On April 13th, 1970, Jim Lovell uttered a phrase that would begin one of the most well-known stories in space travel: "Houston, we've had a problem." (that’s the real quote)

How should we best respond to attacks on our faith? How do we react when millennia old moral and cultural norms are challenged or even legislated against? 

The theme of God’s amazing providence and his covenant faithfulness in families has been a recurring theme in our church’s story as we trace how various people have come to church and to faith. For example, about 17 years ago a man unconnected with the church got a flat tyre, and through a long chain of events, 15-20 people have come to faith in Christ and are now a part of our church family.

A GO team is a mission trip ranging from a few days to a whole week.

You'll get your meals made for you, sleep in a church member's house, and be put to work doing leaflet distribution, door-to-door, street evangelism, holiday bible club, care-home work, manual labour and any other thing the church can think of.

Many consider Irenaeus to be the most important figure in the church in the 2nd century AD. In an era where we have few written sources, Irenaeus is an articulate voice. He gives us great insight into the development of the early church and the main challenges Christians faced. 

Loughbrickland is not exactly a metropolis. Its a large village with a few churches, a few shops and a school. However this means the entire area can be leafleted with tracts or invitations on a regular basis. Banbridge is also only minutes away. 

Renwick House is Belfast accommodation for University aged Christian young people. Located on 42 Elmwood Ave it's 100m from the Students Union building and just a 5 minute walk from the main Queen's buildings.

This short 90-page novel is a literary delight. Within its few pages Steinbeck’s excellent mastery of words is evident as he expertly paints beautiful and compelling scenes in our mind’s eye.

The imprisonment of the Apostle Paul was a big blow to the early church. Many may have thought it was game over. The great evangelist, the beloved Apostle to the Gentiles, the lynch pin of the early Gentile Church is now in a Roman dungeon awaiting trial. All is lost!

Is it bad, when a home is no longer a home?
When the place you called Safe your whole Life
becomes a chamber for your near and necessary death-
your Lonely and Small, execution.

If you listen to Imagine Dragons lyrics, especially “Night Visions,” they are very honest about the nature of human existence. As we listen, it rings true with our own experience. But as we’ll see, the hope clung to is more sentimental and not so grounded in reality. The Bible shows us our problematic reality as well but also reveals God’s way of salvation from it.

We’re making some changes. Want to know what they are?

The founders of the Messenger Volleyball Tournament did not intend the competition to be a one-off, a flash in the pan or a mere blip in the history of RP sport. On the contrary, the inaugural competition ended with the promise of the chance to do it all again in a year's time.

It was a time of fellowship and connection with all generations of people who had been involved in camps, we were able to reminisce on our own memories. The whole evening was a great reminder of how important camps are, and the need for us to continue supporting them prayerfully each year.

Travel by car, bus or train (one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world -it is said!) Walk the Peace Bridge (if it’s not blowing a gale). Make your way past the Guildhall and up Shipquay Street to the Diamond. You are now entering the historic Cathedral Quarter of the City of Derry. Where are you going? You are heading to Gateway Shop on Pump Street in the heart of the city!

On 26th July millions of people watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris. The event marks 100 years since the Games were last held there, in 1924. The 1981 Oscar-winning movie, Chariots of Fire, portrays two men aiming for Olympic glory at the 1924 Games, Harold Abrahams – running for glory and acceptance – and Eric Liddell, running in obedience to God. The film ends with these few brief words, “Eric Liddell, missionary, died in occupied-China at the end of World War II. All of Scotland mourned.” He was a man who ran his race in obedience to Jesus Christ.

Since you’re reading this article, presumably you agree with me that written words matter. In fact, they matter a great deal. As the digital revolution continues to change the way men and women communicate around the world, there have been some who bemoan the lack of interest in written words: many traditional libraries have either disappeared or morphed into internet cafes; older people complain that young people are too “glued to their phones” to do any serious reading; a sharp drop in the use of Christmas cards, postcards and private letters all suggest that the written word doesn’t hold the same importance as once it did.

I’m not naturally a very sociable person. I once famously told all the girls at GAC that I hated meeting new people (not a very encouraging thing to say as a leader). However, it is true that I find any form of socialising tiring and draining particularly if I do not know the people well. Nevertheless, having grown up as a minister’s daughter the idea of having many people in and out of your house is a normal one. Growing up our dinner table frequently hosted our congregation, visiting missionaries and many of our childhood friends. Perhaps because of this I see that hospitality is a way of life despite my introverted tendencies. Butterfield seeks in her book to show that hospitality is indeed inevitably part of the Christian life.

Solas is the Irish word for ’light’ and is in the name to provide a simple evangelistic opportunity to point people to Jesus who is the Light of the World who came into the world in order to rescue those who are in darkness. SOLAS is also the term used to highlight five important Bible truths of the Reformation known as the Five Solas: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone) and Soli Deo Gloria (to God’s Glory Alone).

The Logos School of English Education in Cyprus is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It has had many faithful Christian workers throughout its time. The school has around 350 pupils in Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary School. There are 39 nationalities represented in the school from a variety of different religions. We interviewed one of the teachers to find out more about Cyprus and how God is working there.