Clifford Hill discusses the Europe-wide refugee crisis.

The whole of Europe is now being drawn into what is rapidly becoming a continent-wide crisis eclipsing that of the Euro and the Greek banking problems. More than 100,000 migrants are flocking into Europe per month, crossing perilous seas with inevitable loss of life. So far this year over 2,500 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea in numbers that have been overwhelming the authorities in Italy: last year that number was over 3,000.

TV news, websites and newspapers have been full of pictures of angry crowds in Budapest where the main railway station has been besieged by thousands of migrants and many others have been stranded in a train. Most of them have escaped from war-torn Syria. Hungary has been building a fence stretching the length of its eastern border in an attempt to keep migrants out, but their determination to reach Northern European nations has stretched EU laws to their limit. Hungary has been attempting to enforce the rule that migrants must register in their first country of entry into Europe but EU's borderless policy is in total disarray as the numbers coming in every day simply overwhelm authorities.

Shocking Pictures

The recent sight of a little boy's body washed up onto the beach in Turkey has shocked people right across Europe. It reminds us that these thousands of people on the move whom we label as 'migrants' are real people; boys and girls, men and women like us: and the majority of them (over 70%) are refugees fleeing from the horrors of conflict in war-torn areas.

The little boy was Aylan Kurdi, a three-year-old refugee from Kobani in Syria, who died with his mother and five-year-old brother while attempting to reach the Greek island of Kos.

The recent sight of a boy's body washed up onto the beach in Turkey reminds us that these thousands of 'migrants' on the move are real people, like us.

Frank Augstein/AP/Press Association ImagesGermany expects to settle up to 800,000 refugees this year, while Sweden has declared 'open borders' to all those fleeing war zones. Austria has welcomed trainloads of refugees coming in from Hungary; but by contrast, of the 4 million refugees who have fled Syria Britain has so far taken only 216 – barely enough to fill two carriages of a train! But David Cameron seems to be bowing to public opinion and agreeing to take a share of the refugees.

Britain's Immigration Policy

The plain fact is that our immigration policy has for the past 50 years been in chaos. Ever since the great parliamentary debates of the early 1960s on what to do with the worker migrants coming in ever-increasing numbers from former colonial territories in the British Commonwealth, our politicians have not known what to do. The first Commonwealth Immigrants Act of 1962 set the tone by simply restricting numbers, which sent out the xenophobic message that all non-white immigrants were a social problem.

Ever since the parliamentary debates about worker migrants coming in from the Commonwealth in the early 1960s, British politicians have not known what to do about immigration.

The greatest mistake was to say that any Commonwealth migrants who settled here had the right to bring in their spouse or other close dependants. This regulation is still in force today which allows migrants from the Indian subcontinent to send their young people back home for a marriage partner which doubles their migrant population each generation.

Hangovers from Colonialism

Our immigration policy has not been based upon offering a home to refugees or caring for those in need, but upon an outworn colonialist ideology of Britain being the 'Mother Country' who has an obligation to open her borders to all her children. This is regardless of the fact that many of those who have come from, say, Pakistan, have no love for Britain, make no attempt at integration, and share a long-term ambition of turning Britain into a Muslim country.

Now our politicians are scared of opening our borders to genuine refugees because of the social consequences of already having whole areas in some of our cities where English is hardly spoken and where health, welfare and education already present enormous problems. To bring in thousands more (mainly Muslims) from the Middle East exacerbates the problems we already have. Unless there is a radical change in public opinion, politicians do not want to make unpopular decisions - particularly in the run-up to the Referendum on Britain's relationships with the European Union. But even if there is a change in public opinion towards the refugees, will this affect our attitudes toward the EU?

Prosperity Threatened

Britain is not alone in fearing to open its borders to all-comers. There is already social unrest in Germany and a number of other nations within the Eurozone, where 18 million people are unemployed and youth unemployment is running at nearly 22%.

After centuries of European economic dominance where much of the wealth and prosperity has been derived through colonial exploitation, that prosperity is now under threat. With the Chinese market shrinking as their shares bubble bursts, the fears of economic collapse in Europe increase.Frank Augstein/AP/Press Association Images

What Does The Bible Say?

Does the Bible have anything to say about what is happening today? Way back in 1986, Prophecy Today began warning about a great shaking of the nations that was first prophesied by the Prophet Haggai in the sixth century BC, just after the return of the first wave of Jews from captivity in Babylon. Haggai foresaw a time coming when there would not only be tumultuous events in nature, the shaking of earth and sea, but there would be social and economic turmoil in all nations (Hag 2:6-7).

That prophecy was believed to be still in the future by the writer of the Book of Hebrews, near the end of the first century AD (Heb 12:26f). Of course, prophecies can have more than one fulfilment, but there are so many indicators today that something along these lines is actually happening in our lifetime. The increased frequency of earthquakes, storms and natural disasters plus the social, economic and political upheavals among the nations in every region of the world, surely have some significance! The reference in Hebrews says that when these things happen, God will use them to shake human confidence in our own cleverness and ability to solve every problem. This will prepare the way for the second coming of Jesus. Maybe that event is not so far in the future.

Is there anything that Christians can do to help in this situation with thousands of desperate people on the move across the world? Of course we can pray; and prayer does have a practical effect! We can also give to genuine charities that are working among refugees – particularly those on frontline camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. But maybe we should also be offering accommodation in our home to genuine refugees to enable them to have a good experience of starting life again in a safe environment. Here is an opportunity for some trusted Christian group to organise this.

'If it is teaching, then teach': Monica Hill looks at the spiritual gift of teaching.

'Teaching', the third of the seven Spiritual Gifts described by Paul to the Romans, also appears as a Ministry Role in the church in Ephesians 4. However, understanding the context of Romans 12 gives it a much wider application.

The emphasis in all the gifts listed in Romans 12 is captured in the pre-amble which stresses that our minds need to be transformed and we should not be proud or think of ourselves more highly that we ought. We must ensure that we recognise the difference between using our natural abilities and the transformation that God can make in their effectiveness when they become spiritual gifts. Natural gifts used God's way can have real spiritual value if they are used in accordance both with God's will and also with the level of faith which we have attained.

Natural gifts used God's way can have real spiritual value if they are used in accordance both with God's will and with our own level of faith.

Where do we start?

The Greek word 'didasko' means to teach, instruct, instil doctrine, explain and expound, and it gives us our English word, 'didactic'. Although some commentators say that a teacher is one who loves to research and communicate truth, good teachers do not just proclaim their knowledge and beliefs. They always teach what their students need to know about a specific subject – and will try to portray it in such a way that students will understand and accept the concepts. They will not necessarily show off their own knowledge by preparing something on an issue that is of great importance to themselves (in academic circles that is a 'lecture' with the more appropriate teaching taking place in small interactive 'seminars' or in one-to-one 'tutorials'), as teaching needs to be two-way.

God's will for teachers is to ensure not only that they do their Father's will themselves but also that they take responsibility for enabling others to understand it and want to do it. So a teacher will start where his or her students are and try to put themselves in their students' shoes – knowing what will help them the most to live out their faith.

One of the basic requirements for all Christians is to know the Lord and his Word and to be willing to obey all his teachings. Job asks "Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again" (34:32). Jesus' final instructions were recorded in Matthew 28:20: "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you".

God's will for teachers is not only that they do their Father's will, but that they also enable others to understand it and want to do it.

Anyone who can express the gospel in a way that can be understood easily is often set apart as a good teacher. But Hebrews 8:11 gives us an insight into the future ideal situation first foretold in Jeremiah 31:34: "No longer will they teach their neighbours, or say to one another, "Know the Lord," because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest." So for someone who has this natural gift of teaching, it is not only important to be able to communicate the right understanding but to be able to take believers the next step further in their faith.

What should we teach?

To the Jews, teaching the Sh'ma (Deut 6:4-9) and the Torah took precedence – giving God's requirements for his people alongside a constant effort to understand the nature and purposes of God. The prophets were constantly reminding leaders of their role with the people:

Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave (Ex 18:20).

Ezekiel emphasised the importance of morality: "teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean" (44:23). The Psalms also give much good advice:

Teach me to do your will (143:.10)

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long. (25:5)

Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. (27:11)

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. (25:9)

To this Hebraic teaching, the Christians added the life and witness of the risen Christ. Remembering all that Jesus had taught and done with them pervaded the lives of the early believers who "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah" (Acts 5:42). And they were not left without a teacher to help them when Jesus' earthly life was over: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26). In times of trouble "the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say" (Luke 12:12).

Scripture shows us that we are to learn and teach God's Word, his requirements for mankind, his nature and purposes, as well as his morality. We add to this the life and witness of the risen Christ, and are to do all through the power and leading of the Holy Spirit.

Both Jews and Christians are 'People of the Book' – they have the Word of God: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16). "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope" (Rom 15:4).

There is always more light and truth to be discovered by studying the Word, so we must not be content to paddle in the shallows with elementary teaching but grow to maturity (Heb 5:12-6.3; Eph 4:14) and help others to do so too.

The Hebrews 8:11 passage ("No longer will they teach their neighbours, or say to one another, "Know the Lord," because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest") is not saying that there will be no further role for teachers when everyone knows God for themselves. Hebrews 5:11 emphasises "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again." Until Christ returns there will always be a new generation who need the good news, and sharing our experiences with others is a great blessing to all.

How should we teach?

There are many requirements expected of good teachers:

...the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful... (2 Tim 2:24).

Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach... (1 Tim 3:2).

Thankfully, the Bible also gives us tips on how we can teach well. "You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good...In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness". (Titus 2:1-3, 7)

As always, we find our perfect example in Jesus. He taught in parables so that he could easily be understood (Mark 4:2); he taught with authority (Luke 4:32, Mark 1:22) and integrity (Matt 22:16, Mark 12:14). He taught his disciples how to pray when they asked him (Luke 11:1).

Warnings

Teachers should take care that they do not teach just what people want to hear (2 Tim 4:3). They are to believe in and practise what they teach (Rom 2:20-21, 1 Tim 1:7) and not try to teach what they do not believe or for the wrong motives (Titus 1:11).

In the Pharisees and Sadducees we find clear examples of how not to teach. They "like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the market-places and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets" (Luke 20:46, Mark 12:38). They "are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean" (Matt 23:27). They "like to blow the people here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming" (Eph 4:14, Matt 16:12). "Their teachings are merely human rules" (Matt 15:9). They should not be called 'Rabbi', "for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers" (Matt 23:8).

The Bible gives us tips and examples of how to teach, as well as how not to teach.

Passing on the message well

Teaching and passing on the faith is of the greatest importance. 2 Chronicles tells us "For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law" (15:3). In the Old Testament the Teachers and Rabbis taught the whole nation, while in the New Testament the teachers teach the believers in the church and it is the role of all believers to witness to the nation at large.

The Sh'mah tells us to be always open to the opportunity to teach the requirements of God. Parents have the greatest responsibility: "Teach [God's commands] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" (Deut 11:19).

If you lack the confidence to speak, think of the power that God gave to Moses. When he said he had never been eloquent the Lord said to him: "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." (Ex 4:11-12). Acts 4 gives a powerful example showing us that nothing should stop us teaching and proclaiming our faith.

Blessings and costs

Good teachers inspire their hearers to stand firm and hold fast to what they hear (2 Thess 2:15) so that the message permeates their whole beings (Col 3:16). They encourage people to think differently and teach them new things (Matthew 13:52).

Despite the blessings brought by good teaching both to teachers and students, there are also costs to bear in mind. Biblical teaching demands a denial of self, as status means little - in the New Testament we are taught that "The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher" (Luke 6:40, Matt 10:24). Furthermore: "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1).

Finally

Psalm 143 contains this plea to God: "Answer me quickly, Lord; Do not hide your face from me; Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, Show me the way I should go, Rescue me from my enemies, Lord." Then, recognising his own need for change in himself, the psalmist confesses: "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground" – a cry that we should all be making.

Teaching is a gift and ministry that starts with the Lord feeding us with his word and nurturing us by his presence. But it doesn't end there.

Teaching is a gift and ministry that starts with the Lord feeding us with his word and nurturing us by his presence. But importantly, our faith and oneness with God isn't only given to us for our own salvation. In turn, we are equipped to share with others – whether our own families or other believers – and so to build up the Body of Christ, equipping and discipling people to go and witness to the nations.

Whether or not this translates as a specific teaching gift or role, this joy is for all believers and can take the word of God far beyond church walls. We are to press on in the faith and proclaim Jesus, "teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ" (Col 1:28). We follow the advice that Paul gave to given in 1 Timothy: "If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed" (1 Tim 4:6).

So "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching" (1 Tim 4:13).

If you have any other comments on 'teaching' as a spiritual gift please do add them.

Our third instalment on 'Changing Britain' looks at patterns of church openings and closures around the country. Following the statistics is a comment from Monica Hill.

Churches - Openings and Closures

Re-printed from Brierley Consultancy's FutureFirst, June 2014 issue, with kind permission.

As the map indicates there have been more openings of churches than closures in the 30 years since 1989 in the West Midlands and the South East of England, and the reverse elsewhere.

There have been almost 2,900 new churches started between 2010 and 2015 in England, or about 600 a year, three new churches every two days! It is also true that churches close. Over the last 5 years, 1,400 churches have closed altogether, or four every three days, leaving a net growth of some 1,500 churches in the 5 years to 2015.

Where are these extra newly-started churches? The number varies by region, but there are some in every part of the country:

170 in the North                                 170 in East Anglia
200 in the Yorkshires                         370 in South East North
270 in the North West                       410 in Greater London
250 in the East Midlands                   330 in South East South
370 in the West Midlands                  320 in the South West

These new churches are mostly one of three kinds:

• New congregations started by some of the New Church streams (such as Vineyard, Newfrontiers, Ground Level or Salt and Light).
• Fresh Expressions of churches, which are often Church of England (which has 900 across England) or Methodist (which has 800), but might also be Baptist or Salvation Army.
• Black Majority Churches, especially if they are in London where some 400 such churches started between 2005 and 2012. Catholic chaplaincy churches are also important in the capital.

Invariably these fresh congregations have good community links, which is where much of their support comes from. All three groups given above are beginning new church "plants", not trying to revive small or declining churches, or particularly trying to grow existing congregations. Nearly all are lay-led initially (although half of Fresh Expressions are led by an ordained person). Theological conviction is the main motivation for starting these churches; most of these new churches are evangelical. Different ethnicities are also involved.

Questions: Are the established forms of churches now becoming outmoded? Should scarce resources be mainly allocated to these new models?

Source: UK Church Statistics, No 2, 2010-2010, ADBC Publishers, Tonbridge, Kent, 2014.

Topical Comment

Monica Hill

This research finding on the planting of new churches may initially seem to be good news, at a time when we hear of so many of the traditional denominations closing down churches and meeting places where numbers have declined below an economic level.

The number of churches in England (40,300) remains the same in 2015 as it was in 1979. But the shape and location of them has changed somewhat. Many of the new church plants have not re-used traditional buildings but created or hired new ones often more suited to the task. There are also many which have started again as the early church did and are meeting in houses.

Redundant Church Buildings

Selling older redundant buildings to fund fresh outreach in other areas has often seemed a natural and valid outcome and a good idea showing good stewardship. There was a time when the closure of church buildings was rationalised as using the money 'to plant churches where the people are'. There was almost a blind spot to the need for continued mission to meet the needs of newcomers to the area (or perhaps a lack of people with a vision). So those areas which already had plenty of churches often received more – not quite the intended interpretation of the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25!

Where is the Growth?

Not all areas of the country are benefiting from these closures and sales. Both the North and the South West have been closing between 300 and 400 more churches than are being opened in those areas in this time period.

Neither has growth been consistent over time. There was specific growth bursts between 1995 and 2000 and between 2010 and 2015, but there were also periods of decline between 2000 and 2005 and further decline is expected in the period between 2015 and 2020 unless this can be averted in some way.

But there are three kinds of growth identified:

1. Immigrant churches, particularly those from Africa, sparked off the earlier growth wave. The Redeemed Christian Church of God started as a 'reverse mission' movement, and it now has some of the largest churches in the country and is gradually moving beyond its Nigerian base. Prior to this, there had also been national churches created following World War II – for instance when there were sufficient Poles in Britain to warrant a church presence, or after the influx of West Indian economic refugees in the 60s and 70s. But these churches were each created from a very different base – and the latter are no longer growing at the rate of their initial expansion in the 1960s and '70s.
2. The traditional denominational churches have been experimenting with Fresh Expressions in the last ten years. Anglicans and Methodists have been particularly successful and these have increased six-fold in the last 5 years. 41% attend from outside the church with a further 35% coming back to church – overall 95,000 were attending these kinds of church in 2015. Attendance at 'Messy Church' showed the greatest increase with its emphasis upon fun, fellowship, food and families in a welcoming, worshipful environment. Although many of these are within existing churches an increasing number are in different venues and are led by lay people.
3. The new independent church streams (known as the 'New Churches') commenced in the 70s, grew eight-fold in the 80s and then doubled in the 90s with an increasing number of newer streams continuing to be created. They have concentrated upon neighbourhood, community and family concepts and many of the fully independent churches eventually link with others to form a stronger base.

The Bad News

Overall churches are getting smaller as the size of most congregations is reducing (on average by 37%), with a number of regions losing more than half the number of Christians attending places of worship. Death (or 'passing on into glory') without replacement by younger people accounts for much of this membership reduction as the attendees get older. But there are also an increasing number of older people who are becoming disillusioned or leaving, although a number do continue to practise their faith in small groups.

In 1989, UK Church Statistics estimated total church attendance in England as 4,186,000. By 2012 this number had dropped to 3,018,600 and is likely to drop to 2,708,700 by 2020.

Methodists have seen more than half (48%) of their churches close during this period, but they are still expected to have more than 3,500 churches in 2020. The Anglicans have closed over 1,000 churches (that is one in every ten days), but church building closures are more difficult because of their links with the state, so they will still have over 16,000. The URC are closing nearly two a week and the Catholics one a week.

So what of the future?

• Can we learn anything from this information on the future shape of Christianity in this country?
• When you pray about the situation do you get any answers you can share with others?
• Is God answering the prayers of his people by giving them a challenge?
• Are the remnant listening and responding in the right way by becoming mobilised and taking action before anno domini takes over?

Please add your comments.

Previous instalments:

The Rise of Secularism: YES, I have NO religion!

Transmitting the Faith

Clifford Denton continues to examine the early separation between Christianity and Judaism, looking at their theological conflicts.

One of the main factors contributing to the early rift between the Christian Church and the Jewish community was a theological conflict that emerged as biblical prophecies were interpreted through the revelation of Jesus as the expected Messiah. We will consider here the beginnings of this theological separation.

Parting of the Ways

In Chapter 4 of Our Father Abraham, Marvin Wilson considers the parting of the Church from the Synagogue. This parting of the ways was a gradual process over many centuries, but the beginnings are found in the biblical account. In Acts 5:40 we read, "They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." Wilson writes:

The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)...was an alpine event. Its decision would have profound implications for both Church and Synagogue in the years to come. By calling this council, the Church took a clear stand on the issue of gentile circumcision (Acts 15:5, 28-29). This most ancient of all covenant rites would not be a prerequisite to join the still fledgling messianic community which had rapidly expanded into the gentile world. (p52)

In later years, Christian theology would be the subject of many councils, and the creeds of the Christian Church would be crafted. New divisions would begin to occur in the Christian Church itself as various denominations and sects emerged. It was inevitable, however, that the separation of Christians from the sects of Judaism would occur in the early days of the Apostles.

Dr Wilson continues:

The picture of the Church which we are able to draw at this mid-century juncture is composite. It comprised essentially three main groups. One segment was made up of traditionalists from the circumcision party. They were conservative Jewish believers, most likely from the sect of the Pharisees, and were closely tied to Temple worship and Jewish Law...the Ebionite sect probably represented the remnants of this movement, a group which did not die out until the fourth century. A second distinguishable group was the free-thinking Hellenistic party. The Hellenists had one foot planted in the turf of Judaism.

But the other, more firmly set in Greek soil, caused this group to lean to the West. A third segment held to a middle or mainstream position. It reflected the thinking of the council and presumably also the majority of the Jerusalem church (see Acts 15:22). Some of its leading voices were James, Peter ("an apostle to the Jews"), and Paul ("an apostle to the Gentiles" cf. Gal. 2:8). Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28), this influential group sought to be open to Gentiles and yet sensitive to the Jews. (emphasis added)

The Christian movement began so powerfully, and the zeal of the early believers was so great, that it could not avoid drawing attention to itself. It was recognised as a heretical sect of Judaism and so caused response from the leaders of the Jewish community who foresaw coming division. The followers of Jesus were seen as emerging from the background of Jewish life, interpreting their message from the Hebrew Scriptures, continuing to visit the Temple, preaching their message among the Jews and interpreting their faith out of Jewish symbols and traditions.

Thus the first points of division can be seen in the Bible itself, before ever a Church Council emerged in later generations.

Theological Issues

Church creeds and doctrines crystallised over the centuries as a response to many issues of contending for the faith, but this began with the Apostles. We have already mentioned the meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15) that has come to be known as the Council of Jerusalem. As further issues came up, so discussions took place and positions were taken. The New Testament writings introduced many statements of faith, even before systematic creeds were drawn up. Paul highlighted issues of doctrine that had to be made clear as congregations in the Gentile world faced various questions. Paul's writings, in themselves, marked a separation point from other forms of Judaism.

The New Testament writings introduced many statements of faith before systematic Christian creeds were ever drawn up.

In the Introduction to the Mishnah (translated by Danby, OUP, 1933) is an interesting confirmation of this separation based on the writings of the New Testament. The sects of Judaism codified the oral traditions while the Christian Church received the New Testament, signifying the theological parting of the ways. The Mishnah became the foundation of the Talmud and the New Testament became the basis of future creeds of the Christian Church:

The Mishnah may be defined as a deposit of four centuries of Jewish religious and cultural activity in Palestine, beginning at some uncertain date (possibly during the earlier half of the second century B.C.) and ending with the close of the second century A.D. The object of this activity was the preservation, cultivation, and application to life of 'the Law' (Torah), in the form in which many generations of like-minded Jewish religious leaders had learned to understand this Law. These leaders were known in turn by the names Soferim ('Scribes') and Tannaim (lit. 'repeaters', teachers of the Oral Law).

The latter taught the religious system of the Pharisees as opposed to that of the Sadducees. Until the destruction of the Second Temple in A.D. 70 they had counted as one only among the schools of thought which played a part in Jewish national and religious life; after the Destruction they took the position, naturally and almost immediately, of sole and undisputed leaders of such Jewish life as survived. Judaism as it has continued since is, if not their creation, at least a faith and a religious institution largely of their fashioning; and the Mishnah is the authoritative record of their labour. Thus it comes about that while Judaism and Christianity alike venerate the Old Testament as canonical Scripture, the Mishnah marks the passage to Judaism as definitely as the New Testament marks the passage to Christianity. (emphasis added)

First Century: the Separation Begins

The Apostolic Council of Jerusalem was around 49 AD. 1 and 2 Corinthians was written around 54-55 AD, Romans around 55 AD and Hebrews in the 60s. Peter and Paul's martyrdoms were around 64 AD. Matthew was written in the 60s, Revelation in the late 80s or early 90s. Thus the date of the destruction of the Temple (70 AD) is embedded in the dates surrounding the significant writings and formation of the doctrines of the Christian Church.

Already the ministry of Jesus had been pivotal in the Jewish world, his crucifixion being around 30 AD. His followers then became living witnesses to their faith and so the Christian community was noticeable in the world of Judaism, it being inevitable that their beliefs would be scrutinised by the leaders of the Jewish community.

The destruction of the Temple in 70 AD is embedded in the dates surrounding the New Testament writings, and followed the pivotal ministry of Jesus, so the Christian community was already well-known in the world of Judaism.

Other early Christian writings give indications of the way theological ideas began to form among believers. For example, around 95 AD Clement, secretary of the Roman Church, wrote to the Corinthian congregation. He viewed this congregation as what we might consider to be on a par with the Essene community of Qumran, fulfilling what was prefigured in the Old Testament. Later, in his second letter, we see him treat Paul's writings on an equal footing to the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Others such as Ignatius of Antioch have left letters which build up clues to the early theology of the Christian Church.

Statement of Faith

What emerged is called the kerygma. It is a Greek word meaning, 'proclamation, announcement, preaching'. CH Dodd (The Apostolic Preaching, 1936), and others, examined early Christian writings to discover the core of Christian preaching in the early days of the Apostles. The ancient kerygma as summarised by Dodd from Peter's speeches in Acts was:

1. The Age of Fulfillment has dawned, the 'latter days' foretold by the prophets.
2. This has taken place through the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
3. By virtue of his resurrection Jesus has been exalted at the right hand of God as Messianic head of the new Israel.
4. The Holy Spirit in the church is the sign of Christ's present power and glory.
5. The Messianic Age will reach its consummation in the return of Christ.
6. An appeal is made for repentance with the offer of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and salvation.

Jesus Christ, of course, was the center of this ancient kerygma. The cross and resurrection are crucial to the kerygmatic preaching of Jesus. Another useful summary is found in Chronological Charts of the New Testament (Zondervan, 1981, p120) by H Wayne House:

1. The promises by God made in the Old Testament have now been fulfilled with the coming of Jesus the Messiah (Acts 2:30; 3:19,24; 10:43; 26:6-7, 22; Rom 1:2-4; 1 Tim 3:16; Heb 1:1-2; 1 Pet 1:10-12, 2 Pet 1:18-19).
2. Jesus was anointed by God at his baptism as Messiah (Acts 10:38).
3. Jesus began his ministry in Galilee after his baptism (Acts 10:37).
4. He conducted a beneficent ministry, doing good and performing mighty works by the power of God (Mark 10:45; Acts 2:22; 10:38).
5. The Messiah was crucified according to the purpose of God (Mark 10:45; John 3:16; Acts 2:23; 3:13-15, 18; 4:11; 10:39; 26:23; Rom 8:34; 1 Cor 1:17-18; 15:3; Gal 1:4; Heb 1:3; 1 Pet 1:2, 19; 3:18; 1 John 4:10).
6. He was raised from the dead and appeared to his disciples (Acts 2:24, 31-32; 3:15,26; 10:40-41; 17:31; 26:23; Rom 8:34; 10:9; 1 Cor 15:4-7, 12ff.; 1 Thess 1:10; 1 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 1:2, 21; 3:18, 21).
7. Jesus was exalted by God and given the name 'Lord' (Acts 2:25-29, 33-36; 3:13; 10:36; Rom 8:34; 10:9; 1 Tim 3:16; Heb 1:3; 1 Pet 3:22).
8. He gave the Holy Spirit to form the new community of God (Acts 1:8; 2:14-18, 33, 38-39; 10:44-47; 1 Pet 1:12).
9. He will come again for judgment and the restoration of all things (Acts 3:20-21; 10:42; 17:31; 1 Cor 15:20-28; 1 Thess 1:10).
10. All who hear the message should repent and be baptised (Acts 2:21, 38; 3:19; 10:43, 47-48; 17:30; 26:20; Rom 1:17; 10:9; 1 Pet 3:21).

It was impossible for the differences in theology to go unnoticed as being a divergence from orthodox Judaism. Christianity, nevertheless, grew out of the Jewish background with common roots in the Tanakh, not as a new religion in the Gentile world, where it might have gone unnoticed. The centrality of Jesus the Messiah made it impossible for the Apostles to be silent and the fact that the oral traditions of Judaism (later codified as the Mishnah) made different emphasis, made it impossible for theological conflicts to be avoided.

It was impossible for Christianity to be ignored as a simple divergence from orthodox Judaism. The centrality of Jesus the Messiah made it impossible for the Apostles to be silent, and the difference between Christian doctrine and the Jewish oral traditions made theological conflict unavoidable.

Jewish Symbols

It was for the very reason that Christianity emerged from the background of Judaism that conflict occurred. On the one hand these are two branches of the same tree and, on the other hand, they are conflicting interpretations of the same Scriptures. On page 55 of Our Father Abraham, Dr Wilson presents Christianity as a radical reinterpretation of Jewish symbols and therefore ready to spark off reaction and potential parting of the ways:

The two Testaments exhibit strong continuity, but also a discontinuity. Many Old Testament institutions and themes are radically reinterpreted in the New Testament, often in ways – despite their foreshadowing – that the majority in New Testament times was unable to discern. In addition, the embodiment of the Torah in Jesus created a major tension. Jesus subordinated many of the central symbols of Judaism to himself, and the New Testament writers continued that subordination.

Thus, Jesus became the Temple (John 2:19-21) and the atoning sacrifice ("the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" – John 1:29). At Passover the matzah, "unleavened bread," represented his body (Mark 14:22); likewise, the lamb sacrificed at Passover symbolized Jesus' sacrificial death (1 Corinthians 5:7). In addition, Jesus declared himself Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28). He also distinguished the ritually clean from unclean (Mark 7:1-23). In sum, in early Jewish Christianity the "Sabbath, Temple, Law, sacrifices are christologically reinterpreted by the One who is greater than them all." (quoted from P. Richardson, Israel in the Apostolic Church, CUP, 1969). The overall effect was that the first-century Jewish community largely considered these teachings strange and antiritualistic, a threat to established religious beliefs of the day.

On the one hand, Christianity and Judaism are two branches of the same tree. On the other, they are radically conflicting interpretations of the same Scriptures.

For Reflection and Comment

How might the Christian Church, without compromising the Gospel, restore theological balance and heal the rift with Israel and the Jews?

Next time: Exclusion from the Synagogue.

Edmund Heddle looks at the relationship between prophecy and song.

While it is true that among the prophets of the Bible there are those whose ministry seems to be carried out in an atmosphere of 'doom and gloom', there are numbers who sing under the inspiration of the Spirit prophetic songs which rejoice in revealing what God has done and celebrating it with music and dancing.

Rejoicing at the Exodus

The earliest example in scripture occurs when Miriam, older sister of Moses and Aaron, took her tambourine and with dancing steps sang a song of victory over their cruel Egyptian overlords. "Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea" (Ex 15:20-21). The word translated 'sang' is the word for 'answered' and indicates that she and the women with her were singing antiphonally with Moses and his men's choir.

Many years later, in AD 387 during the night before Easter Day on the occasion of the baptism of Augustine, the Te Deum Laudamus came into existence as Ambrose and Augustine sang its alternate lines under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In our own day antiphonal singing has started to reappear with Graham Kendrick's song, 'For This Purpose Christ was Revealed' and similar songs by himself, Dave Fellingham and others. I wonder when it will be attempted under the direct inspiration of the Spirit, trusting the prophetic spirit to give us both words and tune?

Celebrating Victory

In the days of the judges, Israel came under the cruel oppression of a Canaanite king, Jabin, and his military commander Sisera. God raised up a deliverer, a woman named Deborah. She together with Barak was granted a decisive victory which was celebrated, as with Miriam and Moses, by prophetic singing (Judges 5:1-31).

Deborah's name means 'bee', and in his commentary Matthew Henry shows that she lived up to her name "by her industry and sagacity...by her sweetness to her friends and her sharpness to her enemies"! Once again we see a man and a woman united in prophetic singing, for this is a ministry equally open to both sexes.

Prophetic Music Schools

It is in the time of Samuel that we first meet the 'schools of the prophets' which were still functioning in the days of Elijah and Elisha. On one famous occasion, some of the student body of one of these schools met Saul, shortly after Samuel had anointed him, with extraordinary results (1 Sam 10:9-12): "A procession of prophets met him, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying..."

Once Eli had died and the temple at Shiloh had been desecrated these schools of the prophets became vital to the future of Israel's religion. They probably kept and copied the records of Israel's past and not only maintained times for quiet worship but also nourished their religious devotion and heightened it by the sacred music which they composed and sang under the inspiration of the Spirit. They would have sung not only within their headquarters but also in the open air as they processed along with their musical instruments, offering prophetic praise to Israel's God.

As Saul met them and heard their prophesying, he became aware that some indescribable power was filling his being and he would connect it with his recent experience of being anointed by Samuel when they were alone on the house-top in Ramah. Prophetic praise today could have this same effect of stirring men into action for God.

Just as Saul was moved to prophesy when he met a procession of prophets, so prophetic praise today should have the effect of stirring men into action for God.

Practical Arrangements

It was not until the time of David that prophetic praise finds its appointed place and is organised by 'Israel's singer of songs' - David himself (2 Sam 23:1). He knew that real singing was impossible apart from the anointing of God's Spirit, but he saw that it was necessary to make working arrangements of a practical nature. Details of these arrangements are found in 1 Chronicles 25 where we read, "David set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthan for the ministry of prophesying accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals".

David chose four of Asaph's sons who were under the direction of their father, Asaph, himself prophesying under the king's direction. He chose six of Jeduthun's sons; Jeduthun himself prophesied using the harp in thanking and praising the Lord. And he chose fourteen of the sons of Heman, who was the king's seer. Under these leaders there were no fewer than 288 men set apart for this prophetic ministry, all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord.

They undertook their duties as determined by lot, and we are shown that there was no competition or place-seeking, for junior and senior, master and pupil alike accepted the duties allocated to them (1 Chron 25:1-6). It is sad that jealousy and place-seeking has at times plagued our choirs. How beautiful it is when those who lead our worship are truly anointed to sing, not for their credit but for God's glory.

How beautiful it is when those who lead our worship are truly anointed to sing, not for their credit but for God's glory.

David's Arrangements Maintained

The arrangements David made for prophetic singing in the Temple were still adhered to by godly kings for many years. There are references to the way prescribed by David during the reign of the boy-king Joash (2 Chron 23:18); in the revival under King Hezekiah (2 Chron 29:25-30) and under King Josiah (2 Chron 35:15). Even after the return from exile, when Ezra's builders had laid the foundation of the Temple, they were still following the plan prescribed by David (Ezra 3:10).

Nehemiah arranged two choirs at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem by bringing in those Levites who had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. They were accompanied by "the musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God" (Neh 12:27-36, 46).

For more than five hundred years godly kings and priests maintained the ministry of prophetic song and we even know the words of the song that stood 'top of the pops' for those hundreds of years! The words of that song were, "He is good, his love endures forever" (1 Chron 16:34,41 and 2 Chron 5:13, 7:3,6, 20:21, Jer 33:11 and many times in the Book of Psalms, for example 106:1, 107:1, 118:1). What a beautiful message to sing about!

Canticles of the Quiet People

In the interim period between the Old Testament and the New, we have the prophetic praise of Mary, Zachariah and Simeon. The Magnificat has been sung in the liturgy of the Gallican Church from AD 507; Mary's prophetic song is modelled on Psalms. The Benedictus, Zacharias' song, is modelled on prophecies. The Nunc Dimittis seems always to have been used in the evening services of the church down the ages of Christian history, in the East at Vespers and in the West at Compline.

There are nine themes common to these three prophetic songs, though each Canticle has its particular setting; one at Mary's conception, one at the naming of John the Baptist and the third at the culmination of Simeon's waiting for the Messiah. These nine themes are the essential stuff of prophetic song. They are:

1. God's mercy
2. God's mighty deeds
3. Victory over God's enemies
4. Our salvation
5. God's promises fulfilled
6. God's covenant obligations honoured
7. Light in our darkness
8. Care for the humble and hungry
9. Future blessing.

Characterised by Singing

Having established that it was those who had been anointed by the Spirit who became the prophetic singers of the Old Testament period, we shall not be surprised to discover that the New Testament church was also characterised by song.

Pliny the younger (61-113 AD) served as governor of Bithynia and carried on a notable correspondence with the Roman Emperor Trajan (52-117 AD). His comment on the Christians living in his province was that "They are accustomed to meet before daybreak to sing a hymn antiphonally to Christ, as to a god"; they were distinguished by their habit of singing. This was a practice encouraged by Paul. His letter to the Ephesians exhorts them to "be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord" (Eph 5:18-19).

The New Testament believers were known for their habit of singing to God, which Paul strongly encouraged. Snatches and sometimes the whole of their hymns found their way into his letters.

We know there was much singing in the New Testament church, for snatches and sometimes the whole of their hymns have found their way into Paul's letters. Outstanding examples of this are to be found in Ephesians 5:14 (sleepers awake); Philippians 2:6-11 (hymn of the incarnation); 1 Timothy 3:6 (a Christian creed) and 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (steadfast endurance). The New International Version of the Bible has printed these and other passages to indicate their rhythmic character. Arthur S. Way in The Letters of St Paul believes there are many more snatches of hymns and songs in the apostle's writings.

Power of Christian Song

Gregory Wilson said of Martin Luther: "Rome scoffed at his theology, but trembled at his hymns". Charles Wesley, three years younger than his brother, John, helped to regenerate a decadent society through song, while his brother undertook the same task through the spoken word. In all, more than 6,500 hymns came from the inspired pen of the younger Wesley.

We have a great responsibility to discharge the stewardship of prophetic song for it is of vital importance in bringing about the revolution to which we are committed, that is the Jesus revolution. When both the words and the music of a song are put together under divine inspiration, that song will have the power to unite the singers as one and to make for a very powerful impact on unbelievers.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 3 No 2, March/April 1987.

Clifford Hill discusses the recent hacking of Ashley Madison, the renowned adultery website.

Older readers will remember the saying "cheats never prosper". Perhaps the 39 million people who signed up to the Canada-based Ashley Madison website should have thought about this before putting their emails and their personal details onto the site that guaranteed them privacy. That privacy has now been brutally torn asunder and a generation of adulterers is facing the reality of their secret sexual encounters being exposed, not only to their partners but also to the world.

Untold Consequences

The Ashley Madison website, with its strapline "Life is short. Have an affair", guaranteed complete secrecy to its clients until hackers succeeded in breaking through the site's security. After failing to persuade the owners of Ashley Madison to close down their operation, they first made the hacked information available on the dark internet, but it very quickly went viral. The consequences of this may be serious not only in endangering many marriages, but even putting lives at risk in countries where adultery and homosexuality are capital offences, such as Saudi Arabia.

The Ashley Madison scandal will not only endanger marriages, but could cause further oppression via blackmail and even put lives at risk.

The exposure of the infidelity site is not only threatening to break up marriages and other relationships of trust; the information could be used by blackmailers and others who wish to cause harm to rivals and competitors. A number of the emails that have been published are said to have Government addresses, which could mean that civil servants or MPs are at risk of public exposure of their infidelities.

Unprecedented Scale

Of course, adulterous affairs are not new to this generation and history is full of them, but what makes this latest exposure unique is the sheer scale of those who responded to the opportunity for a clandestine sexual relationship, in the belief that there was complete confidentiality. As a result they not only gave personal details including names, credit card numbers, sexual fantasies and preferences, but some even included nude photographs.

The development of internet dating sites has created the opportunity for unlimited infidelity, plus the offer of casual sex with the promise of availability, anonymity and affordability. This has clearly proved a temptation that millions of people have been unable to resist. In the 14 years that Ashley Madison has been in existence, it has garnered a staggering 39 million clients willing to risk the trust of those who are closest to them (1 million of these clients are said to be based in Britain).

The internet has created the opportunity for unlimited infidelity - clearly a temptation that millions have been unable to resist.

The first step was internet sites that simply offered introductions and dating opportunities, but this soon progressed to more carnal activities with sites such as Grindr offering gay and bisexual relationships. But this has been dwarfed by the massive response of heterosexuals seeking adulterous affairs.

Cross-sector Exposure

The exposure of cheating is not confined to adultery; sport is another recent activity to come under the spotlight, with first cycling and now athletics facing widespread charges of medals having been won by the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Lord Coe, the newly-elected head of world athletics (International Association of Athletics Federations) has vowed to clean up the sport, but it may take a long time to root out all the cheats.

Similar soul-searching is running through the banking sector, revealing cheating on a massive scale in the rigging of the Libor rate. Banks are facing heavy fines for the actions of their dishonest employees who made millions of dollars and pounds for themselves and their shareholders.

As the searchlight of truth is turned onto one institution after another, the sheer scale of cheating being exposed is breathtaking. It is only a generation ago that cheating was considered to be one of the most heinous of sins in sport, in exams, in business and especially in marriage and family life. Cheating sportsmen were drummed out of their sport: cheating students were expelled from school or university: cheating businessmen were thrown out of their employment and cheating in marriage was universally condemned.

The sheer scale of cheating being exposed is breathtaking. Only a generation ago, cheating was considered to be one of the most heinous of sins – whether in sport, education, business or family life.

Crumbled Foundations

So what's gone wrong with Western society today? Surely there can only be one reason why this should happen in nations with a long-standing Judaeo-Christian heritage, where biblical standards of honesty have been the cornerstone of business life and personal behaviour for centuries. The answer has to be that we have abandoned the Bible as the foundation stone of Western civilisation. The result, ultimately, is moral anarchy – everyone making up their own personal ethics, with little care for the lives of those closest to them and no care at all for the good of wider society.

The sad truth is that most children and young people under the age of 30 have little or no knowledge of biblical principles of right and wrong, truth and falsehood, so they have no plumb-line of truth for judging personal or social behaviour. Unless there is a moral and spiritual revival and a re-discovery of the Christian faith and its values, things can only get worse. At the present rate of secularisation we face a virtual collapse of family life, which will be followed by the inevitable breakdown of social order.

Grace and Truth

In light of this drastic outlook, how can we respond to the Ashley Madison scandal? It's easy to point the finger at others while ignoring our own faults. The teaching of the New Testament is that "no immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph 5:5). So our first reaction ought to be to examine ourselves to ensure that we live as children of the light, which means not only exposing deeds of darkness but also being those who uphold righteousness and truth in every situation. If we truly live as followers of Jesus we should be radiating love and goodness to those around us.

Our first reaction ought to be to examine ourselves to ensure that we live as children of the light, which means not only exposing deeds of darkness but also being those who uphold righteousness and truth in every situation.

We ought also to be praying for those whose lives are being shattered by the exposure of their names on the Ashley Madison website. Pray for forgiveness in their marriages and the healing of relationships so that good comes out of evil. Especially pray for the children caught up in broken family relationships. Only God can bring healing, love, forgiveness and true repentance out of our human tragedies. Let's ask the Father to reach out to those in need and transform their lives.

We are overjoyed to share news of what God has been doing in the town of Ferguson, Missouri...

A little over a year ago, the town of Ferguson, Missouri made international headlines when black teenager Michael Brown was repeatedly and fatally shot by a white police officer. Since the incident, which ignited heated debate about race and law enforcement in America, Ferguson has seen repeated civil unrest, both violent and non-violent. The judiciary response to release the officer from all charges did not help the situation, despite the use of independent investigations.

To the watching world, Ferguson is another example of long-standing American racial tensions boiling over. As expected, the anniversary of the initial tragedy on 9 August this year brought yet more protests.

However, what we do not hear on the news is that God is at work in this volatile, complex situation. Christian couple Linda Louis-VanReed and Bruce VanReed live just half a mile from the centre of the unrest. Their vivid, positive description of all that God has been doing through the Ferguson crisis has so encouraged the team at Prophecy Today that we want to share it with you all!

August 15, 2015

Dear Cliff and Monica –

It was good to hear from you both a few days ago. Thank you so much for your unfailing support in prayer during the past week, as life in Ferguson threatened to "get rowdy" once again.

As you might expect, those who were either being paid to demonstrate by various groups (Black Panthers, Nation of Islam, Communist party) or who were coming alongside those paid demonstrators (regardless of what group they represented) just to be seen by the media, were on hand in spite of the high temperatures and rainy conditions present between Monday, August 3 and Tuesday, August 11. However, people were not out by the hundreds every night as they were last year.

There were, among the protesters, a great increase in the number of Caucasians, most of who were not from the area, and a good number of felons who were waiting for the crowds to get worked up so they might use it as a chance to vandalize.

The Billy Graham truck with about half dozen pastors from different parts of the US was present on West Florissant Road ("ground zero," as they have been calling it) and they made themselves available to minister to the crowds. Their best opportunities came from passersby who stopped in to see what the truck was about. Unfortunately, Bruce and I could not get over to see them before they left, so I don't have stories from their ranks to relay to you.

Wednesday evening around 7pm groups of protesters and media trucks converged on downtown Ferguson, about a half mile or so from our house. There was also a group on West Florissant that evening. Storms had been flaring up around the state of Missouri all day, but none were scheduled to touch the St. Louis area until that weekend. However, as the racial tensions thickened, so did the storm clouds, and around 7:30pm we experienced an unexpected torrential downpour. All the hate and misunderstanding planned for that evening was washed away by two inches of rain. Local weather reporters were all a little surprised by the way in which this one particular storm flared up all by itself just outside St. Louis County, and how it seemed to drop the most rain on North County (where Ferguson and Florissant are located). When everyone came together again, later that night, proceedings were peaceful and the crowds were minimal.

All the hate and misunderstanding planned for Wednesday evening was washed away by two inches of rain. Local weather reporters were surprised by the way in which this one particular storm flared up all by itself...

The crowds were nonexistent on Thursday, all day, and into Friday. Friday evening things began to become active, but, strangely enough, everyone seemed, on that evening at least, to prefer a peaceful, friendly, demonstration, and there were no problems. Bruce and I were watching the proceedings down the street from our house via the Internet – a young man with a procam was shooting a live feed which he simulcast from in front of the police station.

The police were in regular event uniforms – light shirts, no weapons, no headgear, nothing. It was the Ferguson police and the St. Louis County police, who were on standby. One man decided to take his bullhorn and scream obscenities into the faces of these people. His blatherings were largely incoherent, but his obscenities were crystal clear. He worked these people on a personal level while a small group of protesters tried to move the crowd into a frenzy by shouting "F*** the police!" and "We will shut it down!" They were playing drums and chanting into the crowd. One young man got on top of a car and started waving two American flags which had been mounted upside down on their poles.

As Bruce and I watched and prayed, we noticed that within a few minutes those who had gathered around the man with the bullhorn were disassociating themselves from him. Soon, he stood there alone with a small child which we think may have been his son. One of the cops stepped forward and appeared to ask him if he needed a bottle of water. He became confused, then cursed, turned, and walked away.

Meanwhile, in the background, our drummers and flag-wavers were faring no better. People chanted along for a minute or two, then broke off into small groups of peaceful demonstrators. They broke it up by midnight. No one hurt. Nobody died.

Saturday night was a different story. Footage from that night was probably what you have been seeing over there. A local station carried a play-by-play throughout the evening as we watched and prayed far into the night.

The events of that evening were at "ground zero." A group of agitators (about 35 or so) were present, once again, trying to stir up the crowds with chants and drums, etc. One young light-skinned black man, wearing a green shirt wrapped around his head and, at one point, a mask, it appeared, was a primary agitator, getting right up into the faces of the police and screaming obscenities, sometimes, less than six inches in front of their faces. The police remained calm and unresponsive until this young man and a few in the crowd began to throw ice water bottles, rocks and pieces of glass at them.

As tensions escalated over the next hour, some local kid with a gun fired off about 30 rounds into crowds and cop cars. The police had to fire on him. The next thing we see is crowds breaking up, as people who were there with their young children got into their vehicles and left. The young man with the green shirt – arrested. They pulled the headgear off him right in front of the camera, and when he saw the camera on him, he immediately started to cry. Guys, he couldn't have been more than about 18 or so. Big man behind his green shirt. Things got real when that shirt came off. I am still praying for that kid. I can't seem to get his face out of my mind. What must have happened in his life to get him to make the choices he made to get him there?

That was pretty much the story of most of the protesters the entire weekend, because after the Saturday night shooting, the police decided their level of tolerance had been reached. These folks were fast becoming a public nuisance, looting three stores, blocking an interstate highway during rush hour, etc. The protesters would push and play, the police would calmly and politely restrain them and book them.

Sunday evening was actually pretty calm. There were six shootings, which I'm sure you heard about, but those were gang-related, black-on-black crimes. Monday and Tuesday there were more such crimes, little in the way of protests. We have not had this many killings in St. Louis even during the Civil Rights protests of the sixties. Our young black men and women are killing each other in frustrations which have little or nothing to do with our police policies.

The aura surrounding all of these events was so different from last year, when the event was fresh. The churches in the area, all of St. Louis, in fact, have been holding events and open forums all year long. A lot of people gave their lives to Christ. There are lots of people who don't want anything to do with a race war, and they are using their influence, locally, to stop and encourage their neighbors who might want such a war to rethink. So much of the raw emotion is gone.

The churches in the area have been holding events and open forums all year long. A lot of people gave their lives to Christ. There are lots of people who don't want anything to do with a race war.

People want peace, praise God. They want their town back. They want their lives and livelihoods and children back. They are getting tired.

Nationwide there was very little to report, it seems. But, you know what that tells us, Cliff and Monica? It tells us that God is a God of his word. If we will seek his face and petition Him, He will save our nation. This is excellent news! The spirit of God was palpable in this town last week. The feel in the air was peaceful, even at the sites of the protests, even as they were going on. Many churches had events. Clergy showed up, big time, late Saturday evening, to pray with, for and among the protesters after the shootings had occurred. Even our heavily-biased liberal media was on the side of the police during all of this! AMAZING!

The spirit of God was palpable in this town last week. I think God is still hearing His people, still making a way in these days for us to experience the power of His glory.

I don't think God is finished with America. I think God is still hearing His people, still making a way in these days for us to experience the power of His glory. The encouragement we feel from simply the events/non-events of Ferguson this year has uplifted so many of us.

I hope the tone of this letter can excite in the both of you just a little of the encouragement, empowerment and faith that we, here in Ferguson, are feeling these days. God has done so much here in response to our prayers, our faithfulness to serve, our desire to see Him glorified. He even went so far as to make it so the Hills, way over there in the beautiful UK, were joining hundreds of us who they have never met face-to-face, in prayer.

God is the author of time, and may yet choose to stay His hand for awhile longer. May the freedoms that both the US and the UK enjoy continue, and may all who oppose Him be confounded!

Warmest regards,

Linda Louis-VanReed
Ferguson, MO

Two personal perspectives on the up-coming Assisted Dying Bill.

On 11 September, Rob Marris MP's Assisted Dying Bill will receive its second reading in Parliament. That this date has been chosen for such an important debate on British freedom, democracy and the sanctity of life, is perhaps pertinent – perhaps sadly ironic.

We bring you two personal perspectives on the bill and some practical advice on how to pray and act in the days leading up to it.

Charles Gardner

An alert has gone out from concerned Christians about a deadly Bill to be debated in the British Parliament on September 11. The so-called 'Assisted Dying Bill', better known as assisted suicide, is a bid to make it legal not only for people to take their own lives, but for others to assist them in doing so.

I trust it will not escape the notice of too many that it comes on the day we recall the death and destruction committed on a grand scale 14 years ago by a group of suicide bombers who flew jet liners into New York's tallest skyscrapers, leaving some 3,000 dead and a world in shock.

Although primarily an attack on Israel and the Jewish people whom America is perceived as supporting, it was also seen as an attack on Western democracy which allows the freedom of thought so despised by Islamic fundamentalists.

But if the Assisted Dying Bill is passed, it would spell a death of democracy of our own making as we would effectively be committing democratic and national suicide; for the effect of the Bill would be to pressurise the weak, vulnerable and elderly into ending their lives prematurely out of fear of being a burden to society.

Their right to have a say in the destiny of their own lives will have been withdrawn forever, with the result that a much-envied civilisation built on Christian foundations of care and compassion would collapse as surely as did the 110-storey Twin Towers of Manhattan.

If the Assisted Dying Bill is passed, it would spell democratic and national suicide. Our much-envied civilisation built on Christian foundations of care and compassion would collapse as surely as did the Twin Towers.

As its detractors state, the Bill does not speed people towards a natural death, but rather sanctions state-sponsored killing. Thank God for campaigns like Christian Concern who are doing all they can to 'help keep death from Britain's door'.

Certainly 9/11 was a devastating, earth-shattering event. But who remembers the millions of innocent babies murdered in the womb for spurious social reasons? So now we have death lurking in the shadows both at the beginning and end of our lives – and in the latter case, all in the questionable cause of the relief of suffering.

The Religion of Secular Humanism

This is the poisonous fruit of so much humanistic, secular and atheistic influence on our once Christian culture which says that since this life is all there is – and there is no God – we should alleviate pain and discomfort at any cost. And we are daily bombarded by noble-sounding campaigns to rid the world of disease, poverty and environmental destruction. And we humans are capable of dealing with this. On our own!

But we aren't. For as long as we ignore the real reason for our troubles – our sinful obsession with self – and act independently of God, we are only putting off the evil day when divine judgement will show up our pitiful attempts at making the world a better place.

Not Belittling Suffering

I do not wish to minimise the dreadful plight of those who suffer – and those who care for them. I watched my late wife dying in agony of cancer, which had spread from her breast to her bones. In all she suffered for some four-and-a-half years; and that was in addition to being blind since the age of 16. But she 'saw' through her pain and sorrow to a better world beyond this life as she trusted implicitly in Jesus. I well remember how, with very little lung capacity left, she raised her arms in worship of her Lord as I played some Christian songs on my guitar.

True, in view of her suffering towards the end, she wanted to go sooner rather than later. So when she asked her lady doctor how much time she had left, and "two weeks" was the reply, she was somewhat exasperated, saying she would rather it were two days. And it was! But that was a prayer to God, not a nudge for her doctor to prescribe a lethal injection.

A nation which has rejected God will soon also dispense with all his precepts and laws, eventually leaving a society with neither mercy nor justice.

A nation which has rejected God will soon also dispense with all his precepts and laws, eventually leaving a society with neither mercy nor justice.

But for those who trust in Christ, their suffering is only temporary. They look forward to a day when "he will wipe every tear from their eyes; when there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Rev 21:4).

Dr Mark Houghton

None of us who watched 9/11 on our televisions will ever forget 2001 when nearly 3000 people died. Yet September 11th 2015 may go down in history as the prelude to a higher – far higher -- intentional death toll. That day the House of Commons holds a critical vote on the Assisted Dying Bill (No 2).

Back in 2005, the deaths predicted by a Select Committee were around 650 a year if assisted suicide was legal in the United Kingdom and we had a law like Oregon, USA. The Dutch experience, on the other hand, could lead to around 13,000 deaths a year in the UK.

Britain, being the first large nation to legalise assisted 'killing for the willing', would show other nations how to remove laws currently in place. Globally, anti-abortion laws fell like a pack of cards after our 1967 law was passed.

My experiences, as a doctor and as a patient in pain, have shown me how much we all need the protection of the law. Good care kills the pain, not the patient - and this has been shown again and again. But show a crack in the door to the patient, the family or the carers, then the protection of the vulnerable melts away; killing for the unwilling begins. The 'safeguards' of the law allowing assisted suicide are regularly flouted in Holland and the handful of tiny countries that have legalised it.

We all need the protection of the law. But show a crack in the door to the patient, the family or the carers, and the protection of the vulnerable melts away.

Action Points

1. Pray that you "speak up for those being led away to death" (Prov 24:11). Pray that Britain will promote palliative care, not suicide. Pray for Christ to prevent Parliament from weakening his 6th Commandment: "You shall not kill" (Ex 20:14).

2. Learn about the debate. Go to Christian Concern for information, resources and personal stories from a Christian perspective. See also carenotkilling.org.uk and notoassistedsuicide.org.uk for resources from a secular perspective.

3. Say to your MP how you want them to vote on 11 September (this site makes it easy to email your MP).

4. Share resources others by posting on social media, or sharing in home groups or at church.

Is the Greek banking crisis really over, or have they just kicked the can down the street? Does the new bailout bring real hope or just delay the day of reckoning? Clifford Hill believes biblical principles hold the answer...

The problems facing Greece raise much wider issues that affect all of Europe because there are biblical principles that should have been applied: and if they had been applied the whole situation would have been very different.

All the nations in Europe have a Christian heritage. Their shared belief system based upon the Bible should have enabled a common approach to financial dealings. It is because the European nations have abandoned their Christian foundations and lost their biblical heritage that they are in such trouble today."

Lending and Borrowing in Scripture

The Bible sets out clear rules for lending money. "If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or temporary resident, so that he can continue to live among you. Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God so that your countryman may continue to live among you. You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at a profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God" (Lev 25:35).

Surely that could not be clearer? Within the family of Israel, despite all the differences of tribes and clans, there had to be just one rule for everyone. If anyone became in need of help, through illness, accident, or a bad harvest, or even through mismanagement of resources, he and his family had to be helped by the rest of the community. There were no exceptions to this. They were one family of people with a shared belief in God and a shared covenant relationship with God, which created a shared relationship with each other. Therefore they had mutual obligations within the family of Israel.

Those who had resources were to help those who were in need. If they cared for one another in this way they would all prosper and they would enjoy a healthy society where no one was exploited and the whole nation benefited. Indeed, the exploitation of the poor and needy by the rich and powerful was forbidden.

No Blame

The regulation given to Israel in Leviticus 25 does not lay blame on how someone became poor. It simply states "If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself" then he must be helped. That becomes a sacred obligation because it is an out-working of the covenant relationship within the nation of Israel, because of her relationship with God.

Our biblical heritage should guide Europe's thinking, so that when one nation becomes poor that nation should be lent money by the other nations of Europe without interest. There would, of course, be an obligation to repay the amount loaned. The biblical principle is stated in Psalm 37:21 "The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously".

The bailout that was reached last month was the worst possible solution for the people of Greece and only makes them poorer. Already they have 60% unemployment among their young people. This deal, with its increased austerity, will make things worse, driving people into hopelessness and despair. It is a cruel exercise of power of which Germany and France are the chief perpetrators.

Historically both these nations have a record of trying to dominate Europe and rule their neighbours.

• Napoleon was defeated 200 years ago at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo
• Bismarck tried and failed to conquer Europe by force of arms in 1870
• The Kaiser tried the same tactic in 1914 with the resultant deaths of millions of men
• Hitler tried to enslave the rest of Europe in 1939 with disastrous results

Have the Germans and the French really learned that power should be used to promote the common good; not to oppress others, especially their brothers and sisters in the Christian faith? However, we live in post-Christian Europe where biblical values have been abandoned and even the Church relies on interest on its investments!

Different Theological Interpretations

Ironically, although usury (money-lending at interest) was forbidden among the Jewish community, the Bible does not forbid lending to those outside that community. The teaching of Jesus was "And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked" (Luke 6:34-35).

The Catholic Church interpreted this to mean that those who lend should not expect anything in return – not even the original loan. This discouraged any lending. Consequently, the Jews became the money lenders for the Christian community across Europe in the Middle Ages. The Protestant Church similarly forbade usury, but Calvin argued that lending at low interest should be allowed and that the prohibition should be against 'extortionate' interest.

Protestant Work Ethic

His influence extended to German sociologist Max Weber – one of the fathers of Sociology - who noted the distinction between the culture of northern European and southern European nations. In his analysis he noted that the most powerful influence was religion – the differences between Protestantism on the one hand and Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy on the other. He noted that Catholic and Orthodox beliefs were largely controlled by priests who had great influence over the people.

By contrast, the Protestant nations followed the teaching of the Apostle Paul that each individual believer should work out their own salvation by seeking a personal relationship with God, to whom they are primarily responsible for the stewardship of the spiritual gifts and physical resources they have been given. Weber believed that it was this fundamental difference in religious belief within Christianity that accounted for the difference in national culture between Europe's northern and southern nations.

German sociologist Max Weber argued that religion has powerfully shaped European culture, creating a divide between the northern Protestant nations on the one hand, and the southern Catholic and Orthodox nations on the other."

He noted that the northern nations were driven by what he called the "Protestant Work Ethic" which promoted industrialisation and the maximisation of resources, and included an aesthetic element which prevented them from simply consuming the profits of their labour. They ploughed the surplus back into their business enterprises which became increasingly profitable; whereas people in the southern nations of Europe were not driven by such ambition and were simply content to live life from day-to-day.

This cultural difference still exists in Europe today, particularly among the older generation. Many Greeks remember the Nazis' brutal treatment during the Second World War and that legacy sours the relationship between Greece and Germanythe two countries. Young people are much more influenced by the secular humanist ideology that is circulating freely across Europe and the Western nations. They do not share the faith of their parents or grandparents so they live with a different world-view which is less nationalistic. They accept a different set of values and are not even aware of the biblical values that laid the foundations of all the nation-states of Europe.

Road to Financial Bondage

The traditional north-south European religious divide, as Weber showed, still underpins the Greek crisis as German efficiency is contrasted with perceived Greek fecklessness.
The Germans look upon the Greeks as inferior and lazy people who should be treated harshly and made to conform to northern European standards. The German press day after day vilifies the Greeks. They are determined to impose their Protestant Work Ethic culture upon the people whom they once physically enslaved.

Angela Merkel and her fellow politicians have certainly learned that military might is not the best way of achieving their objectives, but the principle of oppression and the brutal exercise of power leading to enslavement (in this case financial bondage) is the same.

The traditional north-south divide still underpins the Greek crisis, as German efficiency is contrasted with perceived Greek fecklessness."

Biblical principles governing finance show that to profit from the enslavement of others is the worst of crimes! But this is what the euro nations are doing to Greece – they are virtually enslaving them! What they don't realise is that they are creating a situation that will bring disaster, not just upon Greece, but upon the whole of Europe. Unrighteousness has a day of reckoning! Europe is stoking up a mountain of debt in Greece that will become a volcano which will eventually erupt and pour its lava across Europe because the whole system is built upon unrighteousness, exploitation, and enslavement.

Justice in Right Relationships

God has built into his Creation principles of justice. When they are ignored they bring disaster upon those who defy the truth that it is right relationships which bring prosperity and well-being. Michael Schluter in his book After Capitalism – Rethinking Economic Relationships says that the current financial crisis is a result of a sustained culture of debt which is based upon 'reward without responsibilities', 'investment without involvement' and 'profit without participation'.¹

In all our dealings, whether of a financial or social nature, the most important thing is our relationship with others. Ezekiel, the Prophet of the exile in Babylon, taught the people about the importance of right relationships with God and with each other. Ezekiel 18:16-18 says that the righteous man: "does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps God's laws and follows his decrees."

These are the biblical principles which establish righteous financial policies based upon just and merciful relationships which the nations of Europe should be following. This would ensure justice for the poor in times of hardship and shared prosperity. These biblical principles are already there in the Christian heritage of Europe which has been largely abandoned in the age of secularism that has swept the Continent. The only real hope for the future prosperity of Europe is to reassert the principles of righteousness in our biblical heritage.

References

1 Jubilee Centre, Cambridge, 2012, p24.

What do we learn from the current investigation into the hidden life of our former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath?

Sins of the Nation

It is interesting first to note our initial reactions, even before police enquiries are complete. Most of us are not at all surprised! We are getting used to exposure after exposure of the sinful hidden lives of those who should be trusted in the nation.

Already the well-known entertainers Rolf Harris, Stuart Hall and Jimmy Saville have been exposed as having dark sides to their lives: whilst having an acceptable public profile they were also involved in sinful acts that should not exist in a righteous nation. The recent conviction of Tom Hayes in the Libor banking fraud illustrates that the sins of our nation extend into other areas as well as child abuse. Now we wait to see if the accusations levelled against a former Prime Minister will reveal further dark secrets.

On the one hand we can be reassured that we still have a legal system that will bring justice relating to serious crimes. Our nation, despite all, may not have slipped beyond recovery. On the other hand we may be witnessing the tip of the iceberg of sin in our nation. Could it be that the Lord God himself is uncovering these sins to show us the danger that our nation is in, before he acts in further judgement?

Layer Upon Layer

During the 1990s, we carried out some research on the New Age Movement for Prophecy Today. In doing so, we discovered deep and demonic darkness taking footholds in the nation. Satan's lies usually start with harmless-looking temptations: after all he is called lucifer, the angel of light. His traps are subtle and what seems like 'fun' or even beneficial in some ways can gradually be a luring of a person into utter darkness and sin. Such sin is then kept in the secret recesses of a person's life – a trap.

That is how even a prominent leader can be drawn into ritual abuse of children and even into satanic rituals. That is how a banker can be tempted to exploit the wealth of the nation for personal gain. That is how any of us can turn from the ways of God to the ways of sin and evil. The thin end of the wedge of sin is very narrow, but the wedge thickens as sin deepens, sometimes imperceptibly to the one caught up in it.

Satanic lies usually start with harmless-looking temptations, but gradually and subtly lure people into utter darkness and sin. Such sin is then kept in the secret recesses of a person's life."

Consider, for example, the way the so-called 'New Age Movement' attracts a person through subtle means. Doorways include the lie that all religions lead to the one god, promises of healing through alternative therapies such as with crystals and counterfeit meditation, and a lie that "we are all gods" with no such thing as sin. Step by step, one can then be trapped, with the potential of believing ever deepening lies of satan.

A Tangled Web

When we carried out our research on the New Age Movement, one of the things we did was to draw a diagram linking together various organisations and activities. If we found something in common, such as a particular group of people who belonged to two seemingly separate organisations, we would draw a line to link the organisations together. By studying these links one could understand how a person involved in one activity would meet others belonging to another, thus enabling a person in one area of interest to move to another, and move deeper and deeper into areas of deception. On this basis we were also able to warn others of the traps that should be avoided.

In our research on the New Age Movement, we often found hidden links between seemingly unrelated organisations, groups and activities. We traced connections between apparently useful, innocuous activities and others of great concern."

This process of tracking potential links often showed up connections between seemingly useful, innocuous activities and others of great concern. A person, for example, could start with an interest in ecology, or some modern evolutionary science, or alternative medicine, and wander into other areas through personal contact with others or through widely circulated written material. A person could experiment with something relatively harmless and move on to other things, including false religions and even witchcraft and satanism. Of course this is not inevitable - but the potential is there.

The 'spirit of the age' is one of relativism and experimentation. Is it any wonder that some people end up in the deepest darkness when their guard is down and when they are personally vulnerable, and mix in circles that can mislead them?

Satan's Cleverest Trick?

One of Satan's cleverest tricks is to blind the eyes of people to his very existence. Then he can get away with almost anything, degree by degree. James had the weakness of men in mind and also the schemes of satan when he wrote:

...each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)

Our Response

Whilst those being seduced may be blinded by satan to the consequences of their sins, even thinking the sins to be pleasurable, those who set up opposition enter an unrelenting spiritual battle. Those who sin may go into the dark depths quite unaware, whilst others fight a battle, knowing how dark these depths are.

The Lord Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by satan (Matt 4). By contrast he taught us to pray: "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matt 6:13). Jesus disarmed satan for those who live by faith, so that the injunction of Paul might also be fulfilled:

...brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. (Phil 4:8)

For this reason, having sent our warnings out in Prophecy Today we have also turned to a positive response to the wickedness of the age in which we live, wickedness found even in our own nation. We will keep on warning but will also promote deeper Bible study and the ministry of prayer. Many may go astray in our nation but we must be stronger in the things of God. With many revelations of wickedness coming to the surface - even accusations concerning a past Prime Minister - repentance across the nation is still possible. Let us pray for the things of darkness to be exposed, as God has started to do. Let us also be strong in the Lord and ready to serve, as we are called to in this age of growing deception.