In Depth:  Nicola Laver

Nicola Laver

Barnabas Fund, a charity in crisis, is the subject of a statutory inquiry after the charities regulator identified serious compliance issues – including around its use of charitable funds.

In a further regulatory move, the charity, also known as Barnabas Aid, has been temporarily restricted from making transactions exceeding £4,000 without approval.

Nicola Laver

A church plant on the Norfolk coast, a spiritually barren region with few churches, is now in its second year and looking for co-workers and more leaders.

Grace Church North Norfolk in East Runton began in Summer 2023 with six former members of Cromer Baptist Church. After almost 120 years, Cromer Baptist had been facing potential closure for several reasons, including an ageing membership. It relocated to a former Methodist building in East Runton in 2018.

Nicola Laver

The Liberal Democrats have said as a ‘statement of fact’ that the time when the party was ‘shaped by Christian beliefs’ is ‘over,’ as a row over the deselection of a Christian candidate continues.

The apparent admission of the difficulty of Christians standing for the party comes in the wake of the deselection of Christian journalist David Campanale as the party’s candidate for the Sutton and Cheam constituency. He says he was deselected because of his orthodox Christian beliefs – including on abortion and gay marriage.

Nicola Laver

Laws allowing for assisted suicide in England and Wales look increasingly likely, with Parliament expected to have a free vote on the issue within weeks. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government says the Scottish Parliament lacks power to pass assisted dying legislation in its current form.

A Private Member’s bill introduced mid-October by Labour MP Kim Leadbetter is to be debated in November. Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill introduced in the Lords in July is also due to have its second reading.

Nicola Laver

Prisoners in jails across the UK have heard a dynamic new presentation of Mark’s Gospel explaining the call of Christ to them.

I Am Mark creator Stefan Smart has completed a month-long tour of his presentation of Mark’s Gospel in eight prisons. His August tour was part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of Daylight Christian Prison Trust.

Nicola Laver

This year’s Notting Hill Carnival marked the 30th year of Christian outreach at the two-day event, at which two people were tragically killed.

Seven open-air preachers, including city preacher Roland Parsons, proclaimed the gospel across ten hours; gave out 1,400 gospel tracts and free Bibles; and displayed Bible texts to approximately 200,000 people at the carnival on the last weekend in August.

Nicola Laver

An employment tribunal panel member has been formally rebuked for making anti-Christian comments on social media which amounted to misconduct.

A ruling by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office noted that Jed Purkis, a non-lawyer and self-confessed socialist, had been hearing a ‘politically sensitive’ unfair dismissal case involving a teacher (‘Hannah’) and her Christian beliefs.

Nicola Laver

Theology lecturer Dr Aaron Edwards, who was dismissed from Cliff College, Derbyshire after tweeting his Christian views on sexuality, is to appeal a ruling refusing his unfair dismissal, harassment and discrimination claims.

An employment tribunal found the college had been ‘reasonable’ and ‘justified’ in its actions and that Edwards’ rights to freedom of religion had not been engaged. Andrea Williams of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Edwards, said the judge ‘has simply not engaged with the substance of this case. Aaron was sacked because he challenged the church to uphold God’s teaching on human sexuality.’

Nicola Laver

Hospices in the UK are warning of severe underfunding, leading to fears that if ‘assisted dying’ is legalised, it would lead to more terminally ill patients requesting it.

In July, a Private Member’s bill on assisted dying was introduced in the Lords, and CARE has warned that a ‘right to die’ would become a ‘duty to die’. The bill was introduced by Lord Falconer, who has been campaigning for legalising assisted dying for more than a decade.

Nicola Laver

Claire Brennan, a Roman Catholic, is being prosecuted after she had been holding a sign reading Pray to End Abortion, praying the Lord’s Prayer inside a ‘buffer zone’ outside Causeway hospital, Coleraine, NI.

A police officer accused her, and a wheelchair-bound colleague, of causing ‘harassment, alarm and distress’. She was arrested and her lawyers subsequent attempts to defend her on human-rights grounds was refused. Brennan is now due to appear before magistrates in October.

Nicola Laver

A full ‘trans-inclusive’ conversion therapy ban is looking imminent – and church leaders are warning the Prime Minister of the threat to mainstream Christian practices, with peers likewise voicing concerns.

In the Lords, several peers expressed disquiet. The Earl of Leicester warned that ‘scaring into silence’ professionals looking after children could lead to unintended consequences for children and young people. The government has said a ban must not cover ‘legitimate psychological support, treatment or non-directive counselling’ and ‘respect the important role of teachers, religious leaders and parents’ – but details are lacking.

Nicola Laver

Maths teacher Joshua Sutcliffe has lost his appeal against a ruling banning him indefinitely from teaching.

Sutcliffe was dismissed after deliberately failing to use a pupil’s preferred pronouns in the classroom and on TV. He had also shared with pupils his views about gay marriage and homosexuality.

Nicola Laver

Truancy has dropped by a staggering 96% after a Welsh evangelical church launched a new ‘learning hub’ with a nearby school.

The hub was opened in June by Noddfa Evangelical Church and Abersychan Comprehensive School and combines academic teaching and broader ‘Life Skills’. So far, 20 school pupils have registered with the hub.

Nicola Laver

The imposition of VAT on private school fees threatens the survival of small Christian schools, which are ‘worlds away from the Harrows and Etons of this world’, the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT) is warning.

Meanwhile, the head of a small private school says Christian parents are being punished, and has challenged the church to support families and Christian education.

Nicola Laver

As the Autumn term across England and Wales begins, the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT) has expressed concern about uncertainty around the draft relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance.

The draft guidance, published in May, includes clear age limits for teaching the most sensitive content, and states that the ‘broader concept of gender identity’ should not be taught. If published, the final guidance would be statutory.

Nicola Laver

An overgrown church graveyard in West Yorkshire has been transformed into a community garden, replete with orchard and pond – and ‘edible graves’.

A small congregation, Morley Community Church, was gifted a redundant building, adjacent to the main shopping street, in 2021 with a large graveyard, many graves more than a century old. Andy Dalton, the church’s secretary, said it had become ‘an eyesore and a maintenance nightmare’.

Nicola Laver

Christians who regularly attend church give more than twice as much as those who do not, according to a new study – but they have the potential to give more.

Stewardship commissioned research into financial giving among UK Christians (4,056 Christian adults were surveyed). The inaugural Stewardship Generosity Report states that ‘unlocking the latent giving potential among practising Christians would release an average £2,784 per person each year’ for charity’.

Nicola Laver

A Welsh comprehensive school is being investigated after the National Secular Society (NSS) complained it is teaching creationism and promoting evangelical Christianity to pupils.

The NSS criticised Llanidloes High School, Powys for teaching creationism and displaying posters combining educational content with Scripture verses – material NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said amounts to an ‘extensive campaign of evangelism’.

Nicola Laver

Parliamentarians in Scotland have overwhelmingly approved the implementation of abortion ‘buffer zones’ – with just one vote against. The new legislation will criminalise any act ‘capable of being seen or heard by another person’ – which could include both audible and silent prayer.

John Mason MSP,  (see his comment on being a Christian in politics) was the only MP to vote against the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill.

Nicola Laver

The Island of Jersey has taken a major step towards legalising ‘assisted dying’ after a parliamentary vote.

Around two-thirds of the 49-strong assembly voted in favour of assisted dying (also known as assisted suicide) for adults with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months (or 12 months if they have a neurodegenerative disease). The plan as proposed will require applicants to have made a voluntary and informed decision to die.

Nicola Laver

Six babies with cleft lips or cleft palates and 19 with Down’s syndrome were aborted late-term in 2022 across England and Wales, according to official figures. The latest statistics also reveal a general uptick in the numbers of abortions directly related to a baby’s disability.

The latest abortion figures for Scotland in 2023 are even worse, also revealing a sharp rise in the numbers of young girls having abortions. Scotland reports its figures a year ahead of England and Wales.

Nicola Laver

A pro-life campaigner has been fined after refusing to move away from a ‘buffer zone’ outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham.

Two police community support officers from West Midlands Police told Sebastian Vaughan-Spruce that he was breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) – even though he had reportedly been standing silently outside the clinic.

Nicola Laver

Following a lengthy period of internal disagreements, four Presbyterian congregations have attempted to separate themselves from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of England and Wales (EPCEW) – but EPCEW has refused to recognise their action.

EPCEW was established in the 1990s and has grown to 22 congregations across the UK and Europe. However, two years ago disagreements arose within the Sheffield (SPC) congregation.

Nicola Laver

Leading Christian safeguarding organisation Thirtyone:eight has launched its first-ever manifesto, setting out wide-ranging recommendations for legislative change to protect the vulnerable.

The charity has identified three key themes across all four nations: Strengthening the safeguards in place for children and adults; Better protecting victims and survivors of abuse; Creating safer environments for everyone – whether in the physical space, digital or virtual space.

Nicola Laver

The gap between the numbers of children needing foster care and the number of foster families available has widened – and Christians are being challenged to step up to the need.

Home for Good, a Christian charity that finds homes for children within churches in the UK, said the numbers of children entering the care system has increased 30% since austerity was introduced in 2010.

Nicola Laver

Most evangelical Christians are prepared to vote in the upcoming general election, a survey from the Evangelical Alliance UK (EAUK) suggests – though one in four were as yet undecided as to how they may vote.

EAUK has published a report, ‘Thinking Faithfully About Politics: a snapshot of how evangelicals think and act as they engage in politics’, following a survey that was carried out in the last two months of 2023. It found that evangelicals care about politics – and that there is ‘great diversity’ in how they engage with politics.

Nicola Laver

Daylight Christian Prison Trust is calling for more letter-writing volunteers in response to a growing request from UK prisoners for pen pals.

Daylight currently has 50 letter-writers but it is no longer enough to keep up with prisoner demand. The surge in requests follows a wider rebrand last year.

Nicola Laver

Newcomers from across 10 nations were recently hosted by Highfields Church, Cardiff with a membership dinner for people to get to know each other. 

The church runs a quarterly membership evening at Highfields where, explained lead minister Dave Gobbett, they ‘share the vision and values of Highfields, and why we encourage those who see us as their spiritual home, to formally join as church members’.

Nicola Laver

All churches which hold 100 people or more will be affected by legal requirements to notify a regulator and prepare for the possibility of a terrorist attack, if the proposed ‘protect duty’ becomes law.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill will impose requirements on both large publicly accessible and ‘smaller premises’ (and events) in readiness for a potential attack and for public protection. A new regulator will also be appointed with powers of inspection and enforcement.

Nicola Laver

The Scottish Government is consulting on a far-reaching ‘conversion therapy’ ban on ‘any effort to change, suppress or inhibit a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity’.

The proposals include a new civil protection order that could be used ‘for preventing harm caused by individuals or institutions that conduct conversion practices on a wider scale’.

Nicola Laver

Shocking numbers of children are addicted to online porn and political action must be taken, the charity CARE has warned.

Around 60% of under-18s are addicted to online porn, according to research from Paracelsus Recovery – which also revealed a 150% increase in people being treated for porn addiction between 2019 and 2023.

Nicola Laver

When a young child ran down the street shouting, ‘Come and look everyone, they’re opening the church! They’re opening the church!’ the minister knew something good was happening.

John Bavington, an evangelical CofE minister in Bradford, is leading a £1 million plan to rescue an old, shut-down church building and then plant a new congregation plus a community hub with a soft play area.

Nicola Laver

Moves to ban Islamic prayers in a school have potential ‘Orwellian consequences’, a representative of Christian teachers says.

Lizzie Harewood, executive officer at the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT), was expressing her thoughts after Katharine Birbalsingh, high-profile head of Michaela Community School in Brent and self-styled ‘Britain’s strictest headmistress’, introduced a ban on Muslim prayers during lunchbreaks.

Nicola Laver

A former staff member at the Universities of Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) has apologised for the part she played in an ‘unhealthy and damaging’ UCCF culture, saying she has kept quiet for 20 years out of fear.

Nay Dawson worked for UCCF for 18 years, becoming a team leader in 2006. Writing in Premier Christianity, she reflected: ‘The urgency of our mission and the significance of our role led to an arrogance in my heart. I’d lost my humility… So when I started to notice that things weren’t quite right, I was in so deep. I felt I couldn’t – and so didn’t – ask questions.’

Nicola Laver

A top gynaecologist and Marie Stopes director has admitted being behind guidance which warns doctors not to report a woman who has undergone an illegal abortion, without her consent. The apparent conflict of interests has prompted calls for an inquiry.

Any doctor reporting a suspected illegal abortion could face a disciplinary, imminent new guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) will say. The RCOG said it is ‘never’ in the public interest to investigate and prosecute in such cases.

Nicola Laver

A legal challenge against a decision to impose an abortion clinic ‘buffer zone’ that includes residential properties has failed. However, the court clarified that the behaviour in private homes and gardens was not covered by the Order.

Meanwhile, draft guidance on buffer zones fails to fully protect silent prayer.

Nicola Laver

A leading lawyer has warned of the threat from ‘woke warriors’, corporations and the government to freedom of speech in the UK

In an article on freedom of speech and constraints, published by the Jubilee Centre, Paul Diamond said: ‘Freedom of speech is one of the most important rights or attributes of our common humanity: but clearly there must be limitations on what can be said: the great debate is where boundaries are on these constraints.’

Nicola Laver

An Oxford professor who was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) six years ago aged 49 has revealed how a new form of stem cell treatment, that does not rely on foetal stem cells, halted the disease.

Robert Douglas-Fairhurst told The Times newspaper in December that his condition deteriorated quickly for the first two years. In 2019, he underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) – the implantation of the patient’s own stem cells.

Nicola Laver

Transgender guidance for schools, published this December, does not require teachers or pupils to address a child, who wants to change gender, by their preferred pronoun.

As the guidance was being drafted, The Times said children would be able to socially transition with parental consent, but only in limited circumstances; and teachers would not be forced to use a child’s chosen pronoun if they have a ‘good faith’ exception.

Nicola Laver

A pastor, whose wife and children are Jewish, has reported several incidents of antisemitism targeting both him and his family – and his church building.

Regan Blanton King, a founding member of Islington church plant, The Angel Church, said one of their members has indicated an intention to back away from church. The individual asked, via email, if Regan’s wife, Rachel, would ‘apologise for Israel’s actions – as if she is responsible for any good or bad from Israel – and assuming a lot based on her Israel Defence Forces service’.

Nicola Laver

The National Trust has been widely criticised for producing a calendar that features religious festivals such as Diwali, Ramadan and Eid – but not Easter and Christmas.

A statement from the NT said: ‘We have an Inclusion and Wellbeing Calendar that is an internal resource, used to keep staff and volunteers up to date about awareness months and minority religious and cultural celebrations they might not otherwise be familiar with.

Nicola Laver

London City Mission’s chief executive Graham Miller and his wife Alison are recovering after an assault in Earlsfield. Their daughter witnessed the attack.

Miller said they were assaulted after he ‘challenged some kids for abusing a cafe manager next to the station’. He tweeted: ‘We were both punched repeatedly in the head from behind and Alison was knocked down. Kids were still hitting her whilst on the floor and passers-by had to tear them off.’

Nicola Laver

A local authority-imposed abortion buffer zone in an area that includes private homes has been challenged in the High Court.

Separately, a pro-life campaigner was given a fine by police after being questioned outside a Birmingham abortion clinic (the council has said it will not pursue the fine).

Nicola Laver

A law firm has been instructed by the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) to review its governance structures.

Simon Day, interim Chair of Trustees, said: ‘We remain committed to ensuring we build an environment for our teams, staff and students that reflects the values of Jesus and His Kingdom. We recognise that some aspects of our culture and practices have fallen short of that and are sorry. We will continue to work on developing a culture where all our staff can thrive.’

Nicola Laver

Evangelical churches in the UK have started to experience the impact of the significant increase in antisemitism since the start of the Israel-Gaza war on 7 October.

A church in Bridgend recently received a lengthy message through its online contact form saying: ‘It has become apparent that you fall into the category of dangerous Christians on account of your attitude to the Jewish people who are the biggest usurpers in the history of mankind … And yet the evangelical Christian world idolises them as though it was a duty to do so …’

Nicola Laver

A conversion therapy ban appears unlikely to be introduced before the next general election, despite widespread reports that it was back on the Government’s agenda.

The King’s Speech in November lacked any mention of a Conversion Therapy Bill. Its absence does not mean a ban cannot be introduced by the current government, but it is considered unlikely.

Nicola Laver

A Tory councillor, who was suspended in July after tweeting ‘Pride is not a virtue but a sin’, has been reinstated after an investigation into alleged misconduct by the local council standards committee.

King Lawal (see photo), a North Northamptonshire councillor – who is still reportedly under investigation by Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) – was also ‘cancelled’ by several other organisations after expressing his Biblical beliefs on social media.

Nicola Laver

A long-awaited report into past leadership and governance at Christchurch Durham (CDD) has been delayed because of the ‘large number’ of contributors.

The CCD elders released a statement on 11 October saying that the barrister who has undertaken the independent external review, Janys Scott KC, said her report will not now be released before November. It had been expected by the end of October.

Nicola Laver

A court has ruled that a woman with schizoaffective disorder, who was almost 18 weeks pregnant, should have a medical abortion – using ‘covert’ medication and restraint if she was non-compliant. 

The 26-year-old woman had been detained under the Mental Health Act and was suffering psychosis at the time. With one exception, she had reportedly made clear she wanted a termination. The woman previously had a surgical termination but had threatened to kill herself if she was to have another.

Nicola Laver

At least five evangelical ministers have faced disciplinary penalties by the Church of England in the past 12 months, it has emerged.

One of the latest published decisions concerns Mark O’Donoghue, former vicar at Christ Church, Kensington, who received a penalty on 26 June this year for unspecified ‘conduct unbecoming and inappropriate’ to his work as a minister. O’Donoghue was a curate from 2004 to 2011 at St Helen’s, Bishopsgate, before joining Christ Church, Kensington in 2011. O’Donoghue received a ‘limited prohibition for 18 months’.

Nicola Laver

Transform Work, a cross-sector network helping Christians share their faith in the workplace, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary – on a field in the West Midlands.

The organisation partnered with the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, which invited Transform Work to use its land to celebrate its anniversary. The afternoon included several testimonies, including Tony Gale from the Christian Police Association and Paul Mew who co-leads the Local Authorities Christian Network; and the charity’s CEO Ros Loaker recounted its history since 2003.

Nicola Laver

Six Aberdeen churches have partnered to launch a local Ministry Training Academy focusing on the North East of Scotland. Teaching began in September with an initial cohort of 14 students.

Although its primary aim is ‘teaching men for preaching’, the Academy is open to both men and women. Applications are already being taken for the 2024 intake.

Nicola Laver

It has emerged that senior Labour Party members have instructed Labour council leaders to adopt a wide-ranging definition of Islamophobia – a definition likened to an ‘Islamic blasphemy code’. Christian Concern has claimed that if Labour takes power, discussion and criticism of Islam would be prohibited across the UK.

The July 2021 letter reveals Labour’s determination to implement recommendations set out in a report from the Labour Muslim Network. This included the adoption, by all Labour councils, of the definition of Islamophobia proposed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims.

Nicola Laver

A former trustee of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) says she resigned ‘over a matter of principle’, weeks before the outcome of an investigation into two senior staff members was announced. Jen Charteris, the trustee in question, also acknowledged there were systemic failures within UCCF for years.

The charity itself has tried to clarify the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Charteris and five additional trustees – including chair Chris Willmott – following the investigation. Four trustees, Stephen Rigby, Glynn Harrison, Abigail Joy Marthinet-Glover and John Stevens – resigned just before the outcome was made public in a statement on 4 October.

Nicola Laver

There is increasing optimism that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will drop plans to introduce a conversion therapy ban, five years after it was proposed by former PM Theresa May. However, while some MPs and LGBT activists who have make clear they will increase pressure on the government to introduce a ban, a Christian Institute poll revealed only a tiny proportion of voters want one.

Proponents of a ban are not giving up easily. Dehenna Davison, MP for Bishop Auckland, who is bisexual, told activists at September’s Tory Party Conference Pride Reception – hosted by LGBT+ Conservatives and Stonewall - to ‘be noisy’ in making it known the ban must be ‘followed through’.

Nicola Laver

Several youngsters aged just 10 to 13 years came to faith at this year’s Evangelical Movement of Wales (EMW) camp, the camp chaplain has reported.

John Funnell, who is also pastor at Noddfa Baptist Church, described how he was brought to tears when every camper stayed and prayed following the morning sermons on the final three days. ‘This has never happened before,’ he added.

Nicola Laver

A street preacher has been awarded £5,500 in compensation from Police Scotland after he was unlawfully arrested for an alleged ‘hate’ incident in January 2022.

Angus Cameron was arrested in Buchanan Street, Glasgow for an alleged breach of the peace ‘with homophobic aggravation’, handcuffed and held in a police van for over an hour. He commented: ‘I still don’t know what I was supposed to have said.’

Nicola Laver

The Christian Institute (CI) has urged Parliament to uphold freedom of religion in the workplace.

A letter jointly sent from the CI, the Evangelical Alliance (EA) and the Catholic Union (CU) to the chair of a parliamentary Inquiry into human rights at work, asked the chair to ‘make religious freedom a key part’ of the inquiry.

Nicola Laver

There is ‘unprecedented demand’ for online recordings of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s sermons as the MLJ Trust reaches its 10th anniversary. The Trust said nearly 20 million recordings have been listened to so far.

‘The Doctor’, as Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues to be known – he was a medical doctor before entering the ministry – was one of the most influential preachers of the last century. He was pastor at Port Talbot for more than a decade before taking up his ministry at Westminster Chapel, London from 1939 to 1968. He died in March 1981.

Nicola Laver

Heidi Crowter, the 27-year-old Down’s syndrome campaigner, has taken a legal challenge against the UK government to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). It follows unsuccessful attempts to have the UK courts declare that the Abortion Act 1967 unlawfully discriminates against the disabled.

The Act effectively allows abortion up to birth where ‘there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped’. This include Down’s Syndrome.

Nicola Laver

A growing church plant in the Lake District has been funded by a non-Christian millionaire – but pioneering without a ‘mother church’ is particularly hard work, its minister has said.

Jonny Gios leads Gateway Church, a Free Methodist evangelical church in Kendal, Cumbria. After stints as a youth worker and youth pastor, then a community worker – Jonny began the church plant with the Free Methodists in 2018 (its Articles of Religion are based on the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church).

Nicola Laver

A councillor who was suspended by the Tory party and ‘cancelled’ by other organisations on the basis of one tweet is to take legal action.

King Lawal, a North Northamptonshire councillor and businessman, tweeted: ‘Pride is not a virtue but a sin’. He was promptly suspended for 21 days and is reportedly being investigated by Conservative headquarters. Afterwards, he said: ‘What I said was Biblically sound and a protected expression of the Christian faith’.

Nicola Laver

Christians in the UK have been urged to give their views and experiences on how free they feel to express and practice their faith today.

An online questionnaire has been published by Voice for Justice UK (VfJUK) to examine freedom of expression and practice of Christian beliefs in the UK, ahead of an Inquiry it will launch this month (September).

Nicola Laver

A new theology school for Christian ministers at the ‘coalface’ has been launched in the Welsh valleys.

‘You may be able to exegete Scripture, you might even be a Hebrew Scholar, you could even be the most charismatic preacher on the planet, but if you can’t handle 2.00am phone calls from social services or late-night knocks on the door from the police… you are no good in the Valleys!’ says the Valleys School of Theology website.

Nicola Laver

The curtain has come down for good on Urban Saints national summer camps, which have been running across several sites across the UK and Ireland for many decades – though local and regional ones will continue.

Previously more widely known as Crusaders, Urban Saints summer camps for children and young people up to 18 have been run by volunteers since the early 1900s. This year’s camps ran through summer from the very first summer weekend. Interim CEO Richard Giles said : ‘We’re grateful for their servant heart and passion.’

Nicola Laver

A city preacher, who the police banned in 2019 from displaying a banner he had worn for more than 20 years bearing the words ‘The Blood of Jesus’ at Speakers’ Corner, has celebrated 40 years of open-air preaching in Kings Square, Gloucester.

More than 30 Christians involved in open-air ministry marked the anniversary of Roland Parsons’ (pictured) open-air work with a conference on 22 July at the city’s New Inn Hotel, followed by open-air preaching in three Gloucester locations. Three people made a commitment to Jesus and were given a Bible.

Nicola Laver

A Hertfordshire minister who took his church through the 12 steps of addiction recovery has challenged other churches to do the same – but expect messiness and ‘lots of joy’.

After several recovering addicts joined the growing Life Church, Cuffley, William Wade adopted ‘the 12 steps’ as a discipleship tool, basing a Sunday morning series on them.

Nicola Laver

Government guidance on transgender policies in England schools has been delayed, despite it being promised before the start of the school summer holiday.

However, the equalities minister recently indicated that the guidance will require teachers to inform parents if a child questions their gender. Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on 16 July, Kemi Badenoch said the guidance will ensure parents know what is ‘going on with their children’ in school.

Nicola Laver

Four ministers have been licensed by the Free Church of Scotland, at a service at Dundee’s historic St Peter’s Church - the congregation founded by Robert Murray M’Cheyne.

Licensing in the Presbyterian church is where a student graduates to become a probationer minister and can then be called to a congregation by the local presbytery for ordination. The four ministers - Donald Smith, Matty Guy, Angus Macleod and James Murray – were licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh and Perth.

Nicola Laver

A Christian parent has been reinstated as an elected school governor by the High Court, after being sacked and ostracized for complaining about the primary school’s RSE lesson plans and policy. Under the lesson plans, children would be encouraged to discuss issues around gender ideology.

Both the governing body - and local authority appeal panel which upheld its decision - accepted that the removal of the parent as governor in 2021 was unlawful. The effect of the court order is that the governor’s reinstatement is retrospective from the date of her removal. Her name has been withheld for legal reasons.

Nicola Laver

Parents across schools in England could have the legal right to access copies of relationship and sex education (RSE) lessons.

That’s if proposals under a new Private Members’ Bill make the statute books. Under the Relationships and Sex Education (Transparency) Bill, schools would also be banned from using external teaching PRSE resources before they have been published.

Nicola Laver

The Oakes Holiday Centre in Sheffield has been celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer, with events including a 25-hour prayer event involving more than 200 people from 11 countries.

It culminated in a celebration and praise evening – ‘A little glimpse of heaven!’ said Billie Law, a director at The Oakes. This was followed by a Family Fun Day with two thanksgiving services take place. Law said: ‘We served 650 ice creams and gave away 2000 pieces of cake! It was a wonderful day.’

Nicola Laver

A ‘mid-life MOT’ has been designed by The Pilgrims’ Friend Society after a poll found more than half of individuals aged 40 to 60 are worried about their later years.

The MOT is among a range of new resources published after a survey found 54% of adults in the 40-60 age bracket are frightened of later life. The YouGov research, commissioned by the charity, came after the latest census results show the number of adults aged 65-plus in England and Wales rose to more than 11m in 2021, up from 9.2m in 2011.

Nicola Laver

The Prime Minister was among a bumper crop of MPs attending this year’s Parliamentary Breakfast on 27 June, alongside representatives from the Christian community. 

More than 700 parliamentarians - including a record 180-plus MPs - and Christian leaders met together at Westminster Hall for the annual recognition of Christianity’s contribution to UK life.

Nicola Laver

The elders of Christchurch Durham (CCD) have commissioned an external independent review into its leadership and governance, more than 18 months after a petition signed by around 166 people called for one. 

The period under the spotlight particularly relates to Tony Jones’s term as senior pastor from 1994 until he left in late 2021. 

Nicola Laver

Content warning: This report contains information about reports of abuse which some readers may find triggering. Please take care when reading.

An external review into the ‘safeguarding culture’ at an independent evangelical London church has been commissioned by its leaders.

Nicola Laver

After two previous attempts – thwarted by Covid-19 and then ill-health – the church at Hillfields, Coventry has been able to mark the 2020 retirement of Paul Watts, who was pastor for 35 years.

On 13 May, 160 people marked Paul’s service with an evening of thanksgiving and celebration with home-cooked Indian curry, shared reflections, a presentation, and an epilogue. The theme throughout the evening was to give the glory to God for Paul and his wife, Hazel who remain as members.

Nicola Laver

Unlike many UFO-related accounts in recent years, a whistleblower’s report that the US government possesses ‘intact’ craft of ‘non-human origin’ is being taken very seriously.

According to The Intelligence Brief, former intelligence official David Grusch who led analysis of Unexplained Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) for a US Department of Defense agency, has given classified information to Congress. He accused the government of withholding the information from Congress illegally.

Nicola Laver

Plans are underway to provide theological training and support in the Welsh language. The Daniel Rowland Network is a new partnership between Union School of Theology (UST) and Welsh-speaking pastors and churches, to help provide training and resources in the Welsh language.

A new Daniel Rowland Centre, to be housed within the UST Library, will include an extensive collection of theological works in Welsh.

Nicola Laver

A significant rise in the numbers of abortions in Scotland is likely to get steeper if the new First Minister of Scotland succeeds in having existing restrictions lifted.

A record number of abortions in Scotland took place in 2022 (16,596) compared to 13,940 in 2021, according to figures from Public Health Scotland. The rise was most significant in deprived areas, such as Forth Valley, Lanarkshire and Grampian.

Nicola Laver

Dr David Mackereth, 60, had been a practising doctor for 26 years, until he lost his job with the DWP. He told the DWP in a training session that in good conscience as a Bible-believing Christian he could not identify clients by their chosen ‘gender identity’ instead of their biological sex. In response, the DWP declared this would amount to ‘harassment’ under the Equality Act 2010 and dismissed Dr Mackereth from his role as a Health and Disability Assessor.

Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Dr Mackereth launched a legal claim for discrimination on the grounds of his Christian and philosophical beliefs.

Nicola Laver

‘Mitigating the risk of extinction from Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war’ – so stated a single-sentence open letter to the world, signed by global experts.

The message was circulated on 30 May, signed by hundreds of top AI experts and other key figures including Bill Gates, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and the chief executive of Google DeepMind. They signed the statement with the aim to ‘open up discussion’. There have also been calls for regulation of AI.

Nicola Laver

John Dunnett has been appointed the new national director for the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), taking over from Bishop Keith Sinclair who retired in April.

Dunnett said: ‘My passion is to see the gospel of Jesus shared with people from every background and from every corner of our nation. In order for this to happen, my prayer is for CEEC to contend for Biblical orthodoxy in the Church of England and hold fast to our historic teaching and doctrines.’

Nicola Laver

Coronation Day was unforgettable for the nation, but it will also be remembered by some as the day they met with the King of Kings.

On the weekend of 6 May, hundreds of Christians joined Royal fans around Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and elsewhere in central London handing out gospels and Christian literature. Thousands of tracts and the coronation booklet God Save The King – co-authored by Roger Carswell and Alan Marsden – found their way into the hands of ordinary people, as well as celebrities such as TV hosts Ant and Dec and other guests at the Coronation.

Nicola Laver

Several ex-members of Christchurch Durham (CCD) have expressed anger at news that an internal review into the conduct of former pastor Tony Jones has been dropped amid fears of litigation.

One former member, who wishes not to be named, said: ‘It is unacceptable that legal threats should be able to quash a review into potential spiritual abuse and coercive behaviour. Risk (even legal risk!) or cost does not make obedience to Christ optional, and Jesus seemed to regard protection of His sheep by under-shepherds as rather important.’

Nicola Laver

One of the largest UK housing associations has agreed to pay substantial compensation to a former employee and Christian mayoral candidate after she was sacked for sharing her orthodox views on marriage online.

Maureen Martin, 56, was employed for 13 years by L&Q and dismissed in May 2022 after her election manifesto was shared online to local residents. The manifesto included her beliefs on marriage. She was sacked following complaints of hate speech, even though the manifesto was unconnected to her work.

Nicola Laver

Two mission organisations are planting a foothold in Britain for the first time.

HeartCry Missionary Society is now supporting missionaries in England; while the New Anglican Mission Society (NAMS) is preparing to establish a UK base for church planters.

Nicola Laver

Despite a difficult period within the Church of Scotland, evangelicals within the Baptist Union of Scotland (BUS) have reported great encouragement, with significant increases in church attendance and membership.

There is a ‘great sense of unity of vision and purpose’ among the conservative evangelical family of 155 BUS churches, said the Revd Dr Brian Talbot, minister of Broughty Ferry Baptist Church. Dr Talbot, who serves on the BUS Board of Ministry, said they are ‘greatly encouraged by the sense of both spiritual and numerical growth’ during 2022.

Nicola Laver

Parents at a Church of England primary school in Blackburn have raised concerns after apparently finding out from Facebook that children were receiving LGBTQ teaching without parents being consulted.

Wensley Fold CofE Academy wrote on Facebook (in a now-deleted post) about its aim to achieve a Rainbow Flag Award, a national quality assurance framework focusing on LGBT inclusion and equality of gender identities. The school said all teaching would be ‘age appropriate’.

Nicola Laver

British teenagers have a positive perception of Jesus, according to an international study – while an unrelated report has revealed ‘woeful’ religious illiteracy among UK civil servants.

The group behind the report on teens said its goal is to help UK churches and Christian leaders ‘engage, disciple, and support this rising generation’. It is thought to be the first time such a study – by Barna Group – has been undertaken. It involved 25,000 teens from 26 countries, including 1,000 in the UK, across the religious divide.

Nicola Laver

Churches and communities across Britain and beyond have been finalising their preparations ahead of the Coronation.

Jonathan Gillespie, assistant curate at All Souls Langham Place, says: ‘It’s a missional opportunity to point to monarchy under Jesus’ loving rule.’ And Ben Topham, associate rector at St George’s Church, Stamford and St James Gerrards Cross, pointed out that many will get invited to family events and street parties. ‘We are encouraging our church family to plug into those, to be a Christian presence in those places.’

Nicola Laver

Stephen Hawking’s final theory of time, just published posthumously, ‘falls way short’ in seriously challenging major doctrines of the universe, Christian scientists say.

The book, On the Origin of Time, is written by Hawking’s prodigy, the Belgian philosopher Thomas Hertog. The pair worked together in Hawkings’ final years, during which time he announced to Hertog that his original book, A Brief History of Time, was in fact flawed.

Nicola Laver

Online pornography involving women and children could be treated in all cases as commercial sexual exploitation, if recommendations by cross-party MPs are accepted by government.

CARE, the evangelical charity which campaigns for better online safety, has also urged the government to implement MPs’ recommendations. A recent inquiry led to parliamentarians concluding that existing legislation is ‘wholly inadequate’, and recommended that pornography ‘must’ be treated as commercial sexual exploitation and a form of violence against women. This approach has already been adopted in Scotland.

Nicola Laver

Dave McConnell, a street preacher arrested in June 2021 after ‘misgendering’ a biological male, has had his conviction quashed. McConnell was reported to Prevent as a potential terrorist after being sentenced for a public order offence.

There is no legal requirement in the UK to use a person’s ‘preferred pronouns’, but McConnell – who has been street preaching for 15 years – was convicted for ‘insulting’ words and ordered to carry out 80 hours of community service and pay £620.

Nicola Laver

Church of England chaplain Bernard Randall (see photo) is appealing an Employment Tribunal (ET) ruling rejecting his claims of unfair dismissal against a CofE school after giving a sermon on accepted Anglican teachings. He is also taking legal action against the diocese which, he claimed, offered him no support – ‘not even a whisper’.

Dr Randall was employed by Trent College in Nottingham, an independent Anglican school. In May 2019, he gave two sermons to children about ‘competing ideologies’ which led to his summary dismissal. He was reinstated subject to conditions; then made redundant in 2020 after complaints following another sermon.

Nicola Laver

The Warm Welcome winter initiative is ‘providing a catalyst for systemic change’, the Good Faith Partnership said.

The Warm Welcome campaign was set up in August last year and, as the winter approached, churches across the UK were urged to open up and provide warm shelter for those struggling to pay their energy bills. To date, 4,321 warm welcome spaces have registered – including many churches.

Nicola Laver

Christianity Explored Ministries (CEM) says it regrets not being firmer following a complaint it received in 2014 about Stephen Sizer.

In a statement to en, the organisation said: ‘Stephen Sizer volunteered with CEM, as a trainer and advocate, on several occasions between 2008 and 2020.

Nicola Laver

A new drive to increase the evangelistic resources available for local churches in the UK has begun with the official launch of the UK branch of Open the Bible. The launch, on 1 March, coincided with its new website which went live the same day.

Open the Bible UK is an extension of Colin Smith’s teaching ministry. Smith – a Scot – is senior pastor at The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the suburbs of Chicago and founder and teaching pastor of Open the Bible (formerly Unlocking the Bible). Before serving in Chicago, he was a pastor in England.

Nicola Laver

The first female-voiced audio NIV Bible was launched on International Women’s Day 2023, with the release of the four Gospels and Revelation. The entire New Testament has been recorded and the rest of the NT will be released on a monthly basis.

Between 700-800 audio Bible have been recorded across the world and only 8 have so far been recorded in women's voices. Her Audio Bible UK will be the first New International Version translation - they have chosen the Anglicised 2011 NIV version because of how it flows when read aloud.

Nicola Laver

A mammoth project to translate the Bible into British Sign Language (BSL) is underway. So far, the team at the BSL Bible Translation Project has translated ten chapters of Mark’s Gospel, while another team has started work on parts of Genesis.

More than 400 sign languages are in use around the world, but just one has a full Bible in its own language: the Bible in American Sign Language was completed in 2020 by Wycliffe Bible Translators – after 39 years in the making.

Nicola Laver

A dramatic scientific breakthrough unveiled at an international conference in London is a ‘wake-up’ call for Christians, an evangelical bioethicist is warning.

Scientists say they have created mice with two biological fathers using eggs made from male mice skin cells, in a first for science. One of the scientists said the process could be used to produce human babies within ten years – though similar claims are not new.

Nicola Laver

Renowned Church of Scotland minister Eric Alexander died on 13 January 2023, leaving a legacy as one of the most gifted preachers of his time.

The Revd Alexander ministered from 1959 to 1997 at St David’s Knightswood, Glasgow; Loudoun East, Newmilns; and then at St George’s-Tron, Glasgow. A regular Keswick Convention speaker, he was also a pianist and hymnwriter. His deep expository ministry was increasingly appreciated for its expositional depth, Christ-centredness and evangelical passion.

Nicola Laver

Buffer zones around abortion clinics are to be introduced in England and Wales after an amendment to the Public Order Bill was passed in the Lords. In its prior form, the draft legislation breached human rights law; the amendment rectifies that issue.

The amendment makes it an offence to engage in any act which has the effect of ‘influencing any person’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services’. Offenders face an unlimited fine.

Nicola Laver

After a short-lived delay, a conversion therapy ban now looks set to be pushed through the commons. The Government confirmed its plans in the wake of a failed attempt to amend the Online Safety Bill, which had raised concerns that online evangelism could be banned.

A draft bill is expected to be published shortly, but pre-legislative scrutiny could be limited. The culture secretary Michelle Donelan said it would be completed by the end of this parliamentary term, despite acknowledging that it is a complex area. The government said a ban would also cover conversion therapy for those who are transgender.

Nicola Laver

Retired Anglican vicar Stephen Sizer has been banned from ministry for 12 years following an Ecclesiastical ruling that he had engaged in anti-Semitic conduct.

Dr Sizer was vicar of Christ Church, Virginia Water for 20 years, until his retirement in 2017. A long-running controversy around allegations of anti-Semitism culminated in a ruling in December 2022 of the Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Winchester.

Nicola Laver

The Baptist Union (BU) could change its rules to allow the ordination of practicing homosexuals as early as October 2023 – but evangelical ministers within the union are making moves to defend the orthodox position.

In January, an in-person meeting of the newly-formed Evangelical Baptist Ministers for Marriage was held, against the background of increasing division over the issue of allowing the accreditation of practicing gay ministers. More than 220 orthodox evangelical baptists attended the meeting.

Nicola Laver

The Revd Dr Paul Bailie, Presbyterian minister, lecturer and lover of Africa, died unexpectedly on 15 November 2023, just days after turning 54.

He was ordained by the Presbyterian Church of Ireland (PCI) in 1995; and from 2007 he had been chief executive of Mission Africa, one of the oldest interdenominational evangelical missions in the UK. He had recently joined the ICC Executive Committee representing the Presbyterian Church.

Nicola Laver

Assistant Minister at St Nick’s Church, Cole Abbey in the heart of London, Mikey Williams died aged 32 on 8 November – just weeks after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.

The church said that throughout his illness, ‘even in varying degrees of consciousness, Mikey’s hope in Jesus remained steadfastly sure’. He had ‘enthusiastically shared the good news of the gospel with the great many healthcare workers and other people he met… We grieve with great assurance that Mikey is now with the Lord in glory’.

Nicola Laver

A Christian couple, who took their three children out of a Church of England school in Kent, said the church’s transgender policy document Valuing All God’s Children is being used against Christian parents.

Calvin and Nicola Watts removed their children after it emerged that a video featuring radical gender ideology had been shown to a class of eight-year-olds. However, following several complaints by parents, St Michael’s Cof E Primary School in Tenterden justified its gender ideology teaching, citing the CofE controversial guidance.

Nicola Laver

There is a desperate need for UK churches and Christian families to host Ukrainian families, says a group of evangelical Christians who are struggling to place those seeking refuge.

Starfish Ukraine, which has helped place more than 400 Ukrainian refugees into Christian homes throughout the island of Ireland, recently saw one refugee come to faith. The voluntary organisation was founded by Rachel Graham, formerly a vet, who has 20 years’ experience in ministry in Ukraine. She said: ‘We trust that others will come to know the Saviour as they are loved and served by His family here.’

Nicola Laver

'Truth is at stake' - according to an MSP speaking to en amid continuing controversy over Scotland's Gender Recognition Act.

John Mason MSP was one of nine MSPs who voted against the legislation.

Nicola Laver

An evangelical church minister has headed for the spiritual harvest fields of TikTok, one of the latest and most popular social media platforms, to evangelise a new, younger audience – and he’s starting to reap success.

David Sims, vicar of St Thomas’ Church in Aldridge, Walsall since 2021, has amassed more than 10,500 followers on his @ tiktok_vicar profile where he runs virtual church services, reads the Bible and raises controversial subjects.

Nicola Laver

A legal challenge by Welsh parents concerning planned mandatory relationships and sex education (RSE) that includes LGBT+ teaching and gender ideology has failed – but an appeal is now underway.

Plans for compulsory RSE in Wales also removes parents’ legal rights to withdraw their children from explicit sex education classes – despite significant parental opposition.

Nicola Laver

Stephen Sizer, the Anglican vicar recently found by an Ecclesiastical tribunal to have engaged in anti-Semitic activity, has now withdrawn his membership at an evangelical church.

Sizer was the subject of an excoriating ruling last December, despite many allegations of anti-Semitic behaviour not being accepted. It has since emerged that he and his wife were members of the Above Bar Church in Southampton. The church – an FIEC member – has confirmed that the Sizers have decided to withdraw their church membership.

Nicola Laver

Korean Christians are preparing to descend on Wales this summer – with Welsh churches urged to prepare for a week-long Korean Prayer Mission and pray for a fresh revival.

Organised by the Director of the Europe Prayer Mission, Namjin Kim, the mission is due to take place on 3–10 July. Kim, who recently returned to the UK after a three-week visit to South Korea, had been invited by 11 Korean churches to share with them the spiritual state of Wales and to pray together for the country.

Nicola Laver

Christians should ignore the recent census results, a well-known evangelist says.

For the first time ever, less than half the population of England and Wales identifies as ‘Christian’, the 2021 census has revealed. But J John, director of Philo Trust, has boldly stated: ‘Paradoxically the way to change the census figures is to ignore them, and instead focus on producing changed lives through Jesus Christ.’

Nicola Laver

A Christian nurse who has described being forced to accept Critical Race Theory by an NHS trust if she wants to continue her psychotherapy course is suing for racial and religious discrimination. The case is expected to be the first time so-called ‘woke ideology’ is tested in the courts.

Amy Gallagher, a 33-year-old mental health nurse, was studying forensic psychology at Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust – the trust that was forced to shut its controversial gender identify clinic in July last year after a report concluded it was unsafe for children.

Nicola Laver

Families have stopped prioritising church following the pandemic, and church leaders are being told we must do much more than trying to ‘coax’ them back. 

Researchers found that since the pandemic, families’ engagement with church had fallen by almost half (48% of those surveyed) – yet faith in the home appeared to have improved. Just 16% of families indicated an increase in their engagement with church since the pandemic.

Nicola Laver

After years of controversy, Stephen Sizer has been found to have engaged in anti-Semitic behaviour by sharing a ‘deeply abhorrent’ online article about 9-11, knowing it would be offensive to the Jewish community.

And in a damning indictment of Sizer’s credibility, a bishop’s disciplinary Tribunal cast doubt on his honesty – rejecting parts of his evidence as ‘implausible and untrue’. It also ruled that Sizer had engaged in a ‘regrettable pattern of behaviour’ that fell short of the standard expected of an ordained minister.

Nicola Laver

Many thousands of free Bibles have found their way into the hands of school children across London in just two years.

In December 2019, the Greater London Auxiliary of the Trinitarian Bible Society (TBS) was formed. Its focus has been on schools where 10,000 Bibles (King James Version) have been presented to children and a talk given about the Bible.

Nicola Laver

A Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate in South London is facing de-selection because of his Christian beliefs.

David Campanale, an Anglican evangelical, was selected overwhelmingly in January to fight the seat at Sutton and Cheam, but his candidacy appeared to be hanging by a thread at the time of writing.

Nicola Laver

Marie Curie, the charity for the terminally ill, has apologised to a Christian chaplain who was ordered by a Methodist minister to remove a small cross badge pin – or ‘face consequences’.

David Timms, who is 73, had worn the cross for years at the Solihull branch of the charity without complaint. In September, the branch decided to change chaplains’ job titles to ‘spiritual advisors’ as part of a re-emphasise on an interfaith approach.

Nicola Laver

Heidi Crowter – who has just been named by the BBC as one of its ‘100 Women of 2022’ – is taking her case for discrimination to the Supreme Court.

Appeal judges had rejected her appeal against a decision that the Abortion Act 1967 does not unlawfully discriminate against the disabled. The Court of Appeal ruled that a ‘perception’ that it discriminates against the living who are disabled is not enough.

Nicola Laver

A partnership between two independent churches – one in a middle-class southern area and the other on a Yorkshire council estate – is bridging the north-south divide and advancing the gospel.

Banstead Community Church lies 13 miles outside central London in leafy Surrey which, along with Sussex, is the wealthiest part of England according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). ‘Average wealth’ is said to be £263,000 by the ONS.

Nicola Laver

‘Distraught’ parents are reportedly contacting campaigning groups every week about the social gender transitioning of children in schools.

This has prompted calls for the new Education Secretary to commission a review into gender identity policies in school, similar to that carried out at the Tavistock Clinic.

Nicola Laver

It isn’t often broadcaster Dan Walker talks publicly about his Christian faith, but he was recently interviewed by The Guardian after publication of his new book, Standing on the Shoulders.

He talked about why he does not work on Sundays – and why he and his family don’t celebrate Halloween. He said: ‘The most important thing for me in terms of my faith – my Christianity – is that it gives me a sense of perspective. When it comes to the job, I love it, but I am not defined by my career. My value doesn’t come from what anyone else thinks of me and whether I can make a good show. I’ve met people in the industry who are so consumed by what others are saying about them or how their programmes are going down that they find it hard to function.

Nicola Laver

Rod Thomas, the conservative evangelical Bishop of Maidstone, has begun his retirement after more than seven years in post.

His role as bishop was to provide episcopal care for congregations which do not accept the ordination of women to the office of presbyter. In 2016, he stated: ‘I continue to believe that God’s word is clear that sexual intimacy should be experienced only within heterosexual marriage and not otherwise’ – a position from which he did not deviate.

Nicola Laver

US evangelist Franklin Graham has won almost £100,000 in damages for religious discrimination after an event in Glasgow in 2020 was cancelled under pressure from LGBT campaigners.

Graham had booked an evangelistic event at the city’s Hydro arena as part of a UK-wide tour. The tour was eventually abandoned because of Covid-19; other venues had also cancelling bookings.

Nicola Laver

The government and UK churches ‘need each other’ to effectively tackle the cost of living crisis, the Evangelical Alliance (EAUK) told parliamentarians in November in Westminster.

The event, The Church’s Response to the Cost of Living Crisis, was held alongside the charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) to launch the latest Stories of Hope resource

Nicola Laver

The government has admitted that abortion clinic buffer zones are incompatible with human rights laws – less than a week after an amendment to the Public Order Bill was approved that would introduce buffer zones.

The new Clause 9 – which establishes buffer zones (‘designated areas’) around abortion clinics where it would be an offence to interfere with people accessing or providing abortion services – will likely now have to be redrafted in terms that are compatible with human rights law.

Nicola Laver

Church leaders could lose their jobs and face re-education and criminal sanctions if far-reaching proposals for a conversion practices ban are adopted by the Scottish Government. Parents found to have engaged in conversion practices could have their rights over their children restricted or removed completely.

A report, published by an ‘expert’ advisory group on ending conversion practices, goes so far as to malign the traditional teaching of ‘the importance of marriage’ as a tool for LGBT suppression. Its proposals, for both criminal and civil sanctions, are trans-inclusive and embedded in gender ideology and have been criticised as ‘entirely divorced from reality’.

Nicola Laver

A radical ‘gospel rescue mission’ that began just last year in Derbyshire is seeing powerful conversions to Christ – and community leaders witnessing the extraordinary impact of the gospel.

Edge Faith Community, part of the national Edge Ministries, is pioneering a form of church and faith community in super-deprived communities. Carl Beech (see photo), who runs Edge Ministries, said white working-class people are probably the most unreached people in Europe and among the most vilified.

Nicola Laver

The latest census results on religion will show Christianity continuing to decline, while the reach of Islam – and magic – are growing, an academic has predicted.

These particular 2021 census results are due to be released this autumn onwards, but religious studies professor Linda Woodhead anticipates a drop in those identifying as ‘Christian’ to below 50% – and a rise of up to 8% in Muslims.

Nicola Laver

The Church of England has been urged to abandon its transgender guidance for children, which is believed to be influenced by Mermaids – the transgender charity now under investigation by the Charities Commission.

According to the guidance, teachers should affirm children as young as five wanting to identify as the opposite gender. Justin Welby wrote the Foreword and explicitly commended it.

Nicola Laver

A multimedia campaign to spread the gospel across Wales has begun, with the release of a seven-episode film series, blog, podcast and a daily devotional.

Hope Cymru is a ten-season film project marking the start of a decade-long multimedia project bringing the hope of Jesus and the gospel across the province. Organisers said they believe ‘the good news about Jesus will bring transformation, renewal and hope to Wales in challenging times’.

Nicola Laver

Income levels across more than 100 evangelical mission agencies in the UK dropped in the year to 2020 by £13 million – with the smallest missions hardest hit, a snapshot report has revealed. But missions which are more overtly involved in proclaiming the Christian message did not see a drop in income.

Eddie Arthur, a specialist in mission agency theology, reported that 105 mission agencies suffered an overall fall in income of 4.6%. Between 2018 and 2020 it declined by around 6% and it was not expected to have recovered in 2021. He said it was too early to judge the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their incomes.

Nicola Laver

Let no one be left out in the cold. This is the clear message to churches from the new Warm Welcome campaign which is urging them to open up this winter and provide warm shelter for those who cannot afford their energy bills.

The initiative is creating a network of churches and other community spaces to provide warmth for society’s most vulnerable. According to a recent warning from Citizens Advice, a quarter of people in the UK will be unable to afford their energy bills from October – with families, the elderly and the disabled bearing the brunt.

Nicola Laver

A member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) has continued to speak out despite having been reprimanded by the Scottish National Party for social media comments about abortion.

John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston and a Christian, posted on Twitter earlier this year after observing a protest at an abortion provider and speaking with activists who held signs saying some women regret abortions.

Nicola Laver

The evangelical chaplain at the centre of a landmark employment tribunal has told en that if he loses it will be ‘open season’ for schools to cancel orthodox Christian beliefs.

The Revd Dr Bernard Randall was chaplain at Trent College near Nottingham when he gave a sermon in 2019 defending pupils’ rights to question the school’s introduction of LGBT policies. It also expressed the Church of England’s official, orthodox teaching on sexuality to students. The school subsequently reported him to the government ‘terrorist’ watchdog Prevent – which refused to investigate.

Nicola Laver

The headmaster at Prince George’s new school, Lambrook preparatory school in Ascot, has been described as a committed Christian.

Jonathan Perry is head of the 52-acre private school, which describes itself as having ‘a strong Christian and family ethos’ and is ten minutes’ drive from the home of the new Prince and Princess of Wales. Mr Perry is the son of retired evangelical bishop John Perry.

Nicola Laver

On Sunday 4 September 2022, the Rev Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland enjoyed lunch with Queen Elizabeth II having pondered: ‘What can you give to the person who has everything?’

He had in mind her material wealth, but the truth is – she was rich beyond measure by reason of the one thing that counted: her steadfast faith in the King of Kings. And it is this faith, so manifestly central to the Queen’s life, that’s now being mentioned numerous times by commentators.

Nicola Laver

A humanist headteacher has failed in her attempt to purge Christian assemblies from a Hampshire infant school in favour of pro-LGBT material.

Jo Conner formally applied to the local council for an exemption from state requirements to hold collective worship of a Christian character, arguing that it breached pupils’ human rights.

Nicola Laver

The anti-abortion cause in the UK has gained momentum, galvanised by the State-side Roe v Wade ruling in June, with more young people than ever joining the fight to protect the unborn.

In England and Wales, where record numbers of abortions took place last year, the largest-ever March for Life UK saw record numbers of young people join the procession. The annual march, held in London on 3 September, adopted the theme ‘10 Million Too Many’ and took place just days after temporary laws allowing DIY home abortions were made permanent.

Nicola Laver

Politicians have a moral duty to act, given the ‘shocking’ rises in the energy price cap – and the energy price guarantee for consumers does not go far enough, Christian charities have warned.

CARE – Christian Action Research and Education – said immediate action is needed to protect the vulnerable. It issued the warning just before Liz Truss’ new government was formed in early September, and ahead of another significant rise in fuel price.

Nicola Laver

A warning from charity Crisis UK that hundreds of thousands of UK households could become homeless this winter, has prompted London City Mission (LCM) to issue an urgent call for help.

Figures show that, up to now, good progress had been made with 2,689 fewer people sleeping rough in the year to April 2022 compared to the previous year. An LCM spokesperson said the warning of the impending rise in homelessness is a ‘heartbreaking projection’ threatening the work already done.

Nicola Laver

With modern slavery in the UK escalating, evangelical churches are being challenged to dedicate Sunday 25 September to prayer and taking action to help trafficking victims.

‘Freedom Sunday’, coordinated by the International Justice Mission (IJM), has been chosen as a day dedicated in the UK and abroad for corporate prayer for individuals trafficked into modern slavery – and to take action to end it.

Nicola Laver

The piano is the standout instrument of choice for more than two thirds of evangelical Christian congregations in the UK, with the acoustic guitar trailing a long way behind in second place, a survey has revealed. Fewer than a fifth of congregations still use an organ.

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Christians in the UK were prevented from singing in worship gatherings and forced to rely on song videos and audio. Today, with churches singing once again, the Praise Trust survey suggested that, although hymnbooks and organs have largely gone, many churches identifying as both traditional and contemporary were not using all available online options.

Nicola Laver

A Christian running for mayor in the London Borough of Lewisham has been dismissed as a housing manager after setting out her beliefs on marriage in her election manifesto. It was unrelated to her employment.

Maureen Martin, who is 56 and had been employed for 13 years by L&Q Housing Trust before being sacked for gross misconduct, is taking her employer to court for unfair dismissal and discrimination. L&Q houses more than 250,000 people in the south east.

Nicola Laver

Around 120 people met on a damp Saturday in Cardiff to listen to renowned psychologist Dr Diane Langberg share her deep knowledge of different forms of abuse, grief and on ‘care for the caregiver’.

Dr Langberg has nearly 50 years’ experience working with trauma victims and survivors of different forms of abuse, ranging from sexual and physical abuse; experiences of war; and increasingly, abuse of power in churches.

Nicola Laver

A militant trans activist, appointed as a lay Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) panel member, has been removed from a Christian’s unfair dismissal case because of the appearance of bias.

Kristie Higgs claimed unfair dismissal by her school after she was sacked in 2019 for sharing social media posts criticising the introduction of teaching about LGBT relationships in primary school. She lost her claim at the Employment Tribunal and her appeal was due to be heard in June.

Nicola Laver

The Baptist Union (BU) council is formally considering whether to amend its ministerial requirements to allow ministers to be in a same-sex marriage, and has set out the process to be followed.

The council has been known to be considering a change to the Ministerial Recognition Rules, following pressure from around 70 BU ministers, but it has now made clear in an open letter to BU ministers and churches that it is seeking ‘a way forward’ but ‘we must not rush ahead’. In her letter, BU General Secretary Lynn Green said marriage was one of two key themes that emerged from the BU Assembly in the Spring – and that the issue about marriage and accredited ministry was being ‘hotly debated’. She said: ‘We believe that any decision that is ultimately made must be prayerfully and carefully discerned.’

Nicola Laver

An emergency doctor is to appeal a ruling which acknowledged his right to hold Biblical beliefs on gender under the Equality Act and the Human Rights Act – but he cannot express those views at work because of the needs of, and risks to, ‘potentially vulnerable service users’.

Dr David Mackereth was sacked in 2018 as a DWP medical assessor after refusing to identify clients by their chosen gender. He is to appeal to the Court of Appeal. Andrea Williams of the Christian Legal Centre said: ‘The freedom to hold a belief, but not be able to express it, is no freedom at all.”

Nicola Laver

There are concerns that the proposed Schools Bill could have far-reaching implications for Christian education in England and Wales.

Critics have described the Bill, launched by Nadhim Zawahi MP, as ‘totalitarian’ – but some of the controversial clauses have just been withdraw in the current form, for now. If the proposals were to become law, the Department for Education (DfE) would have powers that include setting curriculums; removing and appointing school governors; changing or removing worship arrangements and religious education; controlling admission policies; and closing down independent schools.

Nicola Laver

A new programme to help churches tackle issues of porn use and addiction within their congregations has been unveiled, against the background of rising consumption.

According to research carried out by the charity launching the programme, the Naked Truth Project, 13% of UK adults admitted to being addicted to watching pornography. The ‘Church Membership’ programme was launched at a House of Commons event, hosted by Tim Farron MP (photo) and attended by six other MPs and peers.

Nicola Laver

From two to more than 120 people in nine years – a London church plant which began with a couple meeting individuals in the first year before launching as a living-room Bible study, is now planning to send its very first convert to start a new church in West London.

Malcolm Riley and his wife moved to London in 2013 with a desire to reach the next generation from the city centre. They came with literally nothing, having just left St Ebbe’s Oxford; with no staff team, no core group, no salary, no vicarage and no church building. ‘But we had two Bibles,’ said Malcolm.

Nicola Laver

UK churches are declining and most denominations even face extinction, a Christian mathematician has warned – with the Church of England lasting until the second half of the century.

Dr John Hayward, a mathematician at the University of South Wales, uses church growth models to research the growth and decline of the Christian church. He found that though Christianity has been declining in the UK for more than 60 years – a few groupings are growing, including the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, Newfrontiers, and the Elim Pentecostal Church.

Nicola Laver

The Scottish Parliament has heard of the invaluable work of the Christian community to help more than 2,300 drug addicts in Scotland recover from their addiction.

The Evangelical Alliance (EA) and Serve Scotland presented a report in June to Parliament on the work of Christian churches and organisations with individuals in addiction.

Nicola Laver

Peaceful pro-life protests and prayers outside abortion clinics in England and Wales could soon be illegal under proposals set out in the Public Order Bill.

Under an amendment to the Bill, put forward by Rupa Huq MP (see photo), anyone within an abortion clinic buffer zone who interferes with a pregnant woman going for an abortion faces up to two years in prison.

Nicola Laver

Evangelicals in Scotland and Wales are facing difficult decisions after major denominations in each country liberalised their stance on same-sex marriage.

They have expressed dismay at the Church of Scotland’s decision to allow its clergy to conduct same-sex marriages, following a vote of the Members of the General Assembly. Commissioners voted 274–136 in favour, but ministers and deacons will not be forced to compelled to take the ceremonies if they do not want to.

Nicola Laver

Up to 70 Iranians across countries such as Iran and Afghanistan have completed, via Zoom, the Christianity Explored (CE) course in the Farsi language. It was coordinated by an Iranian asylum-seeker who attends St Anne’s Church in Limehouse, an evangelical Anglican church in Tower Hamlets.

The rector, the Revd Richard Bray, asked for prayer for the many Iranian contacts made. ‘The Lord is truly at work among Iranians!’, he added.

Nicola Laver

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not for Jews, a trustee of a Christian-Jewish council has claimed – suggesting that to think otherwise is anti-Semitic.

In an opinion piece in The Times newspaper calling for the end of Christian missions to convert Jews, Zaki Cooper (photo right), a trustee of the Council of Christians and Jews, cited historical Jewish massacres and anti-Semitism in England going back to the 1100s.

Nicola Laver

There are fears of a state-sanctioned police clampdown on street evangelists, now that the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 has come into effect.

The new laws give police greater powers to crack down on disruptive noisy protests, which could include a single person protest such as an open-air preacher. Officers now have the power to prevent protests or impose conditions on them if they reasonably believe the protest may cause serious disruption to or cause a significant impact (includes alarm or distress) on those nearby.

Nicola Laver

Unchurched children and local Muslims are among those hearing the gospel message thanks to a unique bus-driven ministry.

Destination 211 is a bus ministry reaching out to deprived estates in the area. Neil Walpole, assistant curate with Dewsbury Team Parish who launched the bus in 2019 with a team from different churches, said: ‘It’s vision is to lead people of all ages to Christ and to that place of Revelation 21:1 – a new heaven and a new earth, where all tears and all suffering is wiped away.’

Nicola Laver

Same-sex marriages (SSMs) are not permitted by the Churches of England, Scotland or Wales – but weakening resistance to change could soon see SSMs permitted in two of them.

The new Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, has reportedly said same-sex weddings could be held in churches in Wales in five years’ time. Speaking following the meeting of the Welsh governing body last month, he told the BBC that the church should be inclusive and ‘welcome people, where they are, who they are’.

Nicola Laver

More than 5,000 parents and grandparents in Wales are suing the Welsh government after it announced that new compulsory sex education from the age of three will start in September. They also say the government misled them about a potential parental opt-out.

The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 prescribes mandatory elements in education which includes relationship and sex education (RSE). The parent-led group is concerned that under the Act, children as young as three will be taught about sensitive and arguably inappropriate topics, such as gender ideology.

Nicola Laver

A married woman who was employed by Christchurch Durham (CCD) has alleged its former pastor Tony Jones told her to take maternity leave and then resign from her church role when she became pregnant, and described his influence as ‘cult-like’.

Jones, now a minister in the US, continues to face numerous accusations in relation to his leadership and the culture over which he presided during his 17 years in office, which ended in December last year. In the March issue of en, it was reported that a number of whistle-blowers wrote in May 2021 to CCD trustees expressing ‘long-held concerns’ at Jones’ ‘use of power’, alleged domineering leadership and coercion and control.

Nicola Laver

Dr Stephen Sizer, the retired vicar of Christ Church Virginia Water who has for years strongly rejected allegations of antisemitism, was this week due to face a Clergy Disciplinary Measure (CDM) following a further complaint by the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

The Board first made a complaint against the evangelical vicar back in 2012, alleging he had made antisemitic statements and published links to antisemitic web sites. This was resolved in 2013 through a conciliation process under the CDM process.

Nicola Laver

The Baptist Union (BU) council is considering changing the ministerial requirements in relation to same-sex marriage for its ministers.

It is understood 70 people, mainly BU ministers who are part of pressure group Affirming Baptists Together, signed a letter to the General Secretary of the BU requesting that it effectively change its rule requiring its ministers to be single or in a heterosexual marriage on the basis that it is discriminatory.

Nicola Laver

A North Carolina folk duo is preparing to come to Chelmsford, Essex to share the gospel through music.

Songs of the Folk (aka classically trained married couple Andrew and Lauren Cason), discovered that music opened doors for them into people’s lives to share the Good News of Christ – often to the most marginalised in society or those harder to reach.

Nicola Laver

The Christian owner of an award-winning cleaning agency in London is campaigning for better pay and conditions for cleaners.

Antoinette Daniel, a former PE teacher who founded Just Helpers in 2012, said she was shocked to hear first-hand accounts of bad practices in the cleaning sector, including low pay, late pay and sexual exploitation.

Nicola Laver

An experienced A&E doctor has appealed a ruling that Christian Biblical beliefs on gender are not worthy of respect in a democratic society and are ‘incompatible with human dignity’.

Dr David Mackereth, 58, was sacked in 2018 from his role as a medical assessor for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after refusing to identify clients by their chosen gender instead of their biological sex.

Nicola Laver

Leading research on the hard cultural issues of the day will underpin a new initiative from Crosslands Training, which wants to support God’s people and their communities.

Crosslands Forum is running events and courses, hosting networks and providing talks, videos and articles to support local churches as they grapple with today’s culture.

Nicola Laver

The Court of Appeal is to hear argument that the Abortion Act 1967 unlawfully discriminates against the disabled. The Act permits abortion up to birth in the case of serious disabilities, including Down’s syndrome.

Heidi Crowter, a Christian who has Down’s syndrome, and Máire Lea-Wilson, the mother of a young son who has Down’s, last year lost a judicial review against the government.

Nicola Laver

The Gender Recognition Reform Bill in Scotland, which would allow individuals to change the sex on their birth certificate without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, has now been published.

The Scottish Government’s stated aim is to streamline the process allowing transgender people to self-identify in a less invasive way. The current requirement for evidence that an applicant has lived in their acquired gender for at least two years will be reduced to six months and the lower age limit cut to 16 instead of 18 years.

Nicola Laver

Temporary ‘DIY’ abortion rules introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic will be made permanent in Wales, the devolved government has announced.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said it was a ‘progressive step’ and added that she had carefully considered the responses to a public consultation in Wales and decided the arrangements were safe.

Nicola Laver

Tony Jones, the former pastor of Christchurch Durham (CCD) and his fellow trustees are still refusing to respond fully to alleged abuses of power, despite new accusations – including around financial pressure.

A former trustee and elder (‘E’), who wished to remain anonymous, told en he felt ‘coerced’ by Jones into remortgaging his house to contribute more financially to CCD.

Nicola Laver

Everyone in the UK who has recently gone blind or started to lose their sight can claim a free audio Bible player from Torch Trust.

Around 90,000 people a year are told the difficult news that they are losing their sight. However, fewer than two in five say they are offered any form of emotional support, according to research from the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

Nicola Laver

The consultation on the proposed conversion therapy ban has now closed, and up to the last minute pro-ban campaigners were calling on government to close a ‘loophole’ which would allow individuals who received ‘informed consent’ to a conversion practice to ‘evade justice’.

Stonewall wanted a ban on ‘all forms of conversion therapies in every setting without loopholes’.

Nicola Laver

An evangelical Christian pastor, who resigned from his job as a school caretaker after Tweeting in opposition to ‘Pride Month’ events, has had his case heard at an employment tribunal.

In June 2019, Keith Waters (see photo), the then pastor at New Connexions Church in Ely, published the Tweet: ‘A reminder that Christians should not support or attend LGBTQ “Pride Month” events held in June. They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Christian faith and morals. They are especially harmful to children.’

Nicola Laver

More than 750 churches across the UK and Ireland have signed up to A Passion for Life – a pioneering, month-long, evangelistic mission this Easter.

The mission is providing the tools to enable individual churches to ‘plan, build and promote’ their evangelism in the lead-up to Easter. They range from online support resources to training videos, which the organisers said are being well-received by churches.

Nicola Laver

Christchurch Durham is facing mounting pressure to commission an independent review following serious allegations of abuse of power against the pastor, who left last December.

Tony Jones, senior pastor at the independent Anglican church until his resignation last year, has been accused of abuses of power and governance and presiding over a ‘culture of fear’.

Nicola Laver

A local branch of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been removed from a regional AA directory because of its Christian ethos.

Somerset Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous has removed the Yeovil group from its listings after a new member reportedly complained about its Christian ethos. The Somerset Intergroup said a pamphlet used by the local group – written by 75 AA members and stating that the only way to recovery is through Jesus – has its place, ‘but not within the AA’.

Nicola Laver

Gareth Lee, the LGBT campaigner who ordered a same-sex marriage celebration cake from Ashers Bakery in 2014, has lost his latest courtroom battle – this time in the European Court of Human Rights.

In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in Ashers’ favour on the basis that its objection to the cake was to the message and not ‘the messenger’.

Nicola Laver

A theatre nurse who lost her job after refusing to remove her small cross pendant has won her unfair dismissal claim against the hospital trust.

Mary Onuoha, a Catholic, had worn the necklace since the start of her employment with Croydon Health Services NHS Trust in 2001. She was first asked to remove it in 2014 but refused on religious grounds.

Nicola Laver

Religious groups have been excluded from talks over proposed gender reform in Scotland, it has been claimed.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) is continuing its push for reforms to the Gender Recognition Act to allow individuals aged 16+ to change gender without a doctor’s certificate confirming gender dysphoria. Under the proposals, individuals will only have to live as the ‘acquired’ gender for three months instead of the current two years.

Nicola Laver

Several doctors and other health professionals in Scotland have called for MSPs to vote against proposed laws allowing assisted suicide.

Work is already underway on legislation that will permit assisted dying for those who are terminally ill and mentally competent. It is the third attempt to introduce laws to legalise assisted dying in Scotland.

Nicola Laver

A new landmark statement formalising the Christian position on abortion with a doctrinal emphasis has been published online.

The Life Affirmation has been drafted by a group of anonymous Christians holding academic qualifications in theology and in medicine, as well as experience in pastoral ministry.

Nicola Laver

A decision allowing the repainting of Scripture texts on the seawall at Portstewart on the Causeway Coast may have ‘breached equality rules’, a diversity consultant told local councillors. 

The words ‘THE SEA IS HIS AND HE MADE IT PSALMS 95:5’ ‘ETERNITY? YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN JOHN 3:7’ ‘CHRIST DIED FOR US ROMANS 5:8’ were repainted in 2018 following an individual’s request to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

Nicola Laver

The first graduations as part of a ground-breaking enterprise programme, encouraging Christians to become entrepreneurs, have taken place.

The first church to take part in The Spirit of Enterprise programme was Zac’s House Kingdom Community, part of Knutsford Methodist Church, but active in the town of Northwich. The church’s pastor Neal Stanton (pictured) said: ‘So many people find themselves out of work and believe they have no future or hope. We wanted to change that.’

Nicola Laver

An NHS trust has been sued after it dismissed a hospital electrician for expressing his Christian beliefs.

Brian Walker, 66, was subjected to various complaints at Southmead Hospital after he spoke out about his Biblical views on same-sex marriage. He said he has been treated by NHS bosses like a ‘terrorist’.

Nicola Laver

American evangelist Franklin Graham is relaunching his UK tour.

It is set to begin in Liverpool on 14 May and will then visit South Wales and Sheffield, culminating at London’s Excel centre on 16 July. The events will be free.

Nicola Laver

Stonewall, the militant LGBT+ campaign group, is being sued by a prominent lesbian barrister who co-founded the LGB Alliance.

Allison Bailey (see photo), a criminal lawyer, is bringing employment proceedings against Stonewall and her barristers’ chambers, Garden Court Chambers, after Stonewall allegedly tried to persuade them to discipline her for expressing gender-critical views around transgender issues.

Nicola Laver

More than 230 school children in Lancashire have reportedly responded to the gospel following a tour encouraging them to put down their knives.

The No More Knives Tour from Manchester-based Christian charity The Message, in partnership with local police, has challenged thousands of young people in secondary schools across Lancashire and Manchester to lay down their knives.

Nicola Laver

The consultation on a conversion therapy ban in England and Wales has been published, but raises many questions that have yet to be clarified.

The government has proposed a two-pronged approach to a ban. Firstly, giving sentencing courts power to impose tougher sentences for physically violent criminal acts that are motivated by conversion therapy.

Nicola Laver

Megachurch Hillsong is continuing to consolidate its UK presence with the purchase of a former theatre in London’s Golders Green. The international Hillsong Church, which originated in Australia in 1983, now has some 12 branches in the UK and intends to holds Sunday services in the theatre.

The sale to Hillsong follows a planning dispute over whether the Grade II-listed Golders Green Hippodrome should be used as an Islamic centre. That plan was dropped.

Nicola Laver

There has been increasing openness to the gospel among university students in the UK this Autumn, the UCCF has reported.

One unbelieving student attended an Abertay Christian Union (CU) lunchtime talk on ‘Lasting Joy’. Afterwards he said: ‘If this is true, you have a genuine hope for eternal happiness. If it’s not, you still have an anchor that allows you to find joy in this life – I find that exhilarating!’

Nicola Laver

Gideons International has criticised former Gideons in the UK who have departed from the global umbrella body.

As en reported last month, the group formerly known as ‘GideonsUK’ was forced to change its name following a refusal by the UK’s Intellectual Property Office to register the GideonsUK trademark. That group is now called ‘GOOD NEWS for Everyone!’ (GNfE). The name change also came against the background of an equality issue – the international group is exclusively men’s only and had refused a move by UK members to admit women.

Nicola Laver

A high-profile headteacher and educator has publicly acknowledged how hard it must be to be a Christian in 2021.

A heated Twitter exchange was prompted by Katharine Birbalsingh, chair of the Social Mobility Commission who cited ‘original sin’ in support of her view that ‘children need to be taught right from wrong and then habituated into choosing good over evil.’

Nicola Laver

First birthdays are special, and for an Essex ‘church in the home’ – its first birthday marked an encouraging year despite the pandemic.

Cornerstone Church in Colchester, an Anglican church, began on 18 October 2020 under the oversight of Anglican Mission in England (AMiE). It has coined the phrase ‘… starting in the home, sustained in the home!’ to reflect the church’s conviction of the value of meeting in the home.

Nicola Laver

The Christian parents of two boys are seeking a judicial review in connection with the Cornwall Schools Transgender Guidelines, which encourage children to dress as they choose to reflect their 'true gender'.

The document – first published in 2015 – defines 'true gender' as 'the gender that a person truly feels they are inside'.

Nicola Laver

Children and churches will be affected if a proposed LGBT conversion therapy ban in Wales goes ahead.

And a new report setting out extreme proposals for a ban in England has been backed by lawyers and politicians.

Nicola Laver

The charity GideonsUK has been forced to change its name following a turbulent period marked by equality issues and legal proceedings. The charity, once the British arm of Gideons International, is now called ‘GOOD NEWS for Everyone!’.

It has also adopted a new logo, in the form of an open Bible, in order to comply with a ruling of the intellectual property court.

Nicola Laver

The Church in Wales’s decision to allow blessings of same-sex couples has been met with deep sadness among evangelicals – and fears of an impending split within the denomination.

The Evangelical Fellowship in the Church in Wales (EFCW) said: ‘For many in EFCW, this decision will come with a sense of sadness that the Church in Wales has decided to depart from a traditional understanding of marriage, and with great uncertainty about how to move forward in good conscience.’ The EFCW executive was due to meet as en went to print.

Nicola Laver

Efforts by the Scottish government to rush through laws allowing individuals aged 16 or over to change gender through self-identification have been strongly criticised.

Reform of the Gender Recognition Act is planned within the next year under a power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens. But according to campaign group For Women Scotland, the proposals ignore women’s views. It said the general public are increasingly opposed to the change and questioning why it was necessary.

Nicola Laver

Nestled in the South Wales valleys sits Noddfa Baptist Church, a beacon of gospel light where more than 60 people have been baptised in the last five years.

Noddfa is an area of high social deprivation and unemployment. But the gospel is being preached without gimmick, people are being saved – and on Sunday 15 August 15 people were baptised.

Nicola Laver

An evangelical vicar has had his suspension for ministry lifted after five weeks.

The Revd Stephen Kuhrt, vicar of Christ Church, New Malden was suspended in June this year after he disclosed confidential safeguarding information with a small group of advisors. He did so after blowing the whistle on alleged mishandling of historic safeguarding issues. He admitted failing to redact the names of individuals in the documentation, for which he accepted rebuke and injunction.

Nicola Laver

An ex-barrister turned trainee therapist who publicly expressed his gender critical beliefs – that sex is biological and immutable – has been expelled by the Metanoia Institute three years into a five-year university degree.

James Esses was attempting to safeguard therapy and counselling for vulnerable children with gender dysphoria, lodging a public petition which has garnered more than 10,000 signatures. Speaking out also cost him his role as a Childline volunteer.

Nicola Laver

Christian democracy in Europe has ‘run out of new ideas’, resulting in voters increasingly supporting far-right populist parties, the director of a Christian political foundation has said.

Announcing the launch of new research into how the Bible impacts society, Johannes de Jong, head of the European Christian Political Movement’s research unit Sallux, said: ‘The idea of Christian democracy is failing.’

Nicola Laver

Abortion law allowing babies with Down’s syndrome to be aborted any time up to birth is discriminatory, the High Court has heard.

Heidi Crowter, a campaigner who has Down’s syndrome, brought the case along with Brentford mother Máire Lea-Wilson who said she was pressurised to abort her son at 34 weeks. Her son Aidan, now two, has Down’s syndrome.

Nicola Laver

Assisted dying could soon be legal in the Bailiwick of Jersey after a citizens’ panel voted strongly in favour of a change in the law.

Jersey’s Assisted Dying Citizens’ Jury was asked whether assisted dying should be permitted and, if so, under what circumstances. The jury heard oral and written expert evidence over a ten-week period to give them an informed vote.

Nicola Laver

A Brazilian missionary is working among young people in Chard, Somerset, mentoring and giving mental-health support with the help of local ministries.

Raquel Lima (see photo), who is also serving the local Portuguese community, has been placed by Latin Link (in partnership with South West Youth Ministries) to mentor and support young people alongside Forefront Church, an independent evangelical fellowship.

Nicola Laver

Government restrictions on indoor public worship have been lifted from churches in England after almost 18 months.

However, the removal of laws requiring social distancing and face-coverings means church leaders are now navigating a landscape where they will have to balance regained freedoms with the need to be sensitive towards individuals.

Nicola Laver

An open-air preacher arrested for preaching on Sutton High Street, South London on Easter Sunday 2020 has had his fine for breaching Covid rules increased by magistrates.

An officer reportedly told Andrew Sathiyavan, a full-time voluntary worker for Gospel Light Ministries, that preaching in the street was ‘unacceptable’. Police handcuffed him, took him to a police station and fined him £400.

Nicola Laver

A gender-critical belief is worthy of respect in a democratic society and, therefore, a philosophical belief for the purposes of equality laws, a tribunal has ruled.

The President of the Employment Appeal Tribunal upheld the appeal of Maya Forstater, a tax specialist who lost her position at the Centre for Global Development after Tweeting her views opposing reform of the Gender Recognition Act, which permits individuals to self-identify as the opposite sex.

Nicola Laver

Renowned atheist Richard Dawkins has reignited anger over his views on Down’s syndrome and abortion.

In a recent interview with Brendan O’Connor, an Irish radio presenter who has a child of his own with Down’s syndrome, Dawkins said aborting Down’s babies would be ‘wise’.

Nicola Laver

There are fears that a proposed terror-related Protect Duty will have serious implications for churches and impede public worship.

The concerns have been raised around a statutory duty that government intends to impose in relation to publicly accessible venues with capacity for at least 100 people.

Nicola Laver

The UK’s equality watchdog has said ‘gender-critical’ beliefs must be robustly protected by the courts.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) was commenting ahead of an employment appeal ruling between Maya Forstater and her former employer which has now concluded.

Nicola Laver

A ban on so-called gay conversion therapy has come a step closer in three of the four nations of the United Kingdom.

The Queen’s Speech set out plans for a consultation to take place on how a ban might be introduced in England and Wales.

Nicola Laver

UK church leaders have been urged to play their part in building a ‘hunger-free future’, by a major food bank charity.

It comes against the backdrop of soaring numbers of people turning to charities and churches for emergency food packages.

Nicola Laver

A judge has condemned Blackpool Council’s decision to remove bus adverts publicising a Franklin Graham evangelistic event as ‘the antithesis’ of ‘how a public authority should behave in a democracy’.

Ahead of the event at the town’s winter gardens in September 2018, organisers paid for the banner adverts which carried the message ‘Time for Hope!’

Nicola Laver

An actor who lost her discrimination claims at an employment tribunal because of historical Facebook posts expressing her Christian convictions about homosexuality is appealing.

Actor Seyi Omooba (see photo) was a rising star in musical theatre when she accepted a role in a production of The Colour Purple, a novel by Alice Walker. The famous literary work includes lesbian themes involving the character Omooba was due to play.

Nicola Laver

A coalition of Christian churches and organisations has urged the government to take ‘immediate’ action to prevent gambling-related harm, saying ‘society cannot afford to delay’.

The warning comes in submissions made in response to a review and consultation on the Gambling Act 2005. The coalition called for specific measures including a ban on – or a dramatic reduction in – gambling advertising and a compulsory levy on the industry to fund treatment, research and public awareness campaigns.

Nicola Laver

Two decades after the hymn, ‘In Christ Alone’, was written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend, an online ‘family hymn sing’ coinciding with its anniversary has attracted more than 1million views on Facebook, across more than 100 countries.

Keith and Kristyn Getty (see photo), who had been living in Nashville TN, returned home to Northern Ireland during the pandemic. Each episode of the ‘family hymn sing’ begins and ends with the family at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House, with the rest recorded in Northern Ireland. The latest episode features the family embarking on a carpool hymn karaoke around the north coast of Northern Ireland.

Nicola Laver

The UK government has taken unprecedented and controversial steps in an attempt to force Stormont to implement new abortion laws.

In March 2020, abortion law in Northern Ireland (NI) changed allowing terminations for any reason during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and thereafter only in certain cases. No limit has been placed in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities.

Nicola Laver

A lay magistrate with 15 years’ experience has lost his appeal after being removed from the bench for speaking to the media about his Christian views on parenting. He did so despite explicit guidance that the judiciary should not communicate with the media.

Richard Page publicly made known his view that it was not in a child’s best interests to be adopted by anyone other than a mother and father, nor was it normal to be adopted by a single parent or same-sex couple.

Nicola Laver

There is ‘irreconcilable conflict’ between obeying God and state, Edinburgh’s Court of Session was told, as legal action by church ministers following the enforced church closures during lockdown began.

The judicial review was sought by 27 Scottish ministers against the decision to close churches. The court heard the decision presented church leaders and the wider Christian community with ‘a deep crisis’.

Nicola Laver

Moves to criminalise gay ‘conversion therapy’ are gaining momentum, exposing the potential for restrictions on how Christians respond to individuals struggling with same-sex attraction (SSA).

One activist has even described the power of prayer as ‘pernicious’ and said the reach of the law must be extended to cover it.