"We ought always to thank God for you, brothers" 

(2 Thessalonians 1:3)

Looking back...

In many ways the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ was a flagship church, planted in the midst of intense persecution during a very curtailed evangelistic visit (cf Acts 17). Despite these unpromising circumstances Paul was able to say: "When you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Paul could perhaps have been forgiven for a small bout of self congratulation but instead he continues to thank God for all that had been achieved.

This should be our attitude with regard to all that BCMS/Crosslinks has done over the last 80 years. As we have reflected on this anniversary there is one outstanding conclusion: the Lord has been incredibly faithful and merciful to us. We ought always to thank God. Gratitude is an indication of indebtedness to someone and we are heavily indebted to God for all He has done.

Looking Forward...

"The only way a man can remain consistent in changing circumstances is to change with them while preserving the same dominating purpose" (Sir Winston Churchill)

As we stand after 80 years and at the beginning of the 21st Century the quotation above seems quite apposite. Circumstances have in many ways changed out of all recognition from those that faced our forbears in 1922, not least in the worldwide Anglican Communion, our principal sphere of operations, where the centre of gravity has moved to the churches of Africa and Asia. Our consistent concern must be to make Christ known through the proclamation and teaching of God's Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. That remains God's world's crying need and therefore our same dominating purpose. The way that this purpose is carried out now is bound to look very different from 1922. We need to be creative in seeking new ways in which Christ can be made known. In many cases the most appropriate agents of this dominating purpose are no longer white westerners and so Crosslinks must seek ways of enabling others to do so. At our recent Residential General Council we re-affirmed our conviction about our dominating purpose whilst recognising the need for flexibility and creativity in its pursuance: "God's Word to God's World".

Crosslinks magazine January 2003 index