Let's put Christ back in to Christmas!

It is that time of year when our thoughts turn to the planning of the festive activities at Christmas. It is one of my favourite times for two reasons: firstly as a dad, I enjoy having the family around at Christmas time spending time together and watching the joy on their faces as they open Christmas presents. But I also enjoy the season because it is the time we Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus.

You may be hard pushed to find any mention of Jesus in Christmas television adverts, or Christmas cards we send to family and friends. It seems that society, in the name of being ‘politically correct’ wish to squeeze out the very mention of the ‘reason for the season’ so as not to offend those that don’t believe in Jesus. However, they do not wish to do away with the celebration as it would severely impact their annual profits!

Instead they have replaced Jesus with a rather ‘larger than life’ character in a red suit with elves, or a jolly snowman in a snowy scene flying, so some other substitute to distract us from the true meaning of Christmas. They are quite happy to promote the image of Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, to be the true meaning of the day, but even that created character originated from the real Saint Nicholas, (shortened to Santa Claus) the Bishop of Myra in Asia in the fourth century.

It is told that he liked to give money to the needy anonymously, and so one day he climbed on the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney of a needy family. The purse landed in the stockings of a young girl as they hung over the fireplace to dry. In memory of him, it was customary to give gifts on the eve of St Nicholas Day, 6^th December. In some countries that tradition has continued; in others it was moved to 25^th December – a date chosen by the Romans as a Christian takeover of the Roman festival celebrating the unconquerable Sun which celebrated the days getting longer. Our word Yule-tide is derived from the celebration an old Anglo Saxon god again concerning the rebirth of the winter sun.

I hope that you will see through the commercialism of our Christmas celebrations and perhaps pause for a moment to consider what Christmas really is all about. Amongst all the hype and business, there are some who celebrate the birth of the Son of God, the Saviour of the world who brought the true meaning of love into our world.

Whatever your beliefs, I pray that you will have a joyful time this Christmas

Progressive Church?

I read an interesting item online today talking about "progressive church" and how to identify whether you are in one. I have to say I was disheartened but not surprised that some churches are becoming "progressive" by watering down God's Word to make the church more "acceptable" to society. Progressive churches promote an alternate gospel where you are free to choose your own truth! They believe that by doing this will make the church more inclusive.

The problem I have with this approach is that they completely misunderstand that the gospel is fully inclusive! God accepts us as we are and it is by deciding to follow His way and allowing His Holy Spirit to work within us that we become more Christ-like. We are work in progress! Some churches believe that you must behave like a Christian before you can come to church to become a Christian. Utter tosh!

Now I accept that the church has to evolve in how it presents the gospel, but the message is still the same "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16.

The church also has to learn the lesson that the bible repeats time and again "Do not judge, or you too will be judged!" Matthew 7:1. Unfortunately, mention church to some folk, and they will respond back about the judgemental attitude many Christians present. If Christians put more effort in to telling the Good News of the gospel, rather than judging others actions and lifestyles, the church would be growing faster than it is today!

I've arrived!

This time last week, we were unloading a removal lorry and entering our new home, the manse. I was surprised by the number of natives walking past the garden gate welcoming me into the village. They knew who I was by a photograph published in the village newsletter, which left me with a disadvantage ... they all knew me, but I didn't know many of them! That said, the welcome has been very warm with neighbours bringing meals over knowing we wouldn't get to unpack the food boxes for a while.

Waking up on the morning of day two, the house still filled with packing boxes everywhere, I looked out of the bedroom window to a new view realizing that this is now my mission field ... in a sleepy hollow of a village in the Oxfordshire countryside.

The challenges in this parish are not of poverty, but of wealth, not of violent crime but bored teenagers who really have nothing in the village! In the past, the village folk worked at the local brewery, ironstone quarry, railway station and farms, now only the brewery and a few farms remain. Most villagers commute to work miles away, or work from home using the wonders of the Internet. Yet there is still a strong sense of community with numerous clubs and events which brings people together.

My challenge, as the new pastor, is to integrate into that community so much that the Baptist church is fully immersed among them, building relationships and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

The manse is slowly becoming a home as more boxes are emptied. We can now see the floors and no longer have to navigate the maze of boxes. Now it's time to get to work!

Sabatical over! New challenge ahead.

Although I shouldn't be, I am constantly surprised by the grace of God. Just when I thought my pastoral ministry was over, my heavenly Father surprises me by calling me back into pastoral ministry.

I feel really blessed to be called to a Baptist church in Oxfordshire where the fellowship, although small in number, make up for it in their warmth and enthusiasm to reach their community with the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Although I started in my role last month, and officially inducted this month, I am moving into the village this Friday. I have already received a warm welcome from a number in the community, and I look forward to living right in the middle of it!

Follow this blog to read about the blessings and challenges that God will give as we share the love of Jesus with all who are willing to listen.

Bless you for reading,

Pastor Pete

Are we throwing out the baby with the bath water?

I was invited to preach recently at a church where they use Baptist Praise and Worship as their songbook. This caused me a little issue as I have been using Songs of Fellowship and others for my song selection over the last twenty years. However, not to be daunted by the challenge, I purchased a second-hand copy  of BPW (not one taken from a local church!) so I could select some hymns/songs for the service and have the right hymn numbers.

I strolled down the lane of nostalgia as I came across countless old hymns and songs that I had left far behind me in my leading services. Names such as Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, Joachim Neander, Timothy Dudley-Smith and many others came flooding back to me.

It seems that in our haste to "sing a new song" we can leave out the richness of those spirit-filled songwriters of yesteryear from our services. I am sure I will be finding a place for them in some of my order of services to come!

I think God is trying to tell me something!

I was preparing a sermon for a preaching engagement on Sunday morning, and as usual, I prayed to God to ask what He would want me to preach on. I was led to Like 24:13-35 and the discussion between followers of Jesus walking to Emmaus and Jesus who happened to be disguised from them supernaturally.

The sermon structure came easily as it usually does when God is in control, but just as I was finishing off and my mind drifting to future ministry and what it might be, I was led back to Luke 24:25 when Jesus said to them "‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!"

Now I am not usually one to take a word out of context, but sometimes the Lord speaks through this type of revelation. If it were in isolation, I would ignore it, but after the other weekend ....

From this I know that I don't have to force the issue and try and find what God wants me to do next and where! I will continue to seek Him in my quiet times and studies and I am sure He will reveal more to me when I need to know.

Anyway, it's time to finish off the service plan for Sunday and print off my sermon notes!

Ministry: The Return!

Just before Christmas I felt the Lord calling me to return to ministry. I have really enjoyed my sabbatical and spending more time with the family, moving house, etc. It has been great to be part of Chipping Campden Baptist Church under Phil and Edward's leadership and teaching and receiving from God. However, it would seem my sabbatical is coming to an end as the Lord prepares me for my next role.

I now have the exciting time in exploring the calling to return and to be led by God to the place He wants me to serve Him. I know that the right door will open and all the various things fall in to place.

I finally had the opportunity to go on retreat last weekend after a number of abortive attempts. It was a great time to be alone with God at the Red Hill Christian Centre watching the snow falling, thinking that if I got snowed in, I'd have a great excuse to extend my retreat.

During the evening, I was pondering on all the events since Christmas that has affirmed the return to ministry, and wondering whether they were just coincidences and God led me to Matthew 15:16 where Jesus asked His disciple Peter "Are you still so dull?" (Peter had asked Jesus to explain what He meant by a parable!)

Nuff said!