In Depth:  Lydia Houghton

Lydia Houghton

A cyber security incident has affected several Christian organisations.

It is believed that compromised credentials were used to gain unauthorised access to Beacon Apps Ltd’s systems, and copies of databases held by the organisation were reportedly made.

Lydia Houghton

Keswick Convention attendees put their questions to a panel of evangelical speakers in a Q&A hosted by Evangelicals Now (en).

Jason Roach (Director of Ministries at London City Mission), en’s Chair of Trustees, Dr Joel Morris of Union School of Theology, Adrian Reynolds (Associate National Director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches), Clare Heath-Whyte (author and biographer), and Peter Lynas (UK Director of the Evangelical Alliance) formed the “Question Time” panel with Morris chairing. Morris said: “We had a fantastic audience at Keswick, an excellent panel, and plenty of sharp questions and lively discussion. What a wonderful way to celebrate en’s 40th anniversary!”

Lydia Houghton

A pioneering evangelical organisation is using tiny technology to plant gospel seeds in hard-to-reach nations.

More than 100 delegates have attended its first conference, gathering in the hope of reaching millions of people across the world.

Lydia Houghton

The Logos Hope ship, a floating bookfair and ministry hub, is visiting six UK ports.

Belonging to mission organisation Operation Mobilisation (OM), the Logos Hope was launched in 2009 and has had nearly 11 million visitors to date. OM’s largest ship is visiting some of the UK’s biggest ports – London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Cardiff, Belfast, and Liverpool – and is due to conclude its “Waves of Hope” tour in November 2026.

Lydia Houghton

Forty-one per cent of surveyed participating churches said that between 20 and 50 non-Christians heard the gospel during nationwide mission Life ’26.

But 42% of churches also reported that no-one came to faith, with an equal number saying they didn’t know if anyone had been converted, and 17% of those surveyed saying between one and five people made a commitment to Christ (see chart). A Passion for Life (APFL) spearheaded the mission. APFL’s Communications and Operations Lead, Alex Hillman, told en: “It’s too early to quantify ‘success’ in terms of professions of faith and genuine repentance, but we’ve been really encouraged by the feedback from churches.”

Lydia Houghton

A long-running Christian charity is facing a “funding crisis” which puts the future of its work “at risk”, it says.

Drug education charity Hope UK – established in Victorian times as the Band of Hope – says it is “urgently in need of support to help fund its work into next year.”

Lydia Houghton

Graham Nicholls has been appointed as Honorary Director of The Gospel Coalition UK (TGC-UK).

The decision was taken through a “unanimous vote in favour” at the TGC-UK Forum, the organisation’s inaugural consultation and decision-making group.

Lydia Houghton

An Anglican chaplain cleared to return to ministry after a seven-year battle says too many Church of England leaders belong to the “metropolitan elite” and have forsaken a Christian worldview.

In 2019, Bernard Randall was referred to Prevent (the UK’s counter-radicalisation programme, part of the Government’s wider counterterrorism strategy), treated as a safeguarding risk, and effectively shut out of ministry for preaching a sermon rooted in CofE doctrine.

Lydia Houghton

Evangelicals Now (en) has responded to an Amnesty International UK report – now withdrawn for review – which branded it, among others, an “anti-rights organisation”.

Some of those also labelled a “growing threat” to human rights were the Evangelical Alliance, Affinity, the Christian Institute, Christian Values in Education (CViE); the Christian Medical Fellowship; Living Out; Christians in Parliament; Lovewise; Christian Action, Research and Education (CARE); Anglican Mainstream; True Freedom Trust; and Brephos.

Lydia Houghton

A secular arts festival was used as an opportunity to “gently” open conversations about faith through the painting of the Biblical creation story.

The project was led by Ashby Baptist Church volunteer Lisa Noon who recently completed a Master’s degree in Mission, Pioneering and Theology.

Lydia Houghton

The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) is inviting churches, clergy and individuals across the UK to take part in a month of prayer for the CofE as another crunch vote looms.

The initiative coincides with the General Synod’s July meeting where Members are expected to debate a “significant” Private Member’s Motion (PMM) on marriage and sexual ethics.

Lydia Houghton

The Government’s planned social media ban “is not a silver bullet”, says Mark Gilmore, policy advisor at the Evangelical Alliance.

Speaking to en, Gilmore stated: “The social media ban is not a silver bullet, and many young people will inevitably find ways around it. However, social media has caused significant harm to children’s wellbeing, relationships and safety, which is why we have consistently called for stronger regulation.”

Lydia Houghton

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.

Lydia Houghton

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.

Lydia Houghton

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.

Lydia Houghton

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.

Lydia Houghton

In the English Riviera town of Torquay, Devon, approximately 1,400 adults and 600 young people gathered for Rising Lights. The debut Easter holiday event was organised by the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).

The morning main sessions were on Philippians and led by Paul Mallard. The evening celebrations were themed “Moments with Moses” – journeying through Exodus, with Mike Cain, Maurice McCracken, Rick Raja and John Stevens. Evening worship was led by Phil Moore.

Lydia Houghton

A police officer defended a Christian preacher’s right to free speech in Whitechapel, East London, amid verbal protests and being told that the area is “Muslim”.

In video footage, the female officer can be heard saying, surrounded by a group: “In this country, we have freedom of speech, the same way you guys have your freedom of speech.” A male member of the group responds, and uses the phrase: “This is a Muslim area.”

Lydia Houghton

A new Christian bookshop is bucking the trend of people buying books online – and it is hoping to expand further.

The number of UK Christian bookshops has declined significantly in the 21st century, with some online estimates suggesting that only around 200 remain, down from roughly 700 in the late 1990s.

Lydia Houghton

More than 340 churches are taking part in a nationwide evangelistic mission around the Easter period.

Churches as far north as Thurso, Scotland and as far south as Jersey (plus a church in France, en has been told!) are participating in Life’26 – facilitated by outreach organisation A Passion for Life (APFL) and covered in detail in both the January and February print editions of en.

Lydia Houghton

Christian doctor and research scientist John Wyatt says that a company offering the opportunity to “pick your baby” exposes a drive to control and objectify our children.

The US-based company Nucleus Genomics is offering prospective parents the chance to “have your best baby” via its website mynucleus.com.

Lydia Houghton

A group of 15 “emerging young leaders” gathered at the Pencil Factory in Keswick, in the heart of the Lake District, to think about Christian leadership and learn how to understand and teach the Bible.

The Emerging Young Leaders programme is designed for 16-18-year-olds and run by Keswick Ministries. The organisation’s Kids and Youth Ministry Lead, Ben Pearson, told en: “There is something powerful about seeing young people commit to following Christ with an enthusiasm to open God’s word together, encourage one another, and think about how to serve God’s Kingdom.”

Lydia Houghton

Churches across the country are preparing for a focused period of evangelism. Life ’26 is a nationwide gospel mission, starting in March, where church fellowships will share the gospel with their communities. A Passion for Life (APFL) oversees the mission. This year, the theme is a question: “Ever feel like something’s missing?”

Alex Hillman, APFL’s Communications and Operations Lead, told en: “Over 250 churches, from Thurso in the North of Scotland to St Helier in Jersey, will be joining together to share the gospel with friends, family, neighbours and people in their communities, under a common banner [and] with a shared mission campaign identity.”

Lydia Houghton

A creative media organisation is hoping to reach Gen Z with a five-part evangelistic documentary series.

Fount Sessions has been created by UK-based Christian charity The Stream Collective. Jake Marthinet-Glover, Creative Lead, told en: “Reaching [UK young adults] with the gospel in a way that connects with their worldviews, and shows Jesus to be real, relevant and relatable when most have next-to-no understanding of the Bible, or a Christian worldview, is challenging.

Lydia Houghton

A church in Lancashire has been transformed into C.S. Lewis’ beloved land of Narnia with the hope of pointing visitors to Christ.

Finding Jesus in Narnia, at St Bartholomew’s Church in Colne, was made up of scenes from the stories – cut out of large sheets of plywood and painted. The exhibition included written guides and panels explaining both the story and its Christian elements.

Lydia Houghton

Evangelism organisation Solas recently marked its 15th anniversary, commemorating the occasion with an online celebration, during which the team took the opportunity to thank its supporters, share stories of lives changed, and announce new initiatives.

Solas (the Scottish Gaelic word for “light”) was formed in 2010. Assistant Director for Operations and Communications, Simon Wenham, told en that the vision was to be a public voice for Christianity in Scotland. Fifteen years later, Solas, though based in Scotland, is now a UK-wide ministry.

Lydia Houghton

Lots of young people are responding positively to the question “What would you say if a friend asked you to read the Bible with them?”

In an Instagram reel posted by @uncoverJesus, seven out of nine young people said that yes, they would read the Bible if a friend asked.

Lydia Houghton

With billionaires racing to colonise Mars and build orbital resorts, one theologian is asking: “Who will bring the gospel to outer space?”

Stephen Stallard is author of “The Final Frontier of Mission: Space Tourism, Lunar Colonies, and the Future of Interplanetary Mission” – a chapter in the book New Frontiers in Missiology (2025).

Lydia Houghton

The leader of a former FIEC-affiliated church which became Eastern Orthodox in September has been explaining why they made the move.

Hope Church Halifax, which was part of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, has become St Hilda’s Orthodox Church, part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland. It now uses a Roman Catholic building, St Malachy’s, for its services.

Lydia Houghton

This summer saw more than 1,000 students descend on The Quinta Christian Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire, for the annual Forum conference, hosted by the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF).

Attending the gathering for the first time in his role as CEO was Matt Lillicrap, who took over leadership last autumn. en had an exclusive opportunity to chat with him about all things student ministry, just as UCCF is launching its brand-new Uncover Luke publication.

Lydia Houghton

The Director of Bible translation organisation The Word for the World UK (TWFTW) is doing a sponsored climb of Mount Catherine (the highest mountain in Egypt) and Mount Sinai.

Steve Lancaster is raising funds to buy 10,000 Sena Bibles for the people of Malawi; he needs £48,000 and has already raised over £24,000. Lancaster said: “The Sena Bible was published in 2006… Twenty years on and the Sena church is growing, but they’ve run out of their stock of Bibles and are pleading for more!”

Lydia Houghton

Street evangelism will be hindered, it is feared, after Birmingham City Council imposed a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

The order prohibits the use of amplification equipment, musical instruments, or “other items used as musical instruments” within the stated “restricted area” – a designated part of Birmingham city centre highlighted by the local authority in the order.

Lydia Houghton

A “jaw-dropping” financial situation, and a perceived loss of doctrinal sharpness, have variously been blamed for the abrupt closure of Spurgeon’s College, London.

The Bible college – founded by celebrated preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–1892) – announced its closure earlier this year, after 169 years of service.

Lydia Houghton

Several recordings, currently not available anywhere in the world, have been obtained by the organisation committed to preserving and distributing the sermons of Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Trust (MLJ Trust) wrote on X: “One recording in particular is of special interest, and as far as we know, this ‘might be’ one of the last surviving copies of that sermon from [the evening of Friday] 1st November 1974!”

Lydia Houghton

The case of abducted Christian schoolgirl Leah Sharibu has been raised in the UK Parliament.

Sharibu has been held captive since 19 February 2018 when Islamic militants attacked the Government Girls’ Science and Technical School in Dapchi, Yobe State, Nigeria, and abducted 110 schoolgirls.

Lydia Houghton

Biblical Counselling UK (BCUK) has raised over a quarter of a million pounds towards its endeavour to 'Get Church Talking.'

The campaign has been described as BCUK’s “most ambitious” to date – with the goal to fuel the next five years of growth by raising £500,000 in one-off gifts, and doubling its number of regular donors.

Lydia Houghton

In the heart of a busy village in Buckinghamshire, a group of book-loving believers gathered to celebrate all things Christian literature.

2025 saw The St Andrews Literature Festival – organised by the local bookshop of the same name – mark its second year. Hosted in Great Missenden, the home of Roald Dahl, the two-day event saw Christian authors come together to share insights about their faith, books, and writing processes.

Lydia Houghton

Smuggling Bibles to believers in communist countries – that’s how Open Doors UK & Ireland began. 70 years on, the organisation has become an international ministry working for the good of the persecuted church.

In 1955, Dutch missionary Brother Andrew set off for Poland with a suitcase containing his Bible and hundreds of tracts entitled “The Way of Salvation”. Behind the Iron Curtain (the divide between Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and the West during the Cold War) he discovered churches desperately in need of Bibles, support, and prayer.

Lydia Houghton

A growing number of Christians are signing up to a programme committed to helping its students learn more about the Jewish roots of their faith.

The Church’s Ministry among Jewish People (CMJ) has launched “Torah Plus” – a programme focused on teaching how what is written in the first five books of the Bible (the Torah, or Pentateuch) is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus (or Yeshua), and exploring the Hebraic roots of Christianity.

Lydia Houghton

A Christian association is seeking to fill a reported gospel need in farming communities.

Tony Baskerville, Cheshire-based tenant farmer on the Rode Estate, Scholar Green, and elder at Grace Church, Sandbach, says that farmers are feeling increasingly marginalised. “There is a tremendous opportunity to reach out to them in genuine Christian love,” said Baskerville.

Lydia Houghton

In response to the increasingly prevalent liberal and progressive ideologies appearing in universities, a “new and unique” Christian college has been launched.

Selden College will be based in Oxford and has a twofold vision: to recover the heritage of Christian higher education, and to glorify God in this arena.

Lydia Houghton

A non-verbal teenager who uses his eyes to write is sharing his Christian faith through poetry, seven years on from the publication of his memoir.

Jonathan Bryan, 19, has cerebral palsy, and uses an alphabet board to communicate. His book Eye Can Write came out in 2018 – when he was only 12 years old – and details the silence, loneliness and pain of not being able to speak, and the experience of becoming literate and being able to communicate with his own words.

Lydia Houghton

The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) is launching a new Eastertime gathering, after popular Christian festival Word Alive shut down last year.

Rising Lights will take place from 6–10 April 2026 in the Devon town of Torquay, and is described as a chance to “hear God’s word, to praise our risen Saviour, and to rest.”