“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:27-28 ESV) When I said, “I do,” to Jesus, I didn’t understand just how much it was going to cost. "Salvation was a free gift," they said. And it was true. Jesus came and set my sorry soul free then made a new creation out of me—by grace alone—but there was a cost. In fact, it turned out to be more than I was willing to pay. You see, I thought I could have salvation and be comfortable, too. I thought I could tell God He was in charge but then still hold onto veto power in certain situations. I never once would have told you these things, but I believed them far down in the depths of my deceitful heart. The truth was, I came to faith with a misunderstanding of the covenant—a permanent, irrevocable agreement—I was making with God through Christ. What He had was going to be mine, and what I had was going to be His, and as surely as I could call on Him for every need, He could call on me to let go of anything and everything.  So it began, the long road of loss on the way to the greatest imaginable gain. I had to learn to count like Paul, as he said, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). Jesus began to call me away from my idols, the things that I counted as far more significant in actual practice than the one I claimed to love most.  I remember having to “put to death” the things that I once most enjoyed, cutting them out of my life. That sounds harsh, but when something stands in the way of you and life itself—which is what Jesus is for us—the only right thing is to remove that thing from its improper place. Some of those things were inherently sinful, so they were easy enough to spot, but others were more subtle and have taken time to recognize and still today to defeat—like personal ambition.  The Word helped me on the journey—the Gospel of Matthew in particular. When Jesus was fulfilling His earthly ministry, various people thought to follow Him:  And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:19-22)  You can see that the scribe thought he was going to continue to be comfortable following Jesus, but we’re called to go wherever our Lord goes, and comfort isn’t part of the decision process. Then a disciple thought they were going to be able to follow Jesus when it was convenient, but when Jesus calls, only absolute obedience is appropriate. This is the King of kings, and He deserves our immediate and unquestioned submission.  So God guided me, helping me take steps out of my comfort zone onto the restless waves—and urging me to do hard things at inconvenient times—because He is out there in the unknown and the difficulty. He gently disciplines and purifies me now, day by day, transforming me from one degree of glory to another. I just have to be willing, open, and surrendered to the process of having my desires reshaped.  I exist for Him now. Do you? Will you?  ~ Scripture is quoted from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. - Isaiah 33:2

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Sunday, January 11, 2026Thousands attend the funeral of Bishop Eddie Long at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2017. | (Screengrab via Newbirthlive.tv)Throughout the Church's extensive history, numerous events of lasting significance have occurred.Each week marks anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births and notable deaths. Some events spanning 2,000 years of history might be familiar, while others might be unknown to many.The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events from this week in Christian history, including the death of Eddie Long, the issuing of the Altona Confession and the consecration of Pope Sisinnius.Follow Michael Gryboski on Twitter or Facebook

Christian converts Mansour Mardani-Kharaji (L) and Mahmoud Mardani-Kharaji began their prison terms day before Christmas 2025. Article 18 Two Christians in Iran sentenced to prison for their faith were locked up on Dec. 16 and 20, and a Christian woman was summoned to begin serving her five-year prison term two days before Christmas, an advocacy group stated. Nayereh Arjaneh, arrested along with her husband at their home in Garmsar on July 7, began serving her term in Semnan Prison on Dec. 23 after her conviction for “promoting deviant propaganda and teachings contrary to Islamic law” – that is, practicing and manifesting her faith, according to Iranian religious rights group Article 18. “Nayereh has been sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison; however, under Iranian law, only the most severe sentence – five years of imprisonment in this case – is enforceable,” Article 18 said in a press statement. Arjaneh was among a group of Christian converts arrested after attending a seminar in Turkey in 2025, the group noted. She was sentenced to five years of unconditional imprisonment, a fine of 165 million tomans ($1,500), two years of internal exile in Kouhbanan in Kerman Province, a 10-hour drive from her home, and a two-year travel ban, according to Article 18. Arjaneh was also sentenced to an additional five years in prison and a fine of 60 million tomans ($500) under for allegedly “providing financial and material support to groups affiliated with Zionist Christianity.” The judge of Branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Garmsar who issued the verdicts, Farshid Safdari, acquitted her of a charge of “insulting religious sanctities.” Her husband, Qasem Esmaili, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, but it has not yet been enforced due to his ongoing chemotherapy for cancer, according to Article 18. Arjaneh previously received a six-month suspended prison sentence in 2022 for her Christian activities. Christian converts in Iran are not permitted to have a place to worship, build churches or establish Christian centers, so some travel to neighboring countries to attend church services and receive Christian religious teachings, the group noted. Upon arrest, Arjaneh spent nearly 40 days in detention and was initially released on bail of 500 million tomans ($4,000). On Oct. 7, however, she was summoned for interrogation and detained for three days until bail increased to 2 billion tomans (more than $15,000) was paid. “She was then temporarily released on bail for a second time,” Article 18 reported. “During her detention, Nayereh was subjected to psychological torture, including being threatened with execution.” Brothers Imprisoned In Isfahan’s Dastgerd Prison, two brothers arrested at a Christmas gathering four years ago have begun serving their four-year sentences; Mahmoud Mardani-Kharaji on Dec. 16, and Mansour Mardani-Kharaji on Dec. 20, Article 18 reported. The Christian converts, both in their 50s, also face a two-year exile from their home province of Isfahan following their release and are banned from membership of any groups for five years. They were also fined the equivalent of about $1,500 each. They were convicted under the amended Article 500, which criminalizes “deviant propaganda activities contrary to the holy religion of Islam.” Charges against two other Christians arrested along with them, unnamed for security reasons, were dropped. Temporarily Released  Another Christian convert, Aida Najaflou, was temporarily released from Tehran’s Evin Prison on Dec. 21 over concerns of risk of paralysis after fracturing her spine falling out of her prison bunk bed, Article 18 stated. Pending the outcome of her appeal against her 17-year sentence, the 44-year-old Najaflou, was released after posting bail equivalent to more than $75,000, Article 18 noted, citing a post by her lawyer, Saeedeh Hosseinzadeh, in on X. She had raised serious concerns about Najaflou’s risk of spinal cord severance. Najaflou, mother of two children, underwent surgery after the Oct. 31 injury but was not fully recovered when she returned to prison, and her condition deteriorated. In prison since her arrest in February, she was sentenced to a total of 17 years on charges related to her Christian activities, though she will only have to serve the longest of her three sentences, which is 10 years, according to Article 18. Her case, along with those of four other – Iranian-Armenians Joseph and Lida Shahbazian and Christian converts Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and another unnamed individual – was heard by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by notorious Judge Abolqasem Salavati, Article 18 noted. Among charges against them were “acting against national security” and “propaganda against the system.” Their prison terms were issued based on their Christian beliefs and peaceful religious activities, including the establishment of house churches and holding prayer meetings and the celebration of Christmas, the group stated. Iran ranked ninth on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List (WWL) of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. The report noted that despite persecution, “the church in Iran is growing steadily.”

By Christian Daily InternationalSaturday, January 10, 2026Two Christians in Iran imprisoned for 'Zionist Christianity' activities deemed against Islam.Nayereh Arjaneh began serving a five-year prison term on Dec. 23 after her conviction.Her husband received a 3.6-year sentence, while two other Christian converts will be imprisoned for four years.An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor.Iranian flag waving with cityscape on background in Tehran, Iran | Getty images/stock photoTwo Christians in Iran sentenced to prison for their faith were locked up on Dec. 16 and 20, and a Christian woman was summoned to begin serving her five-year prison term two days before Christmas, according to an advocacy group dedicated promotion of religious freedom in Iran. Nayereh Arjaneh, arrested along with her husband at their home in Garmsar on July 7, 2025, began serving her term in Semnan Prison on Dec. 23 after her conviction for “promoting deviant propaganda and teachings contrary to Islamic law” — that is, practicing and manifesting her faith, said Article 18. In a press statement, Article 18 added that “Nayereh has been sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison; however, under Iranian law, only the most severe sentence — five years of imprisonment in this case — is enforceable.” Arjaneh was among a group of Christian converts arrested after attending a seminar in Turkey in 2025, the group noted. She was sentenced to five years of unconditional imprisonment, a fine of 165 million tomans ($1,500), two years of internal exile in Kouhbanan in Kerman Province, a 10-hour drive from her home, and a two-year travel ban, according to Article 18.Arjaneh was also sentenced to an additional five years in prison and a fine of 60 million tomans ($500) for allegedly “providing financial and material support to groups affiliated with Zionist Christianity.” However, Judge Farshid Safdari of the Branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Garmsar, who issued the verdicts, acquitted her of a charge of “insulting religious sanctities.”Her husband, Qasem Esmaili, was sentenced to 3.6 years in prison, but it has not yet been enforced due to his ongoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer, according to Article 18.Arjaneh previously received a six-month suspended prison sentence in 2022 for her Christian activities.Christian converts in Iran are not permitted to have a place to worship, build churches or establish Christian centers, so some travel to neighboring countries to attend church services and receive Christian religious teachings, the group noted.Upon arrest, Arjaneh spent nearly 40 days in detention and was initially released on bail of 500 million tomans ($4,000). On Oct. 7, 2025, however, she was summoned for interrogation and detained for three days until bail increased to 2 billion tomans (more than $15,000) was paid.“She was then temporarily released on bail for a second time,” Article 18 reported. “During her detention, Nayereh was subjected to psychological torture, including being threatened with execution.”Brothers imprisonedIn Isfahan’s Dastgerd Prison, two brothers arrested at a Christmas gathering four years ago have begun serving their four-year sentences; Mahmoud Mardani-Kharaji on Dec. 16, and Mansour Mardani-Kharaji on Dec. 20, Article 18 reported.Christian converts Mansour Mardani-Kharaji (L) and Mahmoud Mardani-Kharaji began their prison terms on Dec. 24, 2025. | Courtesy Article 18 The Christian converts, both in their 50s, also face a two-year exile from their home province of Isfahan following their release and are banned from membership in any groups for five years. They were also fined the equivalent of about $1,500 each.They were convicted under the amended Article 500, which criminalizes “deviant propaganda activities contrary to the holy religion of Islam.” Charges against two other Christians arrested along with them, unnamed for security reasons, were dropped.Temporarily released Another Christian convert, Aida Najaflou, was temporarily released from Tehran’s Evin Prison on Dec. 21 over concerns of risk of paralysis after fracturing her spine falling out of her prison bunk bed, Article 18 stated.Pending the outcome of her appeal against her 17-year sentence, the 44-year-old Najaflou was released after posting bail equivalent to more than $75,000, Article 18 noted, citing a post on X by her lawyer, Saeedeh Hosseinzadeh. She had raised serious concerns about Najaflou’s risk of spinal cord severance.Najaflou, mother of two children, underwent surgery after the Oct. 31 injury, but wasn't fully recovered when she returned to prison, and her condition deteriorated. In prison since her arrest in February, she was sentenced to 17 years on charges related to her Christian activities, though she will only have to serve the longest of her three sentences, which is 10 years, according to Article 18.Her case, along with those of four others — Iranian-Armenians Joseph and Lida Shahbazian and Christian converts Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and another unnamed individual — was heard by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by notorious Judge Abolqasem Salavati, Article 18 noted. Among charges against them were “acting against national security” and “propaganda against the system.”Their prison terms were issued based on their Christian beliefs and peaceful religious activities, including the establishment of house churches and holding prayer meetings and the celebration of Christmas, the group stated.Iran is ranked at No. 9 on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the 50 countries where are most as risk of facing discrimination and persecution. The report noted that despite persecution, “the church in Iran is growing.”This article was originally published at Christian Daily International Christian Daily International provides biblical, factual and personal news, stories and perspectives from every region, focusing on religious freedom, holistic mission and other issues relevant for the global Church today.

After missing a crucial field goal in the final moments of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop pointed probing reporters to Scripture. There’s no doubt Loop was discouraged; he immediately buried his face in his hands after the failed kick. But once he was in the locker room, he opened up about how his personal devotional time — and one passage in particular — comforted him. Listen to the latest episode of “Quick Start” “I had written down a little prayer before the game and [I was] just re-reading it,” he told sports journalists. “Faith is a big part of my life and, right now, I’m reading the book of Romans. In Romans 8, it says, ‘God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.'” The pro-athlete was referencing Romans 8:28. In that verse, the Apostle Paul spoke directly to Christians, encouraging those who have found salvation through Jesus with the promise that — for them — all things will work out for their good: “And we know that, for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (ESV). “God’s got my back, even when stuff sucks.” This is awesome to see from Ravens kicker Tyler Loop answering questions and pointing to the Lord after a tough loss Sunday night against Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/nQAPhLelky — Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) January 5, 2026 Loop added, “Just reminding myself that, ‘Hey, you know, God’s got my back even when stuff sucks.'” The rookie player also received vocal support from star running back Derrick Henry, who is also a Christian. “I feel for Tyler,” he said. “I talked to him. I told him just keep his spirits up. Deal with it tonight, and tomorrow the sun rises again. I just told him that the story after this is gonna be great for him, because God put him in this position to use him as an example to something that is adversity. And then I can’t wait to see him overcome it on the other side.” Henry continued, “I just told [Loop] to trust God’s plan. He wouldn’t put him in this position if he wasn’t strong enough to handle it. I know it’s tough right now, but I think when it’s all said and done, he’ll look back on it and appreciate the moment.” Safety Alohi Gilman also pointed Loop back to the Lord. “I’ve been through some tough losses — a couple in the playoffs,” he said. “I’ve made my own mistakes as well. You never second-guess. You prepare all you can, and you let God handle the rest. So Tyler [Loop] will be good. He’s obviously devastated right now. We just put our arms around him, and we’ll go move on from there.”

On July 29, 1954, a man prophesied the iPhone. His name was J. R. R. Tolkien. Only, he called it by a different name: the Ring of Power. Here’s how he described it (emphasis added): It would be a relief in a way not to be bothered with it any more. It has been so growing on my mind lately. Sometimes I have felt it was like an eye looking at me. And I am always wanting to put it on and disappear, don’t you know; or wondering if it is safe, and pulling it out to make sure. I tried locking it up, but I found I couldn’t rest without it in my pocket. I don’t know why. And I don’t seem able to make up my mind. When I first read this, I had chills. Then I read it again. And again. Seventy-five years ago, Tolkien diagnosed exactly what every Gen Zer (and everyone else too) has felt in the smartphone age: the weight of carrying an irresistible object that has a will to dominate. Six Ways the Smartphone Is a ‘Ring of Power’ After reading Tolkien’s quote and journeying with characters like Bilbo and Frodo who expressed eerily similar sentiments to my own, I decided to ask ChatGPT, “What are the main purposes of the Ring?” It gave six purposes. Each was an eerily accurate description of the 6.1-inch screen I was staring at. I’ve condensed ChatGPT’s answers: 1. Control. The Ring is made to reach, master, and control everything in existence. 2. Amplification. The Ring enhances the natural abilities of its wearer, corrupts humans by giving a twisted version of what they want, and serves as a mirror and magnifier for our own desires. 3. Invisibility. When worn, the Ring makes people invisible. The wearer enters a wraithlike state, and they assume they can do whatever they wish without detection. 4. Addiction. The Ring has a will of its own, aligned with its maker. It tempts and corrupts its bearer over time, driving them toward obsession and destruction. 5. Connection. The Ring creates “a spiritual tether” between the maker and the ring-bearer. This allows the maker to perceive and influence those who wear the ring. The maker can both hear and affect your every word through a piece of tech on [or in] your hand. 6. Extended life (but not true life). The Ring prolongs life unnaturally, as seen in Bilbo and especially Gollum. But it doesn’t grant peace—it withers the soul and body over time. Rings of power tend to make you more wraithlike. They make you more, well, virtual. And less human. They’re also nearly impossible to toss in the fire once they’re in our hands. As a minister, I’m constantly having conversations with high school and college men (and women) addicted to pornography. As a small group leader, I’m frequently discipling my high school seniors to learn to work and sleep instead of scroll. As a close friend, I’m often helping peers whose screens are inducing comparison and consumerism. In each of these instances, it seems the first and most obvious mitigator of sin is the brave decision to take off our rings of power. Yet still we keep our precious, precious pieces of plastic as our closest companions. It’s starting to turn us into digital wraiths. Toss Our Phones into the Fire? Jesus had a wonderful tendency to ask questions that made everyone uncomfortable (see Luke 6:46; 18:19) and to respond to questions without the “appropriate” answer that would have set everyone at ease (see John 3:4–12). While Jesus might not prescribe an anti-phone rule for every Christian, we could easily hear him saying something like “Where is your faith? Would you dare to give up your most precious item for me?” When we, abashed, respond, “So you’re asking us to throw our phones away?” it seems unlikely Jesus would simply say, “Oh no—absolutely not! That’s ridiculous!” (see Matt 19:10–12; 16–22). Instead, I wonder if he’d respond as he usually does, with a barrage of uncomfortable questions: Can a teenage girl really handle the ability to compare herself to every other person on the planet? Should a pornography addict be expected to hold a strip club in his pocket 24/7? Must an anxious mom battle with the superhuman ability to see where and how her teenager is at all times? Can the workaholic surrender his progress when it sits inches from his fingertips at every moment? What if we, the church, had the liberty to simply ask, “Should I get rid of my phone?” And what if we had pastors who actually believed that “Yes!” is a possible answer to that question? We keep our precious, precious pieces of plastic as our closest companions. It’s starting to turn us into digital wraiths. Yes, Jesus wants to heal the human heart more than he wants what my generation likes to disdainfully call “sin management.” We’re quick to say, “Getting rid of a phone can’t instantly solve someone’s lust, laziness, fear, or greed.” But we forget that “sin management” is an essential part of how humans recover from addiction. Distance from the addictive substance allows our brains to be rewired. Instead of allowing sin to manage us, we take practical steps that might enable us to “be transformed by the renewal of [our minds]” (Rom. 12:2). After all, what if obedience could mean gouging out our eyes and cutting off our hands (Matt. 5:29–30)? Escape Bondage In late September, I helped organize a Homecoming event at Wheaton College. We called it “AWAKE,” an all-night prayer and worship service for both alumni and current students to repent, fix our gaze on Jesus, and intercede for Wheaton’s campus and beyond. I wish I could tell the full story. Nine hours of worship and prayer. Three and a half hours of uninterrupted public confession. But there was one moment in particular where words of confession solidified into action, and I won’t soon forget it. The room grew quiet as one grad student determinedly marched to the stage, reached into his pocket, and slipped out his iPhone. I can’t remember what he said, but I vividly remember him taking a trash bag, lifting it in front of everyone, and tossing his phone into the bag, which he later tied and chucked into a dumpster. When I spoke to him afterward, he told me he’d hoped he wouldn’t be the only one who felt the conviction to escape the bondage of the smartphone. But, as Tolkien so aptly perceived, only a few people have the strength to escape something many of us might benefit from escaping. Of course, the “smartphone as Ring of Power” metaphor breaks down at some point. You’re likely reading this article on your smartphone, and you likely do many other good and true and beautiful activities on that same device. So perhaps you and I are right to second-guess the throw-away-the-smartphone strategy. “If phones are inevitable these days,” we reason, “then can’t we just use technology for good?” Still, we ought to remember Jacques Ellul’s insight that technology isn’t neutral. Your tech wasn’t simply made to be used—it was made to use you. Your tech wasn’t simply made to be used—it was made to use you. So while our churches need not make the destruction of smartphones or AI normative, we must encourage and normalize drastic actions to limit these technologies. Otherwise, technology’s default—its will to dominate—will consume us. And the church’s default has always been to not give in to society’s default settings. Perhaps this is why, as I marveled at the grad student’s boldness, I felt a stirring of hope that—should a Spirit-filled craving for repentance fall on our churches—more of us might be moved to cast our rings into the fire.

I believe that we are all created to have fellowship with God, made for His good pleasure to enjoy connection with Him. I also believe that the desire to love and be loved stems from a heart that longs to be one with Him at some point in life. But our heavenly Father also loves us so much that He blesses us with the power of free will to make choices for our own lives. The Lord wants us to experience the depths of His great love and to desire the fullness of His presence. He wants us to understand His character and His nature as protector, as counselor, as provider, full of mercy, grace, and unconditional love. He desires to bless us, providing for our every need as we remain connected in prayer and continue to walk in His ways. In the course of our lives, there are circumstances and events that are beyond our control. Decisions made by others can determine what happens to us. But that never changes the nature and character of Father God in His ongoing efforts to guide and provide in His own way—if we would only seek His will. It begins with approaching Him in faith and humility. Such was the case in Matthew 8:1-17 when Jesus directly healed a man with leprosy by touching him after the man asked in faith for healing. In this same Bible passage, Jesus also healed a paralyzed man indirectly through the faith of a centurion who believed for this miracle when asking Jesus face-to-face.  They witnessed His power, and as a result, their love and admiration for Him grew that much stronger. The circumstances of the leper and the paralyzed man were beyond their control, but Jesus’ healing power made them whole because of their faith in Him. Our Lord and Savior wants us to be whole so that we can develop an even deeper relationship with Him and become a complete person who is one with Him. When we honor the Lord through our obedience, it pleases Him. Nothing supersedes His great love for us. When we are one with Christ, we share in the love He has for others. Jesus sets the example of love by showing His obedience to God the Father by laying down His human life and dying for us, so that we can have our sins forgiven and receive healing from sickness and disease. That’s how much Christ loves us. He demonstrated His love for the Father and for sinners. We are created to love. ~ Scripture is quoted from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

(LifeSiteNews) – One of Canada’s most prominent pro-life MPs warned that “attacks on free speech” in Canada are on the rise after a scheduled event at a Toronto-area university was not allowed to proceed.  Garnett Genuis, a father of five and an Alberta MP of the Conservative Party, was scheduled to hold an event at York University in Toronto on January 9 before the university’s student center made sure it did not happen. In a statement posted January 7 on X, Genuis said he was “pretty surprised” he was told he could not proceed with his event. “I have disappointing news to share about further attacks on free speech. My event at York University (scheduled for this Friday) is now cancelled,” he wrote. He noted how he was “pretty surprised” about what happened, adding, “We’ve done the same event concept at universities in 4 provinces without incident.” “I stand in a public area in front of a banner and talk to students as they walk by about jobs and unemployment. But the student union at York won’t allow it. York students who want to talk about jobs and unemployment should please contact my office. I still want to hear your stories,” he added. In later comments he made on X, Genuis noted that he is hopeful he will hold the event at a later time, and that he may consider doing an “unauthorized” on campus at a later date. “Some people have suggested that I proceed with the event anyways. I am willing to do so-called ‘unauthorized’ events on campus. I did one previously at Concordia. I don’t believe that student unions should be able to shut these things down,” he noted. “In this particular case, I’ve been working with a group of local students to facilitate the event. I don’t want to create a situation in which they could face indirect consequences. I’m always ready to deal with controversy, but I don’t want to leave someone else holding the bag. So bottom line — I expect to be back at York, but not this Friday.” According to York University Student Centre executive director Jason Goulart in statements made to the media, Genuis’ event was not allowed to go ahead because of booking policies and was not politically motivated in any way. Although Genuis was prevented from speaking, he did hold a similar event on January 8 at Dalhousie University and another event on January 9 at Toronto Metropolitan University. Canada’s Conservative Party, along with top constitutional experts, have warned that free speech is under “attack” in Canada due to recent laws passed, and in the process of being passed, by the pro-abortion Liberal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney. In addition to ties to the World Economic Forum, Carney has a history of promoting or endorsing anti-life and anti-family agendas, including abortion and LGBT-related efforts.

The U.K. government’s plan to redefine Islamophobia has stoked a backlash by Christian and Hindu organizations. Rudolf Langer from Pixabyay Christian and Hindu leaders in the United Kingdom have voiced disquiet about the government’s proposed definition of anti-Muslim hatred, warning that it threatens religious liberty and free speech. The controversy centers on a 2018 definition by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims, which labeled Islamophobia as a form of racism. The Labour Government now seeks to replace the word “Islamophobia” with “Anti-Muslim Hatred or Hostility” in official legal definitions. While supporters of the APPG definition claim the government’s move addresses only physical violence, critics see the new plan as a repackaging of the former flawed APPG version. Alicia Edmund, head of public policy for the U.K. Evangelical Alliance (EA), insists that the government must respect Christian ministry. “Christians sharing about the transformative hope Jesus and His teachings brings with those from other ethnic or religious minorities is not hate speech and must not be criminalized,” Edmund told Christian Daily International. “Any definition must make a distinction between fair critique of a belief system and tackling hostility and violence towards individuals – without undermining freedom of expression.” The EA has engaged the government working group on multiple occasions to urge caution.  The Hindu Council U.K. echoed these concerns. Dipen Rajyaguru, director of equality and inclusion for the council, wrote to Communities Minister Steve Reed on Dec. 29. Reed is completing a new non-statutory definition based on an October draft from an advisory working group led by former Tory Attorney General Dominic Grieve. The definition is to guide public bodies, councils and businesses as they combat prejudice, discrimination and hostility towards Muslims. In his letter, Rajyaguru affirmed the need to protect Muslims from harm but called the current proposal “deeply flawed.” He warned that the definition “risks serious unintended consequences.” Rajyaguru noted that current criminal and equality laws already protect citizens from discrimination.  “While the first part of the definition refers to criminal acts and prohibited discrimination already clearly covered by existing criminal and equality law, the definition then expands into vague and undefined concepts,” Rajyaguru said. He listed concepts such as prejudicial stereotyping and the racialisation of Muslims as problematic.  “As with the APPG definition, these terms lack clear legal meaning,” Rajyaguru explained. “From a Hindu perspective, this ambiguity is dangerous. It leaves interpretation open to subjective perception rather than objective legal standards, making the definition vulnerable to inconsistent application and politicisation.” According to Rajyaguru, this uncertainty undermines public confidence. He noted that Christian, Hindu, Sikh and secular organizations all fear that the definition fails to distinguish between hostility toward people and criticism of a religion. “By referring to ‘racialisation’ and ‘collective characteristics,’ the definition risks treating a religion and its associated ideas, doctrines and practices as if they were immune from critique,” Rajyaguru said. “This mirrors one of the most controversial aspects of the APPG definition, which has been widely criticized for blurring this essential distinction.” The Hindu leader expressed concern that the proposal jeopardizes theological debate and historical discussion.  “Under the proposed definition, there is a real risk that such discussion, especially when robust or critical, could be characterized as ‘prejudicial stereotyping’ or ‘stirring up hatred,’ regardless of factual basis or intent,” Rajyaguru warned.  He stated that the breadth of the definition creates a “significant chilling effect on free speech.” Rajyaguru reminded the government that democratic principles include the right to challenge ideas.  “Any definition that discourages lawful speech through fear of reputational or professional consequences undermines this foundational democratic principle as well as repressing free thought,” he added. He also warned that the proposal creates a “de facto blasphemy framework” by shielding religious beliefs from scrutiny. He criticized the government for failing to consult with other faith communities.  “A plural, democratic society must protect people from harm and not protect ideas from criticism,” Rajyaguru said. The Hindu Council U.K. warned that activists could weaponize these definitions to quash lawful speech or enforce ideological training. Rajyaguru urged the government to focus strictly on violence and harassment against individuals.  “Hatred against Muslims must be confronted decisively, but this must not come at the cost of free speech, equality before the law, or the legitimate voices of other minority communities,” he concluded.

Location of Ajuang Thok Refugee Camp in South Sudan. Map data © 2026 Google The Muslim family of an 18-year-old Sudanese refugee in the northern border region of South Sudan on Thursday evening (Jan. 8) expelled her from their home for her faith in Christ, sources said. Amona Ibrahim Kaki, a refugee from Sudan’s Nuba Mountains area living in the Ajoung Thok refugee camp, had put her faith in Christ after she secretly began reading a Bible. After discovering on Christmas Day that she had put her faith in Christ, her family was awaiting word from her old brother on her fate, the source said. On Thursday a relative had pleaded with the brother over the phone to allow her to remain at their home, but he angrily refused. “This has never happened before in our family – she must leave the house before my arrival or else she will see the consequences,” her brother angrily told the relative, according to the source. After attending a worship service on Dec. 25 at the Gloria Baptist Church in Ajoung Thok, neighbors monitoring her reported it to her family. Her parents asked her why she went to a church service. Kaki told them that she had had a personal encounter with Jesus and was now a Christian. Her parents reacted with immediate hostility and, in an attempt to isolate her from the Christian community, confiscated her mobile phone, sources said. The family warned her to renounce Christ and return to Islam or else they would disown her, expel her from their home and demand she change her name from that of the family, sources said. “She does not know what the coming days hold for her,” said one source. “In these border areas, where family law and religious tradition carry immense weight, a young woman in her position is extremely vulnerable.” While still living in the home under a cloud of threats, she had managed to send word to local Christians, asking for prayers and urgent support as she faced an uncertain and dangerous future. At this writing, no aid agencies were aware of her situation. Last year Kaki had found the Bible in her brother’s room, a source said. “She found the Bible and started reading it on a daily basis,” he said. “When it was time for exams, she started to read one verse every day before going to school. She started to see changes as a result of her Bible readings.” She continued reading the Bible for some time, he said. When Kaki became ill and medication provided no help, she called some Christian friends and asked them to call local church members to pray for her. “After the church prayed for her, she got well, but her Muslim family thought she was possessed by a demon,” the source said. “In November last year she started to lose interest in Muslim prayers and decided to put her faith in Jesus. She started to avoid bad friends.” She attended a church service for the first time on Nov. 30 but didn’t make her faith public until the Christmas season, when members asked why she was attending despite being Muslim. Kaki confessed that she had encountered Christ and had decided to become a Christian. Sudan is 93 percent Muslim, with adherents of ethnic traditional religion 4.3 percent of the population, while Christians constitute 2.3 percent, according to Joshua Project. Sudan was ranked No. 5 among the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian in Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List (WWL), down from No. 8 the prior year. Sudan had dropped out of the top 10 of the WWL list for the first time in six years when it first ranked No. 13 in 2021. The U.S. State Department in 2019 removed Sudan from the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) that engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom” and upgraded it to a watch list. Sudan had previously been designated as a CPC from 1999 to 2018. In December 2020, the State Department removed Sudan from its Special Watch List.

Nine days after New Year's resolutions and it's quitting time. Garakta-Studio/Envato Every January 1 I wake up feeling like a brand-new person. This is the year I will finally become someone who stretches in the morning, drinks more water and prays without immediately wondering what’s for breakfast. Quitter’s Day—the day most people officially abandon their New Year’s resolutions. By January 9, however, the internet gently informs me that it is Quitter’s Day—the day most people officially abandon their New Year’s resolutions. And honestly? That checks out. Because by then, the gym bag is back in the cupboard, the prayer journal has exactly three heartfelt entries, and my phone has caught me Googling “Is quitting bad if you had good intentions?” Quitter’s Day sounds dramatic, but it’s actually kind of comforting. There’s something deeply human about realizing, nine days in, that we may have overestimated ourselves. New Year’s resolutions have a way of doing that. They come from desire—real desire—to be better, to be holy, to feel more alive. But they are also quietly rooted in the belief that God is waiting for a more polished version of me. Like grace is on hold until further notice. By Quitter’s Day, most of us probably feel discouraged. Not just because we have failed, but because we think failure means something about our faith. That we aren’t serious enough or disciplined enough. But God is not surprised by my 9 January self. He already knew exactly who He was working with. God does not love your potential more than He loves your reality. Here’s the thing we don’t talk about enough: God does not love your potential more than He loves your reality. He doesn’t wait for you to finally follow through before He draws close. He entered humanity knowing full well how often we quit things. Including Him. The Christian life isn’t about self-improvement; it’s about self-surrender. And surrender assumes weakness. It assumes stumbling. It assumes that we will need mercy far more often than motivation. Being human means wanting to change and also wanting to stay exactly the same. It means making resolutions with the best intentions and discovering—again—our limits. It means loving God sincerely and still hitting snooze on prayer because your bed feels warmer than sanctity. Remember we’re disciples and fallen ones at that. And God is not rolling His eyes at any of this. So maybe Quitter’s Day isn’t a failure. Maybe it’s a recognition of our frailty. Maybe 9 January is the day we stop pretending we’re superheroes and remember we’re disciples—and fallen ones at that. What if our resolutions this year sounded less like productivity goals and more like prayer? Instead of “I will pray every day for 30 uninterrupted minutes,” maybe it’s “I will turn toward God each day—and start again when I forget.” Instead of “I will never struggle with this sin again,” maybe it’s “I will bring this struggle into the light sooner and ask for help faster.” Instead of “This is the year I finally fix myself,” maybe it’s “This is the year I let God meet me where I actually am.” That’s not lowering the bar. That’s keeping grace within our reach. He came because we couldn’t save ourselves. Jesus did not come to help us optimize our lives. He came because we couldn’t save ourselves. He stepped directly into human inconsistency, human weakness, human quitting... and He stayed. The saints didn’t become saints because they never failed at their spiritual goals. They became saints because they kept saying “yes” again and again and again. Often after failure. Often after embarrassment. Always through mercy. Peter didn’t need a better resolution system after denying Jesus, quitting when it mattered most. He needed an encounter with forgiveness. And Jesus met him  not with shame but with breakfast and a second chance. That’s the heart of our faith. So if you’ve already quit something—welcome. You’re right on schedule. God is not disappointed; he’s present. Make resolutions if they help you. Structure can be a gift. Discipline can be holy. But don’t make them your savior. This year, maybe the bravest resolution is to stay human. To stop performing holiness and start practicing honesty. To trust that God is far more interested in your heart than your streaks. God never quits on us. Because the Christian life isn’t about starting over once a year. It’s about starting again every single day. And the beautiful, ridiculous, hope-filled truth is this: God never quits on us—even on Quitter’s Day. Originally published by EAUK. Republished with permission. Peter Lynas oversees the advocacy team and the work of the Alliance across the four UK nations. He is passionate about faith in the public square and leads the Being Human project with Jo Frost. He previously worked as a barrister in Belfast before studying theology at Regent College in Vancouver, where he serves on the board. Peter is a regular media commentator, is married to Rose, has two daughters, and loves running. The Evangelical Alliance in the United Kingdom is made up of hundreds of organisations, thousands of churches and tens of thousands of individuals, joined together for the sake of the gospel. Representing our members since 1846, the Evangelical Alliance is the oldest and largest evangelical unity movement in the UK. United in mission and voice, we exist to serve and strengthen the work of the church in our communities and throughout society. Highlighting the significant opportunities and challenges facing the church today, we work together to resource Christians so that they are able to act upon their faith in Jesus, to speak up for the gospel, justice and freedom in their areas of influence.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (LifeSiteNews) — Local pro-life activist Lane Walker was arrested for defending life outside a Vancouver abortion clinic, in the latest attack against the pro-life movement. On January 6, police arrested and charged Walker, a local pro-lifer, at Everywoman’s Health Center in Vancouver, British Columbia, for engaging in conversation with a passerby about the legislation which prohibits pro-life activism outside abortion facilities. “When we are told that we need to love not just in words, but in deeds, I think that challenge around how our words and how our actions line up is really important,” Walker told LifeSiteNews in a recent interview. “And some of the ways it gets talked about, if you really believe that this is the killing of an unborn child, then maybe we should be acting like it,” he continued. January 6 marked the fourth time Walker has defended life outside the center in recent months. During his four-hour witness outside the facility on Tuesday, Walker voiced his opposition to Vancouver’s “bubble zone” laws which prohibit any pro-life activism within 50 metres of an abortion mill. This includes protesting the bubble zone law itself. Police were quickly called to the clinic and engaged in conversation with Walker for two hours, during which he revealed that he was outside the center to protest the bubble zone laws. Walker was charged with violation of the Access to Abortion Services Act, but his charges were later reduced to a simple mischief charge. According to Walker, police alleged that his activism was an act of minor civil disturbance, “which would be the equivalence of charging the civil rights marchers with unlawful assembly or disorderly conduct for marching without a permit.” Walker is scheduled to appear in court March 18. Despite his arrest, Walker remained dedicated to the pro-life cause and standing up for the unborn, stressing the importance of every citizen to defend the helpless and weak. “It is more than important, it is our sacred duty, and it is the implication of Jesus’ teaching and His example to us to take up your cross,” Walker explained. “He didn’t say worship His cross. He said in plain speech, ‘Sort out your personal stuff and step into the conflict,’ which is to say ‘Love God and your neighbour every day.'” Walker challenged pro-lifers to step outside their comfort zones and publicly defend the unborn in an effort to spread the pro-life message of life and hope. “I can definitely say that that tension and that division between public life and personal life is very difficult because many people really appreciate my sense of, you know, we really need to have a meaningful relationship with Jesus,” he explained. “It needs to be a real thing that happens, not just a doctrine where you believe, not just an apologetics that we argue and defend,” Walker continued. “It should be and needs to be an actual experience of who Jesus is in our lives,” he declared. Walker is one of many pro-life activists who bravely opposed anti-life legislation to bring hope and truth to abortion facilities across Canada. Earlier this year, after months of court hearings, pro-life hero Linda Gibbons was acquitted after she was arrested for witnessing outside a Toronto abortion facility. Similarly, pro-life group Right Now went undercover to four abortion centers to expose late-term abortions happening in Canada. Their videos went viral on social media and reignited the abortion debate across the country.

OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) – A new Canadian “Christian Health Centre” that promotes traditional Christian bioethics and the sanctity of life from “birth to death” has seen huge interest from the local pro-life community, which is rallying to make its upcoming fundraiser a great success. The Ottawa Christian Health Centre (OCHC), once opened, looks to be a “leader in creating opportunities to infuse Christian values into healthcare services for the benefit of both patients and providers.” Dr. Andrew Mai, physician and director of the OCHC, spoke with LifeSiteNews and confirmed that Ottawa Archbishop Marcel Damphousse is attending its upcoming gala, noting, “He is very supportive.” “That’s excellent news,” he told LifeSiteNews. Mai said that to date, some 220 tickets have already been sold, and that since the OCHC was launched in February 2025 with a similar fundraiser, interest has increased, but it is still in the “early days.” “We’re very, very early, we don’t have money, any infrastructure of any kind,” he told LifeSiteNews. “We have the support of Fr. Mark Goring, meeting at his church at St. Mary’s … It is an ecumenical initiative, one of our board members is an evangelical Christian.” The OCHC Dinner Dance & Gala Fundraiser will be taking place on January 16 at Sala San Marco, in Ottawa, Ontario, from 6 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person and can be purchased by emailing [email protected] or via their website, with a purchase deadline of January 14. The centre is still in need of support from the pro-life community to not only buy tickets to the upcoming gala but also help it afterward. The centre’s partners are Campaign Life Coalition and Life Matters. Centre aims to offer total ‘pro-life’ health care Mai told LifeSiteNews that the OCHC will focus on being a primary pro-life Health Care Centre due to Canada’s ever-present euthanasia laws. He said he believes Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) will soon be expanded to both minors and those with mental illness. Because of this, the time to act is now, he said, so that Canadians can have healthcare alternatives. There will be an assisted living component that Mai said will offer “faith and life-affirming care and not be streamlined to accept physician-assisted killing.” There will also be a hospice aspect, as Mai noted how he has seen a hospice he was once heavily involved with “change” to the point it now that “people to be euthanized on site.” Mai also told LifeSiteNews that there will be full support for pregnant women, “who otherwise might abort their babies,” so that they can choose life. The Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has worked to expand euthanasia 13-fold since it was legalized in 2016. Canada now has the fastest-growing assisted suicide program in the world. Meanwhile, Health Canada has released a series of studies on advanced requests for assisted suicide. Additionally, the Liberal government has been very much pro-abortion and has toyed with the idea of stripping Canadian pro-life charities and churches of their charity tax status. Health Centre will ‘uphold the dignity of life from conception to natural death’ The centre’s Mission Statement reads that it looks to create opportunities for and give “support to health care organizations in the Ottawa area that provide care based on Christian principles which promote physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing, and that are aligned with the Hippocratic oath.” One of these main values is to “Uphold the dignity of life from conception to natural death,” as well as promote a “holistic approach to health that is wellness focused.” The OCHC also looks to promote patient “centred collaborative care” along with “patient autonomy and informed consent.” When looked at deeper, the OCHC is a Christian community that is committed to “supporting traditional Christian bioethics, with particular emphasis on the sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural death.” “We affirm love, compassion, and dignity as guiding values in our mission and work. All members and directors of OCHC affirm the following Statement of Faith, which provides the theological foundation of our organization,” the organization says. The OCHC promotes a total Christian-focused approach to health care, which is one of the first in Canada, stating that human life is a “sacred gift from God, and its value is not determined by age, ability, or circumstance. From fertilization onward, each individual is known and cherished by God.” “We affirm the sanctity of life at every stage and seek to uphold the dignity of every person, including the unborn, the vulnerable, the needy, and the elderly,” the centre says. With state-sanctioned euthanasia on the rise in Canada, the OCHC also heavily promotes “life until its ‘natural end,’” in the “caring for and defending those who are vulnerable, and rejecting all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, or practices that diminish and harm a human life.”

For some people, Christmas hurts. The unspoken pain of Christmas was driven home to me at a Christmas Eve Service about a decade ago. As the service began, the congregation was invited to take a simple paper ornament, write the name of someone they were missing that Christmas, and hang it on a barren tree up front. As people began moving forward to hang their ornaments, the ordinary changed into a holy moment. Tears ran down cheeks. Friends and families hugged each other. Pained prayers were spoken.That moment still feels present a decade later, because something powerful took place. When that church set aside the typical rhythm of Christmas celebrations and gave people space to grieve, they found hurting people. In many ways, Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year.” There are parties and presents. Old friends and distant family members are reunited around warm meals. Our culture still remembers, if ever more distantly, the echoes of our Savior’s arrival. Christmas is warmth in winter, but for those who feel cut off from that warmth, it can almost feel cruel. The anticipation of connection sets us up for pain when those connections aren’t there. Christmas celebrations open the wound of loss when we remember the seat that is no longer filled at the table. They remind us of the dreams of Christmas past that never became the family of Christmas present. The promise of a loving embrace makes the jagged edge of broken relationships cut again.These pains are carried, often silently, through the Christmas season. The irony is, the message of Christmas is designed as hope for the hurting and balm to the brokenhearted. While expressions of pain, grief, and longing may seem foreign to a Western cultural celebration of Christmas, they are native to the Christmas story. The book of Matthew shares the story of Mary and Joseph before Jesus was born. We are told that “before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly” (Matt. 1:18b–19). Just imagine how these events must have impacted Mary and Joseph’s relationship!Mary and Joseph are two kids engaged to be married, their whole lives ahead of them. Then Mary pulls Joseph aside for a conversation. She tells him she is pregnant. Joseph knows the child is not his; the child can’t be his. He’s been waiting for his wedding day. Certainly, Mary tells Joseph she has been faithful, tells him of the miracle of Christ, but Joseph doesn’t believe her. This is the only way to explain his resolve to divorce her quietly. As two tender lives are fracturing, an angel shows up. God intervenes to bring the truth to light and restore Mary and Joseph to one another. To Joseph and Mary’s pain, God brings hope.Let’s expand the Christmas story a bit further. In Luke chapter two, we find a different sort of pain. As Mary and Joseph go to the temple to offer the appropriate sacrifices and celebrate the birth of Jesus, they meet a man named Simeon. We are told he is “righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel” (v.25). Upon seeing Jesus, Simeon breaks out in prophetic praise, proclaiming:“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29–32).Simeon’s pain was not personal; it was for his people. Israel had returned from exile, but the world was still not right. Worship was taking place at the temple, but his people were still not free. Roman soldiers collected taxes, enforced laws, and restricted Israelite rights. Israel was made to be a free people to God and a hope to the nations. In an unjust world, God meets brokenhearted Simeon with comfort. Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 40, which opens with, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins” (vv. 1–2).There is comfort in Christmas, but it is not just for the comfortable. Christmas offers comfort to the sinner, for whom Jesus has leveled and made straight the pathway back to God.The promise of reconciliation in Isaiah 40 expands the Christmas story even further. It takes us back to a Garden. When God meets Adam and Eve in their shame and fear, he brings home the sobering reality of what they have done. However, the curse and the fall are not the full extent of Genesis 3. Adam and Eve will be separated from the God who gives them hope and joy, but God will send a child of the woman to crush the head of the serpent. Sin separates us from intimacy with God for which we were made, but the birth of Christ is the moment the pregnant hope of Genesis 3 comes to fruition.Christmas was never meant to leave the hurting outside. It was never meant to make the broken feel alone. Christmas was designed to invite us all back in to know and enjoy God again. So, if you feel hurt, lonely, or even angry this Christmas, remember the invitation Christmas was designed to give you. Give your hurt to the one who heals. In loneliness, run to the one who came to earth to demonstrate God’s love for you. Trust your anger to the God who came to take back his throne.There is personal comfort in Christmas. It’s good, but it ought not to end with us. The comfort of Christ is meant to move through his comforted people to a hurting world. Let this be the reality of your Christmas. Have an ear for the hurting and give them space to grieve. Share meals and moments with the people who might feel forgotten. Buy gifts and send notes to those who might not otherwise receive them. Pick up the phone and make a call of forgiveness and reconciliation.Whether you’re hurting or managing just fine this Christmas, put your hope in more than being comfortable. Take up the call of Christmas to be a person who comforts others.