Table Of Content

ISSUE 11.1- SPRING2004 1 Contents What if the blessing doesn't come? 1 Editorial 6 Evangelical Statesmanship DavidFWright 11The Power in Preaching David]ackman Since returning to Scotland nine particularly speak to those who are months ago,I have become in faithfully doing the Lord's work and 14 ChurchToday? creasinglyawareofasenseofdis- seeinglittlefruit,and perhaps evensee NigelBarge illusionment and fear among many ing the situation grow worse. ministers and other church leaders. This will not be cheap advice. 19 Follow the Lord Fully Secularism,unbeliefand adisappearing There is nothing easier than to stand RobertMurray McCheyne ofthe Christian consensus in many outside a situation and, with second areas,including the sexual, provide a hand knowledge, offer quick and easy 24The MinisterasTheologian bleak backdrop for the work ofthe fixes. Indeed, many in situations of BobFyaIl gospel. Church decline seems inexo great pressure are reluctant to ask for rable,and,apart from afew exceptions, advice, knowing that what they will 29 Bob Fyallmeets evangelical churches are declining as get will oftenbe based on the assump Ann Alien well. In spite ofdecades offaithful tion that they are responsible for the preaching and praying the tide does situation, and that ifthey did things 32 Book Reviews not appear to be turning. differently- in otherwordsthe waythe My last editorial in the November personadvisingdoes them- the desert issueappealedfor usto think in terms would blossomlike the rose. of,turning the tide' rather than'hold Let'smake no bones aboutit. We all ing the fort'. This editorial is not a have ourfaultsand weaknesses. We all withdrawal ofthat,rather anattemptto have quirks oftemperament and per faceup to that most disturbing ofques sonality. These are seldom the root tions, 'What ifthe blessing doesn't cause for the spiritual wasteland we come?' Iwant usto face honestly the often face. Most ministers Iknow are formidable problems and obstacles. painfully conscious oftheir failings, This letter is relevant to us all in our andbringthese to the Lord and askhis work ofministry, but I hope it will graceasthey battlewiththem. Insuch 2 THE RUTHERFORDJOURNAL OF CHURCH & MINISTRY circumstancessimply to be told that if Jesus knows more aboutfishing than the you did things differently allwouldbe well is likely to change gloom into fishermen do. Jesus knows more about despair.WhatIwantto do in this edi torialisto lookatfivemythswhichare ministry than we do;after all it is his profoundly unhelpful, and then make some tentative suggestions. Myths al ministry wayshave some truth in them, that is why they become myths, but I am asanindividualisnot the sameascom concerned that collectively and used ing to aliving faith. We can all think unthinkingly these can crush people ofpeople with whom we get on well who are already struggling. who are no nearerto Christthan they were whenwe firstmet them. Indeed they may use theirpersonalfriendship Ittakes time with you asan evasion ofever engag Thereistruth here. We cannotexpect ing with the gospel. Moreover,some to go into asituationand revolutionise people's idea oflove is that you treat it overnight. But ifthe months and them like children, indulging every years pass and spiritual life seems far whimand avoiding anythinglike con away as ever, what then? The first frontation. We must realisewe allhave thing that needs to be said isthat the different temperaments,and God uses phraseisfundamentallywrong. It does us as ourselves. Some ofus are too not'take time', it takes God. All that keen to fight and we can easilymistake time does ispasses;it isnotsomething aggressivenessforfaithfulness. Some of magic. It is true that God usually us are too unwilling to fight and say works gradually through means, but that it iswrongto takesides.We must there are golden moments when he realisewhich side ofthe spectrumwe actsin aspectacularway and we callit tend towards and try to avoid its ex 'miraculous'. We must not imagine if cesses. I know few ministers who do we have toiled all night and caught not have a genuine love for people. nothing that the Lord may not have a However, many get utterly discour miraculous catch ready in the morn aged when their best efforts are ing. Readagain in Luke 5:1-11 when misunderstood and misrepresented, exactly that happens. The story isre and warmth and gentleness are met markably encouraging. The obvious with hostilityand suspicion. Not eve point is that the Lord spectacularly ryone will respond,however muchyou provided a catch to people who had love. Jesus was rejected by those he toiledlongand fruitlessly.Whatisof loved and came to save. When you ten ignored is that the other point of meethostilityand even hatredyou are this story is that Jesus knows more beginning to share something of'the about fishing than the fishermen do. fellowship of his sufferings' Jesusknows more about ministry than (Philippians 3:10). we do; after all it is his ministry. It's notaquestion oftakingtime,ratherit Ifyoupreachwellyouwill save is about a daily relationship with the people Lord. Blessing,undreamedof,may be round the corner. Ofcourse there ispreachingwhich is deadly dull and preachers who, after three minutes,make you lose the will Ifyoulovepeopletheywill to live. Likewise there is a genuine respond hunger for good preaching and many It hardly needs to be saidthat there is whowillwelcome and benefitfrom it. clearly some truth here. No one re Yet the idea that ifyou preach with sponds well to people who clearly do power,winsomeness and relevancewill not care for them. Yetit istoo facile. automaticallylead to growingcongre For one thing,respondingwell to you gations and warm-hearted response is ISSUE 11.1- SPRING2004 3 may appear attractive. But the manse there is preaching which is deadly dull and is a tied house and the minister may have no provision for retirement; the preachers who, after three minutes, make you salaryisprobably much lessthan oth erwise would have been possible and lose the will to live the 'support' group may be a mutual admiration society where someone strugglingwill be reluctant to confess surely wrong. The more effectively failure. you preach the more people will see Second, comparisons ofthe above the need to' change. Some will re kind areasunhelpfulascomparisons in spond; others will hate you more for the opposite direction. There will al preaching well than for preaching waysbe others who seem to be having badly. Preachingwhichisdull can be a much easier time. Comparing our safelyignored and people can sit in a selves to those worse offwill induce comfortable fog and never be chal guilt; to those better off, resentment. lenged. Norisit true to saythat ifyou The truthisthat Godknows where he preach the love of Christ people's hascalled usand he isin controlofall hearts will melt. I remember in the that happens. earlydaysofmyministry that the mes sage ofunconditional love ofChrist It's nothingpersonal wasthe onewhichcaused deepestof fence. Ifpeople do not believe in Again,there isadeep underlyingtruth grace, they will be enraged by a mes here. We need to remember God's sage which means that all they can words to Samuel,'It is not you that contribute to their salvation is their they have rejected, but they have re sinfulness. Ultimatelymany people do jected me' (1 Same8:7). Ifit is truly not want to go to heaven when they Christwe arepresenting,thenit isnot discover they have to sing'worthythe ourselves but him who is being re Lamb'whenwhat they want to singis jected. However, only the most 'worthy am 1'. Preach the love of insensitive couldfailto be deeply hurt Christ,but do notbe surprised ifit is by deliberately malicious and thought met withresentmentratherthan grati less remarks. When attacks are tude. personalised and linked to your own practice, temperaments and behaviour, it isdifficult not to take these 'person Others arefindingitmore ally'. This isexacerbated, ifthe attack difficult ismade in the course ofameetingand This is in many respects true. The others who know better connive at it persecutedchurchinsome partsofthe by their silence. This does not mean world isfacing intimidation,violence that ministers are always right, but it and death itself. Moreover, many peo does mean that ifthey are ministering ple in our congregations are facing sincerely and honestly, and are con relentlesslypressurisedworkinglivesto sciousofmuchfailure,they do deserve say nothing of personal tragedies. the prayerful support ofothers rather That isall undeniable,but asa pasto thanjibes about being unable to take ral strategy to help discouraged criticism. ministers itisdisastrousfor atleasttwo In 2Corinthians,the letterin which reasons. First,we canknow the exter Paul most passionately and movingly nal pressures on someone, or at least speaks ofthe many hardships ofhis some ofthem. Whatwe cannotknow ministry,he asks,'Who isequal to such are the battles being fought with the a task?' (2:16). The work ofthe min world, the flesh and the devil. Out istry seems to become ever more wardly all may appear well. The difficult, exacerbated by the kinds of provision ofa manse, a regular salary, pressures I have already outlined. other resources and support groups There are no easy solutions and I do 4 THE RUTHERFORDJOURNAL OF CHURCH & MINISTRY notwant to fallinto the trap oflectur Feed yourselfon God~ Word, and even if ing others on what they ought to be doing. I do,however, want to suggest noone else is responding, then you will be six principles which may- help some, particularlyifthey are strugglingwith growing more like Christ the kind ofissuesI have raised. 1. Don't lose confidence in God's word. In the midst ofthe battle re then,to your dismay,heardyour con 6. Be open to new possibilities. If member that when the Bible is fidence abused aspeople said,'so and you arein asituationwhichisparticu unfoldedChristispresentedto people. soishaving problems'.The devilwants larly hard and fruitless, it may be that Paul, again in 2 Corinthians, tells us to prevent people praying; ifhe can't God is calling you on to something that some will smell the gracious do that, how delicious it isfor him to else.It may not be, and only walking 'aroma ofChrist' (2:15) and will turn seeprayertimes turnedinto thinly-dis with God and listening to his voice to him. Others, however, will smell guised gossipsessions.Thereisalesson will help you to decide.There is cer the stench ofdeath (2:16)andwill hate for us all here. Ifwe receive confi tainlynojustificationfor runningaway you for it. Ifyou are in a situation dences we must keep them.We arenot at the first difficulty; nor is there for where that secondresponseisthe most good at providing safe places where stubbornlystayingon whenotherpos prominent, then remember that the people can reveal their vulnerabilities sibilities begin to open. It is no less preaching is having an effect. Feed without fear ofthese becoming the wrongto staywhen Godwants you to yourselfon God'sWord, and, even if topic ofgossip.Ifyou can find a soul go asto go when he wantsyou to stay. no-one else is responding, then you mate that isa true gift ofGod. Ifyou are certain you are where God will be growing more like Christ. has called you, then look to him for 4. Don't neglect your family. Part further grace and blessing. 2. Remember you are not the ofthe relentlesspressurewhichleadsto Above allrememberthat Godloves Messiah. Itwouldbe anentirely good stressandburnoutisthe unbiblicalidea you and has good purposes for you. thingifministersstoppedusingphrases that ifthere isaneed,then the minis RutherfordHouse's motto isEncourag such as'my people' and 'my parish'. ter must meet it.This often leads to ingEffectiveMinistryand it ispart ofits That is assuming the role ofChrist neglect ofspouse and family. Ifyou are purpose to try to help those who are himself. Ifwe are'doingwell' that can marriedyou made vowstoyour spouse finding ministrydifficult.Iwouldwel lead to pride and a sense ofindispen aswell asto yourcongregation.Ifyou come opportunities to listen to and sability.Ifwe arestrugglingwithfailure areaparent Godhasgiven you the re speakwithanywhowant to sharetheir it can lead to despair and a crippling sponsibility ofcaring for these young experiences, and to talk and pray sensethat we aresolelyresponsible for lives.We need to make time for our throughsome ofthe issuesraisedhere. the health ofthe church. 'Feed the families, not as an extra chore, but as church ofGodwhichhe haspurchased an indispensable part ofourlives. The words ofPaul speak powerfully with his own blood', said Paul to the into all our situations ofministry:'Be Ephesian elders (Acts 20: 28).The 5. Don't be too hard on yourself. steadfast, immovable, always abound ministry suffers from today's lack of DisciplineispartofChristianliving as ing in the work ofthe Lord, knowing respectfor authorityfigures.Many find we resistthe devil and hisalliesin our that in the Lord, yourlabour isnot in themselves in that worst ofall situa own fallen nature. But, two words of vain'. (1 Cor. 15:58) tions - put on an unrealistic pedestal caution.Whatever disciplines we may and expectedto haveno faults,and yet adopt are a matter for the Lord and See 'Notefromthe Editor' deprived ofthe authority given in a ourselvesand arenot forpublic display, -nextpage more deferential age.That kind ofau especiallyifused asastickwith which thority, derivedfrom statusratherthan to beat others. Secondly, we must gift,waswrongand we must notmake avoid a kind of pseudo-spirituality lifemore difficultforourselvesbycon which tries to be holier than God. nivingwith bogus ideas ofministerial God knows our frailty and we do the status. causeofChristno serviceifwe do not likewise recognise ourown weakness. 3. Try to pray with a trusted Find aplace to which you can retreat friend.This may not alwaysbe possi from time to time and allow the Spirit ble.You may have had the experience to renewyou. ofsharing confidences with someone you imagined you could trust, and ISSUE 11.1- SPRING2004 5 NotefromtheEditor As I said in the last edition ofthe Journal the whole purpose ofthis publicationisto help people involved in churchand ministry; we welcome comments and suggestions both on its contents and on areaswe may be .neglecting. The Editorial tries to address the senseoffailureandforebodingwhich is so much·part of the Christian scene,and Ihopethiswillleadto dis cussion and helpful debate.The article on TheMinisterasTheologian is a version ofa talk given recently at the Crieff Fellowship. One ofthe issueswe wrestle with as evangelicals is our relationship with the national church. David Wright's article on Evangelical States manship, also originally given at Crieff,helpfully guides ourthinking and I hope will also lead to further thinking. Nigel Barge in Church To day thinks throughwhatit means to be a church true to Scripture and engagingwith culture. DavidJackman, Director ofthe ProclamationTrust, in The Power in Preaching,which originallyappeared in PTMedia,callsusto trulybiblical preaching.Again there ismuch food for thought.Thisjournaliscommit ted to the centrality ofpreaching, and from time to time we have printed asermonfrom agiant ofan earlier generation,notthat we might imitate their style but rather catch something oftheirvision. Follow the LordFullyis a stirring sermon from Robert Murray McCheyne on an other visionary figure, Caleb. Overthe yearsone ofthe most in teresting features ofthe Journal has been AnnAllen meets.... This time it is her turn to be interviewed, and I'm sure readers will find her com ments fascinating and challenging. 6 THE RUTHERFORDJOURNAL OF CHURCH & MINISTRY David F Wright M y subject isthe craftor style within a connexional or corporate and responsibilities. In aspirmg to or practice of being an Church, such as the Church ofScot make this an ever greaterreality,much evangelical minority in a land or the Church ofEngland or will depend on our own outlook and mixed Church.Ihavenotattemptedto Methodism. One advantage ofinde attitudes. How do we, no doubt for ground it explicitly in Scripture, and pendencymay be that it haslittle need the most part unconsciously, see our hence can claimfor what Isayno au ofsuch avirtue!And to the extent to selvesin relation to the widerChurch? thority beyond that of reflective which, in the national Church, we There isscope here for ahealthy dose experience - perhaps what the Bible approximate to practical independency ofself-knowledge. sometimes calls'wisdom'. I am aware it is correspondingly lessrelevant.We Broad-churchpeoplemaywellview ofthe danger that it may be too close explicitly eschew any suggestion of us asoddballs whose true place isnot to an apologia pro vita meaofover a schism or external separation,but it is in the national Church: we are thirdofacenturyin amixedfaculty of quite possible to operate internally as 'fundies' who ought to join up with Divinity,and for that reason be in need separatists, unwittingly or even delib the Free Church or Free Presbyterians, ofcorrection.Butperhaps the perspec erately.We avoid asmuch contactwith or in many casescrypto-Baptists who tives I have gained partly in that non-evangelicals as possible, retreat shouldhonourably resign andjointhe context may be relevant to others in into our congregations and frequent local credobaptist fellowship, or gos very different situations. the fraternities ofthe like-minded,es pel-folk who properly belong to the My remarks relate largely to the caping contamination and guilt by city mission or the SalvationArmy or Church ofScotland, and will be less association. Perhaps when conserva some other non-ecclesial group.Well, relevant to otherChurches in Scotland tiveswere atiny minority,some resort we cannot stop the birds flying over and to the Presbyterian Churchin Ire to a degree ofdefacto independency our heads (and even depositing their landin which evangelicals are notin a within the Kirk was essential to sur droppings on us),but we can prevent minority. It should be said,in passing, vivaland quite understandable.Butthe them making nests in our hair. We that concentration on minority exist statesmanship ofwhich I am speaking must not believe what others believe ence should not be taken to imply a is notfocussed on survival, and isin aboutus.We must notacquiesce in the belief that, if or when evangelicals consistent with internal separatism. identitythey assignus.Let us get such become a majority, all will be plain It consistsratherin living asfullciti labels and characterizations clean out sailing!We will then need to return to zens of the state, unapologetically, ofour hair. this subject, with perhaps more acute unashamedly and comprehensively Andmost certainlywe must notbe urgency. Church-of-Scotland people.This is have as though they were right and This evangelical statesmanship ises where we belong,it isour home,here allow ourselves to be pushedoutonto sentially a churchly skill or virtue we have and claimfull citizen rights- the fringe.We must rise above the es- ISSUE 11.1- SPRING2004 7 capism that will unwittingly confirm offers Assembly-people), and also the verdict others passon us. Thereis committee-people.And thismeans not allthe difference in the worldbetween amere tokenpresencebut active con acknowledging that in the present tributory participationwhichwill call Church ofScotland (but not in the for preparationbyprayer,thought and world-wide church) ours isaminority consultation,and isnotpossible with stance, and concurring in thought or out expenditure oftime and effort. practice with the verdict that it is ec The evangelical casetoo often goes centric and even illegitimate. by default; it issimply not heard.This Experience suggests that not all ofus may be decreasingly soin Presbyteries have alwaysrefused to let others assign but is still too common, despite our usourplace and ouridentity.It ispos growing numbers, in other contexts, sible to sell the pass at this psychological level. Ifyou give any There is after all a strange butgenuine house-roomto the notionthat you are queer, the chances are that you will comfort in being a wallflower ifyoufind begin to act queerly too.There isafter all a strange but genuine comfort in dancing excruciating beingawallflower ifyou find dancing excruciating. A marginalized oddbod is not often called to assume taxing not least the various courses and con responsibilities.This is where healthy ferences organizedby central agencies self-knowledge isimportant. or Presbytery Committees.Excusesare Much more could be said on this easily made, normally in the assump basic point. Do we in reality move tion, spoken or unspoken, that these more in the company of other occasions will be a waste oftime be evangelicals than in Church ofScot cause as often as not their very land circles? In recent years many starting-point is misguided.Whether Evangelicalsin the Church ofEngland this is true or not, others will attend have stressed that they are not and will be influenced by them. Ab evangelicals who happen to be also sentee evangelicals will have no Anglicans but as much Anglicans as opportunity ofinfluencing partici they are evangelicals. They have un pants,who may wellbe cryingoutfor ambiguously abandoned any notion light and encouragement. Statesman that they arein the establishedChurch ship must aim to influence others and because it is'a goodboatto fishfrom'. that requires usto be where others are. In accordance with the ordination Such involvement may even have a pledge to seekthe good ofthe Church, sacrificial dimension for us. evangelicalsofastatesmanlikemindare 2. AReadiness to 'Getour Hands called to cherish and honour the Dirty' Church rather than merely use it,and to riseto theirfullheightasChurchof Scotland people concerned for 'the There isno alternative to operatingin whole state ofChrist's Church'. This messysituations wherewe havenotset assumescommitmentto the Churchof the agenda and will not have the final Scotland that is longterm, full-time, word (and where the practice ofsub whole-hearted, with fullness ofspirit mitting minority reports is not and mind. established). In such muddied waters What will this require in practice? we will have to steer by such maxims I make six points, out ofmany more as'half-a-loafisbetterthan no bread', that couldbe made: and'thelesseroftwo evils'. Idoubtif statesmanship is compatible with an 1. Presence and Involvement all-or-nothingmentality. The reform ing campaigns ofShaftesburyillustrate The essential minimum is that we be the kind ofgradualism we may need: Presbytery-people (andwhenoccasion better a law that allows,for example, 8 THE RUTHERFORDJOURNAL OF CHURCH & MINISTRY excessive working hours for children first-order matter after all.We recall than totally unregulated licence. One that evangelicals are not themselves person's gradualismisanotherperson's agreed about the import ofrelevant compromise, and compromise may scripturalpassageson women's roles.It bring discomfort and even guilt-feel must be difficult to function in a ings. statesmanlike way ifone's convictions require usto shunordainedwomenin 3. ADistinctionbetweenFirst the Kirk.These reflections indicate Order and Second-OrderIssues that even a distinction between first orderand second-orderconcerns may In practice we probably all function be inadequate.A three-fold ordering with some such distinction. We know mayprove more serviceable.Iam more whatissueswe would resign over!But inclinedto believe that atwo-fold dis perhaps we needto thinkfurtherabout tinction is sufficient. The tricky the distinction,for it relates not solely business isnot so much prioritising as to resignation. It helps to determine determininghow to actwithintegrity what we get worked up about,where ifafirst-order principle isbreached. we expend our spiritual and intellec The distinctionislikelyto be drawn tual and emotional energy, what we at a different point in a frontier mis can live with, how we fix our priori sionary contextthan in the settingofa ties. From time to time I receive predominandy Christian society. The requests for help from individuals con task ofthe Church in Scotland is in cernedaboutthisor that question. Not process ofchanging from the chiefly infrequendythese are ofsuch an order pastoral to the chiefly missionary. In that part ofmy counsel is that they some housing-scheme areas (UPAs), should not be losing too much sleep the Churchishangingon byitsfinger over them. nails.In such situations the challenge is Theparticulardividing-line that we not so much to renew and reform an draw betweenfirst-order and second untaught eldership asto find elders at orderissuesisunlikely to be applicable all, male or female. This transitional universally or permanently.This ex situation isavery uncomfortable one, plains why some who have scruples withawidevariety ofexperiences and about women as ministers or elders some dramatically stark contrasts be apparendyhaveno qualmsaboutsend tween the strongest and the weakest. ing and supporting women The first/second-order divide will fall missionaries who may almost be run at different places accordingly. ning churches overseas. Allofuswill endorsethe conviction Remaining in a church which or that we must put'truth before conse dains women as elders, deacons and quences'. Yet some second-order ministersmaybe uncomfortable or dis issuesoftruth can be pursued in such tressingfor someonewho views this as away asto obscure the magnitude of afirst-orderissuewhichthe churchhas first-order truth and frustrate the task setded wrongly. Squaring one's con ofvindicating it. If you are going to science by citing considerations the stake, make sure you have a big which mitigate the offence ('the enough causeto diefor. Statesmendie church changed the rules after I was only for matters ofhigh principle. In ordained';'the churchisimperfect and Augustine's pungent axiom it is not we must work for the reformation') beingput to death that makes martyrs tend to suggest that it isperhaps nota butthe grounds ofexecution (martyres non[acitpoena,sedcausa).The world The tricky business is not so much has little respect for the self-sought martyrdom ofthe obsessed eccentric, prioritising as determining how to act with the incurable bee-in-the-bonnet, the hobby-horse that isridden to death. integrity ifafirst-order principle is breached ISSUE 11.1- SPRING2004 9 And remember that disappointed doctrine and on some issues ofper would-be martyrs in the early centu sonal and social ethics,butourrelative ries became monks - internal indifference to the building of a separatists. Christian socety is essentially un-Re Inescapable first-order issues are in formed and un-Calvinist.We are in my view not far to seek. The cluster fact dependent within the present ofquestions grouped under the head Church upon the contributons made ing of religious pluralism, with by sectors and traditions that do not interfaith services and wholesale share our evangelicalism. Perhaps the inclusivist theologies, and the evalua Lord will not give us a majority until tion of the homosexual option are we are better prepared to cater for likely to throw up first-order chal the wide-ranging demands ofbeing a lenges in the near future. The national Church. Our limited con multi-religious challenge will soon cerns may hold us back - God be ofquite enormous proportions. By may hold us back. I believe our comparison the flouting ofregulations evangelicalism will prove more attrac anent the baptism ofinfants are of tive when it is more sensitive and quite secondary, even trifling, signifi responsiveto the needs of the poor, cance.This isnotto deny that we long the disadvantaged, the victimized, for and work for the reform ofthe and the socialcasualtiesof aharsh and whole Church,but priorities and dis unequal world. tinctions are inescapable. We have quite magnificendy ex alted the calling ofthe ministry of 4. A Concern for the Whole Word and sacraments, but there is no Church, Extensively and lessneedfor evangelicalsto fulfillong Intensively term vocations in other roles the Church's central departments, in the The national Church has to live and Divinity Faculties, in special contexts serve in Drumchapel andYoker and like Rutherford House and other Raploch and Niddrie Craigmillar as key fields such as the media. We well asin the sweet and lovely subur must not regard lifelong Christian ban Bible belts and the inner-city service in these and similar areas,even temples. Evangelical statesmanship for ordainedministers,as second-best must recognise the different demands to congregational ministry. Howstra and methods and approaches calledfor tegically urgent is the need for more in these'UrbanPriorityAreas'offron evangelicalsto train for acareer inTV! tier mission. We must heed the We dare notleaveit wholly to others. imperatives of contextualization. s. Character as Essentialas Read Gordon Palmer'splea for akind Orthodoxy ofChristianimmigration into hispar ish in the Scottish BulletinofEvangelical Theology (first issue of1992).To be Getting the doctrine right is not the credible the evangelicaloptionmust be whole answer. We have been re ableto caterfor allthe widelydiffering mindedofdistressingdisciplinary cases local contexts within the national and ofthe primacy ofthe need for scene, such asthe rural areas which I believe our evangelicalism will prove more have been experiencing ecclesiastical clearances. attractive when it is more sensitive and If evangelicals were to 'form the next government, as it were, would responsive to the needs of the poor, the we expect the Church and Nation lobby to be disbanded overnight? disadvantaged, the victimised and the social Thatwill notbe on the cards!One of the factors that dissuadesothers from casualties of a harsh and unequal world taking us seriously is the restricted range ofour concerns.We are hot on 10 THE RUTHERFORDJOURNAL OF CHURCH & MINISTRY grace in allourpersonaldealings with those with whom we disagree. Have you never flinched at the harshness with which evangelicalsentiments are expressed in the correspondence col umns ofLifeandWork? Or attended a meeting, perhaps of Presbytery or Assembly,when the clumsy insensitiv ity ofsome evangelical brother has made you want to creep into acorner and hide your face?We could call it 'the cringe factor' in ecclesiastical de bate. It can queer the pitch for more promisingcontributions. The truthof Scripture deservescommendationwith scriptural holiness, which will woo ratherthan hectorand scold and lash. We can expressthe profoundest disa greement without descending to offence and vituperation. Style can make a difference and determine whetherpeople actually 'hear' us. 6. Faithfulnessto the Evangelas HeldinTrustfor the Whole Church As the Church ofScotlandfinds itself increasinglyfacing amissionary task,as it already does in too many places,so the witnessofevangelicalswho haveall along been committed to the gospel and evangelismwillcome into itsown. There isasensein which we hold the biblical gospel in trust for the wider Church- the apostolic gospel,notour traditions or methods or patterns. To be ready to share that with others who are already beginning to ac knowledge,and will do soincreasingly, that the Church's firstservice to a future Scotland must be evangelism, will be atest ofourevangelical states manship. Meantime, we must let our lightshineand ourvoice be heard- in Presbytery and Assembly,in Lifeand Work,in the press and the media as those whosewho claim to stand four square in the true lineage of Reformed (and catholic) Christianity. Ourfaith isno privatevision butthe openrevelation ofGodfor the world. Our service of it must give it the breadth and depth and length ofhis eternal purpose set forth in Christ.