Jonathan Fletcher trial delayed to 2026
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 21 Jul 2025
The trial of former vicar Jonathan Fletcher has been postponed to May 2026 to enable the defence to obtain expert reports on his fitness to plead.
Fletcher pleaded not guilty in August 2024 to eight counts of indecent assault on a male. His trial had been due to start on 30 June. Kingston Crown Court confirmed that he has not yet been arraigned on an additional count of grievous bodily harm.
Jonathan Leeman addresses authority in the local church
Andrew Roycroft
Date posted: 20 Jul 2025
The Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East) has hosted a half-day conference entitled ‘Authority in the Local Church’ in London. Jonathan Leeman, President of 9Marks, taught two sessions on the subjects of ‘Congregational Authority in the Local Church’ and ‘Elders’ Authority in the Local Church.’
Taking congregationalism as his starting point, Leeman demonstrated that the Biblical pattern of church planting sees the congregation come first, and elder leadership come later. The pattern for polity in the book of Acts was for Paul and Barnabas to first plant a church and to appoint elders at a later stage. In line with historic Baptist teaching on the theme, Leeman identified the congregation as primary in God’s gathering of a people. The congregation carries responsibility to protect the gospel, affirm gospel citizens through baptism and membership, disciple fellow members, and evangelise non-Christians. Biblical elders have the authority to teach and equip members for these key activities, helping and instructing them towards maturity of faith and ministry.
2025 church writes letter to 2055 church
Dan Jenkinson
Date posted: 19 Jul 2025
What are you praying for your church to be like in 30 years’ time?
That’s the question Moorlands Church in Lancaster asked the children in their congregation. A slide into the baptism pool and people arriving on hoverboards were some of the more imaginative answers. Other answers included: “Still love listening to Jesus” (Gus, 3); “Keep singing lovely songs about Jesus” (Jemimah, 6); and to “Keep growing for the right reason so that the good news of Jesus’ salvation will go out to all the world” (Hannah, 13).
Book-loving believers meet
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 19 Jul 2025
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.
General Synod acts on clergy conduct document amid wider LLF concerns
Helen Catt
Date posted: 18 Jul 2025
On Tuesday 15 July, the last day of its meeting, the General Synod approved an amended motion, which called for the removal of the 1991 document Issues in Human Sexuality, as part of the discernment and vocations process for ordinands in the Church of England. They asked for it to be replaced, in the interim, with Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy.
Issues in Human Sexuality was originally designed to be a teaching document, but it had taken on a more significant role as part of the Church’s discernment and vocations process, setting out expectations for the conduct of clergy. It is seen by many (including most orthodox voices on General Synod) as inappropriate in tone and language, and outdated.
MP calls for 'Christian restoration' of UK
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 18 Jul 2025
In an “courageous” speech in the House of Commons this week, MP Danny Kruger has issued an urgent call for the UK to return to its Christian roots.
Kruger, MP for Devizes in Wiltshire, spoke to an almost empty chamber while he laid out a two-fold rationale for his call: reminding listeners of England’s Biblical foundations, and warning of the dangers of a society which is absent of a Christian God.
Brother Andrew’s Open Doors at 70: Smuggling Bibles and seeing miracles
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 18 Jul 2025
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.
FIEC women in ministry gather, smile and thrive
Joel Murray
Date posted: 18 Jul 2025
Serving as a woman in ministry is a privilege and a blessing, but it can be a lonely role – that’s why 30 women from churches across the UK gathered for three days for Thrive, coming together around God’s word for refreshment and support.
The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) Director for Women’s Ministry, Rachel Sloan, commented: “Thrive is a key way that FIEC seeks to equip women in ministry for the responsibilities God has called them to in the local church.”
Report calls for new Freedom of Religion Act
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 17 Jul 2025
An in-depth report on abortion buffer zones says there are serious issues around freedom of belief, religion and speech.
The report also concludes that “a pro-abortion worldview has in effect been legally prioritised and protected from any form of criticism” and calls for the government to introduce a Freedom of Religion Act.
UK’s first Classical Christian school faces imminent closure
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 16 Jul 2025
A small Christian primary school in the West Midlands is in "a critical state" and could close by the end of July as a direct result of the imposition of VAT on school fees.
The King Alfred School in Dudley said it has gone down from 34 children to 18 children since the measures came into effect. One of the school’s founders, Hayley Bowen, said the new policy on VAT has “devastated our income stream”.
Keswick draws delegates from 90 conventions
Jonathan Lamb
Date posted: 16 Jul 2025
Delegates from 16 countries representing 90 different Bible-teaching events and almost 50,000 believers are attending the 150th celebrations at the Keswick Convention.
They are participating in a special track – the Keswick Fellowship International Consultation.
Christian artist banned from own show sues authorities
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 10 Jul 2025
A Christian artist, who is suing a local authority after she was barred from her own exhibition after voicing her gender critical beliefs, has uncovered lies and “collusion”, Christian Concern says.
A judge has allowed Victoria Culf, 44, to file an amended claim against Watford Borough Council in light of the new evidence. She started her claim last year on several grounds including breach of contract, discrimination and harassment, misfeasance in public office and defamation.
Innovative evangelism launched: Bible study and gardening
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 4 Jul 2025
By bringing God, Bible study and gardening together, Hazelnut Community Farm in East Bristol is pioneering an innovative approach to living out the Christian faith that reaches their neighbourhood with the gospel while combating the climate crisis.
Located in the grounds of St Anne’s Church, the farm is both a Christian community and a community garden, a space for outdoor worship and a thriving vegetable plot.
140th anniversary of the Cambridge Seven's mission to China
OMF
Date posted: 4 Jul 2025
This year marks the 140th anniversary of the Cambridge Seven sailing for China in February 1885.
The OMF website explains: “This group of seven Christians from Britain caught the imagination of the church and the nation as they gave up riches, fame and comfortable lives to go and share the good news of Jesus in China through the China Inland Mission (CIM), now OMF International.
More UK adults exploring Christianity? New report reveals why
Milla Ling-Davies
Date posted: 2 Jul 2025
Amid recent reports of a “quiet revival” and renewed exploration of Christianity in the UK, the question remains: Why the growing interest? A new report from the Evangelical Alliance has helped reveal the answer.
The Evangelical Alliance’s (EA) “Finding Jesus” research, conducted in 2024 and released this June, found that UK adults are investigating Christianity primarily due to a need for meaning and hope – often prompted by a personal crisis.
Bible translation claims are disputed by Wycliffe
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 1 Jul 2025
Claims by the author of The Passion “translation” of the Bible – that he translated a version of the New Testament for an indigenous people in Panama – have been rejected by Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Brian Simmons has, for many years, repeated claims online and in writing that he was a co-translator with Wycliffe in translating the Paya-Kuna New Testament. He has also claimed, in freely available interviews online, to have visited a library in heaven where Jesus promised him an “extra” chapter of the Gospel of John.
Evangelical group marks 75 years
Ros Clarke
Date posted: 30 Jun 2025
Anglican evangelical group Church Society is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its formation from the amalgamation of two organisations with their roots in the 19th century: the Church Association and the National Church League.
In June 1950 these two groups came together, recognising their shared aims and the value of a united front. Since then, Church Society has continued to contend for the Church of England to be renewed and reformed in Biblical faith, following in the footsteps of men like J. C. Ryle and William Griffith-Thomas – as well as a number of redoubtable ladies!
Two million sermon transcripts ready
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 29 Jun 2025
Every sermon available on SermonAudio is now “fully transcribed and searchable”, it has announced.
SermonAudio, which hosts an online library of more than 2 million sermons, said it is one of the most powerful features it has ever released.
