news in brief
Africa: shortages
Millions in Madagascar, Malawi and Zimbabwe continue to face severe food shortages as a result of drought across the region, it was reported in January.
People in rural communities were so desperate that they were prepared to risk eating locusts, which are known to be toxic. Young people are collapsing from hunger and exhaustion. Countries with economies that are less robust are suffering greatly due to poor infrastructure and emergency relief processes. The problems are in cities as well as rural areas.
Nigeria: who will help us?
World Watch Monitor
Date posted: 1 Feb 2017
Christians in the south of Nigeria are failing to help their persecuted compatriots in the north, according to a veteran humanitarian campaigner, it was reported in late December.
Baroness Caroline Cox, who has made numerous aid missions to the country said: ‘My personal view is that many of those churches are immensely wealthy and I would hope they could do more to help those who are suffering in the north, particularly the internally displaced people who are left. They could work with churches [in the north] who know the needs to reach those most in need. From a Christian point of view, St Paul said that where one part of the Body of Christ suffers, we all suffer. There is an obligation to help our Christian brothers and sisters.’
Stitching together a new life with Jesus
Gospel For Asia
Date posted: 1 Feb 2017
Kavana, a 22-year-old in Asia, shared her story of God’s faithfulness in her life.
‘When I was 16 years old, my father suddenly passed away. After that, my mother and I became helpless. We had no work to earn money and meet our needs.
Caught between bishops and the blue sea
Gavin Mitchell
Date posted: 1 Feb 2017
The Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa, now known as the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA), is one of the provinces of the Anglican Communion that claims to walk the tightrope of the ‘middle path’ in the doctrinal and moral wars of the modern Communion.
ACSA believes that its hero status, from the leading role that it had in the anti-apartheid movement, gives it the new role in championing the indabas (discussions) which some see as essential to the future of Anglicanism. In reality, this means pressure from many bishops and lay leaders for ‘continuous conversations’ until sufficient minds are changed (for a Synod vote) to the new pan-sexual morality. If they can achieve this while convincing people in the pews that nothing is really changing and after all ‘this is what Jesus would want us to do’, all the better.
Church plants again
Roland Clarke
Date posted: 1 Feb 2017
Dear Sir,
Paul Hinton (en letters, December) makes some valid points about church planting. I agree that if mission drives church planting, we shouldn’t just look for a ‘quick win’ by planting churches likely to appeal to students and professionals … whom we know to be on the doorstep! And yes, there is no excuse for establishing churches merely to further our theological ‘brand’ or to expand the latest ‘network’ of churches. To these concerns I would add the depressing trend among some contemporary church plants of resistance to accountability by the leadership. Too often, there is a failure to make the transition from the ‘solo ministry’ of the church planter to a fully functioning church.
Planted!
Kate Blanche
Date posted: 1 Feb 2017
On 8 January, Cowley Church Community
(CCC) voted to adopt its first constitution
and become a fully independent church.
Planted by Magdalen Road Church, the
new congregation has a vision
to reach
Cowley, on the east side of the city.
In Spring 2016, 30 adults and children were
commissioned by Magdalen Road Church
and began meeting every Sunday afternoon at
a community centre in central Cowley.
defending our faith
Reformation and reason
Chris Sinkinson
Date posted: 1 Feb 2017
2017 marks 500 years since the Reformation (dating it from Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Door).
Hopefully, for many Christians, this will reawaken an interest in our heritage. It is time to blow away the dust, if we have allowed it to settle, and read some classics of Christian history. John Calvin’s Institutes, Martin Luther’s Table Talk and later Puritan writings, like those of Jonathan Edwards, will all help remind us of the depths and riches of Reformation theology.
Sick church plants
Paul Hinton
Date posted: 1 Dec 2016
Dear Sir,
As a church planter myself it might seem
very strange to be in any way negative about
contemporary church planting.
SECOND CRACK AT LONDON
The Co-Mission
Date posted: 1 Nov 2016
The Antioch Plan is recruiting again.
The selection process for the second cohort of pioneering church planters has already begun.
The first Amen
Besa Shapllo
Date posted: 1 Nov 2016
The story of Besa Shapllo and Mission Possible in Albania
I was born in Tirana, Albania.
GBM: who will go?
JEB
Date posted: 1 Dec 2016
Overseas missionaries are still very much
needed. The title of this year’s conference of
the Grace Baptist Mission was ‘Here Am I,
Send Me’. No punches pulled there!
The meetings took place this year at the
Friends Meeting House next
to Euston
Station in London on Saturday 29 October.
It is a convenient place to travel to and
people came from all over the country in
their hundreds to this challenging and very
uplifting day. There was a plethora of seminars
given by serving missionaries from Brazil,
the Philippines, Poland, France and central
Asia, as well as reports concerning radio
work and outreach to Asian communities in various cities in Britain.
Adèle Ellis 1936 –2016
Ray Porter
Date posted: 1 Jan 2017
Adèle MacBeath was set on an academic
career in the early 1960s. An MA graduate
from Glasgow University with a double
first, she then completed an MLitt on the
Italian
author
Lampedusa
and
had
embarked on doctoral studies in Rome
when God intervened to redirect her life
into missionary service.
She had fallen in love with David Ellis, a
student at the Bible Training Institute, where
her father, Andrew MacBeath, was Principal.
Repeal Abortion Act
Donald Morrison
Date posted: 1 Jan 2017
Dear Sirs,
Back on a very dark and dismal October
day in 1967 one of the worst-ever laws in this
country, the Abortion Act, was passed by
Parliament. In 2017, if the Lord tarries, this
dreadful law will be 50 years old. While pitiless and heartless pro-abortion activists will
be celebrating
this anniversary,
there are
countless numbers across the UK who will be
lamenting. They are craving, and earnestly
praying,
for
the day when
the Abortion
(1967) Act will be forever aborted. And no
wonder, when one considers the appalling
statistic that, up to the end of 2015, nearly
8.5 million babies have been aborted across
the UK. Enough is enough.
The Third Degree
Carols
Kate Duncan
Date posted: 1 Jan 2017
‘I've got some questions’, Rachel began.
‘I think we can take things to another level with the carol service.’
Christianity without apology?
Kevin DeYoung
Date posted: 1 Jan 2017
Kevin DeYoung asks if it is biblical for Christians to defend their rights
Christians in the West are familiar with apologetics as an intellectual or worldview exercise.
TO A CITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Steve Wilcox
Date posted: 1 Jan 2017
Throughout 2017, the city of Hull, or Kingston-upon-Hull, will be in the national spotlight.
This is because Hull has been chosen as the national ‘City of Culture’ for the year – an honour and privilege which the city has taken to heart.
A sense of place
George Moody
Date posted: 1 Nov 2016
George Moody gets us thinking about the meaning of locality
Over 40% of buildings on the English Heritage at Risk Register are churches.
Peru: jam and mission
Latin Link
Date posted: 1 Sep 2015
Homemade jam is bringing integral mission
to Quechua communities of Cusco, it was
reported in early August.
For the past four years, ATEK, an organisation that seeks to strengthen local churches through the use of Quechua Scriptures,
has provided training in needy communities
of Paruro province.
Highland conference
Andrew Allen
Date posted: 1 Nov 2016
The 64th Free Church School in Theology
was held 5 – 8 September at Carronvale
House, Larbert.
As in previous years, it was an opportunity
for rekindling friendship and fellowship with
other ministers and committed Christians
from across the UK and Ireland.
Thailand: needs of Grace International School
Ann Webb
Date posted: 1 Nov 2016
Grace (GIS) is an amazing school for missionary children in Northern Thailand that was set up in 2004 by a group of parents who wanted to keep missionaries on the field.
They recognised a need for a good, affordable education for missionary children, that would enable their parents to stay serving in Asia, to support and care for their children, third culture kids with different needs. Grace is more than a school, to many it is family.
We’ll see him at the Re-Org
Gavin Dickson
Date posted: 1 Nov 2016
Gavin Dickson, SASRA Army Scripture Reader with some thoughts for Remembrance Sunday
There is a saying in the army when someone dies: ‘We’ll see him at the Re-Org’.
news in brief
Azerbaijan: Bible society
After various attempts over more than 20 years, the State Committee in Azerbaijan registered a Bible society in September.
The Bible Society will have to subject all its publications to the State Committee for the compulsory prior censorship of all literature about religion produced in or imported into Azerbaijan. Publications will only be allowed to be distributed at state-approved venues. Bibles are still banned or removed during raids by the authorities.
