Schoolchildren taken on a life-changing journey of discovery

The incalculable effects of faithfully sowing gospel seeds among the young

Testimony: The harvest is ripe in our schools. Following Charles Gardner’s report last week on the positive response of schoolchildren in Doncaster to the Easter story and the Gospel message, we copy below a testimony from David and Jean Foster at the Manor Park Christian Centre in London, celebrating a similar openness in schools in Newham.

From David and Jean Foster

On the same note as Charles Gardner’s article, we have been astounded at the openness of the primary schools here in Newham to hearing about Christianity and the Gospel. Back in December, we had a primary school contact us (Manor Park Christian Centre) about sending 180 children before Christmas in order to share with the children the story about why Christians celebrate Christmas.

At the end of each two-hour session (the children were split into two groups of 90), we presented every classroom a copy of ‘The Christmas Story’ by J. John and gave every teacher a copy of the Gospel tract ‘Why Christmas’. During both of the sessions, I clearly explained the Gospel to the children and then prayed for them.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, we had 300 children come from three different primary schools over a two-day period to do ‘The Easter Experience’, promoted by the Christian organisation Faith in Schools. We offered six workshops for the children, all of which told the reason that Christians celebrate Easter. In one workshop, for instance, the children made an Easter garden while two of our ladies told them about the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus. We gave all the classes a copy of ‘The Easter Story’ by J. John and every teacher and many of the children took away the Gospel tract ‘Why Easter’. At the end of each of the four two-hour sessions (75 children in each), I clearly explained the Gospel to the children and then prayed for them.

98% of the children coming have never been inside a church building. The majority of the children come from families of Muslim backgrounds. I had one Muslim trainee teacher come up to me after I had prayed for the children and beg to also have a copy of ‘The Easter Story’ by J. John that I had given to every class.

Last week I had another primary school ‘begging’ me to allow them to bring their children to hear the stories about Jesus. So on 8-9 May we will be having another 90 children coming to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is quite obvious that the Lord, in his timing, is at work across the UK amongst the children and planting a hunger within their teachers to find out more about Christianity and this Jesus whom we worship.

God bless,

David

Please keep David, Jean and these school visits in your prayers.

Parliament is sliding down the slippery slope of Romans 1.

Wednesday 27 March 2019 was a day that will be remembered in history as the occasion when MPs ‘took control’ of the business of the House of Commons in regard to Brexit. With all the attention on the process of Britain leaving the European Union, it is very easy to forget that there is still a trickle of ‘normal’ business being processed.

Earlier that day MPs had participated in four ‘deferred divisions’, recording their votes on paper. One of the votes was in the name of the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds. It sought approval for the draft Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019.¹

Whilst most people, including Christians, have focussed on Brexit, I have found myself asking if there was an element of divine arrangement in the RSE division being held that same day.

The EU and Scripture

Experience suggests that amongst Christians, individuals' responses to the EU are influenced by their eschatology. Here, therefore, I look back in time, rather than forwards, to a Scripture passage that provides an historical perspective through which to evaluate the vision behind a united Europe.

Acts 17 records Paul's speech to the people of Athens, in which he declared that the ‘unknown God’ could be known. He reasoned that this God made "from one blood every nation of men", and ordered "their times and the limits of their lands." He then explained why the Lord had put men in separate nations - "that they should seek the LORD...and find him."

Scripture traces the beginning of nations to the division of mankind at Babel (Gen 11). Their construction of the tower was accompanied by a desire to make a name or reputation for themselves, thus preventing them from being scattered. Their Creator frustrated their proud plans by confusing their speech and separating them. Paul explained how this was actually for mankind's benefit - to put our forefathers, and now us, in situations which would motivate us to seek for the Lord and find Him.

The vision behind the European Union - to eliminate wars by removing national identities - has similarities with the union of tower builders from Shinar. The fatal flaw in the present-day project is that mankind is seeking to achieve peace through their own efforts whilst excluding their Creator. Such a scenario, motivated by a desire to throw off the Lord's ‘fetters’, is described in Psalm 2. This quest turns our attention back to RSE.

The vision behind the European Union has similarities with the union of tower builders from Shinar.

RSE and LGBTQ+

Education Secretary Damian Hinds (left), Philip Davies MP (right).The new guidance should have been approved the previous Wednesday, but at the end of the debate,² one MP, Philip Davies,³ refused to approve the proposals. His action necessitated the following Wednesday's division, when he was joined by 20 others in rejecting the changes, whilst 538 supported them.

What had become clear in the previous week’s debate was that the majority of participating MPs perceived these measures to be promoting LGBTQ+ rights. Essentially, the guidelines distinguish between the ‘relationships’ and the ‘sex education’ aspects of the curriculum. The Government view is that parents' freedom to withdraw children from the latter should not apply to the former. It is under ‘relationships education’ in primary schools that the Department for Education wants children to learn, in Amanda Spielman's words, "that sometimes there are families that have two mummies or two daddies"⁴ and that is alright.

Others have discussed at length the reasons why this is a dangerous direction of travel and why the new guidance should be rejected.⁵ That is not my purpose here. Nor do I want to discuss the clash which this approach has already precipitated with Muslim parents at Parkfield School, Birmingham. Jules Gomes has helpfully highlighted where such secular stupidity will lead.⁶ My objective is to connect the overwhelming support amongst our political elite for forcing LGBTQ+ norms on young children with the failure of the self-same people to deliver Brexit.

Hopefully most Christians realise that Romans 1 is the passage which prophetically describes the judgment process in which Britain finds itself today. We are reaping what we have sown for centuries - the roots go back to the Enlightenment at least. The steady progression which Paul outlines begins with a refusal to recognise the Lord as God, leading to minds being filled with foolish things and senseless hearts being darkened. Idolatry comes next, followed by sexual immorality, as the Lord gives people over to the desires of their hearts.

Romans 1 is the passage which prophetically describes the judgment process in which Britain finds itself today.

The result is a society full of the awful attitudes and actions now bringing death to our streets and emotional and mental distress to many children. The consequences are unavoidable - though they know his law, "that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."

If the same-sex marriage legislation did not convince Christians that Britain is now reaping the fruit of the unbelief it has sown for centuries, then I am not sure that this most recent decision will either - but it ought to!

The Consequences of Damaging Children

When Justin Welby, despite his evangelical credentials, spoke out in November 2017 in defence of Church of England schools allowing pupils to self-identify their gender,⁷ these words of Jesus came to mind; "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea" (Matt 18:6).

With that in mind, consider the ease with which the majority of our MPs agreed last week to teach unrighteousness to the nation's children. What does this say about the foolishness that now grips them?

The evidence is that they have been handed over to delusion, because they refused to receive a love of the truth.⁸ Is it any wonder therefore that they are unable to know what to do about Brexit?

Christians should recognise that we share a responsibility for what has happened. Mixture in the churches has meant that over the last two centuries we have collectively squandered multiple opportunities to challenge secularism. We too are reaping what we have sown. There is no room for us to point the figure at politicians when we have failed to stand for righteousness. Within ‘Bible-believing’ circles today there are those who are embracing unrighteousness, whilst the majority of the remainder remain silent.

Could the reason why it is Muslim parents who are rising up to challenge the secularism of the political classes be that Christians have forfeited their responsibility? If so, the outlook is far from good.

If as God's people we are no longer fit for his purposes, we need to seek him seriously to discover what we should do. When Israel lost its flavour, it was twice thrown out of the land. If the churches have lost their saltiness, then no amount of campaigning will rescue society.

Through Joel, the Lord told his people that it was time to "Return to Me with all your heart," adding "Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate...Who knows whether he will not turn and relent?" Christians need to do this earnestly, not to save the nation, but to ensure they are anchored firmly in Christ and prepared for what lies ahead.

Further update: The RSE guidelines are currently going through the House of Lords, where hundreds of letters of complaint have prompted a floor debate instead of just a vote. Read more on the Barnabas Fund website.

References

1 Find out more here.

2 Approval of Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019. 20 March 2019, Hansard, Volume 656. Watch on Parliament TV here.

3 Philip Davies, MP for Shipley.

4 Ofsted says schools should teach pupils about same-sex couples. BBC News, 21 February 2019.

5 Why the Draft Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education Act 2019 should be rejected. Gavin Ashenden, 20 March 2019. And Izzy Montague, "parents are part of the problem" and why RSE is so controversial. Christian Concern, 29 March 2019.

6 Teaching Muslim kids gay sex is like force-feeding their fathers pork. 'Rebel Priest' Dr Jules Gomes, 12 March 2019.

7 Roberts, R. Church of England tells schools to let children 'explore gender identity'. The Independent, 13 November 2017.

8 Hardy, R. Receive the Love of the Truth. Amen.org.uk.

9 Hosea 10:12: "Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek The LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you."

Pupils play truant in protest against climate change

Thousands of children are set to walk out of school today in a nationwide protest over ‘climate change’.

Militant eco-warriors have apparently fuelled this bizarre action which seems to have the unofficial support of many teachers and even Christian charities.¹

So while parents are fined for taking their children out of school during term time, usually for the understandable reason of avoiding the high cost of holidays when schools are normally closed, teachers are given a free ride. Or will they too be fined? We shall wait and see.

One teachers’ union initially backed the idea by suggesting it would be “a valuable life experience”² before re-thinking its position along the lines that missing lessons would be detrimental to children’s education.

But both statements miss the point, which is that by letting pupils become obsessively politicised in this way undermines the entire structure of society and is tantamount to inciting rebellion, not to say revolution.

Exceptional Circumstances?

Our charge is to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6). Discipline is essential, but now we have children being encouraged to call the shots – all in the name of equality, I suppose. Leaving such ‘decisions’ to impressionable youngsters is a gross abdication of our responsibility. But it’s an upside-down world.

Discipline is essential, but now we have children being encouraged to call the shots.

The Department for Education said it was a matter for individual schools, but stressed that pupils could take time off only in ‘exceptional circumstances’ – apparently including illness, a family funeral or a religious day of observance – and then only when authorised by a headteacher.³

As Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn put it, “if parents can be punished for taking children out of school, then why can’t those we entrust to act in loco parentis?”⁴

The question is surely whether such a strike falls into the above ‘exceptional’ category, though Littlejohn, with tongue in cheek, suggests it is “undoubtedly a quasi-religious event”.

Teaching Rebellion

It would be a little more reasonable if they were being urged to protest over child abuse, or some other issue that affected pupils directly – although I can already hear a wailing chorus declaring that they are marching for their future under a carbon-free sky.

In reality, supporting such outright rebellion against authority is a recipe for disaster that could lead to widespread anarchy and chaos. In the words of the 16-year-old striker from Sweden who started the campaign, “We can’t save the world by playing by the rules because the rules have to be changed. Everything needs to change”.⁵

As for the issue itself that has gripped their attention, it is a classic example of the fake news that has swamped the media and political environment in recent decades.

And it was shocking to witness the laid-back attitude to these protests displayed by media commentators on Sunday morning TV as they swapped nostalgic anecdotes of similar action they took when young.

Supporting such outright rebellion against authority is a recipe for disaster that could lead to widespread anarchy.

Spiritual Vacuum

A key factor in all this is the spiritual vacuum into which such political activity is being played out. With depression and suicide rife among young people living in a make-believe world awash with dark messages of hopelessness, and all too few evangelists available to point them to a Saviour, it is entirely understandable that they should feel the need to be part of something meaningful.

They are thus easy prey for the false gospel of man-made global warming, based on the humanistic idea that everything depends on us because, with this thinking, God did not create the world. And if we want to save the planet, we must do everything we can to preach the need for humans to do what God is apparently incapable of doing.

I believe it is not only a gigantic hoax, but a massive distraction from the real problems facing our world – like the crisis in the Middle East which could well lead to World War III, or the torture of Christians in Muslim nations which provokes little sympathy or action from the West.

I also believe that much of the stress of today’s society – which results in millions of working days lost each year – is down to the same humanistic ideology trapping people into believing there is no way out of their fearful predicaments; that there is no-one to call on for help.

Who Do We Trust?

But there is a God upon whom we can depend and in whom we can trust for our lives and our futures. The Book of Proverbs also says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him; and he will direct your paths” (Prov 3:5f).

Trusting in God is not an abrogation of personal responsibility, but provides you with the ability to act with true wisdom. As the Bible also says (on several occasions), “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Trusting in God is not an abrogation of personal responsibility, but provides you with the ability to act with true wisdom.

This doesn’t mean the Bible has nothing to say about climate change. For it was when Jesus was asked about the signs that would indicate his imminent return that our Lord replied: “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.”

And he added: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:11, 25-28).

Clearly, from that last comment, we should be looking to God at this time, and not to man’s inadequate solutions.

References

1 Christian Aid: Let's hear the voices of schoolchildren striking over climate change. Christian Today, 15 February 2019.

2 The Times, 11 February 2019.

3 Ibid.

4 Daily Mail, 12 February 2019.

5 School strike for climate. TedxStockholm talk.

Are We Heading for an Apostate Church?

In last week’s editorial Dr Clifford Denton gave solemn warnings about the vulnerability to judgement of Church and State in Britain. I want to follow this by exposing some of the things that are happening in the denominational churches of Britain – particularly the Church of England and the Methodist Church.

Information comes into our office on a daily basis from readers all over the country showing the degree to which post-modernist beliefs and practices are entering the churches in Britain. We see it as our duty to share some of this information with our readers for two major purposes.

Post-modernist beliefs and practices are entering the churches in Britain.

First, it is our hope that those who have leadership influence in the churches will recognise the degree to which they are drifting away from the truth of the New Testament Gospel that has been at the heart of Christian mission followed by faithful believers for nearly 2000 years and is in grave danger of being lost. Secondly, we would like all Bible-believing Christians to be informed in their prayer life so that they can pray in line with the will of God for his church.

Church of England

Last year, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, informed Synod that it was his intention to lead the Church of England to become a ‘radically inclusive church’. He failed to define exactly what he meant by such a term, but before the end of the year he sent a letter to all Church of England Primary Schools telling the teachers to encourage the children to cross-dress in preparation for living in a pro-LGBTQ+ nation.

Anglican Primary Schools promote LGBTQ+ values

Some six months later a meeting was held in Church House Westminster to discuss education in Anglican Primary Schools where it was stated by the leader that it was Church of England educational policy to promote LGBTQ+ values in its schools. Only one voice was raised pointing out that this was a denial of biblical truth and the man who raised the objection was firmly told that this policy was not open for discussion.

No Discussion

A similar thing happened last month at an educational policy discussion in the Anglican diocese of Derbyshire where homosexual teaching is replacing biblical truth in Church of England Primary Schools. Bible-believing Christians are not only being side-lined but are being banned from raising any objections, or are simply being told that the Bible has got it all wrong and that the church is now teaching a different gospel.

Abandoned Church Organ / See Photo Credits

Methodist Church

It is not only the Church of England that is abandoning biblical truth – the Methodist Church has gone even farther. They have recently appointed an American minister from the United Methodist Church in Chicago USA to a key national position. This man and his ‘husband’, who is a lecturer at Queens College Birmingham, has been working as a minister among Methodist churches in Birmingham where he took groups on the Birmingham Gay Pride March, led training days and was working on planting a ‘radically inclusive church group’ in the City of Birmingham with a plan to establish eight more across the Midlands.

He has now left Birmingham for London where he has been appointed to a key national role in the Methodist Church as ‘Director of Evangelism and Church Growth’. This is described as “a new position aimed at supporting the development of these vital areas in church life”. This man is said to be “young, intelligent, personable, energetic and hard-working” and has “the ear of the Methodist Church leaders”.

Promoting Radical Inclusion

As the national Director of Evangelism for the Methodist Church in Britain this man is reported to be “preaching another gospel of radical inclusion where people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community are encouraged into fellowship and leadership without any requirement for a change of lifestyle. The LGBTQ+ lifestyles are promoted as completely acceptable.”

Our reader who wrote to us states –

“The gospel he promotes has other very worrying elements as well. A flavour of his theology can be seen by reading some of his Twitter feeds and also from the statements put out by the ‘Urban Village Church’ in Chicago where he was a pastor. They describe him as ‘A missionary to Europe and the UK’. From his blogs he is called a ‘Recovering Control Freak’ (whatever that means!). He also works as a coach with something called ‘Epicentre’ where he gets alongside ministers and clergy of all denominations to develop Mission and Church Growth.”

A false gospel will destroy the church, not build it.

Abandoning Truth

The truth of the gospel is under attack today from many different sources – not only from the secular post-modernist world, but from within the church where truth is being sacrificed on the altar of expediency. But a false gospel may promote church growth by increasing numbers in the pews, but once we abandon the gospel of ‘salvation only in the Name of Jesus’ we are entering realms that will destroy the church, not build it.

There are numerous warnings in the New Testament against preaching another gospel, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 3:11). Paul also severely warned the Galatians, “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Gal 1.7).

What we are seeing today is a destructive power of deception spreading through the churches. It will inevitably lead to their further decline and eventual collapse. Maybe it is God’s will to destroy the corrupt man-made denominations that we call ‘churches’ so that out of the rubble the true ‘ecclesia of the Lord’ will emerge.

Maybe we are already seeing the beginnings of this true church in the multitude of home-based small groups meeting for prayer and studying the word of God.

Christians must take back territory lost to Disney.

A deeply disturbing report has highlighted what many have come to know, expect and even accept – that many of our children are missing out on religious education.

Flagging up the ‘state of the nation’ report published by the Religious Education Council and the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE), the Daily Mail headline ‘Death knell for RE in schools’ was, I think, a tad over the top.¹

However, the neglect of this aspect of education is very serious and, as with so many sections of our broken society, the Church is in part responsible.

The Reason for Education

The very motive for introducing education for all in the 18^th and 19^th centuries was so that children could come to know the love of God. It was, in the first place, so that they could be taught the Bible, which contains a treasure trove of teaching on all matters of life and which equips new generations with unsurpassed knowledge on how to live – not just with your mind and body, but with your heart and soul.

The Bible teaches repeatedly that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 9:10) and someone has said that godless education simply produces educated sinners.

The original motive for introducing education for all was so that children could come to know the love of God.

Deborah Weston, NATRE’s research officer, said: “By developing knowledge and understanding about different religions and world views in the security of a classroom, young people have the opportunity to engage with complex, diverse and constantly evolving subject matter.”² Indeed, what’s wrong with that – even for our humanist friends?

Julia Diamond-Conway of RE Today, an exhibitor at the Christian Resources Exhibition, said there was no excuse for breaking the law by not offering RE in schools. She told CRE News:

In collaboration with NATRE, we produce many high-quality resources to inspire and inform children – for their lives both now and in the future. There is just no excuse for not following the law and teaching a subject so relevant in today’s society. Many people think RE is about issues from centuries ago and no longer relevant. But our material talks of modern times and uses modern techniques to involve children fully in the learning process.³

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Religious education remains compulsory for all state-funded schools, including academies and free schools, at all key stages and we expect all schools to fulfill their statutory duties.”⁴

Perhaps this latter phrase – ‘statutory duties’ - is part of the problem. We have lost the heart and soul of what education is really about. We treat people as computers. Back in the 19^th Century, Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, speaking on the subject of education in various countries, said: “The truth was that wherever everything was left to the government the subject became a machine.”⁵

A Deprived Generation

According to the report, 28% of secondary schools told the Department for Education that they gave no dedicated curriculum time to RE. It is estimated that this equates to 800,000 pupils being deprived of their legal right to learn about major religions and beliefs, leaving them without the religious literacy they need for life in modern multi-faith Britain.

It further called for “a clear public statement that it is not acceptable in any circumstances for a school to be failing to provide RE at any key stage as part of its broad and balanced curriculum.”

We have lost the heart and soul of what education is really about - we treat people as computers.

It would be quite wrong to conclude that today’s youngsters are not interested in the spiritual side of life. It’s just that many have been denied the chance of exploring these things. And this is where much of the Christian Church is failing them. The average person in the pew is tragically ignorant of the huge opportunities we still have for sharing the Gospel in schools. They simply accept the perceived, but misinformed, notion that God has been thrown out of the school window (perhaps, in part, due to the teaching of evolution as opposed to creationism) – and all we can do is lick our wounds and sulk over a very sorry state of affairs.

Yet in stark contrast to the USA, where it may surprise many to learn that Christian teaching is banned from schools, we have a wide open door. And as with the vision St Paul had of the man from Macedonia (Acts 16:9), many are saying to us: “Come over here and help us!”

Opportunities Still There!

Conscientious head-teachers are only too willing to welcome those who have a heart to teach (though not preach to) children about the love of Jesus. In some cases, even qualified RE teachers (who are not necessarily Christians, after all) feel out of their depth when asked to lead assemblies.

But Christian youth workers can (and do) step up to the plate with an authoritative, passionate and winsome approach to the subject. And if they win the trust of staff, there are many opportunities to support pupils through the school curriculum.

For example, Bible Society’s Open the Book project is becoming increasingly popular in primary schools as teams from local churches around the country lead assemblies through a dramatic reading of Bible stories.

I declare an interest in this subject as my wife is involved in visiting primary schools across the large metropolitan borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire. Along with other Christians, I have on many occasions accompanied her on various projects and witnessed the sheer delight of children – wide-eyed and open-mouthed – as they respond in rapt attention and wonder to the amazing stories of the Bible.

We share these stories because they are true – not fairytales – and yet there is something truly magical about them too! We need to take back territory lost to Disney and the like, and restore our confidence in the ‘greatest story ever told’. It should not surprise us that the Gospel story appeals to children. After all, Jesus said we could not enter the Kingdom of God unless we approached it as little children do (Matt 18:3).

It’s not that today’s youngsters are not interested in the spiritual side of life – it’s that many have been denied the chance of exploring these things.

Saving Priceless Souls

Our education has become too cerebral. Have we forgotten the importance of the soul? Jesus said: “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?” (Mark 8:36). What price do we put on the soul of a child? It is priceless. Do we think that by filling them with facts they will live useful lives?

Jesus said he had come to give us “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10). Isn’t that what we would like to see in our children – that they would learn to live life to the full; knowing God, being comfortable with themselves, feeling secure in the love of Jesus and fulfilling a very clear purpose as they answer a particular calling on their lives?

Jesus put so much emphasis on children, and I’m told that Jewish tradition still bears that out in that those wishing to teach children, as opposed to adults, are required to spend far more time training for the role.

Jesus warned that in the case of those who cause any of these little ones who believe in him to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone tied around his neck and drowned in the depths of the sea (Matt 18:6). Denying the opportunity for children to hear about Jesus surely comes close to this – for you would be encouraging them to turn away from God and never know the joy of salvation and of sins forgiven.

A Calling of Great Honour

Without a compass, how do we find the way? Forget the Satnav and the iPhone. Without the measuring rod of the Bible, how will children know right from wrong; how will they discern lies from truth?

In searching for a memorial plaque to a Jewish relative on the Thames Embankment, I was taken aback somewhat by a magnificent statue to Robert Raikes (1736-1811), founder of the Sunday School movement – a reminder that in days of yore, educating children with the Bible was seen as a calling worthy of great honour.

May it become so again!

References

1 Daily Mail, 18 September 2017.
2 Ibid.
3 Hall, D. RE in schools: No excuse to break the law. CRE News, 21 September 2017.
4 See note 1.
5 Speech to the House of Commons, 20 June 1839.

Prophets in the Old Testament often seem to be lone rangers - single solitary figures taking a stand against nations and kings. But they existed in far greater numbers than we usually realise - and frequently worked in groups.

At first sight it would appear that the outstanding characteristic of the Old Testament prophets was their individualism. They stood alone against what they saw to be wrong in the lives of nations, their kings, and secular and religious leaders.

They were remarkable for the courage by which they stood single-handed against the evils of their day. Men such as Samuel, Elijah, Amos and Jeremiah had to conduct their prophetic ministries on their own, without the sympathy and support of other like-minded people.

Paucity of Numbers

Alongside their individualism it might appear to many Bible students that there were apparently only a small number of these people during Israel's history. We know the names of 16 writing prophets (that is, men whose books appear in the Bible) and 21 others. In addition, there are another four whose names are not recorded. Thus a total of 41 prophets proclaimed the word of the Lord between the ministry of Samuel, around 1050 BC, and the rebuilding of the Temple and the ministries of Ezra and Nehemiah sometime about 450 BC.

41 prophets distributed over 600 years does not seem a generous figure. But in fact there were many more, as we see by examining the continuous ministry of prophets during the Old Testament period, from the crossing of the Red Sea until the cessation of prophecy spoken of by the writer of Psalm 74:9.

We know of 41 prophets proclaiming God's word between the ministry of Samuel and that of Ezra and Nehemiah – but there were many more.

Continuous Prophetic Ministry

Jeremiah tells us what the Lord had to say about the continuous ministry of prophets over the span of Israel's history: "From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again, I sent you my servants the prophets" (Jer 7:26). In the confession of the Israelites after their return from exile Nehemiah records, "For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets" (Neh 9:30).

The pity of Yahweh was shown to be the reason for the continued ministry of the prophets throughout Israel's history. "The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again because he had pity on his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets..." (2 Chron 36:15,16). The Lord challenged his people through Amos: '"I also raised up prophets from among your sons...is this not true, people of Israel?' declares the Lord. 'But you...commanded the prophets not to prophesy'" (Amos 2:11, 12).

God continually sent prophets to Israel throughout their history, because he took pity on his people.

My Servants the Prophets

In many of the references to the continuous ministry of the prophets they are called 'my servants' by the Lord. They were his men and women, raised up in society to serve his interests. "This is what the Lord says, 'If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, who I have sent to you again and again...then I will make this house like Shiloh'" (Jer 26:4-6). "Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, 'Do not do this detestable thing that I hate! But they did not listen...'" (Jer 44:4).

Daniel in his prayer confessed the disobedience of God's people to the message God's servants had faithfully proclaimed. "We have not listened to your servants the prophets" (Dan 9:6). This is a serious state of affairs that occurred in both Old and New Testament times, and one which found ultimate expression in the killing of God's servants (Matt 23:31, 32, 35). But accounts are kept by their righteous Lord: "I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets" (2 Ki 9:7).

The prophets were God's servants, his men and women raised up in society to serve his interests.

Prophets Urged Obedience to God's Law

The standard which the prophets required of God's people was that of the law of Moses, and they were continually urging them to obey it in its entirety. "Observe my commands and decrees in accordance with the entire law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets" (2 Ki 17:13). But as Daniel also confesses, "We have been wicked and rebelled; we have turned away from your laws and commands" (Dan 9:5).

God showed Amos that the behaviour of his people was to be compared with the plumb-line of his standard (Amos 7:7, 8). Part of the duty of God's people is still to proclaim his law and his standards, which are binding on all peoples universally.

The Prophets Were a Recognised Group

In Old Testament society the prophets formed a recognised group. For example, Jehosaphat, king of Judah, advised that the Lord's counsel should be sought over a particular matter, and the group of prophets was summoned (1 Ki 22:5, 6). When the Book of the Law was discovered during the reign of King Josiah, he called together the elders, the people, the priests and the prophets (2 Ki 23:1, 2), and read it in their hearing. Nehemiah's prayer refers to the hardship that had come upon kings, leaders, priests and prophets (Neh 9:32).

We are dealing here not with important individual prophets but with groups of these gifted people. In one of the instances just noted, the group numbered as many as 400 men.

The prophets urged God's people to obey his law in its entirety, proclaiming its standards in comparison to their behaviour.

Numbers of Prophets

The earliest reference in Scripture to a group of prophets records the descent of the Spirit on to the 70 men chosen to be Moses' assistants (Num 11:25). We read later that Samuel told Saul he would meet a procession of prophets as he entered Gibeah, though we do not know the number involved (1 Sam 10:5, 6).

At the conclusion of Elijah's ministry, we meet with companies of prophets who lived together in various places (2 Ki 2, 3, 5, 7 and 16). A figure of 50 is mentioned twice, and there may well have been hundreds resident in these schools of the prophets.

During the time of Queen Jezebel, a hundred prophets were given food and shelter by Obadiah, who is called "a devout believer in the Lord"; at that time this wicked woman had already killed many of God's servants. Baal's prophets totalled 450 and in addition there were 400 prophets of Asherah who were regularly entertained at the queen's table (1 Ki 18:3, 19).

Elijah was convinced that after the massacre Jezebel had organised he was the only true prophet remaining (1 Ki 19:10, 14). But Yahweh assured him that in fact there remained no fewer than 7,000 people who had not bowed the knee to Baal, though we do not know how many actual prophets were included in this figure. Could the statement mean that they were all prophets? If not, 7,000 seems a small figure for the total number of believers in a nation that by then numbered well over a million.

Groups of False Prophets

On the occasion of Jehosaphat's meeting with Ahab we learn that the two kings consulted 400 prophets as to whether they should attack Ramoth Gilead. Even so, their advice was wrong and only the prophet Micaiah was really hearing from the Lord. For bringing true counsel he was slapped across the face by the false prophet Zedekiah, and on orders from Israel's King Ahab was put in prison, to subsist on bread and water (1 Ki 22:4-6, 23-27). There was clearly no surprise at the appearance of such a large number of prophets but, sadly, all were under the influence of a lying spirit.

These false prophets and others who followed in their footsteps did all in their power at every stage to intimidate the true servants of God. Right at the end of the Old Testament period we find them attacking Nehemiah as he sought to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He cried out, "Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me!" (Neh 6:14).

These false prophets had inspired a lie about Nehemiah. They accused him of planning to be proclaimed king of Jerusalem and claimed that he had gone so far as to arrange for prophets to announce, 'There is a king in Judah!' (Neh 6:6,7). The significance of this account (at least in the context of our subject) is that groups of prophets were still to be found at the close of the Old Testament period.

Despite persecution, massacres and the opposition of large numbers of false prophets, groups of true prophets were still to be found at the close of the Old Testament period.

The True Prophets' Message

As well as declaring the standards specified by God's law and demanding that his people live up to those standards, the prophets repeatedly urged God's men and women to turn from their backsliding (2 Chron 24:19). They called them back also from idolatry: "Again and again I sent all my servants to you. They said, 'Each one of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them'" (Jer 35:15), and again, "Do not do this detestable thing that I hate" (Jer 44:4).

The prophets reproved not only ordinary people but also had the God¬-given courage to accuse monarchs themselves when they did wrong things, as we see for example in the case of Manasseh: "The Lord said through his servants the prophets: 'Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him'" (2 Ki 21:10, 11).

Sadly, the people did not repent, and they refused to listen to the prophetic warnings: "But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry" (Zech 7:11, 12).

The prophets reproved ordinary people but also had the God-given courage to accuse monarchs themselves when they did wrong things.

The Fall of Two Cities

Because it failed to respond to God's warnings through the prophets, Samaria the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel came to ruin. The date was 723 BC. "The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them until the Lord removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their home into exile in Assyria..." (2 Ki 17:22, 23).

In 587 BC Jerusalem, capital city of the southern kingdom, fell to the Babylonians because the people of Judah refused to repent of the sins of Manasseh: "He sent them to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets. Surely these things happened to Judah...because of the sins of Manasseh" (2 Ki 24:2, 3). "But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets...and there was no remedy...God handed them all over to Nebuchadnezzar" (2 Chron 36:16, 17).

The Goodly Fellowship of the Prophets

Whenever the church sings the Te Deum alongside the glorious company of the apostles and the noble army of martyrs, it celebrates the goodly fellowship of the prophets. Our study has hopefully made this description more meaningful. For behind and alongside the great prophets whose names are household words, there were always groups of prophets living and working in fellowship with one another.

Behind and alongside the great prophets who are household names, there were always groups of prophets living and working in fellowship with one another.

We know that in the early days they lived together in the schools or guilds of the prophets. We do not know for certain whether they continued to live in community, but there is a clue in Psalm 74. The psalmist is speaking of the very end of Israel's history, so far as the Bible period is concerned, and it laments the sad situation then prevailing: "We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none knows how long this will be" (Ps 74:9). But in the previous verse there is an intriguing statement: "They burned every place where God was worshipped in the land." This was before the time of the synagogue, and the Authorised Version is anachronistic to use that word.

Perhaps the prophets continued to live together, enjoying the goodly fellowship of which we sing!

First Published in Prophecy Today Vol 5, No 6, November/December 1989.

What did the prophets do at a time when the nation had deserted God, "everyone did was right in his own eyes" and the church of the day had embraced the culture of the world?

The situation in Israel during the period of the Judges is summed up in the scriptural verdict, "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." It was a time when standards of behaviour fell far short of what the law of God demanded, a time when Israel deserted the one true God for the gods of the heathen.

Towards the end of that period the wicked sons of the ageing high priest Eli exhibited their grabbing materialism and compromised their religious commitment by having intercourse with the female Temple workers. Eli's feeble protests against all this wrongdoing were totally ignored (1 Sam 2:22-25).

This was the time when God raised up Samuel to deal with Israel's moral degeneracy. Described by one writer as 'God's emergency man', Samuel combined within himself the three offices of judge, priest and prophet, and through these offices he transformed the situation in Israel.

During the period of the Judges, everyone did what was right in his own eyes and Israel deserted God, so God raised up Samuel to deal with the situation.

Samuel and the Prophetic Schools

Probably it was through Samuel that the 'schools of the prophets' came into existence at this time. Here, young men could help to call a halt to the national degeneration as they were instructed in the law of God and taught the message and practice of prophecy. From this time, around 1050 BC, right down to the time of Nehemiah c.445 BC, there is evidence in Scripture of prophets meeting and ministering together.

No-one can estimate the influence such groups of studious religious men had on the history of Israel, but we can see - at a time when Britain is turning against God's moral standards and is forsaking the one true God in a morass of syncretism - how much we need 'schools of prophets' today, where men and women can study the word and ways of our God and learn how to speak his life-changing words where they most need to be heard.

The 'Sons of the Prophets' and their Lifestyle

The Old Testament indicates that there were prophetic guilds or 'schools of the prophets' at a number of places, including Gibeah, the home-town of Saul, sometimes called the hill of God or the hill of Saul (1 Sam 10:5; Gibeah means 'hill').

There were companies of prophets at Bethel and Jericho (2 Ki 2:3,5) and probably also at the Jordan (2 Ki 2:7 and 6:1). There were others at Gilgal and in the hill country of Ephraim (2 Ki 4:38 and 5:22). One of the most important was at Ramah, Samuel's home-town, where he presided (1 Sam 19:18-24). Some scholars take the word 'Naioth' as a place-name. It is more likely to be the name given to the school of the prophets in Ramah. Naioth, which means a dwelling or residence, comes from a root word meaning 'to rest', as at home; a lovely thought!

There were prophetic guilds or schools in a number of places, including Bethel, Jericho and Samuel's home-town of Ramah.

The prophets living in their school buildings were called the 'sons' of the prophets, and they referred to their leaders as 'my father' (2 Ki 2:12 and 13:14). It is likely that they wore a prophet's garb, with a garment of hair, a leather belt and sandals (2 Ki 1:8, Is 20:2, Zech 13:4). They were self-supporting, a feature that persisted down the years to and beyond Paul's tent-making. They were not celibate, as we see by the mention of a widow of one of the prophets (this woman brought her problem to Elisha when she ran into financial difficulties after the death of her husband, one of the prophets, in 2 Ki 4:1-7).

They erected the buildings in which they were to live. One such school was bursting at the seams and needed an extension. Elisha approved of this, and helpfully recovered an axe-head used by one of the men so that their log-cabin could be enlarged (2 Ki 6:1-7).

It would appear that there were up to a hundred people at some of these schools (2 Ki 4:43). They were self-catering, and during a time of famine went round the fields to gather what herbs they could find. Unhappily, on one occasion they brought back a poisonous gourd, and only the intervention of Elisha (manifesting the saving power of God) prevented serious after-effects (2 Ki 4:38-41).

The prophets lived in school buildings and were self-supporting, erecting their own buildings and gathering their own food .

One day Elisha received a complaint from the Jericho school to the effect that the water was bad and the land was unproductive. Elisha threw salt into the spring and "the water has remained wholesome to this day". Some of the PWM Team who were in once in Israel can testify that that claim is still true, for we sampled its water and enjoyed its oranges! This was possible only because Elisha's spring still flows sweetly today (2 Ki 2:19-22).

Their Education

In these schools such figures as Samuel, Elijah and Elisha would share the things they had learned about God's dealings with men. They would recount the story of God's protective guidance to Israel. They would explain the reasons for the sad experience concerning the high priest Eli and his perverted sons. They would pass on their knowledge of God's law and the blessedness of obedience (1 Sam 15:22-23).

In helping their trainees to face current situations they would at times need to pray, "Lord, open his eyes that he may see" (2 Ki 6:17). They would learn how to listen to God and how to begin to prophesy.

As a background to these activities the leaders would draw their attention to the state of affairs in their country and in the home life of its people. They would realise that God's message is conveyed in two principal ways: by prophetic words and by mighty deeds, the two being bound indissolubly together (Heb 11:32-35).

Their Ministry

These were assistants to leaders such as Elijah and Elisha. Apart from a few instances (1 Ki 18:43-44, 2 Ki 5:20 and 6:15-17) most of their names are not recorded. They were sent as messengers (2 Ki 9:1-3). They were concerned with the welfare of people in need (2 Ki 8:1-6). Kings and people alike turned to them for guidance (1 Sam 9:7-8, 1 Ki 22:27). It appears that some of them developed a predictive ability (2 Ki 2: 3, 5).

In the schools, trainees would learn how to pray and prophesy, and would learn to understand the state of affairs in the country at large.

Undoubtedly some of them rose to become prophets whose pronouncements are familiar to us in the Old Testament. Amos appears to be an exception, for he says of himself, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son..." (Amos 7:14), indicating that he had not been to any of the schools of the prophets.

The 'Sons of the Prophets' and the Spirit

The Spirit had come upon individuals such as Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson (Jud 3:10, 6:34, 11:29 and 13:25), but it was at the schools of the prophets that the first corporate stirrings of the Spirit came down upon the seventy elders during the time of Moses (Num 11:24-29).

The students at the school of the prophets in Jericho were concerned to receive confirmation that Elisha was the God-appointed successor to Elijah. They did not wait in vain, for as Elijah ascended to heaven his cloak fell upon his protege; and when Elisha struck the water with it and cried, "Where now is the God of Elijah?", the waters of the Jordan divided. This miracle confirmed to the prophets that he was their new leader and that the same fullness of the Spirit was now to be manifest through him (2 Ki 2:11-15).

The truth on which the schools of the prophets were established is this: no-one can prophesy unless the Spirit has come upon him (1 Sam 10:6 and 19:20-23). Even a false prophet recognised that men can prophesy only when the Spirit comes upon them (1 Ki 22:24).

The schools of the prophets were established on this truth: no-one can prophesy unless the Spirit has come upon them.

Their Music

As was still true a thousand years later, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the sons of the prophets caused them to break forth into sacred music and praise (1 Sam 10:5 and Eph 5:18-19). They did not restrict their praise just to within the four walls of their seminaries, but organised 'praise marches'. Taking with them an assortment of musical instruments, they went out into the open air, prophesying with inspired praise. What they sang and played was given to them spontaneously as they marched along.

By the time of King David the prophets, divided into music guilds, were responsible for the leading of praise and worship. "Some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun [were set apart] for the ministry of prophesying accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals" (1 Chron 25:1). Two hundred and fifty years later, after Hezekiah had purified it, "He stationed the Levites in the Temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king's seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lord through his prophets" (2 Chron 29:25).

We must not make the mistake of imagining this singing arising from choirs commanding only small forces. Towards the end of David's reign he went on record as saying, "Four thousand are to praise the Lord with musical instruments I have provided for that purpose" (1 Chron 23:5).

Their Archives

When we study the historical books of the Old Testament we come across references to books that were written by the prophets. These were the result of careful recording of events by contemporaries and have been quoted by the writers of our Old Testament. We read of "the records of Nathan the prophet...the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite...the visions of Iddo the seer", also "the records of Shemaiah the prophet" and "the records of Samuel the seer...and the records of Gad the seer" (2 Chron 9:29, 12:15 and 1 Chron 29:29).

We are indebted to the 'schools of the prophets' for housing and protecting these records, also for adding to their collection by making contemporary records of the events of their day. Clearly it was a work of the Holy Spirit that moved them to archive this material for the benefit of others.

As was still true a thousand years later, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the sons of the prophets caused them to break forth into sacred music and praise.

Their Duration

There can be no doubt about the importance of these schools in the purposes of God, but we cannot be certain how long they continued. We know that they came into being, probably as we saw earlier under the influence of the prophet Samuel, around 1000 BC. They continued during the reign of David and most likely merged into the guilds that he instituted, especially the guild of prophetic musicians.

However, by the time of Amos (779-743 BC), under the leadership of Elijah and followed by that of Elisha, we find that they were still flourishing as centres of religious training and devotion. Some would claim that they continued throughout the period of the monarchy. The reference in Isaiah 8:16 suggests that there was a group of disciples associated with the prophet in his day, around 740 BC, but it is difficult to prove that schools continued as centres of worship, study, corporate life and proclamation after that time.

Living as we do at a time when prophecy has been ignored or devalued, it is surely time that provision be made for men and women filled with the Spirit to once more come together to study, to practice and to learn how to manifest prophecy and the other gifts of the Spirit.

First Published in Prophecy Today, Vol 5 No 5, September/October 1989.