Christian Concern
Christian Concern is a United Kingdom-based evangelical Christian advocacy organisation that campaigns on law, public policy, religious freedom and social issues.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Christian Concern is the trading name of CCFON Ltd, a United Kingdom not-for-profit advocacy organisation associated with evangelical Christianity. It seeks to influence public debate, legislation, government policy and media coverage from a conservative Christian perspective. Its activities include policy campaigning, public communications, educational material, lobbying, events and support for legal challenges involving religious expression and Christian participation in public life. The organisation developed from the Public Policy Unit of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship. Before becoming an independent body, the initiative operated under the name Christian Concern for Our Nation and functioned primarily as a website and email-based information service for people seeking to understand and respond to legal developments affecting Christian beliefs and what its supporters describe as biblical justice. CCFON Ltd was incorporated on 24 June 2008. The organisation separated from the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship in June of that year, with Andrea Minichiello Williams explaining that the separation helped protect the charitable status of the fellowship from restrictions on political activity. In October 2010, the operating name was shortened to Christian Concern. Andrea Minichiello Williams, a barrister and evangelical campaigner, co-founded the organisation and remains its chief executive. She also founded and directs the Christian Legal Centre, a related organisation that provides or coordinates legal support for Christians involved in public disputes. Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre are distinct bodies but have worked together on cases and campaigns. The organisation has also used specialist contributors, including Sam Solomon on Islamic affairs. Public descriptions of Christian Concern have characterised it as one of the more prominent evangelical advocacy groups in Britain; its reference material has reported a mailing list exceeding 43,000 people, although current audience figures are not established here. Christian Concern opposes what it regards as the liberalisation of Christian institutions and wider British society. Its campaigning has addressed abortion, marriage, same-sex relationships, adoption and fostering, sexual-orientation regulation, transgender issues, religious freedom, Islam, assisted reproduction and the role of Christianity in public life. The organisation argues that secular liberal humanism, moral relativism and what it calls sexual licence have weakened traditional family and religious norms. Critics, including secular and LGBT commentators, have disputed its interpretation of discrimination and have described some of its positions as socially conservative or hostile to LGBT inclusion. Its methods combine parliamentary engagement, petitions, demonstrations, legal interventions, media appearances, online publishing and mobilisation of supporters. Christian Concern has worked with politicians and other Christian organisations on legislation, including campaigns concerning the Religious Hatred Bill, sexual-orientation regulations and abortion limits. It has also supported individuals whose employment, education, artistic work or professional roles have been affected by conflicts between Christian convictions and institutional policies. Some supported legal actions have failed, including the case brought by actor Seyi Omooba against the Curve Theatre and her former agency. Christian Concern remains an active UK advocacy group based in Westminster. It is not a listed consumer brand or a conventional commercial product company; its public identity is principally that of a campaign, communications and policy organisation.
History
Christian Concern emerged from the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship's Public Policy Unit, which was headed by Andrea Minichiello Williams before the organisation became independent. In its earlier form, the initiative used the name Christian Concern for Our Nation, or CCFON. A domain and online information service operated before 2008, presenting itself as a resource for non-lawyers who wanted to understand and respond to legal issues affecting Christian beliefs and public life. The service was supported by lawyers and circulated updates to interested Christians. The initiative had already become involved in public-policy campaigns before formal incorporation. In 2005 and early 2006, it joined other Christian groups in opposing the Religious Hatred Bill. The legislation eventually passed after amendments in the House of Lords. During 2006 and 2007, the organisation also challenged parts of the Equality Act Sexual Orientation Regulations, arguing that the rules would restrict Christian institutions and individuals. It organised a parliamentary demonstration and a petition that reportedly collected more than 10,000 signatures. From autumn 2007 it campaigned against parts of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and held a demonstration outside Parliament in January 2008. CCFON Ltd was incorporated as an independent body on 24 June 2008. The separation from the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship was presented as a way of avoiding risks to the fellowship's charitable status, since UK charity law limits political activity. The organisation later adopted the shorter trading name Christian Concern in October 2010. Its work broadened beyond email updates and parliamentary campaigning to include media engagement, supporter communications, public events, petitions and assistance in litigation. It has remained closely associated with the Christian Legal Centre, founded and directed by Williams, although the two organisations are separate. The group has consistently opposed liberalising developments in law, churches and society. Its campaigns have covered abortion, adoption and fostering, same-sex relationships, marriage, sexual-orientation rules, transgender recognition, assisted reproduction and religious freedom. It has also criticised decisions by the Church of England, including support for civil partnerships, the appointment of Nicholas Chamberlain as Bishop of Grantham while he was in a same-sex relationship, and institutional approaches to transgender inclusion. Christian Concern has framed these positions as defence of biblical teaching and Christian freedom. Critics have argued that the organisation's positions can marginalise LGBT people and rely on contested claims about sexuality, family life and social policy. A significant public profile arose from the Channel 4 Dispatches documentary In God's Name, first broadcast on 19 May 2008. The programme followed Williams while she was still associated with the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship and examined evangelical lobbying on abortion, gay rights, blasphemy and related questions. It included her meetings with politicians and recorded strongly conservative statements about Islam, homosexuality, abortion and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. The documentary also explored her relationship with Conservative politician Nadine Dorries, including cooperation on proposals to reduce the upper abortion limit to 20 weeks. The programme portrayed Williams as an influential and controversial campaigner; Christian Concern's supporters viewed such activism as necessary engagement with public institutions. In December 2010, Christian Concern launched Not Ashamed, a campaign intended to encourage Christians to live out their faith publicly and to highlight alleged discrimination in employment and public life. The campaign received support from George Carey and attracted substantial media attention, while the think tank Ekklesia disputed the evidence for systematic discrimination. In the 2020s, Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre supported Seyi Omooba's legal action following the collapse of her involvement in a production of The Color Purple. Omooba alleged religious discrimination, harassment and breach of contract after historic comments opposing homosexuality became public and her casting was challenged. The claim was dismissed in 2021, and the High Court rejected her appeal in March 2024. Christian Concern has also continued to comment on Church of England debates about sexuality and gender. A response by Ben John to Living in Love and Faith generated accusations of personal and anti-transgender hostility; after criticism from Alex Clare-Young, police investigated the comments as a potential hate crime. The available reference material does not record a final legal outcome. Today Christian Concern operates as a Westminster-based UK advocacy organisation. Its public-facing activities include campaigning, political communications, legal-policy commentary and supporter mobilisation rather than the sale of conventional consumer products.
- 2024
Omooba appeal rejected by the High Court
[1]The High Court ruled against Seyi Omooba's appeal in March 2024.
- 2021
Seyi Omooba case dismissed
[1]A legal claim supported by Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre was dismissed, with costs awarded to the Curve Theatre.
- 2010
Operating name changed to Christian Concern
[1]CCFON Ltd shortened its public operating name to Christian Concern.
- 2010
Not Ashamed campaign launched
[1]The campaign called on Christians to practise and express their faith openly in public and professional settings.
- 2008
CCFON Ltd became independent
[1]CCFON Ltd was incorporated on 24 June 2008 after separating from the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship's Public Policy Unit.
- 2008
In God's Name documentary
[1]Channel 4's Dispatches documentary examined evangelical Christian lobbying and featured Andrea Minichiello Williams discussing abortion, sexuality, Islam and public policy.
- 2006
CCFON operated as a public-policy information service
[1]The organisation described itself as a website and email service helping non-lawyers respond to legal and public-policy issues affecting Christianity.
- 2005
Campaign against the Religious Hatred Bill
[1]Christian Concern, then operating within the wider CCFON and Lawyers' Christian Fellowship policy network, joined other Christian organisations opposing the proposed Religious Hatred Bill.
Products and positioning
A conservative evangelical Christian public-policy and advocacy organisation seeking to shape UK law, politics, media discussion and institutional practice.
Advocacy content
Policy briefings and campaign resources
Christian Concern publishes commentary, briefings, petitions and campaign materials on issues it considers relevant to Christian belief and public policy. Topics have included abortion, religious freedom, marriage, sexual orientation, transgender issues, adoption, fostering, Islam and assisted reproduction. These resources are intended to inform supporters and encourage engagement with politicians, institutions and the media.
Professional advocacy service
Legal and public-policy advocacy
The organisation supports public debate and selected legal cases involving conflicts between Christian convictions and institutional rules. Its relationship with the Christian Legal Centre has enabled coordinated communications around employment, education, artistic work, church policy and public-sector regulation, although the two entities are separate organisations.
Campaign · 2010
Not Ashamed
Not Ashamed is a public-facing campaign launched in 2010. It encouraged Christians to be open about their faith and presented selected workplace and public-life disputes as evidence that Christians needed to defend their beliefs more confidently. The campaign received support from George Carey and attracted media coverage.
Controversies
2008
In God's Name documentary controversy
The Channel 4 Dispatches documentary In God's Name presented Andrea Minichiello Williams as a prominent and controversial evangelical lobbyist. It examined her positions on abortion, homosexuality, Islam, blasphemy and Christian involvement in lawmaking, and questioned the factual basis and social implications of some arguments associated with the campaign.
Criticism of comments on transgender and same-sex issues
Ben John's response to Living in Love and Faith included comments about transgender identity and a non-binary church minister and their wife. Alex Clare-Young requested that the material be edited because of alleged personal harm and mischaracterisation. Andrea Minichiello Williams defended the comments as expressing a biblical understanding of sex and gender. Police investigated the remarks as a potential hate crime; no final outcome is provided in the reference material.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Seyi Omooba legal campaign
United Kingdom
Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre supported Seyi Omooba in proceedings against the Curve Theatre and Global Artists after her involvement in The Color Purple ended amid controversy over historic comments concerning homosexuality and the role's same-sex relationship.
Outcome. The claim was dismissed in 2021, and the High Court rejected her appeal in March 2024. A possible further appeal was reported but is not established here.
- 2010Not Ashamed
United Kingdom
The campaign encouraged Christians to live publicly according to their faith and highlighted cases that Christian Concern regarded as marginalisation or discrimination.
Outcome. The campaign received backing from George Carey and attracted substantial media attention. Ekklesia challenged its claim that systematic discrimination against Christians had been demonstrated.
- 2007Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill campaign
United Kingdom
Christian Concern opposed selected clauses of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and held a demonstration outside Parliament in January 2008.
Outcome. The Bill passed its House of Commons readings without the amendments sought by the campaign.
- 2007Support for Lydia Playfoot
United Kingdom
Christian Concern supported schoolgirl Lydia Playfoot after her school required her to remove a sexual-abstinence ring because it conflicted with school uniform rules. She brought a human-rights claim in the High Court.
Outcome. The High Court ruled against Playfoot and awarded the school £12,000 in costs.
- 2007Support for Christian foster parents
United Kingdom
The organisation supported foster parents who objected to signing a new contract introduced to implement the Sexual Orientation Regulations.
- 2006Equality Act Sexual Orientation Regulations opposition
United Kingdom
The organisation organised a parliamentary rally and petition against parts of the Sexual Orientation Regulations, arguing that the rules could discriminate against Christians and Christian organisations.
Outcome. The regulations were enacted and the referenced material states that the relevant legislation proceeded without the amendments sought by the organisation.
- 2005Religious Hatred Bill campaign
United Kingdom
Christian Concern worked alongside other Christian groups to oppose the Religious Hatred Bill, expressing concern that it could restrict religious speech and Christian teaching.
Outcome. The Bill was passed after amendments in the House of Lords.
Brand decisions
2010
Adopt the Christian Concern operating nameStrategyBackground
The organisation had previously operated publicly as Christian Concern for Our Nation or CCFON.
Action taken
CCFON Ltd shortened its operating name to Christian Concern.
Aftermath
The shorter name became the organisation's principal public identity.
2008
Separate from the Lawyers' Christian FellowshipStrategyBackground
The organisation's predecessor operated within the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship's Public Policy Unit, but political activity could create risks for the charitable status of the fellowship.
Action taken
CCFON Ltd was incorporated as an independent body on 24 June 2008.
Aftermath
The independent organisation continued its policy, media and supporter-mobilisation work and later adopted the Christian Concern trading name.
Recent events
- 2024
High Court rejected Seyi Omooba's appeal[1]
Lawsuit
The High Court ruled against Omooba's appeal in March 2024. Her lawyers indicated that a further appeal to the Court of Appeal was being considered.
- 2021
Christian Concern and Christian Legal Centre supported Seyi Omooba litigation[1]
Lawsuit
The organisations supported Seyi Omooba in litigation concerning the cancellation of her role in The Color Purple and allegations of religious discrimination, harassment and breach of contract. The claim was dismissed and costs were awarded against her.
- 2010
Christian Concern launched the Not Ashamed campaign[1]
Campaign
The campaign encouraged Christians to express and practise their faith openly in workplaces and public life, drawing attention to cases that supporters regarded as examples of Christian marginalisation.
Sources2 sources
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