‘London:Living?’ revamped
Co-Mission
Date posted: 1 Aug 2021
Co-Mission churches are finding new ways to get the gospel out into local neighbourhoods and beyond.
Christ Church Mayfair has redirected its London:Living? podcast to be an evangelism tool addressing current issues for their congregation members to share with the community. These include the topics of Death & Loss, Peace of Mind, and Racism & Injustice. Through these conversations the church can engage people in their Honest Questions and Christianity Explored courses.
Are we missing the point of the Bible?
James Cary
Date posted: 1 Aug 2021
We all thought there were four but actually there are five. Not Gospels, but tastes. There’s sweetness, sourness, saltiness and bitterness. And the fifth is umami, the Pete Best* of the culinary world that was there from the beginning. Umami is a meaty, broth-like, or savoury taste.
What’s your favourite taste? For me, there’s nothing better than a juicy ripe sliced tomato with olive oil, salt, red onion and basil, accompanying a medium-rare T-bone steak with some twice-cooked chips. And mustard mayo. There’s a restaurant in Stellenbosch in South Africa which did that to perfection. One day, I hope to return there for that transcendent experience.
news in brief
USA: two pastors arrested over Capitol riots
James Varnell Cusick Jr., 72, and his son Casey Cusick, 35, both pastors at the Global Outreach Ministries church at Melbourne, Florida have been arrested in connection with the Capitol riots on 6 January.
They face charges including: disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building; and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. David Lesperance, a 68-year-old congregant of their church, faces similar charges. Bodycam footage and CCTV images showing the three men inside the Capitol have been presented as evidence.
DRC: warlords find faith after violence
Charles Raven
Date posted: 1 Aug 2021
For decades, DR Congo has suffered from chronic political instability, corruption and underdevelopment, worsened in recent years by the growth of Islamist insurgency. One of the dioceses worst impacted is Boga in Uturi province on the border with Uganda. In August 2019, the Anglican hospital in Boga was destroyed by Islamist insurgents and 200 people were abducted.
The diocese also has a Bible training school which focuses on the essential work of training catechists and evangelists who are on the front line of mission. It functions as a training community of 86 people, 13 married students with their families, and 17 single students. This too was in Boga, but recently the security situation deteriorated to the extent that it became too dangerous to continue.
news in brief
Newham call to prayer
victory
It has been revealed that Newham Council
assured residents in April that a decision
allowing mosques to broadcast the Muslim
call to prayer during Ramadan last year
would not be repeated this year.
In May 2020,
the
sound of
‘There
is
no God but Allah and Muhammad is his
messenger,’
followed by
the command
to
pray, could be heard. Residents complained,
but after an unsatisfactory
response one
resident
challenged Newham’s mayor,
a
Muslim, on a Zoom drop-in, but was met
with ‘excuses’. A legal letter was sent, arguing
that the decision was unlawful on various
grounds. It is not known whether the council
acknowledged any unlawfulness, but it said
it would not authorise broadcasts during Ramadan 2021.
Final blows to Zacharias organisation
Iain Taylor
Date posted: 1 Sep 2021
Two new developments in the past few days
appear to hasten the final demise of Ravi
Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM).
Firstly, a number of donors in the USA
have filed a complaint in a Georgia federal
court,
claiming
that
the
organisation
covered up
its founder’s abusive conduct.
They allege
they were misled
to believe
that
their donations were being used
to
promote
‘Christian evangelism, apologetic
defence of Christianity, and humanitarian
efforts.’ However,
the donors claim
they
were misinformed as they were told there
was no evidence of abuse; instead ‘Zacharias
was a prolific sexual predator who used his
ministry and RZIM
funds
to perpetrate
sexual and spiritual abuse against women’.
‘Lightning rod’ spurs church plant drug focus
20 Schemes
Date posted: 1 Sep 2021
A BBC News article has been ‘a lightning
rod’ for a Scottish organisation’s mission
to bring the gospel to the poorest and those
afflicted by addiction.
Twenty Schemes says the news item has
helped it refocus towards planting churches
in the poorest areas around Glasgow. Peter
Campbell of 20Schemes writes:
‘On 30
July 2021 BBC News published an article
announcing that Scotland’s drug death total
for 2020 was 1,339 people. It means that
Scotland continues to have by far the highest
drug rate in Europe, and over three and a half
times that of England and Wales. The worst-hit areas are, of course, the poorest, with the
schemes (housing estates) being 18
times
more likely to have a drug-related death than
other areas.
Reaching the unreached on the roof of the world
Slavic Gospel Association
Date posted: 1 Jul 2021
Geographically and physically, the region of Pamir in Tajikistan is an area of outstanding beauty.
The Pamir mountains are lofty and lonely, one of the last ‘undiscovered’ regions on earth, and one of the ‘world’s best kept secrets’ according to a former British ambassador to the country. The average height of the mountains in the eastern Pamir region is over 20,000 feet above sea level.
Joel Edwards dies aged 70
Iain Taylor
Date posted: 1 Aug 2021
Joel Edwards has died from cancer aged 70. The first black man to lead the Evangelical Alliance (EA), he leaves behind an inspiring legacy of unity in diversity, social engagement and Christ-centred service.
After serving as a probation officer and as a pastor in east London, Joel became the General Secretary of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, where he worked to show the transforming power of Christ in communities, bring predominantly black churches together, and build bridges between the organisation and UK churches.
Training grassroots pastors
Nelson Salviano
Date posted: 1 Aug 2021
Brazil is the fifth-largest nation in the world and the biggest country in South America. It has a population of more than 214 million, of whom around 31% are evangelical Christians. Brazil has extremes of wealth: the poverty of the favelas contrasts starkly with the beautiful mansions of the super-rich.
The Protestant church in Brazil is growing rapidly and chaotically, with small, unorganised groups breaking away from established denominations. People with limited knowledge of the Bible and no formal education often lead the small independent churches. The by-product of this phenomenon is the growth of churches where members do not understand the gospel and have a low view of Scripture.
New ‘Mercy Ship’ is world’s largest
Iain Taylor, Mercy Ships
Date posted: 1 Aug 2021
Global health charity Mercy Ships has taken possession of its brand-new vessel at an event at the Tianjin Xingang shipyard, China. The Global Mercy, which is 174 metres long and displaces 37,000 tonnes, is the world’s largest civilian hospital ship.
Mercy Ships has been working on this new project for more than eight years. Contracts were signed in 2013, and the keel laid in 2015. Sea trials were successfully completed in late April this year. The Global Mercy will now sail to Antwerp where it will be fitted out with IT and medical equipment. The ship’s volunteer crew will also start to arrive then, before it will be presented to sponsors, future volunteers and the media in early 2022.
everyday evangelism
Is evangelism to blame?
A Buddhist critiques our
lack of godliness
Glen Scrivener
Date posted: 1 Jun 2021
On the Speak Life Podcast, Paul Feesey
and I have been discussing
the various
scandals rocking the evangelical world —
particularly those of Ravi Zacharias and
Jonathan Fletcher.
While some have questioned our focus
on these topics (when we’re meant to be
inspiring evangelism), one listener had the
opposite observation. Writing as a Buddhist
he had
some blistering criticisms of
the
evangelical church – a critique which I think
is very worth considering.
10,000 view latest Co-Mission film
Adam Malooly of the Co-Mission church planting movement writes: With 2020 being what it was, this Christmas was a particular opportunity to share a message addressing the loneliness and isolation many were feeling.
This was at the forefront of our minds when we released our latest Christmas film The Lonely Dinosaur. The film is the story of a toy dinosaur shadow that comes alive on Christmas Eve and finds himself alone. In his search for friends, his journey leads him to understand the truth about the Christmas season and what ‘Immanuel’ truly means – God with us. The film has been seen by over 10,000 people and downloaded by numerous churches.
‘Get ready for mission in
2022’, Rico tells churches
EN
Date posted: 1 Jan 2021
Rico Tice (pictured) has launched
the 2022 Passion for Life mission
with 2 Timothy 1:10, reminding
everyone that Jesus has destroyed
death.
In a short video he says: ‘I know the pandemic has been brutal, but
it has opened things up. [People]
are
looking
for answers. We’ve all been
rocked. How can we help people to go from
hunger and spectating, to actively following
Jesus? Let’s come together as we seek to answer that question.’
A Passion for Life took place
nationwide
in 2010 and 2014.
Tice says the hope is that ‘life and
immortality will be brought
to
light as we proclaim the gospel of
Jesus to all corners of the UK.
‘So many
are
talking
about
this being a reset. Surely there’s
no better time for us to gather
together again and proclaim Christ … put
March and April 2022 in the church diary,
and begin praying and planning for a Passion
for Life.’
history
David Zeisberger’s zest for spreading the gospel
Michael Haykin
Date posted: 1 May 2021
When William Carey drew up his paradigm-changing book An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens in 1792, he included a mini-history of missions.
He cited examples of missionaries passionate for the expansion of the rule of Christ. In this mini-history, he referenced a remarkable missions-minded community, the Moravians. Carey’s words about this 18th-century body of believers are tantalisingly brief, but indicative of their influence upon him. ‘When I came to evangelism and missions,’ Carey noted, ‘none of the moderns have equalled the Moravian Brethren in this good work’.
Is this the road to Namugongo?
Neil Barber
Date posted: 1 Jun 2021
‘And what,’ we hear you cry, ‘is this picture all about then? And who are these people? And, well, er, just… why?’
Dear reader, we shall tell you. These three are (left to right) Neil Barber, vicar of the evangelical St Giles, Normanton, Derby; Will Eley, the church’s ‘planting curate’; and Liz Cox, minister for women and community.
news in brief
PM quotes Psalm 14
Boris Johnson has quoted Psalm 14 when asked by a reporter whether he believed in God.
Asked by ITV’s Robert Peston, the Prime Minister initially said: ‘I don’t discuss these deep issues, certainly not with you.’ But he then added: ‘The foolish man has said in his heart there is no God.’
‘Theology of ageing’ encourages seniors
Keith Rigg
Date posted: 1 Jul 2021
‘It was so encouraging to be reminded that old age is a blessing from God.’ Organised as a collaboration of Keswick Ministries with Faith in Later Life, over 80 people attended a three-day online seminar on ‘Faith in the Second Half’ in May.
A church leaders’ day saw: Dr David Field exploring the Theology of Ageing, which was a new concept to many; Dave Fenton encouraging the equipping and empowering of seniors for ministry; and Professor Keith Brown, The Revd Roger Hitchings and Pippa Cramer giving Biblical and practical ways of pastoring and supporting seniors.
‘Leopard Skin Chief’ in S. Sudan peace bid
Gary Clayton
Date posted: 1 Jul 2021
MAF’s peace-promoting planes are helping
the aviation organisation’s partners to visit
some of the most war-torn regions in South
Sudan.
According to the UN, the first five months
of 2020 saw a 220% increase in incidents of
intercommunal violence
in South Sudan’s
Jonglei State compared with the same period
two years ago.
What can cricket’s new competition teach us?
This summer has seen the start of a new cricket competition, The Hundred. This has been developed to make cricket more accessible.
Each side faces 100 balls, bowled in lots of t e n balls rather than six- ball overs. The shorter games produce greater excitement, are more attractive to families and provide entertaining television. Needless to say, traditionalists are outraged. Simon Heffer has written that it is a ‘bastardisation of a once-great game.’ Many have repeated the obvious cliché that The Hundred is ‘just not cricket’.