The next Archbishop of Canterbury: A call to pray
Helen Catt
Date posted: 5 Sep 2025
The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) is calling on Christians across the country, regardless of denomination, to pray for the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury as interviews take place during September.
The Crown Nominations Committee (CNC) for Canterbury, whose first meeting took place at the end of May, began its challenging work over the summer to draw up a role profile, longlisting, then shortlisting, and now, in September, interviewing candidates, before gaining agreement of at least 12 members to be able to put forward a nomination.
'Go Tell It,' convention attendees urged
Bangor Worldwide Missionary Convention
Date posted: 3 Sep 2025
International speakers were in Bangor, Northern Ireland, at the end of August to participate in the 89th Worldwide Missionary Convention under the theme "Go Tell It."
With meetings held over eight days, the interdenominational, evangelical event is of considerable significance in the missionary life of Northern Ireland.
Savings protection rise could help churches
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 1 Sep 2025
Kingdom Bank - a UK Christian bank whose mission is to help churches grow - has welcomed a proposal to raise savings protection, saying it'll help churches.
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) exists to protect people's money if a financial firm fails. The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has proposed an increase to the FSCS standard deposit protection limit, from £85,000 to £110,000 per eligible depositor, per authorised firm.
Israeli rabbi: Coming to Christ was ‘coming home’
en staff
Date posted: 1 Sep 2025
An Israeli rabbi says coming to Christ feels like simply coming home.
Mordecai Veberman was speaking at the annual gathering of the Church’s Ministry among Jewish People (CMJ) in Staffordshire.
letter from Dublin
Church service streaming concerns
Lois McCrea
Date posted: 30 Aug 2025
Evangelical churches in the Republic of Ireland are seeking guidance relating to online services following a case where a church in the Irish midlands was sued due to the content of their live-stream.
The pastors of an evangelical church in Co. Offaly were ordered to pay €14,400 (approximately £12,574) to a father following a defamation action where his teenage daughter spoke about him during her baptismal service. The baptismal service was live-streamed on the church Facebook page, although the link was later removed by the church.
Bernard Randall’s agony continues
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 30 Aug 2025
The Church of England appears to be doubling down on its years-long isolation of Dr Bernard Randall following a recent safeguarding meeting.
Randall was dismissed from his post at a CofE school as posing a safeguarding risk after giving a talk in 2019 on accepted church teachings on sexuality. The Bishop of Derby subsequently barred him from preaching.
Scottish church plants go weekly
Free Church of Scotland
Date posted: 28 Aug 2025
August has marked a significant milestone for two new Scottish church plants as they launch new weekly Sunday morning services.
Leven Free Church, in Leven, and Hope Church Leith, in Edinburgh, have each begun holding regular Sunday times of worship.
Westminster Declaration will call on politicians to reflect
Julia Cameron
Date posted: 27 Aug 2025
A major new initiative – the 2025 Westminster Declaration – is set to call on politicians to reflect on the Christian foundations which underpinned the UK for so long.
It will be launched at a special conference on Saturday, 20 September at the Emmanuel Centre, Westminster. Keynote speakers include Lord (Nigel) Biggar; Fiona Bruce, former MP; Major General Tim Cross; and Michael Nazir-Ali.
Seminary’s big move to Oxford
Westminster Seminary UK
Date posted: 27 Aug 2025
Westminster Seminary UK (WSUK) has announced that it will relocate from Newcastle to Oxford in August 2026.
This development comes in response to a season of prayer and a remarkable invitation from Oxford Presbyterian Church, which has offered new premises in the historic heart of the city.
New sex ed guidance ‘muddying the waters’
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 26 Aug 2025
The latest guidance on Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) for schools in England, published by the Department in Education in July, is receiving mixed reactions from the Christian community.
The big win from the guidance for Christian parents is that all teaching materials for lessons on sex education should be made available to parents from September 2026, when the new rules come into play.
Spurgeon’s: ‘Jaw-dropping’ accounts behind closure
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 26 Aug 2025
A “jaw-dropping” financial situation, and a perceived loss of doctrinal sharpness, have variously been blamed for the abrupt closure of Spurgeon’s College, London.
The Bible college – founded by celebrated preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–1892) – announced its closure earlier this year, after 169 years of service.
politics & policy
Age checks for porn: A first step, not a full stop
James Mildred
Date posted: 25 Aug 2025
This summer the UK took a huge step forward in making the internet safer for children. At the heart of the Online Safety Act are the age verification provisions.
From the end of July, all social media platforms and commercial porn sites had to put in place robust and effective age gates to stop under-18s from accessing pornographic content. Platforms who fail to comply will be investigated and could face fines or court orders to stop them streaming in the UK.
Fears over restrictive ‘Islamophobia’ definition grow
en staff
Date posted: 25 Aug 2025
A decision on an official definition of Islamophobia – which it is feared could hinder free speech – is being awaited by Christians and other concerned groups.
Earlier this year, the government set up a Working Group to produce an “official definition” of the word. A short consultation period has ended, and a decision is expected by the end of September.
‘Lost’ Martyn Lloyd-Jones tapes recovered
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 22 Aug 2025
Several recordings, currently not available anywhere in the world, have been obtained by the organisation committed to preserving and distributing the sermons of Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Trust (MLJ Trust) wrote on X: “One recording in particular is of special interest, and as far as we know, this ‘might be’ one of the last surviving copies of that sermon from [the evening of Friday] 1st November 1974!”
Bill aims to protect freedom to criticise Islam
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 22 Aug 2025
A bill aimed at preventing the Public Order Act 1986 from being used to prosecute legitimate criticism of Islam is due for its second reading in the Commons on 12 September.
The Freedom of Expression (Religion or Belief System) Bill was introduced in June by Nick Timothy MP and co-signed by another 11 MPs. It would extend the scope of section 29J of the Act – which protects the freedom to criticise religion in specific circumstances – to the whole of the Act.
Evangelicals gather in Aber
en staff
Date posted: 21 Aug 2025
Welsh evangelicals have once again gathered for the Annual Conference of the Evangelical Movement of Wales in Aberystwyth.
Main speaker Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s Church, Oxford, was scheduled to preach through the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120–134) with the theme “Homeward Bound”.
Hymn-writer’s home opens
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 21 Aug 2025
The home of renowned hymn-writer Charles Wesley, who penned some of the great Christian anthems including Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, is opening to the public.
The 18th-century home of the Methodist leader at 4 Charles Street, Bristol will be open to visitors for a ticket price of £8.
Assisted suicide bill set for the Lords
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 21 Aug 2025
The assisted dying bill is due for its second reading in the House of Lords on 12 September – the same day a Private Member’s bill on freedom of expression and belief is due in the Commons.
MPs passed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in June and peers could delay or reject it. However, it is rare (but not unheard of) for the Lords to reject a bill that has been approved in the Commons.
Case of Leah Sharibu, held by Islamists, raised at Westminster
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 21 Aug 2025
The case of abducted Christian schoolgirl Leah Sharibu has been raised in the UK Parliament.
Sharibu has been held captive since 19 February 2018 when Islamic militants attacked the Government Girls’ Science and Technical School in Dapchi, Yobe State, Nigeria, and abducted 110 schoolgirls.
Good Book Co passes ownership to employees
The Good Book Company
Date posted: 19 Aug 2025
Leading evangelical publisher The Good Book Company is becoming fully employee-owned.
The firm says the decision, which takes effect from September, gives "staff a collective voice in the company’s direction and ensuring that the company’s mission, values, and commitment to high-quality Christian resources will be preserved for generations to come."
