Only in the European Union, 70 million people live with some kind of disability. Churches should “get the issue onto the agenda”, says Thérèse Swinters, facilitator of the European Disability Network. 

“Unique” was the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer in Europe. A summary of the highlights in Italy, Austria, Spain, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

“Resources are getting scarcer and no doubt the local churches and its members will have to take on a heavier financial responsibility in the future”, explains Parish pastor Haakon Kessel. 

The incident will not have much influence on the public opinion, pastor in Austria tells Evangelical Focus.

Hundreds of Christians gathered in St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva, to pray for Europe. Aitor De la Camara, of the movement 'Prayer 24-7' in Spain, recalls the event.

“We need a realistic, grounded sense of self that is not pre-occupied with maintaining its own importance, but serving a purpose bigger than ‘me’”, says Psychiatrist Glynn Harrison, author of ‘The Big Ego Trip’.

Secretary General of the Bible Society of Egypt, Ramez Atallah underlines the “general denouncing of this tragic incident by Muslims in all media”.

About 70 people from diverse evangelical backgrounds met for the Spanish annual Lausanne Movement gathering. They discussed how the church can respond to 10 social challenges in the country.

“Too often we hide behind our Christian heritage which is somehow only a kind of folk and nominal version of real Christianity”, says Frank Hinkelmann. Evangelicals should not let fear towards foreigners stop their mission.

Evangelical leaders from England, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic and the Netherlands analyse the situation from a biblical perspective.

Why are so many evangelical Christians worried about the growing unity between Protestants and Roman Catholics? We ask Leonardo De Chirico, one of the theologians behind the “Is the Reformation Over?” document.

More than 20 countries were represented at the European Evangelical Alliance General Assembly 2016. The “identity of Europe” and the Christian response to several challenges was discussed in Colares (Portugal).

An 8-minute interview with Philip Yancey on the role of Christians in a secularised society. Recorded in Madrid, September 2016.

Author Philip Yancey believes Christians are “the Jesus left behind” in a world in which people respond to the gospel when it is shared through “acts of mercy”. Read interview and watch video.

Tim Stewart has been the guide of the Spanish paralympian Martin Parejo, in Rio 2016. He explains how his faith helped him overcome the disappointment of not reaching the expected results.

The European Evangelical Alliance highlights the role of Greek evangelicals in their service to refugees. Portuguese political representatives and church leaders participated in a special event in Sintra (Portugal). 

Candidates supported by megachurches had good results in the local elections. But “many evangelical politicians have been more corrupt than the average”, sociologist Paul Freston explains in an interview.

A controversial amendment to the ‘Loi Sapin II’ was withdrawn this week. “Some ideological groups attempt to reduce the voice of religions in the public space”, explains evangelical representative.

Several events to share “common faith” and “heal wounds” of the past are organised in Germany. Most evangelical Christians dissociate themselves from this ecumenical approach.

“I am staggered that so many evangelical Christians would somehow paint a man who is a bully, who made his money by casinos, who has had several wives and several affairs, as someone that we could stand behind”.

“It is when all the ‘pieces’ come together that our response is really relevant and can have an impact on every level - locally, nationally, regionally and globally”, says WEA Communications Director Timothy Goropevsek.

“When you are in a place like the United States where the majority will claim to be Christians, but then look like everyone else, then people do not understand what the gospel is”. Preview of the author's interview with Evangelical Focus.

Two opposition candidates win seats in parliament for the first time in 20 years. A Christian believes “times are changing” in a country under pressure on many fronts.

‘Don’t shut your eyes’ is the new initiative of the European Freedom Network. “When we see a child begging at a time when the child should be in school, why do we walk by?”

The town of Mialet received 8,000 Protestants who came from across France to recall the “desert assemblies”. The yearly meeting was started more than a century ago.