Is Donald Trump a Christian? Does it Matter?

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."Matthew 4:17 These are the first words of Jesus in the Bible.

1Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  Matthew 3:1-2  These are the first words of John the Baptist in the Bible.

They went out and preached that men should repent.  Mark 6:12 This was the understanding of the disciples as they began their first missionary efforts.

2And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? 3"I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:2-3 

Because of the great ongoing debate about not working our way into heaven, there are many who make a theological argument that we believe and trust in God first, then God gives us the ability to cease from sin. This argument would say that we can be a Christian and not "repent." To be fair, the argument goes on to say that this would be a very odd situation. If a person has chosen God, loves God, and has made God his master, then to continue in sin would be a contradiction. 

Others argue that the word repent actually means change your mind and turn to God. Our awaking comes from understanding that we are sinners and destined to perish if we don't turn toward God and ask Him to forgive us of our sins. Once we have recognized that we are sinners and desire a relationship with God, He offers of the gift of salvation, and the Holy Spirit begins a work in us.  

When asked if he ever asked God for forgiveness, Trump said:

"I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don't think so. I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don't bring God into that picture. I don't."

"When I drink my little wine -- which is about the only wine I drink -- and have my little cracker, I guess that is a form of asking for forgiveness, and I do that as often as possible because I feel cleansed. I think in terms of 'let's go on and let's make it right.'"

What are we to make of Trump and his view of God? We can't, of course, know his heart. Only God knows if Donald Trump is saved. We have many friends and family members who make various professions about Jesus or God, but who seem far from God in their acts or failures to act. 

Jesus tells of the grain being planted in various types of soil, and that only some of that grain takes hold and results in fruit. Many highly respected pastors suggest that only 10 - 25% of those in the pews are saved. 

The statements Trump has made look very much like a person who is at a bare minimum highly dependent on themselves and not so much on God. You could potentially see a lot of Nebuchadnezzar in Trump. "Look what I have created." God clearly shows over and over that the sin He hates most is pride, but is there any one among us who has conquered pride? 

If I were to venture a guess, I don't think Trump is a true disciple of Christ. If he is saved, his treasure in heaven can be measured as being opposite to his treasure on earth that he seems so proud of. 

Does it matter whether Trump is saved?

Every US President has claimed to be Christian. Some have indicated by their statements or actions that they were more reliant on God's direction than others. Recently Jimmy Carter and Bush 43 were were the most clear about their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Our current president has had to defend his stated belief In Jesus

My concern is less about whether he follows Christian doctrine and/or has a serious relationship with God. Currently my concern is with his actions, which seem to fly in the face of Christian standards. Calling folks names and being so overtly proud of himself both are disqualifying in my book.

 

"I try not to make mistakes where I would have to ask for forgiveness," Trump said. "When I am asked a question like that, I don't like to make a lot of mistakes."

Cooper asked Trump if he felt the need to ask for repentance.

"If I make a mistake, yeah, I think it's great. But I try not to make mistakes," Trump said.

- See more at: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/56750/20150725/donald-trump-grilled-on-his-christian-faith-i-try-and-lead-a-life-where-i-dont-have-to-ask-god-for-forgiveness.htm#sthash.rB0VXP3J.dpuf

"I try not to make mistakes where I would have to ask for forgiveness," Trump said. "When I am asked a question like that, I don't like to make a lot of mistakes."

Cooper asked Trump if he felt the need to ask for repentance.

"If I make a mistake, yeah, I think it's great. But I try not to make mistakes," Trump said.

- See more at: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/56750/20150725/donald-trump-grilled-on-his-christian-faith-i-try-and-lead-a-life-where-i-dont-have-to-ask-god-for-forgiveness.htm#sthash.rB0VXP3J.dpuf

"I try not to make mistakes where I would have to ask for forgiveness," Trump said. "When I am asked a question like that, I don't like to make a lot of mistakes."

Cooper asked Trump if he felt the need to ask for repentance.

"If I make a mistake, yeah, I think it's great. But I try not to make mistakes," Trump said.

- See more at: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/56750/20150725/donald-trump-grilled-on-his-christian-faith-i-try-and-lead-a-life-where-i-dont-have-to-ask-god-for-forgiveness.htm#sthash.rB0VXP3J.dpuf

"I try not to make mistakes where I would have to ask for forgiveness," Trump said. "When I am asked a question like that, I don't like to make a lot of mistakes."

Cooper asked Trump if he felt the need to ask for repentance.

"If I make a mistake, yeah, I think it's great. But I try not to make mistakes," Trump said.

- See more at: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/56750/20150725/donald-trump-grilled-on-his-christian-faith-i-try-and-lead-a-life-where-i-dont-have-to-ask-god-for-forgiveness.htm#sthash.rB0VXP3J.dpuf

"I try not to make mistakes where I would have to ask for forgiveness," Trump said. "When I am asked a question like that, I don't like to make a lot of mistakes."

Cooper asked Trump if he felt the need to ask for repentance.

"If I make a mistake, yeah, I think it's great. But I try not to make mistakes," Trump said.

- See more at: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/56750/20150725/donald-trump-grilled-on-his-christian-faith-i-try-and-lead-a-life-where-i-dont-have-to-ask-god-for-forgiveness.htm#sthash.rB0VXP3J.dpuf

"I try not to make mistakes where I would have to ask for forgiveness," Trump said. "When I am asked a question like that, I don't like to make a lot of mistakes."

Cooper asked Trump if he felt the need to ask for repentance.

"If I make a mistake, yeah, I think it's great. But I try not to make mistakes," Trump said.

- See more at: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/56750/20150725/donald-trump-grilled-on-his-christian-faith-i-try-and-lead-a-life-where-i-dont-have-to-ask-god-for-forgiveness.htm#sthash.rB0VXP3J.dpuf

  

Challenging Terminology, Simple Truth

Toying with the Word of God.

My last blog, Mystic Biscuits, examined the difference between the value of Scripture and the lesser significance of mystical experience. It’s only within the truth of God’s Word that we gain knowledge, become aware of our sin, of the law, and the promise of freedom from the law. We’re humbled. We’re called to salvation. We find hope. We come to know God.

But within the realm of Biblical study, another dichotomy mixes our good intentions with variably skewed results. Like the subtle edging toward mysticism, we toy with the reality of the Word until we’ve made it all about us. I’ve done this myself. I’ve learned to do it in Bible study groups and heard less-than-true sentiments repeated again and again. All of us have stretched conclusions about what the Bible teaches. We believe in our own interpretation of truth. But interpretation must begin outside ourselves. It’s only been a few years since I learned the term for pitching my own agenda into Scripture, and the term for doing the opposite—realizing God’s true intent.

Eisegesis (or isogesis) means reading something into a passage of Scripture to make it more applicable to our own situation. For instance, we can take a verse written for the ancient Hebrew people, write a song about it, and sing it as a call for American Christians to humble themselves and pray. Does the overarching principle of God’s people praying reach beyond the rule of King Solomon to modern-day churches? Perhaps it does. But how many people who can sing the song can also cite the verse and give a clear assessment of God’s original objective?

Another example: If two or three are gathered in God’s name, then He is there with them. Well, of course He is—He’s omnipresent. The passage is sometimes quoted when an unimpressive number of church members show up for a service. The verse in question (Do you know where to find it?) actually addresses the matter of church discipline. It has more to do with a gathering of witnesses who propose strong rebuking, and less to do with a few people who show up for a prayer meeting.

Now for the opposite—another funny word—exegesis. It means that instead of determining the intent of Scripture based on our own experience and bias, we extract from Scripture what God actually intended. This is where interpretation begins. With all Scripture, including the above references, we must consider the history and culture of the original audience, as well as the grammatical and literary style of the writer. Will the direct message of these and other passages apply to our lives? Possibly. Regardless, we’ll learn something of God’s unfailing character and sovereignty. Scripture expresses its own overall aim in 2Timothy 3:16-17:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The more I think about the eise and the exe, the more I wonder if the chasm between truth and mysticism has a direct link. Is that how we get there? By reading into Scripture what we want it to say, instead of drawing out what we need?

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding how to study Scripture is a key to understanding Scripture. I’m no scholar, just a disciple of the simplest kind. Another funny word, hermeneutics (the branch of theology dealing with the principles of exegesis and interpretation), has not been in my Christianese vocabulary for too long. But even before I learned that studious term, I wanted to explore God’s Word, to come to know it, to understand more about what God said. And less about what I thought He said.

The Pentecostal Shaman

Springtime, a few years ago, and some determined birds were making a nest in the eaves of our house, right above our front door. Their droppings were everywhere around our front steps, and thanks to water restrictions then in force we were not supposed to wash paved areas around the home.

I mentioned the birds at our weekly Bible study, and one of the Chinese ladies said: “Oh, that’s very good luck.”

Then she quickly added: “If you’re superstitious.”

I had already seen the conflicts that members of our Bible study group – all Asian except me – sometimes experienced between their religious practise and the customs of their home countries.

Sometimes we need to think about what is really a religious practise and what is simply culture.

My wife is from South Korea and I have spent a lot of time in her country. I often think that one of the reasons for the explosion in Christianity in post-war South Korea has been due to the Korean church’s appropriation of local culture.

When I visited David Yonggi Cho’s Full Gospel Church in Seoul – the biggest church in the world with something like 800,000 to 900,000 members - an elder pointed to a large Korean magpie that had built its nest on top of the high church gateway. “That’s very good luck,” he told me.

In South Korea, it is still not uncommon to seek out shamans for guidance about sickness, money, jobs and many other concerns. And in particular, for help in finding a husband or wife.

I attended three Full Gospel Church services, and after lengthy prayers at each, Dr Cho announced that particular people in the congregation had just been healed of various ailments. He has explained in one of his books how he teaches women to visualize exactly the sort of husband they want, in order to be successful.

Buddhism teaches the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Dr Cho’s church teaches the Fivefold Gospel and the Threefold Blessing.

There have been suggestions that Dr Cho is a Pentecostal Shaman. But I wonder, how much of our own Christian practise is shaped by the culture around us?

RECALCULATING!

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline."

Ever since I started using a GPS, traveling to unfamiliar places has become a lot easier for me.  When using the GPS, it’s been my experience that any time I don’t follow its instructions to the letter, missing a turn or taking the wrong exit, I get this voice alert: “Recalculating!” That alert simply means I am getting off the path to my intended destination, and therefore need to follow the subsequent instruction to get back on track. To my surprise, following the new directions does really work. I may get to my destination a bit later, but I do get there.

Christians are called to shun sin and evil, to walk in Christ’s footsteps, allowing the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to direct us. However, every now and then, we get off course, the result of our sin nature, and need to be redirected. The Holy Spirit directs us, and quite often redirects us when we are not walking in obedience to the word of God. Do you ever hear the Holy Spirit’s alert -“Recalculating”? If so, how do you respond to Him? Do you continue down the path He is steering you away from, or do you take the redirected path to continue sweet fellowship with your Lord and Master?

What are some of the wrong paths we may find ourselves on, requiring His redirection? Consider these: have you ever been on the path of un-forgiveness, envy, jealousy, laziness, procrastination, lust, fornication, adultery, greed, evil desires, or the like? See Colossians 3:5. If we are honest, we’ll admit to at least one of the aforementioned behaviors. Now, how have you responded to the Holy Spirit’s nudging? Have you allowed Him to redirect you, or you are still on the path that will lead you farther away from God? The Word says God’s wrath is coming because of these sins (see Colossians 3:6), and Paul admonishes, “Now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:8-10 NIV84).

Obedience to the Word of God is proof that we love Him! See John 14:23. We cannot claim to love Him while deliberately living in disobedience; if we do, the Bible says we are liars (see 1 John 2:4). Stop doing wrong and return to the path of submission. The Scripture says, “The Father disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as son” (Hebrews 12:6 NIV84). Also, in Revelation, God warns the church in Laodicea, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent” (Revelation 3:19 NIV84). Don’t make Him bring hardship or calamity into your life; He is patient with us, but He loves us too much to sit back and watch us destroy ourselves. Don’t continue to live in sin with the attitude that “God forgives.” It is disrespectful to intentionally do things we know break His heart or offend Him.  

No matter where you got off course in your Christian walk, the process to get back on track is the same. When the Spirit convicts you of something, you need to agree with Him, repent, and ask for forgiveness. Don’t stop there; go on and remedy the situation. You might need to  

apologize to others, return or pay back what you borrowed. In short, you need to make restitution as needed. Let’s allow ourselves to be redirected by the Holy Spirit so we can continue to grow in our Christian walk, and have unbroken fellowship with God. Let’s be attentive, so we don’t miss hearing the Spirit’s alert: “Recalculating.”     

What Does Jesus Mean "Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness?"

New International Version
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matt 5:6

A quick reading of the commentaries would have you believe that the Jesus was only noting that if we hunger and thirst after the righteousness that we have already received through our decision to call him Lord, that we will be filled. I have a hard time with this interpretation. Why would I be hungering and thirsting after what I have already received...for what has already been imputed to me?

On the other hand, I may have Christ's righteousness in me, and yet I continue to act in ways that are not righteous. Certainly I might hunger and thirst to grow in my understanding of what it is to be outwardly righteous and to have the inner peace that comes from a righteousness that flows from within. Some might have difficultly differentiating this idea from legalism, but it is quite the opposite. We are not sinning less because we are looking for a legal pardon for that sin. We are sinning less because our love of the Father and his Son causes us to hunger and thirst after their idea of righteousness...to discover it through the Word, and then to live it out. 

Then we would also hunger and thirst after righteousness in this fallen world. We know that this is the will of the Father, as Jesus prayed "on earth, as it is in heaven." This might be taking place at two levels. 

1. We want our children, neighbors, coworkers and even our enemies to be blessed as we are when they repent and enter the Kingdom of God. So we hunger and thirst after the righteousness of those who are not yet righteous before God.
2. We desire to see righteous action among even the heathens. Our heart is heavy as we see the depravity of men all around us. We seek after righteousness through our participation in the changing of the culture. We can't help but be drawn by our hunger and thirst to help the victims of sin and even those who are perpetrating harm.

Then What?

If I am hungering and thirsting, I should be acting. Our wealth keeps us from having any thought or idea about what it is to hunger or to thirst. Even if we have fasted for spiritual, health, or other reasons, we have generally done so in a way to keep our hungering to a minimum. We plan it out so that the discomfort is not that problematic. There is certainly no comparison to the hunger that those who are not certain about their next meal or have been hungry for a long time. There is no comparison to the thirst of someone who is parched with no clear indication that they will find relief any time soon.

So we are hungering and more like a modern American who has a mealtime delayed by an hour. We are thirsting like someone who has forgotten to take a water bottle on an hour hike. And the efforts to slake that thirst after righteousness is about the same as the hiker who knows he has bottled water in his car just ahead.

A Lack of Work to Be Done?

Is there a shortage of unrighteousness in the world? In the US? In our neighborhood? Last time I checked, righteousness is in short supply and becoming more scarce by the day. The number of my friends and family that have divorced their spouses, been unfaithful, participated in sex outside of marriage, fallen into addiction, or just lived a life punctuated by sinful behavior is way beyond my recollection of such behavior in the '50's or early '60's. Maybe there have been other times when society has been this proud (I don't need God), but it is hard to imagine.

As noted in earlier posts, the pride of this generation is probably unmatched in history. Most of my associates who are not fellow Christians have almost no interest in God, and believe that humans are perfectly capable of handling all the things they might have previously called on God to do. This might be the largest missionary field ever, in that pride is the sin God hates. Some folks who look like really fine people, give to charity, work to help the poor, are filled with pride. We should be hungering and thirsting to deal with so much sin at such a high level. How do we reach them?

What will you do to sate your hunger or thirst? So many "good" Christians seem to be immobilized or clueless as to how to help bring about change. Many have told me they have no idea what they could do, or that they lack any specific passion. My admonition is to be like Paul and head off toward some mission field. If God redirects you, great. If he doesn't, then keep walking and working until you feel led otherwise.

Will Unbelieving Believers be Thrown into the Lake of Fire?

What does the Bible say about unbelieving Believers? After all from the Revelation passage below the “unbelieving” are judged in a hefty manner, ranking behind only the cowardly, and before even the sexually immoral.

REV 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things,[d] and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving,[e] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,…”

It is true that the first two groups of people to enter the lake of fire are those who have are the fearful (cowardly) and unbelieving. But I don’t think these “unbelieving” are believers (born-again) in the first place since those who “overcome(s)” are already God’s sons and are not included in this group heading into the lake of fire (hell).

(All Christians struggle with fear and unbelief  at some point or another but it doesn’t’ mean they/we are not Christians—so this verse is talking about people who do not believe in their hearts that Jesus is Lord and is their savior and have never confessed with their mouths the same. (Romans  9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation)

And Jesus’s own words in John 5

24"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Strong’s Concordance (Strong’s number 571 for the word “Unbelief” means: 571 ápistos (from 1 /A "not" and 4103 /pistós, "faithful," see there) – properly, not faithful because unpersuaded, i.e. not convinced(persuaded by God). 571 /ápistos ("faithless, unpersuaded") does not always refer to the unconverted – see Jn 20:27. 571 (ápistos) describes someone who rejects or refuses God's inbirthings of faith(note the root, faith, 4102 /pístis).

But what about unbelief for the believer—like professing Christians who suffer unbelief? Can a believer be unbelieving? Can people who claim a relationship with Christ not believe pure grace from God and still be believers? What does Christ think of these?

After all Mark 16: 16 says: Whoever believes …will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Let’s look at the word “does not believe” above. According to Strong’s the word is “Apisteo” and this sin can apply to both believers and unbelievers. (So unbelieving believers versus straight unbelievers—see below.)

Cognate: 569 apistéō (from 571 /ápistos, "unfaithful," without faith, i.e. negating 4103 /pistós, "faithful") – properly, refusing to be persuaded by God ("betray His trust," J. Thayer).

569 /apistéō ("not willing to be persuaded") means more than "disbelieve" ("not believing") because it indicates "refusing to be faithful" (honor a trust or revelation from the Lord). See 571 (apistos).

569/apisteō ("refuse to be persuaded") is sin committed by believers (Mk 16:11; Lk 24:11,41) and unbelievers (Ac 28:24; Ro 3:3; 1 Pet 2:7).569 (apistéō) reveals a person is unconvinced when they should be persuaded by what the Lord has done (offered).

Since we know that the Bible never contradicts itself, seeming contradictions must mean it’s our understanding or interpretations of the verses that needs to be re-evaluated. 

We know of the first 12 disciples Judas was not saved—

But what about the other 11(and Paul was added to this later to make 12 again)

Jesus said this to them:

(Matt 19)  "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

At least from here it appears that the 11 listening were saved—they will sit upon the throne and judging—I don’t think unbelievers will be sitting on thrones and judging—do you? 

Yet we know of at least 2 disciples who showed fear and unbelief—Peter, in denying Jesus 3 times, and Thomas in denying Jesus in the upper room (after the resurrection).

Also John 15 seems to indicate Jesus saying that his disciples are saved when He spoke to them:

3"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 

Also before that in John 13:

9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." 10 Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean."

So what does “clean” mean?

We know that the 11 disciples received the Holy Spirit only after Jesus breathed into them the Holy Spirit after Jesus’ resurrection.

John 20: 21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

It seems like “clean” or when someone is “clean” they are sanctified, and thus saved.

Ephesians 5: 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

(Sanctify means: set apart as or declare holy)

So going back to John 13 when Jesus declared his 11 disciples as “clean”--He already knew that Judas was not “clean”. 

But what about Peter and Thomas? Both suffered from unbelief. (One because of fear—Peter; the other, Thomas, outright doubt/unbelief—like those who say they are believers today yet have doubts. 

Galatians 3: 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

But Jesus said that Peter is “clean” even though he would eventually deny Jesus 3 times. Jesus didn’t impute this action of “unbelief” against Peter even though Jesus knew Peter would display unbelief and fear. 

And Thomas? 

Thomas said:

 John 20: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

And we know Jesus appeared to Thomas 8 days later:

John 20: Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

So Thomas was an unbelieving believer—he had been in Ministry with Jesus spending 3.5 years with the Lord. And Jesus even said that Thomas will be among the twelve judging on thrones yet here is Thomas displaying unbelief. 

I feel at least from these verses believers can practice unbelief in some form or other. It doesn’t mean they are no longer believers, but that though they are “clean” some aspects of their being is “unclean” and need washing—as likened to Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. 

It's like when the father of the child who cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” in Mark 9:24.

So for those who worry, wondering if their momentary unbelief would disqualify them from heaven, rest assured, like me and this father, we are already believers, overcomers because of Christ. 

And for those who argue as to why Rev 21:7 would even mention “unbelief” as a sin I submit this to you: because even if the person is brave (courageous, and not fearful), leads a super “good” pure life with no sexual immorality, never told a lie etc. as long as that person never believes (unbelief in Mark 16:16)  in Jesus as their Savior he/she would be thrown into the Lake of fire. 


Emma Right is an award winning young adult and children's fiction author. Her fantasy and suspense thrillers for young people have won multiple awards and have been Amazon best sellers. A homeschool mother of five she hopes her books will empower, entertain and enlighten her readers.  Find out more at http://emmaright.com/ and get free books for children.

Do You Really Need Your Youth Pastor?

Some years ago I was chatting with local Baptist pastor Dr George Lazenby, still then preaching each Sunday at the age of 90 (he has since gone to be with the Lord). He told me that he was writing his autobiography.

Knowing Dr Lazenby as I did, I had no doubts his story would be provocative, and so it has proven. He gave me permission to publish the following excerpt, about our society’s – and the church’s – fascination with youth.

We are living in a time when the ageing population is now seen as a threat. The next generation may well make demands that the present taxation system cannot carry. Which seems to fly in the face of the belief that we should retire earlier than was the case when 65 was the usual age for retirement.

This is not to say that retirement should follow that pattern, but that it appears to be a waste of what experience can give. And this attitude has somehow spilt over into the church.

The emphasis today is on youth, and pastors for youth are seen as essential. When seeking a pastor, few churches would be likely to consider a man in his sixties.

Some of the most impressive preachers I have listened to have been old men.

I shall never forget hearing Dr. A.J. Gossip preach in Glasgow in 1938. He made his way slowly up the stairs leading to the pulpit. He seemed so frail. His thin white hair covered what seemed to be a small face lined by age.

But when he preached!

I could do no more than listen entranced at the way he opened the scriptures. Age had not diminished his preaching ability – it had enhanced it.

Reading Christian newspapers, I am continually confronted by churches seeking youth pastors. As far as I recall, I have not read one which focused upon the needs of the elderly in the congregation.

People over the age of 50 often comprise the greater part of the congregation. They have their special needs. Many are facing the closing years of life – and with it the prospect of sickness and death. To their needs many churches seem deaf.

Subjects that come within the category of ageing and death would be regarded as morbid and consequently avoided. The elderly are left to work things out for themselves without hearing what the word of God has to say about these matters.

Why must the emphasis be so frequently on the needs of youth?