– Written by Scott Brennan, Cairn Community Builder

I have noticed that people in a postmodern and post Christendom culture are seeking deeper roots and returning to foundations that go back to the early days of Christian mission in the British Isles. This includes the apostolic and prophet pioneers of the Celtic Church who won whole nations to the gospel of Christ through their authentic presence and places of prayer, recognised as monastic centres of mission and discipleship.

Patrick laid a foundation in Ireland that birthed the Irish monastic movement that sent Columba to Iona, and in turn they sent missionary apostles to Northumbria, to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne which became a cradle of Christianity to the English speaking world. Aidan arrived on Holy Island in 635AD with a team of twelve people with a variety of skills in their toolbox. This original group then trained young people through their Schools of Monastic Mission and sent them out across the UK. These Celtic Saints became the basis of a movement of God that travelled across the whole of the European mainland.

We are rediscovering the powerful partnership of apostles and prophets, as part of a fivefold team, who became athletes of the Spirit. They trained their bodies, minds, and spirits to be fine-tuned to the Mission Dei, the mission of God. These monastic men and women of God model something to us, of life in the Spirit which became a Way of Life.

Columba is called a seer by some, and surprisingly others such as Oxford Professor Richard Sharpe, refer to Columba’s gifts as clairvoyance which is defined as someone who has the “faculty of perceiving things or events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.” I prefer the biblical categories of seer and prophet. A seer is someone who sees, they have visions. They reveal the realm of the Spirit and their revelations come from the Spirit of God who is their guide and empowers them.



In Columba’s case, according to Adomnan, the gift of prophecy works hand in hand with the ministry of healing. This makes sense of the bible’s explanation in 1 Corinthians 12. Paul writes that “about the gifts of the Spirit, I do not want you to be uninformed.” (1 Cor 12:1). He then produces a list of the gifts of the Spirit including prophecy, knowledge and healing explaining that “there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them….given for the common good” (1 Cor 12:4&7). 



“to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits.” 
1 Cor 12:9-10

For me, this is like a toolbox with each gift having a different potential and purpose. A good tradesperson will use each tool according to its design, and often these tools are used together to get the job done. A saw, a hammer and a level do not compete but complement one another.



There is a fascinating account in Adomnan’s Life of Columba about Diarmait, the servant of Columba who “fell ill and seemed likely to die.” Columba prays for him and declares “this my child will not only survive on this occasion, but he will outlive me by many years.” Adomnan writes “straightway Diarmait regained his full health. He also lived many years after Columba departed to the Lord.”



I see the spiritual toolbox at work here. Columba prays and receives prophetic insight and knowledge. He then operates in the gift of faith and releases healing. This is potentially three or four gifts of the Spirit in operation at the same time.



The key for me is the activity of the Spirit of God. Columba is fine tuned to listen and respond. He is not relying on his own insight or knowledge; he is dependent on the guidance and empowering of the Spirit. 



How might we imitate this kind of spiritual activity? Is it restricted to saints and holy men? My own view is that this is available to anyone who, like Columba, fine-tunes their spirit to the Spirit of God. Many of the Celtic Saints have stories like this, and they trained themselves in community to be athletes of the Spirit. Could we develop similar approaches in a spiritually hungry world. I am confident that Cairn is part of this new approach, and our 5Q circles, our mentoring, retreats and learning communities combine to form schools of spiritual formation for the nations.

Scott Brennan