Contents

FEATURES

Ukraine war: Faith in the fire

What would the end of Roe v. Wade mean in the UK?

Scripture’s hidden gems: 1 Chronicles

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022

The futile ways of your forefathers

ET cover price to increase by 20p from July

COMMENT: Overturning Roe v. Wade shows us we should never give up

GUEST COLUMN: The evangelical idol of niceness

A SHRINK THINKS... It is good to talk, even about suicide

THINKING IT THROUGH: All things to all men – using and abusing Paul’s rule

A WALK WITH MR O: Advice about giving advice

CRUNCH POINTS: Should I take my child to Sunday sports clubs?

NEWS

News in brief

Hounded pastor who warned against gay pride events wins his discrimination tribunal case

Conversion therapy ban and other proposals confirmed at the state opening of Parliament

Police given confusing and contradictory orders over gender identity and how to use pronouns

Church of Scotland ‘takes its cue from culture rather than Christ’ and approves gay weddings

Liverpool Mayor calls for ‘God Loves You’ bus ads to be banned

Abortions continue to rise despite pro-life evidence sent to politicians

‘Stand against downgrade’ pastors told at Birmingham Conference

Scottish youth conference is hailed as a ‘roaring success’

A new resource base is launched for confessional Baptist churches

Fifteen ministers meet together in Loughborough to discuss a new confessional Baptist association

Melvyn Bragg celebrates the life of reformer and Bible translator, William Tyndale, at Carlisle talk

Robert Yerby inducted in La Villiaze, Guernsey

Home-schooling skills explored in online conference hosted by CViE

North Wales churches gather for ‘loggerheads park’ outdoor hike

US: Landmark abortion case is set to spark global debate

Finland: Prosecutors confirm they will appeal to overturn Päivi Räsänen free speech victory, demanding large fines

REVIEWS

Worship and Witness in Crisis: Has the church failed the Covid test?

The Rise and Fall of Christian Ireland

Be Filled with the Spirit

FEATURES

Ukraine war: Faith in the fire

The names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego arouse within us feelings of respect and admiration for young men who would trust and serve God come what may. They epitomise ‘faith in the fire’!

The same feelings rise to the surface on receiving reports of the courage and strength of Christian leaders and believers who, in the heat of the flames of violence and war in the cities of Ukraine, are caring for others with Christ-like love and compassion.

Dark picture

It is hard to take in the appalling scale of destruction and cruel loss of life in towns and cities like Bucha, Kharkiv, and worst of all, Mariupol. It is a dark picture of the depths to which humanity will stoop to gain its ends.

The common story of the many Slavic Gospel Association-supported missionaries ministering there is of people suffering: half-starved, fearful, hiding in underground shelters, needing but not able to access medical care and attention.

Oksana and her son miraculously escaped from the city of Mariupol under fire. They had been sheltering in a basement, the safest place they could find.

The words of Psalm 90 were a source of encouragement as they prayed continually that God would stop the enemy’s attacks and that he would be ‘a wall of fire’ around the basement where they stayed.

‘One day our houses were shelled four times with multiple rocket launchers,’ said Oksana, ‘and we were ready for death. But the shells miraculously flew over our basement and exploded nearby.’

Unbelievably, a friend managed to reach them despite the shelling, then took them to an evacuation site from which they could escape the danger.

They could hardly believe it. They quickly gathered up a few belongings which were immediately to hand and abandoned their basement shelter.

All the way they continued to pray, asking God to help them, and were eventually led along a way of escape by strangers.

Oksana later said, ‘When we arrived at the safe place at last, my son said, “Mom, it’s a miracle. God has created so many miracles in our lives!” It was so true. I wept. The next day we learned that after leaving, a bomb had hit the basement where we were hiding. The Lord brought us out and took care of us through people we had never met.’

A different country

In Mykolaiv, a town near to Odessa and Khersin in the southeast, and also near the Black Sea, Ivan, one of 35 SGA-supported missionaries, writes of waking up on 24 February to a ‘completely different country’.

The war changed everything. Almost at once Ivan was conscious of those who were in the greatest danger and need – the military personnel stationed in his region.

He writes, ‘I clearly realized that I need to support people for whom this time is the hardest – the military! From the first day of the war, I began visiting checkpoints around Mykolayiv – there are about 15 of them.

‘All I could do was to give our soldiers a hug and to pray with them. They are so open to prayers, encouragement, and support. We just stood in a circle putting our hands on each other’s shoulders and prayed to God! I visited them daily. Always they were already waiting for me, inviting me to come again, to bring them tea, sweets or some hygiene items – and to pray again.’

Despite the danger, Ivan’s wife was reluctant to leave, but being in the ninth month of her pregnancy, she was persuaded to go with other family members, friends, and neighbours to a safe place. They are presently in Germany, but Ivan remains in Mykolaiv to continue his ministry.

Under siege

The city of Chernihiv, northeast of Kyiv, was cut off from the rest of Ukraine when a bridge which had served as an important humanitarian corridor was bombed and destroyed.

Access to humanitarian aid became very difficult, almost impossible, and dangerous in the extreme. People could not leave the city; it was effectively besieged.

However, volunteers found an alternative way of getting food to people in the besieged city. They took to the river in boats, transporting food and other necessary relief aid to hungry, oppressed, and fearful people.

Churches have been working tirelessly there to relieve immediate needs. Now that the city has been liberated, they give what help they can as people try to readjust to the tragically altered circumstances in which they find themselves.

One church leader, Volodymyr, reports with joy that First Church Chernihiv has recommenced services in the churchyard, while they await repairs to their extensively damaged church building.

The people of Irpen, and particularly Bucha, have been exposed to extreme levels of violence and death, and their towns have suffered extensive damage from prolonged bombing and shelling. They have been right in the furnace of the war.

However, a team of volunteers from Irpen Bible Church remained in the city and carried on an intensive ministry of care and provision for the needy in Irpen and in nearby Bucha. They have commenced restoration work on buildings and homes, a hazardous undertaking, since the Russian forces laid land mines as they withdrew.

In faith and dependence upon God, his servants continue to minister the gospel and relieve the needs of the oppressed, despite the fiery trials they face on a daily basis. Pray for them.

More information is available at www.sga.org.uk/ukraine-crisis.

John Birnie is associate editor for Slavic Gospel Association.

What would the end of Roe v. Wade mean in the UK?

On 2 May, the news outlet Politico reported on a document it had ‘obtained’ from within the US Supreme Court. The draft opinion relates to Mississippi’s challenge to Roe v. Wade, which the Court is due to decide on this summer. No such leak has ever occurred in modern history.

Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling of 1973, has for decades been interpreted as giving women across the United States the legal right to have an abortion up till viability of the baby, considered to be around 24 weeks. It does not, however, as is often claimed, establish a ‘constitutional right to abortion’. The American Constitution nowhere enshrines ‘abortion rights’.

Thanks in large part to Donald Trump’s appointments, the Supreme Court has a pro-life majority; the leaked document merely confirms what many were already hoping, or fearing. The Supreme Court has since confirmed the authenticity of the document, while deploring the leak and ordering an investigation. Unless the Justices change their mind, it looks like Roe is set to be overturned this summer.

What could this mean?

If Roe is overturned, it will not mean a complete and immediate ban of abortion across America. What it will do is to allow individual States to ban abortion should they choose to do so. It is expected that about half of the States will avail themselves of this opportunity, and some have already passed ‘trigger’ laws – bans that will immediately come into effect should Roe be struck down.

This could result in literally hundreds of thousands of babies’ lives being saved every year in the United States alone. It is no overstatement to say that this would be the most significant – and of course the most positive – change in abortion law in the United States since 1973.

But it would stop short of enshrining constitutionally the rights of all human beings from conception across the United States, so the fight for the unborn would be far from over.

What does this mean for us in the UK?

First, we need to pray for our brothers and sisters in the States, for those in government, and for the babies and their mothers and fathers. This is a truly critical moment in the history of the nation, and it will have repercussions around the world.

We also need to pray specifically for those who serve in the Supreme Court. The leak was clearly intended to intimidate them into changing their mind. Politico, which ‘obtained’ the leak, said rather cynically that the ‘unprecedented revelation is bound to intensify the debate’ (read: ‘we’re releasing it to turn up the heat on these nasty pro-lifers’), and emphasised that the decision was not final and could still change.

They went on to name each Justice and explain where they stood on the issue. They stopped short of publishing their addresses, but clearly those weren’t difficult to find. Within a short space of time, ‘peaceful’ protests were rallied outside the family homes of the Justices – so ‘peaceful’, in fact, that the Senate has made provision for round-the-clock security for the Justices and their families.

At time of writing, a pro-life centre in Wisconsin had just been firebombed by pro-abortion activists and a number of churches had also been targeted with disruptive and intimidating activities.

We need to pray for safety, rule of law, and that the Justices will stand firm in their decision and not be swayed by fear. Pray that righteousness and justice will prevail, that the leak, which was intended for evil, may actually be used by God for good. And we need to gird up our loins for the renewed debate that will certainly hit our shores as a result of all this.

Where are the UK churches?

It would be premature of me to say that we should be encouraged and press on in the fight to end abortion. That would assume that we are already moving in the right direction, that we are engaged in the battle at all.

In fact, the UK churches’ response to abortion in recent years can be summed up in one word: silence. According to research undertaken by the Evangelical Alliance in 2011, abortion ranked 15th in terms of political issues most talked about in churches.

In more recent research due to be released this summer (not by the EA), fewer than 1 in 20 women from evangelical churches said they had ever heard thorough, head-on treatment of the issue from the front of church.

With such deafening silence from the pulpits, it is hardly surprising that not only do we lack courage and competence in our public witness on this issue, we lack clarity and conviction in private. Evangelicals don’t know what to think about abortion.

Even laying aside operations to save the life of the mother, 4 out of 5 UK evangelicals still think that abortion can sometimes be justified. This means that a majority of evangelicals would probably keep Roe v. Wade in place, if it were up to them. The abortion debate is coming to Britain, and we are not even remotely ready for it.

What do we need to do?

If we are to be ready for this historic and unrepeatable opportunity, we urgently need to do two things in our churches.

First, we need to teach. We desperately need clear, thorough, gracious, courageous teaching from the Word of God on abortion. It is folly to assume that Christians are already pro-life. While churches are largely silent, Christians are being ‘discipled’ by the world in how to think about abortion.

I’ve been to dozens of churches to teach on abortion and even in the sharpest, most rigorous Bible-teaching churches I have found upon arrival that at least some have been swept along by the culture in supporting a ‘woman’s right to choose’, because up till that point the church, while absolutely clear on the issue within the leadership team, had never really addressed it.

There is no substitute for head-on, biblical teaching on this issue – and you can go to brephos.org for resources to help with that.

Second, we need to equip. Good biblical teaching on abortion won’t stop at merely proving the beauty and value of human life from conception and the wrongness of taking that innocent life. God’s Word on child sacrifice isn’t only to abstain from it, Leviticus 18:21. It is also to take proactive action to prevent it where it is happening, Leviticus 20:1-5.

The Bible is packed full of positive commands to defend the oppressed, look after the widow and the orphan, to confront injustice. The Parable of the Good Samaritan is perhaps the most striking example of where mere abstinence from acts of evil is portrayed as insufficient in fulfilling the command to ‘love your neighbour’.

But if we are to be ‘doers’ of the word and not just ‘listeners’ on an issue like abortion, we will need some help as to how to be a ‘voice for the voiceless’ (Proverbs 31:8) most effectively. We need some training. Again, there’s help for this at brephos.org, but allow me to sketch out one or two tips for starters here.

Just as not all Christians are pro-life (sadly), so people do not have to become Christians before they can become pro-life. There are many secular people who have been convinced by the pro-life message. All that to say, we mustn’t throw our hands up in the air and say, ‘What can you do, in such a post-Christian society?’ People can be reached, and quickly, on the issue of abortion.

The key is helping people to see the unborn child as a human. The abortion lobby thrives on distraction and deception – keeping the attention away from the unborn child and denying their humanity and value. If we can put the unborn child back in the picture, and help people to see what abortion does to them, we are reframing the debate in a more constructive way.

Photographic evidence has always been very compelling in proving the humanity of the victims of injustice and exposing the horror of what is so often cloaked in euphemism (‘healthcare’, ‘reproductive justice’, ‘termination’). Even before the invention of the Kodak, pictures were key (consider William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson and their use of graphic imagery in abolishing the slave trade).

Today we have astonishingly detailed and breathtakingly beautiful images of human life at early stages in the womb, as well as the more difficult but absolutely necessary visual evidence of what these babies suffer through the various ‘abortion’ procedures.

These are tools in our hand in helping people to see who is at the heart of this debate, and what’s at stake. But words are also crucial, and we need to learn to make the case for life, and against abortion, graciously and compellingly.

The crux of the pro-life argument is very simple: If the unborn are human, shouldn’t they get human rights? People will often retort with various, often extreme circumstances that in their eyes justify abortion, to which we can reply: ‘Would we justify killing a toddler for such reasons? If not, why the same child when they are just a bit younger, in the womb?’

The fear factor

Elaborate theologies and methodologies have been constructed to justify staying out of ‘political’ issues – especially the more controversial ones – but biblically it seems inescapable that we are called to be voices for truth and justice and to interpose ourselves for the weak and helpless, as well as evangelising.

If we are to be honest, what is really holding us back most of the time – and what has given rise to our justifications for doing so – is fear. We don’t want to get hurt.

If we can confront our fears and embrace the persecution and hatred that Jesus promises those who follow in his footsteps and stand for what’s right, we can see the baby genocide ended in our lifetime to the glory of God.

Dave Brennan is director of Brephos, a ministry that helps churches to teach about abortion.

Scripture’s hidden gems: 1 Chronicles

We live in days when many in the UK are seeking to silence those who hold to certain biblical truths. They wish to prevent preachers declaring that biological sex is fixed. They wish to silence the teaching that biological sex (determined by one’s genes) is the same as gender. They wish to prevent anyone declaring that homosexuality and lesbianism are sins.

By any standards 1 and 2 Chronicles are an important part of God’s Word. Originally one book, they form a monumental history of God’s people from the creation of the world to the year 539 BC. Yet 1 and 2 Chronicles are also a neglected part of the Bible, especially 1 Chronicles. I think the reasons for this are twofold.

First, a third of 1 Chronicles is just lists of names. Second, much of the history recorded in the twin books merely repeats what we find in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. However, it would be a mistake to ignore these books. They contain unique material, and the chronicler arranges the material carefully and deliberately.

Purpose

1 Chronicles starts with Adam but soon zooms in on the descendants of Israel. The book focuses further on two family lines – the royal line and the priestly line. At the end of the book, the author centres attention on King David, the worship of God, and the preparations for building the temple.

Why is this? The answer is that the thrust of 1 Chronicles is theological rather than historical. The purpose is to bring us to the worship of God in his temple in Jerusalem. As one writer put it, in Kings we have royal history but in Chronicles we have temple history.

Why does the author do this? Remember that all of Old Testament worship points to Christ. It all points to the Son of David who would one day come to lay down his life for his people. The purpose of the writer of the two books of Chronicles is to prepare his readers for the coming Messiah.

It is significant that Chronicles is placed last in the Hebrew Bibles used by Jewish people. This positioning of Chronicles reminds me of the Gospel of John. John was the last Gospel to be written and it is different from the others, focusing on theology rather than history. John wrote not so much as to record an orderly history like Luke, but to explain who Christ is and why he came. John carefully chose all the incidents he recorded for this purpose.

Structure

The structure of 1 Chronicles is very simple. Chapters 1–9: The people of the Lord; chapters 10–12: The anointed of the Lord; chapters 13–16: The ark of the Lord; chapters 17–29: The temple of the Lord. The first section of nine chapters is almost completely made of genealogies (lists of names in a family tree).

The list begins with the first man – Adam – and ends with the first king of the Jews – Saul. In all there are 911 names! In this article I want to answer a question that may be puzzling you. Why do we find genealogies not just here in 1 Chronicles, but also all throughout the Bible? What possible reason can there be for God causing this to be in his Word? What can these genealogies teach us? There are three answers:

1. The Bible is history

The first and most obvious answer is that the genealogies emphasise that the Bible is not a book of myths, but history. Ask any writer of fiction what is one of the hardest jobs in their trade, and they will say that it is to think up names for all their characters. It is scarcely believable that the first thing the author of 1 Chronicles did was to sit down and make up the 911 names mentioned.

Most of the names are not repeated. The most common name listed, Azariah, is only used seven times. 1 Chronicles lists real people: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, down to King Saul and his successor, David. We do not rely on archaeological evidence to be certain that the Bible is not a book of myths but of real people. We can surely trust the words of Jesus.

A significant statement was made by Jesus that directly relates to our study of Chronicles. In Matthew 23:29-36, the Saviour says,

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Jesus is emphasising that the scribes and Pharisees are in a long line of people who have persecuted the righteous. In verse 35 Jesus mentions two men who died for being righteous. The first is Abel. He was of course one of the first two children ever born and the first to die for his faith. The second person is Zechariah. Who was he? He is the last recorded prophet to die for his faith in the Old Testament, and we find his story recorded only in 2 Chronicles 24.

In one statement, Jesus in effect verifies all of the Hebrew Scriptures as history, beginning with Genesis (Abel) and ending with 2 Chronicles. When you come to a list of names in the Bible, remember this: these lists are evidence to you that the Bible records real history.

2. The Bible is a history of individuals

These lists of names are names of individuals, and each person is known to God. The writer of Chronicles only knew in person a handful of the 911 listed. But God knew all about each one, and he inspired the author to record faithfully all 911 people.

The list of names emphasises that we are not just part of a general mass of humanity. Each of us is important to God. God is as concerned and involved in your life as he was in the life of Adam, Abraham, David, and all the others listed in 1 Chronicles. Each of us is known to God by name.

What David wrote in Psalm 139 about himself is true for all of us:

For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and skilfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them (vv. 13–16).

All our days are written in his book. Our history was written and known to the Lord before we were even born. This is a deep mystery. It does not mean that we are robots, not free to make choices and decisions. It does not mean that we are not fully responsible for our actions. But it does mean that God is sovereign over all and that he knows us all.

This should be a deep comfort to us. Nothing takes God by surprise. You may wake up one day and discover that you have a dangerous illness or that you have lost your job. You may receive an unexpected marriage proposal, or discover that you had a twin brother. But God knew what today would bring for you.

God knows us all, and so we can turn to him with confidence. We never have to explain all the circumstances to God because he already knows them. God will never reply, ‘Well, that’s an unexpected development, you will need to give me a few days to think about that one.’

When you come to a list of names in the Bible, remember this: God caused each one to be recorded and God knows all about them. Your name and your life is also recorded. God knows and cares about you.

3. The Bible is his story

The vast majority of names listed in 1 Chronicles (and in other genealogies in the Bible) focus on God’s people. 1 Chronicles begins with Adam, goes through Abraham, the twelve tribes of Israel and ends with the first king of Israel, Saul.

All through the Old Testament we find this selective focus. The censuses in Numbers are to count Israel, not Egypt. The lists of names in Nehemiah and Ezra are of Israelites who return from captivity, not of the other people from other nations who returned about the same time.

Why is this? It is for one very important reason which we can trace back to Genesis 3. Just after Adam and Eve sinned, God put a curse on the serpent that had deceived them. While doing so, God also made a wonderful promise to Adam and Eve that gives us the key reason for all these lists of names in the Bible.

God said, ‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel’ (Genesis 3:15). God is saying that a descendant of Adam and Eve will be born who will undo the damage that the serpent has wrought – one who will be born to destroy the effects of sin. This is the first prophecy of the Messiah, and it reveals that he will be a descendant of Adam and Eve.

Several thousand years after Adam, in around 2000 BC, God reveals to Abraham that the promised seed, the Messiah, will be one of his descendants. About one thousand years later, David is told that it will be one of his descendants. 300 years later (around 700 BC), the prophet Isaiah is told that this child will be born of a virgin, and the prophet Micah is told that he will be born in Bethlehem.

Then in around 5 BC, all the prophecies concerning the Messiah’s first coming are fulfilled. Jesus Christ is born in Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary, who is herself a direct descendant of Abraham and David. 33 years later, Jesus dies on a cross and then gloriously rises again, defeating sin, Satan, and death.

Notice how the apostle Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus – with a genealogy! He gives the genealogy of Jesus Christ. You may ponder why this might be important, but we find the answer in Romans 5. Here Paul draws a parallel and a contrast between Adam and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul states that just as through one man’s disobedience sin and death entered the world, so through one man’s obedience life and forgiveness enter the world.

Listen to Paul’s argument in verses 18–19: ‘Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.’

Adam is our federal and representative head. We and Adam are members of one another like the root and branches of a tree. His one action affected us all and ruined us, and what a ruin! When he sinned, we all sinned. But the representative principle which is the cause of our ruin is also the means of our salvation.

Jesus Christ is the last Adam. Through his obedience, perfect life, and sacrificial death, we can receive forgiveness and righteousness. Just as Adam’s sin was imputed to us, so Christ’s righteousness can be imputed to us. All this depends upon one very important fact, namely that both Adam and Jesus Christ were historical persons.

If Adam did not exist and the events of Genesis 3 are a fiction, then Paul’s argument falls to the ground and so does our salvation. In other words, to reject an historical Adam is to reject Christianity. If the first Adam did not exist then it is a waste of time to look to a second Adam to save us.

But the genealogies in 1 Chronicles and elsewhere confirm that Adam existed, that Abraham existed, that David existed, and that Jesus Christ descended from them as the one who can save us from our sins.

Friends, when you come in your daily Bible reading to such passages as the beginning of 1 Chronicles and those 911 names, do not sigh. Remember how it is all part of his story, the Son of God. It is all part of the story of the fall of the first Adam and the rise of the second Adam.

God keeps his promises. He promised that a descendant of Adam would crush Satan under his feet, conquering sin, death, and hell. Praise God that this is what happened! Through Adam, sin and death reigned, but through Christ, grace and life reigns!

As I close I want to give you one final reason to be thankful for these lists of names. If you are a Christian, then your name is recorded in a book as well; a list drawn up by God himself. In Revelation this book is called the book of life. Jesus said, ‘Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven’ (Luke 10:20).

Alan Hill is Pastor of Lausanne Free Church, Switzerland.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022

This year we celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Reigning for 70 years, she is Britain’s longest-serving monarch. Born on 21 April 1926 in London, Elizabeth was the first child of the late Duke and Duchess of York. Since she was third in line to the throne, it was not expected that her father (George VI) would become King or that she would become Queen.

Family

Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, in Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947. She had to collect clothing coupons for her wedding dress, as the nation was still on rationing after the war!

They had four children, eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren, and were together for 73 years, until his death last year. During her reign, there have been 15 prime ministers from Sir Winston Churchill to Boris Johnson, and nearly 200 prime ministers in the wider Commonwealth!

Elizabeth took up the position of Queen of the United Kingdom on the 6 February 1952, at the age of just 25, following the death of her father, King George VI.

Coronation

Elizabeth was crowned Queen in Westminster Abbey the following year on 2 June 1953. She was presented with a Bible, and was told, as in all previous coronations since 1689, ‘We present you with this book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is wisdom; this is the royal law; these are the lively oracles of God.’ She continues the royal line of United Kingdom monarchs which began in 1603 with King James I.

In her 70-year reign the world has changed. Television, the internet, and social media have become the dominant mediums; man has travelled into space and walked on the moon; the Berlin Wall was built and broken down; international travel has become available to us all; terrorism has come to be widely prevalent.

Today, she has over 600 patronages of organisations and charities. She is Head of State, the Fount of Justice, Head of the Armed Forces, the Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. She loves animals, especially horses and dogs, and is the patron of multiple animal charities, including the Dogs Trust and the RSPCA.

In her role, she gives honours to those her government deems fit. She also sends congratulatory messages to those celebrating their 100th and 105th birthdays and those celebrating their 60th, 65th, and 70th wedding anniversaries. Do you know anyone who has received one?

She is greatly esteemed for her diligent work, her commitment and loyalty to her high role, and her part in the life of the nation.

In the summer, the Queen traditionally hosts three Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace, and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland.

These wonderful events provide a way of recognising and rewarding public service for people from all walks of life. Perhaps you even know of someone who has had the honour of attending one.

Christmas speech

The Queen’s Christmas Day speeches are, for many families, a non-negotiable part of the day. During her message to the Commonwealth in 2011, the Queen said: ‘Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.

‘Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love.’

The Queen’s King

There is a monarch before whom even Her Majesty the Queen will one day bow. In the very book with which the Queen was presented on her coronation we read that Jesus the Lord will reign for ever and ever.

Jesus is the King of kings, the ultimate Sovereign of the world. He rules over all of creation. He is high and exalted, surrounded by worshipping angels. To him is due the worship of the nations.

We read in the Bible that Jesus, ‘being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!

‘Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father’ (Philippians 2:6-11).

I have never met the Queen, and never had an invitation to do so! But I have met King Jesus. He loved me (and you) so much that he left the splendour of heaven to be born and laid in a manger in Bethlehem.

Having led an absolutely regal life, committing no sin, and revealing no selfishness, he went to die on a cross. There, he took on himself all the sin and rebellion of his subjects. He died in our place. He took the hell which would be ours. It was the ultimate act of sacrifice, which he made because he loves us so much. He died that we might come to know God in a personal way.

As King, even over death, Jesus rose again, defeating the grave. Today, Jesus is exalted. One day he will return as Lord, Judge, and King. As he said, ‘I am [the Christ], and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven’ (Mark 14:62).

As we remember the 70 years of service that the Queen has offered to the people of her commonwealth, we also remember that today the King of all kings – and queens – invites YOU to receive him as Lord and Saviour, and then live with him, promising to never leave or forsake you in life, through death, and into eternity.

This article is available as a tract from 10Publishing.

Roger Carswell was raised in Yorkshire and has worked as an itinerant evangelist for over forty years.

The futile ways of your forefathers

What did the apostle Peter think of non-Christian ‘culture’? He wasn’t very complimentary. He didn’t celebrate it or appreciate it. He doesn’t seek to preserve it. He describes it as ‘the futile ways inherited from your forefathers’ (1 Peter 1:18).

What Christian converts inherited from their family wasn’t valuable. He doesn’t want them to continue to pass it on to their children and grandchildren. It’s not a history to re-tell, but to forget. It’s not just a mix, with good bits and bad bits.

Nor is their culture neutral. He sums up their entire heritage in one shocking word: ‘futile’. That word means idle, empty, a waste of time. Some of their families might have been top brass in the Roman army! Some of those converts might have had a top education! Some of their families might have been in the civil service! But they are ‘futile ways’.

It’s not that Peter was a Philistine. I don’t think he means we shouldn’t cheer for our country’s football team or savour our homeland’s dishes or enjoy traditional dress. Feeling a sense of attachment to a place or loyalty to ancestry is part of the fifth commandment to honour one’s parents.

But Peter has tasted eternity. The inheritance Christ handed to him (1 Peter 1:4) turned all earthly inheritance to perishable rubbish. The gospel radically revises our attitude to the customs and culture we’ve inherited from our unbelieving families. Fundamentally, Christ’s verdict on those ‘ways’ is: ‘futile’. Instead, when we become Christians, we join a new group with a different ancestry and different habits and customs. It’s called the church.

This group’s inheritance isn’t ‘perishable’ but ‘imperishable’ (1 Peter 1:4). We are a ‘chosen race… a holy nation, a people for his own possession’ (1 Peter 2:9). This nation isn’t just local or in one particular place, but spread through the earth and through time. To become a Christian from outside the church is a massive act of ‘cultural appropriation’, and that’s good!

If you’re a Christian, the cultural history to celebrate isn’t your English-ness, or your European-ness, or your Western-ness. It’s not your Asian-ness, or your African-ness. There’s plenty of futility in those ways. Christ has ransomed us from them. Now our cultural loyalty is tied to the ‘holy nation’ of the people of God, heading for our homeland in eternity (1 Peter 1:4).

Simon Arscott has been sent by the International Presbyterian Church to lead All Nations Church, Ilford.

ET cover price to increase by 20p from July

From the next edition (July), the cover price of Evangelical Times is set to increase by 20p, from £1.30 to £1.50. This is the first cover price increase in eight years and reflects rising costs in print and distribution.

An individual annual subscription will increase from £19.95 to £22.95. A bulk subscription of three or more copies sent to one address (popular with many churches) will increase from £15.60 to £18.00.

The annual online subscription, giving full access to the ET website and digital content, remains the same at £10 per year. A combined digital and print subscription is available – check the ET website for details.

We hope you recognise the investments we have made in the quality of our output, and – more importantly – our commitment to orthodox biblical Christianity.

This is an increasingly challenging time for newspapers and magazines. But now, more than ever, we need a clear voice for evangelical Christians who are coming under more pressure from our culture.

We value the loyalty of our existing readership, and we are encouraged to see signs that we are reaching a new generation of readers. But in the final analysis, we look to the Lord for his blessing and his sustaining hand.

‘He is before all things, and in him all things consist’ (Colossians 1:17).

Mike Judge, Editor

COMMENT: Overturning Roe v. Wade shows us we should never give up

At the time of this edition of ET going to print, the US Supreme Court has yet to officially announce its ruling in the Mississippi case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that effectively legalised abortion throughout the US. A reversal of Roe wouldn’t ban abortion in America, but it would allow each individual state to have their own laws on the matter.

All this assumes that the pro-abortion activists haven’t managed to change the Supreme Court’s mind using violence and intimidation. They call themselves the ‘pro-choice’ movement, but not when it comes to individual states or individual judges choosing to protect the innocent lives of unborn children. Freedom of choice goes right out the window at that point.

If the Court does overturn Roe, it will be a significant moment in US history – and it is bound to spark a wider debate across the world. And it will be a moment to celebrate for generations of US evangelicals who have never given up the fight to protect life in the womb. It shows us – here on this side of the Atlantic – that we should not grow weary of declaring the Bible’s truth.

The Bible says that Elizabeth was six months pregnant when Mary was told that she would conceive Jesus. When Mary visited Elizabeth, Mary was in her first trimester. Elizabeth’s baby leaped for joy in her womb, because he was in the presence of the living Christ. The book of Hebrews tells us that he was made like us in every way. Christ was incarnated at the moment of his conception in Mary’s womb, not when he was laid in a manger in Bethlehem. Every human life begins at conception.

Whatever decision is made by the US Supreme Court, it will not be the end of the political debate, not by a long chalk. But it does show what can be achieved if we are willing to stand firm, and speak with boldness and compassion. The abortion debate is not an isolated one. It is tied to feminism, which is tied sexual liberation, which is tied to the gay rights movement, which is tied to the trans movement, and on and on in a tangled web of liberal morality. But we must never give up standing for God’s truth.

GUEST COLUMN: The evangelical idol of niceness

Sometimes an idol only becomes apparent when it is threatened. Evangelicals have long sought to be described as ‘nice’. But what happens when the world’s definition of nice or loving is the opposite of the Bible’s? Should we abandon our aim or continue to pursue niceness, adopting the new rules of the game?

Gospel concerns have driven the quest for niceness. Evangelicals know that the Bible’s message has long been seen as outdated and irrelevant. They have sought to be as normal, friendly, and likeable as possible to gain a hearing.

Niceness is advanced on church websites. Church leader bios highlight interests in football or film; cookery or camping. Photos of smiling, clean-cut families reinforce the message: nice people here with normal interests.

Nice people are requested in prayer meetings. Ageing churches eagerly desire a nice young couple. Judging from evangelical-approved traits, this means a man’s man (with appropriate 21st century cultural sensitivities); his wife should win friends easily, whether in the workplace or at the school gate. Both should be without any significant pastoral needs and able to attract others to the church!

The pervading assumption is that there is a reasonably level playing field, that nice Christians will be liked by the world. But that assumption is being challenged. We no longer live in a culture of moral relativity where the Bible’s truth claims are one of many. Rather we face a culture of moral absolutes where Christians are seen as bad people for believing the Bible’s teachings.

However winsome your attitude, you’ve still got to decide which pronouns to use and whether to don the latest rainbow-emblazoned badge at work. Slogans like ‘silence is violence’ arise in a culture that expects conformity and demands affirmation of its virtues.

The pressure on the young is acute. Some of today’s most rigid conformists are teenagers seeking safe passage through British secondary schools. Social media means vicious bullying can occur 24/7.

The stated aim for some Christian parents is that their children ‘fit in’: accepted by their peers as nice people or, at the very least, not bullied by them. But nice behaviour no longer cuts it if your beliefs make you a ‘hater’ – even when you are not verbalising them.

Clearly, believers must not court unpopularity. You may have heard a prayer request from someone being ‘persecuted’ at work and shared the thought of the room: you’ve not got difficulties because of your faith – it’s because you’re an awkward customer!

But, angular characters aside, are evangelicals surprised to read 1 John 4:13 ‘Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you’?

Evangelicals are increasingly polarised over the best response to the world’s hatred.

Some evangelicals attempt to be seen as nice people by loudly affirming as many of our culture’s values as they can. These believers seek to be as woke as biblically possible, especially regarding race and women’s issues. The inevitable problem is that if you cuddle up to a culture drifting away from God, you are liable to drift with it.

Other evangelicals eschew likeability and instead embrace our culture’s strident condemnations of those who disagree. The inevitable problem is that if you embrace the rhetoric of the reactionary right you are liable to drift away from the gospel to political solutions.

Many evangelicals uneasily embrace one group simply because they don’t want to be linked to the other. There is another way. Are we too obsessed with the culture of this passing world? Would we not be better served as citizens of heaven in building attractive fellowships with a different culture?

In God’s providence, is the current cultural climate liberating evangelicals from the tyranny of man-pleasing? Instead, we can make it our aim to please Christ (2 Corinthians 5:9). We can emulate our Saviour in seeking to hear from the Father that he is ‘well-pleased’ with us.

Paul Smith, full-time elder at Grace Baptist Church, Broadstairs, Kent.

A SHRINK THINKS... It is good to talk, even about suicide

Suicide is a difficult topic, isn’t it? It is difficult in two senses. It is tricky because of the emotional and sensitive nature of the subject, making people want to shy away from discussing it. Yet it is well established that talking about and discussing suicide, even with those who are mentally ill, does not increase the risk of people taking their lives. It is in fact helpful for understanding and supporting such individuals. It is good to talk, even about suicide with someone contemplating it.

Suicide is also difficult to discuss because of the lack of explicit biblical teaching on the subject. It is true we have several suicides recorded in the Bible, such as King Saul and his armour bearer, Ahithophel (David’s counsellor), King Zimri, and Judas Iscariot. But in no case has the Spirit given us a clear evaluation of their actions. Certainly, Judas had sinned greatly in betraying our Lord, but the Gospel emphasis is on these wicked actions and not on the suicide per se.

Similarly, Ahithophel had betrayed his former master David by going over to Absalom. This absence of explicit teaching should caution us against the kind of vehement condemnation of suicide which has been too prevalent in the past. Suicide has long been cloaked in shame, a shame made tangible by the refusal of state churches to allow suicides to be buried on ‘holy ground’. The families of people who have committed suicide have been tainted by association and forced to whisper and grieve in private. How awful!

Victim and perpetrator

When someone is murdered there is understandable and appropriate sympathy for the victim’s family. Suicide has sometimes been termed ‘self-murder’. While I think this is a harsh phrase to use, it does provide an illuminating comparison. In both cases someone has been put to death. But in the case of suicide, the killer is also the victim.

And if this is so, then surely the family of the suicide should be extended the same sympathy we extend to families of murder victims? They have suffered greatly already and so we should show compassion and seek to relieve their suffering rather than increase it.

Also, I think ‘victim’ is a fair term to use because suicide is carried out by people who are in great distress. Only a minority who kill themselves show evidence of mental illness. Most are unknown to psychiatric services. But the evidence suggests they all killed themselves when distressed. They were not acting when of sound mind.

We see this in the cases of Judas and Ahithophel, don’t we? They killed themselves when in despair. Now we might find it difficult to feel much sympathy for these men. After all, it was their own actions which led to their despair, and so why should we feel sorry for them? We would do well to reflect on God’s compassion. He has compassion even on the wicked.

Consider Nineveh in the book of Jonah. The Ninevites were a barbaric people who were greatly sinning (1:2). Jonah knew that such is God’s compassion he would want to show mercy, so he ran away. This action is condemned. God was compassionate to Nineveh. Showing compassion even to the wicked is divine.

But for many (perhaps most) people who commit suicide, their distress is not their own fault. Many have illnesses, usually physical and in a few mental, for which they bear no responsibility. Others suffer and are distressed because of the wicked behaviour of people around them: a faithless husband who humiliates his wife with his ‘affairs’; the unemployed man rejected again and cast out of work; the bankrupt, a victim of other people’s greed.

Our assumption should be that the suicide was genuine victim and, even if there is evidence to the contrary, we should still show compassion. The suicide is clearly beyond our help. But we can and should show kindness to the family left behind.

Can a Christian commit suicide?

Last month we read the testimony of a Christian struggling with suicidal ideas. People with such mental illnesses are distressed by terrifying experiences. Suicide can appear a reasonable choice, the best way out for themselves and for everyone they love. It can seem a good choice. People contemplating suicide should not be assumed to be selfish. The opposite is typical, as we saw with last month’s example. The despair leads to a kind of passive drifting into suicide in which the mental barriers to protect us, which we take for granted, have been removed.

Some have claimed, bizarrely and unhelpfully, that suicide is the ‘unforgiveable sin’. Well, however you understand this sin in the Gospels, it was not suicide about which Jesus spoke. It is better I think to take the view that there is no sin which a Christian is incapable of, including suicide (for yes, ultimately it is breaking the sixth commandment).

I have known and heard credible accounts of godly Christians struggling with thoughts about suicide. In the depths of despair with depression, suicide seems to their distorted thinking the only way out. If you want to try to understand how awful depression can be, then pause and think on that. Imagine a godly man who is in such emotional pain and anguish that suicide seems the best thing to do. Such people need support and sympathy to comfort them in the darkness of their suffering.

So, if you are seeking to help someone with depression (or any other severe mental illness in which someone is distressed), then ask about suicidal thinking. By asking you show you understand something of the severity of their mental pain. Just to be asked can be a relief. There is no magic form of words to use. Giving the opportunity to air thoughts of which they feel ashamed greatly helps. While we cannot help those who have committed suicide, we can help those who are struggling with thoughts of suicide.

Alan Thomas, Professor and Consultant in Psychiatry. Elder at Newcastle Reformed Evangelical Church.

THINKING IT THROUGH: All things to all men – using and abusing Paul’s rule

What is the most misused text in the New Testament? There are quite a few candidates. But high on the list must be 1 Corinthians 9:22. Paul writes there, ‘I have become all things to all people, that by all means, I may save some.’ How many times have I heard that text quoted in recent years by preachers, missiologists, church-growth experts, worship leaders! It’s brought out with a flourish to settle debates on all sorts of questions. But often, as I listen, I’m left wondering what Paul would make of the ways his words are used.

Let me list out three ways in which this verse is regularly used. First, on the basis of this verse we’re often told that we must be willing to adapt the message that we preach to fit with the people we’re preaching to. We’re told that we must present a message that will resonate with the society around us.

Let me give you a typical example. I’ve taken this from a web page written by an esteemed brother. He writes, ‘It was Paul’s proud boast: I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some... If we follow Paul’s example we shall be accommodating to different age groups, cultures and life styles. For instance I read that the Japanese find it difficult to relate to the fatherhood of God because fathers are rather remote figures in many Japanese families. It is very much the mother who takes responsibility for children. So it might be better to talk about the motherhood of God to Japanese...’ You see? In order to be ‘all things to all men’ we must be prepared to adapt our message.

Second, we’re told that we must adapt our evangelistic methods in order to reach folk from a particular culture. Here’s Mark Driscoll’s take on this verse: ‘If he was alive today, Paul would say to the indie rockers, “I did indie rock!” To the hip-hoppers, “I did hip-hop!” To the tech guys, “I had a blog!” “For the families, I talked about marriage, and kids, and parenting. For the business guys, I did financial seminars and connected it back to God... I tried to figure out how to articulate Jesus in as many ways as I possibly could, to as many people as I possibly can, to win as many people as are possible.”’ I’ve heard many others make the same claim. If we’re to be ‘all things to all men’ we must adapt our evangelistic methods.

Third, many Christian leaders are keen to add that we must also apply this principle to the structures and the worship of our churches. This is Derek Tidball: ‘Paul’s principle... is as much a statement about Paul’s pastoral practice as his evangelistic technique… Instead of becoming all things to all men we expect all men to become one thing, that is, just like us. Our converts have to fit into our mould – to learn our language, adopt our culture…it is precisely here that Paul’s statement needs to be heard afresh... Do they have to dress in a certain way? Does it mean worship at 11.00 and 6.30? Do they have to have a leather-bound Bible? Have they got to learn to like certain types of church music and choirs which seem very foreign to them? Can they worship without flowers at the front of the church...it is a pastoral necessity that we learn again to become “all things to all men”.’

You see, he’s arguing that this verse applies as much to our church practice as it does to our evangelism. When a church is considering matters of organisation and worship, it should not ask, ‘What are we comfortable with?’ or ‘What is the church’s tradition?’ Rather it should ask, ‘What will outsiders be comfortable with; what will match their culture?’

Notice, I’m not commenting on any of the specific things that these different writers are suggesting may be necessary. I’ve not said whether I think we should present God as Mother when we’re talking to Japanese folk. I’ve not said whether I think we should use hip hop or drama as evangelistic methods. I’ve not said whether churches should jettison their floral displays. I’m not saying whether I agree with these writers about any of the changes they want to see.

But there’s one thing on which I have to disagree with them all. I disagree with their use of 1 Corinthians 9:22. Because when I read that verse in its context, the one thing that’s blatantly obvious is that it’s not about adapting the message we preach; nor is it about changing our evangelistic methods; nor is it about a church reforming its practices. When you look at the context of this verse, Paul is talking about one thing alone – his personal lifestyle.

When people try to use this verse to discuss the content of our preaching, or the evangelistic methods we use, or the way that church life should be structured, they are misusing the passage.

I’d suggest that you get out your Bible now and work out Paul’s declaration in its context. Start with chapter 8. What is it all about? It’s about believers living in a pagan society. Paul had two questions especially in mind. Could they eat meat that had been offered to idols? Could they join in the feasts that were held in pagan temples?

Questions of lifestyle

These were questions of personal lifestyle. Paul was not discussing what message Christians should preach to the unconverted, or what evangelistic methods should be used, or what were appropriate practices for the church to adapt.

Nobody was suggesting that the church should adapt its evangelistic message to the culture of Corinth, say, by picturing Christ as if he were a Greek god. No one was proposing that eating meat offered to idols could somehow be adopted as an evangelistic method. Nor were they arguing that the meetings of the church should include holding feasts in honour of idols.

The issues Paul was dealing with were lifestyle issues: questions of what you can and can’t do as an individual Christian living your life from day to day.

The Corinthian Christians – or some of them – were saying, ‘We, as individual believers, are free to buy food that’s being sold in the market after being offered to idols’. Some even said, ‘We’re free, as individual believers, to go into the pagan temples and join in the feasts there. We have the right to do these things.’ But were they right? That’s the question that Paul is answering in chapters 8 and 9.

Paul concedes that there is some truth in their arguments. An idol is just a block of wood that can’t harm anyone (vv. 4–6). Meat offered to idols is still just meat – wholesome food. If you buy a joint of meat in the market from a sacrificed animal, and eat it, it isn’t going to bring a curse on you (v. 8). To that extent, these Corinthian believers were right. Eating meat that had been previously offered to idols is in itself a legitimate thing to do.

But it is right for the Corinthians to do it? That’s another question. And Paul’s answer is plain. Not if it’s going to harm others. Not if it’s going to be a stumbling block to other Christians. Not if it’s going to send out a false signal to unbelievers. You may have the right to do it, but that doesn’t make it right to do. In such matters of personal lifestyle, Christians have to be prepared to forego their rights for the sake of others (vv. 9–13).

Paul: an example of sacrificial living

And then in chapter 9, Paul reminds the Corinthians that that’s how he lives all the time. There were all sorts of things that he had a perfect right to do but which he was willing to forego. Why? For the sake of others – whether fellow-believers (8:13) or unbelievers whom he was trying to reach with the gospel (9:22).

Paul had the right to eat and drink (9:4, 12–14). In other words, he had the right to expect the churches to provide him with his livelihood. But instead he chose to do a manual job and support himself. He had the right to get married and take his wife with him wherever he went. But he didn’t claim that right (9:5). Why not? Because (v. 12) we are willing to ‘endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ’.

For the sake of the people he was trying to reach with the gospel, Paul was prepared to forego his rights when it came to matters of personal lifestyle. That’s what he means when he says in verse 19, ‘Though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.’ He was free from all – no one had the right either to force him to work at his own expense or to forbid him to do so. No one could tell him that he must get married or that he mustn’t. No one, Christian or non-Christian, could dictate to him in matters of personal lifestyle. And yet, he had acted as a servant, a slave, to all. Instead of saying, ‘I’m free to do what will suit me best,’ he asked at every point, ‘How can I serve other people – and especially the people I’m trying to reach with the gospel?’

So, he says, ‘To the Jews, I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews’ (v. 20). In what sense did he become a Jew? Is he saying that he adapted the message he preached so that it would not offend Jews? No, that’s simply not what he’s talking about here. Nor is he talking about evangelistic methods. Nor about the structures and activities of the churches he plants. He’s talking about his personal lifestyle.

When Paul entered a Jewish home, he was prepared to go through the traditional ritual washings. As a Christian, he was free to abandon them, but he didn’t. If he invited a Jew to eat with him, he served food that conformed to Jewish cultural norms. If he went into a synagogue, he dressed in a way that would seem appropriate to the people there.

He continues, ‘To those under the law, I became as one under the law...’ By the law, he means the commandments that were laid down by Moses as rules for Jewish people to keep, and then the Jewish traditions that had grown up around the commandments. Paul says, ‘I’m not myself “under the law”.’

Paul was not bound to keep all the rules about clean and unclean food, about clothes of mixed fibres, about ritual washings, about keeping Jewish festival days. But he chose to keep them when he was mixing with ‘those under the law’, if he thought that breaching the rules would make it harder to reach those people with the gospel.

And likewise, says Paul, ‘To those outside the law – to Gentiles – I became as one outside the law’ (v. 21). If Paul went into a Gentile home, his hosts might serve all sorts of food that the law prohibited for Jewish folk – food that Paul had been conditioned by his upbringing to think of as disgusting: prawns, pork, sweetbreads. He was free to refuse it. No one could tell him he had to eat such food. But in a Gentile home, trying to reach Gentiles with the gospel, he would forego his personal preferences and adapt to Gentile lifestyle.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he could adopt any Jewish custom, or any Gentile practice. Yes, he was prepared to sacrifice all his personal preferences. But he draws a line. He emphasises that he is not ‘outside the law of God’ (v. 21). Paul would fall in line with all sorts of cultural norms, but he would not deviate from the unchanging law of God.

Would he have accepted an invitation from a Gentile to watch gladiators hacking one another to death in the arena? No, because the sixth commandment is not a matter of culture: it is part of God’s unchanging law. Would he have abandoned sabbath-keeping when living in a Gentile city? No, because it was laid down at creation that a man must set aside one day in seven as holy. If he had been living in a polygamous community, would he have felt free to choose polygamy? No, the commandment stood: ‘A man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh’ (Genesis 3:20).

Paul never considered himself free to break God’s law in the name of cultural adaptation. But beyond that, he considered himself to be under Christ’s law (v. 21). Whatever lifestyle choices he had to make, he remembered that he had to love his neighbour – and even his enemies – as himself. That was Christ’s law. When it came to personal lifestyle, he would do what was best for others, within the constraints of God’s unchanging law. He would even become ‘weak’ to the weak (v. 22) that he might win them. He’s referring to people with all sorts of unnecessary and perhaps neurotic scruples about all sorts of things. He would live as if he shared those scruples if that’s what it took to win them.

So Paul brings out the overriding rule that governed his lifestyle choices: ‘I have become all things to all people, that by all means, I might save some.’ That was Paul’s rule. And he wanted it to be the rule freely chosen by the Corinthian believers too.

A rule for every believer

Their situation was, of course, slightly different from Paul’s. Most of them weren’t missionaries like Paul travelling from one city to another, trying to reach all sorts of different communities. When Paul sacrificed his freedom for the sake of others, he was thinking more often than not of unbelievers. ‘I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel.’

But when he told the Corinthians that they must sacrifice their freedom for the sake of others, the others they must consider especially were their fellow-Christians – their fellow church members. He tells them (8:12) that if they make selfish lifestyle choices they’ll be sinning against their brothers, and wounding their conscience. He declares (8:13) that ‘if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.’ Paul was willing to forego his rights in order to win outsiders; surely the Corinthians could at least forego their rights in order to protect their brothers in Christ.

What about ourselves? Well, most of the time we’ve got to keep both those objectives in view. In all our lifestyle choices, we have to ask (1) what impact will this have on our fellow church members? (2) what impact will this have on the unbelievers we’re in contact with? Perhaps I should give some examples of the sort of lifestyle choices we have to think about.

Think first about the sorts of situations where our choices will affect our brothers or sisters in the church. They come in many forms. There are situations where the danger is that one Christian by his behaviour pressures another Christian into doing things that are against that Christian’s conscience. That was particularly what troubled Paul about the Corinthians eating meat offered to idols.

And you can surely think of issues today where there’s that danger. Maybe serving alcohol at a meal without checking first whether there are any believers among your guests for whom abstinence is a matter of conscience. Maybe inviting friends round and then suggesting that you watch a movie together, though some of them may have conscientious problems with any form of drama.

Then there are situations where the danger is that your lifestyle tempts other Christians to unhelpful reactions and feelings. Take money. Some wealthy Christians may have such a luxurious lifestyle that it invites less wealthy Christians – maybe in the same church – to feel envy and resentment. And equally some poorer Christians may talk so much about how hard up they are that it creates embarrassment for those who are better off. It may spoil their legitimate enjoyment of what the Lord has given to them. Both are failures to put Paul’s rule into practice.

Again, there are those situations where your lifestyle choices drive a wedge between you and other Christians in a church and spoil the unity of the church. I might apply that especially to the realm of legitimate hobbies and enthusiasms which are shared by a group of folk in the church but which exclude others. I listened recently to an older friend telling me of the real distress it causes when he discovers that others know more about his family than he does – because they’ve picked up things from Facebook. Isn’t that tragic? A group of friends in a church may embrace the social media culture so enthusiastically that others who will never master that culture feel isolated and excluded. Some Christians need to say, ‘For the non-Facebook users, I became a non-Facebook user.’

And then there are the situations that arise from the different backgrounds that church members come from. Real churches will bring together people from different national and social backgrounds. And those people have different sensitivities and different expectations. We know that such issues caused tension among believers many New Testament churches. Some of the things that some of the Jewish believers did – some of their habits and traditions – could make Gentile people feel excluded. And some of the things that the Gentiles believers did could make Jewish people feel uncomfortable. Believers from the two groups would have found it very difficult to sit down and enjoy a meal together. To follow Paul’s counsel, they had to be prepared to abandon their cultural preferences so that they could genuinely relate to one another as a single family in the Lord.

For every believer there are all sorts of lifestyle issues where we need to think about the way our choices will affect our brothers or sisters in the church.

Relating to unbelievers

But then our choices also affect our relationships with outsiders, unbelievers. And obviously many of the same considerations apply. I’ve said we must sacrifice legitimate things if by doing them we’re pressurising fellow-Christians to do things against their conscience. But equally we must sacrifice legitimate things if by doing them we might seem to be condoning the sinful lifestyles of our non-Christian friends.

So, for example, a particular hobby could be fine for you because you’re not tempted to make it all-important. But it could be that your non-Christian friend cannot enjoy the same hobby without turning it into an idol. You have to ask yourself, am I encouraging my friend in his idol-worship?

Could my choices provoke sinful reactions and feelings among non-Christian folk? Could they drive unnecessary wedges between me and my non-Christian associates? Could they offend the cultural sensitivities of the non-Christians around me?

Paul tells us that if we’re serious about reaching others with the gospel (‘that I may save some’) we’ll be asking not ‘What’s best for me? What do I enjoy most?’ but ‘What will make it easiest for these folk to listen to the gospel and embrace it?’ And that often involves adopting other people’s cultural norms – providing that the norm you’re adopting is in itself good and wholesome. At the very least it will involve showing that you understand and respect their culture.

Let me give just one example. Do you live in a neighbourhood where there are a lot of conservative Muslims? Do you want them to take the gospel seriously? Well then, it would probably be wise for the women of the household to dress very modestly when they’re out and about. That may mean that they need to cover up more than Western Christians would usually consider necessary. Do we want to confirm the impression that Christianity takes female modesty and purity less seriously than Islam?

In the end, taking Paul’s words seriously is going to affect every part of our life, and every lifestyle choice we make. Where we live, what sort of house we live in, how it’s decorated, what we spend our money on, how we dress, what clubs we join, what hobbies we pursue. If you’re a man, it may determine whether you shave or grow a beard. I used to wear a beard until I realised that it made it difficult for hard of hearing people to catch what I was saying. They couldn’t lip-read me. I rather liked my beard. And a Christian is certainly free to grow a beard. But for me, becoming all things for all people meant getting out the scissors.

Paul calls himself an apostle in 1 Corinthians 9:1. But in 9:9 he calls himself a slave. He’s Christ’s slave. As Christ’s slave, he’s willing to serve everyone whom Christ brings across his path. And he’s asking us whether we’re prepared to do the same. Being all things to all men isn’t about getting rid of our Victorian hymns. It isn’t about organising Christian rock concerts to reach the unconverted. It’s about becoming a slave, living for Christ and living our daily lives for the good of the people among whom he’s placed us. Are we ready to do that?

I’ll be writing more next month, God willing, on the subject of believers, churches, and how we respond to the society around us.

All Bible quotations in this article are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, published by HarperCollins Publishers © 2001.

The content of this article has been adapted from talks first given at the God’s Glory Our Joy conference. Recordings of the original talks may be found at https://ggoj.org.uk/2012/2012-sermons

Stephen Rees is pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Stockport

A WALK WITH MR O: Advice about giving advice

Mr O, I need some advice about how to give advice!

What has brought this on?

It’s like this: a friend recently came to see me about a very serious problem. I think I was able to help him, but it made me realise that I’ve never really thought about how to deal with people who ask for counsel.

You need to know that I have had no formal training in this area. But over the last sixty years I have spent a lot of time listening to people’s problems, and I’ve now got to the stage where this is my principal occupation.

So what is your approach?

As far as possible, I let people choose the time when they will talk to me. Different people are comfortable at different times of the day. Lots of people open up best at the end of the evening. Are you prepared for some late nights – some very late nights?

There you go again, Mr O, asking me questions that I’ve never thought about!

As far as possible, I also let people choose where they will meet me. Some folk talk best at home, others away from home. I sit nearest the door, to be able to escape any threat of violence. Except for elderly ladies, I only meet women in places where other people are hovering about. And I never meet children without the permission of a parent or guardian, and then only in a room where the door is ajar.

I can see the need for all those precautions. But how do you begin?

I begin with a ‘preamble’. I explain to the person that they must only tell me things that they are comfortable telling me; that I will not breathe a word about what they say; and that this promise of maintaining confidence does not apply if they have been breaking the law.

And then what do you do?

I let them talk and talk and talk – occasionally interrupting them to pass them a tissue or to offer them a cup of tea – but never interrupting their story. I don’t take notes, because this distracts them. All the time I’m listening to them, I pray. I’m not a wise man. In almost all cases I haven’t a clue about what they need to hear. But James 1:5 is still in the Bible and I believe it to be true. So they talk, and I pray.

So when they’ve got it all off their chest, what do you do next?

I ask them to tell me their story again. Sincere people need to know that they have been properly heard. Liars and time-wasters need to be given enough rope to hang themselves. And I need to be sure that I have really got hold of the issues.

This is all very time-consuming, isn’t it?

Yes, but the second time round, people tend to be briefer. They also tend to focus more on the main points. And as I continue to pray, everything becomes clearer. The second round usually finishes in an atmosphere of trust – unless, of course, the person is a liar or a time-waster. If this becomes apparent I dismiss the person and tell them that I won’t be meeting them again.

I assume that you now move on to give your advice to the sincere person who remains.

Not yet! I encourage people to go over their story yet again, but this time I ask them questions as they do so. I ask them what and where and when and how, but never why. This is because I want facts, not opinions. Why is never a helpful question to ask someone in trouble. Once people have told their story three times, I find that they are always ready to listen to what I have to say. As trust has been growing throughout the session, I can be as blunt as I like. And because the Lord is faithful to his promise in James 1:5, I always have something to say. I also know whether further counselling is necessary. It is in a spirit of amazed gratitude that I am able to close the session in prayer.

Stuart Olyott, is an actively retired minister and conference speaker. He preaches most Sunday mornings at Caergwrle Evangelical Church.

CRUNCH POINTS: Should I take my child to Sunday sports clubs?

We all value biblical advice from our elders, the first ones to whom we turn for counsel. Jeremy Walker outlines the kind of answer he might give to a question received at the chapel door.

Most sports clubs and even some school sport is now on Sunday. Is it not good to take my children along, as long as it doesn’t clash with church too much? I don’t want them to be negative about church and surely they need to use the sporting gifts God has given.

I really feel for you on this one! I well remember the day I found out the county trials for rugby were on the Lord’s day, and I knew what that meant for my progression in the sport. Many others have felt this pressure. It’s not easy, but consider what is at stake. These kinds of decisions establish priorities and set precedents, sometimes for a lifetime, especially in a society where sports and sporting excellence have become something of an idol.

Think about how you are thinking. Listen to what you are saying. You don’t want something to clash with church ‘too much’. How much is too much? What is more important than the honour and glory of God? Giving the impression that sports are more important than being in God’s presence under God’s Word communicates to your children very thoroughly and precisely a significant negativity about church! It demotes God and his worship to something alongside or even beneath football, rugby, tennis or whatever it may be. After all, what would it profit them if they gained a few trophies and lost their own soul (Matthew 16:26)?

Remember, Sunday isn’t about the Lord’s hour. It is the Lord’s day, and the whole of it is his gift to us. It’s not meant to be a burden, but a blessing: man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man (Mark 2:27). So perhaps you want to think about how you as a family invest and delight in the Lord’s day. Are you making the most of it, as a family, and among God’s people, for his glory and your good? What example are you setting of eagerness to be in communion with God and his people?

You see, a high view of the whole Lord’s day, with a scriptural sense of the privilege of gathered worship, turns the question right around. ‘Can’t I afford to miss it?’ becomes, ‘How can I afford to miss it!’ ‘Why do I have to be there?’ becomes, ‘Where else would I rather be?’ ‘When will it all be over?’ becomes, ‘How long can we make it last?’ Here’s that question of priorities and precedents: this is a chance to show your children that God comes first.

So by all means find other avenues to help them to glorify God in their bodies. By all means encourage them to pursue sporting excellence in other spheres; show you are committed with your time and energy on the other six days of the week. Maybe it would be a good opportunity to introduce your children to the story of Eric Liddell or others who have sacrificed not just sporting opportunity, but many other seeming blessings, in order to honour God.

And it may be that this is one of those small sacrifices (and it is small, especially when you consider how few kids actually achieve elite status) upon which God will smile. This is a life lesson about who and what matters most. Remember, ‘Those who honour me I will honour, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed’ (1 Samuel 2:30).

If you would like an answer to a crunch question, please email crunchpoints@evangelical-times.org. We cannot guarantee an answer to every question.

Jeremy Walker, pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church in Crawley.

NEWS

News in brief

‘Inky finger reformers’

Edinburgh Theological Seminary’s annual lecture in church history was recently given by Dr Zachary Purvis. Entitled ‘Reformers with inky fingers’, the lecture emphasised the role of letters, pamphlets, and books during the Reformation. Discussion points ranged from Luther’s marginal (often scathing) handwritten notes in copies of Erasmus’s works, to the 550,000-word minutes taken at the Westminster Assembly.

Stobbs preaches at Ripon rally

On Easter Monday, congregations from Zion Evangelical Baptist Church, Ripon, and Hambleton Evangelical Church, Carlton Miniott (North Yorkshire) enjoyed the ministry of Jonathan Stobbs (Penzance Baptist Church). About 100 were present for each of the two meetings. Mr Stobbs spoke from Isaiah 40 on God strengthening his people, and from John 14 on assurance in Christ.

Grant award for SASRA

The Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Scripture Readers Association has been awarded a grant of £41,000 by Benefact Trust. The money has been used in the recruitment and training of four new Scripture Readers: Mike Blackstock, Josh Fortune, Jacinta Lyons, and Scott Witherick. As Scripture Readers they will take the gospel into the barracks of the UK Armed Forces.

Dr Williams Scottish tour

Dr Peter Williams, the noted author and principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge, recently spent a weekend teaching at churches in northern Scotland. Travelling between Inverness, Gardenstown, and Aberdeen, Dr Williams spoke on the reliability of Scripture, Jesus as a master teacher, and Jesus calming the storm. Dr Williams previously taught New Testament at the University of Aberdeen.

Sunday schools register halted

Sunday schools will not be subject to state registration, the government has finally confirmed. Back in 2015 there were proposals for Ofsted to inspect church youth work as part of misguided attempt to combat ‘extremism’. Under the original plans, church holiday Bible clubs, beach missions, and summer camps were also in the firing line.

New Christian schools open

Christian Concern has been working with more than 20 different groups developing initiatives for new Christian schools in the UK. According to Christian Concern, ‘The next of this new wave of schools announcing its opening from this September is Immanuel Online School, having agreed a merger with a well-established and respected Christian online provider, NSWLearning.’

CARE warning on euthanasia

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon must oppose assisted suicide to protect people with disabilities, Christian charity CARE has said. The First Minister has signalled that she may support plans to legalise the controversial practice. In an interview with the Daily Record in May, she said she was ‘more open’ to a law change.

Teenage trans appeal denied

A legal appeal which attempts to protect children from being prescribed experimental transgender drugs has been rejected by the UK Supreme Court. Keira Bell was prescribed puberty blockers at 16 years of age, but she believes she was too young to make such a life-altering decision. However, the UK Supreme Court says her appeal raises ‘no arguable point of law’.

Spanish regret prostitution law

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has vowed to overturn the law that legalised prostitution. Mr Sánchez said that the practice ‘enslaves’ women. Prostitution was decriminalised in Spain in 1995, making it the third biggest centre for prostitution in the world, behind Thailand and Puerto Rico. Around 300,000 women are believed to work as prostitutes in Spain.

Evangelical is jailed in Iran

Iranian Christians have called for prayer as a Christian woman begins a two-year prison sentence for her involvement with an evangelical church. Fariba Dalir was found guilty of ‘acting against national security’ because of her church membership. The 51-year-old woman spent a month in solitary confinement, and is one of six converts arrested in Tehran in July last year.

Ukrainian trafficking

Ukrainian women are at risk from trafficking as they seek refuge in neighbouring countries, the head of a Christian charity has warned. After a visit to Romania, James Vaughton, chief executive of Transform Europe Network, cited the vulnerability of women to human trafficking, and the levels of anxiety among teenagers over their futures, as two big challenges.

Christian wins pronoun case

A Christian professor in Ohio has been awarded $400,000 (£326,831) after his university punished him for refusing to refer to a man using female pronouns. Professor Nicholas Meriwether, a philosophy lecturer at Shawnee State University in Ohio, launched legal action after the university demanded he refer to a male student, who claimed to be a woman, as female.

Hounded pastor who warned against gay pride events wins his discrimination tribunal case

A pastor who was hounded out of his part-time job as a school caretaker because he told Christians not to attend a gay pride event has won his case at an employment tribunal.

The tribunal ruled that the Isle of Ely primary school discriminated against Keith Waters, aged 55.

The ruling upholds Mr Waters’s freedom to express his biblical beliefs on human identity and sexual morality.

It means that Christian pastors who have other employment alongside their church ministries are free to express their biblical faith online without fear of losing other jobs.

Responding to the outcome Mr Waters said, ‘I am relieved and pleased with the outcome. This is a victory, not just for me, but for Christian evangelical leaders across the country.

‘I pray that this ruling will help protect pastors in the future that have to work part time in other jobs to make up their income.

‘This is an important win for our freedom to speak the truth of the gospel without fear of losing our jobs.’

Mr Waters was supported by the Christian Legal Centre. Chief Executive Andrea Williams said, ‘We are happy that Keith has finally received justice in this crucial case for Christian freedom.’

Conversion therapy ban and other proposals confirmed at the state opening of Parliament

A ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’ has been confirmed by the government in the Queen’s Speech at the state opening of Parliament.

Making ‘conversion therapy’ a criminal offence could limit the freedom of evangelical Christians to preach, pray, pastor, or parent in keeping with their biblical beliefs.

Prince Charles (pictured) deputised for the Queen, who was unable to attend the annual constitutional ceremony for the first time since 1963.

The ‘Queen’s Speech’ – as it is known – sets out the government’s legislative agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary session.

This year’s speech, read aloud in the House of Lords by Prince Charles, said, ‘Legislation will also be introduced to ban conversion therapy.’

Back in March, the government looked set to drop the idea altogether, but a backlash from LGBT campaigners – including sympathetic journalists in the mainstream media – forced Boris Johnson to backtrack.

A ban could make it unlawful to advocate traditional biblical beliefs about marriage and sexual ethics with people from an LGBT background.

The ‘Let Us Pray’ campaign has told the government this would be ‘a kind of LGBT blasphemy law – to criminalise those who express the “wrong” opinions’.

Four other legislative proposals that evangelicals need to watch

Online Safety Bill

A mixed bag of good and troubling measures to regulate the internet. Plans to protect children from pornography are to be welcomed, but other measures could see church sermons banned online, or evangelical beliefs silenced on social media platforms.

Bill of Rights

The government has proposed to amend the Human Rights Act to give a stronger presumption in favour of free speech. While that intention is to be welcomed, evangelicals will be wary of other potential amendments which could undermine good court rulings which rely on the current wording of the Human Rights Act – such as the Ashers Bakery case.

Higher Education Bill

The government also plans to introduce a Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill which will seek to tackle the unhelpful ‘cancel culture’ on university and college campuses. There have been many instances of Christian Unions being forced off campus simply because of their biblical beliefs.

Schools Bill

A new Schools Bill could force home-schooling parents to register with the local authority. This would undermine the legal principle that parents, and not the state, have the ultimate responsibility for educating children. At present the law rightly recognises that this decision is up to parents.

Police given confusing and contradictory orders over gender identity and how to use pronouns

British police forces are being given contradictory and confusing messages over gender identity, with the Home Office backtracking on initial guidance over recording offences and local forces being given guides over how to use pronouns.

In April, the Home Office soft-launched new data standards which required police officers to record the legal sex for crime victims and suspects, rather than their self-declared gender identity.

This was initially on a voluntary basis, but is now the official guidance. It follows a High Court case by groups such as Fair Play for Women and Terry Stock, the women’s rights campaigner, who said basic demographic information should be recorded based on questions included in the 2021 Census in England and Wales.

According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, at least 16 police forces shared data with the Home Office in 2021 in which they had recorded offences on the basis of the offenders’ ‘gender identity’ instead of their actual sex.

The Home Office stated, ‘We would ask forces to record the sex (of both victims and suspects) based on what was recorded on an individual’s birth certificate or their gender recognition certificate.

‘Separately, we intend to request forces to ask for an individual’s gender identity if it differs from their legal sex status.’

Welcoming the news, Fair Play for Women said, ‘This means for the first time we will know how many male offenders appear in the female crime stats.’

In 2021, the High Court told the Office for National Statistics it must only allow people to enter their legal sex in the census rather than being able to choose their ‘preferred option’.

But despite the Home Office’s latest guidance, local forces are still being given misleading guidance about gender and sexual identities.

Earlier this year, Norfolk Police started to issue a radical LGBT guide to staff on 37 ‘gender and sexual identities’.

According to The Christian Institute, the guide – called ‘The + in LGBT’ – lists 37 terms on gender identity and sexual orientation and features the discredited ‘Genderbread Person’ diagram, which claims gender identity and biological sex are on a spectrum.

The force declined to comment on whether it had created the guide or obtained it from elsewhere, but according to reports in the Mail on Sunday, some staff who were confused by the definitions were referred to the ‘Genderbread Person’ diagram.

This came as Bristol University issued a ‘Using pronouns at work’ document to encourage staff to create a culture where ‘neopronouns’ based on emojis and people self-identifying as cats – Catgender people – are accepted as normal.

Church of Scotland ‘takes its cue from culture rather than Christ’ and approves gay weddings

The Church of Scotland has been accused of taking its cue from culture rather than Christ, as a majority of presbyteries vote in favour of allowing same-sex weddings in the church.

A report to the 2022 General Assembly shows that 29 of them approved the plan, with 12 voting against.

The General Assembly was set to vote on the matter at the end of May, after this edition of ET went to print.

The Kirk says it will respect freedom of conscience and no one will be forced to participate in a same-sex wedding.

But Revd Mike Goss of Barry Parish Church in the Angus presbytery said, ‘There’s still a continued struggle within the Church of Scotland’, adding that there are still ‘folk who stand by the Bible’.

The Church of Scotland says it recognises there are a range of views, and says debates should be gracious and respectful.

Civil partnerships were introduced in Scotland for same-sex couples in 2005 and full gay marriage in 2014.

The Church of Scotland allowed its clergy to engage in same-sex relationships as far back as 2009. But until now it has not allowed gay wedding ceremonies to take place in its churches.

The increasing acceptance of liberal moral values within mainline churches has been matched with a decline in attendance.

Back in 2002, 12 per cent of the Scottish population attended Church of Scotland services. But by 2016, it was 7 per cent, according to the Scottish Church Census by UK-based Brierley Consultancy.

The Christian Institute’s Scotland Officer Nigel Kenny (pictured) commented, ‘This is a very sad development in the life of the National Kirk, which has in its constitution a commitment to the Bible as the supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice.

‘The Bible is crystal clear that true, God-honouring marriage is only between one man and one woman. Jesus’ own teaching on this in Matthew 19 could not be clearer.

‘But it seems that the majority of [the Kirk’s] presbyteries are more interested in taking their cue from culture rather than Christ.’

Evangelical presbyterian churches, including The Free Church of Scotland and The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), are holding to the Bible’s definition of marriage.

Liverpool Mayor calls for ‘God Loves You’ bus ads to be banned

Bus ads for Franklin Graham’s ‘God Loves You’ tour should be taken down and banned, the Metro Mayor of Liverpool has said.

Labour’s Steve Rotheram said the ads would leave bus passengers feeling ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘unsafe’; he also thinks Franklin Graham (pictured) is a ‘hate preacher’.

Last year, Blackpool Council was ordered to pay out over £100,000 for discriminating against Christians, after it removed bus adverts for Lancashire Festival of Hope at which Mr Graham was speaking.

The latest Liverpool advertisements display the slogan ‘Looking for something more?’, but Rotheram wrote to bus companies Stagecoach and Arriva insisting they be scrapped.

In his letter, Rotheram said it was ‘inexcusable’ for the companies to promote ‘the views of a known hate preacher’.

He claimed that the appearance of posters on public transport advertising Mr Graham’s event exposed passengers to ‘bigotry and bile’.

He added, ‘There is no place for discrimination of any form in a civil society – and that should include your buses. I would ask that you remove these advertisements with immediate effect.’

In response to the accusations, Franklin Graham said, ‘There is nothing offensive in these adverts.’

‘The objection is to Reverend Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association based on our Christian beliefs. Unfortunately, this opposition is familiar and predictable.’

He also described it as ‘deeply concerning’ that ‘certain public officials are attempting to interfere with our contracted advertising in the Liverpool area based on opposition to our religious beliefs’.

Abortions continue to rise despite pro-life evidence sent to politicians

All 929 British politicians have been presented with ‘unambiguous and alarming factual evidence’ that abortion is the act of killing an innocent human life.

A painstaking ‘Abort Abortion’ campaign, organised by Donald Morrison (pictured), saw packages delivered by hand to parliamentary postmasters throughout 2021.

The package included several items, including the 28-minute film ‘The Silent Scream’, a booklet called ‘Abortion: Open Your Mouth for the Dumb’, and a tract written by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

According to Mr Morrison, the campaigners even travelled to Edinburgh and personally handed over 129 packages to postmasters at the Scottish Parliament.

But Mr Morrison said he had been disappointed by the lack of response; of the few letters he received from the MPs, none were willing to take a stand against abortion.

One MSP, Emma Roddick of the SNP, said, ‘After careful consideration, I have taken the decision to not support the aims of the Abort Abortion Campaign. My reason being that it would feel wrong to do so as a pro-choice MSP.’

This comes as government figures have estimated 9,900,961 unborn babies have been aborted in England, Wales, and Scotland since the 1967 Abortion Act came in.

In 2020, at least one baby was lost every two and a half minutes – or 25 lives every hour – while more than a quarter of pregnancies in England and Wales now end in abortion.

During the pandemic, abortions reached a record high with 210,860 taking place in 2020. The number of abortions that took place in Scotland in 2020 was 13,815.

Catherine Robinson, spokeswoman for Right to Life, said, ‘The UK’s abortion law is failing both women and unborn babies.’

‘Stand against downgrade’ pastors told at Birmingham Conference

Organised by the Christian Worship Trust, the Birmingham Conference held its first post-lockdown gathering in March at Ebenezer Chapel in Old Hill, Birmingham. It is a two-day event for pastors, their wives, and church workers.

Attendance levels were encouraging, and a wide range of ages came. At the Friday night gospel rally the chapel was almost full.

This year’s ministry was ably provided by Malcolm Watts (pictured), Neil Pfeiffer, and David Kay.

Neil Pfeiffer’s first lecture addressed the need to make a stand against present-day downward trends. He traced the history of present downgrade to 18th and 19th century attacks on biblical inerrancy.

Mr Pfeiffer’s second session focused on reverence in worship, again countering modern trends of downgrading worship through informality and abandonment of the regulative principle.

The Friday afternoon discussion session was led by Dewi Higham from Cardiff. He spoke on ‘Spirit-filled preaching’.

During this time of discussion, the ladies held a separate meeting ably led by Mrs Ruth Kay.

Malcolm Watts then spoke on the theme of ‘Walking with God’, emphasising the need for experiential heart religion.

His second session was entitled, ‘Christian assurance, ordinary and extra-ordinary’. Mr Watts powerfully delivered the essential Puritan understanding of the doctrine of assurance.

At the Friday evening gospel rally, David Kay of Barnstaple preached a clear gospel message based on Psalm 126: ‘The Lord, the deliverer of his people from the bondage of sin and death’.

The Christian Institute, the Bible League, the King Alfred School, the Christian Heritage Centre, and the Christian Worship Trust were represented by displays and the provision of literature.

The Trust wishes to express sincere thanks to Pastor Tom Hayward and the members of Ebenezer Baptist Chapel for once again willingly hosting our conference.

Next year’s gathering is scheduled to take place, God willing, on 24–25 March 2023.

Roland Burrows

Scottish youth conference is hailed as a ‘roaring success’

In March, the annual Free Church Youth Conference was hosted at Lendrick Muir, near Kinross.

The weekend saw over 100 youngsters assemble for three days of teaching, worship, and fellowship.

The main talks this year were delivered by Andy Robertson (Charleston Community Church, Dundee).

Andy took the delegates through the book of Habakkuk. His three sessions (‘How long oh Lord’, ‘Waiting for God in hard times’, ‘Joyful confident praise’) equipped listeners to remain secure in the promises of God.

During the weekend, delegates also had opportunity to attend a range of seminars: ‘Living with loss’, ‘Rural ministry’, ‘Christians in public life’, and ‘Loving others well’.

We were also privileged to be joined by Joe Barnard on Sunday. He spoke from Romans 6 about discipleship, sanctification, and what it means to be fighting sin.

Over the weekend, delegates were both equipped to serve Christ personally and as part of the body of believers.

Overall, the weekend was a roaring success, but we don’t want it to end there. Our prayer is that delegates will return to their local churches equipped to serve, encouraged in their faith, and strengthened in the joy of the Lord.

We look forward to 2023! Please pray for next year’s convener Euan MacDonald, along with the rest of the committee, as preparations for the next conference begin.

Free Church of Scotland

A new resource base is launched for confessional Baptist churches

In January, Broken Wharfe launched as a distinctly confessional Baptist resource centre for the UK and Europe.

General Manager Darrin Gilchrist (pictured) said, ‘Broken Wharfe exists to glorify Christ and edify his church in the UK and Europe through the production, republication and dissemination of confessional Baptist resources.’

Resources include an online bookshop and weekly blog posts. Darrin intends to introduce other media, including videos and interactive study tools.

The name ‘Broken Wharfe’ comes from the location of a meeting-house on the River Thames where, in September 1689, messengers from more than 100 churches gathered to formally confess the Second London Baptist Confession.

‘For several years,’ says Darrin, ‘many have noted the lack of distinctly confessional Baptist material available in Britain and the continent. Broken Wharfe seeks to address this need.

‘We have a spiritual and moral responsibility to encourage the faith and life of those who confess to believe the Scriptures summarised in the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith.

‘Our prayer is that Christ would be pleased to use our meagre efforts to recover lost ground in our churches.’

Since launching, Broken Wharfe has published two UK editions of titles by Samuel Renihan: Deity & Decree and The Mystery of Christ, his covenant and his kingdom.

Further publications by authors including Oliver Allmand-Smith, James Renihan, and Jason Montgomery are also in the pipeline. More information is at www.brokenwharfe.com.

John Tredgett

Fifteen ministers meet together in Loughborough to discuss a new confessional Baptist association

Fifteen men representing nine churches across the UK met in March to discuss establishing a national association of confessional reformed Baptist churches.

The men gathered at Christ Church Loughborough, and all shared the conviction that the unity of the body of Christ should be visible among churches, particularly through a common confession of faith.

The day began with a briefing from the host church, delivered by Nick Pollock. What is needed for our churches, Nick explained, is not value-driven or project-driven fellowship, but an association of churches driven by a sound theology and confessional ecclesiology.

Oliver Allmand-Smith (pictured) (Trinity Grace Church) also spoke, warning of ‘seven dangers of this age’ which are combated by a robust confessionalism.

We live in an age where (1) hyper-individualism and (2) the cult of personality has seeped into our churches. We are easily driven by men and the ‘wow factor’ of success.

(3) Pragmatism tends to be our default setting in ministry which elevates ends above means, and (4) sound-bite ‘short-termism’ makes us shallow and superficial, always looking for the immediate result.

(5) Chronological and historical ignorance make us only concerned for the present, forgetting the great tradition that went before us, and (6) sentimentalism and (7) selfishness cause us to navel gaze and lose our compassion towards others.

Too often our churches divide primary truth from so-called ‘secondary truth’, flattening out a robust faith into a mere ten-point statement, casting off everything else as non-essential.

Discussion followed as we considered how our spiritual forefathers maintained a good balance in the 1689 Confession. It leaves room for a broader associational unity on some aspects of the faith, while also comprising a comprehensive document upholding catholic and reformed orthodoxy, along with our baptistic tradition.

Robert Strivens (Bradford on Avon Baptist Church) then spoke on the necessity for our churches to reform their worship according to the Word of God. The goal of worship, Robert maintained, is not to attract outsiders, nor to induce an experience or therapy, but to worship the Father, through the Son, by his Spirit, and according to his Word alone.

Our final discussion worked through the practical outworking of associationalism.

It was established that we desire to move towards a national association of churches which fully subscribes to the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.

We invite others of like mind to consider supporting us. Our next association meeting will be held at Countesthorpe Baptist Church, Leicester, on Tuesday 21 June. All are welcome to attend. Please email brett.andrew.shaw@gmail.com for more information.

Brett Shaw

Melvyn Bragg celebrates the life of reformer and Bible translator, William Tyndale, at Carlisle talk

In March, Lord Melvyn Bragg (pictured) spoke to a large audience in Carlisle Cathedral as part of its 900th anniversary celebrations.

Having encountered this writer and broadcaster – a Cumbrian lad like myself – many years ago through reading For want of a Nail (1965) and other locally-set novels, I was fascinated to know that Bragg was now to speak on the Reformer and Bible translator, William Tyndale. It was a theme far removed from his interests in earlier works.

With Bragg’s knowledge of Reformation history and his oratorical gifts, I was certainly not disappointed.

He showed us how the translation of God’s Word into accessible English, such as a ploughboy might someday understand, was a crucial issue in Tyndale’s time. This was a period when religion was controlled by Rome and administered by priests from a Latin Bible that many even among the clergy barely understood.

Lord Bragg depicted graphically the awful power struggles of the time, including under the Pope and the brutal King Henry VIII. True men of God were despised, tortured, and put to death, as Tyndale himself was in 1536. Their only crime was to translate the Bible into the language of the common people.

Bragg’s admiration for Tyndale’s English was great indeed. His translation of Scripture was written in simple language but based on an excellent knowledge of Hebrew and Greek.

There was no distinction at that time between the Bible and God’s Word such as was made later in liberal, neo-orthodox theology.

God’s Word, available to the people, could transform the life of the nation. Tyndale himself lived and breathed true Christian freedom – even when in a dungeon for 16 months and in dire need, he wrote pleading that some basic necessities be sent to him, including a Hebrew Bible and a grammar.

Many new terms and idioms entered and remained in the English language thanks to Tyndale’s translation. ‘The powers that be’, ‘scapegoat’, and ‘signs of the times’ being a few.

93% of the subsequent King James Version (1611) – vital to the spiritual rebirth of millions of English-speakers in the centuries to come – came from Tyndale’s earlier version, even though many other English translations had already appeared.

In 2011, Lord Bragg described himself as a ‘believing unbeliever’, ‘unable to cross the River of Jordan, which would lead me to the crucial belief in a godly eternity’.

It is my hope and prayer that since then he may have come to find that crucial belief.

Alan Pallister

Robert Yerby inducted in La Villiaze, Guernsey

Robert Yerby was inducted to the pastorate of La Villiaze Evangelical Congregational Church, Guernsey, in March.

He is the fourth pastor of the church since the end of the Second World War and the German occupation of the island.

Robert was already an elder in the church, and his appointment has allowed the fellowship to continue its work without interruption following the departure to England of its previous pastor, Tim Berry.

Robert joined the church at La Villiaze in 1987, having previously been a member of Child’s Hill Baptist Church in London. When deacons first approached Robert about the pastorate, they were concerned that they might be asking too much of a man of retirement age.

However, Robert says that he operates by the motto of perhaps Guernsey’s best-known son, John Blanchard: ‘As much as I can, as well as I can, for as long as I can.’

‘While the Lord Jesus gives me breath and ability, I will do whatever I can for the glory of his name and the good of his people,’ says Robert.

He stated that his calling to the pastorate was as unexpected as his conversion had been. Looking back however, he could trace the steps that led to him gladly taking up the position: ‘If God has given us certain gifts, we can hardly refuse to use them.’

The charge to Mr Yerby and the church was given by Peter Girard (Bethesda Strict Baptist Church, Guernsey).

The account of the call extended to Robert was given by Roger Mahy, deacon and member of La Villiaze for 61 years.

Gary Brady (Child’s Hill Baptist Church, London) preached from 2 Timothy 4, and urged Robert to preach, prepare, pastor, persevere, practise, proselytise, and not panic.

John Tredgett

Home-schooling skills explored in online conference hosted by CViE

In April, Christian Values in Education hosted an online conference entitled ‘Home education: staying the course’. Over 60 participants joined via Zoom.

Chaired by Michael Ridout (pictured) (chairman of CViE), the meeting was intended to help all those considering home education.

Jane Dunlop, a home educator with over 20 years’ experience, addressed attendees.

Her experience has taught her that parents must be convicted and committed, relying on the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:9, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’

She noted that everyone’s journey is very different; no two home educating families are alike, and home educators should be relieved from comparing themselves to others.

The important place of social relationships was recognised, and friendships among home educating families were encouraged.

Children often grow in maturity as they develop friendships across a range of ages rather than just among their peers. In addition, it was noted that home education can open a way to more diverse social experiences, such as befriending elderly couples from whom children can learn much (including experiencing how to serve).

Many questions and contributions were offered, and these reminded those present that the challenges faced are unique to each situation. Home schooling does not seek to simply replicate school at home.

At the close, CViE invited attendees to provide their contact details in order to be added to the new CViE Home Education Network. More information is available at www.cvie.org.uk.

Tim Wills

North Wales churches gather for ‘loggerheads park’ outdoor hike

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in March, a group drawn from several evangelical churches across northeast Wales enjoyed the stunning views at Loggerheads Country Park during a fellowship walk.

This was the first of what is hoped to be a semi-regular event, aimed at encouraging informal fellowship between like-minded churches in the area.

North Wales has a significant number of small churches, often in rural locations and many without pastors. There is a great need for opportunities to meet, share, and support one another.

In the summer of 2021, professor and author Julian Evans led a ‘God’s trees’ walk at Chirk Castle, followed by an illustrated talk at Glanrafon Evangelical Church, Llangollen.

A number of those attending felt there would be benefit in arranging further events – primarily walks – for members of local evangelical churches to enjoy time together for mutual fellowship and encouragement.

Two couples met to discuss what could be done, believing that it would still be worthwhile even if the group only comprised their own families. As it was, the first walk attracted over 30 participants!

The walks are not being organised by any particular church, and are open to all. A programme for 2022 has been planned, including a return visit of Professor Evans in September.

We hope to meet on Saturday afternoons, approximately every two months between March and October.

Anyone who is interested in participating in future events can find out more by contacting: churchwalknorthwales@gmail.com or viewing the Facebook page (Church Walk North Wales).

David Walker

US: Landmark abortion case is set to spark global debate

Abortion law in the US looks set to change dramatically, according to a draft ruling which has been leaked from the US Supreme Court.

It would send shock waves across the world and likely cause an increase in activity from both pro-life and pro-abortion campaigners.

Judges are set to rule on a case from Mississippi which challenges the 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalised abortion across the US.

The leaked document, first published by Politico, shows that a majority of judges are in favour of overturning the ruling.

If the court strikes down the Roe v. Wade ruling, individual states would be allowed to decide for themselves whether to ban abortion.

It is believed almost half of all states would introduce some kind of ban to protect the life of unborn babies.

The Supreme Court has expressed its frustration that its draft document was leaked, but has confirmed the document is authentic.

In a statement to the media, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr said, ‘To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed. The work of the Court will not be affected in any way.’

He said the leak was ‘a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here. I have directed the Marshal of the Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.’

An official judgment is expected to be handed down in late June or early July, after this edition of ET went to print.

The Supreme Court has been reshaped by three appointments under former President Donald Trump, giving it a conservative-leaning majority.

Politico reports that five judges are in favour of overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.

According to the leaked document, Justice Alito called the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision ‘egregiously wrong from the start’.

In expectation of the court’s ruling, Democrats have tried – and have failed – to pass a federal law giving women the right to abortion. A bill was passed in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, but failed to pass the Senate.

Pro-abortion activists have been protesting outside the homes of the US Supreme Court judges, and the US Marshals Service has had to tighten security.

A pro-life centre was firebombed. A message was spray-painted outside the building of Wisconsin Family Action: ‘If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either,’ and a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the building.

The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said, ‘[President Biden] strongly believes in the constitutional right to protest. But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism.’

Conservative commentators in the United States have suggested that the draft decision may have been leaked by a member of one of the more liberal Justices’ offices.

Here in the UK, Daily Telegraph columnist Tim Stanley said, ‘Overturning Roe does not ban abortion, it hands the matter back to the states, and the point of the leak, one suspects, is to expose justices to so much threat and intimidation that they change their minds.’

Recent polling shows that a majority of American women believe that there should be significant restrictions on abortion.

The polling found that 69 per cent of women believe that abortion should be available, at most, during the first three months of pregnancy; allowed only in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother; or never permitted.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the American pro-life organisation the Susan B. Anthony List, has said that if the draft decision becomes the final decision from the Court, they will welcome it.

She said, ‘If Roe is indeed overturned, our job will be to build consensus for the strongest protections possible for unborn children and women in every legislature.’

Right To Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson said this is ‘an opportunity to overturn an unjust law that has led to the deaths of over 62 million babies since 1973’.

‘If Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, it would be the beginning of the legislative battle over abortion, certainly not the end.

‘It is important to note that this law change would not actually ban abortion or prevent anyone from having an abortion. Rather, it makes abortion law a matter for states to decide.

‘Some states will allow abortion without restriction and others will likely provide robust legal protection for unborn children throughout pregnancy.’

Mike Judge, Editor

Finland: Prosecutors confirm they will appeal to overturn Päivi Räsänen free speech victory, demanding large fines

Prosecutors in Finland have officially lodged an appeal in a bid to overturn an important free speech victory involving two Christians.

In March, a court dismissed all criminal charges against a Christian Parliamentarian, Päivi Räsänen (pictured right), and a church leader, Bishop Pohjola.

The pair were both taken to court and accused of committing ‘hate crimes’ for expressing their biblical beliefs about marriage and sexual ethics.

But despite the unanimous ruling of the Helsinki District Court to dismiss the charges, the prosecution has decided to appeal the ruling.

The prosecution is demanding tens of thousands of euros in fines and insisting that Räsänen’s and Pohjola’s publications be censored.

Police investigations against Räsänen started in June 2019. As an active member of the Finnish Lutheran church, she had addressed the leadership of her church on Twitter.

She questioned the church’s official sponsorship of the LGBT event ‘Pride 2019’, and she accompanied her comments with an image of Bible verses from the New Testament book of Romans.

Following this tweet, further investigations against Räsänen were launched, going back to a church pamphlet Räsänen wrote almost 20 years ago.

Päivi Räsänen said, ‘After my full exoneration in court, I am dismayed that the prosecutor will not let this campaign against me drop.

‘And yet, the prosecutor’s decision to appeal may lead to the case going all the way to the Supreme Court, offering the possibility of securing a positive precedent for freedom of speech and religion for all Finnish people.

‘Also, I am happy that this decision will lead to the discussion of the Bible’s teachings in society. I am ready to defend freedom of speech and religion in all necessary courts. As far as the European Court of Human rights, if necessary.’

She is being supported by lawyers from ADF International, a religious liberty group. Spokesman Paul Coleman (pictured left) said the appeal was ‘alarming’.

He said, ‘The state’s insistence on continuing this prosecution despite such a clear and unanimous ruling by the Helsinki District Court is alarming.

‘Dragging people through the courts for years, subjecting them to hour-long police interrogations, and wasting taxpayer money in order to police people’s deeply held beliefs has no place in a democratic society.

‘As is so often the case in “hate speech” trials, the process has become part of the punishment.’

REVIEWS

Worship and Witness in Crisis: Has the church failed the Covid test?

Matthew A. Vogan & Matthew J. Hyde (editors)

Ettrick Press

296 pages; £10.95

BUY

This book critiques the compliant reaction on the part of churches to the various UK governments’ instructions to ‘lock down’ their buildings and move their activities online.

It addresses two questions: Does Christ require his churches to meet physically for worship, witness, and ‘one-another’ ministry? And are there circumstances in which the state has God-given authority to instruct churches not to gather?

To present the answers, the authors (eight Presbyterians and two Gospel Standard Strict Baptists, with the two editors drawn from each constituency) mine two sources: the Bible and historical theology.

Their chapter headings are: How may the church preserve unity in the midst of disagreement? Should the church ever suspend public worship? How important is it for believers to gather together physically to worship God? How should church and state interact during a crisis? Exactly how much must the church render to Caesar? What does loving our neighbour look like in a pandemic? Is it ever unloving to go to church? How far has our culture impacted on the church’s response to the pandemic? How can we move on from this crisis?

Why include these headings in full in this review? Because they are precisely the questions that we need to answer when formulating our response to government interference.

In a symposium such as this, it is not to be assumed that all authors agree on every topic – but there is a great deal of unity and overlap. To support their conclusions, the authors quote or allude to a very large number of respected (but perhaps insufficiently-known in these days) theologians and pastors.

How are the two principal questions answered? Without exception, churches, as defined in Scripture, are physical, not virtual, gatherings of the saints. Churches rightly submit certain aspects of their life and activities to the state, when it comes to things like planning permission, fire regulations, and even hygiene requirements. But the when, where, and how of public worship and the carrying out the Great Commission, God has committed exclusively to those in authority in churches. To allow governments a role in these areas is to betray our own generation and those who follow us.

There are a couple of minor production errors that should be addressed in future editions.

Ian Jemmett

Pluckley, Kent

The Rise and Fall of Christian Ireland

Crawford Gribben

Oxford University Press

353 pages; £25.00

BUY

This fine volume, by a distinguished historian, meets a long-standing need for an overview of Christianity in Ireland from an evangelical standpoint. The author’s sympathy for evangelicalism is not explicitly stated but the careful reader can detect it in the underlying tone of the book.

While one should not judge a book by its bibliography any more than one should judge it by its cover, the reading list (extending to some 30 pages) reveals the author’s mastery of his subject. There are also over 50 pages of notes! But the general reader should not to be intimidated, for the book is written in a very accessible style.

Gribben surveys the history of Christianity from its arrival in Ireland to the dramatic decline experienced in recent decades. There isn’t anything new in his treatment of the early centuries, but it is a competent survey of existing scholarship. The author is really in his element when he describes the reformations and revivals which Ireland experienced between the 16th and 19th centuries, these time periods being the main focus of his own scholarly research.

When dealing with the 20th century, the author portrays the triumphalist dominance of Roman Catholicism in the Republic of Ireland before unfolding the shameful reasons for its recent collapse. It is a vexing account, and the bleak picture is intensified by the depiction of Protestantism on the retreat in Northern Ireland.

Despite the doom and gloom, the book draws to a close on an optimistic note. The author writes of ‘opportunities for new kinds of religious expression’ and expresses the hope that ‘new Patricks’ may shape ‘the rise of another Christian Ireland’. May it be so.

Raymond Blair

Limavady, Northern Ireland

Be Filled with the Spirit

Stuart Olyott

EP Books

84 pages; £3.99

BUY

For some of us, past experiences of charismatic misuse cause our alarm bells to ring when we read a book title like this one, from Evangelical Times columnist ‘Mr O’. But as he points out, the command comes from Ephesians 5:18 and is issued to all believers. So ignoring it is not an option; and Olyott proves a careful and reassuring guide to the apprehensive follower.

He clears up much confusion by distinguishing this Spirit-filling from the Spirit-baptism mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament. To be filled with the Spirit, he shows, speaks of the settled character which the converted person must continually pursue: Christ-like, spiritually-minded, and plainly ‘under the influence of their indwelling God’ (p.38).

There is a happy recognition of the local church as the place where the means of grace are available for the believer to receive this filling, and as the place where the consequent blessings will be most keenly felt.

What joyful places our churches would be if we were all to heed this warm, inviting, and biblically-rooted book, and obey this oft-neglected command of Christ.

Matthew Cox

Bethersden, Kent

Table of Contents

FEATURES

Ukraine war: Faith in the fire

What would the end of Roe v. Wade mean in the UK?

Scripture’s hidden gems: 1 Chronicles

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022

The futile ways of your forefathers

ET cover price to increase by 20p from July

COMMENT: Overturning Roe v. Wade shows us we should never give up

GUEST COLUMN: The evangelical idol of niceness

A SHRINK THINKS... It is good to talk, even about suicide

THINKING IT THROUGH: All things to all men – using and abusing Paul’s rule

A WALK WITH MR O: Advice about giving advice

CRUNCH POINTS: Should I take my child to Sunday sports clubs?

NEWS

News in brief

Hounded pastor who warned against gay pride events wins his discrimination tribunal case

Conversion therapy ban and other proposals confirmed at the state opening of Parliament

Police given confusing and contradictory orders over gender identity and how to use pronouns

Church of Scotland ‘takes its cue from culture rather than Christ’ and approves gay weddings

Liverpool Mayor calls for ‘God Loves You’ bus ads to be banned

Abortions continue to rise despite pro-life evidence sent to politicians

‘Stand against downgrade’ pastors told at Birmingham Conference

Scottish youth conference is hailed as a ‘roaring success’

A new resource base is launched for confessional Baptist churches

Fifteen ministers meet together in Loughborough to discuss a new confessional Baptist association

Melvyn Bragg celebrates the life of reformer and Bible translator, William Tyndale, at Carlisle talk

Robert Yerby inducted in La Villiaze, Guernsey

Home-schooling skills explored in online conference hosted by CViE

North Wales churches gather for ‘loggerheads park’ outdoor hike

US: Landmark abortion case is set to spark global debate

Finland: Prosecutors confirm they will appeal to overturn Päivi Räsänen free speech victory, demanding large fines

REVIEWS

Worship and Witness in Crisis: Has the church failed the Covid test?

The Rise and Fall of Christian Ireland

Be Filled with the Spirit