Moorlands Bible College had invited me to speak at their chapel service. A real honour to speak to a load of trainee theologians and those who taught them! (Cathy described that scenario as ‘her worst nightmare’ (she likes to encourage me!), I however new a little secret.

Boredom bullied me into making the journey to the reception desk alone. I was warmly welcomed as “Cathy’s husband” and duly shown to the college staff room. Eventually Cathy found me and we made our way to the chapel. Notices were given, the band startd to lead worship and students sang with gusto. The Principal then entered, he had been tied up with a phone call so was unable to greet me earlier, he sat next to me, said ‘hello’ and joined in the singing. Time was clearly running out for someone to actually tell me what was going to happen and when exactly I was supposed to speak! Despite the lack of direction coming my way I still knew a little secret that meant it was going to be alright.

The worship finished, the Principal stepped onto the stage and invited me up. He then began to ask questions concerning where I was from and the like. Cathy and I have actually known Steve Brady the Principal for years so it wasn’t quite as detached as it sounds, however I had been given no idea what was going to happen next! Did Moorlands have a special song and dance that chapel speakers had to perform before they spoke – you never know with modern teaching practises! Steve finally said, “Let’s pray for Mark before he speaks” and I knew we were finally at the point I was prepared for! The place where I stood alone on stage in front of a load of people who were studying the Bible full-time and those who taught them. People ready to analyse and critique my theological and hermeneutical interpretation of the original Greek and Hebrew texts I had chosen to base my talk on! These were people plugged in, wired up and ready for something good! No pressure – perhaps Cathy had a point!

But I knew a little secret. 

It was not that I knew more than those sat in front of me nor was it a super spiritual “I’ll trust in God and He will give me words to say” It was actually something much simpler I had learnt even before I had gone to Bible College 14 years ago. The secret was this. It’s not how much you know about God that counts, but how well you know Him. I viewed my task in that chapel service not to show Moorlands’ students how clever I was (or wasn’t!), but to encourage them even in the midst of studying theology that it was still our relationship with God that counts.

In 1 Corinthians 13 we read, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” The chapter ends “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” [Note not theology!] 

The Bible tells us “God is love”, Jesus sums up all of ‘The Law’ with these two commands “Love God and love your neighbour”. Of course there is a lot of unpacking and studying to understand the fullness of Jesus’ summary – there is a clear place to study theology. However the heart of Christianity is relationship – with God and with each other.

The events we celebrate at Easter are the greatest demonstration of God’s power and emphasis on love. Jesus faced the cross because He loves us. That’s powerful.

As Christians and as a church it is right to seek to invest our best for God in whatever we do – at work, school, home, work amongst the young, seniors, the people in the middle, those near to us, those far from us, in building projects, mission projects, weekly events, occasional events, theology, worship, prayer…. however if we neglect our relationship with God, our love for God, then we’ve missed the whole point!

So as I asked the students and staff of Moorlands – and I keep asking myself – “how is your walk with God going?” Are you investing time with the One who saves but also to daily “restore your soul” (Ps 23)? It’s good and right to be involved in activities that impact and change people’s lives. However, let us also ensure we are a church, small groups and individuals who purposefully invest at keeping the main thing the main thing – our relationship with God central to all we do. 

Mark Madavan