BTM News (20)

Manchester Meeting

James Waddell (BTM co-worker), his eldest son, and myself, travelled to Manchester, UK, on February 24^th 2001.  It was a longish journey and the return was a battle through swirling snow and sleet, but it was worth it!

We went to meet our new co-workers in Christ, Natasha Thomas and her fiance, Paul Sharples, both of whom have master’s degrees in computer sciences. Natasha works for Salford University, developing post-graduate courses for the Internet. Paul works for a private company developing new internet games.

Natasha graciously fed us, and Paul later showed us the impressive Manchester United football ground, where James bought a variety of sales’ price football shirts for the kids!

But the main reason for our visit was to talk about the development of the web site. To my surprise, Natasha actually asked for even more work to do for BTM!! During the meeting, we discussed some far-reaching activities.

For example, audio-taping my Sunday meetings, so that folk might hear for themselves over the internet how I conduct Bible studies and the way we think as believers. The whole point of this is to show how Christians can think Biblically and not just along human lines. These tapes can be offered as audio cassettes also, to folk who do not have access to computers.

We also took this a step further, by talking about providing live video of meetings, so that people around the world can interact with the meeting. This will come later, though, as the costs are presently out of our range.

Ordinary video tapes of meetings, though, might be possible in the near future...and I can promise that our meetings are nothing like the usual ‘services’, so they will take a lot of getting used to!

Natasha and Paul are also looking at ways to update and renew the web site itself, without compromising on tastefulness and Christian avoidance of sheer marketing hype.

Other added features will include a full index of subjects, so that my time is not taken up with requests for information that is already available on the site. This is vital, as we presently have over 350 items on our publishing list!

We discussed other matters, too. I had been concerned for some time about the titles we used for officers of BTM. I said that they were far too grand, and, to me, implied something about ‘status’. Therefore, we decided that a more basic and Biblical approach was needed.

I originally used various titles because they were normally used in Christian organisations and most people understood them. However, we no longer think we should follow this earthly trend.

Therefore, from the end of  February I have been referred to simply as ‘founder minister’ of BTM. All others are referred to as ‘co-workers’.

Hopefully, these newer, more Biblical, allusions to our ministerial positions, will honour God rather than ourselves. Note that such Pauline co-workers as Timothy and Barnabas were ministers in their own right, of universal stature in the churches.

So, to be called a ‘co-worker’ is definitely not a debasing of their spiritual stature, calling or abilities. It merely shows that the actual ministry has been given to one man, and that God calls others to support him, vitally, in that ministry.

James Waddell is now co-worker with special regard for administration and technical support. Natasha and Paul are co-workers with special regard for technical and education support, and Ian Funnell is now co-worker and minister for the Deaf Bible Ministry, which we also hope to put on the web site later this year.

So, no more ‘president’ and ‘vice president’, etc!! this newest re-organisation is, we pray, closer to the demands of God and scripture. Previously, we tried to please our peers, but that has now finished.

To please God is our aim and existence and we hope that this is now reflected in the more Biblical approach to our own names.

The new references to BTM personnel already appear on our letter heading and will soon be found in various BTM articles and so on.

The web site is causing quite a stir (it would be odd if it didn’t!). Sadly, charismatics are huffing and puffing about it, but we will continue to speak in truth and in love as God’s word is properly and accurately spread around the world by computer.

My office is again a bit of a disaster zone, with piles of documents everywhere! The best laid plans of mice and men are bound to fail, as do mine. I said I would clear out old papers, a box at a time every week, but pressure of the ministry and of ordinary work has prevented much happening! But, I’m still trying to get rid of old stuff.

Whilst in Manchester I saw a small but fantastic space-saving idea. Natasha’s computer desk holds the computer monitor lower than the desk itself, and at an angle, so that the computer-user looks down on the screen instead of up or across to it. As I presently have a problem with my operating posture (looking slightly upward to the screen), I will soon remove the equipment (again, for the second time in a few months!!) and cut up the desk so that both computers nestle backward and lower. No longer will I need to crane my neck (presently causing strain and headaches)!!

Recently, I had a computer expert visit my office. A friend of my brother, John, he offered to ‘tweek’ my computer freely. He also made it run faster – a boon for me, as I am on the computer almost all of my free time. Increasingly, my computer has ‘frozen’ on me. That means the pages and facilities simply stop working suddenly and will not respond to any buttons I press.

I thus have to close down the computer without saving any of the information, then switch it back on again. Every time I do this some information is lost, as bits of files are sent to other parts of the computer. An analogy is someone sneaking in to a room full of files and removing them one at a time, and hiding them in a secret location! The bits that are removed cannot be restored and as more and more bits are taken, they are disrupting the whole system and destroying vital files.

The computer man says that my computer will be rendered useless very soon and I will lose all my work, unless the system is upgraded quickly. So, I have a sked him to do the upgrading, which means buying a new outer case to accommodate the extra equipment, bigger memory boards and other important things to make the computer hold far more material and work more quickly.

Right now I am in a weird position. My full-time work obviously keeps me in an income, but my ministry takes up more time than my full-time work! It is getting close to the point where one or the other must slow down or stop. This makes me wonder what God will do. Obviously, if I worked full-time on the ministry I could effect far more, with God’s grace. Yet, God has not removed me from my ordinary employment, and I wonder why. It stands to reason that He has not done so for a reason, so I will accept that conclusion.

As I have said before, to do the ministry full-time I would need a full-time income that at least matches my present one (because my income now only just covers outgoings, with many ‘blips’ along the way when some months’ income is not sufficient). So, for those who wonder why I am not full-time in this ministry, you have the simple answer. As I look for signs of some other way from God, I try not to become anxious about it.

Those who are led to support me, and my co-workers in this ministry, with prayer, are exhorted to do so. I thank all who do this and value their support and encouragement. Bear in mind that of the thousands who read and use our web site, only one has thus far offered a donation or other material help. Pray to God that consciences will be prompted to provide the income needed, if it is God’s will.

Lost Article

Speaking Engagements

Requests for me to speak to a church or other group are carefully considered. I make no charge but need to have petrol expenses paid. If staying overnight, a cheap B+B is fine, or a room in someone’s home. Please state what you would like me to speak on, with possible dates.

The number of people in any meeting is not of concern. It is the heart that matters, and the humility to learn! I do not enter in to debates or arguments, for this is not my calling.

Pedophilia: The Next Civil Right?

 Washington, DC -- In last week's Weekly Standard, author Mary Eberstadt wrote an insightful article that should be required reading for parents, social workers, law enforcement officers, and school officials. The article, "'Pedophilia Chic' Reconsidered: The taboo against sex with children continues to erode," describes an alarming social trend: The normalization of adult/child sex.

 Historically, notes Eberstadt, the notion that adults should have free access to children for sexual purposes was considered as controversial as advocating cannibalism or bestiality. Those few who dared advocate child molestation as a civil right were rightly considered criminals. All that is changing, due to the efforts of opinion leaders in academia, in the media, and in psychiatry.

 Fifteen years ago, noted researcher David Finkelhor could see a growing movement to normalize child molestation. In Child Sexual Abuse, Finkelhor noted that there is a "body of opinion and research [that] has emerged in recent years which is trying hard to vindicate homosexual pedophilia."

 According to Eberstadt, the effort to normalize pedophilia is only targeted at boys, not girls. Why? Because the homosexual movement is behind the effort. Eberstadt cites the existence of a book called Male Inter-Generational Intimacy: Historical Socio-Psychological, and Legal Perspectives, edited by Edward Brongersma (an admitted pedophile) and two colleagues. This book is available in the "gay studies" section of stores like Borders. This book actually grew out of two issues of the Journal of Homosexuality published in 1990. The Journal editor is John DeCecco, a psychologist at San Francisco State University. DeCecco is also on the board of Paidika, the Dutch journal that promotes pedophilia as normal sexual behavior.

 Eberstadt failed to mention The Age Taboo: Gay Male Sexuality, Power and Consent, published by Alyson Publications, one of the nation's largest homosexual publishing companies. The Age Taboo contains numerous essays on "man/boy love," including one written by NAMBLA (North American Man-Boy Love Association) entitled, "The Case for Abolishing Age of Consent Laws."

 So where is the homosexual movement taking us? Under the guise of wanting to protect so-called "gay" children from harassment in the public schools, homosexual activists tell us we must establish Gay Straight Alliances on campus. We are told that the Boy Scouts must be forced to admit homosexuals.

 Yet, the record is becoming clear: Homosexuals are joining forces with NAMBLA to gain access to boys for sexual exploitation. Will parents have the courage to say "no" to this effort? And will school and government officials be willing to take the heat to stop homosexual activists from sodomizing the next generation of children? The future has yet to be written, but each of us has a part to play in seeing that our children are protected from sexual predators.

 Are we up to the task?