A million signatures sought for Africa
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 27 May 2026
Open Doors is seeking a million signatures on a petition requesting the United Nations, African Union, EU, and governments around the world to take action for persecuted Christians in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Arise Africa campaign has already garnered 550,000 signatures for the millions of Christians facing violence and displacement in the region. According to Open Doors, more than 90% of Christians killed for their faith last year were in sub-Saharan Africa, where increasing violence is largely driven by Islamist extremists taking advantage of political instability in the region.
Tâp unigryw Cymraeg MLJ wedi’i ddarganfod
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 26 May 2026
Headline reads: Unique Lloyd-Jones Welsh tape found.
A tape of renowned pastor Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaching in Welsh, thought to be the only known recording of its kind, has come to light after more than five decades.
Faith safeguarding probe
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 26 May 2026
An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is conducting an inquiry into the safeguarding of children in faith-based environments after several loopholes were identified regarding “regulated activity” in some volunteer-led worship activities.
The APPG on Safeguarding in Faith Communities aims to improve protections for children in churches, mosques, and other religious settings by determining how well current safeguarding rules are understood and applied.
Quinta: ‘Largest project’ in 40 year history
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 25 May 2026
The Quinta Christian Centre, Shropshire, has received planning permission to build an “Activity Barn” – the “largest development project in its 40-year history”.
The barn’s “main arena” would be a 50m by 30m indoor space suitable for a variety of events and activities. Alongside this arena, there would be a two-storey section: an open-plan kitchen area and toilets downstairs, and a meeting room and several breakout rooms upstairs.
Grace Baptist event is a first
en staff
Date posted: 24 May 2026
Twenty-three leaders from eight different Grace Baptist charities have met together for the first time at an overnight gathering in Northampton.
Andrew King, Grace Baptist Association Secretary, writes: "We were encouraged by reports about our annual assembly discussing how to mobilise church members, a growing association of around 100 churches with others applying, a summer youth camp already sold out with over 125 attending, four recent church planting initiatives, ongoing trustee services, a residential women’s conference for 110 people with a waiting list, and publishing work with four new books including a new series on church polity.
Reunited at Bible by the Beach (after 61 years!)
James Stileman
Date posted: 23 May 2026
Hazel Gordon and Linnet Smith left their Cheshire girls' school in 1965. They hadn’t seen each other for over 60 years until this year’s Bible by the Beach (BBTB) conference in Eastbourne over the Early May Bank Holiday.
They sat in a seafront hotel and talked for four hours without stopping. “It was a fitting conclusion to our first meeting,” said Hazel, “to attend the Sunday evening celebration service in the Congress Theatre. What a profound moment to stand together as we sang ‘From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny’. We felt so blessed to have had this remarkable opportunity – and to discover that the adventure of life has not yet stopped.”
Wycliffe – FIEC appeal joy
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 23 May 2026
In January, en reported on a partnership between Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), the goal of which was to raise £70,000 to support an Africa Bible translation project. Months later, in what has been described as an “overwhelming success”, this £70,000 goal has very nearly been reached.
The funds are being directed straight into the Wuldor* Programme, which aims to “unlock the Scriptures in 11 languages spoken by 850,000 people”. The project emerged after church planters realised they needed to have the Bible in people's languages in order to reach them with the gospel and to deepen the discipleship of those who become believers.
New trust comes at 'defining moment'
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 22 May 2026
A new, training-focused trust for gospel workers is currently accepting applications for its first grant round.
The Yarnton Gospel Workers Trust is seeking to enable and fund training of gospel workers who will serve the church and advance the gospel in England and Wales.
letter from Dublin
Irish calls for ‘life-affirming alternatives’ are heard
Lois McCrea
Date posted: 22 May 2026
Thousands of people marched through Dublin for the annual “March for Life” on 4 May. Church services took places before the march which was attended by people from all over Ireland. The march was organised by the Pro Life Campaign and called for “life affirming alternatives, practical help for women in crisis, and policies that protect both mother and child.”
Abortion was illegal in the Republic of Ireland until 2019. Prior to 2019, women would travel to England for terminations. Abortion was legalised following a 2018 referendum and according to Ireland’s Department of Health, 10,852 abortions took place in 2024. This was a 62% increase since abortion was legalised in 2019 when the number of abortions were 6,666. The Iona Institute states that one-sixth of pregnancies in Ireland now end in abortion.
Scotland & Wales: Dr Q & LGBTQI+ pose challenges
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 21 May 2026
Scotland and Wales have elected their newest parliamentary representatives, which could pose some concerns for evangelical Christians in each country, says The Christian Institute.
Scotland saw the Scottish National Party (SNP) get the most votes for the fifth time, along with the most seats in parliament, although less than the last election. Labour and Reform UK came in joint second, with Reform making strides since the last election and winning its first seats in Holyrood.
Independent reviewer of church ‘was church member’
en staff
Date posted: 21 May 2026
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Swansea, appointed a member of its own congregation as one of three individuals tasked with carrying out an independent review requested by the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), en has learned.
During 2024, a number of concerns were raised with the FIEC by multiple parties in relation to “leadership culture and the handling of complaints within the church”, known as “Mount”.
Jonathan Fletcher: 20 years of indecent assaults, jury finds
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 11 May 2026
Warning: Readers may find some aspects of this report deeply disturbing.
A jury has found that Jonathan Fletcher indecently assaulted a man over a period spanning around a quarter of a century – ending with a particularly brutal assault in the 1990s.
World Cup: Who’s the GOAT?
Luke Randall
Date posted: 11 May 2026
Who is the real GOAT? That is the question posed by a new tract being published as World Cup fever ramps up ahead of this summer’s festival of football.
The tract, written by Jonny Reid and Christians in Sport’s Graham Daniels, and published by 10ofThose, enters into the debate among football fans about who is the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT). It encourages readers to consider what constitutes true greatness, and could be a helpful evangelistic tool ahead of kick-off at the World Cup being hosted by Mexico, Canada and the USA in June.
New £2.5m church building opens
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 4 May 2026
A Baptist church in Christchurch, Dorset has opened the doors of its new £2.5 million building, with total project costs reported to be over £3 million.
Christchurch Baptist Church, Bargates, has been planning and fundraising for the move since 2015. The church’s minister, Chris Brockway, told en why the move is significant: “Our previous buildings, though deeply valued and faithful to us for around 150 years, had become too small and no longer fit for the needs of our mission and ministry. In contrast, this new space provides both the capacity and a contemporary environment to support what God is continuing to do among us.” The church’s new site has 250 seats and is 60% larger than its previous location – a hall opposite.
Sports Plus Xtra welcomes pupils
Christians in Sport
Date posted: 30 Apr 2026
Christians in Sport has partnered with The Fulham Boys School in London to run Sports Plus Xtra, a two-day, non-residential sports camp enabling young people to explore the good news of Jesus through their love of sport.
The event welcomed 63 pupils, supported by 16 volunteers alongside Christians in Sport staff. Across two days, young people took part in sports coaching, team games (including “escape the shark”), and meetings, all designed to teach the gospel through the lens of sport. Beginning in Genesis, they explored God’s good design for humanity and the brokenness caused by sin, moving on to Romans 12 and the restoration and hope Jesus brings through His sacrifice.
Review: Christianity Explored, renewed, revamped
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 29 Apr 2026
When I decided to attend the London launch of the new-look Christianity Explored, I was intrigued and sceptical in equal measure. How, I wondered, could this solid fixture of the evangelical world – the conduit through which many have come to the Lord in faith – be improved?
Sure, the familiar face and voice of Christianity Explored – Rico Tice – have matured (a little) since its official launch in Spring 2001 at All Souls, Langham Place. But surely not the content? Because we know God’s Word does not change.
Scafell Pike hike to raise awareness of global persecution
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 29 Apr 2026
The CEO of Release International, a UK-based Christian ministry supporting the persecuted church around the world, will carry a cross to the top of England’s highest mountain in June in solidarity with those suffering for the gospel.
The Light Walk Challenge, which involves scaling Scafell Pike through the night, relates to Release’s 2026 theme, “Light in the Darkest Places.”
New safeguarding review in Ireland
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 27 Apr 2026
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) has commissioned INEQE Safeguarding Group to carry out an independent external review into serious safeguarding failures. The review, which is already under way, will be victim focused, with completion expected by early 2027.
This is the latest development following revelations late last year of significant safeguarding failings within the all-Ireland PCI, which has resulted in a criminal investigation, and Northern Ireland’s Charity Commission launching a statutory inquiry.
