Hyper-separatism (or contracting the circle)
Jonathan Stephen
Date posted: 1 Nov 2000
The first article in a three-part look at a serious hindrance to evangelical unity . . .
Earlier this year, a booklet was issued with the title Bible Churches Together - A Plea for True Ecumenism(1). It had three related aims: to clarify the position of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches with regard to the ecumenical movement, to provide some background information about the new network called Essentially Evangelical and to urge greater co-operation between all churches that were genuinely submissive to the authority of the Bible.
Discipline of debate
John Benton
Date posted: 1 Nov 2000
While visiting England in September Professor Jim Packer spoke to EN.
In this, the second part of his interview, he takes up questions which follow on from his emphasis on the need to contend for the biblical gospel within Anglicanism.
Westophobia?
Anthony McRoy
Date posted: 1 Nov 2000
Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim ('In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate') - is how most speakers began their talks at the London conference of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists in September.
One speaker began with the words: 'In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; peace to him that is far off and to him that is near - Isaiah 57.19'.
Drug smuggler finds the Lord
Religion Today
Date posted: 1 Nov 2000
God's grace has miraculously transformed a notorious cocaine smuggler, a man who destroyed countless lives, into an ardent Christian.
Jorge Valdes said he was pocketing more than $1 million a month in the late 1970s as the US head of Colombia's notorious Medellin cartel, then the world's largest criminal organisation.
2,000 years of Jewish evangelism
John Ross
Date posted: 1 Aug 2000
After the Ascension of Jesus, the witness of the apostles to the Jewish community was marked with outstanding success.
In only one day, the Jewish feast of Shavuot (Pentecost), 3,000 were baptised, and each day following 'the Lord added to their number' until over 5,000 men believed, not counting women and children. No section of the Jewish community lay outside the reach of the good news, even '. . . many of the priests were obedient to the faith' and with the transformation of the Sanhedrin's leading hit-man, Saul of Tarsus, first-century Judaism was shaken to its core.
A fire shining brightly
Emma Carswell
Date posted: 1 Sep 2000
Over 10,000 evangelists, pastors and preachers met in Amsterdam in early August for the largest international gathering of ministers ever held.
Ill health prevented Billy Graham from attending the conference that his organisation had hosted. At the last minute even plans for him to deliver the opening address by satellite had to be abandoned.
Flying to Christ
Malcolm MacGregor
Date posted: 1 Aug 2000
In an age of preoccupation with the superficial, to discover a man of real quality and courage can be exciting and humbling.
Such a man is my 76 year old friend, Joe Pilkington. Let me tell you a bit about him.
Underground gospel
It is full of cast-off sofas and television sets. It has an ancient organ and piano gathering dust in one corner, and a disused pool table shrouded by junk of all descriptions in the other.
A huge sheet of plywood covering the ancient snooker table props up two huge loudspeakers that pump out music generated by the two record decks that it also supports. The weather-beaten green side-door, the entrance to the room, is cheap, shabby and entirely appropriate. The room is not state-of-the-art, neither is it conventional in church terms. It is not luxurious, but comfortable. Not chic, but cosy. The Underground is the perfect venue for the youth outreach every Saturday and Sunday night.
The evangelical bishop
Mr P Landy
Date posted: 1 Jun 2000
Some people see the Church of England as in crisis at the present time. Perhaps lessons from great men of the past need to be heeded.
John Charles Ryle was born on May 10 1816 at Park House, Macclesfield. His father was a banker with an income of £15,000 a year, and he grew up in an environment of privilege and prosperity, but spiritually there was little evidence of vital Christianity. In recalling these early days, he concluded that they were 'destitute of any real religion'.
Romany and Reformed - est-ce possible?
Paul Wells
Date posted: 1 Jul 2000
For 50 years now, a remarkable work of the gospel has been going on in France among the travellers, called 'gypsies' or 'Romany people'.
These were the folk who live mainly in Eastern Europe (and also Spain). Hitler tried to eliminate them along with the Jews and other minorities. They have also been subject to attacks in recent years from extreme right wing groups in Europe.
Is this training for ministry?
Ray Evans
Date posted: 1 May 2000
Sadly 'Can't train, won't train' summarises what many ministers feel about developing the next generation of church leaders. But it needn't stay like that . . .
There is a wealth of encouragement in the Scriptures that point towards a much more positive approach. An increasing number of ministers are getting involved and passing on their insights and experiences (see, for example, The Briefing No. 218).
FAITHS IN CONFLICT
Krish Kandiah
Date posted: 1 Jun 2000
Book Review
By Vinoth Ramachandra IVP. 179 pages Well worth reading, Vinoth Ramachandra's third book is another erudite and scholarly work aimed at challenging the assumptions of the opinion-makers in the Christian world. The book examines the contemporary religious world culture to reveal the opportunities and challenges for gospel witness.
Read review
Get on board
Stephen Timmis
Date posted: 1 Jun 2000
Book Review
Crying in the Wilderness: Evangelism and Mission in Today's Culture
Read review
Monthly column on hymns and songs
Christopher Idle
Date posted: 1 Mar 2000
'But we sang that last week!' Do you know who chooses your church's hymns? Is more than one person involved? Prayerfully? Is it you? Are they chosen on the spot, or the day, week, or month before?
Most musicians, especially the non-expert, appreciate the early choosers. The church where the hymns were announced 12 months ahead, is an extreme case! However you answer my questions, the selectors affect us all.
The Boxer rebellion
Norman Cliff
Date posted: 1 Dec 1999
Mildred Cable once observed: 'The year 1900 holds the same significance as does the Flood in Old Testament chronology. All China mission history dates before or after 1900.'
Missions in China had been going for six decades of the 19th century when the Boxer Rising took place. There were 85,000 Chinese Christians in some 60 Protestant societies, and church buildings and institutions were just beginning to reach a fraction of the population.
Glorifying God in mission
Ms Elisabeth Elliott
Date posted: 1 Nov 1998
Of all the privileges God has given me, none has been greater than that of being a missionary.
I cannot remember a time when I did not hope that God would give me the opportunity to be a missionary.