Keep the faith magazine issue 84 by Keep The Faith magazine

ISSUE 84

Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading Black communityfocused publication promoting and supporting faith and family values

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 1918 - 2013

What a man What a life What a legacy

The spiritual legacy of

Nelson Mandela 18.7.1918 - 5.12.2013

s the world pays tribute to the late, great Nelson Mandela, a former lawyer, activist, key figure in ending apartheid in South Africa, and the country’s first ever Black President, there can be no overlooking the spiritual legacy he has left behind. Nelson Mandela (also known as Madiba) proved, without question, the positive impact that forgiving and reconciling with one’s enemies can have, in bringing about political progress in a nation once divided by unrest, racism and violence. In fact, Mandela’s decision to forgive his White oppressors, so that South Africans of all races could focus on working together to build unity in a previously disunited nation that enshrined racism within its racist apartheid laws, turned him into a world icon. How could people fail to admire someone, who chose forgiveness above bitterness; put love before hate; and thought it better to be reconciled to and work alongside one’s enemy, rather than be estranged from them? Mandela’s courageous, moral and political act enabled South Africa to move forward peacefully from its racist past and, though the country still has some pressing problems to deal with - such as the AIDS crisis, poverty, poor housing and a high crime rate - the racist laws, which once characterised the country, have all but disappeared. Rolihlahla Mandela, as he was named at birth, was born in Mvezo, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape on 18 July 1918, the son of a tribal chief. He was named Nelson when he started school, as it was customary to give pupils English names. In 1941, he fled to Johannesburg, to escape an arranged marriage. He met Walter Sisulu, who helped him find a job in a law firm. In 1944, Nelson joined the African National Congress (ANC), and worked alongside them to dismantle apartheid, which in effect denied Black people

the country. When he died, on Thursday 5th December 2013, he was surrounded by his family. No-one can say that Nelson Mandela’s life was not one that was well lived. He is proof that, when an individual has faith in God, is consistent, resilient, brave, courageous, and works towards life’s highest values of peace, justice and equality, nothing is impossible to achieve.

FAMOUS SAYINGS OF NELSON MANDELA “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate and, if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” legal rights, subjecting many to a life of poverty and second-class citizenry. In 1952, along with his life-long friend, Oliver Tambo, Nelson set up South Africa’s first Black law firm. Whilst working for the ANC, Mandela, along with 155 other people, was arrested and charged with treason in 1956. After a four-and-a-half-year trial, Mandela was acquitted. Following a peaceful protest in Sharpeville in 1960, 69 Black protestors were shot dead. Fearing retaliation, the government banned the ANC, forcing the organisation to develop a military wing, and Mandela to go underground. In 1962, Mandela was tried for leaving South Africa unlawfully and, in 1963 whilst in prison, he was charged with sabotage. In 1964, along with seven other ANC activists, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and jailed. The world started to exert pressure

on the South African government to end apartheid by using sanctions, which first came into force in 1967. There followed an international campaign to free Nelson Mandela, which culminated with his release on 11 February 1990, after serving 27 years in prison. The following year, he became the first President of the ANC, and began talks with the South African government to hold multi-racial elections. In 1993, Mr Mandela and South African President, FW De Klerk, were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to bring stability to South Africa and, in 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first ever Black President of South Africa. He stepped down from the Presidency in 1997, but continued to travel the world in an ambassadorial role for his beloved South Africa, raising awareness of AIDS, and secured the 2010 FIFA World Cup for

“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” “Religion is one of the most important forces in the world. Whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew or a Hindu, religion is a great force, and it can help one have command of one’s own morality, one’s own behaviour and one’s own attitude.” “There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.” “Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.” “If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.”

WELCOME 03

CONTENTS ISSUE 84 12 Dear Reader We enter into the Christmas season mourning the death AND celebrating the life of one of the great world icons of the 20th Century: Nelson Mandela, who died on December 5. His life exemplifies everything Christmas extols: love, hope and peace. We pay tribute to this exemplary world leader. We have interviews with MOBO Award-winning rapper, Jahaziel, who talks about his life, ministry and new album, Heads Up. Regional Overseer Keith Thomas shares why he became a full-time carer to his wife, Sandra, after she suffered a life-changing brain aneurysm, and the role of faith in their lives; and Christian actor, Nonso Anozie, who plays the role of Samson in the record-breaking TV series, The Bible, reveals why he hopes the mini-series will start a conversation about God in the UK. Keep The Faith also has an interview with Oscar-winning superstar, Jennifer Hudson, who talks about her role in the uplifting Christmas film, Black Nativity. There are a whole host of interesting articles in this edition: Rev David Shosanya writes why we should be concerned about the elderly; Rev Wale Hudson-Roberts argues for Christians to remind themselves of a Christ who stands for justice; and Dionne Gravesande reminds us that Christians should stand alongside those whose human rights have been violated. Do read Selene Jordan’s story of how she overcame debt; be inspired by Gladys Famoriyo’s article to have a moment of reflection as 2013 comes to a close; and check out all the other wonderful articles and stories we have for you. We’re sure you’ll enjoy them. Here’s wishing you a wonderful, blessed Christmas, and prosperity and great success in 2014. Happy reading

24 22 WELCOME

30 There can be no peace without justice by Dionne Gravesande 31 Do the honour by Sir Bob Kerslake

04 Food 4 Thought by Marcia Dixon

NEWS

COMMENT

07 News pages 10 Keep The Faith about town

12 Gospel News by Marcia Dixon 14 Mainstream or gospel: Which path should a Christian artist choose? by Juliet Fletcher

32 Remember the elderly this Christmas by Rev David Shosanya 33 The Christ who stands for justice - a Christmas reflection by Rev Wale Hudson-Roberts 34 Power, policy and practice - The need for good church governance by Rev Stephen Brooks

INTERVIEW

INSPIRATION

GOSPEL

16 Interview with Jahaziel 20 Interview with Kevin and Sandra Thomas 22 Jennifer Hudson on music, religion, motherhood and love by Elaine Lipworth

FEATURE

24 Media Platforms touching people’s lives by Marcia Dixon 26 Street Pastors: making a positive difference 28 The actor who got Oprah and TD Jakes all a-Twitter by Marcia Dixon R

Keep The Faith Tel: 0845 193 4433 www.keepthefaith.co.uk www.blackchristiandirectory.com

36 The season to be thankful by Gladys Famoriyo 37 The journey to debt freedom by Selene C Jordan

LIFESTYLE

38 Heart to Heart by Esther Fenty 40 Bringing hope at Christmas by Isaac Carter 41 Business Matters by Denise Roberts 42 Charity Affairs by Lara Rufus 43 Cyber Corner by Keno Ogbo

MISSION

44 Patience prevails by Brandy Campbell 46 Helping to transform China with a single book

Publisher: Shirley McGreal admin@keepthefaith.co.uk Editor: Marcia Dixon editorial@keepthefaith.co.uk Advertising: advertising@keepthefaith.co.uk Admin and Subscriptions: admin@keepthefaith.co.uk Twitter: @keepthefaithmag

Many thanks from Keep The Faith to: Rev David Shosanya, Rev Wale Hudson-Roberts, Rev Stephen Brooks, Sir Bob Kerslake, Marcia Dixon, Elaine Lipworth, Dionne Gravesande, Juliet Fletcher, Gladys Famoriyo, Selene C Jordan, Esther Fenty, Isaac Carter, Denise Roberts, Lara Rufus, Keno Ogbo, Bee Suarez, Brandy Campbell, Claire Kendall, Becky Crump and Jackie Raymond. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher.

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04 WELCOME

FOOD 4 THOUGHT

JESUS IS OUR HELP

recently read 1 John 3, a poignant biblical chapter, which highlights that people who say they are born of God do not keep on sinning, but practise righteousness, love their neighbours, and help those in need.

The sentiments conveyed in 1 John 3 are much in line with the Christian faith and the Christmas story, which demonstrates God’s love for humanity, and His desire to save men from the destructive elements of sin through their believing in the birth of the Christ, who would and does save people from their sins. When you’ve been a Christian as long as I have, it’s noticeable that the Christmas season has become hijacked by businesses and corporations, parties and festivities. The focus seems to be on buying presents and spending money one may not necessarily have; attending lots of parties dressed in the clothing, specially produced for the season; as opposed to the real reason for the season, which is to spread hope, let people know they are loved by God, and to remind people they don’t have to be slave to their sins, because Christ was born to save them from them. I would encourage you not to allow the commercialisation of Christmas to take you away from the core reasons for the season, which are to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ Child, who came to let the world know that God loves them; to bring peace, and to show the world that there is a better way for humans to live with and amongst each other.

So make sure you take some time out to attend one of the many Christmas services that will take place during December, so that you can give praise to God and to thank Him for sending His precious Son, Jesus, to Earth. Also, take some time out to show some love to someone; extend a hand of help to those in need; spread peace and goodwill and, if you can, give a gift to someone who least expects you to do so. The message inherent within Christmas remains a very simple yet profound one: God loves mankind. Mankind needs help, and that help can be found in Christ. Have a blessed and happy Christmas.

More images like these, please The Internet went crazy, when pictures of Pope Francis praying for a man suffering from boils were published online. Most major news outlets published the pictures, and people - believers and non-believers alike - took to the Internet to voice their opinions (most of it favourable), with one woman tweeting. “I’m an atheist, but the more I hear about Pope Francis, the more I like him.” The public’s response highlights that there is a deep yearning for people to see religious leaders behaving like Jesus. Whilst there is an expectation and requirement for religious leaders to comment about political, social and moral issues; make prophetic statements; preach great sermons, as well as hobnob with the rich and powerful, it’s obvious that people long to see high-profile Christian leaders engage with the poor, the powerless and the vulnerable in a meaningful, caring and compassionate way. When a religious leader is seen to act in this way, it provides a visible example of the guileless way human beings can relate to each other, as such interactions forgo much of the artifice, superficiality and the ‘What’s in it for me?’ attitude that can characterise our interactions with each other. Instead, individuals get a glimpse of how God wants people to relate to each other: out of a selfless heart that aims to show and give love, expecting nothing in return.

It’s time to be real Christians can sometimes be really good at hiding how they feel. Ask a believer what’s happening in their life, and they’ll either reply, “I’m blessed and highly favoured”, “God is good” or “Life is fine”. This is the case, even when an individual feels their heart is breaking; feels confused and unsure of what to do, and is experiencing depression, family issues, work problems or any other subject that assails the human psyche. Why do we do this? Why are we frightened of being open, honest and vulnerable to our fellow brother and sister in the Lord, and why, when people do open up, are Christians quick to tell individuals to pull themselves together, to not be negative, and that everything is going to be alright? It’s often said that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason – and that reason is to listen more than we talk.

There will be times when people want to remove their masks and honestly share how they are feeling and what they are experiencing, and not be berated for doing so. That’s why it’s beholden to Christians to be caring, understanding and discerning listeners. If a situation arises, and an individual person shares their heart with you, ask the Holy Spirit to give you a discerning ear, so that you understand what they are trying to say and, via your responses, help them to feel better. Proverbs 20:5 states, “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” This insight and sensitivity can be provided by the Holy Spirit - if we ask for it. Let 2014 be the year when churches allow its members to be honest and real. This can happen, if we listen with God’s heart and ears.

06 LETTERS

Christine Ohuruogu’s approach to life is inspiring It was great to read about the World 400m Champion and Olympic gold medallist, Christine Ohuruogu, in the recent edition of Keep The Faith. I didn’t know she was a Christian until reading the article, and I found her approach to life, faith and sport to be an inspiring read. It should come as no surprise to anyone that she’s a champion. May God continue to bless her in all that she does. Janet Andrews, Birmingham

Readers’ Letters

Interpreting Scripture article an eye opener

ISSUE 83

The case for

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

BRITAIN’S LEADING BLACK COMMUNITY-FOCUSED PUBLICATION PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING FAITH AND FAMILY VALUES

Choir using music to teach world about slavery

WEALTH

and the Black community

Importance of understanding Scripture correctly

Interview with World Champion athlete:

CHRISTINE OHURUOGU a4 file 83 22 sept.indd

26/09/2013 22:43

Christine Ohuruogu is a great role model I was deeply moved by your interview with the current World 400m Champion, Christine Ohuruogu. I’ve always admired her achievements as a world class sportswoman, and I feel I learnt more about her as she shared her heart in the interview. She came across as a really dedicated sportswoman, who’s humble, loves God, and has developed fully the sporting gift that God has given her. I think she’s a great role model for young women, because she demonstrates what can be achieved with great focus and dedication. The fact that she’s a Christian is the icing on the cake. You go, Christine. Jennifer Peters, Manchester

Heart to Heart I regularly read Heart To Heart by Esther Fenty, and have learnt a lot about life and the many problems believers experience as a result of doing so. I must say, though, I was very, very shocked by the problem about the young teenage girl, whose supposedly Christian father was sexually abusing her. I hope the young girl gets the help that she needs, and I hope that the problem serves as a wake-up call for church leaders to put proper procedures in place, in order for them to deal with this issue appropriately, should the problem arise in their congregations. Adeola Fungi, Essex

We’d love to hear your views on Keep The Faith and the featured articles. Send your letters to Keep The Faith Letters, PO Box 574, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 9BW or better still, email letters@keepthefaith.co.uk

Respecting the generations I love the fact that Keep The Faith features articles about people across the generations. I immensely enjoyed the article, ‘Connecting with UK Gospel Pioneers’, and reading about the work the four singers listed - Rev Reuben Edwards, Evangelist Icilda Cameron, Evangelist Veronica Willis and George Beason - carried out the Gospel via their musical talent during the 50s and 60s. Not only did the article raise awareness of the contribution of these pioneers to the UK gospel scene, it also highlighted how far we’ve come as a UK gospel scene. We may not be there yet, but we are getting there. Mark Walker, London

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Rev Brooks’ article, ‘Let’s Learn How to Interpret Scripture’, was definitely an eye opener and very timely. It was certainly a wake-up call for those Black people who like to call the Bible a ‘White man’s religion’, and for those who sloppily interpret God’s Word, forgetting that the 66 books in the Bible were written at a particular time, in a particular context, and that not everything that’s contained in it is applicable for the 21st century. I’d like to see our churches engage in more public debate and discussion about the Scriptures - particularly on those thorny, contentious issues - in order to generate greater understanding. John Edmunds, Luton

Our community needs wealth Isaac Carter’s article, ‘Wealth and the Black Community’, touched on an area that we don’t give enough thought to – wealth building. Some of that energy we use to praise God with our voices could be channelled into encouraging us to offer God our worship via entrepreneurial activity. Poverty, and a lack of finance within the Black community, will remain a major issue, until we focus our energy in raising up wealth-making entrepreneurs. Like Isaac, I’m glad that our churches are waking up to the importance of wealth creation, and have started to encourage the entrepreneurs who exist in our community to do what they do best: setting up businesses, creating wealth and much-needed jobs. Peter Frepomg, Wolverhampton

Christians do care The Christian community is filled with some great people, who sacrifice their time, resources and energy to help others. Moira Morgan, founder of the Griffin Trust, is one of those people. It was deeply rewarding to read of her experiences working with disadvantaged children, vulnerable women and the elderly in Jamaica. I hope that she’s able to raise the money that she needs to finance the great work she’s doing. Nicole Williams, Gloucester

NEWS 07

Bishop Brown appointed first Pentecostal President of CTE One of Britain’s leading Black church leaders has made history by becoming the first Pentecostal church leader to be installed as the first ever Pentecostal President of Churches Together in England (CTE). Rev Eric Brown, who currently serves as Presiding Bishop of the New Testament Church of God UK, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, was appointed to the role. CTE presidents provide spiritual leadership to the national ecumenical movement, and Bishop Brown’s appointment brings the total number of CTE presidents to six. Fellow existing presidents include Archbishop Justin Welby, leader of the Anglican Communion. Commenting on his appointment, Bishop Brown said, “I am delighted that I have been elected to serve as a CTE president, and take this opportunity to say ‘Thanks’ for this expression of confidence. With the help of Almighty God, and the knowledge and experience gained from over 40 years of service in the Church, I am committed to give my very best, and to work with my colleagues in the presidency to ensure that the spiritual welfare of the nation is our priority.”

Children of faithful believers more likely to be abused The Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) has warned that children of highly committed Christians are, potentially, at greater risk of abuse, because their parents are more prone to obeying their church leaders without question. The warning comes in response to the release of The Foundations of Abuse, a major new report from CEOP (part of the new National Crime Agency). The Report highlights that children within institutions (including churches) are not safe from child sex abusers, and warns that offenders often groom their victims into believing the attention they show them is an ‘honour’, making it harder for them to report the abuse.

Pictured above: Rev Eric Brown and the presidents of CTE

Project launched to help turn boys into men The New Testament Assembly in Tooting, south London, has launched a boys’ empowerment programme called DMD (De Man Dem). DMD is targeted at boys aged between 7 and 17 years; will run over a period 12 weeks, and provide opportunities for those on the programme to learn important life skills. Tasks that those on the programme will be asked to undertake include: contacting a car showroom to test drive a car, and booking an appointment with an elderly man to discover what life was like for him when he was young. The project will also incorporate a competitive element, to further encourage those who undergo the project to strive for success. Mentors will be assigned to work alongside the boys on the DMD programme, to help them fulfil their tasks. Pastor Freddie Brown, one of the leaders at Tooting NTA, is the brainchild behind this initiative. He shared, “I set up De Man Dem because I wanted to do something practical, and be part of the solution for some of the issues surrounding our boys. The idea is to teach our young boys life skills - not just to

engage them in a few activities to keep them out of trouble, but to give them some life skills that will help them become successful, compassionate men throughout their lives.” For more details, email ntatooting@ hotmail.com, or phone 020 8672 9416 or 020 8767 1406.

The Report also states that church management structures can make it easier for offenders to abuse children, by discouraging junior staff and members from reporting their suspicions to the police. Simon Bass, CEO of CCPAS, said: “It sounds harsh to suggest that the children of strongly-committed parents are more at risk of being abused. However, this is not only true but it stems largely from the fact that they tend to buy in to the culture of their local church wholeheartedly.” One third of the case studies in the Report (six out of eighteen) relate to abuse within faith environments. And five of those six abusing leaders specifically targeted the children of the more devout. The Report has recommended the Government close a loophole in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which currently does not deem Ministers of Religion (and some other roles) as holding ‘positions of trust’.

For more details, visit www.ccpas.co.uk

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08 NEWS

WHO PASTORS THE PASTORS? There has been a lot of discussion on the Internet and social media recently about the strain pastors are under, following the death by suicide of American church leader, Rev Teddy Parker Jnr. The pastor, who led Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia, had sent his wife and two children ahead of him to the church’s Sunday service, but when he took a long time to arrive, they went to search for him and found him dead at home. Following his death, it was revealed that Rev Parker Jr suffered from manic depression; that he was taking medication for the condition, which causes additional ‘physical challenges’, and that whilst he had support structures around him, he didn’t feel able to take a sabbatical. Rev Parker Jr’s funeral was streamed online, and his wife received messages of condolence from all over the world, including one from Pastor Rick Warren, whose son died from suicide. Growing numbers of church leaders here in Britain are recognising the importance of providing ministerial support. Bishop Mark Nicholson runs MAN Ministries. It gives practical information about running a church, and supports ministers experiencing difficulties via regular breakfast meetings and one-to-one counsel. Rev Teddy Parker Jnr

NTCG mourns leader who served humanity A former head of the New Testament Church of God UK was put to rest at a moving funeral service, held at New Hope Church of God, Trenton, New Jersey in the US recently. Trinidadian-born Bishop Dr Selwyn Arnold Sr died in the US, following a long illness. He served as National Overseer between 1984 and 1994, and was the first ever leader of NTCG UK to be selected by the church’s National Executive here in the UK. Bishop Arnold presided over a period of growth for the church, and was noted for his compassion. He encouraged the church to be more sympathetic to individuals who experienced moral failure, particularly women members who had become pregnant outside of marriage. Prior to, and following his appointment as National Overseer, Bishop Arnold carried out a number of illustrious appointments for the NTCG. This included serving as the first ever National Youth and CE Director for England and Wales between 1961 and 1966, and working as a missionary alongside his wife, Joyce, in Nigeria and Ghana. After his tenure as head of NTCG UK, Bishop Dr Arnold spent his remaining years in America, serving as a Senior Pastor and District Overseer, a State Administrative Bishop of New Jersey, and World Missions Representative on Special Assignment. Bishop Eric Brown, the current National

Overseer of NTCG, stated, “Dr Selwyn Arnold is a man who served the church and humanity well. His tenure as head of NTCG UK is marked by his insistence that the church demonstrates Christ’s compassion to those who had ‘fallen into sin’, and the encouragement and example he set for young leaders at the time, like myself. He remains a great model of what a Christian leader should be, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.” He is survived by his wife, Dr M Joyce Arnold, his son Selwyn Arnold Junior, and daughter-in-law Michelle. Visit www.facebook. com/drselwynarnoldsr for more details.

Charities lend helping hand to Philippines This Christmas seems set to be a bleak one for the people of the Philippines, who experienced their worst ever natural disaster last month, when Typhoon Haiyan swept through the island. Christian charities are responding with prayer and practical action.

He isn’t surprised that ministers can sometimes find ministerial work overwhelming. “Although someone’s a pastor, who’s pastoring him? Who does he align himself with, to say that if he is feeling pain, he feels he can walk into another pastor’s office, and share to get wise and godly counsel? Once that is missing, the minister stands alone.” Bishop Nicholson suggests ministers can avoid feeling overwhelmed by their work if they are transparent, honest and accountable to someone. For more details about MAN Ministries, visit www.manministries.co.uk, or phone 07534 263421.

Compassion UK has sent a fleet of 1.3 tons of Compassion aid to the islands of Cebu and Ormoc, two regions worst impacted by the typhoon. It includes boxes of pre-packed canned goods and ready-to-eat foods. Compassion Philippines has established a disaster relief team to monitor and support the 109 church-based Compassion projects, and the 20,000 children who have been worst affected. The Charity’s Country Director, Noel Pabiona,

explains, “Our hands will be full, as we embark on a massive relief and rehabilitation effort these next few days, but we are confident that our God will never leave us nor forsake us.” Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need, has announced that it will be sending an emergency aid package of 100,000 euros, which will be used to provide clean water, medicine and shelter. Other charities that have launched appeals include the Bible Society, Christian Aid, Tearfund and the Salvation Army. The Archbishop of Canterbury has even shared a prayer for those who are suffering, stating “Our prayers are with all who have lost loved ones and all those who are traumatised by the disaster and in desperate need of food, water, shelter and medical attention.” “We pray for those who are most vulnerable in this crisis: children separated from their parents, the sick and injured, the disabled and the elderly.”

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10 NEWS

KEEP THE FAITH ABOUT TOWN Film about Caribbean deportees hits town Hollywood stars Tatyana Ali and CCH Pounder were at the British Museum, London, recently for the premiere of Home Again, a moving film telling the story of three young people, born in Jamaica but who grew up in the West (Canada, America and Britain), who are deported to the land of their birth. This harrowing and thought-provoking film demonstrates the difficulties deportees experience when they are sent back to the Caribbean. The film was written and produced by Jennifer Holness and Sudz Sutherland, a couple based in Canada. They are hoping the film will start a dialogue throughout the world about how society should deal with deportees who are sent back to live in countries that they know nothing about. Visit www.homeagainfilm.com

Lurine Cato wins a MOBO Keep The Faith extends a belated congratulations to Lurine Cato, who was the surprise winner of the gospel category at this year’s MOBO Awards, held in Glasgow. The singer, who has a five-octave range and has worked with a range of artists, including Kylie Minogue, Mary J Blige and the 2012 X Factor winner, James Arthur, has admitted that she was shocked to hear her name announced as the winner of the Award. She shared, “When I collected the Award, I really felt that I was collecting the Award for the gospel music community. They’ve shown me so much love since my win.” Her MOBO win is just one of the four awards the singer has won this year. Lurine is currently busy in the studio, working on her debut album, which is set to be released in the first quarter of 2014.

KEEP THE FAITH EDITOR WINS AWARD

Keep The Faith team meets David Cameron and wins Award Joanne Gayle, a new addition to the Keep The Faith team, got to meet UK Prime Minister David Cameron, when he visited Birmingham recently to talk to Black community leaders about Black History Month, apprenticeships, and the Start-Up Loan scheme which provides loans to budding entrepreneurs. Joanne was present at The Drum, where David Cameron encouraged the Black community to embrace entrepreneurship.

Image credit Poppy Brady

Keep The Faith magazine won Best Magazine of the Year at the 5th Annual BEFFTA Awards, held in London at the end of October. The BEFFTA UK Awards - held over two days - celebrates talent from entertainment, film, fashion, television and the arts. Other nominees included Heritage Magazine, New African Woman, Zen, Tropical, OK! Nigeria, African Cuisine Magazine, NU People Magazine, Itsblackcurrent.com, Afropulp Magazine, Fab Afrique, SoulCulture, C.Hub Magazine, Pride Magazine, Black Hair Magazine, Fab Magazine and Black Beauty & Hair. Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/keep-the-faith-magazine

Keep The Faith editor, Marcia Dixon, was the recipient of an award at the recent Praise Tek Gospel Awards, held at the Round Chapel in Lower Clapton, east London, for her work in gospel media. Ms Dixon is the longest-serving columnist for The Voice newspaper, Britain’s leading Black publication, and has been editor of Keep The Faith for four years. Commenting on her award she stated, “It’s been an honour writing about the Black Christian community over the years, and it was an honour to win the award. All I can say is, ‘God is good.’”

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12 GOSPEL NEWS

L E P S GO WS NE

IDMC Christmas event to feature X Factor finalist 2013 has been a great year for IDMC. They were nominated for a MOBO and performed in front of an audience of 20,000 at the Awards ceremony, backing 2012 X Factor finalist, Jahméne Douglas. They have also travelled to Europe to lead gospel music workshops, and have built up a fantastic reputation teaching gospel music classics to school pupils. IDMC aim to celebrate Christmas in style, and will be starring in a special Christmas gospel concert in association with leading charity, Christian Aid, featuring Jahméne Douglas and MOBO Award-winner Lurine Cato, and Paul Lee. It promises to be a great night. It takes place on December 13 at Regents Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London W1. Visit www.idmcgospel.com

Meet the Artist: Victizzle Christian artist/producer Victizzle’s new album ‘Time 2 Shine’ is out, and his career is on an upward trajectory since signing a management deal with Uprise Music. Victizzle spoke to Bee Suarez about his music, his album and his plans for future projects KEEP THE FAITH (KTF): Fans are still raving about the listening party you held recently. What were your favourite moments? VICTIZZLE: I think my most favourite moment was seeing people that I went to secondary school with that I hadn’t seen in years. It was such a shock - yet a blessing - that after all these years, they still support me. I love that!

KTF: How have you been able to accomplish so much at a young age? VICTIZZLE: I think it’s my determination and drive. I’ve always felt like I was the weird one back in school. I was never really as cool as the other kids; girls never really fancied me (LOL). And I just want people to know that it’s actually cool not to be like everyone else, and to stand out for simply being you.

KTF: And now here we are with the critically-acclaimed ‘Time 2 Shine’ album. What would you say are the Album’s standout tracks? VICTIZZLE: For me, the standout tracks would be, ‘Let Go’ because of its unique drum pattern, sweet chords and guitars, its highly encouraging message, and soothing vocals from Seyi. ‘Be Alright’ is an awesome track, featuring Franklyn, Utter Once and my best friend from school days, Mark Asari.

KTF: Any dream collaborations? VICTIZZLE: Timbaland is and always has been my indirect mentor, so collaboration with him is a must in my lifetime! (LOL)

KTF: Albums sometimes mirror the artists’ personal lives. What does ‘Time 2 Shine’ say about where you are in your life, and which song do you think represents that best? VICTIZZLE: Time 2 Shine is definitely a reflection of my life and journey, as a Christian and as a human being. The best song that represents that, I believe, would be ‘My Story’. That song documents my life’s journey from a young boy into a young man, and talks about the difficulties of growing up in a difficult society that goes against your beliefs as a Christian. KTF: You recently signed a management deal with Uprise Music. How did it come about? VICTIZZLE: That was the most unplanned decision I’ve ever made in my life (LOL). I’ve never been managed before, and I’ve been running my career professionally for just over nine years. I spoke to Uprise Music TV; we met up for a meeting, and discussed what they could do for me and what I could do for them in return. I figured that I had nothing to lose, and I could use all the help I could get. The rest is history. KTF: How did you establish yourself as a producer? VICTIZZLE: “Victizzle On The Beat!” I made sure I tagged that on everything I produced, to let the people know who created the music that they were dancing to, crying to, laughing to, or just having a good time to. Producing the G-Force album, which won a MOBO in 2007, was really what gave me a platform in the UK Gospel circuit.

KTF: Will there be an Afrobeat project from Victizzle? VICTIZZLE: We don’t know; let’s wait and see… KTF: What can we expect from Victizzle in the future? VICTIZZLE: Expect nothing but greatness from Victizzle. More music, more albums and more productions for other artists across the globe. For more details, visit www.victizzlemusic. co.uk. For more gospel news, visit www.beesuarez.com

WINNING CHOIR TO PERFORM AT THE DRUM

GOSPEL NEWS 13

ARTIST WATCH

The Birmingham Town Hall Gospel Choir are still on a high, since winning the first ever Songs of Praise Gospel Choir of the Year competition, broadcast recently on BBC 1. Choir Director, Colin Anderson, told Keep The Faith: “We are very proud to be the inaugural winners, and humble at that. We feel really good. It’s a title that will never be taken away from us.” The Choir have been overwhelmed with congratulations since their win. “It’s been really fantastic, people getting on Facebook saying they liked us, and that they really enjoyed it. It’s been really great.” As you can imagine, enquiries for choir bookings have increased, and one organisation has booked them for a date in 2015.

ARTIST WATCH: SAM OPECHE Look out for the sophomore album, We Enter In: The Journey In Worship, from Sam Opeche, a Christian artist to watch. The Choir are now gearing up for a seasonal concert at The Drum, 144 Potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham, B6 4UU on December 15. They will be performing Christmas carols, songs from their repertoire, as well as the songs that won them the BBC title. Colin has big plans for the Choir: they have been in the recording studio and will be selling a single at their Christmas concert and, during 2014, hope to perform throughout the UK, in Europe and the Caribbean. Keep The Faith wishes them the best. Tickets are £8 and £12.50 (including booking fee). Visit www.the-drum.org.uk for more details.

His debut album, The Journey, released in 2009, has sold over 2,000 copies, and his new release is expected to surpass this figure. Sam’s music has been likened to that of pop superstar Seal, but with a Christian lyrical edge, which is hardly surprising considering that Sam is a worship leader and an ordained minister within the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of Britain’s fastest growing Pentecostal denominations. Sam has come a long way since performing the latest r’n’b hits at various parties and clubs in his hometown of Lagos and Abuja. However, when he had an encounter with Jesus, his life and the subjects he wanted to sing about totally changed. The next few months seem set to be busy ones for Sam, as he journeys across the UK, sharing and performing songs from We Enter In: The Journey In Worship in his efforts to touch people’s hearts and minds with his God-inspired music. For more information, visit www.samopeche.com

GOSPEL NEWS BITES Keep The Faith extends its condolences to gospel singer and radio host, Pastor Donnie McClurkin, who is mourning the loss of his father, Donald Andy McClurkin Sr, who died unexpectedly following emergency surgery. Our prayers are with the family, and we believe that God will see them through this difficult time.

Marvin Sapp

Gospel superstar, Marvin Sapp, has released a special album for the festive season, called Christmas Card. It features a special reunion between Sapp and gospel super-group Commissioned, a duet with r’n’b singer Joe, and a collaboration with his children. Christmas Card contains some traditional gospel songs, as well as some new compositions. Visit www.marvinsapp.com for more details.

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14 GOSPEL NEWS

Mainstream or gospel: Which path should a Christian choose?

Popular gospel artist, Mali Music, shocked his fans with his recent announcement he was going mainstream. Juliet Fletcher explores the reasons for his decision, and asks ‘Was it necessary?’ JULIET FLETCHER

is a former BBC Producer and founding Executive of the GMIA

heard the news: Mali Music – one of the most exciting and original artists fronting the urban gospel music scene – has turned ‘mainstream’; no longer to be described as a ‘gospel’. Is this another misguided artist taking the wrong path? Mali Music (real name Kortney Jamaal Pollard) hails from Savannah, Georgia, USA. Unsigned, he already had millions of YouTube music video views, but came to the fore after a sensational performance at the 2011 BET Music Awards – a mainstream event. In a recently filmed interview, Mali describes his first album, The 2econd Coming, as “very, very heavy gospel”, but confesses that his move toward mainstream is ‘a shock’ to his dedicated fan base. If he’s doing so well, why has he ‘compromised’ his position? We know US Gospel artists ‘going mainstream’ is not new; it has been commonplace from 1960s soul star, Sam Cooke, through to 2013 GrammyAward hip hop star, LeCrae – whom Mali seems to be following. LeCrae argues for erasing the secular/sacred divide and engaging in culture. In the 1980s, going mainstream was a controversial step for UK Gospel acts, like John Francis and The Inspirational Gospel Choir, Lavine Hudson, LCGC, Paul Johnson and Nu Colours – to name a few - and caused alienation from the church crowd. Artists, like Rachel Kerr, still face the struggle of straddling between the sacred versus secular divide.

Extension not promotion Personally, I don’t like it when our best artists, who have crafted their art in church and have built their followers

and sales success on a church-based audience, turn around and make unconvincing announcements about ‘leaving gospel and going mainstream’. I feel very uncomfortable about that. In fact, I think it’s unnecessary. To me, there should be no shame or embarrassment attached to being in gospel music. It has a rich heritage and legacy we must protect and retain.

in the mind of ambitious or frustrated gospel artists. It weakens, not strengthens, the argument. We should see mainstream movement as an extension not a promotion. If your music is good - and you are either given or create your own opportunity – your gift will make room for you, and if it’s that good, it will set you before the kings of the music

We are in a time when the history of the music is more widely shared and respected, and we must keep young people informed of how gospel has been - and still is - a huge influence on popular music. I covet the best to stay identified and rooted in our scene, regardless of style. Mali claims his change is a result of ‘an unspoken glass ceiling’ most gospel artists want to break. In my opinion, this is a warped perception

and media industry. (Paraphrase of Proverbs 18:16). Indeed, that is what has happened to Mali. I think ‘the ceiling’ he is really referring to is lyrical content. If you can’t sing about certain things – like love, relationships and issues – without mentioning the doctrinal birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then maybe you are not viewed as gospel, and are therefore restricted. And his current writing style seems to attest to that.

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What I did like about the Mali interview, which can be watched online, was his honesty about his personal artistic ambitions. As he states, “I don’t want to go to my grave without giving my music the best shot”. Cool.

Your gift - your lift When an artist finds themselves faced with opportunities that emerge specifically as a result of their artistic excellence, which places them on more visible platforms to bigger audiences... When they obviously have the ability to communicate effectively and intelligently on their faith and godly life... When there is clear evidence that passion and purpose of the artist to influence and transform minds and hearts is demonstrated... And where the artist has a solid foundation in the faith, and practical support from quality parents or sound leadership... ... then should an artist be free to fulfil all that is possible. Jake Isaac’s EP, Back To You, reached No 4 [at the time of writing] in the iTunes Singer Songwriter Album Chart – up there above Jay-Z and close to Ed Sheeran at No 1. [Proper marketing works. Nice.] Known for his i=Change Band, the songs Jake has written for the EP aren’t typical of his worship style. When I asked him what he would do if mainstream success beckoned, he replied, “I am a Christian worship leader, but just because I sing songs outside of the church walls...in the marketplace, it doesn’t take away from who I am wherever I go.” I guess that means he’s willing to flow down [or up] mainstream. If we apply Bishop Wayne Malcolm’s new book, Career Calling: Closing the Gap Between Your Profession and Purpose in Life, neither Mali Music or Jake Isaac are wrong. Juliet is founding Executive of the GMIA. Visit www.gmia.org.uk for details or phone 020 3086 8348

GOSPEL NEWS 15

Love thy neighbour? Ever wanted to do more to change your community? Join Street Pastors in a community or city near you today!

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16 INTERVIEW

Jahaziel MOBO Award-winning artist, Jahaziel, is one of the UK’s most popular and exciting gospel rap talents. During the course of his illustrious career, he has worked with pop luminaries like Daniel Bedingfield, Craig David and Lemar; performed on the same bill as r’n’b star Trey Songz, at a special reception hosted by BET at City Hall, London, and performed in numerous countries, including Pakistan, Ghana and the US. He’s known for his innovative and insightful rap lyrics, which touch on the reality of life, but point people heavenwards. Heads Up is the popular rapper’s latest musical offering. It’s his first album on US label Xist Records, and features guest appearances from various artists, including Guvna B, Sean Simmonds, Dwayne Tryumf, and his uncle, reggae star Maxi Priest, who featured on the debut single from the album, ‘They Don’t Know’. Jahaziel spoke to Keep The Faith about Heads Up, his work as an urban missionary with Eden Network, his journey to faith, and his plans for the Christmas season.

’

I’ve always worked on the premise of ‘Do your best and trust God to do the rest’ Follow us on Twitter @keepthefaithmag

INTERVIEW 17

KEEP THE FAITH (KTF): Congratulations on the release of your album, Heads Up, on US label Xist Records. What are your hopes for this release? JAHAZIEL: Thank you, it’s been a journey. I’ve always worked on the premise of ‘Do your best, and trust God to do the rest’, so I’m excited to see where He’ll take it. My main hope is that everyone who hears Heads Up is inspired in some way.

to music, and attitude towards urban youth? JAHAZIEL: I used to see church as a place where I go just to get fed; now I see it more as a place where I get to serve and see others fed. It hasn’t changed my attitude towards urban youth or music, but it has confirmed to me that the culture needs godly people to stand up and affect society, rather than sitting on the sidelines talking about it.

KTF: Your first single from Heads Up, ‘They Don’t Know’, featured your uncle, reggae singer Maxi Priest. How did you encourage him to duet with you on the track, and what was it like working with him? JAHAZIEL: We talked and it just seemed right. It was a while after we agreed to do the song together that the song actually came about, as we wanted to wait for the right song. It was an honour working with someone with as much talent and experience as Max, and although I’m his nephew, I’ve long been a fan. KTF: What kind of response has the track been getting? JAHAZIEL: From what I’ve been seeing and hearing, the response has been great! The video has been getting a lot of love and exposure on some major websites and blogs, and the comments have been very encouraging – seems people are glad to hear some new material from me. KTF: What is the overall theme of Heads Up, and what are the key messages you’ve wanted to convey via the album? JAHAZIEL: I didn’t want to get too abstract or complicated on this project, so I tried to keep the themes quite simple, really. The messages of the album are based around simple truths that carry weight and depth, but hopefully relate to all people in some way. In a way, I’ve tried to make an album that goes back to the formula of the Negro spiritual songs that many still sing today: songs of love, hope, freedom, forgiveness, joy through trials and, ultimately, eternity. KTF: You’ve got a number of guest artists on the album American and British. What process did you undertake to decide which artists you wanted to feature on your album and what, for you, are the stand-out tracks on Heads Up?

JAHAZIEL: Every artist that features on this project is an artist that I am a fan of. Honestly, every collaboration was a stand-out song to me. KTF: Xist Records are an American label. How have the Yanks been responding to the album, and what new doors have opened up for you stateside since signing to the label? JAHAZIEL: I guess this remains to be seen. Right now, no one’s heard the album yet, but I do look forward to seeing the reviews and feedback from the States when it drops. I’ve always got a lot of love from the US - hence the signing - and this is my first album with Xist, so I’m looking forward to what new doors might open out there. KTF: For the past few years, you’ve been an urban missionary working for the Eden Network. What do they do, what work do you do for them, and what inspired you to work for them? JAHAZIEL: Yeah, I’ve been working for the Eden Network, leading a team of urban missionaries for a couple years now. I say ‘urban missionaries’, but really they’re just everyday people with a heart to see the local youth know God’s love. In partnership with the local church, we run all sorts of youth engagement activities from football to job searching to Bible studies. What is special about Eden is that it involves actually moving into the neighbourhood and becoming part of the local community, so you’re not just sharing some of your time, you’re sharing your life – which is what Jesus did. KTF: How has working for the Eden Network impacted your walk with God, your approach

KTF: Can you tell me a little about your upbringing, where you grew up, how many siblings you have, what role did faith play in your upbringing and what your childhood was like? JAHAZIEL: My childhood was affected quite badly by my parents’ volatile break up. You don’t always get to choose how these things affect you, and for me at a young age I automatically responded by becoming rebellious and violent. My school life suffered greatly, and I was constantly kicked out of schools. I have one older brother, and he was always a pretty good example by and large but, as I said, things affect people differently. When we were kids, my Mum took us to Sunday school for a while. There were a lot of things I didn’t like about church, but I was impressed with this God they believed in. It was here, I think, the seed of faith was planted in my heart, but it was a long while later before I realised it. I thank God that I made it through my teenage years without going to prison, getting killed or hooked on drugs, because at times they seemed like the most likely outcomes. KTF: What inspired you to become a Christian and pursue a ministry as a gospel rapper? JAHAZIEL: What inspired me to become a Christian was simple: the Gospel. Like I said, I had some kind of faith in God and I’d heard stuff about Jesus, but it was hearing the truth of why Jesus went to the cross, and having it explained to me from the Bible that I was a sinner in need of a Saviour, that brought me to my knees. As far as being a ‘gospel rapper’ – I never planned to be one. Rap was a big part of my life before I was a Christian, and when I came to faith it just seemed natural to translate what I was learning about God into rhymes. I remember the first time someone asked me how long I’ve been doing rap ‘ministry’, and I was like, “I don’t know… What is ministry?” I just kept doing it, as it seemed to affect people’s lives positively and, as long as I keep getting messages of how people are encouraged and blessed by my music, I’ll continue to do it. KTF: I’m sure there have been many, but what have been the highlights of your music ministry to date? JAHAZIEL: Honestly, I don’t really have highlights. I’ve had so many great experiences, and I try not

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18 INTERVIEW

to esteem one above the other. I try to give my best, whether it’s in front of 10 or in front of 10,000; whether in front of cameras and celebrities or on a street corner. The Bible says all of Heaven gets hyped over just one soul coming to know God, so if I did have any highlights, it would be when through me or my music someone connects with God. That’s what it’s about for me. KTF: We are in the season of Christmas. What does this time of year mean to you, and how will you be spending it? JAHAZIEL: Family and food. The year can zip by and I’ve hardly taken time to let my family know I appreciate them, so Christmas is a great time to make the effort to do that. I’m not really a fan of the religious side of Christmas to be honest, but I appreciate that for many it is a time of reflection on the birth of Jesus and thanksgiving to God, and if that works for you – go for it! KTF: What should we be expecting from Jahaziel in 2014? JAHAZIEL: Hopefully, more of what you’ve come to expect from me over the years: top quality music that you can enjoy but that also uplifts your soul. More videos, more collaborations, more concerts, more preaching engagements, more street evangelism.

‘it just seemed natural to translate what I was learning about God into rhymes’

KTF: And lastly, what Christmas message would you like to share with readers of Keep The Faith? JAHAZIEL: Bless yourself and someone you know with a copy of my new album, ‘Heads Up’, loool. Really though, beneath the (w)rapping is the greatest Gift. His presence is the best present you can give. If Paul’s handkerchief could touch and change lives, so can this album – go get it and give it.

Heads Up is out now. Visit www.jahazielmusic.com, or like on Facebook at Jahaziel Music, or follow on Twitter @jahazielmusic

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INTERVIEW 19

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20 INTERVIEW

Kevin Thomas

evin Thomas and his wife, Sandra, exemplify what love, life, marriage and Christianity are all about. Christians for 33 and 38 years respectively, four years ago the couple were living the good life. Kevin worked in a high-powered job as European E-commerce Business Manager for a blue-chip company, whilst his wife, Sandra, was Head of Spiritual Care in the NHS for Birmingham and Solihull. Both served in leadership ministry and were just enjoying loving each other, their two children and serving humanity through Christian service. However, in 2009, their idyllic life was shattered when Sandra suffered a brain aneurysm that left her partially paralysed. Kevin gave up work to become her full-time carer. Despite their experiences, Kevin still serves in ministry and is currently a Regional Overseer of Renewal Christian Centre in Solihull, West Midlands. He and his wife spoke to Keep The Faith about their life, the challenges they experience, and the enduring faith they have in God and their love for each other.

KEEP THE FAITH (KTF): Your marriage is definitely a case of Christian love and sacrifice in action. How did you and Sandra meet, and what made you decide she was the woman for you? KEVIN THOMAS (KT): I first saw Sandra after one of the first morning services I attended after becoming a Christian. The very first moment I saw her, I knew our lives were destined to be together. As I was a new Christian, I didn’t know how to approach a Christian girl, so over the following months I prayed

about it and, after a while and a very clear word from God, my convictions grew stronger. She, however, took a lot longer to convince! KTF: What made you decide Kevin was the man for you? SANDRA THOMAS (ST): I’d been serving in church a few years before I met Kevin and, at first, saw him as another young brother in church. When his feelings towards me became apparent, I gave him a wide berth; it took seven years - and a couple of failed attempts at courtship - before we finally got together. One thing that really made an impression on me was when a young pregnant mother in our congregation was due to give birth to her first child. The baby was breeched and needed to turn around for a safe delivery. We met as a congregation to pray for her. The way Kevin prayed for her and the unborn child was filled with so much passion and care, it made me see him in a totally different light, and think that if I were married and in that same position, I’d like the person I get married to to pray for me exactly like that. That was the turning point. Almost three decades later, here we are today. KTF: When did you get called into ministry, and how did you go about pursuing your calling?

KT: As a young Christian, I had a great passion for the Word of God, and realised that God had given me a pastoral heart and teaching gift. I also had an aptitude for anything technical. Initially, I just served by doing whatever needed doing, but I sensed that the more I served in ministering the Word, leadership or counselling, the more aware I became of God using me. Over time, my pastoral and teaching gift became the most prominent, and up until Sandra became ill, I served as part of the leadership team at our local congregation and as a Regional Overseer. KTF: Your life was totally transformed when your wife suffered a brain aneurysm. Can you recall that fateful day? KT: Yes. It was early Saturday morning on 12th September 2009. We were both due to attend a wedding. Sandra, a minister at the time, was also going to conduct the ceremony. She awoke at around 7am and complained about an overwhelming headache; the pain became so intense that she collapsed in our bedroom. I called the ambulance and texted a few friends, asking them to pray. The ambulance came very quickly, which was a miracle because our home is along a very obscure driveway. Sandra was rushed to hospital and didn’t regain consciousness.

INTERVIEW 21

The consultants assessed her, and told me that she had suffered a severe brain aneurysm - at the time, I didn’t even know what an aneurysm was - and that we should prepare ourselves for the worst. In addition, she required specialist neurosurgery, but the hospital didn’t have the facilities for this type of operation, and none of the other local hospitals had any beds available. I remember saying to the Consultant, “Doctor, I respect your medical prognosis, but we are Christians and believe that God can do miracles. Do all you can to save her, and we will do what we know to do: that is to pray.” He responded by saying, “You seem like very caring people, but I have to tell you she is very deep in the woods.” I can’t describe how it felt to hear those words, as I watched my wife lying on a hospital trolley, dying. KTF: How did your church family and friends respond? KT: As news of Sandra being taken ill spread, our family and friends from church began to arrive at the hospital. I shared what the doctor had said, and that God has made certain promises over Sandra’s life which had not yet been fulfilled, and asked them to stand with me and believe God for her recovery. Everyone prayed fervently for Sandra’s life. Within 10 minutes of praying, the Consultant said that Queen Elizabeth Hospital had phoned and said they would create a bed space for Sandra, and to send her over immediately. Sandra went on to have a number of operations, and is still on the road to recovery, even to this day. KTF: How has your life and that of your family been transformed since your wife’s brain aneurysm? KT: The aneurysm left Sandra severely debilitated. Although we have seen some great improvements, she is still on the road to recovery. She suffered left hand side paralysis, partial memory and speech loss, and requires full-time support to manage routine day-to-day tasks.

a little frail, the few occasions she has shared have really encouraged the other women when they consider how far she has come on her own personal journey. My role is now more of a supportive role to the other congregational leaders, and I occasionally bring the Word, too.

Subsequently, she has retired from work on ill health grounds, as well as from full-time ministry. I became her full-time carer to support her with her recovery. My primary concern was giving Sandra the best possible means of support. My employer at the time was very supportive and, even though I knew we would have to make some sacrifices, I remember thinking, ‘As long as you have your health, you can always get another job, another car, even another house, but you can’t replace the one you love.’ KTF: Sandra, how has your illness affected your life and your faith? ST: Being totally honest, there are times when I wondered if God has forgotten me, and had somehow ‘lost my files’ in His great filing cabinet, but those thoughts only last for a short while, as I also see His hand of goodness in many aspects of our lives, like the kindness and love shown by our family and friends, and the fact that God does keep His promises. KTF: Do you still minister? KT: Since Sandra’s aneurysm, our primary focus has been around her care. She is not ministering at present, but occasionally will share a thought, or pray with the women at one of the regional Connect groups we have at church. Though her voice is still

KTF: With Christmas fast approaching, how do you plan to spend it with your family? KT: Christmas will mainly be focused on getting together with those we don’t normally get to see throughout the year, and we truly do see each incremental year as a gift, knowing how differently our lives could have been each year since, so for us it’s about spending time with the extended family.

KTF: If there are any life lessons to be learnt from your marriage and your response to your wife’s illness, what would you want them to be? KT: Firstly, Jesus tells us, through the parable of the House on the Rock, that we aren’t exempt from life’s trials, but if He is our Rock, we won’t collapse under them either. Secondly, we have a clear example that Jesus left for us to follow, of what it means for husbands to love their wives: He laid down His own life for us, the Church. In the same way, the principle of love that lasts has to be a willingness to live our lives with each other’s best interests at heart. Thirdly, every single day of life is a precious gift, that’s why it’s called the present. Cherish them all. KTF: And lastly, what message of hope for Christmas would you like to leave with readers of Keep The Faith magazine? KT: It really is true that the best gifts in life are free, like all the ones we take for granted, like our health, our wellbeing and that of our loved ones. When your life hangs in the balance, you’ll be amazed at how valuable these ‘gifts’ really are. This year, remember that the ultimate Gift God has given to all of us is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Make room for Him in your home and hearts this Christmas, and make His love, joy and peace remain with you - not only at Christmas, but also in the year to come. If you would like to learn more about Sandra’s and Kevin’s journey, visit www.sandrathomas.org.uk. www.keepthefaith.co.uk

22 INTERVIEW

Jennifer Hudson on music, religion, motherhood and love O

scar-winning actress, Jennifer Hudson, stars in the rousing new musical, Black Nativity. She delivers a terrific performance as Naima, a single mother in Baltimore struggling to make ends meet. Evicted from her home, she sends her son, Langston, to New York to spend Christmas with her estranged parents (Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett). Staying in Harlem, with grandparents he has never known, is tough and the teenager discovers secrets that have torn the family apart. With soaring music and a powerful story about forgiveness, the film is upbeat and inspiring. Chicago born and raised, Jennifer Hudson began singing and performing at the age of seven with her church choir and community theatre group. Hudson, 32, lives with her partner, professional wrestler David Otunga, and their four-year-old son. In 2009, Hudson, along with her sister Julia, founded The Julian D King Gift Foundation in memory of Jennifer’s nephew and Julia’s son, who was tragically killed in 2008. Elaine Lipworth spoke to Jennifer about life, motherhood and love. ELAINE LIPWORTH (EL): What was the appeal of Black Nativity? JENNIFER HUDSON (JH): I loved the themes of spirituality, faith, family and holidays. I feel as though we’re missing those things today. I’m a holiday and family fanatic, and I grew up in a church, so there were times when we were filming that I would

themselves on most. It’s our talent. My music is definitely a gift from God, and that’s why it’s so important for me to use it and exercise it. Someone once told me that singing is my gift, and acting is my reward for using my gift. God chose to bless me with an acting career, because I honoured the gift of singing that He gave me. EL: What are your family’s Christmas traditions? JH: We like to get started the day after Halloween! We shop for our gifts and we light the tree. We’re still stuck about whether to buy a real tree or a fake one. I grew up with a fake Christmas tree, but Big Dave [her partner] grew up with a real Christmas tree. This past year, we decided to get a real tree from the forest, but it didn’t do so well, so now I wonder what it’s going to be this year (laughs).

forget I was on the set, because I really felt that I was back home at church. EL: You grew up singing in church, are you still a spiritual person? JH: Oh goodness, religion has been my life. That’s my base. I come from a spiritual upbringing and was, as we call it, born into the church - a lap baby, sitting on my mama’s lap in the choir stand. It’s a huge part of my roots. We spent the majority of the week in church. On Sundays, we had Sunday school, morning service, and then evening service. On Mondays, I don’t even know why we were in church, but we were there

‘My music is definitely a gift from God, and that’s why it’s so important for me to use it and exercise it’ (laughs). Tuesdays, we had choir rehearsal, and Wednesdays we did Bible study (laughs). EL: What would you say the film is really all about? JH: The film has so many different elements. You have the musical aspect; you have the dream aspect; you have a poetry element, and you have a Broadway touch to it, as well. The film shows the reality of having obstacles and setbacks in life and that, no matter what one is going through, one should always have forgiveness, and never be separated from the love of family. EL: Is music in your DNA? JH: I come from a host of singing relatives. It’s just a part of us, and it’s what we do when we get together. Singing is what all my family prides

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EL: How will you be celebrating Christmas this year? JH: My new tradition is all about sharing and giving back. My sister and I have our foundation, The Julian D King Gift Foundation, in honour of my late nephew. We give back to unfortunate kids for the holidays, because we want to make sure that no kid is ever without.

MaryJ Blige So, it’s a three-day experience. We have a dinner for children that we nominate. They have to do well in school, and we grant them whatever their Christmas wish is; it’s their moment. Then, we have a local toy drive, and we give to all the kids in Chicago. We also have another toy drive. Finally, we go home and have our holiday thing and relax.

THE MUSICAL EVENT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON

FOREST

ANGELA

WHITAKER BASSETT

TYRESE

JACOB

MARY J.

NASIR

AND

JENNIFER

GIBSON LATIMORE BLIGE JONES HUDSON

IN CINEMAS DECEMBER 6 For group booking enquiries please contact BlackNativityGroupBookings@fox.com

24 FEATURE

Touching lives through the media The number of Christians fronting programmes on the growing range of media platforms has expanded greatly in recent years. Keep The Faith profiles some believers who are using the media to touch people’s lives with their Christian-inspired programming.

Pastor Abbiih Oloyede, co-pastor of City Chapel in east London and a Christian for over 20 years, is presenter of Womenz World, a show broadcast on OHTV (Sky channel 199) every Tuesday between 1pm and 2pm.

Esther Olufunmi

presents Questions In The Heart on Faith TV (Sky channel 591) every Tuesday at 10pm. She is a law student and a music minister at Romford Baptist Church. Her show aims to answer the pressing questions Christians have about a wide variety of issues. Keep The Faith (KTF): What is your Questions In The Heart show about? ESTHER OLUFUNMI (EO): We have a mission to educate the total man. We bring liberation to people’s spirit, soul and body, by bringing them information that will educate, empower and inspire them in every area of life. We interview guests on a wide array of issues, ranging from controversial religious issues to youth affairs, health, political, financial and legal issues - to mention but a few. KTF: What do you enjoy most about working in the media? EO: The ability to impact and affect other people’s lives positively. Bringing people information that will help them make the most of life gives me unending joy. KTF: How has your show been touching lives? EO: Our show has provided our audience with the opportunity to ask questions on their minds, by allowing them to call in live on the show and find answers. We have great testimonies of how

people have found solutions to their problems and answers to their questions on our show. KTF: Why is it important for Christians to engage with and be fronting media shows? EO: It is very important for Christians to engage with and be fronting media shows because it’s a means of reaching a higher percentage of people, who cannot be reached with God’s Word within the four walls of the church. KTF: What should we expect from you in the near future where your media work is concerned? EO: In the near future, we want to be able to expand and enlarge our coast by ensuring that our life-transforming show, Questions In The Heart, is broadcast on as many TV stations as possible, weekly. We also intend to have our own television stations, where we offer our platform to people who have divine and unique assignments to the world, by allowing them to come and share their visions.

For more details, like on Facebook at Questions-in-The-Heart.

Keep The Faith (KTF): What is Womenz World about? Pastor Abbiih Oloyede (PAO): Womenz World is about profiling and showcasing various women who will encourage and inspire others. We bring in women from different walks of life who have something to share. I wanted a creative show that would be engaging, challenging and uplifting. A show to make you laugh, shout, cry, reflect and try again! KTF: What do you enjoy most about working in the media? PAO: Anytime I come to the studio I’m happy, because we are making a difference. The feedback - through the tweets, emails and texts - fills me with a buzz of excitement. Lots of women from all over the world watch the programme and get inspired. I know that I have stepped into a new season of my life. The hard work and planning are yielding fruit and paying off. KTF: How has your show been touching lives? PAO: Womenz World covers four

core areas affecting a woman’s world; these are spiritual, emotional, financial and physical. They are the cornerstones that form the base of what we talk about each week. We try as much as possible to make sure we are flexible and go with the flow of what God wants us to do, by tackling a bag of interesting and challenging topics that today’s woman can relate to. KTF: Why is it important for Christians to engage with and be fronting media shows? PAO: As salt and light, believers should boldly proclaim the good news of the Gospel via the airwaves. KTF: What should we expect from you in the near future where your media work is concerned? PAO: Expect cutting-edge, relevant, informative and thought-provoking topics, addressed by specialists and professionals. Visit www.womenzworld.org for more details, like on Facebook at womenzworld.org, and follow on Twitter @WomenzWorld

FEATURE 25

Ibe Giantkiller

presents The Giantkiller Urban Gospel Show on www.jamrockradio.com every Thursday between 8pm and 10pm. He has been a Christian for over 20 years, and attends Revelation Christian Centre in Luton, where he serves as the sound engineer for his church. A music producer, Ibe is also a mental health wellbeing practitioner.

Ask Patricia

(aka Patricia Benjamin) presents The Real Love Show on www.ruachradio.com every Monday between 7pm and 8pm. A Christian for 40 years, Ask Patricia attends Oasis Church in Colliers Wood, south London, and is part of the Healing and Prophetic ministry at her church. She works as a life coach, public speaker and writer. Keep The Faith (KTF): What is The Real Love Show about? Ask Patricia (AP): Strengthening relationships and marriages in particular. It’s documented that marriage is the best place to raise our children, who then go out and serve in society. Therefore, we look at love, sex, dating, family matters, and allow for honest and frank discussion with a view towards solutions. KTF: What do you enjoy most about your media work? AP: I love having access to people worldwide, and speaking about matters that affect us all when it comes to love, family and relationships in general. It makes it so worthwhile when I open my email and get letters from people I’ve never met, who say my show has helped their relationship in some way. Or people who guest on the show, who find the courage to share personal stories that help others. KTF: In what kind of ways has your show been touching lives? AP: My show touches lives by giving people permission to say what’s really happening. The show lets people know they are not the only ones with particular fears or problems. It enables people to get the help they need, as we have relationship coaches/experts who

give excellent Christian advice on these areas. KTF: Why is it important for Christians to engage with and be fronting media shows? AP: Media is one of the most effective ways of communicating. Radio and TV, print and social media are not something Christians can ignore if they want to effect change and/or influence society. We need to have a voice and actually use it to communicate hope, truth and life-giving solutions and strategies to society. If we don’t, then who will? Fronting or leading is essential to ensure control over the content that goes out.

Keep The Faith (KTF): What is The Giantkiller Urban Gospel Show about? IBE GIANTKILLER (IG): I play urban gospel (hip hop, grime, r‘n’b, dancehall, house garage, soca). Also, I have new items and top guests, which have included X Factor runner-up Jahméne Douglas, Jahaziel, Guvna B, and many more. The show connects to audiences both locally and nationally. KTF: What do you enjoy most about what your media work? IG: I enjoy finding and playing new music, and also connecting gospel artists to the general public, so that people can learn more about them. Listeners are inspired when they hear artists talking about their spiritual journey and the experiences which inspire their music. KTF: In what kind of ways has your show been touching lives? IG: The majority of my listeners are non-Christians, and the feedback that I have had so far is that they have never heard the Gospel presented in this way.

Some people have been inspired to start visiting church. Others have taken an interest in music produced by other gospel artists. It’s all good, as they say. KTF: Why is it important for Christians to engage with and be fronting media shows? IG: Media – whatever form it takes – is a really great way to communicate with audiences and reach new people. Media is a tool Christians should make greater use of, because it really does give us the opportunity to share our truth and inspiring message to a wide range of people. And, in this day and age, where Christians can access great media platforms for free via the Internet, there really is no excuse not to. KTF: What should we expect from you in the near future where your media work is concerned? IG: I would love to move the show from radio to TV. People love TV-broadcast media, and having a ‘Giantkiller Urban Gospel TV Show’ would just be awesome.

KTF: What should we expect from you in the near future where your media work is concerned? AP: I’m looking forward to combining my vision with other like-minded presenters, and working on a bigger scale to reach more people. As well as relaunching the award-winning Ask Patricia Show, which enables me to look at other areas of life (current affairs, politics, health and wellbeing, spirituality) and have an influence there, too.

Befriend AskPatricia on Facebook, or follow on Twitter @Ask_Patricia

Befriend Ibe Giantkiller Otah on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter @ibegiantkiller

www.keepthefaith.co.uk

26 FEATURE Introduction

During the Christmas season, Street Pastors, with their recognisable street uniform, will be a welcome presence on streets across the country, providing a listening ear, helping revellers to get home, and keeping the peace in their respective communities. This amazing charity was started in 2003 by Rev Les Isaac OBE, Rev David Shosanya and PC Ian Crichlow, as a church-based response to the rising incidence of gun and knife violence that was taking place in Britain’s urban areas at the time.

Street Pastors: making a positive difference Street Pastors, London Borough of Westminster

c OBE Rev Les Isaa

Rev David Shos anya

Due to my concerns about violence in Britain’s inner cities, I offered my services to help spread the word about the great work that Street Pastors aimed to do. Since Street Pastors’ inauspicious start, I have seen God at work, and witnessed the organisation grow and become a major national and international charity that’s not just about combatting gun and knife crime in urban areas, but also ensures that revellers get home safely, provides a listening ear, administers first aid when needed, and brings peace in tense situations. In fact, Street Pastors is the largest charity to be founded by Black Christians here in Britain, and recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special service at Southwark Cathedral and a dinner at the Britannia Hotel in London Docklands. As Street Pastors steps into its 11th year of operation, some of the teams working on the ground have spoken to Keep The Faith about their ministry, and we have collated some mind-blowing statistics that make clear the great impact the Street Pastors concept is having throughout the world. Follow us on Twitter @keepthefaithmag

estminster Street Pastors was launched in 2011 with 15 trained Street Pastors (and four currently undergoing training), and currently patrol one Friday night a month. The hope is that, as the work becomes more widely known and more churches become involved, it will grow to mirror that which is taking place in many other busy centres. There is no shortage of people in need of help, care, or just a listening ear, and so much that could be done. The patrol base is in Victoria, near one of the busiest transport hubs in the country, which is a main site in London for the homeless and for those coming to London for a night out. Westminster Street Pastor patrols take in New Scotland Yard, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street and from Whitehall to Trafalgar Square and the Strand, past Leicester Square and from Shaftsbury Avenue to Soho, a vibrant and interesting part of London. Street Pastors have been very well received, and there are always many vulnerable people who want to speak with us and who we can help, but there is so much more we could do.

It is wonderful to be able to show God’s love right in the middle of London, among the tourists, the visitors, those going about their work, and the residents. Perhaps the biggest difference is that what happens is so much in the public eye, and takes place near such famous locations. Interest is welcomed from those who might live outside of central London but who would like to patrol in parts of the capital that never seem to go to sleep. All that is needed is, like anywhere, a caring heart, recommendation from your church leader and, in this case, a willingness to perhaps travel a few extra miles. If you would like more information, email westminster@streetpastors.org.uk

Street Pastors - Nottingham This year, Nottingham City Street Pastors celebrated its third birthday by launching Nottingham Community Street Pastors in some of the most deprived estates in Nottingham -Bulwell, Sneinton and St Ann’s, sending out our 130th volunteer Street Pastor, and celebrating the 43rd Nottingham Church to be represented in the project. Street Pastors is a perfect example of church unity and working together to achieve a unified

FEATURE 27

Interesting

Street Pastors fundraising event

aim of loving God, loving people, serving our city and, in the process, seeing Nottingham and most individuals’ lives transformed. When I started the project, I never once believed that it would grow to become so large and achieve so much. I was simply wanting to worship God by offering a simple act of service to heal the brokenness I saw around me. We have helped over 9,400 people get home safely at the end of a night out; seen crime drop - there has been a 45% reduction in violent crime on the nights we are out; seen people we have cared for come to faith (over 36 people in the last year); seen lives saved by essential first aid (we have given 436 people first aid since we launched), and helped over 890 people access support from specialist services that they were not aware of. When I see those statistics, I find myself feeling overwhelmed by gratitude for all I have seen God do through those simple acts of service and obedience that all involved in the project have achieved. So, when the opportunity arose last year to launch Community Street Pastors, I got excited about what else God could do through the Street Pastor Project. The Community Street Pastors Project runs from 6pm to 10pm. The aim of these projects is to build longlasting relationships, and are focused on combatting some of the enduring problems in the area, such as gangs, domestic violence, segregation, isolation and anti-social behaviour, with most of the people serving on the teams actually living in the community, or having involvement in those communities. As I write this, we are about to start training another 20 Street Pastors and with that we will experience the growing pains of needing more funding, training and empowering leaders, bringing more churches along and, of course, needing more good quality volunteers - not just on the streets, but also to join us in prayer. If you would like more information, email nottingham@streetpastors.org.uk

Street Pastors – London Borough of Southwark My name is Anwar Bourazza, and I have been the co-ordinator for Southwark Street Pastors for the last five years. It is an immense privilege caring for our community. We have members from around 20 participating churches within the team; some of our members who patrol with us are in their late 70s! We cover most of the borough, including areas such as Peckham, Camberwell, Old Kent Road, Elephant & Castle and Walworth. We are now setting up a new team in Bermondsey. It has been a real blessing, seeing the different denominations working together with the same goal of showing the Lord’s love in a practical way. The strategy of simply caring, listening and helping has had a very positive response from the community. A few examples of the types of situations we deal with at night include: caring for an 18-year-old male, who was unconscious and suffering from hyperthermia during the freezing winter temperatures; ensuring young ladies, who have had too much to drink, are led to licensed cab services; helping distraught women, who have missed their last bus or train home; being peacemakers in tense situations, and clearing away hundreds of bottles and glasses to avoid them being used in altercations. When I look at the ministry of Jesus, I see that He spent most of His time on the streets loving people not judging them. Since we are His hands and feet, I can’t think of a better way of putting our faith into action. The Bible tells us how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: ‘and He went around doing good…’ (Acts 10:38). Street Pastors is a wonderful model, which allows followers of Christ to imitate Him in this way. People always ask us, “How much do you get paid?’ As we are not paid, I simply respond, “My payment is feeling the satisfaction of helping someone.” For more information, email Southwark @streetpastors.org.uk

information about Street Pastors Street Pastors was launched in 2003. The first two areas to experience Street Pastor patrols were the London Boroughs of Hackney and Lambeth. There are currently approximately 260 Street Pastors teams based in cities and towns throughout Britain. There are approximately 11,000 trained Street Pastors in the UK (about 1,000 in London). You have to be 18 or over to be a Street Pastor. The oldest Street Pastor in the UK is 91-year-old Zina, based in St Austell. Street Pastors has won many local and regional awards, and has been recognised for its contribution to the safety of the night-time economy (NTE). In 2013, Pat Fletcher (aged 85) won an award for her contribution to the safety of Sutton, and Les Isaac was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2012. There are Street Pastors schemes operational in other countries, including Antigua & Barbuda, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia, Gibraltar, Republic of Ireland, Jersey, and California, USA. Street Pastors is gearing up to be operational in 40 countries, including Jamaica, Nigeria, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, France, Brazil and India. Street Pastors has stopped gang fights; saved lives by providing first aid; effectively shared the Gospel, provided counselling, and brought peace to potentially volatile situations.

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28 FEATURE

The actor who got Oprah and TD Jakes all a-T witter Nonso Anozie appears as Samson in the hit TV series, The Bible, currently being broadcast on Channel Five. He spoke to Keep The Faith about his role, life and faith

n November 30, Channel Five started broadcasting the popular series, The Bible which, when it was aired on the History channel in the US during Easter earlier this year, broke records and achieved the highest ever ratings for a programme broadcast on cable TV. It has been seen by 100million viewers. Channel Five are no doubt hoping for high viewing figures… and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t get them. The series sheds new light on the age-old Bible stories in an entertaining way, and should hopefully start a national conversation about Christianity. One of the actors featured in this series is London-born actor, Nonso Anozie, who is also a committed Christian, and plays the part of Bible strongman, Samson. Such was the impact of Nonso’s performance, that leading Black churchman, Bishop TD Jakes, and one of the world’s most powerful Black women, Oprah Winfrey, were tweeting complimentary comments about it. Nonso is excited about being in the most talked about TV series of the year. “It’s a blessing from God. It’s amazing to be part of this project, because it’s spreading the Word of God so far and wide in one single sweep that it’s unbelievable. I knew it was special when I was working on it, and the way that I got the role, in terms of the amount of people it’s spreading the Word of God to. It’s also introducing people to the stories of the Bible for the first time.” You could say that God played a hand in Nonso getting the job. Prior to starting work

on a film called Enders Game with Harrison Ford and Viola Davis, Nonso had been at his church, Prevailing Power Ministry in Hendon, London, when his pastor asked him to read the story of Samson. He recalls that doing so resonated with him strongly. Little did he know that, five months later, he would get a call from Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, producers of The Bible, stating they wanted him to play the role of Samson. Nonso didn’t even have to audition for the role. “It was as if I was supposed to be part of this series.” Nonso believes people can learn a lot from Samson. He shared, “The lesson for me about Samson is that he was the victim of the fact that he didn’t make good decisions. He chose a woman who ended up destroying him. He ended up eating things he wasn’t supposed to eat, and ended up asking for forgiveness. God forgave him, but eventually, as all human beings, he had to suffer the consequences of his actions. But even in that last hour, he asked God one last time and said, ‘I see more clearly than ever’.” “The story of Samson warns us to make the decision to put God first. And also, no matter how bad it gets, to give yourself to God and He will be there for you.” Nonso was raised in a Nigerian Christian family. His mother is a fashion designer, his father works in security, and faith in God played a pivotal role in his family. It was when he was 16 that Nonso made the decision to follow Jesus. He recalled, “Before that, I can say I was going to church as a child, but you don’t really

know anything. You’re going because your parents go. I kind of stopped going church for a while, but rediscovered Jesus for myself. I think that was the most important time of my life when that happened.” Nonso’s aspirations to be an actor led him to take a three-year drama course at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Following his graduation in 2003, he did a stint at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), and became the youngest man in history to play the character of King Lear. He also toured the world, appearing in an RSC production of Othello, and then started doing a lot of films. Films he has appeared in include Atonement with Kiera Knightly; Conan The Barbarian, Game of Thrones and Enders Game. He can currently be seen in Sky TV series Dracula, and is currently working on Walt Disney film, Cinderella. Life certainly looks rosy for Nonso. His high profile appearance in The Bible has certainly helped to raise his cache, and he would be the first to admit that life is good. It’s his prayer that British audiences embrace the series as Americans have, and that it at least gets people thinking about God. And re his own personal goals: “My first prayer is to have a closer walk with God, that’s the root of all things for me. After that, everything will follow. I really pray to get married soon and start a family, and that my relationship with my immediate family goes from strength to strength, and obviously I would like my career to go from strength to strength. I feel as though that next step is in God’s hands.”

Samson (LightWorkers Media)

Nonso (credit George Middleton-Baker)

Jesus - The Last Supper (LightWorkers Media)

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30 FEATURE

THERE CAN BE NO PEACE WITHOUT JUSTICE As Christmas beckons, Dionne Gravesande reminds us that, whilst God sent His Son to bring us peace on earth, He also wants Christians to play a part in seeing justice done on this earth

DIONNE GRAVESANDE

is Head of Church Advocacy at Christian Aid

hristmas is almost upon us, and the familiar scriptural readings will be read hundreds of times across this land. Isaiah 9 is one such text: ‘For unto us a Child is born and a Son is given...’ … you know the rest. But the season gives us another opportunity to look again at the message, and to look at it from a different perspective. How shall we hear Isaiah 9, speaking of dividing captured wealth, of defeated nations, of lifting the burden of oppression and exploitation? Our sacred Scriptures are not simple or safe or capable of only one interpretation. They are complex and full of different, sometimes opposite meanings, and too often we have a habit of finding in them the truth that suits our own interests. But life is complex and, for many people, dangerous. ‘Peace on earth, goodwill to all’ - we might hear this message as a warm blanket of false optimism, pretty words and pretty stories to wrap around us, shutting out the reality of violence, injustice, war and huge agony. But we do live in a violent world and an abusive world, and too often this violence is directed at women. I recently attended the World Council of Churches Assembly meeting in South Korea. Of the many stories and testimonies shared, one completely captured the Assembly’s attention. It was the story of the ‘comfort women’. Forced into sexual slavery in World War II, these seven elderly women are still fighting for justice and acknowledgement today. Every Wednesday at noon, for the past decade, seven Korean women gather outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul. They are the last of the Korean comfort women, who

were forced to work in state-organised brothels, servicing Japanese soldiers in World War II. Many of these comfort women were lured under false promises of work, while others were abducted from their homes. In the 70 years since the first brothels or ‘comfort stations’ were established, no perpetrators have ever been arrested, nor have the women received any compensation. In 2007, the comfort women held their first protest. Since then, they have held more than 1,000 protests outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul, in which they, together with their supporters, present their demands for justice and recognition.

‘This Christmas, we cannot be so wrapped up in our own lives that we do not see the needs of our sisters and brothers near and far.’ These women suffered massive trauma: they were drugged to keep them compliant and, when they fell pregnant, they were beaten and given forced abortions. Of the 234 Korean comfort women who identified themselves publicly, only seven remain and are in mind to give up. How do you gain peace and offer goodwill to all men while such injustice exists? Yet, by God’s incredible mercy, these women do not want revenge but they do want justice. They don’t preach hate, but instead demonstrate love. The Church in Korea helped to restore dignity and life to these women, and they did this in both word and action. This Christmas, we cannot be so wrapped up in our own lives that we do not see the needs of our sisters and brothers near and far. Peace on earth

and the vision we read of in Isaiah 9 are some way off, but the Christmas Story is a human story that connects us to each other. We are our neighbour’s keeper, and Christmas is a time to demonstrate love as part of our public witness. It’s a time to visit, remember, and call on the elderly, the sick, the widowed and orphans, to spend time and share a word of hope or a gift. Sometimes we could cry, as Jeremiah did thousands of years ago: “Why do you cry, ‘Peace, peace’, when there is no peace?” (Jeremiah 6:14). But perhaps there is a different way to understand the message of the angels, which is, after all, a message for us also. We can offer up our penitence for our complicity in ‘not doing the right thing’. Yet we can also offer our gratitude for the care and generosity it brings out in so many. The Church is called the ‘salt and light of the world’, and so we demonstrate the love of God by finding ways to work out love and respect in our communities, and that includes standing in solidarity with women and men, whose human rights have been abused and violated, so as to confront evildoing in order to secure peace. We believe that fullness of life is the divine intention, so it matters that our hopes and prayers are given practical expression. This Christmas, we honour and respect the courage of people who refuse to let adverse circumstances destroy the human instinct to feast and be joyful, such as the Korean women. And, as Christians, we have sheer wonder at the fact that the dream and the hope of a more just and loving world refuse to die, in spite of all the evidence to the contrary. In that regard, the shining Star of David still leads us on.

FEATURE 31

Do the Honour:

Nominate someone deserving to receive an award from the Queen! Sola Afuape MBE

SIR BOB KERSLAKE Chair, Main Honours Committee

eceiving an honour from the Queen is the very height of national recognition. We’re all familiar with the sight of famous faces being invited to the Palace, standing in front of the Queen and proudly holding their medals to the cameras in the courtyard. But the honours system is about so much more than that. Far from being the preserve of the rich and famous, the system celebrates the extraordinary achievements of people from all walks of life across the UK – people who have made a truly remarkable contribution to their communities. Recently, I was privileged to meet Ruth Owen from Whizz-Kidz, who received an OBE for improving the lives of disabled children; as well as Emma Colyer from Body and Soul, who received an MBE for devoting her working life to helping children and families affected by HIV. These are two exceptional ladies, whose dedication to helping others led to them being honoured by the Queen. Every year, away from the headlines, hundreds of unsung heroes just like these receive honours – people like 22-yearold Anisa Haghdadi, who received a British Empire Medal after establishing a street dance company for under-privileged young people; or Sola Afuape, who received an MBE for tirelessly promoting better health awareness amongst ethnic minority communities. People like these represent British society at its very best – the nation should be proud of them. However, for every inspiring

story of selflessness we hear, there are many people who are still missing out on the recognition they deserve. This is especially the case for people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds; in recent honours lists, just 6% of recipients were from BME backgrounds. We need your help to put that right. So, how can you help us? The answer to that is simple: you can tell us who you think should get an honour from the Queen. The honours system is open to all; anyone is eligible for an honour, and anyone can submit a nomination.

‘Receiving an honour is a proud and uplifting occasion’

The best way to achieve an honours list that is truly representative of the UK is to make sure we receive nominations from all communities. I’m sure many readers of Keep The

Faith readers of Keep The Faith know an inspirational, unsung hero, who goes out of their way to help others, often with no expectation of reward. If you know someone who exemplifies these traits, someone who makes a real impact in their community or workplace, we want

to know about them. With your help, we can ensure that the system continues to reward those who truly deserve it. The nomination process is very simple; just go on to our website for a nomination form, or call the Honours Team at the Cabinet Office on 020 7276 2777, and they can talk you through the process. Receiving an honour is a proud and uplifting occasion - not only for the recipients, but also for their family, friends and the communities of which they are a part. So, please do the honour, tell us about your community champions, and it could very well be them making the journey to the Palace.

The UK Honours System The Process Explained The honours system is open to all Anyone can nominate someone for an award, and anyone can receive an award. The nomination form is available from the Honours and Appointments Secretariat in the Cabinet Office on 020 7276 2777, or from www.gov.uk/honours. The nominator will need to set out what is special about their nominee’s achievements and how they make a difference. There is guidance on the website on how to make a nomination stand out. The nomination needs to be accompanied by two or more letters of support from others who know the candidate.

Selections are made by independent committees Once a nomination has been received by the Cabinet Office, it will be sent to one of the specialist committees to consider. These committees comprise a majority of expert members, independent of Government - and cover several different fields: Community, Voluntary and Local Service; Education; Science and Technology; the Economy; Health; Sport; Politics and services to the State. Membership of each committee is set out at www.gov.uk/ honours-committees. These committees will decide on their worthiest candidates, and on the most appropriate category of honour (for example, British Empire Medal, MBE, OBE, CBE, Knighthood/Damehood). The chairs of each of the nine honours committees then take their committee’s recommendations to the Main Honours Committee, chaired by the Head of the Civil Service, to agree the final list of honours recipients to send to the Queen.

Rev Les Isaac was awarded an OBE for his work fostering community cohesion

www.keepthefaith.co.uk

32 COMMENT

Remember the elderly this

Christmas

In our youth-obsessed society, Rev David Shosanya brings to the fore the role of the elderly in the Christmas story, and reminds us not to sideline people just because they are old

REV DAVID SHOSANYA

is a Regional Minister & Director with the London Baptist Association

few weeks ago, I was listening to a radio programme, where the presenter was exploring the question of age, particularly the elderly. The general trend of the discussion went something like this: something has gone terribly wrong in a society where the elderly are no longer respected and valued, and they are seen to be and projected to wider society as a burden on the nation’s resources. It is estimated that there are some 10 million plus individuals over the age of 65 in the UK. Over 3 million are over the age of 80, and that number is predicted to grow to around 6 million by 2030, and to 8 million by 2050. Statisticians suggest that the number will grow by 5.5 million in 20 years, with the number of elderly doubling to 19 or 20 million by 2050. (We had better be careful what we say or think, as we may actually be talking about you and me!) It would be foolish to even attempt to deny that national resources are being strained because individuals are living longer in Western societies. A parliamentary White Paper, entitled The Ageing Population, makes this clear. The Paper states that 65% (approximately £100 billion or one seventh of all public expenditure) of the allocated budget for benefits at the Department for Work and Pensions is spent on those over the working age. The NHS is not immune from the pressures of increased expenditure incurred on treating the elderly (approximately £5,200 in comparison to £2,800 for non-retired homes). However, we must ask whether this is a reason for the often disparaging and outright disrespectful attitudes and actions towards the elderly? There is an African proverb that says “Those who respect the elderly pave their own way to success.” That is wisdom in my view. So, what is my point? What do the changing demographic patterns with respect to age have to do with Christmas? Well, you will be surprised. Let me explain. Our society is focused - some might say obsessed - with youth, young people and youthfulness. (One only need observe how much money is spent on looking younger!) There

are concerns about youth employment, the education of the young, the health of the young, young people and families, young people and social engagement ... The list goes on. The concerns we have for our young people are important and necessary. They are legitimate concerns that we must wrestle and engage with, and seek to find solutions to. However, they must be seen in context, in relation to other people and communities, in relation to the elders.

“Those who respect the elderly pave their own way to success” Such is the obsession with everything young and youthful that we unconsciously preclude ourselves from seeing the bigger picture(s). Even our reading and representation of the Christmas story focuses on a young girl, Mary, the virgin mother, who has a Baby, Christ, who is the Saviour of the world. A closer reading of the birth narratives of Christ in the gospels, especially in the Gospel of Luke, offers a perspective that is not so readily captured because of our obsession with the young and youthfulness. The Apostle Luke is concerned with issues of justice. He redefines the way in which children, women, the disabled, the poor and - in

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this immediate context - the elderly are portrayed and represented in and through the mission of Christ. Woven into the fabric of the text, in an undeniable way, is the obvious presence of the elderly. Rather than the elderly being portrayed as burdensome and inconvenient, they are instead located into the epicentre of the birth narratives, as indispensable actors in the drama of salvation. Two such individuals are Anna, a prophet, and Simeon, referred to by Luke as ‘a righteous and devout man’. Both Anna and Simeon were instrumental in their old age, in assisting Mary and Joseph to fully grasp the significance of the baby Boy, Jesus, whom they had brought to the temple for dedication. In fact, Simeon, ‘moved by the Spirit’, is led to the temple where he ‘dedicates’ the Baby Jesus. I wonder whether Mary and Joseph would have missed out on the invaluable contribution - the historical perspective - that Anna and Simeon were privy to, had they been despised by virtue of their age? I guess so! This Christmas, I encourage us to remember to honour the elders in our families and communities, to give them their due respect, and to resist the temptation to either overlook or sideline them. By so doing, we honour the biblical command to esteem those who have gone before us and upon whose shoulders we stand. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

COMMENT 33

THE CHRIST WHO STANDS FOR JUSTICE

a Christmas reflection

With Christmas approaching, Rev Wale Hudson-Roberts says that Black Christians should eschew the depiction of Christ as humble and passive, and embrace the Christ who stands for justice

REV WALE HUDSON-ROBERTS

is the Racial Justice Co-ordinator for the Baptist Union of Great Britain

t made no sense for plantation owners to enslave a man or woman who appeared to be ‘up themselves’, since feisty characters might just create a mutiny or two. This would cost plantation owners money, and undermine their power and influence. Compliant, obedient slaves were a better bet than an in-your-face outspoken ‘negro’. The portrayal of Christ as an accommodating gentleman, angered by protestations, would deter even the faintest whispers of an insurrection - apparently incompatible with the faith of the enslaved (so the enslaved were told, and who sadly believed). In order to maintain slavery, plantation owners and some missionaries worked together to communicate a Christ who sought at all times to be meek, mild, submissive and very humble. This was a strategic posture. Knowing that the enslaved were generally immersed in spirituality, the plantation owners understood that any ‘dumbing down’ of the prophetic side of Christ’s personality would be emulated by the enslaved. Keen to walk in the footsteps of their Christ, and to flee from the stuff of life that sought to compromise their spirituality, many enslaved would not even contemplate an insurrection - much less participate in one - if not encouraged by their divine Master. This is a legacy that lives on. Today, the images of the blue-eyed Jesus, with His head tilted, soft hands bent limply in prayer, eyes downcast or beautifully turned upward, but never so strong to look anyone in the eye, remain the images that many people of colour continue to imbibe and unwittingly believe. It is not altogether surprising, then, that the images of Christ communicated by plantation owners - typically for their own economic advantage - adorn the homes of many Caribbeans and Africans, and continue to communicate passivity, disengagement and retreat from anything that looks remotely controversial - again discouraging people of colour from raising their heads above the parapet and speaking truth to power. “If Christ did not do it, then why should we?” seems to be our thinking. My reflections on Christ during Christmas no

longer draw me towards a Christ concocted by slave masters and a few misguided missionaries, who had the intent of maintaining control and discouraging the enslaved from standing up for their rights. From beginning to end, I read the Christmas narrative as a story about a Christ who spoke on behalf of defenceless children, vulnerable women and the poorest of the poor. The Lord’s Prayer, which is often simplistically interpreted as a prayer to bring comfort and hope, is actually a covert challenge to the enslavers of the day - the Roman Empire. It offers a prime example of the prophetic side of the character of Christ. In encouraging His disciples to pray ‘Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven’, Jesus is not being meek, mild and submissive. He is calling on His disciples to pray ‘on earth, as it is in Heaven’, which is a request for the earth to touch Heaven, and which cannot happen until Rome falls. This is a prayer for the fall of Rome. What an audacious prayer and, if decoded by those closely associated with the Empire, the consequences for those heard praying it would have been equally audacious - at best imprisonment, at worst execution for treason. Here lies my concern. As people of colour, we have absorbed the former messages of Christ and are often oblivious to the latter. The former validates our passive responses to injustice. The latter should spur us on to challenge all forms of enslavement,

such as contemporary slavery and other forms of injustice, but we might find it problematic until we come to believe that Christ is not a figure intimidated by oppressive regimes and structures, but Someone willing to undermine them when necessary - as reflected in the Lord’s Prayer. If plantation owners and a few rotten missionaries were responsible for creating images of an insubstantial European-looking Christ, with piercing blue eyes and no fire in His belly, all for the sake of silencing the voices of the enslaved, I wonder how many of our churches are wittingly and unwittingly implicated. Such churches do well to remember that Christmas is not only about presenting a warm, gracious, decorous Christ, but about offering a Christ who had a bias towards the poor. So, this Christmas, might I suggest that our churches preach and reflect firstly on the Gospel of Luke, in which Jesus announces that the reason for His anointing by God and the purpose of His mission in the world are one and the same: to proclaim radical economic, social and political change. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor...” Secondly, and still on the Gospel of Luke, in which He makes the ultimate political pronouncement: He announced liberation for those who were oppressed by the crushing weight of the Roman Empire.

‘I read the Christmas narrative as a story about a Christ who spoke on behalf of defenceless children, vulnerable women and the poorest of the poor.’ That said, I do praise the strides that some of our churches are making towards becoming more relevant, through developing a mission focus that is on a quest to be at one with our streets. But I remain convinced that many of our churches need to embrace the notion of Jesus as a political revolutionary, who not only sought to address the symptoms of the people’s suffering, but also to alleviate the systemic causes of their suffering. From beginning to end, this is the Christmas story. www.keepthefaith.co.uk

34 COMMENT

Power, policy and practice

The need for good church governance Rev Stephen Brooks looks at the importance of good administrative practices within the Church, and calls for leaders to look again at how their churches are governed

REV STEPHEN BROOKS is National Development Manager for Excell 3

n October 2013, Pope Francis and eight cardinals from around the world held three days of closed-door meetings to discuss the Vatican’s troubled administration, and to map out possible changes in the Catholic Church. The group’s main task was to rewrite the constitution on the workings of the Vatican’s various departments. He said, “This Vatican-centric vision neglects the world around it, and I will do everything to change it; this is the start of a Church with an organisation that is not only vertical but also horizontal.” We, too, need to take time to see how the experience of local church governance can be improved, in order to increase the effectiveness and accountability of ministry. The challenge is always to maintain an appropriate balance; people must always be more important than the organisation. The Apostle Paul expressed the importance of administration in the ministry of the local church. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, the gift of administration is listed among the spiritual gifts. In 1 Corinthians 14:40, we read that “everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” Church leaders and administrators are called to use their gifts to provide for orderly functioning of the church. This work must be God-centred, led by the Spirit of God, and accomplished with a servant heart. Most pastors and elders do not have the training experience or education to know how to exhibit healthy leadership within a church. Many work in occupations that are very different from church administration. Pastors frequently say they’ve had to learn church administration and governance on the job, while others admit it isn’t their strong point in ministry work. Typically, Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are led by a single Elder/Pastor; this leader also provides the preaching and teaching ministries for the church, in addition to administrative leadership. Often, a church led by a single leader was founded

by that singular leader, or by a previous singular leader who appointed the present leader. In recent years, concerns raised by the Charity Commission have resulted in more accountability within Pentecostal and Charismatic congregations, such as those affiliated to Black Majority Churches. In my estimation, one of the common consequences of unaccountable authority is inappropriate use of church finances, unethical behaviour and the abuse of power. It is easier to manipulate a congregation than it is to manipulate an organised body that provides accountability. The Lord was very clear in His Word about how He wishes His Church on earth to be organised and managed. Christ is the Head of the Church, and its supreme Authority (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18). The New Testament refers a number of times to elders who served in the role of church leadership (Acts 14:23, 15:2, 20:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14), and apparently each church had more than one, as the word is usually found in the plural.

‘Few church boards and governance structures are working effectively. There is a need for transition in the way we do church from an organisational, governance perspective.’ Because of the nature of man, mutual accountability is necessary. Churches led by a single pastor also risk putting too much demand on the leader. There is a consistent pattern in the New Testament that every church had several elders, who oversee and govern the church with equal authority. The issue of local independence without accountability to a wider body remains a weakness. Members of the church have the right to appeal disputed matters in the congregation by going to their elders for resolution and, if the dispute is with those local elders, to appeal to the regional governing body or, beyond that, to the whole general assembly (Acts 15). Sadly, when allegations of abuse or misconduct have been made, I’ve seen the response of church leaders add to the pain of victims instead of relieving it,

in their attempt to protect the institution at the expense of the person. Churches tend to rise and fall based on the quality of their leaders. Strong, godly, servant leadership is critical. Few church boards and governance structures are working effectively. There is a need for transition in the way we do church from an organisational, governance perspective. If procedures and policies are clear in the areas of church organisation, accounting, finance, employment and risk management, people will have more trust in the Church, and will be better able to serve in a loving and God-glorifying way. I am convinced that governance should be a tool for ministry. We should take time to see how the experience of local church governance can be improved in order to increase the effectiveness of the local church. In my experience, a long and detailed constitution is concerned with ministry control and restriction. A short and less detailed constitution is concerned with ministry development and flexibility. It is my hope that church leaders will be challenged to engage in the process of review and reform of many outdated policies for the sake of the congregation and the wellbeing of the ministry. If you would like assistance in reviewing or improving your church administration, please don’t hesitate to contact me. For more information about Excell3 visit www.excell3.com. You can contact Rev Brooks at sbrooksaui@yahoo.co.uk or phone 07940 237959.

36 INSPIRATION

The season to be

thankful

With 2013 nearing its close, Gladys Famoriyo reminds readers to celebrate their successes, not to be too phased by their failures, and to make their plans for 2014

your power to change. The purpose of doing this is to gain an understanding of what held you back. This is not to encourage a ‘beat yourself down’ session, but rather to promote internal reflection. This is akin to holding up a mirror and taking a good look at yourself, with the aim of gaining greater self-awareness and making the necessary changes. For instance, are your unaccomplished goals a result of poor planning or of having no plan at all? You would be amazed how many of us have great ideas, dreams and goals, yet fail to put in place a realistic plan to get us there. The fact is, faith with no works is dead. And so, you need to take action.

GLADYS FAMORIYO

is a speaker and author of ‘Quit Hiding, Start Living!’, ‘Healing A Discouraged Heart’ and ‘Overcoming Emotional Baggage’.

s the year comes to a close and a New Year dawns, this season is a great time to take stock of the departing year and to assess how far you have come. I don’t know about you, but this year has had its peaks and troughs. Yet, I am sincerely grateful I have made it this far. Throughout the year, we hear of the passing on of people we know, or the personal challenges others face. Such news helps us to put things into perspective, especially when we get insular in our views. Yet, when we take a step back, we realise we have much to be thankful for, and we are indeed blessed.

Take A Moment To Reflect OK, so you might not be where you would like to be, but the fact is you are here. Some aren’t! So I encourage you to take a moment to reflect. To assist you with this, ask yourself: “How far have I come since last year?” Now, before you start feeling guilty for not accomplishing the 101 items on your resolutions list, take a pause for a moment. Too often, we spend so much time focusing on the things we did not get done or the negatives, that we never appreciate how far we have actually come, or what we have achieved, much less celebrate them. Whilst I am not excusing procrastination, lack of determination, laziness and the like, I am suggesting you adopt a balanced view. Shift your focus from the negatives, and balance it out by reviewing the positives.

Give Thanks In All Things Just in case you are wondering what to be appreciative to God for, here are some situations some of us find ourselves in. You set out at the beginning of the year to lose four stones and so far you have lost two. Whilst you have not achieved your end goal, you are already seeing its positive impact on your health, and you are two dress sizes smaller. That’s a reason to celebrate, as you are making progress.

You did not get the ‘dream job’ you were shortlisted for, despite doing your absolute best. Have you thought perhaps that this has been a blessing in disguise? Could a better opportunity be around the corner? I believe that when one door closes, another opens. What do you believe? Perhaps you are still single, or your engagement was broken off; might these both be a cause for celebration? Who knows what God has saved you from? Whilst all may seem doom and gloom, especially as time seems to be flying past, there is still hope. It ain’t over yet! All these circumstances warrant a thankful heart. As the Bible implores us, we are to give thanks for where we are, in spite of what we are going through. When we don’t, there is a tendency to develop an attitude of ingratitude. And that irritates God.

Press On Ahead If you are waiting for circumstances to change, I have news for you: you may find yourself waiting a lifetime. So, you might as well press on ahead. Don’t get caught in the circumstances around you, or else you will NEVER move forward! Acknowledge it. Better still, bring it before God, then step out in faith, trusting Him each step of the way. Whatever you do, keep moving, periodically reviewing your plan in line with your goal. If you are struggling, find like-minded people to connect with. As the saying goes, Birds of a feather flock together. So you may want to ponder on your relationships.

Count Your Blessings Therefore, with this in mind, why not take a moment to really count your blessings. Take a trip down memory lane, like David did in Psalm 42. Remind yourself of the great things God has done physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially, professionally and even in your relationships. It could even be for the intangible things that cannot be easily quantified, such as feeling less stressed, or experiencing more joy and peace regardless of your situation. Again, these are all worth celebrating.

Plan For The New Year Once you’re done with your celebration party, now consider the areas you did not get the results you wanted. Consider what may have contributed to this, in particular, those reasons that were within

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In closing, I implore you to create some ‘me time’ during this transition season to really reflect on the year you are leaving and the year ahead. Better still, start planning for the changes you would like to see, or else someone else will make those plans for you. For more details of Gladys Famoriyo’s ministry, visit www.gladysf.com or call 0870 750 1969

INSPIRATION 37

The journey to debt freedom

Able to access credit easily, Selene Jordan found herself in debt to the tune of £23,000. She shared with Keep The Faith her journey to being debt-free, and provides some advice to people currently struggling with debt

hristmas is meant to be the season of goodwill, but a lot of people find themselves getting into debt after buying presents for family and friends, and spending their money on the season’s festivities. One woman who is happy to provide the inside story on debt - how she got into it, how it made her feel, and how she got out of it - is Selene Jordan, a member of a popular Christian, music-loving family who, during the 1990s, set the UK gospel scene alight with their performances as The Jordan Family. Although brought up in a loving, supportive family, and having a businessman as a father, Selene found herself getting into thousands of pounds worth of debt from a young age, primarily because getting credit was easy. The 34-year-old explained, “I would fill out applications, believing that I wouldn’t get a penny, and then would. I’d get another application, take that as a joke, too, and just kept getting credit. I thought someone somewhere would refuse me, but they never did. I couldn’t take it seriously! Then the jokes ended. The debts were mounting up so fast that I would need to take out another card/loan, or even extend my overdraft, just to cover the payments of the others; only, they all came with their own interest charges.” Being in debt also affected Selene’s social life. She couldn’t accept invitations to dinner with friends, and even turned down the opportunity of a relationship because she didn’t think it was fair to enter one with debt hanging over her head. In fact, after taking out credit card

after credit card, Selene, who currently works as an Executive Assistant, found herself £23,000 in debt and knew they had to be cleared, as she couldn’t get any more credit. She recalled, “That inevitable day came when the 0% interest ran out on the card with the highest debt. The minimum payment was £400 – and that was just on ONE card. I noticed that the balance wasn’t really going down, then I checked how much of the balance I was actually paying off. For about every £400 I paid, I was only clearing just under £60 of the actual debt. I started writing letters to my creditors, requesting a payment plan. Some were helpful.” Although, over time, Selene cleared some of the debt, she found that she needed additional support when she was made redundant.

That support came from Christians Against Poverty (CAP) - an organisation she calls a real godsend. “I met with two CAP agents and we discussed my situation. They asked for my papers proving my income (Job Seeker’s Allowance, at the time) and statements detailing my debts. They even took the bailiffs’ letters! Off they went, put together a budget, and basically said, ‘We’ll take it from here’! They wrote to my creditors, and told me to forward any calls or correspondence on to them.” It took Selene a total of three years to pay off the last £10,000 she owed and, with CAP help, she become debt-free earlier this year. She describes being debt-free as ‘surreal’. “For the first time in years, there is a comma in my bank balance AND it stays there! I am still wary at the checkout that my card is going to be declined. That will

go in time, I guess. Everything happens for a reason. I can help others with what I have been living with for over 15 years.” In fact, she celebrated clearing her debt by posting a picture on Facebook of a letter she received from a former creditor, which said ‘Paid in full’. It generated a lot of likes. Now that she is debt-free, Selene is happy to not only share her experience, but also provide some tips to others. For those who are currently in debt, she shared, “Don’t beat yourself up too much. Yes, it’s your mess, and a lot of it is your doing, but guilt can cause you to spend more or, even worse, harm yourself or those around you. Don’t ‘rob Peter to pay Paul’ – it just makes it worse. Do some research, ask for help, and don’t hide your situation, especially from those closest to you; you will need support. Know that it is possible to become debt-free, no matter how much you owe.”

38 LIFESTYLE

HEARTTOHEART

ESTHER FENTY is a qualified psychologist and pastor’s wife

Christmas is filling me with dread because I’m single. I am dreading Christmas. I’m a single professional Christian woman, with a very demanding job that keeps me busy for most of the year. However, at Christmas, my office closes down for two weeks, which means I spend time with my family. I don’t mind; I love my family, but I can feel my depression coming on already. I’ll be seeing my relations with their families - everyone seems to converge at my parent’s home - and it will just bring home the fact that, despite my material and professional success, I often feel desperately lonely and long to have a family of my own. I do pretend to my family that everything is fine, and just want some tips to see through this Christmas. Janet, Leicester

I’m a pastor, married, and have learnt I have a daughter from my past life.

hristmas is one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year for me in my role as a church pastor, but it’s good stress as it gives me the opportunity to share the Gospel. However, I feel under great pressure and I don’t know what to do. I’m in turmoil. Prior to my conversion 20 years ago, aged 24, I slept around. I’ve just had a letter from a woman I had a brief affair with prior to my conversion, stating I’ve got a daughter aged 19 who would like to meet me. This letter has turned me upside down, and I don’t know what to do. I’ve not spoken to my wife or leadership team about it, partly - if I’m honest - due to fear of their response. I don’t want to and can’t afford to lose my position. I’ve never had to deal with a situation like this, and would welcome your advice. Name and address withheld

Esther Fenty says

I can’t begin to imagine the turmoil that this news brings, especially at a time like Christmas! Unexpected news like this can cause our emotions to overwhelm us, so that very often we can’t see the wood for the trees. This may be why you appear to be more focused on your position as a church pastor. The Bible is clear that, as long as you have confessed your sins to Jesus, you have been forgiven. He does not hold this against you, and neither should you or others. However, though the past is forgiven, there is still the need to deal with any consequences of previous behaviour, ie. you are forgiven for sleeping around before you were converted, but if you have a child because of this, you will have to work on that relationship. Follow us on Twitter @keepthefaithmag

Your wife and the leadership team should be willing to forgive you, as this happened before your conversion. Difficulties may occur if you pretended that your previous life was squeaky clean, or you have been unsympathetic to those in similar situations. However, you should not lose your position because of this. Your wife will need time to consider the family dynamics but, if she loves you, she will stick with you. You may consider a paternity test. The mother may not be happy, but will possibly understand that this news has come as a shock. In that way, you can determine if the child is definitely yours. That may not be a good start to the relationship, but it will put your mind at ease. Whether she is your daughter or not, you will still need to be honest with your wife. There may be a number of reasons why the mother might have chosen not to tell you about your daughter. However, it is important to note that it is the daughter who wants to meet you. Every child wants to be able to fit the pieces of puzzles of their history together, even if they do not want to pursue the relationship. If she is yours, you will have to decide when and where to meet her. As you pray, the Holy Spirit will guide you. With the support of your wife and church family, it is possible that it will be good news at Christmas, as a child has found a daddy she did not know, and you begin to build a relationship with a new daughter.

Esther Fenty provides godly and practical advice on a wide range of issues. To contact Ether email editorial@keepthefaith.co.uk

Esther Fenty says

The grass always looks greener on the other side. Perhaps your family is silently envying your professionalism and success, and would want to change places with you. Sometimes, a bit of openness with others can help us to see situations from different perspectives, and recognise our own value. Is yours a family that could support you in prayer if you were honest with them? Nevertheless, I do acknowledge that career success does not always fulfil the void that is missing from having special relationships in our lives. However, I can’t help wondering whether you are so immersed in the job that it is impossible to find time and space to develop those special relationships. You focus on Christmas, as you are forced to stop working then, but perhaps you could think of how and where you can meet more people or get involved in projects, etc., as a matter of course.

For this year, however, in addition to spending time with your family, you could meet up with friends; volunteer to participate in some community projects, such as working at homeless or cold weather shelters, serving Christmas lunches, etc. You will have a very different Christmas, and who knows who you might meet?

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40 LIFESTYLE

BRINGING HOPE

at Christmas

Isaac Carter shares how Christians can be great examples of the hope and love inherent within Christmas, as they give of their time and finances to the vulnerable in society

ISAAC CARTER is the author of ‘Go to the Ant’

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”

hristmas 2013 is bearing down on us apace, and with it once more comes an amazing sense of hope. Amazing because, despite the fact that we now live in a largely agnostic society here in the United Kingdom, Christmas remains the one time of the year when the majority of our society is willing to be open to and acknowledge a Christian festival. Yes, I do know that with the festive season comes the exchanging of gifts; consumption of large amounts of food and drink, and endless partying, but it is still a time when society is relatively open to the message that we, as Christians, are preaching. And that raises a question: How should we use this opportunity to spread the Good News of the birth of Christ? Well, the first thing to recognise is that maintaining an inward-looking approach of celebratory services behind our church walls, as we usually do, is not really going to help. Sadly, all the statistics show that fewer and fewer people attend church services, even at Christmas, so we have to take the Good News - and the hope it brings - out from the church buildings and into society; in other words, we have to ‘let our light shine, so men may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven’ (Matthew 5:16).

special time of the year, it would be so symbolic if churches could look at making financial contributions to the elderly, the homeless, the unemployed in society, and within their own congregations; they should also encourage their more well-to-do members to do the same. Giving time – As important as money is time. What if, as Christians, we set aside our turkey, and gave up a couple of hours of our Christmas Day to go and serve at a soup kitchen or at a Christmas Day outreach; or, better still, what if our churches actually ran their own Christmas Day outreaches to the homeless and needy? Giving food – If you can’t actually give time during the festive season, how about making a donation of food or clothing to the many charities, like Shelter, who do great work, particularly at this time of the year? Giving of yourself - How about taking time out from your busy day to go and spend a couple of hours over the Christmas season with an elderly person, or inviting home someone from your church, whom you know has no friends or relatives, to celebrate Christmas Day with? Giving a gift – Instead of spending all your money on your friends and family, how about buying a gift for someone in your church whom you don’t know, just to make them feel special for that day? This year, let’s restore the hope that the first Christmas brought to the world. Merry Christmas and a happy and financially secure 2014.

And, in this regard, actions speak louder than deeds, as James says, “Show me your works and I will see your faith” (James 2:18 paraphrased). Society more than ever needs to see the resources of the Church being poured out into the needy. We live in a society which is increasingly fractured along economic lines, between the haves and the have nots.

‘Christmas remains the one time of the year when the majority of our society is willing to be open to and acknowledge a Christian festival.’ With government cuts to benefits, some of the most vulnerable people in our society look forward to a desolate Christmas, being unemployed, homeless and destitute. It is these kinds of people to whom we, as Christians, are called to bring hope. For people who have little or nothing, their misery is compounded by Christmas, when they have to watch the excessive consumption of others.

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Similarly, for the elderly, or for those who live alone, their loneliness is compounded by everyone else sharing time with friends and families. It is our duty, as Christians, to highlight through words and deeds the simple truth that Christmas is a time of hope for all. So, as ever, the question is: What, at this time, should be the response from us, as Christians, and from the Church, towards those less fortunate? Shouldn’t we be challenged to do more at Christmas? What if we did the following: Partnering – Organisations such as Shelter, Age Concern and Crisis at Christmas are always looking for other organisations or individuals to partner with in their Christmas outreach. Churches and their members should look at developing partnerships with such charities at Christmas. Financial Support – The vast majority of the income generated by churches goes towards their maintenance and upkeep throughout the year. At this

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Isaac Carter is the author of Go to the Ant, a simple but effective guide to money management - www.gototheant.co.uk

LIFESTYLE 41

BUSINESS MATTERS DENISE ROBERTS

is founder of Christian Women in Business UK and Loud Voice Communications

A slice of prophetic cake

ne day in 2004, as she was travelling back from a work conference, Cynthia Akinsanya bought a piece of cake from the buffet trolley on a train, tasted it and thought: “My cakes taste just as good, I can do this.” Inspired by this, and by the friends and family who had been saying she should be selling her cakes to the public, she launched ‘Delights by Cynthia’ the following year. Today, Cynthia’s cakes look so good, some have been led to call them prophetic. That doesn’t surprise Cynthia. As one would expect from a Christian in business, especially in a market as competitive as baking, she says, “I make sure I pray for creativity when it comes to creating the cakes. There are some designs that I just know have not come from me. God [has] downloaded some great ideas my way.” ‘Delights by Cynthia’ has since received many awards: Small Business of the Year 2012, at the Camden and Islington Business Awards; 2011 Businesswoman of the Year, for the Women4Africa Awards UK, and a nomination for the MumsClub Business Mums Award for 2011. Cynthia likes to think that each cake - made using free-range eggs and some Fair Trade ingredients - is uniquely created for each customer. “I love the fact that my creations get to take centre stage at some fantastic occasions

and moments in people’s lives,” she said. “This morning, I received an email from a mother thanking me for making her son’s birthday cake [and] a cool picture of this little boy with his cake.” Passionate about ‘business with integrity’, Cynthia believes that as a Christian it is even more important “to charge the correct prices, be as transparent as possible, deliver on time, and work with excellence”. She doesn’t just pray about her own business but also for her competition. “By doing so, I no longer see them as a threat. Plus, if God is going to bless their business, I know He will bless [mine], too.” Cynthia is so keen to share Kingdom principles for business that she started a series of workshops called ‘It’s your time to flourish’. They give women interested in starting a business the opportunity to spend time with those already running one. She also believes in giving back, no matter how small a business is. “Through the business, I have been able to sponsor and support a child through World Vision. My daughter’s vision is that as the business grows, we are able to sponsor a child in each continent.” As a business owner, wife and mother of two daughters, it comes as no surprise that Cynthia feels her greatest challenge to be “too few hours in the day to get everything done”, but it’s funny how God always sees things differently. “Recently, I have felt God (and my husband) telling me I need to slow down, that some of the things I believe are important are not. I have a huge, never ending To Do list. I find when I spend time with God and ask Him to show me the priorities, the day runs more smoothly, and my life and the business are in balance and order.” Find out more about ‘Delights by Cynthia’ at www.delightsbycynthia.com, or follow on Twitter @You_Flourish

How to use LinkedIn to grow your business LinkedIn is the social network platform of choice for business professionals, but how can you get the most from it? LinkedIn expert, Emily Miller, has five tips: 1) Make sure your personal profile is complete, has a professional photo, and includes your marketing key words in the headline. 2) Find a handful of active groups for your market, and comment (nicely!) on other people’s posts. It’s a bonus if you publish your own discussions (but avoid selling your services directly). 3) Use LinkedIn’s advanced search features to research your target companies and decision makers. Use LinkedIn’s InMail to contact them, or get referred to them by your intermediate connections. 4) Create a great company page. It’s a terrific way to present your brand image, highlight your products and services, and provide another channel for your thought leadership. 5) Make sure all your invitations to connect are customised (ie. don’t use the standard LinkedIn invite text), and then follow up with a face-to-face meeting. Follow these top five LinkedIn tips, and see how business development becomes more efficient and effective for you.

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42 LIFESTYLE

LARA RUFUS

Charity Affairs

BA, MSc is CEO of Crowne Consultancy

Honouring achievers via the honours system

was privileged to attend an insightful meeting the other day, held by the Government’s Cabinet Office and hosted by Dr Yvonne Thompson, CEO of the African Caribbean Business Network (ACBN). It was centred on demystifying the honours system, in an attempt to encourage the nominations of more minorities and women. It is a sad fact that there are far too many unsung heroes out there particularly from the BME community - many of whom are not getting the due recognition Yvonne Thompson CBE they deserve. An astounding revelation made at this meeting was the fact that a meagre 6% of nominations hail from the BME community, and even within that, Indians and Chinese people were well ahead of Black people, who have the lowest percentage of nominees overall. With all the great work that many Black people are doing, both now and historically over the years, it’s somewhat of a travesty that we are still far from being recognised publicly. Having an award is not to be sneered at; it is proof that what you are doing is really making an impact. Just think how many individuals from the Church could let their light shine through this recognition. Awards include being knighted, receiving an Order of the British Empire (OBE) or Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), which are some of the most common ones. Some familiar

honourees include former news correspondent, Trevor McDonald; Beverley De-Gale, co-founder of the ACLT (African Caribbean Leukemia Trust), and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. Dr Yvonne Thompson, herself an honouree (CBE) and who incidentally sits on the Cabinet Office’s Honours Committee, is seeking ways to redress this imbalance, by increasing both women and Black and minority ethnic awareness of the honours system, to ensure that more Black and ethnic minorities have the opportunity to be publicly recognised for their contributions to society.

How do I make a nomination?

Often, honours go to people in the civil services, sport, etc, who understand the process. A lot of people are doing good work in the community, but are either unaware of the process of being nominated for a Queen’s honour, or feel they have no chance of getting one. Making a nomination is fairly simple. If you wish to nominate someone for an honour, you can obtain an honours nomination form (along with detailed guidance and case studies) at www. gov.uk/honours. Or phone the honours team in the Cabinet Office on 020 7276 2777 to talk through the process. You can even get help from your local Citizens Advice Bureau. Do you know someone who is worthy of honour? Receiving an honour can be a real door opener, helping to promote further good work. It is not reserved just for the famous, but for anyone who is doing outstanding work in the community, and I am sure a number of us can name one or two

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If you require a quick, effective and more importantly inexpensive way to reach Britain’s Black Christian community why not use our unique email marketing service! For further information call 0845 193 4433 or email advertising@keepthefaith.co.uk

Funding Focus for your Ministry Emmaus Charitable Trust Small pots of funding available for either international or work in Greater London, which is their preference. The Trust states that ‘there is an emphasis on Christian/ church-based work’ and that there is a strong emphasis on projects that benefit children and young people. Write to the correspondent at: 4 Church Avenue, Lancaster LA1 4SP, or call Richard Silman on 01524 36824.

people within our own communities. The Bible encourages us to give honour to whom honour is due (Romans 13:7). Why not nominate someone today? Call 020 7276 2777, or download a nomination pack from www.gov.uk/honours.

Case Study

Evelyn Asante-Mensah, OBE for services to Healthcare. Evelyn received national recognition for her role as Chair of NHS Manchester, Race for Health, Manchester Health Inequalities Partnership, and as Chief Executive of the Black Health Agency, promoting greater health awareness in the Black and minority ethnic community, and better access to services. She is currently a Commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Lara Rufus is former Chair of the Black Fundraisers’ Network; www.crowneconsultancy.co.uk or email info@crowneconsultancy.co.uk

LIFESTYLE 43

Cyber Corner

KENO OGBO

Transitioning to a cashless society

n interesting bit of news appeared in a Norwegian paper, when a local church seriously considered taking card payments during the collection part of the service. The reason they considered this was simple: People no longer carried cash around. The only hindrance to the plan was that they had not found a technical solution good enough. As Knut Zakariassen, a minister in the town of Larvik, told the paper, “We can’t have a machine on the altar, where you enter the amount and wait for confirmation.” Already, churches are thinking of easier and more effective means to take up offerings, as society transitions quickly to a cash free culture. Most contemporary churches will have sections on the offering envelope for parishioners to complete their credit (or debit) card details. The problem is the perceived security and privacy of entering such sensitive data. Churches may do well to publish a policy on how such data is used and stored, to encourage confidence in this approach. Using technology then has to be considered as part of the way forward, but the big question is: How would this fit into a worship service? Imagine ushers coming up the stairs to you, with payment processing machines in their hands! Frankly, I may not return to that service, as the story of Jesus chasing out the money-changers from the temple would immediately spring to mind. But, perhaps, there are other ways we could help our cash ‘less’ congregations, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

In bookshops Does your church have a bookshop? Then taking payments at the point of sale with a terminal would be the first step in helping people effectively and easily pay for books, tapes and other items.

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Payments by mobile phone or through your website If your church is arranging a Christmas event, conferences or events, or maybe is raising one-off donations, perhaps consider taking card payments through your website or, alternatively, by mobile phone. With this method, your congregation is able to pay for required services in the comfort of their homes.

Christmas Greeting

We would like to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas. Visit www.getsafeonline.org to read useful tips on how to keep yourself safe online. If you would like to explore the use of payment terminals in your church, or you would like someone to explore with you how it can be used in a faith setting, let us know.

Selling CDs and DVDs after the service Most churches sell recordings of the church service after the service. Instead of receiving payment only at the terminal, perhaps consider a wireless point of sale system, similar to a restaurant, where the payment terminal is brought to the customer.

My Choice App

is a Writer and Web Designer

KENO OGBO runs Spiral Web Solutions, based in London. She is passionate about helping businesses achieve their goals using websites and other online marketing tools. To contact Keno email keno@spiralwebsolutions.com, or call 07958 004 739.

Coming up to Christmas, retailers expect business to go through the roof. But, with the hustle and bustle of life in the fast lane in London, they are finding the risks of carrying large amounts of cash too risky a proposition. London is quickly becoming the capital of the card age - if it isn’t already - and local businesses are finding business almost impossible without the use of a payment terminal. This is, without doubt, the most cost-effective way of dealing with money. Whether this be for business purchases or consumer purchases, it puts the control into the hands of the business, right where it should be.

A retailer speaks

Local business entrepreneur, Brian, is one of London’s importers and suppliers of African fruit and vegetables to London’s hospitality venues and, after an initial discussion with his accountant, he decided to have a conversation to see the benefits and pitfalls of using a merchant card terminal. Brian explains he was used to paying for his goods in cash to his suppliers and drivers, and then also to the restaurants, market traders and hotels that he sold to, and felt the risk was continually going up and was looking for an opportunity in which to help the local traders in London to thrive. He found that the roaming card terminals work off a sim card, in the same way that a mobile phone works and, at a cost of 20p for a debit card and only 1.2% for a credit card, the charges really do work, and the funds are in the business account within three business days. Brian now sees the introduction of a payment terminal as one of the best and most effective decisions he has made for years.

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44 MISSION

Patience Prevails Even in the midst of devastating personal losses, tribal wars and threats on her life, a young woman found encouragement in an unlikely place, and the courage to face down some of the most powerful people in Uganda.

hen Patience Namanya was 12, she came home from school with a bad end-of-year report. She was failing in many of her subjects. Her teacher had scrawled a note at the bottom: “Patience can do better than this. Should please put in more effort.” Patience sat alone, ashamed. She ached for her parents. She was afraid of her abusive aunt. Who would she show this wrinkled piece of paper to? She knew one person who would understand. One woman who would both challenge and comfort her. Patience picked up her pencil and began to write to her sponsor. “This year was not wonderful for me because of the problems I had. I lost my grandma and my mummy in the same year and month, but I surrendered them to Jesus Christ.”

A troubled start

Patience grew up in Kyebando, a slum in Kampala, Uganda, mired in unemployment, alcoholism and malnutrition. In Patience’s own home, tragedy was relentless. Her father died of AIDS, followed by her mother and two of her younger siblings. While AIDS still ravaged her body, Patience’s mother enrolled her at Compassion’s Gayaza Road Child Development Centre. After her mother died, the 12-year-old moved in with her aunt and uncle. Though Patience was able to stay in the Compassion centre, her home life was grim. Every day she awoke at 4am to prepare meals, wash clothes and care for her younger cousins. She rarely went to bed before 1am, and was regularly denied food. Keeping up with her schoolwork was nearly impossible. Her school

marks continued to fall. But Patience still found time to write to her sponsor, Diane. Over the next 12 years, letters passed between them. She says of Diane, her sponsor, “She was always encouraging me to carry on, to work hard. I always shared everything with her. She was and still is my prayer partner, encourager and Mum.” That encouragement helped Patience improve her failing marks, and she began to rise in the ranks at school. At 18, she was accepted into Compassion’s Leadership Development Programme, and began attending Uganda Christian University, where she studied social work and administration.

A bright future

To Patience’s delight, Diane continued to sponsor her through college. Patience began opening her letters with “Dear Mummy,” and in turn, Diane began calling Patience her daughter. Diane observed as Patience’s desire for justice became more pronounced. Patience saw corruption all around her. That acute awareness of injustice gave Patience a purpose - but also put her life in danger. Upon completing her bachelor’s degree, she began working with Volunteer Anti-Corruption Campaign Africa. At great personal risk, Patience hosted radio programmes each week to educate people about corruption. “The corrupt people in Uganda have great authority, are almost untouchable and very dangerous. They intimidate, kidnap and often kill people who come out openly to expose their corrupt tendencies.” After one radio programme, an elderly widow visited Patience. She had been travelling more than 400 miles to the Pensions Department to request her husband’s pensions

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for the last 11 years, but the government had ignored her requests. Patience filed a report on the matter that was escalated to the police. In less than 24 hours, Patience and her team discovered that £45 million had been siphoned from pension plans across the country. Police immediately arrested top-ranking government officials. The threats that followed weren’t bluffs. After some of her colleagues were poisoned, Patience found herself in hiding, unable to eat food that she hadn’t prepared herself. But Patience had learned long before not to give up. Diane’s words of encouragement echoed in Patience’s mind, as she faced down some of the most powerful men in Uganda. Patience was eventually promoted to the Anti-Corruption National Strategic Planning Team for Uganda. A job at the national level affords her both freedom and safety. Earlier this year, Patience helped reinstate 6,000 teachers who had been illegally removed from their jobs. She says she hopes to one day be appointed to parliament, where she can fight corruption from within. Nearly two decades have passed since Diane received Patience’s wrinkled progress report. Patience says she will never forget the kindness and inspiration of her sponsor. In Diane’s home, a manila folder holds more than 20 letters from Patience. Amid the drawings of mud huts and pineapples, Patience introduced Diane to a world of poverty, tribal wars and disease. But Patience also showed her the power of prayer and sacrifice. And, though Diane has never met Patience, she knows that deep in Uganda, fighting corruption, lives her ‘daughter’. Brandy Campbell, Compassion International

Compassion has been working in partnership with churches across the globe to deliver its one-to-one child sponsorship programme for more than 60 years. Currently more than 1.5 million children attend Compassion’s church-based projects in 26 countries. To sponsor a child visit www.compassionuk.org

In 10 years time her natural curiosity will be replaced by a realisation that the future holds nothing more than hardship and relentless poverty.

YOU CAN CHANGE ALL THAT.

COMPASSION UK CHRISTIAN CHILD DEVELOPMENT 43 High Street, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8BB Registered Charity No. 1077216 Registered in England No. 3719092

For just 70p a day your one-to-one support will enable a child living in poverty to attend a church-based Compassion project. Here, loving Christian staff will ensure children receive the healthcare, education, food, clothing, spiritual and social support they need to thrive.

46 MISSION

Helping to transform China with a single book Almost 50% of China’s 60 million-strong Christian population doesn’t have a Bible. The Bible Society shares why its Christmas campaign is raising funds to ensure Chinese Christians can read the Scriptures for themselves

n a village in rural China, more than 80 years ago, a young girl called Zhang Doazhen is copying verses from a battered Bible into her notebook. Glancing up from her writing, she works quickly. She must pass this Bible on by the end of the day. There’s only one copy in the village, and everyone takes turns to read it. Today, in 2013, the story is not so different. It’s well known that the Church in China is growing at an extraordinary rate. Around a million people come to faith each year. In 2011, Radio 4 reported that the number of Christians was, at a conservative estimate, 60 million. They noted, “There are already more people at church in China on a Sunday than in the whole of Europe.” But almost half of these Christians – at least 30 million people – don’t have a Bible. About 10% of the Chinese population lives below the poverty line of 60p per day. That’s 135 million people. The cost of a Bible is simply out of their reach. In many churches, 10 believers share a single copy between them. Doazhen came to faith in her teens, and went on to attend Bible training classes in her church. During the Japanese invasion of 1936, when hundreds of thousands of Chinese were killed and most of her community fled, Doazhen stayed in her village in order to study the Scriptures. But it was 80 years before she received her own copy of the Bible. Doazhen could never afford the cost of a Bible by herself – so when Bible Society arrived in her village to distribute the Scriptures, she was first in line. And old habits die hard. Zhang Doazhen is now 94, and a great-grandmother. She still reads from the Bible every day and, just as she did when she was a girl, she still copies verses into her pocket notebook.

Juxiang grew up in a Christian household, and the family held firm to their faith throughout the Cultural Revolution. She has been a Christian for 40 years, but Juxiang spent most of her adult life ‘longing for a Bible’ that she could understand. Until she received a new version of the Bible from Bible Society, Juxiang had an old family Bible that was in a traditional form of Chinese script. As the script is no longer in use, it was like a closed book to her. Despite this, Juxiang was a local preacher for 13 years, delivering sermons based on what she remembered her mother teaching her about Christianity as a child. “It was very hard to preach, because I couldn’t read the Bible,” she says. “After I got a new version of the Bible, my preaching became more powerful. Through this new Bible, most of our family have become Christians.”

The challenge to provide Bibles Her story illustrates the great demand - and need - for the Bible in China, and the good news is that Bibles are finding their way to people like Doazhen. Every year, the Chinese government gives permission to print Bibles for the Chinese Church. In 2013, permission has been granted for 3.5 million Bibles. These will be produced at Amity Printing Company in Nanjing, where state-of-the-art machines can run off 50 Bibles a minute. The Church in China has asked for help to subsidise the cost of 2.5 million of these Bibles, so they can be sold at low prices (between £1.60 and £2.30) to poor families. But currently, the funds only stretch to providing one million low-cost Bibles. It means a further 1.5 million Chinese Christians cannot afford to buy their own copy. The challenge, then, is to make more Bibles affordable – by helping to subsidise the cost. According to Jock Foo, Project Officer from the China Partnership which works with Amity and Bible Society, this alone “makes the biggest impact on the Church”. James Catford, Bible Society’s Group Chief Executive, has summarised the situation in this way: “The ‘problem’ in China is actually an extraordinary opportunity. It is the most populous country in the world, with a population of over 1.35 billion, and God is doing remarkable things there.”

A single Book bringing transformation One woman, who has seen change in her family as a result of receiving a modern Chinese Bible, is 59-year-old Tan Juxiang, from Meng Zhung village, in Shaanxi Province. Follow us on Twitter @keepthefaithmag

Today, Juxiang is able to read Bible stories to her 10-year-old granddaughter, Zhao Yai Han. In so doing, she’s passing on the faith to a new generation. Juxiang’s Bible – a simple gift of a single Book transformed her faith, her preaching and her family. Who knows what might happen if more Chinese Christians are able to open the Bible for themselves? • Bible Society’s Christmas campaign is raising money to provide Bibles to Chinese Christians • Just 80p will pay for one Bible • £5 will pay for six Bibles • You might even be able to make a very special church gift of £480 to provide a whole roll of paper – that means you’d provide 600 Bibles for Chinese Christians without a copy of their own.

Your church can get involved today. Please pass this on to your Pastor, and download your resources at: www.biblesociety.org.uk/ christmas2013pack-ktf

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Your church can get Bibles to more Chinese believers this Christmas • Talk to your pastor. Hold a special service. Take up an offering. • £40 could pay for paper to print 50 Bibles. • As a church you may even be able to make a gift of £480 to provide a whole roll of paper – enough to provide 600 Bibles for Chinese Christians.

Doazhen waited 80 years for a Bible. Find out more from our FREE resource pack.

biblesociety.org.uk/christmas2013pack-ktf Bible Society Stonehill Green Westlea Swindon SN5 7DG 01793 418222 biblesociety.org.uk Charity Registration No 232759 Patron: Her Majesty The Queen