What is The Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
What is the War Cry?
The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major
Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow
Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku
Staff Writer: Emily Bright
Staff Writer: Claire Brine
Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk
Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston
Graphic Designer: Mark Knight
Graphic Designer: Natalie Adkins
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 1 Champion Park London SE5 8FJ
Tel: 0845 634 0101
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Founder: William Booth
General: Lyndon Buckingham
Territorial leaders: Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main
Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn
Your local Salvation Army centre
‘We don’t do God,’ was the reported response of spin doctor Alastair Campbell when a journalist asked Tony Blair about his religious beliefs. However, more recently, the man who at one time oversaw a government’s communications strategy has gone on the record about his own religious views.
As we report this week, Alastair has been a guest on The God Cast, a podcast hosted by Father Alex Frost.
‘When Alastair Campbell came on the podcast, he had this reputation for being an atheist,’ Alex tells us. ‘When we chatted, he told me about his sister’s faith and how she would say to him: “You don’t do God, God does you.” So under his window-dressing atheism, I felt that he was someone who hasn’t ruled out faith completely.’
Since its beginnings the podcast has featured a variety of guests who talk about how religion and belief impact their lives. Some of those guests profess a faith, while others do not.
‘It has taught me so much about how people find faith in adversity,’ Alex says. ‘It has made me realise that the rich and famous aren’t so far from the meek and the lowly. Often they are just as broken as the rest of us are.’
Regardless of who we are, many of us may have experienced times when we have turned to spiritual things in order to find hope or comfort. Because that is a common response in times of difficulty, some Christian ministers work as chaplains within secular organisations to give such support.
Among them is Joël Thibault, who is working this summer as a chaplain at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
‘Sometimes athletes come to us because they have frustrations about the competition,’ he tells us. ‘At other times, their concern is more about their personal situation.’
It is good to know that when we face any challenge we can turn to God and find help. If we choose to ‘do God’, his presence will always make a positive difference in our lives.
INFO INFO
AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH?
Police officer faces moral quandary in ITV detective drama
TV preview by Emily Bright
Two young lads are strolling down a London lane when they spot two hooded men striding purposefully towards them. Without a word, one of the hooded men plunges a knife into the leg of one of the youths. As he bleeds to death, his friend cries for help before fleeing the scene in terror. The incident marks the start of a new case for DS Sarah Collins (Gemma Whelan) – and, with it, the beginning of a new series of ITV1 drama The Tower on Monday (2 September).
After the attack, Sarah attends the crime scene on Gallowstree Lane and discovers that the deceased has no phone or ID. Her best lead is to find out the identity of the friend who ran off.
Meanwhile after trawling through the CCTV footage of a separate GBH incident, DC Lizzie Adama (Tahirah Sharif) brings in suspect Ryan Kennedy (Lamar Waves) for questioning. But before long, she learns that the case has a complicated undercurrent of gang warfare.
The two cops – whose paths will cross for the third time in as many series – have a chequered history and very different approaches to their work. Sarah lives by the policing book and is driven by a clearcut moral compass. Lizzie is impulsive, doing whatever she believes is right in the moment.
Back in the first series of The Tower, Lizzie witnessed the deaths of her policing partner PC Hadley Matthews and a 15-year-old refugee, who both fell off the roof of Portland Tower. Reluctant to
reveal her involvement in the incident – and under pressure from her boss, who was also her lover – she withheld important information, thwarting Sarah’s investigation into the incident.
Now, Lizzie is once again under pressure to conceal vital intelligence from Sarah, under the guise of the greater good. As she wades into the murky waters of right and wrong, she has a choice: tell Sarah the truth and get justice for victims of gang warfare or conceal what she knows to protect another agenda.
‘She navigates that tension to the best of her ability,’ Tahirah tells the War Cry. ‘I don’t know how well, because she ends up compromising and giving information where she shouldn’t. But again, Lizzie is not very black and white. She tends to work within the grey areas, and so she wants to always do what’s right, but not necessarily what’s correct policing.’
Trying to work out what is the right thing to do can often be challenging. It is particularly hard if we’re not sure whether we know the full story or how true what we’re being told is. That is why it can be liberating for us to discover the truth.
One truth in particular has transformed the lives of millions of people globally. In the Bible, Jesus declares: ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ (John 8:32 Good News Bible).
The truth, as revealed by Jesus, was that people who believe in him and obey his teaching will find freedom in their lives, regardless of their past actions. His offer of freedom for anyone who follows him is no secret and is certainly our best lead.
DC Lizzie
has to decide where her allegiances lie
Adama
DS Sarah Collins
talk talk Team talk Team talk ‘ ’
j TEA M TALK
Fringe has the last laugh
Claire Brine gives her take on a story that has caught the attention of War Cry reporters
A gag about a ship was judged as the Funniest Joke of the Fringe shortly before the Edinburgh arts festival came to the end of its run this week. Comedian Mark Simmons scooped the award with the offering: ‘I was going to sail around the globe in the world’s smallest ship, but I bottled it.’ (Cue audience, rolling in the aisles.)
The Times reported that a judging panel made up of fellow comedians and comedy critics shortlisted Mark’s witty one-liner, then 2,000 people voted to decide the winner from the other entries. The comedian claimed to be ‘really chuffed’ to have won the award.
Our breaking hearts were comforted by laughing
‘I needed some good news as I was just fired from my job marking exam papers,’ he said. ‘I can’t understand it – I always gave 110 per cent.’
Whether jokes like these cause us to laugh or groan out loud, I think most people would agree that humour is one of life’s greatest gifts. Laughing can bring people together, defuse tense situations, make pain a little more bearable.
Back when I was 18 I can remember my family having hysterics over a comical name that my sister had come across at work. We all laughed our socks off – despite the fact that, days before, my terminally ill dad had told us that he had only months to live. In that moment, our breaking hearts were comforted by laughing together.
While comedians could dissect the art of joke-making for hours, there’s no doubt in my mind that our sense of humour is a blessing from God. I believe that, in creating our ability and desire to laugh, he has shown us just how valuable it is to the human experience.
There is ‘a time to weep, and a time to laugh,’ the Bible says (Ecclesiastes 3:4 New International Version). In other words: laughter is natural and necessary.
In a world which presents us with many situations to cry about, I see the times we spend in laughter as life-giving. Laughter fills us with joy. It brings relief. It offers hope. Ultimately, it can do us serious good.
WAR
n New figures show that there is a ‘growing homelessness crisis’ in England, The Salvation Army has said.
According to official data, there was an 11.4 per cent increase in households becoming homeless or at risk of homelessness between January and March of this year, 6 per cent higher than in the same period last year. The statistics revealed that 38,440 households were threatened with homelessness and 7,780 households were not provided with accommodation because they were not in priority need.
The church and charity wants the government to take urgent action to prevent more people from becoming homeless.
Nick Redmore, The Salvation Army’s director of homelessness services, said: ‘We are in the midst of a growing homelessness crisis. As these figures show, people living on the streets are just the tip of the iceberg. There are also thousands more, including children, living in temporary or emergency accommodation while others are forced to sofa-surf or sleep in cars and sheds.
‘The law must be changed so all those forced to sleep rough are deemed in priority need by local authorities and are offered temporary and then longer-term accommodation. To stop people becoming homeless in the first place, the government must also maintain the local housing allowance so people on low incomes can afford rising rents.’
WAR CRYWnRLD
Peace wins for Olympian
In an interview in The Times, Adam Peaty explained that his faith gives him peace.
Journalist Jane Mulkerrins noticed how there had been a change in the Olympic swimmer, since a previous conversation she had had with him. Back then he spoke using ‘warlike, gladiatorial’ language. But now it seemed he had found peace.
Responding to her observation, he said: ‘And peace, that’s the thing you want, isn’t it? It’s not sustainable to be angry and fighting all the time.’
Adam said his peace comes ‘definitely from my faith, first’. Whereas he used to say he felt ‘like a god in the pool’, she wrote, ‘now he’s got actual God’.
‘I’d rather have my faith and my relationship with Jesus and come second than have gold,’ he told her.
‘Gifted’ prison pastors offered theology course
Prisoners may soon be able to study a specially created theology course while serving time, Premier News reports.
Westminster Theological Centre (WTC) is launching the programme after becoming aware of how many people were finding faith in prison.
Set to be piloted at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire in 2026, the bespoke higher education course could eventually be rolled out to other prisons.
Sarah Coppin, WTC’s prisons’ programme director, told Premier that in her experience of prison ministry, she found that the prisoners she met inside ‘were some of the most gifted … pastors, prophets and preachers around’.
She said: ‘We want them to be working as chaplains’ assistants. We want them to be coming alongside their fellow prisoners because I think they’re much more effective than we are. They’ve got that rapport, they can meet the men as equal. So my hope is that we’re going to see an even bigger move of God if we train and equip these men who are requesting this training.’
News reports.
Marking the 250th anniversary of her birth next year, the clay statue will show the Pride and Prejudice author standing by her writing table.
Sculptor Martin Jennings is working on the piece, which is scheduled to be installed on the lawn near the cathedral by September 2025.
Jane died in the city in 1817 and was buried in cathedral grounds.
Canon Roland Riem, vice-dean of Winchester Cathedral, said: ‘I look forward to producing a memorial to Jane Austen which will draw people from far and wide to celebrate her legacy and that of the great city and cathedral in which she rests.’
Hub helps families facing homelessness
A Salvation Army hub for families experiencing homelessness has been officially opened by the children’s ombudsman in Dublin.
Houben House accommodates 350 parents and their children and is the country’s largest family homeless hub, hosting 62 families from the Republic of Ireland and other countries. The complex, which has been operational since 2020, spans four floors and features a library, sensory playroom, laundry rooms, a dining room and an outdoor courtyard and play area.
Speaking at the official opening, which had been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Niall Muldoon, the children’s ombudsman, said that children and families are being failed because of the move away from constructing local authority housing, which has pushed more of them into homelessness. He described this as ‘a most traumatic breach of children’s rights and something for which numerous different governments must take responsibility’.
He paid tribute to The Salvation Army for trying to create a home setting, security and guidance for families with Houben House.
‘Within the limitations of the model, they appear to have done extremely well over the past four years,’ he said.
Dr Niall Muldoon opens The Salvation Army’s homeless hub in Dublin
‘With us, athletes can find silence and calm’
In Paris’s summer of sport, Joël Thibault is doubling up on events. After playing his part in the Olympic Games, he is now focused on the Paralympics. Usually based in Rennes in Brittany, the church pastor has been at the Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ village in the French capital, helping to run a multifaith centre for the last several weeks.
‘We have two main roles as chaplains,’ says Joël when we speak over Zoom. ‘One is to take care of the athletes –and we do this by listening to them and offering prayer if they want it.
‘The second role is about offering a space for Christians or for people of other faiths to practise their religion.’
The multifaith centre is staffed by representatives of a variety of religions, and it offers athletes in the village the opportunity to engage in acts of worship. There are Christian services every day, and the centre also provides
a programme in which individuals can spend time meditating on Bible verses.
‘Athletes and staff come to the multifaith centre because it is a safe place,’ says Joël. ‘In the village there is so much noise and so many distractions with games, entertainments and activities, but the centre is somewhere where you can find silence and calm.
Church pastor JOËL THIBAULT summarises how he and his fellow chaplains at a multifaith centre in the Olympic and Paralympic Village in Paris have been supporting athletes Interview by Philip Halcrow
‘Athletes also want to have a space in which to worship God.’
As well as engaging in worship, athletes are able to turn to the chaplains when they need emotional or spiritual support – though Joël, who has been providing chaplaincy at major sporting events since 2014, says that the Paris Games have differed from some of the other occasions where he has ministered.
He explains: ‘Normally in sports chaplaincy we say we are “pastorally proactive” but “spiritually reactive”. It means that when we see someone who feels sad we can approach them and ask if they want to talk, but that – while we can answer people’s questions on our religion – we do not just go to a person and tell them, for instance, that they can find hope in Christianity.
‘So in sports chaplaincy it’s always clear that we do not proselytise, but in Paris we have more restrictions.
‘We are in the village, so sometimes we can see a situation in which, for example, someone is crying. But in Paris we are not allowed to go to them and
Olympic and Paralympic Games
chaplain Joël Thibault
ask if we can do something to help. We can only talk with them if they come to the multifaith centre.
‘So when we see some situations out in the village where someone is upset, we keep it in our minds and pray to God.’
It can be a time when athletes have big questions
Joël’s track record of providing chaplaincy has included the World Athletics and World Para Athletics Championships in London, the Rio Paralympic Games and last year’s World Para Athletics Championships in Paris. His experience has taught him that athletes turn to chaplains for various reasons.
‘All humans are different, so as chaplains we encounter a lot of different situations,’ he says. ‘Sometimes athletes come to us because they have frustrations about the competition –maybe about an injury or, if they’re playing a team sport, about the choice of the coach.
‘At other times, their concern is more about their personal situation – their family are far away and they feel alone.’
Some athletes have a sense of apprehension when they look further ahead.
‘After their competition is over, it can also be a time when they have big questions,’ says Joël. ‘Reaching the Games is a great achievement for anyone and, for
some, it will be the last one – and so they are thinking about the next steps for their lives. They feel the need to talk with someone who is neutral, who does not have an economic interest in influencing them. So it’s a time for prayer.
‘And at any time athletes can find themselves thinking about their identity and who they are without sports. Chaplains can help with that big question.’
Joël is always willing to assist an athlete in pursuing answers to such questions.
‘We can spend time with them,’ he says, ‘and, always with their permission, we can open the Bible and share words that offer reassurance and comfort – for example, Psalm 19 which says that “the word of God is more precious than gold”.’
Podcast poses questions of belief
Father ALEX FROST explains why he thinks society has an appetite for conversations of faith and how that prompted him to start a podcast
Interview
by Claire Brine
‘It started as a bit of a hobby during the Covid lockdown,’ says podcaster Father Alex Frost, vicar of St Matthew the Apostle Church in Burnley. ‘Someone approached me and said: “Why don’t you record a podcast, interviewing some of your parishioners?” So that’s what I did. It was just a way of trying to keep local people engaged with the church in an isolated time – and I found that I liked doing it.
‘A while later, my brother said: “Look, podcasts are all the rage now. Why not start one and call it The God Cast?” I thought about it, and remembered that the TV broadcaster Eamonn Holmes followed me on Twitter. I decided to take a chance by contacting him and asking if he’d come on this new podcast that I was doing. I never thought for a minute that he’d say yes, but he did. So Eamonn ended up being the very first guest on The God Cast.’
Since launching the podcast in 2020, Alex has interviewed a number of famous faces, including Levi Roots, Alastair Campbell, Jeffrey Archer, Melanie Sykes and Edwina Currie. He has questioned key figures working in the Church of England and listened to sport and music stars reflecting on their achievements. His aim is to find inspiring and interesting guests who not only have a good story to share, but are also willing
Edwina Currie
Alastair Campbell
Alex interviewing Eamonn Holmes
to explore the subject of faith.
‘I think there’s a real appetite out there for conversations of faith,’ Alex explains. ‘People have questions about spirituality that they want to address, especially when the country is facing fragile times, just as we did with Covid or even now during the cost of living crisis.
‘People’s views might be different to mine, but their questions about God are very real. And listeners tell me that they like hearing conversations which are not just giving them a five-minute snapshot of faith, but a deeper exploration.’
Ever since its beginnings, The God Cast has been a safe space for guests to talk about the big issues of life, including love, loss, pain, death and, of course, God. While a mention of the G-word may cause a number of listeners to switch off, Alex is keen to provide a platform for individuals to talk unashamedly about religion and faith.
a vicar. I always wear my dog collar when I’m doing the interviews on video call. That doesn’t mean that the conversations I have are only about Christianity. What we talk about is down to the guest.’
Getting people talking about faith is the ultimate goal
When Eamonn Holmes featured on the podcast, he chatted with Alex about the diversity of his TV career and the value he found in presenting BBC1’s Songs of Praise. Melanie Sykes opened up about her autism diagnosis in adulthood and why she is a woman of prayer. Levi Roots told the story of how his grandmother took him to church as a child, and then he launched into a quick rendition of the upbeat Christian song ‘Stand Up and Tell Me if You Love My Saviour’.
Sometimes guests tell Alex about how they came to faith and why. Other times they’ll confess that they find putting faith in God a struggle. Alex feels that both kinds of conversations are valid and welcome.
an atheist,’ Alex says. ‘He said: “I don’t do God, but I’ll do The God Cast.” And when we chatted, he told me about his sister’s faith and how she would say to him: “You don’t do God, God does you.” So under his window-dressing atheism, I felt that he was someone who hasn’t ruled out faith completely.
‘Whatever people believe, my hope is that when they listen to The God Cast, they will find the confidence to explore the subject of faith and ask questions. If they already have a faith, I hope it encourages them to keep going with it. If they don’t have faith or lost it a long time ago, I hope it encourages them to revisit it and perhaps start some dialogue with a Christian that they might know. Getting people talking about faith is the ultimate goal – but of course I want it to be entertaining and interesting as well.’
While there are hundreds of podcasts in the UK that feature interviews with famous and fascinating people, it’s rare for a Church of England vicar to be sitting in the host’s seat and asking the questions. But being a priest is something that, perhaps, gives Alex an advantage when it comes to attracting guests. People trust him – and so are willing to answer him
‘Some people said to me that calling it The God Cast could end up alienating a whole demographic,’ he says. ‘But I think it’s important in this saturated market of podcasts to be very clear about what you are. I’m not expecting The God Cast to become a BBC TV feature any time soon, but I do it for an audience that I know enjoys it. Sometimes Christians pussyfoot around what they want to say, but this is a religious podcast, hosted by Turn to page 10 f
‘When Alastair Campbell came on the podcast, he had this reputation for being
From page 9
when he poses questions that are difficult or personal.
‘I remember talking to Jeffrey Archer about his time in prison and what his experiences behind bars taught him,’ says Alex. ‘Maybe I couldn’t have asked that question in quite the same way had I not been a priest. But I don’t think there’s any question that I wouldn’t be prepared to ask a guest.
‘And there’s nobody that I wouldn’t be prepared to interview either. I would interview anybody because the role of the Christian is to love everyone, and quite often that might be someone we profoundly disagree with, or someone who has disappointed us.
‘For me, being a Christian is all about having open and honest conversations. It’s about healing and redemption. It’s about acknowledgment and forgiveness. Some of the conversations I’ve had on the podcast have been really moving and profoundly influential on my own ministry.’
Some of the people who spring to Alex’s mind as particularly inspiring guests include the musicians Kenny Thomas and Chris Difford.
‘Kenny was a singer in the ’90s and he talked to me about his daughter, who suffered a brain tumour,’ remembers Alex. ‘And Chris – one of the front men of the band, Squeeze – shared with me the struggles of his addiction and how he had to find out where his knees were before he could find a way through.
Chris Difford
Jeffrey Archer
Kenny Thomas
‘But it’s not just the famous people who have these incredible stories. One guest who stands out for me is an American woman called Morgan Godvin. She was a drug addict who bought drugs for her boyfriend, which resulted in his death.
‘Morgan was prosecuted and ended up being incarcerated in a prison full of Hispanic women, where hardly anybody spoke English. Years later, when she was freed from jail, she was fluent in Spanish –and she went on to become an advocate in the US for prison reform.’
Faith has got an important role to play in our society
Though stories exploring the value of faith rarely make headline news, Alex believes many people are keen – and even excited – to talk about God and religion. That’s why he has no problem in filling the slots on his podcast.
‘I don’t feel that faith is a taboo subject; – that’s simply the narrative of the secular world, trying to downplay it,’ he argues. ‘Faith has got an important role to play in our society.
‘Churches have got an important role too. During the school holidays, when a lot of the volunteers at St Matthew’s were away, we couldn’t run our usual Wednesday lunch club – but we still had 80 people turning up at the church for a packed lunch. And if our church isn’t going to provide these packed lunches to people
who need them, then who is? That’s an example of the positive side of faith – and it needs airing.
‘While the secular agenda may create these “extreme” narratives around faith, most Christians are just pretty normal people, going about their lives. The one thing that defines us is our faith in Jesus Christ.’
It’s a faith that has transformed Alex’s life. He tells the story of his introduction to Christianity and journey to church ministry in his book Our Daily Bread, which was published in 2022 by HarperCollins.
‘The summary is that I didn’t go to church until I was 40,’ he tells me. ‘I was very happily working for Argos at the time, and pursuing a career in stand-up comedy. Then when my daughter was five years old, she said she wanted to go to Sunday school. Nobody wanted to take her, so it fell to me.
‘We went to church in our village in Burnley, and, during the service, I had no idea what was going on. I stood up in all the wrong places and sat down when I should have been standing.
‘But the sermon was lovely, the music was nice and at the end of the service the vicar said to me: “Oh! You’re a new face.” He invited me for a coffee and, even though every bone in my body was saying “no”, I found myself saying “all right”.
‘When I met up with him, he asked me what I knew about religion. I said: “Absolutely nothing.” Then he asked me about my interests, and I told him that I enjoyed comedy. We talked about the
BBC comedy The Vicar of Dibley, and he suggested that I listen to the show’s theme music, because the words are the 23rd Psalm.
‘The next time we met, we talked about it. We became friends and often went dog walking together. I also kept going to church.
‘Then, one day, I asked him what it was like to be a vicar. He said: “I was wondering when you’d ask me that.” From that point on, I stopped being a stand-up comedian and started chatting with my wife about becoming a vicar. Here I am, 15 years later, the vicar of St Matthew’s and hosting a podcast called The God Cast. I see both things as part of my ministry.’
The podcast, in particular, has enriched Alex’s faith in surprising ways.
‘It has taught me so much about how people find faith in adversity,’ he says. ‘It has made me realise that the rich and famous aren’t so far from the meek and the lowly. Often they are just as broken as the rest of us are – and many of them are happy to admit that, which I think brings us closer together.
‘I’ve also seen the power of God – his awesomeness and wonder – through listening to other people’s perceptions of him. God has the power to draw us in, to ask questions, to build a relationship with us.
‘I could talk with my guests for ever about faith and theology because they have no ending.’
l The God Cast is available on YouTube
The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.
jBecoming a Christian
There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God
NO W, THERE’S A THOUGHT!
by Jane Ayamba
Art encourages abstract thinking
They say that art is subjective, and I agree. I can stand in front of an abstract piece, nod wisely and feel incredibly cultured while internally questioning whether I’m looking at an elaborate splatter or thoughtless streaks of chaos. But I do think that there’s something universally captivating about abstract concepts, such as peace.
When I think of peace, I imagine the soft strum of a harp, the innocent wonder in a baby’s eyes or gentle ocean waves – anything but a storm.
But the Christian artist Jack E Dawson challenges this perception with his painting Peace in the Midst of the Storm. In it, a dove finds a haven in its nest, unbothered by the waters that rage around it. Dawson’s painting symbolises the possibility of inner peace, even when life’s challenges are most severe.
Lord Jesus Christ,
I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.
Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.
Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.
Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen
For the Christian facing worries, relationship tension or conflict, peace can be reconsidered not as the absence of turmoil, but as endurance despite it.
Our world desperately needs this kind of peace. Not just the quiet calm of a still day, but a deep-rooted serenity – a peace that transcends external circumstances and is rooted in faith in God.
The Bible offers a blueprint for how to have this peace. It describes God’s protection as a strong tower. And in times of crisis, we have a choice: to run from God or to find refuge in him.
One Bible passage records a man saying to God: ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you’ (Isaiah 26:3 New Living Translation).
It’s an invitation to cultivate a peaceful mind by focusing on what matters: truth, purity, love, goodness and God.
Ultimately, peace is not merely the absence of a storm, but the making of a conscious choice. It’s about trusting God even when we are only just keeping our head above water. As we navigate life’s complexities, let’s choose to put our trust in God and make what may seem abstract a reality.
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Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International
QUICK QUIZ
1 2 3 4 5 6
Which German car manufacturer uses the slogan, ‘The ultimate driving machine’?
Who starred as Felicia, wife to conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein, in last year’s film Maestro?
Who played Tracey in the sitcom Birds of a Feather?
Who had a No 1 in 1985 with the album Born in the USA?
In computing, what does the abbreviation CPU stand for?
Who wrote the novel East of Eden?
LAST TEAM STANDING
Players in survival mode must work together to win
TV feature by Sarah Olowofoyeku
Sixteen men and women are attempting to outlast each other in the survival game of a lifetime. The only rule? They can’t go it alone. In the second series of US reality competition Outlast, which streams on Netflix from Wednesday (4 September), contestants must be part of a team in order to win.
Dropped in the Alaskan wilderness, the competitors must do whatever it takes to survive the longest as a team and win a share of $1 million.
Once the four teams are chosen, they start to work on making shelter and fire with their bag of supplies. The bag provides them with equipment useful to their survival, but it also contains a flare gun that anyone can shoot into the sky if they want to leave the competition.
Quitting is the last thing any of them want to think about on day one, but their new surroundings pose challenges and may push them to their limits. They are contending not just with the unpredictable climate, wild predators and limited resources, but also with the temperaments of the humans they are trying to work with.
As time ticks on in the game, certain personalities begin to clash and challenging characteristics surface. While teamwork has obvious benefits, both in the wild and in normal life, we can sometimes find human beings hard to get along with. We judge people for the way they are and find ourselves irritated by some of their behaviour. We can decide it’s easier to just go it alone and look out for ourselves.
But the Bible encourages us to ‘work toward unity, and live in harmony with one another’ (Romans 12:16 The Voice).
For people who put their trust in God, the good news is that they don’t have to soldier on. God offers to pour his love into people, which will enable them to love and live well with others.
If we team up with God, we win the prize of a love that will outlast anything.
NETFLIX
PUZZLES
the grid so that every column,
12. Attempt (3)
13. Falsehood (3)
15. Circuit (3)
16. Religious sister (3)
18. Blood vessel (6)
15. Lap. 16. Nun. 18. Artery. 19. Kettle. 20. Etcher. 21. Spring. 22. Occupy. 23. Exotic. HONEYCOMB 1. Martin. 2. Choral. 3. Heroic. 4. Listen. 5. Finish. 6. Extend.
DOWN: 1. Charge. 2. Revamp. 3. Meddle. 4. Plunge. 5. Writhe. 6. Remote. 12. Try. 13. Lie.
3. Map. 7. Thieve. 8. Larder. 9. Errand. 10. Notion. 11. Leg. 12. Temple. 14. Eleven. 17. Yankee. 21. Spoken. 24. Tap. 25. Static. 26. Reckon. 27. Grille. 28. Napkin. 29. Rig.
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ABSOLUTION AMNESTY CHARITY CLEMENCY COMPASSION EXEMPTION FORBEARANCE GRACE IMPUNITY JUSTIFICATION
Spicy prawn and pak choi stir-fry
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced 4 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ red chilli, chopped, plus extra to garnish
150g raw king prawns
2tsp reduced-salt soy sauce
1tsp Chinese five-spice
2 pak choi, stems chopped and leaves kept whole 2tbsp water
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat, then add the onion. Fry for 2 minutes, then add the red pepper, mushrooms, garlic and chilli and continue to cook for 1 minute.
Add the prawns, soy sauce, five-spice and pak choi stems. Keep stirring for a further 4 minutes, until the prawns are thoroughly cooked. Add the pak choi leaves and water, cover with a lid and cook for a further minute. Mix well. Garnish with a few chilli slices, and serve.
INGREDIENTS
200g can red salmon
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
50g cucumber, finely diced
50g low-fat yogurt
½ lemon, juice
Ground black pepper
2 x 70g wholemeal tortillas
50g salad leaves
Salmon, red onion and sweet pepper wraps
METHOD
Drain the salmon and remove the skin, but keep the bones. Add to a bowl and roughly mash with a fork.
Add the onion, red pepper, cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice and black pepper to the salmon and mix well.
Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan or griddle pan for 2 minutes. Place on a clean work surface, then place half the salmon mixture and salad leaves in the middle of each tortilla, leaving a 3cm gap around the edges.
Roll up the tortillas and tuck in the edges, then cut in half at an angle, to serve.
The key to humility is love.
Love for God and love for those around yo u
Alice Swain