Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

A Christian persecution watchdog has warned that more Christians around the world are suffering because of their faith, and the kind of persecution they’re experiencing has intensified. Open Doors has found that more than 340 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith, amounting to one in eight worldwide. Now the...

Do you know the popular series of books entitled Where’s Wally? These books are filled with very detailed cartoon drawings in each of which is hidden Wally. He is dressed in a red and white striped ski cap and glasses and the challenge is to find Wally. You have to search for some time to...

The public have been urged to write letters to their lonely neighbours, as the Government has announced a £7.5million cash injection for community-boosting activities. It is hoped that people will “reach out virtually and help combat loneliness”, says Robert Jenrick, the Communities Secretary.  This could be done either by “picking up the phone or writing...

Our communities have all been being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic: our schools, hospitals, neighbours, churches, friends and families, so when we’re out on our daily walk, let’s turn the time to prayer. That’s the challenge from HOPE Together, which is encouraging Christians to walk and pray in 2021. Rachel Jordan-Wolf, HOPE’s executive director, says:...

The Church of England’s Lead Bishop for Children and Families has supported moves in the House of Lords to introduce legal protections for children from being used in undercover operations by police and other authorities. The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, backed cross-party amendments to the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill which has...

When Jesus was at a Galilean wedding (John 2:1-11), He was there with His disciples and Mary, His mum. During the celebrations, unknown to the groom, the wine ran out. Mary was quick to spot the problem. She knew this could be an embarrassing moment for the groom if people couldn’t have a drink, and...

The Queen recently spoke for the whole country when she said that many are, “tinged with sadness. Some (are) mourning the loss of those dear to them and other missing friends and family members, distanced for safety. When all they really want … is a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand.” We may...

2 Cor. 12:8; ‘Three times I asked the Lord about this …BUT…’  Paul is talking about one of the most mysterious and one of the most baffling aspects of prayer – when God does not say yes. On the face of it, Paul’s prayer was very modest.  For some time he had been troubled by...

Exercise can be just as effective as mindfulness when it comes to reducing your stress and anxiety.  Such is the conclusion of a recent study at Cambridge University. Mindfulness is a form of meditation which involves focussing your thoughts and sensations, and it has become popular in recent years.  But now Cambridge University experts say...

Ten years ago, on 15th March 2011, the Syrian Civil War began. It continues today. Hostilities started with “Arab Spring” pro-democracy demonstrations that were crushed by President Bashar al-Assad, and the violence spread, with different groups, backed by various countries, joining in. The Sunni Muslim majority clashed with the President’s Shia Alawite sect, and jihadist...

Another state in India has passed a law banning religious conversions. Madhya Pradesh has replaced existing legislation with a tough new law intended to prevent Hindus changing their religion. Release International warns that this is the harshest anti-conversion law yet to be passed in India. And there is concern it could lead towards a ban...

It was 1700 years ago, on 7th March 321, that the Roman Emperor Constantine 1 (Constantine the Great), who had converted to Christianity, decreed that Sunday should be a day of rest throughout the Empire. This was a change from normal Roman Empire practice, which was to regard Sunday as just another work-day – something...