British people have significantly less integrity than ten years ago, and it risks harming civic mindedness, new research claims. Adultery, lying and underage sex have all become more acceptable, according to the findings published by Professor Paul Whiteley. He blames the bad examples set by footballers cheating on their wives, the phone hacking scandal, and dodgy financial dealing. And, he says, the implications could be profound for society. The findings show that people with high levels of integrity tend to have a strong sense of civic duty. The Essex Centre for the Study of Integrity has been set up to analyse the issue. Professor Paul Whiteley is the centre’s director. He commented: “If social capital is low and people are suspicious and don’t work together, those communities have worse health, worse educational performance, they are less happy and they are less economically developed and entrepreneurial. It really does have a profound effect.”

Pray: for a return to the unchanging Biblical truths of morality and integrity. (Ps.25:21)

 More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/people-have-less-integrity-and-it-is-harming-society/

Christmas and Easter rightly have prominent places in the Church calendar. Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection should be properly celebrated, but the place of Pentecost is equally important. Without that point in time when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus’ followers as they waited patiently after his ascension, they would have remained a group of confused and fearful people. It was the Church’s Big Bang moment. Pentecost is a reminder that the Holy Spirit moves with power and that without the Spirit working through us, individual Christians and the Church will be able to achieve little of substance. Our society desperately needs to see and experience a revolutionary Church filled with the fire of God’s Spirit.

Pray: for the Church to open herself up to the power of the Holy Spirit. (Eph.6:10)

More: http://godandpoliticsuk.org/2013/05/18/pentecost-the-churchs-big-bang-moment/

This year’s Pentecost Festival looks set to be the biggest yet. Organisers are anticipating that as many as 30,000 will be reached in the 10-day Central London event which started last Friday. Now in its fourth year, this is the first time the finale, hosted by Holy Trinity Brompton, Hillsong and Jesus House, will take place at the 17,000 capacity O2 arena. The festival sees more than 100 arts-based events with performances from X-Factor finalist Beverley Trotman and US group Spoken Groove, comedy from Andy Kind, John Maloney and Paul Tonkinson, and theatre which addresses issues of injustice. There will be science debates, seminars on faith and fashion and a political evening looking at the impact of the message of Pentecost hosted by Baptist minister the Revd Steve Chalke. Andy Frost, festival director, said 'Once again it will show people that the church is not just about Sunday mornings. 'It's engaging with what's happening culturally. It's representing God's heartbeat.'

Pray: for those leading this event and for its success in reaching out to those who have not received the Gospel message. (Ps.107:22)

More: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/news3.htm

A Lib Dem peer in the House of Lords has tabled an amendment to remove the requirement for Christian worship in schools. Currently schools must have a daily act of collective worship. Collective worship must be ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character.’ Parents can withdraw their children and teachers are also permitted to opt out. But now Lord Avebury, a Liberal Democrat peer, has tabled an amendment to end the requirement for collective worship in all schools apart from faith schools. Earlier this year a secularist campaign group said that Christian assemblies should be banned because they breach children’s human rights. The National Secular Society wrote to Education Secretary, Michael Gove, demanding that the law on Christian assemblies be abolished. But a spokesman for the Department for Education said the law on Christian assemblies ‘encourages pupils to reflect on the concept of belief and the role it plays in the traditions and values of this country.’ (See Prayer Alert 36-2011)

Pray: that this further challenge to our faith would be thwarted. (Pr.6:23)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/peer-in-bid-to-dismantle-law-on-christian-assemblies/

The pressures of Christmas spending will drive four million people to take out payday loans to cover Christmas costs, despite a cut in the average budget for festive spending and giving fewer presents this year. Louise Brittain of R3 the insolvency trade body said, ‘I would urge people to think again before taking out a high interest loan to pay for presents, partying or luxury food. Debt has been normalized, attributable in part to clever marketing campaigns of big payday lenders operating glossy websites who are capitalizing on a shift in attitudes towards saving and debt.’ One in four families struggles to break even every month. Meanwhile a national debt counselling charity that works through local churches called ‘Christians Against Poverty’ offers hope and solutions to debt through a service showing God’s love in action sustainable poverty relief of counseling and practical help. See: http://www.capuk.org/who/aboutus.php

Pray: for Christian charities and networks helping people in debt to reach those in most need; and for similar Christian resources to be birthed at this time of recession. (Mt.25:35-36)

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/borrowing/loans/9720985/4m-will-use-payday-loans-for-Christmas-spending.html

Payday loan firms have been told to change their behaviour after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) found evidence of ‘widespread irresponsible lending’. The OFT is giving the biggest 50 firms 12 weeks to change their practices, or they risk losing their licences. It also plans to refer the market to the Competition Commission, after it found ‘deep-rooted’ problems in how payday loan companies compete. In response, the loans industry said it was already changing its operations. The Government has also announced plans to ‘weed out rogue lenders’ and place further controls on the way they are allowed to advertise. In addition, it said the high rates of interest charged by payday lenders could make the consequences of irresponsible lending ‘particularly acute’. (See also Prayer Alert 50-2012)

Pray: that the OFT’s pressure and the Government's move to exert controls will restrict irresponsible lending. (Pr.28:25)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21683739

The UK's payday lenders have been warned that tougher regulation is on its way, to protect consumers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed that all borrowers should have an "affordability" check before being given a loan. Among other new rules, the FCA wants to put risk warnings on adverts and marketing material. The payday industry gave the plans a guarded welcome, saying irresponsible lenders would struggle to comply. Martin Wheatley, the FCA's chief executive, said: "Today I'm putting payday lenders on notice: tougher regulation is coming and I expect them all to make changes so that consumers get a fair outcome. The clock is ticking." The proposals mean that anyone taking out a loan would need to prove that they could afford to repay it. In a separate government survey, one in five customers said they were not even asked about their finances when they applied for a payday loan.

Pray: for all those who fall victims of unscrupulous loan sharks and that these moves by the FCA will bring an end to such usury. (Eze.18:17)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24372134

Are Christians being marginalised in public life? Is it becoming more difficult to speak freely or be authentically Christian in the workplace? What does the law actually have to say about these issues? These are just some of the questions a cross-party group of Christian MPs and Peers are attempting to address as part of Clearing the Ground - a parliamentary inquiry to see how the law treats Christians. The All Party Parliamentary Group 'Christians in Parliament' has launched the inquiry to seek clarity regarding what Christians can and cannot do within the law. It will cut through the claims made in the media and by opposing campaign groups to consider whether Christians are finding their freedoms eroded. Gary Streeter MP, who is chairing the inquiry, said: ‘There has never been a more significant time for Christians to make a positive contribution to our society.’

Pray: for God’s wisdom to prevail leading to positive contributions and clear understanding. (Col.2:2)

More: http://www.eauk.org/media/clearing-the-ground.cfm