The leader of Early Rain Church in Sichuan province in China has been detained since 9th December 2018, when he was taken with his wife Jiang Rong, who has since been released. 

He predicted his imprisonment, writing in a letter in September 2018 about his willingness to die for the gospel. 

Pastor Wang Yi’s lawyer hasn’t been allowed to see him since his detention. 

A message issued by the lawyer confirmed that Pastor Wang had been charged with ‘inciting subversion’ and the new charge of ‘illegal business activity.’

He was detained along with over 100 other members of Early Rain Covenant Church, many of whom have since been released on bail but the pastor and several others remain in detention for now more than seven months.

Religious freedom charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide report that those who have been released continue to report their ongoing harassment from police and landlords who are under pressure from authorities.

On a Facebook page following the church’s story, a post was written including a prayer: “Lord, this heavy burden has been weighing on us for more than seven months. May you protect and bless the pastor and elders who are still behind bars.

“Continue to guide your servants as they fight the good fight for the sake of the Faith. Thank you, too, for leading a few dozen brothers and sisters to take turns fasting and praying for…

The Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, who chaired the review, said he hopes it will now become a significant catalyst for change. 

Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan told the House of Commons that the Government had decided to accept every recommendation in full and outlined how they would take them forward. Sir Alan also said that a bold, whole-government response was needed.

Bishop Philip said: “I am of course very pleased to hear that the Government has decided to accept all of the recommendations in full, and delighted that Sir Alan has formally recognised the need for a response across the rest of Government.

“Our review was restricted to looking at the support from the FCO, but there was a feeling from the outset that this needs a cross-governmental approach, as this crucial issue traverses many boundaries and is not something that can be neatly compartmentalised.

“Accepting the recommendations in full is a measure of how seriously the Government is taking this issue and, I hope, a recognition at the highest level that Freedom of Religion or Belief is a fundamental human right – and one that is inextricably interconnected with other basic human rights, as well as issues such as security. For wherever we see this right compromised we can be confident there are other, darker forces at work.

“I hope that over the coming months and years the…

We Need To Talk About Race: Understanding The Black Experience in White Majority Churches by pastor Ben Lindsay, is a challenge to the church to not accept past or current racism. 

This week, the publishers of the book, SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge) received a number of comments regarding the likeness of Ben Lindsay’s book to Reni Eddo-Lodge’s book, Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race.

Both have a similar white and black design, with near identical font and structure of the words, with Eddo-Lodge calling it ‘disappointingly derivative’

I’m sure that Ben Lindsay’s book makes a lot of relevant points about racism in the church, but the cover art and concept are both heavily influenced by Reni Eddo-Lodge. This public conversation about race must deal with why Black women’s work is so often uncredited and copied. pic.twitter.com/PFQ9aq4ZJP

— Sister Outrider (@ClaireShrugged) July 18, 2019

Ben Lindsay is the lead pastor at Emmanuel New Cross church in South East London and posted a link to SPCK’s decision to change the cover on his Twitter page on Friday. 

Sam Richardson, Chief Executive of SPCK said: “SPCK has decided to withdraw the current printing of ‘We Need to Talk About Race’ following discussion with its author Ben Lindsay, and to reprint the book with a different cover. It is now clear that our cover design…

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, he explained what his faith was like growing up: “Everything was liturgical and in cassocks and Latin and ‘You’re in trouble because you’re late’. It was distant and cold and gave a false impression that God is distant and cold. 

“And for me, it has been a lifetimes’ journey that is still continuing of unravelling religion from faith. The heart of Christ’s message was about freedom and fun and light and love and forgiveness and risk-taking – always messy. But my experience as a child was of it being too neat”. 

He also described his friendship with HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton) leader Nicky Gumbel, who started the evangelistic course alpha, of which Bear Grylls is now an ambassador. 

“I do go to HTB a few times during the year, but mainly to have lunch with Nicky before or after. I don’t feel I have ever been a fully fledged member of any church. Having said that, I have observed his church from the sidelines for 20 years and I think he runs an outward-facing, lovely church, full of love and acceptance.”

“Nicky’s leadership is rooted in humility. You see some church leaders and it becomes all about them, and their wealth their buildings, if you’re this or that. Nicky has never been like that.”

The adventurer was talking about his new devotional book, which it was announced he was…

The astronaut was also an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, and had asked if he could celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection over the radio.

However, NASA were wary after atheist activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair sued NASA for compromising the separation of church and state by reading the creation account in Genesis on the Apollo 8 trip a year ealier.

The event therefore wasn’t broadcast, except to the NASA team who could listen in.

Aldrin planned to take communion as close in time as possible to his church family back home in Houston and had been given a light silver cup by his pastor, Dean Woodruff.

He had also written John 15:5 on a piece of paper and described the moment in an article for Guideposts magazine in 1970:

“So I unstowed the elements in their flight packets. I put them and the scripture reading on the little table in front of the abort guidance system computer.

“Then I called back to Houston.

‘Houston, this is Eagle. This is the LM Pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to invite each person listening, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his own individual way.”

He continued: “In the radio blackout I opened the little…