Planting in Marlborough
Reuben Mann
Date posted: 1 Jun 2015
The first service of Emmanuel Church Marlborough (ECM) was held on 19 April.
Behind Marlborough’s lovely exterior is a needy area in many ways, especially the need to hear about Jesus. Emmanuel Church Marlborough is a group of Christians who live in and around the town but until now have travelled to evangelical churches in other towns. The new church is not planned to be a cosy clique, nor one that competes with others, but to reach out to the community with the Bible’s message of God’s love in Christ.
Complementarian bishop
Susie Leafe
Date posted: 1 Jun 2015
On Tuesday 5 May there was a very subdued press conference, in a back room at Lambeth Palace, at which it was announced that Rod Thomas, vicar of Elburton Parish Church in Plymouth, chairman of Reform and a member of General Synod, had been appointed to be the new Bishop of Maidstone. No frills. No fanfares. In fact, you may have missed it altogether.
The appointment of a conservative evangelical bishop in the Church of England was long overdue. The last complementarian evangelical, Wallace Benn, was appointed 17 years ago and it is nearly three years since he retired. The gap was not unexpected. A report by the Church of England in 2007, called Talent and Calling, highlighted the lack of conservative evangelicals in senior leadership positions. The opportunities to deal with it existed – there have been 75 opportunities for a diocesan bishop to appoint a complementarian to assist them since that report was accepted by General Synod and every single time the opportunity has been missed, or rejected.
And the winner is… nationalism
George Moody
Date posted: 1 Jun 2015
George Moody reflects on the outcome of May’s General Election
The voters have spoken. Yes, the Conservatives are back, but it is in no small part due to the rise of nationalism.
Christian aid / Islamic Relief
Jehinger Malik
Date posted: 1 Jun 2015
Dear Sir
Chris Sugden, writing in Evangelicals Now, wrongly identifies Islamic Relief, the UK’s largest Muslim charity, as an organisation that does not assist Christians (‘Christian Aid?’, April en). Nothing could be further from the truth.
From pulpit to pavement
John Hawley
Date posted: 1 Mar 2015
John Hawley of the Open Air Mission provides us with 20 quotations to challenge us to get out with the gospel
1: John Wesley
‘It is no marvel that the devil does not love field preaching! Neither do I. I love a commodious room, a soft cushion, a handsome pulpit. But where is my zeal if I do not trample all these underfoot in order to save one more soul?
Evangelist at the docks
Steven Loader seeks to provide a safe harbour for seafarers
Bristol docks were once the powerhouse of the British Empire.
With the Spirit’s help
Elizabeth Westmacott/ Matthew England/ Mark Jenner
Date posted: 1 May 2015
Saved 2 Serve (S2S) is a conference for people ages 15 – 25 considering Christian mission. It took place in Ware on 28 March.
The main speaker was David Hircock, and the theme was on the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion, conviction, transformation and reassurance. A reminder was given that life is not going to be a ‘spiritual high’. Sometimes we feel distant from God, other times we are keenly aware of his presence. But God is always with us. Our feelings don't affect that fact.
Worship God UK
Dave Gobbett
Date posted: 1 May 2015
We interview Dave Gobbett about why he is backing the Sovereign Grace conference in Bath this month
en: How did you get to know and what do you like about the Sovereign Grace work?
DG: I’ve known and loved the work of Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) since 2000, when I spent a year in the US. I was on staff at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC with Mark Dever, and in the previous year Mark had become friends with C.J. Mahaney, a local charismatic church pastor 40 minutes from DC as well as the then head of SGM. In Dever’s typically contagious style, that friendship spilled over into our respective church staff teams, and I especially enjoyed getting to know Bob Kauflin (director of Sovereign Grace Music) and Jeff Purswell (head of Sovereign Grace’s Pastor’s College, and former teaching assistant to Wayne Grudem).
VISION ACCOMPLISHED!
Yorkshire Camps
Date posted: 1 May 2015
Each Monday evening, for the last 12 months or a so, a small group has come together to pray.
They were praying for the provision of a centre which could provide a strategic base for gospel witness amongst young people in Yorkshire and beyond. On 24 February God answered their prayers in a remarkable way. To understand the story we have to roll back around three years.
Good to give / great to receive
Toni Coulton
Date posted: 1 May 2015
Toni Coulton tells us about an innovative new outreach to those just off to be students
Someone had a brainwave!
How to massage a survey
David Robertson
Date posted: 1 May 2015
An interesting article recently appeared on the Christian Today website apparently indicating a big shift in Christian attitudes towards same sex relationships.
Seemingly one in four churchgoers now thinks that same sex relationships are okay but 37% of those are too frightened to speak out.
Word Alive: winds and worship
Peter & Nina Disney
Date posted: 1 May 2015
The Easter period had some very changeable
weather conditions. This was a feature of the
two separate weeks of the Word Alive convention at Prestatyn Sands, N. Wales which
ran from 28 March – 2 April and 2 – 6 April.
The main speaker for both weeks was David
Cook, Principal of Sydney Missionary and
Bible College, Australia. He took the gathered
participants through sections of the book of
Romans with great
insight and encouragement. During Week 1 the main marquee was
damaged by the wind and this led to one
morning Bible Reading having to be received
by everyone via TV in their chalets. The second week had mixed weather and a lot of sea
mist, which was eerily beautiful and did not
diminish the enjoyment of a great time.
Banner brilliant
Malcolm MacGregor
Date posted: 1 May 2015
The Banner of Truth Leicester Conference,
13-16 April featured a galaxy of speakers.
Alongside Kevin De Young from Michigan
the main speakers were Stuart Olyott and
Michael Reeves ably assisted by Alan Davey
(SW
France), Geof Kingswood
from
Canada and Gary Brady and Geof Thomas.
The
theme was
‘The Suffering of
this
Present Time.’ Kevin De Young set out the
rational behind our suffering in the suffering
of Christ and our identity with him. There
was a mind blowing sermon focussing on the shame of the cross. Stuart Olyott took the
pattern of ministerial suffering set by Paul in
2 Corinthians. This included some remarkable words of personal testimony which were
both humourous and profound. Michael
Reeves spoke on Puritan teaching concerning suffering and suffering
in the
life of
Spurgeon. Alan Davey covered the cost of
commitment on the mission field. Father
and
son-in-law Geof Thomas and Gary
Brady provided the opening and closing sermons. At first glance the theme may have
appeared gloomy but the speakers handled it with wisdom, warmth and scriptural integrity. It was a particularly affecting time of fellowship. Well done Banner!
BUILDING UP BOURNEMOUTH
Lansdowne Baptist Church
Date posted: 1 Feb 2015
‘We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.’
So said Winston Churchill defending the adversarial nature of the House of Commons debating chamber. The same could be said of our church buildings. They are monuments to the era in which they were built and reflect its values.
Capital Gains
Samaria on Thames
Graham Miller
Date posted: 1 Feb 2015
The Great Commission calls us to reach out in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.
The UK’s Commonwealth heritage makes us a remarkably diverse nation with London the most globalised city in the world, and we are surrounded by ‘Samaritans’ – those who are culturally very different from ourselves.
Nigeria: missionary freed
Morning Star News
Date posted: 1 Apr 2015
On 7 March the Free Methodist Church USA announced the release of its kidnapped missionary in Nigeria, Phyllis Sortor.
In a statement signed on behalf of the Board of Bishops of the church, David W. Kendall said 71-year-old Sortor was released by her captors on Friday evening, 6 March. He said armed gunmen abducted Sortor on 23 February from Hope Academy school in Emi-Oworo village in the central Nigerian state of Kogi.
Christ at the core
Josh Moody
Date posted: 1 Apr 2015
David Melilli, executive director of God Centered Life Ministries, interviews en columnist Josh Moody, the founder of the project
God Centered Life Ministries began last December (2014), with the vision of ‘a generation living for God.’
Location, location, location
Euan Dodds
Date posted: 1 Apr 2015
Euan Dodds urges us to think carefully before we move house
Would you ever consider moving house in order to be closer to your church?
news in brief
CAR: attacks
On 17 February, more than 14 homes and churches were torched and missionary centres vandalised in the area around Kaga-Bandoro, in the north-central part of the Central African Republic.
Local Christians said that many pastors fled to the town of Kaga-Bandoro, where another church was burned.
Cuba: the gospel marches on
Carl Chambers
Date posted: 1 Apr 2015
The island of Cuba has recently hit the news again, because the US has finally overturned its 50-year policy of isolation by re-establishing diplomatic relations with this state socialist country.
World politics is not the only area where fundamental changes are happening – the church in Cuba is another one.
Iran: great encouragement as many baptised
Elam Ministries
Date posted: 1 Apr 2015
In early March it was reported that, in recent
weeks, over 220 Iranians and Afghans have
been baptised
in
two cities
in
the Iran
region. Elam Ministries says: ‘Please join us
in praying for these new believers, and for
the churches as they disciple them.’
The baptisms were joyful day-long occasions, full of worship, prayer, fellowship over
meals and the sharing of testimonies. One
new believer at one of
the ceremonies recalled how finding a New Testament by
accident had started him on his journey to
Christ. Remarkable
stories of
the Lord’s
providence abounded during both days.
Christian Aid?
Chris Sugden
Date posted: 1 Apr 2015
Christian Aid Week in May is an established national institution. Thousands of volunteers, including me, drop red envelopes through people’s letter-boxes and collect them at the end of the week. Thousands who never attend church respond generously to appeals to help the most deprived in the world.
Christian Aid began in response to the refugee crisis at the end of the Second World War. It puts into practice the teaching of Jesus to love our neighbours and to obey him in helping the poor, the hungry and the naked. Jesus did not specify that these poor people had to be Christian.
