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                <title><![CDATA[How much do we value Jesus: thirty pieces of silver or our supreme treasure?]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/how-much-do-we-value-jesus-thirty-pieces-of-silver-or-supreme-treasure</link>
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                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/80/98051.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[John 3:16, Jesus, John, Gospel of John, New Testament, Gospels, Bible]]></media:title>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:13:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Is Jesus at the centre of our lives or somewhere on the margins?]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
In life, what we value most is revealed by what we prioritise. We make time for what matters to us. We invest energy into what we believe will reward us. For many of us, that might be our wellbeing, our ambitions, our relationships, our families, our friends, or even our reputation. None of these things are inherently wrong.
But the deeper question is this: where does Jesus fall on that list? Is He at the centre or somewhere on the margins?
The Price of Betrayal
During Lent, we often reflect on the passion of Christ - His suffering, His rejection, and ultimately His crucifixion. One of the most striking moments in that story is Judas’ betrayal: selling Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16).
Thirty. Not a fortune. Not even the market value of a slave.
For many of us, Judas’ actions seem unthinkable. How could someone who walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, witnessed His miracles, and saw His compassion up close, turn around and sell Him?
But perhaps the more uncomfortable question is not, “How could Judas?”, but rather, “How do we?”
A Slow Drift of the Heart
Judas did not begin as a traitor; he began as a disciple.
He was chosen (Luke 6:13-16; Mark 3:13-19). He followed and listened to Jesus’ teachings. He was entrusted with responsibility as a treasurer (John 12:6). Yet somewhere along the way, his expectations of Jesus clashed with the reality of who Jesus truly was.
He likely hoped for a political Messiah - one who would overthrow Rome and reign in visible power (John 6:14-15). Instead, he received a servant King who associated with the lowly and outcasts, forgave enemies, and spoke of dying (Mark 10:45; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 5:44) .
When Jesus did not fit his expectations, Judas re-evaluated His worth. His heart began to drift. Scripture hints that he loved money because he helped himself to what was in the money bag (John 12:4-6). Greed quietly grew where devotion should have been (1 Timothy 6:10). By the time the opportunity came, the trade felt reasonable (Matthew 26:14-16).
The Incomparable Worth of Christ
At the root of Judas’ betrayal was a failure to recognise who Jesus really was (John 6:70-71; Luke 22:48). He did not see His value clearly. And if we are honest, our compromises reveal the same blindness.
Jesus is infinitely worthy. He is not a teacher among teachers. Not a prophet among prophets.Not a spiritual option among many. He is the Son of God (Hebrews :3). The Creator (John 1:1-3). Through Him and for Him and to Him are all things (Colossians 1:15-17). He is the One who left His heavenly glory, took on flesh, stepping into our brokenness and choosing the cross for us (John 1:14; Philippians 2 :6-8).
He did not give thirty pieces of silver for us. He gave His throne, His status, His very life, His blood so that we could be reconciled to the Father, forgiven, redeemed, welcomed and receive eternal life – not just later, but now (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; John 5:24).
If we have Jesus, we have everything. If we gain the world but lose Him, we have nothing (Matthew 16:26; Philippians 3:8; Romans 8:32).
Why We Settle for Less
Yet how often do we treat Him as secondary? As an addition to our lives rather than the foundation of them? As someone we consult occasionally rather than the Lord we follow wholeheartedly?
If we truly saw how great a treasure Jesus is - if we grasped His holiness, His beauty, His mercy, His authority, His love displayed at the cross - we would never consider selling Him cheaply.
But our vision is blurred by the world. The world screams that money is security; that pleasure is freedom; that influence is power; that self-expression is ultimate truth.
So, we start to believe that these things will satisfy us more than Christ. And that is often where our own hearts drift like Judas’. When Jesus does not advance our plan, when obedience costs us comfort, when faithfulness limits our options, when surrender feels like loss - we begin to lower His value in our lives.
We may not exchange Him for silver coins, but we trade Him for things far smaller: approval.money, status, control, pleasure, relationships we refuse to surrender. Things that are way beneath His worth.
We begin to live as though Jesus is an accessory to our life rather than the centre of it. He becomes part of Sunday, part of our identity, part of our moral framework, but not the centre around which everything else should revolve - ultimately, not our treasure. And whatever is not treasured will eventually be traded cheaply.
Most of us would never name our price out loud, but our habits often reveal it. Whatever we treasure most will shape our decisions, our schedules, and our desires (Matthew 6:21).
From Cheap Silver to True Treasure
Lent is an invitation to examine our hearts. Not to condemn ourselves, but to realign our vision. To ask honestly: “Have I reduced Jesus to thirty pieces of silver? Have I valued temporary things over eternal treasure?”
We are not so different from Judas. The seeds of betrayal live in every human heart (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; James 1:14-15). But the beautiful truth is that it is never too late to return. The difference is not that we are stronger - it is that grace holds us and grace that calls us back (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Even when we have valued Jesus cheaply, He has not discarded us. Peter denied Him three times and was restored (Luke 22:61-62; John 21:15-17). The disciples fled and were commissioned (Matthew 26:56; Matthew 28:18-20). There is always a way back (Joel 2:12-13; 1 John 1:9; James 4:8). The answer is not to grit our teeth and try harder. It is to ask God to open our eyes.
Unlike Judas, who was consumed by despair, we are invited to repentance and restoration (Matthew 27:3-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10). The Father already demonstrated how much He values us - He gave His Son (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Christ was betrayed, mocked, and crucified so that we could be forgiven and brought near (Isaiah 53:4-8; Ephesians 2:13).
He sees us as precious (Isaiah 43:4). The question is: do we see Him the same way?
Final Thoughts
Dear reader, this Lenten season, may we not simply reflect on the cross but respond to it. May we choose to make Jesus not an accessory to our life, but the centre of it. Let us want to know Him more through His Word, speak to Him throughout the day in prayer, seek His will above our own, and measure success not by applause but by faithfulness.
Because He is worth infinitely more than silver.
When Jesus becomes your treasure, obedience stops feeling like loss. It becomes joy. Surrender stops feeling like deprivation. It becomes freedom. Thirty pieces of silver will never satisfy. Worldly approval will never secure your soul. Sin will never deliver what it promises.
But Christ, truly known and truly treasured, is enough.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Bible sales grew in 2025, data shows]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/bible-sales-grew-in-2025-data-shows</link>
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                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/82/98286.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Genesis, Bible]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Strong sales in trivia, quiz books and religious titles highlight "sustained demand for escapism and insight", says NielsenIQ.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Latest book sales data from NielsenIQ BookData suggests Bible sales grew last year.
Data for 2025 was published by the group ahead of the London Book Fair taking place at Olympia London this week.
It found that in 2025 sales of Bibles rose by 19 per cent on the previous year, reaching £6.3m. This marks a considerable increase on the £3.6m generated by Bible sales in 2019, the Guardian reports.
It compounds the findings of a recent analysis of NielsenIQ BookData by Christian book publisher SPCK which found that Bible sales in the UK rose by 87 per cent from £2.69m in 2019, to £5.02m in 2024.  
SPCK said this rise could be seen across people of all ages but “especially younger readers”, and reflected a “renewed interest” in Scripture.
“This isn't just a publishing story: it's a sign that many are searching for meaning and stability in a changing world,” it said.
Lauren Windle, publishing director at SPCK, said that the sales trend pointed to a hunger in young people for more than the world can offer. 
“Growing up in the social media age has given Gen Z easy access to so many things that were previously prized and rare,” she said.
“They have the keys to demonstrable popularity in the form of likes and followers – all they need is a little algorithm know-how.
“They can be better looking than any previous generation – with every make-up tutorial and workout at their fingertips. They have all the convenience, never needing to pick up an encyclopedia to find answers or even to walk to the chip shop to collect a takeaway. The world sits at the end of their fingertips and yet it’s not enough.”  
Other Nielsen data shows that quiz books are increasingly popular, with sales growing by 24 per cent last year - the highest since records began in 1998. Adult fiction also enjoyed a five per cent increase in spending. However, non-fiction sales fell to their lowest levels since 2014, to 59 million books last year.
Philip Stone, head of publisher account management at NeilsenIQ BookData, said that fiction “remained the standout performer, fuelled by strong growth in sci‑fi and fantasy, horror and graphic novels, while children’s and young adult books also saw encouraging gains in key areas”. 
“Non‑fiction faced greater pressure, though the popularity of trivia, quiz books and religious titles highlights sustained demand for escapism and insight,” she told the Guardian.
The findings coincide with the National Year of Reading, a UK-wide campaign taking place throughout 2026 to inspire more people to make reading a regular part of their lives. The campaign takes place at a time of concern about the demise of reading as scrolling takes over daily life, with a YouGov survey in 2025 finding that 40 per cent of British people had not read a single book in the previous 12 months. 
There has been much discussion about whether more people are turning to the Bible and Christianity since the publication of Bible Society’s Quiet Revival report nearly a year ago.
That report found that 12% of adults attended church at least once a month, up from just 8% in 2018. Among men aged 18-24, this rose to over a fifth.
These figures were surpassed in another recent study by A Passion for Life and Whitestone in which 15% of adults said they attend church at least once a month, either in person or online, and nearly a third (30%) of young men aged 18 to 24. 
Some churches and church leaders have described seeing more people come to services and events. 
The Church of England said it had seen a surge in interest in the run-up to Christmas, following on from a strong turnout at Easter. 
A further poll by Savanta, conducted on behalf of Tearfund, found that 45 per cent of adults in Britain were planning on attending a church event or service last Christmas, up from 40 per cent the previous year.
Alpha founder, Nicky Gumbel, recently weighed in, saying that “something is happening” after an unexpected number of people turned up for services at Holy Trinity Brompton. Incidentally, Alpha last year revealed that it had seen its most successful year globally in 2024, with two million people taking part in the course worldwide – more than in any previous year.
The team behind TryPraying, a prayer booklet aimed at non-Christians, recently said that orders for both its adult and teenage versions doubled last year. 
Yet, the picture is mixed, with another recent survey finding that young people struggle with aspects of the Bible and the Christian faith, with Jesus apparently being an example of “mansplaining”. 
Church of England attendance, despite successive years of growth, remains below pre-pandemic levels, and churches continue to close. 
Some researchers and statisticians have also poured cold water on claims of a 'Quiet Revival', most notably Pew Research, but Bible Society - and YouGov, which carried out polling on its behalf - has continued to stand by the findings. YouGov recently said the study would be repeated later this year. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Keeping peace: loving the enemy to the end]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/keeping-peace-loving-the-enemy-to-the-end</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/keeping-peace-loving-the-enemy-to-the-end</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[forgiveness]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:58:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Lent invites us to slow down long enough to look again at how Christ loved.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Right now, the world feels loud with chaos. Bad news greets us at every turn. Division is amplified, outrage spreads quickly, and peace can feel fragile, even absent. It is easy to be swept up into that same unrest.
But it is precisely in moments like these that our gaze must be fixed firmly on the cross - on Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Lent invites us to slow down long enough to look again at how Christ loved. And what we see is not sentimental love, but costly love. Not convenient peace, but crucified peace.
The Table of Betrayal
Imagine sitting at a dinner table with close friends, knowing that one of them is about to betray you. Not suspecting, knowing. How would you respond? Confusion. Shock. Anger. Hurt. Perhaps confrontation. Perhaps exposure. Perhaps humiliation. Depending on your personality, you might defend yourself, reason with them, or withdraw entirely.
Yet when Jesus sat at the Last Supper, fully aware that Judas would betray Him (John 13:10-11, 18), He did something astonishing. He washed his feet (John 13:3-5). He loved him to the end (John 13:1). There was no public shaming, no last-minute retaliation, no cold withdrawal of affection. Christ’s love did not collapse under the weight of betrayal.
That is peace - not the absence of pain, but the refusal to let pain dictate your response.
The Courtroom of Injustice
Now imagine being falsely accused of a crime you did not commit - sentenced to death despite your innocence. Most of us would fight. We would defend ourselves, plead our case, protest the injustice, perhaps even lash out at those condemning us.
Jesus, the sinless and righteous One, endured punishment for crimes He did not commit - our crimes (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 4:15; Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24). Though mighty and glorious as the Son of God, He did not retaliate. He did not silence His accusers with divine power. He did not object to the beatings, the insults, the mocking, the crucifixion (Isaiah 53:7; 1 Peter 2:23).
Instead, from the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). This is the narrow way of peace.
The Narrow Way of the Cross
Jesus shows us that peace is not about winning. It is about surrender.
So much conflict flows from the desire to put ourselves first - to be right, to be superior, to be vindicated, to be in control. We want the final word. We want justice on our terms.
But Christ’s life, from the manger to the cross, is one of self-lowering and self-emptying – humility (Philippians 2:5-8; 2 Corinthians 8:9). He put others first. He served (Mark 10:45; John 13:14-15). He forgave. He loved the disciple who denied Him, the friend who betrayed Him, the crowd who mocked Him and the rulers who condemned Him (Luke 22:61-62; John 21:15-17; Luke 23:34). He loved them not halfway; not until it became inconvenient. He loved them till the very end, no matter how costly or how many times He was wronged (John 13:1).
Lent confronts us with this uncomfortable truth: we cannot claim to follow Christ while nurturing quiet hostility. Most of us love conditionally: we love until we’re misunderstood; until we’re wounded; until we’re embarrassed. If we are honest, the greatest obstacle to peace is not always “them.” It is the war within us. Resentment feels justified, revenge feels satisfying and cold distance feels safe.
But Lent asks us to fast not only from food but from hostility. To love the enemy until the end does not mean pretending wrong is right. It does not mean tolerating abuse. It means refusing to let bitterness take root. It means surrendering the right to revenge. It means choosing mercy when pride demands retaliation.
Remember Who You Were and Are
Keeping peace begins with remembering who you are in Christ and who you once were. We were sinners, enemies of God (Romans 5:8-10; Colossians 1:21-22). Yet we received undeserved mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:4-5,8-9; Titus 3:4-7). We were brought near (Ephesians 2:13). We were called friends (John 15:15). We were adopted as children (Romans 8:15-17; 1 John 3:1).
God’s heart toward you - patient, forgiving, compassionate - is His heart toward all of humanity (2 Peter 3:9; Psalm 108:8-12; Lamentations 3:22-23). Everyone has access to His grace (John 3:16). And because we have received it freely, we are called to extend it freely (Matthew 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; Matthew 10:8).
It is difficult to withhold forgiveness from others when you are standing beneath the cross, aware of how much you have been forgiven (Luke 7:47). We keep peace not because others deserve it but because mercy has been shown to us (Romans 12:18; Matthew 5:9; Romans 15:7; Micah 6:8).
Bearing the Cross in Your Heart
Dear reader, the way to keep peace is to bear the cross of Christ in your heart (Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20).
Peace has always come from God, never from our own strength (John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7). We keep it by returning to Him - solidifying our relationship with Him, dwelling in His presence, allowing His Spirit to reshape our instincts (James 4:8; John 15:4-5; 2 Corinthians 3:18). The more we abide in Him, the more we become like Him (Galatians 5:22-23).
As you move through this season, consider asking: who do I struggle to love? Where am I keeping score? What would it look like to love until the end even if the end is costly?
Lent reminds us that resurrection comes through surrender. Keeping peace is not losing.It is trusting that God will vindicate, heal, and restore. In practice, this might look like:
- Refusing to gossip about someone who hurt you
- Praying for the person you’d rather avoid
- Choosing a gentle answer instead of a sharp one
- Setting healthy boundaries without hatred
- Releasing the need to be vindicated publicly
So, this Lent, fix your eyes on the One who loved His enemies to His final breath and ask Him to teach you to keep peace the same way - until the very end.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Francis Chan apologises for past endorsements of fallen ministry leaders]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/francis-chan-apologises-for-past-endorsements-of-fallen-ministry-leaders</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/francis-chan-apologises-for-past-endorsements-of-fallen-ministry-leaders</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anugrah Kumar]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[francis chan]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: YouTube/Moody Bible Institute) ]]>
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                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Francis Chan ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Pastor and New York Times–bestselling author Francis Chan has issued a public apology acknowledging that his past endorsements of Mike Bickle and other Christian leaders who were later disgraced by scandal contributed to confusion, hurt and broken trust within the Church.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Pastor and New York Times–bestselling author Francis Chan has issued a public apology acknowledging that his past endorsements of Mike Bickle and other Christian leaders who were later disgraced by scandal contributed to confusion, hurt and broken trust within the Church.
In a statement published through his ministry, Crazy Love, Chan said he has been convicted in recent days by biblical passages warning that people will give an account for “every careless word,” prompting him to reflect on his own speech and leadership after more than four decades of teaching the Bible.
The California-based pastor said he has faced criticism for responding slowly or not responding publicly when controversies emerge, stating that his first reactions often include pride, self-preservation, hurt or anger. He said he has tried to restrain those responses and speak only in ways that offer grace to those who hear.
He said he has received repeated requests in recent years to publicly address leaders he once endorsed who were later exposed for wrongdoing.
Over his 40 years in ministry, he said he has seen “hundreds of leaders fall,” with scandals involving immorality, false prophecies and greed.
"Each time, it feels like a kick in the stomach," Chan wrote. "Years of immorality are uncovered, false prophesies are exposed, or greed is brought to light."
Chan said Scripture teaches that when a leader falls, the sin should be exposed publicly so others are not misled. At the same time, he said modern expectations for public denunciations differ from earlier eras of ministry, when it was assumed that prior endorsements no longer applied once wrongdoing became known.
“For the sake of clarity, please know that of course I do not continue to endorse people like Mike Bickle (founder of the International House of Prayer Kansas City) who have been caught in unrepentant immorality,” Chan said. He added that if he issued a public statement each time he realized he had trusted someone wrongly, the list would be “very, very long," adding that he doesn't believe it is a "biblical mandate" for everyone to "weigh in" any time a ministry scandal is exposed.
"I understand that some people see it as apathetic or irresponsible to refrain from commenting on these situations," Chan stated. "But I would ask you to consider that after issues have been disclosed about someone, there may be some of us who remain silent, not because we don't care, but because we believe there is already too much focus and discussion about these people. I've seen leaders get pressured by others to say things that God may not be leading them to say. I have fallen into this trap as well."
Chan acknowledged that his previous support of leaders who later proved untrustworthy contributed to the pain experienced by fellow Christians.
“I know that my endorsements of leaders who have later fallen have added to the hurt and heartbreak experienced by the Body, and for this, I sincerely apologize,” he said.
He addressed a specific remark he made in 2021 defending Bickle, saying he regretted previously calling people “so foolish” for abandoning the leader because they had “heard something from a friend.” Chan said that the comment referred to theological disagreements circulating at the time, but now recognizes it could have discouraged people with legitimate concerns.
A second statement accompanying Chan’s apology came from the network elders of We Are Church, an entity founded by Chan. In that statement, Kevin Kim, Rob Zabala, Sean Brakey and Joe Moore said Chan had no knowledge of hidden moral failure when he associated with or endorsed the leaders involved.
The elders said Chan’s public words carried influence and that some of those statements unintentionally gave credibility to leaders who later proved deeply untrustworthy. They apologized for the confusion, hurt and loss of trust that resulted.
They also acknowledged the victims of abuse connected to those leaders, writing that protecting vulnerable people and confronting abuse must take priority over protecting reputations or institutions.
The statements address questions surrounding Chan’s relationship with Bickle of IHOPKC, which attracted a global following for teachings on prayer and prophetic ministry.
Chan and the elders said that before working with Bickle, Chan had conversations with Bickle’s wife, IHOPKC leaders and other pastors who had known him for decades, and the consistent testimony he received described Bickle as a man of strong character and devotion.
They said Chan also consulted ministry leaders outside the charismatic tradition before agreeing to speak at an IHOPKC event and heard no concerns about Bickle’s character at that time. The elders said they reviewed public criticisms of IHOPKC but found no verifiable evidence of moral misconduct before 2023.
Allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power involving Bickle surfaced in the fall of 2023, leading to investigations and public scrutiny of the ministry.
Bickle acknowledged “inappropriate behavior” in December 2023 while denying more serious sexual allegations. A 68-page report later released by the independent sexual abuse investigation firm Firefly concluded that Bickle used predatory tactics and spiritual manipulation to sexually abuse at least 17 females, including minors.
The report also described sexual misconduct allegations involving other individuals connected to IHOPKC and identified 16 accused staff members implicated in such claims.
Sam Storms, pastor emeritus of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City and a longtime friend of Bickle, publicly apologized in February 2025 for defending the ministry leader over many years.
Storms said he had once considered Bickle one of his closest friends, but changed his view after speaking with Deborah Perkins, one of Bickle’s alleged victims, in August 2023.
Chan said he first heard the allegations about Bickle in 2023 and traveled with Storms to confront him in person, but Bickle refused the meeting. 
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[What we can learn from Mary of Bethany]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/what-we-can-learn-from-mary-of-bethany</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/what-we-can-learn-from-mary-of-bethany</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Must a Christian woman dress modestly to church?]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Pexels) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:04:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Dear reader, what would it look like for you to be a Mary of Bethany in this day and age?]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Every year on March 8, the world marks International Women’s Day – a moment to celebrate the achievements, courage and influence of women across cultures and generations.
Often the stories highlighted are those of leadership, innovation or social change. But the Bible offers a different kind of example of strength and devotion in the story of Mary of Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper. Her actions may not appear glamorous or empowering in the way the modern world defines these traits, yet they reveal a profound lesson about love, sacrifice and recognising the true worth of Christ.
The shocking act at Bethany
Mary was the sister of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, and Martha (John 11:1-2). A few days before the Passover, a dinner was held in Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper (Mark 14:1-3; Matthew 26:6). During the gathering, Mary did something that shocked everyone present.
She took an alabaster jar filled with pure nard and poured it out on Jesus (John 12:3; Mark 14:3). Nard was an extremely expensive perfume worth about 300 denarii – roughly a year’s wages at the time, since a denarius was the typical daily wage (Mark 14:5; Matthew 20:2). In modern terms, its value could be compared to tens of thousands of pounds. Some Gospel accounts also describe Mary wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair (John 12:3).
To those watching, her actions seemed outrageous. From Judas to the other disciples, all were appalled (John 12:4-5; Mark 14:4). They saw the perfume as being wasted and argued that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor (Mark 14:5; John 12:5). Their reaction may sound familiar. Even today, we might read this story and feel confused or uncomfortable. Was this not excessive? Wasteful even?
The extravagance of God’s love: seeing the true worth of Christ
But Jesus saw the moment differently. He called what she had done “a beautiful thing” (Mark 14:6). More than that, He declared that wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, her story would also be told (Mark 14:9; Matthew 26:13). Yet if we are honest, how often do we actually hear about Mary of Bethany when we celebrate great achievements?
Why did Jesus honour her so highly? Because while others saw waste, Mary saw the Lord's worth. She recognised who Jesus truly was. Her act reflected the heart of the gospel itself: that the Son of God left His heavenly throne and entered a broken world to save sinners, ultimately giving His life on the cross (John 3:16; Philippians 2:6-8; Romans 5:7-8).
From a purely logical perspective, that love might appear just as extravagant as Mary’s perfume. Was humanity deserving of such sacrifice? Has the whole world accepted Him? If judged by simple calculation, it might even seem wasteful.
Yet like Mary offered her most precious possession to Jesus, God sacrificed His most precious gift – His Son – out of love (Romans 8:32; John 3:16; 1 John 4:10). True love often appears illogical. It leaves the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that is lost (Luke 15:4). It rejoices over the finding of a single coin with a celebration greater than the coin itself is worth (Luke 15:8-9). It welcomes home the prodigal son with joy (Luke 15:20-24).
Mary’s act reflected this same kind of love. In Jewish culture, a woman’s hair was closely tied to her honour and dignity, yet she used it to wipe Jesus’ feet (1 Corinthians 11:5-6,11; John 12:3). In doing so, she humbled herself completely before Him. Jesus Himself would soon do the same in an even greater way. He would surrender His honour, endure mockery, beatings and humiliation, and suffer death on a cross, bestowing His spiritual riches on us who are spiritually needy (Isaiah 53:3-5; Mark 15:15-20; 2 Corinthians 8:9).
Mary’s action also carried deep symbolic meaning. Oil was used in the Old Testament to anoint kings, and in pouring out the perfume, Mary was unknowingly recognising Jesus as the true King (1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Kings 1:39; Zechariah 9:9; John 18:37; Revelation 19:16). At the same time, she was preparing His body for burial – something Jesus Himself acknowledged, as His crucifixion was only days away (Mark 14:8; John 12:7).
She understood His value. That is why she did not offer a small portion or a cautious gift. She poured out everything. While others misunderstood the moment, Mary responded with wholehearted devotion while Jesus was still with them.
The lessons from Mary of Bethany
Her story reminds us to remain spiritually awake. The disciples were physically present with Jesus, yet they failed to grasp the significance of what was unfolding. Mary saw what others missed.
She also challenges us not to measure love with a calculating mindset. The gospel invites us to respond freely and generously – giving our time, talents, resources and lives in devotion to Christ while we still can. She teaches us to see and receive the unconditional love of God – and to respond to it with everything we have (1 John 4:19; Romans 5:8).
And perhaps the most powerful lesson is this: Mary was not concerned about how others would judge her actions. She humbled herself before the Lord without shame.
In God’s kingdom, true honour is found in humility. Those who lower themselves will be lifted up (Luke 14:11). Those who pour themselves out will be filled (Luke 6:38).
That is why Jesus said her story would be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. And perhaps that is the most remarkable achievement of all – one worthy of reflection not only on International Women’s Day, but every day.
Dear reader, what would it look like for you to be a Mary of Bethany in this day and age? May we, like her, have eyes to see the worth of Christ, hearts courageous enough to respond, and hands willing to pour out everything at His feet.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[The story of the Bible’s female leaders]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-story-of-the-bibles-female-leaders</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-story-of-the-bibles-female-leaders</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Neil Rees]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/86/98669.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[woman, Bible, Christianity, faith, Bible study, women]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[8 March is International Women’s Day. In the Bible we can read about the roles that many women played in leadership and ministry. This is the story …]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
8 March is International Women’s Day. In the Bible we can read about the roles that many women played in leadership and ministry. This is the story …
Female Kings
In the Old Testament, before kings ruled Israel, it was the time of the Judges, as told in the Book of Judges. Among the Judges was Deborah (Judges 4:4—5:31), who was a leader and a prophet.
Later, when the kings are listed in the First and Second Books of Kings, some of those ‘kings’ are female. The English word ‘king’ today means a male ruler, but that has not always been the case. Originally it meant a leader and later came to be associated with a male leader. Titles usually associated with men were, and still are, sometimes used for female leaders. Even until recently, Queen Elizabeth II, on the Isle of Man, held the title ‘Lord of Man’, not Lady of Man, and in the Channel Islands her title was ‘Duke of Normandy’, not Duchess of Normandy.
The two Books of Kings thus recall the stories of male and female kings, such as the visiting Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1–13) and Queen Athaliah (2 Kings 11:1–20), who ruled Judah in her own right. Even when the king was a man, it seems that the queen mother often came second in authority, and if she was the regent she held the actual authority, acting as ‘king’ in all but name until her son was old enough.
The Bible also mentions Pharaohs (often translated as ‘king of Egypt’), who are usually unnamed. Some people speculate whether one of the Pharaohs mentioned in the Bible was Hatshepsut.
The Priesthood
In the Old Testament the priesthood was reserved for circumcised men, but there were women who served at the tabernacle (Exodus 38:8 and 1 Samuel 2:22). All the priests and high priests who are named in the Old and New Testaments are male, and the positions were hereditary and tribal. The priesthood was restricted to the line of Aaron (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 16:40) and was reserved for men aged between 30 and 50 years old (Numbers 4:3). Assisting them were the Levites (Numbers 3:10; Numbers 18:6–7), who had to be men aged between 25 and 50 (Numbers 8:24–26).
The Priesthood in the New Testament
In the New Testament the Greek word πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros) is the source for the English word ‘priest’ but is usually translated as elder or presbyter. The new Christian faith did not require a priesthood in the Old Testament style. In the New Testament there was instead the radical idea of the “priesthood of all believers” (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus had made the ultimate sacrifice, and there was no longer any need for priests to offer sacrifices or represent us before God. The priesthood was now spiritual rather than ritualistic and was open to men and women and no longer hereditary. Spiritual sacrifices consist of praise, good deeds, and holy living (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:5).
In AD 70, with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Judaism also no longer had priests. The Early Church developed different leadership roles which contrasted with Old Testament rules and were appointed, and open to all, based on moral integrity and leadership qualities rather than ancestry or gender.
Prophets
Traditionally, the Jewish Talmud recognises seven women of the Hebrew Scriptures as prophets: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Whether some are prophets or not can be a matter of interpretation or opinion, but in the Old Testament there are female leaders who are explicitly called prophets in the text of Scripture.
Miriam is described as a leader and is also called a prophet (Exodus 15:20). Deborah was one of the Judges who ruled Israel before the kings, and she is also called a prophet (Judges 4:4). Huldah was a prophet (2 Kings 22:14) to whom the high priest and king deferred.
That female prophecy was more common than we realise is indicated by Ezekiel, who condemned women who prophesied while using armbands and head coverings. What is interesting is that his condemnation was not due to them being female, but to how they dressed (Ezekiel 13:17–23).
Female Prophets in the New Testament
Very early in the New Testament we read of Anna (Luke 2:36–38), who is explicitly called a prophet and is likely the last female prophet of the Old Covenant, because Luke states that she had been a prophet for some decades before Jesus was born.
At Pentecost we read that there were 120 disciples in Jerusalem, including “the women” (Acts 1:14). Then we read that ‘all of them’ (i.e. including the women) ‘were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them’ (Acts 2:4). Hearing these men and women proclaiming about God and speaking in different languages led the crowds to be amazed and puzzled (Acts 2:12). One reason was that they were not used to seeing women preaching.
So Peter stood up and addressed the crowds and tried to explain what was happening (Acts 2:14) in order to address those issues which puzzled them. He explained that it was a fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2:16): ‘And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy’ (Joel 2:28). Joel had prophesied a time when women prophesying would be normal, and Peter was indicating that it was beginning then.
Later we read that Paul specifically mentions Philip, who had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9), not as something to condemn but as something to commend him for. In his first letter to the church at Corinth, when Paul comments on the practice of women praying and prophesying aloud, his concern was not that they were women but that their heads were uncovered (1 Corinthians 11:5).
Church Leaders
Leadership in the Early Church developed and adapted. Later the system evolved to add deacons. The first seven deacons were men (Acts 6:1–6). In 1 Timothy 3:12 and in Titus 1:6 Paul writes attributes for deacons using the masculine terminology common at the time.
However, we know that the role was not reserved for men, because Paul wrote about Phoebe and calls her a deacon (Romans 16:1). In William Tyndale’s translation she is described as a ‘minister of the congregation of Cenchreae’.
We know that some women taught men, since Paul wrote that Priscilla (also called Prisca) and Aquila tutored Apollos (Acts 18:26). In fact, in the New Testament Luke and Paul both refer to the couple as ‘Priscilla and Aquila’ with her name first (Acts 18:18; Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:19), which indicates that she was the main partner—rather like in the UK people would talk about ‘Margaret and Denis Thatcher’ or ‘The Queen and Prince Philip’, when normally in couples the order of address is ‘Mr and Mrs’.
The rules for leadership were principles which equally applied to women, even if they were expressed in what we would consider male-specific language, which was usual at the time. There might have been specific exceptions, such as at Ephesus (1 Timothy 2:12), but Paul makes it clear that in the Church all are equal, whether male or female, Jew or Gentile, slave or free (Galatians 3:28). This is in the context of his argument against imposing Mosaic law on Gentiles (Galatians 3:1-29) where he contrasts the rules in the Church to Old Testament rules, such as those for the priesthood. When Paul lists leadership roles as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers in Ephesians 4:11, there were no gender rules attached.
At the end of Romans, when Paul commends his fellow workers, he lists 29 people, and ten of them - about a third - are women: Phoebe (Romans 16:1–2), Priscilla (Romans 16:3–5), Mary (Romans 16:6), Junia (Romans 16:7), Tryphaena and Tryphosa (Romans 16:12), Persis (Romans 16:12), Rufus’s mother (Romans 16:13), Julia (Romans 16:15), and Nereus’s sister (Romans 16:15).
Biblical Ethos
In the Old Testament, while the hereditary priesthood was reserved for men, the Old Testament also tells us about women leaders who took the roles of judge, prophet, or king. When we come to the New Covenant, the priesthood is spiritualised and open to all believers.
The New Testament had female prophets starting with Anna. Women were the first to declare the resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10). When women were preaching at Pentecost, Peter had to explain it to the crowds by quoting Joel. It was a patriarchal society and so most of the church leaders were male, but all were equal in the Church, and in some places, we read about female workers like Phoebe and Priscilla. 
Church History
The Early Church certainly understood that women could be deacons (historically called deaconesses), because they discussed rules for them at the Council of Nicaea in 325 and at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. During the Byzantine era there were many women ordained as deacons, and some, such as Olympias, are still remembered as saints in the Orthodox and Catholic Church traditions.
Summary
The Scriptural support for women in leadership and ministry, if any is needed, is found in all the stories of women in leadership and ministry that we read about in the Bible.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Plymouth hosts Knife Angel as city churches unite for 28 days of prayer for peace]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/plymouth-hosts-knife-angel-as-city-churches-unite-for-28-days-of-prayer-for-peace</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/plymouth-hosts-knife-angel-as-city-churches-unite-for-28-days-of-prayer-for-peace</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Duncan Williams]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/86/98670.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Knife Angel]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The Knife Angel statue will be on display in Plymouth until 30th March. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:23:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Knife Angel is created from more than 100,000 knives and blades surrendered to police forces across the United Kingdom.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A striking national monument made from surrendered weapons has arrived in Plymouth, prompting church leaders to call the city to prayer, reflection and renewed commitment to peace.
The 27ft sculpture known as the Knife Angel was unveiled in the city this week and will remain on display until 30 March near the Plymouth Civic Centre and the Plymouth Guildhall.
Created from more than 100,000 knives and blades surrendered to police forces across the United Kingdom, the towering statue serves as a stark visual protest against violence and a memorial to those who have lost their lives through knife crime.
For local churches, the installation also carries a profound spiritual significance.
Mark Oliver, chair of Churches Together in Plymouth, said the sculpture confronts an issue that often remains hidden from public view.
“This is the point,” he said. “In knife crime, violence and aggression we are talking about something that is usually done in secret, in the shadows. Now we are bringing it into the light - we can’t hide this thing.”
His comments echo a theme deeply rooted in the Christian faith: the call to bring darkness into the light so that healing and transformation can begin. Positioned prominently in the city centre, the sculpture invites residents and visitors alike to reflect on the realities of violence that are often unseen until tragedy occurs.
Local churches have responded to the statue’s arrival by organising 28 days of prayer, reflection and remembrance across the city. The period is intended to encourage people to pause, pray for victims of violence and consider how communities can work together to promote peace.
Many of the blades used to construct the statue bear engravings with the names of victims, giving the monument an additional role as a place of remembrance for families and communities affected by knife crime.
Although Plymouth has not experienced the same levels of knife crime seen in some other parts of the UK, community leaders see the statue’s visit as an opportunity for education and prevention, particularly among younger people. Schools, youth groups and community organisations are expected to visit the installation throughout the month to discuss the dangers of knife crime and the importance of choosing non-violence.
The sculpture, illuminated each evening, also stands as a powerful symbol of transformation. Weapons once designed to harm have been reshaped into a figure intended to inspire reflection, compassion and hope.
For many Christians in the city, that transformation carries a powerful message: even objects associated with violence can be redeemed into something that calls people towards healing, responsibility and peace. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Is the Gen Z 'revival' in the US skin deep?]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/is-the-gen-z-revival-in-the-us-skin-deep</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/is-the-gen-z-revival-in-the-us-skin-deep</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Dr George Barna]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Arizona Christian University) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Dr George Barna ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:23:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Even if they're coming to church, do they have a Christian worldview?]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk last year, anecdotes began pouring in of churches filled with young men and more and more Bibles being sold. Now, however, veteran researcher Dr George Barna has questioned whether what looked like the beginnings of spiritual revival may have been only skin deep.
Dr Barna, of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, said that his own research suggests there are no signs that a biblical worldview has started to take root in America.
Just four per cent of Americans have what Dr Barna described as a “biblical worldview”, down from six per cent in 2020 and 12 per cent in 1994. When looking at Generation Z, the group that is supposedly flocking to church, the figure is just one per cent.
Even among churchgoers the numbers with a biblical worldview are low, with only 11 per cent of adults at evangelical churches qualifying (down from 21 per cent in 2020) and 12 per cent of born-again Christians (down from 19 per cent in 2020).
Dr Barna said he believed the numbers were unlikely to go any lower and that therefore the only way is up – if American churches take worldview formation seriously.
“People begin forming their worldview very early in life (at about 18 months), establish it before their teen years, then refine it throughout their 20s," he explained.
"Worldview is the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual filter through which we interpret reality - and it becomes the basis of every decision we make. It is perhaps the most critical factor influencing character, values, and lifestyle, and it is central to biblical discipleship.
“Despite its importance to our nation’s spiritual health, worldview formation continues to be overlooked in many churches—and the research reflects the consequences of that neglect.”
He added, “Revival and national spiritual renewal are possible, but neither will happen without commitment to worldview development.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Who was St Piran and why is he the patron saint of Cornwall?]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/who-was-st-piran-and-why-is-he-the-patron-saint-of-cornwall</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/who-was-st-piran-and-why-is-he-the-patron-saint-of-cornwall</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Neil Rees]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Cornwall]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[5 March is St Piran’s Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Cornwall. But who was St Piran, and what do we know about him? This is the story.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
5 March is St Piran’s Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Cornwall. But who was St Piran, and what do we know about him? This is the story.
Piran in Cornwall
Piran, historically spelt Perran, is said to have been born in Ireland during the fifth or sixth century. He was a holy man who is credited with bringing Christianity to Cornwall, soon after the Romans left Britain. One story relates that he was a disciple of St Patrick, but fell out with a king in Ireland and went into exile.
According to an unlikely legend, he was bound to a millstone and cast into the stormy sea from an Irish cliff, but miraculously floated to Cornwall’s north coast. Others say he came by coracle from south Wales.
Whichever way he arrived, he settled on the beach near what was later called Perranporth, on the north coast of Cornwall, just south-west of Newquay, where he built a small hermitage. At first, it was said that his earliest followers were wild animals. Soon, people came from far and wide to hear him preach, and a monastic community developed, known as Lanpiran.
During his lifetime and afterwards, Piran and his disciples took the gospel across Cornwall. According to one tradition, Piran was martyred, while others say he died of old age. Piran was never formally canonised, but he is known as St Piran, and the anniversary of his death on 5 March has been kept as his saint’s day since ancient times.
Land of Saints
As a result of this evangelisation, Cornwall became known as the “Land of Saints”, and there are over a hundred Celtic saints of Cornish origin. They took the gospel up-country into Devon and across the sea to Brittany. Evidence of their presence is found in the stone crosses and churches scattered across the countryside. Many of these saints have places named after them, such as St Austell, St Ives, St Just, St Buryan, and St Neot. St Piran himself is remembered in the many Cornish place names in west Cornwall that include “Perran”.
Pilgrimages
A chapel on the site of Piran’s hermitage was used for centuries, until it was lost to the sands. A larger church was built a few hundred yards inland, to which St Piran’s relics were moved — perhaps reminding us of Jesus’s parable of building on sand (Matthew 7:24–27). Before the Reformation, this became one of the major pilgrimage sites in south-western England.
This church was used until 1795, when it too was lost to the sands, and the current church of St Piran at nearby Perranzabuloe was built and dedicated to St Piran in 1805.
In 2014, the original chapel, known as St Piran’s Oratory, was rediscovered and excavated by the St Piran Trust. It is one of the oldest known Christian sites in Britain. Today, people can once again make pilgrimages down to the oratory in the sand dunes at Perranporth, from St Piran’s Cross, which was an ancient pilgrimage route marker.
Churches dedicated to St Piran
Places where St Piran went are perhaps suggested by ancient churches dedicated to him as their founder. As well as Perranzabuloe, the places of Perranuthnoe near Penzance and Perranarworthal near Truro in west Cornwall are named after St Piran, and their parish churches are dedicated to him. There is also a historic chapel dedicated to St Piran at Trethevy, near Tintagel.
There were also holy wells named after him. There are two places called Perranwell - one near Perranzabuloe and one near Perranarworthal - and another holy well at Trethevy.
There was once an ancient church dedicated to St Piran in Cardiff, in south Wales. It was later demolished, and Duke Street Arcade near Cardiff Castle was built on the site in 1902.
Brittany
Historically, Cornwall had strong links with Brittany, and the Cornish (Kernewek) and Breton (Brezhoneg) languages are both Celtic and share a high degree of similarity. Many Cornish saints took the gospel across to Brittany. St Piran is also remembered there, where he is known as Saint-Péran in French. In Lower Brittany, at Trézilidé (Trezelide), the parish church (Église de Saint-Péran) is dedicated to him. In Upper Brittany, there is the town of Saint-Péran, named after a former local priory and abbey dedicated to the saint.
Patron saint of tin miners
Cornwall was long known for tin mining and exported tin all over the world. The tin mining industry is believed to date back thousands of years, with tin traded with ancient Phoenicia even before the Romans arrived. A legend associated with St Piran is that he rediscovered tin smelting. The story goes that he used a large black slab of Cornish rock as his hearthstone. As his fire blazed, a vein of silver-white tin oozed out and formed a white cross on the black background. This became his emblem, known as St Piran’s Cross, and St Piran became regarded as the patron saint of tin miners. Over time, he also became a symbol of Cornwall and, since the twelfth century, has been considered its patron saint.
St Piran’s Flag
The patron saints St George, St Andrew, and St Patrick each have their own crosses, which were used as flags and later combined to make the flag of the United Kingdom. With their own Celtic past and language, many Cornish people consider themselves to have a distinct national identity, and in 2014 the Cornish were granted official ethnic minority status. Since at least the early nineteenth century, the white cross on a black background, known as St Piran’s Cross, has been used as the flag of Cornwall. It can be seen flying from public buildings and displayed on cars.
St Piran’s Day
Although saints’ days were abolished at the Reformation, St Piran’s Day was often still given as a day off for tin miners and became a national day for Cornish communities, both within and beyond Cornwall. Today, St Piran’s Day is marked with processions, in which people parade banners and flags. Many community events, concerts, and cultural activities are held across Cornwall, and these celebrations have grown increasingly popular over the years.
In 2011, the Bishop of Truro instigated an award called the “Cross of St Piran”, made from Cornish silver. It is given in recognition of the selfless work of lay people in the diocese. Each year, on or around St Piran’s Day, it is awarded by the bishop during a ceremony in St Piran’s Church in Perranzabuloe.
Legacy
Evidence of Cornwall’s long Christian heritage can be seen throughout the county in its standing Celtic crosses, parish churches, nonconformist chapels, and the many flags bearing St Piran’s Cross that are flown around Cornwall, especially on St Piran’s Day.
Collect
There is an Anglican collect prayer for St Piran’s Day. In the Cornish language it is:
“A Dhuw, neb a dhanvonas dha servyas Peran dhe lavurya yn Kernow rag dha wlaskor:Gront dhyn yn truedhek may lavurryn yn lel ragos jy avel kesoberoryon gans dha Vab Yesu Krist;neb a vyw ha reynya genes jy yn unses an Spyrys Sans, unn Duw, trank heb worfen. Amen.”
Or in English:
“O God, who sent your servant Piran to work in Cornwall for your kingdom: mercifully grant that we may faithfully labour for you as fellow-workers of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Great British Bake Off champion gifts cake to Archbishop of Canterbury]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/great-british-bake-off-champion-gifts-cake-to-archbishop-of-canterbury</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/great-british-bake-off-champion-gifts-cake-to-archbishop-of-canterbury</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/86/98658.jpeg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Jasmine Mitchell]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Lambeth Palace) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Jasmine Mitchell with her specially designed cake. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 05:11:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Archbishop of Canterbury has been presented with a commemorative cake by a recent winner of The Great British Bake Off.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Archbishop of Canterbury has been presented with a commemorative cake by a recent winner of The Great British Bake Off.
Jasmine Mitchell, who won the Channel 4 baking competition in November, visited Lambeth Palace over the weekend to present a specially designed fig, honey and almond cake to Archbishop Sarah Mullally ahead of her installation at Canterbury Cathedral on March 25.
According to Lambeth Palace, the cake was created using honey sourced from the palace garden’s beehives while figs were chosen to represent the historic fig tree rooted in the Lambeth estate since 1556.
Olive branches were used in the decoration to signify peace and healing, finished with a scallop shell delicately iced along the edge - a traditional emblem of pilgrimage routes and a reference to Archbishop Mullally’s passion for walking and pilgrim journeys.
During the visit, the pair discussed their common Christian faith and backgrounds in the NHS - Ms Mitchell is currently training to become a doctor.
The cake was donated to The Passage, a London charity whose objective is to eliminate homelessness, and to healthcare professionals working in Evelina London’s paediatric intensive care unit, Lambeth Palace reported.
Archbishop Sarah thanked Mitchell for what she described as a “thoughtful” and creative gift, noting the Church of England’s fondness for “tea and cake”.
The gift comes at a significant moment for Archbishop Mullally, who recently became the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first woman to hold the office in its history.
She was formally confirmed in the role at a legal ceremony known as the Confirmation of Election, held at St Paul’s Cathedral on 28 January.
The service, which made her legally Archbishop of Canterbury, included the taking up of the Primatial Cross, symbolising both Christ and the Primate’s authority.
The Archbishop has described her appointment as “an extraordinary and humbling privilege” and pledged to guide the Church with “calmness, consistency and compassion.” She has also spoken of her commitment to safeguarding and justice.
Her appointment follows a prolonged vacancy in the See of Canterbury after her predecessor, Justin Welby, stepped down in the wake of the John Smyth scandal.
She takes up the role amid ongoing debate within the Anglican Communion over theology and safeguarding, and has already drawn examination scrutiny over her handling of previous safeguarding matters from her tenure as Bishop of London, although ultimately it was decided that no further action needed to be taken. 
Speaking to the BBC alongside her confirmation, she acknowledged that it was proper for her record to be reviewed and reiterated her commitment to independent safeguarding processes.
The next milestone will be her installation at Canterbury Cathedral on March 25 - the Feast of the Annunciation - which marks the official beginning of her public ministry both nationally in the Church England and internationally within the wider Anglican Communion.
During the ceremony, she will be seated on the Cathedral Chair, also known as Cathedra, as Bishop of the See of Canterbury - the most ancient diocese in the Church of England - and on the Chair of St Augustine as Primate of All England.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[How Greenland got the Bible]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/how-greenland-got-the-bible</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/how-greenland-got-the-bible</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Neil Rees]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Nuuk, Greenland]]></media:title>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:21:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Greenland has been in the news recently. Despite a Christian presence for a thousand years, Greenland has only had the whole Bible since 1900. This is the story …]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Greenland has been in the news recently. Despite a Christian presence for a thousand years, Greenland has only had the whole Bible since 1900. This is the story …
Greenland
Greenland is a large island at the top of the Atlantic Ocean. The northern part lies within the Arctic Circle, and the southern tip is in the Atlantic Ocean. It lies between Baffin Island in Canada and Iceland.
The native language of Greenland is known in English simply as Greenlandic, but is called “Kalaallisut” by its own speakers. Greenlandic is an Inuit language (formerly known as Eskimo). It is linguistically related to other languages spoken by the Inuit peoples across the Arctic north, from the Canadian coasts of Labrador, northern Quebec, and Baffin Island, west to Alaska and into Siberia.
Norse Settlement
From the year 986, parts of the coast of Greenland were settled by people (often called Vikings) from Iceland and Norway. They came in large longboats led by Erik the Red, as recalled in sagas. They called the country Greenland to entice settlers and were converted to Christianity about the year 1000.
From Greenland, some Norse went on to explore North America, and remains have been found in northern parts of Canada, which was likely the first Christian presence on the American continent. A cathedral was built in Greenland in 1126. Slowly, contact was lost between them and the rest of the Norse world.
Hans Egede, Apostle to Greenland
Meanwhile, in the Lofoten Islands of northern Norway, Lutheran pastor Rev Hans Poulsen Egede (1686–1758) grew up hearing rumours and stories about the old Norse settlements in Greenland. People discussed whether they were still Catholic and had missed the Reformation, or if they had lost their faith altogether. Egede was determined to find out and bring them into the Lutheran Church.
From 1711, Egede sought permission from King Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway to lead a quest to find the lost colony and establish a Christian mission there. King Frederick IV gave consent and re-established the old colonial claim to the island of Greenland. Egede formed “Det Bergen Grønlandske Compagnie” (Bergen Greenland Company) with investment from merchants, the king, and a missions college.
The Greenland Company was awarded broad powers to govern. Ships left in 1721 with Egede, his wife, and four children, along with forty prospective colonists. They established a town they called Godthåb (Good Hope) and spent months exploring different areas. They found no living Norse settlements, but they did find some remains of where they had been. What Egede did not know, but what we now know through archaeology, was that the Norse settlements had died out around the mid-1400s. The ruins of an ancient church can be seen at Hvalsey, and the remains of the cathedral at Garðar were found in 1926.
Instead, Egede encountered the Inuit communities. He stayed in Greenland and changed the aim of his mission to evangelising the Inuit Greenlanders, reintroducing Christianity to Greenland after a gap of about three centuries. He learnt the local language and, in about 1730, reduced it to writing using a writing system based on Danish. He translated parts of Scripture for them, starting with the Psalms and the Pauline Epistles. He created a dictionary in 1750 and a grammar in 1760. He became known as the “Apostle to Greenland”.
Poul Egede and the New Testament
Hans Egede’s son, Poul Egede, grew up in Greenland among the local people and was fluent in the language. The Gospels were printed in Copenhagen in 1744, revised and printed with Acts in 1758. The complete Greenlandic New Testament was printed as “Testamente nutak” in 1766. From 1733, the gospel spread largely through Moravian missions, which spread across the island. Poul Egede also produced an edition of the metrical Psalms, which was published in 1788.
Danish Bible Society
A second translation was produced by Otto Fabricius, a Danish missionary, who produced a new and better Greenlandic New Testament in 1794. The first edition was destroyed in the Great Fire of Copenhagen in 1795, and a reprint was published in 1799. Later, Niels Giessing Wolf revised Fabricius’s New Testament on behalf of the Danish Bible Society. The revised New Testament was published in 1827.
Kleinschmidt Bible
A Moravian missionary, Johan Conrad (known as Samuel) Kleinschmidt, who was born in Greenland in 1814 and spoke German, Danish, and Greenlandic, worked on translating the New Testament into Greenlandic from the German Lutheran version. In 1822, this was published by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS). He created a grammar in 1845 and worked on the Old Testament. Later, a Moravian missionary called Valentine Müller revised this 1822 New Testament, which was printed by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) in 1851.
Samuel Kleinschmidt died in 1886, and the translation work was completed after his death by H. F. Jörgensen, Chr. Rasmussen, and J. Kjer. The revised New Testament was published in 1893, and the Old Testament was completed at the end of the decade. The Old Testament was combined with the 1893 version of the New Testament to create the first full Bible in Greenlandic. It was published in Copenhagen by the Danish government in 1900 and became known as the “Kleinschmidt Bible”. It shaped Greenlandic Christian vocabulary and spirituality for generations, becoming the standard church Bible well into the twentieth century. The New Testament was revised in 1936.
Politics
When Norway gained independence from Denmark in 1814, Greenland remained under Danish rule. In 1979, Greenland achieved home rule from Denmark but remains a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark, along with the Faroe Islands. In 1982, many years before Brexit, Greenland was the first country to hold a referendum to leave the European Economic Community (EEC) and left by a very narrow majority. In June 2009, the government of Greenland declared Greenlandic to be the sole official language.
New Translation 1999
In 1973, the spelling system was overhauled with an extensive orthographic reform to make it easier to learn. Work on a new translation into Greenlandic began in the 1980s, using the new orthography. A fresh translation of the Old Testament appeared in 1990. The complete modern Greenlandic Bible was published by the Danish Bible Society in 1999, after sixteen years of work. It was made available in Greenland, and it can be found online on the Danish Bible Society website.
Today, most Greenlanders consider themselves to be Christian, with the vast majority associated with the Lutheran Church of the Diocese of Greenland, which is a diocese of the Church of Denmark.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[The sacred gift of rest: why we must pause and trust God]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-sacred-gift-of-rest-why-we-must-pause-and-trust-god</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-sacred-gift-of-rest-why-we-must-pause-and-trust-god</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[life rest]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:33:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[From the very beginning, God established the rhythm of rest.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Pause. Take a deep breath.
We live in a world that glorifies relentless hard work, even to the point of exhaustion. Productivity is often equated with worth, and taking a break can feel like failure. Even as Christians, we sometimes struggle with this mindset. But today, I want to remind you why rest is not just important - it’s sacred.
What Is Rest?
The word rest, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, carries two essential ideas: “to cease” and “to depend on.”
Rest is not simply stopping work; it is also an act of trust.
God Created Rest for Us
From the very beginning, God established the rhythm of rest. After six days of creation, He rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). He didn't do this because He was weary but to set an example for us. He blessed and sanctified this day, calling it the Sabbath (Genesis 2:3).
As His children, we are called to follow in His footsteps. We should take a break from the work that we have been blessed with to recover our strength.
Hebrews 4:9-10 reminds us, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God, for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His.”
If the Almighty Creator of the universe took time to rest, why do we feel guilty for doing the same?
Rest Renews Us Spiritually
Rest is more than just physical recovery; it is a time of spiritual renewal. It allows us to be refilled and strengthened in our faith.
By stepping back, we let go of the worldly notion that everything depends on our efforts. Rest reminds us that God is in control and that we are utterly dependent on Him.
As Psalm 46:10 declares, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Jesus Offers Us True Rest
We all wrestle with inner struggles - anxiety, stress, loneliness, and even addictions. Yet, Jesus offers us a rest that is eternal, one that brings true peace.
In Matthew 11:28-30, He invites us, saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Rest in God’s Love
This discussion about rest reminds me of George Herbert’s poem, "The Pulley". In the poem, God blesses mankind with strength, beauty, wisdom, honour, and pleasure. Yet, He withholds one thing – rest  - knowing that without it, humanity would seek fulfilment in creation rather than in the Creator.
This poetic insight echoes what King David declares in Psalm 62:1, “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him.”
Rest is not laziness. Rest is obedience. Rest is renewal. Rest is trust.
When we choose to cease striving and depend on God, we align ourselves with His perfect design. We embrace the peace, strength, and comfort He longs to give us.
So today, take a deep breath. Pause. And rest in Him.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[BBC presenter becomes Christian after daughter's mental health crisis]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/bbc-presenter-becomes-christian-after-daughter-s-mental-health-crisis</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/bbc-presenter-becomes-christian-after-daughter-s-mental-health-crisis</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Samantha Kamman]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[David Harper]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: David Harper) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ BBC TV antiques presenter David Harper ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Television personality David Harper considered himself agnostic when he started investigating Christianity after his daughter became a Christian and overcame debilitating depression.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Television personality David Harper considered himself agnostic when he started investigating Christianity after his daughter became a Christian and overcame debilitating depression.
Raised in a non-religious household, Harper was born into a family he describes as having “high morals" rooted in secularism and shaped by a culture that often portrayed faith as intellectually weak. 
“God never played a part,” Harper told The Christian Post about his early life.
What started as a research project examining the evidence for God culminated in Harper falling to his knees one day and fully accepting Jesus. 
Best known for his work as an antiques presenter for the British Broadcasting Corporation, Harper became a Christian last year, and his new book, The God Conundrum, chronicles his 11-month investigation into the historical and scientific evidence for God's existence.
“In the beginning, I wasn’t intending to write a book at all,” Harper stated. “But then, about three or four months into my private research project, I realized I was writing a book.” 
'There’s nothing we can do for you'
Harper's spiritual journey began after his daughter, Hetti, embraced Christianity and underwent a dramatic spiritual transformation. Hetti, who is now 30, became “exceptionally depressed,” particularly after she left home around the age of 20 and moved to London.
For years, Harper said his daughter struggled with mental health and self-harm. And although she tried taking antidepressants and attending therapy sessions, she continued to sink into despair. 
“Nothing worked for her,” Harper recalled. “And she was effectively told, not in so many words, ‘There’s nothing we can do for you.’ And it was advised that she look for something spiritual.” 
The father felt uncertain about how to help his daughter, but he was encouraged when Hetti told him she was going to church and was considering becoming a Christian.
While Harper did not consider himself a believer at the time, he was glad to see his daughter pursue a path that seemed to make her happy. 
“And I watched and monitored her for 15 months, and the changes in that girl were mind-boggling,” the author said. “I heard her laugh and giggle, and I remember thinking, 'I didn't think I'd ever hear that again in my life.'”
'Leaning towards Jesus'
After she accepted Christ, the father said he noticed a joy burning brightly in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Her physical health improved, and her chronic pain gradually subsided.
“And for the 15 months that I was watching her, I now know I was leaning towards Jesus myself,” the author said. “I think He was knocking. Things were happening.” 
During the 2024 Christmas season, the observant father decided to investigate his questions about Christianity after a visit with his daughter, in which they attended church and discussed Jesus. Something had sparked a change within his daughter, the father reasoned, and he wanted to learn more. 
Harper said he sat down one afternoon intending to spend a few hours researching what he initially thought was a simple query: “What is it about Christianity that transforms people?” 
“I thought I’d find the answer in a few hours before tea time. Then I was just engrossed,” he said. “This journey began then and continued without stopping, seven days a week, for 11 months."
For months, Harper studied arguments for the existence of God, scrutinized evolutionary theory and examined historical claims surrounding the resurrection of Jesus. 
Writing the section of the book about Jesus and the resurrection took him six weeks, the author recalled. In working on this part of the book, Harper came to what he described as an “academic” and “intellectual” decision to accept the existence of a creator and the truth of the resurrection.
“If the resurrection was true, then everything is true. And I thought, if the resurrection is true, then Jesus is God,” he reasoned. “And so, I looked at all of the investigations and 2,000 years' worth of the best claims against it, and nobody has been able to debunk it.” 
Even after he accepted the intellectual arguments for Christianity and acknowledged the resurrection of Jesus as a historical fact, Harper sensed that something was still missing.
Gradually becoming a Christian
“I didn’t have what I would later describe as the 18-inch drop — the thought process in your brain that something is right, that something is true,” he said. “I didn't feel it in my body, in my soul, in my heart.” 
As he started experiencing intense emotions — sometimes feeling waves of joy or anguish that he couldn’t explain — Harper realized that he was gradually becoming a Christian. The idea caused him to suffer panic attacks, as he feared ridicule from his colleagues or family members. 
Despite his doubts, the author found that he couldn’t erase Jesus from his mind. A turning point came when he recalled a video of Christian apologist John Lennox discussing a formerly depressed student whose life was changed by Christ. The story about Lennox’s student reminded Harper of his daughter and the way Christianity had impacted her life.
“The memory of that video hit me like a steam train,” the born-again Christian said. “Because I realized, even though I had amassed all of this evidence, the real evidence that Christianity is true is the transformation in the soul of a person.” 
He realized that the answer had been “staring him in the face” for months, years even, but he had just overlooked it. 
“It was at that moment that I realized: It was Jesus Christ who had literally saved my daughter’s life,” the Christian author stated. “I just fell to my knees and realized, at that moment, it was Him — it was Jesus.” 
Harper said his wife, who had always identified as a Christian but wasn’t super devout, has grown closer to God since her husband’s conversion. But not all reactions to the author’s conversion have been warm. 
Some of his colleagues will refuse to engage with him on the topic, while others have accused him of “Bible-bashing” when he’s attempted to discuss the evidence for a creator. Harper said that his newfound faith doesn’t appear to have resulted in any major professional consequences, but twice, he has had directors advise him to “calm down” references to Christianity during television appearances.
Still, he insists he would rather endure pushback than return to the person he was before, who did not truly know God. 
“I had to pretend to be confident most of the time with my TV work when, under the surface, I was not feeling so confident and not feeling very happy,” the BBC TV antiques presenter explained. 
Faith, he says, has smoothed his life. He now looks at nature and sees an intentional design rather than an accident. He also no longer fears death, as he believes in the promise of an afterlife. 
“It’s not that I want to die. I want to live as long as I can,” Harper said. “So I think I’ve been given a job. I really feel that my job now is to tell people about the truth that is there, and it’s very simple to understand, but I’m not afraid of the day that we will all face.
“Because I really believe that day is something which is wonderful,” he added. “And so that fills you with joy.”
As for the book’s target audience, Harper hopes that fellow believers will find it useful and learn things they didn’t know about the life of Jesus and other topics. 
“But I suppose initially, when I realized I was writing a book, it was for people like me — confused, distressed about life generally, not knowing what the purpose and the meaning of life was, always searching for answers,” Harper said. 
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[How faith and boxing are helping young people choose a different path]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/how-faith-and-boxing-are-helping-young-people-choose-a-different-path</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/how-faith-and-boxing-are-helping-young-people-choose-a-different-path</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Duncan Williams]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Christian Boxing Alliance]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Christian Boxing Alliance) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:29:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[ Darrel McLeish says his life was transformed through boxing and Christianity. ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
New figures show that London recorded its lowest number of homicides in more than a decade last year, with 97 people killed in the capital, down from 109 the previous year. Teenage homicide has also fallen to its joint lowest level in almost 30 years, with just eight teenage victims recorded in 2025 - a 73 per cent reduction since 2021. 
While police credit tougher enforcement and new technology for part of this progress, churches and community groups working on the ground argue that lasting change comes through prevention, mentoring, and hope.
One such initiative is the Christian Boxing Alliance, a South London-based programme that uses boxing as a tool to steer young people away from violence and towards discipline, purpose, and faith, reports Premier Christian News.
Christian Today highlighted a similar boxing mission taking place in Exeter last year, where recovering addicts and people seeking to overcome anger issues found support and a pathway to change.
The capital’s Christian Boxing Alliance is led by Darrel McLeish, a man whose own life was transformed through boxing and Christianity. He explained how the sport helped him redirect anger that might otherwise have led him down a destructive path. 
“Boxing helped me get on top of my aggression and find Christ. You don’t need weapons. You deal with it in the ring, you shake hands at the end, and it’s done. It humbles you very quickly and teaches discipline, control, and respect," he told Premier.
McLeish added: “God has done good things in my life, and I want to show the young people that He can do the same for them.”
Since its launch, the Christian Boxing Alliance has worked with more than 150 young people, many of whom have grown up surrounded by the threat of knife crime. Among them is 21-year-old Nathan Varlet, who described how violence was a constant presence in his community.
“From a very early age, you’d hear it about a lot… local teenagers got stabbed,” he said.
Varlet believes boxing taught him something vital that many young people struggle with - emotional control.
“The moment you act out of emotion, that’s when you lose all sense of technique,” he explained. “In real life, a lot of people act on how they feel in that moment and later regret it.”
He added: “If they could manage that emotion at the time, it could have saved them their whole life.”
Beyond the physical training, Varlet said the supportive atmosphere of the club made a lasting difference. After years of low self-esteem, he found encouragement and confidence through the programme, describing it as a place where “there’s always someone to talk to”.
The impact of the Christian Boxing Alliance has also been recognised by figures from the wider boxing and Christian communities. Former professional boxer, TV pundit and Christian Gary Logan believes initiatives like this play a meaningful role in reducing violence.
“There’s no coincidence that the levels of violence have dropped because they now have that outlet,” he told Premier. “They’re learning discipline, gaining self-esteem, and that confidence radiates towards others in their group.”
The work of the Alliance reflects a broader movement of church-led outreach across London. Programmes such as Operation Forgiveness, run by London City Mission, focus on engaging young people who may have little or no connection with church.
Efrem Buckle, deputy director of thought leadership and training at London City Mission, said: “Often, 95% of young people don’t have connection with church. We meet them where they are, on their terms, with a message that’s accessible.”
He added: “The more salty an influence we have in the city, the more we can expect to see change… God is able to work through us and through our prayers in ways that would see those numbers come down further still.”
In recognition of its work, the Christian Boxing Alliance was nominated last year for the Cinnamon Incubator project, which highlights church-led initiatives tackling social challenges in local communities.
Looking ahead, McLeish hopes the project can expand and continue its mission. 
“My hope is to grow the Alliance across the country,” he said, “to give young people in every city the same opportunity I had to channel aggression, learn discipline, and encounter Christ.” 
Find out more here: https://christianboxingalliance.co.uk/]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Churches need to support marriage, says Les Isaac ]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/churches-need-to-support-marriage-says-les-isaac</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/churches-need-to-support-marriage-says-les-isaac</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anita Laryea]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[wedding, marriage]]></media:title>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Street Pastors founder said that Christian marriages are in need of serious help and repair.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Street Pastors founder Rev Les Isaac and his wife Louise have been married for 45 years, and have what he would describe as a “good” marriage”, even if it’s “not perfect”. 
Speaking at an online event hosted by Keep the Faith magazine, he recalled how “tough” the first three years of marriage were, but says they have learnt a lot over the years and are passionate to support and encourage other married couples with their own wisdom and insight, describing this as their “motivation and ministry”. 
Furthermore, they are passionate about encouraging and equipping churches to strengthen marriages, noting that even Christian couples struggle. 
“Some years ago Louise coined this phrase: ‘The length of a marriage is not evidence of the health of the marriage,’” he said. 
He continued, “Lots of marriages in the church and Christian marriage behind closed doors need some serious help and repair, which the Church is not responding to.”
Louise Isaac touched on how important it was to recognise the “spiritual context of marriage”, highlighting the enemy’s tendency to target anything God has labelled ‘good’.  
She recalled an interesting conversation with a non-Christian friend: “A friend of mine some years ago said to me I love my partner but I will never marry him. As I asked why, she said her observation is that when her friends are living with their partners, they’re fine. The minute they get married something changes and there is friction and conflict at a far greater degree than there was before.”
She continued: “I think what this non-Christian woman was identifying was a spiritual dynamic that affects marriage.”
Louise Isaac said that the Church’s first response must be prayer and she asked the online audience if prayer for marriage was “consistently on their church’s agenda”.
Continuing on, she said that the Church needs to be “intentional” in how it supports relationships and invests in couples through marriage ministry. 
In support of this, Rev Isaac, who received an OBE in 2012, urged church leaders to be honest with their congregations when talking about relationships, and take time to check in with married couples before it’s too late.
“Sometimes we're struggling in our communication, struggling sexually, struggling financially. All these things are part of the journey. I often say to ministers that we only get to know there are problems in the marriage when they have gone to the solicitors to file for divorce,” he said. 
He went on to observe that there is a tendency for congregations to believe that pastors and church leaders do not face obstacles within their own marriages, fostered by a “culture of silence” within the Church. Honesty from leaders about relationship issues will encourage church members to confide in them about their marital struggles, he believes.
“I believe there should be a relationship teaching series on a Sunday morning for everyone. I think the Church should have a series on family relationships and really bring up that biblical perspective of what a good relationship looks like,” he said.  
Louise Isaac said while the Church has “a lot to do” and “a lot of challenges”, “God's help can actually make journeying easier if we tap into what God is saying but also tap into where people are at and where they need to be.”
Rev Isaac was enthusiastic about how the Church can support marriages, especially if pastors learn to tap into the resources at their fingertips - the very people in their congregations. 
“We are not suggesting that the pastors or the leadership has to do everything. We have a lot of skilled,  gifted, and educated people within the church,” he said.
He added: “One of the things that we constantly encourage the Church to do is to find these people, empower them [and] set the framework so that they can function and be a source of encouragement to people.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[How digital technology is bringing the Welsh Bible to more people]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/how-digital-technology-is-bringing-the-welsh-bible-to-more-people</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/how-digital-technology-is-bringing-the-welsh-bible-to-more-people</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Neil Rees]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/86/98648.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Welsh Bible]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Cymdeithas y Beibl) ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:03:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The digital age is making the Welsh Bible even more accessible.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
1 March is St David’s Day, the national day of Wales. Ever since the time of St David, the Welsh have engaged with the Bible, and this continues into the digital age. This is the story …
Background
At the time of Dewi Sant (St David), in the sixth century, the Bible was only available in western Europe in Latin. Copies were kept in beautiful, hand-illustrated manuscripts in monasteries. Unless you were a monk or a priest, the vast majority of people had to engage with Scripture through sermons, plays, wall paintings, and communal ritual. Wales became very Christian and sent out missionaries across the Celtic world. What is amazing is that they did all this without the Bible in their own language.
The First Welsh Bible
In 1563, there was an Act of Parliament, under Queen Elizabeth I, which required the bishops of Welsh-speaking dioceses to ensure that the Bible was translated into the “British or Welsh tongue”, with a copy to be placed in every parish church. The New Testament was first published in the Welsh language in 1567, and the whole Bible in 1588. These first Bibles were literally chained in parish churches.
Modern Translation
In 1988, four hundred years after the first full Welsh Bible, a modern version of the Bible was produced, called Y Beibl Cymraeg Newydd (the New Welsh Bible). This became the most widely used Welsh-language Bible. In 2004, this Bible was revised as Y Beibl Cymraeg Newydd Diwygiedig (the Revised New Welsh Bible), which is the edition used today.
beibl.net
In Welsh, there is a substantial difference between the literary language and the spoken, colloquial language. There is in English too, but it is greater in Welsh. As a result, a charity called Gobaith i Gymru (Hope for Wales) began to translate the Bible from the original Greek and Hebrew into everyday spoken Welsh. It was intended for young people, for those not used to literary forms, for people not brought up in church culture, and for new learners. The translation process used the latest Bible software and was put online on a website called https://beibl.net/. Having it online enabled the text to be dynamically updated after reviewing feedback.
In 2002, Y Testament Newydd (the New Testament) was completed, and in 2013 Y Hen Destament (the Old Testament) was added to complete the Bible. The new translation came to be known by the name of the website, “beibl.net”. It was one of the first Bible translations in the world to be published online before it was published on paper, which did not happen until it was printed by the Bible Society in 2015.
ap Beibl
In 2015, the Bible Society decided to launch a mobile phone app for the Welsh Bible, based on technology developed by the American Bible Society. Working with Gobaith i Gymru, an app called ap Beibl was launched at the Eisteddfod in August 2015. The name was a bit of a pun because, in Welsh, “ap” is the spelling of “app”, but it also means “son of”.
These days there are thousands of Bible apps, but in 2015 there were not many, and Welsh was one of the first languages to have its own Bible app. You can download the Welsh Bible app for free from any app store by searching for “ap Beibl” or “Welsh Bible”.
Digitisation Project
In 2017, for the 450th anniversary of the 1567 Welsh New Testament, it was decided to digitise the original and put it online. This was the start of a digitisation project to make historic translations of the Bible available.
One concern in Wales was that many Welsh-speaking Bible students and pastors felt they needed to refer to English Bibles, because there was a greater range of versions, study notes, and resources available in English than in Welsh. However, many translations and study notes in Welsh had been produced in the past. The problem was that these resources were sitting in archives, libraries, and collections. It was not that these materials did not exist; the issue was that they were not easily accessible in the way their English equivalents were.
To address this problem, Gobaith i Gymru and the Bible Society created a project to catalogue, locate, and digitise Welsh translations, and to add them to ap Beibl and its parallel website, https://cymraeg.global.bible/. The digitisation was carried out by volunteers, including many from MissionAssist. From the three original items on the app in 2015, there are now about forty items. These cover the whole Bible, editions of the New Testament, Gospels, portions, selections, and many psalters.
YouVersion
In July 2008, a new pioneering app called YouVersion was launched, which is now the world’s most downloaded Bible app. Not long after its launch, William Morgan’s Welsh Bible was added in 2011. Beibl Cymraeg Newydd Diwygiedig was added in 2012, and beibl.net in 2015.
Soon, the interface language was translated into Welsh, so users did not need to access YouVersion via English to read Welsh. More items in Welsh are added online as they are digitised. There are now so many Welsh items on YouVersion that it is the language with the second-highest number of items; only English has more. This reflects the deep Christian heritage of Wales, where many people have translated parts of the Bible, as well as a concerted effort to catalogue and digitise them.
You can access the Welsh Bible on YouVersion by changing the language to “Cymraeg” or “Welsh” in the language list.
Audio
Listening to podcasts and audiobooks is becoming increasingly popular. In 2010, the New Testament of Y Beibl Cymraeg Newydd Diwygiedig was recorded for the Bible Society by Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH). This was put online with the text in 2017. William Morgan’s Bible was recorded by Cymdeithas Darllen Pethau Da and added in 2019.
In the same year, Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg (Union of Welsh Independents) started a project to record beibl.net read by people with different Welsh-speaking accents. There are now eleven New Testament books available in audio online.
Whether you are using YouVersion or ap Beibl, the text and audio are synchronised when you play the audio, and the app highlights the text being read.
Digital Lectionary
In 1567, when the New Testament was published in Welsh, the Prayer Book and the Psalter were also published. Ever since, the Church in Wales, part of the Anglican Communion, has had a tradition of reading the Bible in Welsh using the lectionary. Using the lectionary, readings are assigned to each day according to the Church calendar. These form the basis of Sunday readings and sermons, so that over time the full range of the Bible is engaged with.
The Church in Wales has an active bilingual policy, allowing people to access services in English, Welsh, or both. It began a project to make the lectionary available online via a website. The site is calendar-driven and shows the relevant verses, which pop up when you click on a reference and can be pasted into a service sheet.
In November 2024, the Church in Wales launched its Llithiadur Digidol (Digital Lectionary) to bring the lectionary into the digital age. You can access it at https://lectionary.churchinwales.org.uk/ and select English or Cymraeg. It can also be turned into a Progressive Web App on a smartphone.
Accessing the Welsh Bible
The story of the Welsh Bible in the digital age is the story of a language and a people seeking to keep both their language and their Bible relevant. Embracing the digital age has been particularly important for younger readers, many of whom prefer to encounter the Bible in audio form or on a screen rather than in a leather-bound volume.
The result is that the Welsh Bible is being actively used in forms that reflect the digital habits of a new generation of Welsh speakers, wherever they may be - in Wales, London, or Patagonia.]]></content:encoded>
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