A questionable day?

Amanda and I have been away on holiday for the past week, hence the dearth of posts. We got back a couple of days ago, and have been straight back into it all.

Particularly today, when I feel that I have made it as a small town minister. For today I judged the local Catholic school's speech competition. 5 year olds through to 13 year olds. 'Speeches' (and I use that word loosely) ranging in topic from the evils of animal testing to why league is better than union (that kid won - he was brilliant). Mums and Dads popping in to see their kids speak, and the kids themselves urging each other on. it was beautiful - just like you imagine a small town school to be.

Now some of you may mock. Some of you may have questions about this. Some of you may question my use of time in doing this. Some of you may say 'that wasn't gospel ministry'. 'That wasn't the ministry of prayer and the word.' Some of you may question why I, a good, some would say uberconservative evangelical, was going into the Roman Catholic School at all. Wasn't this taking time away from the minister's 'core business'? Couldn't I have been spending time on sermon preparation, visiting, evangelism? Fair questions.

But at the end of the competition I was asked by the principal to give the kids a few pointers on how to speak in public. I asked her if there was anything that she particularly wanted me to get across, and she said 'not particularly, why don't you tell them that while we tell the good news about Jesus in lots of different ways, being able to speak it clearly in public is very important, and this speech competition gives them practice in that.' So I stood up and said some nice things about public speaking, and reminded these 30 or so kids, and the 8 or so parents, and the 6 or so staff about the gospel. That Jesus died for us and offers us forgiveness when we put our trust in him.

A questionable use of time? I don't think so.

Pop quiz - answer

Well, after the 'flood' of responses, no clear winner has emerged (that's because there were no responses). Dissapointing, Methven's a great place for a holiday!

But the answer is 2 Timothy 4:5

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Brothers and sisters, it means that at all times (in season and out of season as 4:2 puts it) those of us who are ministers are to do the full work of ministry. We can't hide away for a time because we've said something the church doesn't like, and relationships are a bit cool. We can't claim the 'I’m not gifted as an evangelist' excuse, for we are to do the work of one. We can't let the winds and waves of our ministry slow us down or blow us off course. Even when leaders leave, when saints sin, when allies appear to attack us, we keep our heads, and get on with our work - we discharge all the duties of our ministry.

That's why this verse is (one of!) the scariest in the Bible, because it calls us to a life where we push on no matter what opposition. It calls us to a very hard life. But it leads to this:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the rase, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will award me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longer for his appearing.

Pop quiz

Here's the question - and let me tell you that there's an all-expenses paid ski trip* on offer for the correct answer. What is the scariest verse in the Bible for a minister?

Answer in the next day or two.

(Judges decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into).

*all-expenses does not cover air fares, transfers, lift passes, equipment hire, transport, meals, but does include accommodation (only).

If you could give away one book...

A woman at church has had a friend ask her questions about God, Christianity, etc., and she is a bit flummoxed as to where to direct her. Enter Christianity Explored's latest offering - "If you could ask God one question" (more details and sample chapter here). Written by Paul Williams and Barry Cooper, the book picks up and answers the most common questions asked by participants on the Christianity Explored course.

I've read similar books which address the 'standard' questions - issues to do with revelation, suffering, the plurality of religions, etc. "If you could..." answers the questions, but does so in a format which is progressive (moving from revelation in Christ, inscripturated revelation, sin and its consequences, the atonement, grace, etc.), strongly exegetical (each of the chapters is clearly grounded in the text of Scripture and addresses the questions from the Bible), and profoundly readable. It sounds in places quite similar to the CE course, but is different enough so that I'd feel comfortable bringing someone along to the course after they had read the book.

While it is a bit too "English" in places (Pete, you'll appreciate that) for a NZ audience, it's not impossible to read, and is straight forward enough for most adults to comprehend. And at 5 quid (~NZD$12 + P&P) its certainly worth having a few on your shelf. Buy it here or here.

What book would you give away to someone asking those sorts of questions?