Reality in the church?

I find it hard, when in church, to beleive the folks are taking things seriously? We, churches in general, seem happy people, lots of rejoicing goes on, praise is upbeat. When was the last time you were in church and people were weaping for this worlds suffering? When last did someone give a testemony of failure? of doubt? of spiritual pain? When was the last time we were real? Or is everything soo truely positive, that all we can do is praise, smile and be happy?
Now I am not suggesting we become miseries, hold pity parties. But feel there is no room given for expressions of pain etc. Am I correct in this?
On British railways the suicides have increased alarmingly, theres a lot of pain out there.
There is a lot of pain in the church, amongst christians, but its very seldome shared. Is this because people feel discouraged to do so?
Yes, yes, God is to be praised for all His goodness to us, and we are to rejoice, be happy. But as we approach Christmas, dont we realise many arent Merry? Many hate Christmas simply because their pain feels magnified by all the prosperity, joviality, that seems to surround them. Actualy, very little of our modern Christmas has anything to do with the birth of Christ. His were a poor family, He was born in a cattle shed.
The truth might be, in our churches, we have produced an atmosphere of false, forced, happiness, that leaves the wounded and hurt feeling rather left out. Lets be totaly honest christian friends, dont we feel we need to hide any pain, worries, behind a positive christian smile?
When were the disciples at their most real? May I suggest, when their world was turned upside down, when their Saviour lay in the tomb, when they hid in fear from the authorities? When their hearts were brocken and filled with fear? Like them, we all go through very dark times, we feel at a loss, fearfull, etc. Is there room in our churches for us when we are in a valley of despair?
The Christian message must be a positive one, and it is. But those listening to it arent always positive due to their experiances. Soo, when do we start openly weeping with those who weep?
My appeal to the church, to Christians, please get real this Christmas, and at all times, help those in pain to express their pain, and do something about it.

The Danger of Theistic Evolution.

Today we find many christians who beleive in evelution. Oh they beleive God created, but by means of evelution. The Geneses narrative is just a story, to them, given by God to people who couldent understand it all fully.
Now I coulder care less how God created, whether He took six seconds, minets, 600 years, etc. That we are created is what matters. OK thus far Theistic evolutunionists and I agree.
Now as reguards to evolution. I'm quite amazed at how many scientists, not just creationists, see a problem with the whole theory of evolution. So we can say, for many scientists, the jury is still out on this one. It still remains a theory, one thats mathamaticaly immpossible. Just work out the odds for all evolutionists claim!
But many christions dont want to appear dumb in this world, beleiving evolution must be true, after all its taught in universities, so they hold to evolution as God's way of creating. But, "Houston we have a problem." These same christians also beleive that God dosent lie. After all they accept His Word that He loves them.
Why does God say six days? Why pick  this time scale? Maybe He actualy did creat in six days, a time scale we could grasp and understand. To presume God had to creat through evolutionary proccess and time scale, is limiting God to our modern scientific preferance. So we might fit in with the world view.
God spoke and creation happened, Being God He could use any time scale He wants.
However, His Word says "six days". He wants us to beleive what He tells us, He is love, Jesus died for our sins, rose from the grave, is comming back again, etc. So, if He wants us to beleive His Word, why start with a lie? Does God lie, mislead us? Was evolution, so-called, just too difficult for God (Who is God) to explain? Holding this view is to limit God.
I study theology a lot, love it, it makes me realise our God is an amazing big God. His being and power is quite beyond our finite minds. But I trust Him (being God) to tell the truth. If He dosent, we are totaly lost my friends, without any solid hope.
So God says "six days", why He did it in this time scale I have no idea? But He says He did! Soo friends, does God lie? Why should He lie? He after all is God!

Christian Love...does it exist today?

I'm not here attacking "Christian Love" or saying its not obtainable, or even truely shown, by some.
But feel, in general, christians preach this doctrine but have real difficulties in living it. I often have to observe that there is as much love in a pub (bar) as is found in the church.

We study the subject and agree we christians should be more loving than others. Sadly we like to show love while holding to the high ground. By this I mean, to be seen as loving, reasonable, christians. We find it hard, to seek to show love, as failures in this love.

Of course 1 Corinthians chapter 13 is the great passage on christian love. Honestly read and digested it shows christianity of today as sadly laking.

We have fellowship, yes, but often not based on true love.

     1. Theological Love.
         Here we have a love and respect for those in our theological grouping, thinking, preference. But those who dont think as we do are outside this love type. The brother is "sound" or "is in error".

     2. Evangelism Love.
         This can be towards a group who share a mission. "We are in it together" sort of thing. But away from the commen aim/task we have little in commen.

I have known people not wanting to be in contact when I have, seemingly, moved from a theological position that they prefer. I guess love never really existed there?

I have known people, who love to be around you when you are the flavour of the month. Who stear clear if you fall from favour.

If I do nothing else in this post, I want to challenge us in reguards to true christian love in the evengelical community? What is "True christian love?", "Are we seeing it?" "Are we showing it?"
The love Bible speaks of it, sacrificial, humbling, honest, all consuming. It it the Feet Washing love, the love that exchanges Heaven for the cross. It is a love that lays down its life for a none deserving other.

I think I have said enough for the present, let others comment, add their thinking.

Whats happening with us?

Dureing the summer my wife Christine played piano, once, with church worship group. We are truely blessed with many good talented musicions in our church.
I have helped at the Prayer Tent. We set up this tent in town centre. People can ask for prayer, share their problems, ask questions. Its working well, for which we thank God.
We continue to ask folks to pray for the London City Mission, where Ian ministered for thirty years. They do a great work.
On Sunday we had a good, and needed message on tything. Personaly we beleive strongly in giving a tenth of our income, at least, to Gods work.
Personaly have been challenge in my own private devotions to use time wisely. For thirty years was worked off my feet, and loved it, in my ministry with London City Mission. Now I find I have too much time on my hands, and am concerned to use it wisely.
Church house groups are starting the autumn session, we will be studing the book "The purpose driven church" One hears all kinds of reports about this book, will just have to wait and see how it goes?
Our church is healthy increasing in numbers, both in membership, and attending. We rejoice and thank God for this.
Lately been thinking, as we christians say we beleive in God, the Bible, why dont more of us actualy obey Gods Word fully? The world looks for sincerity in christians, and often dosent see it!
Each day, I make a point of thanking and praising God. Many times I can feel soo down praise is last thing on my mind. But I do it, because God deserves, is worthy, of my praise, however I may be feeling.
Well enough for today. God bless, guide, and be with you all.

The truth, the whole truth etc.

Seems to me that today many modern christians dont trust God to tell  them the truth in ~His Word (The Bible). They see book of Genesis as a myth, in fact anything that cant be explained by humane wisdom as a mere story.
In Genesis the serpent (Saten) says to Adam and Eve, "Did God say?" And since that day he has been saying to mankind, "Did God really say that? Did that really happen?" And mankind, including profesing christians, has sought the worlds wisdom, to explain away much of the Bible.
So, Who is God? Is He the Creater of all things? Is He the Saviour? Is He all powerfull? omnipresent? etc? Now if God is God, and I truely beleive He is, surely He is not limited to our understanding, our science? I mean, why do folks get up-tight about creation being in six days, as God, in the Bible, tells us?
But, and here is the crux of the matter, Can God be trusted to tell us the truth? Surely all those stories in the Bible, some find hard to beleive, are easily possible with God?
I refuse to beleive in a God who is limited,...He wouldent be God if He was!
Maybe your God is too small? limited? Surely science is right?..though it once told us the world was flat! And in future it will tell us other things, often being mistaken.
So who do we beleive? Man, who says miracles are myths? Or God, Who is almighty, and totaly honest? If God isnt honest, then did Lord Jesus really pay price for our sins on Calvery's cross? Ah but friends, thats exactly what Saten wants you to beleive.
For me, well I will trust the Lord, and what He says. Anyone going to join me in doing this?

American politics And President Obama????

I gather my American friends have an ellection in November. Much of what I get on the internet from over the pond, is American political stuff, mostly anti Obama. Now I sure am not going to give American friends advice on which way to vote, hey I'm British what would I know? ;)
Has President Obama a valid American birth certificate? Is he not very kind to, distant, relatives in Africa? I honestly havent a clue, and actualy dont care over much. Sincere appologies to all American friends.
What I do feel is, Thank God I'm not the American President, everything about a presidents life comes under a micrascope. I really really wouldent want people to know everything about my life, honestly there is too much bad stuff there :(
But here is a thought....Do we realise our lives come under God's scrutiny more than any American Presidents does in the media? I mean, this is awfull, God actualy knows everything about me, us. I mean all the baaaaaad stuff, the embarrasing stuff, etc etc etc.
Would any of us run in an ellection if every detail of our lives would be made known to the voters?
I guess if that could happen no one would take up politics, I sure wouldent.
We judge others in a way we wouldent like to be judged ourselfs. Think about it...God knows everything about us, and He gets to judge us! This my friends is a very sobbering thought.

Why should anyone stay in the church?

At best, the church is sooo imperfect. Often it can seem sooo disconected from lifes realities. Often the people in the church are the most judgmental bigots you could ever find.
OK I can agree with all the above, in many cases, certainly not all. So the church is imperfect...news flash...christians already know this! Even more impoprtant, God knows it!
Have I been hurt by fellow christians?...you bet I have. Have I hurt other christians....oh yes to my great shame.
I'm imperfect, I wish I wasnt! I'm everything that has made me who I am. We christians, our churches, are imperfect, some more than others. But answer this question, "To find God, be instructed in His Word. Where else can you Go?"
Come to our church, sit beside me, and your sitting next to an imperfect, often failing man.
So you say, "The church is imperfect why should I stay?" Or maybe even, "I know Ian Gentles, if he is what a christian is, I'm out of here"
But why is imperfect Ian Gentles sitting in church? Because I know I'm imperfect! I wish I hadnt failed soo much in my christian life. I truely feel my failures. But if your sitting besides me, I maybe praying, "God have mercy and help me"?
Paul the apostle once called himself, "The cheif of sinners." Paul is one of the greatest christians who ever lived.
Sadly I cant say I recomend all churches to you. But I can say many are genuine, though imperfect.
I stay in the church because God is working there, despite all we might concider imperfect. He is working in my "imperfect" life.
Stay with the church folks, or if its your case, join it. You will find it imperfect because I, and others like me, are there.
But, I do meet God there, in the preaching of His Word. In the love that many imperfect people show. In the real struggles of His imperfect people.
I hope to see you at church on Sunday, simply because its the best place to be, if your searching for the truth!

How we christians love to argue theology.

We love our theological debates..and yes I do also. But sometimes, more than often, we just like to win them, to be seen as theologicaly "sound".
I love theology, its mind stretching, but can miss the point. It often divides us, in that love takes a second place. Now I am not saying someone isnt more correct than others, often they are. The problem is, the way we debate, can seek to talk each other down.
We cant seperate doctrine from love, something the Lord Jesus Christ didnt do. He taught in love, dieing for the sinner. We today, often, can hardly say anything civil about, or too, those we disagree with. I have found this in all theological circles, none escape this curse.
In my, errr more mature years, I feel despair for christianity. Not that we can differ in our theologies, that can be important, but in how we do it. Some of the most theologicaly sound people I have met, have also had the most unloving attitude to others they differ with.
Truth should lead to love, as God is Love. Yet christians can be the most hurtfull, unloving, people. How can we be followers of the God of Love and still not show love?
The hardest lesson I have learnt is to forgive. Its taken a long time for me to learn it, and I'm not perfect even now. I may disagree with you theologicaly, but if "I have not love I am nothing"
Its easy to love those who agree with us, but do we manage to love those who dont?
Love has to be what we are, its not a suggestion, or an ideal, but a command.

Wealth and the christian.

I honestly dont envy rich christians. Simply because they come under the scrutiny, the criticism of those less well off.
Lets be honest, the christians without wealth secretly wish they had it. I guess we could say such christians covet their friends wealth. Yet, few, if any of us go without. According to our western scale of things I am not rich. Yet, I have a home, am comfortable, have a car, etc etc.
Having spent my life in the ministry I didnt make good money, many others are like me. In the present financial climate many christian organisations, churches, are having to cut back. This obviously hurts many in full time christian work, who often find themselfs out of work, with little to show for long years of service. These dear folks may have a hard time seeing many who didnt do christian service full-time, comfortable when they are not.
Yet is this the rich christians fault? I would honestly say that it isnt. Wealthy christians often are the ones who make God's work possible. In my thirty years of ministry I was always concious that wealthy christians helped finance my work in a big way. Without their wealth much would not have been done that was, is, done.
I will be sixty-three on  my birthday, life is passing quickly. I hope God will add to my, and my dear wifes years. However my time on earth is now shorter than it ever was. I will die, if Christ dosent return first, we all will die. This is one of lifes certainties. Would I like more money? oh yes! Would I like my dream house? oh yes! But am I happy with what God has given to me? oh yes!
In the church, as in society, there will always be the wealthy, and the less wealthy, or simply put folks who are poor. Yet in the end, we all stand before God, are judged according to our works in this life.
My richer christian friends help keep the work of the gospel going, this is God's calling to them. My calling was to do that work with their support. God supplies the needs of us both,  both have to answer to God for their stewardship.
I give my tyth, a tenth of what I have, as do rich christians, and often far more in their case.
Our attitude to riches must be, its not the important thing, being obediant to God with what we have, what He calls us too, is!
My dear friends, rich and poor, let us realise life is short. Rich or poor, only what we do for God counts. Money is nice to have, but in the end, it dosent count for over much, does it?

We celebrate our UK Armed Forces Day. We respect our nations hero's, especialy those today serving in Afganistan. They pay a high price, we salute them. Sadly too often those who defend us, keep the peace (police), we take for granted. But without these people and their sacrifice we would have no freedom. Yet the many ungratefull, forget them all too easily.
God created and sustains us, gives to us the good things in our lives. Do we ever say thanks to Him?
We all want love, to be loved, yet no-one loves us as does God, do we ignore Him?
We love when people do good things for us. The Lord Jesus died a horrid death, as a sacrifice for sin. Do we listen to why He did this?
The Bible is still the worlds best selling book, do we bother to read it?
Yes we must honour those who make a great sacrifice that we might be free and live in peace. Do we honour God Who has done far more than any for us?

Things are good, God be praised.

Well, at last, great weather here in English West Midlands, long may it last.
Yesterday we celebrated Pentecost Sunday, wow would liked to have witnessed that first Pentecost we read about in the Book of Acts chapter two. Be fantastic if we could have another such Pentecost here in UK in these days. Which leaves me wondering, have we christians really received the Holy Spirit? Prayer Meetings are the worst attended meetings in most churches, what does this say about us?
Olympics will soon be here, I'm praying that terrorists fail in any evil plans they might have to disrupt this great occasion.
Queens Jubilee celebrations this weekend. I will be taking part in towns celebration march. Have to carry banner representing church. Its going to be a great occasion.
I write a daily journal, at end of each entry I make sure to record my thanks and praise to God. Do we give thanks enough?, do we praise our God and Saviour enough?
I trust that God is blessing you and yours in these days.

This weekend.

Friday I spoke to Boys Brigade and it seems it was well received. I spoke on the Bible being an exciting and true book. In ending told the boys, "That New Testament writers died rather than deny what they taught, convinced me their accounts were true."
Sunday evening took part in a small drama, it was fun, seems I'm quite good at this sort of thing. Learning something new about myself every day.
Sunday evening service ended by singing that great hymn, "Now I belong to Jesus and Jesus belongs to me". Minister said to me at door, "Saw from your face you really enjoyed singing that hymn Ian". He was right, I really did.
No not giving myself praise, as any gifts I have come from God, to Him goes the glory and praise.
I love my Sunday church fix, I need it. We as christians need each other, to worship, learn together.
"How can anyone not beleive in God?" I often think. Without God my life is totaly empty, without any real meaning. I look at this present age, and see soo much that was foretold in the Bible, happening, this makes me glad The Lord Jesus is my Saviour.
Well, as you can see I have had a good weekend, I trust yours was also.
God bless, and to God be all the glory.

The need to forgive.

We are told in the Bible to forgive others. This is mainly for our own good, for our own spiritual and mental health.
I make a point of doing this, and trust me it isnt always easy. Sometimes I simply do not want to forgive, "let them be eaten by worms" etc, seeming to be the easier emmotion. But then, how good am I, really? Am I perfect? have offended none?, never done wrong? Mmmm the answer is guilty on all counts. We are quick to judge others the wrongs done to us, but are not very good at looking at the other side of the coin.
But, and this is likely, others may indeed have done us great wrong. But then, this is certain, we have done God great wrong.
If I bear a grudge, it eats me up, causes me depression, causes me no peace. Bible simply is telling us, forgive and move on. So a bad thing happened, move on, dont let it drag you down.
I go to church, take communion, can I truely do this if bearing a grudge? I have need of being transparent before God, to be obedient to His Word. How can I have communion if I have not forgiven others? Celebrating Christs sacrifice for MY sin, if I forgive not others?
Forgiving can be a struggle, I have had, at times, to pray long, but peace has come.
Do I really wish other be "eaten by worms"? have something bad happen to them?, go to a lost etternity? Do I really wish for others, what I pray to escape from myself? I realise "hate" for thats what it is, cant abide in the christians life. So, I forgive, not always easy, but I manage it with God's help.
It can be hard if the others keep doing wrong by us, but then God has suffered a lot from me/us.
For myself I seek God's forgivness, to be like Jesus, who forgives freely. Hope and pray you can do the same also.
Weird thing, when I forgive others, pray for them, I actualy begin to love them, wish the best for them. God's ways are best for us, trust Him on this, and forgive.

Pride Commeth Before a Fall.

We can be really proud of ourselfs at times, occasionaly justly soo, but in most cases wrongly soo.
I was at the height of my ministry, everyone said I did good work. On one occasion shared the platform with a high ranking goverment minister. On another occasion at a reception with the high and mighty in the land. I was proud, very proud, the wee boy from Scotland had now arrived in the big time. Then it all fell apart, my ministry was removed from me, I was left as nothing. Just shame, and a great feeling of failure was left to me. No, I didnt do anything terrible to deserve it, at first felt rather hard done too. I wallowed in self-pity, crying out in my soul over, what I perceived, as the injustice of it all.
But there I learnt, I had been soo proud. It had become all about me, how people saw me, and not about God, and His glory, His will. Course at the time I didnt see this, after all I was a minister/chaplain.
But reduced to nothing, I saw myself as I really had become, proud of myself, my acheivments.
Here I am dear friends, no longer in ministry, and its hard, very hard. Pride still rises its ugly head. I hear a preacher and feel, "Hey I can do better than he does", but quickly remind myself, without God we are nothing.
What happens next in my life I really dont know, that is entirely up to God. Maybe He will raise me up again? maybe not?
My lesson to you dear friend is this, "Pride Commeth Before a Fall."
Give to God all the glory due to Him, seek none for thyself.
May God truely bless you all.

What do others sea?

For a long time in my life I wanted people to see a great gifted preacher. When a chaplain, wanted people to see a nice guy. But what is the truth? I'm no great preacher, maybe not the nice guy I wanted others to see. How do I see myself?. I see myself as a failure, as a man who could have done far better than he did. No, this is not a pity party of any sort. What I have found is that, when we seek glory praise for ourselfs, we are putting God second in our priorities.
Often God beaks us down, brings us to nothing, that we might see He must be first in our lives. Now this is not a God wanting to degrade us, but rather to raise us up. Who we are, is dependant on God, on seeing Him as first in our lifes, our affections, our ambitions.
I cant go back, and be the better person, christian, minister, I wished I had been. What I can do is give God the number one place now, in my life, and ambitions. My ambition now is, May God be glorified, may others see how great and how loving He truely is.
Christian freinds, what place does God have in your life, ambitions, desires?
If your not a christian, dont be put off my us christians, we often fail. Turn to God, He never fails.

Christian Love

I was gratefull for Terri's comments below. That other christians dont beleive everything I beleive, dosent make them any less a christian. I see being a christian as having a definate faith in God. However we all come to God, through Christ Jesus, from different places, educations, ideas, phylosophies. I do have christian friends who beleive in evolution, but with a real trust in God.
However, we are to learn, be educated, in all the things of God. To ask ourselfs, can God's Word be trusted? "Did God say?". I actualy find an overwhelming scientific evidence against the theory of evolution, and for a God of creation. My hope is that christians would look at this evidence, not take my word for it, but do the research for themselfs.

Why do people, many confessing christians amongs them, not beleive the Bible? I can understand this from the none christian, but what of the christian?

Many say, oh I beleive in creation, God created, but not in the six days Genesis mentions. It dosent fit in with science. But you may be surprised to know, that it does more than theory of evolution does. May I suggest you read Jonathan Sarfati's "The Greatest Hoax On Earth", an answered to Richard Dawkins "The Greatest Show On Earth", which is about evolution.

Many beleive much of Old Testament was made up by Jews, after their exile in Babylon, which lasted seventy years. But why make up stories making themselfs look like disobediant fools?

Of course many deny the ressurrection of Christ, this kind of thing just dosent happen. They beleive this because they cant, and wont, beleive in an all powerfull God. But surely, if you beleive in God, He has, being God, power to do whatever He wants?

At this time I am sixty two years old. I became a christian in my early twenties. I have studied , college, and since then, and am convinced God's Word, The Bible, is totaly trustworthy, is true. I havent hid my head in intillectual sand, trust me I have studied it from every angle.

Again, let me commend the Bible to you, and the God of the Bible. One Who being God can do anything He desires. He wouldent be God otherwise, would He?