Preacher’s Personal Life

James and the Greatest Gap

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

The book of James is a fascinatingly practical epistle. Some have called it the Sermon on the Mount in letter form. On the one hand, we shouldn’t expect anything less than practical from the son of a carpenter. On the other hand, we don’t want to miss the profound theological thrust of the letter.

After addressing issues of suffering, true religion, favouritism, the use of the tongue, and the right kind of wisdom, we arrive at James chapter 4. Now, James drills below the practical matters of the letter. Yes, there is a gap between conduct and confession, which seems to bother James. We could frame this as a gap between past habits and new identity, but James presents a more significant gap that we must face.

In James 4:1-3, he goes below the surface to explain what is going on and what is going wrong with his readers. Why do they have conflict? Very simply, it is because of the passions that bubble away inside them. Their conflict comes from their wants, like shoppers fighting to get bargains at the opening of a sale, like children fighting over the happy meals in McDonald’s, or even like chicks pushing to be in prime position to receive the worm from the mother that is bringing food into the nest . . . we clash, because we want.

It is encouraging to see James give a glimpse of the heart of our Father. We only need to ask since he is willing to feed us. So, the problem is inside each one of us – our selfish desires cause havoc in our lives.

What is the solution? Our world and Western tradition tend to tell us that self-control is the solution to our passions. Yes, we have an engine that moves us along, but we need to get a grip on the steering wheel and take control of ourselves. Interestingly, James does not instruct his readers to get a grip. Instead, he gives them a glimpse of what is happening inside God.

In James 4:4-6, we see inside God’s heart. What do we find? We see his jealousy over his people; he calls them “adulteresses.” James is not focusing on the women of the church; he is focusing on the people of the church, who are the bride of Christ. As the bride of Christ, we are flirting with the world. And God’s heart is grieved. It is jealously yearning for us to come back to him.

Here is the real gap that we need to face. Not just the gap between our conduct and our confession, nor even the gap between our past habits and our new identity. It is the growing gap between our hearts and his. Where there is unfaithfulness, God yearns for us to return. Where there is drift, God yearns for us to come close.

James 4 is like God has sat us down in a chair and confronted us with our drift. “What is going on?” We seem to be far from him. We seem to be motivated by other things. It may be overt unfaithfulness, or it may be signs of drift. It may be something that is not bad in itself, but it has become more important than him. Our career, bank balance, hobbies, favourite sports team. Just as we see in Hebrews 12:1-2, there is sin that entangles and everything that hinders—bad things, “good things,” but alternatives to him.

So, how do we respond when God lovingly confronts us for the drift in our spiritual marriage? If we stick out our chests and get defensive, claiming the right to define our spiritual health on our terms, then we reek of pride. God opposes the proud (James 4:6), but will we humbly admit the drift?

In James 4:7-10, we have the wonderful invitation. If we humble ourselves, submit to God, and resist the devil, we can draw near to God. We deserve his rejection, but that was also true before the cross. God loves us and gave Jesus to win our hearts to him. And as we drift, he continues to love us and waits with arms open to welcome us back to him. There may need to be mourning and grief over our unfaithfulness. Turning to our heavenly bridegroom should break our hearts as we see our waywardness and drift. But as we resist the devil and repent, turning back to our bridegroom, we will find that he also draws near to us.

The most critical gap in Christianity is the gap that can develop between our hearts and his. He may take James 4, sit us down in a chair, and confront us with our adulterous drift. But he does so lovingly, longingly yearning for our hearts to draw near to him. And as we do, he will draw near to us.

Hallelujah! What a saviour we have. 

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Please check out the new Biblical Preaching Podcast – in this episode, Peter Mead and Mike Chalmers discuss the four most important questions for all in ministry:

Getting Stuck in Sermon Prep (Podcast Post 7)

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

I was chatting about preaching with a friend on Sunday after preaching in his church. We talked about ways we sometimes get stuck.

Sometimes, the outline won’t quite work, and we keep looking at the text until eventually something clicks. Once it clicks, we can’t understand how we could not see the passage’s logic before.

Sometimes, the details of the message are the issue. What illustrations would work? How can I introduce the sermon? And so on. Again, the breakthrough moment is always a real relief and cause for rejoicing.

Sometimes, everything seems jammed up, and we simply can’t get the sermon to work.

In the latest episode of the podcast, Mike and I discuss seven specific logjams and offer some ideas that might help you break through the next time you get stuck.

But here is a thought: let’s be careful not to see the ideal as a jam-free future. While logjams can feel like hard work, there is also a blessing in them. Without the logjam, there might not be the desperate prayer. Without prayer, there would not be sweet moments of answered prayer as God lifts us in preparation for Sunday.

Jonathan Thomas on Revival (Podcast Post – Episode 5)

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“A reawakening of religious fervour” – that is a dictionary definition of revival. But in our latest podcast episode, Jonathan Thomas says we shouldn’t want revival. Jonathan has studied revival and produced documentaries on the subject. It was so good to interview him recently.

I remember reading Walter Kaiser’s book on the sixteen biblical revivals. Psalm 85:6 says, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” It is thrilling to read of seasons of God’s work being so tangible and imminent. Think of the revival under Josiah and Jeremiah or in the book of Acts. Kaiser finishes his book with these words, “I conclude that there can be no revival without the Lord initiating it and carrying it out. But I also conclude that no one can hide behind the doctrine of God as the explanation for why we have not had a revival in our day.”

So, how should we, as preachers, think about revival? After all, while we might assume we are unlikely to experience a revival, we cannot ignore the fact that revivals tend to involve preachers. I encourage you to watch these two podcast episodes, be encouraged by Jonathan’s thoughts, and join the conversation via the comments under the episode. (As always, please subscribe to the Cor Deo YouTube channel to easily find more content like this as it is released!)

And to find out why we shouldn’t want revival, here is part 2:

Imitate Who?

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There are some strange stories of people imitating other people.  For instance, in 1951, the Canadian Naval Ship the Cayuga was engaged in the Korean War.  It took onboard three Korean fighters who needed immediate surgery.  The ship’s surgeon, Dr Joseph Cyr, went ahead and removed a bullet from the chest of one man, amputated the foot of another, etc.  He performed sixteen operations onboard and surgeries on shore in Korea.  But that man was not Dr Joseph Cyr.  With no training in surgery, Fred Demara had “borrowed” Cyr’s credentials to get into the Canadian Navy.  He had also imitated his way into being a Psychology Professor, a university administrator, a prison warden, and a Trappist monk.  It truly is a bizarre story.

And yet, perhaps it is even more bizarre that the Apostle Paul instructed the Ephesian believers to “be imitators of God” (See Ephesians 5:1).  There are a handful of places where believers are urged to imitate Paul or even to imitate Christ (e.g. 1 Corinthians 11:1).  Still, the instruction to “imitate God” is unique to this verse.  Let’s probe Paul’s point.

What is Paul’s instruction?  “Therefore, be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1).  Paul is not suggesting that we pretend to be God or that we in any way usurp God’s position.  For humans to invite worship, to function as if they are the central character in the universe, or to give the impression of being all-knowing, and so on, would be spiritual treason.  God is God, and I am not. 

On the other hand, we are very much expected to reflect the good character of God in every area of life.  For instance, in the verses before and after Ephesians 5:1, we see instruction as honest, gracious, self-controlled, generous, kind, forgiving, loving, self-sacrificing, holy, and pure – all beautiful aspects of God’s perfections.  (See Ephesians 4:25-5:4).

It would be fair to say that whatever is good about God’s character would be good to emulate and imitate, as long as we never blur the Creator and creature distinction.  It would also be fair to notice that since the Fall of Genesis 3, humans have been much more inclined to get these categories reversed.  How many people act as if they are the centre of the universe, worthy of worship, all-knowing, and in control, but lack the kind of goodness we have just described?  The Fall absolutely messed us up!

Why should we imitate God?  Because we are “children” (Ephesians 5:1).  Whether it is fair or not, people observe children and evaluate the parents.  Sometimes, a critical evaluation may be justified; other times, an outsider will have no idea of how much the parent is achieving considering the child’s circumstances.  For those of us who are parents, we know how much we feel the watching eyes of others, so we hope our children will behave well in public situations. 

As unfair as it may feel to us to have people evaluating us based on our children, how much more unfair is that for God?  Imagine having your reputation and perception determined by representatives like you and me.  After all, we are all flawed and broken people.  Image bearers of God, of course, but so far from divine perfection!

And yet, the watching continues.  People who never think about theological matters are watching you and me and assuming things about our God.  This watching is not only from those outside the church but also from inside.  Believers watch and learn from one another.  I can think of people I have watched and from whom I learned something of God’s forgiveness, or God’s generosity, or God’s humility, or God’s redemptive power.  The church is a living theological case study!

But how can we imitate God?  The idea that we can and should imitate God’s character can feel overwhelming.  How is it possible?  Are we supposed to self-generate a super-human effort and achieve the impossible by sheer willpower?  Notice the other word in the verse: “as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1).  This imitation instruction is not based on the burden of striving effort.  Instead, it is to be fueled by the joy of a loving relationship.  Being saved and brought into God’s family means we are beloved children.

The word “beloved” makes it clear that we are not “tolerated” children, or “technically” children, or even “one of millions of children.”  The word “beloved” gives a sense of the lavishing of all the parental love poured out on a uniquely favoured, even an only, child.   More significantly, it is the same idea used of God’s unique Son, Jesus.  Remember the baptism declaration, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased!” (Matthew 3:17).

There are multiple layers in the idea of being a child of God.  Just as we have three types of paternity tests used among humans, the same idea works for us as believers.  There is the legal reality of being lovingly adopted into God’s family (e.g. Ephesians 1:5-6).  An adopted child has the paper evidence of the adoption certificate.  Then there is the DNA test proving something of a parent in a child.  For believers, we have the Spirit of God living within us (e.g. Ephesians 1:13-14).  And thirdly, there is the resemblance test.  When we see a baby, some people will immediately pronounce that the baby has his father’s nose, eyes, or whatever.  That is the DNA showing through immediately.  But Ephesians 5:1 is calling us to a more developed character likeness.  Just as a child in a loving relationship will grow to resemble the character of the loving parent, so it can be with us.

As we seek to lead other believers into greater God-likeness, we would do well to pause and reflect on this one word.  Do I believe I am “beloved” of God?  It is easy to say it, but then live as if I am merely tolerated.  And yet, what rocket fuel for transformation there is in being loved by God, even as He loves the Son (see John 17:23, for instance). 

In response to Ephesians 5:1, let us pray a simple prayer that has massive implications in our lives and those we influence.  “My loving Father, what do you want to work on in me so I may look more like you?”

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The Biblical Preaching Podcast is your conversation about preaching that shares God’s heart! Please find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, other podcast directories, and on YouTube. We would love to have your help in spreading the word – thank you in advance for every like, comment, share, follow and positive review!

Why Biblical Preaching? (Podcast Post for Episode 1)

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

The Biblical Preaching Podcast is live!  My plan is to build on episodes with blog posts here so that you can get extra content on the blog, but also hopefully want to check out either the podcast or the related videos on YouTube.

In Episode 1, we discuss “Why Biblical Preaching?” 

People often raise the issue of a changing society.  The logic is simple – our world is changing at a rapid rate.  Technology is advancing faster than ever; people are bombarded with highly stimulating, rapidly moving content, and consumers access information differently than they did even a few years ago.  Therefore, many say that a verbal monologue delivered to a gathered congregation must be a mode of communication that should be consigned to history.  Spurgeon’s Victorian England may have needed preachers, and maybe Lloyd-Jones’ twentieth-century London required preachers, but surely we now live in a different world?

In the first part of the podcast, we discuss the question, “why preaching?”  We mention three reasons:

1. Because of the Biblical example – From Moses and Joshua, through the times of the Old Testament prophets, to the ministry of Jesus and the apostles in the early church, the consistent example is that of spoken messages pointing people to God’s person and purpose in this world.

Note: The world of the Bible is not monolithic.  There were vast shifts and changes between the preaching of Moses in Sinai, and the message of Joshua in the Promised Land, to the proclamation of Paul in Athens or Miletus.  And yet, through all the rising and falling of great empires, the shifting of cultures, the progression in God’s plan of history, still the pattern is consistent.  God’s messengers spoke a word that changed lives and shifted history.  It could be considered arrogant to think that our brief period of change should override millennia of shifting contexts in which preaching was a primary means of God working in the world.

2. Because of Biblical instruction – Paul’s final letter, written to Timothy, closes with the instruction to preach the Word.  It is fascinating that he does not focus on spectacular spiritual gifts or any other possible emphases for continuing ministry beyond his own time.  Instead, he urges Timothy to prioritize reading God’s Word and preaching it!  In other places, we can see instruction that would lead us to consider preaching as a critical component of gospel ministry.

3. Because of theological reality – What is God like?  He is a revealing, speaking and incarnational God.  In preaching, we see all persons of the Trinity in action – the Father’s loving initiative driving the whole mission of God in this world; the Son’s revealing of his Father and rescuing of humanity is the focus of both Scriptural and biblical preaching; and the Spirit woos, convicts and changes hearts through preaching.  In the podcast, I note how preaching (in this case, including spoken testimony), plays a key role in the story of salvation.  Where humanity fell into sin by doubting the word of an apparently absent God, so God wins a redeemed people back based not on a great show of power but based on the apparent weakness of words spoken in the kingdom of darkness.

In the second part of the podcast, we get into why we use the label “Biblical Preaching” and whether that is the same as “Expository Preaching.”  I will let you listen to the podcast to find out more!  Please check out the podcast, follow it on your podcast platform of choice, and thank you in advance for every interaction with the podcast or YouTube clip, as it helps the algorithm spread the content to more people.  Positive reviews are invaluable as we get the podcast going – thank you!

Click here to find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and click here to find it on Spotify, or search for The Biblical Preaching Podcast on whatever app you use to find podcasts. And here is the YouTube video if you like to watch:

Introducing the Biblical Preaching Podcast!

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

I’m excited to announce the launch of our brand-new podcast: The Biblical Preaching Podcast! Unlike the many great sermon podcasts, this podcast is designed for those who preach, those who are learning to preach, and anyone who cares deeply about the ministry of preaching.

My Cor Deo colleague, Mike Chalmers, will join me as we discuss all things preaching. Together, we’ll explore this ministry’s joys, challenges, and complexities.

Here’s what you can expect:

  • Engaging Discussions: Insights into various aspects of biblical preaching.
  • Special Guests: We’ll feature some amazing voices from the world of preaching—our first guest joins us next week!
  • Encouragement for Preachers: Each full episode concludes with a segment designed to encourage those in preaching ministry.
  • Bitesize Episodes: Shorter episodes focusing on one specific aspect of preaching.
  • Related Blog Posts: From time to time, I’ll share blog posts that dive deeper into themes we discuss in an episode. These posts won’t be mere transcripts but will provide additional perspectives, practical tips, or reflections to help you take the conversation further.

Our hope and prayer for this podcast is simple: that it will strengthen and encourage biblical preaching in churches around the world. Where biblical preaching thrives, the church grows healthier, and healthy churches reach their communities.

We want this podcast to be a gathering point—a place where preachers can connect, reflect, and grow together. This is your conversation! We’ll celebrate the goodness of God, explore the transformative power of rightly handled Scripture, tackle the complex realities of ministry, and share the joy of seeing lives changed through the preached Word.

How to Listen & Connect:
🎙️ Listen to the Podcast on Your Favorite Platform:

📺 Watch Episodes on YouTube:
Subscribe to our channel for video versions of the podcast and exclusive content: YouTube Channel.

🖋️ Read the Blog
Continue to visit BiblicalPreaching.net for posts related to specific episodes, offering fresh insights and practical takeaways.

Can You Help Spread the Word?
We’d love your help in making this podcast a resource for as many people as possible! Here’s how you can support us:

  • Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and/or to the YouTube channel.
  • Like and Comment to share your thoughts and join the conversation.
  • Follow Us for updates on new episodes and blog posts.
  • Share with your friends, fellow preachers, and anyone who might find this helpful.
  • Review the podcast on your favourite podcast platform – apparently, positive reviews are the most helpful thing!

Thank you for your prayers and support. We’re excited to see how God uses this podcast to encourage and equip preachers worldwide!

Not a Guilt Trip

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

When Christians talk about the need for purity, it can easily sound like a guilt trip.  If part of our goal in ministry is tangible life change, does that make ministry a glorified guilt trip?  Or is there a more powerful motivation available?

1 John is a glorious letter written by Jesus’ disciple, John, to a church that was shaken by a church split.  The group that had left claimed to have a superior spirituality, but the genuine believers left behind were feeling bruised and doubtful about the authenticity of their faith.  Were they somehow missing out on the “real thing?”  John wrote this letter to assure them of their standing with God, their fellowship with the Trinity, and the reality of their less spectacular spiritual experience.  He writes gently and with a pastoral sensitivity.  But still, he writes with plenty of theological truth and perspective.  Then comes the beginning of chapter three, when suddenly there seems to be an emotional explosion:

“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are!” 1 John 3:1a

In the first three verses of chapter three, John gets them to look back and to look forward.  Looking back, it is clear that we are already extravagantly loved as God’s children.  Looking forward, we discover that our revelation as the bride of Christ is still to come.  God’s “exotic” love for us provokes a purifying love in us.  Here is a motivation that far outstrips any guilt trip. Let’s look at these three verses.

Looking Back – We are already extravagantly loved as God’s children (v1). It is striking that as John is pondering great truths, it is as if the riverbanks of his intellect burst, and his heart gets flooded.  We must remember that intellectual curiosity alone is never the goal of theological or biblical study.  The truth of the gospel should regularly flood our hearts and bring its cleansing power to our motives, values and affections.  The Bible is not pushing us towards a sterile intellect and will-centred faith.  Behold the love of God!  As the hymnwriter put it: The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell!

The word John uses to ask the question in verse 1 is intriguing.  See what “great love” God has given us.  He uses the word that carries the sense of “Where is it from?”  After the Second World War, I imagine what it was like when some foreign foods were reintroduced after years of restrictions.  What it must have been like for those children to see and taste a banana for the first time, mango, or whatever.  “Where is this from?!”  Everything must have seemed so exotic and exciting.  That’s the thrill of looking at God’s love for us –an out-of-this-world exotic love!

For example, what would we see if we looked through John’s Gospel and thought about what God’s “exotic” love had given to us?  He gave us the right to be his children (1:12).  He gave us his Son (3:16) and the Holy Spirit (14:16).  Through Jesus, God gives us living water that satisfies (4:14) and the bread of life that fills us (6:32).  He gives us eternal life (10:28); his peace (14:27), and his word (17:14).  We also receive his Son’s name (14:27), and whatever is asked in that name (15:16; 16:23).  God gives so generously!

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
  And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
  And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
  Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
  Though stretched from sky to sky.

And this is not something we are working on or trying to achieve.  We either are God’s children, or we are not.  John continues to underline the fact for his readers, “And we are!”  What a privilege to be loved with this out-of-this-world love as God’s children!

Looking forward – we are not yet revealed as the bride, but the wedding is coming (v2-3).  Here, we have one of the most thrilling verses to ponder.  When he appears, we will see him, which will do something to us that reveals something astonishing.

Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.  (1 John 3:2-3)

These verses describe the final and complete sanctification experience that lies in store for every believer.  Right now, we are living in the midst of a process.  It is described in 2 Corinthians 3:18.  As we look at Jesus, we are gradually being transformed from one degree of glory to the next.  But when we see him, that ultimate vision will be so glorious it will mean a total transformation for us!

Notice that in 1 John 2:28, John writes about shrinking in shame from Jesus at his coming.  That would make sense, since we are all still marred by sin.  But he is writing to give them assurance, not condemnation. 

So, what is it about seeing Jesus fully that will bring about such a total transformation?  I believe the full realization of every longing will burn away every possible alternative.  Just imagine every appetite you have, every craving, every hope, every desire, every taste, every hint of what is good.  Try to picture how our hearts have been stirred by creation – a stunning sunset, a breathtaking thunderstorm, a beautiful frosted spider web.  Try to imagine how your very human heart has been stirred by feasting with friends and family, by the touch of poetry, by travel shows on TV, or by picturesque country living magazines—a lifetime of longings.  But then we will see him as he is and discover that Jesus is more than enough to satisfy every last longing of our hearts!  After all, he has satisfied the Father’s loving heart for all eternity; how much more will he satisfy ours?  Seeing Jesus is our ultimate hope!

The anticipation of seeing him is the motivation we need to put our energy into living a pure and godly life now in this age.  It is not a guilt trip – ‘you should do, or else!’  It is a motivated heart – ‘I get to because my hope is in seeing him, not in any of the idolatrous replacements I can invest in now.’

The motivation for this hope is like when a guest comes to visit your home.  You are excited to see them, so you clean and tidy the house before they arrive.  Actually, it is greater than that – it is like your grown child coming home from a year abroad.  No, more than that, it is like when your spouse has been away for a few days, so you invest time and energy into cleaning the house before they arrive.  Actually, biblically speaking, our hope motivates us in the same way that someone is motivated by the approaching reality of their wedding day!  After all, we live as children of God now, waiting for the return of our bridegroom to take us to be with him – the marriage supper of the lamb and the arrival at the home prepared for us, and being together forever.

“Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself.” (1 John 3:3)

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Please see Peter’s book, from Christian Focus, looking at the great theme of God’s marriage throughout the Bible:

Review: Preaching, by Michael Reeves

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

Subtitled, A God-Centred Vision, this is a little gem of a book from Union Publishing.  It is not about preparation techniques.  Reeves writes, “I want to press deeper. For a rich, biblical theological understanding of preaching dramatically enhances preaching far more powerfully than any practical tip. . . . I want to cast a vision for preaching that is nourished by the very being of God, the glory of his Word, and the power of the gospel.” (p17-18)

As you can imagine, Reeves builds his book on both a theological and historical footing.  There are clear trinitarian foundations: “This is what the living God is like: not silent or speechless, but a God who speaks.” (p21)  And there are also historical insights worthy of note: “Preaching was the real engine room of the Reformation. . . . the Reformation demonstrated the astonishing, transformative power of the regular and clear preaching of God’s Word.  It stands as historical evidence that there is nothing inevitable about church decline.  The spiritual darkness of our day can indeed be checked and turned back.” (p24-25)  

The goal of preaching, theologically, is not just to learn about God, but to encounter him, to enjoy him, and be united to him.  And biblically?  True preaching must be expository, “in that it exposes the Word of God and makes that the food on which the church grows.” (p30)  Reeves is clear, true preaching must point us to the person of Christ.  While this is not a book of the mechanics of sermon construction, Reeves offers some critical advice.  “Preach Christ, not an abstraction.”  “Proclaim the reality, not a mere idea.”  “Show, don’t tell.” (p52-57)

While many preaching books will encourage preaching to the heart, and not just the head, this book explains what that actually means.  The preacher must convey more than mere information or emotion.  “(Preaching) is a heart-shaking assault on darkness and the very gates of hell, trumpeted forth so that sinners tremble and saints quake in wonder.” (p62)  And true preaching must lead to heartfelt worship, for “the triune God, who is love, is not truly known where he is not truly loved.” (p64)

We all know that preaching can tick many boxes, yet remain essentially shallow.  Reeves offers a simple cure for shallow preaching: get to the root of the issue.  We are not simply needing exhortation to better conduct.  We need heart transformation.  The affections are the key target in ministry– “Affections are deeper and more constant (than emotions): they make up the very grain of the heart and its inclinations.” (p73)

When the gospel is truly preached, “It is that gospel that will melt and renew hearts of stone.  It is that sight of the Son of Man, lifted up on the cross, proving the love of his Father, that realigns affections. . . . The sin that pleased us becomes odious. The God we flinched from becomes entrancing.” (p78-79)

This book really is a gem.  A book to read and read again for your ministry, and a book small enough to distribute to other preachers in your circle.   

The Thirties – Part 9 (Final Thoughts)

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

As the allied leaders appeased Hitler in the later 1930s, ACG noted how this played into his hands. “The peace of Munich is a complete victory for Hitler.  The Munich pact replaces the Versailles Treaty. Germany has won the [First World] war after all. An unforgettable lesson has been taught to the whole world, namely that nothing can be expected from lawful agreement, arbitration and peaceful negotiations. All that matters is power and might. What you can grab by force and threat is yours by right. It is a lesson that will not be forgotten by the Germans within and without the Fatherland. It will continue to plague the world in years to come.” (p350-351)

The Allies simply needed to call Hitler’s bluff.  However, the British and the French gave up on their treaty with Czechoslovakia and tried to pursue peace.  Hitler lacked the strength and public support needed to wage a new war.  But sadly, his lies won him the extra time he needed. “The great Swedish Chancellor Count Axel Oxenstjerna was right when he said to his son: ‘Don’t you know, my boy, with what little intelligence the world is run?’  Oxenstjerna’s words are as true today as they were 300 years ago.” (p354)

As ACG came to the end of his book, preparing for publication in 1939, he wrote, “At the apex of the German pyramid stands a dictator drunk with success and surrounded by a horde of daring adventurers. He and they live in a world of their own. Germany, they believe and make others believe, has become the hub of the universe. . . . It is a sad commentary on our times that the forces of progress, suffering from a strange malady of inertia and moral paralysis, have permitted a dictatorship to bring limitless misery to millions of people who once were happy.” (p356)

It is pretty sobering to read the final pages, knowing all that was to follow in the subsequent six years of Nazi tyranny.  “I have no intention of defending that which can not be defended. I have testified in previous chapters to the all too many sins of omission committed by the democratic state, statesmen and national leaders, and their failure to take timely and energetic action against the enemies of democracy and progress. Yet to arrive at a conclusive answer one must not look around for individual scapegoats. It is necessary to realise the collective responsibility and the collective guilt of the German people; that collective guilt which can perhaps best be explained by the lack of political instinct and political common sense of the Germans.” (p360)  As we look at threats to society today, we could soon be writing the same thing of our nation, or of the west.

“If individual guilt and responsibility have to be apportioned, then certainly all those are guilty who allowed things to come to such a pass.”  (p365)  ACG referred to Reich Chancellor Bruening in 1930 and others who made influential decisions with devastating consequences.  But what about a broader view?  What about the population, the foreign leaders, community influencers like the church leaders, etc.? 

“The longer National Socialism rules in Germany, the greater becomes the danger of a new and all-devastating war.  It is the sacred duty of all those within and without Germany to whom justice and law, humanity, democracy and peace are not matters of mere lip service, to co-operate in the fight for the preservation of mankind.” (p368)  This is still true today . . . totalitarian, globalist takeover agendas are flagrant, and too many heads remain firmly buried in the sand. 

So, to come full circle, common decency dictates that we should not liken anything today to 1930’s Germany.  In light of what has happened in recent years and what may lie ahead of us, maybe it would be wiser if we did.

The Thirties – Part 8 (Points to Ponder)

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

In this series, I have considered ACG’s book, Inside Germany.  Published in 1939, it is a fascinating account of the Nazi takeover of Germany that brought the world to the brink of disaster.  In light of reading that book and reflecting on our own times, what are some takeaway points to consider as preachers?

1. Only one message can change hearts.  It is not a political message nor driven by headlines in the newspapers or social media.  It is the message of the Gospel, and it comes from the Bible.  We must preach the gospel as loud and clear as possible in tumultuous times.  It may be that the turbulent times stir previously comfortable hearts to a new level of openness.  When those moments come, we must offer Jesus to a needy world. 

2. Only saying one thing can be a sign of weakness.  I know that our ministry is to preach the Gospel.  However, we also have some clauses in our job description that relate to being people of the truth.  In an age of disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, etc., we must speak the truth.  In an age of censorship, controlled media narratives, and the silencing of independent thinking, we need to promote informed and free thought.  Suppose our default position in public speech is to hide behind what is culturally acceptable.  For now, we can quote Bible verses because it is still safe to do so.  Why do we think we will later become bold clarions of truth when the societal pressure to conform becomes so much greater once tyranny takes a tighter grip on our throats?

3. We need to grow in discernment.  Too many are proclaiming a media-shaped worldview with some Bible verses attached.  There is probably a church in your town that is already fully there – sounding like their pulpit is a marginally more religious version of a BBC TV presenter.  God has not called us to offer insipid commentary on society with the odd tip of the hat to contemporary ideology.  We were called to think and proclaim biblically.  So read the Bible, then read the culture through the lens of the Bible (and not vice versa). 

We wouldn’t only read theology books from one agenda-driven publishing house, so don’t read society simply through the lens of the mainstream media’s agreed narrative.  Neither should we only read society through just one or two social media voices.  Let’s look for trustworthy sources.  That doesn’t mean checking to see if they are on the BBC, even if it once did.  Censorship should be a red flag to any thinker.  Look for who is being paid and who is losing their livelihood.  Look for who stands to gain and who is being silenced.  Let’s look for multiple trustworthy sources of information and set an example of being informed, thoughtful, and biblical in our discernment.

4. Have the courage to speak when silence is easier.  Can I be candid?  There have been times during recent years when I have found that many Christian leaders seem to be hiding behind the mantra of only preaching the Gospel.  It is easy to quote John 3:16 on social media.  But how many churches have gone along with the media narrative every step of the way, only to wonder later why they didn’t question more?  The easy choice today can mean I have reduced my credibility in a year or two.

5. What is our territory?  We have to be careful with politicised issues.  But don’t fall for the simplistic idea that every political matter is off-limits to us.  Last week, I was in a room where some people were asked what it was like to live under Soviet rule.  One answered about how they could not trust anyone.  Another spoke about never showing gladness outwardly.  Then an older man said, “We can never explain to our children what it was like because it was a spirit.”  There was a spiritual reality behind Communist rule.  There was an evil spirituality in Nazi rule too.  And if there is a “spirit of the age” at work in the ideological agenda of our day, then we cannot say that preachers should stay quiet.  Politics may be largely off-limits, but speaking God’s truth in the midst of a spiritual battle certainly is our territory.

6. Having courage does not negate the need for gentleness.  Sometimes, people hear a call for courage as a call for bombastic shouting.  Not at all.  We represent Christ, and we need to convey the nature of his character, as well as truth, in society.  But we should not underestimate what can be achieved in this world with gentle forcefulness.  (See my post on Solzhenitsyn’s “Live Not By Lies” from January.)

7. Pray and pray boldly.  As well as saying little to challenge the media narrative, it is also easy to pray as if that media narrative dictates reality.  God can do immeasurably beyond all that we ask or imagine.  In our private and public prayers, let us boldly pray for God to bring down those who exalt themselves, for God to expose those whose plans are for evil rather than good, and for God to break open hearts that seem so solidified against him.  The Third Reich was supposedly going to last a thousand years, but it was done in twelve.  Many prayed for that.  The impregnable Iron Curtain was brought down in my younger years.  Many prayed for that too.  And so it is with every variation of Communism, globalism, or religious takeover. Let’s pray that God would bring it down so that more can be spared the suffering and freely come to know him.