UK & Ireland

Emily Pollok

Date posted: 31 Mar 2025

After moving around a lot over the past few years, most recently landing at a church in Nashville, Tennessee, Jonathan Worsley decided to come home last year.

Prompted by a longing for England and a conviction of the spiritual need in the UK, Worsley and his family joined with other Christians from Exeter and beyond to plant an FIEC church in the South West.

A galaxy of leading evangelical organisations is supporting what is described as an “exciting” new edition of Mark’s Gospel for mass distribution across London.

The giveaway Gospel is soon to be published by Grace Publications, in collaboration with Holman/Lifeway and London City Mission. Designed in what is described as “a contemporary zine format”, it combines “keen affordability with compelling graphics and design.”

Luke Randall

Date posted: 28 Mar 2025

The Free Church of Scotland (FCoS) says the Scottish Government’s proposed amendments to education legislation could “undermine and dilute” religious observance and education in schools.

The Scottish Government is proposing that the views of young people on their own participation in religious observance and religious and moral education should be considered. This, it says, would align legislation more closely with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), but the FCoS says existing measures already comply with the UNCRC and should remain unchanged.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 26 Mar 2025

Calls to criminalise smacking in England are regaining momentum, with leading psychiatrists urging MPs to back an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Labour MP Jess Asato has tabled an amendment to the bill abolishing the defence of reasonable punishment under the Children Act 2004. The amendment has the support of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) which said: “Physical punishment harms children’s health, wellbeing and puts them at risk of more serious physical harm.”

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 24 Mar 2025

Further allegations have been made against the late David Fletcher since three women accused him of sexual abuse over a period of many years. Fletcher was instrumental in the cover-up of the abuses perpetrated by the late John Smyth.

It looks likely an external body will be commissioned to undertake an independent investigation into Fletcher. He was a former rector at St Ebbe’s, Oxford and remained a congregant until his death in 2022.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 23 Mar 2025

The social media behaviour of an anti-Christian atheist lay member of the employment tribunal has, for the second time in a matter of months, caused protracted litigation in two cases involving the dismissal of Christians. Another lay member has also been removed from a panel for apparent bias.

In early March, Bernard Randall won permission to appeal a 2022 employment tribunal decision upholding his dismissal from Trent College following a sermon on accepted church teachings on sexuality. He was granted permission after it was revealed that Jed Purkis, a member of the tribunal panel that heard Bernard’s case, had posted several anti-Christian comments on social media before and after the tribunal ruling.

A church plant in the Merchant City area of Glasgow is embracing the historic motto of the city: “Lord let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of thy word and the praising of thy name.”

Neil Longwe and David Trimble share a vision of building a church that engages Glasgow’s culture, reaching out to those in search of spiritual renewal in this dynamic city. They are building a core team while worshipping with their “mother church”, Christ Church Glasgow. Given Glasgow’s drug crisis, they are exploring partnerships with mercy ministries to bring hope to those struggling with addiction.

Jim Sayers

Date posted: 22 Mar 2025

“There is nothing inherently admirable about people with money. Why, then, do so many gospel churches favour the rich?” That was the challenge given by Steve Kneale at a recent conference, challenging leaders to a “religion that is pure and undefiled” (James 2:27).

Many ministries target the rich and successful for “strategic” reasons, but does that mean we have shown favouritism in our giving to mission? It is much harder to fund gospel work among the poor; there is no payback and lots of help is needed.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales has welcomed delegates from sister denominations to bring greetings, receive updates, and enjoy fellowship at its biennial Presbytery meeting.

Donald John MacLean, President of Westminster Seminary UK, began with a lecture on The Communion of the Saints. With passion and persuasion he outlined the basis and glory of unity among Christians, churches and denominations, arguing that this unity is a necessary priority for all.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 22 Mar 2025

A draft “fully trans-inclusive” conversion therapy bill is to be published, the Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson has announced, though no timescale has as yet been suggested.

But the Christian Institute (CI) says government should “ditch its plan” and instead “focus on enforcing existing legislation” and helping victims of genuine abuse to “access justice under the existing legal framework”.

Luke Randall

Date posted: 21 Mar 2025

A new TV series, House of David, charting the early life of King David has been released on Amazon Prime. The eight-episode series, produced by The Wonder project, charts David’s story from his anointing as God’s chosen king by Samuel through to his defeat of Goliath.

Forbes magazine reports that the series has “with zero social media chatter...quickly become a big hit” and was even at number two in the Amazon Prime streaming chart in the US on 10 March.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 20 Mar 2025

The assisted suicide bill is becoming mired in confusion and growing fears as days of parliamentary scrutiny unfold, with Kim Leadbeater MP appearing muddled about her own proposals.

Leadbeater said from the start that her proposals for assisted dying will be “the safest in the world”. But days of debate at committee stage have prompted growing alarm that it could allow the terminally ill to choose to die because they feel a burden on their loved ones – financially or otherwise.

Trauma was the topic at this year’s Biblical Counselling UK (BCUK) conference, attended by more than 300 people.

Ben Epps, Co-Pastor of Longmeadow Evangelical Church, Stevenage, told en that trauma is “deep, unprocessed pain caused by an overwhelming event.”

The biennial Theological Study Conference of evangelical umbrella group Affinity featured “lively and robust” small group discussions.

This year’s theme, Great God of Wonders, focused on the doctrine of God – sometimes called “Theology Proper” – exploring the nature and attributes of the Lord we worship.

Bible sales in the UK are soaring, thanks to increasing interest in spiritual matters from Generation Z – those born between 1997 and 2012.

The Christian publisher SPCK says there “was an increase of 87 percent between 2019 and 2024 – from £2.69 million to £5.02 million,” The Times reports. The newspaper added: “Bible Society said that its 2018 volume Good News Bible – The Youth Edition, was ‘by far our most popular’, with sales almost doubling since 2021.”

Luke Randall

Date posted: 14 Mar 2025

The Keswick Convention will ‘prioritise the emerging generation,’ its Chief Executive says, as the event prepares to celebrate its landmark 150th anniversary this summer.

The convention was started in 1875 by Canon Thomas Harford-Battersby and Robert Wilson and was attended by three or four hundred people. Now, around 12,000 travel to the small Lake District town which has a population of just over 5,000.