Ecclesiastes 11:3b

 

Childs Hill Park

Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,

in the place where it falls, there it will lie.

The pursuit of pleasure

I found this interesting chart here

Selling Christian Books in Belarus

I write from Minsk in Belarus, where I have been for the the last couple of days helping out with an Evangelical Press book promotion conference. A small conference was arranged at a very nice centre for about 40 pastors and others from Belarus and beyond. Myself and Roger Fay spoke as well as some of the Russian pastors. Roger spoke on David Brainerd whose biography by John Thornbury is now out in Russian and I spoke on the Solomonic books of Song of Songs, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. I have commentaries on two of these books. It would be nice to add a third and it would be good too to see the ones that exist translated.

It was a great privilege to be in a country I had never visited before and to get to meet some of the Russian brothers (as well as our EP friends). Speaking through a translator is not easy but Aleksander who helped both Roger and I was very good.  I also took part in the discussion session they had on ministerial training one night.

I tried to brush up on the Cyrillic alphabet before I came but I am rather poor at it. Singing the hymns was not really possible for this reason and the hymn sining was so good. At least it gave me a little insight into how it must be for dyslexics.

They have a fair number of books in Russian and sales were pretty good apparently. There are plans for more. They can be powerful tools. It's been a great trip.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

A large grey coach came along the road the other day and some of the youngsters on board were waving to passers by. I waved back. I was wondering who these lads were and thought at first that I must know one of them. As I peered to try and see who it was I thougt for a moment that I recognised one of them as my twelve or thirteen year old son. Just as quickly I realised, of course, that it wasn't him just some boys from Leicester or wherever it was up in London for the day and waving to strangers for a bit of fun. Besides my twelve or thirteen year old son will be twenty-one next month and lives in Aberystwyth. What's that verse again?  He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. We're only talking about a gap of eight or nine years in this case but it shows the sort of thing the verse is alluding to - eternity in the hearts of men.

Philippines 07

So Ecclesiastes today. I think we did a little better today in some respects. Obviously there was less ground to cover and they were more used to me. Some are still finding it difficult. Really trying to get the Song of Solomon lectures in order tonight.

There was a church prayer meeting earlier tonight, at 6.30 pm, in the lecture room. A lot of it was in Tagalog so I missed quite a bit. It was a very business like PM making use of the white board to list things to pray for. This was done in three sessions - church; CCM/GMA, Other matters. It was good to be there. They asked what to pray for me and I instinctively thought of my dad. So their praying for him here too.

They continue to feed me well. Bernie the caretaker really looks after me (and Jose his brother). I've had mostly take out stuff today with a distinct Filipino twist. I'm not losing any weight I'm sure.
So my positive impressions of this vibrant and by now very busy and active enterprise continue to grow. It is not perfect by any means and I'm sure there are problems but this is Reformed Baptist faith in action in the 21st Century here in the far east and it has a lot to be said for it by the grace of God.

Philippines Trip

On July 1 I intend to travel to The Philippines and to be there for the next 10 days or so. How come?

1. Some years ago we became aware of the work of Brian Ellis and Cubao RB Church, Manila.

2. For some years we've supported the work among the street children they do and one or two members have travelled to see the work. We also sometimes have Filipinos in the congregation.

3. We are also aware of the Grace Ministerial Academy and its current need of help.

4. Since my last overseas trip (to Nigeria) we've put regularly put aside half a per cent from the general fund for another (the amount covered my air fare). There's an idea for some of you!

5. Having thought about this for some while and tried to pass on my thought of going I finally got to see Brian a month or two back and broached the idea of lecturing on the wisdom literature. He and Principal Noel Espinosa seemed keen for me to come in July, August or September.

6. Meanwhile my dad's situation has not been good so I've been much in prayer and consultation on what to do. Reminders of the Philippines are never far away in London (see pic). At one point I was in a MacDonalds using the netbook when I heard on the radio - "Don’t matter if I step on the scene Or sneak away to the Philippines". I thought I was so obsessed with the subject I was hearing things but these are genuine words from Britney Spears' "Piece of me". Thankfully I try not to get my guidance from such Providences. What I really wanted was some assurance from God about how long my dad will live. I don't think I'll be getting that and so there could still be problems ahead for this project but I just need to step out in faith.

7. So I decided that sooner rather than later was better from the point of view of my dad's health (who's fine at present and has been told to stay healthy at least until I'm back and then for the wedding at least). It turns out Noel was planning a special day of Calvin seminars on July 10 so I can do that too - although he's given me Calvin's Theology, which will be a tall order for me.

8. Tickets no doubt go up the longer you leave it so I was glad to get a good price last Monday (Malaysia Airlines). I did it on the laptop watching the news about this Air France tragedy. Sobering thought. For some reason it was cheaper to travel July 1 than July 2, which is not a problem. The bigger decision was choosing to be away 2 Sundays, which I didn't want but it's been unavoidable (one factor was the need to be back to see Dylan perform in Westside Story!). Getting preachers didn't prove difficult - further Providences. Also no problem updating my injections at the doctor's - and nothing to pay, which was good.

9. So imagine that, God willing on July 10th, Calvin's birthday, I'll be not in Wales or London, which would be fine, not in Geneva - a great idea I toyed with but couldn't afford - but in Manila and talking about the man himself! Could he possibly have imagined that 500 years on they'd be talking about him in such a far flung place?

10. There's lots of preparation to be done then - going through my notes on Proverbs, Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes and working on the Calvin but what a privilege. There are always reasons to pray.

Best ofs 06

Next up is an album of 25 hits by the US answer to the Beatles - The Byrds. The key to the Byrds sound, I guess, is the Rickenbacker or what I call the jangly guitar. A large part of the genius is taking Bob Dylan and making him palatable to non-purists like me. This Definitive Collection probably has too many tracks on it and would have been improved by being pruned. Less is more. But then we may have missed the two Arthur Reid Reynolds tracks (Jesus is just alright and Glory, glory). Who was that guy? Also glad to see Turn Turn Turn (from Ecclesiastes) here Bells of Rhymney - words by Monmouthshire born Idris Davies. My favourite seven:

1. Chestnut Mare
2. Turn Turn Turn
3. My back pages
4. The bells of Rhymney
5. Mr Tambourine Man
6. I'll feel a whole lot better
7. All I really want to do

Romania 02

The conference took place in the impressive college chapel of the Baptist University in Oradea. Some 140-150 students and pastors were present. The senior pastor at Emanuel and the President of the University, Paul Negrut, kicked things off with some warm words of welcome. Phil spoke first and I second, after a break. We both spoke twice on the first day then once on the Saturday morning. Phil spoke on verses in Colossians 2. His Welwyn commentary on the book has just appeared (see here). He had the excellent help of professor Dr Corneliu Simut (see here) as translator. Corneliu is a church history specialist who has studied under Carl Trueman and did his PhD on Richard Hooker. I tackled three wisdom books with the help of Dr Dan Boutica (see here page 6). (For the second and longest Dinu stood in as translator as Dan was unable to be present). Things went quite well considering the difficulties involved. Using a translator is not the best way to communicate but it beats not having one at all!

The Romanians love their singing and there was plenty of that as well some prayers and reading of Scripture - both always conducted with the people standing up. The University Dean Dorin Hnatiuc, led the singing with gusto. He also preached the closing sermon - a striking one on the demands of the ministry from Ecclesiastes 10:8, 9.There were two bookstalls but sales were not high. Interaction with attendees present was possible to some extent, although not all (especially the older ones) spoke English. (Romanian is perhaps most like Italian but with dashes of slav. It is phonetic but relies on a vast number of diacritical marks. I at least learned to say Pac(h)-e (Peace) - the accepted greeting among Christians).
On the Saturday we had a question session (a new departure it seems) when four questions were asked, mostly to do with the texts, although one was about baptism and whether entrance to heaven is possible without it. Phil answered very well not downplaying baptism but stressing that it is an act of obedience and we are saved in the end by faith not works. [See Pic 1. Pic 2 shows the chapel and Pic 3 shows Dorin Hnatiuc, Phil, me, Dinu, Corneliu Simut]

Romania

Organizatori:
EDITURA FĂCLIA şi UNIVERSITATEA EMANUEL, ORADEA
împreună cu
EVANGELICAL PRESS, ANGLIA
CONFERINŢĂ
a celor ce slujesc prin puterea
Cuvântului lui Dumnezeu
19-20 Octombrie, 2007
GREUTĂŢILE SLUJBEI ŞI REZOLVAREA BIBLICĂ A ACESTORA
CONFERENŢIARI:
Phil Arthur , Anglia
Gary Brady , Anglia
SE DESFĂŞOARĂ ÎN CAPELA UNIVERSITĂŢII „EMANUEL” DIN ORADEA
Str. Nufărului nr. 78
Pentru confirmarea participării dumneavoastră vă rugăm să sunaţi la : Editura Făclia,
Tel: 0259 – 419318 sau 0722-609746

This is the heading for a conference that I'm going to be speaking at this week in Romania. I've little experience of this sort of thing so I'm slightly apprehensive. The programme begins tomorrow and is thus:

Thursday
Travel to Oradea (Romania) on a KLM flight to Budapest (Hungary) via Amsterdam then on to Oradea, 160 miles east, just over the Romanian border. I fly from Heathrow alone and join up with John Rubens and Phil Arthur in Holland.
Friday
After Phil Arthur has spoken and after coffee I speak at noon on preaching from Proverbs. Then in the afternoon we follow the same pattern and at 5 pm I speak on Expounding Ecclesiastes. There is also a question and answer session later that day.
Saturday
There is another half day of conference and I speak at 11 am on Sermons from The Song of Solomon.
Lords Day
In the morning I preach (10 am) in Golgotha Baptist Church, Oradea (Pastor Daniel Tanc). I will be translated by Dr. Corneliu Simut.
At 5 pm I preach in the evening service at Sion Baptist Church, Oradea (Pastors George Padure & Viorel Ile). I will be translated by Viorel Ile (with whom I will be having my evening meal - before or after)
Monday
Back to Blighty by the same route in reverse.

Do pray.