Editorial:

Banners, badges and bells

by Mary Hammond, Plain Truth Editor

Every year, thousands of people from all over the country flock to a four-day event which is held each May at a racecourse in the South of England.

But these visitors don’t come to have a flutter on the horses in the hopes of backing a winner. They are not your ‘typical’ race-goers. In fact none of them will be placing a bet or watching jockeys and their mounts galloping toward the finishing line during this particular ‘meeting’.

Ironically, for many of the people who have travelled to Sandown Park Racecourse – including myself – this has become something of an annual pilgrimage. A trip to the International Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE) is a time when clergy and alike can review and resource products and services with the aim of supporting their Christian work and spreading the Gospel.

From puppets and posters to vestments and videos, all things with a ‘religious’ flavour can be found at this Christian showcase in Surrey.

Great expectations
According to the organisers of the event, 91% of visitors expect to get ideas and inspiration from CRE to take back and use for the furthering of their Christian work – in whatever form that may take.

The preaching of the Gospel will be done in different ways, to different audiences by different people – and with differing results. But isn’t this way of life we call ‘Christianity’ and witnessing the Gospel to others all about meeting people where they are and walking alongside them? Not through displaying some theological prowess or appearing ‘religious’, but maybe by following the advice of St Francis of Assisi. ‘Preach the gospel always, if necessary, use words,’ said the founder of the Franciscan Order – an often quoted phrase within Christianity today.

And wasn’t that exactly what Jesus was trying to get across to the ‘religious’ people of his day? He came to teach a way of life – not a way of being religious. To amplify the law of love – to God and to our neighbours.

In this issue of The Plain Truth we look at some ways in which the Gospel can be preached in what could perhaps be described as a ‘non-religious’ manner. Celebrating 15 years of dedicating his life to helping people across the country who have fallen into serious financial problems, John Kirkby tells how God has used him to preach the Gospel through the very practical work of CAP in our interview. Through the work of his charity, he has met people where they were, walked alongside them, giving practical help and encouragement in their most desperate of times – demonstrating God’s love in action. His charity has been a witness to tens of thousands and the Gospel message has been made accessible to those who may not otherwise have encountered Christianity in action. (And in a ‘non-religious’ – and non-judgmental – way.)

Then in our articles Story Corner and Throwing down the gauntlet, the tables are turned. This time God is asked – or indeed challenged in the latter article – to give each of the two ladies a purpose or passion in their Christian lives in which they had become despondent or even downright depressed! Fulfilling the ‘love thy neighbour’ commandment was the way in which God answered these requests – which both ladies did, and with great passion!

Small, meaningful actions
Sometimes we expect an answer from God to come in a loud, obvious, spectacular way. But in a more reflective article, John Halford shows how spiritual lessons can be learned in the most unusual of places – and by the humblest of creatures. (And in a very quiet, insignificant way too.)

But to keep the issue a little light-hearted, and giving a practical example in which almost everyone reading this can participate, Roy Lawrence asks, ‘Have you brightened anyone’s day recently?’ If you haven’t – or if you need a little cheering up yourself– then we think you’ll enjoy Roy’s article.

Unlike visitors to the CRE, you won’t find Christian banners, badges or bells within our pages. But we do hope you’ll find articles that will help and inspire you on your Christian journey. One of our subscribers wrote in and said ‘I hope that you will publish more articles to bring non-believers to faith and to increase the relationship of believers to God.’ We hope that we’ve achieved that in this issue of The Plain Truth. Let us know what you think.