Bishop J.C. Ryle on 'Considering Christ'

Today I have been thinking over a challenge from the former Bishop of Liverpool, J.C. Ryle:

"Let us cleave to Christ more closely,
love Him more heartily,
live to Him more thoroughly,
copy Him more exactly,
confess Him more boldly,
follow Him more fully."

(From 'Practical Religion' / 'Sickness' p.373).

These are exactly the motivating factors behind our 'Consider Christ' Campaign.

Consider Christ 'Christmas Tract' On Drawing Board

For the past 5 years, an outreach team from Londonderry FPC has gone onto the Cityside on the Lord's Day before Christmas Day to hand out thousands of Gospel Tracts.

I was working on a new Gospel tract today with a view to getting it published for use on our outreach this year.

Seems a shame not to make it an extension to our 'Consider Christ' Campaign – and make a further concentrated attempt at impacting our city for God.

Further news will follow ... .

Meeting With CBS Outdoor Rep (Bus Ad Man)

Last Thursday I was eventually able to meet up with Jeff Smith again, the man responsible for organising the bus and shoplite advertising for the 'Consider Christ' Campaign.

He works for CBS Outdoor - with whom we signed a contract this Spring to supply:

• 8 billboards in Belfast,

• 60 shoplites across the country,

• 1000+ ads inside and outside buses that run under the Translink banner.

He was checking that we were satisfied with the coverage achieved by the Campaign. To say the least, we are delighted with it ... and especially when messages are coming in each day from people who are still seeing the 'Consider Christ' adverts on the buses!

For example:

• Last Thursday evening, 10 buses were spotted by one person in central Belfast;

• On Saturday, 3 buses were seen in Belfast, parked by the side of the road.

• Other reports have come in from various parts of the country, confirming that the bus campaign is still going strong!

Little Is Much When God Is In It!

When Rev M R Watkinson wrote to a government official in 1861, he could not have envisaged the repercussions!

Watkinson wrote, “I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.”

Several ministers of the Gospel were concerned that the nation was failing to recognise belief and dependence upon God and feared that history would deem that heathenism prevailed.

It was the action of the Pennsylvanian pastor that began a process that is now enshrined in American law. He suggested that every coin in the land should testify to their trust in God. His proposal was enthusiastically received and from 1864 every coin from the humble cent to a 1000 dollar note, which was introduced in 1966, has borne the motto, “In God we trust.”

More than that, President Dwight D Eisenhower authorised legislation that the motto of the United States of America would forever be, “In God we trust.”

If we all did something more for God with the same passion as Watkinson only eternity will reveal the consequences.

Source: US Dept. of the Treasury. Submitted by: D Browne.

'Consider Christ' Getting Under Atheist's Skin!

Judging by a comment made by humanist spokesman Brian McClinton, the 'Consider Christ' Campaign has achieved much more publicity than he would have liked.

The British Humanist Association is advertising on billboards in each of the UK's capital cities: London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.

This promotion follows the atheist bus campaign run throughout Great Britain earlier this year when they re-broadcast the devil's lie: 'There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.'

Their new ad on Great Victoria Street, Belfast (NI's first humanist advertising campaign) features a photo of a girl and the slogan: "Please don't label me." It includes watermarks saying "Catholic child," and "Atheist child."

However, revealing his frustration at the success of the 'Consider Christ' Campaign, Mr McClinton added that the poster provided, "opposition to the near ubiquitous 'Consider Christ' ads that are currently covering most of our Translink buses."

When she read the article about the atheist ads on the BBC website, Joy Ovadal (Wisconsin, USA), asked, "I know that a lot of the buses do still have the Consider Christ ads, but would it be most of the Translink buses . . . or is the campaign just really getting to the humanists?!"

I responded, "It's certainly getting under their skin.

We placed 1000+ adverts on the buses (inside and outside) across the country .... and they are still going strong. I still get reports of multiple sightings of them, especially round Belfast, on a daily basis.

Some have commented along the lines, "Saw 4 buses while sitting in a restaurant today ... well, it may have been 2 buses going up, and then coming back down the street ... ."

I LOVE the term this atheist is using though: "the near ubiquitous 'Consider Christ' ads that are covering most of our Translink buses"!

"Ubiquitous" means, "existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent - examples are 'ubiquitous fog'; 'ubiquitous little ants'.

And now ... near ubiquitous 'Consider Christ' ads!!

HALLELUJAH!!!"

An Omnipotent God who, in the words of this atheist, has now "near-omnipresent" ads on the transport system in Northern Ireland ...... it's a very refreshing thought!

Sharing Our Faith In Christ

While rummaging through some 'dusty corners' of my laptop tonight, I came across a poem I had saved for some future use.

That future use is .... now!

A Big Question

What purpose do we serve,
If we never have the nerve,
To share our faith,
...without reserve?
For fear we'll turn whoever off,
That some will turn away and scoff.
But keep it bottled up inside,
Because of pride.
We're to be forever bold,
Until our story's told,
...and sold.
And then we'll know a joy untold,
And later get a crown of gold.
So we're to go our way,
And say our say,
Without delay,
...today.
And it will pay,
When we go away,
Someday...to stay,
...I pray.

(Hal Weeks)

Series of Messages on 'Consider Christ'

Rev. Paul Fitton, the minister of our church in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, has recently completed a series of three messages on the theme, 'Consider Christ':

1. His PERSON

2. His PROVISION

3. His POWER

These are available for free download at the following locations on Sermon Audio: