Worship by the Book, edited by D. A. Carson

Kindle e-book

I can't remember who or what put me on to it, but a short while ago I read an interview with Don Carson on Is the Church a House of Worship? I found it thought-provoking and helpful, focussed as it was on the intersection between the 'whole of life worship' of the believer and the 'gathered worship' of the church. The interview was kind of Hors d'oeuvre for the Carson-edited title, Worship by the Book. So, having enjoyed the starter, I ordered the main course. 

In many ways, Carson's introductory essay is the best thing about the book, as he attempts to develop a biblical theology of worship. Once more he gives attention to relationship between 'whole of life worship' and the 'gathered worship' of the local church. Rightly he rejects the view that if the whole of life involves worship, then what the gathered church does when it meets on the Lord's Day is not worship in any special sense. There is such a thing as the worship of the gathered church. But collective worship should not be understood in simply in terms of a 'worship time' during the service, when people sing hymns, songs and psalms, egged on by a guitar strumming 'worship leader'. Prayer, listening to the reading and preaching of God's Word, the administration of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are all acts of worship, as well as congregational singing. As they gather to worship, the people of God seek to extol the worth of God the Father, in the name of God the Son, in the presence of God the Holy Spirit, in all that they do and say.

The other three contributors agree with Carson's basic stance, but each has a different angle on the best way to approach the 'gathered worship' of the church. Mark Ashton Prayer urges a recovery of the Scripture-enriched liturgy of Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer. Not that he wants Anglican Churches to use the Book of Common Prayer slavishly, but that, following Cranmer, Ashton argues that the worship of the gathered church should be biblical, accessible and balanced. Whatever reservations some of us may have concerning written liturgies, if would be hard to disagree that collective worship should include all three of those features. R. Kent Hughes has a chapter on Free Church Worship. He  reflects on some unhelpful modern trends and sets out a comprehensive vision of 'gathered worship' that is God centred, Christ centred, Word centred,  consecrated, wholehearted and reverent. Last up is  Timothy Keller, who tries to forge a 'third way' between Contemporary Worship and Traditional Worship, drawing on Calvin's practice in Geneva. Although (I know this point is anachronistic) I wonder what the old Reformer would have thought of jazz-accompanied worship?More seriously, what on earth does Keller think he's doing including the words of Mother Theresa in a Protestant worship service? Strange. 

Whatever their points of difference, all the writers envisage 'gathered worship' to be a living encounter between the triune God and his redeemed people. They emphasise the importance of  careful thought, preparation and prayer on the part of those who lead or take part in the 'gathered worship' of the local church. Sample orders of service are provided. But I wonder whether there is sometimes a tendency to overcomplicate things, with choirs, instrumental groups, written prayers and confessions, creedal recitations and other bits and pieces thrown into the mix. The 'gathered worship' of the church is best kept as simple and uncluttered as possible, a living dialogue between the God who draws near and speaks and  his people who respond to the Word of the gospel with faith, hope and love. 

Anyway, plenty of food for thought here and although no reader (unless very muddle-headed) will agree with everything that every contributor has to say, this book certainly helps us to reflect on what it means to worship our great God according to the Book. 

A Tribute to Graham Harrison (1935-2013)

Yesterday morning Graham Harrison was called into the presence of the Lord whom he had served most faithfully. Even as we mourn his death, many people, myself included have reason to be grateful to God for the impact of his life and ministry. I was never a member of Emmanuel Evangelical Church, Newport where he ministered for over forty years, but I often attended the church and sat under his preaching. While he was never given to pulpit histrionics, his authoritative, pastorally sensitive and gospel-centred ministry never ceased to move me. His pattern was to preach a series of sermons on a Bible book on Sunday mornings and preach one-off evangelistic messages in the evenings. His evangelistic preaching was invariably fresh, punchy, and gripping.

One of the reasons why I opted to study at the London Theological Seminary (1988-90) was that Graham Harrison was one of the lecturers. He used to visit the seminary every other week during term time to teach Christian Doctrine, or Systematic Theology. His lectures were sound, clear and insightful, the product of wide and deep reading in the field of systematics. But he was ever the pastor-theologian and would give plenty of time for students to discuss the pastoral relevance of whatever subject he had been teaching. In discussion his intellect was sharp and his wit dry. 'Know it all' students were soon cut down to size. 

Graham Harrison was a shy man and could sometimes seem a little forbidding to those who did not know him well. But this did not stop him from throwing himself in to the everyday work of pastoral ministry. He was no extrovert, but in his own way Mr. Harrison was a real people person and had a deep and abiding love for the flock at Emmanuel. This only really struck me when I did a couple of 'Summer Pastorates' at the church when the preacher was on Sabbatical. I would do a little pastoral visiting and elderly church members would speak warmly of their Minister, telling of his regular visits and the support he had given them during times of sorrow and trial. The powerful preacher and incisive lecturer was above all a local church pastor. That is what made him such a fine role model for budding Ministers of the Gospel. 

Graham Harrison was a 'Lloyd-Jones man'. Not that he followed his teaching slavishly. He was a Baptist after all. But he was a big admirer of 'the Doctor'. We had him speak at Providence Baptist Church on 'Martyn Loyd-Jones 1966 & Today' back in 2006, the 40th anniversary of Lloyd-Jones' call for Evangelical Unity. Harrison shared Lloyd-Jones' great emphasis on the need for the empowering presence of the Spirit in the Church. While a student at the London Theological Seminary, I wrote a thesis on The Sealing of the Spirit under the guidance of Mr. Harrison. The comments he offered on my work were typical of the man, 

May this subject not simply interest your mind but grip your soul and drive you increasingly to pray for its fulfilment in your own experience. Remember there is always more with God. 

Just how much more, Graham Harrison is only beginning to realise now that he is absent from the body, but present with his Lord in glory. We thank God for the life and ministry of his servant and pray that Mr. Harrison's wife, daughter and her family will be comforted by the hope of the gospel at this time. 

London Theological Seminary Alumni Gathering

When you are a kid and it's been a while since an aunty or something last saw you, they often remark, 'Look how much you've grown.' Well, at yesterday's LTS Alumni Gathering I experienced the grown-up equivalent. Only it wasn't, 'Look how much you've grown.' I haven't, at least upwards. It was, 'Didn't you used to have hair?' Thanks, mate. 

I attended the London Theological Seminary in 1988-90. Back then I was young, free and single. And I had hair. Honest. Lots of it. Blond, curly. Now I'm a balding old bloke with a wife and two teenage children, aged 16 and 18. To think that back in '88 I was one of the youngest ever students at the Seminary, at the tender age of 22. 

A lot has changed at LTS since then. In my time (at least to start with) all members of the faculty were Welsh, bar a token American. They still have several Welsh lecturers and an American (different one), but for some reason quite a few Englishmen now teach at the college. Strange that, for a London-based Seminary. Political correctness gone mad, that's what it is. 

Anyway, about the day. I travelled up and back by train and was able to get a bit of reading done. Recently a friend recommended Imagine Church: Releasing Whole-Life Disciples by Neil Hudson. It's a bit lightweight really and is rather pragmatic in its approach. But the big thing about the gathered church equipping the people of God to live as the scattered church is good. I'm about 28% through the Kindle edition and will post a review when I'm done. A bit (make that a lot) more theologically satisfying was Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life by Joel R. Beeke & Mark Jones. Again, I have the Kindle version and just as well, as the hardback is a whopping, man-bag-busting 1000 pager. Handy things, e-readers. I read the chapters on the Trinity. Beeke/Jones' treatment of John Owen's Communion with God was especially rich and deep. Great stuff. Still, 6 chapters in and I'm only 10% through the work. William Perkins on Predestination is next. 

I arrived at the Seminary in good time for lunch and it was great to renew fellowship with old friends. I meet up with some LTS old boys at conferences and stuff, but one fellow-student from the class of 1988-90 I hadn't seen for over twenty years. It was him (you know who you are) who said the thing about my hair. And he wants me to plug his book on my blog? The cheek of it.

After lunch (a very tasty lasagne, cooked by the Seminary's very own bona fide Italian cook), there was a 'Tour of LTS', which in fact consisted of having a right to roam round the old place. A lot has been done to to upgrade premises since my day. The facilities are now very modern and high-tech. Back in 88-90, in-lecture graphics consisted of Mr. Harrison's chalk-drawn illustrations of the angelic order, and that was about it. 

Then Bill James spoke on 'Pastoral issues today' or 'Ministering in a secular society' - from 1 Peter. It was a powerful, thought-provoking and challenging message, full of redemptive-historical insights and helpful application of the text to today's world. The church is a holy people, set apart from the world, but not in the same sense as OT Israel. The church is an alien people, not belonging in this world, but looking for the eternal city. The church is a scattered people, living in the world to reach the world for Christ. God's people face the pressure to compromise with the world and compartmentalise their lives. But the Bible calls for whole-life Christian living and preachers must apply the Word to every area of the believer's life, church, home, work, society etc. As the people of God do good in the world, non-believers will sit up and take notice, 1 Peter 2:11-12. I don't know if the good folks at LTS are planning to put this message on the website, but they should and if they do, I'd recommend you give it a listen. 

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but the Seminary now has an online journal, Preachers and Pastors, which is well worth a look. If you are aspiring to the preaching-pastoral ministry are are looking for training for a lifetime of service, I'd certainly advise you to check out the London Theological Seminary. 

I'm too mean to offer any prizes for this, but I wonder if more recent pals can pick me out in the LTS Class Photo below. Click to enlarge, if you dare. 

More on Lloyd-Jones and 'Secondary Separation'

Further to my earlier post on this subject, here, Peter Masters weighs in to the debate, here, pinching one of my quotes by the looks. But for a more considered view, see Stephen Clark's piece, Serving God in his Church in our Generation. As his masterly analysis shows, 'The Doctor's' position on separation was more nuanced and sophisticated than both some of his supporters and detractors have claimed. I don't much like just posting a bunch of links rather than writing something myself, as it's a bit lazy and not 'proper blogging'. But I've not got much more to say on the matter other than to commend Stephen Clark's excellent piece of work. So, a brace of links it is. 

A Good Walk

In Wiltshire we are blessed to live in a beautiful part of the country. Gentle hills, flat valley plains, patchwork quilt fields, stately flowing rivers and bubbling streams. A bit of coastline would be nice, but we can’t have it all. The county has some great countryside walks. Just lately the wife and I have taken to wandering along the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath. From Semington to Devizes and from Bradford on Avon to Dundas are a couple of our favourite walks.

As opposed to hurtling by in a car, walking gives you time to stop and stare at the beauty of nature. You notice a hazel tree draped in spring catkins and sunlight shimmering on the canal waters forming intricate patterns on the underside of a bridge. 

At some points along the way canal, railway line and river run in parallel. You think of all the effort that went in to digging out the canals as arteries of industry, building locks and bridges. Only for them to fall into virtual disuse with the advent of steam railways. You notice the contrast between the almost stagnant water in the canal and the living waters of the river running by.

There’s nothing like a good walk.

The life of faith is often likened to a walk in the Bible. We are told that Enoch walked with God. Jesus spoke of the narrow gate through which we may enter the narrow way that leads to life. The believer is not wandering aimlessly, lost and all alone. He is going home to the Father through Jesus who is the way back to God. In the words of the 23rd Psalm those who walk with God can say,

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

* For May's News & Views, West Lavington Parish Magazine

Confessions of an Exiled Preacher at the Banner Ministers' Conference 2013: Book III

And so, Lord I bring my confession to a close. Two men shared a four-part sermon series on The Gospel. Warren Peel spoke on The Gospel: The Life and Liberty of the Church and The Comfort and Joy of the Church. On good days when we pray, witness and are kind the righteousness of your Son covers our sin and shame. On bad days when we are prayerless,  slow to speak of Jesus and unkind, the righteousness of your Son covers us just the same. You, Father justify the ungodly and sanctify the unholy by your grace. 

Jeremy Walker preached on The Gospel: The Motive and Message of the Church and The Security and Hope of the Church. In the second address Walker proclaimed the risen Lord with passion and power from 1 Corinthians 15. Because he lives we live also. 

What a gospel you have revealed in Holy Scripture, to be proclaimed in saving power to all who will hear. Your gospel rescues lost sinners, transforms the saints, builds up the church and glorifies your name. 

The gospel unites us in fellowship too and it was good, Lord to see old friends at Leicester and meet some new ones too. Pringles crunched, pastilles were munched, and pop flowed, as did earnest conversation and  friendly banter at the  'Taffia' meeting of (mostly) Welsh Ministers. 

But now preaching and psalm singing, prayer and table fellowship are a memory, a dream and a fading one at that. Lord, grant that your Word may not return to you void, but will accomplish what you purpose in my life and ministry. Amen. 

Confessions of an Exiled Preacher at the Banner Ministers' Conference 2013: Book II

Now suppose I say "forgetfulness" and once again recognise what I mean
by the word, how do I recognise the thing itself unless I remembered it?
(Confessions Book X:16)

I must, Lord continue with my confession of your goodness at the Banner Conference while what was said and done is fresh in my mind. My notes disappeared like chaff before the wind when my Android Tablet crashed and would not be awakened from its sleep. I will speak of your servant Michael Reeves and testify of what you said to me through his ministry. 

In his first address Reeves spoke on God's Glorious Missionary Heart from John 20:19-23. I saw with fresh clarity that you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a great missionary God. Father, you sent your Son to rescue our world from sin. Son, you breathed forth your Spirit upon the church that we might speak of you to the world. Beloved Trinity, you are so very great, an overflowing ocean of love, light and life. By your overflowing goodness you made the world. By that same goodness you sustain it. But who would have though that your love could reach out from within your being and from among your persons to a rebel world like ours? May we worship you, the giving God of all grace and so may we become like you in overflowing love, light and fruitfulness. Send us forth on your mission; to proclaim the saving Son by the power of your Spirit that others too may taste and see that you are good and glorify the holy name into which we are baptised; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Then Michael Reeves told us of Augusine of Hippo: A Life of Commending the Gospel. I had read the Confessions of the great church father, but Reeves so spoke as to magnify your grace in him afresh. It was you who saved him from sin and error and made him a preacher of the good news of Jesus. Fired by your grace he fought against the unforgiving Donatists and the grace-denying Pelagians. May our lives also commend the gospel of our Saviour. But late did I love you too, wasting too many years in sin and unbelief before you found me, 

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace. (Confessions Book X:27)

But, Lord while a fire kindles in my heart at the memory of Michael Reeves' words, the words themselves are fading from my forgetful mind. As Augustine said, 'forgetfulness, when we remember it, is not present to the memory in itself, but by its image, because if it were present in itself, it would cause us, not to remember, but to forget? Who can possibly answer this or understand how it comes about?' (Confessions Book X:16). I do not have sufficient recollection to make a report, but I confess your goodness in that you did me good by letting me hear these things, 'Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits' (Psalm 103:2). 

Oh, and I remember that our side won Tuesday's football match 5-4, thanks to my valiant efforts in defence. 

Confessions of an Exiled Preacher at the Banner Ministers' Conference 2013: Book I

O Lord, you know that my life is but a breath, my years are but vanity and less than nothing before you. As a young man I aspired to preach your word. I yearned for your truth in all its depth and splendor. I longed to proclaim this good word to your people, to the lost, a barely glimpsed treasure, made mine by grace. I had learned of you from your Holy Book and the books of dead men opened my mind to its life-giving meaning. Good Spirit give me light. My youthful mind greedily devoured Owen and Sibbes, Edwards and Lloyd-Jones. A Banner of Truth unfurled. Lord, you shaped me and changed me through these good books and still I wanted more. 

I knew of a gathering of preachers, the Banner of Truth Ministers' Conference, where truth was loved and felt. Now as a student of the blessed theology I myself could go. The half was not told me. Al Martin portrayed the straight gate as never so narrow and yet inviting. Sinclair Ferguson made sanctification dazzle with a holy splendor. Edward Donnelley showed us our Jesus vanquishing the Foe. But it was you, Lord, who spoke by these heaven-sent speakers and I heard your voice. That was in 1989.

Since then, Eternal One, time has flown more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle and yet still Leicester beckons in the spring, promising light, warmth, and the blossoming of new life. This year the theme was 'The Gospel: What it is and Why it matters'. Sinclair Ferguson spoke on The Greatness of the Gospel's Power/Logic/Mystery. Your servant opened up Romans 1:16-17, 8:31-39 & 16:25-27. How great you are, triune God of the Gospel. Your power justifies the ungodly, propitiates eternal wrath and liberates poor slaves. None can condemn those whom you have justified, none can separate a saved sinner from your love in Christ. You strengthen us according to the gospel, according to the revelation of the mystery, according to your command, everlasting God. Lord, let me live to preach that Good News. May your Gospel be a Matter of Life and Death as Jonathan Watson showed it was for Paul in Acts 20:24.

But while the heart still burns, the memory of these things fades and my Andriod Tablet which contains all my notes won't reboot. How weak and frail are all created things compared to you, O Lord. You know all, you remember all, apart from our sin, which has been wiped from your memory by the never-to-be-forgotten death of your Son. This is why I make no report, but offer a confession of your goodness, with more to come. 

Off to the Banner of Truth Minsters' Conference

Later this morning I'll be off to this year's Banner Conference. I first started going when a student at the London Theological Seminary, (1988-1990). Back then I was so wet behind the ears that I was able to attend the Youth Conference and then stay on for the Ministers' event. From my early years I vividly remember hearing Al Martin speak on conversion, Sinclair Ferguson on sanctification and Ted Donnelley on the temptation of Christ. Great stuff.

I  stopped going for several years when in between pastorates, but have been attending on a regular basis for  the last seven or eight years. I'm looking forward to the ministry, fellowship and maybe a game of football. I used to return from Banner with bags full of discounted books, but I don't tend to buy so much these days. I have too many unread volumes of Puritan theology to warrant buying any more. Apart from that, freebie review copies and Kindle e-books are enough to keep me going for now. 

Not sure whether I'll be taking notes of the various addresses for a blog report, or not. If not, some hazy recollections will have to do. Anyway, I've a church Men's Meeting to attend and some packing to do before I go, so over and out. 

How the mighty have fallen: some thoughts on Margaret Thatcher

My boyhood political heroes were Wat Tyler, the Tolpuddle Martyrs and Clem Attlee. I was never going to be Mrs. Thatcher's no. 1 fan. But I was old enough to feel the impact of the 'Winter of Discontent'. I remember my parents explaining to me that the country had ground to a halt due  industrial action. Rubbish piled up on the streets and the dead remained unburied. A palpable sense of gloom had descended upon late 1970's Britain. Even a twelve year old boy could sense that. 'Great Britain'? Pah! We were on a seemingly inevitable spiral of post-imperial decline. 

Then Mrs.Thatcher was elected as Prime Minister in 1979. I can recall watching her on the television news reading the prayer of St Francis of Assisi on the steps of Number 10. 'Where there is discord, may we bring peace.' The sentiment rings rather hollow now, although I'm sure it was well meant  at the time. Her period in office was one of perpetual conflict rather than peace; the miners strike, Falklands war, poll tax demos, Europe. Not to mention the tensions within her own party the eventually led to her downfall. But many of her battles needed to be fought and she showed courage and determination in facing down her political and military opponents. 

As something of a leftie I instinctively opposed may of Mrs T's policies, tut tutting at 'police brutality' during the miners' strike and loathing the Poll Tax. But there is no denying that she was a conviction politician who changed Britain for good. For good in the sense of permanently and for good in the sense of for the better too, although it didn't seem like that to me at the time. 'Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. Out! Out! Out!' was the cry. 

But things couldn't go on as they were with overstaffed, inefficient nationalised industries and overmighty trade unions. Modern day Britain is a very different place. No more wildcat strikes bringing the country to its knees. No more state-owned airlines, car, coal and steel industries. No more natioanlised gas, electricity and telecommunication providers. However, not enough was done to provide decent jobs for unemployed miners and factory workers. The industrial heartlands of South Wales still haven't properly recovered from the Thatcher Revolution.

Deregulated markets lead to a credit-fueled consumer boom. We all wanted to be 'Yuppies', even as we affected to despise them. We aped their double-breasted business suits and carried around fake, cheapo Filofaxes. The Thatcher era  helped to foster a spirit of individualistic consumerism. Hapless Brits were freed from the union Barons only to be enslaved to admen and bankers as they maxed out their credit cards in a quest for materialistic satisfaction. We all know where that led. 

When Labour returned to power in 1997 under Tony Blair, the party did not attempt to turn back the clock to pre-Thatcher Britain. In opposition the party gained electoral credibility by ditching Clause 4, of its constitution, which committed the party to the public ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange. In terms of running the economy, New Labour offered Thatchernomics with tax credits. Oh, but unlike the Tories, with Blair/Brown at the helm there would be 'no more boom and bust.' Well, at least until credit was crunched in 2008. 

I don't know where I'd place myself on the political spectrum these days, Red Tory or Blue Labour. But whatever one's political predilections you've got to have a sneaking admiration for Thatcher as a political leader. Her immediate predecessors in No. 10, Heath, Wilson and Callaghan were managers. The 'Iron Lady' was a leader, who knew what she wanted and stopped at nothing until she got it, whether a rebate from the EU or the Falkland Islands. She bestrode the world stage, helping to win the Cold War with Ronald Regan. With her at the helm Britain began to feel Great again, even though that may have been an illusion.  

But now the once mighty, almost regal Baroness Thatcher (remember 'we are a grandmother'?) has fallen. She has gone the way of all flesh. Dust we are and to dust we shall return, whether paupers or Prime Ministers. We lament the passing of a controversial Stateswoman whose achievements will long outlive their architect.  

Unlike Blair and Cameron who have sometimes seemed intent on destroying the Christian heritage of our country, Thatcher recognised that the Christian moral vision is a force for good in society saying,  ‘I find it difficult to imagine that anything other than Christianity is likely to resupply most people in the West with the virtues necessary to remoralise society in the very practical ways which the solution of many present problems require’. In a speech to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1988 she declared,

we must not profess the Christian faith and go to Church simply because we want social reforms and benefits or a better standard of behaviour; but because we accept the sanctity of life, the responsibility that comes with freedom and the supreme sacrifice of Christ.

That supreme sacrifice is our only hope in life and death.