GBM Annual Meetings 2019

It was good last Saturday to be at the GBM Annual Meetings in the Friends Meeting House once again. Things appear to be on a  better financial footing in some ways than the last time I was present thanks to some hard decisions and sacrifices. Communications man Jim Sayers leaves at the end if the year and no replacement has been found which is also a matter of concern. After the delegates meeting and some lunch I attended first a session with Theo and Sonia Donner. Theo continues to lecture at the seminary in Medellin and is currently in the process of getting a large book on hermeneutics in Spanish published. This was followed by a session with Andrzej Kampcinski who works pastoring a small church in Legionowo just outside Warsaw, Poland. This was led by Graham Field the current president.

I then attended a very full session that featured the new work the Murfitts plan to do in Madeira, the ongoing work of James Hammond in Bordeaux and the seminary in Zambia, something about the radio work and envision teams and a local church feature on giving and evangelising ethnically diverse neighbours.

By this time my brain was bursting so I decideed to skip the final session where Theo Donner was preaching and no doubt more info was shared by people from W Africa, Peru,, etc.

The sheer size and diversity of what is going on is striking. One inevitably wonders about some things but this does seem a much better way of doing mission than much that is onoffer

Great to see many familiar faces and one or two new ones.

Helen Roseveare Obituary Link

An obituary for Helen Roseveare appears here.

Blue Plaques in Swansea

I was in Swansea again over the weekend. I believe there are at least 14 blue plaques in the city. I saw these two. The first is at the station and the second is near by on Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Pete Ham was a member of Badfinger, the first act apart from the Beatles to appear on the Apple label. Sadly, he became a member of the 27 Club when he committed suicide in 1975. A posthumous album of his home recordings is called Golders Green, noting his residence when the recordings were made (the other was called 7 Park Avenue for the same reason - there is no blue plaque there; it's round the corner from me).

As for Griffith John, he was by contrast a pioneer missionary to China, who translated the Bible into Chinese languages. A new bitesize biography of him by John Aaron has recently appeared.

CYSK 15 J Hudson Taylor

Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

[James] Hudson Taylor (Chinese: 戴德生) (1832–1905) was a British Protestant missionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission (CIM) (now OMF International). He spent 51 years in China. CIM was responsible for bringing over 800 missionaries to the country who were used to bring some 18,000 to faith, as well as establishing more than 300 stations of work with more than 500 local helpers in all 18 provinces and beginning 125 schools. He was known for his sensitivity to Chinese culture and zeal for evangelism. He adopted wearing native Chinese clothing, rare among missionaries of the time. Under his leadership, CIM was singularly non-denominational in practice and accepted all sorts of people. Primarily because CIM's campaign against the Opium trade, Taylor has been referred to as one of the most significant Europeans to visit China in the 19th Century. Historian Ruth Tucker summarises the theme of his life: No other missionary in the nineteen centuries since the Apostle Paul has had a wider vision and has carried out a more systematised plan of evangelising a broad geographical area than Hudson Taylor. Taylor was able to preach in several varieties of Chinese, including Mandarin, Chaozhou and the Wu dialects of Shanghai and Ningbo. The last of these he knew well enough to help prepare a colloquial edition of the New Testament written in it. He was from a Methodist background but after being converted at 17 he espoused many principles of The Brethren.

CYSK 06 John and Betty Stam

https://www.christianfocus.com/en-gb/journal/2014/12/triumph-through-tragedy-the-martyrdom

John Cornelius Stam (1907 – 1934) and Elisabeth Alden Scott Stam, aka, "Betty" (1906 – 1934) were American missionaries to China with CIM (now OMF), during the Chinese civil war. The missionary couple was murdered by Communist Chinese soldiers in 1934. The story of their martyrdom was much publicised and inspired many to become missionaries.

CYSK 04 David Livingstone

Frederick Havill, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

David Livingstone (1813 – 1873) was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the LMS and an explorer in Africa. His meeting with H M Stanley 1871 gave rise to the popular quotation "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" A national hero, his fame soon gained mythic proportions. He was a Protestant missionary martyr, subject of an inspirational working-class "rags to riches" story, a scientific investigator and an explorer, as well as an imperial reformer, anti-slavery crusader and advocate of commercial empire. More here.

Griffith John

Alan Davey alerted me to this link regarding Griffith John, Swansea born missionary to China.

25 Years Reflections 03

3. Over this period of 25 years I must have preached over 2000 sermons plus midweek meetings and other specials. We've covered most of the Bible though there are 9 or 10 books still to go, mostly in the OT. I've also preached various topical series and seasonal things, etc. I also teach the children in the Friday night clubs and on a Sunday morning where we alternate between theological and biblical material. This is the thing I've given most attention to. I think it has helped me to stay fresh and those who've been willing to sit under the teaching ministry have gained the most.
4. The period has been marked by few conversions. We have regularly given out thousands of tracts in Golders Green and sought to reach people in other ways but with little impact. Perhaps we've seen an average of one a year at most. One particular regret is not seeing anyone converted from an unbelieving home like I was. Indeed, some older children of the church remain unconverted. Oh how I wish there had been more conversions. But God often works at different rates and there is no reason why more may not be converted in the years to come.
5. Because the congregation is constantly changing it's quite hard to remember all the people I've preached to over the years. Over the last few weeks I've been jotting down the names of those I can remember bit by bit as they've come to me. Those here for any length of time must number well over 200. I began with those I'd baptised. Like Paul I find it difficult to remember exactly who I've baptised but I make it about 22 here.

I've mentioned the 4 originals who remain. They were supplemented early on by people like Ellen, Billy, Paul and Eleri, of course. About 30-40 others with these make up the current congregation. These include my wonderful deacons Mike, Billy and Paul – the finest deacons in the country I'd say.

Some have died, of course, but there have been remarkably few funerals to take. I think that's a London thing. The biggest drain has been families who would like to have stayed but were unable to afford to live here, people like the Barnses, Yerbys, Harrises, etc (so nice to see so many of them last Saturday). We've lost three good deacons that way. When we include children there must be over 60 such.

Also there have been a number of LTS students – about 15 I think, some with families. Three of them went on to be my assistants for a year – Mark Raines, Robin Asgher and Ian Middlemist. What a joy that has been.

Others we remember include people like the Fawells and Messis; Mariam from Ivory Coast and Marilyn from the Philippines; people only with us a short while like Georgina from New Zealand, Hiroto from Japan and Martin T now in Durham; au pairs like Martina, Mirka, Lucy, Franziska, Christin, Mahela; one or two students like Judith and Catherine; various Koreans; Africans like Ayoade and Dr Banda; the Achimugu family – a congregation in themselves; some failures like Mike B, Mark & Belinda and others; characters like Bill Smith who used to tether his goat at the back of the church and Kath Hill a large lady who would sometimes come with rats concealed about her person. From Angola, from Zambia, from Brazil, from the Philippines, from all over Europe (except Scandinavia) we have or have had people from about 30 different nations I guess.
6. I ought to say something Christian work outside the church too but there's no time. Being in London there are endless committees to be involved in and conferences to go to. The church has been very good about this and I'm thankful to them. I've also been able to write three books, which I'd like to commend, especially the latest one dedicated to members of the congregation past and present.
7. Finally I'd like to pay tribute to my family. I remember a meeting with my deacons once when I said that there was a church in Wales showing some interest in me. They didn't think that was a good idea. We don't want to lose your family they said! I felt a little left out at the time but they were right. By God's grace I was able to serve here as a single man. However, my family is a great asset. To be in such a family, especially to be the wife of such a man does involve certain sacrifices and this is sometimes forgotten. I do want to place on record my thankfulness therefore. Similarly there are family back in South Wales who miss out to some extent because I'm here. People sometimes moan about the one man ministry but in fact there's no such thing. Without the support of friends and family I couldn't do half of what I do.

25 Years Reflections 02

[1997?]

At first I suppose it was a little like the previous pastorates of the 50s and 60s. My 4 predecessors all came as young evangelical men, single or newly married, fresh from theological college and served 4-7 years then moved on to other things. Well, after 5 years I married. Eleri felt similarly to me about London. By then I'd actually got to like the place a bit and I assured here she would too – give it 5 years or so. Having a Welsh speaking school nearby has helped I'm sure – there are parts of Wales where you might speak less Welsh. The boys, of course, are actually Londoners and they certainly like it.
Anyway fast forward another 20 years and here we are today. By this time I really like London and can see clearly this was God's plan all along. I'm now more like the first 3 ministers here who served for 25, 35 and 25 years respectively. Although I must make clear that it is not that I've been preaching for 25 years to the same people. Far from it. In fact only four of those who originally called me are still with us now - Lilian, Ken, Mike and Ali. They are among the finest people I know. Others, equally fine, for a variety of reasons have moved on. One of the frustrations over the years has been the high price of housing and the difficulty some have had living near the chapel. With all the various changes our membership has continued to hover somewhere between 25 and 30. These have been happy though in many ways difficult years. At such a time it is right to reflect on the ministry and I just want to make a few more remarks before closing.
1. Firstly, let me say how thankful to God I am to be celebrating 25 years as pastor. It may not seem much of a thing but many men are kept from it for various reasons. I'm thankful for the health to have done it. Since I became a Christian I've only been ill twice on a Sunday. When I was 17 I had a bad attack of asthma and once some time in the 80s I was sick and Steve Mitchell (the elder here) preached instead of me. If I'm going to be ill I try to be ill on a Tuesday if I can - my official day off.

Some men find the mental strain too much. When it gets too much for me I tend to switch off and go to sleep. I do remember one crisis here where I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. I decided to look up nervous breakdown in the medical dictionary but it said that there's no such thing, which I though was rather unfair.

I'm also thankful that the Lord has kept me from serious doctrinal error or from a public moral fall. That is entirely God's grace. Some men go into para-church work which it seems to me can be a temptation. In other cases the church simply can't afford to keep a man on or there are splits over various issues. I'm thankful that we have been kept so much from all these.
2. One does feel slightly fraudulent. Although there have not been so many obvious public failures and sins one feels very guilty when it comes to secret duties, especially prayer. I have to confess that there has been a lack of prayer and even a relative neglect of the Word sometimes. No doubt there would be more to celebrate if I had been more faithful here.

25 Years Reflections 01

[1989?]

In connection with the recent celebration I've been doing some thinking and prepared something to say. It begins

When I was 10 I wanted to be a scientist. When I was 12 I was converted and by the time I was 14 I'd decided that what I really wanted to be was a minister. I probably had as much idea of what a minister was as I did a scientist but I was sure that was what I wanted to be. More – what God wanted me to be. And that's what I've been for the last 25 years. I now have a little better idea of what a minister is and my sense of call is stronger than ever.
The time between feeling called and actually becoming a minister I spent studying and preparing in other ways. I did O and A levels then an English degree in Aberystwyth and got my teaching certificate in Cardiff – I didn't want to become a minister because I was unable to do anything else. All the while I was learning to preach – something I was quite poor at initially. I kept listening to good preachers like Geoff Thomas though and began to get the idea.
In 1981 I came to study here in London – at LTS in Finchley. Although throughout this time I'd often thought of overseas work (I spent 5 weeks in India in 1978) it seemed to me that the thing to do was get some training at LTS then pastor a church somewhere in Wales. I didn't really like London. Too big, too busy, too unmanageable. Londoners seemed to me rather blasé – never excited about anything. (I now realise there's too much going on to get excited every time). It's single advantage it seemed to me then was people. There's no shortage of people in London, people from every nation. I sometimes say to people if you really want to be a missionary – come to London!
Anyway in January 1983 I preached here for the first time. I didn't know where Childs Hill was. I remember Philip Eveson the Principal assuring me it wasn't far. Anyway I left nice and early, caught the bus and found it was quite close. I remember that Sunday morning. It was quite cold. I didn't have a coat on. My mother always made me wear one and so I suppose I was rebelling. Rebellion leads to suffering! Anyway because I was early I spent a lot of time trying to keep warm while waiting for them to open up. Eventually an old lady called Violet Hunt, now with the Lord, arrived and let me in. Over the next few months I got to know the situation here.
There were two groups I suppose in the church – younger and older. The younger people were mostly students and had discovered Reformed teaching, chiefly through the efforts of a slightly older couple Mike and Cathy Peat (who now live in Woking). There were some tensions over this and similar matters but I felt I could understand where both sides were coming from.
I think they approached my LTS contemporary and fellow Welshman Bernard Lewis first. He declined, however, and took the easy option – he went on to be a missionary in Papua New Guinea! Having failed with him they asked me to be pastor and I was glad to accept. Here was a small church, committed to right doctrine, a church with a variety of people who I felt I could relate to. They didn't mind too much that I was single and only 24. I particularly liked the efficient way they dealt with calling me too. I only preached here 3 times if I remember rightly, though I spent quite a while with individuals. Then they grilled me one night in the parlour. Oh yes, they took me up on the heath and tested my skills with a Frisbee one time too. The only snag was that it was in London! But then that's where the people are. So I came.

Moffat Quotation

On p 266 of Iain Murray's latest book A Scottish Christian Heritage there is s striking quotation from Robert Moffat. The quote can be found here on Challies.com in this form -

Robert Moffat was a Scottish missionary to South Africa and this quote is drawn from a letter he wrote to his wife Mary. In the mid 1850's he completed the great work of translating the entire Bible into Sechuana and subsequently revised the translation several times. Despite this work he provides an assessment of the limitations imposed by his humanity.

It was only yesterday, after laying down the Bible, that I wondered what kind of mind I would have had if I had not the Book of God, the Book containing the astounding idea of 'from everlasting to everlasting,' the development of all that is worth knowing ... One would think, that as I have critically and, I think, devoutly read and examined every verse, every word in the Bible, some a score of times over, I should not require to open the pages of that unspeakable blessed Book. Alas, for the human memory! I read the Bible today with the same feeling I ever did, like the hungry when seeking food, the thirsty when seeking drink, the bewildered when seeking counsel and the mourner when seeking comfort. Don't you believe all this? For alas, I read it sometimes as a formal thing, though my heart condemns me afterwards ... I am yet astonished at my own ignorance of the Bible!