The recent Leicester Ministers’ Conference hosted by the Banner of Truth does not seem to have much coverage in the blogs this year. One of the talking points has been the reduced attendance this year. I have no more idea of the reason for this than anyone else but I suspect it was a combination of factors. A couple of times I heard people say that this was one of the best conferences, so perhaps numbers will revive next year. I suspect that they will at least be much better than this year’s. One advantage this year was that queues were not so large; also it was easier to find your friends, though I was glad to be able to talk with a number of people I’d never met before. Another advantage was the ‘tabernacle’ in which we had coffee, which had tables and chairs and much more opportunity for relaxing and chatting than in Gilbert Murray Hall.
I only wish to mention three sessions that I found truly outstanding. The first was the opening sermon by Steven Curry on Matthew 6:1-18. This was real preaching: good exposition but seriously and sympathetically applied. It was an excellent beginning. Second was the address by Iain Murray on Archibald Brown. He was more a name than anything else, though I realised I knew that he was pastor at East London Tabernacle when I was reminded of it. He had a truly amazing ministry in London’s East End. I was very struck by hearing that he had hundreds of photos of people of great poverty, and/or, great sinfulness, with notes about them written on the back. He was not just a preacher; he went out among the people, got to know them and their needs, and sought to minister to them in every way he could. His ministry was bathed in congregational prayer. Finally, Phil Arthur gave a masterly address on William Tyndale. One minister from Australia said it would have been worth coming all the way to the Conference just for that alone. As Phil is my pastor my remarks might be taken with a pinch of salt – get a CD and check it out for yourself.
I do not know whether I shall be at next year’s conference; these last two or three years I have found myself completely drained by the end and I was tired out on the Friday after. But I am very glad I made it this year.
A few years ago we answered an ad for a free magnolia tree. We received by post a cardboard box about 2ft long or thereabouts; inside this was a dry stick with an excuse for a root at one end. We duly planted it in a pot and eventually it began to grow and we had leaves for two or three years. But this year it has produced 20 white flowers, though heavy rain these last couple of days has not helped it. I could not help remembering Aaron’s rod that budded, and also Ezekiel 17:24, where we are told that the Lord ‘made the dry tree flourish’ (though I had to look the latter up in a concordance). Spring reminds us of the way God is able to renew the face of the earth and this leads us to consider what he is able to do for the churches. There may be churches where everything seems pretty dry and some ministers appear to be dry old sticks, but the Lord can make them flourish and fruitful.
On Gary Benfold's blog there is a response to a charismatic friend in which Gary has some comments on 1 Corinthians 13:9ff. He mentions Stuart Ollyott's understanding of this passage, though I read it too long ago to remember it in any detail. For me the key is v.10. The NIV translates: 'but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.' By using 'imperfect' instead of 'partial' or 'in part' they have decided to use the antonym to 'perfection'. However, it surely ought to be the other way round. The antonym to 'partial' is 'complete'. Why is this word never used? After all, 'perfect' or 'perfection' prejudges the meaning of the phrase. The Greek word is teleion, of which Arndt & Gingrich say: 'having attained the end or purpose, complete, perfect'. The phrase is almost a proverbial or tautological one: 'When the complete comes, the partial has ended' QED. Once the complete prophetic revelation comes, the partial ceases.
Tunisia, Egypt, Libya - who knows how things will yet turn out? I was struck with these words of the poet Robert Southey: 'Few persons but those who lived in it can conceive or comprehend what the memory of the French Revolution was, nor what a visionary world seemed to open upon those who were just entering it. Old things seemed passing away, and nothing was dreamt of but the regeneration of the human race.'
Friday, 25 February 2011
Two books have impressed me recently. Firstly, 'My God is True,' by Paul Wolfe (Banner of Truth). This is the story of a young seminarian who had cancer and of the lessons he learned during his illness. So often we hear of people with this disease; I have met it in my own family and too frequently in pastoral life. The title of this book is taken from a hymn: 'Whate'er my God ordains is right'. here is the last verse: Whate'er my God ordains is right: Here shall my stand be taken; Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, Yet am I not forsaken. My Father's care is round me there; He holds me that I shall not fall: And so to him I leave it all.
The second book is 'It's not about the Music', by Dan Lucarini (Evangelical Press). This is about worship. Apart from being impressed by the whole book, an unexpected chapter had this title, 'Hymn-singer in a rock and roll church'. I thought his advice about speaking to a pastor applicable beyond this one subject. 'Treat him with the honour and respect due his position, but don't be afraid to tell him what is on your conscience and always speak the truth in love.' 'Above all pray for a winsome spirit. Few pastors can resist the power of an honest and sincere heart expressing a legitimate concern.' 'Do your best to resolve this peacefully with the pastor. Do not become a gossip or the leader of a faction.'
Yesterday evening I watched Andrew Marr's new programme 'Britain from Above' . I didn't know it would start with London; first showing the city at the end of the second World War and then what it is like now. Although not all of it was 'from above' a good deal was photographed from the air. As I lived in London for 3 years - 1943-1945 - I found the changes very interesting; though it would have been more interesting for me if it had shown East Acton, where we lived. However, I put a different emphasis on the words 'from above'. London is not only our capital city, bursting with millions of people from many different backgrounds, it also still has important links with many other countries, with people constantly coming and going. So what does God see as he looks on London, and what influence can London have on the world? If we could see London as the Lord does I think we would be appalled. Once any view of the London skyline showed the spires and towers of a multitude of churches. Not any more. And though the view itself isn't all that important, the fact is that London is overwhelmingly secular and its influence for the gospel only minimal. What a call to prayer!
Just recently I was asked to consider the question whether Jesus Christ was peccable or impeccable; that is, was it possible for him to sin or not? My answer was longer than the posts I usually put on this blog, so i have put it on a second blog, Writings and Ramblings.
Born of missionary parents, after National Service in the RAF I trained at London Bible College. I was an assistant pastor at Spring Road Evangelical Church, Southampton, pastor at Bethel Evangelical Free Church, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, and Dunstable Baptist Church, prior to retiring in 2003.
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