By GEORGE MARTZEN

THE Kingdom of God is "unshakeable" and Jesus Christ is "the same today and yesterday and forever", but the church faces some challenges today.


That was the message of the Rev Howard Peskett to a group of lay leaders and friends on his recent visit to Singapore, marking a return to the place he called home for 20 years.


He also gave this message to about 100 pastors at one of the sessions at the Combined Pastors' Retreat at Sofitel Palm Resort, Johor, from April 13-15, 2004. He was the keynote speaker at the retreat.


He lived and worked in Singapore from 1971 to 1991, first as a teacher at the Discipleship Training Centre and later as Research Director at the Overseas Missionary Fellowship office. He is now the Vice-Principal at Trinity College in Bristol, England.
He spoke on April 17 at Barker Road Methodist Church sanctuary following the Bishop's Lunch for lay leaders and LCEC Chairmen, relating the hopeful New Testament vision of Hebrews 12-13.


Like the early church which had to "endure trials for the sake of discipline", the contemporary church, society and world are caught up in tremendous challenges and changes, he said. While admitting that there may be many more, he gave a list of seven "Contemporary Challenges to the Church" and three proposals to tackle those challenges.


The first challenge is about "relating our Christian profession to everyday life". Christians need to have a Christian worldview that takes into account God's creation and mission mandate for the world. Redeemed people should have a vision for a restored society.


The second challenge is the "disintegration of doctrinal thinking". Faith, the Rev Peskett said, is becoming individualised and privatised. As an example, he noted that in the UK people are asked to express their "religious preference" on census forms. The disintegration of "shared truth" will issue in conflict and in intellectual hollowness. In contrast he said that churches that grow in numbers and quality are "convictional" churches, which respond to people looking for truth.
Third, "pluralism" is a great challenge. Pluralism has to do with how people accept diversity in a society.


The Rev Peskett said that if our religious beliefs are important to us then they should be of "massive importance" in the interaction with society. Pluralism should not downplay differences as unimportant, but rather facilitate civil engagement of between different beliefs.


"We must be open because we may be wrong, but we must never be indifferent because a society's belief system is of major importance," he said


The fourth challenge is "Family stress". Family values are determined more by the economic pressures of the market place than by our Christian values. "We are materially rich, but time poor," the Rev Peskett said. Hence there is little time for nurturing Christian values in the home.


The fifth challenge is the breakdown of our "Rootedness", specifically for Singapore Christians, the roots of our church and life in Asian culture. Christians need to be amphibians, bridging the gap between roots and the modern world. More and more societies around the world are being homogenised by globalisation. The loss of roots means that when the storm blows those without roots will not last.


"Power struggles in the church" is the sixth challenge. This is a great hindrance to the Gospel. The power of evil is most revealed in the divisions and quarrels of those who are supposed to be witnesses to the Good News. Too often church fights break out because rather than being rooted in the mercy of God, church life is rooted in rivalry, jealousy and personal ambition.


The seventh challenge is "the least, the last and the lost". Recalling his time in Singapore, the Rev Peskett noted that Asia has the majority of the world's population, Asia has the largest number of those who have not heard about Jesus Christ, and Asia has the largest number of adherents to ancient religions.


In contrast to early 20th century optimism, population increases meant that more people are now ignorant of the Gospel than 100 years ago.
Returning to the hope-filled message of Hebrews, the Rev Peskett offered three proposals.


First, Christians need to run the race and fight the fight of faith. "We mustn't forget that perseverance is rooted in God's faithfulness, not our faith," he said. There is, however a fight in faith, a fight against fear, a fight against sin's seduction, a fight against covetousness, a fight against apparently insuperable obstacles, like the Red Sea and Jericho, and a fight against disobedience.


Second, the Rev Peskett said, Christians need to promote "quadruple A Christianity": Authenticity, Adventure, Awe and Agape (love).
Finally Christians need to make a difference. Recalling the biblical admonitions first to the Israelites and later to Christians to be distinct, the Rev Peskett noted that "Christians who are different make a difference" in the world.


As the British journalist, Malcolm Muggeridge said, "Only dead fish float downstream." Christians must remember the words of Romans 12:1: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."

The Rev George Martzen is Minister Attached to the Bishop's Office.

The Rev Howard Peskett: Spoke of the need for Christians need to make a difference. -- Methodist Message picture.

QUOTE:

'Christians who are
different make
a difference
in the world.'