Press Release

Faith, Peace, and the Power of Sport: Jubilee Sport Conference 2025 at the Vatican.

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Faith, Peace, and the Power of Sport: Jubilee Sport Conference 2025 at the Vatican.

I write with heartfelt gratitude following the extraordinary privilege of attending the Jubilee of Sport Conference 2025 at the Vatican. It was a sacred honour to be present for such a meaningful and insightful gathering, and I extend my sincere congratulations to our hosts at the Vatican for a conference marked by profound wisdom, warmth, and gracious hospitality.

His Holiness Pope Leo’s address was deeply moving and spiritually enriching. His words illuminated the divine potential of sport as a powerful instrument for the betterment of individual lives and the healing of communities. Bishop-elect Christopher Hughes and I were especially inspired by his emphasis on sport as a potential means of social transformation, peace-building, and international solidarity. These principles echo the heart of the Gospel and the call to love and serve one another.

We were further encouraged by the opportunity to meet with Dr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, and to explore future initiatives together. It was also a great honour to be invited by Professor Keim, UNESCO Chair for Sport, Development, Peace, and Olympic Education, to affirm our support for the Paris 2024 Declaration on Olympic Education, Olympic Values, and Sport for Development and Peace.

Paris 2024 Declaration on Olympic Education, Olympic Values and Sport, Development and Peace (SDP)

The Paris 2024 Declaration on Olympic Education, Olympic Values, and Sport, Development and Peace (SDP) is a global call to action led by the National Pierre de Coubertin Committees of South Africa and France, the Pierre de Coubertin Family Association, and the UNESCO Chair for Sport, Development, Peace and Olympic Education.

This declaration highlights the power of sport as a transformative force for peace, education, and sustainable development. It emphasizes values rooted in Olympism and the Paralympic spirit, calling for:

  • Stronger global partnerships across governments, civil society, sport organizations, and educational institutions.
  • Broader engagement of youth from early childhood to university level in sport and peace-building initiatives.
  • The promotion of inner peace, inclusion, health, and well-being through sport in urban and community spaces.
  • Greater recognition of sports’ role in conflict mediation, cultural exchange, and as a tool to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Importantly, the Declaration urges continued investment in Olympic education, research, and cross-cultural collaboration, with a clear focus on integrating perspectives from both the Global South and North.

Official Statement from Archbishop Steven Lyn Evans on the Passing of His Holiness Pope Francis

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Official Statement from Archbishop Steven Lyn Evans on the Passing of His Holiness Pope Francis

It is with deep sorrow and reverence that we acknowledge the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a humble servant of Christ whose life and ministry touched the world.

On behalf of The International Christian Church Network, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community and to all who have been impacted by the life, love, and leadership of Pope Francis. His unwavering commitment to compassion, reconciliation, and service reflected the heart of Jesus in a world that so desperately needed it.

We will never forget the generosity and kindness he extended to several of our ministers, welcoming us at various times within the sacred halls of the Vatican. His hospitality, humility, and willingness to listen were not only deeply appreciated but profoundly moving. He was open to our message of the power of faith, and for that we are eternally grateful.

Pope Francis stood as a bridge between peoples, denominations, and nations. His legacy is one of grace, inclusion, and a courageous love for the poor, the marginalized, and the broken-hearted.

May he rest in the peace of Christ, and may his example continue to inspire all of us who labour for the unity of the Body of Christ and the advancement of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

++ Archbishop Steven Lyn Evans
Presiding Bishop

The International Christian Church Network

2024 International Conference

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2024 International Conference

Our Conference this year will take place from 9:00am Friday 18th October to 1:00pm Sunday 20th October 2024 across multiple sites in the North West of England, with the main venue being Living Faith Church, Orrell, Wigan, Greater Manchester WN5 8TG.

As part of the conference join us in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Living Faith Church building! To mark this historic occasion TICCN is hosting a special Celebration of Hymns service at the church. We are honoured to have Bishop Michael Fleming, currently one of the most recognized ministers in Britain, as our special guest speaker. Bishop Fleming, known for his appearances on national TV, will be delivering a powerful address.

We warmly welcome everyone, especially past, present, and new worshipers who have been part of the Salem building’s rich history.

Stay tuned for more details about the upcoming 2024 Conference. We look forward to celebrating together! 

If you’re planning to attend the event, please mark yourself as “Going” on our Facebook event page so we can get an idea of who will be joining us.

Famous American Leader Visits Living Faith Church

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Famous American Leader Visits Living Faith Church

Archbishop Steven was delighted to announce recently that his friend and ministerial colleague Dr. Wesley Paul, will be visiting the Connect Centre adjacent to Living Faith Church on Saturday 20th July for a special breakfast gathering. He will follow this with preaching on the Sunday 21st morning service at Living Faith Church. For those who don’t yet know Wesley here is a brief biography of this remarkable international Christian leader.

Dr. Wesley Paul is the founder and president of Wesley Paul International Ministries. Wesley is an International speaker, he has addressed Governors, Kings, Presidents of nations and to the masses in them; from small, informal gatherings to large, filled stadiums he has addressed the message of peace, love and hope to audiences in over 40 countries. Recently he joined Andrew Palau in a nation wide festival reaching more than 100,000 people.

Dr. Paul has served as pastor for 8 years, chaplain in the medical field for 8 years and 3 years as a youth minister.

For the past two decades Wesley has been under the Luis Palau’s Next Generation Alliance as a Network evangelist. He is also being mentored by Dr. Don Wilton, Pastor to the Late Dr. Billy Graham and was mentored by the late Dr. Lon Allison, former director of Billy Graham Center at Wheaton. In association with the Palau team he has conducted several crusades in India and Kenya and Fiji. He is also a member of the Proclamation Evangelism Network (PEN), a network of evangelists hosted by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Wesley holds a Masters in MDiv from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Masters of Marriage of Family Therapy from Campbellsville University and a Doctorate (DMin) in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. In addition to being an international speaker/ evangelist, Wesley also works as a psychotherapist.

Wesley is married to Debbie, together they have two children, Ashley and Jonathan. The Pauls make their home in Springfield, Kentucky.

Event Information

Who is this for: Anyone who wants to learn how to share their faith more effectively with others.
Date: Saturday 20th July 2024 at 10am-12noon.
Venue: Connect Centre (behind Living Faith Church), 25 Church Street, Orrell, Wigan, Greater Manchester. WN5 8TG.
Other info: The meeting is free to attend and includes a fellowship breakfast serving bacon and sausage butties, toast, and pastries.

Archbishop Johnny Riley Jr thanked for 30 Years of Influential Ministry

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Archbishop Johnny Riley Jr thanked for 30 Years of Influential Ministry

On 2nd June 2024 the College of Bishops and membership of The International Christian Church Network, join with the Executive Leadership of Bridging the Gaps Ministries International, to thank and congratulate our esteemed brother Archbishop Johnny Riley Jr., for 30 years of dynamic and influential Christian ministry. 

We recognise the tremendous and lasting impact that Archbishop Johnny’s international ministry has had on many thousands of lives. He has without question, made a profound impact through his dedicated ministry and inspirational leadership. Archbishop Steven of The International Christian Church Network commented that “I have personally benefitted from Archbishop Johnny’s remarkable ministry and I’m thankful to him and his wife Barbara for their kindness and support. Their friendship to me and the wider church body, beyond The International Christian Church Network of which I am presiding Archbishop, is making a truly lasting and powerful impact into a countless number of lives. 

We give thanks to God for Archbishop Johnny and pray for his ongoing influence and ministry, may God continue to use and impact him for the expansion of the Kingdom.

++Steven

Dunwells In the DR

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Dunwells In the DR

A New Chapter: Missionaries To The Dominican Republic

Hi friends, we are pleased to let you know that by God’s grace, we have arrived safely in Jarabacoa. On the fi ve-hour drive from Punta Cana to Jarabacoa, we saw a man with two oxen pulling a plough. The Lord gave us a scripture just before we set off from the UK in Luke 9:62 about ‘the cost of discipleship’, But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fi t for the kingdom of God.” So we have taken that as a sign to keep moving forward in God’s purposes and not to look back. We have a modest home in the poorer area of Jarabacoa but we are grateful to God for His blessings, we have a pomegranate tree overhanging into our backyard that we believe is an indication that the Lord is with us and He will establish us in the land.

It’s been a busy few weeks settling into our new home and getting used to the area. It’s extremely noisy here and life is very different so it will take time to adjust. We have all started serving at JCS School, Troy’s been actively sharing the Gospel and encouraging his new friends to read the Bible. Precious has settled in at school, she’s making friends and shared about Jesus at assembly. Kathryn’s been teaching the young kids at the school English and the Bible, Graham has been teaching the older children English and about Christian leadership. The children at JCS are likely the ones who will go on to be the leaders in some capacity in the Dominican Republic, so please pray that we can lead them to a personal relationship with Jesus and live out a Godly life as well as helping educate them to live a fruitful life for the benefit of others. There are a lot of people with alcohol and gambling problems in Jarabacoa so please also pray for us as we spread the good news of the Gospel around the town.

Spreading the Love of Jesus in the Dominican Republic!

Our mission is to share the love of Jesus through both words and actions as we become an integral part of the community, serving at Jarabacoa Christian School and with Mission Direct. We’ve had the privilege of praying for healing for individuals while walking through the town. Additionally, we’ve been entrusted with overseeing the spiritual needs of the school, focusing on prayer, pastoral care, worship, and Bible study for the teachers and over 400 children. Currently, there is no existing framework for this at the school, and we believe that God is opening a significant door for us in this regard.
In the coming weeks, we’ll also be visiting Claire at GoMAD to assess the project, preparing for our missionary teams scheduled to arrive in July. Our mission will be to construct a toilet block and a kitchen/dining facility.

2024 Project

Arroyo De Lechez School – this is a rural community of around 200 families.

  • The school is grades 1-6 and has 28 students.
  • They have 3 classrooms and 3 teachers.
  • The school is full day

The Project

  • To build a toilet block of 2 toilets – the school currently has a latrine toilet.
  • To build a dining and kitchen area – the school currently has no facilities for lunch and is washing dishes on the ground.
  • Team 1 will build the toilets and do some painting work.
  • Team 2 will build a dining and kitchen area.
  • We will assist a team of local builders and tradespeople to accomplish the project.

Please Pray For

  • Our Protection, Especially On The Roads And Paths
  • Our Health, Especially Mosquito Bites
  • The People Of The Dominican Republic And They Come To Know Jesus
  • The Children And Teachers At JCS School
  • The New Chapel, Worship, Prayer And Bible Study
  • The Missionary Projects With Mission Direct
  • For More People To Partner With Us Both In Prayer And Financially
  • To Connect With Other Christians In The Dominican Republic
Donate to the Dunwell’s Mission

The Exodus Project

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The Exodus Project

Bishop Mick and Pastor Emma have developed a ground-breaking recovery programme called ‘The Exodus Project’. The Exodus Project has been born out of their 25 years experience of addiction, mental health, recovery, and Christian faith journeys. The Exodus Project is part of Church on the Street’s Recovery Academy.

The Exodus Project is based upon 12 biblical foundations for recovery. The biblical foundations are sourced from Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. The aim of the Exodus Project is to show people, of all backgrounds, that Jesus Christ is the answer to addiction and the consequences of trauma.

I am not living a lie anymore, being truthful, even if it hurts.

Exodus Project Student

A cohort of 12 students will journey together 3 days per week, over 12 weeks, and participate in teaching, bible study, church services, group sessions, and community activities, all of which will deepen their faith and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. After graduating from the Exodus Project students will be supported through volunteering opportunities, recovery groups, one-to-one support, education, training, employment, and being part of the wider Church on the Street community.

It has been life saving, powerful stuff.

Exodus Project Student

Click on the button below for more information.

Church on the Street Ministries

Bishop Michael Conducts His First Ordination Service

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Bishop Michael Conducts His First Ordination Service

Bishop MichaelIt was a tremendous week for Bishop Michael Fleming from Church on the Street Ministries. We congratulate him and his team on conducting their first ordination service for The International Christian Church Network. We have received prayers and congratulations from supporters around the globe and we are thankful for each one of them and their show of kindness.

The ordination took place in the centre of Burnley at the new church which was recently purchased from the United Reformed Church.

On this important occasion four people were ordained. Bea Wilkinson is now a Chaplin within the TICCN Network and Joanne Duke is heading up the church fellowship at Barnoldswick. Graham and Kathrine Dunwell are planting a TICCN church in the Dominican Republic which is focusing on tackling extreme child poverty and hopefully expanding into other areas as the Lord leads.

Please can we all pray for these wonderful people who have responded to the ‘call’ of God. We ask that they, like us, will be all that the Lord has called us to be and do all that He has called us to do.

Archbishop Steven Lyn Evans and Bishop Steven Bellant Consecrated at TICCN Conference USA

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Archbishop Steven Lyn Evans and Bishop Steven Bellant Consecrated at TICCN Conference USA

During October 2023 in Texarkana Arkansas The International Christian Church Network held it’s annual conference and Consecration Service for Archbishop Metropolitan Steven Evans and Bishop Steven Bellant.

The Conference was hosted by Archbishop Johnny Riley and we would like to extend our gratitude for his tremendous hospitality. His experience and spiritual wisdom were evident and impacted everyone, particularly during his tremendous sermon address. We must also thank his wife Barbara Pitts who did such wonderful work during our time there, she worked so hard multitasking in many things from supervising the supply of meals though to professional photography.

(The included group photographs here are used by kind permission of Barbara Pitts)

The conference started with a tremendous session from Reverend Curtis Wilson who gave such accurate words of knowledge and preached with a clear and insightful revelation from God. Clearly, Curtis had spent time with the Lord and sought Him for what to preach, it impacted everyone deeply. We can see why he preaches in stadiums, he has a powerful ability to convey spiritual truth and touch people’s hearts. Similarly, with Mei Powers who brought a very strong and insightful word that went straight from her heart into ours. Like Curtis, she has a world impacting ministry that impacts thousands of people. She is clearly a powerhouse for God.

Bishop Steven Bellant was able to bring some of the remarkable testimonies from his work to the conference. They ranged from the practical needs of everyday supplies for poor people in Nepal, to the prophetic and the reality of supernatural healing. As each speaker continued it became so clear that we as TICCN have an essential and important role in the worldwide Kingdom of God. We are small enough to be agile and not get bogged down in unnecessary bureaucracy. To follow the leading of God and not need to fit into often limiting structures.

Archbishop Doyle brought prophetic insights and warmth to everyone. He is elder the Father figure and it was a delight for him to consecrate his co-founder Archbishop Metropolitan Steven Evans. He said that he has wanted to do this for years and now his joy is complete in this particular ambition.

What was particularly important was the move of the Holy Spirit that took place. People were impacted by the power of God on numerous occasions. It was clear that this conference was a place where God was empowering our leadership for what is coming next. We rejoiced with each other for the fellowship and love that was evidenced in abundance.

All the glory goes to God, and as was sung repeatedly during this time, what a mighty God we serve!

Introducing our Golf Chaplain Protin Nalké 

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Introducing our Golf Chaplain Protin Nalké 

We are delighted to introduce Protin our Golf Chaplain. He is passionate about the world of professional golf and trained under the guidance of Reverend Christopher Hughes. Since 2010 he has been connected to the world of Golf and has a passionate desire to advance Golf Chaplaincy within professional Golf. 

Speaking about his work Protin explained, “Golfers are athletes that need to be holistically supported as the pressure they face is significant.” He continued, “My concern about a specific Chaplaincy ministry for golfers led to an encounter with Archbishop Steven Evans in August 2021. I am grateful to Reverend Christopher Hughes for the connection and I am honoured to be part of TICCN Sports Chaplaincy team by God’s Grace.”

We are thankful for the passion that Protin has and for his God given ability to support and encourage golfers. We are confident that his efforts will continue to advance our increasing positive impact into the world of sports.