scriptures is Joseph.  At the age of 17 he seemed to be confident about his future.  But events changed and he successively found himself rejected by his brothers, the object of a murderous plot, sold into slavery, taken to a foreign country with an alien culture, falsely accused of rape, thrown into prison, and forgotten by a friend.  All that probably by the time he was 29.  He could have become an angry young man.  He could have been bitter and resentful.  But he chose instead to serve others within the context into which he found himself thrown.  As such he showed himself to be the better man.

The second character is Daniel. Bible commentators seem to agree that he was a young man when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem and took captives to Babylon.  They went, not as tourists but as slaves, forced to live in an alien country with an ungodly and alien faith and philosophy. He too could have been bitter and resentful, kicking against the circumstances forced upon him.  But instead, like Joseph, he rose to the occasion and chose to serve others and to serve well.  Neither Joseph nor Daniel compromised on their personal faith but maintained integrity with who they work within God’s purposes.  For Daniel, that meant taking a risk with his life and facing the possibility of being eaten alive by lions.

Whatever, the world in which we might have wanted to live, this is the world in which we are living.  Like Joseph and Daniel, we need to be strong in faith, and be the best kind of Christians we can be in these times, even if we find some aspects rather alien.

The prophetic passage on my mind is in Jeremiah 29.  Verse 11 has become a favourite of many, but there is a bad habit of taking it out of context.  False prophets at the time were making all kinds of promises of better things just around the corner. How welcome those misleading words would have been.  People who had thought God had abandoned them to their enemies would have welcomed the suggestion that the situation would soon be reversed.  It would have been light at the end of the tunnel.  But it was untrue.

The unwelcome words of Jeremiah 29 were that deliverance was not around the corner.  They were going to be in captivity for many years; time to settle down, build houses, raise families, marry off your children and enjoy grandchildren.  It is against that background – and only against that background that God declares that he still has plans for them.  There is future and hope, but not just yet.  Not only must they endure their present situation but more than that they must “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29: 5-7)

I do not believe that God works within the political life of nations in the same way that he did under the Old Covenant.  But I do believe that we, as Christians, are called to be blessing to others and we should pray for them that they will prosper.  We should pray for God's blessing on our own nation and for what we will become. But we must also pray for God's blessing on those from whom we will be separating politically.  Both at home and abroad there are some who feel hurt and concerned about the future.  Our actions affect others.  Whether or not you chose the course on which we are now set, God expects us to discover how he would want us to behave and live out prophetic lives for his glory.  No room there for either pride or sour grapes.

Facing My Different Future

I am excited by the change I face this week.  While my first calling was as an evangelist, God has graciously added gifts and ministries over the years. My first experience in pastoral ministry began in 1966 following a church-planting mission in Kent.  In 1968 I was called to a joint pastoral ministry in Hastings where I served for 21 years.  After a short break I was called to the church in Herstmonceux, which I served for just over 14 years.  That was an incredible experience as we put into practice the principles behind developing tailored mission strategies.  The after another short break I was called to Theddingworth and Yelvertoft.  I discovered that I had misunderstood the expectations of the Theddingworth church and so resigned from there but have continued at Yelvertoft to the present.  It has been a good journey.

However, this week my ministry in pastoral leadership at Yelvertoft comes to an end and I pass the baton onto Jim Lyon, who I believe will do a good work.  But the opportunities to teach from scripture on a regular basis, and engage pastorally with church members and the wider community have come to an end.  I will certainly miss it.

The reason for my retiring from Yelvertoft is partly because I felt they would be better served by someone younger, but also a desire to put time and energy into promoting evangelism in the rural areas of the UK.  There is much to be done and with some 10,000,000 people living there (including over 1.5 million children, our vision remains to help rural churches engage in appropriate, effective and sustainable strategies that share the good news of Jesus, help people discover a saving faith, grow in discipleship and share in God’s mission.

Retirement from the pastorate at Yelvertoft will mean a significant drop in income, but Doreen and I are not in personal need.  But I am an unashamed advocate for the ministry in which we are engaged with others.  Fifty years ago (almost to the day) I entered full time ministry supported by a network of 36 people who gave two shillings and sixpence a week (12.5p) to support me and who saved up small change in boxes to cover ministry costs.  These days ‘crowdfunding’ has been an exciting way of helping to establish new businesses and provide employment for thousands of people. 

200 people giving just £1 per week (or equivalent) would help to ensure our operational costs are met.  Some churches we serve are able to contribute but as many of the churches we serve are small, we offer our work free of charge. Praise & Prayer News goes out to over 300 people each week.  We highly vale the prayer support that this raises. We are also very grateful for those who are able to support us financially, though this is less than 10% of the recipients.

If you think you can help to keep us serving others you will find information below as to how you can donate or set up a standing order.

Doreen Facing a Different Future

Less than two months ago, my wife was diagnosed with cancer.  Four weeks ago she underwent radical surgery.  Pathology examination of surrounding tissue and blood vessels showed no spread.  In the past week she has resumed most of the routine domestic work and tells me that she is grateful to be free from the restrictions imposed by her carer (me) following her operation.  We give thanks, but are acutely mindful of, and praying for, so many friends who are going through similar circumstances battling cancer.  Thank you for the enormous number of loving messages over recent weeks.

From the Diary

Gordon Banks and I led an online seminar on Summer Mission Ideas which, according to those who attended, proved very helpful.  On this occasion we managed to record the session (lasts 45 minutes) and you can see this on the Rural Mission Solutions website by clicking this link.  It is also available on YouTube.

The take-up on the opportunity to attend these helpful webinars is disappointing.  We will be exploring what the reason for this might be.  From our perspective we are offering for free a high value educational opportunity from which churches and people can benefit from the comfort of their homes.  Please pray as we seek to grow the audience base.  We have room for 100 people each session.

Since the last Praise & Prayer mentioned about greater availability following my retirement from pastoral responsibilities, we have received several request from churches. We can travel and as we enter this new phase of ministry there is space in my diary if I can be of service to you.

Pray for Katrina as I work with her re-launching the children’s and families’ ministry of Rural Mission Solutions.  The first few months are bound to be challenging.  You can read more about Katrina on the Rural Mission Solutions website.

The week’s diary includes: Monday School Assembly; Tuesday Hospital check-up for Doreen, my regular work in prison, and travel to Swansea; Wednesday and Thursday Chairing the Congregational Federation’s InterChurch Board meetings in Swansea; Friday meeting with lawyers in Eastbourne.

Another colleague, Canon Elizabeth Ingram, and I value your prayers for a complicated and confidential matter in which we carry a responsibility as trustees of a Will.  Successive trustees since 1979 have found this challenging and we are hoping to make some changes for the benefit of all concerned.  Not all the changes we have proposed have been welcomed.  Please pray that reason and common sense will prevail.  I have to prepare a legal report and will value your prayers.

Please pray for the Friends of Obambo team.  While neither our ministry nor I are now actively involved in this ministry we began around 1995, we have good friends who are seeking to ensure that excellent work done by my former colleague, Monica Cook, continues appropriately.  They are faced with a difficult situation to manage following her death.  I believe they will be writing to their supporters in the near future.

I am deeply grateful for the prayers that support our service for the Lord.  Thank you.

Barry