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Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
Pastor to Pastor

Mince No Words

Tell the truth, come what may.

Columbanus (6)

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Samuel 12.7

Celtic Christian missionaries were no respecters of persons. The Good News was good for everyone, but not without the bad news. Columbanus and his team were upfront, clear, and uncompromising about sin, whether on the part of beggars or bishops, protitutes or priests, con men or kings. And they made no exceptions, as the monk Jonas explained:

“The fame of Columban had already penetrated into all parts of Gaul and Germany, and everyone was praising the venerable man. [King] Theuderich too came often to him and humbly begged his prayers…As he very often visited Columban, the holy man began to reprove him because he sinned with concubines, and did not satisfy himself with the comfort of a lawful wife, in order to beget royal children from an honoured queen, and not bastards by his concubines. After this reproof from Columban, the king promised to abstain from such sinful conduct.”

Ultimately, Columbanus’ insistence on virtue in the Frankish court would get him run out of the country. Columbanus feared no man, not even the most powerful kings of Gaul. The Gospel and its requirements are the same for every person, regardless of their social status. Theuderich, Jonas tells us, “thought that he was fortunate in having St. Columban in his kingdom.”

Well, most of the time.

Ultimately, the king’s mother, Brunhilda, would conspire with nobles and bishops to send Columbanus into exile, but not before he had sent many young men into the churches and fields of Gaul with Good News of repentance and faith in Jesus.

If we are faithful in telling the whole truth of the Gospel, not everyone will be thrilled with our preaching. We need to make sure Jesus is. When it comes to sin, let’s not mince words, and let’s not act like it’s not the big deal it is. No progress in faith can be made where sin is not consistently and thoroughly confessed, repented of, and forsaken.

Resources for revival
What are you doing to encourage revival in your Personal Mission Field? Revival comes when God’s Spirit moves in sudden and stirring ways to help us realize more of the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God. We need revival today, more than ever in our lifetime. And God calls us to seek it. Here are some free resources you might find helpful as you take up the Lord’s command to seek Him for revival: 

Revived! This book further explains the work of revival and shows us how to use the psalms in preparing for revival through prayer. Learn more and order a free copy by clicking here.

The Celtic Revival was one of the great movements of God’s Spirit in Church history. Our book, The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction, can help you gain a vision for revival and begin encouraging others as well. Download a free copy by clicking here.

“Men at Prayer” is a brief video explaining the need for men who will pray for revival and offering additional free resources to help you get started. Watch the video and find the additional resources by clicking here.

And men, we welcome you to join us via Zoom as we gather each Tuesday morning at 10:00 Eastern for 30 minutes of prayer, seeking the Lord for revival. If you’d like to be added to the invitation list, just send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

From the Celtic Revival
We’ve gathered a few resources about the Celtic Revival onto a single page at our website. Visit by clicking here to watch a video, listen to a podcast, download a resource, or ask a question about the Celtic Revival. Check out our newest podcast, Celtic Legacy,which offers a more in-depth look at some of the writings from this period.

Here’s an excerpt from the current issue of Crosfigell, our twice-weekly teaching letter drawing insights from the writers of the Celtic Revival. Wandering thoughts – ever have that problem?

Shame on my thoughts, how they stray from me!
One moment they follow the ways of loveliness, and the next the ways of riotous shame...
Swiftly they leap in one bound from earth to heaven...
O beloved Christ...may the grace of the sevenfold Spirit come to keep them in check!

  - Anonymous, On the Flightiness of Thought, Irish, 8th-9th century[1]

Distractions, dullness of mind, diffidence in thought, daydreaming, and more – the problems in keeping focused in our thoughts aren’t new. Celtic Christians knew how to deal with such things. We can learn from them and encourage one another.

What does Crosfigell mean? Here’s a little video explaining the name of our teaching letter.

T. M. Moore.

Please pray
Did you know that the ministry of The Fellowship of Ailbe is now reaching people in 179 countries? And that we are on schedule to distribute more than 3,000 free Kingdom resources by the end of the year? It is our privilege to provide resources and opportunities to equip and encourage church leaders in building the Lord’s Church and advancing His Kingdom. Please pray that God will move many of those we serve through this ministry to share with us financially in its support. If the Lord moves you to give, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal or Anedot, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

[1] Davies, pp. 262, 263.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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