Wake up and smell the coffee

With the successful prosecution of yet another Christian B&B owner over her refusal to give a double room to a gay couple, it's time for Christians in the UK to wake up and smell the coffee, because if same-sex marriage becomes a reality, this will only be the start. Sadly, it's the BNP who have taken up the case and who are campaigning for the "rights of all home owners, gays included, to rent or not rent rooms to whomsoever they wish". The problem is a law which was passed a few years ago and which outlaws discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the basis of sexual orientation, however laws are not set in stone - they can, and in this case should, be changed. As Christians we need to be challenging legislation which goes against our religious convictions, or at least arguing for a freedom of conscience clause. It is just not acceptable for us to be told that we should find another job or business if we can't comply with equalities legislation. Christian B&B owners have had 'married couples only' policies for their double rooms for a lot longer than the equalities act has been in place. It's hard not to feel that the legislation is being used as a stick to beat Christians with. That said, if we don't make our feelings known to politicians, it's our own fault if they pass laws which discriminate against us.

The church is the people

Sadly, recent events regarding St George's Tron in Glasgow (the church where I was christened by Rev Tom Allan) clearly demonstrate the Church of Scotland's determination to continue its dog in the manger attitude towards congregations which wish to secede. Presumably they hope to send out a clear message to the likes of Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, which has recently undergone a similar refurbishment paid for in large part by the congregation. I can only hope that Holyrood, Gilcomston and others send a clear message back to 121 - get back to the Bible or we're off. It is not now just a matter of the denomination's stance on homosexuality which is the problem - it is also the petty, spiteful way in which Presbyteries are acting towards congregations who reject the way the denomination is heading and who want to remain faithful to God's word. Rev David Robertson of the Free Church challenges us, both inside and outside the Church of Scotland, not to sit on the fence. I stand with my brothers and sisters who have been evicted from the Tron and I pray that their witness in Glasgow city centre will continue. The church is the people, not the building.

Here is the church
Here's the steeple
Open the doors
Look - no people!
(from an old children's action rhyme - adapted to suit Glasgow Presbytery)

Great is thy faithfulness

Why, oh why, do some churches feel that they have to modernise everything in order to appeal to people? I am not a die-hard traditionalist however I also do not believe that the decline in church attendance has been caused purely by the use of old-fashioned English and can be reversed simply by replacing all instances of 'thee' and 'thou' in our prayers, worship and bible readings by 'you'. Such language was already out of date when I was a child but that didn't stop me from understanding what was meant, at least most of the time. It also didn't stop me from becoming a Christian.

The English of the King James Version, although beautiful, can be impenetrable and so I personally use the NIV for Bible study. Being of a certain age (ie over 50) I do, however, prefer to keep the old language of 'Our Father' which I learnt as a child and I really, really object when people try and modernise the words of favourite old hymns. Do we modernise Shakespeare? Do we update John Donne? Or Chaucer? Hymns are poetry set to music. When you alter the words you spoil them. Churches which do this also run the risk of alienating older people who know many old hymns off by heart and who become confused when the words are changed. Such relentless modernisation makes me feel that old people are being forgotten when it comes to evangelisation. Everything is aimed at the younger generation and yet pensioners have an even more urgent need to hear the gospel because their time is short.

The vast majority of the over-50s in this country grew up with the King James Version and the Church of Scotland Hymnary 2nd Edition with the Scottish Psalter. That is what they are familiar with. It therefore makes sense that that is what churches should use if they want to reach the over-50s. You have only to look at the faces of the residents in an old-folks' home when old hymns are being sung to see how much they enjoy them. I'm not saying that we can't have modern songs. I'm just saying that we should have a mixture of both old and new and that we shouldn't try and update the old favourites. "Great is your faithfulness" just doesn't sound right any more than "wherefore are you Romeo".