A pastor's note

2010 will see significant changes at City - the Gospel partnership will come to an end in May, Mike Wildsmith will leave in the early summer and a new pastor, God willing, will be appointed to follow in his stead.  We will all have a God honouring part to play in these changes: saying farewell, praying, going, encouraging, supporting, welcoming. 

2010 will also see significant changes in the political life of our nation.  We will similarly have a God honouring part to play in the process of electing new leaders: engaging with key issues (see the YouTube General Election quiz), praying, voting.

It is expected that, as in last year’s European elections, the British National Party will gain votes. The BNP’s race-based ideology is roundly condemned in Scripture. Perversely a leading figure in the BNP recently made a public statment doubting that FIEC churches would oppose his, or his party's views (see the FIEC response).

The Bible is clear that all people are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), that all nations are his offspring (Acts 17:26), that Jesus Christ, a Middle Eastern Jew who was at one point a refugee (Matthew 2:14-15), was the Saviour of the whole world (John 3:16), and that the 'golden rule' - that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves - extends to those of different races and cultures (Luke 10:27). BNP policies and principles - voluntary repatriation of people to the lands of their ethnic origin (where many would be far less likely to hear the gospel than they would in the UK), second class citizenship for non-white Europeans who remain behind, the abolition of all laws against racial discrimination (a 2005 manifesto pledge), and the rejection of human equality - are far removed from the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Sadly, some of the policies of the main parties are also far removed from Jesus’ teachings, but it is at least possible to imagine living in a Labour-, Liberal or Tory-run Britain, and all three parties include committed Christians within their membership . Those who value our Christian heritage, should vote with a conscience at local and national elections, and see that the BNP is given no platform to promote its racist agenda.