TeachingClowns to the left of me; jokers to the right... The importance of escaping political labels. p.20

StoriesStreetwise Learning to love and serve women who risk their lives on the city streets. p.36

CultureOn Your Marks Are you all set to make the most of the 2012 Olympic Games? p.41

Ensuring your public face and private reality match up

p.16

Integrity

Summer

2Leadership ConferenCe MaY 2011 Hosted by John & Anne Coles together with your regional leadership team, plus guest speakers and worship leaders.

Dave Workman is Senior Pastor of Cincinnati Vineyard in the USA, where the idea of servant ministry on the street was birthed. They have an incredible ministry to their community that embraces justice and mercy, mission and attraction, and is all fun and fruitful in sharing something of the faith of Christ in really exciting ways.

Gary Best is National Team Leader for Vineyard Churches Canada. In a very simple, unassuming yet profound way, Gary is able to articulate how the Holy Spirit longs to work through ordinary believers to transform lives and the world around us. He will inspire you to go out and do the work of the Kingdom in a very naturally supernatural way.

If youre Involved In leadershIp In your local church - whether as a key staff member, In chIldrens, youth or small group mInIstry, or a leader In any capacIty dont mIss thIs great opportunIty for In-depth teachIng, specIalIsed how to- style semInars and networkIng, all wIth a local church flavour.

This was my first New Wine Leadership Conference though Ive been to countless others over the years - for 10 years with a role in a national organisation. Without doubt this was the best I have been to!

Speaker after speaker spoke directly into my situation and I was movedto get out of my rut and begin to do what he has been laying on my heart over many months.

Came away feeling scrubbed down, cleaned off and geared up for the next stage!

Discounts availaBle

for unDer 30s!

Mon 9 - WeD 11 May 2011 Ealing Christian Centre, London (non residential) With Dave Workman

WeD 11 fri 13 May 2011 Trinity Cheltenham (non residential)With Dave Workman

Mon 16 WeD 18 May 2011 Adelphi Hotel Liverpool (residential) With Gary Best

FEEdbACK From THE 2010 EVENT

Programme and seminar timetable available online

3Whats happening.

learn together.

our God at work.

looking at our world.

04a note from John ColesThe importance of telling your story

13Cross examinationHaving confidence in Gods Word

06editors letterEncouragement to share what Gods been doing

16integrityminding the gap between our pubic and private lives

07event HighlightsWhat people thought of some recent New Wine events

20Clowns to the left of me; jokers to the rightrising above political labelling

09bits & PiecesStories, feedback, news, a film quiz and more

24Holy violence?Understanding the brutality in the bible

28Faith at WorkJuggling responsibilities as a stay-at-home mum

30making the ConnectionWays of welcoming people in

32organised Chaosbeing willing to improvise with mission

34the book that Changes livesone young mans story of discovering God

36streetwiseHelping street sex workers find hope

39tough QuestionsCan I believe in science and the bible?

41on Your marksmaking sure were ready for next summer

44an audacious demonstrationrediscovering the party-spirit of Pentecost

47recommended resourcesdiscover some books and Cds you may have missed

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 3777 advertising@new-wine.org

The next edition will be published in october 2011. The advert booking deadline is 12 August 2011.

editormark melluish

Magazine Manager Lucy Williams

commissioning editorLucy Avery

advertising & classifieds Jeremy Geake Jonathan Tearne

creative Tom morton

Print Halcyon

find us: 4a ridley Avenue Ealing London W13 9XW

Phone us:0845 437 8656

fax us:0208 799 3770

email us:mag@new-wine.org

visit our website:www.new-wine.org

cut and Paste You can copy text from the New Wine magazine into local newsletters, church magazines and similar non-commercial communications provided you put a credit line: This material copyright New Wine magazine and used with permission. (This excludes any material marked ).

New Wine Magazine is published three times a year by the New Wine Trust as part of their mission. Your feedback is welcomed; letters may be edited and published in future issues.

summer 11 Issue 52

We want to look after our environment so weve used a recyclable paper. Please recycle.

PEFC/16-33-344

stor

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Promoting sustainable forest management. www.pefc.co.uk

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dear Friends

Have you moved house recently? If so, especially if it involved downsizing, you probably went through the dilemma of what to keep and what to throw away. In your clearing up you probably stopped and quietly reminisced as you came across an ornament, trinket or photo. Having moved my parents from a home which has been in the family for 60 years, I have done a lot of that recently. These are moments when God puts you back in touch with something in your history that was part of making you who you are today.

I remember John Wimber once talking about how to help churches maintain their dNA in ministry and mission as circumstances and personnel changed: Tell your story, tell your story, tell your story. That is why the bible is not just a set of propositional truth statements. It is the story of individuals, families and a whole nation discovering the greatness and grace of the living God. And the only way of communicating the coming of the messiah was to invent a new genre of literature, the Gospels, combining story and propositional truth.

Part of New Wines story is the outworking of david Pytches generosity of spirit: If God blesses you, give it away. one way we have done that has been through the development of New Wines international ministry. For many years bruce Collins has tirelessly spearheaded this work while serving on the New Wine Leadership Team. It began with international church leaders visiting our churches or the summer conference, being touched by the Spirit, gaining fresh vision for what God could do in their own countries, and then asking for our help. bruce has taken teams to such diverse places as Finland and Kenya, Canada and China, New Zealand and Estonia.

bruce has now decided that it is time to stop travelling in such an extensive way. He wants to focus his energy mainly on New Wine Cymru, following his move to Wales three years ago, as well as the maseno Project in Kenya. Consequently he is resigning from the New Wine Leadership Team and International Support Group. I know that team members, like me, will want to express their thanks to bruce for his courageous leadership; moreover, the lives of churches and individuals in many different countries around the world have been significantly changed through this ministry.

In this edition of the magazine you will read many stories of how individuals and churches have sought to live with the same generosity of spirit in their home, church or life-place. I am thrilled that what God has put in our hearts and minds is gradually becoming more and more visible. Lets remember our (hi)story, give away every blessing God gives in the present, and together change the future of the nation.

With very best wishes

John Coles director of New Wine

a note from John coles

5KiDs WorKers traininG DaysrEACHING THE NEXT LEVEL

As well as providing a great opportunity to meet other kids and youth workers in your area, these training days

present teaching dedicated to Kingdom leadership, showcase new approaches and demonstrate great ideas that

have been tried, tested and proven by practitioners drawn from the cutting edge of youth and childrens ministry.

Bring your team for an invaluable day of teaching, practical workshops, uplifting worship and focused prayer time.

for more info go to www.new-wine.org/kids

and dont forget to join our new Wine Kids facebook group!

nortH saturday 7 May 2011 Holy trinity ripon ripon

soutH saturday 21 May 2011 st Michaels southfields london

east saturday 21 May 2011 fountain of life, ashill norfolk

West saturday 14 May 2011 trinity cheltenham cheltenham

www.new-wine.org/jobs

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, childrens and community work, internships, managerial, administrators and other support roles).And if youre a member of our Church Leaders Network, youll receive a 50% discount on each advertisement.

THErES NoW A SUCCESSFUL FINd A Job SErVICE oN THE NEW WINE WEbSITE.

Got a job vaCanCY to fiLL?

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do you often use the phrase do you remember when...? We use it when were telling stories about things that have happened in the past that remind us of good times. We love to tell stories and remember good things.

I remember when, taking my first ever wedding, the bridegroom fainted in the middle of his vows. I remember trying to help someone whose car had got stuck in a muddy patch, while wearing brand new clothes! As the wheels started spinning I got completely covered in mud from head to toe, causing much hilarity among my family.

In this magazine we have tried to take some snapshots of churches and ministries around the nation and then tell the story of what God is doing in that place. We have only been able to gather a few but the list could have been endless. Since putting this magazine together I have been listening to further stories about Gods greatness, goodness and grace expressed in so many different ways around the country.

I have met together recently with church leaders from some of the toughest areas around the nation and listened to stories of Gods greatness and goodness being expressed. I was in Ireland recently where I enjoyed hearing stories of Gods grace working in peoples lives. on the Sunday morning I was able to rejoice as two people gave their lives to Jesus for the first time, meaning two further stories will be told of Gods grace.

Im sure you have your own stories to tell of what Gods doing in your community and wed love to hear them! Email us at stories@new-wine.org so that we can share with one another the goodness of God and encourage each other as we seek to live out our faith.

God bless you as you enjoy this magazine.

mark melluish Editormag@new-wine.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Kingdom theology taster Day 30 April ashill, norfolk

APRIL 2011

Kids Workers training Day 7 May ripon14 May Cheltenham 21 May London 21 May ashill, norfolk

Healing Ministry training Day 7 May stoke on trent21 May holgate, York

leadership conference 9-11 May London11-13 May Cheltenham 16-18 May Liverpool

Heart Head Hands21 May Cheltenham

Kingdom theology taster Day 21 May Kendal

Pastoral Prayer training Day 21 May selby

MAY 2011

JUNE 2011Healing Ministry training Day 25 June salisbury

SEPTEMBER 2011Healing Ministry training Day 24 September Upton

also look out for Kingdom training Days,

youth Work training Days, Mens conferences and the Kids leaders conference

at www.new-wine.org

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JULY/AUGUST 2011Healing Ministry training Day 16 July barking

summer conference LONDON & SOUTH EAST 23-29 July shepton Mallet

NORTH & EAST 30 July - 5 August newark

CENTRAL & SOUTH WEST 31 July - 6 August shepton Mallet

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retreat to aDvance 20s-30s conference January 2011 center Parcs, nottingham

It surpassed my expectations. Ive come back excited and refreshed, ready to move on with God. Ive re-learnt this weekend just how much I am valued and loved by God head knowledge became heart knowledge! Ive been telling everyone they need to go next time, it was awesome. Kathryn Phipps, Melton vineyard, Melton Mowbray

Im raving about it! I just thought it was fantastic and refreshing. Gods word was spot on about feeling dry and in need of a fresh start. I left inspired and renewed. Matt rodgers, st stephens church, tonbridge

I learnt more about Jesus in three days than in my whole life! I gained a real passion to be radical and to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth, in mission with courage! leah thompson, Hosanna Broadwater, West sussex

It was one of the best things New Wine has done recently, and an essential step forward as there isnt a huge amount of culturally relevant teaching for 20s and 30s. It ticked so many boxes; not only were the sessions excellent but it was so great to be able to relax in the spa or go to nice restaurants a lovely way to reflect on all that God was saying! fiona spence, st Pauls ealing, london

Absolutely right words for the right time. Very challenging. Got something out of every single session. Thirty from my church came and we all had a brilliant time and have already had many sessions sharing what God said/did and Im sure this will continue! esther Douglas, all saints, Woodford Wells

A great opportunity after the hustle and bustle of Christmas to take time with friends to let God move. Fantastic speakers enabled the Holy Spirit to heal, equip and inspire me. Very unexpected for a dreary January weekend! lizzie Bond, trent vineyard, nottingham

neW Wine events are HaPPeninG across tHe nation tHrouGHout tHe year, But WHat Difference are tHey MaKinG to PeoPles lives? finD out WHat GoDs Been uP to aMonG 20s-30s, WoMen, anD rural anD urBan leaDers

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WoMen & leaDersHiP conference January 2011 Bristol l leeds l aylesbury God was moving and blessing right from the start. The speakers were excellent and our leadership was recognised and affirmed. Gods love and empowering was given to me afresh through the ministry and prayer within our small groups. Julia chamberlin, all saints, Milton, cambridge

As the sole leader of a small church I rarely have the opportunity to worship entirely freely with no responsibility. It was so wonderful to be with a group of women sold out for God and seeking more of him. I went with good friends, met old friends and made new friends. The worship, teaching, ministry, workshops and social times were all great. It was inspiring, challenging, encouraging and lots of fun. I cant wait for next year. anon

I arrived at the conference feeling battle worn and weary, but went home feeling refreshed, renewed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ready to face the challenges ahead knowing I am the daughter of the King and in him I have the victory over all things. louise Williams, st andrews church, radcliffe

Feeling a little dried up and withered, I had to make quite an effort to register for this. How good that I did its unwithered me! Janice thom, sevenoaks united reformed church, Kent

rural & villaGe cHurcH leaDers foruM february 2011 Hothorpe, leicestershire Pete Atkins teaching was rooted in his own experience of Gods love and outstanding generosity in the rural setting. His humility, wisdom and encouragement were truly inspirational. Janet anderson-MacKenzie, st thomas a Becket, Wiltshire

The forum was a real oasis. It was very refreshing to go to a conference where rural issues were appreciated and addressed. I came away challenged and re-inspired in our work. anon

It was an excellent balance of teaching, worship and chat. anon

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WoMens Days february & March 2011 london l HarrogateAs a first timer I was very impressed. I went by myself, but made new friends on the day. The speakers were engaging and the theme was excellent: spiritual, inspiring and very moving. An emotional rollercoaster of a day it certainly wont be my last. Dawn Jenkins, st John the Divine, Menston, West yorkshire

Each speaker brought a fresh perspective to the subject of the day. I left determined to be more active in making a difference to peoples lives, and wanting to serve Jesus more. Jane lister, the Beacon church, camberley

It was one of the most amazing days ever. To see so many women together in one place showing their love for the Lord was so inspiring, and I spent most of the day in tears. elizabeth farley, fallings Park Methodist church

Saturday was remarkable for me and my daughter. The sessions were amazing and it was as if God was using a megaphone to speak to me and encourage me. As a result I have made up my mind to commit to going to Kenya to help train women. Jan fowler, Beverley Baptist church, yorkshire

Both morning and afternoon sessions were inspirational: truly Spirit led. My friend brought our elderly mums along and they thought they would be too tired for the whole day but they didnt want to leave. Mums comment was it was truly uplifting to see so many Christians worshipping in one place when it appears that our voice in the media seems so small. She went home and this morning told her Muslim carer all about the conference! Julie Wright st Johns thornham, Middleton, Manchester

This has to be the best Womens Day yet: fantastic teaching and worship as well as time for ministry. One woman, who had never been to any New Wine event before, not only wants to come to the Summer Conference but has felt inspired to start an afterschool club. Cant wait for next year. Pauline thomas, st Marks Woodthorpe, nottingham

uPa & inner-city cHurcH leaDers foruM March 2011 Hothorpe, leicestershire

The forum has been a great encouragement to me as I work in a UPA and realise that I am not alone in my experiences. I have also been strengthened by the teaching from the various speakers who encouraged us, biblically, to continue working in these important areas for the Kingdom. Dave Bishop, st James church, Brownhills

I went to the prophecy sessions and three out of the four people gave me words of knowledge about a new position I have applied for, and been offered. It was a great encouragement to me. anon

It was encouraging to be around people who are reaching out into difficult and challenging communities. The UPA network reminds us that we are not on our own but we are united and in this together. Its a God-given privilege to serve the poor and not a fringe benefit. anon

cont.

at tHe 2010 neW Wine leaDers Wives event, a Generous offerinG Was Given to suPPort coloMBian WoMen facinG uniMaGinaBle inJustice anD cruelty. finD out HoW tHis Has MaDe a DifferenceChristian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is involved in bringing justice to the persecuted church in Colombia. Pastors are being murdered or disappearing at a rate of about 30 a year, as a result of the 60-year-long internal armed conflict between guerrillas and paramilitaries.

In october 2009, Anne Coles, Head of New Wine Women, joined CSW on a trip to Colombia to meet with some of the pastors wives and widows. They spoke of armed groups seizing and shooting their husbands in broad daylight, and their children receiving death threats via their mobiles. The women were left homeless, churchless and penniless, with fatherless, traumatised children to care for.

Anne recounted their stories at last years Leaders Wives event, and the women responded powerfully, writing letters of love and comfort to the women of Colombia, and donating around 5,000 to support them.

A Colombian justice and peace charity subsequently collected project ideas from the pastors wives, who had drawn up plans to enable them to make a living and support and educate their children, and carry on with ministry.

Idia miranda reyes is one of these women, whose husband William disappeared in 2008 without a trace. She is a woman of extraordinary courage and perseverance; in the midst of this dire situation she says, I have come to know a God with whom I am in love. I used to only know God as the King of Kings, the Creator of all things, but now God has conquered my heart. I drink him in every day. For that reason I can laugh, I can smile, I can love. I can tell people how Gods love has been for me and that it can be that way for them.

Some of the money raised will help Idia find a location and set up a home for other pastors widows and children in a similar situation to her. other women will use their gift to open up small businesses to earn an income and employ their children, selling household equipment, Christian literature and stationery. Another woman will run a fishing business and one an internet caf.

The women are so thankful to God, and to the women of New Wine, who reached for their pens and their purses to help their sisters in need in South America.

9a Good God storYEllen from Gateshead told us her story of how her frozen shoulder got better after being prayed for following a New Wine Healing Ministry Training Day: John [Coles] said there was a woman with a painful frozen shoulder. The group attending believed that was a word for me...I didnt attend because of the pain I was in. The following day at church...I went forward for prayer. From November I had not had one day or night without pain and it was so debilitating given that I head up our puppet ministry! The pain has subsided substantially. I have had a whole week of sleep without pain waking me through the night. We serve a great God who loves us with a passion!

Find her full story, and many others, under Your Stories on our website.

PRISONERS BENEFIT FROM DVD COURSE The Road to Maturity by Mary Pytches was recently run at HMP Whatton, a Category C mens prison in Nottinghamshire. Twelve men were chosen to take part in the six-week DVD course, with each session followed by discussion and prayer. The aim of the course is personal growth and transformation into the image of Jesus. Its an incredibly challenging process, identifying, admitting and removing blockages to growth with the help of God. Vera Quick is a Group Leader for Prison Fellowship and supported Jo Honour, the Coordinating Chaplain,

in running the course. I was bowled over by their openness and honesty in sharing past events in their lives that were very painful. Every one of them met the challenges they were presented with head on and I know it was not easy for them, but I believe they are now better equipped to move into a deeper relationship with God and others, said Vera. One of the prisoners on the course commented on his experience, The Road to Maturity course has helped me see my past both critically and yet without condemnation. I know any evil within myself can be overcome.

To find out more about The Road to Maturity and other New Wine resources,visit www.new-wine.org/shop

For your chance to win a free copy of The Road to Maturity, or the follow-up course, The Marks of Maturity, email either title to mag@new-wine.org. Winners will be selected at random and emailed before 27 May 2011.

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one to WatcHGo to YouTube and search for Funny Caravan Tow. Let this be a warning as you prepare for this years Summer Conferences!

In the news Prayer as Well as Parcels is BeinG offereD to vulneraBle PeoPle tHanKs to local cHurcHes

A drop-in service in Halifax is providing food and helping people move on from difficult situations such as homelessness, addiction, debt and asylum seeking. This service is supported by more than 60 local churches, and more than 8,000 parcels have been distributed since it started in 2008 as part of the Hope08 initiative. Around 100 people arrive each Saturday morning and can tick a box to request prayer while they are there. Its so exciting to see how many people are taking up the offer of prayer, said Kate Fawcett from the Halifax team. Miracles are really happening.

Since 2008, Hope has developed into a broader initiative, with a focus on key Christian festivals over a four-year period, ending with a whole year of mission in 2014. Hopes Executive Director Roy Crowne has been impressed with what hes seen in Halifax. Our vision is to see churches in every area of the UK join together, said Roy, regardless of differences, to share Jesus love with their communities through words and actions. A new resource was recently launched called Hope for Easter, which equips churches with mission ideas that can be used for their village, town or city. For more information visit www.hopetogether.org.uk

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1. Released in 1998 with the opening sequence depicting the Omaha landings voted as best battle scene of all time by Empire magazine.

2. The worlds greatest villain meets his greatest challenge: Margo, Edith and Agnes. Starring Julie Andrews.

3. Owned by White Star Line and en route to New York City from Southampton on 14 April.

4. I know what youve been doing...why you hardly sleep, why you live alone and why, night after night, you sit by your computer. Youre looking for him. A quote taken from a film directed by two brothers.

5. A recent release about the life of Micky, a man from Lowell, Massachusetts who has not had a particularly successful career. His brother, Dicky, is unreliable and addicted to drugs.

6. It has been reported that Frank Sinatra, despite his distaste for the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo, had discussions with the director about playing the lead role.

7. Characters include Jessie, Rex, Trixie and Ken.

8. A 2001 movie starring Jon Voight as Lord Richard Croft and Daniel Craig as Alex West.

9. The 1969 tagline: The strangest trio ever to track a killer. The 2010 tagline: Punishment comes one way or another.

10. Denzel Washington fights his way across America to protect the secret to saving humankind.

For your chance to win a free copy of Passion for the Movies by Mark Stibbe and J John, email the title to mag@new-wine.org. Winners will be selected at random and emailed before 27 May 2011.

Going the extra mile: doing more than is required.Matthew 5:41 In Jesus time the law allowed a Roman soldier to force a person to carry his pack for a Roman mile (about 1.48 km). Jesus taught that when required to carry a pack for a mile, we should carry it two, going beyond what is expected of us in helping others, even enemies.

scapegoat: a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place. Leviticus 16:7-10 A goat is let loose in the wilderness on Yom Kippur after the High Priest symbolically laid the sins of the people on its head.

a leopard cannot change its spots: people cannot change basic aspects of their character, especially negative ones Jeremiah 13:23 This verse was regarding Judah and Jerusalem and the fact that despite all that God had done and said they were still not behaving in a manner that pleased him.

to wash my hands of: to absolve of responsibility or future blame Matthew 27:24 During Jesus trial, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, refused to be involved in the death of an innocent person. He washed his hands in front of the crowd, symbolically disassociating himself from the execution.

a wolf in sheeps clothing: someone who hides malicious intent under the guise of kindliness. Matthew 7:15 Jesus warned his followers of false prophets, saying they were outwardly disarming, like wolves in sheeps clothing.

salt of the earth: a person (or people) of great worth in societyMatthew 5:13 In this parable Jesus calls his disciples to be salt, which is not only a valuable preservative but also gives taste and flavour. In a societal sense preservation could mean reconciliation or peace, and flavour may refer to hope, purpose and joy.

the straight and narrow: a conventional and law-abiding course Matthew 7:14Jesus is teaching using the imagery of two roads leading into a city via two gates one narrow and one wide. The narrow gate entering the Kingdom involves surrender and trust in Jesus, and few choose it.

thorn in my side: a persistent difficulty or annoyance.2 Corinthians 12:7 Paul states that he was given a thorn in his flesh to prevent him becoming proud. We are not told what the thorn was, perhaps it was some form of illness.

separate the wheat from the chaff: to separate what is useful or valuable from what is not Matthew 3:12 In the ancient world grain was hurled into the air using a tool called a winnowing fork. Wind separated the edible part of the grain (wheat) from the lighter, inedible part (chaff ). John the Baptist warned that on the judgement day Jesus would separate the wheat from the chaff (good people from evil).

a little bird told me: being given information from a secret source Ecclesiastes 10:20 A warning from Solomon to be careful what we say, not only in front of other people, but in private. He is speaking specifically about complaints against the government.

A FIGUrE oF SPEECHtHe BiBlical roots of soMe everyDay PHrases.

Quizfilm Inspired by Christianity Todays feature on The most redeeming Films of 2010 and Passion For The Movies by mark Stibbe and J John, see if you can guess the 10 films from the clues below (answers available at www.new-wine.org/mag):

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For all the great feedback we received about the Winter edition of the magazine; weve been so encouraged by your responses. Heres some of our favourites:

I have been receiving the mag for several years and usually flick through it and read one or two articles. In this edition, Winter 11, you and your staff/contributors have excelled yourselves! I have read all the articles and found them all interesting/informative/challenging. Several other friends who receive the mag have made similar comments. Well done and long may it continue.

I love your magazine and could not go without it; in fact, I wish it came more often! I enjoy the articles; they are always reflecting on scripture and helping me to meditate and grow in God. Your adverts for up-to-date worship songs are invaluable and your conferences are worth every penny.

I am new to New Wine and have recently received the Winter 11 issue of your magazine which I thought was excellent. I found the teaching articles extremely helpful, thought-provoking and inspiring. Being a new Christian, I have so much to learn and like most people have very little spare time to do it. I found the magazine much easier to pick up, read and pray about than the Christian books I have.

We love to hear your feedback and ideas of how we can improve the magazine, so dont hesitate to get in touch by emailing mag@new-wine.org

sHarinG is carinGIf youve got any stories, jokes, questions, tips or advice, please let us know. There are plenty of ways to get in touch:

Email us at stories@new-wine.org

Become our Facebook friend

Check out our YouTube page

And if youve got a fancy phone you can find us quicker using the QR codes below. Youll need a smart phone with a QR reader app (which are free to download). Simply take a picture of the code and youll be directed to web page, as if by magic!

DiD you KnoW?A New Wine Europe network exists that hosts events in Versailles in France and in the Netherlands/Belgium area for international churches in mainland Europe. This English-speaking network attracts people from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. This year sees the first-ever New Wine Europe Summer Conference, Changing Nations, which will be held near Brussels in Belgium from 8-12 August. It promises all the hallmarks of a New Wine event, with worship, teaching and prayer, and a packed programme of activities for every age group. Find out more about New Wine Europe at www.new-wine.eu

IN NEED OF FUEL?TOP UP SPIRITUALLY AT A FILLING STATION NEAR YOU!Wanting more? Need a credible place to bring your friends to meet God? Feel like you are alone in your area as a Spirit-filled Christian? We can help.

THE FILLING STATION exists to help bring Spiritual renewal and evangelism to your area. Using informal mid-week monthly celebration meetings, we have seen many come to faith, healings occur and the Christian population of an area strengthened in their confidence and purpose. The Filling Station is not a new Church denomination, rather a group of Christians who want to help you live better.

DONT HAVE A FILLING STATION NEAR YOU?Contact the Filling Station Director, Rev Richard Fothergill about starting your own local meeting. We will be able to help you launch a relevant, accessible, informal meeting where people encounter God.

The Filling Station currently has meetings taking place in: Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Bedforshire with more planned across the country. Find your nearest Filling Station using our website.

Coming to a neighbourhood near you soon!

Contact Rev Richard Fothergill: 01225 832806 or 07835263706

thefillingstation.org.uk

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london to paris

cycle ride: 1418

september 2011

sponsored skydi

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trek the great w

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ctober 2011

Climb mount kili

manjaro: 24 Febr

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trek the inca tra

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Send to: CMS, W

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Contact Hannah

on 01865 78752

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the other day someone who had recently become a Christian said to me, I have so many questions. The problem is Im such a sceptic. Its great to have lots of questions. Its not so great to be a sceptic. A sceptic is someone whose default position is to disbelieve; a person who makes a habit of doubting what others accept as true, and who mostly doesnt want to be persuaded differently. A questioner is someone who wants to know more. The medieval theologian Anselm wrote about faith seeking understanding. He believed in the importance of asking questions in order to deepen our knowledge of God, to add to our wisdom and to broaden our understanding. But he knew that seeking answers about God is only fruitful if we begin from a standpoint of faith and belief: in the truth about Jesus, the goodness of God, his love for the world, and the trustworthiness of his Word.

freedom to question Being the daughter of a lawyer, I was brought up to ask questions. In a large and (mostly!) good-naturedly argumentative family, everyone had an opinion and every opinion was challenged. So Im not scared of questions. In fact, I love them, and I think theyre an important part of growing as a Christian. Anselm writes, Investigations, which are carried on by question and answer, are thus made more plain to many. Sometimes we learn much more by discussion than being lectured to.

Of course, there will always be aspects of God that remain a mystery to our fragile human minds, but he has given us the ability to think, to explore, and to wrestle

Living in Europe today, we are surrounded by people who are generally sceptical about faith. This can be wearing and tiresome. But we need to be discerning between the uselessness of the habitual doubter who wants to wear us down and the genuine seeker, the faithful person seeking understanding. However frustrating it can be to be surrounded by cynics and sceptics, at least we are free in this country to speak our minds. We are free to worship, free to pray, free to preach, free to read the Bible and free to think. When so many followers of Jesus literally risk their lives in oppressive regimes, we know how incredibly fortunate we are for these gifts.

Privileged access This year we celebrate one particular freedom. 2011 marks 400 years of the Authorised Version of the Bible. There may not be many Christians in this country who regularly read the AV any longer. Whether we read this particular version or not, the greatest thing to celebrate is that we have access to the Bible in

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examinationWHy Do We iGnore soMe questions of faitH ratHer tHan searcH for ansWers? lucy PePPiatt craWley encouraGes us to Have tHe confiDence to resPonD to tHe seeKers anD scePtics

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our own language. In fact, we have access to an overwhelming choice of Bibles. This is the Protestant heritage: a Bible in every household. This privilege was hard won and definitely something to celebrate, but theres no point in having the Bible if we dont read it. And theres no point in reading the Bible if we dont understand it. The Bible is not an easy book, but it is a wonderful book. It may be puzzling, sometimes shocking and difficult, but it is full of riches, power, comfort and peace. We believe that it is Gods word to his world, Gods words to his world. If they are Gods words, then they will bring freedom, wisdom, revelation and strength.

Working at understanding There are many ways of seeking understanding. First, we need the help of the Spirit. The Father and the Son send the Spirit as a teacher of the truth about God. Jesus said But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth ( John 16:13). We need to ask the Spirit to bring us revelation as we read. Secondly, we need to know that sometimes well have to work at it: read a book, listen to a podcast, enrol on a course, set up a discussion group, and tap the wisdom of others. Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of heaven being like digging for treasure (Matt 13:44). There are so many treasures in the Bible, but sometimes we have to mine a bit deeper. For me, it was important to know that there were intelligent Christians out there, men and women who were both prayerful and intellectual, who knew what they were talking about. I know not everyone needs this, but if you are someone who does, then let me encourage you to seek them out.

from simple to complex Of course, we dont need to be Greek and Hebrew scholars or high-powered theologians to read the Bible. I do believe that our faith in God needs to be like that of a child, but you dont need to hang around

children very long to realise that they have important and penetrating questions about God, about existence, about the world. When we start to teach children about our faith, we can quickly be confronted with difficult questions. When my children were small one of them asked why God seems so mean in the Old Testament. As I was struggling to think of a good answer for a six year-old, he piped up, I know, I think it was because in the Old Testament he didnt have a mummy. Ive always loved that quirky idea! The reality is that from a simple faith, we can ask complex questions. There arent always simple answers, but there are answers to some of the hard questions that have been prayed through, researched, debated and deliberated over. Of course, there will always be aspects of God that remain a mystery to our fragile human minds, but he has given us the ability to think, to explore, and to wrestle.

its okay to ask As I have been reading the Bible recently, Ive been struck by how many questions God asks. He asks questions all the time, so I think he probably loves it when we ask questions back. Moreover, we can be confident in him and in our scriptures that there are good, coherent and satisfying answers for the ones who are genuinely seeking. The contemporary theologian Daniel Migliore writes in his book Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology: Questions arise at the edges of what we can know and what we can do as human beings. They thrust themselves on us with special force in times and situations of crisis such as sickness, suffering, guilt, injustice, personal or social upheaval, and death. Christian faith asks questions, seeks understanding, both because God is always greater than our ideas of God, and because the public world that faith inhabits confronts it with challenges and contradictions that cannot be ignored. I believe that we need to be a church

that can respond to these questions, to stretch to meet them, the questions both from within and without.

confident exploration As part of this years celebrations of the Bible, our diocese in Bristol is planning a number of events and initiatives. One of these is a series of talks to address some of the hard questions that people both inside and outside the church have in relation to the Bible. How do we square the teaching of Genesis with the findings of modern science? What does the Bible have to say about green issues? What is the historical evidence for the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus? Did Paul invent Christianity? What use is the Bible in an age that has embraced different sexual values and gender roles? Does the Bible condone genocide and present God as violent and vindictive towards his enemies? These are not just interesting questions. They are meaningful and real to a lost world wondering who God is and if he cares. It is important for us as a church to have confidence that the Bible equips us to address these issues well. God is not frightened by our questions because he knows all the answers. I love the idea that there is still so much to learn, and that God is constantly revealing more of his truth to his church. He has gifted us his Word and his Spirit and we want to be a church that has the maturity to realise the power of both.

Lucy Peppiatt Crawley Lucy is an associate pastor at Crossnet Anglican Church in Bristol and a lecturer in Christian Doctrine at Westminster Theological Centre. She is also a member of the faculty for the New Wine Training Partnership (NWTP).

The NWTP delivers courses in Kingdom Theology through local churches across the British Isles, providing a dynamic, practical and mission-minded approach to Christian leadership in every sphere of life. All teaching is delivered in the context of worship and ministry in the power of the Spirit. If you are interested in studying or would like to see courses running in your local area, please email info@nwtp.org.uk

NEWWINE TrAINING PArTNErSHIP

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GNew Wine Training PartnershipPractically focused - Spirit empowered - Academically challenging

AnnouncementNew Hubs opening for 2011/12 Academic Year

- Jersey Hub @ St Pauls, St Helier

- Lake District Hub @ St Thomas, Kendal

- West London Hub @ St Pauls, Ealing

For more details on the courses run by WTC in partnership with New Wine, please visit our website at www.nwtp.org.uk

For the past two years Westminster Theological Centre have partnered with New Wine to deliver university-level theological education, practical leadership and ministry training to local churches across the British Isles, which form local learning communities called Hubs.

We are excited that this year three new Hubs are joining the existing six across the UK and the Channel Islands. These new Hubs will join the existing ones in Central London, East Anglia, Gloucestershire, Guernsey, Hampshire and Manchester.

At the heart of both WTC and New Wine is a commitment to building and training leaders and disciples within the local church, and the new Hub locations will bring this unique, cutting-edge form of theological training to many more people.

Already people from across the country with many different walks of life, church contexts and levels of experience are signing up for NWTP courses in their local area starting from September.

The New Wine Training Partnership draws on the knowledge and expertise of renowned theologians and leaders from the UK and North America, who teach at residential intensive weeks twice a year and in weekly evening classes via the latest video conferencing technology.

The courses are part time and are designed to be manageable alongside full time work and a demanding life.

Undergraduate and Graduate courses in Kingdom Theology

University-accredited

Focus on practical theology and leadership

Study in the context of worship and spirit-empowered ministry

Be part of a local learning community

Study alongside your existing work, family and ministry commitments.

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W hat does the word integrity mean to you? I always used to think of it simply as being morally upright, but it can actually mean much more than that. Its really to do with being whole or sound as a person, including being the same on the inside as you appear on the outside. The Bible makes it clear that with Gods people the behaviour we show to the world should be matched by what we really are at our core, and thats to do with several aspects of our being.

In Matthew 22:16 Jesus is described as a man of integrity. The word used translates as truthful, meaning not hidden or out in the open. The trouble is, thats not always the case for many of us and because we set ourselves high standards we can end up living with guilt if theres a gap between our private life and our public one. For those in any form of Christian leadership, the stakes are even higher. Not only is there the problem of demonstrating to the world that our faith is real, but we have the responsibility of setting an example to others we hope will follow us. It becomes harder to hide things that might not be right in our lives from our home group, or to lead worship on a Sunday, for example.

I suggest there are three main areas of integrity where we need to mind this gap: moral, spiritual and emotional.

Know your weaknesses In his book Courageous Leadership Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, USA, writes: Followers will only trust leaders who exhibit the highest levels of integrity. People will not follow a leader with moral incongruities for long. Every time you compromise character you compromise leadership. I suppose we all know this, but how can leaders maintain moral integrity in their lives, especially given the extra pressures Ive mentioned?

There are a number of steps we can take, most of which are common sense. We need to recognise in the first place what our weaknesses might be. Money, sex and power issues are all in the mix, along with various addictions, whether its alcohol or just watching too much television! The first thing is to try to steer clear of the areas we might have trouble in. For example, you might simply need to avoid certain situations of being alone with someone of the opposite gender. If youre tempted to watch unsavoury stuff on your computer, maybe it would help to place the screen where others can see it and try to avoid being alone on the Internet for too long. Pressing that off switch and walking away is an act of the will and sometimes the only answer. We might need to avoid temptation when it comes to money matters. For instance, do we have enough safeguards built into our handling of other peoples money? And have we got a grip on our personal finances?

These are just a couple of examples. Im sure you can think of many other situations where deliberate avoidance is prudent, but Id also argue for the positive to be stressed rather than just negative measures. Take opposite sex relationships again. If youre married, do you work atyour marriage, spending quality time with your spouseand not simply immersed in work or church ministry? Do you understand their needs and sufficiently communicate yours? In all areas of life we constantly need to be keeping a check on whether we might have weaknesses. What better way for Satan to destroy Gods work than to exploit the foibles of leaders?

Accountability is a big positive area as well. Are you accountable to someone? I dont just mean a line manager, rather a person or group who knows you well enough to ask the right questions and can be trusted to pray for you without judging.

People wont follow a leader with moral, spiritual or emotional flaws for long. Anthony Rose explores how to make sure your public and private faces match up

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Pursue spiritual growth There are two parts to this: firstly, your personal walk with God and, secondly, being true to your calling.

In your personal walk with Jesus, are you maintaining your spiritual growth to such a degree that youre able to lead others on? Very often, the longer someone has been a Christian the more their rate of growth slows. Maybe youve learned a lot since becoming a Christian but youve become a bit set in your thinking. It could be that someone in the group youre responsible for who is newer to the faith and growing is asking questions you cant answer. Im not advocating leadership of the guru in the corner kind, but I do believe its important for all leaders to be seeking nourishment from God that keeps us fresh in the faith, strong in our love for him and for others, and growing in knowledge of the Bible (because we love it rather than to show others how clever we are).

Were spoiled for choice when it comes to resources to help our spiritual growth: the printed word, audio and visual media, the Internet, conferences, courses and networking opportunities. Many of these are worthwhile and we need to encourage ourselves as well as those we lead to use those means. But I believe that, ultimately, theres no substitute for the discipline of daily prayer and Bible study. Discipline is not a popular concept these days, but I know my own spiritual life cant depend on occasional top-ups; I need a daily routine where I can listen to God and immerse myself in his Word.

Spiritual integrity for leaders is also about being true to your calling. When I say this Im thinking about leaders taking the kingdom of God forward. New Wines strapline is Local churches changing nations. If were to see change we need leaders at all levels of church life who have fire in their hearts and are open to the Holy Spirit doing anything, even if it means it wont always be spiritually safe in the particular area you lead. Its not about saying you believe in Holy Sprit renewal, its about having the courage to allow it to happen. Its about being sure of your spiritual DNA and leading by example, not hoping others will get on with it!

understand who you are Leaders who ignore their interior reality often make unwise decisions that have grave consequences for the people they lead continues Bill Hybels. Is the public person you show to those you lead a true reflection of the inner you? This isnt about being the most emotionally together person in the world; sometimes a good leader

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Anthony Rose Anthony is Vicar of St Georges New Thundersley in Benfleet, Essex. Before this he led two parishes in Somerset. He is a New Wine Network leader for the South Essex locality.

The New Wine Church Leaders Network gives members close and continuing contact with other leaders who share the same spiritual DNA. Other benefits include access to our online members area, with downloadable talks and other resources, as well as discounts for Find a Job, and your church being posted on Find a Church on our website. If you share our vision and values, we warmly invite you to join us. Find out more at www.new-wine.org/cln

CHURCH LEADERS NETWORK

In all areas of life we constantly need to be checking on whether we might have weaknesses. What better way for Satan to destroy Gods work than to exploit the foibles of leaders?

will admit to their frailties. But too often leaders can come a cropper because they simply havent come to terms with some personal difficulty to do with their emotions or personality.

When I was a young adult (and a relatively young Christian) I led a youth group and did some up-front ministry. For me, that made it harder to face up to certain emotions that I hadnt come to terms with, connected with my parents splitting up when I was a child. I decided I needed to embark on a journey of self-understanding if I had any chance of moving on as a Christian and indeed being involved in any form of leadership. I wrote a book about my experiences called Stranger on the Shore, published by Thankful Books. Self-understanding is really what its all about for me. As disciples were on a journey and we all need to allow the Holy Spirit to help us understand ourselves more. We might have issues to do with our upbringing. Often the relationship with a father is key. Many others have also spoken and written about this whole area, which shows how important it is.

Im not advocating everyone suddenly rushing out and getting therapy but simply for leaders, particularly, to be aware that if they feel theres a gap between the public persona and the private person then something needs to be done. Seeking the help of an understanding listener or counsellor and taking in good written and spoken material can be ways forward in this.

remember the battle I rejoice that so many leaders I meet are concerned with their personal integrity. Were blessed, particularly within a movement like New Wine, to have men and women who take their leadership calling seriously and do seek to mind the gap between their public face and their private reality. We need to be aware of the spiritual war were in. In any battle, the enemy targets the officers first. But if leaders can maintain their integrity, the devil will struggle to find the chinks in their defences and the kingdom of God will advance further!

church leaders network

a great source of spiritual refreshment and challenge; in fact, i would say it is a lifeline...i have often had significant encounters with God and received words of knowledge and prophecy that have either reminded me of my calling or challenged me to take further risks in ministry for the sake of the Kingdom. Danny Wignall, surrey

the network has helped me to appreciate the value of joined up and strategic thinking and praying. Keith King, Buckinghamshire

i have found the core group a safe place where i am challenged and equipped. laura McWilliams, yorkshire

the network is for church leaders and pastors of any denomination who are in, or training for, significant positions of leadership within the church and christian ministry. if the imagination, dreams, energy and talents of all the local churches in the new Wine network could be harnessed, then i believe that together we could really contribute to changing nations. if you share our vision and values, i warmly invite you to join us. John coles, Director, new Wine

Join a growing network of over a thousand church leaders and pastors ConneCtnationallyTHroUGH CoNFErENCES,

LEAdErS ForUmS ANd TrAINING EVENTS ConneCtloCallyWITH YoUr LoCAL NETWorK GroUP ConneCtintentionallyWITH A CorE GroUP ConneCtonlineTo oUr EXCLUSIVE mEmbErS

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Maybe its just me, but one thing I cant stand is being labelled. I dont want to be pigeonholed; put in a box; placed; categorised without being consulted.

For example, my brother and I meet someone together at a party and after only five minutes of chatting they say, James. Youre the good-looking one, arent you? Youre the sporty, clever, funny one. While your brother, hes the nerdy one, right? Hes the one who found it difficult to make friends at school etc, etc. Am I right? I cant stand that kind of labelling because, while all of that may well be true, it should take someone at least an hour to figure it out.

I joke. But in all seriousness being labelled is aggravating. Labelling is the quickest, quietest route to dismissing people. Once weve boxed the person weve just met we no longer have to attend to them, no longer have to listen to what they have to say, are no longer compelled to engage or think through their views. Because in our own minds weve already decided we know their kind. Why cant I stand it? I dont really know. Maybe its just an inf lated teenage sense of my own individuality, my defiant moment of saying, I have that within which passes show along

with the character Hamlet in one of Shakespeares most famous plays.

I get equally frustrated when faith comes in for the same treatment. I dont want to whine, but I must admit I do find it frustrating when in a conversation or a column, a blog or a blockbuster, something the church stands for (the side of a moral argument the Bible takes) is summarily labeled, categorised and dismissed. And of course this labeling is usually political; so it is the churchs convictions about the deepest moral issues which get automatically branded left-wing or right-wing.

What I want to argue here, briefly, is that political pigeonholing is not only profoundly anti-intellectual, it is also profoundly damaging to the churchs witness. To put it grandly, we owe it to society to strive for free speech; to try and resist faith-perspectives being reduced to the Left-Right spectrum.

Political identityLiberal or conservative? Red or blue? The Guardian or The Telegraph? Left or Right? In my view this rush to label people could only happen in a culture where identity has become thoroughly political. One that has accepted the assumption that our political views determine our identity.

is WHere soMeone Places tHeMselves on tHe left-riGHt Political sPectruM iMPortant to you? JaMes MuMforD suGGests tHat its vital to escaPe Political laBels anD finD our iDentity in cHrist

CLOWNSto the Left of Me;

JOKERSto the riGht

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Whether in the media or in the pub, political labelling works by association. For example, say I air a view on the rightness or wrongness of some form of sexual activity. Often it is then silently, without discussion, assumed that because I think that about sex, I must think this about gun-control or the war in Iraq or competition law

Let me try and explain what I mean by this. In the two countries I know best, Britain and America, one does often get the distinct impression that your political persuasion (whatever it may be) is at the core of your being. Language is revealing: I am conservative, someone will say; I am left-wing, another will declare. What this implies is that politics is what makes you, you; that which party you align yourself with is a core determinant of your identity. Politics become not only about what I decide

to do in the polling-booth, now its about what I do in the bedroom. Its about sexuality and music and class; it affects purchasing habits as well as viewing ones. Politics isnt only about who I vote for, its about who I like. And also who I dislike it dictates friends and enemies.

We have heard a lot about the bitter partisanship of US politics recently, with the terrible shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords having been linked to the incendiary rhetoric in which November 2010s mid-terms were couched. I would hazard a guess that that feverish atmosphere is in large part due to the fact that identity how people answer the question of who they are has become thoroughly political.

Guilty by associationWhether in the media or in the pub, political labeling works by association. For example, say I air a view on the rightness or wrongness of some form of sexual activity. Often it is then silently, without discussion, assumed that because I think that about sex, I must think this about gun-control or the war in Iraq or competition law. Or because a person of faith thinks y about the environment, they must think x about euthanasia.

The key thing to say about the way in which particular moral stances are distributed across the political spectrum (i.e. the way certain positions are labeled left- or right-wing) is that it is totally bizarre and deeply irrational. Last year the satirist Rory Bremner made this point amusingly when he imagined (and impersonated) George Bush talking about a recent visitor to the White House:

President Bush spoke warmly about his visitor and the values they share. Like Pope Benedict Im pro-life; like him Im anti-abortion; unlike him Im also pro-capital punishment, anti-gun control and pro-preemptive war. So, basically, Im pro-life until its out of the womb, and then all bets are off!

Let me give a related example. Nuclear deterrence and abortion are two pressing moral debates which have raged in the West for decades and remain of pivotal importance. In terms of the first, any argument against deterrence is labeled an unpalatably far-left view: nuclear disarmament was not even considered a worthwhile topic of debate in the party leaders television debates in the run-up to the 2010 General Election (Nick Cleggs proposal to scrap Trident was a purely financial one); and

JOKERSto the riGht

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Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams was ridiculed in The Times when he criticised Britains refusal to consider getting rid of weapons specifically designed to swallow up whole cities in seconds. And conversely, in terms of abortion, a pro-life position is as an extreme and unpalatable a view on the right as anti-deterrence is on the left. However, when you really think it through (and I am not unaware of how sensitive these issues are) it seems that the logic underpinning both an anti-nuclear weapons position and a pro-life one is the same: both involve the indiscriminate use of lethal force, the taking of the lives of non-combatants.

free speechNow, what has any of this to do with Christianity? Well, as far as the question of Christianity and politics goes, you could be forgiven for thinking that the whole things a bit of a lose-lose. For either the church disengages from politics completely and is branded quietist (i.e. so preoccupied with the purely spiritual that it doesnt care about how the real world is governed). Or else the church engages with politics and is suspected of having theocratic intentions (i.e. wanting to impose its own distinct theological view of the world upon people who dont share that vision). I dont have the space here to explore why the capitulation of so many German churches to Nazism (the quietist option) or the Salem witch-hunts ala the Arthur Miller play The Crucible (the theocratic option) were both, theologically speaking, aberrations, occasions when the church lost its way.

Neither do I have space to draw upon the extraordinarily rich and diverse tradition of Christian thinking about politics which shows why, in terms of the relation between faith and the public sphere, theres a third and a fourth and a fifth way. But what must be said is that at the heart of the New Testament is a profound assumption that, in terms of identity, the decision to follow Jesus means that your primary identity can no longer be political: For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3). First and foremost a follower of Jesus is a follower of Jesus. He or she can no longer be left- or right-wing; can no longer primarily identify as liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican. All those loyalties have been displaced; those affiliations, insofar as they determine who you are, have been severed. From now on its clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right from the song Stuck in the Middle With You by seventies Scottish folk/rock band Stealers Wheel.

Secondly, political labeling compromises what the church has to say about moral issues. The Bible warns Christians against being preachy or judgmental or talking about right and wrong without in the same breath talking about the

grace of God. Yet it is clear that the Bible does generate distinct positions on the deepest, most profound questions human beings have, including the ones about morality. English novelist GK Chesterton wrote that a man can no more possess a private religion than he can possess a private sun and moon. Accordingly, all that the New Testament says about how we should live about personal morality and social justice, from giving until it hurts to managing anger, from chastity to a radical commitment to honesty whatever the circumstances is part of a vision for human beings, not just for Christians. This vision is not to be coerced or always legislated upon. But we are called on occasion to explain and justify and give a reason for the hope which we have (1 Pet 3:16). And the possibility of doing that is severely challenged when everything is reduced to an expression of political preferences.

James MumfordJames recently submitted his PhD in Ethics at Oxford University. He is a small group leader at Holy Trinity Brompton, London. He will be speaking at the London & South East Summer Conference (23-29 July). Find out more at www.new-wine.org/summer

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In his book, The God I Dont Understand, Chris Wright writes, Is there any way to describe the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites other than religious genocide or ethnic cleansing? What possible connection can such violence have with the God we long to love, trust and understand?

siMPle solution 1: cut out tHe olD testaMentWe saw in my previous article (Is God homicidal? in the Winter 11 edition of New Wine magazine) that this has been one way that Christians have often dealt with the problem, either deliberately or subconsciously. But as we also discovered, doing away with the Old Testament means ignoring large sections of the New Testament which quote the Hebrew Scriptures, parting company with Jesus, losing the context in which he defined himself, and depriving ourselves of many glorious spiritual treasures.

siMPle solution 2: say it DiDnt HaPPenThe best way to explain this approach is to illustrate it with three case studies.

In 1 Samuel 15:3 God commanded Saul, Attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. Thats just the kind of passage that many Christians and non-Christians have a problem with. But look at chapter 30 of the same book, describing events of a few years later: The Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it (1 Sam 30:1). So the Amalekites had clearly not been destroyed by the Israelites: it didnt happen.

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in tHe seconD of tHree articles aDDressinG tHe Difficult suBJect of olD testaMent violence, siMon couPlanD offers tWo More siMPle solutions anD one HelPful aPProacH

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Or take the command that adulterers must be put to death (Lev 20:10). When David was discovered to have committed adultery with Bathsheba, there was no suggestion that either he or she should be killed. Nathan pronounced Gods punishment, which included the sword never departing from Davids family (2 Sam 12:10-11), but neither David nor Bathsheba was threatened with death.

The third example is slightly different. Joshua 6:24 states: Then they burned the whole city [ Jericho] and everything in it. Yet archaeologists who have dug at the site of Tell es-Sultan (Ancient Jericho) say that they cannot find evidence of a great city being burned at this time. They differ in their interpretation of the site, with some saying that there was no city there and others arguing that there is no destruction layer from the right period. Either way, these archaeologists conclude that the wholesale destruction reported in Joshua simply didnt happen, thus effectively removing the problem of the slaughter described in the Bible.

literal or figurative?Certainly we know that the Bible uses language figuratively and shouldnt always be taken literally. For instance, Jesus criticised the teachers of the Law, You say to the waiter, Theres a f ly in my soup! but when hes fished the fly out, you dont notice theres a camel on your spoon! (Matt 23:23-24, my paraphrase). Jesus exaggerated! He didnt literally mean us to cut our limbs off or pluck our eyes out (Matt 9:43-47), or most of his followers would be sightless and limbless. The early church leader Origen did take this passage literally and castrate himself, but the rest of the church then, and since, has maintained that he was missing the point.

At a stroke, then, the problem of the violence in the Old Testament disappears - because there wasnt any! However, although this solution may explain away some passages, it certainly doesnt account for all. Take this incident in Numbers 15:32-36: A man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp. So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses. I struggle with this passage. Why did God command that? Is that really what Sabbath-keeping was all about? And I cant find any reason to say it didnt happen. So solution number two turns out, like number one, not to provide a real solution at all.

siMPle solution 3: stoP BeinG sucH WiMPs!It is difficult for me to present this viewpoint, as its not a line I would ever take, but many people do. In a nutshell this approach says that we should stop seeing the violence in the Old Testament as a problem and take the Bible literally, sin seriously, and God at his word.

For example, in 1 Samuel 15, Samuel not only condemned Saul for disobeying Gods command to destroy the Amalekites, but puts King Agag to death himself (33). He didnt apologise for Gods demands, but simply obeyed. And down through the ages Christians have similarly taken up arms in Gods name in what they believed was righteous warfare: the Crusaders in the Holy Land, Martin Luther during the Peasants Revolt, or Oliver Cromwell in Ireland.

Nor is this only a phenomenon of the distant past. In 1917 the Bishop of London stated, The good old British race never did a more Christlike thing than when it went to war, and in the US there are Christians who believe it is right to attack those who carry out abortions.

consistent with JesusSo are we being unbiblical in being embarrassed by these passages in the Old Testament? I do not believe that we are, for this purported solution overlooks the teaching and example of Jesus (more of this in the next article). He said, Blessed are the peacemakers (Matt 5:9), and told Peter bluntly, Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword (Matt 26:52). When a woman was caught in adultery, which according to the Torah

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deserved the death penalty, Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin ( John 8:11). This solution consequently seems to me no solution at all for Christians who want to be true to the whole of Scripture and faithful followers of Jesus.

HelPful aPProacH 1: JuDGe events By tHe stanDarDs of tHe tiMe Even if there is no simple answer to the question of the violence in the Bible, there are ways of making it more comprehensible and perhaps less offensive. The first is this: we must judge past events in the context of their day, not ours. Ironically, it is a point made by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion: It is a commonplace that good historians dont judge statements from past times by the standards of their own, even if he proceeds to do precisely that!

Thus in Old Testament times, the way in which the Israelites waged war was in many ways normal for the day. Total destruction for the deity was widespread in the ancient world, practised by, among others, the Amorites, Moabites, Egyptians and Assyrians. The latter were particularly brutal: a series of stone tablets in the British Museum show prisoners from the Israelite city of Lachish being tortured, killed, possibly f layed alive, and impaled on stakes. When Samuel executed Agag, he said, As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women (1 Sam 15:33). In other words, Agag was being judged by his own standards.

limits on violence Yet Israel was different from other nations in that total destruction was limited to specific campaigns against Canaanite tribes, and was not a general rule. Deuteronomy 20 and 21 lay down very enlightened standards for the armys behaviour on campaign against other nations. This was not

Even if there is no simple answer to the question of the violence in the Bible, there are ways of making it more comprehensible and perhaps less offensive

ethnic cleansing, as is evident from the example of Rahab at Jericho, who was spared because of her recognition of the God of Israel ( Joshua 2). The Old Testament was in many respects more generous than was customary at the time.

We may still not commend or even excuse what the Israelites did in Canaan, but we can perhaps understand it better. By the standards of the day Israels behaviour was in no way exceptional, and in some significant respects it was more enlightened and generous than that of the nations round about.

In the Autumn edition of the magazine well explore two more helpful thoughts, recalling why God commanded this and recognising that Jesus changes everything. For further reading Id recommend Evil and the Justice of God by NT Wright (email the title to mag@new-wine.org by 27 May for your chance to win a free copy).

Simon leads St Pauls Kingston Hill and a local New Wine Network, together with his wife Heather. Hes currently writing a book about Burning Issues that Preachers Prefer not to Touch, of which this is one.

The New Wine Church Leaders Network gives members close and continuing contact with other leaders who share the same spiritual DNA. Other benefits include access to our online members area, with downloadable talks and other resources, as well as discounts for Find a Job, and your church being posted on Find a Church on our website. If you share our vision and values, we warmly invite you to join us. Find out more at www.new-wine.org/cln

CHURCH LEADERS NETWORK

The author retains full copyright of this material; it may not be republished.

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new Wine arts Gallery summer 11 lse & csW Shepton mallet, Somerset23-29 July & 31 July-6 August 2011

The purpose of The Gallery exhibition is to celebrate our God-given creativity, encourage the artists in our church communities, allow God to speak through artists work and create a space for people to relax and reflect.

We are inviting submissions of high-quality work from all aspects of artistic expression: painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, short films, poetry, pottery, textiles.

the closing date for submissions is saturDay 18 June. if your work is selected you must be able to deliver it (and to collect it if not sold) to shepton Mallet. you may want to insure your own work.

Email your name, details (title, medium, dimensions) and good quality photos or recordings of the work (max 8 pieces) to: marketplace@new-wine.org (FAO Cas Smith).

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FREE EVENT!Counselling Training Open AfternoonSat 21 May 2011, 25pmFind out if counselling training is for you. Learn about CWRs new BA degree and other courses. For both experienced counsellors and those just thinking about training.

For info/to book: visit www.cwr.org.uk/training or call 01252 784719Waverley Training & Events, CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP

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Activity weeks for all the family and the use of The BeaconOutdoor Activity Centre art, performing arts, music andwriting retreats Band of Brothers: mens retreats relational womens events walking science and faithFor more details of all of these andmany other exciting conferences see:www.leeabbey.org.ukTel 01598 752621 Email relax@leeabbey.org.uk

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is a challenge in itself, but dealing with all of their complex emotional, physical and spiritual needs can be overwhelming. On a bad day Im ready to run down to the job centre! All I can do is to be there for them and to try to mirror Jesus love to them. My husband and I pray for our children and our family on a regular basis and know that God listens. We try to figure out what our childrens emotional needs are and start there. That might mean encouraging one of them more or taking another one out for some one-to-one time. Or it might just mean being there to have a cuddle. Working out what the need is, is always the hardest bit.

It is also a challenge to know how to juggle church life and home life. It is very easy to be drawn into all sorts of ministries and it begins to take over your life and encroach on your time with the children. I have had to think hard and pray about what areas to get involved in, where God wants me to focus my energy and attention, and what is not right for now. But it is also possible for home life to get too busy and that begins to get in the way of God. I realise that this is something that will always be a challenge. I will have to keep reminding myself to put God first.

How do you try to live out your faith through your work?I believe that my most important role as a mum is to teach my children how to walk with Jesus. They need to see me living out my faith on a day-to-day basis and hopefully learn themselves to love Jesus and put him first in their lives. They need to know that they are loved unconditionally and that God wants to be a part of every aspect of their lives.

I also try to live out my faith in Jesus through my involvement with the Prampushers groups. Tuesdays is for mums and babies, at which we get up to 37,

What do you do?Im a stay-at-home mum with three children aged nine, seven and five two boys and a girl. I am also very involved with our local church, St Chads Romiley in Stockport, coordinating Prampushers, the groups for pre-school children and their carers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. On Friday mornings I run a discipleship group for a group of mums who have just become Christians and also volunteer in our community caf either serving tables, making drinks or food.

Whats a typical day like for you?The first two hours of the day are spent with my children, giving them breakfast, getting them ready for school, sorting out packed lunches and so on. This can be the most hectic two hours of my day! After dropping the kids at school I either head down to the church hall or home to do some housework and washing, or go shopping. After school I end up being a taxi service for my children, taking them to swimming, piano, band, ballet and church groups.

What do you love most about the work you do? I count it a huge privilege to be able to be at home with my children, to be involved in every part of their lives and to be there for them when they need me. I believe it is a very important time in their lives and I wouldnt miss it for the world. I can remember my mum always being there for me when I came home from school, and I want to do the same for my kids. I also love the freedom that it gives me to serve Jesus in the community, and this is even easier now that the children are all at school during the day.

What are some of the challenges and how do you deal with them?Being a stay-at-home mum is not the easy option! Looking after three lively children on the best of days

2.07 Million MotHers in tHe uK stay at HoMe WitH tHeir cHilDren ratHer tHan Go out to WorK. Kirstie GoDDarD sHares soMe of tHe Pleasures anD tHe Pressures of BeinG a stay-at-HoMe MuM

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and Wednesdays and Thursdays are for all pre-schoolers and their carers, to which we get 50 adults and 80 children on both days. On Wednesdays and Thursdays we tell a Bible story, sing a couple of Christian songs and nursery rhymes, and do a craft activity related to the story. These groups are a fantastic witness to our community. The parents and carers know that I am a Christian so I have a wonderful opportunity to tell them about Jesus love. The community caf is another great opportunity as it is always filled with people who arent yet part of the church.

can you think of a particular time when youve experienced God with you in your work?I know that God is with me all the time, in all that I do, but one incident sticks in my head. My eldest son, James, had an accident when he was 15 months old. He managed