Steve Timmis charged with rape
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 30 Oct 2026
Warning: the following content relates to crimes of abuse and could be both upsetting and triggering.
A former Sheffield church leader and his wife have been charged with multiple counts of rape.
Christian educators told to 'take a stand'
Christian Values in Education (CViE)
Date posted: 30 Oct 2026
A new record of over 450 people attended the Christian Values in Education (CViE) annual national conference in Luton; they were encouraged to stand firm in today's culture.
CViE, a Christian charity that seeks to equip and encourage believers involved in education – parents, students, teachers, staff, governors – held its annual conference on Saturday 26 September on the theme “Confronting the Culture”. The event took place in Stopsley Baptist Church.
Bill would outlaw aspects of ‘loving parenting’
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 30 Oct 2026
The Northern Ireland Assembly is taking steps towards new conversion therapy legislation that could result in jail time for “offending” individuals.
The Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill, introduced by Alliance Party Deputy Leader Eóin Tennyson, passed 46 to 29 with 15 abstentions on 28 September. The bill will now proceed to detailed scrutiny.
'Even if we only had one fresher all year, we wouldn’t give up'
UCCF: The Christian Unions
Date posted: 29 Oct 2026
From a near-empty scavenger hunt, to a beach bonfire attended by almost 100 people, Swansea University Christian Union’s welcome week has highlighted both the unpredictability and the potential of student-led mission. Iwan Robb, CU Staff Worker in Swansea & Carmarthen, writes:
With an alcohol equivalent of 29 million pints of beer[1] drunk, and over half a billion pounds[2] spent by 1.3 million students as they start university, Freshers’ Weeks in Britain are massive events.
Gospel Bayfest: The origins of a Christian music festival
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 28 Oct 2026
en journalist Lydia Houghton interviews Colin Elliott about the Morecambe Gospel Bayfest.
LH: Give us a brief history of the Gospel Bayfest. How did it come about? What was the first one like? Are you based in one location, or several?
Are there fewer overseas missionaries? New survey explores why
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 27 Oct 2026
A reported decline in the number of people training for overseas mission is due to issues such as finance, the impact on children, and the increasing need for evangelism in the UK itself.
A report from organisation Crosslinks, entitled Pathways to Mission, surveyed its 87 mission partners to ascertain what may be holding people back from stepping up to take the gospel abroad.
Teachers encouraged to live for Jesus in education
Lizzie Harewood
Date posted: 26 Oct 2026
Nearly 100 teachers and others involved in education gathered in Fulham on 9 and 10 October for a weekend of teaching, encouragement and fellowship, organised by the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT).
The theme was Living for Jesus in Education. Speakers included Oak Hill College’s Dr Robin Barfield, Cristo Rodriguez of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA), a deputy headteacher, Jo Hatfield, and Sam Brown of Fulham Boys School.
Bible colleges face funding uncertainty amid legal threat
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 26 Oct 2026
The regulator that distributes public funding to higher education colleges is reportedly attempting to resolve a dispute with the National Secular Society, which is threatening legal action concerning the funding of Bible colleges. The outcome could have significant financial implications for Bible and theological colleges.
The National Secular Society (NSS) does not accept that Bible and theological colleges should receive public funds, arguing that their documents restrict freedom of speech and academic freedom by requiring staff and students to sign up to a statement of faith. And earlier this year, the NSS threatened a judicial review of the Office for Students’ (OfS’s) alleged failure to uphold freedom of speech, to “protect” public money from being handed to theological colleges.
Word on the Wash 26: ‘The sight that saves’
Graham Pickhaver & Anne Roberts
Date posted: 25 Oct 2026
The King’s Centre, King’s Lynn was the venue for the 2026 Word on The Wash Conference on Saturday, 3 October, drawing a crowd of more than 140 from Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and further afield.
The main speaker for the day was Luke Foster, who lectures in Systematic Theology and Church History at Oak Hill College. In two teaching sessions, looking at John’s first letter, he took as his theme “The Sight that Saves”, explaining how the original recipients of the letter, influenced by false teachers, needed to focus clearly on Jesus as both the light and life of God. His second talk focused on how the future return of Christ should influence our lives in the present – maturing as Christians while knowing that on His return we shall finally be like Him.
Derby: 'A testament to God's work within football'
Christians in Sport
Date posted: 25 Oct 2026
What do you get when you combine over 100 years of professional football experience with a delicious curry? That was the recipe for an evening hosted by Derby City Church.
At Okra Curry House last month, General Director of Christians in Sport (CIS) Graham Daniels was joined by Steve Spooner and Darren Moore, both Christians with decades of experience as professional players and coaches. Guests heard how Christ has shaped their lives through the highs and lows of professional sport, enjoyed a Q&A, a short explanation of Christianity from Graham, and an invite to an Alpha course.
Abortion concerns persist in Scotland
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 24 Oct 2026
The Scottish National Party (SNP) may still liberalise abortion – despite dropping a draft motion on the subject from its national conference amidst conflicting concerns from pro-life and pro-choice groups.
The draft, leaked in September, had proposed the implementation of recommendations by the Scottish Abortion Law Reform Expert Group, which critics say would technically legalise abortion up to birth.
Sussex Gospel Partnership launch first men's convention
en staff
Date posted: 24 Oct 2026
The first Sussex Gospel Partnership Southern Men’s Convention has taken place in Burgess Hill.
Around 300 men gathered to sing God’s praise on 26 September, as Matt Bennington from Music Ministry UK and a team from across the south of England led the music.
CEEC director 'encouraged' after Synod elections
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 23 Oct 2026
The national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) says he is "greatly encouraged" by the number of orthodox candidates that have been elected to General Synod.
John Dunnett, who himself has been elected in the Diocese of Chelmsford, said: "The 2026 General Synod elections have been the most hotly contested in recent years – a reflection of the deep divisions which sadly afflict the Church of England at this time.
Surrogacy reform calls are rebuffed amid ethical concerns
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 23 Oct 2026
MPs have opposed calls to fast-track surrogacy reforms – despite a petition signed by more than 113,000 people.
The rebuttal is in part because of mounting concerns about wider ethical issues around surrogacy, with the number of babies being born in this way rising steadily.
New course focuses on disciple-making
Holly Price
Date posted: 22 Oct 2026
Every church leader wants to help people grow as disciples of Christ. But no church leader has the capacity to give everyone in their congregation the kind of ongoing, timely and personal attention that Jesus gave the Twelve.
How can this kind of relational disciple-making that was so central to Jesus’ ministry become the joy of the many rather than the privilege of the few?
Addiction issues? There is help, says ex-businessman
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 22 Oct 2026
A former business executive who found faith in Jesus while in rehab is urging churches in the UK to respond to addiction with greater compassion.
Ervin Lee is co-founder of the From Beer to the Bible website and podcast, and also of Hampton Ministries, which aims to help young adults struggling with behavioural and substance abuse issues.
Ligonier: 1,000 gather for ‘serious Biblical teaching’
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 22 Oct 2026
More than 1,000 pastors, church leaders and believers from across 28 countries attended this year’s Ligonier Ministries UK Conference at Westminster Central Hall in the final week of September. Among the countries represented were Canada, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Romania, Singapore, South Africa and South Korea.
The overarching topic was “Chosen by God” – His sovereignty, our assurance in Christ, and the call to holiness. Michael Reeves spoke on “The Golden Chain of Redemption” (Romans 8v28-30), emphasising that even when life seems to spin out of control, God remains on the throne of grace. Sinclair Ferguson preached on God’s sovereign mercy (Romans 9v14-24) and that dependence on God’s sovereign choice in salvation “produces not only humility but stability” in the Christian life.
£40m Christian landmark near Birmingham on track
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 21 Oct 2026
Plans are moving ahead for the creation of Europe’s largest Christian landmark, which will be erected near Birmingham.
The first section of the "Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer" has been completed at a purpose-built factory in Portugal. It is the first of 188 concrete segments that will make up the massive Möbius strip, which will be erected in Coleshill, near Birmingham.
