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John Stott went to be with Christ on the afternoon of July 27, aged 90. He was listed by TIME magazine (April 2005) as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Column inches for his obituary in the UK broadsheets (all July 29) were more than would be afforded to most cabinet ministers.

Lindsay Brown, International Director of The Lausanne Movement, gave the closing address at the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation.

The first hope of Congress leaders was, he said, for ‘a ringing affirmation of the uniqueness of Christ, and the truth of the biblical gospel; and a clear statement on evangelism and the mission of the Church — all rooted in Scripture’. The Congress drew 4,000 evangelical leaders and influencers from 198 nations. In addition, the event extended its reach to 650 GlobaLink sites in 91 countries.

The past 20 years have been like no other in history. Everything about the way we think and live has changed.

The under-25s entered education when the concept of Truth had already become historical, even quaint. And the last quarter century has, as a result, proved fertile ground for amoral pragmatism, which, not surprisingly, gained easy acceptance in many areas of life. The church needs leaders who can discern the times, leaders like the men of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12.32).

James Philip, minister of Holyrood Abbey Church, Edinburgh (from 1958 to 1997), had probably the most searing intellect of his generation in the Church of Scotland. He was a humble man, warm in his pastoral concern, and much loved in the CUs.

His output was prolific; many of his sermons and Bible reading notes (covering the whole Bible) are on the web (http://www.proctrust.org.uk, http://www.thetron.org). He loved the arts, classics and music, drawing on their grand themes to illustrate Scripture. There was something of the Apostle Paul’s burden upon him as he climbed the pulpit steps; he yearned to present everyone mature in Christ.

The national press has never paid much attention to Christian Unions, but things are changing.

The Times gave a front page in November to four well-regarded universities where Christian Unions face discrimination. Rightly so, for religious issues on campus are not local difficulties (November 18 and letters following).

The church in Cambodia went through cruel persecution 50 years after it was founded. Don Cormack's unique account of this period is in his book 'Killing Fields, Living Fields'. It has become one of the most 'talked about' books around.

We in the West have much to learn from the lives of Christians in that south east Asian land. Here Julia Cameron talks with Don Cormack.

Francis Schaeffer brought a prophetic message to the church over 30 years ago about the sanctity of human life. Dr. Robert W. Evans's forthcoming book 'The Descent of Dignity' revisits the message that Schaeffer implored us to hear.

JC: You describe Francis Schaeffer in your book as your unseen friend. Tell us about his influence on you.

Virago Press keeps alive one of the greatest stories of women missionaries, now all but lost to evangelicals.

Hardly known for its love of Christian truth, Virago republished The Gobi Desert by Mildred Cable and Francesca French in the mid 1980s, and has included an excerpt from that in its Book of Women Travellers.

Edinburgh. Wednesday January 5 1972. Elaine was in the basement of the Scripture Union building near the West end of Princes Street, rehearsing for an evangelistic concert.

Elaine was a gifted, warm-hearted extrovert, a few months away from sitting Higher exams at James Gillespie's High School. She was an achiever: academically across a range of subjects; on the sports field; as a musician with a fine soprano voice; and as a leader. That evening she sang a song about discovering faith, strumming her guitar.

Julia Cameron of IFESworld talks with Phocas Ngendahayo, General Secretary of the IFES student ministry in Rwanda.

JC: Phocas, tell us first about yourself.

PN: I have completed two terms at the Cornhill Training Course. One of my main activities in Rwanda is to teach the Bible in student Christian Unions. I'm a physiotherapist, so since I had no formal training in how to teach the Bible, I needed to be equipped in this way.