A Reason for Our Hope

 A Reason for Our Hope

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15)

This is a verse of scripture that has always intrigued me.  Peter’s letter was written to Christians who had been scattered under persecution.  What, I wonder, might be the context in which they might be asked to explain the reason for their hope?  Most communities in those days probably would have been small enough for a stranger to be noticed.  Since the reason for their arrival would soon be known, Peter presumes that there is every possibility that the curiosity of their new neighbours will be aroused.  While that might not be the same in our context, the issue of being ready to articulate something about our faith remains as important today wherever we live.

It is also interesting that Peter presumes that it is “their hope” that will be the focus of curiosity.  This is the fifth time that Peter has used this wod.  In his first reference (1 Peter 1:3) he refers to regeneration into a living hope through the resurrection of Christ.  Because Jesus rose from the dead, he demonstrated his Messiahship and divine nature, but this also gives us the expectation that one day we too will rise and live with him forever.  It was such an expectation, or hope, that enabled early Christians to endure persecution.

This then is the reason for their hope, as is also explained in 1 Peter  1:13 and 21. The other reference Peter makes about hope was to talk about the character of Christian wives.  While some find such veres as (1Peter 3:5) controversial it does bring home to us all that people will make judgements about our faith by how we relate and behave towards one another.  It was also for this reason that Peter writes about the manner in which we explain our hope, or our faith in Christ  (see verse 16).

I am occasionally asked why I moved from Sussex to the East Midlands.  An easy and simple answer would be to state that it was to do with my work, but the real reason is that  I believed that God was calling me here.  The real reason for that is because Jesus Christ gave his life for me, I have felt it right to surrender my life to do his will.  There is absolutely no reason why I should be embarrassed or afraid to tell people that.

While it is unlikely that anyone in the general culture of the UK would ever ask about your hope in God, it ought not to be unusual or surprising if they asked something about the way we behave.  For example, “I notice you never use bad language, why is that?”  But this begs the question whether our lives are attractively and noticeably different from the way others behave.  I emphasise the word “attractively”.  This is another point that Peter makes.  Our response should be with gentleness and respect.

One way by which I try to bring God and Jesus into the conversation is to make reference to the fact that I go to church.  For example, I might be able to say, “Someone made a similar remark at church last Sunday!”  When new people move into the street I offer to give them the names of good local churches if they are interested.  Just such a comment provoked my most recent new neighbour to reveal that she was also a Christian.  Now the neighbour we have between us has two neighbours praying for him!

Times may have changed since Peter wrote his letter, but human needs remain the same.  People in the communities in which we live, shop and work, are deeply loved by a God who gave his life for their salvation.  Helping them to discover that kove and a personal relationship with God is the best thing we could ever do for them.  So, let's make sure that there is something attractive about how we live, and then be ready to explain it with gentleness and respect.  Where we live, and the communities in which we move are God’s gift to us, and an opportunity for sharing good news.  Let’s “be prepared”.

Barry Osborne 18the September 2021

A Fascinating Window

Shop window dressing is an art.  I live in a town with many high street shops, yet most seem to have either never heard of the art or just do not possess sufficient imagination.  Have you ever wondered why there is such a thing as window dressing?  If the purpose was merely to inform potential customers what is in stock, that could be done effectively with a printed list.  If the purpose is to display what is in stock, that would make more sense.  Clothing shops seem to presume this, so their shop windows have dummies variously dressed in the latest fashion (hopefully).  But the fact is that the purpose of window dressing is more than that.  It is about promoting sales.  Used intelligently, that space inside the window could be the secret of a successful business.

I grew up in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea where some shops knew a thing or two about window dressing.  One of my childhood delights was to stare into the window of a seaside toy shop.  It was full of toys and games, surrounded by a model railway.  There was a slot on one side of the window, and an old penny pressed into it would start the train with its various carriages and trucks running on a circuit around all the other items in the display.  It would have been interesting if the train ran all the time, but the fact that you could interact with the display – you could make it run – added enormous value. If there wasn’t already a small crowd at the window, one would begin to form as soon as someone inserted the coin.

The town also ran an annual competition on the best dressed window in its town centre shops.  And a strange competition where we would have to spot shop windows that included an item that was nothing to do with the shop.  For example, a potato in the window of a clothing store!

For many years I have been teaching that a key purpose for the existence of the Church, and each of our churches, is to be God’s shop window.  I was therefore intrigued to read J.B. Phillips’ translation of Colossians 3: 12-14, which appears under the heading, “The Expression of the New Life”.  It reads:

“As, therefore, God’s picked representatives of the new humanity, purified and beloved of God himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone. Forgive as freely as the Lord has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving, for love is the golden chain of all the virtues.”

The whole chapter is fantastic, but it was the word, “God’s picked representatives” that jumped out at me.  It seemed as if he was saying that we are what God has selected to put in his shop window.  The way we live and behave not only displays the work of God’s grace but, if we get it right, promotes the gospel and attracts people into ‘the store’.

I started this piece by stating that shop window dressing is an art.  A great shop window will have employed creativity to take the display to a higher level.  There is a Christmas film I have enjoyed over recent years, called Window Wonderland.  A young woman is given the opportunity to design a big store’s annual super-window.  As she struggles to come up with a good idea, life is further complicated by a competitor.  As I don’t want to spoil the story for those who have not seen it yet, I will only share two points from the story.  The first is that the window must present the traditional values of the store.  The second is that it must engage the interest of the contemporary public.

Similarly, our lives as Christians, both individually and corporately, must present the core values of the kingdom of God.  There needs to be holiness, integrity, and the beauty of love, worked out within an ungodly, often false and self-motivated world.  But if this is incorporated into a culture that belongs to a bygone age, it will be ineffective.  Those responsible for running the store on behalf of its owner could do with a great deal more creative imagination to ensure that there is a window that attracts because it effectively communicates the product to a contemporary world.

And, just in case the point has been missed, the ‘window’ is not Sunday church at 10.30 (or whenever), though it certainly should be part of it.  Church is a 24x7 living entity and needs to be something much more than a statement about the good news in Jesus.  It needs to be an honest display of the power and the qualities of the good news, lived out in a way that a passing world will stop and wonder and – hopefully – be attracted to come in.  And in that shop window, we would rather not have an object that is alien, like that potato in the clothing store.  Let there be nothing out of place.

Barry Osborne – 23 June 2018

Good News is for Sharing

For the last few weeks I have felt that I should write some basic things about faith sharing in one of the Praise & Prayer Newsletters.  One of the greatest thrills a Christian can experience is leading another person into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Many years ago I interviewed the UK’s premier evangelist at that time, a man called Eric Hutchings.  Eric played a significant part in brining Billy Graham to the UK.  He was the first evangelist broadcasting regularly on radio and led and preached in major missions across the country.

Eric was also a large man.  I have an enduring memory of having to help him out of the passenger seat of a mini!  As the interview progressed I asked him if he could remember the first time he led someone to the Lord.  His face lit up as he recalled the occasion, I think in Manchester, when the occasion had taken place late into the evening and he had missed the last bus home.  “Do you know,” he said laughing, “I was so elated that all the way home I skipped on and off the pavement like a little child,” 

Why is it so hard to get Christians to share their faith frequently?  Many have never done it.  Yet this is the one specific thing Jesus urges his disciples to do before he ascended back into heaven.  Imagine if Jesus turned up in your church next Sunday to ask how you were all getting on with the job!  I have heard many plausible excuses but I believe there is only one reason: we lack gospel passion.  If we truly loved our neighbours; if we had real compassion; and perhaps even if the gospel message had truly gripped our hearts, I don’t think we could stop ourselves from sharing the good news.  In my early days as an evangelist, I would never speak in a meeting without first reading Luke’s account of the crucifixion and the events leading up to it.

This Sunday morning, I felt urged to speak on this topic at Fleckney Baptist Church, Leicestershire.  This was how the service went.

After a simple introduction of my missional activities, especially working with small rural churches, and an opening prayer we sang “We want to see Jesus lifted up” (SoF957) . It had been chosen by one of the musicians in the church but was excellent in setting the foundation for the rest of the service.  I had set out two large sweet oranges and three small easy peelers on the table at the front of the church.  I picked on up and asked if the congregation would excuse me as I peeled it. As I did so I explained, quite honestly, that I had been suffering from a condition that sometimes made speaking difficult.  I told them that sometimes church can be like an orange or tangerine.  I asked the congregation what was great about tangerines.  All the usual answers came: they are easy to get into, usually sweeter than oranges, and less messy.

By now I slipped one piece into my mouth.  I told them it was so good I couldn’t keep it to myself, so I proceeded to offer it around.  Initial reluctance as more and more expressed how tasty it was.  Since only a few had the opportunity to enjoy the sweet seedless orange I was passing around, I gave another one to a woman and asked her to peel and share it.  By now, some were feeling they might miss out, so I asked who might like to try a small easy peeler, and passed out all three into eager hands.

I then gave the congregation two minutes to pair up and each talk about someone they knew who had impressed them in some way.  Soon there was a lot of eager chatter and even a lot of laughter as people shared their stories.  After this I asked if anyone had found it embarrassing or difficult. None had. They had enjoyed the pleasure of sharing in two ways.

This was followed by the telling dramatically how a young girl saved the life of a five-star general.  You know that Bible story, I’m sure.  The general was called Naaman and you can read the account in 2 Kings chapter 5. When I asked them afterwards who was the most important person in the story, two people thought it was Elisha, but the rest knew it was the little girl who shared her story.

We sang “Colours of Day” (SoF1038), after which the young people would normally have left.  But they chose to stay.

I reflected that most of us find it hardest to share the good news with our neighbour, and recited a challenging poem on that topic.  I told the congregation that I wanted to suggest four simple steps.  Of course, the Bible is not a handbook, so there is no one pattern for evangelism.  However, it does seem to me that these four steps are essential and biblical.  I suggested that these needed to be premised on the existence of some passion for the gospel and a longing that others might come to faith, quoting from Romans 10:1, and Paul before King Agrippa.

Step One is finding the opportunities.  I suggested that since God longs that all would come to the knowledge of the truth, the Holy Spirit is at work and we need to be sensitive to these ‘appointed’ opportunities.  This was illustrated with a Bible reading from John chapter 4 verses 1 to 15.  Here a weary and thirsty Jew asks a Samaritan woman for a drink.  This was culturally and religiously contrary to custom.  The man was Jesus.  The woman of somewhat doubtful character.  Jesus presented himself with humility and needy. No aggressive or assertive approach here.  The conversation, which led to a whole community acknowledging his as the Messiah, started naturally, on a topic with which she was familiar.

Step Two is sharing the story. This was illustrated by a reading from John chapter 9 verses 13 to 25.  Here we find a man, whose life has been so changed that his neighbours find it difficult to believe he is the same man they knew previously.  Questioned about what had happened to him, he is unable to respond helpfully to a theological question, and can only witness to what he had experienced.  So, no need to do a theology course before we begin to share our faith.  The gospel is about what God has done for us.  Sometimes cluttering it up with Bible quotes gets in the way of what people need to hear.

Step Three is encouraging a response.  I once led a mission in a church where the vicar had preached the gospel for 36 years but had never given an invitation for people to respond to the message.  After much encouragement, he gave an invitation for those who wished to respond and welcome Jesus into their lives, to come forward during the singing of a hymn.  As the hymn began, he moved to the alter rail and knelt in prayer.  When the hymn ended he was amazed to see the width of the chancel filled with people who had responded.

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter concluded his message by urging his listeners to act upon his message.  Three thousand people did.  Paul, writing to the Christians at Corinth, writes about being Christ’s ambassadors, pleading for people to be reconciled to God.  It is not our role to persuade people into faith, but we should never fail to provide encouragement to respond. [Rural Mission Solutions can help you with that].

Step Four is follow through.  Illustrated this with Paul’s three years ministry at Ephesus where he had discipled the believers, teaching them each day.

We followed the talk by singing “One shall tell another” (SoF541), and the invitation in the refrain to “Come on in and taste the new wine of the kingdom of God” led us around the communion table and an opportunity for fresh surrender to God’s purposes in and through our lives.

The service ended with,” Go forth and tell”(SoF 178).

I share the story here in the hope that you will find it helpful to reflect that sharing something delicious is a joy, as is talking about someone who has made a difference in our lives.  It really isn’t that hard.  Over 300 people will read this in its email form and many more on the blog.  If we all try to put it into practise, who knows how many new Christians there might be by next week.  You might even find yourself skipping on and off the pavement like a little child!

Barry

From the Diary

There have been lots of blessings in the past 8 days.  Please pray for all who have responded to God’s word in any way.

Monday 16th October – School Assembly, Lubenham, Leics.

Tuesday 17^th/Wednesday 18^th – Germinate Listening Event, preparing for a major conference in 2018, Warwicks.

Thursday 19^th Churches Group for Evangelization (London)

Saturday 21^st with Capt Gordon Banks, presenting the 45-minute webinar on Mission Ideas and Resources for Christmas and the Winter Months.  Please do your best to attend from your home.  It runs from 9.00 to 9.45am.  You need to register in order to get a special link for your computer.  No travel needed; you can even attend in your pyjamas with a cup of coffee to hand!  No church is too small to benefit from this presentation.  To find out more go to www.ruralmissionsolutions.org.uk.

Unforgettable Characters

It has been three weeks since the last Praise & Prayer News.  I think this might be the longest period of silence from me!  It has been caused in part by a particularly busy period, sometimes most intense at the weekends when I usually write.  It has also been caused by some uncertainty as to what I should write.  I do take time to pray before sitting down at the laptop, and usually ponder over a topic for several days, hoping that what I write will prove relevant to as many as possible.

As I have passed through this period of uncertainty, some thought seeds have developed and came to fruition this morning – Sunday 19^th March 2017.  What I plan to write now will have some echoes of a previous item written about a year ago.  So, I hope you will not mind a little repetition.  That also reminds me that in the interim I repeated a talk (I hate the term sermons) I gave in several churches. One former colleague called it serving up cold meat with hot gravy!  But in each case the repetition seemed to bring a lot of blessing, so justifying it.

I grew up in a home with copies of the Readers Digest.  I loved this publication, read the funny quotes that were at the bottom of some pages, the page of jokes and various articles.  But my favourite section was called “The Most Unforgettable Character I Met”. Various authors shared their experience, and I lapped it up.  I guess it might have sown the thought about what makes someone unforgettable.

One of the activities during my recent ‘silence’ was leading a Prayer Meeting in the prison where I serve as a voluntary chaplain for a few hours each week. One of the men shared some thoughts based on the account in Acts 19 about the seven sons of a Jewish High Priest who tried to drive out an evil spirit “in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches”.  The surprising response was “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”  Clearly, in the demonic realm Paul had become an unforgettable character.

This weekend brings two unforgettable characters into sharp focus.  Both had impact on my life as a child and teenager.  The first is Dame Vera Lynn with whom I often sang along as her recordings were frequently played over the radio at home.  Dame Vera is about to hit her 100^th birthday.  The second character is Chuck Berry, whose death was announced this morning.  As one of the first generation to be called teenagers, I embraced his music with enthusiasm.

These various threads then combined with the invitation to speak at a church anniversary service this evening.  Anniversaries provide opportunity to look back on a journey taken.  I found myself reflecting on the unforgettable characters in my life.  For almost all reading this, the names will mean nothing, but I’d like to take a few minutes to tell you about them.

Miss Hatton lived six doors from our family home.  She had a knack of recruiting young children and taking us to and from Sunday School.  She invented a competitive gave relating to the registration of new cars, which we played through the week.  She also provided us with a chocolate éclair when we reached her home on return. I started Sunday School with Mrs Roberts and Miss Osgood, who were apparently saddened when I reached an age when I could move out of the primary department.  This brought me into contact with Miss Betts (Superintendent), the two Miss Mathers, and Mrs Young who was my favourite.  I can’t remember anything they taught me but their characters made an indelible impression and played a vital part in my faith journey.

During this period our church was served by an energetic and enthusiastic Scottish minister, the Rev Angus McNaughton.  He gave fantastic flannelgraph illustrated talks on Sunday mornings, ran film shows on Tuesdays evenings, and made moving pastoral visits to our home where he knelt and prayed before giving me a ride on his motorbike around the streets where I lived.  Most especially, I remember his loving visits to me during a time I spent as a young child in hospital.

To these names I could add others such as Alan and Ame Tarling, and Brenda and Margaret Wayling.  All these are unforgettable for their love of Jesus and their Christlike service to children.

On hitting my teens, I graduated out of Sunday School and into the wider world.  As the former Christian influences in my life waned, my life style became increasingly ungodly.  But a new unforgettable character came into my life.  It was Robert Dingwall, the RE teacher in my secondary school.  He was great because he had ways of linking science with faith both through his love of archaeology and regular Fact and faith Film Shows after school.

About the time my lifestyle had degenerated the most another unforgettable man gave me a gospel tract to read.  We did not know one another, but his obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in going out that dark and damp evening to give out tracts set me a powerful example.  I was the only person he gave a tract to, but so confident was he that the young man who took it was going to be saved and used by God, that they prayed through that night and sent prayer requests to people in far off places, until the day I knocked at his door to tell him his prayers had been answered.

At this stage in my life, new unforgettable characters, whose names will mean nothing to you, came into my life.  They included Gordon Hunt who tricked me into my first public confession that I was a Christian.  Still later, Eric and Grace Kilby and Syd Thayre, and especially Alfred Lavender left their mark on me.  They are unforgettable and I thank God for them. What made each of them (and there were others) unforgettable was that they were excited about Jesus and had a strong commitment to share in God’s mission. 

I don’t suppose any of them will have a biography written about them.  Almost all they said to me and taught me are long forgotten.  But these were living messages of the good news about Jesus – my unforgettable characters.  Each had their own separate lives, but in God’s plan he wove our lives together to produce the pattern he planned.  They are the ‘warp’ through which my life has been the ‘weft’.

Who are your unforgettable Christian characters whose lives have been significant in your journey?  If they are still alive, please tell them this.  Take a few moments to remember then and give thanks to God, who gave them to you at important times.  Then take a moment to ponder on your own life as your pathway crosses those of others.  What impact are you having?  What lessons are being taught and learned?  You may consider yourself to be unimportant, but if we get it right, God can make us someone’s unforgettable character for his purpose in the lives of others.

From the Diary

These have been very busy three weeks and I am so thankful for the blessing God has given me and Doreen and the fact that he has also given us opportunities to bring his word to others and to be of service in other ways.  I could write many pages about this but will not do so here.  But please give thanks with me.  Give thanks also for colleagues who have shared, especially for Gordon Banks, one of our trustees.

The diary is full to the end of the month and we value your prayers each day for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit as we seek to be led by God.  Doreen has a cataract operation on Friday.

May God’s peace overflow in your life.

Barry

Being salt and light is not an option

Many years ago, a well-known Anglican wrote a book about mission in rural areas in which his main point was based upon the words of Jesus to his disciples about being salt and light.  While there was much in the book that I was pleased to read, I was unhappy that he presented the two similes as possible alternatives.  Jesus did not say, “You can be light or salt”.  He said, “You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5: 13-16).

The point that he was making was that rural contexts are such that the subtler influence of salt is probably preferable to the challenge of light.  Salt is absorbed into the context which it then changes.  It is what is sometimes referred to in a missional sense as ‘presence evangelism’.  On the other hand, light is a contrast to darkness and can sometimes be uncomfortable.  There are two aspects of his argument that I wish to challenge.  The first is the premise that salt is less disturbing.

To an observer, the introduction of salt when cooking might seem to be having a subtle affect, but that is not the case as far as the other elements are concerned.  Salt has a chemical and mechanical effect on the other ingredients.  The presence of a holy and righteous person (such as a Christian?) into a group of ungodly people, will always be disturbing, even if they say nothing.

The second aspect of his argument is the one about which I feel more strongly.  He presented it is two possible approaches to mission.  But we need to be clear that there is no sense in which there is any option.  Jesus said, “You ARE the salt… You ARE the light…”.  When we become Christians, being salt and light are not optional extras to which we can sign up if we wish. Whether we are effective salt and light is another matter, however.

In the days when Jesus spoke these words, salt was almost certainly used for preservation of food and for bringing out flavour in cooking (rather than adding flavour).  As a preservative, it inhibits the development of harmful microorganisms.  There is much in the world that is harmful to individuals and society.  Living with such values and saying nothing is unlikely to do much good.  God expects us to challenge injustice and sin.  Salt is added during cooking, primarily because it has a wonderful way of bringing out flavours.  Similarly, even among the worst of people there are some good qualities, and Christian influence can bring these out.

But too much salt added has a less than pleasant effect.  In this sense the analogy of salt when considering mission can be every bit as disturbing as light.  The challenge of what Jesus said was to ensure that we do not lose our salty properties.  In 21^st Century UK we need to ask whether Christians are not impacting the world around because the salt is too often in the salt pot rather than spread around.

The presence of light brings benefits.  I once took a school assembly with a dirty mark on my forehead.  The children stared but politely said nothing.  Eventually I got a child to tell me what was wrong, and then suggested that a lack of light in the bathroom meant that I failed to see myself as I was.  Of course, this was a set up and that was explained to the children.  They took the point.  Light can help us see what is wrong, as well as journey through life safely.  If we are the light of the world, then we need to be shining appropriately inti the world for the benefit of others.

I inherited a torch from the previous owners of our house.  It has a rechargeable battery.  Charged up it emits a light that can be quite blinding if shone into someone’s face.  That would be an inappropriate use of the torch.  On the other hand, it has annoying habit of the battery running down just when it is needed it.  Some Christians are like that.  Charged up by attendance at a conference or a poor course on evangelism, they dazzle others they might wish to win for Jesus.  But then as the influence that charged them up begins to wane, the light grows dim.

Some Christians are like some power-saving lamps.  They take time to warm up and give a poor light at the start.  Others are like fluorescent tubes with faulty starters.  The flick on and off all the time instead of giving out a steady light.  Still others are more like the lights on Christmas trees, very attractive and drawing attention to themselves, but otherwise not much use!

So, the challenge is not to be too bright and dazzling, not so dim as to be no use, to shine consistently, and to ensure that the light shed is helpful to others and does not simply draw attention to ourselves.  And we need to remember what Jesus said about not hiding our light.

Salt can only loose its saltiness if it becomes contaminated or overly diluted.  Lights in Jesus’ day depended upon a steady flow of fuel and a clean wick.  In our day, light powered by electricity can become dim because of dust and dirt, or poor contact with the power source.  Effectiveness in both similes can only be determined by good outcomes it has on those around us.

Remember these are not alternatives and it is not optional.  Christian disciples ARE both salt and light.  The question we need to ask ourselves is how effective are we?  Often the benefit of salt and light is not recognised until they are absent.  I ask myself, if I were not present, or if my church did not exist, would it make much difference to those around?

Dear Lord, you called me to yourself so that I might be a light to help others.  You know that I do not always shine as brightly as I should. Sometimes the circumstances around me cause my light to grow dim just when it is needed to be bright.  Sometimes I neglect to seek to be constantly filled by you, and my own neglect causes my light to fail.  Fill me afresh, Holy Spirit.  Help me to shine as brightly as needed to give light to others without dazzling the.

Lord, you have declared that I am the salt of the earth. Help me to be effective, driving back corruptive influences, bringing healing, and influencing others to bring the best of taste into your world.

You know, Lord, that I cannot be in my own strength what I am meant to be. Please take me as I am, and make me all you would want me to be.  Amen

From the Diary

Give thanks for the blessing of the past week, for moments of inspiration, and the opportunities to open up God’s word to bless others.  Especially give thanks for an effective day of teaching at the Salvation Army’s William Booth College, on the Safeguarding Course

Sunday 22^nd – Nottingham Congregational Church

Tuesday 24^th – HMP Gartree

Thursday 26^th – Country Way Magazine Editorial Team

Saturday 28^th – East Midlands Area (Congregational Federation) Meeting

Sunday 29^th – HMP Gartree

Please do not underestimate the value of your prayers day by day.  Please keep us in your prayers asking God to keep us walking close with him and faithful each day in living out the ministry with which he has entrusted us.  Your prayers and support are vital.

May God bless you and make you a blessing to many through the coming week.

Barry

Please Knock Louder

A few years ago we added a front door to our home.  We did have one previously, but it is inset within a porch.  So we now have two front doors.  The new one was a great improvement in keeping us warm but I have never moved the doorbell to the new outside front door, though it does have a knocker.  Most people who call either step inside the first door and use the bell or knock loudly.  But recently I missed a parcel delivery because neither my wife nor I thought that the timid noise we heard was coming from the front door.

This frustrating experience came to mind recently when, in a Christian meeting, we were encouraged to pray for any for whom we were especially concerned.  I began to pray for family members who, as yet, have not discovered the wonder of coming to know Jesus as a personal Saviour.  You are probably familiar with the famous painting called, “Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt.  It depicts Jesus, standing with a lit lantern outside a door which is rather overgrown, and which lacks an outside handle.  It clearly draws on the words from Revelation 3:20. In the Authorised Version it reads

“Behold I stand at the door and knock.  If any man hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and feast with him and he with me.”

Of course, it is not gender specific.  Jesus knocks at the door of women and children as well as men.  However, the context of this verse is a letter to a church which, somehow, had failed to keep Jesus in the heart of its life.  But like countless others I have quoted this verse in an evangelistic context, urging people to open their hearts and lives to the wonder that is knowing Jesus.

As I prayed for those whom I so long to open the door of their lives to Jesus, I found myself praying, “Please knock louder.  Please knock louder!”, as I remembered my missed parcel delivery.  The problem is that many fail to open the door because there are other things going on that drown out the sound of his knocking and the call of his voice.

In the days that followed I have found myself wondering how God might answer my prayer.  When and how does he knock, and call out?  There is a brass knocker on my outside front door.  It is far more effective than just using knuckles or tapping with fingers.  I began to wonder whether it is the witness and testimony of faithful Christians that are the means by which God knocks at doors and calls out for admittance.  In asking God to knock louder was I hearing God reply, “Be a faithful witness”?

I suspect that many find that the hardest place to share the gospel is within the closest circle of family and friends.  We are afraid of a negative reaction.  Perhaps we realise that they know us well and know our imperfection, and that this will count against us.  Whatever the reason, we resort to simply praying that somehow they will hear God’s knocking and calling.  But what if I am meant to act as God’s door knocker?

Asking God to “knock louder” has challenged me and in the next few days I hope to respond and will value your prayers. Does God want you to be a door knocker for someone you care about?

From the Diary

As I shared in my last communication, last week was exceptionally busy with a lot of travelling.  I am glad to report that all journeys and meetings went well.  Coming into this week I took the morning meeting for Elstow Bunyan Christian Fellowship, Bedford where we found a warm welcome and responsive congregation.  This was a first visit to minister at this church and we are looking forward to a further visit next February.

In the activities of the previous week I managed to pick up a very nasty cold and cough, which has taken out a few days this week.  Sadly, I have managed to pass it on to Doreen.

Meanwhile my friend and colleague, Capt Gordon Banks of the Church Army has been working on the online seminar this Saturday at 9.00.  This webinar features suggestions and ideas for mission for small churches through the winter months.  He has also been battling a cold.  So please pray for us both as we labour to put the finishing touches to the presentation. 

New registrations are coming in daily, but there is still some room for more.  Please pray that all spaces will be filled and that this will prove helpful and encouraging to all.  The webinar lasts about 45 minutes and is ideal for rural or smaller urban churches.  It is free to attend but advanced registration is essential.  All that is needed is an internet connection with sound.  Why not register yourself in time for Saturday?  To register please click here

Katrina, Rural Mission Solution’s Adviser for Children and Family Work will be leading a webinar soon.  I have also met up with ideal people to lead webinars on working ecumenically and finding it fun, enabling lay ministry, and the ministry of Christianity.org.uk (a website for enquirers).  We hope to publish the dates for 2017 ahead of time.

Activities this week include a service at HMP Gartree on 30^th, School Assembly on Thursday and a Mission Support Group meeting on Saturday 5^th November.  I have a lot of administration to catch up and hope to do some writing during the week.

Please keep in touch.  Thank you for your prayerful interest.

Barry

Are we salt or Light

The previous  Praise & Prayer News on the importance of behaviour provoked a good number of positive responses and obviously there is common concern that this is a topic that needs more airing.  While replying to one email received from friends I found myself pondering on the challenge for Christians to be light and salt in the world.  Some years ago a well known evangelical Anglican wrote a book for rural Christians in which he presented the opinion that in rural contexts evangelism is better though of as being salt than light.  But Jesus didn't give the option.  In Matthew 5:13 he states, "You are the salt of the earth...", and in Matthew 5:14 he states, "You are the light of the world...

I note that he does not say that he wants his disciples to be salt and light.  WeARE both.  Many writers and preachers have used these verses to illustrate how we evangelise.  Light is clearly obvious and immediately distinct.  Salt is more subtle.  I suppose that if there was an option and we drew a straight line and wrote "light" at one end and "salt" at the other we might be able to plot somewhere along that line where we see ourselves (you might like to try that).  Some of us might put our position right in the middle, but that is not how we are to understand our calling.  We are to be fully light and fully salt.

 Also, anyone who suggests that salt can only be understood as subtle has clearly never had the displeasure of tasting something that is too salty.  It is possible to have too much light and be blinded and too much salt and be sick.  Of course, we could consider that Jesus was thinking about salt in a preservative sense.  This would be quite reasonable.  Also, historically, salt has been found to have certain medical benefits.  In food salt suppresses bitterness, increases sweetness and enhances odours.  Adding salt to food does make it better.  Salt is actually vital for life.  The body cannot make it so we need to take it.  But again getting the right amount is important.

So, using salt in appropriate measure and in appropriate circumstances is vital, whether to assist our eating, preserve against corruption, help relieve pain and bring healing, or simply vital for life.  Frankly, we cannot live without it.  Christians therefore should be making the world a sweeter place, and a source of healing and a counter to corruption.

Salt in Jesus' day was not pure Sodium Chloride.  Sodium Chloride never loses its saltiness but if household salt was exposed to water it is the sodium chloride that would dissolve and drain out.  What was left would neither taste the same or have the same benefits.  Similarly if salt became contaminated by contact with another chemical it would become unpleasant.  Jesus's message was about the danger of something that should be good becoming useless.  We need to take care that our Christian life is not watered down or contaminated in any way.

The analogy of light needs little comment.  Verse 16 makes it clear that Jesus is talking about how other people perceive our lives.  But we shouldn't be doing good because we know it is what we ought to do; we should be doing good because God's life in us makes the difference.  What we have to do is to let people see the difference that having the Holy Spirit in our lives makes.

So I ask, "Are these analogies anything to do with evangelism which is about telling out the good news?"  The answer is that they are not anything to do with the method of evangelism but they are about the importance of integrity. Every Christian is called to share the good news concerning Jesus.  Some have the special gift of being an evangelist.  But we must all share in telling others.  But unless this is demonstrated by transformed lives that are still being transformed then our message will lose its power.  The analogies are not so much about what we do but who we really are.  Our lives already witness to the beliefs we have and the message we share.  We must take care not to lose our essential saltiness or our light to become obscured.

Sunrise Ministries and Rural Mission Solutions
Sunrise Ministries is the official name of the Charity under which most of my rural ministry is conducted.  Rural Mission Solutions is the primary aspect of Sunrise Ministries. Recently the Lord called home my long-term friend and colleague, Monica Cook.  What does the immediate future look like for Sunrise Ministries?

Firstly, we are continuing the aspects of our ministry that Monica established.  We have a small amount of funds in hand that were contributed to support Monica's ministry in the UK.  The trustees wish to honour this so we are looking to appoint someone to continue her ministry.  We hope that many of those who have supported Monica in the past will continue supporting the ministry she exercised.  This includes child evangelism and working with rural churches to help them develop their own sustainable appropriate and effective programmes that help children come to faith and grow in discipleship.

Secondly we now have a small team so that we can continue our programme of regular webinars (online seminars).  You will find a list of topics on our website.  We are happy to consider adding to these topics anything that might help mission especially in rural areas.  This uses modern technology to enable our core vision of enabling churches to develop sustainable, appropriate and effective programmes of mission and evangelism.

Thirdly, we are considering ways in which the same technology can be used.  A sister organisation has run Sunday School by Post for children in isolated rural settings.  Once we have a new children's worker in place we will explore the possibility of running regular online events for rural children.  We are also aware that many rural Christians do not have much in the way of Bible teaching so we are thinking about how best to use the technology for that.

Fourthly (but not actually finally because we want to stay open to respond to need and answer God's call) we will be continuing to offer local consultations, working with colleagues in the Rural Evangelism Network, offering to run Church Away days on mission and evangelism and more.  Alongside this we will continually look for men and women who love Jesus and have a heart for rural ministry who we can enable in any way.

None of the above will happen, and certainly will not be blessed without prayer and financial support.  We need to grow both aspects of support and need your prayers now.  Anyone who would like to know more about how they can help in any of the aspects mentioned here are invited to contact me please.

New Readers from Sunrise Ministries
If you are receiving this e-letter for the first time you will see that it contains a biblical reflection and some news with items for praise and prayer.  You need to take care that it does not disappear into your spam folder or anywhere other than your in-box.  Some systems identify it as marketing!  Past issues are available on the blog.

If you do not wish to receive it regularly you can click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page.  That will take you off this list but not off the Sunrise Ministries database.  If you are a past supporter of Monica Cook and, for any reason, you no longer wish to stay in contact with Sunrise Ministries please click here.

Other Related Ministry
New readers may not be aware of other activities in which I am involved.  Many of these complement one another.  Here's a short summary:
Yelvertoft Congregational Church - Having a pastoral/leadership ministry in a rural church keeps my feet on the ground and should give confidence to others that I am not just a theorist.  Apart from that it keeps me accountable and I love pastoral ministry and Bible teaching.  See website.
HMP Gartree - This is the largest UK prison for men on life sentences. Most Tuesday afternoons I run a small choir which brings me into contact and opens up pastoral and ministry opportunities.  I also conduct occasional Sunday and mid-week services.  The prison is like a village in many ways.  The music aspect also provides me with a recreational activity.
Safeguarding and Pastoral Care - I have shared in writing two significant publications about the pastoral care of people who have suffered sexual abuse.  Occasionally I am asked to speak on this subject, and I teach regularly on the Salvation Army's Safeguarding programme.  Education on this topic is the best way to keep people safe.
Denominational Responsibilities - I have never been comfortable with any ministry that is not accountable  both within and beyond their local church.  This brings with it some responsibility and I serve on two national Boards for the Congregational Federation.  These are the Pastoral care Board and the Inter-Church Board.  The latter brings me aware of what is happening across the wider church.  At a regional level I share responsibility for our mission enabler (another to be appointed soon).

Prayer is valued enormously for all aspects and activities.

Current items for praise & prayer
Sunday - Yelvertoft Congregational Church
Monday - Hope in our Villages Planning meeting (three villages and 8 churches involved)
Tuesday - HMP Gartree
Wednesday to Friday - various meetings and activities in Kent and Sussex
Saturday - CF Regional mission support meeting (might be deferred)

Pray for wisdom as I help draft constitutional documents for the Free Churches Group and also a village church in Kent.  I also value prayer as over the next few days I will be preparing several talks, writing articles and planning activities for August.

Please pray that we will get sufficient regular support to enable the employment of a children's worker to build on the ministry of my late colleague.

Thank you.

Barry