Displaying items by tag: Evangelism

It is estimated that between 50,000 and 70,000 Christians are imprisoned in horrific labour camps in North Korea. Hea Woo was held in one such camp. When she arrived, she saw a sign there saying, ‘Do not try to escape, you will be killed’. She said they mercilessly kicked her and beat her. ‘Death was a part of our daily life. The bodies were usually burned and the guards scattered the ashes on the path we walked down every day. I always thought, one day the other prisoners will be walking over me. God helped me to survive. He gave me a desire to evangelise among the other prisoners! He showed me whom I should approach. God used me to lead five people to faith. We met secretly, often in the toilet, because it was so disgusting that the guards never went there. I taught them Bible verses and songs. We sang noiselessly.’

Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Dowd of Montreal is the sixth-youngest episcopal leader taking part in this month’s synod of bishops on young people. He insisted that observers will get the synod wrong if they conceive of its aim as bringing more young people into the Church. ‘Something we emphasised in my small group is that it’s about bringing young people to Christ. The new evangelisation is not the new ecclesialisation. If we can bring people in contact with the living Christ, and if we believe that he’s actually alive and still speaking to us through the Spirit, that’s what we want.’

‘Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.’ Recently 100 evangelists and leaders gathered at Lambeth Palace to launch Advance 2020. 100 budding evangelists (ages 11-18) are to be trained by a wide range of ministries and denominations to prepare for 2020 and a ‘reaping year’. As the country goes through what will surely be two difficult years politically, they want to be ready to offer the hope only Jesus can give through a new generation of gifted evangelists. From 30 November to 2 December, a new Youth Evangelism event will begin to train young evangelists; all attendees will be given a free ticket to the National Youth Evangelism Conference (see ). Here they will be further equipped and empowered to be God's youth leaders in evangelism with and to young people.

Whilst we might not be facing the persecution that first-century Christians encountered, faith-sharing is still challenging. Recent research found that 67% of the population know a practising Christian, and conversations with Christians are one of the most important influences in bringing people to faith. Christian Vision's ‘yesHEis’ free smartphone app makes evangelism easier. It is available to download from the Google Play and App Stores, and hosts a variety of videos including short testimonies and inspiring films. The concept is easy: watch some videos, and if there’s one you think friends or family might enjoy, send it to them. Then you can start a conversation about Jesus. The videos, on a wide range of subjects, can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or text message. There are already 300,000+ active users of yesHEis around the world.

HOPE are delighted by the number of churches using Mission Academy Live with their young people, and they are excited by the opportunity to recruit and train 60 more young evangelists in the coming year. Mission Academy Live, in ten innovative video-based sessions, aims to empower young people as missional disciples within a small group context. With a focus on peer-to-peer evangelism, each session provides an understanding of today's contemporary context, with teaching, discussion, and testimony, all leading to a practical response. Through accountable relationships, this first-of-its-kind evangelism and discipleship tool encourages young people to be intentional, authentic, united, and obedient to the call and command of Christ to ‘go,and make disciples’.

Twelve boys and their coach were rescued from a flooded, dark cave, and we thank God that they were brought out into the light. BUT the people of Thailand remain in spiritual darkness. It is deep and seemingly impenetrable. They know no way of escape. 99% are unreached by the Gospel. Buddhism, folk animism, and occultism hold them captive. Roughly 1 million children are child labourers, while a further 40,000 minors are sold into the sex trade. The HIV/AIDS infection rate is Asia's highest. It wasn't the prayers of the Buddhist monks that delivered these boys from the cave. And we know that it is only Jesus who can rescue the Thai people out of darkness into His marvellous light. Pray for the Holy Spirit to break the hold of Buddhism, spiritism, and the occult. Pray for moral conviction to fall on those who oppress others for profit via the sex trade. Pray for explosive church growth to reach all 80,000 villages.

The World Cup,from 14 June to 15 July, provides an amazing opportunity for Christians to reach sports people in their local areas through putting on events like a sports quiz or a five-a-side tournament. Christians in Sport have partnered with Scripture Union to provide resources to be used in sports clubs, churches or schools. They have also created a short film, ‘The Greatest Event in the World’, to show at events or share on social media. The film looks at the wonder of the World Cup and compares it to what is an even greater story - that of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

Mainland Europe is a mission field on our doorstep. Jean Darnall and Smith Wigglesworth both prophesied God’s Spirit would flow from the UK to mainland Europe. Some from the UK and other European nations have relocated to France as ‘missionaries’. The evangelical church in France has seen remarkable growth equivalent to one new church every ten days. There are now 650,000 evangelical Christians in France. At the same time, the Roman Catholic church has declined, but there is a thriving RC charismatic movement. Social despair, mistrust of political leaders, and high unemployment, combined with a cultural willingness to discuss and debate have created conditions favourable to evangelical church growth. Now a Paris-based ministry with a vision for France and Europe called Jesus2Europe invites UK intercessors to join in prayer for France between 1 and 7 June. You can sign up for a prayer slot at

In 2018 Churches in towns, villages and cities are trying a risky, whole-church activity that has us all praying and getting into conversations of worth. Trypraying, a seven-day prayer guide for people who wouldn’t darken a church door, is available as a booklet or a smartphone app. Many people who would not consider themselves religious do pray. ‘Trypraying’ is written for them. It is a simple challenge, in accessible language, to try praying for seven days and see what happens. It includes short stories of answers to prayer. There are things to do each day and a short prayer to pray. It is not a preach, but it does help people to open their lives to their Maker and find His influence and truth. It explains clearly the good news of Jesus, and anyone who works their way through the booklet runs the risk of becoming a Christian.

Easter is a great opportunity for evangelism. Pray for the body of Christ across our nations to recognise every opportunity to talk to the people they meet regularly about Easter’s actual meaning. Pray for each church denomination to be anointed by God to go where He sends them. Pray for a fresh Holy Spirit enabling so that God’s people do all that He has called them to do, and for the Church to use all its resources to impact with power the lives of those who do not yet realise the price Jesus paid for them. May each Easter service be an occasion of supernatural discovery of biblical truths. Pray also for church-based courses and initiatives like Alpha to explode onto the social scene, building influential life-changing bridges in communities not yet touched by Holy Spirit-led evangelism. May the Church see prayer and mission powerfully united, achieving amazing results.