The Church: Good News for Health?
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www.eauk.org/idea NEWS JAN/FEB 2016 COMMENT THE MAGAZINE OF THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE FEATURES The Church: good news for health? JUST HEALTH HEALING STRETCHING? WARNING Theology behind Evangelicals split Research shows the miracles on yoga benefits of faith THEOLOGY 60 SECONDS GOOD QUESTION BIG INTERVIEW CONNECT The 9-5 IDEA MAGAZINE / 2 Amaris Cole: It’s often when I’m working out that I feel closest to God. When I run, I’m full of praise for the beauty of His creation. When I’m in the gym, I often pray for strength to get through whatever horrendous challenge I’ve set myself, CONTENTS and marvel when He delivers… FIVE THINGS I DIDN’T KNOW FEATURES UNTIL THIS idea-torial ISSUE 14-15 Warning: the Church is seriously good for your health The results of our health and wellbeing survey are in - God uses our passions to Malaria kills a and the Church has a clean bill of health. place us where we need child every 60 18-19 Stress, wellbeing and the Church seconds With stress affecting more people than ever, how to bring His light should the Church react? 24-26 Helping mothers escape malaria Half of Editor Amaris Cole visits Christian Aid’s malaria I have a confession: I love exercise. I’m often evangelicals projects in Kenya. embarrassed to admit this. While others would never spend their time doing all kinds of worthy do yoga 30 Healing and the ASA What churches can and can’t say when things, like reading or learning another language, advertising healing services. I’m in the gym. I sometimes feel I should give less of my time to my fitness and more to furthering my Helen Calder knowledge of faith. has been at REGULARS the Alliance for The thing is, it’s often when I’m working out that I feel 17 years 10 The 9 - 5 closest to God. When I run, I’m full of praise for the We meet the heroes bringing beauty of His creation. When I’m in the gym, I often faith to Wales through sport. pray for strength to get through whatever horrendous One in three 16-17 In The Thick of It challenge I’ve set myself, and marvel when He delivers. women are An idea reporter visits the When I swim, I hum worship songs and am filled domestically Fitfish retreat, working out with His joy. or sexually both mind and body. abused The Evangelical Alliance is releasing some brand new 20-21 Good Question Can Christians do yoga? research into health and wellbeing in this issue. We Evangelicals seem split. polled more than 1,000 evangelicals, and found that The amount of We hear from two. Church is seriously good for your health. Turn to page great worship 14 for the full breakdown of statistics. 28 - 29 The Big Interview songs to work We meet Dr Nick Land, That forms the basis of this edition. Looking at the out to medical director of the Tees, results, we ask if Christians should do yoga on page Esk & Wear Valley Foundation Trust. 20, and on page 33 ask church leaders if they have a responsibility to set a healthy example. We’ve also got 10 top tips for making your church healthier - and 34 there’s not a green juice in sight. Turn to page 36 for those. Inspired to put on your trainers? On page 35 you will find our playlist of worship to work out to. God uses our passions to place us where we need to bring His light, so I’ve decided to stop being ashamed 35 of the hours I spend in the gym and to carry on using them to evangelise to my fellow gym-goers, who Does God care what I weigh? Worship to work out to. might otherwise not be reached by the good news. So I hope you enjoy this edition of the magazine - I’m Head Office Email address changes to Wales Office off for CrossFit. Evangelical Alliance has moved: [email protected] 20 High Street, 176 Copenhagen Street, Northern Ireland Office Cardiff CF10 1PT Amaris Cole London N1 0ST First Floor Ravenhill House tel: 029 2022 9822 tel 020 7520 3830 105 Ravenhill Road, [email protected] Editor [Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm] Belfast BT6 8DR Scotland Office fax 020 7520 3850 tel: 028 9073 9079 Evangelical Alliance Scotland, [email protected] [email protected] Blair Court, 100 Borron Street, The Alliance is celebrating its 170th birthday in 2016. www.eauk.org Port Dundas, Glasgow, G4 9XG Evangelical Alliance tel: 0141 353 0150 Look out for more information throughout the year. leadership team [email protected] Steve Clifford, Helen Calder, Gavin Calver , Fred Drummond, Elfed Godding, Dave Landrum, Peter Lynas, Chine Mbubaegbu We’re on Twitter! The Evangelical Alliance. A company limited by guarantee Registered in England & Wales No. 123448. Follow us @idea_mag Registered Charity No England and Wales: 212325, Scotland: SC040576. Registered Office: 176 Copenhagen Street, London, N1 0ST JANUARY/FEBRARY 2016 IDEA MAGAZINE / 3 CONNECT News from the Alliance across the UK Christians and Muslims unite 5 prayer to protect freedom of faith points for On 21 October, Evangelical Alliance Wales by participation in bodies such as the Faith hosted an event at the National Assembly Communities Forum, the Cross Party Group of Wales, highlighting work initiated by on Faith and the Interfaith Council for the Alliance the Alliance between Christian and Muslim Wales; and leaders to support the right of the individual Acknowledges and supports the As we look back on the past year, we to choose their faith. Sponsored by Darren collaborative and inclusive work being have much to give thanks to God for, Millar AM, a committed Christian who is also done among faith groups to enable healthy chair of the Cross Party Group on Faith, the and as we look ahead to 2016, the dialogue on this important issue of religious following statement of opinion was tabled: Alliance’s 170th year, we have much to conversion. pray for. Please join us in praising and The National Assembly for Wales: Jim Stewart, public policy officer for Recognises that the individual’s right Evangelical Alliance Wales said: “This is a praying to our Father for these five to freedom of thought, conscience and very sensitive issue, but we want to build a things this New Year: religion includes the freedom to change a culture in Wales that respects the individual’s religion or belief; freedom to choose their religious faith 1. Since 1846 we have seen a lot of without living in fear of cultural or social Believes that this includes the right not to change in our nations and in the Church. pressure. This is the beginning of a journey have a religious belief; and we are grateful to our friends who are Join with us in praising God for the Notes the excellent relationships that exist part of other religious communities for their united voice of the evangelical Church between Wales’ faith leaders, facilitated support.” that the Alliance has represented in society over 170 years. 2. Please pray for our 170th anniversary celebrations – to aptly mark this milestone with joy and thankfulness, and to spur us on to many, many more years of service encouraging unity and speaking up for social and spiritual change. 3. Pray for wisdom for church leaders at the start of this new year, as they seek God’s will and plan ahead. Pray that leaders across the UK would be united around the vision of seeing many people reached with the good news of our Saviour Jesus in 2016. 4. Please pray for the Church’s response Cardiff brings warmth to the to the health and wellbeing research within to be godly, biblical and trusting vulnerable this winter in God’s sovereignty in all situations. As the impact of winter is felt across Wales, Christians across the nation have once again 5. Praise God with us for GATHERSOUTH served its most marginalised citizens in numerous night shelters. on 25 November, where church leaders In Cardiff, more than a dozen churches and hundreds of volunteers have provided gathered for encouragement and to emergency accommodation along with an evening meal and breakfast in several churches focus around a common vision. Thank across the capital. This winter a great number of the visitors were asylum seekers from Syria God for this opportunity to share stories and Afghanistan. of town and city transformation and to Neil Phillips, one of the Cardiff night shelter coordinators, said: “Last year, we placed 4,000 express unity. heads on pillows. And that’s not counting the gallons of tea and soup that was drunk, encouraging conversations and times of prayer with several hundred men and women of many nationalities. This year looks even busier!” IDEA MAGAZINE / 4 CONNECT AMERICAN EVANGELISTS TO RETURN TO WALES Amazing evangelistic opportunities were seen in the summer of 2015 as Welsh and American churches partnered together under the banner of Mission Links Wales, a ministry of Evangelical Alliance Wales. Partnerships extended from the Rhondda valleys to the Vale of Glamorgan and further west in Bridgend. Nine churches in Bridgend partnered with First West Church, Louisiana and in one week alone more than 1,400 residents were reached with the gospel. The team consisted of 35 American Christians and 230 local believers, many of whom had taken annual leave to take part. During the one We must support new week mission, the team worked in nine high schools, eight primary school and convention to protect women three care homes.