Direction Magazine December 2014

Life long learning We talk to Elim’s new Director of Training

Christmas on the mission field

It’s hot, hot and very hot in Tanzania, say the Grahams

Lifting up the name of Jesus in Leeds Rebuilding in Rotherham

Why love is the only answer after children suffer ‘appalling abuse’ in grooming scandal

Ha ’S r n MI of ess NIS ou ing T lea r re the RY de tir sk HU rs ed ills B

Bridge Street Elim has a simple vision for growth

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DECEMber 2014 Issue 159 £2.00

The unreached ARE NOT UNREACHABLE

An estimated 42.3% of the world’s population is unreached with the Gospel… 89% of the world’s population has television sets…

GOD TV exists to reach every man, woman and child with the Gospel through the most effective evangelism platform available today: Media.

GOD TV currently broadcasts into 264 million homes, bringing the Gospel from Israel to the UK, Iran, Pakistan, Europe, India and many more across the globe 24 hours a day.

GOD TV’s mission is to reach 1 Billion Souls with the message of Jesus Christ, because we believe 42.3% is an unacceptable number, not an unreachable one.

For more information about our programming and the media mission field that needs YOU, go to www.god.tv or email info@god.tv.

GOD TV IS AVAILABLE ON SKY CHANNEL 580 AND VIRGIN MEDIA CHANNEL 279

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CONTENTS 5 editorial The countdown has begun, says John Glass 6 HONOURING JESUS’ NAME IN CITY Bridge Street Church in Leeds is growing, but leaders say it’s not about the numbers 10 NEWS from Elim and the wider church 12 OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE GS John Glass opens his diary 14 HELPING REBUILD ROTHERHAM Why love is the only answer after children suffer ‘appalling abuse’ in grooming scandal 17 A DESIRE TO SHOW GOD’S LOVE Elim member Pat Bulmer has been honoured for running a toddlers’ group 18 TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE Elim’s new Director of Training Dave Newton explains his vision for the role 22 MAKE A MEAL OUT OF CHRISTMAS It’s the best time to invite someone to hear the gospel, argues Mark Greenwood 25 divine connections of heaven There are lessons to be learned from Mary and Elizabeth, says Mags Hallam in Aspire 26 christmas on the mission field How Shaun and Karen Graham celebrate the season in Tanzania with their family 30 WHAT’S THE BEST GIFT FOR A BLOKE? MPower’s Gordon Allan answers

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32 THE IMPORTANCE OF CHAPLAINS They are called to minister where all the people are, explains Nigel Tween 34 IT’S SO WILD IT MUST BE TRUE! Gary Gibbs considers how the Creator became a tiny scrap of humanity 37 THE BELIEF IN A GOD OF JUSTICE A Bill aims to loose the chains of sexual exploitation, writes Lyndon Bowring 38 CALLED TO DO SOMETHING SCARY Sarah Whittleston challenges churches to believe God for a fresh move of the Spirit 39 MUSIC REVIEWS with Ian Yates 41 PLACING THINGS IN GOD’S HANDS Manchester United’s Radamel Falcao talks about how faith shapes his life 42 HUB TO HARNESS PASTORS’ SKILLS Ministry is not a contract of employment but a life calling, says Malcolm Hathaway 43 RADIO SHOW SPREADS THE GOSPEL The perfect ministry for David Hodgson 44 SHOWERED WITH BLESSINGS The vital question for shepherds is are you blessed or cursed, writes Kojo Wood 45 BOOKSHELF with Richard Dodge 49 ANSWERS with Mark Ryan 50 AND FINALLY with John Lancaster

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Church Direction Representatives: please advise any alterations to your order before the 10th of each month

Direction Magazine is the official publication of the Elim Pentecostal Church www.elim.org.uk Tel: 0345 302 6750 Fax: 0345 302 6752

@elimpentecostal Elim Pentecostal Church

Editor-in-Chief: John Glass, General Superintendent Publishers: Elim Pentecostal Church Elim International Centre, De Walden Road, West Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 4DF Charity no. 251549 (England & Wales) SC037754 (Scotland) Disclaimer: Views expressed in articles and news reports do not necessarily reflect the view of the Editor or the official position of the Elim Pentecostal Church.

The acceptance and publication of advertising does not indicate editorial endorsement. All submitted articles are subject to editing due to space restrictions.

By submitting articles, writers accept their articles may be edited.

Publishing agents: New Life Publishing Co, PO Box 777, Nottingham, NG11 6ZZ, England Tel: 0115 824 0777 Website: www.newlifepublishing.co.uk Email: editor@newlife.co.uk or orders@newlife.co.uk Printers: Buxton Press Limited, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE Back copies: previous issues are available while stocks last, at cover price plus £1.00 handling charge, incl. p&p, per order.

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c e n t e n a r Y c o n f e r e n c e a n D L e a D e r s s u m m i t includes Elim’s Annual Business Conference

D e f i n i n g

M o M e n t

H o n o u r i n g o u r p a s t e m b r a c i n g o u r f u t u r e 12th -14th May 2015 | Harrogate International Centre

Join us for this strategic leaders event at this pivotal moment in Elim’s history. This three day centenary conference and leaders summit will provide opportunities for fellowship, ministry and encouragement as we move into the next 100 years of Elim serving God across the nations.

elim100.org | #eLiM100 registered charity 251549 (england & Wales) sc037754 (scotland)

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The countdown begins For children the December countdown would mostly be calculated as the number of remaining ‘sleeps’ before their presents are opened on Christmas day. For others of us the countdown will be the number of days before Elim’s longawaited centenary celebrations commence.

This centenary has been several years in the planning and I, together with the National Leadership Team, want 2015 to be both memorable and significant at national, regional and local levels.

I am particularly appreciative of all that Chris Cartwright and his team have done to put the finer points to the wider brush strokes of the original concepts.

Three years ago I challenged our churches to rise to the challenge of what was to be known as ‘The Big Centenary Ask’ – and it was a big ask, indeed.

Elim was born in church planting. My Grandmother on my father’s side was a member of the first Elim church in Monaghan in Northern Ireland when she was a teenager. My Grandmother on my mother’s side, Alice Woodhead, was the primary female soloist in George Jeffreys’ campaigns. One of my most treasured possessions is a 78 rpm record of George Jeffreys preaching on one side and her singing on the other. Her husband, John Woodhead, would later plant over twenty Elim churches in the early days of our Movement.

Over 120 churches responded to The Big Centenary Ask, which consisted of planting a daughter church, a multi-campus church or a fresh expression of church. This has resulted in more than 50 new Elim churches being planted in the past 12 months – more than in any single

year of our history. Whether all of them will grow to full stature remains to be seen, but I want to express massive appreciation to Gary Gibbs, the national leader of ‘Reach’, for putting so much energy into the nurturing and fostering of this new growth.

I have been rightly quoted as not wanting 2015 to be simply a ‘sepia-tinted celebration of nostalgia’. What has brought us to this point is the result of faithful leaders, committed congregations, and especially the grace and goodness of God. We will be rightly honouring that.

But our centenary will be about what God is doing today and especially looking forward to the great destiny he has for this Movement in the years that are to come.

We have a phenomenal emerging generation of new leaders within our ranks – men and women with a heart after God and a passion to see our nation reached for Christ. In 2014 as I have travelled the country visiting our churches I have been immeasurably blessed by meeting members of our Movement of all ages who are already building, under God, what Elim will become as God’s grace continues to rest upon us.

We are taking some of the largest venues across the UK and Ireland towards the end of next year and I am looking forward to seeing you there.

Thank you for all that you have done to make Elim what it is today and what you are doing to make it an effective tool for God in the days that lie ahead.

John Glass General Superintendent Elim Pentecostal Church

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There are more than 50 nationalities in Elim’s fast-growing Leeds congregation, but the pastors say numbers are only part of the story

Honouring the name of Jesus across Leeds Sitting over a coffee with the ministry team of Bridge Street Church, you instantly realise that relationship is the heartbeat of the house.

In fact, across the very same table in a Leeds city centre Costa Coffee the previous night young adults – some from church, but many invited by friends – were discussing the issues of life over coffee.

Come to Bridge Street on any given Sunday and you will see a gathering of around 970 people – transcending all sectors of society from pathologists to former prisoners – but success here is not quantified by the need for an overflow room.

Despite being one of the fastest-growing Elim churches in the UK, attendance figures are far from the agenda; instead the focus is on helping each individual find their next stepping stone. What is their secret of success I ask, but senior pastor Steve Reilly and his fellow ministry team members Andy Lancaster and Andy Lenton are not forthcoming.

“I think we’re absolutely messy, I don’t think we have a model,” Steve reflects. “We colour over the edges, we don’t colour inside the box. I honestly don’t think we’ve got a model because some people will say this comes from that model and something else from another. Every book you read will probably tell you that our

‘We’re so diverse that we had one of our Nigerian elders baptise a former leader of the West Yorkshire National Front, which was amazing!’

Main image Bridge Street Pentecostal Church is working to see the name of Jesus held in high honour across Leeds Image shows Clarence Dock and the Royal Armouries Museum

vision statement isn’t a vision statement. It’s the passion of our heart and we’re not worried about that kind of stuff.”

The heart of matter is based on a verse in Acts 19, ‘To see the name of Jesus held in high honour across the city of Leeds and beyond’.

Pastoring is key Taking the time to form meaningful relationship with individuals is paramount at Bridge Street Church and Steve believes there is no scale for such things.

“It’s impossible to measure what you would call classic pastoring, but if you haven’t got first-class pastoring at the heart of your church then you’re in real trouble,” he asserts. “There is something in the pastoral gift that touches people’s hearts, and sometimes as Christians we don’t feel it as much, but it is absolutely core and essential to what we do.”

Andy Lancaster is keen to weigh in with an opposition to numbers being used as the qualification of a ministry. “The moment you try to quantify it, it becomes difficult,” he says. “You want to see fruit; of course you do, because it’s encouraging.

But I actually think it’s unbiblical to quantify success by worldly standards.”

“I’m not against the numbers thing,” adds Steve. “I will look at numbers, but there is so much more than that.”

Model or no model, there is a clear move of God happening in Leeds with 52 nationalities represented in the Sunday congregation and in excess of 30 small groups meeting throughout the week. “It’s a God’s grace thing, it’s not because we’re clever,” Andy says.

“Somehow we have something which brings people together and I genuinely think that is the grace of God. We don’t advertise ourselves as international; it’s just what God has done.”

“The diversity is ridiculous,” insists Steve, whose sentiments are echoed by the story Andy Lenton recalls: “We’re so diverse that we had one of our Nigerian elders baptise a former leader of the West Yorkshire National Front, which was amazing!”

In partnership with other churches, Bridge Street is involved in various outreach projects including a foodbank and Faith in Schools – reaching out to nine local secondary schools.

Their children’s ministry, which promises to visit each family home, reaches thousands every month through Saturday events, and links with more than 30 local primary schools.

Meanwhile Splashtime – the church’s mums and toddlers group – has connected with almost 100 Hindus.

Working it out Bridge Street’s Horizon Life Ministry was born out of Teen 

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Challenge, offering a range of NVQs over a 10-month course to equip former addicts to reenter the workplace.

In conjunction with three other churches, they are now working to establish a similar course, offering barista training for women after buying the Black Bull pub in Harrogate, which they hope to convert into a coffee shop.

For now, though, it is Costa playing a pivotal role in the life of the church, with a thriving young adults ministry meeting to enjoy coffee and host entertainment.

“Every month we’re in here and it’s a great place for that age group to bring friends, who probably wouldn’t darken the door of a church,” Andy says.

“The manager told us the staff actually ask to work that Sunday night because they love it.”

As well as outreach, gospel services remain a highlight of the Bridge Street calendar, with March, September and Christmas all seen as key times for the church.

“We join the September Big Welcome and there were 14 responses to the appeal this year.

No matter which way you look at it, that has been the biggest source of salvation,” Steve adds.

Scheduled in cycle with their gospel services, Alpha is hosted parallel to a Sunday meeting, which has also proven a success.

“If you invite someone to church for Alpha they come at the same time, bring their kids to Sunday school and you can be in the meeting all at the same time,” Andy explains. “Then out of Alpha people are used to being up on a Sunday morning and move straight into the usual meetings.”

Steve adds: “I like to look at where people are at, then how can we get them to the next place. We’re not driven by programme. It’s finding out how we can help people, as Bill Hybels would say, ‘become fullydevoted followers of Christ’.”

‘We’re not driven by programme.

It’s finding out how we can help people become fully-devoted followers of Christ’

Above Bridge Street Church is in the heart of Leeds City Centre and includes a large number of activities and initiatives.

Inset, the foundation stone of the church was laid by Elim’s founder, George Jeffreys

“There is a real tendency to follow anything to try and be cool,” Andy claims, reflecting on the variety of the church’s ministries. “But I don’t think people come to church to be cool and trendy, I think they come because there is something else.”

Moving on While God is undoubtedly building something at Bridge Street, Leeds City Council is planning to demolish the area for a new shopping centre, which means a move for the church is on the horizon. A former high school in Burmantofts has been bought for the church, though several false starts over the last decade have left the team in limbo.

“We’ve got a choice,” Steve says. “We could be the big church that goes in and ignores others, but we have met with the Anglican churches for about two years to discuss what we can do together.”

“It’s something of God’s heart for that area that we feel,” adds Andy. “A lot of leaders look where God is doing stuff before moving in. No matter how

small, God is doing something there.”

“It’s kingdom stuff. You can try and build your own empire, but if you believe that you’re the answer and nobody else is, then you’re in serious trouble.

It’s about valuing the body of Christ.”

“I feel really strongly in my spirit for this next season that we are to be a strong mother church that will have babies, not all of which will be the same, but will have different colour hair and expressions,” Steve reveals.

“I think it will be a relationship network, not a controlling thing.

I think they will all be very different to meet the needs of the community, whether they meet on a Sunday or not we just want to get into different areas of Leeds.”

As our interview draws to a close Andy scurries away to meet Pete. And as one Andy heads down the road, the other Andy explains the man he is meeting was once a notorious criminal – known by every police officer in Leeds – but who now serves in the church. Just one more of the many stories that proves God is real, Andy says.

is delighted to be hosting:

Elijah’s First International Conference: The Living University of Postural Care

Date: Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th April 2015 Venue: Hilton Bristol, Woodlands Lane, Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 4JF “

Eleanore’s story ...

Eleanore Tesia Kittelson-Aldred was a little girl who had a big influence on many people she met through school, therapies, her community and church. Her fine sense of visual humor earned her the nickname ‘Eleanore Teaser’ because she loved to tease. She went everywhere with her family in her wheelchair, all-terrain stroller, bike trailer or sled, and loved swimming.

Born in 1989, Eleanore was one of a handful of children with 8p+, a bit of extra genetic material on the short arm of her eighth chromosome, which resulted in complex needs. Over time it became evident that she had left hemiplegia, as well as low muscle tone; Eleanore was also profoundly deaf.

As she grew older, a mild spinal curve that was evident when she was a preschooler became more pronounced. By the time she was nine years old, Eleanore slept in a brace that straightened her back every night. In February 2001, Eleanore’s spine x-ray showed a curve of 90 degrees and surgery was recommended as the only viable way to improve her quality of life.

The surgery took place in May 2001, an apparent success, but during the two months after surgery, Eleanore struggled to eat and seemed distant. When she lost almost 15% of her body weight, her pediatrician insisted that she receive nasal gastric tube feedings with a pump during the night.

Sadly, on the evening of 26th July 2001, due to complications resulting from her feeding difficulties, Eleanore died. Her funeral took place six days later, on her twelfth birthday.

Eleanore’s parents, Rick and Tamara, established Eleanore’s Project and Postural Care USA as their daughter’s legacy in the world. Through the organisations, they share the good news of postural care with other families and show how therapeutic positioning offers a viable alternative to spinal surgery.

Tamara Kittelson-Aldred, an occupational therapist and postural care tutor, is one of the keynote speakers about postural care at Elijah’s First International Conference: The Living University of Postural Care.

We’re sharing Eleanore’s story is to highlight the importance of good postural care. Body shape distortion isn’t inevitable and there is a non-surgical solution to deteriorated body shape.

The right therapeutic positioning can prolong someone’s life. Elijah’s First International Conference: The Living University of Postural Care will bring professionals and families together to share knowledge and best practice.

Find out more by visiting www.elijahs-hope.org or call 01275 269359 to book your place at this world-leading two-day event

”

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Christmas events Elim churches around the country are planning seasonal events this month, including • Ashingdon Elim is running its popular Christmas holiday club. The club runs across two sites in both Ashingdon and Rayleigh, Essex. • Elim Kingstanding in Birmingham is running a packed Christmas programme.

Community events will include a Santa’s sleigh, Christmas spectacular and food bank Christmas meal. • East Ham Elim is putting on its ‘Christ In Me In Christmas’ production this month, which will be a showcase of drama, dance and comedy. • Evangelist and comedian Mark Greenwood is bringing his unique mix of music, comedy and chat to Newcastle Elim on December 9.

Former CVM director takes on Elim church planting role A former director of Christian Vision for Men has been appointed to a new role of Director of Church Planting and Church Development for Elim.

Carl Beech, author of ‘Codelife’ and the ‘Manual’ men’s devotional series, will take up the highly influential role within the Movement from February 2015.

Husband to Karen and father to two teenage daughters, Carl is relishing the prospect of his new role in Elim.

“I’ll be raising up cadres of church planters and pioneers, establishing church planting hubs and helping churches effect

Carl Beech has a new role with Elim

long term strategic changes that make a lasting impact,” he said.

“It’s entirely possible, as God graces our Movement to see hundreds of new Elim churches, and churches that have so far not seen growth, win

many people to Christ. Working with Gary Gibbs, who will be continuing his work in local church evangelism, we are believing for a significant impact.”

“The appointment of Carl Beech is, in my view, one of the most exciting appointments that our Movement has made in recent years,” said Elim Superintendent John Glass.

“Carl has a proven track record in leading a large church and re-envisioning established ones. Reach already has a strong presence through the excellent work Gary has done. This great team augers well for the growth of Elim.”

Elim v AoG golf challenge cup ends in a draw The inaugural Team Elim versus Team AoG golfing ‘Ryder Cup’ ended in a stalemate after two thrilling days of action at DeVere Carden Park in September.

General Superintendent John Glass might not have thought too much of his throwaway comment over lunch, but within 24 hours plans were in process to assemble teams of 12 Elim and 12 Assemblies of God ministers to battle for the honours.

Ahead of the event, former Ryder Cup player Malcolm Gregson was invited by Team Elim captain Richard Vernon to share his memories of playing for Europe in the famous transatlantic duel, and even left his replica trophy behind to add an authentic incentive.

A sun-laden DeVere Carden Park in Chester provided the perfect backdrop and Team Elim took a slender one-point advantage on the opening

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Captains Andrew Smith and Richard Vernon (left) share the cup

day. Momentum continued to swing in favour of Team Elim

on day two, but a stirring Team AoG comeback left all pressure on Leeds’ Andy Lenton.

With the Ryder Cup in touching distance, Andy’s putt came agonisingly close to securing victory for Team Elim, but his miss meant the competition ended all square.

“It was obvious by their

reaction that Team AoG were delighted to have clawed their way back from the jaws of defeat, but overall it was a fair result and a great way for the event to end,” John Glass said.

Now the players return to the driving range and practice greens in preparation for a rematch in two years.

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Creation of role to help Movement

Executive Director Alun Mathias

General Superintendent John Glass cuts the ribbon with Pastor Sam Larbie during the official opening of RNJC

New lease of life for former club as it becomes a church A building notorious for a gangland shooting in the 1960s is now home to an Elim church.

The club in Lewisham was at the centre of a fight between the notorious Kray gang and their enemies, resulting in three men being shot and wounded and one dead. But it will now be a place of worship for Elim’s Right Now Jesus Centre (RNJC).

Pastor Sam Larbie said, “The RNJC aims to be made an instrument of peace. This new location will enable us to reach out in a fresh way with the good news of Jesus Christ, that there is hope for the hopeless, healing for the sick, acceptance and liberty for the rejected and oppressed, and abundance in the midst of lack.

“This would be expressed in practical ways with endeavours such as coffee mornings, soup kitchens, organisation of occasional picnics, inviting folks

New signage at the old club which is now Elim’s Right Now Jesus Centre

within the local community.

There will be seasonal seminars and educational support programmes that would be open to anyone, especially mothers and toddlers, the youth and over 50s. We will also be open to new ideas.”

The venue once rocked to the sounds of the Rolling Stones and The Who but now plays host to an eclectic mix of traditional hymns, gospel music, jazz, afro-beat and world music that reflects a congregation that

encompasses a wide range of people from various corners of the world.

The building was officially opened in June in a ceremony attended by Heidi Alexander MP, Member of Parliament for Lewisham East, Councillor Janet Daby, Labour Councillor for Whitefoot Ward and Lewisham Cabinet Member, Elim General Superintendent, John Glass, and David Campbell, Elim’s Regional Leader for the West Metropolitan Regions.

A former director of financial services conglomerate Deloitte has been appointed to a newlycreated role of Executive Director for the Elim Movement.

Financial expert Alun Mathias has worked with some of the world’s leading accountancy firms, including a stint with Ernst & Young, before becoming a director with Deloitte – the largest professional services company in the world. He is the leading VAT consultant in Wales.

Alun, married for 30 years with four adult children, serves as an elder at Cardiff City Temple and also heads up the church’s TBCA missional community in the north of the city.

He is expected to complete his ministerial training and be ordained in 2015. Elim General Superintendent John Glass expects Alun to play an influential role within the Movement.

“On behalf of myself and the National leadership Team I am delighted to announce that the successful applicant for the role of Executive Director is Alun Mathias, who will oversee all our operations based here in Malvern,” he said. “It is a very senior position within our Movement and will play a part not only in shaping what we do in the International Centre, but I believe will also have very positive ramifications throughout our wider Movement.”

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Direction goes out and about with John Glass

Wrenthorpe

For many years Calvary Chapel was pastored

by Colin and Francis Dyson (pictured fourth and fifth from left) and then four years ago their daughter, ordained Elim minister Claire Williams (pictured third from the left with her husband, Tony), took over the leadership when her father retired.

Their eldest son, Tim (pictured fourth from right with his wife), is a Minister in Training and now serving as the assistant minister at Elim Yeovil. Their second son, Jon (pictured second from right), is a second year student at RTC. Their third son, Joe (far left), is in the

Calvary Chapel, Kings Heath praise band in the local church. It was great to witness first hand the growth and development of the church under Claire’s ministry and especially good for Marilyn and I to share a meal with all the leaders and their wives after the morning service. A special mention should be made of the church elder, Norman Eames, who has been a member of the church since it was founded 55 years ago.

Com Church, Dunstable My visit to Com church was part of their anniversary celebrations. Thirty years ago the Dunstable congregation commenced with just a handful of people led by Doug and Helena Richards (pictured right) and is now a large and vibrant church.

It was great to meet people who were part of the initial group and who are key leaders in the church today.

The last occasion I was in Dunstable was for the opening of their new premises, when the church had taken over the largest night club in the town and converted it into a place of worship. The previous week I had been at

another Elim church that had taken over their town’s casino.

Thank you Doug and Helena for your great welcome to Marilyn and myself and for the generous cheque you gave to Elim Missions for the suffering Christians in Iraq.

Wrenthorpe is a small church on the outskirts of Wakefield. And it was to this congregation of faithful people that Jamys Carter (pictured with his wife, Emma) came to minister a little under two years ago. The church is well known in the community in which it has had a presence for very many years.

Apart from his leadership of the church, Jamys is very involved in the development of Elim’s ‘ministers in training’ within our Movement, while Emma, apart from her role within the church, has a doctorate and works as a research scientist at Sheffield University.

It was a pleasure to spend time at the Wrenthorpe church and to have some quality time with Jamys and Emma during the day.

Sparkbrook The last time I spoke at Sparkbrook Elim was when Pastor JJ Morgan was the minister. I was a teenager, and he had invited me to give my testimony. Fifty years later I was a speaker, together with Nigel Tween, at a convention weekend entitled, ‘Embracing the Holy Spirit’.

The church has gone through some difficult times in recent years but has seen a dramatic turnaround under the ministry of the current pastor, Caleb Nyanni, pictured here with his wife, Angela. In the four years since he has been there, Caleb has seen the church triple in size.

As reports take some time to get from ‘meeting to magazine’ you can keep up to date in ‘real time’ by visiting elimgs.blogspot.com, or following me on & . All those in leadership in the local church can follow my five-minute videos on by searching ‘Cappuccino Communication’

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Land and deliver Leer, South Sudan, 24.04.2012 Find out more about MAF’s continuing lifeline missions at www.maf-uk.org/stories

We go the extra miles www.maf-uk.org/stories

Registered charity in England and Wales (1064598) and in Scotland (SC039107) ÂŽ Registered trademark 3026860, 3026908, 3026915

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Rocked by a huge sex abuse scandal, Rotherham has made the news for all the wrong reasons in recent months. But how is the Church responding? Ben Hampshire found out

The pastor helping to rebuild Rotherham After being branded the ‘child grooming capital of Britain’, Elim minister Paul Folland insists Rotherham needs to hear that the Church loves the town.

An independent inquiry published in August revealed that 1,400 Rotherham children had suffered ‘appalling abuse’ over a 16-year period at the hands of men who were largely of Pakistani heritage. It accused the police and local council of ‘blatant collective failures’.

The report hit national and international headlines and the town was on the news agenda for the following month, but Paul, leader of Elim Christian Centre in the town, insists a ‘love wins’ approach is the only answer.

“We had friends in Australia see news of what was happening in Rotherham and ring up to ask, ‘What has been happening in your town?’” Paul says.

“One of the tragic things is that we weren’t necessarily

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‘It’s a lot easier to throw stones rather than pick them up and build with them’

Above Paul Folland, whose church is helping to rebuild hope in Rotherham

shocked. I think the scale of it was startling, but more than that was the fact that people in authority either chose to look the other way or didn’t know what to do about it. I think it was possibly that which was more shocking than anything else.

“For our town right now, it doesn’t feel like anyone cares,” Paul says. “It has a reputation globally and we need to change that and bring good back into the town. We believe the Church can do that more effectively than any other agency.

“We have had the English Defence League and British National Party out rallying in recent weeks, which has cost the town money, but what we’re going to do is go out and give things away in love, which is a Christian response.

“We’ve had all sorts of pressures in the town and I think people have been ashamed that they come from Rotherham.

We’ve had the town described as the ‘child grooming capital of Britain’, and that’s quite hard for a community to deal with. I think it has affected the self-esteem of the town, and the question for us a Church is, ‘How do you respond to that?’”

After meetings with church leaders from across Rotherham and with local MP, Sarah Champion, Paul believes the town is in need of rebuilding and claims the Church has a vital role to play in that.

“It’s very easy to criticise, but we need to be looking forward. It’s not just about justice for these 1,400 people but it’s about how we prevent these sorts of issues from occurring in the future,” he says.

“It’s a lot easier to throw stones rather than pick them up and build with them.”

One initiative which is already seeing an impact across the town is the use of ‘#LoveRotherham’ on social media, and the website,

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www.loverotherham.org. Whatever community work churches are doing we’re asking them to tag it ‘#LoveRotherham’ and then we have one face of what the Church is doing to improve the community,” Paul adds.

Elim Christian Centre runs an L4:18 project – based on the Scripture in Luke’s Gospel – which encourages members to actively love their community.

“We’re asking our congregation to go out and perform random acts of kindness in their workplaces. My wife works in health visiting, which is under a lot of pressure, and she took biscuits into her office and we had a response from her manager saying, ‘It’s great to know

that someone cares.’ You might think that all we did is buy some biscuits, but if it has that level of impact around the 40 staff, as individuals we can improve our workplaces and neighbourhoods just by caring. It’s a simple idea, but if we have hundreds or thousands of Christians actively caring for their little bit of the town then it will make a difference.”

Paul and his team at Elim Christian Centre are also starting to work in conjunction with local schools to improve self-esteem among the next generation.

“We can start to teach kids that they are valuable and important.

They are biblical values, but taught in a way which schools find acceptable,” Paul explains.

“We may only be a small church, but you can make a difference when each member says, ‘I can love my town, I can love my community, I can love my street’.”

While staying committed to the vision of the Elim Christian Centre, Paul believes a united spirit between churches will raise the town’s profile. “If ‘#LoveRotherham’ creeps out from events churches are doing it’s going to seep out into our town and people will see that the Church loves Rotherham.

“For me, it’s a unity of heart, mind and spirit. Not necessarily doing everything together, that’s not always practically possible, but it’s important that people understand our heart.”

600 people attended a prayer meeting at Rotherham Minster

Elim members join big prayer gathering after abuse scandal Pastor Paul Folland and members of Rotherham Elim Church were among 600 people suppor ting a prayer gathering in response to the child abuse scandal that rocked the town.

Following the publication of the report that revealed 1,400 children have suffered “appalling abuse”, City Vision Rotherham – a network of local churches – organised a gathering to unite all denominations.

There was standing room only at Rotherham Minster as members of churches across the town and members of the community joined to react in faith, while prayer also took place in Clifton Park – the site of many of the crimes – and outside the Town Hall to pray

The Rotherham prayer meeting

for those in the corridors of power.

Leaders from different dominations were allocated time to lead prayer as the town united, something Paul believes is essential in such circumstance.

“Light always shines brightest in the dark,” he says. “And in one sense this has been an opportunity – although not a nice word to use – to galvanise the Church to do more.”

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A Sunderland Elim member has been honoured after running a toddlers group at her church for 20 years

Recognition for toddlers group leader Pat Bulmer is reflecting on the remarkable evolution of the toddler group she established at Sunderland Elim Church after being awarded a British Empire Medal.

Over 25 years, Pat has met over 600 children and their families; and she reveals that the drive behind it all is simply a desire to show God’s love.

With a number of volunteers, Pat has created a welcoming environment where children can play and parents can enjoy conversations over a coffee.

Reflecting on the group, Pat says, “We approached the pastor, who was Mark Drew at the time, and asked if we could start something for the children.

He phoned me a few weeks later and asked if I would run it – although that was the last thing I really wanted to do with four children of my own.

“It has evolved over the years into what we are now. We started off with about five ladies in the group and we prayed for a certain number of people to come in every week and that number came.

“It’s really just been one big journey, and still is. We do lots of different activities with children, we don’t preach at the people when they come, they come through the door and it doesn’t matter who they are.”

Most years the toddler group has been taking part in Barnardo’s Big Toddle, and Pat has just been awarded the Barnardos President’s Certificate after raising more than £5,000 over the years to support the UK’s most disadvantaged under-fives.

‘I just want the children and parents to walk through the doors of our church and feel God’s love’

Above Pat Bulmer is congratulated

by The Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Sir Nigel Sherlock, after receiving her British Empire Medal

Within the group, Pat and her dedicated team have seen the impact of creating an open and warming environment.

“I just want the children and parents to walk through the doors of our church and feel God’s love,” she says. “I want them to feel they can come in and if they want to share anything with us, they can. People have asked me marital questions and child care questions and I share things with other members of the group and we pray for certain situations.

“We tell the people when we’re praying for them, and sometimes we don’t hear anything else, but sometimes they come back and tell us situations have worked out.”

Despite taking a break to help her husband Martin establish a water cooler business, Pat’s heart to serve the families of Sunderland has never wa-

vered. “God kept calling me back. Our pastors at the time asked if I would help out with this and that, and eventually I was back again,” she recalls. “I’d had a break for about two years but I went back and took it over because I feel that’s where God really wants me to be.”

Parents from the toddler group were among those to nominate Pat for the British Empire Medal, which took her entirely by surprise.

“It came completely out of the blue. I had no idea I had been nominated,” Pat says. “I opened this letter and was like, ‘Who on earth has done this, this is not why I run the group.’

“Martin and I were invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace in June this year, which we attended and it was a pleasure to be there,” she says.

Pastor Joe McDonald of Sunderland Elim was quick to commend Pat’s work. “We are delighted that Pat has been awarded the BEM and recognition given for her many years of faithful witness and outreach to the local community of Sunderland through the toddler group and we give God all the glory and honour,” he says.

• Pat became the second member of Sunderland Elim Church to visit Buckingham Palace, following in the footsteps of her friend Dorothy Simpson who, as well as receiving royal honours for her work with a motor neurone charity last year, continues to work behind the scenes to support the toddler group.

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After 17 years with Youth for Christ, Dave Newton has taken on a new responsibility as Elim’s Director of Training. Matthew Murray spoke to him about his vision for the role and his place in the Guinness Book of World Records...

Introducing the Movement’s new Director of Training

Above Dave Newton has been appointed Elim’s new Director of Training and his role will extend to the Principal of Regents Theological College with the new academic year

MM: So Dave, you’re the new Director of Training for Elim. What exactly does that mean?

DN: Training is an interesting term that has a range of connotations; it can appear very formal and take some people back to memories of being in school.

The reality is that training takes place all the time, in our interactions, conversations, observations and relationships.

Within Elim, most of our training takes place in the local church, not only in preaching and teaching, but also in many informal ways. The role of Director of Training is to support pastors in identifying and maximising those opportunities to learn and develop themselves, as well as those around them.

The role extends to Regents Theological College where I will start as Principal in the next academic year. I am excited about working alongside Pete Read and the fantastic team there.

MM: How did this new job come about?

DN: I have always felt called to invest in others.

I would see this as central to our mission as disciples of Jesus. My work with Youth for Christ over 17 years has afforded me the opportunity to develop people and organisations, and as a result see them achieve incredible things for the kingdom of God. When I saw this role initially, I was drawn to

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the potential of continuing what God had called me to do in a slightly different context. After expressing my interest, I was approached by the National Leadership Team to come for an interview and to share my vision for the role. Since being offered the post it has become clear in many ways that this is God’s leading.

I look forward in this role to the balance of supporting those in formal theological training alongside practical hands-on training because both can strengthen the muscles for the mission God has called us to.

MM: Tell us a bit more about the Elim church where you are an elder.

DN: I love being involved in the local church; the temptation sometimes for people in national ministries is not to be rooted in the local church.

I have sought to get the rhythm right in this area by talking with the pastor and elders.

I have been an elder at the Elim Church in Wallasey now for the last five years. I am also an MIT, hoping to be ordained in 2015. We are a tight-knit, small yet growing congregation with a real desire to seek after God. It has been a joy to serve alongside so many heroes of the faith who have kept me accountable and believed in us as a family and encouraged us along the way. Moving from the church in Wallasey will be hard, but so it should be as these guys really are like family to us.

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MM: What do you aim to bring to the Movement?

DN: I am keen to further develop Elim’s commitment to lifelong learning. Mission and ministry in the 21st century demands that people remain rooted and connected to Jesus but also constantly learning from those around us.

In the years ahead I would hope to see formal and informal coaching and mentoring for staff and volunteers across the Movement, as well as an increase in the use of digital technology to support training and learning. I am also committed to ensuring that the fantastic facilities at Malvern including RTC and the Conference Centre play a key part in enabling this to happen.

MM: Tell us about your family and how you like to spend your spare time.

DN: I love spending time with my family. Liz is a specialist gynaecology nurse and seeks to be an incredible witness in a challenging working environment.

Josh (17) loves music and plays a number of instruments in some great bands; he’s studying music at college in Liverpool. Hannah (16) is currently studying her A levels and loves photography and has a really caring nature.

Solomon (9) is an aspiring drummer and is a mad footballer; he follows Liverpool FC’s highs and lows with his dad. I enjoy running regularly; having run a marathon I am keen to do more. And 18 months ago I managed to break an official Guinness World Record by playing continuous football for over 48 hours with a fantastic team.

MM: Do you hold any regrets?

DN: Apart from some of my childhood haircuts and teenage fashion disasters, I don’t tend to do regrets! That’s not to say I haven’t messed up, made stupid decisions, or acted or reacted inappropriately, but regret is more about how you respond to the disappointment.

I try to live in a way that means when I notice something needs to change, or it is highlighted to me, I try to do something about it. I chose not to study theology at a young age and went straight into ministry, as I was keen to get on with the calling God had placed on my life. Over time I realised that I would benefit from focussed theological study so, rather than regretting not doing it, I simply enrolled. I found it made a massive difference to my ministry. You could say I regret not playing professional football but that’s not regret, it’s more like delusion!

‘I have always felt called to invest in others.

I would see this as central to our mission as disciples of Jesus’

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How do you spend time with God in the midst of your busy schedule?

DN: The busyness of life requires a greater investment in this area. I am determined to ensure that nothing replaces quality time with God. An important part of this has to be discipline, intentionally carving out time to read the Bible and pray.

I have found I am better at this when I have a programme to follow – an allotted portion each day ensures that I make space for this. Paul writing to Timothy explains that ‘discipline produces a harvest of righteousness for those trained by it’.

As an external processor, though, I also love to talk things through with my wife and friends; I see adventuring into the presence of God as a team sport not simply an individual pursuit.

Finally, travelling in the car allows me plenty of space to listen to podcasts, catch a range of quality bible teaching, pray and enjoy great times of worship.

MM: What have been the highlights of your work in ministry so far?

DN: Stories of transformation are always a highlight. I remember a young man on a mission I was leading hearing the gospel but upon hearing the good news realised it demanded more than he was prepared to give. Over the week we talked, and after a few days he decided it was time to surrender his life to Jesus. It is great seeing anyone make a decision for Jesus, but on this occasion it was clear this young man was stepping into a journey of discipleship.

Over 17 years with Youth for Christ I have had the privilege of speaking in prisons and seeing many surrender their lives to Jesus, leading teams and investing in those taking their first step in ministry. God continually reminds me that when we depend on him he constantly exceeds our expectations. In the last 12 months I have taken a lead in creating an online religious education resource to enable pupils to learn about Christianity, which has been an incredible success and is being used by 35,000 people a month.

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MM: What’s the greatest miracle you’ve seen?

DN: I love to see God’s miraculous intervention into our ordinary world; I would love to see more.

It’s difficult on the occasions we pray for healing for someone and nothing seems to happen, or we pray for a circumstance to change and it appears to get worse.

It doesn’t stop me praying; in fact it probably causes me to pray more. I had the amazing privilege of praying for a woman who was desperate for a child and it was exciting to see her again seven months later heavily pregnant. As a Pentecostal church we must be desiring more of the supernatural, however our greatest desire has to be for the God who is behind all things, both natural and supernatural.

Above Dave with his family (from left to right) Josh, Hannah, wife Liz and Solomon

MM: How would you assess the spiritual climate of Great Britain?

DN: As I travel around the nation I observe a lack of awareness of the things of God. Generally, people don’t know the story and certainly haven’t been introduced to the central character that is Jesus.

That said, I rarely find someone who is not open to being prayed for or talking about life and faith, but it feels like our mission is starting a lot further back.

The greatest challenge our ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ society presents us, is allowing a fascination with Jesus to translate to seeing him as Lord, the one who demands our all. Amongst the local church there is a healthy expectation that we have to play our part. Climate change, on every level, starts with individuals making a difference where they are, and I sense local Christians are owning this reality, seeking to live for God in the workplace, in their friendships and conversations.

I am excited by the thought of playing my part in empowering and releasing this potential in our nation.

‘As I travel around the nation I observe a lack of awareness of the things of God. Generally, people don’t know the story and certainly haven’t been introduced to the central character that is Jesus’

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Churches urged to make The festive season is the best time of year to invite someone to come and hear the gospel, according to evangelist Mark Greenwood Why is Mark Greenwood going to ‘make a meal out of Christmas’? Because there is no more opportune moment for the Church to reach out into the community, says the Elim evangelist.

‘Making a meal out of Christmas’ sees Mark travel the length and breadth of the country every year, provoking laughter and thought with a mixture of stand-up comedy and the gospel.

While some may be left lamenting the commercialisation of Christmas, Mark is eager to seize the opportunity presented by the festive season.

“I have two equal raging emotions when I think of Christmas,” he reflects. “I have the kind of thing that Christmas has become very secular and commercial in some people’s minds, so that’s one emotion. I get saddened that they’re not thinking about Christ as much.

“But then the other emotion kicks in, and I think at least it’s still being celebrated. And whilst it is being celebrated there is still an opportunity, more so than during any other festival.

You think of Easter and there’s nothing to work with apart from Easter eggs.

People don’t turn up to see their kids perform plays about the crucifixion, but they do for the nativity.

“While there is this commercial aspect, I think it gives us a fantastic opportunity. There are some churches doing some really great things at Christmas on lots of different levels, but I still think there are a lot of churches that aren’t and they could do more. It may be tiring, but I just don’t think we get a season like this at any other time of the year.”

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Beginning in the final week of November to mark the start of Advent, Mark tours the country visiting churches which host his outreach events.

“It usually happens around some kind of food. One church is doing a hog roast with coffee and mince pies and another is doing a fullon Christmas banquet,” he explains. “I think, undeniably, in terms of people who are not Christians coming along to church, you’re not going to get any better time in the year when that is going to happen.

“I always feel the word Jesus isn’t incongruous at Christmas, whereas for the rest of the year it’s not really something that features in people’s minds.

“All of a sudden you get to Christmas and they are bombarded, albeit they are bombarded by the secular and commercial sides of Christmas too, but they also get a lot more of the story of Christmas. They might go and see their kids in a nativity, or they might watch something on TV, and at Christmas people listen to carols which carry a lot of theology and doctrine.

“Then you come along and kind of present Christmas and it feels to me that there is something of a backdrop there, whereas for the rest of the year you could maybe feel like you’re preaching into a vacuum.”

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a meal out of Christmas How humour helps Mark to break down barriers For Bradford-born funnyman Mark Greenwood, humour has always played a pivotal role and he sees the way barriers can be broken down through laughter.

“For me, humour and laughter has always been a bit part of my life, from growing up as a kid,” says the father of two.

“In that sense, my events are just me being true to who I am, and I think it’s a good angle for people to invite friends along.

“If people are laughing at you it’s very difficult for them not to like you. Even if they don’t agree with the Christmas message, the comments I have got, even from atheists, is that they have loved thinking about things in a different way.

“A lot of churches use this kind of event to launch their January Alpha and it leads into that quite well,” Mark says. “At Christmas people slow down a bit and spend a lot more time around family. Then they kick

into the New Year and they’re beginning to think about new changes, and to think about God.” “I have this little saying, ‘Half the battle facing the Church is changing people’s perceptions of the Christian faith,’ and these events can be really good for that.”

“What is really, really important is that there needs to be a journey by which a person comes to faith,” Mark adds. “I’ve created this rhythm for churches called, ‘Big yes, little yes, healthy maybe.’ The idea behind it is to say to the church that our responsibility is to populate the ‘healthy maybe’ category by getting people along to events that could change their perceptions.

“We need lots of really well-done events and an understanding that if you’re putting on an evangelistic event you don’t have to batter people over the head with the gospel. Arguably, something lighter and more fun and different from what they’re used to may take people further along the journey towards God.”

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Aspire A passionate ministry for women in Elim

There are lessons to be learned from Mary and Elizabeth, says Mags Hallam

Christmas greetings from Marilyn Glass and the Aspire Team. Have a blessed 2015!

Divine connections cross all cultures and borders It has been a fabulous year for Elim women. Many have been part of Aspire events and Conferences in the UK and beyond. Various inventive expressions of connection have taken place inside and outside of our churches, creating interest in faith that works, through knowing Jesus, giving life meaning and purpose.

As well as many Conferences and the residential weekend at Malvern (which takes place again Fri 20 – Sun 22 June 2015), special events unique to our local communities have enabled women of different cultures to connect and share the transforming love of the Lord in their lives and situations.

Women have been encouraged to step out into serving the Lord on new levels and in new roles.

Talents that were dormant are now flourishing.

At one of our Regional Conferences, the worship was led by the youth band, all under twenty years of age. This was energising for the whole Conference. These were young people who met each week to practise leading worship, so it was encouraging for them to minister to the Conference. They felt blessed and privileged to take the responsibility of leading such an event. I passionately believe this is part of the spiritual process of raising the next generation to be actively involved in ministry.

Above Mags Hallam is a member of the Aspire core team Top A stained glass window depicts the moment Mary visits Elizabeth

Divine connec tions of heaven touching earth cross all cultures and borders. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, he said to her: “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfilment” (Luke 1:37). The mystery of the Divine, ‘overshadowing’ Mary, will never be understood, but has to be believed by faith. I love Mary’s reply of acceptance, “Be it unto me as you say.”

The angel Gabriel then proceeds to give Mary information about her cousin: “Your cousin Elizabeth is also expecting.” So Mary packs a bag and goes to see her. There we have two women, one very young and one in her older years, past the time of childbearing humanly speaking, who are now divinely connected. They are sharing the same experience but with different surrounding circumstances.

Joseph, Mary’s betrothed husband, accepts the information he receives in a dream regarding Mary, whereas Zachariah is not accepting of the information; he doubts the angel Gabriel’s direct words to him and asks for confirmation (Luke 1:18). The confirmation Zachariah received was: “Gabriel said: ‘I stand in the very presence of God and was sent to talk to you and bring this good news – you will be silent and not be able to speak till the day when these

things will take place, because you have not believed what I told you” (Luke 1:19-20).

God’s word will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time. In other words: “What I say to you will come to pass – and to ask for confirmation is not of faith, but unbelief.”

So Mary and Elizabeth share time together for three months, divinely connected. The Lord connects us with people who are going through similar, if not identical, situations, to give us strength and empathy for each other.

The Lord is very gracious and kind during seasons in our lives when we need help, support and understanding. He is well able to send the right person to ‘walk with us’ for the time we need a divine connection. This person might be miles away, as Elizabeth was for Mary. It may just be for a few months that we need the divine connections in a close, intense way.

The Lord always provides what is necessary. Being in his purpose will not always be easy, but it is the safest place to be, as he is with us and he will answer our cry. Let’s reflect then, on how blessed we are to have 24/7 communication with the Lord. Thank you, Lord, for entering into the world in human form, heaven touching earth.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

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It’s hot, hot and very hot in Tanzania at Christmas, say missionaries Karen and Shaun Graham. But that’s not all that’s different from Britain

Christmas on the mission field Christmas is less chestnuts roasting on an open fire and more roasting on the beach for the Grahams, a family of Elim missionaries serving children and young people in Salasala, Tanzania.

While blankets are being reached for across Britain, Shaun and Karen Graham, along with their four children, are soaking up the sun in the height of the Tanzanian summer.

Not that the cold weather is missed, although finding a turkey and all the trimmings can sometimes be a challenge in East Africa.

“I think it’s pretty normal for us now, we’re pretty used to it,” Shaun admits.

“We’ve only ever come back home for Christmas once and that was too cold so we’ve never done it again.

“You can’t get a good turkey here so that’s definitely not on the menu.

“We do Christmas; we’re big Christmas fans so we deck it all out and we’ve got Jonny Mathis playing in the background, we do it and create the atmosphere.”

Karen, who is the primary school principal at Haven Of Peace Academy, acknowledges the differences to the conventional British Christmas, but insists they still enjoy the thrills of the festive season with their children Megan (15), Jacob (13), Lois (11) and Benjamin (3).

“I’d say it’s totally strange,” she says. “It’s strange in the sense that growing up in the UK you’re used to cold Christmas weather and everything that comes with autumn leading up to that. Obviously we don’t get that at all here because it’s the peak of summer, so it’s hot, hot and very hot.

Keeping tradition alive “Even after all these years it’s still very strange, and everyone says you have to

make an effort to get into the Christmas spirit, and you do, but we can still make it special. We’ve had some great Christmases out here, we’ve brought our Christmas tree and the kids have a great time.”

Although they do their best to retain as much tradition as possible, there was one meal Shaun never expected to be eating on Christmas day.

“The funniest thing happened to us, two years ago. There was some severe flooding, so three of the major bridges that were connected to the main shopping areas went down and we couldn’t get in what we would call Christmas food,” he recalls. “Instead we had toad in the hole for Christmas dinner.

That was a funny one.

“We probably do spend a bit of extra money on food at Christmas, you know being missionaries, we splash out a bit at Christmas. My mother always sends us a Terry’s Chocolate Orange across and some Matchmakers too.”

The Grahams are entering their eighth year of life in Tanzania, where they have established Salasala Kids Club – reaching 300 children – as well as working in conjunction with HOPAC where Karen serves as principal.

“In Tanzania, Christmas day is very much about good food and new clothes.

There’s no exchanging of gifts, but it is a public holiday, which people enjoy,” Shaun explains. “The way we celebrate is obviously different to some of those around us and we have to be mindful of that.

“At the children’s club we always do Christmas parties with some extra special food, usually beef jalal and rice, kind of what they would expect if they ever went to a wedding. We want to lift them in that kind of way. We believe in giving gifts at Christmas and it’s probably the only time

of the year we give things out. We do use Christmas as a ministry and an opportunity to share Jesus and that he came to give us life.”

Winning through football While Christmas is seen a prime opportunity to share the gospel, Shaun believes the greatest gift they can offer the children in Salasala is genuine relationships. All of the children they minister to live below the poverty line, many of them in unplanned housing in a disused stone quarry, lacking access to the basic amenities such as power, water and sanitation.

“The greatest thing we try to do with these children is to be consistently in their lives and therefore build genuine relationships with them,” Shaun says. “What people talk about when they see our work is the fact that we have these genuine relationships with the community.

“We’ve been working here for seven years but we really believe any real lift in their lives, whether it’s our football boys scrambling out of that quarry every Thursday to put on a brand new kit and Nike boots to play against the kids of ambassadors and CEOs – and win, often – helps us to show that Jesus has come to bring hope.”

The Scripture in 1 Samuel 2:8 speaks of children being raised up and seated with princes, and Shaun sees this as the foundation to their ministry in Tanzania.

“We get to see that in many different ways and football is just one. Above all else, we focus on eternal things and will invite them to consider following Jesus,” he says.

“They know Shaun, Karen and the family and they know Jesus is at the centre, but we’re just seeking to be involved in their lives as much as we can. That includes them coming to do projects as well as us 

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going into the quarry and doing activities down there.

“I think more and more God is using the kids club to turn the hearts of those from more welloff backgrounds towards those who are living in extreme poverty,” says Shaun. “What excites us the most is the heart of these kids living in extreme poverty not being jealous towards my own kids or those who are better off, but actually cheering them on and considering them to be friends.”

“In the last two years we’ve been able to transition a lot of work with the kids club and use the international school campus for most of our projects, so you’ve got this real dynamic with some of the poorest kids in the city coming together with some of the more well-off kids in the city.

“We play sports with them and do creative arts, and of course ensuring we’re sharing the gospel with that. One of the most exciting things about that is almost 40 per cent of the kids come from Islamic homes, so we’re getting the opportunity to share Jesus with Muslims and the community.”

Learning by serving However, it is not just outside of school that the Grahams are seeing lives changed. As principal at HOPAC, Karen recently saw 10 children give their lives to Christ in a week.

“The school was started 20 years ago by missionary families who couldn’t afford the other international schools in Salasala,” she explains. “Over time the school has grown and we now have about 340 students, most of our teachers are actually missionaries like us so we are also able to employ teachers from Tanzania and East Africa as well.

I’m doing pretty much what primary principals will be doing in the UK but our main focus here in Tanzania is the fact we do a lot of service learning projects.”

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dren n with their chil Shaun and Kare 1) cob (13), Lois (1 Megan (15), Ja (3) and Benjamin

Salasala kids ’ club

As well as Christmas, Easter is a similarly important time of the year as HOPAC uses service-based learning to help reach the community.

“We do a lot of stuff with our children out in the community, so a lot of the older kids are working with Shaun in the quarry and they’re out in the villages doing lots of different things,” Karen adds. “Every Thursday the secondary school do service learning so the school closes down and they go out into the community, and the primary school tend to do things weekly, dependent on what they’re doing. Around Easter

‘We use Christmas as a ministry and an opportunity to share Jesus and that he came to give us life’

time we do something we call ‘Sow Week’ and in secondary education the entire school closes down for the week leading up to Easter and the students either stay in Salasala or head out into other areas to help out with various projects.”

Next chapter in life During this year’s ‘Sow Week’ the Graham’s eldest daughter Megan spent time serving an orphanage and Shaun believes the upbringing the children are receiving in Tanzania is priceless.

“Our eldest was eight back then so it was a good time to move from the UK,” he says.

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What you can do to help missionaries this Christmas John Martin from Elim International Missions has compiled a list of the top ten things you can do to encourage our missionaries this Christmas:

Shaun a t Dar es Salaam

ll club Salasala footba

“Honestly, we say this all the time, never once have they complained and requested to go back to England. We brought them up knowing we were not just coming out here to start a work, but this was the next chapter of our life as a family.

“The school they go to is superb and they get the education they would in the UK but they get to do it among people from 40 different nations. And they get to learn in a great outdoor environment where the sun is almost always out so you can’t put a value on the extra they get above the curriculum.”

Moving to Tanzania was

never seen as a stepping stone for the Grahams but the next chapter of their family narrative, and as they seek to expand their ministry and develop their own community centre, Karen insists they are very much at home in Salasala.

“I think for our youngest, Lois, and Benjamin, they don’t even remember anything about the UK,” she adds.

“It’s definitely home for our kids and Megan, our eldest who is doing her GCSEs at the moment. She would be the one more than anyone to say this is home; she has no desire to leave Tanzania at all.”

1. Contact a missionary and ask them what thing they miss the most and post it out to them 2. When someone asks what you would like for Christmas, ask for a donation to Elim Missions to help support our missionaries overseas 3. Download the missionary profiles from our website and adopt a missionary to tell your church about and pray for 4. Pray for our missionaries this Christmas. You can get up-to-date prayer information by signing up to our weekly Prayerline email 5. Ask for an Elim Mission Globe and start putting in your loose change. Then send the money back to Elim Missions directly or through your church to help support our missionaries 6. If you know one of our Elim Missionaries, make a plan to visit a member of their UK family this Christmas. They may well be missing them 7. Send a Christmas card to a missionary family – you can send it via the Elim Missions Office or post directly to the missionary 8. Make an Advent prayer calendar – pray for a different missionary every day during the Christmas season 9. Give a Christmas gift to the Elim Missions BeLoved Christmas appeal, which is helping children around the world, including the children of Elim Missionaries.

10. Follow Elim Missions on social media over Christmas and keep up to date with all of our missionaries For more information and to get involved visit our website www. elimmissions.co.uk or call the office, 0345 302 6750 or follow us on social media www.facebook.com/ elimmissions and www. twitter.com/elimmissions

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THE COLLECTIVE THOUGHTS OF ELIM’S MEN’S MINISTRY TEAM

We can all learn lessons from Joseph when it comes to pressure at this time of year, writes Gordon Allan

What’s the best gift for a bloke at Christmas?

Not long now before men the length and breadth of our nation feel the pressure to become lighting specialists creating seasonal light shows that will impress both neighbours on their street and the residents of the International Space Station!

The pressure is on to be selectors of the perfect turkey, wearers of one of ‘those’ jumpers and, of course, to be able to seek out the perfect gift for every family member.

My par ticular horror is wrapping presents. My wife will spend hours carefully wrapping, taping and adorning each package with ribbons and bows, usually completed weeks in advance. Whereas I will be attacking (careful use of the word!) my wrapping on Christmas Eve after church, and the result will look more like the carnage and demise of a ‘pass the parcel’ package at the end of the game amongst a hoard of excited children!

How do you cope with pressure at Christmas? It could be finances, time, commitments, relationships, or the changing landscape of your life that becomes magnified during the month of December. How do you make it through this month, how do you remain faithful to God and fulfilled in his purposes for your life? In short, how can you be an authentic ‘MPowered’ man this Christmas?

Perhaps we can learn some lessons from the first man to

30

If they knew that they were never alone and could be saved from their sins they might enjoy Christmas instead of enduring it!

Above Gordon Allan is pastor of Elim Edinburgh and a member of the MPower Team

really feel the pressure that very first Christmas. His name is Joseph, he lived in a small, goldfish bowl of a town called Nazareth and we read about him in Matthew 1:18-24. Like many of our communities today, everyone in Nazareth knew everyone else and any hint of scandal would travel like wildfire with harsh consequences if social, moral, ethical or religious codes were broken.

Now that’s pressure. Especially if the girl you are pledged to be married to reveals she is pregnant, you know that you are not the father, and she announces that she’s pregnant through the action of the Holy Spirit – and that the child in her womb is the Messiah. Now THAT is pressure at any time of the year!

So what lessons might Joseph teach us to inspire us in our quest to be real and authentic men of God who can withstand the pressures of life and specific seasons?

Joseph was a righteousness man (v19). He was intentional about doing the ‘God stuff’ when no one else was watching and before angels showed up with a specific mission from heaven.

If you honour God in the private place then you will have the opportunity to honour him in the public place.

And Joseph was a man of commitment,

both to his wife-to-be and spiritually to God’s plan for his life. He didn’t want to expose Mary to shame and humiliation. Like all authentic men, his thoughts and considerations were for those closest and dearest to him. Once he had God’s thoughts on the matter, he ran with the Lord’s agenda regardless of the cost and pressure to his circumstances.

This was a man who encountered the supernatural, heard from heaven and acted on it.

Joseph was a man who honoured God in everything. It was his right, privilege and expectation to name his son after himself, but once again he laid aside his own rights and honoured God by being obedient to the instruction given. He gave the child the name ‘Jesus’ because he would ‘save his people from their sins’ (v21).

But maybe the greatest gift you could give to some other guy who is struggling under the pressure of the festive season is to display and share the reality of ‘Immanuel’ (v23), which means ‘God with us’.

If they knew what you knew; that they were never alone, that they could be saved from their sins and that they could experience God’s mission, equipping and purpose for their life, they, too, might just be able to enjoy Christmas instead of enduring it!

Have a great Christmas from the MPower Team.

For dynamic biblical teaching and/or a complete Discipleship Course (on-line or through the post) go to www.allelujah.co.uk.

For more dynamic Biblical Teaching training in Biblical Evangelism and a description of someone’s experience of both Hell and Heaven go to www.shekinahglory.org.uk It could change your life forever.

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‘In every sector from prisons to hospitals, and from universities and shopping centres to the emergency services, chaplains are available for people of all faiths or none.’ 32

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Chaplains are called to go where all the people are, explains Nigel Tween

Why the role of chaplains is so important Something big is happening. Behind our chaplaincy team members are trained for backs, out of sight and unnoticed by many, the task at hand. Whilst the fundamental something exciting, challenging and demand- principles of chaplaincy do not change, the ing is changing lives and communities. culture in which they are applied can be I have just returned from the annual Pen- varied and diverse. For example, take the tecostal Chaplain’s Conference in Malvern. difference between a chaplain placed in Several hundred chaplains from Elim and emergency services where trauma counselour sister Fellowship, Assemblies of God, ling and crisis co-ordination are required, are engaged on the front lines every day. and a chaplain in a professional sporting For 40 years, along with others, I have environment like the FA where diverse prayed that the Church would reach out communicative and cross-cultural skills are beyond its walls, and I believe chaplains necessary. Both areas of chaplaincy apply are an important part of the answer to the same fundamental principles, but each my prayer. uses distinctive skill sets in how they are Stories are powerful vehicles that cap- applied. All of this requires specific training ture our imagination. I wish you could needs for each chaplain. have joined us to hear the personal So what are chaplains? stories of transformation. A Among other things they Did you know that fire officer battling depresare: a Pentecostal chaplain is the sion attempted to take Pastors – they lead chaplain to: his own life, but followneed to be able to West Midlands Police Authority ing a meeting with his listen, care, empaBirmingham City Hospital chaplain and encounthise, understand, Sandwell Hospital tering Christ he and his and make themNational Fire and Rescue Service wife were baptised on selves available to Bronzefield Prison Easter Sunday. A hosthose in need Hesketh Golf Club pital chaplain being asked Interpreters – East Midlands Airport to pray with a senior Iraqi they try to identify, and many more. government minister and later understand and share in discovering that members of his issues affecting the culture of family attend a London church. In every a particular context and what God sector from prisons to hospitals, and from is doing there, and to help the people there universities and shopping centres to the understand God. This means winning the emergency services, chaplains are available right to be heard for people of all faiths or none.

Ambassadors – they represent the You see, whilst less than 5% of people go Church, and they also report back to the to church on a Sunday, fully 100% are in their Church about the new insights they have communities on Monday, and chaplaincy is gained an incarnational ministry – it is the calling to Pray-ers – they pray for the places go where the people are! Wherever there where they work and when it is appropriate is a Christian chaplain it will always remind they pray with people people in the workplace about God! Midwives – enabling the birth of awareElim Chaplaincy is committed to ensur- ness of God in the place where they serve ing that all of our accredited chaplains and Connectors – they connect their faith

with their context by being chaplains to all and demonstrating values such as compassion and concern for social justice Guests – in the contexts they serve, but often chaplains work by acting as hosts, crossing bridges to provide hospitality, welcome and interaction with others. We have chaplains serving in the Royal Air Force and the Army, as well as in universities, shopping centres, airports, nursing homes, industrial workplaces and among asylum seekers and those involved in sport.

Chaplaincy offers a way for the Church to respond to a rapidly changing society.

Most people are no longer members of churches, and these are the people to whom the Church offers its message of hope and new life in Christ.

Chaplains are at the forefront of this mission. Much of their work is pastoral, offering compassion and a listening ear, but also affirming and encouraging. They bring experience and an informed Christian view to the places they visit, and can offer the Church a perspective based on real issues and experiences in the working world.

This is an exciting time to be thinking about chaplaincy – opportunities abound, and innovation and creativity are leading Elim people to become involved in all kinds of places. One Elim pastor recently told me that he is the official chaplain to a Hells Angels group on the south coast!

I wonder if you have a particular community in your area that you would like to serve. The Elim Chaplains Association provides the ideal forum to meet hundreds of others who are already involved.

• Elim’s former Director of Training, Nigel Tween is now Operations Director of an IT company and available for ministry. He serves as Director of the Elim Chaplaincy Association. You can contact him at nigel.tween@elim.hq.net

33

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The one through whom everything was created became a tiny scrap of humanity born in the back of beyond and left us all wowed, writes REACH Director Gary Gibbs Around this time last year I was trawling through Facebook when I saw a post from some of my oldest friends. It was headlined ‘WOW! WOW! WOW!’ The story behind the headline was about their son and his wife. They had been attending a music festival, sleeping in a tent. In the early hours of the morning, the wife began to suffer awful abdominal pain, which got worse and worse. Eventually, David, the husband, rushed her to the nearest hospital A&E department. Some hours later, the couple left the hospital… with a newly born baby! They didn’t even know that they were expecting! WOW! WOW! WOW! Can you imagine on that first Christmas morning, the angels in heaven hanging over the parapets of glory listening for the first cry of a unique baby?

Looking for the signs of the birth of the most significant human being ever to enter history? The angels knew what was coming.

They were aware that the one who was the Prince of Peace had left the heavenly realm.

Maybe that’s why and how they were so quick to announce the birth (Luke 2:8-14).

Now Mary and Joseph obviously knew that a birth was

34

‘At one level, John is declaring something which is outrageously unbelievable you couldn’t make it up! This is so wild, it must be true.’

Above Christmas is the best time to spread the good news, says REACH Director Gary Gibbs

imminent; they knew that there was something very special about the baby; they knew it was a boy even though there had been no hospital scan; but for this couple in particular and ultimately for the whole world…

WOW! WOW! WOW! This will be my 59th Christmas; I have celebrated the majority of them as a Christian.

It’s a great time, isn’t it? Carols, crackers, presents, par ties, sprouts (well, maybe not the sprouts…). There is a challenge, however, with familiarity; even if it doesn’t breed contempt, we can lose some of the awe of the Bethlehem event.

Arguably the most popular passage read in church at Christmas is John chapter 1.

It’s a classic example of how we become too familiar with the story. John boldly states: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,” (John 1:14).

To unpack this in a few sentences is difficult, but at one level, John is declaring something which is outrageously unbelievable: the Word, the controlling principle of the entire cosmos, the one through whom and for whom everything in the universe was created, the one who was the life and light of all people on planet Earth… this was the one who became a tiny scrap of humanity born in the back of beyond of the

then-known world. WOW! WOW! WOW! The fact is that you couldn’t make it up! This is so ‘out there’, so outrageous, so wild, it must be true.

And the purpose behind his coming?

So that we could know the Father ‘full of grace and truth’.

So that we could know the Son (John 14:7).

So that we could experience the Spirit (John 14:16-17).

How wonderful is that? This really is “good news of great joy... for all the people” (Luke 2:10).

Can you think of someone in your street or in your workplace or in your family who is finding life dull? Depressing?

Grey? Heavy? There is never an easier time of the year to invite that person to come to a Christmas service or event to hear and experience ‘good news of great joy’.

The angels thought that the birth of the Lord Jesus was too good to keep to themselves – they sang about it in the skies!

The shepherds rushed to see the newborn babe and then “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (Luke 2:17).

Do me a favour; more to the point, show your joy about Christmas; share the good news! “Joy to the world! The Lord is come!” WOW! WOW! WOW!

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The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us

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A groundbreaking Bill aims to loose the chains of sexual exploitation, reports Lyndon Bowring of CARE

Bill shaped by belief in a God of justice The issue of human trafficking is high on the agenda of many Christians today but it’s not so long ago that few of us knew anything about it. Thank God that the Church is now at the forefront of campaigning for justice and caring for victims.

In August I was privileged to be in Belfast at special meetings hosted by CARE about this matter, and attended by scores of church leaders and several hundred Christians. Our special guest was Lord Maurice Morrow, a keen Christian politician who committed himself to the cause of human trafficking after hearing the appalling story of ‘Anna’, a courageous young Romanian nurse who was snatched off a London street, brought across the Irish Sea and forced into prostitution by a criminal gang. With little to eat or drink and being continuously beaten, ‘Anna’ was held in the same room for four months and forced to work as a prostitute ‘servicing’ up to 20 men a day. And this in Northern Ireland, for many the bastion of evangelicalism in the UK. Lord Morrow’s belief in a God of justice and mercy as revealed in Scripture led him to bring about change in Northern Ireland by introducing his Human Trafficking and Exploitation Bill two years ago. After much prayer and persistence, as we go to press we are hoping that this groundbreaking legislation will become law by the end of 2014!

‘Cruelly exploiting trafficked women and children is happening in small towns and rural communities everywhere’

Above Lyndon Bowring hopes Lord Morrow’s Bill will break new ground

‘We should build on our proud tradition of standing against slavery and seize the opportunity to lead the way in the UK,’ says Lord Morrow.

I guess most of us have long been aware of some of the activities that go on in London’s Soho and the downtown ‘red light’ areas of other large cities, but the harsh reality is that the prostitution business – cruelly exploiting trafficked women and children – is happening in small towns and rural communities everywhere.

It was a great shock to discover that the sex industry is very much a reality in Northern Ireland, but the great news is that politicians, police officers, church leaders, individual Christians and caring agencies are determined that this shameful situation must end.

CARE has worked very closely with Lord Morrow, who is a member of the House of Lords and the Legislative Assembly in Stormont. His

groundbreaking Bill has received support from politicians of all the parties and, if passed in full, for the first time in the UK paying for sex would become illegal, trafficked victims would be protected from being unjustly prosecuted and child victims would receive the support and care they need.

So although Northern Ireland may have a real problem currently, we are praying that this situation will be turned on its head. If successful, Lord Morrow’s Bill will become an example throughout the UK and beyond of how Christians can get involved and persuade those in authority to outlaw practices that bring such misery and dishonour to everybody involved.

• Receive Loose the Chains emails by visiting www.care. org.uk/loosethechains-signup or follow @loosethechains on Twitter

Millions of trafficked people in forced labour An estimated 20 million people throughout the world are in forced labour and approximately 44 per cent of these have been trafficked Sexual exploitation involves 58 per cent of all identified trafficking victims. In 2013 the UK National Crime Agency identified 1,746 potential victims of human trafficking in Britain, 450 of them children, of which 40 per cent had

been sexually exploited. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) estimated that 90 brothels were operating within Northern Ireland in 2011. In 2012-13, 69 per cent of people trafficked into Northern Ireland came from countries like Ghana, China, Slovakia and Zimbabwe, and were brought there for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

37

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What would God do if we prayed for a whole year as a whole Movement? Sarah Whittleston and the LiftUp 2014 team decided to find out

When God asks you do som I once jumped out of an aeroplane. OK, so it was a tandem skydive to raise money for charity and I was attached to an instructor and a parachute, but it was still one of the most exhilarating and scary things I’ve ever done.

Nothing, however, prepared me for something God would later ask me to do – something easily as exhilarating and scary as jumping out of a plane!

Have you ever found yourself being asked by God to do something that is in equal parts terrifying and exciting?

Well, that’s the situation I found myself in when the Lord gave us the idea for a year of prayer for Elim. But through a series of God-ordained conversations, lots of prayer, a great team and faith in what God could do if we

38

‘God asked us to take a leap of faith, to jump out of a plane and believe that as we pray the world in which we live could and would be changed’

took a year to pray, LiftUp 2014 was launched.

At the start of the year the story of 2 Samuel 5 captured our attention and we sensed God speaking to us about a season of breakthrough.

In this account David enquires of the Lord when faced with battle situations and God responds each time; victory is assured when the Lord is obeyed. God went ahead of them and prepared the way.

Breakthrough is defined as ‘a significant advance; removing or surpassing an obstruction or a military advance through and beyond an enemy’s defence’. As we have prayed, enquired and sought God in prayer we have seen breakthrough.

We began by imagining what God would do as we stepped out in faith to pray for a whole

year as a whole Movement. The stories of God responding to our prayers are still flooding in.

We are hearing of lives transformed, relationships restored, bodies healed, churches impacted by the Holy Spirit, communities changing by God’s grace and people coming to faith.

And we’ve sensed a prophetic call to fast and pray, to be people who lift up our heads and hearts to see where our help and hope comes from – it comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

Yet I believe this is only the start of something God has begun. After breakthrough comes breakout – that can be defined as ‘to ready for action or use and to emerge’. On the Day of Pentecost the Spirit could not be contained; the early Church

Picture posed by models

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ething scary emerged, the message of Jesus broke out and thousands were saved!

There is a real sense that God is speaking to us and encouraging us as we follow after him. God asked us to take a leap of faith, to jump out of a plane and believe that as we pray the world in which we live could and would be changed. Yet there is more to come. God has readied us for action!

Where do you need to see breakthrough and breakout? In what area is God asking you to take a step of faith? I remember sitting on the edge of that plane just before I jumped – I had the right equipment and I’d had the training, I’d paid for the privilege and I had an instructor to help, but it was still my choice whether or not to actually jump.

God invites us to partner

with him in seeing transformation in our circumstances, but it is our choice and it will cost us. It costs us to pray and fast, it costs us to obey and act, and it costs us to keep pressing on and persevering – yet the Holy Spirit is there to guide and empower us.

As we head into 2015, our centenary year and church planting increases, as the world in which we live faces ever greater challenges and people still need to hear of a Saviour who died for them, as communities need to receive the grace and love of God, and as we continue to pray and obey, let’s believe God for a fresh move of the Spirit to emerge and to breakout. Now, who wants to jump?

music reviews

by Ian Yates

Christmas Worship Paul Baloche Renowned modern worship leader Paul Baloche released his Christmas worship project last year. His first ever Christmas recording features guest vocalists Aaron Shust, All Sons & Daughters, Kathryn Scott and Rita Baloche, to name a few.

Paul’s aim was to create a Christmas album that would minister to and resource the Church. Featuring new songs of celebration along with unique arrangements of much-loved traditional Christmas carols seamlessly blended with modern worship choruses, the result is an album packed with accessible Christmas songs that help create a worship environment familiar to congregants and

first-time visitors alike. Paul has succeeded, and this is one of the best Christmas albums I’ve ever heard. If you enjoyed Chris Tomlin’s Christmas album a few years back then this will most definitely be your cup of tea.

Highlights include a superb Christmassy rendition of his popular song ‘Your Name’, a very pleasant version of ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ with a great chorus, which I’m sure will be used in many congregations, and a Christmas version of Paul’s much loved co-write with Graham Kendrick, ‘What Can I Do’.

Overall, this is an excellent project. Paul Baloche gives us a fabulous resource for combining traditional carols with modern worship choruses. This will certainly bless many and encourage worship throughout the Christmas season. £10.99 • 12 Songs • Integrity

Christmas: God With Us Jeremy Camp This fun album starts off with a Christmas greeting from Jeremy and then hits us with a strong version of ‘Jingle Bell Rock’. The recording is interspersed with Scripture, carols and some Christmas classics like ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ and the fun ‘Let It Snow’. The album finishes with an emotive rendition of ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’ and ‘Away In A Manger’. If you fancy hearing rock versions of your favourite Christmas classics and carols, this is for you. £8.99 • 17 Songs • BEC Recordings

Adventus (Christmas EP)

Benjamin Dunn Benjamin is one of my favourite artists, and this EP is a creative Christmas masterpiece containing banjos, glockenspiels, a small orchestra and many unique instruments. A great description would be if you mix toy instrumentation, a cornucopia of organic percussive elements, a gypsy vibe, exotic spices, forest creatures, fire-warmth, classic melodic Christmas hymns and lots of Christmas spirit you will end up with this. His version of ‘Little Drummer Boy’ is epic.

Highly recommended. £3.99 at Google Play • 5 Songs • Independent

39

Fellowship Finder Your church home away from home Every church listed here welcomes visitors...

• Try one of these Elim churches when you are travelling on holiday or business • Listed here are just some of the hundreds of Elim churches throughout the country • Let the church leader know you saw them in Fellowship Finder london Cont

Kensington Temple

(The Storehouse), 1st Floor, 6-8 Westbury Avenue, Turnpike Lane, London N22 (Opposite Turnpike Lane Tube

Kensington Park Road, London W11 3BY

Station and Bus Garage)

Minister: Victor K. Macarthy

07931 663 273

christharvestcentre@yahoo.co.uk

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Sunday: 10am Wednesday: Bible Study/Prayer, 7pm First Friday: 10pm – Night Vigil

Senior minister: Colin Dye

2.30pm Afternoon Celebration

Elim Church On The High Road

5pm Teaching Service

332 Willesden High Road, London NW10 2EN Opposite the Willesden Bus Garage Nearest Tube: Dollis Hill

7pm Holy Spirit Ministry Service

Weekday services Wed 7pm – Prayer Revival Service

We Welcome You to Our: Sunday Service: 11am – 1pm Wednesday 7pm: Bible Studies Wednesday 8pm: Prayer Meeting

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Mid-week Prayer Meeting: Weds 8.00 p.m.

EP66

Carlton Avenue East (jn with Forty Avenue)

Telephone 0208 539 2286 E-mail elimleytonstone@aol.com

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MINISTERS: DAVID LANGTON & SAMUEL GILL

Wembley HA9 8LX

Sunday Service: 11:00am Mid-week Services: please see website or contact us on 020 8904 0050 www.wembleychristiancentre.org.uk

Reach out ~ Restore ~ Release

Sat 7pm – All Nations Praise

Tel: 020 8459 8991 Email: cothrwillesden@yahoo.co.uk

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Fri 7pm – Youth and Young Adults Worship Night

Parade (off Summer Row) B1 3QQ 0121 236 2997 www.birminghamcc.co.uk

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wales

office@christianlifecentre.com www.christianlifecentre.com ERDINGTON ELIM 1107 Tyburn Road, Birmingham B24 0TG. Meet every Sunday, see website for details.

Come and join us. Tel: 0121 3847389 www.erdingtonelimchurch.org.uk (EM24)

north west Cle ve le ys Communit y Church and Centre: Sunday service 10.30am. All Welcome.

Kensington Rd Cleveleys FY5 1ER Tel:07791 755187 or 01253 863369 www.communitychurchcleveleys.org. uk email:communitychurchcleveleys@ gmail.com (EY28) Riverway Christian Fell o ws h i p, West Kirby, Wirral, Cheshire, CH48 4EQ. Amidst sea, sand and stunning scenery. Come join us for spiritual refreshment. www.riverway.org.uk (EO02)

Northern Ireland

Call 0115 824 0777 Email ads@newlife.co.uk Visit www.newlifepublishing.co.uk

Sunday Services: 9.30 am, 11.15 am & 6.30 pm Hall Street, Chelmsford Essex, CM2 OHG www.lifechurchchelmsford.com

EN93

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Sunday services

Hainault Road, Leytonstone, London E11

9.00 am, 11.15am and 6.30pm 10:30am & 6:30pm

Tel: 020 7908 1700 Web: www.kt.org Email: info@kt.org

9am & 11am Celebration Service

LEYTONSTONE ELIM PENTECOSTAL CHURCH

Everyone Welcome Transformed Lives...Transforming Lives

Nr. Notting Hill Gate Underground

EL99

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EI53

Christ Harvest Centre

midlands

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BALLYSILLAN ELIM where everyone is someone and Jesus Christ is Lord. Come and see us. All are welcome. Ballysillan Elim Church.

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The Calahonda Church, Iglesia San Miguel. Sundays 4.30 pm. Rev. David Hodgson Tel (0034) 695115496 www. calahondachurch.com (HO62) ELIM IN SPAIN. Every Sunday 11am, 35-37 Plaza Ibensa, Benalmadena, Malaga, Costa Del Sol w w w. e l i m f a m i l y f e l l o w s h i p . c o m 00 34 695 115 496 (GF87)

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‘I try to place all areas of my life in God’s hands’ Radamel Falcao’s destination was one of the biggest rumours on transfer deadline day – but the Colombian striker has revealed it is God who ultimately guides his life.

The new Manchester United star – who completed a dramatic last-minute loan deal as the transfer window shut – was in demand throughout August.

Falcao, who could cost the club £43 million if the loan is made permanent next season, was the focus of Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United, as they were all linked with the prolific goal-scorer.

After dominating the headlines all day, the 28-year-old eventually completed a seasonlong loan move from Monaco to United just before the 11pm deadline. However, the pressures of playing for one of the most famous teams in the world

‘We can have everything, but if we’re not satisfied spiritually, then it’s as if we had nothing, and we feel empty’

Above Radamel Falcao made a loan move to Manchester United at the beginning of the season

do not concern Falcao, who has previously represented Portuguese giants Porto and Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid.

“I try to lean on God, knowing he is always there to help me,” he says. “I don’t think there’s any situation that can’t be overcome, however testing, right?”

Falcao, who takes a lead role in two church youth groups, has seen his faith tested throughout his professional career but refuses to trust his own understanding.

“I try to place all areas of life in God’s hands, and football, my career, I also put in God’s hands,” he says. “I made the decision to follow Jesus Christ and to let him guide my life, which is where things changed.

Because it wasn’t about me and my desires any more, or what I wanted, but about what

God’s plans and purposes were for me.”

Earlier this year a serious knee injury saw Falcao denied his childhood dream of featuring in the World Cup, but the frontman understands he is never alone. “We are made up of spirit, and I believe that only God can satisfy the spiritual part,” he says. “There’s the material world, but there’s also a spiritual aspect to life. We can have everything, but if we’re not satisfied spiritually, then it’s as if we had nothing, and we feel empty.

“With Jesus, we can be assured that he will never leave us, that he will always be there, something which I have experienced in my own life, through his faithfulness and love, and through showing me that he had paid a price for our lives, which was that of his Son, Jesus.”

41

DIRECTION

New Elim Hub to harness skills of re Ministry is not a contract of employment but a calling for life, says Malcolm Hathaway, as he introduces the vision behind a new project

D

uring my 40 years of ministry I have often found myself taking on new tasks and tackling fresh challenges and saying to someone, “They never taught us this in Bible College!” And as someone who has spent almost half my ministry teaching successive generations of pastors in our theological college, I know that to be true!

So much of what ministry involves cannot be taught in a classroom. Much of the experience and skill required in any career or profession has to be learned on the job, and often the hard way! Pastoral ministry is no different.

When that strange moment called ‘retirement’ comes there can be a feeling of relief and release from the burden of responsibility and the pressures of the ministry. Yet there is also the sense that all the experience and skills developed over the years should not simply be allowed to lie idle.

Many retired pastors find plenty of opportunities for ministry, but many others I speak to feel they could give so much more. The new Elim Hub will aim to facilitate this.

For serving pastors and for churches there may often be a desire for consultation and advice or for specific ministry in the church. A pastor taking a church through significant change and development might welcome the wisdom and counsel of someone who has been there before. A church embarking on a major project might value the skills and experience of someone who has developed similar

42

projects in the past – perhaps a community project such as a day nursery, a foodbank or a debt advice service. Projects like these can raise complex questions for a church and its leadership, and tapping the wisdom of someone who has done it before could save a great deal of time and heartache.

It might be that a church is planning a major building development and would welcome the advice of someone who understands the issues and the problems which have to be tackled. It could even be a plan to move the church to a new location, hopefully taking most of the people with them!

Then there are those gaps in leadership and ministry due to illness or perhaps a pastor taking a sabbatical, or because of an interval between one pastor leaving and another coming.

Or it may just be the desire for a church to bring in a great speaker to inspire and motivate the congregation or leadership team, or to teach at a church weekend or retreat.

Whatever the need, the Elim Hub is a plan to bring together supply and the need so that the wealth of skill, wisdom and experience of active retired pastors

and leaders can be connected to the energy and passion of today’s pastors and churches.

The first step will be for Elim Hub to build a store of information on the availability and skills of those willing to be of service.

The second step will be to match these with requests from pastors and churches looking

for help. Like any agency, Elim Hub will only work if it can connect demand and supply in a way that suits both and builds confidence in the service.

The driving passion of Elim Hub is the conviction that ministry is not a contract of employment, but a calling for life. Elim

DIRECTION

tired ministers

HUB

Hub aims to help experienced ministers continue to fulfil their calling wherever the need is, in a way that suits them and blesses the church or pastor they serve.

Above all Elim Hub exists to enable our retired men and women to continue serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

‘Elim Hub enables our retired men and women to continue serving Jesus Christ’

Radio show is a powerful way for missionary to spread the gospel Elim missionary David Hodgson has found that radio offers him the perfect ministry opportunity.

David fell in love with radio from a young age, but felt he had to shelve his own ambitions after following the call of God into the ministry.

But after moving to Spain he was offered the opportunity to host a weekly breakfast show on a Sunday morning, before taking on his own daytime show.

“I was very young when I found a love for radio,” David says. “It seemed to offer more than television, you were encouraged to use your own imagination. I wanted to be a radio DJ from then on. I was so engaged I did a sponsored 24-hour listen to Radio Trent when I was nine. They even sent a reporter to my home in Derby.

“I became a Christian at 16 and instantly found a heart for ministry.

I was hearing lots of testimonies of how people gave up their hobbies and careers to follow God, and I assumed choosing to become an Elim pastor would mean giving up on that dream of being a radio presenter,” he says.

But it seems that the Lord had already lined up opportunities for him.

“I think that God sometimes tests us to see if we are willing to give up our desires so we see why we are doing it. I became involved in Christian radio while ministering at the Elim Church in Coventry and did a regular ‘thought for the day’ on the BBC in the Mailbox, Birmingham.

“Although I enjoyed this, it wasn’t presenting my own show, which I still desired to do, but thought I was probably never going to.”

Upon his arrival in Spain David contacted Talk Radio Europe – the largest English speaking station on the continent – and they were quick to offer him an opening.

“Myself and senior pastor Howard King were offered a Sunday morning show which continues to this day called Two Revs An Hour,” David explains. The condition was that we could talk about Jesus as

much as we liked but shouldn’t expect to be paid. “ We have been presenting shows since 2009 and have had the chance to interview many Christians over the years.”

David, who pastors Calahonda Church in Mijas with his wife, Naomi, believes radio can be a great outreach tool.

“Media is a powerful tool for the gospel. One story amazes me.

Naomi and I spent some time in Benidorm and went to an English-owned bar for breakfast. The lady owner asked where we were from and after hearing the answer she recognised my voice and said, ‘I listen to Two Revs!’ She had many questions, which we tried our best to answer.

“Many said that with the Internet radio would die, but it is thriving.

Nine million people still listen to Chris Evans on Radio 2 every morning. How can we, as Christians, use this medium?”

While presenting the daytime show, David has interviewed stars from showbiz and sport about their faith, with Candi Staton, Bobby Ball, Angela Rippon, Ledley King and Neil Warnock sharing testimonies.

“We need good, strong Christians working in all aspects of media,” David reflects. “And we need folks who will be committed to praying for Christians in the media. It is a very dangerous place to be but believers are needed like never before. Be wise where you get your information from and know what the Scriptures say. Who knows, maybe you, too, have a face for radio.”

43

DIRECTION

Do you feel showered with blessings As a shepherd, are you blessed or are you cursed?

Kojo Wood explains why the question is vital in the final part of his series of shepherding the flock of God

E

xaltation comes neither from the east, nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the judge: he puts down one, and exalts another,” says the Psalmist in Psalm 75:6-7. Shepherding is not self-appointed. It is indeed a privilege entrusted to men and women by God to oversee the ministry of his flock. Peter tells us, “As each has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

The shepherd has to be mindful of the spiritual, emotional, material and psychological needs of the sheep. It is of paramount importance to stress that, although the spiritual needs of the sheep remain important, support and care must also be given to other aspects of human needs as the latter could have detrimental consequences on the spirit man and this could undermine the spiritual development of the sheep. Even though the spirit of man is the most important, one’s spiritual development could be dwarfed if care for the soul and body are undermined.

The shepherd needs to support the sheep through effective teaching and guidance based on God’s Word on how

44

to make responsible decisions, as this impacts greatly on the life of the sheep. The shepherd’s way of life should model Christ for the sheep, as they seek to empower, develop and maintain the sheep’s confidence in the Word of God. Surely, it is not solely about our giftedness but rather our godliness, which should in itself be a reflection of our Christlike nature. This is what attracts others to God, better equips the sheep and helps us in making disciples for Christ.

Choices in life which result in negative outcomes are often blamed on God. The decisions we make will always have consequences. It is therefore expedient for shepherds to ensure that the sheep are adequately

fed and knowledgeable in the entirety of the gospel. Thus, they are prepared to deal with the challenges which life brings in the Christian journey. The Scripture admonishes us in Psalm 34:19 that ‘many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all’. An understanding of this by the flock better equips us to handle tough times in life.

If we abide in him and his Word abides in us, only then will we be eternally secured. The victory has been won for us on the cross. The job has been done and we, as believers, need to walk in this revelation.

As shepherds, we should be prepared at times to have those difficult conversations with the sheep on matters of spiritual principles, even though this could result in offence. If our aim is to please Christ, then sound godly counsel becomes inevitable, whatever the cost.

Such conversations must be prayerfully considered and executed in love.

Ezekiel 3:18 says, “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die’, and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.” The problem is that many churchgoers find it difficult to deviate from their evil ways.

Nonetheless, the shepherd must, out of necessity, point these ‘un-Christlike’ attitudes out. Failure to do so will result in the blood of the sheep being demanded by God from the shepherd. It is essential that we respect and honour God through faithful service to the sheep, for it is God we should aim to please, and it is to him alone we owe our loyalty.

Our loyalty has to be unto God, because it is he who will judge us on that day, at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus. This is where the motives behind our ministerial work as shepherds will be tried. This is a trial we must all pass if we are

DIRECTION

as a shepherd?

BOOKC A SE with Richard Dodge

to be judged faithful by him who has called us as shepherds. Paul agrees, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4).

As a shepherd, are you blessed or are you cursed?

I believe this is a question we all have to ask ourselves regularly, in evaluating the effectiveness of our services to God’s flock and as a strategy for self-reflection to assess our spiritual development. Jeremiah teaches us that ‘cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood’ (Jeremiah 48:10).

We do the work of the Lord deceitfully when the motive for what we do ceases to be pleasing God, but fulfilling our personal agendas. This means we compete for his glory, and his glory he shares with no man, as Isaiah 42:8 says, “I am the Lord; that is my name.

And my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”

No shepherd can ever succeed without true love for God and for the people we shepherd. Just as God disciplines us when we go wrong,

so should we also bring correction and discipline as and when the occasion demands when the sheep stray from God’s path of righteousness.

The effectiveness of our work as shepherds should produce good, God-fearing and responsible believers in our communities. This is the basis of good citizenship in ‘making our light so shine before men’ to give us better Christian witness and testimony.

Our faith in God must be resolute, not giving in to postmodern societal demands but, rather, we should be of great encouragement to the flock by being good examples and role models like the Apostle Paul who wrote ‘imitate me as I imitate Christ’ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

My fervent prayer for you is that God will give you what it takes to discharge your duty as a shepherd faithfully.

May God grant you wisdom, knowledge, strength and the patience to shepherd the flock for God’s glory. Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, he will judge us as ‘faithful stewards’.

• Kojo Wood is a chartered accountant and the Senior Pastor of Stevenage Elim

100% Christianity Jago Wynne IVP The subtitle, ‘How the Gospel Changes Everything’, attracted my attention – and I was not disappointed.

How often do we meet people who have ‘made a decision’ and yet months or years later it doesn’t seem to be making any difference in their life?

Why is this? Is it because they begin to doubt that Christianity is really true? Or are they losing interest in the faith? Or maybe the passion they once had has gone?

Or is it one of a myriad of other reasons?

We know that the gospel changes everything but it must be radically applied to every part of our life. The Christian faith is not just a number of rules to be slavishly obeyed. Nor is it a blind intellectual assent to certain theological rules or statements. The Christian message applies to every part of our lives for all of our lives.

It means offering your whole life up to God eternally.

Paperback, £8.99 Hope Stories Dr John Sentamu Darton, Longman and Todd This book contains the real stories of twenty people whose lives have been radically changed through faith in Christ. These ordinary people – like you and me – reached their lowest point in life but found real hope through faith to begin rebuilding their lives with God’s amazing grace. These stories will challenge readers and cause them to take stock of where they really stand in their relationship with God and what steps are to be taken to

begin again. There IS hope!

Paperback, £8.99 1 Timothy (A New Covenant Commentary) Aida Besancon Spencer Lutterworth Press Paul’s letters to his young colleague Timothy were written before and during the persecution of the Early Church by Nero. Paul is careful in giving clear teaching to Christian men and women on how to conduct themselves in the Church.

It is good that this study has been written by a lady! The author is Professor of New Testament at the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA, and Extraordinary Researcher for North-Western University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. This is no heavy theological treatise... I enjoyed it and will be using it a lot!

Paperback, £15 Corporate Decision Making In The Church Of The New Testament Jeff Brown James Clarke & Co Jeff Brown is a pastor in Nuremburg, Germany, and an author of theological books... but not a boring writer. Throughout the church age there have been heated debates about church order and they are still around today. In presenting this helpful study book the author has not produced a boring technical tome but one that is very challenging. I was very interested in Chapter 1, ‘Historical Background’, which records how the Church developed in its first 600 years.

Paperback, £20 (but good value!)

45

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A n s w e r s ELIM E X PERTS A NSWER YOU R QU ES TIONS

This month’s writer is Mark Ryan, who leads Birmingham Christian Centre and is also a tutor at Regents Theological College

Nature was spoiled when we walked from God How would you explain a God of love to the thousands of families who have lost loved ones in the recent tsunamis, the Haiti and Pakistan earthquakes and the Philippines hurricane etc?

This question assumes that the families of those killed in various natural tragedies have no idea of God’s love, assuming that somehow their suffering has made them ‘anti-God’ or ‘anti-faith’. Actually, the opposite is often true; people in severe suffering often have a deep faith in God because their belief, and the hope it brings, is all that they have left.

The best explanation of God’s love to the people caught in these tragedies is not actually an explanation but a demonstration of practical help and care.

Then we can explain that we reach out because of the love that God has put in our hearts.

Through compassion and mercy the best explanations flow.

Eventually, we may earn the right to say that in the beginning creation was in complete balance and harmony and that it was only after we left our relationship with God that the power of sin was unleashed on creation to spoil it and send it into the convulsions that we see today. Mother Nature was

spoiled when we walked away from Father God. We don’t understand this completely and we should not try to.

God is ready to bring personal comfort, strength and healing through a relationship with his Son, no matter the desperate position people may find themselves in.

No one in my church seems to want to invite me to any social events that the church organises. It’s really getting me down. Should I go to my pastor about it?

It is important that you don’t wait to be invited to things but check the church calendar and see what is going on. Take the trouble to see where the life happens in your church and attend and help at these events.

If the isolation persists, then you might need to check some of your social basics like personal hygiene, not over staying your welcome, making sure you don’t dominate conversations, or being excessively negative. An honest conversation with your pastor might be needed if any of these ring true.

The first way to be included into the social life of the church is to volunteer to serve in the ministries of the church. It is actually surprising who God brings together in this way. In my own church two people who were recently bereaved both volunteered to go on the cleaning rota and ended up being married! Serving leads to social life.

Another important clue to getting involved socially is to engage with the ministries that support or are geared to your age group. Sunday worship is one thing, but being connected to a mid-week group or Bible study is often the key way that people find friendship and relationship in a church community.

Why is there often a lack of discernment in charismatic/ Pentecostal churches in relation to the gifts of the Spirit? John MacArthur’s conference and book ‘Strange Fire’, seemed to highlight so much error in our Movements.

What the conference ‘Strange Fire’ tried to do was to set the operation of the gifts of the Spirit against the idea of being ‘sound biblically’. The premise was made that those involved in the Pentecostal Movement were somehow not as robust in their use of, or scholarship in, the Scriptures.

However, the Bible is quite explicit that a Pentecostal ex-

perience is completely biblical and is actually what is required.

Christianity, in its purest form, is a Pentecostal expression (Acts 2). What ‘Strange Fire’ does in error is to set the Word of God against the moving of the Spirit of God, or at least it seeks to rationalise the moving of the Spirit of God to Western cultural norms and sensibilities.

Let’s understand that the Word of God always begs for the moving of the Spirit of God. It is true that there are errors and abuses in the Spiritfilled churches, but this is true of all expressions of Christianity.

Error does not disprove truth it merely exposes the need for it.

A major misunderstanding of ‘Strange Fire’ is that they claim that Pentecostals are primarily focused on the Spirit, when actually we are primarily ‘Jesus centric’. All our experience of the Holy Spirit leads us to revelations of the Christ-like character and ministry.

If you are not open to using the gifts of the Spirit then you can’t be accused of misusing them; perhaps Pentecostals are open to the charge of misuse because they obey the Scriptural command to use them. If there is a lack of discernment around the gifts, the answer is not to close off to the Spirit but to ask for more of him.

If you have a question, email it to: editor@newlife.co.uk Keep your questions coming so that thousands can benefit from the answers! Opinions expressed are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Elim Pentecostal Church

49

DIRECTION

A nd f ina L L y . . .

by John Lancaster

The Supernova of Grace What did the wise men actually see? There has been much speculation. Was it a comet?

A conjunction of the planets? No one really knows, any more than they know who the wise men were, where they came from, or how many there were.

That they were from the east and that they studied the stars is implied in Matthew 2, but little else is known about them. The famous carol calls them ‘kings’ but that is poetic licence.

In fact, calling the star a supernova is also poetic licence – but it helps the imagination!

According to the dictionary, a supernova is ‘a rare celestial phenomenon… resulting in an extremely bright, short-lived object that emits vast amounts of energy’.

The truth is, we don’t really know; but what we do know is that the sovereign fingers of the God ‘who made the stars’ also triggered a one-off explosion of stellar light in order to capture the attention of these far-off Gentiles!

That God should do this is a reminder that his grace is multilingual – he doesn’t confine himself to Hebrew or Greek, still less to Elizabethan English, however beautiful! That someone should say, “I came to Christ through something I saw in ‘Astrology Today’” would cause our theological alarm bells to quiver, yet God was willing to talk to these men through the in-language of their particular profession.

It is true, of course, that it was not until they heard the verses from Micah 5:2-5 that they actually went to the right place, for God’s final revelation is always through his Word, but we must be willing to hear his voice in unexpected accents: “Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire, O still, small voice of calm.”

Many an Old Testament scribe must have shaken his head when he copied the words of Isaiah 60:10: “The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

Surely, Yahweh was the God of his chosen

50

people Israel, yet here again was an uncomfortable hint about the salvation of the despised Gentiles. Grace crosses forbidden frontiers!

With a small group of colleagues I found myself held for a long time at a dreary frontier post between the old Yugoslavia and Romania while our visas were scrutinized with microscopic intensity. While we waited, I watched a little sparrow perched on the barbed wire between the watchtowers. Suddenly, he took off, flew across the frontier without passport, visa or any other such thing! I was reminded that no borders or walls or barriers of any kind can prevent the heavenly dove, the Holy Spirit, from moving where he will. The grace of God has no ethnic prejudices. As Charles Wesley sang, “The arms of love that compass me would all mankind embrace.”

“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away,” sang Mary in her Spirit-inspired song. Likewise, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:26, “Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth,” for as Jesus himself pointed out, it is extremely difficult for the man who trusts in material wealth to enter the kingdom of heaven. But the Magi were both wise and rich, to judge from their lavish and meaningful gifts!

The truth is, the love of God is not bound by social distinctions; it transcends class and culture, social status and educational attainment and all the other things that divide us, for “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” (Titus 2:11).

Perhaps it wasn’t a supernova after all, but it was a superlative manifestation of God’s grace, and the Magi’s journey is one we all need to make: responding to God’s grace in whatever form it comes, searching and following the Word of God, humbly kneeling before the King in worship, and opening our treasures, the gold, frankincense and myrrh of loving commitment to him.

‘What we do know is that the sovereign fingers of the God “who made the stars” also triggered a oneoff explosion of stellar light to capture the attention of these far-off Gentiles’

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