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Everything in September 2012 issue

Church Society

By David Meager

News

September 2012

News

Church Society

Church Society The Church Society met on Saturday 26 May, at Oak Hill College, for its yearly conference and annual general meeting (AGM). James Crabtree, chairman of Church Society Council, opened the conference with a brief exhortation from 2 Corinthians 6. After mentioning the apostle Paul’s extraordinary trials, he reminded us that we too need God’s enabling power and gifts, if we are to stand firm in today’s difficulties. We too, like Paul, can rejoice in our trials. Justification by faith Following James’ introduction, Rev. Dr Mike Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill, spoke on the topic ‘Justification now — the Reformation doctrine and true...

Impact weekend

By Anastasia Liasi

News

September 2012

News > Youth Features

Impact weekend

Youth Feature Impact weekend On the weekend of 4-6 July, teenagers from Central Baptist Church (CBC), Walthamstow, and Thornton Heath Evangelical Church (THEC), met together for a weekend of fun, fellowship and faith-building. It was held at CBC’s premises and organised by THEC Impact leaders, under the leadership of Robert Jeffrey, who in August left THEC to take up ministry as the new pastor of CBC. Tim Whitton of the Open-Air Mission presented a series of gospel-centred Bible talks, and there were various activities — planned ones, such as Laser Quest and crafts, to unplanned ones, such as a visit to the Science Museum and...

First in

News

September 2012

News

First in

First in The United Reformed Church (URC) in the UK has joined Quakers and Unitarians to take advantage of new legislation to allow gay and lesbian couples to celebrate civic registration in their chapels. Counsellor Steve Radford, president of the Liberal Party, said, ‘We are pleased, as we wrote during the formal consultation, as a political party in favour of allowing faith communities to carry out civic registration services should they wish. ‘While the Church of England has declined to authorise any of its churches to carry out such services, the URC, Quakers and Unitarians have given authority’. In July, the Episcopal Church became...

CWI at the Olympics

News

September 2012

News

CWI at the Olympics

CWI at the Olympics London Theological Seminary (LTS) played host to Christian Witness for Israel (CWI) over August as many CWI field workers and volunteers witnessed during the Olympic Games. The team was based at LTS and alternated between central London and other Jewish areas. From 3-12 August, teams reached out to Jew and Gentile among the crowds of visitors to the capital, through street evangelism, door-to-door work and book tables around the city. CWI held several evening meetings. On Monday 6 August, Benjamin Hersh gave his testimony as a Jewish believer. On 7 August, Paul Morris, CWI field worker, gave a talk entitled,...

Summer Conference 2012

By Dewi Higham

News

September 2012

News

Summer Conference 2012

Summer Conference 2012 In one of the coldest summers of recent years, the sun shone on Summer Conference 2012 at Cardiff, with wall-to-wall sunshine and temperatures in the high 20s throughout the week. The Lord also warmed our hearts with messages from Vernon Higham, John Murray and Richard Brooks. Jonathan Munday and Neil Pfeiffer opened and closed the conference with gospel preaching. Some of the delegates’ comments captured the sense of blessing: ‘The best Summer Conference yet!’; ‘a week of Sabbaths’; ‘like dying and going to heaven’. This year’s themes were ‘Song of Songs’, ‘godly living’ and ‘waiting for the dawning’. Somehow these blended...

‘Faith in the public square’

News

September 2012

News

‘Faith in the public square’

‘Faith in the public square’ The General Synod of the Church of England (CofE) met in York to back the right of Christians to ‘manifest their faith in the public square’. In a debate brought about by a General Synod member and cleric from the Peterborough Diocese, Rev. Stephen Trott, the three houses of bishops, clergy and laity sent out a bold message to government, UK and European courts. The Synod voted by 263 to 25 to pass a motion that said: ‘This Synod expresses its conviction that it is the calling of Christians to order and govern our lives in accordance with the teaching...

WORLD MISSION – Ministering to the church in China

By Zhou Lao Shi

Article

September 2012

China

WORLD MISSION – Ministering to the church in China

WORLD MISSION Ministering to the church in China God has blessed his people in the UK with a great heritage. For centuries the gospel has been preached here. We have a wealth of Christian literature, many excellent Bible teachers, conventions and Bible colleges. In many other areas of the world the church is much younger. God’s people do not have access to books and other resources. Opportunities for learning the Word of God more deeply are rare and understanding of the truth is shallow. In many places, believers and church leaders are well aware of what they lack in this respect. They are pleading...

EMF graduation

By Jörg Müller

News

September 2012

News

EMF graduation

EMF graduation On Friday 29 June, all this year’s full-time students at the European Missionary Fellowship’s (EMF) School of Biblical Studies received certificates at a graduation ceremony. The ceremony, held at EMF’s headquarters in Welwyn, was attended by friends and supporters of the Mission and relatives and friends of the students. The students successfully completed an intensive six months of studies to help them understand the Bible and theology better. They learned that theology is not just about finding the right combination of words, but about knowing and serving God with more trust and joy. The meeting, chaired by EMF’s director Martin Leech, included...

GBP Scotland

By Ali McLachlan

News

September 2012

News

GBP Scotland

GBP Scotland Dundee and Wick witnessed many conversations over the summer as the team from Grace Baptist Partnership (GBP) Scotland went out to bring the gospel to people. According to the latest GBP update, many people attended the open air preaching in Dundee in July, including some Chinese and Polish men who received literature. Pastor Ali McLachlan, general secretary of GBP Scotland, and Andy Corkhill distributed literature and followed up with a door-to-door witness. There were many reasons to praise God for the week of evangelism at Wick, including the production of tracts, enrolment of volunteers, offers of hospitality, opportunities at schools and music...

Hear me carefully

By Andrew Swanson

Article

September 2012

Reviews

Hear me carefully

Hear me carefully John Blanchard ¬— a biography Marlene WilliamsEP Books, 143 pages, £6.99 ISBN: 9780852347850 Among the many who have benefitted from the literary output of John Blanchard, there are probably not a few who would appreciate knowing more about his life story and 50 years in full-time ministry. The same will doubtless be true for the many who have appreciated his spoken ministry. For all such, this biography, written by the wife of a close colleague of Mr Blanchard over the last 10 years, will do much to lend weight to their appreciation. The first 32 years of Mr Blanchard’s 80-year...

Middle East Christians

News

September 2012

News

Middle East Christians

Middle East Christians There is still a role for Middle East Christians as ‘salt and light’ in their communities, the chief executive of UK Christian development charity BibleLands has claimed. Addressing a seminar on the Arab Spring at the New Wine Christian conference, on 23 July, Jeremy Moodey suggested that Christians in the West were doing their Middle Eastern co-religionists a disservice by seeing them only as ‘victims’. He said, in fact, many Arab Christians were active in their communities, expressing their faith through education, health care and other forms of social action. Mr Moodey said, ‘The Arab Spring has led to a resurgence of...

Son of the underground

By John Brand

Article

September 2012

Reviews

Son of the underground

Son of the underground Isaac Liu Lion Hudson: Monarch, 144 pages, £6.99, ISBN: 978-0-85721-199-6 Isaac Liu is the son of ‘the heavenly man’ whose story caused quite a stir and not a little controversy several years ago. Now, Isaac tells his own story of being brought up in a home from which his father was absent for long periods of time, because he was either in prison or on the run to avoid arrest. In fact he didn’t meet his father until he was four and only knew him from a wanted poster. There are some interesting insights about the life and witness...

Making sport of Jesus

By Clive Anderson

Article

September 2012

Articles > Biblical/theological

Making sport of Jesus

Making sport of Jesus ‘Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads’ (Matthew 27:39) 2012 has been the year for momentous events. These have drawn large crowds, with millions of global spectators reached through many media outlets. Not least among these extraordinary happenings were those surrounding Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond jubilee. Not to be outdone, the world of sport has had its occasions too, including an international soccer event in Poland and Ukraine and the 30th Summer Olympic Games held last month in London. Pain At these, spectators have been entertained, not just with acts of great skill and heroism, but also,...

All Souls

By Jane Barratt

News

September 2012

News

All Souls

All Souls All Souls Church, Langham Place, opened its doors to London’s West End during the Olympics. From the end of July to 12 August, the church was open for all to come and watch the Olympics, reaching out to people in their own languages with personal witness about the gospel. The church set up big screens and a sports café in the John Nash-designed building, offering free non-alcoholic drinks and light snacks, many of which were provided by local businesses, including the Scandinavian Kitchen, La Bottega del Caffe and Gelato Mio. For the musical, there were Sunday celebrations of Psalms and Songs, and...

Beach mission

By Antonia Sheldrake

News

September 2012

News > Youth Features

Beach mission

Youth Feature Beach mission After being unproductive last summer, I felt convicted to spend the first two weeks of this summer, from 14-28 July, serving God with United Beach Missions (UBM). My first week in Benllech, Anglesey, can be summarised in two words — temperamental weather. Each day’s programme was uncertain, and it was typical of Britain that on the same day the previous team returned home with intense sunburn, torrential rain greeted us on our Smuggler’s trail that evening. One family braved the treasure hunt, won first prize and, most importantly, heard the gospel message. Throughout the week, the weather prevented many from...

Only connect!

By Guy Davies

Article

September 2012

Articles > Ecclesiological & Pastoral

Only connect!

Only connect! John Donne, the seventeenth century preacher and poet, famously wrote: ‘No man is an island entire of himself’. In a culture that prizes the rights of the individual over responsibility to the community, Donne’s words need to be heard once more. Christians are not immune to the individualistic spirit of the age that sees ourselves as consumers rather than servants. As such, we can be more interested in what we get out of church life than what we contribute by serving the Lord among his people. This attitude encourages a loose connection to the local church, or perhaps no meaningful connection at...

Marriage in Scotland

News

September 2012

News

Marriage in Scotland

Marriage in Scotland The Scottish government’s decision to press ahead with redefining marriage in a gay marriage bill is an assault on religious freedom and a lawyer’s charter, Colin Hart has warned. Mr Hart said, ‘This is a crazy decision and shows that Mr Salmond has failed to grasp the importance of marriage as an institution and that redefining its meaning will have profound consequences for both Scotland and the rest of the UK. ‘He has ignored his own public consultation, which showed that the vast majority of people are against letting politicians meddle with the meaning of marriage’. He said that tinkering with the...

World Mission – Changing contours in China

By Kieran Beville

Article

September 2012

China

World Mission – Changing contours in China

World Mission Changing contours in China The church in China is beginning to cast off its chains and is emerging as a powerful force for change. Is this phenomenon likely to transform the communist culture of a repressive regime and create a more open and tolerant society? Article 13 of the Constitution of the Republic of China provides that the people shall have freedom of religious belief, yet the government restricts religious practice to government-sanctioned organisations and registered places of worship. It also controls the growth and scope of activity of religious groups. Despite formal recognition of religious liberty, religious freedom is accorded little respect...

By Gladys Nash

Article

September 2012

Articles > Ecclesiological & Pastoral

Learning to be a Christian widow

After my husband died, I remembered something which happened many years earlier. We were newly married and visiting people my husband knew well, when the lady said something to me I never forgot. She was fifty-something, had teenage children and her husband had just left his pastorate of 20 years. The family was in crisis: no job; no money; no suitable home; children confused and bewildered; and the marriage under strain. She said, ‘You know, as a pastor’s wife, life was always busy, with church work, raising children, giving hospitality, trying to be always available, etc. Sometimes it was hard to find the time to...

Sickly politics

News

September 2012

News

Sickly politics

Sickly politics A Green Party councillor was hauled before an inquiry in July after voting against a motion to support the Government’s plans to legalise same-sex marriages. According to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), Hollingdean and Stanmer councillor Christina Summers voted against the proposals at a full council meeting. Speaking to the Brighton Argus, she said the decision was based on her religious convictions and that she was accountable to God above any political party. She said, ‘I feel that marriage is about a relationship between a man and a woman together in a relationship and about procreation and family. I’m accountable to God...

Troubled families

News

September 2012

News

Troubled families

Troubled families East London and Essex charity, WHCM Counselling and Support (WHCM), has awarded ten more counsellors certificates, on completion of their diploma in counselling children and adolescents. A statement from WHCM said the counsellors will go on to help and support troubled or problem children, adolescents and families in various schools and other situations. The statement pointed to recent comments from Eric Pickles MP, Communities Secretary, who stated there are roughly 120,000 troubled families in the UK, costing the state £9 billion each year. The 42-week course is run at the WHCM headquarters building in Chelmsford in conjunction with the Anglian Ruskin University.

Kibera

News

September 2012

News

Kibera

Kibera International children’s charity Global Care has launched a special short-term campaign to help 56 children in the world’s biggest slum — Kibera — on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. John White, chief executive of Global Care, said in Kibera people are so poor they buy sugar by the spoonful rather than the bag, and toothpaste by the squirt rather than the tube. He said 1.2 million people live cheek-by-jowl in an area just five miles square, without sanitation, water, electricity or infrastructure of any kind. And this is where Global Care runs the Spurgeon’s Academy, a school for some of the poorest children on...

Rhondda Evangelical Church

By Huw Kinsey

News

September 2012

News

Rhondda Evangelical Church

Rhondda Evangelical Church On Saturday 12 May the opening service of the Rhondda Evangelical Church was held at Salem Church, Llwynypia, Rhondda. The fellowship derives from the membership of Trinity Calvinistic Methodist Church, Tonypandy, which recently left the Presbyterian Church of Wales. The church has known long association with the Calvinistic Methodist Church of Wales, which, in earlier days, knew God’s blessing upon it in a succession of notable revivals. The new church continues to hold firmly to the 1823 Confession of faith of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists and their system of church government. Acknowledgement was made of the long and faithful biblical ministry...

News

September 2012

News

Internet controls

Internet controls Ministers have launched a UK consultation on parental internet controls to help protect children from accessing harmful websites. Brought by Tim Loughton, minister for children and families, and Lynne Featherstone, minister for equalities and criminal information — joint chairmen of the Council for Child Internet Safety — the discussion paper seeks the views of the public. The discussion paper, which is open for responses until 6 September, is asking for people’s opinions and advice on parental controls, and whether automatic online blocks should be introduced to protect children from adult and harmful websites. It outlines three broad options for the best approach...

Dr Nigel Wright

By Ian Taylor

News

September 2012

News

Dr Nigel Wright

Dr Nigel Wright Dr Nigel Wright will retire as principal of Spurgeon’s College on 31 August 2013. He has been principal since 2000 and will have served the college for 21 years. He was ordained into Baptist ministry 40 years ago by Dr George Beasley-Murray. Dr Wright served the Baptist Union as president from 2002-3 and has been widely involved both in European Baptist life and the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) as a representative of the Baptist Union. He was recently a participant in the BWA’s theological conversations with the Pentecostal World Fellowship. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a...

The envy of Eve

By Nick Barnes

Article

September 2012

Reviews

The envy of Eve

The envy of Eve Melissa Kruger Christian Focus, 256 pages, £8.99 ISBN: 978-1-84550-775-6 This interesting read combines the sort of practical analysis of heart-level Christian living to be found in the writings of the later Puritans with the anecdotal style often found in Christian writing today. The anecdotal aspect makes the book readable, as well as providing copious illustrations of the issue being dissected and illustrated. The central issue is that of covetousness, and it is relevant to Christians living in our materially successful but spiritually empty, modern world. The author is female and some of the anecdotes and discussion of relationships reflect...

The golden chain of salvation (1)

By Geoff Thomas

Article

September 2012

Articles > Biblical/theological

The golden chain of salvation (1)

The following articles are here: The golden chain of salvation (2) The golden chain of salvation (3) The golden chain of salvation (1) ‘And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified’ (Romans 8:30) These memorable words are part of what has been called the ‘golden chain of salvation’. I think it was given this name by a Westminster divine called John Arrowsmith. He said that God lets down this golden chain from heaven to draw up all his people. Five links The golden chain is God’s. He designed it and made each link. He...

Beach missions in Portugal

News

September 2012

News

Beach missions in Portugal

Beach missions in Portugal Which is the most important ingredient of a beach mission — a week of uninterrupted sun and cloudless blue skies or an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with many families? Obviously it is the latter, and in the UK this is sometimes done in cool, overcast conditions. However, when a week’s mission can happen without worrying about reorganising a programme due to rain, that is a real bonus, as a new initiative in Portugal has shown. This year, United Beach Missions (UBM) was invited to run its first beach mission on the Algarve in Portugal. UBM ran a...

Faith schools

News

September 2012

News

Faith schools

Faith schools The European Commission has said it will investigate the legality of the laws that give faith schools in England and Wales the ability to ‘discriminate’ in the employment of teachers on religious grounds. This follows a formal complaint from Accord Coalition founding member, the British Humanist Association. According to a statement from Accord, the Commission confirmed that UK law ‘raises questions’ about its conformity with legalisation of the European Union, and that it will be contacting the UK government for further clarification. Under current laws, more than one-third of state-funded faith schools can demand that one fifth of their teachers be of the...

Gay Marriage

News

September 2012

News

Gay Marriage

Gay Marriage Several US mayors have threatened to block a pro-marriage fast food chain Chick-fil-a after its president said he supported the biblical definition of the family unit. According to reports from CBN, the mayors of Boston and Chicago threatened to punish the US multi-billion dollar fast food chain because it backs traditional marriage. Thomas Menino, Mayor of Boston, said he would do everything he could to stop the restaurant from setting up shop in the city. Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel —formerly chief of staff to President Obama — said he would block any new outlets opening in his area. The Mayor of San Francisco...

The evangelical Cinderella

By Conrad Pomeroy

Article

September 2012

Articles > Ecclesiological & Pastoral

The evangelical Cinderella

Something is happening in evangelical circles. There’s been a subtle shift; a movement with no name and no leader, but spreading like the mists that roll in from the sea — swift, silent and chilling. It’s hard to put your finger on it, but it shows itself in a plethora of ways — the psychedelic brochure inviting me to a conference for ‘Worship leaders’; the email advertising a tour of famous Christian musicians; the advertisement for a youth event that looks more like a pop concert than a Christian gathering; a conversation with a Christian enthusiastic about an approaching conference and those leading its ‘worship’,...

Lakeland Bible School 2012

By Alethia Braden

News

September 2012

News > Youth Features

Lakeland Bible School 2012

Youth Feature Lakeland Bible School 2012 This year was my first time on Lakeland Bible School and I would love to go back again! The weekend was held in the Keswick Convention centre and there were about 30 people there. It was great to meet Christians and hear what is happening and what God is doing in other parts of the country. The theme for the weekend was ‘The Trinity’ and it was refreshingly helpful and practical. There was a choice of seminars on ‘The sovereignty of God’, ‘Mission’, and ‘The battle of the sexes’. On the Saturday there was a talk on ‘What...

First Lewis conference

By David Murray

News

September 2012

News

First Lewis conference

First Lewis conference A group of like-minded brethren from different churches began a monthly prayer meeting in Stornoway last October, in the lead-up to the inaugural Lewis Christian Conference. This conference took place from Friday 29 June until Monday 2 July, when the speaker was Charles Price, senior pastor of the People’s Church in Ontario, Canada. The conference theme was ‘Living in the fullness of Christ’. The High Church was kindly made available for conference meetings and the church was full each night, with 600-700 attendees. On the Lord’s Day, Pastor Price preached in Stornoway High Church in the morning and Stornoway Free Church in...

National Churches Trust

News

September 2012

News

National Churches Trust

National Churches Trust Places of worship across the UK are finding it harder than ever to get funding, the National Churches Trust (NCT) has said. Speaking on the launch of a newsletter for Friends of the NCT, Claire Walker, chief executive of the trust, said, ‘In these tough economic times, places of worship are finding it harder than ever to pay for essential repairs. ‘This is reflected in a major increase in the number of grant applications we are receiving. In the first five months of 2012, the trust received 425 requests for grants, a rise of 40 per cent when compared to the same...

Black churches

News

September 2012

News

Black churches

Black churches Delegates representing some of Britain’s largest Black-led churches have agreed a plan to change the relationship between the Black church movement in Britain and the British political process. At a meeting on 17 July, speakers, including Simon Woolley of Operation Black Vote, Rev. George Hargreaves of the Christian Party, and academic and documentary presenter Dr Robert Beckford, committed themselves to writing a new manifesto. Meeting under the aegis of Churches Together in England’s (CTE’s) Minority Ethnic Christian Affairs, the group committed itself to write a Black Church Political Manifesto within six months — well ahead of the next general election — after...

John Grier

News

September 2012

News

John Grier

John Grier After almost 38 years at Evangelical Bookshop, Belfast, John Grier has handed over leadership of its ministry to Colin Campbell. Colin is the fifth manager since the shop was started by John’s father, W. J. Grier, in 1926. John has seen many reasons to thank God for his goodness. Church leaders report that they received the sense of direction for their ministry from the advice of the staff and the trustees’ principled stocking policy, the goal of which is to sell only books in line with the great Reformed confessions. Churches have regularly requested Bibles for new converts, and sometimes 50 or more...

Syrian collapse

News

September 2012

News

Syrian collapse

Syrian collapse ‘There is a Church in Syria’. This is how Barnabas Fund (BF) made its appeal to Christians to help brothers and sisters in this beleaguered country. Speaking as reports from Syria revealed desperate humanitarian needs, BF said that aid agencies are struggling to deal with an ever-growing number of refugees fleeing into neighbouring countries, as well as a large number of internally displaced people trying to get away from the fighting between government and opposition forces. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported on 20 July that roughly 120,000 Syrian refugees have now registered with it since the fighting started 17 months ago and...

The shop around the corner

By Simoney Girard

News

September 2012

News

The shop around the corner

The shop around the corner The days of the old fashioned Christian bookstore seem numbered if current trends continue, but there are things that churches and individuals can do to maintain a high street presence. The ‘survival of the fittest’ is usually a topic found inside bookstores, not used of them, but Christian literature distributors have warned that, unless stores and the way customers use them evolve, their days as high street concerns are numbered. In a wide-ranging enquiry from Evangelical Times, booksellers and distributors across the world have highlighted drivers pushing for change. The support of churches for such changes is essential too, unless...

Theological famine relief

By Jeremy Marshall

News

September 2012

News

Theological famine relief

Theological famine relief How can we train a whole new generation of pastors in some of the poorest regions on earth? This was the sobering task set before Pastor Training International (PTI) and Christian Books Worldwide (CBW) at their first-ever joint annual conference in Swindon earlier this summer. PTI exists to provide teaching and resources for pastors in the poorest parts of the world. It specialises in running in-country training conferences, distance mentoring from the UK and resources for self-study by pastors. CBW provides evangelistic and teaching books in English and many other languages for the growing church in the developing world and seeks to...

By Nigel Faithfull

Historical

September 2012

Articles > Historical

William Booth (1829-1912)

William Booth (1829-1912) William Booth was the founder of the Salvation Army, a denomination now found in 124 countries and having 800 corps (churches) in the UK. William was born in Nottingham, on 10 April 1829. His father, Samuel, was a speculative builder who lived to make money. When 49 and a widower, Samuel Booth married Mary (33), who became William’s mother. They rarely attended their parish church, but William was sent to Sunday school and was enrolled at Sampson Biddulph’s academy, a commercial school. Biddulph was a Methodist local preacher who became a trustee of the newly built Broad Street Wesleyan chapel in 1837....

Where are the ministers?

By Bill Dyer

Article

September 2012

Articles > Ecclesiological & Pastoral

Where are the ministers?

Where are the ministers? There continues to be a shortage of men coming forward for the Christian ministry. Many evangelical churches that can afford to support and are actively looking for a minister are unable to find one. In many areas of the country, if two or three smaller churches were willing to form a joint pastorate they too could afford to call a pastor, and this would further increase the shortage. Also there is currently an encouraging interest in church-planting, which increases yet further the need for trained leadership. When we consider that the average age of ministers presently serving independent churches is...

North Korea

News

September 2012

News

North Korea

North Korea The world’s most closed nation, North Korea, opened its doors to the international community after heavy flooding in June and July. According to the BBC, the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) was allowed to send emergency food aid into the country. The WFP said the initial food assistance would provide flood victims with 400g of maize a day for two weeks, but it did not say when the food would arrive. The UN said nearly 63,000 people have been rendered homeless, with their houses submerged or partially destroyed.

Make the world your parish

By Mark Pickett

Article

September 2012

Reviews

Make the world your parish

Make the world your parish: increasing your global influence for ChristReggie Weems Day One, 128 pages, £6, ISBN: 9781846253386 Reggie Weems, pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA, has written this book to ‘help pastors understand the full ramifications of applied grace (practical theology), and in so doing increase their global influence for Christ’ (p.20). He has a heart for getting pastors involved in mission and helping them lead their congregations in mission, just as he has during his 20-year ministry. Weems explains the difference between the terms ‘mission’, ‘missions’, ‘missio Dei’ and ‘missional’ as they are used in contemporary missiology and...

Manila floods

News

September 2012

News

Manila floods

Manila floods Dozens of people have died after a devastating typhoon and severe flooding in the Philippine capital of Manila during August. According to BBC reports, torrential rain caused flooding across the city, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes and closing schools, offices and the stock exchange. It followed the devastation caused by Typhoon Saola, which killed more than 50 people in the capital and surrounding provinces. The monsoon season had been made worse by Tropical Storm Haikui, which brought more rain to the region. Rescue workers are trying to help stranded residents in flooded areas, although weather officials warned...

The Clapham Sect and the abolition of the slave trade (5)

By Roger Fay

Historical

September 2012

Articles > Historical

The Clapham Sect and the abolition of the slave trade (5)

The Clapham Sect and the abolition of the slave trade (5) Within the Clapham Sect’s united endeavours William Wilberforce’s contribution was outstanding. He was more than an eloquent and engaging parliamentary speaker with a melodious voice; he fired all the others in faith and fervour. He was, even for his day, small and slight in stature — ‘all soul and no body’ was one description of him. He was accessible to all kinds of people, maddeningly so in the opinion of his friends, who saw clearly enough that not all those soliciting his help were deserving of it. Wilberforce He was highly sociable. Conversation...

DVD review – Courageous

By Gary Brady

Article

September 2012

DVD

DVD review – Courageous

DVD review — Courageous Director: Alex KendrickRated: Suitable for 12 years and over If you are familiar with the work of the Kendrick brothers and Sherwood Pictures (Flywheel, Facing the giants, Fireproof), you will know what to expect from their latest DVD Courageous. The theme this time is fatherhood, with the focus on four different fathers, three of whom are in the local police department. Again there is the Albany, Georgia, backdrop, the focus on several different characters, the gentle and attractive humour, people praying and getting converted and the positive small town American charm. Perhaps the effort to be multicultural is more...

By Conrad Mbewe

Article

September 2012

Articles > Guest column

The Challenge of Regular Evangelistic Preaching

How can you preach the gospel regularly without running out of gospel material or without becoming monotonous to your regular hearers?

Call to Africa

By Andrew Boyd

News

September 2012

News

Call to Africa

Call to Africa A forum of African leaders from more than a dozen nations has heard a clear call for the African continent to turn to God and live according to biblical principles. Concerns expressed at the African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI) in Uganda, run by Bible Society, ranged from the growing threat of Islamist terrorism, to corruption and how to reach out to heal those traumatised by war. In his keynote address, Erastus Mwencha, the deputy chairman of the African Union Congress, called for a return to God’s standards. He said, ‘When I look at the Bible, I see the greatest need of the...

Thornton Heath

By Simoney Girard

News

September 2012

News

Thornton Heath

Thornton Heath On Saturday 14 July, Thornton Heath Evangelical Church (THEC) joined with many friends for the induction of Gordon and Sandra Bull and to thank God for his provision of a pastor. Peter Dunn, church elder, opened the service, which was held at Selhurst Evangelical Church as Thornton Heath’s halls were still under construction. Mr Dunn expressed thanks to friends and family who had made the trip to south London from across the UK, including from Manchester, Peterborough, Eastbourne and Surrey. Among many churches represented were Hitherfield Road Baptist Church — which is still looking for a pastor — Three Bridges, Crawley, and Otford...

David Cameron and gay marriage

News

September 2012

News

David Cameron and gay marriage

David Cameron and gay marriage Christian Concern has launched an email campaign to get Christians to lobby their constituent MPs after David Cameron confirmed his determination to redefine marriage by 2015. His comments, made at special reception for homosexual celebrities and activists at Downing Street, spurred Christian Concern to design a template message for people to use to write to their MPs and express disappointment in the Prime Minister’s active plans to change the definition of marriage. In a statement, Christian Concern wrote, ‘It is sad that the PM appears to be setting himself up against God and his Word on this issue. Please pray...

The unhappy truth behind Happy Science

Article

September 2012

Cults and other religions

The unhappy truth behind Happy Science

The unhappy truth behind Happy Science Happy Science — a fast growing new religious movement — has arrived in Uganda, among many other nations. We are indebted to Rodgers Atwebembeire, a graduate of African Bible University and a researcher for the Africa Centre for Apologetics Research (www.acfar.org) for writing this article. On Rubaga Road, near the Hotel Sojovalo, is one of the first African outposts of a Japanese sect that expects to one day rule the world. Happy Science entered Uganda in 2008. It has since spread beyond Kampala to Lira, Karuma, Tororo and Entebbe. It has recently been engaged in an aggressive and expensive...

Cornerstone blazing a trail

By Mike Judge

News

September 2012

News

Cornerstone blazing a trail

Cornerstone blazing a trail Cornerstone, an evangelical fostering agency, is blazing a trail in placing children with foster families who hold biblical Christian beliefs. In contrast to high-profile closures of faith-based adoption agencies, Cornerstone is actively seeking to expand its activities with the help of committed evangelical Christians. Back in 2008, the outlook for any faith-based fostering and adoption agency seemed bleak. The Labour government introduced the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SOR) which outlawed discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, including in the provision of fostering and adoption services. Most Roman Catholic adoption agencies, faced with the prospect of being unable to avoid involvement in...

By John Brand

Review

September 2012

Son of the Underground

Son of the Underground Isaac Liu Monarch – Lion Hudson 144, £6.99 ISBN: 978-0-85721-199-6 Star Rating: 2 Isaac Liu is the son of ‘The Heavenly Man’ whose story caused quite a stir and not a little controversy several years ago. Now, Isaac tells his own story of being brought up in a home from which his father was absent for long periods of time because he was either in prison or on the run to avoid arrest. In fact he didn’t meet his father until he was four and only knew him from a wanted poster. There are some interesting insights about the life and...

By Nick Barnes

Review

September 2012

The Envy of Eve

The Envy of Eve Melissa Kruger Christian Focus 256, £8.99 ISBN: 978-1-84550-775-6 Star Rating: 4 As someone who rarely finds a 20th/21st century book that he prefers to the writings of the Puritans, I found this to be a very interesting read. It combines an element of the forensic analysis of the practical heart-level christian life found in the writings of the later Puritans with the anecodotal style often found in christian writing today. The anecdotal aspect makes the book very readable as well as providing copious illustrations of the essential issue. The issue being dissected and illustrated is that of covetousness. This is very...

By Andrew Swanson

Review

September 2012

Hear Me Carefully – John Blanchard A Biography

Among the many who have benefitted from the literary output of John Blanchard, there are probably not a few who would appreciate knowing more about his life story and fifty years in full-time ministry. The same will doubtless be true for the many who have appreciated his spoken ministry. For all such, this biography, written by the wife of a close colleague of Mr Blanchard over the last ten years, will do much to lend weight to their appreciation. The first 32 years of Mr Blanchards 80-year life (to date) are covered in three chapters. The first chapter quickly sketches the first 21...

By Mark Pickett

Review

September 2012

Make the world your parish: increasing your global influence for Christ.

Reggie Weems, pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA has written this book to ‘help pastors understand the full ramifications of applied grace (practical theology), and in so doing increase their global influence for Christ’ (p. 20). He has a heart for getting pastors involved in mission and helping them lead their congregations in mission just as he has during his 20 year ministry. Weems explains the difference between the terms ‘mission’, ‘missions’, ‘missio Dei’ and ‘missional’ as they are used in contemporary missiology and is keen to disabuse his readers of the idea that mission is just something that people do in...

By Gary Brady

Review

September 2012

Courageous

If you are familiar with the work of the Kendrick Brothers and Sherwood Pictures (‘Flywheel’, ‘Facing the Giants’ and ‘Fireproof’) then you will know what to expect from their current DVD ‘Courageous’. The theme this time is fatherhood with the focus on four different fathers, three of whom are in the local police department. Again there is the Albany, Georgia backdrop, the focus on several different characters, the gentle and attractive humour, people praying and being converted and the positive small town American charm. Perhaps the effort to be multicultural and multisocial is more obvious. As ever, the acting is good, the storyline well written...