GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE
ISSUE 3 2018
INTERACT
Breaking Free Bringing life words to Nairobi prisons Radical Christmas Good news for everyone
CONTENTS 04 08 10 12 14 Breaking Free
Bringing life words to Nairobi prisons
News
The latest news from the Lifewords global family
Radical Christmas Good news for everyone
Everyday Evangelists Training for mission in Indonesia
Get Involved
Lifewords and you
Issue 70 / 3-2018 Editorial team Jess Bee Danielle Welch Steve Bassett Photographs Lifewords unless otherwise stated Design S2 Design & Advertising Ltd Print Yeomans Creative
Lifewords is the operating name of Scripture Gift Mission (Inc), registered charity in England and Wales, 219055. Registered office 1A The Chandlery 50 Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7QY Interact is free, available three times a year from your nearest member of the Lifewords global family of organisations (see page 14)
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WELCOMe “Christ Jesus came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” Ephesians 2:17, NIV Welcome to another edition of Interact magazine. In this issue you’ll read about chaplains working in prisons in Nairobi; Christians reaching out to friends and neighbours in Jakarta; and the latest from our NINE BEATS project.
Danielle Welch Executive Director UK & International
On pages 10–11 you can read about a new partnership in the UK – encouraging churches to invite everyone in to the radical welcome that the Christmas story offers. From beginning to end, the story of Jesus’ birth is a story of “outsiders” being drawn into the centre. Everyone is included. That’s a message that reverberates through the whole of Jesus’ ministry – from the beatitudes to the Cross. And that’s why Lifewords works in so many different places, languages, formats, programmes and communities: this good news is for everyone. I have been involved in writing, editing, and contributing to Interact for more than 16 years – but this is my last “welcome” page. I’m moving on from my role at Lifewords before the end of the year. I’ll be looking forward to the next issue as a reader, and to being an ongoing partner in helping people experience the Bible as good news – however and wherever we can. It’s been my privilege to lead this work, please join me in praying for the next phase of Lifewords’ ministry. With grateful thanks for your encouragement and support. In Christ
Danielle Welch Executive Director, UK & International
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© DENNIS THERN STAR OF HOPE
Breaking Free As Lifewords gains access to prisons in Nairobi, the good news of the Bible is bringing light into dark places. Jess Bee reports.
Joyce
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Industrial Area Prison is home to hundreds of boys. It’s a tough environment. The old, worn out buildings are heavily guarded and overcrowded. Inmates lack supplies of basic necessities such as soap, toothpaste and underwear. The inmates in the boys’ remand section of the prison are arrested for minor offences: stealing, breaking and entering, drug use. Even those who have been involved in school riots, truancy or unruly behaviour at home find themselves here. Many young people spend their childhood in these institutions, some on remand for months or even years, waiting for their case to be heard. “Here it’s tough for them,” says Joyce Mutuku, head prison chaplain for the Nairobi
area. “Because of the prison system, they can be here for three years, up to seven years, as they wait for their cases to be heard.” A WRONG TURN For these boys, it’s often a bad decision that has led them here. “They have rebelled, succumbed to peer pressure, got into the wrong ways and end up in the wrong groups,” says Joyce. “They end up in bad company because they have nothing else: they haven’t gone to school, they don’t see the value of life, they get into crime because of that. And it is devastating.” But, here lies a window of opportunity for Joyce and others like her to speak truth, hope, peace
and comfort into their lives while they are under their care. Chaplains in prisons across Nairobi, together with the Lifewords Kenya team, are bringing good news to these boys and others who are in prison. Through God’s Word inmates are discovering a different way to live and hope for the future. A NEW PATH The prison system offers rehabilitation and career skills through schooling and courses. “The institutions have courses to train inmates in technical skills, like farming, sheep-keeping and cowkeeping, so that when they leave, they have something that they can stand on,” says Margaret, chaplain at Kamiti prison. “Sometimes the prisons even contact their families on their behalf, for reconciliation. To make it easier for them to reintegrate in society.” However, this is a relatively new way of thinking for Kenyan prisons, only recently have prisoners even been permitted to have visitors from the outside. Prison chaplains are also offering rehabilitation through building relationships, counselling and the power of God’s Word. Most of the boys they meet are dealing with some sort of trauma or life circumstances that have led to their incarceration. They struggle with peer pressure, and their relationship with their families and society, often blaming them for their current situation. “They have their own lives in their hands,” says Monica, another chaplain. “It’s the decisions that they make that make their lives better or worse. So we do a lot of counselling, even before we start sharing the Word of God.”
It’s in these situations that Choose Life is helping boys learn how to make good choices. The curriculum-based programme is about trying to empower people to ask themselves, “What choices do I have?” and “what are the consequences of my actions”; “who is the person I want to be and what values do I want to live by?” Choose Life helps the boys express their anger and helps them talk about their return to life both in prison and outside. They want to make good choices like keeping themselves clean, not fighting with each other, and deciding to keep the right company once they get out of prison. “They are great lessons,” says Monica. “We were teaching about 95 boys, and 18 men … many of them gave their life to Jesus … they are transformed … most of them changed because of Choose Life.” Last year, while on a visit to Nairobi, Clenir dos Santos, Lifewords Pavement Project Director, visited a prison in Nairobi that is using Choose Life. “The image of those young boys sitting on their beds
Margaret
Monica
“Many young people spend their childhood in these institutions”
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“Most of the boys they meet are dealing with some sort of trauma”
Chaplain Robert at Kimiti prison
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and listening so carefully to the message presented by the Choose Life facilitator is still very clear in my mind,” she says. “Choose Life can help enormously as they have the time and opportunity to think about their life, their environment and how they can choose better.” She continues with a story about one boy: “I clearly remember one boy who very sincerely asked us to pray for him to get out of there. I was touched by looking at him, so young and so lost. I had the opportunity to tell him Jesus is in prison with him. He is not alone. Every night when he lies down he can be sure Jesus is there, that he accepts them the way he is, and wants to walk with him there and outside.” BREAKING THROUGH BARRIERS Alongside using Choose Life with young people, the Lifewords team in Kenya has been visiting adult inmates in prisons across Nairobi, as they introduce chaplains to the Bible resources. Clara Ngobolia from Lifewords Kenya talks about
the first time they visited Kamiti, a medium security prison for men: “We were led to the segregation section where the dangerous inmates are locked up. It was scary to even get close to them, let alone share the Bible with them. Their faces looked angry, some with bitterness, some with shame and guilt. We gave them Who Cares About Me? and at first some looked uninterested. But as we proceeded, they began to show interest, opened up and shared their feelings of anger, bitterness and shame as a result of what they were going through. Some broke down and cried, asking us to pray with them to receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Others wanted prayer for their families and some wanted prayer for the cases they were having in court. As we ended the session, they were very thankful that we had visited them and asked us to return. The prison officer who had accompanied us told us that the booklets had spoken to the men. ‘I have never seen them respond like that before,’ he said.”
© AFRICA PRISONS PROJECT
The Lifewords team are planning to go to prisons around Nairobi once a month over the academic year, as part of the school education that the prisons offer to inmates. The programme will offer Picking Up the Pieces to adult inmates to share and talk about together. FUTURE PLANS In March this year the Kenyan government recognised Lifewords’ work in prisons and gave them authority to reach 12 institutions within Nairobi. This opens up opportunity to reach more and more people. And, it’s the Kenyan team’s hope that they will be able to equip many more chaplains to use Lifewords resources. “The results after one year of prison ministry have been amazing and we are excited at the change of hearts and transformation of lives as we share good news with the inmates through the programmes and literature,” says Sammy Kamore, from Lifewords Kenya. “Every time we visit different prisons, we get
to hear great stories that confirm to us the importance of this work. It has been a beautiful journey getting involved with the inmates and witnessing the transforming power of God through the Bible’s life words.”
PRAY Praise God for the work of chaplains in prisons, and the opportunity they have to offer spiritual care and share life-changing good news. Pray for the Nairobi inmates who have received Lifewords Bible booklets, that they would be comforted and transformed by God’s Word. Pray for children in prisons around the world. The number is enormous, and many are living in harsh and uncomfortable conditions.
MAKE A GIFT If you would like to partner with the Lifewords Kenya team in their vision to reach prison inmates with the Bible, you can make a gift online at www.lifewords.global. Thank you! 7
world NEWS Supporting diversity
In June English teaching and outreach organisation Forum 2:19 held their 10th annual gathering at Oak Hill College in London. The event welcomed more than 150 guests and exhibitors from churches and organisations across the UK, including Lifewords who has been resourcing Forum 2:19 with booklets for many years. Forum 2:19 helps churches embrace diversity in their local communities. “Paul made it clear in Ephesians 2:19 that after Christ’s death and resurrection there were no longer foreigners or strangers,” says co-founder David Baldwin. “So helping churches become more aware of and sensitive to different cultures and nationalities is key.” He continues: “I remember being introduced to Lifewords. I was amazed at the range of languages; the simplicity, quality, accessibility and generosity. It’s incredible how relevant and included someone feels when receiving something in their own language. This is part of the integration and social inclusion we need. “In collective spaces like this, we’re reminded of God’s heart for all people. It’s rewarding and enriching when meeting new people who don’t look or sound like us. God’s Word is worth sharing and God’s children are worth loving.” Visit www.lifewords.global/blog to read more about Forum 2:19.
Healing music In São Paulo, Brazil a group called Voice and Guitar go into hospitals to connect with and minister to patients through music and the Bible. “We take music to hospitals,” says Fabio, who has been part of the volunteer-run group since 2001. “We believe that it contributes to the recovery of patients and brings moments of joy to them regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.” Fabio was introduced to Lifewords shortly after Voice and Guitar emerged. “We have no words to thank you for helping us spread life-giving words with patients and workers in 15 hospitals across São Paulo,” says Fabio. Since 2013 they have shared hundreds of copies of Brazilian Portuguese Day by Day, You Matter, An Invitation, Finding Hope, and Way to Life. “Our music sparks a connection,” says Fabio, “but then the booklets take people further in discovering a relationship with God and experiencing peace, hope, joy and salvation.” “We were all already involved with music,” says Fabio, “and then one day we felt God calling us to minister to patients in hospitals. Through this and the generosity of Lifewords we’ve been able to help transform the hearts and minds of many who were experiencing hopelessness or loneliness.” 8
A new way to be human This summer Lifewords celebrated one year of its beatitudesinspired project, NINE BEATS. Over the last year hundreds of people have been invited to explore these challenging sayings of Jesus through new music, live events, thought, art, reflection and social media interaction. Groups have been using the Ninefold Path Notebook in UK, USA, and Australia – as a way of exploring the beatitudes together. Now NINE BEATS has launched a group “Learning Lab Guide” that provides a structured small group journey through the beatitudes, using practice-based learning. In each session, participants are invited to take on three practices or experiments in one of the “beats”. Co-authors Mark Scandrette and Danielle Welch explain: “There’s a longing inside of us for something better than what’s here right now … the beatitudes invite us in to that possibility and say there is a new way to be human, another world is possible. We have led groups through the Ninefold Path in all kinds of settings in the past year and we’ve taken this experience and distilled it into a group guide to running a Learning Lab, which we hope will be taken up by many more communities.” Find out more about NINE BEATS, and get copies of the Ninefold Path resources (available for purchase) at www.9beats.org.
Hunger for Jesus This year has seen some exciting developments for Lifewords India, with several new booklets going into production. In the first half of 2018 50,000 copies of eight titles were newly produced in Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu and Urdu translations. “The process of translation and typesetting has been incredibly long and challenging,” says Global Bible Resources Director, Jarek Jankowski. “But it was so good to see the outcome, especially as Urdu is now one of the top 10 most requested languages.” “More and more people are very interested in these resources,” says Lifewords India Director, Serah Thomas. “We have been using them with many different groups and recently met with young people in Karnataka state who are now using the Kannada Bible literature for personal evangelism. They have even gone on to share it with different churches. There is a real hunger for Jesus here in India.” Also, in the state of Chennai, Lifewords India worker Godwin held training sessions in July for evangelists and volunteers from local churches. Thank you for your continual support in helping us bring the gospel to India. Please join us as we pray for the Lifewords team, translators and our partners working to make this a reality.
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Radical Christmas Last year record numbers of you ordered and downloaded our OUTSIDE/IN Christmas resource. Beverley Agyeman tells us more about the project and reports on some exciting developments for Christmas 2018.
“We’re hoping OUTSIDE/ IN will allow us to extend a broader welcome and more ways in to the Bible.”
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With so much disruption, conflict and turmoil around the world the Christmas story has a powerful message: no one is excluded from experiencing good news. The shepherds in the story would work outside for hours every day carrying out a job that was most likely looked down on. Mary and Joseph’s situation did not conform to cultural and societal standards. The wise men were visitors in a country that wasn’t their own. Yet God called them right into the heart of the Christmas story. Last year Lifewords shared this message of radical inclusion in a new Christmas resource, OUTSIDE/IN.
TELLING THE STORY Steve Bassett, Creative Director, explains: “OUTSIDE/IN turns the spotlight on those who may have been considered to be outside the story but are drawn to its core. They are welcomed in and become the story themselves. Against the backdrop of an increasingly divided world, what better time to be reminded that the birth of Jesus is an invitation to all humanity, a unifying opportunity to be openhanded and welcoming, as God welcomes each of us?” Jeremy Williams, who wrote OUTSIDE/IN, continues: “There’s a lot that divides us in the
world today. We’re constantly negotiating who is welcome and who is unwelcome, who is valued and who isn’t, which opinions count and which ones don’t. God doesn’t ignore these sorts of divisions and hierarchies in the Christmas story, but actively subverts them.” Last year UK supporters took this message and shared it all over the country. For one church in Belfast the message of inclusion was perfect for their community. “This booklet is great for what we need in Belfast,” said Will Johnston from Crescent Church. “We wanted to reach everyone across the sectarian and economic divides, as well as the growing diverse groups of foreign nationals. This helped us do just that.” NEW FOR 2018 This year we’re extending the spirit of OUTSIDE/IN even further. We’ve got together with a great set of partners – Biblica, Livability, Torch Trust, CPO, and Count Everyone In – to make sure the Christmas story is accessible to all. CPO will be providing customisable posters, invites, and other supporting resources. Biblica bring the “NIrV” to the mix, a version of the Bible created to be accessible to reading ages from aged 7+, making it easier for everyone to engage with the story. A WELCOME FOR ALL The changes don’t stop there! We’ve also increased the font size in the booklet in line with RNIB standards, so that it’s more accessible for the visually impaired. Torch Trust are creating braille, super-large print and audio
“OUTSIDE/IN turns the spotlight on those who may have been considered to be outside the story but are drawn in to its core” CD versions of the story to go alongside. And we’re making a new downloadable animation for churches to stream or share on social media. The animation will tell the OUTSIDE/IN story, with BSL signing included, so that the story is accessible to the deaf community. Lifewords’ Danielle Welch explains: “We are passionate about the Bible as good news for everyone, everywhere. With OUTSIDE/IN, we think there’s a real opportunity for us to think about how we tell the Christmas story well in our communities. For instance – there are 50,000 people in the UK for whom BSL (British Sign Language) is their first or heart language. Globally there are 70 million sign language users, and 400 unique sign languages. 95% of these have no Bible translation, and there is not one single complete sign language translation of the Bible. We’re a long way still from access for all. We’re hoping OUTSIDE/IN will allow us to play a part in raising awareness in the church, and encouraging all of us to do what we can to extend a broader welcome and more ways in to the Bible.” You can find all the resources and links at www.lifewords.global/ christmas. Find out more about the deaf Bible movement at www.deafbiblesociety.com.
Steve Bassett
Jeremy Williams
PRAY Praise God for the success of OUTSIDE/ IN last Christmas. Pray for those who read the booklet or watched the animation – ask that God would keep speaking to them. Pray for this Christmas, for churches, groups and individuals as they plan their outreach. 11
Everyday Evangelists Two years ago, Lifewords Indonesia opened a small training centre in Jakarta. The rented building serves as a base for sending out teams to other cities and islands – and for inviting local Christians to meet, pray, and get inspired about sharing life words with others. Danielle Welch reports from a Bible resource evangelism training day. Lifewords’ office in Jakarta is in a small row of narrow store-fronts. Approaching the entrance, the noise of singing spills out from the neighbouring property – home to Pelita Dunia Bible College. The college students form an important volunteer force for Lifewords’ work, and they’re regular participants in our Bible resource training, both as helpers and as trainees.
“I’m struck by how united they are in their passion for witnessing to good news in their communities” We’re here to meet a group who have signed up for a Bible resource training day. Together they’ll be learning about Lifewords’ resources, and practising using them one12
to-one in storytelling and as conversation starters for everyday evangelism. Things quickly get noisy as the group divides into pairs and launches straight in to using flip cards telling the story of Jesus calming the storm. Through the next few hours, the group work their way through Who Cares About Me?, Who Else Could?, Little Book of Character, Wise Words – and other titles beside. Indonesia director, Gunar, chips in with stories of his own about how people have responded as they’ve received these life words. FOUR OF THOUSANDS I spend some time at lunch listening to people’s stories. I’m struck by how diverse the group is – in age and circumstance. And how united they are in their passion for witnessing to good news in their communities.
Here are just a few of their stories in brief, to help you pray. They represent the several thousand people who’ve taken part in Lifewords’ trainings and outreach in the past two years, here in Jakarta as well as in Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Kalimantan. We are a tiny ministry in Indonesian terms – but so many people are getting involved to share good news. Thank you on their behalf for your support.
“We are a tiny ministry in Indonesian terms – but so many people are getting involved to share good news” ASTI Asti Maharani is from East Java and works as a tutor. She was brought up as a Muslim but has followed Jesus since primary school when a Christian student shared the gospel with her. She went on to study at Bible college. She likes how the Lifewords resources are simple but within the simplicity is a deep story. She wants to share Jesus with the people she meets and the children she works with, reaching Hindus and Muslims, including her own family. TONY Tony Sengkey Riey is from Manadu, north Sulawesi but lives in Jakarta. He has spent his life in the army and working on ships. Now he is retired and serves in his local church as a leader and evangelist. He is passionate about reaching
Muslims and men with good news, encouraging them to be good husbands and fathers, and in turn to reach their families with the gospel too.
From the top down: Asti, Tony, Barty, Dedidores
BARTY Barty Hatulekal is from Ruku, North Sumatra and in his twenties. He came to Jakarta to join the police or the army, but he failed time after time. He ended up at Bible college in Jakarta via Bali, Papua New Guinea, and several difficult experiences. He feels called to return to Papua to work with children in rural communities there. DEDIDORES Dedidores Halawa graduated from Bible college in Jakarta in 2016. Now he is excited about churchplanting and reaching young people in the city. “God has given me this dream, and the courage to try. I’m still young, so I can make friends with other young people. So many people my age are caught up in themselves, they don’t want to share with others, but I always encourage them to have the heart to care for each other. Because so many people actually need our help.”
PRAY Give thanks for the thousands of people who are partnering with Lifewords in Indonesia. Pray for the communities and individuals they are reaching out to. Pray for Gunar and the Lifewords team – that God would help them grow the work they are doing. 13
GET INVOLVED LIFEWORDS AND YOU
Living It Out Loud These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life … They are foundational words, words to build a life on. Matthew 7:24 MSG Summer has been busy for VerseFirst, with a new campaign, LIVE IT OUT LOUD. The campaign was launched at Big Church Day Out festival, where there was also a chance to catch up with young people and young adults who are engaging with the Bible through VerseFirst’s online and offline resources. “I first heard about VerseFirst when my housemate at uni had the Little Book of Chaos in her room,” said 21year-old Laura. “Eventually I went online and ordered my own batch as I was experienced some mental health issues of my own. I also meet with and mentor young people at church who have anxiety and depression. They’ve found VerseFirst really helpful so far … Sometimes we struggle to see God in our low times, but Little Book of Chaos and VerseFirst’s Instagram page (@versefirst) are so real and relatable.” REAL LIFE Real and relatable is what LIVE IT OUT LOUD is all about. VerseFirst’s Emma Mackey explains: “For six months we’re running content across VerseFirst feeds and blog that invite young people to discover the impact the ancient words of the Bible can have on day-to-day 21st century living. How can we respond to the words of the Bible in the way that we live? How can we choose to live the way Jesus did? How can we challenge ourselves to be kinder? To consider how our actions affect others? It’s not until we walk out the words that we read that we are able to experience them as transformative. We’re adding more provocative ideas, blog content from different authors, phone wallpapers, and weekly challenges to LIVE OUT LOUD the verses that we’re posting and reading together.” Join VerseFirst on Instagram @versefirst, Facebook/ VerseFirst or online at www.versefirst.com and LIVE IT OUT LOUD! 14
CONTACT US
Enduring hope This year marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. Since 2014 you’ve ordered and shared hundreds and thousands of copies of the WWI Active Service St John’s Gospel, a replica of the booklet that was created over a 100 years ago to bring hope to soldiers, prisoners and refugees during the conflict. Today, you are still using this little booklet to bring good news all over the world – thank you! Here’s just one story from the many we receive: “Eight years ago we adopted our now 12-year-old daughter Chloe,” says Stephan from Warwickshire. “She has cerebral palsy and impaired vision but this hasn’t stopped us from competing in para-triathlons worldwide. Chloe’s disability isn’t a burden, but it can be exhausting at times. When we first received a copy of St John’s Gospel it provided us with peace and assurance, and reminded us of those in the war who would have turned to this booklet for strength and comfort in their hour of need. We now order hundreds of copies from Lifewords to share at schools, services and events in the UK, USA, Canada and New Zealand.” Please visit www.lifewords.global/shop and order copies of WWI Active Service St John’s Gospel in time for your services and events. Limited stock available.
Get in touch with the Lifewords global family. Find us online at www.lifewords.global, or contact your local office. AUSTRALIA
+61 437 705 947 australia@lifewords.global BRAZIL
projectoc@lifewords.global CANADA
+1 683 6482 info@sgmcanada.ca KENYA
+254 20 2730100 kenya@lifewords.global INDONESIA
+62 816714983 indonesia@lifewords.global INDIA
+91-80-25296587 india@lifewords.global POLAND
europe@lifewords.global UK & INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
+44 (0) 20 7730 2155 uk@lifewords.global 15
A Christmas welcome for all Invite your community into the story that is for EVERYONE this Christmas. Discover OUTSIDE/IN, a new range of accessible resources for you to share. Includes a BSL animation, and updated booklet with accessible text Find out more and order your free Bible booklets and resources at www.lifewords.global/christmas OUTSIDE/IN is produced in partnership with Biblica, Livability, Torch Trust, and CPO
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