Ben Stansfield to lead Global Connections
Luke Randall
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
Ben Stansfield has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Global Connections, (GC) replacing Chris Wigram who had served in an interim capacity in recent months.
GC exists to equip the UK church and mission community in the world. Ben has spent over 25 years working for international charities, church ministries and discipleship ministries, so has helpful experience ahead of taking on the role.
Calum MacLeod
Luke Randall
Date posted: 17 Dec 2025
The Free Church of Scotland has named Calum Iain MacLeod as the Moderator Designate for its 2026 General Assembly. Brought up on the isle of Scalpay, Harris, he has served as the minister of congregations in Barvas and Back, on Lewis, before serving Ferintosh and Resolis Free Church in the Black Isle, where he has worked since 2019.
Macleod, who has also been a member of the Free Church Mission Board and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said: “It has been my privilege to serve the Church in various congregations over the years. It is a great honour to be nominated as Moderator-Designate of the 2026 General Assembly.”
King Charles III becomes patron of mission agency
Luke Randall
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
King Charles III has become the Patron of the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS).
He takes over from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II in support of the Anglican evangelical mission agency, which said in an Instagram post that it is ‘delighted’ the King wants to continue to have a relationship with them.
New minister for Govan Free Church
Luke Randall
Date posted: 27 Oct 2024
David MacPherson has been appointed as the new minister of Govan Free Church. He moves to the West Glasgow congregation following ministry in other congregations including Bon Accord Free Church in Aberdeen and Greenock Free Church, as well as a period of mission work in Peru.
About 85 people attended the service of induction, which saw the church induct only its second-ever minister, following Norman Mackay’s departure in 2022. Mackay had planted the church in 2013.
Change of leadership for Bury Street Community Church
Luke Randall
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024
Jake Tasker has been inducted as the pastor of Bury Street Community Church, Enfield, London.
He has spent much of the past year serving as Pastor Designate and takes on the role having studied at Oak Hill Theological College. Formed in 2017, the church is a member of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) and Together for Mission (TFM).
Nicky Cruz: Keeping on keeping on at 85
Luke Randall
Date posted: 1 Jun 2024
Nicky Cruz has revealed that his ongoing mission at the age of 85 is to bring people to Jesus in a world which sees many young people harmed by ‘loneliness’ and a ‘lack of ethics’.
In an interview with Evangelical Focus before he attended the ‘Fire in Your Bones’ conference in Madrid in early May, he spoke about how today’s world seems to have prompted an increasing number of young people to consider suicide as an option, as he did aged nine following a traumatic childhood, but that ‘transformation is in Christ.’