Pentecost Myths?

I am writing this on the eve of Trinity Sunday.  In my own Christian tradition this is not a calendar event we would normally celebrate, but it's a time of year I enjoy.  Last week we had a great Pentecost Sunday.  But there are aspects about both these Sundays that cause me some concern.  At the risk of seeming a grumpy old man perhaps I will share these with you.  You might or might not agree with me, and I do not wish to offend.  But I do want us to be careful how we teach from Scripture.

Let's start with Trinity Sunday.  I fear that in the UK most regular church goers have only a weak understanding of what the Trinity means.  Creating an occasion at least once a year when some attempt can be made to describe the Trinity and how there can be three persons that remain essentially one is not a bad idea.  However, there is a risk that some will be left more confused by our attempts to explain a mystery for which there is no comparison.  Certainly the explanation of how something can exist as solid, liquid or gas is not appropriate.  For a start the state depends upon the environment in which it exists and that is not true of God.  Nor is the Holy Spirit a gas!

Rather than trying to explain the Trinity there is probably better mileage in focussing on the divine nature of Jesus as God the Son or on the Holy Spirit as he (or she) makes actual in our lives all that the Father has purposed and the Son has made possible. Again, I fear that many regular church-goers have a weak grasp of the nature of Jesus Christ and the person of the Holy Spirit.

This brings me to what I see as three myths that relate to Pentecost.  The first of these is presenting the first Pentecost as the 'birthday of the Church'. One of my concerns regarding this myth has to do with how we define the Church.  My understanding of this is that it is primarily about our commitment to be followers of Jesus and our experience of salvation through his atoning work. Using that criteria Jesus had a Church before the Day of Pentecost.  His disciples had been declared cleansed, had received authority from God, had performed miracles, proclaimed the gospel, and had divine revelation, and the assurance of heaven.  In Acts 1 there are at least 120 'believers' whom Peter calls 'brothers and sisters'.  All of this, in the light of Jesus' comment to Nicodemus in John 3:3 leads me to infer that his followers must have been born again.

Of course, some might want to quote 1Corinthians 12: 13 but we need to be careful not to confuse being baptised into the Body of Christ (i.e. the Church) with the personal baptism in or with the Holy Spirit.

The experience of the disciples on the Day of Pentecost was not a once for all experience.  The record of Acts refers to other occasions at Samaria andEphesus and in the home of Cornelius for example.  Then there was Saul's experience at Damascus.  Furthermore history records countless other occasions when individual Christians have had an initial experience of being filled with or baptised with the Holy Spirit just as Peter declared would happen (see Acts 2: 39).

The second common myth is that on the Day of Pentecost lots of the disciples were preaching the gospel using different languages or tongues.  But only Peter is recorded as preaching to the crowd.  What people from various countries testified to was hearing believers proclaiming the wonders of God.  Writing to the church at Corinth Paul makes clear that when someone speaks in a Spirit-given language they speak to God and not to other people (1 Corinthians 14:2).  While the words of Peter were clearly sensible, the utterances in various languages were accompanied with such ecstasy that people thought they were drunk.  They were lost in love, worship and praise expressed in languages they had never learned, but which the Spirit enabled them to use.

The third (and my final) myth relates to how people speak about the Holy Spirit as if it is not God himself (or herself).  Yes, there are descriptions of the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit as a gift (see Luke 11:13; Acts 2:38; Acts 10: 45).  We clearly receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a charism or gift but the gift is God himself.  This is profound and to present it otherwise is to do a great disservice to God.

For the days in which we live we need the fullness of God in our lives.  As Paul exhorts the Christians at Ephesus we need to be continually being filled with the Holy Spirit for our lives to be holy, our relationships to be right, and our witness to be with power.  Let us never fall short of such an ideal for success in our services for God come not from overworking but from overflowing.

In the News for Praise & Prayer
Last Thursday I had a routine colonoscopy, the third in a series since the removal of a large polyp in 2008.  All three have proved clear and they have now taken me off a critical watch list.  This follows an amazing gastroscopy a few weeks ago which revealed that a condition of Barrett's Oesophagus had disappeared. Barretts can develop into Oesophagul cancer in some cases and for several years I have been part of a national trial combining esomeprazole with asprin.  Various levels and combinations are being tested and I have been on the maximum dosage.  While I am delighted in the outcome so far I am more delighted if my part in the trial offers better hope for others with Barretts.

So I give thanks to God for such a measure of good health.  I still have a problem with plantar fasciitis which makes walking or standing for long periods painful.  But that's getting noticeably better also.

I value prayer for Doreen, my wife.  Over recent months she has had digestive problems and appointments to see specialist are a long way off.  It is difficult to see her in daily distress.  However, despite this and the problem she has with peripheral neuropathology she continues to be very active.  Please also continue your prayers for my colleague, Monica (news updates are here).

Last Thursday I led the Communion Service at HMP Gartree attended by 30 men.  With a prison population of under 700 the prison is in many ways like a small village.  Many small villages would be surprised to get a mid-week attendance of that size.  Please pray for the Chaplaincy team.  We are still praying for a replacement Anglican chaplain.

Sunday 31st May I will be taking the Sunday Service at HMP Gartree when we will be exploring how God draws us into a relationship with himself.

I have been busy over recent days preparing for a meeting of Sunrise Ministries Trustees on Monday 8th June.  I also have a considerable amount of work still to do for Action for Christ.  There are several other requests that have come in so i value your prayers on managing the diary.

Other activities coming up include HMP Gartree on Tuesday, a Bible Discussion Meeting on Thursday and an Area Executive Meeting for the Congregational Federation on Friday.  I am at Yelvertoft on Sunday 7th and expect to be in Northern Ireland for much of the following week.

Thank you sincerely for your fellowship and support.
Barry

Contemporary Lessons from Nehemiah

I have always found the account of Nehemiah and the re-building the walls of Jerusalem inspiring.  There seems so many important lessons to learn from it that it is difficult to know exactly where to begin. I just love using it for a Bible teaching series or using it as conference material.

It seems to me that it speaks into our current political situation in the UK and there are two aspects that I would like to comment on here.  The first of these is the rapid turnaround in the situation and how that was achieved.  The other aspect is Nehemiah's concern for justice.  That both these aspects are well documented together in one narrative is also significant.

The fact that the walls were re-built and all the gates completed and hung within just 52  days seems more amazing than the team of experts on the TV programme DIY SOS manage to achieve. It is a testament to sheer hard work but I love the fact that everyone rolled up their sleeves including people who would not normally do manual work such as silversmiths and priests.  See Nehemiah Ch. 4) They were committed to a common purpose, recognised that the task was urgent and got on with it.  There is probably significance in the way in which the task was delegated so that there was personal vested interest and possibly some competitiveness in pressing on.

UK productivity levels are still disturbingly low.  We are unlikely to see the economic situation improve without real commitment by employers and employees in industry working hard together.  Some already do so but clearly there is a need for more willingness to work.  We have a common problem and we all need to roll up our sleeves.  In what ways might this also apply to the task of evangelism and winning your neighbourhood for God?

While some of my friends are delighted that the Conservatives won the election, others are deeply concerned that some of the governments decisions could leave others in economic and/or welfare crisis.  It would be difficult to find anyone more single-minded than Nehemiah.  He had a task to complete and he wasn't going to be distracted by those who opposed him.  However, when he discovered situations of injustice he took time out to deal with them. See Nehemiah Ch  5.

It would indeed be a tragedy if, in the pursuit of economic targets, individuals and their needs get overlooked or, worse still, ignored.  In God's economy people matter.  Tragically, there are some churches and Christian organisations where while pursuing certain aims the pastoral care of individuals has suffered.

Both the example of getting on with the task unitedly, and the example of justice and caring have much to teach us about society and church society today.  But the fact that both co-exist  is also a valuable lesson.  In the life of any Christian church or organisation we need focus and commitment in our mission but also compassion and compassionate action.  Feeding the hungry and providing refreshment at a party might not seem to be priorities in the ministry of Jesus but there were situations where this was what was needed at that time.  On an urgent task to get to Jairus' home as quickly as possible, Jesus took time out to respond to the needs of a woman with a haemorrhage. 

We all need to keep purposefulness and pastoral care in balance.

In the News for Praise & Prayer
It has been just over two weeks since I last wrote to you.  The reason for this is that both weeks have been very busy with engagements and on the days between engagements there has been pressure of work administratively and pastorally.  Here is a brief summary.

On Sundays 3rd, 10th and 17th May I have been teaching about the life of the early Church as it began to engage with the task with which Jesus had left his followers.  This has included 'Accepting the Baton', 'Whose Authority?', and 'Breaking New Ground'.  I hope to have a summary of these topics on the website of Yelvertoft Congregational Church.

From 3rd to 5th May I was in East Sussex for various tasks connected with Action for Christ.  Some of this relates to the closure of the AfC office and I value prayers as I seek to sell various items of equipment and stationery no longer requires but in which financial resources for mission were invested.  While in East Sussex I visited Monica, my colleague.  Her initial radiotherapy for her brain tumour completed she is waiting to learn of the outcome.  She was in good spirits and thankful for the prayers.

I travelled home on the Tuesday (5th) with minutes to spare before my regular work at HMP Gartree. My musical colleague has retired and we had already had the retirement of a senior Christian chaplain.   Choir practises have gone well over the past two weeks.  I will also be helping to pick up on some extra ministry in the prison until we get a new chaplain appointed.  Prayers for the Christian chaplaincy team please.

In the evening of the same day (5th) I travelled by train to London ready to teach on the Salvation Army's Safeguarding Course.  There were 22 people attending and reading the response forms I find an encouraging response to what is always a demanding day.  I was back home on Wednesday evening preparing for a Bible Discussion on Thursday morning.  We were fewer than normal for the Discussion but it was a profitable time exploring Timothy chapter 1.

Saturday 9th was the Annual National Assembly for the Congregational Federation in which I had a very small part.  It was a good day ending a very busy and tiring week.

On Monday and Tuesday 11th and 12th May I took School Assembles in Lubenham (Leics) and Yelvertoft (Northants).  I love this aspect of ministry.  Packaging the biblical message in story telling form for children aged 5 to 11 is an challenge but as the children engage and respond it is so encouraging.  There were also nice comments from staff members.  There were two more meetings on the Tuesday.

On Wednesday I shared in a planning meeting for Holiday at Home in Market Harborough. There has been an excellent team that has planned and run this event.  However several of us have felt the need to retire. One good man has already gone and a couple will retire after this summer's event.  I have managed to recruit one very good person for the team and others who will support the event following a talk I gave at a village Parish Church.  We still need more volunteers and value prayer that God will enlarge the team before the summer. Holiday at Home is a programme that serves older people in the community.  While not overt evangelism it is evangelism nevertheless.

Last week ended with 'Get Messy' at Yelvertoft where our theme was the Wedding at Cana. This is a form of Messy Church that reaches children and parents.  I give thanks for a great team of volunteers.  One of these was Louise who is currently undertaking a training course for which I am her mentor.

And so to this week where the key activities include organisational activities for theChurches Rural Group (which I Chair until our next meeting), Bible Discussion on Thursday and a wedding on Friday (the first in our church building for many years).   Next Sunday (24th) is Pentecost and I will take the meeting at Yelvertoft.  On 31st I will be taking the morning service at HMP Gartree.  In addition to various other activities next week I have a hospital appointment on Wednesday, an early morning communion service at the prison and a meeting with other leaders from rural missions on Thursday,

Please give thanks for the Lord's enabling over the past few weeks, for safe travelling, and for blessing on the ministry.  Please pray for the various activities and aspects above.  Please continue to pray for the financial provision to keep the ministry going and for the moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all who sit under our ministry.

Other Information: There is a conference on Making and Growing Disciples in the Countryside during June.  For more information see the Rural Evangelism Network website.

Back to Nehemiah
All that Nehemiah accomplished has its roots in his tender heart that caused him to weep over the sad state of Jerusalem.  This then led to a season or earnest and honest prayer.  See Nehemiah 1: 4.  May God grant us hearts that can be moved by the needs of this world, a commitment to pray, and a readiness to go.

Barry

The Whole Armour of God

"Put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6: 13)
 

Most Bible commentators believe that Paul wrote this letter while imprisoned in Rome.  Paul certainly did not consider imprisonment to be defeat and we know that sometimes much blessing came from these times.  What it probably did do was give him opportunity to look closely at a Roman soldier's uniform and perhaps to discuss with a soldier what they would wear into battle.

Of all the different parts of armour  mentioned in the next two verses, one is more difficult to understand. It is "feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace" (Eph 6:13 NIV)  Some commentators imagine that Paul was referring to the greaves or metal shin protectors.  While this is an important piece of armour, for a sword blow to the legs could immobilise a soldier leaving him vulnerable, it does not fit well with the New Testament Greek.  Paul is specific about feet not shins.  The term for fitted also appears in the New Testament referring to putting on sandals.  Roman soldiers wore sandals (sometimes with metal studs).  These needed to be well fitted if the soldier was to stand firm in a fight.

Over the last few months I have suffered with a condition called Plantar Fasciliitis.  It is a painful condition in the heel, making it very uncomfortable to walk any distance or even to stand sometimes.  More than ever before I am being very careful to wear appropriate padded shoes.  I feel I now understand Paul's concern about footwear!  Any soldier with restricted mobility could be easily cut down and would become a point of weakness in the ranks.

The remainder of the verse is also difficult.  It isn't so much a readiness to proclaim the gospel, but a readiness that results from the gospel, to withstand the enemy's cunning attacks,  If we have confidence in this wonderful message of God's divine intervention on our behalf, bringing forgiveness for our sin and assurance of eternal life, then it will be hard indeed for the enemy to knock us off such a firm footing.

One aspect of our ministry is to help those who profess faith in Christ to understand and have confidence in the gospel of Christ.  I am saddened by the fact that many who attend church regularly seem to lack a deep, joyful grasp of the gospel that brings us peace with God and peace in God.  Our "No Ordinary Man" project has been one way in which we have sought to address that.

Hopefully, you are standing, well fitted as a result of this good news of Jesus so that you can stand firm under attack.

Looking Ahead Through May
In his letters to the churches Paul repeatedly encourages prayer.  Looking at how busy this month is going to be I certainly encourage your prayers please.  This Sunday after the morning meeting at Yelvertoft Congregational Church (Northants)  I hope to set off for East Sussex in time for the Prayer Meeting at Herstmonceux.  The main reason for this trip is to collect the final car load of stationery and other items from the former offices of Action for Christ.  A large amount of the items in the office found new homes with other Christian organisations and churches and we are mostly left with archived material and stationery which is being stored temporarily in our home.

I have to remain in Sussex to attend an early morning appointment in Buxted before returning home.  I am a trustee of a property and land left in a will to Mission for Christ.  Both the house and the land have been neglected and there are no funds in the estate to maintain them.   If anyone knows a Christian entrepreneur or developer in the south-east of England and who might be interested in a project I would love to hear from them.

I return to the East Midlands on Tuesday in time for my regular work in HMP Gartree, following which I will take the train to London, ready for a day teaching on safeguarding at the Salvation Army Training College on Wednesday'

On Thursday 7th Doreen and I will be back in Yelvertoft for our inter-church Bible Discussion meeting. On Saturday 9th  Doreen and I will travel to Peterborough where I will take part in the Congregational Federation's National Assembly.  Back home that evening ready for ministry in Yelvertoft on Sunday morning.  As you will see it is an intensive week.

For the rest of the month every Sunday is booked including a service at HMP Gartree.  In the week commencing Sunday 10th May there are two days of school visits and a Fresh Expressions Rural Round Table in London, and a Messy Church on the Saturday.

Among other activities of the week commencing 17th May there is a meeting of the Churches Rural Group and a wedding to take.  The pattern continues to the end of the month.  Being this busy is not wise but sometimes hard to avoid.  I value your prayers that I will make/find time for quality time with God and also with Doreen.  Pray for safety in travelling, wisdom in all my dealings, and God's blessing on ministry in his name.

Also towards the end of the month my colleague Monica will have further tests following the initial course of radiotherapy.  Click here for more details.

Requests for help from rural and small churches come in regularly and at the present time we have been working with four churches on mission and evangelism.

Image and Reputation of Your Church
This Resource Paper I mentioned in the last Blog post has been well received.  You can see and/or download the article here.  Thank you to all who provided feedback.

How is the work supported?
There has been some response already to what was written last week, for which I am very grateful.  Our main concern at this time is for Monica as she is off work because of the brain tumour.  Over the years she has had a strong band of supporters, but while Monica has focused a lot of her time on work in Obambo, Kenya, her own support  for her ministry in the UK has declined.  The trustees are seeking to keep her on full stipend but this will only be possible if there is growth in her support base.  We value your prayers.Click here for more information.

Thank you very much for your kind fellowship with us.

Barry

The Challenge of Holiness

"Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or
swear by a false God.  Such a one will receive blessing from the Lord... "
Psalm 24: 3-5

These verses have always been a personal challenge.  While some commentators suggest that the Psalmist had in mind life beyond our natural life on earth, I have always taken them as bearing an important truth if we wish to experience the close presence of God in our daily lives.  John Eaves, the man of God who gave me the gospel tract that opened my eyes to the fact that I could come to God just as I was (See John 6:37) also wrote a small booklet called "Purity Before Power".  John was part of a Christian tradition that taught  personal sanctification or holiness, and he taught in the Nazarene College in Birkenhead.

John's premise was that, having accepted the invitation to come as we are to the one who forgives and makes clean, to really experience the presence and power of the Lord it was necessary to deliberately seek to separate oneself from all that is contrary to holiness.  Some see this as a kind of spiritual crisis.  I remember a young man and son of a well known evangelist once telling me that he had sanctified his life and would be living a holy life in victory from now on.  I didn't want to discourage him but feared how he might feel when he would inevitably fail.  The next week when we met again he was clearly depressed and felt a failure.

I thank God for grace that met me first as an unbelieving sinner and which still meets me as an occasionally sinning saint.  But how should I respond to the words of Psalm 24?  We need to remember, and remind others, that God loves us as we are but too much to want us to stay that way.  But it is all too easy to take grace for granted.  God is holy and longs that we should get to know him and draw ever closer to him.  Is that possible if we are careless about the holiness of our own mind and soul?

One of the mysteries of my life is that I worked with a colleague who secretly was deliberately sinning but whose ministry seemed to be blessed by God.  But I too fall short of what I would wish to be and thank God that he blesses my ministry.  Stand up the preacher who can claim to be perfect!  God uses us despite our frailty and will always honour his word when it is proclaimed.  At the same time we cannot bargain with God for blessing on the grounds that we have given up an unholy practise of some kind.  God's blessings are by grace and that cannot be gained or purchased by works.

The question we need to ask is how much do we know of his presence rather than hisblessing on our service for him?  Can we honestly say that we actually feel his pleasure as we spend time together?  Is there deep communion between us?  How sensitive am I to his feelings at any point in time.  And this is not about moments when we feel that closeness but rather a closeness that permeates every moment of our lives and that we miss the moment we grieve him such that we hurry back in repentance until we can almost feel his breath on our cheek.

In my prison work I often see my Muslim colleagues preparing for their daily prayers in the ablutions room, washing their face, hair, hands, arms and feet.  While this part of the law of their religion to which we are not subject, what might they think of any Christian who thinks he or she can come before God without some consideration to our state of heart and mind? For a Christian to claim a relationship with a holy God but to use unholy language, to feed our minds on that which is not pure or to engage in acts that are unrighteous might be perceived as almost blasphemous to a devout Muslim.

I want first to revel in God's unmerited favour and the blessings he lavishes on me despite my failings.  But I also want a far closer relationship with him - not earned by being good but enjoyed because I don't want anything to hinder or spoil his enjoyment of me and mine of him

Image and Reputation of Your Church
In Acts 2:47 we find the Church described as enjoying the favour of all the people or, as the Message puts it, "People liked what they saw".  Sadly, in the UK these days the image and reputation of the church among most of the non-Christian public is not what it ought to be.  I have recently written a resource paper on the topic of our image and reputation as this is relevant in our sharing in God's mission.  You can see and/or download the article here.  Please let me know if you find it helpful or otherwise.

How is the work supported?
This is a question I am asked occasionally.  The 'spiritual' answer is to say that we trust in God to meet our needs.  While this is true, his faithfulness is seen in the faithfulness of God's people.  When I started out in full time ministry I needed only £4.50 per week (well it was along time ago!) and In order to raise that I found 36 relatives and friends who each gave two shillings and six pence per week (12 1/2 p).  At present Doreen and I have our personal needs met through the part time ministry at the church at Yelvertoft plus pension income.  But my colleague, Monica Cook is employed by our Charity (Sunrise Ministries which includes Rural Mission Solutions), and we are continuing to keep her on stipend during her illness.  But the income to Sunrise Ministries both for Monica's support (via the Sussex Office) and to cover my operational costs from the East Midlands is currently short of what is needed.

Rural mission work does not have wide appeal so we value your prayers for an increase in income.  If you or your church are in a position to help practically as well as in prayer please let me know.  If you already support financially and could do this under Gift Aid please also let me know.  We still have much to do and thank God for those who share with us in intercession and practical support.

It is likely that you already have calls on your funds and we always encourage people to act responsibly.  In 2010 I wrote a leaflet on 21st Century Stewardship setting out biblical principles.  If you haven't seen it before and would like to read it, you can read or download it here.

The Diary

The past week has involved a lot of writing - articles for magazines and constitutional papers for a village church.  Some of this will continue into the coming week.  I also took part in a planning meeting for an outreach in Market Harborough and attended a day on Child Friendly Church at Ashby de la Zouche, Leics.

Sunday 26th - Yelvertoft
Tuesday 28th - HMP Gartree
Thursday 30th - Village Bible Discussion Meeting
Friday 1st May - Committee Meeting at Ashby de la Zouche

There is also work to be done preparing for the various activities the following week.

People and Prayer
Monica Cook has finished her first set of radiotherapy.  More information.
John Bradley (a former trustee) and Jim Mullin (a current trustee) both have cancer.
Simon Martin (a great colleague from the Arthur Rank Centre) has also been another bravely battling this disease.  God is able.

Thank you very much for your kind fellowship with us.

Barry

Thank God for Women

It would be all too easy to imagine that the apostle Paul did not have much time for women but nothing could be further from the truth.  Just as Jesus had significant women disciples a similar record in scripture exists for Paul.  In both his letter to the Christians in Rome and the Christians in Philippi he commends women who have worked alongside him in the gospel.  His many greetings and commendations in Romans 16 commences with a woman.  Several other feminine names can also be found afterwards.  I especially love verse 12 which mentions three women who worked hard for the Lord.  The Greek word used here implies working until their energies were spent.

Paul's praise of women came to mind during this week, firstly when clearing the contents of the Action for Christ office in East Sussex.  I gladly commend Elizabeth and Heather who did much of the hard work and carried on long after many would have collapsed.  Also this week I called upon Monica Cook, currently off work because of a brain tumour but still doing her best with limited resources to serve the Lord.  What she has achieved in her ministry among children in the UK and abroad leaves me amazed.  I could go on but I hope you have grasped the fact that I have probably more appreciation for the labours, faithfulness and spiritual depths of most Christian women than I do of many of my own gender, though there are good and bad in both.

It saddens me when I come across bad attitudes among Christian men towards women that limits their God-given potential.  I am also saddened by women who allow their potential to be limited.  It would be hard to find any aspect of ministry for which women are not able.  Jesus certainly never put women down.  When the church burst into courageous life on the Day of Pentecost Peter took as his mandate the prophecy of Joel 2: 28, 29 which is so wonderfully inclusive.  However, I hate bossy women who lord it over men just as much as I hate bossy men who lord it over women!

It has been my privilege to serve in ministry in four churches and in each I have thanked God for the women.  We are all members of one body having gifts given according to the will of God for the common good and the advancement of God's kingdom.  Like Paul, let's give honour to those to whom it is due.

Rural Mission Webinar
Fifteen people attended the online seminar last Saturday and I am greatly encouraged by comments received afterwards.  This is particularly encouraging as I failed to activate the view of the screen with the slides I had so carefully prepared in advance!  A good friend and colleague was to have monitored questions during the session but exhausted from attending a four day conference and the journey back home he fell asleep and was left in that state by a loving wife who did not know of his commitment early Saturday morning.  It was only at the end of the seminar that I managed to look at the questions only to see a long list of "Why can't I see the slides?"

We will run this particular Rural Mission Webinar in a few weeks’ time but we are also looking for topics that people would find helpful.  Please send me your suggestions.

Action for Christ Office Closure
The office at Bodiam, East Sussex has been closed as there are now no staff employed there and the work of the mission (formerly Mission for Christ) is being managed efficiently from home offices.  Rent and other office occupancy costs now saved will be channelled into actual rural evangelism  The office has closed but the mission goes on.  Almost all the equipment has gone to good homes to be used in God's service.

Monica Cook Health Report
It was good to visit Monica last Tuesday.  Despite some problems on Saturday 11th she is back on schedule with the radiotherapy.  Your continued prayers will be appreciated.  Full report can be seen at  this blog.

The Diary
It was a joy to meet with the Christians at Dunks Green Evangelical Free Church, near Sevenoaks, Kent last Sunday morning.  Action for Christ holds this building in trust and it is encouraging to discover new people joining. In the evening I met with women and men for prayer at my former church at Herstmonceux.

Monday, Tuesday, and part of Wednesday was spent in clearing the offices of AfC.  On Wednesday afternoon I shared in a video committee meeting for the Rural Evangelism Network which was well worthwhile.  I travelled back to Market Harborough arriving around 10.00pm.

On Thursday morning Doreen and I drove to Yelvertoft (Leics) for the regular Bible Discussion Meeting.  On Friday morning I drove to the far side of Worcestershire to meet with the mission group of a very rural and scattered Anglican benefice.  There is already good work being done in evangelism and I find it challenging to know jut how best to add value to this group of mostly scattered housing with 1200 residents.  I plan to provide some notes this coming week.

On Saturday we held "Get Messy" (Messy Church) at Yelvertoft with a small but eager bunch of children and two parents.

The week ahead
Sunday 19th - Yelvertoft
Monday 20th - Writing articles
Tuesday 21st - HMP Gartree
Thursday 23rd - Holiday at Home programme planning for Churches Together in Harborough in the morning.  Church Meeting at Yelvertoft in the evening.
Saturday 25th - attending a Child Friendly Church Coaching Day at Ashby de la Zouche, Leics.

Thank you for your prayers and also for the donations that enable us to keep serving.

Yours gladly in his service,     

   

Barry

Saturday 18^th April

The Importance of Praise

I wonder whether you have ever reflected on the importance of praise.  All Christians that  I know seem to feel that it is important to praise God.  But why?  Is it that God has feelings of insecurity and needs to be encouraged?  Of course not.  Could it be that God is an egoist, Is that how we should understand passages such as Isaiah 42: 8 where we read "...my glory I will not give to another, neither my praise to graven images"?  Again that does not seem right.  Incidentally there is a lack of biblical evidence of God asking to be praised, though there are vast numbers of reference to the importance and value of praising God.

Recently I felt moved to write to George Verwer, founder of the missionary movement,Operation Mobilisation.  I came under the influence of George's ministry when I was 17 and he was kind enough to write me a long letter with helpful advice after that encounter.  I just thought it would be right to let him know the influence he had on my life since that time and how much that had been multiplied as by God's grace I have served him these past 50 years.  In turn George gratefully and effusively give thanks for the ministry of Dr Billy Graham through whom he came to faith.

Today I received two unexpected, and certainly unsolicited, expressions of praise.  One came from a young man who spoke out openly in a meeting.  The other came in a Facebook message.  Both moved me deeply.  I am profoundly grateful as it makes me feel that my labour is not in vain in the Lord (I know the Bible tells me that but it's good to get it confirmed!)  I have written before on the practise of saying thank you to people who do the most mundane and unpleasant jobs.  I have seen faces light up and heard people say, "You're the first person who has ever thanked me".

Anyone who has undergone any management or leadership training should know how vital it is to praise those who are 'subordinate' to you in any way.  Within our families we may have experienced what happens when a parent praises a child or a child praises his or her parents.  To praise only to achieve better or committed good performance is disingenuous and unworthy,  On the other hand, isn't it sad that only one of the ten men who had leprosy returned to thank Jesus. (See Luke 17: 11-19)

But does God need to be praised.  Why doe the psalmists and others make such a big deal about it?  At a basic level, praise gives feedback of understanding and appreciation for some benefit.  If we realise how great God is and how amazing is his love for us and his saving work, his daily care and provision for us, and his answers to our prayers, then we will be unable to stop ourselves from praising him.  The strange thing is that when those moments of understanding dawn on me and praise bubbles up and finds release in words, the enjoyment of the blessing is immediately multiplied and the praise also increases.

Please understand this: if you do not frequently find yourself lost in praise and unable to hold back from speaking it out, then you are not normal!  For praising God is not important for God; it is immensely important for the recipients of his grace and goodness.  It also follows that if you do not appreciate being praised your are not normal.  We all like to feel that we are appreciated and that what we do for others is important.  So please do not withhold praise because you fear someone might become proud.  One of the best sermons I have ever preached was on humility!  The fund was speaking with people afterwards who had clearly appreciated the message but felt confused as to whether or not they should say so!

So bags of praise upwards to God, and bags of praise to others who deserve your encouragement.  And while we are at it, lets follow the examples of the disciples in the upper room when the Spirit fell on them and could not help speaking out his praise - the wonderful works of God.  Pray God it will have the same impact on others amazed at our Spirit-inspired praise who will then hear an explanation that will bring then to share both our faith and our joy.

Monica Cook
Monica has started her course of radiotherapy.  She informed she did not feel anxious when going for the fist session and side effects have so far not been too bad.

Rural Mission Webinar
I am running a free online seminar this Saturday 11th April 9.00 am to 9.45 at the latest.  We will be looking at why and how to develop sustainable bespoke rural mission strategies for village churches.  The challenge I am finding is how to say enough and maintain focus.  There is so much more I would love to share but this will provide material for further webinars.  If you want to take part please click on this link to register (you will be asked to give your name and email address) and you will then be sent by return the access information.  If you are reading this before the webinar ends please also pray for its effectiveness.

The Diary
We had a wonderful Easter Sunday Family Service.  Some mature Christians described it as the best they had experienced.  It was clear to me that God was in our midst.  We give him the glory.

My routine (!) visit to HMP Gartree on Tuesday was a useful time.  Numbers in the choir have fallen partly because of behavioural problems from newer members who have ADHD.  We are now managing this far better and pray that past members will return.

Doreen and I spent Tuesday afternoon to Friday afternoon at the Congregational Federation's Leadership Conference at Hothorpe Hall.  It was a real blessing.

On Sunday, together with two other trustees I will be attending the morning service atDunks Green Evangelical Church near Sevenoaks.  After lunch together we will be discussing constitutional issues with the members.  I will then travel on to Herstmonceux to share in their evening prayer meeting.

On Monday, with my fellow trustees we will continue the process of closing down the Action for Christ offices at Bodiam.  Already quite a lot of the office equipment has been sold.  We hope to sell more on the Monday and will be moving archived material to store at Dunks Green.

On Tuesday I have various other duties in East Sussex and the day will include a visit to Monica at Battle and some office work at her home.  I will be returning home on Wednesday.   On Wednesday I will take past in a Committee Meeting for the Rural Evangelism Network.

Please pray for Doreen while I am away, that she will be kept safe from falls.

On Thursday we are starting a new term of Bible Discussion Meetings at Yelvertoft.

On Friday I expect to travel to Worcestershire for a short mission consultation with an Anglican Benefice.

On Saturday morning it will be Get Messy (Messy Church) at Yelvertoft, and ministry there on Sunday.

Pray for safe travelling, wisdom in business activities, grace in all things and for Jesus to be glorified by deeds and words.

Thank you.

Yours, still praising!

Barry

Easter Op[portunities

I pray with all my heart that this Easter will be a time of great blessing in your life and that many more will come to know the risen Saviour.

I wonder whether you have noticed that there are two key moments in the account of the journey on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:13-35).  The two travellers had obviously left their journey until the afternoon.  It might have taken them three or four hours and they needed to get there before nightfall  Dusk would have come around 6.00pm.  Luke tells us that Cleopas and his companion are deep in conversation as they are walking.  It is clear that they are confused, disturbed and distressed.  Their expectation concerning Jesus seem to now be shattered.  

It is here that the first of the two key moments takes place:"Jesus himself came up and walked along with them" (Luke 24: 15).  I love that Luke puts it that way: "Jesus himself...."  We cannot be sure exactly who Cleopas was and we certainly do not know who his companion was.  We could say that in the ranks of disciples they are not particularly significant.  But it is Jesus himself who is to brighten their day and change their lives.  He could have sent an angel but he came himself.  At that moment they are unable to recognise him; he was just a stranger on the road.  There is no suggestion of their inviting him to join them.  Jesus has taken the initiative.  But as he enters into their situation they could have ignored him.  What would they have missed had they done so!

The second key moment takes place a few hours later.  In the intervening time Jesus has been referring to passages throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.  I wonder which Messianic prophecies he quoted and in what order.  How they must have wondered at the knowledge of this stranger.  How their hearts burned within them as truth dawned on their darkness scattering the shadows of doubt.  It all began to make sense.  But now they have reached a fork in the road.  They are turning towards the village but he looks as if he is going on another way.  Once again there is a moment of opportunity.  They could simply have thanked him and bade him goodbye.

Luke uses an interesting phrase translated from the NT Greek as "strongly urged".  They do their best to persuade him to spend more time with them.  Was it for his benefit or theirs?  I suspect while they expressed concern for the stranger continuing as darkness was about to fall, they had another motive.  They wanted more of his company.  Note that this time the initiative is with them.  They have to act.  They have to be willing to make him their honoured guest.  And by doing so they had the most fantastic experience.  Can you imagine their emotions in that moment of recognition that this was none other than Jesus risen from the dead.  No wonder they immediately retraced their steps to Jerusalem.  Do you think they left everything on the table?  I think they probably did.  There was an exciting motivation to share the good news with others and it could not wait until morning.  Darkness dangers, difficulties - nothing would impeded their mission.

How does this account relate to our own experience?  Can you recognise a moment of realisation that Jesus had drawn close to you?  You might not be able to identify the exact moment but you know he has been helping you realise the truth of his Word.  But what about that second crisis?  Has there been a deep desire to know more of his presence?  Have you made him your honoured guest, putting him before yourself?  If you have then you too will know the blessings that follow.

I pray that we will all know such a sense of his presence that our hearts burn within us and our feet run to share good news with others.

The Rural Mission Webinar
I would like to encourage you to switch on your computer and turn up the sound next Saturday 11th April at 9.00am (BST) (8.00 GMT) when I will be talking about developing sustainable bespoke strategies in mission that suit and fit whatever our church and location are like..  Bespoke strategies develop from an understanding of who we are as a local church, what we have as resources, and where we are located.  We will explore the biblical principles and the rationale for developing your own unique programmes. The webinar lasts no more than 40 minutes.  Whether you are a church leader or an ordinary member, whether lay or ordained you should find this well worth while attending.

Please register to attend as soon as possible.  Click this link to get the process started.  If you have tried to register in the past and have not received the confirmation message please register again.  You will be asked to supply your name and email address (for my benefit) and you will be supplied with information as to how to log on next Saturday.  Once you join the webinar you can either just sit back, watch and listen or you can interact if you wish.  All will be explained at the beginning. These on-line seminars are a great way to share information without the usual geographical limitations.  Please pray for this event.

From the Diary
Easter Sunday 5th April - Easter Family Service at Yelvertoft Congregational Church, Northants.
Tuesday 7th to Friday 10th Doreen and I will be attending a Leaders' Conference at Hothorpe Hall, Leics.
Tuesday 7th - the regular visit to Gartree Prison, Leics.
Wednesday 8th - Monica Cook starts radiotherapy for her brain tumour.  Please support her with your prayers.
Saturday 11th - 9.00 The Rural Mission Webinar.  In the early evening I have a meeting to attend before driving to Kent.
Sunday 12th - Dunks Green Evangelical Free Church, Kent (an Action for Christ project)
Over the next three days I will continue in East Sussex helping to close down the Action for Christ Office at Bodiam, visiting Monica and carrying out a number of other duties.
Wednesday 15th - Rural Evangelism Network Committee via video link.
Friday 17th - a rural mission consultation for an Anglican benefice in Worcestershire.
Saturday 168h - 'Get Messy' (Messy Church), Yelvertoft.

Some friends will know John Bradley, a former trustee of Sunrise Ministries and a great colleague in ministry.  John is also battling cancer and i commend him and his family to your prayers.  John almost always responds to these Praise & Prayer News and sent me a great story based on last week's theme.  Thank you John.

Thank you for your prayers and support and for the various Easter Greetings received.  Journey with Jesus and discover great blessing.

Barry