Looking at Christ

On the one hand we need to be wary of the desire to strategise a life of ‘maximal effectiveness’ which is not in our power (as Christopher Ash cautions in Workers for the Harvest Field ). We simply do not know where we will be most effective. Gospel love and gospel ministry are often wonderfully unstrategic. God has regularly chosen the small, weak, foolish things to shame the big, strong, wise things and in the history of revival often chosen unexpected places as bridgeheads. In many ways it doesn’t matter where we concentrate our energies. There is gospel need everywhere. Often it will be right in front of us.  On the other hand, there is a clearly centripetal, outgoing, to-the-ends-of-the-earth dynamic to gospel mission (Matt. 24:14; 28:19; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). Jesus considered the global harvest (Matt. 9:37-38) and calls his disciples to, “Look at the fields” (John 4:35). There are clearly some places with particularly dire gospel need – unreached, excluded or ravaged by false te

We all want to be concerned for the advance of the gospel, supporting gospel work, taking opportunities to share the word of life. But there are also some who are specially approved and appointed for gospel work, those like the people Paul calls his ‘co-workers’ or ‘fellow workers’: Timothy has proved himself …in the work of the gospel (Phil. 2:22) Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent (Phil. 2:25) I ask you, my yokefellow, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers (Phil. 4:3) These ‘fellow workers’ are those who have devoted themselves to gospel work (giving it a large proportion of their time) and, crucially, they are those who are recognised by the churches for their hard work, courage, doctrinal soundness and competence in gospel ministry. These ' gospel workers ' are not doing all the gospel ministry (that is for al

 When I ask, “What’s next?” it means I’m ready to move onto other things. (President Bartlet, The West Wing) At a career crossroads? Coming to the end of a period of studies or a ministry traineeship? Wondering whether to take the plunge into full time gospel work? At these times, as at all times, the Father calls his children not to lean on their own understanding but to trust in the Lord; specifically by bringing to mind his Word and having it on our heart (see Prov. 3:1-7 and Deut. 6:1-12 to which it alludes). And as we turn to his Word we find there a repeated call to ‘consider’ – to change our direction of gaze, to think carefully along new lines, to see things from a new (godly) perspective (Deut. 11:2; Luke 12:24, 27; Heb. 3:1; 10:24). So here are six things (in this and the following series of posts) to consider from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians which provide some possible ‘next step’ outboxes but more importantly provide some biblical ‘lines of sight’ and frame

This happened a few years ago now but I remember it vividly. I was at our local recreation ground in South London. A VW van drove into the car park and a tall athletic guy in sports gear, running spikes and a backwards baseball got out. He opened the back of the van and pulled out a harness and cable, put on the harness, attached himself to the front of the van and started to try to pull the van. Like they do on World's Strongest Man. He leaned forward, strained every sinew, pumped his legs. And nothing happened. He keeps straining. Eventually, the van moves a fraction. He pumps his legs and strains again. Finally he overcomes the inertia, gets some momentum and is able to start walking the van across the car park. I've no idea what he was training for but whoever this guy was, he was reminding me that getting something started is hard. That's where entrepreneurship and church planting are similar. Or starting any new thing, any good endeavour, any gospel work. You're s

It was a game changer for me to see that the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) is actually part of the answer to Peter's question: “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (Matt. 19:27) The first part of Jesus' answer, in the following verses, is a reassurance that 'God is debtor to no man' (Matthew Henry's phrase). All those who have made sacrifices will receive a hundred times as much and eternal life thrown in. And then there is a key statement of Kingdom economy: But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matt. 19:30) That phrase comes again at Matt. 20:16 - giving a bookend - and the words 'first' and 'last' come up in the middle of the parable (20:8). So this is all clearly part of the same section. Matt. 20:1-16 is the second part of Jesus answer to, "What then will be there for us [disciples who have sacrificed so much to follow you]?" As so often

  Clarkson's Farm has introduced many of us urban-dwellers to some of the realities of farming. The huge impact of unpredictable weather. The volatility of prices (particularly in a pandemic). The very costly investments required. The complexity of the tasks. The sheer number of different things that can go wrong.  The New Testament regularly likens pastors and gospel workers to farmers.  Jesus likens his disciples to workers in a vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16). There will be a final reward for their labour but human expectations and hierarchies are inverted in the Kingdom economy.  Paul and Apollos are agricultural labourers in 'God's field' (the church) with different roles (planting and watering). As such they are nothing in themselves, dependent on God to give the growth, but they will receive a reward for their labours. Paul calls Timothy to the pattern of the 'hardworking farmer'. Again reward is in view which here consists in sharing in the crop for which the f