history
David Zeisberger’s zest for spreading the gospel
Michael Haykin
Date posted: 1 May 2021
When William Carey drew up his paradigm-changing book An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens in 1792, he included a mini-history of missions.
He cited examples of missionaries passionate for the expansion of the rule of Christ. In this mini-history, he referenced a remarkable missions-minded community, the Moravians. Carey’s words about this 18th-century body of believers are tantalisingly brief, but indicative of their influence upon him. ‘When I came to evangelism and missions,’ Carey noted, ‘none of the moderns have equalled the Moravian Brethren in this good work’.
When God says ‘go!’ and you say ‘no!’
David Nixon
Date posted: 1 May 2021
Has there ever been a time when God has called you to ‘GO!’ and you’ve replied ‘NO!’? If you’re anything like me, then the honest answer will be: yes.
But not because you were wanting to be disobedient, but rather because you were feeling disabled by inadequacy. In those moments the soundtrack playing inside your head is like Robbie Williams’ hit track ‘I love my life’ played backwards. You don’t hear the words: ‘I am wonderful, I am magical, I am free’; instead you rehearse the lyrics: ‘I am weak, I am sinful, I am unable’.
Steaming on
EN
Date posted: 1 May 2021
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.
Urgent dash to avert war after romance ends in death
Gary Clayton
Date posted: 1 May 2021
When Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Pilot Nathan Fagerlie landed in the remote village of Mokndoma in Papua, Indonesia last year, he could tell something was wrong.
‘Can you help us?’ asked Tim Ingles, a missionary serving there. ‘We have a situation.’
Fletcher and Smyth scandals: ‘who’ and ‘what’ – but not yet all the ‘whens’, ‘wheres’ or ‘whys’…
en staff
Date posted: 1 May 2021
en explains the latest developments – and what may come
What has happened?
First, independent Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight published a ‘lessons learnt’ report into disgraced former minister Jonathan Fletcher’s time at Emmanuel Church Wimbledon from 1982 and 2012. Previously it had emerged that Fletcher had engaged in naked massages with men as well as beatings on their bare backsides, among other things.
Newton is the
new Tyndale
Michael Reeves
Date posted: 1 May 2021
A new theological centre along the lines of
Tyndale House, Cambridge, is to open in
Oxford this September.
Professor Michael A.G. Haykin, a regular
contributor to en, will be serving as the
first Director of Newton House when it is
inaugurated.
ten questions:
Alex Jacob
1. How did you become a Christian?
Exclusive: the untold story of Mozambique
Iain Taylor (BBC News / Zitamar News / Growing Hope)
Date posted: 1 May 2021
The human cost of the violence in northern Mozambique is laid bare in a number of eyewitness accounts of the fighting, and its aftermath, that Evangelicals Now has obtained from local Christians.
Several atrocities have recently taken place, with dozens of civilians being killed and at least 11,000 displaced after militants invaded Palma, Cabo Delgado on 24 March.
New series on evangelism for every believer
FIEC
Date posted: 1 May 2021
Evangelism for Every Believer is the title of a
new series on the website of the Fellowship
of
Independent
Evangelical Churches
(FIEC).
FIEC Mission Director Andy Paterson
explains the background to the launch of this
new initiative:
Mr Baker offers bread of life – and more!
Andrew Dalton
Date posted: 1 May 2021
An evangelical congregational church in West Yorkshire is offering two different kinds of bread to its neighbourhood – the Bread of Life, and ordinary bread as well!
Each week Morley Community Church receives (free of charge) supplies of bread, confectionery, vegetables, fruit and innumerable packets of food of all descriptions. Pictured here is Ray Baker with some of the provisions.
‘Get off your couch for the sake of Christ’
Jonny Reid
Date posted: 1 May 2021
Christians
in Sport (CiS)
is encouraging
Christians to return to their sports clubs as
lockdown measures ease across the UK.
Since March 2019 the majority of amateur
sport has been under restrictions and since
November 2020 all amateur sport clubs have
been banned
from
training or competing
together. With the stay-at-home order eased
on 29 March, outdoor sports facilities have
reopened and organised sports have been able
to
resume
in England. Similar
restrictions
have been eased in other countries within the
UK. Gyms and indoor sports facilities are all
planned to open again in the next few months.
Vaccine passports fear
EN
Date posted: 1 May 2021
Almost 1,000 church leaders have urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to impose controversial vaccine passports on churches in England.
In an open letter published a few days ago, the pastors and ministers say they are ‘are wholly opposed to this suggestion’ and say that to ‘deny people entry to hear this life-giving message and to receive this life-giving ministry would be a fundamental betrayal of Christ and the gospel.’
