Secular Shelf Life
Looking at secular books
Sarah Allen
Date posted: 1 Mar 2007
For those of you who have not heard the name, then may I introduce you to the foremost children’s writer of our age? He has published over 100 works since the mid 70s, has won all the prizes available for children’s literature, been Children’s Laureate (from 2003-5) had works made into major films and presented a brilliant series, The Invention of Childhood on Radio Four. He and his wife also run a charity Farms For City Children. It is certainly difficult to be critical of the hard working fellow.
Divide & multiply
John Benton
Date posted: 1 Mar 2007
At a time when churches are reported to be in decline, the theme of growing churches is obviously of major importance for Christians.
‘Growing churches: reach, build, send’ was the title of a conference sponsored by the South East Gospel Partnership (in affiliation with Affinity) at St. Helen’s, Bishopsgate, London, on February 3.
Shining like stars
Following the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, the work of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) has blossomed remarkably in many countries.
As he comes to the end of his tenure as General Secretary of IFES, Lindsay Brown reflects on some of the marvellous stories of how God has been at work in the lives of students worldwide.
Out of darkness - light
To mark such a special anniversary, a booklet has been produced which outlines this wonderful history. Compiled by IMM’s Hon. General Secretary, David Shillitoe, this testament to God’s work among the mining community makes very encouraging and inspiring reading. The extract below selected by Alicia Felce gives an example.
Having begun in a truly miraculous way with the conversion of a 70-year-old wealthy mine owner, the Mission has moved on to working in challenging situations to bring the gospel to dark places.
The Third Degree
Durham mission - RESCUE
Pod Bhogal
Date posted: 1 Mar 2006
On debating religion, Richard Dawkins likens all religious activity to ‘medieval superstition’. He goes on to argue that, ‘The hypothesis of God offers no worthwhile explanation for anything’, and that, ‘Faith is a great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence’. In light of these comments it is interesting to observe the impact the gospel is having on the students at Durham University.
The University of Durham has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence in the fields of science, literature and engineering. Its students are sporty, clever, articulate, and can expect future success. If Dawkins’s hypothesis is correct, Durham is probably the last place in the world you would expect the gospel to be flourishing, but, by God’s grace, it is!
Music
Mission and music
Richard Simpkin
Date posted: 1 Feb 2005
Mission and music
February and March seem to be a big time of year for missions. Churches, University and School Christian Unions all over the country put on talks, events, dinners, and 'grill-a-Christians' to get their guests of wide-ranging tastes in earshot of the gospel.
Accompanying those events, or even integral to them, will be the use of music. Whether in the background during the event, or up front in a classical concert or jazz night, music can play a big part in breaking down cultural barriers so that the culturally uncomfortable message of the gospel can be heard. Many great evangelists have used music to great effect. Dwight Moody and Billy Graham are the two most famous examples.
Trial by fire
John Skinner
Date posted: 1 Jan 2007
In the early hours of August 23 1989, St. Leonard’s Anglican Church in Exeter was ablaze. But the arsonist’s fire brought the blessings of God. Here John Skinner, the Rector at that time, tells the story . . .
So why was the fire so significant? It was mainly because of the years of frustration that preceded it. What was the cause of this growing frustration?
Henry Martyn: an unwasted life
Natalie Tunbridge
Date posted: 1 Jan 2007
The missionary life of Henry Martyn is one of single-minded perseverance to obey the call of God, laborious allegiance to the Word of God, and most importantly, a passionate love for Jesus Christ the Son of God, such that constrained a life of boasting in the cross.
A Cambridge graduate who was a protege of Charles Simeon and the Clapham Sect, and later a colleague in India to the father of modern missions, William Carey — Henry Martyn — ought to be a household name.
God will open many doors
EN: What is IFES? Could you explain something of its nature, history and objectives?
LB: IFES is a network of evangelical student ministries in 150 countries. In 1947 leaders of ten national student ministries met in Harvard with a vision to see a witness to Christ among students in every country. The largest movement is in Nigeria where close to 40,000 students meet in small group Bible studies.
Hope for our world
Three full days of great Bible teaching plus entertainment for all ages, mixed in with fun, resources, sport and relaxation are all on offer at the first ever Cheltenham Bible Festival which runs from Thursday to Sunday August 9-11.
‘In the autumn, we held a preview day for church leaders and team members’, says Andrew Nicholson of FIEC, the sponsors of the festival.
Notes to Growing Christians
Reclaiming the mission of the church
David Jackman
Date posted: 1 Jun 2006
THE GREAT GIVEAWAY
Reclaiming the Mission of the Church
By David E Fitch. Baker Books. 263 pages. £5.41 (Amazon)
ISBN 0 80106 483 X
Written out of frustration with the North American church scene, the thesis of this book is that evangelicalism has ‘given away being the church in North America’.
Uniting churches for social action
Jeremy Ravn
Date posted: 1 Dec 2006
Matt and Debbie* and their three children are in crisis. They are crippled by debt, and Matt has just lost his job. His benefits will take time to be paid and even these will not service his debts. Where on earth are they going to find money to eat?
This is a true and oft-repeated story. There are still 12.4 million people living in poverty in the UK and increasing consumerism and debt is dividing the nation. Almost every community has its areas of social exclusion and deprivation. The church’s response to local poverty has been patchy, and often uncoordinated. Social action was once central to church mission but most find Jesus’s words in Matthew 25.35-40 a difficult challenge.
Flowering in Scotland
Andrew Quigley
Date posted: 1 Dec 2006
Twelve years ago the Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian (RP) Church in Scotland was, like many small churches in the UK, drifting its way out of existence.
Caught in a devastating self-preservation mode, church life consisted of a one-hour service for the 20+ ‘faithful’ on a Sunday morning. The prospect was bleak — with an average age in the 70s, the writing was more than just on the wall.
Passionate
Roger Fawcett
Date posted: 1 Jan 2007
Book Review
HOW TO SET YOUR HEART ON FIRE
(and not just on Sundays)
Read review
Anniversaries in 2007
Joy Horn
Date posted: 1 Jan 2007
Famous books
The Geneva New Testament was published in English (the first English New Testament printed in Roman type, with verse divisions) in 1557.
Richard Baxter’s A Call to the Unconverted was published in 1657.
Monthly arts column
Eleanor Margesson
Date posted: 1 Nov 2006
Monday nights have just got more thrilling. Eleanor Margesson watches as the fifth series of Spooks unfolds on BBC1.
Imagine you are a spy. Your mission: to bug the house of a terror suspect in order to gain intelligence about their imminent bombing campaign. As you enter the empty house on a rainy night, a cat escapes past you into the dark. What do you do?
Crucial questions for evangelicals
In 2005, New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote that if evangelicals chose a Pope, they would be likely to select John Stott.
Stott, who is 85, has been at the heart of evangelical renewal in the UK. His books and biblical sermons have transfixed millions throughout the world, and he has been involved in many important world councils and dialogues, not least as chair of the committee that drafted the Lausanne Covenant (1974) and the Manila Manifesto (1989), defining statements for evangelicals.