Being Transformed and Transforming

The end of a journey, the beginning of another......

2011-09-04T09:34:00.000+01:00

Today marks the end of my journey as minister at Saintfield.

We are very, very thankful for over 10 years of ministry, and have been overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of our church family as we leave. Sunday 21st August saw my last service, and for us it was an emotional farewell!!! Over the past weeks we have been moving and trying to settle-in to a new house and new way of life. Today my resignation comes into effect and the Convener of the vacancy will be at morning worship in First Saintfield to pronounce the pulpit vacant, and begin the search for the next minister. We are praying for God's leading and guiding for the whole congregation as he does so.

We already miss getting ready for Church in Saintfield, but I'm off to preach in Trinity Boardmills today, and then the new chapter at Queen's University begins D.V. Tomorrow morning!

Keep reading....and I'll try to keep you up to date with the next chapter in the journey......

Methods of Evangelism

2011-06-21T10:20:00.000+01:00

D.L. Moody was approached by a woman who didn’t like his method of evangelism. "I don’t really like mine all that much either. What’s yours?"

She replied that she didn’t have one.

Moody said, "Then I like mine better than yours."

What is Hell?

2011-05-30T14:01:00.002+01:00

Will everyone go to heaven?

2011-05-30T13:59:00.001+01:00

Bike Shop, Altlandsberg, north-east of Berlin

2011-05-29T15:58:00.002+01:00

Gym Practice Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, China

2011-05-29T15:54:00.002+01:00

Earthquake New Zealand

2011-05-29T15:51:00.002+01:00

Laying Electrical Cable

2011-05-29T15:49:00.002+01:00

Blog by Lori Stanley Roeleveld

2011-05-26T18:46:00.001+01:00

Church Bullies - How to Spot Them

I’ve been thinking about bullies lately.
You can find them everywhere.

Kids bully other children at school or on social networking sites. Gangs bully entire communities, frightening good people into silence and inaction with the threat of violence. Executives bully using budgets, dangled rewards and motivational tactics they learn at seminars held in exotic resorts while politicians bully through backroom deals, media manipulation and carefully coded speeches.

I’m a long way from worrying about life on the playground but that isn’t really where I’ve experienced the most bullying. Most of the bullies I’ve encountered have been in church.

The scariest thing about church bullies is that they smile when they’re coming at you like they’ve just baked you a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. Often they refer to you with warm familial terms like “Good morning, sister” or “Welcome, brother.” And then enfold you in a generous embrace, kiss you on both cheeks and look you in the eye – asking you how you are with an intense gaze meant to communicate sincere interest and godly concern.

Because of this approach, you often don’t even see a glint of the dagger. Sometimes you don’t know what’s happened until you’re bleeding out onto the tile of the church fellowship hall – the last thing you remember the scent of coffee grounds and just a whiff of Play-doh.

Church bullying is a subtle thing. I’ve seen it done from the pulpit but that’s easy to spot and it doesn’t happen as often as you might think. Mostly I’ve encountered lay-bullies.

Sometimes their strong arming is accomplished with an uncomfortable silence (and if you’re quick enough – just the slightest of glances exchanged between those who fear the bullies). Make the mistake of breaching a forbidden topic, using an unacceptable religious term or asking a question that presses a hot issue - you hear the silence fall like a theatre curtain and suddenly no one will look you in the eye – except the chief bully whose expression doesn’t change at all but suddenly seems a bit cooler, icier, almost the smile of shark – same dead eye. You’re addressed in understanding tones, reassuring even, but in words delivered with warm cookie breath you’re bullied into backing down and you walk away feeling slightly confused.

I’ve seen it happen over a cup of coffee, though the bully usually drinks tea. The invitation seemed innocent enough but at some point the conversation takes on a darker tone, a phantom sub-text you can hear beneath the smiling voice speaking words like “just concerned for your spiritual growth” and “knew you would want someone to mention this” and “God has just put a message for you on my heart”. Suddenly, the coffee shop or living room takes on all the charm of a back alley or a vacant lot.

Bullying often happens in tandem. The bully brings along a trainee who was turned down for a role as a Stepford wife for being too perky. As the bully is delivering his or her veiled threats, the sidekick is nodding like a bobble head doll and reassuring you that you are a perfectly redeemable case and soon you’ll fit right in because you are already loved no matter how many bad habits you picked up at your last church. At least now, you want to get it right, bless your heart.

Is it really that bad, you ask? Yes, sometimes it really is. Now, don’t get me wrong, loving Christians confront one another, challenge one another and instruct one another in all manner of ways that aren’t bullying but not every confrontation, challenge or instruction done in the name of Christ is an act of love –sometimes it’s a case of religious thuggery, like being assaulted by a bunk mate with a bar of soap tied into an athletic sock. It’s bullying plain and simple.

The word from God is this: “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” (Gal. 6:1-2) What is at the core of this verse is the idea of approaching your brother or sister with gentleness of heart – not just gentle words tattooed across an iron fist.

What is the culture in your bible study, your small group, your congregation? Do you put up with bullies in your midst? Have you been silenced for fear of reprisal from bullies as you watched others fall victim? Are you a bully? Questions I ask myself all the time.

Next time you’re with your brothers and sisters, look around with God’s eyes. Is it a welcoming place of acceptance, nurture, challenge and love or do you feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn and ended up in a vacant school yard hearing the theme song of High Noon whistle through the air? Let’s leave the bullying to the bad guys.

What about you? How do you spot a bully? How do you handle one? How do you keep from becoming one?

Manipulators

2011-05-25T22:44:00.000+01:00

.....There are a few red flags that we can spot when dealing with manipulation.

The first one is concealing the truth. The difference between manipulation and influence is deception. Influencers move you by revealing truth. Manipulators move you by concealing truth.

Next is when your options are limited. When you’re in this situation, you feel forced, like you’re having to make a complex decision with oversimplified choices.

Example: “We either need to vote for ....... or leave altogether.”

Reminds me of the question for Jesus about paying taxes to Ceasar or not. Red flag. That’s manipulation.

Third is scaring you into action.

Fear is the father of manipulation. It’s straight up intimidation, and it works two ways:

Scare you with what they can do
Scare you with what might happen

Example: “If you don’t apologize, I’ll leave the church… right after I tell everyone else about it.”

Next is when guilt is used. This is the passive aggressive approach. They seem so pathetic that you feel guilty for not helping.

Example: “Aren’t Christians supposed to help others? Then why aren’t you helping me when I’m in need?” [Implied: You're not really a {good} Christian.]

Serving is a response, not a requirement. Spotting manipulation means watching for people who point out requirements.

Then, there is flattery.
“Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. ” -Romans 16:18

We’re usually pretty good about noting the difference between genuine compliments and compliments with strings attached. The problem is that even when we notice, we like going along with it because it makes us feel better.

Taming the 'Beast'

2011-05-24T11:42:00.002+01:00

Crowds of faithful jam Vatican to honor Pope John Paul II

2011-05-02T07:51:00.000+01:00

Vatican City (CNN) -- Catholic faithful from around the world poured into Rome on Sunday as the Catholic Church declares Pope John Paul II "blessed," a step below sainthood.

There were cheers as Pope Benedict XVI personally beatified his predecessor, and a huge tapestry protrait of John Paul II was unveiled, showing him as the healthy, vigorous and relatively young man he was early in his papacy.

A vial of John Paul II's blood was placed before the crowds, which were expected to be the largest in the Vatican since the late pope's funeral in 2005.

The blood, which was taken from him by doctors during his final illness for possible transfusion, but never used, was displayed in a specially made silver reliquary.

Next came requests -- first in English and then Polish -- that people put down their banners and flags, and pray silently.

"In heaven a very different celebration is taking place among the angels and saints!" Benedict declared in his homily.

The current pope echoed the many who credit the Polish-born pope with playing a key role in the defeat of Communism, saying he turned "back with the strength of a titan -- a strength which came to him from God -- a tide which appeared irreversible."

John Paul II made a pilgrimage to his native land, then part of the Soviet-dominated Communist bloc, shortly after his election in 1978, and an estimated one third of the entire nation turned out to see him. "Don't be afraid," he exhorted them.

Poland's Solidarity union sprang up soon after, and became the most organized and powerful anti-Communist movement in the Soviet bloc. Many commentators said John Paul helped inspire the movement, which ultimately toppled Poland's Communist government in 1989.

John Paul II's path to sainthood

Benedict on Sunday also praised John Paul's iron will in the face of his physical decline later in his life, saying, "the Lord gradually stripped him of everything, yet he remained ever a 'rock,' as Christ desired."

More than a million pilgrims turned out in Rome, police said. Many in the throng waved Polish flags and holding images of John Paul II, who was archbishop of Krakow in Poland before being elected pope.

The presidents of Italy and Poland were among 16 heads of state at the mass, alongside seven prime ministers, the Vatican said.

There were also big crowds in Krakow for the event, where at least 50,000 people braved pouring rain at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki.

For those who couldn't make it to Rome or Krakow, the Vatican created a special Twitter feed for the event, @Pope2YouVatican. It also launched a Facebook page for it, and streamed it live to iPhones and iPads through Pope2You.net.

Having visiting more countries than any previous pope and becoming the first pontiff from outside of Italy in 450 years, John Paul II also was the third-longest reigning pope in history.

Catholics honor John Paul II in Bucharest, Romania

The Vatican suggests he was seen in person by more than anyone else in human history, between his 104 foreign trips, the roughly 17 million pilgrims who attended weekly audiences with him at the Vatican over his long reign, and the millions more who saw him at special events in Rome.

Did you encounter Pope John Paul II?

There were demands for his immediate canonization when he died, with crowds chanting "Santo subito," or "Saint now."

But the late pope has critics as well as supporters, particularly among those who accuse him of not doing enough to stop the abuse of children by Catholic clergy.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) vowed to protest at 70 churches in seven countries Sunday, callingthe fast-tracking of pontiff's sainthood "a callous PR juggernaut honoring the man who presided over much of the ongoing crisis."

But John Paul II's former spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, told CNN he had no doubt he had been in the presence of a saint.

Navarro-Valls cited not only the pope's devotion at prayer, but his concern for others, noting that when the pope called him after the death of his father, his first question was: "How is your mother?"

He also recalled the pope's informality, saying he sometimes had to remind himself that he was in the presence of the pope.

And he said for the pope to retain his "good humor" at the age of 80, in the face of his weighty office and his physical suffering, "is sanctity to me."

The pope's photographer

John Paul II was fast-tracked to beatification when he died in 2005, and becomes "the blessed" John Paul II barely six years after his death -- the fastest beatification in centuries.

Navarro-Valls rejected the idea that the process was moving too fast to let history be the judge of John Paul II, saying canonization could take centuries.

"Once the virtues are clear, why wait?" he asked.

For beatification, a person must be credited with a miracle by the Catholic Church. Benedict ruled last year that John Paul II had miraculously cured a French nun of Parkinson's disease after his death. The pope himself suffered from the condition.

The nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, was one of two nuns who brought the silver reliquary with the blood to Benedict after John Paul II was beatified. Sister Tobiana, who worked in the late pope's household, was the other.

The blood is still liquid because doctors added anti-coagulents to it when it was taken.

The Catholic tradition of venerating saints' physical remains -- known as relics -- dates to the earliest days of the church.

Chicago family credits Pope John Paul II with personal miracle

John Paul II's coffin has also been removed from its tomb and is on display for the faithful to venerate this weekend.

To become saint, John Paul II would need to perform a second miracle.

The man named by John Paul II to be archbishop of Valencia in Spain died on the eve of the beatification, the archdiocese announced Sunday.

Agustin Garcia-Gasco, who was later promoted to cardinal by Benedict XVI, was found dead in his room in Rome at the age of 80, having watched preparations for the beatification the night before.

CNN's John L. Allen, Jr., Hada Messia, Diana Magnay, Per Nyberg and Richard Allen Greene contributed to this report.

Osama Bin Laden's death: Reaction in quotes

2011-05-02T07:33:00.000+01:00

Political leaders have begun reacting to the news that Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed by US forces in Pakistan.

Bin Laden, who was top of the US "most wanted" list, was accused of being behind a number of atrocities, including the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September, 2001.

The development comes just months before the 10th anniversary of the attacks, in which nearly 3,000 people died.

US President Barack Obama

Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.

For over two decades, Bin Laden has been al-Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of Bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must - and we will - remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not - and never will be - at war with Islam.

Former US President George W Bush

This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.

Former US President Bill Clinton

This is a profoundly important moment not just for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in al-Qaeda's other attacks but for people all over the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and co-operation for our children.

I congratulate the president, the National Security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al-Qaeda attacks.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron

The news that Osama Bin Laden is dead will bring great relief to people across the world.

Osama Bin Laden was responsible for the worst terrorist atrocities the world has seen - for 9/11 and for so many attacks, which have cost thousands of lives, many of them British.

It is a great success that he has been found and will no longer be able to pursue his campaign of global terror.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

This is a resounding triumph for justice, freedom and the values shared by all democratic nations fighting shoulder to shoulder in determination against terrorism.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg

After September 11, 2001, we gave our word as Americans that we would stop at nothing to capture or kill Osama bin Laden. After the contribution of millions, including so many who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, we have kept that word.

The killing of Osama Bin Laden does not lessen the suffering that New Yorkers and Americans experienced at his hands, but it is a critically important victory for our nation - and a tribute to the millions of men and women in our armed forces and elsewhere who have fought so hard for our nation.

New Yorkers have waited nearly 10 years for this news. It is my hope that it will bring some closure and comfort to all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga

It's a major achievement in the war against terrorism.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key

Osama bin Laden was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, including New Zealanders, in several different parts of the world.

While his removal will not necessarily bring an immediate end to terrorist activity, I have absolutely no doubt that the world is a safer place without Osama bin Laden.

India's foreign ministry

The world must not let down its united effort to overcome terrorism and eliminate the safe havens and sanctuaries that have been provided to terrorists in our own neighbourhood. The struggle must continue unabated.

House Speaker John Boehner

This is great news for the security of the American people and a victory in our continued fight against al Qaeda and radical extremism around the world. We continue to face a complex and evolving terrorist threat, and it is important that we remain vigilant in our efforts to confront and defeat the terrorist enemy and protect the American people.

I want to congratulate - and thank - the hard-working men and women of our Armed Forces and intelligence community for their tireless efforts and perseverance that led to this success. I also want to commend President Obama and his team, as well as President Bush, for all of their efforts to bring Osama bin Laden to justice.

US Senator John McCain

I am overjoyed that we finally got the world's top terrorist. The world is a better and more just place now that Osama Bin Laden is no longer in it. I hope the families of the victims of the September 11 attacks will sleep easier tonight and every night hence knowing that justice has been done. I commend the president and his team, as well as our men and women in uniform and our intelligence professionals, for this superb achievement.

But while we take heart in the news that Osama Bin Laden is dead, we must be mindful that al-Qaeda and its terrorist allies are still lethal and determined enemies, and we must remain vigilant to defeat them.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor

Tonight, we've learned that justice has been done. The man with the blood of more than 3,000 Americans on his hands, the man who forced us to begin to think the unthinkable - is now dead.

Families who lost loved ones at the hands of Bin Laden and his terrorist organization have grieved for far too long and this sends a signal that America will not tolerate terrorism in any form. The men and women of our armed forces and intelligence community have fought valiantly for the last decade and this is a major victory and testament to their dedication. I commend President Obama who has followed the vigilance of President Bush in bringing Bin Laden to justice.

US Senator Joe Lieberman

The death of Osama Bin Laden unfortunately does not mean the end of the al-Qaeda network he built, the hateful ideology he helped propagate, or the threat against our homeland. Terrorists will continue to seek to murder Americans at home and abroad, and so too must our ever more determined global efforts to thwart their plots, destroy their networks, and defeat their ideology.

But the end of Osama bin Laden - at American hands, and in partnership with a Muslim ally - marks a historic victory in this longer struggle. Bin Laden's death should bring a measure of justice and solace to al Qaeda's victims, and fear to its ranks, who now must know their hour of reckoning, too, shall come.

US Senator Richard Lugar

The reported death of Osama Bin Laden is welcome news, but it in no way eliminates the threat from the terrorism he espoused. This is another reminder that Americans cannot hide from global affairs.

Americans must continue to be vigilant to ensure that terrorist groups and rogue states do not obtain weapons of mass destruction, a goal that I and many other Americans have sought for 20 years.

US Senator Susan Collins

This welcome news is a credit to our intelligence efforts and brings to justice the architect of the attacks on our country that killed nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.

Rowallane Cherry Blossom

2011-04-22T00:02:00.000+01:00

Charles Darwin 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882

2011-04-19T16:44:00.001+01:00

Darwin was deeply affected by the death of his older brother Erasmus ("Ras") in August 1881, and it is conjectured that his grief may have exacerbated the seriousness of his own poor health. In early 1882 he had several minor heart attacks. His condition worsened and on April 19, 1882, at 73 years of age, he died at Down House, after several hours of nausea, intense vomiting and retching, symptoms of a chronic illness that bedeviled him for the last 40 years of his life. At his bedside, and attending to his needs, were his wife Emma, his daughter Henrietta and his son Francis.

Darwin's last words, spoken to his wife Emma, were in actuality, "I am not in the least afraid to die."

Dietrich Bonhoeffer February 4, 1906 – April 9, 1945

2011-04-09T19:08:00.003+01:00

German Lutheran pastor, theologian and martyr.

Bonhoeffer was condemned to death on April 8, 1945, by SS judge Otto Thorbeck at a drumhead court-martial without witnesses, records of proceedings or a defence in Flossenbürg concentration camp. He was executed there by hanging at dawn on April 9, 1945, just three weeks before the Soviet capture of Berlin and a month before the capitulation of Nazi Germany. Like other executions associated with the July 20 Plot, the execution was particularly brutal. Bonhoeffer was stripped of his clothing and led naked into the execution yard, where he was hanged with thin wire for death by strangulation.

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I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Ps121

2011-03-31T11:45:00.001+01:00

Really......

2011-03-30T12:29:00.002+01:00

....if you want me to.....

2011-03-28T16:34:00.002+01:00

British Summertime... Clocks forward tonight!!

2011-03-26T21:29:00.001Z

Homemade Soda

2011-03-26T20:57:00.000Z

The faces don't show it, but it was mostly downhill till this photo...

2011-03-26T20:56:00.000Z

And it didn't slow him down

2011-03-19T14:54:00.001Z

25miles

2011-03-19T14:53:00.000Z

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Grand Canyon

2011-03-18T06:19:00.001Z

Amigos

2011-03-18T06:15:00.000Z

Dr Lloyd-Jones documentary on George Whitefield

2011-03-17T18:17:00.002Z

Class from the past.....

2011-03-15T08:16:00.000Z

Comber Hail

2011-03-15T08:14:00.001Z

Tracy back with her friends again!!

2011-03-12T14:53:00.001Z

Mmmm soda bread!

2011-03-11T20:14:00.001Z

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Who to marry

2011-02-25T09:11:00.001Z

Jesus in every book

2011-02-01T14:26:00.002Z

LEADERSHIP

2011-01-21T21:58:00.000Z

Dec 20, 2010 by Craig Blomberg

¹ To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: ² Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away (1 Peter 5:1-4; updated NIV)|

Dr. Randy MacFarland, Denver Seminary’s Academic Dean and Provost, reminds us in his December 14 devotional called “Humility” (in Tidings of Joy: Christmas Devotions from Denver Seminary [Littleton: Denver Seminary, 2010], 14) that Philip Yancey likens the condescension and abandonment of privilege undertaken by our Lord at his human birth to that of a human being becoming a sea slug!

This week I got blindsided by someone who had let a lot of minor frustrations in his life build up throughout the fall until I unwittingly proved to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. All his fury was unleashed on me. Fortunately, only three days later, he profusely apologized and I gladly and quickly made amends. Reconciliation in ministry is often not that easy.

Pastors frequently testify to one or a small number of parishioners who remain a thorn in their flesh for years on end. They typically assume the worst of motives in their leaders, spread gossip—often a core of truth supplemented by false inferences, misleading embellishments and negative innuendos. It can be extraordinarily difficult to know when to respond to unfair charges being made against oneself, risking an escalation of the problem, and when to try to ignore them in hopes that they will go away, but leaving others to believe untrue things about one. Many pastors try proactively to be very controlling with their congregations in hopes that people will be afraid to cross them. The strategy can work reasonably well, but it doesn’t foster good will and is not what Peter describes in this passage.

Peter’s original audience included numerous Christian congregations in various Roman provinces in what today we would call Turkey (1 Pet. 1:1). They were undergoing local harassment for their faith (4:3-4) with Nero’s persecution looming on the horizon. If evidence from a slightly later period of time is at all representative, they were probably targets of many false representations of their beliefs and practices, mixed in with accurate descriptions of that which already repulsed the Hellenistic world. If anyone had accepted church leadership in hopes of satisfying their desires for power and influence, they might well have been tempted to resign as the situation grew bleaker. Peter uses a series of three contrasts in 5:2-3 to challenge the elders/overseers/shepherds of these churches to to reflect on their motives for leadership and to encourage them not to give up. They should serve willingly, not for reward or status, and not autocratically. The term for “dishonest gain” could also mean “shameful gain” or “foolish gain.” Peter’s point could be that people are not to desire too much or inappropriate or ill-gotten gain, but more likely any time one’s motive for ministry is what one can get out of it one has lapsed into that which is dishonest, shameful or foolish.

How can Christian leaders continue to follow this counterintuitive approach? Central to the answer to this question is recognizing the eternal glory that awaits us after we suffer. Verses 1 and 4 bracket Peter’s trio of contrasts by reminding us of the everlasting rewards of the life to come. As I think back on some of the models of leadership that have had the best impact on me over the years, I recall individuals who were secure enough in what they stood for and strong enough in their walk with the Lord that when people unjustly abused them, they didn’t fight back but quietly prayed for their oppressors and just kept moving forward in obedience to God. Dr. Vernon Grounds, professor, dean, president and chancellor of Denver Seminary (in that order) for 59 years, who passed away this fall at age 96, may have been one of the best models ever of letting such criticism leave him undeterred, unruffled, and still kind to his critics.

I can’t pretend that I’ve even come close to his model. But with 41 fewer years of life thus far, maybe I can still grow a little more. If the king of kings could become a human embryo, he can surely help me to become more humble and less defensive and self-justifying!

Stolen Ring?

2011-01-14T20:54:00.000Z

The gold ring of office worn by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has been stolen.

The ring was taken during a break-in at the home of the Right Reverend John Christie in Helensburgh.

The robbery took place between 2300 GMT on Wednesday and 0400 GMT on Friday.

The ring has a large amethyst stone and bears the church's Latin motto, "nec tamen consumebatur", meaning, "yet it was not consumed" - an allusion to the biblical story of the burning bush.

Christmas presents and a wallet were also stolen in the robbery.

It is believed that the thief or thieves entered the house through the front door.

Det Insp Ross McCallum, of Strathclyde Police, said: "Thefts from your home are difficult to deal with any time of year, but especially at Christmas.

"As well as a wallet and Christmas presents for friends and family being taken, the Church of Scotland Moderatorial ring was also stolen.

"It is described as gold with a large amethyst stone and engraved with the words Church of Scotland.

"Whilst, it has a monetary value, it is more importantly, of significant historical importance to the church."

The ring was previously reported lost in 2006 before being found in Glasgow's St Enoch Square.

The Church of Scotland is to make an appeal for the ring's return.

KJV

2011-01-14T20:32:00.002Z

What Makes the King James Version Great?

ARTICLE BY LELAND RYKEN JANUARY 2011

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the most important event in the history of English Bible translation. In fact, the publication of the King James Version of the Bible in 1611 was the most important event in the history of book printing as a whole, inasmuch as it is the bestselling English book of all time. I tell my students that the publication of the King James Bible was the most important event in the history of English and American literature.

There are important ways in which the King James Version is a book of wonders, and that is the format I have chosen for this article.

Wonder #1: the inauspicious origin of the KJV

The greatest English Bible was begotten in a moment of spite by a profane king. The origin of the King James Version is as follows. As the coronation procession of King James of Scotland wound its way southward, Puritan leaders presented the king with the Millenary Petition (so-called because it allegedly bore the signatures of a thousand Puritan ministers). In response, the king called the Hampton Court Conference (held January, 1604).

The conference turned out to be a farce. Four moderate, hand-picked Puritans were pitted against eighteen Church-of-England heavyweights. The king summarily dismissed all Puritan requests and threatened to "harry them out of the land--or worse." As a last-minute attempt to salvage at least something from the conference, the Puritans requested that a new English translation of the Bible be commissioned.

The king surprised the assembly by approving the request, but he did so with a scornful put-down of the Geneva Bible (the Puritans' preferred-translation) and of the whole tradition of English Bible translation. The king's famous statement was that "he could never yet see a Bible well translated in English, but the worst of all his Majesty thought the Geneva to be."

So this was the origin of the King James Bible--a "poor and empty" request (as the preface to the KJV calls it) from a handful of dejected Puritans, granted by a sneering king. It is hard to imagine a less auspicious origin for the mighty King James Bible. Yet God chose to override the scorn of a king who was seeking his own political advantage rather than the spiritual health of his nation.

Wonder #2: the unlikely process of translation

A whole host of wonders meets us when we learn the details of what is commonly called "the making of the King James Version." For starters, even though the King James Bible originated in a climate of religious and political contentiousness, once the process was set in motion by King James and Archbishop Richard Bancroft, everyone involved in the project rose above partisan spirit. Something like a benediction fell on the venture.

The forty-seven men who did the translation were chosen solely on the basis of their scholarly ability. They were "the best of the best" that England had to offer in Hebrew and Greek language studies and biblical scholarship. It is true that all of the translators were clerics in the Church of England, but all viewpoints within that church were represented, from high church Anglo-Catholics to low-church Puritans. Approximately a fourth of the translators were Puritans.

The second wonder is that a seemingly unwieldy committee structure did not impede the work. There were three primary committees, but each of these was in turn divided into two committees, so in effect the work was performed by six committees. To add to our astonishment, they met in three separate locations--Oxford University, Cambridge University, and the Jerusalem Chamber off the entrance to Westminster Abbey in London.

Benson Bobrick, author of a book entitled Wide as the Waters: The Story of the English Bible and the Revolution It Inspired, sees a delicate balancing act in the three locations where the committees met. Oxford University had royalist and high church associations. Cambridge University was a hotbed of Protestant and Puritan fervor. Both universities were governed by Christian assumptions, but as educational institutions the were "secular" rather than ecclesiastical. Westminster Abbey, by contrast, was a church institution, and additionally its officials were appointed by the ruling monarch. Of course no one deliberately set out to orchestrate the venture in these terms, but the effect was as Bobrick describes it.

While the committee structure would seem to have been unmanageable in size and location, the process was so thorough that eventually all committee members read and had opportunity to comment on the entire manuscript. In yet another surprise, even though the Geneva Bible was the best and most popular translation of the day, the Bishops' Bible of 1568 was the stipulated starting point for the King James translators.

A final wonder is that the six committees produced not only a unified product but a literary masterpiece--the only one ever produced by a committee, as is commonly asserted. The primary aim of the translators was to produce an accurate translation. But as Alister McGrath writes in his book In the Beginning: The Story of the King James Bible and How It Changed a Nation, a Language and a culture, "The king's translators achieved [literary merit] unintentionally, by focusing on what, to them, was a greater goal. . . . The achievement of prosaic and poetic elegance that resulted was, so to speak, a most happy accident of history."

Wonder #3: the language and style of the KJV

The language and style of the KJV are a wonder because they defy complete analysis. A symptom of this is that the King James style can be parodied and imitated but never duplicated. Here, too, a benediction descended on the translation.

Modern advocates of colloquial Bibles have made fallacious claims about the King James style that need to be countered. The archaic quality of the King James Version makes it seem formal and exalted to modern readers, but the archaisms of the KJV were equally characteristic of the daily speech of the time. Another fallacy is that the King James translators spoiled the racy colloquialism of Tyndale's translation by embellishing it upwards. It is true that the King James translators had "a sure instinct for betterment" (as one expert puts it) as they massaged their inherited English translations, but I have found that this improvement often consisted of simplifying Tyndale's formulation, not by making it ornate. For example, Tyndale rendered 1 Timothy 6:6 as, "Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath." The King James translators tightened it up by rendering it, "Godliness with contentment is great gain."

It is hard to know what descriptors to use for the King James style. It is not colloquial, but what is it? The adjectives beautiful, dignified, and elegant (not to be necessarily equated with eloquent) are all accurate. Mainly, though, the King James style is as varied as the original biblical text, which shares with the King James Version the paradoxical quality of combining simplicity with majesty.

Where the original text is exalted and rhetorically embellished, the King James Version is also: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I cold remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-2).

But the simple can also be a form of beauty, and we find this as often as we find the embellished: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8). Or this from the creation story: "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light" (Genesis 1:3). Advocates of colloquial Bibles want us to believe that because the King James Version does not sound like conversation at the bus stop it is stilted, but this is a fallacy that we need to resist.

The King James norm is simplicity of style combined with majesty of effect: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knoweth it shall be opened" (Luke 11:9-10). The vocabulary of that passage is simple, but the elaborate rhetorical patterns of repetition elevate it above everyday conversation. A good parallel is Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, where the vocabulary is simple and the effect is elevating. I note in passing that a scholar has written a whole book that explores the indebtedness of the Gettysburg Address to the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.

An additional quality of the King James style is that it is memorable and aphoristic. Dozens of familiar sayings entered the English language through the King James Version (which both perpetuated felicitous formulations from earlier translations and added to the storehouse): labor of love, my brother's keeper, fly in the ointment, the powers that be, like a lamb to the slaughter, the salt of the earth, a law unto themselves, vanity of vanities, under the sun. There are so many memorable sayings from the King James Bible in Bartlett's Famous Quotations that an editor segregated them out and published a freestanding book that runs to over 200 pages.

Wonder #4: the unmatched influence of the King James Bible

The King James Version became the most influential book in the history of the English-speaking world and not impossibly in the world as a whole. Sources claiming that the KJV is the best-selling book of all time are too numerous to cite. David Daniell, author of the magisterial The Bible in English, claims that the KJV is "still the bestselling book in the world." Adam Nicolson, in his book God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible, claims that more than five billion copies of the King James Bible have been sold. Gordon Campbell, in his recent Oxford University Press book entitled Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611-2011, calls the King James Version "the most important book in the English language." Any book that elicits such claims as these is a "wonder book."

Until relatively recently, the King James Version was what people meant when they spoke of "the Bible." Wherever we dip into the sermons and writings of the famous preachers and theologians of the English-speaking world, it is obvious at once that they used the KJV. Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, George Whitfield, D. L. Moody, Matthew Henry, and Billy Graham all used the King James Version and did not need to tell their audiences what translation they were using.

From approximately 1700 to 1950, the King James Bible was the preeminent book in England and American in virtually every sphere of society that we can name--family, religion, church, politics, education, literature, art, and music. The foundation on which everything else rested was the influence of the King James Version on the English language. The influence of the English Bible on the language started with William Tyndale, who gave English-speaking people what David Daniell calls an English plain style. But Tyndale's pioneering work would have proven ephemeral if other Bible translations had not perpetuated his work.

In turn, the King James Version synthesized a whole century of English Bible translation into a climactic document. More importantly, it was through the King James Bible that this linguistic accomplishment remained dominant for three centuries. If there was just one book that the American pioneers carried in their covered wagons, it was the King James Version of the Bible. The King James Bible was first of all a religious authority, but it also provided a standard of stylistic and linguistic excellence that the pioneers preserved amidst conditions that doubtless seemed to threaten their cultural heritage. For more than four centuries, English-speaking people (around the world and not just in England and America) had a touchstone for what constituted good written and oral communication.

For some glimpses into the spheres where the KJV was preeminent for three and a half centuries, I will dip into an area that emerged as one of my favorites when I wrote my book The Legacy of the King James Bible, namely, public inscriptions of verses from the King James Bible. As a graduate student at the University of Oregon, I could look up whenever I entered the library and read the engraved verse, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

Every year two million visitors have a chance to read Leviticus 25:10 on the cracked Liberty Bell in Philadelphia: "Proclaim LIBERTY through all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof." The "Isaiah wall" across the street from the United Nations headquarters in New York City bears these words from Isaiah 2:4: "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Texts from the English Bible have appeared on the walls of churches and cathedrals at least since the sixteenth century, and a majority of these have been from the King James Version. A person sitting along the outer aisle of a pew of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia can read verses such as these: "he being dead yet speaketh" (Hebrews 11:4); "being made conformable unto his death" (Philippians 3:10); "well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithfull over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of they Lord" (Matthew 25:21).

The scope broadens if we consider the King James texts imprinted on the walls of the Dunham Bible Museum on the campus of Houston Baptist University. These texts mark famous moments in American history where the King James Bible was quoted. Specimens include these: "What hath God wrought?" (Samuel Morse as he sent the first words over his newly invented telegraph machine, quoting Numbers 23:23). "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained. . ." (Buzz Aldrin as he spoke on a television broadcast after his space walk, quoting Psalm 1:3). "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it" (Benjamin Franklin during a debate the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, quoting Psalm 127:1).

Conclusion

I have done no more than give hints of the greatness of the King James Bible and its historical influence. McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader, which itself did much to perpetuate the influence of the King James Bible, can be allowed to encapsulate the praise that has been legitimately heaped on the King James Version through the years and especially in this anniversary year: "The best of classics the world has ever admired."

Leland Ryken is the Clyde S. Kilby Professor of English at Wheaton College. He is the author of numerous articles and has contributed, written or edited more than twenty books.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T02:23:00.002Z

A new year is like a box of chocolates.... You never know what you are going to get!

The Pope, Dawkins, and Atonement

2010-12-27T10:17:00.000Z

From BBC

Atheist author and campaigner Richard Dawkins wrote in the Guardian that he thought the address was a "damp, faltering squib" and that the message centred on the concept of original sin.

"Ratzinger has much to confess in his own conduct, as cardinal and pope. But he is also guilty of promoting one of the most repugnant ideas ever to occur to a human mind: "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22)," he wrote.

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-24T20:10:00.002Z

What a day of driving

2010-12-21T23:32:00.001Z

It started early. Clearing the car of frozen snow took a while, then I set off to Belfast for the first of two funerals. After Carryduff the roads weren't too bad, but the traffic was at a snail's pace, so I thought I was going to be late.

Bereavement at any time is hard, at Christmas as families are narrowing distances, the loss is even more keenly felt.
Then to Curran, (at the end of the M2) for another funeral.

At the end of the M2, the roads got very icy, and the temperature dropped.

But the snow covered vegetation was amazing

Curran is a beautiful place, and in the snow, exceptionally so. The view from the church, over the graveyard was stunning.

The Presbyterian Church at Curran is a beautiful Presbyterian Meeting House. It reminded me of my time in Glenwherry, which brought back many very happy memories....

From Curran I had a call at Craigavon, and then Lisburn. Again freezing fog seemed to follow me along the main roads. There were many cars parked up, or being helped out.

Then home to the warm for tea, some evening work, and.....bed.

Icicles on the outhouse

2010-12-20T20:53:00.002Z

These are William's "Top Ten" stories of 2010

2010-12-20T10:02:00.000Z

William Crawley's Top Ten Stories

From 9Marks

2010-12-20T09:49:00.002Z

Book Excerpt: Is “Incarnational” the Best Way to Describe Christian Mission?

By Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert

The following article is an excerpt from Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert’s book What is the Mission of the Church?, forthcoming from Crossway in late 2011. This excerpt comes from chapter 2, “What in the World Does Jesus Send Us Into the World to Do?” and is printed here by permission.

It is very popular to assume that missions is always incarnational. And of course on one level this is true. We go and live among the people. We try to emulate the humility and sacrifice of Christ (Phil. 2:5-11). But incarnationalism in missions often means more than this.[1] It means that we model our ministry on Jesus’ ministry. For Stott, and many others after him, this means the mission of the church is service. “Therefore,” says Stott, “our mission, like his, is to be one of service.”[2] Evangelism and social action, therefore, are full partners in Christian mission.[3] Since the most crucial form of the Great Commission is the one we see in John (argues Stott), the simplest way to sum up the missionary enterprise is this: “we are sent into the world, like Jesus, to serve.”[4]

Stott’s reading of John 20:21 has been very influential. There are, however, some problems.

(1) It can be misleading to summarize Jesus’ mission as one of service. There’s no problem with this formulation if we mean “serve” in the Mark 10:45 sense of the word, that Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. But Stott means more than this. He means that Jesus’ mission was to meet human need, whether spiritual or physical.[5] Again, no one can deny, nor would we want to deny, that Jesus showed compassion to countless multitudes in extraordinary ways. Nor do we want to suggest that meeting physical needs has no place in the church’s work. On the contrary, let us be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14) and walk in the good deeds prepared for us (Eph. 6:10). But it is misleading to contend that Jesus’ ministry focused on serving, and even more so to claim, as one recent book does, that “Every moment of his ministry is spent with the poor, sick, helpless, and hurting.”[6] Sometimes Jesus was alone and wanted to be away from people (Mark 1:35, 45). Other times he was with rich men like Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5). Often he was with the disciples who were not destitute and were in fact supported by wealthy women (Luke 8:1-3).

We know this will sound odd to some, but it’s true: It was not Jesus’ driving ambition to heal the sick and meet the needs of the poor. He was sent into the world to save people from condemnation (John 3:17), that he might be lifted up so believers could have eternal life (3:14-15). He was sent by the Father so that whoever feeds on him might live forever (6:57-58). In his important work on the missions of Jesus and the disciples, Andreas Köstenberger concludes that John’s Gospel portrays Jesus’ mission as the Son sent from the Father, as the one who came into the world and returned to the Father, and as the shepherd-teacher who called others to follow him in order to help gather a final harvest.[7] If Köstenberger is right, this is long way from saying that Jesus’ fundamental mission was to meet human needs.

But that’s John, someone may object. His gospel is always something of an outlier. What do the synoptics say? Well, let’s take a look at Mark as an example. No doubt, Jesus often healed the sick and cast out demons in Mark’s gospel. Teaching, healing, and exorcism were the three prongs of his ministry (see, for instance his quintessential first day of ministry in Capernaum in 1:21-34). And yet what drove his ministry was the proclamation of the gospel, the announcement of the kingdom and the call to repent and believe (1:15). Jesus healed and exorcised demons out of compassion for the afflicted (1:41; 9:22), but the bigger reason for the miracles was that they testified to his authority and pointed to his unique identity (e.g., 2:1-12).

Don’t miss this fact: there is not a single example of Jesus going into a town with the purpose of healing or casting out demons. He never ventures out on a healing and exorcism tour. He certainly does a lot of this along the way. He is moved with pity at human need (8:2). But the reason he “came out” was “that [he] may preach” (1:38). If anything, the clamor for meeting physical needs became a distraction to Jesus. That’s why he frequently commanded silence of those he helped (1:44; 7:36), and why he would not do many works in a town rife with unbelief (6:5-6).

In Mark, as in the other gospels, there are plenty of miracles and acts of service to celebrate, but they are far from the main point. The first half of the gospel drives toward Peter’s confession in chapter 8 where Jesus’ identity is revealed. The second half of the gospel drives toward the cross where Jesus’ work is completed (three predictions of death and resurrection in chapters 9-10 and a detailed description of Holy Week in chapters 11-16). Mark’s gospel does not focus on Jesus meeting physical needs. Mark’s gospel is about who Jesus was and what he did to save sinners.

It’s no wonder, then, that Jesus first action in Mark, after preaching (1:14-15), is to call men to follow him and promise to make them fishers of men (1:17). Jesus’ purpose statements in Mark are revealing. He came to preach (1:38). He came to call sinners (2:17). He came to give his life as a ransom for many (10:45). Or as we read elsewhere, Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). The focus of his ministry is on teaching. The heart of his teaching centers on who he is. And the good news of who he is culminates in where he is going—to the cross. The mission of Jesus is not service broadly conceived, but the proclamation of the gospel through teaching, the corroboration of the gospel through signs and wonders, and the accomplishment of the gospel in death and resurrection.

(2) It is unwise to assume that because we are sent as Jesus was sent that we have the exact same mission he had. We must protect that absolute uniqueness of what Jesus came to do. D.A. Carson, commenting on John 17:18, concludes that when it comes to the mission of the disciples “there is no necessary overtone of incarnation or of invasion from another world.” Instead, we come face to face with “the ontological gap that forever distances the origins of Jesus’ mission from the origins of the disciples’ missions.”[8] We cannot re-embody Christ’s incarnational ministry any more than we can repeat his atonement. Our role is to bear witnessto what Christ has already done. We are not new incarnations of Christ but his representatives offering life in his name, proclaiming his gospel, imploring others to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20). This is how the exalted Christ carries out his mission through us.

So how then is the Son’s being sent a model for our being sent by the Son? Köstenberger explains:

The Fourth Gospel does therefore not appear to teach the kind of “incarnational model” advocated by Stott and others. Not the way in which Jesus came into the world (i.e., the incarnation), but the nature of Jesus’ relationship with his sender (i.e., one of obedience and utter dependence), is presented in the Fourth Gospel as the model for the disciples’ mission. Jesus’ followers are called to imitate Jesus’ selfless devotion in seeking his sender’s glory, to submit to their sender’s will, and to represent their sender accurately and know him intimately.[9]

Consequently, a focus on human service and on human need is not, at least in John, a primary purpose of either Jesus’ mission or the disciples’ mission.[10] If the context of John 20:21 tells us anything, the mission of the disciples was to wield the keys of the kingdom, to open and close the door marked “Forgiveness” (20:23; cf. Matt. 16:19). John wrote his gospel so that his audience might “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing [they would] have life in his name” (John 20:31). This was John’s mission, as he understood it. And there’s every reason to think he saw this as the fulfillment of the mission he recorded from Jesus a few verses earlier. The Father sent the Son so that by believing in his name the children of God might have life (1:12). The Son sent the disciples, in the same spirit of complete surrender and obedience, so that they might go into the world to bear witness to the one who is the way, the truth, and the life (14:6).

Kevin DeYoung is the senior pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan. Greg Gilbert is the senior pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

[1] See David Hesselgrave (141-65) for a helpful summary of the Incarnationalism v. Representationalism debate. Hesselgrave argues for the latter.

[2] Stott, Christian Mission, 23, 24.

[3] Ibid., 27.

[4] Ibid., 30.

[5] Ibid., 24.

[6] Lyons, The Next Christians, 55.

[7] Köstenberger, The Missions of Jesus and the Disciples, 199.

[8] D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, PNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), 566.

[9] Köstenberger, The Missions of Jesus and the Disciples, 217.

[10] Ibid., 215.

What is the Mission of the Church?, by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 1: Understanding Our Mission

1. A Most Common Word in Need of a More Careful Definition

2. What in the World Does Jesus Send Us Into the World to Do?

Part 2: Understanding Our Categories

3. Grasping the Whole Story: Seeing the Biblical Narrative from the Top of Golgotha

4. Are We Missing the Whole Gospel? Understanding the Good News

5. Kings and Kingdoms: Understanding God’s Redemptive Rule

6. Making Sense of Social Justice: Exposition

7. Making Sense of Social Justice: Application

8. Seeking Shalom: Understanding the New Heavens and the New Earth

Part 3: Understanding What We Do and Why We Do It

9. Zealous for Good Works: Why and How we Do Good, Both as Individuals and as Churches

10. The Great Commission Mission: What it Means and Why it Matters

Epilogue: So You’re Thinking of Starting a New Kind of Church? Advice for the Young, Motivated, and Missional

November/December 2010
©9Marks

The Cambrian “Explosion,” Transitional Forms, and the Tree of Life | The BioLogos Forum

2010-12-19T23:25:00.000Z

The Cambrian “Explosion,” Transitional Forms, and the Tree of Life | The BioLogos Forum

Snow, Snow and more Snow

2010-12-19T21:51:00.003Z

What an amazing few days of snow and ice we have had! Airports and schools closed, Carol Services this evening in churches in Saintfield all cancelled or postponed, and a strange silence has enveloped our little town. We had a great experience last night. My car, being rear wheel drive, struggled to get up one of the hills on the Ballynahinch Road. Thanks to one of our congregation, David, who brought his tractor, and a bucket full of kindness, we got home safely. Thank you David.

Local schools are cancelled again tomorrow, including the Carol Service I was to speak at in the morning. More snow forecast for overnight, so we will have to wait and see if Janice can make it to work in Larne.

2010-12-18T01:16:00.001Z

2010-12-14T11:14:00.001Z

Sister Act

2010-12-07T01:12:00.001Z

True Humility

2010-12-01T09:48:00.000Z

Jer 9:23 Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

ACL restoration

2010-11-12T15:48:00.000Z

The operation is over, the man pain begins......

Prime Minister's Questions

2010-09-16T08:58:00.002+01:00

Thanks to our MPs at Westminster for continuing to raise the issue of the Presbyterian Mutual Society with the decision-makers in London, and especially for this good question from Dr William McCrea during Prime Minister’s Questions today, which extracted a re-affirmation of his pledge from the PM. Here’s what Hansard reported:

Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP): Before the election, the Prime Minister said:
“If I am Prime Minister a Conservative and Unionist Government will work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure a just and fair resolution of the PMS”— the Presbyterian Mutual Society—and continued: “you’ve done the right thing and you deserve for that to be recognised and rewarded.”
How soon will that pledge be honoured?
The Prime Minister: I am determined that we will honour that pledge. This is important. I know how angry people in Northern Ireland are when they hear British politicians say, “Of course, nobody lost any savings in the crash.” People did lose money, including in Northern Ireland, and they are right to be upset and angry.
A working group is trying to go through those issues and to find an answer. My right hon. Friend the Northern Ireland Secretary is involved in that, and the Chancellor is engaged in the issue. It is not easy, but we are determined to find a solution so that we can give satisfaction to people who lost money in Northern Ireland and who currently feel that they have been let down.

Ridgeway Rovers (2) vs Hillsborough Boys (1)

2010-09-13T12:03:00.000+01:00

Holy Books and Bullies

2010-09-11T09:35:00.002+01:00

We had bullies at my school.
There were those who suffered at their hands, those who turned their heads and pretended they weren't there, those who kept quiet in case they became next in the queue, and there were those who rode on their shirt tails.

The news this week has been concentrated on the story of a pastor in the US who threatened to burn the Koran. It started as a reaction to the 'rise of islam' and then degenerated, at the end of the week, into a sordid deal on the building of an islamic centre close to the site of 9/11.

Of course the plan for burning of the koran was completely wrong, and not a Christian act. Some say that it is just a book like any other book, and muslims are wrong to be offended. But the intention of the act was to cause offense (else why do it). And that is not a Christian act. In fact it was bullying.

It is unlikely though if it had been a plan to burn a Bible that there would have been the same interest in the media. What has caused the stir has been the threat of violence associated with the story. The media continue to tip toe around Islam for fear of upsetting the 'radical' and getting a bomb outside their studio, or having to go into hiding. Even 'moderate' islam rides on the back of the threat of violence. Those building the islamic centre close to the site of the Twin Towers say that it would be wrong to change their decision as it would be ill received in the world wide islamic community, and may lead to more radicalization....

It reminds me of the bully in the playground at school..............

PMS Update from Rev Stafford Carson's Blog

2010-09-10T17:34:00.002+01:00

I received a letter today from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr Owen Paterson, updating us on the current situation with regards to the Presbyterian Mutual Society. This is what he wrote:

At our recent meeting to discuss PMS, I indicated that I would be in touch to update you as the situation moved forward.
I chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Working Group yesterday - the Minister of State for Northern Ireland Hugo Swire, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury Mark Hoban, the First and deputy First Minister and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment also participated.
As you are aware, the legal and commercial sensitivities surrounding PMS limit what I can say publicly at this stage. However, in broad terms, I wanted to emphasise again the commitment that the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive share to finding a just and fair resolution to the PMS crisis. The commitment was very much in evidence during the course of the Ministerial meeting on 8 September; the intensive work being carried out by officials from Whitehall and Stormont was reflected in the constructive proposals being worked through by my colleagues on the Ministerial Working Group.
We are considering several options with the aim of finding the best available solution for the thousands of PMS members who have been unable to access their investments since the Society entered administration in 2008 - and in so doing, we have been mindful of the many representations made to us by individuals, families, Church congregations, elected representatives and other public figures seeking that a satisfactory solution be found.
Complex issues still need to be resolved, but the will exists to identify a way forward in the context of the Spending Review this October. The Ministerial Group will meet again in two weeks to review progress. I hope this note offers some reassurance that progress is being made and that we expect to be able to provide more detail in coming weeks as to the way forward.

We thank Mr Paterson for his update and assure him and his colleagues of our prayerful support as they seek to resolve these “complex issues”. As we wait, we encourage one another, as Jesus did his disciples, to “always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1-8).

Love this photo of Jeremy leading the way

2010-09-10T17:32:00.000+01:00

Love Fail

2010-09-10T17:29:00.000+01:00

Poignant farewell to last Battle of Britain hero - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

2010-08-02T10:49:00.000+01:00

Poignant farewell to last Battle of Britain hero - Northern Ireland, Local & National - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

10 Tips For Increasing Church Growth and Income

2010-06-28T13:46:00.000+01:00

10 Tips For Increasing Church Growth and Income

Aborted babies thrown out with clinical waste

2010-05-28T10:51:00.001+01:00

Aborted babies thrown out with clinical waste

Old Video...... 0.38!!

2010-05-28T10:31:00.000+01:00

Good Fellas

2010-05-28T10:08:00.000+01:00

Blues Brothers Saintfield (Take 2)

2010-05-27T09:36:00.000+01:00

Munyaka Primary School

2010-05-21T23:52:00.001+01:00

Munyaka

2010-05-21T23:28:00.000+01:00

Kenya 2010

2010-05-21T16:48:00.002+01:00

You never know what is around the corner

2010-05-07T10:44:00.002+01:00

Skipping Church

2010-05-06T12:55:00.002+01:00

http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/04/2801/

In whom do we trust?

2010-04-30T10:42:00.001+01:00

We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking only to learn that it is God shaking them.

Charles West

Religious Advertising

2010-04-29T23:12:00.003+01:00

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7653083/Church-warned-that-flag-of-Jesus-is-religious-advertising.html

The Wisdom of God

2010-04-29T08:32:00.000+01:00

"Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed. " Robert H Schuller

The Example of how it begins.....

2010-04-20T12:32:00.000+01:00

To those I have talked to this week, here is the example (from BALM) of how bullying began and was experienced in the life of a couple in ministry. The couple are fictional, but the experiences are real enough. I hope this helps, especially if you are just into a pastorate, finding your feet and wondering who you can trust.

"We find it almost impossible to explain how the bullying started because so much of it was very gradual and subtle. We had the misfortune to stumble across two or three people for whom bullying was a way of life. They held positions of leadership within the congregation, leadership which they abused by dominating and controlling everyone around them to the extent of "seeing off" anyone who refused to comply with their order.
The process began with friendliness - "we're nice chaps here, look how good life can be for you if you go along with us". It seemed innocent enough at first, a friendly welcome into ministry in a new area and knowledgeable support during the early months. One of the bullies did come across as rather overbearing at times,.................. but all churches have people like that and there was nothing to indicate the abuse that was to follow.
Yet follow it did. It began with vaguely critical comments made (pleasantly enough) at church meetings and after services, which on their own sounded harmless and too trivial to answer, but which subtly began to undermine other people's respect for us and our ministry. No doubt this was backed up with similar comments behind our backs. Then there were the continual nit-picking criticisms addressed to us privately which began, almost imperceptibly at first, to chip away at our self-confidence.

We found ourselves beginning to lose our joy in ministry and we started getting very tired. At this point the pressure on us was increased. The criticism was strengthened - I wasn't working hard enough, I didn't do enough visiting, our sermons weren't good enough, .................
The attacks became more intense and focused on our partnership in ministry and on our marriage. Various attempts were made to discredit my wife and to blame her for the problems. She was excluded from meetings, and spiteful, untrue rumours were circulated about her. Worse still, attempts were made to "persuade" me that I would be better off without her. The pressure put on us was so great that our marriage came close to breaking down.........................................

Bullying in the Church

2010-04-17T23:10:00.002+01:00

It has been a burden on my heart to know that a number of ministers in our church are going through times of deep stress and anxiety. Some have needed to take time away from their ministries in order to recover from the effects of what amounts to bullying or spiritual abuse. Some describe it as 'burn-out' but I suspect that bullying is at the heart of the matter. It can be down to a small group, or even just one person in authority in a congregation who can subtly, (rarely overtly), make life very difficult. It can be done in such a way that others in the church don't see it and may not even believe that it is taking place.
The perpetrators are rarely ‘openly aggressive’ sorts of characters who announce that they are going to drain your spiritual energy. They may even be people who seem like they are seeking to guide you and others to the deepest levels of spiritual maturity.

I found this website. You may not even realize that what you are experiencing is........

Bullying in the Church
Adapted from an article written by us for the Society of Mary and Martha newsletter Autumn 2000

Mention the word bullying and most people think it's something that only happens to children. But adults get bullied too and, as with children, the effects can be devastating - bullying can lead to serious psychiatric injury (post-traumatic stress disorder, reactive depression, loss of self-confidence and self-esteem, etc.), job loss, family breakdown and even suicide.
Adult bullying can cover a range of behaviours, from teasing which has got a bit out of control to serious criminal activity. However, in a work context it tends to be a psychological assault, usually involving a serial bully who, although superficially charming, tries to boost their poor self-image by dominating others. If someone is perceived as a possible threat to their dominance, the bully will systematically undermine that person's confidence and reputation until they are coerced into compliance or "got rid of".
Bullying is usually a very covert and subtle form of abuse which can be difficult to identify. Constant criticism, verbal abuse, unrealistic expectations and manipulation are all examples of bullying behaviours, but it is the sustained nature of the abuse, and the context in which it happens, that turn seemingly minor incidents into seriously damaging abuse. One good indication that a person is being bullied is when their emotional reaction seems disproportionate to the event(s) they report.
Increasingly clergy are finding themselves targeted by bullying. They may be bullied by lay officers who want to control everything that happens in the church, or by colleagues or superiors. Either way, being bullied is a devastating and intensely traumatic experience, but bullied clergy who suffer consequent health problems are all too often labelled as inadequate, and may be sacked, retired or forced to resign their office, whilst no action is taken against the perpetrators. Even those who receive more sympathetic support may still find that they are physically and mentally unable to continue in their ministry.
We set up BALM in mid-1999 following our experiences of being bullied out of ministry. The BALM e-mail group (details on our home page) provides a forum for mutual support and is open to anyone who has been or is being bullied in authorised Christian ministry (any denomination, world-wide), and their families. Our website provides information about bullying in ministry, and links to some of the major anti-bullying websites and to organisations which offer support to those in ministry. We welcome contact by e-mail (see our home page), but, as in everything we do, we are very much limited by our own ongoing health problems and cannot guarantee an immediate response.
Finally, the long term aim of BALM is to raise awareness and understanding of the plight of bullied and abused ministers, and to encourage better practice in our churches.

Arthur & Pauline Kennedy

http://www.balmnet.co.uk/article.htm

Tired of Politics?

2010-04-14T09:17:00.002+01:00

http://www.eauk.org/fnt/christianity-is-political.cfm

Presbyterian Moderator's Easter Message

2010-04-02T10:10:00.002+01:00

Easter Points to Rebirth and Renewal of All Creation

Easter is an opportunity for Christians to affirm what the New Testament clearly declares, that Jesus Christ who died on the cross, actually rose again from the dead.

The apostles made clear that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pivotal doctrine of the Christian faith, for without this truth, they said, "our faith is vain". It proves that Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be, and that he accomplished what he claimed to have come into the world to do. The fact that God raised Jesus from the dead has massive implications for how we live now. The Easter story is evidence that God's new creation has been launched upon this broken world, and it points forward to the renewal and rebirth of the entire creation.

Since God declares in the resurrection of Christ that he intends to overcome sin and evil, it means that Christians, in the power of the Risen Christ, should work for justice and righteousness in our present world. That means that issues like the massive economic imbalance of our world need to be addressed with energy and commitment. If God is going to renew all things in Christ, then Christians are called to engage in a programme for change so that every form of sin and injustice is challenged and overcome.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that we not only apply the gospel to the major problems of our world, but that we also apply it to the intimate details of our personal lives. Christian holiness means that individually we learn to live in the new world created by the Easter.

While there are many parts of the world we cannot significantly affect, there is one part of the world which we can do something about, and that is the person we each call "myself". In the power of the new life of Christ, we confront sinful attitudes and practices in our own lives, and begin to live in a way that honours and reflects our Crucified and Risen Lord.

Rt Rev Dr Stafford Carson
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Presbyterian Mutual Society and a Solution to Pay out all its Creditors and its Place in the Honest Money Movement

2010-02-26T13:45:00.001Z

Presbyterian Mutual Society and a Solution to Pay out all its Creditors and its Place in the Honest Money Movement

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2010-02-11T22:46:00.000Z

Dark matter seen for first time

Despair?

2010-01-23T23:43:00.000Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8476779.stm

A Government that appears to have achieved very little....Education in disarray, a Health Service that is drastically underfunded, a Policing and Justice farce, roads that are falling to pieces, an economy in meltdown and an inability to deal with real issues affecting thousands (like the Presbyterian Mutual)..... is indeed unsustainable.

Pass the Parcel

2010-01-21T20:22:00.003Z

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/editorial/PMS-savers-must-receive-a.5991766.jp

"Pass the Parcel" is a party game. It seems to be a Political Party game too!! It is an absolute disgrace that the Presbyterian Mutual savers have been treated like criminals when every other financial institution in the UK (and even in Iceland) has been bailed out without inquiry or question asked. Questions ought to have been asked. Even when the heads of banks appeared before a Government Select Committee and one after another said "Sorry, sorry, sorry.........." and then went on to pay themselves bonuses.....they were still bailed out by the Government!!!!!!!

It is time to stop the music. The Parcel is in the Government's lap. Action is needed now.

Politicians will be looking for our votes in the near future. It is time to end this charade.

PMS may take some time......

2010-01-07T18:07:00.002Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8446432.stm

Free-spending Manchester City reveal £92.6m losses | Manchester City - Times Online

2010-01-06T08:36:00.000Z

Free-spending Manchester City reveal £92.6m losses | Manchester City - Times Online

Care home patients given feeding tubes 'to save on staffing' - Times Online

2010-01-06T08:30:00.000Z

Care home patients given feeding tubes 'to save on staffing' - Times Online

Is this the future for Britain’s health service? | Nigel Crisp - Times Online

2010-01-05T23:45:00.000Z

Is this the future for Britain’s health service? | Nigel Crisp - Times Online

Retooned

2009-12-18T14:07:00.001Z

2009-12-09T23:30:00.004Z

Dear Sir,

I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three 'nanoseconds' must have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honour it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement which, I admit, has been in place for only thirty eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.

My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways.

I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, re-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate.

Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope.

Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.

In due course, I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service.

As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:

1-- To make an appointment to see me.

2-- To query a missing payment.

3-- To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.

4-- To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.

5-- To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.

6-- To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.

7-- To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my computer is required. A password will be communicated to you at a later date to the Authorised Contact.)

8-- To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through 8

9-- To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.

Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an
establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement. May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year.

Your Humble Client

Addendum from The Editor:

IMPORTANT to REMEMBER that this letter was written by a 98 year old woman.

DOESN'T SHE MAKE YOU PROUD!!!

Tracy and "just a shadow of my former self..." at Strangford

2009-11-29T00:44:00.002Z

There is a storm brewing

2009-11-16T21:40:00.002Z

From Perry Noble's Blog

2009-11-12T23:01:00.002Z

Four Random Questions I Wrestle With November 12, 2009

I often reflect on my early years in ministry…and the questions I wrestled with then. As I look at my struggles my first five years…not that much has changed. I still struggle with the same things…
#1 – Why do people criticize a church that reaches people?
I remember hearing early on in my ministry how evil Willow Creek/Bill Hybels was…so…I went to a conference where Hybels was speaking (so I could make my own decision) and watched him WEEP over people far from God (something I had never seen his critics do!) It didn’t take me long to realize that his critics were not motivated by concern…but rather jealousy.
Yet…this still happens today. In fact, it is quite popular to speak against anything that is growing in Christian circles…because if it can be shown in a negative light then it empowers other churches/organization to stay where they are and not make any sorts of adjustments.
#2 – Why do churches continually invest in broken systems?
For example…I am from Baptist world (this will be fun)…and I never, EVER, understood the concept of Sunday school. The church begged and begged people to go…but the pastor didn’t go, the staff didn’t go–HECK, the Sunday school director didn’t even go!!!
If I am remembering correctly…SS attendance in ever major denomination has been DECREASING since the 1970’s…and yet churches STILL invest in the system that DID HAVE IT’S DAY…but needs to be let go of. (I am REALLY making a lot of new friends in Baptist world right now! Guys…I don’t hate you! My heart is built on nothing less than Lottie Moon and Broadman Press! I just desperately wish change would be embraced for the sake of HIS KINGDOM…and the SBC’s goal would not be merely to survive…but thrive!!!)
The other thing that comes to mind here is the way churches invest in youth and children’s ministry! Seriously…I’ve read statistics that say up to 80% of CHURCHED KIDS walk away from the church when they graduate high school…and very few EVER return. Could one of the problems be THE WAY the church approached ministry? If so…then does the church MAYBE need to make some adjustments?
If the system is broken then say it is…and doing so is NOT irreverent…it is actually honoring to God!!!
#3 – Why do “Christians” hate people who aren’t like them?
This was REALLY confusing…I remember churches organizing abortion protest and then going out and yelling/screaming at people entering the abortion clinics and such.
NOW…let me be very clear…I am NOT for abortion…at all! BUT…I remember thinking during the times when these protests were quite popular, “what about the girl who is sitting in the church right now and has had an abortion?” (You can actually put anyone in that situation…the person who has given away their virginity, had a divorce, struggles with an addiction.)
Unfortunately…I’ve discovered that the people who most often look down on people who aren’t as “good as them” are usually hiding something of their own!!!
Oh…and one more thing here…why do “Christians” hate people who don’t believe just like them? (The reformed guys are usually the worse…and, being pretty much reformed in my theology I believe I can say that with integrity!) We all have different beliefs…but I would say if we could claim the Nicean Creed as our common ground…we should be mature enough to work through the rest.)
#4 – Why do pastors/church leaders listen to people who tell them what they should be doing…but have actually never done it?
If I wrote a book on surgery…the how to’s and such…there isn’t a doctor in the world that would buy it and/or attempt to apply what I had written! Why? Because…I am not a doctor…and I have NEVER actually performed surgery.
Yet…someone who has never planted a church and/or been a pastor can write a book in the Christian world…and church planters/pastors will devour it. Some people call this brilliant…I call it stupid.
The world seems to grasp this concept…learn from people who have been where you want to go. Yet the church seems to embrace, “listen and learn from the people who have never actually done anything…but have really good theories.”
Pastors/church leaders…if you want to learn the seek the wisdom of people who have actually done what you are wanting to do. (BTW…these people do not descrie themselves as “experts”…but rather servants who simply listen to the Lord and do what He says!)
And for the person/people who have great theories about how to plant/lead a church…I would say if you really believe in your theories then why don’t you risk it all and put them into practice rather than trying to make a profit by selling your untested ideas to men and women whom you are hoping may have the faith that you don’t actually have?
Tagged: Church Issues, Church Planting, Leadership, Personal

Extreme Sheep Herding

2009-11-11T16:05:00.002Z

Anyone for a holiday?

2009-11-10T08:24:00.000Z

Wish you were here, says chairman of Iraqi tourist board - Times Online

2009-11-10T08:02:00.001Z

Psalm 61

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

¹ Hear my cry, O God;
       listen to my prayer. ² From the ends of the earth I call to you,
       I call as my heart grows faint;
       lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³ For you have been my refuge,
       a strong tower against the foe.
⁴ I long to dwell in your tent forever
       and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
       Selah
⁵ For you have heard my vows, O God;
       you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
⁶ Increase the days of the king's life,
       his years for many generations.
⁷ May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
       appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
⁸ Then will I ever sing praise to your name
       and fulfill my vows day after day.

Remembrance Day

2009-11-08T22:12:00.001Z

Powerful

2009-10-31T22:01:00.001Z

Precommunion

2009-10-30T23:18:00.000Z

Our fathers had a very strict view of preparation for The Lord's Supper. They took seriously the Apostle Paul's admonition that we should 'examine' ourselves before eating and drinking at His table, lest we should eat and drink judgment on ourselves.

The Pre-communion Season was a time set aside the week prior to celebrating the Lord's Supper for this examination to take place, and everyone was supposed to use it wisely. Part of that examination was through a special service called the Pre-Communion Service, held usually on the Friday prior to the Sacrament. At this special service communion tokens (bearing the name of the communicant) were exchanged for little lead or pewter tokens which were brought to the Lord's table the following Sunday. The elders would 'fence' the table in that only those who had the little lead tokens (those who had spent time in self examination) where allowed to share at the table.

In our busy world it seems difficult to find time to do the important things. Sometimes good things can even become the enemy of the best. But surely our fathers had it right, we will never 'have' time, we need to MAKE time for the important things. It is important that we examine ourselves so that we do not eat and drink unworthily.

Only 5 months to go

2009-10-27T01:28:00.001Z

One careful lady owner

2009-10-27T01:26:00.001Z

A Resilient Life

2009-10-26T22:51:00.003Z

Recently our Kirk Session finished reading Gordon McDonald's book of this title. Here's one of his quotes from Thomas Merton;

"If you want to identify me, ask me not...
Where I live,
Or what I like to eat,
Or how I comb my hair...

But ask me what I think I am living for, in detail.
And ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully the thing I want to live for.

Between these two answers you can determine the identity of any person. The better answer he has, the more of a person he is."

Those are two great questions:

1. "What am I living for............ in detail?"

2. "What do I think is keeping me from living fully the thing I want to live for?"

The Hidden Hand

2009-10-20T16:32:00.001+01:00

I believe in the sun even if it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent.

A new world order

2009-10-15T11:32:00.000+01:00

By John Newton

2009-10-04T23:43:00.002+01:00

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.

’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

Surprised? It is just a symptom of our fallen, sinful nature.....

2009-09-25T08:32:00.001+01:00

The worst act of cheating in the history of sport - Times Online

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