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The Evangelical Alliance is launching a new three-year initiative to help people think Biblically about what it means to be human.

The ‘Being Human’ project aims to inspire and equip everyday Christians to be able to ‘understand, articulate and participate in the Biblical vision of humanity’.

letter from the

Columba and evangelicals

In the midst of the pandemic many churches across Ireland are celebrating a prince, born into a minor royal family 1,500 years ago, who became the founder of one of the greatest evangelistic movements ever in Europe.

Between 7 December 2020 and the same day in 2021, senior church leaders from across County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland are uniting to pray together, and walk together, to celebrate the life and ministry of Colmcille (Columba), born in a remote part of the county, who founded a movement that spread the gospel to the pagan Scots, and then to the pagan Anglo-Saxons, and inspired generations of Irish and English Christians to bring the gospel to their pagan kinsmen in mainland Europe.

Iain Taylor

Date posted: 1 Oct 2021

As UK Christians consider how they might help the sudden influx of refugees from Afghanistan, one church leader with extensive experience of mission to Muslims has warned that the overwhelming majority of evangelical churches will not see any asylum seekers placed anywhere near them by the government.

Stephen Kneale (photo left) of Oldham Bethel Church says: ‘Most of these asylum seekers are open to Christianity. We already welcome many Afghani refugees who are, typically, very receptive to a gospel that is demonstrably different to what they left behind. Dozens of those we have witnessed to have put their faith in Christ.

Co-Mission churches are finding new ways to get the gospel out into local neighbourhoods and beyond.

Christ Church Mayfair has redirected its London:Living? podcast to be an evangelism tool addressing current issues for their congregation members to share with the community. These include the topics of Death & Loss, Peace of Mind, and Racism & Injustice. Through these conversations the church can engage people in their Honest Questions and Christianity Explored courses.

A BBC News article has been ‘a lightning rod’ for a Scottish organisation’s mission to bring the gospel to the poorest and those afflicted by addiction.

Twenty Schemes says the news item has helped it refocus towards planting churches in the poorest areas around Glasgow. Peter Campbell of 20Schemes writes: ‘On 30 July 2021 BBC News published an article announcing that Scotland’s drug death total for 2020 was 1,339 people. It means that Scotland continues to have by far the highest drug rate in Europe, and over three and a half times that of England and Wales. The worst-hit areas are, of course, the poorest, with the schemes (housing estates) being 18 times more likely to have a drug-related death than other areas.

Iain Taylor

Date posted: 1 Aug 2021

Joel Edwards has died from cancer aged 70. The first black man to lead the Evangelical Alliance (EA), he leaves behind an inspiring legacy of unity in diversity, social engagement and Christ-centred service.

After serving as a probation officer and as a pastor in east London, Joel became the General Secretary of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, where he worked to show the transforming power of Christ in communities, bring predominantly black churches together, and build bridges between the organisation and UK churches.

Adam Malooly of the Co-Mission church planting movement writes: With 2020 being what it was, this Christmas was a particular opportunity to share a message addressing the loneliness and isolation many were feeling.

This was at the forefront of our minds when we released our latest Christmas film The Lonely Dinosaur. The film is the story of a toy dinosaur shadow that comes alive on Christmas Eve and finds himself alone. In his search for friends, his journey leads him to understand the truth about the Christmas season and what ‘Immanuel’ truly means – God with us. The film has been seen by over 10,000 people and downloaded by numerous churches.

In March, as universities shut and most students dispersed back to their homes, the Christian Unions (CUs) were suddenly faced with questions that they never thought they would need to ask. How would God’s mission continue?

Could they operate online? What would the future of evangelism among students look like? Over the last two months, these questions have been answered. As the CUs have begun using online platforms to share the gospel – running quizzes, hosting apologetics talks and sharing testimonies – they have seen encouraging fruit. New people have connected with the CU, others are continuing to ask questions and, wonderfully, some have come into new life.

Rico Tice (pictured) has launched the 2022 Passion for Life mission with 2 Timothy 1:10, reminding everyone that Jesus has destroyed death.

In a short video he says: ‘I know the pandemic has been brutal, but it has opened things up. [People] are looking for answers. We’ve all been rocked. How can we help people to go from hunger and spectating, to actively following Jesus? Let’s come together as we seek to answer that question.’ A Passion for Life took place nationwide in 2010 and 2014. Tice says the hope is that ‘life and immortality will be brought to light as we proclaim the gospel of Jesus to all corners of the UK. ‘So many are talking about this being a reset. Surely there’s no better time for us to gather together again and proclaim Christ … put March and April 2022 in the church diary, and begin praying and planning for a Passion for Life.’

Normally at this time of year, Co-Mission churches would have been reflecting on another cracking REVIVE weekend – the annual Co-Mission festival.

We’d have been thanking God for over 2,000 people squeezed into a big top for excellent Bible teaching and singing; we’d have been reminiscing about late nights chatting around blazing fire pits, about packed kids’ programmes, about silent discos, about soul-nourishing seminars and about sipping something cold under the stretch tent as the sun sets.

‘And what,’ we hear you cry, ‘is this picture all about then? And who are these people? And, well, er, just… why?’

Dear reader, we shall tell you. These three are (left to right) Neil Barber, vicar of the evangelical St Giles, Normanton, Derby; Will Eley, the church’s ‘planting curate’; and Liz Cox, minister for women and community.

‘It was so encouraging to be reminded that old age is a blessing from God.’ Organised as a collaboration of Keswick Ministries with Faith in Later Life, over 80 people attended a three-day online seminar on ‘Faith in the Second Half’ in May.

A church leaders’ day saw: Dr David Field exploring the Theology of Ageing, which was a new concept to many; Dave Fenton encouraging the equipping and empowering of seniors for ministry; and Professor Keith Brown, The Revd Roger Hitchings and Pippa Cramer giving Biblical and practical ways of pastoring and supporting seniors.

This term has marked the beginning of the annual mission week season for the Christian Unions: weeks of high-profile events designed to reach the wider university with the gospel. In the absence of marquees and lecture halls, they used a range of tools to speak of Jesus: social media, Zoom, podcasts, post and even radio. But this year, it was their most unassuming and understated tool that proved to be the most powerful: friendship. Milla Ling reports:

After a CU member arrives at university, they have a three- or four-year window to witness to the students they meet. During these years of friendship they can demonstrate the reality of what is spoken about at evangelistic events. And, in the context of loving relationship, can gently challenge where a visiting speaker may not be able to.

A new chaplain has joined the Railway Mission – an organisation founded in 1881 to provide pastoral care and support for staff on trains and in stations.

Helen Lewis (see photo) is the new Railway and British Transport Police Chaplain for South and Mid-Wales. Helen came to faith in Christ at the age of 14 and re-committed her life to serving God while at university.

The Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE), approved by conservative Anglican network GAFCON last year, was formally constituted and commissioned at an online service in April.

It was led by Bishop Andy Lines (see photo) with Archbishop Foley Beach as the preacher. Music was provided by the Glasgow-based New Scottish Hymns Band, and there were many messages of support from around the world, including, movingly, from Stephen Than, Archbishop of Myanmar.

Land purchased for just £60 in 1933 now boasts a 21st-century church complex fit for the future.

Broadstone Baptist Church has just completed its 13-year-long building project on York Road, Poole, Dorset.

Leading evangelicals have announced they are quitting the Free Church of England after the denomination appeared to descend into chaos.

Peter Sanlon and Josep Rossello have both said they are leaving the group, hard on the heels of a dispute which also saw fellow minister Jonatas Bragatto depart.

The most recent Annual Population Survey found 1.25 million followers of Islam in London – that’s one in eight Londoners.

If, by God’s grace, the gospel is to flourish among these people – Bangladeshis in East London, Arab-speakers in West London, and Turkish and Iranian communities – it will be due to ordinary Christians faithfully and patiently building relationships, breaking down misconceptions, living and speaking the teaching of Jesus.

Global mission organisation Langham Partnership International has a new leader.

Tayo Arikawe will move from his post as Director of Ministries at London City Mission (LCM) to the position of International Director with Langham in April.

London church planting network, Co-Mission, gives an update on some of its newest congregations:

‘Realistically, a few of the Co-Mission church plants in and around London might not come out of this alive. But so far – to the credit of our church planters, the resilience of their launch teams and the goodness of God – none of our recent church plants, nor any of our proposed church plants, have had to close or look like they’re facing imminent death. We pray that this will remain the case.