Rick Simpson
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 5 Jul 2026
Rick Simpson, former President of the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (OICCU), is the new Bishop of Durham.
According to the BBC, Simpson said: “The church not handling power well, and its leaders forgetting humility, remain massive issues we have to remedy. I am here to try to bring love and encouragement to our local churches.”
Birmingham City Mission
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 4 Jul 2026
Birmingham City Mission (BCM) says Giles Coghlan is to be its new CEO. He will take over from Wes Erpen who is to retire after around 50 years’ service with BCM – 30 years as CEO.
Giles is a former city missionary with BCM and has maintained contact ever since. In the last few years, he has worked as a financial markets analyst and is actively involved with his local church, Grace Community Church, Tipton.
Joe Weller
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 2 Jul 2026
British internet personality Joe Weller says he’s been “saved by the Lord Jesus Christ”.
“Never did I think I’d be saying those words,” said Weller – who has more than 5 million YouTube subscribers – when he recorded a video posted to social media. “I thought it was a load of nonsense, but when it makes sense, it really does make sense,” he added. “[Jesus] has transformed me, He has renewed my mind, He is the truth, the way, the life, that we are all searching for.”
John Lennox & Steven Bartlett
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 1 Jul 2026
Reflecting on his podcast episode with Christian apologist and mathematician John Lennox, the entrepreneur Steven Bartlett wrote on social media: “I didn’t feel like I was being pushed towards an answer. Instead I was being invited to think more honestly about the questions.”
Lennox was a guest on Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO podcast – which has over 17 million subscribers on YouTube – to talk about faith, artificial intelligence, and more. The duo’s conversation has acquired over 2 million views on YouTube alone.
Simon Byrne
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 30 Jun 2026
Simon Byrne has been appointed as en’s new Managing Director.
He comes to en from True Freedom Trust. Byrne has also been involved in helping the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) establish The Ephesian Fund – for which he continues to work on a part-time basis.
Dale Rhoton
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 26 Jun 2026
Dale Rhoton, one of the co-founders of international mission organisation Operation Mobilisation (OM), has died at the age of 88.
Rhoton was born in 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. While studying at Maryville College in Tennessee, Rhoton met fellow students George Verwer and Walter Borchard; in 1957 the trio went on a mission trip to Mexico during which they distributed Christian literature. This outreach reportedly laid the foundation for what would become OM.
Duncan Woods
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 23 May 2026
Duncan Woods has been appointed as the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches’ (FIEC’s) Director for the North East. Woods joins a team of 13 local directors led by FIEC Associate National Director Graham Beynon.
Beynon said he is “delighted” that Woods is joining the team: “He brings lots [of] experience in local church ministry in the North East and so is ideal for this role.”
Former FIEC President Basil Howlett dies
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 22 May 2026
Basil Howlett, former President of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), has died.
Howlett served as FIEC President from 1993–1994. In 2002, while ministering at Carey Baptist Church, Reading, Howlett became Secretary of the FIEC Pastors’ Association – now known as the Pastors’ Network, which aims to “strengthen ministers in independent evangelical churches through fellowship, encouragement, and mutual support in local church ministry”.
Tributes paid to evangelist Vijay Menon
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 21 May 2026
During a service of thanksgiving at Moulton Parish Church, Northampton, evangelist Vijay Menon – who died recently (see online obituary 1 May) – was described as having a “smile that so often reflected the deep assurance he had in the gospel”.
“To say that Vijay Menon lived a unique and extraordinary life would be the master of understatement,” began Lawrence English – a member of Moulton Church – during his tribute. “Throughout his whole life, he was driven by love for God and integrity, and an irrepressible sense of humour.”
Ella Langley
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 19 May 2026
Hit country music singer Ella Langley has recently shared publicly about her faith in Christ.
In an interview with podcast host Theo Von, she described growing up in a Southern Baptist church in Alabama, where she learned about salvation through Jesus.
College principal shares mental health battle
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 11 May 2026
Please note: This article contains reference to suicide.
Waverley Abbey's new College Principal has urged the church to offer better support during Mental Health Awareness Week (11–17 May), choosing to speak openly about his own mental health battles.
Yirui Weng
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 9 May 2026
A concert pianist who grew up an atheist is reported to have become a Christian after hearing Vivaldi’s Gloria.
According to the BBC World Service, Yirui Weng, when playing the piano, “felt as if she was in communion with the composer of the piece.” Encountering Vivaldi’s Gloria led to questions such as: Who is the Son of the Father? Why is He called the Lamb of God? Why is He able to take away the sins of the world?
Theresa Stone
EAUK
Date posted: 9 May 2026
Theresa Stone is joining the Evangelical Alliance as Director of Communications and Engagement.
With an extensive background in communications and media, Theresa will lead the team in amplifying the voice of EA members and equipping the church to speak out in confidence.
Five insights from Desmond Morris (1928-2026) that Christians shouldn’t ignore
Simon Wenham
Date posted: 7 May 2026
“All I can say is that here was a man who was an absolute genius” (Desmond Morris on Jesus).
Desmond Morris may seem an unusual source of life lessons for Christians. Yet the recently deceased atheist naturalist, best known for his ground-breaking work on human behaviour, held several views that resonate with Christian thinking. Drawing from one of his final interviews, here are five insights worth reflecting on.
Evangelist Vijay Menon dies after a life of Christian ministry
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 1 May 2026
Evangelist Vijay Menon has died. A service of thanksgiving for his life and ministry was held at Moulton Parish Church, Northampton, on 24 April.
In an article published by en in 2013, Menon wrote of how he was born into a "very devout" Hindu family - in the state of Kerala, India. "As far as I can remember, I always loved God, believed in God and was willing to serve him in whatever capacity," Menon recalled. "I always prayed to him and asked his guidance before any major decision in my life."
Faithful missioner retires
BCM / Nicola Laver
Date posted: 28 Apr 2026
After 43 years of devoted service, street evangelist Paul Olise has retired from Birmingham City Mission (BCM), which said he will be greatly missed by colleagues – and many across the city who have been impacted by his ministry.
Paul joined BCM in 1982 as an In-Service Trainee after Bible college. At a service marking his retirement, he wryly observed that he had originally intended only to stay for the year’s training but decided to remain longer to gain further experience in evangelism for future ministry!
Tributes paid to Christian journalist Andrew Carey
Chris Sugden
Date posted: 23 Apr 2026
Tributes have been paid to journalist Andrew Carey, who died from pancreatic cancer earlier this year. He was previously editor of the Church of England Newspaper.
David Virtue, of website Virtue Online, said: “I first met Andrew at the 1998 Lambeth Conference where the ‘infamous’ Lambeth resolution 1:10 (on sexuality) emerged and forever changed the course and direction of the Anglican Communion.
Albert N. Martin dies
en staff
Date posted: 23 Apr 2026
Well-known American Reformed Baptist minister Al Martin has died.
Scottish-born Calvinist theologian John Murray once described him as “one of the ablest and moving preachers I have ever heard”.
