The best advert in the world? Probably not!

It was reported yesterday that the atheists are starting an advertising campaign on buses. It reads, There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life. An interesting idea that religious people worry more. For a good article on this see:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/22/religion-anglicanism


Well done to the Methodist Church who have welcomed Richard Dawkins' "continued interest" in God! When Dawkins is on TV he comes across as arrogant and very often angry. If that's the result of not worrying for an atheist, thanks, but no thanks!


He is reported to have said, "This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think – and thinking is anathema to religion." The usual lies from him. A lot of my time is thinking through my faith, especially as I prepare for a sermon, talk or study. And I encourage my listeners to think also! I want them to own their faith, not because I say so, but because they have worked it out for themselves.

The tragic case of the death of Gayle Williams at the hands of the Taliban in Afghanistan illustrates the passion many Christians have for helping people and trying in some small way to make the world a better place, rather than the atheist who is just out to 'enjoy' his life.

Although Gayle was killed for "preaching the Christian message in Afghanistan", she wasn't, she was just helping disabled people. But that is the real threat to the militants. Not so much the preaching of Christianity but the demonstration of it through loving service to others. That is a most feared weapon to those against Christianity, the sharing of Christ's love to others.


But back to that bus advert. Alpha has been advertising on buses for years - interesting that the atheists are trying to catch up!

Christmas is, of course, coming ...

I went with my daughter and granddaughter to a Spanish restaurant for lunch yesterday. And, guess what, you can now book your Christmas dinner! What's more, you can receive 20% off your party's food bill if you hold it before 25 November (yes, November!). Is it really a Christmas dinner over a month before Christmas? Come to that, is it really a Christmas dinner as there isn't roast turkey, brussel sprouts or Christmas pudding on the menu? You can't really have Christmas without them can you? (on second thoughts you could jettison the sprouts!)

Banking Crisis

It's difficult to know when to write anything about the current financial state of the country as it changes day by day. But today we have the news that the tax payer will bail out banks to the tune of £37 billion. Also announced is that chief executives and chairmen of both RBS and HBOS are to resign. But don't shed too great a tear for them. According to an article I read recently, the CE of HBOS was due to be paid £2.337 million this year and the CE of RBS a whopping £5.375 million!

Some are saying the current situation is the death knell of the "Thatcher era". Do you remember her "trickle down" theory, which said when the rich get richer, the wealth "trickles down" to the poor? Well, the minimum wage stands at £5.73 an hour. For someone working a 40 hour week and being paid for 52 weeks a year, they receive just under £12,000. Contrast that with the above figure of £5,375,000. "Trickle down"? I don't think so. From my observation, when the rich get richer, the rich get richer - full stop.

But, hey! If the person on the minimum wage works for about 450 years, he, too, can earn what the CE earns in one year! Oh, and by the way, again according to those figures, that CE was paid £1.916 million in 2003. This means, according to my calculations, an increase of 180% from 2003 to 2008. I haven't got the figures in front of me, but does anyone know if the minimum wage went up by 180% in that time?

Proud parents and grandparents

Last Sunday was even more special than the prevoius Sunday I wrote about below. It was the occasion of the thanksgiving and dedication service of our two granddaughters. Those regular readers of the blog will know that earlier this year we had the joy of both of our daughters giving birth to baby girls. So on Sunday I led a special service when both families came to church to give thanks for their safe arrivals. I'm pleased to say that all six grandparents were there, along with many other family, friends and members of the church.

I'd like to share with you two things I mentioned in my talk. Firstly, I said that I think we are in danger of losing that sense of wonder - of nature in general and of the miracle of birth in particular. We live in a scientific age and the fact that life is happening all around us means we can so easily forget how incredibly complicated even a single cell of our body is! Not only is it immensely complex, it also has the ability to reproduce itself! And within each one is the complete blueprint for who we are in the DNA.

3,000 years ago a Psalmist said this to God:
You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:13-14)

This wasn't a scientific statement – but an awe & worship statement. And that’s what we’re in danger of losing.

The second thing is a reminiscence of when I was about 13 years old. The house next door to us had been bought by a charity and was used as a hostel for single mums and their babies. We used to chat to some of the mums and I remember one mum saying that when she told her parents she was pregnant (and not married), they completely disowned her and would have nothing more to do with her. This was, of course, getting on for 50 years ago now. But I remember vowing to myself, if I ever had children I'd never give up on them.

Well, all those years on and I'm pleased to say our two daughters have never done anything that might be considered a "give up on them" offence! And I just wanted to encourage them to never give up on their kids.

For all our children are gifts from God to us, entrusted to us for a time. Then they leave home. But it's always a joy when they return to visit! And it doesn't take too long to clear up afterwards!

Back to the past

The weekend before last I was back at the first church I pastored, in Barnet. I was there to take their anniversary services and also I had the privilege of performing a baptism. Let me explain that in baptist churches we don't baptise babies. Instead we wait for a person to make their own decision about their faith, so we baptise believers. Some call what we do adult baptism but that isn't really right. The requisite for baptism is not that you attain a certain age, but that you believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and who died for your sins. So it's believers' baptism.

But back to the Sunday. It was a great time and as I knew the person being baptised, it was even more special. He had started coming to the church when I was Pastor but had only just recently decided he wanted to be baptised.

Also special was I was able to use the new baptismal pool. As we baptise "by immersion" we need a reasonable sized pool. Unfortunately (believe it or not!), when they built the Baptist church, they didn't plan in a baptistery! So it was a kind of afterthought, very small and shallow and with a sort of step ladder to get in.

Although the new pool was being installed when I left the church, it wasn't until last week I was able to use it. The picture shows a number of us ten years ago manhandling the new pool into the church! The picture comes from the church website http://www.underhillbc.org.uk/ .

So, thank you to the church for making us so welcome and we pray many more baptisms in the future!