It Wasn't the End of the World as We Know It

A song by R.E.M. has been going round and round my mind for the last several
weeks. The chorus goes something like this: It's the end of the world as we know
it / It's the end of the world as we know it / It's the end of the world as we know 
it, and I feel fine. Well, in the days immediately preceding and following May 21,
it wasn't the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.

During the days leading up to Saturday, May 21, I was fascinated with Harold
Camping and his warnings that May 21 would be the Day of Judgment when
Christ would return to earth. The 89-year old Bible teacher was absolutely cer-
tain that his careful study over a lifetime pointed to that date for the end of the
world as we know it. He broadcast the message over his Family Radio net-
work, sent teams of followers far and wide to warn people, and erected thou-
sands of billboards across the USA and around the world to warn people of
their imminent doom. He and his ministry were sincere about their beliefs;
they certainly were not in it for the money or the publicity.

All kinds of thoughts and feelings were racing around in me as May 21 came
closer and closer. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I eagerly await his coming
again. I proclaim the Mystery of Faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, and
Christ will come again! Christians throughout the centuries have awaited his
coming again as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to judge the world. But
I have to confess that I often hope he doesn't come soon. I am enjoying my-
self too much. I do yearn for Christ to come again, it's just that I want him to
return later rather than sooner.  I want to get back to Scotland. That's how I
feel much of the time, and that saddens me. It grieves me when I feel that way.

I remember back to an earlier time when Harold Camping and Family Radio
predicted that Christ would come on a certain date in 1994.  He even published
a small book detailing how he got to that date. But when his prediction proved
to be wrong, many of us thought he would have learned his lesson. Scriptural
texts such as Acts 1:7 and Matthew 24:36 warn Christians against setting the
time of Christ's Return. And now this time he was absolutely certain that Christ
would return on May 21, 2011. How terribly foolish of him to do that.

Since 6 pm on Saturday, May 21, I have been doing a lot of praying for those
who were related to this whole situation. I have been praying that the Lord
would bless Harold Camping and all those who put their hopes in the foolish
teaching. May they not reject the faith in their great disappointment, but be
strengthened in the truth of who Jesus Christ is and what God did through him
on the cross. I also have been praying that the Lord would bless those who
scoffed, mocked, and ridiculed all those who got caught up in the false teach-
ing. May they come to trust what Jesus did for them on the cross when he came
the first time, and be ready for him when he really does come again. May they
not scorn nor mock that.

I pray that we, the Church, we who confess Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour,
would not only eagerly await his coming again, but also go about the Father's
kingdom business until he does come again. May we be found faithful at his
coming.  Maranatha! Come! Lord Jesus. Come!

Blessings to you and yours,

My Heart Full of Sadness

On Tuesday, May 10, the Presbytery of the Twin Cities cast the deciding vote to
change the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The presbytery was
the 87th of 173 presbyteries in the PC (USA) to vote in favor of the constitutional
change, thus making presbyteries supporting the change the majority. As a result,
presbyteries can now ordain persons as ministers, elders, and deacons without re-
gard to sexual orientation. Ordained people are no longer obligated to affirm faith-
fulness in marriage between a man and a woman and chastity in singleness. All
barriers to homosexual persons serving as ministers, elders, and deacons were re-
moved.

From Monday, May 9, until Thursday, May 12, I was attending the 23rd Annual
Ministers' Prayer Summit at a Christian conference center on the Oregon coast.
One of the themes that kept arising in our time together was that of sexual puri-
ty in our lives as Christian women and men who hold positions of church lead-
ership. We had a marvelous time and I will write about the conference in the near
future. When I returned to my apartment and got caught up on the news, I learned
about the deciding vote cast by the Presbytery of the Twin Cities.

I cannot say that I was surprised; I knew that it would happen sooner or later. In
one sense I was surprised that it took this long. I had thought that the Presbytery
of the Twin Cities would have cast their vote in favor of the change well before
now. The Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota) are known for their
more liberal positions concerning social and theological issues. The sexual revo-
lution and the cry for liberation from all forms of oppression exploded into the
consciousness of the USA and entered into the theological scene in the late 1960s.
Since then the Episcopal Church in the US, the United Church of Christ, and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have affirmed persons who are openly
homosexual and welcomed them into church leadership.

For 33 years, there have been Presbyterians who have been unrelenting in their
efforts to remove every obstacle that prevented gay and lesbian people from serv-
ing in positions of leadership in the PC (USA). I remember as if it were yester-
day when the issue first came before the General Assembly in 1978. Little did I
realize then that it would lead to intense debate among Presbyterians for over
three decades. I witnessed the heated debates and the failed efforts by the pro-
gay lobby in 1997 and 2001. But I had an ever-increasing sense that it was inev-
itable that they would be successful. There was another failed effort in 2008, but
more and more conservative evangelical Presbyterians and churches left the de-
nomination. Then on May 10, the long struggle to ordain openly gay and lesbian
people was successful. I found it odd that it took this long for there to be enough
presbyteries to form a majority for change of the constitution.

I know many Presbyterian colleagues who are celebrating what they see as a
great victory for gay and lesbian people and for the PC (USA). The struggle
was hard-fought and long, but they persevered and were successful. I perceive
that the slow and gradual decline of the denomination continues, and that grieves
me and saddens me. The dike of biblical authority has been breached and sexual
integrity and purity in marriage and singleness have been swept away. It is only
a matter of time before those of us who question and oppose what has happened
will be labelled homophobic, exclusionary, and unloving. If so, so be it. Such key
biblical concepts as fidelity in marriage, chastity in singleness, and repentance for
sin have been swept aside and cast into utter darkness. I expect that very soon
same-sex marriage will be brought forward and approved without any opposi-
tion.

I am deeply saddened that there are fellow members in the PC (USA) who inten-
tionally walk in a way that is contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am dis-
turbed that the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord is divorced from the authority
of Scripture. But as a disciple of the Lord Jesus and as one who recognizes the
authority of the Scriptures,  I re-affirm fidelity in marriage between a man and a
woman and chastity in singleness. I also re-affirm that those who refuse to repent
of breaking these standards should not be ordained and/or installed as church of-
ficers. Such is the ground upon which I stand.

Blessings to you and yours,




 

Getting Up to Speed

The last three weeks have been challenging for me. When I left the USA for Scot-
land and the University of St. Andrews in 2003, I had no sense that I would end up
taking a pastoral position in the land of Braveheart. For close to three years -ever
since I made the decision to remain in Scotland- I have been disconnecting myself
from living in the USA and setting up  a new home in Scotland. I love living in the
USA, but I firmly believe that God has called me to serve there in Scotland. Plus I
really do enjoy living in that new land where the Lord has led me and the people of
St. Fergus Parish Church to whom the Lord has called me to serve. I would never
have considered it even four years ago, but now I am grateful to God for leading me
that way.

But the refusal of my application for a visa to enter the United Kingdom as a minis-
ter of religion threw me off balance. I felt as if the rug had been pulled out from un-
der me.  When I received the refusal letter and realized that I would be here in
Longview until early next year when I could apply again, I scrambled to arrange
my life here. Fortunately I had the support of great friends who provided me with a
place to stay and a car to get around in for close to three months. But over the past
three weeks I have found a nice studio apartment to rent, bought a good used car
with the help of great friends, enjoyed being back at my home church, and made
contact with the Presbytery of Olympia about ministry opportunities.

It has been fun being back in my home town for longer than just a visit. But adjust-
ing to the change of plans has worn me out: I have been busy. When I left Scotland
in late January, I  was intending to buy a MacBook to replace my aged PC notebook
Well, I did that, and I am struggling to convert from PC to Mac. Already I have seen
the substantial benefits of the Mac over the PC, but it is still a challenge for me. I
have been shopping around for car insurance and medical coverage. Through this
all I have had to have my mail redirected to my new address, get basic furnishings
for my place, go through bags of mail from the last three years, and find out where
I could be of service at my home church. I have enjoyed old friends and made new
friends. The biggest challenge has been bringing order to my small apartment as
well as to  my life. My To Be Done list was long, but slowly I am whittling it down.
Still there are so many small things I need to do, but at least the list is more man-
ageable now.

When I first arrived here, I was encouraged to consider attending a four-day Min-
isters' Prayer Summit out on the Oregon coast. I was told that for the past 13 years
it has been a time for ministers from the area to rest, relax, and seek the face of the
Lord. I was very interested, but expected to be back in Scotland by then. But here
I am still, and I look forward to attending the Prayer Summit. It is exactly what I
need at this point in my 'captivity' here in the good ol' USA. I hope to get God's per-
spective about this era of my life. As always, I covet your prayers on my behalf.

Blessings to you and yours,