Category: Persecution

Wearing the Cross or Preaching the Cross?

Millions of people all over the world wear a cross. A lady here in the UK has been ordered not to wear her cross at work. There is a campaign running and according to the campaigners the case has received considerable media coverage highlighting freedom of expression and the freedom to wear symbols of the Christian faith.

I received an email linking to the campaign. Here’s some of the blurb from the Not Ashamed of the Cross Website:

act now to protect christian freedoms.

Shirley Chaplin was barred from wearing her confirmation cross after nearly thirty years in front line nursing. Now hers is one of four landmark Christian freedom cases going to the European Court of Human Rights. Yet the British Government is not supporting Shirley and has even suggested that the cross is not a generally recognised form of practising the Christian faith.

Please contact the PM and your MP to urge the Government to support Shirley and historic Christian freedoms.

The cross is undeniably a symbol of the Christian faith but wearing one round the neck isn’t. And neither is wearing one a requirement of the Christian faith. I do not find a text anywhere in the Bible that says wearing one is either a symbol of the Christian faith or that wearing one is required of Christians. So on the one hand the campaign is laudable especially in terms of free speech yet on the other it completely – or potentially – misrepresents the Cross of Christ.

What the Bible does speak about very clearly is the ‘Offence of the Cross’. This explicitly refers to the Preaching of the Cross – and it’s this preaching of the Cross that is so hugely offensive to the natural man. My fear about this campaign – I’m aware good people will be involved – is that it may protect the freedom to wear one as a Christian symbol but forbid the preaching of the Cross itself. Why is this so?

We must not and we cannot confuse the cross as a symbol (worn around the neck) and the Preaching of the Cross as revealed to us in the Bible. I’m certainly not ashamed of the cross but wearing it round the neck has nothing at all to do with the Christian faith – that is the Gospel of Christ.

The message of the Cross of Christ tells us very clearly that God Himself has provided the only unique means whereby sinners may be saved from the wrath of God. To first century Jews and Gentiles (everybody else) this message was massively offensive and it is no less so today.

I also fear the campaign at best will give Christians the freedom to wear their faith symbol in the marketplace of ideas, in a society that propagates diversity and where all religions are equal – which of course they are not. Christianity is either true or it isn’t. And as it is in fact the truth ALL other religions are false. Modern sensibilities will not allow this, but is what people and governments need to hear but do not want to hear and will not listen.

What was the cross? It was an instrument of torture, of brutality, of humiliation, of utter degradation! It was a place reserved for criminals, a place of excruciating agony and a place of bloody agonising death! This is the true Cross where my dear Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ stood in my place to suffer the wrath of God upon His holy and righteous soul. The Cross is the only way of Salvation, there is no other! We are either saved by the cross of Christ or not at all.

The Apostle Paul said, ‘For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God’ (1Co 1:18). It’s the word or the message of the cross not a symbol that’s needed.

If Shirley wins her case and is allowed to wear her cross, how will this advance the Gospel? I think not at all. I wish her well, I wish the campaign well, but I believe it’s a backward step as far as the Gospel of Christ is concerned. Let us therefore not be ashamed of the preaching of the Gospel and as God gives us opportunity let us speak of this cross, this place of propitiation.

Next Church History Lecture: ‘Latimer – God’s Bulldog’

The next Church History Lecture at Bulkington Congregational Church will be given by Pastor Jeremy Walker of Maidenbower Baptist Church, Crawley. Also visit Jeremy’s Blog The Wanderer.

Jeremy’s Subject will be: Latimer – God’s Bulldog.

The lecture will take place at 7:30pm Monday 23rd April

It’s important that we look back and see how God has dealt with His people and the Church in the past that we may learn how better to serve Him in the present. The lectures are not just an intellectual exercise – they are that and there is much to learn – but help stir us up to thankfulness and faithfulness in our day, praying that God may bless our endeavours for the Gospel of the Grace of God.

The speakers for next year (2013) have been arranged, so watch this space for more details.

Bulkington Congregational Church

All previous lectures and many more may be found on my Website.

History Lecture – Axminster after 1662 – Audio Available

By Bartholomew Ashwood - First Minister of Axminster

The Audio for this excellent lecture by Stephen Rees is now available.

Either listen here:

Or right-click HERE to download.

Related articles

Church History Lecture – Axminster Ecclesiastica 1600-1698

This evening we heard the second of this years Church History Lectures. And what a lecture it was! What a privilege to be there. And what a challenge to our generation!

The Lecture was given by Steven Rees, minister of Stockport Grace Baptist Church with the title ‘A Church in the Wilderness  – Axminster after 1662′. This is another lecture connected with ‘The Great Ejection of 1662’ only this lecture focused on one particular church rather than a broad sweep as Gary Brady brought us last month.

There were so many things in this lecture that stood out but two initial points right at the start and very powerfully made. First point, God is concerned that we remember the past and Stephen cited several texts to show this, and secondly, the priority given by God  of the local church or congregation. Stephen used The Axminster Ecclesiastica 1600-1698 edited by Ken Howard as the basis for his lecture.

I thought this was one of the best lectures I have heard and it deserves to be heard by as many people as possible. In the wisdom of God it’s ironic that one of the best lectures I have heard was given by a relatively unknown minister at a relatively unknown church to about 30 relatively unknown people. The ways of God are past finding out.

As soon as it becomes available I’ll give links.

* The next lecture will be 7:30pm 23rd April – speaker Jeremy Walker: Latimer – God’s Bulldog.

Mohabat News – Iranian Christian News Agency

I came across ‘The Mohabat News Agency‘ recently and thought it was worth sharing a link to their site with the hope that it would have a wide readership. Who are they? In their own words:

‘We are a group of Bible believing Christians who believe in propagating the word of God. All of us at “Mohabat News Agency” have made the spreading of the good news of God’s love and forgiveness among Iranians and the Farsi speaking peoples of Afghanistan and Tajikistan our primary goal.

Mohabat New Agency, the news agency of Iranian Christians, is NOT affiliated with any Christian or non-Christian organizations. We are a team of professionals who have accumulated years of experience in the gathering, interpreting, and dissemination of news. Our experience arises from years of experience in the field of Christian news and other topics of interest to our Farsi-speaking peoples.

Mohabat News has turned this experience into the voice of the persecuted church of Iran to reach the ears of the world community.

Moreover, we are utilizing this gifting that the lord has placed in our hearts to bring awareness of what is happening in the world to our Farsi-speaking readers. Thus we can help our Christian and non-Christian Iranians raise their awareness of what goes in our world and in their own country.

Mohabat News will continue to act as a cultural and social bridge between the world community and the peoples of Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan and to better inform the worldwide Church of Jesus Christ and Christian ministries around the world about the life and the welfare of Christian minorities in these Farsi-speaking countries’

I’ll try and post News Items from them as time and memory permits.

The Great Ejection of 1662

The Audio is now available of Gary Brady’s Church History Lecture –  ‘The Great Ejection of 1662. Here’s the Link Also available through the Bulkington Website and my Website ROCHE.

I’ve shamelessly taken the picture of John Flavel from Gary’s Gallery of the Faithful on his ‘Great Ejection‘ site.

Church History Lectures 2012

Last evening we had the first of this years Church History Lectures with Gary Brady (Childs Hill Baptist Church, London) speaking on ‘The Great Ejection of 1662’. It was encouraging again for the folk at Bulkington Congregational to see a good number out to hear the lecture.

Gary took the subject in broad brush strokes with many stories of hardship as ministers of the Gospel sought to maintain a good conscience in the face of malicious State legislation and persecution. We too need much grace in our day to stand for truth in the face of increasing opposition to Gospel realities and truth.

The lecture should be available for download soon and I’ll post a link here.

Follow the link for Gary’s Blog on The Great Ejection of 1662 where you will find further information on the topic. Gary is also in the process of writing a book on the Ejection.

Pray for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

There is an email going round urging Christians to pray for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Much of the email follows. Please find a moment to pray for this man.

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani never practiced the Muslim faith and converted to Christianity at age 19, becoming a pastor later. But the courts say that since his mother and father were practicing Muslims, he must recant his Christian faith or die. So far, in three court appearances, he has refused to do so – RISKING EXECUTION AT ANY MOMENT.   The Iranian Supreme Court often acts quickly in administering the death penalty.

According to a report, when asked by judges to “repent,” Yousef replied: “Repent,  What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?”

The judges replied: “To the religion of your ancestors – Islam.” To which Yousef replied: “I cannot.”

I was going to comment but instead I’ll simply let it speak for itself – Please Pray.

Testimony of an Ex-Muslim

The latest White Horse Inn broadcast is an interview with Pastor Fikret Böchek. Fikret was raised as a Muslim (his parents are still Muslims) in Turkey but became a follower of The Lord Jesus. This is a really excellent interview and I would be very interested to know what Muslim friends think of it and the issues raised – so do leave a comment.

There are other resources and you can hear the interview by following This Link and clicking on the Audio. I’m not sure how long the audio will be available so don’t wait too long. If you miss it leave a comment and I’ll be in touch.

Here’s the blurb from the WHI site:

There are currently over a billion Muslims in the world, and according to many that number is likely to double over the next twenty years. How are we to reach this group with the gospel of Jesus Christ? What kinds of things do we need to know in order to be effective in our witness toward Muslims? On this program, Michael Horton discusses these questions with Fikret Böchek, who recounts his fascinating conversion from Islam and his current ministry among Muslims in Smyrna, Turkey.

This is a really fascinating and challenging interview. They are also providing links to a previous interview with Sam Solomon – an ex Muslim Jurist.

Islam – Religion of Peace?

I’m learning more and more about Islam. I would like Islam to be a religion of peace – but is it, really?

Today we had an Iranian couple with us for lunch – both Christians. They both came to the UK a few years ago and after arriving in the UK became Christians. Theirs was a fascinating and thrilling story of how they both found Christ to be the true Saviour.

I asked what the situation would be for the husband to go back to Iran. His reply was that it would be very dangerous for him. If the authorities were to find out he was a Christian upon entering the country he would be arrested on the spot and taken away at the very least and could possibly be killed. If he were to enter Iran and by some means the authorities found out he had converted from Islam to Christianity he could expect a knock on the door at any time (The Midnight Knock as we sometimes call it) and be arrested and possibly killed. These fears are founded purely on the basis of the authorities finding out about his conversion.

My question is therefore this: If Islam really is a ‘religion of peace’ as we are continually being told by the likes of Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, David Cameron, George Bush, The BBC and of course Muslims – why would they want to kill someone who chooses to leave Islam? What are they frightened of? When will our politicians realise they are playing with fire. I’m bound to say that not all Muslims behave like this – but as far as I can tell these peaceful moderate Muslims are inconsistent (thankfully) with the teachings of their own prophet and the Qur’an.

This couple, and particularly the husband really had to count the cost when he became a follower of The Lord Jesus Christ. He would love to go home and see his family but can’t because it’s too dangerous. Most of us Christians in the West do not have these choices to make. Let’s continue to pray for the Muslim world that many more would find Christ to be The Way, The Truth and The Life.

If a Muslim would care to comment on this situation I would be grateful.