A LOOK AT TWO CHURHES

 

All my life, from a boy in a Church choir, to a young man at Liverpool Cathedral,  eventually to being ordained in the Church of England.  As I look back at the Church over the years, I find it hard to believe it was the same Church as now.

The Ministers were largely fine English gentlemen with engaging manners, always dressed in smart suits, easy to speak with, indeed it was a pleasure to do so. They conducted their services in professional way, and their sermons were Bible based.

Of course, the Churches were well attended as it was an accepted attitude that Sunday was Church day for parents, and children in Sunday School, although Sunday School depended on which district they lived in.

Most of this was ended as Governments changed, and a different kind of Church resulted also. I know those Ministers would be horrified by the way the Church had developed. It has become a rather different Church now.

For one big difference, by a change of living, in which the Church has for so many people become irrelevant.  There are few Churches which have a Sunday School, or Junior Church as now called.  This is due to families going out together, and most children do not have any true religion assemblies in school to give them an interest.  Something is a mystery, how do other faiths still attend regularly. We can however always have those people who come when they want something which only the Church cam provide.

The biggest difference of all is, that the Church of England has become an Apostate Church.  The Bible is not the authority, for all preaching and teaching, it has been silenced in places to meet the culture of to-day.

The view of the Church’s decline, could not be more clearly displayed than by the reaction from other countries.  The Church of England is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and Global South Fellowship, and the Church of England was the mother Church with the Archbishop of Canterbury was the leader. Both Church and Archbishop have been disqualified, because of following a doctrine  which is against the Word of God.

The Church has agreed to follow a false doctrine, to give blessings to unions of (so called) same sex marriages in secular places. This is going to be exacerbated in the near future ,as it is likely to be agreed to have such ‘marriages’, and allow clergy to have a same sex partnership. This is in direct opposition to the Bible in Genesis 2 and Matthew 19. When both God and Jesus stated marriage is between a man and a woman.  All ordained clergy make an affirmation at the Ordination service to ban all false doctrine. The failure to keep to the affirmation, in turn has created problems.

An Oxford Chaplain was engaged by a private school as Chaplain, and a group promoting sexuality was also engaged, and in one lesson called n the pupils to all shout ‘down with heteroploidy’.  The Chaplain was asked by two boys, if they had to believe all they were told by the ideology group, and he said no, but respect other people’s views. In a teaching lesson, he is stated to have told in a moderate and thoughtful way, that marriage was between a man and a woman.           

The  headteacher reported the Chaplain to the elite Police anti-terrorism Unit for their attention, and they probably thought the teacher was rather confused. for thinking of terrorism, and sent it back.  The Chaplain was ten sacked.

The Chaplain returned to his Diocese, and his bishop after having him examined by a safeguarding woman, decided to suspend him. Now after five years, that Chaplain has been banned from any Ministry, has no employment. He is an ordained Minister of the Church, who quoted the Official doctrine of the Church. In other words, he was suspended for doing his work properly.

He appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who rejected him and gave full support to the bishop.

Christian Concern Legal team took the case to the Court.

The adjudicating Officer, was legal expert Gregory Jones (KC) who ruled that there was no evidence to justify the Rev. Bernard Randall being marked as a risk to children because of his Christian beliefs on sexuality. Evidence was found that the  Diocese had blacklisted him, under the watch of bishop of Derby, after it had departed from safeguarding guidance, and had no reasons for doing so.

The Archbishop of Canterbury was said to have misguided himself  and misunderstood the scope of his powers, after saying there was no case for the bishop of Derby to answer, over the power which led to blacklisting. The Archbishop admitted safeguarding powers had not been followed, and  a safeguarding complaint that the bishop herself had been guilty of abusing behaviour.   The action taken, was described by the judge as egregious and gross.

The bishop was told the safeguarding process, which led to the Rev .Randall being blacklisted was flawed, and needed to be reviewed. The team had discriminated against Dr Randall because of his certain theology.

The Chaplain is still out on his own, but a large number of people have signed a petition for him to be reinstated.  By any standards, the bishop let herself be unworthy in this case.

This is an example that safeguarding is being abused and misunderstood.

If a man/woman has been selected for ministry, it should be assumed they have a sense of personal responsibility, and know how to conduct themselves in speech and action. Any improper behavior, improper speech, assault or theft, would all be against the law of the land, and become a   straight Police matter.  If a Church law or Article is breached, the matter is for a Bishop to deal with.  The Church has managed for thousands of years without safeguarding,

I have had my license revoked, because I only attended one safeguarding lesson. I declined to take two more lessons, as the first taught nothing, and I had taught safeguarding in my previous profession.

I can no longer preach in this country, and I am disappointed, and I am sorry to miss you, but the Church has got another biblical preacher out of the way. I have many friends in countries around the world,who follow the sermons I publish on the internet, and have invitations to visit their Churches, so am not completely cast out.  I am quite sure I am not alone in recognizing the safeguarding system is really little more than a charade and fallback purpose.

The Church is the family of God, and if not protected, the damage caused will increase the division within the Church. A parish priest will be put in difficulty as part of the congregation will have a different opinion to the other half and each will feel aggrieved if not listened to.

The Apostles once asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, and He did so saying, Our Father, now we have a change wanted so as to be able to say Our Parent. In other words, to say that Jesus was wrong; just as hear God got it wrong when He made two genders male and female.

God has not got anything wrong.  He made man, and then as man’s greatest gift, he gave him a woman.  Two people, of equal standing, but different bodies so together they may have children to form a godly home.

Franklin Graham, the son of the world’s greatest ever preacher Billy Graham, came to this country to hold evangelical meetings in towns, and whilst not in the same way as his father, is still a world famous preacher, attracting large  followings. There must have been many Church members anxious to hear him, but were advised by some bishops not to attend as he was a hate speaker. When asked what hate he spoke, the answer was he stated marriage was only between a man a woman.  There must be many hate speakers now, but remember that Jesus and God both state the same words.

When people come to Church they expect to hear the full gospel, to hear the teaching and works of Jesus, to see and hear of the love of God, to find comfort in the midst of despair, depression and grief.  It is like going to a restaurant which offers good food, but when visiting get offered junk food. The present situation, is like safeguarding--flawed.  If a  preacher is not preaching the Bible, he should not be wasting people’s time.

On a hopeful note, the largest London Church has initiated a scheme in which men are commissioned to go into parishes, and be guided in Churches which have biblical Ministers, so preparing for future ordination. The Church is doing all it can to bring back the Bible.  This will stop the process in which Ministers are leaving the Church of England to enter the Fee Church of England.

 

May God so inspire the hearts of all those engaged in Ministry that they faithfully preach and teach that which is laid down in Holy Scripture and may God’s Holy Name be praised