A warning sign to the nation.

Carillion’s collapse is not only a disaster for its 43,000 employees but a blow to the whole national economy, with up to 30,000 businesses affected in Carillion’s wider network. Of course, all our politicians have gone into ‘blame game’ mode.

The only MPs who can claim to be guiltless of the policy that led to this Private Finance Initiative (PFI) are those on the far left who opposed this dangerous venture into the state trying to get its public services on the cheap.

The short answer is – it is not possible! There is no such thing as free money.

PFI was an idea generated in John Major’s Government but implemented when Gordon Brown was in charge of the Treasury in Tony Blair’s New Labour Government. So, both our main political parties have egg on their faces for the monstrous folly that has put millions of pounds into the pockets of venture capitalists at the expense of the British taxpayer.

Reckless Debt

At a time when interest rates were high and the Government wished to keep borrowing to a minimum it must have seemed attractive to let private investors put up the capital for big construction projects and to delay purchase of the assets over a period of many years. But buying anything on the ‘never-never’ only delays the pain. We are now told that projects valued at £60 billion are costing the British taxpayer £199 billion.

Both our main political parties have egg on their faces for this monstrous folly

It seems almost beyond belief that our politicians could be so incredibly naive to put our hospitals and schools in the hands of these greedy rogues, who have lined their own pockets at public expense. In simple terms, the Government handed out contracts for the building of hospitals and schools paid for largely by foreign investors, who have leased them back to the Government at exorbitant rates of interest in conditions that make vast profits for the investors.

Even after Carillion had issued ‘profits warnings’ indicating that it was in financial difficulties, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling awarded them a contract on part of the High-Speed Rail (HS2) construction.

Carillion have been in trouble for a long time but instead of following a policy of clearing their debts on each project before moving onto the next, they recklessly increased their debts in a kind of commercial Ponzi scheme, by taking on more contracts to help pay off the interest on earlier commitments. Eventually the point was reached where their debt mountain became so massive, and the profits had all been squirrelled away by greedy management, that it became impossible to pay off the debts and the banks would not lend any more.

Day of Reckoning

This has all the feel of the darker side of capitalism and was probably the kind of operation that Marx had in mind when he said that capitalism contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction. I’m not making a case for Marxism, but simply pointing out that there were some things that he got right.

The fundamental weakness of Marxism lies in its dogma of ‘economic determinism’ which sees all human beings as products of their environment. All thought thereby becomes conditioned by matter, because it is a product of matter in motion, which philosophically sets aside the whole notion of human accountability.

It is beyond belief that our politicians put our hospitals and schools in the hands of these greedy rogues, who have lined their own pockets at public expense.

It was this conviction of human accountability to God that was the driving force behind the ministry exercised by the prophets of Israel recorded in the Bible. Listen to this from the Prophet Amos:

You hate the one who reproves in court and despise him who tells the truth. You trample on the poor…You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. (Amos 5:10-12)

Amos then goes on to tell the leaders of the nation who are eagerly awaiting the Day of the Lord that it will be a day of darkness not light, because God is a God of truth and justice who holds human beings accountable for their actions.

It is this accountability to a higher authority that is missing in our secular humanist society today. The very existence of these concepts of truth and justice depend upon our recognition of the God of Creation who built these values into the fabric of the universe. When we take God out of the equation we actually destroy the whole structure of society because there are no ultimate values or accountability. Without God we human beings are on our own to make up our own rules that suit our particular needs at the time.

The Underlying Problem

But we live in a moral universe that we ignore at our peril, as the Carillion debacle vividly portrays. The big question now is whether or not our political masters will have the courage not only to take responsibility for clearing up the mess of the disastrous policy of former Governments, but to recognise the reason why the nation is having to bear the huge cost of this folly.

We live in a moral universe that we ignore at our peril.

Will we recognise that by departing from the ‘gold standard’ of the word of God we have brought all this trouble upon ourselves? And will we come humbly before God seeking his ways that lead to blessing and prosperity?

It may be that God has allowed the Carillion economic disaster to come upon us as a warning sign to the nation that all is not well; and that unless we face up to the bigger moral and spiritual problems in the nation we will never get the economy right or solve the nation’s social problems.

With greed and corruption becoming an everyday part of life, Britain is looking more and more like it did in the 18^th Century - just before revival happened.

The sudden departure of England's much heralded football manager transferred sports news from the back page to the front page of our newspapers.

Sam Allardyce had only been in the job 67 days before he was forced to resign following a sting set up by the Daily Telegraph with men posing as businessmen from the Far East. They recorded him agreeing to a £400,000 deal in which he would help "get around" strict bans on third party transfer regulations.

Allardyce left his employment with the Football Association with a reported half £1 million payoff for just over two month's work, during which he organised just one international football match - which England won, giving him a 100% record for his England career!

It is astonishing that a man who was being paid a salary of £3 million a year could fall for such an entrapment. Why would he risk everything for an additional £400,000 on top of the immense salary he was receiving? It is surely an example of the incredible power of greed. However large the salary, greed will always try to get a bit more.

Greed is Now Normal

Greed is the driving force in so many people's lives today; it has become a banal part of our culture, affecting every area of life - from banking and the growth of vast international business conglomerates to sport and entertainment. It seems that no area of society is free from greed and corruption, with the result that the gap between rich and poor is getting ever wider.

The rich are growing richer and the poor are growing poorer, leaving the way open for injustice and exploitation of the powerless. The greatest health problem facing the rich nations is obesity while millions in the poorer nations go to bed hungry every night. Yet the vast injustice of this situation leaves most people in the Western nations untroubled. Why is this in nations that have had the Gospel for centuries, where biblical values of justice are part of the foundations of their civilisation?

Greed has become a banal part of our culture, affecting every area of life.

Abandonment of 'Traditional' Morality

Surely the reason has to be connected with our turning away from our biblical foundations. In Britain children are no longer taught basic biblical morality in state schools and we now have a generation of parents who have virtually no knowledge of the Bible, leaving many children growing up with no ultimate standards of right and wrong.

George Whitfield

What can change the nation? Can we learn from the past?

Revisiting 18^th Century Britain

A similar situation existed in the latter part of the 18^th Century and the beginning of the 19^th Century. Crime, lawlessness, adultery and drunkenness were the foremost characteristics in all ranks of society, as Hogarth's pictures of London vividly illustrate. Violence and unrest were everywhere and there were frequent riots, as well as fears that the French Revolution might spread across the Channel and engulf the nation.

Church attendance was the lowest it had been for centuries. In 1800, just six people took communion on Easter day in St Paul's Cathedral. It was at this stage that the Evangelical Revival began to change everything, with the Methodists and Nonconformists reaching the working classes and the evangelical Anglicans reaching the upper echelons and the burgeoning middle classes produced by the Industrial Revolution.

Today, many children are growing up with no ultimate standards of right and wrong.

Gospel-Driven Cultural ChangeJohn Wesley

A striking example of their success in changing the nation can be seen in the social statistics. Throughout the 19^th Century, crime rates fell dramatically. By 1870 there were only 10,000 in the jails of England and Wales. But even more remarkable was the continuing fall over the next 30 years. By 1910 there were only 3,000 prisoners in the nation's jails, despite the population rising from 25 million to 35 million!

Social historians attribute this astonishing fall in the crime rate to the success of the Evangelical Revival in transforming the moral and spiritual life of the nation. It all began with a small group of Christians, like Wilberforce, Wesley and Whitfield, in the dark days of the late 18^th Century. They had a passion for the Gospel and cared deeply about people.

In addition to preaching the truth, they also applied the Gospel to the great social issues of their day, working for causes such as the abolition of colonial slavery and the end of child exploitation in the mines, mills and factories of England. It was through their faith in God that the nation was transformed.

Dramatic Loss of Faith

Today, there are many similarities with the early 19^th Century. The latest British Attitude Survey (published May 2016) shows that 48% of the population say they have 'no religion'. It is remarkable that 50 years of immigration has not resulted in significant numbers converting to other religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism - the British people have simply lost faith in any religion, so they have nothing to hold onto when difficult times come.

The mission field is wide open for Christians with a passion for the gospel to share their faith with their non-Christian friends and neighbours. An even greater Evangelical Revival could happen in 21^st Century Britain!

The British people have lost faith in any religion, so they have nothing to hold onto when difficult times come.

Revival Happening Now?

Churches in Reading have been sharing their faith on the streets since May this year with some amazing results - and a similar movement has been happening this month in Liverpool, where Christians report an astonishing new openness to the Gospel and hundreds of ordinary people giving their lives to Christ on the streets.

People are fed up with the greed and corruption they see everywhere. The fields are ripe for harvest. We hope to publish details of the developments in Liverpool next week. Maybe the only thing holding back revival in Britain is that many people in churches have not yet woken up to the spiritual hunger of people around them!

Jesus said, "The time has come, the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15)

'Preparing for the Economic Storm: the Church in an Age of Austerity' by Derrick Burns (New Wine Press, 2013, 158 pages, available from Roperpenberthy for £8.99)

This is a well-researched and informative book on an important current topic: the turmoil in national economies that threatens to turn into a global storm. The author provides many relevant facts and figures and a perceptive analysis of those countries most in financial trouble. Helpfully, he states early in his book the key questions he will attempt to answer: what is God doing? How does he use economic storms? How can we prepare for tough times? What kind of church does God require and how can we raise up new leaders?

The author outlines how the Western world has worshipped capitalism and economic prosperity, and boldly declares that such idolatry brings nations down. Already cracks are beginning to form. Unrestrained corporate greed and a short-term gain mentality mean excessive spending will inevitably continue, both individually and nationally. This can only lead to more debt and eventual collapse, though he is cautious as to when and how seriously.

The situations in Greece, Spain and France come under scrutiny, as does the severity of the challenges the United States now faces. The spotlight also falls on the United Kingdom which has forsaken its calling to the gospel and turned its back on God, following materialism and consumerism instead. Consequently, we are heading for the same storms.

The call of this book is for God's people to free ourselves from idols of greed and be ready for the coming storms"

The author recognises this is part of the shaking of the nations as predicted in Hebrews 12:26. In particular, "God is deliberately allowing the economic storms to challenge Western idols built on money, self-centredness and success". (p74) The call is for God's people to free ourselves from these idols now in order to be ready for the storms and to be able to help others who will struggle in these difficult economic times. We must heed the warning signs and shake off complacency before the storms hit.

The book contains many references to historical figures and events as well as key Biblical passages, in particular the fat and lean years in the Joseph account. The aim is to bring prophetic insight and practical wisdom to bear on personal lifestyles as well as on national issues. Indeed, a main strength of the book is the wealth of practical advice for individuals, churches, charities and other organisations, advice designed to create a new focus and flexibility to adapt to changing times. This guidance is important otherwise we might feel helpless in the light of his stern message.

The author stresses the need for the church to be thinking now about what kind of mission we will face in the future and how to father new spiritual leaders for the next generation. Mature Christians must help equip newer believers and build up gifts of prophecy and discernment.

The Church needs to prepare and be ready- not just for changing times, but for new opportunities for the gospel."

The overall message of the book will be an eye-opener for those not aware of how God acts in judgement, but there is also reassurance. God does provide in times of hardship. His Kingdom operates according to a different economy. If we understand the times and what God is doing then there will be great opportunities for the gospel.

Here is an illuminating challenge to prepare for a more difficult future than we might otherwise contemplate. It is a prophetic book in that it analyses the present in clear Biblical terms. Alarm bells should ring but not in an over-alarmist clamour- this is a book to read prayerfully and then share, not shelve.