20p/25c WarTHE Cry20 AprilApril 20132013 salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry Est 1879 No 7112 FIGHTING FOR HEARTS AND SOULS RUN ALONG! MARATHON RUNNER BEN PACES HIMSELF FOR THE BIG DAY Page 3 Trust Nell Page 7 BRITAIN’S FARAMARZ GOSHEH GOT IT AGAIN! Back page The War Cry 2 20 April 2013 GMB AKASH News BANGLADESH PROJECT HELPS THOUSANDS CHILDREN ‘SHOULD LEARN ABOUT FAITHS’ Farmers reap RE exclusion benefits of could have training consequences THE exclusion of religious education from the English Baccalaureate could have far-reaching consequences, cam- paigners have told the Government. Peter Kerridge, chief executive of Premier Radio, which runs the RE.Act A CHRISTIAN-based project campaign, wrote to Schools Minister has provided training and David Laws to say that a lack of religious support to more than 2,500 literacy could have ‘negative consequenc- farmers in Bangladesh since it es’ internationally. He wrote: ‘The State, began in 2007, according to an in whatever country, has a duty to ensure independent audit. As a result that their children are given the oppor- of the Sustainable Livelihoods tunity to learn about and understand the for Poor Producers project, world’s dominant religions if future gen- run by fair-trade organisation erations are to have a hope of coexisting, Traidcraft, vegetable farmers side by side, in harmony.’ have increased their income by The letter highlighted key findings more than 78 per cent, ensuring of an All-Party Parliamentary Group on that they can eat more regularly Religious Education, which reported that and more healthily and are able more than 50 per cent of teachers of RE to send their children to school. in secondary schools have no Farmer Muklasur Raham qualification or expertise in the Mukul says: ‘Before the project, Conference to consider urban landscape subject. I did not know about different AN ecologist, an architect and a theology professor are to take part in The English Baccalaureate cultivation techniques for a conference on urban landscape and sacred space. The conference – is a performance measure rec- different vegetables, but I Hope for the Urban Landscape – will be held at Blackburn Cathedral ognising where pupils have received training and I have on Thursday 16 May. secured a C grade or better increased production.’ ‘across a core of academic DON FOSTER AT SMALLCOMBE HOUSE subjects’. MP visits Becomingeco a Salvation Army Christian care home There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer BATH MP Don Foster to be a helpful first step to a relationship with talked with residents and God. staff when he visited a Salvation Army care home Lord Jesus Christ, in the city. Mr Foster I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong discussed The Salvation in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from Army’s provision of everything that I know is wrong. older people’s services at Smallcombe House, Thank you that you died on the cross for me so which offers residential that I could be forgiven and set free. care – including a range Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the of activities – for older gift of your Holy Spirit. people no longer able to Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to live independently. It also provides respite care and be with me for ever. day care. Thank you, Don meets resident Annie and centre manager Ena Caddy Lord Jesus. COMMENT – p6 THE GREAT OUTDOORS – p7 PUZZLES – p12 INNER LIFE – p13 FOOD FOR THOUGHT – p14 RECIPES – p15 Amen Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International The War Cry 20 April 2013 3 I know I just FARAMARZ GOSHEH have to keep going ON your marks, get completing the course is a great achievement.’ set, go! And keep Ben started his train- going for 26.2 miles. ing for the big day last That’s the aim of Christmas. Since then he has the 36,000 runners clocked up more than 150 hours of running. He finds that pound- who are tackling the ing the pavements adds some- wasn’t ideal.’ London Marathon thing to his life. Battling an injury means that tomorrow (Sunday 21 ‘When I’m out running, Ben is even more reliant on the I have time to think,’ he encouragement of pavement April). says. ‘At the moment I’m supporters to help him round After months of training, at college, preparing to be a the course. He is nervous about elite, amateur and fun run- Salvation Army minister, so starting the marathon, but deter- ners from across the globe when I run I often find myself mined to finish it. thinking about God. ‘Sometimes, in training, I are getting ready to run, jog didn’t feel like running, but or shuffle their way round ‘A lot of people think that it must be horrendous to run all mentally I had to put my foot the gruelling course. Their these miles, but I actually feel down and get out there. On race steely determination may be freer as a result.’ day, I know I just have to keep present and correct as they Despite the positives of run- going.’ approach the starting lines. ning, Ben has also encountered He makes a good point. some obstacles to his training. Whatever life throws at us, But what they don’t yet we have to decide: do we keep know is how their run will ‘The weather has been awful,’ he says. ‘I remember going or quit trying? pan out. running in a storm, and the To help us keep going, we Will past injuries flare up en wind kept blowing me back- can take comfort from God, route? Will they reach 18 miles wards. And the snow meant that who supports us. In the Bible, and hit the dreaded wall? I had to do some training on a he says: ‘Do not fear, for I am Ben Cotterill understands treadmill, which resulted in a with you … I will strengthen such concerns well. Tomorrow knee injury. I had to rest you and help you’ (Isaiah 41:10 he is taking part in his first for two weeks, which New International Version). London Marathon – and he is We don’t know what we may nervous and excited about it. encounter, what awaits us round ‘I’ve always been a sporty the next corner. But, if we ask guy, so I thought it was about him, we can always be sure that time I had a go at the mara- God will be with us. He is will- thon,’ the 26-year-old tells The ing to help us – every step of the War Cry. ‘My main reason for way. entering is to raise money for Watershed, a Salvation Army project which provides clean water to communities in poor By CLAIRE BRINE countries, but I also think that Running makes me feel freer 4 What’s going on MARTIN TALBOT of the Official Charts Company gives the recently launched Christian and Gospel Albums Chart NEW ENTRY ONDAY 11 March was a notable day Min the history of the charts. The Official Charts Company – which compiles the UK’s weekly singles chart and albums chart – pub- lished the first Official Christian and Gospel Albums Chart. Last year, the UK singles chart celebrated its 60th anniversary. Since 1952, various charts have been added to what was originally the Top 12. ‘The process of collecting data was comput- erised and automated in 1987, so before that the collection of data was much more basic than it is today. We now compile dozens of charts,’ says Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official Charts Company. ‘We collect data from more than six and a half thousand outlets, both bricks and mortar outlets and download stores. The more data you collect, the deeper you can dig in compiling a chart. We can now go down to 15,000 titles in any given week so we can get information on records, of various genres, that will not be in the overall singles or albums charts. ‘We compile several classical charts – including a classical singles chart, which we would not have had until the past ten years, because before digital took off there were rarely classical singles. ‘We also compile a rock chart for Kerrang! magazine, an urban chart and a chart that takes Martin Smith sales just from independent record shops.’ performs at the The idea of the Christian and Gospel Albums PHILIP HALCROW launch of the chart The War Cry 20 April 2013 5 The Official Charts Company Philip Halcrow a rundown of Martin Talbot Chart had been bubbling under for a few years. The Christian and Gospel Albums Charts love and faith and encouragement.’ The Official Charts Company had to make sure that have been published so far have included The chart is published every week on the that they could collect data from all the key the live worship of former Delirious? front- Official Charts Company website and it is retailers who work in the specialist area and man Martin Smith, a studio album by American broadcast by radio stations Premier and UCB. that they could identify new releases. Idol finalist Colton Dixon, the gospel sounds of Martin says that the collaboration between One issue that compilers of any specialist Fred Hammond’s United Tenors and Denedin the Official Charts Company and the Christian chart need to deal with is what tracks should be Consort’s recording of Bach’s St John Passion.