As I keep stating, most of my vivid memories of being introduced to new hymns and songs come from the early 1980s. In Baptist churches, we liked the older hymns, but some of the newer ones did drift in from time to time. I was introduced to three of them in the summer of 1987,
1987 was the first time I led a Baptist Youth Evangelism (BYE) team. Most of the young people were from Northern Ireland, though we also had some from Cork. I travelled up beforehand to meet the team at Ballymena Baptist Church. I also remember visiting Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast, where someone greeted me from the pulpit. I saw the Baptist Union headquarters, which at that time was in Fitzwilliam Street.
We had a little choir in the team, which arrived in August. After nearly 40 years, I still vividly remember them introducing these songs, which had been published a few years earlier.
We had a great week. I remember that we showed the film The Hiding Place towards the end of the week. On our day off, we visited Fota Wildlife Park. On the Sunday, we were in Fitzgerald’s park, where my old fellowship The Upper Room were giving a concert.
Three songs published in 1987 include the following:
In January 1987 Carrigaline Baptist Church was formally opened. This was the first of several churches planted by Cork Baptist Church.
And we started the Sunday night outreach in Cork city (mentioned in my 1986 post). At that time of night, people were much more open to chat, but now and then, we had a problem with drunkenness. For example, some might come and heckle, and others might take them to task. And then a fight might break out. You wouldn’t have any of that in the daytime, but you’d get less people taking any notice.
In 1987, I purchased In Square Circle by Stevie Wonder, an album that had been released two years previously. At a time when many artists were criticizing evangelicals (as a result of the TV evangelist scandals), Stevie wrote Spiritual Walkers, a tribute to people who spread good news.
That summer, during the BYE Team week, I remember Toy Boy by Sinitta blaring out of the pub/nightclub across the road from Cork Baptist Church. Many years later, I was surprised to hear that she had become an evangelical Christian. And the writer of her hit from the previous year, So Macho, was also an evangelical Christian. I don’t imagine that either of them would turn up in Cork Baptist Church, but it’s a reminder that evangelicalism embraces quite a wide spectrum.
In the Autumn, Irish Baptist College principal, Ivor Oakley gave us a lecture on Martin Luther in Cork Baptist Church. I think that this was my first time hearing one of my favorite hymns, A Safe Stronghold, written by Luther.
Another memory of 1987 was reading, two books by Martyn Lloyd Jones, Joy Unspeakable and Prove All Things. Though Lloyd Jones wasn’t a charismatic, he did place huge emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Some of the book’s content is available in his sermons on the topic on the MLJ Trust web site, where you can search for Baptism of the Spirit and Spiritual Gifts. Most people in my circles were sceptical of the charismatic scene, but they did respect Martyn Lloyd Jones.
I got engaged in 1987 and spent a good deal of time trying to find a teaching job. But as time went on, I started to explore the possibility of working with Baptist Missions, who worked in Peru, Ireland, and France. I started working with the mission two years later and stayed until 1998, when I returned to secular work.
It might surprise some that Ireland is considered a mission field. But as I outline throughout the blog, you’re not a Christian by being born in a Christian country or by being baptised. You need to hear and respond to the gospel. The mainstream churches don’t teach this. Evangelical churches do, which is why Baptist Missions hope to plant evangelical churches throughout Ireland, as do other evangelical groups. Even now, evangelicals still make up only 1.5% of the population of Ireland, but it is slowly growing, and I think more people understand what evangelicals believe, though people sometimes misunderstand what evangelicals are. The media often use the term in the context of culture wars, with evangelicals being on the right. But evangelicals can be found on all sides, and many have little interest in politics.
Some must have been a little puzzled by U2’s I Still Havn’t Found What I’m Looking For, which was a big hit that year. It has the flavour of a gospel song, but gospel songs usually emphasize finding what you’re looking for. Maybe they were echoing what Paul says in Philippians.
Phil 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Finally, here’s some music, events, and films/TV shows that would have formed the background to 1987. I don’t necessarily endorse all the songs or films😀, but thinking of them takes me back to 1987.
10 Songs
- Coming Around Again – Carly Simon
- Town to Town – Microdisney
- With or Without You – U2
- Twilight World – Swing Out Sister
- I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston
- Star Trekkin’ – The Firm
- Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House
- Pump Up The Volume – MARRS
- Never Let Me Down Again – Depeche Mode
- You Win Again – Bee Gees
10 Events
- Black Monday – Global Stock Market Crash
- Supernova 1987A Observed
- Church of England Envoy Terry Waite Kidnapped
- The Simpsons Debut on The Tracey Ullman Show
- Herald of Free Enterprise Ferry Disaster
- Hungerford Massacre
- Remembrance Day Bombing in Enniskillen
- Spycatcher case UK
- Sri Lanka bus bomb
- Ireland’s Stephen Roche Wins the Tour de France
10 Films or TV Shows
- Full Metal Jacket
- Lethal Weapon
- The Princess Bride
- RoboCop
- The Living Daylights
- Fatal Attraction
- Inspector Morse
- French and Saunders
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Zig and Zag debut on Dempsey’s Den
10 Famous People Who Passed Away
- Eamonn Andrews – Beloved Irish broadcaster and television personality, known for This Is Your Life and What’s My Line?
- Oliver J. Flanagan – Long-serving Fine Gael TD and cabinet minister, noted for his conservative views and colorful speeches
- Andy Warhol – Pop art pioneer known for Campbell’s Soup Cans and Marilyn Diptych
- Rita Hayworth – Hollywood icon of the 1940s, starred in Gilda and Cover Girl
- Fred Astaire – Legendary dancer and actor, famed for Top Hat and Swing Time
- Jackie Gleason – Comedian and actor, creator of The Honeymooners
- Danny Kaye – Comedic actor and singer, starred in White Christmas and Hans Christian Andersen
- Lee Marvin – Oscar-winning actor known for Cat Ballou and The Dirty Dozen
- Liberace – Flamboyant pianist and entertainer, host of The Liberace Show
- Peter Tosh – Jamaican reggae musician and activist, member of The Wailers
Hibernia Gospel 