Dundee

Two weeks ago (23 July), Angela and I traveled north via train to Dundee where I preached the morning service at St. Peter's Free Church of Scotland. David Robertson is the current minister of SPFC and is an able preacher and shepherd and has close ties to the PCA. My first interaction with David was over three years ago when he spoke at the Twin Lakes Fellowship in Jackson, MS. He gave one of the finest addresses on apologetics and evangelism in a postmodern world I've heard.

SPFC is also known as the place where the young and much beloved Robert Murray M'Cheyne served in the early nineteenth century. M'Cheyne was born in Edinburgh on 21 May 1813 and called to St. Peter's in November 1836. His work was marked by simple and searching sermons, a wide-reaching pastoral ministry, psalm singing classes, a strong commitment to family worship, and zeal for foreign missions (with his famous tour to Israel in 1838). He died at the young age of 29 on 25 March 1843. His memoirs and sermons were collected into one volume by his friend Andrew Bonar. It truly deserves to be called a Christian classic; I highly recommend reading it.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at St Peter's. The singing was solid, the fellowship was warm, and the preaching...well, let's move on to other things. That afternoon, we were treated like royalty. We stayed with a family who live in a farmhouse about 30 minutes outwith the city. The food was healthy and the portions hearty. We enjoyed a host of delicious produce from the garden and fresh salmon from the Isle of Skye made with a tangy whole grain mustard marinade. The sumptuous meal was topped with a gigantic serving of pavlova piled high with plump, sweet strawberries. I'm ready to go back!

One of the unexpected blessings was interacting with a brother in Christ I met earlier in June at a pastor's conference in Glasgow. He is a youth minister in Dundee, and the son of the family we stayed with! Well, to make a long story short. He informed us that Eric Alexander was preaching at his church (Logies and St. John's Cross Church of Scotland). Eric Alexander is one of the finest expositors alive today and a humble, godly churchman. He preached a magnificent sermon from Mark 2:1-12 and the healing of the paralytic and spoke with the authority of heaven. You can listen to the sermon here.

For more pics of the day, click here.