YouTuber Joe Weller is baptised
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 16 Sep 2026
British internet personality Joe Weller has been baptised. Following his announcement earlier this year that he had been saved by Christ, Weller shared a video of his baptism on social media.
“I used to think this was some silly dunk in water that didn’t mean anything, but having experienced the complete spiritual renewing that I received from the Holy Spirit in this journey that only Jesus can gift us, I am so excited to declare that I have been crucified with Christ,” the YouTuber wrote. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
In Birmingham, 30% are Muslims: How do you reach them?
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 29 Aug 2026
Wes Erpen is retiring from Birmingham City Mission (BCM) after 51 years’ service – 30 as CEO. He has also been the pastor at Fatherless Barn Evangelical Church in Halesowen for more than 20 years.
Established in 1966 – BCM celebrates 60 years this year – it is young for a city mission (London City Mission, for example, dates back to 1835 and Glasgow City Mission even earlier, to 1826).
Chris Cummings
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 22 Aug 2026
National charity Church Urban Fund (CUF) – which works with local partners to help them reach out to their communities – has announced Chris Cummings as its new Chair of Trustees. Cummings succeeds Sue Chalkley, who held the role for 18 months.
Cummings said: “I am honoured to be taking over the role of chair of the CUF board from Sue who is [an] inspirational leader. CUF is going through a period of renewal, where it is right we set bold objectives for the charity given the times we are facing and the needs of our beneficiaries. With God’s grace CUF can be a powerful agent for change, stepping up to meet the challenges that face us.”
Andrew Davies: A man who 'shed tears when preaching'
Trevor Archer
Date posted: 21 Aug 2026
On Monday 17 August, Andrew Davies went home to the Lord he loved and served for over 70 years. He was 85 and had suffered deteriorating health for a year or more. He died peacefully with his family around, who were able to remind him of their love and the hope they all share in the Lord Jesus. A great father in the faith has gone to his eternal reward, to be with the Lord he loved and pursued since coming to Christ aged fifteen.
Pastor at Chessington Evangelical Church 1976–1982
Many today at King's Church Chessington will not have known, or even been aware, that Andrew was the second pastor of the church from 1976 to 1982 in our original home at Parbury Rise. But on those who were around at the time he left a lasting impression.
Clive Every-Clayton: 'Zealous for helping people find hope'
Paul Every
Date posted: 20 Aug 2026
Missionary to Belgium and author Clive Every-Clayton (1942-2026) has died in Scotland after a long battle with cancer.
As a young man growing up in London, Clive was brought to faith in Christ by an evangelist on a youth group camp. He and his brother Glenn soon felt a calling to international missions and his involvement with Operation Mobilization led him to Belgium where he met his wife Dorothy.
James Leggett
James Patterson
Date posted: 15 Aug 2026
The Synod of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) has approved the appointment of James Leggett as an Assistant Bishop.
The decision will now be submitted to the Chair of the Global Anglican Council, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda. The Global Anglican Council is a new name for the leadership team of Gafcon, the Bible-based organisation distinct from the existing Anglican Communion. AMiE is affiliated to Gafcon.
Wales: New evangelical leader
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 14 Aug 2026
Alun Ebenezer is the new Director of the Evangelical Movement of Wales (EMW), it has been announced.
In the past, EMW has had General Secretaries, but the organisation says the new title better reflects the role today.
Tarot to Jesus
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 13 Aug 2026
A TikToker known for her tarot content has publicly declared her faith in Jesus, seemingly deleted all her old content, and said she will no longer give readings.
A “TikToker” is a content creator who produces and shares short videos on the TikTok social media platform. Alexandra Ashcroft, formerly known as “Alex Reads Tarot”, has begun to share Christian content. “Over the past nearly a year, my faith has become the most important thing in my life,” she says in a video. “I can no longer ignore what I feel, and where I feel God is leading me,” she adds. “And I feel at peace with taking this next step… Jesus Christ has saved my life”.
Mark Cartledge
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 11 Aug 2026
Mark Cartledge is stepping down as Principal of London School of Theology (LST) for health reasons; he will move to being a part-time research professor from September.
“All of the LST community are really appreciative of everything that Mark has contributed in his leadership over what will be seven years of service,” says a statement signed by Chair of Trustees, Peter Oakes. “We particularly value the way in which Mark led us through challenging situations, especially the Covid crisis.” At the same time that Cartledge steps down, his wife Joan plans to retire from LST, where she has worked in academic events and alumni relations.
Tiffany Barrans
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 7 Aug 2026
Tiffany Barrans has been appointed as the new CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland. She succeeds Henrietta Blyth who has held the position for eight years.
Barrans has worked for nine years as Director of Advocacy at Open Doors International. “Tiffany’s long history of working in the wider Open Doors family to support and stand alongside the persecuted church is an excellent basis for leading Open Doors UK and Ireland into this new season,” the organisation says. Barrans has also worked as an international human-rights barrister, and has served as an independent consultant for several international Christian charities. She is due to start in the position on 7 September 2026.
Austrian EA
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 6 Aug 2026
Andrea Sturm-Lauter has taken over the role of chair of the Evangelical Alliance of Austria (EAÖ). It is the first time a woman will lead the Austrian organisation.
According to Evangelical Focus, Sturm-Lauter has been a member of the EAÖ’s executive committee for three years and is a member of the Federation of Evangelical Churches (BEG), where she served “for many years” as a pastoral assistant. It’s reported that she has degrees in music, education, theology and psychosocial counselling.
Iranian pastor
James Patterson
Date posted: 4 Aug 2026
Edward Hosvepian-Mehr, an Iranian pastor and doctor who led the Iranian Church for more than three decades, has died.
Born in Iran, Hosvepian-Mehr pastored there for over five decades before shifting focus to the Persian-speaking world.
Jeremy Duff
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 2 Aug 2026
Jeremy Duff, an evangelical, has been announced as the new Dean of Emmanuel Theological College. The college was formed through a partnership between the Bishops of the six Church of England dioceses in north-west England, who sought to combine the strengths of the region’s existing colleges to form a single institution.
“Across the North West, day in day out, churches, chaplaincies, church schools, Fresh Expressions and cathedrals are doing a brilliant job in sharing the love of Jesus in their communities,” Duff said. “Emmanuel has a joyful but weighty calling to form … leaders to serve and empower that work.”
Mark Burkill
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 1 Aug 2026
Mark Burkill is stepping down as chairman of evangelical think tank the Latimer Trust.
He told en: “It was a critical time for Latimer when I took over as chairman in the year 2000. John Stott and Jim Packer both assured me then that good theology counts in the end. In the years since then, our focus on Anglican doctrine and history has indeed proved fruitful. The Trust is in good hands to carry on serving the worldwide church in this way in the future.”
Lord Mackay: A personal appreciation
David Baker
Date posted: 31 Jul 2026
Many years ago, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, who died on 7 July, aged 99, was kind enough to invite me for tea at the Palace of Westminster. This was not through any merit or distinction on my part. At the time, I was working as a young assistant minister at a church in East London.
In the small youth group that my wife and I ran at the time, there was a teenage boy who was distinctive among his secular peers in the area not only for being a Christian but also, in the ultimate act of rebellion, for being a young Conservative! (This was in an area where even the vicar put up Vote Labour posters!)
Colleges appoint 'dual' principal
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 23 Jul 2026
A pair of evangelical Anglican colleges have appointed a “dual” Executive Principal.
Sean Doherty will hold an oversight role for both Trinity College Bristol and St Mellitus College in a “new dual-institution leadership model”. Doherty has been principal of Trinity College since 2019; prior to that, he was part of the St Mellitus College staff team – first as Tutor and Lecturer in Ethics, and later as Director of Studies.
John Stott: 'A faithful servant to the very end'
Ros Clarke
Date posted: 12 Jul 2026
One of the most popular strands in the long-running Church Society podcasts looks at some of the great Anglican heroes (and heroines!) of the faith.
From Thomas Cranmer to Josephine Butler, from Lady Mary Vere to William Wilberforce, we have seen how God used men and women to build His church and bring the gospel to this nation and beyond.
Tanner Smith
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 5 Jul 2026
Tanner Smith, a star of Netflix show Love on the Spectrum U.S., has spoken publicly about what it means to be a Christian.
On the show, Smith mentioned his Christian faith multiple times, and, in a recent social media clip shared by podcaster Ryan Miller, Smith expanded on his gospel understanding: “My [mum] told me it’s not okay to just be good … you have to accept Jesus in your heart … and you have to know that He died on the cross for our sins.”
