Churches bring hope amid poverty
Luke Randall
Date posted: 9 Oct 2025
Churches are increasingly being seen as places of “genuine hope and care” by struggling families who are struggling to feed their children, according to Christians Against Poverty (CAP).
The organisation recently released its latest Client Report, which highlights the impact of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. The research revealed that 12% of UK parents have skipped meals during the last year to feed their children, while 59% of clients have borrowed money to pay for their regular food shop.
Duo joins leadership at West End church
Jim Sayers
Date posted: 4 Oct 2025
Members of Hope Community Church in London’s West End have a sense of anticipation as a change of leadership takes place. Alex Brito as pastor and Tim Gardner as evangelist are joining Hope, serving Soho and Covent Garden, each working for the church part-time. Alex and Tim took over from Andrew Murray and Keith Holmes in September.
Alex comes from Mosaic Multicultural Church, which was based across the river in Southwark, but has been adopted by Hope. Members of Mosaic Church have come with him to Hope. Tim, an elder at Hayes Lane Bromley, knows Hope well, having worked alongside them in the past as Grace Baptist Association evangelist. He looks forward to offering pastoral care for the existing members, and reaching out to the city centre community.
New Archbishop poses challenge for evangelicals
en staff
Date posted: 3 Oct 2025
Evangelicals in the Church of England are facing fresh challenges following the announcement that Sarah Mullally is to be the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
The appointment of a woman with liberal views on a number of issues will prove difficult not only for reformed evangelicals in the CofE but for the wider Anglican Communion, which is more conservative than the Church of England.
Evangelicals condemn synagogue attack
en staff
Date posted: 3 Oct 2025
Evangelicals are among those expressing their horror after an antisemitic terrorist attack at a synagogue in Manchester.
Two people were killed and four others left in a serious condition following the incident, which took place at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, a large Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogue founded in 1935.
Scotland: Humanists go on offensive
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 3 Oct 2025
Humanists are calling out Scottish schools for what they allege is Christian bias and a lack of inclusivity in religious observance (RO) in state schools.
In a new report, titled “Preaching is Not Teaching,” the Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) claims that schools fail to provide adequate transparency on RO to parents and carers – and can be hostile to humanist, atheist, agnostic, or other non-religious worldviews, it is alleged.
Reflections from ReNew 2025: Growing Leaders
Tim Vasby-Burnie & Neil Robbie
Date posted: 1 Oct 2025
Tim Vasby-Burnie and Neil Robbie reflect on the 2025 ReNew Conference, Growing Leaders, which was held from 29-30 September in Leeds. The event is all about "advancing Anglican Evangelical ministries for the salvation of England", and ReNew describes itself as a mission, a network, and conferences.
Reflections from day one - Tim Vasby-Burnie
Why should people attend a conference like ReNew?
Tape reveals historic Packer & Lloyd-Jones debate
en staff
Date posted: 1 Oct 2025
A newly-rediscovered recording of acclaimed Welsh preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones reveals a rare, extended debate with leading evangelical theologian J.I. Packer on knowing God.
Last month, en reported that several recordings, not previously available anywhere in the world, had been obtained by the Martyn Lloyd-Jones Trust, which is committed to preserving and distributing the teaching of the famed Westminster Chapel pastor, who lived 1899–1981.
faith & finance
Faithful stewardship in a shifting economy
Pod Bhogal
Date posted: 30 Sep 2025
Will the Bank of England cut rates in November? As a Christian seeking to be a faithful steward, knowing if interest rates will fall is more than financial news. It indicates how economic policy may affect our savings, giving, and ability to plan for the future.
There’s been a lot of talk in the press about interest rates and if they will come down or stay the same. Let’s walk through some scenarios together, with clarity and care.
Abergavenny Mosque challenged by councillors
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 30 Sep 2025
A local authority is facing legal action by three Christian councillors after it approved the use of a former Abergavenny library as a mosque, allegedly without proper scrutiny.
Monmouthshire County Council agreed to grant a 30-year lease of the former Carnegie library to the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association (MMCA) for use as a mosque and Islamic centre earlier this year.
OMF investigation: No end in sight yet
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 29 Sep 2025
An investigation into allegations against several individuals from two former pupils at a former Chefoo school is “complex and sensitive”, mission organisation OMF International has said.
The investigation into “harm caused by several alleged perpetrators” at the school commenced after the former pupils made a complaint to OMF UK in June 2024. In January this year, OMF said in a statement that three specialist teams had been set up to conduct interviews.
Gospel makes waves by the sea: United Beach Missions
en staff
Date posted: 28 Sep 2025
Beach missions are alive and well – at least if these photos are anything to go by!
Some of the UBM (United Beach Missions) team can be seen getting ready for outreach as the summer season hit its peak.
Irish fire grows: Kinfire Christian Festival
Mark Loughridge
Date posted: 28 Sep 2025
Two years ago saw the start of Kinfire, a new and unique conference/festival for Christians in the Republic of Ireland. About 600 gathered for the inaugural event – fast forward just two years and a larger meeting space was needed for the 850 who had registered to come!
Great teaching abounded, especially from local pastors on the main stage, including Mark Smith (pictured), and from a variety of speakers in the seminars – including Michael Ots on evangelism and Crawford Gribben on the exciting early history of the Irish church.
Birmingham ban raises street preaching fears
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 28 Sep 2025
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.
Hertfordshire church saves historic building
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 27 Sep 2025
An evangelical church in Hertfordshire has saved a historic building from destruction by securing it as the congregation’s new home.
ChristChurch Harpenden saw off competition from commercial developers as it sought to obtain a town-centre building – once a theatre – that had fallen into disrepair after years of underuse. The council’s plans to redevelop the site into housing were rejected, forcing them to sell. ChristChurch’s Lauren Cox shared with en: “Had the property become available even a year earlier, the church would not have been in as good a position to bid. This timing wasn’t accidental, for God had been quietly preparing the way.”
Students invited to ‘uncover Jesus' with their friends
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 27 Sep 2025
“See for yourself” – that’s been the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship’s (UCCF’s) invitation through its Uncover publication series. The first Uncover, released in 2011, explored Luke’s Gospel and was followed by Uncover John (2015) and Uncover Mark (2018). This year marks the next release in the family – a new version of Uncover Luke.
“How much do your friends know about the most famous Person in world history?” UCCF writes. Designed to help students and their friends discover more about Jesus and the life He offers, Uncover Luke (2025) was launched at this year’s national Forum conference where more than 1,000 students gathered to encourage one another, share Christian Union mission ideas, and pray together.
Hope in the Public Square: A Christian vision for the UK
Jubilee Centre
Date posted: 25 Sep 2025
Westminster College, Cambridge, hosted Hope in the Public Square - a two-day hybrid conference organised by the Jubilee Centre in partnership with Cambridge Papers.
Participants gathered in-person and online from across the UK, to explore how a relational perspective can shape responses to today’s most pressing public issues.
Kirk: Free-speech lessons for UK, say teachers
en staff
Date posted: 25 Sep 2025
Christian teachers in the UK say the assassination of Charlie Kirk in the United States has powerful lessons for this country.
In a blog on its website, the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT) says: “The shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk, a high-profile advocate for open dialogue, has once again brought the issue of free speech into sharp focus. While his work was centred in the United States, his assassination is a chilling reminder to all of us – especially in the West – that words and ideas are increasingly treated as dangerous in themselves – and that the cost of defending them can be devastating.
Assisted dying: Delay to allow new select committee to hear expert evidence
Nicola Laver
Date posted: 25 Sep 2025
The assisted suicide bill has been delayed to allow a time-limited select committee to hear expert evidence on safeguards and existing gaps in the bill.
The bill was receiving its second reading in the House of Lords with a vote expected on 19 September. However, a written request by 20+ cross-party peers for a select committee to hear oral evidence from professionals has been accepted. The letter said this was a “necessity” to ensure the bill contains the promised “robust safeguards”. Lord Falconer, the bill’s sponsor in the Lords, agreed to a fast-tracked select committee which is to report back by 7 November.
