PCI General Assembly
Address of Outgoing Moderator Dr John Finlay
to the Opening Session of the 2008 General Assembly
As nominal membership of the established Churches in our land declines, and as our Christian influence in society diminishes, I find myself asking the question, why? "Why is this happening?" If the Gospel is the answer to the ills in society - and I am increasingly convinced that it is - why do we seem to be going backwards rather than forwards?
First century Antioch was essentially no different from twenty-first century Belfast - or Dublin or London or any other modern city. A large urban population - the centre of commerce and government - a cosmopolitan meeting place for many nationalities and languages - superficially religious in a rather superstitious sense - certainly no knowledge of God as revealed in Christ.
Yet it was in this very environment - one not dissimilar to our own - that the seeds of Christian faith were sown, took root and flourished. Not only did that local Church experience remarkable and sustained growth, it also became the epicentre from which the Gospel was taken out to the whole of the Mediterranean world. Again, I find myself asking the question, "Why?" Why did they succeed where we seem to be failing? What were they doing that we aren't?
There is, of course, no simplistic answer. Let me however underline some of the characteristics of the Church in Antioch of which we may well need to be reminded.
1. There was a greater awareness of the Eternal.
You cannot read the scriptural account of the church in Antioch without becoming aware of a spiritual tone that we seem to have lost. "The disciples were called Christians - Christ's ones - first at Antioch." The name they were given - albeit disparagingly - was His Name. The allegiance which defined who they were and determined how they lived was unashamedly to their risen Saviour and glorified Lord.
"As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting the Holy Spirit said "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed they sent them off."
The air they breathed was that of the eternal world. Their sails were set and their course plotted according to the direction in which the wind of the Spirit was blowing.
In this materially self-sufficient society God is largely surplus to requirements. To the modern mindset the unseen world is an embarrassment. One of the major credit card companies is currently advertising using the caption "Cash is so last millennium." For most people faith belongs to a bygone era and is no longer acceptable currency. Society has long ceased trading with the Bank of Heaven. But we still do - and it is that which makes us different and our message and ministry distinctive. The greater the extent to which we live in dependence on the unseen world the greater will be the impact we make on the society of which we are part.
2. There was a greater emphasis on evangelism
The early chuch literally "gossipped" the gospel where ever they went. It is not possible to read the NT with openness and honesty and fail to detect an evangelizing zeal that we seem to lack. In Antioch we read that "they began... telling the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.".
It is more than coincidence that the congregations and denominations which are thriving are those who are actively evangelising. We either evangelise or fossilize. Evangelism is one of the key emphases that the Holy Spirit is making in our generation. Our awareness may have been awakened by the less than worthy motives of empty pews and a desire for self-preservation - but awakened it has been. When the church is turned inside out then the world will be turned upside down.
In Antioch the cause of the Gospel took a quantum leap forward when the Church went outside the doors of its spiritual comfort zone and took the message of the Gospel to those from whom it had previously been alienated. The challenge for the twenty first century church is to be fishers of men where the fish really are - and that is primarily outside our doors.
On the global stage the task we face as the Church of Christ - possibly as never before - is to witness effectively in a multi-faith and multicultural context. To show a Christ-like spirit in our respect for others without compromising our conviction that "there is no other Name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved" is a challenge that requires the fullest dedication of our minds and hearts. As Christ's ambassadors even those from whom we differ will neither expect anything else nor respect anything less.
3. There was a greater spirit of generosity
The church in Antioch was characterized by a generosity of mind and heart that reflected the nature of the Christ whose name they bore.
It was evident in their wholehearted acceptance of those in whose lives the Spirit of God was at work. "Barnabas came and when he saw the grace of God he was glad." He didn't see Greeks he saw grace. It was the delegation from Antioch who persuaded the Council of Jerusalem to include others who didn't dot all their historical "i"s or cross all their theological "t"s. "God showed he accepted them by giving them the Holy Spirit as he did us," they insisted. "We should not make it difficult for Gentiles turning to God..." The Church of Christ in our generation can no longer afford the luxury of perpetuating unnecessary denominational differences.
Their generosity was also evident in social and pragmatic ways. When they were informed of impending famine they all responded by sharing what they had to alleviate the needs of others. Our failure to address the poverty and plight of millions in the global village of which we are part is an issue that subsequent generations will find astonishing. We ought to be as pro-active in this area as the Christians in Antioch.
They were equally generous in sharing human resources, releasing their most influential leaders to further the work of the kingdom elsewhere. "Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." One of the trends that has concerned me as I have visited our denomination is that in spiritual terms the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. As we have determined in the past to help the weaker congregations financially so I believe it would be a sign of our maturity as a denomination were we also to share our human resources with them.
The church in Nepal is only 50 years old. Today it has a million members. One morning I sat sipping coffee with one of their elderly Christian leaders - he'd been imprisoned for his faith - he was a deeply spiritual man who lived in the same dependence on the eternal world as described in the church in Antioch. He exuded that dignity and serenity of spirit common to those brought up within that particular culture. I asked him why the Nepali church had grown. He gave me two reasons. One was the indisputable evidence of the eternal world. He himself had come to faith because he had been healed in the Name of Jesus. The other was a quality of life evident in those who professed faith that distinctive from other local religions. Christians were different. "Christ's ones" commended the Saviour whose name they bore.
When those outside our doors are made more aware of the eternal verities that govern our lives then I believe others will also desire to be associated with us and be pleased to identify with the Name of Christ as Christians and become His disciples.
© Presbyterian Church in Ireland. info@presbyterianireland.org Information correct at time of upload.