The Church of England is inviting Christians to #LiveLent with a six-week discipleship programme based on John’s Gospel. Organised with the global prayer movement Thy Kingdom Come, #LiveLent – Let Your Light Shine, will help participants explore what it means to be a witness through a series of daily readings, reflections, prayer, and a simple action “that will enable the light of Jesus to shine through our everyday lives,” the Church of England said.

“The gospel is God’s rescue mission to bring us from darkness to light. This is the work of Jesus, the light of the world,” the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and John Sentamu, say in their introduction to the six-week “discipleship journey”.

“But Jesus is not the only one called the light of the world by this title. He himself turns to his followers and says, ‘You are the light of the world . . . so let your light shine.’

“To witness is to let your light shine,” the archbishops say. “A light shines simply by virtue of being a light. A follower of Jesus witnesses simply by virtue of being a Christian. We have been brought into his light, now he appoints us to bring his light to others. This is what witness is.

“These Lent reflections take you on a journey through the Gospel of John and give you an opportunity to explore what the gift of Jesus and the challenge of Jesus mean for you, in the context of your daily life."

The archbishops add: “In the middle of John’s Gospel is a verse that goes to the heart of it: Jesus said, ‘I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly’. It is our prayer that this booklet helps and encourages you as you take hold of God’s gift of life and live it – to the full. God offers us this life for the sake of others. The light he gives us in Jesus Christ is not to be hidden but to shine – it’s a gift to be lived and shared. Indeed, the more we share it and let it shine, the brighter it burns.”

The #LiveLent resource has been written by John Kiddle, the author of the C of E’s #GodWithUs Advent campaign.

In addition to buying the book for £2.99 GBP each, with discounts for bulk purchases, people can take part by following the C of E on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, where the reflections will be posted daily.

People in the UK can also receive them by text message, if they subscribe by texting “Lent” to 88802.