The Bible is a dusty old fashioned book loaded with rules, contradictions, half truths, manipulative stories and legends.

“The Bible is a dusty old-fashioned book loaded with rules, contradictions, half truths, manipulative stories and legend. It is at best irrelevant and at worst a dangerous book which has divided people, broken families and caused militants to rise up and kill the innocent. It is a crutch for week people, a hiding place for the weird and a platform for religious nuts to shout and force their opinions into others. Should such a book even be kept in the house let alone read?”

That may be your opinion but I dare you to read it. I dare you to lay aside your preconceived ideas and prejudice to give it a go. If you have been ‘Bible Bashed’ before or people have tried to manipulate or intimidate you with its words then on behalf of all right thinking believers I apologise. The Bible is described as a sword and there have been many, including myself, who have in their enthusiasm and lack of skill flashed it’s blade like a toddler with a light-sabre. 

Why read it?

The Bible is a book like no other; it has not only shaped our country but the world. It has moulded politics, culture, human rights, equality laws and democracy the world over.  Three Bibles are distributed free of charge every second and it remains the world’s No1 best seller.  It has inspired kings, leaders, artists, poets, sports stars the world over as well as billions of others as they go about their daily lives.

This book has something to say to everyone. It teaches us about honesty, hard work, leadership, integrity, charity, compassion, humility, self-sacrifice, putting others first and above all love. It brings hope to the hopeless, comforts those who mourn and shows us than in our brokenness God has made away for wholeness.

I desperately want to make this book ‘trendy again.’ There was time when carrying your Bible under your arm was just as cool as walking today with a set of ‘Monster Beats’  over your ears while plugged into your Ipad. 

Here is just one of many stories that offers great lessons for everyone.  

It’s the 20^th year of Artaxerxes, King of Persia about 450BC and the walls of Jerusalem have been a broken messy rubble for 120 years. They were torn down by the Chaldeans and then allowed to sit unrepaired for now more than a century. Now a city wall in ruins was a bad thing in those days. Not only did it leave the city open for attack, but it prompted ridicule from neighbouring powers. Literally tens of thousands of Jerusalem’s people had seen the broken walls and done nothing. What the people needed was someone to rally them, plan a course of action and take them through the building process. They needed a leader and they got one in a cup-bearer to the King called Nehemiah.

His story is one of the most remarkable stories of leadership ever recorded. He made plans, envisioned the people and worked with them to rebuild the walls. In the end, what lay a mess for 120 years was repaired inside just 52 days.

Are you a leader? There is much you can learn from this guy and you can find his full story inside the Bible in a book that bears his name: Nehemiah

Whey not find that old book and give the story a read... alternatively you can download it here 

Here are some leadership lessons from Nehemiah that we would do well to follow:

• He identified the problem that no-one else could see
• He approached and shared the challenge with key influencers 
• He measured up the task
• He cast the vision before the people
• He encouraged them with stories of past success
• He received ‘buy-in’ from the people
• He organised them
• He worked with them and not just from a desk

The walls were built because Nehemiah had a burden, showed ability to work in a team and led them with clear direction.

A dust irrelevant book? I dare you... blow the dust of the Bible and read it!

I've Found Hope

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Take time to read that verse again.

Meditate on it: 

1, The God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him.

2, May we overflow with hope

3, By the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes I come across a passage like that and I think: It speaks for itself, i have nothing  more to say or preach on for the Word of God speaks for itself. Any human input if mine would do it an injustice.  If we could all take those three points and marinate in them we will be changed.

This little blog is an extract for Sunday's sermon on these three points. I hope it proves helpful.

Maybe you are reading this blog because you have lost hope. Maybe you are 'at the end of your rope'. Read it again. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hopelessness is one of the darkest places on earth.

All around us people have put their hope on material things that are failing: banks, businesses, organisations, careers  and relationships. As a result  people are looking for a quick fix; a short term solution to long term problems and so a cycle begins of quick fixes that can often lead to wrong choices and addiction.

I wonder what you find your strength and hope in today? I found my hope in Jesus 20 years ago. When I became a Christian I didn't just 'come to faith', I didn't just 'receive 'his gift of love'; Both are essential but  I found hope... and hope found me.

 The bible says 'These three things remain firm faith, hope and love...and the greatest of these is love'  Sometimes we hear that verse read at weddings and always them emphasis  is on love and little mentioned of hope.  Maybe i should rework my title to 'These three things remain firm... and the least understood of these is hope.

In the U.K and Ireland every 90 minutes there is a death due to suicide and 1 attempted suicide every 20 minutes.

Many are young men cut down in the prime of life.

Suicide rates from 1996 to 2006 are as follows: 

England down 7%

Wales down 1%

Scotland down 12.5%

Northern Ireland suicide is up 111%. That's where I live, that's suicide on the streets I walk on every day.

And it doesn't seem to be  getting any better. Just before I left the Fire and Rescue Service in 2011 I helped a doctor and nurse work on a young man for 40 minutes... he didn’t make it. Another suicide but this time it was up close. Another young man can't find hope and decides to end his life. 

Last week I met with a gentleman who works in the agricultural industry. He informs me that in Ireland there is 1 suicide a week in the farming industry. Often these are men who have inherited their fathers business, worked long hours and spent their lives on the farm only to see it decimate before their eyes. Poor harvest, food prices slashed and EU regulations making driving them into hopelessness.

What can we do?

We need to keep Hope alive in our communities, real Hope is essential for our survival.

Hope is essential to our survival. Webster defines hope as “Desire accompanied by expectation of, or belief in fulfilment; to desire with expectation of obtainment; to expect with confidence.” How vital that expectation and hope is!

When life hurts and dreams fade, nothing helps like hope.

Without hope, prisoners of war languish and die. Without hope, students get discouraged and drop out of school.

Without hope, football teams slump and keep losing... even Chelsea! 

Without hope, amateur authors will stop writing, farmers loose confidence in their business, addicts return to their habits, married couples decide to divorce, inventors, artists, entertainers, and entrepreneurs lose their creativity.

Without hope, even preachers, and strong Christians, struggle to press on.  

Hope is not merely a nice option that that helps us temporarily clear a hurdle. It is essential to our survival. It is something that is as important to us as water is to a fish, as vital as electricity is to a light bulb - hope is that basic to life.

When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.

When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy.

When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits. 

When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.

When we lose our way and confusion blurs the destination, hope dulls the edge of panic.

When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain.

When we fear the worst, hope brings reminders that God is still in control.

When we must endure the consequences of bad decisions, hope fuels our recovery.

When we find ourselves unemployed, hope tells us we still have a future.

When we are forced to sit back and wait, hope gives us the patience to trust.

When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we’re not alone...and that we’ll make it. 

When we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope in eternal life gets us through the grief.

I want every Christian reading this today to do this: Adopt hope like a little daughter and carry her in your heart everywhere you go. May we overflow with hope, that's what the bible says. OVERFLOW WITH HOPE.

Speak hope into our children, speak it into our churches and communities. Let hope live within you and give it away freely to others. Be intentional today to live out hope. 

Maybe you are reading this because you have put your hope in the wrong things and are seeing it fall apart before your eyes. Turn your eyes toward Jesus, the source of hope. Spend some unhurried time with him and rest in his presence. Cast your cares upon him and trust in His goodness. He has never failed me yet.

Pray this prayer:

Dear Jesus, thankyou for the promise of your word. Fill me with joy and peace as i trust in you. Through the power of your Holy Spirit let your confident hope fill every area of my life and overflow into the lives of others. In Jesus name, Amen.

Extracts from sermon for Sunday June 2013

The Bible: A book of failures for failures

 

The Bible is a book of failures for failures

 

Tom Watson, Sr., founder of IBM, was being interviewed by a young man who asked the following question: “Mr Watson, how can I be great like you?”  Without hesitation Mr Watson responded, “Double your failures.”

Albert Einstein’s teacher described him as mentally slow, unsociable and adrift in foolish dreams.

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas.

Winston Churchill failed in sixth grade and did not become Prime Minister until he was a senior citizen and eligible for a bus pass (62)!

And what about this guys climb to success!

Failed in business – bankruptcy, 1831

Defeated for legislature, 1832

Failed in business – bankruptcy, 1833

Sweetheart dies, 1835

Nervous breakdown, 1836

Defeated in election, 1838

Defeated in U.S. Congress, 1843

Defeated in U.S. Congress, 1846

Defeated in U.S. Congress, 1848

Defeated for U.S. Senate, 1854

Defeated for U.S. Vice President, 1856

Defeated for U.S. Senate, 1858

Elected President of the U.S. 1860

 

His name: Abraham Lincoln

 

I guess the point I am making is this; if you have failed a few times you are in good company. The greatest business people are often those who have also failed most. Every ‘no’ can take us closer to a ‘yes’; it’s how we respond it that really matters. Are we teachable? Can we learn from our mistakes? 

Remember: Failure is only temporary but quitting lasts forever.

 

The Bible is a great book to guide us through failure and into success. It is littered with stories of people who are remembered ‘to put it mildly’ for being less than consistent due to failure:

King David, Solomon, Moses, Joseph, Abraham, Jacob, Peter, Paul to name a few. Each one has a story of failure. All of these people where called by God to do great service and had the Bible been a book of fiction you would only have read about consistent and exemplary lives. You would not expect major blunders. Yet, what do we find in their lives: weak parents, jealous leaders, lies, arrogance, corruption and deceit. We see real people who took their eye of God and failed. Go and read them for yourself...these are stories we can relate to and learn from and in our weakness we can draw strength from their experience and see how gracious and merciful God is in spite of our failures.

Have you a failed business plan? Have you messed up with your family? Maybe you didn’t get the grades you hoped for in this year’s exams. The challenge is not to remain in the failure. Learn from it, lift your head and overcome. The people who rarely fail are usually the people who rarely try. Success is not how fast you reach the top, but how fast you bounce back when you hit the bottom.  Seeing yourself as a failure will not make you feel better and even more importantly will not help you do any better. Find new ways to work, focus on your strengths, admit your failures and plan to bounce back.

The worst thing we can do is worry about past failures for this will just compound yet more failure in the future. The Apostle Paul gave this great advice: ‘This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead’ Philippians Chapter 3 verse 13. This was Paul’s secret of success. It can be ours too - forget about past mistakes and think about how we can do better in the future.The Bible is a book for wobbly weak-kneed people who are big enough to admit they sometimes fail and need help.

 

 

 

Here is little prayer we can all pray: God, thanks for not giving up on me, thank you that you did not create me to become a failure. Help me to understand that in all my mistakes, disappointments, hurt and failures you waste nothing and you can turn it around for good.  Amen.

The lesson we need to remember is: we all fail but only failures stay down. Keep on trying and looking to help others when they fail too.

 

Make today a day when you give your very best.

 

Christianity is boring...

I have started sleeping with my eyes open since I became a Christian.

I have met some seriously boring Christians. Their whole life seems to be one long sermon over stewed tea in a china cup and a rich tea biscuit. They always seem so serious and live in a world of grey suits, brown shoes and magnolia walls. Their idea of fun is a bored game (note spelling) and a big night out would be a treasure hunt.  They listen to old fashioned songs, read old fashioned books and talk about old fashioned things in an old fashioned way. If that’s Christianity then it is boring. In truth these kinds of people would put me off Christianity for life.

Thankfully the vast majority are not like that. In truth I have met some seriously boring people in all walks of life; from football to family to my previous job as a firefighter. (No I am not going to mention names)

I suppose boring is a matter of personal opinion and taste. I find cricket boring while others travel the world to cheer on their team; to be honest, if the West Indies were playing England in my back garden I would close the blinds.

Church can be boring, I don't dispute that, but a few boring services or churches does not give an  honest appraisal any more than a bad football team or a boring match makes the entire sport boring.

One thing is for sure, Jesus never intended his people to be boring. He challenges us all to be like Him... now here is a guy who leaves home alone and sets off on a three year trek around Palestine followed by a bunch of fisher men, tax collectors, call girls and publicans. He heals the sick, mocks the religious, sleeps rough, bbq's fish on the beach and parties with sinners.

The early church explodes across Asia and into Europe with radical disciples. Not a whiff of bored in sight. Take Paul for example. The last 15 chapters of the book of Acts reads like an Indiana Jones script. Ok so the Apostle Paul didn't have the hat, chinos and whip but his adventures at times make Harrison Ford look his age.

Paul sets sail and travels far and wide facing countless perils. Coming face-to-face with all kinds of bad guys, getting captured, escaping, taking a beating and then coming back for more. Paul is a hero of the faith, a swash-buckling, globe-trotting, death-defying action man. Let me give you an overview of those last 15 chapters:

Paul sets sail in chapter 13 to Cyprus where he confronts an evil magician and out-duels him leaving the poor guy temporary blinded and vanquished.  He sets sail for Pamphylia and those in power conspire against him and so he flees to Iconium where he is attacked and again dashes off to Lystra.

In Lystra he is stoned and dragged out of the city and left for dead; and if you think Harrison Ford can take a punch, read how Paul goes back into the city to finish the job at hand.  A few cities later and after being called to Macedonia he is thrown into prison in Phillippi.  The future looks bleak and just when it seems like he had ran out of options suddenly an earthquake comes , shaking open the prison doors and Paul is free.

In Chapter 16 he races off to Thessalonica where a lynch mob in the market place seek to finish him off and so he escapes to Athens. In Chapter 17 he displays more wisdom than Professor Henry Jones as he gives a lecture to a gathering crowd before dashing off on a boat to Sierra. Then in Ephesus he starts a riot and in Greece they plot to kill him. It’s one cliff hanger after another.

Now back in Jerusalem, he is arrested at the temple and carried away by soldiers. A ferocious crowd of 40 men take a vow not to eat again until they have killed Paul; a hit squad. Surely there is no way he will escape.

In chapter 23 the cavalry arrives and 400 Roman soldiers defend him against the angry mob. He is brought before the King who finds him innocent, but decrees that he must go to Rome to face another trial. While on the ship to Rome, they face a terrible storm and are ship wrecked in Malta. Paul survives only to be attacked by a poisonous snake which he throws off.

His story finishes off in a prison in Rome awaiting trial.

Boring? Far from it.  Now I am no Paul but my own 20 years of following Jesus have been one awesome adventure that has taken me from the ghettos in New York to the slums in India. From building pig pens in Eastern Europe to nursing HIV kids in Africa. Everyday there is a new challenge to face and a new opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Maybe you have been to church in the past and your experience of Christianity has been marginally more exciting than tidying your sock drawer. On behalf of all every right thinking Christian I apologise to you; Jesus never intended it to be that way.

Read the bible and find out for yourself. Visit a local evangelical Church and don’t be put off by first impressions... but if it is boring then tell them.

Christianity is not just a pie in the sky when you die; it's a steak on the plate while you wait.

Onwards!

Mitch

Why we need Partnership in Evangelism. Luke Chapter 5 verse 6-7

Verses 6 – 7 “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”

On a recent fishing trip to Lough Derg I would have loved to have experienced our boats almost sinking with fish. Over three days of appalling wind and rain our four little boats didn’t land very many fish. My 5lb pike was the only fish I caught and some 17lbs behind the winner, but together we celebrated the winning catch. The trip was deemed a success because as a team we caught ‘a beauty’.

Verses 6 and 7 emphasise the enormous benefit of partnership in evangelism. Becoming a fisher of men was never intended to be a solo activity for a number of reasons:

 Encouragement: Not every fishing trip has a happy ending. The same can be said of evangelism; the team can help each other, spur one another on and encourage us to keep going (Hebrews 10:24). I became a Christian after attending a week long outreach in Albertbridge Congregational Church. Roger Carswell was the preacher that Wednesday evening. Ten years later, when I contacted Roger to tell him the news (I know it was a bit late), he told me that they were unaware that anyone had come to faith the whole week. He was so encouraged at the report and thanked me for ‘making his day’.

 A companion in evangelism is necessary because of our tendency towards self deception, sometimes only another can see that we are heading south when we sincerely believe that the road we are on leads north!

 A Kingdom approach to outreach. There is something very encouraging when Churches work together on the lake. While we may well have enjoyed singing ‘You in Your Small Corner and I in Mine’ as a child there is no Christian mandate for this practice. We need a model which provides shared resources, shared energy and more boats on the lake; not competing but supporting. It is thoroughly right and Biblical to work together in outreach.

Imagine: Churches working together with nets breaking and boats almost sinking due to the number of fish. That’s a dream I have for Ireland… maybe you can help me make that a reality?

Crown Jesus Ministries image / logo

Crown Jesus Ministries Logo/ Image 

The Crown Jesus Ministries logo reflects our vision and values. The image of the crown is made up of three people linking arms and lifting their hands up in partnership and worship.

   Our vision is to see the people of Ireland Crown Jesus Lord of their lives. 

Our mission: To communicate the good news of Jesus 

We do this through partnership and support with the local church/ Christian community

Our aim to see people become disciples who follow and worship Jesus wholeheartedly

We are committed to Evangelism in Ireland.

 For more information on our work please visit www.crownjesus.org

Still need to buy dad a gift for Fathers Day?

It's never easy buying dad a present...

can I suggest you consider buying this little book?


It's available online and from most good Christian bookshops...and if you buy it from the Crown Jesus office we will give you a copy of Anthony Delaney's brilliant book Diamond Geezers for free! That's £7.99 and two books for dad.




Snatched from the fire
Life with a purpose
Keith Mitchell (Mitch)
ISBN: 9781844745029
144 pages, Paperback
Published: 18/02/2011

£7.99

Text from IVP:

As a firefighter, Mitch is trained to snatch people from flames. As a Christian, he sees sin as a fire to be fought in our lives. This results in real living, life with freedom and a purpose, with a happy eternity thrown in.

Don't read this book if you want religion, answers to life's great mysteries or the secret of winning the lottery.

Do read it if you are willing to put your prejudices behind you and be open-minded and willing to change as a result of meeting someone far more important than all of the above - Jesus.


Commendations

'While believing the message of this book will snatch you from destructive fire, it will also powerfully start another cleansing fire.' Derick Bingham
'A great read, but more importantly it bites where many of us need to be bitten.' Ken Clarke

'Entertaining and educational, compelling and challenging, interesting and instructive.' J. John

'Funny, well-written and aimed to change lives.' R. T. Kendall

'Mitch has beautifully articulated that the answers to the needs of this broken world can be found only in Jesus Christ.' Gavin Peacock

'You'll grasp Mitch's heart for God as you read.' John White

Sorted Magazine Olympics Games Edition

As the Northern Ireland Rep for More Than Gold and a Sports Chaplain I am constantly on the look out for new resources that can help the local church engage with the Olympic Games.

These next few months are a fantastic once in a lifetime opportunity to use the Olympic games in the U.K. as a tool for evangelism.

As the Torch Relay and Prayer Baton passed through Northern Ireland it was a blessing to be a part of the celebrations in Newry and Belfast, but there was one thing missing... I wanted a really good resource to give away to people.



Yesterday the latest edition of Sorted Magazine has arrived at the Crown Jesus office.
This edition is packed with Olympic information, cool facts and life stories... A little late for the Torch Relay in Northern Ireland but not the 60+ venues the Torch and Prayer Baton are still to visit in the U.K.

And of course there is the Olympic Games themselves: whether it be a men's breakfast, table quiz, CVM meeting, festival, live site or Olympic sports service this is the magazine to give away.

The magazine is loaded with great reads including a brilliant  articles by canon J.John, Sir Steve Redgrave and for all the cycling nuts an exclusive interview with Victoria Pendleton.

Over the Olympics this is the best Christian resource I have seen for men.


We have got a box of 50 to give away over the Games how many will you order??

P.S Sorted don't pay me commission :-) I just want to share a good resource when I see one.

Onwards!

Mitch

Visit www.sorted-magazine.com for more. 

Olympics 2012

The Olympic Torch has arrived...it’s time to shine!

 In case you have been living on the moon let me draw your attention to the news that the Olympic Games are coming to London and the Olympic torch began it's awesome 70 day journey today.



 Preparation is well underway with the final touches going into the aquatic centre, basketball arena, velodrome and stunning Olympic stadium. The world’s foremost sports competition, with more than 200 nations participating, will not only impact London but the whole of the U.K.

 This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for people across the U.K to not only enjoy but embrace the games and celebrate a competition that has roots going back to 776BC, transcending cultural and political backgrounds. The games have produced some unforgettable moments and characters: Jesse Owens, Bob Beamon, Carl Lewis, Steve Redgrave, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt to name a few. On a local level we can be tremendously proud of the achievements of Dame Mary Peters, Wayne McCullough and Wendy Houvenaghel amongst others. So who will be the shining stars of 2012?

 In addition to the Games, the Olympic torch will travel across the U.K incorporating a 4 day visit to Northern Ireland. There will be hundreds of festivals, street parties, concerts and twenty cities will have BBC live screens (Belfast City Hall). Friends tell me from experience that when the Olympics arrive it saturates television, newspapers, radio broadcasts and conversations everywhere and i am beginning to feel that already!

 Eph 5:15 says ‘make the most of every opportunity’ and the Olympics 2012 is a golden opportunity for Christians across the U.K to use initiative and reach out into their communities... That may sound good but what will we do? What resources are available? What experience do we need? Thankfully help is at hand through a fantastic organisation called More than Gold. Founded in 1996 to facilitate churches for the Atlanta Olympics, they have built up a wealth of experience working in the:

•  Commonwealth Games 
• Pan American Games 
• All-Africa Games 
•  Indian Ocean Games 
•  Olympic Games and
• Paralympics 

 So what has your church got planned as the touch visits your area? Does it pass the front of your Church? What have you got outreach events planned over the games?? For Northern Ireland it is my role as regional rep to facilitate you over the Olympics 2012. Give me a call at the office of drop me an e-mail and i will be happy to meet up with you or post out helpful information.

 Essentially More than Gold are here to be a one-stop-shop that helps churches seize the moment. Their mission To enable the UK churches to engage with the 2012 Games Their vision Thousands of churches to taste the excitement of reaching their community in fresh and ongoing ways in Jesus’ name More than Gold is here to help you:
 • catch the vision for the impact that can be made and the role that each of you can play
 • resource you with material and skills
 • help you plan events
 • make connections between the many agencies and thousands of churches participating
• coordinated the production of resources and action needed
 • plan for the arrival of the Olympic torch in your area.

 All too often churches are seen negatively; as out of touch and only interested in themselves. The 2012 Games provides a unique opportunity for UK churches to be seen for what they really are... a supernatural expression of God’s love in our community. By playing your part in the programmes of outreach and prayer, every church can help tell a different story and waken fresh interest in who it is that makes us different and how others can know Jesus for themselves.

 One very exciting initiative is called ‘A Time To Shine’: This is essentially a call to pray for our communities and the nations Under the theme A Time To Shine, we are inviting every church, group and organisation to explore creative ways to pray for all that will take place in the weeks leading up to, during and after the Games.

 The theme is drawn from Isaiah 60:1-5, which tells of God's light shining through us for the good of others. One very special opportunity for Northern Ireland to shine is as the Olympic Flame travels across our wee country. We would like churches to be a part of a 70 day cascade of prayer as the Olympic Torch Relay travels across the U.K. The concept is simple... everywhere the torch travels we get people praying.

 If you or your church would like to find out more about More than Gold or explore ways in which we can help, please do not hesitate to contact me at the Crown Jesus Office. For more information on More than Gold, visit www.morethangold.org.uk

 Onwards! Mitch
 www.crownjesus.org

Prime Minister David Cameron speaks on the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible

Prime Minister: It’s great to be here and to have this opportunity to come together today to mark the end of this very special 400th anniversary year for the King James Bible. I know there are some who will question why I am giving this speech. And if they happen to know that I’m setting out my views today in a former home of the current Archbishop of Canterbury… …and in front of many great theologians and church leaders… …they really will think I have entered the lions’ den. But I am proud to stand here and celebrate the achievements of the King James Bible. Not as some great Christian on a mission to convert the world. But because, as Prime Minister, it is right to recognise the impact of a translation that is, I believe, one of this country’s greatest achievements. The Bible is a book that has not just shaped our country, but shaped the world. And with 3 Bibles sold or given away every second… …a book that is not just important in understanding our past, but which will continue to have a profound impact in shaping our collective future. In making this speech I claim no religious authority whatsoever. I am a committed – but I have to say vaguely practising – Church of England Christian, who will stand up for the values and principles of my faith… …but who is full of doubts and, like many, constantly grappling with the difficult questions when it comes to some of the big theological issues. But what I do believe is this. The King James Bible is as relevant today as at any point in its 400 year history. And none of us should be frightened of recognising this. Why? Put simply, three reasons. First, the King James Bible has bequeathed a body of language that permeates every aspect of our culture and heritage… ….from everyday phrases to our greatest works of literature, music and art. We live and breathe the language of the King James Bible, sometimes without even realising it. And it is right that we should acknowledge this – particularly in this anniversary year. Second, just as our language and culture is steeped in the Bible, so too is our politics. From human rights and equality to our constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy… …from the role of the church in the first forms of welfare provision, to the many modern day faith-led social action projects… …the Bible has been a spur to action for people of faith throughout history, and it remains so today. Third, we are a Christian country. And we should not be afraid to say so. Let me be clear: I am not in any way saying that to have another faith – or no faith – is somehow wrong. I know and fully respect that many people in this country do not have a religion. And I am also incredibly proud that Britain is home to many different faith communities, who do so much to make our country stronger. But what I am saying is that the Bible has helped to give Britain a set of values and morals which make Britain what it is today. Values and morals we should actively stand up and defend. The alternative of moral neutrality should not be an option. You can’t fight something with nothing. Because if we don’t stand for something, we can’t stand against anything. Let me take each of these points in turn. First, language and culture. Powerful language is incredibly evocative. It crystallises profound, sometimes complex, thoughts and suggests a depth of meaning far beyond the words on the page… …giving us something to share, to cherish, to celebrate. Part of the glue that can help to bind us together. Along with Shakespeare, the King James Bible is a high point of the English language… …creating arresting phrases that move, challenge and inspire. One of my favourites is the line “For now we see through a glass, darkly.” It is a brilliant summation of the profound sense that there is more to life, that we are imperfect, that we get things wrong, that we should strive to see beyond our own perspective. The key word is darkly – profoundly loaded, with many shades of meaning. I feel the power is lost in some more literal translations. The New International Version says: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror” The Good News Bible: “What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror” They feel not just a bit less special but dry and cold, and don’t quite have the same magic and meaning. Like Shakespeare, the King James translation dates from a period when the written word was intended to be read aloud. And this helps to give it a poetic power and sheer resonance that in my view is not matched by any subsequent translation. It has also contributed immensely to the spread of spoken English around the world. Indeed, the language of the King James Bible is very much alive today. I’ve already mentioned the lions’ den. Just think about some of the other things we all say. Phrases like strength to strength… …how the mighty are fallen… …the skin of my teeth… …the salt of the earth. … nothing new under the sun. According to one recent study there are 257 of these phrases and idioms that come from the Bible. These phrases are all around us… …from court cases to TV sitcoms… …and from recipe books to pop music lyrics. Of course, there is a healthy debate about the extent to which it was the King James version that originated the many phrases in our language today. And it’s right to recognise the impact of earlier versions like Tyndale, Wycliffe, Douai-Rheims, the Bishops and Geneva Bibles too. The King James Bible does exactly that… …setting out with the stated aim of making a good translation better, or out of many good ones, to make “one principall good one” But what is clear is that the King James version gave the Bible’s many expressions a much more widespread public presence. Much of that dissemination has come through our literature, through the great speeches we remember and the art and music we still enjoy today. From Milton to Morrison… …and Coleridge to Cormac McCarthy… …the Bible supports the plot, context, language and sometimes even the characters in some of our greatest literature. Tennyson makes over 400 Biblical references in his poems. …and makes allusions to 42 different books of the Bible. The Bible has infused some of the greatest speeches… …from Martin Luther King’s dream that Isaiah’s prophecy would be fulfilled and that one day “every valley shall be exalted… …to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address which employed not just Biblical words but cadence and rhythms borrowed from the King James Bible as well. When Lincoln said that his forefathers “brought forth” a new nation, he was imitating the way in which the Bible announced the birth of Jesus. The Bible also runs through our art. From Giotto to El Greco… …and Michelangelo to Stanley Spencer. The paintings in Sandham Memorial Chapel in Berkshire are some of my favourite works of art. Those who died in Salonika rising to heaven is religious art in the modern age and, in my view, as powerful as some of what has come before. And the Bible runs through our music too. From the great oratorios like J S Bach’s Matthew and John Passions and Handel’s Messiah… …to the wealth of music written across the ages for mass and evensong in great cathedrals like this one. The Biblical settings of composers from Tallis to Taverner are regularly celebrated here in this great cathedral… …and will sustain our great British tradition of choral music for generations to come. It’s impossible to do justice in a short speech to the full scale of the cultural impact of the King James Bible. But what is clear is that four hundred years on, this book is still absolutely pivotal to our language and culture. And that’s one very good reason for us all to recognise it today. A second reason is this. Just as our language and culture is steeped in the Bible, so too is our politics. The Bible runs through our political history in a way that is often not properly recognised. The history and existence of a constitutional monarchy owes much to a Bible in which Kings were anointed and sanctified with the authority of God… ….and in which there was a clear emphasis on the respect for Royal Power and the need to maintain political order. Jesus said: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And yet at the same time, the Judeo-Christian roots of the Bible also provide the foundations for protest and for the evolution of our freedom and democracy. The Torah placed the first limits on Royal Power. And the knowledge that God created man in his own image was, if you like, a game changer for the cause of human dignity and equality. In the ancient world this equity was inconceivable. In Athens for example, full and equal rights were the preserve of adult, free born men. But when each and every individual is related to a power above all of us… …and when every human being is of equal and infinite importance, created in the very image of God… …we get the irrepressible foundation for equality and human rights… …a foundation that has seen the Bible at the forefront of the emergence of democracy, the abolition of slavery… …and the emancipation of women – even if not every church has always got the point! Crucially the translation of the Bible into English made all this accessible to many who had previously been unable to comprehend the Latin versions. And this created an unrelenting desire for change. The Putney debates in the Church of St Mary the Virgin in 1647 saw the first call for One Man, One vote… …and the demand that authority be invested in the House of Commons rather than the King. Reading the Bible in English gave people equality with each other through God. And this led them to seek equality with each other through government. In a similar way, the Bible provides a defining influence on the formation of the first welfare state. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says that whatever people have done “unto one of the least of these my brethren”… … they have done unto him. Just as in the past it was the influence of the church that enabled hospitals to be built, charities created, the hungry fed, the sick nursed and the poor given shelter… …so today faith based groups are at the heart of modern social action. Organisations like the Church Urban Fund which has supported over 5,000 faith based projects in England’s poorest communities… …including the Near Neighbours Programme which Eric Pickles helped to launch last month. And St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in London’s Bishopsgate… …a building once destroyed by an IRA bomb… …but now a centre where people divided by conflict, culture or religion can meet and listen to each other’s perspective. In total, there are almost 30 thousand faith based charities in this country… …not to mention the thousands of people who step forward as individuals, as families, as communities, as organisations and yes, as churches…. …and do extraordinary things to help build a bigger, richer, stronger, more prosperous and more generous society. And when it comes to the great humanitarian crises – like the famine in Horn of Africa – again you can count on faith-based organisations… …like Christian Aid, Tearfund, CAFOD, Jewish Care, Islamic Relief, and Muslim Aid… …to be at the forefront of the action to save lives. So it’s right to recognise the huge contribution our faith communities make to our politics. …and to recognise the role of the Bible in inspiring many of their works. People often say that politicians shouldn’t “do God.” If by that they mean we shouldn’t try to claim a direct line to God for one particular political party… …they could not be more right. But we shouldn’t let our caution about that stand in the way of recognising both what our faith communities bring to our country… …and also just how incredibly important faith is to so many people in Britain. The Economist may have published the obituary of God in their Millennium issue. But in the past century, the proportion of people in the world who adhere to the four biggest religions has actually increased from around two-thirds to nearly three quarters… …and is forecast to continue rising. For example, it is now thought there are at least 65 million protestants in China and 12 million Catholics – more Christians than there are members of the communist party. Official numbers indicate China has about 20 million Muslims – almost as many as in Saudi Arabia – and nearly twice as many as in the whole of the EU. And by 2050, some people think China could well be both the world’s biggest Christian nation and its biggest Muslim one too. Here in Britain we only have to look at the reaction to the Pope’s visit last year… …this year’s Royal Wedding… …or of course the festival of Christmas next week, to see that Christianity is alive and well in our country. The key point is this. Societies do not necessarily become more secular with modernity but rather more plural, with a wider range of beliefs and commitments. And that brings me to my third point. The Bible has helped to shape the values which define our country. Indeed, as Margaret Thatcher once said, “we are a nation whose ideals are founded on the Bible.” Responsibility, hard work, charity, compassion, humility, self-sacrifice, love… …pride in working for the common good and honouring the social obligations we have to one another, to our families and our communities… …these are the values we treasure. Yes, they are Christian values. And we should not be afraid to acknowledge that. But they are also values that speak to us all – to people of every faith and none. And I believe we should all stand up and defend them. Those who oppose this usually make the case for secular neutrality. They argue that by saying we are a Christian country and standing up for Christian values we are somehow doing down other faiths. And that the only way not to offend people is not to pass judgement on their behaviour. I think these arguments are profoundly wrong. And being clear on this is absolutely fundamental to who we are as a people… …what we stand for… …and the kind of society we want to build. First, those who say being a Christian country is doing down other faiths… …simply don’t understand that it is easier for people to believe and practise other faiths when Britain has confidence in its Christian identity. Many people tell me it is much easier to be Jewish or Muslim here in Britain than it is in a secular country like France. Why? Because the tolerance that Christianity demands of our society provides greater space for other religious faiths too. And because many of the values of a Christian country are shared by people of all faiths and indeed by people of no faith at all. Second, those who advocate secular neutrality in order to avoid passing judgement on the behaviour of others… …fail to grasp the consequences of that neutrality… …or the role that faith can play in helping people to have a moral code. Let’s be clear. Faith is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for morality. There are Christians who don’t live by a moral code. And there are atheists and agnostics who do. But for people who do have a faith, their faith can be a helpful prod in the right direction. And whether inspired by faith or not – that direction, that moral code, matters. Whether you look at the riots last summer… …the financial crash and the expenses scandal… …or the on-going terrorist threat from Islamist extremists around the world… …one thing is clear: moral neutrality or passive tolerance just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Shying away from speaking the truth about behaviour, about morality… …has actually helped to cause some of the social problems that lie at the heart of the lawlessness we saw with the riots. The absence of any real accountability, or moral code… …allowed some bankers and politicians to behave with scant regard for the rest of society. And when it comes to fighting violent extremism, the almost fearful passive tolerance of religious extremism that has allowed segregated communities to behave in ways that run completely counter to our values… … has not contained that extremism but allowed it to grow and prosper… …in the process blackening the good name of the great religions that these extremists abuse for their own purposes. Put simply, for too long we have been unwilling to distinguish right from wrong. “Live and let live” has too often become “do what you please”. Bad choices have too often been defended as just different lifestyles. To be confident in saying something is wrong… …is not a sign of weakness, it’s a strength. But we can’t fight something with nothing. As I’ve said if we don’t stand for something, we can’t stand against anything. One of the biggest lessons of the riots last Summer is that we’ve got stand up for our values if we are to confront the slow-motion moral collapse that has taken place in parts of our country these past few generations. The same is true of religious extremism. As President Obama wrote in the Audacity of Hope: “…in reaction to religious overreach we equate tolerance with secularism, and forfeit the moral language that would help infuse our politics with larger meaning.” Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and a much more active, muscular liberalism. A passively tolerant society says to its citizens, as long as you obey the law we will just leave you alone. It stands neutral between different values. But I believe a genuinely liberal country does much more; it believes in certain values and actively promotes them. We need to stand up for these values. To have the confidence to say to people – this is what defines us as a society… …and that to belong here is to believe in these things. I believe the church – and indeed all our religious leaders and their communities in Britain – have a vital role to play in helping to achieve this. I have never really understood the argument some people make about the church not getting involved in politics. To me, Christianity, faith, religion, the Church and the Bible are all inherently involved in politics because so many political questions are moral questions. So I don’t think we should be shy or frightened of this. I certainly don’t object to the Archbishop of Canterbury expressing his views on politics. Religion has a moral basis and if he doesn’t agree with something he’s right to say so. But just as it is legitimate for religious leaders to make political comments, he shouldn’t be surprised when I respond. Also it’s legitimate for political leaders to say something about religious institutions as they see them affecting our society, not least in the vital areas of equality and tolerance. I believe the Church of England has a unique opportunity to help shape the future of our communities. But to do so it must keep on the agenda that speaks to the whole country. The future of our country is at a pivotal moment. The values we draw from the Bible go to the heart of what it means to belong in this country… …and you, as the Church of England, can help ensure that it stays that way.