A circle of men

FEATURE

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MOODY, the famous American preacher, was sitting in a train when a stranger said to him: ‘Mr Moody, I don’t like the way you conduct your evangelism.’

Moody replied: “Really, then please tell me how you conduct your evangelism.” Taken aback, the stranger spluttered: “I don’t conduct any evangelism.”

“Well,” said Moody, “let’s just say that I prefer the way I conduct evangelism to the way you don’t conduct yours!”

The Western Front in the Great War put padres to the test: what had they to ofer men fearing unspeakable horrors? All they could ofer was themselves, by sharing the sufering and dangers – as one chaplain said: “I don’t try to persuade the men.” ‘Churchspeak’ meant nothing. The troops only responded to a padre who was at one with them. 160 padres gave their lives to prove it.

In a soldiers’ canteen in Bethune, Padre Donald Standfast drew soldiers into groups for rest, creation and discussion. I once met a man who was in one of these groups and he told me how much these early ‘Regnal Circles of Friendship’ meant to him. In recent times when a Regnal Circle was formed by the Rev Syd Graham in the Presbytery of Dundee, a veteran of WW2 told me that he found in Regnal the comradeship he had lost since the war. What a great opportunity we have to ofer men friendship and let the Lord do the rest.

To ire a rile, you must shut one eye and focus on the target. Regnal focuses on men and its aim is Christian discipleship. Our churches are virtually empty of men (I know a kirk session with no men). We would have no congregations were it not for the women, yet how little missing men concern the Kirk.

Donald Standfast, founder of Regnal, became a padre after being badly wounded serving as private in the Border Regiment. Like ‘Woodbine Willie’ (Studdert Kennedy), ‘Tubby’ Clayton and other ine chaplains, who took men as he found them, Standfast saw that the day of listening to speakers was over. A Circle showed every man to be an equal amongst equals, each with something to give and receive. No ‘top table’. Regnal means ‘The Reign of a King’ and its aim is Christian discipleship. It exists to make Christianity meaningful and relevant for men of every kfind – the men in the church as much as men outside it.

These padres drew men around them in groups meeting in soldiers’ canteens behfind the line, and in dugouts in the line. If we remember that hundreds of thousands of British boys lie in unknown graves we may get some idea of what made these men a ‘Band of Brothers’ wanting to continue their comradeship after the war. In 1919, groups met in Rouen in France to found the Regnal League and circles sprang up all over Britain, one as far north as Wick.

Men will respond to Christianity whenever they meet a minister who understands them and their concerns. Jesus called his disciples his friends – he was on their side.

Church conferences, plans, periodic bursts of evangelism will not touch the hearts of men. Only genuine friendship will do that. There is a saying that in Regnal some men come for the fellowship, others come for the fellowship and find a vision, lastly some come for fellowship, find a vision and do something about it. All levels are equally good as pleases God.

Regnal is ‘better felt than telt’ so I end with the phone call I received from a lady informing me her father had died. Though far away for years, he often spoke about the Regnal in Bridgeton and how much it meant to him. She wanted me to know and was thrilled that I remember Walter as a pal. It’s not the numbers that count – it is people! Further information on the Regnal League at myweb.tiscali.co.uk/g1rwa/regnal.htm

The Regnal League Scottish Area Secretary is Bob Donnelly who can be reached by email at Robert_donnelly99@talktalk.com

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

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