Natalie Vellacott's Blog, page 5
April 2, 2018
How Safety Conscious Are You?
Western societies are becoming more and more obsessed with health and safety, and eliminating risk. I stated the obvious in a previous post that, regardless the precautions taken, sooner or later we will all die.
We see reports in the national and local news every day of people killed whilst going about their daily business. A farmer trampled by cows, a man swept out to sea by an out of control vehicle, two teenagers found six hours after their car crashed in a remote area at night, former spies poisoned in a supposedly safe part of the country, London’s murder rate over-taking New York’s! I could go on, but the point is that it could happen to any of us at any time. I’m sure these people weren’t considering that they might be living the last hours of their lives before tragedy struck.
Ironically, perhaps, many people who fuss and worry about their daily safety, or the relative safety of others, make little or no preparation for the most risky venture of their lives; appearing before God on Judgement Day without a remedy for their sin. Surely, preparing for eternity in either Heaven or Hell is worth at least a few hours of immediate consideration?
When I look at the things that keep us busy in this life, I almost feel desperate, because so many of them are unimportant, meaningless and trivial. We are far too attached to earthly things. We are often too comfortable and secure, making us unwilling or unavailable when the time comes for us to consider a work that God would have us involved in. We really need to examine how we spend our time, resources, and money, in light of eternity.
Those who want to keep their daily focus on Jesus, where it should be, are too often told to lighten up, or to find some hobbies or other interests. They are labelled as "extreme" or "fundamentalist". They are too often dissuaded from evangelistic zeal for a plethora of seemingly valid reasons, rather than being encouraged, or even joined, in the spiritual battle for souls.
People are now so distracted by earthly things that the spiritual no longer registers on their horizon. God has somehow been relegated to the “List of non-priorities that perhaps I’ll get round to investigating when I’m on my death bed.” How can this be in a society that is so safety conscious?
Could it be that our nation’s obsession with health and safety is a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable appointment with death? An attempt to draw out the short period that we have here on Earth. If people really believed in a place called Heaven which is reportedly so much better than our current situation, then why are people so keen to stay here? Why do they want to avoid death at any cost?
Doesn’t it make more sense to suggest that most aren’t really sure what happens when they die? I know of several people who, on starting to realise that Christianity might be the truth, have been afraid or unwilling to explore further due to the implications it would have for them personally. They prefer to continue as they are and leave things on hold.
Some prefer to revert to fantastical imaginings of Heaven as a place full of their favourite eateries, or hobbies, or unlimited alcoholic drink. They make wrong assumptions about what Heaven will be like, rather than examining the reality that, according to the Bible, they won't even be going there.
Others prefer not to think about death. They completely bury their heads in the sand until their day comes, figuring that they will deal with it when it happens.
Any, or all, of these approaches, though, seem like a pretty risky way to carry on!
There’s an advertisement that shows a bunch of people settling down on an aeroplane. The captain starts listing all the things that could go wrong with the plane because the proper checks haven’t been done. He suggests they just “wing it.” As everyone rushes to get to the exit door before the plane takes off, the point is made that you wouldn’t want to travel on a plane that wasn’t adequately prepared for the journey, so remember to check your tyres, fuel and oil on your car.
Aren’t we doing the same thing with our lives when we fail to even consider the life beyond this one? When we travel through this life without adequate preparation and expect to just “wing it” when the time comes.
What if God has already provided everything we need to make adequate preparation for eternity? What if God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and to rise again on the third day defeating death and sin once and for all? What if His sacrifice means that on that Day of Judgement we can stand boldly before God knowing that our sin is covered and we will be welcomed into Heaven?
Wasn't this what you have been thinking about this weekend?
We see reports in the national and local news every day of people killed whilst going about their daily business. A farmer trampled by cows, a man swept out to sea by an out of control vehicle, two teenagers found six hours after their car crashed in a remote area at night, former spies poisoned in a supposedly safe part of the country, London’s murder rate over-taking New York’s! I could go on, but the point is that it could happen to any of us at any time. I’m sure these people weren’t considering that they might be living the last hours of their lives before tragedy struck.
Ironically, perhaps, many people who fuss and worry about their daily safety, or the relative safety of others, make little or no preparation for the most risky venture of their lives; appearing before God on Judgement Day without a remedy for their sin. Surely, preparing for eternity in either Heaven or Hell is worth at least a few hours of immediate consideration?
When I look at the things that keep us busy in this life, I almost feel desperate, because so many of them are unimportant, meaningless and trivial. We are far too attached to earthly things. We are often too comfortable and secure, making us unwilling or unavailable when the time comes for us to consider a work that God would have us involved in. We really need to examine how we spend our time, resources, and money, in light of eternity.
Those who want to keep their daily focus on Jesus, where it should be, are too often told to lighten up, or to find some hobbies or other interests. They are labelled as "extreme" or "fundamentalist". They are too often dissuaded from evangelistic zeal for a plethora of seemingly valid reasons, rather than being encouraged, or even joined, in the spiritual battle for souls.
People are now so distracted by earthly things that the spiritual no longer registers on their horizon. God has somehow been relegated to the “List of non-priorities that perhaps I’ll get round to investigating when I’m on my death bed.” How can this be in a society that is so safety conscious?
Could it be that our nation’s obsession with health and safety is a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable appointment with death? An attempt to draw out the short period that we have here on Earth. If people really believed in a place called Heaven which is reportedly so much better than our current situation, then why are people so keen to stay here? Why do they want to avoid death at any cost?
Doesn’t it make more sense to suggest that most aren’t really sure what happens when they die? I know of several people who, on starting to realise that Christianity might be the truth, have been afraid or unwilling to explore further due to the implications it would have for them personally. They prefer to continue as they are and leave things on hold.
Some prefer to revert to fantastical imaginings of Heaven as a place full of their favourite eateries, or hobbies, or unlimited alcoholic drink. They make wrong assumptions about what Heaven will be like, rather than examining the reality that, according to the Bible, they won't even be going there.
Others prefer not to think about death. They completely bury their heads in the sand until their day comes, figuring that they will deal with it when it happens.
Any, or all, of these approaches, though, seem like a pretty risky way to carry on!
There’s an advertisement that shows a bunch of people settling down on an aeroplane. The captain starts listing all the things that could go wrong with the plane because the proper checks haven’t been done. He suggests they just “wing it.” As everyone rushes to get to the exit door before the plane takes off, the point is made that you wouldn’t want to travel on a plane that wasn’t adequately prepared for the journey, so remember to check your tyres, fuel and oil on your car.
Aren’t we doing the same thing with our lives when we fail to even consider the life beyond this one? When we travel through this life without adequate preparation and expect to just “wing it” when the time comes.
What if God has already provided everything we need to make adequate preparation for eternity? What if God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and to rise again on the third day defeating death and sin once and for all? What if His sacrifice means that on that Day of Judgement we can stand boldly before God knowing that our sin is covered and we will be welcomed into Heaven?
Wasn't this what you have been thinking about this weekend?
March 20, 2018
Are We Over-Complicating Evangelism?
As someone with a heart to share the Gospel with others, I’m often thinking of better ways to “do” evangelism. Not that I believe that there is a one size fits all approach or that we should focus too much on methods. It’s important to remember that the Holy Spirit of God is the catalyst for all conversions and that we need to pray for Him to be at work in and through us.
However, it’s good to consider whether our various efforts are bearing fruit and if not, to consider whether our chosen methods might be creating unnecessary barriers, or even, perhaps, whether it might be time for a different approach. There is an ever widening gap between the church and the world, between Christians and non-Christians. It follows, then, that we need to be thinking about how we can bridge this gap.
My thoughts often turn to social enterprise as a means of reaching people, as this is increasingly popular. The evangelistic coffee shop idea. I had thought about combining this with a Christian book shop or library due to the decline of the presence of Christian literature on our high streets. The Salvation Army have recently opened a big charity shop with an attached cafe in my town. Visiting, though, there is no difference between this set-up and any secular coffee and charity shop. People are not going to be particularly receptive if someone just sits down and starts sharing the Gospel with them whilst they are trying to drink their coffee. This idea, as an outreach opportunity, necessarily fails at the first hurdle.
What about a coffee, or book, shop that is overtly Christian? It’s worth asking, how often would non-Christians visit, and for what purpose when there are so many non-religious options out there? Mostly, these places end up being visited, and sustained, by people from the church that started them. Unless it’s made clear to visitors at the outset that they might be interrupted and spoken to by a keen evangelist, we have the same problem as the secular environment; the people just want to drink their coffee in peace!
Some might argue that Gospel literature can be left on the tables and the building appropriately decorated with Bible verses etc. This is true, and if the Spirit prompts someone to pick up a tract or to start memorising a Bible verse, then great. But, if all Christians carried tracts and left them everywhere they went, this would easily cover the few non-Christians who might enter a Christian premises and end up taking away a tract or reading Bible verses on the walls. If people are that openly curious about Christianity already, then surely they would just go to a church!?
Turning then to other forms of passive outreach using social activity; sports clubs and activities and the like. How often have we actually managed to effectively share the Gospel with attendees? How can we get people to even attend without tricking them with mumbled explanations about what will happen when they get there, and then pouncing on them later when it’s too late for them to leave? How can we keep these programmes Gospel focused and stop people being distracted by the activity? How often do these activities end up being closed down after decades because they have become nothing more than another social event? How many people actually end up in church through these activities?
These questions are more relevant than ever in our anti-religious, apathetic, materialistic age. As people are growing increasingly indifferent to Christianity, perhaps, we need to strip away the exciting activities, comfortable surroundings and pleasant environments. Maybe, these things are distracting people from their real need and presenting a confusing picture in terms of what Christianity is all about.
What if our attempts to create the perfect platform for sharing the Gospel are resulting in barriers that we then have to find ways to remove further down the line?
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Is it time for a less complicated, less expensive, and more direct approach?
I’m going to suggest three options that are comparatively cheap, direct and effective:
Open Air Work/Street Preaching
People are not often coming into our churches, we need to take the Gospel to them. The Open Air Mission evangelists go out into the high streets of England with a simple board. Using their board for the presentation, men preach a short Gospel centred message to the people passing by. Christians in the crowd note those who show interest and attempt to talk to them. Literature is handed to others walking past. ( United Beach Missions do similar work.) You can read There Is Still Much To Do ! by Andy Banton to find out more about this work or attend their Training Day on 14th April 2018.
Utilising our Church Buildings
Having highlighted some of the issues that can arise when we use social enterprise as a tool to share the Gospel, is there still a case for using our church buildings for evangelism? Of course, there is. Those who are blessed with buildings, especially in central locations, know how effective they can be when utilised. When a building is clearly a church, or used as a church building all of the time, people who enter it know what they are getting themselves into. They are choosing to enter an environment where they may expect to be spoken to by Christians and to hear messages from the Bible. Likewise, when activities take place in the church or a building immediately attached to it, there is no confusion. We need our church members to be proactive in inviting people to our church events and making sure they are upfront about what will happen when they attend.
Personal Contacts/Friendship Evangelism
This is where any natural contact with non-Christians is important whether through work or just where we happen to live. All of us should be seeking to cultivate these relationships with a view to sharing the Gospel when the opportunity arises. Our words should be backed up by our prior behaviour. Let's not wait indefinitely to actually tell people, though, as none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Pray first and then go for it!
It’s easy to be perpetually busy in Christian activities, but let’s make sure we are actually getting around to sharing the Gospel with the folks we are involved with. If we are running activities, whether in the church or outside, that have morphed into mere social events and there is no way to rescue them, perhaps we should consider closing them down and starting again. Likewise, if the things we are offering people are distracting them from the Gospel, our programmes might need a rethink.
My disclaimer here is that we must help people practically and they have various needs. This is a call to ensure we start with the Gospel and present this as the answer to the person’s most pressing need of forgiveness of sin and peace with God. At the very least, we must offer hope along with practical help.
The enemy will provide plenty of reasons why confrontational or direct evangelism is not the way to go, but these days it might be exactly what your friend, neighbour or relative needs to wake them up and make them stop and think. They aren’t going to be mad at you for being culturally inappropriate when they get to Judgement Day!
However, it’s good to consider whether our various efforts are bearing fruit and if not, to consider whether our chosen methods might be creating unnecessary barriers, or even, perhaps, whether it might be time for a different approach. There is an ever widening gap between the church and the world, between Christians and non-Christians. It follows, then, that we need to be thinking about how we can bridge this gap.
My thoughts often turn to social enterprise as a means of reaching people, as this is increasingly popular. The evangelistic coffee shop idea. I had thought about combining this with a Christian book shop or library due to the decline of the presence of Christian literature on our high streets. The Salvation Army have recently opened a big charity shop with an attached cafe in my town. Visiting, though, there is no difference between this set-up and any secular coffee and charity shop. People are not going to be particularly receptive if someone just sits down and starts sharing the Gospel with them whilst they are trying to drink their coffee. This idea, as an outreach opportunity, necessarily fails at the first hurdle.
What about a coffee, or book, shop that is overtly Christian? It’s worth asking, how often would non-Christians visit, and for what purpose when there are so many non-religious options out there? Mostly, these places end up being visited, and sustained, by people from the church that started them. Unless it’s made clear to visitors at the outset that they might be interrupted and spoken to by a keen evangelist, we have the same problem as the secular environment; the people just want to drink their coffee in peace!
Some might argue that Gospel literature can be left on the tables and the building appropriately decorated with Bible verses etc. This is true, and if the Spirit prompts someone to pick up a tract or to start memorising a Bible verse, then great. But, if all Christians carried tracts and left them everywhere they went, this would easily cover the few non-Christians who might enter a Christian premises and end up taking away a tract or reading Bible verses on the walls. If people are that openly curious about Christianity already, then surely they would just go to a church!?
Turning then to other forms of passive outreach using social activity; sports clubs and activities and the like. How often have we actually managed to effectively share the Gospel with attendees? How can we get people to even attend without tricking them with mumbled explanations about what will happen when they get there, and then pouncing on them later when it’s too late for them to leave? How can we keep these programmes Gospel focused and stop people being distracted by the activity? How often do these activities end up being closed down after decades because they have become nothing more than another social event? How many people actually end up in church through these activities?
These questions are more relevant than ever in our anti-religious, apathetic, materialistic age. As people are growing increasingly indifferent to Christianity, perhaps, we need to strip away the exciting activities, comfortable surroundings and pleasant environments. Maybe, these things are distracting people from their real need and presenting a confusing picture in terms of what Christianity is all about.
What if our attempts to create the perfect platform for sharing the Gospel are resulting in barriers that we then have to find ways to remove further down the line?
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Is it time for a less complicated, less expensive, and more direct approach?
I’m going to suggest three options that are comparatively cheap, direct and effective:
Open Air Work/Street Preaching
People are not often coming into our churches, we need to take the Gospel to them. The Open Air Mission evangelists go out into the high streets of England with a simple board. Using their board for the presentation, men preach a short Gospel centred message to the people passing by. Christians in the crowd note those who show interest and attempt to talk to them. Literature is handed to others walking past. ( United Beach Missions do similar work.) You can read There Is Still Much To Do ! by Andy Banton to find out more about this work or attend their Training Day on 14th April 2018.
Utilising our Church Buildings
Having highlighted some of the issues that can arise when we use social enterprise as a tool to share the Gospel, is there still a case for using our church buildings for evangelism? Of course, there is. Those who are blessed with buildings, especially in central locations, know how effective they can be when utilised. When a building is clearly a church, or used as a church building all of the time, people who enter it know what they are getting themselves into. They are choosing to enter an environment where they may expect to be spoken to by Christians and to hear messages from the Bible. Likewise, when activities take place in the church or a building immediately attached to it, there is no confusion. We need our church members to be proactive in inviting people to our church events and making sure they are upfront about what will happen when they attend.
Personal Contacts/Friendship Evangelism
This is where any natural contact with non-Christians is important whether through work or just where we happen to live. All of us should be seeking to cultivate these relationships with a view to sharing the Gospel when the opportunity arises. Our words should be backed up by our prior behaviour. Let's not wait indefinitely to actually tell people, though, as none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Pray first and then go for it!
It’s easy to be perpetually busy in Christian activities, but let’s make sure we are actually getting around to sharing the Gospel with the folks we are involved with. If we are running activities, whether in the church or outside, that have morphed into mere social events and there is no way to rescue them, perhaps we should consider closing them down and starting again. Likewise, if the things we are offering people are distracting them from the Gospel, our programmes might need a rethink.
My disclaimer here is that we must help people practically and they have various needs. This is a call to ensure we start with the Gospel and present this as the answer to the person’s most pressing need of forgiveness of sin and peace with God. At the very least, we must offer hope along with practical help.
The enemy will provide plenty of reasons why confrontational or direct evangelism is not the way to go, but these days it might be exactly what your friend, neighbour or relative needs to wake them up and make them stop and think. They aren’t going to be mad at you for being culturally inappropriate when they get to Judgement Day!
February 22, 2018
Helpless Addict or Slave to Sin?
In a previous post, I asked the question, “What are you living for?” I suggested various things that people live for and how these can become idols if we don’t keep them in their proper place.
What happens, though, when we find ourselves obsessed with things that seem to have the power to control us? When we’ve already succumbed to the temptation and find ourselves in the grip of an addiction from which it seems impossible to break free.
I’ve just finished reading, T he Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Perhaps, some of you are already wondering why on earth I would be reading such a book. Don’t worry, I found myself wondering the same thing several times as I progressed.
I read this book because I wanted to see whether the perspective of the author on shopaholism is what had resulted in the crazy numbers of sales of this series. In other words, I was curious about how the author would deal with something that, judging by the title, she classes as an addiction. What solutions would Sophie Kinsella offer for those trapped in these situations?
I definitely set the bar too high by expecting to find anything really useful in a worldly book written to appeal to the masses. Kinsella takes a light-hearted, humourous, (and in places offensive), approach to the subject of shopping addiction. She recommends; ignoring debt letters until your cards are cancelled, continuing to spend like a crazy person whenever you feel unhappy or just whenever you see something you want, lying to all and sundry about anything and everything, including lying on your CV to get a job that you know nothing about, and borrowing from strangers. Oh, and sleeping with someone because they are rich and famous.
Kinsella’s message is not very subtle: poor Becky Bloomwood is at the mercy of her addiction and unable to do anything about it. First, she tries cutting down her spending only to find that she ends up spending more money by investing in things she needs in order to cut down. She abandons this plan and decides she needs instead to make more money. After a few failed projects, she eventually manages this by a stroke of luck, and that is the solution to her shopping addiction because now she can get out of debt and continue spending in a self-indulgent fashion.
I’m aware this is a fictional character, but the author is attempting to comment on the realities that some people face. This isn’t Alice in Wonderland where everything is topsy turvy and things get curiouser and curiouser in a nonsensical universe. Becky Bloomwood is, by all accounts, a relatively normal girl attempting to navigate life and struggling due to her addiction to buying things, whether or not she can afford them.
Kinsella turns her character’s very real obsession with spending and shopping into a joke, or at least something that is normal. She underpins and cements society’s erroneous belief that if they could just make more money, then everything would be okay, and they would be happy. She forgets that most people live to their income; they increase their standard of living according to how much they earn. It will always be the same people in debt and struggling to make ends meet however much they earn. Even those who win huge sums of money often end up bankrupt and miserable.
Money cannot buy happiness. The Bible tells us to be content with what we have and not to covet/desire the things we don’t. The more things we have the more we will want because eventually we will become dissatisfied and want something better.
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13 vs 5
As someone who has struggled with addictions to, among other things, gambling, alcohol and smoking. I can look back and see the point where I gave in to the temptation to play the slot machines, drink too much and buy a pack of cigarettes. Each time I did these things after that first wrong choice, it became easier, and I needed more of whatever it was to keep me interested and satisfied. The more I gave in, the more the thing began to take over my life and to control me. At times, I was living for my next drink/night out and the thrill of risking (losing!) some money to make more. It was all I could think about and my life revolved around the obsession.
This is how I know that, despite what the experts may tell us, addiction to anything begins with giving in to a sinful temptation. The Bible speaks about our consciences being seared with a hot iron or becoming dulled if we persistently ignore them. Ending up addicted to anything is not about genetics, or life’s circumstances, it’s about sinful choices. This is evidenced by the lives of those who come from terrible backgrounds but still manage to make something of themselves.
Kinsella’s book is full of bad language, in particular frequent uses of God’s name as a swear word. At one point, the character, Becky Bloomwood, even writes a diatribe about having become a “born again Christian” to her bank as a reason for not paying off her debts. The tone used in the reply from the bank is contemptuous towards the character but also towards God. I was surprised to find this mockery of the Christian faith in this book as it has nothing whatsoever to do with the subject matter.
On reflection, I realised that God has everything to do with this subject. Sophie Kinsella has thrown in a laugh at the expense of a God who she rejects and considers worthy of contempt. The fear of God, in generations past, has all but disappeared, leaving a dangerous irreverence and willingness to mock a Deity who is considered insignificant and irrelevant. These books have become so popular because the author’s modern-day readers feel the same way about God and are not afraid to join with her in expressing it.
Kinsella no doubt began by blaspheming as a child, she ignored her conscience telling her that it was wrong to speak God’s name in this way. It became more frequent and her conscience was dulled. Now, she has become a best-selling author and is helping to sear the consciences of her readers who soak up this material and allow the name of God to be profaned without a second thought.
I’m sure you can see the parallel between the willingness to use bad language and the way other addictions develop. It all starts by ignoring our God given conscience and choosing to give in to sinful temptations. (Of course, sin begins in our hearts which are corrupt, but that’s another topic.)
Do people end up at the mercy of their addictions? Yes, of course they do. We can see it all around us, whether it be addictions to shopping, drugs, alcohol or something else that has taken over our lives and become an unhealthy obsession that consumes us.
What, then, is the solution?
The first thing is to recognise that whatever it is that has enslaved you began with a sinful choice. Don’t blame it on someone else, or your background or circumstances. Take responsibility for it and face up to the consequences.
The good news is that there is hope. God created us and knows exactly how we are wired and how our bodies and minds function. He is the only One who can truly help us to break free of these addictions by enabling us to exercise self control. We may also need support and help from other people and practical advice about changing habits and behaviours, but it all starts with acknowledging that we have sinned against God and asking for His help.
All sin is against God and the Bible says that we are all guilty. Giving in to temptation and allowing any substance, habit or material thing to take over our lives is a sin as it has become an idol to us. God sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sin. Jesus paid the penalty so that we don’t have to. He literally stepped in and took our place. It is through Jesus that we can be free of addictions and obsessions that are controlling our lives.
I read another book recently, From Alcoholism to Africa , on the subject of addictions, and extracted this quotation which sums up how all addictions (including shopaholism) can be dealt with:
“Whilst I was reading the Bible I could not find any sin called 'alcoholism' or any reference to me being a sick person, it was called 'drunkenness' and the Bible said if I acknowledged, confessed and repented my sin I could be forgiven. Also in 1 John 1 it says that if I am without sin I am calling God a liar and the truth is not in me. The Word of God is the Truth and it is the truth that sets me free. God was definitely working on me as I read the Bible.”
Praise God that we are not helpless addicts, nor do we need to be slaves to sin, because Jesus died to set us free!
What happens, though, when we find ourselves obsessed with things that seem to have the power to control us? When we’ve already succumbed to the temptation and find ourselves in the grip of an addiction from which it seems impossible to break free.
I’ve just finished reading, T he Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Perhaps, some of you are already wondering why on earth I would be reading such a book. Don’t worry, I found myself wondering the same thing several times as I progressed.
I read this book because I wanted to see whether the perspective of the author on shopaholism is what had resulted in the crazy numbers of sales of this series. In other words, I was curious about how the author would deal with something that, judging by the title, she classes as an addiction. What solutions would Sophie Kinsella offer for those trapped in these situations?
I definitely set the bar too high by expecting to find anything really useful in a worldly book written to appeal to the masses. Kinsella takes a light-hearted, humourous, (and in places offensive), approach to the subject of shopping addiction. She recommends; ignoring debt letters until your cards are cancelled, continuing to spend like a crazy person whenever you feel unhappy or just whenever you see something you want, lying to all and sundry about anything and everything, including lying on your CV to get a job that you know nothing about, and borrowing from strangers. Oh, and sleeping with someone because they are rich and famous.
Kinsella’s message is not very subtle: poor Becky Bloomwood is at the mercy of her addiction and unable to do anything about it. First, she tries cutting down her spending only to find that she ends up spending more money by investing in things she needs in order to cut down. She abandons this plan and decides she needs instead to make more money. After a few failed projects, she eventually manages this by a stroke of luck, and that is the solution to her shopping addiction because now she can get out of debt and continue spending in a self-indulgent fashion.
I’m aware this is a fictional character, but the author is attempting to comment on the realities that some people face. This isn’t Alice in Wonderland where everything is topsy turvy and things get curiouser and curiouser in a nonsensical universe. Becky Bloomwood is, by all accounts, a relatively normal girl attempting to navigate life and struggling due to her addiction to buying things, whether or not she can afford them.
Kinsella turns her character’s very real obsession with spending and shopping into a joke, or at least something that is normal. She underpins and cements society’s erroneous belief that if they could just make more money, then everything would be okay, and they would be happy. She forgets that most people live to their income; they increase their standard of living according to how much they earn. It will always be the same people in debt and struggling to make ends meet however much they earn. Even those who win huge sums of money often end up bankrupt and miserable.
Money cannot buy happiness. The Bible tells us to be content with what we have and not to covet/desire the things we don’t. The more things we have the more we will want because eventually we will become dissatisfied and want something better.
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13 vs 5
As someone who has struggled with addictions to, among other things, gambling, alcohol and smoking. I can look back and see the point where I gave in to the temptation to play the slot machines, drink too much and buy a pack of cigarettes. Each time I did these things after that first wrong choice, it became easier, and I needed more of whatever it was to keep me interested and satisfied. The more I gave in, the more the thing began to take over my life and to control me. At times, I was living for my next drink/night out and the thrill of risking (losing!) some money to make more. It was all I could think about and my life revolved around the obsession.
This is how I know that, despite what the experts may tell us, addiction to anything begins with giving in to a sinful temptation. The Bible speaks about our consciences being seared with a hot iron or becoming dulled if we persistently ignore them. Ending up addicted to anything is not about genetics, or life’s circumstances, it’s about sinful choices. This is evidenced by the lives of those who come from terrible backgrounds but still manage to make something of themselves.
Kinsella’s book is full of bad language, in particular frequent uses of God’s name as a swear word. At one point, the character, Becky Bloomwood, even writes a diatribe about having become a “born again Christian” to her bank as a reason for not paying off her debts. The tone used in the reply from the bank is contemptuous towards the character but also towards God. I was surprised to find this mockery of the Christian faith in this book as it has nothing whatsoever to do with the subject matter.
On reflection, I realised that God has everything to do with this subject. Sophie Kinsella has thrown in a laugh at the expense of a God who she rejects and considers worthy of contempt. The fear of God, in generations past, has all but disappeared, leaving a dangerous irreverence and willingness to mock a Deity who is considered insignificant and irrelevant. These books have become so popular because the author’s modern-day readers feel the same way about God and are not afraid to join with her in expressing it.
Kinsella no doubt began by blaspheming as a child, she ignored her conscience telling her that it was wrong to speak God’s name in this way. It became more frequent and her conscience was dulled. Now, she has become a best-selling author and is helping to sear the consciences of her readers who soak up this material and allow the name of God to be profaned without a second thought.
I’m sure you can see the parallel between the willingness to use bad language and the way other addictions develop. It all starts by ignoring our God given conscience and choosing to give in to sinful temptations. (Of course, sin begins in our hearts which are corrupt, but that’s another topic.)
Do people end up at the mercy of their addictions? Yes, of course they do. We can see it all around us, whether it be addictions to shopping, drugs, alcohol or something else that has taken over our lives and become an unhealthy obsession that consumes us.
What, then, is the solution?
The first thing is to recognise that whatever it is that has enslaved you began with a sinful choice. Don’t blame it on someone else, or your background or circumstances. Take responsibility for it and face up to the consequences.
The good news is that there is hope. God created us and knows exactly how we are wired and how our bodies and minds function. He is the only One who can truly help us to break free of these addictions by enabling us to exercise self control. We may also need support and help from other people and practical advice about changing habits and behaviours, but it all starts with acknowledging that we have sinned against God and asking for His help.
All sin is against God and the Bible says that we are all guilty. Giving in to temptation and allowing any substance, habit or material thing to take over our lives is a sin as it has become an idol to us. God sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sin. Jesus paid the penalty so that we don’t have to. He literally stepped in and took our place. It is through Jesus that we can be free of addictions and obsessions that are controlling our lives.
I read another book recently, From Alcoholism to Africa , on the subject of addictions, and extracted this quotation which sums up how all addictions (including shopaholism) can be dealt with:
“Whilst I was reading the Bible I could not find any sin called 'alcoholism' or any reference to me being a sick person, it was called 'drunkenness' and the Bible said if I acknowledged, confessed and repented my sin I could be forgiven. Also in 1 John 1 it says that if I am without sin I am calling God a liar and the truth is not in me. The Word of God is the Truth and it is the truth that sets me free. God was definitely working on me as I read the Bible.”
Praise God that we are not helpless addicts, nor do we need to be slaves to sin, because Jesus died to set us free!
February 6, 2018
Are Cessationists "Missing Out"?
I don’t often blog about this topic because it tends to make tempers flare. However, in recent weeks, I’ve been finding myself in constant unintended conflict with Christians who disagree with something I’ve written or posted on-line that would fall into this category. I’m hoping I can use this post in response so that I don’t have to get into further debates about this.
I find these discussions extremely discouraging for several reasons. Firstly, the huge numbers of people who are being led astray due to their excessive focus on signs and wonders. Secondly, the fact that those who hold to a cessationist position, or who have cessationist leanings, seem to be increasingly rare despite this being the traditional, historical position of the church. Thirdly, the complete misunderstanding of what a cessationist actually believes.
To be clear, a cessationist believes that the sign gifts that appeared in the New Testament, specifically tongues, prophecy/words of knowledge, casting out demons and healing, ceased, or died out, with the apostles, or with the completion of Scripture. They don’t usually believe in modern day prophets or apostles. They are cautious about accepting at face value reports of dreams and visions, especially of Jesus appearing in person and communicating with people. They evaluate all reports of miracles and the supernatural through the lens of Scripture. They usually believe that God communicates via the Bible rather than in an audible voice. They believe that the Holy Spirit always points back to Jesus rather than drawing attention to, or placing the emphasis on Himself.
The conflict I’m referring to isn’t usually coming from those who hold a continuationist position but who recognise the need to check everything against the Bible. It is also not from those who cautiously examine all phenomena and test the spirits to see if they are from God. I have many friends with these views and conflict is rare.
I’m referring to those who fall into the aggressively argumentative camp. Those who are not happy just to hold their own views about what the Bible says, but wish to convert others to their way of thinking, whatever it takes. The people who find it offensive that others believe something different to them and who refuse to recognise that an alternative viewpoint has validity.
Amongst other things, I’ve been told that my spiritual life is fake, that I’m not a Christian, that I’m dead in orthodoxy, that I’m a Pharisee, that my views are toxic, that I’m arrogantly presumptuous, and that I’m missing out on the work of the Holy Spirit, and that people feel sorry for me. One person even sent me a private message stating they were going to “defriend and block” me on a book sharing website. This person had begun a debate on a book review I had written. The worst suggestion, to date, has been that I'm in danger of committing the unforgiveable sin (blaspheming the Holy Spirit) by questioning whether these things are from God.
I’ve had people detail all of the incidences of charismatic phenomena/supernatural occurrences in the New Testament. Then, they remind me that God doesn’t change, that He is all powerful, and that it must be my lack of faith that causes me to question or doubt. One person even said that the reason I haven’t been healed from an auto-immune condition is due to a lack of faith on my part.
These people approach me in the street at my free Christian book table, comment on my social media posts and debate on my book reviews and blog posts. They attack me for expressing my sincerely held beliefs about what the Bible teaches. They assume that I am ignorant and in need of enlightenment.
Perhaps, most discouragingly, many are astonished to hear my views because they have never heard them before. They are in churches where constant supernatural manifestations have become common-place and any other way appears strange to them. They have not been taught to exercise discernment or to test the spirits. They often comment that these things must be from God because they are good, forgetting that the devil comes as an angel of light to cause confusion.
My point here is not to argue about which position is correct hence continuing the conflict referred to above, which I’m fed up with. Obviously, cessationists and continationists can’t both be right; either the gifts have ceased or they haven’t. Theologians have debated this for many years and I’m not hoping to resolve the issue here!
I want to remind Christians, that both positions are honestly held, and that there shouldn’t be a need for hostility, or any type of conflict. In most cases, the Bible has been studied to form conclusions, and posting something about the cessationist position on-line isn’t a personal attack on a continuationist, and vice versa.
Here are some resources that, alongside the Bible, helped me in reaching my cessationist viewpoint:
Strange Fire Conference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhG2CBVQy3w
John MacArthur/Grace To You:
Charismatic Chaos and Strange Fire books, and Sermon Series
Peter Masters:
The Charismatic Phenomenon/Illusion
Got Questions:
https://www.gotquestions.org/cessationism.html
Tim Challies:
https://www.challies.com/articles/why-i-am-not-continuationist/
R.C Sproul:
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/zeal-without-knowledge/
All Christians, regardless their interpretation of charismatic gifts, should be aware of these Bible verses (and others not listed), that call for discernment:
Matthew 7 vs 15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 7 vs 22-23 “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
Matthew 24 vs 24"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”
2 Corinthians 11 vs 13-15“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”
2 Timothy 4 vs 3-4“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
2 Peter 2 vs 1-3“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
1 John 4 vs 1“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Charismatic Chaos
The Charismatic Illusion
Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship
My Search for Charismatic Reality
I find these discussions extremely discouraging for several reasons. Firstly, the huge numbers of people who are being led astray due to their excessive focus on signs and wonders. Secondly, the fact that those who hold to a cessationist position, or who have cessationist leanings, seem to be increasingly rare despite this being the traditional, historical position of the church. Thirdly, the complete misunderstanding of what a cessationist actually believes.
To be clear, a cessationist believes that the sign gifts that appeared in the New Testament, specifically tongues, prophecy/words of knowledge, casting out demons and healing, ceased, or died out, with the apostles, or with the completion of Scripture. They don’t usually believe in modern day prophets or apostles. They are cautious about accepting at face value reports of dreams and visions, especially of Jesus appearing in person and communicating with people. They evaluate all reports of miracles and the supernatural through the lens of Scripture. They usually believe that God communicates via the Bible rather than in an audible voice. They believe that the Holy Spirit always points back to Jesus rather than drawing attention to, or placing the emphasis on Himself.
The conflict I’m referring to isn’t usually coming from those who hold a continuationist position but who recognise the need to check everything against the Bible. It is also not from those who cautiously examine all phenomena and test the spirits to see if they are from God. I have many friends with these views and conflict is rare.
I’m referring to those who fall into the aggressively argumentative camp. Those who are not happy just to hold their own views about what the Bible says, but wish to convert others to their way of thinking, whatever it takes. The people who find it offensive that others believe something different to them and who refuse to recognise that an alternative viewpoint has validity.
Amongst other things, I’ve been told that my spiritual life is fake, that I’m not a Christian, that I’m dead in orthodoxy, that I’m a Pharisee, that my views are toxic, that I’m arrogantly presumptuous, and that I’m missing out on the work of the Holy Spirit, and that people feel sorry for me. One person even sent me a private message stating they were going to “defriend and block” me on a book sharing website. This person had begun a debate on a book review I had written. The worst suggestion, to date, has been that I'm in danger of committing the unforgiveable sin (blaspheming the Holy Spirit) by questioning whether these things are from God.
I’ve had people detail all of the incidences of charismatic phenomena/supernatural occurrences in the New Testament. Then, they remind me that God doesn’t change, that He is all powerful, and that it must be my lack of faith that causes me to question or doubt. One person even said that the reason I haven’t been healed from an auto-immune condition is due to a lack of faith on my part.
These people approach me in the street at my free Christian book table, comment on my social media posts and debate on my book reviews and blog posts. They attack me for expressing my sincerely held beliefs about what the Bible teaches. They assume that I am ignorant and in need of enlightenment.
Perhaps, most discouragingly, many are astonished to hear my views because they have never heard them before. They are in churches where constant supernatural manifestations have become common-place and any other way appears strange to them. They have not been taught to exercise discernment or to test the spirits. They often comment that these things must be from God because they are good, forgetting that the devil comes as an angel of light to cause confusion.
My point here is not to argue about which position is correct hence continuing the conflict referred to above, which I’m fed up with. Obviously, cessationists and continationists can’t both be right; either the gifts have ceased or they haven’t. Theologians have debated this for many years and I’m not hoping to resolve the issue here!
I want to remind Christians, that both positions are honestly held, and that there shouldn’t be a need for hostility, or any type of conflict. In most cases, the Bible has been studied to form conclusions, and posting something about the cessationist position on-line isn’t a personal attack on a continuationist, and vice versa.
Here are some resources that, alongside the Bible, helped me in reaching my cessationist viewpoint:
Strange Fire Conference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhG2CBVQy3w
John MacArthur/Grace To You:
Charismatic Chaos and Strange Fire books, and Sermon Series
Peter Masters:
The Charismatic Phenomenon/Illusion
Got Questions:
https://www.gotquestions.org/cessationism.html
Tim Challies:
https://www.challies.com/articles/why-i-am-not-continuationist/
R.C Sproul:
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/zeal-without-knowledge/
All Christians, regardless their interpretation of charismatic gifts, should be aware of these Bible verses (and others not listed), that call for discernment:
Matthew 7 vs 15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 7 vs 22-23 “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
Matthew 24 vs 24"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”
2 Corinthians 11 vs 13-15“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”
2 Timothy 4 vs 3-4“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
2 Peter 2 vs 1-3“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
1 John 4 vs 1“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Charismatic Chaos
The Charismatic Illusion
Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship
My Search for Charismatic Reality
January 29, 2018
What Are You Living For?
Most will be aware of the political and religious controversy surrounding the former Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron. Farron, an evangelical Christian, was, in 2017, repeatedly questioned by journalists about whether or not he believed gay sex was a sin. He eventually answered that it was not, but then realised that he had effectively denied his faith. He resigned.
I’ve seen some negative publicity in Christian circles now that Farron has reversed his original statement. However, I sympathise with him. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Farron learned, the difficult way, that Christians cannot reason with, or hope for any understanding from, an increasingly hostile world, let alone the secular press. His experience proves that light has nothing in common with darkness and that Christians should be in the world but not of it.
When I first heard Farron’s recantation, I thought immediately of the disciple Peter’s denial of Jesus. Was this not a similar situation? Peter, on repentance, was offered immediate and complete forgiveness by Jesus.
I’m convinced that, given the right circumstances, any one of us could end up in the same position and succumb to the temptation to deny what we believe. Surely, that’s the point of the Bible story: If Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, could deny Him, having been warned, what hope is there for us in our frailty and weakness?
As fellow Christians, we can learn from Farron’s very public fall from grace by considering what we are living for. It’s easy to say we are living for God and that He is our number one priority, until it costs us something. We are increasingly attached to the world with God tagged on to the edge of our lives.
In the Bible, idols were made of wood and stone, it was easy to see when the people departed from God to worship them. Now, there is a lot of talk about idols of the heart but we still tend to think of idols in terms of relationships and people. The truth is that anything can become an idol if it stands between us and God or if it gets in the way of that most important relationship. This includes things that may be beneficial, if they become an obsession or are taken to an extreme.
In a previous post, I mentioned things that were likely to become idols for non-believers (and some believers) at Christmas; money, food, gifts, sex, alcohol etc. These are the obvious, tangible things, but what about the things that are not so visible that we covet or that grip our hearts.
How we spend our time; what we do and the things we spend time thinking about. Our use of time is a good indicator of where our priorities lie because we make time for the things that are important to us.
I end up in a lot of discussions about the content of Christian books due to being an avid reader and book reviewer. Christian authors are increasingly compromising their standards in order to appeal to a secular audience, or even a Christian audience that has lost its way. Their arguments usually begin with the need to make books more real for an authentic reading experience.
Readers rally around to support them because their sinful nature is attracted to the graphic details. Is it not the truth, though, that rather than trusting God for their success, these authors are choosing popularity and ambition over Him? They are forgetting that God honours those who honour Him and that we should not love the world or anything in the world. Success has become an idol.
Are we, as Christians, any different from our non-believing neighbours and friends? Does God and His plan for our lives take centre stage, or have the things of the world crept in and crowded Him out? Do we care about our lost friends and neighbours, or are we preoccupied with worldly matters? Have we grown cold and lost our first love?
Perhaps, it will take a Tim Farron experience to wake Christians up. When everything you have worked for and dreamed of is in one hand and your faith in God is in the other. Then, suddenly, you are confronted with the startling reality that the two things you are holding onto are incompatible and you are forced to make a choice. Which will it be: idols of any kind or God?
Farron was forced to count the cost of following Jesus, and having ventured down a path, seemingly of no return, he faced up to his failure and dealt with his sin. Remembering what, and Who, he was meant to be living for, he chose Jesus over his career and reputation.
He revealed something of the struggle that had been raging in his soul when he quoted martyr Jim Elliot,
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Earthly idols in all their forms will one day be swept away. Let’s pray that we will each put God on the throne of our lives and cast out any idols lurking there. Then, we will be able to say with confidence that we are living for Him.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2 vs 15-17
“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.”
Revelation 2 vs 4 (to the church in Ephesus)
“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.”
Philippians 3 vs 18-19
I’ve seen some negative publicity in Christian circles now that Farron has reversed his original statement. However, I sympathise with him. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Farron learned, the difficult way, that Christians cannot reason with, or hope for any understanding from, an increasingly hostile world, let alone the secular press. His experience proves that light has nothing in common with darkness and that Christians should be in the world but not of it.
When I first heard Farron’s recantation, I thought immediately of the disciple Peter’s denial of Jesus. Was this not a similar situation? Peter, on repentance, was offered immediate and complete forgiveness by Jesus.
I’m convinced that, given the right circumstances, any one of us could end up in the same position and succumb to the temptation to deny what we believe. Surely, that’s the point of the Bible story: If Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, could deny Him, having been warned, what hope is there for us in our frailty and weakness?
As fellow Christians, we can learn from Farron’s very public fall from grace by considering what we are living for. It’s easy to say we are living for God and that He is our number one priority, until it costs us something. We are increasingly attached to the world with God tagged on to the edge of our lives.
In the Bible, idols were made of wood and stone, it was easy to see when the people departed from God to worship them. Now, there is a lot of talk about idols of the heart but we still tend to think of idols in terms of relationships and people. The truth is that anything can become an idol if it stands between us and God or if it gets in the way of that most important relationship. This includes things that may be beneficial, if they become an obsession or are taken to an extreme.
In a previous post, I mentioned things that were likely to become idols for non-believers (and some believers) at Christmas; money, food, gifts, sex, alcohol etc. These are the obvious, tangible things, but what about the things that are not so visible that we covet or that grip our hearts.
How we spend our time; what we do and the things we spend time thinking about. Our use of time is a good indicator of where our priorities lie because we make time for the things that are important to us.
I end up in a lot of discussions about the content of Christian books due to being an avid reader and book reviewer. Christian authors are increasingly compromising their standards in order to appeal to a secular audience, or even a Christian audience that has lost its way. Their arguments usually begin with the need to make books more real for an authentic reading experience.
Readers rally around to support them because their sinful nature is attracted to the graphic details. Is it not the truth, though, that rather than trusting God for their success, these authors are choosing popularity and ambition over Him? They are forgetting that God honours those who honour Him and that we should not love the world or anything in the world. Success has become an idol.
Are we, as Christians, any different from our non-believing neighbours and friends? Does God and His plan for our lives take centre stage, or have the things of the world crept in and crowded Him out? Do we care about our lost friends and neighbours, or are we preoccupied with worldly matters? Have we grown cold and lost our first love?
Perhaps, it will take a Tim Farron experience to wake Christians up. When everything you have worked for and dreamed of is in one hand and your faith in God is in the other. Then, suddenly, you are confronted with the startling reality that the two things you are holding onto are incompatible and you are forced to make a choice. Which will it be: idols of any kind or God?
Farron was forced to count the cost of following Jesus, and having ventured down a path, seemingly of no return, he faced up to his failure and dealt with his sin. Remembering what, and Who, he was meant to be living for, he chose Jesus over his career and reputation.
He revealed something of the struggle that had been raging in his soul when he quoted martyr Jim Elliot,
“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Earthly idols in all their forms will one day be swept away. Let’s pray that we will each put God on the throne of our lives and cast out any idols lurking there. Then, we will be able to say with confidence that we are living for Him.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2 vs 15-17
“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.”
Revelation 2 vs 4 (to the church in Ephesus)
“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.”
Philippians 3 vs 18-19
January 12, 2018
Where Will You Spend Eternity?
The craziness of Christmas is over and we are already into a new year. Was Christmas everything you hoped it would be? Were the celebrations as exciting as you wanted? Did you enjoy the time with family and friends, and was it peaceful? How about the food, are you suffering still from the over-indulgence, or was it as good as you were expecting? Did the children’s wishes come true? What about the gifts, did you get everything you asked for? Did the presents satisfy you?
Do you feel tired as you head back to work? How will you make next Christmas better than the one before? Do you feel exhausted just thinking about it?
My Christmas was disrupted by a stark reminder of the frailty of human life; a member of my extended family was rushed to hospital where she remains in critical condition. Our plans for Christmas were swiftly changed as the lady’s direct family rushed to her bedside.
Suddenly, things were in perspective; a husband could lose his wife, a son his mother and small children their “Granny.” The material celebrations were pushed to one side as everyone rallied round. We made our way to church praying for God’s will but hoping for a miracle. Phones were constantly being checked and the bleep of a text message took on new significance.
This week, in the UK, we have seen news reports of an eighteen year old, with her whole life ahead of her, struck down and killed by the flu virus. Reports in The Daily Mail suggest that flu deaths have soared by 77% in a week.
The inquest into another eighteen year old girl’s death is also being reported. This young lady died after suffering a fatal reaction to a burger. She had known allergies and had told the waiter about them. The response from the restaurant to this investigation was interesting. When asked what ‘lessons they had learned’ and what they would be doing differently in future. They basically said that everything was already in place to prevent this type of tragedy and they didn’t plan to change anything…
I’m sure the restaurant will end up with findings against them and they likely have been negligent. However, the point to note is that regardless of the lessons learned or things that are put in place, needless and preventable deaths will continue to occur. The restaurant staff have just responded in a way that doesn’t sit comfortably with those who believe we should be able to make the UK 100% safe, by some unspecified date in the future.
Assuming that were even a vague possibility, what about the person who dies every 3 minutes from heart disease, the 5 people killed in road accidents every day, or the total of 1,500 people who die each day, in the UK alone? Can anyone legislate to prevent this or do anything else to stop it?
I’ve made the point before that it’s almost possible to overlook these morbid statistics until reality bites when someone we know is taken from us. Have you noticed how shell-shocked people seem when a violent crime or fire kills people in their village, or even their street?
It’s the wake up call that it could happen to any one of us at any time. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Even if we take all of the precautions possible; never venture outside, never have contact with anyone else and live like a hermit. Death still comes eventually, and no one returns from the grave. The Bible tells us that:
“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement,” (Hebrews 9 vs 27.)
Why am I offering you this gloomy reminder at a time of year usually reserved for renewed hope as the resolutions are sincerely made?
Our church leaflet for the year has a three word headline:
STOP AND THINK!
We live in a world corrupted by our sin and under God’s curse. The earth is slowly dying and we see the evidence all around us in people’s suffering. We cannot prevent every accident. We cannot predict or vaccinate people against every disease. We cannot really control anything about our lives, and our claims to be able to do so are out of touch with the reality. God maintains and controls everything and we are entirely dependent on His grace and mercy to us.
I’ve just finished a book, Heaven and Hell by Edward Donnelly. It is a terrifying reminder of the reality of hell for non-believers, but offers hope (certainty) of heaven for all who will put their trust in Jesus:
“Imprinted on human consciences is the uneasy awareness that beyond this life is a place of punishment for those who do wrong. It is so often denied not because it is unreasonable but because it is extremely unwelcome….Suppose the Bible had told us nothing about hell, not a single word about future judgement and condemnation. Would that make it a more loving book? Is concealing unpleasant reality an evidence of true caring? Not at all, just the opposite. People complain about God’s warnings when they should fall down on their knees and give thanks for them. It is in love and mercy that he warns us about hell, so that we may be delivered from it.
The most foolish aspect of all is that your everlasting damnation is unnecessary. For the Lord Jesus is pleading with you at this very moment. He is calling you to himself, commanding you to turn from the sin that brings only destruction. He is infinitely kind and gracious. If you ask him to be your saviour, he will receive and forgive you. He will wash you clean and make you safe forever, and you will be holy and happy, looking forward to an eternity of joy and glory in heaven.
‘Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’ (Hebrews 4 vs 7.)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxCbb...
Do you feel tired as you head back to work? How will you make next Christmas better than the one before? Do you feel exhausted just thinking about it?
My Christmas was disrupted by a stark reminder of the frailty of human life; a member of my extended family was rushed to hospital where she remains in critical condition. Our plans for Christmas were swiftly changed as the lady’s direct family rushed to her bedside.
Suddenly, things were in perspective; a husband could lose his wife, a son his mother and small children their “Granny.” The material celebrations were pushed to one side as everyone rallied round. We made our way to church praying for God’s will but hoping for a miracle. Phones were constantly being checked and the bleep of a text message took on new significance.
This week, in the UK, we have seen news reports of an eighteen year old, with her whole life ahead of her, struck down and killed by the flu virus. Reports in The Daily Mail suggest that flu deaths have soared by 77% in a week.
The inquest into another eighteen year old girl’s death is also being reported. This young lady died after suffering a fatal reaction to a burger. She had known allergies and had told the waiter about them. The response from the restaurant to this investigation was interesting. When asked what ‘lessons they had learned’ and what they would be doing differently in future. They basically said that everything was already in place to prevent this type of tragedy and they didn’t plan to change anything…
I’m sure the restaurant will end up with findings against them and they likely have been negligent. However, the point to note is that regardless of the lessons learned or things that are put in place, needless and preventable deaths will continue to occur. The restaurant staff have just responded in a way that doesn’t sit comfortably with those who believe we should be able to make the UK 100% safe, by some unspecified date in the future.
Assuming that were even a vague possibility, what about the person who dies every 3 minutes from heart disease, the 5 people killed in road accidents every day, or the total of 1,500 people who die each day, in the UK alone? Can anyone legislate to prevent this or do anything else to stop it?
I’ve made the point before that it’s almost possible to overlook these morbid statistics until reality bites when someone we know is taken from us. Have you noticed how shell-shocked people seem when a violent crime or fire kills people in their village, or even their street?
It’s the wake up call that it could happen to any one of us at any time. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Even if we take all of the precautions possible; never venture outside, never have contact with anyone else and live like a hermit. Death still comes eventually, and no one returns from the grave. The Bible tells us that:
“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement,” (Hebrews 9 vs 27.)
Why am I offering you this gloomy reminder at a time of year usually reserved for renewed hope as the resolutions are sincerely made?
Our church leaflet for the year has a three word headline:
STOP AND THINK!
We live in a world corrupted by our sin and under God’s curse. The earth is slowly dying and we see the evidence all around us in people’s suffering. We cannot prevent every accident. We cannot predict or vaccinate people against every disease. We cannot really control anything about our lives, and our claims to be able to do so are out of touch with the reality. God maintains and controls everything and we are entirely dependent on His grace and mercy to us.
I’ve just finished a book, Heaven and Hell by Edward Donnelly. It is a terrifying reminder of the reality of hell for non-believers, but offers hope (certainty) of heaven for all who will put their trust in Jesus:
“Imprinted on human consciences is the uneasy awareness that beyond this life is a place of punishment for those who do wrong. It is so often denied not because it is unreasonable but because it is extremely unwelcome….Suppose the Bible had told us nothing about hell, not a single word about future judgement and condemnation. Would that make it a more loving book? Is concealing unpleasant reality an evidence of true caring? Not at all, just the opposite. People complain about God’s warnings when they should fall down on their knees and give thanks for them. It is in love and mercy that he warns us about hell, so that we may be delivered from it.
The most foolish aspect of all is that your everlasting damnation is unnecessary. For the Lord Jesus is pleading with you at this very moment. He is calling you to himself, commanding you to turn from the sin that brings only destruction. He is infinitely kind and gracious. If you ask him to be your saviour, he will receive and forgive you. He will wash you clean and make you safe forever, and you will be holy and happy, looking forward to an eternity of joy and glory in heaven.
‘Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’ (Hebrews 4 vs 7.)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxCbb...
December 28, 2017
Top 10 Christian Books Read in 2017
It’s time for my Christian book recommendations for 2017. My Goodreads 2017 Challenge lists 150 books. I anticipate slightly surpassing this target by the 31st.
For those that missed it, you can also see my 2016 selections.
In compiling my list, I have again tried to cover a range of genres and sub-genres which is quite tricky as I read a lot more biographies, (especially by or about missionaries,) than anything else. I prefer books with a clear Gospel message and Christian purpose in writing.
The majority of the books I recommend here are clean—no bad language or sexual content and limited graphic violence. Where there is slight deviation I have commented in my review so you should know what to expect. You can read my Goodreads reviews by clicking on the title link. The books appear in the order I read them in 2017.
1. God Planted Five Seeds - A lesser known missionary biography by the wife of one of five men martyred whilst trying to reach a remote tribe in Bolivia. They were serving with New Tribes Mission. This took place thirteen years before Jim Elliot and co were also killed trying to reach the infamous Auca tribe in Ecuador.
2. Bound by Guilt- This gets my vote for Christian fiction by a lesser known author. I was gripped by the story and stayed up late to finish it! This book is the second of four books in the Thicker Than Blood series. I also read the first book, Thicker Than Blood and plan to read books three and four in due course.
3. The Atonement Child- Controversy seems to follow popular Christian fiction writer Francine Rivers. I have been horrified by the content in several of her books, Redeeming Love and Bridge to Haven. However, I loved this realistic and sad story about a young girl who falls victim to a rapist. The story is sensitively relayed and shocking graphic details avoided.
4. Mission Possible - This missionary biography about two women serving with Wycliffe in Papua New Guinea is one of my favourite books of all time. The tragic and unnecessary death of a young boy within a short time of their arrival due to cultural practice will challenge anyone thinking about mission work.
On the missions front, I also enjoyed, When the Bamboo Sings and The Savage My Kinsman this year.
5. Agents of Babylon - A fictional narrative describing a possible end times scenario using the book of Daniel in the Bible. Each chapter gives a brief story followed by the theological explanation for the interpretation. This book helped me to understand the prophecies relating to the end times and really brought them to life. I recommend it regardless of your personal view as it will make you think. I also read, Agents of the Apocalypse , by the same author which focuses on Revelation.
6. I Am N- A contemporary account of persecution of Christians around the world, including by ISIS, from Voice of the Martyrs. I liked the combination of stories with the background, follow-up and aftermath. I have been frustrated by other popular accounts that either sensationalise with too much graphic detail, or embellish in order to sell books. The Insanity of God is one example that springs to mind.
7. Ark Fever - Most of you probably haven’t heard of this fascinating account of one man’s attempts to find Noah’s ark! It is told in a matter-of-fact, easy to read style that makes gripping reading. The conclusion is compelling; have people been searching in the wrong place?
8. There is Still Much to Do!- From the secretary of the Open Air Mission in England. This book is full of examples and conversations from the street. It is right up to date and a must read for anyone wanting to know how to get involved in evangelism. The author has also written, Why All the Suffering? , a useful resource.
9. The Parables of Jesus- MacArthur takes a fresh look at the parables explaining their relevance in the context of the Bible as a whole and seeking to apply them to our lives today. A great reminder to keep our focus on heavenly things and not to get caught up in the world.
10. Streets Paved with Gold - The history of the London City Mission. Although this book has been around for a while collecting dust, I absolutely loved it. In places, it reads like a Dickens novel as we walk with the missionaries through plagues, fires and war into the very heart of London’s poorest communities, to reach them with the love of Christ. Ending with a letter from a passer-by that should remind us that we never know who is watching!
I hope you will find some new recommendations to add to your shelves. I’ve been looking forward to reviewing my year of Christian books. Let me know your thoughts, whether you agree or disagree!
For those that missed it, you can also see my 2016 selections.
In compiling my list, I have again tried to cover a range of genres and sub-genres which is quite tricky as I read a lot more biographies, (especially by or about missionaries,) than anything else. I prefer books with a clear Gospel message and Christian purpose in writing.
The majority of the books I recommend here are clean—no bad language or sexual content and limited graphic violence. Where there is slight deviation I have commented in my review so you should know what to expect. You can read my Goodreads reviews by clicking on the title link. The books appear in the order I read them in 2017.
1. God Planted Five Seeds - A lesser known missionary biography by the wife of one of five men martyred whilst trying to reach a remote tribe in Bolivia. They were serving with New Tribes Mission. This took place thirteen years before Jim Elliot and co were also killed trying to reach the infamous Auca tribe in Ecuador.
2. Bound by Guilt- This gets my vote for Christian fiction by a lesser known author. I was gripped by the story and stayed up late to finish it! This book is the second of four books in the Thicker Than Blood series. I also read the first book, Thicker Than Blood and plan to read books three and four in due course.
3. The Atonement Child- Controversy seems to follow popular Christian fiction writer Francine Rivers. I have been horrified by the content in several of her books, Redeeming Love and Bridge to Haven. However, I loved this realistic and sad story about a young girl who falls victim to a rapist. The story is sensitively relayed and shocking graphic details avoided.
4. Mission Possible - This missionary biography about two women serving with Wycliffe in Papua New Guinea is one of my favourite books of all time. The tragic and unnecessary death of a young boy within a short time of their arrival due to cultural practice will challenge anyone thinking about mission work.
On the missions front, I also enjoyed, When the Bamboo Sings and The Savage My Kinsman this year.
5. Agents of Babylon - A fictional narrative describing a possible end times scenario using the book of Daniel in the Bible. Each chapter gives a brief story followed by the theological explanation for the interpretation. This book helped me to understand the prophecies relating to the end times and really brought them to life. I recommend it regardless of your personal view as it will make you think. I also read, Agents of the Apocalypse , by the same author which focuses on Revelation.
6. I Am N- A contemporary account of persecution of Christians around the world, including by ISIS, from Voice of the Martyrs. I liked the combination of stories with the background, follow-up and aftermath. I have been frustrated by other popular accounts that either sensationalise with too much graphic detail, or embellish in order to sell books. The Insanity of God is one example that springs to mind.
7. Ark Fever - Most of you probably haven’t heard of this fascinating account of one man’s attempts to find Noah’s ark! It is told in a matter-of-fact, easy to read style that makes gripping reading. The conclusion is compelling; have people been searching in the wrong place?
8. There is Still Much to Do!- From the secretary of the Open Air Mission in England. This book is full of examples and conversations from the street. It is right up to date and a must read for anyone wanting to know how to get involved in evangelism. The author has also written, Why All the Suffering? , a useful resource.
9. The Parables of Jesus- MacArthur takes a fresh look at the parables explaining their relevance in the context of the Bible as a whole and seeking to apply them to our lives today. A great reminder to keep our focus on heavenly things and not to get caught up in the world.
10. Streets Paved with Gold - The history of the London City Mission. Although this book has been around for a while collecting dust, I absolutely loved it. In places, it reads like a Dickens novel as we walk with the missionaries through plagues, fires and war into the very heart of London’s poorest communities, to reach them with the love of Christ. Ending with a letter from a passer-by that should remind us that we never know who is watching!
I hope you will find some new recommendations to add to your shelves. I’ve been looking forward to reviewing my year of Christian books. Let me know your thoughts, whether you agree or disagree!
December 23, 2017
Can We Unhijack Christmas?
It’s that time of year again.
People are fighting over giant screen TV’s at Tesco, or is it Asda? Charities are making the most of the festive spirit to grab some much needed funds. Carols are being sung by all and sundry as the non-religious pile into church for their token yearly appearance. Adults are looking forward to the extra time off work as they plan menus…and ensure there is enough alcohol in the house. Children are getting excited about the impending visit of Santa Claus!
Meanwhile, Christians bemoan the fact that the true meaning of Christmas has been lost, but set about trying to make the most of the opportunity to reach their friends and neighbours with the Gospel, regardless.
I confess that I’ve been one of those serial complainers over the years as Christmas in the Western world seems to have been hijacked by the “any reason for a party” and the “spend, spend, spend” brigade.
So, what’s different about this year? you might be wondering.
Perhaps it’s just me, but there seems to be more religious apathy in the air this Christmas than usual. Granted, I have only spent one of the last six in this country, but the hard-heartedness and eye rolling is definitely more prominent than last year!
The reason Christians make a special effort to reach people at Christmas is because the opportunity is already there. There isn’t that awkwardness as you try to find a way to bring God or church into a conversation. People are already thinking about peace on earth and goodwill to all men and might well be interested in delving deeper into the matter.
At least, this has been the case over the years as even those who can’t face any type of evangelism seem to find a way to gather the courage to invite people to their carol service.
This year, however, I witnessed contempt and mockery towards those of us who “still believe in God.” People annoyed by street preaching disrupting their shopping experience or even by carol singing reminding them of the birth of Jesus….and their sin. Others refusing the opportunity to listen to the Christmas Message or getting irritated by a Gospel leaflet offering them hope.
Mostly, though, it’s indifference rather than outright hostility: a lack of interest in anything religious and a failure to see the relevance for their lives here and now.
People are milling about, frantically making preparations for the biggest celebration of our annual calendar. Yet, so many now don’t believe the Bible story of Christmas or in the God who wrote it.
What exactly are people celebrating? you might ask….
Why is our entire year geared towards preparing for this big event if no one remembers, or wants to know what it’s all about? Aren’t we then just akin to mindless lemmings going along with a senseless celebration because it cheers us up or gives us something to look forward to?
My brother had it right when he wrote this poem in his journal at some point before he tragically died in a car accident at the age of 18, in 2002:
“We spend our entire lives searching for happiness and never find it.
Somehow we believe in a forlorn hope that things can only get better.
As we grow old we still cannot grasp the reality of life.
We console ourselves by saying, ‘we had a good life.’
And the blindness that enshrouds us makes us believe this until we die.
What is the reality of life?
That life is meaningless without God.”
James Vellacott (1984-2002)
We have been designed to worship the God who created us. If we reject Him, our sinful nature will just find something, or someone else to worship; food, possessions, money, alcohol and sex will all be distractions and idols for many this Christmas.
Is it even possible for the true meaning of Christmas to be presented to needy souls this year? Of course it is, anything is possible with God.
The real question is, will you be listening and what will be your response?
"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3 vs 16
People are fighting over giant screen TV’s at Tesco, or is it Asda? Charities are making the most of the festive spirit to grab some much needed funds. Carols are being sung by all and sundry as the non-religious pile into church for their token yearly appearance. Adults are looking forward to the extra time off work as they plan menus…and ensure there is enough alcohol in the house. Children are getting excited about the impending visit of Santa Claus!
Meanwhile, Christians bemoan the fact that the true meaning of Christmas has been lost, but set about trying to make the most of the opportunity to reach their friends and neighbours with the Gospel, regardless.
I confess that I’ve been one of those serial complainers over the years as Christmas in the Western world seems to have been hijacked by the “any reason for a party” and the “spend, spend, spend” brigade.
So, what’s different about this year? you might be wondering.
Perhaps it’s just me, but there seems to be more religious apathy in the air this Christmas than usual. Granted, I have only spent one of the last six in this country, but the hard-heartedness and eye rolling is definitely more prominent than last year!
The reason Christians make a special effort to reach people at Christmas is because the opportunity is already there. There isn’t that awkwardness as you try to find a way to bring God or church into a conversation. People are already thinking about peace on earth and goodwill to all men and might well be interested in delving deeper into the matter.
At least, this has been the case over the years as even those who can’t face any type of evangelism seem to find a way to gather the courage to invite people to their carol service.
This year, however, I witnessed contempt and mockery towards those of us who “still believe in God.” People annoyed by street preaching disrupting their shopping experience or even by carol singing reminding them of the birth of Jesus….and their sin. Others refusing the opportunity to listen to the Christmas Message or getting irritated by a Gospel leaflet offering them hope.
Mostly, though, it’s indifference rather than outright hostility: a lack of interest in anything religious and a failure to see the relevance for their lives here and now.
People are milling about, frantically making preparations for the biggest celebration of our annual calendar. Yet, so many now don’t believe the Bible story of Christmas or in the God who wrote it.
What exactly are people celebrating? you might ask….
Why is our entire year geared towards preparing for this big event if no one remembers, or wants to know what it’s all about? Aren’t we then just akin to mindless lemmings going along with a senseless celebration because it cheers us up or gives us something to look forward to?
My brother had it right when he wrote this poem in his journal at some point before he tragically died in a car accident at the age of 18, in 2002:
“We spend our entire lives searching for happiness and never find it.
Somehow we believe in a forlorn hope that things can only get better.
As we grow old we still cannot grasp the reality of life.
We console ourselves by saying, ‘we had a good life.’
And the blindness that enshrouds us makes us believe this until we die.
What is the reality of life?
That life is meaningless without God.”
James Vellacott (1984-2002)
We have been designed to worship the God who created us. If we reject Him, our sinful nature will just find something, or someone else to worship; food, possessions, money, alcohol and sex will all be distractions and idols for many this Christmas.
Is it even possible for the true meaning of Christmas to be presented to needy souls this year? Of course it is, anything is possible with God.
The real question is, will you be listening and what will be your response?
"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3 vs 16
Annie the Agnostic (Chapter 1)
(This is the first chapter of a new book I'm working on. Your comments, thoughts, suggestions and criticism are welcome!)
Annie realises that she is lying face down on the ground. As she takes a quick glance around, without lifting her head, all she can see is a dazzlingly bright light. There is something dreadful and brilliant about the light that makes Annie afraid to look at it.
Where is she? The last thing she can remember is that she had been lying in a hospital bed. That’s right, it was a routine operation to remove a cyst. Her family had come to visit her before she had been put to sleep.
Am I still being operated on? Is this what it’s meant to be like? Annie isn’t sure and she feels uneasy.
A loud voice sounds, “Rise up Annie Yale. We have business to do.”
Annie puts her hands over her ears. She can’t stand the awesomeness of the voice. It’s almost painful.
Just a strange dream probably caused by the hospital drugs, Annie thinks. Nothing to worry about. I wish it would end, though. It’s pretty realistic.
“It’s not a dream Annie, something went wrong during the operation. We are going to examine your life and you will need to give an account of it,” the voice again, pure, perfect and awesome.
“How can that be? I’m still young and have a lot of time left. It was a routine operation. That’s what they said.” Annie starts to panic as she realises what the voice is telling her.
I’m dead?!
Annie plucks up the courage to lift her head and look at the figure standing in front of her. All she can see is the light and the outline of a man.
“You know Who I am , don’t you Annie?” the man speaks to her. His voice is firm but there is a hint of sadness.
“You are Jesus.” The clarity hits Annie. She knows Who this man is.
“You’re wondering how you recognise Me,” the man says. The sadness is unmistakable this time. “I’ve always been there but you never trusted Me.”
Annie recalls how she fell to the ground on arriving in this place and seeing the bright light. “Where is that light coming from? It’s almost blinding.”
Jesus shakes His head sadly, “Oh Annie. You have far greater problems than that and they will be with you for eternity.”
“What? What do you mean?” Annie is shaken by His words. They have the ring of Truth. Annie is afraid. “Is this heaven?”
“What do you think?” Jesus asks as He gazes at her sorrowfully.
“It doesn’t seem like it as I didn’t think I would feel afraid in heaven.” Annie hadn’t realised that she had even believed in a place called heaven until now.
“It’s not heaven. It’s Judgement Day. You are standing before the throne of God and we are about to look at your life in detail,” Jesus explains.
“What will happen at the end?” Annie whispers. She’s almost afraid to ask the question.
“Everything depends on whether the things you did wrong on earth have been dealt with,” Jesus is patient.
Annie thinks of the good things she has done in comparison with the bad.
“No, not like that,” Jesus clarifies.
“How do you know what I’m thinking?” Annie feels exposed. She doesn’t like it.
“Everything is about to be revealed,” Jesus says. “Right, let’s begin.”
Annie is now sitting on a small chair. Two brightly coloured beings are either side of her. Annie guesses they must be angels. Glancing to her side, Annie can see the big throne with the brilliant light and the man called Jesus, that she’d immediately recognised.
A big screen is in front of them.
A movie? Annie is still thinking about the Words of Jesus but she doesn’t really understand.
The screen flashes and to Annie’s horror the title appears: “The life of Annie Yale (1971-2017)”. We aren’t seriously going to watch a movie of my whole life? I wonder how much detail there will be.
Annie doesn’t have to wonder about this for long as the first scene begins with clips of her as a baby. She is gurgling and laughing and throwing food around. Annie smiles, well at least this part is good. The thought has only just left her mind when the images change. Annie appears as a toddler screaming and shouting at her parents. Then, deliberately tearing a book to pieces and thumping her younger brother David. Annie turns her head away in shame and embarrassment. Then, she thinks better of it, I was just a small child. We all do things wrong at that age, she reassures herself.
Jesus and the angels are silent as the movie continues. Annie feels uncomfortable and has the sudden urge to speak, “Where did you get this footage from?” Even as she says it, she realises the foolish nature of her question.
“I am everywhere and see everything,” Jesus answers.
One of the angels pauses the movie.
Are we really going to sit here and watch the whole of my life? Annie wonders.
“Yes, Annie. It’s the only way for Me to examine it completely and for you to account for it,” Jesus is still patient. Annie realises this is His nature.
“Can’t we just skip to the end so that I know what happens?” Annie feels desperate. She has a horrible feeling about this.
“You already know what will happen, Annie,” Jesus says sadly. “You’ve never trusted Me with your life or had your sin forgiven. You can’t enter heaven.”
“So what are we doing this for? Isn’t it pointless?” Annie asks although she has a feeling that nothing that is done in this place is ever pointless.
“This is so you know that your punishment is just, fair and right,” Jesus tells her.
“Punishment? What punishment? How long will it last?” Annie doesn’t understand.
“Oh Annie, it’s forever. You rejected the only way for your sins to be forgiven on earth.” A tear appears in Jesus’ eye as he explains.
“Forever? But surely there’s something I can do?” Annie starts to cry softly at first. She wants to believe that this man is lying but deep down she knows that He cannot lie. Perhaps I can reason with Him. “I didn’t reject God on earth, well not completely,” Annie points out.
“Let’s look at the evidence, shall we?” Jesus answers her in a way that causes Annie to fall silent once more. They both turn back to the movie.
Annie in now about four and is trotting into a Sunday school class. She sits and listens as the elderly lady tells the story of Jonah and the big fish to a group of about ten children.
“See, look, I did learn about God. I didn’t reject Him.” Annie stops crying and feels vindicated by the discovery. She’d forgotten that she went to Sunday school all those years ago. Phew, that was close. Now I know why my mum forced me to go. Thanks mum!
There is no response from those watching the movie with her. They don’t seem impressed by her Sunday school attendance. As they continue watching, a bubble appears above Annie’s head on the screen. In it is written, “I wonder which dolly mummy will buy me. I like the pink Barbie one best. Oh, this is really boring. I hope it will finish soon.”
Annie flushes red. She wants to run to the screen and flick off the monitor. Surely, they can’t be planning to watch all of my thoughts as well as my actions? I don’t remember even playing with Barbies. Maybe it’s just a guess based on what other children were doing at the time. It can’t be my real thoughts, can it?
“It’s much more accurate than that Annie. I told you, I see everything,” Jesus tells her whilst keeping focused on the movie.
Annie hangs her head in shame and dreads what’s coming next.
Annie sees images of herself at about seven. She is dashing around with other children at a park. Her mum is standing nearby with adults she vaguely recognises as being some of the parents of her school friends.
“So, Annie got tired of Sunday school in the end?” one of the ladies asks her mother.
“Yes, I don’t think she was really into it anyway. I only sent her as it seemed like the right thing to do, and it gave me a chance to get some house stuff done,” Annie’s mum replies.
“It’s a nice story for kids, but then they reach a certain age,” another lady has joined the conversation.
“At least you tried it. Got to be open minded and let them look into all the religions,” a fourth voice is heard.
The angels look dismayed. “Shall we move this forward?” they are addressing Jesus.
“Yes, but first. I just want Annie to see a little of her friend Jessica,” Jesus says. “You remember Jessica, don’t you Annie?”
“Sort of, she was one of the other kids from church and we also went to school together. I don’t remember seeing her much after the first few years at school, though,” Annie remembers. She is curious.
“No, she took a very different path to you,” one of the angels speaks to Annie for the first time.
Jesus looks at the angel. “Let her see for herself. That’s the best way.”
A small girl with dark hair and plaits appears on the screen. She is kneeling by her bed and it looks like she is praying. “Dear God, please forgive my sin. I know you will because Jesus died for me and made me clean. Help me to do what’s right. Also, please get Annie to come back to Sunday school and to be my friend again. Amen.” The little girl gets up and into bed where she picks up a book and starts reading.
Annie is astounded. “She prayed for me. Why? I don’t even really remember her.”
“She prayed for you a lot for a few years. You moved away from her as you found new friends. Jessica’s name is in here.” The angel speaking pats a huge book on a table that Annie hadn’t even noticed until now.
She looks at the cover, The Book of Life. “What is that?”
“It’s where the names of all those who have trusted Me for forgiveness of their sin are recorded.” Jesus has been listening to the conversation and now He speaks.
“So, what happens to people whose names aren’t there?” Annie asks. She knows her name won’t be there but she keeps hoping there is a way out of the mess she is in.
“We spoke about this before Annie. They will be punished forever. Let’s watch some more of the film,” Jesus instructs.
Jessica wanted to be a good friend and cared about me. I wish I’d paid more attention. Things could’ve been so different. Annie realises that even at a young age she had been given a friend who could have helped her onto the right path.
Annie realises that she is lying face down on the ground. As she takes a quick glance around, without lifting her head, all she can see is a dazzlingly bright light. There is something dreadful and brilliant about the light that makes Annie afraid to look at it.
Where is she? The last thing she can remember is that she had been lying in a hospital bed. That’s right, it was a routine operation to remove a cyst. Her family had come to visit her before she had been put to sleep.
Am I still being operated on? Is this what it’s meant to be like? Annie isn’t sure and she feels uneasy.
A loud voice sounds, “Rise up Annie Yale. We have business to do.”
Annie puts her hands over her ears. She can’t stand the awesomeness of the voice. It’s almost painful.
Just a strange dream probably caused by the hospital drugs, Annie thinks. Nothing to worry about. I wish it would end, though. It’s pretty realistic.
“It’s not a dream Annie, something went wrong during the operation. We are going to examine your life and you will need to give an account of it,” the voice again, pure, perfect and awesome.
“How can that be? I’m still young and have a lot of time left. It was a routine operation. That’s what they said.” Annie starts to panic as she realises what the voice is telling her.
I’m dead?!
Annie plucks up the courage to lift her head and look at the figure standing in front of her. All she can see is the light and the outline of a man.
“You know Who I am , don’t you Annie?” the man speaks to her. His voice is firm but there is a hint of sadness.
“You are Jesus.” The clarity hits Annie. She knows Who this man is.
“You’re wondering how you recognise Me,” the man says. The sadness is unmistakable this time. “I’ve always been there but you never trusted Me.”
Annie recalls how she fell to the ground on arriving in this place and seeing the bright light. “Where is that light coming from? It’s almost blinding.”
Jesus shakes His head sadly, “Oh Annie. You have far greater problems than that and they will be with you for eternity.”
“What? What do you mean?” Annie is shaken by His words. They have the ring of Truth. Annie is afraid. “Is this heaven?”
“What do you think?” Jesus asks as He gazes at her sorrowfully.
“It doesn’t seem like it as I didn’t think I would feel afraid in heaven.” Annie hadn’t realised that she had even believed in a place called heaven until now.
“It’s not heaven. It’s Judgement Day. You are standing before the throne of God and we are about to look at your life in detail,” Jesus explains.
“What will happen at the end?” Annie whispers. She’s almost afraid to ask the question.
“Everything depends on whether the things you did wrong on earth have been dealt with,” Jesus is patient.
Annie thinks of the good things she has done in comparison with the bad.
“No, not like that,” Jesus clarifies.
“How do you know what I’m thinking?” Annie feels exposed. She doesn’t like it.
“Everything is about to be revealed,” Jesus says. “Right, let’s begin.”
Annie is now sitting on a small chair. Two brightly coloured beings are either side of her. Annie guesses they must be angels. Glancing to her side, Annie can see the big throne with the brilliant light and the man called Jesus, that she’d immediately recognised.
A big screen is in front of them.
A movie? Annie is still thinking about the Words of Jesus but she doesn’t really understand.
The screen flashes and to Annie’s horror the title appears: “The life of Annie Yale (1971-2017)”. We aren’t seriously going to watch a movie of my whole life? I wonder how much detail there will be.
Annie doesn’t have to wonder about this for long as the first scene begins with clips of her as a baby. She is gurgling and laughing and throwing food around. Annie smiles, well at least this part is good. The thought has only just left her mind when the images change. Annie appears as a toddler screaming and shouting at her parents. Then, deliberately tearing a book to pieces and thumping her younger brother David. Annie turns her head away in shame and embarrassment. Then, she thinks better of it, I was just a small child. We all do things wrong at that age, she reassures herself.
Jesus and the angels are silent as the movie continues. Annie feels uncomfortable and has the sudden urge to speak, “Where did you get this footage from?” Even as she says it, she realises the foolish nature of her question.
“I am everywhere and see everything,” Jesus answers.
One of the angels pauses the movie.
Are we really going to sit here and watch the whole of my life? Annie wonders.
“Yes, Annie. It’s the only way for Me to examine it completely and for you to account for it,” Jesus is still patient. Annie realises this is His nature.
“Can’t we just skip to the end so that I know what happens?” Annie feels desperate. She has a horrible feeling about this.
“You already know what will happen, Annie,” Jesus says sadly. “You’ve never trusted Me with your life or had your sin forgiven. You can’t enter heaven.”
“So what are we doing this for? Isn’t it pointless?” Annie asks although she has a feeling that nothing that is done in this place is ever pointless.
“This is so you know that your punishment is just, fair and right,” Jesus tells her.
“Punishment? What punishment? How long will it last?” Annie doesn’t understand.
“Oh Annie, it’s forever. You rejected the only way for your sins to be forgiven on earth.” A tear appears in Jesus’ eye as he explains.
“Forever? But surely there’s something I can do?” Annie starts to cry softly at first. She wants to believe that this man is lying but deep down she knows that He cannot lie. Perhaps I can reason with Him. “I didn’t reject God on earth, well not completely,” Annie points out.
“Let’s look at the evidence, shall we?” Jesus answers her in a way that causes Annie to fall silent once more. They both turn back to the movie.
Annie in now about four and is trotting into a Sunday school class. She sits and listens as the elderly lady tells the story of Jonah and the big fish to a group of about ten children.
“See, look, I did learn about God. I didn’t reject Him.” Annie stops crying and feels vindicated by the discovery. She’d forgotten that she went to Sunday school all those years ago. Phew, that was close. Now I know why my mum forced me to go. Thanks mum!
There is no response from those watching the movie with her. They don’t seem impressed by her Sunday school attendance. As they continue watching, a bubble appears above Annie’s head on the screen. In it is written, “I wonder which dolly mummy will buy me. I like the pink Barbie one best. Oh, this is really boring. I hope it will finish soon.”
Annie flushes red. She wants to run to the screen and flick off the monitor. Surely, they can’t be planning to watch all of my thoughts as well as my actions? I don’t remember even playing with Barbies. Maybe it’s just a guess based on what other children were doing at the time. It can’t be my real thoughts, can it?
“It’s much more accurate than that Annie. I told you, I see everything,” Jesus tells her whilst keeping focused on the movie.
Annie hangs her head in shame and dreads what’s coming next.
Annie sees images of herself at about seven. She is dashing around with other children at a park. Her mum is standing nearby with adults she vaguely recognises as being some of the parents of her school friends.
“So, Annie got tired of Sunday school in the end?” one of the ladies asks her mother.
“Yes, I don’t think she was really into it anyway. I only sent her as it seemed like the right thing to do, and it gave me a chance to get some house stuff done,” Annie’s mum replies.
“It’s a nice story for kids, but then they reach a certain age,” another lady has joined the conversation.
“At least you tried it. Got to be open minded and let them look into all the religions,” a fourth voice is heard.
The angels look dismayed. “Shall we move this forward?” they are addressing Jesus.
“Yes, but first. I just want Annie to see a little of her friend Jessica,” Jesus says. “You remember Jessica, don’t you Annie?”
“Sort of, she was one of the other kids from church and we also went to school together. I don’t remember seeing her much after the first few years at school, though,” Annie remembers. She is curious.
“No, she took a very different path to you,” one of the angels speaks to Annie for the first time.
Jesus looks at the angel. “Let her see for herself. That’s the best way.”
A small girl with dark hair and plaits appears on the screen. She is kneeling by her bed and it looks like she is praying. “Dear God, please forgive my sin. I know you will because Jesus died for me and made me clean. Help me to do what’s right. Also, please get Annie to come back to Sunday school and to be my friend again. Amen.” The little girl gets up and into bed where she picks up a book and starts reading.
Annie is astounded. “She prayed for me. Why? I don’t even really remember her.”
“She prayed for you a lot for a few years. You moved away from her as you found new friends. Jessica’s name is in here.” The angel speaking pats a huge book on a table that Annie hadn’t even noticed until now.
She looks at the cover, The Book of Life. “What is that?”
“It’s where the names of all those who have trusted Me for forgiveness of their sin are recorded.” Jesus has been listening to the conversation and now He speaks.
“So, what happens to people whose names aren’t there?” Annie asks. She knows her name won’t be there but she keeps hoping there is a way out of the mess she is in.
“We spoke about this before Annie. They will be punished forever. Let’s watch some more of the film,” Jesus instructs.
Jessica wanted to be a good friend and cared about me. I wish I’d paid more attention. Things could’ve been so different. Annie realises that even at a young age she had been given a friend who could have helped her onto the right path.
December 10, 2017
Bringing Hope to Lincoln Christmas Market #LCM2017 #LincolnChristmasMarket
Arriving by train at TCM Baptist church, Lincoln, on Thursday evening, one of the first things I saw on the wall was the verse: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain.” Psalm 127 vs 1. It was a good way to start the mission and an important reminder for all of us.
I recognised a number of the faces of those who had gathered for the open-air mission. Braving the freezing temperatures and icy wind, we set out on Friday for the town centre. A few diverted to the market itself primarily seeking to engage the traders, and to give away Bible text calendars and tracts.
It quickly became evident that two pairs of socks and thick tights weren’t going to be enough to stop my toes falling off. Obviously an exaggeration, but it was only possible to stand in the cold for around an hour before the numbness set in. Once that happened, walking back to the church felt like I was being supported by the bones in my feet rather than my actual feet, surprisingly uncomfortable. Still, the cheeriness of the team, and urgency of the task, despite the conditions, helped us persevere!
On the Friday, I first approached J, an elderly lady. She declined my offer of an Ultimate Questions booklet initially, but when I suggested that it might be important, she stopped and put her bag down. She looked at me pleadingly and said, “Can I read it at home?” Of course I said yes, so she took the book, dropped it in her bag and went on her way. Afterwards, I realised that the poor lady had probably thought that I was expecting her to stand in the street and read it in front of me…
A similar thing happened on day two with another elderly lady and a tract. It made me start to wonder what I could do to make myself look less intimidating to elderly folk. I was by this point wearing a woolly hat with ear flaps, a hoody with hood up, and a big jacket, also with a hood. There wasn’t much face left. The rest of the team looked similarly ridiculous, though, and as I had long since abandoned any attempts to make myself presentable, I decided not to worry about it.
Another somewhat louder Christian group were out with microphones in the same area. Their printed banner read, “Definition of a Hate Crime: Letting people go to Hell without first warning them.” Having been confronted with the Christian message wherever they tried to turn, we heard a number of people commenting, “these people are everywhere!”
My second opportunity for personal witness was with K, a seventeen year old girl with blue hair. She had been listening to one of the preachers trying to engage passers by with a Christmas crossword. I asked her what she thought of what was being said and she replied that she hadn’t known any of the answers. After reassuring her that it didn’t matter, I was able to share the Gospel and give her some literature to take away. Later in the day, I spoke to T and L, two youngish girls who weren’t sure yet what they believed. They were happy to take literature and promised to think about what had been said.
One of the preachers, from Liverpool, was getting an interesting response from members of our team as he suddenly directed his, at times confusing, questions to each of us in turn. Things like, “How do you know what you know?” and “What is the difference between a fact and an opinion?” His questions kept us on our toes as we searched for the answers that he was looking for in order to allow him to continue his talk. Passers-by looked stunned when he addressed them directly. It was difficult not to laugh. His approach, whilst unusual, was generally effective and resulted in some profitable conversations.
M had been standing against a lamp-post near to the open-air board listening to a number of the messages whilst also fiddling with her phone. One preacher tried to give her a John’s Gospel but she declined. Her body language suggested that a “softly softly” approach would be needed in order to connect. I wasn’t sure if I was really cut out for this judging by the reactions I had already had from the older ladies. However, as I was the only female there at this point, I knew it was up to me.
I approached her carefully after one of the talks finished and asked her what she thought. She said that she was happy just to listen. The sub-text being “please leave me alone.” I felt, though, that it was more of an automatic defence mechanism so I tried again. I asked her whether she had heard the message before. She replied, and from there we got into a long conversation. Her first question was along the lines of, “Why does God want worship for Himself, isn’t that vain?” I’ve heard this question and versions of it before. I answered by explaining Who God is according to the Bible, and that it’s wrong views about Him that result in this type of thinking. That we tend to think of God as just a bigger version of ourselves which is clearly wrong.
I was encouraged by M’s genuine questions and when she said that she would now like a Gospel of John to read part of the Bible for herself. She also took Ultimate Questions and then looked me in the eye as she sincerely thanked me for coming to talk to her, shook my hand and went on her way. I was reminded again of the sovereignty of God in this work, as he connects the different people with members of the team.
Friday evening was a struggle as unbelievably it got even colder and many people were drunk. An abusive heckler almost managed to dominate one of the talks but he was eventually encouraged to move aside for private conversation and ended up apologising for his earlier behaviour. I spoke briefly with B, a young lad who looked like he had taken drugs although he assured me he hadn’t. He took a tract and then wandered off. One of the team had a good chat with J, a man who had been leaning against a lamp-post and listened to several talks.
M had also been standing next to a lamp-post when she was listening. It was almost as if the post gave them some sense of security or meant that they were not completely exposed and having to stand in the open where everyone could see them. Perhaps, we should carry posts and place them at strategic locations around the open-air boards!
I felt guilty for being relieved when it was time to pack up at just before nine. I was reassured by others that they felt the same as the cold was becoming unbearable. I was astonished to see scantily clad females and some men in shorts or with holes in their clothes. Sadly, I think the alcohol accounts for a lot of the cold tolerance by speeding up the heart.
On Saturday we set out again. Walking past the train station, I observed two homeless men, seemingly high on drugs, sitting on a wall at the edge of the crowds. I hoped rather than believed they hadn’t been there all night as they had sleeping bags.
Arriving in the town centre, It was obviously busier than it had been on the Friday. We had been beaten to our spot by an animal charity sporting various breeds of dog all obediently sitting on mats, and available for people to pamper as they walked by. Some of them were wearing little woolly jumpers. I watched, with a mixture of fascination and sadness, the numbers stopping and fussing over the dogs which contrasted sharply with the attempts to avoid our presentation, and the wide berth people had been giving the two homeless men. It seems that animal life has become more sacred than human.
I saw a Chinese lady across the street from us offering palm readings and decided to go and talk to her thinking that she would at least be polite due to her cultural background. She was, until she realised what I was talking to her about. She became very angry telling me in her limited English that the Bible is a load of made-up stories, she doesn’t believe any of it and eventually asking me to stop talking to her. I complied.
An Italian coffee shop probably got a little more than they bargained for as one by one they sent their staff out onto the street with an advertising board. The young girls, S, R and D, were right next to our presentations and I was able to share the Gospel with all three of them individually as they spent their fifteen minutes in the freezing cold. I gave each of them different literature and told them I had previously spoken to others of their number. They were all very receptive and said that they would probably be arguing with each other about the things we had discussed later on.
We finished the afternoon with some carol singing as our teeth chattered and the shivering set in. Not as many people joined us as I was hoping, but the lyrics were heard by all who passed. Carol singing seems to offend less than the preaching, probably because it falls within the “acceptable things to enhance the Christmas spirit”, or something equally nonsensical. I suppose we should be grateful that the words of the carols haven’t yet been changed to exclude Jesus altogether.
I haven’t been involved in witness at Lincoln before, but I was more aware of the hardness of people's hearts during this mission than on others. The expressions on some faces as they realised our message was religious. The shaking heads and the irritation that we had dared to try and bring them a message of hope but had, in so doing, interrupted their shopping experience. I was surprised as I had thought that people might be more receptive at Christmas and wanting to think about what they are actually celebrating. I have to remind myself that people are spiritually blind and therefore cannot see….and, perhaps on a deeper level, that I was like that before.
Fish and chips for dinner was a good way to round off the short mission and then handshakes, or in some cases enthusiastic hugs, all round. I was expecting to be back in Banbury just after 9pm but was warned that there were already long queues at the train station. That was a definite understatement as hundreds of us stood outside waiting to actually get into the station. Arriving at Derby, so far so good, I found that my train to Banbury had been cancelled several weeks ago due to the strikes. The station staff were unsympathetic as I “should’ve checked before travelling,” but a police lady was helpful.
I eventually caught a later train to Birmingham. I had just settled down with my laptop on the cold floor amongst the crowds of people when the waiting room suddenly emptied as a train arrived and I was left sitting opposite a drunk man who, of course, began talking to me. Torn between wanting not to be bothered as there wasn’t much I could do for him, and wanting to make the most of every opportunity, I waited until a few more people came into the room then closed my laptop, and went to talk to the man. T was very drunk and smelled pretty bad. He said he needed to get to hospital as he had a gangrenous foot, I didn’t want to check whether he was telling the truth. I couldn’t leave the station but suggested I could get a policeman to accompany him to the bus station if I gave the officer the money for his fare. He didn’t want to know.
I tried to share the Gospel with him but he kept getting annoyed and telling me not to speak to him anymore. I complied but then he kept speaking to me, as drunk people do. He eventually showed me some food someone had given him so I matched it with some leftovers I had in my bag. He commented that he could see I was a good person, I kept my mouth shut rather than correcting him as it seemed pointless. The gift seemed to open the way for me to give him a Gospel of John and a tract which he took gratefully. As I left for my train he pulled me down for a hug and then kissed my cheek. I had to maintain my smile as, by this point, the waiting room had filled up again and there were loads of people staring at us!
Leaving the room, I had to run for the last train back to Banbury as I suddenly realised I was on the wrong platform. The train was jammed and I ended up squashed into a carriage with a load of very drunk people swearing, shouting and singing as they continued to drink. My only goal by this point was to avoid eye contact with any of them so they didn’t speak to me. I got back to Banbury at 1127pm wondering if my electricity would have run out as I only had a little when I left for Lincoln. It was okay. Phew!
Reflecting, I realised that the busy shoppers at the Christmas market, the kind-hearted people working for the animal charity, the Chinese lady reading palms, the drunken man at the railway station and the raucous bunch on the train are basically the same. They are all lost without Jesus this Christmas or any other Christmas. My prayer is that they realise this before it’s too late for them.
I recognised a number of the faces of those who had gathered for the open-air mission. Braving the freezing temperatures and icy wind, we set out on Friday for the town centre. A few diverted to the market itself primarily seeking to engage the traders, and to give away Bible text calendars and tracts.
It quickly became evident that two pairs of socks and thick tights weren’t going to be enough to stop my toes falling off. Obviously an exaggeration, but it was only possible to stand in the cold for around an hour before the numbness set in. Once that happened, walking back to the church felt like I was being supported by the bones in my feet rather than my actual feet, surprisingly uncomfortable. Still, the cheeriness of the team, and urgency of the task, despite the conditions, helped us persevere!
On the Friday, I first approached J, an elderly lady. She declined my offer of an Ultimate Questions booklet initially, but when I suggested that it might be important, she stopped and put her bag down. She looked at me pleadingly and said, “Can I read it at home?” Of course I said yes, so she took the book, dropped it in her bag and went on her way. Afterwards, I realised that the poor lady had probably thought that I was expecting her to stand in the street and read it in front of me…
A similar thing happened on day two with another elderly lady and a tract. It made me start to wonder what I could do to make myself look less intimidating to elderly folk. I was by this point wearing a woolly hat with ear flaps, a hoody with hood up, and a big jacket, also with a hood. There wasn’t much face left. The rest of the team looked similarly ridiculous, though, and as I had long since abandoned any attempts to make myself presentable, I decided not to worry about it.
Another somewhat louder Christian group were out with microphones in the same area. Their printed banner read, “Definition of a Hate Crime: Letting people go to Hell without first warning them.” Having been confronted with the Christian message wherever they tried to turn, we heard a number of people commenting, “these people are everywhere!”
My second opportunity for personal witness was with K, a seventeen year old girl with blue hair. She had been listening to one of the preachers trying to engage passers by with a Christmas crossword. I asked her what she thought of what was being said and she replied that she hadn’t known any of the answers. After reassuring her that it didn’t matter, I was able to share the Gospel and give her some literature to take away. Later in the day, I spoke to T and L, two youngish girls who weren’t sure yet what they believed. They were happy to take literature and promised to think about what had been said.
One of the preachers, from Liverpool, was getting an interesting response from members of our team as he suddenly directed his, at times confusing, questions to each of us in turn. Things like, “How do you know what you know?” and “What is the difference between a fact and an opinion?” His questions kept us on our toes as we searched for the answers that he was looking for in order to allow him to continue his talk. Passers-by looked stunned when he addressed them directly. It was difficult not to laugh. His approach, whilst unusual, was generally effective and resulted in some profitable conversations.
M had been standing against a lamp-post near to the open-air board listening to a number of the messages whilst also fiddling with her phone. One preacher tried to give her a John’s Gospel but she declined. Her body language suggested that a “softly softly” approach would be needed in order to connect. I wasn’t sure if I was really cut out for this judging by the reactions I had already had from the older ladies. However, as I was the only female there at this point, I knew it was up to me.
I approached her carefully after one of the talks finished and asked her what she thought. She said that she was happy just to listen. The sub-text being “please leave me alone.” I felt, though, that it was more of an automatic defence mechanism so I tried again. I asked her whether she had heard the message before. She replied, and from there we got into a long conversation. Her first question was along the lines of, “Why does God want worship for Himself, isn’t that vain?” I’ve heard this question and versions of it before. I answered by explaining Who God is according to the Bible, and that it’s wrong views about Him that result in this type of thinking. That we tend to think of God as just a bigger version of ourselves which is clearly wrong.
I was encouraged by M’s genuine questions and when she said that she would now like a Gospel of John to read part of the Bible for herself. She also took Ultimate Questions and then looked me in the eye as she sincerely thanked me for coming to talk to her, shook my hand and went on her way. I was reminded again of the sovereignty of God in this work, as he connects the different people with members of the team.
Friday evening was a struggle as unbelievably it got even colder and many people were drunk. An abusive heckler almost managed to dominate one of the talks but he was eventually encouraged to move aside for private conversation and ended up apologising for his earlier behaviour. I spoke briefly with B, a young lad who looked like he had taken drugs although he assured me he hadn’t. He took a tract and then wandered off. One of the team had a good chat with J, a man who had been leaning against a lamp-post and listened to several talks.
M had also been standing next to a lamp-post when she was listening. It was almost as if the post gave them some sense of security or meant that they were not completely exposed and having to stand in the open where everyone could see them. Perhaps, we should carry posts and place them at strategic locations around the open-air boards!
I felt guilty for being relieved when it was time to pack up at just before nine. I was reassured by others that they felt the same as the cold was becoming unbearable. I was astonished to see scantily clad females and some men in shorts or with holes in their clothes. Sadly, I think the alcohol accounts for a lot of the cold tolerance by speeding up the heart.
On Saturday we set out again. Walking past the train station, I observed two homeless men, seemingly high on drugs, sitting on a wall at the edge of the crowds. I hoped rather than believed they hadn’t been there all night as they had sleeping bags.
Arriving in the town centre, It was obviously busier than it had been on the Friday. We had been beaten to our spot by an animal charity sporting various breeds of dog all obediently sitting on mats, and available for people to pamper as they walked by. Some of them were wearing little woolly jumpers. I watched, with a mixture of fascination and sadness, the numbers stopping and fussing over the dogs which contrasted sharply with the attempts to avoid our presentation, and the wide berth people had been giving the two homeless men. It seems that animal life has become more sacred than human.
I saw a Chinese lady across the street from us offering palm readings and decided to go and talk to her thinking that she would at least be polite due to her cultural background. She was, until she realised what I was talking to her about. She became very angry telling me in her limited English that the Bible is a load of made-up stories, she doesn’t believe any of it and eventually asking me to stop talking to her. I complied.
An Italian coffee shop probably got a little more than they bargained for as one by one they sent their staff out onto the street with an advertising board. The young girls, S, R and D, were right next to our presentations and I was able to share the Gospel with all three of them individually as they spent their fifteen minutes in the freezing cold. I gave each of them different literature and told them I had previously spoken to others of their number. They were all very receptive and said that they would probably be arguing with each other about the things we had discussed later on.
We finished the afternoon with some carol singing as our teeth chattered and the shivering set in. Not as many people joined us as I was hoping, but the lyrics were heard by all who passed. Carol singing seems to offend less than the preaching, probably because it falls within the “acceptable things to enhance the Christmas spirit”, or something equally nonsensical. I suppose we should be grateful that the words of the carols haven’t yet been changed to exclude Jesus altogether.
I haven’t been involved in witness at Lincoln before, but I was more aware of the hardness of people's hearts during this mission than on others. The expressions on some faces as they realised our message was religious. The shaking heads and the irritation that we had dared to try and bring them a message of hope but had, in so doing, interrupted their shopping experience. I was surprised as I had thought that people might be more receptive at Christmas and wanting to think about what they are actually celebrating. I have to remind myself that people are spiritually blind and therefore cannot see….and, perhaps on a deeper level, that I was like that before.
Fish and chips for dinner was a good way to round off the short mission and then handshakes, or in some cases enthusiastic hugs, all round. I was expecting to be back in Banbury just after 9pm but was warned that there were already long queues at the train station. That was a definite understatement as hundreds of us stood outside waiting to actually get into the station. Arriving at Derby, so far so good, I found that my train to Banbury had been cancelled several weeks ago due to the strikes. The station staff were unsympathetic as I “should’ve checked before travelling,” but a police lady was helpful.
I eventually caught a later train to Birmingham. I had just settled down with my laptop on the cold floor amongst the crowds of people when the waiting room suddenly emptied as a train arrived and I was left sitting opposite a drunk man who, of course, began talking to me. Torn between wanting not to be bothered as there wasn’t much I could do for him, and wanting to make the most of every opportunity, I waited until a few more people came into the room then closed my laptop, and went to talk to the man. T was very drunk and smelled pretty bad. He said he needed to get to hospital as he had a gangrenous foot, I didn’t want to check whether he was telling the truth. I couldn’t leave the station but suggested I could get a policeman to accompany him to the bus station if I gave the officer the money for his fare. He didn’t want to know.
I tried to share the Gospel with him but he kept getting annoyed and telling me not to speak to him anymore. I complied but then he kept speaking to me, as drunk people do. He eventually showed me some food someone had given him so I matched it with some leftovers I had in my bag. He commented that he could see I was a good person, I kept my mouth shut rather than correcting him as it seemed pointless. The gift seemed to open the way for me to give him a Gospel of John and a tract which he took gratefully. As I left for my train he pulled me down for a hug and then kissed my cheek. I had to maintain my smile as, by this point, the waiting room had filled up again and there were loads of people staring at us!
Leaving the room, I had to run for the last train back to Banbury as I suddenly realised I was on the wrong platform. The train was jammed and I ended up squashed into a carriage with a load of very drunk people swearing, shouting and singing as they continued to drink. My only goal by this point was to avoid eye contact with any of them so they didn’t speak to me. I got back to Banbury at 1127pm wondering if my electricity would have run out as I only had a little when I left for Lincoln. It was okay. Phew!
Reflecting, I realised that the busy shoppers at the Christmas market, the kind-hearted people working for the animal charity, the Chinese lady reading palms, the drunken man at the railway station and the raucous bunch on the train are basically the same. They are all lost without Jesus this Christmas or any other Christmas. My prayer is that they realise this before it’s too late for them.
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