A journey of faith - Midweek Message 14th April 2021

 

Dear Friends,

As some of you may be aware, the Church of Scotland is facing a major challenge in regard to a shortage of ministers. Over the next 5-10 years large numbers of ministers currently in post are due to retire, leaving a significant shortfall, if the number of new ministry candidates continue at their current levels.  That is one good reason for us all to take up Jesus invitation and command to his disciples in Matthew 9:37-38 "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Pray the Lord would call and send those who will proclaim his gospel and teach his Word.

(In that connection and just as a by-the-way, yesterday I realised this coming Sunday 18^th April sees the 500^th Anniversary of Martin Luther appearing at the Diet of Worms (pronounced vrms) where he was told, in effect, by the Church authorities of his day to stop preaching the gospel of salvation in Christ alone through faith alone by grace alone to the glory of God alone. Luther refused as he famously responded:

Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason…. I consider myself convicted by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. [Here I stand; I can do no other.] God help me. Amen.

We need ministers with that kind of courage and conviction in the Church in Scotland and in the Church of Scotland. Pray!)

However, to return to the current shortage of ministers, one response in recent years within the Church of Scotland has been to open the door to ministers from other Presbyterian denominations across the world to apply to transfer into the Church of Scotland. Someone who has been through that process and been accepted is Cleopas Takavada from the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe. Cleopas trained initially as a teacher but then was called into ministry and was ordained in 2014, having served in two churches since then. He is now what is known as an Admissions Candidate for the Church of Scotland.  This means he has to complete a 1 year Familiarisation Placement in a Church of Scotland congregation under the supervision of the minister there, before he is in position to be available to accept a call to a church of his own. I have been asked to take Cleopas here at Inshes which, having consulted with the elders, I have agreed to do.

Cleopas is 43 years old, married to Atylin and they have four children ranging in age from 7 to 17. God willing, he and his family will move to Scotland and to Inverness sometime in August/September. It takes little imagination to realise what a huge change this will be for the whole family – change of culture, change of climate, change of church, change of schooling for the children – all change for everyone! It’s not unlike Abraham being called out of Ur by God not knowing exactly where he is going! (see Hebrews 11.8) Yet, Cleopas has sensed a call here. He studied for a year in the Netherlands and made a short visit during that time to Scotland – a visit which seems to have been significant in that call.

There is much for him and his family to do in Zimbabwe in preparation for all this – in particular, sorting out visas and making arrangements to travel. At our end and there will in time be much in terms of helping find suitable accommodation and then with the whole settling-in process. At this stage, I would simply ask that you pray for the whole family that our faithful God, the God of Abraham and the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, would clear the way for them to come and prepare them for all that He has for them in this journey of faith. You and I have the privilege of walking along with them part of the way.

Yours in looking forward to that,  

David