The Oppression of Relativism

One of the attractions of relativism as a worldview for many is that it seems to promise emancipation, a voice to the previously voiceless and an escape from structures of power that dictate what is right and wrong. To allow everybody to have a voice on this for themselves. Its a very attrractive notion, seemingly very democratic. The more I see relativism at work in the public square the less I believe it delivers on the promise to give voices to all. Today is a sad day in the UK with the passing of the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Bill through Parliament. I am saddened by what will be allowed by the Bill and believe it has critical and horrendous consequences for a healthy concept of what it means to be human. But I am also saddened by the process that has accompanied it.
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Champions' League Final

Tomorrow is final day in the Champion's League. Watching the news today some poor reporter had been dispatched to Manchester Airport at a grisly time in the morning to interview out-going fans. They were all bleary-eyed but excited.

The reporter asked one pair of fans "what does it mean to you to go to this match in Moscow?"

One replied "not getting very much sleep. I've flown in from Scotland already, but you do what you have to do." His friend added "this is so important. We would go to the ends of the earth to see United play. This is something you don't miss."

What a picture of dedication! I like that kind of commitment to a cause. But it does make me wonder whether lots of Christians I know are as dedicated to the worldwide fame of God and the worldwide spread of the gospel, as Manchester United fans are to the worldwide fame of their football club. It was clearly taking all their money and lots of their free time. It was way more than a leisure pursuit to them. It was a cause, a community and a life commitment.

Jesus said "go into all the world and make disciples." Am I less committed to that than these men were to going to the ends of the earth to glorify Manchester?

Evangelical Unity

A friend recently asked me for some thoughts on evangelical unity. A big subject! Jonathan Edwards, as usual, is a good place to start. He was distressed by the fallings out among believers over the revivials of his day in America. His answer to fallings out - meekness and repentance. Here are a few (admitedly selective) comments from Edwards on how to remove stumbling blocks to the work to the work of God:

...there must be a great deal done at confessing of faults on both sides...There is hardly any more duty more contrary to our corrupt dispositions, and mortifying to the pride of man; but it must be done. Repentance of faults is, in a peculiar manner, a proper duty when the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, or when we especially expect or desire that it should come.

Our business at such a time should be at home, searching and condemning ourselves, and taking heed of our own behaviour. If there be glorious prosperity to the church of God approaching, those that are the most meek will have the largest share in it.

Those therefore that have been zealous for this work, and have erred greatly and been injurious with their zeal, ought not to be treated with bitterness. There is abundant reason to think that most of them are dear children of God for whom Christ died; and therefore that they will see their error...Their errors should not be used to excite indignation against them, but should influence all who hope we are children of God, to humble ourselves, and become more entirely dependent on the Lord Jesus Christ, when we see those who are God's own people so ready to go astray.

And those ministers who have been judged, and injuriously dealt with, will do the part of Christ's disciples, not to judge and revile again [ie in return], but to receive such injuries with meekness and forebearance, and making a good improvement of them, more strictly examining their own hearts and ways, and committing themselves to God. 

Contrary to this mutual meekness, is each party's stigmatizing each other with odious names, as is done in many parts of New England; which tends to greatly perpetuate the breach. Such distinguishing names of reproach do as it were divide us into two armies, seperated and drawn up in battle-array; which greatly hinders the work of God.

Musings on Education and the Goal of Preaching

I preached two messages over the weekend, one on Acts 5 (why did the Holy Spirit kill Ananias and Saphira) and one on Genesis 40 (Joseph in the dungeon). I got to musing over how to apply both passages for today and, off the back of that, how applications are received by congregations.

I reckon preachers can do their very best to apply with authenticity to the biblical narrative and relevantly for lives today but for it still to fail to connect if the congregation's expectations of preaching are wrong. What are they expecting a sermon to be?

Imagine yourself back at school in a geography or history class. If you were like me you found the classes interesting, but at an abstract and factual level. I didn't expect to have to do anything as a result of learning about glaciation or the Tudors at school. That wasn't what the class was expected to achieve.

Imagine yourself in a music lesson, learning to play an instrument. You know it is likely to be mostly for your own personal enjoyment. You recognise that a very few elite professionals will go on to wow the world or teach the next generation, but that's not really the reason you are learning. You hope that you might have the chance to provide enjoyment for a few others, but you are unlikely in your turn to teach them to play the instrument. That's not why you are learning.

Imagine yourself in a training college situation. Say, learning to be a chef, or a doctor. This is quite a different learning environment, because you are fully expecting to use what you learn. Just learning your subject isn't the point. The subsequent work is the point, and you learn as comprehensively as possible in order to work as well as possible. And there are real outcomes of whether you learn well or not. If you fail to learn to cook you won't fulfil your ambition to be a chef. If you are shoddy in medical study real lives may be at risk.

With which of these mindsets do congregations receive Bible preaching and teaching? If the fundamental mindset is that preaching falls into the school classroom category of providing interesting information that isn't expected to achieve anything then try as a preacher might, they will not affect life-change, obedience to the Bible or cast a vision for Kigdom growth in which every congregation member takes part.

If the mindset is like the music lesson, a likely outcome is a congregation that is enthusiastic about the trained professional extending the kingdom. They are likely to support and cheer from the sidelines. Someone said to me recently "if I have dental problems I go to a dentist. I don't expect the dentist to teach me how to do his job. In the same way I don't expect the pastor to teach me how to do his job. We employ him for the spiritual stuff." 

But our call is to make disciples of Jesus. That is, learners of Jesus. People who are trained by the word to also go and make disciples. The goal is replication and multiplication of discipleship for the worldwide growth of the kingdom. Therefore the goal of Christian preaching and teaching is much more closely akin to the training college than the classroom or the music lesson. In fact if people aren't doing what the word says as a result of preaching, then it hasn't achieved its goal.

In an age where words are cheap and the environment is saturated with broadcast quality messages on all subjects, we not only have to teach the word, we also have to teach people how to receive the word. We can't assume that people know they are in a training environment rather than a merely educational one. The goal is not mere education, nor is it merely the personal growth in ability of the individual. It is everyone doing what the word says for the extension of the Kingdom of God. Might unapplied sermons full of mere information, and congregations who hear but don't do, become a thing of the past because we realise that the teaching of the word is meant to train in discipleship.

"All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17