REVIEWS

GOD BE IN MY MOUTH 40 WAYS TO GROW AS A PREACHER

Written by: Doug Gay Published by: Saint Andrew Press

Price: £14.99

As a lecturer in practical theology at the University of Glasgow (and, of course, a Church of Scotland minister) the name of Doug Gay is well-known within the Church and to Life and Work readers.

In his latest book he turns his attention to his core business: namely that of teaching others how to preach, pulling together a series of 40 rel ections which he hopes readers (and his students) have found helpful in developing preaching skills and knowledge.

Drawing the book title from a line in a famous 16th century prayer, he is emphatic that the work is not some sort of A to Z or handbook offering every possibly facet to the skill of preaching, but rather drawn from the lessons of the author who is emphatic that it is not ‘a comprehensive primer for preaching’.

The book is divided into four parts: preaching, reading, speaking and living and is easy to dip into for inspiration or simply for a reminder of what lies at the heart of preaching a church sermon and will be helpful to anyone charged with delivering a regular Sunday sermon or seeking to develop or endeavour to learn good habits for the effective delivery of preaching.

The author modestly concedes that he still has much to learn about preaching (by way of explaining why he has not turned his attention to this area of work before) and offers a telling insight into his approach in an introduction to the book: “Preaching is a demanding privilege. It requires, but does not depend on, the best of our skill and creativity. It also requires more integrity, wisdom and love than most of us have to bring to it…. I hope these rel ections may be helpful to others who are also called to preaching.”

NEW JUNGLE SAME OLD MONKEYS

My Missionary Meanderings

Written by: Margaret Anne Lawson with Dayspring MacLeod

Published by: MAF and RP Publishing

Price: £10.00

This is the story of the life of Margaret Anne Lawson, better known as ‘Annie’, who served as a missionary with the charity MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) serving as an engineer and evangelist across Africa for a decade in a discipline traditionally regarded as the preserve of men.

Born in Galloway to a farming family, she joined the local church, but then rejected it again as a teenager. Her account of her university years is searing and honest and of ers a clear message of redemption for others who may find themselves trapped in a similar spiral and unable to find a way to escape.

On rel ecting back to those early years, it is clear that Annie felt called to be a missionary and regularly felt drawn to the special work of MAF in Africa, but like others chose to ignore those nagging voices.

Friends eventually forced her to face up to the call in her head and she renewed her commitment to faith, facing hostility from her own family when she announced she was giving up a safe job, home and career to commit to working in Africa, initially in rural Tanzania and then Chad.

There were cultural challenges in the work: unmarried women faced questioning over their marital status within the communities in which she served, but the book of ers fascinating insights into mission work in the late 20th century – and the particular dficulties in Chad, a country often on the brink of civil war.

Moving then into evangelism after ten years with MAF of ers fresh insights into the challenges of mission in sometimes dficult conditions: the description of preparing a five-year-old’s body for funeral after her brutal murder is just one of the graphic incidents faced during this time.

In 2007 she felt called to return to the UK and after a period in Glasgow secured a position with Christians Against Poverty based at Wester Hailes, Edinburgh. The job led to a new chapter and life within the congregation of Holy Trinity Church in Wester Hailes – and unexpected love in the shape of her soon to be husband, Neil. They married quickly in Wigtownshire, with close family, aware her father was ill and did not have much time left, and celebrated two years later with a huge party.

The happiness and contentment she had found were clearly shattered by her unexpected cancer diagnosis – and a chapter from her husband about their all-too-short life together is profoundly moving.

Dayspring MacLeod continued with the work, speaking to Annie’s friends after her death from cancer in 2016, and this seamless tale woven around her life is a fitting testimonial which ensures her life and pioneering legacy are not forgotten.

Whilst the theology and experience related in the book may not be to everyone’s taste, it is a frank and searingly honest account of the reality of a missional call to serve – and the aftermath.

Lynne McNeil

This article appears in the April 2018 Issue of Life and Work

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