10 Historical Myths

1. George Washington did not have wooden teeth
2. The Vikings did not have horns on their helmets
3. Mussolini did not make the trains run on time
4. Edison did not invent the light bulb
5. Napoleon was not short
6. There is no evidence that Marie Antoinette said let them eat cake
7. Julius Caesar was not born by caesarean section
8. King Canute did not expect the tide to retreat
9. Franklin D Roosevelt probably did not have polio
10. Marco Polo did not bring back pasta from China

(Also, Hitler was not a vegetarian; Voltaire did not say "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"; cowboys did not wear cowboy hats)
These are all from a book called Misconceptions by Tim Rayborn

Midweek Meeting June 28 2023

We took a break from Galatians yesterday and looked at Psalm 149. Numbers were down rather (around 6). Everyone prayed, however. All on zoom still.

Day Off Week 26 2023

I went for a walk on the Heath early in the day. I often do that but need to do it more often. I saw a sign outside the Chipotle in West Hampstead that I assumed meant chicken for a pastor so I went and had some. I also bought some Stilton for my cheese blog (see here). Plenty of reading, of course. A book on Paul Klee arrived and I read that. Not a Klee fan, I guess. A copy of the face on the front of the book (his best work I would say) used to hang in the chapel kitchen when I first got here. It was next to a portrait of the first pastor and so the then deacons used to joke that the first portrait was of the first pastor while the Klee was the one before me. Tres droll. I also read Gavin Ortlind's excellent book on humility and almost finished the book on Hitler and art by Charlie English I have been reading. Watched some TV in the evening.

Lord's Day June 25 2023

Lots away last SUnday for various reasons but good to be lookig at the final part of Luke 15 and another very stimulating chapter in Job (Job 31). One of our deacons has arranged for us to look after a very nice piano for a while so that perhaps added to the singing standard.

 

London Seminary Thanksgiving 2023

It was great once again to be at the London Seminary for the annual thanksgiving service. Seven students spoke, having come to the end of their studies (over two or four or evenin one caase six years). All but one of the students is from the UK. Joao Cid is from Portugal and has done the course online. Some of the men are already pastors, others hope to be taking up positions soon. We also heard a report on the last year from the principal Bill James and the preacher was Westminster Theological Seminary professor Jonathan Gibson. A good number attended (though not as many as in pre-covid days) and we had a lovely tea in the grounds as the sun shone down.

James Hamilton on Typology

It was a great joy to be over at the seminary this morning, where the Association of Grace Baptist Churches South East had organised a double lecture and question session with James Hamilton from Southern Baptist Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. About sixty gathered, mostly men and mostly ministers, I guess.

The first lecture set out the approach to typology that Hamilton advocates and the second looked at Isaiah 53 as a demonstration of how it works. There was an emphasis on the need to consult the Hebrew text and to read evangelically (believing the events recorded in the Old Testament really happened) but with that a willingness to see connections where the same words or phrases are used in different places, such as when Noah's ship is called an ark and Moses' baby basket is also called an ark. What Dr Hamilton, the author of a book on the whole subject that came out last year, seeks to establish is some clear rules for spotting typological connections. He certainly was very interesting and encouraging.

Andrew King took opportunity to draw attention to the AGBCSE which now has seventy churches. They even provided a nice goody bag of books for us to take home. This sort of event certainly serves to promote the work the organisation. Well done, Andrew (and team)!

The book on typology can be had here for a good price.

Midweek Meeting June 21 2023

Another zoom prayer meeting and another look at Galatians 4, this time Galatians 4:8-20. We were about nine and most of us ed in prayer. One newer lady we have with us wanted to give thanks for her plumbing problem being swiftly sorted that day, a real answer to prayer. That was fine though one does not want to give the impression that always answers our prayers immediately or that our own comfort is our main concern. It's hard to handle these things wisely sometimes.

And yet another five

The latest five books I have read have mostly been overtly Christian books but also the hardback tome Fake Heroes by Otto English, the follow up to Fake Histories. This one looks at Kennedy, Che Guevara, Mother Theresa, John Wayne, etc. I have also read the encouraging and hopeful A change of affection by Becket Cook, the former homosexual; Sinclair Ferguson's Worthy which contains a lot of material that we understandably heard recently at Catalyst and is great stuff (although I do think he has things wrong with regard to Joseph, like so many others); the little book by Kevin DeYoung Do not be true to yourself which also contains four other graduation addresses or similar. Nice; and finally Pastoral Friendship by Michael Haykin, Brian Croft and James Carroll. I have decided I am not keen on books with multiple authorship. Part of the problem here was the way the book was written but also my own curmudgeonly attitudes. My retort would be that if the book, which wants pastors to make more friendships doesn't win over people like me than it won't do any good. I feel that a book that encouraged friendliness (rather than making friends) would have been better.

Day Off Week 25 2023

This week's day off was unusual in that it started very early. It must have been around 5 am when we heard noises outside. It turned out to be a police raid. Someone has been growng cannabis a few doors up. After the commotion I wasalready to go and so I went down for devotions and to read. I did go back to bed for a while, however, I confess. I spent much of the day reading this book one of my sons gave me on Hitler and art by Charlie English. Very interesting and written with a firm grasp of the subject. I also spoke to my financial adviser and did some painting as can be seen. At some point I was out for a coffee and to buy cheese - Red Leicester, which I then added to a small and quite basic blog. See here.

10 Marx Brothers Films

1. The Cocoanuts (1929)
2. Animal Crackers (1930)
3. The House That Shadows Built (1931)
4. Monkey Business (1931)
5. Horse Feathers (1932)
6. Duck Soup (1933)
7. A Night at the Opera (1935)
8. A Day at the Races (1937)
9. Room Service (1938)
10. At the Circus (1939)

(The others are Humor Risk (1921) Go West (1940) The Big Store (1941) A Night in Casablanca (1946)
Love Happy (1949) The Story of Mankind (1957))

This arises out of a love of lists rather than any particular affection for Marx Brothers movies.

Lord's Day June 18 2023

Last Lord's Day was a little different in that in the morning we had a visiting preacher and I only preached, following communion, in the evening. Eddie Webster finishes at the seminary next week and is considering what to do next. Unusually, we had a visiting American family in the morning. The man who came last Sunday evening returned with his mother in the morning. So, as is the usual case these days, we were a good number am and not so many pm.

New book now out

 

My new book on The priesthood of all believers is now out. Available here.

Father's Day 2023

Fathers day falls only about a month after my birthday but my five boys are always eager to give cards. Five great ones again this year. Inevitable sob for my own dad, long gone. I've been thinking of him as much as ever.

30 sayings from Catalyst 2023

My father-in-law gathered these thirty sayings at Catalyst this week

1. “It is not enough for anyone to claim that this thing is right and that that is wrong. That is only one person’s personal opinion. If you want everyone to believe it then you must seek a peg to hang that opinion on that is higher than your head. So, what happens is that we make our idols gods and we bow before them and worship them. We define ourselves by these idols that we ourselves have made.”
2. “There are three difficult people in every congregation, and whenever one dies there are still three.”
3. “There was an Ulster soldier who was converted by a personal Christian worker the first time he heard the gospel. When he retired from the army he applied for the post of the guardian of the Tomb of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. Once when our speaker was there he heard guardian speak and afterward an earnest Roman Catholic woman from Ulster approached him. She asked why there was no mention of Mary at the tomb of the resurrection. He answered her, ‘She did not die for our sins.’”
4. “Dignity is an essential quality of a minister.”
5. “A woman enters an elevator and all the others in the lift can smell her perfume - except herself. A man enters the elevator and he has obviously been outside to smoke a cigarette and everyone in the lift can smell tobacco. What our fragrance is is bound to be sensed by the people around us. That unique odour is what they are going to smell, but we will be the last to savour it.”
6. “One of the most dangerous consequences of a ministerial vocation is that people identify what you are with what God is.”
7. “All the best books that describe the work of the minister begin with a chapter describing ‘the man himself.’ These years books and talks have emerged giving some new methodology of the work of the minister every decade, usually chosen because it works! The contemporary emphasis is on the man, what he is in himself.”
8. “If a stranger comes into a congregation and finally he should ask, ‘Tell me what is a Christian?’ then someone should be able to point out to him one of the elders and say ‘living like that man.’”
9. “The secret of the Christian ministry is humility, humility and humility.”
10. “The description of the church as ‘the family of God’ is not a metaphor. It is what a church is!”
11. “The bottom line of what a minister is is this, that he is a man who devotes himself to eminent piety!”
12. “On the desk of the pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne a letter was found after his premature decease. When it was opened the letter contained a note of thanks from someone who had heard his preaching the previous week, thanking him not just for what he had said but how he said it.”
13. “You can read in certain shops the notice, ‘If we don’t have it then you are better off without it.’ So it is that if God rejects our request for something then we can be sure that we are on our way to getting something better.”
14. “People wonder why they are not enjoying green pastures and still waters. It is because they have left the paths of righteousness.”
15. “Luther said, ‘The devil is God’s devil.’ So also the valley through which we are walking is God’s valley.”
16. “Being with a dying Christian in the last days of his life and seeing him utterly unafraid to die – that is the greatest of all places to be.”
17. “Some weeds will grow anywhere, and a pulpit is a shockingly bad place for the weed of pride.”
18. “If you have never experienced being maximized as you preach God’s Word then it would seem that you have never had a divine call to the ministry.”
19. “There are occasions when I get to the door at the end of a worship service and I discover I cannot remember the names of the men and women who pass me saying good-bye because the preaching has taken so much out of me.”
20. “A variety of terms are used to describe what sermonizing is all about, not just one thing. There is proclamation, telling people good news, teaching, encouraging and exhortation.”
21. “Preaching involves (1) a reasoned proclamation of (2) the truth of Scripture, so that (3) the message of the Bible is made clear, (4) as is appropriate to the hearers, (5) its multi-relevant character being displayed, and (6) applied to their lives, all of which is (7) ultimately done by Christ the true preacher. This latter part is the final mark of true preaching, that Christ himself is speaking.”
22. “Jonathan Edwards sought ‘to raise the affections of my hearers as high as I can, those affections being moved by the truth,’ and that was exactly John Owen’s motive in preaching too. The Lord Jesus is saying to them, ‘Give me your heart.’”
23. “When you start in a new pulpit it does not come easily or quickly learning how much the people can bear.”
24. “Richard Baxter fell out with practically everyone in his pursuit of church unity.”
25. “Never in the history of evangelicalism has so much energy been devoted as in our day in instructing men in how to preach.”
26. “One great danger in certain seminaries involves the cloning of preachers to a certain model, and the result is that all the graduates sound the same. Their sermons are predictable, each one equally dull. They are like David when he tried on Saul’s armour. The student had been wired to do what the people teaching him have told them. The independent student has forfeited his own personality to fit into the seminary mold. Or men can even clone themselves by aping someone whose preaching they admire.”
27. “Jesus’ enemies hated him because he ate and drank with people who had done bad things.”
28. “The ‘goodness’ and ‘mercy’ that follow us sheep in Psalm 23 are often compared to sheepdogs. But the metaphor is better understood as pointing to God constantly pursuing us, keeping us from wandering and bringing us back to the flock in the green pastures.”
29. “‘All God’s giants have been weak men,’ said Hudson Taylor. In their weakness God was their evident strength.”
30. “If you have no place for theology in your life then you are denying the fact that you are created by God and living in his creation. You cannot do biblical theology without doing systematic theology. John Calvin became a theologian to become a better pastor. All true theology is Trinitarian and not Christocentric.”

(One extra - “The greatest trial outside of hell is to live without temptations.”)

Catalyst Conference 2023 Day 3

 

Our final day was as good as the previous ones. We again started with David Gibson in Psalm 23 and Stafford Carson on pastoralia, this time on disicpleship and discipline. Sinclair Freguson was again excellent on the pastor as theologian. He made the point that one way or another we have to get systematic theology into our people, which I have always felt and so used various means to inculcate it. The final paper from Jonathan Gibson was on the great commission. Apart from one jarring note of Presbyterian polemic (fair enough in such a conference) that was great. The highlight of the day was perhaps when Dr Ferguson related that well known Warfield story with which he concludes his article “Is the Shorter Catechism Worth While?” which was originally in The Westminster Teacher (April 1910) but that we all know from his Selected Shorter Writings (ed John E. Meeter P&R 1970) Vol 1 pp 383, 384.

What is “the indelible mark of the Shorter Catechism”? We have the following bit of personal experience from a general officer in the United States army. He was in a great western city at a time of intense excitement and violent rioting. The streets were over-run daily by a dangerous crowd. One day he observed approaching him a man of singularly combined calmness and firmness of mien, whose very demeanour inspired confidence. So impressed was he with his bearing amid the surrounding uproar that when he had passed he turned to look back at him, only to find that the stranger had done the same. On observing his turning the stranger at once came back to him, and touching his chest with his forefinger, demanded without preface: “What is the chief end of man?” On receiving the countersign, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever” - “Ah!” said he, “ I knew you were a Shorter Catechism boy by your looks!” “Why, that was just what I was thinking of you,” was the rejoinder.

It is worth while to be a Shorter Catechism boy. They grow to be men. And better than that, they are exceedingly apt to grow to be men of God. So apt, that we cannot afford to have them miss the chance of it. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

GBM Prayer Meeting for work in The Philippines

For all its faults, zoom can be a great thing. It was a joy this morning to join the prayer meeting organised by GBM for the Philippines. We were joined by Aries Liboro and Reuben Saywell, who reported back on the work they are doing. This was followed by time for prayer in groups. We were about 45 altogether. It was not under ideal circumstances in that I was in the car between home and Hanwell being driven by my wife as I wanted to be in the conference in Ealing again. I got most of it, however, and it was a good start to the day.

Midweek Meeting June 14 2023

About 14 of us zoomed together on Wednesday. We looked at Galatians 4:1-7 and then spent time in prayer. Most of us led in prayer. Various topics were mentioned. We look forward t answers to prayer in due time.

Catalyst Conference 2023 Day 2

Another good day at IPC Ealing for the Catalyst Conference. David Gibson again kicked us off with more from Psalm 23 - this time God our companion though the Valley of the Shadow of death. He quoted Spurgeon saying that we shuld "Observe that it is not walking in the valley, but through the valley. We go through the dark tunnel of death and emerge into the light of immortality." This may be right but I'm not sure it stands up exegetically. Stafford Carson (above) followed and was fine again, this time on our calling as ministers to be servants and stewards.

In the afternoon because things have been rearranged we ended up with a double dose of Sinclair Ferguson adn that was fine by all of us. In his follow up to yesterday he spoke on preaching the Word and then for the final session took us through parts of the directory for worship on preaching emphasising individuality and preaching Christ. Another very good day.

Judy Collins - "Farewell to Tarwathie"

I add this in light of the recent death of Roger Payne, the scientist who spurred a worldwide environmental conservation movement with his discovery that whales could sing. He was 88.

Catalyst Conference 2023 Day 1

It was good to be once again at the Catalyst Conference in Ealing with the usual crowd plus some newbies. David Gibson started us off from Psalm 23, just concentrating really on The LORD is. Stafford Carson spoke after the break helpfully on some of the divisions and disagreemnets that can plague church life. After lunch, Sinclair Ferguson on what we are to be as ministers, as men, was a highlight. Matthew Roberts ended the day with something positive on the cult of self that plagues our day. Hot day, I was tired at the end of it.

(David Gibson had a quote via Spurgeon where someone speaks of shepherds he saw in his own day:

The shepherds themselves had none of that peaceful and placid aspect which is generally associated with pastoral life and habits. They looked more like warriors marching to the battle-field - a long gun slung from the shoulder, a dagger and heavy pistols in the belt, a light battle-axe or ironheaded club in the hand. Such were the equipments; and their fierce flashing eyes and scowling countenances showed but too plainly that they were prepared to use their weapons at any moment.

An interesting insight into pastoral ministry!)

Lord's Day June 11 2023

Great passages to preach on yesterday - Luke 15:11-32 in the morning and the lost son, then Job 28 in the evening, the great chapter about wisdom. After the morning sermon we took a photo and then had much together. we were about 45 in the morning but only 12 in the evening, though someone new showed up. I hope this young man will stick with us.

And another five books

 

I like the idea of noting my reading five books at a time. So here goes again. I think I've mentioned Breeze from heaven by Eryl Davies, which is really worth reading if you are Welsh. It tries to give some idea of the blessing there has been on several churches since the forties. Inevitably it is selective and some of the omissions seem glaring to me but in its effort to inform, to invite biblical thinking and to inspire prayer, it is excellent. I also mentioned the two books on the Lord's Supper before, so need to say no more there. (They are by Robert Letham and Michael Haykin). The one on fake history (which I read on kindle) by Otto English is a debunking exercise, attacking some of the ways history is related in quite a romantic and inaccurate way. Most of it I was familiar with (ancient people didn't think the earth was flat, Abraham Lincoln was not all he is cracked up to be by some, Hitler's artistic skills, the story of curry - although I had some of that worng, etc). Great story telling. I have now started on his second similar volume. I also bought and read Misconceptions a similar but shorter book by Tim Rayborn unveiling misconceptions such as some found in English's book and lots of others. I will do some ten lists from it soon. (I bought that last book from a shop in Golders Green. I had complained to the owner about a prominently displayed item with a swear word on it and he had reacted positively and so I wanted to buy something.)

Midweek Meeting June 7 2023

 

Another good time in Galatians and a good time of prayer as about ten of us gathered on zoom. I think I have mentioned before a lady who sings instead of praying as such. It adds some real variety to the praying. We also have two men, one older one younger who really wrestle with the Lord (if that's the best term) and that 's great.

Day Off Week 23 at The Art of Shepherding Conference

My day off this week was rather different. A good friendship has grown up between Andrew King and Phil Heaps at Highbury and the Americans Brad Franklin and Aaron Prelock at St Giles Christian Mission. Last year they organised a conference for ministers and this year they met again St Giles. About forty ministers and prospective miisters were there. All Reformed Baptists I guess.

Phil kicked us off with an appropriate trek through the very relevant and stimulating material in Ezekiel 34. Aaron then took us to the much neglected Pastoral Rule by Gregory the Great. We had an excellent Mexican lunch and then Brad took us to Bunyan's Mr Greatheart. The final session was a discussion period led by Andrew, which went well. Several of us then crossed the road for an Indian meal to rounf off the day.

It was good to meet people I've not met before especially several young men, including two whose fathers I know and one who turned out to be the grandson of a former pastor of Childs Hill (ie the late Tony Sandys). Most of them have parents born on other continents, which is a fascinating dimension of life these days. This is a good addition to the roster of conferences for ministers, not that we are short of them. as I've thought about it the phrase "Art of shepherding" sound more and more pretentious but it was not like that at all. The very opposite.

Monday's Lecture on Pascal at the Evangelical Library

Blaise Pascal was born June 19 1623. It was a great privilege to be one of just under thirty who zoomed in to listen to a paper on his life and his famous Pensees written in the last four years of his short life. For the sake of time, very little was said about his scientific and mathematical writings and his important theological writings such as those on grace that deserve to be better known. He died in August 1662. Our lectureer was Stephane Simonnin, pastor of Ealing Road Baptist Church, Brentford. It was a careful and well thought through paper. We hope it will appear in print next Autumn, in In Writing. For recordings contact the Library.

Stochelo Rosenberg, Jan Akkerman, Paulus Schäfer, Flintstones (May 2023)

This is fun!

10 three letter initialisms often used by certain rock bands

1. ELO (Electric Light Orchestra)
2. OMD (Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark)
3. ELP (Emerson,Lake and Palmer)
4. BTO (Bachman Turner Overdrive)
5. CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
6. CSN(Y ) (Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young))
7. AWB (Average White Band)
8. CCS (Collective Consciousness Society)
9. BAD (Big Audio Dynamite)
10. PIL (Public Image Limited)

Lord's Day June 4 2023

Sunday began with communion and there were 17 there. It's been a while since so many were present. Encouraging. We had a similar number in the evening service, which is also encouraging. We were double that for the morning with one or two visitors present, relatives of church members in from overseas. After the morning meeting we sang happy birthday to our oldest member who turned 88 this week. I preached on the parable of the lost coin in the morning and Job 27 in the evening. Good day (especially in contrast to last Sunday).

Midweek Meeting May 31 2023

Slightly reduced in numbers but most prayed. Good time of prayer and Galatians 3 is so full. I thought we might have finishd the chapter bby now but we will need another week.

10 Points on A Christian's Distinguishing Character

Distinguishing Character of Christians

This is from a sermon by Benjamin Beddome on John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

1. It is not that they have no connection with the men of the world. Grace does not dissolve the union between man and man.

2. It is not that they are to be wholly disengaged from the things of the world.

3. It is not that even the best of men are entirely divested of a worldly spirit, though they are not of the world.

4. They are in a considerable degree mortified to the things of this life, so as not to have "the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God." They are in the world, but not of it: it is their residence, but not their portion.

5. They possess different tempers and dispositions from the men of the world. "Old things are passed away, and all things become new."

6. They speak a different language from the rest of the world.

7. They are neither influenced by the maxims of the world, nor do they imitate its customs.

8. They do not take up their rest in this world. They are born from heaven, and are bound to heaven.

9. To illustrate this character Christ has given his own.

10. From this view of the subject we may learn what judgment we are to form of those about us what is our duty with respect to ourselves.

Day Off Week 22 2023

I tried to have a regular day off as usual this week. I was mostly reading - an interesting book on fake heroes, debunking Douglas Bader and JFK before moving on to others. I also read a good chunk of a new book on Welsh churches in the 40s, 50s and 60s by Eryl Davies. All very interesting. I got out for a coffee durig the day and then in the evening I watched a bit of gritty crime drama, which is well written but can't be recommended because of the content.