https://www.christiantoday.com/news/ireland-appeals-for-release-of-missionary-kidnapped-by-haitian-gang
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Two Part Resurrection Story In The Offing.
Mel Gibson announces plan to split resurrection story into two-part biblical epic.
Mel Gibson directs actor Jim Caviezel in 'The Passion of the Christ.' (Photo: 20th Century Fox)Mel Gibson’s long-delayed sequel to The Passion of the Christ will now be released as two separate films, with both parts scheduled for release in 2027.
The first instalment, titled The Resurrection of the Christ Part One, is set to arrive in cinemas on Good Friday, 26 March.
The second part will follow 40 days later, on Ascension Day, 6 May. Lionsgate will distribute both films theatrically.
The upcoming sequel continues from Gibson’s 2004 biblical drama The Passion of the Christ, which was, until recently, the highest-grossing R-rated film at the US box office, earning $370 million domestically and $610 million worldwide on a production budget of just $30 million.
It remains one of the most commercially successful independent films of all time and received three Academy Award nominations for Best Makeup, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.
Starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, the original film focused on the final twelve hours of Jesus’s life leading up to his crucifixion.
The sequel is expected to focus on the resurrection of Christ.
Mel Gibson, who co-wrote the scripts with Randall Wallace, has described the sequels as an “acid trip”, saying he had “never read anything like them”.
Gibson, who experienced a significant hiatus from Hollywood due to personal controversies, returned to directing with the 2025 thriller Flight Risk, starring Mark Wahlberg. However, the film underperformed at the box office, grossing just $48 million globally. His previous directorial work includes Braveheart, Apocalypto, and Hacksaw Ridge. CT.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Our Wretched Home Office.
Over half a decade of working with the Home Office on countering extremism, I saw it for myself, time and time again: a civil service culture that instinctively resists scrutiny of anything involving religion or ethnicity.
On countless occasions I put it to the civil servants in charge of counter-extremism that it seemed deeply antithetical to the cause of counter-extremism to engage with groups who believed in Sharia marriage, polygamy and openly attacked Muslims who engaged with Jews. Some of these groups didn’t fully agree with the democratic structures of our country – this was serious stuff and especially when they were willing to use conflicts in the Middle East to inflame tensions in the UK.
When I raised it, though, the response was a wall of polite obstruction. Each local authority, I was told, makes its own decisions. There might be legal risks in naming these organisations. Some civil servants insisted these were simply “legitimate Muslim groups” who should be included in community engagement, as though their form of Islamic interpretations were “normative” Islam.
It was a masterclass in bureaucratic resistance. And behind every excuse was an ideology: a belief that acknowledging the problem might undermine social cohesion. A handful of civil servants understood the risks, but most preferred to look away. It taught me a lesson that feels painfully relevant to the current inquiry into grooming gangs. When civil servants are driven by ideology rather than evidence, difficult truths are buried, and real people pay the price.
Some of these people are still there, working in the Home Office and MHCLG today.
The problem as I see it goes all the way back to Gordon Brown’s government. That period, post-Blair, was when the themes of social cohesion and community harmony became dominant within government. The old Department for Communities and Local Government (now MHCLG) grew out of that thinking, and over time it embedded a particular type of civil servant – people whose entire careers have been shaped by what I call “kumbaya politics”. By that I mean the kind of world view where everyone sits around holding hands, pretending that the world is fine and that we must never look too closely at uncomfortable realities for fear of upsetting someone.
Nowhere is that more entrenched than in the MHCLG. Within that department, there’s a powerful narrative that says: anything which risks making one community look bad must be resisted. And when that mindset filters down through advisers and policy officials, it becomes impossible to have a transparent, evidence-based conversation about complex social issues.
In the Home Office there are some who will say that even using the term “Islamist extremism” is offensive or counterproductive – this, despite the fact that hundreds of British citizens have been killed by Islamist extremists on our own soil. If they can’t even bring themselves to say the words, how are they going to face the even more sensitive questions that arise around grooming gangs?
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This is the machinery that survivors of grooming are up against. A civil service very sensitive to being labelled as racist and reluctant to “open up racial divides” by looking into the issue in detail.Sadly these themes emerged in the statements of the abuse survivors who resigned from their roles in the Government inquiry this week. When I saw that one of the women, “Elizabeth” from Rotherham, quit on the grounds that she felt “selective narratives [were] being promoted – ones that appear to serve particular agendas.These arguments become a convenient way to close down honest discussion. That’s the exact approach that now appears to be dominating the Government’s inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal, and I worry it means that the state will never truly tackle the underlying issues
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I’ve spent much of my working life engaging various government departments on issues of hate crime, community cohesion and extremism. In 2012 I set up Tell Mama, an organisation which monitors anti-Muslim hate and supports victims.
This meant countless meetings with the Home Office to highlight groups whose values and world view were at direct odds with the values of our nation; groups who were willing to inflame division and tensions through their actions. I would regularly write to Home Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) officials to highlight report findings and the deeply divisive videos and content that Islamist groups were putting out into the public and social media space.
In particular back then – in the mid 2010s – I was alarmed to discover that Prevent coordinators, the people tasked with countering extremism, were regularly engaging with what I saw as extremist groups.
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Can A Church Lead Its Congregation Towards Hell? - I Believe So.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/umc-church-paints-steps-in-lgbt-rainbow-colors-in-opposition.html?utm_source=Freedom%20Post&utm_campaign=Freedom%20Post&utm_medium=newsletter
Monday, October 27, 2025
Prison in Zimbabwe.
How going to prison for a crime I didn’t commit changed my life – for the better.
Wilson Femayi (c) now returns to prison for a different reason - to bring a message of hope in the Gospel.
When I walk into a prison now, it’s by choice — and by calling. I’m the founder and Executive Director of Prison Outreach Support Zimbabwe, also known as Prison Fellowship Zimbabwe, and my team and I lead programmes that are transforming the lives of prisoners and their families across our country. But over a decade ago, I walked into prison as an inmate — convicted of a crime I didn’t commit.
In 2005, I was studying at Bible college and leading the children’s ministry at my local church. I loved it. But my relationship with another staff member became difficult. I received more financial support than they did, and that caused resentment and jealousy. They became determined to disqualify me from ministry and remove me from the church. They created a lie and accused me of a crime I did not commit.
The police came to my college and arrested me in front of all the other students, a deeply humiliating and frightening experience. They questioned me and took a statement, but I had no idea how to defend myself. This was the first time something like this had happened to me.
The trial process dragged on for three years, but thankfully, I was granted bail and able to continue my studies while waiting for the outcome. I graduated from college on 3 April 2008. The very next day I was convicted and sent to prison.
It was like I graduated for prison.
I served six months in prison. I knew I was innocent, and I held onto God during this time. In the midst of the confusion and hardship, I was so convinced that God must be doing something positive in my life.
Some of my college tutors prayed for me while I was in prison, and it was then that I met Prison Fellowship Zimbabwe and gradually began to see, and, experience for myself, the impact of their life-changing work.
At that time, the work was led by Peter Mandianike. He preached to us, and I began to get involved and help out. We taught other prisoners the principles of the Bible, how to understand it and how to apply it to their lives.
I was so active in the group that some of the prison officers began to say, “I don't think you are here for no reason. I think God is trying to send you a message.” And that's when I started to understand that God may be calling me to work in prisons.
After six months behind bars, my appeal was successful. I was exonerated and freed.
Since then, I’ve given my life to prison ministry. Today, we run Prison Fellowship International programmes such as The Prisoner’s Journey, reaching prisoners in more than 30 prisons, and PromisePath serving the families of nearly 400 children of prisoners. We also train volunteers, partner with churches and advocate for justice and restoration nationally.
For me, this isn’t just a job. It’s personal. I’ve seen God’s power to bring purpose out of pain.
One story I’ll never forget is of twin girls I met when they were just six years old. As their father was in prison, we enrolled them into PromisePath and provided them with school fees, mentorship and connection with a local church. Now, they are thriving. One of them is studying urban science at university and the other is at technical college studying food science.
That’s what restoration looks like. It’s why I do what I do.
We still face challenges — government policies shift, resources are limited and provinces operate differently. But we keep going because we’ve seen what’s possible.
Not long ago, children in Zimbabwe weren’t allowed to visit their incarcerated parents. But through our advocacy, the government introduced “Prison Family Week,” a chance for families to come together, perhaps for the first time in years, to talk and rebuild their relationships. It is changing lives.
For me, being a prisoner changed how I see the Bible, too. I now realise that the Bible is a book about prisoners and their release. It’s the story of God reaching out to restore people who have sinned, who are broken and who have lost their way. Jesus himself was arrested. He was tried, mocked and imprisoned. He died a criminal’s death.
Going to prison broke me. But it also built me up to be the man I am now. And by God’s grace, it’s building others too.
Wilson Femayi is Executive Director of the Prison Fellowship Zimbabwe. To learn more about Prison Fellowship International’s global network of National Ministries, like Prison Fellowship Zimbabwe, and the programs they run across the world, like The Prisoner’s Journey and PromisePath, visit: https://pfi.org/.
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It's Getting Worse in Africa.
Christians in Africa face worsening violence, report finds.
(Photo: Getty/iStock)A new report from International Christian Concern (ICC) has revealed a disturbing rise in violence against Christians across parts of Africa, with Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Kenya experiencing a surge in attacks, abductions, massacres and forced displacements.
The report, titled "Troubling Trends: Escalating Persecution of Christians in Africa," was written by Linda Burkle and focuses on the first four months of 2025, while also tracing violent trends within the past two decades.
Nigeria continues to be the deadliest country in the world for Christians. The West African nation ranks seventh on the 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors, which tracks persecution globally.
The ICC reports notes that between July 2009 and March 2022, more than 45,000 Christians were murdered by extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Fulani militants.
In 2022 alone, around 5,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria - more than in the rest of the world combined.
From 2015 to 2020, an estimated 11,000 to 12,000 Christians were murdered by Islamist militants, and over 2,000 churches were demolished. In 2021, some 3,800 Christians were abducted.
Regardless of the political change following President Bola Tinubu’s rise to power in 2023, the violence has continued, with 7,000 deaths estimated in 2023 alone.
Tinubu, a Muslim, had pledged to lead a more balanced and inclusive administration. However, his government has struggled to curb Islamist attacks, particularly in Nigeria’s northern and central regions, where Sharia law is in effect and Christians are highly vulnerable.
The report also details numerous violent incidents from 2025.
One of the most horrifying attacks occurred on Palm Sunday, when Fulani extremists stormed a village and slaughtered no fewer than 54 Christians, including children, inside their own homes, forcing the entire community to flee.
In March, Boko Haram killed Catholic priest Sylvester Okechukwu in Kaduna State, while another attack in Kebbi State left 11 Christians dead.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation is also growing more severe.
The country, once ranked 41st on the Open Doors World Watch List, rose to 35th in 2025 following a spike in violence against Christians, largely driven by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist group aligned with ISIS.
In February, ADF militants beheaded 70 Christians, including women and children, during a church service.
The violence has displaced millions in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri.
A March attack in Kirindera village left no less than 19 people dead and several buildings, including a clinic and hotel, burned to the ground.
Another assault in January saw 53 Christians killed in the towns of Makoko and Masakuki.
The report blames a combination of militant threats - including attacks by the M23 rebel group, family pressure against religious conversion, and political interference for creating a dangerously unstable environment for Christians in eastern Congo.
Kenya, while not traditionally at the centre of persecution reports, has seen increasing violence in its northeastern regions.
These provinces, where Muslim Somalis make up the vast majority, are considered hostile ground for Christians, with church activity severely restricted by local communities and government officials often turning a blind eye.
Converts risk their lives, often facing attacks from their own families or neighbours.
The Somali-based terrorist group, Al-Shabab, now classified an “entity of particular concern” by the US State Department and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, has carried out numerous bombings and assassinations in coastal and northeastern Kenya.
The group particularly targets converts from Islam and missionaries.
Areas frequently targeted by attacks include Mombasa, Garissa, Mandera, and Lamu, where many believers have been forced to flee inland.
The Voice of the Martyrs reports that Christians in these areas face violent threats, social isolation, and pressure to return to Islam.
The attacks on converts often come from their own families or neighbours.
Adding to the growing threats, Kenya has also seen cross-border activity from the Oromo Liberation Army, a group operating out of Ethiopia that kidnapped two South Korean Christian missionaries, including two South Korean missionaries in 2024.
Corruption among local officials and the spread of radical ideologies have worsened the plight of believers.
Despite the severity of the crisis, neither Nigeria nor the DRC currently carry the US State Department’s “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) categorisation.
In response, on March 11, Representative Christopher Smith of New Jersey put forward House Resolution 220. The resolution is now under review by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
ICC President Jeff King urged Christians worldwide to pay close attention to the situation in Africa.
“The Church in Africa is facing some of the most severe challenges of our time," he said.
“We must not look away. These are our brothers and sisters.”
He also called for advocacy and political engagement, encouraging believers in democratic countries to contact their elected officials and push for international action.
Proverbs 3.
5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6) in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight.
I Don't Particularly Care For Him But The Donald Gets Substantially More Right Than He Gets Wrong.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/22/us-sanctions-russia-oil-vladimir-putin-refusal-ukraine-war
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Party adopts new wording to define ‘anti-Muslim hate’
I’ve spent much of my working life engaging various government departments on issues of hate crime, community cohesion and extremism. In 2012 I set up Tell Mama, an organisation which monitors anti-Muslim hate and supports victims.
This meant countless meetings with the Home Office to highlight groups whose values and world view were at direct odds with the values of our nation; groups who were willing to inflame division and tensions through their actions. I would regularly write to Home Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) officials to highlight report findings and the deeply divisive videos and content that Islamist groups were putting out into the public and social media space.
In particular back then – in the mid 2010s – I was alarmed to discover that Prevent coordinators, the people tasked with countering extremism, were regularly engaging with what I saw as extremist groups.