East meets WEST
Jonathan Stephen
Date posted: 1 May 2011
Back in 2007, one of our then PhD students, Sungho Choi, was helping out at a large international prayer meeting for revival being held not far from Carmarthen in South West Wales.
To his astonishment he found himself sitting next to a woman whose face he instantly recognised from the Korean media. Sungjoo Kim had gained celebrity status as a businesswoman who had succeeded spectacularly against all the odds in a fiercely male-dominated society.
Our glorious and eternal good news!
Lindsay Brown
Date posted: 1 Feb 2011
The gospel of Jesus Christ is unique, wonderful, powerful and true. It is the greatest message in the history of the world. That is why we’ve met together. What will be the legacy of this Congress? Only God knows - we don’t, at this stage. But I can tell you our four-fold vision and hope.
Firstly, for a ringing re-affirmation of the uniqueness of Christ and the truth of the biblical gospel, and a crystal clear statement on the mission of the Church — all rooted in Scripture. We cannot engage in mission unless we know what we believe. The historic missionary conference of Edinburgh 1910 set in motion great missionary endeavour. But it had a flaw — the organisers sidelined doctrine. So they aimed to launch a missionary movement without biblical consensus. That’s folly. We need to have clarity, especially on four things: (i) the exclusive claims of Christ; (ii) the meaning of Christ’s death; (iii) the necessity of conversion; (iv) the lostness of humankind. The Cape Town Commitment seeks to give this clarity.
Leading man
Leading a group of churches carries enormous responsibilities in the current spiritual climate. John Stevens, recently appointed Director of FIEC, spoke to EN about his work.
EN: Please explain your new role at FIEC.
JS: On September 1 2010, I started in my new post as Director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC). According to my job description, I am responsible ‘for providing visionary leadership to and the smooth running of the Fellowship’ so that it can accomplish the goals and objectives determined by the new Trust Board after consultation with the churches.
Pulpit pop culture?
Holly Price
Date posted: 1 Mar 2011
Slumped in his desk chair, James let his mind wander through the following day’s family service. He would be preaching on Mark 12.41-44 — the widow’s offering.
He sighed heavily; if he had a penny for every time his congregation had heard him speak on giving, he could cover the church’s budget deficit single-handedly. James was always inspired by the widow’s sacrifice, but he needed a fresh way of presenting it — something that would engage the distracted children and teenagers, the busy professionals and parents, as well as the scholarly students and senior citizens in his congregation.
Ernest Lloyd, 1913-2010
Mike Moore
Date posted: 1 Feb 2011
On December 23 2010, Ernest Lloyd went to be with the Lord. He was 98 years old.
By any standard his life was remarkable. At the age of five, Ernest was abandoned to the care of the Naomi Home for Women and Children, run by the Barbican Mission to the Jews. He never knew his father and the only recollection he had of his mother was that of a tall, dark, Italian Sephardi Jewess from whom he inherited his height, black hair and striking looks. Life was particularly hard for Jews during WWI. A timid and melancholic child, Ernest was an object of hatred, called a ‘Christ killer’ and like many other Jewish children, suffered frequent taunts and even stoning.
Bring me my books!
Jonathan Carswell & Adrian Reynolds
Date posted: 1 Apr 2011
‘Bring me my books!’ was the Apostle Paul’s demand.
But why? Had he forgotten what he had read? Doubtful. Nor did he need them to supplement the Scriptures as though somehow his library was incomplete without his precious parchments. Paul had a firm conviction in the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures. And yet he wanted his books.
Why the cross?
John Blanchard
Date posted: 1 Apr 2011
John Blanchard has recently brought out a new evangelistic booklet. He talked to EN about the cross in the run-up to Easter.
EN: You have a new booklet out entitled Why the Cross? What would you say is the great attraction of the cross for needy sinners?
Recession: the challenge of Robert Arthington
Fred Stainthorpe
Date posted: 1 Jan 2011
The vast majority of Christian organisations are suffering from the economic recession. They report a drop in subscriptions and have had to downsize their operations.
Some have had to make redundancies in their personnel. At a time when they might have planned to extend their work they need to contract it and wonder how they will recover if at all. Perhaps Robert Arthington is the one who can solve their problem.
Past round-up
Joy Horn
Date posted: 1 Jan 2011
Famous books
The Authorised Version of the Bible (or the King James’s Version) was published in 1611. The precise date when copies began to roll off the presses of the King’s printer seems to be unknown, but it must have been early in the year, as two further editions followed in 1611. It was first published as a large folio volume, intended for public reading in church, and was sold loose-leaf for ten shillings or bound for 12 shillings. It was the work of teams of scholars, whose brief was to revise the Bishops’ Bible of 1568, itself largely based on the work of William Tyndale.
Famous events
Pierre Viret, a Swiss/French Protestant Reformer, was born in 1511 at Orbe, a small town now in the Swiss canton of Vaud, and was converted from Roman Catholicism while studying at the University of Paris. A close associate of John Calvin, he was dubbed ‘The Smile of the Reformation’ for his sweet and winning demeanour and preaching.
The Third Degree
Dave Bish
Date posted: 1 Jan 2011
Blaise Pascal argued that ‘good men should wish Christianity were true’, and be persuaded of the same.
Imagine a generation of students living among their peers day in day out who were thoroughly convinced how amazing it is to be a Christian, how lovely their Saviour is and how mind-blowingly and heart-singingly wonderful the gospel is. Would they not make a noticeable difference in their halls and sports teams and lectures and tutorials?
The Third Degree
Obituary
Pod Bhogal
Date posted: 1 Mar 2011
We are saddened by the recent death on January 10 2011 of Robin Wells, third General Secretary of UCCF.
John Bendor-Samuel, 1929-2011
It is with sadness that we report the news that Dr. John Bendor-Samuel, Director-Emeritus of Wycliffe Bible Translators in the UK, died following a road traffic accident close to his home on January 6.
John was born in June 1929 and brought up in a Christian family. He was converted to Christ as a child around the age of five. He went on to study history at Oxford and served for a period as the secretary of the Oxford Christian Union, OICCU.
Gospel-centred life
Horizons
Principle: The gospel enlarges my horizons, giving me a concern for God’s world.
Consider this
Barry had been on a foreign holiday once or twice, but he’d basically gone for the sun. Though he loved to eat curry, he’d always been suspicious of immigrants. And he’d never paid much interest to foreign news unless our troops were involved. What had any of it got to do with him?
Ubicumque et semper
Leonardo De Chirico
Date posted: 1 Dec 2010
Setting up a new Pontifical Council is not something that happens often in the Vatican, given the conservative nature of the institution.
Yet Pope Benedict XVI has just released the motu proprio document entitled Ubicumque et semper (‘Everywhere and always’) that establishes the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation.
Lausanne gives clear call
Julia Cameron
Date posted: 1 Dec 2010
Lindsay Brown, International Director of The Lausanne Movement, gave the closing address at the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation.
The first hope of Congress leaders was, he said, for ‘a ringing affirmation of the uniqueness of Christ, and the truth of the biblical gospel; and a clear statement on evangelism and the mission of the Church — all rooted in Scripture’. The Congress drew 4,000 evangelical leaders and influencers from 198 nations. In addition, the event extended its reach to 650 GlobaLink sites in 91 countries.
'Go to the people'
John Nicholls
Date posted: 1 Oct 2010
It became known that a group of foreign extremists — ‘terrorists’ to most people — had re-grouped in London after being imprisoned and tortured in their own country. A City Missionary who spoke their language was anxious to find them, so he quietly sounded out some of his contacts, and after several unsuccessful attempts, met with them in an area that had become almost totally populated by ethnic minorities. He told them that he had come on behalf of the Christians of London to offer advice and sympathy. He spoke of God’s love and of his justice. Most of the group were antagonistic, intent on violence, but the City Missionary went back repeatedly to talk with them.
In one of London’s poorest areas a City Missionary walked through an overgrown garden to knock at a door. A man opened the door, but would not let him in. He was suspicious and troubled. After a short conversation, the missionary offered to return and tidy the garden. The work was done — and the missionary was invited indoors. A friendship developed, and the man began attending the local mission hall to play pool, and joined a Bible study. He began attending Sunday services at a local church, whose members regularly helped with his garden.
Welcome home?
Missionaries on home assignment have many responsibilities. They talk to their mission, report to churches, reconnect with their home church, contact supporters, deal with health issues, see family and maybe get some holiday. This article is not addressed to them!
The Third Degree
Introducing students to Jesus
Pod Bhogal
Date posted: 1 Nov 2010
UCCF loves it when students hear, engage with and respond to the love of God expressed in Jesus Christ. We want students to ‘live life to the full’ — that is, to know that Jesus loves them and see that life with him is the best way to live.
Here are some testimonies from students, UCCF Staff Workers and Relay volunteers from this last year for you to enjoy.