The decision by Vaughan Roberts to "come out" as a person who struggles with same-sex attraction last week, raises some difficult issues for all of us who are Bible-believers who are seeking to build churches that reach out with the Gospel.
We have not been short of Christians declaring themselves to have homosexual inclinations. It's just that, for the most part, these folk have seen no incompatibility between their faith and the actual practice of their sexuality, often within boundaries that mirror heterosexual marriage, so the talk is of committed long-term and loving relationships. It has been easy, in some ways, to sideline these issues within the church. Those advocating the permissability of homosexual practice have been, pretty much, from the theologically liberal wing of the church. But this is changing. There are now outspoken advocates of gay sexual expression who speak with a much more clearly evangelical voice.... continue reading
One answer is to think that singing has always been how God’s people have responded to him and his saving acts. After being freed from Egypt, God's people sang (Ex 15). When remembering what God was like and all he'd done, Moses sang to Israel (Deut 32). Psalms 105 and 106 echo those, and many other Psalms speak either of God’s character or his salvation. Then in the New Testament, many think that Phil 2:6-11 is one of the earliest Christian songs - focusing on Jesus' life and death and exultation. So the first answer to the question of music in church is that singing has always been the right response to knowing God and seeing his saving acts.
We could push that a bit further and ask why singing in particular, why music, why singing? There’s two major answers to that, and they’re both important: transformation and captivation.... continue reading
Praise the Lord.
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord.
Let the name of the Lord be praised,
both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised.
The Lord is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes,
with the princes of their people.
He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 113
God's so great, He even has to stoop down to look at the heavens and earth! He's the King. The boss. In control of everything. He looks after those who need His help. He cares for people we'd probably ignore or look down on. He's glorious. So we should sing and shout about Him. Loads.
In an interview with Julian Hardyman published in British newspaper Evangelicals Now this week, well-known author and evangelical leader Vaughan Roberts has described his long-term struggles with same-sex attraction.
The very honest, personal, and candid interview explains how Vaughan views this as a temptation to be resisted, and does not seek to self-identify as homosexual or gay.
Vaughan, who is the minister of St Ebbe's Anglican church in Oxford, published a book called Battles Christians Face which included a chapter on homosexuality. In a revised edition published in 2012 he said in the introduction that he had struggled with all eight temptations in the book.... continue reading
Hugo Charteris gives a small church perspective on ministry trainees.
Why does your church take on Ministry Trainees every year?
At Christ Church Newcastle, we take ministry trainees because we think we’ve got some good training to offer. In fact great training because, as with most smaller churches, the trainee has regular access to the regular staff & key church leaders. So I take our trainees for a walk every week (whatever the weather) to chat through ministry and personal issues. I enjoy it and so do they. It's good training! They also get to experience and engage with a breadth of church life, not just one sector.... continue reading
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Thierry and Antonia Richards
What have your experiences of 9:38 been?
First, as a student, I had the privilege of meeting up with a 9:38 ministry trainee weekly to study the Bible. After 4 years, in which my understanding of God’s Word and his purposes deepened, I attended the 9:38 Student Conference, which helped me think through the possibility and practicalities of different types of long term paid gospel ministry. After university, I worked as a 9:38 ministry trainee at St Ebbes church in Oxford for two years - which provided me with a real experience of the day-to-day life of church work. I particularly valued seeing from the inside what others on the church staff did, and came to appreciate much more the wide range of ministries the church ran.... continue reading
In this post, Mark interviews Danny Rurlander on why he sees ministry trainees as a valuable and important part of church life.
Why does your church take on ministry trainees every year?
Our biggest motivation for running our Ministry Training Scheme at Moorlands is to seek gospel growth by multiplying gospel ministers. Recruiting, training and sending out gospel workers seems to be a natural component of normal gospel ministry, and a basic activity of any healthy church. This is because, through the teaching of his word, God produces servants of that word who further spread the word and, by God’s grace bring others into his Kingdom. An organised Ministry Training scheme provides a degree of intentionality to something that ought to be happening all the time already.... continue reading
Edited by Vaughan Roberts and Tim Thornborough, this excellent book describes the nature of full-time Christian ministry. For anyone thinking about whether ministry is for them this is a must read.
If you, or someone you know, is seriously thinking about ministry you can get this eBook at an amazing 50% off! Simply use the code worker at checkout to redeem this offer. The offer is available in the UK and the US.
Offer expires 05/10/12.
Hannah Williams
I decided to do a ministry training scheme because I wanted to be able to do good children’s work. With a full time job and limited children’s workers in my church I felt like I didn’t have enough time, knowledge or experience to help out in church as much as I wanted to.
Now I’m a ministry trainee I’m involved in Sunday school, an after school club, toddler groups as well as being able to see and get involved in other ministries such as one-to-one work and small groups. I’m getting a lot out of my training: I get to meet wonderful people. I am able to spend the time I want and need in God’s Word to make me better equipped to do children’s work. I am getting the chance to see real life ministry daily; the ups and downs, the hard effort and also the joy that comes with it. 9:38 has been very useful.... continue reading
