Beach missions bring smiles
en staff
Date posted: 1 Sep 2023
United Beach Missions (UBM) holds a variety of outreach events every summer.
Among them, is a ‘Smugglers Trail’ in Benllech, Anglesey.
Women for mission – and a laugh
en staff
Date posted: 1 Jan 2023
Two hundred women gathered for the sold-out ‘Women for Mission’ (WfM) Conference organised by the Free Church of Scotland which took place at Culloden-Balloch Baptist Church, Inverness.
The first conference of its kind since 2018, ‘it was a real joy to have a wide age range of participants, including babes in arms whose behaviour was exemplary throughout the whole event,’ the FCoS website reports. ‘We were privileged to have as our main speaker Helen Thorne, Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK, and author of a number of books.’
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.
YWAM founder Cunningham dies
en staff
Date posted: 1 Nov 2023
Loren Cunningham, the founder of international mission agency YWAM (Youth With A Mission), has died.
US magazine Christianity Today described him as a ‘charismatic visionary’ who ‘mobilized millions of young people for short-term trips’. He was 88.
CofE bishops ‘openly commending’ unscriptural prayers
en staff
Date posted: 1 Nov 2023
Dismay, anger and outrage from across the Church of England evangelical spectrum are greeting fresh proposals by bishops in relation to sexuality.
A majority of the C of E’s House of Bishops says it will commend its divisive ‘Prayers of Love and Faith’ for use with same-sex couples ‘in public worship’ such as Sunday services – while 11 have publicly dissented.
Niger: plea for prayer
en staff
Date posted: 1 Sep 2023
Niger Christians are asking for prayer as the country continues to face turbulence.
Mission organisation Open Doors UK says people should pray for the safety of the churches, and especially believers who have converted from Islam.
C of E evangelicals in watershed fight for own bishops, structures and training
en staff
Date posted: 1 Mar 2023
Evangelicals in the Church of England are facing a battle of historic Reformation-era significance as they fight to secure guarantees that might enable them to continue in the denomination.
After February’s General Synod vote, which approved in principle giving clergy the option of using marriage-style ‘prayers of blessing’ for same-sex couples, with only four bishops opposing the idea, the focus now moves to key Synod decisions this July. Speaking exclusively to en, Ed Shaw, co-chair of the Church of England Council (CEEC), said strong safeguards would be needed.
Cambridge to Madagascar
en staff
Date posted: 1 Mar 2023
Julian Hardyman has ended his ministry as pastor of Eden Baptist Church in Cambridge and is heading unexpectedly to Madagascar.
He had become Associate Pastor in 1996 and then Senior Pastor in 2002. To their surprise, Julian and wife Debbie (see photo) discovered the Lord was calling them in a sudden and dramatic way in a single weekend in September 2021 to leave Eden and Cambridge, to serve as missionaries in Northern Madagascar. The church joined in the discernment process and so their pastor and his wife will become Eden Mission Partners and members of evangelical mission organisation SIM.
Mike Jourdain
en staff
Date posted: 1 Mar 2023
The head of Brighton City Mission has
died. Mike
Jourdain was described as
someone with
‘great
faith, passion and
ability’ by Nick McQuaker of the Sussex
Gospel Partnership.
Will Cockram,
pastor
of Cuckfield
Baptist Church wrote:
‘Mike was treated
for oesophageal cancer three years ago, but
around Christmas
it
reappeared. Whilst
given
initial confidence
from
the medics
over Christmas that it was treatable, Mike’s
health declined very steeply, and the family
were given the news that it was very possible
that it might not be treatable and that he
had months –possibly weeks – to live. He
died six days later (17 January) in a hospice,
aged 58. He
leaves his wife Wendy, his
daughter Clio, and a church family that is
rejoicing for him, but grieving very deeply.
We would covet your prayers.’
Christian theology lecturer dismissed for tweet
en staff
Date posted: 1 Apr 2023
This March, Dr Aaron Edwards (37) was fired from his position as a theology lecturer at Cliff College, Derbyshire, following his controversial tweet concerning homosexuality.
The tweet, shared from his personal account, went viral. It read:
Rob and staff
en staff
Date posted: 1 Mar 2023
Rob Munro has become the new Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Church of England bishop with delegated oversight of 147 complementarian evangelical parishes.
Previously Rector of Cheadle, Cheshire, Rob trained for ministry at Oak Hill College and studied for his doctorate at Reformed Theological Seminary in the USA. He has also served on General Synod, is a member of the Dioceses’ Commission, chairs the House of Clergy for Chester Diocese, is the Chair of the Fellowship of Word & Spirit, and is on the Councils of Latimer Trust and Church Society.
Bishop’s task
en staff
Date posted: 1 Jan 2023
The new flying bishop for conservative evangelicals in the Church of England, Rob Munro, takes on his role at a critical time.
Dr Munro, who has been Rector of St Mary’s Cheadle, will be a crucial voice in future votes and discussions on sexuality which are at a critical stage. The former Maths and PE teacher, will have a special national ministry to parishes of a complementarian evangelical theology across England.