A great, biblical response to the looting from Mike Ovey of Oak Hill College.
But the liberal and the diehard both seem to see the looters as profoundly other, patronisingly in the one case, demonisingly in the other. The thought is that the looters are not like us.
http://oakhill.ac.uk/commentary/11_summer/looters_them_or_us.html
In the aftermath of the recent riots, Christians in the UK are starting to grapple with some big questions: How do we explain the violence that has blighted our cities? How do we respond to the needs of our communities? How can we encourage those who have been affected?
As ever, two schools of thought are gradually emerging: One focuses on the spiritual â the need for prayer and gospel proclamation in urban centres. The other on the practical â calling Christians to get involved in the clean-up operations and community-building exercises underway. But to be truly biblical we need to draw those strands together...
Today we need to have a Bible in one hand and a broom in the other as we intercede for our nation.
When our neighbours are hurting, it is right that we roll up our sleeves and offer assistance. In the wake of a violent attack, the Good Samaritan offered first-aid, shelter and financial support to a stranger on the street (Luke 10:25-37). John says that giving to those in need is a natural outworking of our love for a loving God (1John 3:16-18). We need to be proactive in supporting those who are suffering now.
But the gospel is far more profound and transformational than social action alone. The gospel makes sense of the recent carnage by exposing the sin in human hearts (Romans 3:9-18). It points, comfortingly, to a God who is sovereign and has a solution to the pain of this world (Romans 8:22-25). It teaches us reconciliation and true community as we live in light of the cross (1Peter 3:8-12). And it holds out the possibility of real change as people put off the old self and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22-24). Truths that need to ring out today.
So let us encourage one another to be people of Bibles and brooms. And if you have a story to tell about how your church is getting involved in the aftermath of the riots do share it (briefly) so we can all be praying for you today ...
My child, if sinners try to lead you into sin,
do not follow them.
They will say, "Come with us.
Let's ambush and kill someone;
let's attack some innocent people just for fun.
Let's swallow them alive, as death does;
let's swallow them whole, as the grave does.
We will take all kinds of valuable things
and fill our houses with stolen goods.
Come join us,
and we will share with you stolen goods."
My child, do not go along with them;
do not do what they do.
They are eager to do evil
and are quick to kill.
It is useless to spread out a net
right where the birds can see it.
But sinners will fall into their own traps;
they will only catch themselves!
All greedy people end up this way;
greed kills selfish people.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospelâŠEph 6:19
Paul was no fool. He knew the task of preaching was an onerous one. He understood the dangers of leadership. He battled daily against the temptations that creep up on every pastor. And he saw, first hand, the devastation that flowed from ministers wandering away from the truth. So he asked his congregations to pray: to get on their knees and ask God to help him remain faithful and bold.
Itâs all too easy to forget that our own leaders face similar tests and temptations today. In a world that swings between hostility to the gospel and apathy, it can be desperately appealing to amend the gospel message to make it more âpalatableâ. And sadly, many leaders succumb. Indeed, if the BBC have their stats correct, it seems 1 in 6 clergy in the Dutch Protestant Church are now either agnostic or atheist - 17% of ministers in Holland's largest protestant denomination have serious doubts about the existence of God and have given up holding out any clear gospel-hope to their congregations.
Such statistics should not be a surprise: the Bible reminds us that in these last days there will be false teachers (2Peter 2:1). But reports like this should remind us that we need to be praying for our pastors. So why not take a moment right now ... pray for your minister and the leaders of your denomination that they, like Paul, will be faithful to the gospel and bold for Christ.
Sheikh Hamad, one of the ruling family of the oil rich state of Abu Dhabi has made a name for himself. Literally.
He paid an army of workers to toil for weeks in the sand of an offshore island to carve his name into the earth. The letters are a kilometer high and are visible from space. You can even see them on Google Earth. Genesis 11 v 4 springs to mind: Then they said, âCome, let us build ourselves a city and a tower bwith its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.â
Shelley commented on the hubris of such acts in his famous poem Ozimandias. The Bible says that such acts are not just sad - but will lead to self destruction. Writing our names large, with a building, a company, or like Sheikh Hamad in the sand may make other people notice us. We seek immortality by bigging ourselves up. Paradoxically, this is the route to extinction. Because what matters in the end is whether our names are written, not in history or architecture, but in the Lamb's book of life. If it's not, we are in serious trouble.
And if anyoneâs name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15
Neither Christ alone as man nor the Father alone as God could be our substitute. Only God in Christ, God the Father's own and only Son made man, could take our place.
Evangelical leader, pastor, mentor, evangelist and writer John Stott died peacefully at a retirement home aged 90 yesterday. I heard the news from a lifelong friend of Dr Stott, who was affectionately known as "Uncle John" to his many friends. Philip wrote:
My dear friend (and perhaps yours, too) died this afternoon at 3.15. He passed peacefully into the presence of his Lord and Saviour whom he served so joyfully and effectively throughout his life.
Frances Whitehead, his niece Caroline and her daughter - Emily, his former study assistant, Matthew Smith, his fiancé - Eia and I were with him. There was no apparent pain and no famous last words. He died at peace both without and within. Rico Tice from All Souls church had visited him in the morning. Shortly before he died we read 2 Timothy and 4:6-8 seemed particularly applicable.
There will be obituaries in the main papers and a memorial service at St Paulâs Cathedral (eventually).
I will miss him very much â he taught me to love and follow Jesus Christ by his life as much as in his writings.
I thought you would like to know as soon as possible, so please forgive this for not being more personal.
âThe Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lordâ.
John Stott stands as a towering figure over the history and growth of evangelicalism in the second half of the 20th Century. You can read more about his influence and life in detail on the Christianity Today obituary here.
As a measure of his influence, he was voted among the top 100 influential people in the world by a Time magazine article in April 2005. And his influence is everywhere in a whole generation of evangelicals who grew up devouring his carefully written and researched books, and benefitting from his humble pastoral mentoring and prayers.
Other tributes to Dr Stott include:
"The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven." Billy Graham
"It will not be possible to write the history of the church in the 20th century without reference to John Stott. His remarkable ministry spanned the whole of the second half of the century and even in his eighties he was making an impact on the 21st. His leadership of the evangelical movement, both in the Anglican Communion and in wider inter-denominational settings, was a major factor in moving it from rather narrow-minded fundamentalism after the Second World War, to the fastest growing part of world Christianity that it is today. The list of movements and institutions he founded, fostered and strengthened can be read in the biographical pages of this website. His books have challenged and nourished millions of Christians into a balanced and thinking biblical faith. His legacy through the global impact of the Langham Partnership International and the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity is incalculable.
For the vast majority of people whose lives he influenced profoundly, however, he was simply âUncle Johnâ â a much loved friend, correspondent, and brother, to whose prayers we will never know how much we owe. Like Moses, he was one of the greatest leaders God has given to his people, and yet at the same time, one of the humblest men on the face of the earth. He was, for all of us who knew him, a walking embodiment of the simple beauty of Jesus, whom he loved above all else.". Chris Wright, Langham Partnership International Director
Personally, I have been hugely shaped as a Christian disciple by both Basic Christianity and The Cross of Christ.
Other obituaries can be found here:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/john-stott-obit.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/world/europe/28stott.html
http://www.tributes.com/show/John-Stott-92007699
http://barrycooper.com/2011/07/27/uncle-john/
âI donât want to be stuck in some library.ââHow is Greek going to help me?â âIsnât it a bit weird to turn my faith into an academic discipline?â
Most people in local churches acknowledge that getting to know God better is important. Some people actively take steps to deepen their understanding by attending home groups, conferences or reading books. Few, however, take the plunge and study theology. It has a bit of a bad press: boring, irrelevant and even a danger to our faith. But the reality is that studying theology, at a Bible-centred college, can be one of the most transforming and exciting experiences of our life!
1. Theology is relationship-deepening
Good theology never encourages us to know about God, it always inspires us to know God. The more we truly understand the living and active word of the Lord (Heb 4:12), the more we fall in love with the author and perfecter of life (Heb 12:2) and can spur one another on to good works (Heb 10:24)... learning from trusted teachers who think biblically and encourage us to do the same is a brilliant way to deepen our understanding and fuel our faith.
2. Theology is practical
Understanding Godâs nature and purposes are deeply practical pursuits because they effect how we think and act (Rom 12:2). And whatever our specific spiritual gifts â preaching, pastoral care or administration â studying theology can help develop them. Setting time aside to learn from people who have a proven track record at exercising their gifts humbly and faithfully inspires us to grow and serve passionately (1Cor 4:16).
3. Theology encourages wisdom
There are very few new heresies in the world â the old ones just keep popping up in new guises. Rigorously engaging with the past equips us to avoid being âtossed aboutâ in the present (Eph 4:14-16).
4. Theology is enjoyable
And doing all this with our brothers and sisters in Christ is just plain fun! We rejoice in what we learn (Ps 19:8) and meet lovely people who become valued partners in mission and prayerful companions in the good times and the bad...
So why not give it a go? Whether you opt for full-time, part-time or distance-learning, thereâs a course out there that might just change your life!
