VERY IMPORTANT CHRISTIAN CONCERN

The Big Questions – BBC 1

Watch Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali on BBC One's 'The Big Questions'

Wilberforce graduate Aaron Morris will appear on BBC One's 'The Big Questions' on 22nd May

Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali debated Richard Dawkins on BBC 1’s The Big Questions programme on 8 May which can be watched here. The topic debated was whether the Bible is still relevant today.

Wilberforce graduate Aaron Morris will also be appearing on a young person’s edition of The Big Questions. The debate will centre on whether religion will survive another generation. The show is being recorded on Sunday 15^th May and will be broadcast on Sunday 22^nd May at 10am. Please watch if you can and pray for Aaron. Please pray for more opportunities for Wilberforce graduates to step out and make a difference in public life.





Islam Conference

Every Friday Christian Concern will bring you stories of fundamental significance to Christians and our Nation. To equip you to pray and act. To put the hope of Christ at the centre of our Nation.

Please visit our website at: http://www.christianconcern.com/www.christianconcern.com

Christian Concern is pleased to be leading the Not Ashamed initiative.
Victory for Nadine Dorries Bill

Listen to Nadine Dorries on the Jeremy Vine show

Watch Nadine Dorries propose the bill in parliament

MPs have voted 67-61 in favour of a ‘Ten Minute Rule’ Bill introduced by Conservative MP Nadine Dorries, which seeks to ensure that sex education for girls in schools includes ‘information and advice on the benefits of abstinence from sexual activity’.

The Bill comes in light of high teenage pregnancy rates (the UK has the highest in Western Europe) and a high STD rate, and amidst concerns that the sexualisation of Britain’s young people has been profoundly damaging to their mental and sexual health.

Please read here for the story.

Andrea's Blog: "Safe-sex?”



Awake, Arise – Special Conferences




Islam

The influence of radical Islam is growing in the UK and as an ideology it seeks to shape our political and social landscape. If you are interested in engaging with this issue then why not join Christian Concern at a special Awake, Arise Conference from 17th - 19th June as we consider how Christians can respond in truth and love?

Main speakers include Jay Smith, an experienced apologist amongst Muslims, and Sam Solomon, founder and special advisor to Christian Concern on Islamic affairs. Please register by Friday 13^th May.

More details here >

Awake, Arise – Special Conferences

Islam
Are you confused or concerned by the rise of Islam? Then why not join Christian Concern at a special Awake, Arise Conference from 17th - 19th June as we consider how Christians can respond in truth and love? Main speakers include Jay Smith, an experienced apologist amongst Muslims, and Sam Solomon, founder and special advisor to Christian Concern on Islamic affairs. Please register by Friday 6th May.
More details here > http://www.christianconcern.com/events/awake-arise-islam

BREAKING NEWS
A Christian employee, Colin Atkinson, who refused to remove a Palm Cross from the dashboard of his Housing Association vehicle is rejoicing this Easter Sunday, after threats of the sack have been lifted, and his employers have agreed to allow him to continue to keep the cross he has displayed for 15 years, in the cockpit of his van.

For more details on the story, please see here.
http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/religious-freedom/christian-in-cross-in-van-controversy-in-victory-as-employers-back-do


Happy Easter! Jesus Christ is risen!
Hope for our communities
Our focus this week is on reaching out in compassion to help those in our society who are particularly vulnerable. This short video presents the work of the work of a South London church in serving those who are homeless and seeking to bring them the good news about Jesus Christ.



Watch the video (4 mins 10 secs)
Response ideas
•Give thanks for the thousands of ministries across the country that seek to serve the needy and vulnerable. Pray that through them many people might come to experience God's love in the present and come to find eternal security in Jesus Christ.
•Could you or church provide care, food, shelter, new skills or advice for those who are homeless? What about those facing addictions or those in prison?
•Are there refugees, asylum seekers, or those from other countries studying or working locally that your church could reach out to? Perhaps you could offer informal english classes or offer hospitality or special welcome events at your church?
•Could you train as a crisis pregnancy counsellor, perhaps through an organisation such as LIFE or CareConfidential? Could your church provide practical support and advice for those struggling in bringing up children, or in their marriage or relationship?
•Are there elderly or disabled people in your church or community that you could visit, take out on trips or to whom you could offer hospitality?
Hope for our country
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali continues his series of short reflections on verses from John's gospel. On this, Easter Sunday, he comments on John 11:25-26.

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25-26, ESV)

Watch the video (2 mins 45 secs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVPiUxHHEhI

Prayer ideas:
•Give thanks for the wonderful news that Jesus has defeated death, being raised to new life by His Father and now exalted to His Father's right hand. Praise God that one day Jesus will come in glory, that every knee shall bow and that the whole creation will be restored and transformed, abounding in love and justice and free from all suffering. Thank God that already we see this transforming power breaking in to our world in and through the life of His church.
•Ask that this Easter, many people may hear of the life-giving power of Jesus and come to place their trust in Him, before He comes to judge the world. Pray that His church may have renewed confidence to proclaim the life-transforming message of His lordship at every level of society - to individuals, communities and our nation.

Today is Good Friday. We are humbled to remember that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price in order to bring life and liberty to others and we rejoice to follow Him. Sadly, our society seems increasingly ignorant and suspicious of Him. It is becoming more and more difficult to live and speak for Him, without facing the threat of exclusion, as we have recently and painfully experienced. And our cases are just the tip of the iceberg. This trend has consequence not only for Christians but for society as a whole.

Sign the petition now >>
http://www.christianconcern.com/equalities-and-conscience?utm_source=Christian+Concern+List&utm_campaign=85974ca535-good-friday&utm_medium=email
We are pleased that our stories seem to have acted as something of a wake-up call and attracted widespread support, both inside and outside the Christian community, from those who are concerned at the direction in which our society is headed. The 'Equalities and Conscience' Petition has been launched to give people the opportunity to highlight their concern over these issues.

It has already attracted support from about 17,000 people. However, if everyone on this email list collected just 5 additional signatures, we would immediately have another 150,000 names on the petition. Remember that 100,000 should secure a debate on the issue in Parliament.

So, we are asking you, over this Easter weekend, as part of our united testimony to the fact that Jesus Christ has been and continues to be good news for our nation, to find five people in your church or community who would sign this petition.

DOWN LOAD THE PETITION FORM
http://www.christianconcern.com/sites/default/files/Equality_and_Conscience_Petition.pdf

BREAKING NEWS
Eunice and Owen Johns, the couple from Derby at the heart of the Christian fostering controversy, have re-applied to be foster parents with Derby City Council, asking the Council to change its policy on foster carers.

In a letter to be handed to the Head of Adoption and Fostering at Derby Council today, the Johns, backed in person by many supporters, will formally request that the Council re-instate their application to become foster carers.

For further details please see here > http://christianconcern.com/our-concerns/sexual-orientation/christian-foster-carers-campaign-for-re-instatement-by-derby-council

For our analysis of the case please see here >
http://christianconcern.com/our-concerns/sexual-orientation/johns-fostering-case-effects-of-the-ruling-and-further-analysis

Jesus Christ – good news for our nation
News from Not Ashamed in the run up to Easter ...
•Hope for our communities: School governor, Nina Fry, helps us to think about Christian engagement with schools.
•Hope for our country: Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali continues his short reflections on passages from John's gospel.
•Not Ashamed this Easter: Ideas for supporting Not Ashamed in the approach to Easter.
Hope for our communities
Our focus this week is education. In this very short video (c. 2 minutes) Nina Fry explains how and why she has become a school governor.

Watch the video (2 mins 20 secs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-O3i6J744o

Response ideas
•Give thanks to God for those Christians who serve in schools - especially as teachers, governors and volunteers. Ask God to grant them the grace, wisdom, courage and strength that they need to teach truthfully and be godly models to the young people in their care. Pray also for opportunities to speak about Jesus.
•Does someone at church already serve as a teacher or school governor? Why not ask them for some prayer points and pray for them and local schools at a church meeting? Or ask some of the young people in your church how to pray for their school?
•Could you become a school governor or offer to assist children with their reading? Many schools are looking for such volunteers.
•Perhaps you or your church could offer to lead school assemblies, run an after school club or help organise a Christian union group in a local school?
•If you're a parent or governor, it's worth finding out what is being taught in local schools - especially in assemblies, religious education classes and in Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) programmes. The material used in some schools has shocked many parents and schools are often confused about exactly what has to be taught in these subject areas. It's also important to find out what external groups (such as Stonewall) visit the school and what they teach. Parents do have rights to remove their children from certain classes.
Hope for our country
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali continues his series of short reflections on verses from John's gospel. This week he comments on John 16:12 - 14:

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:12 - 14 - ESV).

Watch the video (3 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKspanK_Po

Prayer ideas:
•Give thanks for God's gift of His Spirit to His people through Jesus.
•Pray that over Easter, God's Spirit may be at work teaching Christians more about Jesus and making them more like Him.
•Ask God that this Easter His Spirit may bring many people to believe in Jesus for first time, bringing glory to Him.

Not Ashamed this Easter
•Please think and pray about how you can use the Easter season to bring the message of hope in Jesus Christ to those known to you at Easter? There are many resources available to help including booklets of varying styles and lengths -
here's just one example.•If you're planning an outdoor service, procession with the cross or another act of public testimony in your local area at Easter, why not use the Not Ashamed symbol?
•Why not organise a 'prayer for our nation' event in the run up to Easter?



Action points:
•Visit the Not Ashamed shop to purchase 'Not Ashamed' items in readiness for Easter

•Download the NEW Not Ashamed Easter email signature


•Find out more about ‘Not Ashamed’

•Order an updated church pack

31st March 2011

ACTION ALERT

Right to Know Campaign


Click HERE for Video introduction
This afternoon, Nadine Dorries MP and Rt Hon. Frank Field MP have laid an amendment to the Health and Social Care Bill that will guarantee that women considering abortion have access to independent information and advice.

Crucially, private abortion providers will be barred from providing the counselling. It is likely that when women have access to better information, fewer will choose to proceed to abortion.

We ask you to support the Right to Know campaign that has been launched to encourage public support for the amendment.


This amendment needs the support of MPs - please take action as soon as possible:

•Contact your MP – there is an online facility on the Right to Know website to allow you to do this quickly and easily.
•Link to the Campaign video on Youtube via email and Facebook and encourage others to watch it.
•‘Like’ the Right to Know Facebook page.
•Tell as many people as possible about the campaign and urge them to support it.
Thank you for your support.

Please visit the website here to find out more.

Jesus Christ – good news for our nation
News from Not Ashamed in the run up to Easter ...
•Hope for our communities: County Councillor, Robert Woollard, encourages Christians to bring the hope of Jesus to our local political process
•Hope for our country: Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali continues his short reflections on passages from John's gospel
•Not Ashamed this Easter: Ideas for supporting Not Ashamed in the approach to Easter
Hope for our communities
Watch County Councillor, Robert Woollard, encourage Christians to get involved with local politics, for the good of our nation and our communities.

Watch the video (3 mins 45 secs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hHfU3MfjYE

Response ideas
•Give thanks to God for those Christians who serve as MPs, as members of devolved assemblies and as local councillors. Ask God to grant them the wisdom, courage and strength that they need to reflect justice, truth, love and compassion in their own lives and in the decisions that they make. Pray that God may raise up more Christians to serve in this way.
•Perhaps you or your church could contact your local councillors and MP and thank them for their service and tell them that you are praying for them? Perhaps you could invite them to come and meet a church group, visit a Christian project in the community or invite them to an Easter service?
•Thursday 5th May will see local elections in many parts of the UK and elections to national assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Could you or a Christian that you know stand? Could you or your church arrange to meet candidates in the run up to the election and talk to them about where they stand on key issues?
•Could you or a group of local church leaders go and talk to your MP and councillors about the recent case of Owen and Eunice Johns and the issues that it raises for Christian involvement in society?

Hope for our country
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali continues his series of short reflections on verses from John's gospel. This week he comments on John 14:6: ‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ (John 14:6 ESV)

Watch the video (3 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOqreKF3z_w

Prayer ideas:
•Give thanks that through Jesus we can have genuine access to God, know Him truly and enjoy fulness of life. Praise Jesus for His perfection as Lord and Saviour.
•Pray that the church in our country may speak with renewed confidence that Jesus is unique, pointing to Him as the only lasting hope for our nation.
•Ask God that this Easter many people may hear and believe the truth about Jesus and come to have life and liberty in His name.

Not Ashamed this Easter
•Why not organise a 'prayer for our nation' event in the run up to Easter?
•If you're planning an outdoor service, procession with the cross or another act of public testimony in your local area at Easter, why not use the Not Ashamed symbol?

Action points:

•Download the NEW Not Ashamed Easter email signature
http://www.notashamed.org.uk/downloads.php

•Find out more about ‘Not Ashamed’
http://www.notashamed.org.uk/

•Order an updated church pack
http://notashamed.org.uk/churchpacks.php

•Visit the Not Ashamed shop to purchase 'Not Ashamed' items in readiness for Easter
http://notashamed.org.uk/shop.php

Copyright (C) 2010 Christian Concern. All rights reserved.

Christian Concern is pleased to be leading the Not Ashamed initiative.
Please visit webpage http://www.christianconcern.com/
For more information on other matters.
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Opposing Sex Establishments – Action Point
Many of our cities and towns are blighted by an increasing number of sexual entertainment venues.

The law relating to sex entertainment licences changed in 2010 and Christian Concern have produced a guideprint off the sheets here (here) which may be of interest to those who want to oppose local sex entertainment venues.

From 6 April 2010, local authorities have been able to adopt a resolution which gives them extended powers to control sex establishments.

If a local authority has not made a resolution before 5 April 2011, it must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, consult local people about whether such a resolution should be made.

If your local authority has not adopted a resolution, we would encourage you to contact the licensing department to find out whether there are plans for the resolution to be adopted.

Local Counsellor Peter Wilson talks about opposing sex establishments in his area in this video.

The recent decision of the local authority in Oxford to deny a licence to a sex venue outside St Ebbes church has now been appealed and we will let you know any further developments.

Sign the Petition – 100,000 signatures secures a Parliamentary debate
Please sign our recently launched Equalities and Conscience Petition here.

We registered 1000 signatures in 1 hour. It would be great to get 100,000 signatures!

Prime Minister David Cameron has previously indicated that any petition with a million signatures will allow members of the public to introduce a bill on which MPs will be required to vote; and any petition that collects 100,000 signatures will be eligible to be formally debated in the Commons.

Please can you help us make this happen?

Please help us to secure as many signatures as possible. Please forward the petition to your friends, promote it on facebook and to collect signatures at your church.

I want you to know that the fight to stop taxpayer funding for Planned
Parenthood remains within reach. We don't want to bombard you with
messages, but please know we are working each day to accomplish our
goal.

Next week we are planning a huge push, so get ready!

But today I also want to ask: Are you onFacebook?

Did you know that almost half of all adults in America use Facebook
every month?

Millions of our fellow citizens share our views on the importance of
life, family, and freedom but have not yet heard of CatholicVote.
Through Facebook, you can help grow our movement by becoming a fan of
CatholicVote.

Please take 5 seconds now and visit www.facebook. com/CatholicVote
http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/5576586:8309489798:m:1:145\902150:E555C0608E29D53EE0E31826C4D947E5 and click the "Like"
button.

A recent poll found that 75% of Americans received news from email or a
social networking site. We update our Facebook page every day with
commentary, news and action alerts – making it easy to share this
news with your friends and family.

Please take a moment and join us today. The more people that you and I
reach, the more effective we will be!

Sincerely,

Brian Burch, President
CatholicVote.org http://catholicvote.org/

P.S. Yes! We are on Twitter as well. Follow us at
www.twitter.com/CatholicVote
http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/5576587:8309489798:m:1:145\
902150:E555C0608E29 D53EE0E31826C4D947E5

Not Ashamed - a campaign led by Christian Concern
Jesus Christ – good news for our nation
As Not Ashamed supporters across the country continue to pray for our nation in the run up to Easter, we’re delighted to bring you the first in a series of short reflections on verses from John’s gospel by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali. In today’s message, Bishop Michael comments on John 3:16, one of the most famous verses in the Bible.

‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.’ (John 3:16-17 ESV)

Watch the video (2 minutes)



Prayer ideas:
•Why not take a moment to praise God for His amazing love for a world that had turned against Him and to thank Him that in Jesus Christ He has a powerful plan not only to restore individuals but to transform the entire creation?

•Pray that our nation and her leaders would recognise Jesus Christ as the perfect rescuer and loving ruler that He is and know the peace that comes through Him.

•Ask God to give wisdom to His people in this country as to how we can most effectively declare and demonstrate the love of God and work with Him to see the world transformed.

•Why not organise a ‘prayer for our nation’ event in the run up to Easter?

Action points:

• Find out more about ‘Not Ashamed’
• Order an updated church pack
•Visit the Not Ashamed shop to purchase 'Not Ashamed' items in readiness for Easter

Christian Concern - Breaking News.


Equalities and Conscience Petition


Last week’s judgment in the case of Owen and Eunice Johns provoked a huge national debate and highlighted once again the difficulties that Christians can encounter when attempting to participate in public life without compromising their beliefs.




LISTEN CLICK HERE to Paul Diamond debate Lord Falconer
on the 'Today' programme.Today we are launching a major new petition calling on the Prime Minister to take urgent action to address this situation.

You can sign the petition here >http://christianconcern.com/equalities-and-conscience

Please forward this e-mail to your friends.



Please see this article by Barrister Paul Diamond on why the Johns will not be appealing. You can download the petition form HERE to gather signatures at your local church.

At 5pm today (2 March 2011) members of St Ebbe’s Church and other Oxford residents will attend a hearing where the local authority will decide whether to grant an application for sexual entertainment to take place at premises situated just a few yards away from the church. Last year the church was unsuccessful in its bid to close down a similar club which has been operating from the same premises. The Christian Legal Centre is supporting the Church’s challenge.

Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s, along with 32 other objectors, is hoping that the licence application will be rejected by the local authority. The local authority’s policy states that applications for sexual entertainment venues will generally not be deemed to be appropriate if the premises are near or in locations containing historic buildings, schools, shopping complexes, residential areas, or places of worship. This Club is right in the heart of historic Oxford, next door to the Church and a shopping precinct

In April 2010 the law in relation to the licensing of sex venues changed, giving more powers to local authorities to monitor whether and where the venues could be established. Today’s hearing will be the first of its kind in Oxford since the law changed.

Prayer Alert

Please pray for:

1.The legal team representing Mr Roberts
2.The Christian Legal Centre
3.The local authority committee members who will be making the decision.
Please pray that this licence would not be granted and that no lap dance clubs would find a home anywhere in Oxford.

http://christianconcern.com/our-concerns/social/church%E2%80%99s-challenge-to-lap-dance-licence-to-be-considered-today-by-local-authorit?utm_source=Christian+Concern+List&utm_campaign=4c632b491e-PA_Lap_Dance_Licence_Oxford3_2_2011&utm_medium=email

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BREAKING NEWS

We want to thank everyone who prayed for this case. We are delighted to be able to tell you that the local authority rejected the licence application for a sex venue to operate within yards of St Ebbes church in Oxford.

In a week where we have sought to proclaim Christian truth in the public square, we are delighted with this result at the Christian Legal Centre.


Please continue to pray for us and to support us as we work together to proclaim Christ in this nation.
For more details on the story, please CLICK here.