Remembering Twenty Years Ago

Twenty years ago to today was an unforgettable day to many because of the disaster at Hillsborough. The trauma and tragedy of the event shook the whole of the United Kingdom. Nobody could be unaware of the event which took away so many lives.

I was totally unaware of what was happening. However the day was unforgettable for me also, but for very different reasons. This is not said to diminish the significance of what the Liverpool football supporters went through. But different events hold different significance for all of us.
I was that day in Prague. I had arrived the previous day, having flown in to Rusyne Airport, and was on my way to try to visit friends who I had met once before. They were Christians, and their lives were under constant threat from the communist authorities who believed the church to be a major threat to the wellbeing of the country. My purpose in going was to encourage them in their witness, as well as trying to take in some things which could be of use to them – some bible commentaries and books, as well as some medical drugs which were difficult for them to get hold of.

When I arrived, I was glad to get past the security at the airport, and look for a hotel to stay for the few days that I would be there. I could not stay with the Christians, as they would have to report to the authorities, and so would be under suspicion for harbouring a western foreigner. I turned up at a hotel not normally used by westerners – they were much more expensive. After some bartering I got a room for a reasonable cost (about a tenth of the original fee they asked of me) by paying in “English money”. I went to my room, and rested on the bed. Within five minutes the receptionist knocked on my door, and informed me that there had been a mistake with my visa. They had failed to stamp it at the airport. Upon asking if I needed to go back there, she replied quietly that they would call in the police. If they wanted me they would come for me in the morning.
I immediately took the material that I had brought with me to take it all to my friends. I reached their flat in the centre of the city, but there was no answer. I turned to leave, and saw that their flat was being watched. I went for a walk for an hour – not difficult in such a beautiful city. When I returned, I saw that he light was on in the flat, but it was still being watched. If I went there now, I could be putting my friends in danger. They could find themselves in prison, and their ability to work for the church removed. So I had no choice but to return to my hotel room, to wait for the authorities.
Needless to say I had a sleepless night, waiting for the knock on the door. All I heard was some drunk East Germans attempting to get into my room by mistake, as they had forgotten which was theirs. In the morning my visa was returned without any trouble and I met my friends and gave them the books and medical drugs. The pastor was grateful for the books – such a rare opportunity under Communist rule to get some resources. But when his wife saw the medicine which I had brought she was overjoyed. The previous day a lady had begged her to try to get hold of some, as it was only available on the black market and at an exorbitant price for all except the Communist Party members.

Wenseslas Square in Central Prague

However two things stood out for me especially about this time. Firstly, I had known pressure for one night, and it was not comfortable. I had felt alone, and feared the consequences of maybe facing prison in a foreign country. These brave Christians lived continually under much more intense pressures, and did it joyfully. How we should remember persecuted Christians these days.
Secondly, when they saw me they were surprised. I had visited them three years previously, and had told them that I would return. They had smiled respectfully at me. They had so often heard the same thing from others, but they never returned. It seemed that the church in the west was good at making promises, but not so good at keeping them. So when I returned they opened their arms in surprise and gratitude. “So you did remember us! You did pray for us!” They had felt forgotten, or at best they had felt they were curiosities to us – to be visited behind the Iron Curtain just as people went to the Zoo to see the animals. What does this say about our Christian faith and love?

Within eight months of my visit the Communists had lost power in the country, and the Velvet Revolution had overturned the government. The next time I visited I could stay with my friends without fear and rejoice in the freedom they now knew. But that weekend twenty years ago changed my view of what it means to love the brethren for ever.

I knew nothing of the disaster at Hillborough until I got on the plane to come home. I sympathise deeply with those who gathered at Anfield and other places today. But I hope that they will forgive me if I spent some time today thinking of my friends who endured much for their Lord and Saviour.

Why look at the Psalms

I am at present preaching a series of sermons on some of the Psalms on Sunday evenings. Here are some of the reasons why I consider it especially worth our while spending time with them.

1) They are there to instruct us. Thirteen of them are specifically entitled Maskil, and although the meaning of the word is not clear, it’s root seems to be the Hebrew word for instruction. When Jesus wanted to instruct people as to whom he was, he often quoted the psalms. Some of them are in the genre of Wisdom Literature (such as psalm 1) guiding us into that knowledge which makes us live in God’s plan.
2) They are experiential. Often when we read them we find ourselves saying “I’ve been there,” or “I’ve felt that way.” They are not merely cold instruction, but instruction built on experience. This is why maybe older Christians seem to find the psalms more precious than younger ones. They help us understand our own experiences – experiences of not understanding what God is doing, of feeling that life is unfair, of being tempted to think as the world thinks, of joy in success, of wonder at the works of the Lord.
3) They are poetry. They convey more than bare truth. They convey all the range of emotions that we feel. There is joy and sadness, hope and despair, glory and shame, light and darkness, grieving and rejoicing, anger and repentance. They help us feel, and not fear our emotions, with a Christian perspective.
4) They are worship. Anyone who wants to know how we can come before God to worship Him must look at the way the Bible worshippers greeted the Almighty. As we see others coming before Him, we can learn and benefit much.
5) They are divinely inspired. As part of the Word of God we know that they are God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and invaluable for our persevering walk with God (Romans 15:4). But specifically we are told by Jesus that it was the Holy Spirit who was speaking through David in Psalm 110 (Mark 12:36). So also Peter tells us in Acts 1:16 speaks of the Holy Spirit speaking through David when he alludes to Psalm 41.
6) They point to Jesus. There are two ways in which the psalms especially help us to see and understand our Saviour in clearer light. There is a foreshadowing of our Lord, in that a number of the psalms set us a pattern, which when repeated becomes a type – for example the innocent suffering at the hands of the guilty. There is also prophecy, where the Spirit gives an insight into what the Saviour would be (such as Psalm 110, the most often quoted Old Testament chapter in the New Testament).

Time spent here is well spent, rewarding us much and deepening our knowledge of ourselves, of life and especially of God our Saviour.
Some books which I am finding helpful are:
Derek Kidner in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series. He seems to me to be excellent at giving the basic meaning of the psalms in context.
Alec Motyer has recently published a couple of books: Treasures of the King looking at some of the psalms which David wrote in specific situations. Also Journey, Psalms for Pilgrim People looking at the psalms of Ascent (120 – 136). Both are devotional books with valuable insights and are published by IVP.
Of course, Mathew Henry’s commentary is always warm, and Spurgeon’s Treasury of David is worth a look, although his exegesis is not always to be trusted.

YouTube - Matt Chandler - Jesus Wants the Rose

This is a clip which speaks of the true meaning of the love of Jesus. It has been posted by many recently, and doesn't pull any punches when it comes to telling those of us who preach the gospel that we can so often get it wrong.

YouTube - Matt Chandler - Jesus Wants the Rose

The Resurrection – How can you believe that?

Some things in life are believable, whilst others seem so fantastic that they can only exist in fantasy films, games or fiction. And when you come to someone actually rising from the dead, then surely we have reached fantasy.It just doesn’t happen.
So for many years my take on the resurrection of Jesus was, either it was a myth devised by the church, or maybe it had a spiritual meaning – that Jesus was somehow alive in the hearts of his followers.
But then the day came when I had to rethink things.

The evidence
From my science lessons at school and university I had come to believe that the only evidence you could trust was that which was repeatable in laboratory conditions. (something which you cannot do with the resurrection of Jesus!) But there is other evidence which is just as compelling. In a court of law we accept the testimony of witnesses as true evidence (depending on the trustworthiness of the witnesses of course). And when we come to historical accounts we have to depend on such evidence. So when we look at the account of the resurrection who do we trust? We had the Sanhedrin on the one side who denied that Jesus was risen. They had every reason to want him to remain in the grave. They had felt the sting in his criticism of their religious views. They had seen the people flocking to listen to him. They had bribed one of Jesus’ followers to betray him. They had plotted to have him killed. They wanted him out of the way for good. Would these make good witnesses in a court of law? Their testimony was that because the body was not to be found, that the disciples (a bunch of followers, untrained in any physical combat, who fled for their lives when the authorities turned up to arrest Jesus) had overcome trained soldiers who were guarding the grave, and stolen the body away.
On the other hand you have the disciples. Men who were in total despondency after their leader was crucified, and in hiding from the authorities. Yet within a short time were going around proclaiming courageously that Jesus was alive again. They went about doing good to people. They preached a message of reconciliation and love. They sacrificed much for others. They were ready to face ridicule, prison and even death for the sake of insisting that Jesus had risen from the dead. Years later the apostle Paul could mention over 500 people who would testify to their having seen the risen Christ.

The reasoning
But how can this be? People don’t just rise from the dead? All we know about this world and all our experience fights against the notion that any one who has been killed could appear alive again.
But we are talking here about something which is beyond our experience. We are talking about the things which God can do. As creator he is outside the confines of this world. (Just as J.K. Rowling is outside the Harry Potter novels. Anything which she wants to happen can happen within her own creation – people fly on broomsticks, there are invisibility cloaks, chocolate makes you better) God the creator is above this world, and for him to raise Jesus is not beyond the bounds of reason as he laid down the principles of life and death.
But the Bible tells us that even within the rules and principles which govern life and death, the resurrection of Jesus is reasonable. Death we are told is the consequence of going against the creator’s good and perfect rule. Jesus however lived a life totally in accord with the rules of his Father in heaven. He pleased the Father in all that he did. (See the witness of God - a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."(Matthew 3:17); his closest friends – “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:22-23); his enemies - Which one of you convicts me of sin? (John 8:46)
So his death was not because he deserved it. He could be raised from the dead.

The meaning
So what? If you can prove that the resurrection actually happened, why should that bother me? Because you will one day die, and what Jesus did affects the significance of your death. If your death is a consequence of leaving God’s ways to follow your own, then when you give an account of your life to your creator, he will have every reason to condemn you. But Jesus died, not for his own sins but for the sins of others – he took the consequences of our rebellion against God upon himself. That’s why he died. And he says that by turning away from our rebellion, and trusting in Him, then our death is not a door to judgement, but to life.
Take time to think about these things, and make this Easter a different one. Read the story of Jesus again, and find someone who can explain the meaning of Easter for you. Or you can talks about the evidence for the resurrection at http://www.eauk.org/slipstream/

And have a happy Easter

An Ordinary Pastor

God uses people to fulfill his great work in the world. And sometimes these people become well known. They are very influential, and they see much fruit to their labours. We think of some like Martin Luther who shook the world with his ninety-five theses, or John Calvin, who blessed the church with the fruit of his studies. Then there are the Spurgeons and the Whitefields, the Martyn Lloyd Jones' and the Billy Grahams.


Although reading about these men can be inspiring, there is a way in which their stories, wonderful as they are, can discourage. Most of us have not seen such fruit, and when we hear of those who see more apparent success we can become despondent. One of the wonders in heaven will be to see all those unsung heroes of the faith - ones who laboured without seeing such fruit, but remained faithful in their post.


One such man is Tom Carson, father of the more renowned Don Carson, New Testament scholar, Bible teacher and prolific author. The renowned son has now given us a glimpse of his father's life by publishing Memoirs Of An Ordinary Pastor.


This man was not well known, and knew many struggles during his life. He ministered especially in French Quebec, and never saw the great popularity that we often associate with a successful ministry. He had his own frailties to live with, and the challenges of working in a day of small blessings. But he did so with that conviction that God had called him to faithfully sow the seed of the gospel in that particular part of the world. He accepted the changing circumstances of his life, such as the time when his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The family insight makes this book more than an account - it allows us to see somethiong of the heart of the man. We see his pain as he weeps for his flock, his integrity as he refuses to speak ill of others, his love as he cares for his wife, his God as he keeps his eye on his Saviour. The account of his passing into glory as a forgiven man who had lived for his Master is most moving.


This book under God may be a great blessing to many. If you are a pastor working without the apparent success of your contemporaries it will encourage you to keep on. If you are a preacher who knows much success in your work, then this book will humble you, and help you to gain a better perspective on your work. If you are a church member who feels frustrated with the lack of numbers in your congregation, then it will give you an insight into what counts before the throne of grace. It will encourage all of us to pray for those in the ministry. And it will make us thank God for the great variety of people called into the work of the Kingdom.

Details: Memoirs Of An Ordinary Pastor - The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson
Author: D. A. Carson
Crossway Books

New Word Alive - the Welsh Connection 4

Here is the fourth and final entry in this series. The purpose as previously mentioned was to give people a glimpse of the history and heritage which the Welsh have. For a much better look at the story of Christianity in Wales see Gwyn Davies' book A Light in the Land published by Bryntiron press. Maybe next year there'll be another four glimpses.

The Welsh Connection
Whether you’re into Bryn Terfel and Katherine Jenkins, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey, or Duffy, Wales has a reputation for being the land of song. Whilst there is a long tradition of poetry and singing in the country, it was really during the nineteenth century that the Welsh became a nation of singers. The revivals of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries had produced a multitude of hymns. William Williams, Pantycelyn, one of the founding fathers of the Welsh Methodists was the greatest hymn writer that Wales produced, writing about 1,500 hymns and other writings. (His best known English hymn is Guide me, o thou great Redeemer) In general these hymns were almost shouted out in the congregations. But early in the nineteenth century a plan was formed to change things. Young men visited congregations where they would teach the worshippers how to read music using the tonic sol-fa method (remember Doh – a deer in the Sound of Music?). The congregations learnt to sing in four part harmony, and this spread into the general culture so that the Welsh became one of the few nations with a polyphonic musical culture. And it was all because they wanted to sing well about their Saviour. Wherever you would go in the country you could find congregations who would lift up their voices to God in beautiful worship.
Today not so many are singing about Christ, and although the tradition of singing continues, the song has changed. But God still seeks worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. And there are those today who continue the tradition of writing new hymns and spiritual songs for our contemporary age. Pray for them as they try to ensure that, whilst the best of the past is not lost, the tradition grows as a living expression of God’s work in our midst. Pray also for a new generation of preachers and evangelists who will be used by God to raise a people to worship their Saviour and Lord.

New Word Alive - the Welsh Connection 3

Here's today's issue (See previous two)

The Welsh Connection
Welsh is one of the oldest living languages in Europe. The fact that it is still spoken is very much linked to the story of Christianity here. The protestant reformation took a while to take root in the land. There was sacrifice and even martyrdom by some to ensure that the Welsh could hear the gospel. In 1588 Bishop William Morgan published his authorised translation of the Bible. A copy was placed in every church throughout the land. It was a masterpiece of translation, with both the accuracy of the meaning and beauty of the language of outstanding quality. It became the standard for the language, and with very little change was the only translation generally used until 1988, four hundred years later.
Then in the early eighteenth century Griffith Jones, a clergyman in Carmarthenshire, burdened that the Bible was out of the reach of the majority of people, organised men to go to visit villages, staying for a few months teaching people to read, and then moving on to another area. His motive was to enable people to be able to read the Bible. This was so successful that a great proportion of the population became literate. (Even the Queen of Russia heard about it, sending envoys to learn how it was done so that she could use the pattern in her own country.) A century later Thomas Charles, another man of God, replicated these schools, also ensuring that the Bible was made available to everyone. The Welsh had become literate and the Bible was moulding the mind of the nation.
In 1988 a new translation of the Bible was produced, which was substantially revised in 2004. There is also a living translation of the New Testament on the internet – http://www.beibl.net/ - with the Old Testament in translation at the moment. But the tragedy is that a generation of is growing who are totally ignorant of the riches of God’s Word. Pray for the beibl.net project, Christian school workers, the Gideons and those involved in sharing the Bible these days in our land.

New Word Alive - the Welsh Connection 2

Here is the second NWA lesson on Welsh Christianity (see previous post)

The Welsh Connection #2
Wales – the Land of Revivals. Many who hear this think of the 1904 revival and some of the emotionalism that accompanied it. However the country has a long history of spiritual awakenings. One of the most influential of these began in 1735 (at the same time as the Wesley brothers and Whitefield in England, were experiencing similar blessings). Daniel Rowland, a curate in Llangeitho, a tiny village in south Cardiganshire, had seen that preaching against sin was an effective way to move people. He became known as the angry preacher, but he was convicted by his own preaching. Before long he experienced grace himself, and became a beacon of light, beginning a powerful preaching ministry which lasted over fifty years. At the same time Howell Harries, an ungodly schoolteacher in another part of the country, was brought to faith. He began to visit houses in the area, exhorting people to trust in Christ. Refused ordination by his bishop, he continued to preach wherever he could. These two, together with William Williams, the great hymn writer, became the fathers of the Methodists, travelling around and gathering the converts into local societies or “seiadau”. People would travel for days from all over the principality, sailing from North Wales and walking miles overland, to hear Daniel Rowland preach. Howell Harries persuaded George Whitefield to begin preaching in the open air – a great turning point in the Methodist revival in England. The effect of these men’s work was a network of societies throughout Wales, and the religious life of the whole country was transformed.
It is said that between 1735 and 1862 a spiritual wave swept through much of the country every ten years or so. As you travel through the towns and villages you will see a multitude of chapels (many now converted to other uses). Wales had become a land of revivals indeed. However the last national revival was in 1904/05. It is easy for the chapel-goers to look back longingly to a different age. But the God who moved this nation then can do so again. What about praying for a new spiritual awakening for Wales in our day?

New Word Alive - the Welsh Connection

I was asked recently to provide four snapshots of Welsh Christian history for the New Word Alive news-sheet at this years conference. The purpose was to show those coming to the conferences that we have our own particular history and heritage. The challenge was, not only to decide which parts of our story to share, but also to do it in 350 words or less! Here is the first of four.

The Welsh Connection #1
Yes, we’re in Wales, and you won’t go far in this country without finding place names which sound strange to any except the Welsh. But these show that this is a country with a long Christian tradition. The Romans brought the gospel here, but it was in the fifth century that it really became widespread and effective. Missionaries came from Gaul and travelled, one by one, to different parts of the country. Everywhere they went they preached, and when they had gathered a church, usually a village or settlement was formed. These settlements around the churches were called LLAN and often the name of the Celtic saint/missionary was incorporated into the name. (By the way, the LL in Welsh is pronounced by placing the tip of the tongue on the back of the front teeth, and blowing.) There are over 500 places with their names beginning with Llan, and most of them relate to this time when Christianity spread throughout the land. We can but admire these men who came to spread the gospel here.
One of the reasons for the missionaries coming was that the teachings of Pelagius – whose teaching suggested that man was not tainted with original sin - were gaining ground here. Garmon, bishop of Auxerre, was sent to combat this, and there are a number of places called Llanarmon after him. Celtic Christianity placed an emphasis on preaching, education, and a disciplined life. The influence of Illtud, who set up a divinity school in South Wales, was widespread, and it is said that Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and possibly David, who became the patron saint of Wales, were educated there. In the seventh century the Celtic church began to come more under the influence of Rome. Later on some of these places became places of pilgrimage. It is said that three pilgrimages to Bardsey Island, off the coast of the Lleyn Peninsula, was equal to one pilgrimage to Rome.