A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
Banner Conference 2025 04
The final morning of this year's Banner was the anecdote packed second of David Campbell's addresses. Very helpful. We closed with Warren Peel expounding Proverbs 4:23 making good use of Flavel's Keeping the heart.
Many of us did not know the F W Boreham story about his call from Mosgiel to Hobart, found in his biography and retold by David.
... For reasons of their own, the officials at Hobart had asked me to let them have my decision not later than Saturday, March 24, and I had promised to respect their wishes in that matter. As that day drew nearer, the issues narrowed themselves down to one. Did the acceptance of the English trip commit me to a prolonged ministry at Mosgiel?
When that Saturday dawned, we were as far from finality as ever. The post office closed at five o’clock in the afternoon and I was determined, come what might, to hand in my reply by then. In my confusion I recalled for my comfort a conversation that, during one of his visits to our manse, I had enjoyed with Mr. Doke. One lovely morning we were sitting together on the veranda, looking away across the golden plains to the purple and sunlit mountains, when I broached this very question: ‘Can a man be quite sure,’ I asked, ‘that, in the hour of perplexity, he will be rightly led? Can he feel secure against a false step?’ I shall never forget his reply. He sprang from his deck-chair and came earnestly towards me. 'I am certain of it,’ he exclaimed, if he will but give God time! Remember that as long as you live,'' he added entreatingly.
More than ten years later I found myself face to face with a crisis. I had to make a decision on which my whole life's work depended, and I had to make the decision by five o'clock — the hour at which the telegraph office closed - on a certain Saturday evening. It chanced once more that a minister was my guest. But he could not help me. He thought it vastly improbable that God could concern Himself about individual trivialities. 'The Lord has so much to see to ... such a lot of beds in the ward! ' He was inclined to think that a certain element of chance dominated our mortality, that a man was bound to take certain risks, and that life was very much like a lottery. 'And if a man make a mistake at a critical juncture like this?' I asked anxiously. He shrugged his shoulders.
'And after that the dark.' I remember with a shudder how my faith winced and staggered under that blow. But I thought of the sunny morning on the verandah ten years before, and clutched desperately and wildly at my old faith. Saturday came. I positively had not the ghost of a notion as to what I ought to do. At five minutes to five we were standing together in the porch of the post office, desperately endeavouring to make up our minds. We were giving God time: would the guidance come? At three minutes to five, Gavin, the church secretary, rode up on a bicycle. He was obviously agitated.
‘What do you think I heard in the city this morning?’ he asked eagerly. I assured him that I could form no idea.
‘Well,’ he replied, his news positively sizzling on his tongue, ‘I heard that you have been called to Hobart!’
‘lt’s true enough, Gavin,’ I answered, ‘but how can we consider such an invitation after your goodness in giving us a trip to England?’
‘A trip to England!’ he almost shouted. ‘Man alive, didn’t you earn your trip to England before you went? Why, you’re very nearly due for another!’
I begged him to excuse me a moment. The clerk at the counter was preparing to close the office. I handed in my telegram and rejoined Gavin, who insisted on taking us home to tea. At his house I wrote out my resignation, asking him to call the officers together at ten o’clock next morning.
Banner Conference 2025 03b
The Wednesday evening of the conferencewas made up of a global news session and Stuart Olyott's second and final message, this time on Finishing well. The best aspect of this message was that the finish was clearly seen to bewhen we die not when we retire. Otherwise he was largely repeating what he had said about starting out - that too a lesson in itself. We heard from seven men in the sharing session, inclduing two veterans - Keith Underhill and Andrew Swanson. What a privielege to hear.
Banner Conference 2025 03a
Wednesday morning at the Banner began again with prayer and then there were two sessions before lunch on our theme of a lifetime in ministry. First we had Lessons in Life and Ministry: A Personal Reflection the second message from retired minister David Johnston. This was a lovely reflection on his long ministry in various Presbyterian churches touching on conversion, call, convictions, challenges, etc. Then after coffee we had a helpful first exploration of the subject When a Call Comes to a New Ministry from David Campbell, who I believe is in his third charge. This did not answer every question by any means but it did argue (from Acts 16) that in the sovereignty and guidance of God it can be right to accept a move from one post to another. David made use of the writings of Hezekiah Harvey, someone I had never heard of. He had plenty of anecdotes from church history too (Chalmers, Thornwell, etc).
Banner Conference 2025 02
Tuesday at the Banner was a full day with an afternoon break featuring two morning addresses and two evening ones. We started with prayer and a very helpful message on lifetime ministry and the Son of God from Garry Williams who also spoke later in the day on the same subject. The second part of the morning was led by retired minister David Johnston on life and ministry, reflecting on the ministry of Moses. The last session of the day was from Jeff Kingswood from Canada on 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Garry Williams was particularly insightful and helpful as he took us to the temptations in the wilderness (particularly the third) at the beginning of Christ's ministry (Matthew 4) and Gethsemane at the end of it (Matthew 26). In the wilderness, Christ was the new Moses, the new Israel and the new Adam. Taking us to Psalm 2 he helpfully pointed out how the first two temptations begin If you are the Son of God ... whereas the third begins All this I will give you .... He pointed out that the problem was not so much with what the devil offered Jesus as with the menas he suggested for securing it. There was also a proper emphasis on Christ as Saviour first and then example.
In the second message on Gethsemane we had a full and helpful treatment of the theological difficulties and lessons to learn about stress in the ministry, with nice quotations from Hilary of Poitiers, John Calvin et al.
... And whence came his sorrow and anguish, and fear, but because he felt that death had something in it more sad and more dreadful than the separation of the soul and body? And certainly he underwent death, not merely that he might depart from earth to heaven, but rather that, by taking upon himself the curse to which we were liable, he might deliver us from it. He had no horror at death, therefore, simply as a passage out of the world, but because he had before his eyes the dreadful tribunal of God, and the Judge himself armed with inconceivable vengeance; and because our sins, the load of which was laid upon him, pressed him down with their enormous weight. There is no reason to wonder, therefore, if the dreadful abyss of destruction tormented him grievously with fear and anguish. Calvin
That which He has not assumed, He has not healed. Gregory of Nazianzus
Jesus dies on the cross, but not of the cross. B B Warfield
Banner Conference 2025 01
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| Andrew Lucas |
On Monday afternoon I drove up from London with my father-in-law and Dinu Moga from Oradea, Romania to the conference centre. We began at five with an opening sermon from Andrew Lucas pastor in Omagh, Ulster. He took us to various places in the story of Paul where Paul experienced discouragement, weakness and loneliness. He sought to show that each time it was in the Lord that Paul found relief and we must do the same. After our evening meal we had a superb message from Stuart Olyott on setting out in the ministry. as he said it is simple being a minister though not easy. he urged us to know your God, to know yourself, to knowyour flock and to know yoour job (qhich is to be an example, to pray, to preach the gospel, to declare the whole coounsel of God and to shepherd every sheep (including the lambs). SUperb stuff.
Banner Conference 2025
After not being at the conference last year I am here again in Yarnfield Park for the Banner of Truth Ministers Conference. Nice to have family and friends here. Great joy to have Iain Murray introduce one of the sessions. Reports to follow.
Lord's Day April 6 2025
Over twenty of us sat down at the communion table on the Lord's Day, the first in April. This included the two newly baptised men who I mentioned last week. I then preached on Ephesians 4:13-16 (really enjoying Ephesians by the way). We had some Iranians around for lunch, which was nice. Although the morning congregation was quite large the evening one was small. I was glad I'd picked out an encouraging verse from the Old Testament to stir us up.
Midweek Meeting April 02 2025
A good time of praye rand Bible study last week as we looked at the classic verse.
Day Off Week 14 2025
It's a week ago now but I did have a nice day off on April 1 not caught out by any pranks. I've now reached page 745 of David Copperfield so the end is in sight. Also had a nice walk and a coffee and watched Univeristy Challenge from the day before which I had missed because of a meeting with the architect. We also watched the last of the interesting drama based on the story of Ruth Ellis. Also a bit of research for apaper I have to give next month.
Lord's Day March 30 2025
Many events seemed to combine last Sunday. It was the end of Ramadan and the first Sunday of the new year for Iranians. It was Mothers Day in the UK and the clocks Sprang forward an hour to British Summer Time. Perhaps for the latter reason and may be some others it was not the best Sunday to have a baptism bit we did and followed it with a meal. We baptised two young Kurdish Iranian men. One was so late due to travel problems that we almost postponed it. We got there, however. I reached on Matthew 13:44. About twenty of us stayed for lunch and that was a very nice time. In the evening Eddie preached well to s small gathering, a second look at Colossians 3.
Midweek Meeting March 26 2025
We were the usual few at the Wednesday meeting as we carried on through Romans 8 and spent tme in prayer.
Anchored 2
Today I was at the second Anchored day conference down in Guildford. I think the umber were down a bit perhaps. Again, it was mainly ministers. Part of the idea is to promote the work of the magazine Reformation Today, now very much tied to the Carey Conference that comes each January. Between 10 am and 3.30 we crammed in four sessions, two from Robert Strivens on the doctrine of God in the 1689 Confession, one from Bill James on the practical side of preaching these doctrines and another from Alex Arrell, one of the pastors in Guildford, who ended the day with a nice piece on John Gill and his Trinitarianism. Plenty of time for discussion this time. It would be worth trying again. Good to meet people as ever.
Lord's Day March 23 2025
Last Lord's Day was more like the norm (if there is a norm). That is to say, we had quite a decent morning congregation (which grew all the way to after the start of the sermon) but a rather small one in the evening (barely double figures). A few were away but several who have been away for a while (mostly due to illness) were back. I carried on in Ephesians and 2 Chronicles, Ephesians 4 and 2 Chronicles 20,
Midweek Meeting March 19 2025
About eight of us gathered last Wednesday. We looked at Romans 8:17 and then prayed together. We also had a short discussion as church members about two new members and we hope to baptise them soon. Iranians once again.
10 More Four Letter Words Ending in O
- Lido, an outdoor pool
- Lilo, inflatable mattress (trademark)
- Polo, game played with horses
- Silo, tall grain storage building
- Solo, alone
- Sumo, Japanese wrestler
- Taco, Mexican food
- Trio, three
- Veto, constiittuional right to reject something
- Zero, nothing
10 Four Letter Words Ending in O
- Afro, natural African hairstyle
- Also, as well
- Alto, loer than soprano but higher than bass
- Biro, ball point pen
- Brio, vigour or vivacity of performanc
- Capo, item for changing tuning on a guitar
- Dado, the lower part of the wall in a room
- Echo, repeated sound caused by soundwaves hitting a hard surface
- Halo, a circle of light
- Judo, Japanese martial art
Lord's Day March 16 2025
A little bit discouraging today in some ways. Again, there were not many more than 30 in the morning but then in the evening we were down to around 12. We had communion before the evening meeting. We started on Ephesians 4 and looked at 2 Chronicles 19. One member of our congregation had her exchange friend from Japan with her. I hope she got something out of it. The great thing was that after two and a half years an Iranian family that has been fatherless and husbandless is finally complete again.
Midweek Meeting March 12 2025
Not many of us there but we all prayed and it was good to lookagain at Romans 8:14-16. We also had three more online.
Day Off Week 11 2025
I began my walk but once again deviated after havinga coffee and found it hard to do all my steps but got there eventually. till very slowly reading David Copperfield. I am enjoying it but it is so long. I also started watchinga Swedish TV drama. In the evening my niece Charlie was with us. She is doing the Flourish course at the seminary. I ended up serving the evening meal as Eleri was late home. We have had someone else staying here but justin and out. God day.
Gordon J Murray and Paul Bevan
We hear that Gordon J Murray is now with the Lord, which is far better. I did not know Mr Murray well, although I have come to know his son Andrew over the years. Mr Murray was one of the older generation of preachers whowere on the scene when I first entered ministry. I knew of him through the seminary and he kindly preached for me one church anniversary a long time ago. He seemed to wear a constant smile and was very appriachable. I alos preached once for him over in Felixstowe.
This obituary can be found on the semnary site here. It reads
It was with sadness that we heard from one of Gordon’s sons, informing us of the death of their father on Sunday afternoon, 2nd March 2025. We give thanks for his life and ministry.Gordon graduated at Cambridge in 1957, and served as a clergyman in the Church of England for a number of years. Among his appointments (curacies at Hereford and at Weston-super-Mare) he spent three years at St Mary’s Castle Street, Reading, from 1965. Gordon also edited the now-defunct English Churchman newspaper, from 1965 to 1971.Then towards the end of 1967 Gordon was appointed Principal of the Kensit Memorial Bible College, serving from 1968 to 1975. During this time he became concerned that the Church of England was drifting doctrinally, he heeded Dr Lloyd-Jones’ call in 1966 and left the denomination. This conviction led him to adopt Baptistic principles, and to pursue further ministry in accordance with those principles.Gordon joined the PTS Council and became chairman in 1998, stepping down in 2010. His last engagement with the Society was at an Autumn Study Day in November 2015, when he spoke on ‘Learning from the past’. Gordon was a respected partner in the ministry and passionate in the teaching of the gospel. He was also for a number of years the Editor of the magazine Protestant Truth. Gordon was also a board member of London Seminary (at the time, London Theological Seminary) and was for a number of years its chairman. After a short time teaching on the Isle of Wight he became the pastor of Bethesda Baptist Church in Felixstowe and remained in the area after retirement.Gordon had been unwell in recent years, suffering from dementia. We know he is now in the presence of his creator God, and we shall miss his wise counsel. We send our condolences to his wife Olive, their two sons and their daughter. They will appreciate our prayers.
I also notice that Paul Bevan has died (his funeral will be on March 25 in Hemel Hempstead. He was 1989 and served in several pastorates down th years before retirement. Another faithful servant of the Lord gone tohis reward.
Octavius Winslow EL Lunch time zoom lecture
It was great on Monday to hear Dr Ian Densham speka on the simetimes forgotten preacher Octavius Winslow. Dr Densham gave us a very cmpetnet and interesting survey of his life and work. About 16 of us were tuned in. There will be another zoom lecture on April 14 when Keith Berry will speak about the proto-reformer Jan Hus. The WInslow lecture can be found on the Evangelical Library's YouTube channel. This is the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR1JkrYwOfs
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10 suggestions as to the identity of the anonymous brothers of 2 Corinthians 8
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Timothy
- Apollos
- Aristarchus
- Tychicus
- Barnabas
- Silas
Lord's Day March 9 2025
Eddie preached for me last Sunday morning (the second in a little series he has started on the seven churches of Revelation). He was also speaking to the Korean young people in the afternoon. I preached in the evening on 2 Chronicles 18. We were a few less than usual in the morning and a few more than usual in th vening and so the difference for once was not vast. In the evening two new Iranians came plus another plus a visitor. Lots missing in the morning adn no-one new. Hard to know who might be where when these days.
Great God of Wonders 4
On the third and final day we had two sessions. The first session looked at the final paper - that by Michael McClenahan asking about The Trinitarian resurgence? This looked at the way Moltman has had a lot of infuence on modern evangelicals (Stott, Leon Morris, Bruce Ware). We followed the usual pattern of a plenary presentation and then group work. McClenahan was keen, like others, for us to avoid mere biblicism and to make good use of the creeds.
The final session was a Q&A chaired by Paul Yeulett with all the speakers present. These are some of the questions discussed. Most were not addressed.
- How do we translate the lofty concepts we have discussed into "street "language for our congregations ?
- Isn’t Biblicism safer than trusting reason to deduce things by just and necessary consequence to the extent that Classical Theism does?
- If growth includes increasing dependency - on God - how can this be thought of as an imprint of God's non-dependency?
- Bob Letham: If you won't come clean on whether you are a Van Tillian, will you at least give us your take on presuppositionalism?
- Michael Mc: if we are rejecting biblicism, how do we avoid the noble and so well-ratified (by church tradition) practice of Marian veneration?
- How can we avoid drifting into Nestorianism when talking about the two natures of Christ?
- Tom Brand: If (p81) the answer to, ‘Where is God?’ is not the one given, of which Moltmann says, ‘Any other answer would be blasphemy’, what is a better answer?
- To all: Calvin denies (Heb 4:15) that Christ grew in mercy (p114). Rather, that he ‘experienced our misery is a gift to us’. Do you agree?
- If Christ has two wills, divine and human, does that mean he has two centres of self-consciousness?
- What did Jesus mean 'the Father is greater than I" in John 14:28 - is this referring to the economic trinity rather than the ontological trinity?
Great God of Wonders 3
The third paper, given this evening, was given by Steve Duby from Phoenix Seminary in Arizona. He spoke on The weaknesses of Christ: their theological and pastoral significance. This, I thought, was the best and most interesting pape of them all. We had the advantage of having Steve in the group, which was great. Having said that, we seem to have lost a few people somewhere along the line. Anyway, in the group and in the plenary session the discussion was very interesting.
After this we had our evening meal and there was then an hour of prayer and praise.
(I should have added that in the afternoon we had a break out session on why there seem to be so few ministers at the moment. It was worth discusssing, though we came to no firm coclusions).
Great God of Wonders 2
Day 2 is a full day here in Northampton. We have papers 2, 3 and 4. We began with Robert Letham on Faith and reason: reflections on belief in God which dealt with the various so called proofs for God and raised the question of whether that will help a person to know God. Again, we had a good discussion on this.
The second paper was from Tom Brand. Entitled The God of unchanging glory: from Nicaea to Hegel and back it was a good look at the matter of the impassibility of God. Again good discussion followed. It is great to be here and to enjoy the fellowship.
Great God of Wonders 1
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Yesterday, I travelled up once again to the conference centre in Northampton, this time for the biennial theological study conference organised by Affinity. Unusuay we began with a sermon and it was my privilege to preach it. I made the simple point that knowing God and knowing about God are two different things and it is important at a conference like this, on the doctrine of God, that we meet with God not simply stuff our heads with knowledge. My text was Isaiah 6 and I think I made my point.
We had our first paper later. This was presented by Mostyn Roberts and was on The personhood and power of God. The way it works at the TSC is that the papers are all written up and distributed beforehand. Mostyn then presented his paper to us in plenary session before we split into a number of smaller groups to discuss questions. I led one group and we had a good session before a final plenary session.
After tea we had a nice quiz and then chatted away until quite late. Good start.
Lord's Day March 2 2025
We began last Sunday with communion and then the regular services at 11 am and later at 6.30 pm. In the morning I preached from the last part of Ephesians 3 on prayer and in the evening on Jehoshaphat from 2 Chronicles17. There were three new Iranians there in the morning once again and one we don't see too often. One of them told me he loves Spurgeon, which I've not heard from an Iranian before. I hope he'll stick with us. (Oh yes, we used our now restored organ in the morning).
Week of Prayer February 2025
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We have just completed a week of prayer. I arranged six meetings at different times over the week. Best attended was this morning's prayer breakfast (did they know Eleri was brining Welsh cakes as it's St David's Day?). We also had good attendances on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Monday morning. The two early birds prayer meetings didn't capture the imagination sadly - just me and another both times. It has been good to have a time of focussed prayer.
Day Off Week 9 2025
We travelled last week to South Wales but this week it was back to a more traditional day off. I did my walk in the rain, although I again deviated from the indtended path. I ready a large chunk of David Copperfield - still a long way to go. I caught up on the Univeristy Challenge from the day before and in the evening we watched the final two episodes of the latest Unforgotten. There was also work on a project for next week.
10 Popular Songs That Feature Morse Code or Something Similar
- Wichita lineman Glenn Campbell
- London Calling The Clash
- Starman David Bowie
- YYZ Rush
- Can I believe you OMD
- Secret Messages ELO
- Radioactivity Kraftwerk
- You keep me hangin' on The Supremes
- Watching you without me Kate Bush
- Shooting Star Mamas an the Papas
Lord's Day February 23 2025
Another typical Sunday has gone by. I preached again from Ephesians and 2 Chronicles. In the morning it was based on some old material and I made the rookies' mistake of having too many sub-subpoints. It was also disappointing that we had three less in the evening service ho cam last week. We press on.
Midweek Meeting February 19 2025
We were seven on Wednesday (four men and three women). Eddie led us through the final chapter of Lamentations and we spent time in prayer. It's been a good series , well led.Most prayed.
Lives Behind The Music
I have enjoyed reading this collection of obituaries from The Times. The linking theme is that they are all popular musical entertainers. There are around 75 names altogether, nearly all of whom I was aware of (Phil May was new to me; I didn't know the name Jet Black; I knew the name Capatian Beefheart but nithing about him). Some are legends, as they say, others less so. They die at different ages (with a little glut around 27 as is known - Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, etc). Few of them seem to have lived very easy lives and most of those who weren't abused themselves in some way were immoral or drug abusers. SOme of the stories are very sad (Elvis, Michael Jackson, Kurt Cobain, etc). There are very few Christians here (Alvin Stardust and Glenn Campbell?) few religious at all. They are really a bunch of misfits in many ways but redeeme by their musical genius. From David Cassidy to Shane MacGowan I read them all and found them all interesting in one way or another. The obituaries change in style adn length over the years (I'd like to have had a longer one on Marc Bolan). Some are missing (such as Johnny Cash).
Gwen Grace
Part of the fun here in Wales is meeting my six week old granddaughter Gwen for the first time.
Warren Gatland
I am in Wales at the moment. My son Owain (who turns 24 today - happy birthday!) and I came up on the train to join Eleri yesterday. On the way, who should be sitting a few seats from us but Warren Gatland, until recently manager of the Welsh rugby team (btw no mention of them becasue it is so bad at the moment - not really Warren's fault I think). Anyway my oldest grandchild played his forst proper game of rugby yesterday so I asked Mr Gatland if he'd sign something for me. I had a pen but the only piece of paper I had was an A4 manila envelope. Anyway, he very kindly signed it (see above). He wrote just the right thing. I explained to him that I am not a rugby fan as such but I am a Welshman. I think he understood.
10 Things God Cannot Do
This list could be varied. It was prompted by the first paper to be given at the Affinity Study Conference at the beginning of next month.
- Learn anything new Isaiah 46:10, 1 John 3:20
- Be surprised Psalm 139
- Change James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8
- Bear to look at evil Habakkuk 1:13
- Suffer Malachi 3:6, etc
- Faint or grow weary Isaiah 40:28
- Die or cease to exist Psalm 102:25-27
- Be tempted James 1:13
- Lie or be unfaithful or breaka promise Psalm 89:34, Titus 1:2
- Deny or disown himself 2 Timothy 2:13
Lord's Day February 16 2025
Somehow I forgot to give a report the other Sunday when I preached on the final verses of Ephesians 2 and 2 Chronicles 15. As I recall, it was a fairly typical Sunday but in the evening we had communion and a fellow turned up who had hardly ever been in church but is interested. Two Asian ladies were also there and it was nice to introduce them to each other and hear them chatting away in Hindi. (I've slotted this is in in an appropriate place).
Midweek Meeting February 12 2025
We carried on with Romans 8 last Wednesday, just looking at verses 12 and 13. This is such important teachig. It was good to be looking at it once again with the others gathered. We had a good time of prayer too.
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