General Assembly: The Good Bits

Despite my previous three posts, the Free Church General Assembly had many good points:

1. Rev. Kenny Ferguson’s opening address was a robust call to prayer for the reviving of the Church.   Jedi Rev does wonder what exactly we hope for with these prayers, but that cannot take away from the hope that God might listen, and surprise us all.
2. Rev. Douglas MacKeddie.   His opening address was on a predictable topic, but it was deeply challenging and full of good pointers to how we minister to people – not just the aged – who struggle to cope with the world we live in.   His prayers, despite forcing us to stand for all of them, were clearly being answered as we went through the week.
3. The Assembly Arrangements Committee – they realise the way we conduct business at the Assembly is cumbersome, and needs a facelift.
4. The Ecumenical Relations Committee – their report on the work of the ICRC, was always helpful and encouraging.   The fact that the Free Church is part of an alliance of Reformed Churches – with differing views on “distinctives” like worship – is a huge blessing.
5. Dowanvale – OK, so Jedi Rev thinks the specifics of the plan to link DV with Paisley needed more thorough examination, but that doesn’t change the fact that another of our larger congregations is taking steps to sacrificially support a struggling work.   The fact that we have elders willing to look beyond their own four walls is refreshing.
6. The Home Missions Board report, the update on Strategy, the presentation from the HMB – all of it is testimony to a denomination who’s vision far outstrips its current ability and funding.   Who knows how this will pan out – maybe an influx of people, and staff, willing to lay aside denominationalism will allow the Church in Scotland to lay hold of this vision with both hands, and make something of it.   With God… who knows?
7. The Youth report was, as always, great.   The guys trying to deliver on this area are clearly over-stretched, and crucially lacking in much input from youth, or youth workers.   Why not co-opt some of the Church’s excellent youth work personnel to the committee – Susan Maclean for example?
8. Jedi Rev is unsure about feeling over confident, or too self-congratulatory in these areas, but there is so much we can be thankful for when we see our young people grasping the scriptures, and proud of it in a totally un-embarrassed way.
9. The Church is blessed with some brilliant leaders in the board of Trustees.   The huge, dull, scope of their remit is daunting, but that they rise to this with boldness and courage is quite cool.   James Fraser – despite his clearly busy schedule – loves to job he’s doing, and clearly has the mental capacity to step up to the task.   Rod Morrison is also probably under-rated.
10. The Communications Committee has a great vision from conveying something meaningful in our day.   It’s a shame the work they do in producing papers on relevant issues can’t be expanded into a full apologetics program.   Maybe the St. Peter’s vision for a Centre for Public Christianity will go some way towards helping in this area.
11. The College, and the work the profs, and other teaching personnel do is great.   Looking at the CofS (again) Jedi Rev is thankful that the Free Church has control over its theological education; but says so noting there is still room for improvement in the way we train people for all sorts of ministry… not just the preaching ministry where our college has clear strengths.
12. For Jedi Rev, the International Missions Board report was the absolute highlight of the week.   The Free Church – a tiny denomination really – has a huge impact globally.   The work we are graciously allowed to do in training others – in Latin America, South Africa and in parts of Asia – is outstanding.   Not only in training, but in evangelism, supporting local churches, humanitarian work, the Free Church is blessed with some of the brightest Believers you could find anywhere.

Jedi Rev counts it a blessing to have been able to gain an insight into these areas, and despite the annoying, wasteful experiences of the Assembly Week, Jedi Rev is thankful for being part of a Church so blessed by God.