And to cap it all ...

Every week I get a short e-mail news digest from the Bible Society. This one is pertinent to one possibility we are praying about this year ...

"As thousands of debt-ridden families wake up to the reality of Christmas overspending, a Christian charity is offering churches the chance to come to their aid. Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has produced CAP Money, a course featuring Alpha-type filmed talks, to help people budget their way out of hardship. CAP founder John Kirkby said they were launching the course ‘in response to the overwhelming demand for a simple, easy-to-follow money management course that will make a long-term difference.’ Alan Meyer, senor minister of Elim Community Church in Carlisle, said a pilot scheme they had run ‘had a fantastic response’. ‘We are looking forward to using it as an evangelistic tool because of the huge impact it is able to make in people’s lives,’ he added. Meanwhile, the Methodist Church has produced thousands of fake credit cards bearing the inscription ‘Buy L£ss, Live More’. The cards are designed as a reminder to fit in a wallet and carry the inscription ‘MARK 10:17-27’ in place of a credit card number."

Sources: Christianity (Feb 08); Church Times (18/1)

What would you do with £25?

Here's a shocking story of what one pastor did by way of explaining the parable of the talents!

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/pastors-challenge-shocks-congregation/20071220192509990001

I wasn't born again yesterday

I stumbled accross this website today
http://www.ex-atheist.com/index.html

I have no idea who this guy is but there's some interesting stuff here. In particular 2 things caught my attention
His story of from atheism to faith (from skeptism to worship)
His illustrations and exercises to illustrate a new way of thinking (Learning to think spiritually).

Provocative Christianity

I read this at the end of a series of 'health' articles in the Times last weekend. It reminded me so much of what we have been communicating about being provocative Christians:

I was standing in the queue at midnight waiting with my daughter to buy a copy of the final Harry Potter book. It was cold and I was tired. There was a man offering hot coffee at a stall nearby. How enterprising, I thought. I went to the stall to get a coffee. "How much?" I asked. "It's free," the man replied. Looking down, I noticed a flyer for a Christian group on the stall. "But you want some sort of donation, right?" "No," said the man, "it's free." "Why would you give coffee away for free? What's in it for you?" I asked. The man just smiled. I took my free coffee. I've been thinking about that smile for six months, trying to figure it out.

Advent Calender

I love our Advent Calender on the doors as you come into church, I even forgive the people responsible for making me a fairy (or just possibly and angel) on day 6.

Here's another good Advent Calender.

http://www.paperlesschristmas.org/jp/sj-site/index.html

Not sure who has done this and I can't seem to skip ahead and see what the days ahead will be like but I quite like, day 7 and day 12.

Am I the only one who missed this?

According to the BBC they found Herod's tomb this year, did I miss the news that day?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6630000/newsid_6635400/6635479.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm&news=1&bbcws=1

Perscuted church

Following the prayers a week ago for the persecuted church a number of people asked where they can get further information. Tom has written a helpful note with links below. He also mentioned some murders in Turkey and I noticed this weekend that the court case has just come up for those accused of the killings there:

www.guardian.co.uk/turkey/story/0,,2216358,00.html

'Thanks to all of you who listened to me talking about the persecuted church on the 18^th November. Some of you have asked for some more information and especially about Shuang Shuying, the elderly Chinese lady being held in a Beijing prison. This article gives the fullest account of her story that I have found: http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-8-30/59228.html# and the website of Prisoner Alert below has a page on her that looks as though it will be updated with any news.

Here are the websites I know about. There are certainly others but I think that this covers the major organisations that operate in the UK as well as some that may not. Please let me know if I have missed any out.

Open Doors UK - Christian Persecution Charity this is ‘Brother Andrew’s’ organisation.

Release International - The voice of the persecuted church this has similar roots to Voice of the Martyrs in the US.

Barnabas Fund ...hope and aid for the persecuted church concentrates with great understanding on Christians in the Muslim world.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide, promoting religious freedom and human rights for persecuted Christians

PrisonerAlert.com Linked to CSW.

Compass Direct News A news agency specialising in the persecuted church that has wide international contacts.

Burma prayer

China Aid

If you want to keep informed, at least the first four on the list send out regular magazines and prayer calendars. Typically they also send our e-mail alerts or regular updates that you can sign up to. They all have slightly different emphases and specialisations and I have not yet come across any evidence that they tread on one another’s toes! Sadly, there is plenty of work to be done in this area, so they don’t need to compete.

"Remember the prisoners as if chained with them, and those who are mistreated..." Hebrews 13.3'