Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospelâŠEph 6:19
Paul was no fool. He knew the task of preaching was an onerous one. He understood the dangers of leadership. He battled daily against the temptations that creep up on every pastor. And he saw, first hand, the devastation that flowed from ministers wandering away from the truth. So he asked his congregations to pray: to get on their knees and ask God to help him remain faithful and bold.
Itâs all too easy to forget that our own leaders face similar tests and temptations today. In a world that swings between hostility to the gospel and apathy, it can be desperately appealing to amend the gospel message to make it more âpalatableâ. And sadly, many leaders succumb. Indeed, if the BBC have their stats correct, it seems 1 in 6 clergy in the Dutch Protestant Church are now either agnostic or atheist - 17% of ministers in Holland's largest protestant denomination have serious doubts about the existence of God and have given up holding out any clear gospel-hope to their congregations.
Such statistics should not be a surprise: the Bible reminds us that in these last days there will be false teachers (2Peter 2:1). But reports like this should remind us that we need to be praying for our pastors. So why not take a moment right now ... pray for your minister and the leaders of your denomination that they, like Paul, will be faithful to the gospel and bold for Christ.
Sheikh Hamad, one of the ruling family of the oil rich state of Abu Dhabi has made a name for himself. Literally.
He paid an army of workers to toil for weeks in the sand of an offshore island to carve his name into the earth. The letters are a kilometer high and are visible from space. You can even see them on Google Earth. Genesis 11 v 4 springs to mind: Then they said, âCome, let us build ourselves a city and a tower bwith its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.â
Shelley commented on the hubris of such acts in his famous poem Ozimandias. The Bible says that such acts are not just sad - but will lead to self destruction. Writing our names large, with a building, a company, or like Sheikh Hamad in the sand may make other people notice us. We seek immortality by bigging ourselves up. Paradoxically, this is the route to extinction. Because what matters in the end is whether our names are written, not in history or architecture, but in the Lamb's book of life. If it's not, we are in serious trouble.
And if anyoneâs name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15
Neither Christ alone as man nor the Father alone as God could be our substitute. Only God in Christ, God the Father's own and only Son made man, could take our place.
Evangelical leader, pastor, mentor, evangelist and writer John Stott died peacefully at a retirement home aged 90 yesterday. I heard the news from a lifelong friend of Dr Stott, who was affectionately known as "Uncle John" to his many friends. Philip wrote:
My dear friend (and perhaps yours, too) died this afternoon at 3.15. He passed peacefully into the presence of his Lord and Saviour whom he served so joyfully and effectively throughout his life.
Frances Whitehead, his niece Caroline and her daughter - Emily, his former study assistant, Matthew Smith, his fiancé - Eia and I were with him. There was no apparent pain and no famous last words. He died at peace both without and within. Rico Tice from All Souls church had visited him in the morning. Shortly before he died we read 2 Timothy and 4:6-8 seemed particularly applicable.
There will be obituaries in the main papers and a memorial service at St Paulâs Cathedral (eventually).
I will miss him very much â he taught me to love and follow Jesus Christ by his life as much as in his writings.
I thought you would like to know as soon as possible, so please forgive this for not being more personal.
âThe Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lordâ.
John Stott stands as a towering figure over the history and growth of evangelicalism in the second half of the 20th Century. You can read more about his influence and life in detail on the Christianity Today obituary here.
As a measure of his influence, he was voted among the top 100 influential people in the world by a Time magazine article in April 2005. And his influence is everywhere in a whole generation of evangelicals who grew up devouring his carefully written and researched books, and benefitting from his humble pastoral mentoring and prayers.
Other tributes to Dr Stott include:
"The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven." Billy Graham
"It will not be possible to write the history of the church in the 20th century without reference to John Stott. His remarkable ministry spanned the whole of the second half of the century and even in his eighties he was making an impact on the 21st. His leadership of the evangelical movement, both in the Anglican Communion and in wider inter-denominational settings, was a major factor in moving it from rather narrow-minded fundamentalism after the Second World War, to the fastest growing part of world Christianity that it is today. The list of movements and institutions he founded, fostered and strengthened can be read in the biographical pages of this website. His books have challenged and nourished millions of Christians into a balanced and thinking biblical faith. His legacy through the global impact of the Langham Partnership International and the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity is incalculable.
For the vast majority of people whose lives he influenced profoundly, however, he was simply âUncle Johnâ â a much loved friend, correspondent, and brother, to whose prayers we will never know how much we owe. Like Moses, he was one of the greatest leaders God has given to his people, and yet at the same time, one of the humblest men on the face of the earth. He was, for all of us who knew him, a walking embodiment of the simple beauty of Jesus, whom he loved above all else.". Chris Wright, Langham Partnership International Director
Personally, I have been hugely shaped as a Christian disciple by both Basic Christianity and The Cross of Christ.
Other obituaries can be found here:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/john-stott-obit.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/world/europe/28stott.html
http://www.tributes.com/show/John-Stott-92007699
http://barrycooper.com/2011/07/27/uncle-john/
âI donât want to be stuck in some library.ââHow is Greek going to help me?â âIsnât it a bit weird to turn my faith into an academic discipline?â
Most people in local churches acknowledge that getting to know God better is important. Some people actively take steps to deepen their understanding by attending home groups, conferences or reading books. Few, however, take the plunge and study theology. It has a bit of a bad press: boring, irrelevant and even a danger to our faith. But the reality is that studying theology, at a Bible-centred college, can be one of the most transforming and exciting experiences of our life!
1. Theology is relationship-deepening
Good theology never encourages us to know about God, it always inspires us to know God. The more we truly understand the living and active word of the Lord (Heb 4:12), the more we fall in love with the author and perfecter of life (Heb 12:2) and can spur one another on to good works (Heb 10:24)... learning from trusted teachers who think biblically and encourage us to do the same is a brilliant way to deepen our understanding and fuel our faith.
2. Theology is practical
Understanding Godâs nature and purposes are deeply practical pursuits because they effect how we think and act (Rom 12:2). And whatever our specific spiritual gifts â preaching, pastoral care or administration â studying theology can help develop them. Setting time aside to learn from people who have a proven track record at exercising their gifts humbly and faithfully inspires us to grow and serve passionately (1Cor 4:16).
3. Theology encourages wisdom
There are very few new heresies in the world â the old ones just keep popping up in new guises. Rigorously engaging with the past equips us to avoid being âtossed aboutâ in the present (Eph 4:14-16).
4. Theology is enjoyable
And doing all this with our brothers and sisters in Christ is just plain fun! We rejoice in what we learn (Ps 19:8) and meet lovely people who become valued partners in mission and prayerful companions in the good times and the bad...
So why not give it a go? Whether you opt for full-time, part-time or distance-learning, thereâs a course out there that might just change your life!
"A Christian fundamentalist with right-wing views."
This is how police described Anders Behring Breivik, the bomber and gunman responsible for the appalling tragedy in Norway this last weekend.
I suspect I am not alone in shuddering at the way this title links an act of cold-blooded murder with the Prince of Peace. Perhaps the confusion comes from the fact that political parties described as "Christian" in continental Europe, often now have a very tenuous connection with living faith and belief. The Christian Democratic party in Norway for example (the KrF) is supported by some muslims and secularists because of its stance on headline issues such as abortion and gay marriage. But the rule that party officers must sign a declaration of their Christian faith has come under increasing pressure to be removed in recent years. Sadly, the word "Christian" has become synonymous with "right wing" in many parts of European politics.
So just to get it straight. There is no-one who is a follower of Jesus Christ who could claim that these acts of terrorism are in any way consistent with the teaching and example of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus calls us to lay down our own lives, not those of others (1 John 3:16). He calls us to live in peace (2 Corinthians 13:11). He calls us to let God be the judge, not us (Luke 6:37). He calls us to love not hate (Galatians 6:10).
Join me in praying for the distressed and bereaved in Norway at this time. Join me in trying to live out His life of love and self giving. Join me in trying to change the world with the word of the gospel, not with bullets and bombs.
