e-Vision Nov/Dec 2021

Winter 2021/22

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An Age of LORD OF THE HARVEST

8 TILSLEY COLLEGE

12 This magazine is published twice yearly to report on the work of GLO in Europe and around the world and to promote mission interest. There is no subscription rate but readers are welcome to send gifts towards postage and production.

GLO is a charity registered in Scotland: SC007355.

If you would like to contribute financially to the work of GLO this can be done directly using the bank details below

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EDITORIAL

NEW MOVES IN DARNLEY MILL

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GLO BOOKSHOP

CONNECT WITH US!

SHORT-TERM MISSION TEAMS

NEW FACES AT GLO

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GLO AUSTRALIA

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GLO Europe is on: LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY

or by contacting our Finance Director: Ian Smith (ismith@glo-europe.org).

Many people have a concern about what the long-term impact of their lives will be on others. As Christians this is a big issue because the Bible encourages us to live our lives in view of eternity. GLO, along with many

BANK OF SCOTLAND, 72 BRANDON PARADE, MOTHERWELL ML1 1UW ACCOUNT NAME – GLO TRUST SCOTLAND SORT CODE – 800915 ACCOUNT NUMBER – 00400636

other Christian organisations, benefits greatly from legacies that people leave behind. It is a way of significantly helping the work of the kingdom by organising your giving after you have gone.

We have produced an information booklet on the use of legacies and if you would like to have one then write to: Stephen McQuoid | GLO Centre | 78 Muir Street | Motherwell ML1 1BN | smcquoid@glo-europe.org

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Editorial

by Stephen McQuoid

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ometimes it feels as if the world is stuck!

The global pandemic continues as does the constant and increasing worry about climate change which these days is usually described in catastrophised language. Then there are all the economic worries, both personal and national that seem doggedly persistent. If that is not enough, experts are claiming that mental health issues are also reaching pandemic levels and that this is particularly noticeable among the young. All of this produces a sense of anxiety which percolates below the surface as if ready to erupt at any time.

In this edition of e-vision we will look at the issue of our ‘Age of Anxiety’ and think not only about what causes it, but also what missional lessons we can learn. The reality for Christians is that we are people of hope. We suffer the same strains and stresses that everyone else does and our bodies are subject to the same fallenness. However, we believe in the gospel which offers hope, and we need to celebrate and proclaim that hope.

There is also much more to report on. While the pandemic has caused a slowing down of many of the world’s economies, God’s work continues. His Spirit is not limited and continues to be active. In GLO we have been very grateful for the way in which God has blessed us, in that sense the last 18 months have been hard, but encouraging.

On pages 6 & 7 we have reports on two of this year’s short-term mission teams. While circumstances meant that our programme was greatly curtailed, we nevertheless had some very good teams and were able to innovate. We also want to share with you some of the burdens we have for the future (pages 8 & 9). We keep praying and planning as we develop new fields and reach out into new areas. Of course, this cannot happen without people, so we are praying that the Lord of the Harvest will send us workers.

If any of the proposed areas are of personal interest or burden to you, please get in touch and together we can make a difference.

There have been exciting developments.

The Darnley Mill church plant now have new premises and this ‘place to meet’ has opened up exciting ministries and opportunities (page 10). We are also delighted to welcome new people into the GLO Family to serve alongside us in the cause of mission (page 11). The team at Tilsley College is developing new and important programmes which will be an accessible way of equipping people for mission. The Bookshop continues to serve not only local Christians, but through online events and email circulations, they serve and help Christian leaders and missionaries in many countries.

GLO is, of course, an international ministry.

Our colleagues in Australia are going through some exciting changes and developments of their own.

Andrew Cowell (my counterpart in GLO Australia) brings us a report of what is happening, and this is a cause for rejoicing and prayer.

We are about to launch a renovation and do repairs at the GLO Centre in Motherwell to keep it in usable condition. This will be a prelude to a significant building project which we propose at some point in the future. Please pray about this too, as well as for the funds as we are totally dependent on God and his people to develop and continue this ministry. Thank for your prayers and interest in the work of GLO.

“ In this edition of e-vision we will look at the issue of our ‘Age of Anxiety’ and think not only about what causes it, but also what missional lessons we can learn.”

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As we reflect on the issue of anxiety, Miriam Mathie (GLO social media) and Stephen McQuoid (GLO General Director) share some thoughts on our Anxious Generation and a missional response to it:

“The very fact that so many people are anxious is evidence of the brokenness of our world. This is not the world as God created it”

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he word ‘anxiety’ can appear daunting to some and overused to others, but its reappearance in society today is unmatched.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1 in 13 people suffer globally from anxiety. That is potentially 1 in 13 members of your family, your friends, your classmates, your colleagues, and even your church. However, rather than looking at anxiety in the face to understand what it is and how we can tackle it, we avoid it at all costs.

If we break it down, we must investigate the main causes of anxiety that

plague our world, one of these being social media.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am an avid user of social media, as is Stephen, but we cannot overlook the impact it has on our mental health. From the feelings of inadequacy in looks, intelligence and even faith, to extreme fear of missing out (FOMO) when we see others doing things and wish to join them – even to the detriment of our work or relationships. As a world, we are caught in an endless cycle of using social media to fill the gaps, then feeling lonely or sad because you don’t feel as fulfilled as the snippet of someone else’s life you see on your screen, only to brush it away with more social media use. We are locked in a social media prison, that to my belief, we put ourselves in voluntarily.

Next, we can look at other things that Covid has made even worse. Whilst medical problems, medications, and work environments all caused stress and anxiety before the world halted for

the Covid-19 pandemic, it is without a doubt that they are a main cause of our worries. The phones ring non-stop for some, others grow anxious about every nit-picky detail of their bodies. Some people dare not go near their friends out of fear of conversation or live in fear of the results of a test, praying not to hear that dreaded news! According to CIPD, nearly 1 in 5 adults in the UK alone, report feeling depressed, anxious, and stressed more days in a month than they don’t – causing 44% of workrelated absences, the highest results in years.

How can we look at these statistics and continue to walk around them like they aren’t even there? Can something as detrimental and prevalent as anxiety be ignored by Christians?

What impact should this have on our mission as Christians to give hope in a post-pandemic world?

Surely this is an issue that people of faith need to address as we reach out to those who struggle with anxiety in our world.

Miriam

“ Can something as detrimental and prevalent as anxiety be ignored by Christians? What impact should this have on our mission?”

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hat people are anxious in today’s world is beyond question, what we need to consider is, what has this got to do with mission and what can we do about the enormous issue of anxiety?

First the mission question. Why would a mission organisation be talking about the issue of anxiety?

Actually, it has everything to do with mission.

The very fact that so many people are anxious is evidence of the brokenness of our world. This is not the world as God created it, but the world that we have created through our human rebellion.

I love a beautiful garden, the colour, the smells, the beauty of nature and the tranquillity that such a place provides. However, I can’t live in the garden but have to return to the madness of normal life.

The Garden of Eden was the normal habitation for humanity, but it is long gone. We all live in the madness and the damaging effects on our own being are clear. We need a Saviour who can address the issues that make us anxious. Thankfully Jesus can do just that as he is God’s response to our broken world and he calls to us saying, ‘come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest’ (Mtt.11:28).

Now that we know our anxious world is a focus for mission, we need to ask, what message can we communicate to a world buckling under the pressure and stress of everyday life. To answer this properly we need to go back to basics and remind our hearers of three foundational truths. The first of these is that each of us is valued, God has made us

in his image and that is not an incidental thing. It is evidence of his commitment to each of us. There is much discussion today about the issue of identity and who we want to identify as. There is nothing more comforting and confidence inspiring than to recognise that we are made in God’s image and are of intrinsic worth. Jesus himself reminded us of our value in Matthew 6:26-30 when he asked us to compare ourselves to birds and flowers, all of which are cared for by God, yet we are much more valuable than they.

Secondly, we need to remember that God is sovereign and controls the past, present and future.

The COP26 summit is a powerful reminder to all of us of the damage we have done to our fragile planet.

The situation on planet earth is serious, but it is not beyond God’s control. The catastrophised language used by environmentalists is understandable and responsible action needs to be taken, but God will still fulfil his purposes and, of course, redeem all things (Rev.21:1-4).

Thirdly, we can tell a broken world that the cross brings forgiveness (Rom.3:25; Eph.4:32), reconciliation (2 Cor.5:19) and healing (Isa.53:5).

True we still need to live in this broken and anxiety creating world. But to know Christ is to experience a daily walk with him that gives us the strength to face the greatest stresses with faith and confidence knowing that we can cast all our burdens on him (1Pet.5:7).

Stephen

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GLO MISSION Teams O

ne of the most significant ministry challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic was that we were unable to run a short-term mission teams’ project in 2020. It was therefore a real joy to be able to put on a limited teams’ programme for the summer of 2021. In total we had four teams, each of which were a blessing and one of these, the Digital Team, was our first venture into this area for a short-term mission team. We are grateful for everyone who participated and pray that even now their efforts will bear fruit. Next year, God willing, we want to have a full team programme once more. Here are reports from two of the teams that were held.

Enniskillen

GLO TEAM

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by Judith McKeown

spent the second week of August on a GLO mission team with Fermanagh Christian Fellowship in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. We were a team of five, from Scotland and Northern Ireland working alongside the church as part of their “Re-Ignite” community evangelism week. It was great to be back on a team and even better to be back on one in my home turf, where I gained much of my initial mission team experience as a teenager. Apart from the copious amounts of Northern Irish traybakes consumed, undoubtedly one of the highlights for me was experiencing the “togetherness” of life again; seeing afresh the joy of spending time serving as a church community and getting involved in ministries that were new to me. I also valued the chance to reconnect with those who have invested in me spiritually and fostered in me a love for mission. With younger team members I was very

conscious of the responsibility of being a good example to them, as we worked with the church on their various community projects, whether it was a youth group, visiting the elderly in care homes or leafleting. It was encouraging to see young adults in the church taking ownership of projects during the week (we millennials often get bad press!), such as the mother and toddler and youth groups. It struck me again that teams are as much about discipleship as they are about direct evangelism and each of us is a Timothy or has a Timothy in our lives.

Like Timothy, we are called to "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. We’re called to “fight the good fight of the faith” and to “take hold of the eternal life to which [we] were called” (1 Timothy 6:11 – 12). God uses our individual characters, personalities and gifts to build his Kingdom and I pray that the week in Enniskillen will bear eternal fruit and build up disciples willing to pursue, fight and take hold of their faith.

“ It struck me again that teams are as much about discipleship as they are about direct evangelism”

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Digital

GLO TEAM

by Gareth Armstrong

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hroughout the Covid pandemic many churches have been using social media to share the gospel via blogs, videos, posts and whatever other means available. A Tearfund survey carried out in April 2020, in the UK, found that, “a third of young adults aged between 18 and 34 had watched or listened to an online or broadcast religious service.” So, since there appears to be a thirst for spiritual things, we decided it would be a great opportunity for a GLO mission team to create content that would communicate the gospel on Facebook and Youtube in a vibrant and relevant way.

An email was sent out in May and an advert on GLO social media to recruit for the team. We

had our first Zoom call as a team at the start of June to discuss ideas about how to accomplish the task. Within the team there was great collective experience of filming, video-editing, recording music and promoting things on social media.

The overall theme we decided for all the songs, messages and interviews was that Jesus changes lives. Following this idea people to interview, song choices and scripture passages were all suggested to communicate this idea that Jesus changes lives.

Gordon McLeod and I travelled between Ayrshire and Dundee to film the content which we then shared with the team. The musicians met to record three songs. The others on the team edited these clips together into five short videos to be

shared in August. Each video received hundreds of views with positive feedback as it was shared all over social media that Jesus still changes lives today in 2021.

“ Within the team there was great collective experience of filming, video-editing, recording music and promoting things on social media.”

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AYRSHIRE Ayrshire in Scotland is a large and mostly rural county with many villages and towns that do not contain a viable evangelical church. There is a need for new churches to be planted.

SOUTH WALES The South Wales Valleys are among the least evangelised and most socially deprived parts of the UK. There is a significant need for new churches to be planted as well as the whole area to be re-evangelised.

MARSEILLE GLO has been involved in church planting and evangelism in Marseille for many years. The church at Le CEP is now wanting to partner with GLO to plant a new church in the centre of the city.

As Jesus pointed out in Matthew 9:37-38 there are endless opportunities to serve God, especially in evangelism, church planting and church growth.

However, there are relatively few willing and able to respond to the need. If you are burdened about a particular country or area within Europe (including the UK), please get in touch with us and we may be able to help you find a place in ministry. Even if you don’t know where you would want to serve God, but you have a heart to do so, get in touch and we will talk with you about how to find a ministry or avenue of service.

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Lord of the

HARVEST

Europe is a spiritually needy place and so we are praying as well as looking for new opportunities to impact this great continent for Christ. Here are a few of the places we are concerned about. If you have an interest in any of these areas and would like more information, please contact Stephen at smcquoid@glo-europe.org.

HUNGARY Hungary is a spiritually needy country and Hungarian speakers can be found in all eight countries that Hungary shares a border with.

Hungary needs new churches and existing churches, many of which are small and frail, need help with evangelism. We also want to partner with Christians in the Hungarian diaspora to reach out into Hungary.

Opportunities

IN ITALY Avellino province

Long term (10 years at least) l A mature couple to work in the Avellino province and form a team with the Zucchetto family, perhaps working as tent makers. The ability to teach English or Spanish would be an advantage.

The work will primarily be church planting and evangelism in a deeply Roman Catholic community. Includes organising GLO short-term mission teams.

SLOVENIA Slovenia is one of the most unreached countries in the world. Lying at the northern end of the Balkans, this country urgently needs evangelised and new churches planted. We have a particular interest in the university city of Maribor which is the second largest city in Slovenia.

Molise region

BULGARIA Bulgaria is at the eastern end of the Balkans and is a country that suffers from spiritual as well as economic challenges. Having had summer mission teams in Bulgaria we are looking to do more in this needy corner of Europe.

where the Guttesen family is based Short term (2 months to 2 years) l Experienced English as a Second Language teachers to prepare courses for children, teens, or adults as part of the La Fonte outreach. l Children’s Workers and Youth Workers l University students – Molise has a good university and conservatory that accept international students. Be a help and blessing to the church while studying. l Ministry amongst the growing number of refugees in Molise including evangelism, humanitarian aid, helping with integration etc.

Long term (4+ years) l Church planters – a couple, open to living in a small town setting, to partner in a recent church plant to be involved in children’s work, evangelism, teaching English, preaching, discipleship and mentoring. l Tent makers – We encourage anyone with the possibility of bringing their work with them to move to Molise, using their free time to bless the church!

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Greater European Mission and from the moment they arrived, they have been forming positive relationships with the church and their neighbours, sharing the gospel in both word and deed. They have a particular gift for pastoral work and personal evangelism, and in a very short time have made a significant contribution to the life and mission of the church.

NEW PREMISES

NEW CHALLENGES Darnely Mill Church is a new church being established in the South of Glasgow, in an area which has seen significant expansion and regeneration in recent times and, even now, homes continue to be built in the area. Our challenge is to reach this new neighbourhood with the gospel and establish a church. In our first few years we have sought to build relationships and establish a presence in the community. We were meeting in ‘The Old Plane Tree’ pub/restaurant twice per month before Covid restricted us to meeting online in our own homes. Meeting in the pub/restaurant meant that when restrictions were eased and other churches were able to open, we were not, as we were still subject to restrictions imposed upon the

hospitality industry. Despite the frustrations, God was still at work. We saw God work in individual lives as well as knowing his presence and his comfort as a church as we faced difficult times. As restrictions eased, we held children’s craft clubs in the last week of the school summer holidays which culminated in a family barbecue which was well attended and allowed us to welcome back old friends and meet new ones. God has also brought us new arrivals, new premises and new opportunities.

NEW ARRIVALS Dan and Kim Irvin and their two daughters, Lillie and Willow joined us from Texas and moved into Darnley in February 2021. They are working with

New Moves In

DARNLEY MILL

In May 2021 we visited an industrial unit in the area which was available to lease, a place which we could make our own. We have transformed ‘The Acorn’ into a comfortable community space.

Like an acorn we pray that, a small start will grow to become a strong oak tree. We have been worshiping there weekly on Sunday mornings for the last month and we are about to launch a range of outreach activities including children and youth clubs, men’s club, crafts, and a community café.

We have not lost touch with ‘The Old Plane Tree’.

We continue to have our weekly senior citizens’ group, host a fortnightly pub quiz and have an occasional after-church lunch there. Please pray with us that God will help us to use ‘The Acorn’ to build relationships with many people in the neighbourhood and, as a result, many will come to know the Saviour.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES We are delighted that God has opened the doors of the local primary school to us. We had previously been unable to get access to the school but, Dan and Kim managed to arrange a meeting with the Head Teacher while they picked up their children from the school. As a result, James McKerlie and Ruth Young will be leading a lunchtime group and an afterschool club as well as possible involvement in assemblies and classes. We will also be starting a lunchtime group in another of the local schools. All of these new opportunities are great, but we realise that only God can bring true success and transform lives, so please join us in prayer for our leadership team and for the people of Darnley.

by James McKerlie

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i there! We’re Steven, Mhairi and little Maria. We’re delighted and privileged to be joining the GLO Family, and serving especially on the short-term teams side of things. We are looking forward to a new stage in our lives and in ministry with that mixture of enthusiasm and trepidation, seeing both the incredible opportunities across Europe as well as some of the sizeable challenges ahead. Let us briefly introduce ourselves.

Mhairi was born in Aberdeen, Scotland where she grew up, as well as having eighteen-month international stints with her family in Brazil and then Norway. She’s a very proud Scot and some of her interests include Highland culture, the Scottish Gaelic language and the outdoors. Steven was born in Northern Ireland, but brought up in Italy where his parents served as GLO missionaries! Having lived in Aberdeen for thirteen years now, his culture and his accent are a fairly confusing mix!

His interests are almost exclusively all related to football.

We were both brought up in Christian homes and exposed to the gospel from a young age and we try and live for God in our generation. We met in a church in Aberdeen and have now been married for six years. This summer our family grew with the birth of little Maria! We’ve had the chance to go on a number of short-term teams with GLO and for the past few years we’ve been involved serving in another local church in Aberdeen. We very much look forward to getting to know many of you in the times ahead and working together to further the cause of the gospel. Please do reach out to connect with us. Thank you for your partnership with us and prayers for us.

Steven & Mhari

HAMILTON Gareth

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ARMSTRONG

was brought up in North Ayrshire, Scotland, in a Christian home, becoming a follower of Jesus at a young age. I’ve been a member of Townhead Christian Fellowship, TCF, Stevenston since 2005 at aged 15, and have been active ever since in children’s ministry, summer youth camps and playing in the praise band.

I was working as a banking advisor, in internet banking, when, in 2017, I went on a GLO team to Aix-en-Provence in France. On this trip God really challenged me as to what he wanted

me to do with my life. So I left my job at the bank and started the course at Tilsley College in 2018 to discover what God was calling me to.

Over the last three years as I completed the European Baccalaureate I have been encouraged by studying the Bible, developing my gifts and being involved with different mission teams. My passion for teaching the Bible has grown along with a desire to serve God in my local community. God’s call has led to me taking on a role at Tilsley as a lecturer and also serving at TCF in the local community.

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GOOD, BETTER, BEST… There is a well-known saying: “Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best.” You may already know Tilsley College for its ‘training for service’ residential Bible College programmes that are designed to ‘equip God’s people for God’s work in God’s world’. You may also know about the JOSHUA programme that is delivered modularly by Tilsley in a virtual classroom on Tuesday evenings. You may even be aware that you can access all of Tilsley’s teaching via an ‘Open Access’ format that allows you to dip in and take what you can from our training menu. We believe we have ‘good’ training

systems that concentrate on ‘thinking | discipleship|training’ from first to last.

They are good - some say very good! But we are committed to making them better; indeed we want to see them be the best that we can offer for the benefit of God’s people and the praise of God’s name.

TWO NEW INITIATIVES In that same spirit, we have been working hard to offer two new initiatives that we believe will provide the same quality training but in more accessible ways. Let us introduce you to ADVANCE and TILSLEY ACADEMY.

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his compact programme of Bible and Mission studies is delivered over four weeks at Tilsley College. ADVANCE offers students a range of subjects that will allow them to grow in faith and understanding and encourage them to go in obedience to the Great Commission whether locally or globally.

It will serve well those who are thinking carefully about their faith, who are keen to progress in discipleship or who are ready to engage with training for local community outreach or cross-cultural mission.

ADVANCE offers a genuine Bible college experience, but will also equip people in a short

ADVANCE Visit our webpage for more information at:

TILSLEY

31st January to 25th February 2022 space of time to think deeply about Christian faith and practice. ADVANCE promises to help people like you move forward in their Christian life in a purposeful way.

ADVANCE is delivered over four weeks consisting of two blocks of two weeks. This offers people flexible access to the ADVANCE content according to their own personal circumstances. Applicants are welcome to study the first half or the second half of the programme but preferably they should complete the whole four-week programme for maximum benefit.

TILSLEY ACADEMY

https://glo-europe.org/tilsleycollege/apply

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Y COLLEGE

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ADVANCE | UNIT 1 – 2 WEEKS

ADVANCE | UNIT 2 – 2 WEEKS

Introduction to Theology

Acts & the Early Church

The Gospel Story of Romans

Mission Studies

Bible Interpretation

World Religions

The Holy Spirit & Spiritual Gifts

Reaching our Communities

The Christian Life

The Christian Life

Visit our webpage for more information at: www.glo-europe.org/tilsleycollege/advance

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ilsley Academy is a new venture that swings wide the door for everyone to allow all Christians to have the chance of informal biblical and theological training. We are committed as a College to try to provide ‘biblical training for every disciple’.

Tilsley Academy is designed as a self-directed online training platform. The studies will be available in small micro units of 2 hours or 10 hours duration. Subject matter will be varied but initially will be gathered under three headlines: ‘mission matters’, ‘discipleship matters’ and ‘leadership matters’.

Tilsley Academy will be rolling out through 2022. We hope to offer a short pilot course on 1st December 2021 so that we can trial our new

platform. All being well, we will add more material to the subjects available so that those enrolled in the Academy will be able to choose what they want, study at their own pace, and learn in their environment. Tilsley Academy bears the same ethos as Tilsley College - to be ‘thinking discipleship training’. We believe that this will be a great resource for every disciple - for those young in faith; for those going in mission; for those leading in churches. Tilsley Academy can provide a place for stimulation, motivation and thought-provoking starters as we work out together how we act and respond as disciples of Jesus in our world today.

For more information join our social media channels over coming weeks and monitor the unfolding news on our website.

Tilsley Academy is coming to you - we hope and pray it will prove to be a useful tool for you, for your church and for the advancement of God’s kingdom.

Starting September 2022 Of course, we are recruiting for students NOW to join us in September 2022 when re-start the residential training programmes for which Tilsley has become well known. We fully expect to begin the next academic year on a better footing as we encourage national and international students to come and study with us as they prepare for Christian service.

We have been making some improvements to our programme, to our facilities and have some new staff on our team, so we are very excited about what 2022 and beyond will look like - we think that it will be the best yet! A great chance to be trained to change the world!

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GLO Bookshop

by Andrew Lacey

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major part of ministry in The GLO Bookshop is to simply listen to, and engage with, our customers in a way that makes them feel valued and appreciated- no matter what circumstances they face. Our customers often comment about the peaceful atmosphere of the Bookshop, and how they feel helped and encouraged by their visit. Sometimes we can help customers find the right book or resource to help them. We believe the simple act of showing a book is something that will have an impact in eternity, and it is a privilege to be involved in this way.

There have been several books published recently with a focus on mental health issues, and Miriam Mathie, a member of the Bookshop

“ Thorne explains that anxiety is common, yet her approach brings a sense of hope to the readers”

Publisher – Good Book Company ISBN - 9781784986261 RRP £4.99 Author - Helen Thorne (right) staff, adds her recommendation for ‘Hope in an Anxious World’ below.

“It is no surprise, after the year we have had, that anxiety has become ever present in people’s lives, more so than before. Painting an all-toofamiliar picture of the whole nation working from home, it seems irrefutable that anxiety might have become your new companion – even for those who may not have suffered from it before.

Written in a digestible way for both Christians and non-Christians, Helen Thorne’s Hope in an Anxious World educates its readers on the presence of anxiety and breaks down the lies which sufferers tell themselves into six small parts. All whilst highlighting the hope and relief that can be found through the Lord and His Word.

Hope in an Anxious World begins by tearing down the big block word of ‘Anxiety’ and carefully explains what it is, and the various ways in which it can show up in people’s lives.

Thorne explains that anxiety is common, yet her approach brings a sense of hope to the readers who may not have connected the two dots in their lives before.

In the first half of the book, Thorne takes the time to go through various feelings people have with anxiety or coping mechanisms which – whilst helpful – may be furthering our worry

or leading us away from God. However, it also reminds the readers of the hope that they can find in Him. No sugar-coating or romanticising but explaining plainly that He is a refuge and strength when things get rough, and that He “can lead us through the maze to safety”.

The second half of the book is broken down into six common lies that anxiety sufferers tell themselves. By doing this, Thorne provides an accessible layout which allows readers to take the sections at their own pace, without getting overwhelmed.

It provides a basis for church small groups, where they can have time to discuss and share their views. Similarly, the book can be used as a resource for church leaders to help them understand those who are suffering within – and out with – their congregation in a deeper way.

Does Thorne, through Hope in an Anxious World, intend to be the resource to cure the world’s anxiety? Certainly not… but Thorne has written a book that is clear and concise without leaving any of her personality out of it. It truly is exactly what it says on the tin: a dose of hope in a world doused in anxiety, pointing to the hand of God, through personal relationship and His Word, to guide us through the tricky maze of life.”

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Big Moves for

GLO AUSTRALIA

by Andrew Cowell

by Andrew Cowell

BIG MOVES IN THE BIBLE

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

BIG MOVES AND THE NEED FOR BOLD PRAYERS

The Bible is full of big moves. It was a big move for Abraham when he left Ur of the Chaldeans in response to the call of God. Similarly, it was a huge move when Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt under God’s direction. Likewise, it was an immense breakthrough when Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land.

It is important to note, however, that the difference between a big move and a bad move, is the presence or absence of God. All the big moves mentioned above would have been bad moves if it weren’t for God’s direction and provision.

The benefits of relocating the CrossConnect Course to Sydney, however, come at a great cost. To accommodate an extra training course, additional team members, plus extra trainees GLO Australia has embarked upon a 2.6 million dollar upgrade and expansion of our training centre and accommodation facilities.

To help offset the costs of moving the CrossConnect Course and building for the future GLO Australia is embarking on a 4 million dollar venture to build two 10-bedroom Group Homes that will be leased out to a Christian NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) Provider, who will, in turn, provide accommodation and support to people with disabilities. God willing this venture will not only expand GLO Australia’s ministry scope but will also provide an income stream to the ministry that will help offset relocation costs.

The distinguishing feature of a big move is that the challenge that confronts you is far greater than the resources on hand. Therefore, as GLO Australia embarks on these big moves, we ask that you will pray bold prayers to God on our behalf.

Please join us in boldly praying for God’s provision and ongoing direction. In particular, pray that these big moves will have life-changing, world-impacting disciple-making effects for many years to come.

BIG MOVES FOR GLO AUSTRALIA GLO Australia, in response to God’s leading and direction, is in the process of making some big moves.

RELOCATING THE CROSSCONNECT COURSE In 2019, after much prayerful discussion, the GLO leadership team concluded that it was God’s will to relocate the CrossConnect Course, which is our discipleship and ministry training programme, to Sydney in 2022. Moving the course from Tasmania to Sydney provides many benefits, including greater access to more potential students, cost savings from sharing resources between courses, and a larger training community for our students to enjoy and grow in.

ONLINE TRAINING Finally, in response to ongoing international border closures and regional lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, GLO Australia has made the big decision to trial the online delivery of our discipleship and ministry training course via a Virtual Face-to-Face Classroom Training environment. This exciting initiative will mean that in 2022 we can offer “training without borders” across Australia and South East Asia.

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EXECUTIVE TEAM

Stephen McQuoid

Mark Davies

Sam Gibson

smcquoid@glo-europe.org

mdavies@glo-europe.org

sgibson@glo-europe.org

01698 263483

07503 953259

028 9447 9411

Admin Office admin@glo-europe.org

01698 263483 College Office college@glo-europe.org

01698 266776 Allan McKinnon

Ian Smith

GLO Bookshop

amckinnon@glo-europe.org

ismith@glo-europe.org

books@globookshop.com

01698 266776

01698 263483

01698 275343/ 263483

GLO MAIN COMMITTEE Rupert Abbott Stephen Cracknell James Davies Mark Davies Stephen Fairfield

Judith Gibson Sam Gibson Karen Macrae Allan McKinnon Stephen McQuoid

Mike Packer Philippe Perrilliat Ian Smith Patrizio Zucchetto

GLO EUROPE VISION STATEMENT

Our vision is to grow mission focused churches in Europe.

Our focus is to:

EVANGELISE:

to proclaim the gospel to as many people as possible in Europe

Tel 01698 263483 Fax 01698 253942 E-mail: admin@glo-europe.org Internet: www.glo-europe.org

Gospel Literature Outreach 78 Muir Street Motherwell ML1 1BN

using every method available

ESTABLISH: to ensure believers are established in their faith, strengthen existing local churches and plant new mission focused churches in Europe

TRAIN:

to prepare and equip people for mission, to evangelise and church plant and to serve God and his Kingdom with excellence in a wide variety of vocations

RESOURCE:

to provide resources that support mission activity through finance and literature, strategic input and pastoral care

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