Remembering the year ahead
Joy Horn
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
Joy Horn highlights some significant anniversaries from Christian history coming up in 2015
EVENTS
Justin Martyr was put to death in Rome in 165. From a pagan background, he became a Christian aged about 30, and taught in Ephesus and Rome. He wrote two ‘Apologies’ or defences of Christianity against misrepresentation.
Fruit after 60 years
Alex Bowler
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
Sixty years after Billy Graham held the 1954 Greater London Crusade in the old Harringay Arena, another gospel mission in Harringay took place in mid-October with an amazing conversion story with a link to that original event.
A lady who went to hear Billy Graham preach the gospel in the Harringay Arena in 1954 left that event without committing her life to Christ but 60 years later she came to the ‘Hope For Harringay’ mission and received Jesus as her Saviour! Like the others who came to the Saviour of the world during the mission, she shone with the joy of her salvation.
news in brief
CAR: awards
On 13 November, three top religious leaders of the Central African Republic were awarded a prize for their efforts for peace in the war-torn Central African Republic.
In the midst of the country's two years of violence, often portrayed as confessional conflict, the three clerics formed a joint platform to promote peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims. Their message: violence in CAR is not primarily caused by religious conflict; instead, the root of the conflict lies in the struggle for political power.
The Third Degree
Messaging that matters
Daniel Stafford
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
Social media is a relatively recent phenomenon.
According to an ONS report the number of adults accessing the Internet every day in Great Britain more than doubled between 2006 and 2012, largely driven by social media.1 Mention the phrase ‘social media’ and I suspect most people fit into one of three broad categories: willing participants, uneasy users, or steadfast refusers!
Word Alive – worth the effort
Two church leaders tell us about why they make it a priority
Over the Easter holidays next year thousands of Christians will gather at two Word Alive events in North Wales.
Who was Pharaoh?
Ian Cooper
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
Ian Cooper investigates
After 17 years in the Police Force I understand what is and is not ‘evidence’.
From Houston to Hull
St John
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
A team of 12 members of Champion Forest Baptist Church, Houston arrived at St John, Newland in Hull for a seven-day mission in November, with local church members led by US super lawyer, Mark Lanier.
Mark is one of the top ten trial lawyers in America and teaches an adult class of around 800 at his home church in Houston (biblical-literacy.org). He has recently published a book, Christianity on Trial (IVP) which has already sold 15,000 copies in the States.
Prepared to
preach
John Mollitt
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
On 22 November, a
second
‘Certain
Sounds Seminar’ was held at Starbeck
Mission in Harrogate.
Last year the subject was
‘Basic Public
Speaking’ and this year ‘The Fundamentals
of Preaching’. Twenty five speakers/preachers
or potential speakers/preachers gathered to
hear Ron Collard and John Mollitt give
papers on the supremacy of preaching in a
multi-media society; motivation and inspiration; preparation of
self; preparation of
material; proclamation and examination.
In the heart of Manchester
Andy Paterson
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
On 5 October around 300 people gathered to celebrate and witness the commissioning service for City Church Manchester.
Started in September with support from churches in Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester itself, this young church (already numbering about 80 people) met to hear preaching from Richard Cunningham (UCCF), prayers from supporting friends, and covenant challenges to themselves and their pastors, Ralph Cunnington and Matt Waldock. They meet in Central Hall on Oldham Street, in the heart of the city and are part of the growing family of FIEC new church plants.
Bangladesh: school attack
World Watch Monitor
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
Hundreds of extremist Islamists attacked a
Christian
school
in Bangladesh
on
5
November in response to locals who were
outraged by rumours stating that the school,
which welcomes children of all faiths, was
forcing Muslim children
to convert
to
Christianity.
The mob comprised about 200 people.
The students were not physically injured, but
12 of its 14 members of staff were beaten. A
female teacher endured a serious head injury.
Another teacher said that he managed to run
away from six Madrasa students, armed with
knives and machetes, after being forced out
of his classroom.
Interrupted by hope
Esther Bennett
Date posted: 1 Jan 2015
Esther Bennett explains how a deeper understanding of being a child of God transformed her Christian life
It’s New Year’s Eve 2011.