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

A time to laugh and a time to cry

I was surprised to receive only two emails raising questions following my last posting on this blog.  I had taken up the topic of welcome at church and given two examples.  These presented two extremes.  No one took issue with the story of the two old men who completely ignored a visitor.  However, the emails I received both suggested that some might find the welcome I received at a church in Herefordshire somewhat overwhelming and uncomfortable.

I suspect that we will have various attitudes to what kind of welcome we might find appropriate.  This too might vary depending on our mood on arrival at the church door.  The real point that I was seeking to make was that some people seem to have the ability to be good hosts (could that be a gift?) and that these are the people who should be responsible, not just for a moment of welcome, but for the whole aspect of hospitality at church.  A good host would know how effusive to be.  They pick up the signals given out by body language and respond appropriately.

I have a good friend who has an aversion to being hugged as she goes to church.  If she arrives at the same time as others she will slip past and into church while the 'welcomers' are engaged hugging others.  Her other strategy as someone holds out their arms to hug her is to offer her right hand stretched out stiffly for just a hand shake.  People soon take the hint.  In England the practise of greeting people for the first time with a kiss on the cheek (or is it both cheeks?) seems to be increasingly common.  This too is common in many churches but it isn't always appropriate.

There are some of us who still practise initial greetings with a handshake and saying "How do you do?" which is not actually a question to be answered! The correct response is to answer with "How do you do?"  Of course many people of younger years now have the habit of greeting people with "How are you doing?" which is a question and for which the normative response should be "I'm, good thanks" which, of course, does not actually mean that you are good!  I also find it strange to be greeted with the words, "Are you all right?" which seems very common in the East Midlands of England where I live.

Perhaps this variety of forms of greeting also emphasises the importance of using appropriate and possibly trained people to greet folk coming into church.  For some people an overly intimate greeting or welcome might feel actually threatening.  I know this is true of some women who have suffered sexual abuse. Some want to slip in quietly and sit on their own at the back.  To encourage them then to act differently is not being hospitable.

I remember that some research I was doing about growing rural congregations included a story of a Devon Parish Church that was a new building in the heart of the community.  This had replaced an old building on the outskirts of the village that had burned down.  The new building was more 'in the round' and brilliantly lit  from windows high in a dome above the centre.  Light scattered into every corner.  But one woman commented, "Where do I go to cry?"

But it's not just the initial welcome but the whole tone of the meeting that is also significant.  It is unlikely that whoever is leading worship will know precisely what has been going on in the lives of each member of the congregation.  But God does know, so we need to try to cultivate sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and watch out for signals from body language.  A bright an cheery opening might be just what is needed sometimes but not always.  And that leads me onto the topic of humour in church.

Every public speaker knows that people learn well when information is communicated with humour.  But there are times when it is appropriate and times when it is inappropriate.  When I was President of the Congregational Federation I was the guest Minister at a certain church one cold winter day.  I was ushered into a small cold and damp Ministers vestry (or office) to wait on my own until some time later I was gathered and taken to the choir vestry.  On my way I caught a glimpse into the church where the small congregation were scattered and looked very cold.  To my delight the choir vestry was warm and cosy, so I observed wryly that perhaps we should invite the congregation to join us.  This provoked many chuckles and the odd hearty laugh.  Then a censorious voice uttered "Can we remember where we are!"  Immediately the laughter ceased (should we have laughed at this comment?)

Does, I wonder, solemnity equal misery?  Can we be joyfully solemn?  Is there a time to weep and a time to laugh?  Are both appropriate in church?  Of course, the informed answer has to be yes.  This then brings me to the question posed in my previous posting: "Did Jesus have a sense of humour?"  The implied accompanying question is can this be discerned in the gospels?

I think the answer to both questions is "Yes". Often Jesus used hyperbole or exaggerated speech in order to make points.  We can see that in the story of the Good Samaritan and in his conversation with Nicodemus. I can imagine in the former example a slight pause after the words "...a certain Samaritan.." and perhaps a wry smile.  In the latter either Jesus is teasing Nicodemus or being plain sarcastic in his comments.  But many times when we read scripture aloud we make the tone of Jesus' voice stern and challenging.  Try reading is again with a slight touch of wit as Jesus responds to Nicodemus' comments.

Using humour carefully can actually help to make a serious point.  Of course there were times when Jesus would have sounded very serious.  I would include in that his words about the cost of discipleship, which involves self denial and taking up a cross.  But might there have been a smile on the face of Jesus when he talked about turning Galilean fishermen into fishers of men? (Matthew 4:19)  You can decide for yourself, of course, but just try reflecting on how we read scripture aloud publicly and don't turn Jesus into someone who never laughed at a good joke.

I love the story of Nehemiah which isn't only about restoring walls and gates; there was spiritual restoration as well.  The people wept as they realised how far they had strayed from God's ideal.  But they were urged to cease from weeping and told that "the joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).  When the kings of the earth conspire against God we are told he laughs (Psalm 2:4).  Isaiah speaks of God's people giving him joy (Isaiah 68:19).  I love the words of Zephaniah 3:17, quoted here from the AV

"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, 

he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, 

he will joy over thee with singing."

Right now your heart might be heavy with sadness.  If that is so then know that God knows and cares.  He also weeps with those who are sad. He also promises that joy will come again.  One day he will wipe away all tears from our eyes and in his presence there will be fullness of joy.

From the diary:

• Several of the weeks of August are less busy with engagements but still plenty to do.  It is a chance to catch up on correspondence.  It is also an opportunity to take time to sense God's presence and guidance, and a time to prepare for the busy time to come.
• After my regular weekly time at HMP Gartree Doreen and I will be travelling to south Wales for the funeral of an uncle who was well in his nineties.  Like my father he would have had an initial influence through the Salvation Army but spent most of his adult life in a Baptist church.  He loved the Lord and through his eighties and into his nineties loved nothing more than speaking about the Lord to others.  I ask you prayers for those in his family who have not yet come to that same wonderful relationship with God through Christ.
• This Sunday, 24th August I will be ministering at Yelvertoft.
• Sunday 31st August I will be taking the Sunday service at HMP Gartree and I value your prayers that I might sense what God wants to say on that occasion.

Thanks to those who ordered copies of the Yelvertoft Pudding Recipe Book.  They will be on their way to you this week.  We still have some left at £5 with all the money raised going to the Air Ambulance Service.

Thank you for your fellowship around God's throne of undeserved generosity. (Hebrews 4:16)

Barry