‘I am sure that in the Arabian peninsula there are easily ten million Christians’, says Bill Schwartz, OBE, Anglican Archdeacon in the Gulf and Chaplain of Qatar. Most notable is how the region’s religious mix has shifted in a totally unprecedented way, as foreign workers have flooded in to benefit from the explosion of jobs. Today, at least 50% of migrants and expatriates ‘have some kind of Christian tradition’. In Qatar, where foreign workers outnumber locals by ten to one, there are now more Catholics than Muslims. New church buildings are being built, including one in Abu Dhabi to accommodate 5,000 people at a time. There is opportunity for Christian witness in societies that have been culturally isolated for thousands of years. Schwartz says, ‘I have more opportunities to talk about faith in the Gulf than I ever do in the US, because religion is so important here.’
Corruption in Africa
19 Jul 2018
We recently had ‘African Anti-Corruption Day’ ,which recognised the progress made in the fight against corruption and the significant work still left to do. To highlight this point, the African Union (AU) designated 2018 as the year for ‘winning the fight against corruption’. The AU signed several treaties aimed at ensuring democracy, rule of law and good governance. But much more needs to be done. Corruption hampers development and the ability to bring people out of poverty. The continent ranks lowest amongst global regions in corruption perceptions, and the impact cannot be underestimated. 43% of Africans are living in poverty while over 50 billion US dollars’ worth of stolen assets flow out of Africa annually, money that could be invested in jobs and social services, where additional resources are needed most. Transparency International wrote an open letter to the AU highlighting seven areas where it could focus its efforts.
USA: Islamophobia Inc.
19 Jul 2018
Across the US there is growth in organisations portraying Islam as a threat, in what has become known as the Islamophobia industry. It has more than tripled in two years. An Al-Jazeera investigation revealed the tactics they use to instigate a fear of Islam, including manipulating social media to create a false narrative that Muslims are trying to take over the country. Anti-Muslim messages proliferate in social media with bought-in followers, fake accounts, and robotic amplifiers. The investigation also shows how the organisations suppress the rise of a Muslim political voice in America, and uncovers how ‘dark money’ is fuelling them - tens of millions of dollars funnelled through anonymous donor funds. The report unveiled the donors of the dark money; a strategy of infiltrating US university courses and monitoring mosques; a filmed training session by an ex-FBI Agent teaching ‘theories’ about Muslims; and connections between key members of the Trump administration and the Islamophobia industry.
To Infinity and Beyond…
18 Jul 2018
It was Buzz Lightyear who gifted us with the iconic line, “To infinity… and beyond!” But way before him, the Great Commission was spoken by Jesus to 12 ordinary men, telling them to go to all nations and make disciples. Going to infinity and beyond began with Jesus. But what does this look like for us today?
Agapé’s Student Life is seeing students take the lead in exciting ways. Some students have been venturing off their own university campuses to help develop Agapé Student Life movements at other universities in their region. Others have been launching movements at their own universities where there are no Agapé staff at all.
Led by Students
Anna Du-mont is studying at the University of Nottingham, where there are currently no Agapé staff, “It was a year ago that I became a student leader. Amidst all of my other commitments and studies, I was initially apprehensive to join but I’m so glad I did!”
Through using Agapé resources and holding quirky fresher campaigns like ‘hook-a-duck’ on campus, Student Leaders at Nottingham are providing an open space for students to come together and talk about the big questions surrounding life and faith. “I am encouraged and surprised that every week students walk through the pub doors and sit down with us for our weekly meeting,” shares Anna. “They open up to us, sharing their opinions on life, faith, and everything in between.”
“Though the mission can feel daunting at times as a student-led movement without full-time staff, the boundaries are not limited to what can be achieved with God on our campus and beyond,” expressed Anna. “I can’t wait to see what he has planned for us next.”
Supported by Other Uni Students
Students from established Agapé Student Life movements are in turn helping to launch new movements at other universities. Joe Purnell, studying at Oxford Brookes, has been going quite literally beyond his own campus to join God in what he is doing regionally at Reading and Nottingham universities.
At the University of Nottingham specifically, Joe joined the search for new leaders, “I just recently had the privilege of meeting those new leaders that came out of that searching! God is so good in the way he promises things and never fails to come through, even when it sometimes feels fruitless on the day.”
“I have seen how powerful a Student Life movement can be as it has influenced my university experience significantly in Oxford. So to have the opportunity to share the movement elsewhere is really exciting! There’s also a certain freedom in taking risks in conversation, as I’m unlikely to see that person around my own campus” shared Joe. “It’s rarely easy to go up to students and ask what they think about life and faith. I’ve had one-word answers and been hurried along but there is such peace in knowing that each conversation could have an eternal consequence.”
Coached by Agapé Staff
It’s an exciting time for Agapé Student Life staff as we’re seeing students empowered to lead their own movements and help launch others. Becky Deare, Team Leader for Agapé Student Life in the West Midlands, shared how staff are joining in what God is already doing.
“This is not a new thing, but it’s a matter of owning the entire scope of movement building, not just on our doorsteps, but also up and down the UK,” explained Becky, who met Jesus and started the Agapé Student Life movement at the University of Birmingham almost 10 years ago. “It’s the same vision to see student-led movements winning people to Christ, building them up in Christ and sending them out to do the same with others, but it owns a much bigger scope.”
Becky has been supporting the Student Leaders at Nottingham from a distance through online coaching and showing up alongside them on campus. “God has blessed us with technology – Paul used letters; now we’re using Skype! Like each of us, students have been given the Great Commission from God and they have the passion to be a part of it – our job is to get alongside them and help empower them to do just that!”
Empowered by God
Through students actively sharing their faith on campus, many students at different points in their spiritual journey have been brought into the Student Life community and have experienced the acceptance that comes from God. “God is raising up student leaders and stirring the hearts of students to share the gospel,” shares Becky. “He is using young adults to change their campuses! The scope and vision of this is huge – we’re praying that as a movement, we would continue to dream big dreams, continue to have our eyes open to see where God is at work, and that we would remain sensitive to his leading.”
The Great Commission was given to reach far and wide to infinity and beyond. Jesus’ promise is what makes all the difference: “I will be with you to the very end of the age.”
Would you join in the work on a campus of your own or near you? To find out how you can get involved, head to www.agape.org.uk/studentlife and get in touch with us as you go into the beyond, right where you are…
Source: Agapé Student Life
Raising faith in our families
18 Jul 2018
Paul writes to the Christians in Corinth: ‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow’ (1 Corinthians 3:6).
Care for the Family's book 'Raising Faith' has given lots of encouragement on how to be intentional in planting and watering seeds of faith in our children’s lives. We must never forget that it is only God who can make those seeds grow … but we get to partner with him in that incredible task!
Extracted from Raising Faith by Katharine Hill and Andy Frost.
Published by Care for the Family in association with Essential Christian (£4.99). cff.org.uk/shop
The power of prayer
We’ve shared many parenting principles and practical tips throughout the book, but we’ve saved the most important lesson until last. The truth is that we can do as much sowing, planting and watering as we like, but ultimately what will really make a difference is engaging in the power of prayer. God’s total desire is for his children to be in a relationship with him. So we can know without a doubt that when we pray this for our children, we are praying right in the centre of his will for their lives.
From their earliest days, Richard and I have tried to take a moment to pray for our four children every day. We used to pray for them all together in a pack, but we came to discover the power of praying for them as individuals, bringing their specific needs and requests before God.
As well as immediate issues – health concerns, fallings-out in the playground, struggles at school – as parents, we can try to look up and out and pray in bigger things for our children’s lives. We can look to the promises in the Bible and pray Scripture over them; we can pray ancient prayers of blessing; we can pray for Christian friends and people of influence to come across their paths at just the right time. We can pray for their character and for the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We can pray they will have the wisdom to make good choices and that they will be emotionally strong and able to recover from setbacks. We can pray for their future jobs, relationships and marriage partners – the possibilities are endless. But above all else, we can pray that they have soft hearts that respond to God’s love for them.
The Bible tells us to pray ‘on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests’ (Ephesians 6:18). There is no one or right way of praying that suits us all – our different personalities mean that we’ll find it easier to pray in different ways. Introverts may love praying on their own in their room with the door closed – what Jesus called ‘the secret place’. Those of us with more extrovert tendencies may find that extra challenging – though even we will need some time alone, but we can also pray using everyday family life as a prompt. We can pray for a particular child while tidying their room, or we might tiptoe into their room at night and say a short prayer of blessing over them while they sleep (not recommended for light sleepers!). We can pray as we sort out their clothes from the wash or as we load individual cups or bowls into the dishwasher. When one of my children has been going through a difficult time, I have often put their photo on my phone’s home screen. So every time I text, tweet, or take a call their picture is a reminder to pray. Be creative about setting up your own prompts to pray!
We’re playing a long game
It has been wisely said of bringing up children that, ‘The days are long, but the years are short.’ As any parent of adult children will tell you, the pre-school and primary years do go by so fast, so just as we nurture our children’s physical and emotional development, let’s try to seize every opportunity we can to sow seeds of faith in our kids’ lives in their early years.
The truth is that our task as parents is not to raise children or even teenagers, but to raise adults. This is a long game – something that is counter-intuitive in our instant, same-day, uber-society. These seeds of faith that are planted in our children’s young lives will slowly bear fruit and produce a harvest in the years to come. We can trust that their Father, the gardener, will play his part, and we can play our part in that process by praying – as people have prayed throughout the ages – that our children would know and respond as we have to his amazing love for them.
Source: Care for the Family
The miracles of Thailand’s cave rescue
12 Jul 2018
The rescue saw miracles from beginning to end. First of all, divers travelled underwater trailing a rope for their return route. The rope was too short, and when the divers raised their heads above the water surface they stared directly at the boys stranded on a ledge above. Had they gone any further, they would have missed them. Then, just hours after the last boys and their young coach had been rescued, the pumps failed and the water levels rapidly increased. Give thanks also for the devotion of the coach as he sought to keep the boys calm by meditation. Pray now for the recovery of the survivors, that they will not have flashbacks, nightmares or any fears of confined space, but rather that they will experience post-traumatic growth. PTG happens when a traumatic experience changes lives positively. If so, they will have positive futures as they grow into confident young men with a higher psychological level of functioning. Pray also for the family of the diver who died in the rescue.
Voodoo nurse guilty of sex trafficking
12 Jul 2018
A London-based nurse has been convicted of trafficking five Nigerian women into Germany to work as prostitutes after subjecting them to ‘voodoo’ rituals. Josephine Lyamu forced them to swear oaths to hand over money to her during ‘juju’ ceremonies. Praise God for the successful prosecution. The women had been psychologically manipulated and financially exploited, as well as sexually abused. This is the first conviction under the Modern Slavery Act, passed in 2015. See also the IJM prayer requests in the ‘World’ section.
For the nation and all in authority
12 Jul 2018
A 19th-century prayer from Rev H Stobart: ‘O God, our refuge and strength, who orders all things in heaven and earth, look down with your mercy upon us as a nation. Remember not our iniquities, nor the iniquities of our forefathers, neither take vengeance on our sins. Pour out upon us, and on all the people of this land, the spirit of grace and supplication, and join us together in piety, loyalty, and brotherly love. Direct the counsels and strengthen the hands of all in authority for the repression of crime and outrage, the maintenance of order and law, and of public peace and safety; so that, leading quiet lives in all godliness and honesty, we may be your people and You may be our God; and that we may bless and glorify You, our Defender and Deliverer; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’