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Rosa and Isaac

Churches will always be a place of sanctuary, whatever Donald Trump says

2025-03-28T14:28:00+00:00By

When the US authorities tried to deport Rosa del Carmen, she found refuge inside a church building - living there for two years. Isaac Villegas’ decision to provide sanctuary for an undocumented immigrant may have been politically controversial, but he believes it was line with historic Christian beliefs

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Bad Bunny, good gospel: The lessons I'm learning from this Puerto Rican rapper

2025-03-28T12:50:00+00:00By

Bad Bunny’s latest album speaks of his proud Puerto Rican heritage. For pastor Johnny Riviera, it was a reminder that his allegiance is to Christ, and he will always be proud to live under God’s banner

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3 reasons why every Christian should learn a biblical language

2025-03-27T09:23:00+00:00By

A basic language course on Hebrew or Greek can transform your understanding of scripture and ultimately the world, says Dr Jonathan Rowlands

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What should Christians think about welfare cuts? It’s complicated

2025-03-26T10:45:00+00:00By

The welfare state was designed for a different time, but reforming it requires compassion and understanding. As chancellor Rachel Reeves delivers her spring statement, Christians should pray for the politicians leading this charge - and all those affected by it, says Tim Farron MP

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Shahida Bibi was forced to convert to Islam and married against her will. Now she’s free

2025-03-25T09:05:00+00:00By

Shahida Bibi was abducted, forced to convert from Christianity to Islam and sexually exploited. Tragically, she is only one of many girls who endure this fate. Her restored freedom is a sign of hope, but the fight against forced conversion and child marriage is far from over, says Tehmina Arora

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Bible sales are surging! It’s more evidence of renewal in the UK

2025-03-21T17:18:00+00:00By

Bible sales have surged in the UK, amid a broader cultural change pointing to an awakening in society. With church attendance seemingly stagnating, Sam Richardson says many are turning straight to scripture to answer life’s deepest questions

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Why your church needs to open a youth club…now!

2025-03-21T16:27:00+00:00By

From the hit Netflix series Adolescence to Gareth Southgate’s recent lecture, it’s clear from the headlines this week that young people in the UK need much better role models. Andy Mossop says it’s time for more churches to plug the gap left by funding cuts and invest in opening new youth clubs. It will bring you and your church numerous benefits, he says

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Gareth Southgate’s lecture had echoes of a sermon. Here’s what Christians can learn from it

2025-03-21T12:18:00+00:00By

Sir Gareth Southgate’s lecture on identity, redemption and the state of the youth had all the makings of a sermon – a sermon that Christians should be paying attention to, says Tim Bechervaise

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Hailey Bieber has berated believers. Is she right?

2025-03-21T09:20:00+00:00By

Following the news that Hailey Bieber has attacked preachers for their use of alliteration, Jonty Langley asks whether this just another sign of our consumer church culture, or if the celebrity’s criticism is correct 

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3,500 churches have closed in the last ten years. We must stop the epidemic

2025-03-19T16:24:00+00:00By

Across the UK, church buildings are falling into disrepair, closing and being sold off, with some turned into pubs, nightclubs and even mosques. We must act now to preserve these vital community assets says Claire Walker, before they - and their congregations - disappear forever

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Did St Patrick invent friendship evangelism?

2025-03-17T09:48:00+00:00By

St Patrick’s Day isn’t just about shamrocks and Guinness. His radical love in action turned traditional methods of evangelism upside down - and won most of Ireland to Christ. There’s much the Church can learn from his example today, says Geoff Peters

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Giles Coren has given up atheism for Lent. Are we witnessing an intellectual return to Christianity?

2025-03-14T17:13:00+00:00By

In his latest column for The Times, journalist Giles Coren announced that he was giving up atheism for Lent. Stephen McAlpine explores

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Mumford & Sons’ new song is an anthem for a generation rediscovering Christianity

2025-03-14T16:31:00+00:00By

Marcus Mumford has never wanted to be a poster boy for Christianity. But his new song ‘Malibu’ may, nonetheless, be capturing a cultural moment, says Robin Ham 

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Church attendance won’t be enough to stop antisemitism among Christians

2025-03-14T15:06:00+00:00By Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin

Last month, a report claimed one third of British Christians had endorsed anti-semitic tropes. After looking at the available data, our editor suggested the problem may be confined to more nominal believers. In this response, researchers Motti Inabari and Kirill Bumin unveil more aspects of their work, which they say paints a more worrying picture 

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I was arrested for my opinion. Civil liberties are under threat in the UK and Christians must take a stand

2025-03-13T17:20:00+00:00By

Symon Hill has been compensated £2,500 by police after he was arrested for voicing the opinion there is no king but Jesus. Free speech is under attack from both policy and culture, says Hill, and it’s time for Christians to push back 

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5 years on from Covid, the Church is still making a difference

2025-03-12T15:38:00+00:00By

Five years on from the start of the Covid pandemic, Tim Farron MP celebrates how the Church stepped up to serve when it mattered the most. The hope of the gospel continues to light the darkness, he says

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Christianity is being attacked in the West. Why won’t our church leaders admit it?

2025-03-12T13:56:00+00:00By

Western societies are drifting further from their Christian roots. It can no longer be ‘business as usual’ for the Church, says Dr David Landrum. He’s urging Christians to be braver, more counter-cultural, witnesses for Jesus 

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I gave a sermon on LGBT issues. Now I’m stuck in a time loop of legal battles

2025-03-07T16:34:00+00:00By

After winning his appeal this week, Rev Bernard Randall says his ongoing fight for freedom of speech and religious belief is not exclusive to him, but has major implications for all Christians

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4 ways your church can dismantle sexism and empower women

2025-03-07T15:03:00+00:00By

Reports have emerged that crossbow killer, Clifford Kyle, accessed misogynistic content from Andrew Tate before raping and murdering his ex-girlfriend, and killing her sister and mother. These heartbreaking stories, along with others from inside the Church, demonstrate the need to ensure women’s equality and safety are prioritised, says Emma Hide, writing on the eve of International Women’s Day 

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5 women setting the internet on fire for Jesus

2025-03-07T10:55:00+00:00By

Social media isn’t just a hotbed of shopping inspo and comparison traps. Ahead of International Women’s Day, we say hurray for the women who are chasing after God in the digital space. Here are just five of many

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What God did at Gather 25 is just the beginning

2025-03-06T09:32:00+00:00By

Lauren Burnett is part of the team which hosted the London site of Gather25, a spectacular, global gathering of 7 million Christians. She reports from SAINT church on what God is doing among the next generation, how praying for unity changes things and why the future looks bright 

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Trump and Vance’s attack on Zelenskyy was the antithesis of Christian values

2025-03-05T09:23:00+00:00By

Donald Trump and JD Vance tried to humiliate Volodymyr Zelenskyy on an international stage last week, says Tim Farron MP. The Christians who voted the US president into power must now hold him to account

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Stormzy just set the standard for bringing God to secular spaces

2025-03-04T16:46:00+00:00By

Gratitude to God is often vague at big awards shows, but at this year’s BRITs, Stormzy and Ezra Collective’s Femi Koleoso clearly honoured Jesus Christ. Such powerful expressions of faith will inspire other Christian creatives to do the same, says Maxine Harrison

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It isn’t blasphemous for Jesus to be played by a woman, it’s inclusive

2025-03-04T14:15:00+00:00By

Grammy award-winning British actor, Cynthia Erivo, will become the first woman to play Jesus in a major production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Emma Gyasi says those criticising the decision shouldn’t judge what they haven’t seen

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A female Jesus? Christians are right to be offended

2025-03-04T14:14:00+00:00By

Grammy award-winning British actor, Cynthia Erivo, will become the first woman to play Jesus in a major production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Kate Orson says the decision is blasphemous, but Christians should take care in expressing themselves

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A conversation in a gay bar changed my opinion on sexuality

2025-03-04T09:42:00+00:00By

A conversation on the dancefloor of a gay bar in Chicago challenged much of Christopher Landau’s beliefs about LGBT people and Christianity. But perhaps not in the way you might expect

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5 reasons why Christians should keep up with the news

2025-03-03T16:41:00+00:00By

Faced with an endless cycle of negativity in the headlines, many people are choosing to abandon the news in order to protect their mental wellbeing. But Rev Peter Crumpler believes Christians should resist this trend. He explains why

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The Church of England is in couples therapy. Can we work through our issues without splitting?

2025-03-03T13:02:00+00:00By

As debates over sexuality intensify, most people in the CofE are nevertheless desperate to avoid a break-up, says Bishop Martyn Snow. He’s suggesting two new approaches which might help the Church better imagine its future

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The ARC conference conflates religion and politics. And that’s a dangerous game

2025-02-28T17:12:00+00:00By

Judeo-Christian values are good – but they are not an umbrella term to be used to support your own politics, says Pat Finlow. The gospel stands alone, and crosses all political boundaries

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Cutting aid to fund defence won’t help us build a better world

2025-02-27T15:48:00+00:00By

In light of President Trump’s proposed peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced cuts to foreign aid in order to boost defence spending. But ignoring the plight of the poor is a zero-sum game, says George Pitcher. Just look at the biblical story of the rich man and Lazarus

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The Church needs more working-class leaders

2025-02-27T10:13:00+00:00By

Fr Alex Frost left school at 15 and enjoyed a successful career in retail. But when he wanted to retrain as a CofE priest, his lack of academic qualifications was a huge problem. Now, he campaigning to get that changed

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Sam Fender is praying he’ll see his loved ones again. So am I

2025-02-26T09:58:00+00:00By

Sam Fender’s third album, People Watching, sees the “Geordie Bruce Springsteen” asking big questions of himself, society and God. But when it comes to the loss of loved ones, Max Avard says he’s praying Fender also finds the hope in Jesus that held him fast through grief

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Does God care who wins and loses?

2025-02-25T11:19:00+00:00By

Does God care who wins in sports? Jonny Reid believes the answer is yes, though maybe not for the reasons you’d expect 

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Trump’s ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine would be a disaster for religious freedom

2025-02-24T11:26:00+00:00By

If a US-negotiated peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine involves ceding land, it will also have huge implications for the Church. Andreja Bogdanovski explains why Putin wants control of Orthodoxy in Ukraine - and why that would be dangerous for all Christians

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Why I think The Chosen got it wrong with the Ramah scene

2025-02-24T10:55:00+00:00By

A shocking plot twist in the multi-season portrayal of the life of Jesus has upset some fans. Dr Andrew Ollerton explains why he’s concerned about the theological implications of The Chosen’s latest creative decision

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‘We’re marking the invasion of Ukraine with a national day of prayer’

2025-02-24T10:10:00+00:00By

Three years on from Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian people have not given up hope. Instead, they will be praying for peace today, and are asking Christians everywhere to join them

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Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson are taking Gen Z men to Church

2025-02-21T16:01:00+00:00By

A new survey from Australia reveals that Gen Z men are embracing Christianity. They’re disillusioned with modern culture, energised by conservative thinkers such as Jordan Peterson and seeking something greater than themselves. But is the Church ready for them?

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Trump’s Gaza plan is shocking. Let’s listen to the voices of Palestinian Christians

2025-02-20T17:36:00+00:00By

As Donald Trump suggests turning Gaza into a “riviera”, Dr Harry Hagopian urges Christians to listen instead to the viewpoints of local Palestinian Christians, and to continue to pray for both peace and justice 

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JD Vance’s speech will leave Christians in a state of confused anxiety

2025-02-20T17:15:00+00:00By

US Vice President JD Vance may have been right to warn Europe against retreating from Christian values during his speech at the Munich Security Conference. But parts of his message should also concern us, says Tony Wilson

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Conservative Christians are flocking on board the ARC. I went along to find out why

2025-02-20T10:57:00+00:00By

Political firebrands and Christian apologists shared the stage at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) event in London. As 4,000 leaders including Jordan Peterson, Kemi Badenoch MP and Os Guinness discussed the future of Western civilisation, Sam Hailes went along to find out whether the faith is being co-opted by conservative politics, or a genuine revival is taking place in the public sphere

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Revival is coming - but is the Church ready?

2025-02-18T15:24:00+00:00By

Paul Williams has always been wary of claims of revival, but he believes that God is on the move. When revival comes, it is not for the Christians, but for those far away, he says. It’s time for the Church to open its doors wide

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Steven Nelson didn’t deserve to die, even if he did kill a pastor

2025-02-18T10:00:00+00:00By

Rev Dr Jeff Hood met Steven Nelson, convicted for the murder of a church pastor, on death row in Texas. Steven protested his innocence until the end, but whatever the truth of his case, he should not have been executed, says Hood. We are not righteous enough to judge someone else in that way

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Sandie Peggie is standing up to gender ideology. Christians must do the same

2025-02-14T15:39:00+00:00By

Christians in the US have applauded Donald Trump for reversing state support for gender ideology. But in the UK, a nurse is in court after being dismissed for objecting to sharing a changing room with doctor who was born male. Miriam Cates urges Christians to stand firm in the truth and reject fear-driven silence 

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The CofE cannot mark its own homework when it comes to safeguarding

2025-02-14T12:38:00+00:00By

To the bewilderment of many, the General Synod has voted against transferring oversight of its safeguarding to an independent body, a decision that George Pitcher says has shown it is well past time to purge the CofE of its hypocrisy

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Russell Brand objectified women. Now he’s sharing the gospel with an OnlyFans star

2025-02-14T10:10:00+00:00By

Russell Brand has interviewed OnlyFans creator, Lily Phillips, about her sexploitations. There are serious allegations against him, but their conversation was full of Christian truth, says Eliza Bailey

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Calling all Christian singles! Choose your fave worship artist, and I’ll tell you what you’re looking for in a partner

2025-02-13T15:53:00+00:00By

Listen to a lot of Rend Collective? Or maybe Maverick City or Lauren Daigle are more your bag. Whatever your taste in worship music, it might reveal something about the characteristics you most value in a romantic partner. SALT’s Sarah Paxton reveals all this Valentines Day

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‘It’s time to step aside’ - an open letter to the Archbishop of York

2025-02-13T15:36:00+00:00By

If the Church of England is to see real change, it needs leaders to be accountable for when things go wrong, says Rev Dr Ian Paul in an open letter to Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York

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Kristie Higgs was sacked for questioning sex education. Her legal victory is good news for all Christians

2025-02-12T17:17:00+00:00By

Christian school worker Kristie Higgs was sacked after criticising plans to teach about LGBT relationships in primary schools. Today, the Court of Appeal said Kristie should not have been dismissed for expressing her Christian views. Tim Dieppe from Christian Concern says the ruling demonstrates Christian beliefs must never be a barrier to employment

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Explainer: What Christians need to know about the Assisted Suicide Bill

2025-02-12T13:02:00+00:00By

The committee scrutinising Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill have heard evidence from more than 50 experts and is now debating amendments - including that cases would no longer have to be signed off by a High Court judge. If just 28 MPs switch to oppose the bill when it returns to parliament, it would be defeated, says Catherine Robinson 

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Gen Z Christians are the most generous generation in the Church

2025-02-11T13:23:00+00:00By

Young Christians give away the largest proportion of their income than any other age group. God is calling Gen Z to a lifestyle of radical holiness and obedience, says Josh Green. It’s good news for the future of the Church  

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When tragedy hits, Jesus calls us to stand in solidarity

2025-02-11T10:54:00+00:00By

IIn the face of abhorrent evil, such as the Southport murders or the Nottingham attacks, the desire for revenge is a very natural one, says George Pitcher. But what does it look like to stand together, in hopeful solidarity; to acknowledge the pain and work towards something better?

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The Church of England must change in order for women to be safe

2025-02-10T15:59:00+00:00By

When the Bishop of Warrington made a complaint against her boss, the Bishop of Liverpool, she was sent on study leave while he remained in position – until a Channel 4 investigation shone a light on the story. If women are ever to feel safe in the Church, things have to change, says Martine Oborne

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Bishop of Kensington: I’m praying for revival. Will you join me?

2025-02-07T10:43:00+00:00By

Revival is not about experience or emotion and it cannot be strategised or planned for, says Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson. It is the faithful seeking of God’s heart for the transformation of our nation, and the drawing near to God of those who are far away. Let’s pray faithfully for it to begin with us

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JD Vance and Rory Stewart are arguing about theology. Who’s right? Well, it’s complicated

2025-02-03T12:08:00+00:00By

A spat between the sitting US Vice President and a former Tory MP has generated a huge amount of debate online. What is ordo amoris, why does it matter and how should Christians respond?