On Saturday 5 September, Christians and people wanting to be baptised will be gathering at Bigbury-on-Sea in South Devon for an afternoon of baptisms, fellowship and food.

Everyone is welcome.

🕑 What time?

Come along from 2pm.

We’re aiming to begin the baptisms at around 3pm, followed by a free BBQ and time together afterwards.

🌊 I want to be baptised — do I need to book?

No.

There’s no booking form, no ticket and no charge.

If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and want to be baptised, simply come along and let us know when you arrive.

Bring a towel and a change of clothes.

📖 Over 100 free New Believers Bibles

We’ve got over 100 New Believers Bibles to give away completely free on the day.

We don’t want people to be baptised and then simply sent home wondering what comes next.

We want everyone who needs one to be able to leave with a Bible in their hand and something to help them begin growing in their faith.

⛪ Finding a church afterwards

We’ll also be giving out free leaflets with a list of churches around the UK where people can get plugged into Christian fellowship when they get home.

Baptism isn’t the finish line. It’s the beginning of following Jesus.

🍔 Free BBQ afterwards

After the baptisms, we’ll be having a free BBQ and spending some time together.

There’s no charge and nothing to book — just come along.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Can I come if I’m not being baptised?

Absolutely.

You don’t have to be getting baptised to come.

Bring your family, bring your friends, come and watch the baptisms, meet other Christians and be part of the afternoon.

Everyone is welcome.

🚗 Parking

Main car park: Marine Drive, Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon, TQ7 4AS

There is parking at Bigbury-on-Sea, as well as an overflow car park if the main parking is full.

The overflow is only around a 5–10 minute walk from the beach, but please give yourself plenty of time as we’re expecting it to be busy.

🐕 Can I bring my dog?

Yes. Dogs are welcome.

✝️ What is the day actually about?

This isn’t about putting on a show or trying to create a big event.

It’s about people publicly declaring their faith in Jesus Christ through baptism.

Some are new believers. Others have followed Jesus for years but have never been baptised.

On Saturday, they’re going into the sea to say publicly:

I belong to Jesus.

“One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” — Ephesians 4:5

📍 Bigbury Baptism — at a glance

Saturday 5 September 2026

Bigbury-on-Sea, South Devon

Main car park: Marine Drive, Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon, TQ7 4AS

🕑 Arrive from 2pm

🌊 Baptisms around 3pm

🍔 Free BBQ afterwards

📖 100+ New Believers Bibles to give away

⛪ Church information available

🎟️ No booking required

💷 No charge

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Everyone welcome

If you know somebody who wants to be baptised, or somebody who would simply love to come along, please send them this page.

See you at the beach. ✝️

What has happened since has surprised me even more. Over the past few weeks my messages have been filling up with people saying they are travelling to Bigbury next Saturday, some from relatively nearby and others from hundreds of miles away. We’ve heard from people coming from Scotland, Ireland, London, Bristol, the Midlands, South Wales, the South East and from across Devon and Cornwall. Some are travelling specifically to be baptised, others are coming with friends or family, and many simply want to be there and witness it.

I’m always slightly cautious about turning encouraging signs into grand declarations about revival. Britain clearly hasn’t suddenly become a full on Christian country again, and I don’t think Christians need to manufacture something by shouting revival every time somebody opens a Bible. But at the same time, I think we would be equally foolish to ignore what is happening in front of us. I’m hearing from people who have started reading Scripture, people asking me where they can find a church, people who are very new to faith, and others who have believed in Jesus for years but have suddenly decided they want to take their faith more seriously.

Behind all of those messages are real people, and one of them is Steve.

I first got to know Steve through the online ministry. He’s also a bit of a YouTuber himself, making videos about hiking, boating, camping, navigation, bushcraft and life after the accident that very nearly killed him. We got talking, I invited him along to our church in Plymouth, and he came. He’s continued coming since, and next Saturday Steve is planning to be baptised at Bigbury.

Steve's Story…

“I nearly died but didn’t… Satan lost! Christ wins!”

In February 2026 I was run over by a fuel lorry. It wasn’t my fault, and I don’t remember exactly what happened, but three lads from MAN Trucks helped save my life that day. I was wearing a high-vis top, helmet and gloves, and I have forgiven the driver.

The impact went through my helmet and into my skull, causing a bleed on my brain. I also broke my C5 in my neck, fractured my hip and suffered lacerations, whiplash and trauma. There was emotional shock too, and sometimes I would simply cry.

Seven months later I’m back walking and hiking, riding my bike and getting on with life. I’m a bit slower and I still have aches, pains and fatigue, but with God’s help I’ve kept stepping forward each day to regain my strength. Through prayer I have asked for His presence in me to stand me back up.

What I’ve experienced over the last year has brought me closer to Christ, not further from Him. I’ve become more earnest and stronger, more corrected and rooted in Him. I still have my struggles, but one great change God has made in me came when I went directly to Him in prayer about my addiction to pornography. He has removed it from me completely. That’s a miracle.

I’m dyslexic as well, which is why my writing can be a bit messy. I failed school pretty much completely and came away with an O-level in Art.

I’ve got plenty of stories. These days I make videos about walking, hiking, boating, camping and the outdoors, and after everything that has happened I’m grateful to still be here making them.

Somewhere along the way I also met Merlin, and he has helped me find a church where I feel comfortable. I genuinely am very happy there.

I’m not afraid of anything in my past and I’m excited about the future in Christ. I leave it in God’s hands.

Christ IS King and the way.

Steve

Steve's YouTube

When I first read his message, one part particularly stayed with me: the fact that through all this online stuff he had found a church where he felt comfortable. That probably means more to me than any amount of views or followers ever could.

Social media can very quickly become about numbers if you allow it to. How many people watched something? How many shared it? Is the account growing? But somewhere among those numbers can be somebody like Steve. A person watches a video on their phone, a conversation begins, eventually that conversation moves into real life, they walk through the doors of a church, meet other Christians and start taking steps forward in their faith.

Next Saturday I’m going to have the privilege of watching Steve take another one of those steps as he publicly declares his faith in Jesus Christ through baptism.

What is happening in Britain?

Steve’s story is obviously his own, but what encourages me is that it doesn’t feel completely isolated anymore. Over the last year I’ve been hearing variations of the same thing again and again. Someone has started reading a Bible. Someone else wants to know which church they should attend. A bloke who hasn’t thought seriously about Christianity for years suddenly wants to talk about Jesus. Parents are thinking about the faith their children are growing up without. People who would never describe themselves as particularly religious are asking serious questions.

There is a strange contrast in Britain at the moment. On the surface we are often told that Christianity is something the country has largely left behind, yet underneath that I keep encountering people who seem to be searching for exactly the things we were told no longer mattered.

I don’t know where it leads. Nobody does. But I find it enormously encouraging that ordinary people are prepared to travel from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and across England simply to stand on a Devon beach while people publicly declare that they belong to Christ. Some of those coming have been Christians for decades; others are only beginning to understand what Christianity actually means.

Maybe that is what we should be paying attention to. Not necessarily huge declarations or clever slogans, but individual lives changing direction. One person opening a Bible. One person walking into church. One person deciding to follow Christ rather than merely call themselves Christian.

And one person walking into the sea to be baptised.

A heartbreaking weekend for the Church

Alongside all that encouragement, this has also been an extremely sad weekend for Christians in Britain.

On Friday afternoon, a large sign fell at Big Church Festival near Steyning in West Sussex. A 41-year-old man from Eastbourne died at the scene. Police said five other people were assessed and treated at the scene, with four taken to hospital, including two with more serious injuries.

His church described Robert as a faithful servant of God, a loving husband and a devoted father. He leaves behind his wife and daughter. Thousands of Christians had travelled to the festival expecting a weekend of worship, fellowship and celebration, and in a matter of moments one family’s world was changed completely.

Please pray for Robert’s wife and daughter, his family, his church, those who were injured, those who witnessed what happened and everyone involved in the aftermath. The circumstances are still being investigated.

It has, though, made me think about our own gathering next weekend. We spend so much time planning what comes next, but none of us is promised tomorrow. Christianity ultimately cannot just be about events, platforms, festivals or movements. Those things can be wonderful, but they are temporary. At the centre of the Christian faith is a person: Jesus Christ, and the question of whether we know Him.

Which is really what baptism is about.

Why do Christians get baptised?

I’ve had quite a few messages asking about this ahead of Bigbury. Some people have asked whether they are “good enough” to be baptised. Others have wondered whether they need to have been attending church for a certain amount of time, or whether they need to belong to our particular church.

So let me explain as simply as I can.

Baptism is not a declaration that somebody has finally sorted their life out. If perfection were the qualification, there wouldn’t be anybody getting into the water next Saturday. Nor is baptism a ceremony by which we somehow earn salvation. Christians are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ — through trusting that Christ died for our sins and rose again.

Baptism is the public response to that faith. It is somebody openly saying that they have put their trust in Christ and intend to follow Him. Going beneath the water beautifully pictures the old life being buried with Christ, and coming back out pictures the new life we have in Him. Paul writes in Romans 6:4 that “we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that… we too may live a new life.”

So you don’t need an extraordinary testimony like Steve’s. You don’t need to have been a Christian for twenty years, and you certainly don’t need to wait until every struggle in your life has disappeared. But baptism should mean something. If you are being baptised, you should understand that you are putting your faith in Jesus Christ — believing the Gospel and wanting to follow Him.

If you’re not there yet, that’s absolutely fine too. Come along. Watch. Ask questions. Talk to us. Nobody is going to pressure anyone into the water.

If you’re coming to Bigbury

The gathering is taking place at Bigbury-on-Sea on Saturday 5 September. People can begin arriving from around 2pm, and we are planning to start the baptisms at approximately 3pm. Afterwards we’ll stay together on the beach for fellowship and a free BBQ.

There is no charge and no need to book. If you have put your faith in Christ and would like to be baptised, come and speak to us when you arrive. We will have several Christian men helping with the baptisms, including pastors from churches across the South West, so there will be people available beforehand to talk and pray with you.

If you’re planning to go into the water, bring suitable clothes, a towel and something warm and dry to change into afterwards. If you’re not being baptised, you are every bit as welcome. Bring your family, bring friends, or bring someone who has simply started becoming curious about Christianity.

A local chef has very kindly offered to handle the BBQ, we have more than 100 Bibles ready to give away, and a professional drone operator will be there to capture some of the day. But none of those things is the point of the gathering. Nobody is selling anything and nobody is charging anything. We’re simply going to preach Christ, baptise people who have put their faith in Him, give away Bibles and spend some time together.

Please also allow plenty of time for parking. Bigbury can get busy and some people may need to use the overflow parking and walk down towards the beach, so arriving early will make life considerably easier.

One week to go

I genuinely don’t know how many people are going to be standing on that beach next Saturday. Judging by the messages, it could be considerably bigger than anything I originally imagined, but I’ve learnt from Jennycliff that there isn’t much point trying to predict it.

More importantly, I don’t want the story to become about a number.

The story is Steve.

It’s the mum bringing her daughters. It’s the bloke who has believed for years but never been baptised. It’s the person travelling hundreds of miles because something has changed in their life. It’s the person who has only recently begun searching and isn’t quite sure what they believe yet.

Those are the stories that make me wonder whether something deeper is happening in Britain.

For years we have heard Christianity described as though it is simply disappearing from this country. Perhaps the more interesting question now is why so many ordinary people seem to be looking back towards it.

I don’t know what God is going to do with any of this. My job isn’t to manufacture an outcome. It is simply to be faithful with what is in front of me: speak about Christ, open the Bible, invite people in, answer questions as best I can and refuse to be embarrassed about the Gospel.

The rest belongs to God.

A few months ago Steve was recovering from an accident that very nearly killed him. Today he says those experiences have brought him closer to Christ rather than further away. He has found a church where he feels at home, and next Saturday, God willing, he will walk into the sea and be baptised.

I cannot wait to see it.

Please pray for us this week — for safe journeys, good weather, wisdom, everyone being baptised and all those giving up their time to help. Above everything, pray that when the day is finished, the attention hasn’t ultimately landed on BibleLadUK, the size of the gathering or anything else we have organised, but on Jesus Christ.

And this week, please remember Pastor Robert Guanco’s family and church in those prayers too.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

— Hebrews 13:8

See you at Bigbury.

Merlin

BibleLadUK

And if you’re one of the people actually supporting what I’m doing, I want you to feel like you’re coming along for the ride rather than just seeing the finished videos afterwards.

Bigbury is starting to get very real now.

I went down to the beach this week to scope it out properly, work out where everything could happen and get some footage for the build-up.

And standing there looking out at the sea, knowing that in a few weeks we could have a load of people walking into that water to be baptised, I just thought: this could actually be a pretty mad day.

More people are still getting in touch saying they want to come.

I honestly have no idea how many people are going to turn up.

But I’m buzzing for it.

Read more

I never really started any of this expecting people to pay to read what I write. The whole reason I started BibleLadUK was simply to talk openly about Jesus and hopefully encourage a few ordinary people in Britain to be a bit bolder about their faith.

But lately, I’ve been seeing things that have really encouraged me.

I’m ge…

Read more

Well, here it is — the very first BibleLadUK newsletter.

And no, I’m not planning to fill your inbox every five minutes.

This newsletter will arrive once a fortnight, bringing together some encouragement, real testimonies, upcoming events and a bit of straight talking about following Jesus in modern Britain.

Social media is useful, but everything moves quickly. A video appears, gets watched and then disappears into the great internet abyss.

This newsletter gives us somewhere a little quieter to stop, think and encourage one another.

Thank you for being here at the beginning.

Something is happening

Over the past year, I’ve received messages from people across Britain who are beginning to ask serious questions about Jesus.

Young men who have never stepped inside a church.

People who grew up around Christianity but never really understood it.

People who have reached a difficult point in life and realised that the things they were relying on weren’t enough.

I’m not claiming the whole country is suddenly turning back to God. We’ve got a long way to go.

But I do believe people are searching.

For years, Christianity has been treated as something old-fashioned that Britain had supposedly outgrown. Yet the more confused and unstable our culture becomes, the more people seem to recognise that perhaps we threw away something important.

The answer isn’t simply nostalgia or trying to make Britain look exactly as it did fifty years ago.

The answer is Jesus Christ.

Not a vague idea of being nice. Not just a cultural label we tick on a census form.

The real Jesus — the one who calls us to repent, follow Him and build our lives upon His words.

Keith’s story

Keith Thompson is originally from Bolton and has lived in the beautiful area of Newquay for the past eight years.

His journey has involved crime, fear, depression and moments when his life could easily have ended. I’m grateful that Keith trusted me with his testimony and allowed me to share it with you.

Keith, in his own words:

My name is Keith Thompson. I’m originally from Bolton, but for the past eight years I’ve been living in the beautiful area of Newquay.

Looking at my life now, you might not guess the road I’ve walked to get here. It’s been messy, painful and, at times, terrifying. But through every twist and turn, one truth has always remained:

Jesus Christ never let go of me.

I became a father through a one-night stand at just 22 years old. At the time, I wasn’t ready emotionally, spiritually or mentally.

My life was already spiralling out of control.

I was arrested by the police 11 times. Each time, I sank deeper into a lifestyle that was pulling me further away from who I was meant to be.

Eventually, I was given a suspended prison sentence. That should have been a wake-up call, but instead I kept running — running from responsibility, from pain and, honestly, from God.

I became involved in selling drugs. It wasn’t glamorous. It was dangerous, dark and soul-crushing.

One morning, I woke up in bed to find a drug dealer standing over me, demanding money and threatening my life.

That moment was a turning point. I realised how close I was to death.

And it wasn’t the only time.

I should have died several times. On one of those occasions, somebody else died because they were mistaken for me.

That reality haunts me.

It could have been me. It should have been me.

But Jesus stepped in.

I had always known about God. My mum and dad believed, and we went to church as children, so the seed was planted early.

But knowing about Jesus and truly walking with Him are two very different things.

I spent years ignoring that relationship and pushing Him away while chasing things that only left me empty, depressed and sometimes suicidal.

Yet even in my rebellion, He never stopped pursuing me.

When I look back now, I see His fingerprints all over my story.

Every time I should have died, He protected me. Every time I hit rock bottom, He was there. And when I finally turned around, broken and desperate, He welcomed me with open arms.

Today, my relationship with Jesus is everything.

It isn’t just strong — it is the foundation of my life.

I don’t want to live for anything else. Nothing is worth doing if Jesus isn’t involved. Everything is better when He is.

He isn’t just a part of my life.

He is my life.

After all, we wouldn’t be able to do anything if it weren’t for God’s creation and the sacrifice of His Son.

Jesus is more than a Saviour.

He is my friend when I feel alone. He is my therapist when my mind is heavy. He is my Father when I need guidance.

And the best part?

I can talk to Him at any time. No appointment needed. No judgement. Just love, grace and truth.

I’m not proud of my past, but I’m proud of the redemption that has come from it.

I live to represent Jesus now.

I want my story to be a light for others who feel lost, trapped or too far gone. Because if He can rescue me, He can rescue anyone.

So here I am: Keith Thompson.

Not defined by my mistakes, but by the mercy of God.

I’m living proof that Jesus saves, restores and transforms. And I’ll spend the rest of my life telling that story.

You too can have this relationship with Jesus. Invite Him into your life and make Him your number-one priority every day.

Amen, and thank you for listening.

Thank you, Keith, for sharing your story so openly.

It takes real courage to speak honestly about where you have been, and I’m certain his testimony will encourage somebody reading this who believes they are too far gone for God.

They aren’t.

From 28 baptisms to the next one

Back in June, we gathered at Jennycliff Beach in Plymouth for an outdoor baptism.

I honestly didn’t know exactly what to expect.

In the end, 28 people were baptised in the sea.

Twenty-eight people publicly declaring their faith in Jesus Christ.

There were families, new believers, people who had travelled long distances and people who had believed for years but had never been baptised.

It was one of those days that reminded me why I started BibleLadUK in the first place.

Christianity is not dead in Britain.

Bigbury-on-Sea baptism

Saturday 5 September 2026

We’ll be gathering at Bigbury-on-Sea from 2pm, with the baptisms beginning at approximately 3pm.

There will also be a free BBQ and fellowship afterwards.

There is no charge and no complicated booking system. Those wanting to be baptised can simply come along and speak to us on the day.

Calvary Chapel Plymouth will be helping with the event. Pastor Kenny will share a short message, and there will be Bibles and Christian literature available.

Whether you’re coming to be baptised, supporting somebody else or simply curious about what’s happening, you are welcome.

Please pray for good weather, safe conditions and, most importantly, for the people preparing to take this step of faith.

Please also share the event with anyone who may be interested.

Return to Faith

I’ve also been working on something slightly different behind the scenes: my first book.

It’s called:

Return to Faith

Britain still calls itself Christian, but what does that really mean?

This isn’t intended to be a heavy theological textbook.

It’s a short, straight-talking introduction to Christianity for ordinary people in modern Britain — particularly those who feel there must be more to life but aren’t quite sure where to begin.

It looks at who Jesus really is, why we need forgiveness, what it means to follow Him and why the Christian faith still matters in Britain today.

My hope is that it will be the sort of book you can read yourself and then hand to a friend, colleague or family member who has questions.

I’ll share more about the book as it gets closer to publication.

A word of encouragement

Following Jesus doesn’t mean life suddenly becomes easy.

There will be opposition. There will be difficult seasons. There may even be people who misunderstand you or walk away because they don’t like what you now believe.

But Jesus is worth following.

Our culture changes constantly. What was celebrated yesterday is condemned today, and what is considered normal today may be completely different in another ten years.

But Jesus Christ does not change.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8

So keep going.

Keep praying.

Keep opening your Bible.

Keep gathering with other Christians.

And don’t be ashamed of belonging to Jesus.

Britain hasn’t stopped needing Him — and neither have we.

Before you go…

Because this is the first edition, leave a comment and tell me where in Britain — or the world — you’re reading from.

You can also forward this email to somebody who might appreciate it. That is one of the simplest ways you can help this newsletter grow.

Thank you for being part of the beginning.

God bless,

Merlin Kraft
BibleLadUK

But on 28 June, 28 ordinary men and women gathered at Jennycliff Beach in Plymouth and publicly declared their faith in Jesus Christ through baptism.

No massive stage. No polished production. Just people whose lives had been changed, stepping into the water without shame.

This is what happened.

And we’re doing it again.

On Saturday 5 September, we’ll be gathering at Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon, for another public baptism event.

We’ll meet from 2pm, with baptisms beginning at around 3pm, followed by a free BBQ and fellowship on the beach.

You don’t need to book. You don’t need to be a regular churchgoer. Whether you want to be baptised, support somebody else or simply come and see what it’s about—you’re welcome.

“One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” — Ephesians 4:5

Please share this with somebody who may have been waiting for the opportunity to take this step.

“I want to read the Bible, but I honestly don’t know where to begin.”

And I understand it.

You pick up a Bible and realise it is not one little book. It is hundreds of pages, dozens of different books, unfamiliar names, ancient history, poetry, letters, laws and prophecies.

Some people begin on page one, get through the story of creation, make it as far as a long list of names or detailed laws—and quietly give up.

Then they feel guilty because they think a proper Christian should somehow understand all of it immediately.

That is nonsense.

The Bible was written across different periods of history by different human authors, while carrying one united message from God. You are not supposed to understand the whole thing in your first week.

You simply need somewhere sensible to begin.

And for a new reader, the best place to begin is with Jesus.

Below is the exact seven-day plan I would give to somebody who genuinely wants to start reading the Bible but has no idea what they are doing.

Before you begin

You do not need a degree, a special notebook or an hour of silence every morning.

Give yourself ten to fifteen minutes.

Put your phone aside if you can. Find somewhere reasonably quiet. Then pray something simple:

“God, help me understand what I’m reading. Show me who Jesus is and what You want me to see.”

You do not need to make the prayer sound impressive. God is not marking your vocabulary.

Then read slowly.

Do not rush just to say you have finished a chapter.

Your aim is not to cover the most pages. Your aim is to understand what you are reading and begin knowing Christ.

Your seven-day starting plan

We are going to begin in the Gospel of Mark.

Mark is direct, fast-moving and centred on what Jesus said and did. You will see His authority, compassion, miracles, teaching, death and resurrection without needing to understand loads of background first.

Day 1: Mark 1

This chapter introduces Jesus and immediately shows Him teaching, healing and calling ordinary people to follow Him.

As you read, notice how people react to Jesus. They are not treating Him as merely a friendly religious teacher. They recognise that He speaks and acts with authority.

Ask yourself:

What does this chapter show me about Jesus?

Day 2: Mark 2

Here you will see Jesus forgive sins, heal a paralysed man and spend time with people respectable society looked down upon.

One of the most important things to notice is that Jesus did not come for people who thought they had everything sorted.

He came for sinners who knew they needed help.

That includes me. It includes you. It includes all of us.

Day 3: Mark 4

This chapter includes several of Jesus’ parables and the account of Him calming a storm.

Some of the teaching may take a bit of thought. That is fine.

Do not panic when you reach something you do not immediately understand. Slow down, read the surrounding verses and ask what the main point appears to be.

Pay particular attention to the disciples’ question after the storm:

“Who then is this?”

That is one of the biggest questions in the whole Bible.

Day 4: Mark 5

This chapter shows Jesus confronting spiritual evil, sickness and death.

It is a powerful chapter because it shows that nothing is beyond His authority.

It also shows His compassion. Jesus is not cold or distant. He notices suffering people whom everybody else has overlooked.

Ask yourself:

What situation in my own life have I assumed is beyond God’s reach?

Day 5: Mark 8

This is where Jesus asks His disciples directly:

“Who do you say that I am?”

You cannot stay neutral about Jesus forever.

It is not enough merely to say He was a decent man, a moral teacher or an important historical figure. Jesus made claims that demand an answer.

Read this chapter carefully and think honestly about how you would answer His question.

Day 6: Mark 10

This chapter deals with marriage, children, wealth, ambition, service and what it costs to follow Jesus.

You will see that discipleship is not about appearing religious. It means surrendering control and trusting Christ.

You will also read that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

That verse begins preparing you for what happens next.

Day 7: Mark 15 and 16

On the final day, read both chapters.

Mark 15 describes the crucifixion of Jesus. Mark 16 describes the empty tomb and the announcement that He has risen.

Do not skim these chapters because you already know the basic story.

The cross and resurrection are not merely the ending of Christianity’s story. They are the centre of it.

Christianity stands or falls on what happened here.

Jesus died for sinners and rose again.

That is the message the first Christians carried into the world, and it remains the message today.

Three questions to ask every time you read

You do not need an enormous Bible-study system. Begin with these three questions:

1. What does this show me about Jesus?

Look at His words, His actions, His character and His authority.

2. What does this show me about people—including myself?

The Bible has an uncomfortable way of exposing our pride, fear, selfishness and need for forgiveness.

Let it.

3. What should I do with this today?

Sometimes the answer will be practical: forgive someone, stop something, pray, apologise or trust God.

Other times, the response may simply be to believe what you have read and continue learning.

A few mistakes to avoid

Do not try to read enormous amounts

Reading ten chapters and remembering nothing is not better than reading one chapter carefully.

Do not expect to understand everything

I still reach passages that make me stop, think and look more deeply.

Not understanding one verse does not mean you have failed. Keep going.

Do not measure every reading by your emotions

Some days you will feel encouraged. Other days you may feel very little.

God’s Word remains true whether or not you get goosebumps.

Do not quit because you miss a day

This is not a school attendance register.

You have not ruined the plan. Pick it up again the following day.

Do not turn reading into a way of earning God’s approval

You are not reading the Bible to persuade God to love you.

You are reading it to know the God who has already shown His love through Jesus Christ.

What should you read next?

After these seven days, go back to Mark 1 and read the entire Gospel from beginning to end—one chapter a day.

There are sixteen chapters, so it will take just over two weeks.

After Mark, I would suggest reading:

1. John, to go deeper into who Jesus is.

2. Acts, to see what happened after the resurrection.

3. Psalms, alongside your other reading, especially when you are struggling to find words for prayer.

You do not need to conquer the Bible.

You need to keep opening it.

One final word

When I began taking the Bible seriously, I did not understand everything.

But I understood enough to know that Jesus was not merely another religious figure.

His words challenged me. His grace gave me hope. And over time, God used Scripture to change the entire direction of my life.

So begin simply.

Read honestly.

Ask questions.

And above all, keep looking at Jesus.

You may be surprised by what happens when you genuinely ask God to speak through His Word.

God bless,

Merlin Kraft
Creator of BibleLadUK
Author of the forthcoming book Return to Faith

Paid subscribers: Leave a comment and tell me which part of the Bible you’ve found hardest to understand. I may cover it in a future letter.

Right, here we go.

For well over a year now, I’ve been sharing Christian videos through BibleLadUK—talking openly about Jesus, encouraging believers and trying to make Christianity feel normal in Britain again.

That last part matters to me.

Because somewhere along the way, Christianity became part of the background scenery in this country.

We still have old churches in nearly every town. We sing hymns at Remembrance services. We celebrate Christmas and Easter. Our history, laws and values have all been shaped by the Christian faith.

But mention Jesus in an ordinary conversation and people suddenly get a bit uncomfortable.

Christianity is everywhere in Britain—and yet, somehow, many people no longer know what Christians actually believe.

That is one of the reasons I started BibleLadUK.

I’m not a theologian, a celebrity or somebody who has lived a perfect life. Far from it. I’m an ordinary bloke who reached a low point, opened the Bible and discovered that Jesus Christ was not merely part of British history.

He was real.

And He completely changed the direction of my life.

Since starting BibleLadUK, I’ve heard from thousands of people from all sorts of backgrounds.

Some have followed Jesus for decades. Some are brand-new Christians trying to understand where to begin. Others are not sure what they believe, but something keeps drawing them towards Christ.

I’ve heard from people who feel ashamed of their past.

People who are frightened that God could never forgive them.

Men who know they need to lead their families better but have no idea where to start.

Christians who feel completely alone in their workplace, school or family.

And people who have spent years calling themselves Christian without ever really understanding the gospel.

A short video can begin that conversation—but it cannot always finish it.

That’s why I’m starting The Bible Lad Letter.

What you’ll find here

This will be a place where I can go deeper than I can in a 30-second video.

I’ll be writing about following Jesus in real life—the struggles, the questions and the things Christians often think about but do not always say out loud.

We’ll look at subjects such as:

How to begin reading the Bible without feeling overwhelmed

What to do when your faith feels weak

Why good people still need Jesus

How to talk about Christ without sounding strange

What baptism really means

How men can lead their homes faithfully

Why Britain has become so uncomfortable with Christianity

How to stand firm without becoming bitter or angry

There will also be behind-the-scenes updates from BibleLadUK, lessons I’ve learned from speaking publicly about Jesus, Bible-study material and occasional personal posts that I would not necessarily share across social media.

Some letters will be completely free.

Others will be for paid subscribers who want the deeper content and who want to support the work I’m doing through BibleLadUK.

The gospel will never be hidden behind a paywall. That is not what this is about.

Paid membership is simply a way for people to support the mission while receiving additional writing, studies, conversations and subscriber-only content.

My forthcoming book

I’m also preparing to release my first book, Return to Faith.

Its subtitle asks a question that has been on my mind for a long time:

Britain still calls itself Christian, but what does that really mean?

The book is written for ordinary people—not academics or theologians.

It looks at what Christianity actually teaches, why Jesus matters and why our country appears to have lost touch with the faith that helped shape it.

Subscribers here will receive updates about the book, extracts before its release and a look behind the scenes as I bring the final version together.

No pretending

I want this publication to be honest.

I’m not going to pretend that following Jesus means life suddenly becomes easy.

I’m not going to give you polished religious answers that sound good but do nothing to help on a Monday morning.

And I’m certainly not going to act as though Christians are better than everybody else.

We are not better people.

We are forgiven people.

Following Christ has challenged me, exposed things in my life that needed to change and carried me through times when I did not know what to do next.

I have never regretted following Jesus.

Not once.

So whether you have been a Christian for 40 years, started believing last week or are simply wondering whether any of this could be true—you are welcome here.

Thank you for being part of the beginning.

This is The Bible Lad Letter.

Let’s see where it goes.

God bless,

Merlin Kraft

Creator of BibleLadUK

Author of the forthcoming book Return to Faith