The Anatomy of Obedience (Joshua 23)

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Genesis & the age of the earth

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Recent trip to Kenya with MERF

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The Joy of

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Sanctification

Phi lippians 1 v 9-11

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First word

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The joy of sanctification

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The Anatomy of Obedience (Joshua 23)

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Genesis & the age of the earth (2)

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Recent trip to Kenya wi th M ERF

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CONTENTS

14
Book extract

16
Best of the blogs

FIRST WORD
Over the Summer months, one of the biggest news
stories to break was the hacking of an American
website which exists to facilitate adulterous
relationships. Subsequently, the personal details of
millions of its users were leaked online.
Of course, it should not surprise us that this kind of
thing takes place in a fallen world; Scriptures diagnosis
of the human heart shows that this is what we ought to
expect to see taking place in this present age (Galatians
5:19-21). However, the sheer size of the websites
membership is nothing short of staggering. Roughly
one in every fifty people in the UK has subscribed to
the website. There are 149 accounts in Crumlin, 215
in Ballyclare, 545 in Omagh, and 8,520 in Belfast. This
problem is very close to home!

hat should be our response as Christians to these

revelations?
Amongst other things, we should recognise first of all
that adultery is a picture of how our hearts have turned
away from God. The prime example of this is of course
in the ministry of Hosea, where the LORD uses the
category of adultery as a way of describing the spiritual
unfaithfulness of the house of Israel, who have turned
to other gods. (See Hosea chapters 1-3).
We ourselves may not be implicated in the data leak
(though, sadly, many professing Christians did have

their sin found out in this way), but that is not to say
that our hearts are free from the staining of adultery.
Adultery is, after all, a matter of the heart before it is
a matter of the body (Matt. 5:28). As Pauls words in
Ephesians 5 remind us, marriage itself is a vivid picture
of Christs love for his bride the church, and the churchs
submission to him. Whenever we have given our hearts
affections to that which Christ forbids, and whenever
we have run to the arms of an idol to find the comfort,
satisfaction and security that can be found in Christ
alone, we have been faithless to our Bridegroom.
However, wonderfully, we should also remember
that Gods grace is sufficient for adulterous people.
Pauls words in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 point us to the
remarkable truth that our God is a God who takes even
the very worst kind of sinners, including the sexually
immoral and adulterers, and cleanses them of their
sin, and reconciles them to himself through his Son
Jesus Christ. Is that not the greatest news in the world
for sinners like us, whose hearts were by nature bent
and twisted towards sin?
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you
were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
(1 Corinthians 6:11)

Christianity proclaims done, not do (which is a wonderfully

true statement about our redemption and justification), how
do we relate that to the do of our sanctification?
Two passages help us enormously in knowing how to explain
and apply the Bibles copious teaching about sanctification.
First, there is Pauls wonderful benediction in 1 Thessalonians
5:23-24: Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you
completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be
kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who
calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Pauls purpose here is
to encourage us in the Christian life. In this brief blessing Paul
articulates three massive truths:
1) Your sanctification, your growth in godliness, is the work
of God in you.
Notice that Paul said, May the God of peace Himself sanctify
you. He did not say, May God aid you in your quest for
sanctification or May God help you sanctify yourself. No,
your God is at work in you for your progress in holiness. And
just as your gracious God is more desirous to forgive you than
you are to be forgiven, so also God is more interested in your
sanctification than you are. What ought to be our response

The Joy of

Sanctification
Continuing our series of articles looking at obedience
and sanctification, we are thankful to have been offered
this article by Dr. Ligon Duncan, exploring the joy of our
sanctification.

he doctrine of sanctification is on the front burner of

discussion in the Bible-believing Christian community.

We live in a time of happy renewal of the gospel accent,

grace focus and Christ-centeredness of the preaching on
this doctrine in our theological neck of the woods. This
is a wonderful thing, for which we rejoice. But this new
emphasis has brought its own challenges. What do we do
with sanctification (growth in maturity and obedience in the
Christian life)? How do we preach the law only as that which
convicts of sin and leads us to Christ, but not as a rule of
life? How do we handle the prolific oughts, shoulds and
musts (commands) of the New Testament? If we say that

to this realization? To be committed to and encouraged about

progressive sanctification. The logic works this way: If God is
so committed to this in my life, then I should be committed to
this in my life.
2) The God who is at work in you is the God of total wellbeing and blessing.
Notice what Paul calls God here: the God of peace Himself.
He is drawing attention to the significant truth that our God
is the God of peace, or shalom that is, total well-being
and comprehensive blessing. This is incredibly important,
because Satans oldest lie is the assertion to Eve and Adam
that they could only enjoy blessing and satisfaction and
fulfilment in disobeying God. He was essentially denying that
God was really the God of all blessedness and the only one
in whom that blessedness can be enjoyed. Satan argued that
freedom and blessedness would only be found in rebellion,
but Adam and Eve soon discovered the bitter truth. Sin did
not bring freedom and blessing, but the opposite: bondage
and curse. The only place freedom and blessedness can
be enjoyed is in the sphere of obedience to God, who is
blessedness and peace in and of Himself. And that is precisely

The only place freedom and blessedness

can be enjoyed is in the sphere of
obedience to God, who is blessedness
and peace in and of Himself.
what progressive sanctification is meant to do increase
our present enjoyment of Gods peace and blessedness.
Sanctification is for our joy! Your total well-being, your
happiness, your satisfaction is inextricably connected to
sanctification. Thats why the God of total well-being is
irreversibly and indefatigably committed to your sanctification
because he wants your total well-being, happiness and
satisfaction.
3) It is Gods purpose to make you completely perfect in the
end and to begin that work now.
When Paul says, May the God of peace Himself sanctify
you completely and May your whole spirit and soul and
body be kept blameless, he is praying for the comprehensive
sanctification of believers, starting now. He looks for believers
to be finally, completely perfected (not in this life, of course
see at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ), but he looks
for that work to begin in this life as a foretaste of its final

an encouragement from God that you can and will make

progress in driving sin from your life. Pauls teaching is not
that God accepts you so no change is necessary, but that
God accepts you and therefore change is now possible. Note
the flow of Pauls argument: Continue to obey as you
have always obeyed . . . . Notice how Paul asserts here that
obedience is a vital, normal and essential part of the Christian
life. Let your salvation show in the way you live, demonstrate
it in your life work out your own salvation . . . . Whatever
else Paul means here, he clearly expects us to be active, and
not merely passive, in living out the Christian life. Because
God is at work in you for it is God who works in you, both
to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Paul is stressing the sovereignty of God in our sanctification
here! His point is that we are to be encouraged precisely
because God is at work in us. According to Paul, Gods
work in us should not lead us to laziness and inactivity, but
to exertion. To paraphrase John Piper, Pauls point is that
the sovereignty of God in our salvation and sanctification
is not permission for passivity, but a reason to hope. The
sovereignty of God makes us hopeful that change is possible,
not passive as if no change were necessary. And thats why
sanctification is good news: There is hope. And where there is
hope, there is joy.

reality. To paraphrase John Newton, We are not what we

ought to be, might be, wish to be, hope to be, nor what we
one day will be, but, by the grace of God, we are not what we
once were, and we are what we are.
In a second great passage, Philippians 2:12-13, Paul
emphasizes both Gods sovereignty and our responsibility in
sanctification: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always
obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more
in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to
work for his good pleasure. This is one of the most important
passages in the entire Bible about sanctification.
First, Paul highlights our responsibility: Work out your
own salvation with fear and trembling. What in the world
does Paul mean? Does he mean that we must somehow
save ourselves by our own works? No! Look at the context:
It is about our following Jesus example, not so that we will
be converted or justified, but so that we will be more like
Jesus! Pauls argument is that we are to pursue godliness
because God is at work in us for godliness. He is giving you

Dr. Duncan is the John E. Richards professor

of systematic and historical theology at RTSJackson and senior minister at the historic First
Presbyterian Church in Jackson. This article first
appeared in the Winter 2012 issue of the RTS
Ministry and Leadership magazine. Used by
the kind permission of Reformed Theological
Seminary.

The Anatomy of

Obedience
(JOSHUA 23)

n chapter 23 of the book of Joshua, we see Joshua gather together

all the leaders of the people of Israel to speak to them concerning
the need for Gods people to live lives of ongoing obedience to
the Lord. In so doing, Joshua provides us with a wonderfully rich
description of what it means to obey our God.
1) The foundation of obedience: The grace of God
Our obedience to God is to be built on the grace of God towards
his people. That is perhaps the single most important thing to
remember when it comes to the topic of obeying God.
Why? Because if we forget that our obedience to God is built on the
foundation of Gods grace to his people, then we will inevitably make
one of two mistakes.
The first mistake that we could make is that we think that God is
unreasonable. What right does God have to tell me how to live?
What has he ever done for me? That is of course the mistake that
non-religious people tend to make.
The other mistake we could make when it comes to obeying Gods
commands is that we assume that we have to be our own saviours.
We read Gods commands and we say to ourselves, this is the list of
rules that I have to keep if God is going to let me into heaven. I need
to be a good enough person, or else God wont accept me. And that
is of course the mistake that religious people tend to make.
Both of those understandings of obedience to God are utterly wrong,
because they both overlook the foundation of Gods grace to his
people. When God calls his people to obey him, it is always built on
the foundation of his grace to them.
That is what Joshua understands here. He begins this call to
obedience by pointing the people of Israel to the grace of God
towards them.
Firstly, in verse 3, he points them to Gods gracious works in the
past how God has fought for his people, and driven out all of their
enemies before them.
Secondly, in verses 4 and 5, Joshua points them to Gods gracious
promises for the future how God will continue to be with his
people to bless them as they go out to possess the land, just as the
Lord their God had promised them.
If you are going to live a life of obedience before God as well, then
this is the foundation you need to build on. You need to look at
Gods gracious works in the past. First and foremost, you need to
look at the cross and what has been done for you there by Jesus to
redeem you from sin and guilt and to bring you to God. And then you
need to look at Gods gracious promises for the future. The promise
to be with you and to never forsake you. The promise to bring to
completion what he has started in you. The promise of an eternity
with him in a glorious new creation.
The obedience of Gods people is built on the grace of God towards
them.
2) The standard of obedience: The word of God
Once we have considered the grace of God towards us, where do we
then look in order to know what it means to obey God?

That is where Joshua goes next, in verse 6:

Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the
Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right
hand nor to the left.
Very simply, the standard of obedience is the word of God.
Once again there are two mistakes that we are prone to make here.
The first mistake we might make is that we set our standard of
obedience lower than the standard set by Gods word. We take the
commands of God and we edit them to our own liking. If we see that
the word of God calls us to do something, or to not do something,
and we dont like what it is saying, we ignore that command.
The other mistake that we could make is that we try and set our
standard of obedience above that of Gods word. This is what the
Pharisees in Jesuss day tended to do, supplementing Gods word
with extra, man-made rules. We act as if what God has commanded
isnt quite enough, and so we add a few more rules on top, even
when Gods word has given us liberty in these areas. As Jesus put it,
we start teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Notice that Joshua avoids both of those mistakes. He doesnt set
the standard of obedience below Gods word, but nor does he set
the standard of obedience above Gods word. Instead, he allows the
word of God to set the standard. He says, Do not turn aside from it
either to the right hand, or to the left. The standard of obedience is
the word of God.
It might be helpful to ask yourself, where in my life am I setting the
standard below that of Scripture? Where am I making excuses to
carry on with that sinful thought pattern or behaviour pattern?
And then on the other hand ask yourself, is there anywhere in my
life where I am setting the standard of obedience above that of
Scripture? Have I added extra rules to the bible? Am I binding my
conscience in any area where it ought to be free?
The standard of obedience is the word of God, and the word of God
alone.
3) The practice of obedience: Separation from sin
What does it look like when Gods people take his word seriously,
and start living it out in their lives? Simply, it means separation from
sin.
For the people of Israel in those days, that meant that they were not
to mix themselves together with the pagan people groups who were
still dotted here and there throughout the land, yet to be driven out.
Nor were they to enter into marriages with these peoples. If they did
that, then the false religion and the immorality which marked these

people groups would infiltrate Gods

people. They would start to swear by
these other gods, and bow down to them,
and they would drift from the true God.
Of course, in the New Testament, these
same requirements are laid upon the
Christian believer. The same principle of
marrying only in the Lord is repeated,
and the same call for separation from the
world is repeated too. The apostle John
writes, Do not love the world, or the
things in the world. If anyone loves the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.
(1 John 2:15)
Ask yourself, in what way have I let the
world shape my behaviour? How has the world
directed the way in which I spend my money and my
time? How has the world captivated my dreams and
aspirations? How has the world influenced my thoughts
and beliefs?
Paul writes to the church in Rome:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the
will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
4) The motives for obedience: Gratitude and the fear of God
In his word, God repeatedly gives us reasons for obeying him.
Our heavenly Father is not like a grumpy parent, who, when he is
asked by his child why they have to do something, simply answers,
Because I say so! No, if you read the bible then you will see that
Gods commands are not only built on grace, but they are also
accompanied by reasons and motives for us to obey him.
Joshua points out two such reasons or motives for the people of
Israel to commit themselves to lives of obedience to God.
The first reason is gratitude. Why should Israel live in obedience to
her God? Verses 9 and 10: For the Lord has driven out before you
great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able
to stand before you to this day. One man of you puts to flight a
thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he
promised you.
Joshua is getting the Israelites to look back on what has happened
in the past seven years or so the way in which, as his people have
faced battle after battle, the Lord has given them the victory. He has
fought for them, just as he promised them. Great and strong nations
have been driven out of the land.
And so, filled with gratitude for what God has done for them, the
Israelites were to respond with joyful obedience to God, thanking
him for his sovereign grace at work in their circumstances.
Gratitude ought to be one of the main motives for our obedience to
God as well. Like these Israelites, we can look back on how God has
wielded his sovereign grace to our benefit. Supremely, the grace
shown to us at the cross as Jesus died for our sin, the remembrance
of which fills our hearts with a gratitude which fuels our obedience.
But then there is a second motivation for obedience which is
indicated in these verses. And that is the fear of God. You see, Gods
word also issues us with threats and warnings in order to motivate
our obedience. Thats what Joshua does in verses 12 and 13. He
reminds the people of Israel that if they turn against God and live
lives of disobedience, then Gods hand will be against them instead
of for them. He will chasten them, and in the end he will remove
them from the land that he has given to them.
Oftentimes we wrongly assume that this is an Old Testament
method which God does not use with his church today. But of course,
the fear of God, and the threats and warnings of Scripture ought still

to play a role in motivating our obedience today. Our God is a Father

who disciplines those who are his children. He does it for our good,
even though it is painful at the time. And so, as we understand that,
and as we rightly fear our God, we are motivated to obey him.
5) The consequences of obedience: The covenant blessing or
covenant curse
Joshua begins the final section of his address by reminding the
people of Israel of the faithfulness of God towards them. Not one
word has failed of all the good things that the Lord their God had
promised concerning them. As the people of Israel have walked in
faith and obedience, they have enjoyed Gods covenant blessings.
And yet, there is a sting in the tail of the chapter.
The reason for this is that the covenant faithfulness of God cuts both
ways. There are blessings for those who walk in faith and obedience,
and there are also curses for those who walk in unbelief and
disobedience. And in this final point of his address, Joshua reminds
the people of Israel that if they turn aside in the future and break
faith with God, disobeying him, then they will have the covenant
curse poured out upon them.
Of course, the unfolding story of the Old Testament tells us that this
is exactly what happened in the end. The people did mingle with the
pagan nations. They did adopt their false religion and immorality.
They did forsake their God and turn away from him. They broke the
covenant that he had made with them at Sinai, because they failed
to continue walking in faith and obedience in the long haul. In the
end, the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and they
perished quickly from off the good land that he had given to them.
The covenant curse fell upon them.
If we are being honest with ourselves, we know that our obedience
to God falls a long way short of what it ought to be. We overlook his
grace towards us. We fail to live by the standards of his word. We
cosy up to the worlds way of thinking and speaking and acting.
Our gratitude grows cold and our fear of God evaporates. We know
that we could never earn the blessing of God. In fact, we deserve
his curse instead. What we need, more than anything else, is for
someone to earn Gods blessing for us, and to suffer Gods curse in
our place.
That is exactly what Jesus has done for us. He came into the world,
and he lived as the perfectly obedient Son of God. He met the
standards of Gods word. He was separate from sin in every way.
He earned, through his obedience, every blessing of God.
Then he went to the cross, and he redeemed us from the curse of
the law by becoming a curse for us. He died for the sins and the
disobedience of all of his people, taking the punishment that we
deserve, so that we can be reconciled to God.
Obedience to God is essential in the Christian life. But your obedience
will never make you acceptable to God; only Christs obedience in his
life and death can do that for you.
Is that where your confidence before God is? Are you trusting that
Jesus has taken Gods curse for you, so that you can receive Gods
blessing? And having received that grace in Christ Jesus, are you then
living that changed life of obedience yourself, built on the grace
of God?

He died for the sins and the disobedience of

all of his people, taking the punishment that we
deserve, so that we can be reconciled to God

GENESIS AND THE

AGE OF THE EARTH (PART2)
Resuming his series of articles on the doctrine
of creation, Dr. Robert Beckett outlines the
argument for a young earth.

belief that the age of the earth is many

millions of years is crucial for the survival
of the theory of evolution, for if the earth is only
thousands of years old, as the Bible indicates,
then there is not nearly enough time available
for evolution to have taken place.
George Wald, a famous Harvard evolutionist,
wrote in 1954, Time is in fact the hero of the
plot. The time with which we have to deal is of
the order of two billion years. What we regard
as impossible on the basis of human experience
is meaningless here. Given so much time the
impossible becomes possible, the possible
probable and the probable virtually certain. One
has only to wait: time itself performs miracles.
But does it, and if so how?
Take away the billions of years and evolution
crumbles. Evolutionists recognise the vital
importance of this and are very hostile to those
who adhere to the young earth position clearly
taught in the Bible. As an opposing theory to
explain the universe, belief in an old earth is for
evolutionists a non-negotiable.
Archbishop Ussher
In todays culture the idea of creation occurring
about 6000 years ago is frequently mocked
by non-Christians - and also sadly by many
Christians. Archbishop James Ussher (15811656) was arguably Irelands greatest ever
theologian and devoted his life to defending the
Christian faith. He meticulously researched the
secular accounts of history and found that the
Bible was in agreement with them. He devoted
several years of his life to compiling a 1600
page history of the world from creation to AD
70 (The Annals of the World). It has recently
been translated into modern English and republished. Until the promotion of the theory
of evolution his finding that the earth was
created in 4004 BC was universally respected
and widely accepted. Many other respected
scholars through the centuries have arrived at
similar estimates. E.g. Julius Africanus (240AD)
5501BC; Eusebius (330AD) 5199BC; Philip
Melanchthon (1550AD) 3964BC. The Mayans
had a date for the flood of 3113BC. Similar
estimates of the age of the earth predominate
from other nations and cultures. E.g. India
6181 years; China 6164 years; Greece 6145
years; Babylon 6165 years; The Jews believe
their New Year starting on 14th September
2015 will be 5776 years after Creation.

Ussher recognised that there was no other

reliable source of chronological information for
almost all of the period he covered (Creation to
AD70). Before the Persian Empire (sixth to third
centuries BC) very little information is available
from any source about Greek, Roman or Egyptian
history or about any other nation either. Ussher
therefore relied solely on data from the Bible to
develop his historical framework. He based it
around the reliable dates of the final deportation
of the Jews from Judah in 584BC and the death
of King Nebuchadnezzar (562BC). He used the
genealogical records in Genesis 5 and Genesis
11 as well as other Biblical events and his work
contains more than 100 pages of detailed
calculations. They are available for examination
and indicate the brilliance of his reasoning.
Biblical Genealogies
It may be hard to believe but Genesis 5 and 11
are two of the more controversial chapters in the
Bible, even in Christian circles. This is because
many Christians have accepted the secular
dates for the origin of man and the universe
and must work out new ways to re-interpret
the Bibles historical account. A straight forward
addition of the ages given in the genealogies
gives a date for creation of about 4000 BC.
There are about 2000 years between Adam and
Abraham yet few scholars would question the
existence of Abraham about 2000 BC and the
genealogical records subsequent to him.
Many would attempt to argue that beget can
skip generations and does not always refer to
the son of the next generation. If this argument
was true then the date for creation using the
biblical time line of history cannot be accurately
worked out. Hebrew word usage rules out this
argument as ben can mean son/grandson etc.,
but the different word constantly used in the
genealogies is yalad which always refers to a
son. Its verb form is hiphil which is causative
in meaning so some modern translations
translate it accurately as fathered (ESV). The
form in which the genealogies are presented
also preclude errors in dating due to gaps. They
each state the age of the parent figure when
the next person in line is born. This means that
even if there were gaps the age measurement
involved would not be affected.
To stretch out Biblical chronology to
accommodate evolutionary time scales of
millions of years would require the insertion of
tens of thousands of missing generations. The
evidence for mankind being on the earth does
not stretch back more than a few thousand
years and is not supportive of evolutionary

claims. The size of the worlds population also

supports a date of about 6000 years.
We can also check the genealogies using other
means:1. There are no missing generations
between Adam and Seth since Seth was a
direct replacement for Abel. (Gen.4:25)
2. There are no missing generations
between Seth and Enosh since Seth
named him (Gen.4:25)
3. Jude says Enoch was the seventh since
Adam (Jude 14) so there are no missing
generations there.
4. Lamech named Noah so there are no
missing generations there (Gen. 5:29)
5. Some Hebrew scholars believe the name
Methuselah means when he dies it is
sent, referring to the flood.
Assuming no gaps in the genealogical
record then Methuselah died exactly in
the same year the flood came. (1656
years after Creation)
Careful exegesis of the Bible does not allow
for the theory of missing generations. These
genealogies are given to show that the Bible
is real history and that we all are descendants
of the real man Adam. The whole plan of
redemption is linked inextricably with the real
existence in time of the first Adam and the
key representative role of Christ as the second
Adam. The relevance of this is dependent on
all mankind being related through a common
ancestor the Biblical Adam. As Matthew 1
and Luke 3 show, the reliability of the Genesis
chronology is a key part of validating the
credentials of Jesus Christ as the promised
Saviour.
We can trust these genealogies because they
are part of the infallible, inerrant word of God.
Our choice is clear. We must either believe Gods
infallible word or the claims of unbelieving
scientists who are doing their best to invent a
theory to explain the universe which supplants
the scriptures.

Rev. Robert Beckett is minister of the

Crosscollyer Street congregation.
For many years he has been studying the
whole area of Biblical Creation and has
lectured extensively on this vital subject.

OBITUARY - Miss Andrea Gordon (Stranmillis)

Rev Gareth Burke tells us about his

recent trip to Kenya with MERF
When you hear of Middle East Reformed Fellowship (MERF) you will
obviously instinctively think about the Middle East! It may then come
as a surprise to you to discover that MERF has a centre for Biblical
training in Lokichoggio in Kenya. This came about because pastors
from South Sudan were attending MERF Bible training courses in
other locations and it became evident to the MERF leadership that
there was a need to establish a Bible Training Centre for these
pastors nearer to home.
At the end of January 2015 Sid Garland and I travelled to Lokichoggio
(Kenya) for ten days Bible teaching at the MERF Compound.
On arrival we were introduced to the seventeen students who had
just completed two weeks of English language study. The students
were drawn from Kenya and Tanzania with the majority from South
Sudan. Although we had heard of the situation in South Sudan prior
to departure, to meet with these students first hand was a real eye
opener. The hardships which so many had experienced personally
and the problems which the Church collectively continues to face
were harrowing to hear.
Sid was responsible for teaching an overview of the Old Testament
while I endeavoured to provide an overview of the New Testament.
Our task was made easier by the fact that all the students had
received from MERF a copy of the Reformation Study Bible. Some
time was spent in just introducing the students to this useful tool and
also some emphasis was placed on the importance of memorising
portions of Scripture and the Shorter Catechism. Stranmilllis EPC had
sent out copies of One Lord, One Plan, One People by Rodger Crooks
which were enthusiastically received by the student body.
As well as the formal teaching sessions we also had considerable
opportunity to interact with the students outside of class. A question
and answer session was held one evening in which we obtained a
better appreciation of the pastoral pressures and problems that the
student were facing.
On the Lords Day we were able to worship at the church on the
MERF Compound where the congregation consisted of MERF
students, midwifery students and, wonderfully, a good number of
folks from the neighbouring Turkana village. Evangelist Francis
enthusiasm for the spread of the Gospel among the Turkana
was infectious.
Throughout our visit we were well cared for by the MERF staff with
the Compound manager, David Wat, going to great lengths to ensure
that our visit was rewarding and encouraging. Please pray much
for the church in South Sudan. We have an abundance of resources
and tools for ministry in the UK. Some of the students had basically
no books at all. We remain very impressed by the Biblical training
programme that MERF is offering may God use it mightily to
His Glory.

On the afternoon of Tuesday 12th May 2015 Andrea Gordon

slipped into the presence of her Saviour, Jesus Christ, just a
few days before her forty-seventh birthday. Andrea was a
special person who touched the lives of many people.
Her death was keenly felt by all who knew her. Her funeral
service was characterised by a deep sense of sorrow and
loss. Yet in the midst of our sorrow we have both comfort
and hope. We know that Jesus Himself, who wept at the
grave of His friend, is with us to support and help and we
know also that Andrea, as one of Gods children, is now in
the presence of Christ in glory.
Andrea was born on 26th May 1968. Early on in her life
she was diagnosed as one who was suffering with the rare
condition known as Tuberous Sclerosis. She had severe
learning difficulties and epilepsy. In many ways her life
was characterised by much suffering. She was cared for
constantly by her mother Ann whose self-sacrificing love
and devotion remain etched on the memory of us all. Dr
Derek Thomas stated in a written tribute read at Andreas
funeral:
I knew immediately, Ann, that you had been chosen for a
special task, and one that you fulfilled with unparalleled
love and conviction.
Ann was wonderfully supported by her sister Jen and
brother-in-law Ken and also by their family, Simon and
Naomi, and Emma and Ross. For many years Andrea
attended the EdgcumbeTraining Centre whose devoted
staff developed a close relationship with her. Her last days
were not easy. Andrea spent six weeks in Ward 17 of the
Ulster Hospital but even in the midst of much suffering
she still continued to say God is good. This was Andreas
watchword, her expression of faith. We thank God for her
life and we pray that Ann and the family circle will know
much of the near presence of the God of all comfort.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
in us. (Romans 8:18)
GNB

GNB

FROM THE CHURCHES

Omagh EPC building project
At the end of July 2014 the members and friends of Omagh EPC
relocated to our new temporary home at Gibson Primary School,
as work commenced on our building. Some of the most difficult
aspects of the project were faced in the first few months. Because
our site is reclaimed ground, it was necessary to construct a
large retaining wall and substantial foundations. The main sewer
needed to be replaced and almost forty piles had to be driven up
to a depth of thirty feet. Once all this was completed, the work
was then in an upward direction and progressed rapidly.
In June this year, we were able to have an open-evening which
proved to be a very happy occasion. Members and friends, many
for the first time, were able to look round the new spacious foyer,
the prayer room with its vaulted ceiling, the new toilets and
kitchen, the hall, the crche, and the extended and refurbished
sanctuary. Since then, the under-floor heating has been installed,
internal decoration completed, and the doors hung. Externally, all
walls have been rendered and the stonework on the gable wall
has been finished. The fact that we have reached this stage is an
indication of the Lords goodness towards us as a congregation,
and along with the psalmist, we are able to sing to the LORD a
new song, for He has done wonderful things (Ps. 98:1 NASB).
One of the most exciting things about our building project has
been the response of the local community. People have noted
that something is happening, and over the last few months, there
have been many conversations with local people. This exciting
development has encouraged us to think about the future. When
we return to our building, we believe that there will be a very real
window of evangelistic opportunity, and to make the most of this,
we are presently drawing up a programme of events.
We would ask you to pray that we might continue to enjoy the
Lords gracious blessing and that he might meet our outstanding
financial needs.
Rev. Andrew J. Lucas
Editors note: Since the writing of this article the building work
has been completed, and the Omagh congregation have started
worshiping in the new building, as of 6th September. We rejoice
with them in Gods provision!

10

Just over 100 campers, along with leaders, attended our three
church camps in July. We asked Robert Johnston, leader of Senior
Camp, to give a report on his week at the foot of the Mournes.
Susanne Gaston tells us about attending Inters Camp near
Portadown, and several campers and leaders from Junior Camp have
contributed memories.
Junior Camp
Heres what some campers mentioned as their favourite things
about Camp in Dunluce High School:
Inflatable fun, especially the Wipeout Sweeper
The roast beef- it was wonderful
Digging for pasta in the sand
Secret church (with our speaker from Arab World Ministries)
Painting the team flags
Bible Hunt-the-leader on Sunday afternoon
Climbing on the rocks at the Giants Causeway
The team games (even though our team didnt win!)
The leaders were very friendly, the food was outstanding, the
activities were fun and I would recommend others to go.
The missionary focus was especially good.
And from the leaders:
Reflections: A challenging but rewarding camp! My lasting memory
is definitely the final meeting where the children had the chance
to participate. We saw such an unprecedented willingness to take
part by so many children who had clearly been affected by the
theme of Jesus is greater. In a week where there had been so many
challenges and obstacles placed in our way, it was amazing to see
how Jesus had still found a way to touch their hearts.

Inters Camp
Camp was a cracker! I shared a room with 3 other girls...we had our
own bathroom! Each day for breakfast we had cereal, loads of toast,
porridge, scrambled eggs; yum! At our meetings after breakfast
we would sing choruses, hear about books on sale at the bookstall,
learn the memory verse (Psalm 1), and Andy Hambleton spoke on
different parables. Then we would have our quiet times and were
given Bible reading notes to help us. At eleven the bank, bookstall
and tuck shop were open - there was always a queue for tuck. One
day Ian refused to open the tuck shop because there was too much
litter about the place!
The afternoon activities included banana boating, canoeing, archery,
wall climbing, mountain biking, ultimate frisbee, capture the flag,
hungry hippos, volleyball, rounders and dodgeball!
In the evening meetings Ian told us about Hudson Taylor, a missionary
who went to China. On Wednesday Pamela Gaiya and wee Gracie
came to visit and Pamela told us about the work in Nigeria. After
supper we had our dorm talks where 5 or 6 campers met with a
leader and studied Joseph to see how his experience in life could
help and teach us. God was in control of what was happening to
Joseph and how faithful Joseph was in trusting God when you think
of everything that he went through!
The cooks did a great job and there was always plenty of food with
fresh fruit on supply.

FROM THE CHURCHES

Memories: campers enthusiastically building sand sculptures in
the cold and mizzle (and not a complaint!); blue sky and sunshine
at the Giants Causeway (thank you, Lord); campers engrossed in
craft (hama bead tricolours beside union flags!); the singing on
the bus journeys (more about volume than tunefulness); campers
enjoying the memory verses; chocolate pudding; children arriving
as strangers and going home as friends.
Highlights: time every day to teach wonderful truths about Jesus; a
campers words on Wednesday evening: God was in the meeting
tonight...; hearing children talking about being sure of heaven;
a boy devouring his newly purchased Bible; the sense of being
upheld in prayer, especially when the going got tough and we
were brought to the end of ourselves; praying together as a team;
campers and leaders together worshipping God, singing Lord
we lift your name on high; to visit homes after camp and see a
campers sign sitting on the mantelpiece: JESUS-100% God, 100%
man; in another home to hear a mother say, They were up there
last night in the bedroom singing their hearts out to the songs
from camp.

One night we were a little hyper so we

were taken to the games field to play
hide and seek. It did work because
when we went to bed we did sleep!
Best part of camp
The Great Inters Bake Off!
Worst part of campgoing home! But
I had a great week meeting up with
old friends and making new ones!

11

FROM THE CHURCHES

Senior Camp stayed in the Shepherds Lodge Mountain Centre.
Located in Donard Forest it has a brilliant view over the seaside town
of Newcastle. The 14 campers and 5 leaders got to know each other
quickly, and before the first evening was done we were all singing
the praises of the 2 cooks who filled us with many good things.
We needed the energy for canoeing, ultimate Frisbee, speedway,
archery, laser clay pigeon shooting, team games, volleyball,
shopping, walking, and various other camp challenges! We even had
a campfire with smores although the midges had the greatest feast
that night!
Each morning we had a meeting where we were challenged from the
Word of God as to what it really meant to be a follower, or disciple, of
the Lord Jesus. Lessons were drawn from Matthew, John and Peter
and we learned how following the Lord changes our hearts and lives.
We also heard a solemn warning from the life of Judas, who looked
like a real disciple but he never believed in Jesus personally.
Every evening we met again, learned a memory verse and discussed
the morning talks. Some campers found it easier to open up and take
part than others; but it was helpful in making sure we all understood
how the morning lessons applied to each of our own lives.
Our prayer is that campers would not only have had a great funfilled week, but also that they might know Jesus as their own Saviour
and keep following Him all their days.

12

iPads and Touch Tablets

can be witnessing tools
You are warmly invited to a special

NEXT-LIFE TEACHING SEMINAR

(9.00am-3.00pm) on Saturday 10th October in
Lisburn Road Evangelical Presbyterian Hall
489 Lisburn Road - opposite the Police Station.
(Kindly granted)
JIM McCARTHY (U.S.A) will introduce and explain his free
downloadable APP that can be used for 1 to 1 evangelism by
all Christians as friends, parents, youth workers, ministers,
pastors, teachers, evangelists, missionaries and college
campus workers.
If planning to attend you should download the APP from
http://www.jamesgmccarthy.com/
The seminar schedule will be as follows:
9:00
Instruction on how to use the APP and explain
the gospel
11:00 Role Play in which participants practise using the APP
11:45 Participants pair up and go out and use the APP in
evangelism; they also find lunch
2:00
Participants report on their evangelism, inspiring
one another
2:45
Wrap Up
3:00
End
Jim has mainly but not exclusively sought to reach
Roman Catholics for Christ and produced a popular video
documentary titled Catholicism: Crisis of Faith and has
authored several books: The Gospel According to Rome;
What You Need to Know About Roman CatholicismQuick
Reference Guide; What Every Catholic Should Ask, and
Talking with Catholic Friends and Family.
All enquiries to Cecil Andrews (Take Heed Ministries)
takeheed@aol.com
Tel: 028 9756 5511

Thank God for His protection and

enabling at camps and Holiday
Bible Clubs and for every child and
young person who heard the truth
of His word.
Pray that there will be fruit from all
the seed that has been sown, that
young ones will not harden their
hearts to the gospel and that those
who have taken the first steps of
faith will be nurtured and kept.
Pray that relationships formed
through camps and holiday clubs
will result in families coming
regularly to church.
Thank God for men and women in
the early days of our denomination
who stood for truth in the face of
ridicule.
Pray that we will appreciate
our heritage and follow in their
footsteps and that the new book
about EPCs history will bless and
encourage those who read it.

13

BOOK EXTRACT
NEW BOOK!
The Story of the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church.

Praise God for the MERF Bible

training Centre at Lokichoggio and
for the students who have received
teaching there.
Pray for them, that, despite
harrowing times, they would be
good shepherds of Gods flock in the
church in South Sudan.
Pray for all those in our church family
who mourn the loss of loved ones,
whether recently or in past years.
Pray that the Lord will draw near to
comfort, heal and provide for their
needs.
Join the Omagh congregation in
praising God for the progress of their
building work and for the interest
created in the community.
Pray with them for the Lords
continued blessing, for help in
fulfilling their financial responsibilities
and for new opportunities for
evangelism.

No up to date history of our denomination has been

available since The Origin and Witness of the Irish
Evangelical Church in 1945. This new book gives the
background to our formation in 1927, the reason for our
existence, the journey to the present and some challenges
for the future. The book is hard back, has over 400 pages
and is full of detailed information. You may even see
yourself in one of the many photographs throughout.
It is your story!
We aim to launch the book as part of the Evangelical
Book Shop Annual Lecture on Thursday 5th November at
7.30pm in our Knock Church. On that evening the author,
Ernest Brown, has agreed to give the lecture on The
Confessional Church. Afterward the book will be available
for purchase at 15. We encourage congregations and
individuals to order copies through the Bookshop, for
collection on that evening.
Whether you have been born and bred in EPC, or whether
you are interested in EPC, take it up as a must read even a suitable Christmas gift!

The following is comprised of extracts from a chapter, Gaining a Foothold,

and describes how the Irish Evangelical Church took its first steps.
These were generally hard times for the people of Britain and
Ireland. Belfast had enjoyed some 80 years of prosperity, but this
was drawing to a close at the end of the 1920s. The 19th century
Industrial Revolution applied powered machinery to manufacturing
and focused locally on the dominant linen business that had
developed as a cottage industry during the 17th century between
the rivers Bann and Lagan the Linen Homelands. Industrialisation
transferred it to factories concentrated in Belfast. People flocked
from the countryside to work in the Belfast linen mills, and the
human tragedy of the Irish Famine, 1845-1848, added to the
migration. It was largely instrumental in the rapid growth of the
population from 20,000 in 1800 to 350,000 in 1900, and 438,000
in 1939. There were over 70,000 Belfast linen employees at the end
of the 19th century, many of them women and girls the shawlies
among whom Amy Carmichael worked in the 1880s. Shipbuilding
began in 1853 and developed quickly into a golden era with Harland
and Wolff boasting the largest shipyard in the world by the early
20th century. The launch of the luxurious, technically advanced
Titanic in 1912, symbolised its prestige. Rope making also flourished
during the 19th century and the Belfast Ropeworks became the
biggest in the world, at one point employing 4,500 people.
However, Belfast did not escape the post-World War I industrial
decline nor the impact of the global Great Depression (1929-1941)

14

following the Wall Street crash of 1929. High unemployment

marked the period in many parts of the world, earning it the epithet,
the Hungry Thirties. Belfast was one of the places badly affected.
Harland and Wolffs workforce, for example, fell from 20,000 in 1924
to 2,000 in 1933. Added to this was a resurgence of political tension,
with weeks of serious violence in Belfast in 1935. Such were the
IECs early years.
The Conferences
The Irish Evangelical Church was constituted in October 1927.
An early decision was to use a series of conferences to spread
awareness of the new Church and the first was on 31 March 1928 in
the YMCA Minor Hall. The Hall was filled, some being present from
the counties of Down, Antrim, Tyrone and Derry. The handwritten
programme, showing that five congregations or groups were already
in existence, outlined an afternoon meeting of two hours duration.
It began with the singing of Psalm 121, and ended with The
Churchs One Foundation, both from Alexanders Hymns No 3. The
YMCA Minor Hall, and on one occasion the Large Hall, featured as
Conference venues, but less often than congregational venues. The
first of these was in Ballyclare on 1 September 1928 followed by an
open-air meeting which formed a large ring in Market Square. A
Special Bus took the Belfast contingent.
At the May 1928 Conference, Charles E Hunter of Ballyclare
gave his testimony and his reasons for separation from the Irish
Presbyterian Church. W J McDowell, the Churchs Colporteur
addressed the gathering in April 1929. There were some wellknown speakers at these Conferences too: Dr E J Pace Director of
the Field Extension Department of the Moody Bible Institute in
Florida spoke in October 1929 and Rev. R Wright Hay, Secretary of
the Bible League, in January 1930. Rev. Angus Mackay, Free Church
of Scotland, Kingussie, was the speaker in April 1930, and Dr Basil
C Atkinson, Under-Librarian of Cambridge University, in January
1931. Missionaries addressed two of the Conferences. Of special
significance was the ordination of Rev. W J Grier at the Lisburn Road
Conference on 20 July 1929. Another highlight was the visit of Dr
Lewis Sperry Chafer, President of Evangelical College, Dallas, Texas,
on 28 June 1930.
Dr Gresham Machen, President and Professor of New Testament of
Westminster Theological Seminary formed in 1929, visited Belfast in
June 1932. He addressed a conference in the Botanic Avenue Church
on Saturday afternoon, 25 June 1932, and another in the Wellington
Hall of Belfast YMCA on the following afternoon. On Sunday morning
he preached at Knock and in the evening at Crosscollyer Street. Dr
Cornelius Van Til, Westminster Theological Seminary, addressed a
Botanic Avenue Conference on 10 September 1938. He spoke on 1
Cor 1.20-21: Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the
disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of
this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom
knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to
save them that believe. He said that it was plain that the Schools
of Philosophy of Pauls day had no answer to Pauls challenge, and
that likewise the modern thinkers had no answer to the Christian
challenge, no solution to offer for the real problems of life, its origin
and destiny. He appealed to his audience to hold fast manfully and
consistently to that which was the wisdom of God.
So the first decade saw the Conference become a regular feature
of denominational life with most congregations hosting, and some
establishing it as an annual event. During the period its purpose
evolved from external advertising to internal bonding.

The Irish Evangelical

In 1987, Rev Joseph McCracken, then a retired missionary in South
Africa, wrote a 60th anniversary article on the Evangelical Book
Shop. In it he looked back on his own early days as an employee
in the Shop: I can recall the day when I said to Mr Grier, We need
a magazine, and he heartily agreed, and so was born The Irish
Evangelical with Rev W J Grier as editor. In February 1933 the
title became more ornate and superimposed on a sketch of the
seven-branch Golden Lampstand of the Tabernacle. The Lampstand
symbolised the churchs calling to be the light of the world, fuelled
by the oil of the Holy Spirit and energised by the power of Christ
(Ex 25.31-40; Zech 4; Rev 1.12, 20). To the left was the Chi Rho
monogram of the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, and
on the right, the Alpha and Omega, signifying that the Lord Jesus
Christ is the beginning and the end of all things. (Rev 1.8) The text in
the lower left box changed with each issue.
The first issue 16 pages June 1928, set a lasting pattern. It
carried substantive articlesexegetical, devotional, evangelistic,
and missionary with an IEC news section emphasising the need for
prayer. There were Gleaningsbrief quotations from well-known
Christian writers. Its strong polemical note was a feature of W J
Griers 50-year editorship, presenting a global picture of Higher
Criticism, evolution, modernism, ecumenism, and the suffering of
the church in parts of the world. The back page began its lasting
Evangelical Book Shop advertisement of Bibles, devotional, doctrinal,
teachers and childrens books, the Revised Psalters and
Hymn Books.
The First Congregations
The strategy of meeting in homes with supporting conferences
produced 10 congregations in the first five years, 1927-1932. Knock
and Crosscollyer Street opened in October 1927, meeting at first as
house churches. Shaftesbury Square began in November 1927 with
evening services in a Lisburn Road home before starting morning
worship on 11 December 1927 in a Shaftesbury Square hall.
Ballyclare (1928), Jocelyn Avenue (1930), Clintyfallow (1931) also
began in members houses. Somerton Road (1929) started in the
local Unionist Hall, Crumlin (1929) in the Market Hall, and Slatehill,
between Carrickfergus and Ballynure, was a Mission Hall. There was
tremendous fervour in those early days. There were nights of prayer
in the Shaftesbury Square Hall, until the man in the house next door
started hammering the wall when the prayer and praise continued
into the middle of the night. After that it was half nights that
stopped at midnight. They preached in the open air. They used every
means that they could. This was a time of encouraging progress but
it outstripped the limited manpower resources and produced its own
difficulties as later became apparent.

15

Best of the Blogs

A selection of online blogs and articles to challenge and
encourage you in your walk with God and his people
Making the most of Sunday (Joe Thorn)
(www.alliancenet.org/christward/making-the-most-ofsunday#.VY_00Ie9KK1)
Corporate worship on the Lords day is precious to the people
of God. We are invited to gather together for fellowship with
God and one another through both word and sacrament,
prayer and song. This gathering is perhaps the most beautiful,
earthly picture we have of the church as we, of differing
backgrounds and interests, unite together in Jesus Christ. Joe
Thorn encourages us to make the most of this magnificent
privilege by making sure that we prepare for, participate in,
and reflect upon the public worship of God.
Have I committed the unpardonable sin? (Rick Phillips)
(www.reformation21.org/blog/2015/06/have-i-committedthe-unpardona.php)
Many Christians live under the affliction of fearing that
they have committed a special sin that places them in an
unpardonable category. Despite their faith in Jesus, they have
been led to believe that a certain prior action in their lives has
effectively triggered a special clause that will keep them from
heaven. Rick Phillips helpfully unpacks the difficult words of
Jesus concerning blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
What happened on the cross? (Mike Riccardi)
(www.thecripplegate.com/theories-of-the-atonement-whathappened-on-the-cross/)
Throughout church history, there have been various views
and theories that conceptualize the nature of Christs work
on the cross. Because the atonement runs to the very heart
of the Gospel, its important for us to know how people
throughout the history of the church have understood the
work of Christ, and to be able to test each by Scripture.
6 reasons why membership matters (Kevin De Young)
(www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/
kevindeyoung/2015/05/14/6-reasons-why-membershipmatters/)
For many Christians membership sounds stiff, something
you have at your bank or the country club, but too formal for
the church. Even if its agreed that Christianity is not a lone
ranger religion, that we need community and fellowship with
other Christians, we still bristle at the thought of officially
joining a church. Why all the hoops? Why box the Holy Spirit
16

into member/non-member categories? Why bother joining

a local church when Im already a member of the universal
Church?
The Fear of the Lord (Mark Johnston)
(www.alliancenet.org/placefortruth/column/resident-aliens/
the-fear-of-the-lord)
Mark Johnston has a helpful article on a frequently overlooked
aspect of the Christian life. A rediscovery of what it means
to fear the LORD will impact the kind of worship we offer
(Hebrews 12:28), the service we render (2 Corinthinas 7:1)
and the witness we bear to a hostile world (1 Peter 3:15).
Therein indeed lies the skill for living that will transform our
lives and reach the world with the gospel.
How we do family devotions (Tim Challies)
(www.challies.com/christian-living/how-we-do-familydevotions)
I am a believer in family devotions. So are most of you, Im
sure. But when I talk to other Christians, and especially to
men, I find that this little family tradition is the source of a lot
of regret and frustration. Many Christians feel that familiar
sense of guilt whenever they stop to think about it. For
something so simple family devotions sure are hard.