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Keith writes: On our return (from Pokot) we had a lengthy layover at the Nairobi airport and met with a sister in Christ who is much involved in Bible translation and especially in the Nuba and Darfur regions of Sudan. The humanitarian situation as a result of the conflict there has been described as the worst in the world today with more than 10 million displaced. Amazingly in the area of the Marra Mountains west of El Fasher, where 2-3 million have fled for refuge, there is peace as the leader of the area has rejected fighting. We hear that many people are questioning Islam as both sides in the conflict are Muslims. This leader had actually invited Christians to come and refurbish a disused radio tower which would enable the gospel to be heard in the towns of El Fasher and Nyala. And there are now Darfur Christians as those who have fled to refugee camps have come into contact with the gospel for the first time and many have professed faith in Christ. This is an amazing opportunity. There is need of a studio to be set up in Juba (South Sudan), of repairs to the radio tower, and of the purchase of thousands of radios for people to listen.

As marvelous as Jesus’ resurrection is, Christians often forget much of its significance. We often assume the resurrection, failing to think on it as deeply as we ought or to teach it as frequently as we should. That is why we must reflect on the significance of Jesus’ resurrection, not just on Easter, but all year long, for a consistent, maturing faith. In 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, the Apostle Paul rebukes the church because some have denied the possibility of bodily resurrection, and others have spiritualized resurrection. Paul shows how inconsistent that is with the Christian faith because Christianity teaches that Jesus bodily rose from the dead. Here, Paul gives six results of the Corinthians’ false understanding of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, which, in turn, helps believers to appreciate its great significance.

Only one person has truly understood the words that Christ said on the cross: “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”, that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). That person was Christ himself. The rest of us are left to try our best in comprehending this heaven-rending, heart-melting loud cry. But we fall so very short in understanding this burden that was placed on Christ – a burden heavier than ten thousand crosses – that caused him to break out in a loud cry of dereliction that would have stunned heaven into silence. If he had not said these words, “we must have howled out this hideous complaint in the lowest hell forever” (Flavel, 1:411). But he did say those words. And for believers, while they are words that arose out of the greatest discomfort possible for the Son of God, they are words that give us the greatest comfort imaginable. “My God, My God, why have you blessed me?” is a phrase only possible for us because of Christ’s words, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

Inside Iran, protests are met with brutal crackdowns, yet something extraordinary is happening beneath the surface. In this powerful episode, Release International partner Lazarus Yeghnazar shares stories of courage, persecution, and a growing underground church, with over a million turning to Christ. He describes 47 years of "choking to death and suffocation" under the oppressive regime in Iran, and the hope that better days might yet lie ahead. As fear continues to paralyse the people, he calls for prayer, hope, and attention. This is a story you won’t forget. (Note: We may disagree with doctrinal and practical aspects of the perspective presented here, but the insights given are very enlightening and offer an important corrective to much of what we read and see in the media).

Dr James Renihan writes: Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters, Greetings in Christ. In a few days, believers around the world will celebrate the joy of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. While we know that every Lord's Day commemorates His rising from the dead, it's still a good thing to have a special day to celebrate this joyous event. Speaking about the righteousness of Christ, the Word of God reminds us that "it shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification" (Romans 4:24-25). When we believe in Jesus, we receive the benefits of his righteous life, his sacrifical death and his resurrection from the tomb. The resurrection is God's demonstration to us that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ receive the gift of justification. Glory be to God! May the wonder of God's work through Jesus Christ fill your hearts with joy and peace.

God is above time, He created time, and He delights in taking time to make known His glory. At creation God did not speak the world into existence all at once. He took time to delight in the act of creating. For six days He worked and then rested on the seventh day. When God gave His Word, He did not give it all at once. He took time revealing His Word to prophets and apostles through many ages. And when Adam fell and God promised the coming Savior, the Seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15), He did not send Him right away. God took time to prepare the way. Jesus came “at the right time” to die for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). God is sovereign over time. He is intentional in crafting time for His own glory. And He calls on us to be good stewards of time. All our moments and days are gifts from Him. We are to value time and use the time we have wisely. Moses prays in Psalm 90: So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

The ladies meetings here at Trinity Grace are a warm, welcoming place where we seek to grow in our faith and in our love for God and each other as we study the word of God together. We usually meet once a month on Saturdays, 10am to 12pm. The format we is: tea, coffee and a chance for a quick catch up as we arrive; we then begin with a study from the Scripture lead by one of the ladies; this is followed by a time of informal discussion on the issues raised by the passage studied; and we finish with a time of open prayer informed by what we have learned and by the needs around us. We encourage all ladies to join with us and share in the great blessing these meetings have been to us. The theme for 2025-2026 is “A Proverbs Driven Life”, based on the book by Anthony Selvaggio. The date of the next meeting has been changed to April 25th. You can find the full schedule below.

Of all the Old Testament images that foreshadow Jesus, the Passover lamb was perhaps the clearest in foreshadowing Jesus’ saving work at Calvary. According to God’s own appointment, God promised to remove His judgment from His people when He saw the substitutionary blood of a spotless lamb painted on the doorposts of the Israelites’ homes in Egypt. The Passover was a sign of God’s covenant with His people in the Old Testament, indicating the way in which He would one day satisfy His wrath through the sacrifice of Christ.

A Christian politician in Finland has been convicted of “hate speech” for expressing her views on sexual ethics in a pamphlet she published for her church in 2004. In the Finnish Supreme Court’s narrow 3-2 decision, Päivi Räsänen was found guilty of publicly making and keeping available “opinions that insult homosexuals as a group on the basis of their sexual orientation”. This offence is listed under a chapter of criminal code entitled “war crimes and crimes against humanity”. But the Court unanimously vindicated her for sharing similar views in a 2019 tweet. Two lower courts have previously acquitted her on all charges, and she hopes to appeal her conviction at the European Court of Human Rights.

With very few exceptions, anywhere the church goes in the world it will encounter Roman Catholics and Roman Catholicism. Is your church committed to sending? Are you considering being sent yourself? In sending and going, and with approximately 1.4 billion Roman Catholics worldwide, you will most likely encounter Roman Catholicism. If the church is not prepared to encounter Roman Catholicism, its mission can get quickly sidetracked. Consider this: Both evangelicals and Roman Catholics can affirm that we are sinners saved by grace through faith in Christ. That is a very disarming affirmation. If we can agree on this, surely any differences we have are secondary and can be set aside for the sake of reaching a lost world with the gospel. The missionary task is too urgent to be sidelined with theological quibbles. What the church must understand, however, is that behind every word in that sentence lies a theological reality that presents a very different gospel. They are the same words, but they represent different worlds.

Tom Ascol writes: One of great failures of modern evangelical Christians that has been undeniably made manifest over the last few years is the lack of moral reasoning that plagues so many of our number—even those regarded as leaders. I have commented on this and written about it in relation to racial tensions and abortion and politics. At the bottom of this deficiency, I have argued, is a failure to recognize and think deeply about the teaching of God’s Word on law and gospel. Many of our leaders have rightly encouraged us to keep “the gospel above all” but have done so in ways that suggest there is no place for the law.

It’s a year since an earthquake brought unspeakable devastation to parts of Myanmar. Thousands were killed, wounded and displaced, as a country riddled by civil war – which has exacerbated the persecution of Christians – was dealt another wretched blow. We caught up with a pastor who is seeing God work powerfully and unexpectedly through your support for our emergency appeal.

There are discouraging events, trials, tribulations, and difficult people. It isn’t my calling to paste a smile over those realities. As Christians, we shouldn’t whitewash difficulty. We call evil evil (Isa. 5:20), and we acknowledge pain and loss for what they are. We do not pretend all is well when it is not. We are not Stoics trying to rise above suffering by sheer resolve. Life in a fallen world is often hard (John 16:33). There is real suffering. As Christians, we acknowledge it, grieve it (Rom. 12:15), and sometimes feel deeply discouraged by it (2 Cor. 1:8). Yet we neither wallow in it nor deny it (1 Thess. 4:13). God’s people suffer because we live in a world marked by affliction. Sin entered through one man (Rom. 5:12). The devil prowls (1 Peter 5:8). Creation groans (Rom. 8:20–22). Death remains an enemy (1 Cor. 15:26). In fact, Christians should not be surprised by hardship. This world is not our home (Heb. 13:14). As our Lord was persecuted, so His people will be persecuted (John 15:20). Yet our affliction unfolds under the sovereign eye of God. He sets its boundaries (Job 1:12; 2:6). Suffering is not endless; it has an expiration date. There is a determined measure of affliction the church must endure before Christ returns (Acts 14:22; Rev. 7:14).

The House of Lords has voted to allow women in England and Wales to kill their unborn babies at any stage of pregnancy without sanction. During a debate on the Crime and Policing Bill, Peers voted by 185 votes to 148 to reject Baroness Monckton’s amendment to remove Antonia Antoniazzi MP’s controversial Clause 208 which decriminalises abortion up to birth for the mother. They also voted to reject an amendment by Baroness Stroud to reinstate in-person consultations with a doctor in order to receive abortion pills by 191 votes to 119. A return to such appointments, removed during lockdown, would have better protected against women taking the pills after the ten-week limit which they are designed for.

The Coalition For Marriage write: Family breakdown costs the British taxpayer at least £51 billion a year – more than the entire defence budget. That works out at £1,809 per household, every year, whether your own family is intact or not. Meanwhile, 45% of teenagers in Britain now live apart from one of their natural parents – a fivefold increase since 1974. Dr Michael Schluter CBE has spent four decades arguing that none of this is inevitable. He is an economist, social entrepreneur, and founder of the Jubilee Centre and the Relationships Foundation, and I was delighted to sit down with him to talk about what a government that took families seriously would actually do. You can see the interview by clicking below. His policy proposals deserve the closest attention. Schluter is the thinker behind the concept of “relational proximity” – the idea, expounded in the book ‘The Relational Lens’ published by Cambridge University Press, that strong relationships depend on face-to-face contact, continuity over time, and shared values. His phrase “time is the currency of relationships” runs through everything he does. He recalls how his wife insisted they take half an hour alone together every evening while raising three teenagers – “so that the kids could not drive a wedge between us”. He admits he used to prepare for corporate board meetings but never once thought about what to discuss around the dinner table. “The family mealtime and the bringing up of my children has far greater long-term consequences than any board meeting, then why didn’t I prepare for it?” 

In the latest Broken Wharfe podcast, John-Mark is joined by Stephane Simonnin and Oliver Allmand-Smith to explore the extraordinary story of William Tyndale and his groundbreaking English translation of the New Testament. Published in 1526, Tyndale's work defied the religious authorities of his day and forever changed the course of the English language, the Christian faith, and Western civilization.

The Coalition For Marriage reports: Shortly before Mother’s Day, the Centre for Social Justice released a report that should have dominated the news. ‘Baby Bust’ projects that 600,000 British women today will miss out on the motherhood they actually wanted. Nine-in-ten young women still hope to become mothers. Yet the birth rate has fallen to a record low of 1.41. The gap between what women want and what they get is widening every year. You probably did not hear about it. The BBC did not cover it. Instead, on the same day, it published a feature headlined “‘Like a trap you can’t escape’: The women who regret being mothers”. On the eve of Mother’s Day. You could not make it up. But it is the CSJ’s own data that should command the attention of every C4M supporter. The report is explicit: the baby bust is not about family size. Mothers in the UK still average around 2.3 children. What has changed is the number of women who never become mothers at all. The childlessness rate has risen from 5 per cent in 1970 to 18 per cent today, and the CSJ projects it could reach 30 per cent.

In one of his psalms, David expresses his longing to be upright, and free even from secret faults. But perhaps when we try to pray the same thing, it seems too much to ask, when our inadequacies and deficiencies are so many and so varied and so obvious. Obadiah Sedgwick, who contributed to the Westminster Assembly, was aware of this concern and offered various pieces of advice in response. In the following updated extract he goes into some detail on the thought that God accepts the weak services of His people because of His graciousness. The opposite of making us lax about serving Him, His readiness to accept our feeble efforts inspires the believer to greater dedication and diligence in His service.

On Sunday 8 March, many around the world celebrated International Women’s Day, a day serving to advocate for women’s rights worldwide. But along with it comes news of the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on the lives of Afghan people, especially women. Please pray for our sisters in Afghanistan. In August 2021, the Taliban reclaimed power over Afghanistan and has since ruled with a harshening iron fist. Its latest penal code demonstrates the ruling extremist group’s aim to tighten its grip on the lives of the nation’s people, particularly women, with legislation detailing punishments for a variety of so-called crimes. “The provisions contained in this penal code raise serious concerns for the protection of women and girls in Afghanistan,” an Open Doors spokesperson explains. “When the law permits violence in the home, it leaves already vulnerable communities with even less protection.”

The Court of Appeal has delivered its much-anticipated judgment in the legal challenge to the decision of the UK Government to apply VAT to private school fees. The case has attracted significant national interest because of its potential impact on educational choice, parental rights, and authentic Christian education. The proceedings arose from several consolidated judicial review claims, including actions brought by evangelical Christian schools, parents, and pupils, supported throughout by the Christian Legal Centre. Following Friday’s ruling, which dismissed the claimants’ grounds of appeal, all of the CLC-supported Christian claimants have confirmed their intention to seek further appeal to the Supreme Court.

Nico van Zyl writes from Thailand: Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This week I had to go to Bangkok to pick up my new passport and while a taxi driver was taking me to the Hotel I conversed with him in Thai. I was amazed that I could hold a conversation in Thai and was able to share the gospel with him. Recently I memorized John 3:16 in Thai and other passages and phrases. I was overjoyed with this opportunity and although I have a far way to go there is improvement. I left him with a gospel booklet in Thai and pray God will work in his heart.

An Open Doors expert on Iran shares: “The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei marks a significant and sobering moment in Iran’s history. As an Iranian Christian, I cannot ignore that under his leadership the church in Iran lived for decades under intense pressure, facing restrictions, surveillance, arrests and the constant weight of uncertainty. Many faithful believers endured suffering simply for following Christ. Yet even in hardship, the church has remained resilient, prayerful and deeply rooted in hope. This moment is not about revenge or triumph, but about the possibility of a different future. One where freedom of conscience, dignity and justice are extended to all Iranians, regardless of faith or background. My prayer is that this turning point will open the way for peace, reconciliation and genuine freedom for our nation.”

SGA report: We continue to uphold Ukraine in prayer as the war enters its fifth year. Stanislav – One year ago, Stanislav, the son-in-law of our sponsored missionary Sergey, was captured and forcibly sent to the front lines. During combat, he came under heavy fire and was seriously injured. By God’s mercy, his life was spared. Following several surgeries, he is now recovering and gradually regaining strength. Give thanks for God’s protection over his life. Pray for his continued healing and full restoration. Pray for his wife, Katya, as she supports and cares for him during this difficult time.

As I sit down to write this newsletter on Monday March 2nd, two of our trustees, Keith Underhill and Alan Wigley, are making their way from the UK to Pokot North. The purpose of the trip is threefold: (1) To bring encouragement and exhortation to the brethren in all the challenges and needs that they face; (2) To review how the funds we have sent over the past year have been used, and to ensure that processes of accountability are in place; (3) To discuss further needs and consider how the resources we send can be best used for the furtherance of the gospel and the glory of Christ. Please pray that the Lord will strengthen Keith and Alan as they travel many miles through rough terrain. Sadly brother Elly Achok has been unable to go with them on this occasion as he recovers from ill-health, which means that our brothers will need to cover the driving themselves, which can be challenging! Sometimes the road can disappear altogether, and on other occasions invisible humps can catch you out at speed. Pray for them!

Stuart Townend’s hymn, “How deep the Father’s Love for Us,” says that the Father’s love is beyond all measure. Nevertheless, if we were to attempt to measure it, how would we go about doing that? We use a thermometer to gauge the temperature and a ruler to measure the height and width of an object. But how do we determine, to borrow Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:18, what is the breadth and length and height and depth of the Father’s love? One instrument that we can use is the object of our love. Love for those who are good or who are like us is commendable, but it isn’t extraordinary. So too is love for those who love us. Frankly, that is easy to do. As Jesus said, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same (Matt. 5:46-47)?” Love shows its depth, not in loving those who deserve our love or in loving those who are easy to love, but in loving the unlovable, which is exactly who God loves. He loves the weak, the ungodly, sinners, and even his enemies (Rom. 5:6, 8, 10).

We give thanks that the Lord has kept the team safe in the recent conference run covering Botswana (Gaborone & Serowe), Zimbabwe (Bulawayo) and South Africa (Mokopane). This followed the January run across South Africa, and we praise God for much blessing upon all involved. Please pray that there will be lasting fruit, especially from the many books that are given away free and purchased at very discounted prices. As African pastors acquire libraries of doctrinally sound and scripturally faithful books, we can pray that it will transform their ministries over the long-term and enable them to build biblical churches to the glory of Christ.

Dr James Renihan writes: Greetings from Mansfield Texas. Thank you for your prayers for IRBS, the Lord is answering. In January we sent a letter to you detailing some of the plans we are prayerfully contemplating. One of them is the purchase of a property which can serve as a permanent home for our Seminary. One of our faculty members searched and found a building; Brent and I visited it, then two of our Trustees came to visit it, and after careful consideration, we have made an offer on this property. Our offer has been accepted and we are now in the 45 day period of financing, inspections, communication with local authorities and everything else that is involved in the purchase of a commercial property. The building is in Arlington, Texas, about 25-30 minutes north of Mansfield and about 15 minutes south of the DFW airport. It's an excellent location with all the facilities we need to teach classes, locate our growing library (approximately 20,000 volumes!) and provide offices for administration and visiting faculty.

A coalition of Christian schools, parents and pupils has vowed to continue its fight against the UK Government’s decision to impose 20% VAT on private school fees, after the Court of Appeal today dismissed their legal challenge. The claimants will now apply for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court, insisting that the judgment raises profound questions about educational freedom, parental rights and the future of low‑cost Christian schooling in the UK. The case, brought by families and leaders from Emmanuel School in Derby, The Branch Christian School in Yorkshire, The King’s School in Hampshire and Wyclif Independent Christian School in South Wales, and supported by the Christian Legal Centre, challenged the Government’s 2025 decision to apply VAT to school fees, a measure they say is already forcing closures and driving vulnerable children out of their schools.

The dry season (November - March/April) significantly increases water scarcity across Nigeria. Communities are compelled to buy drinking water from water vendors who get the water from contaminated sources. The alternative for the communities is to fetch water from local rivers and streams which are equally unsafe. This situation places both financial and health burdens on these vulnerable communities. It is no surprise then, the joy and the thankfulness the communities express when they get their own clean sustainable water supply. This was the scene at Tongo Community, Vandeikya LGA of Benue State with the recent commissioning of a solar-powered borehole with 25,000-litre storage tank funded by WorldServe. They laughed, cheered, and danced as no longer will families, women, and children especially walk long distances in search of water. The Community’s easy access to safe water, also brings dignity, and improved health and enhanced quality of life. The facilities provided is adequate for the community, as it has been designed to serve a community of at least 3,000 people, ensuring consistent access to clean and safe water. By reducing dependence on water vendors, who often charge exorbitant prices for disease ladened water, the facilities enable households to save limited financial resources while safeguarding their health. There is now improved water security and reduce economic strain on household meagre finances. There has also been improved community health with the reduced exposure to water-borne diseases and enhanced community resilience during the dry season.

Ariana* has faced death threats from her brother. As an Afghan Christian, she faces extreme danger from the Taliban and her own community – as a woman, she has almost no value in Afghan society. Here’s how she can see change. Ariana’s* phone rang. She saw that it was her brother, Ahmad*, from back in Afghanistan. It had been a long time since she’d heard from him. Nervously, she answered. Without a pause, Ahmad launched into a vicious verbal attack: “I heard that you sold your religion and became a Christian,” he said. “If your husband’s family are pressuring you, I will come and save you. But if you really sold your religion, I am willing to sell the carpet under my feet to come and kill you.” That was his ultimatum. He was ready to ‘rescue’ her – but he was also ready to kill her. The erasing of Christian women around the world takes many different forms. In Ariana’s case, it could mean being literally erased from the world. Her choice to follow Jesus is the most dangerous decision she ever made.

AUGUSTINE PROGRAMME - Praise God for equipping hundreds of South Sudanese and other East African spiritual leaders in the intensive basic biblical training course at MERF's Centre in Lokichoggio, Kenya for the past 23 years and for over 10 years of regional training gatherings in Ethiopia. Pray for the Swahili language Augustine Programme beginning its fourth year in Mwanza, Tanzania and for the first year teaching the programme in Makassar, Indonesia to effectively equip church leaders with Bible knowledge to serve faithfully.

The Bible teaches that Christians are not under the law as a way of salvation. Christ has set us free from the guilt and condemnation of sin by His bloody death and resurrection. But that does not mean believers are free to live licentious lives. In fact, the grace of God in the gospel enables us to keep His good law, summarized in the Ten Commandments, as an expression of love to God and others. Reformed confessions of faith teach that the law and the gospel “do sweetly comply” (2LCF 19.7).

William Tyndale risked everything to translate the Bible into English. Five hundred years ago, the Lord used his faithfulness to place his word into the hands of his people. Only because he did the hard and sacrificial work of translating the Bible into the language of the common people, was the Reformation established and the work of the gospel prospered amongst the English-speaking people. We need the same commitment from modern-day Tyndales if the word of God is to reach all the peoples of the world, which is God's revealed will and purpose. Let this short film, produced by Missionary.com, ignite your zeal for the work of the gospel into all the corners of the world.

The world is changing fast. Ideas that once seemed solid are crumbling. Morality is treated like soft clay, molded and reshaped to fit the mood of the moment. In such times, Christians can feel pressure to either blend in or stay silent. But Scripture doesn’t call believers to blend in. It calls us to stand firm. It calls us to build on the rock, not on sand (Matt. 7:24–27). The church has always lived in changing times, even if today’s changes might feel more aggressive and chaotic than before. But our hope has never rested in the stability of society. It rests in the stability of God: “I the Lord do not change” (Mal. 3:6). The world may reinvent itself every decade, but God does not evolve, and His truth does not expire. It does not need updating. It does not need rebranding. Truth that shifts with the culture isn’t truth at all—it’s marketing.

In the latest Broken Wharfe podcast, Jerry Slate joins John-Mark and benedict to discuss his new book "Reforming World Missions: Recovering a Biblical and Confessional Missiology". In the work of world missions, those who send missionaries are just as essential as those who are sent. William Carey famously described missionaries as those who descend into an unexplored pit, while those who support them “hold the ropes.” But if we are to hold the ropes well, we must also know the ropes. Sending churches and cross-cultural church planters alike must be grounded in a missiology that is biblically sound and confessionally robust. Jerry's book was written to equip churches and missionaries with exactly that kind of theological clarity.

Many of the children that come to Casa das Formigas on a daily basis receive all their basic needs, food, education, medicine, and bible teaching. They return home each day to very poor conditions and broken homes. But some of the children are severe cases and have been referred to us by government agencies precisely to safeguard their best interests, and actually need to live here at Casa das Formigas. It was in this context that we received two girls in May 2025. They are sisters, Carmen, aged 8, and Tereza, aged 7, abandoned by their mother, who emigrated to a neighbouring country, leaving them alone. The neighbours called the police and they were welcomed to live at Casa das Formigas. Carmen and Teresa are being cared for with love and affection and are already enrolled in the school here. We also welcomed seven-year-old Albertina, whose parents are separated. Her mother is unable to provide for her daughter on her own, and when she leaves home to sell vegetables at the market, her daughter is left vulnerable and in need.

Pull out a dictionary and flip to (or type in the search box) the word “modesty.”[2] You will find that definitions include two major categories, an external and an internal. The external relates to our clothing. Shocker. Modest attire is 1) proper, suitable, and acceptable to the social situation and 2) without sexual implications. What is the second major emphasis, you ask? These lexicons describe the internal manifestation of modesty as not having a prideful or boastful demeanor but rather expressing and carrying yourself with a proper and low estimation. What single word could we use to describe this? Humility. Now let’s take that word to the Bible. What does God say about humility? Though the word modesty appears only once in Scripture, humility or humble appears nearly 100 times. If modesty equals humility, studying those passages will help us develop a good idea of what biblical modesty should look like.

In good news from North Korea, a church leader from China has been released after more than a decade in prison. Deacon Jang* – also known by his Chinese name, Zhang Wen Si – is an ethnic Korean Chinese citizen from Changbai, a town on the Chinese side of the border with North Korea. Before his arrest, he was known for providing humanitarian assistance to North Koreans who crossed into China in search of food, medicine and temporary shelter. He also shared his Christian faith with those who returned repeatedly for help and teaching. Jang was last seen in November 2014. After receiving phone calls from North Koreans requesting assistance, he went to the border river to meet them, but he never returned. Jang was abducted from Chinese territory and taken into North Korea. He was later sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges including ‘defaming the regime’ and ‘attempting to incite subversion’ – accusations linked to his Christian work among North Korean visitors.

Keith writes: By God’s will I have attained to 80 years of age. I recently read a prayer of John Newton written in his diary 6 years before he actually died. May this be true of me, and please pray that it may be so. “Oh for grace to meet the approach of death with a humble, thankful, resigned spirit becoming my profession. That I may not stain my character by impatience, jealousy, or any hateful temper but may be prepared and permitted to depart in peace and hope and be enabled, if I can speak, to bear my testimony to thy faithfulness and goodness with my past breath. Amen.”

The Charismatic Movement in Kenya has lately undergone multiple genetic mutations in its DNA such that we are no longer talking about a monolithic group. One of the implications is that we are staring at a spectrum of pneumatological heresies. Further to this, I suppose it may be difficult at this time to tell whether we are dealing with ‘Christianisation’ of the African Traditional Religion or ‘Africanisation’ of the Christian Religion, or even both. What this means is that the Reformed Community, being on the minority, is swimming upstream. It was against this background that we sought to reexamine the biblical teaching on the Person & Work of the Holy Spirit last year December.

Nico van Zyl writes from Thailand: We hope to start preaching through the book of Genesis soon, and we are also teaching through the 1689 Confession during our kids' Sunday School and Bible Hour every Sunday. Pray that there will be much fruit because of these. We plan to do 4 workshops in Mae Ai this year and 4 in Chiang Rai. We will work with the same group of pastors in Mae Ai as last year, and the one in Chiang Rai will be a new group of pastors from Myanmar. Wichai will translate for us into Lahu. Please pray for Matt and my preparations for the workshop in Mae Ai. We are teaching through Romans 1-8 in February.

Iranian church urges prayer as horror of crackdown emerges. As the scale of horror caused by the authorities’ brutal clampdown on unrest in Iran continues to emerge, Christians from the country are urging their global family to remain in prayer. Since the protests began last month, at least 25,000 people have been killed. “I managed to speak with my family after two weeks,” Majid* shares. “Praise God they are alive, but they are not well. Even their voices are different. I heard that my brother was kept in prison for ten days and beaten almost to death. They were afraid to share more details because of monitoring.” “The church in Iran wants to be salt and light in this moment,” Ziba* adds. “We want to bring truth and hope to our nation. Please pray that God shows us how to love our community with the hope of Jesus.”

In fifty years of marriage, I have learned many lessons. One lesson I’ve had to learn is that “It’s not about me.” Our Lord said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). I use this now to end every wedding ceremony. This is the call to self-denial in all of life for the benefit of those around us. It is part of “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It is the very epitome of Christ’s earthly life: Philippians 2:3-5 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” Our expectations of a happy marriage, whereby we are benefitted by the other, may seem to be rational and normal, but they are destructive to true happiness in marriage.

The reality of death, especially for those who sense it’s nearness, is often terrifying. This is exactly why Satan wields the fear of death in enslaving untold countless souls and keeping them from Christ, who is the only Destroyer of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). But even for faithful Christians, approaching death is still often a frightening experience. John Bunyan vividly gets at this reality in his Pilgrim’s Progress when Christian, before entering into the Celestial City first needs to cross the river Jordan. But in abject fear he begins to panic, being swallowed up under the rivers cold waters and sinking down into its dark abyss; that is, until Christ reaches in and rescues his redeemed servant! I’ve never not cried when reading that portion of the story. It accurately describes the very real wavering many saints have when nearing that cold unknown.

Dr James Renihan writes: In this semester, professors will be teaching courses such as Greek, Christology, Eschatology, Ethics, Puritanism, Symbolics and others. Most will be offered in Mansfield, TX, and others in Ramsbottom, UK, St. Jerome, PQ Canada, and Chilliwack, BC Canada. Students are gathering textbooks, preparing to listen and learn and to study with diligence. They know that each lecture hour is a step of preparation for the service of Jesus Christ and His people. Unlike the events in Punxsutawney, PA, these generally unseen and perhaps obscure moments are of significance in the Kingdom of God. Our classes won't receive publicity, but they are far more important than silly reports on the nightly news shows. Since you are interested in the work of IRBS, you know how significant our labor is. Thank you for your loving support. Will you please continue to pray for us as we pursue the regular and ordinary tasks before us?

Pastor Igor Bandura writes: “Ukrainians knew that this winter could be harsh. These days, our thoughts and prayers are with Kyiv, Sumy, Kherson, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and many other cities where people are enduring severe frost without electricity and heating. We also stand in prayer with the soldiers who must go out to their positions in such weather. We do not have answers to how long our people will continue to suffer the cruelties of war. We have no optimistic short-term forecasts. Yet we do have hope—a hope in God that continues to live despite everything. We sincerely thank you, our faithful partners—Ukraine’s present and future now depend on your support. We are grateful to all our brothers and sisters whose financial and humanitarian assistance enables Ukrainians to survive.”

Worship is possible only because God acts first. We do not approach him on the basis of sincerity, emotional intensity, or liturgical precision, but because guilt has been removed and sin atoned for. Under the new covenant, we come not with a coal from the altar but through the finished work of Christ, who has opened the way into God’s presence by his blood. This truth guards us from making worship about ourselves. Francis Chan recounts a story of a churchgoer who told a pastor, “I didn’t really like the worship today,” to which the pastor replied, “That’s all right—we weren’t worshiping you.” While humorous, the point is serious. Worship is not primarily about what we receive but about whom we adore. We worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), according to God’s self-revelation, not our preferences.

The Dominicans are a people tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine imaginable. Among the inhabitants of the island, over 90% profess some form of Christianity. More than 60% are Roman Catholic, and 12% of the population are Seventh Day Adventists. Despite these outward forms of Christendom, over 75% of the children born in Dominica are born out of wedlock. The island’s foremost historian, Lennox Honychurch, says of this: “The West Indian pattern of high illegitimacy and low percentage of marriages features prominently in Dominican society. The problems of paternal negligence and lack of the father figure has contributed to the complex nature of our modern social issues.”

The proposed government definition of ‘Islamophobia’, now re-worded as ‘Anti-Muslim hostility’, was leaked in December. Tim Dieppe of Christian Concern commented about it at the time, but more opposition to this newly proposed definition has now emerged. Earlier this month, a new report from the Counter Extremism Group argued that the proposed definition is ‘unlawful’. The report argues that members of all faith groups have legal protection from discrimination or incitement. The point is that these protections apply to all equally. They protect the right to proselytise and practise a religion as well as the right for that same religion and its practices to be criticised without fear. What the proposed definition of anti-Muslim hostility does is it goes beyond the law in giving Islam and Muslims special protection. In doing so it could constitute “unlawful discrimination towards members of other faith groups.”

Open Doors has received several messages from secret believers in North Korea that reiterate their immense gratitude for your support amidst the hardships of daily life. Your support continues to be ‘an inexhaustible source of strength’ for secret believers in North Korea. That’s according to one of several new messages sent to you from the country which also give a deeply sobering glimpse into everyday life for North Koreans. When the latest World Watch List was released earlier this month, it wasn’t a surprise to see North Korea again topping it. Life for North Korea’s secret believers remains extremely dangerous and it’s made harder by a devasting humanitarian crisis that continues to affect the wider population – one that is largely ignored by the regime as it seeks to strengthen its self-reliance as well as its strategic position on the world stage.

In this episode of the Broken Wharfe Podcast, John Mark is joined by Oliver to discuss his new book, Gathered for Glory: Why We Worship. The conversation delves into the importance of understanding the 'why' behind worship and its theological basis from a pastoral and Reformed perspective. They explore key themes such as the purpose, necessity, and essence of worship, emphasizing its Trinitarian nature. The discussion also touches on practical aspects of gathered worship, its significance for believers and their children, and the dangers of undermining worship in contemporary evangelical churches. The episode aims to offer insightful reflections for Reformed and confessional churches to deepen their understanding and practice of worship.

We see in scripture that your immortal soul is worth the life of the Son of God. Furthermore, He was not reluctant to give up His life. So, when we’re confronted with the Great Commission that He gave us, it raises the question: is an immortal soul worthy of your life? Why would you give your life to this endeavor, an endeavor that's sure to cost you everything? Because there is no more important event which occurs in our world than the new birth of an immortal soul. That is central to our understanding of Christianity and to our understanding of missions. That's what we preach to the nations.

The House of Lords debate on assisted suicide has sparked outrage on social media, as poverty was offered up as a valid reason for someone to get help to kill themselves. At the most recent day of Committee on Friday, Lord Falconer, the Bill’s sponsor in the Lords, left one of his colleagues “incredulous” by accepting that financial motivations could play a valid role in someone’s decision to seek medical support to commit suicide. Lord Harper responded: “If you are in a financial position where you feel you are unable to live properly because you have no money, and as a result of that you decide you want to end your life, that is not a freely reached decision; that is being done because of your circumstances. “Is he really saying that he is okay with poor people ending their lives, with the assistance of others, because they are poor? That is what it sounds like.”

The widely accepted age of the universe is currently 13.77 billion years and for the solar system (including Earth) it is 4.543 billion years. However, no scientific method can prove the age of the earth and the universe, and that includes the ones we have listed here that strongly suggest that these accepted ages are in serious error. Although age indicators are called ‘clocks’ they aren’t, because all ages result from calculations that necessarily involve making assumptions about the past. The starting time of the ‘clock’ has always to be assumed as well as the way in which the speed of the clock has varied over time. Further, it has to be assumed that the clock was never disturbed.

Widespread unrest in Iran has captured headlines worldwide. Thousands have been killed, with Christians among them. The protests were sparked by economic pressures – but they are a reflection of a far deeper crisis. “Our beloved Iran cries out for justice, dignity and a future where every citizen, including Christians, can live in peace and opportunity, free from fear and poverty,” shares an Iranian Christian. “May the bravery of our people be the seed of a renewed and united homeland.” “Whether visible on the streets or standing in prayer and solidarity, Iranian Christians who participate do so first as Iranian citizens, motivated by conscience and a shared hope for a future defined by equality, accountability and respect for human life across all religious and ethnic lines,” shares an Open Doors local source.

In looking over the landscape of the church today, many people have noticed that the holiness of God has largely been forgotten, overlooked, and ignored. The late J.I. Packer claimed that the contemporary Christian finds holiness to be outdated and irrelevant. Kevin DeYoung wrote, “Shouldn’t those most passionate about the gospel and God’s glory also be those most dedicated to the pursuit of godliness? I worry that there is an enthusiasm gap and no one seems to mind.” John MacArthur put it like this: “The doctrine of sanctification has become unpopular in our time. There has been much talk about the doctrine of election, of justification, of glorification… But the doctrine that has fallen into the greatest disuse is this doctrine of sanctification.” MacArthur, Packer, and DeYoung all rightly point out that too few Christians seem to care about sanctification or about pursuing holiness in their personal lives; and too few churches seem to preach anything that resembles a call for believers to be holy.

More abortions are taking place in England and Wales than ever before, new statistics show. Government figures show that in 2023 – the latest figures available – abortions increased by 11 per cent on the previous year. This took the total to an estimated 278,740, which was 26,618 higher than in 2022 and a rise of 36 per cent (73,445) in just five years. The Christian Institute’s Head of Communications Angus Saul said the figures were “absolutely harrowing”. “Everyone who values life across England and Wales must surely be grieved at this dramatic increase in abortions. These are not simply statistics. Each one was a unique human life, created in the image of God; and that life was snatched away before they could even take a breath."

Simply existing as a Christian in North Korea is effectively impossible, let alone sharing the gospel in a place where one’s every move is watched. But, as Cho’s story demonstrates, nothing is impossible with God. When Cho* first met Eun-Yeong*, she was hiding from him. She’d made one of the most dangerous journeys in the world – escaping from North Korea – and knew there could be spies looking to find people like her. If discovered, she’d be sent back to face interrogation, imprisonment and even death. She was right about one thing. Cho was looking for people like her. But not for the reasons she feared. Cho was here with a purpose. An impossible mission. Because he knew that, in human terms, it is impossible for North Koreans to hear the gospel and choose to follow Jesus. He also knew that he followed the God of the impossible.

The Men’s meeting at Trinity Grace Church Ramsbottom is a welcoming place where we seek to grow in grace and faith, in our love for God and each other, as we study the word of God together. We usually have our meetings on the third or fourth Saturday of January to July and September to November. We study a book written by a trusted Christian author, led by one of our elders or gifted brothers, followed by a time of informal discussion on the issues and prayer. The meeting is preceded by a cooked breakfast with tea, coffee and a chance for informal fellowship before we begin the study. We encourage men to join with us and share in the great blessing of gathering together as men to build one another up in our most holy faith. The meetings last from 9am-10:30am on a Saturday morning.

As the likely deadline for passing – or defeating – Leadbeater’s assisted suicide bill looms in the coming months, assisted suicide campaigners are urging the House of Lords to allocate yet more time to debating the bill. With a record number of over 1,000 amendments proposed by peers, each day of debate makes it seem more likely the bill will run out of time before it can be passed. In November, peers were given 10 additional days to debate the assisted suicide bill. And now, rather than recognising this patched-up bill is broken beyond repair, these campaigners are back again and asking for yet more time. Proponents of the bill have accused opponents of introducing a vast quantity of amendments as a ‘delaying tactic’. When lives are on the line, surely delay is the only ethical response? But regardless of the political tactics at play, the fact remains: if the assisted suicide bill was remotely as safe as it claims, this myriad of amendments would be unnecessary. More time will not fix Leadbeater’s bill. With every flaw it attempts to patch up, it opens yet more pitfalls and raises more concerns. Those who think that assisted suicide is compassionate rarely listen to the concerns of those who are most knowledgeable about it – people living with disabilities and medical experts in mental health and palliative care. For these assisted suicide campaigners, it is merely a matter of autonomy and they fail to see the impossibility of making assisted suicide practical and safe. The truth is that there will never be a future assisted suicide bill that is safe.

I was recently driving with my young daughter a few days after she publicly professed her faith in Christ. She asked an important question: Not everyone who says they trust in Jesus stays faithful to him. How can I be sure that isn’t me? You can probably think of someone who at one time claimed to trust in Christ but later fell away. A contemporary term for this is deconstruction. Scripture uses a more catastrophic image: some, “concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck” (1 Tim. 1:19–20). Paul wasn’t exaggerating. He had been shipwrecked (2 Cor. 11:25). He knew that apostasy was no less tragic than the sinking of a vessel on which people’s lives depend. These apostates Paul names—Hymenaeus and Alexander—punctuate Paul’s charge to the church to “wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience.” How can the failures of others help you be diligent in resisting apostasy?

Pastor Tonny Karwa writes: Dear Brethren, I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to you and your respective churches/ministries for standing with us in prayer throughout 2025. The Lord has accomplished so much through your incessant prayers, for which we must surely thank Him. Your prompt and regular feedback have been greatly used by the Lord to encourage Olivia and I to continue labouring here in Kisumu despite our frailty as you may be aware. I have highlighted a couple of areas of thanksgiving for your encouragement.

As a new year begins, we instinctively take stock of time past and time ahead. Threshold moments like this invite reflection on what has been given, where it has come from, and how we have responded. Scripture itself invites us into that same consideration by drawing our attention to the timing, the place, and the response surrounding God’s greatest gift. In doing so, it presses us not toward sentimentality, but toward honest reassessment before God as we enter another year under His rule.

Christian Concern write: Churches around the UK reported significant increases in the numbers of people attending Christmas services at the end of 2025. There are no official figures covering all churches, but straw polls are suggesting 4 out of 5 saw clear increases in attendance. The past few years have seen a big change in tide. Many thought leaders and political figures have either become Christians or begun to recognise that Christianity is good for people and for the nation. There are reports of a ‘quiet revival’. Is public perception beginning to see Christianity as a good thing? What an opportunity that presents us in 2026! People are interested in the claims of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of Kings. The Christian Concern community has stood firm for decades, speaking and living for Jesus. Now people seem ready to listen. Not everyone who calls themself a Christian will persevere. Some will stand with us on some issues but stay silent or oppose us on others. We need to be courageous and full of love as we consistently direct people to the hope of Christ.

Dr. James Renihan writes: To all the Saints in Christ Jesus, Greetings and Happy New Year. One of my favorite Psalms to preach on is Psalm 136. You remember it: 26 times we are reminded that the Lord's mercy endures forever. Literally, each verse concludes by saying "eternally, His love." This is a great thought at the change of the year. We are at the point of the year when it seems that many are contemplating the 12 months that have passed while others look to the 365 days ahead. As I consider the past, I can say that the Lord's mercy and grace have been evident every day. Our school has enjoyed great blessings and also endured moments of profound disappointment. Through it all, our God has been faithful. He has heard the prayers of His people and carried us into a New Year. His love has been with us each day. Eternally, His love. If I look ahead, while I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, I anticipate many good things. I am assured of the fact that our immutable and unchanging God will always show mercy and grace to us. Eternally, His love. I know that he will hear our prayers and provide for all our needs.

In the Gospel narratives, we do not merely read of an event in history, but a revelation from heaven. God does not simply send information, instruction, or inspiration. He sends glory. “The glory of the Lord shone around them” (Lk. 2:9). And where God’s glory is truly received, joy inevitably follows. “I bring you good news of great joy” (Lk. 2:10). The Scriptures repeatedly testify to this pattern. When the glory of God is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, joy breaks forth. It is as certain as any fixed law. Glory received produces joy. Yet Scripture also teaches us something equally certain: true glory and joy are never received accidentally. They come only when the heart is rightly placed before Christ. The Christmas narratives reveal what we might call a divine equation: I am nothing; Christ is everything; Therefore, glory and joy!

Originally known as the “Keetoowah,” by the late 18th and early 19th centuries the Cherokee Nation inhabited tens of thousands of acres stretching across Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. When George Washington (1732–1799) became the first president of the United States in 1789, he implemented a policy of “assimilation” towards the Indian nations. Indians were to be taught English language and customs in hopes they would one day be integrated as citizens of the United States. Missionaries to the Indians were viewed as agents of assimilation, and when the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Civilization Act in 1819 missionaries across many denominations received government funding for their ministries. This acquisition of funds would have disastrous consequences since government funding inevitably leads to government control.

Tom Ascol writes: I like Spurgeon on the subject of Christmas because he does not fit easily into either of the simple pre-cut molds that tend to dominate those with strong opinions on whether Christians should even acknowledge, much less celebrate Christmas. In one corner you have those who give a resounding “NO” to this question. After all, the Bible does not even hint at celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ annually. Furthermore, Christmas is an adaptation of a pagan festival and “what hath light to do with darkness?” In the other corner are those who seem to think that anything less than an all-out celebration of Christmas–even by those who are not Christians–is an assault on our faith and one more indication of how godless our culture has become. Spurgeon’s views are considerably more nuanced than either of these.

We are excited to announce next year's conference theme: Christ Revealed in All of Scripture: The Principles and Practice of Biblical Theology. Through these conferences in 2026, we will be equipping African pastors and church leaders to rightly handle the word of truth as Scripture reveals Jesus to us. Here are the topics at each conference: Reading the Bible like Jesus; Reading the Bible like the Apostles; Reading Genesis 1-3; Reading Genesis 4-50; Reading the Pentateuch; Reading the Histories; Reading the Prophets; Reading the Psalms; Reading the Bible for Future Glory. We welcome your prayers for our conference delegates so that they wil read all of God's Word seeing Jesus in its pages!

Christmas is approaching fast, and lots of children cannot wait for the day. The festive season means family, fun, presents and so much more – above all, it means the most precious gift of all: Jesus, a Saviour. And yet, the holiday also brings with it many challenges. For lots of Christians, it can mean feeling like you are the only one celebrating, the fear of being discovered or having family taken away and celebrations done in total secrecy. It is a vulnerable time for our brothers and sisters. But the joy that Jesus brings is defiant, as shown by the following messages to Open Doors supporters like you.

One passage cherished for Advent reflection is Isaiah 9:6. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. That title “Wonderful Counselor” is one of the sweetest promises for believers. And it should be, yet perhaps not as we generally take it. We read “counselor” and are disposed to think of a knowledgeable professional sitting across from us in a sofa chair, pen and paper in hand, ready to lend a listening ear (for a low rate of $150/hr) and empathize with life’s challenges. Or perhaps our idea is more personable: We see an older, wiser confidante, listening across the table at a coffee shop, helping us sort through our emotions and big life decisions. Both such readings of “Wonderful Counselor,” whether personal or professional, offer us an unfounded promise. It may be a true promise, if we find it elsewhere in Scripture, but as far as Isaiah 9 goes, we have gotten off on the wrong foot, squared. We are misguided first in our understanding of what the “counselor” is, and because of this we do not understand whom the counselor is to. Correcting these notions will require us to let go of what might be a personally meaningful, but textually unwarranted, promise. But it will open our hands to receive a far better hope: better because it is truly greater, and because it is textually grounded.

Pastor Igor Bandura writes: Thousands of British Christians have faithfully and sacrificially lifted up Ukraine before the throne of grace day after day. We feel those prayers. We are alive because of those prayers. Never underestimate the power of the spiritual front you hold so faithfully. The situation in Ukraine remains incredibly hard. People are dying. Homes, hospitals, schools, and power stations are being destroyed. The suffering cuts deeply into every heart. Yet for the church, this is not a time to hide; it is a time to serve, to carry the love of Jesus right into the midst of darkness. And in the middle of it all, our hope in God remains unshaken. Dear brothers and sisters, thank you for standing with us. Thank you for promising to stay with us until this war ends and beyond.

What comes to your mind when you hear the name William Carey? A shoe-cobbler turned missionary? A Bible translator in India? The father of modern missions? Many Christians associate Carey with the work of missions, and it’s not hard to see why. Carey left his homeland, devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel among those who did not know Christ, and exhorted the churches of his day to join him in the work of the Great Commission. We rightly praise God for this godly man whose example continues to inspire us today. But Carey’s work as a missionary included more than evangelism and Bible translation. It also involved church-planting. Carey believed planting biblical churches was a core component of the missionary task, by which Christianity would take root and spread throughout the lost world. Churches, therefore, were of utmost importance to Carey.

Isaiah 26:3-4 gives God’s people one of the most precious truths in all of Scripture. Isaiah speaks directly to God and says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.” God offers His people perfect peace in a problem-filled world. This is not a distant theory or a poetic sentiment. Rather, it is a real, sustaining, inner calm that comes from God Himself. The world is full of reasons to be unsettled. Scripture tells us plainly that as believers “we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22), and everyday life proves it: global conflicts, national instability, personal griefs, sicknesses, financial burdens, fractured relationships, internal battles, and unrelenting pressures.

Saturday 20th December — 4:30pm Traditional Carol Service. Sunday 21st December — 10:30am Morning Worship. Sunday 21st December — 3:00pm Afternoon Worship. Wednesday 24th December — 7:45pm Bible Study. Thursday 25th December — 10:30am Christmas Day Service. Sunday 28th December — 10:30am Morning Worship. Sunday 28th December — 5:30pm Evening Worship with Communion. Wednesday 31st December — No Bible Study.

In this four-part series for Advent, Tony Watkins talks to Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge, about Luke chapters 1 and 2. These chapters are the focus of Christopher’s book of Advent devotions, Repeat the Sounding Joy . The following questions are addressed, amongst others: Why is it important to know that Luke is historically accurate? How do the childless Zechariah and Elizabeth find hope? Why does Luke give so much attention to John the Baptist? Is Gabriel a bit harsh on Zechariah? Is Zechariah being struck dumb a sign rather than a punishment? How does the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth help us to think about Advent being about Jesus' second coming as well as his first?

The recent spate of attacks and kidnappings in Nigeria has thrown a spotlight on the daily heartbreaking challenges that Christians face. However, Christmas is a time of heightened risk as Christians gather for church services, travel back to their villages or just travel to the local stream, river or other water sources or even just go to the market to buy food for the family. TASTE and our partners in Nigeria have been working to help some of the most vulnerable communities which have suffered and continue to suffer attacks. We have chosen 2 of these communities and want to encourage them with a Christmas gift in the form of a solar powered borehole where the excess energy generated by the solar panels will be used for light and power. Our partners will help holistically including with food distribution. We have chosen the Glo Village Rakubelleng and the Kim Vwei Communities in Jos South Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State. A total of approximately 1,550 people will be impacted by our intervention at a cost of approximately £13,200. Please help us get this gift to them in time for Christmas.

Nico van Zyl writes: Since our church was formally planted only in August we added two more members at our church. We plan to do a carol singing service in December with another church. Matt was gone in October and two weeks of November which afforded me more time to preach. I finished Matthew 24 and taking on Matthew 25 now. We also finished a course on the attributes of God during our Bible hour. Matt is still doing a series in Titus. Roxanne and Courtney are teaching the young ones during our Sunday School. Next year we want to start a new series in Genesis and during our Bible hour we want to go through the 1689 Baptist Confession. We hope to develop workshops on the book of Genesis, Romans and the 1689 Confession this year. We also plan to start with evangelistic outreaches next year. We also had our first members meeting in October.

Dr. James Renihan writes, Greetings from our IRBS trustees, faculty, administrators and students. We give thanks to God for your steadfast love to Christ and to our Seminary. Humanly speaking, we could not fulfill our mission to train servants of Christ without you. December is always a month for reflection. We remember the incarnation of our Savior with wonder and amazement. To think that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity assumed a true human nature in order to procure our redemption is astounding. I hope that in the busyness of the season you will stop to worship and adore Him. Additionally, during the month many of us look backward in review and forward in anticipation. We think about the things the Lord has done over the past months and we look forward with anticipation to the things He will do in 2026. Will you join me in praising Him for His wondrous works completed in 2025, and asking Him to show forth His glory throughout the New Year?

The overwhelming biblical data on the place of works at the final judgment is not something we can afford to ignore (see Rom. 2:13; 2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 16:27; Jn. 5:28-29; Gal. 6:7-9; Rev. 20:13; 22:12). The final judgment and future justification are matters of extreme importance and it will be theological suicide to deny either of those realities. I mean, if our works, are going to be judged, should we not try to understand in what sense they will be judged? As far as “future justification” is concerned, the Westminster documents speak of believers being “openly acknowledged and acquitted” (WLC 90; WSC 38). The verdict will be publicly passed on believers, which will be “not guilty.”

SGA-sponsored missionary, Yuri Maslov, from Ukraine, tells of the difficulties faced by men in street evangelism due to the risk of being taken from the streets and sent to military training and then the war frontline. On one occasion, when Yuri and his team of evangelists tried to distribute New Testaments in a village people even ran away, thinking they were from the military recruitment office. Yuri and his team are praying and seeking new ways to reach people outside the church. Join them in prayer about ways to overcome this barrier to evangelism. The attacks on Ukraine seem relentless. Pray for God’s intervention in this conflict, and for His protection of His people.

Your prayers are needed after 303 girls and 12 teachers were kidnapped from a Christian school in Niger State, north west Nigeria, in one of the largest ever mass abductions in the country. It happened in the early hours of Friday (21 November) at St Mary’s in Agwara Local Government Area (LGA). Over the weekend, 50 escaped. It’s believed that 253 students and 12 teachers remain held. St Mary’s is a Catholic school, though it’s unknown what percentage of those taken are Christians. It’s the latest in a sudden escalation of kidnappings in Nigeria and there are concerns that more will follow. Insecurity in the north has left more than 10,000 schools closed, exposing millions of children to illiteracy, early marriage and poverty. This vulnerability makes it easier for Islamist militant groups to recruit them, worsening the spiral of violence and oppression.

Ever since Augustine’s The City of God Western political thought has kept some kind of separation – in lesser or greater degrees – between heavenly politics and earthly politics. Oliver O’Donovan clarifies this truth when he writes that “the opposition in Western theology between the City of God and the earthly city has enabled political thought to avoid theocratic conceptions of government, which, by claiming to express the rule of heaven and earth, must unify the earthly and the heavenly into a single totalitarian political claim. Western theology starts from the assertion that the kingdoms of the world are not the kingdom of our God and of his Christ, not, at any rate, until God intervenes to make them so at the end.”

Release International write: One of our partners in Pakistan supports Christians in communities who are often enslaved in brick kiln work and who are constantly vulnerable to abuse, because they are Christians. Support groups provide biblical discipling, as well as collaboration to deal with specific social problems faced by Christian families. The groups run savings programmes to enable members to start self-supporting businesses. Pray for those in the groups with health issues. Please pray also for those seeking healing from past drug addition. Pray for real spiritual growth. Pray for those in the support groups who are now out of work: for God’s provision for them and that they might know God’s peace when burdened with loans. Pray for younger family members, to be guided and blessed by the Lord in their futures. Pray for the nation of Pakistan: that its government and law enforcement agencies will have the courage and wisdom to implement justice and protect its citizens. Pray particularly for the rights of Christians and that they would stand strong in their faith in the midst of persecution and hardship.

The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. Though God regenerates us individually, the path of growth and maturity He has designed requires following Christ together with other believers in a church. Christian growth and maturity happen in the context of committed relationships that arise in local congregations. That is, it takes a church to raise a Christian. No believer, no matter how experienced or well taught, can navigate the challenges of the Christian life on his own. The road is too long, the opposition too great, and our weaknesses too pernicious for any single believer to stay on the path of faithfulness without the Spirit-empowered assistance of brothers and sisters who are traveling to the Celestial City with us.

Brett Shaw writes: I finished teaching on 1 Timothy a few months ago and taught a short series on how Christ promised to build his temple-people from Haggai. Many of our members come from dispensational backgrounds and are growing in their understanding of covenant theology. To help our people better understand the outworking of redemptive history and to learn to read the Scriptures from the apostles, I began teaching from Hebrews. I am also continuing our teaching through our confession of faith during Sunday school, currently teaching from chapter 18. I plan to take a break from the confession after chapter 20 to begin teaching an overview of the Old Testament, covering each book briefly. We currently have 16 children, all under 9 years of age, amongst us. Therefore, I've started a 10-minute catechism class between Sunday school and the worship service to instruct some of our children and encourage our parents in their duties. I know the children have enjoyed it and profited from the catechism. Please pray for the salvation of our children and for our families as they learn to train our children to sit well in worship and to be active participants in hearing and responding to the Word of God.

Please pray for Christians in Syria, after threatening messages were left at two churches, heightening fear amongst believers. “Christian infidel, there is no deity but God, after St Elias Dweila, it’s St Elias Maared’s turn,” said the message on the wall surrounding the compound of St Elias Church in Maared Saidnaya, located 30km north east of the capital Damascus. The words – which are believed to have been written towards the end of last week – refer to the devastating suicide bomb attack on Saint Elias Church in Dweilla, Damascus, on 22 June that killed 22 believers. It comes a week after a similarly threatening words were left on the walls of St Cyrillos Church in Damascus by a man who was caught on camera. “There will be no polytheists left in Syria by God’s will. Our meeting is near, you pigs of the cross,” wrote the message. There was also a non-recognisable phrase that started with the Shahada (the Islamic declaration of faith): “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.”

When basic necessities are lacking, it can be very difficult to focus on the work of the gospel and to remain faithful in the ministry. Often, lack of resources can strike at the heart of a man’s family life and cause such anxiety and distress that he finds it almost impossible to continue. For example, a minister in Pokot might face some or all of these challenges at once: • His wife is suddenly taken ill, and the nearest hospital is several hours away by motorbike, which is hardly suitable for transporting her in sickness; on arrival and diagnosis, the pastor cannot afford the drugs that are prescribed. • The school fees for his children (everyone has to pay towards their children’s fees) are too high and they are therefore not able to attend school. • Drought or disease has caused his crops to fail, or his animals to die, so that he cannot feed his family. • He lacks the resources necessary to repair his motorbike, meaning that he is unable to travel except on foot, which makes his ministry in the churches almost impossible. • When this is added to the fact that he is opposed in the church by one of the older men (such men have authority in the community) on the matter of polygamy, and he finds himself isolated and undermined in his leadership, the result is that he “feels like giving up.”

Over the past 15 to 20 years, many Nigerian churches have witnessed a marked increase in dissatisfaction among believers, largely due to the prevalence of false teachings and unbiblical practices. This spiritual hunger has prompted a growing number to seek congregations committed to sound biblical preaching and authentic ecclesiology. However, the search often leads to frustration, as many churches offer little more than repackaged versions of the same problematic doctrines. Even seminaries, typically regarded as bastions of theological rigor, have not escaped fundamental issues. A poignant example of this hunger comes from an Abuja pastor, who shared, “Pastor, do you know why I came to Bible College?” When asked to elaborate, he explained, “The church where I pastor is in an area that has been attacked by Boko Haram; so, I came to study the Bible so I can comfort my people with the Word of God.” This anecdote underscores the urgent desire for spiritual nourishment and the real-world implications of doctrinal clarity in regions beset by violence and uncertainty.

One of the major culturally corrosive acids to Christian political thought today has been the ubiquitous rise and presence of materialism (and with it an ever-invasive Marxism) which, in denying anything transcendently Divine, has made everything immanently Dire. If there is no God then all sickness, all suffering, and all sadness falls on us to alleviate. We’re all we’ve got and therefore all responsibility falls on man. This of course plays out in unchecked Governmental growth and the increasingly magniloquent meddling of a the so called “expert class”. As a result, everything becomes politicized and polemicized. We become, in the words of R.J. Snell, overly excessive hand washers to control our unpredictably immanent world. And if you don’t do as the experts say, then “right to jail!” Gone is the transcendent Providence of a God who lovingly controls all things, fallen though our world is.

Ciaran Kelly of the Christian institute writes: A House of Lords Select Committee has finished taking evidence from dozens of expert witnesses on Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill – and its failings are becoming ever more obvious. Over the last three weeks, leading doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, disability advocates and lawyers repeatedly warned that the Bill, which applies to England and Wales, is dangerous and unworkable. Even representatives of organisations neutral on assisted suicide – including the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Psychiatrists, GPs, Pathologists and Nursing – highlighted major gaps in safeguarding and oversight. Coercion was a consistent theme. Peers were told it is often impossible to rule out pressure on vulnerable people, particularly where domestic abuse or fear of being a burden are involved.

I often get asked: “How are things going in Nigeria? I thought, as we come towards the end of another year that I would briefly summarise our projects activities from January 2025 to September 2025 so that you would join with us in praising our God for His goodness and faithfulness. We were also reminded of the desperate need of vulnerable communities across Nigeria, as over the same period we received 38 requests for help. These have been added to our ever growing waiting list.

Marriage is a privilege given only to human beings, not angels. Additionally, it is a privilege enjoyed only in this present age (Matthew 22:30). And for this reason, God [specially] created man both male and female and instituted the ordinance of marriage (19:3-6). Marriage, therefore, is not a cultural or a mere religious construct or concept. It is not a manmade institution. Adam did not invent marriage. For Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, it is God who joins a man and a woman together in marriage (19:6). Marriage is God’s idea meant to fulfil His plans and purposes. Ultimately, marriage fulfils God’s spiritual and eternal purpose of demonstrating the union of His Son with the Church (Ephesians 5:31-32). In other words, our imperfect earthly marriages are but a shadow whose divine and stupendous reality is found in Christ and His bride, the Church.

Nico van Zyl writes: Greetings from Thailand in Christ Jesus The last month has been eventful. We finished our last workshop in Mae Ai for the year, and I was asked to baptise a new believer. It was a tremendous joy for me and for Matt and me to complete a workshop on pastoral ministry. We also completed the last of our four workbooks in Chiang Rai with our group. In October I visited three groups in India and completed three workshops. I was received with much joy, and I pray that what we have taught the pastors may be remembered. I have had positive interactions with the men, and I hope that in the future we can identify capable individuals who could teach our workshops in other regions of India and Thailand.

During a recent visit to Ukraine, which offered an opportunity to spend time with partners and SGA-sponsored missionaries, one could feel a palpable confidence in the Gospel and its power to transform lives. While the consequences of the war have hardened the hearts of some, leaving them angry and unable to accept the existence of a God of love, others have had their hearts softened to considering spiritual matters more and are increasingly open to the Gospel. As we approach four years since the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, our partners are focused more than ever on the Lord’s final command to the church, to bring the Gospel to the whole world. Although there are many challenging circumstances, our brothers and sisters are dedicated and determined to grasp this Gospel opportunity.

Abortion up to birth “should have no place in a civilised society”, a prominent pro-life Peer has warned. Lord Alton of Liverpool, who due to ill health was unable to attend the recent House of Lords debate on the Crime and Policing Bill, made the remarks in a planned speech against Tonia Antoniazzi’s Clause 191. This clause, which allows a woman to kill her unborn baby at any stage of pregnancy without sanction, was passed by MPs in June with only 46 minutes of debate. He explained: “This is radical and disturbing, a proposal which would endanger women by removing any legal deterrent against performing dangerous late-term abortions at home and likely lead to an increase in viable babies’ lives being ended.”

Dr. Renihan writes: Dear Saints in Christ, Our Confession's chapter on the doctrine of God concludes with a moving statement: the "doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God and comfortable dependence on Him." Meditating on this phrase has been a great blessing to my soul. But we must acknowledge that the doctrine of the trinity is the most intellectually challenging tenet of our faith. How can God be one and yet be three? Though it may stretch our minds, it is nonetheless the very basis of our faith. Our salvation rests on this doctrine--to reject it is to deny the substance of Christianity.

A single event on a single day changed the world. It was October 31, 1517. Brother Martin, a monk and a scholar, had struggled for years with his church, the church in Rome. He had been greatly disturbed by an unprecedented indulgence sale. The story has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster. Let’s meet the cast. First, there is the young bishop—too young by church laws—Albert of Mainz. Not only was he bishop over two bishoprics, he desired an additional archbishopric over Mainz. This, too, was against church laws. So Albert appealed to the pope in Rome, Leo X. From the De Medici family, Leo X greedily allowed his tastes to exceed his financial resources. Enter the artists and sculptors, Raphael and Michelangelo. When Albert of Mainz appealed for a papal dispensation, Leo X was ready to deal. Albert, with the papal blessing, would sell indulgences for past, present, and future sins. All of this sickened the monk Martin Luther. Can we buy our way into heaven? Luther had to speak out.

Early in our married life, my wife, Donna, spent two years working as a pediatric nurse at a large children’s hospital. Her unit regularly saw young patients who were in desperate need of medical care, sometimes extreme medical care. One of the greatest challenges of her job, exceeding even the emotional toll of caring for children who never did recover, was dealing with well-intentioned but misguided relatives of her patients. Occasionally, parents or other concerned family members would complain and even interfere with the treatment prescribed for sick and injured children. They could not stand seeing their child endure the pain of an injection or be forced to swallow medication. Donna and her colleagues were even accused of being “cruel” and “uncaring” at times. “I could never be a pediatric nurse because I just love children too much,” was a statement she heard more than a few times. Though she never said it in response, the thought that always came to her mind was this: “Do you really think that the reason I am doing this is because I do not love children? It is precisely the opposite! Because I do love your child I am willing to inflict pain if necessary to administer the medicine that can restore his health. I don’t enjoy seeing him cry, but I know that the long-term benefit is worth the short-term pain.”

Dear Brethren, We are approaching the 10th. year anniversary of our settlement in the U.K. The Lord has been so kind. We are in the same city as two of our children, and two of the grandchildren. We are part of a Biblical church and there is much opportunity for fellowship and ministry. Our Father has been pleased to keep us active, so far not laid aside by any maladies. We are so thankful for the medical services we receive. With the internet we are able to keep in contact with people all over the world, something we could not have dreamed of decades ago when we were young!

A recent spate of deadly attacks in Mozambique has added to the trauma and fear of believers in the country. It coincides with a stark warning issued by Islamist militants to Christians in the broader region. Your prayers are urgently needed. At least 20 believers have been killed after Islamist militants launched a wave of attacks on a Christian-majority village in Mozambique. The violence has left 1,300 homes and two churches destroyed, and displaced some 2,000 believers.

The Court of Appeal has granted permission for a coalition of Christian schools, parents, and pupils to challenge the UK government’s controversial decision to impose VAT on private school fees, a policy that has already led to closures and widespread disruption across the independent education sector. The appeal is being brought by headteachers and families from independent Christian schools across the UK, including Emmanuel School in Derby, The Branch Christian School in Yorkshire, The King’s School in Hampshire, and Wyclif Independent Christian School in South Wales. Although the High Court dismissed their claim in June, Lord Justice Lewis has now ruled that the case raises issues of compelling public interest, granting permission to appeal on all eight grounds.

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, now in his mid-thirties, made his way to the Castle Church in Wittenberg and posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the church door. Originally intended as propositions for public debate, the theses were written in Latin—the language of the scholar, not of the street. Luther could have had no idea that they would echo around Europe and become the catalyst for a spiritual revolution. Many of those who saw the papers on the Castle Church door—which seems to have served as a public notice board—would not have been able to read Latin. But soon the theses were translated into German and thereafter spread throughout Europe like wildfire—indeed, like an “act of God.”

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) has announced it is rejecting the Church of England’s leadership, and is reordering the Anglican Communion. In a statement, the Most Revd Dr Laurent Mbanda, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and Chairman of the Gafcon Primates’ Council, explained that in 2008, GAFCON first gathered to “respond to the abandonment of the Scriptures by some of the most senior leaders of the Anglican Communion, and to seek their repentance”. He said “in the absence of such repentance”, GAFCON primates have now taken steps to “reform the Anglican Communion”, and announced that GAFCON is now “leading the Global Anglican Communion”, adding: “As has been the case from the very beginning, we have not left the Anglican Communion; we are the Anglican Communion.”

Les Yates writes: My reason for writing this article is to encourage Christians who, due to changes in circumstances, can no longer actively serve the Lord, particularly the elderly and infirm, from a burning ember among burning embers to an ember that has fallen out of the fire and is losing heat. In 2016, after 48 years of serving as an elder in the same fellowship, I reluctantly retired from the eldership to give more time to caring for my wife, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. From being actively involved in the general organisation of church activities, elders’ meetings, the preaching ministry, counselling, missionary work, etc., to laying aside all these responsibilities was not easy.

A 2023 poll revealed that 84% of Americans are angrier than a generation ago, with 42% of those polled admitting to feeling angrier themselves. A recent Pew Research Center survey shows nearly half (47%) of US adults believe public behavior is ruder than before the Covid-19 pandemic. Surveys are not everything, but they are not nothing either. It seems that Americans have the general impression that the country is becoming angrier. This situation has created an opportunity for the church, and we had better take advantage of it. But how? Ephesians 4:32 shows up at the end of a long string of admonitions for the church. It reads, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Remember this is written to the church. So, no matter what the world looks like the church is supposed to embody this verse and demonstrate a visible difference from the behavior of the world. At the very least, we are to be kind to one another.

We encourage all members to join with our friends at the Christian Institute to pray for our nation. We can all see most readily that ungodliness and immorality have overtaken our national institutions and structures. Let us join together and pray for national repentance and a return to God’s laws and righteous ways.

• Sunday: Pray for those in authority, that they will be granted biblical wisdom and integrity, to restrain evil and promote what is good.
• Monday: Pray that our educational institutions will reject ungodly principles and teach our children the wisdom and righteousness of the Bible.
• Tuesday: Pray for freedom to worship and preach the gospel without interference from authorities.
• Wednesday: Pray against the proliferation and normalisation of gambling.
• Thursday: Pray that churches across the UK would be faithful to the whole counsel of God, and that there would be reformation and renewal.
• Friday: Pray for a recovery of life’s sanctity and value in our culture, and that the assisted suicide bill would be rejected.
• Saturday: Pray for the team at the Christian institute to be wise and effective in all their work.

To our brothers and sisters at TGC-Rambottom. Thank you for your faithful partnership. Your unwavering commitment to support my studies at IRBS means a lot to us. Many things have been happening in our family and my studies and ministry. It has been a long time since we have sent an update to the church. Studying at IRBS has been a great blessing for my ministry preparation and for my family. The classes are theologically and practically robust. I recently completed Greek I. This course was challenging but very fruitful for my understanding of the biblical language and helpful in my exegetical work as I do my personal Bible studies and sermon preparation. I am currently taking OT501: Pentateuch class and enrolled for ET601: Biblical Theology UK & ST602: Doctrine of God. Zambia is on loadshedding, and that has made my studies at IRBS a great challenge, especially attending the live classes, and I have challenges getting required books for the OT501: Pentateuch.

Over 1,000 church leaders (including Trinity Grace) across Great Britain have urged Westminster to ditch plans for a “full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices”. In an open letter organised by The Christian Institute’s Let Us Pray campaign, the church workers told Equalities Minister Olivia Bailey MP that such a law could “criminalise mainstream, historic Christian teaching on marriage and sexual ethics, and make sharing the Gospel with some people illegal”. In addition, over 4,000 other Christians have co-signed the letter.

IRBS UK director, Enoch Adekoya, writes: With the resumption of this new semester, we give thanks to God for His blessing upon the work of International Reformed Baptist Seminary UK and the prayerful support of you all, our dear friends and partner-churches. In his first epistle to Timothy, Paul wrote what is among the most glorious depictions of the church of Christ as we find in the pages of Scripture. The purpose for which Paul exhorts young Timothy in his calling as an under-shepherd of Christ’s church is that Timothy “may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." Undoubtedly, the ongoing cultural fractures we are witnessing in our age are symptoms of a dying world, a world in need of divine truth. A world that has rejected the revelation of God in pursuit of broken cisterns. Paul’s exhortation thus reassures us of the glory and the solemnity of the work and calling of the church of Christ.

Martin Luther looked upon The Bondage of the Will and his Shorter Catechism as his most significant writings. The first of these, The Bondage of the Will, was Luther’s exposition of the monergism that characterized the Reformation. Monergism is the view that when a soul passes from death to life, from unbelief to faith, the sole “energizing” power that accomplishes this is the power of God. Monergism is contrasted with synergism, the view that divine and human power freely cooperate in the soul’s regeneration. Luther and the other Reformers derived their monergism from the Bible, read through the lens of the theology of Augustine, the greatest of the Western church fathers.

Tonny Karwa writes from Kisumu: A new academic year has begun at Maseno University, and first-year students are quickly settling in. It is an opportune season for the various ‘faith groups’ to lower their fishing nets for a catch. The scramble is generally driven by the quest to ‘recruit’ naïve followers or adherents. One can immediately witness how vulnerable the first years are to the religious predators, especially the beguilement of the cults. Yet amidst all this we too have undertaken to pitch a tent there every Friday afternoon if God would perhaps visit His saving grace upon some of them. The Epistle of Romans is the material we have selected for this mission as it reminds us that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

When we dedicate our lives to the Lord, we find that He is able to do far more with them than we can ever do with them. Like the young lad who gave his lunch of five loaves and two fish to the Lord, He is able to take our apparently meagre means and multiply them beyond our imagination for His glory and the blessing of others. Priscilla and Aquila were, humanly speaking, nothing special. But they devoted themselves to God in response to His saving grace, and God worked wonders through them. Every Christian is enjoined to do likewise – where we are, with what we have, to the glory of God. ‘I appeal to you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship’ (Romans 12:1).

Christians in India’s northwestern Rajasthan state have come under increased pressure from Hindu militants since the recent passing of an ‘anti-conversion law’. Although the bill has yet to receive governor assent it has emboldened nationalist groups in their aggressive and sustained opposition to Christians, church leaders claim. ‘As if on cue, attacks on Christians have escalated dramatically following passage of Rajasthan’s anti-conversion bill, mirroring patterns we’ve witnessed in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Jharkhand after similar legislation,’ said the Rev Vijayesh Lal, general secretary of The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI). The Rev. Lal told Morning Star News: ‘These laws consistently embolden vigilante groups who feel licensed to target Christian communities under the guise of preventing [forced or fraudulent] conversion.’

Dr Renihan writes: Greetings to all the saints in Christ Jesus. In many Protestant churches October is celebrated as Reformation month and we are glad to join that celebration. We are reminded of the importance of phrases such as sola scriptura and sola fidei, words that speak of the most foundational realities of our faith. It is by scripture alone that we know and serve our Lord, and it by faith alone that we receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Savior. These truths are foundational to everything we do at International Reformed Baptist Seminary. We unashamedly and fervently teach and proclaim them. Thank you for your faithful support. Please continue to pray that the Lord will make us instruments who uncompromisingly uphold these truths of the Reformation.

What is the Old Testament context for believer's baptism? Hear Dr Renihan teach on the subject.

Broken Wharfe Podcast EP43: The Washing We Need, The Old Testament and Baptism – Ft. Dr Jim Renihan

More than 70 people have been arrested and interrogated by the authorities in a major crackdown on church activities in east China. Pastors, other Christians and people exploring faith were detained during church gatherings, with others picked up from their homes or workplaces. It was part of a sweeping operation that begun two months ago, involving up to 400 police officers and some 200 vehicles, aimed at targeting Christians involved in Bible study groups. Those arrested were questioned about their finances and denominational affiliations. More than 20 people have since been fined, with penalties ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of Chinese Yuan. According to Open Doors sources, the fines appear to be tied to financial offerings given to the church and so-called ‘illegal’ Bible study groups. Another Christian group in the same region was also put through interrogations and given warnings.

Approximately fifty people met at Countesthorpe Baptist Church on Saturday the 27th of September to come together for the Association’s third annual Association Day. Trinity Baptist Church’s newly minted Pastor Benedict Allmand-Smith kicked the day off with a thorough treatment of chapter six of the Second London Baptist Confession, on sin, the fall, and the punishment thereof. Pr. Benedict looked at the state in which man was created, the nature of the covenant of works, before elucidating the consequences for all of humanity of Adam’s failure to keep it. He answered thorny questions such as how it is that we inherit the guilt of Adam’s first sin and the justice of God in doing so. Pr. Benedict is a credit to the International Reformed Baptist Seminary which trained him, and from which he recently graduated with a Masters in Divinity.

The ladies meetings here at Trinity Grace are a warm, welcoming place where we seek to grow in our faith and in our love for God and each other as we study the word of God together. We usually meet once a month on Saturdays, 10am to 12pm. The format we is: tea, coffee and a chance for a quick catch up as we arrive; we then begin with a study from the Scripture lead by one of the ladies; this is followed by a time of informal discussion on the issues raised by the passage studied; and we finish with a time of open prayer informed by what we have learned and by the needs around us. We encourage all ladies to join with us and share in the great blessing these meetings have been to us. The theme for 2025-2026 is “A Proverbs Driven Life”, based on the book by Anthony Selvaggio. The next meeting is on November 15th, “A Life Of Wisdom”, based on chapter 1. You can find the full schedule below.

Nico van Zyl writes: In Mae Ai, where we work among the Lahu and Lisu groups, they don’t have theological books to study. They have the Bible translated, but the Timothy Two workbooks we translate into Lahu— and also into Thai for the group in Chiang Rai— provide a sort of systematic theology the pastors can go back to to make use of in their ministries. There are no study Bibles or commentaries available in the Lahu and Lisu languages that we know of. I am grateful to God for the funds that have been provided for me to go to India next month. I am planning to go to the same two groups in Odisha state and in Andhra Pradesh where I visited in April of this year. I was also invited to go to another location in Andhra Pradesh to train pastors and preach at two evangelistic events. I am excited to go again to minister in India. There are many open doors there.

For Muslims and Jews alike, it seems that recognizing who Jesus is – fully divine and fully human – is the most crucial initial step towards saving faith. Many more prayerful conversations are likely to take place to guide Rahim to understand two vital concepts – the divine unity of the Holy Trinity and the absolute necessity of Christ’s redemptive work to save sinners. Increasingly disenchanted with Islam, many Muslims of the younger generations seem ready to consider alternatives. The gospel alternative is certainly mak- ing in-roads among them. Many are open to one-to- one friendships with caring Christians. We are thankful that even in countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Algeria this is possible. Please pray for the raising up of more mature believers equipped to provide discipling and shepherding care for Muslim contacts.

The year 2025 marks the fortieth anniversary of R.C. Sproul’s classic book The Holiness of God. Dr. Sproul wrote this work out of a desire that all people would know what Scripture teaches about who God truly is in His greatness, majesty, and holiness. The responses of evangelicals in the 2025 Ligonier State of Theology survey reveal that the true character of God as displayed in Scripture is either not being taught in many evangelical churches or not understood by individual evangelicals. For example, the survey shows that many evangelicals hold theologically erroneous beliefs about the nature of God and the sinfulness of man—two critically important areas of doctrine that lay the foundation for all other theological beliefs. Specifically, 64% of evangelicals believe that “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God,” and 53% affirm that “Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.”

There has been yet another series of brutal attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At least a hundred Christians have been killed, with hundreds more kidnapped. Dozens of Christians were killed on Monday, 8 September, while attending a funeral in Ntoyo village, in North Kivu, in the east of the country. “They arrived and started killing. At this funeral place, they coldly murdered 26 Christians,” said Rev. Mbula Samaki of the 55e CEBCE Church Mangurejipa. “Those who tried to flee were shot dead and others were killed with machetes.” The devastating attacks were carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist Islamist group with links to so-called Islamic State. Across the community, dozens more believers were killed in the same way over the course of two days. Rev. Mbula told an Open Doors local partner in a phone call: “The casualty as of now stands at more than 70 Christians killed, at least 100 kidnapped, 16 houses, eight motorbikes and two vehicles burnt. It is horrible.”

Dozens more Peers have blasted Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill as opposition to the legislation grows. During the House of Lords’ final day of Second Reading, a clear majority of Peers speaking warned that the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill endangers swathes of people, from the disabled to young people struggling with mental health issues. Under the proposals, patients deemed to be terminally ill and with less than six months to live would be allowed to receive help to kill themselves. The Bill will now proceed to a Select Committee, where a small number of Peers will hear evidence from professional bodies and Government ministers until 7 November.

At the heart of the Christian understanding of humanity is the assertion in God’s word that human beings are created by God in his image, and that each one is unique and precious to him. The creation narrative in Genesis culminates in the creation of human beings: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 In the psalms, David writes: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139: 13-16 We are, indeed, fearfully and wonderfully made and God knows and loves each one of us.

In this video, Sam Renihan unpacks: What it means that God swore an oath to Christ. Why Christ’s priesthood surpasses the Levitical priesthood. How Isaiah’s servant songs reveal the covenantal work-reward structure. How Christ’s obedience secures forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life for His people. Why the covenant of redemption must be understood without compromising the Trinity. Key Texts: Hebrews 6–7, Isaiah 53, Genesis 15, Luke 22:29

Tom Ascol writes: The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy of massive proportions. It has dominated most of the conversations I have had this afternoon with family, pastors, and friends around the United States, some of whom were close to Charlie. I did not know him well but have been with him a few times at events and shared a meal with him once. He was a brilliant young man and a great apologist who has done a lot of good. He was intentionally murdered because of his devotion to Christ and determination to speak for Christ. His assassination is another reminder of the kinds of evil that Christians are up against in our nation today. And we need help to think clearly about these realities

The Taliban exerts total control over Afghanistan and there is no religious freedom to follow any faith outside their extremely hardline version of Islam. In Afghanistan, leaving Islam is considered shameful by family and community, and conversion is punishable by death under Islamic law – which has been increasingly enforced since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021. If converts from Islam are discovered, the family, clan or tribe may try to preserve its so-called ‘honour’ and oppose the convert through pressure, violence or even murder. Women have no rights in Afghanistan, and women from religious minorities are especially vulnerable to physical abuse, house arrest, forced marriage or sexual enslavement.

Over the past year, many evangelical churches in Ukraine have come together to serve the people of this war-torn country. Supported by SGA, thousands of people have been provided with food to eat, a place to stay or some other practical means of support. With each act of mercy, the grace of God has also been communicated, with the good news of Jesus Christ. Praise God that through this practical Christianity, many have come to faith, including Natalia, who, despite not being a believer herself, started helping her local church provide hot meals to those in need within her community. As she did so, she too heard the Gospel, as it was shared with those she helped to feed. Over time, she came to faith, was baptized, and now she is an active member of the church. Her faith manifests itself as she shares with others the love of God that she has come to know herself. We are thankful for the evangelical churches that, with SGA support, are able to provide essentials for survival. Pray that the love of Christ will reach many like Natalia and come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Ibrahim Katana, minister in Mombassa, writes (lightly edited): The baptisms went well, and I was proposed to be the pastor of the Church, and now we are praying for it. Those who were baptised will be voting for me on 10th August 2025. And from there we will set a date for constituting the Church. Christ our Lord is building His Church, it is growing both spiritual and physical. Right now I have six people who have applied for membership but are yet to be interviewed. In number, thus the baptised and those who attend regularly are now between 20 to 25. We do evangelising on Fridays afternoon hours, prayer meetings on Tuesdays afternoon hours, house fellowships on Thursdays. Therefore, be praying for us on the whole issue of constituting our Utakaso Bible Church, together with the events we do as a Church, that it may please God to save those who sit under the preaching of His word and those to whom we preach during evangelising, from which we have seen some fruit. Apart from Utakaso Bible Church, I’m engaged in teaching Wisdom Training College in Kaloleni which is in Kilifi county, doing devotions. So, be praying for the classes as well that God will raise faithfully men for His work.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus Christ. As autumn approaches with its promise of cooler weather, I am reminded of the need to keep our hearts warm in the service of the Savior. Proverbs 4:23 states "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." This is true for every believer, especially ministers of the Gospel. Every elder must seek to draw near to Christ, mortifying sin and pursuing holiness. Would you pray that our professors and administrators, and all our students will remember this basic fact? In Christ, James M. Renihan President, IRBS

We thank the Lord for the far He has brought us students of TPC – especially for third years, for we are approaching the end of our classes. Pray for the upcoming class where we will study the doctrine of the Holy Spirit – that the Lord may prepare our minds and hearts to have right understand of this doctrine, and humbled us for His worship. Prayer Requests: i. Thank God for the good experience I am learning and sharped at TBC. ii. Pray that I may remain faithful in the service of the Lord. iii. Remember my family in prayer— that God may save my siblings, provide for their needs, and grant them thankful hearts in all circumstances.

When Christians think of making a decision, we should seek to know God’s will about a certain choice. The believer is concerned, not just to make a good or wise decision, but to execute a decision that accords with God’s will, which we must think about biblically. There are two things commonly meant when we speak of God’s will. The first refers to God’s divine decree as His will. God’s divine decree is what He determined would happen in history before anything existed, which we read in Isaiah 46:9-10. Some people refer to this as the secret will of God because we, as mortal beings, only have a general picture of our past, current, and future; God knows all the details and holds the future in His hands. The second aspect is God’s divine commands. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the apostle Paul gives us three examples of things God commands us to do – or things we know God desires from us. Anything commanded in Scripture of God’s people is the Lord’s will of command, which can be equated with the law of God. These are the things that please God, and they are not a secret; they are revealed to us in the Bible by God.

Far too many ministers limp through their calling weighed down by burdens, frustrations, and complaints. But step back for a moment and remember what you’ve been entrusted with — there is no higher, richer, or more rewarding task in all the world. Think about it: you are preaching the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through that gospel, those whom God chose before the foundation of the world are called to Himself. They are forgiven of their sins. They are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They are equipped for eternal glory. How could anything be more wonderful than that? Paul put it so beautifully when he said to the Thessalonians: “You are my glory and my joy. You are my crown of rejoicing.” He looked at the fruit of grace in their lives, and his heart swelled with thanksgiving. Brother, that same joy is set before you in ministry. You get to see men and women changed by the Word of God that passes through your own lips.

Our culture offers significance without transcendence — the prospect of finding meaning and fulfilment but in humanistic terms that make no reference to deity or the supernatural. This offer persists, even though by experience it continually founders on the very average, even mediocre, and largely unfulfilling reality of our everyday existence. By contrast, Christianity is unashamed to offer fulfilment outside of and beyond human activities and attainments — in life with Christ. This offer is realistic about our spiritual sickness and inertia, going so far as to identify our basic problem as spiritual death and ever-increasing corruption. But the life of Christ is the ineffable, abundant, fountain of the life of God Himself, and the good news is that this is what dead and dying sinners are invited to participate in. Several times in the Gospel of John, Jesus Christ is said to have life, or claims to be life, or says He will give sinners life. In the following updated extracts, George Hutcheson comments on the life — eternal life — which is available in and from Jesus for otherwise unfulfilled and perishing sinners.

Christian MSP Kate Forbes announced earlier this week her intention to step back from the world of politics in order to spend more time with her family. It has not been an easy ride for her over the past few years, but when she stands down at the Scottish election next year, she will do so with the admiration of Christians across the UK. Politics can be a difficult space to be in, especially as a Christian, but Forbes has shown great courage and grace throughout her time in the public eye. The Deputy First Minister of Scotland has been one of the most prominent Christian politicians in the UK in recent years, and has publicly spoken of her faith and how it has impacted how she has voted on issues and engaged with colleagues and opponents.

When you first enter the ministry, you bring vision, drive, conviction, and belief. You see the problems that need fixing. You see the doctrinal gaps, the family issues, the weaknesses in church life, and you long to address them. With a heart full of zeal, you start to preach: Do this. Change that. Adjust the other. And here’s the thing — it’s all true. It’s all needed. But the power does not lie in the command. The power lies in the grace. A young minister can preach with all the biblical accuracy in the world — chapter and verse, sound exegesis, clear exhortations — and still find himself wondering, Why is there no change? Why no fruit? Why does it feel like the truth I preach falls flat? The answer is simple: the law commands, but it cannot empower. Only grace changes hearts.

Evil is never shy. It loves to parade itself. It delights to raise itself up like a cobra and show off its glories, drawing attention to its venomous power and magnifying its threat. It is proud, impatient and puffed up; it seeks its own; it rejoices in iniquity. Evil gets in your face and declares its superiority, demanding submission and threatening consequences if you refuse. That was certainly the way of things with Pharaoh. Upon entering his throne room, Moses and Aaron would have been dazzled with walls festooned with emblems of the mighty Pharaoh’s power, depictions of his military victories and pictures conveying his god-like authority. The throne itself would have been massive, carved out of ivory and encrusted with gold and gems. But at the centre of that throne sat the great man himself, with the crown upon his head. John Currid explains, “Depicted on the front of the king’s crown was an enraged female cobra, or serpent. This uraeus was thought by the Egyptians to be energised with divine sovereignty and potency.”

Dr Tony Rucinski of Coalition for Marriage writes: I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Michael Ward, who NT Wright calls the “foremost living scholar on CS Lewis”. Our chat reveals some fascinating and lesser-known insights from Lewis about marriage and why it’s so foundational. Grab a cool drink, sit back, and watch our full conversation here. Most of us know Lewis from his beloved Narnia stories, but his perspectives on marriage are deeply woven into many of his writings, particularly the Ransom Trilogy. Dr Ward highlights Lewis’s belief that marriage – or matrimony – is uniquely “ordered to the procreation of children”. This essential characteristic, Lewis argued, defines marriage exclusively as the union between a man and a woman. Dr Ward also explores Lewis’s thoughtful reflections on gender roles. Lewis emphasised understanding one’s own identity in relation to the opposite sex. He saw true masculinity and femininity as recognising and respecting innate complementary differences, believing we only fully grasp who we are through our relationships with others. Lewis expressed deep concern over society losing sight of the natural distinctions between men and women. Dr Ward shares Lewis’s stark warning: in neglecting these fundamental truths, we risk “abolishing ourselves”, undermining our very humanity.

During the first half of 2025, African Pastors Conferences has been staying busy, carrying out conference runs in several nations: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia. The conference in Solwesi, Zambia was organised by Brian Mutale, who did an excellent job in using a conference committee from a wide scope of denominations and we had a group of 50, almost all of them pastors, attending. This was the original vision of APC founders Irving Steggles and Erroll Hulse, to reach the full scope of African pastors with these conferences, and this came to fruition in Solwezi this year. There was a hunger and thirst for the Word, good questions, and good engagement. Book sales were exceptionally good as the pastors here have not had access to good Evangelical and Reformed books. The pastors in Solwezi also expressed their need for good theological education in this area on a more consistent basis.

I recently sent the draft of a book on "Grace" to the publisher. I got the idea from an old book by Abraham Booth, "The Reign of Grace", first published 1768, which I read has never been out of print! Our esteemed professor John Murray regarded it as 'one of the most eloquent and moving expositions of the subject of divine grace in the English language.' I ask myself why then should I spend my time writing, but I have been encouraged to do so. As always I have the Kenya situation in mind, to teach the same truth with more accessible English. As for methodology I have sought to base everything on specific passages of Scripture where the word grace occurs (more than 100x in the NT). I am thinking of entitling it ‘Grace in Everything’ —election, calling, regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification, the history of doctrine, practice, and even hymnody.

The rise of Islamist fundamentalism in Bangladesh continues to target believers from Muslim backgrounds, who face direct threats, social exclusion, economic boycott and constant pressure to renounce their faith. Yet in the midst of these challenges, courageous individuals like Masud* and Akram* stand as living testimonies of unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. Masud (38) lives in western Bangladesh with his wife and their five-year-old son. Many new believers in this context choose to keep their faith undercover, because they know the dangers they face – but Masud is desperate to share Jesus with the people in his community. He serves as a local evangelist, regularly worshipping God in the open yard of his house with five fellow house church members.

James Renihan writes: Our professors are preparing for classes and many students are getting a head start on the readings they will be assigned. It's an exciting time for faculty and students. Would you pray for everyone involved? Pray that our professors will communicate their subjects well and that our students will profit from their studies. While seminary classes are challenging and require much labor, they are not like other graduate level courses. This is because they are centered on our Lord Jesus Christ and His revealed word. We want our graduates to deepen their love for the Savior as they study and be able to communicate this to the Lord's people. In every way, we are dependant on the Holy Spirit to do His good work among us. Please pray!

Christian Concern has been arguing that Labour should drop its plans for an official ‘Islamophobia’ definition ever since it was proposed. And with your help, we sent this message to the Government. On Tuesday, we gathered outside the Home Office, urging Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner not to draw up a definition of Islamophobia. More than 51,000 people signed the petition, urging the Government to protect free speech and the right to critique Islamic ideology. Introducing an official definition of Islamophobia would label any legitimate critique of Islam as racism and hate speech. No other religious group enjoys this privilege. Pray that the UK would say no to any Islamic blasphemy law and that God would raise up more Christians to courageously and lovingly proclaim the gospel of Jesus.

In this study the student is introduced to the discipline of biblical theology, covering its place and function in the encyclopedia of theology, a brief history, a working definition, various models and practitioners, and the relationship between hermeneutics and biblical theology. It also provides a brief overview of redemptive history from creation to consummation, focusing on the progressive, organic, Christ-centered unfolding of Special Revelation in light of the entire canon of Scripture. The course concludes with examples of biblical-theological exegesis with the goal of preaching. This course is required for MA, MDiV and BDiV students. Listeners are welcome to attend. Dates: October 13th to 17th.

We counsel young ministers to be associational. In a time when ministry is increasingly privatized, isolated, and self-contained, this counsel may seem almost counterintuitive. But it’s not optional. It’s necessary. If you want to endure in gospel ministry—and help your church do the same—then seek association. When you enter gospel ministry, you are called to a particular local church. Yes, but that calling only makes sense in light of the universal church. Your flock is part of something much bigger, and your people need to see that from day one. Help them lift their eyes beyond their own walls. Show them what it means to care about the health of other congregations, to pray for sister churches, to weep with them in trial and rejoice with them in blessing. Pastors that lead their church in association cause peace, increase of love, and mutual edification. These are wondrous blessings for the people of God. If you’re in the ministry, you must not be found withholding such things from the flock. It is your task to teach, pursue and carefully foster association between your local church and other churches of like-mind.

The world is full of conflict and warfare – ever since Adam first sinned, and throughout human history, the world has been full of strife. It all started with Adam’s rebellion against God in the garden of Eden. Ever since sin came into the world, humanity has been fighting a long warfare against God, and the conflict has brought much trouble and pain and distress. Of course, we know that humanity cannot possibly win this war. Since the creator is infinite, eternal, unchangeable, sovereign and omnipotent, he must inevitably win the war against his creatures. But we don’t have to wait “until the end” to see God glorified in the conflict – he is praised in all that comes to pass along the way; in every moment of the battle, through every aspect of the warfare, in all that takes place and all that comes to pass, God is honoured. As the Reformers stated, Soli Deo Gloria – glory to God alone.

In the latest Broken Wharfe podcast, Dr. Brandon Rhea, a pastor and scholar, shares insights into Spurgeon's Victorian context, confessional theology, personal life, and ministry challenges. He delves into Spurgeon's emphasis on the Christian Sabbath, his strong convictions about God's law, and his dedication to a high doctrine of Christian worship on the Sabbath Day. The conversation also touches upon contemporary lessons from Spurgeon's ministry, highlighting the importance of maintaining doctrinal clarity, the need for corporate worship, confessions of faith and faithfulness to Jesus Christ despite the many temptations to prioritise pragmatic success over obedience to the Lord.

Genealogies in Scripture must be read in the light of both Gen. 1 and Gen. 3. In Gen. 1:26-28, we’re reminded that it has always been God’s purpose for humanity to multiply and fill the earth. This was the very reason God made the world: so that it might be filled with and ruled by his greatest creation, humanity, made in his own image. The family tree of humanity is, therefore, of immense importance. And in Gen. 3:15, we’re reminded that God’s redeeming grace towards lost humanity comes through humanity itself. It is the seed of the woman, though she fell into sin, who will overcome the enemy and bring redemption. Thus, genealogies that trace this promised child hold great significance. Both of these themes converge in the genealogy found in Ex. 6. Here we see a human family tree, men and women made in God’s image, each with their own stories, yet collectively fulfilling God’s purpose to fill the earth. More than that, this is the family tree of the promised seed: the Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fossils of large dragonfly-like insects have been found in the coal measures of France and Britain. They are classified into the order Meganisoptera, and sometimes called ‘griffinflies’ or popularly ‘giant dragonflies’. They may well represent the same created kind as living dragonflies, despite evolutionists placing living ones in a different order, Odonata. Apart from some subtle differences, they share the same wing system, very different from other insects. Some were huge, such as Meganeura and Meganeuropsis, with wingspans of 65 to 70 cm (25 to 28 inches); about as long as an adult’s arm. Today the largest dragonfly has a wingspan of about 12 cm (5 inches). Dragonflies start life as nymphs in rivers and ponds, but then turn into awesome, colourful insects. Their wings are uniquely fixed in the straight position, but the two sets of wings can move independently, thus allowing for a high degree of aerobatic skill. Indeed, top design engineers, including creationist Prof. Stuart Burgess, have made flapping micro air vehicles inspired by dragonfly flight, which evolutionists claim is ‘primitive’.

Alongside its long term support of missionary pastors, SGA is also providing emergency support for missionary families who are currently facing particularly difficult times, due to them being displaced or serving in significantly dangerous parts of Ukraine. One such pastor is Andrii Tiuliu, pastor of a local church in Druzhkivka (Donetsk region). Since 2014, the church has actively participated in various humanitarian efforts, using its large premises to become a humanitarian hub in the area – receiving and distributing aid among other churches deeper in the Donbas region. Pastor Andrii has not left Druzhkivka since the full-scale invasion; he has remained with his local church, which continues to be a vital point close to the frontline.

Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. An accurate description of how we’ve been preparing our youth in the church. Too often children’s and youth ministries are led by people who are untrained and under equipped. When our youth get to college they have had little discussion as to truth, Christian identity or purpose. They have been given absolutely no Biblical skill set to deal with the subjects of justice, identity, or gender roles, even though they most definitely will deal with those in college, and yet we still wonder why they get blindsided when they get on campus. Psalm 119 echoes the rest of Scripture in the importance of training our youth to have a love for God and His commands (Deut 6:4-7; Prov 22:6). Young people at this age are full of potential and very pliable as they decide who they are and what their guiding principles will be going forward.

Terry L. Johnson writes: I first started attending Grace Community Church my freshman year of college. A group of us drove from the University of Southern California to San Fernando Valley to attend a Sunday night service. He was preaching through First John. The churches I grew up in were of the revivalistic Baptist type in which every service was evangelistic, concluding with an altar call. That Sunday night was the first time I ever heard verse-by-verse preaching. It was dynamic, powerful, inspiring, challenging. I walked out of the service, saying to myself, “That is what a preacher is supposed to do.” His job is not to give us updates on current events, to entertain us with stories, to share his political opinions, or even to evangelize the lost, but simply to explain the Bible and apply its message. His job is to feed the sheep. I knew from that point on that whatever church I attended would feature expository preaching, and if I ever were a minister, verse-by-verse would characterize my own approach to preaching.

Nigerian communities, face significant challenges in Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) – 39% lack access to clean water, leading to diseases like cholera and typhoid. Lack of clean water is also the main cause of death for children under the age of 5. Although 61.2% of Nigerians have access to electricity there are frequent power cuts due to poor infrastructure and reliance on the unstable national grid. Despite being blessed with vast areas of fertile land, food insecurity is prevalent across the nation due mainly to poor agricultural practices, low mechanisation, low crop yields, and religious conflicts. These challenges that Nigeria faces is exacerbated by rapid population growth. TASTE is forming a partnership with, Aftrak, PAM Africa and Tiyeni, to address the link between disease, poor WASH, low crop yields. We will with our partners prioritise the provision of clean water, affordable energy, and better farming techniques.

This week marks 70 years since Brother Andrew began smuggling Bibles behind the Iron Curtain to Christians suffering under Communist rule. Today, whilst the work of Open Doors has since diversified, the need and hunger for God’s Word amongst our persecuted family remains – and that includes believers from North Korea. Where do you typically place your Bible? Perhaps it’s next to your bed or in your living room. You might carry it around with you, certainly if you use it on your phone. There could be several versions or copies scattered throughout your house. For our North Korean family, such freedom and luxury of options is non-existent. Whilst a small number have access to hidden Bibles – buried in the ground, concealed in walls, or kept in cloth and stored out of sight – some have never even set their eyes on one. Having a Bible is not just illegal, it’s extremely dangerous. But lack of accessibility does not mean lack of appetite, because the hunger North Korean believers have for the Word of God is deep – so much so, that some have memorised verses from the briefest encounter they had with a Bible, or bravely share handwritten pages in secret.

When you step into gospel ministry, you’re not signing up for a predictable routine or a neatly mapped-out career path. You’re stepping into a life where the road ahead is often hidden around the bend, and you’d better be ready for whatever comes barreling toward you. As I continue this ten-part series offering honest, practical advice for those entering ministry, my next word of counsel is this: be prepared for anything. The ministry is a wild, unpredictable calling, and you need to brace yourself for the unexpected—both the routine joys and the freight train challenges.

Let Psalm 122 teach you principally about the church of Jesus Christ. Derek Kidner is right: “What Jerusalem was to the Israelite, the church is to the Christian.” To honor Psalm 122 you must have a proper relationship with God’s church. This means several things. (1) You must gladly go to church. Not all Sundays will be equally happy for you. But true believers are eager to meet with God. Church is like a family reunion with “brothers and companions” (Ps. 122:8), and an opportunity to offer thanks to God. Missing church for no good reason is like choosing to be one of the lepers who failed to thank Jesus for his kindness (Luke 17:11–19). (2) You must pray for the church. Pray for unity within and strength to resist attacks from without (Ps. 122:7). And pray that God would call Jewish people into his church.

Tonny Karwa writes: In May, the church graciously released me to speak at the African Pastors’ Conferences (APC) in South Africa-Namibia. Together with brethren across the globe, they lifted their voices to God in symphony for faithfulness and fruitfulness as I stood to declare the truth of God. This year’s theme was, “Behold Your God” (Exploring the Doctrine of God). I sincerely thank God for your prayers, dear brethren. After all, who is sufficient for these things? Mine was to echo one message, “If God is to be truly worshiped, He must be truly loved. And if God is to be truly loved, He must be truly beheld. And if God is to be truly beheld, He must be truly known.” Andrew Mostert was the manager of the run. He became a Christian about 3 years ago and is zealous for God’s work. Thapelo Mpai, a humble and faithful brother, was my co-speaker. Both are members of Birchleigh Baptist Church in Johannesburg (the church that was pastored by the late Irving Steggles).

What Does Genesis 1:1 Have to Do with John 3:16? In a word, everything. Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) is based on ontology (the nature of being). Salvation occurs in the context of creation. Redemption takes place in reality. This should be self-evident but in our post-modern world we are increasingly seeing reality being judged as simply social constructs or determined by the almighty self. Let me explain. Ours is a day when the very idea that absolute truth exists is judged outmoded, offensive, and hateful. This, of course, means that moral relativism dominates the thinking of many people. You can have your truth and I can have my truth, and the two need not even approximate each other much less agree. What’s right for you may not be right for me. Ultimately, each person (the self) is the determiner of what is true and false, right and wrong, and good and bad. Everything is relative—except, of course, the fact that everything is relative. The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.

In this episode of the Broken Wharfe Podcast, John Mark is joined by Texas pastors Aaron Wright and Wilson Marsh. They discuss Christian liberty as outlined in chapter 21 of the Baptist Confession of Faith. Their discussion covers its implications for worship, the limitations imposed by man-made doctrines, and the freedom believers have under God's law. They emphasize the difference between moral and positive law, the proper observance of the Christian Sabbath, and the importance of adhering to scriptural commands while avoiding legalism. The episode also addresses practical concerns such as alcohol consumption, balancing Christian freedom with sensitivity towards individuals with weaker consciences, and the pivotal role of doctrines and confessions in guiding church practices.

All young people are warmly invited to our summer edition of the Trinity Grace Conference. On 12th and 13th September 2025, we will be considering the great theme of The Providence Of God. In a world of uncertainty, we can take comfort in the biblical truth that our God sovereignly upholds, directs, and governs all things for His glory and our good. Through engaging teaching, discussion, and fellowship, we will explore how God's providence shapes our faith, fuels our trust, and calls us to joyful obedience. Come and be encouraged to rest in the wisdom, power, and goodness of our sovereign Lord! The Trinity Grace Conference is designed for those in their late teens, twenties and thirties who are serious about growing in their spiritual lives. Make sure to book your place in advance online by 6th September 2025, and share with others who might be interested.

Are we safe to ignore and disregard and disobey what God says in His word? Can we say God’s word is not very important? Is it true that it often proves false? Are we safe to think there will be no consequences? Isa. 45:18-23 gives a clear answer: every word of God is of utmost importance, in contrast with the words of men and the idols they create, v20-21; all God’s words are truth and righteousness, v18-19; all His words are powerful—it is futile to resist them, v22-23. As Peter quotes from Isa. 40 in 1 Pet. 1:24-25, “the word of the Lord endures forever”. Can you see that hearing and heeding God’s word is the only wise thing to do? These are not words you can afford to ignore or neglect. They are all important. They are all true. They are all powerful. They will all come to pass in their every detail. You cannot resist the words of the Lord. You cannot escape them. The day of reckoning is most surely coming. So, heed the word of the Lord.

Though scarcely preached from the Sunday morning pulpit, the subject of infant salvation is an intensely personal and pastoral issue deserving of proper treatment in the Baptist church. It is not so explicit in Scripture as to escape a measure of speculation, yet not so incidental a doctrine as to warrant “secondary” status. Standing at the intersection of enormous theological doctrines such as original sin, soteriology, and even Christology, the fate of dying infants demands pastoral attention for what it means to grieving families and for what it communicates about the God we worship.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of pride when ministry seems to flourish. You see conversions, your church grows, the congregation praises your preaching, and you hear affirmations like, “That sermon changed my life.” These are sweet moments, but they’re also dangerous. Success can whisper lies: “Look at what you’ve done”. “You’ve cracked the code”. Suddenly, you start believing the fruit is your doing. This is the most obvious form of pride, and it’s the one we’re often on guard against. But we must be vigilant. As Charles Spurgeon warned, “Pride grows apace like other ill weeds. It will live on any soil. In the natural heart it flourishes, springing up without sowing, and growing without watering”. Any blessing in your ministry—any changed heart, any step of growth—is the fruit of God’s mercy, kindness, and grace. You have no power to transform a single soul. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. If God isn’t moving, nothing real is happening.

What has the LORD God almighty covenanted to do for his people? He has purposed and promised to redeem them. Redemption is a financial term. In the ancient marketplace it described the release of a slave by payment of a ransom. In Scripture, it is almost always performed by a kinsman – it is a buying-back of a loved one. That is what God did for Israel through Moses. And in Ex. 6:6-8 he declares seven “I WILL” statements: I will bring you out; I will rescue you; I will redeem you; I will take you to myself; I will be your God; I will bring you into the land; I will give it to you as a heritage. This is God’s sovereign redemption – certain, powerful, liberating, and intimate. Then He repeats again, “I am the LORD.” This same Lord God Almighty speaks such words of covenant faithfulness to us his people – he will redeem us! Or rather, he HAS redeemed us, not from Egypt, but from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13–14); not from Pharaoh, but from Satan’s dominion (Col. 1:13–14); not from physical slavery, but from spiritual bondage and fear (Heb. 2:14–15). He has redeemed His people unto Himself calling us His children and filling us with His Spirit (Rom. 8:15–17). He purchased all of this with his own precious blood (1 Pet. 1:18–21). This is the glorious liberty of God’s children, as described in 2LCF 21.1

We are excited to announce that we will formally constitute a Reformed Baptist Church on 3 August 2026. Lindo, one of our elders at Birchleigh Baptist Church, Kempton Park, is flying to Chiang Rai for the occasion and Andrew McCaskill, an elder of a Reformed Baptist church in Georgia, USA, that Matt knows will also be joining us. We have completed our membership classes, and Matt and I will conduct membership interviews this month. We are planting an English church but also plan to start a Thai Bible study soon, with services in Thai coming soon. Our church essentially will minister to English speakers and Thai speakers in the future. We currently have about 10 Christians coming to our services and hope to constitute with them.

Alongside leading the school ministry, the elders decided that I should help the children’s ministry, beginning from the month of July. This responsibility will require additional time, particularly in coordinating and preparing Sunday classes, and during the Vacation Bible School in holidays. I am also grateful to God for His protection and for all I have learned in the first half of the year. In addition, I’ve been asked to lead mid-week prayer services in October and December, where I’ll prepare a word of encouragement from the book of Job: chapters 26–29 in October, and 36–38 in December-covering one chapter per week. The elders have promised to release me to visit my parents on August 11. While the exact duration of my stay will be confirmed later, it will be the longest time I've spent away from home. I eagerly long to see them and - ministering to the church there.

The vitality and health of local churches in our age is dependent upon the work of Christ who raises, fits, and calls His servants to labour for the call of the gospel and the discipleship of His people. International Reformed Baptist Seminary, UK exists to serve local churches in the UK and beyond by resourcing, equipping, and training Christ’s appointed servants called by the church to this demanding yet most worthy undertaking. We are grateful to the Lord for the support and prayers of our partners and partner-churches. In His providence, we remain greatly encouraged by the blessing of our labours as a seminary.

The first time Yasin read the Bible, he wept. “The first thing I read in this Bible in my own language was Matthew 5, the Sermon on the Mount,” he remembers. “I cried because of the beautiful words in it. The words of Jesus gave me peace in my heart.” It was a peace he’d been lacking for a long time. Though Yasin was brought up in a Muslim home, he wasn’t content in his faith. “Until I became an adult, I followed Islamic law and went to the mosque, but I was not comfortable with it,” he says. “I went to the mosque and did all my religious duties, but I was doing it for my friends’ sake. It wasn’t because I believed in it. I did not have much faith in Islam. It was a habit – but not true worship.” Yasin was taken to a local pastor, who was a convert from Islam. That was when Yasin read the Bible for the first time – and had a transformative encounter with the words of Jesus. After asking more questions and going to a conference organised by Open Doors local partners, Yasin made the life-changing decision to follow Christ.

In the covenant of marriage, there is a promise made unto faithfulness, no matter what the challenges. The historic wedding vows, penned by Thomas Cranmer in 1549, still resonate: “I, [name], take thee, [name]… for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part…” Such promises are godly—reflecting a commitment rooted in love itself, not in attraction or benefit. God’s covenant with His people mirrors this, but with one key difference: God often leads us through worse before we see the better. As seen in Exodus 5, God’s remembrance of His covenant results in worsening conditions for His people before deliverance arrives. That sets the pattern: “For worse, and only then for better; OR, for better, only by means of the worse.” God’s intervention “For the worse”, inciting Pharaoh’s harsh edict, elicits three responses: first from the people, then from Moses, and finally from God himself.

Greetings to all from the cool winter days Down Under. I'm here in New Zealand and Australia to teach courses for IRBS NZ and IRBS Australia. It has been wonderful to meet our students and learn about their lives and ministries. There is a growing interest in our seminary, and I have been greatly encouraged to see the work progressing. From June 30 to July 3 I'm in Palmerston North New Zealand to teach "Preaching the Psalms to a Christian Congregation" for the annual School of Theology at Crosspoint Church, then I fly across the Tasman Sea to teach "Baptist Symbolics" at the School of Theology at Stanmore Baptist Church in Sydney, Australia from July 7-11. Between the two Schools, about 50 students will attend. Added into the schedule are three IRBS on the Road baptism seminars as well as preaching at different churches. It's a full schedule! Pray for us, and give thanks the Lord for so much interest in the work of IRBS here on the other side of the World. May the Lord bless you in these days.

One of our members, Peter Lowe, has been actively involved in challenging the Government's decision to charge VAT on non-state-run school fees. This action of the Government discriminates against those who choose to educate their children outside the state sector, which can be for many different reasons. It is clear from Scripture that the task of teaching children is the responsibility of parents, not the state, and parents should be free either to receive or to reject any help from the state as they see fit. These measures challenge that freedom, and it is no surprise that there are other measures being taken by the Government to restrict home-schooling as well. Please read through Peter's helpful report on the matter, and also the summary from Christian Concern that you can access through the link. Above all, pray for God's mercy upon us, that Christian parents may be free to choose how their children are educated, in accordance with God's word and not the dictates of men.

Welcome back to "Set Your Hand to the Plough: Practical Advice for Gospel Ministers" — a 10-part video series equipping young pastors and those entering ministry with grounded, time-tested wisdom for the road ahead. In this fourth episode, we tackle a temptation every young minister faces: chasing the “golden key.” A new method, a fresh doctrine, a rediscovered emphasis — surely this is what the church needs, right? But there is no golden key. No single doctrine or strategy transforms the church. Instead, true reformation comes through a faithful, confessional ministry that preaches the whole counsel of God. The historic confessions — such as the Second London Confession of 1677/89 — don’t flatten God’s truth into one point. They give a full, balanced vision of the faith. They protect you from obsession, from imbalance, and from turning the pulpit into a platform for personal crusades. A confessional ministry doesn’t promise instant results — but it does produce long-term fruit. Rooted in Scripture. Anchored in truth. Aiming at Christ’s glory.

As the Holy Spirit enables you, support an evangelistic cause. Before leaving for India, William Carey told his friends Andrew Fuller and Samuel Pearce, “I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the ropes.”[1] Carey was aware of the difficulty of moving to another country to serve as a missionary. He knew he could not be an effective missionary without others’ help. He thus needed his fellow believers to hold the ropes for him as he descended into the pit of India (so to speak) to proclaim the gospel there. Thankfully, his friends held the ropes for Carey. They prayed for him, raised funds for him, and encouraged their own congregations to be involved in the mission work in India. While all of us are called to be ambassadors for Christ, not every one of us is called to leave his or her country and serve elsewhere as a missionary. Yet, these cross-cultural missionaries need their fellow believers back home to hold the ropes for them as they proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can hold the ropes in various ways—by encouraging missionaries, praying for them, and helping them with your financial resources.

At least 25 people have been killed and more than 60 injured in a suicide bomb attack on a church in Damascus, Syria. An armed man entered the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in the Dweila district during the Sunday evening service and opened fire with a weapon before detonating an explosive vest. Around 350 people are believed to have been in the church at the time. One witness, Lawrence Maamari, said that ‘someone entered [the church] from outside carrying a weapon. When he began shooting people ‘tried to stop him before he blew himself up.’ Photos and video from inside the church show extensive damage and blood-spattered walls. Reports have suggested that the man was affiliated with the terrorist group Islamic State (IS).

‘Uncertainty’ is a word that best describes life for many in Ukraine. Hopes of potential peace are all too quickly fading away as news of their own military’s success is accompanied by well-founded fears of the retaliatory Russian strikes that have already been realised. This is how Katya Nikonorova, SGA’s Communications Coordinator in Ukraine, speaks honestly of how Christians are not immune to feelings of despair, as many live in fear of what the future might hold. Yet through it all, the Church remains a visible source of help for those who currently feel weak and full of doubt. Furthermore, Katya points out that the hugely appreciated love shown by Christians around the world encourages Ukrainian believers by reminding them that they’re not alone.

On Friday June 20th, MPs voted in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill for England and Wales by 314 votes to 291. This is a tragic indictment of the disregard that so many in the House of Commons have for the most vulnerable in society. Coming so soon after Tuesday’s vote to dramatically liberalise abortion law, it is heartbreaking. Let us pray earnestly for repentance in our nation, and let us continue to make known the message of life and hope through Christ's victory over death in the gospel.

Right To Life UK write: Unfortunately, MPs have just voted (17-06-25) by 379 votes to 137 in support of Tonia Antoniazzi’s abortion up to birth amendment. The vote took place after less than two hours of debate. This is the first time this extreme abortion amendment has been debated in the House of Commons, and there has been no consultation with the public on this seismic law change. The amendment, tabled by Tonia Antoniazzi MP, would change the law so it would no longer be illegal for women to perform their own abortions for any reason, including sex-selective purposes, and at any point up to and during birth, likely leading to an increase in the number of women performing dangerous late-term abortions at home. This is not the end of the battle on this extreme abortion amendment.

Trinity Grace Church takes very seriously our Lord’s last command which is for the church to make disciples of every nation, of every people (see Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:15). We are thus committed to the sending and supporting of obedient, gifted, proven and thus truly called disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ who will make disciples of Jesus Christ elsewhere. It is with this in mind that we have formulated the following policy with regards to missionaries that Trinity Grace Church both sends and supports. We recognise that this is a fallible document and thus there will always be the need for periodic review and subsequent necessary changes as the light of Scripture and missions experience fine tune our viewpoints. Nevertheless, it shall serve as a binding document as administered by the elders of Trinity Grace Church.

On Friday 12th and Saturday 13th September 2025, we will be hosting the Trinity Grace Conference. This time we are extending the age range to not only include late teens and 20s, but also those in their 30s. The theme of the conference will be "The Providence of God". Mike Judge, Oliver Allmand-Smith and Tony Flanders will be opening up this subject from various angles. More details available through the links below. The conference is free of charge to those who attend (although a donation would be helpful), but registration is required so that we can know numbers for catering, etc. If you know of people in this age group, please encourage them to come along. Likewise, if you are in that age group yourself, it would be great to see you.

Stella Creasy MP has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which would allow a woman to kill her unborn baby at any stage of pregnancy without sanction. A similar amendment has been tabled by her Labour colleague Antonia Antoniazzi. A vote on the Bill is expected later this month. The architect of Westminster’s assisted suicide Bill, Kim Leadbeater, also welcomed the proposal, arguing: “Whatever stage we are at in our lives, it is important that we are allowed to make choices about our own bodies, free from the fear of criminalisation or judgment”.

MPs have continued to highlight striking flaws in Kim Leadbeater’s increasingly unpopular assisted suicide Bill. Despite repeated warnings of the danger to vulnerable patients, the House of Commons voted to allow limited advertising for assisted suicide, and to allow doctors to raise it with patients. But MPs did ensure that it could not be discussed with 16 or 17-year-olds. Under the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, patients deemed to be terminally ill and with less than six months to live would be allowed to receive help to kill themselves. The House of Commons’ final vote is expected to be held on Friday 20 June – at least 28 MPs would need to switch their vote to stop the Bill proceeding to the House of Lords.

Welcome back to Set Your Hand to the Plough: Practical Advice for Gospel Ministers — a 10-part video series offering grounded, pastoral wisdom for those entering or persevering in gospel ministry. In this second episode, we address a quiet but essential truth: your family carries the weight of your calling—even when they weren’t called. The ministry belongs to the minister—but the family walks beside him. Your wife, your children—they don’t enter the pulpit, but they feel its burdens. They support the ministry without being publicly recognised by it. And they often pay a high cost for something that is not their own personal calling. This episode calls ministers to honour their home life as part of their ministry, not a competitor to it. We explore how to love, defend, and nurture your family even as you serve the church—especially when challenges arise from within the very body you’re serving. When your family faces trials or criticism because of your role, you must stand with them, not behind the congregation. If we neglect our families in the name of church service, we risk disqualifying ourselves from both. True gospel ministry begins at home.

Catechism. For some, this word conjures up dead orthodoxy and high church ritualism. For others, it is seen as an essential tool to be used in their family and church life. Whatever the idea of catechism brings to mind, why should you consider using catechism? Throughout God’s Word, we are warned of being led astray with the error of the wicked. To give just one example, the Apostle Peter says, “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Pet. 3:15-16). So there are those who will twist Scripture which leads us to destruction. Don’t miss that these men will teach from Scripture. They will maintain that what they are saying is biblical. And there are some things in God’s Word that are hard to understand! How can you prevent falling prey to their deception? By learning faithful summaries of biblical truth that have stood the test of time. Knowing catechism questions and answers can keep you from false teaching.

Biblical leadership is vital to the health and wellbeing of any local church. We thank the Lord for the elders and deacons he has given us at Trinity Grace Church. The leadership page of the website has just been updated, and we encourage you to read through the testimonies of our men so that you can know them better and pray for them with greater understanding. Paul outlines healthy relations between leaders and members in a local church in 1 Thes. 5:12-13, "We urge you, brethren, to recognise those who labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem then very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves." May we enjoy such peace and edification here at Trinity Grace as leaders and members serve faithfully together.

ELDERS NEEDS: I humbly ask for your prayers for our elders: brothers Muketha, Tito, Murungi, and Dominic. These men labor faithfully every Lord’s Day to ensure we are spiritually nourished. With Elder Murungi currently on sabbatical, the remaining three elders – greatly assisted by our deacons – are working diligently to carry out all pastoral responsibilities. Please pray especially for Mzee Muketha; this past Sunday, he lost his voice while preaching, and one of the elders had to step in to finish the sermon. SCHOOLS MINISTRY: As mentioned in my previous report, two primary schools have opened their doors to us for ministry. I am actively involved in this work, teaching the children three times each week. The schools resumed this month, and we have fully resumed our sessions. Please pray that these evangelistic opportunities will prepare me for future ministry – and most importantly, for the salvation of the children.

The best way [for a father] to lead his family verbally in spiritual worship is to talk to them in all the natural settings God gives to him. He can discuss God’s role in creation as he explores with them the natural world around them. As they learn of events in the world he can talk to them about how the Lord is not only the Creator but also the Sustainer and Controller of all events. When they see and experience the sinful world around them, he can talk to them about original sin and the effects of the fall of man. As they see hopelessness and despair among people, that can lead to discussions about how Christ came to redeem us from the curse and to bring about genuine hope. As they hear of people who have died, he can talk to them about the blessed hope of the resurrection. This type of spiritual instruction and leadership is an excellent means to reach the individual members of his family.

James Renihan writes: Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praise to your name, O Most High (Psalm 92.1). We give thanks and praise the Lord for His wonderful works among us. On May 17 we watched as six students received their degrees and certificates. Each of these men worked hard and earned what they were granted. We will miss them, but we trust that the Lord will use them in His service. We also announced that Daniel Scheiderer PhD has been appointed to serve as a full-time faculty member with the rank and title Assistant Professor of Theological Studies. Many have commented on what a great choice this is, and expect that Dr. Scheiderer will make significant contributions to IRBS. He will begin his labors for us on July 1, 2025.

Simione says: I'm writing to share some news from the Casa das Formigas (House of Ants), during the first half of 2025. Our activities with the children have run well and we have witnessed God's care for us all. As you know, we started the year in a tense climate politically due to the demonstrations and disputes over last year's election results, but thank God the country is calmer, despite the negative impacts, such as the exaggerated increase in the prices of basic necessities. Our children, teenagers and young people are doing well, they take part in the activities and programs at the Casa das Formigas, and this year in particular we've had the joy of seeing some of them at church the services and celebrations, which has been a joy to serve God with them.

If we ever catch sight of the sin that characterises us, we are right to be shocked and disgusted at ourselves. There is so little about us that is loveable or even excusable, when we see even a glimpse of ourselves from the point of view of God’s holiness. But considering that the holy God does save sinners just like us, that fact gives us an extraordinary insight into the sheer graciousness of God’s grace. Such unlovely creatures are called into union with Jesus Christ and embraced as His beloved. This was what led James Guthrie to marvel. In a sermon on the Song of Songs, Guthrie finds four things that magnify the grace of God, and goes on to name three ways we should respond.

There were tears of joy as a group of women who had fled North Korea braved huge dangers to be baptised in a secret location outside the country. The ceremony was part of a project run by Open Doors fieldworkers. Even though the baptisms took place outside of North Korea, the occasion was not without risk – in fact, they nearly didn’t happen. Security had intensified in the area where the baptisms were due to happen. “We had to move with caution and say little,” says a fieldworker. “But we prayed and went forward in faith.” “They [the secret believers] were nervous, but determined,” continues the fieldworker. “We prepared the Communion elements in the kitchen while they studied the meaning of baptism. When we all gathered for worship, the tears began to flow.”

When people give advice to new ministers, it often sounds grandiose—filled with soaring theology and lofty rhetoric. Though we must never undermine its theological profundity, I want to be honest with you about the practical reality; to be a Minister of the Gospel is serious hard graft. If you’re thinking about stepping into it, understand what you’re signing up for, because it will put demands on every corner of your life.

We had a gospel-focused Easter Season in Kisumu something for which we thank God. I had the opportunity to preach on John 3:16 and God graciously used this verse to draw two of our Easter Sunday guests to Christ Jesus unto salvation. This year’s Easter also came with good news for our children as they constantly feasted on the gospel throughout the month. Bonny—a deacon, intern, and senior KReST student—has been a great blessing to us in the eldership with regards to coordinating the children’s activities. He too is so passionate about children. Our greatest desire for the children is not a mere run-of-the mill narration of biblical stories and accounts but to ultimately point them to Christ Jesus unto salvation. The gospel according to Saint John, written with an evangelistic trajectory, is our next Sunday School Material. My task was to outline the tapestry of the Fourth Gospel to the teachers in a manner that helps them to appreciate John’s ultimate purpose for writing and impress upon their consciences the exigency of being evangelistic (John 20:30,31).

Moses had been confronted with the powerful presence of the LORD, and he had heard God speak to him in accents loud and clear. Now, he speaks those same words to Pharaoh, “Let my people go” (v1). Moses heard directly from God, and Pharaoh hears the same words, with the same authority, through God’s servant. This remains the essence of preaching today – God himself speaking his word through his servant. We might ask how Moses could be so bold speaking to the most powerful man in the world – especially in light of his former record of insecurity and uncertainty. Moses gives us the answer in v3: it was his encounter with God that changed everything. Now that he knew the greater I AM, he was bold to confront the less-great Pharaoh – the greatness of the human king was as nothing before that of God himself. We are reminded of the encounter between Jesus and Pilate in John 19:8-11 – Pilate thought he had all the power and could frighten Jesus into submission to his authority, but the Saviour knew that his Father in heaven possessed ALL authority, and Pilate’s power was derived and dependent upon him.

Which Bible character has more of their spoken words recorded than any other? The answer might surprise you—it’s Moses! Think about all his words recorded in the first five books of the Bible, as well as elsewhere. According to one word-counter, it’s over 120,000 words. To give you a measure of the number, Jesus has just over 30,000 spoken words recorded in the Gospels. Yet, according to his own testimony before God in Exodus 4:10, he was unable to speak! Despite all the impressive things God had shown him at the burning bush, nothing had changed in that regard—he says so directly to God. But he could not have been more wrong in his assessment, going on to become the most prolific recorded preacher in the Bible. Think of the book of Deuteronomy alone, which is almost entirely the record of Moses’ preaching! What God made known through Moses is the very foundation and ground of all that we need to understand, even today, if we are ever to grasp the Bible’s message as a whole.

Mumias is located in west Kenya, north-west of Kisumu. The main purpose of the visit was to be one of the speakers at the Annual Reformation Conference, 11 sessions over 3 days. Elly Achok, together with his slightly older brother Barnabas who leads GMA in Mombasa, was immersed in the Word of Faith movement until the Lord graciously transformed his life in 2008. I gave you links in the previous Newsletter so that you could read about this from themselves. Elly (2010-2) and Barnabas (2012-4) studied at the TPC that grounded them in the teaching they are seeking to promote today. Barnabas was the other main speaker. Their first task was to reform the local church, a slow process needing much wisdom. You can imagine that many members did not like the changes and left. But now the church is conducted in ways that I find comfortable and thank the Lord for this great change according to His word. The task Elly set himself was much wider than the local church. There were the multitudes of leaders and churches that needed to be reached because they had been led into grave error by him. The method has been to arrange this aptly named Reformation Conference and to advertise it widely. Hundreds have been coming, and this year 400 were registered.

The Christian Institute is joining with Affinity, CARE, Christian Concern, the Christian Medical Fellowship and the Evangelical Alliance to call for a second national day of prayer against assisted suicide. Please join Christians across the UK in praying about this vital issue on Wednesday 11 June. MPs will debate amendments to Kim Leadbeater’s Bill on Friday 13 June. It is likely to face its final House of Commons vote, to decide whether it progresses to the Lords, on Friday 20 June. Several MPs who voted for it in November recently said they no longer support the Bill. Wednesday 11 June is an opportunity to unite in prayer, asking God to open the eyes of politicians to the reality that ‘assisted dying’ means helping suicidal people kill themselves. No ‘safeguards’ can make a dangerous Bill safe. And even people who support assisted suicide can see that these Bills are unworkable.

According to Pastor Igor Bandura, the war in Ukraine has not made it easier to share the Gospel but it has changed the method by which that good news is shared. As the conflict has hardened the hearts of some, leaving them angry and unable to accept the existence of a God of love, others have had their hearts softened so that they are considering spiritual matters more and are increasingly open to the Gospel. Churches seek to surround non-believers with love, sharing in their sorrow and suffering. Sincere conversations follow such practical Christianity, when believers can speak of the hope that they have in Christ and give reasons for why they believe what they do. As the Gospel continues to be proclaimed many continue to be saved.

Kazakhstan is a geographically large central Asian nation of approximately 20 million people, bordering Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the Caspian Sea. This beautiful country is comprised mostly of the Great Steppe, an expansive high grassland, but also boasts southern deserts with the famous "singing dunes", the Tian Shan Mountains in the southeast, the Altai Mountains in the northeast, Caspian Sea coastline, and the world's oldest spaceport (the Cosmodrome). Kazakhstan is multiethnic, with Kazakhs making up about 70% of the population, followed by Russians (around 18%), and smaller groups like Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Uyghurs, and Tatars

In this powerful reflection, we trace a spiritual thread connecting three towering figures in Christian history—Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Charles Spurgeon. What unites them? A deep, soul-wrenching struggle for the assurance of salvation. Discover how Luther's relentless pursuit of peace with God through "monkery" led him to the liberating truth of justification by grace alone through faith alone. See how Bunyan, plagued by doubt and conscience, found rest in the righteousness of Christ, famously captured in Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. And understand how this same gospel truth shaped Spurgeon's preaching and conviction. This brief message explores the transformative power of real, personal faith—and how profound inner wrestling often precedes unwavering external resolve. Whether you're familiar with these men or hearing their stories for the first time, you'll be challenged and encouraged by their journey to find true rest in Christ alone, by grace abounding!

Our passage begins with a simple statement: “So Moses went.” He made a start! Though he had spent a long time deferring and deflecting, Moses finally acted—and he never looked back. So many never take that first step. They claim to follow Christ but continually delay their service—whether because of fear, feelings of inadequacy, time pressure, or concern about others’ opinions. But remember: you never reach your destination in 100% of the journeys you never start. The same applies to serving the Lord. How many opportunities are lost forever because we never begin?

As a father of six children and the possessor of one sin-infected heart I have had many opportunities both to practice and teach the art of acknowledging sin and seeking to make amends. What I have discovered both paternally and internally is that expressions of true repentance are much rarer than the dime-a-dozen-variety apologies. “I’m sorry” is regarded as some kind of magical phrase that is assumed to give the speaker a free pass from seriously owning up to his wrongs. Adolescent short-hand renders it simply, “Sorry.” Say the word, get out of jail free, as if making an audible declaration completely clears the air and sets things right. “I said, I was sorry!” Right. So now we must simply move over the page and let bygones be bygones. At least that’s what those who trade in this magic formula expect, if not demand.

Teachers tend to worry when children don’t make progress in the classroom, and will put in extra support to ensure that they don’t fall behind. But as learners in Christ’s school, do we notice when we fail to grow? What extra steps do pastors take when they notice members of the congregation getting stuck at the first principles of the doctrines of Christ? It’s not as if the gospel is a shallow subject or the Bible something superficial. In the following updated extract, Westminster Assembly member William Gouge discusses the criticism made in the letter to the Hebrews, which mentions learning about Christ, the believer’s high priest, “of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God …” (Hebrews 5:10–12).

Christian Concern highlights the fact that the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will be a disaster for families and schools. At their Education Revolution event last month they had over 270 delegates, many of whom are deeply concerned about the secularising and sexualising influences in culture and in our schools, which is having a major impact on our children and young people. Many are starting to take action. Christians have taken courageous steps to address the issues of the day, as the Lord has led them, responding to his Great Commission to disciple our children. But this new bill is a real challenge to the historic freedom of parents to educate their children as they see fit.

In this short video Richard Barcellos discusses the importance of of allowing scripture to interpret scripture. What does it mean for Adam to be called "the son of God" in Luke 3:38—when Moses never used that phrase in Genesis? This video explores how subsequent revelation in Scripture often makes explicit what was implicit in earlier texts. Through the theological principle of the analogy of faith, we demonstrate why interpreting Scripture with Scripture is essential for sound doctrine.

During his 1785 journey to London, Thomas Clarkson penned his thoughts. He had just won first prize in Cambridge for his essay “Is it lawful to make slaves of others against their will?” “On returning however to London, the subject of it [the essay] almost wholly engrossed my thoughts. I became at times very seriously affected while upon the road. I stopped my horse occasionally, and dismounted and walked. I frequently tried to persuade myself in these intervals that the contents of my Essay could not be true. The more however I reflected upon them, or rather upon the authorities on which they were founded, the more I gave them credit. Coming in sight of Wades Mill in Hertfordshire, I sat down disconsolate on the turf by the roadside and held my horse. Here a thought came into my mind, that if the contents of the Essay were true, it was time some person should see these calamities to their end. Agitated in this manner I reached home. This was in the summer of 1785.”

The Nenets are the largest group of the Samoyed peoples. They live in north-western Siberia as well as the Arctic Ocean islands and the Kola Peninsula. It is a land characterised by the tundra – a country of permafrost, numerous rivers, and vast marshy areas. The climate is extreme, with snow falling up to 260 days a year and temperatures falling to as low as -50 degrees Celsius in the winter. Yet the Nenets need to hear the Gospel. In the 18th century, the Russian Orthodox Church sent missionaries to the area. Later the Gospel was brought to this remote people group, but many continued to hold on to their animistic beliefs. Today there are some Nenets believers in village evangelical churches, but most live in the tundra.

The Christian Institute writes: Friday 16 May, MPs will again debate Kim Leadbeater’s extremely dangerous assisted suicide Bill. It is no overstatement to say this is a matter of life and death. Should this Bill become law, doctors would legally be permitted to help adults deemed to be terminally ill to kill themselves. In November, MPs voted by 330 to 275 in favour of advancing the Bill to the next stage. Many felt there ought to be more scrutiny, or increased safeguards, and backed it at Second Reading for that reason. But many of them will not be happy at the way the Committee has handled the proceedings. Hundreds of reasonable amendments to try to make the legislation less dangerous were rejected, and already limited safeguards were stripped away.

It was with great joy that a number of our members, along with a couple from Charlesworth, joined with the folk from Port Erin Church and others from across the Isle of Man on Saturday 10th for the ordination & induction of Enoch Adekoya to the pastorate. The weather was gorgeous and the fellowship was equally warm as we celebrated Christ's goodness to the church in providing them with a minister of the word of God. Please join us in giving thanks for this joyous gift, and praying for both minister and congregation as they begin a new season in the life of the church. As we heard preached on the day, may they become an edification church as seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15.

Geoffrey Muketi is a student from Pokot North who is training for the ministry at the Trinity Pastors' College in Nairobi. He writes: Mzee Keith visited me at the church premises, and we had a long and inspiring conversation. He shared about his ministry dating back to the 1960s, and how he is still actively laboring for the Lord today—ministering to saints both locally and internationally. His example reminded me of apostle Paul’s tireless labor, and deeply challenged me as a young aspiring minister. He offered wise private counsel, especially noting that “serving the saints is not easy—especially when dealing with their daily personal struggles.” I thank God for his visit and the wisdom he shared. Our TPC March module concluded this week. We now prepare for the next class with a new lecturer, Ben Carlson, who will be teaching Introduction to Old Testament: History and Theology. I thank the Lord for helping me complete the assignments for the previous class. Please pray for God’s grace and insight in the coming module.

Some of the most useful servants of God throughout history owe a great spiritual debt to their mothers. The great fourth and fifth century church leader, Augustine, had a violent, unbelieving father and a godly, faithful, Christian mother. It was the tearful prayers of his mother, Monica, that God used to arrest him from his profligate ways as a young man and turn his heart toward the grace of God in the gospel. Similarly, John Newton, the author of “Amazing Grace,” was raised by a godly mother and ungodly father. From his mother he learned to memorize hymns, catechism answers, and Scripture, all before she died when he was seven years old. It was those early lessons that God brought back to his mind as a young man and used to save him from a life of slave trading and debauchery.

Gospel ministry is demanding and training must prepare men for every task it entails. Through robust courses from the best pastor-scholars with first-hand experience in serving the Bride of Christ, International Reformed Baptist Seminary prepares men to serve churches in the United Kingdom and beyond. We believe that subscription to the Baptist Confession of Faith (1677/89) ensures the highest doctrinal standards are upheld, training ministers to confront this present evil age with the whole counsel of God.

It was the middle of the night when Long* and his wife, Ha*, woke to shouts from their village elder. “Go! Leave the village right now or we will destroy your house!” Their Christian faith meant they were being forced from their home. In their Vietnamese community, following Jesus was believed to enrage the animist spirits. When Long and Ha refused to leave, a mob tore down their house. Please pray: For Long and Ha to be encouraged to persevere in their faith; That the gospel would spread in their community and many would turn to follow Jesus; For Open Doors partners as they seek how best to serve Long, Ha and displaced believers facing similar ordeals.

Funding the deaths of thousands by assisted suicide could save the NHS millions of pounds, an impact assessment has predicted. A Government appraisal of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill estimates that within ten years of it coming into effect, there will be between 1,042 to 4,559 assisted suicides in England and Wales, saving the NHS up to £59.6m per year in “unutilised healthcare”. In its current form, Kim Leadbeater’s controversial Bill would allow patients deemed to be terminally ill and with less than six months to live, to receive help to kill themselves. MPs are set to debate her proposals again on 16 May, and the Bill could face its final vote in the House of Commons on the same day.

In April I had the privilege to go to India and conduct workshops in Rayagada, Odisha, and in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. I have formed an online relationship with a group of pastors since 2021 and been doing Zoom trainings with them. In April, I had the opportunity to visit India for the first time to train and encourage this group of pastors. I also preached twice at Rayagada Baptist Church, as well as at two other churches, before visiting another group in Eluru. Providentially, our workbooks were already translated into Odia and Telugu. Former local partners have already completed these translations. The need in India is immense. According to various mission sources, India has the largest concentration of unreached people groups. Odissa is also notoriously known for its persecution of Christians. John, a local organiser, informed me about the recent murder in India of a well-known pastor. I had various conversations with delegates who asked me to pray for them and some related stories to me of the reality of persecution. One couple recently had their car stolen, and when they reported it to the local police, the police refused to help them because they were Christians. I also met another pastor friend of Jeebit who was driven out of his village because of his faith. Yet in the midst of these persecutions, Jeebit and others want to take the gospel to all 30 districts in Odisha state.

One of the most curious examples of poor contextualization in Central Asia is how opposed most missionaries are to preaching. By and large, missionaries feel strongly that the indigenous church plants and churches in this part of the world should replace preached sermons with participatory Bible discussions. And they feel even more strongly that if preaching must be present at all, then it should absolutely not be the foreigner doing it. The reason this is poor contextualization is that these feelings and opinions seem to be based entirely on the missionaries’ own opinions, culture, training, and baggage, and not on that of the locals at all. Yet very few missionaries seem able to see this. Most foreign workers here would heartily resonate with the idea that, as I heard it put yesterday, “I didn’t come here to reproduce white guy monologues.” But few are asking themselves why they feel this way – and crucially, whether or not any of their local friends feel the same.

In this episode, Oliver Allmand-Smith joins the show to discuss the Covenant of Works with Jonny and John-Mark. They discuss its implications, referencing the Baptist Catechism and the recent publication of 'Covenant Theology from Adam to Christ' by Nehemiah Coxe and John Owen. Topics include the significance of headship, the distinctions between grace and covenant, and how the covenantal relationship between Adam and God impacts creation. The conversation also explores the relationship between angels and humanity in covenantal terms and the overarching importance of understanding the Covenant of Works in Reformed theology. Tune in for a deep theological discussion enriched by historical insights and practical implications for contemporary faith.

God gives miraculous signs to authenticate messengers who bring fresh revelation. Moses had a new word from God, so God gave him signs to confirm his authority. In Exodus 4:1, Moses asks, “What if they don’t believe me?” God replies with the signs in verses 5, 8, and 9, each confirming that Moses speaks for God. True biblical signs are more than just supernatural. God often acts supernaturally—healing sicknesses, intervening in human affairs, answering prayer—but unless done through a human agent, it's not a biblical miracle or sign. Not all supernatural acts are miracles. A miracle, properly defined, is a visible act that suspends natural laws, performed through a messenger to validate their divine message. That’s why we expect God to intervene supernaturally today in answer to our prayers, but we don’t look for “miracles” in the theological sense of signs and wonders, because revelation is complete with Christ and the apostles (Ephesians 2:20).

The Christian life is a war, and the fiercest battles are those that rage within the heart of every believer. The new birth radically and permanently changes a person’s sinful nature, but it does not immediately liberate that nature from all of the remnants of sin. Birth is followed by growth, and that growth involves warfare. Paul frequently employs the imagery of warfare to help Christians faithfully follow Christ. In Galatians 5 he gives us a peek behind the scenes to help us understand why the soul of one who has been redeemed by Jesus Christ is such a battleground.

The grace of God in Jesus makes us very bold, even lovingly angry (Neh 5:6; Ps 139:19-22). If we know that Christ has given us eternal life, then we can stand for truth and righteousness, even if they kill us for it (Matt 10:26-33). We can boldly oppose injustices with love, humility, and mercy, no matter what others may say or do. Our treasure is not on this earth but in heaven. Believing the grace of God to us does not make us passive or lazy in the least. It makes us strong and willing to accept whatever consequences we may have to endure in this life because God has promised us a new heavens and a new earth, and perfect communion with Christ forever. The grace of God makes us willing to lay down our lives for the sake of justice, for the good of victims, as well as for the good of oppressors. The grace of God makes us humbly, mercifully and lovingly angry for the glory of God.

Please pray for lasting fruit from these conferences: (1) We desire that the Lord will cause the seed of His word sown in the hearts of all who gathered to bear fruit to bear fruit to the praise of His glory. (2) Pray that the impressions made on the pastors will not be momentary but long lasting. Pray for a true reformation and revival of the pulpits of the Nigerian and Ghanaian churches. Pray for preaching that exalts the Triune God and abases man. (3) Pray for revived churches. (4) Pray that the resources given out for free but at great cost to APC will be read and be a means of nourishment to the souls of all who read them. (5) Pray for the Lord’s provision for APC so that they continue this good work.

Benedict is graduating MDiv from IRBS this month. He writes in the latest newsletter: My experience at IRBS has been a comprehensive one. Over a number of years, I have been taught by excellent scholar pastors. These men are experts in the academic field, and yet are also aware of the particulars of day-to-day pastoral ministry. This combination of academic rigour and practical wisdom has imparted a wealth of eminently useful knowledge for which I am exceedingly thankful. The degree provides excellent opportunities for the student to learn many of these under the tutelage of the professors. More than this, the importance of holiness and a reliance upon God has been impressed upon me by word and example over and over by the professors at the seminary. Though the utmost need for educated pastors is well-emphasised, yet the necessity of a holy pastor has, if possible, been held up as even more essential. I am most grateful of all for this. In all of this, IRBS in no way undermined the role of the local church in the training of the man. The Internship plan, in fact, encourages significant involvement of the local church in the development of their training member. May it always be so that this seminary and the local church can work in unison for the aim of training men for the ministry.

Kateryna Nikonorova, SGA's communication coordinator in Ukraine, has spoken to several pastors and church leaders on the ongoing importance of Easter during in a time of war. She writes: Palm Sunday saw another devastating missile attack on Ukraine – this one occurring in Sumy where 34 people were killed and 117 more were injured. It has become a terrifying tradition that every major holiday is now marked by another act of violence. How then can we celebrate during such a time as this? And how can we rejoice when every day running up to Easter Sunday may bring yet another tragedy? But the reality of sin, evil, and suffering does not take away our hope. On the contrary, we consider all the more how the Lord was betrayed, found falsely guilty, and humiliated, how he was beaten, crucified, and murdered, and how, having suffering so terribly, He took on Himself the penalty for all our sin. Only then could he provide us with the hope of resurrection.

Attacks on many communities especially in Plateau and Kaduna States heartbreakingly continue. However, this did not stop 118 people of Mado Tourist community gathering to hear the hope that can be found in the Lord Jesus Christ at an Evangelism outreach taking place at the same time as our water project. A total of102 of them responded, asking to know more. Please pray for the community that they would be kept safe and that there would not be a repeat of a recent attack.

The recent earthquakes in Myanmar made global headlines – but, for Christians in the country, it is yet another crisis to face. It comes on top of years of conflict and persecution that mean they are repeatedly displaced. Pastor Yang* is one of many believers who face this relentless jeopardy. He and his young family in Myanmar have had to grab what they can and flee – not once, not twice, but many times. Most citizens face danger in Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, but the conflict is being used by those in power as an opportunity to increasingly target Christians and other minority groups. Pastor Yang recalls one of the attacks, by a radical group, that displaced much of his congregation. “Members of my church were blindfolded and forced to lie down as guns were pointed at them,” he says. “They were not allowed to speak. Their houses were searched for money and valuables. The radical groups took everything valuable.” This wasn’t an isolated incident – the church members were assaulted in this way several times. Pastor Yang’s own home was targeted: “They took my motorbike and stole 150,000 kyats, which was our emergency fund.” That’s worth about £55, which is two months’ minimum wage in Myanmar. “As a result of these attacks, many church members chose to flee from the village.”

Ibrahim Katana. He is planting Utakaso (= sanctification) Bible Church in a suburb of Mombasa. He and his ministry were totally transformed by attending the Wisdom Training Centre in Mombasa under Barnabas Olare, pastor at the Gospel Missions Agency Church. This is what he wrote at the end of February. “Our process of interviews happened on date 12 and 13 of February. Pastor Barnabas and brother Ben did the interviews and 18 people including myself were interviewed. 15 people including myself out of the 18 had credible testimonies. The remaining three also had credible testimonies but some how were not stable. As a result, Pastor Barnabas decided to re-interview them to affirm their stand. After that, then he will continue with the process of baptizing and final constitute the church. Therefore, my desire and prayer to God is to continue helping us in the process and give us a genuine biblical church. In the same way I kindly and humble request you to unceasingly be praying for us in this process and the church projects, as we seek to start building/constructing God willing.”

A phobia is an extreme, irrational fear of a specific object, place, situation, or feeling. It's an anxiety disorder where the fear is disproportionate to any actual danger and can significantly impact a person's life and well-being. We are more than familiar with a thousand different phobias today: arachnophobia (spiders), claustrophobia (confined spaces), agoraphobia (open spaces), trypanophobia (needles). Then there are socially-constructed phobias focused upon categories of person: transphobia, homophobia, biphobia, lesbophobia, and so on. To be phobic of something, someone, or some situation is to have an irrational, extreme and unjustified fear of it or them, causing the person who has it to avoid certain things or people. That description applies perfectly to the religious leaders in Matthew 27:62–28:20. They had an extreme and unjustified fear of the resurrection. Their anxiety about it caused them to avoid it, deny it, and do all they could to get around it. The religious leaders were resurrection-phobic!

One image, one aspect, of the atonement has receded in our day almost into obscurity. We have been made aware of present-day attempts to preach a more gentle and kind gospel. In our effort to communicate the work of Christ more kindly we flee from any mention of a curse inflicted by God upon His Son. We shrink in horror from the words of the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 53) that describe the ministry of the Suffering Servant of Israel and tells us that it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. Can you take that in?

Keith writes: As we visit many churches in the UK we see the struggles that are common. Most are smallish with under 50 gathering for worship, and tend to have older retired people. So there is a question mark as to how long the church will be in existence. The little growth that is seen is often with the immigrant population. Added to this there is a problem of getting pastors for churches. Few are in training, many do not want to give themselves to ministry, and walking in the ‘old paths’ is rare. However, at the recent Banner of Truth Youth and Ministers’ Conferences there was capacity attendance at 300 each! The Lord is at work.

The terms ‘woman’, ‘man’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010) refer to biological sex, the Supreme Court has judged. In a unanimous decision, the UK’s highest court ruled in favour of For Women Scotland’s appeal against Scottish Government guidance that allows men who identify as female to take women-only positions on company boards. Explaining their judgment, Lord Hodge, Lady Rose and Lady Simler – supported by Lord Reed and Lord Lloyd-Jones – said: “Interpreting ‘sex’ as certificated sex would cut across the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ and thus the protected characteristic of sex in an incoherent way.” The Justices also identified additional provisions “that require a biological interpretation of ‘sex’ in order to function coherently”, including single-sex spaces and services, communal accommodation and single-sex higher education institutions.

A devastating spate of attacks in Nigeria has killed around 113 people, including Christians. With Easter approaching, believers in Nigeria are even more vulnerable to attack. Please pray for their protection and for other believers worldwide as they mark Holy Week. Since the end of March, Fulani militants attacked at least eight communities in the local government associations of Bokkos and Bassa. Alongside those killed (and the number could be higher), a further six are missing and many others injured. Over 300 homes have been destroyed, leaving more than 3,000 people displaced. The most recent attack was on Sunday night (13 April) in a Christian community in Bassa. “Forty-three people were killed, several houses were burnt down with people inside,” says a local contact.

Following the CMI seminars at Trinity Grace this past Saturday, for those who may have been unable to attend, you can see Stuart Burgess' presentation on the incredible design of human hands and feet online by clicking the link below. Leonardo da Vinci famously described the human foot as "a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art". He was right! Like all things in creation, our hands and feet declare the glory of a good, wise, powerful and brilliant God.

Why does anything exist? Because God is, and He wills it. The purpose of everything is to honour and glorify Him. This can be difficult to accept—it sounds demanding, perhaps even unreasonable—but Scripture affirms it throughout. Psalm 19, Isaiah 42:8-9, and Isaiah 46:8-11 all declare that all things are for God’s glory. The Second London Confession of Faith 2.2 affirms God's sovereign right to do all things for His glory and to be worshipped accordingly. In Exodus 3, we see the greatness and worthiness of God revealed in His name and nature. The God who is self-existent, holy, immutable, and good is indeed worthy of worship and praise. As Revelation 4:11 shows, all creatures are for God’s honour and glory.

The next meeting of ACBC UK is due to take place at Trinity Grace Church on Tuesday 13th May 2025. It will be a day of rich blessing as we gather together to share in the goodness of God towards our churches, and to discuss the needs and challenges that we face. There will be much time for fellowship and prayer, in addition to the business of the association. All are welcome to participate in the day, including guests and visitors from other churches. Put the date in your diary!

Join the Christian Institute in their week of prayer for our nation. How desperate is our need for national repentance and a return to the basic principles of Scripture. As Solomon says in Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Our national sins, including abortion, destruction of the family, Sabbath-breaking, marriage-ruining, idolatry and sexual immorality, are a profound reproach to us, and only full repentance will restore us to the place of blessing and exaltation. Let us pray for our nation.

The Good News Course is now officially available. It is a completely free, 11-part video series designed to explore the central truths of the Christian faith. Whether you’re exploring Christianity for the first time or looking to refresh your understanding, this course walks through the big questions of life and faith, covering: The Bible; God; Man; Sin; Jesus; The Cross; The Resurrection; Christ’s Return; Salvation; The Church. Each episode is beautifully filmed and presented in an accessible, engaging style—ideal for church outreach, group discussions, or even personal study. Start watching today.

A woman has been fined £20k for holding a sign offering conversation inside an abortion censorship zone. Dr Livia Tossici-Bolt, 64, was found guilty after holding a sign saying “here to talk if you want” near a British Pregnancy Advisory Service clinic in Bournemouth. She made no mention of abortion or pregnancy. Her case has garnered international attention, as the U.S. State Department stated on X that they were monitoring her case as an example of how the UK is respecting free speech. Tossici-Bolt said: “This is a dark day for Great Britain. I was not protesting and did not harass or obstruct anyone. All I did was offer consensual conversation in a public place, as is my basic right, and yet the court found me guilty. Freedom of expression is in a state of crisis in the UK.” She added: “What has happened to this country? The US State Department was right to be concerned by this case as it has serious implications for the entire Western world.”

Joao writes, "Grace and peace from our Lord and God, Jesus Christ. Greetings to the saints at TGC-Rambottom. I am thankful to God for your prayers and supporting my studies at IRBS. In December, we were in Angola, specifically in Cuito, visiting family and doing ministry, and we have recently returned to Kitwe, Zambia. Here is the latest update on my family, Studies and ministry. The studies are going well, by God’s grace. Due to the Load shedding that Zambia is currently facing, I have experienced some difficulties in attending the livestream classes, leading to some late submission. I am working on my assignments for the course on worship (PT706: Worship) Despite those challenges, I managed, by God’s grace, to complete four courses. These courses have helped me to appreciate the beauty of confessional Christianity and the wonderful doctrine of God."

When we gather together on a Sunday, we ask a profound question, one that can only be answered through faith and understanding. It’s the question Moses asked in Exodus 3:13, What is his name? For Moses, this question wasn’t just about a name. It was about identity. In Hebrew thought, a person’s name encapsulates their essence, their personhood. Moses wasn’t just curious; he wanted to know who God truly was. Why? Because he needed to know if God could do what He promised. Could He really deliver the Israelites from Egypt? Could He defeat the mighty Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt? And, more personally, could God transform Moses—from a man who had failed monumentally—into a mighty leader? Who was God, really? In Exodus 3:14-15, God reveals Himself to Moses as the I AM. This isn’t a title, but an affirmation of God's eternal existence. He doesn’t say, "I have been" or "I may be," but "I AM." God is perpetual being, with no beginning and no end. He exists by His own power and doesn’t rely on anyone or anything else to sustain Him.

One of the greatest blessings any pastor can experience is the prayers of the people he serves. There are people in the church I serve who regularly let me know that they are praying for me and there are others who, although they do not tell me in so many words, demonstrate a prayerful interest in me and my responsibilities. I am among those blessed pastors who can confidently, as Spurgeon put it, “take it for granted that his people are praying for him.” But I am confident that if the people I serve knew more of the depths of my need for prayer, they would pray even more. Many of the needs are evident. The deepest needs are known—and that only partly—only to the pastor’s own heart.

Since we got a new venue for our fellowship, we have painted the main room, we have started to meet on Sundays at our new venue, and we have started a prayer meeting and a Sunday school. Roxanne is teaching the little ones, and Matt and I just finished the book of Colossians. We are very excited to start membership classes in May and hopefully constitute a Reformed Baptist Church in June. We will start an English-speaking church with the aim also to start a Thai service next year and also a Thai church. We were generously supplied with Chapel Library booklets and hope to get many of these translated, with other books, into Thai in the coming years. We long for the church in Thailand to be supplied with sound theology and biblical resources. We are glad that three married couples have joined us regularly, and we pray that more would join our fellowship.

A toddler has been suspended from nursery for being transphobic or homophobic, Government statistics have revealed. Department for Education data shows that in 2022-23, a child of three or four years old was suspended for “abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity”. Further details of the case and school were not disclosed, but according to the statistics another 93 pupils at state primary schools across England were suspended or excluded for the same reason that academic year. This included ten children from Year One (five and six-year-olds).

A group of street preachers are at the centre of a legal battle with a local authority which has tried to impose an injunction that would criminalise prayer, singing and evangelism. Following an intervention by the Christian Legal Centre and local politicians, the preachers have managed to temporarily halt the Labour-run Rushmoor Council’s attempts to censor the Christian faith being proactively shared in Aldershot and Farnborough town centres.

God cannot suffer. Or, to use more technical theological jargon, God is impassible. To the contemporary Christian, this seems an odd, if not distasteful claim. Does it not hurt God when His creatures reject Him? Is He not disappointed when we sin against Him? Do not even the scriptures speak of God being grieved in His heart (Gen. 6:6, Is. 63:10)? Furthermore, if God cannot suffer, how can He know me and know what I experience? Can a God incapable of suffering truly love me if He doesn’t suffer when I suffer? These objections are not silly or unfounded, but neither are they new objections to the classical doctrine of divine impassibility. The Church has dealt with these thorny questions for centuries. As we shall see, Divinity cannot suffer, yet in the incarnation God the Son does enter into our human experience and suffer to manifest His love to us, thus bringing us to Himself.

In the wake of two earthquakes in Myanmar on Friday 28th March, Christians in Myanmar are calling on their global church family to join them in prayer. More than 2,700 people have died, with thousands more injured. Many homes, hospitals, churches and other buildings have been destroyed. Even before the earthquake, the country’s civil war had displaced thousands, including Christians, who have been targeted by the military and opposing rebel groups. “I share to believers when I meet them that, even though things are terrible and it’s easy to be isolated, we are not alone, and that there are people around the world praying for us,” says an Open Doors partner in the country.

Dr Renihan writes: Dear pilgrims dispersed throughout the World: greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Spring has begun here in Texas. Trees are blossoming and flowers are sprouting from the ground. These are simple annual reminders given to us by the Light of Nature as a means by which we as Christian believers may contemplate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the greeting in the epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote that the one who is God and man, Lord and descendant of David, was raised from the dead by the power of God. We rejoice in this truth.

When you insist on cluttering the sabbath with work… (1) It is a failure of faith, because by your working and not ‘stopping,’ you are saying that you cannot trust Yahweh to provide for you but must keep working because all your life rests on your efforts. (2) It is a failure of compassion, because then your dependents (family, servants, livestock) will not enjoy rest. See Deuteronomy 5:14 for this social argument. (3) It is a choice of bondage, for you are deifying work, subjecting yourself to a continuous treadmill which Yahweh meant to interrupt weekly. But you are saying, ‘No, I want to be a slave, I want to return to Egypt; I want to run, frustrated and exhausted, to Walmart and Target, to the grocery store and pharmacy, on the Lord’s Day. I want to pay bills then, I want to complete seminary assignments then, I want to wash my car and mow my lawn and work on my income tax and go to the car dealership – I want to be a slave! I do not want rest or quietness or solitude – I might meet God.’

Today at the High Court, the government will face a judicial review of its unprecedented taxation policies on private and independent Christian schools. Christian Concern is enabling this crucial legal challenge. The VAT policy unfairly targets Christian schools, parents and pupils, placing an unbearable financial burden on families who choose Christian education. The legal challenge will argue that this VAT tax is unlawful, discriminatory and in breach of Article 14 of the ECHR. The government’s decision to impose VAT on the provision of education by independent schools has made the UK an outlier among the 46 Council of Europe states. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Christian schools, parents and pupils are bringing the challenge from the award-winning Emmanuel School in Derby, the Branch Christian School in Yorkshire, the King’s School in Hampshire and the Wyclif Independent Christian School in South Wales. As we stand firm to defend Christian education and parental rights, please pray that ordinary Christian families will be able to continue providing their children with Christian education.

Israel is deeply divided spiritually. As of 2022 estimates include 73.5% Jewish, 18.1% Muslim, 1.9% Christian, 1.6% Druze, and 4.9% other religions. As of 2016 Pew Research reported that of the Jews, 49% self-identify as Hiloni (secular), 29% as Masorti (traditional), 13% as Dati (religious) and 9% as Haredi (ultra-Orthodox). Christians are primarily of Arab and Aramean descent but also post-Soviet immigrants, foreign labourers, and Messianic Jews. There are an estimated 20,000 Christians in some 200 congregations.

My name is Lesley Olive, I was born in 1964 in Bolton. Our family consisted of dad, mum, and 2 younger sisters. We had a happy family life, supported and loved by our parents. We had no church background at all and “just got on with life”. I was a typical teenager, going out to pubs and clubs, looking for love or that special someone. Mum had started to attend services at a Church of England congregation, so she could get my youngest sister into a church school. In July 1984 they organised a group to see Billy Graham at Anfield in Liverpool. I had just come back from my 1st holiday abroad with a friend and was full of that holiday experience. Mum invited us all to go, which we did. At the end of the meeting, there was an invitation to go forward. Thinking this was the way out of the stadium, me and my sister followed the crowd and ended up on the pitch! A young girl took our names and addresses and posted some leaflets and a little New Testament to us. I put mine in a drawer with no intention of looking at it.

At least six Christians in central Nigeria were killed by militant Fulani herdsmen on March 10, just a day after another believer was reportedly stabbed to death for objecting to their grazing cattle on his farmland. The herdsmen, who invaded predominantly Christian Farin Dutse village in Nasarawa state’s Nasarawa county, set homes ablaze, said local resident Esau Ezekiel. ‘Many Christian villagers have been killed, six corpses have so far been recovered and many houses set ablaze,’ Ezekiel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News (CDI-MSN). Please pray for the bereaved and injured and all those who have lost their homes. Ezekiel said that the Fulani attacked in the early hours of the morning as villagers were sleeping.

When it comes to serving the Lord, how can anyone know when they are truly ready? The answer may not be what we expect. Moses, for instance, spent 80 years in preparation before beginning his ministry. Through all his years of learning, humility, and growth, Moses discovered a vital truth: the final element of readiness in serving God is knowing that you are not ready, and never will be! In other words, awareness of our inadequacy is the key qualification for ministry. It’s easy to think that readiness depends on our own sense of preparedness, but God teaches us that readiness is determined by his perfect timing. Moses thought he was ready when he acted on his own and killed the slave-driver in Egypt, but God’s plan unfolded when he was ready to act. For 400 years, God’s people waited, and it seemed like nothing was happening. But God had a plan, and when he was ready, everything happened at the perfect time. Just as God was faithful to bring about the birth of Jesus many thousands of years after the promise of Genesis 3:15, he is always on time, never early or late. As servants of the Lord, we must learn to wait patiently for God’s perfect timing, trusting that he will act when the time is right. Our role is not to rush ahead but to rest in God's timing, believing that he will act according to his covenant promises, Habakkuk 2:3.

Brett writes: Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the work here in Bozeman, Montana. It is a delight to inform you that on February 23rd Bozeman Reformed Baptist Church was constituted as a confessional church with eighteen members covenanting together with the Lord and one another. We boldly confessed to “willingly consent to walk together, according to the appointment of Christ; giving up themselves to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel.” (2LCF 26.6). It was a solemn and joyous occasion as we took vows to uphold our church covenant together.

In this episode, Oliver Allmand-Smith returns to give a thoughtful critique of the legacy of John Bunyan, its impact on present-day evangelicalism and the importance of confessionalism. The way Bunyan's strengths led to his weaknesses is explored, alongside his weak view of Baptism and Church Membership, and his hyper-individualistic approach to the Christian life. Oliver and John-Mark stress the importance of understanding Bunyan in his own historical context, before closing with a re-emphasis of the admirable qualities of John Bunyan.

Dear supporter, This Tuesday, 25 March, is the National Day of Prayer Against Assisted Suicide. Please join us on our YouTube channel for a short while at 9am, 12 noon and 3pm. We will be praying for the defeat of Kim Leadbeater’s (England and Wales) and Liam McArthur’s (Scotland) Bills to axe end-of-life protections for vulnerable people. If you’re unable to join us, please still pray.

1. Pray for COMPASSION
Pray for a revival of compassion in our society, that we would prioritise caring for sick people over seeking to help them end their lives.

2. Pray for COURAGE
Give thanks for those politicians already opposing the Bills and pray for more to find the courage to speak out.

3. Pray for CLARITY
Pray that politicians and journalists would understand the bitter reality of what these Bills will mean for the vulnerable and for the nature of the relationship between doctors and patients.

4. Pray for CONCERN
More and more professionals are speaking out against the unworkability of the proposals. Pray their voices will be heeded by the politicians who will be voting on the Bills.

5. Pray for COOPERATION
Give thanks for the wide range of people and organisations, Christian and non-Christian, working hard to prevent the Bills becoming law. Pray for the effectiveness of their work with Parliamentarians, in the media, and at a local level.

With the number of those killed in Ukraine climbing ever higher, it is easy to sometimes forget about those who are left behind – the parents, the widows and the children who so desperately need support as they mourn the loss of those they loved the most. So this summer, camps were held to help in the physical, mental and spiritual recovery of sorrowful believers. As well as chaplains and pastors, the wives and parents of previously fallen servicemen were also on hand to serve the newly grieving families. Individuals shared their personal experiences, including the spiritual aspects of suffering loss and the important role the church had played in each of their individual lives.

Oliver writes: Towards the end of our time, while in Wasat, we met with some of the older men gathered in the centre of the village. One of them remembered Keith’s first visit to the place in 2008, but he had forgotten the gospel message shared with him. There followed a wonderful opportunity for Keith to share the good news of Christ once more. How gracious is the Lord, that 17 years after this man had spurned the message of grace, the same messenger returned with that same message! He listened carefully and engaged well. Although nearly blind in his physical sight, this man had the opportunity to see with the eye of faith through the power of the gospel preached to him so clearly. Pray for his salvation!

Hear the key arguments to make over the coming weeks in advance of MPs’ next vote on the Bill, which is currently expected on Friday 25 April. Professor Alan Thomas, Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Newcastle University, and former palliative care professional Dr Gillian Wright, make the case against the Bill from their expertise. The Christian Institute’s Senior Researcher Rhys Curnow shows how the Bill’s parliamentary process is exposing the lack of genuine scrutiny and safeguards. 33 North West MPs are also identified, who are particularly important for constituents to contact.

Creation Ministries International are coming to Trinity Grace Church for a day conference on Saturday April 12th. Speakers include Prof. Stuart Burgess. All welcome.

Murungi Igweta writes: We rejoice in the unceasing mercies of the Lord even as we begin the second module this year. All the students are being taught Hermeneutics. Nate Davidson came along with his third son, Elijah and a member of their church called Christian, a young man who is aspiring to the ministry. Pastor Tonny Karwa also drove more than 5 hours from Kisumu to assist. Mark Arodi, our registrar, got married to his college sweetheart, Salome Mueni, on the 1st of March! The Lord has greatly blessed us thus far. Please find the attached Prayer Letter to add more fuel to your prayers for us.

In this episode, Oliver Allmand-Smith joins the show to discuss the life and legacy of John Bunyan. They explore Bunyan's early life, his exposure to Puritan preaching during the English Civil War, and his profound spiritual journey detailed in his autobiography 'Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.' The podcast delves into Bunyan's religious convictions, his resistance to formalism, and his imprisonment for unlicensed preaching. They also reflect on the personal and historical context that shaped Bunyan's theological perspectives and his lasting influence, highlighting the enduring importance of his steadfast commitment to genuine faith and assurance in Christ.

The Christian Institute is providing support to Clive Johnston (76), a retired pastor and grandfather of seven from Strabane in Northern Ireland. He faces prosecution for preaching on John 3:16 just inside an abortion censorship zone. He had been speaking at an open-air service on the other side of a dual carriageway from Coleraine’s Causeway Hospital on Sunday 7 July 2024 when he was cautioned by police. An officer claimed Clive was breaking the ‘Safe Access Zones’ law (re: abortion clinics). Crucially, however, he had made no reference – express or implied – to abortion. Thus, these zones are being used to try to censor gospel preaching. No one should be criminalised for preaching God’s love to a broken and needy world. The principle of gospel freedom is at stake. Please keep Clive and the legal team in your prayers.

More than 1,300 people, including at least three Christians, have been killed in a series of attacks in Syria. Many church services have been cancelled, whilst Christians in the area are increasingly fearful for their safety and are considering leaving the country. The violence broke out on Thursday (6 March) in the Alawite-majority areas of western Syria when supporters of former president, Bashar al-Assad, took up arms and attacked security forces of the new regime. Assad – who was overthrown last year – belongs to the Alawites, a branch of Shia Islam that is a minority in Syria. The area targeted was a stronghold of the Assad regime.

When you look up at the starlit sky and ponder the vastness and beauty of the heavens above and the diversity and unity of the earth below, your thoughts are moved to the God who created such marvelous things. If the universe is so unfathomably expansive and so indescribably beautiful, what is the nature of the God who created it? What is God like, the one who exceeds the greatness and grandeur of the world we inhabit? When we begin to ask these questions, we quickly acknowledge that we are finite creatures contemplating the infinite God. Though we are finite creatures, the one true and infinite God has revealed himself to us in the world he has made and even more clearly in the word he has caused to be written. World and word together (natural and supernatural theology) teach the glory and majesty of our God.

Living in a desert is not a walk in the park. It takes some special designs to cope with high temperatures and hot sand—for example, furry paws in the case of small mammals. Another problem is getting sufficient nourishment and water. Different animals use different strategies—e.g., camels—but one insect in particular has a very special method of collecting water. It’s Stenocara gracilipes, the Namib desert beetle, which ably catches water from thin air! Standing on a ridge of sand, facing the wind, it performs what looks like an attempted handstand. It tilts the bottom part of its body upwards so that its back also faces the wind.

In this podcast from Broken Wharfe, John-Mark and Pastor Ryan Davidson delve into the topics of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, exploring how these ordinances serve as means of grace. Ryan, who teaches at International Reformed Baptist Seminary, discusses the theological foundations and communal aspects of these sacraments, emphasizing their significance beyond mere religious rituals. The conversation draws on insights from Ryan's book, 'Green Pastures: Ordinary Means of Grace for Ordinary Believers,' and highlights the importance of these practices in strengthening faith and godliness in the church. Listeners are encouraged to deepen their understanding and appreciation of these ordinances and to engage regularly with the means of grace in their local congregations.

Last week, we shared news that alarmed Christians in India: a call for violence against ‘cow slaughterers’, a term that Hindu extremists sometimes use for Christians. Two speeches – one by a religious leader and one by a man named Aadesh Soni – suggested that people who butchered cows or ate beef were fair game for attack. In the following days, a few religious organisations and Christian leaders met and agreed to maintain peace and order and protect each other’s religious values and oppose anti-social activities. Various Christians from different denominations gathered and protested the planned rally and public threats. There were no reports of violence or persecution throughout the day. The situation in the three villages remained peaceful and calm, with vigilant police officials patrolling constantly. This is the result of our prayers: we saw a mighty move of God as people all over the world prayed. Local Christians are grateful for the fervent prayers and request for continued prayers for peace and harmony in Chhattisgarh State.

Dear brethren, Receive my warm greetings in the Lord. Trusting that you are doing well, and pressing on in the fight of faith. May God’s mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. TBCN Ministries that I was Assigned Early this month, I was requested to serve the following ministries: (a) Daily Prayers I was told to be accessing church’s website and to daily transferring the prepared prayer points to the Church Fellowship Group, so that the members would be daily having church’s prayer points to pray for. I thank God for this ministry. Would you pray with me that I may be faithful to serve God and His church in this way. (b) School ministries This is another ministry that I was assigned to lead. These are the nearby schools which the church used to minister since some years back. So, we have resumed this month, and as an intern I am to be actively participating as I encourage brethren to join me.

In this episode, J. Ryan Davidson gives a short overview of the confessional and reformed doctrine of the means of grace. Scripture texts such as Acts 20:32 are considered, alongside historic formulations of the doctrine from the Second London Confession of Faith and the 19th Century Dutch Theologian, Herman Bavinck. This series on the means of grace provides an overview of the material in "Green Pastures: Ordinary Means of Grace for Ordinary Believers", published by Broken Wharfe.

Peace to You in Christ Jesus, Today, we were invited to Ruby Memorial Church in Sialkot. The people there gave us a very warm welcome. I had the opportunity to teach the Word of God, and they were greatly impressed by our books. A pastor, who has been serving for the past forty years, remarked, "I have not seen such books in Urdu before, and this kind of material is a great need in Pakistan." Fifteen people received the Word of God, and along with it, we also distributed our books. We are receiving requests from various other cities as well. Please pray that we may reach those places too, so that we can continue to serve in God’s work there. May the Lord bless you. In Jesus, Fiaz Masih

CONNECT is our young people’s group for age 11 to 18 years. We seek to meet the practical, social and spiritual needs of our young people in two different meetings: CONNECT ACTIVE meets twice each month on the first and third Saturdays during term time 6:00pm to 7:30pm. CONNECT FOUNDATIONS meets on Sunday afternoon of the fourth Sunday of the month at 1:30pm. The club is open for youth to enjoy the many games we play, engage in the wide variety of activities, discuss their problems/views with other teenagers and to share in learning something beneficial based on biblical teachings.

Dr Renihan writes: I am greatly encouraged by the many excellent students who make up our student body. They study diligently, serve faithfully in their churches and, with the Lord's blessing, will be useful servants in the Kingdom of God. This is what our work is all about. Though the seminary is not the church, we are glad servants of many local congregations, and rejoice to see what the Lord is doing through our students. It is a great privilege to be part of this work. Whether through a weekly Zoom meeting, a modular class in Mansfield or another location, much good is happening and I am greatly pleased. In January many students traveled to Tijuana Mexico for our missions class and the reports have been great. Last week I had the privilege of attending the first course offered at IRBS Quebec. Meeting the students there was wonderful, and the entire experience of listening to Dr Beck lecture and interact with a roomful of students was great. As I write, people are gathering in Sacramento CA for the first course we are offering there. So much to be thankful for! Please continue to pray for us. With the Lord's blessing, we will continue to see good things happening.

Two recent speeches by radical Hindu extremists have called for violence against ‘cow slaughterers’ – a phrase that has been recently linked to Christians – this Saturday (1 March). Please pray for our brothers and sisters in India, for God’s protection, and that the attacks will not materialise. Psalm 31 says, “For I hear many whispering, ‘Terror on every side!’ They conspire against me and plot to take my life. But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me” (vv.13-15). Let’s pray that our church family in India will put their trust in the Lord, and that He will deliver them from the hands of their enemies.

The first phase of the eye-opening Employment Tribunal in the case of A&E nurse Sandie Peggie concluded earlier this month, with the case set to resume in July. Already we have heard allegations that Mrs Peggie, a nurse with 30 years’ experience, was reprimanded, investigated, suspended for months for simply objecting to sharing NHS Fife’s female changing rooms with Dr Upton, a man who purports to be a woman. Astonishingly, NHS Fife’s HR department – in the name of ‘inclusivity’ and respecting someone’s self-declared gender identity – defended the right of the male-bodied doctor to be present while Mrs Peggie and other female members of staff changed for work. The case has brought into sharp focus the issue of institutional capture by gender ideology.

Keith writes, After the 6 days in Pokot I spent the weekend in Kisumu with the pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Kisumu. What a joy to meet up with brethren who became members of Trinity many years back, and who have been faithfully serving the Lord where He has called them Tonny Karwa was providentially brought in to the bed next to me when I was in hospital in 2014. He later joined the church on profession of faith, studied in the TPC, and was called to the ministry in Kisumu. I felt very much at home in the church, spending the whole day in worship and fellowship, appreciating the determination to be Biblical ‘in church’. Tonny led the Adult Sunday School class on Confession. I preached on the new covenant from Hebrews 8:6-10 focussing on the law written on the heart. There was lunch for everyone and then the time of ‘Meditation’. I wondered what they would be, and it was a time of considering the morning’s ministry. The day was concluded with the Lord’s Supper.

Two out of every 3 Nigerians - 133 million people lack access to safe drinking water. This is despite investments in water resources by the Federal and States Ministry of Water Resources. TASTE continues to work with all our partners including the Plateau State to tackle this significant challenge. We are thankful to our God for the able and committed team of staff and volunteers with whom He has blessed TASTE. Their dedication is second to none and we want to continue to equip them so that they continue to provide outstanding godly service to the communities we serve. We held a 5-day training last month to equip them to become more effective trainers on Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) and community self-help groups. The training was held at CRUDAN Guest House, Bukuru, Jos. The sessions were aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of effective teaching methods to better equip and empower our trainees to deliver community training that would have lasting impact long after we have gone.

Our friends in Budapest write: The last three months have been eventful, sometimes difficult, although we can see the Lord’s hand through it all. One of the long-standing need for our members is for their physical well-being. During the past year, a few have suffered bodily ailments of one kind or another. Remember Mrs. Kinga Chiciudean who is still recovering from the effects of radiotherapy from mid last year. Thankfully, she is out of danger. Máté Tóth, one of the brothers pioneering the other Reformed Baptist Church, and who also at times steps in to help with our ministries is currently going through his third round of chemotherapy. In December, one of our members had a severe car accident. Thankfully, he too is out of danger, although still visibly weak. Some have had a few other mild health issues. Please pray that the church members would be kept healthy and not hindered from performing their daily duties smoothly.

“The North Korean language doesn’t even have a word for ‘love’,” says Yong Sook*, a refugee from North Korea. “We just couldn’t love. We did not know how.” The words are a sobering insight into how North Koreans have the life sucked out of them by the country’s brutally authoritarian regime. Yong Sook can see that now, but for a long time it was a different story. Yong Sook can distinctly recall when the now-deceased leader Kim Jong-Il instructed North Korean citizens to eat grass soup – in response to the dire food shortages. “I did not feel anything,” she says, remembering when she gave it as a ‘meal’ to her children. “We all had to eat this soup, rich or poor, child or adult, no exceptions. “If I could re-live my life, I would live it very differently, with much more emotion,” she says. “You must understand that we were brainwashed every day. We reported to our units daily, we did every work and duty together. That numbed our emotions. I would give anything to go back and love more, especially my children. “I regret that this is impossible. I know that God will restore us when Jesus returns and believe that we can make up for missed opportunities.” Yong Sook managed to escape with her children after she could no longer bear the hunger. “If they had given me just one bowl of rice every day, I would still be singing and dancing in North Korea,” she says.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is set to create a council that would draw up an official definition of ‘Islamophobia’. But the people lined up to be involved are in favour of censoring criticism of Islam. Dominic Grieve, who has been recommended to lead the council, commended the APPG definition of Islamophobia. Despite Islam being a religion, it claims that Islamophobia is “rooted in racism and a type of racism which targets Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”. It approves of vaguely worded tests that would allow any criticism of Islam to be branded as Islamophobic. Qari Asim, an imam at Leeds mosque, is also shortlisted for the council. He was dismissed as a government advisor on ‘Islamophobia’ in 2022 for campaigning for a ban on UK cinemas showing The Lady of Heaven – a film about Muhammad’s daughter. Asim previously said that “Muslims cherish free speech” but wants to make exceptions to ban speech that Muslims find “distasteful” or “offensive”. He has also said that all depictions of Muhammad should be prohibited. We can’t allow critique of Islam to be branded as Islamophobic hate speech or racism.

What do Jordan Peterson, Elon Musk, Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, and Tom Holland all have in common? All these public figures recognise that Christianity has grounded Western civilisation, and all of them are afraid of what our culture will become once we entirely abandon a biblical vision for human life. But, sadly, none of them have made clear professions of faith in Jesus Christ. Some of them explicitly deny the reality of God or live in ways that are clearly out of line with the gospel. Sometimes they are called ‘cultural Christians’ – those who want some of the ‘fruit’ of Christianity without the ‘root’. What should Christians make of this? Read the report from Christian Concern and take part in their thought-provoking survey.

Do not think that you will ever have your citizenship in heaven afterwards, if you have not had your citizenship in heaven here. Many make a wonderful profession of religion, and seem to come near to the harbour of rest, yet never enter into it. They are like a ship that comes with up-sails very near to the port, and is unexpectedly blown back to the sea again. Whereas the believer who has his anchor cast on firm and sure ground within the veil is enabled to endure tossing, being like a tight ship that is able to ride out the storm and reach the port. His treasure is in heaven, and there is a sure and indissoluble knot cast between heaven, where his treasure is, and his heart. You who are believers in Christ and children of light, walk in the light, in a way that is appropriate given your heavenly Father and the hope of your heavenly inheritance. Be more conversant in heaven, before you come there — heaven, where you will be very soon for evermore.

God wins. If I had to summarize the message of Revelation in just two words, those would be my choice. They not only convey the point of the book but also hint at its main storyline. Despite what some overly speculative interpreters would have us believe, the main character in the last book of the Bible is not the Dragon, Beast, or False Prophet; rather, it is God. Revelation is primarily about Christ, not the Antichrist. And the main point of the book is to demonstrate in graphic imagery the victory of God in Christ. Through the incarnate ministry of His Son, God has conquered the Devil and his demons; the world and its deceptions; and sin and its destruction. Through faith in Him, we are also victorious over all these enemies. Because He wins, we also win. His victory secures ours. This truth provides fuel for an ever-increasing joy on the part of every believer.

Pastor Simione writes: Dear Sponsors. I hope this will finds you well, sorry for the delay in our response. I'm writing to share with you a little of what is happening here at House of Ants. We have already started this year's activities at the House of Ants, and as we have done in other years, in January we increased our stock of school materials. Last week we distributed school supplies, including folders, notebooks, pencils and pens including school uniforms. We are all excited and looking forward to what God is going to be doing amongst us this year. As you know, the aim of our ministry here at house of ants, is to provide some basic education, a healthy meal, as well as provide physical, mental and spiritual care to all the children, whether they are in part-time, or full-time care. We seek to demonstrate the love of God to them through all our efforts as God helps us.

Following our recent conference for young people, "The Working Christian", you can now watch the messages on YouTube or listen on SermonAudio. Use the links below to access them.

Dear Brethren, There is so much for which to thank God as I have indicated in this month’s prayer letter. I would specifically love to draw your attention to the reality of one the Apostle Paul’s trustworthy sayings, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15). Christ Jesus has saved some souls from amongst us here in Kisumu — Beryl, Paul, and Riziki. Christ Jesus must have the bride for whom He became the penal substitute. Surely this saying is deserving of full acceptance!

One of the greatest tragedies in 21st century Christianity is the degree to which identity politics has infiltrated our churches. Hardly a day goes by that I do not communicate with believers who lament the sorrows that have come on their churches due to the godless ideologies of critical theory or intersectionality gaining a foothold in their congregations. Where once there was mutual love and unity among brothers and sisters of various backgrounds, ethnicities, educational backgrounds, or income levels, now there is suspicion, frustration, and disunity within their ranks. Such tribalism and rivalry cannot coexist with humble, sincere devotion to Jesus Christ as Lord. To have Christ is to embrace the ways of Christ which includes living with the people of Christ in a local church in the unity of the Spirit. Christians are able to do that because “in Christ” we are made into “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15). Seeing yourself as a hyphenated-Christian before you see yourself as a blood-bought sinner inevitably tears the fabric of this precious unity.

Support for Kim Leadbeater’s dangerous assisted suicide Bill is eroding, after she scrapped a measure she had repeatedly described as the ‘ultimate safeguard’. The MP for Spen Valley had said a High Court judge would need to approve a person’s request to be killed. After being told such plans were unworkable, she has now proposed downgrading it to a panel, which would include a social worker and a psychiatrist.

A committee of MPs is currently in the process of considering amendments to the Bill, with 300 changes already proposed and more expected. The House of Commons will have another opportunity to vote down the Bill within the next few months. In its current form, it would allow terminally ill patients in England and Wales who have less than six months to live to receive help to kill themselves.

Conservative MP Danny Kruger, who is on the Committee, said: “Approval by the High Court – the key safeguard used to sell the Assisted Suicide Bill to MPs – has been dropped. Instead, we have a panel, NOT including a judge, of people committed to the process, sitting in private, without hearing arguments from the other side. A disgrace.”

Florence Eshalomi, a Labour MP, wrote on X: “The key safeguard that was used to persuade MPs who raised valid questions about the bill has now been dropped. To say this is worrying is an understatement.”

Tim Farron, a Liberal Democrat MP, posted on social media: “Lots of MPs voted for the bill at 2nd reading in the expectation that there would be stronger safeguards added at committee stage… and yet we now see that even the weak safeguards that existed, are being dropped.”

In a seminal judgment for Christian freedom and free speech, the Court of Appeal has reversed a ruling which defended the dismissal of Kristie Higgs from Farmor’s School in Gloucestershire for raising concern on Facebook about extreme sex education and transgender ideology being taught in her son’s Church of England primary school. The groundbreaking decision, handed down this morning by Lord Justice Underhill, Lord Justice Bean and Lady Justice Falk, re-examines and re-shapes England’s law on religious discrimination. The dramatic six-year legal battle has been supported by the Christian Legal Centre from the beginning. Mrs Higgs, 48, was represented in court by barrister, Mr Richard O’Dair. The ruling confirms that the Equality Act protects traditional Christian beliefs on social issues, such as opposition to the ideas of transgenderism and ‘gender-fluidity’ and opposition to same-sex marriage. The authoritative judgment re-shapes the law on freedom of religion in the workplace. For the first time in employment law, the judgment has effectively established a legal presumption that any dismissal for an expression or manifestation of Christian faith is illegal.

This Bill is currently going through Parliament and has some controversial aspects that could have significant implications for parents who choose to home school their children. Under the Bill, not all families would automatically have the right to home school their children, such as those subject to a child protection investigation or under a child protection plan.

Local authorities (LA’s) will also have to create a register of children not enrolled in schools in their area, which will include those being home educated. There could be a significant increase in administration for those providing some form of education to these children, including those who attend Sunday school in a church.

Councils will have more power to act if they believe either the home environment or the education home-schooled children are receiving there to be unsuitable.

As there will be a strong requirement to follow the National Curriculum, this could lead to a conflict between parents who will want to concentrate on Christian values and not necessarily all of the diversity and equality agenda that some zealous LA inspector should be being taught.

There is a danger that the LA inspector could even demand that the children attend a state school, or even more draconian issue a Child Protection Order.

One of our members, Peter Lowe, has become active in opposing the government's attempts to impose VAT on private school fees. In the section below he explains the implications of the government's plans and the reasons for the opposition.

During their election campaign and in their first Budget, the new Labour Government decided to raise monies for developing state education by removing “tax breaks” supposedly enjoyed by independent private schools.

Unfortunately, the Government did not fully appreciate the wide-ranging implications of their actions on pupils, parents and teachers in schools with a strong evangelical Christian ethos.

The Government mainly thought that the elite private schools could easily absorb the additional costs of the increased imposition of charging 20% VAT on the fees paid by parents for their child’s education.

In reality, education has never been subject to VAT ever since this tax was introduced over 50 years ago. It is not the private schools that enjoy “tax breaks”, but it is state funded schools that do.

Chief Executive Andrea Williams said: “The government’s policy will devastate the work of brilliant Christian schools that have been pioneered and maintained by dedicated staff working on sacrificial salaries because they believe in Christian education.”

Consequently, parents, pupils and some Christian schools, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, have lodged a legal complaint against the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the Government have acted illegally and are being discriminatory.

In discussions with the barrister handling the case, she asked that all liked minded Christians pray in support of the claimants and that our case is considered by the High Court at the same time as two other similar complaints.

Nico van Zyl writes: “Let the people praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you” (Psalm 67:5). Greetings in the glorious name of Jesus Christ. At the end of January, Roxanne, Nicolas, and I drove to Mae Ai, about 100 km north of Chiang Rai. We spent four days there while I was teaching a workshop on the attributes of God to a group of 36 Lisu and Lahu pastors and preachers. It was a wonderful opportunity to teach and preach on the doctrine of God. We held the workshop at, and now known as Grace and Peace Baptist Church (formerly known as Sovereign Grace Baptist Foundation). Wichai and Moses are the elders there, and the church was established in November last year. American missionaries Paul and Susan Brown started this foundation, and Paul had been training these men for many years.

The January 2025 trip to Pokot was richly blessed. Keith and Oliver visited many of the 14 churches in the region and enjoyed much sweet fellowship with the believers. There were many encouragements, especially in seeing the commencement of the Bible College (9 men have begun the training), real progress in undermining the practice of polygamy in the churches and the first instance of a church building being erected with local funds. One of the highlights was Keith's opportunity to witness to an elderly man he first met in 2008, who had forgotten the message of the gospel preached then, but now (17 years on), God was bringing that same message back to his ears in lovingkindness. Read the full report to find out more.

Two more high-profile American pastors have failed out of ministry, one very well known, the other rather less well known. Both leaders of large and influential ministries. Both leaving their churches smouldering craters in the wake of their downfall. Both preaching sermons that were little short of high-handed rebellion only days before their sin became public. Two more pastors to add to the litany of reformed-ish/evangelical washouts in the last decade. Two more churches, ruined. What’s wrong with the church? What’s wrong with pastors, in particular? Why does this keep happening? There was so much tut-tutting and head-shaking at the end of the last century when all the scandals were coming from the Roman Catholics, but now Protestant churches seem desperate to compete in this sordid race.

We have been receiving reports of those who were tremendously blessed by the conference. A lady reports that she believed in the Lord unto salvation during the conference. She has since been actively looking for a biblical church with the help of her sister who invited her. The brethren from Rwanda rejoice in the Lord who granted them the opportunity to closely fellowship with other believers at the conference. Their pastor, Emmanuel Masengesho, died a while back and they have since been without a shepherd. In addition, the government closed down their church and they have not been able to meet physically for worship. Over 30 of them crossed the borders to attend the conference. Through the goodwill of our partners in the gospel, we were able to cater for their conference fees and accommodation. This conference greatly served to grant them much comfort after a long period of lack of fellowship.

We do not need numbers to tell us that something is wrong with the human heart, but sometimes, they very gently expose its condition. Take the number 2.1. Does this number mean anything to you? Did you know that 2.1 is the average number of children that women need to give birth to for the population to exactly replace itself for the next generation? When the number falls below 2.1, then the size of the population begins to fall. Contrast this number with some real-life data and a bleak picture starts to form. Today’s world fertility rate is 2.3 and falling. In 2023, the fertility rate for the UK was 1.57; for the US, it was 1.63; for Canada, it was 1.47. In fact, numbers across the board show that nearly every country has a falling fertility rate and will likely see their populations shrink by the end of the century. Twenty-three countries, including Spain and Japan, are predicted to see populations halve by the end of the century. Are these statistics a victory for environmentalists, for women, or for progress? The reality, of course, is that these numbers do not represent victory for anybody but are instead a ticking time bomb, and governments are already starting to worry. Today’s babies are tomorrow’s workers, and populations are beginning to age without enough young workers in place to support the economy and the elderly.

Ben Udejiofo writes, Dear Friends I pray that as you look back over January 2025, as it has sped by, you will have already seen the LORD's continuing faithfulness as we have. Thank you so much for being with us last year and for already coming along side us for our journey into 2025. May He be our constant Companion, Counsellor and Guide throughout this year and over the next 25! In 2024, we celebrated our 25th Anniversary, throughout those years you have helped us make a significant impact on the lives of over 1.3million people who now have access to safe drinking. Thank you. The LORD Bless you.

A few weeks ago, regional and international geopolitical efforts have also caused the sudden collapse of the secular Syrian government. Longstanding western sanctions against Syria and confiscation of its natural and financial resources severely weakened the government and impoverished most of the population. Strong external economic, military and logistical support readied Islamic Jihadists to take advantage of the situation. Although relatively small in numbers, Islamist groups previously affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS and still listed internationally as terrorists, quickly swept through Syria from northern and southern neighbouring countries. Shockingly, weary secular Syrian government armed forces and security personnel, weakened and demoralized, showed no serious resistance. Evidently, bribed top generals gave orders to walk away or surrender. Those who resisted were shot dead on the spot.

The Association of Confessional Baptist Churches in the United Kingdom began the new year by meeting in the historic building of its newest member, Trinity Baptist Church, in the village of Charlesworth in the North Peaks, near Greater Manchester. By now the life of the Association has adopted a familiar rhythm, which was repeated at this latest meeting. The meeting opened with the singing of a Psalm and the moderator’s prayer. Pastor Eddie Roberts of Stanley Park Church, Liverpool, gave a vigorous and spirited defence of the Scripture’s doctrine of creation, as found in our Confession. Pastor Robert’s message was as humorous as it was true, looking at the Trinity in creation, the totality of the creation, and the time of creation.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Have you ever noticed that Paul begins and ends every one of his epistles with a word of benediction? As he greets the churches and individuals to whom he writes, and as he composes words of farewell, he pronounces a blessing from the Lord upon them. Most commonly, he speaks of grace and peace. Each of these is at the very core of the Christian faith, both for churches and individuals. Our God is full of grace--the unmerited favor He bestows on us by His Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace is to the lives of believers what water is to a desert. Without it, only barrenness and emptiness result, but by grace, faith flourishes. Our Lord is also a God of peace. Our Savior taught us that peacemakers are blessed people, and they will be called sons of God. He has reconciled us so that while we were once enemies, we are now beloved member of His family.

Yakutia is the land of permafrost in the Far East of Russia, where it is still winter in May and already winter in September. Yakutsk, the capital city of the vast Siberian region known as the Sakha Republic, is widely identified as the world’s coldest city. However, through His Word and the saving message of the Gospel, God melted the hearts of the Yakut nation, and the Yakuts started reaching out for the Living Word of God. In Krest Khakut in the Far North of Yakutia, where the frost drives temperatures down to -45/-50 degrees, God has planted a church which is burning with the desire to reach every Yakut family with the Gospel.

NEW EPISODE: Welcome to the Broken Wharfe Podcast. Today, John Mark and Jonny are joined by Dr. Jeff Riddle, pastor of Christ Reformed Baptist Church and lecturer at International Reformed Baptist Seminary. In this episode, they delve into the Christian doctrines of total depravity and unconditional election, as outlined in Dr. Riddle's book 'Before the Foundation of the World.' The discussion touches on sin, the human condition, and the biblical teachings of Calvinism. Join the conversation for insightful theological exploration and practical reflections on faith, parenting, and society.

One in seven Christians across the world now face “high levels of persecution and discrimination” for their beliefs. The Open Doors annual World Watch List revealed that over 380 million Christians are suffering persecution, 15 million more than last year. Almost 4,500 Christians were killed for their faith in 2024, 69 per cent of whom were in Nigeria. North Korea remains the most dangerous country to follow Jesus, followed by Somalia and Yemen. Speaking at the parliamentary launch of the World Watch List, the Government’s UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief David Smith said: “These freedoms, which we take for granted, are ones we should share with our international partners around the world. “We mustn’t shy away from that. We’ve got to recommit ourselves to tackling persecution in every way that we can.”

Please pray for a tribal Christian woman in eastern India who, it has been reported, was stripped, beaten and tied to a tree by Hindu extremists in eastern India. While Subhasini Singh, aged 40, was meeting at the home of Gobinda Singh, who is not a Christian, for a Christmas lunch with five other families in Chhankhanpur village, Balasore District, Odisha state, on Boxing Day, five Hindu nationalists arrived at the property and began questioning them, said pastor Sadhu Sundar Singh. After accusing them of forced conversion, the intruders ‘brutally assaulted Gobinda, his wife and teenage daughter’, said Pastor Sadhu, who had left the meal a few minutes before the attack as he was feeling unwell. They then attacked Subhasini, first smearing a Christmas cake across her face and then beating her, she said. A number of villagers turned up and stood by watching as the men beat Gobinda’s sister, Sukanti Singh, and her husband.

Many have strong opinions on the amount of time a pastor should take to prepare his weekly sermon, with many affirming that roughly 20 hrs is not just normal but advisable. We’ve probably seen pastors piling up their commentaries on the book they’re preaching on (with an almost obligatory social media post) as they begin their weekly tough slog through the mysteries of the text. Such a pastor spends a few hours in additional reading, a few hours on the Greek/Hebrew exegetical work, a few hours writing a manuscript, a few hours praying, and a few hours revising and familiarizing himself with the sermon. If 20 hours is advisable, does that apply to the pastor who preaches two different sermons each week? When I am asked how long I spend preparing a sermon, I honestly don’t know. And there’s a good reason for that, namely: I am in a sense always preparing. Sure, there are more formal times spent at one’s desk or in prayer, but I am also preparing in other ways and at various times.

The true privilege for... all Christians, is... found in the eternal state of our souls. We have heard the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. We have been born again to new life in Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has blessed us with gospel preachers through whom we received this good news. Heaven is our home and Jesus is our great reward. Yet, while people groups all around the world languish in darkness, dead in sin, condemned to eternal Hell, the church seems endlessly distracted by questions about how to make our lives in America more equitable and prosperous. Friends, we need to recapture a better understanding of the glorious privilege that is ours in Christ. Paul understood this privilege well. Paul was commissioned and honoured to take this gospel to those who had never heard (Rom 15:20-21). He knew that he was indebted to all peoples. Paul wrote to the church at Rome, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” (Rom 1:14).

Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ from the trustees of TRAIN(Kenya). We hope you appreciated the first Newsletter of October and here is the promised bimonthly follow up to keep you informed. Visit to Pokot. Two of the trustees, Oliver Allmand-Smith and Keith Underhill, have planned a six day visit to Pokot arriving Wednesday 22nd. January and departing the following Wednesday. The main purpose is to encourage the brethren there, but as trustees of the charity it is important that we see for ourselves how the money we have been sending is being used. It will be a very busy time of preaching and talking, based in each of the three centres of Kamketo, Kasei and Chepkinagh. Please pray for us.

The ladies meeting here at Trinity Grace are a warm, welcoming place where we seek to grow in our faith and in our love for God and each other as we study the word of God together. We usually have our meetings once a month on Saturdays from October to June. We have a theme for the year and we have covered subjects from “Women Who Encountered Jesus” and “Contentment”. Sometimes we will study a complete book of the Bible in the year as we did with Ephesians; other times we will focus on specific passages like the ‘Fruit of the Spirit” or “The Beatitudes”. The meetings last from 10:am-12noon and are on a Saturday. Theme for 2024/25: Reflections on Jim Renihan’s book “True love”, relating to love as it is revealed in 1 Corinthians 13. ALL LADIES WELCOME.

Parents in England who home educate could be required to inform the state if their children attend Sunday school or football clubs, under Government proposals. Clause 25 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill requires local authorities to create a register of children in their area who are being home educated. In addition to the names and addresses of parents and children, the register will also require parents to specify the amount of time the child spends “receiving education from each parent”, along with details of any education received from other people.

The Men’s meeting at the Trinity Grace Church Ramsbottom is a welcoming place where we seek to grow in grace and faith in our love for God and each other as we study the word of God together. We usually have our meetings once a month on Saturdays from January to November of the year. We usually study a book written by a trusted Christian author and is usually led by one of our Elders and then followed by a time of informal discussion on the issues and prayer. The meeting is preceded by breakfast with tea; coffee and a chance for a quick catch up on arrival we then begin the study. In addition, one of the Saturday meetings is dedicated for outreach as pizza night where we invite relatives, friends and work colleagues to share fellowship with us and listen to God’s word.

I am grateful for the LORD almighty through His Son Jesus Christ by the Person of the Holy Spirit, not only that he preserved me throughout the year, by giving life, good health and strength to work, but imperatively for His grace and faithfulness in the continued standing on His promises; which is the gift of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus. I thank the Lord again for you and for your prayers. May He who is bound with immeasurable kindness and grace bless all of you: to those played a role for my spiritual maturity, the Trinity Pastor’s College, the sharpening me for my future ministry, the support for my TPC fee, the stipend support, and the prayers and wisdom regarding my 2025 Internship. Would You Pray Again! That I may draw near to God more than last year. That the accepted one-year internship in TBCN may be of more help to my spiritual growth and my future ministry. That I would be faithful and grow in learning and studying in the TPC. That I may be of more spiritual help to many in the year 2025. And that the brethren may stand with me either in prayers or material support.

Jim Butler writes: We are pleased to announce that Free Grace Baptist Church, along with five other Reformed Baptist churches across Western Canada, has joined together to form the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of Western Canada (ARBCWC). This historic partnership, established in November 2024, represents a significant step forward in promoting unity and cooperation among confessional Reformed Baptist churches in our region (Acts 15:1-35). The ARBCWC unites churches that share a commitment to the Second London Confession of Faith of 1689 and the proclamation of Christ’s gospel across Western Canada. Our partnership currently extends from British Columbia through Alberta to Saskatchewan, bringing together congregations dedicated to sound doctrine and faithful ministry (Jude 3).

TASTE Nigeria - Celebrating 25 years of God's Faithfulness. Dear Friends, May God Bless you this Christmas time as we celebrate the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, "Immanuel" - God with us! We reflect on a wonderful year for TASTE, celebrating 25 years of God's faithfulness to provide safe, clean water and sanitation and share the Gospel with communities across Nigeria. With our love and prayers, Ben and the team at TASTE UK.

Joao writes: Greetings to saints at Trinity Grace church family. We are grateful for your prayers and support. It has been a long time, here is a quick update. The studies at IRBS has been a great blessing. I had three courses, they challenged me to love God and to faithfully handle God’s word. The lectures were academically rigorous. The Load shedding situation we are experiencing posed a great challenge to attend all online-live lecture. Despite that, am thankful for the opportunity granted to me to trained at a confessional Baptist seminary, and I am already seeing the fruits. I particularly enjoyed the hermeneutic and the philosophical theology class.

Coming to faith in Christ is a life-changing moment for all of us. We rejoice in the forgiveness of our sin and the hope of salvation. However, for new believers in Egypt who leave Islam behind to follow Jesus it is life changing in another profound way. They are frequently rejected by parents and siblings, who feel their conversion has brought shame on the family, and are made to suffer for their new faith – often in cruel and brutal ways. When her family became aware that she was following Christ, ‘Ayesha’* was kidnapped by her brother, along with two of her four daughters, who were just eight and nine years old at the time. For three days they were held without food as her brother tried to force her to recant her new faith. After three days he gave them a meal, but he made them eat it off the floor. Our partner told me: ‘This is a disrespectful action. It’s telling them: “You will not eat normally, like us. You will eat off the floor like the animals. And why do you have to do this? Because your mother left Islam to become a Christian. So you are equal to an animal. You are not equal to a human.”’

Dr Renihan writes: Happy New Year! I'm sure that you've heard (and even spoken) those words many times recently. Even so, it's a genuine desire isn't it? And for Christians it means an even better hope, as we desire for one another growth in grace, increase in Christ-likeness and an ever increasing joy in the worship of God. And so, when you read these words, here, please let these sentiments come to your mind. We expect 2025 to be one of our busiest years yet. We continue to see an increase in students as we develop relationships with churches new and old. Our recently announced IRBS on the Road: A Deep Dive into Baptism already has 23 scheduled dates throughout the year. God willing, these meetings will be held in Texas (January and March), Ohio (February and July), Missouri (February), Oklahoma (March), North Carolina (March), Oregon (April), Virginia (twice in May), Tennessee (May), California (May, September and November), Colorado (June), Australia (June and July), New Zealand (June), England (September), Indiana (September), Georgia (October), Maine (November) and Massacusetts (November). If you live near one of these places, you are welcome to attend.

As African Pastors Conferences conclude for 2024 and prepare for 2025, we have an opportunity to give thanks for all that has been accomplished, and to pray for all that lies before us.

Brett Shaw writes: It is with great joy that I can inform you that our church plant will be constituting on February 23rd. We praise God that our core group desires to covenant together in obedience to Christ. We hope to constitute with 18 members as the core group has been forming and reforming under the means of grace. The Lord has blessed us with a diverse group, including two older couples whose wisdom and churchmanship have been an encouragement to us. We also have a few younger families with a total of 14 children in our midst who are being trained to sit and participate in worship. The Lord has also brought a few single men to our congregation who have served the church well.

With the ever-increasing death toll comes an ever-increasing number of widows, many with young children, who desperately require help. Their need is something the churches in Ukraine know well, not least because they are numbered among those who make up their congregations. With their sorrow comes an opportunity to serve others as they share how their faith has sustained them through their loss.

Dr Martin Parsons examines the implications the jihadist takeover of Syria will have for Syrian Christians and analyses how the UK government should think about these Christians’ fate before removing the terrorist designation from HTS. The British ambassador reported that “the greatest revolution that we know anything of has been effected…with the loss of very few lives” and that we can now consider this “a free country”. In response, the Prime Minister expressed his hopes for friendly relations with the new rulers. Actually, that wasn’t in response to the takeover of Syria by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), but the initial British reaction to the 1789 French revolution before it developed into its ugly bloodletting phase of guillotining those perceived to be opponents and its specifically anti-Christian character. However, it could equally be said of more recent events in the Middle East.

Nico van Zyl writes: Our goal is to glorify God here in evangelism, church planting, and training of leaders. This is why we came to Thailand and why we believe God has sent us. What a year this has been. We said our goodbyes to family and friends in South Africa in June. It was hard to leave my family and the family at Birchleigh Baptist Church and African Pastors’ Conferences and the many friends we made. We have now been in Thailand for over 6 months. Our language studies are going well. Although progress seems slow, there is definitely progress. We desire to plant a Reformed Baptist church in Thailand for the Thai people. As we prayed and talked about this, we decided to start a bilingual Sunday service in our homes on a Sunday afternoon. The churches here in Thailand don’t have afternoon or evening services.

Enoch Adekoya Appointed Director of IRBS UK

We should ask the question, what was Jesus’ view of scripture? This is important because to be a Christian is to be a disciple of Christ. His views on any number of topics (Jesus’ view of marriage, salvation, heaven & hell, etc.) must be our view. Jesus’ view of scripture must be our view of scripture. If we believe Jesus is wrong, then at whatever point we depart, we’re no longer his disciples, that is, Christians. In Matthew 19 Jesus was asked a question concerning his view on divorce. In his answer Jesus directs the Pharisees back to scripture and he quotes to them Genesis 2. This first demonstrates Jesus’ view that the creation design of Genesis 2 is normative for us today and ought to be our ethical standard. If we would be his disciples, then we must also hold to Jesus’ belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. Second, it’s notable that what Jesus quotes in verse 5, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” didn’t come from the mouth of God. In Genesis 2 it’s not prefaced with, “And God said.” It’s from the pen of Moses giving his own interpretation and ethical application of the creation account. Yet when Jesus quotes it, he attributes the words to God. “Have you not read that he who created them said?” Jesus’ view of the Bible is not that this was merely Moses’ opinion, but that what Moses wrote should be considered the word of God.

Two Christians were reportedly killed and others kidnapped, including a pastor, as militant Fulani herdsmen targeted villages in central Nigeria. The herdsmen are understood to have attacked the communities on December 1 and the days leading up to it. Please pray for all those affected by these incidents. Barnabas Para was killed in Gwanje village, Akwanga county in Nasarawa state, on the first day of the month while he and neighbours sat in front of his house, said a local resident, Moses Bello.

The preacher’s job is to clearly present and exalt the truths of Scripture, especially in terms of how they connect to Christ and the Gospel. All of his education, study, meditation, and other preparation should serve this end, this telos. It’s tempting for a preacher to exalt himself in the preaching, especially indirectly. Many sermons have a subtext of “Look at how many theologians I can quote and how good I am with words.” I say this self-consciously as a preacher that quotes a lot to avoid accidental plagiarism. A preacher should remember to forget himself and consciously uphold Jesus. All his work should serve the goal of making God’s Word, Christ, and the Gospel clear, beautiful, and preeminent. The congregation should leave the sermon in awe of Jesus, not the preacher.

Greetings in the Lord. Trusting that you are doing well. Myself, I rejoice in the sufficient grace of God. Our November classes were very busy, but of great use to us. We were able to study two units, one after the other (Unit G: The Late Mediaeval to Reformation Church, and Unit H: Christian Apologetics). The lecturers were Nate Davidson and Murungi Igweta. I was greatly helped to know the number of Reformers, and their labour to confront the Roman Catholic Church in her heresy, and imperatively they defended and preserved the true Gospel as revealed in the Scriptures, and this was summed up later as the Five Solas.

Dr James Renihan writes: Greetings to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity! December brings many joyful events. We celebrate the birth of our Lord with festivities and parties, we reflect on the events of the past year, and we look forward with anticipation to the arrival of a New Year. This is how we all look at this twelfth month. For those of us in the world of Seminary education, we might sometimes think of it differently. It marks the half-way point of the academic year. Students are busy submitting papers, finishing their assigned reading, and working hard to pass final exams. Professors then must evaluate and grade all the work they receive. In this sense, December is a busy month. Whether we think of it as the final month of the year, or the mid-point of annual studies, it's a wonderful month! The most important thing is that we remember the Saviour in all we do. As you participate in Christmas celebrations, do so with great joy. And pray for our students and faculty as they seek to glorify the Lord in this first month of Winter.

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that stretches all the way back to a time long before America became a nation. The Pilgrims landed in 1620. They faced brutal conditions and were woefully unprepared. Roughly half of them died in that first year. Then they had a successful harvest of corn. In November of 1621 they decided to celebrate a feast of thanksgiving. Over the centuries, Americans continued to celebrate feasts of thanksgiving in the fall. Some presidents issued proclamations. Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation for a perpetual national holiday set aside for thanksgiving. In 1863, with the nation torn apart by the Civil War, he declared: "I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill intends to allow those in England and Wales deemed to be terminally ill and with less than six months to live to receive help to kill themselves. MPs have now voted by 330 to 275 in favour of legalisation. The backbench MP’s Private Member’s Bill will now proceed to Committee Stage, where it will be considered further. The Christian Institute’s Director Ciarán Kelly told Christians not to give up on challenging the dangerous proposals: “It’s deeply disappointing that the Commons has agreed to endorse this dangerous and divisive Bill. I’m grateful to the many MPs who spoke and voted against it, and the fight is not over. We know that the more people know about assisted suicide, the less they like it. Those MPs who supported the principle of the Bill but have concerns about its practical implications must now take the time to scrutinise it properly. They will find the promised safeguards are nothing more than a mirage."

Married to Vera and with two believing daughters, Mykhailo Pimonenko serves as the pastor of ‘Church of Grace’ in Sumy, Ukraine. From the start of the war, they have continued to serve the people of their community, praying for them and holding out the message of hope while at the same time distributing humanitarian aid to those in greatest need. Not only that, but those in the church have also provided medical aid, helped evacuate people who wanted to leave, and been a blessing to those in nearby hospitals as they share the Gospel with the wounded and provide them with small gifts. Over time, Bible Study groups have begun for people who have started attending the church, some of whom have come to faith. Due to the many new individuals who have started attending, every church service is full, and special services are held for those with disabilities.

Dear supporter, This time tomorrow, Friday 29 November, MPs will start to debate one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation ever presented to Parliament – Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill. The phrase ‘It’s a matter of life and death’ is sometimes used for the most trivial of issues. But tomorrow’s debate is exactly that. It could make it legal for doctors to help adults deemed to be terminally ill to kill themselves. There are many good reasons to oppose this Bill: the lack of scrutiny, the absence of safeguards, the inevitable expansion, the impact on palliative care services, and the pressure it places on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a ‘burden’. As Christians, we also know the proposal breaches the Sixth Commandment and denies the value of every person as an individual made in the image of God.

TRAIN(Kenya) is a charity that supports the work of the gospel in Kenya. The title stands for Truth Reaching Africa In Need. One of the principal areas of work is in Western Kenya amongst the Pokot people. There has only been one new leader in Pokot in the past 20 years. We regard helping with the development of such leaders as a matter of great importance for the many existing churches and the future of the work. We are helping two men with support towards their studies in the training programme (TPC) in Nairobi, one from Pokot and one from Mombasa. The Pokot brethren have planned the Bible Light School in Kasei to start, God willing, in January 2025. They are hoping for 20 men from the area to be the first class. There is a large church building that can be used, and we have helped towards the building of specific facilities, which yet have to be completed.

A family from TBC Nairobi have recently relocated to Rwanda to teach in the Rafiki Village (school) there. You might be aware that very many churches have been closed because of new government regulations. “They require that it’s built on a property owned by the church, with soundproofing and water harvesting. There are also requirements on parking areas, and security systems. Also, there must be something else other than the church, such as a school. So, it’s only one reformed (Baptist) church which was on their property but then they have had to start a school in the property. They hope to be approved to reopen soon. Most churches will not reopen, since their financial capabilities are way too low to meet these demands.” There are also requirements for formal training for leaders, something that the Kenya government also says it will implement. This is one reason why there are many applicants for the Nairobi TPC.

A BBC documentary called ‘Young, British and Anti-Abortion’ was released this week, exploring the growing pro-life movement in the UK. The documentary maker, Poppy Jay, is quite staunchly pro-abortion, which shows in some of the editing. However, in a pre-release interview she admitted that these passionate pro-lifers “did open up my eyes to a lot and they did challenge my own thoughts”. She said their arguments made her question “what makes a human ‘human’: what characteristics; is it when it looks human; is it when it can feel something; is it when it can form memories or live outside of the mother?” James Ascott, a young Christian who has visited Trinity Grace in the past and is an active anti-abortion advocate, was featured in the documentary. He said: “[the] right to life should happen because it’s a human. It’s at a different stage of development to a teenager – [that] doesn’t mean that we have the right to kill a fetus because it cannot walk, because it cannot talk. I say a 10-week-old baby should have equal protection, equal rights as myself. I believe both of us shouldn’t be killed if we’re innocent.”

Many Christians are grieved and angered by the moral degeneration of our culture. But let us be grieved and angry at the right things: sin and Satan have ruined our world and ravaged countless lives. Many fear for the future. But let us fear the right thing: the judgement of God against our unbelieving neighbours whose only hope is forgiveness through Jesus’ blood. You have wicked and sexually lost neighbours. Abraham did too. But he didn’t hate them, he loved them enough to pray for them. If we claim to know Abraham’s God, then we ought to follow his lead, pleading with the Lord to spare our lost neighbours because God hears the cry of their sins, but he also hears the cry of our intercession. God give us hearts filled with pity and mouths filled with pleading for the lost.

The aim of the conference is to inspire and equip the next generation of evangelical Christians with a deeper love for God, a stronger conviction in the faith and a greater commitment to practical righteousness. We believe that by investing in the spiritual formation of the younger generation, we can build up the church and develop strong leaders and members for the future. Join us as we pursue our shared goal of glorifying God and strengthening local churches throughout the UK. We seek to achieve this through the following means: (1) Teaching the whole counsel of God as found in His Holy Word and expressed in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. (2) Addressing relevant issues for younger people in our modern society through discussions with both young people and their pastors, equipping attendees with practical tools to navigate the challenges of living out the faith in today's world. (3) Introducing young people to rich biblical resources that will help them grow in spiritual maturity. (4) Encouraging fellowship, friendships and connections between like-minded young people, providing opportunities for attendees to build meaningful relationships and support networks that will strengthen their walk with Christ.

As we prepare for out Christmas outreach 2024, we are mindful of the need to continue the work of making Christ known in our town throughout 2025. To this end, we have completed our calendar of outreach events for the year, which you can see attached. Please put all of these in your diary, be as involved as you possibly can and pray earnestly that the Lord will grant much fruit as we seek to proclaim the wonderful news that Jesus saves sinners just like you and me!

December's conference In Kisumu is titled "Getting The Gospel Right." Tonny Karwa asks, "Why this theme? We believe that the Lord is prayerfully guiding us in this direction for at least two reasons: (1) To re-evangelise and/or deeply root our respective congregations in the gospel. Out of the deep love and concern we have for them, we would love to echo the words of the writer of Hebrews to them, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” (2) To present the gospel simply and clearly to our delegates drawn from diverse backgrounds. Paul is clear that there is only one gospel to be preached (Gal. 1:6-7). In the mind of an average ‘professing Christian’ in Kenya, the gospel is what is espoused by the typical message of the Word of Faith Movement preacher, and becoming a Christian is equivalent to responding to an altar call in such a context, regardless of whether Christ is not proclaimed."

Dear brethren, Receive my warm greetings in the Lord, and may the grace and peace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. I’m glad that God preserved me well throughout this month. It was a busy month for me since I was studying and working on the assigned work of Unit F – Doctrine of Man and Sin. I thank God for enabling me to do it well with my best, yet I still have a little work remained, I believe that it will be done before the end of this week. And so far, through this unit, I’ve been much benefited – in learning the basic realities of the man, his relationship with God, and the problem of sin. It was not only the TPC work that kept me busy, but also the work of ministry here in Kitale. As we run our mid-week programs as usual, I moreover abled to preach thrice in the morning services since I came from TPC. I thank God for enabling me to prepare and in presentation; though I greatly didn’t work on it well, but I hope I will grow on it. I also appreciate brother Oliver, after whom I sent my sermon’s notes, challenged me in correction.

The Bible consistently emphasises the importance of building biblical churches. Eph 5 underscores Christ’s deep concern for His Church, aiming for its perfection, “without spot or wrinkle.” Similarly, in II Cor 11, Paul expresses a profound desire to labour so that the Church may be presented as glorified, pure, and chaste; the bride of Christ. Acts 20 reminds us that Christ shed His blood to purchase the Church, while Revelation 19 portrays the Church as the bride awaiting her union with Christ. Consequently, the building of biblical churches must be our top priority as we prepare for Christ’s return. However, as we pursue this vital mission, we face significant opposition from the spirit of our age—a force entirely hostile to the growth of biblical churches. The challenges are immense, as contemporary culture works against this objective. Consider the following seven issues that reflect the spirit of our time and difficulty of our task.

Dr Renihan writes: "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 136:1). Greetings to you from our good LORD, who always shows us mercy. In the United States, the fourth Thursday of November is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday. While many call it 'turkey day' (since turkey is the traditional meal served) and most watch parades and football games, for Christians, it is a unique annual opportunity to express to the LORD and to one another our gratitude for the many ways He has shown us His goodness during the past ten months. I bless God for the privilege of serving as a minister of Jesus Christ, and for the opportunity to serve Him through IRBS for 26 years. I am grateful for our graduates, men faithfully serving churches in the United States and several other countries. I am thrilled with the amazing growth our seminary has experienced in the past two years. I praise the LORD for our trustees, faculty and staff who all serve with diligence and devotion. And, I am thankful for all of you who faithfully support us with your prayers and gifts."

Lancashire Reformed Baptist Fellowship Wednesday meetings start with informal fellowship and refreshments from 19:15 and the main meeting to start at 19:45 and finish by 21:15. They include a time to exchange news of the churches and pray for each other. The Concert of Prayer starts at 10:00 and last an hour. Saturday 11th January: Concert of Prayer for Revival at North Preston Evangelical Church. Wednesday 12th March: ‘Effectual calling’ Speaker: Oliver Allmand-Smith (Trinity Grace, Ramsbottom) at Pemberton Free Grace Church. All welcome.

Following the publication of a report exposing serious neglect amongst senior leaders in the Church of England that led to the abuse of many children in summer camps, although the CoE has acknowledged failings and promised changes, its recent "Flourishing For All" report sent to primary schools demonstrates serious concern. The lobbying group, Family Education Trust, write as follows: "We are extremely concerned that the Church of England does not recognise that biological sex is immutable and is advising teachers to tell children that ‘sex is assigned at birth’. Sex is not ‘assigned at birth’ like some kind of magical Harry Potter sorting hat - it is determined at conception, observed in utero and recorded at birth. These are biological, unchangeable facts and no teacher should be lying to children that it is possible to be ‘born in the wrong body.’ We are also appalled that the CoE guidance suggests that schools should “create safe spaces for LGBT+ children”, which in practice will mean the creation of LGBT+ lunchtime clubs. We already know that activist school staff use such groups to groom children into believing that they are transgender and often operate without the knowledge or consent of parents."

Our Lord Jesus famously commanded His disciples to “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest” (Mt. 9:38, NKJV). Almost two millennia have come and gone, and yet the harvest is still plentiful, and the labourers are still few. In mid-2021, for instance, of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians of every denomination living on the earth only 430,000 were serving as cross-cultural missionaries. To put those figures in perspective, this means that only 0.0172% of professing Christians then living were actively serving on the mission field. Clearly, the cause of world missions is not a priority for many modern evangelical churches. Rather than causing us to be critical of the church at large, such statistics should encourage us to examine ourselves. To ask ourselves: am I a part of the solution, or am I contributing to the problem by the apathy of my own sinful heart? It is true that many local churches are currently unable to send out missionaries because of lack in both biblically qualified men fitted for the task and necessary financial resources. But are we, both as individuals and churches, obeying our Lord’s command to pray regularly and fervently for the Holy Spirit to supply these deficiencies? It is obvious that our churches, overall, are falling woefully short in our calling to serve as senders. What can be done to change this? What needs to happen?

Human life has been created by God. He has made humanity special, being far above the animals in terms of having a soul, as well as many other valuable capabilities, the greatest of which is to know God. Every human being is accountable to God for their actions, and will face him one day. As such human life is to be greatly valued, and used for the honour of God. According to the Bible, there are certain circumstances where God allows government authorities to take life (see Romans 13:1-7). Examples of this may include defence of the nation or other nations in warfare, and just punishment for crimes such as murder. However, God does not delegate the authority of taking the life of the vulnerable in society for any reason. He is the author of life, and he alone has the right to take it away. As human beings, we must never take that authority to ourselves, which belongs to God alone.

IRBS UK is pleased to host four residential courses this upcoming year. IRBS serves a global constituency, offering Masters degrees which provides robust academic preparation theological and ministerial disciplines. The courses are also available to pastors and men who desire to grow in their understanding of theology and be refreshed by the sound biblical teaching. All our instructors are outstanding scholars and experts in their respective fields, as well as having a wealth of knowledge and experience as pastors. The first of these courses is Baptist Church History with Dr Robert Strivens, February 3-7th. In this course, the history and theology of the Baptists from their inception in the Reformation to their continued testimony in the 20th Century will be carefully considered.

The past six months have had a joyous upturn and prompted several changes, which we share below. We trust that reading this you are encouraged by the Lord’s goodness and would continue in praying for us, that we would magnify the Lord in all our works according to His Word. In April we inducted into membership four regular attendees who were baptised before the church. This saw a full church hall, was followed by a delightful, shared lunch which helped encourage extended hours of fellowship. The evening prayer meeting was passionate and the largest we’ve had at 16 attendees which included visiting brethren from the Ukraine. These Sunday evening prayer sessions have been well-attended of late as we pray for the service and evangelism efforts.

The new UK Government and MPs have been appointed by God. They need our prayers. “For there is no authority except that which God has established” ROMANS 13:1. Please pray: For the Prime Minister, his Government and the leaders of the opposition parties; For the First Ministers and governments at Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and Stormont; That God will bless all our national and local leaders with wisdom and integrity to restrain evil and promote what is good.

Nico van Zyl was, until recently, the manager of African Pastors Conferences. Earlier this year, he moved to Thailand with his wife Roxanne and his son Nicholas. They are engaging in missionary work alongside another couple from the Unites States. They are fully committed to the work of gospel preaching, seeking to make known the whole counsel of God, sharing with us a common commitment to the Second London Confession of Faith (1689). You can read about their challenges with language learning and the great needs that prevail by viewing their latest newsletter attached. May the Lord be gracious in providing for this valuable work and may the name of Christ be exalted amongst the people of Thailand.

The expectation of good in the future is a joyful feature of the Christian life, but only because the expectation is well-founded. Those who belong to Christ can confidently look forward to a bright future in glory because of who the triune God is and what He has done for our redemption. If, however, we place our confidence in the fickle things of this life, their sheer unreliability means that we are acting with the utmost folly. In just one week, the global news has included the sudden and shocking deaths of a UK politician, a pop singer, and a terrorist leader. It is rare that any of us go for long periods without some startling event upsetting some wish or expectation we had held. We are constantly being reminded of the unpredictability of life in ways that underline the immense tragedy of pinning our hopes of happiness and fulfilment on things in this life instead of on the Saviour.

“I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (Romans 15:14). In this passage the NIV uses the word “instruct,” while others translate it “admonish” or “counsel.” In all of these translations, Paul gives the Roman Christians credit that they had (through the Holy Spirit) the knowledge and spiritual ability to look after each other. In other words, they were capable of counseling one another regarding their obligations to the Lord, to each other and to the world around them. The majority of those Roman Christians probably had little formal education and many of them were slaves. Yet, Paul teaches them that they are to instruct, admonish, or counsel each other on how to live the Christian life.

The Bible teaches that Christians are not under the law as a way of salvation. Christ has set us free from the guilt and condemnation of sin by His bloody death and resurrection. But that does not mean believers are free to live licentious lives. In fact, the grace of God in the gospel enables us to keep His good law, summarized in the Ten Commandments, as an expression of love to God and others. Reformed confessions of faith teach that the law and the gospel “do sweetly comply” (WCF 19.7, SD 19.7, 2LCF 19.7).

Christian Concern reports: a Freedom of Information request made by the Mail on Sunday revealed that the University of Nottingham put a ‘trigger warning’ on one of the most famous works in English Literature, The Canterbury Tales, because it contains ‘expressions of Christian faith.’ Our Chief Executive Andrea Williams told the Telegraph: “Trigger warnings for Christian themes in literature are demeaning to the Christian faith and stifle the academic progress of our students. “To censor expressions of the Christian faith is to erase our literary heritage. True education engages and fosters understanding, not avoidance.”

A man has been found guilty of silently praying near an abortion centre in Bournemouth. Adam Smith-Connor was standing in a council-imposed ‘censorship zone’ in November 2022 when police officers asked him “what is the nature of your prayer?”. When he said he was praying for his deceased son, they claimed he was breaching the zone’s prohibition against “prayer and acts of disapproval” in relation to abortion. Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court has now ruled that his conduct was “disapproval of abortion”, because he bowed his head and clasped his hands. The army veteran has been ordered to pay prosecution costs of £9,000, and will be sentenced if he is convicted again during the next two years.

On Sunday, June 28, 2015, two days after the US Supreme Court ruled on Obergefell v. Hodges, legalizing so-called “same-sex marriage”, a deacon came up to me before our evening service. “Pastor, there’s a camera crew here that wants to speak with you.” I went outside to find a reporter from a major broadcast TV network who asked me, “We have heard that some churches actually don’t agree with the recent Supreme Court ruling and wondered if you’d be willing to comment?” I declined to comment on camera, but I did say to the reporter and his camera crew, “Our understanding of what the Bible teaches on marriage was written down in 1677, in agreement with what Christians have publicly confessed for centuries. Nothing the Supreme Court ruled on Friday has changed that.” That is not all I could have said, of course. In many ways, it barely scratches the surface. We could have discussed the key passages of Scripture that speak to men, women, sexual morality, and the purpose of marriage that our Confession summarizes in 2LCF Chapter 25.

You may have heard that MPs will vote before Christmas on an extreme Bill that, if successful, will legalise assisted dying. This Bill is the most serious threat to vulnerable lives since the Abortion Act was introduced in 1967. It’s now crucial that all MPs and the Government urgently see that there is a large number of voters in each constituency who don’t want this dangerous and extreme change to our laws - changes that would put the vulnerable at risk and see the ending of many lives through assisted dying. You can make a difference right now by contacting your MP to ask them to stop assisted dying from being rushed into law. It only takes 30 seconds using the link below.

In a demonstration of our commitment to national association, a multiplicity of people from each of the churches gathered from as far as Liverpool to the marshes of South Kent for our second annual Association Day at Living Hope Bible Church in Lydd. The morning was inaugurated by Nathan Tarrant’s message on chapter three of the Confession, on God’s Decree, covering God’s sovereignty, divine concurrence with second causes, the origin of evil, and monergistic salvation. This was followed up by Oliver Allmand-Smith’s one hour tour de force on Associationalism, looking at five biblically necessary elements of association from the Confession, Scripture, and Baptist history; highlights were that association increases our peace, love, and mutual edification, as we pray and provide for one another. We also share our gifts and graces, keep each other doctrinally accountable, and we manifest our unity in Christ.

Moses, the great leader of God’s people in the Old Testament, was characterised above all by his meekness. His brave leadership in exceedingly testing circumstances was marked neither by harshness nor self-aggrandizing. Although it subverts worldly ideas of what a strong leader looks like, those who want to be the greatest in Christ’s church have to be servants, and serve God by serving others. Many things are fixed on in the world, as things which commend people after their death, according to the diversity of their lives. Some have been commended for their honour, some their courage, some their wisdom, some their riches. Where there is a concatenation of these, how eminently commendable that person must be! Well, in spending your life in service to God, a multitude of these concur. How deservedly then is a servant of God commended!

As usual, in the second week of this month, we travelled back to Nairobi for TPC classes. I thank God for the safe journey – TO and FRO. Our lecturer Tom Hicks, took us through Unit F – The Doctrine of Man and Sin. We had a good time together with him, since he was friendly, and patiently answered our many questions. It was interesting to me to notice the creation of man which was very distinct from other creatures, we were also abled to know the different WILLS – of Adam before the fall (innocence), after the fall as our representative (sinful will), and the two wills of Christ – the divine and human will. We considered also, about the total depravity of man, and other many helpful things.

God gave up his own Son as a ransom for us—the holy one for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, the righteous one for the unrighteous, the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal. For what else could cover our sins except his righteousness?… O sweet exchange! O unfathomable work of God! The sinfulness of many is hidden in the Righteous One, while the righteousness of the One justifies the many that are sinners.

A Christian woman held without charge in Iran since September 9 wept uncontrollably during the five minutes her mother was allowed to visit her last Monday, a relative said. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps arrested Mojdeh Falahi, aged 36, a convert from Islam, when she went to the prosecutor’s office in Shiraz at the request of a Christian who had been arrested the previous day and told her he needed documents in order to be released, Morning Star News (MSN) reported. Please pray for Mojdeh, who has been transferred to the Pelak-e 100 Detention Centre, a prison run by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, according to Sam Khosravi, Falahi’s brother-in-law.

The African Pastor’s Conference in Northern Nigeria this September opened in Kano State, one of the North Eastern States in Nigeria and one of the states in which Christians are being persecuted the most. The conference in Kano was held between 13th and 14th September, 2024 with 161 delegates in attendance. Some of the delegates interviewed after the conference expressed their joy and gladness for the privilege to be trained as several of them have not had any formal theological training. They were also thankful for the gift books as well as the highly subsidized books made available to them in the course of the conference.

Amber is hard, brittle fossil resin, mostly from coniferous trees (fig. 1). It is usually yellow to brown and is translucent or transparent. Amber is an organic gemstone and has been used as jewellery since early man first occupied Europe (fig. 2).1 Upon rubbing amber, it becomes electrically charged and attracts other objects. Because of this, the Greek word for amber (elektron) became the root for words such as electricity and electron. Amber burns with a fragrant incense when ignited. Thus the German word for amber, Bernstein, and the Dutch barnsteen, from ‘burning stone’. The English word comes from Arabic anbar.

The House of Commons is expected to vote on legalising assisted suicide in the coming weeks. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater is set to formally introduce her Private Member’s Bill on 16 October. Although the details have not been finalised, she said her proposals would allow those deemed to be terminally ill to receive help to kill themselves. The Prime Minister has pledged to allow parliamentary time to consider a Private Member’s Bill on assisted suicide. The House of Commons last voted on the issue in 2015, when MPs overwhelmingly rejected an attempt to introduce assisted suicide by 330 votes to 118.

James Renihan writes: Greetings in the Savior's Name. It is wonderful to write to you again and to thank you for your support for the work of IRBS. We are thrilled at what the Lord is doing. Recently, we admitted our 100th student, and more have applied since. Our plans for the January and Spring terms are coming together very nicely. Two Spurgeon scholars, Drs. Ed Romine and Brandon Rhea will be offering an elective course on aspects of Spurgeon's thought January 13-16, and our biennial missions course will again be offered on the Radius International campus in Tijuana, Mexico during the week of January 27-31. These January courses will lead into our regular semester schedule beginning in February. Praise the Lord! Thank you for your prayers and your support. Great things are happening!

The Broken Wharf Mission in Pakistan began in August 2023. The first project was the translation of the book "Christian Basics." This book was highly appreciated, and several schools and churches acquired it. In many schools, this book is being used as part of the curriculum. After "Christian Basics," the book "Milk for Little Ones" was translated into Urdu. This book was greatly liked in Pakistan, and not only churches and schools but also parents showed their eagerness to obtain it. The representative of the Pakistan mission, Fiaz Masih, has distributed this book in several cities across Pakistan.

I’m convinced that love is the key to faithfully practicing church discipline. I’ll confess it is hard for me to love hardened sinners who have destroyed their consciences and refuse to listen to the truth. It’s hard for me to feel genuine compassion for someone who is abusing his family. But it’s only hard because of the remaining sin in my own heart. When I see my own sin and realize that I could be just as hard-hearted as the worst of sinners, and when I see that the only thing keeping me from unrepentant sin is God’s great grace toward me in Christ, only then can I speak the truth in genuine love and sincerely feel compassion and longing for the souls of hardened sinners. Christ calls pastors to be loving shepherds who deal firmly with those who endanger the flock, but always to do so while bearing the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, just as Jesus did, while He hung on the cross.

NHS nurses working at Darlington Memorial Hospital, who were forced to share their female changing room with a sexually active biological male, have been given what they describe as a ‘humiliating’ ‘temporary’ locker room after taking legal action against an NHS Trust. Ahead of the General Election in June, five nurses, dubbed the ‘Darling Darlington Five’ and compared to the Ford Dagenham workers, went public with their story and their landmark legal case, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, against County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. A meeting is now expected to take place between the nurses and Wes Streeting, who is now the Labour government’s Health Secretary

Pastor Igor Bandura, Vice-President of the Ukrainian Baptist Union, shared the following: Among the most painful consequences of the Russian war in Ukraine is the growing number of widows and orphans. Since official statistics on the number of soldiers who died at war in Ukraine is not made public, we can only speculate how many young women have lost their loved ones at war. How many families, parents, children, relatives have suddenly lost someone they loved and cherished? The news about perished soldiers reaches every village and town. More blue and yellow flags are flying in graveyards each day, a sign that the person buried died in action defending Ukraine. Behind every flag there are tears, unhealed wounds, deadly sorrow and despair. Oftentimes these families lost their sole breadwinner, but all have lost a dear, beloved person. The wounds of these people are deep. The church in Ukraine is faced with a challenge – to see people who have lost their loved ones, warm them with love, and respond to their social, physical, and spiritual needs.

There has been a good deal said and written about “expository preaching,” “Christ-centered preaching,” “redemptive-historical preaching,” etc., but very little has been said about “pastoral preaching.” Pastoral preaching is certainly expository, Christ-centered, and it always takes redemptive history into account, but it goes much further. Pastoral preaching is intensely personal and directed to a particular local church. It requires Christlike holiness of the preacher and aims to shepherd a church in the same. Consider some of the following qualities of a pastoral preacher. (1) The pastoral preacher’s sanctification is his main task in sermon preparation. Certainly, the preacher needs to study his text and do all of the technical work required to prepare to preach the Word faithfully. But the pastoral preacher understands that his strength and sincerity in the pulpit is tightly tied to his own life of communion with Christ.

Steve Lawson has been removed from ministry at Trinity Bible Church of Dallas due to an inappropriate relationship with a woman who is not his wife. Other places he is affiliated with have acted swiftly to remove him from his duties (e.g., Ligonier, The Masters Seminary, OnePassion Ministries). Clearly his sin was of a very serious nature. Marital unfaithfulness is a grievous sin and rarely an isolated one. Proceeding from pride and unbelief, it involves a great deal of calculation and deception. Adultery strikes at almost every commandment, and in the case of Christians, this sin is heinous, especially in the case of ministers who are held to a higher standard... Ministers possess a “position of authority” that often creates a power imbalance with the person they sin with and against. The honor they receive should be used for good, not evil. Besides breaking the first three commandments, the adulterer (7th commandment) does not respect authority (5th); he is a murderer (6th - hates his neighbour, spouse, children), thief (8th - steals what is not his), liar (9th), and covets (10th). When you commit that many sins, you’re likely to be found out sooner or later (Prov. 10:9). Marital unfaithfulness usually requires a lot of deception, scheming, and work before the persons are eventually found out.

To come to faith in Christ in Afghanistan is to risk all. ‘They live a changed life there but they can’t openly announce their faith. They will look for like-minded people to share their faith with them. Outwardly they have to look like Muslims; even though inside they have Christ in them. Some have said to me, “When we die our bodies are going to be in a Muslim graveyard, but our spirits are going to be with Jesus.”’ The [radio] programmes our partner make aim to address both evangelism and the discipling of believers. A team of people are available to follow up calls that are made. ‘People are sometimes afraid to make calls because they think they are being listened to and monitored. And yet the calls are coming in,’ said Abraham. In his book Tortured for Christ Richard Wurmbrand wrote about one of the great challenges of gospel ministry in restricted countries: namely, that the joy of bringing someone to Christ was always mixed with the feeling that there might be a great price to be paid.

The Liberal Democrats have indicated that those who uphold Christian values cannot be party candidates. In leaked legal papers, the party defended its decision to deselect former BBC journalist David Campanale by claiming his “expressed religious beliefs against abortion, gay marriage and legal sex change conflicted with the fundamental values set out” in the party’s governing document. Mr Campanale is suing the Lib Dems for religious discrimination, after he was deselected as Sutton and Cheam’s parliamentary candidate for intending to vote according to his conscience on non-whipped votes such as pro-life issues.

Please pray for churches in China serving North Korean sex-trafficked women which are being targeted for raids by the authorities. Our partner, Voice of the Martyrs Korea (VOMK), said search and seizures by Chinese officials are on the increase for churches serving North Korean sex-trafficked women. ‘The Chinese Government’s continued crackdown on local churches across the country is well known, but its specific efforts against churches serving minority populations, like churches ministering to North Koreans in China’s northeast region, has largely escaped international notice,’ said Dr Hyun Sook Foley of VOMK.

In this episode, the guys discuss an often forgotten element of the Gospel - the active obedience of Christ, with Patrick Abendroth, Pastor of Omaha Bible Church, Nebraska. They discuss what active obedience is, why the Bible teaches it, why it's important for us to understand it, how it relates to covenant theology, and how we are saved by it! Other things discussed are the relationship between good works and justification, the doctrine of final justification and the usefulness of confessions of faith. Tune in to find out more.

José (6 years) and his brother Toni (4 years), started attending House of Ants in May this year. The local government council asked if we could care for them. Their father and mother are separated, and their maternal grandmother is taking care of them, but sadly she is alcoholic and is seen daily at the rubbish dump. As you can imagine, living with their grandmother in this situation is not good. When the neighbours realised that the boys were living in this situation, they contacted the counsel and asked if House of Ants might be able to help support the boys. As they live quite close to House of Ants, every day, (including weekends and holidays), they come and play together with the resident children. We provide meals for them each day, and they return home to sleep. Sadly most mornings they arrive unwashed.

The UK Government has ditched plans to adopt the biological definition of sex in the Equality Act. In response to a written question from Shadow Paymaster General John Glen, Minister for Women and Equalities Anneliese Dodds stated that the Government “does not plan to amend legal definitions in the act”. The previous Government had planned to amend the Equality Act 2010 to clarify that “sex” refers to biological sex, rather than gender identity. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has said this would make it simpler for single-sex groups and sport teams to exclude men who identify as women. Women’s group Sex Matters urged the Government to “listen to women”, as “confusion” around the Equality Act is helping men gain access to “women’s spaces, services and sports”. It warned: “Men who identify as women are allowed to be Girlguiding leaders, to use women’s showers at the gym and to be employed in jobs where they strip-search women.”

Geoffrey writes: Greetings in the Lord. It is a joy to me to let you know that I am well, pressing on the fight of faith by the gracious power of God. I thank God for the month of August. From the beginning to the end of the month, the Lord reminded me of His precious gift of life, that we deserve nothing other than His grace. I had some sharp pains – since the day I requested your prayers for God’s healing, but with time, especially a week after I completed the oral drugs that I was given, I got better though still the doctor wanted to identify the cause of pain. I ended up doing various blood tests, and the results later showed that the bacteria that was attacking my kidneys are no longer there.

How do the Ten Commandments apply to us today if they were given so long ago in the Old Testament? It is a basic theological question that many Christians have asked throughout the history of the church and it is an important query. Many answers have been given to that, not all of them good. Obviously, there are two answers that are dead wrong and lead to two opposite ditches that the follower of Christ must avoid: Antinomianism (the law of God has no place in the life of the believer and he/she is free to live however they please) and legalism (I am saved by how closely I adhere to God’s commands—works righteousness). One of the best and most helpful answers, in my opinion, that has been given was set forth by the Genevan reformer, John Calvin. In his venerable systematic theology, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin set forth three “uses” for the moral law of God. The Lord of history has given His law, Calvin wrote, to serve as a mirror. Calvin argued that the law functions to expose our sin and unrighteousness. When a sinner looks into the mirror of God’s law, he sees himself as he really is: depraved, sinful, wretched, undone, lost and in need of cleansing, in need of a savior. This reality causes sinners to despair of their own righteousness and leads them to flee to the Savior, the cross of Christ, for mercy.

The Metropolitan Police were urgently called to The Angel Church in Islington, London, after a Muslim woman stormed the building screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ and ‘I am here to kill the God of the Jews.’ Inside the church, Pastor Regan King and his Jewish wife and young children were preparing for morning worship when the woman entered shouting Islamic calls to prayer in Arabic and directly addressing and reaching out to the children. After moving them to safety, Pastor King demanded that she leave the building, but instead her aggression continued to escalate. Calling the police, the woman began shouting antisemitic abuse and according to Pastor King screamed: ‘I am here to kill the God of the Jews’. She then repeatedly shouted through the church’s sound system ‘Allahu Akbar.’

Joao writes: Grace and peace from our Lord and God, Jesus Christ. It is with great joy that we write this newsletter to extend our gratitude to Trinity Grace church family for your prayers and for supporting my studies at IRBS. Please find briefly what the Lord has been doing in our family, studies, and Local church, and the future plans. May this serve as an encouragement to continue praying for us.

Dr James Renihan writes: Many times when I have visited churches I have asked the question 'who will be the pastor for your grandchildren?' That inquiry is regularly on my mind. September has come, marking the beginning of a new semester for our faculty and students. This is a good time to remember our task--to bring the 'pattern of sound words' we have received and pass it on to faithful men who will be able to teach it to others (2 Timothy 1:13-2:2). We desire to be faithful to this task so that there will be a continual supply of well-trained men to serve the next generation. But how is this labor proceeding? The Lord has abundantly blessed our work. We have seen a continual increase in our student body, so that we now have the largest enrollment ever; our international presence is growing, for we now have students from five continents, and opportunities to develop new relationships seem to be arriving every week.

Yesterday we went to Dhonkal, Wazirabad to conduct a seminar on ''Christian Basics''. That seminar was very successful. Around fifty people participated in it. All the people who participated in this seminar were very surprised. The pastor who organized the seminar told us that the material was really nice and every boys and girls must read this book. And he also expressed that he is willing to organize such seminars in the future as well. All the participants who attended the seminar which lasted for about two hours were very impressed. At the end, food was served to all who attended the seminar. After that we will conduct seminars in other areas of Wazirabad. Remember us in your prayers.

Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian faith. Christ died to forgive our sins and to reconcile us to God. And Jesus taught that His disciples must forgive those who sin against them. He said, “if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt 6:15). Forgiveness is not an option for believers. Jesus said, “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mk 11:25). Christians must forgive because they have been forgiven (Matt 18:21-25). But there is a difference between forgiving a person and reconciling your relationship with that person.

For most of its history, the church has believed that God created everything that exists ex nihilo (out of nothing). The church affirmed this doctrine based primarily on the opening verse of Scripture: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). God, who eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, purposed to and did create a universe distinct from himself. Other passages add to the foundation of this belief. For example, the psalmist attributes creation to the word and breath of God: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. . . . For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalm 33:6, 9). According to a traditional understanding of this passage, God the Father spoke the universe into existence through the Word (God the Son) and by his Breath (God the Holy Spirit). Creation was a mighty act of the triune God.

Tonny Karwa writes: In these past three months, we have sought to pay a special attention to the subject of Christian Marriage. In June, we held a men’s breakfast that gave us an opportunity to address a group of men from various churches within Kisumu. The Lord helped me to open up Ephesians 5:25-33 to demonstrate what a husband’s love for his wife should look like. One of the invitees lamented, “we have never had such sessions in our church, yet my marriage is calibrated with serious perennial struggles.” Early last month, I had another opportunity to address a small group of men from 1 Peter 3:7 over breakfast. We had men from the word of faith movement attending. One of the young men seeking to marry confessed his fears, “Now that feminism has crept into the church and influenced many sisters, I have been hesitant to get married.” About three weeks ago, I had an opportunity to lead a marriage workshop on “contentment in marriage.” The group discussions turned out to be so profitable. We invited our contacts from other churches and the attendance was encouraging.

Prominent atheist Richard Dawkins was once asked what he would say to God if he encountered Him after he died. Dawkins quoted what Bertrand Russell is reputed to have said when asked the same question: “Sir, why did you take such pains to hide yourself?” I think I can understand why some might echo that sentiment. After all, God is invisible; we can’t perceive Him directly with our physical senses. Yet the signs of His existence—indeed, of His goodness and greatness—are everywhere. The Apostle Paul was right when telling a first-century pagan audience that God has always given evidence of His existence through the good things He has done, such as “rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). God has put up signposts everywhere to help us find our way to Him. One is the natural world. When we look at nature, there are many signs that, because of the tragic events in Eden, it is fallen and ‘groaning’ (Romans 8:20–22). But we see in abundance order, design, complexity, variety, and great beauty. All this points to a Creator who is wise, imaginative, delightful, and immensely powerful.

It is of no small importance that Exodus grounds the Fourth Commandment upon God’s example in creation. Chantry offers this reason for referring back to creation: “God’s written fourth commandment recalls the first historic observance of the Sabbath in order to stir up our own compliance with Sabbath-keeping.” Using the text of Genesis 2 as a guide, this post will examine three creation narrative observations, followed by a discussion of whether God’s rest should be viewed as descriptive or prescriptive. First, six days of work followed by a Sabbath day of rest imitates God’s own pattern (Gen. 2:2). Ryken puts it simply: “We are called to work and rest because we serve a working and resting God.” Frame, borrowing from Meredith Kline’s work, offers three categories in which to classify the rest of God: consummation, enthronement, and consecration. God’s rest on the seventh day is the consummation of His creative work: “As a celebration of the finishing of the world-temple, the Sabbath proclaims the name of the creator to be Consummator.” The Sabbath rest of God, foreshadowing Christ’s future rest at the Father’s right hand, also demonstrates Divine enthronement: “God created the heaven and the earth to be his cosmic palace and accordingly his resting is an occupying of his palace, a royal session. The dawning of the Sabbath witnesses a new enthronement of Elohim.”

In the latest Broken Wharfe podcast, John-Mark sits down with Ryan Davidson, a pastor and professor in Pastoral Theology from the State of Virginia, to discuss the subject of the body and soul, the task of pastoral counselling, and the reformed doctrine of the means of grace. They delve into how physiological and neurological conditions might impact our spiritual lives and how pastors ought to be confident in applying the Word of God, whilst being sensitive to the impact that physiological conditions have upon the human mind. How are we to think about mental illness as Christians? Why are the means of grace so fundamental to every believer, whatever their situation? How does the fact that we are composed of both body and soul impact our Christian lives? These questions are discussed, alongside many others... Ryan Davidson is author of "Green Pastures: The Ordinary Means of Grace", you can purchase the book in Hardback, Paperback or Kindle on Amazon or on our website brokenwharfe.com.

On occasion, public speakers, including preachers of the gospel, will belittle “duty” as if it is an inferior motivation for action or compliance to standards. Delight is seen as a superior motivation while duty is—Well, if I have to do it, OK—synonymous with begrudging action. One brings his wife flowers because it is his delight to do so, for he is delighted with her. If he gives her flowers presenting them to her out of a sense of duty, this is connoted as a lackluster action deserving scorn. But this tendency to diminish the excellence of a sense of duty is misguided. It is a moral error. The husband’s duty is to love his wife as his own body, for he who loves his wife loves himself (Ephesians 5:28; Genesis 2:22, 23). To treat one’s wife tenderly, to look to her desires and happiness, to bring her flowers, to live with her according to knowledge is to love her, to delight in her, and at the same time to do one’s duty.

Joshua Sitet recently had three consecutive daily sessions on marriage at the main centres of Kasei, Kamketo and Chepkinagh. He used a book by Sala, God’s Family Plan. A total of 50 young couples attended, a few being polygamous, such an endemic problem among the Pokot. In God’s providence this spells out hope for the future of the church and its leadership.

Peace be with you in Christ Jesus. The Lord used us the whole last week in different cities of His glory. Yesterday we went to Islamabad and preached the word of God there, Islamabad is about four hours away from our city. There we preached the word of God and this word touched many people's hearts. We gave thirty five people the Holy Bible there. Over the years we have given Bibles to thousands of people who express their willingness to receive the Bible. I also shared our books there too. People were really amazed to know about our books. We also distributed books there. That pastor who invited us there asked for seminars on our books too. Soon we will plan to do this. We have to visit some areas in the next week as well. I request you to remember us in your prayers. That our books touched many people's hearts. In Jesus Fiaz

What are the doctrines of grace? Are these doctrines biblical? How do they relate to what is known as "Calvinism"? What is the connection between the doctrines of grace and the Reformed faith? Are these lables helpful? What Is "TULIP", and why would a flower have anything to do with the Bible's teaching on salvation? All these questions, and more, are addressed in Jeff Riddle's recent book, published by Broken Wharfe, titled "Before The Foundation Of The World". You can purchase the book using the link below, and in addition, you can listen to a podcast with the author as well. May the Lord bless you richly as you consider what he has done, in his matchless grace, to save sinners like us!

After warning them not to exasperate their children, Paul fundamentally admonishes parents—specifically fathers—to raise their own children. This plain, simple command is so profound that were it grasped and obeyed by every parent, most of the social ills associated with juvenile behavior would be eliminated. The job of raising children does not belong directly to the school, society, church or the youth group. It belongs to parents. According to the Apostle Paul, it doesn’t take a village to raise a child. It takes a dad. If we were to think of Ephesians 6:4 as a parental tool kit, we would need to recognize that the two main tools that God intends for parents to use in raising children are “discipline” of the Lord and the “instruction” of the Lord. These words convey two vital parental activities. The former is physical and the latter is verbal. The discipline of the Lord is that which is done to a child while the instruction of the Lord is that which is said to a child. They must be used together for children to be properly trained for living well in the world.

Christian Concern have called us to pray for the nation in light of the recent riots. They write: pray for the police who are struggling to respond to violence in so many places. Being on the front line of violent attacks is stressful and dangerous. We pray for wisdom and proportionality in their responses. We pray for them to uphold the law without fear or favour. We pray also for communities up and down this land where people are fearful and angry. We pray for God to heal the bitterness and resentment and to bring peace. We pray for changed hearts. We pray for people to quicky realise that violence is not going to help their cause. We pray for the Church too. There are Bible believing churches in every town where there has been violence. The Church needs to pray and to be a witness to the world at this time. The gospel is the solution. There is forgiveness for everyone. Healing will only come if people are able to repent and forgive. We need fearless proclamation of the gospel, but also compassion and support for those who have been harmed or who are in fear. The Church is the hope of the nation.

CMI has produced a very helpful biblical and scientific response to the climate alarmism that has overtaken our culture. This is one of the helpful points made: We have a biblical basis for our confidence that the climate is designed to be broadly stable. After the Flood, God promised: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). This suggests that Earth would quickly recover from the catastrophic climate change that occurred with the Flood and the ensuing Ice Age. That is, Earth’s climate was designed neither to be chaotic nor prone to extreme changes. Imposed on an overall stable climate are smaller natural cycles. In such a situation we might expect times in the past where temperatures were similar to today. Indeed this is so.

The ladies meeting at Trinity Grace is a warm, welcoming place where we seek to grow in our faith and in our love for God and each other as we study the word of God together. We usually have our meetings once a month on Saturdays from October to June. The meeting usually follows the same format: tea, coffee and a chance for a quick catch up as we arrive; we then begin with a study from the Scripture lead by one of the ladies; this is followed by a time of informal discussion on the issues raised by the passage studied; and we finish with a time of open prayer informed by what we have learned and by the needs around us. The meetings last from 10am-12noon and are on a Saturday. Theme for 2024/25: Reflections on Jim Renihan’s book “True love”, relating to love as it is revealed in 1 Corinthians 13. The first meeting in this series is scheduled for October 5th. All ladies welcome!

Olympian athletes are legendary for their skill and dedication to their sport. Writing to the church of Corinth, the apostle Paul alludes to such athletic prowess in order to motivate Christian believers to live holy lives. In Ancient Greece, the Isthmian Games were held before and after the Olympic years, in a location close to the city of Corinth. This is one of several vivid cultural references Paul makes in this section of his epistle, with the intention of prompting believers to care for each other’s spiritual welfare. Discussing Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 9, David Dickson points out that Christians have all sorts of liberties now that Christ has set them free, yet they should use their knowledge and freedom in a way of love, not out of pride. As Dickson explains in the following updated extract, the same level of utmost self-discipline that an athlete displays in how he or she eats and trains in order to compete at the peak of their performance should be seen in the spiritual realm as believers suppress their own self-gratification in order to assist other believers heavenwards.

War! Violence! Destruction! Death! These are the dominant ideas which enter our minds when we think of Ukraine today. It seems impossible that Gospel work could survive, never mind flourish, in these tragic circumstances. Yet, reports from even the most dangerous conflict areas tell of believers witnessing and living out their Christian hope in a sea of hopelessness. The seed is falling into good soil. A recent report from an SGA sponsored missionary in Boryspil near Kyiv, Oleg Gerasichen, tells of a new church there. When it gets too dark, the stars become even brighter. The same is true for us today: even though we live in the dark times of the war and there is a lot of suffering and grief around, God’s love and blessings have become even more visible… Many new people are coming to our new church… many have already accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. We have 20 to 30 people coming for the Bible studies! All glory to God!

MDiv student, Pete Petra (UK), has this to say of his experience: I can’t recommend the Missions and Evangelism course in Tijuana more highly. The course content itself was (as usual with IRBS!) rich and stretching. It has been instrumental in helping me work through how the small church I lead can play a part in God’s purposes for the nations. The particular treat of being in Tijuana was to be able to mix with the missionaries in training at the Radius campus. It was not only a great blessing to enjoy fellowship with them for the time that we were there, but also to be able to learn about the real-life practicalities, considerations, concerns, and hopes for church-planting amongst unreached language groups. To be able to have this fellowship really helped to flesh out what we were learning in the course material. I am still receiving prayer updates from some of the missionaries I met, and it is a thrill to be able to follow the progress of the Lord’s leading them into the mission field.

Kitale Ministry: We thank God for the mercies in sustaining us (the church) and still being our refuge and comforter. Teka and I were able to preach to several people in the streets during evangelism, and though some of them were drunkards, a good number of them seemed to have been convicted of their sins. Ministry in Embrace (children home) is also encouraging due to the fact that many children are getting helped in growing and knowing the Person of Christ and his work for sinners. Kasei Women Retreat: Pastor Lokerisa and I had a conversation and he talked about having upcoming women retreat at Kasei (date 21-24 August). He also encouraged me to prepare one lesson and leading in devotions. He promised to send me the topic to prepare. Prayer: 1. Thank God for our previous TPC classes and grace in assignments. 2. That salvation of souls we evangelized. 3. Remember churches in Pokot as they continue to prepare for women retreat. 4. I am also not feeling well, diagnosed with infection in the kidney. I am in Nairobi for further checkup and treatment. Pray for healing, provision for treatment and grace.

It is clear from the Scriptures, that we are living in the end times, the period between the ascension and return of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are times of many challenges and difficulties, but also many joys. This September 6th - 7th, we warmly invite you to join us as we explore the significant impact that the Bible's teaching on the end times has on our lives as Christians, so that we may be equipped to live for God's glory in the light of Christ's ultimate victory and rule.

There was much blessing in the recent APCs held in Zambia - click on the link below for Oliver's full diary of the trip. After a break in August, the next run is due to take place in Northern Nigeria, beginning September 13th. Our partner, Peter Abutu Joshua, has done much work to prepare for this run of five conferences across a very unstable region. Please pray for safety and blessing. We thank God that funds have been raised to send a good quantity of books for this run, but please pray that there will be no difficulties with carriage or customs or any other hold-ups, so that the men can benefit from having a good range of books. Also please pray for our South African director, Joshua Bolaji, who has been taken into hospital this week with pneumonia. He is stable now, but still very fragile. Pray for a full recovery. Pray for the directors, as they plan for 2025. They have been greatly encouraged by the response to this year's theme, and are seeking wisdom for next year as they plan.

A 2024 issue of New Scientist magazine had an intriguing article about babies before and after birth.1 The author is Claudia Passos-Ferreria, professor of bioethics at New York University. She documented that they can react to some surprising stimuli similarly to conscious adults.

Ugandan pastor Richard Malinga was attacked and killed on the evening of 17 June while travelling home from church. The 36-year-old had been conducting prayer sessions with his congregants in Pallisa District, around 130 miles northeast of the capital Kampala, when he was attacked as he rode home by motorbike. The pastor suffered multiple head injuries and his body was found on the road the next morning. His motorbike had been stolen. Authorities say that this is not the first incident of its kind: a few months earlier, a teacher was killed in a similar ambush. The police investigation is ongoing at the time of writing. Lift up to the Lord the family and congregation of Richard Malinga and pray that God will comfort them in their loss. Pray that, especially in the anguish of the loss of their under-shepherd, they will know the powerful but gentle assurance of the Good Shepherd’s presence and guidance (Psalm 23:4). Ask that violence in Uganda will cease and for protection for God’s people whose duties compel them to travel the roads at night.

Nobody knows for sure the present number of Yemeni Christians. The majority remain quiet about their faith. In the past, there were incidents of severe persecution and even a few martyrdoms. However, in recent times, sensational claims of persecution could not be credibly documented. Yemeni believers gather in homes for worship and Bible study. Internet contact enables us to connect faithful Yemenis to one another. In urban areas, some interact with believers in other countries by internet. Sadly, since 2011, Yemen has suffered immensely from a protracted proxy civil war between the two branches of Islam, the Shiite north versus the Sunni south. Each is supported by rival countries in the region, like Iran and Saudi Arabia. So, much of the population suffers economically, deprived of sufficient food and medical care. This has resulted in significant levels of disenchantment with Islam in both communities.

In 60 years, we have utterly demolished the connection between children and their natural parents – the families that every serious study will tell you lead to the best results for children. Our culture increasingly appears to see children as a lifestyle choice at best, and a burden at worst. Few are willing to recognise the devastating consequences that will come from our birth rate dropping far below replacement level. As our population ages, there will be more and more elderly people, no expectation that their families (if they have any) will take care of them and not enough people working to pay the taxes that might pay for a government solution. Not that government can ever be a substitute for the family and the responsibility of the family to care for those within it. And as we hurtle towards this future, many politicians are pushing for euthanasia. The generation that killed its children – 250,000 per year and counting – will be killed by its children.

The new Labour government will introduce a draft bill to outlaw conversion practices, the King’s Speech at the state opening of Parliament has confirmed. A ban on ‘conversion practices’ means it could become a crime to preach, pray, or give pastoral care in line with biblical sexual ethics. Parents’ and doctors’ conversations with gender confused youngsters could also be affected. But the government has only committed to a ‘draft’ bill, which means there will be a public consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny which could reveal the many difficulties inherent in legislating in this area. Before the election, Labour stated that such a ban would include transgenderism, so that it may become a crime not to affirm someone’s preferred gender identity. Please pray that the Lord will intervene to protect our freedom to preach the gospel, and minister to those in great need. Pray that as churches we will remain true to the word of God, and continue to call people to repentance and faith.

The first GHCF Annual Conference promises to be a notable event, featuring Dr. Samuel Renihan as the main speaker. Dr. Renihan will deliver four insightful sessions focused on Church Identity. In Session 1, he will explore the church's identity in the context of history. Session 2 will address the church's identity in relation to other churches. Session 3 will examine the church's role and identity within the current culture. Finally, Session 4 will look ahead, considering the church's identity for future generations. Broken Warfe will provide a bookshop and the International Reformed Baptist Seminary will also have a stand there. We look forward to welcoming all our brothers ans sisters in Christ for a blessed time of fellowship.

Please pray for TASTE Nigeria, that: * Our staff will continue to honour God in all that they do both in the UK and in Nigeria. * All our staff would be kept safe and particularly for Nuhu and family who continue to live away from their community for security reasons. * The fundraiser, LE JOG Sponsored Hike/Bike would be completed this year and raise the target amount of £13,000. * The rig would be repaired in the next few weeks so that that our drilling team can then deploy to the Northeast. * The communities being attacked would be given the protection and the help that they need to rebuild their shattered lives. * We would use every opportunity during our projects to share the Gospel with communities. * The Lord would protect our staff and partners from the endemic kidnapping for ransom being fuelled by terrorism and the worsening economic state of the country.

In his first speech as Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer said that the government would be marked by pragmatism and service: “From now on, you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by a determination to serve your best interests…” He is suggesting that serving the nation’s best interests requires a government to lay down its beliefs at the altar of ‘whatever works’. The notion that ‘doctrine is a burden’ is itself a doctrine. Being charitable, we should take the Prime Minister’s statement less literally and say that he is simply emphasising ‘action’. But what kind of action? One of his first appointments was Dame Diana Johnson as a Minister of State in the Home Office. In the last parliament, she pushed for the decriminalisation of abortion up to birth, meaning (for example) that a 30+ week unborn child, who could be delivered and would likely survive outside the womb, could instead be killed by his or her mother, via dangerous and falsely-obtained abortion pills, with no consequences. The Home Office’s principal duty is to protect people. How can someone who cannot recognise and protect life be given power and influence there?

All too often, when the doctrine of limited atonement is considered, people only see it as a theological debate over the extent of Christ’s atonement. Rarely is a direct connection drawn between this doctrinal divide and its implications in the Christian life. Of course a biblical study on the atonement is foundational for what we believe, but we must also remember that what we believe impacts how we live. Our theology drives our practice. In other words, living the Christian life flows out of the doctrinal truths that we believe. This is why we are not to be conformed to this world but transformed by the renewal of our minds. When our minds are renewed by the Word of God, then our lives will be transformed in living a life according to the will of God. So what difference does limited atonement make in our lives? Christ fully accomplished my salvation on the cross. As one chosen by God, He sent His Son to save me from my sin. In love, He sent His Son to live a life of righteousness for me. In love, He sent His Son to receive my condemnation in my place through His death on the cross. In love, He sent His Son to exchange my sin and unrighteousness for Christ’s obedience and righteousness. I have been saved through the sacrifice of Christ!

Several weeks ago, I had a very embarrassing interaction at a small Asian restaurant in my town. I was grabbing lunch with one of the elders from Christ Presbyterian Church to have a time of fellowship. After we prayed for the meal, a very kind old lady approached us and asked us: “Are you gentlemen Christians? What kind of Christians are you?” And after a very brief interaction with her, we found out that she was a member of Kingdom Hall (Jehovah’s Witnesses) in the nearby town, and she approached us because she heard us praying in the name of Jesus. After I finished having a lunch with the elder, I had to stay little longer at the restaurant to order takeout for my wife. And as I was waiting for the food, I saw the old lady sitting at one of the booths with her companions. I decided to approach and interact with her further, curious to find out how much she knew the doctrines of Jehovah’s witnesses and also to invite her to the church.

In a recent sermon on Revelation 21 titled "Who Will Dwell In God's Utopia?" we were reminded about the atheist bus campaign in 2009. A group of atheists sponsored an advertising campaign with the following wording: "THERE'S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE." The organiser of the campaign, Ariane Sherine, met with David Larlham and the conversation is very revealing! The assumption that God kills joy and destroys peace is the opposite of what the Bible teaches. Watch the clip, then listen to the sermon.

SGA writes: Daily news about the deaths of soldiers at the front is a reality in every Ukrainian city and village. On our streets, we meet people with amputations, injuries, and signs of PTSD every day. Churches minister to the families of the fallen, some are already planning and implementing the establishment of veteran centres, organizing events and trips for families and children of military personnel. This month, the graduation of the first chaplaincy school “Warrior’s Heart” took place in Irpin. Almost fifty people successfully completed the 9-month training. Most of them already practice chaplaincy — they are full-time chaplains, visit soldiers at the front, in stabilization points, hospitals, and are involved in the ministry to soldiers, veterans and their families.

Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, a group of nurses working at Darlington Memorial Hospital, which comes under the control of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, have filed legal action against the Trust for sexual harassment and sex discrimination. Five of the nurses bringing the claim, Bethany Hutchison, Lisa Lockey, Annice Grundy, Tracey Hooper and Joanne Bradbury (image), who work in the Day Surgery Unit at the hospital, have decided to be identified and speak publicly after the Trust has continued to brush aside their concerns. Other nurses have chosen to remain anonymous. They said that female nurses at the hospital, including vulnerable women who have experienced sexual abuse and international nurses who cannot get changed in front of men, were having panic attacks before working on wards after having to get undressed in front of a sexually active biological male. The male operating department practitioner, who openly said that he does not take female hormones and was trying to get his girlfriend pregnant, claimed that he ‘identifies’ as a woman and is called ‘Rose.’ The Trust’s policies permit any member of staff to ‘identify’ in the opposite gender and to access single-sex changing rooms, toilets or showers on that basis.

Male players who identify as female should not be allowed to compete against biological women, Wimbledon and BBC legend Sue Barker has said. Barker, who presented BBC coverage from the Championships for thirty years, said she backed Martina Navratilova’s opposition to gender self-ID in women’s sport. Earlier this year, tennis great Navratilova warned that trans ideology risks alienating a generation of women from participating in sport. Commenting on transgender athletes displacing women in sporting events and competitions, Barker told The Daily Telegraph: “I just think you take away the young girls’ dreams, so I am definitely with Martina.” According to the website SheWon.org, as of May more than 650 female world athletes have been deprived of 998 medals, records, scholarships or other opportunities by biological males competing in women’s categories.

Brett Shaw writes: Greetings to you in the name of Christ. We are a new church plant which began this past fall and is being planted from Sycamore Reformed Baptist Church in East Moline, IL. We give thanks to God for how he has blessed the ordinary means of grace and given the growth. We started with six adults meeting in our home for bible study and now have around 32 meeting on the Lord’s Day for worship. The gospel is bearing fruit among us and in us.

What is precious to you? If your house caught fire, what would you brave the flames to save? Your spouse and children, of course. Maybe a beloved pet, family photo, or treasured heirloom? That word, “precious,” is used throughout the Old Testament to describe costly jewels like the one upon the brow of David’s crown (2 Samuel 12:30). David employed the same word in Psalm 116:15 to describe God’s valuation of the death of a Christian: “Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his saints.” But how can that be? The Bible calls death “the wages of sin” (Romans 6:23) and “the last enemy to be destroyed” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Death is so tragic that Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. How then can death be precious in God’s sight?

Tonny Karwa writes: There is so much pastoral wisdom and sensitivity needed at this time in Kenya since we are ministering to a people who have despaired. The government has introduced backbreaking taxation laws and is resolutely bent towards implementing them despite national outrage and uproar. The economic experts have not only condemned but also termed the proposed finance bill as both punitive and draconian. Our younger population, now christened ‘Gen Z’, are completely disillusioned. They have taken to the streets across the republic in a bid to compel the government to rescind these laws. In part, they were expecting a ‘better Kenya’ owing to the mouth-watering promises by the current regime during their campaigns. The older folks have slouched in hopelessness, probably hoping that the government may listen to the young people who are now acting as their mouthpiece. It seems, however, that the government will not be bludgeoned into rescission. Last evening, a military contingency was deployed in Nairobi to reinforce the police in what the government gazetted as ‘security emergency’.

Have you heard the latest church scandal? Sadly, the question is too broad and too evergreen to signal what situation is in mind. Ask that question any time in the last decade and it will be relevant. No church that is comprised of sinners is perfect, which is to say that there is no perfect church. Yet, Jesus has given us clear instructions to deal with sin in a church. If biblical church polity and authority were better appreciated and exercised, many of the scandalous sins and crimes that have plagued churches over the last ten years would have been far better handled than they were. When church membership is taken seriously and both formative and corrective discipline are implemented carefully there can still be sinful things (even egregiously sinful and sometimes criminal) things done in a congregation. But when such sins and/or crimes occur, both the victims and perpetrators will be better loved and cared for than would otherwise be the case.

With the General Election looming, Christians need to be well informed in order to vote wisely. The Christian Institute have done a fine job in making available a wide range of resources to assist with this, such as summaries of party policies on key moral issues, information on voting records and guidance concerning questions that we ought to pose to candidates.

Your prayers are needed for Christians in Eritrea who have been imprisoned for their faith in Jesus. Please especially pray for three pastors who have now been in prison for 20 years. None of the three have ever been charged or faced trial. Pastors Haile Nayzgi and Dr Kiflu Gebremeskel were arrested on 23 May 2004. Pastor Meron Gebreselasie was arrested a month later. These pastors are among more than 500 Christians in Eritrea who endure long-term imprisonment in harsh conditions, often suffering violence and abuse. Some of these Christians never get to leave prison after their arrest.

Two teenage boys in North Korea have been heavily punished for possessing and distributing South Korean pop music, and singing songs and performing South Korean dance routines in public. One has been given 15 years’ hard labour, with the other given a life sentence. At the trial – which was made public as a warning to others – the authorities said ‘the two boys can’t be allowed to live in the same society as other North Koreans’. The boys’ mothers wept aloud and fainted as they heard the verdicts. “This inhumane punishment shows that Kim Jong-un is serious about prosecuting people who possess ‘illegal’ materials,” says Brother Simon*, Open Doors coordinator for ministry among North Koreans.

Christianity is the most successful movement of all time because it has true love at its core. Its love is quite literally from another dimension. Christianity’s message of love shook the world (Acts 17:6). Nations, including our own, which grounded themselves in the Christian ethic of love are the most prosperous in history. Humans thrive where love abounds. So why does our culture seem so hell-bent on abandoning the Christian way? Families – physical and spiritual – that love one another unconditionally are emblematic of God’s love for us. This pure form of love is deeply attractive to all of us. And so the societal breakdown of both the physical family, and the correlated decrease in church attendance (spiritual family), is one of our biggest tragedies. If you break down the greatest representation of love that our world has (the family – physical and spiritual), is it any wonder that you then witness the decline of a society?

Geoffrey Muketi writes: Receive warm greetings in the Lord. It is a joy to let you informed that we had a Weekend Challenge with Kamketo Trinity Girls High School. It held on 14th – 15th this June. The school accepted our request for the two-days preaching, and we (Pastor Thomas and myself) were greatly welcomed by the school, as they well provided food for us in those two days. I appreciated this labor, since we gave our best, and the Lord was gracious to enabled us to make it simple as possible for their understanding. My joy is also that some of their teachers were available throughout the sessions. The students were very encouraging because of their activeness and interest to learn the truth, they as well asked a lot of questions in regard to salvation and the personal life.

IRBS UK is pleased to have Dr Ryan Davidson coming to teach “Pastoral Counseling” for 5-days to the students here in the UK, and all visitors are welcome to join. This course is a survey and introduction to the role of the pastor as a counselor of God’s people using the Word of God. The course will survey theological, historical, and practical areas related to pastoral counseling and will focus on the use of the Scriptures in the counseling ministry of the church. Spaces are limited in order to facilitate discussion and personal engagement in the classes, so be sure to make your booking as soon as possible to secure your place.

The Iguazu Falls of South America are among the most spectacular falls in the world. At the border between southern Brazil and northern Argentina, they drop 80 metres (260 ft) in two steps over layers of black basalt rock.1 Islands along the edge break the flow into numerous separate waterfalls. When the river is high, some 300 waterfalls cascade along the 2.7 km (1.7 mile) edge—longer than either the Niagara or Victoria Falls.

You probably have heard the phrase, “love is love.” Over the last few years it has been made famous by yard signs, songs, movies, and even a comic book. The “love is love” campaign was started six years ago as an LGBTQ+ advocacy initiative with the purpose of “spreading positive images of the LGBTQ+ community, with a focus on increasing visibility in spaces where LGBTQ+ issues may not be well-understood.” The phrase, “love is love” has even earned an entry in the Urban Dictionary where it is defined as “meaning that the love expressed by an individual or couple is valid regardless of the sexual orientation or gender identity of their lover or partner.” This notion of love is often used as a trump card to shut down any critique of various perverted opinions and actions that are being pushed into contemporary cultural values. A man wants to have sex with a man or a woman with a woman? Who are you to object, because “love is love.” Adults sexually preying on children? Don’t call them pedophiles, call them “minor attracted people.” Because “love is love.” Will Smith and his wife want to commit unfettered adultery? Who are you to judge, because, you know, love is love. But love is not love. At least real love isn’t. Otherwise, the Apostle Paul would not have exhorted Christians in Rome by saying, “Let love be genuine.”

In April African Pastors' Conferences were held in four locations in Kenya: Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru and Baricho on the theme “The gospel according to Romans”. Pray that the resources and preaching would bear much fruit to God’s glory. May the Lamb that was slain receive the rewards for his suffering. Also pray for blessing upon the forthcoming conferences in Zambia beginning on June 13th.

The recent mob attack in Pakistan, which saw the death of a Christian shoe factory owner, was a ‘calculated’ and ‘manipulative’ assault, according to a human rights commission investigation. As Release International reported last month, Nazeer Gill was beaten and his factory set ablaze after a neighbour falsely accused him of desecrating the Koran. He later died in hospital of his injuries. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which investigated the incident, has concluded that it was a ‘calculated assault, manipulated through religious fervour to gain maximum leverage.’

Dear Friends of IRBS, Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our recent celebration of twenty-five years of IRBS was wonderful. About 125 people joined us at our banquet, a large group gathered for our faculty conference, and many rejoiced with us at the commencement exercises. I can say in all honesty that everything exceeded my expectations. Praise the Lord for His abundant blessings on our seminary. As you read this newsletter, you will learn about several appointments to important administrative positions. I am very grateful that the Lord has brought these together, for they demonstrate important steps forward for IRBS. Now it's time to prepare for the next academic year which begins on July 1. Please pray for us as we continue to serve Christ, His churches and our students. Thank you for your participation in this important work. James Renihan.

A big stage with smoke machines and flashing spotlights, emotional music and songs, a man wearing jeans and a shirt with tattoos standing on a podium, a sign that reads “Welcome! You are loved here!” These are the pictures that come into our minds when we think about typical broad evangelical churches in the United States of America. In recent centuries, many modern American churches have gone through a significant shift in their cultures. For example, in the 20th century, American evangelicalism was impacted by the “Seeker-Sensitive movement,” where churches actively contextualized their cultures, practices, worship, and message to attract irreligious people.[1] In the 21st century then, American evangelicalism is impacted by various social and political movements such as “Black Lives Matter” or “Sexual Revolution”, causing many churches to embrace and promote such cultural agendas to embrace socially marginalized people. And while these cultural and social movements, such as the seeker-sensitive, social-justice, and sexual-revolution cultures, have influenced many evangelical churches in various ways, one undeniable influence they have played is convincing churches to reshape their identity – an identity that communicates they are safe, friendly, and casual places to the world and to people.

Solomon says we must “Get wisdom.” That means it is not something that we inherently possess. It is not something we reach down inside and muster up. It is not something that we can meditate upon long enough and ultimately think ourselves up to. Wisdom, we later find out, is a gift from God (James 1:5) that he gives to those who ask. Both popular culture and other false religions teach us just to “follow our hearts” or “let your heart be your guide.” These malicious maxims, which are drilled into us from birth (through fairytale movies, bad literature, faulty parenting books….), are actually the worst possible advice. Jeremiah tells us that our hearts are “deceitful above all things and desperately sick” (17:9). Like a mis-calibrated compass that leads sailors slowly but surely off course, our hearts can’t be trusted. Our emotions, feelings, affections, intuitions, and all other subjective judgments can be wrong. However, the wisdom of God, revealed through His word and applied by the Spirit, will never lead us astray. That is what should be our guide.

All our safety and wellbeing depends on keeping close to the Lord. Yet our sinful hearts keep drifting away from Him, to our own cost as well as His dishonour. When we then come to our senses and realise He is far away and we are in a desperate place without Him, what can we do? In the following updated extract, William Guthrie’s advice to helpless, sin-stricken people is not to give in to a passive, lethargic, despairing kind of inactivity, but to “wait” on the Lord by rejecting unsafe alternatives and by persisting in the expectation of grace from Him. While Isaiah speaks for himself, he speaks for all the godly, when he says, “I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him” (Isaiah 8:17). In these words you have the duty of the people of God: to wait on the Lord until He pleads their cause, and executes judgment for them. One of the doctrines we can deduce from this verse is that when people are shaken out of their self-confidence, it is their duty then to wait on God.

I made my first ever visit to Poland from 1-6 May, to Poznan and then to a Conference centre about 120 kms. north-east towards Torun, near Bydyoszcz (try pronouncing that!). I was struck by how flat the land is here in west Poland, and I don’t remember seeing any animals in the fields at all. The Conference was organized by three small Reformed Baptist churches and there were about 50 people in attendance. The theme was on the Planting and Growth of Local Churches. This is a very great need, and yet there are difficulties of division in the few that there are. It is an overwhelmingly Catholic country. I sought to encourage them to centre their labours in preaching to the lost and in preaching to their Christians as God’s great means. I exhorted them to expect problems from the analysis of New Testament churches, and to persevere in the work.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a snap General Election which will be held on 4 July. This means that the immediate parliamentary threats to decriminalise abortion and to ban so-called 'conversion practices' will not go ahead. Praise God with us that these amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill have been stopped. Throughout this parliament, Christian Concern supporters made a huge difference by contacting their MPs, rallying and raising awareness on these issues. By God's grace, multiple attempts have been foiled in these areas. Five years ago, bans on 'conversion therapy' were widely supported - even, to some degree, by other Christian organisations. Now there is serious opposition, thanks to the consistent campaigning of the Christian Concern community. However, these policies, and other dangers like legalising euthanasia, will be pushed after the General Election. The MPs who are elected in July will decide whether those harmful laws go forward.

At the recent meeting of the Association of Confessional Baptist Churches, Peter Petra, Pastor of North Church Leicester, gave a helpful message on the biblical and confessional doctrine of divine immutability - the truth that God does not change, ever, in any sense or in any way! He explores immutability in the scriptures, in its historic and confessional formulation, and its deeply pastoral implications. Questions like "why does it matter that God does not change?" and "does the doctrine that God does not change affect the Christian life?" are answered alongside many others. Listen in and be enriched by this glorious confessional doctrine.

North African countries border the Mediterranean Sea in the north and the Sahara Desert to the south. These include Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. More than 100 million live in the region. The vast majority are identified as Muslims. Islam and the official language of Arabic were brought there by Arab Muslim conquerors who colonized the Amazigh people of North Africa in the 7th and 8th centuries after Christ. Yet, the native Amazigh (Berber) language was quietly preserved, spoken at home and in rural towns and villages. It is estimated that over one third of the population today are still native Amazigh speakers. Before the Islamic conquest, through the witness of first century Christians, a native church was established. It produced great early Christian leaders whose writings still bless the church today, such as Tertullian and Augustine of Hippo

Christian MP Miriam Cates is a fearless advocate for policies that protect children. Since being elected in 2019 she has campaigned on sex education, gender ideology, online safety and much more. On a recent visit to the Christian Institute’s offices in Newcastle upon Tyne, she shared why she got into politics and how her Christian faith sustains her as an MP. She also thanked the Institute and its supporters for their prayers over the years. Miriam is one of a number of courageous Christian parliamentarians making a difference in the UK today. Please pray for her, and for all those in authority.

Flash flooding due to intense rainfall has hit many regions in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya. The sudden influx of rain has caused mudslides that have already claimed many lives and destroyed thousands of homes. “Mudslides are still happening, mainly in the mountainous areas. People are in need of food and shelter,” continued our partner. The situation is similar in Kenya. John, a Christian from Mai Mahiu in Kenya told our Africa coordinator on 18 May, “The worst happened on April 29. Many of the homes in our neighbourhood were carried away with people in them.” Entire families have been killed in the floods. Villages have been swept away, leaving only small sections of their foundations remaining. John, who runs a small operation in his village that looks after vulnerable children, summed up the situation, “The floods here have been a nightmare. They are still going on… There is much sadness here.”

It is a sad reality that the conflict in Ukraine continues to take its tragic toll, and many believers and churches are deeply affected. Pray for many concerned parents as they face the prospect of their son being called -up to serve in the armed forces on the frontline. Pray for missionaries and pastors who are facing unimaginable circumstances and deal with painful loses. Many are exhausted, feeling the pressures of the war almost unbearable. Pray that they will be strengthened by the Lord to continue their ministry. We encourage you to continue to pray for Ukraine and the distressing situation in which many believers are caught up. Pray for those who have the responsibility of preaching God’s Word, as much uncertainty engulfs this country.

Acts 4v36-37 reads, "Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet." What a blessing to be named "Son of Encouragement" by your colleagues! That was the experience of Joses. What about us? Our churches desperately need such encouragers, and we must begin with ourselves. Tony Flanders gave a series of three messages on this subject, which you can access on our SermonAudio page by clicking below. There is also a summary of the 19 points that he made. May God bless us all to be encouragers!

Right now, conservative evangelicals are at an impasse on the issue of boldness. A few months ago, I observed that today there is greater stigma attached to speaking the truth in a tone that seems slightly unnerved or terse than speaking dangerous falsehoods sweetly, politely, and deferentially. A number of controversies over the last few months have confirmed that hypothesis. By way of prolegomena, let us recognize that to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) requires attention to both content and tone. And here, we must plainly confess that there are ditches on both sides. The jerks-for-Jesus model of discernment ministry is destructive of Christian love, but just as pernicious is the equal and opposite error of the whitewash of “winsomeness”— virtue-signaling of the sort Jesus condemned in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (“Lord, I thank thee that I am not like those angry Reformed Baptists on Twitter. I fast from social media twice a week, and I only post photos of sunsets”). Between these two extremes is the light-giving-yet-salty speech (Colossians 4:6) modeled by the apostles—“wholesome” (Titus 2:28) and “not quarrelsome” (2 Timothy 2:24), yet willing to say the hard thing, and sometimes with rhetorical flair (cf. Galatians 5:12).

Pastor Simione writes: Our country is vulnerable of tropical diseases such as malaria and many others. Last year many people were infected and some of them even died. Since January, there has been many cases of conjunctivitis. In the case of children it is not severe, but in adults it is hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. Some of house of ant’s children and adult were infected, but not so severe. I telling this to demonstrate how lovely and careful is God with all of us. As you knew, in March we received a missionary visit from Brazil (Pr. Pedro Leal), and it was a precious time of encouragement. The team was very motivated to serve and sharing, during their visit here. There was a lot of assistance in terms of medical, psychological, and spiritual leadership, it was cross-cultural experience – Mozambique and Brazil.

Pastor Tonny Karwa writes: This year, the African Pastors’ Conference (APC) in Kisumu attracted about 65 delegates, many of whom were drawn from the charismatic denominations. The theme was, “The Gospel According to Romans.” Our inaugural conference last year attracted 54 delegates. One of the most difficult tasks in hosting the APCs is delegates mobilisation. The charismatics, for instance, must receive invitation letters personally addressed to them. They also insist on being addressed by their correct titles in the letters. And just when you think that is all, one of the generalised criticisms or tags against the Baptists by many of our Pentecostal counterparts in Kenya is that that we are mere Bible commentators, not preachers. In fact, they easily switch off when the preacher isn’t dynamic or spirited in his delivery. In most cases, they never come back afterwards. Therefore, the targeted points of application by Pastor Joshua Bolaji (South Africa) coupled with his zestfulness were greatly appreciated by most of them. I

Andrea Williams writes: Two radical amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill have been put forwards that would decriminalise abortion, essentially eliminating legal consequences for killing an unborn child, as long as that child is unwanted. I suspect that nearly everyone at the rally would tell you that all abortion is wrong; it takes the life of an innocent child. But there is something particularly perverse about this push from the abortion industry. We know that premature babies can often live outside their mothers’ wombs from the existing abortion time limit of 24 weeks (and even earlier). Since abortions at an earlier stage are de facto available for any reason, it is these older, more viable babies who are particularly being targeted by Diana Johnson’s amendment. They are no different to babies who are being cared in a nearby hospital neonatal unit, but could be deliberately poisoned with deceitfully-obtained, dangerous abortion pills, with no legal consequences whatsoever. It was this threat of such an inhumane threat to human life that pulled so many people (about 300) together at such short notice. The unity between all the pro-life groups was a joy to witness. The supporters from various groups who had dropped plans and made the effort to come along was inspiring.

Children are set to be protected from sex ed materials which promote radical trans ideology, under the Government’s long-awaited proposals to reform Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). Last year, the Prime Minister ordered a review of the controversial subject in light of the “safeguarding scandal” of inappropriate materials being used in English schools. Once finalised, schools will be required by law to have regard to the Department for Education’s updated guidance. It says gender identity is a “highly contested” subject which should not be taught, and teachers should not use materials claiming as fact that “gender is a spectrum”. If asked about the issue, they should teach the facts about “biological sex”.

In a recent moment of candour, irreligious comedian Bill Maher made a shocking admission about abortion on his television program, Real Time 1. The episode aired April 12 and, since then, clips of Maher’s comments have been circulating on the internet and social media. Maher first corrected the misconception held by many on the political left that pro-lifers hate women. “They don’t hate women. They just made that up,” Maher chastised. Then, he was honest enough to admit he agrees with pro-lifers about the real rationale behind their opposition to abortion. Unfortunately, this didn’t lead him to join their ranks. Maher said: "They think it’s murder and [pause] it kind of is. I’m just okay with that. I am. I mean, there’s eight billion people in the world. I’m sorry. We won’t miss you. That’s my position on that." Yikes. Even with Maher’s hedge phrase, ‘kind of’, this strikes people as morally appalling, and ought to. Maher is okay with people being ‘kind of’ murdered.