idea September October 2010

Ordinarysuperheroes

Faith journeys

Impact report

The theologyof economics

eauk.org/idea • september/october 2010

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idea sep/oct 2010 • 3

idea

Superheroes seem to dominate ourfilm and TV screens at the moment,from enormous Hollywoodblockbusters like Iron Man to

low-budget shows like Channel 4's Misfits.It seems that we need to have some sortof paranormal ability to make a differencein the world.

Of course, we know better. There arepeople all around us who are quietlyworking in the background to have a realimpact on society, transforming it forthe better. We profile just a handful ofthem here in this issue (p18), and we'dlove to hear what you've done in yourcommunity, even if it seems small orseemingly insignificant. Please get in touch,as your story will be a huge encouragementto others.

We can also think that extra powers(winning the lottery perhaps?) areneeded in order to survive in thistough economic climate. We havean essay here (p14) examining thefinancial crunch from a theologicalperspective for a change. There'salso an article about how we canhelp others in their personal faith journeys(p22), based on some important newresearch. And our Talking Points essay (p24)explores feelings of powerlessness whenfaced with an omnipotent God.

Finally, this issue also includes theAlliance's annual impact report (p16), thistime using numbers to look at ministry overthe past year. The Alliance isn't just a groupof people working in an office in southLondon; we are a coalition of people,churches and organisations working aroundthe UK to see the world transformed byGod's power. And this report is a snapshotof what all of us, together, havebeen doing. There's certainly norecession in God's kingdom.

Editor’s Note

Registered Charity No.212325

Head Office186 Kennington Park Road,London SE11 4BTtel 020 7207 2100 fax 020 7207 [email protected] • www.eauk.org

General Director Steve Clifford

Finance & Operations Executive DirectorHelen Calder

Churches in Mission Executive DirectorKrish Kandiah

Conference room [email protected]

Email address changes to [email protected]

Northern Ireland Director Rev Stephen Cave440 Shore Road, Newtownabbey BT37 9RUtel: 028 9029 2266 • [email protected]

Scotland Director Rev Fred Drummond29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0ADtel 0141 332 8700 • [email protected]

Wales Director Rev Elfed Godding20 High Street, Cardiff CF10 1PTtel: 029 2022 9822 • [email protected]

Features12 Interview: Dallas Willard

Talking about the Bible

14 Essay: Banking on virtueThe theology of economics

16 Impact reportThe Alliance's year in numbers

18 Cover story: Christian activistsMaking a difference

22 How to assist faith journeysHelping new believers

Regulars4 Your voiceidea readers talk back

7 A voice in ParliamentBig issues that need Christian attention

24 Talking pointsPop culture that sparks discussion

27 The basicsContending for biblical truth

30 Last wordGeneral Director Steve Clifford writes...

september/october 2010eauk.org/idea

21 A sportingchance

24 Destinationknown

22 Faithjourneys

14 The theologyof economics

18 Ordinarysuperheroes

People around usare quietly havinga real impact 16 Annual

impact report

contents

4 • idea sep/oct 2010

Curbing freedomIn the Jul/Aug idea, two articles (How toEngage With a Secular Society and SteveClifford's Last Word) warn us not to be tooquick to go to court against those whowould seek to persecute us. To some extentI agree that we should be concentratingon reaching out with the Gospel, but wehave also seen an alarming threat toreligious freedom.

I hope that any Christian would not beinvolved in making abusive remarks aboutanyone, homosexual or otherwise, but we

are now clearly working in an environmentwhere we are surrounded by certainindividuals trying to trap us.

The Christian Institute has carried out agreat job protecting Christians who havefallen foul of the law. Maybe not everyindividual has been as wise as they shouldhave been, but we are all entitled to thelaw's protection when we are under attack.Stephen Carter, Edinburgh

Moral authorityIt was with real sadness that I read of theretirement from public life of ArchbishopDesmond Tutu. During the apartheid yearshe would walk into violent situations to tryto bring reconciliation. And he has always,to me at least, seemed to represent themoral authority of South Africa. He will bemissed hugely in his own country, but alsoacross the world.

Blessed by givingI have just returned from 10 weeks inUganda and was very blessed to openidea magazine and read the article aboutBibles in China (May/Jun). I love theBible very much and get great delight inblessing others with Bibles. I have beendoing so for many years in Uganda, whereI have been giving out Bibles to churchesin the villages.

I think people have a lot to offer,and no one should undermine what adifference they can make in our worldtoday. Giving Bibles is such a wonderfulblessing and can help so many people toknow God in a deeper way in their lives.We make a huge difference every timewe provide others with a Bible.Richard Smart, East Sussex

Serious adviceYour article How to Engage With a SecularSociety (Jul/Aug) was most interesting,and the question, “Are Christians reallybeing marginalised in Britain”, mostpertinent. As believers in Christ in thesedays, we can certainly see how the mediaundermine the credibility of our faith.More insidious is the attack on ourGod-inspired Judeo-Christian legalsystem, once the envy of all peace-seeking people, by the introduction ofman-made laws.

Is the Church slumbering and guiltyof neglect for not standing up for thekingdom of God? If we do not pull oursocks up, Christian believers will have novoice at all; we shall be taken over byother faiths that are more passionateabout their beliefs than we are.

So “Bravo!” to those highlighted inyour article for alerting us to the crisisand refusing to hide behind their titles.As the Word of God challenges us, wemust “choose this day whom we willserve” (Joshua 24.15).Sue Tucker, Herefordshire

your voicewrite to us at [email protected]

ideaEditor Rich Cline • [email protected] Editor Hazel SouthamContributing Writers Lucy Cooper, Richard Franklin,Stephanie Glinski, Marijke Hoek, Phil Green, Sophie Lister,Anna Moyle, Holly Price, Daniel WebsterHead of Communications Miles Giljam

Advertising Manager Jack Merrifield • [email protected]

Design DomainPrinter Halcyon Print & Design

idea is published bimonthly and sent free of charge to members of the Evangelical Alliance. Formed in 1846,the Alliance’s mission is to unite evangelicals to present Christ credibly as good news for spiritual and socialtransformation. There are around 2 million evangelical Christians in the UK, according to a 2007 Tearfund survey.

idea is published in accordance with the Alliance’s Basis of Faith, although it is impossible in every article to articulateeach detail and nuance of belief held by Alliance members. Articles in idea may therefore express views on which thereis a divergence of opinion or understanding among evangelicals.

Letters and story ideas from members are welcome, and will be considered by the editorial board, which reservesthe right to edit letters and stories for length and style. We regret that we are unable to engage in personalcorrespondence. Unsolicited material will only be returned if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

idea accepts advertisements and inserts to offset printing costs. Advertising in idea does not imply editorialendorsement. The Alliance reserves the right to accept or refuse advertisements at its discretion. Articles may bereproduced only with permission from the editor.

We now seem to have bred ageneration of leaders who do notcommand the respect of this small, jovial,79-year-old man. Instead, we have aleadership more concerned with spinand presentation than with substanceand effecting positive change in theircommunities. This is true of the Churchas well as the wider world.

Desmond Tutu will leave a gap that willbe problematic for South Africa’s futuredevelopment, but also will diminish all ofour understanding of who God is and whatHe calls us to on this earth.Nicole Ball, Powys

Just saying...Thank you for producing a very goodmagazine. One section I always read is theletters page, but I was surprised that youchose to print two of the letters in theJul/Aug issue.

Firstly, the main point of the letterfrom John Delius is based on the falseassumption that we have to pay to singsongs in public worship. I am surprisedthat no one in your team spotted such afundamental error.

Secondly, is Colin Whitehead accusingJohn Stott of platitudes? From what Iknow of him, I would say that Rev Stott isan excellent example of a man who hasread widely and shown respect for peoplewith whom he disagrees. Whitehead sayshe thinks that “love is more important thanbeing right”, which is an excellent exampleof a platitude.Peter Grayson, CumbriaEDITOR'S REPLY: This page is simply whatit says at the top: “your voice”. It is achance for readers to interact and expressopinions, which might not always havebeen reflected elsewhere on these pages.As with all of idea, not everything on thispage represents the views of the Allianceas a whole. Regarding song rights: Deliuswas not saying that we have to pay tosing songs, but that copyright paymentis required to reproduce the lyrics forworship services, such as on slides orin news sheets.

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Alliance member Release International iswarning that Christians in Nigeria are“sitting targets”, as news emerges that thefamily of a priest has been murdered in amachete attack. A mob armed with gunsand machetes attacked the Christianvillage of Mazah, on the outskirts of Jos,on 17 July.

According to news reports, they killedthe wife, two children and grandson ofRev Nuhu Dawat, a leader in the Churchof Christ in Nigeria. Witnesses reportedthat others were also killed and injured.The attackers, identified as members ofthe Muslim Fulani tribe, also burned downa church and seven houses.

This is the latest in a series of attacksagainst Christian villages near Jos, inPlateau state, which have left hundredsdead. According to local rights groups,1,500 people have been killed in inter-communal violence in the Jos region sincethe start of 2010.

Release International is working tohelp persecuted Christians in Nigeria andaround the world. On the situation inNigeria, CEO Andy Dipper said, “Christiansappear to be sitting targets. Churchleaders are calling on them to respondwith grace and avoid violence, whichRelease supports. But Christians areliving in fear of further attacks, and thegovernment seems to be doing little tohelp them. That has to change.”

Plateau state is on the dividing linebetween the mainly Muslim north andmainly Christian south. Observers fear apush is taking place to drive Christiansfrom the state; 12 northern Nigerianstates have already adopted Sharia law,even though the country has a secularconstitution.

“Right now, it falls to Christians inthe UK and around the world to prayfor Nigeria’s Christians,” said Dipper,who also encourages practical action,such as lobbying MPs to raise the issueon the international agenda.releaseinternational.org

VOICES FROM THE MARGINS. A recentTearfund report on Russia, Voices from theMargins, finds that local Protestant churchgroups are bridging a gap in care for thosemost vulnerable to HIV. According to thereport, criminalising drug addicts in Russiais fuelling the spread of HIV, which isexpanding in Central Asia and EasternEurope faster than any other region in theworld. Galia Kutranova, Tearfund’s Russiamanager, said, “Helping people overcomedrug addiction is critical to preventing thespread of HIV in Russia. But it’s an uphilltask.” Tearfund's local church partnersprovide the bulk of residential drug rehabin Kaliningrad and Sverdolvsk. tearfund.org

BRIDGING CULTURES. Young people fromchurches in central Birmingham have beengetting to know their Muslim neighbours,learning about other cultures and reachingout in social action in the multi-culturalBalsall Heath area. The three-day culturalexperience in June was designed to meetthe needs of local people to remove someof the barriers between sectors of thecommunity. Led jointly by Riverside Churchand Church Central, the Hope Twenty10pilot programme consisted of worship,teaching, co-ordinating sports and cultural-awareness training. One project includedclearing the grounds of the nearby mosque.hopetogether.org.uk

In brief...

news

looks at the Alliance’s Square Mile initiative,which encourages Christians to let their faithimpact all of their lives – including caring forthose around them.”

Meanwhile, Adam Bonner of Alliancemember Livability said, “We welcome theidea that the voluntary sector shouldbecome even more involved in buildinginclusive, thriving local communities. Thisnew emphasis on community work couldprove a great way to highlight and developthe existing long-term work many churchesand Christian projects are already doing andpresent further opportunities for furtherinvolvement.”

He noted that funding will continue tobe a serious challenge, as the voluntarysector is already struggling financially afterthe recession. “Churches and Christianprojects should welcome the renewedemphasis on local interventions forcommunity cohesion while being carefulabout taking on contracts that may end updiverting their mission aims,’’ he said.

The Alliance is urging Christians to takeadvantage of David Cameron's plans forwhat he called “the biggest, most dramaticredistribution of power” from the state toindividuals. He said that the “Big Society”will enable people to help themselves andtheir own communities.

Alliance General Director Steve Cliffordsaid, “Churches are already the life blood ofcommunities and the lifeline for many onthe edge of society,” and added thatChristians should grasp this opportunityto get further involved.

“We must not pass by on the other sidewhen our neighbours may suffer throughfunding cuts,” he said. “Churches andChristian charities can step in byapproaching their local councils to askhow they can best respond to the needs ofthose around them.”

As the Government set up its YourSquare Mile website to link people to localcommunity groups and social enterprises,Clifford said, “We hope the Government also

A SPLASH IN BATH. More than 300people gathered in Bath for PremierChristian Radio's Woman to Womanconference in late June. “The eventwas an opportunity for women toget right with God,” said host MariaToth. “When women say after theconference that their burdens arelifted, the breakthrough they neededhas come about or that they are nowconquering their addiction tostealing, it brings great joy. It provesthat God is alive and active todayrestoring lives.” Toth's radio show isbroadcast weekdays from 10.30am to12.30pm on Premier. premier.org.uk

Churches are keyto ‘Big Society’

Christians face death in Nigeria

http://releaseinternational.org

http://hopetogether.org.uk

http://premier.org.uk

http://tearfund.org

a voice in ParliamentPOVERTY AND THE BUDGET. Thecountry’s personal debt crisis came intofocus at the Christians in Parliamentsummer reception. Following the austeritymeasures announced in the emergencybudget, the cross-party gathering heardfrom Alliance member organisationChristians Against Poverty (CAP). Amidthe gold and splendour of the Speaker’sapartments, CAP founder John Kirbydescribed what life is like for desperatepeople suffering the stress of being in debt.

CAP gives free debt counselling andsolutions through its 131 centres basedin local churches through the UK. Thisinvolves the charity contacting creditors,prioritising housing and utility bills, andsetting the household a budget.

Mr Kirby addressed the gathering ofMPs, Lords, lobbyists and Westminsterstaff in July encouraging them to do whatthey can to help the poor and to believethey can make a difference. He spokeabout his own experiences, saying, “I amliving testimony that when poor peopleare given the right chance, they shine.

“Poor people are not stupid. They arecleverer than many people think. Theyhave been living off their wits for years,and you have to be clever to do that.They can smell pity at a mile. We don’tgive hand-outs, we give hand-ups.” TheBradford-based charity aims to have acentre in every city and town by 2015 andsees the Church as best-placed to offerholistic and lasting care with expertiseand support from the head office.

Chair of Christians in ParliamentGary Streeter MP said he was “profoundlyimpressed” with the work of CAP andwould recommend it to his constituentsin need. “This was one of the most radical

and outside-of-the-box presentationswe’ve ever had,” he said. “I think it’smade a real impact. There were plenty ofmembers of Parliament here to hear it andwe’ve gone away with plenty of food forthought.” capuk.org DW

LABOUR LEADERSHIP. In July theChristian Socialist Movement (CSM)hosted a hustings with the candidatesin the Labour leadership contest. DianeAbbott, Ed Balls, Andy Burnham and Davidand Ed Miliband gathered at MethodistCentral Hall in Westminster to answer theaudience’s questions about the party’sfuture, vision and values.

The audience of more than 300 hadthe opportunity to address the candidatesdirectly. They voiced concerns aboutbudget cuts, the economy, educationsystems and church and faith concerns,as well as international issues such as thewar in Afghanistan.

As the candidates introducedthemselves with short statements, Abbott

spoke out for the importance of equalityand human rights in society. She said that“politics has to be about practice basedon value”. Coming from a low-incomebackground and having experienced manyhardships, she is concerned about Britain’sfuture generation.

Balls said that “offering breakfast atschools is one step towards fighting theproblem”. David Miliband said that “themembers of the Labour Party have theduty to fight injustice”. In his opinion,people and politicians need to worktogether to change society.

Ed Miliband described politics as a

way of helping people. “Our party shouldbe the best community organisation inBritain,” he said. Together with the othercandidates he is supporting the SanctuaryPledge, ensuring that Britain remains arefuge for those fleeing persecution.

With the CSM hosting the event, itwas no surprise that the questions of therole of the Church in the country cameup. Burnham, who is Catholic, explainedthat “politics and the Church are growingapart. That is why the relationship needsto be rebuilt.”

The elections will take place inSeptember, and the result will beannounced at the annual partyconference at the end of the month.eauk.org/pq SG

AUTHENTIC CHURCH – ENGAGED. Apassion to see communities transformedby the local church is behind a one-dayCommunity Mission Conference that willbe held on 1 October at WestminsterChapel in London. The programme aims toinspire and resource Christians in ways tomaintain a strong faith while engaging withsociety. There will be practical workshops,a resource area and opportunities to shareexperiences and concerns, as well as timesof worship and prayer led by peopleinvolved in community work. Speakersinclude Nicky Gumbel, David Westlake andthe Alliance's Krish Kandiah.communitymission.org.uk/events

VOCAL ABOUT JUSTICE. A new nationalcompetition will enable young people to puttheir creativity to use writing songs aboutdiscrimination. The charities Act 4 andThrough the Roof, with the support ofChristian hip-hop artist Baliva, have launchedProject Inclusion, inviting young people towrite a song addressing discrimination anddisability, performing it to spread awareness,then entering the annual competition.Winners will record their work on a CD.“Sadly, we live in a world where exclusionexists,” said Baliva. “I’m excited about beinginvolved and by the prospect of thousands ofyoung people sharing the inclusive messagewith others.” throughtheroof.org


CELEBRITY ROLE MODELS. Hundreds of students took partin the I Care Revolution in June, an emerging leaders dayat the O2 organised by Hillsong. Speakers mixed with the

students and gave talks on leadership. Theline-up consisted of top leaders inbusiness, sport, politics, communityservice, science and the arts, includinga range of celebrities such asentrepreneur Levi Roots (pictured),singer Sinitta and rap star EmmanuelJal. The day was designed to beboth inspirational and practical,encouraging young people to makea difference in their society and

to reach their full potential.icarerevolution.com

Left to right: CSM Chair Alun Michael,Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband, DavidMiliband, Ed Balls and Diane Abbott.

StephanieGlinski

http://capuk.org

http://www.eauk.org/pq

http://icarerevolution.com

http://communitymission.org.uk/events

http://throughtheroof.org


news

Giving is more important than everChurches and religious charities will be forced to close if Christians’regular giving continues to decline. This is the finding of the reportWhy Christians Give, commissioned by the Alliance from researchersMcConkey-Johnston. The report blames churches for failing topreach about the importance of giving.

“The Church isn’t teaching about stewardship any longer,” saidthe report’s author, Redina Kolaneci. However, the findings showthat evangelical Christians are generous givers. A typical regulargiver is aged 55-64 and gives roughly £3,000 to charity and churcheach year, three times the amount given by non-churchgoers.

Evangelicals give 11.5 per cent of their household income tochurch and charity each month. But the report also found that20 per cent of congregations weren’t being taught about theimportance of stewardship.

“We are bombarded by messages on consumerism, so ourmindset is towards spending on ourselves rather than giving,” said

Kolaneci. “Stewardship and a sense of care for the poor has alwaysbeen part of who Christians are. My concern is that, as time goesby, that is now missing in our churches.

“Older people who are now in their 50s, 60s and 70s havestill got that sense of responsibility, when actually the youngergeneration have become more accustomed to getting things forthemselves rather than giving their money away. People think,‘I can't afford to give more.’”

Most under threat are local churches, as Christians are now lesslikely to automatically give to their denomination or church, thereport found. “People don't give habitually anymore,” said Kolaneci.“They shop around for causes that they have an interest in.”

The report also says that the recession is likely to affect Christiangiving, as only a quarter of evangelicals said that their giving wasunlikely to be impacted by the current financial crisis. HS� A free summary of the key findings can be found at:mcconkey-johnston.co.uk/researchongiving

Young people from around the countrywill be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro nextyear to raise money to bring the life-changing message of the Bible to peopleliving with HIV. And, having climbed the19,500ft mountain, they’ll then spendtime with young people living with HIV inrural Tanzania.

The Rush Challenge scheme is the ideaof Bible Society’s Youth DevelopmentOfficer Jamie Hill. “This is a great thing todo,” he said. “Young people will see the

Bible changing people’s lives and thenthey’ll be able to think through howthat can happen in their own society.

“I was really inspired by meeting a17-year-old called Cecilia, who lives withHIV. I’d like to see thousands of girls likeCecilia given the same joy and lifethrough the work of Bible Society.”

Cecilia (pictured with hergrandparents) is from Nala in northernTanzania and is one of thousands ofpeople whose lives have been transformed

by Bible Society of Tanzania’s GoodSamaritan Project. When she was 9,Cecilia fell seriously ill with measles, andher parents gave blood for a transfusionto save her life. What they didn’t knowwas that they were both HIV positive andthey passed the virus on to their daughter.Cecilia’s parents both died, and when atthe age of 12 she tested HIV positive hergrandparents made her live alone in astoreroom in the family home.

“We thought that through eating andsharing a room with her we would beinfected,” said her grandfather, 73-year-old Yohane Mwangatua Ndahane.

Cecilia prayed that someone wouldcome and help her family understandmore about HIV, and soon a local churchminister told her about the GoodSamaritan Project, which last year alonehelped 6,000 people like Cecilia. It usesthe parable of the Good Samaritan toshow people they’re unique in God’s eyesand that He loves them. It also teachesabout living with HIV.

“My dream is that Bible Society will beable to raise enough funds to double thenumber of Good Samaritan projects in thenext few years,” said Jamie Hill, “and sohelp many more people like Cecilia.”biblesociety.org.uk/rushliveitgiveit RF

BibleSociety/ClareKend

all

CREATIVE CHURCH. In their continuingefforts to explore new forms of church,the Sheffield Centre has revamped itsEncounters on the Edge website to provideonline access to its quarterly publications,which look at the wide range of churchplants and fresh expressions coming out ofthe Anglican Church. Subscribers get a 40per cent discount on back issues and canalso download copies to their computers.Part of Church Army, the Sheffield Centre isa national research unit that exists todiscover what creative Christian people aredoing at the edges of the Church to engagewith today's modern cultures in mission.encountersontheedge.org.uk

Taking the Rush Challenge

WHEN SOMEONE DIES. Alliance memberagency Care has published a 20-pagebooklet offering practical advice to thosewho have lost a loved one. Designed tohelp steer the bereaved through themaze of decisions and arrangements,When Someone Dies also addresses theemotional challenges, including where tofind further assistance if necessary, as wellas how to prepare wills and legacies.“While there’s a wealth of informationabout what to do in the event ofsomeone’s death,” said Care ChairmanLyndon Bowring, “I’ve never come across asimple guide covering all the aspects ofwhat needs to happen.” care.org.uk/shop

MONEY FOR MEMBERS. At age 23,minister Michael Kosmas has launcheda church in South East London thatoffers financial assistance to members.Kingdom Assembly held its first serviceon 8 August at the Albany Theatre inDeptford, and Kosmas hopes that it willexemplify the ideals of the Church inActs, where people served God, sharedtheir earthly possessions and supportedeach other. “Kingdom Assembly isgoing to be a church that’s real andrelevant,” he said. “In time, I would likeit to be viewed as a central hub in thecommunity that is open to everyone.”kingdomassembly.org.uk

http://biblesociety.org.uk/rushliveitgiveit

http://mcconkey-johnston.co.uk/researchongiving

http://kingdomassembly.org.uk

http://care.org.uk/shop

http://encountersontheedge.org.uk

Urban Saints in Scotland is making its Spree holidays a majorfocus of 2011. Building on the success of Spree in the Borderssince 2006 and Skye Spree since 2008, plans are underway tointroduce a new Highlands Spree in September 2011 based in theAbernethy Trust centre in Nethy Bridge near Aviemore. Spree is ahigh-energy, low-cost evangelistic weekend designed for youthgroups. Another new initiative is working to take Spree on theroad, training young emerging leaders who will bring the Spreeexperience to places beyond the reach of current weekend events.The idea is to have a team of 30 people with a truckload ofequipment driving around Scotland running mini Sprees inpartnership with local churches. Charlie Morris, director of UrbanSaints in Scotland, said, “One of the key secrets of Spree is thatbusy youth leaders can bring their children and young people andspend the weekend having fun alongside them. They are then ableto follow up and build on steps of faith made at Spree.”urbansaints.org/scotland

CHURCHES PREPARE FOR DEMENTIA. Inresponse to research showing that thenumber of people with dementia will doublebetween now and 2050, churches arepreparing for the challenge of ministering toageing congregations. Even as memory andconcentration go, the feelings remain intact,so Scripture Union has published Being WithGod, a series of three daily devotionals.Designed to reach this growing segment ofthe Church, the books use familiar Biblereadings, simple prayers and “cues and clues”with picture suggestions to help unlockmemories and engage with the day’s theme.Each book also comes with an audio CD.scriptureunion.org.uk/beingwithgod

PatrickMoo

re

When I’mcalled home,my family willbenefit, but sowill peoplein extremepoverty.

Christian LegacyPlease remember a Christian charity in your will

Christian Legacy members are:

Bible Society Care for the Family CMSThe Leprosy Mission Livability Tearfund

Hilary Frances knows that life is fragile: she went to bed healthy and woke up seriously ill.

“My heart problems prompted me to make a Will, and I enjoyed doing it.” she says.

Hilary settled her affairs and provided for her family, but she also realised she could help others she cared about too. So she included Tearfund in her Will.

“I hope my Christian legacy will help people have a better life and know the love of Christ.”

Through ordinary means, Hilary has done extraordinary things with her Will. By leaving a legacy to a Christian charity, so could you.

Find out more at

www.christianlegacy.org.uk

Hilary Frances

Tearfund supporter

Spree across Scotland

Urban

Saints

http://urbansaints.org/scotland

http://scriptureunion.org.uk/beingwithgod

A Christian-based website launched inJune by Alliance member XLP aims to helpyoung people to get out of violent andcriminal gangs in the UK. Fighting Chanceis the brainchild of author and socialactivist Patrick Regan.

It spells out some of the consequencesof getting involved in gangs, as well asproviding reasons for getting out. The siteallows anonymous contact with a mentorwho can advise on the best steps out ofgang membership.

Spokesman Wizdom Patrick, a 31-year-old former gang member, said,“Gang membership is a growing problem.Younger and younger people are gettinginvolved. Our aim is to give young peoplealternatives so that they don’t end up in

gangs or find ways out of gangs.”It is hard to find an accurate figure for

Britain’s gang membership. However,according to the Centre for Social Justice,over the last five years there has been an89 per cent increase in the number ofunder-16s being stabbed. London alonehas 170 territorial gangs with anestimated 5,000 members, according tothe Metropolitan Police.

“We don’t yet have the problem thatthere is in LA or Jamaica, but all the signsare there,” said Patrick. “If we don’t dosomething, it could be as bad as LA in thefuture. We want to stop the situationgetting worse and we’re trying to workpre-emptively to make sure this happens.”fightingchance.me HS

Compassion at ChristmasTaking advantage of the way charityChristmas cards have caught theimagination of customers, Alliancemembers BRF and Compassion UK areteaming up this Christmas. For everybook purchased from this year's BarnabasChristmas range, BRF will donate10 per cent of the cover price to supportCompassion's Child Survival Programme,which aims to protect the thousands ofchildren who are dying each day fromeasily preventable causes such asmalnutrition, malaria and pneumonia.

Working through local partners inplaces like Bangla Basti in Pathri, India(pictured), Compassion is working to carefor children even before they are born byeducating mothers, providing nutrition,medical assistance and social support.

“Compassion is delighted to beworking with Barnabas on this unique andexciting campaign,” said Steve Bunn ofCompassion UK. “It is our prayer thatbooksellers across theUK will capture thevision of the EncourageCompassion ThisChristmas campaignand that together wecan help improve thelives of children inneed.” brf.org.uk

Is religion being sidelined by the media? This is certainly aconcern we hear from our members, and it was raised at thisyear’s Church and Media Conference. Roger Bolton, presenterof Radio 4’s Feedback, lamented to the attendees that the

amount of religious programming has declined, although he did addthat he thinks the quality is improving. He said it is time for the BBCto recruit a specialist religion editor who can speak authoritatively onreligion and explain its relevance to other issues.

The Alliance media team is certainly working to improve religiousbroadcasting. We meet with senior broadcasters and journalists and

speak regularly to producers. While there are times we need to becritical, our overall mission is not to build a chasm but instead toproactively offer good story ideas that will appeal to them asprogrammes worth showing.

One of the most exciting ways we’ve been able to get involved isby giving broadcasters access to Christians who aren’t celebrities buthave fascinating stories to tell. Recently, I was approached by aproducer working on a new Channel 4 project, 4thought.tv, a shortreligion and ethics slot that airs every night after the news. Sheasked me for ideas for future programmes and has been delightedwith the interviewees we have provided her.

So are we really being sidelined? If the media reflect ourincreasingly secular society, perhaps it’s no surprise that there isless religious programming. But the fact that 4thought.tv has beencommissioned shows there is clearly still a hunger for stories abouthow faith impacts people’s lives. And while the appetite is there,those stories will continue to be told.

mediamattersby Charis Gibson, Senior Press Officer


EQUIPPING YOUNG PEOPLE. Christians aged18 to 30 are gathering in Whitby, NorthYorkshire, 3-5 September for the annualSeptember Bible School. Held at WhitbyEvangelical Church, the course is designedto equip young people for service andleadership. “To have 50 or so young people,all listening with rapt attention to theministry of God's word, is a preacher'sdelight,” said previous guest speaker IanHamilton of Cambridge Presbyterian Church.“One of my most enjoyable memories was ofthe young people plying me with seriousquestions about the Christian life, eager toknow how they might better live to God'spraise.” septemberbibleschool.org.uk

IT'S A HIT. Six months after thelaunch of Church Army's Now aChristian website, a survey showsthat the free internet-based courseis having a positive impact on thosewho use it. The site was praised for itsdown-to-earth style, practicality andconvenience, and 76 per cent of thosesurveyed said they would recommendit to their minister. Now a Christianwas designed to help people take theirfirst step in the faith, recognising thatpeople want to explore Christianity ontheir own before signing up forsomething like the Alpha Course.nowachristian.org.uk

WORLDWIDE CHRISTIAN TV. Alliance memberUnited Christian Broadcasters (UCB) has launchedthe world’s first live Christian mobile TV channel,available to almost any mobile phone in theworld using a 3G or wi-fi connection. Viewerswill be able to tune in and watch popular showssuch as Adventures in Odyssey, Living Truth,Hillsong, Abundant Life, plus Christian concerts,international conferences, documentaries andmovies. The exclusive service from Yamgo, theglobal mobile TV network, potentially providesfree live TV to millions of mobile phoneusers with iPhone, iPad, HTC, Nokia,Blackberry, Samsung, Sony Ericsson,Motorola or Android devices.ucbmedia.co.uk

news

Give youth a Fighting Chance

http://fightingchance.me

http://brf.org.uk

http://septemberbibleschool.org.uk

http://ucbmedia.co.uk

http://nowachristian.org.uk

Making community connectionsThe Alliance member agency Affordable Christian Housing claimsthat Christian workers have far greater impact when they have a safehome from which to carry out their ministry and live in the samecommunities in which they serve. Workers in London are especiallyvulnerable, as the city lacks affordable housing and councilaccommodation is in very short supply. So schools, hospitals,charities, churches and other employers struggle to find staff thatcan afford to live nearby.

For example, church congregations can change rapidly as peoplecan’t afford to stay. “Christian workers who have a strong calling toshare their faith and live in the community to embody God’s love canbe frustrated simply because they are unable to find an affordablehome,” said CEO Tim Fallon. "That’s where we try to help."

Affordable Christian Housing works in partnership with keyChristian workers in London. The focus is on those called to be inareas of real social deprivation where need is greater and resourcesare few.

“Working in the community helps people to begin to see anongoing identity and presence,” said Efrem Buckle (pictured with hisfamily), a pastor at Calvary Chapel South London. “It makes it easyfor people to make connections with what we do out there and whatwe talk about in church.”

The church is pioneering multi-media outreach programmesin schools, prisons and on the streets, which are seeing realsuccess. But finding accommodation in this part of London washard work, and after several years in difficult and sometimes hostileenvironments, the Buckles are thankful for the provision of apeaceful home. “Affordable Christian Housing fully appreciated andunderstood our situation and were committed to helping us,” saidJudith Buckle. “When we first moved in it was like learning to liveagain ... it felt like being able to breathe after holding our breath foryears.” achal.org.uk

StEthelburgas

Mission ismy passion.That’s why I’m leaving alegacyto CMS.




Eve Vause believes in mission - and shebelieves in sharing the Gospel and helpingpeople in poverty discover life in all its fullness.

“The work CMS does with mothers and children in Africa so often means the difference between life and death. I am dividing my assets between my family and two Christian charities, including CMS.”

Eve considers herself quite ordinary, but by remembering a Christian charity like CMS in her will, she will be able to help people in need for many years to come.

Why not follow her example, and leave a legacy to a Christian charity? Find out more at


Eve VauseCMS supporter

ADVENT COMES EARLY. Magnet Resourceshas produced a pack containing posters, abooklet and worship material for the fourweeks of Advent based on the UnitedNations’ eight Millennium DevelopmentGoals, the focus of Christian activismthrough the Micah Challenge movement.The material was written by author andworship leader Stella Bristow, with posterimages by the Chinese artist He Qi. Thesedepict four Advent scenes beginning withthe visit of Mary to Elizabeth and endingwith the birth of the baby Jesus. In additionto printed versions, the images are alsoavailable as downloads for projection.ourmagnet.co.uk/shop

http://achal.org.uk

http://ourmagnet.co.uk/shop

news


COUNSELLING AND CARE. As part ofits autumn conference, Associationof Christian Counsellors is running atraining workshop on 16 October inWeston-Super-Mare to explore hurtand loss, and how people can be safelyoffered psychological and emotionalsupport. The one-day event is designedto address the stresses and challenges ofday-to-day life, including health issues,separation and divorce or prematuredeath, or indeed criminal actions suchas rape and domestic violence. Theworkshop is suitable for pastoral carersand anyone involved in caring forpeople who are hurting. acc-uk.org

Dr Dallas Willard is aprofessor in the School ofPhilosophy at the Universityof Southern California inLos Angeles. He has writtenseveral books, includingRenovation of the Heart(2002) and The DivineConspiracy (1998) and servedon the board of the CS LewisFoundation. We talked to himabout the Bible...

idea: What's your earliest memory ofreading the Bible?Willard: That would be in Sunday school as avery small child. I guess you would say it waseven before I could read. I loved flannel-graph, which the teachers used to presentthe Bible stories. So I can’t really remembera time when I wasn’t immersed in thosestories. Of course that’s not the same asreading the Bible, but it lays a foundationfor approaching the Bible when you cometo the age where you can think about whatyou’re reading and have a better graspthan just the stories will give you. This issomething that’s been lifelong for me.

How do you keep Bible-reading fresheach day?I read the Bible in the light of what I’mdealing with. That relationship betweenthe Bible and what I am doing not onlykeeps the Bible fresh but it keeps prayerfresh. It keeps listening to God throughoutthe day fresh. If you isolate just readingthe Bible from these other aspects it willdie on you. You have to put it into life.When you do that, you bring somethingextremely influential in framingeverything. It’s keeping the Bible close tolife that keeps it fresh. You don’t take itlike medicine; you sort of live with it.

Keep theBible fresh

FACT-FINDING IN BOLIVIA. Alliancemember charity Toybox has launcheda national competition to findtwo young global educationambassadors. The positions are opento UK children aged 14-15 who canapply through their school for theSteve Sinnott Award. Winners willvisit street children in Bolivia nextFebruary with Toybox and the GlobalCampaign for Education. (James andBeth, the 2009 ambassadors, arepictured.) The competition aimsto raise awareness of the need toprovide every child with a full primary education by the year 2015. This is one of theeight Millennium Development Goals. toyboxcharity.org.uk/campaigning

TACKLING A PANDEMIC. At a special gatheringin Vienna in July, global faith leaders were urgedto work together to fight HIV and Aids. Speakingto some 200 Christian, Jewish and Islamicrepresentatives from Africa, Asia and Europe, JanBeagle of UNAIDS said, “There is sometimes adisconnect between the scientific world and theworld of culture, religion and communities. Butfaith communities, having been involved in HIVprevention, treatment, care and support fromthe earliest days, can help to bridge this gapvery effectively. And we need your help moretoday than ever before. The global AIDSresponse is at a tipping point. For every twopeople starting treatment, another five becomeinfected with the virus.” tearfund.org

Social Media Boot Camp4 Sep, LondonSocial media are everywhere now, as people sharephotos, videos, words and audio. It's no longer aquestion of whether to get involved, but how. Thisevent will explore what social media is, why it's hereand why it's so important. eauk.org/slipstream

360 Degree Preaching20 Sep, OxfordThis is an opportunity to improve preaching as well-known author Michael Quicke makes a rare visit to theUK. Attendees will enjoy a day in an Oxford Universitycollege and a chance to sharpen skills with otherpreachers. eauk.org/slipstream/events

Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe26 Sep, worldwideChristians of all nations are encouraged to pray, fastand give the money they would usually spend on aday’s food supply towards Trumpet Call, which hopesto help deliver five million Zimbabweans from povertywithin the next five years. lovezim.org

Enabling Church7 Oct, LondonThis event, sponsored by Churches for All, willbroaden and deepen thinking about disability and theengagement of disabled people with church life. It willalso equip attendees to make a difference in their ownchurch situation. premier.org.uk

Festival of Life15 Oct, CardiffThis will be the first Festival of Life gathering ofChristians in Wales, held at the Cardiff InternationalArena. The event is a night of fellowship, praise andprayer for revival in the UK, hosted by Pastor EnochA Adeboye. festivaloflife.org.uk

Access to Life16 Oct, CardiffDisabled people are often marginalised or excludedin our society and our churches. This conferenceis for church and ministry leaders, parents, carers,professionals and for people with learning disabilitiesthemselves. prospects.org.uk

Lausanne 201016-25 Oct, Cape TownThe Alliance, along with churches on every continent,has been preparing for the Third Lausanne Congresson World Evangelization, the widest-ever gathering ofevangelicals, with the aim of setting effective strategyfor the next 10 years. capetown2010.com

I read the Bible in the lightof what I’m dealing with.

You have to put it into life.

How does the Bible impact yourday-to-day ministry?I memorise long passages of Scripture.I memorise a lot of it – I always have.In relating to people, talking with them,working with committees and withclasses, and just being with others, it’ssimply always there. It wallpapers mymind. It’s not out of my horizon, nomatter what I’m doing. It’s a wonderfulthing that I never have to run over andthink about something in the Bible. It’salways there.

How can we all do this?Saturate yourself in it. I wouldn’t knowhow to separate the two. I wouldn’t knowhow to think of ministry as somethingthat did not involve seeing, acting,listening, always with the Bible right therein my mind. It speaks to everything thatcomes by – of course different parts indifferent ways. That is how I’ve come tounderstand abiding in the Word. So youdon’t wind up with a job and then tryingto get things to help with it. It all comestogether. When I hear someone, orsomeone comes with a need forcounselling or prayer, the Word of theScripture is right there for me.biblefresh.com AM

Toybox

http://biblefresh.com

http://tearfund.org

http://toyboxcharity.org.uk/campaigning

http://acc-uk.org

http://www.eauk.org/slipstream

http://www.eauk.org/slipstream/events

http://lovezim.org

http://premier.org.uk

http://festivaloflife.org.uk

http://prospects.org.uk

http://capetown2010.com

A SENSE OF CALLING. Anglican evangelical missionagency CPAS has produced Exploring Call, a free guide tohelp local church leaders encourage people to explorewhether God is calling them to ordained ministry. “Clergyhave the real privilege of being the gatekeeper for thoseconsidering their vocation,” said author Rev Mark Norris.“There are incredible opportunities in helping themdiscover where God is leading them, as well as greatdangers in discouraging someone from exploring theircall. Today, when only 1 per cent of full-time clergy inthe Church of England are under 30, vicars have a greatopportunity to help more young people realise theirpotential.” cpas.org.uk/fosteringvocations

� For updated news from Alliance members, click onYour Stories at eauk.org/idea

Biblefresh gains momentumChurches throughout the UK will be holding special services thisautumn to celebrate the Bible, so they will be ready to engage inthe year-long focus on Biblefresh starting in January. More than 86agencies, festivals, colleges and denominations are working togetheron the project, and a free pack of resources has been compiled foruse in special Biblefresh services that churches can hold any timeduring next three months.

Worship leader Vicky Beeching has provided a song list, AbbeyGuinness from Lacey Theatre Company has written a creative reading,Sam Hargreaves from Engage worship has put together some newliturgy, and the Alliance’s Krish Kandiah has come up with an easilyaccessible set of PowerPoint slides and sermon notes.

“This pack, which is free to download from our website, willreally help churches to launch Biblefresh effectively in the autumn,so that they can hit the ground running in January,” said BiblefreshCo-ordinator Alexandra Lilley. biblefresh.com

I want mylegacy to bringthe Bibleto peopleacross the world.

Alan Gait faced a life-threatening illness in his 40s, but says “Reading the Bible helped me to depend on God. His Word upheld me and gave me comfort.“

Alan’s will benefits family, friends and his local church - but also the work of Bible Society.

“It’s really important for people to have the Bible in their own language, so they can know God’s love for the world.”

Alan wouldn’t claim he’s doing anything extraordinary, but his Christian legacy will make a real difference to the causes he holds dear.

Please leave a legacy to a Christian charity in your will. Find out more at


Alan GaitBible Society

supporter




All-night prayer launches HopeHope Together is the national continuation of Hope08, encouragingunified mission in word and action. The movement was launched on23 July as part of the Festival of Life, an all-night session of prayerhosted by Pastor Agu Irukwu at the ExCel Centre in London. The40,000-strong congregation stood in prayer for unity in mission.

“There is a feeling that God is in this and that it is actually largerthan we all think,” said Irukwu. “There is a real desire to do something- working together, black and white majority churches, urban-basedmissions and missions that are out in the country.”

Roy Crowne (pictured with Irukwu), executive director of HopeTogether, said, “Jesus doesn't see the difference in tradition or stylesof worship. He sees His Church, the body of Christ. His prayer is thatwe would unite in the purpose and mission of God to express acts ofkindness and communicate His love. Let us do even more together andbring hope to each village, town and city.”

Hope together aims to help the Church become more outward-looking over the next four years, leading toward an all-out year ofmission in 2014. hopetogether.org.uk


http://hopetogether.org.uk

http://cpas.org.uk/fosteringvocations

http://www.eauk.org/idea

pious lists that can be ignored or circumvented. By contrast, theologyhighlights that values must be complemented with virtues such ashonesty, diligence and putting others’ interests first. These depend oncharacter, which is only learned by example.

It is in this context that Christians are called to be salt and lightin the banking system and throughout society. Conventional bankregulation is only part of the answer; it is not enough. It is essential thatrelationships are re-established as critical to generating a stable andsocially beneficial financial system.

An alternativeIn the run up to the crisis, consumer lenders actively encouraged thebuild-up of household debt, and the Church has a clear responsibility tooffer a culture that offers an alternative to mere consumption. We mustshow our neighbours that that the desire for more should be temperedby long-term individual interests, wider social needs, environmentalconcerns and a focus on saving rather than borrowing. As Christians,we must consider whether we have become absorbed by a consumer-oriented culture. And the Church must show mercy by offering supportto those who are weak, vulnerable and in financial need.

Blame for the current situation should not solely be laid at the doorof bankers; governments and households also showed greed, selfishnessand impatience. Governments led the population into believing thateconomic growth was sustainable and gave the impression that risk hadbeen abolished. And households were by no means obliged to take on somuch debt, which for many led to catastrophe.

Banks and governments are often hailed as holding the answers toall our problems. But a biblical analysis of the current situation impliesthat all of us have a responsibility. We must recognise the idolatry in oureconomic system and condemn the structural injustices it generates. Theaims of economics – wealth, consumption, power– stand in stark contrast to Jesus’ proclamationof the kingdom of God: the law of love for Godand neighbour and responsible stewardship.The Church should proclaim this vigorously.

� Philip Davis' report Banking on Virtueis available for download or purchase at:eauk.org/lifebeyonddebt

Banking on virtue

Theology, like economics,looks at both how things are

and how they ought to be


essay

Philip Davis, senior research fellow atthe National Institute for Economicand Social Research and pastor ofPenge Baptist Church, takes a broaderview of the economic crisis...

The financial crisis is leaving deep scars on the nation'seconomy. There has been a good deal of attention paid tothe origins of the crisis, but this has mostly measured thecause and effect of various events in economic terms. But this

is a limited perspective on the situation. A broader view can be gained bylooking at economics with a biblical understanding of humankind. Thisenables us to see not just how the immediate events preceding the crisishad such a damaging impact but why these events occurred at a deeperlevel and where responsibility lies.

Taking risksThe crisis was preceded by an expansion of credit, financial innovationand widespread risk-taking. Since these were common features inpast crises, why wasn't this one better forecast? The size and globalintegration of the US financial markets made it inevitable the crisiswould become global, while the UK was particularly vulnerable becauseof its house-price boom.

An economic analysis of recent events would focus on the role ofrational self-interest. This view of humanity can help us analyse policyissues and economic development, but is less useful for answering whythe crisis occurred if everyone was supposedly behaving rationally. Butfocussing on efficiency ignores ethical judgements: in economic terms,irresponsibility and immoral behaviour can only be condemned if theyirrationally conflict with individual self-interest.

Theology, like economics, looks at both how things are and howthey ought to be. While made in the image of God, humanity is fallen.Choices and actions are often determined by self-interest, relationshipscan be spoiled by power and fear, humanity may exploit nature, andwork can become toil. Wealth may be celebrated as indicating God’sblessing, but it is the relationship with God that is central to a Christianunderstanding of well-being. Community life is a crucial aspect ofhumanity beyond the narrow ambition of individual fulfilment.

As beings created in the image of God, we have free choice but wealso carry responsibility for our actions. The Bible has justice at its core,so taking a stand on economic issues should encourage godly stewardship,useful work, protecting the vulnerable and preserving family life. Andwhile the state is ordained by God, its decisions should be scrutinised.

Integrity requiredThe continued functioning of the banking system requires integrity andprudence on the part of bankers, and this was evidently lacking in recentyears. A biblical view of human character shows a level of realism aboutour frequent irrationality that seems absent from much economic analysis.

The Bible speaks of irrationally idolatrous behaviour such as theIsraelites worshipping handcrafted gods. And Jesus went further: “Youcannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6.24). The implication isthat if our attitude to money is to see it as a goal in life – an end initself – then it is ultimately an idol. Wealth can entice us into pride,selfishness and greed, leading society to wrongly value financial-sectoremployment above other forms of work.

Financial regulation tends to promote values that are essentially

http://www.eauk.org/lifebeyonddebt

TRANSFORM YOUR COMMUNITY

A day to inspire and resource you - a chance to share the successes and struggles of mission on the front line

Date: Friday 1 October 2010Time: 10am - 4pmVenue: Westminster Chapel, London, SW1E 6BSCost: £25 per person (£20 if booked by 1 August)Speakers: Nicky Gumbel–HTB David Westlake–Tearfund Krish Kandiah–EA and Jenny and Andy Flannagan leading worship

Book online www.communitymission.org.uk/events

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

In partnership with

AUTHENTIC CHURCH – ENGAGED IN ITS COMMUNITY

DONCASTER17th November, 2010,

Bawtry Hall, Bawtry, Doncaster

LONDON10th November, 2010,

The Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1

OLD AGE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Book online at

www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

Does your church support caregivers

How can you prepare for a great old age

What do we mean by growing spirituallyDo you know all there is to know about being old

And about the new way of caringfor people with dementia ?

http://www.communitymission.org.uk/events

http://www.trinitywealthmanagement.co.uk


“In three venues on three consecutive nights in March, hundredsof people gathered in Swansea, Cardiff and Colwyn Bay to listen tosome of the UK’s most prominent Christian leaders,” reports ElfedGodding, national director for Wales. “CICC aims to help Christiansapply the Bible to contemporary issues.” eauk.org/wales

hours donated byour volunteers...“I’d always thought giving wasjust financial,” says MarinaPattenden, a volunteer withthe Alliance's membershipteam.“I wasn’t cash rich,but could set aside somehours each week to help.I’ve particularly enjoyedinteraction with members,seeing how the Alliance equipsthem on a local and nationallevel.” eauk.org/getinvolved

The Alliance’syear in numbers

3,078

impact report

people who attended Kingdom Come...“Seeing all in church leadership flourish and be supported in theirroles was the aim of Kingdom Come in February,” says Stephen Cave,National Director for Northern Ireland. “Another highlight for us wasthe Not Just a One Night Stand conference, helping 16-30s discusssex and relationships.” eauk.org/northern-ireland

The idea is to examine the spiritual hold money has on our lives,totting up how much money we would receive in a month onbenefits and giving the rest to charity. “It is a shock how littleI had left over when I was so hard on myself,” says Andy Reed,then MP for Loughborough. “It has made me take action, not justthink about it. I am now healthier, happier, live a more sustainablelifestyle and enjoyed the experience.” simplify.org.uk

days people live as if onbenefits for Simplify...

South Asian Christians estimated to beliving in the UK...

people attending the launch of theCymru Institute for ContemporaryChristianity...

months for Steve Clifford as the Alliance’s general director...

appearances for theAlliance in the media...

“As a minority within a minority, we need a voice to respond quicklyand with unity to pertinent issues, such as persecution of Christiansin Pakistan and Afghanistan or the intense suffering caused by thedivisions in Sri Lanka,” says Ram Gidoomal, chair of the Alliance’sSouth Asian Forum, which was launched this year. eauk.org/saf

“From debating divine judgementon Newsnight after the release ofthe Lockerbie bomber to advisingCoronation Street about thebaptism of one of its characters,the Alliance has been at theforefront of Christian mediaengagement,” reports Head ofMedia and Marketing CharisGibson. “We have also supportedmembers with training, one-on-one support and local mediahubs.” eauk.org/media

This impact report covers April 2009 to March 2010,my first year as general director. It's been a privilege anda challenge to be here during this pivotal time for theAlliance to unite the Church to see change in our society.

Many highlights are listed here, but for me the overriding aspecthas been the faithful financial and prayer support of Alliance members.The whole team and I are thankful for everyone who partners with Godon His vision of unity. It's been an amazing year.

For example, last autumn Ann and I tested the Simplify challenge tolive as if on benefits and to give what was saved to charity. In September,I was encouraged when the Alliance Council met with a dynamic group ofmore than 100 leaders to grapple with key issues of the 18-30s generation.

And I will never forget being seated in the tiny historical Chapel ofSt Mary Undercroft in March for the launch of Biblefresh alongsideleaders from across church communities. We prayed for the leaders ofour nation as they met in the Houses of Parliament just above our heads.For me, this initiative provides a snapshot of the Alliance's core ministry:bringing nearly 100 agencies together to serve in co-operation ratherthan competition to help the Church be more effective in mission.

As general director, I am privileged to visit churches and hearfirsthand stories about what God is doing all over the county. I amreminded that the local church truly is God’s vehicle of hope, and Ibelieve we have a great future together. So read on and be encouraged.

http://www.eauk.org/getinvolved

http://www.eauk.org/media

http://www.simplify.org.uk

http://www.eauk.org/northern-ireland

http://www.eauk.org/saf

http://www.eauk.org/wales


“The dynamic of one person envisioned by the Spirit tobring wellbeing to our world is an unstoppable force,”says Forum for Change co-ordinator Marijke Hoek.“We are weaving a network of similarly orientatedpeople for strategic action in education, business, sport,politics, media and the arts.” eauk.org/f4c

“This has been our vision: that people would be praying for Scotlandevery hour of every day over the year,” says Fred Drummond,National Director for Scotland. “We believe that prayer is themagnet for mission, and there is a sense that God is beginningto stir His people in Scotland.” eauk.org/scotland

Over the last six months, the directorate hasdeveloped its strategy to see the Alliancein a better position to fulfil its purpose ofuniting to change society. Implementationof this programme and structure will beginin September, continuing to recognise unity(working together) and advocacy (voice)as the two key areas of activity where theAlliance is uniquely positioned to benefitboth Church and society.� The Alliance is also continuing to tellstories of unity and how members areimpacting communities for Christ. Pleasesend your story to: [email protected]

organisations working togetherfor the 18-30s generation...

“Research shows that only a third of Christians under 30 considerthemselves to be leaders in their church,” says Alistair Stevenson,public policy officer for the Alliance in Scotland. “This is a challengethe Alliance has taken seriously, and an 18-30 leadership team isconsulting young adults to frame a strategy to build a more stablefuture for the Church.” eauk.org/slipstream

Lords lobbied regardingthe Equality Act...

person needed to effect change...

months before thenext impact report...

days of prayer forScotland...

organisations working together with Biblefresh...

“Biblefresh unites a diverse group of organisations, festivals, collegesand publishers that are involved with the Bible,” says Krish Kandiah,executive director for Churches in Mission. “The goal is to equip theUK Church with confidence in and appetite for the Scriptures. Themovement provides churches with practical and inspiring ways toengage afresh with God’s Word, and churches are already planningart exhibitions, school assemblies, fashion shows, photographycompetitions and Bible-reading marathons for the year-longcelebration in 2011.” biblefresh.com

“The Alliance – both the staff and the members – is thankful toGod for His faithfulness, particularly this past year in light of theeconomic downturn,” says Helen Calder, Finance & Operationsdirector. “The staff has particularly been thankful for prayers asthey undertake their work in a variety of areas.”

per cent of the Alliance’sexpenditure spent oncharitable activities...

“This is just one in a number of issues on which the Alliance wasable to have a positive impact on Parliament,” says ParliamentaryOfficer Daniel Webster. “And at the end of 2009, the Alliance andStewardship produced Life Beyond Debt, a resource that helpschurches respond to the recession.” eauk.org/public-affairs

This is a summary of the financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2010. Figures include unrestricted and restricted funds of the charityand the trading activities of EA Developments Ltd. They are taken from the full audited Annual Report & Financial Statements, which areavailable from the Evangelical Alliance, 186 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4BT.

http://www.eauk.org/public-affairs

http://www.eauk.org/f4c


http://www.eauk.org/scotland

http://www.eauk.org/slipstream


cover story

Cover and main photos: Christians speak upagainst poverty at The Wave in Westminster.

Christians are making a difference on important issues thataffect society. Hazel Southam speaks with four campaignerswho explain why they take action...

On 10 October, some 100 million Christians are expectedto pray a global prayer for the end of world poverty.Around 10 million of them will be making promises tostand with the poor – anything from buying Fair Trade

food to banking ethically. Micah Challenge, the event’s organiser,hopes that a thousand politicians around the world will be impactedby the campaign.

This is the face of modern-day campaigning: bringing togetheraction, lifestyle and prayer.

The old face of campaigning simply as a tub-thumping rally haschanged. Today, you don’t have to take to the streets and march if youdon’t want to. You can email your MP during lunchtime, run an event inyour village or town, or simply decide to alter your shopping habits.

But along with making a difference to your cause, taking action canaffect your life. Four campaigners tell me their stories.

Practical actionZoe Uffindell, age 18, is studying geographyat Oxford University. She chose the course asa direct result of a school trip to Botswanaand Zambia two years ago, where thestudents helped build two homes for womenwhose families had been ravaged by Aids.

“It felt really amazing,” she recalls. “Atthe beginning there were two twigs and apiece of string. And at the end there was ahouse. It was very moving because thiswoman had her own house to live in anddidn’t have to depend on anyone else.”

For Zoe, it was a vivid demonstration of how practical actions canhelp change a life. “That made me want to pursue international

development and study geography, which I am doing,” she says.And she has also continued to campaign. First, she demonstrated atthe Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December 2009 withChristian development agency Tearfund. More recently, she gave a talkon poverty to her Christian Union, after which the members clubbedtogether to sponsor a child.

Attending the Copenhagen summit was an eye-opener for Zoe.“It was the first march I’d ever been on,” she says. “It was amazing tosee all the flags and see where everyone was from. Afterwards we feltdespondent, but we met up with the 24/7 prayer team and sat aroundand prayed about the decisions that were being made. That was the bestthing that we could have done.

“I have never seen abject poverty, but I’ve heard about it. In a worldwhere some people have so much, it seems wrong that others can haveso little and nothing seems to be done about it.”

Raising awarenessOn the other side of the world, Katie Ahmadhas been holding birthday parties at herchurch in Melbourne to raise awarenessof child mortality. Katie wanted to let hercongregation know that some 8.8 millionchildren will die before their 5th birthdaythis year, so she held several parties completewith birthday cakes.

“As a representation of the manychildren in the world who will not enjoybirthday number 5, two 5-year-olds cameonto the stage to blow out the candles as wesang Happy Birthday to them,” she says.

“Currently, within the Australian government’s overseas aid budget,one in every six dollars goes to healthcare. Our congregation wrotemessages in around 600 birthday cards requesting that the governmentincrease this figure to one in every four dollars in the 2011-2012 budget.The following week a delegation of us met with Mark Dreyfus, our localMP. We delivered the cards to him personally, so that he could then passthem on to Stephen Smith, our current Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

Katie had been nervous about even emailing Dreyfus, but in personfound him sympathetic to the cause. “Another encouraging thing for me


‘At the beginning there weretwo twigs and a piece of string,

and at the end there was a house’

was to witness the pleasure of those who came along in the groupwho had not met an MP in this manner before,” she says. “One youngperson commented on how encouraging and empowering she foundthe whole experience.”

Seeking justiceRetired university lecturer Dr Tony McCaffry,age 68, has helped run a trade justice groupin his home village of Ashtead since the1990s, with around a dozen people meetingeach month. But the group has a widerimpact through lobbying local MP ChrisGrayling on issues of concern.

Conscious that others have little timeto campaign but want to be involved,the Ashtead group is set to launch an emailupdate for hundreds of local people inSeptember. It will highlight three campaignseach month, enabling people who are busywith families and work to get involved.

Recently, they took up the issue of illegal logging, which was thenpassing through the European Parliament and had been highlighted in acampaign by Christian development agency Progressio. As a result, theEuropean Parliament passed a law banning the sale of illegally loggedtimber, going some way to protecting the world’s remaining forests –people, flora and fauna.

“I bump into Chris Grayling regularly in the village,” Tony says. “It’s

about building up relationships and thanking people [MPs and MEPs]for their response.” Over the years, the group has grown in confidenceand is definitely “more persistent now” according to Tony.

“With a Christian-faith understanding, campaigning doesn’t feel likean optional extra,” he says. “Campaigning isn’t a minority interest; it’s areal mainstream thing now. I’m learning who my neighbour is all thetime – that’s an important aspect for me. People shouldn’t be dying ofstarvation and little kids dying of malaria.As a Christian, we believe that God’s view isloving, so we should have a loving view ofthe world.”

A risky campaignSending emails, writing letters, even goingon a march can be enjoyable for many of us.But some campaigners find themselves facedwith prison sentences because they stood upfor a cause that was dear to their heart.

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Patricia Pulham, now 72. Back in the early 1980s, this mother of seven,who was also a foster parent, was deeply concerned about the world inwhich her children were growing up. The threat of nuclear war worriedher and so she joined Christian CND.

“I tried so hard to give the children a good life,” she recalls, “but atthat time people really felt that they were in danger of obliteration.There was a real, real anxiety. That took me to protest. It was as if I wasprotecting my children.”

Her first experience was protesting at Greenham Common, anAmerican air base in Berkshire where cruise missiles were stored.It was the centre of anti-nuclear protests for many years.

A committed Christian, Patricia says that this felt like a calling.“My faith was very important to me. I really felt called at that time todo something very definite for what I believed the Gospel said aboutpeace,” she says. “My motives were very religious. I was convinced itwas right.”

With the backing of her husband and family, she chose directaction – in this case, sitting in the road – and was arrested by the police.A series of arrests led to fines that Patricia refused to pay. This led toprison, and she served a total of seven or eight months over many shortsentences.

“I was praying as I took action,” she says, “but the sentences also feltsacramental. I was very, very frightened the first time. I was frightenedof the other prisoners. But I met people who had had a raw deal andI found kindness and support in the other women.” But there wasviolence too, resulting in Patricia being attacked for trying to protectanother inmate from a beating.

Today, Patricia is still active but restricts her campaigning tomeetings with MPs, bishops and embassies. “It’s still important to myfaith,” she says. “It’s the way that I respond to the Gospel. When youthink of God’s creation and anything that damages that creation, well,that must be an act of blasphemy.”

10/10/10“This year Micah Challenge wants to change the world throughmillions of tiny promises,” says Micah’s Andy Clasper. “We believethat the poor of our world are being forgotten, so we are askingpeople to commit to remember them.” And with the big day on10 October fast approaching, people are already signing up,pledging their support in different ways.

“I promise to consider more what the impact of every purchaseI make will be on those most in need,” says John Robertson fromBiggleswade.

“I promise to live with more an awareness to the issuessurrounding poverty, to pray with more passion and empathy forthose suffering in poverty and to believe that, no matter what, wecan make a difference,” says Rebecca Walton from Christchurch.

“I promise to care for the poor by acting justly, showing mercy,walking humbly before God and encouraging others to do thesame,” says Trevor Miles of St Albans, echoing the core theme ofMicah 6.8.� Make your promise to the poor at: whatsyourpromise.org.uk

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how-to

1. Let people know it takes time to become aChristian

Of those surveyed, nearly two thirds said that becoming a Christianwas a gradual process. People need to be prepared for it to take time tobecome a Christian; for most Christians it takes between one and fouryears, although for some it’s much longer – a lifetime even. We mustreassure them that this is normal and that it is unusual to have aDamascus Road-type experience like the Apostle Paul did. People shouldnot expect to come to faith suddenly or to feel they are less of aChristian for not having had a remarkable experience.

To paraphrase one person's journey: “There have been gaps, but I’vealways been part of the Church. I’ve been part of the Christian familyas long as I can remember, but really began to explore what this meantthrough the promises I made in Scouts. After getting married andleaving home the attachment to church was loosened. I still had faith,

but God played a smaller part in my life. So my faith journey begangradually, but at the age of 25 there was a sudden call to discipleship.”

It’s probably wise for us to move away from the terms “sudden” oreven “gradual” and instead acknowledge a mix of ongoing backgroundactivities sometimes punctuated by more dramatic moments.

2. Focus on the building blocks for children andyoung people

Christian faith is usually firmly established when young: a third ofpeople claim they knew they were Christian before the age of 12;40 per cent knew somewhere between 12 and 19; 16 per cent in their20s; and just 9 per cent aged 30 and above. The Faith Journeys projecthas revealed that the foundation built during childhood andadolescence is highly significant.

“I started attending church at the age of 8 after being invited to a

Help peoplealong their

faith journeyThe Christian faith is a process that everyone experiences differently, as shownin a recent Christian Research study exploring faith journeys. Benita Hewitt andPhil Green find four ways in which the findings can equip churches...


holiday Bible club,” said another person. “Subsequently, I startedattending Sunday school and Boys’ Brigade – I enjoyed both. When Iwas 11 I went on a Christian camp and was introduced to reading theBible on my own. Although I didn’t read the Bible regularly, I didsporadically and began to grow in my understanding of God. Going toyouth weekends away, which included intense times of learning andprayer, introduced me to the idea of spending time with God. I’d saythat I actually became a Christian when I was 14, but I see these six

years preparing me for that moment of conviction and commitment.”Investing in children and young people is essential. Building blocks

include attending festivals, regular youth activities and equippingyoung people to engage with the Bible and prayer. The research has alsohighlighted that it’s important for young people to feel part of themain body of the church and that parents and grandchildren play aninfluential role. Are we training parents and grandparents for the vitalrole they have in the faith journeys of their children and grandchildren?

3. Focus on transition timesSignificant faith journey milestones can include starting a new schoolor new job, getting married, having children, moving house, gettinginvolved with a new church, losing a loved one or falling ill. As oneperson said, “I was seriously ill and in hospital – not far from death.I cried out to God to save me. What occurred then was the mostwonderful experience of my life. I gave my life to the Lord as Icame round.”

Another said, “I moved from a big mega-church to a much smallerone. I remember how refreshing and reassuring it was that the Spiritmoved us as powerfully with 10 people and a broken piano as he hadwith a famous worship band and the latest technology. It felt like beingpart of the early Church as this small group met together and watchedGod unfold His plans for us. It was a really exciting time.”

It is during times of transition that people need extra support;we should be looking at how we can provide this. However, transitiontimes are also opportunities for growth. What are our churches doingto identify points of transition in the lives of our congregations andlocal communities? How can we offer support and nurture growth?

4. Be aware of negative family influencesWhile many are supported and encouraged in a Christian family,be aware that the immediate family can also be a source of strongdiscouragement. Of those surveyed, 16 per cent claimed to have beendiscouraged by parents when they were growing up, and 15 per centwere also discouraged by parents even though they were adults. Youngpeople can be put off by siblings and adults by their spouse or partner.It is not just in far off lands that Christians are being persecuted.

Jesus said, “They will be divided, father against son and son againstfather, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (Luke 12.53). The stories people recounted reveal something ofwhy family members might discourage Christians. It is often to do withChristian relationships intruding into family relationships, but also to dowith ignorance and fear.

“My mother had found her own religious upbringing verydamaging and wanted us to avoid that,” said one person. “She seemeduncomfortable at times with my own strong inclination to explorereligion and spirituality.”

Another said, “When I decided to start going to church, my wifewas dead against the idea and fought hard to make me ‘normal’ again.I resisted, because I didn’t want to lose what God has given me, but thiscaused a lot of tension.”

And a third noted that “the tension my faith causes in my familyrelationships is one of the hardest thing about being a Christian”.

We need to support and encourage those in our churches who maybe living day-to-day with opposition to their faith from the peopleclosest to them. Are our churches trying to sensitively build relationshipswith these families?

� Whether you had a Damascus Road experience or came tofaith slowly, your story can encourage others and add to acomprehensive collection of faith journeys. Recount yourexperience at: faith-journeys.com

How can we offer support andnurture growth?

Alfiere

http://www.faith-journeys.com

It's the age-old question of free will. Our culture is increasinglysceptical of the idea that our lives are planned out by God orsome abstract force of fate, but it is still troubled by thisquestion. We are surrounded by the message that complete

freedom to control our own destiny is the highest possible good.“Your future is whatever you make it,” proclaims Doc Brown

triumphantly at the conclusion of the classic Back to the Futuretrilogy, articulating in its simplest form one of the most dearly heldconvictions of the Western world. Freedom to live my own life in theway that I choose is the goal; imposition, whether by outside forces ormy own limitations, is an obstacle to be overcome.

A sense that all-seeing divine power imposes upon this freedom

Destinationknown

Looking for conversation starters, Sophie Listerfinds relevant themes in popular culture...

THE KID (17 Sep)Based on the memoir by Kevin Lewis, thisfilm recounts his horrific journey throughthe care system, during which he wasviolently abused by his mother (anunrecognisable Natascha McElhone) andwent through a series of foster homesbefore a care worker (Bernard Hill), alertteacher (Ioan Gruffudd) and foster father(James Fox) finally show him love andconcern. The three actors who play Kevin(William Finn Miller, Augustus Prew andRupert Friend) are excellent, and the realpower of the film is in the way it soclearly portrays how a simple act ofkindness can change a life. RCAr

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WINTER'S BONE (opens 17 Sep)An award-winner at several festivals, thisdarkly riveting drama explores issues ofresponsibility, loyalty and betrayal in itsstory of 17-year-old Ree (the astoundingJennifer Lawrence), whose father disappears,leaving her to care for her nearly catatonicmother and two much-younger siblings. Setin the wintry Missouri Ozarks, the close-knitcommunity is her only salvation, but it's alsoa source of real danger as everyone knowseverybody's business, people understandtheir place and help is offered but neverrequested. Every scene in this remarkablysoulful film is packed with subtle detailthat keeps us thinking. RC

Films

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talking points

MADE IN DAGENHAM (1 Oct)A chronicle of the events leading to the law requiring equalpay for women, this film follows a feisty group of factoryworkers (led by the remarkable Sally Hawkins) whogo on strike against executives who think it'sperfectly fine to pay women less than halfwhat the men get. Despite the heavy subjectmatter, this is more Calendar Girls thanNorma Rae. The comical tone is a nicecounterpoint to more serious explorationsof sexism in relationships, workplacesand society at large. The terrificcast includes BobHoskins, MirandaRichardson andRosamund Pike. RC

was expressed in 1998 film The Truman Show and more recently,though rather less eloquently, in the blockbuster Clash of the Titans.In both cases, human characters unite to make a stand against godswho are portrayed as manipulative and meddling. Their selfishnessstands in contrast to the heroism of the resistance, and by the end ofboth films we see men and women rise from the grip of the powersthat would rule their lives.

Lives planned outIn the upcoming film The Adjustment Bureau adds a fantastical twistthat provides a fascinating slant on this theme. Based on a short storyby Philip K Dick, the film imagines a world where lives are plannedout and stringently monitored by a team of sinister, sharp-suited men.Charismatic politician David Morris (Matt Damon) is on the brink ofa dazzling career when he meets and falls for the dancer Elise (EmilyBlunt). His heart causes him to stray from the path laid out for himby the Adjustment Bureau, and he faces a battle to gain control ofhis own fate. “If you believe in free will,” proclaims the film’s trailer,“if you believe in chance, if you believe in choice, fight for it.”

“All I have are the choices I make,” says David, so his fight againstthe Bureau for a life with Elise is a struggle to remain human. Oursense of identity is centred on the assumption that we can make realchoices that shape our future and our present, complete with risksand consequences. No wonder people react with such distaste againstthe idea of a God who, like some kind of divine adjuster, impinges onour every move.

But this is far from the picture that the Bible paints, asking us toaccept the incomprehensible paradox that, while God is completelysovereign over every detail of human history, He also gives us thedignity of freedom. We are simultaneously completely free andcompletely determined.

The men and women of the Bible are not automatons slavishlyreading from a pre-ordained script, but people whose choices matter.God may work in all things to bring about His purposes, but thisdoesn’t mean that we don’t bear responsibility for our decisions –including the choice to accept or reject Him.

Reclaiming freedomConversely, a worldview that tries to push God out in order to reclaimfreedom ends up doing the very opposite. And as the idea of geneticdeterminism gains a stronger hold on the public imagination, perhaps

it is the threat of being dictated to by our biology that now hauntsour culture, more than the fear of a divine puppeteer.

To be nothing but molecules in a void, our actions merely theinevitable result of blind processes, is to be truly enslaved. The logicalconsequences of this kind of determinism – for morality, for senseof purpose – would be devastating. Far from releasing us todetermine our own destinies, such a reality would reduce freedomto an empty delusion.

In the shadow of this worldview, The Adjustment Bureau andsimilar stories now issue their cry for free will, chance and choice.Perhaps cinemagoers this autumn will have cause to stop andquestion whether we really are able to make our futures “whateverwe want to make them”, and whether true freedom might amount tosomething far deeper than this.

� The Adjustment Bureau opens in cinemas on10 September. Further discussions of Christianthemes in pop culture can be found at:damaris.org

No wonder people react with suchdistaste against the idea of a Godwho impinges on our every move

Sophie Lister writes forCulturewatch.org

Tempting fate: David and Elise (Matt Damon and Emily Blunt)try to take control of their lives in The Adjustment Bureau (left),while the god-like Christof (Ed Harris) watches over his subject(Jim Carrey) in The Truman Show (right)

THE ANATOMY OF PEACEby the Arbinger Institute (Pengiun)“Most conflicts are perpetuated by self-deception,” claims the Arbinger Institute,an international organisation that deals inconflict resolution. This is a fictional accountof a group of troubled parents who mustcome to terms with this idea. Taking theirproblem children to the intriguingly namedCamp Moriah, the parents are about to findout that the conflicts in their lives are not assimple or as one-sided as they thought. Afascinating examination of the deep-rootedcauses behind wars and domestic disputes,this book crucially recognises that we mustexamine ourselves before blaming others. SL


Paramou

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THE PASSPORTby Herta Müller (Serpent's Tail)The 2009 Nobel Prize for Literaturewas awarded to Müller, “who, with theconcentration of poetry and the franknessof prose, depicts the language of thedispossessed”. Her 90-page novel of clippedsentences and surreal imagery embodies theclaustrophobic, wretched reality of the peopleit describes. It traces the meandering thoughtsof an ethnic German, desperate to migratefrom Ceausescu’s Romania to West Germany.As he struggles to meet the demands ofcorrupt officials, he must decide how muchhe will sacrifice in pursuit of his utopia. Willthe destination be tainted by the route he chooses? HP

THE MILLENNIUM TRILOGYby Stieg Larsson (Quercus)These best-sellers – The Girl With the DragonTattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, TheGirl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest – are a cutabove the average crime thriller. Sometimesuncomfortably graphic, always page-turningly tense, the unconventional heroineis abused and vengeful computer hackerLisbeth Salander. She aids disgraced journalistMikael Blomkvist as he attempts to solve themystery of a young girl’s disappearance, and

together they uncover a respectable family’s gruesome secrets.Urging us to take notice of violence against women, a subjectso often considered taboo, this is an unflinching journey intothe dark corners of the human psyche. SL

Books

http://damaris.org

http://Culturewatch.org

Christian media entrepreneur Duncan Williams is a directoron the board of Independent News Ltd. Through buyingup formerly loss-making regional newspapers and fast-tracking them into profit, he is working to improve

communication within local communities. Williams likes creaky oldfilms, travel, meeting new people and learning about cultures andbelief systems. He has a lifelong passion for the sea and if possiblewould like to run his media empire from a boat – “just like a JamesBond villain,” jokes his family.

idea: What is the power of a good story?Williams: A good story does as it says on thetin: it reports a truthful, inspiring message.Maybe it sheds a little light on some gloomor draws attention to somebody or somethingworthwhile. The story's power lies in the factthat through its reporting it seeks toencourage more of the same.

Do you have a dream for society?Often whatever society fixates upon it tendsto get more of. So by offering more positivemedia I genuinely believe we get a morepositive society. When all the focus is placedrelentlessly upon the negative, true vision,faith and hope all get eroded. A new pair ofglasses can remind people that the world can

still be a very beautiful place, even in the most difficult of times.Modern media can be that powerful.

How can the media help society become healthier?Marginalised elements of society often find it hard to access orexpress views in the mainstream media. Broadly speaking there isa trade in sensationalism and death. A tragic killing gets a mass ofcolumn inches and airtime, whereas the celebration of a human lifegets far less. A birthday of a 100-year-old citizen deserves as much,if not more attention, than the gleeful reporting of yet more doomand gloom. Coverage should always aim to be personal and real.Profiles of people should aim to help readers identify and feel a partof rather than apart from. Ten years of revised media attitudes couldhave a remarkably beneficial effect upon society.

Can entrepreneurship help?During this period of time, with the economy as bad as it is, realentrepreneurs are vital to the world economy. This is reflected inthe huge interest shown in programmes like Dragon's Den (pictured),American Inventor, The Apprentice and now The Young Apprentice.Entrepreneurs have an unshakable faith in the future; they havepositive ideas and inspire others.

What do you invest in the next generation?Training, time and experience. Interns from universities such as Oxford,London and Plymouth have all been integral to bringing in new talentand helping to keep our titles fresh and current. One lucky graduateeven got a placement reporting at last May's Cannes Film Festival.

What is your most treasured possession?My left hand. I nearly lost it following a gory incident some years ago.

Fortunately, after a lot of surgery, the fingerswere sewn back together and the mangledmitt was saved. They are all now presentand just about correct. And appreciated thatmuch more by me.

As a child what did you want to be whenyou grew up?A pirate. Or a Time Lord. MH

� Learn about Christians working ina variety of public fields by subscribingto the Alliance's Forum for Changee-newsletter Culture Footprint:eauk.org/forumforchange

For more information visit www.ccli.co.uk/healthcheck and make sure you are acting legally.

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http://www.eauk.org/forumforchange

the basicsWe rejoice in the spread of the Gospel acrossthe world and urge all Christians to committhemselves to this task, avoiding unnecessarycompetition and co-operating, whereverpossible, in the completion of Christ’s kingdomof peace, justice and holiness, to the glory ofthe one God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In our series relating the Alliance's Practical Resolutions to thetask of mission, Marijke Hoek looks at the final resolution...

Surely it is fitting to ask big questionsthat fit the big picture

In 2005, I invited charity leaderswho were helping the homeless inManchester to lunch. It appearedthat some of these faithful workers

weren’t aware of their colleagues, maybedue to the fact that they were out ondifferent nights of the week or working ina different area. At the same time, our

audit of the Christian provision in thecity found 11 pregnancy crisis counsellingservices, while very little was happeningin terms of help for drug addicts.All in all, it was a pretty disjointed picture.

One year later, the ShaftesburySociety’s Challenging Church reportcritiqued the Church for its culture of

individualism. Though the Church is thelargest voluntary organisation, the reportidentified the lack of cooperation andstrategic planning as a key reason why weare failing to make a radical, prophetic andsustainable impact in our communities.Some key consequences of duplicationand competition are the inefficient use ofresources, the lack of funds to respond tonew opportunities or plan strategically, andthe erosion of relationships with the widercommunity. Our disunity dishonours God.

And as the Government launches its“Big Society” initiative, more of us willneed to be involved in voluntary work, so ajoined-up agenda will be increasingly vital.

Is something wrong?At a Forum for Change conference in 2006,Michael Hastings poignantly asked whethersomething is wrong with the way we haveorganised ourselves: “If you could do itall again... and you took your combinedeconomic resources... would you really doit this way? If I gave you £100m and said,‘Go and shake the nation,’ would you spendit this way?” Surely it is fitting to ask bigquestions that fit the big picture.

There is much to be celebrated asfar as a joined-up way of working isconcerned in cities, regions and onnational and international levels. Andyet it bugs me that an urban grassrootsorganisation cannot find £5,000 to employsomeone for a day a week while severalsuburban churches have multimillion-pound building plans. It bothers me thatwe put many resources into politicalengagement while the investment inartistic expression is minimal. It irritatesme that ownership has such a strangleholdon innovation and efficiency; unless ourname is on it we refuse to be in it.

We need generous, self-effacingleadership. We follow a Lord who emptiedHimself. In Philippians 2.5-11, Paul tells

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the story of Jesus, who made Himselfnothing, taking the nature of a servant.He actively rejected status or reputation,dealt with its temptation and servedwithout aiming for position, privilege orreputational capital. Being the firstbornof the new creation, His path ofself-emptying inspires the characterof our discipleship and mission.

Paul urges us not to act out of selfishambition or personal vanity, but inhumility to prefer others and look to theirinterests (2.3ff). We need to be honestabout vested interests that hinder us attimes to work together or prefer oneanother. These cause us to be competitiveand non-cooperative.

Our influence is not determined bythe size of our powerbase or market share,but by our intimacy with the Father andsubmission to His will and ways.

Seeking harmonyThe nature of Jesus’ authority is that Hepoured himself out for others. He is theliving embodiment of the new kingdom,the vision of which is summarised bythe concept of shalom: just andharmonious relationships with eachother, our environment and God.

Our dysfunctional practices, be theyfragmentation or competition, areincapable of establishing any effectiveministry. Taking our cue from Him, the

sacrificial, self-effacing, compassionateinvestment of ourselves will be the mostprecious contribution we make.

Do we invest in a long-term view orare we focused on quick wins? Is it aboutthe next project or the next generation?Jeremiah inspires the people to build, plantand invest in view of future generations(Jeremiah 29.4-14). The investment doesnot require an immediate return for it tobe considered fruitful. Working togetheron a joint project next year is one thing.Knowing how the big picture shapes ourcurrent way of working is quite another.

The big picture is long-term andworldwide. It is about justice for thenations, a never-failing stream ofrighteousness. In Walking With the Poor,Bryant Meyers writes, “Poverty is theresult of relationships that do not work,that are not just, that are not for life,that are not harmonious or enjoyable.Poverty is the absence of shalom in allits meaning. Hence, there is also a povertyin the non-poor.”

Significantly, the efficient allocationof our resources flows from the qualityof our relationships and character.Transforming society has everythingto do with right relationships.

In the mission of building peace,justice and holiness, God has given variousgifts that, when working harmoniously,represent Christ faithfully. So if we haveany encouragement from being unitedwith Christ, if any comfort from His love,if any fellowship with the Spirit, if anytenderness and compassion, then let’smake Christian joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love and beingone in spirit and purpose.

� The Practical Resolutionsof the EvangelicalAlliance can be found at:eauk.org/resolutions

hot topicstalking points

Transforming societyhas everything to do with

right relationships

Marijke Hoek is theAlliance's Forum forChange co-ordinator

DOCTOR WHO (BBC)Those who thought that the beloved serieswould go into decline with the departureof star David Tennant and lead writerRussell T Davies were proved wrong thisyear. Matt Smith won hearts immediatelywith his endearingly ragged Doctor, whileKaren Gillan and Arthur Darvill shone asheadstrong Amy and her hesitant fiancéRory. As usual, fast-paced adventure wasgiven greater depth with themes oftolerance, bravery, love and self-sacrifice.Though he may sweep his companionsaway to adventures on far-flung planets,the Doctor always affirms the significanceof ordinary human life. SL

THE HOUSE by Katie Melua (Dramatico)Her fourth album marks a shift in direction for easy-listening singer-songwriter Melua. She sheds her old-school writer-producer Mike Batt to work with WilliamOrbit, the producer behind Madonna’s resurgent albumRay of Light, and Guy Chambers, the lyricist who co-

wrote Robbie Williams’ first five soloalbums. The album showcases promisingnew diversity and depth. The beguilinglove song Red Balloons reveals thefallout of tying all one’s hopes torelationships, while The House exposesour desire to conceal this vulnerability.Lead single The Flood begins playfullythen develops into a powerful ballad onlonging for freedom from blame. HP

FOUR LIONS (Optimum)This notorious comedy definitely gets peopletalking. It starts out as the slapstick accountof four hapless northerners who want tobecome Islamist terrorists. Even after theirAfghanistan training trip goes spectacularlywrong, they carry on with their plan todetonate suicide bombs in London. Alongthe way, the script cleverly touches onimportant issues, making these men bothflawed and tragically sympathetic. Thereason it works so well is that filmmakerChris Morris has grounded the whole moviein real life, reminding us that we shouldn'tthink of aspiring terrorists as enemies, butrather as flawed human beings. RC

CDs


TV/DVDs

The Alliance's Public Theology ResearchAssistant Phil Green helps us examinetheological questions in our daily lives...

How do we share the Gospel with thosewho hold different beliefs?Living in an increasingly multi-faith societyis both an exciting and daunting prospectfor evangelism. Add an obsession withpolitical correctness and the multi-faithmaze can seem like a multi-faithminefield. Then to make things even morecomplicated, it seems that the one thingour increasingly tolerant society can’ttolerate is people who think that they’reright and other people are wrong. ThrowJesus’ words from John 14.6 into the mixand you have an explosion.

But we need to have a more nuancedunderstanding of our objective: it’s not aboutconvincing them that Christianity is the rightreligion, nor is it primarily about gettingthem to agree with us. Surely the goal is forpeople to have a life-transforming, eternity-changing encounter with Jesus.

If that’s our destination, the journeyshould not be primarily about winningarguments but introducing people to Jesus.And that’s not such a difficult place tostart, as most of the world’s faiths havea great respect for Him.

This common ground can help kick-start our conversation, although we needto do this with humility. Don’t start with,“I’ve got Jesus, you need Jesus,” but fromthe position that “we both need Jesus”.Invite them to discover more about Jesusalong with you, even if you're startingfrom different places.

This isn’t an excuse for ignorance. It’simportant for us to know what we believeand why we believe it – and this should bea component of our conversations. Yes,we’re involved in the process, but ultimatelylife-transforming, eternity-changingencounters are Jesus’ business, not ours.� If you have a practical question abouttheology, send it to: [email protected]

http://www.eauk.org/resolutions

http://www.kingswayshop.co.uk

http://www.cwr.org.uk


last word

Just a week after England had been humiliated 4-1 by a young,inexperienced German team and had returned home fromthe World Cup, Ann and I travelled to Bonn to conduct thewedding of a German friend. The service went well, and mywords of congratulations for their win (a solemn “well done”)

were much appreciated by the smiling German members of thecongregation.

Following the marriage service came the reception, for which Iwas completely unprepared. The Germans have a passionate abilityto celebrate a wedding, and on this occasion more than 200 guestshad come from many parts of the world. There werespeeches, PowerPoint presentations, musicand dramas, surprise arrivals and lots offood and drink. We left exhilarated buttotally exhausted well after midnight, withthe cake yet to be cut and dancing justabout to begin.

The Bible is full of celebrations, festivals,religious holidays and special meals withopportunities for storytelling and theenactment of dramas. The life and ministryof Jesus picks up this theme to the pointthat the religious leaders of the day accuseHim of excess and mixing with all the wrongkinds of people.

John’s Gospel positions Jesus’ veryfirst public appearance and miracle in thecontext of a wedding party in Cana. If yourecall, at terrible embarrassment to thehosts, the wine runs out, but Jesus welland truly rectifies the problem by supplyinglitres of best-quality wine (a response whichhas provided not a little embarrassmentfor some Bible teachers over the years).We can’t get away from it: God seems toenjoy a party.

Saying thanksAfter the wedding, I reflected on how rarely we have opportunity tolook back and express our thanks. It happens in wedding speechesand at funerals and anniversaries. But why do we have to wait for abig event to come along? If you are like me, you look back over yourlife and you are profoundly thankful for all the people who haveinfluenced who you are today.

One of the most moving parts of the German wedding waswhen the bride and groom's schoolteacher was introduced. Martinaand Uwe had met over 30 years ago when they were both 12 yearsold. It took them three decades to get together, and both wereprofoundly thankful for their class teacher, so she was invited tothe wedding. They took the opportunity in front of all their gueststo say thank you.

I have a suggestion: we should be making contact with some of

these people who have influenced our lives. Send a note, card,phone call, email, text or even make a personal visit – the purposeis simple: to say thank you.

It might be a teacher, friend, colleague, neighbour, familymember or someone in church who has had an indelible impacton us. Whoever it is, we are grateful for what they brought intoour lives. They might not have been perfect (none of us are) but wewant to celebrate by saying thank you.

Thankfulness is one of the fundamental attitudes we, asChristians, should cultivate in our lives. In Luke's Gospel therewere 10 lepers who were healed, but only one went back and said

“thank you” to Jesus (Luke 17.15-19).Celebrating the Bible could be a way

of saying “thank you” to God for thewonderful and profound gift of theScripture, which has influenced so manylives. As Martina and Uwe said theirgenerous thanks at their wedding, let usbe generous with our thanks to those whohave touched our lives and those whocontinue to do so, however big or small.

Celebrate the WordSo in 2011 we are going to be celebratingbig time. Next year is the 400th anniversaryof the King James Version of the Bible,a translation that has been printed anddistributed in its millions and has shapedour culture in so many ways that it'simpossible to list them all.

Biblefresh, as our year of celebrationis called, isn’t about getting us all back toreading the Authorised Version. Neither is itabout trying to make us feel guilty for notreading the Scriptures enough. However, itis an excuse to celebrate with almost 100organisations and thousands of churches

collaborating together to find fresh ways of engaging with theBible, learning about it, supporting the translation of it andexperiencing it afresh.

I love the strapline on the Biblefresh party invitation: “It couldchange your world”. I do hope as many of us as possible will getinvolved as either individuals, a small group or as a whole church.My prayer is that wherever we turn next year we will find Biblefresh.Imagine conferences, Easter and summer festivals, Bible-readingnotes, magazines, newspapers, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, radioand TV all celebrating the wonderful gift God has given us in the66 books that make up our Bible. So now is the time to plan.

� RSVP for the party and get the resource book, which ispacked with ideas on how to maximise the opportunity,register online at: biblefresh.com

We can’t get awayfrom it: God seems

to enjoy a party

With the arrival of a key milestone in the Christian faith,General Director Steve Clifford urges us to throw a party...

AnnClifford

It’s good to celebrate


Meet Sami, a remarkable boy surviving in one of Africa’s largest slums.

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Invitations and donation envelopes.

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idea September October 2010

Documents

Transcript of idea September October 2010