Cyril Ramaphosa won the May elections on a reformist ticket against ANC’s corrupt old guard. Now he is dealing with a corruption row over land reform in the countryside and xenophobia in the towns. When he took over he pledged to bring ‘ethics’ into politics. But for much of his short tenure, Ramaphosa has fought a campaign addressing financial scandals. His first move as president was spearheading controversial reforms which would advance land transfers to the black majority. But many black people don't yet know how to farm,so they need the white commercial farmers to train and help them. Recently, cities have experienced violent mobs looting shops and torching vehicles owned by foreign nationals, in a wave of xenophobic attacks. Angry residents are calling on the government to deport undocumented migrants. Nigeria sent an envoy to South Africa to express her displeasure over the treatment of her citizens, and Ethiopia's embassy advised its citizens to close their businesses. See also

Over 200 people including women and children were abducted and a church mission hospital and shops were looted when Islamist extremists raided the town of Boga, in this majority-Christian country. Bishop William Bahemuka said the Muslim ADF militia had attacked the town in the early hours. During the three-hour assault, there are conflicting reports about how much the army resisted the militants, as no casualties were reported. People are terrified. Families are traumatised and grieving over their abducted loved ones. The ADF has never been active in Boga, so people are confused and can’t understand the current situation. Bishop Bahemuka said, ‘I appeal to people of good will everywhere to lobby their home governments to put pressure on our government to stabilise the security situation. We also appeal for a massive outpouring of sustained prayer from Christians everywhere.’

Christian workers report several encouraging developments in the demanding Afghanistan mission field. Seven new believers recently formed a house church after being baptised, translators are working on three new Bible projects for minority languages, and followers of Christ are now present in every one of the country’s 34 provinces. As we celebrate God at work in Afghanistan, we are also asked to pray for the future success of various media projects such as films, radio, satellite TV, and social media outreach, so that every one of the currently unreached people groups is touched by the Holy Spirit.

2019’s Soul Survivor saw 2,100 become Christians. But now, after 27 years, organisers said God was calling them to ‘hand over the baton’. Over 30,000 attended this year’s events in Peterborough, Stafford, and Kinross. Founder Mike Pilavachi said that God has spoken to them and they were looking forward to the future. They have seen people walk out of their wheelchairs. One had not walked for five years, one for ten years. People have been set free from addictions. ‘Stuff happens when you give the Holy Spirit space.’ While the summer festivals end, Soul Survivor will continue to operate as a church in Watford and run events to equip church leaders across the country. Leaders are encouraging young people to attend four alternative events, similar in style, next year.

Twenty-five CofE bishops have issued an open letter on the prospect of a 'no-deal' Brexit and the need for national reconciliation, notwithstanding the prorogation of Parliament. They are concerned about political polarisation and the use of language that appears to sanction hate crime, and the ease with which lies can be told and misrepresentation encouraged. Leaders must be honest about the costs of political choices, especially for those most vulnerable. The Irish border is not a mere political totem, and peace in Ireland is not a ball to be kicked into touch by the English: respect for the concerns on both sides of the border is essential. The levels of fear, uncertainty and marginalisation in society among poor people, EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens in Europe must be listened to and respected. For the full text of the letter, click the ‘More’ button.

With Boris Johnson becoming prime minister, the likelihood of an election this autumn has increased. If this happens, many believe that more Christians should engage in politics and consider how their faith influences the way they vote. Although Christians in good conscience will support a variety of different options, how should they re-assess these options ahead of an election? We are called to be salt and light in our world - salt both to preserve what is good and to add flavour and distinctiveness, light to shine in a world that is too often too dark for goodness to be seen. Regardless of the context, this command holds firm. The more challenging the context, the more important is Christian witness. This does not disregard the problems Christians in politics are likely to face, but focuses on what they can bring. In the weeks ahead, may one person’s salt as seasoning not be another’s salt in the wound.

Jesus’ command to ‘make disciples of all nations’ means bringing individuals to him and putting Christ at the heart of society. If Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, then this must have implications for all areas of society - from the way our nations are governed to what laws are made; from what cultural traditions we follow to what we speak of in the media. When the gospel is upheld in these areas, we truly can make disciples of a nation, because society is better able to observe all that he taught us, which has the power to transform lives. This means being unashamed to speak of Jesus in public life, putting Christ back into law, media and politics, and placing the gospel at the centre of the big issues of the day. Click the ‘More’ button for details of two forthcoming seminars on these issues.

Northern Ireland’s cold war is smouldering. Everything is political - your name, where you live, the pub you use, your accent, the football team you support, or the passport you hold. Politics are rigid and archaic, deeply rooted in the past, yet continuing to dominate the present; running deep, rooted in divisions prevalent long before the signing of the peace agreement. Brexit and a political vacuum have added a dynamic across the region that is far from peaceful. Although Northern Ireland is no longer be at war, peace cannot be defined by the reduction of armed conflict. Much more is needed for peace to take hold fully. For years, in communities across the land, people have used a gentle, intricate negotiation of difference on a daily basis, using language, humour, silence - or whatever is needed to navigate challenging situations. See

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Place for Hope, a Scottish charity responding to the need for mediators within faith groups and congregations in Scotland. In October they are hosting a three-day event, ‘Gathering in Glasgow on Conflict and Faith’, to explore the nature of conflict faced by churches and faith communities, and ways of working together in conflict transformation. The event, aiming to respond to the hunger for reconciliation and peace in churches and communities, will give delegates the opportunity to network while developing the art of conflict transformation, reconciliation, and peacebuilding across faith communities. Victoria Mason, part of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s reconciliation team, will lead one of the workshops. ‘Knowing how to transform conflict is crucial for following Jesus in a world that is ever more complex and divided,’ she said.

Most British schools reopen on 2 September. During the holidays, three million children were at risk of hunger. One in five children faced food insecurity, one of the highest rates in Europe, because they were no longer receiving a daily school meal. Because of this, a variety of organisations and churches dotted across the nation have been providing free activities and hot and healthy meals to children and families who would otherwise have gone hungry. They have also been supporting and building relationships with the most vulnerable in our communities. Pray for these relationships to continue to grow after the ‘hunger clubs’ close down. Pray for the church volunteers who now have contact with some of the hidden ones in their communities to continue to give families the loving support that a compassionate church can give. Also, 37% of teachers spot malnutrition when children return to school after the holidays. Please pray for sensitive relationships to be built between families in poverty, teachers, social workers, councils, and other agencies able to support the vulnerable. See