• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Recent Issues
      • September/October 2023September/October 2023
      • July/August 2023July/August 2023
      • May/June 2023May/June 2023
      • January/February 2023January/February 2023
      • March/April 2023March/April 2023
      • November/December 2022November/December 2022
      • More…
  • Authors
      • Stuart OlyottStuart Olyott
      • Tony BrownTony Brown
      • Wayne ProbertWayne Probert
      • Sophie KillingleySophie Killingley
      • Sarah EbenezarSarah Ebenezar
      • Kerry OrchardKerry Orchard
      • Tom OlsonTom Olson
      • John SnyderJohn Snyder
      • Ceri DouglassCeri Douglass
      • AnonAnon
      • More…
  • Sections
      • Bible
      • Church
      • Comment
      • Faith
      • History
      • Life
      • Mission
      • My story
      • Prayer
      • Remembering
      • Reviews
      • Theology
  • Subscribe

September/October 2018

As I write this, I’m gearing up for a big family wedding. Tomorrow, we’ll hear the happy couple make their vows, ‘till death do them part’.

Weddings like this are slowly becoming rarer, as fewer couples want, or feel able, to make a life-long commitment. This decline is a sad reflection of wider society, where flexibility and freedom are often valued much more than faithfulness and fidelity.

As always, society’s changing attitudes impact the church, for richer and poorer. Commitment to the church seems to look very different in 2018 than it did in 1948. It’s tempting to try and turn the clock back, but that’s never possible, or even desirable. Instead, we need to learn how to ask for and demonstrate commitment in the age in which we live. It’s one of the biggest challenges and opportunities the church is facing.

That’s what this issue of the Magazine is designed to help with. John Funnell kicks us off with a look at financial giving, and especially what that might look like for new Christians in more deprived areas. Richard Underwood reminds us of the devotion of the early church, while Nichola Napper takes a fresh look at one of the best-known examples of personal commitment in church history.

Elsewhere, Andy Christofides looks at the particular challenges men often face in being committed to their local church. Paul Daniel rightly suggests it’s usually better to encourage those who appear not to be committed, rather than just complain. Finally on this theme, Jonathan Stephen shares how his views on the biblical arguments for church membership have changed over his ministry.

As always, there are plenty of other articles too – from seaside evangelism to the virtue of patience, to innovative ways of reaching out in Asia. Our prayer is that this issue of the magazine will play a small part in encouraging you and your church in your devotion to one another and to Christ. Before you turn the page, why not make that your prayer too?

  1. What should giving look like in today’s church?
    by John Funnell

    10 likes
  2. Patience - the lesson of the Busy Lizzy
    by David Donegani

    1 like
  3. Church with a capital ‘D’
    by Richard Underwood

    4 likes
  4. Hypocrisy
    by Michael Ots

    10 likes
  5. The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals!
    by Nichola Napper

    2 likes
  6. Men! Your church needs you
    by Andy Christofides

    38 likes
  7. The Embrace Project
    by Lauren Medlicott
  8. From guilt to forgiveness
    by Carol Silcock

    4 likes
  9. How can we help everyone to use their gifts in the church?
    by Paul Daniel

    3 likes
  10. A church without walls
    by Helen Franklin

    56 likes
  11. An investment in the future
    by Andrew Cottom

    11 likes
  12. Should every Christian be a church member?
    by Jonathan Stephen

    12 likes
  13. Exile
    by Jonny Raine

    1 like
  14. How can I serve when I no longer can?
    by Steve Carter

    87 likes
  15. Brian Nott

    175 likes
  16. Book review — The Baptist Revival Fellowship
    by Jim Webber

    9 likes
  17. Book review — The Prodigal God – Recovering the heart of the Christian faith
    by Nichola Napper

    1 like
  18. Book review — The God of Creation – Truth and Gospel in Genesis 1
    by Jonathan Stephen

    7 likes

Primary Sidebar

Like us on Facebook

Evangelical Magazine

Latest issue

Popular articles

  • What is ‘praying in the Spirit’ and how do we pray in this way? by Stuart Olyott
    97 likes
  • Golgotha - Why was Jesus crucified outside the city? by Mark Barnes
    32 likes
  • Success Is Our Only Option by Sammy Davies
  • Until we meet again by Alun Ebenezer
    182 likes
  • Sharing Jesus with Mormon Missionaries by Tony Brown
    48 likes

The Evangelical Magazine is published by the Evangelical Movement of Wales.
Waterton Cross Business Park, South Road, Bridgend CF31 3UL.
Registered charity number 222407. View our privacy policy.