"Old hymns good, new hymns bad"

Some believers operate on the Orwellian principle, "Old hymns good, new hymns bad." Maybe that's because only the best of the older compositions are still in use today. The worst are best left in the depths of hymnological oblivion. See this little gem from Cotton Mather (1663-1728),

Ye monsters of the bubbling deep,
Your Maker's praises spout;
Up from the sands ye codlings peep,
And wag your tails about.

As Alister McGrath comments, "It certainly rhymes. But it's not exactly inspirational." (Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first, SPKC, 2007, p. 302).

Preaching as a Spirit empowered speech act

We live in a very visual society, where words are often dismissed as “just words”. This is something of a problem for preachers, for words are our stock in trade. But words are never really “just words”. They always do something. This is the helpful insight of speech act theory. This way of viewing language was formally proposed by J. L. Austin in his How to Do Things with Words (Oxford, 1962). Kevin Vanhoozer makes speech act theory a major component in his theological constructions. The theory breaks language down into three component parts: locutions, illocutions, and perlocutions. First of all we have locutions – basic units of speech or words and sentences. In theological terms, we confess that Scripture reveals God Word in words – locutions. But we use words to do things. With words we declare a man and a woman husband and wife, we ask for a glass of water, or order a ticket for the cinema. This is the illocutionary effect of language. By speaking, I have acted. In Scripture we have God’s own illocutions – his speech acts. By words, he makes promises, utters warnings, and enters into a covenant relationship with his people. Scripture is not simply a record of God’s words. In the Bible we have the communicative action of the triune God. But it is one thing for God to speak words and to do things with his words, like make promises. But what guarantees that God’s words will be received for what they are? God may make a promise, but it is another thing for us to trust in that promise! This is called the perlocutionary effect of language. And it is here that the work of the Holy Spirit comes into its own. He enables people to respond appropriately to God’s communicative action in Scripture. Vanhoozer sums up the point,

What God ultimately communicates in his crucified Word is the reality of salvation itself: a share in the divine life. And yet, this intended effect - fellowship with God through union with Christ - is not an automatic consequence of God's utterance. Not all communicative acts are received for what they are. So, the Word accomplished something on the cross (makes atonement for sin; declares pardon); this is the illocutionary aspect. Yet it does not really communicate salvation until and unless it is received and appropriated by the hearer [the perlocutionary aspect]. The Spirit's role is to minister Christ, to make what God is saying and doing in the cross effective." (The Drama of Doctrine, WJK, 2005, p. 66).

We see this in 1 Thess 1:5, Paul's preaching was "not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance". What was that word? The gospel of God. Where is that gospel now revealed? In the Spirit-breathed Scriptures. But it is not enough simply to declare the Spirit-authored and inscripturated gospel message. The Spirit who gave the Word must also be active in the proclamation of that Word so that it is received for what it is,

"For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." (1 Thess 2: 13).

It is through this distinct work of the Spirit that the preaching of the word of God is the word of God to those who hear it. The Spirit so empowers the proclamation of the Word that preaching becomes a revelatory event where the God of the gospel is encountered. This results in the salvation of sinners and the transformation of saints.

Spirituality

An edited version of my Morning Thought, for BBC Radio Wiltshire

I’d like to conclude this week’s Morning Thoughts by talking about spirituality. Did you hear about the man in Bradford on Avon who got trampled by a herd of cows? Seems like he only escaped “dairy herd danger” because a passer by came to his aid. I don’t know what effect this has had on the unfortunate gentleman’s spiritual life. But events like that can make us think about spiritual and eternal matters. Lots of people today have realised that there must be more to life than fleeting riches of this world. Their souls long for spiritual fulfilment. God has made us for himself and we can find no rest apart from him. Some try Transcendental Meditation. Others just like rambling in the countryside in an attempt to find the divine in nature – just look out for those cows!

Christian spirituality is a bit different. It is not first and foremost a human attempt to seek God. It’s the other way around - God has come down to seek us. The Father sent his Son Jesus Christ into our world to bring us back to him. By his death upon the cross Jesus has dealt with all the wrong things that separate us from God. For the believer, God is not some distant, far off being. He has drawn near to us by the presence of his Spirit. In Jesus we can know God as our heavenly Father. Just think of that – having a Father/child relationship with your Maker!

Our relationship with God develops as we pray and read his Word, the Bible. But Christian spirituality is no private affair. It leads to involvement in a believing community, the church. We grow spiritually by worshipping together, learning together, and caring for each other. So, if you are interested in spirituality, do something worthwhile this weekend. Why not go along to a church where you can find out more Jesus, who came from heaven to bring us near to God?

Well, Graham, I’d just like to say thanks very much you for having me on your show this week!

You can listen again here, about 45 minutes into the show.

True Beauty

An edited version of my Morning Thought, for BBC Radio Wiltshire

I know that the skies are grey and overcast this morning, but nothing can detract from the beauty of spring time. On the estate where I live I can see nature springing back to life after the deadness of winter. The old trees are green with leaves once again. Cherry blossom adorns the streets. If instead of talking to you now, I was walking around a Wiltshire beauty spot like Stourhead Gardens, then the sight would be even more impressive. Right now, I can imagine the glimmering lake and the trees and flowers in all their glory. What a wonderful world we live in!

But there is nothing necessary about the beauty of the world. Things sometimes function very efficiently without being especially beautiful. The street light outside my house isn't great to look at compared with a lovely old oak tree, but it illuminates our street pretty effectively at night. The beauty that we encounter every day is a sign of the Creator's loving generosity. He does not want us simply to exist in the most efficient way possible, he made us to live. He created us with the capacity to enjoy the world that he made for his glory and our pleasure. "But" you might say, "there is also much ugliness in the world." Yes, that is true. Rainforests are devastated, rivers and seas polluted. Some people have to live in soulless, graffiti strewn "concrete jungles" rather than pretty Wiltshire towns villages. Not to mention the moral ugliness that often confronts us - the ugliness of greed, hatred and selfishness. That reminds me of the old expression, "as ugly as sin". Sin, rebellion against the God of beauty has brought ugliness into our world.

So, how can we recapture true beauty? Not by conforming to the idealised images of physical perfection that we find in the fashion magazines. We can't all be supermodels. Even if we could, through the marvels of plastic surgery, that would not make us truly beautiful people. As the saying goes, that kind of beauty is only "skin deep". True beauty comes from knowing the God of beauty. If you want an example of a beautiful life, don't look at the latest Hollywood heartthrob. Consider Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I don't mean look at a picture of him, because we don't really know what he looked like. But think about the life he lived. Jesus shows us the beauty of love, grace and truth. In an act of unimaginable beauty, he laid down his life for his friends, dying on the Cross for us. Jesus embraced the ugliness of our sin so that by trusting in him, we might be forgiven and made whole. God raised Jesus from the dead. His body that was flogged, crucified and disfigured was gloriously transformed. In Jesus, true beauty is restored. Those who believe in him will be made like him. "May the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us" (Psalm 90:17).

You can listen again here, about 45 minutes into the show.

Information Overload

An edited version of my Morning Thought, for BBC Radio Wiltshire

The other day we were talking to some friends of ours about the olden days before wall-to-wall television. Younger listeners may not be able to remember this, but when I was growing up, programmes were not broadcast 24/7. There were gaps in the schedule. In between programmes, a test card was shown, depicting a girl playing noughts and crosses with an evil-looking clown doll. Our children were amazed at this. “You mean kids couldn’t watch Spongebob Squarepants whenever they wanted?”

We live in a time of information overload with facts, figures and stories constantly streaming into our homes. We have our daily newspapers, radio bulletins and 24 hour rolling news on the TV, not to mention the internet. Whatever you interests, you can now get information on tap: celebrity gossip, sports updates, political analysis, world news…the list goes on. It’s certainly good to be informed of what’s going on locally, nationally and internationally. But who can cope with this constant stream of information? It does my head in.

Very often we read and hear of bad news. Reports feature conflict, financial instability and global warming. Now, I’m a minister of the gospel, not a reporter, and this morning I have some good news for you. The very word “gospel” means good news.

Good news must be true. Factual accuracy is the basic criterion of any news story. I am a Christian not because my faith helps me get through life as a kind of crutch. I am a believer because I am convinced that the Christian message is true. God sent his Son Jesus Christ into our world to bring us back to him. Jesus died on the cross for our sin and was raised from the dead. The Bible gives us eyewitness accounts of these great events. Here is the gospel truth.

The best news stories change they way we think about the world. They may even prompt us to take action. Famously Bob Geldof was inspired to campaign against poverty after seeing Michel Buerk’s film on the Ethiopian famine. The Christian gospel is certainly life-changing. This message offers those who believe forgiveness, a fresh start in life and hope for the future. The lives of countless thousands of people have been transformed by the good news of Jesus Christ.

Some stories dominate the news agenda for a few days and then are quickly forgotten. But good news has lasting value. In a sense, the gospel of Jesus Christ is old news - around 2,000 years old. But it is still, fresh, relevant and up-to-date. It deals with some of the biggest issues that we could face as human beings: Does life have a purpose? How can we know God? How should we live? How can we face death itself? I believe the Christian message helps to answer such questions. That’s why I think the gospel is good news for everyone.

You can listen again here, about 45 minutes into the show.

What are you waiting for?

An edited version of my Morning Thought, for BBC Radio Wiltshire

My mum used to tell me that “Good things come to those who wait.” Well, what are you waiting for? At this time of the morning [6.50am], you might be waiting for the kettle to boil for that first refreshing cup of tea. You could be waiting for a lift to work. If you are listening on one of those newfangled mobile devices, you might be outside, waiting for a bus. Maybe you’ve ordered something and you’re waiting for the postman to deliver the goods?

Perhaps you are waiting for something a bit more significant? Will you ever get to meet that special someone? Is "so and so" ever going to text you back? Will you get the job you’ve applied for? Will you win the Lottery? If like my sister, you’re an expectant mum, you’ll be waiting for the birth of your baby! High minded philosophical types might be waiting to find out the meaning of life. If you are waiting for the secret of eternal youth and beauty.....don’t hold your breath.

Sometimes we can wait and wait for something and when it turns up, we are disappointed. Once I ordered a few CD’s. They were supposed to have been delivered in three or four days, but they took three of four weeks. Every day I would eagerly anticipate arrival of the post. But time and time again, I was just greeted by junk mail and bills. At last they came. Yesss! However, most of them were damaged and had to be returned for replacement, which only meant more waiting. Ah well.

Right at the end of U2’s early album War is the track “40”, so called because the words are based on Psalm 40 in the Bible. It goes like this,

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
[Psalm 40:1&2]

Those who wait on the Lord will find him a rock of stability in a fast-changing and uncertain world.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

He’ll not disappoint you. So, hurry up and wait for what’s worth waiting for because,

those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
[Isaiah 40:31]

You can listen again here, about 45 minutes into the show.

Money, money, money

An edited version of my Morning Thought, for BBC Radio Wiltshire

This isn’t a subtle plea for Graham Seaman [show presenter] to play a certain Abba song. Please don’t. And no, I'm not proposing to devote today’s Morning Thought to giving listeners the benefit of my financial advice. If you want to know how best to invest your hard earned dosh, a Baptist minister probably isn't the man to consult. I can tell you all about the unsearchable riches of Christ, but just don't ask me for an opinion on stocks and shares. However, money does matter. Recent news bulletins have focused on the impact of global financial instability. The Prime Minister tells us that his first waking thought is how he can help hard working people weather the economic storm.

Listeners of a certain age might remember a group called the Beverly Sisters. They were a kind of 1960’s version of Girls Aloud. I’ve only heard of them because my mum liked them, honest. Anyway, they had a song called, "Money is the root of all evil". But that’s not quite right. It is an unavoidable fact that we all need money to get by in life. Without it we could not provide for our families. Apart from monetary gifts, charities would cease to function. Money builds schools and hospitals. We may use cash to buy gifts that express love for our nearest and dearest.

Money then can be the means of doing great good. The old song lyric was fact a misquotation of a verse in the Bible. What Scripture really says is, "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). Some people begin to love money. The pursuit of riches is the be all and end all of their lives. But that is not a wise way to live because greater wealth does not guarantee greater happiness. Also, we can't always rely on money. One of the Bible's many proverbs warns us, "Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven." [Proverbs 23:5]. Quite!

The Christian faith teaches us work hard to provide for ourselves, to be contented with what we have, and to trust God to supply our needs. Jesus said to his followers, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. [Matthew 6:31-33]. If we look after God's concerns, he will look after ours.

A wealthy man died and someone asked, "How much did he leave?" The response was "Everything!" How true. The Bible reminds us that, "we brought nothing into the world and it is certain we can carry nothing out." [1 Timothy 6:7]. The only wealth that will last forever is treasure in heaven - eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn’t it time you made a sound investment in your eternal future?

You can listen again here, about 45 minutes into the show.

BBC Radio Wiltshire 'Morning Thought'

Readers may be interested to know that I'm scheduled to do Morning Thought on BBC Radio Wiltshire at around 6.50am each morning from Monday 21st to Friday 25th April. Frequency 103.6, 104.3 & 103.5FM, or listen online. I'll posts the scripts on the blog day by day.

By schisms rent assunder

It seems to me that Reformed evangelicalism is becoming increasingly fragmented. We have rightly emphasised the importance of separating from gospel-denying error. But have we attached the same value to church unity? Many in our constituency would probably agree with Martyn Lloyd-Jones' call for separation from error in the 1960's. But we seem to have forgotten that his main concern was not separation, but unity. Indeed, he began his famous 1966 address [see here & here] by saying, "My subject is church unity". In his message he dealt with the sin of schism, which he defined like this, "It is division among people who are agreed about the essentials and the centralities, but who separate over secondary and less important matters." (Both quotes from Knowing the Times, Banner of Truth Trust, 1989, p. 246 & 253).

We are living in the wake of the recovery of Reformed doctrine in the 1960's and 70's. We should thank God that many churches now hold to the doctrines of sovereign grace. Those in the Reformed movement have a great common heritage, but cracks are appearing in the edifice of evangelical Calvinism in the UK. Partly lines are being defined more sharply. For example, some traditionalists with their love for the AV and older hymns have virtually equated their traditions with faithfulness to the gospel. Meanwhile progressives may have been too ready to embrace change for change's sake, needlessly alienating their more conservative brethren. Local fellowships are dividing over such matters, with break-off groups weakening the witness of the churches.

What are we to do about this?

1. We need to distinguish between essential gospel truth and secondary issues

Many of the points of dispute outlined above divide believers who are as one on gospel basics. Such friends may even be agreed on Reformed theology. Does it specify in any of the great Reformed Confessions which Bible translation or hymn book we should use? Is it right to divide churches on matters are not even covered by Reformed confessional theology? Where there are honest disagreements over matters like church government and Baptism, such issues should not be allowed to drive a wedge between churches. Our unity is based on the gospel not on uniformity in secondary matters. Brian Edwards makes a helpful distinction between "essential truth" that is vital for salvation, "significant truth" covering matters like church government and baptism and "phantom truth". He defines "phantom truth" like this,

"Those many things that are so very important to me and for which I can so easily make a big issue, but in reality they are simply part of my culture, tradition or personal preference and have little or nothing to do with the Bible. Evangelical churches normally argue and divide over phantom truths (which are not really truths at all) and rarely over vital or even significant truths. In other words, we make a big issue about issues in reverse order to their true significance." (See this interview with Brian Edwards).

I think that there is a lot of sense in those words.

2. We need to cherish Christian liberty

As children of the Reformation, we admire our forefathers who stood for the liberty of the gospel in the face of the spiritual tyranny of Roman Catholicism. We cheer the Puritans for refusing to submit to the Anglican Act of Uniformity. Should not we of all people recognise that other believers are free to come to different conclusions to ourselves about adiaphora or things indifferent? Take the increasingly contentious issue of education. As far as I'm concerned it is up to Christian parents to decide how best to educate their children. Ours attend State schools. But if other parents decide to send their children to a fee paying Christian school or to home school, that's up to them. It is wrong to suggest that there is only one principled option for Christian families. What right to we have to judge our fellow Christian "worldly" for singing contemporary hymns, drinking alcohol in moderation and such like? No one seems to know who said it first, but there is wisdom in the old dictum, "In things essential, unity; in doubtful, liberty; in all things, charity."

3. We need to cultivate spiritual maturity

Paul pinpointed spiritual immaturity as a factor in the fractious Corinthian church,

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?" (1 Corinthians 3:1).

The fractiousness of the Reformed scene does not say a lot for our spiritual maturity. We need to work on cultivating the mind of Christ so that we esteem others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2). Yet we are often immature and censorious. Some are sadly too quick to leave churches when they don't get their way rather than staying to work things through. But does not love cover a multitude of sins? One of the Proverbs tells us, "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression." (19:11). No church is perfect and it takes grace, wisdom, patience and faithfulness to be involved in any fellowship for the long haul. The same principles apply when it comes to expressing unity between gospel churches.

I rejoice that Evangelical and Reformed unity, although fragile, still does exist in the UK. It finds expression in various Minister's conferences and at the grassroots level. It is great that many churches are working harmoniously together for the spread of the gospel. But we dare not ignore the cracks.

Tom Wright in the New Statesman

In an issue dedicated to Belief is Back, The New Statesman features a profile of Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham under the heading, The dead will be raised! . Wright discusses the place of faith in public life, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and the state of Anglican evangelicalism. As might be expected, he boldly states his belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus and spells out the implications of this truth for politics, philosophy, the arts and the environment.