Highland Theological College

My theology degree was formally awarded to me this week and I have received a number of ‘congratulations’ from our many friends in and around Inverness. The degree was awarded in absentia because I was attending the CoS emerging church conference in Glasgow. The conference was great and I blog about that elsewhere but significantly, whilst explaining to one individual that my theological training involved HTC the comment came back ‘oh yes, they are very reformed…’. This comment is not unusual and was, at least in my view, a gentle knock at the HTC take on scripture.

I have to say that I was mildly irritated by the comment on two grounds;
First because I have to thank HTC, in no small measure, for my place in ministry. Since having almost completed my training as an auxiliary minister in the CoS I woke one morning to the firm conviction that I should really be a full time minister. This created quite a few problems for the CoS because I was fast approaching the ‘age barrier’ of 55. Even so within a few days CoS had said they could accommodate the change but I had to find a way to extend my theological studies to complete a degree before the last day of my 55th year. None of the major universities could do it and although I had approached HTC it looked as though they could not do it either. So it looked as though I was simply too late. Imagine then my delight when two weeks later I should get a call which said ‘there is a way’…
The fact is that the vice principal had spent what time he managed to find ‘spare’ to see if a way could be found that fitted my circumstances and the ‘rules’. The CoS agreed to the proposal and thus I find myself here on Islay. Brillant!
The second cause of my irritation was that my ‘learning experience’ at HTC was really invigorating and contrasted with the almost ‘anything goes’ interpretation of the Bible that I had experienced elsewhere. In attending this reformed college I did not find that I had to respond ‘as taught’, I did not have to ‘suspend my intellect’ as some seem to think reformed theology is all about, but I could learn what the scriptures were about.
So, if any of you are thinking about learning more I commend HTC to you. Whatever stage of learning you are at I think you will find a place to start. Just as importantly the staff there will be supportive and encouraging. Go for it!
The ignorance that exists about the gospel in our culture is profound, and growing… but I will blog about that later too.

Biblically Conservative and Culturally Sensitive

As a minister in this age of the so called ‘secular democracy’ and ‘aggressive atheism’ I am dismayed at the ways in which so many of my colleagues emasculate the gospel. I struggle to understand how they can justify their revision, nay reduction, of what the gospels communicate.

In the CoS debate that is ongoing with regard the ordination of practising homosexuals it would seem that there are two sides, one ‘traditionalist’ and the other ‘revisonist’, at least according to the guidance document issued by the CoS itself. It is a clever choice of words in this age because the very word ‘traditionalist’ is a bad word, whilst the word revisionist strongly suggests enlightened, inclusive, and open minded.
As I have pondered these positions over the last year or so I have found it helpful to recognise that I probably hold a position which is ‘biblically conservative and culturally sensitive’ whereas the revisonists hold a position which seems to be ‘culturally conservative and biblically sensitive’.
I am well aware of cultural practices and ideology and I am not too impressed. Indeed my journey to faith was born out of despondency for our culture! I find hope in the gospels for a transformation in human hearts which will automatically overflow to this culture. In that sense of course I need to be aware of, and sensitive to, the issues and influences controlling people’s lives. The revisionists on the other hand seem desperate to be accepted by the cultural norms and, whilst sensitive to the bibles teachings, proceed to reduce its content until what is left matches the whims of our age.
Simple though it sounds it seems to me we are meant to be Christians ie we look primarily to the gospels to understand the meta narrative therein and respond, rather than look to our culture? I welcome a broad church, in that it can reflect different Christian boundaries, but not one that exists without boundaries. Christian boundaries tend to lead to denominations and these tendencies are frowned upon even though they all reflect a pursuit after truth within biblical boundaries. To remove such boundaries altogether will surely cause the church ultimately to disperse and be lost amongst the myriad so called alternative realities? The sad truth is that I think the revisionists believe they will grow the church, even though the evidence is to the contrary. We need to remain biblically conservative and yet more culturally sensitive than we have been in recent decades.

Children's/Youth Worker starts work on Islay

It is apparently several years since Argyll Presbytery decided that it would be good to have a children's/youth worker based on Islay, but we had our first meeting with the appointee this week! Her name is Jess Reynolds and she is staying at Portnahaven with her husband Scott.
The meeting was attended by childrens workers from around Islay and it was encouraging to see the energy and enthusiasm that folk had for young people and their needs. It was also great to see that this new initiative of the church is not about a new person coming along and waving a magic wand for us all. It was much more about starting to form a new team, with a new approach, one that we hope will be relevant and engaging for young people of the 21st Century.
The first step is for Jess to get to know the various congregations, the childrens workers, the children, plus the schools, the teachers and how Islay works. This is no small task and clearly it will take a while for her to get some sense of what is needed in each setting. Nonetheless it was just great to make a start and please pray for Jess, for Paul Beautyman her online manager in Argyll Presbytery, and for all those involved in the team, including me...  :)

Back to School with God

Yesterday we had our "Back to School with God" family service at the Round Church and we will be doing the same at St John's this coming Sunday. This is a Service that has been organisied by Scripture Union Scotland and has a theme based on Daniel chapter 3, encouraging us all to choose God's way and not to just follow the crowd!! It's a special service designed to commission our young people and school staff, and to encourage ongoing prayer for local schools throughout the year. In fact Scripture Union Scotland have set up a prayer network called the Schools Prayer Network. You can see details by clicking here. 

Sunday Club and Footsteps, Kilnaughton Beach BBQ, 2010

Just back from the annual Sunday Club beach barbecue. It was a joint affair with folk from Bowmore and Port Ellen attending which was great. As you might expect we had everything.... - good food, drinks, cakes, jelly babies, sand castles, sea, rain (lots of it) and then no rain (and then lots of midges decided to join us). The 'skin so soft' midge repellent soon ran out, and since by then the food had run out  too.... we all ran home... :)
It was great to see so many children there and it was a great afternoon, with an opportunity for me to get to chat to parents.

A great big thank you must go to Iain Laurie, and his team, who organised the event (as usual it seems) and did all the cooking. I thought the food we enjoyed was much like that you see in the Port Ellen Spar... ??  Now who owns that Spar....  Oh yes, it's Iain Laurie... now isn't that a coincidence... :)

Kildalton Cross Service 2010

Here we are just beginning to assemble for the annual Kildalton Cross Service. Around 30 people from around Islay came along for this Thanksgiving Service. We had Ray Woodrow (Baptist) reading, Adrienne (Catholic) leading prayers and I gave a short address on John 17 thanking God for our Christian heritage, but also looking forward, and encouraging everyone to remain in Christ in order that we could bear more fruit, even in an age where the church is so obviously declining.

I found it moving to be stood there with so much history around me, but I was also very aware that we have not honoured those that have gone before us very effectively. Mission must surely become much more of a focus? If we really believe that our Christian heritage is valuable ie how it has enabled us to hear and receive the gospel, then surely we must make more strenuous efforts to enagage those around us that are caught up in the hussle and bussle of modern life? My confidence in the gospel is born out of a life immersed in that hussle (nay hassle!) which proved so fruitless in comparison with all that I have learned of the Christian way of life.

I hope to make more of this service next year, by looking back AND looking forward. I hope you will be able to join us :)

Weddings!!!

Weddings, weddings, weddings... what an amazing first year of weddings! Here are just a few pics of the weddings... at St.Johns, at the Roundchurch, in the Gaelic College and on the Beach! I already have bookings for 2012...

At the first one I forgot to get the witnesses to sign the schedule... and at the last one we had one of the ushers sign by accident... ah well, it was all OK in the end..

The really wonderful thing for me is that all these couples wanted a 'Christian' Wedding, they wanted God involved. Some out of a deep faith conviction, some I suspect out of a realisation that we need all the help we can get in the love stakes, but as best I could judge all were moved by what they were doing. Quite right too because a Christian wedding is all about giving, it is not about taking. So much of our modern literature and media encourages us to take what we can get, or look for the person that can fulfill us. "It's all about me". Yet to offer oneself to another in holy matrimony is not all about "me", it's all about love and what I can give. Oh certainly this is one risky venture and the reality is that some will probably fall short of the mark, but to at least point yourself in the direction of the mountain top is surely better than staying down on the plains?

The reality for me is that the weddings have been a privilege and a highlight of ministry here. I hope to be able to keep in contact with the couples as they go forward, and I hope to marry many more in due course. :)