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WELCOME TO
THE
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER RECORD
Whandelcome to the latest edition of the record. In this issue, you’ll find an encouraging glimpse of what’s happening in congregations across Scotland — from the recent Teens’ Conference to the Free Church Youth Camps (still underway as we go to print) and a look ahead to the Big Free Rally in September. There is much to give thanks for, and much to bring before the Lord in prayer.
This edition also tackles some of life’s biggest challenges head-on: grief, death, hardship, addiction, and suffering. These are realities that touch all of us — in our churches, our communities, and wider society. As you read, may you be reminded that God meets us at our darkest point and in our deepest need. Rev David Meredith’s Mission Matters column explores the book — and the person — of Jonah in the Old Testament, reflecting on what we, and the contemporary Free Church, can learn from him today.
Don’t miss Rev David J. Randall’s latest piece on Revisiting the Apostles’ Creed, and Catriona Macdonald’s feature, Let the Church be the Church: John Alexander Mackay’s Vision of the Church. We’d love to hear from you — if you have church news or letters to share, please email us at editor@ freechurch.org. •
Yours in Christ
Sarah Robinson
That in all things he might have the pre-eminence
Colossians 1:18
THANKSGIVING & PRAYER 2025
Tain & Fearn Free Church
WOMEN FOR MISSION
Fiona Macaskill
OBITUARY: KENNETH ANGUS MACKAY
PAUL'S SUFFERINGS
Donald Mackay
FAITH IN THE FACE OF GRIEF
Peter Morrison
THE GOOD AND THE RIGHT WAY
Iain Fraser Grigor
FCYC: GOOD TMES THE RIGHT WAY!
LET THE CHURCH BE THE CHURCH
Catriona Macdonald
LEARNING FROM RECOVERY GROUPS
Norman and Alison Mackay
JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD... REVISITING THE APOSTLES' CREED
David J Randall
PAGES FROM ADAM'S DIARY: IN THE TAX OFFICE
BOOK REVIEWS
PRAYER DIARY
CHILDREN'S PAGE
MISSION MATTERS
David Meredith
FREE CHURCH NEWS
NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST FOR SCOTLAND
Justice Was the theme of the latest national prayer breakfast for scotland.
The event which took place at Prestonfield House, Edinburgh, was attended by Church representatives, organisations and MSPs from across Scotland. During the breakfast there was an opportunity to talk, as well as hear a keynote address from Pete Greig who founded the global prayer movement known as 24-7 Prayer. Celtic Worship led the time of sung worship.
Moderator Rev Alasdair Macleod, and the chair of the Public Engagement Group, Rev Stephen Allison, hosted a table. They were joined by Kate Forbes MSP, Liam Kerr MSP, Ruth Charteris KC (Solicitor General for Scotland), Jamie Gillies from the Free Church’s Public Engagement Group, Free Church staff Andrew Giffen, Sarah Robinson and Sarah Johnson, as well as Prof Bob Akroyd from Edinburgh Theological Seminary.
John Swinney MSP, First Minister of Scotland, read two Bible passages: Isaiah 61: 1-4 and Zechariah 7: 8-10. Representatives from a number of organisations prayed about the following: justice for people when homeless, justice for trafficked people, justice for the hungry, justice for the debt laden, justice for people with addiction, and the church and the impact of the gospel. Videos by Christian charities including International Justice Mission, Christians Against Poverty Scotland and Bethany Christian Trust were shown for attendees to see the work taking place in Scotland.
Rev Donnie G. MacDonald from Portree and Bracadale Free Church prayed, via a livelink, for all those in authority, in places of power and roles of leadership.
Keynote speaker Pete Greig spoke about the need for justice and mercy, and highlighted issues affecting Scotland today. He said: ‘To be a follower of Jesus; it is to prioritise the poor and to fight against injustice.’
He spoke about the numerous newspaper headlines which show ‘very surprising but significant openness towards faith amongst 18 to 25 year olds’.
To conclude, he said: ‘If this is just a religious blip, it’s actually of fairly little significance — it will come and go — but if it results in a generation joining the mission of Jesus, spelt out in Isaiah 61, here in Scotland to bring good news to the poor, to bring freedom to those in captivity and hope for those who are oppressed, then we might just be on the edge of something magnificent. I believe we should pray today with great faith for a turning of the tide and with a great and enduring hope in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon which this nation has been built. May his kingdom come and may his will be done.’
Following the National Prayer Breakfast, Free Church Moderator, Rev Alasdair Macleod, said: ‘Being present with other church, charity and political leaders to hear about, and then pray for, various Christian missions was a privilege and an encouragement. A particular highlight was the livelink to Portree where Rev Donnie G. MacDonald prayed for those with leadership responsibility throughout Scotland.’ •
Moderator Rev Alasdair Macleod and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes MSP
Celtic Worship led the time of sung worship.
FREE CHURCH LAMENTS UK
PARLIAMENT’S DECISION TO DECRIMINALISE SELFMANAGED ABORTION
on 17th June, the uk parliament voted 379–137 to decriminalise self-managed abortions in england and Wales through an amendment to the crime and policing bill. This means women will no longer face arrest or prosecution for ending their own pregnancies, even if it’s outside the current legal limits (e.g. after 24 weeks or without two doctors’ approval). Although the criminal law on abortion is devolved to the Scottish Parliament, the precedent set by this decision means there will be renewed pressure for similar changes to be made in Scotland.
The Free Church of Scotland laments the UK Parliament’s decision to decriminalise self-managed abortion. While we have consistently rejected the moral legitimacy of the 1967 Abortion Act, we acknowledge that its supporters’ stated aim was to protect women from the dangers of unregulated, back-street procedures. This
new decision removes even those minimal safeguards, opening the door to dangerous practices without medical supervision, and abandons any legal protections for unborn children. It is a grave injustice – both to vulnerable women and to the defenceless lives of the unborn – reflecting a society drifting further from moral responsibility and the value of human life.
Responding to the decision Rev Stephen Allison, Public Engagement Coordinator for the Free Church, said: ‘While we acknowledge the complexity and sensitivity of the issue, we believe that removing legal protections for unborn children at any stage of pregnancy undermines the intrinsic value and dignity of human life. True compassion upholds both the care of women in crisis and the defence of the most vulnerable. This decision will normalise unsafe, unregulated abortions and sends a troubling message about the sanctity of life.’ •
FESTIVAL OF PSALMS RETURNING TO INVERNESS
the popular festival of psalms Will return to inverness this autumn, taking place on saturday 4th october at 2.30pm-3.45pm in the free north church.
This year’s theme, ‘Christ in the Psalms — The Songs of Jesus’ offers a unique opportunity to explore the connections between the Psalms and the life and mission of Jesus Christ. The event will feature congregational praise in both English and Gaelic.
Everyone is warmly invited to attend this uplifting afternoon of worship and reflection. Parking will be available nearby for those travelling by car. •
THE BIG FREE RALLY IS ALSO COMING BACK!
We’re excited to announce that the big free rally is returning in 2025 — and booking for the event is set to open soon.
This year’s rally will take place on Saturday 20th September at Smithton Church, Inverness, and promises to be a joyful and faith-building day for youth from across Scotland. The event will bring together young people for a time of fun, worship, fellowship, and engaging teaching from God’s Word — all in a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.
The Big Free Rally is a brilliant opportunity for young people to grow in their faith, connect with others from across the denomination, and be reminded that they are part of a wider church family.
Head to the Free Church Youth Camps website for more information: freechurchyouthcamps.org •
COUSINS INDUCTED AS FREE CHURCH MINISTERS
tWo cousins Who accepted calls – on the same day – to serve as ministers in tWo free church of scotland congregations have both been inducted into their neW roles.
The induction of Rev Murdo Campbell to Knockbain Free Church and the induction of Rev Andrew ‘Mowgli’ Macleod to New City Church (Dunfermline Free Church) have taken place, and both families are settling into their new congregations.
KNOCKBAIN INDUCTION
(BY REV MALCOLM MACLEAN)
The induction has been held of Rev Murdo Campbell to Knockbain Free Church. The congregation were delighted when Murdo had indicated his acceptance of their call, and they warmly welcomed him and his wife Alison and their children to the congregation.
The service was taken by Rev Iain MacRitchie (Greyfriars Free Church) who preached a sermon from the words of the Great Commission given by Jesus to his apostles and recorded in Matthew 28. Iain said the mission is to make disciples from all nations; the method is to teach them all that Jesus had commanded his apostles; and the motivation is the promised presence of Jesus with them and subsequent pastors until he returns.
The congregation and the new minister were addressed by Rev Murdo Macleod (Nairn Free Church). He mentioned that Jesus in Gethsemane valued the presence of his disciples, a reminder that he desires believers to be together with him, even though he knows their weaknesses and wrong ideas at times. The new minister’s responsibility is to preach and pray and pastor, whereas the congregation’s is to watch and pray for him, in what is often the lonely job of leadership, to turn up for church and prayer meetings, and to assist him with their fellowship and friendship. Different roles for minister and congregation, but teamwork in and of the Lord, based on his own divine example.
NEW CITY CHURCH INDUCTION
After much anticipation the day arrived for the induction of Rev Andrew Macleod to New City Church, Dunfermline. Rev James Ross (Buccleuch Free Church) led the service and proceedings on the day. James preached on the encounter between the woman at the well with Jesus. We were directed to the joy and satisfaction that is found in the living water Jesus offers. Our new minister was encouraged to stay refreshed in the Word so he may share it with others week in week out.
Dr Alistair Wilson then gave some further counsel to Andrew. Reading Philippians 2 he focused on Paul’s word to Timothy and presented three brief challenges and encouragements. First, let Jesus be seen in your life. Second, reflect Jesus’ commitment to others in your care for the congregation and wider community. Thirdly, be a collaborator in Christian service.
Two friends of Rev Macleod gave a speech. Mr Kevin Scade, a close family friend who is an elder in Covenant Free Church, Newmilns and Mr Willie Mackenzie, an elder from Tain and Fearn Free Church. Both are well worth a listen on the YouTube recording, especially if you’ve ever wondered how Northern Presbytery would line up as a football team.
Rev Murdo Campbell
Rev Andrew Macleod and his wife Eilidh
Several speeches were made and presentations given. Gifts were presented to Murdo by David Macrae, an elder in the congregation, Murdo’s wife Alison was given flowers by Miss Helen Sharp, and vouchers were given to their boys by Seumas and Euan Grant. Presentations were also given to the interim moderator, Malcolm Maclean, and to the Session Clerk, Iain Gray, for his diligence and hard work on behalf of the congregation during the vacancy.
Rev Hugh Ferrier, minister of Stornoway High Free Church, gave a speech enlightening the congregation about their new minister. Hugh also preached for Murdo on the Sunday morning.
Those present enjoyed food and fellowship. A happy day was brought to a close by the singing of Psalm 138:5-8. •
It was a great encouragement to Andrew and the New City congregation to see so many friends and family join us for this special occasion. Some of Andrew’s colleagues in Northern Presbytery came from as far as Thurso, his family from the Isle of Lewis, and many from his previous congregation in Tain and Fearn even stayed for worship on Sunday morning.
Andrew preached his first sermon the following day from Joshua 3. The Lord was about to perform an incredible miracle and enable the Israelites to cross over to the Promised Land. But before he did they were counselled to keep their eyes on the ark (the Lord). As a ministry ends in Tain and Fearn, as one begins in Dunfermline and wherever you are, may you keep your eyes on the Lord, follow him and he will lead you to The Promised Land. •
COMMISSIONING SERVICE FOR LEVEN FREE CHURCH
kSome members of the Leven church plant were present for the service and there was a church lunch afterwards.
Rev Geoff Murray, of Leven Free Church, said: ‘In August 2022 I moved with my family to work alongside John Johnstone at Kirkcaldy Free Church whilst building up a new church planting work in Leven.
‘Three years on from our move to Fife, Kirkcaldy have formally sent us out as we get ready to launch our morning services on August 3rd.’
He added: ‘The core team and I are sad to be leaving Kirkcaldy after three special years, but we are excited for the gospel opportunities which lie ahead for both Leven and Kirkcaldy by embarking on this journey.’
During the commissioning service, Rev John Johnstone said: ‘Something significant is about to happen in the life of our church. From August, Leven Free Church will commence their morning services and so many of the Levenites won’t be here after that. Around 20 people will move on and will be greatly missed. But they move on in the best of circumstances to plant a new church.’
John gave a sermon about Zechariah 4, saying it was ‘a biblical framework to see the new venture of the church plant in Leven”. He said the vision will “instruct us and inspire us, both as church planters and church revitalisers’.
Following the service, Geoff said that in the past twenty years, the number of congregations in Fife has grown from one to four: St Andrews, Leven, Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline. ‘Who knows what God can do in the next 25 years?’, said Geoff.
For more information on how you can support and pray for Leven Free Church, go to: levenfreechurch.com •
irkcaldy free church has held a commissioning service for leven free church as it prepares to launch sunday morning services in august.
ROSSKEEN 125TH ANNIVERSARY
BY REV CALUM MACMILLAN
rosskeen free church recently marked its 125th anniversary With a Weekend of celebrations
The first service (in our current building) was held on 14th June 1900 and the text chosen was ‘and on this rock I will build my Church’ (Matthew 16:18) — how true that has been. We must admit a secret though — the congregation is actually older than that. Rosskeen was one of the congregations formed after the disruption under then Minister Rev David Carment, but it has been 125 years in its current location and building (which is built in the foundations of a previous building).
On the Friday evening there was a special service of thanksgiving and a video showing photos of the Church through the years. Many special memories were contained in it and many special people no longer with us. On the Saturday we had a congregational fun day — including a bouncy castle, burger van, buffet, soft play, “creative corner” of playdough, Lego and AirClay, scavenger hunt, facepainting, rock painting and nerf battles. Turns out a 125-year-old Church is a perfect place for a nerf battle for youngsters. (And some not so young.) Sunday was a Communion Sunday and it
was a joy to welcome back Rev David Ferguson (North Uist & Grimsay). ‘Ferg’ as he is affectionately known in these parts was converted in Rosskeen and served as an Elder for many years before taking up the call to ministry. The evening service took the form of a praise night where we sang and heard testimony from Ferg on his journey to the Lord and into ministry.
The most encouraging part of the weekend was that it was crowned with the joy of welcoming seven new members to the congregation: five by certificate and two by profession of faith (including one of our youth fellowship). God is good and to him be all the praise.
The theme of the weekend was the faithfulness of God. We did not want the weekend to be about us, or about a building, but about what the Lord has done — and for that to encourage us for the future. He is faithful and we want the glory to be his.
There was such a sense of joy over the weekend — it was palpable. We are so thankful to all who joined us, sent well wishes, and prayed for us, and to the amazing team at Rosskeen who worked so hard to pull everything together. •
PLANS FOR CHURCH PLANT IN GARIOCH
BY REV JOE HALL
achurch plant has been announced by b on a ccord f ree c hurch , a berdeen Planting has been something the congregation has been praying about for a long time, and there has been talk of it for roughly 15 years. However, the Lord has everything planned perfectly, and it’s become clear that he’s been saving it for now!
Over the last few years, huge needs and opportunities have opened up for new healthy gospel churches to be planted all over Aberdeenshire and the North-East. We’re very blessed to have several families come into Bon Accord from the surrounding Shire, and we’re delighted they’ve found a home with us. But the fact that they have needed to settle in a city-centre church simply to hear the gospel and belong to a healthy church body, often driving 30-40 minutes to do so, is a tragic sign of the health of gospel ministry in our region. The task we are faced with is nothing short of the re-evangelisation of the North-East.
We have prayerfully decided that the place to begin is in an area called Garioch (pronounced Geerie ) to the north-west of Aberdeen, which has the town of Inverurie at its centre. Inverurie has a population of around 14,000, with the wider Garioch area taking that up to roughly 40,000. We envision the plant being formed initially of
members of Bon Accord who live in that direction, plus hopefully others too. By nature it will be a “gathered church”, centred in Inverurie and drawing people in from the wider area.
We are also delighted that Ben Traynor, who has been a Minister-in-Training with us since summer 2024, will be Church Planter (should all his requirements be met). Ben and Sarah have five children, and a long connection to the North-East, with Sarah having been raised in Aberdeen and Ben having come to study and then teach in Aberdeen before beginning ministry training.
Ben said: ‘We’re grateful to God for this opportunity to plant a new church in the Garioch area. It’s been a privilege to see God at work in laying the path to bring the new church plant to this point. Please pray that God will be pleased to build his church in Garioch, so that many people will come to trust Jesus for the first time and all will grow in their faith and love for God.’
Between them, Aberdeen and the Shire are home to half a million people. We’re so thankful for the gospel churches that exist here and celebrate their witness. But it’s clear that many, many more churches are needed to reach the people of the North-East over the coming decades. Our prayer is that Garioch is the first of many churches we’re able to plant in the coming years, in the Lord’s strength and by his grace. •
TEENS’ CONFERENCE 2025
BY ANNE MACDONALD
on What Was the hottest day of the year so far, 20th June 2025, the free church teens’ conference began. A group of 26 young people, in Fifth and Sixth years, arrived at Lendrick Muir ready to learn about what it means to be ‘One with Jesus: The Blessing of Being in Christ’. Our speaker, Rev Robin Gray, delivered three talks helping us reflect on how being united to Christ defines our identity. As we focussed on Ephesians 1, we learned about how we have received every spiritual blessing in Christ: that we are chosen, redeemed, adopted and sealed by the Spirit as a result of our union with him. After each instalment, we discussed in groups how we should respond to these rich realities and how we can live out this identity in every area of our lives. It was an absolute joy to see the teens grasp the wonder and security that comes from understanding this beautiful doctrine, like watching them put on fresh lenses with which to see their relationship with the Lord.
The teens also had a choice of interactive seminars: A Better Story: What the Bible has to say about sex and relationships and School’s Out! Remaining rooted in Jesus in the next adventure.
There was plenty of down time too. Saturday afternoon was a chance for an epic wide game and water balloon fight followed by a ceilidh in the evening.
Not only were we spiritually well-fed over the weekend but we were thoroughly spoiled by our excellent cooks. Homemade pancakes for breakfast, spaghetti Bolognese, chicken curry and Hazel’s legendary pavlova meant we dined like kings!
As leaders, we were so encouraged by this group of teens. From their desire to learn, their willingness to include one another and their thoughtful contributions to discussions, we are excited by what God is doing in these young lives.
We asked the teens to share some of what they took away from the weekend: One said they’d learnt ‘What being “in Christ” really means’ while another said: ‘ The whole question of how do we know if we are chosen and how when we receive the Lord into our lives that we are sealed in the Holy Spirit.’ •
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Next year’s Teens’ Conference will be 12th-14th June 2026 so, if you’re in S5 or S6, put it in your diaries!
WESTERN ISLES PRAISE EVENING
BY REV COLIN MACLEOD
on 6th June the Western isles presbytery hosted a praise evening With the event being staged in the church hall in back. Nearly 200 people gathered to sing a selection of psalms that had been carefully chosen to reflect a variety of tunes and styles. Most of the psalms were in English with a selection of Gaelic singings also included, with Rev James MacIver providing a short Gospel message. It was hoped that the event would attract a good attendance and be encouraging and enjoyable — it did not disappoint! Many commented on how uplifting the night was with several different congregations represented, but for most it was the combination of volume and harmony that proved to be moving and inspiring.
For the last 18 months there has been a harmony group meeting fortnightly in Tong Mission House, led by Calum Martin & Kenny Macdonald who are both accomplished musicians and singers, as well as being elders in the Back congregation. This group were seated together in the centre of the hall and very much added to the depth of the singing. The harmony group was started with the hope it would improve congregational singing. It has been a popular addition to the available activities, and it has been fantastic to see it grow steadily throughout the year. •
Scan the QR code below or follow the link https://bitly.cx/UGo94 to take you to a short video giving a flavour of the singing on the night.
‘Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise in the Islands’ (Isaiah 42:12)
CHRIST-CENTRED EDUCATION
BY REBEKAH MACDONALD
unite for e ducation has held a conference in e dinburgh on c hrist - centred education . t he theme Was i gniting passion , r ene W ing p urpose . One recurrent question was how parents can meet the Biblical imperative to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) in 21st Century Scotland. Speakers at the event addressed a range of topics, from the role of the church in education, how to open a Christian school in Scotland, and how
we can equip our children to exist and thrive in a secular world.
The current cultural climate, with identity issues, free speech threatened, and violence and bullying on the rise in schools, makes this a particularly difficult time for Christian young people. Many parents face a difficult choice when it comes to education choices for their children. It is encouraging to see the number of Christian schools that are now available across Scotland, and the provision for families who choose to home educate.
Organisations like Christian Values in Education and The Message Trust shared how they support Christian teachers and students in state education. It was particularly encouraging to hear how schools are engaging with visitors from such organisations and inviting them back to speak to various age groups.
Church ministers spoke about how the church can support educators, whether that is helping parents to set up a Christian school, opening church buildings for home education groups to use, or upholding state sector teachers in their roles. The place of prayer should never be understated in building up parents, teachers and organisations.
Niel Deepnarian, the founder of Unite for Education, said: ‘This conference aimed to explore the vital role that education plays in nurturing faith and knowledge, as well as understanding the culture – responding to the challenges of it – the
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION GROUP UPDATE
role of the Church in education, and much more, and it sure did that. Many were informed, inspired and equipped as we looked to influence education in a rapidly changing world by igniting passion and renewing purpose.’
As well as thought-provoking and inspiring speakers, there was a time of worship, and stalls from those representing schools, home education groups, education organisations and more, giving delegates an opportunity to get more in-depth information about the support and resources available to them.
Niel added: ‘Unite for Education hosted this conference with an aim to also encourage and equip Christian educators and anyone involved in education – to reconnect with their calling and find fresh inspiration in their work. It was a reminder that this work is more than what we think: it’s a ministry, a calling to make a lasting impact.’ •
Last May, the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland established a Christian Education Group as a sub-group of the Board of Trustees for an initial two-year period.
The Board of Trustees gave an update to the General Assembly this year. It stated: ‘Rev Allan Shearer was appointed as Chair and four other group members added. Rev Benjamin Wilks serves as link person with the Board of Trustees. In the past year, the group assisted the Public Engagement Group with the response to the Consultation on Removing Religious Observance in Schools. The focus of the group so far has been in producing a questionnaire to see what help the wider denomination is looking for in relation to matters of education.’
STAY CONNECTED –FOLLOW THE FREE CHURCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA
We encourage all readers of the record to stay connected by folloWing the free church of scotland on our official social media channels. Whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or YouTube, you’ll find regular updates, inspiring stories, and encouraging news from across our congregations in Scotland and beyond.
By following and sharing our content, you help spread awareness of the work God is doing through the Free Church — from church planting and global mission to discipleship and local ministry.
You can also visit our website at freechurch.org for the latest news, resources, and events. •
Discipleship in Tain and Fearn
BY REV ALASDAIR MACAULAY
As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another Proverbs 27:17
christians are meant to be together . t he various metaphors the b ible uses to describe a believer all emphasise that . W e are a sheep in a flock , soldiers in an army , and stones in a building And one of the great benefits of belonging to a local church is that we help each other grow in our faith. Getting saved is just the start. We are called to be disciples of Jesus and to disciple others along the way.
Post Covid it was really challenging to get groups running again. We took a big hit with attendances dropping dramatically. But we give thanks for steady and sustained growth in the last three years. We have been blessed to see the Lord at work among our teenagers especially, with eight of our young people professing faith during that time.
But knowing that many of them will head off to university in the next few years, they need to be discipled. We adapted our Youth Fellowship to do more teaching on current themes that affect our young people. We invite speakers who will guide them on making good choices now and when they leave home, particularly getting plugged into a good church where they will be nurtured and continue to grow.
We realise that we need to be more intentional in the way that we equip all our people to be more like Jesus, as they grow in their faith and in their knowledge of him. This should be a central function of a Healthy Gospel Church. We feel that Mentoring has an important part to play in that.
As part of that we introduced a monthly Discussion Forum where we have several small groups considering set questions, as well as asking any other questions they have themselves.
In addition to our midweek Bible Study and Prayer we now have two women’s Bible studies and a men’s study group. These run on different days and at different times to allow the maximum number to attend. One of our members has written a book called A Student’s Guide to Reading and Applying the Bible which has recently been published by Christian Focus. We plan to make use of that book to help people get the most out of their scripture reading. One of our elders will also be running a small men’s group memorising Bible verses.
There is still much work to be done, and our elders have recently engaged with the Free Church Healthwise programme to assess our strengths and weakness and help us work out a strategic approach for the next five years. We have much to give thanks for, but plenty to pray about regarding the future. •
WOMEN FOR MISSION
BY FIONA MACASKILL
it seems apt to be W riting about the ne W W fm pro J ect fl ourish on a sunny summer ’ s day W here the flo W ers and veg are gro W ing nicely outside . I would like to share a little with you about our new project that we launched in May and the groups who we are supporting this year. But first an update, hot off the press about our Empower project which finished at the end of June. I am delighted to share that we raised an amazing £55,774.29. We are so thankful to all of you who baked, crafted, sang, sewed, and ate your way to such an incredible total. We are above all grateful to God for the way in which he continues to bless the work of WFM and for the impact this money will have on lives from India to Colombia and Tanzania to Malawi. The money will be split between the 4 charities, and we look forward to hearing from them in the coming months about the way in which the project is empowering women to bring lasting changes to their communities and demonstrating Jesus’ love in action.
Our new project Flourish is focusing on cultivating the seed of God’s word in the lives of young people in Scotland and Malawi and funding the translation of a study Bible into Polish for the growing church in Krakow. Here is a little bit more detail about each of our charities this year:
CHRIST THE SAVIOUR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (KRAKOW)
Christ the Saviour Presbyterian Church in Krakow, Poland is the only Reformed church in a 250km radius. It is part of a newly formed Presbyterian denomination which consists of 4 Reformed churches across Poland. The country is predominantly Roman Catholic, but the dominance of the Catholic church is dwindling. Due to the small number of Reformed churches and believers living in the country there is very little in the way of Gospel-centred, Reformed literature in the Polish language. The church started a publishing ministry in 2017 called MW Books, whose goal is to fight Poland’s theological famine by producing theological materials in Polish.
Currently, there is no Protestant Study Bible available in Polish. Funds raised will go towards translating, editing and proofreading for a Polish translation of the Reformation Study Bible.
FREE CHURCH YOUTH CAMPS (SCOTLAND)
Free Church Youth Camps run week-long holidays where young people can build lifelong friendships, take part in fun activities and get to know Jesus. The camps have been running since 1960 and, through the camps, thousands of lives have been positively impacted by the Word of God.
Each camp is packed with fun, friends and great food, with campers enjoying a mix of activities, games and Bible talks. Camps are led by a dedicated team of servant-hearted volunteer leaders and cooks who are passionate about sharing the Gospel with young people in a relaxed and informal way. There is a strong focus on Biblical teaching and fun!
Funds raised will go towards the cost of running Free Church Youth Camps and will provide opportunities for more children to attend camps as well as widen the camps’ options for activities.
THE MAMIE MARTIN FUND (MALAWI)
The Mamie Martin Fund supports education for girls in North Malawi. In the 1920s, Mamie Martin served in Malawi with her husband as Free Church of Scotland missionaries. During their time there, Mamie became aware of the need for girls and women to have equal access to education. She used her experience as a teacher to set up classes in Malawian villages. Mamie’s daughter Margaret set up the Fund and it has since supported more than 650 girls through their secondary education.
It is difficult in Malawi for girls to access education, and there are financial and cultural pressures to leave school early.
Funds raised will go towards grants to support several girls in their final two years of secondary school as part of their ‘Keeping Girls in School’ project. This project provides pastoral support, education to empower the girls to make informed life decisions in the future, and basic necessities such as notebooks and travel costs.
JUNCTION 12 (GLASGOW)
Junction 12 works with children and young people (ages 10-18) in the East End of Glasgow, among the 5% of most deprived areas in Scotland. All the activities that Junction 12 run are underpinned by Christian values and their staff are all committed Christians.
They aim to establish and develop nurturing relationships with young people and enable them to make positive and healthy choices in every area of their lives. They are currently reaching around 300 young people in communities which rank poorly for employment, health, education and housing.
Much of Junction 12’s work focuses on improving the emotional wellbeing of young people, to help them develop resilience and the social skills to overcome the challenges
they face, and to look to the future with hope and optimism. They do this through running education programmes, drop-ins and Scripture Union groups, and organising a variety of outings and residential breaks.
Funds raised from the Flourish project will go towards their residential camps and will allow young people to attend. The camps are an opportunity to develop friendships, and build social and communication skills and to learn more about the Christian faith. •
KENNETH ANGUS MACKAY (1949-2024)
BY REV MALCOLM MACDONALD
The k irk s ession and c ongregation of c allanish f ree c hurch W ere saddened to hear the ne W s of the sudden passing of k enny a ngus m ackay on 12 th n ovember 2024 .
Kenny Angus was born on 14 th August 1949, the eldest in the family of eight of the late John and Effie Mackay, in Uig. He was predeceased by brothers John Angus, Malcolm John and Iain Kenneth who died in infancy.
Kenny began his working life, serving his time as a bricklayer and initially working with a building firm in Stornoway. Following his marriage to Peggy Morag Maclennan, they set up home on the Island of Scalpay, where they were blessed with three of a family, Annette, Joey and Angela. During his time in Scalpay, when there was a lull in the construction industry there was time spent at sea and in oil fabrication-related employment. Kenny Angus’s father worked as a gamekeeper in Uig and upon his retirement, Kenny returned to Uig, taking on the role vacated by his father, taking up residence in Uig Lodge which was their home for the next 25 years. When this post ended, Kenny and Peggy moved to Geshader, to the family home, with Kenny working in the Arnish Fabrication Yard in Stornoway until retirement.
Kenny had many interests during his lifetime and he was actively involved in many aspects of community life both in Scalpay and latterly in Uig. He served as a volunteer with the Coast Guard service and the local volunteer Fire Service, where he fulfilled a role as Station Manager receiving recognition for long service prior to retiring. Kenny was also, along with others, instrumental in seeing the erection of a War Memorial within the community, latterly serving as committee chairman.
While Kenny was involved in many community activities, his first and great love was the Saviour he had committed to many years before. He served his Lord for many years as an office bearer in both Scalpay and Uig Church of Scotland. Latterly he served as an Elder in Callanish Free Church where he also fulfilled the role of Clerk to the Deacons’ Court. In prayer he was seldom heard without an emotional petition on behalf of the many without Christ in the community. He excelled as a precentor of the Psalms in both Gaelic and English and, because he was well known throughout Lewis and Harris, he was regularly called upon to participate at Communion or Funeral services, both of which he diligently attended. The family home frequently hosted gatherings of the Lord’s people, who were always made to feel very welcome.
Sadly, Kenny was diagnosed with lung cancer which led to his death while undergoing treatment in Raigmore hospital. Despite a terminal diagnosis, his death came as a shock to many, not least his loving family. The funeral service took place in Uig Church of Scotland on 16 th November and the huge crowd that gathered was well in excess of 400 coming from all over Lewis and Harris and further afield. The church, and indeed the neighbouring Free Presbyterian Church which was used for an overspill, could not contain the numbers that had come to pay their last respects.
He is survived by his widow Peggy Morag, three daughters Annette, Joey and Angela, and nine grandchildren with three great grandchildren. We also remember siblings Kay, Annie Mary, Iain Henry and Maureen, to all of whom our sympathy is extended. The words of Psalm 59 chosen by Kenny Angus to be sung at his funeral, tell us all we need to know about where his heart lay: ‘O God thou art my Strength, I will Sing praises unto thee, For God is my defence, a God of Mercy unto me.’ •
PAUL’S SUFFERINGS
BY DONALD MACKAY
When paul Was converted, he Was Warned hoW much he Would have to suffer for the sake of christ.
In 2 Corinthians 11 he details his sufferings for the sake of Christ:
HARDSHIPS hard work, hunger, thirst, exposure, sleeplessness
DANGERS travel, river crossings, robbers, Jews, Gentiles, false brethren
CONCERNS insults, slanders, care for the churches.
How little of all this do we learn from Acts! - or indeed from the rest of Paul’s letters. If Paul had not been provoked by the Corinthian church, we should have missed a large part of his life story. Even so, the account Paul gives is very slender and we are not wrong to try to read a little between the lines.
Beatings with rods: This is typical Roman punishment, which could be of varying degrees of severity. It was severe enough in Philippi to require emergency first aid for Paul and Silas at the hands of their jailer. As a Roman citizen, Paul was officially immune from beating, but this status seems often to have been overlooked or ignored, as in Philippi. Of the other two occasions of beating we know nothing.
Synagogue justice: Again, we know nothing of these five beatings. Under Mosaic law they were limited to 40 strokes (in practice 39 – to ensure that the limit was not exceeded). Paul broke with the synagogue early in his missionary career, so it would seem that the beatings took place shortly after his conversion.
Shipwrecks: We have an account of only one shipwreck, on Paul’s final journey to Rome. But of course he took ships many times during his travels, mainly on coasting vessels which would be in the greatest danger of foundering.
Hard work: Paul made it his practice not to require support from congregations he founded, which meant that usually he had to earn his living while doing the work of an evangelist. His youthful trade had been that of a tentmaker, and it was to this that he returned in places like Corinth and Ephesus. Tentmaking as it was in New Testament times involved strenuous and unpleasant work with materials such as canvas and leather.
River crossings: Asia Minor, where Paul did most of his travelling, is drained by over 100 rivers. At that time none would be bridged, apart from perhaps five which were crossed by Roman roads, such as the Via Egnatia. Individual travellers would be heavily dependent on local knowledge of fords or ferries, as well as of seasonal flow. Wading would be a hazardous business.
False brethren: Paul was continually troubled by individuals who infiltrated the fellowship under cover of friendship and common belief, but with the objective of turning away its members into different paths. Typical among these were the Judaisers who were working for a return to the law of Moses.
Each of the items listed in Paul’s catalogue was an affliction to him. But we should note how careful he was in his selection of items. We can be pretty certain that he suffered from eye trouble and rheumatism. He makes no mention of these in the catalogue, because they are ailments which all flesh is heir to. His focus is on afflictions accepted for the sake of the gospel. And not just accepted but welcomed as an essential element in his service of Christ. Paul even goes so far as to claim his own sufferings as in some way ‘filling up what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings’ for the sake of the church.
Paul’s motivation in listing his sufferings so vividly was to bring some sense of shame and contrition to the Corinthian church for its undervaluing of his apostleship and service. We may hope that it achieved its purpose. May it have the same effect on the 21st century readers of his epistle! •
Donald Mackay is a member of Knox church, Perth
Paul Shipwrecked, Gustave Doré,
BY PETER MORRISON
Faith in the Face of Grief
In the April/May edition of The Record, Catriona Murray wrote a sensitive and carefully considered piece about the passing of her husband, Donnie. First of all, thank you to Catriona for sharing this with our readers. The piece struck a chord with Peter Morrison, an elder at Crow Road Free Church.
Peter is known to The Record readers following a piece he wrote during the Covid pandemic. It spoke of God’s calling on our lives, the challenges that we face along our Christian journey on rough and uncertain terrain, and the challenges we encounter as we age. But it also highlighted that our ultimate reliance must be on the God who has brought us this far.
And now, he has shared about his experiences following the loss of his wife, Marion. He told The Record: ‘It has not been easy to share these thoughts, but I do hope that they will in some small way help somebody in the same position.’
“ ”
ALife does, however, bring shattering changes. The loss of a loved one after many years of marriage is a loss without compare. One is totally unprepared, thinking thoughtlessly, it can never happen to me. But it did.
t the age of 86 certain questions and comments come up: ‘are you still driving? are you sure it’s ok to do that? Just keep your seat and i’ll bring you a cup of tea.’ it all sort of percolates in one’s consciousness. So much of it is so nice, so considerate. A while ago I could not imagine that being treated so nicely would be in a very minor way irksome. The problem is that I do not feel very much older, apart from being stiff for a while when I get up. Then the other change which is experienced when meeting with one’s peers is the topics of conversation. Mostly conversations are dominated by discussions about health and medications. Coming a close second is the state of the world, in particular Scotland. Things are not what they were with the apparent abandonment of Christian standards and the state of the national church. It does not take much thought, however, to realise what has improved. No longer are children binned at 11+, even if the adverb and the passive tense are no longer in use. In health we have better treatments, even if there are problems in the NHS. And there are many more good things. In spiritual matters some churches are declining, but there is hope in many other places. Widely reported is the great increase in Bible purchases by the youngish folk of Generation Z. Yes, God is still at work and perhaps we older folk are not the best judges. We still have young people whose commitment can put some of us older folk to shame.
Life does, however, bring shattering changes. The loss of a loved one after many years of marriage is a loss without compare. One is totally unprepared, thinking thoughtlessly, it can never happen to me. But it did. Initially there was the numbness, and, caught up in the complexities of funeral arrangements, particularly timing, life seems to be lived in a sort of delusional trance. One great practical help was the single form to inform agencies of my wife’s passing. The hospital staff could not have been better. There was the wonderful support of friends and loved ones and months later some of that support is still there. But not until it happened to me did I realise how far short I had come in comforting those who had the experience before me. What did I do to help fill their emptiness? Sometimes it was just a sympathy card from me to someone I knew very well and who deserved better. What a difference even a quick phone call saying I was thinking of them would have made! Evenings for the lots of old folk around me are particularly difficult, being either unable or unwilling to go out, and nobody phones or comes to call.
It has been a sharp learning curve. Will I put the lessons into practice? First, the thing I wanted most was for friends to speak about the deceased. In a kindly way some avoided the subject. I must not do that when next I meet a grieving person. I have learned that showing friendship, inviting a person for a coffee, a walk, or visit to a place of mutual interest made a huge difference. Perhaps the hardest thing of all was when dozing by the TV or letting a book I had been reading fall into my lap, then stretching my hand out half-asleep to find the place beside me was empty. Will I ever get used to the empty house? Just about as bad was seeing couples go hand in hand into a café and I just could not steel myself to go in alone. Perhaps things are changing slowly, but grief is a strange thing. It can hit you out of the blue, triggered by some tiny things, perhaps something that oddly reminds you of the loved one. I must remember this when next I meet a grieving person and greet with a loving, sympathetic touch.
You are doing well, friends say, but only if they really know how I feel. The future is at times scary. What is going to happen next? Will I keep my health, particularly my marbles? Can I look after myself? Will there be any way of filling the void? Faith does not always kick in and for that I am ashamed. Folk say that she is in a better place and I feel like saying I would rather have her here. Not good, I know, but rays of light come through and I get strength for each day and perhaps in a new way see something more of the preciousness of life and the importance of living it to the full in the best gospel sense. Perhaps I am just beginning to be thankful for a wonderful full life together, then seconds later I crack up. Then Psalm 16 kicks in:
‘You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in your presence, With eternal pleasures at your right hand.’
I just pray that that great ultimate assurance will play a bigger and bigger part in my life until my time •
HELPFUL BOOKS:
It’s OK not to be OK by F.G. Villanueva Gentle and Lowly – the heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund The Unutterable Beauty Poems by Studdert Kennedy Every Moment Holy Vol.2 by D.K. McKelvey
THE GOOD AND THE RIGHT WAY –the Free Church’s Gaelic bursary scheme.
BY IAIN FRASER GRIGOR
the gaelic bursary scheme of the free church ran for the last 30 or so years of the 19th century. It was devised and operated by Free Church activists who were concerned that Gaelic-speaking boys from humble Highland homes weren’t getting a fair chance of going to university. So the scheme was designed to send clever boys to a city grammar school — often in Aberdeen — for a year or two, which would prepare them to then compete for entry to a university of their choice.
The scheme was devised in the late 1860s by — primarily — the Rev J. Calder MacPhail, a Free Church minister in Pilrig in Edinburgh. Clearly a man of huge organisational talent, he was probably born in the vicinity of Loch Broom (though it might have been in Moray). He was, ‘an authority on all matters pertaining to Gaelic literature, and rendered valuable service to the Church in connection with the training of Highland students for the ministry. He devised and he himself conducted for more than thirty years a scheme of grammar school bursaries, which ensured that Gaelic-speaking boys had the chance of starting fair with others in the later competition of university life’.
Calder was born in 1820, went to Edinburgh University, and then enrolled at New College, Edinburgh, during the year of the Disruption in 1843. Much later, he got a Doctor of Divinity from his old university, and one of his children became a missionary for the Free Church. His scheme closed in the spring of 1903, for by now MacPhail was 82 (he would die in 1908), and anyway the Carnegie system of university bursaries had started in 1901.
Just one of his examination papers is available today — the one for 1883 — but it tells us a lot about the series of 30-plus annual papers of which it was part. The candidates – aged about fifteen – over six and a half hours of one long day were tested in Gaelic, Bible Knowledge, English and History, Arithmetic and Geometry, Latin Grammar, Latin Translation, and Greek Translation.
For that year, examinations were held in Benbecula, Elgin, Fort William, Golspie, Invergordon, Islay, Lochinver, Portree, Rothesay, Stornoway, Strome Ferry, Tiree and Tongue in Sutherland. ‘Any boy may compete, simply on presenting a certificate from his minister that he is of good principles and accustomed to speak Gaelic… The largest possible number of marks is 700, and no bursary is given if the total number of marks gained be under 450. Every bursar is required to go to the university from the grammar school; but no obligation is laid on them to
study for the ministry of the Free Church or any other profession’.
In 1883, there were 35 competitors. Of these, the fathers of two were dead; three were the sons of small farmers; three of ministers; two of teachers; two of police constables; two of fishermen; one of a shepherd; one of a forester; one of a gamekeeper; one of a joiner; one of a ploughman; one of a shopman; one of a slate quarrier; and thirteen, or more than a third of the whole, were the sons of crofters.
Here is a selection of questions from the paper that they sat.
• Translate into Gaelic: I will teach you the good and the right way.
• Explain the following expressions: actual transgressions, want of conformity, no mere man, and sensible signs.
• What happened at the following dates: 1174, 1263, 1297, 1314, 1513, and 1603?
• Write down in words at full length 9090909 and 90909. Also, multiply these numbers together.
• Translate into Latin: Hannibal had 8000 men, not whom he had taken (subj.) in battle, but who had been left in the camp by the consuls.
• Translate into Latin: King Pyrrhus on a march fell in with a dog, who was watching the body of a murdered man.
• Translate into Greek: Now the conflict is about your lives, and the land in which ye are, and the houses in which ye dwell, and your wives and children, and all the good things which ye have.
One of the successful competitors might have been John MacLeod of Fort William, who was born 22 years before the railway arrived in the town. He would have sat the exam as a thirteen-year-old, for after two years at Aberdeen grammar school (where he was Dux), he went to the university there at the age of fifteen. He graduated at eighteen, with firstclass honours in Classics, and got the Simpson prize in Greek, the Seafield medal in Latin, the Jenkins prize in classical philology and the Fullerton scholarship. From 1913 to 1930, he was professor of Greek and New Testament Exegesis in the Free Church college in Edinburgh.
But though much is known about the history of the Gaelic Bursary Scheme there is also much that is not known. It is not certain that John MacLeod was a successful candidate, although it is known that in just over thirty years about a thousand boys sat the exam, and about 200 of them went on to a grammar school
and afterwards to university. But who were they? What were their names? And what became of them in the rest of their lives? Clearly, they came from across the Highlands and Islands. In 1886, the top candidate with 82% was from Stornoway, the next year from Kingussie with 88%, for 1894 from Skye at 89%, and in 1901 – right at the end of the scheme – from Benbecula at 89%.
Two of these boys stand out. We know that in the 1883 exam, a crofter’s son from Gairloch sat the exam in Portree. Across the seven papers, his marks were as follows: Gaelic 97%, Bible Knowledge 70%, English and History 90%, Arithmetic and Geometry 94%, Latin Grammar 87%, Latin Translation 86 and a half%, and Greek 75% – a total score across all papers of 85 or 86% (give or take the odd half-mark).
But who was this boy? How did he attain such a level of knowledge on a croft before the age of electricity and motorcar and telephone and running water and all the other advantages of the future? There is just one hint, thanks to the work of the genealogist at
Gairloch Museum. The boy might have been Donald MacAulay, who studied medicine at Edinburgh University, and then went to South Africa in 1897. But that is a might, and not a certainty…
And of all the boys who sat the exam, who got the highest mark in the history of the competition? That boy sat the exam in 1893, on one long August day in Killin, and we certainly know what his marks were across the seven papers. For Gaelic 90%, Bible Knowledge 97%, English and History 90%, Arithmetic and Geometry 80%, Latin Grammar 98%, Latin Translation 98%, and Greek 95%. Average, 93%. But we have not one clue as to who this gloriously gifted boy was, or what became of him in later life. And that, surely, is something of a pity… •
Does any reader know the name of any successful candidate in the Gaelic Bursary Scheme? Let the author of this article know.
Email: iainfrasergrigor@gmail.com
FCYC: GOOD TIMES THE RIGHT WAY!
young people continue to be a key part of the free church of scotland, Whether that be in congregations each Week, at the teens’ conference (see page 10), big free rally, youth conference or at free church youth camps.
Youngsters from across Scotland are currently enjoying an unforgettable summer at the Free Church Youth Camps. From outdoor adventures to deepening friendships and growing in faith, these camps have provided opportunities to connect, learn about Jesus, and have fun together. At the time of going to print, the camps were still underway, with many more memories being made. We look forward to sharing a full selection of photos and highlights in the next edition of The Record. In the meantime, we give thanks for leaders, volunteers, and all who make these camps possible year after year. •
‘LET THE CHURCH BE THE CHURCH’: JOHN ALEXANDER MACKAY’S VISION OF THE CHURCH
BY CATRIONA MACDONALD
icould be forgiven for thinking that J ohn a m ackay
Was the 13th apostle . During my years serving in Colegio San Andrés in Lima (2011-2019), I was always struck by the hushed and reverent tones in which his name was often mentioned by former pupils. John Alexander Mackay (18891983) was extolled as missionary par excellence whose mastery of Spanish was legendary and whose books were prophetic and discerning. The late head teacher, Prof. Jesús Guzmán Gallardo, was amongst the many who held Mackay in high regard. Prof. Guzmán was so inspired that he gave a series of school assemblies about Mackay’s life and achievements, ensuring that the current generation of Colegio San Andrés pupils would also affectionately esteem him as their beloved and incomparable founder.
Although my experience in Peru impressed upon me Mackay’s influential missionary presence, it was not until I studied his life and writings for myself that I came to realise that his short yet significant time in Peru was but the start of a wide-ranging and distinct ministry. After founding the Anglo-Peruano school in Lima in 1917 (which was later renamed Colegio San Andrés), he was involved in establishing the YMCA in Latin America before becoming president of Princeton Theological Seminary. One particular thread running throughout Mackay’s ministry was the way in which he intertwined staunch evangelical conviction alongside passionate ecumenical vision, as demonstrated in his book Ecumenics: The Science of the Church Universal (1964). These twin strands of evangelical belief and commitment to Christian unity stemmed from his understanding of Christ as Lord of the cosmos and his deep reverence of Scripture. This bore fruit in a life that made a significant contribution to missional thinking and practice both for his day and ours, especially in relation to the church.
CHURCH AS WORLD COMMUNITY
Mackay had a firm belief in the church as a world community. Far more than a building or institution, Mackay defined the church as, ‘The fellowship of all those for whom Jesus Christ is Lord’ ( Ecumenics p46). He saw the church as a ‘dynamic mobile community’ ( Ecumenics p92) which balanced individual piety alongside a deep sense of fraternity. This view of the church drove Mackay to become actively involved in international ecclesiastical
conferences. Although his input is not always acknowledged by English-speaking Christian historians, Mackay played a key role in drafting documents that are points of reference in church history. He coined the famous slogan ‘Let the Church be the Church,’ at the Oxford Conference on Church Community and State in 1937, a gathering significant for re-establishing the role of the church. He was a founding father of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and played a key role as chairman of the significant Willingen International Missionary Council (IMC) in 1952. Mackay also worked towards the integration of the IMC and the WCC in 1961, a union he perceived as expressing the crucial theological connection between mission and unity. However, these efforts were not achieved without criticism or controversy. Indeed, Mackay himself warned against the danger of bureaucracy and power-struggles within ecumenical circles ( Ecumenics p218-220).
Interestingly, Mackay experienced a period of “antichurchism” which coincided with his service in the YMCA. However, after engaging with theologians Karl Barth, Emil Brunner and Eduard Thurneysen during a furlough in Europe, his fresh understanding of the church and Christ as inseparably related in the Christian task inspired him to accept a post with the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions in the US. This vision of the church was also strengthened by serious global threats such as World War II, the Cold War and Marxism, plus the unexpected openness of Vatican Council II which only deepened Mackay’s belief in world unity in Christ. However overly optimistic this seems with hindsight, the vision of a united missional community motivated Mackay to persevere even when confronted with disunity and possible global disintegration.
Mackay’s commitment to unity did not mean accepting doctrinal syncretism or theological dilution. For Mackay true ecumenism recognises confessional distinctions since ‘a Christian cannot belong to the Church in general, any more than he can belong to the human race in general’ ( Ecumenics p211). A proud Presbyterian, Mackay understood that his primary commitment was to Jesus, himself the Truth, rather than a set of dogmas (Ecumenics p96). Criticised by some for being too open to neoorthodoxy, Mackay’s generosity of spirit may have been a reaction against his conservative upbringing in the Free Presbyterian church. Notwithstanding,
his “Presbyterian soul” could cope with the tension between truth and unity based on his scriptural convictions, appreciation of the “treasures” of other Christian traditions and view that moving closer to Christ develops spirituality and mutual understanding: ‘What matters today is that those who plume themselves on their strong positions on the right or the left of the main Highway, should move towards the Figure who awaits them at the Center, beckoning them to follow him along highways and byways towards the Goal.’ ( Ecumenics p159-160).
CHURCH AS MISSIONARY COMMUNITY
Mackay also saw the church as a missionary community. His mission interest was sparked in 1910 by US churchman Robert E Speer, who challenged Mackay and his fellow students in Aberdeen to active missionary involvement. Action is something that characterised Mackay’s vision of the church as ‘a fellowship on the march in every land and culture’ ( Ecumenics p92, 96). For all that Mackay was a thinker, he decried passivity and called upon Christians to balance thought alongside action.
Mackay practised what he preached, presenting the ‘dynamic centrality’ of the gospel of Jesus (Ecumenics p159) throughout his missionary career in Latin America. This is evident in his successful efforts to legitimise Protestant mission in Latin America, especially through the Jerusalem IMC in 1928. In confronting this issue which had been skirted by the Edinburgh 1910 conference to avoid disrespecting the Roman Catholic church, Mackay proved the need for an evangelical presence and so indirectly contributed to the subsequent growth and stability of mission work on the continent.
Mackay believed in the ‘incarnational principle’ ( Ecumenics p173). Based on Christ’s example of becoming human, ‘The evangelical word must become indigenous flesh’ (Ecumenics p173) so that Christians can ‘win the right to be heard’ ( Ecumenics p178). This application of the theological concept of the incarnation regarding mission was possibly the first of its kind in English, at least in print, and was backed up by Mackay’s own identification with Latin American culture, formed by his preparatory period in Spain before going to Peru. Mackay’s ensuing friendship with Spanish philosopher Miguel de Unamuno opened up the world of Hispanic tradition and culture, enabling Mackay to contextualise the Christian message appropriately. One example of this contextualisation was Mackay’s decision to make Spanish the official language of the Anglo-Peruano school in order to give the place of honour to the national tongue, a policy in contrast to the practice of other missionary schools in South America at the time.
Mackay also called for churches to have a ‘prophetic
perspective’. ‘To be able, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to ‘‘decipher the meaning of this era,’’ and to bring ‘‘God’s outlook’’ to a study of the human situation is an abiding responsibility of the Christian Church.’ (Ecumenics p139). This cannot be gained from an ivory tower but from the process of engaging with the nitty-gritty struggles of life. Mackay illustrated this point through what is now his famous “Balcony and Road” metaphor, which contrasts a spectator looking down on the street from a traditional Spanish balcony with active participants below who can see what is happening more clearly because they are walking along in the thick of the action. Mackay’s premise that ‘Truth is found upon the Road’ invites Christians to live on the frontiers and margins of life and even stand up against governments which promote moral disorder.
Mackay’s recovery of the prophetic-critical stance of the early church provided a biblical foundation for social action within a context of Marxist ideas and the secular gospel of the 1960s (Ecumenics p153-156). Although Mackay is criticised for not protesting in the streets himself, he demonstrated his commitment to social engagement throughout his ministry. For instance, he allowed the Peruvian teacher and political activist Victor Raúl Haya de la Torre to hide in the boarding rooms of the Anglo-Peruano school in 1923 while on the run from police after organising an anti-government demonstration, something for which Mackay almost got deported.
Mackay’s recognition that social action was an inherent gospel component made a profound impact on a generation of Latin American Protestant evangelical thinkers who did not want to be Balconyviewers but rather theologians of the Road. Whilst Mackay could not be described as a liberation theologian, he provided tools for emerging leaders to develop their own theological responses to situations of political tumult and revolutionary movements, ranging from the holistic mission of René Padilla and Samuel Escobar and the political career of Pedro Arana to the liberation theology of José Míguez Bonino.
Held together by his vision of the cosmic Christ and commitment to Scripture, Mackay’s understanding of a church united in mission galvanised his thinking and ministry. Although his contribution receives greater recognition in Latin America than elsewhere, Mackay promoted mission and unity within the ecumenical movement, providing a foundation for contemporary missional theology and social action. While we cannot give him the title of the 13th apostle, Mackay’s voice continues to speak into issues facing church and society today, such as community, diversity and political involvement. Perhaps above all, it encourages evangelicals not to dismiss or run away from pursuing ecumenical unity. Rather it sounds a clarion call to actively demonstrate unity across denominational boundaries as we move forward in our devotion to Christ. •
WORLD NEWS
AMERICAS AFRICA EUROPE ASIA AUSTRALASIA
PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
NIGERIA: Attacks against Christians continue in Nigeria, eliciting a rare response from President Tinubu, who called for action to curb the violence. More than 200 people –including many women and children – have died in recent massacres committed by Fulani militants. Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds. •
INDIA: Open Doors ranks India 11th on its 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. India stood at 31st place in 2013 but has steadily declined in the rankings since Narendra Modi became prime minister. Congregations have reported attacks by Hindu extremists, leaving churchgoers in fear. Non-Hindus are often treated as second-class citizens. •
BHUTAN: Although reforms in 2008 promised religious freedom, Christians are not free to worship publicly, and evangelism is not allowed. In recent times, international press freedom has reached its lowest point. Christianity is on the rise in the country, and the government is reportedly concerned about its growth. At present, Christians are estimated to make up 1-2% of the population. •
EVANGELICALS MURDERED AS ARMED GROUPS RECLAIM TERRITORY IN COLOMBIA
Christianity Today
The bodies of eight Christian leaders have been discovered in Calamar, Colombia, after they went missing in April.
They had travelled to the village of Puerto Nuevo after a summons from Frente Primero, a dissident group of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).
All eight Christians had previously fled from Arauca, a region close to the Venezuelan border where armed groups have increasingly targeted pastors and converts to Protestantism.
According to the prosecutor’s office in Calamar, Frente Primero had mistaken the Christians for members of another armed organization, the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), which has one of its bases in the Arauca region.
The country’s decades-long armed conflict officially ended with the 2016 peace deal between FARC and the Colombian government, but many parts of the country remain contested territory between state forces and armed groups who rejected or abandoned the accords.
Calamar is in the heart of one of these land conflicts, between Frente Primero (also known as Armando Ríos and ruled by warlord Iván Mordisco) and the faction led by Calarcá Córdoba.
International observers and Colombian lawmakers have condemned the killings.
‘Eight Christian leaders have been massacred in Calamar, Guaviare. This is an atrocious act that brings mourning to the country and an alarming sign that religious freedom is in danger in Colombia’s most forgotten regions,’ said Senator Lorena Ríos, a vocal advocate for religious freedom.
Ríos has called for a full investigation by the Attorney General’s Office and the National Protection Unit, demanding justice for the victims and security guarantees for Christian communities in rural conflict zones.
Christian advocacy groups are particularly concerned by this latest incident. Open Doors, a global watchdog for religious persecution, ranks Colombia 46th on its 2025 World Watch List. The group cites persistent threats, surveillance, and even assassinations of church leaders who oppose the influence of armed groups in rural Colombia.
‘Colombia fell 12 spots on the World Watch List, but this shouldn’t be taken as a sign that everything is well,’ states Open Doors in its latest report. ‘Church leaders are particularly at risk because they are seen as competitive influences for the young people that make up much of the guerrilla groups’ ranks. •
Evangelical Christians in Switzerland are defying the nationwide decline in religious belief and practice, standing out for their commitment to regular worship, prayer and spiritual engagement, according to newly released government data.
According to the Réseau évangélique suisse (RES), which represents 250 Evangelical churches across French-speaking Switzerland, the data comes from a report released by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO) titled Religiosity and Spirituality in Switzerland (2024).
‘The Swiss Evangelical Network (RES) is delighted that evangelical churches are mentioned for the first time in the study and that they stand out from the general trend in religious practice,’ stated RES in a news update.
The report highlighted that Switzerland is historically a ‘Christian country,’ but also added that people with no religion are increasing despite the diversity of religious beliefs.
The 2024 figures show that Christianity remains ‘the most widespread religion in Switzerland,’ and this is ‘despite a downward trend.’
Population figures quoted for 2024 show 31% Roman Catholic, 19% Reformed Protestant and 6% Evangelicals.
SYRIA’S
However, on matters of religion and spirituality, there are differences between religious communities. RES highlighted that a third of Swiss Roman Catholics are religious and spiritual, in comparison to nearly a quarter of Reformed Protestants. For Evangelical churches, however, this ‘proportion rises to almost 50%.’
In the past 10 years, the SFSO outlined how regular reading of spiritual books, magazines or internet articles has spiralled upwards from 13% to 20%.
‘The increase in spiritual reading is strongest among members of evangelical churches (+21%), the Reformed (+12%) and 15–24-year-olds (+13%),’ reported RES.
‘Reading religious books is more widespread among members of Evangelical churches (45%) and Muslims (35%) than in other religious communities.’
Evangelicals are also more likely to participate in ‘spiritual events and religious services’ with 30.3% attending at least once per week. Regular prayer times have also increased in Evangelical churches by a margin of at least seven percent.
The Religiosity and Spirituality in Switzerland report relies on data from the Language, Religion and Culture Survey (ELRC) taking place every five years since 2014. •
CHRISTIANS FEAR FOR FUTURE AFTER DEVASTATING CHURCH ATTACK BBC
Twenty-five people died after a suicide bomber targeted the Greek Orthodox church of the Prophet Elias on 22 June, the first such attack in Damascus since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew Bashar alAssad in December, ending 13 years of devastating civil war.
The Syrian authorities blamed the attack on the Islamic State (IS) group. However, a lesser- known Sunni extremist group, Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, has said it was behind the attack – though government officials say they do not operate independently of IS.
During Assad's rule, members of Syria's many religious and ethnic minority communities believed the state protected them. Now, many fear the new Islamist-led government, established by the rebels who overthrew him last December, will not do the same.
While interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his government have pledged to protect all citizens, recent deadly sectarian violence in Alawite coastal areas and then in Druze communities around Damascus have made people doubt its ability to control the situation.
Before the civil war, Christians made up about 10% of the 22 million population in Syria – but their numbers have shrunk significantly since then with hundreds of thousands fleeing abroad.
Churches were among the buildings bombed by
the Syrian government and allied Russian forces during the war — but not while worshippers were inside.
Thousands of Christians were also forced from their homes due to the threat from hardline Islamist and jihadist groups, such as IS.
President Sharaa last week promised that those involved in the ‘heinous’ attack would face justice.
A day after the bombing, two of the suspects were killed and six others arrested in a security operation on an IS cell in Damascus.
But this has done little to allay fears here about the security situation, especially for religious minorities.
Archimandrite Meletius Shattahi, director-general of the charitable arm of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, feels the government is not doing enough.
He refers to videos circulating online showing armed religious preachers advocating for Islam over loudspeakers in Christian neighbourhoods, saying these are not ‘individual incidents.’
‘These are taking place in public in front of everybody, and we know very well that our government is not taking any action against [those] who are breaching the laws and the rules.’
This alleged inaction, he says, is what led to the attack at the Church of the Prophet Elias. •
LEARNING FROM RECOVERY GROUPS
BY REV NORMAN AND ALISON MACKAY
it’s a Well-knoWn fact that scotland has tragically registered a record number of drug deaths in recent years: the highest in the uk, and indeed the highest in europe. In response to this culture of hopelessness a whole range of substance addiction recovery groups has come into being. Set up and established to help stem this flow of addiction, there is little doubt these third sector agencies are the reason many men and women are alive today.
Of course, it ought to be stressed that not everything in the recovery group culture is in fact helpful, and not every recovery group is the same. Some are good, and others are not. Some are better and others worse. Some are helpful, and others are harmful.
Our focus in this article is on several of the principles and practices employed by successful recovery groups that we as congregations might learn from, and perhaps even be challenged by.
COMMUNITIES THAT CARE
It cannot be denied that the possibility of breaking free from addictive behaviour and enslavement is greatly increased when a person is supported and given hope from others. Recognising this need, recovery groups meet together much more frequently in a given week than many of our church congregations. Additionally, a great number of those attending do so with the purposeful goal of reaching out and supporting newer members of the
group. When someone fails to turn up, all efforts are made to check in on the one who is missing.
Meetings are rarely, if ever, cancelled, and at particular times of the year such as Christmas or New Year, when group members are very vulnerable to relapse, additional or special meals and events are scheduled.
One reason why these special occasions are of vital importance is that by the time someone is living a lifestyle of addiction, existing family ties have often been severed, previous relationships have broken down, friendships might be toxic, and homelessness is, for many, a terrible reality.
The recovery group, therefore, is often the closest thing to a substitute family. Indeed, for many people whose trials are rooted in past family trauma and perhaps betrayal, the group and supporters might be the only family they have known.
In short, a community whose progress and survival requires a daily sacrificial commitment of its members is likely to produce a social bonding and communal loyalty that goes way beyond the level of relational togetherness sometimes experienced or aspired to in the Church.
COMMUNITIES THAT SHARE
A further distinctive of effective recovery communities is that having hit rock bottom in life, very few participants entertain pretentions about themselves. There are no reputations to guard; no status to
protect; no image to upkeep. There is, however, a need to talk, and sometimes to do so at great length. Revisiting and analysing where and why life has gone so badly wrong is one of the activities of the group. It is for this reason that creating a ‘safe space’ within which people can share openly and transparently without the fear of being shamed or exploited is crucial. It is also understandable that people who have been let down relationally, sometimes on a grand scale, or perhaps have sinned greatly themselves, require grace and courage to trust themselves to others again. Making yourself vulnerable by opening up your heart in the presence of others involves risk of further pain or rejection. For this reason, we ought not to share our hearts unwisely or unguardedly. However, to do so in the correct context is not only necessary for healing and spiritual growth, but can be incredibly cathartic and therapeutic. Discovering that someone else really does understand ‘my situation’ and that ‘I am not alone’ can be wonderfully uplifting. But what has this to do with our life as a church? After all, do not all of us who are disciples of Jesus continue to struggle and wrestle with sinful habits and attitudes to which we can seem to be addicted? Do we ever actually arrive at a point in this life when we have nothing to repent of, confess or put right with God or with others? Is it not the case that as sinners we were at rock bottom outside of Christ?
Perhaps the reality for some is that church at this level has never been experienced as a ‘safe space’ but an unsafe one. Confidentiality might not always be honoured. Stories might be passed on as gossip. For some, perhaps reputations can be enhanced by putting down others who fail, struggle or fall? This is another area of community life where the best recovery groups rise to the challenge. Surely in the Church of Christ we of all people can learn from and excel in such practices: honouring confidentiality, being willing to really listen, sharing our own shortcomings and struggles and showing compassion. Basically, following the ultimate example and commands of Jesus.
COMMUNITIES THAT BEAR
It stands to reason that in order to bear another’s burden we need to understand the nature of the burden a person is carrying. It is at this point the key distinctives of a Christian Recovery Group differentiates itself from many of the others. It is only Christian Recovery that speaks of the regeneration and renewal of the whole person. Moreover, as far as addiction itself is concerned the Christian understanding of the condition is quite distinct.
Many charities or third sector agencies classify the condition as an illness. To put it another way, addiction is frequently set forth as a disease requiring healing, rather than a habit that enslaves, or a sinful pattern of living that needs to be broken.
Of course, this is perfectly consistent with the moral drift of our society towards the avoidance of personal responsibility and the shifting of blame. Attempting to transfer culpability for the wrong moral choices we make, and the consequences we experience, was a strategy of avoidance first articulated in Genesis. We are all very happy at times to sow the seeds of wrong choices as long as someone else reaps the harvest.
However, at this point a word of caution is also necessary. Having classified addiction as a moral and indeed spiritual issue, it is also important to recognise that what lies behind some substance abuse is often a desperate attempt to mask emotional and psychological pain and hurt that simply will not go away.
We have encountered, for example, women whose story is one of life-long abuse (physical, emotional or sexual), exploitation and humiliation. Often beginning in childhood, this trauma and wounding to the heart can result in a deep-seated sense of betrayal, worthlessness and rejection. Is it not therefore understandable that broken and traumatised people will crave anything that offers a temporary release from the affliction that for them accompanies sobriety?
Sadly, of course, street drugs only compound and mask this underlying brokenness, while adding on layers of guilt that accompany the consequences of a life of addiction. To sedate this guilt more chemicals are seen as necessary, and the money for such has to be found by any means.
And so, the cycle goes on. •
Norman and Alison Mackay spent 10 years church planting in Govan, an area of multiple deprivation. Much of their work was with men and women struggling with long-term substance dependency. For four years during this time Norman was the Chairman of Hope For Addiction, a Christian Recovery Ministry based in Glasgow.
Re-visiting the Apostles’ Creed
BY REV DAVID J RANDALL
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead, He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.
It is a remarkable thing that the principal symbol of the christian faith is an instrument of torture and death, something so horrendous that the roman laWyer and statesman cicero (106-43 bc) said that it shouldn’t even be mentioned in polite society. If today’s designers of corporate symbols and logos had operated in the first century, they would never have suggested that the cross could be a suitable choice for Christ’s church (that would be like suggesting a hangman’s noose or electric chair as a logo).
Yet Isaac Watts would refer to ‘the wondrous cross’, echoing the assertion of the apostle Paul that he would glory in the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14). Paul wrote, ‘We preach Christ crucified’ (1 Corinthians 1:23) which may offend some people but it is one of the things ‘of first importance’ (1 Corinthians 15:3).
HIS DEATH
The Creed says that Jesus ‘suffered under Pontius Pilate’, the Roman governor who tried various expedients to avoid condemning Jesus (offloading the problem to Herod, offering an amnesty for one prisoner, having the victim flogged, washing his hands of the whole affair), but in the end he ratified the death sentence, so that in churches where people repeat the Creed his name echoes across the centuries: ‘suffered under Pontius Pilate.’ The phrase also roots the story in real-time history; it is not a ‘once upon a time’ tale but something that happened at a particular place and at a particular time. The gospels actually show a remarkable restraint
in referring to the crucifixion; they do not dwell on the physical agonies of that supremely vicious way of torturing people to death. And the reason for this restraint is that the Bible’s emphasis is more on the meaning of our Lord’s death than on the physical suffering. On the cross Jesus cried out, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46)
That is what it meant for ‘God’s only Son, our Lord’ to stand in for us and bear the penalty of our sins. Romans is often regarded as the gospel according to Paul, and in it the apostle draws out the significance of the cross. First, he establishes the fact that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23), and then he expounds the saving action of Christ. People are ‘justified freely by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith in him.’ (Romans 3:23-25)
He is just (in punishing sin and rebellion) and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (verse 30).
As a shaft of light can be passed through a prism so that its refracted colours are seen individually, so the Bible brings together concepts from the slavemarket (redemption), the law-courts (justification) and the temple or synagogue (propitiation by blood) to expound the significance and marvel of the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died.
WRATH
A popular hymn says that ‘on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.’ The cross is
the propitiation of the wrath of God against sin, the redemption (buying back) of lost human beings, the conquest of Satan and the means — the only means — by which human beings can be counted justified in God’s sight — regarded, according to the old saying, just as if I’d never sinned. We have sinned, but God in Christ has taken our sins upon himself, and the gospel addresses the appeal to us: ‘Be reconciled to God’ (2 Corinthians 5:20). The price is paid: come, let us enter in to all that Jesus died to make our own.1
We cannot plumb the depths of what was happening at Calvary; as an old hymn says, ‘None of the ransomed ever knew how deep were the waters crossed, nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through’2, but through that sacrifice of Calvary we are offered forgiveness, peace and eternal life.
About the cry, ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’ James Philip wrote: ‘There was no answer to that terrible cry; God was silent. Christ had been silent in his trial, having no defence to offer, with the weight of our sin on his shoulders. Now there is silence from heaven. There could be no answer from God; for that is what hell means. And in the terrible agony of that silence, atonement was made and our forgiveness was sealed in blood.’3
In recent years this doctrine of “penal substitution” has been attacked, even on the grounds of its morality — as if God the Father “took it out on” an innocent victim for all the sins of the world. That would be a horrible and unjust thing. But the whole emphasis of the Bible is on the fact that the action of Christ was the self-sacrificing action of God
We need to hold together the teaching of the previous phrase of the Creed about the incarnation of God’s Son and this one about his atonement. It was, according to Colossians 1:19, God who was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in Jesus Christ and to ‘make peace by the blood of his cross.’
There is no question either of God taking it out on an innocent bystander or, for that matter, of the good and kind Jesus successfully pleading with an angry God in heaven to let people off. Such notions miss the point of the Bible’s teaching that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).
INTO HELL
After saying that Jesus ‘was crucified, dead and buried’ the Creed then adds, ‘He descended into hell.’ Modernised versions substitute ‘he descended to the dead.’
The Bible does speak plainly about hell and the terrible possibility of people being finally separated from God — which is what is meant by hell. In the cry, ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’ Jesus descended into hell. He really did die, and he experienced the hell of God-forsakenness for us.
There have been people who have tried to “explain” the resurrection by saying that what “really” happened was that Jesus didn’t actually die on the cross. He was cruelly maltreated and came very near to death (they say) but he was not actually dead when they took him down from the cross, and then in the coolness of the tomb he revived. It is surprising how resilient the idea has been, although we may suspect that it would only be entertained by people who had, on other grounds, decided that the resurrection is impossible and are looking for support for that pre-judging of the issue.
But ‘descended into hell’ means he really and truly died. The one person who did not need to die — having no sin in him — really entered into death for us and for our salvation. Romans 5:12 talks about how ‘Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.’ Jesus had no sin of his own, yet he died and descended into the realm of the dead (‘hell’).
The Bible uses very vivid images to express the horror of hell: flames and burning sulphur and so on. And, just as we do not meantime know the details of heaven (which is described symbolically in terms of golden pavements and flowing rivers), so we do not know a lot about hell. What we do know is that it is terrible. It has been said about the sulphur, for example, that we may take it metaphorically but we should take it seriously. The Bible’s warnings on the subject are deadly serious.
We began this article by suggesting that the cross might have been expected to be an unwelcome embarrassment to the early church. Yet Paul wrote, ‘Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.’ (Galatians 6:14) May we share John Bunyan’s expression: Blest Cross, Blest Sepulchre! Blest rather be the Man who there was put to shame for me.4
Jesus’ body was indeed placed in a sepulchre — but it did not stay there! That needs another article; for now, let me conclude with the assertion of the evangelist Gipsy Smith (1860–1947) who was travelling to New York to preach the gospel when someone remarked that it was fifty years since Smith had first come to that great city; what kept him going through all that time? He replied, ‘I have never lost the wonder of it all.’ Amen to that.. •
Rev David J Randall retired from pastoral ministry in 2010 and is a member of Broughty Ferry Free Church
1 Hymn, The Price is Paid, by Graham Kendrick (1983)
2 Hymn, There were Ninety and Nine, by Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane (1830-69)
3 James Philip, The Glory of the Cross (Didasko Files, published by The Lausanne Movement, 2008), 17
4 John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress (Penguin edition), p.70
PAGES FROM ADAM’S DIARY
In the Tax Office
As, with much fervour, I was making this case, I noticed a smile come over her face and tears began to stream from her eyes. I knew that was a sign that the Holy Spirit was doing his work and her heart was touched.
“ ”
Apart from sharing the gospel, evangelism and pastoral Work among the refugees, i also try to help them in other Ways, such as taking them to doctor offices, hospitals and dentists, government offices and such. Last year I went with one of them to the tax office to act as an interpreter and an advocate. Many of them, not knowing the local laws, get into trouble by breaking the laws. I spent hours going to various municipalities and government offices to plead their cases for dismissal of penalties. One of these dear refugees who has faithfully served our Lord is an elderly brother who had received a bill from the Dutch tax authorities for more than 3,000 Euros. He was completely demoralised and despondent as to how he was going to pay this amount. I offered to go with him to the relevant office to see if we could reduce, delay, break the amount into instalments, or even perhaps get them to forgive the demand for payment.
In the case of this dear brother, God gave us a gracious, sympathetic young woman. I explained to her this dear man’s financial situation, that he was a simple poor refugee, living very modestly, and unable to pay this exorbitant amount. I told her that he was a lowly minister of the gospel. She asked me who I was. I answered that I was a Christian pastor helping refugees and I was there to both interpret and also act as an advocate for this dear man who unknowingly and unintentionally had breached their tax laws. I told her that, through the life of this ordinary man, God has converted thousands of Muslims in her beautiful country and, in fact, this man had rendered a great service to the Netherlands. As, with much fervour, I was making this case, I noticed a smile come over her face and tears began to stream from her eyes. I knew that was a sign that the Holy Spirit was doing his work and her heart was touched.
When I finished talking, she asked if I recognised her. I told her I did not. She explained that she was also a Christian and, when she had been a 12-year-old girl many years back, I had been brought to their school by a Dutch pastor and I had spoken to the children about the life of a missionary. And I had also told the children about Christians in faraway lands who were persecuted for their faith. She remembered that she was deeply moved then when she thought she and her friends enjoyed complete freedom, that Christian children in those countries would go to school in fear of being discovered and their parents being reported and arrested.
I no longer needed to be an advocate for my friend. He now had a far better one. She thanked us and noted that the final decision was not hers to make. However, she assured us that she would explain this situation to her superiors and, in due course, notify Mr Yussefi of their decision. Several weeks later, this dear brother received a letter from the tax department informing him that he would not be required to pay this amount for three years. And at the end of the three years, they will review his case and either decide to reduce the amount and take it in instalments or completely dismiss it.. •
A brother, known to some of us as Dr Adam, has served the Lord among his suffering church for many years. Dr Adam has also ministered in various parts of the world among refugees. We have asked his permission to print some of the stories of his life and service for the encouragement of readers of The Record. For well understood reasons, the names of people and places have usually been changed or omitted.
BOOK REVIEWS
Both our books this month are meant to encourage and equip the reader as they seek to follow our Saviour today. We hope you find them helpful.
A FIELD GUIDE ON GENDER & SEXUALITY
LIGONIER (2024)
This is a small book, but don’t let that fool you. It deals with a big subject and does so in a thorough and biblical way. Probably the most contentious issue facing society today is that of identity. The world is confused about what a man or a woman is and how we can express that in our relationships.
A field guide is meant to offer a concise introduction to a topic. Following a question and answer format this guide opens up what the Bible teaches about gender and sexuality. The 28 questions are answered competently, compassionately and biblically.
Split into four parts, the book deals with ‘Being Human’ covering what being made in the image of God means and implies. It then goes on to ‘Homosexuality and Transgenderism’ and confronts questions such as whether same-sex attraction is a sin or only acting on it, can one be a ‘gay Christian’, and growth in sanctification. The third section ‘Events and Associations’ deals with personal dilemmas. Can I attend a gay wedding? Is it acceptable to use a person’s preferred pronouns? The final section ‘The Gospel and Love’ touches on sharing the gospel with LGBTQ people and how to help fellow believers struggling with same-sex attraction. It helpfully explains the true nature of compassion and holds out loving hope to all sinners.
The subject is a serious one; there is widespread confusion regarding sex, gender and identity. Christians have a solid foundation for understanding these subjects.
EVEN THE SPARROW
JILL WEBER (2019)
As well as being a valuable introduction this book also serves as a jumping off point for those wishing to go into the subject in greater detail. • This book is available from icmbooks.co.uk
Campbell Campbell-Jack, Falkirk Free Church
Jill Weber currently serves on the international leadership team of 24-7 Prayer as Director of Houses of Prayer. Her book ‘Even the Sparrow’ is absolutely captivating. Although it has been designed with daily readings in mind and for use possibly at Lent, at no place in this narrative do you want to stop and put the book down. She tells her story warts and all, from running with her tiny baby down the street with her belongings in two bags to the decision that she and her husband made to relocate from America to Britain. As she reveals the real Jill, she invites us into her journey, and we become prayer partners with her. Somehow her story intertwines with our story and each chapter is more challenging than the last. As I revisit the book I want to hug her real life stories: her little girl Hannah stands with a pair of scissors in hand contemplating all her golden locks in the waste bin the night before she is a flower girl; on an enforced sabbatical Jill is defiantly ignoring God, sitting in the back pew of church and daring him to speak to her. At the end of each chapter, Jill asks searching questions of the reader, and the answers require me to retreat and for once be real with the God I believe in. Passionate about the essential need for prayer and wholly committed to the daily action of a focused prayer life this humble servant of God invites us to engage deeply with His Son Jesus Christ.
This book is available from muddypearl.com
Ruth Aird, Trinity Community Church Penicuik
AUG-SEP 2025 PRAYER DIARY
‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’
Philippians 4: 6-7
‘Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" (Psalm 85:6)
Pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit across congregations — for hearts to be rekindled with a deep love for Christ and boldness in witness.
‘Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.’ (2 Timothy 4:2)
Ask God to empower ministers and elders to proclaim Scripture clearly, faithfully, and with conviction.
‘If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God...’ (James 1:5)
Pray for wisdom and unity among the church's leaders at all levels – General Assembly, presbyteries, and Kirk Sessions.
‘We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord...’ (Psalm 78:4)
Lift up the younger generation, asking that they grow in faith and find their place within the church. Give thanks to God for the Free Church Youth Camps recently held this Summer. Pray for the Big Free Rally taking place in September: pray that God will work in the hearts and lives of those attending.
‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel...’ (Romans 1:16)
Pray that the Free Church would be a clear and loving witness to Christ in an increasingly secular culture.
‘Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’ (Matthew 9:38)
Pray for the establishment of new congregations, especially in urban centres and spiritually needy areas. Give thanks to God for Leven Free Church and news of a new church plant in Garioch.
‘Let us not grow weary of doing good...’ (Galatians 6:9)
Pray for encouragement, resources, and fellowship for smaller churches in remote areas. Give thanks to God for the Centre for Rural Ministry, which is being led by the Skye and Wester Ross Presbytery and covers across Scotland.
‘To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ (Micah 6:8)
Pray that the church would reflect Christ’s compassion through practical help for the poor, vulnerable, and marginalised. Give thanks to the Lord for the opportunities that congregations have to help those in their church community and wider community. Pray that our churches are places of safety, security and care.
‘To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ...’ (Ephesians 4:12)
Lift up Edinburgh Theological Seminary and other training efforts to raise up godly leaders and equipped members.
Prayer Resources:
Did you know that the Free Church of Scotland provides a host of prayer resources — from weekly Praying For One Another prayer points, to resources for our annual Day of Prayer. Head to the Free Church website to find out more. www.freechurch.org
CHiLDREN'S PAGE CHiLDREN'S PAGE
1 KINGS 19:9-13
THE PROPHET ELIJAH
God sent Elijah as a prophet to Israel at a very dangerous time for God’s people. Elijah’s story is one where God’s mighty power is revealed through incredible acts. This chapter also shows how God is personal, providing for Elijah’s physical needs with food, and giving him support by appointing another prophet, Elisha. God is awesome in power, and he is also in the still, small voice. It’s a beautiful thing to remember when we feel overwhelmed by our lives.
There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He said, ‘I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.’ And he said, ‘Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’
FIND THE PROPHETS...
Look for the Old Testament prophets isted below
MEMORY VERSE
This God—his way is perfect, the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him..
2 Samuel 22:3
GET CREATIVE!!
Have fun colouring this picture!
MISSION MATTERS
A monthly take on some of the mission work the Free Church is involved in by our Mission Director, DAVID MEREDITH
don ’ t you J ust love J onah ? Like all biblical characters he shows elements of both high spirituality and base stupidity. What can both we and the contemporary Free Church learn from him and his eponymous book?
Grace blows our mind and challenges our self-centredness. The Ninevites were the worst of the worst, Al-Qaeda, Hamas and the Nazis rolled into one. Nahum gives them a stark message from God: ‘Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder — no end to the prey’ (Nahum 3:1). Jonah found it challenging to accept that God could forgive the vilest offender who truly believes. In our communities we should move towards the groups that we find most offensive. I was shocked and grieved at the people who “liked” on social media the action of the man who sprayed the streets of Ballymena with slurry before a Pride march. No people group is beyond salvation, whether it’s the amoral banker or the exploited rent boy. Put down the megaphone, give up the keyboard warrior stance and ask the person who you think is most beyond grace for a coffee.
People who worship other gods are not the enemy and we should listen to their questions. The sailors who took Jonah on his failed voyage to Tarshish were in better shape than he was. They began the voyage as unbelievers, crying to their own individual gods but came to the point where they ‘greatly feared the Lord’ and ‘made sacrifices to him.’ God moved not because of Jonah but in spite of the disobedient prophet. However, Jonah in his backslidden state spoke truth. He testified to the ‘God of heaven, who made the seas and the dry land.’
The Pew Research Centre revealed that 84% of the world have a religious affiliation. The atheist is in a minority. Belief in a power beyond ourselves is a great start to a conversation which will lead to Jesus, the only name under heaven which will bring salvation.
The gospel contains bad news before good news. Jonah had a tough assignment: ‘preach against’ Nineveh. His message led to them putting on sackcloth and sitting in the dust. They were a violent people who were challenged to give it up. It’s tough to have that conversation with your amoral banker or gay friend. The fact that we are exposed as a “wretch” is triggering. However, the core of our message is ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ As we talk we tell the good news that the Father’s love is deep; in fact, a vast love beyond all measure, a love which resulted in a wretch becoming a treasure of God.
If we have a vision of what God can do, it’s probably too small. The entire city of Nineveh repented. The King was changed and precipitated a radical moral change in the culture. Even the animals benefitted. It seems to me that the average Free Church congregation is satisfied with survival. 40 people and a £50K income and we can go on for years. It’s not about our survival, it’s about a faith which believes that God can change the hardest heart and can grow the most moribund congregation.
Of course, the hero of the book of Jonah is not the prophet, it’s Jesus. Jonah ran from his mission; Jesus ran to his mission. Jonah was buried for three days in the ocean and rose up only to die; Jesus was buried for three days but rose up to live and give life to those united to him. Jonah was angry because more than 120,000 became disciples of Jesus; there is rejoicing in heaven over just one sinner who repents.
Lord, make me less like Jonah and more like Jesus. •
