Billy Graham's New UK Mission
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THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER. ESTABLISHED IN 1828 THE CHURCHOF ENGLAND Newspaper Hope spreads on Questions the streets of NOW AVAILABLE ON NEWSSTAND Britain, p11 for Fifa, p7 FRIDAY, JULY 4, 2014 No: 6235 Evangelism: Billy Graham unveils a new film for British churches on his 96th birthday Billy Graham’s new UK mission By Amaris Cole Speaking at the launch of My of people fear they will get into ringay Arena mission in Lon- being offered free to churches Hope UK at Lambeth Palace on trouble for what they say about don, which saw 1,750,000 peo- across the country in the VETERAN EVANGELIST Billy Monday, the Vice President of their Christian faith. ple hear Billy Graham preach autumn. Graham is releasing a new evan- the Billy Graham Association Steve Rhoades recognised during a 12-week period. The Cross is an evangelistic gelistic film on his 96th birthday said: “I think it would be a great that the majority of the UK was Then 30 years later the popu- tool to ‘influence communities that promises: ‘People are going thing for the unbelieving world not only hostile to the message lar evangelical leader then and present the Gospel in a to get saved’. to see the church working of Christianity, but also indiffer- launched Mission England. The compelling, personal and clear The new film, called The together. ent to it in 2014. evangelist still ‘has a heart for way’. Cross, is being released on 7 “We only have one message.” “It’s a different world than it the United Kingdom’, Mr Mr Rhoades said: “We want to November that speaks of the This is also about giving was 60 years ago,” he said. Rhoades said. come alongside pastors and gospel, along with the ‘power- churches the confidence to “The methodology is going to Mr Graham filmed the mes- church leaders across Britain ful’ testimonies of two young evangelise, promoters of the change clearly, but the message sage in his home in South Car- and help them as they equip and Christians, including Grammy resource say, given latest is not going to change.” olina over a number of weeks. encourage their congregations Award-winning hip-hop artist research from the Evangelical The release also marks the The project has been funded to reach out in love and share Lecrae. Alliance claiming 53 per cent 60th anniversary of the Har- by American donors, and is their faith.” Wonga provides new embarrassment WONGA HAS re-emerged as a their debts and was considering account of their involvement in Giving a lecture in Westmin- source of embarrassment for taking them to court. tobacco, gambling, high inter- ster, Archbishop Welby repeat- the Church of England after the The Law Society is seeking a est rate lending and human ed his criticism of payday Ethical Investment Advisory criminal investigation as it embryonic cloning if their lenders for setting unreason- Group (EIAG) said the Church appears blackmail and offences income from these sources able rates but warned that put- should retain its shares in the under the Solicitors Act may exceeds 10 per cent of the total, ting such companies out of payday lender and the Arch- have been committed. decreased from a previous fig- business before an alternative bishop of Canterbury warned Earlier in the year EIAG said ure of 25 per cent on the recom- could be found would make that forcing payday lenders out that there could be a loss of mendation of the Archbishop of things worse. of business would drive people between £3m and £9m if it sold Canterbury. This new limit does “I am concerned that if you into the hands of ‘loan sharks’ He quoted Jesus’ words that it its shares in the Accel Partners, not affect the investment in knock payday lenders on the who employ debt collectors is not the healthy who need a which holds a stake in Wonga. Wonga. head before there is a viable ‘with baseball bats’. doctor but those who are sick, Mr Featherby says that EIAG is A new policy on pooled funds alternative, in many parts of the James Featherby, chair of and said that it was not more in the process of tightening its is to be published once it has country, the only place people EIAG, has said that the Church desirable to ‘invest only in recommendations on ethical been agreed by the bodies can go is loan sharks,” he said. of England should retain its morally perfect companies than investment. “Difficult choices served by EIAG. During 2013 “Those are the criminal lenders stake in Wonga, believed to be it is to desire that any of us remain,” he admitted, “and it is EIAG instructed votes for the as opposed to payday lenders.” worth around £100,000. should relate only to morally inevitable that the investing Church Commissioners and The Archbishop has admitted He argued that it was not the perfect individuals’. bodies will from time to time Church of England Pensions that it will take 10 years to estab- objective of ethical investment Critics have attacked EIAG’s graze their knees as they inter- Board on over 30,000 resolu- lish a network of credit unions to achieve a ‘morally perfect decision, which was announced act with a complex and ambigu- tions at approximately 3,000 that can put Wonga out of busi- portfolio’ and stated that EIAG just as Wonga apologised for ous business world.” company general meetings and ness. One well-known financial would only recommend disin- sending out fake letters to In its annual review EIAG has withheld support for 70 per cent commentator, Jill Treanor, has vestment where it saw ‘no gen- 45,000 consumers implying that announced that it will advise the of proposed remuneration pack- described Church policy on uine desire for change’. a law firm had been notified of exclusion of companies on ages. Wonga as a ‘holy mess’. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper i2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday July 4, 2014 News Bishop says ‘bedroom tax’ Charities ‘are in crisis’ has no place in Cumbria MANY CHARITIES are in cri- welfare state was conceived, ing basic needs through proj- sis because of the “ending of Sidney and Beatrice Webb saw ects.” LOCAL CONDITIONS should accommodation experienced in the welfare state”, the Bishop it as having three charity and He said there was a “relent- be taken into account when London and certain other urban of Derby has said. voluntary work purposes: to less, remorseless enforcement deciding whether to enforce the centres. Bishop Alastair Redfern also meet basic needs, to bring peo- of the business model, right ‘bedroom tax’, according to the In its report the Commission warned against charities aping ple into association with each across the board”. Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev gives examples of hardship businesses too closely. other, and to create partner- “Of course charities needed James Newcombe. caused by the ‘tax’. A family were His comments came during ship and participation. a business model — we can all The Bishop chaired an inquiry told they were underoccupying a debate in the House of “Of course, the welfare state find caricatures of charities set up to investigate the impact their home following the death of Lords. became totally focused on that were a synonym for ineffi- of the Government’s welfare a child and were asked to shoul- “We talk in a context in meeting basic needs rather ciency and muddle,” he said. reforms on Cumbria. In its der a 14 per cent cut in housing which certainly many of the than on the richer political “However, that model has report the Cumbria Commission benefit. charities and voluntary and ecology of dignifying people, been so relentless and mono- on Welfare Reform says that cut- The Commission also recom- faith groups that I am involved associating with them and chrome that it has blurred the ting the benefits of those mended that benefits continue to with are in crisis, with rising bringing them into partner- boundaries and undermined deemed to have too many bed- be paid on a weekly or fortnight- demand and costs and ship. where the energies of the rooms makes no sense in an area ly basis rather than a monthly reduced funding,” he said. “Many of us in the charitable charitable and voluntary sec- where there are few problems of basis and urges a change in “That context is the ending and voluntary sector have got tor ought to be, because of all overcrowding and where there assessments for disability pay- of the welfare state. When the drawn into that game of meet- the compliance.” may well be an absence of alter- ments to reduce delays in pay- native accommodation available. ment. The Commission recommend- Bishop Newcombe, who is the ed that decisions should be Church of England’s lead on taken on an area-by-area basis. healthcare, denied that the Churches benefit from grants In a foreword to the report, report had any party political axe Bishop Newcombe writes: “We to grind. “We want this work to THE HERITAGE Lot- Long Crendon, Portsmouth and is the UK’s most historic have concluded that the ‘bed- spark a debate on what are the tery Fund has Oxfordshire. This known as the ‘Ship- buildings, with fasci- room tax’, although potentially best ways to prevent our most announced grants dates to the 13th Cen- wrights’ Church’. nating stories behind relevant in other parts of the vulnerable people in society from worth more than £6 tury, when it is A church adopted as them’. country, has no rationale in Cum- becoming more vulnerable,” he million to 42 historic thought to have been its ‘mother church’ by “This money will bria.” said.