Displaying items by tag: UK

Unprecedented evangelical unity across the UK will run from April to October with 100,000+ Christians taking part in '17:21'. The initiative is named after Jesus prayer in John 17:21: 'May they all be one that the world might believe'. Christian groups, conferences and festivals will read the same Bible reading, prayer of commitment, and declaration of a shared life in Christ, and play the same worship song. Malcolm Duncan, representing Spring Harvest, added, 'The 17:21 initiative calls all of us who stand under the shadow of the Cross to link arms in the great responsibility that God has given us – presenting a living Saviour to a dying world. I have been humbled and thrilled to be part of this call to the festivals, conventions and Bible weeks in the United Kingdom to declare that we are united by far more than what divides us. May God take us beyond structural and mechanistic unity and give us the boldness and courage to stand together for Christ.' The initiative comes in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

A bill on abortion rules will be brought before Parliament on Monday under the ten-minute rule. This bill calls for the decriminalisation of abortion, without specifying any restrictions - allowing abortion up to birth, on demand, for any reason. Conservative MP Maria Caulfied commented, ‘We are surprised and deeply concerned that such a radical proposal is being brought forward. Already within our current legal framework we have seen doctors pre-signing forms, gender-selective abortions being offered, live babies being left to die following abortions that have gone wrong and children with minor disabilities, such as cleft palates, aborted.’ Also please pray for Roger Kiska, who in a historic case on Tuesday will present oral arguments before the EU Court of Justice on behalf of the 1.9 million Europeans who signed the initiative to protect the unborn child.

Last week an independent investigation exposed serious allegations of international human rights breaches at young offenders’ institutions in the UK. One example was a teenage prisoner with a serious mental health condition who, it is claimed, was placed in solitary confinement inside a number of different British jails during a period of six months, causing him considerable distress and psychological damage. Prison inspection reports suggest some children have been driven to self-harm due to the severe emotional distress of solitary confinement. On Tuesday a legal challenge began over a boy locked up for 23 hours a day in a young offenders’ prison in west London. See:

Last Sunday's Songs of Praise included worship in a mosque. Is the BBC's Muslim head of religious programming changing Christian slots? Last November, following complaints of unacceptable Muslim bias and the deliberate marginalisation of Christianity, the BBC said that it was axing both the role of head and the department of religion, bringing all religious programming and coverage under the remit of former Labour MP James Purnell, the head of radio and education. However, on 25 February it quietly announced that it had appointed another Muslim, Fatima Salaria, as the new head of religious programming - going against its previous statement. The BBC seems to be favouring Muslims, ignoring pleas of other religious groups for proportionate and fair representation. In another incident, the BBC questioned the decision by an MP to come to a parliamentary committee on Ash Wednesday with a small ash cross marked on her forehead. As Barnabas Fund put it, ‘It would be hard to imagine the BBC mocking a Muslim MP for keeping Ramadan’. See:

On Wednesday Philip Hammond delivered his first Budget as Chancellor. He said that the Treasury's priority was ‘making sure that our economy is resilient and that we’ve got reserves in the tank’ as the Government prepares to begin Brexit negotiations. Some of the key points were: - extra money for new free schools in England, which could include grammar schools - significant spending on social care - £5m fund to mark next year's centenary of women first getting the vote - cash to alleviate the impact of increased business rates on firms - £500m support for electric vehicles, robotics and artificial intelligence. The decision which has attracted the most criticism is an increase in national insurance contributions by self-employed people. The debate goes on, and the media discussions will help Christians to digest and intercede wisely in the coming days. In the midst of change and challenge, we can pray for the United Kingdom to step into a new level of governing that is led by God’s Holy Spirit at every level.

Missionary Tim Fielder is spearheading a ministry called Body and Soul Fitness that combines personal training with discipleship of unchurched young men. ‘I often talked to others about God at my gym. So I thought ‘What about a gym session and Bible study together?’ Then a Christian youth club offered us a place to use as much as we want. As well as a group gym session on Wednesdays there are personal sessions between three and five hours long, with 30/40-minute personal training and 20/30 minute Bible study over a protein shake, all completely free. Most of the men are between 16-19, some up to 24. Some are in college or school, some are not in education, employment or training and get recommended through a Future and Hope Employment Project. The one-to-ones seem to be working. There’s something about being in the macho atmosphere of a gym with opportunities for being humbled or affirmed.

In January Ofsted reported that the Meadows Primary School in Bristol was ‘inadequate’ and that ‘racism and bullying have not been dealt with quickly enough.’ This is just one of many incidents where teachers have been found to use bullying techniques and language. Bullying also occurs in school playgrounds. Kind, loving, and funny 12-year-old Matthew was found hanged after being bullied at school. He is just one of many youngsters suffering bullying at school. A BBC File on 4 investigation found that more than 20,000 allegations of abuse by care home workers against the elderly and vulnerable have been made in the last three years. Of the claims 12,000 were of neglect, more than 3,000 were physical abuse, 2,400 were psychological abuse, 400 were sexual abuse. The vast majority related to the care of elderly people in their homes, most aged over 80. See and

On Tuesday Bristol magistrates convicted two Christian preachers of public order offences, many believing they rode roughshod over principles of freedom of speech. They imposed a fine and costs on each of them, totalling £2,016. The case arose over an outreach in Bristol where Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell had preached the Gospel in front of John Wesley’s Chapel. They told the crowd that ‘the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy’, adding that people were on their way to hell because of their view of Christianity. It was decided that the inclusion of homosexuality in a list containing thieves and drunkards was abuse. Michael Phillips, defending, told the court the list of sinners was in 1Cor. 6:9-10. It was the same passage cited in the Appeal Court case of Alison Redmond-Bate, where important principles of free speech were laid down and her conviction set aside. There, as in this case, a hostile crowd gathered and police were called. There, as in this case, the preachers, not the trouble-makers, were wrongly arrested.

‘Sex and relationships’ education is to be made compulsory in all schools in England. All children from the age of four will be taught about safe and healthy relationships. Children will also be taught, at an appropriate age, about sex, but parents will continue to have a right to withdraw their children from such lessons. Until now, sex education has been compulsory only in council-run schools. Now all schools across the system will have to provide age-appropriate lessons on what constitutes healthy relationships, as well as the dangers of sexting, online pornography and sexual harassment. Schools will have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, to develop integrated approaches sensitive to the local community, and faith schools will continue to teach in accordance with the tenets of their faith.

On 2 March, Northern Ireland will vote for a new Assembly amid much uncertainty. DUP leader Arlene Foster faces criticism for an energy scheme that wasted hundreds of millions of public money. Sinn Fein faces a generation change as Martin McGuinness steps down, and the finance minister describes the Brexit votes as having a calamitous effect on the economy. Some say Brexit could scupper the peace deal. Pray for God’s hand on this election: for truth, integrity, and peace. Scotland voted 62% to remain, believing the single market is vital to jobs and economy. The SNP are deciding whether to call another referendum - their conference is in late March.The UK will trigger Article 50 in mid-March. Pray for the relations between London and Scotland to improve, for leaders to have wisdom and integrity.