New Presbyterian moderator installed in Belfast

Many Presbyterians are finding it difficult to share their Christian faith, Rev Dr Noble McNeely said in Belfast on Monday night when he was installed as the new moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

Dr McNeely (63) of the First Holywood Presbyterian Church in Co Down formally took over from the outgoing moderator, Rev Dr Frank Sellar, at the beginning of the annual general assembly of the church on Monday night.

“I speak to many of our church members and they freely tell of how they are finding it more difficult to share their Christian faith in their places of work, in the places they socialise, even for some they find greater family rejection,” said Dr McNeeley.

“Being a disciple of Jesus in the modern world of today is growing more and more difficult and intimidating. When Jesus told his disciples to take up the cross, it was expected that there would be physical rejection,” he said.

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“The persecution of Christians throughout the world is more evident than ever before. Recent media attention is highlighting what has often been a reality. Many Christians are suffering persecution, imprisonment and discrimination,” he added.

Dismissive

Dr McNeely said people were more dismissive of Christian faith in the postmodern culture. “I am convinced though that if we are disciples of Jesus we ought to be endeavouring to make other followers of Jesus – this is our mission,” he told the general assembly.

He said he found it “quite awesome” to be taking over as moderator in 2017, the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

“It seems to me that we ought to be raising up a generation of disciples who are equipped and prepared to tell the story and to share their faith and the good news in the public square, the place of work, the corridors of power, among media workers, on social media and in the places where culture is created,” he added.