AP

The Free Church of Scotland was initially formed on May 18th 1843 in protest against interference with the church’s right to self-government – what we would today call an assertion of religious freedom. At that time, the UK parliament had permitted wealthy landowners to appoint local ministers, and wouldn’t allow the local congregation to veto those appointments. About one-third of the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, led by the famous Thomas Chalmers, broke away from the denomination in conscientious protest against this oppression of the church’s right to choose their leaders according to their own theological and ethical standards. They surrendered their church buildings, ministry stipends, and ministry houses, and founded a whole new denomination ‘free’ from state interference. Within a remarkably short time they had built hundreds of new churches, manses, and schools across Scotland, including Edinburgh Theological Seminary, and launched their own world mission.

Unfortunately, during the latter half of the 19th century, the Free Church was influenced by the doctrinal and ethical compromises associated with theological liberalism, just like the rest of ‘mainline’ Western Christianity. In 1900, the vast majority of the Free Church of Scotland joined with the United Presbyterian Church to become the United Free Church of Scotland. However, 27 ministers and around 100 congregations did not enter into the union, and continued as the Free Church of Scotland.

The PCA is in ecumenical fellowship with the Free Church. As previously reported in AP, their Moderator, Calum Iain Macleod, minister of the congregation at Ferintosh & Resolis near Inverness, and his wife Dina visited Australia last month. As part of that visit, Calum Macleod was a guest at our PCA GAA. Here are his reflections on his time with us.

Introduction

It’s a joy and privilege to attend the PCA GAA. I bring greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from the Free Church of Scotland. The Moderator-General has highlighted that I am the first Free Church Moderator to attend the GAA. I therefore consider it a great honour to be associated with your General Assembly. I would like to convey my personal thanks to Rev Dr Stuart Bonnington for his fellowship, generosity, encouragement and support.

Let me begin on a culinary note. We Scots take great pride in our traditional food and drink: haggis, a savoury dish made with offal and oats; Cullen Skink, a creamy smoked-haddock soup; shortbread; Scotch Pie; porridge; Tunnock’s Teacakes; and cranachan – washed down with Irn Bru and a glass of Glenfiddich (in moderation, of course!).

But arguably, no match for Australian coffee! You do a flat white exceptionally well. You do mission in a similar vein. The development of proactive cross-cultural local and global missionary evangelism has been a recurring and positive emphasis during your General Assembly. This is a timely reminder for us all that “it is the whole business of the whole church to preach the whole gospel to the whole world” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon).

A Gospel Driven Church

The Free Church of Scotland traces its roots to the Disruption of 1843 and the struggle of the Scottish church to remain ‘free’ from State interference and, beyond that, to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, and beyond that again to the Early Church.

At the heart of the identity of the Free Church of Scotland is a passion for sharing and living out the good news about Jesus Christ – salvation through the sovereign grace of God in His Son Jesus Christ. It is this message, far more than any historic or cultural distinctive, that defines us. This is what we are about. The Free Church of Scotland takes the Great Commission seriously and seeks to bring the gospel to every person in Scotland, and in partnership with other churches, to the whole world, through:

• The work of 110 local churches across Scotland, five in North America and one in London (London City Presbyterian Church);
• A growing commitment to planting new churches to reach new people;
• A 30×30 vision: A strategic church-planting initiative aiming to plant 30 new churches across Scotland by the year 2030 (18 new churches have already been launched. Target: to recruit 35 church planters);
• A far-reaching programme of international missionary work in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Africa, Latin America and India;
• A comprehensive summer camp programme for children and young people from across the country and from all backgrounds;
• A theological seminary in the heart of Edinburgh, training students for gospel work and Christian service in our local congregations and throughout the world.

The Free Church is in fellowship with many other Reformed churches throughout the world and stands firmly in the tradition which affirms the Bible as its supreme standard and the Westminster Confession of Faith as its subordinate standard.

A Healthy Gospel Church

The vision of the Free Church of Scotland is “A Healthy Gospel Church for Every Community in Scotland.” Our primary aim for each church is not large size but rather good health.

Healthy churches are committed to the worship of God and obedience to Scripture. They promote discipleship, are characterised by loving relationships, and are intentional about sharing the gospel message locally and throughout the world. Jesus Christ is at the very centre of a gospel church. Healthy churches also grow and multiply. Scotland has a population of 5.5 million people. There are 51 localities with populations of over 15,000, as well as many rural communities. We want to see a healthy gospel church for every community in Scotland.

A healthy church will want to reach out beyond Scotland and have an international perspective. Our community of churches believe that the local church is the engine of mission and a base for each member to be effective multipliers of the message. All subsequent growth comes by the power of God. Mission is not what we do, it’s what we are. We want to speak about Jesus and explain why he lived and died on the cross as a substitute for sinners. Our deep longing that people embrace the teaching of Jesus, be brought to a point of repentance and become followers of Jesus.

With a rich Christian history and heritage, the Free Church of Scotland is as committed today as it always has been to share one strategic message: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The steadfast love of God in Christ shapes everything we do as a Reformed Presbyterian denomination. It is our decisive declaration to Scotland and the nations of the world.

Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. Be assured of much prayer, as I bid you a fond farewell.

Rev Calum Iain Macleod
Minister of Ferintosh & Resolis Free Church of Scotland
Moderator, General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland

Photo credit: Free Church of Scotland