Pittenweem

Pittenweem was lovely for our recent walk.

Kingsbarns harr

Recent walk in the East Neuk of Fife was spendid with good weather. Clear blue skies were broken ocasionally with harr and a cooling breeze. Solo poppy grows in the beach grasses.

Old Gallows Road

Old gallows road last week.

Ben Fogle Landrover

I enjoyed the Land Rover book by Ben Fogle.  It was a generally good insight into the world of this mysterious vehicle. As a Land Rover owner he was able to show the benefits and the challenges that it has brought over the years.

What to me, is amazing, is that Landrover today do not want to make a utility vehicle which I believe there is a demand for , but concentrate on selling high end vehicles from the high net worth customer.  

Sunday ...Rest... I said rest.

Rest
A recent sermon at church highlighted the need for us to observe the rest day.
Now different faiths and religions use different days Fridays Saturdays or Sundays but they all recognise the need for rest. There are many things could be done on the rest day reflect observe discuss all activities that we miss during the working week where we plan, account and act.

I recall the story of the Chinese wall builders where the team that worked 7 days with no rest did not perform as good as the group that worked 6 days and rested on the seventh.

There is a need for work and there is a need for rest.
May this day for you be a rest day.

Contemplate

What observations have I made about the last week?
Reflect on Gods goodness to you?
Discuss with someone the requirement to rest.

In next week where must I plan,act and be accountable.



You might like to read the book The Passionate Church by Breen and Kallestad.
There is a good section at the beginning about rest.

Practical worship on U tube

I came across this site some months ago and while I might not agree with everything I found the approach stable and re freshing.

Practical worship 

Old Gallows Charlie...Battle of Tibbermore

Charlie, The one winged crow who has been around the Old Gallows Road, Perth for at lease 6 years.

Old Gallows Road before the tree trimming 2018. 

This road is the remains of the old Roman Road going south. It carries on out of Perth towards Crieff and passes close to the battle field of Tibbermore.  The details of the battle are here on Wikipedia.

Cap money

 The Money charity details a few posts back has highlighted things that most people do not know about. It is seldom mentioned in the news. This charity has been providing statistics and courses for many years. Give the website a visit. Link at the side of the blog for the hyperlink.

 So Also has CAP money the slightly newer Charity focusing on debt issues and helping people out of poverty.

Here is a link to Cap money

Feed the Alpacas at Southton

Last night I had a good walk which, for part of it, was feeding the Alpacas at Southton. They appreciated the carrots. ( Dont tell)

Blue skies last weekend, Fake tour on 19 May and Praise night in June 2018

Last Saturday, 19 May 2018 ( Wedding day) South Inch, Perth Looking towards St Leonards in the fields.

On 22^nd August 1860 4,000 people gathered to hear a message addressed by all Churches on the Inshes on the south side of Perth. Earlier that year in Buckie (12 Feb, 1860) 1,500 which is the half the population, attended the Free Church to hear James Turner. Some of the congregation went prostrate, there was an uproar and Turner abandoned the meeting. They adjourned to the United Presbyterian Church to continue. 

During one of these meetings two ministers came to investigate the work, they became very interested in the state of a young girl with regard to her posture and voice. Whilst bent down close to her, one of the ministers in acknowledgement to the other minister said “Sir, I must confess this is the work of God”. There are many stories like these of God moving people, including the very young, but somehow unless you are in a particular Church circle, one does not hear of those happenings, or of any today.

Tented area on the South Inch for Fake bands concerts in South Inch. 19 May 2018



Praise night in Perth Concert hall 16 June 2018

Worship just Psalms ?

A few years ago in Scotland some Presbyterian denominations had a challenge about Worship music. The feeling of using new worship songs or old worship songs instead of purely the Psalms becoming a bit of a struggle.

Also there was the wishes of some to use musical instrument to accompany the worship. By the way I am not knocking Presbyterians stay with me.

Background

Opposition to Hymns and instruments is not restricted to one arm of the Presbyterian Church. But James Begg was a promoter of the use of Psalms and no instruments. Robert Murray McCheyne was a Hymn writer who found it difficult to leave the establish Church but did so to support the Free Church ethos.

In 1866 the Free Church voted 3 to 2 for the use of hymns. In 1869 Begg was unsuccessful in curtailing Hymns. In 1872 the Church accepted the “New Hymn book“ 213 votes to 61. In 1877 Prof Bruce wished to have their “Own Free Hymn Book” with Begg supporting a defence of no change position.

Then in 1892 the assembly with drew permission to use instruments for worship and uninspired Hymns in public worship.

The Free Church of Scotland is know for its “Psalm only” singing in Scottish Churches.

In recent years individual Free Churches of Scotland have had the liberty at session level to decide if the local Church would sing only Psalm or include Hymns and spiritual songs. There are about dozen who now incorporate more than psalms in their worship. John MacDonald (The Apostle of the North) 1779-1849 Ferrintosh, was a Gaelic spiritual verse writer. Interesting to have an hymn writer in a Psalm singing denomination.

So in recent years when one church was unable to command a final order on worship in its church it asked its local churches to decide for themselves whither to use other songs, and instruments.

I found that really interesting that a good Congregational/Baptist principle was used to aid the Presbyterian churches outcome. Let the local church decide.

Worship on Sunday...

You know I have been involved in Worship music for over 40 years and yesterday I was blessed to see the new beginnings of what could be great worship in the future at the Church I am connected to. Now let me say I have been and played in Presbyterian churches, played and or led in Methodist type Churches and Also Baptist Churches on both sides of the border and I again was reassured that the worship music can be delivered and have an impact on the Church service. Don't get me wrong the preaching was excellent.

Here is what I think makes the difference to worship music (unaccompanied or not)

• Focus on God - the receiver of the praise
• Individual commitment to make it work and to focus on the God of worship
• A praying community of worship players
• A congregation accepting the direction of worship

It helps if you 

Are in tune instrument wise and spiritually
Arrive on time for set up
Have the appropriate music in the key to be delivered if you can not memorise the music you are playing
Listen to fellow musician and go with the dynamics that are happening from the lead

Be able to adjust to any changes directed from the lead.

Smetimes there is no difference in preparation but the worship just excels, yesterday was one of these days. I am sure God was honoured in our time of praise. Are you looking forward to the next time?

Come on you can do better than that.

Can you please go to the previous post and answer the question?

Fresh line of thought

The recent conversation I had with a friend was exciting. Although not in Scotland he has a good measure of the state of play in the Church.

We were left with a question which I hope you can respond to in the comments below and also share with your friends.

What is the gospel? ( as you see it)

Lets see if we can get a varied and thought provoking answer?

Wedding

Great day for a wedding.

Highland Church Part five

Despite the challenges of the North and the Presbyterian culture, there can be new pockets of witness, like Dingwall, where I had a vision for a church way back in 1982,- but the work does need commitment. 

The roving activities of someone building relations is important in addressing the Baptist cause. A lack of relationship will surely reduce any possibility of growth. If we are there at the start of the new work in Fortrose then we have an opportunity to help it grow and add value! Strategically there is lots to consider in the Highlands if looking at a Baptist increase in Witness. 

Firstly What is there to be done where might the focus be? Monthly mass worship in different areas? A quasi church that accommodates some who are members of other churches. An electronic fellowship to link those with distance difficulties. What skills are required. Who are key people with a vision and contacts. What sort of budget is required to move forward. Who will fund such a plan. Who has the commitment for year on year work.

 There is a real difference in church life between the Highlands and the Central belt.

Few appreciate the differences and culture that still exists in the Highlands. Nevertheless. the Baptist witness still has an opportunity to captivate people who are not so drawn to a Presbyterian church form. Concluding thought In a wide spread area it is difficult to pull relationships to have a sense of community in church life. There is a difference between a few Christians getting together regularly and a group wishing to constitute as a church.

A Baptist witness in the Highlands needs to have a clear strategy taking into consideration the Highland culture and investing resources in a long term work with mini “splashes“ as a way of promoting both the Kingdom and Baptist Union. Work may not simply rise up from one corner, and therefore the personnel all need to be flexible in “co-coordinating” work rather than “pinned” to a specific geographical area. I have observed that North folks like to see continuity of personnel and a 7 year plan headed by a “known” person will have a good kick start effect on the work. In my time rubbing shoulders with various Free churches in the Highlands there are many active people with a measure of Baptist conviction but found in their parents Church which is not Baptist. What is needed is a concerted group effort assisted and supported by neighbouring Baptist Churches to address the only alternative to Presbyterianism in the Highlands. Churches be they small, who have recently be created tend to affiliate or take pastor leading from those who they know. 

A Baptist increase presence in the Highlands could encourage groups to grow and in turn constitute to a Baptist fellowship. I sense if we are not there at the beginning we will never be able to help. Finally I would encourage any strategic plan to be most of all encouraging groups to “listen to God” All leaflets and correspondence need to be measured against this observation. Baptists have taken 250 years to conclude their theology,new churches are only on the road to discovery. However right from the start Baptist understanding should be incorporated and I am sure that this “fresh to the hearers” approach will strike a warm cord. A feedback session from Church representatives from neighbouring Baptist churches would be a good starting point to formulate a strategy, a plan, and the implementing of a blessed work.

 May God add to our numbers and maturity as we seek his face.

Highland Church part four

Consider scripture, there is no divide “The Enlightenment” and future generations have created the myth about a secular and non – secular world.

How damaging that is. We know we do not need to go to a church building to pray, yet we constantly compartmentalise on the basis of modernity. The secular / non secular dos/ and don't s might have worked for a generation but scripture calls for a more radical reformed “reform!”.

The result of this secular divide is the thought that God is no longer required; based on the modernity of the church it is no wonder. 

 

The emerging church folks, have noted that the church needs to be wholly working in the community and certainly not seen as a non secular group of people. Their worship is less scripted with beginnings and ends and more of a flow of what was happening before “formal worship”.

However we are in this post modern post Christianity era where people are discovering mysticism and spirituality. All the more the Church can bring God to the spiritual seeking community who are not in this generation stuck in a dual format of thinking of secular and non-secular. The work in the Highlands could grow if a long term commitment could be made by the Union. When churches are joining and constricting under Synod instructions at the disapproval of the members an opportunity to promote the “local church - Baptistic” could well have success once more.

I appreciate we cannot fund 27 Baptist missionaries in the Highlands like in the past but there is a need to have a presence and to support Christians who wish to worship and be an evangelical witness North of Perth.

Apart for the extensive work of the Perth Christian Centre there are a few itinerant ministries.

Despite the challenges of the North and the Presbyterian culture, there can be new pockets of witness, like Dingwall, where I had a vision for a church way back in 1982,- but the work does need commitment.

New Church in the Highlands Part three

Movement of the true Church?

Donald Sage, William Hog, and John Kennedy all looked to the working of God in the people of their fold.

The paradox we see in these and other great godly men, they prayed for revival and awakening, but were knowingly or unknowingly locked into a restricted framework, of a Calvinistic form, designed by humans to hold things in place. This framework was not conducive to the change they desired.

In Dallas Willard's book "The Divine Conspiracy" he notices that on examination of local gatherings of Christian believers .... it seems a general law of social and historical development, that institutions tend to distort and destroy the central function that brought it into existence.

Clyde Reid, in his law of religious evasion, states "we structure our churches and maintain them, so as to shield us from God, and to protect us from genuine religious experience". Adult members of Churches today, rarely raise serious religious questions for fear of revealing their doubts, or being thought of as strange. There is a conspiracy of silence on religious matters in the Church. This conspiracy covers up the fact that Churches do not change lives or influence conduct to any appreciable degree. It was the case, in the 18^th and 19^th century and still is the case in the 20^th and 21^st.[The Divine Conspiracy][Great omission]

In the 17^th century James Morison, on his way to preach at Cabrach, read Charles Finney's "Revivals of Religion". Moved by what he read, he put to one side his sermon notes prepared and preached from the heart. As we look to the Church in Scotland, it is dogged with separations. Why so many? Is it really due to a particular doctrine or theology or is it something else? We, after some separations from the Church, because of State Intervention or of Church government or of the use of Communion or Church practise, may see it of no real consequence.

I am convinced that the difficulties of the Church in Scotland, no matter what denomination, is one of trust. If the Church is to revive the nation, it needs to be prayerful – yes, it needs to be:

encompassing

• it needs to be alive
• it needs to be accommodating
• This means that it cannot afford to have Victorian methods, or indeed Victorian double values.
• It needs to be in the culture

Those who rediscovered truth were people who were back searching in the Word of God and praying. They were not reviewing Confessions of Faith, or Constitutions, or Covenants. It is a recurring observation that when there is a moving of God's Spirit in His people, they are moved back to reading the Word of God and not a secondary document, Creed or Catechism.

Unlike England, or indeed any other country, Scotland is shaped by the particular Scottish characteristics of its people. How would some of these past people of God look upon the nation of Scotland and the Church in the 21^st century? Surprised probably yes, but in some ways they might have seen the writing on the wall for they surely lived and breathed in the same nature as we do today. The adage “that time moves faster” and we are “more sophisticated and successful” does not hold water. The new technology helps in efficiency but does not clean the heart. The political correctness looks more like one-one-upmanship than care for the underdog or the weak without true-rights. There is also a unequal right to those who wish to practise a faith based life style. There is an imbalance, which will grow if not addressed, by the focal minority against any faith based people.

Tell me that God will not be moved by thousands of praying people in this nation. Many called for less interference from State in Church. Now its in a subtle way become interference imposed by a few supposedly under the banner of equal rights.

But its not doom and gloom These praying few will be heard. God still wants to rescue the nation from all that is not worthy of Him.

Non Presbyterian alternative

1 Promotion of Baptists thinking, and past heritage – “not a sect”

Set out as something to consider as opposed to come and take on our theology.

2 Instigate localised prayer/reading groups LYFE groups see Biblesociety.org.uk website

3 Seek, encourage, create, groups who may plan to constitute in the future

4 Profile to existing Ministry – Additional supporting work not competition

5 Instigate alternative worship not based in same site!

6 Consider a purpose built organisation for potential members across the considerable distance which does not negate other church memberships.

The Sutherland and attached area is considerably sparse, and the resulting work needs to combat, certainly initially, the difficulty of distance and lack of resources. An awareness of not putting “all eggs in one basket” or of spreading too thin needs to be in the forefront. Nevertheless a flexible approach will be required to find like minded people where a blessing is forthcoming.

The staffing of any work needs to be flexible in geography and focussed on aims and objectives.

The work should look for those who have moved to the area with a wider church experience and those who have discovered either on their own or previously a Baptist perspective. (i.e. Not specifically sheep stealing)

Consideration

Is there a link to Youth for Christ who are starting an “emerging” community in the Highlands and Islands?

God is certainly at work in the North of Scotland and it is not just in one denomination or with one leader. Baptists would not want to miss out on a future blessing coming South!

Worship

In the USA there are many pastors who have tried “seeker services” and turned back and made services more of a hurdle for newcomers rather than a friendly, socially magnetic, meeting. They discovered that churches within churches or twenty-thirty something churches work for a few years but the real way forward is “Seeking the kingdom” and the life is expressed in all things and not for a “time sandwich” on Sundays and if you are really good midweek as well!

For the Scots this seems hard to digest simply because the culture is so different and in particular in the Highlands. The reaction is most probably nothing. The danger of this reaction is relevant. The established churches, including so called modern churches, needs to take stock.

The church grew in past ages with the printing press. The church led the culture as it taught people and the masses to read and write. Therefore the reading and text were educating the people. The sermons, as we know them, were used to advance the teaching style and help engage the masses. 

SPCK (Society Promotion of Christian Knowledge) by 1846 was in decline. The Court of Session decided all agents must belong to the church established by law. At that time funds that had been allocated for education were now being moved to mission work. - a sign that the masses were now educated.[Memorabilia Dom]

The SPCK was popular and efficient with progressive good school and mission work but saddled with not so progressive management according to Donald Sage.

Today's culture is leading the Church. With Multi media be it film clips or blogs etc how will the church address this new situation? The church needs to waken up and see that it will be even more marginalised if it does not address how it will be in the community of the culture of this post-modern post-Christendom era. It has lost its place as leader of change and it is in danger of losing credibility in the very near future. Being marginalised means that no seeker service will be near touching those who have no Christian experience. The Boys' Brigade in 1970 had no signs of closing but in a few years it was struggling to maintain basic cover for boys.

The Money Charity latest figures May 2018

The latest figures from The Money Charity...

Striking numbers  114.4%: The average debt to income ratio per adult in the UK. £123,870: The outstanding mortgage debt per mortgaged household. 90: The amount of LINK cash machine transactions per second in April 2018. 0%: The stagnation in First Time Buyer house prices in February. £49m: The fall in Public Sector Net Debt per day in 2018. 0.1%: The estimated growth in GDP in Q1 2018 - the lowest growth since Q4 2012. 9.614m: The amount of workers auto enrolled in workplace pension schemes in April. 3.1%: The fall in house prices across the UK on last month according to Halifax. £58,240: The average total debt per household (including mortgages).