Many years ago when you were travelling to a foreign country and going through customs, it was common to hear a uniformed officer ask you "Have you anything to declare?" If you said, "Yes", you knew you were in for some questioning! So, many people who actually had some illegal product to declare actually said, ‘No', to save themselves the trouble. Some got away with it, and some didn't.

Today I often wonder if the world is unconsciously putting this question to the Christian Church: ‘Have you anything to declare?' In other words, in the face of all the pain in the world, do we have a strong Word from God to declare, a Word that will make a difference and bring hope to people's lives? Because a church with ‘nothing to declare' has no reason to exist, except to be a kind of spiritual country club to its members. A strong church needs a strong message to declare to the world.