A coalition of religious and community groups in South Africa has written to National Assembly Speaker Thokozile Didiza, requesting a parliamentary inquiry into CRL Rights Commission chair Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva. The letter alleges that Mkhwanazi-Xaluva has made misleading and divisive statements, interfered with an independent committee, and pushed for unconstitutional state regulation of religion. The signatories, including the African Religious & Traditional Leaders Council, claim direct engagement failed. They seek her removal under the CRL Rights Act and the disbanding of the Section 22 Committee. The letter was scheduled for delivery to Parliament in Cape Town. (Gateway News)
The European Court of Human Rights has formally accepted 20 cases involving Christians barred from re-entering Turkey. According to ADF International, Turkish authorities used internal security codes to label peaceful foreign residents as threats. Since 2019, at least 160 individuals and their families have been affected by these bans. The court invited Turkey to submit observations on the applications. Advocates argue the measures violate freedom of religion and due process. The cases highlight a systemic pattern of discrimination against long-term Christian residents in the country.
Cause for Justice (CFJ) filed a 460-page affidavit in the Cape Town High Court to defend laws against prostitution decriminalization. The South African government declined to defend the application, prompting CFJ to intervene on behalf of victims. The filing includes a main affidavit, supporting annexures, and 15 expert testimonies from leaders and individuals affected by sexual exploitation. The case, originally launched by SWEAT in May 2024, is scheduled for hearing from May 18 to 20. CFJ states the extensive documentation reflects the seriousness of the legal challenge regarding human dignity and sexual exploitation.
The African Christian Democratic Party in South Africa claims over two million legal abortions have occurred since 1996, calling the practice murder. The party opposes recent education laws allowing learner pregnancies to access abortions without parental consent. Simultaneously, Christian peers in the UK House of Lords proposed amendments to restrict at-home abortions by requiring face-to-face medical consultations. These efforts aim to protect unborn children and ensure proper medical oversight, reflecting ongoing political and religious debates in both nations regarding reproductive rights and fetal protection.
The fourth annual Wilberforce Academy took place in Stanford, South Africa, from January 18 to 23. The event gathered 120 participants, including delegates from Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, and Ghana. Faculty members taught biblical foundations on topics such as culture, governance, and vocation. The program aimed to equip believers to integrate their faith into professional and public life. Organizers highlighted the gathering as a response to cultural challenges, encouraging attendees to apply scriptural principles in their respective fields. The event concluded with the formation of a regional alumni network for ongoing support.
A major city in Jordan hosted the launch of the Arabic-dubbed Christian series The Chosen. The event featured actors, producers, and church leaders. A local organizer worked with a Catholic media center and a royal figure to facilitate the gathering. A priest emphasized the region's biblical significance, noting Jesus was baptized in the nearby river. Attendees praised the production's quality and its potential to unify believers across the Middle East. The series, created by a well-known filmmaker, focuses on the life of Jesus and is now available in over 140 languages. This initiative highlights growing interest in faith-based media within the country.
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Adi Agrawal launched Creed, an AI companion app designed to guide Gen Z users toward Christian faith and local church communities. Backed by investors including Andreessen Horowitz, the voice-first application offers personalized spiritual support, Bible reading plans, and prayer tracking. The platform integrates theological oversight to provide denomination-specific advice and connects users with nearby partner churches. While many young people currently use AI for casual roleplay, Creed seeks to redirect this engagement toward religious practice. The app is available in multiple languages and has gained traction in the United States, particularly in Texas and the Midwest, addressing a gap for those rediscovering faith without established community ties.
Republican Senator Susan Collins is working to maintain US funding for PEPFAR, a global AIDS relief program that has saved over 26 million lives since 2003. The initiative supports organizations like Living Hope, which serves communities in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. Executive Director Victor Thomas credits PEPFAR for enabling effective HIV prevention and treatment. Collins opposes proposed budget cuts and highlights ongoing efforts to sustain aid while new vaccine technologies are developed. The program aims to transition countries toward self-reliance by 2030, though Collins argues continued support remains necessary for vulnerable populations.
The Park and Pray initiative, founded by Grace Love Family Church in Daveyton, South Africa, has gained momentum following a school transport accident in the Vaal region that killed 14 learners on January 19. Led by Apostle Simon Mashigo and Pastor Lindiwe Mashigo, the movement offers spiritual support in open community spaces rather than traditional church settings. Organizers state the goal is to provide healing and unity for people of all backgrounds during times of crisis. The initiative has expanded to areas like Benoni to address local grief and social challenges through collective prayer and compassion.
Africa Arise is hosting a Missions Day event on January 31, 2026, at the FCE discipleship training centre in Pringle Bay, Western Cape, South Africa. The gathering aims to celebrate Christian mission work across the continent and challenge believers, particularly youth, to engage in evangelism. Africa Inland Mission will exhibit at the free event, which features workshops on cross-cultural ministry and discipleship. Organizers, including founder Jannie Campion, plan to expand these meetings to other African countries over the next five years. Speakers include leaders from Malawi and South Africa.
Atlanta-based 2819 Church announced that approximately 2,000 people accepted Jesus during a recent crusade in London, United Kingdom. The event drew nearly 7,000 attendees, according to a post shared by the church on social media. The ministry, led by pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell, stated that the gathering marked a significant expansion of its global outreach. Mitchell has previously discussed the spiritual impact of these events with major news outlets, describing the growth as a sign of divine movement. The church highlighted the transformation of attendees and the spread of its message beyond U.S. borders.
Kai Höss, grandson of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss, serves as pastor at the Bible Church of Stuttgart in Germany. He shares his journey of confronting his family's Nazi past and finding faith after a health crisis in Singapore. Höss now works to bless Holocaust survivors, emphasizing forgiveness and redemption. His story highlights personal reconciliation with history and service to Jewish communities. The narrative was featured on YouTube’s Facing the Canon, hosted by evangelist J John, illustrating how he uses his platform to promote understanding and atonement for historical atrocities.
Africa Christian Action is organizing a March for Life in Cape Town, South Africa, on Monday, February 2. The event aims to remember lives lost to abortion and urge national repentance. Peter Hammond of the group states that over two million babies have died via abortion in South Africa since 1997. Participants will form a funeral procession from Cape Peninsula University of Technology to Parliament, carrying coffins and crosses. The march begins at 12:30 pm, arriving at Parliament gates by 1:00 pm for a prayer vigil and wreath-laying ceremony. The group claims annual abortion deaths exceed those from crime and car accidents combined.
Severe flooding in Southern Africa has claimed over 200 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands since late December. Mozambique remains the hardest hit, with significant casualties reported in multiple provinces. South Africa and Zimbabwe have also suffered heavy losses, prompting national disaster declarations. With infrastructure severely damaged and roads washed out, local churches across these three nations have opened their facilities to serve as emergency shelters. Religious leaders are actively providing food and pastoral care to affected communities. Officials warn that the death toll may rise as access improves and disease risks increase in the aftermath of the storms.
Evangelist Reini Coetzee reports that enthusiastic crowds are significantly slowing his Cross Walk Africa journey as he travels through Zimbabwe. Two months into the route from Cape Town to Jerusalem, Coetzee says interactions with locals have reduced his daily distance compared to his pace in South Africa. Local church leaders, including Pastor Cleverton Kunjuta and Apostle Israel Nyamupfukudza, have provided logistical support, including a vehicle and police escort for his entry into Harare. Coetzee attributes the assistance to divine preparation and notes that the mission has facilitated healings and spiritual encouragement for both participants and observers in the region.
Organizers in South Africa have announced a national candlelight prayer service to mourn learners killed in a school transport accident near Vanderbijlpark. The event is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, from 6pm to 7pm at a location in Daveyton, Benoni. It will also be livestreamed via the Park and Pray Facebook page. Apostle Simon Mashigo and Pastor Lindiwe Mashigo launched the initiative to provide spiritual healing and solidarity. Event coordinator Mpho Tsoari stated the gathering aims to unite communities in mourning and supporting the bereaved families affected by the tragedy that claimed multiple young lives.
A Christian author from Iran, who fled to the US after facing a death sentence, argues that the country is undergoing a profound spiritual transformation. She claims the Islamic regime is collapsing due to internal corruption, economic crises, and public contempt for Islam. The author predicts that once the government falls, Iranians will turn to Christianity and their ancient Zoroastrian roots. She believes this shift will establish a new spiritual order, fulfilling biblical prophecies. Her views are shared through her nonprofit organization, which advocates for open religious exposure in the region. This perspective highlights the potential for significant religious change following political instability.
Arab media outlets highlight intensified persecution of Christian converts by the Houthi group in Yemen. The National Council of Minorities in Yemen condemned recent arrests in the capital as a dangerous human rights violation, noting prior suppression of other minority groups. Local sources report dozens of arrests in recent weeks. A Yemeni convert living in exile described severe pressure from family, society, and authorities. He noted that believers meet secretly despite the unstable political environment controlled by various militias. The outlet attributes these claims to local sources and legal statements.
A pastor residing in the United States claims that thousands of protesters and civilians have been killed in Iran during recent unrest. Speaking to CBN News, he described the situation as a breaking point, citing audio messages from grieving families and reports of mass killings. He stated that approximately 20,000 people may have died in two days, though communication blackouts prevent full verification. He urged Western heads of state to intervene immediately to stop the violence and free Iran, emphasizing the urgent need for action as the underground church faces severe persecution.
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