Dr Ruth Valerio, Tearfund’s Global Advocacy and influencing director said, ‘We are calling for urgent action from four multinationals – Coca-Cola, Nestle, Pepsicola and Unilever.

The CEOs running these multinationals can no longer ignore the human cost of single-use plastics – fundemental changes to business models are urgently required’.

Tear Times Autumn 19

The ability to connect with an audience is an essential element of public speaking. Yet it is possible for an effective presentation to be delivered without affecting those who hear it, but there are ways that even the most proficient speakers can enhance their communication skills.

This autumn, for the first time, Rob Parsons is going on tour to share insights from over fifty years of experience. He will unpack methods that will help any public speaker to better grasp not only how to speak to the head, but to the heart.

Having spoken to well over a million people around the world, from multinational organisations to church congregations, he has fine-tuned approaches that can help anyone wanting to grow in this area.

New International Version
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land

Following Jesus entails developing an intimate relationship with him. This is what elevates Christianity beyond all other religions, philosophies, and worldviews. Mark 3:14-15 says, ‘He appointed the twelve—designating them as apostles, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority over demons’.

A closer look at this Scripture—‘that they might be with him’—reveals that endeavouring to do anything for Jesus is linked with desiring and developing a relationship with him.

Christianity in general and discipleship in particular is based on a relationship with Jesus, not on spiritual directions and rules. Once we decide to let him have control over our lives, he will show us the way and teach us. This entails all the directions we need as we deepen our relationship with him.

Isaiah M. Dau(excerpt) Lausanne Movement

Since coming to power in 2014, Egypt’s President al-Sisi has treated Christians more favourably and his government has passed laws making it easier to build new churches, reversing restrictions from the Ottoman era. However, Christian communities regularly face violence at a local level and church buildings are often targeted by Muslim mobs, especially those which are unregistered or newly registered. Muslim-dominated Egypt has a substantial Christian minority, which is one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, dating back to the first century, and pre-dating Islam by some 500 years.