‘The easiest conversations I’ve had’ - is this model of mission the future?
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
If you were asked how a Christian Union runs an evangelistic event, you might guess it would look something like this: a short talk, time for a Q&A, and perhaps some food.
You’d be right. CUs have long operated within this structure and seen encouraging fruit come from it. This year, however, the CUs in Leeds pioneered a different approach.
Evangelical Futures: BWWs – the ‘Blokes Worth Watching’ conveyor belt...
Glen Scrivener
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
In their 2009 book, The Trellis and the Vine, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne gave us the evocative image of supporting structures (the trellis) surrounding the organic growth of God’s people (the vine).
Their argument was: both are needed. Here my brief is to write about evangelical churches in Britain. And as I consider this movement of churches that I love, I can’t help thinking we have a wonderful vine and, at points, a wonky trellis. That trellis – our systems and the assumptions behind them – needs urgent scrutiny.
letter from Japan
Aslan is on the move… here in Japan
Charley Ballinger
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
If you have ever read the Chronicles of Narnia you may remember reading the words ‘Aslan is on the move’.
As you did so, perhaps a chill went down your spine as the prospect of the coming victory over evil becomes a palpable reality. Well, as I write, a chill goes down my spine as it would seem that the Lord is on the move here in Japan.
New venture spurs Ukraine support
Iain Taylor
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
During the first 90 days of the war
in
Ukraine, over 6million refugees fled
to
other nations, A
further 7million were
displaced internally, making this the largest
movement of people in Europe since World
War II.
In response, 72 Christian
leaders
from
22 European countries
recently gathered
in Krakow, Poland, to
focus on the war
and refugee crisis. The five countries that
have received
the most refugees
(Poland,
Romania, Moldova, Hungary and Slovakia)
admitted they are overwhelmed and can no
longer handle the ongoing flow of highly-traumatised women and children.
Jewish believers reject evangelism ban call
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
The gospel of Jesus Christ is not for Jews, a trustee of a Christian-Jewish council has claimed – suggesting that to think otherwise is anti-Semitic.
In an opinion piece in The Times newspaper calling for the end of Christian missions to convert Jews, Zaki Cooper (photo right), a trustee of the Council of Christians and Jews, cited historical Jewish massacres and anti-Semitism in England going back to the 1100s.
Jewish believers plan global outreach
Iain Taylor
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
International Mission to Jewish People (IMJP), has announced its most ambitious evangelistic programme yet.
Its 2022 ‘In the Cities’ mission series will visit London, Paris, Amsterdam and Budapest, before heading further afield to Pittsburgh, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Sydney, with the potential to reach over 1million Jewish people living in ten major global cities.
news in brief
Mexico: evangelical
leader sentenced
Naasón
Joaquín García,
the
leader
of
Mexico’s largest evangelical church, has been
sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison for
sexually assaulting three teenaged girls from
his church. He will also be required to register
as a sex offender for life.
The 53-year-old
led
the
congregation
La Luz Del Mundo based in Guadalajara,
Jalisco, Mexico, which
runs churches
in
several
locations
throughout
the United States and Mexico.
What will happen at Lambeth 2022?
Global Anglican bishop gathering looms
Chris Sugden
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
The Lambeth Conference which is set to
take place from 26 July to 6 August, last
met with all Anglican bishops in attendance
in 1998 – 24 years ago.
The 1998 conference was due to receive
the report of the Decade of Evangelism from
its
secretary, Cyril Okorocha of Nigeria.
This was
shelved and Canon Okorocha
stood down in favour of pressure from some
bishops to discuss the issue of homosexual
unions. The outcome of the 1998 conference
was a
resolution, Lambeth 1.10, which
‘while
rejecting homosexual practice
as
incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our
people to minister pastorally and sensitively
to all irrespective of sexual orientation and
to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals’.
everyday evangelism
Love your neighbour: a strategy to reach the world
Glen Scrivener
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
It used to be much more difficult to connect with our neighbour (that’s neighbour singular – we’re at the end of a terrace). He spoke no English and would furtively dart in and out of the property. When the police hauled him away we learned that he’d converted the whole house and its roof space into an indoor cannabis farm. I had no idea he was so entrepreneurial.
The new tenant, let’s call her Debs, is a mum of three and a smoker (of the tobacco variety). I mention this only because she is out smoking on our shared porch 20 times a day, which is bad for her health but, I hope, good for her soul.
The fascinating story of John Brown of Haddington
R.A. Miller
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
This year marks the 300th birthday of John Brown of Haddington.
In 1722, Brown was born into a poor Christian family in Scotland. As a young teenager, he found himself an orphan after an illness claimed the lives of his parents. Soon after, he found himself quite sick as well. Brown wrote this in his memoirs, ‘Four fevers on end brought me so low within a few months of my mother’s death, as made almost every onlooker lose all hopes of my recovery.’
Jésus t'aime
Marche Pour Jésus 34 @Mpj34 / Evangelical Focus
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
More than 10,000 people have taken part in a national march for Jesus in Paris.
The majority of those taking part in the event, which resumed after a two-year break due to the pandemic, were reported to be between the ages of 25 and 35. The march was led by a team from YWAM (Youth With A Mission) accompanied by six musical bands.
Five ways to welcome the cultural outsider
Jason Roach
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
I slipped in at the back of the church. In front of me was a family with an eight-year-old girl sitting nervously next to her dad. She looked even more agitated when a man that she didn’t know sat next to her in one of the few seats left.
Her dad saw her nervousness, put his arm around her and said: ‘Don’t worry. Let me tell you a story about this man. Ten years ago, I was new to this country. I walked into this church for the first time not knowing anyone. This guy walked across from the other side of the church and made me feel like family.’
Justin Mote goes to glory
Bob Marsden
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
Bob Marsden writes: To God be the glory, great things He has done, and He did great things in and through the life and ministry of Justin Mote, who died recently.
Justin was converted while at school and he was nurtured in the faith at Emmanuel Church, Northwood. He studied at Oak Hill but, being too young to be legally ordained, he served as a lay curate at St Mary’s Basingstoke with Alex Ross.
A wee dram, a big dream: the Christian working with whisky and billionaires
Iain Taylor
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
Is it possible to be a committed Christian entrepreneur in the world of Scotch whisky? Duncan McFadzean (photo) reckons so.
He is an Investment Banker to the Scotch whisky industry and co-founder of Creo, which exists to ‘connect, train and resource Christian entrepreneurs to advance the common good’.
BU evangelicals in new call
Evangelicalbaptist.uk
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
A new resource
for evangelicals
in
the
Baptist Union has been launched.
Evangelicalbaptist.uk
says:
‘This website
exists
to help equip
the Baptist church
family to face the challenges and take hold
of
the opportunities
from an evangelical
perspective. We need
to hold on
to
the
truth found
in God’s word and continue
to communicate it in a real, relevant, and
radical way.’
Beeke’s Scottish challenge: P…P…P…P…P…P…P…P…P…P
Richard G Buckley
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
The 31st annual meeting of the Scottish
Reformed Conference has taken place at
Hamilton College.
Dr Joel Beeke from Heritage Reformed
Congregation in Grand Rapids, USA was
the main speaker. He preached on the words
of Psalm 22 that Jesus reiterated at the Cross:
‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken
me?’ In the course of his sermon, Dr Beeke
reflected upon the profound depths of the
real experience of Jesus whilst he prayed
this, both what it does not mean and what
it does mean. But also from the question
‘Why?’ – what was
the purpose of
this
experience and
the
infinite
love of God
and the Lord Jesus Christ expressed in this
cry. In his second address, he pressed upon
Christians the urgent need to reflect upon the agony of Christ when we pass through
sharp and painful experiences in life. He did
so in a unique sermon of ten points each
beginning with the letter ‘P’. In thanks, our
chairman
suggested adding another
three
points likewise beginning with ‘P’, to the
positive pleasure of the people present!
Europe: different strands of evangelicals work together
Joel Murray
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022
More than 600 church workers from 41 countries and four continents have attended the European Leadership Forum (ELF).
The mission of ELF, which was held in Wisla, Poland, is to ‘unite, equip and resource evangelical leaders to renew the Biblical church and evangelise Europe’. Their desire is for different evangelical groups to work together to achieve more than any single organisation can on their own.
