Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Discovery by stealth!

I do not wish to embarrass her and must therefore let her remain anonymous but the lady I mentioned at the end of the last post gave me her card as she was leaving.  I was surprised to see its printed picture bore the words: Rehoboth Children's Homes Trust (with her own name on the back).

Going online I discovered that in 1981 she and her late husband founded this children's home in the Philippines because they witnessed the desperate needs of so many orphaned, abandoned and neglected children. With desire to give them the best of Christian nurture and education the work began with a local pastor and wife becoming the first house parents.  In the thirty-six years since then it has grown so that currently 70 children are being cared for residentially and through their education programme. The trust is connected with Godmanchester Baptist Church as part of their wide mission concerns.

This is one of the wonderful truths about the Christian family - that you can find out almost by accident so many good works that flow from faith.  I remember once reading a quote about the best part of Christian kindness is that it is only discovered by stealth! 

Friday, May 26, 2017

Spurgeon follow-up

I have not been able to find about Richard Knill's response to the eighteen year old Spurgeon, though how could be not have been thrilled. However there is an interesting record of a conversation a few years later.

Knill was with a group of friends enjoying dinner when the conversation turned to the hot subject of a wonderful preacher who was pastor of the New Park Street Chapel in London.
'What's his name?' asked Knill.
 'Mr Spurgeon'.
'I know him' said Mr. Knill.
'No, no,' a friend replied, 'I think not!'
'Yes, I do, sir!  I saw him at his grandfather's house some years ago when I preached in the village for the missionary cause, and have always been convinced that he would one day be a most extraordinary character in the Christian world.  I remember taking the lad into the garden, I conversed with him and prayed with him, and found that he possessed a mind far beyond his years.'

Isn't it interesting how Christian stories intertwine and how we can look back and remember connections.  Richard Knill's was a major one and deserves its place in Spurgeon's story....but on  lesser scales have you experienced connections like these?

At the Waterbeach meeting a lady who told me she was blind asked to speak to me afterwards.  She recounted how she was visiting Cambridge and worshipped at St. Andrew's Street while I was minister some thirty years ago. Even though she was not staying long she filled in a card to join a house group and I arranged this with her. Apparently this led to the most amazing friendships which have lasted until the present.  Indeed she had just spent time with one couple in Dundee. 'I owe so much to that group. All because I filled in a green card and you followed up!' she said.  Oh, to be surprised by such connections.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

C H Spurgeon aged 18

Last night I was speaking at Waterbeach Baptist Church where CH Spurgeon began his meteoric ministry.  I mentioned a letter he wrote when he was 18 to an older preacher called Richard Knill. The interesting back story involves Richard Knill visiting Spurgeon's grandfather's church some 8 or 9 years earlier. Seeing the young Spurgeon he said: 'I think this little man will one day be a preacher of the gospel, and I hope a successful one!' Hearing again of Richard Knill when he was 18 stirred Spurgeon to write him a letter in which he first reminded him of the incident and then told him what had happened since.
When sixteen and a half years old, I was persuaded to preach in the villages. Once started in lay-preaching around Cambridge - where I was am still assistant in a school - I put my soul into the work. Having been invited to supply, for one Sabbath, the Baptist Church at Waterbeach, I did so; I was invited to continue and have now been the minister of the congregation for one year and four months. The chapel is always full, many profess to have felt the power of Divine grace, and residents in the neighbourhood say that there is a visible reform manifest. I preach thrice on the Sabbath; and often, indeed, almost constantly five times in the week-nights.  My salary being insufficient, I still remain in the school. Though the congregation is large they are poor - though their kindness may be judged from the fact that I have been to sixty-two different houses to dine on the Lord's Day. Thus are your words in part realized.
Your words spoken in season have been good to me; and if I am of any use in the army of the living God, I owe it in great part to you that I ever enlisted in it.  I am not nineteen yet; and need, and trust I shall have a mention in your prayers. With the greatest respect, I am, Yours truly, CHARLES SPURGEON.
I read the letter mostly because the meeting was a Mission Festival and Richard Knill was a pioneer missionary whose discernment was not only of historical significance but speaks volumes about our continuing need to discern God's call on others and ourselves.   But note the details - preaching eight times a week while still teaching at school.  A village on its way to being transformed - an extraordinary story of God at work.  And 62 different houses - he had counted them! That's hospitality.

Before I move on I shall try to find something about Richard Knill's response.  I am sure he found this a massive 'beam of encouragement'!

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Feedback

The last post was positive - how good it is to be genuinely thanked.  But I was challenged by a conversation after Sunday morning's service.

I was talking with someone who sings in a quartet. She had just returned from a contest in Gateshead alongside hundreds of singers who had performed in different categories before judges.  ''It's scarey,' she said, "singing before people who are so knowledgeable and who will give you several pages of comment about your performance!   The first time we went to this festival we were so nervous thinking what they might say! Yet, I have come to realize that it is the only way you grow and improve, isn't it?' Actually, this year they won the award for best in their category so she was flushed with victory.

I really liked her spirit.  Of course she was willing to put herself through this with her three friends and expected rigorous feedback.  But her point about learning from others' critique as the best way to grow and improve is a critical one. I loved my beam of encouragement about my bible notes but I never stop needing honest feedback which may not beam!  I have just been involved in a viva for a DMin thesis on preaching and I was surprised that the student ended by quoting me:  'The one golden rule of preaching is that you never stop learning.' I still agree with myself. Honest feedback is vital for growth, isn't it?

Monday, May 22, 2017

A beam of encouragement!

Carol and I shared an interesting conversation about recent books we have read and our failure ever to write a thank-you for the joys/challenges that they have added to our lives.  'You never think to bother', she said.

This was triggered by an email redirected to me by a Scripture Union editor about my bible notes which emerged these last two weeks (for Encounter with God).  She forwarded a note from someone who wanted me to know just how much my notes had helped him.  I was thrilled as you can imagine..  His message shone like a beam right into my day and lit me up. I replied briefly to him expressing gratitude for the trouble he had taken. 'When you write in isolation it's rare to receive any feedback' I said. His reply revealed he was an Anglican church leader who had been reading  Bible notes for the last 55 years.  He confessed that only once before had he written thanks. He had never thought about the writer sitting so alone compared with public ministry when you can see what is happening (though you don't always receive encouragement!)

It really made me think about my failures to take the trouble to send out encouragement beams to others, especially if some extra effort is involved.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Life stages

On returning home last weekend we went immediately to an outdoors' tenth wedding renewal of vows with reception - an imaginative happy event (and the rain kept off...just!)  The next day we drove to an Induction Service in Kettering (an hours' drive away).  The preacher was my very gifted successor at Spurgeon's College - Dr. Nigel Wright - who himself retired three years ago.

He challenged the new ministry team not to 'go off the boil'.  To these younger ministers he spoke about his own ministry journey which described as going through distinctive stages:
Radical -  The beginning was marked by writing challenging books in a challenging ministry.
Mainstream - Becoming a founder of a renewal movement within the Baptist denomination
Establishment -  Becoming Principal of Spurgeon's College and President of the Baptist Union
Old School - in early retirement as he now looks back and realizes he belongs to an older generation yet remains active
Has Been - enough said!
(Incidentally, the first three stages are written up by Andy Goodliffe in a formal academic appreciation in the latest Baptist Quarterly Journal).

I joked with Nigel afterwards about the process of discerning the transition from old school to has been! Thinking of life in terms of stages should lead to gratitude to God for life and purpose.  In my own story that's true - how are you doing?

Monday, May 8, 2017

Public kneeling

Flying out from the US four days ago brought the usual problems of balancing the weights of our suitcases.   With a limit of 50lbs (US non-metric!) I began juggling between our three cases a few days before leaving.  We travel with a measurer - it's hook goes under each handle and as the suitcase is raised the needle gives a reasonable read-out.  Eventually I had moved heavy articles with sufficient care that each case seemed to be marginally under the limit.

But, as you will have likely guessed, in the main Departure Hall at O'Hare airport the official baggage weigh-in proved I had been optimistic.  The first case to go on the scale was 47 lbs.  I relaxed.  The second case was 51lbs and the third was also 51lbs.  The wearily cheery clerk said: 'Easy - just take a pound out of each and put it into the first.'  However, the cases are butterfly designed, flopping open at the middle to expose the entire contents on either side.  To my horror I found myself obstructing far more of the queue than I intended.  As people stepped around my kneeling figure I removed items from one offending case,  and then the another, to place them in the first case.  Standing up, flushed with accomplishment, I then found out that this case had become a 1lb too heavy!  Overcompensating! On my knees again!


Carol pleaded - 'What is one pound over in the big scheme of things?  Good grief, they don't weigh passengers themselves!'   However the machine said OVER WEIGHT.  Sheer legalism! Anyway, we have made it back....and rejoice at overcoming travel obstacles!  Thanks to those of you who prayed for our journey.  Alas, my airport kneeling did not contribute positively to prayer!

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Collegiate joys

I have just returned from Grand Rapids where I met with representatives of the other 16 seminaries involved in Lilly-funded preaching projects across the US.  Many are academics involved in teaching preaching.  Sometimes, the fact that many academics are introverts and slow to warm up (have you ever noticed?! ) makes these experiences hard work but these past three days have been filled with joy. They really have.

It was my last such conference and that fact added a dimension of memory and thankfulness as I caught up with teachers I have met in different places over the last seventeen years.   At several of their seminaries I have given lectures and preached, staying a few days on their campus, making friendships and memories.  One of the three professors at Gordon Conwell, Boston, which I have visited many times reminisced about Carol as well: 'She really is something!' he said - and he clearly meant it to be a compliment.

Of course, I shall miss the collegiality of this annual meeting but isn't it encouraging to know that your work and presence has been noticed!  In different ways I hope that is true of all of us as we come up to retirement. (Often that means making sure we express our appreciation to others too). At some point I may post about the future of the preaching project that I started when it becomes clearer with the leadership of a new President and a new Director of the program.  But this occasion truly expressed the best kind of valediction on a very different part of my ministry.  I return to the UK with immense gratitude to God for doors he opened.