Leaders of Christian organisations in Europe remember the evangelist’s confidence in the Gospel, his personal integrity, and how he helped start mission movements.

Members of faith communities are not as protected as other social groups, the four official religious representatives say in a statement.

More than 140 delegates of about 50 organisations met in the Netherlands. Training and resources were offered in specific workshops.

“We will hear deeply painful accounts of abuse, of poor response, and of ‘cover-up’”, Bishop Peter Hancock told the General Synod.

Elias (Elijah) and Maria are number one in Germany. Noah and Lukas (Luke) are the most popular in Switzerland and Austria.

The SPD would have Finance, Labor and Foreign Affairs Ministries. Merkel’s CDU gains the Economy Ministry, and Bavaria's CSU takes over the Interior Ministry.

There were “47 migrants from Mali, Guinea Conakry and Ivory Coast” in the raft, a NGO worker said. The arrival of migrants in Melilla has increased 873% .

The country just celebrated its 100th birthday. Finns have been very active in welcoming asylum seekers.

Christians wish to see a change in the socio-political atmosphere.

Eighty-seven new places of worship have been opened in the last six months of 2017. There are now 4,045 evangelical premises throughout the country.

A survey conducted by the Czech Evangelical Alliance also asked evangelical church members about sexuality, refugees and divorce.

The rate is similar among Roman Catholics and Protestants. The 2017 Reformation commemorations have not had a deep impact, experts say.

A second round will decide the Presidential election later this month. “Until now, it was fashionable to oppose churches and Christianity but this is slowly changing”, says pastor Dan Drápal.

Former leader of the Liberal Party Tim Farron speaks about his experiences as an evangelical Christian in politics. “In the United States, you have to invent a faith to be taken seriously, in the UK you have to pretend you haven’t got one”.

In their own quiet way, Russia’s Protestant denominations are continuing to evangelise.

The snap election called by Prime Minister Rajoy leaves an even bigger polarisation in Catalonia. Evangelical leaders call believers to become peacemakers.

The religious group founded by Edir Macedo has been accused of trafficking children from Portugal to Brazil and the USA. Portuguese evangelicals clearly distance themselves from the “doctrines and practices” of the group.

The gathering focused on effective campaigning – from a political, civil society, and media point of view.

Poland passes a law to almost completely end Sunday shopping by 2020.

The Refugee Highway Partnership (RHP) roundtable brings together people from across Europe every year. “Christians can guide refugees and help them meet the Prince of Peace and the Real Comforter which is Jesus”.

“The historic positions on biblical unity and biblical confrontation of errors that the Alliance has stood for over a hundred years seem now to be eroded and replaced by ecumenical attitudes”. World Evangelical Alliance responds: “The concerns raised are being taken very seriously”.

“Non-Muslim European women are projected to have a total fertility rate of 1.6 children, on average, compared with 2.6 children per Muslim woman in the region”, says a Pew Research study.

So far in 2017, more than 3,000 people have lost their lives trying to reach Europe.

The Evangelical Alliance writes a letter to the head of the Valais Canton education system asking for measures to make sure children are not proselytised. 

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church agreed “to intercede and advocate” for the Macedonian Church in its hopes for canonical independence.