A church leader in Lahore was beaten up during his Sunday service by a policeman, during a dispute over the music being played over his church loudspeaker. Lahore has the largest concentration of the Christian community in Pakistan. The situation in Fazlia Colony, where about 400 households are Christian, deteriorated when a Muslim neighbour of the Pentecostal United Church called the police, saying that the loudspeaker ‘violated a Punjab Sound System Act’. When other churches nearby heard about the beating, hundreds poured in, blocking the road and demanding action against the policeman who had beaten the leader. In a separate incident a Christian was beaten by a mob for selling ice cream to Muslim customers who said it was ‘ritually unclean’ because it had been touched by a Christian. Most Pakistani Christians trace their origins via Hinduism to the Dalit caste - ‘untouchable’ and ritually impure.

Two years ago a family moved to Ibiza to pray for an ostracised group of Roma gypsies. The Ibiza Roma are considered substandard and not deserving respect. A big part of the family’s journey was challenging those stereotypes, daily prayer walking, researching Romani culture, history and values and learning how God really feels about the Roma and themselves. Then, suddenly God opened everything up. Where doors had been slowly opening, He blew them off their hinges - and He did it in one night! ‘One night, my husband bumped into a Roma friend who introduced him to an important man in the Roma community. God opened up deep conversation and immediate friendship. From two years of being on the outside, that night God drew us into the heart of the Roma.’ Click the ‘More’ button to read how this family shared the gospel, spoke truth into situations, and aligned themselves with the outcast as Jesus did.

One of the world’s most respected scientists said that there is scientific proof that points to the existence of God. Michio Kaku (one of the developers of the revolutionary String Theory) said, ‘I have concluded that we are in a world made by rules created by an intelligence.’ In a video Kaku uses physics and mathematics, and references String Theory, to explain how science points to the existence of God. He said the very purpose of physics is to find an equation which will allow us to unify all the forces of nature and allow us to read the mind of God. Kaku has proposed a theory to that end, stating, ‘To me it is clear that we exist in a plan which is governed by rules that were created, shaped by a universal intelligence and not by chance.’

Every vote counts. Many are confused about the issues, what to believe, what to think and ultimately how to vote. The starting point is prayer and fasting, to understand God's will. Political and economic issues are important and so is God's call on these Islands and His spiritual purpose for the nations. We are in fast-changing times; God is stirring us to pray for spiritual awakening. Pray for the organisations called to take the gospel across Europe with boldness and confidence to share Jesus with others (Acts 4:29-30). Declare Jesus is Lord over all dominions, powers and authorities (Col. 1:16). Pray for the fear of God to replace fear of man (Rev.14:7). Pray that in all this economic uncertainty, we put our trust in God (Jer.17:7). Pray for campaign leaders to display honesty and integrity (Is. 62:10). Pray also for Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macedonia, Malta and Moldova. See also:

Refugees who converted to Christianity are denied asylum if they can’t prove the authenticity of their Christian faith by answering questions when they attend an interview on arrival. Applications are turned down if the Home Office believes their conversion was a ploy to claim asylum. However, if a refugee has come to faith in an underground house church, where they’ve been able to borrow a New Testament for a week and have encountered the risen Lord Jesus, they are not going to know when the date of Pentecost is or the Catholic rule of abstinence on Fridays. An Iranian convert to Christianity told the BBC that he applied for asylum after fleeing persecution back home, but his application was denied following a failed interview. He was asked to name the last book of the Bible, Revelation, but his correct answer in the Farsi language was misunderstood by the interpreter.

According to PrivateHealthcareReports.com, the United Methodist Church (UMC) has voted 425-268 to reverse their pro-choice stance and to withdraw from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, which is a lobby group that advocates for abortion rights. Until the reversal, the UMC had been an outspoken pro-choice advocate, supporting on-demand abortion, and even partial birth abortion.

The Diocese of Blackburn, Lancashire, is preparing to welcome the Archbishop of York, Rt Revd John Sentamu, for his next big mission date, when he and nearly thirty Bishops from across the north of England will come to the diocese for the Crossroads Mission (8 to 11 September). This mission is about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with people across Lancashire - and the Archbishop will be leading from the front. Crossroads Mission will involve every parish in the county.

A law banning ‘legal highs’ came into force on Thursday 26 May, with the Government saying it wants to do everything it can to eradicate this abhorrent trade. Legal highs, also called new psychoactive substances, mimic the effects of cannabis and heroin, and have previously been sold openly on the high street. Now, those involved in the supply or production of the drugs face a prison sentence of up to seven years. However, the police officer in charge of the issue has suggested officers may take a weaker approach. Commander Simon Bray said there are ‘all sorts of options around problem-solving in a proportionate way, so it’s not too heavy-handed on the more social end’. Some say the ban could send the sale of the drugs underground. The Government will continue to take action across education, prevention, treatment and recovery in order to reduce harmful drug use.

This week (ending today) the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has been holding its General Assembly, its governing and decision-making body. 1,000 people from 545 congregations have been involved in three and a half days of worship, prayer, Bible study, celebration and decision-making. Pray for God to bless all decisions prompted by Him and made by the assembly regarding strategic priorities in all-age mission, Church development and Church planting, and all aspects of supporting chaplaincy service in the forces, hospitals, hospices, and prisons. Pray also for its support to mission and ministry in universities and colleges through its chaplaincy services.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said it is ‘ludicrous’ that a college Christian Union could be stopped from meeting under the Government's counter-extremism strategy. Responding to Christian Conservative MP Fiona Bruce during Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron said people needed to exercise some common sense in making these judgements. Mrs Bruce raised the issue after reports suggested an unnamed college Christian union had been stopped from meeting because of concerns that it might be breaching Prevent guidelines. This legislation was put together to stop children being influenced by extremists. Prevent is one part of the Government's initiative for countering extremism; it defines extremism, amongst other things, as ‘vocal or active opposition to different faiths and beliefs’. Mrs Bruce said that next week the annual National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast will host 600 community and faith leaders, as well as over a hundred MPs; yet a Christian Union is banned from holding prayer and Bible study meetings.