Popular sermon website censored by Facebook
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 4 Jun 2025
Popular website SermonAudio, which hosts broadcasters, speakers and sermons from conservative Bible-believing Christians, has effectively been censored by Facebook.
Thousands of links to the website were purged from individual and church accounts across the UK, US and elsewhere in early May.
Dismay over John Knox successor
Luke Randall
Date posted: 3 Jun 2025
Evangelicals in Scotland have expressed disappointment following the Church of Scotland’s (CofS) “tragic” appointment of Scott Rennie as the minister of St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Rennie, who is married to a man, will now preach from Scotland’s most famous pulpit, once occupied by John Knox, who spearheaded the Scottish Reformation.
'All Together Catechism': Q&As for the whole church
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 2 Jun 2025
Since the early days of Christianity, churches have used catechisms to teach and recall foundational truths from Scripture.
Now, following this tradition, Tim Hayward of Deeside Christian Fellowship Church in Aberdeen, has created the inclusive “All Together Catechism” to support churches in teaching and enjoying God’s truth “all together.”
Four churches planted and another in the works
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 2 Jun 2025
Since 2007, Reach South has planted four churches in the south of England, and now another is planned to launch in Chichester this summer.
Reach South, a collection of Fellowship of Independent Evangelical (FIEC) churches, is committed to reaching Hampshire and its surrounding counties with the gospel by strengthening, equipping and planting evangelical churches in the region.
Jewish roots attract growing interest
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 2 Jun 2025
A growing number of Christians are signing up to a programme committed to helping its students learn more about the Jewish roots of their faith.
The Church’s Ministry among Jewish People (CMJ) has launched “Torah Plus” – a programme focused on teaching how what is written in the first five books of the Bible (the Torah, or Pentateuch) is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus (or Yeshua), and exploring the Hebraic roots of Christianity.
politics & policy
Make a stand and sit
Krish Kandiah
Date posted: 30 May 2025
They say not to sweat the small stuff, but it is often the little things that get under our skin: the rude driver at the lights, the long queue at the bank, the shocking price of butter.
It’s the cold caller in the middle of our favourite show, the neighbour mowing the lawn early in the morning again, or the small stain on a brand-new shirt. Each seemingly insignificant annoyance can feel like a tiny stone in our shoe, or a barely-visible splinter in our fingertip – minor discomforts that can get to feel unbearable.
Spring Getaway in Keswick
Andrew Grey
Date posted: 29 May 2025
In the halls of heaven, Jesus your Saviour is praying for you. That was the glorious news preached to more than 450 people at the recent four-day Spring Getaway, organised by the International Presbyterian Church (IPC) at the Keswick Convention’s beautiful conference centre in the Lake District.
It was a diverse crowd that gathered at the Pencil Factory for the IPC’s second annual Spring Getaway. Presbyterians, Anglicans and independents had a joyful time of fellowship, worship and fun. A good number of those attending (my family included) were Word Alive veterans.
Evangelical organisation sues internet host
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 27 May 2025
Evangelical organisation Anglican Mainstream (AM) is suing an internet host, claiming its website was taken down in an “unsubstantiated attack”.
AM said GoDaddy “has consistently refused” to detail what laws justified it. AM’s chair Dr Chris Sugden said the articles complained about relate to a traditional view of marriage. “AM clearly attracted the attention of progressives and revisionists concerned with sexuality issues,” he said. “This was a deliberate and planned takedown and we have no appeal or recourse to GoDaddy.”
Franklin Graham UK tour prompts support – and caveats
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 26 May 2025
American missionary Franklin Graham, son of renowned evangelist Billy Graham, is bringing his evangelistic tour to the ExCel venue London this June – despite recently provoking concern among some UK evangelicals.
The event comes as part of Graham’s God Loves You Tour, which aims to partner with local churches to share “the simple message of God’s love”. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) are hoping to draw thousands to the venue, as they did when it was last held there in 2023.
Ministry to farmers: sowing and growing
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 24 May 2025
A Christian association is seeking to fill a reported gospel need in farming communities.
Tony Baskerville, Cheshire-based tenant farmer on the Rode Estate, Scholar Green, and elder at Grace Church, Sandbach, says that farmers are feeling increasingly marginalised. “There is a tremendous opportunity to reach out to them in genuine Christian love,” said Baskerville.
Wow, it is well with my soul indeed!
David Fielding
Date posted: 24 May 2025
There was an audible “Wow!” at the end of the final meeting of this year’s Derby Bible Week.
A packed gathering of around 250 people from evangelical churches around Derby had just finished singing “It is well, it is well, with my soul”. It was a truly glorious sound of heartfelt praise! Although many talented musicians had accompanied the singing through the week, this hymn ended with the congregation singing unaccompanied. It was a fitting expression of our unity in the gospel that is demonstrated during this annual event.
New college with Christian aims and ethos launches
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 23 May 2025
In response to the increasingly prevalent liberal and progressive ideologies appearing in universities, a “new and unique” Christian college has been launched.
Selden College will be based in Oxford and has a twofold vision: to recover the heritage of Christian higher education, and to glorify God in this arena.
In all things, God at work...
Matt Wan
Date posted: 23 May 2025
At Bible By The Beach, we had the pleasure of welcoming 1,700 people to Eastbourne at our annual May conference!
Our overall theme of the year was “In all things, God at work”, exploring together what it means to live in light of the reality of a sovereign God involved in the world He made. Through a combination of main meetings, seminars with various speakers and leaders, and sung worship lead by Emu music, many were able to grow in their understanding and love for God, which was most encouraging. Our prayer is that all who attended this conference will go back to their front lines and boldly live out their faith in Jesus, knowing that He is sovereign over all things.
Council threat to criminalise street preaching dropped
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 23 May 2025
A council is abandoning legal action to clamp down on street preaching after being challenged by street preachers and Christian Concern.
In February, Rushmoor Borough Council lodged an application for an injunction targeting street preachers in Aldershot and Farnborough town centres.
UK-backed Sri Lankan pastor: Two reports conflict
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 22 May 2025
A Sri Lankan church planter, supported by UK churches for many years, is at the centre of two opposing reports into allegations of financial irregularities, sexual immorality, lying and bullying behaviour.
Jeyakanth Selvarajah, founder of Lanka Evangelical Fellowship of Churches (LEFC) and pastor of Grace Church Thampalakamam, said the allegations are “entirely false”. They include safeguarding failures; misuse of charitable funds; and complicity in the abduction of a pastor’s baby.
Parliamentary reception celebrates gospel movement
National Day of Prayer & Worship
Date posted: 18 May 2025
More than 100 Christian leaders from over 60 denominations and networks have gathered at Portcullis House, Westminster to celebrate a nationwide evangelistic movement.
The Parliamentary Reception celebrated Shine Your Light, a nationwide evangelistic movement taking the gospel onto streets and marketplaces across the UK. It was hosted by Jim Shannon MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the International Freedom of Religion and Belief and organised by the National Day of Prayer and Worship (NDOPW).
Opposition to assisted dying bill grows as vote is delayed
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 16 May 2025
The number of MPs now saying they will vote against the assisted dying bill, despite their initial support, is continuing to rise. The latest include Jonathan Hinder and Peter Lamb, both Labour.
Some MPs expressed frustration at the lack of time set aside to debate the bill. On 16 May, the debate was halted at 2.30pm because it is a private member’s bill.
Bishop calls for reset of Living in Love and Faith process
Helen Catt
Date posted: 12 May 2025
The Church of England Evangelical Council has welcomed a new paper, written by the Bishop of Guildford Andrew Watson, critiquing the current Living in Love and Faith process and calling for a reset.
The booklet entitled ‘Living in Love and Faith: Discerning the Mind of the Church’ and published on the Diocese of Guildford website, highlights the lack of clarity, poor process and loss of trust that has characterised the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process to date.
