tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post926641242967189149..comments2024-03-07T06:52:34.516+00:00Comments on Exiled Preacher: What's the problem with Reformed Christianity in the UK?Guy Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-43227709718418795632007-04-01T13:51:00.000+01:002007-04-01T13:51:00.000+01:00Dave,While it may be true that some Reformed churc...Dave,<BR/><BR/>While it may be true that some Reformed churches are little better than preaching centres, this is not necessarily the case. In the churches I serve, people are encouraged to use their gifts in the work of the gospel. This includes preaching, door-to-door outreach, women's ministries, children's work, building maintenance and so on. If we had more people, we could do more work than we are at present. <BR/><BR/>I certainly don't believe that I have to do everything, while everyone else just sits back and listens. My task if to equip the whole church to serve the Lord. <BR/><BR/>As you say, just attending a small church wouldn't do a lot of good. But being fully involved might help. <BR/><BR/>There are weaknesses in the Reformed Churches in the UK. We need to try to identify them and seek the Lord's help to put these things right.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-32905126350103699562007-03-31T23:14:00.000+01:002007-03-31T23:14:00.000+01:00Guy, with all the points you make, what's the poin...Guy, with all the points you make, what's the point in getting involved in a smaller church to help try turn things around? I think that the issues and problems that you often describe on this blog would put me off going to a smaller Reformed church. You'd just be part of the furniture. What we need is a way of thinking that revives and empowers Christians to be better Christians - that's the only thing that will help the Reformed cause in the UK. Supporting a small church by attending would probably achieve next to nothing because the Reformed church today boils down to this: the preacher does the business while everyone else sits back and listens. That's one reason why it is struggling - a lack of dynamism.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-60992000371407700632007-03-31T00:28:00.000+01:002007-03-31T00:28:00.000+01:00Cafe it is then.Cafe it is then.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-47216399115823457552007-03-31T00:03:00.000+01:002007-03-31T00:03:00.000+01:00I'd love to try and get Geoff Thomas into a pub bu...I'd love to try and get Geoff Thomas into a pub but maybe you're right... Maybe we'd better stick to a cafe?Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04051242488196178369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-48864798047106123352007-03-28T22:31:00.000+01:002007-03-28T22:31:00.000+01:00Jon,Martin D goes to Aber, but he said that he mig...Jon,<BR/><BR/>Martin D goes to Aber, but he said that he might not be there this year, which is why I didn't mention his name. <BR/><BR/>Did you say a <I>PUB</I>? As in alcohol serving drinking establishment? I thought that Geoff Thomas had them all closed during Aber week. <BR/><BR/>A cafe might be better.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-72231967302540029002007-03-28T21:19:00.000+01:002007-03-28T21:19:00.000+01:00Jon,I've been going since 2001. But I can't belie...Jon,<BR/><BR/>I've been going since 2001. But I can't believe you suggested meeting down the pub...at Aber<BR/><BR/>Tell it not in GathMartin Downeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08019053545918223050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-71472096436785762572007-03-28T19:04:00.000+01:002007-03-28T19:04:00.000+01:00Martin Downes goes too doesn't he... We could try ...Martin Downes goes too doesn't he... We could try and get Geoff Thomas along too! It'd be funny...Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04051242488196178369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-56920812414328910522007-03-28T15:14:00.000+01:002007-03-28T15:14:00.000+01:00Thanks Andrew, I'm just raising some questions. I ...Thanks Andrew, <BR/><BR/>I'm just raising some questions. I wasn't planning to turn this into a series. But I think we need to reflect on the state of Reformed Evangelicalism today.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-41014121512988266922007-03-28T10:12:00.000+01:002007-03-28T10:12:00.000+01:00Hi GuyYour recent posts have been very helpful, an...Hi Guy<BR/><BR/>Your recent posts have been very helpful, and I do hope that this is the beginning of a series (?).<BR/><BR/>Thanks also for your clarifying comment to Vynette. What is being suggested is a radical reassessment of our 'peripheral' traditions in the light of Scripture, not a radical reassessment of Scripture's message itself.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing your thinking on these issues.<BR/><BR/>AndrewFamily Blogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18139302128402850028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-69728595092310967472007-03-28T09:59:00.000+01:002007-03-28T09:59:00.000+01:00Hi Jon, A mini blog conference at Aber. That would...Hi Jon, <BR/><BR/>A mini blog conference at Aber. That would be great. Drop me an e-mail nearer the time (via my blog profile) and we can exchange mobile no's to make the arrangements. <BR/><BR/>I know that Gary Brady of <I>Heavenly Worldliness</I> will be there, but I don't know of anyone else.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-43769757682068661312007-03-28T09:50:00.000+01:002007-03-28T09:50:00.000+01:00This is off-topic Guy but I was thinking that ther...This is off-topic Guy but I was thinking that there are going to be a lot of bloggers at Aber this year so maybe one day we should meet up for a drink or something in a pub or cafe?Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04051242488196178369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-25254338067400566052007-03-28T00:06:00.000+01:002007-03-28T00:06:00.000+01:00Vynette,I believe that the doctrines of the Trinit...Vynette,<BR/><BR/>I believe that the doctrines of the Trinity and the micaculous incarnation of Christ are fundamentally Biblical traditions. I'm not saying that something is radically wrong with Reformed confessional theology.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-60634392041801047992007-03-27T22:16:00.000+01:002007-03-27T22:16:00.000+01:00David,Thanks for those thought-provoking questions...David,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for those thought-provoking questions. I'm sure that our lack of genuine God-centredness is one big reason for our present malaise.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-35299078672663380702007-03-27T20:40:00.000+01:002007-03-27T20:40:00.000+01:00GuyIn the life of the church, what answers would w...Guy<BR/>In the life of the church, what answers would we get to:- <BR/><BR/>(1)does the average member of the congregation come to the meeting hungry to meet with the Lord? or is it habit and routine, "putting in an expected appearance"?<BR/><BR/>(2)does the average member of the congregation expect to worship in spirit and in truth - not a trite formula, but in REALITY? <BR/><BR/>(3)does the average church member expect to be encouraged from the application of the word of God preached faithfully (TRUTH! CLARITY! PASSION!) to live a Christ-exalting life in the midst of a sinful society? Does the preaching of God's word MOVE THE HEART? and then the will?<BR/><BR/>(4)does the average church member know ANYTHING about just being thrilled with the Lord? and His amazing grace and mercy?<BR/><BR/>Seems to me that if we are not living for the glory of God where we are, it is because we don't want to; and if we are not living as salt and light - NOT as a duty (which can never work, but because (like Moses)we unconsciously and yet glady radiate the love of God from within, being those who know the Lord,and long to know Him more - then nobody is going to "ask a reason of the hope that is within"; so they will not want to come to church (or another less formal meeting) to learn more.<BR/><BR/>Also, if the church is dead and boring, we will not want to invite anybody anyway.....<BR/><BR/>Much more could be said! but keep asking the questions! and thanks for the exhortation to "examine yourselves"<BR/><BR/>Daviddp23https://www.blogger.com/profile/03592822439048222383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-47053505551577020772007-03-27T15:56:00.000+01:002007-03-27T15:56:00.000+01:00Guy,It sounds like you could host a conference on ...Guy,<BR/><BR/>It sounds like you could host a conference on this too.Martin Downeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08019053545918223050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-16674883875061593032007-03-27T14:12:00.000+01:002007-03-27T14:12:00.000+01:00"Elijah"Our churches are small too. But we have ta..."Elijah"<BR/><BR/>Our churches are small too. But we have taken risks and focused more on outreach. The result? Almost complete indifference in the community. <BR/><BR/>I suppose we can console ourselves that we are being faithful in spreading the Word. But that isn't good enough. We need to be soul-winning churches.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17617194.post-62082748509725050172007-03-27T12:53:00.000+01:002007-03-27T12:53:00.000+01:00vynetteYou don't have to be Welsh or even of Welsh...vynette<BR/><BR/>You don't have to be Welsh or even of Welsh extraction to comment here. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for your remarks. I agree that we don't need to update the message of the gospel. But we do need to communicate it in a contemporary way. We also need to subject our traditions to radical Biblical criticism.Guy Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09184743462264437085noreply@blogger.com