Ukrainians Reaching out for God, His Word, in the Midst of Ongoing War

 

Despite ongoing conflict, Ukrainian churches are experiencing unprecedented growth, with over 100 new congregations established and thousands embracing faith through baptism. 

In spite of Russia turning Ukraine into a warzone, Christiana are holding fast to their faith and the church is growing at an incredible rate. There are over 100 churches that have opened since the invasion started.

“One hundred and six new churches have been started over the past four years,” Igor Bandura, a pastor and vice president of the Ukrainian Baptist Union. “Over 13,000 people have been baptized — significantly more than before the war.”

Bandura went on to note that churches across all denominations are seeing an increase in attendees.

Bandura’s Shift in Focus for People of Ukraine

 

Christian Leaders Offer Biblical Explanation for Pentagon UFO.

 

As declassified UAP files spark renewed speculation about alien spacecraft, prominent Christian leaders propose a spiritual rather than extraterrestrial explanation, suggesting biblical accounts of angels and demons offer a more... 

Prominent Christian leaders are pushing back on claims that government files demonstrate the existence of alien spacecraft from other worlds, arguing that Scripture offers a more compelling explanation for the mysterious images.

Last week, the Pentagon released more than 160 declassified files, photos, and videos tied to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), including images from Apollo-era missions, military encounters with glowing “orbs,” and footage of unexplained objects moving across the sky – renewing society’s fascination with UFOs and extraterrestrial life.

The public “can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files,” a Pentagon news release said.

Although the images sparked widespread speculation online about extraterrestrial visitors, two Christian leaders – Jeremiah J. Johnston of the Christian Thinkers Society and Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in California – say the biblical worldview offers a far different

 

Christian family accuses Kano hisbah of converting and marrying off their missing underage daughter

 

The family of Yusuf Simon, from Pankshin LGA of Plateau State, has petitioned the Kaduna State commissioner of police over alleged abduction, conversion to Islam, and marriage of their 17-year-old daughter, Jinkai Simon. 

The petition is dated 6th May, 2026. In it, the family stated that Jinkai, a student at St. Bartholomew’s Secondary School, Wusasa, Zaria, disappeared on 9th March, 2026, after leaving home for school 

She was living with her eldest sister, Jennifer Simon, in the Kuregu area of Zaria, Kaduna State, at the time of the incident. 

According to the petition, Jinkai was last seen with a neighbour, Ruqaiya, who also resides in Kuregu. 

The petition said Ruqaiya later informed the family that Jinkai had been converted to Islam and taken to Kano, where she was handed over to the Kano State Hisbah Board. 

The family alleged that the Kano State Hisbah Board subsequently changed the girl’s name, falsified her age to make her seem old enough for consent, and married her off after converting her to Islam. 

The petitioner said the Hisbah Board, upon receiving the girl, allegedly “changed her name from Jinkai Yusuf to Aisha Sani and married her off to one Abdulsamad and as such is now going by the name Aisha Abdulsamad.” 

Documents attached to the petition also showed that the girl was taken to a Kano State High Court, where she swore to an affidavit declaring that she is 19 years old. 

The parents accused the board of falsifying documents to facilitate the process. 

They maintained that, “To perpetrate these illegal acts, the Hisbah Board  went as far as forging consent documents purported to have been signed by parents, including causing her to swear to an Affidavit that she is 19 years, contrary to a well-known fact that no person swears to his or her birth except the parents that gave birth to the person.” 

The petition called on the police commissioner to investigate the matter and ensure Jinkai’s rescue and safe return to her parents. 

“It is with these in mind that we write that you use your good office and cause an investigation into the matter with a view to returning Miss Jinkai safely.” 

The petition also referenced the Supreme Court judgment in “Lagos State Government vs Abdulkareem 2022) 17 NWLR part 1859, page 287-288 PARAS H-C” as guidance on the rights and religious freedom of children. 

Photographs allegedly showing Jinkai wearing a Hijab alongside Ruqaiya and some members of the Kano State Hisbah Board were attached to the petition. 

The family also submitted documents they described as forged birth certificates and affidavits allegedly used to alter the girl’s age. 

The petition was copied to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State, the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Wusasa, Zaria, the Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N), and the Youth Wing of CAN, Kaduna State. 

Matt Chandler: Evangelism without Discipleship Falls Short of the Great Commission

 

Pastor Matt Chandler argues that modern churches often prioritize conversion over genuine discipleship, leading to believers drifting from their faith. 

Pastor Matt Chandler says the Great Commission does not end at conversion, yet too many modern churches have operated as though it does, emphasizing professions of faith while failing to ensure those new believers are still walking with Christ years later.

The lead pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, Matt Chandler, is the author of the new book Becoming Like jesus  (Thomas Nelson), which he wrote after watching young people enthusiastically embrace Christ only to drift from the faith years later, as well as longtime believers abandoning their convictions after enduring difficult life struggles. The book’s subtitle hints at its content: “The Everyday Journey to Living a Life of Holiness.”

“The main goal has never been conversion,” he said. “The main goal has always been discipleship. And so I think the majority of churches put a ton of energy into ‘how do we get people saved?’ – and put not near enough energy in the ‘now what?’”

Chandler cited his own church as an example.

 

Fulani assailants kill 11 Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria

 

Fulani herdsman in north-central Nigeria in 

screenshot from video obtained by Morning Star 

 

In attacks on three villages over two weeks, Fulani herdsmen killed 11 Christians and injured five others in one county in Plateau state, Nigeria.

On Sunday (May 3), Fulanis killed five Christians in Fan village, Barkin Ladi County, at about 9 p.m., said resident Bot James.

“Muslim Fulani gunmen killed five Christians in a fresh attack on Fan village, a Christian community in Barkin Ladi area of Plateau state,” James told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The victims were ambushed and attacked as they were returning to their houses from their businesses within the area.”

Area community leader Rwang Tengwong corroborated the account in a press statement he issued in Jos on Monday (May 4), saying all residents of Fan village are Christians.

“The victims were ambushed, shot at and killed by the Fulani attackers as they were returning to their homes after their daily business activities in the area,” Tengwong said.

In Barkin Ladi’s predominantly Christian Kassa village, two Christians were reportedly killed on April 27; one was identified as Gyang Choji Kim. On April 19 in predominantly Christian Hurum village, also in Barkin Ladi, four Christians were slain and five others wounded, said resident Florence Yohanna.

“God have mercy and rescue us from armed Fulani band,” Yohanna said. “My village, Hurum in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau state, has been attacked again by Fulani herdsmen; four Christians have been killed.”

Tengwong said the attack on Hurum village, Gashish District occurred at about 10 p.m.

“Fulani gunmen stormed the village and opened fire on residents, killing four Christians and injuring five others,” he said.

More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020.

“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.

Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.

In the country’s North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.

The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.

 

Northern Christian leaders tackle Wike over Jabi Lake

 

The Northern Christian Association has faulted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over remarks credited to him during the controversy surrounding land administration issues at Jabi Lake, warning that political authority must never be used to disrespect God or offend public sensibilities.

The association said that although government officials possess constitutional powers to administer land and enforce regulations, such authority must be exercised with humility, restraint and sensitivity to citizens’ religious beliefs.

The criticism followed widespread reactions to comments attributed to Wike after a female cleric reportedly knelt publicly to plead with the minister to reconsider a proposed development around Jabi Lake in Abuja.

Wike, while reacting to the emotional appeal, was reported to have stated that even if “God comes down,” he would not succumb to pressure, a remark that has continued to generate outrage among some Christian groups and religious leaders.

In a statement issued in Kaduna on Thursday, the Chairman of the association, Rev. Joseph Hayab, urged the minister to reflect on the concerns raised by Nigerians, apologise to those offended and embrace humility before God and the people.

Hayab said leaders must recognise the weight of their public utterances, noting that words spoken by those in authority should promote peace, unity and mutual respect in a multi-religious society like Nigeria.

The statement read in part, “Political office is temporary and should be handled with humility. No leader should allow power to create the impression that they are beyond accountability to God or the people they serve.

“As a Christian who professes Christ, the Holy Scriptures admonish believers that their words must be seasoned with grace and guided by wisdom.” 

The association added that the minister could have politely declined the plea made by the kneeling woman while calmly explaining the legal basis for the government’s position without making statements capable of being interpreted as insulting to God or offensive to believers.

It stressed that its position was not politically motivated but a moral and faith-based intervention aimed at promoting respect for religion and responsible public conduct.

“We are speaking out against Wike just as we will speak out against anyone who disrespects our faith,” the statement added.

The group also called on political office holders across the country to exercise caution in their public communication and avoid statements capable of deepening tension or provoking unnecessary controversy.

The controversy erupted amid growing public debate over land administration and development activities around Jabi Lake, one of the prominent recreational districts in the FCT.

The issue gained national attention after videos emerged showing a female cleric kneeling before the minister during a public engagement, appealing to him to halt or reconsider aspects of the development project.

The incident has since sparked mixed reactions, with some Nigerians defending the minister’s firmness on government policy, while others condemned the tone of his remarks as insensitive and disrespectful to religious sentiments.  

We’re not planning to wipe out Christians — Sultan

 

Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) 

ABUJA— The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday pushed back against fears of a religious agenda in Nigeria, declaring that Muslims were not planning to wipe out Christians, as religious and government leaders called for a reset in how the country understands its conflicts.

According to him, much of the violence often described as religious is being misunderstood, deepening suspicion and mistrust.

The remarks came at the first triannual meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, in Abuja, where the Sultan, who co-chairs the council, spoke alongside President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

Leaders said the way forward laid in dialogue, trust and a stronger push for religious literacy.

The Sultan said:  “Today, as I stand here, I want to affirm that Muslims are not in a hurry and are not planning anything like decimating the population of Christians in Nigeria.

“We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria. No, it is not possible.’’

He stressed that both faiths must coexist in an environment of stability, respect and understanding of one another, and urged Nigerians to rethink how insecurity was described, even as he warned against attaching religion to criminal acts.

“Let us get the narrative right, it is not about religion. Let us stop bringing religion into it.  Let us call them what they are, criminals, not Muslim criminals, not Muslim terrorists, not Muslim bandits. Even if someone claims to be Muslim, what they do goes against Islam,’’ the Sultan said.

Linking the problem to ignorance, he warned against false claims of religious authority, adding that “the fact that you understand Arabic does not make you a Sheikh. Arabic is just a language. So literacy is very important.’’

The Sultan advocated return to dialogue repeatedly, describing it as the only workable path.

He said further:  “In NIREC, we believe in dialogue. No matter how bad things are, we believe in dialogue. When talking, you need to understand one another, not just tolerate.

“If you do not believe me, what else can you do? You cannot open my heart to see what is inside. We must trust one another.”

On those who carry out violence in the name of religion, he said:  “Somebody can go to the market, blows his or herself up, kill people and shout ‘Allahu Akbar’. Yes, God is great, but you are going to hell. They will suffer for taking innocent lives.’’

Earlier in his remarks, CAN President, Daniel Okoh, framed the conversation around education and understanding, warning against reducing religion to stereotypes.

“Religious literacy is not merely the academic understanding of doctrines or rituals. It is the cultivation of awareness, sensitivity and respect for the beliefs and practices of others,” Archbishop Okoh said.

While noting that many tensions were wrongly labelled, the CAN president said:  “Across various parts of our nation, we continue to witness tensions that are sometimes framed along religious lines, even when their root causes may be social, economic, or political.’

The Christian leader stated that NIREC had continued to demonstrate the possibility of cooperation across faith lines.

“Through NIREC, we have demonstrated that despite our religious differences, we share common values of peace, justice, dignity of human life, and the well-being of our nation,” Archbishop Okoh said.

In his remarks, the SGF, George Akume, linked understanding directly to national stability.

“Where there is ignorance, suspicion can take root. Where there is misunderstanding, conflict can arise. But where there is knowledge and empathy, trust can flourish,” George Akume said.

While warning against divisive narratives, he called for stronger institutional support, particularly through education.

He said:  “Education plays a crucial role… Schools, universities, and community institutions must prioritise inclusive and accurate teaching about religions and worldviews. We must challenge our assumptions and resist narratives that seek to divide us.’’

On security and education, he added: “We must do everything as a government to ensure that the terrorists who kidnap children who are willing to study must come to an end.”