Caroline Spelman, Member of the UK Parliament,shares her testimony about being a Christian in Politics.

Have you ever had a promise from somebody, and you have waited so expectantly for the thing promised: a special present, a new relationship, a new job opportunity?

When we look at the brutal, authoritarian regimes which are persecuting Christians today, whether it is ISIL in Iraq, Syria and Libya, or Kim Jong-Un in North Korea, we do not need to fear or lose our confidence.

The film which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, “Ida”, is a battle between reason and faith, the body and the spirit, hatred and forgiveness.

When I was a teenager in the 1960s I remember the widespread fear that communism would take over the world through the empire of the Soviet Union, which seemed so impregnable in its hostility to Christian faith. Yet in my own lifetime I have witnessed its collapse and disappearance.

How do Protestants differ from non-Protestants in their behaviour? Are their communities more democratic, horizontal or concerned by their neighbours? Do they have less corruption and abuse?

God is constantly communicating with us. Are we ready to hear from him in any and every circumstance?

In this second article I am focusing on the growth of Pentecostalism and the so called prosperity gospel. 

In this chapter we find Daniel an old man, probably in his 80s; but we find him as fervent as ever in his commitment to the Lord. What was his secret?

According to a report by Pew Reasearch, the Catholic Church has suffered considerable losses following a move by its members to Evangelical churches.

We recently moved house and a couple of apple trees in our garden bore good fruit this year but they had not been pruned for a long time. So a tree surgeon came and cut them right back. He told us that they may well not bear fruit in the next two years; but his pruning will give them 25 more years of fruitfulness. Times of pruning are necessary, but hard.

Are we genuinely interested in seeing the person restored to a correct path, or are we taking the opportunity to put him or her down?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were delivered from the king’s anger in a miraculous way, as are many Christians today. But thousands each year die for their faith, many more languish in prisons, are tortured, deprived of job and educational opportunities. This world is not worthy of them (Hebrews 11:38).

Sometimes there is something we can do to get out of an uncomfortable situation. But often there is no easy way out, as in the case of, for example, bereavement, financial difficulties or relationship problems. Daniel found himself in precisely one of those no-way-out situations. 

For the first time in the Republic of Turkey, there were many activities to celebrate Christmas, organized by the evangelical church and supported by the local authorities.