Ramsden Bellhouse Baptist Church: Pastor's Page

A message from our pastor:

My Dear Friends,

I must admit to a fleeting sympathy (sometimes) for a certain member of the present government who is often ridiculed in the press for the way in which he mangles and misuses the English language. We might guess at what it is he is trying to say but somehow, the poor fellow always seems to get very muddled up.

But we must admit, I think, that the English language rarely seems to be straightforward in either its usage or construction. For example, what does a foreign student make of our plural words? If `mice' is the plural of `mouse' then logically 'hice' should be the plural of `house' - isn't it? (Answers on a postcard to the Editor please)

Well, clearly that's nonsense and we all know it to be so but it's easy to see how the words of a language that we might be familiar with can easily lead others into error. I am reminded of an English/Portuguese phrase book that was issued in the 1970's entitled `English as she is spoken'. Everyone thought it was very funny except perhaps the unfortunate and, no doubt, embarrassed compilers.

Yet whilst we mock politicians and smile at (and hopefully help) confused language students struggling with our language, perhaps we should also think about ourselves as God's people charged with proclaiming the gospel. Not so long ago, I was stopped by an obviously enthusiastic young lady in Chelmsford who thrust a leaflet into my hand and asked if I `had renounced my carnal self and obtained salvation through justification by the blood of the Lamb'.

Well, make of that what you will. I understood what she was on about but as I walked on I wondered how many others she had questioned and who might have walked away totally baffled by the mass of confusing words that probably meant little, if anything at all to them? We know what we mean but do others?

Do you remember our gracious friend Peggy Stevens who is now with her Lord? Once when I was visiting her just before she died she said to me, `I haven't got the words to tell people about God like you do so I have to show them instead'. Peggy was right. How much better it is to show people about God by what we do, how we act, how we conduct ourselves and things like that. Sometimes words just get in the way and confuse us.

There is a story in John's gospel (8:3-11) where a woman, caught in the act of adultery, is brought before Jesus and He is asked to pronounce on the matter. Significantly Jesus says only one short sentence but the result was an electrifying lesson to everyone on forgiveness. Words were not needed; instead Jesus showed the lesson to everyone.

Sometimes we can do more for God's kingdom by what we do rather than by what we say. (Sermons however, will continue each Sunday)

Geoffrey Griggs

Pastor

This article first appeared in the Ramsden Bellhouse Baptist Church Review - Summer 2006 Edition.