New Life June 2012 Taster

NEW LIFE

JUNE 2012

Issue 220

40p

GOOD NEWS STORIES

How life is Dolly good thanks to my beliefs

SEE PAGE 3

www.newlife.co.uk

Why the Queen’s faith is an inspiration

SEE PAGE 9

FORMER MINISTER DEFENDS GROUP AMAZED... Mum Analia Bouter

‘Dead’ baby found alive ‘is a miracle’ A NEW BOR N baby g i rl decla red dead by doctors was found alive 12 hours later.

The tot was discovered by her mother, who had insisted on opening her coffin to say goodbye in a hospital morgue in the Argentine city of Resistencia.

Mum Analia Bouter said: “I don’t know who is to blame, and I’m not thinking about it at this moment.

“The joy of knowing she’s alive is covering every other feeling. I’m a Christian, and I believe this was a miracle of God.” Medics at Perrando de Resistencia Hospital in Chaco province had told Analia that her baby, who was three months premature, was stillborn and had no pulse.

She and her husband then headed home with a death certificate before deciding to return to see their daughter’s body.

The casket was nailed shut but they prised it open only to find their baby breathing and stretching inside.

The couple originally intended to call their fifth child Liliana Abigail, but have since changed her name to Luz Milagros, which means ‘miracle ‘light’.

The medical staff involved have been suspended while officials investigate.

A hospital spokesman said: “At the moment we have no explanation. The baby was attended to by obstetricians, gynaecologists and a neonatologist.

“They all reached the conclusion that this girl was stillborn.”

MP: I WAS HEALED BY PRAYERS!

HEALED... A ban on a leaflet handed out by a group of Christians in Bath (left) has been challenged by Gary Streeter MP (right) A BAN on Christians claiming ‘God can heal’ has been challenged by a Tory MP who says he was cured by faith.

Former Government Minister Gary Streeter spoke out after advertising watchdogs outlawed leaflets claiming God could cure people of back pain, depression and other ailments.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) condemned material handed out by the Healing on the Streets group in Bath as misleading after a complaint was made by an atheist.

But Mr Streeter cited his own religious healing experience to challenge the ASA ruling.

The MP, who was born with a painful condition in his right hand, claimed it had been cured after his wife, Janet, and other ● Continued on Page 3

The group’s banner outside Bath Abbey

STAR TALKS OF ‘GREAT ACHIEVEMENT’

I’m not Parton with my beliefs!

DOLLY GOOD SHOW...

Singing star Dolly Parton

SHE has shared a stage and the big screen with the biggest names in music and appeared alongside Hollywood’s bestknown stars.

Dolly Parton has sold 175 million records, is one of a handful of singers to be awarded a coveted Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and even has a statue of herself in her hometown.

But when asked to name her greatest achievement, she flashes that broad trademark smile and replies: “Knowing Jesus.”

She said: “I talk to Jesus all the time.

He’s my best friend, my partner, my cowriter and he’s involved in everything I do.

“I feel he is close to me every day. I gather strength from my friends and family and, above all else, I have great

5,000 fed by church FEEDING the 5,000 is one of the Bible’s most celebrated stories – and a church has recently reached the meal-related milestone.

The Evangelical Church in Matlock, Derbyshire has been serving free food every first Friday of the month for seven years – dishing out number 5,000 on Good Friday!

Volu ntee r Rosa l i nd K awa le k said: “We started in 2005 and we had about 35 people, now we get an average of about 75.

“We have a donation pot but if nobody puts anything in, it’s fine.

We never knew how long it would last, but as long as we have helpers, we will continue.”

faith in God. I pray a lot, asking him for guidance. I have always tried to depend on him who is bigger than us, and I’ve tried to keep locked into that and tried to energise my batteries with God by prayer every day.

“So, between my family, my friends and God, I think I’ve got a pretty good team going.”

Despite filling auditoriums worldwide, Dolly admits to getting nervous before a performance, turning to Jesus for help.

“I go off somewhere and pray a little bit and try to anchor myself.

“I ask God to bless the show and the people, and let me be a bright spark and do good and glorify him in my own way.”

Throughout her career, she has been keen to make her faith practical.

In 1988, she launched the Dollywood Foundation to inspire children, espe-

SOUL MAN... the legendary James Ingram

Issue 220 NEW LIFE 3 NEW LIFE

Kwame Ofosu-Asare

Mum prays at scene of son’s death THE mum of a teenager allegedly stabbed to death in an apparent ‘postcode’ killing has prayed at the scene of her son’s death.

Seventeen-year-old Kwame OfosuAsare, died on the Moorlands Estate in Brixton on March 2.

His mother, father and around 30 relatives and close friends gathered at the spot where he died before attending his funeral on Friday.

Mum Nana Konto, was seen dropping to her knees as she and other members of the group prayed.

They were joined by a church leader who pleaded for an end to gun and knife crime in the capital.

god

cially those from poorer, less privileged backgrounds, to follow their dreams.

Th is led to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library across America and Canada, which gives every pre-school child a book each month from birth to nursery.

The scheme has expanded to over 800 communities in 41 states and gives away over five million books a year on average.

“Everybody thinks of God as a different thing. To me, God is that greater, h igher energ y – that greater, w iser wisdom.

“It’s that thing in all of us that we all have to draw from. I’ve always trusted God and trusted myself, which to me are intertwined.

“I’m a creative person, and what gifts I have come from that divine place that I try to tap into. So who have I got to be afraid of?”

On track for God LEGENDARY singer James Ingram has revealed his Christian faith.

The soul star says he hopes to portray the love of God in each track.

He said: “The thing that separates me spiritually from a lot of the worldly attention is that I’ve known the light of God from the beginning of my career.

“By having the light of God in me, the limelight is nothing more than lime to me – a light colour of green to help me take care of my family.

“When you have the light of God, the limelight is secondary.

“If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, conversations are going to start and the light is going to present itself one way or another.”

Ingram has worked with the likes of Cliff Richard, Quincy Jones and Barry White in a career that spans four decades.

Bishop Kwaku Frimpong-Mason said: “Knife and gun crime in London has to come to an end. It is destroying our communities.”

Kwame, a keen footballer, was born in Ghana but grew up in London and was living in Hither Green.

He was on h is way to v isit a friend’s aunt in Brixton when the alleged stabbing took place.

His mother said: “In times like these the best I could do was to go down on my knees and offer a prayer to God.” ● A 17-year-old boy and 18-yearold Nathaniel Okusanya are due to appear at the Old Bailey on July 9, charged with murder.

MP healed after prayer

● Continued from Page 1 Christians prayed for him. Mr Streeter, MP for Devon South West, told the Mail on Sunday: “It troubled me all my life. As soon as I got kicked or hit in the wrong place playing sport, it would be very painful.”

The MP revealed that since attending a church meeting in 1983, he had been pain-free.

He said: “Towards the end of the service, we were asked if anyone was in need of healing. My hand had been causing a lot of pain for a long time.

“I just stood up, my wife put her hand on my back and prayed for me and job done. Unfortunately, it still looks a bit funny but it hasn’t hurt since.

“We are living in an age of unbelief. It’s important from time to time for people to actually express what mainstream Christianity is all about.

“It’s not about bunnies and painted eggs – it’s about issues of life and death.”

The ASA case continues.

Twitter on...

A PASTOR is encouraging his flock to tweet him while he preaches.

The Rev Andrew Alden, of St Paul’s, Weston-super-Mare, gives the church wi-fi password to attendees who can log-in and ask questions and give feedback to his sermons.

LOG ON NOW: www.newlife.co.uk

The Queen has set a great example This year we mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. As the world’s favourite monarch celebrates her diamond jubilee, we pause to think about the answer to prayer that is our Queen, says Mark Wreford God save our gracious Queen, long live our noble Queen.” Pretty much all of us will have sung those words more than once in our lives – whether we thought too much about it or not!

But whatever way you look at it, these words represent a prayer which has been most emphatically answered over the last 60 years.

Her Majesty’s role in the democracy that Britain now is has been under threat since long before she ascended the throne, and the debate will probably rage long after she’s gone.

There are plenty of people who would rather ditch what they see as a cumbersome and costly ceremonial role which is unnecessary to the future success of the United Kingdom.

Nonetheless, our present Queen has almost transcended her monarchical position, win-

ning the hearts of commoners up and down the land. And as much as she’s been instrumental in representing the UK on the world stage, the Defender of the Faith has plenty to say to her own nation.

Not only is her marriage with Prince Philip a fine example of the eternal hopefulness of love, but her annual Christmas address – an institution loved by adults and loathed by impatient children – has contained good common sense with a generous helping of faith alongside over the years.

celebration As the head of the Church of England, the Queen has every right to speak to the spiritual state of the nation, and the fact that she eruditely and eloquently presents a case for belief that is both reasonable and grounded in reality is a genuine cause for celebration.

This month, the whole count r y w i l l m a rk t he mome nt

with an extra bank holiday, and while the festivities undoubtedly will provide a fitting tribute to the service one woman has given this nation, the excitement threatens to overshadow exactly how much the Queen has given over the last six decades.

Hav ing become Queen at the tender age of 26 and been crowned Elizabeth II a year later, our current ruler has spent the vast majority of her life in dedicated service to the country she rules.

It’s easy to forget the constant demands placed on the Queen.

With the monarchy stripped of ma ny of its, ad m itted ly ‘undeserved’ priv ileges, the role of Queen has become a rather thankless task, thrusting celebrity and duty upon its incumbent with no thought for their personal life. Indeed, the family drama of Royalty has

become ammunition for the lowest form of gutter press. So as we look back on the Monarch who has provided a measure of constancy in the tornado of change that has raged throughout the past six decades, let’s not forget the intangible toll that playing this part can take on a very plainly human lady.

As a figurehead who has championed family, faith and fair play, our Queen has given us plenty of good advice and set a great example.

pray So, as the celebrations die down and we prepare to forget about the irreplaceable institution that is our monarchy for another six months, let’s pray again: “God save our gracious Queen, long l ive ou r noble Queen, God save the Queen!

Send her victorious, happy and glorious, long to reign over us!

God save the Queen!”

Jubilee New Testament sells twice as fast as expected than double the expected amount.

P roduced by the Church of England, HOPE and Biblica, the souvenir Diamond Jubilee edition

of the New Testament has been created to be given away by churches in schools, at street parties and via other Diamond Jubilee events and

Puzzle corner.

Sudoku

Crossword

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Solutions on the right

NEW LIFE

Issue 220 NEW LIFE 9

HER MAJESTY’S FAITH REMAINS STRONG

MORE than 400,000 copies of the Diamond Jubilee New Testament have been ordered i n ON E MON T H by c hu r c hes around the UK – more

NEW LIFE NEW LIFE

Across 1. Large house (7) 5. Pieces of information (5) 8. Profits (5) 9. Gruesome (7) 10. Retaliated (7) 11. Form of transport (5) 12. Hostility (6) 14. Stick (6) 18. Permit (5) 20. SIncere (7) 22. Creatures (7) 23. Doctrine (5) 24. Ledge (5) 25. Sweet (7)

Down 1. Tycoon (7) 2. Dissonance (5) 3. Perceptiveness (7) 4. Wanderers (6) 5. Aspect (5) 6. Vegetable (7) 7. Austere (5) 13. Discomfort (7) 15. Mocks (7) 16. Pull out (7) 17. Stopped (6) 18. Accumulate (5) 19. Dock (5) 21. Bird of prey (5)

initiatives. It includes eight pages of images from the Coronation and the Queen’s life, linking her 60-year reign and her Christian faith. Dr

Rachel Jordan, national mission and evangelism adviser of the Archbishops’ Council, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response.”

COMMENT It’s a miracle FOOTBALLER Fabrice Muamba believes that God performed a miracle the day he effectively died for almost 80 minutes.

Christians believe that such miracles can happen, although many may say it was also down to the work of medical staff.

There’s no doubt their expertise helped save Muamba’s life, but they will tell you that such events don’t just happen.

Normally, in such a case, the person would not have survived.

Muamba himself thanked the medical staff and is grateful for the fact that Dr Andrew Deaner was in the crowd, but we’d say there was more to it than chance.

From the moment Muamba collapsed during a live TV match, the nation began to pray for the player. And the nation’s prayers were answered.

There are those who don’t believe in miracles; that healing through prayer is some kind of fairytale.

Well, MP Gary Streeter would disagree.

He believes prayer healed him.

And the Bible is full of accounts of dramatic healings as well as people being raised from the dead, including Jesus himself.

When we pray to our Heavenly Father we are talking to the One who created the whole universe, so nothing is impossible to him. But prayer and belief have to be mixed with faith to produce any effect in our lives.

Miracles do happen. Muamba’s story is proof of that.

Find real hope LIFE can be tough. And if you are going through difficult times, we pray that you find hope through faith in Jesus Christ.

That’s what Tony Libertini did when he sunk into depression. Today, he knows that even if things are tough, God is there to help. We pray you get to know Him too!

BIBLE QUOTE OF THE MONTH “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Ephesians 4:2 Editor: Peter Wreford Advertising: Emma Morley

Editorial office: New Life Publishing Co PO Box 777, Nottingham NG11 6ZZ, UK Email: editor@newlife.co.uk Telephone: 0115 824 0777 Website: www.newlife.co.uk

We welcome your letters and comments regarding any of the issues raised within these pages. Write to the Editor at the above address.

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Sporting chance SPORTS STARS SPEAK OF FAITH IN OUR BRILLIANT COLUMN

with Nigel Benn Wealth and fame can also bring destruction, as former world champion boxer Nigel Benn found out

P

EOPLE say to me: “Nigel, you’ve achieved so much i n l i fe, you were t wo times world champion!” But I match that up with the Bible and Jesus says in Mark 8:36, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose your soul?”

I’ve done all that – I forfeited my soul, my mind, my will and my emotions. What did it profit me? Absolutely nothing! Now I can read the Word of God and match myself up with it.

Jesus has shown me how to help people, people who are stuck in that dark pit who really need help.

Be i n g world c h a mpion mea ns noth i ng – the t rophies are just pieces of metal.

People say I’ve achieved so much but for me to achieve something would be to help a drug addict get free, help

‘It does not mean a thing to be champ’ someone with marriage problems or to help someone who is just struggling with life.

That’s what Jesus has called me to do!

I wasn’t a happy man in my old life. I was hurting my wife by having untold affairs and was out partying. There was someth i ng m issi ng. I was going down that road of destruction. I was crying out and didn’t know why I was doing the things I was doing, I was in bondage and didn’t know how to get out of it. I had help from psychiatrists and all sorts of people but nothing was working. I didn’t have victory over darkness.

Jesus Christ has changed my life and I now live for h im. He has delivered me from darkness and filled me with his light. I want to show people that Jesus is the way, he is the truth and he is the life. Without him I would not be here today.

Issue 220

Defender’s faith is t-mendous...

NEW LIFE NEW LIFE

11

SHIRT ON IT...

Kieran Richardson isn’t hiding his beliefs

SUNDERLAND left-back Kieran Richardson has revealed his Christian faith.

The versatile defender, who has impressed for the Black Cats in the last two seasons, has spoken publicly for the first time about his beliefs.

He said: “I’ve been a born-again Christian for four years. I was saved in Sunderland. It’s changed my life for the better – through Jesus’ death.

People need to know if they feel they can’t talk to anyone, the Church is here for them. The main thing is having a relationship with God.” Richardson, formerly of Manchester United, revealed an ‘I love God’ top when celebrating a goal in 2011 and an ‘I belong to Jesus’ t-shirt at the end of last season.

BOLTON STAR SAYS RECOVERY IS A MIRACLE MIRACLE MAN...

Fabrice Muamba believes God saved his life

I died for 78 minutes... then God saved me MIRACLE man Fabrice Muamba has revealed he believes God saved his life when he collapsed and ‘died’ for 78 minutes during a televised football match.

The Bolton star became the focus of a national prayer campaign when he fell to the ground and was presumed dead in the FA Cup clash against Tottenham in March at White Hart Lane.

Paramedics rushed to the scene and the footballer was taken to hospital.

He was unconscious for three days but began to recover as the nation prayed.

He was released from hospital in April after spending 40 days there.

Muamba, who hopes to play again, is a devout Christian who believes he is a walking miracle.

In an interview with The Sun, he said: “I am walking proof of the power of prayer. For 78 minutes I was dead and even if I lived was expected to have suffered brain damage.

“But I’m very much alive and sitting here talking now. Someone up there was watching over me.

“On the morn i ng of the ga me I prayed with my father and asked God to protect me — and he didn’t let me

down. We’d travelled down for the match by train on Friday. On Saturday my dad called me at the team hotel and we prayed together like we always do before games.

“We weren’t saying prayers as such but I remember asking for God’s protection – it’s something that we often do on the phone.”

Muamba’s life was saved by Dr Andrew Deaner, a cardiologist and Tottenham fan who leapt from his seat in the crowd and rushed to help. Dr Deaner organised paramedics resuscitating him, then insisted he was rushed directly to the London Chest Hospital for the best possible specialist care.

Muamba, 24, told The Sun: “It was pure chance that Dr Deaner was in the crowd. I owe him everything. He is the reason I have been able to hold my baby son again and continue my life.

“It’s odd when I look at pictures of what happened now because at the time I was out of it and had no idea what was going on. But in lots of pictures I see the doctor there taking care of me on the pitch. I would not be alive today if he’d not been at the game.”

It took 15 defibrillator shocks from paramedics – two on the pitch and 13 in the ambulance – to spark life back into Muamba’s body.