‘Almost as monumental as the moon landing’
Adam Thomas
Date posted: 1 Feb 2024
Do you ever find yourself counting the endorsements at the start of Christian books? Probably not – but someone has to do it!
Which is why the ‘Christian Book Endorsement Awards’ was founded in 2021, to quantify the phenomenon of excessive book endorsements.
Stand-up, be counted!
Judith Dennis
Date posted: 1 Feb 2024
Book Review
CHRISTIANS IN THE FIRING LINE 2:
Inspiring faith stories of the individuals
behind key legal cases and how their
faith stood up under trial
Read review
Evangelicals and the Church of England
Date posted: 1 Feb 2024
Dear Editor,
Thank you for publishing the article from a non-conformist, addressed to many Anglicans. The person writes seeking to be a good neighbour. It is evident they are trying to be friendly with their comments. In the same spirit of conversation, here is an offer of a cup of tea and a gentle, but firm, response.
C of E evangelicals grapple with uncertain way ahead
Diocesan Evangelical Fellowships (DEFs) around the Church of England are grappling with what to do following the introduction of ‘Prayers of Love and Faith’ (PLF).
en contacted local groups in each part of the country following the CofE’s move in a more liberal direction in the run-up to Christmas.
Middle East: ‘Jesus can change terrorists’ hearts’
Luke Randall
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
While world leaders have devoted a countless number of hours to finding a seemingly impossible solution to the ongoing Middle Eastern crisis, Misha Vayshengolts, who serves with International Mission to Jewish People in Israel, believes that ‘Jesus is the answer’.
In an interview with en, Misha spoke about what life is currently like in Israel, how recent events have impacted his work as a missionary, and why he thinks Jesus is the solution to the crisis.
Survey flags up ‘gospel poor’
London City Mission
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
A new survey has identified which groups practising Christians tend to share the gospel with, and those people who may miss out on hearing the good news. The research holds significant findings on the attitudes of Christians towards sharing their faith.
The research was conducted by Savanta, and was commissioned by London City Mission, an organisation dedicated to equipping everyday Christians in London and beyond to share their faith. The survey asked practicing Christians to share their confidence levels for sharing their faith with others, with interesting results:
Andy Bathgate: ‘A faithful disciple of Jesus’
Luke Randall
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
Former Scripture Union
(SU) Scotland
CEO Andy Bathgate died on 17 October,
aged 68. He leaves his wife Alyson, with
whom he shared over 40 years of marriage,
and his three daughters, son-in-law, and
grandchildren. He died peacefully at home.
Andy was the CEO of SU Scotland from
2001 to 2020, having volunteered with SU since
his teens. He was also the Scottish team leader
for UCCF (Universities and Colleges Christian
Fellowship) and was a founding member of
CVE (Christian Values in Education) Scotland,
serving as its Chair from its inception in 2014
until his retirement from the role in 2022.
letter from Mozambique
Growing hope in the land of tears
Janet Phythian, Mission Associate with Church Mission Society, writes: During my recent visit to Sofala, central Mozambique from July to September, I gave much thanks for abundant vegetable harvests grown on the Africa Naturally farm at our base in Mezimbite, for orphans in care.
This followed a slow start in April due to extensive flooding caused by cyclone Freddy (see en April 2023 for more details). We were also able to support Pastor Pires to start a children’s ministry at his church, Seed of Abraham, following the amazing training he had received from Rory Bell of TnT Ministries/Mustard Seeds.
Obituary: George Verwer, mission pioneer, 1938–2023
en staff
Date posted: 1 May 2023
Verwer was born 3 July, 1938. His parents were Eleanor Caddell Verwer and George Verwer Sr., a Dutch immigrant and electrician. They lived in Wyckoff, New Jersey, outside New York.
Verwer ‘was an athlete and boy scout, but spent a lot of time chasing girls and getting into trouble,’ as US magazine Christianity Today reported. This included starting a fire in some woods and breaking into someone’s home.
Richard Coekin enters ‘new season’
Dundonald Church
Date posted: 1 Nov 2023
Richard Coekin is stepping down as Senior Pastor at Dundonald Church and Mission Director of Co-Mission in 2024 to pursue a ‘new season’ of ‘ministry, training and equipping church leaders’.
Coekin has ‘faithfully and courageously served’, declared a statement from the trustees of the Co-Mission Churches Trust, Co-Mission Initiative Trust and the Dundonald Church Governing Elders.
Radical gospel mission harvest
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 1 Dec 2022
A radical ‘gospel rescue mission’ that began just last year in Derbyshire is seeing powerful conversions to Christ – and community leaders witnessing the extraordinary impact of the gospel.
Edge Faith Community, part of the national Edge Ministries, is pioneering a form of church and faith community in super-deprived communities. Carl Beech (see photo), who runs Edge Ministries, said white working-class people are probably the most unreached people in Europe and among the most vilified.
Palestinian Christians urge Western believers to repent
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
Palestinian Christians have urged Western church leaders and theologians to repent of voicing ‘uncritical support for Israel’ and ‘re-examine’ their positions.
A group of Christians, including Kairos Palestine, Bethlehem Bible College, and Christ at the Checkpoint, has published an open letter saying they ‘grieve and lament the renewed cycle of violence in our land’.
pastoral care
The God of small things
Helen Thorne-Allenson
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
There are days when the to-do list does not feel very exciting. Weeks when the things calling for our attention feel deeply mundane.
That pile of emails, that piece of bureaucracy, that message that needs passing on – hardly cutting-edge ministry, just stuff that needs to be done. Many of us would prefer to spend our time on things that feel more strategic, more impactful – after all, what eternal fruit comes from signing some cards, chatting about refreshments or filling in a form? But take a closer look at God’s word and we see the little things of life can be filled with meaning and value; they are the context in which much can be transformed.
A cry from the heart of London: can you help us?
Andrew Murray
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
A Soho church is issuing a heartfelt plea for a new pastor to join it in one of the UK’s toughest mission areas.
Andrew Murray, who has been pastor of Hope Church, West End – which serves Soho and Covent Garden – says that after four decades of struggle the congregation is now just nine.
The fastest-growing church? Maybe not what you think
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
A new report from the Bible Society has
revealed that the fastest-growing church in
the UK is the Chinese Church.
In just the last two years, there has been
29% growth in the Chinese Church in the
UK – a large jump from the 7% growth they’d seen in the previous ten years. This is
largely due to people emigrating from Hong
Kong to Britain.
Job done, says missionary to Africa
Charles Gardner
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
Ex-Muslims are making disciples among a largely unreached people.
After 25 years of sharing the gospel in sub-Saharan Africa, a previously London-based physiotherapist feels able to say that her ‘mission is accomplished’.
Are we robbing Peter to pay Paul?
David Baldwin
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
The message of Christ is for ‘all the nations’. Every Christian celebrates this little Biblical phrase because without it we wouldn’t have heard the gospel.
Of course over time many involved in missions have found it more manageable to focus on one particular region or people group. There’s some good sense in that, but I’m far less happy when I hear missionaries saying things like I heard again the other day: ‘The Lord has only sent us among (name of people group)’.
Good news for your career
OMF UK
Date posted: 1 Dec 2023
Around 60 workers from across the UK gathered in Manchester to explore how their careers and sharing the good news of Jesus were made to go together.
Work+Go Manchester 2023 combined plenary sessions looking at the value of work in God’s world and with seminars exploring the practicalities of working out faith in different vocations such as medicine, coding, art and the charity sector.
The future of the West
Date posted: 1 Jan 2024
Dear Editor,
I read with interest Josh Moody’s view that the West is at a tipping point. Sadly, I believe the West has long passed that point. For years in the US, Christians have aligned themselves with the Republican Party rather than the Democrats, presumably because they felt there was more hope in politics than in God. In Britain, the Christian Institute has successfully garnered funding at a time when missions struggle to get sufficient for their needs. This is not to cast aspersions on the Institute, which does a fine job, but it does make me think that British Christians are more interested in preserving their disappearing public presence and protection than in promoting the gospel of Christ, which is the only hope for turning the tables, as it always was. Europe has lost its hold on the Biblical truths rescued by the reformers, and we have to look to places where the church is persecuted to see growth!
news in brief
Andy Croft resigns from Soul Survivor
On 23 November, it was announced that Senior Pastor Andy Croft would leave Soul Survivor Watford. He made the decision despite being allowed to return to ministry following an investigation into his safeguarding practices, and the practices of his former colleague Mike Pilavachi (who was found guilty of an abuse of power and spiritual abuse across 40 years of ministry).
In a letter to his congregation, Andy shared that he made the decision ‘after much soul searching and prayer’ and said that he and his family ‘intend to stay as part of the congregation’ while they discern their next steps. ‘I need to acknowledge that I myself have also been deeply impacted by aspects of Mike’s abusive behaviour’, he added.
Chris Wigram
Luke Randall
Date posted: 1 Jan 2024
Chris Wigram has been announced by trustees as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of Global Connections (GC). He started in the post in late November, having previously served as GC’s Chair of Global Conventions between 2006 and 2008, and also as a board member. Chris has also served in leadership positions with OMF and ECM.
Global Connections is made up of several organisations and individuals including churches and charities, as well as others. It exists to support the UK church’s mission community at home and abroad.
Testing the fire
Tony Wilkinson
Date posted: 1 Jan 2024
Book Review
ISLAND AFLAME:
The Famed Lewis Awakening that
Never Occurred and the Glorious
Revival that Did (Lewis & Harris 1949–52)
Read review
Baby-boomers to Generation Z?
Charlotte Mayhew
Date posted: 1 Jan 2024
How do we bridge generational divides to make Jesus known together?
The recent London City Mission ‘Diaspora Conference’ was an opportunity to bring Christians together from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and elsewhere, to explore this vital question. With no easy answers to the complex tensions that often exist between generations in our church communities, we focused on listening and learning from each other’s experiences.
Unity? This spurious unity is sinful and deadly
In the aftermath of November’s General Synod, there has been a lot of talk about unity, whether the lack of it or the form of it.
When asked about division in the House of Bishops, Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, has been quoted as saying: ‘What we’re trying to model is how do you, despite the fact we may have different views, seek to try to find a place we can occupy together.’ Justin Welby, reflected: ‘Archbishops of Canterbury must always work for the maximum possible unity in the Church, however impossible that may seem and however deep our differences.’