Theological Foundations for Youth

Last month, Stephen spoke at the TFY Ireland conference in Cullybackey on the subject of Covenant Theology.

Here is how the mission of TFY — aimed at those aged 16-22 — is described on their website:

“We don't want you to blindly accept what you are taught in church. We want you to dig deeper into Scripture, ask questions, and become personally convinced by God's message to his people. In other words, we want you to be firmly rooted in the word of Jesus Christ.

We also want you to be built up so you can serve your saviour in the most wonderful place on Earth - the church of Jesus Christ. The Reformed Presbyterian Church may be just one branch of Christ's church, but we believe it is a branch that is precious to Christ and we want to see you love it, commit to it, and serve King Jesus as part of it.

WHAT?
TFY Ireland is an opportunity to spend a week digging deeper. It is an opportunity to ask WHAT our church believes and also WHY it believes it. 

Think of it as a Theological Boot Camp, to give you an intensive course in the biblical doctrines that are at the heart of the Christian life. Over the course of the week you’ll receive in-depth lectures given by experienced pastors on the kingship of Christ, the doctrine of the Church, Covenant theology, worship, worldview, apologetics, evangelism and Church History. These topics will also give you an opportunity to explore and discuss some of the distinctive principles of the RPCI. There will be a bit of time for relaxing and having fun as well, but the emphasis of the week is very much on teaching. You will spend time in lectures, seminars and discussions, all designed to deepen your love for the Lord Jesus Christ and your commitment to his bride, the church.

Along the way you will have the chance to make new friends and catch up with old ones as you join them in exploring the ramifications of God's word for young people in the 21st century.”

Stephen pictured with two of the other speakers

The handouts that accompanied Stephen’s talks are available below:

"Two Ways of Obtaining Eternal Happiness": An Overview of Covenant Theology

Lecture 1: The Covenant of Works
Lecture 2: The Covenant of Grace

"That's on Me"

Is it just me, or is the phrase "that's on me" becoming more common?

A football manager is interviewed after a defeat and admits that he got his tactics wrong. "Thats on me", he says. In her recently released memoir, Nicola Sturgeon discusses her failure to narrow the attainment gap between rich and poor pupils as she committed to do in 2015. "I did not succeed in all that I set out to do on school education — and that is on me"

It's a way of saying: "I'll take the blame". "You don't need to look for anyone else to criticise — the fault is mine, and mine alone". It’s surely to be applauded as a humble acknowledgement of fault. In a world where people seek to blame almost anyone or anything else for their own failures, it can be refreshing to hear a politician come out and say "it's my fault — that's on me". If you've listened to hundreds of interviews with football managers and heard them blame injuries, referees, weather conditions, fixture pile-ups — even the colour of the kit the players were wearing — it's refreshing to hear one hold his hands up and admit that he got something wrong. When, rather than throwing his players under the bus, he will take the hit and say "that's on me".

Of course, the cynic might argue that it's simply a self-serving way of someone getting ahead of the criticism that they know is coming anyway. Particularly if the manager obviously got his tactics wrong, or the politician ignored advice. Overall though, it's surely a positive trend. There's such a failure to accept fault in our society, that it's just a nice change when someone holds their hands up and says "that's on me".

The phrase also strikes me as a way to explain the Christian gospel to those who are unfamiliar with it. The Bible contains no shortage of people who are keen to shift the blame. In the aftermath of the very first sin — eating the forbidden fruit — Adam blames Eve (and by implication God), and Eve blames Satan. Moses's brother Aaron explains his sin in making a golden calf for the people to worship by saying "I threw [gold] into the fire and out came this calf". Saul, Israel's first king, tries to justify offering an unlawful sacrifice by blaming the prophet Samuel for being late. These key figures in biblical history had the opportunity to hold up their hands and say "that's on me". But they didn't — because it is in our nature to try to shift the blame.

However the Bible also tells us of someone who never had any need to hold his hands up and acknowledge his guilt — because he had none. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man (without ceasing to be God). But whereas everyone who had ever lived up until that point — even the best of men — had given in to temptation many times, he never did. He "knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was "in every way tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).

How did the world react to someone so pure? We put him to death. His brilliant purity showed up our impurity. And yet Jesus' death on the cross wasn't a tragic accident, it was the very reason he came. He came both to live and to die in our place. At the cross he took our sins on himself and effectively said to his Father "that's on me". "Don't hold their sin against them — punish me instead". On the cross he became liable for the guilt of all who would ever put their trust in him.

Many seek to deny their guilt. And it's certainly true that we often suffer at the hands of others. We are sinned against — but according to the Scriptures, we are also sinners: "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Yet there is hope. The Book of Proverbs warns: "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." Some seek to atone for their guilt themselves — through acts of charity, church involvement, etc. But if we could atone for our own sin, Jesus wouldn't have needed to come. Rather, the good news of the gospel is that on the cross Jesus took on himself all our guilt and shame. On the cross, he said of even our worst actions: "That's on me". And he promises that whoever comes to him he will never cast out.

Published in the Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press, 11th September 2025

RPCS Day Out in Ayr

Last month, we in Stranraer organised an event for the whole denomination in Ayr. The following report is taken from the RPCS website:

Each year a different church in the Presbytery organises a Presbytery-wide event. This year it was Stranraer’s turn and they planned a lovely day in Ayr on the 2nd August. 55 people from Airdrie, Glasgow, North Edinburgh, Stranraer, and Wishaw attended, and we were blessed with beautiful weather.

The day began with everyone meeting for a picnic lunch on the Ayr Lower Green. After some time chatting and catching up over our sandwiches, it was time for a walk to the old cemetery in Ayr, where Jimmy Fisher (from Airdrie RPC and Tour Guide for our Presbytery ministry, Reformation Tours) gave a talk at the grave of 7 Covenanter martyrs who were all hanged at Ayr. They had been captured at Rullion Green in November 1666, and were part of a group of twelve men brought from Edinburgh to Ayr to stand trial for their part in the Pentland Rising. After the inevitable outcome, all were sentenced to death. Part of the inscription on their grave reads (like so many of the martyr graves in Scotland) that they died “For their adherence to the Word of GOD and Scotland’s Covenanted work of Reformation”. We then sang Psalm 23 and Psalm 133 and James Fraser prayed.

We then walked back to the green where there were all sorts of games and races for young and old alike involving parachutes and hula hoops. Folks continued to chat and spend time getting to know new people from the different congregations and catching up with old friends. It was a lovely day and many thanks to Stranraer RPC for organising it.

'This is not a fulfilling life': Why success can’t satisfy

American golfer Scottie Scheffler made headlines at the Open Championship in Portrush last month - and not just for winning it. On the eve of the tournament, he gave an interview that made people around the world sit up and take notice. In a day when sports stars undergo media training and their answers to questions are routine and formulaic, Scheffler tore up the script by asking what the point of it all was.

Many would envy Scheffler - 14th on Forbes' list of the 2025 'World's Highest Paid Athletes', jetting around the world to play sport. Yet when interviewed, Scheffler said bluntly: 'This is not a fulfilling life'. He went on to elaborate: 'It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart. There are a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfil them in life, and you get there, you get to number one in the world, and they’re like “what’s the point?”

Scheffler knows all about the relentless nature of chasing success only to be left feeling empty when you achieve it: 'It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a few minutes. It only lasts a few minutes, that kind of euphoric feeling.'

His words may have been deeply personal, but the newly-minted Open champion has put his finger on something countless human beings experience every day. We all have aspirations. We all have dreams. Some people make incredible sacrifices in order to make their dreams a reality, whether those dreams involve athletic accomplishment, career progression, or family goals. Yet often the most crushing experience isn’t to miss out on those dreams; it is to finally make them a reality and discover that they cannot satisfy us in the way that we were so sure that they would.

On winning the tournament, Scheffler elaborated on his earlier comments: 'I love being able to play this game for a living — it’s one of the greatest joys of my life. But does it fill the deepest wants and desires of my heart? Absolutely not.' In fact, he sounded a warning to those watching: 'This is not the place to look for your satisfaction'.

Scheffler, however, as found a greater purpose. 'I would say my greatest priorities are my faith and my family', he said. 'Those come first for me. Golf is third in that order'.

In fact, his faith in Jesus is what frees Scheffler to enjoy golf but keep it in proper perspective. Last year, after his second Masters win, Scheffler gave another revealing interview. He said that on the final morning of his tournament, his friends reminded him that 'my victory was secure on the cross. And that’s a pretty special feeling. To know that I'm secure for forever and it doesn't matter. You know whether or not I win this tournament or if I lose this tournament, my identity is secure for forever.'

In other words, what defines Scheffler isn't sporting success, but what Jesus did for him on the cross. So he doesn't have to win championships to prove his worth. ‘Do I want to win every single golf tournament? Of course. But at the end of the day, that’s not what’s gonna satisfy my soul.'

After his 2022 Masters win, Scheffler put it succinctly: 'The reason why I play golf is I’m trying to glorify God and all that he’s done in my life. So for me, my identity isn’t a golf score'.

If we look for created things - including other people - to give us our identity, we'll be disappointed. That's true even of good things. Many would say their family were their number 1 priority. But no human being can bear the weight of all our hopes and dreams. Either it will crush them, or they will disappoint us. Scheffler instead encourages us to look to the Creator. Only when we obey the first of the Ten Commandments - and put God at number 1 - will we be able to keep everything else in proper perspective.

Still in his 20s, Scheffler has made it to the top. He sees it as a platform God has given him to warn the watching world that success can't satisfy. Don't wait until you achieve your deepest earthly longing to realise it can only disappoint. You were made for more.

Published in the Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press, 7th August 2025