New Wine Magazine - Issue 64 - April 2016

magazine

CONNECTING. EQUIPPING. GROWING.

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# 64

publication.

March 2016 Lighting up the city Tim Hughes shares the fun and the ‘freak outs’ of planting a new church in Birmingham city centre p.22

Help reach Asia with the love of Jesus Sponsor a national missionary

1 dot = 50,000 people Blue = Christians Red = Unreached people

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15) But 2000 years later, more than 2 billion go directly to the mission field. people still haven’t heard of Jesus’ love for We have the opportunity to change lives them. You can be a part of changing that. in Asia, but only for a short time. For It takes only £25 a month to help enable 80,000 people, this will be their last day a national missionary to serve full-time to on earth and their life will end without reach an unreached village—a fraction of ever hearing the Gospel. We can make a the cost of traditional missionaries. And choice today that will change the fate of 100% of your sponsorship donations will those who have yet to hear forever.

Map used with permission from Operation World

Missionary Packet

Choose your missionary at:

gfauk.org/sponsor or 0161 946 9484

PO Box 316, Manchester, M22 2DJ infouk@gfa.org 0161 946 9484 Registration Number: 3433617 Registered Charity Number: 1064738

magazine Issue 64 Want FREE copies of the New Wine Magazine for your church? Email us at: info@new-wine.org Would you like to advertise?

0208 799 3771 advertising@new-wine.org The next edition will be published in November 2016.

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Managing Editor James Dwyer Commissioning Editor Lucy Avery Advertising Amy Tsang

Welcome One of the defining characteristics of God’s people is their desire and willingness to dream big. Through the audacious dreams of faithful Christians throughout the years communities have been transformed, individuals empowered and the gospel spread in powerful and unexpected ways. The foundation of all these dreams is a firm belief that through God, all things are possible.

This edition of the New Wine Magazine is packed with stories of people dreaming big. Whether it’s the work of International Justice Mission to fight the sex trafficking industry (p.44), Tim and Rachel Hughes’ new church plant in Birmingham (p.18), Mark Batterson’s encouragement to pray big prayers (p.24) or the faith of Christians in Lebanon (p.14), what unites all these people is a passion to dream big, to ask God for the unimaginable and to persistently call on him to break into our world with his light and shine it in the darkest places.

Creative Jonny Taylor

Our prayer is that this issue would inspire you to dream big, and to ask God to do the unimaginable.

Print Halcyon

With every blessing,

Peace in the valley –14

Get In Touch Find us: 4a Ridley Avenue Ealing London W13 9XW Phone us: 020 8567 6717 Email us: mag@new-wine.org Visit our website: new-wine.org

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FEATURES

Empowering a new generation Our vision to help young adults explore God’s call on their lives 6 Encounters with God Powerful testimonies of blessing at some of our recent events 10 Thinking outside the box How a shared love of board games formed a community 12 Peace in the valley Eddie Lyle visits churches in Lebanon who are reaching out to Syrian refugees 14 Dreaming big Find out how Mark Batterson learned to ask God for the seemingly impossible 18 Lighting up the city Tim Hughes shares the fun and the ‘freak outs’ of planting a new church in Birmingham city centre 20

Made for a purpose What were you born to do?

Zoe Dickinson suggests how to discover your calling 24 Help through the dark times Will Van Der Hart explores how churches can help remove the stigma of mental illness 28

Outward-looking church –34

Love in abundance Kate Patterson invites us to discover The Aaronic Blessing in the book of Numbers for ourselves 42 A fight for their rights Terry Tennens shares how persisitence is paying off in the fight against sex trafficking 44

A different way of living Jo Herbert shares her journey of coming to see her everyday life as an act of worship 30

GOLD Sam Bailey shares his inspiration for his latest project GOLD 49

Outward-looking church James Harding examines the theology of ministering to the wider community 34

A letter from John Coles Finding the courage to carry on 4

Doing what Jesus did Gary Weston reports on an exciting and encouraging trip to South India 36

Upcoming Events Conferences and events happening soon, including local training days 9

Community service Learn about three award-winning community projects originating in New Wine churches 38

Recommended Resources Books and music that offer healing, inspiration and encouragement 50

REGULARS

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Dear Friends Winston Churchill, one of the greatest leaders in British history, is reputed to have said, ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.’

These words can be applied to all sorts of areas of life. I need to remember them more often when playing golf. I occasionally hit a great shot, only to discover at the next hole that my success was not final! I may have deluded myself, but I am unlikely to delude others, or my scorecard. But at the same time my terrible shots need not prove fatal – they are often redeemed by a little more application, another attempt or simply ‘luck’!

They are true in our personal Christian lives too. A preacher, evangelist, pastor, healer, or prophet knows that, even if she has been used by God fruitfully and greatly appreciated one day, fruitfulness on the next God-given opportunity is not guaranteed. Similarly, to feel that one has ‘bombed’ in a moment of witnessing, praying for or counselling someone doesn’t mean that we are doomed to permanent ‘failure’.

It’s also true in our local church life. Sometimes we find ourselves marvelling at the grace, compassion, prayerfulness, friendliness and Christ-like godliness shown by our church community; and we know that any unbeliever we introduce will be welcomed, loved and gently persuaded into faith in Jesus.

At other times we are shocked by the judgemental attitude, un-Christ-like behaviour, and apparent hypocrisy of people around us in our churches, and fear that no-one will ever follow Jesus if that is what followers of Jesus are like.

However, failure in our own lives, the lives of others, or the corporate life of the church is not fatal. We worship a God who is so loving that he loves them even while they are his enemies (Romans 8), and so powerful that he even raises the dead! God is so committed to reconciling the world to himself that he continues to use imperfect people like you and me and our churches despite our weaknesses and failures. God is not looking primarily for successful people – he looking for humility, a willingness to learn, and a willingness to continue whatever.

We live in a permanent spiritual battle, and consequently nothing is achieved without a cost; we all get wounded from time to time. I believe God wants to make us into the sort of people who will ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’, whatever is happening around us. The original poster with those words was produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for the Second World War, and was deliberately designed to raise the morale of the British public.

I believe God similarly wants to raise the morale of the church in the UK so that we will be people who have the courage to continue, no matter what we face.

So let’s pray for each other as Paul prayed for the Christians in Rome: ‘I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)’ Your friend

“Alternative energy is not the wave of the future.

It’s the necessity of today.”

— Simone Lodine, CEO, KinetEco, Inc.

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John Coles on behalf of the National Leadership Team and the Regional Directors

OUR VISION AND VALUES NEW WINE’S VISION To see the nation changed through Christians experiencing the joy of worshipping God, the freedom of following Jesus, and the power of being filled with the Spirit.

To see churches renewed, strengthened and planted, living out the word of God in every aspect of life, serving God by reaching the lost, broken and poor, and demonstrating the good news of the kingdom of God to all.

NEW WINE’S VALUES Continuity & Change – we want to be faithful guardians of an unchanging message about the person and work of Jesus, and the need for personal salvation and sanctification, while also adapting ways of worship, teaching, being church and doing mission according to culture and context.

Cross & Resurrection – we want to honour all that Jesus has done for us on the cross, and to embrace the way of the cross for ourselves, while also knowing the power of his resurrection to set us free.

Gracious & Truthful – we want to be kind and generous in the way we think and speak about others whether they agree or disagree with us, while also clearly communicating what we believe and why we believe it.

Leadership & Every-member Ministry – we want to train and deploy anointed, courageous and missional church leaders, while also equipping every Christian to serve like Jesus in their home, church, work and life-place.

DO YOU HAVE A JOB VACANCY TO FILL?

THERE’S A SUCCESSFUL ‘FIND A JOB’ SERVICE ON THE NEW WINE WEBSITE.

Mission & Community – we want to see the church become a missionary movement to love and reach the lost, to care for the poor and to bring justice to our homes, neighbourhoods, workplaces and nations, while also being a grace-filled community in which people can find relationship, healing, faith, hope and love.

Natural & Supernatural – we want to see every Christian using all the natural reason, wisdom and skill that they can, while also learning to operate in the supernatural gifts of the Spirit to minister to others in love and power as Jesus did.

Now & Not yet of the Kingdom – we want to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God and to see that confirmed by miraculous signs and wonders, while also ministering grace to all, knowing that suffering will be part of life until Jesus returns and makes all things new.

Transcendence & Presence – we want to live lives that celebrate God’s awesome power, transcendent majesty and sovereign work, while at the same time experiencing his intimate presence as we encounter him in heartfelt worship.

Unity & Diversity – we want to work with everyone who holds these values in open, mutually accountable friendship, while also acknowledging and honouring differences in leadership style, church characteristics and denominational emphasis.

Word & Spirit – we want to derive all we believe, teach and do from the Bible as the written word of God, while also learning to hear and obey the voice of the Spirit speaking to us individually and collectively.

HOW CAN I HELP CHANGE THIS NATION? New Wine is a movement of churches working together to do just that! This includes working with our network of church leaders, hosting national gatherings, delivering training events and providing resources.

Find a Job gives churches (and other organisations) a quick and easy way to advertise jobs, with access to a large target audience.

You can use this service to advertise church leaders’ appointments, as well as all other roles within the church (including worship, youth, children’s and community work, internships, managerial, administrators and other support roles).

If you would like to help us change our nation - and are prepared to support us financially for as little as £3 per month - we would love you to become a New Wine Friend.

TO SIGN UP, VISIT iends

www.new-wine.org/fr

new-wine.org/jobs

To sign up, visit

www.new-wine.org/friends 5

INVESTSPECIFIC AD THREE-DAY MINISTRY INTENSIVES

10–12 MAY 2016

INCREASING LEADERS’ EFFECTIVENESS IN HELPING OTHERS TO COME TO A GROWING FAITH IN JESUS TRAINING LEADERS IN AN AREA OF MINISTRY WHERE THEY ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED, OR AN AREA THEY SENSE A CALLING TOWARDS TRAINING A GENERATION OF YOUNG LEADERS TO TRANSFORM THEIR NATION

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#nwinvest invest.new-wine.org

EMPOWERING A NEW GENERATION

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n 2009 The Evangelical Alliance called 18–30s the ‘missing generation’ in the church. Gareth Dickinson explains New Wine’s vision to invest in young adults and help them explore God’s call on their lives

Over the last few years New Wine has made a commitment to identify new younger leaders, equip them for life as followers of Jesus and raise them up into leadership within the movement.

In September 2012 we started the Discipleship Year (DY), an 11-month internship programme for 18–24s based in local churches. The aim of DY remains to help young adults discover God’s call on their lives and begin to grow in that calling through serving in the local church.

The next strategic step in New Wine’s growing commitment to young adults is a more intentional investment in those who are exploring or demonstrating leadership in their communities, at their workplaces or in their churches. So at United 2015, we launched INVEST. The vision is twofold: • Gathering young leaders to live radical and reckless lives committed to the cause of God’s kingdom.

• Training a generation of young leaders to transform their nation.

INVEST is about us identifying, raising up and encouraging a generation in this nation whom God is asking to take up the call of advancing his Kingdom in the world. We recognise that some young leaders are often hidden or currently unknown leaders within the church, so we’re investing in obscurity for the long haul, for the sake of the gospel in this nation.

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At the time of writing there are three dynamics to INVEST:

INVEST Young Leaders Summit

This is a large gathering in January each year of young leaders in the movement who are under 30. It is also attended by some of the senior New Wine leadership team and the Regional Directors.

The summit is a key place to connect with emerging leaders in church and culture, with space to build relationships that lead to regular input and inspiration throughout the year. In January 2016 we were joined by keynote speakers Rachel Gardner (founder of national youth charity Romance Academy), Karl Martin (lead pastor of Central Church, Edinburgh) and Steve Nicholson (senior pastor of Evanston Vineyard, Chicago).

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INVEST Bootcamps

These are three-day intensive training around key ministry areas.

We will be holding the first two on Communication & Preaching and Evangelism on 10–12 May 2016. These are opportunities to explore gifting, create space for new thinking and ways of living out the individual callings God has for this generation so that they will go further in advancing God’s kingdom in the world.

invest.new-wine.org

In January we launched the INVEST website, written by young leaders for young leaders, as a resource and encouragement to this generation. It’s well worth a visit and pointing others to.

Gareth Dickinson Gareth is the New Wine National Gatherings Director and on the INVEST leadership team.

He is a pastor at Trinity Cheltenham

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New Wine hosts a range of events and conferences, including local meetings arranged by New Wine network groups, that are held all over the UK

APRIL 2016 Leaders Time Out 10–14 April 2016 Trinity Cheltenham New Wine Women: Splendour 23 April 2016 Harrogate International Centre Kids Workers Training Day 23 April 2016 Foundation of Life Church, Ashill

MAY 2016 Kids Workers Training Day 7 May 2016 Holy Trinity Church, Leicester 21 May 2016 Christ Church Purley Invest Bootcamps 10–12 May 2016 Trinity Cheltenham

LOCAL EVENTS Be Healed and Stay Healed Training Day With Ed Rocha 21 April 2016 St Paul’s, St Albans Increasing your Anointing Training Day/ Healing Service With Ed Rocha 22 April 2016 St Paul’s, St Albans

local events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Living a Supernatural Life Training Day With Ed Rocha 23 April 2016 St Paul’s, St Albans Encountering God and releasing a supernatural ministry 27 April 2016 St Mary’s Loughton Reignite Mentoring Group 5 May 2016 Christ Church, Purley Learning to Heal–Day 2 11 June 2016 St Mark’s Wigan

JULY–AUGUST 2016

The Father’s Heart Weekend 24-26 June 2016 Fountain of Life Church, Ashill

United National Gatherings Week 1: Saturday 23–Friday 29 July Week 2: Sunday 31 July–Saturday 6 August Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet

New Wine Network Celebration With John McGinley 3 July 2016 Christ the King, Kettering Reignite Mentoring Group 5 July 2016 Christ Church, Purley

OCTOBER 2016 New Wine Women: Splendour 8 October 2016 Westminster Central Hall, London

NOVEMBER 2016 Women and Leadership 10–12 November 2016 Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire

INSPIRE – a local New Wine gathering 19-23 August 2016 Thirsk, North Yorkshire Learning to hear God's voice– prophecy training day 17 September 2016 Emmanuel, Fazakerley

New Wine Network Celebration 25 September 2016 Christ the King, Kettering

New Wine Celebration 4 October 2016 Christ Church, Aughton, Liverpool

These are just some of our local events. For a full list including local New Wine Network meetings please see new-wine.org/events/local

For further details see our website new-wine.org/events

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Away for a day Fresh perspective ‘I had not really viewed myself as a leader before, but as a classroom teacher who has pastoral responsibility for a group of teenagers and is privileged to occasionally share my faith by leading assemblies, I suddenly realised how much God works through me. I’ve completely changed my attitude to my role at work. I realised how much God has been doing through me and, if I am a bit more open and lean more on him, what amazing things he is going to achieve.’

INVEST LEADERS SUMMIT

‘The day was just what I needed to get away from the parish and be re-envisioned and reignited for the task of continuing to grow a difficult and challenging church with so much potential and to step out into new areas of ministry that the Lord is opening up!’

REIGNITE -Regional Training Days

The whole package ‘Yet again I was really blessed by faithful people being vulnerable and being there for each other. Awesome prayer ministry–really good teaching that related to my context. Open to comments and words too!’

URBAN FORUM

ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD When we make space for God he meets with us!

Here are just some of the stories you’ve shared with us of experiencing revelation, healing and blessing at our events A timely revelation New insight ‘Talking with a few others at the event was encouraging. It was a really useful refresher with some new insights into leadership and vision.’

REIGNITE -Regional Training Days

‘This was a timely revelation for the season my wife and I are journeying through with the church we lead. Helpful, honest, real and practical help for the challenging task of leading people through times of transition.’

REIGNITE -Regional Training Days

Never alone ‘I went for prayer when those who felt ‘abandoned’ were asked to come forward. A lovely lady prayed for me and said that God was always waiting for me sat on a rock in a clearing. He was my ‘knight in shining armour’. I felt that this picture replaced a negative picture which came to me through a counselling exercise, that when I was very young no-one was there for me. God said he had always been there.’

SPLENDOUR

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Meaningful words ‘I was lifted as soon as I heard everyone’s voices with mine, praising the Lord. I felt the Holy Spirit alive with us. A lady stopped me and said she had some words for me... I can’t tell you how meaningful they were. The day was both transforming and motivating. It was so moving to hear that other Christian women have similar life issues as me. The day has mended some broken bits of me and I can’t wait for more!’

SPLENDOUR

Sharing challenges ‘I found the speakers helpful and relevant but most of all it was good to be with other people who understand what it is like to work in some of the most challenging communities in this country (without having to constantly explain things, feel odd, or feel like I am showing off with ‘horror stories’)’.

URBAN FORUM

Joy restored

‘The summit was wonderful in every respect! The venue and food, the excellent teaching, the opportunity to meet up with great friends and to make new ones, the prayer ministry, prophecy, and time to meet with God. I arrived feeling disheartened after a particularly difficult few months in my role, but I left with my joy restored and a real hope for the future. The teaching was inspirational and provided a great deal of food for thought and prayer.’

KIDS LEADERS SUMMIT

Moving closer ‘I have been battling with depression and feeling distanced from God. During the weekend I was prayed for and received a message which has changed my whole situation. I have been reminded of how much God loves me, but also that I have been holding onto the issues that have caused my mental health struggles. I am now working on those and feel closer than ever to God. I still have healing to go through, but I can see the path that I am on more clearly. The weekend changed my life!’

SPLENDOUR

Strength in numbers

Seeing things differently

‘I was uplifted, affirmed and encouraged. It was awesome to hear men singing and powerfully proclaiming the name of Jesus. It was great to see visually that we’re not on our own.’

CONFIDENT & STRONG

‘There was just the right balance between worship/ encounter/resting in God’s presence and teaching. The afternoon spare time was vital for quiet head space to let it all percolate through. I was restored in faith and vision and delighted by meeting wonderfully with my Father and hearing him speak. Great to spend time with people who are serving faithfully. Excited to catch a glimpse of a larger movement of God in children’s ministry. I am seeing the children in our church with new eyes.’

KIDS LEADERS SUMMIT

Made right ‘I had never been to an event like this before and I felt the Holy Spirit so powerfully I didn’t want to leave. So many of the speakers put into words the feelings I had but didn’t know how to express them. I didn’t even realise that I was ‘broken’, I just knew I didn’t feel right with myself or God. I now know that I am forgiven and that Jesus is leading me down his pathway. He is there beside me and I will, day by day, get closer to him.’

SPLENDOUR

A special atmosphere ‘There’s something special about a church packed with guys, all worshipping Jesus. A great experience!’

CONFIDENT & STRONG

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THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

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n our culture of increasing isolation, people are longing for community. Alex Rayment shares how a conversation in a comic book store led to a new gathering in his church based on a shared love of board games

I have worked in churches for nearly a decade and as an extrovert evangelist I love nothing more than going to a new place, meeting new people and being part of their journey towards Christ. However, I live in Cheltenham, which is home to GCHQ (a listening service for the Government) and the University of Gloucestershire. I mention this because many members of our church are computer and data analysts or students studying subjects like computer games design and animal biology. Generally speaking these wonderful people gain their energy alone, away from people like me.

This presents a dilemma. I take the commandment of Jesus in Matthew 28:18 seriously but every form of ‘disciple making’ I had in my tool belt were mainly activities that at the end of a busy day would terrify an introvert, who needs to ‘recharge in solitude’ (for more on this read The Introvert Charismatic by Mark Tanner).

Whether it’s an evening course, a social outreach project or an evangelistic service, all are often fronted by confident extroverts and tailored towards like-minded people. International TableTop Day on 11 April 2015 changed this for me.

Seeing opportunities

11 April 2015 was the third International TableTop Day, when all over the globe people meet together for several hours of playing board games. I only know this because I am a geek! After spending some time in a local comic book store that sold games, I struck up a relationship with the owner and I saw a poster advertising International TableTop Day. Looking around, I noticed that with only one table in the store. It was going to be a bit of a squeeze!

I suggested to him that we at St Paul’s Church help out. We are only down the road and have space for at least 15 tables! He agreed.

After some flyers were made up and it was advertised online, I set up on the day with absolutely no idea of how many to expect.

Making connections

On the day, 75 people walked through our doors. Some had travelled from as far away as North Wales and Cardiff. One guy came in looking excited. Looking at our collection, he told me with glee that he owned half of what we had but said with wide open eyes, “this will be the first time I get to play with other people”.

Those words hit me like a punch to the stomach. Imagine being so socially anxious that you would possess a collection of games that were intended to be played with others and yet you could not make that final step. A family came in and took the classic game Mouse Trap from our collection to play. As they left, the father came up to me, shook my hand and said that it was the first time they’d had family time since Christmas.

A computer programmer came to play. I picked a board game to teach him. As we were playing I asked him a couple of questions about his background and family life. He told me he had been kicked out of home aged 17 because he was not able to contribute financially to the household. He then had his name changed by deed poll so as to be removed from his family permanently. He told me he had no real friends or family and ‘floats around like driftwood’. Another board game companion on that day told me he was a stay-at-home dad as his partner works from home as a freelance writer. They had come to Cheltenham for University and stayed but their friends and family had moved further away.

Building a community

People gathered that day, not for a celebration of geekiness, but because they were searching for community. Since that day we have been running monthly board game days, now called The BoardRoom. Around 40 people come each month and we do what we do with any guest: give them a good cup of coffee and get to know them.

The computer programmer has been coming every month and is part of our community, helping to set up and pack down. He has become a genuine friend to a lot of us. Others have got involved in our parent-toddler groups at church. The stay-at home-dad has become one of my greatest friends and co-conspirators in this! We have met up nearly every week since that first day and he and his partner have become active members of the church community.

We will have the privilege of marrying them this summer.

A gathering point

We’ve witnessed the development of what looks close to a ‘missional community’ or ‘fresh expression of church’ using a niche hobby as the gathering point. We have met some truly unique characters, built an awesome team and are seeing people’s live change as they are introduced to our church community.

While the lynchpin to all of this is a very specific interest, I think the values can be widely applied. Take that which you love, immerse yourself in the community, be the love of Jesus there and be open to the Holy Spirit guiding your conversations and interactions.

As you go into that specific subculture whether it is knitting, golf, blogging, art, water polo, parkour; “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:8). As we begin to think outside our walls, let’s think outside the box.

Alex Rayment Alex is a second year ordinand at St Mellitus and is training at St Paul’s Church, Cheltenham. He co-leads New Wine Youth at Week 2 of the United National Gathering. Visit shuffleandplay.co.uk for more on the values of The BoardRoom.

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TEACHING

PEACE IN THE VALLEY

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quarter of the population of Lebanon is made up of refugees from neighbouring Syria. In December Eddie Lyle, President of Open Doors, visited churches in the Beqaa Valley, 20km east of Beirut, to see how they are overcoming prejudice and showing compassion to families in desperate need.

As my flight from London to Beirut slices its way through heavy rain-laden clouds, I know I will soon be walking where a few days ago an IS bomb left yet more scars on individual lives and a world community still reeling after the Paris atrocities of 13 November.

I’m a frequent traveller to this part of the world.

New Wine is a movement of churches working together to change nations. If ever there was a crucible to ground test the validity of such a vision I might find it here. I’m here to witness how the Lebanese churches are responding to the challenge of 1.5 million refugees from Syria and Iraq.

Small church, big vision

As the sun rises I journey though driving rain and sleet into the Beqaa Valley. I arrive in a town where the leaders of a small church have kindly agreed to meet me. It was birthed nine years ago from a small group of 12 seekers who became followers of Jesus thanks to a young evangelist from Beirut. The evangelist is now their bi-vocational pastor. I’ll call him Pastor Jamal (a pseudonym for security reasons). This ex-child soldier who had served in combat in the Christian militia and been held prisoner and tortured by Syrian invading forces is now at the forefront of a church building project that is well under way.

Rising out of the foundations of a car park that this fledgling congregation has bought by faith, the original meeting hall is now surrounded by scaffolding and has been turned into several classrooms. This morning over 140 mostly Muslim children are in attendance. The school supports two shifts of children each day and numerous other community initiatives. Staffed by Christian Syrian refugee teachers, Pastor Jamal and his wife, the school is fast gaining a reputation for excellence in education and has a three digit waiting list of children whose fathers have either been killed in the war or are on the road to Europe in the hope of finding a better future.

Overcoming fear

I then meet one of the elders of the church who is de-facto Head of Emergency Relief including the church’s food bank. He enters the

meeting with 178 waiting calls on his phone from refugees looking for help. Like everywhere else good news travels fast. Pastor Jamal explains, “As Christians, we couldn’t look the other way while they suffered. We couldn’t follow Jesus and ignore the plight of these desperate refugees. So we had to overcome our fears and share the love of Christ through practical action like providing food, bedding, heaters and schooling for young children. It has not been easy, but God has broken down barriers between communities and encouraged both Christians and Muslims to see each other in a more compassionate light.”

Answers to prayer

“Last Sunday our church was filled with those who have come to Christ, or who are seeking for truth” says Pastor Jamal. “They might never have darkened our door, had it not been for the fact that they have been touched by the love of Christ. We are witnessing healings, and wonderful answers to prayer.” One woman veiled in her hijab tells me, “Your God answers my prayers, that’s why I now serve him. He is my Saviour, my friend, my provider, the lover of my soul”. The look on Pastor Jamal’s face as he listens to this eloquent testimony says everything. In the background drill guns are putting the final touches to a new industrial kitchen that will be used to provide a nutritious hot meal for hundreds of children attending weekend activities. It’s yet another powerful Spirit-led intervention. If you lived in a frozen tent or a converted chicken shack wouldn’t you appreciate some fun and entertainment?

I was able to pray with this ministry team and give them some resources for their personal encouragement, but in reality I think that I was the one being ministered to. Here were people who had lost family and loved ones at the hands of an invader and who had endured shelling from Syria for weeks on end, now serving refugees from Syria.

From struggle to action

Over the coming days I meet many heroes. Twenty-first century Good Samaritans who could not pass by in the face of this humanitarian catastrophe. Nabil Costa, Executive Director of Open Doors Partner ministry in Lebanon, recently wrote, ‘Will they [refugees] change your way of life and culture? Or take your homes, jobs or benefits? What if they are economic migrants? Could generosity compromise national security? Could religious freedom be at risk? I understand these concerns. For four years in my home country of Lebanon we have faced these fears, lived through these experiences, and are still struggling with these questions. A quarter of our population is now Syrian refugees. We are struggling

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TEACHING

‘We were afraid of helping Muslims. We soon realised that most refugees are innocent people who were living in peace and have nothing to do with conflict’ to ensure that they get food and shelter. At first, Christians in Lebanon were afraid of helping the fleeing Syrians. We were afraid of helping Muslims. We soon realised that most refugees are innocent people who were living in peace and have nothing to do with conflict’.

Churches with no walls

All too soon my journey is over. So many faces. So many stories. I have seen only a brief snapshot of what God is doing in Lebanon.

But what I see are leaders with open hearts to the purposes of God. Men and women who are willing to overcome their prejudices and fears, and willing to be willing. Lebanon’s churches with no walls have something to teach us. Without a doubt a nation is being changed and the church of Jesus Christ is at the forefront

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of that change process. One day these refugees will return to a very different Syria. Many will return having had an encounter with the authentic gospel of Jesus Christ. The rest must lie in the hands of an Almighty God who surely has a purpose for that embattled nation.

Find out how your Church can partner with the persecuted church at opendoorsuk.org/partnerchurch

Eddie Lyle Eddie is President of Open Doors, an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches worldwide. Visit opendoorsuk.org to find out more about their work.

One of the pastors I met in Lebanon wrote this letter to Europe’s church leaders:

Dear pastors in Europe, Greetings in Christ.

We are at a very critical period of time concerning the refugees flooding into your countries. You have a golden opportunity. You can either choose to take it or lose it.

The families arriving on your shores are broken, wounded, and needy. A warm welcome may change their perspectives and beliefs in no time. They are fleeing from the tyranny of Islam and are really struggling with their convictions.

They grew up with the mentality that they were the best people and religion ever established upon the earth and are brainwashed into thinking that all others are lost. They were never allowed to question or doubt this. It all came from “God”.

Now is the time to act. Now is the time to wake up with new energy and armed with real spiritual weapons. Use prayer, faith, evangelism, social aid, and much love.

Muslims are the victims of Islam. They need someone to open their eyes and liberate them. You don't need to send missionaries any more. They are at your doorsteps. Build relationships with them, one family at a time, not in big groups.

Let them see the true face of Christianity. The Christianity of worshipping God in spirit, not the Christianity of idols. The Christianity of families dedicated to God, not the Christianity of immoral values. The Christianity with demonstrated power of the Holy Spirit, not the Christianity of lukewarm churches. The Christianity of the Europe of revival, not the Europe of atheism. Our Lord is still on the throne.

Thank You! Thanks to the generosity of delegates at the United National Gatherings in 2015 and other supporters, Open Doors is working through local churches and partners to support over 24,000 families in Syria and Iraq. They are providing emergency food supplies, hygiene kits, medicines and fuel subsidies as well as long-term support for families such as trauma counselling, small loans to help displaced Christians start small businesses and Bibles and discipleship training to strengthen their faith.

Muslims are not our enemies. They are our beloved brothers in humanity with many wonderful Middle Eastern traditions. They are generous in hospitality, merciful to the poor, and emotionally tied to their families and communities. Hurry up and take care of them before they embrace Islam (more deeply).

History will one day witness that God in his wisdom has sent to you the hungry to give them food, the thirsty to give them a drink, the stranger to take in, and the naked to clothe. How will you respond? Some of them will take advantage of you for sure, but others will fall in love with your God. Break the language barriers and use dedicated Arabic speaking Christians in your countries. Break the cultural barriers and try to understand a Muslim’s mind. Ask the help of some outreach teams from the Arab world for short term ministry. You have a wonderful opportunity.

I beg you to open your eyes before it becomes too late.

A burdened pastor in the Middle East

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DREAMING BIG

M

ark Batterson leads National Community Church (NCC) in Washington DC, a multisite church with 10 services at seven locations as well as a coffeehouse on Capitol Hill. Learn more about the man with a vision for 20 expressions of NCC by 2020

How did God call you into church leadership?

When I was 19 years old, I was doing a prayer walk through a cow pasture when I felt God calling me into full-time ministry.

I gave up a full scholarship at the University of Chicago, where I was playing basketball and majoring in pre-law, and transferred to Central Bible College. I started preaching every opportunity I could find.

What led you to Washington DC?

It was actually a failed church plant in Chicago that led my wife Lora and me to DC. We had no guaranteed salary and no place to live, but we packed up a trailer and moved there by faith. God put us in a position to influence influencers, which we love.

Why do you think NCC has grown so much in the last 20 years?

We tend to overestimate what we can accomplish, but we underestimate what God can accomplish. Growth didn’t come fast or easy for the first five years. But I believe in long obedience in the same direction. If you keep doing the right things day in and day out, God is going to show up and show off. I also attribute it to an amazing staff, a free market system of small groups, an outreachorientation, and a focus on making our weekend experiences as good as they can possibly be. That combination has led to growth.

What do you think is key to reaching the emerging generations?

NCC is more than 50% 20-somethings. What we’ve discovered is that they are cause-oriented and want a hands-on faith. We’re building a Dream Center in the inner-city of DC, dedicated to meeting both tangible and spiritual needs in our city. I also think our commitment to excellence is a factor. We believe the church should be the most creative place on the planet, and that comes through in our worship, preaching, and media elements.

Can you tell us more about The Dream Center?

It will be focused on serving the poor and the disenfranchised and being a place of reconciliation and refuge. The statistics for crime, educational failure, fatherless and HIV/AIDS in Washington DC are off the charts. The Dream Center is our way of saying, ‘Not on our watch!’ There are a hundred monuments in DC, but this is going to be a living monument to what God can do when we love people the way Jesus did. Situated in one of the forgotten parts of our city, the Dream Center will serve a community where up to 43% of people use food stamps, unemployment rate is as high as 20.8%, and 49% of children are living in poverty

What are you most excited about in the life of NCC at the moment?

We want to grow more so we can give more. This coming year we’ll take 34 mission trips and hopefully cross the $2 million mark in annual missions giving. That’s our heartbeat. And, of course, there is nothing like someone getting saved. That is the week in and week out miracle.

Why do you think The Circle Maker was a New York Times bestseller?

When I wrote the book, I had a hunch that God was going to use it to spark prayer movements. I think the story of Honi the Circle Maker–a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people–is incredibly inspiring, and the simplicity of circling helped frame prayer in a new way. I also think Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge has helped churches launch 40 day prayer campaigns that have rallied entire congregations around the idea of prayer.

‘If you keep doing the right things day in and day out, God is going to show up and show off’ What are you currently drawing a prayer circle around?

God recently gave us an amazing piece of property – the Blue Castle on Capitol Hill. I first circled it in prayer 19 years ago, and I believe God gave it to us then! But we’re circling it now in hopes of stewarding it for God’s kingdom. We have the opportunity to do something special in Washington DC, something that will still be making a difference 100 years from now. I’m also circling our 2020 vision, which is 20 expressions of NCC by the year 2020.

We’re more than half way there, but we’ve got a long way to go!

Mark was the keynote speaker at the New Wine Leadership Conference 1–3 March. Visit new-wine.org to watch/listen to his talks.

Mark Batterson Mark is Lead Pastor of National Community Church (NCC) in Washington DC. He is the author of a dozen books including The Circle Maker, a New York Times bestseller.

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LIGHTING UP THE CITY

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n 2015 Tim Hughes and his family moved from London to lead a new church plant in Birmingham city centre. He explains the vision behind it and the thrill of having to depend on God

How did this new venture come about?

A couple of years ago David Urquhart, the Bishop of Birmingham, approached Nicky Gumbel, vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), to explore partnering with HTB in a vision to plant a new resource church in the heart of Birmingham city centre. I had recently finished my ordination training and having grown up in Birmingham, Nicky asked my wife Rachel and I whether we’d be interested in pursuing this possibility.

We were unsure but thought it was at least worth a conversation.

When we met with David and heard the size of the vision we got really excited. Walking around the city centre we were blown away by the energy and buzz. Demographically Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe and like most cities there is so much need, but we were so struck by the life and possibilities. We prayed a simple prayer, ‘Lord if the doors keep on opening, then we’ll keep on walking.’ And so here we are, now living in Birmingham in a new chapter in our lives.

‘What we are stepping into feels intimidating, but wildly exciting’ What was it like stepping into the unknown and doing something new?

The last few months have been a roller-coaster. Rach and I have never felt more alive or invigorated in our faith. At the same time we’ve never felt more out of our depth and aware of our limitations.

What’s the vision for St Luke’s Gas Street?

As part of the vision the Diocese of Birmingham have bought an amazing building on Gas Street right in the cultural heart of the city. It’s an old Gas Retort House, which in years gone by was used

to generate gas that would be used to light up the street lamps in the area. It has provided us with a wonderful story and metaphor of what we would love to see: that this building, which once brought about light for the city, would once again house a community of believers that would carry an everlasting light … the light of the world (John 8:12). That is our vision as a church, to be ‘light for the city.’ We are joining with other churches in Birmingham to bring light to the darkness.

Gas Street is right off Broad Street, where every Friday and Saturday night 30,000-plus young people hit the clubs and bars. We’re believing that God will do something extraordinary among this group. Could we see a revival among this demographic who are largely absent from our churches in the UK? I love what Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina writes in Sun Stand Still, ‘If the size of your vision for your life isn’t intimidating to you, there’s a good chance it’s insulting to God.’ What we are stepping into feels intimidating, but wildly exciting. The vision we are running with is too big for us, but not too big for God.

What are you enjoying most?

We are loving the sense of community that is building. At the start of the process Rach said that she felt God would surprise us with the people who would join us. God has certainly done this. We can’t believe the quality of people he has placed around us. We were so humbled that about 30 people, including kids, moved up from London to relocate and join us in the adventure. We’ve also seen the most amazing people from Birmingham and nearby join with us. We have loved getting to know people and see others catch the vision and stand alongside us in reaching out to the city of Birmingham.

What are some of the challenges and how have you dealt with them?

There have been so many challenges, but that’s part of the fun.

Everything feels hand to mouth at the moment. There are no established structures in place. Everyone has to pitch in; setting up chairs, running kids teams, serving coffee and praying. It’s raw and messy but beautiful.

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‘There are no established structures in place.

Everyone has to pitch in; setting up chairs, running kids teams, serving coffee and praying’ One of the biggest challenges has been around finances.

With the building bought on Gas Street, we needed to raise £2.3 million to develop it. We’re doing it in phases and just to get the work started, so that we could have a space to meet in, we needed £1 million. That was the main thing keeping me awake at night. How could we raise that amount of money without a large congregation? Miraculously over the last few months we’ve seen the money come in. A few months ago I was having a ‘freak out’ about the finances. I was telling Rach that this was all too much, that we didn't have what it takes and it was going to go horribly wrong. As I was lamenting my phone started ringing. It was a friend saying they wanted to support us in the vision and were donating £25,000. God’s timing is perfect! To date we’ve seen over £1 million come in. There’s a long way to go, but God’s provision and people’s generosity has been mind-blowing.

What’s happening with the Gas Street building?

The first phase of the renovation was completed and launched on 5 February. The potential for the venue as a church and a centre for the city is huge. We’d love to see it filled throughout the week with people who would never usually think to attend a church service. We want to launch a coffee shop, run a music studio for young people, host dance classes, as well as put on parents and kids groups.

Before the launch we were meeting in Jongleurs Comedy Club on Broad Street, the provision of which was miraculous.

We needed a venue to start meeting in and through a conversation with a key person in the city, the club opened their arms wide to us. It’s a stone’s throw from where we will end up and a statement of intent on the vision and kind of people we are looking to reach.

What can we pray for you and the team at St Luke’s Gas Street?

For boldness in stepping out, in being obedient to God, in preaching Jesus, in getting out of the building and onto the streets, and in believing for signs and wonders. We feel on the edge and we long to see God do immeasurably more than we can imagine (Eph 3:20). Also another £1 million would be nice!

Tim Hughes Tim and his wife Rachel are leading St Luke’s Gas Street in Birmingham. Tim also heads up Worship Central, resourcing worship leaders and musicians. He will be leading worship at Week 2 of the United National Gatherings 2016.

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Catch up with all the teaching from the 2016 Leadership Conference at new-wine.org

VIDEO | AUDIO | BLOG 23

MADE FOR A PURPOSE

Pull Quote: ‘What are you passionate about? What makes you feel alive?

If you’re not sure, the answer often lies in the things that give you joy’

W

hat were you put on this earth to do? Change Coach Zoe Dickinson explores how we can discover and live out our calling

again. You’ve got to start by parking all the practical limitations and imagine you could do anything in the world. Find the places or people with whom you dream best.

Calling is one of those words that is used a lot in the church, but if we’re honest many of us don’t understand exactly what it means for our own lives. We can get caught up in the belief that there is one specific calling that we must discover and then everything else will become clear. But as many of us have realised, it’s rarely that simple. Discovering what we are made to do is not a neat process, it is a journey rather than a destination. It’s an exciting, but often messy adventure. So where do we start?

If you could do anything, with no limitations or commitments, what would you do?

Become an expert in what you love doing. Every time you find yourself enjoying something or you’re in an environment you thrive in, make a note of it. These little clues will start to form a picture for you.

Focusing on God

Our primary calling before anything else is to be in relationship with the one that made us. As pastor and author Rick Warren says, ‘Only in God do we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance and our destiny.’ There are lots of practical things we can do to help us find our calling–from seminars, to books, to personality profiles–but we must first start on our knees with the one who made us. We need to invest in our relationship with God above all else. When this is our starting point we find peace in the knowledge that being known and loved

by God is enough. I am not what I do. This focus on who we are becoming (rather than what we’re doing) breathes new life into everything else we do.

‘What are you passionate about? What makes you feel alive? The answer often lies in the things that give you joy’ Unless we understand and live out of our identity in Christ, then discovering our calling can easily become a quest to find meaning and purpose in what we do–what we achieve and the recognition we receive from others for it. We start looking to others for affirmation rather than God. Instead of asking God what he wants you to do, perhaps a better question is who does he want you to be?

Finding your fire

When it comes to understanding what we are designed to do, we often want clarity. We want to know what we are meant to do and where we should start. Often though we don’t need a map, we need a fire. What are you passionate about? What makes you feel alive? The answer often lies in the things that give you joy.

Author and Career Coach Nick Williams writes, ‘Whatever gives us the experience of joy is the signpost to the discovery of the work we were born to do.’ There’s a myth that there is some kind of work or ministry out there that you’ve never tried before that is the solution to your dilemma. The fact is that if you love doing something, you’re probably already doing it somewhere in your life.

At New Wine United 2015 founder of International Justice Mission, Gary Haugen talked about how it began. He recalls sitting around the dinner table with friends and asking each other, if they could do anything with their lives what would they do? He discovered that as he travelled and saw people set free from slavery, ‘something lit up and I followed joy.’ We need to capture the ability to dream

Understanding yourself

Accept and understand how God has made you. Hebrews 12 tells us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us. How liberating to be in a one person race! Unfortunately we often compare ourselves to other people. Comparison lies to us about who we are, who we should be, what we should be good at and how we should invest our time. What if we miss the calling on our own lives because we’re so busy focusing on what God has called and gifted others to do? Spend time understanding how God has made you.

What are some of the skills and roles that come naturally to you? What do people come to you for or thank you for?

If you find answering this question hard, speak to five people who know you well. There are also some great tools out there such as StrengthsFinder and Myers Briggs, which can help you understand who you and are what you naturally do well. Find a career and calling that suits the way God made you and you will thrive.

Taking action

When we’re trying to discover our calling we can often get stuck.

Can you relate to the following pitfalls?

Wanting to know how it’s going to end It’s rarely the case that we know the whole plan. If you want to step into what God’s calling you to do there’s going to be an element of taking a risk. Don’t wait until you’ve got the full picture.

Fear of failure What if I voice this dream and then I fail? What will my family and friends say? One of my favourite songs at the moment is Bethel’s No Longer Slaves, which talks about no longer being a slave to fear.

Following God’s call on your life takes courage and it involves embracing uncertainty. It asks us to let go of perfectionism, control, comparison, oughts and shoulds.

Overthinking We think of all the factors and possibilities, what could go wrong and all the things we need to do. We get paralysed by the enormity of the unknown. Sometimes we just need to do something. It doesn’t mean we need to radically change the whole direction of our life. What one small step could you take this week to explore your gifting, passion and dreams?

If we truly want to see transformation in our communities, organisations, families, country and the nations, we need to identify and develop the gifts we’ve been given by God.

Zoe Dickinson Zoe is a Change Coach, working with people who feel stuck in their life or work, helping them discover who they were created to be and what they were designed to do.

Visit her website at zoedickinson.org

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PCC Tonight A GUIDE TO LEADING A PCC SIX SESSIONS FOR YOUR PCC TO USE INCLUDES OVER 30 DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES

VISIT WWW.CPAS.ORG.UK /PCCTONIGHT TO DISCOVER MORE

PRACTICAL IDEAS ON HOW TO CREATE A DYNAMIC, FUN AND FAITH-FILLED PCC.

New Regional Director for the North West I am delighted to announce the appointment of Gareth Robinson as Regional Director for the movement’s North West region, taking over from Ian Parkinson.

For those of you who don’t know Gareth, he and his wife Lizzy planted Glo Church, a new Anglican church just outside Stockport, in 2010. With a background as a worship leader and songwriter, his involvement in church planting goes back 20 years, and he and Lizzy have been leading missional communities together for around 15 years.

On his appointment Gareth Robinson said: “I am excited and humbled to be taking over as Regional Director for the North West. Like many of you, I am hugely grateful to Ian Parkinson for all his fantastic work, and my prayer is that I can faithfully build on the foundations he has carefully put in place. I believe God is moving in our region, and I want to ensure that we are present and ready to see what he is doing and how we can as a movement can join in. I am also looking forward to working closely with Laura McWilliams, Regional Director for the North East and Yorkshire, as we seek to unify what God is doing in the north of England.”

I am delighted to welcome Gareth to our team of Regional Directors and know you will join me in praying for him as he starts his role.

With love and prayers,

John Coles, Interim Leader, New Wine

Do you want to see your nation changed?

Join New Wine’s free, dynamic and growing network for all those in leadership.

www.new-wine.org/leaders

STORIES

1

in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lifetime – Christians included. Will Van Der Hart explores how we as churches can remove the stigma and shame of mental illness and give practical support to those who are unwell

There has been a noticeable shift in the attitudes of the wider church on issues of mental health in the UK over the last five years.

The stigma that has so often shrouded the suffering of those with mental health problems is starting to lift and open and supportive conversations are springing up across all denominations. The responsibility that we now carry is to ensure that Christians get the best possible treatment. Sadly many well-meaning Christians who are starting to acknowledge mental health problems are also diverting people away from effective treatments for ‘spiritual’ alternatives. This is where we need a strong and integrated approach to mental health treatment.

Changing the culture

Our first step in mental health provision within churches is to create a culture truly hospitable to those who are suffering. This includes the ability to walk with people whose illness may last a lifetime, without allowing them to feel judged, deficient or faithless. It is helpful when churches develop a Pastoral Care Policy that makes special provision for those who are suffering with mental health issues. It can also be helpful to create a psychological focus group including any psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors in your church who can offer advice and signposting when necessary.

Offering early support

The early stages of mental illness are distressing and confusing for both the individual and their family. It can be tempting to pretend that nothing is wrong and this phase ‘will pass’. In fact the reverse is true; early intervention and support provides the best opportunity for recovery and stabilisation of an illness. For most issues the best starting point is with the individual’s own GP and (with their permission) it can be helpful to take them to the appointment.

If a friend or relation is expressing very disturbed behaviour or referencing suicidal ideas, do not delay in taking them directly to your local hospital A&E department or simply calling 999.

Positive about medication

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for mental health recovery indicate that medication and talking therapies provide the best possible treatment for the majority of disorders. Sadly at The Mind and Soul Foundation we are often contacted by Christians who feel a sense of shame for needing this additional support. Church leaders and congregation members can make a huge difference by speaking positively about psychological medications and encouraging regularity in the medication routines of those who need them.

No shame in talking therapy

Most people who are suffering from a mental health problem will benefit from a form of talking therapy. These are greatly varied, from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to psychotherapy, analytical, person centred, integrative, or dialectical. Again when churches speak positively about this form of treatment it hugely reduces the shame that people feel around their illness. Christian counselling is fine, but it is not a ‘better’ alternative to non-religious models. All therapists that a church refers to or encourages the use of should be British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) registered. This is mark of a qualified, competent and accountable therapist.

Help with everyday life

The vast majority of people within church communities who have mental health issues do not need assistance with their treatment directly but will benefit from other sorts of help. The best way to discern what this might be is just to ask, ‘Is there anything I can do to support you in your recovery?’ Different mental health problems cause different symptoms that can interfere with normal functioning. Someone with acute anxiety may not feel confident to go to the supermarket alone and may appreciate being accompanied. A person who is struggling with depression may be very grateful for a person who comes in to do some washing or clean the kitchen. These may seem like insignificant things, but they can make all the difference to someone who is unwell.

‘We need to walk with people whose illness may last a lifetime, without allowing them to feel judged, deficient or faithless’ Sensitivity in prayer Prayer makes a huge difference to people who are struggling with mental illness but it is essential to think about how you are going to pray. A person with a mental illness does not always want you to pray about their health in the same way that a person who is wheelchair bound does not just want you to pray about their disability. Blaming the disabled person for a ‘lack of faith’ for not walking or even suggesting it is a ‘result of a demon possession’ would be outrageous. Sadly this is a common experience for those suffering with mental illness.

When you pray, try to focus on the identity of the person as a son or daughter of God despite their illness. Ask them what they would like prayer for and if they do want prayer for their illness, try to focus on the presence of God with them rather than calling for an immediate healing. It can help to pray very practical prayers like, ‘Father, please help Sarah to take her medication at the same time every day this week.’

Helpful resources

Much of the stigma and suffering Christians with mental health issues experience comes from well-meaning but poorly informed Christians. Fortunately there are some fantastic, free and easy to read resources available to the church today including mentalhealthaccesspack.org which is the go-to resource for all UK churches who wish to support those with mental illness. If you are looking for more comprehensive articles and resources take a look at www.mindandsoul.info

Will Van Der Hart Will is Pastoral Chaplain of HTB in London and Director of The Mind and Soul Foundation, working to support people with emotional and mental health issues within the church. His latest book is The Perfectionism Book, see page 50 for details and to win a free copy.

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A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIVING

I

n our consumer culture it’s all too easy to find our identity in what we spend our money on. Jo Herbert shares her journey of learning to see her everyday life as an act of worship

I need to start with a confession. Nine months before I started working for Tearfund I was excited about some visiting speakers who were coming to my church. You know the ones. They’re dynamic, bring something prophetic and always challenge your relationship with God! I was excited to hear them. Their topic that day was the environment. To my utter shame, I left church that morning thinking ‘You have just wasted 40 minutes of my life! You taught me nothing about my relationship with God.’ More than 10 years later, I find myself writing an article on consumerism, the environment, and our relationship with God. What happened?

Accepting responsibility

Tearfund asked partners around the world what difference climate change is making to their lives. An 80-year-old man from Ethiopia told us that 30 years ago, when the rains were predictable, he would plant his field and the harvest would last two years. He had a year’s supply to feed his family, he would then sell the surplus and use the money to pay for his children’s school fees and medical care.

Today, with the changing climate and unpredictable rain, that same harvest lasts him just seven months. Five months of the year he is unable to feed his family and there is nothing to sell.

This story hit me between the eyes. 30 years ago this man was better off than he is today. No amount of money we send will make it rain at the right time. The changing climate is causing people to be pushed further into poverty. What is causing the changing climate? Ninety seven per cent of all climate scientists agree it is human induced. In the West, we are over consuming. So much of this was done in ignorance. Now we know, we become responsible.

Analysing our consumption

Isaiah 58 has become a deeply important passage to me. God challenges the Israelites to bring a fast, or worship that is more than words and that will ‘loose the chains of injustice’ (vs 6).

Things are changing for me. As I buy Fairtrade it has become a prayer, ‘God, your Kingdom come for the person on the other side of the world who picked this banana’. I have changed my energy supply to a renewable one. As I changed, I recognised this was an act of worship. Meat production is hugely draining on the world’s resources. As I reduce my meat consumption, it has become a part of my discipleship.

This year I have begun to move towards living ‘Zero Waste’, reducing what I send to landfill. I’ve got a long way to go! It’s required me to analyse everything I consume, reduce a lot and find alternative options. I started to wonder how we have got to this point of frenzied consumption as it’s been so hard for me to change.

Changing what defines us

I came across this quote from a 1955 edition of The Journal of Retailing, at a time when America was trying to re-boot the economy

after the Second World War: ‘Our enormously productive economy . . . demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption . . . we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate.’

Further in the article the author says that in the future, brands must become part of the basis of people’s identities. In order to keep people consuming more, they must identify themselves, and others, by what brands they wear and use. An economist, using our language of spirituality and rituals, has determined our consumer culture. As I look around at the western church, I’m left questioning if we look any different to the world in this regard.

Fulfilling a need

Zygmunt Bauman, a Polish sociologist said: ‘Once consumption has become a part of an individual’s identity, curbing that consumption becomes complex. Consumption has come to fulfil a need in an individual’s life and therefore that need would have to be fulfilled by something else if abstinence is to become successful.’

Surely we as the church of Jesus should be offering the ‘something else’ that fulfils need in people? However, if we are as entangled in the web of consumerism, also finding our identities there, we can lose our ability to offer an alternative. Consumerism is destroying the beautiful planet given to us by God. Consumerism is fighting for first place in our lives, to define us, and is choking our identities in Christ.

Our lives as an offering

‘So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life–your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life–and place it before God as an offering’ (Romans 12:1, The Message).

For the sake of our lives in Jesus, for the planet, for our global neighbours living in poverty, things have to change. When brands define me, when I find a vicious battle within me to reduce my meat consumption, I am reminded to daily bring my ‘everyday, ordinary life…and place it before God as an offering.’

The Big Church Switch

We’re asking Christians to love our neighbours by switching to renewable electricity. This small action is one of the biggest things we can do to cut our carbon footprint. If every Christian in the UK makes the switch to renewable electricity, the impact will be enormous. Visit tearfund.org/campaigns for more info.

Jo Herbert Jo has worked for Tearfund for over 10 years helping young people connect with issues of justice. She is also studying a Masters in Theology at Kings College London.

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CoutHof EherAedTucatEioDn. e. lif her ge an ch to s ill sk a an H h ac te Just £18 can Hana is one of too many Middle Eastern women trapped by little or no education, whose rights are being violated by their families and society. Just £18 will teach Hana to read and write. And it will empower her to have a far-reaching impact on her family and wider community.

With your help, Hana will gain newfound confidence and learn the skills to run a business, help her children with their homework and stop being mistreated and short-changed at the market.

Please help Hana and more women like her to finally get the education they need.

Go to www.embraceme.org/hana or call 01494 897950 to give £18 now.

Download your FREE Lent Study Guide Suitable for personal study or home groups, explore the lives of six women whose lives were changed by meeting Jesus. Download your six-week Lent Study Guide now at www.embraceme.org/lent Registered Charity Number: 1076329

GROWING AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS FOR A LIFE OF ADVENTURE

The Discipleship Year is an opportunity for 18-24 year olds in England with a hunger to discover their calling and fulfil their potential. It is a chance to be equipped, empowered and encouraged to advance the kingdom of God in the world today. It is about making disciple-making disciples, building solid foundations for a life of adventure following Jesus.

For more information and to apply, visit

new-wine.org/DY

to empower, strengthen and equip women whose lives are wrapped up in leadership one way or another.

10 – 12 November 2016

Hinkley Island Hotel, Leicestershire

with Kate Coleman,

founding director of Next Leadership TWITTER @newwineDY INSTAGRAM @newwineDY

OUTWARD-LOOKING CHURCH

H

ow do we make sure we’re not just engaged in ministry within our churches but meeting the needs of the wider community? James Harding gives some practical suggestions for exercising your gifts outside of church

I wonder if you’ve ever felt a tension within your church about how we spend our time: in the church or out in the community?

Traditionally, ministry has been understood as everything we do to meet the needs of the local worshipping community. Whereas mission has been seen as everything that the local worshipping community then does to meet the needs of the wider community.

Ministry is the inward movement, the ‘Come to me’ of Matthew 11:28, whereas mission is the outward movement, the ‘go and make disciples’ of Matthew 28:19. Personally, I find this distinction helpful, but it can lead to a problem of seeing ministry and mission as two competing and opposing forces.

A change of focus

For me, in my ministry as a pastor and teacher, the tension began to break down when I consciously began to change the focus and object of my ministry from meeting the needs and answering the questions of the Christian community, to helping them meet the needs and answer the questions of the wider community. My pastoring and teaching became evangelised. I began to move from a ME-shaped ministry – a ministry aimed at feeding the consumerist cry of ‘me, me, me’ in the congregation, to an E-shaped ministry – a ministry which has been radically reoriented to the euangelizomai or proclamation of the good news of Jesus.

You can evangelise your ministry – that is make your ministry in the church more evangelistic or missional – with just a little twist, a small tweak in focus.

The point of it all

It begins by asking the question: What is the point of my ministry?

What is it for? Is it just to provide spiritual nutrition for the faithful gathered? Or is it providing the spiritual nutrition for the exercise of mission? Just as with physical diet and exercise, we need to get the right balance of taking in and giving out to prevent us ending up with a spiritual obesity epidemic.

I’m going to use the five-fold ministries of Ephesians 4:11–12 as my case study. In his letter Paul tells us that there are five core ministries of the church: ‘Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.’

Different kinds of growth

These five ministries given to the church can all be radically reoriented towards mission and outward focused – not just the evangelists (that’s obvious) but all types of ministry can be

evangelistically shaped. Some would argue that we need to keep these ministries in the church. They are ‘so that the body of Christ may be built up’ (v 12), to bulk up, to feed-up, to pump more spiritual food into the church, so that God’s people are equipped ‘for works of service’ (v 12) in the church. These ministries are for the church members. But, there’s no reason here, if we’re using the Greek verb oikodomay ‘to build up’ figuratively to refer to spiritual growth, that we can’t use it figuratively to refer to other kinds of growth. I’m talking here about numerical growth through the addition of new believers to the body of Christ. That’s still the figurative sense of oikodomay, rather than the literal sense of physically putting a new roof or extension on the church!

Reorienting your gifts

How can we use these ministry gifts to build our congregations up for acts of service to the local community and wider world? In order to build up the body of Christ by sharing the gospel with those who don’t yet know him? What do these five ministry gifts look like when they are tweaked from being ME-shaped to E-shaped?

The Apostle: Leading leaders in the workplace with Kingdom values, and modelling humble, servant-hearted, Christ-like leadership.

The Prophet: Speaking gospel truth to local and national government, engaging in social action and justice projects. Direct your ‘this is what the Lord says’ to your local MP! The Evangelist: Perhaps you need to sometimes be a bit more inward focussed and ME-shaped. So, train and equip others in the church to evangelise, and proclaim the mystery of the gospel to us believers to stop us drifting into a gospel of good works.

The Pastor: For you the ‘building up the body’ can have a number of meanings, such as the repair and restoration of the broken hearted in the community, especially those who have been hurt by the church, or bringing unity into divisive situations to see those who were once apart from the body now united into it.

The Teacher: Reorient your teaching gifts for those outside the church by writing an article for your parish magazine or local newspaper. Engage in (humble) apologetics in places where the community meet (I like to do this in the local pub). Get involved in the life of your local school as a helper, volunteer, classroom assistant or governor.

James Harding James is an Anglican Priest and Lecturer in Missiology at St Mellitus College.

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DOING WHAT JESUS DID

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n November a team went from the UK to South India to share the message that Jesus has given us the power and authority to do the things he did. Gary Weston shares how the trip impacted the team and the people they ministered to

‘I have just spent 10 of the most exciting days of my Christian life in India!’ So said Steve, part of the team who went from the UK to India. We flew into Hyderabad in Southern India then on to the city of Vijayawada where we stayed for five nights. From there we went to a conference in the village of Challapalli, another in the village of Nallajerla, then back to Hyderabad for a third conference. We taught over 120 church leaders and modelled how to live a Spirit-empowered life, where prophecy and healing are normal. The leaders were equipped to teach every person ministry to their congregations.

‘She had written a suicide note that morning and we had the privilege of praying with her and seeing her encounter God’ We saw God heal a deaf woman, a pastor’s daughter with Typhus and others who were lame, others with back pain, neck pain, headaches and all manner of other illnesses. A young woman was set free from a destructive spirit. She had written a suicide note that morning and we had the privilege of praying with her and seeing her encounter God. Over 60 people gave their lives to Christ. On the flights we prayed for 10 flight attendants who were healed from back, leg and chest pain and ear problems. A Muslim head flight attendant was healed and said he felt the peace of Jesus rest on him.

This is the Jesus we worship. A living, radical, loving, exciting, challenging God who could do all this and more but chooses imperfect, flawed people like us to partner with him.

Hungry for the Spirit

New Wine India began a few years ago after Janaki Menni, who heads up Faith in Action Ministries, discovered New Wine on the internet. Her heart was grabbed by our Kingdom principles and she became determined to connect the church leaders she networks with to the core vision and values of New Wine to see her nation changed. She and a group of her supporters spent a year saving all they could to send her to the UK to attend a Summer Conference, and as a result of that visit New Wine has been working with Janaki and others to establish New Wine India.

and equip local church leaders in their ministry. Each of these trips has involved running leaders conferences, sharing with them about Kingdom principles and how to put them into practice in the local churches, particularly focusing on hearing God’s voice, healing and praying for others to encounter God through his Holy Spirit.

In each conference the emphasis is on the doing as well as theory so plenty of time is given for church leaders to listen to God for each other and to pray for each other. Alongside the conference there is always an opportunity to visit local churches.

Dramatic transformation

November was my second trip to India, this time travelling with Steve Hartnoll, Mark Dewick and Sheila Anthony. One of the most exciting things for me was sharing some time with church leaders we had meet the year before. Prema had been asked to act as a translator for the team in 2014 but it quickly became clear that God had captured his heart with what was being shared. Talking to him 12 months later I asked how things had been over the last year. Immediately his face lit up and with a huge smile he shared with us how he had taken all he received from the year before and put it into practice in his own church. The transformation this has had on both his own ministry and the life of the church he leads has been dramatic.

Prema told us how all the people in his church now share in the ministry God. They now know they have power and authority from God to do the things Jesus did. Members of his church are now praying for people and are seeing lives changed as people encounter God outside of the church meetings. They have seen a number of healings happen as they have done this. His church has grown over the last year which is a real joy to him.

Renewed vision

Having the opportunity to minster in India is a huge privilege.

To be used by God, in partnership with others, and see leaders equipped and lives changed has had as much, if not more, of an impact on me as those we have ministered to. I came home with a renewed vision and energy to see more of the work of the Spirit in and through me back in my home church and community and a sense that God can do so much more than we can ever imagine.

New Wine International is now regularly working in 15 countries under the leadership of Mark Aldridge. Please pray for the International work, for all those involved in it, for discernment as many new requests for partnership are made and that through the international work local churches will change nations.

Gary Weston Gary is vicar of St John’s, Hinckley and a member of the New Wine International Support Group.

Part of that work has meant that for the last three years small teams have been going out from the UK to India to support, encourage

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COMMUNITY SERVICE

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n November 2015 three projects originating in New Wine Network churches were recognised for the exceptional work they do in their communities at the Christian Funders’ Forum (CFF) Awards. We asked representatives from each of the projects what God’s been doing through them

GLO Trust won Gold for Best Project Advancing the Christian Faith. Lizzy Robinson told us more

How did The Glo Trust start?

The Bishop of Stockport asked All Saints Marple to plant a church under a Bishop’s Mission Order, so around five years ago Glo Church (‘God Loves Offerton’) was birthed. The Glo Trust was registered as a charity in 2011 as a way to respond to the mission opportunities in Offerton Estate, which is a priority area. Through partnering with the council and other agencies, we realised there was a need for a social space in Offerton so we intended to open a coffee shop, and started the charity to run it. The council offered us a shop front which they let to us at a peppercorn rate, which became Glo Central, our drop-in centre.

How are you seeing God at work through this ministry?

We’re simply trying to show the love of Jesus through serving the community in different ways. The Garage is our way of giving toys and clothes to families in need with no charge. The drop-in centre allows people to have a chat and a cup of tea, use the computers for free, access The Garage, or be signposted to other agencies who can help. We run art workshops, and other groups and courses, and offer volunteer opportunities where we have seen a number of local people break negative cycles and have a positive impact on their community, some of whom are becoming key leaders in Glo Church.

Can you tell us about someone who has met with God through it?

We did a Serve Day during Easter 2014, doing various acts of kindness in the community, including giving out £10 notes and an invitation to our neighbourhood barbecue outside the newly opened Aldi supermarket. One couple, Amy and Gareth, were blown away by the gift and came to the barbecue. Amy had lived in Offerton for seven years and been isolated at home struggling with various challenges, so coming to the barbecue was a big deal

for them. She was invited to church and came that Sunday, and since then she has become an important part of Glo Central. At Easter 2015 we had the joy of baptising her and Gareth. Amy says Glo has given her confidence, and helps her feel like she’s part of something.

‘We offer volunteer opportunities and have seen a number of local people break negative cycles and begin to have a positive impact on their community’

What does the award mean for you?

It recognises the real heroes in Offerton who are volunteering and helping make the work of the Glo Trust sustainable–Simon, for example, a local guy who was house-bound through mental health challenges. He is now a session leader at the drop-in, mentoring others and starting his own business supported by Glo. For more information visit theglotrust.org

Baby Basics won Gold for Best Replicable Project. Hannah Peck told us more How did Baby Basics start?

Baby Basics began in Spring 2009 when a midwife working with displaced people in Sheffield approached Rachel Atkinson, the under 5s worker at The King’s Centre (part of Network Church Sheffield) asking if families in the church had clothes their children had grown out of that could be donated to her clients. From there we set up a clothing bank and a store for toiletries and baby equipment, all of which was gathered in from the church and local community, and we began to distribute through midwives in Sheffield. We now give away hundreds of items each year to dozens of agencies; from the midwives we initially made contact with to social workers, health visitors and other charities. We also work with other churches to help set up Baby Basics in their towns

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How are you seeing God at work through this ministry?

As well as donating items to people in need Baby Basics restores dignity to women whose circumstances have stripped it away. God uses people of all ages and of different backgrounds and faiths to come together to serve people in need in their community. It demonstrates to the families we give to a little of God’s love and shows the healthcare workers that Christians and the church can be a positive force in the community.

Can you tell us about those who’ve met with God through it?

Baby Basics give lots of things to teenage parents via The Family Nurse Partnership and we regularly hear from them that these things and how it is presented makes them feel special. In a world where they are told they are a burden to society we tell them that their baby is welcome and valued. This gift whispers a little of God’s truth to them. One young mum said ‘It made me feel like me and my baby mattered’.

What does the award mean for you?

We were first given a prophetic word about Baby Basics working in other areas soon after we started and it was when New Wine gave us a portion of the summer gathering offering in 2012 that we started to pursue the idea of replicating. We enjoy spending time with churches helping them to set up Baby Basics. By the time we won the award there were 11 centres up and running. New Wine has been crucial to this happening – the finance was hugely important but also knowing we were trusted with the money encouraged and inspired us to step into the prophetic words spoken over us.

For more information visit baby-basics.org.uk

Who Let The Dads Out? won Silver for Best Replicable Project. Tony Sharp told us more How did Who Let The Dads Out? start?

We started as a dads and toddlers group at Hoole Baptist Church, Chester on the Saturday before Mother’s Day in 2003, as a response to a need – namely that several mothers at the churchrun parent and toddler group were unhappy at how little their partners were doing with their young children.

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‘Sadly, in the UK, 1 in 3 couples will split up within three years of having their first child together’ How are you seeing God at work through this ministry?

There is undoubtedly a social need for dads to be encouraged as they begin their parenting journey, in the context of supporting the whole family. Sadly, in the UK, one in three couples will split up within three years of having their first child together, and 40% of divorcing dads will lose all contact with their kids within two years. Church-led groups have a significant role to play in response to this need. But God is showing us that our work is about so much more. We are clear that the father–child relationship has spiritual as well as social significance.

Can you tell us about the people who have met with God through it?

Our groups reflect the diversity of family in the UK today – we attract single dads, stepdads and grandfathers alongside those in more traditional family units. We are hugely encouraged by the 200+ churches that have registered a group with us, that’s well in excess of 7,000 men and children per month. We’re excited about how they are using the friendships these create to support dads practically and to share faith in a very relational way. Here in Chester that was true for Dave, a stay-at-home dad, who has grown into Christian faith and we know that kind of story is being replicated elsewhere.

What does the award mean for you?

It highlights that it is relatively straightforward for churches to set up and register a group for dads and children, but it also speaks of how God brings us into partnership to make his Kingdom come.

For more information visit wholetthedadsout.org.uk

Curriculum for Key Stage 1 coming soon!

X-Cavate!

We are passionate about seeing children of all ages digging deeper for God’s treasure – not just at New Wine gatherings, but throughout the year too. We want to share with YOU, the ideas, with your kids groups to X-Cavate! all the treasure God has for each of you!

X-Cavate! than by launching it with the youngest members of NOT at school yet!

This resource is like no other you’ve seen before. Seriously, we’re not kidding! It’s jam-packed full of:

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Our Place team on how to include ALL children Spirit has space to touch children at a level that is completely age appropriate

Dig deeper in your kids groups! Get ready to X-Cavate!

“Throughout New Wine’s history, childrens ministry has been at the heart of everything we do.

We are passionate about seeing children meet with God, experience His presence and grow church and I can’t recommend it enough.”

MARK BAILEY LEADER, NEW WINE

X-Cavate! Pre-schoolers Curriculum Your Kids Will Dig!

X-Cavate! is a brand new curriculum from New Wine Kids, covering all our rock-themed groups. This curriculum resources is especially for Gems (0-2s) and Pebbles (3-4s).

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42

LOVE IN ABUNDANCE

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e frequently use the phrase ‘God bless you’ but what does it mean? Kate Patterson explores The Aaronic Blessing in the book of Numbers and invites us to discover it for ourselves

Six years ago I spoke at the early morning Bible teaching at the New Wine National Gathering on the following verses from Numbers.

Little did I know then that it would lead to an entire book about God’s unfailing promise to bless us and make us a blessing.

‘The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them”’ (Numbers 6:22–27).

The shining blessing of Numbers 6 was first given over 3,000 years ago. Archeologists have found silver cylinders inscribed with it, dated 600BC. These are the oldest biblical texts in existence. Yet it is still cherished worldwide and tonight, thousands of parents will pray this blessing over their children. Why is it so significant?

It is a landmark skyscraper, towering over other blessings because this blessing was uniquely given by God himself. It helps us know that blessing is God’s idea.

We are invited

If you are anything like me, you will endlessly need reminding that God wants to bless you personally. One of my favourite thank-you letters for my book came from Joan, aged 92. After hearing the Numbers 6 blessing all her life, she has finally discovered that her name was on this invitation. So is yours. God wants to bless you and to keep you, to make his face shine on you, to cover you with his grace, to smile on you with his love and to mark your life with his wholeness and peace. And it doesn’t end there! The next line is an often-missed promise – God’s plan to write his name and his character on us.

We need never fear that God will miss us out. We don’t deserve it but astonishingly, we are loved with the intensity of love shared within the Trinity. Jesus says, ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you’ (John 15:9). Jesus loves us as much as the Father loves him. As if that was not enough, Jesus tells us that the Father too loves us as much as he loves the Son. That’s bigger than any love I could ever express.

Our heavenly dad When I first met Jake, he looked pretty scary. It wasn’t the shaved head, the tattoos or the scars–everything about him said ‘Keep out!’

When his wife Kayleigh became a Christian, she began praying for Jake and he began turning up at church. One day, God stirred me to tell Jake that his heavenly dad loved him even more than he loved his baby son. Jake tells me he thought it was weird but somehow it stuck. He kept hearing God loved him and last year he gave his life to Jesus. Now he smiles too much to look properly tough.

Your heavenly dad loves you as much as he loves his beloved son.

I love this story from Kath, who emailed me after an event where I was speaking. She described the ‘eureka moment’ when she heard God’s voice saying that she was his child. Soon after that, she visited her father who had severe Alzheimer’s disease. It was her first visit for three weeks as she struggled to leave her terminally ill husband. She was sure that he wouldn’t remember her. ‘To my amazement my dad grabbed hold of my hand and said to the nurse with a great big beaming smile, “This is my lovely daughter”.

This recollection suddenly made me realise what Heavenly Father really means – how pleased God is to see me and hold my hand.

This was so powerful that I sobbed and shook–amazing!’ This revelation of God’s father love is a blessing which can transform even the hardest of times.

Love that spills over

When we receive this lavish love, it spills over. Have you ever seen a champagne tower? You pour champagne into the top glass and it spills over, finally trickling down to the bottom glasses.

John said, ‘We love because he first loved us’ (1 John 4:19). That’s the plan – God’s lavish love spilling over to those around us. It thrills me when I see the overspill happen in our church – in Tom playing football with troubled kids, Emma organising lorry-loads for refugees, Sheena visiting the elderly, the list is endless…

This overspill is the abundant life Jesus promised, not a nice house and spouse or a plump bank account, but life in the unbeatable, lavishly-loving, heart-healing, soul-calming, mind-washing, thirstquenching, joy-delighting wonder of his presence where we are blessed to be a blessing in his world.

Kate Patterson Kate is a writer, a speaker, a primary school chaplain and on the leadership team of Holy Trinity Richmond. Her latest book is The Promise of Blessing (see page 50 for details and to win a free copy).

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A FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS

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ex trafficking is most pervasive in countries with weak justice systems, where perpetrators know they are unlikely to face any significant consequences. But the situation is changing. Terry Tennens of International Justice Mission (IJM) gives us a taste of their work rescuing victims, bringing criminals to justice, restoring survivors and strengthening local justice systems

The rush of activity, the danger of investigations, the co-ordination with police, the drama of the arrest. There is no denying that in the work of International Justice Mission (IJM), there are times of excitement. In October, for example, four girls – some as young as 10 – were rescued from a moving train in India before they could be sold and exploited. Following a tip-off from a passenger, IJM and police were able to respond immediately. Time was critical to catch the right train and once aboard, IJM staff had to wade through the crowded carriages trying to identify the girls based on a single description, while not looking suspicious.

And then they spotted them, travelling with a man and woman who seemed overly watchful of the girls in their care. Two IJM staff struck up a conversation with the couple, surreptitiously gaining information and recording it on their phones. With the girls identified and evidence gathered, police were waiting on the platform, ready to arrest the suspects, and IJM social workers were ready to greet the girls and take them to safety. This is the powerful, inspiring aspect of IJM’s work.

In for the long haul

But as, IJM President and CEO, Gary Haugen explained at United 2015, this often isn’t the reality for those doing God’s work of caring for those with the most desperate needs. Whether rescuing victims of trafficking, fighting addiction or caring for a mentally ill relative, the demonstration of love to those individuals is sometimes long, tiresome and boring. More often than not, this is the reality at IJM. Miranda* was one of the first girls IJM helped after the new Dominican Republic office opened in 2014. Having been rescued by a local police officer after being sold on the streets of Santo Domingo, IJM were asked to make sure Miranda got the help she needed. She was quickly moved into a private shelter for at-risk women, to provide her with the safe environment she needs for her long-term healing. But in the pursuit of justice, we soon encountered delays. The court took six months to simply schedule a trial date. Even once scheduled, IJM staff had to go back and forth, with no-shows of the defendant and missing paperwork adding to the growing delay. But they never gave up. Their perseverance finally paid off in late 2015 when the abuser was found guilty and sentenced to prison – IJM’s first conviction for trafficking in the Dominican Republic.

Tilting the scales

If every case that IJM handles takes time and determination, imagine then what’s required to tilt the scales in the fight against sex trafficking. Because IJM’s work doesn’t stop at rescue, nor the

individual’s rehabilitation. Not even when justice is secured and the abusers are in prison.

Instead, IJM’s vision is that injustices, such as trafficking, are eradicated – completely. Through training and hands-on mentoring of local police, judges and other professionals, IJM is helping equip and resource justice systems to better handle cases and ensure survivors get the protection and justice they deserve. And this takes a really long time! 15 years, to be exact, in Cambodia.

Changing the culture

In the early 2000s, research by the Cambodian government estimated that the prevalence of minors being exploited in the commercial sex industry was as high as 30% in the city of Phnom Penh. Cambodia was viewed as the poster child for the sale of children for sex, especially minors under 15 years old. But a study conducted in 2015 found that the prevalence of minors being exploited in the areas where IJM has worked, has dropped from 30% to 2.2%. Not only has there been a reduction in the availability of minors for sale, but Cambodia now has an increased capacity of its anti-trafficking police and courts to enforce trafficking laws and hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

For Cambodia, it means that the heart-breaking picture of a broken public justice system allowing very young girls to be openly sold for sex is no longer an accurate reflection of the country today.

There is still work to be done – improvements to be made, new districts to focus on, other abuses to be addressed. But today, due to the perseverance and relentlessness of IJM, the police and other NGOs, communities around the world, like those in Cambodia, are a safer place for young girls.

A fight we can win

Your generous giving at the United National Gatherings in 2015 helped to make this possible. The money donated to IJM is helping to rescue hundreds of girls like Miranda, and ensuring justice is made possible. But, ultimately, it is helping gain a foothold in the fight against trafficking – a fight that we know is possible to win, especially with God on our side, but will take time and perseverance to achieve.

As Gary said at United 2015: ‘Love doesn’t make sense, it’s unmerited and is disproportionate – but we love it when it’s extended to us.

Likewise, the work of justice is long and boring – it doesn’t make sense, it’s disproportionate and it’s hard. But for the girl being abused, they say: “I love it when you extend it to me”.’ * A pseudonym has been used for the protection of this IJM client.

Terry Tennens Terry is Chief Executive of IJM UK. He meets regularly with government officials, justice professionals and business leaders and speaks at churches and conferences across the UK to advance the cause of the violently oppressed.

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am Bailey shares the inspiration for his latest project with his friends Nick Herbert and Willie Weeks, Gold

“When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful,” said American writer Barbara Bloom To immerse yourself in the gospels is to see that Jesus was the ultimate storyteller. He packaged up eternal truths in contextually powerful stories that proved to be contagious. He created and carried a radical Kingdom culture through the extraordinary way he communicated. In my eyes, Jesus was the most significant cultural architect that humanity will ever come across. He spoke grace, relationship and spirituality into the brokenness of culture.

He offered something different, something real, something radical.

Standing in the gap

I love how Abraham chose to pitch his tent between Bethel - which represented a place where God’s presence dwelled - and Hai, a city which represented the things of the world (Genesis 12:8). His heart was to stand in the gap between the two. I wonder whether this was a prophetic image of the calling placed upon the people of God: the call - as Swiss theologion Karl Barth once famously said - to hold a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. To know scripture and the presence of God but also the culture we live in.

My heart is that this album would carry that same Kingdom vision; a vision motivated by a longing to see faith back on the front line of culture! That this collection of songs would not just carry a Kingdom breadth but would stand in ‘the gap’. That whoever’s hands they fall into, whether Christian or non-Christian, these songs and themes would spark something different. A thought process. A spirituality. A homecoming.

That extra strand

Nicknamed ‘The Boss’, American musician Bruce Springsteen said something pretty powerful on the subject of communication in an interview, when asked about songwriting: “The best rock

and roll musicians and lovers are desperate men. For them, one and one make three. If one and one make two, you fail. If you’re painting and all you have is paint and a canvas, what are you actually saying? You have to reach down and find that third thing that you don’t truly understand but know is coming from inside of you. If you don’t reach down and touch that extra strand than you’re just not going to have anything to say and it’s never going to have life and breath in it.”

I want to suggest that Christ in us, the compelling and empowering presence of God, is that extra strand and the greatest evangelistic tool we carry. It is the extra strand that we must reach down for everyday, to tell the story we were born to tell, the way Jesus did!

Kingdom influence

One of my deepest desires is that whatever sphere of influence we operate in, we would know that we genuinely carry influence creative and Kingdom influence. All of us are made in God’s image, born to build, created to create! For the scientist, that might look like discovering a new formula to cure the disease; for the poet, putting pen to paper to find the right words to move a reader; for the teacher, discovering creative techniques to engage with a generation losing the desire to learn; for the politician, navigating complexity in search of good and balanced policies; for the mother, mustering up enough love and courage to take on the challenges of another day of parenting; and for the songwriter, finding the right words for those who sometimes can’t.

I love what Alan Scott of Causeway Coast Vineyard says on culture: “We have nothing to prove but everything to share”. For me, this songwriting project with two great friends, Nick Herbert and Willie Weeks, is all about that.

‘GOLD’ by Bailey is due for release 15 April 2016.

Sam Bailey Sam is the Head of New Wine Worship and is also on the staff at KXC (King’s Cross Church) in Central London where he leads the Discipleship Year programme.

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES God wants to work in us and through us to make an impact for the Kingdom. Discover some resources that offer healing, inspiration, encouragement and practical application for you, your ministry team or small group BOOKS Awakening

Richard Pennystan

This book is theologically deep, challenging and encouraging in equal measure. Its central message is a call to all of us to ‘wake up’ to the incredible invitation of the gospel and to discover just how much God’s love and grace abound for each and every one of us. Richard is honest and humble in telling his own story of an ‘awakening’ from what he describes as hollow religion and his discovery of heavenly relationship.

Through a rich blend of good biblical exegesis (particularly the Gospels), helpful examples and encouraging testimonies, he paints a picture of what God is like and what it looks like to live in and from his love. The book is strongest when exploring the grace of God and the power of the Spirit in our lives and how to embrace them more fully. It would be a great book to work through as a small group or with someone rediscovering faith.

Rich Johnson is Vicar of All Saints Worcester and Regional Director for the South/Southwest Region.

Set me on fire

Malcolm Macdonald

This is not a book about technique or strategy but a book about fire.

Malcolm who leads St Mary’s Loughton, Essex, is a man who writes about fire with fire. He is a leader with a burning message for today's church. His longing for revival is not a new thing. I first met Malcolm in Oxford in 2002.

He was preaching then, as now, on a longing for, conditions for and preparing for awakening or revival. Two summers ago he went back to the land of his fathers, the Hebrides, to interview people who had lived through the Revival of 1949: he is still, like Simeon, ‘waiting for the consolation’ (Luke 2:25). I particularly liked the section on the fire of suffering which Malcolm says is probably a condition of spiritual awakening. This book fed me and stirred me to come back to my first love. Read it slowly, prayerfully and with longing.

Charlie Cleverly is Rector of St Aldates Oxford and leads ‘Love Oxford’, uniting churches for prayer, preaching and revival in their city.

Grace

As we navigate our way through a rapidly changing world, sometimes we need to learn from the stories of those who have gone before us. Perhaps their journey can inform and empower our own? In this beautifully written and skillfully curated book, Michele gives voice to Grace, a remarkable woman living through extraordinary times. Michele deftly captures her story and her passion with finesse, introducing us to a woman perhaps born before her time, yet ready to embrace the world around her and live life to the full.

Jo Saxton chairs the board of 3DMovements in the US and co leads Mission Point Church with her husband Chris.

BOOKS GIVEAWAY! Simply email the title of one of the above books to mag@new-wine.org before 12 April 2016 for your chance to win a copy.

One entry per person. Winners will be chosen at random and notified by 14 April 2016.

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Michele Guinness

The Perfectionism Book Will Van Der Hart & Rob Waller

For people who are tempted to believe that they are ‘just wired this way’ and that perfectionism is just part of their personality I challenge you to read this book. Read it slowly. Do the exercises properly, and in doing so allow yourself to engage with it emotionally, as well as intellectually. Your perfectionism will tell you that you don’t have time for such self-indulgence. I would argue you can’t afford to risk the meltdown/ breakdown that not investing might lead to.

Walking out of perfectionism won’t necessarily require you to drop your standards, but it will enable you to appreciate and celebrate the standards you reach and to savor and enjoy your ability to make a contribution to the good things going on in your world. But more than that, it will give you gratitude for the simple things – which is the real route to joy and freedom. I wish I had read this book years ago – maybe I would have dropped the self-imposed rigid rules I could never adhere to a little sooner and found the freedom that is true grace.

Jo Rice is Managing Director of Resurgo Trust, founded by St Paul’s Hammersmith.

The Promise of Blessing

MUSIC

Kate Patterson

In this book Kate delves deeply and richly into the incredible blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 given directly from God. She writes with compassion and wisdom and uses parts of her own story and the stories of others to demonstrate God’s intent to bless us, whatever we may be going through. In this fallen world, we will suffer and Kate addresses this issue carefully and sensitively as well as dealing with areas that regularly rob us of the peace that God wants for us, such as doubt, conflict, worry and issues around forgiveness. She has a gift of communicating her thoughts and insights in a way that is clear to understand and her subtle and delightful use of humour is refreshing and engaging. At the end of each chapter are thoughts, questions and Bible verses to guide prayer and reflection and to respond to what has been read, which makes this book great for use as a devotional for individuals or small groups.

Kate Webb is a Consultant Psychiatrist and an associate with Mind and Soul.

Her husband is a curate in the Church of England.

Chapter Two:Flux KXC

I was immediately struck by the cover artwork: it’s vibrant and intriguing and sets the scene for the innovative, creative and distinctive sound this EP has to offer. Throughout it the music and lyrics convey a real sense of hunger and desire for more of God’s presence and a longing for him to move in power. This selection of songs speak of God being at the centre of all we are and all we do. The lyrics are refreshingly authentic and honest with an underlying theme of reliance and trust in God. The tracks are produced exceptionally well, with layers of rich sound, originality and depth, bringing the songs to life in a way that only leads us deeper into worship. All six of the tracks can translate easily for leading worship in both an intimate smaller setting and a larger corporate gathering. These are exciting new worship songs written by a church on a journey.

Phil Shaw is Worship Leader & Discipleship Year Course Leader at All Saints Woodford Wells.

learning to...

Six–week courses perfect for small groups ‘Gives practical exercises that are simple to follow’

‘Not afraid to takle the difficult issues’ BOOK £5.99 | DVD £18.00 | STUDY GUIDE £1.50

BOOK £6.99 | DVD £18.00 | STUDY GUIDE £1.50

new-wine.org/resources 51

St Andrews Bookshop The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson £9.99 It’s time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker—a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people. What impossibly big dream is God calling you to draw a prayer circle around? Sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences as a circle maker, Mark Batterson will help you uncover your heart’s deepest desires and God-given dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that God delights to answer.

£10.99

£8.99

£9.99

rom NEW f & GAVIN ANNE R CALVE

rom NEW f SIMON NBY PONSO

Different: Living the Holy Life RRP £13.99 Our Price £10.99

£8.99

Adult Colouring Books £4.99 Each

Game Changers RRP £9.99 Our Price £7.99

www.standrewsbookshop.co.uk

classifieds HOLIDAYS BRAUNTON, NORTH DEVON 3-bed bungalow for rent for holidays, sleeps 6, dogs welcome.

Close to North Devon surf beaches and Braunton Burrows.

Please contact 01278 760275 or email cromwell.gerry@gmail. com and see Facebook.com/ stockwoodholidays for details.

EAST DEVON FARM, SELF CATERING.2 Cottages on family farm sleeping 10 and 14.

Can accommodate groups of up to 24. Games room and play area. Easy reach of sea, moors and many local attractions.

01404 841238 www.westcottfarm. co.uk justin@westcottfarm.co.uk

NORTHUMBERLAND Cottage, sleeps 4. Peaceful with amazing views. Visit Holy Island, Alnwick Castle etc. Further Details: www. cottageguide.co.uk/kypieview Phone: 0191 281 2309

‘Cornerstone’

SOUTH-EAST CYPRUS 3 bedroom apartment near Protaras coast. Available year round. Good weather during English winter, better still in Spring. Modern, fully and luxuriously equipped.

Quiet location. Local shops and restaurants. For walking, cycling, beaches, scenery, archaeology. www. kronoscyprus.co.uk

COSY COTTAGE ON A DEVON FARM. A perfect place to explore the countryside and make holiday memories to treasure...(sleeps 2-8-14) Close to golden beaches, sand coves and Exmoor National park. www.bampfieldfarm.co.uk 01271 346566 lynda@bampfieldfarm. co.uk

Cotswold Cottage with Spa Access

LLANDUDNO Beth Eden Christian Guest House.

Superb views overlooking sea, Snowdonia mountains.

Individuals, couples, families, groups up to 30. Fellowship/ Bible ministry. Exceptional home cooking. www.betheden.co.uk 01492 877057

SHOP outdoors and travel store This year we will be back in The Marketplace in Shepton Mallet. But we can help you beforehand on our website : www.trekwise.co.uk.

Peaceful - Sleeps 8 2 days from £320 23lme.co.uk +44(0)7545 564918

Use the code NW16 and get 10% off everything and access to other offers.

Signup to Newsletter Please mention New Wine Magazine when responding to an advert

receive emails nearer the time to help with your plans.

www.trekwise.co.uk

New Wine Art Gallery United 2016

Are you an artist looking to exhibit your work?

Shepton Mallet, Somerset 23 - 29 July & 31 July - 6 August 2016

We are requesting high-quality work from all aspects of artistic expression: painting, drawing, prints, sculpture, photography, glass, poetry, textiles, etc. Artists’ postcards and greetings cards

The Gallery celebrates God-given creativity and encourages artists in our church communities

to share their interpretations of how God speaks to them through their work. It creates a space for people to relax and reflect.

are also welcome.

Submission forms can be requested from Anna Pearson-Coomber:

anna.pearson@outlook.com

Completed forms will need to be returned along with good quality photos of your work.

The closing date for submissions is Sunday 5 June.

If your work is selected, you must be able to deliver (and collect anything unsold) to the event.

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Sound, Lighting and Video Installations for Churches

Halifax Minster

Danbury Mission, Essex

Wigwam Acoustics are specialist installers of sound, lighting and video equipment in listed buildings and acoustically challenging areas. We have extensive experience working alongside architects, ensuring systems are sympathetically installed in older and modern buildings. We have a close understanding of the requirements of all worship styles and systems are tailored specifically for the churches' needs to provide audio and visual clarity.

Audio Suppliers to New Wine National Gathering since 1994 wigwaminstallations.co.uk

|

01706 363400

|

installations@wigwam.co.uk

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THIRSK, NORTH YORKSHIRE 19-23 AUGUST 2016

A local gathering for the New Wine famiy in the North

S AT U R D AY 2 3 A P R I L 2 0 1 6 H A R R O G AT E

new-wine.org

S AT U R DAY 8 O CTO B E R 2 0 1 6 LONDON

ROYAL BATH & WEST SHOWGROUND, SHEPTON MALLET, SOMERSET

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Sunday 31 July – Saturday 6 August 2016

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AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED! INTRODUCING FULL MORNING SESSIONS FOR GEMS AND PEBBLES In 2016, we will for the first time be running Gems and Pebbles sessions for the whole morning! Parents of children in this age group will now be free to enjoy the morning celebrations and seminars while the little ones enjoy their groups!

new-wine.org National Gatherings for the New Wine family in England