idea magazine

Mayor of London hands £1.3 million to Girls Brigade and other charities to make London safer

Five leaders and 14 young women from Girls’ Brigade groups were at the Merton Sea Cadet base in Mitcham for the launch of YOU (Youth Organisations Uniform) Matter, a programme managed by the Safer London Foundation.

Pastor Shi Enhao’s release: new hope for Christians in China?

The early release of Pastor Shi Enhao, pastor of a church in Jiangsu province and deputy chairman of the Chinese House Church Alliance, on 20 January was well welcomed albeit unexpected. China Aid had positioned his case as number three on its list of 2011’s ‘Top 10 cases of Persecution of Churches and Christians in China’.

Cameron honours Church Army Evangelist’s contribution to ‘Big Society’

Prime Minister David Cameron praised the social impact that Church Army evangelist Jeff Hill has had on the Oxfordshire community through the numerous projects he has established in the area. Jeff, who has been a key figure in the launch of the Street Pastors initiative, has also set up numerous other outreach programmes since he moved to Witney in 2009.

Offering an alternative to the ‘lad’s mag’

A Christian men’s magazine is breaking into the mainstream, presenting an alternative to the ‘lad’s mags’ on offer on shop shelves around the country. Sorted magazine’s research showed that men are not just looking for pictures of half-naked women and want relevant, informative magazines that won’t patronise them or objectify women.

Christianity alive and kicking in London’s universities

The Alliance's Krish Kandiah will discuss some well-known films as part of the London-wide university mission taking place from 23 January. So what are these 'big issues'? In a unique London-wide survey, each CU spent a week in December trying to find out what their fellow students thought. They asked two simple questions: 'What's your favourite film' (not one of life's big questions, but bear with me) and 'If you could ask God one question, what would it be?' And they got some interesting answers.

Row For Freedom: world record holders

The all-female crew on board ‘The Guardian’ smashed two world records on 22 January – the first five-woman team to row any ocean and the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by an all-female team. As part of the world's toughest rowing race, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, the girls - Julie Immonen, Debbie Beadle, Helen Leigh, Kate Richardson and Katie Pattison-Hart - rowed the 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.

Book donations build up Ugandan libraries

In just two months 80 new libraries have been created in Uganda, where there is a real lack of good Christian literature.Richard Smart has been travelling to Uganda for ten years so knows firsthand what little resources they have. Each time he has travelled there he has taken books with him, and also shipped books at other times through Tools With a Mission (TWM).

Designer clothes and food parcels for the needy this Christmas

In the run up to Christmas things are even more busy than usual for Christian charity His Church, who distribute quality food and clothing to those who need it most. Rather than destroying counterfeit designer clothes, customs, trading standards and other organisations are now handing them over to His Church to re-brand then distribute to the homeless and vulnerable.

Lives saved through charity’s media coverage

This year Christians Against Poverty (CAP) received a staggering 178 phonecalls from people who heard about them directly through the media. While the majority of CAP’s referrals are from word of mouth, GPs, housing officers, social workers etc, this year they have seen a significant rise in the number of calls due to media coverage. They believe that, potentially, around 59 people's lives were saved through such coverage.

Hospital ship completes voluntary mission

British volunteers were among the 1,000-strongstrong crew that treated thousands of patients in Sierra Leone on board the world’s largest charity hospital ship. The Africa Mercy, run by the international Christian charity Mercy Ships, has just completed a ten-month field trip, providing free medical care and humanitarian aid to thousands of the country’s poorest people.

Bringing hope to prisoners this Christmas

This Christmas there are 94,000 prisoners who will experience a very different Christmas to the one that we will. While we celebrate with friends and family, many prisoners will feel lonely as they are separated from their families and struggle to cope with Christmas behind bars.

Christmas tree decorations with a message

Over 20 million Christmas trees are due to be sold in the run up to Christmas, but most of them won’t have much to do with the Christmas message. The Meaningful Chocolate Company hopes to change that trend as it has produced the UK’s first ever set of Fairtrade charity tree chocolate decorations to carry images of the characters of the Nativity on them.

Seasonal social media

Now the Advent season has started, many great initiatives have begun – not in the traditional formats that you may expect but on the internet...

Guvna B new Youth For Christ ambassador

Youth for Christ (YFC) has announced an exciting new partnership with award-wining urban gospel music artist Guvna B. At only 21, Guvna B shares YFC’s heart for British young people and uses his musical talent to draw people into God and spread the message of what He can do.

Christians in Sport launch 2012 quiz

Christians in Sport have produced an exciting new resource for churches ahead of the Olympics. Launched on 2 December, the 2012 Sports Quiz is an evangelistic guest event created for local churches across the UK to host before and during the Games.

Being a fool for Jesus

Ever seen a Church of England clergyman sporting a red nose, oversized shoes and tartan coat? Roly Bain is an Anglican priest who has become a ‘holy clown’. His brand of circus performing comes with a Christian message and has taken him to prisons, primary and secondary schools, local churches and other organisations across the nation and around the world.

Newbury town chaplains launched

A group of Christians in Newbury are ready to provide a 'caring, listening ear' to shopkeepers and shoppers alike amidst the busyness of the town centre. On 17 November a team of six chaplains gathered on the streets of the town to launch 'town chaplains', which will provide pastoral care to retail workers and shoppers.

Christian Aid urges governments to build a Noah’s ark at climate summit

Christian Aid has called on governments to build a ‘Noah’s ark’ at the UN climate change talks in Durban, South Africa, where parties are negotiating a global treaty to limit carbon emissions.

Working together to offer Christmas hampers

We have heard some great stories of churches working together, sometimes alongside other local organisations too, to bless those most in need in their area during the Christmas season. Here are just a couple to encourage and inspire you.

Faithfulness Matters campaigns against website profits

Faithfulness Matters is a coalition of people, churches and other organisations who believe that no one should make money from breaking up relationships. Jon Kuhrt, who started the campaign, explains the story behind it and the aims of the initiative.

Christian students on a mission to reach London

Christian students from across London are joining together in an evangelistic mission project in the spring. Uncover: the London CU Project is now in its third year of city-wide mission events, and runs from 23 to 27 January in central London and 20-24 February in south-west London.

Leyton Orient welcomes 9,000 worshippers

Pentecost Sunday, 27 May 2012, will see 9,000 worshippers gather at Leyton Orient Football Stadium next to the newly completed Olympic Park, to hold a unique, one-off day of prayer and worship specifically for the London Olympics 2012. The only stadium event of its kind dedicated to praying for the Olympics, the goal is to release the blessing that God wants to bring to the UK through the Games and prepare the spiritual atmosphere to welcome the world to encounter God’s love.

Experiencing Burkina Faso

Alex Morrison shares his experience on a recent trip to Burkina Faso with Tearfund. Pastor Bernard Karembini lives in the small village of Afliche, in the north of Burkina Faso. He has six children and has adopted six others. His house is leaking and he doesn't have enough money to repair the roof. On top of this he is in charge of three churches.

Women with vision

Women from diverse Christian organisations met for the first time to explore the future needs of girls’ ministry in the UK. The meeting of the Girls’ Ministry Vision Group UK was hosted by The Girls’ Brigade England & Wales (GBEW) and The Sophia Network in Didcot, Oxfordshire on 8 November.

Church Army celebrates Mission Community future

Church Army is preparing to open its doors to new members after it voted to become a Mission Community in the Anglican Church in the UK and Ireland. More than 90 per cent of those who voted said “yes” to the decision and the constitutional changes were approved at the organisation's Annual General Meeting held on 22 November.

Churches Together back HOPE

This week HOPE took a giant leap towards its goal of mobilising the whole Church to spend an entire year bringing hope – in words and actions – to people in the UK’s cities, towns and villages. The Presidents of Churches Together in England met at Jesus House in north London on 21 November to sign a declaration endorsing HOPE. This provides the backing of all the major denominations to the mission initiative.

Matt Redman receives ASCAP Award for Our God

On 3 November Matt Redman was among the winners attending the 31st annual ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. Matt received the prestigious award for the song Our God, which was judged to be one of the most impacting songs on American radio in 2010 by a British writer.

Education transcends culture to bring hope to young people

The Lighthouse Group (TLG) is a national Christian charity that works with young people who have been excluded from school, seeking to re-engage them with mainstream education and address any behavioural difficulties and social issues that have put them in crisis. This is usually all done at TLG education centres, but, at the end of October, pupils and staff from Bradford and Reading travelled to southern Uganda to serve communities there.

Celebrating SEAN

This year SEAN – Study by Extension for All Nations – celebrated its 40th birthday! Part of the worldwide Theological Education by Extension Movement, today more than 100 countries use its courses to equip new Christians and train up leaders. Claire Musters writes...