A little something from Colin Adams

We are so pleased to be welcoming Colin Adams to teach at Resolve07. He has kindly answered some questions for us that serve to underline why we are so encouraged that he has agreed to come.

Describe the ministry context you find yourself in? I serve as an Associate Pastor at Charlotte Baptist Chapel in Edinburgh. This translates into supporting the senior pastor in preaching and in pastoring younger people, especially students. Located centrally in the city, our church tends to be a thoroughfare of people from all sorts of cultural, social and spiritual backgrounds. Opporunities for evangelism and discipleship are legion, but our weaknesses and limitations are keenly felt!

What are your great passions in ministry? I have a particular passion for discipleship, evangelism and pastoral care to be exercised through preaching. Though this can never be the sum total of how we achieve these things, preaching is pre-eminently effective because it proclaims God's living Word. I also have a keen desire to train and encourage other younger men and women in their spiritual gifts and exercise of leadership.

What are the greatest needs of the local church? I guess there's a list of things that are fairly unchanging from context to context and century to century. To be God centred not man-focused. To submit to God's Word over our own ideas. To depend on the power of the Word and Spirit to achieve conversion and sanctification. To love each other, not superficially, but from the heart. To have a leadership that is leading and loving the flock, setting them an example to follow, both in life and doctrine.

What areas do you see most often neglected in the church today? What I often feel is that there can be a lack of balance, a failure to hold together certain key emphases churches require. For example, churches tend to be significantly better either at evangelism, or more advanced discipleship. Similarly, some congregations are more contemplative (and devotion orientated) whilst others are more activist (deeds orientated). Perhaps most generally though, I observe a frequent failure among believing communities to 'integrate' their faith into the whole of one's life. So you have the idea that someone can be commited to Christ, yet not be commited to holiness! Or that we worship on a Sunday, but throughout the week we can just blend in. However, using the motto of our own fellowship, there is a grave need to be "Conspicuous for Christ" at all times and in all places. If our faith doesn't change us in the office and at home - as a husband, parent or employee - then it remains unconvincing to the world.

Why does doctrine matter? Doctrine is crucial because God's Word is crucial. To say that doctrine doesn't matter is simply to close our ears to God, saying 'I'm not listening.' Further to this, there is clear biblical evidence that there are certain things one must believe to be saved (see 1 Cor 15:3ff, Rom 10:9). In addition, we really behave according to what we ultimately believe. That's why the letters of Paul and others, written to Christians, inevitably begin with doctrine (see Eph 1-3 & 4-6; Rom 1-11; 12-15). The assumption is that what we believe influences the way we live. To be technical, the 'indicative' leads to the 'imperative.'
Do you, and if so why do you, think doctrine is dropping off the map of the church presently? I think in many places sadly. There are probably various reasons. To bullet-point a couple: 1) the postmodern shift away from 'certainty' is putting pressure on any claim of absolute truth; 2) experience is much more immediate and initially exciting, so people don't want to do the hard work of digging deep into doctrine; 3) doctrine has often been taught badly in the past: ie. with little enthusiasm, and with apparently no connection to real life; 4) 'as the shepherds, so the sheep' - a decreasing number of pastors/church leaders are reading doctrine or getting excited about it.

As a young pastor what are your ambitions for the church in Scotland? I guess my main prayer is that the Scottish church will be gripped afresh with a passion for God. I'm not sure we've got it, to be frank. There's a passion for "worship" music, a passion for good church facilities and services, even for 'doing ministry' and being fulfilled by it. But I'm not so sure we're excited about God's glory, God's gospel and God's Son. I pray that God in his grace might may call and equip a new generation of faithful men who will preach the Word and pray in such a way that the church again recaptures this God-centred vision.

We will hear from Hamish Wishart and Liam Garvie over the coming weeks. More from Colin can be found at:
http://unashamedworkman.wordpress.com/