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September/October 2019

A few days ago, I was at the funeral of a young Christian friend. Like all Christian funerals, amid grief, there was hope. In the hymns especially, we expressed our hope in both the present (she is with the Lord, which is far better), but also in the future (Jesus is coming back, and will put everything right). It’s that future dimension of hope that we’re focusing on in this issue of the Magazine.

Jonathan Stephen kicks us off by asking, with the Corinthians, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’, while John Woolley helps us to think through what the new heaven and the new earth will be like.

Don’t think that the second coming is just about theology, though. Maureen Wise challenges us to live in the light of Jesus’ return, and Janet Richards explains how hope in Christ keeps her going, even in illness, difficulties and sadness.

Living between Christ’s first and second coming brings its challenges. Patrick Johnstone (of Operation World fame) explores the links between Jesus’ Great Commission and the end of the age and challenges us to hasten Christ’s coming. John Funnell reminds us of the importance of distinguishing between the ‘now’ and the ‘not yet’ as we enjoy what we already have but hope for more to come.

But are we prepared to meet with Christ? Mark Johnston has us consider that question, while Sheila Stephen reminds us of truths which will comfort those who are facing their own death or the death of a loved one.

As always, there’s much more, of course. Sarah Allen and Gwyn Davies guide us back in time to two forgotten figures of church history: Ellen Ranyard was a pioneer of women’s ministry, and Morgan Llwyd was a Welsh puritan thought variously as a hero or a heretic. Sarah Chan helps us to share Jesus with our Jewish neighbours, and I look at the Mount of Olives – which has got more to do with the second coming of Jesus than you might imagine!

So dive on in – but before you do, prepare to be challenged, and prepare to be thankful. Maranatha – come, Lord Jesus!

  1. Two Foolish Questions
    by Jonathan Stephen

    1 like
  2. Are you living in the light of his return?
    by Maureen Wise

    25 likes
  3. A New Heaven and a New Earth
    by John Woolley

    8 likes
  4. What keeps me going?
    by Janet Richards

    5 likes
  5. The Great Commission and the End of the Age
    by Patrick Johnstone

    3 likes
  6. Ellen Ranyard: A Women’s Ministry Pioneer
    by Sarah Allen

    11 likes
  7. The 'Now' and the 'Not Yet'
    by John Funnell

    24 likes
  8. Something to Look Forward to
    by Sheila Stephen

    6 likes
  9. Unprepared to Meet Him
    by Mark Johnston

    12 likes
  10. Mount of Olives: The Suffering and Glory of the Messiah
    by Mark Barnes

    30 likes
  11. Morgan Llwyd – Hero or Heretic?
    by Gwyn Davies

    3 likes
  12. Book review — Come, Lord Jesus! A Biblical Theology of the Second Coming of Christ
    by John Funnell

    1 like
  13. Book review — The Lamb Wins! A Guided Tour Through the Book of Revelation
    by Emily Phillips

    2 likes
  14. Book review — Living Words: A Legacy of Quotes
    by Sheila Stephen
  15. Book review — An Open Door: A True Story of Courage in Congo
    by Sheila Stephen

    3 likes

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