Now that's what I call a crisis!

Please pray for the people of Zimbabwe. While we in Britain feel the effects of political uncertainty and deadlock over Brexit, we should be grateful that we are not oppressed by a militaristic regime intent on suppressing dialogue and protest. The dear people of Zimbabwe are suffering 90% unemployment, the doubling of fuel prices overnight, runaway inflation and food shortages. According to BBC news this morning, hundreds of people have been arrested arbitrarily and people with guns are roaming the city streets. Police reportedly stand by and watch looting, whilst roads and shops are closed, along with banks and government departments.

Also, like in North Korea and other totalitarian regimes, the authorities have blocked the Internet and prevented WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook from being used in order to control news to the outside world as well as to prevent citizens from communicating with one another. Meanwhile the President is reported to be away in Russia seeking assistance in building up his military and other such aid. What a tragedy for a once proud nation that used to be known as the bread basket of southern Africa and now looks more like a basket case.

What can the outside world do? It is unclear. Sanctions usually only hurt suffering populations even more. But maybe pressure can be put by international investors and governments to force change. Until then, I hope that the world will pray and ask God to be merciful to that nation once again and send the rain of His Spirit on the church there, giving wisdom and great grace to the leaders and people who are enduring this situation. The God of the Bible says: "If my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health". (2 Chron 7:14 The Message). Let's pray that will happen today.

Do We Belong in Europe?

I just enjoyed breakfast with four amazing people from Madrid, the capital of Spain They were passing through Guernsey airport after visiting the tiny northern Channel Island of Alderney. They are evangelical Christians and pastors in a large church in the Spanish capital. Prior to meeting with them I had read a report that said that 12 evangelical churches are being opened in Spain per month - yes monthly!✻ Now this group feel a missionary concern for little old Alderney and already have a member of their church working there and sharing her faith. What was clear from my friends is that they don't want us to leave! They feel a great affinity with us and thank God for what our involvement with them has brought about.

Speaking as a retired missionary I just want to say how much I thank God for the decades during which there has been freedom of movement between Britain and the nations that make up mainland Europe. Here in Guernsey we are only 30 miles from France with its only 2% of Protestants and can see it clearly (we are 90+ miles from the UK). If that freedom ends I know that God will continue to bless and prosper his work in the UK and in Europe, but I can't help thinking that an effective door of opportunity may have been closed.

I blogged recently about fear as I think that both sides of the Brexit debate seem vulnerable to this at the moment. We need to recognise when fear is becoming debilitating and deal with it early before it eats away at our peace. God's love, and trusting in his loving care for us, in the antidote to fear, and the words of the Bible can help us to overcome. 'Don't be afraid' is said 366 times in the scriptures - one for every day of the year and one for a leap year!

But as I pray for the UK parliament and for its government when they come to the critical vote on Tuesday (15th Jan 2019) I am also praying that the door of opportunity for cross-cultural mission and cross-border friendship will not close. After all, the UK may be going to leave the EU but there is no way that it can leave Europe!

✻http://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/2225/In_Spain_12_evangelical_churches_are_opened_every_month

How's your temperature?

Mike Pilavachi, the well-known British youth speaker and leader of Soul survivor, tweeted this last week: “Never be cool. Never try and be cool. Never worry what the cool people think. Head for the warm people. Life is warmth. You'll be cool when you're dead.” Well that is a relief!!"

I know why people might want to be "cool" - I suppose I do too really - but hey, is cool what God wants for His church? "Head for warm people" is really sound advice I think. Maybe being cool is great but warmth always wins hearts and influences people.

Part of my worries about coolness is that I remember too well the cold-hearted Christianity of the past. Too many sincere believers made the mistake of imagining that holiness had to be cold, scowling and judgemental. They were cooled right down to the extreme!

Jerry Bridges says this: "Godliness is never austere and cold. Such an idea comes from a false sense of legalistic morality erroneously called godliness. The person who spends time with God radiates his glory in a manner that is always warm and inviting, never cold and forbidding."✱

Should church be cool?  I'll leave that to you to decide. But should Christians be warm? Yes - a thousand times yes. Sometimes I can be so project oriented, or task driven that I fail to spot the needs of those around me. I learned in African culture that they always had time to chat, time for friendship, for mutual support. Warm hearted people in a hot climate! Maybe it would be better to do the job just a little less perfectly but be warm and attentive to the people around us?

Come on - smile a bit!🤣😁 Give me warm Christians rather than cool church any day!


✱ Jerry Bridges, Holiness Day by Day (NavPress, colorado Springs, 2008) 11