Numerical growth of churches (again)

 I have commented on this before. 

I think when I was at my excellent Vicar Factory, I thought that the gospel would grow churches. 30, 60 or 100 times! Much seed would be spurned, of course. But the seed of the gospel will produce the largest tree in the garden. That mountain will fill the earth. Etc.

And I still believe all those things. 

But maybe I don't expect to see the 10% a year growth in giving and Sunday attendance ("our key performance indicators") which perhaps I once thought might be normal if one preached the gospel and worked hard with reasonable competence. The graphs of our churches might look messy. 

Growth is complicated. Growth is numerical and spiritual. Growth is God's business. 

In our diocese, I'm told, 1/5 churches has grown since 2019 - latest statistics. 

Some of that growth may have been transfer growth, I guess. 

We can perhaps say:

Growth is possible. 

Growth is not easy or automatic. There can be excellent leadership and ministry and no growth. 

If we manage to hold our own, we should give thanks and rejoice as many churches are declining. We long for obvious fruit, of course, but we have to trust that The Gardener knows what he's doing!  

BORING!

I can understand why some people might find some aspects of church or religion – even perhaps the Christian religion – BORING! But to my mind the real Jesus of the Bible is endlessly fascinating. We can so easily think we have him sussed, but if we engage with the historical witness about him, he can surprise us time and time again. It’s no wonder he has inspired so much of the best art, music, poetry, well, Western Civilisation, to put it briefly.   

 

I was struck afresh this week by the opening chapters of John’s Gospel. Today many people might think that Jesus would be a party pooper. If he were really the Pale Galilean who makes all things grey, you would be nervous about inviting him to your wedding. People might think that If God turned up to a really good party, he might turn the wine in to water. But Jesus brings wine to the party. And more than 750 bottles of the finest vintage. Helpful to have Jesus on your guest-list!

 

Jesus brings wine to the party. But then he brings a whip to the temple. He overturns the tables of the money lenders and drives out the animals. Imagine the actions of this 30-year-old manual labourer captured on CCTV. We would think him crazy – but we would also find his teaching sublime. It seems Jesus loves fun but hates religious hypocrisy, exclusion and exploitation. This man they would crucify is hard to pin down. No wonder thousands hung on his words and the common people heard him gladly, while the powers that he were fearful and jealous. He’s worth pondering.

 

Likewise, the Bible is inexhaustible and often strikes us in a fresh way. Some parts of the Bible are hard to understand. And some things are not immediately “accessible” to us. In many ways its essential message of salvation from sin by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ is simple and clear. But the oldest, cleverest, most godly professor need never come to the end of it. It is like an ocean in which a toddler can paddle and an elephant can swim. The wonderful literary artistry of the Bible seems to me to be one of the strongest arguments for its Divine Inspiration. Many authors over many centuries have produced a strikingly unified work of the most outstanding genius, and their brilliance suggests to me that they might have had some help from the Spirit of God.

 

(And, by the way, it is perhaps just worth saying that “literary artistry” need not mean “made up”. The Bible writers are selective and not writing modern academic history, but since God is the Lord of History maybe things happened in the most amazing way in which the Bible writers wrote them down. That’s to say, maybe it wasn’t the gospel writers who “manipulated history” but the Sovereign God!)

 

I’ve read the Bible a number of times and some parts many times, but things can still seem new.

 

For example, I found myself puzzling over the time markers in the opening chapters of John’s gospel again this week. Does it really matter what day it was? Why would John bother to tell us it was a Tuesday? But remember that John begins with an echo of the first book of the Bible, Genesis: “In the beginning…” And then we have a series of days in chapters one and two, perhaps recalling the days of creation. The Wedding and Cana, which we were thinking about above, is said to be “the third day”, like Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day, when the glorious transforming power of Jesus is displayed in this new creation miracle as water is resurrected as wine. Six stone water jars used for ceremonial washing are employed, but possibly this third day plus the other days in the chapter is also the seventh (or maybe eighth) day of John’s week scheme: the final climatic day of blessing, salvation and rest. Jesus’ work is not just good but very good and everyone is invited to enjoy it. This is a new day of New Creation.

 

Or this week I saw some new details in the miracle of the Transfiguration I’m not sure I’d noticed before. Jesus’ glory is revealed on a mountain and he is seen speaking with Moses and Elijah. The wider context in Mark’s gospel speaks of Jesus “passing by” (6:48) and Moses and Elijah had both seen the glory of God pass by on a mountain. And like Jesus they had also been fed in the wilderness and fed others with miraculous bread.

 

Whether or not these details interest you, Jesus and the Bible are definitely worth a second or second hundredth look. And, for the ten your old boys (or indeed girls) out there, there are some wonderful stories of blood and guts too!   

I'm a Christian but I don't go to church

 

“I’m a Christian, but I don’t go to church.” Have you heard people say that? Perhaps you’ve said it yourself.

It’s worth just pausing to ask what we mean by a Christian here. Not just a Brit or a Westerner. Or a nice, moral person who tries to do the decent thing. Giving to charity is fantastic, but it’s not what we mean by being a Christian. The basic Christian confession is “Jesus Christ is Lord.” To be a Christian is to deliberately trust Jesus as your Saviour and to seek to obey him as your Lord. We all mess up in many ways, but Christians depend on Jesus and want to follow him as his disciples – apprentices who learn from him.

Of course going to church doesn’t make someone a Christian, any more than going to MacDonalds would make you a hamburger.

But Christians ought to go to church. The Bible teaches that. And Christians have always thought so. From the most ancient times, Christians have gathered on The Lord’s Day morning, the first day of the week, Sunday, Resurrection Day, to celebrate the Christian Sabbath, just as the risen Lord Jesus met with his disciples. We are not to give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing.

Church is just part of the deal. If you belong to Jesus you belong to his church, to his people, his body. You cannot have the head without the body. The church is the ark in the world. Outside the church there is no salvation. If you’re a Christian you are part of the universal invisible church, and you ought to be baptised and join up with a visible historical church somewhere. You are a church member. Don’t be an absentee church member!  

But it’s not so much that Christians have to go to church. Rather, Christians get to go to church! If the truth be told, church is not always all that it might be. You’re not. I’m not. People get things wrong and rub up against each other. Maybe the music could be improved or the preacher will be dull or…. But church is a wonderful privilege. Here (ideally) are people from all backgrounds and ages, from all around the world, brought together by Jesus. Saved sinners like you who have been made family. We may differ in many ways, but we have God as our Father and Jesus as our brother and the Spirit indwells us.

Church is a royal command performance. Jesus is there in a special way with two or three who meet in his name. We confess our sins and are assured of his forgiveness. We sing his praises. We hear his Word. He feeds us in his Supper. He blesses us. And we enjoy one another’s company. We are equipped and sent out to live for Him. What could possibly be better than this? This is the best and most important, most wonderful hour and a bit of the week on which all else depends. This time of special gathered worship helps us to worship Jesus with our whole lives.

You ought to go to church.

You get to go to church!

Not only that, but you need to go to church. The Bible knows of no lone ranger Christians. A coal taken out of the fire will soon grow cold. You need the help and encouragement of other believers.

Possibly you could try to survive as Christian without going to church, but it might be a bit like subsisting on a diet of bread and water. I really can’t recommend it.  

And your church needs you! We are part of one body. And whether you’re a hand, a foot, a nose or an eye, you are wanted and needed. The body is dismembered and dysfunctional without you.

So see you on Sunday!

 

Competent to Counsel?

 

 

A few random thoughts which I might tidy up or develop at some stage.

 

Dr Jay Adams (a PhD, not a medical doctor, we may note) urged the pastor to regard himself as Competent to Counsel. Likely this is unfair to Adams, but at its most reductionistic, all pastoral counselling is “nouthetic confrontation”, admonition to repent of sin. If all you have is one hammer, all you can do is bash people for their sins.  

 

To give them credit, some Christian approaches to counselling do have a somewhat more sophisticated model. I am a sinner, but I am also sinned against. My circumstances make a difference. And they correctly observe that it is my actions for which I am responsible. We are asking “how can I as the person I am be godly in this situation?”

 

We will all have our besetting temptations, but I suspect many of us evangelicals could probably do with rather more patience and openness. Do we prize curiosity?

 

The classic opening of Calvin’s Institutes always repays thought: “Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” And he notes that “as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.” We might rightly recoil from our narcissistic, selfish and self-obsessed world. But we would do well to try not only to know God and the know our Bibles, but really to know ourselves. To consider what has shaped us. What makes us tick and why. Why are our reactions to some things so intense or disproportionate? Why are there some things which stress us, or of which we make light? Do we stop to notice and to wonder? Or are we rushing to prepare the next Bible study or sermon?   

 

Certainly if the Man of God (the pastor) has a Bible, at one level he is thoroughly equipped for every good work of ministry (2 Timothy 3:16). We believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, but sola Scripture is not solo Scriptura, which I’m told wouldn’t work in Latin anyway! The Bible is sufficient for salvation and godliness, but even then it encourages us to listen to others, to use our reason, to observe and benefit from creation. The pastor cannot in practice insist on The-Bible-Only. For one thing, we would struggle to know the meaning of the words of the Bible if we depended on the Bible alone. We hope that the surgeon who operates on us is not a Bible Only guy. If you have your Systematic Theology to hand, see Common Grace and General Revelation.    

 

As a professional talker, the Pastor-Teacher would almost certainly do well to slow down, to listen and observe. Most of us are probably too quick to opine and advise.

 

When I studied pastoral counselling at my excellent theological college, I think we were possibly at times a little fuzzy on our anthropology. As so often, we should have wheeled in the Systematics Department to cry “Distinguo!”. At one level, every thought is a physical process in the brain. What difference does that make?

 

The pastor should see himself as a physician of souls. But also as a fellow sufferer. There is only one great Doctor to whom we must all bring our sin-sickness. Only he is perfectly Competent.

 

There is a sense in which the pastor would be wise to stay in his lane: he should be the guy to see about your walk with God. But of course walking with also involves loving your neighbour. Everything is related. God cares about it all.

 

Though the pastor is primarily concerned with the soul, we know that heart, mind, will and body all matter. The pastor is not an expert on physical or mental health, but he shouldn’t neglect these things because we are psychosomatic unities, not disembodied spirits.

 

We want humble pastors. The pastor may well need help from other pastors. And he would be wise in some cases to suggest a counsellor, or psychotherapist, or GP. Pastoral counselling should not be seen as a substitute for psychiatry.

 

God has not promised us good mental health this side of heaven, any more than he has promised us good physical health. The pastor cannot say “repent and believe and all will be well”. Some healing must await the New Creation.  

 

We may fear that sometimes drugs are prescribed rather freely, but they undoubtedly have an important role to play in the treatment of mental illness. We would be foolish to reject these good gifts of God if they would help us.

Reformed Consecration

Thanks to X: Richard Baxter's Reformed Liturgy on consecrated bread and wine.  

Eight reasons not to opt for “no fuss” direct to cremation, but to consider a funeral service

 You can find the 8 top reasons for choosing a “no fuss simple cremation” here:  https://latest.goldenleaves.com/direct-crem-original-close

As one who has taken many funerals, perhaps I can offer eight reasons for considering having a funeral service:

(1) A funeral provides a fitting tribute and farewell to the deceased.

(2) No funeral needs to be fussy. What some people might call “fuss” could be called love and  respect shown by taking care over one of the last things we will do for a person, Those with long experience of organising these events with the family's wishes in mind stand ready to offer help and advice. People often enjoy looking back through old photos, sharing memories and planning the service.

(3) Funerals can help us begin to grieve and process our loss. Even if the next of kin doesn’t feel the need for a funeral now, they may regret their choice later and many others might appreciate this opportunity to say a proper goodbye. It can be upsetting for people to think that a loved one is going off to the crem without their family and friends with them.  

(4) Almost every culture in human history has thought that death should be surrounded by some kind of ritual or ceremony.

(5) The human body matters and can be treated with reverence rather than merely dealt with efficiently.

(6) Funerals are sometimes one of the few occasions when extended families meet, share stories and rekindle their connections. It is said family disputes can sometimes make funerals tricky to attend, but they can also bring people together and be an opportunity for a measure of reconciliation.

(7) A funeral is an opportunity for everyone to pause and reflect on what really matters, on what is a good life well lived, and on our own mortality.

(8) For those who belong to a faith tradition, funerals are an opportunity to re-connect with God or with the heritage which has shaped our communities for centuries.

In response to the eight reasons why people choose a “no fuss cremation”, I could offer a few bonus points:

Adding for example a church service to a funeral package need not add an enormous cost to the overall price. The Church of England Fee for a funeral in a church in is £234 and sometimes there may be options in terms of genuine financial hardship.

A funeral and a party are not mutually exclusive options. It is good to grieve, but a funeral need not be morbid or depressing. We also celebrate and give thanks. Often there are tears at a funeral, but often a surprising amount of laughter too. A wake or party or refreshments etc. normally follows on from a traditional funeral and there are further opportunities to share stories etc.

These days funerals can be recorded or livestreamed for those who are housebound or overseas to be involved.

If there is no one to attend a funeral, the minister and undertaker would nevertheless be happy to take the service. One of the most moving services I ever attended was while on placement with a hospital chaplain who took the funeral of a baby where the parents did not feel able to attend. Of course it was heart breakingly sad, but I was glad we could do what that family wanted even though they weren’t present.

Perhaps it's worth adding that even if you decide to go for a direct cremation, you can always think about some kind of memorial service later. Your local parish church can help with discussing the options.     

Parish Magazine Item on Jordan Peterson

From The Rectory

If you’ve ever ventured on to the Information Super Highway, you may have come across Canadian psychologist, Dr Jordan Peterson. He came to prominence when he objected to compelled speech over the use of pronouns. His Channel 4 interview with Cathy Newman (which you can find on YouTube) has been viewed 49 million times. He sells out large venues, especially to crowds of young men seeking some sense of purpose and ambition. And his books on Rules for Life are firm best sellers. Anyway, I mention him here because he has recently become more interested in the Bible. I’ve just finished reading his book on the Old Testament (We Who Wrestle With God: Perceptions of the Divine, Allen Lane / Penguin Random House, 2024 - ISBN: 9780241619612 hb, 544pp). And he has another book on the New Testament forthcoming.

 

I have some quibbles with Peterson’s book and some pretty fundamental disagreements with his overall message. I could recommend far better introductions to the Old Testament.

 

Peterson is not a conventional Christian believer. He equivocates on what it would mean for God to exist and whether or not Jesus’ tomb was empty. But I still found his book worth reading. It is insightful in places, even if a lot of dross has to be refined or discarded. I want to focus here on three things I think Peterson gets right – or at least partly right as far as he goes.

 

First, Peterson would say that some kind of “God” is inescapable. We all have something (or perhaps a number of things) which we think are either foundational, or central, or ultimate. We can leave the foundation unexamined or not. We can live more ignorantly or more thoughtfully. And we all need some higher purpose. We cannot live a satisfying life if we live merely for now and for our own personal hedonistic pleasure. That way of life is self-defeating, self-destructive. And we do not want to worship Power, or Technology, or Cleverness. We do not want a war of the gods. We need the One True God.  

 

And faith is inescapable. Eventually you have to bet your life on something, probably without mathematical certainty. You have to live as if something is true and matters. By all means search and ask your questions. But to decide for a sceptical agnosticism is still to decide. And again, it’s an unstable decision, not one which is life-giving or conducive to human flourishing. That is the wisdom of the ages and the collective judgement of most of the people who have ever lived.

 

And the Bible is inescapable. Peterson is to be commended for paying attention to these texts which have formed Western civilisation. He rightly perceives that these are our deepest stories. Creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, The Tower of Babel, Abraham, Moses, David and Goliath. These are better than all the best fairy stories. Whether or not you take them literally, these stories contain profound truths. They make sense of the world. They call us to the great adventure of a meaningful life.

 

You may want to read Peterson’s book, but I think reading the Bible is essential. I would say that as a Vicar, of course. But any educated Western person needs to know something of this Book. Whatever your starting point or conclusions so far, I don’t think you’d regret spending some more time with these great Book of Books.

 

Of course I think God is real. I think trust in Jesus is vital. I think the Bible is God’s Word Written. But even if you don’t agree with me on that, these issues and these texts are worth your serious engagement. I hope for many, Peterson, his books and online content, might be a way in. Perhaps many will leap ahead of him into the Kingdom of God. Perhaps you will.    

 

The Revd Marc Lloyd

Ephesians 1vv3-14 handout

 

Ephesians 1:3-14

 

 

A single sentence in the Greek – a great torrent of praise

 

 

 

V3 a headline / introduction: Praise God for every “spiritual” blessing in Christ

 

 

 

A catalogue of blessings:

 

 

 

(1) Vv4-6: PAST blessings: chosen by God the Father (v4) to be adopted as heirs (v5)

 

 

 

(2) Vv7-9: PRESENT blessings: redeemed by the Son (v7). This is revealed to us (v9)

 

 

 

(3) Vv10-14: FUTURE blessings: all things brought together under Christ (v10); a guaranteed inheritance (v14). In the meantime we are included in Christ by faith and sealed with the Holy Spirit (vv13-14)