From Malachi: Update from Liverpool 1
Here is a bit of history regarding the Cornerstone Collective of churches in Liverpool. In the early 2000s Ramilies Road Church in Liverpool was on the verge of closure. At one time a sizeable church was now composed of 15-20 faithful members and were “burying more than they were baptizing”. The church reached out for help and a team of Christians from around Liverpool “replanted” it as Cornerstone Church. Over the last fifteen years God has greatly blessed them such that they have grown to be a thriving church that has planted/revitalized four other churches around the city. The relationship between these five churches is rich and deep. Many of the pastors in the collective have never been to seminary and that is largely due to inability. Should they have desired theological training, until recently there was only one trustworthy seminary in the country and for many it is not financially possible or feasible for their families. As such, they really look to one another for character formation and counsel.
This week I was able to visit another church in the Collective. I gained a lot of insight into the spiritual state of churches in England – in some ways discouraging and in other ways encouraging. There seems to be a revival occurring in England among many of the younger men and women. It feels that few older Christians are willing to step up and lead. There is a shortage of elders and pastors. This may be in part due to misperceptions of pastoral ministry. Nevertheless, God has really been working in some from the younger generation who are setting an example in faith and conduct. Often men are asked to become pastors in their twenties and thirties. The pastor I met with described attending a previous church in his twenties and preaching occasionally. When he was twenty-five leaders in the church asked him to assume the role of pastor which at the time he rejected feeling that he was not prepared for the office. I cannot fathom being asked to pastor a church at such a young age. As I reflect on this, I would struggle to know who to turn to for counsel. The norm in Scripture is to seek wisdom from the aged. But when someone is asked to take a position of spiritual headship how does one seek leadership counsel from others who were unwilling or uninterested to lead.
Placing pastors in leadership at such a young age has possibly had discouraging consequences. The pastor I met with had only recently become the lead pastor of his church. This after the only other elder and he went through a long and painful process of confrontation and removed the planting pastor from his position. The former pastor was sent out to plant the church when he was only twenty-five. After years of fruitful ministry and a thriving church it became evident that selfish ambition and conceit were lying under the surface and corrupting his leadership. The current pastor shared that where once they were so focused on planting other churches now it feels like they are the church being revitalized. There is a lot of pain. But there is a silver lining. As they have reconsidered what is expected of elders and pastors it has opened their eyes to see other men in the church who had been overlooked. For years a standard of “church-planter” had blinded them from realizing less ambitious and less gifted men who are faithfully serving the church and discipling others.
There are many other things which I could write about, but this report would be really long were I to. But I hope to summarize a few experiences. I visited a woman in the community who has six children and is in many ways a single mom although she lives with a partner. Her fourth child has “global delay” (their term for a child who is cognitively delayed by years). She struggles to raise a child with all the faculties of a strong five-year-old but the ignorance of a two-year-old. He constantly puts himself in danger and breaks valuable possessions. The mother is also raising two younger children and is receiving little support. She asked us about prayer for healing. She struggled to reconcile a diagnosis which affirms that he will live have this condition forever and a partner who affirms that this will go away through prayer and faith. One can imagine the gloom that poor theology can introduce.
While walking around the park I met Eddy. He opened up very quickly about his life. In general, it is acknowledged that people from Liverpool are friendlier than most of England. Eddy is five years sober and is rebuilding his life. He is back in regular contact with his daughter and holds down a stable job. But he is upset that God is not giving him what he wants. Although he acknowledges that God may be keeping things from him because they are not good, he still says “I wish God would just let me have it anyway.” This really helps to demonstrate how apart from Christ nothing can bring peace and contentment. Eddy has exhausted everything he has tried and has been left empty. He still holds out one last hope. He thinks that maybe if he gets lots of resources, he will go about doing good for others. This he thinks might bring him lasting satisfaction, but even there he acknowledges that his generosity is only 90% genuine. There is always a part of him which thinks surely this will purchase him some recognition when he dies. I was thankful for the opportunity to witness to him, and I talked about where we can find lasting satisfaction and how Christians can obey God fully knowing that our obedience will not alter our standing before God. We obey God out of the abundance of our thankfulness to him knowing that he has already provided our righteousness in Christ. Hopefully I will see Eddy again in the park. I am praying that I get more opportunities to speak with him.
It is evident that professing Christians coming to the church come from very broad theological influences. Elders in this context must be especially vigilant because erroneous perspectives spring up so quickly in discussions and conversations progress so rapidly. Here is a summary of some such comments over the last two weeks that elders or others had to respond to: I know that Christ demanded that people repent but he was sinless and we are not, why shouldn’t homosexuals be welcome as Christians into the church given we are all sinners and we all sin in many ways, do we practice disfellowshipping because I once came from a church where they would make someone sit in the back of church for a couple of weeks/months for something they had done, I think we go to heaven by keeping the ten commandments, aren’t we saved by faith and works, etc. These comments are believed, and they can be disheartening for pastors who know they aren’t preaching a works-based gospel. But there have also been encouraging conversations where people have humbly received corrections.
As for where I would appreciate prayer for the next two weeks:
- Wisdom and Gentleness to respond to bad theology and bad ways of thinking.
- That friendships with nonbelievers would grow so that I have more opportunity to share the gospel.
- That I would keep Christ’s kingdom at the forefront of my thinking when I am washing dishes, knocking on doors, or doing setup for a time with parents and tots.