Gideon's Mistake

At our local Messy Church event last Saturday I had to give a talk on trusting in the Lord and when preparing for this my mind went to the account of Gideon and the small army of 300 men God used to overcome 135,000 Midianite and Amalekite soldiers.  You can read about this in Judges chapters 6 to 8.

When God called Gideon to the task there was nothing special about this man except, perhaps, that he saw himself as insignificant.  This links in with 1Corinthians 1: 26 - 29 where Paul points out that God chooses to use the weak and insignificant for his purposes.  The people of Israel were backslidden but not abandoned by God.  For several years the Midianites and others had plundered their crops and livestock forcing the people of Israel to hide in caves.  Gideon managed to find 32,000 men to fight the Midianites and others but God says that they are too many!  Gideon's band is reduced to a mere 300 with odds of 450 to one!  But God provides the strategy and the Midianites are defeated.

But it is what happened after the battle that struck me when I was preparing this talk.  He declines the people's request to become their king but instead collects gold earnings that were part of the plunder they had taken from their dead enemies.  With this he builds an ephod which he places in his home town.  The gold used would be worth over £500,000 today.  The term 'ephod' is unusual here since it normally refers to a priestly garment and it would seem unlikely that Gideon's ephod was a garment.  But it is an item associated with seeking guidance from God.  See Judges 8: 22-27.

The tragedy is that this then became a focal point for idolatry and a snare for Gideon and his family.  It made me think how easy it is after some wonderful divine intervention for the devil to slip in and lead people astray - or (if you prefer) for our own sinful inclinations to take us astray.  The use of plundered gold in this account is similar to the building of the golden calf which was worshipped in the desert after God had miraculously delivered the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt.  It also reminds me of the situation at Ai after the people of Israel had experienced a mighty deliverance at Jericho.  Defeat at Ai followed because of disobedience rooted in the failure by Achan to recognise that the victory was God's and therefore they had no right to the plunder (see Joshua 7).

For many years it was my privilege to be part of an evangelistic team that experienced some special times when God moved in our meetings.  We had some amazing times of blessing.  But I noticed that it became common after the events for tempers to be lost and for team members to become impatient with one another.  For that reason I often made a point of encouraging team members to be careful.  Is it possible that instead of being humbled by the experiences of God's interventions we shift the focus to ourselves?  Might this have been a factor in the sins of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5)?

Peter is a great example of how fickle our hearts are.  One moment he is making a profound statement about the nature of Jesus, and the next moment he is seeking to hinder God's plans.  He moves from praise to rebuke from Jesus in moments.  One moment he affirms his faithfulness to Jesus and not long after denies knowing him.  He is used by God in the early church but then gets into trouble for being a hypocrite.  These things are recorded in scripture so that we realise our human weakness.  We all have feet of clay.

When the apostle Paul met with the elders from the church at Ephesus he warns them to be watchful against external attacks and internal failures.  They must keep watch over themselves as well as the whole church (Acts 20: 28-31).

The ephod Gideon had made was a physical symbol of how God had given wisdom and guidance that brought victory.  But what was a mere symbolic reminder became a focus for worship and downfall.  Many a revival has been lost because the signs of its presence become that which we cherish rather than the Lord himself. We are left worshipping structures, organisations, buildings, worship styles; and it is all idolatry.  Whatever and whoever God may have used in past blessing these are not the source of the blessing and we should never make them sacred.

May God save us from shifting our eyes from him for unless the Lord builds the house we labour in vain.

From the diary:

• Last Wednesday I travelled to Hastings in East Sussex for a service of thanksgiving for the life of Dr. Jim Waller.  Jim was a passionate evangelist who was a catalyst and motivator for all kinds of missional activity.  He had a particular concern for people of other faiths to discover all that Jesus has done and is doing for them.  He was a good man and it was a privilege to have worked with him in the past, especially in our friendship evangelism in Turkey.
• Hope in our Villages continues to move forward and people from the various churches in Yelvertoft, Lilbourne and Crick are enjoying working together for Jesus.  We have our first major event this coming Sunday (20th July) with an Open Air Songs of Praise Service followed by a picnic and family fun in Crick.  Please pray for a good response from within the three communities.
• The number of new members of the prison choir is presenting a challenge.  We may have attracted some who see it as an easy option and risk spoiling it for those who want to work.  Please pray fore this Tuesday afternoon's visit that I will have discernment and wisdom so that this ministry will not be spoiled.
• On Thursday afternoon I am speaking at a WI meeting about the work that I and others do in prison.  Please pray that I will use this occasion wisely and for God's glory.

I seem to often find myself involved in complicated situations of a confidential nature.  I have two at present and people seem to seek my help because of my experience over the years.  Both of these situations have already taken up considerable time and look like doing so for the immediate future.  I am never sufficient of myself for dealing with these issues and need your prayers that I will manage the situations and the time required wisely.  Please pray.

God is good and longs to bless us more than we long to be blessed.  Why not ask him for some specific blessing at this time that will make you a blessing to others.

Barry

On Your Bike!

As today sees the start of the 2014 Tour de France cycle race I thought I would base my thoughts on the topic of cycling and how it relates to my activities as a rural mission consultant. No, I do not travel around Britain's villages by bicycle, though it would be great to have an army of evangelists who did just that.  But, back in the 1980s, as we were pioneering an enabling approach to rural mission, I drew on the image of cycling to illustrate what was then a new way of thinking about mission.

Regular readers may be aware that for a quarter of a century I was part of a mission team that served rural churches of various denominations and across Britain.  While there were various important aspects to the work we did, at its heart was this itinerant team ministry. Members of the team was multi-talented and could offer a powerful preacher, a gifted gospel singer, an artist capable of producing amazing biblical pictures or cartoons to illustrate gospel truths, a conjurer, a raconteur, a pianist, an organist, and an audio-visual expert.  Between us we could run activities for children, youth, adults and adults in the third age. We conducted church services, and ran meetings in village halls, schools, pubs and people's homes.  But by the mid-1980s I was reflecting seriously regarding the value of what we were doing.

Our short-term outreaches were conducted at the request of local churches and carefully designed to fit with the local context.  They were fruitful events that brought many hundreds of people to faith in Christ, planted and grew churches.  But was this the best or even the only strategy?  One of the factors that brought matters to a head for me took place in a Cumbrian village during a home-based evening meeting packed to capacity.  The lady sitting on my right leant past me to speak to the vicar sitting on my left.  "Well Vicar," she said, "I don't know what we are going to do next week with only you to entertain us!"

It was not meant unkindly, and the use of the word "entertain" did not offend.  It was the words, "only you" that hit me. How hard was it to follow up the discontinuity caused by having a highly talented team in the church for a week or two.  Were we giving the impression that evangelism could only be done by outside 'specialists'? How did our programme contribute to the development and deployment of the gifts God had already put within the church for his purposes?

Out of these and other practical and theological questions was born what seemed then a new and unique approach to mission enabling.  Our vision was to help rural churches of any size understand their particular role within God's mission and how they could use their own resources (no matter how limited) in ways that feel comfortable, that are effective and sustainable with the minimum of outside support. This was a paradigm shift and as I looked for ways to explain its relevance two images came to mind.

The first of these was bespoke tailoring.  What we were seeking to do through consultation, education and training with a church was to help them design mission strategies that, like a well designed suit (for example) would fit perfectly, be in a style that suited and was not embarrassing, and which the church would be pleased to 'wear' publicly.  We rapidly developed appropriate material to use with churches on away-days and got to work.

Cycling was the second illustration - or rather teaching someone to cycle.  We were aware that for most Christians in rural areas the idea of expressing their faith in mission (and especially if this included evangelism) was sufficiently scary for them not to want to try it.  If the vision was to become a reality and transform many churches then designing the strategies was not enough on its own.  More was needed if the strategies were to be implemented.

Learning to ride a bike is not that hard but some help in the beginning can make a world of difference - especially for the young or nervous.  Of course there are some who will just get on the bike on their own, wobble around, fall off a few times, but eventually get the hang of it.  But how might you go about teaching someone to ride a bike?

It seemed to me that example might be helpful but a new rider will never learn from example alone.  Then there are a number of practical aspects that are important such as making sure that the saddle and handlebars are the right height and that the brakes work. It is also important that the new rider learns which part of the foot should be on the pedals to maximise thrust, how to fix their vision ahead rather than looking down, or around, or back.  But the there will be times when looking around or back will be important.  Finally, it is all about balance - and balance best maintained by forward motion.

By now, all should be able to see how apposite this is as an illustration for learning how to engage in mission.  But we have yet to come to the issue of confidence in mission.  It is usual when teaching someone to ride a bike to provide a little support.  This might mean walking or running beside the bike while holding onto the back of the saddle to correct wobbles or simply to reduce stress.  Eventually the teacher has to let go.  Of course there might be a tumble or problem of some kind but in the early stages that is to be expected and can be corrected.  The end result is that the teacher can enjoy watching the new rider enjoying the exhilarating experience of cycling.

Today thousands of cyclists in Leeds and around Yorkshire will have started cycling in this way.  Today they will be riding more sophisticated bikes and wearing Lycra, safety helmets and all the rest of the gear.  But they will be riding because they enjoy it!  Of course Yorkshire will provide a challenging context in which to race.  They will have to cope with bicycle congestion, cobbled streets, narrow bending roads with some scary hazards if they make a mistake.  Not unlike rural mission!

I do have a bike.  For many years I had not been on a bike.  Life is busy and a car is more convenient (?) perhaps.  But I do have a bike.  It is in a shed, well oiled with tyres pumped up.  I just don't ride it - or at least I haven't for a long time.  I wonder whether for any reader that too is a picture of where you are at in your role within God's mission.  Or perhaps it is where your church is at within God's mission.  God gives to every believer gifts and ministries which are specific to each individual so that they can play the part he has planned for each of us in his mission in his world today.  It follows that every local church is therefore a collection of such enables people and that the church therefore has a specific part to play.

Please pray as we continue to help develop bespoke tailored strategies with rural churches and help them gain confidence to implement them. And where are you at in this process?  Have you and has your church got its strategies appropriately tailored?  Hopefully, you are already 'on your bike' in a missional sense and it is not neglected in the shed?

From the diary:

• Praise God for his blessing on the activities of the past week which included a school assembly.  The service at Gartree Prison last Sunday was once again a special occasion when God's presence was felt.
• Pray for Brayford Methodist Church, Devon, as they receive my report and consider the way forward for them.
• This Saturday forenoon I will be speaking at the Ordination Service for a colleague called Joy at Markfield (near Leicester)
• On Sunday I will be leading the meeting at Yelvertoft.
• Please pray as we seek to finalise the plans for a special United Service as part of 'Hope in our Villages' on Monday evening.  The villages of Crick, Yelvertoft and Lilbourne have eight congregations and this is a unique opportunity to work together.
• This is a relatively quiet week with few engagements (I shall be working in prison on Tuesday as usual) so this offers an opportunity to catch up with some essential administration.
• I value prayers for my wife, Doreen who has peripheral neuropathy and has had a few small falls recently.  Pray for wisdom as we seek to make the home a safer place.
• Praise God for the encouraging replies I have received from Christian leaders who read this blog/newsletter.  I am glad that it seems to have become a ministry in itself.
• Some of the Christian prisoners have chosen to undertake a partial fast for the next few weeks to deepen their relationship with God. Pray for them at this time and for prison chaplaincies.
• Having past the halfway mark for another year this is a good time for taking stock of all we seek to do for God.  Some times we can be so busy that we have insufficient time to hear what God is saying.
• Thank God for gifts received during June.  Rural ministry does not feature very high with most Christians and we are thankful for those who share the vision, pray for us and support us as they are able.

Thank you.

Barry

Peace At Any Price?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the Diary

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

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

Barry

A Cause to Die For?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the diary

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you.

Barry

Sinners welcome here?

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

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

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. 

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

and that the Lord had spoken to him, 

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

(Acts 9:26,27)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Items for Praise

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

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

Items for Prayer

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

Ministry at Yelvertoft on Sunday and Thursday mornings.

School Assembly at Lubenham, Leicestershire on Monday.

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

Thank you.

Barry

Lament

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

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

(Psalm 137: 3b-4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Causes to be thankful

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

Causes for Prayer

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

Thank you for your fellowship,

Barry

Putting your foot down!

The man in the green Audi drummed his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently and edged his car out slightly to get a better look past the white Transit van.  Ahead of the van there was a fairly new yellow Ford Focus, the driver of which was also edging nearer to the centre of the road to get a better look ahead. In front of the Focus a grey Skoda Octavia was sitting on the tail of a refuse vehicle doing a fairly steady 50 mph.  The Audi driver was encouraged that at least the driver of the yellow car was planning to make a move but it was a country road and safe passing places were far between.  He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and noted that he was still well within his schedule, but travelling at 50mph was not exactly his idea of fun.

At the head of the queue the refuse lorry driver knew that he was driving as considerately as possible.  By keeping a steady speed everyone else would know what to expect and could drive their own vehicles accordingly.  Pushing the speed up, given his load, would not be appropriate.

The grey Octavia had been following him for some time.  At times it was a little too close in his opinion, but it had shown no sign of desire to overtake.  The fact was that the driver of the Octavia was uncomfortable with having to overtake large vehicles.  Frankly 50mph was probably about the speed he would be driving at anyway.  He was a 'mature' driver not a boy racer.  The situation, as far as he was concerned, was comfortable.

The driver of the yellow Ford was less happy about the situation.  She would have liked to go faster and at regular intervals anxiously edged out to peer past, only to swerve back in at the first sight of an oncoming vehicle no matter how far ahead it might be.

The driver of the white van had finished his work early and was heading back to the depot.  He had plenty of time and was lost in the sounds of his favourite music coming at full volume from the CD player.  He might like to drive faster normally but given his present circumstances he was in no rush.  Unfortunately, he had not looked in his mirrors for some time and was blissfully unaware of the frustration being suffered by the last car in the queue.

Soon the driver of the Audi could stand it no more.  He had muttered about the stupid driver of the Octavia who clearly had no intention of overtaking the refuse lorry and was driving far too close.  He had sworn about the indecisive driver of the yellow Focus, in and out every few minutes but missing opportunities to overtake.  He was angry about the driver of the white van who seemed to be unaware of his presence.  Sure he had left a reasonable distance from the Focus, but the Audi driver did not want to get stuck behind that indecisive driver as that would make him wild.  There was nothing for it he would have to overtake all four vehicles in one go as soon as he could.

At last a short stretch of straight road opened up.  Yes, he knew it was risky, but anything was better than sitting where he was much longer.  Mirror, signal, change down, foot to the floor, and he was off, changing up as he began his run with speed now over 70mph.

He was half way along the queue when he saw the HGV loaded with heavy steel hurtling towards him.  He knew there was no gap to slip into, insufficient time to brake and drop back, and no time to finish overtaking.  As panic gripped him he thought, "If only...."

The pastor of the church reflected on how things were going.  They seemed to be making progress.  There were signs of growth both in the lives of many in the congregation, and numbers were slowly increasing.  They were sailing along quite nicely; not too fast and not too slow.  Of course he realised that there were some in the fellowship who wanted more change or faster change, but he was confident he had the speed just right.

John, the church secretary agreed.  He had confidence in the pastor and stuck with him solidly.  Mary on the other hand felt that there was a need for change.  She was aware that there were others in the church who felt similarly and that some were thinking of leaving if things did not improve.  Periodically she raised the need for change with the pastor and secretary but when it came to Church Meetings she would back off, not wanting to upset anyone.  George was prepared to 'go with the flow'.  Maybe things could be more lively.  Maybe it would be good to have a programme of outreach that might reach young families.  But hey, he had enough problems at work with change so the last thing he wanted would be problems here.  So let's keep steady.

Gilly thought that the whole situation was stupid.  The church was stuck in the fifties.  There was so much more.  Why did they have to put up with the status quo?  She had nudged the pastor and church secretary on the point.  She thought that at least Mary would stand by her.  There was nothing for it: at the next Church Meeting there would have to be a show down.  It was time to put her foot down!

Managing change in church life has its problems.  We are all supposed to be on the move with God.  When I was newly in ministry I was told that my role was to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  But it's all too easy to become selfish about needed change, to be inconsiderate of how others feed, to fail to check the road ahead or to think through the 'what ifs'.  I'm all for change and progress as long as it is not for selfish reasons.  Maybe, just maybe, God had a purpose when he called different kinds of people into discipleship.  In my parable about the queue of cars perhaps all five drivers could have been more considerate.  What might it have made a safer journey for all concerned?  Isn't love "the more excellent way" (1Corinthians 12:31)?

From the Diary
Thanks for your prayers through the past week.  My time with other church representatives at the Free Churches Group was very special.  It is encouraging to sense the progress and new sense of identity within the wider Church.

Safety in travel is always an important prayer point (the parable above came to mind while driving to the FCG meeting).  Coming home on Wednesday afternoon I took a conscious decision to pray to be kept safe and asked God to make me wise so as not to endanger others.  Travelling in the centre lane of the M6, overtaking a large lorry with trailer, and travelling at 70 mph I suffered a rear tyre blow out. While it was vital to get to the hard shoulder quickly it was dangerous to brake as the car became  increasingly difficult to steer and swerved violently.  I made it safely, thankful to God and to the driver of the HGV who reacted sensibly.  The only damage was to Sunrise Ministries' funds as I needed two new tyres: one to replace the one now shredded and then we found the wall of the spare had deteriorated.

Monica, my colleague was kept safe while in Kenya during troubles there.  we give thanks.

Please pray for Terry to whom I was travelling when I had the tyre problem, and who is in need of some personal pastoral support at a bad time in his life.  Terry is a nice guy but needs to experience the love and grace of God that will help him through this difficult time.  Pray as we seek to set up a new appointment.

Pray for the Prison Choir as we now have a date for an opportunity to sing and act for the pleasure of others.  Please pray for Jeanne and Roger with whom I work in the prison.

On Wednesday there will be a meeting of the Churches Rural Group at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.  I chair this Group and I am keen that it fulfils its potential.

At Yelvertoft we have our Bible Discussion on Thursday morning, Messy Church on Friday morning, and our regular meeting next Sunday.  Here's a question for you: Why did I disappear during the singing of a hymn this morning, only to re-emerge from the vestry in scruffy jeans, a tee-shirt and old trainers.  Answer will be published next week and a prize will be given to anyone who comes up with the right answer (as long as stocks last).  Clue: we were looking at Mark 3.

Barry