Inspire July August 2017 by CPO magazines

INSPIRE STO RIES TO LIFT YOUR SPIRITS

GUVNA B TIME WE WERE A LITTLE MORE UNPOPULAR JO SWINNEY: THE SEARCH FOR HOME UNBELIEVABLE? WHY FAITH RINGS TRUE HOW YOU CAN CHANGE A CHILD’S LIFE SUDAN: ONE WOMAN’S COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT

Issue 114 • July/August 2017

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BLINDFOLDED AND TERRIFIED ADI JUST KEPT PRAYING…

Adi, 32, liked his work as a seafarer until one day, the unthinkable happened. Adi was taken hostage by Somali pirates and kept in captivity for almost five years. “We were blindfolded and tied together. I thought I would die. There was no hope, but I just kept praying.”

A gift today of £30 from you could help to fund a chaplain for a day to reach out to people like Adi. The impact of a traumatic experience like Adi’s can be devastating. Adi has bravely shared his story many times, now it’s our turn to do more to protect seafarers.

But specially trained Sailors’ Society chaplains are giving him the physical and spiritual support he needs to pick up the pieces of his life again. “Sailors’ Society has given me guidance and told me to be patient and continue praying to God, because they also believe that faith is very powerful.”

You can bring hope to a seafarer like Adi with a gift today. Please give online at: www.sailors-society.org/chaplain or call us on: 023 8051 5950 or send in a cheque to: Sailors’ Society, FREEPOST RRTA-SATZ-HHYL, Seafarer House, 74 St. Annes Road, Southampton, SO19 9FF. Sailors’ Society – Registered Charity no. 237778 (England & Wales), Company no 3652955

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CONTENTS

S TO R I E S TO L I F T YO U R S P I R I T S

Living distinctively in a changing world One of the regular themes in the stories we carry in INSPIRE is the way Christians live differently – and make a genuine difference as a result. In this issue, you’ll find Guvna B urging young believers to rebel against the prevailing culture and live with being unpopular (4–5), broadcaster Justin Brierley explaining why Christianity stacks up after 10 years interviewing atheists (12–13), plus the story of one of Sudan’s unsung heroes, Mende Nazer, a survivor of a traumatic childhood and now a passionate voice for the enslaved (16–17). You’ll also find Jo Swinney writing on the search for home (8–9), and how you can get involved in changing a child’s life with Stand By Me (24–25). PS There’s also a chance to support our 2017 Reader Appeal on Page 18. So many ways God can use you to make a real INSPIRE difference! STORI ES TO LIFT YOUR SPIRIT S

Shalom

GUVNA B

TIME WE WER A LITTLE MOR E UNPOPULAR E JO SWINNEY: THE SEAR CH FOR HOM E UNBELIEV ABLE? WHY FAITH RINGS TRUE HOW YOU CAN CHANGE A CHILD’S LIFE

Russ Bravo, Editor

TO ORDER INSPIRE AND/OR TO MAKE A DONATION Go to www.inspiremagazine.org.uk and click the ORDER button. Inspire is distributed FREE and has a readership of around 200,000 in churches across the UK. Published by CPO, it is funded by partners, advertising and donations.

SUDAN: ONE WOMAN’S COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT

Issue 114 • July/Au gust

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4 God’s the guvna – George Luke talks to rapper Guvna B about his first book Unpopular Culture, helping young people go against the grain 6 Bits n Pieces – fun, new research and digital links and recommendations 7 Mum’s new app – how Joanne Gilchrist developed an app to help introduce kids to God in a fun way 8 Where’s home? – In our mobile and constantly on the go world, finding a place to call home is no longer simple, as Jo Swinney explains 10 Puzzles – relax with our crossword, sudoku and word goal 12 Unbelievable? – Despite 10 years of talking to atheists and agnostics, broadcaster Justin Brierley is still a believer. Here’s why 14 Question time – Dr Andy Bannister on why Christianity breaks the mould of divisive religions that just seem to add to the world’s problems 16 Free to return – MAF’s Gary Clayton tells the story of anti-slavery advocate Mende Nazer, one of Sudan’s unsung heroes 18 Daily fuel – the story behind Word@Work, a daily devotional for workers – now read in 200+ countries 19 INSPIRE Reader Appeal – your chance to support the work of INSPIRE 22 5 reasons to sponsor a child – your actions can change a life 24 Stand By Me – how one sponsored child became a surgeon: the work of a charity rescuing thousands of the world’s poorest children 26 Giveaways – books to be won: Unpopular Culture, Unbelievable?, Home, plus the groundbreaking SitPack portable chair 28 Holidays and Classified – great places to stay, small ads, and more 30 Get praying – readers write in with their personal tips on prayer Cover stories

Editor: Russ Bravo Email: editor@inspiremagazine.org.uk Designer: Phill Roberts Advertising Sales: Display/Inserts/Recruitment/Classified: Karl Ayling Email: karlayling@cpo.org.uk Tel: 01903 604342 Printers: Bishops Cover photo: Guvna B Order enquiries: Our friendly subs team Email: subs@cpo.org.uk Tel: 01903 604348

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BIG INTERVIEW

Popular rapper Guvna B has gone into print. He tells GEORGE LUKE that Christians need to be a little more unpopular … To thousands of rap fans, Isaac Charles Borquaye is known as Guvna B – multiple MOBO award winner and ambassador for the Prince’s Trust. He’s known and loved not just for his songs, but also for his cheeky-chappie catchphrase “Allo, mate!” – emblazoned across the front of the baseball cap he’s wearing today. In a way, it’s fitting that we’re having this interview over a cheeky Nando’s! Guvna turns 28 in June – the same month in which he makes his debut as an author with the publication of his book Unpopular Culture. “Wow – author,” he gasps when I mention this. “That’s the first time someone’s said it out loud!” Unpopular Culture is part pop-culture commentary, part personal testimony and part call-to-action. Guvna spent much of 2016 writing it. “I got off to a flying start in January, and then I got writer’s block for a few months,” he says. “I got the inspiration for quite a few of the chapters from Emma, my wife. Writing the book was a fulfilling experience. I’ve been doing music for about nine years now, and I felt that I’d learnt a little that I could share and encourage people with.” The idea for the book came from a casual walk down his street. “I was walking to the station one day, and I saw an advert,” Guvna says. “It just felt that every message we feast our eyes on – whether it’s via a billboard, social media or TV – has got an agenda that 4

BIG INTERVIEW

the majority buys into. I wondered, why is this? Is there a different way we can live? Being a Christian, I know there is – but the world thinks a certain way is popular. What would it look like if we behaved in an ‘unpopular’ way?” As he points out in the book, that sense of being a misfit is something Guvna has had to live with ever since his youth growing up on a council estate in east London. “Looking back,” he says, “I realised that I didn’t have much ambition – not because I wasn’t an ambitious person, but because all I could see in front of me were a few positive people who wore suits to respectable jobs, but mostly it was drug dealers, gang members – people who got up to no good. I was never a gang member and I never sold drugs, but it wasn’t the fear of God that kept me on the straight and narrow – it was the fear of my mother! “My parents are Ghanaian and very religious, and they took me to church from a young age. But I went on ‘auto pilot’. I didn’t really even understand what it meant to be a Christian until I was 16. I was in a youth service and the leader was talking about being lukewarm. He basically said that you’re better off being the worst gangster known to mankind than just being a little bit of a gangster. I think he was calling my bluff a bit! But it did make me think that if I was going to church and calling myself a Christian, I should give it 100 per cent – otherwise there’s no point. “A few months before that, a schoolmate of mine was struck by lightning. He survived, and that kind of strengthened my faith, because I

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had a strong feeling in my heart that it was God who came through for him. I always refer to that situation as a key in how I began to take my faith seriously.”

IS THERE A DIFFERENT WAY WE CAN LIVE? Offstage, Guvna does a lot of youth mentoring in schools and is looking forward to starting working in prisons. His wife runs a charitable organisation called Girl Got Faith, which helps young girls with self-esteem issues. “It’s just really chipping in wherever we can,” he says. “The key is to always be looking at what you can do for other people and how you can help, rather than just looking at your own situation. We all have the day-today things we need to do to ensure our sanity. But it’s also good to be outward-looking and see how we can make a difference in other people’s lives.” *Unpopular Culture is published this month by SPCK, price £7.99. Turn to Page 26 for a chance to win a copy.

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BITS ’N’ PIECES ONLINE www.datashine.org.uk Find out important info about the communities where you live – helping your church reach out intelligently to the people you live amongst. Free images for your church to use: www.unsplash.com

APP God for Kids is a Bible-based kids app for iOS and Android that helps you engage your children (or grandchildren) with God’s word. Ideal for under 7s it’s fun, friendly and the first adventure is free. Further levels cost £1.49 each. (See story opposite) A new business was opening and one of the owner’s friends wanted to send flowers for the occasion. They arrived at the new business site and the owner read the card. It said, “Rest in Peace.” The owner was angry and called the florist to complain. After he told the florist of the obvious mistake and how angry he was, the florist said, “Sir, I’m really sorry for the mistake, but rather than getting angry you should imagine this: somewhere there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying, ‘Congratulations on your new location.’” www.mikeysfunnies.com 6

STATS | GET ACTIVE New data from Vitality shows that sedentary people who increase their activity levels to 21 minutes a day (150 minutes a week) are likely to live 3.1 years longer as a result. Increasing to 90 minutes a week could add 2.7 years, or just 60 minutes 2.4 years. Research was calculated through analysis of 6600 people over 12 months, calculating the gap between physical body age and actual age. Participants were surveyed before and after they made changes to their everyday behaviour, to pinpoint the impact on life expectancy. Time (31%), cost (21%) and enjoyment (19%) were the three barriers to more exercise, and so Vitality’s Everyday Athlete campaign targets small changes through everyday activities – increased walking, using stairs rather than the lift, vigorous gardening etc.

TWENTYSOMETHINGS Research by Nationwide Savings into the UK’s twenty somethings reveals … Average income of £19,186.40 annually Typically work 31 hours a week Has £210.07 of disposable income each month Has £2,543.82 in savings 29 per cent have a mortgage Takes one holiday in the UK each year Six in 10 go to/went to university Students/ex-students have a total debt of £20,514.86 excluding mortgages Non-students have a total debt of £4,720.66 excluding mortgages Most likely to drive a Vauxhall Corsa or Ford Fiesta Has 15 friends Gets six hours sleep a night 22 per cent have children

APPS

Photo credit: Sammi Sparke Photography

HELPING KIDS FIND GOD

Sheffield mum Joanne Gilchrist tells SHARON BARNARD how her God for Kids app is helping youngsters to engage with the Bible “SOME kids are never going to engage with a book, no matter how exciting the content. So I decided to create an app that would teach them how good and wonderful God is, based on what he says about himself in the Bible,” explains Joanne a mum of two. “Sometimes kids need a medium that they already engage with and is fun.” But she admits to having no idea what God for Kids would look like when she started the project. “There was a lot of figuring things

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out along the way. I had to limit what the app could do, compared to what I had written because essentially, apps work best when they are simple.” So far she’s produced two ‘adventures’ – Desert and Space – to help primary school aged children learn about the nature and character of God in ways that connect with them. “The space theme was my graphic designer’s idea which I liked because this adventure is mostly about the big, omni-characteristics of God that make him God, so Space seemed appropriate.” Joanne, who attends St Thomas’ Church in Crookes, Sheffield with her husband Johnny and daughters Gabriella and Briony, [their voices are used in the app] has been raising funds to finish two more adventures. She is also working on a series of children’s stories using the avatar characters in the app – and earlier this year published a book about love and marriage. The feedback on God for Kids has been encouraging. “Parents love knowing the kids have something edifying to play on. Some have really enjoyed playing together with their kids, which is what I was hoping for. “One friend’s daughter played on the app constantly when it came out!” she adds “The owners of Appt – the app company I use – don’t have kids yet but once told me that it’s exactly the way they would want to introduce their kids to God. “They said they were happy to take on the project because they believed in it too.” + Find out more at www.godforkidsapp.com Joanne’s book Looking for Love is published by Malcolm Down

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IDENTITY

WHEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOME?

Jo Swinney explores why discovering where we belong can be a painful journey â&#x20AC;Ś

ONE of the most profound human needs is for a home and yet even for those of us lucky enough to have a roof over our heads, there is a lurking sense of rootlessness, an unsated thirst for belonging, the pervasive nag of homesickness. This might be because we are among the millions who live in a country far from where we were born and raised, or because we have never stayed in the same place for long, 8

or because we have no family nearby. There are many reasons for finding the idea of home a painful one. My understanding of what and where home is has changed over time. When I was five, my family moved to Portugal where my parents founded the Christian conservation charity, A Rocha. My home was England and I missed it terribly at first, the food, my best friend Joey, even the rain. But home was also my mum and dad and so I adapted fast. At 13 I went to boarding school and I was homesick for Portugal and the community of the field study centre where we lived. Living in Zimbabwe and travelling around southern Africa during the year between school and university, I felt free and unfettered. My home was wherever I happened to be sleeping that night. But after university, doing more study in Canada, one of my professors challenged my spiritualisation of endless wandering. I began to see that place matters, that much of the gritty substance of being a Christ-follower is worked out in committed relationship to the planet and its people. Getting married added another dimension to my understanding of home, and when Shawn and I left Canada and moved to England, it was with the intention of settling down, however uncomfortable we found it. It took a while, but we found our place in the Buckinghamshire village near the church that had employed Shawn. Somewhat to my surprise and rather belatedly, church became another home. Nine years later and now with two daughters, we moved again. It was painful, because we had taken the risk of putting down roots, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made a new home in a house we love that has a woodburning stove and an apple tree in the garden.

IDENTITY

I’ve done a lot of moving, and at times, I have questioned whether I would ever feel at home. I’ve wondered if I would have to wait for the final homecoming of heaven. One of the early church fathers, Augustine, wrote this prayer in his confessions: ‘You have formed us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in you.’ Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived in tents and the people of Israel spent 400 years in a foreign land, escaping only to spend another 40 wandering around a wilderness in circles. Jesus had ‘nowhere to lay his head’ (Matthew 8:20), Paul barely stopped to catch breath and the early Church understood themselves as strangers on earth, citizens of the kingdom of God. Maybe Christians shouldn’t hold out hope for a tangible home? Although I believe wholeheartedly that it is in the welcoming embrace of God where our deepest longings for home are satisfied, I also feel strongly that all of us need home in the other senses of the word. When God created humankind, he created

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them to rely on him, yes, but also with the need for each other and the world we live in. We need a home here and now. And we can choose to make it where we are. We can take the imperfect bricks and mortar that shelter us, the family that winds us up, the country that is going to the dogs (according to certain newspapers anyway!), the neighbourhood with the litter problem and the church with the terrible singing and weak tea and choose to make our home there. Home is a house, a community, a country and a culture. It is marriage and family, history, vocation and church. We are made to belong and belonging is within the reach of all of us, even if it takes a bit of work. + Jo Swinney is an author, speaker and the editor of Preach magazine. Her new book, Home: the quest to belong (Hodder) is available now. Turn to Page 26 for the chance to win a copy.

MUCH OF THE GRITTY SUBSTANCE OF BEING A CHRIST-FOLLOWER IS WORKED OUT IN COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP TO THE PLANET AND ITS PEOPLE

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BRAIN STRAINERS

CROSSWORD Across 1. Take part (11) 7. Notice, observe (4) 8. Infant’s hat (6) 9. But, in any case (7) 12. Tenth month (7) 15. Movie house (6) 16. Filth (4) 18. Goes up with fever (11) Down 2. Map (3) (Anag) 3. Sway on one’s feet (6) 4. Electricity wire (5) 5. Small horse (4) 6. Building for performing plays (7) 10. Positional rule in football (7) 11. Make firm promise (6) 13. Goes with table (5) 14. Peek (4) (Anag) 17. Common road vehicle (3)

You’ll find the solution in our My Inspire section at www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

SuDoku in Japanese means ‘number-solving’.

5 6

RATING: Very difficult

10 11 12

14 16

WORD GOAL How many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? Each must contain the centre letter, all the others can be used only once. Goal: Superb – 32; Excellent – 28; Well Done – 21; Good – 16

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You’ll find the solution in our My Inspire section at www. inspiremagazine. org.uk

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Puzzles by www.puzzle.tv

The grid is 9x9, but has nine 3x3 minigrids or ‘regions’ built in. Some numbers, called ‘givens’, are inserted to give you a start. The goal is to fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column and row in the main grid, and each region, contains the numbers 1–9 exactly once.

SUDOKU

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DEBATE

“HOW COME you still believe?” is a question that often lands in my email inbox. For more than 10 years I’ve been hosting Unbelievable?, a radio debate show that brings Christians and non-believers together for dialogue. I’ve heard just about every objection to faith from the leading critics of religion, from Richard Dawkins to Derren Brown. Yet I’m still a Christian. Why?

personally involved with us in the person of Jesus Christ. Which is true? Atheism or Christianity? Here are three ways in which I believe God is a better explanation of reality than atheism. 1 GOD EXPLAINS HUMAN EXISTENCE Naturally speaking, the human race is incredibly improbable. The more I’ve understood the universe we inhabit, the more I’m persuaded that it points towards God. Science shows that around 30 fundamental forces that govern the universe are astonishingly finely tuned to allow life to exist. Take gravity, the force that holds everything together. Had it been just a fraction weaker nothing would have formed. A fraction stronger and everything would collapse on itself. No life would be possible. Yet – against all the odds – here we are.

WHY I BELIEVE Radio presenter JUSTIN BRIERLEY explains why, after 10 years of talking with atheists, he’s still a Christian … Everybody inhabits a ‘worldview’ – a set of beliefs through which they see the world. Most atheists subscribe to ‘naturalism’ – there is no God and all that ultimately exists is matter, energy and the blind forces of nature. But for Christians, humans are not accidental by-products of an uninterested universe. There is a God who intended us to be here, and became 12

Then there’s the universe itself, which was birthed in a ‘Big Bang’. For time, space and matter to come into existence, the cause itself must be immaterial, timeless, infinite … and incredibly powerful. There’s only one candidate for that job – God. Far from pushing a creator out of the equation, science has uncovered the cosmic fingerprints of God across our universe. 2 GOD EXPLAINS HUMAN VALUE In the 1970s businessman Jaime Jaramillo was walking along the streets of Bogota in Colombia when he saw a girl climbing down a manhole. He followed her, and discovered about 90 children living in the sewers, hiding from policemen who were killing street kids.

One officer said, “Killing these kids is like killing lice. We call them ‘the disposables’.” Jaime went on to rescue hundreds of young people and built a home for them in a loving Christian community. Most people react with horror at humans being treated as ‘disposables’. But why exactly do we believe human life should be valued? Why did Jaime do the right thing? I find it very hard to answer that via atheism. Why should

DEBATE

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3 GOD EXPLAINS HUMAN PURPOSE Atheist scientist Richard Dawkins has written: “The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.” And he’s absolutely right … if atheism is true. All human endeavours will ultimately be gone and forgotten, leaving a cold, sterile universe with no memory of our brief existence. But I see a very different universe to Dawkins. Where the atheist sees only physical laws that produce illusions of purpose, I see real beauty, truth, love, good and evil. I can’t prove that scientifically. But I can point to the universal experience of human yearning for something beyond our

THE HUMAN RACE IS INCREDIBLY IMPROBABLE humans have any more claim for special regard on the biological tree of life than a louse? There’s nothing intrinsically special about us in an indifferent universe. Our beliefs in human rights, values and morality are ultimately an illusion. So why do we feel that view is so wrong? I believe it’s evidence that we have the infinite value of our Maker imprinted on us – we are made ‘in his image’. Anything else makes human worth a commodity, and makes some people disposable.

Derren Brown

Richard Dawkins

physical existence – for ultimate purpose, value and meaning. Only God can satisfy the deepest longings of our soul. I’ve heard many objections in the course of hosting Unbelievable?, but I’ve also found many answers too. Today, I’m more convinced than ever that we aren’t the by-product of a disinterested universe heading towards extinction. There is a God who intended for us to be here, and even entered his own cosmos in person, to let us know. + Justin Brierley presents Unbelievable? on Premier Christian Radio, Saturdays 2.30pm + Unbelievable? Why, after ten years of talking with atheists, I’m still a Christian (SPCK) is available now. www.unbelievablebook.co.uk – you can win a coy on page 26. www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

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QUESTION TIME

WHY IS RELIGION SO DIVISIVE? DR ANDY BANNISTER continues his series tackling common questions or objections to Christianity A RECENT survey revealed that many people harbour incredibly negative attitudes to religion. Some 46% of those surveyed said that “religion is a major part of the problem in our world,” whilst 42% think it’s not religion per se but “people of faith” who are the problem. Why do so many imagine with John Lennon that a world “without religion” would be more peaceful, more tolerant, more inclusive and more harmonious? What’s the problem with religion? Certainly one problem is that religion offers an easy way to divide the world into “good people” and “bad people” and discriminate against the latter. All of us, religious or not, are tempted to think better of ourselves (or those like us) and 14

worse of those who aren’t. The problem isn’t unique to religion, but religion makes this kind of division much easier. What’s the solution? Well, not atheism or secularism, it must be said, since from the French Revolution to Stalin’s Russia, atheism plus political power has led to the death of millions. Secularism has as much blood on its hands as religion. What we need is a basis for humility – something that undercuts our tendency to think too well of ourselves and look down on others. And this is why “religion” doesn’t help. Too many people think that “religion” is all about being good, about being moral, upright, spiritual and so forth, and this quickly leads to a sense of superiority. If you’re a Buddhist, you can look down on those who are less enlightened than you. If you’re a Hindu, you can look down on those whose karma is less than yours. If you’re a Muslim, you can feel superior that your good deeds outweigh those of others and you’re more likely to go to heaven than them.

QUESTION TIME

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Dr Andy Bannister is the Director of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity and an Adjunct Speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. His best-selling book, The Atheist Who Didn’t Exist (or: The Dreadful Consequences of Bad Arguments) is available from all good book stores. Check out the popular Solas video series, SHORT/ANSWERS, at http://www.solas-cpc.org/shortanswers/ Superiority is a huge problem, especially if you’re religious. There is one exception to this pattern and that’s Christianity – at least Christianity as Jesus preached JESUS WAS THE it. Jesus was MOST ANTI-RELIGIOUS the most antiFOUNDER OF ANY religious founder of any religion. RELIGION Read the Gospels carefully and you discover Jesus spent most of his time attacking religious people – calling them out for being religious because it made them feel superior to others. In contrast, Jesus attracted irreligious people – in fact, he was regularly criticised by religious people because he spent his time hanging out with all the wrong people. Jesus said there was no point doing good if your motives were wrong, if your heart wasn’t right. Most people think there are two ways to live. You can choose to be irreligious – but the problem is that leads to self-centredness, my life revolves all around me. I become the centre of the universe. Or you can choose to be religious, but that leads to arrogance – I am nicer, better, holier, more enlightened than you. But both ways lead to excluding others and to discrimination. But what if there aren’t two ways to live but three: irreligion, religion, or the Jesus way. The message of Jesus isn’t: be a good

person and God will like you. It’s that you don’t have the power to be a good person, that your life is so broken and you’re so far from God, that you don’t have the ability to change how you live without radical, inner transformation. And that the only way to get that is by accepting what Jesus did when he paid for our brokenness on the cross, when he took the punishment we deserved for our selfcentredness, arrogance, and pride. The Jesus way says we can do nothing to put our lives right without first powerfully encountering Jesus and discovering forgiveness and new life in him. We exclude others and discriminate – all of us – because our brokenness has excluded us from God. In Jesus, we have the offer of having that relationship put back together, and as our relationship with God is put right, seeing our relationships with others reorientated too. + Got a burning question? Send it to editor@inspiremagazine.org.uk and we may tackle it in a future issue

Further reading In Luke 15, Jesus addresses the question we’ve explored here and Tim Keller’s book, The Prodigal God, is a powerful exposition of that parable. On humility, its importance and cultivation, read John Dickson’s book Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership.

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INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

FREE TO RETURN

MAF’s Gary Clayton tells the story of one of Sudan’s unsung heroes, who has survived her own traumatic experiences to become an advocate for those still in slavery …

Mende Nazer steps carefully off an MAF plane in Yida, South Sudan, savouring the moment. For MAF pilot Chris Ball, who watches Mende breathe in the air, experience the heat and hold a handful of dirt, this is a beautiful moment! These are all things she hasn’t done since she was abducted at the age of 12. 16

At the peak of Sudan’s civil war in the 1990s, Mende’s Nuba Mountain village was attacked. She was abducted, raped and enslaved in Khartoum for nearly seven years, where she was overworked, mistreated and violently beaten. Eventually smuggled into London as a Sudanese family’s slave, Mende – traumatised by the experience and with limited English – couldn’t imagine being free. One day, having been allowed out to run errands for the family, Mende met an Arabic speaker who explained that, if she could escape her captors, she’d be free. So she summoned up the courage to leave her life of slavery and escaped. Mende, now a British citizen, runs the Mende Nazer Foundation. She is an ambassador for the people of the Nuba Mountains and an advocate for those still in slavery. Mende recently flew back home with MAF, travelling with MAF partner Baroness Caroline Cox to provide aid and advocacy and help alleviate suffering in South Sudan and Sudan. The group flew from Juba to Yida, travelled to Sudan’s Nuba Mountains by road, then flew with MAF from Yida to Wau, and finally back to Juba again.

IT WAS SO GOOD TO BE HOME

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

ther Ball O – Chris F plane t the MA Photos a

Baroness Caroline Cox, who is no stranger to war-torn villages, has visited these areas on numerous occasions to highlight the plight of victims of conflict. “When I was appointed to the House of Lords,” the former nurse and social scientist explains, “I accepted it as a gift from God. I don’t like politics. But the message came very clearly that I am to be a voice for those whose voices can’t be heard. “Up in the Nuba Mountains, the situation is tragic. Though there is meant to be a ceasefire, the ceasefire is regularly broken.” Thousands have fled to caves or mountainsides, so Caroline and her team hiked up the mountain to assess the situation. Living conditions are horrendous – the refugees currently have to travel three hours up and down the mountain to fetch water for washing and drinking. Food and medical care are hard to access. The team was also able to film a demonstration of Nuba Mountain music and traditional dancing – a culture the impoverished refugees are keen to retain. “We wanted to get a recording,” explains Caroline, “to celebrate their traditional life in contrast to how they now live.” Rev David Thomas, who’s accompanied her on many visits to these areas, says it was great

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Cox aroness HART/B photos –

to meet up with long-time partner Bishop Moses Deng, the Anglican Bishop of Wau. “Bishop Deng,” he explains, “is doing so much for internally displaced people and refugees, training local people from South Sudan to help. In Nuba, the highlight was bringing Mende Nazer back to her country. We will continue to support her work, focusing on the thousands of slaves who still haven’t found freedom.” Mende was delighted to return home. Although she couldn’t see her parents because of continued conflict in their home village, she could still reconnect with family and friends. She was also able to fly in a large amount of medicine for her village. “It was so good to be home,” Mende says softly, “it was happy and sad, and so very good.” “With the vast distances in South Sudan,” concludes David, “our work is impossible without being able to charter an MAF plane. We couldn’t cover the geographical distance necessary to do research in South Sudan and advocacy work in the UK without MAF. MAF helps us span the difference.” Baroness Cox adds gratefully, “Thank you, MAF, for making this trip possible.” For more information about MAF’s 135 light aircraft and the 26 developing nations served by the Christian aviation organisation, please visit www.maf-uk.org – and see the insert in the centre of this article for how you can help.

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BIBLE RESOURCES

The internet is full of daily Bible devotionals. But Word@Work is different and completely free. BeaconLight’s PAUL ADAMS explains …

www.wordatwork.org.uk

IT ALL started in a suburban church. A few commuters joined an experiment: each day (Monday to Friday) their pastor sent them an email at work. It contained a few verses from Mark’s Gospel, an explanation of what God was saying, ways to apply its message, and a little prayer. Without being asked, they forwarded these messages to colleagues all over the world. And so, Word@Work was born. Since 2007 the readership has grown from 58 in the UK to more than 30,000 in 217 countries. You never know how something little will grow in God’s hands. Why has Word@Work attracted such a following? Many Christians are hungry to 18

understand the Bible better, and learn how to ‘do it’ in everyday life. Word@Work works consecutively, verse-by-verse, through each book of the New Testament in bite-size chunks. It has sound exposition, practical application, and a reflective prayer: ideal for busy people. Who reads it? Originally, it was city executives; now it is students and people in almost every business, profession, and industry; also, homemakers, volunteers and retirees. A third of readers are in Christian ministry, many using Word@Work to teach others. And the reach of this resource has expanded substantially. Initially it was advertised in the developing world where there is huge church growth. Now, more people subscribe in Europe, North America and Australasia. The greatest population penetration is in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands – proving that, in a select community, a good idea spreads faster by word of mouth than on the internet. Why subscribe to Word@Work? It is a unique free resource for learning the meaning and message of the New Testament. Delivered to your computer, tablet or smartphone, you can grow with God at home, at work, and on the move. All the back numbers are on the website at www.wordatwork.org.uk/archive. In a confused world, it is so refreshing and strengthening to study God’s Word for yourself – and learn to apply it right where you are. Sign up free today at www.wordatwork.org.uk

2017 READER APPEAL

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As you can imagine, producing, printing and sending 50,000 copies of INSPIRE across the UK is an expensive business. We look to meet our costs by a combination of partner organisations, advertising – and gifts from people like you, who enjoy reading our encouraging stories of God at work. Giving is a genuine blessing, both to us and to you! So we’d love you to join us in the work of telling the great stories of God in action, changing individuals, churches and communities. Please give what you can. £35 will provide a church with 20 copies of each INSPIRE edition for a year £50 will give a prison chaplain 30 copies of each INSPIRE edition to distribute £100 could help us increase the number of issues we produce and quantity of inspirational stories we can share, over the next year or two We are hugely grateful for your prayers, your gifts and your support. You’re an inspiration to us – THANK YOU! Russ Bravo, Editor editor@inspiremagazine.org.uk

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KINDNESS

THE IDEA came to 12-year-old Megan when she was out in Preston Christmas shopping with her mum. She could see there were homeless people on the streets of her Lancashire home town and felt compelled to do something to help them. “The vision for HopeBags started then,” says Megan. Two years later, in May 2016, the first reusable HopeBags filled with donated essentials like toothpaste, toothbrush, foil blanket and thermal hat were ready to be given out to people on the streets. “Anybody can come and purchase a bag,” the enterprising schoolgirl explains. “They can decide to either give their bag to the homeless personally or people in the church can do it for them.”

‘ I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE’

Preston schoolgirl Megan Holmes tells SHARON BARNARD how her HopeBags initiative is providing homeless people with everyday essentials

The HopeBags, complete with their useful contents are sold at her church, Longton Community Church, and at its charity shop Serve Our Community. They cost £3 each and so far just over 200 have been sold and passed on. “HopeBags are mainly given directly to people on the streets. However, we are more than happy to give them to shelters and different churches and organisations to hand out. 20

KINDNESS

“Most have been given away in Preston, but we have heard stories of people taking them and handing to the homeless as far away as Bristol, London and Edinburgh.” Megan says her biggest challenge along the way has been obtaining funding, but has seen God open doors for her. “He has helped me find ways to raise money and has brought people and businesses into my path who have supported the idea. “The biggest challenge for me was to have the confidence to speak out and actually help make a difference. God has given me the strength and courage to do all of these things.” In February this year Megan’s efforts were recognised when she won the ‘Local Hero’ award at Lancashire’s Rock FM Cash 4 Kids

Time to Shine awards, but says the most rewarding aspect of her initiative has been “seeing how something so little means so much to a homeless person”. “Also, people being so kind and generous and wanting to help me,” she adds. “My

INSPIRE

friends, family and teachers have been so supportive and have encouraged me to keep doing what I’m doing. “My family and people from church have helped my vision become a reality by praying for me, helping to organise things and giving me opportunities to promote HopeBags through Christian events. “My school have also given me opportunities to promote HopeBags, raised money and given me a lot of support.” Becky Robinson, Youth Worker at Longton Community Church says Megan is passionate about following God and having his heart for other people. “Our church plays a huge focus on social action and outreach to our local community, so when Megan approached us with her idea we were really excited. “She has led the project herself and has been able to gather a team of young people and push it forward. “Megan has a huge MAKING A vision and we cannot DIFFERENCE IS wait to see how she will SO REWARDING continue to impact and transform many lives in Preston and across the country.” “Doing HopeBags has helped me realise how much I love helping people and just making a difference is so rewarding,” says Megan, who is also thinking about creating a version of the HopeBag for people leaving prison. “I’m not sure if I would continue doing HopeBags as a full-time job in the future, but I would like to either do something similar to help the community or do it part-time. But I would definitely like to stay involved helping.” To find out more about HopeBags visit hopebagblog.wordpress.com or email hopebag@longtoncommunitychurch.co.uk

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CHILD SPONSORSHIP

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FIVE REASONS TO ... SPONSOR A CHILD

For less than half the price of a latte each day, you could be giving hope to a youngster in need. SHARON BARNARD explains why your help is vital 1. It brings the world’s needs to your door Our TV screens and newspapers are filled with desperate stories of families suffering hardship. It’s not possible to help everyone, but you can help someone and sponsoring a child is one way to do this. And by getting to know an individual child and their country, you and your own family are more likely to pray more regularly and effectively for their personal needs and concerns, as well as those of their nation.

Abdinago in Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia with letter and card from his Stand by Me sponsor

2. It will transform a young life Many children around the world who would otherwise find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty will be provided with an education, healthy food and above all, hope. As well as providing physical and mental support, Christian charities work in partnership with local churches to share God’s love. 3. It will benefit the wider community Your support will enable charities to provide essentials like good sanitation, access to clean drinking water and medical care that will boost everyone’s health in the community. You will also be relieving the burden for parents struggling to meet their son or daughter’s basic needs.

Caleb, Essex, with a letter and photo of his Stand by Me sponsored child in Ethiopia

4. You will build a relationship Sponsors often ask to support a child who is of a similar age to their own children, grandchild or niece or nephew and proudly display their photos alongside their own family members. You will be encouraged to write letters to the children, remember their birthdays, celebrate milestones and assure them of your prayers. You will also hear from them too. Depending on the charity’s particular arrangements, some sponsors may have the opportunity to visit the children and communities they are helping to support. 5. It costs so little to make a big difference For around £20 a month you will be providing one child with a firm foundation on which to build for the future. It’s a small price to pay to change a life for good. www.inspiremagazine.org.uk

Esther in Shan, Burma, with correspondence from her Stand by Me sponsor

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CHILD SPONSORSHIP

TRUE STORY: WHAT CHILD SPONSORSHIP CAN REALLY ACHIEVE ... THROUGH love, prayers and support, Christian child sponsorship charity Stand by Me has seen thousands of children rescued from terrible circumstances, reach their full potential and become who God created them to be.

In 1995 in the Dominican Republic, David Spurdle, Director of Stand by Me, met Wilton. He was sitting outside a chicken shed where a Christian couple ran a school by faith. Each day, Wilton would watch the other children attend their lessons. His home life was similar to many children in the area – poor, unstable and lacking in love and support. His mother and father had left him to live with his grandparents and Wilton had no possessions and very little clothing. He desperately needed food and would often go to the school to beg for scraps of bread. David knew he could meet Wilton’s immediate needs, but an education would give him the chance to escape the desperate cycle of poverty 24

Wilton in 1995

WILTON IS JUST ONE OF THE 10,000 KIDS WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED BY THE CARE OF STAND BY ME he was trapped in. He tried to enrol him into the ‘chicken shed school’ but was told he was 100th on the waiting list. David felt God’s call to build a school which would provide Wilton and hundreds of other children with food, quality education and loving care. At first Wilton was a challenging pupil, but thanks to the patience and care of his teachers he grew into a determined young man. Monthly contributions from his sponsors in the UK funded his education, regular meals, medical care and all the resources he needed to thrive. The regular letters from Wilton’s sponsors provided encouragement and assurance that he was loved and cared for, giving him the confidence to pursue his God-given dreams. In 2016 Wilton qualified as a surgeon. Wilton is just one of the 10,000 kids whose lives have been transformed by the care of Stand by Me and the prayers, support and encouragement of their sponsors over the last 20 years. There are still many children like Wilton living without care and in need of rescuing. Will you be a sponsor and help them rise above their circumstances and reach their full potential?

CHILD SPONSORSHIP

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Wilton (right) in 2016. Working as a surgeon shortly after graduating from medical school

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Stand by Me is rescuing and caring for 3,500 of the world’s poorest children through children’s homes, schools and care centres, providing them with the care, love and attention they need to thrive. You can directly impact a child and help them become who God created them to be through child sponsorship. £20 a month will provide the best care possible for your sponsored child and you will get to know them personally through your regular correspondence. Cut out and complete the form to start sponsoring today or visit www.standby.me/inspire, contact hi@standby.me or call 01708 442271 to find out more.

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16 great giveaways worth £200+ Every month in INSPIRE, we give you the opportunity to bag an inspiring book, CD, DVD, tickets – anything we can lay our hands on to give away. Just fill in the form and tick your preference. You never know, you could be a winner! Sitpack

Unpopular Culture

Sitpack, the world’s most compact, foldable resting device is now available to purchase in the UK (£45 at www.sitpack.com). Perfect to pop into your bag and pull out when a much needed break is required, Sitpack is a height adjustable seat, foldable via telescopic tubes into a small cylinder the size of a beer can. Made of polycarbonate, it’s strong (supporting over 286 lbs) and light (weighing less than 13 ounces). 1 x Sitpack

In Unpopular Culture (SPCK £7.99) double MOBO-winning rap artist Guvna B (interviewed on Pages 4–5) shares his own struggles with being unpopular and feeling overly conscious of his peers’ opinions, to encourage young people to be confident in themselves and not to be afraid to live differently: to stand against injustice, to live life for more than just ourselves, to dare to be unpopular. 5 x copies

Home: the quest to belong

Unbelievable? Taking the best from conversations with Richard Dawkins and many more, Unbelievable? (SPCK £9.99) by Premier Radio presenter Justin Brierley (who writes on Pages 12-13) invites readers to look behind the scenes at how 10 years of talking with atheists, sceptics and non-believers has stirred, shaken but ultimately strengthened Justin’s own belief in the not-sounbelievable Christian faith. 5 x copies

In her article on Pages 8–9, writer Jo Swinney explores the human yearning for home, and we’ve got five copies of her book Home: the quest to belong (Hodder & Stoughton, £14.99) available. Jo investigates our relationship with the concept, interweaving a frank and poignant retelling of her own story with key theological and psychological insights. Her authentic exploration of home in all its many and varied forms is a heartfelt call to find our home in the things that are truly of the most value. 5 x copies

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LLANDUDNO Enjoy superb views overlooking the sea and Snowdonia mountains at Beth Eden Christian Guest House. We offer fellowship, Bible ministry and exceptional home cooking, and welcome individuals, couples, families, and groups of up to 30. Tel: 01492 877057 www.betheden.co.uk info@betheden.co.uk

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READERS’ PRAYER TIPS

MUSIC AND CANDLES I was very interested to read Sharon Barnard’s article on revitalising your prayer life in Issue 112 of Inspire. I have some tips that have helped me: Carefully choose a worship song that really glorifies God and play that as you prayerfully concentrate on God’s goodness. It will help take you away from the distractions of your surroundings and encourage you to go to a deeper place of worship and praise. Light a candle and focus on the flickering flame. Let it remind you of the light of Jesus shining in our dark world, and allow it to lead you into thankfulness that the light of God never leaves us. Have you read a verse in the Bible that has caught your attention? Use that verse as a prayer. God’s Word is alive, so praying the Word is powerful. Carolyn Lavers, UK

MORE WAYS TO PRAY

JOURNAL Keep a prayer journal – either electronically or in paper form. An A5 hard-backed notebook is ideal. As well as prayers you could include answers to prayer, a list of things to be thankful for, significant scripture verses, key experiences on your spiritual journey, photographs, artwork, poems, testimonies etc. It will be a wonderful reminder of how God has been at work in your life. You don’t need to add to it every day – just as and when you feel inspired. Christine Bennett

Some of our recent articles on prayer have prompted INSPIRE readers to write in with their own tips …

TEASPOON! When I was a very busy single mum with three children to bring up we often used the TSP formula. We called it teaspoon and I think my children still use it. Really simple and easy Thankyou, Sorry, Please. TSP! Mandy SG

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Woman Alive £28

Subscribe this month and pay just for 12 issues (full price £35.40) plus a pack of 10 blank notecards and a pack of 10 verse cards worth £6.50 from CPO.

The magazine that brings together inspirational reading, fresh and relevant Bible teaching, creative ideas and great competitions and offers. + The cards each feature an intricate watercolour painting and a verse of comfort and encouragement. Inside is left blank for your own greeting. The verse cards are business-sized variety packs, featuring some of the best-loved Bible verses and are sold in packs of 100 (£10) or packs of 10 (£1). To see the full range of products from CPO, visit www.cpo.org.uk or call 01903 263354 for the latest catalogue. To take advantage of this special offer, simply fill in the form below, call our friendly subs team on 01903 604307 or visit www.womanalive.co.uk. Please quote offer code INS817 when ordering online or by phone.

Terms and conditions: This offer is valid for UK subscribers only and is available until 31st August 2017 or whilst stocks last. The minimum subs term is 12 months. For details of subscriptions for those outside the UK visit www.womanalive.co.uk or call +44 1903 604307.

Woman Alive

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Offer code INS817

Please complete the form below and send to: Woman Alive Subscriptions, CPO, Garcia Estate, Canterbury Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 1BW

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