‘I was born with no eyes and my husband is blind too’
Philippa Lomas
Date posted: 22 Aug 2024
Philippa Lomas shares her journey of faith and discipleship:
I was born without any eyes and am completely blind. As you can probably imagine, this was a great shock to my parents, who had other, fully sighted, children. My parents are both Christians, but they really wondered what good God could bring out of the situation.
Chance conversation leads to church gift of £10,000
Rob James
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
‘A lift for Narberth’ is more than a building project. It sums up the church’s vision, says Phil Prosser, senior leader of Grace Church.
Narberth is a small but growing market town in south-west Wales with a lively shopping centre, arts and cultural scene, a very active community life, and a charismatic evangelical church with ‘high hopes’ for its future mission in the community.
Irish Presbyterians plan ahead
Luke Randall
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) agreed at its General Assembly for 2024 that it needs a radical shake up of mission and ministry, while new Moderator Richard Murray called on the PCI to find better ways of connecting the gospel’s message to an uninterested and at times ‘hostile’ world.
About 1,000 ministers and elders from the denomination’s more than 500 congregations attended the three-day Assembly in Belfast which agreed to what it described as a ‘radical process that will see a comprehensive reconfiguration of ministry’ across the denomination.
Major consultation event addresses ‘recruitment crisis’
9:38
Date posted: 1 Jul 2024
Where is the next generation of church leaders coming from? Is there really a crisis in ministry recruitment? And if so, how can we work together to address it? This was the theme of a major consultation day held just recently.
The National Consultation Day organised by 9:38 – which serves local churches as they envision people in gospel ministry and raise up the next generation of gospel workers – was held at Yarnton Manor in Oxfordshire.
Timothy Dudley-Smith dies
en staff
Date posted: 14 Aug 2024
The acclaimed hymn-writer Timothy Dudley-Smith, who was also a leading evangelical figure in the Church of England in his generation, has died.
Dudley-Smith wrote around 400 hymns including 'Tell out my soul', 'Name of all majesty' and 'Jesus, prince and saviour'.
'Record numbers' at Keswick Convention announced
en staff; Keswick Ministries
Date posted: 6 Aug 2024
Keswick Convention organisers are sharing their thanksgiving after the close of a successful event this summer saw what they describe as 'record numbers of visitors in recent years'.
This year’s Convention - which focused on the theme of Resurrection - welcomed an estimated 13,000 people to the site across three weeks to hear Bible expositions, and to worship together and spend time in the Lake District. Thousands more worldwide joined sessions online through livestream.
Over 800 youth equipped for mission
Iain Taylor
Date posted: 1 Jan 2024
About 850 young people and youth leaders attended this year’s Sorted one day youth conference, which took place at Westminster Chapel.
Attendees came from a wide variety of Anglican, Baptist, Free/Independent churches and many others. Most were from around London, but there were also groups from Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Kent, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Brighton, Bournemouth, and Norwich.
Joy at Co-Mission’s ‘Revive’
Adam Malooly writes: Praise God! 23–25
June was a fantastic weekend away as people
from 29 Co-Mission
churches
around
London gathered on a field in Canterbury
to worship, pray, learn from God’s word
and enjoy fellowship.
The occasion was the Co-Mission REVIVE
festival, with this being its 19th year running.
We were
so grateful
to have over 2,000
people come together at the University of
Kent. Being Christians
in our corners of
London sometimes leaves us feeling isolated,
so to be reminded of God’s goodness
in
growing His church here in London for His
glory was a real encouragement. The theme
of the weekend was ‘Faithful through the
Storm’. We reflected on this topic and heard
from our main speakers: Matt Fuller (Pastor,
Christ Church Mayfair), Ray Galea (Pastor, Fellowship Dubai) and Jack Sara (President,
Bethlehem Bible College).
Canopy 2024 draws Scottish Baptists
Luke Randall
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
Over 400 people attended Canopy 2024, an event for Scottish Baptists in Larbert. The event centred around the theme of everyday discipleship, inspired by Romans 12:1-2.
It featured a range of speakers including Solas Director Andy Bannister, Jenny Walley, Spiritual Director of Novo Mission, and Ken Benjamin, Director of Church Relationships at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC).
EMA: remaining ‘rugged’
Kate Peters
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
The recent Evangelical Ministry Assembly (EMA) 2024 brought together evangelicals from across different spheres to encourage and strengthen those involved in Bible ministry.
Under the theme of ‘Steady’, EMA urged attendees to hold fast to evangelical convictions as they grapple over critical decisions facing their churches. The focus on steadiness was not only a theme but a call to action, encouraging all attendees to remain unwavering in their mission despite the challenges of our times. During the three days, the stage was shared by leaders from across the evangelical world: Kevin DeYoung, Michael Reeves, Conrad Mbewe, Andrew Sach, Jason Roach, and James Robson. Speakers challenged those present to remain rugged in faith, to stay true to evangelical history, and to rely on the power of God’s word in our proclamation.
East Midlands event unites
Pete Harrison
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
More than 350 people of all ages, and from many different churches, gathered together at Brockington College in Leicestershire on Saturday 29 June to enjoy East Midlands Churches Day.
The speaker was Paul Mallard, there was a children’s and youth meeting, plus hog roast, Indian street food, ice cream and various mission exhibitions. There was also an ‘It’s a knockout’ event, five-a-side football, film, bouncy castle, face painting and crafts, and a Q&A session with Paul Mallard.
Church of Scotland continues freefall
Luke Randall
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
The Church of Scotland (Cof S) has announced it is selling around 100 buildings following a period of drastic decline in worshippers and ministers. Buildings on sale range from churches to houses, some dating back to the 1800s – and it has described the decision as a ‘difficult’ and ‘painful’ move.
The news comes after the denomination recently announced at its General Assembly that it is set to close hundreds of churches in the coming years due to a large fall in membership, and that it was ‘unsustainable’ to keep over 1,000 churches open for the number of people attending services.
Formation of The Gospel Coalition UK progresses
Affinity
Date posted: 15 Jul 2024
On Tuesday, 9 July 2024, Affinity invited a number of key evangelical leaders to come together to discuss and pray about whether further steps should be taken to launch The Gospel Coalition UK.
This follows a statement in April from Affinity and numerous one-to-one consultations within and beyond Affinity members, Council, and Trustees. Notably, well over half of those attending were from outside the current Affinity network.
A Nationalist election view: God’s workmanship
John Mason
Date posted: 1 Jul 2024
In Ephesians 2:10, the apostle Paul tells us: ‘For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ That is both encouraging and challenging!
Encouraging – because each of us has a specific task to do that is unique for us. Challenging – because we need to find what that task is and then follow it through. For me that has previously meant being an accountant with Operation Mobilisation in London; and later, with Interserve/United Mission to Nepal (UMN).
You’re the only Christian: what next?
UCCF
Date posted: 1 Jul 2024
Imagine you arrived at university to discover that you are the only Christian on campus: what would you do?
This is the reality for student Emily who studies at the Northern School of Art in Hartlepool, an institution of around 500 students.
news in brief
The Goodness of God
The songs Goodness of God, 10,000 Reasons and In Christ Alone have topped a new list of favourite contemporary worship songs.
CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing International), has published a roundup of the latest favourites among UK churches who are licensed with the organisation. The top ten also includes How Great Is Our God (4), What a Beautiful Name (5), O Praise The Name (Anástasis) (6), Here I Am To Worship (7) and Cornerstone (8). Other favourites making the list include How Deep The Father’s Love For Us at number 20, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (22), The Servant King (37), There Is A Redeemer (46), Come People Of the Risen King (50) and The Power Of The Cross (94). The list does not include classic Christian hymns as they are already in the public domain and not within CCLI’s remit.
Highfields Cardiff – welcoming internationals
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 1 May 2024
Newcomers from across 10 nations were recently hosted by Highfields Church, Cardiff with a membership dinner for people to get to know each other.
The church runs a quarterly membership evening at Highfields where, explained lead minister Dave Gobbett, they ‘share the vision and values of Highfields, and why we encourage those who see us as their spiritual home, to formally join as church members’.
Tearfund accused of treating Wales ‘as a colony’
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 1 Jun 2024
Evangelical charity Tearfund is being urged to reconsider a decision to axe its final paid employee in Wales and oversee ministry there from London – prompting a former director to accuse it of treating the country like ‘a colony’.
This year, for the first time since 1987, the organisation won’t have a staff member promoting their mission in the nation. It is the fourth and final role to be cut from Tearfund Wales in the last three years.
TGCUK idea gains momentum
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 1 Jun 2024
The idea of a UK ‘Gospel Coalition’ is continuing to receive varying degrees of support.
At the start of April, evangelical umbrella group Affinity announced it was entering discussions to form such a new body – and that it might even ‘replace’ their own organisation (see May issue of en).
Craigavon: Gospel unity
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 1 Jun 2024
In a powerful display of unity, the four main evangelical groups within the Church of Ireland (COI) came together in April for a day of worship, teaching and prayer.
Ministry collective First Things hosted the gathering, inviting evangelicals from New Wine, Church of Ireland Evangelical Fellowship, Southern Anglican Fellowship of Evangelicals and Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy to St Johns Parish Centre in Moira, Craigavon on 27 April. They were thrilled to see over 350 people from across the groups come along.
European Mission Fellowship at Ballymoney Baptist
Dan & Sara Downey
Date posted: 1 Jul 2023
European Mission Fellowship held its annual Ballymoney conference in Ballymoney Baptist Church, NI, on 20 May 2023.
With approximately 130 people filling the church, Phil Dunn (EMF’s NI Representative) introduced the theme of the event: ‘Here we stand! Not ashamed of the gospel’. In a world that we all know is changing rapidly, Phil reminded us that we are called to stand firm, courageously contending for the truth of the gospel. This set the tone for the morning, which was to include mission news, panel discussions and book reviews.
Mormonism: ‘A different Jesus,’ says former member
Luke Randall
Date posted: 1 May 2024
An ex-Mormon says she believes plans for a Mormon temple to be built in Sutton Coldfield spring from a financial controversy that the sect is facing.
The structure will be built on a site currently occupied by the church’s Birmingham mission offices and will be their first new temple to open in the UK since 1998, and the third of its kind in the country.
AMiE leaders consider how to be ‘rich’ in ministry
Tom Hutton
Date posted: 1 May 2024
Leaders of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) considered the theme ‘Rich’ at this year’s conference in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Leeds.
This was drawn from 2 Corinthians 10:6, where Paul writes: ‘Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, poor, yet making many rich, having nothing, and yet possessing everything.’
No Word Alive in ‘25, say event trustees
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 1 May 2024
With efforts to find a new venue proving difficult, the hard decision has been made to cancel popular Bible conference Word Alive in 2025.
Since the shock closure of their venue, Pontyns Holiday Park, in November 2023, Word Alive Trustees and Director Nigel Beynon have been searching for an alternative site to host the conference. Being unable to find a ‘like for like’ replacement, however, has prevented them from planning for next year and ultimately led to the decision to cancel Word Alive for the second year running.