A week in the UK with the pastors at the Proclamation Trust and a return to the US indicates it is business as usual for the influential evangelical organisations in both places.  Over there, Levy and I were the token Presbyterians, surrounded by William Taylor and the Anglicans on the one side and, to quote Levy, `the real enemies -- John Stevens and the independents on the other.'  Here's a snap of the two of us on the back row.  You can see how the fall-out from last year's Ref21 `Krankiegate' has aged us both:




Seriously, it was a shot in the arm to spend time talking with men who face exactly the same issues most American pastors -- indeed, almost all pastors everywhere -- face: difficult charges, a hostile context and tight budgets in a harsh economy.   What struck me was the resolute commitment.  And the highlight of the week was hearing Dick Lucas preach on 2 Peter.  If he is a celebrity, as some have claimed, then he is the right kind of celebrity: unassuming, faithful, modest, no "ministry" or website named after himself, relentless (not even the IRA were able to blow him up) and, now in his 80s, a role model of a life of low key service.  A model one can believe in, identify with and learn from.

Dick Lucas as the grand old man of the English gospel scene is quite a contrast to what is cutting the edge over here where this week it was business as usual as well, with no-brainers continuing to be brainers left right and centre:  Phil Johnson is once again a thoughtful commentator on current events amidst an eerie though now entirely predictable silence from other quarters; and I was sorry to miss the  preach off. 

To quote the late great Kenny Everett in his famous `starlet' character, `But Michael, I'm giving you the plot!!!  It's all done in the best possible taste!!!!'