Westminster Fellowship

Paul

I don't always report on my visits to the Westminster Fellowship but it was good to be there again on Monday. Jeremy Bailey chaired and Paul Yeulett gave a helpful paper on the call to the ministry. He spoke of seven aspects of the call (chosen, prepared, compelled, trained, appointed, sent, equipped) and that made for a very rounded piece. Helpful discussion too. Shame there aren't more of us.

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.

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!)

London Seminary End of Term

It was not possible, of course, to have the usual end of year service at the seminary with a visiting preacher and tea on the lawn. Instead we had a stripped down zoom meeting with testimonies from the leaving students and a short sermon from the principal. It is a shame that we can do no more but at least something was done. Thank you to those who arranged it. There appeared to be over 100 participating.

Some new books

Charles Bridges The Christian Ministry

It was good last Monday to meet wth the members of the Westminster Fellowship. Dr Ian Densham had been asked to present a paper on the 19th century Anglican minister Charles Bridge's The Christian Ministry. Like many present I last read it over thirty years ago but unlike others I have not had chance to re-read it more recently but it was good to be reminded of its contents. It can be found easily enough online or in print. One anomaly that Ian discovered is that the Banner version (the one most of us are familiar with) lacks the final sections of the whole work

Some quotations

This sacred office is administered by agents, Divinely-called through the medium of lawful authority, and entrusted with the most responsible and enriching blessing; rendering the highest possible service to their fellow men, because that most nearly connected with the glory of the Saviour.

As to spiritual qualifications, we would be careful neither to lower, exceed, or deviate from, the Scriptural standard.

It is not easy to overcome our natural love of ease, our indisposition to self-denying devotedness, and our false tenderness in flinching from the declaration of unpalatable truths.

When we see the most "able Minister of the New Testament" that the Church has ever known, deeply penetrated, and indeed well-nigh overwhelmed, with the sense of the "necessity laid upon him" — we may well be ashamed, that with qualifications far inferior, our sense of obligation should be less accurate and constraining.”  

Except we realise a high estimation of the Church, the constraining influence of the Saviour's love, and the upholding prop of Almighty grace, what is there to preserve us from sinking in despondency?

Covetousness is far more specious than worldly conformity. It has much to plead under the cover of necessity, justice, prudence, and economy.

In the Church he " transforms himself into an angel of light" — exhibiting either the attractive idol of self-righteousness — or that most inveterate form of antichrist — the dependence on the profession of a pure doctrine.

What a large share of humility, what unceasing supply of Divine grace, is needed to resist a temptation, that falls in so powerfully with the selfish principle of the natural heart!

No one attains remarkable eminence or success, without a resolute and habitual self-denial in subordinating every secondary point to the primary object.

The kindness of the world is far more formidable than its enmity. Many, who were prepared to stem the torrent of its opposition, have yielded with compromising indulgence to its paralysing kindness.

The contempt also of the Sabbath — the predominant character of pleasure, dissipation, and the general inattention or opposition to religion in the heads of the parish — too often present a hostile front to our course of effort and instruction
Thus our whole course is a struggle against the mighty current of sin — flowing out of that restless bias of the natural heart, which upon the highest authority is declared to be "enmity against God."

The Church is the mirror, that reflects the whole effulgence of the Divine character. It is the grand scene, in which the perfections of Jehovah are displayed to the universe.
If a young man has capacity; culture and application may make him a scholar, a philosopher, or an orator; but a true Minister must have certain principles, motives, feelings, and aims, which no industry or endeavours of men can either acquire or communicate. They must be given from above, or they cannot be received.

Thus discouragements, properly sustained and carefully improved, become our most fruitful sources of eventual encouragement while love to our work bears us on above all our difficulties.

The revelations made to the Church — the successive grand events in her history — and, above all  the manifestation of "the glory of God in the Person of Jesus Christ" — furnish even to the heavenly intelligences fresh subjects of adoring contemplation.

the Divine call to this sacred office will be evidenced by a supply of competent qualifications for its discharge.

In considering "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus," we witness a most harmonious combination of seemingly opposite characteristics. The Ministry of our Lord was distinguished by the dignity of God, and the sympathy of a man and a brother — by the authority of the commissioned delegate of his Father, and yet by the humility of a servant, who " came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.

Ps I'm speaking at the next Westminster Fellowship on July 1 on Proverbs