The forgotten gift your church needs
Josh Williamson
“I have unsaved friends and family. I want them to know Jesus, but I don’t know what to say.”
Picture the scene: here is a faithful Christian in an evangelical church – they consistently attend services, they enjoy being fed the Word, and they love the worship. Spiritually, they are growing and their love for Christ is increasing, and yet there is something missing. They hear about the wonders of the gospel week in and week out, but when it comes to being able to share the good news, they aren’t sure what to say.
Simple, not shallow: Reaching children with the gospel
Josh Williamson
Charles Spurgeon once said, “Begin early to teach, for children begin early to sin.” This giant of the pulpit, who preached the Word of God to thousands of people each week, was also known for his heart for instructing children in the Biblical gospel. For Mr Spurgeon, ministering the gospel to a child was just as important as sharing the good news with an adult.
I doubt many within the wider evangelical scene would argue against such views. We know that children’s ministry is vital, but there is debate about how best to go about such an important endeavour.
I preached the gospel in a barn... and people listened
Josh Williamson
There was a buzz of excited conversation in the air as over 170 people jammed into a barn in the middle of a field in Lancashire.
As the crowd gathered, the barn wasn’t big enough to contain those assembling for a special Friday night meeting. Between the sounds of a cow mooing and the rustle of hay, gospel-saturated songs were sung, followed by preaching. At the end of the message, a call was given for people to repent and trust in Christ – and people responded!
The missionary mouse: How God used a pest for His purposes
Josh Williamson
It was the end of a long day. As the night deepened, all members of the family were tucked up in bed. Then my wife decided to go and get a drink of water from the kitchen. As I lay in bed, drifting off, I heard a scream – a scream that spoke of an intruder in the house: an intruder with a long tail, little ears, whiskers, and a small nose… a mouse!
At the time, I didn’t know this late-night visitor would set off an evangelistic encounter. All I could think about was, "How do I get rid of this mouse?"
Christmas is over, but don't pack away your faith!
Josh Williamson
After months of Christmas songs being played in shops and our homes being decorated, we no longer see the stockings hung by the chimney with care.
The decorations are down, nativity sets are packed away, and Christmas trees are no longer dropping debris in our living rooms. Christmas is over for another year; however, the message continues.
The quiet revival: 'I remain cautiously optimistic'
In recent months, much has been written about the so-called “quiet revival.” In essence, what is being reported is that we are seeing an increase in people, especially younger people, attending church, with a growing interest in the Bible.
In my work with The Open-Air Mission, I have certainly seen a far greater number of young people showing interest in the good news than I have previously observed. People are open to talking about the gospel and reading God’s Word. These are all good things, though I remain cautiously optimistic.