Overcoming Obstacles to Sharing Our Faith: FRIENDS, FAMILY and FELLOWSHIPS

In the first two posts we looked at FEAR and FINANCE. 

Today, we are looking at barriers that exist due to the people in our lives.  

It's great when our friends and family members are on the same page spiritually but even then there may be division. Most of us have friends that attend church denominations with views that are different to our own. Church fellowships and leaders can have very different opinions on methods of evangelism. There's plenty of potential for problems and that's just within Christian circles.

What happens if you're mainly mixing with non-believers. You might even be married to a non-Christian. You might have children who are starting to make demands on your time and who may end up resenting time given to something they don't think should be a priority. What do you do then?

Here are some ideas for dealing with these relationships with the people we care about:

1. Pray: We know that prayer works, especially if we ask according to God's will. We know that He wants us to share our faith so we can pray for circumstances to change and for people's hearts to be softened to allow us to do this. I know of missionaries who wanted their non-believing parents' seemingly impossible blessing. They prayed for years and were eventually allowed to go without fearing they were dishonouring their family members. Sometimes, the objections raised by family and friends are the consequences of our sin e.g. if as a Christian we married a non-believer. However, if we have repented of that choice, we can pray for God to make a way.

2. Communicate: Many of the problems that occur in relationships between friends and family members are because of a failure to talk to each other. Try explaining to your loved ones why you want to be involved in evangelism and what you are going to do. Creating a sense of urgency and excitement around the work can also make people curious, even jealous, because there is such a lack of purpose in the world that a sense of community with a common goal can be attractive. They might even catch the vision and want to join you. Don't bring it up all the time though or become obsessive and don't treat people as if they are stupid by manipulating situations or constantly bashing them with Bible verses about evangelism. 

3. Tell stories from the work (enthusiastically): When you have been out, relay stories of conversations or questions that people asked and how you answered them. Include those that you didn't know how to answer and ask your friends and family for their thoughts and ideas. If you are genuinely sharing about the work with them, you may get some great opportunities to share the Gospel in a natural way. It's normal to discuss workplace events and the unique nature of evangelism does make people curious, even those with no real spiritual interest. You may find yourself answering unspoken questions that your friends and family have had for years.

4. Show photos/videos: Linked to the last point, younger people especially are more visual these days and may watch something rather than reading or engaging in conversation. If you have photos or videos that you are in, they may well be interested and you can explain what is going on as you share it with them. Again, this is a normal part of life and we don't need to feel that we can't share our experiences just because it's "religious". It also helps reassure them that we aren't part of a cult or doing excessively weird things. It's amazing how people's imaginations can run riot when they hear the word "evangelism".

5. Preserve family/friends time: Don't allow your evangelistic zeal to take over time that you should be spending with your family and friends. This is a conscience issue ultimately, but you don't want them to end up resenting God for taking you away from them. This has been an issue with some of the great missionaries who seemed to forget they were married or left their partners as secretaries at home whilst they were away for lengthy periods. This is most relevant to non-believing loved ones as they are an important mission field and mustn't be side-lined in favour of the work. But, it can also apply to believing friends and family, if you are a workaholic and they never see you or if you don't enjoy any of  the activities they want to do because you are only interested in evangelism.

6. Encourage them: Your friends and family may have very different ideas about how to share their faith. You may prefer a more direct approach, they may want to build friendships. Both are valuable so encourage whatever they are doing if the goal is evangelistic even if you don't agree with their methods. There's room for discussions here, but don't condemn things that are being done in God's name unless they are unbiblical and don't act as if your way is the only way to do things. You might find that if you support them in what they are doing, they will reciprocate.

7. Request a platform: If it's your church fellowship that is resistant to what you are doing, ask any organisations you are involved with if they would be willing to come and speak at your church. Then approach your church leaders about receiving them. Sometimes, hearing about the work from an authority/someone with more experience, opens doors. Organisations like OAM, GNfE, UBM and BCM make speaking at churches part of their regular work and would be more than happy to come and share about the work at your church. Even just having someone else explaining the same things you have said in a different way can make all the difference.

8. Make new friends: You can't just ditch your family and friends if they are hostile towards your efforts, but you can develop new friendships with people who encourage you in the work. Those who are married should be careful that they aren't treading danger lines but singles can and should find like minded people to spend time with. If all of our friends are believers we can end up living in a spiritual bubble detached from reality. Conversely, if we only mix with non believers, we might be in danger of being unequally yoked. Balance is important.

9. Set the example: Don't expect you will be able to convince everyone to join you on the streets or whererever you choose to go. It might be small steps as we all progress spiritually at different speeds. Try not to be disappointed and discouraged when people don't show up or don't have the same enthusiasm or when they make excuses. Find at least one other person who shares your vision, work together and encourage each other. On the streets we are often approached by Christians who didn't realise street evangelism was even legal. Sadly, most who say they will join don't end up doing so as they get distracted by life and the devil. Don't let this put you off. Keep going!

10. Just do it: Don't wait for the perfect circumstances, resources or numbers. There comes a time where we have to obey God rather than men, or in this case our family and friends. Every Christian should be involved in some form of evangelism even if they don't have a lot of time and even if it feels like the whole world is against them.  If you do it anyway, others will join. If you don't go at all, there's nothing to join!

I hope some of these things will help you as you navigate the various obstacles that arise when we start seeking to share our faith. Remember that if we honour God, He will honour us. 

Next time we will look at the obstacles of FAME and FASHION...

Image by Gerd Altmann at Pixabay

Overcoming Obstacles to Sharing Our Faith: FINANCE

Last time we looked at FEAR which is arguably the biggest obstacle to sharing our faith. 

Today, I thought we'd examine FINANCE or FUNDING which is slightly more obscure but still a hurdle for some. 

What do you do if you don't have much or any money? Is this a good reason not to be involved in evangelism? Is money needed and is it necessary to have a lot in order to give back to God?

It's clear from the Bible that money doesn't have to be an issue as all that we have belongs to God anyway. 

Here are some ideas to help overcome this obstacle:

1. Pray! I indicated last time that this vital communication with God should appear on every list. In the past, many evangelists and missionaries lived "by faith". They made their needs known only to God in prayer and waited in expectation. There are some great stories of how God provided often down to the last penny needed. Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, who lived by faith, said, "God's work, done in God's way will never lack God's supply."

2. Free stuff. Evangelism doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg especially if we stop viewing it as always being an organised activity that needs a lot of preparation. It's good to carry Christian leaflets (tracts) but there are plenty of free options. Just do a Google search for free Christian tracts/leaflets and request some off the many organisations featured or print them at home. Make sure you check the content first; most good organisations will have an online version so you can view what's inside. Street preaching doesn't cost anything if you just carry your Bible and don't use amplification. Talking to people on the bus/train is free and so is talking to colleagues at work during breaks. We all do plenty of activities that we pay for and there are usually non-believers involved, we can talk to them. 

3. Ask your church leaders. For organised or planned evangelism, we should usually be working with others and most of  the time it should start from our local church. If we need literature, we should ask our church leaders to consider providing it. Some churches have a leaflet rack or table and regularly encourage people to take things and give them out. Most churches have a budget for evangelism/outreach. You could ask the leaders to reimburse you for costs/expenses and equipment you might need. Check first though and get it agreed. You might even find that your leaders want to encourage you and are more than happy to assist in this practical way even if they can't accompany you.

4. Ask Christian friends/family members to sponsor you. This may not be an option for some but many of us have friends and family members who may be happy to help practically if they can't be involved themselves. If you are involved in regular evangelism, you could write a newsletter keeping people updated and distribute this via email. Regular updates keep people interested and you might find that people start offering money or ask you how you are supported. Try to make sure anyone who helps in this way feels included by thanking them and thinking of their giving as a partnership.

5. Work extra shifts, do some overtime or take a second job. Again, this may not be possible for everyone. We all have different commitments and responsibilities. The Christian life involves hard work; Jesus told us to take up our cross and follow Him daily. If God makes it possible for you to earn a bit more through your job or by taking a second job, consider it carefully especially when you are young. It's much better for us to pay our own way if we can and work is a biblical principle. Society tends to encourage us to work more so that we can play more and get more stuff but this is not God's way!

6. Sacrifice something else. We all have things that we do that cost money and many of these are wants rather than needs. You could fast from something and keep the money saved for literature or other evangelistic resources. God will honour those that honour Him and He sees our sacrifices even if no-one else does. You could also sell stuff to raise the money; Vinted (clothes) and eBay/Facebook marketplace (everything) are a few options but there are many more.

7. Join local organisations/groups. If your church isn't doing anything, you could join local teams from the Open-Air Mission, City Missions or other local evangelists/churches. Many of these will allow you to freely use their resources if you are present for their outreach. Most will require a church reference and it's worth mentioning to the leader that you are working with a limited budget. Don't rock up, grab a load of literature and disappear for the rest of the day....that will try the patience of even the most humble-minded believers.

8. Join national organisations/mission teams. Many of these make provision for those struggling financially. They may ask you to do what you can and agree to cover the rest or they may find a sponsor for you. The important thing to remember is that God knows what you can and can't afford so don't be tempted to take advantage of these Christian folks. Good News for Everyone will supply Bibles for outreaches if you join your local branch for just £12 a month or sometimes if you become a "friend" which is free. Someone has to pay for these resources though so use them wisely. 

9. Apply for charity funding. There are some charities that have specific funding available for certain projects or activities. Many of them are niche but Christian evangelism could easily fall into some of the criteria. If you have an outreach idea, look for a charity that might fit and ask them. The worst that will happen is they will say no but even then they might have an idea of someone else that can help. Networking is good in some circumstances and you may receive a Divine appointment which can help.

10. Host a fundraiser.  I've put this last as personally I really struggle with this one. I've only done this once when I was seeking to raise funds for my 2 year mission trip on Logos Hope. It transpired afterwards that there had been a miscommunication between my church leaders and that they were actually going to provide the whole amount I had asked for so there was no need for a fundraiser. I also used my work salary to meet my church in the middle. It's important that we contribute what we can but there will be circumstances where the amount needed is just too much without an organised event or some outside help. Again, we should view this as a partnership where we are serving God and being supplied by His people.

I hope this list is helpful. I think the takeaway is that finance should never be a barrier to evangelism as God commands us to go, so He will provide. There are always things we can do without money and where finance is required there are usually Christians that can supply resources as needed.

Next time we will look at the obstacles of FRIENDS and FAMILY...

Overcoming Obstacles to Sharing Our Faith: FEAR

I've been trying to think of ways to motivate people to get involved in evangelism having just come back from an awesome Christian Answer team in London at the weekend. 

I realised that the first step for some people might be removing hurdles or perhaps having a change of perspective about any obstacles in the way. So, I'm going to do a short series of posts dealing with these issues that we all face to one degree or another.

Today's subject and probably the biggest mountain for many of us to scale is fear. 

It might be fear of failure, fear of saying the wrong thing, fear of being seen, fear of what others might think, fear of people getting angry or shunning us, or even fear of the unknown. Let's face it, we all struggle with fear and for some it can be paralysing. 

Can it be overcome? With God's help all things are possible. Here are some pointers:

• Pray! It will come as no surprise that prayer is top of the list for overcoming any and all obstacles to sharing our faith. If we don't pray then we can't expect to see results or have any expectation of moving forward. God knows our fears and He wants to help us move past them so that we can get on with the task. He promises to use us if we ask Him.

• Training. It helps to be prepared and can give us confidence which can negate any fears we might have. There is plenty of online training and organisations like the Open-Air Mission can provide training for you and your church. Living Waters offers a week long training course in evangelism and apologetics. However, training is not always required as it can result in Christians falling into the trap of thinking that they can't evangelise because they haven't been trained or even that they need to learn everything before they can share their faith. Choose your training wisely and intentionally and if possible get involved with those who offer practical training during the course.

• Know what you believe and why you believe it. This one can be especially relevant for those who've grown up in the church and have never really looked at the details of their own story. Read the Bible passages that speak about evangelism (Acts and the Gospels for starters). This will help you catch the vision and should negate fears about saying the wrong thing. You can't really say the wrong thing unless you say something totally heretical as people are already lost!

• Start small. This one is really about managing your own and others expectations. Most of us are not going to be Billy Graham or Amy Carmichael. Much of the evangelism in the Bible is one individual to another. Nowadays, we have tracts (Christian leaflets) and the internet so it's even possible to be anonymous or to have very little contact with the person we are witnessing to. Start by leaving tracts where-ever you go. Then, try to give them directly to people with a short comment. Then, when you are ready, ask the person if they have thought about the question. Take your time with each stage and your fears should lessen.

• Read stories. Read and watch stories of conversions in books and online. You'll be amazed by how many people mention a street preacher, a Christian friend, a book, a tract etc. If you can see that it really works, it can help to overcome your fears as the benefit outweighs the cost. Real Lives is a good series on Saturday nights which may encourage you.

• Go with others. Lone evangelism can be scary and it shouldn't be the norm. We need our Christian friends to encourage, motivate, inspire, rebuke etc. Most of our efforts should start with our local church. Find out what is being done by your church and join in or suggest a joint activity. Alternatively, if your church isn't doing anything, find an individual or several within the church who are keen and approach the leadership together. If the leaders aren't receptive to any forms of evangelism, it might be time to think about joining a different church as evangelism should be one of the main activities and purposes of the church.

• Join local evangelism teams. This shouldn't replace evangelism from your church, but can supplement it and provide people to work with. It's always easier to overcome our fears when we are part of a team. There are several city missions that still do direct evangelism (Birmingham and London) and others that bring you into contact with non believers through projects. The Open-Air Mission may have an evangelist in your area that you could join. Good News for Everyone (formerly Gideons) go into schools, prisons, hotels etc and try to leave Bibles as well as more formal Scripture distributions. You can get involved and learn from others. Start by observing and then take more responsibility as you feel able. 

• Join mission teams/camps. There are several organisations that run mission teams around the country including United Beach Missions and the Open-Air Mission. There are specific missions for student outreach, street evangelism and children's work. Other organisations like Yorkshire Camps and Foundation Matters offer residential camps and allow volunteers to join and serve for a week or longer term. Then, there are the annual youth camps. There are always plenty of opportunities and full training is usually given. Serving together allows you to learn on the job and watch others share their faith/give their testimony until you are ready to participate.

• Talk to someone. It's a well known saying that "a problem shared is a problem halved". If you cannot overcome your fears, share them with a church friend or church leader. Be specific and maybe they will be able to help you get new perspective or suggest some other ideas. Likewise, if you have had a negative experience with evangelism, don't let it put you off, speak to someone straight away so that it doesn't become an insurmountable problem as it festers. 

• Don't overthink it. With some things, the longer we leave it before we actually do it, the harder it is as the possibilities and the "what if's" can become overwhelming. I used to remember the Dr Pepper advert with the slogan "what's the worst that could happen?" before I went out to share my faith. It can help to write down any fears as they may seem less likely and less threatening on paper. Sometimes, we just have to face our fear and get on with it. 

I hope this list will help some of you to take steps to overcome your fears and to get involved in the work of the Great Commission. As you can see, many of the ideas involve working with others, it's amazing how much easier it is to get out there when we go in a group. I always come back encouraged and have never regretted going out when I've taken the plunge.

As an old-timer said recently, "a little bit of courage and a little bit of obedience are all that is needed." We are in a spiritual battle. Don't let the enemy win!

Next time I will deal with overcoming the obstacle of funding/finance.

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

The Cruelty and Horror of Assisted Suicide

I saw this image on the J C Ryle Facebook page a few days ago. I felt shocked, then sad as I realised the reality for many millions of people. I couldn’t forget what I had seen. 

Death has always been one of those difficult subjects. We try to avoid thinking about it but it’s all around us; war, terrorism, crime, famine, earthquakes, abortion, murder, freak weather events, genocide, cancer, accidents, allergic reactions, suicide and now assisted suicide in some countries and the list goes on and on… If we dwelt on the reality of our own frailty and helplessness we’d never get anything done.

The Christian Institute provided a sobering list of what the Bible has to say about death at the Birmingham City Mission Convention this weekend:

-the punishment for sin (Genesis 3 vs 17)

-universal precursor to judgement (Hebrews 9 vs 27)

-a curse (Deuteronomy 30 vs 19)

-the wages of sin (Romans 6 vs 23)

-the last enemy (1 Corinthians 15 vs 26)

-feared by unbelievers (Hebrews 2 vs 15)

-the source of immense human grief (John 11 vs 33-35)

-the end of the opportunity for salvation (Luke 16 vs 26)

The last one on this list is the most frightening of all. What it means is that the minute a soul breathes their last breath here on Earth, they are consigned to their eternal destination without recourse or escape. 

I was on an Open-Air Mission team in Yorkshire last week and one of the guys had a talk entitled “Where are they now?” Then, he had large pictures of famous (or infamous) people including Queen Elizabeth, Margaret Thatcher, Hitler, Jimmy Savile and Amy Winehouse. 

You might imagine that this generated a lot of comments from passer’s by. A few bright sparks pointed out the obvious that they are all dead. Some people were angry about Savile being in the same list as the Queen or even that their pictures were next to each other. Others shouted things about individuals and where they felt they should be. Most believed good people like the late Queen and Margaret Thatcher would be in Heaven and bad people like Hitler and Savile would be in Hell. Amy Winehouse was more of a puzzle but most seemed to want to give her the benefit of the doubt.

The truth (and point of the talk) is that none of us know for sure where these people are now because we aren’t God and we don’t know their hearts, but we do know that their souls have lived on and that they are either in Heaven or Hell forever. They are not just dead in the ground as some would have us believe. 

The Bible also makes it clear that their perceived goodness/badness has nothing to do with where they ended up and although we may think we are better than some of those people, we are not as good as we think we are. The reality is that none of us live up to God’s perfect standard so instead of using society’s yardstick which sets the bar ridiculously low, we should be looking to God who sets the rules.

The debate about whether we should legalise assisted suicide in the UK is a product of secular (and atheistic) values permeating society. Would anyone really dare to suggest it was kinder to “help someone on their way” if they knew their loved one would face an angry, just God at the end of the process? Most sane people would surely agree that no matter how much pain someone was in, an eternity in Hell has to be far far worse. 

The Bible tells us that we are given one life and that the dates of our birth and death are determined by God. Every breath we take is a gift from God who sustains the Universe second by second and minute by minute. When we die we will face God and give an account of our lives; the God who created us, Who knows all things and Who is angry with our rebellion against Him. 

This would be a terrifying prospect for every person if it wasn’t for one historical event that changed everything…

God loved the world so much that He provided a mediator in His Son Jesus. He  sent Him to live a perfect life and then to die on a cross for the sins of the world. God the Father punished God the Son on the cross. This perfect sacrifice opened the way for anyone who believes that Jesus died for them to repent and be forgiven of their sins. We know the sacrifice of Jesus worked because He defeated the curse of death given to humanity at the beginning by coming back to life. Anyone who repents and believes in Jesus will be at peace with God and enter Heaven one day. 

This is amazing news for a broken, dying world.

However, most people who are advocating things like assisted suicide and encouraging others to consider ending their lives prematurely, don’t even acknowledge God let alone the Good News of the Gospel.

They are not, therefore, forgiven of their sin and will face God’s fury and be consigned to Hell for all eternity. Hell is a place of fire, punishment and torment where people will want to die but won’t be able to. Their pain will endure relentlessly. It's why the Bible warns us to "flee from the wrath to come...."

The horrible cruelty is that people who support this legislation are leading others astray by believing they are compassionate and caring and wanting to end people’s suffering.

Instead, they need to realise that God is the author of life and meddling in this way will have tragic and never ending consequences for those who die prematurely and are unprepared to meet their Maker.

Christians, please think about this and stop being neutral and/or silent during these discussions. There is no place for supporting assisted suicide in the church and we must stand against these evil laws that may soon be on our statute books unless we resist them with everything we have at our disposal. 

God is on our side and prayer is powerful when we take our part in the spiritual battle seriously.

Let's support the Christian Institute and other organisations as they seek to defeat this horrible bill once and for all. Let's also make evangelism a most urgent priority as we seek to share the Good News of Jesus with every soul before it's too late for them...

What is Your Greatest Need in a Chaotic World?

Recently, I was present when an evangelist asked a young believer who wanted to join our team, what she believed was the greatest need of the people passing by. She hesitated, thought about it and then said, "love?" The evangelist gently suggested there might be something more important and she quickly answered, "peace?" 

It seems like a big question, more so because if you ask 100 people you're likely to get many, if not 100, different answers. 

Similar questions that could be asked include: is our greatest need determined by our opinion or is it decided by external factors? Are we able to ascertain what our greatest need is? How do we know whether something will meet our greatest need unless we actually have it? Is anything capable of meeting our greatest need? Does our greatest need change over time or is it consistent?

I'm sure many of you are watching current headlines with a growing sense of alarm, our world is increasingly divided in every area of life. It seems inevitable that we are heading for a catastrophe of one sort or another. It's not surprising, therefore, and seems perfectly reasonable, to suggest that love and peace are the solutions and would meet our greatest need but is that really the case?

Is it possible for each one of us to love and be at peace with every other person perfectly all of the time? It's really a rhetorical question as we all know the answer!

Perhaps it would be okay if the leaders of our various countries loved each other and put their neighbours above their own interests or if every country sought peace even if it cost them to do so. History has demonstrated that this isn't possible either. The natural tendency of world leaders is to act in the interests of their own country (and ultimately for themselves) and not for the good of humanity as a whole. Whatever else you may think about him, at least Trump is honest about his intentions.

Maybe our greatest needs are love and peace but we are doomed to a life of hopelessness and helplessness as they will never be met. Should we spend all of our time striving for these things that are seemingly impossible to achieve? Should we, like Greta Thunberg, pour our energies into activism and seek to force people to comply with our sense of what's needed to make things right? Or should we throw our hands up in despair and give in to depression about the state of our world?

Is there another way?

When we think about the question of our greatest need it seems big because we immediately start thinking of all the problems in the world: war, famine, poverty, disease, homelessness, joblessness, family breakdown, crime etc. 

Then, overwhelmed, we move to the problems in our own circles but find a similar list of insurmountable difficulties. 

Defeated, we focus on ourselves. After all, we can't do anything for anyone else until we've got our own house in order, right? But once again we find that we don't know the answers. We may fix one thing but our repair may fall apart and if it holds then along comes another problem and we are back to square one.

There has to be another way...

What if there is only one problem? What if the problem is the same for every individual? What if the problem is responsible for all of the chaos in our world? What if the solution to this problem meets each person's greatest need? What if the solution to this problem has already been provided?

Would you want to know what it is?

My evangelist friend replied to the girl, "It's good to have peace, but what about forgiveness?"

The problem is sin (breaking God's law). We are all guilty because we have all sinned. Sin is against God who sets the rules and it separates us from Him because He is perfect. We are heading for Judgement and in the end Hell. Our greatest need is forgiveness of our sin. The solution was and is provided by Jesus paying the price for our sin at the cross. Jesus died in the place of sinners so that we could be forgiven and restored to a right relationship with God. We need to accept the gift of God, repent (turn away from our sin) and turn towards Jesus believing that He died for us personally. God promises to forgive anyone who turns to Him through Jesus. He guarantees an eternal place in Heaven for us.

If this sounds too simple to deal with the chaos in the world. If it sounds too simple to deal with world leaders wielding power, to deal with corruption at the highest levels, to deal with famine, war and poverty....consider a change of perspective.

God is the Creator of the Universe. He is outside time and space. He isn't just a bigger version of us. He controls and sustains everything in the world and nothing happens without His permission. World events and seeming chaos don't take Him by surprise and aren't an unexpected difficulty. He is working to fulfill His plans and purposes and is working for the good of those who love Him.

Every knee will one day bow before Him and give an account of their lives, from the smallest to the greatest and every one in between.  

Being forgiven of sin leads to peace with God which is our greatest need in a chaotic world. 

In the midst of life's uncertainties, will you turn to Him today?

Top 10 Christian Books Read in 2024

It’s time for my Christian book recommendations for 2024. For those that missed them, you can also see my 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021/22 and 2023 selections. 

You can read my Goodreads reviews by clicking on the title links. 

1.  Imprisoned with ISIS- I received this book for free after watching the Artless Theatre Company perform "If Prison Walls Could Speak" which tells the true story of a Czech pastor imprisoned for his faith.

2.    Unexceptional- A series of short true stories about women serving God in various ministry roles and in community. Includes testimonies from 20 Schemes in Scotland.

3.   Startling Beauty- True story of the horrors of rape and one woman's faith in the midst of great suffering.

4.     Hell's Best Kept Secret- Ray Comfort's perhaps most famous book explaining why churches are full of false converts when we present the Gospel before people are convicted of sin through the moral law.

5.   The Real Baptism of the Holy Spirit- Sensible reminder of the Bible's actual teaching in areas including the charismatic sign gifts and general Christian living.

6.     The Seed Must Die- A short story of Christian love in action in occupied Korea. Very moving.

7.     Overcoming Walls to Witnessing- Brilliant little book dealing with fear and encouraging evangelism

8.     On the Beaten Track- Inspirational stories from the first 100 years of the Open-Air Mission

9.   What Love is This?- My most controversial choice and one of the longest books I've ploughed through. Dave Hunt explains how Calvinism misrepresents God.

10.     Commandos for Christ- Crazy and astonishing missionary adventures in the jungles of Bolivia.

I hope you find something worth reading in 2025. 

Happy New Year and happy reading!

Christian Conferences....to Go or Not to Go

In the past, I wasn’t a big fan of conferences, Christian or otherwise, probably because I saw them as being a bit like committees; places where people gather to talk and even enthuse about the work that other people are doing. I saw them as a bit of a waste of time as I wanted to get on with the task. 

However, I’ve since learned the value of some conferences as well as the more obvious point that you reap what you sow. Whether or not I enjoy or benefit from attendance at a particular conference is usually down to my own motivations and attitude.

This year, by virtue of circumstances (problems at my church), now that the Summer missions have ended, I’ve got more free time than usual. I decided that attending various Christian conferences was a good use of the time that I may not have going forward. 

As well as recommending some good ones, I thought it might be useful to think about the main reasons to go or not to go. As always the list is not exhaustive and I’m sure there are many others that people can add.

Reasons to go

1. To learn: This has to be top of the list. Whether it’s training for ministry, studying the Bible or practical instruction, Christians should always be learning. At some conferences this year, people were returning for the umpteenth time realising that there was always something new to learn.

2. Fellowship: To spend time with like minded believers. Some find that due to age or infirmity or having to attend a church where others aren’t on the same page, conferences are a breath of fresh air as they can be encouraged by those who understand them. There is also the corporate worship at many conferences including enthusiastic singing which can raise the roof!

3. New ideas, resources and organisations: Conferences are a great place to gain inspiration, catch the vision and consider new ways of thinking to take back to local churches for practical use. They can also be a good place to network with people in the know about specific topics or to meet people representing organisations or mission agencies and to access their resources like books or other materials.

4. Broadening horizons: This may be slightly controversial but conferences tend to draw people from a wider spectrum than our usual church circles. It’s good to be reminded that there are fellow believers out there who don’t always do things like we do. We can become narrow in our thinking and practices if we separate too much from other denominations. Conferences can bridge that gap in a way that allows us to dip our feet in the water without being forced to go for a swim.

5. Rest: For those in ministry especially leadership roles or who have demanding jobs, conferences can provide a well needed break from responsibilities and the stress of everyday life. Hopefully, they will return energised and with greater vision for sharing the Gospel in their normal circles.

Reasons NOT to go

1. Churchless: There seem to be a growing number of Christians who are in this unbiblical position, many of them permanently. They often pop up at conferences and some seem to see this as a way of fulfilling their responsibility to meet with other believers. It’s not the same thing as we all need to be committed and involved in serving in a local church. Conferences should supplement our regular attendance at a local fellowship not replace it.

2. No interest: It may seem obvious but I don’t recommend attending a conference about a topic or subject that you aren’t that interested in. There are thousands of conferences across the world each year so pick and choose those where you will at least be able to apply something that you learn. Don’t just go for the sake of it. Otherwise you are just wasting your time and money as well as the efforts of those hosting the conference.

3. Soapbox: Even as I write this I know there are people booking conferences so they can go and convince unsuspecting attendees that their particular view of the world is right and everyone else’s is wrong. Whether it’s the flat earthers, the covid conspiracy theorists or the KJV only brigade. They can create panic or convince people their church leaders are guilty of promoting heresy. They are best avoided at all costs. Some recent training I attended began with a list of isms that we weren’t allowed to discuss during the week!

4. Self promotion: There’s nothing worse than beginning a conversation with a stranger at an event only to discover they are just there to promote their own organisation or resources that usually have nothing to do with the conference. They may be trying to get you to follow their blog or YouTube channel or to support them in some other way. (The exception to this is if they are part of the conference or have an official stand represented.)

5. Stalking/harassment: I’m not talking here about Christians who hope to meet someone special at a conference, although if that is the only reason for attendance it may not be wise. This is about those who idolise particular worship leaders, preachers or others with celebrity-like status. They follow them everywhere and almost worship the ground they walk on. We shouldn’t copy the world by chasing after individuals in this way and godly leaders won’t encourage this admiration. Many well known individuals have fallen recently and this can wreck the faith of those following them too closely.

List of UK Conferences

1. Fellowship of Evangelistic Workers (FEW)- This 3 day residential conference in January is hosted by the Association of Evangelists and is mainly for those involved in evangelism in some capacity or another. It’s probably my favourite and I always try to get to it.

2. The Open-Air Mission (OAM)- This 1 day conference is usually in October. There are reports from the various evangelists who work for OAM as well as a speaker. This year the conference was held  in 3 regional locations to allow more people to attend. 

3. United Beach Missions Reunion (UBM)- This weekend residential gathering in North Wales is held immediately after the end of the Summer missions in early September. It’s a chance to strengthen friendships made on mission teams, hear some good teaching and have some fun. 

4. Answers UK Mega Conference (AiG)- This huge non residential 3 day conference, hosted by organisations including Answers in Genesis and Creation Research has occurred bi-annually in the UK in October. The speakers are experts in their fields and their experiences on the world stage amongst non-believers are fascinating. If you aren’t a 6 day, young earth Creationist, you will be after attending this conference!

5. Reachout Trust Convention- A smaller residential conference for those interested in reaching out to people trapped in cults like the JW’s, Mormons, New Age or even the occult and other religions. Information and testimonies from former cultists.

6. Living Waters Europe Ambassador’s Academy- A week of training in evangelism in October based in Lincoln. This isn’t residential but it operates similarly to a conference in that there are speakers from the front and a book stall. This year there was a partnership with the Open-Air Mission so that attendees could put what they were learning into practice at lunchtimes. 

7. Oak Hall Word Weekends- This organisation known for its skiing holidays and match making skills, also hosts residential conferences or Bible study weekends in Kent and other conferences at important times of the year.

8. Foundation Matters Missions Weekend- This residential conference has been held bi-annually at Pine Lake in Derby. It gives people the opportunity to learn about various mission opportunities and hear from current and former missionaries.

9. Living the Passion- This residential evangelism conference in October is hosted by a number of organisations including Counties, GLO, Church Growth Trust and Echoes International. 

10. Keswick Convention- This FREE conference in July encompasses 3 weeks of teaching and worship in the beautiful countryside of Cumbria. Accommodation can be tricky to find as thousands of people attend. Serving as a volunteer is a possibility..

Hopefully, you’ve now got some ideas for 2025. I’ve been to all except the final two on my list. It’s also a good idea to try and go to day or residential conferences for the mission agencies supported by your church so you can keep in touch with what’s going on further afield and learn how to better encourage, support and pray for your missionaries.

I pray that Christian conferences will help believers catch the vision and share the Good News of Jesus here in the UK and elsewhere on foreign fields.