Cynical TV comedy presents Anglican bishops and clergy as only tongue-in-cheek believers. The Archbishop, who has just stepped down, Dr. George Carey, was a charismatic man of faith with a humble spirit and great heart. My personal contact came when he reviewed and wrote well of one of my books, a Pentecostal exposition, and wrote to me in encouragement.

The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Welshman Dr. Rowan Williams has been introduced to us by the Press as a liberal, easy going on homosexuals, and the most intellectual Archbishop for some time.

Dr. Clifford Hill in 'Prophecy Today', says he had a half 'hour conversation and prayer with Dr. -Williams, in a car park and found him "likeable, warm-hearted", "one who loves the Lord Jesus" and "has had a personal experience of the Holy Spirit."

Dr. Rowan gave the annual Dimbleby Television lecture. I think I grasped his general thoughts. His language was "Guardian Newspaper" idiom. He analysed relationships in today's world and the developments shaping human order.

His thesis suggested that society had first held together around the monarch, then around Parliament, the Empire, the democratic grouping of the nation, but now the world is linked markets over-spanning boundaries.

We need a far bigger and permanent order with which to identify than world markets. It calls for religious faith. Only God alone brings meaning to our lives.

Dr. Rowan did not exactly 'make an appeal for souls', but he indicated that without God the future is empty, however big our confederation. That seems to me a fundamental, desperately urgent message. The Kingdom of God alone has any future and gives its subjects a future.

Jesus Christ came. That affects everything that matters, this world and the next. It is the supreme gift setting the bells of thanksgiving ringing alone among all the religions on earth, pealing out the glory of Divine favour and grace.

Jesus' being here, living, even dying, puts firm ground under our feet. Jesus didn't set us on another pilgrim path climbing and striving to reach God. He said "Come to me. I am the way". He came and is accessible. We can come to him. He is the 'somewhere' that all religions hope to reach. Where Jesus is, that's heaven, and there's nowhere else. He came to seek us. Some search for the truth, but Christ is the truth. Christians live in the truth.

Religions start with prophets. Jesus is no mere prophet. He is the one the prophets prophesied about. He is not a messenger from God, he's the message.

Christ's way is not laws, rules, directions, do and don't ways to God, but the miracle gift of a new heart. His teaching is about himself and he said "Follow me! I am the way. I am the door'- the door, to goodness".

The Bible is not visions and dreams of just one individual man. Many godly people wrote as they saw God at work across 1500 years. It is a miracle Bible all 66 books coming together in Christ.

Christian worshipers don't seek God just to curry favour with him about their sins. Jesus is with every believer, already, all the time. They have found grace with him. Their sins blotted out by his sacrifice on the Cross. Christians are not made by words, ceremony, joining a church, or by belonging to a special race or country, but it is a personal relationship with Jesus.

Christians don't await judgment to know their eternal destiny. They belong to Jesus now and always will. He gives them eternal life, and they will never come into judgment.

Christianity is power, not just words or a way to worship. Christians don't have to keep 'holy days', but they have days when they rejoice. Days that have no parallel in all the world. At Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost Jesus wrought historic and eternal victories, releasing the power of salvation to all who believe.

Jesus only asks for trust and love, not ritual. He demands no pilgrimages, no visits to holy shrines or places. Christians need no holy clothes or special physical posturing; Christianity is of the heart, not the knees. Jesus does demand love and concern, to do good, and to pray even for one's enemies.

Whatever benefit or quality any religion or system offers, old or New Age, in Jesus people find far more peace, strength, goodness, and purpose. "In him is life, and the life is the light of men". Without Christ there's no life, only .substitutes, self-help, possessions, excitements.

What does not relate to Christ, has nothing to relate to, neither people nor the whole world itself. Christ is the one positive certainty known. Death vitiates all hopes, but Christ conquered death and rose from the tomb in the power of his immortal Deity. Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Man, Son of God.

With the death at 94 years of age Albert Edsor, the famous five have all gone who shook cities in the 1920's and 30's. Albert was the pianist secretary, and his great hero was George Jeffreys. If I wrote anything about the Principal (as he was called) it had to be very clearly in his praise or I had a swift response from Albert. His close intimacy with George Jeffreys produced great admiration. That is a testimony indeed to the greatness he saw in him. Nobody preached with such authority. He faced bigoted opposition but founded a world wide church that is a movement rather than a mere denomination. Privately Albert called George Jeffreys "Prince" and not inappropriately as he was a prince of an evangelist.

Thousands have drifted from churches they belonged for many years, unable to tolerate the music now in vogue.

This is not the first time music has brought division.

On TV 'Countdown', Richard Whiteley mentioned 'Hymns Ancient and Modern' to a competing Anglican vicar. The vicar enlightened him. "We don't use it now. We have Mission Praise". Yes. but to come up to date, Mission Praise also often sits with hymns Ancient and Modern gathering dust in church cupboards.

There is a revolution in church worship and much of the old has been guillotined, the greatest disturbance for a century. Thousands have left churches they attended for a lifetime to find somewhere more traditional. Contemporary styles however are a bridge to the pop, rap, rock generation. It is a touchy matter but there are things that ought to be said.

Facts first. "Worship music", "worship leader" are > new terms. Churches want fresh music constantly rather than the familiar. The fashion creates a vast market and is big business; companies exist by it, and encourage it with hype for their output of the new. Songs come off the production line never intended to be immortal or used for centuries like hymns. An Australian composer said she wrote her most popular song in 10 or 15 minutes. To me, that goes without saying. However such Christian songs for what they are meeting the spirit of an aged calling for the spontaneous and changing.

Church music has always been a vexatious issue. One must try to move with the times and accept that the pop age will affect modern church services like everything else from shaved heads and torn jeans to the Tate Gallery's 'art' of unmade beds.

Music is only a matter of taste and taste always comes by conditioning, but what we sing about is not a matter of taste. The best of the older Christian praise came from inspired and mature Christians with poetic and creative genius. Charles Wesley, a classical scholar wrote about 7300 hymns. The liberal magazine, 'Expository Times' (December 2002) analyses Wesley's hymn "Let earth and heaven combine". Admiring Wesley's poetry the writer shows it had a background rich with Scripture, theology, Latin songs, and doctrine drawn from east and west. "full of faith and profundity in easily singable form". The apostle Paul said "teach one another" in spiritual songs, always a major means of instruction. Wesley's "Hark the Herald angels sing", is a real Gospel packet. His best-known hymn "Love Divine all loves excelling", takes us through Bible truth to the new creation ending with "Lost in wonder, love and praise". The Expository Times says, "Only the most ecstatic can be offered for such a theme."

My point is that Christian worship in song should give passionate expression to the wonderful works of God in Christ. A new book title is "Why I left The Contemporary Christian Music Movement. (Confessions of a former worship leader)", author Dan Lucarini. He complains contemporary worship programmes are often worldly performances. Well ... perhaps that depends on the worshipper, not the music. Another well-known musician confessed he had written songs we've all sung before he even knew what true salvation was. I've wondered if other songsters really know either, judging by their lyrics. Basing songs on the Psalms alone won't do when we have the New Testament. We have a right in church to expect songs with Christian content. John Wesley was always anxious that Charles' verses should have sound theology. Today congregations fervently sing lines that have no identifiable Bible base. Often no deity is named, some could be sung by followers of any religion. One I heard recently addressed fervent love just to 'you' in language that would have

suited any secular song. In any case it is His love, not ours that should be our theme. The new also includes the bizarre, such as asking an (unnamed) potter to mould and fill us and we will soar on eagles' wings. Potters don't remould or fill pots, and pots don't fly off on eagle's wings. One song often sung speaks of building a throne and asks, "Come Lord Jesus and take your place". It is very queer theology. The name of Jesus, is used less and less, substituted by you and your, so unless songs express unmistakeable Christian truth they might be songs to Allah or Buddha. John Lennon's 'My sweet Lord', meant Krishna. We used to sing "Oh how I love the Saviour's name!" Don't we love the name of Jesus any more? Are Bernard of Clairveux's inspired verses of "Jesus the very thought of Thee, with sweetness fills my breast" too passionate for our lips in 2003? People may have Jesus in mind when singing about 'you', but His name itself is vital to our prayer and worship. "Whatsoever things ye do, do all in the name of Jesus". Surely this applies to worship songs? At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, not at the name of 'you'. By popular request I never sing solos, they are nobody's preferred music, but I can let go, indulge, in church. Well, once I could, but every church has its own ever-changing repertoire, not the universal and familiar, so visiting churches I may not know a single song. Still it keeps the music industry going.

Lovely modern compositions are being produced which I greatly appreciate; if they exalt Jesus the music is secondary. We can discard the old-fashioned but what is old is not always old-fashioned. Sing to the Lord!

Recently I had the privilege of a Baptist invitation but to spell out my views on "Predestination".

Two churches in Ireland agreed to unite, then one insisted the Unity Document must include a clause declaring that John Wesley had gone to hell, he being a non-Calvinist! Kind thought!

Theological writings on the subject of Divine election are vast. One of the latest volumes of Systematic Theology, that by Wayne Gruden, uses 15 pages even to outline the subject. Minds more incisive than mine have pondered the questions involved so what was left for me to say? However, I have reactions to years of exposure to these questions, so to offer my thoughts to an interested group asking questions, was an opportunity.

First. I am suspicious of hard-cast views on predestination, and on other debateable issues. Protagonists have taken firm positions totally opposite to one another. How can they both be so sure? In the past such certainty has been horrible. The pages of church history smoke with the battle and mayhem of conflict. Merciless miseries have overtaken inoffensive people just for mere ideas passing through their head. Claiming to be Christian, bigots have domineered and foisted upon others, even whole nations, views that in the nature of things cannot be other than unsettled questions, resorting even to government laws to force belief with fire and sword. The associated subject of , grace, for example, has been debated with appalling lack of grace.

Second. I am suspicious because election theories have led to such rationalising and doctrines formed by logical deduction. The doctrine of double predestination is certainly not set out in Scripture but is a logical deduction.

Anyway a story will illustrate. A Baptist minister told me that after the first service in his new pastorate a young man puzzled him with a curious question:

"Are you a supralapsarian or an infralapsarian". His theology was not so advanced. He did not know what either was, so he thought, "/'// plump for the big chap" and replied, "Oh I'm a supralapsarian". Fortunately for his whole future acceptance he had said what was wanted.

If you are wondering, a supralapsarian argues logically that Divine election took place long before the fall and God allowed sin so that he could save elected people, while an infralapsarian believes God allowed sin and decided afterwards to save people. So - now you know - yes? It makes me not believe in logic.

Third. The Bible certainly reveals God as sovereign, and His will overarches all human life and the universe. He created all things with a purpose and that purpose must eventually be realised. But certainly also the Bible describes us all as free beings, God holding us responsible for whatever we do. God cannot be charged with evil or with obliging anyone to commit evil. Even if prophets detail what we should do, we can't blame them or God for what we do.

Fourth. Pre-determination went on in the mind and heart of God. It took into account all considerations, reasons, factors, circumstances and even meanings involved. God alone knows how human freedom and God's sovereignty are possible, and our attempts to pre-empt God's own eternal mind on that matter is arrogant impertinence that can only lead, as it has, to frightful pride and strife.

Only recently has science even seen contraries things can be related. The logically impossible can be witnessed and still beyond understand. The universe is queerer than we CAN think. How can one atomic particle communicate instantly across infinite space to another - even if it is another! - when light itself would take millions of years to cross the space between? Jesus himself said that if we speak of earthly things and cannot understand them, how can we understand if we speak of heavenly things? An element in the fall was the devil's promise that the tree of knowledge would make them as gods. It is still there - we must equal the infinite, and we will take the nearest guess and transmogrify it into a divine revelation when it is only a human dogma. Humility says, "I don't know!"

Fifth. Election is by God and unless He tells us, nobody will know whether they are elected or not. Those with strong ideas of election have tried to find assurance of salvation by performing good works to prove to themselves they are saved. They rest their hopes of salvation on their will to do good, making void the Word of God.

Sixth. Scripture clearly indicates that we are saved by believing, and that we can have the assurance of salvation. The Bible certainly sets forth the possibility of knowing we are saved, here and now. "We know that we have received eternal life," says John. Salvation and the mind of infinite God carry mysteries. So do most of the things God does, from the quark of an atom to the greatest stellar galaxy, from light to love. But we can enjoy it all, and not bother our heads about the how's and why's. God will always be beyond our thinking, but faith's hand touches the crucified hand of our Lord, and we know His grasp will never let us go. The Bible is written for human assurance and faith.

I began reading the book of this title but felt I was on queer ground, where God is reported as smashing up the church platform. Somehow it is not the sort of thing I think Jesus would do. I heard Dr. G. Campbell Morgan say about a certain parable interpretation saying that it made him feel like falling from grace for five minutes. That's how the title "God Chasers" affects me. .

I hope the book contents modify the title, which for me conjures up a God doing nothing while people labour to get to him. I am surprised that many Christians have read it without questioning such theology. The author sets up an Aunt Sally as if churchgoers in America just go to church, as the beginning and end of their Christian experience. My times in American churches gave me a different impression.

However, the title 'God Chasers" may simply indicate that we should exert ourselves and "follow on to know the Lord". Casually drifting along picking up a text or crumb of blessing is not what Paul meant when he cried, "That I might know him and the power of his resurrection". The greatest thing in life, Its whole purpose, is to cultivate closeness to Christ, fellowship Jesus established when He sought and found us, not something achieved by human initiative and struggle. The Lord stands at the door and knocks. Open the door an inch and He will come in.

It always moves me to think of Christ's incredible act, coming down in fleshly form, becoming one of us with all the attendant miseries of those cruel days. The wild dogs of wickedness hounded him and savaged Him to death on the Cross. But He was relentless in pursuit of us, crashing through every impossibility and barrier to get to us. Dare we even think of us chasing God, after that? That is the grace of God. It is never an abstract idea, or mere force, but always takes on a practical form.

Grace is known only in Christianity. To dialogue with non-Christian religions begins with the handicap of two different bases, fundamentally different. We say God pursues us, they pursue God.. Christ's came "to seek and save that which was lost". Amazing love!

This truth also produced another unique Christian characteristic - thanksgiving. It sets the joy bells ringing. God chasers will be more stressed than glad. Labouring along a religious path for a lifetime is hardly likely to make anyone joyful.

But I am writing this at Christmas 2002 and a song persists in my head "Joy to the world, the Lord is come". Last Christmas my wife was here. This Christmas she has gone, I am alone, but Christmas reminds me that HE is here, 'Immanuel, God with us'. Many cards decorate my house wishing me a 'merry Christmas' Merry? When the prodigal son came home Jesus said, "They began to be merry". 'Merry' is as good a translation of the Greek as I can think of, a word for home, warmth, feasting, the Father's house. "The Word is nigh thee".

God reveals no academic information about Himself, nothing for our curiosity. All we are told about Him is for our appropriation and use. We need to know only what is practical and beneficial. He is light but dwells in mystery. If His ways were obvious, uncomplicated, and we never needed to ask "Why?" God would be too little to worship. He surpasses thought yet is devoted to be with His creatures, for ever.

George Canty became active in Elim when only three Elims existed in England, before the Assemblies of God was formed, knew many Pentecostal fathers and leaders and was later elected Elim President. His long ministry involved every type of Christian work, 45 years evangelism and pioneering some 20 churches, much administration. Pastoral, academic lecturing, and children's work, plus TV artistry contracts, radio broadcasting, and extensive musical ministry. Specialising as a journalist he authored 20 books and other literary work going out in 100 languages. With worldwide experience, theological knowledge and Bible insight he has partnered Reinhard Bonnke in 15 years of CfaN literary output. .