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Shelley’s news update – 26th October

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Dear friends

We meet again at 11am in the building and on our youtube channel on 26th October where we continue with Part 2 of our theme of mission in the book of Acts.  This week is called ‘Empowered by the Spirit’. There will be a group for our younger friends following the same theme.

After the church service, Shelley and the deacons will meet at 1pm in the music room.

In the evening, Rock Solid youth groups meet 7-8pm for a positive pumpkin party and sharing together.  See Val, Adam, Nathan, Ruth or Martyn.

The week looks like this…

Monday 27th October 10-12midday Beacon Warm welcome café in the building.

Tuesday 28th October No Stepping Stones for under 5’s and their parents, grandparents and carers this week.  Back on the 4th November.  See Diane, Hilary, or Lesley for more information.

Tuesday 28th October afternoon bible study in church. See Howard or check with Lesley

Wednesday 29th October No lunch club this week.  Back on the 5th November.  Speak to Rachel or Lesley for more information.

Wednesday 29th October 7.30pm Bible study in the church building.  Speak to Ruth or Andy B or send a message to Lesley.

Thursday 30th October 2.00 -4.00pm Craft group and warm welcome space in church building.  Do pop in and say hello.  Speak to Karen, Lesley or myself for more information or if it’s something you might be able to join or support as we are looking for helpers.

Thursday 30th October Bible study at 7pm, see John C this week.

Friday 31st October Bible Study at 10.00am – 11.15 in church.  See Shelley for more information.

Friday 31st October House Group 8.00pm – 10.00 with Jonathan and Hilary D and Steve and Helen O.  Do speak to them or ask Lesley or I for more information.

Sunday 2nd November11am Café church with refreshments for all in the building and online. ‘The Church’s Mission in Acts’.  Part 3: Welcoming everyone

Tuesday 11th November 7.30pm whole church meeting in the building.  All welcome.

Around the city..

Tuesday 28th October ‘The Message trust on tour’ God is on the move and can use each of us to reach our friends, communities, workplaces, but how do we play our part? Come and be equipped, inspired, and encouraged, an evening with Andy Hawthorn and team from The Message Trust.  See Claire for more information.   Leeds: Message on tour – The Message

Tuesday 18th November ‘An evening with Rev John Swales MBE of Lighthouse Church ‘What does it look like to follow Jesus in a world of climate breakdown and fractured society.  Prayer stations will offer space for lament and hope.  In the chapel at Trinity University Horsforth Campus  Creation Groans : Christ Calls Tickets, Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Saturday 22nd November. This is the second Leeds gathering for young people and young adults and all those who want to support them in sharing Jesus with others  THE SEND UK & Ireland There is a group going from MBC.  Do send a message or speak to myself or Ruth or one of the youth leaders if you want to find out more or go along with the group.

Nearer Christmas at MBC…

Sunday 7th December ‘Christmas café church’ followed by a Christmas community café with live music and refreshments.  Everyone welcome! Kevin Sinfield will be running past the church building at about 1.15/1.30pm on his final day of the 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge 2025 raising money for those affected by Motor Neuron Disease. Please click on the link here. Look up day 7 and you will see where we are on the map!  Kevin will run by Moortown Baptist Church and then onto Beckett Park University Campus to begin the Leeds Santa Dash.  More information here by clicking this link Run For All launches Leeds Santa Dash as final leg of Kevin Sinfield’s 7in7: Together Challenge.

Sunday 14th December will also see the return of carol singing in a local home for the elderly, feel free to speak to Rachel B or Claire for more information.  Our wreath making workshop is taking place in the afternoon of the 14th and its open to everyone!  More information to come.

Finally…

Thanks to all who helped with lunchclub last week on their trip to the Wetherby Whaler and to the Stepping Stones team throughout the term, both groups are taking a break this week but are back after half term.

Last week David V reminded us of the important work of the Welcome team’s on Sunday mornings and asked if anyone would like to help then do talk to him or to Lesley and she will pass a message on.

Do check out the website and face book page to see what’s been going on this week and what’s coming up!  www.moortownbapstistchurch.org.uk including this article about the opening of MBC In October 1957, and just two years on from its foundation the Lord Mayor of Leeds officially opens Moortown Baptist Church – Moortown Baptist Church

In Christ

Shelley

Shelley Dring

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

In October 1957, and just two years on from its foundation the Lord Mayor of Leeds officially opens Moortown Baptist Church

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How MBC looked in 1955 – just two years from its official opening

In October 1957 and just two years on from its formation the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Ald Joseph Hiley, officially opened Moortown Baptist Church. 

Many thanks to Rod Russell for reminding me about this and passing on this Yorkshire Evening Post cutting marking the event. 

In many ways there are many similarities between then and now. As our very first minister Rev F.W.Bond commented “We are a very busy lot,” before adding “the members have done a lot of work themselves.” In that respect very little has changed. But on the other hand and as you would expect people come and people go: we’re currently being led by our seventh minister, we’ve extended extensions and rarely has there been a time when our contacts and relationship with those who live alongside us have been more deeply rooted. 

So thanks again to Rod for passing on this little piece of history. 

 

 

 

Is the Bible True? John Whitehead’s fascinating study. This week, the final chapters of Part 1. Next time John looks into Building on the Foundations

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                                                    Chapter 5

                                                      Who or What is God?

We have considered some of the things that God has done, but who or what is He?

There are a number of concepts that will help our understanding and exploration of this important and crucial question.

Prime Mover

The dictionary would give the following definitions of a prime mover. A prime mover is aperson who is chiefly responsible for the creation or execution of a plan. For instance, George Stevenson was the prime mover behind the development and construction of the railways. William Wilberforce campaigning against slavery and Emily Pankhurst campaigning for votes for women are further examples.

A scientific definition is that a prime mover is an initial source of motive power designed to receive and modify force and motion as supplied by a natural source and apply them to drive machinery. For instance, we can consider a locomotive on a railway. Coal or diesel fuel goes in and the locomotive moves along the track. Or a generator in a power station fuel goes in and electricity comes out. In turn, this becomes the driving force for lighting, heating and motive power. A watch battery, the spring of a clock are other examples.

Cause and Effect

This leads on to cause and effect. Each of these forces has its own cause, and has a designer behind it. The engine was manufactured. The watch battery was manufactured. The watch spring was wound up. But does this go on forever or is there a prime cause? Does the creation story shed any light on this? (Pun intended!) The Bible account says, In the beginning, God. But who created God? If something created God, who created that something? In any case, if something had created God, God would be just an idol. And so we would have to go on. No, the only sensible answer is to believe that because of our understanding that everything created has a creator, that there must be a prime cause.

Science tells us that yes, there is a prime cause. Before the Big Bang there was nothing. The universe was created out of nothing. The Big Bang was the prime effect. But science can’t tell us what caused the Big Bang, or why God caused the universe to be created.

As the Bible says, In the beginning, God. God existed before creation. He has always existed. In terms of cause and effect, He is the ultimate Prime Cause. That is the only logical conclusion. There is no other. It cannot be proved but equally it cannot be disproved. However, it follows a logical path. We have a reinforcement of the reality of God. God Is! We build on this, and again, observe whether this leads to truth or falsehood.

Note that in all these examples everything that has been made had a purpose. It wascmade for a reason. Later we will examine in much more detail what God’s purpose was in creating matter, life and humankind.

The scientific evidence for the creation account does not stop there.

Genesis 1.9 says, in the beginning all the land was in one place surrounded by sea. Geologists have demonstrated that this was true. Continents and islands have been formed by what is called continental drift- that is, movement of tectonic plates under the sea, separating land masses in the process. Glancing at the globe, continents can be seen to be roughly fitting together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Not bad for such an ancient document. That’s two fundamental truths in the first 150 words. And the whole Bible is about revealing God’s truth!

To put the vastness of the universe into perspective, our sun is just one of more than 100 billion stars (suns) in the Milky Way. It orbits some 25 thousand light-years from the galactic core, completing a revolution once every 250 million years or so. It and the rest of our solar system planets and moons, were created around 5.5 billion years ago. This fits comfortably with the statement in Genesis implying that the Earth was created at a later time than the creation of light and darkness.

Again, surprising that all this is found in such an ancient document. Truly inspired.

Is the Universe really 13.7 Billion Years Old?

One scientific method for the dating of fossils and minerals is based on what is called background microwave radiation. But it does not rely on one “clock” for its dating, but multiple clocks which endorse the reliability of the dating. These methods can give the age of the universe to an accuracy of something like 0.1%, allowing the conclusion to be drawn that the world did begin some 13.7 billion years ago.

But of the future, the Bible also talks about a world that is finite, a world that will end. It describes how this is going to happen. The following passage is just one example of such a prediction. “The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall down from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

Though this is jumping a long way ahead, perhaps we should read it as a warning. Our everyday observations tell us that everything is doomed to decay. Everything is going to wear out eventually. Cosmologists tell us about black holes. A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. The gravity is so strong that huge masses of matter can be squeezed into a tiny space. Could planet earth at some point be attracted by the gravitational pull of a black hole. Does this begin to add plausibility to that being the end to the world? But what is under scrutiny right now is how we interpret what the Bible says about the beginning and development of the universe.

Creation or Evolution

The Evolution Argument

In his consideration of life in all its forms, Charles Darwin in 1859 published his famous book, On the Origin of Species. Post-Darwin, this treatise has been widely accepted and creation theory has become unfashionable. Plants and animals can easily be demonstrated as having adapted to change in circumstances. Evolutionism can take us part of the way in terms of why things are what they are, but it is not unreasonable to say that evolution by adaptation is part of the creation process.

Darwin himself was acutely aware that there were many things which his theory could not explain. He was perfectly prepared to live with these unresolved tensions. He believed that there was enough evidence available to suggest that his was the best explanation of what he observed. Given this faith in his theory, he felt he could cope with the obvious difficulties of contradictions, anomalies and loose ends and he was convinced that subsequent scientists would find explanations.

But this has not been borne out in practice. For instance, evolution theory has little to offer when asked to show the missing links between species. No fossil or other evidence has been able to throw any light on this. Indeed strata upon strata of fossil evidence shows in the lower layers, dinosaur skeletons lie alongside the skeletons of creatures which are still around today. Fossil evidence shows records of death, not evolution. And from what, forinstance, did the dinosaurs or the simplest living organisms evolve?

The Wonders of Nature

There is so much more which cannot be explained by evolution theory. The Arctic Tern, one of the longest migrators on the planet, makes a trip from the summer breeding grounds in the arctic all the way around to the Antarctic in winter and back every year. It travels a mind-boggling 44,000 miles in a year (by way of comparison, Earth’s circumference is just under 25,000 miles).

The monarch butterfly migrates in the millions to leave their summer breeding grounds in northeastern United States and Canada and travel upwards of 3000 miles to reach over-wintering grounds in Mexico. But they do not return. It is a new generation which returns northwards.

Are these practices and habits really the product of evolution- if so, what has been the evolutionary process, or are they the product of an intelligent designer, a creator?

Furthermore, we can consider the mating instinct and courtship rituals that we so often see on nature programmes. Surely it is by intelligent design that fish, birds and animals, in fact every living creature knows exactly what to do and has known what to do from the very beginning. It is such an unlikely act! How could this possibility be down to evolution?

One intriguing example is the silverfish, an insect only 12-18mm long. There is evidence that it has been around for 400 million years. It can live for up to a year without food or water. (No sign of evolution to or from other creatures, by the way). Its mating habits are fascinating. Before silverfish reproduce, they carry out a ritual involving three phases, each of which may last over half an hour. In the first phase, the male and female stand face to face, their quivering antennae touching, then repeatedly back off and return to this position. In the second phase, the male runs away and the female chases him. In the thirdphase, the male and female stand side by side and head to tail, with the male vibrating his tail against the female. Finally, the male lays a spermatophore, a sperm capsule coveredin gossamer, which the female takes into her body via her ovipositor to fertilise her eggs. The wonders of “nature!” If you wish to take a short diversion I invite you to read the whole article in Wikipedia.

However, who can deny the archaeological findings relating to predecessors of humans as we know them, the species Homo Sapiens. Although there are no missing links, we see a progression of humanoids from Neanderthal man through Homo Erectus to Homo Sapiens. It would be quite reasonable to suggest that God took two of these and implanted in them a soul, a spirit, transforming them into God’s image. We can observe that at the present stage of archaeological discoveries, it was to Homo Sapiens that the first cave drawings are attributed.

Further Endorsement of the Creation Argument

We have spent considerable time looking at cosmological, scientific and archaeological endorsement of the biblical creation story, but there is considerably more that we can examine. We can also show evidence from microscopic foundations, which needs a little scientific explanation.

If you do not want to get too scientific and are comfortable with the explanations I have presented so far, then feel free to skip the rest of the chapter.

Atoms, Elements and Molecules

An atom is the smallest constituent unit of ordinary matter that constitutes a chemical element. Atoms of different chemical elements can combine together to make molecules. For instance, a molecule of water combines two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen, that is what we mean when we say water is H2 O.

It is here that we have to delve a little deeper into science, but thankfully not too deeply. Although all this is taught in science lessons at high school, the implications may not have been realised at the time.

Every atom and every molecule- that is the constituents of every solid, liquid or gas, every living thing- be it microbe, gene, plant or animal in all its variety- is composed of three building blocks. These particles are named as protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons carry a positive charge, electrons a negative charge and neutrons are neutral. A positive and a negative charge attract each other like the electrostatic attraction observed when a balloon is rubbed against hair- the hair stands up on end. In the case of atoms, they are kept apart because the electrons rotate around the nucleus of protons and neutrons. Where does an electron get its energy from to keep rotating? Why doesn’t it slow down and eventually stop? What actually is an electron? Good questions, but answering them would take us into the depths of advanced physics, which is far from the intentions of this book. Scientists are still delving into the existence of subatomic particles. But God Knows!  It will suffice our purpose just to repeat that from these three fundamental building blocks all matter is constructed. In the same way that bricks or stones, windows and doors can be used to construct a simple pillar or a magnificent cathedral, our three constituents protons, neutrons and electrons are used to construct every atom in the universe- from hydrogen, through to substances like nitrogen, alcohol, mercury, carbon, sulphur or lead examples of all gases, liquids and solids.

It all depends how the electrons are arranged- and they are arranged with the greatest precision. For instance, hydrogen, which is the lightest substance known, comprises one proton as the nucleus, and one electron spinning around it. Oxygen has 8 protons, 8 neutrons and 8 electrons. The metal iron has 26 protons, 30 neutrons and 26 electrons to balance out the protons.

But electrons do not rotate around a nucleus in a random manner. They are arranged in groupings which govern how they will combine with other elements to make molecules. To say that it just happened or it was in a random manner would be a similar probability to a whirlwind rushing through a scrap yard and producing a Boeing 737. No, deliberate, intelligent design is the only realistic answer!

DNA

Getting really scientific, DNA is a large molecule present in every living organism which identifies its uniqueness and contributes to what each generation passes onto the next. I do not want to go into any more detail here, but it would be a fascinating study in itself. Such a large molecule could not have been the product of chance.

Finally, although science does not have all the answers it has told us some amazing things and it has come to some amazing conclusions. There is so much space inside each atom imagine perhaps the space around our solar system of the planets orbiting around the sun. We are told for example that if all the space were removed from the molecules that make up every human being who had ever existed on earth we removed then that matter would occupy a space less than a sugar lump!

The fact is that there is nothing that exists throughout world history that does not have an intelligent source, a maker, a designer, an inventor, a developer! So why should life, in all its forms- microbes, atoms, plants, animals, humans be any different?

                                                         Chapter 6

                                          Exploring the Bible Further

Continuing into Genesis 4, we read that Adam and his wife had another son. She said that God had given her a son to replace Abel, whom Cain killed. She named him Seth. Seth had a son whom he named Enoch. It was then the people began using the Lord’s holy name in worship.

Here we have our first difficulty. Where did the other people come from? We can only assume that the historic timeline is incomplete, missing out generations over many years. But this is peripheral to our main thesis.

The Covenant with Noah.

In Genesis chapters 6-9, we read that Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. But the world had become corrupt, disordered and full of violence. Because of the corruption God said to Noah that He would destroy the whole earth.

He instructed Noah to build a big boat- the Ark- to contain Noah and his family and representatives of each living species. He would flood the whole earth destroying every living creature and make a fresh start with Noah and his family.

Genesis 6:1-8 contains some puzzling statements. We read of giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and heavenly beings? The great heroes and famous men of long ago? What are we to make of all this? It comes within the definition of mythology, tying in with Greek mythology, of giants and men with superhuman qualities. Myth or fact? We will never know. Whatever the truth in this, God put a stop to all that through the cataclysmic flood which followed. Noah and his family were spared, the evil in the world was destroyed.

He also gave the promise that He would never do it again and as a reminder He chose the rainbow, then seen as a super-natural event. We today may be able to explain through the medium of elementary physics the cause of rainbows, but each time we see a rainbow, we can be reminded of God’s promise that such a flood would never happen again. And there’s no getting away from the beauty of the natural spectacle. So often the weather forecasters show pictures of rainbows, complete arcs, or the place where the end of the rainbow touches land. I can’t wait for the grandchildren to ask the question so that I can bring God into the conversation. God even created the natural laws as a means of maintaining order.

The description of the flood is Myth. The symbolism of the rainbow is Myth. Thus these early chapters offer not a historic statement, but an interpretation of the universe, of history, and of life itself, in terms of the involvement of an entity which is “other”.

The Bible would say to us, in the symbolism of the Ark, that God considers that there is enough goodness in this ordinary humanity to make it worth his while to save it. Punishment for wrongdoing there must be. God’s judgement is inevitable. But after the flood comes the rainbow, the symbol of his promise that He would never again cause a flood to cover the earth.

It is saying that a world which chose evil and not the good that God required is abhorrent to him and He destroyed it, starting again from scratch with Noah and his family. An all powerful God. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living, ever present God.

More Ant-ics (Sorry about that)

Recently I have been fascinated by ants nesting in our garden, accessed from under patio stones, oblivious to the human presence. Some were growing wings in readiness to make a new nest. They were settling on the windows. Some were finding their way into the house. We were prepared for an invasion. Drastic action had to be taken to remove their nests. I had to “play God” as a judge, taking total control, eliminating them by pouring water down into their nest and flooding them out. Truly this was a thought provoking moment. As far as the ants were concerned this was a super-natural event, just as the flood had been in Noah’s time.

Cultural and Scientific Endorsement of the Flood

In looking at the credibility of all this, we may note that great flood stories abound in the writings of primitive cultures across the world, each with their own explanation as to the cause- too many to conclude that a major flood did not happen. There are so many as to endorse the historical plausibility of the story! But as Myth, the Bible story, of the flood was attributed to God the Creator.

Apart from these flood stories from across the world, a recent scientific discovery has found fresh water deposits beneath the earth’s surface in porous rock, about half a million cubic kilometres, enough to cover the surface of the Earth. If on the surface of the earth,only mountaintops would be visible. These reserves in fact have been tapped into, in the United States of America, providing irrigation and hence fertility for the American prairies.

Turning to the book of Psalms, a book of poetry, song and worship, we read in Psalm 33,6 “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; He puts the deep (the oceans) into storehouses.” I find it truly amazing that this was described over 3000 years ago.

Where does this leave us? Even if it did not happen just as it is written in the Bible, I reiterate, the writers saw that the history was not merely a sequence of events but the unfolding of a purpose. So, I say again, we must not ask the question, is it true, but what truth does it contain? The answer is simple. Again we see that God hates corruption and will punish those responsible, to the extent of wiping out (almost) the whole of his creation, even the whole of it had He thought it appropriate.

Moreover, God uses those who He can trust to help him achieve his plan.

Again we are reminded that we are dealing with a God who is powerful beyond measure.

We are dealing with a God who cares about his creation and those who He has created.

We see again that He is a God showing both justice and mercy. 

To summarise, although we can accept the initially unlikely stories as authentic, justified by the supporting evidence, we must be reminded that we are not dealing with a history book, or a science book, but a book of theology – a book about God. That is another way of saying we are not looking for accuracy, but truth about our place in the universe.

However there are so many issues that cannot be definitively proved. For these we must rely on faith and trust. I used the terms earlier. The criterion will continue to be, “does the acceptance by faith lead to truth or error?” In the New Testament definition I repeat that faith is believing something you hope for, believing a promise. My desire is to give reassurance that we can trust those who make the promises, and at the right time take a step of faith. As one writer put it, faith is spelt R-I-S-K-!

But so far, nothing has suggested that the statement is not valid- far from it, background research has reinforced the statement, “In the Beginning, God.” Simply, it has not been disproved, So it is fair to continue building on it as a valid premise, reassured by the continuity of the unfoldings story.

 
                                                       Chapter 7

                                                    The Verdict

And there I rest my case. I leave it to you, the reader to come to your own conclusion. However, I believe that I have demonstrated beyond a reasonable shadow of doubt that:
● God exists.
● God is the creator of the whole universe.
● God is a God whocares about his creation.
● God is present among his people.
● God has a purpose for each and every one of us.

We have seen examples of signs and wonders as God’s supernatural miraculous power breaking into the natural world of man and doing what is impossible by natural physical laws.

Decide for yourself. If you agree, read on. If you haven’t made up your mind yet, perhaps parts 2 and 3 will give more reality checks and evidence of God’s nature and help you come to a more informed conclusion.

There you have it. That completes my examination of the foundations of the Christian faith. Hopefully you will have some assurance of the authenticity and plausibility of the story so far.

We will move on in Part 2 to some of the building blocks from which the lighthouse is built, the creation of a nation from one man, Abraham, and his family.

Shelley’s news – 18th October

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Dear friends

Here is what the week is looking like…

Sunday 19th October 11am Service in the building and online with a group for our younger friends to explore the theme creatively.  We’ll share communion together so if you are online then do get your bread and wine/juice ready.  Theme: ‘The Church’s Mission in Acts’.  Part 1 will look at Jesus and the Church (Acts 1:9-19)

3.00pm Children’s leaders meet with Shelley in Harewood.

In the evening, Rock Solid youth groups meet 7-8pm in the building.

Monday 20th October 10-12midday Beacon Warm welcome café in the building.

Tuesday 21stOctober 10-11.30 Stepping Stones for under 5’s and their parents, grandparents and carers.  See Diane, Hilary, or Lesley for more information.

Tuesday 21st October afternoon bible study in church. See Howard or check with Lesley

Wednesday 22nd October Lunch club for all attendees and lunch club volunteers.  Speak to Rachel or Lesley for more information.

Wednesday 22nd October 7.30pm Bible study in the church building.  Speak to Ruth or Andy B, or send a message to Lesley.

Wednesday 22nd October is the next Psalm Writing/drawing workshop at 7.30pm in the building at MBC.  See Krys or Cas or myself for more information.

Thursday 23rd October 2.00 -4.00pm Craft group and warm welcome space in church building.  Do pop in and say hello.  Speak to Karen, Lesley or myself for more information or if it’s something you might be able to join or support as we are looking for helpers.

Thursday 23rd October Bible study at 7pm, see John C to check whether it’s on.

Friday 24th October Bible Study at 10.00am – 11.15 in church.  See Shelley for more information.

Friday 24th October House Group 8.00pm – 10.00 with Jonathan and Hilary D and Steve and Helen O.  Do speak to them or ask Lesley or I for more information.

Sunday 26th October 11am Service in the building and online with group for the children. ‘The Church’s Mission in Acts’.  Part 2: Empowered by the Spirit

Around the country..

Last week a talk took place online looking at theology, churches, and the mainstreaming of the far right led by Dr Krish Kandiah who is very involved with Spring Harvest.  You can listen again here if you want to hear some of the main issues and pray.

https://youtu.be/a8-3x6qwVn4

Around the city..

19th October 1-3pm at Leeds Minster.  An opportunity to meet Revd Ashraf Tannous. Hear about what it is like to be a Christian Pastor in Palestine. Click this link for more information.  Middle East Lunch, Talk and Q & A at Leeds Minster – Diocese of Leeds: Justice and Peace Commission

‘How to be a prophetic voice for change’ at Leeds Minster Prophet or Provider: The Hook Lecture 2025 Tickets, Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrit

Saturday 25th October 10-12 midday Harrogate School of Theology are looking at the Holy Spirit with a session called ‘Another Advocate: The Holy Spirit in the New Testament’ Details here Seminar – October 2025 : Another Advocate: The Emergence of the Holy Spirit in the Writings of the New Testament – Harrogate School of Theology & Mission

Tuesday 28th October ‘The Message trust on tour’ God is on the move and can use each of us to reach our friends, communities, workplaces, but how do we play our part? Come and be equipped, inspired, and encouraged, an evening with Andy Hawthorn and team from The Message Trust.  See Claire for more information.   Leeds: Message on tour – The Message

Tuesday 18th November ‘An evening with Rev John Swales MBE of Lighthouse Church ‘What does it look like to follow Jesus in a world of climate breakdown and fractured society.  Prayer stations will offer space for lament and hope.  In the chapel at Trinity University Horsforth Campus  Creation Groans : Christ Calls Tickets, Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Saturday 22nd November. This is the second Leeds gathering for young people and young adults and all those who want to support them in sharing Jesus with others  THE SEND UK & Ireland There is a group going from MBC.  Do send a message or speak to myself or Ruth or one of the youth leaders if you want to find out more or go along with the group.

Nearer Christmas at MBC…

Sunday 7th December ‘Christmas café church’ followed by a Christmas community café with live music and refreshments.  Everyone welcome! Kevin Sinfield will be running past the church building at about 1.15/1.30pm on his final day of the 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge 2025 raising money for those affected by Motor Neuron Disease. Please click on the link here. Look up day 7 and you will see where we are on the map!  Kevin will run by Moortown Baptist Church and then onto Beckett Park University Campus to begin the Leeds Santa Dash.  More information here by clicking this link Run For All launches Leeds Santa Dash as final leg of Kevin Sinfield’s 7in7: Together Challenge.

Sunday 14th December will also see the return of carol singing in a local home for the elderly, feel free to speak to Rachel B or Claire for more information.  Our wreath making workshop is taking place in the afternoon of the 14th and its open to everyone!  More information to come.

Do check out the website and face book page to see what’s been going on this week and what’s coming up!  www.moortownbapstistchurch.org.uk

In Christ

Shelley

Shelley Dring

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

204 King Lane

Leeds

LS17 6AA

0113 2693750

Registered charity: 1128960

www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

 

Usual working days: Sundays – Thursdays

Is the Bible True? Chapters 3 & 4 of Part 1. By John Whitehead

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Chapter 3

Looking at the Bible – a First Glimpse

Although not a history book, the Bible is loosely held together by a historic timeline, describing first the creation of the universe, creation of life in all its forms, then through the unfolding relationship between God and humankind through God making a promise – a covenant, to a people group, with the people’s responses to the outworking of this covenant among individuals and the nation. It records history, it even records history before it happens, but its main purpose is to interpret the events in terms of “God’s Story”.

Quite simply, The Bible is the way God chose to communicate with the world.

Covenant is a word which needs explaining, as it forms the basis of the Bible. A Covenant is a promise which cannot be broken. Taking it further, it is legally binding. It can be unconditional, or it can be conditional. For instance, in a domestic setting, a parent may say to a child, I promise that when you are 18, I will buy you a car. That is an unconditional covenant. Or to a delinquent child, if you give up shoplifting, I will buy you a car when you are 18. That is conditional. It is saying, “I will if you will ”.

The Bible is divided into 2 sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The Old Testament, sometimes referred to as “the Book of the Covenant” containing both unconditional and conditional covenants, covers the first 39 books of the Bible. Most were written in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and later ones in Greek, between about 1200 and 100 BC. They comprise the chief texts of the law, history, poetry and song, prophecy and wisdom literature of the ancient people of Israel.

However, this Covenant failed due to the chosen people ceasing to follow God, disobeying their part of the covenant, by choosing false gods to address their worship.

The New Testament, a New Covenant, again conditional, is a new offer to the whole of humankind, comprising 27 books and letters. The first four are devoted to the life and work of Jesus. These are followed by accounts of the development of the infant church, with accounts and letters relating to the challenges which the church was facing as it grew and spread further and further from its birthplace in Jerusalem. The final book, Revelation, contains imagery predicting what it is going to be like when this finite world, the world as we know it, ends. But the overriding message is one of hope, but only for those who keep their part of the covenant.

Some Facts about the Bible

The Bible is a unique book, the contents of which were written over a period of 1500 years, beginning around 3500 years ago and ending around 2000 years ago. The first chapters are documented stories that were handed down by word-of-mouth from generation to generation. No other book of history or otherwise covers such a great time span or is comparable in its content or structure. It is formed into one volume, but the collection of the 66 books, booklets and letters, in reality comprise a whole library. Here is another approach to the question of whether we need to read it all. When I consider my own library, I look at the shelves and see a variety of subject areas – history, poetry, literature, reference books and novels. Have I read them all from cover to cover? The simple answer is no! Some I bought for one particular chapter; some have ceased to have any relevance. Yet there are favourites which have become dog-eared from reading and re-reading.

Completed some 2000 years ago and ignored by many, it is still a bestseller. To date, the full Bible has been translated into 670 languages, the New Testament has been translated into 1,521 languages and portions or stories into 1,121 other languages. In others, the language has been adapted and simplified so that the narrative of the Bible is accessible to children, even very young children.

A recent translation, the New International Version, published in 1985, has already sold more than 450 million copies. The Bible business is booming. In all, there are annual sales of 40 million Bibles – from study Bibles to family Bibles to pocket Bibles. What is there about it which keeps more and more people wanting it? Does this not indicate that it might be relevant not only in previous generations but also our own?

Moreover, looking at the diversity of the writings the writers came from three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa. It has more than 40 authors who, as I have said, wrote in three different languages. Each writer had his own personality, writing style and worldview. The biblical authors lived in different eras and came from different cultures. Some were Jews and some were non-Jews. Some were kings and some were paupers. Some were highly educated and some had little formal education. Some were religious leaders, some were political leaders, some were prophets, and some were simple ordinary people. Such diversity is unparalleled in the written word.

The first edition of the Bible as we know it today was assembled around 400 AD, containing the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament.

But what about the nature of these writings? With such diversity, it is surprising that it has the one continuing, unifying theme from the first book to the last. The overarching consideration with each author and work is its careful examination and outworking of human nature. Taken together, they reveal the human condition in all its many forms, be they good or bad. Similarly, it may go without saying that they also share a theme in examining the nature and character and promises of God, over the whole 3500-year period. But most importantly it examines the interrelationship between God and humankind.

So, to read it as a historical document misses the point of what the Bible is about. The Bible tells us that God cares for the whole of his creation and that we can know him personally, love him and follow his way, and guide us away from the massed forces of greed, hate, cruelty and the rest of the forces which disfigure humankind, and offer us a future which goes beyond death of our body. It is these considerations which make this book, the Bible, unique in history and why it is read and followed around the world today.

Perhaps in answer to the question of why the Bible is still a bestseller, it is because the people who use it do find it is relevant, making a difference in their lives and the lives of others – indeed, to the whole world.

So then, what do we find in the library which is the Bible?

The Bible makes some statements as scientific facts, but again, it is not a scientific book. The role of science is to probe the observable world, while the role of the Bible is to reveal the unobservable. Science, in its ongoing task of observing the world, must respond to the question how? How did it all come about? What processes were at work? When the findings of science endorse what is written in the Bible then we have greater cause to believe and accept what we read. It is this angle which we will be pursuing throughout. But the Bible does not focus primarily on the how – rather, it goes on to answer the question that science can never begin to answer. And that question is – why? Why are we here? What was God’s purpose in creating? What is the basic reason for our being alive? We must hold these questions in tension for the time being and address them later. But since the Bible record stops around 100 years after Christ’s birth it does not provide the whole answer. That is why we need the church to help us interpret the Biblical concepts and statements for each new generation. Church is the place where character is made and remade, where we can be guided and encouraged in following “The Way”.

If you do not have a copy of the Bible, it is worth buying one, preferably in a modern translation. I find the New International Version excellent. You may prefer a different version, of which there are several. The Good News Bible deserves a special mention as it combines reliability with simple and straightforward language.

A recent newcomer on the scene is “The Book of God” by Walter Wangerin, published in 1996. It is the Bible written as a blockbuster novel. If you like novels where 800 pages or so of text don’t daunt you, then this book will give you a unique overview of the whole Bible in just a few days of reading, although the writer uses his imagination to embellish the Bible narrative.

But if you do not wish to buy one yet, the text and much more, is readily available on a number of websites including www.biblestudytools.com and www.biblegateway.com

It is not like any other book. It is a book about life the way it really is. It is a book about people who at one and the same time can be both believing and unbelieving, innocent and guilty, honest and dishonest, full of hope and full of despair. In other words, it is a book about us and as I have already said, about God. If it is not about the God we believe in, then it is about the God we do not believe in. One way or another the story we find in the Bible is not just God’s Story but our own story.

Chapter 4

The Foundations

Over the course of this book I will from time to time invite the reader to read verses or chapters of the Bible. Whilst one can to some extent continue without following the actual texts, be assured that by reading the text, your understanding will be greatly enriched.

In the Beginning

It is now time to look at what is written in the Bible. Read chapters 1, 2 and 3 of the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.

But first I want to address the question of what sort of writing is represented in the first few chapters of Genesis.

Myth

Here is another word which needs explaining. The simple fact is that these chapters and later ones are Myth. I hear the comment that if it is all a myth then you are admitting that it is not true!

Yes, in common usage, a myth purports to be true, but in reality, is simply pure fiction. But we must differentiate between three applications of this word – Myth, A myth and Mythology.

  • Myth is a proper noun. It is a traditional story, one concerning the early history of a people group or explaining an observable phenomenon, typically involving a super-natural being.
  • A myth suggests a widely held but false belief or idea.
  • Mythology is similar to Myth, except that the stories are as a rule unsubstantiated by relating to an observable situation. In Greek mythology for example, the stories related to a multiplicity of gods whom they worshipped. They resembled humans, except that they surpassed them in beauty, stature and strength. They were not exempt from human emotions, frequently exhibiting revenge, deceit and jealousy. Inter-marriage with humans is often described. For instance, Hercules was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and the mortal woman Alcmene. Zeus, who was always chasing one woman or another, took on the form of Alcmene’s husband, Amphitryon, and visited Alcmene one night in her bed. Thus Hercules was born, a demi-god with incredible strength and stamina.

Not unique to Greece, similar stories abound in cultures across the world.

Unfortunately, in modern usage, the second definition is the one many people think of when the term is used – that a myth is pure fiction.

Here are some modern myths. Drinking coffee dehydrates you. Although it does have a minor dehydrating effect, the fact is that it irritates the bladder, and we all know the effect of that! It is a myth. In ancient times, Greek parents believed they could choose the sex of their child by eating orchid tubers. If the father ate thick tubers, the child would be male. If the mother ate thinner ones, the child would be female. There is of course no truth in this myth.

Hence it is necessary to state categorically that it is the first definition which will be used exclusively hereafter. Myth is a style of writing, a genre of written text, in the same way as narrative, novel, poetry, biography, prophecy, parable and allegory are all genres of the written word. Of course they should not be taken literally.

So you will see that the creation accounts are Myth.

If you find the use of the word Myth distracting here just substitute story or stories about God.

Genesis Chapter 1

The passage begins, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. Now the Earth was formless and empty, Darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the spirit of God moved over the face of the waters.”

In those few words it is stating: –

  • There is a Supreme Being, which we call God.
  • There was a beginning and God created matter out of nothing – just emptiness.
  • The universe exists only because God was there to initiate creation. He was there before the creation of the universe. He is outside the universe. He could no more create the universe from the inside than a joiner make a box from the inside.
  • God created by his Word, his spoken words.
  • God’s Spirit was there at creation.

In paraphrasing the next section of the text, we see that God spoke on different days and different things were brought into being, and he did it in an orderly manner.

God said, “Let there be Light,” and there was light. God separated the light from the darkness. He called the light, day and the darkness, night. At that time, water covered the face of the Earth, but God said, “let the waters be gathered in one place and let dry land appear”.

He called the dry ground “land” and the water he called “seas”. Here we include inanimate matter, solids, liquids and gases. He created vegetation and all plants, then life in all its forms – insects, fish, birds. He created mammals. Finally, he created humankind, male and female, the pinnacle of the created world, created in his image, with the instruction to be fruitful and multiply.

And yes, he even created sex. I think he must have had a great sense of humour when you consider the actual reproductive act. I know when it was explained to me as a child it seemed most strange, beyond my comprehension. I just could not believe what my parents had had to do in order to produce me! More so considering the dual function of the parts involved. Yet it provides the pinnacle of human intimacy, surpassing that found in all other mammals.

God saw that what he had created was good. He was pleased with what he had made. Humankind, unlike any other creature, has a point of contact with God and is able to respond to him in a different way from the other animals. Moreover, the world means much to its creator.

Finally, on the 7th day he rested.

He created humankind in his own image! What does that mean? I stated in chapter one that I wanted to subject the statements in the Bible to current knowledge but as we begin to read even in the first few pages we encounter a statement which is beyond complete understanding. We are created In the image of God. Its simplest interpretation would say that we are made like Him. Each of us has a minute fraction of his intelligence, his power, his judgement, his reasoning, his love, his appreciation of beauty. But there is so much more.

Some understand the Image of God to mean those qualities that make us human, for example: possessing a soul, higher-order reasoning, self-consciousness, consciousness of God and the ability to have a relationship with Him. This seems like a good definition, since only humans are in God’s image, and these are qualities that make us human.

In the previous section we saw that the Image of God in Genesis 1:26-27 means people being God’s representative rulers in his creation.

  1. Richard Middleton (Roberts Wesleyan College) puts it well in The Liberating Image. He offers that the image of God describes, “The royal office or calling of human beings as God’s representatives and agents in the world.” Image of God means that humans have been given power to share in God’s rule or administration of the earth’s resources and creatures.

But supremely, the apostle Paul, describes Jesus as the image of the invisible God. Not like Adam who was made in the image of God. Jesus is the exact copy of his nature. Thus, to know Jesus is to know God.

And he gave us free will to use or misuse what he has given us. That is a lot of responsibility! But without free will you cannot have real love. You can’t be forced to love somebody. God loved the whole of his creation and that of course includes every person he had made, and he wants each one of us to love him in return.

In Genesis Chapter 2 we read a second account of the creation. Here we have Myth coming from a different source, it does differ, but it mainly complements the first account. It describes how he created the two genders, placing the man and the woman in a beautiful environment, named as the Garden of Eden and giving them the responsibility of looking after the created order. But it is not just the story of one man and one woman. It is the story of every man and every woman.

I would comment here that the Bible does not shy away from conflicting accounts of events. I repeat that its purpose is not to chronicle history, but to tell us about God. We will unpack this further when we look at the question, “What is Truth?”

An Illustration from the Humble Ant

If you find this concept of creation coupled with caring difficult to accept, let me tell you about a visit I made recently to the tropical house at Roundhay Park in Leeds. There, in a carefully controlled, completely enclosed environment, which was specially designed and created for them, live a colony of leaf-cutting ants. (As an aside, ants have a highly structured society, second only to that of the human race.) They can be observed going about their business of cutting and collecting leaves on which they grow their food, a sort of fungus, taking the leaves to the nest, attending to the pupae, attending to the queen, removing waste. All this, completely oblivious to the people watching them through their glass enclosure, oblivious of the keepers who provide for them and care for them – bringing fresh supplies of leaves, maintaining the correct temperature and humidity. Provision and protection. This seems something of an analogy to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve were placed.

Also, I am reminded of a story of a vicar of a village church, returning to the vicarage after the morning service. Along the way he saw old Bert tending his flowerbeds. He stopped to admire the beautiful garden and commented, “Fine garden you and God have there, Bert.” Bert replied in his broad dialect, “Aye Vicar, but tha’ should’ve seen it when God ‘ad it to hissen.” The simple fact is that God gave humankind the responsibility of continuing the work of maintaining his creation, continuing to bring order out of disorder.

Unfortunately that responsibility has been misused and abused. Nature has been exploited. One only has to look at, for example, a rainforest, seeing the beauty of this natural ecosystem in all its complexity and variety to wonder at and realise what God can do on his own. Then we see destruction of thousands of acres of rainforest replaced with plantations of palm trees, producing palm oil to satisfy consumer demand, although justified as fulfilling the needs of the developed world. Need or greed? All this is a by-product of having free will.

Yet we are part of God’s purpose and plan for the universe. And it is an unfolding story.

Before we proceed further, I would ask the question, to what extent can we believe the creation accounts? Already I understand absolutely how preposterous the whole thing must sound to most people, so we must ask the question, “Is there any truth in these statements?”

What is Truth?

In a criminal trial, the jury or magistrate has to decide whether the accused is guilty or innocent. He hears evidence from witness statements and on the basis of these and other evidence he makes his decision. But what becomes clear is that the witness statements can vary – each seeing the event from a slightly different standpoints, resulting in a number of minor discrepancies between the statements. Even though the evidence of each witness may be true, the judge has to decide what is the truth in order to reach his verdict. Conversely, if two witnesses are identical in every detail there is suspicion that there has been collusion between them and the reliability of the evidence is under question.

This happens often in the Bible. We have seen this in two differing, but complementary accounts of the creation story in the first two chapters of the book of Genesis. As in the case of witnesses, we see accounts written from different standpoints. So we should not ask the question why there is a difference and is one true and one false, but we should be exploring what is the truth contained in such instances.

Jonah and the Whale

We probably all know the story about Jonah being swallowed by a whale. Going into the detail, Jonah is given the task of going to Nineveh and warning them that God was angry because of their wickedness and he would destroy them after 40 days unless they changed their ways.

There was nothing that Jonah would have liked more than to see Nineveh destroyed because of their corrupt practices, so instead of taking the boat to Nineveh, to flee from the Lord, he took a boat going in the opposite direction. But God intervened, sending a storm which resulted in Jonah being thrown overboard, swallowed by a whale, spending three days inside the whale before being regurgitated. From there he obeyed God, went to Nineveh, and warned the people of their oncoming fate. They repented, and Nineveh was saved from being destroyed.

Asking the questions, Is it true, or is it just a fairy tale? Did a whale really swallow Jonah? misses the whole point of the story. Whether the whale did swallow Jonah or indeed if Jonah swallowed the whale for that matter is irrelevant to the central message. Although examples have been recorded of a person surviving after being swallowed by a whale, feel free to conclude that it is just a story, but a story with a message, demonstrating a truth.

First, we need to fill in some missing parts of the account, which contains even more unlikely details.

Jonah was angry with God – he waited in the east of the city still hoping that God would bring the destruction that Jonah so desired. In the heat of the afternoon God caused a vine to grow to provide shade for Jonah and so ease his discomfort, but during the night God caused the vine to die so in the morning the scorching sun made Jonah feel wretched. He was angry with God for killing the vine.

God’s response contains the climax of the story. He pointed out Jonah’s concern about the vine justifying his own concern about that great city of 120,000 people, even though they were so misguided.

The primary theme of the story of Jonah and the Whale is that God’s love, grace and compassion extend to everyone, even outsiders and oppressors. God loves all people. Whatever we have done no-one is beyond God’s forgiveness.

The important question is not whether it is true, but realising the truth contained in the story.

Otherwise, in looking at the authenticity of the Bible, we ask the question, how does it stand up to what we know today? Is it contradicted or is it substantiated and supported by current knowledge?

A scientific study will start with a statement of an idea, a premise, a theory, a hypothesis and attempt to explain the reason for some current observations on the basis of that theory. The theory is only demonstrated to be correct if it continues to provide correct explanations of current observations. As laymen, we may not understand, but we accept the findings, having faith in the integrity of the scientists.

Let me explain using some simple statements which have been shown to be incorrect.

The Earth is Flat

We can probably all remember reading that at one time, the best scientists told us that the world – the earth – was flat. Theologians built their faith on a flat earth. That worked alright for a time, but they couldn’t answer the question of what happened at the edges. It was only when explorers began to sail across the seas, they began to realise that this may not be so, and of course explorers eventually discovered that the Earth was round, or a globe, which is now easily verified. The Flat Earth theory was proven to be wrong, but for a time, those who believed in a spherical globe were condemned as heretics. A theological shift had to be made then and shifts in our understanding should still be able to be made today.

Father Christmas

And then there is the Father Christmas story. What parent doesn’t tell their children that it is Father Christmas who brings all the presents, describing his special clothes, his beard, reindeer driving his sleigh through the sky, leaving the presents they included on the list and posted to Father Christmas in Lapland… I could go on. This forms the experience of children around the world. But it’s not many Christmases before the child’s suspicions grow and they begin to realise that the whole thing was a very pleasant, a very cosy story, with the whole scenario made up. It was all down to Mum and Dad. Sadly, in this generation, the true meaning of Christmas so often fades into the background. It is Jesus’s birthday, but we give presents to each other!

We have a similar scenario with the tooth fairy. But we are back in the realms of myths again!

Thus, if observation disagrees with prediction, we would have to conclude the hypothesis was false. If the observations do agree with the predictions, we can still rely on the original proposition. We like to think that science provides correct, true and accurate explanations of natural phenomena but that is not always the case.

Every student of elementary physics has been taught that light travels in straight lines. But Einstein demonstrated that light passing a large mass is deflected somewhat towards that mass.

I like the definition of Tom McLeish which says, “Good science is arguably about being false in a constructive way that takes us nearer to the truth.”

Although we do not have all the answers, we do not abandon the whole theory. There are so often fuzzy unexplained edges to scientific theories.

With Einstein came a new branch of physics which explored the fuzzy edges beyond traditional physics. Even newer branches of astrophysics are finding more fuzzy edges of our knowledge of the universe. Terms like black holes, antimatter, negative energy, quarks, bring the realisation that our understanding of how the universe was created is still far from complete and tidily buttoned up. This is the universe that God created. So what can we say but ……only God Knows!

In the Beginning

The Bible states that the universe had a beginning. How does that tie in with scientific evidence?

Early in the 20th century the prevailing wisdom in the scientific community was the Steady State Theory which said that the Universe has always been here and while it may fade away at the edges it is being replenished from the centre – not so good for the statement, “In the beginning, God created.”

The Big Bang

However, “Big Bang” changed all that. The Big Bang theory was propounded in 1927. Scientists believe that the universe began as a very hot, minute and dense single tiny point, when there was a big explosion generating tremendous heat and subsequently light and energy. Atoms, molecules, photons (light), the theory decrees, were created out of nothing at a particular moment in time, creating matter and propelling it outward to make the billions of galaxies of our vast universe. Astrophysicists dubbed this unique explosion as the Big Bang. This process did not happen immediately; it was a process occupying many millions of years.

Observations by astronomers and physicists of the behaviour of stars and galaxies have established a date for the Big Bang to a point in time some 13.7 billion years ago. Their observations can follow the steps from the first second of the Big Bang onwards. Much has been written on this subject explaining and justifying the theory, (a theory on which subsequent observations have been checked and found to be correct). However, the first minute fraction of a second following the Big Bang is still beyond the scientific explanation, (but it is getting us closer to the truth) before which there was nothing but an empty void. And what initiated it in the first place is still beyond science. Again, only God Knows! Not a blasphemous remark, but a statement of truth, probably the ultimate truth. God Knows! He should – He is the one who initiated it. God said, “Let There Be Light,” and there was light. Not bad for a statement from 3500 years ago, that God did the creating – out of nothing! He is all powerful. To use the theological term, He is omnipotent. Here is the truth of what science has established, but is still striving to address the question, how it was achieved by this Being, this supreme being whose whole identity we are endeavouring to explore. But like the limits of scientific exploration, God can never be fully known. There will always be aspects of his being, character and nature which will remain a mystery! It responds to the who, what, when, but doesn’t get anywhere near the where, how and why. Why did God create? Was there a reason? Did he have a purpose? I’ll let those questions hover above us for the time being. Again, only God Knows! He is all knowing. Again, He is Omniscient!

What about creation taking seven days? Note that it is not God who is defining days but the writer describing the activity of God. If we follow the chronologies and genealogies through the Bible we would arrive at the age of the world being 5779 years from the day of creation – a discrepancy, it may seem. But we must remind ourselves that these earlier accounts are stories handed down by word of mouth over many generations, many centuries before actually being committed to a written document.

There is no need to be alarmed at this discrepancy. Remember that it is the words that God spoke that are important and not the timing. Remember that we are looking for the underlying truth behind these descriptions. The timing is a writer’s interpretation of the flow of events that happened, the results of which are plain for all to see. Moreover, we are dealing with a God who is outside time and in any case his timing is not our timing. He is Omnipresent. God occupies the atmosphere as we occupy our bodies. Remember also that we are dealing with Myth.

But as the disagreement over the age of the earth does not tell us anything about the nature of God, the nature of humankind, or their interrelationship, it is outside the scope of this book. The question I would pose is, does it make any difference to the way we live our lives whether the Earth is young or old? Again, the following chapters will be exploring in much more detail how God wants us to live our lives. The God who is a God of events. The God who is outside time. The God who even created time!

So what have we observed about the nature of God, the nature of humankind and the relationship between the two from reading these first few chapters?

Whereas every culture throughout history has had its own picture of something Other, an external Power, a god, often a multiplicity of gods – a sun god, a moon god, a god who controlled the weather, a god of fertility and so on, having to be appeased by sacrifices, even child sacrifice. Here is a God who is different. A God who is the creator of everything, a creator who is involved with his creation, created solely by his Word.

A God of Justice

But God has demonstrated some things which could be seen to be cruel. How does this fit into the concept of him being a caring God? Adam and Eve were banished from the beautiful garden; woman is committed to pain in childbirth; man is committed to toil to get the ground to produce food. As we read on in Genesis 4, we read about two of Adam’s sons, Cain and Abel. Out of jealousy, Cain kills Abel. The Lord had been watching over what happened and put Cain under a curse and committed him to be a restless wanderer, a nomad. Thus, we see God as a God of justice. But as we continue reading, we will never get away from the fact that God loves his creation and cares about it and is involved with what he created. He is also a God of mercy. We could say that he is Omnibenevolent.

We have seen some basic characteristics of our nature. Adam and Eve had the choice whether to obey God or not. The first thing we find out about Adam and Eve is that they were curious. “Will I really die if I eat the fruit?” Secondly, they, like all people since and always, had free will, more of that later. But Adam and Eve disobeyed and then tried to shift the blame. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent and, as they say, the serpent didn’t have a leg to stand on. Better get back to being serious. Here we see the introduction of a Tempter, figuratively represented here as a serpent, one who exploits the gift of free will given to humanity, present from the very beginning. Later, he will be described as the devil or Satan.

The serpent told Adam and Eve that the King cannot be trusted. He says the love of God is not genuine and his word is not true. “Don’t listen to Him” the liar whispers. “Find your own way. Make your own rules. Satisfy your own desires. Freedom awaits you. Be like God.”

Adam and Eve are enticed by the promise of personal autonomy and the allure of the sovereign self. The Kingdom is torn by revolt. But rebellion does not bring freedom, though. Instead, it brings brokenness, disgrace, guilt, slavery and struggle. In a word, the action of Adam and Eve, this turning away from God was – back to that word – SIN. Sin came into the world through Adam and Eve. The serpent accused God of lying. Adam and Eve believed the serpent. They suffered the consequences. We are still suffering the consequences. The political systems around the world today, in the wars and desire for self-aggrandisement demonstrate this on a daily basis.

This deviation from God’s instruction in Eden consisted in Eve and Adam thinking they were capable of facing an unknown future without God, provided they had sufficient knowledge. This is what has been described as original sin, meaning the sin that is part of being human. We have arms and legs and a body, and we also have not only free will, but original sin, the temptation and giving in to that is built into us. We all have something of that serpent living in us – instilling doubt, mistrust, disobedience.

And as humankind becomes more advanced and resourceful in a developing world so too do his choices, and his distancing from awareness of God.

So, summarising what we have observed so far: –

  • He operates in ways which are outside the boundaries of mathematical, physical, chemical, in fact all natural laws – which gives a word with a particular definition in the Bible, Super-natural.
  • How did he effect creation? It was by his Word alone. Moreover, he was pleased with what he had created, and it was good.
  • He recognised that rest is an essential part of the cycle of living. The concepts of recreation and re-creation come to mind here.
  • God is outside time. He was present to initiate the creation of the universe, matter and life. He continued to be present with Adam and Eve, who heard not only the sound of him walking in the garden in the cool of the day, but heard his voice speaking to the
  • Cain left the area and left God’s presence, but God still protected him.
  • God is a God of justice, but also a God of mercy.

So far nothing discussed discredits the statement “In the Beginning, God”.

Adam and Eve were trying to make their own standards, but disobedience has its consequences. The ultimate standards of good and evil are not ours to settle. Humankind must recognise their limits as creatures under authority, and it is God’s prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong. But this is what men and women try to do. The temptation to make their own standards of right and wrong, to flout God’s authority, to run the world in their own way often proves irresistible. Pride and greed is their undoing. Their pride makes them want to be on the level with God. Inevitably disaster follows. Human relationships are tarnished. The world becomes a hostile place. Worst of all a barrier divides man from God.

Finally, we have seen some basic characteristics of man’s nature. Adam and Eve had the choice whether to obey God or not. The first thing we find out about Adam and Eve is that they were curious. Will I really die if I eat the fruit? Secondly, they like all people then and now have free will. Free will gave them the opportunity to choose God’s way or their own way.

Next week we finish Part 1 and move on to the first couple of chapters of Part  2… Building on the Foundations – See what God can do. 

Shelley’s update – 11th October

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Dear friends

We look forward to meeting again on Sunday at 11am in the building and on YouTube for the final part of our series on the fruit of the Spirit.  We’ll be looking at Colossians 1:3-14, reflecting on the past few weeks and looking at the fruitfulness of the church.  After the service, the ‘Discovering prayer group’ meet in the music room, bring your lunch to eat together. All welcome even if you haven’t been before.  Led by Krys. This session is part of the Unanswered prayer course.

In the evening, Rock Solid youth groups meet 7-8pm in the building.

The week looks like this…

Monday 13th October 10-12midday Beacon Warm welcome café in the building.

Tuesday 14th October 10-11.30 Stepping Stones for under 5’s and their parents, grandparents and carers.  See Diane, Hilary, or Lesley for more information.

Tuesday 14th October afternoon bible study in church. See Howard or check with Lesley
Tuesday 14th October 7.30pm Deacon’s meeting in the building with Shelley.

Wednesday 15th October Lunch club for all attendees and lunch club volunteers.  Speak to Rachel or Lesley for more information.

Wednesday 15th October Wednesday worship 1.30-2pm in the building.  All welcome.

Wednesday 15th October 7.30pm Speak to Ruth or Andy Berry about the bible study this week.

Wednesday 15th October 7.30pm other Wednesday house group, see Diane S

Thursday 16th October 2.00 -4.00pm Craft group and warm welcome space in church building.  Do pop in and say hello.  Speak to Karen, Lesley or myself for more information or if it’s something you might be able to join or support as we are looking for helpers.

Thursday 16th October Usually a bible study at 7pm, see John C to check whether it’s on.

Friday 17th October The bible study is postponed this week, back on 24th October at 10.00am – 11.15 in church.  See Shelley for more information.

Friday 17th October House Group 8.00pm – 10.00 with Jonathan and Hilary D and Steve and Helen O.  Do speak to them or ask Lesley or I for more information.

Sunday 19th October 11am church service with Communion.  We continue to explore the work of the Holy Spirit in our new series focusing on the book of Acts called ‘The Church’s Mission in Acts’.  Part 1 will look at Jesus and the Church (Acts 1:9-19)

Beyond..

‘How to be a prophetic voice for change’ at Leeds Minster Prophet or Provider: The Hook Lecture 2025 Tickets, Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Wednesday 22nd October is the next Psalm Writing/drawing workshop at 7.30pm in the building at MBC.  See Krys or Cas or myself for more information.

Tuesday 28th October ‘The Message trust on tour’ God is on the move and can use each of us to reach our friends, communities, workplaces, but how do we play our part? Come and be equipped, inspired, and encouraged, an evening with Andy Hawthorn and team from The Message Trust.  See Claire for more information.   Leeds: Message on tour – The Message

Tuesday 18th November ‘An evening with Rev John Swales MBE of Lighthouse Church ‘What does it look like to follow Jesus in a world of climate breakdown and fractured society.  Prayer stations will offer space for lament and hope.  In the chapel at Trinity University Horsforth Campus  Creation Groans : Christ Calls Tickets, Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Saturday 22nd November. This is the second Leeds gathering for young people and young adults and all those who want to support them in sharing Jesus with others  THE SEND UK & Ireland More information coming

Sunday 7th December ‘Christmas café church’ followed by music, singing and refreshments as we also wave on Kevin Sinfield on his final day of the 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge 2025 raising money for those affected by MND.  More details to come! 

Do check out the website and face book page to see what’s been going on and what’s coming up!  www.moortownbapstistchurch.org.uk

In Christ

Shelley

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

204 King Lane

Leeds

LS17 6AA

0113 2693750

Registered charity: 1128960

www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

Usual working days: Sundays – Thursdays

 

 

Aimed towards Christians, enquirers and sceptics alike, John Whitehead asks Is the Bible True? Part 1… Shedding light on the Foundations

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Is the Bible True? 

God Knows!

Throughout this three part study I employ the analogy of a lighthouse. Here I start to examine the foundations of the Bible narrative. In future weeks I will look at the building blocks and finally at the birth of Jesus – the light of the world.

C O N T E N T S…

Preface                                                                                                  

Chapter 1     Introduction                                                                                 

Chapter 2     What is the Bible about                                                            

Chapter 3     Looking at the Bible – A First Glimpse                                   

Chapter 4     The Foundations                                                                        

Chapter 5     Who or What is God                                                                  

Chapter 6     Exploring the Bible Further                                                       

Chapter 7    The Verdict                                                                                                                    Preface

For me, it all started with the Big Bang theory. For centuries scientists agreed that the world, the universe, had always more or less been as it is now. So, there was not much credibility for the creation story in the Bible.

But in the early 20th century, cosmologists observed that the universe is expanding, and projecting backwards in time it would have contracted to a single point 13.7 billion years ago. There was a massive explosion described as the Big Bang. Before that, nothing. At that point in time the universe was created. But they have no explanation for what happened at time zero.

But this same phenomenon was stated in the Bible, from stories passed down from generation to generation and eventually committed to print some 3500 years ago. We read in the book of Genesis, the first book in the Bible, that from an empty void, God who was already present, said ”Let there be Light” and there was light. From this statement, the creation story unfolds.

Spurred on I started writing this as a personal challenge. An engineer by profession, my desire was to see if the whole Bible could be presented as a plausible, rational and relevant book, its authenticity backed up by all the findings of science, cosmology, archaeology, history and not least, logic and reason, the culmination being to present Christianity as the way to a fulfilled life. But I realised that it could appeal to Christians who want to establish a firmer foundation for their faith and understand more of the message and plausibility of the whole Bible, and to those with a curious nature, willing to explore a different way of living.

It may be true, but so what? What is Christianity all about? What’s in it for me? The answer is that it offers the way to a fulfilled life. Here are the words of Jesus about his purpose on earth – “I have come that you may have life, life in all its fullness.”

Many would say that they are fulfilled as they are, but I will coin a phrase, “Good is the Enemy of the Best.” I was curious to see if this was original, so I Googled it (like you do), and to my amazement, this is what I found. Voltaire, an 18th century French writer and philosopher observed that “The Best is the Enemy of Good.” He explained it by saying that “Close is sometimes Good Enough” and “Exact is far too costly.” What I am saying is that The Best – Fullness of Life – is actually achievable through Jesus. But much more on that later.

This is the first booklet in a series of three and looks at the foundations of the Bible narrative, beginning with the Creation story. The second booklet covers the period from the birth of Abraham, the founder of the Jewish nation, to the birth of Jesus, looking at the interaction between God and humankind. This period represents the building blocks of the Bible. The third booklet looks at the life, ministry and promises of Jesus – the Light of the World – and the growth of the early church. So, from this I use the analogy of a lighthouse – Foundations, Building blocks and Light. Moreover, I am reminded of the words of a worship song by the group Rend Collective, with Jesus metaphorically described as a lighthouse. This is the chorus: –

“My lighthouse, my lighthouse.

Shining in the darkness, I will follow you.

I will trust the promise,

You will carry me safe to shore”

The whole song is a message of hope for the present and the future. Feel free to play it on YouTube.

For me, writing this has been a personal journey of discovery. As I began writing I realised that my own knowledge was incomplete and in searching and researching for explanations I have added breadth and depth to my own understanding, far beyond my expectations. Not only to my understanding but it has deepened my own faith and my personal relationship with Jesus. The journey goes on! I hope that through reading these little booklets you will deepen your own understanding, and your life too will be enriched. As they say, “suck it and see!”

Feel free to email me at jdwhitehead1938@gmail.com for extra copies etc

Chapter 1. Introduction

 Although this is a book of theology, I have endeavoured to present the Bible in a way that is simple to understand and not too “theological”. In the process, I will explain where a word or term has a different meaning from that understood in everyday use.

I have tried to be as concise as possible. So many books of a theological nature end up with deep scholarly discussions such that a reader can get easily over faced and discouraged and end up not reading to the end and missing the conclusion. Someone once said that the Bible is so simple that we need scholars to help us to misunderstand it. But being realistic, Francis Schaeffer observed that the gospel is complex enough to keep theologians and philosophers busy writing learned tomes for years, and yet simple enough for a child to grasp the essentials. We undoubtedly owe a great debt to those who have scrutinised what is written in the Bible, but in the forthcoming pages I want to keep my arguments and my probing as simple as possible so that the central points are not missed. I will take for granted the general conclusions of biblical scholars over the past century and concentrate on what the Bible is actually teaching, what it has to say about the meaning and purpose of life, about God, ourselves, and the world we live in.

The approach will be: –

1) To present the Bible as an authentic document, by examining what it says, to test the truth or otherwise of what is written and explore its relevance for the present time.

2) To make the Bible more accessible to the ordinary reader, the reader without any special scientific, literary or theological knowledge, making it as comfortable a read as picking up a novel, an adventure story, mystery or crime novel.
3) To enable the reader to dip into its pages and have some appreciation of the context of what he or she is reading.

4) To probe the relevance of the written words to the lives of the reader and the lives of the whole of humanity.

5) To show a way to achieve personal fulfilment, with the help of a God who cares about you, even loves you, a God you can know personally.

Summing up, the main aim is to examine the nature of God and His purpose, to examine the nature of humankind and the relationship between the two.

One fundamental question is, why are we here? One explanation is that we are here by accident. When we have completed our biologically determined role, we have no further purpose. We die and that is the end. Another and rather different explanation is that we have been created by a loving God, who has stooped down to meet us. It is about having a personal relationship with this living God, our becoming part of a new family, God’s family and bringing us home to Him. This is the possibility that I want to develop.

A major difficulty with the Bible is that it is such a big book, around 1250 pages, depending on the translation and size of print, from start to finish. And one must also bear in mind that it contains writing in a number of different genres – Narrative, law, poetry, prophecy, wisdom and letters, and this is not an exhaustive list – does not make things simpler. Do we need to read it all?

The simple answer to that is no, but…..! In presenting the case for Christianity, the one thing that is required is to know Jesus as a person, to know him as the Son of God – God inside a human body. A knowledge of the whole Bible can provide a helpful way to achieve this. But for others knowledge of the Bible comes much later.

Some get to know Jesus by seeing the life and example of a friend. My wife had a colleague who, looking at her lifestyle and attitude to life, said to her, “I want what you’ve got”. She explained to her friend that Jesus was the key, living life following His example. That moment was the beginning for her to becoming a follower of Jesus and through him having a personal relationship with God, developed by reading the Bible with my wife’s guidance, subsequently becoming part of God’s family in a church.

Some come to faith by seeing God’s super-natural miraculous power breaking into the natural world of humankind and doing what is impossible by natural physical laws as we understand them.

I have a friend who was a Muslim who was met by Jesus in a dream and who subsequently became a Christian. I discovered afterwards that this is not uncommon. An internet search and sites such as YouTube will reveal many more examples of similar conversions.

In the pages of the Bible there is also help when things are not going as you may have hoped or expected. Here are coping mechanisms. The fact is that the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, recognises and addresses every aspect of human behaviour, all of our strengths and weaknesses. The New Testament in particular shows we can overcome human failings. So we can pick certain passages out to help us through difficult times or encourage and spur us on when we are not in a good place.

Equally, it is true that there is much in the Old Testament that has little or no relevance for us today, relating to the culture at that time. The dilemma is that the earlier parts also contribute authenticity and provide stepping stones and building blocks for the later parts. So I will be selective and develop the parts which highlight the main themes of “God’s Story”.

As we begin examining and analysing the text of the Bible, I am reminded of a short rhyme by Rudyard Kipling: –

“I keep six honest serving-men,

They taught me all I knew;

Their names are What and Why and When

And How and Where and Who.”

These are good questions to ask as we look at the Bible in our search for truth. How does what it says stand up to scrutiny when we use these searching questions – questions like, “Why are we here at all? What is the purpose? Where are we going on our journey through life? How ought we to get there?

It is a result of our curiosity that civilization has been built. This questioning starts with children of a very young age. It is built into us to ask questions. That is how we learn. There’s a reason for everything (isn’t there?). From an early age, we want to make sense of the world around us

I recall my own experiences when one of my sons was small, the experiences shared by many parents.

Daddy, why? why? why?

-why do I have to go to school?

-why can’t I have a new bike?

-why do I have to go shopping with you? It’s so boring!

Often each explanation would be typically followed by, no but, why………? The discourse was likely to end with, “because I say so!” or “because, because, that’s why!” as dad became more impatient. When my father wanted to be really annoying, he would sing the little rhyme:

 “Why has a cow got four legs?

We must find out somehow.

I don’t know, you don’t know,

And neither does the cow.”

…..leaving a very annoyed young lad! Those were the days!

We ask questions and we may get answers. Probably the most fundamental questions being, is there a purpose for my being here? What is life all about? Why are some things considered important or good or beautiful? Asking questions is how we grow mentally and spiritually. Yet there are questions which we ask as adults and continue to ask, but the answers don’t ever seem to be forthcoming. In so many aspects of life we simply do not have all the answers. And so much more so in the Bible. Only God Knows! Only God has all the answers. My response to this would be to Live the Questions. Don’t stop asking the questions. But doing so leads to a number of possibilities. The first is that you forget that you had asked the question, acknowledging that the question was not important. Secondly, the answer may come when you are least thinking about it. Thirdly, you might realise that you don’t really need the answer. Finally, the answer may never be forthcoming. So, live with the questions! But don’t stop asking the questions! Just as an aside, there are no such things as stupid questions. Stupid answers maybe, but no question is stupid.

There seems to be a loose hierarchy in Rudyard Kipling’s six questions. Some are easier to address, but when it comes to the How and the Why, Science can respond to the How, but so often the Why takes us into God’s territory.

In the oncoming chapters I will begin to address these questions, but in reality, I will merely do little more than scratch the surface. The Bible is such a detailed book. It is like seeing a plane 35,000ft above, not much more than a dot in the sky. Yet in reality it is an object weighing when loaded some 100 tonnes, having a powerful energy source and a payload including passengers each with a separate existence, their own past, present and future. Telescopes and microscopes are further examples. The Bible is rather like that. The deeper you delve into its pages, you realise, as scholars over the centuries have done, that there is so much more in it.

Chapter 2

What is the Bible about?

But what is the Bible about? The simple answer to that is that the Bible is about God – from the first page to the last. It is about the nature of God, the nature of humankind and the interaction between the two. It is about God’s activity throughout the earth over time, from the universe first coming into being, the climax being God appearing in human form on the earth. The aftermath is the implications for humanity, creation then and now and in the future. It is about God establishing a moral code for humankind to live by and a unique purpose for those who choose to follow God’s way, with ultimate accountability to God Himself. It is about God With Us in the here and now and in the future. An ever-present God. It is God’s Story of how he has provided a way into an intimate relationship with each person he has created, caring for, nurturing and giving each a unique future and purpose.

The Bible is in two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament tells us that we can know about God. The New Testament shows how God in Jesus made Himself known, whereby we can know him as a person.

But if it has such a fundamental message, why has it, in our day and age, become so neglected in this country by large sections of society? Is it because so many people live what they consider satisfying lives without any recourse to religious belief and the requirements of Christian living? Each of us can live by our own moral code even if it is breaking the law, if we think we can get away with it.

Many would say they have a good life and are blinded to the possibility that there may be something better, but I will coin a phrase, “Good is the Enemy of the Best”. I was curious to see if this was original, so I Googled it (like you do), and to my amazement, this is what I found. Voltaire, an 18th century French writer and philosopher observed that “The Best is the Enemy of Good”. He explained it by saying that “Close is sometimes Good Enough” and “Exact is far too costly”. What I am saying is the converse, that The Best – Fullness of Life – is actually achievable through Jesus. What do I mean by this? Well, if things are going well in your life, you may be unaware that you are making do with second best. But when things are clearly not good, difficult questions arise like, “Why me?”  “When are things going to improve?”  “Who can get me out of this mess?” Even when things are bad, the best is still available. But much more on that later.

But what is fulfilling I ask? What are the things that people value? That first thing that comes to mind is possessions. – like the car, the house, jewellery, the bank balance. We have our pastimes – for instance our holidays, our hobbies, good food. Is it being successful, being liked or even our appearance? We value people – our relationships with our spouse, our family, our friends.

I quote a simple example from my own experience. We bought a fine china dinner and tea service many years ago to be used for special occasions. The truth is that it has not been out of the cupboard in 20 years, even on special occasions. Materialism ultimately loses its value, it’s worth.

Then we could look at our routines. The traditional way we have always done things.

Christmas dinner was always a special occasion in our family, as it is in most families. Over the years, as children left home and returned for Christmas, it grew to include spouses, partners and grandchildren. I recall the year there were 19 of us in all. We had to borrow tables from the church so that we could all be seated together. That was a mega-event which took days and even weeks to plan and prepare for, to purchase all the food and drinks and then the hours of cooking. Completely exhausting! That was the last time! We passed the baton to the younger generation, who had smaller family groups!

But I have accepted that……

“All good things come to an end.

It was good while it lasted.

Thank you God for the memories.”

Marilyn Monroe was a movie idol and sex symbol during the 1950’s and beyond. In part of the movie, “There’s no Business like Show Business” she sang a song, “After You Get What You Want You Don’t Want It.” Prophetic words indeed. Sadly, at the age of 36 she died from an overdose of barbiturates after a very successful career but also two marriages which both ended in divorce. By the time of her death, her films had grossed $200 million, (equivalent to $2 billion in 2020). In material terms she had everything but in reality, to her it was worth nothing! Quite simply, money can’t buy fulfilment. The “world” saw her as nothing more than a sex object. Her perception of herself seemed to be that she had no real worth. Inevitably this is an oversimplification, the full picture has many more facets.

These observations demonstrating the worthlessness of material wealth are repeated over and over again among the super-rich. But to God, each and every person has truly infinite worth. It is not that material possessions are intrinsically bad. The point is elaborated in Matthew’s gospel chapter 6 verse 33 which reads, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be given to you.” Thus, materialism in its many forms will become your servants, not your masters.

However there is a flip side to this tragic scenario of the use of wealth. For example, we can look at Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. With his wife Melinda, they launched the Bill Gates Foundation. Their vision was to make the world a better place. “We are focused on the areas of greatest need, on the ways in which we can do the most good. From poverty to health, to education, our areas of focus offer the opportunity to dramatically improve the quality of life for billions of people. So, we build partnerships that bring together resources, expertise and vision – working with the best organisations around the globe to identify issues, find answers, and drive change.”

Worship

All these are examples of what has worth for us. This gives us another term, worship. We could include here our lifestyle, our possessions, materialism in general. Modern illustrations would include hero worship, or in the music culture, the latest pop idol. We will come back to this in more detail in due course.

These ambitions are at best only reflections of the God whose worth we are created to acknowledge and worship.

Gone are the days when the basics of Christianity were taught in schools. And gone are the days when the normal Sunday activity was going to church or chapel. I recall something I heard recently about a small boy who heard the Christmas story at school for the first time, the story of Jesus’ birth. His comment was, “But why did they give him a swear word for his name?”

Considering the whole of the 20th century we see changing attitudes towards morality in general. In a sweeping statement, looking at three generations of one family, we find typically that the grandfather will have strong moral principles which will be associated in his mind with his religious beliefs. The father may have no religious beliefs, but his inherited moral standards will keep him pretty much on the straight and narrow. The son will tend to have no religious beliefs and diminishing moral standards, leading us into the present so-called permissive society where anything goes, and sex becomes a recreational activity rather than something associated with a life-long commitment.

Yet who could deny that the culture, legal system and society in the free world has been built on the foundations of the moral code expounded and elaborated in the Bible.

But if the question is asked nowadays “What do you believe about God?” We realise that there is a wide spectrum of views and attitudes about the Bible and religion in general and each may need a different approach in order to respond.

Some would say they don’t know, they have never really thought about it

Others would say it’s just fairy tales. There is no god. It all seems so far-fetched and implausible.

Yet others would say that we are born, we live our lives and then, when we have completed our biologically determined role, we have no further purpose and die, we cease to exist – implying that there is nothing beyond materialism.

Some would say that there may be a supreme being, but it is not something that is relevant today.

There is yet another group. Members of other religions who may or may not believe in the same god as the God of the Bible.

Finally, there are those who do believe in the God as described in the Bible, acknowledging the unique identity of Jesus – a creator God revealed in Jesus Christ, with us now, who wants to give us life in all its fullness.

I want to respond to these opinions by examining what is said in the Bible, to test the truth or otherwise of what is written, to demonstrate the authenticity of what the Bible says about God and then to explore its relevance then, now and in the future. The key here is authenticity, and as I have already said I am going to approach this by looking at statements in the Bible and subjecting them to our current knowledge gained through the evidence of astronomy, cosmology, archaeology, geology, science and history, and not least, logic and reason. I would say at the outset that I am not using these tools to confirm that the Bible is true, but to demonstrate that they have not disproved the Bible.

With such a large range of initial attitudes this presents quite a challenge. Let us consider these in turn.

If you haven’t really thought about it I would like to give you food for thought, to give you something to think about. Such a person may have been born of generations of unbelief but now at this moment he cannot believe – that now at this moment he has no notion of a god at all and cannot care in the least whether there is a god or not. But he can still have an innate sense of right and wrong. That can clear the atmosphere and make it possible for the true idea of a god to be born in him.

There are those who would say that there is no god. I would respond, where is your evidence?

To those who don’t believe in God because it seems so far-fetched and implausible, it suggests they may have a false perception of what God is like. If asked for a response to the question, “What sort of god do you not believe in?” My response would probably be that I do not believe in that sort of god either. Hopefully this book will present a God who is worth believing in.

The view that it is all fairy tales is probably based on awareness of some of the graphic accounts in the Bible especially in the Old Testament – for example, the stories of Daniel in the lion’s den, Noah’s Ark, Jonah being swallowed by a whale, or in the New Testament, the Christmas and Easter stories. Out of context and away from their historic setting such observations are understandable.

To those who say that there is nothing beyond this life, I will present evidence which contradicts this, and if you have an open mind, you may be in for a few surprises.

To members of other religions, I would say, keep reading and see how far a reasoned argument takes you. I am unashamedly making a case for Christianity built on sound logic. Yes, a bold claim indeed!

Next, the Christian believer. “Yes, by faith, I believe in God through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God, God in human form. I read the Bible, well parts of it anyway, to find out what God wants to say to us and do through us. I read about the life of Jesus who shows us a better way of living our lives. We don’t read so much of the Old Testament because the New Testament is the fulfilment of God’s promises to humankind.”

There are those who hear a short talk about Jesus Christ and on that evidence and the evidence in the lives of people around them make a step of faith to follow Christ. Or, seeing the lifestyle of a Christian thinks something like “I want what you’ve got” and is led to a belief in the love of God through Christ, available for each one of us. All this without any real biblical awareness.

Here then lies a paradox. The Bible is a book of some 1250 pages, yet some make a decision to believe in Jesus and His promises without having read any of it. A step of faith. Awareness of the Bible, particularly the New Testament, would come later. Yes, faith and trust will carry you a long way in your Christian journey, but there will be times when your faith is challenged. Questions like, “Why, God? Why me?” will come to mind. I would hope by reading this book, reading from the Bible yourself and spending time with other Christians, you will have a firmer foundation for your faith.

I have used the word faith a number of times. We will explore this in greater depth, but a simple definition is that faith is believing something you hope for. Or alternatively, belief in a presence that does not let you go. (Not as once appeared in a schoolboy essay, that faith is believing something you know isn’t true!)

Again, paradoxically the whole essence of the Christian faith can be summed up in just a few sentences. One such expression of this is a song of worship, a modern hymn, call it what you like, popular in the 1960s, words by Sydney Carter.

Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was begun

And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun

I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth

At Bethlehem I had my birth:

Chorus

Dance then, wherever you may be

I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!

And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be

And I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said He!

I danced for the scribe & the pharisee

But they would not dance & they wouldn’t follow me

I danced for fishermen, for James & John

They came with me & the dance went on:

Chorus

I danced on the Sabbath & I cured the lame

The holy people said it was a shame!

They whipped & they stripped & they hung me high

And they left me there on a cross to die!

Chorus

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black

It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back

They buried my body & they thought I’d gone

But I am the dance & I still go on!

Chorus

They cut me down and I leapt up high

I am the Life that’ll never, never die!

I’ll live in you if you’ll live in Me –

I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!

Dance then, wherever you may be

I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!

And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be

And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said He.

There’s so much metaphor here that it needs explaining. The first thing to say is that it has nothing to do with dancing.

I danced in the morning when the world was begun, refers to God’s presence, already there at the moment of creation, and goes on to describe the creation of stars, our planet and its moon.

The rest of the Old Testament is skipped, the song continues with God’s coming to the earth, born as a baby in real time in a real place, Bethlehem.

In his ministry, the religious leaders saw him as a threat to their understanding of the scriptures and schemed for ways to get rid of him. He made ordinary people his disciples. The religious leaders got rid of him. In the end he was executed by crucifixion, the most cruel method of execution known to man. Some victims would still be alive, undergoing the process of dying for up to three days before they breathed their last.

But he was raised from the dead to a new life, a life that would never die, with the promise that he would share his life with the whole of humankind. The implication of that promise will have to wait until much later in the series. Leading us in the dance is talking about his leading in our own individual journeys through life, wherever or whoever you may be.

So it is clearly not about dancing. “I danced” implies the presence of God, subsequently, Jesus. “Lead you in the dance” implies Jesus’ invitation to lead and guide each and every one of us on our own individual journeys through life.

As I have said, I want to explore a number of avenues: –

  • Authenticity – to examine what is said in the Bible, to test the truth or otherwise of what is written, to demonstrate the authenticity of what the Bible says about God and then to explore its relevance then, now and in the future. The key here is authenticity, and I am going to approach this by looking at statements in the Bible and subjecting them to our current knowledge gained through logic and reason as well as all the scientific findings, asking Kipling’s classic questions.
  • Context – to examine the nature of God – the power of God, the promises of God, the purpose of God, the presence of God, the people of God. In parallel with that, to examine the nature of humankind, and then to examine the relationship between the two.
  • Relevance – in response to the question, “What’s In It for Me” – to probe the relevance of the written words to the lives of the reader and the lives of the whole of humanity, and to show a way to achieve fulfilment in life, with the help of a God who cares about, even loves, each individual, a God you can know personally.

We may choose to reject the conclusion that the Bible arrives at, but it would only be fair to first consider the evidence.

But What’s in it for Me?

Can a book written some 2000 years ago really have any relevance to us today?

Here are a few examples of passages that you may find encouraging and begin to answer the question, describing some rewards and some milestones along the way.

From the books of the Jewish law we read – “I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be my people.” Leviticus 26:12.

And the words of one of Jesus’ close companions – John 3:16-18. “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Also, John 16:33 reads, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

And of Jesus himself – John 10:10. “I have come in order that you may have life – life in all its fullness.”

In Micah 6.8, there is a challenge. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good? And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

We read in Jeremiah 29:11-12. “For I know the plans I have for you” says the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you.”

And finally, here is a salutary message. Paul writes in Romans 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Not just life in all its fullness, but life that continues after the death of our physical bodies.

In the analogy of the lighthouse, the light is Jesus. But as this booklet only covers the foundations, considering this is the subject of a later booklet.

I trust that the foregoing has aroused your curiosity to encourage you to read further.

Sin

Sin is just a form of wrongdoing, but it does not have a single meaning. Here is the first word that needs some explaining, especially because it is a major theme of the whole Bible and also not in general everyday use. It is basically wrongdoing. The word is used many times, but does not have a single, simple meaning. Like many words in the Bible, it is shorthand and has a number of shades of meaning which we will be looking at and exploring when we look at the underlying issues.

We live in God’s world. He created the whole universe. He created everything in it, including of course you and me. Moreover, he established a moral code to provide boundaries to our behaviour. Deviating from this is sin.

Today we have rules and laws. In the same way that the rules of football make for a better game – can you imagine the free for all if there were no rules? And what would driving be like if we didn’t have the Rule of the Road in the Highway Code. Certain chaos would follow. Driving would carry a serious risk of accident injury or even death. From motorways to pavements the rules are there for our protection and safety. It is obvious that rules are necessary. It is only by living within the limitation of rules that we have order. But so many of man’s laws are arbitrary. What makes 30 mph and not 25 mph or 35mph a safe speed in built up areas? Why 70mph on motorways and not 60mph or 80mph? Moreover, if motorway safety is the criterion, it is different at 3:00am at night from rush hour at 5:00pm in the afternoon. But God’s law is unambiguous! And similarly, adhering to it leads to freedom.

It is interesting that both a sense of right and wrong, the knowledge of good and evil, and temptation to sin are all built into us from the dawn of our creation.

There is no way of getting away with it unnoticed! God Knows! God is omniscient! God is the ultimate authority. God’s laws are moral absolutes.

Legal systems across the world, at least in the Democratic West, are a diminutive of the laws required by God’s government. This varies in other countries to the extreme that they set their leaders as having ultimate power and authority, even elevating them as gods.

A further problem is that it does not have a unique definition – each religion has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin.

Like it or not we are all under the requirements of God’s law. Breaking it leaves each one of us subject to punishment, but inbuilt is a means of forgiveness. The wages of sin is death. But there is a remedy. “……the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.” Does this make you sit up and pay attention? It is very easy to commit sin. In fact, everyone sins and continues to do so. Yes, God’s law is the ultimate requirement for moral living. It contradicts the concept in our postmodern, relativistic world that, “I do what is right for me, you do what is right for you,” and their self-denying statement that, “There is no such thing as truth.”

Beyond these foundations, the Bible explores this moral code, looking at how God’s justice is administered, looking at the people’s and the nation’s responses – including both obedience and disobedience and the corresponding rewards and punishments. But most important of all is how recompense and forgiveness can be achieved.

Although whole books have been written and are still being written on the subject of sin, its origins, outworkings and remedy, there is the above core message, and we will be sticking to that.

But there is a tension here. It is human nature to be curious and ask the question, what happens if……? This is how we discover new things and covers the whole area of research and development. We want to try things that we haven’t done before. It is built into us. But there is the overspill, which leads us to breaking the rules. Sometimes we get away with it, sometimes we get caught. Is it worth the risk?

Thinking about new discoveries and the choices we have in applying them, I recall reading that gunpowder was discovered by the Chinese. What did they do with it? They made fireworks! It was left to others to use it as an explosive and exploit its destructive power, showing another aspect of human nature.

It is time to begin to examine the Bible, what it is and what it says, bearing in mind those questions of Rudyard Kipling.

 

Getting to know you… MBC serves up a warm and inviting welcome lunch

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Last Sunday, that was the 5th of October, we hosted our second Welcome lunch for people either new or relatively new to MBC. 
 
In total, around 30 volunteers and guests got together to mingle and mix over a lunch of jacket potatoes, salads and samosas all rounded off with homemade cakes. 
 
It’s always a joy to welcome people into our Moortown family, and from both the comments we received on the day and particularly these two follow up notes we certainly seem to have hit the right note. 
 
Good afternoon Pastor, Deaconate, and the entire team.  I just want to sincerely thank you all for the warm welcome and the wonderful time at the new members’ lunch today. It was such a beautiful experience filled with love, joy, and a true sense of family. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this amazing church community.
Thank you for all the effort, thoughtfulness, and genuine care that went into making today special. God bless you all abundantly. 
 
And…
 
Thank you for making my parents feel so welcome, that was the first time my dad has been to church for a long time and I was so grateful with the welcome he received.
 
Of course none of this could take place without some people giving their time and  others accepting the invitation. So to you all we say a heartfelt thankyou.
 
Oh, and in case you missed out on this one, a heads up that we’re planning to do another Welcome lunch early next year. 
 
 
 
 

“A wonderful response” as the total raised at MBC’s Craft Fair reaches almost £1,800

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Once again our annual Craft Fair was a huge success. So much so, says organisor Krystina Gadd, “that the grand total raised was just a fraction short of £1,800” 

Many thanks then to those who took tables; those who not only displayed and sold a whole array of wares but also kindly donated raffle prizes. Thanks also to those of you who gave us your support by bravely enduring the might of storm Amy.  But perhaps extra special thanks ought to go to a lady called Stephanie Poloubinski. Stephanie, who in the world of crafting is nothing short of a genius had lovingly made and then donated the fabulous throw you can see above; this in itself, and in a separate raffle raised over £600.

The cause, as in previous years was our support for a women’s and girls hostel in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This vital project, without which many would struggle to survive, not only provides the girls with emotional and physical support but also teaches them a raft of practical skills. 

So once again, thank you to all concerned. 

 

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