FIEC partnerships help boost growth
Joel Murray
Date posted: 23 Dec 2024
Cross-country partnerships between very different churches are helping grow the gospel in the UK, a conference has heard.
The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) and Medhurst Ministries organised the event, Connecting Diverse Churches, so that churches from very different communities could consider what partnership might look like for them.
New resources to guide churches on LLF challenges
CEEC
Date posted: 21 Dec 2024
The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) has released a set of resources designed to help churches and their Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) navigate the current Living in Love and Faith (LLF) challenges.
In December 2023, the House of Bishops commended the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) for use within regular services. In July 2024, the General Synod voted for further work (albeit by a small majority) on so-called ‘standalone services’, and the introduction of clergy same-sex marriages. This work is being carried out by several working groups and led by the Bishop of Leicester.
Gospel shared in Manchester Christmas market
The sounds and smells of the Manchester Christmas market wafted their way through the city centre. As people rushed to and fro on their way to keep appointments or get in some Christmas shopping, a sound was heard – the message of the season – good news on the streets: the Saviour has been born!
Amongst the hustle and bustle, a team from The Open-Air Mission had set up and was busy sharing the message of God’s love. A few people paused to listen, others took tracts and spoke with team members. Also set up was a ‘Free Bible and Literature’ table, which proved to be a magnet for people. As people walked by, they stopped at the table to browse the literature, then they would take a booklet or Bible.
Tolworth: A new Hope
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 20 Dec 2024
This autumn, a group of around 100 adults and children came together to launch a new church on an estate in Tolworth, south west London.
Hope Church Tolworth is an initiative between members of Cornerstone Church, Kingston (who are a part of church-planting network Co-Mission) and others who have come from Emmanuel Church, Tolworth (who are Anglican). They met for the first time on Sunday 24 November in a local Primary School building, following months of gathering for prayer, picnics and meals. The pastor is Bart Erlebach, who was formerly the minister of Emmanuel, Tolworth.
Smyth scandal: Makin fallout continues
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 19 Dec 2024
A slow but steady fallout following the publication of the Makin Review into John Smyth’s decades-long abuse is under way.
The review criticises ‘powerful’ conservative evangelical leaders – many are explicitly named. Few have been sanctioned so far.
Fight continues on assisted dying, campaigners insist
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 19 Dec 2024
‘The fight is not over,’ campaigners are insisting, as the assisted suicide bill which passed its first hurdle in Parliament now faces more detailed scrutiny.
And evangelicals are likely to be encouraged to write to the House of Commons committee examining the proposed legislation in detail once details of its membership emerge.
Free Church Scots hold national day of prayer
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 18 Dec 2024
The Free Church of Scotland observed a National Day of Prayer on 27 November to lift up the nation and the work of its denomination in sharing the gospel.
All Free Church of Scotland congregations were encouraged to join in collective prayer, with many churches holding praying meetings on the day or throughout the week. Around 100 people from churches around Scotland joined an online prayer meeting on 27 November, led by Free Church Moderator, Revd Callum Macleod.
The Westminster Conference 2024: creeds, confessions and controversies
Jeremy Walker
Date posted: 10 Dec 2024
The Westminster Conference gathered for 2024 in St Giles Mission Hall, Islington. Though it has changed its place, it has changed neither its name nor its nature, for it remains an opportunity to consider theology through the lens of church history and so learn powerful lessons for the church of today.
The conference spans two days, each having three sessions, with questions and discussion following all but the closing session. The first two sessions on the Tuesday were given over to questions of the Trinity and Christology, as Stéphane Simonnin and Gary Brady walked us through the Council of Nicaea and the Salter’s Hall debates, showing us that both in the fourth and eighteenth century, men were wrestling with the doctrine of the Trinity, the relations of the persons, and the two natures in the one person of Christ — leaving us both with rich blessings to inherit and ongoing questions to answer in the face of continued drifting from truth.
Equipping women: 50 trained to give Christmas talks
Jonny Reid
Date posted: 9 Dec 2024
Passion for Evangelism and Oak Hill College have teamed this autumn to offer a practical workshop designed to help women craft engaging evangelistic talks for Christmas events.
With over 30 in the room at Oak Hill and 20 online, speakers included Sarah Dawkins from Torch Trust who asked how we can connect Christ with the season, Oak Hill College Principal James Robson on the craft of communicating well and Kristi Mair on the topic of failure.
New rural Scottish centre launched
Sarah Robinson
Date posted: 6 Dec 2024
The Free Church of Scotland has officially launched its new rural initiative, the Centre for Rural Ministry.
The Centre was initiated by Skye and Wester Ross presbytery but with a Scotland-wide remit to resource remote and rural Free Church congregations.
Christian therapist group ‘badly treated’
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 5 Dec 2024
The health super-regulator has admitted it badly treated a Christian therapist group that helps people with unwanted same-sex attraction.
In June 2024, the International Foundation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC) applied for accreditation to the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). The IFTCC says it supports providers who ‘help those experiencing unwanted relational and sexual behaviours, attractions and patterns, or are confused with their gender or wish to de-transition’.
‘God speaks my language’
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 4 Dec 2024
‘God speaks my language’ – the theme and testimony of many at Grace Baptist Mission’s Annual Mission Day.
At Friends House on London’s Euston Road, many GBM missionaries shared stories on the last Saturday in October of how people all over the world are hearing God’s word in their own heart language – through preaching, teaching, Bible translation, personal evangelism, literature and radio programmes.
New resource launched to help churches address racism
Evangelical Alliance
Date posted: 3 Dec 2024
A new resource aiming to help churches tackle racism has been launched by the One People Commission and South Asian Forum.
Visions of Justice and Hope explores one of the most contested cultural questions of our time: What does it mean to be human and a Person of Colour?
Kemi Badenoch ‘understands Christian values’
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 2 Dec 2024
David Burrowes, former Tory MP and Co-Director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, says new party leader Kemi Badenoch understands the importance of Christian values.
‘Kemi Badenoch has grown up in a Christian household and knows about the importance of Christian values as the foundation of family and community life,’ he said. ‘CCF looks forward to helping her renewal of Conservatism by listening to Britain’s faith communities about what the previous government got wrong and what we need to do to put it right.’
letter from Dublin
400 women gather for Irish convention
Lois McCrea
Date posted: 1 Dec 2024
Over 400 women gathered for the sold-out annual Dublin Women’s Convention in late October.
Now in its 14th year, the convention is organised by a committee of women from churches within the Dublin Gospel Partnership. Women from all across the Republic of Ireland attended the convention to hear Jen Wilkin, US author and Bible-teacher, deliver three sessions on the attributes of God under the theme of ‘Behold our God, Worshipping Rightly Through Reverence and Imitation’.
Assisted suicide vote – evangelical reactions
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 29 Nov 2024
Evangelicals are processing the news that assisted suicide is a significant step closer to being legalised in the UK.
Following its second reading, MPs voted 330 to 275 today in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s bill –The draft Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – to legalise assisted suicide for people who have six months left to live, and who have mental capacity to make the choice.
politics & policy
We need more love for our politicians
David Burrowes
Date posted: 29 Nov 2024
Politics at least for the last eight years has been a tale of the unexpected, but what has sadly but not surprisingly been consistent has been the low view the public have for politicians.
In the league table of who you trust, politicians are always in the relegation zone, and this is matched by the growing disinterest and disdain for politics. But Christians, we have to do better and be distinctive in our view of politics, particularly when our politicians let us down.
‘Amazing’ event in Northern Ireland
en staff
Date posted: 29 Nov 2024
This year’s Northern Ireland Ministry Assembly has been described as ‘amazing’ by organisers on X (formerly Twitter). Jonty Rhodes and Jonathan Landry Cruse spoke on Haggai and Malachi.
Aiming to help preachers
The event was held at Maze Presbyterian Church, Lisburn. The website states: ‘The aim of the Northern Ireland Ministry Assembly is to encourage and help preachers to give themselves to the indispensable work of presenting the Lord Jesus Christ to believers and unbelievers, to all ages, and to all kinds of people. We seek to encourage a commitment to expository preaching.’
