It’s called ‘Good News’ for a reason.

On the 20th June 1837 Queen Victoria ascended the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until her death on the 22nd January 1901.

This period of times was known as the ‘Victorian Era’.  It was a time of great change, socially, economically, technologically, and spiritually.

During this period of history there were major events that impacted the world; such as the Irish Famine, the abolition of slavery in the UK, the Crimean War, the publication of Charles Darwin’s ‘On the Origins of the Species’, Sir Alexander Graham Bell patented the first telephone.

These are just a very small selection of the events that shook, awed, and transformed the world.

However, during this time of history, whose impact we still feel today, many men and women rose up to make a stand for God and His Kingdom.

Men and women who saw all that was happening around them, and answered God’s call to share the ‘Gospel’; the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.

One such man was William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. William Booth, saw the desperate need of those around him to meet with Jesus. He was not satisfied to stay safe and preach to the converted in churches and chapels, but took Jesus’ life changing message to the highways and byways of Britain. Initially he worked in and around the east end of London, but by the beginning of the 20th century, the Salvation Army was becoming international in its scope and impact.

Booth was often criticised and lampooned for the work he was doing, but that never deterred him from sharing Jesus with those around him, whether in word or deed.

In a recent interview with Premier Youthwork magazine, the director of YFC in the UK, Neil O’Boyle has written a great article about the decline of ‘evangelism’ in youthwork in the last 25 years, and gives a great rallying call for its necessity in today’s world. Please read the article here. Neil, like William Booth, sees the need for people to hear about and connect with Jesus. For in a world of upheaval and change, Jesus is the only true constant: Unwavering, unfailing and faithful. Jesus is the solid rock that we all need to be grounded upon. “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I shall never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2

I love that the motto or tag-line of Llandudno Youth for Christ is ‘taking the Good News relevantly to every young person in Llandudno.’ Amongst so much doom & gloom that permeates the media and life in general, young people, indeed everyone, needs to hear some good news. And God’s transforming, forgiving, and redeeming love, as demonstrated in and through His Son Jesus Christ is not just ‘good news’, I believe it is the best news ever.

So let’s as the Apostle Peter encourages us to do: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:15-16