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In a time of rising spiritual curiosity, Martyn Iles introduces At the Crux and Proto — two initiatives designed to proclaim Christ and shape young minds with gospel-centred education.

Christian commentator Martyn Iles has announced a bold new initiative, “At the Crux”, designed to meet growing cultural curiosity about Christianity with a renewed focus on the gospel.

Speaking directly to a generation disillusioned with empty ideologies, Iles said the time had come to stop “simply opening conversations” and instead “bring them all the way to the cross.”

The announcement comes amid what Iles describes as a “resurgence of Christian interest.”

Whether that looks like Joe Rogan going to church, Jordan Peterson promoting the Bible, or Donald Trump punctuating “a press conference with, ‘We love you, God’”, for many, “Christianity is interesting again.”

This interest is not limited to high-profile political or media figures, but to people much closer to home.

“On Easter Sunday, I attended a church where my nieces and nephew were singing in the choir,” Iles wrote in a recent communication to supporters.

“There were two baptisms. Both young men. Both converted through Instagram reels that fed this same interest.”

“These are encouraging signs,” Iles added.

“But amidst all this, there is something which burdens me, and it’s why I’ve launched At the Crux.”

Christ and Him Crucified

According to Iles, much of today’s Christian influence is couched in terms of civic benefit or personal wisdom. The Bible is increasingly appreciated for its psychological insight, moral framework, or historical credibility. While he welcomes these developments, Iles insists that these are not messages that save.

“None of this is bad,” he said. “But none of it is the gospel.” The increased appreciation of Christianity may only mean that “the Bible is re-embraced as a wise myth” – but nothing more.

Iles drew attention to the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:2: “I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” This, he said, will be the heartbeat of At the Crux, which will offer a range of new media content launching in July.

The project will include short-form video reels (60–90 seconds), occasional commentary on current events, and monthly long-form specials – each centred on explaining Scripture and bringing viewers face-to-face with the message of the cross. The goal is not merely to inform but to confront the spiritual reality that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18), yet remains “the power of God” to those who believe.

At the Crux: Meeting the Moment

The name, “At the Crux”, has been deliberately chosen and crafted to carry three layers of meaning, with three promises:

1. A promise of clarity. As in the phrase, “the ‘crux’ of the issue”, the word also signifies something of foundational importance, yet expressed simply and clearly.
2. A promise of relevance. Finally, in being ‘at’ the crux, Iles determines that the new platform will be ‘at’ a decisive moment.
3. A promise of the gospel. In Latin, crux means “cross,” pointing directly to Christianity’s central and always-relevant message.

Coming soon. At the Crux brings the light of scripture and the power of the cross to the central issues of life, culture, and faith. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/9fEwEq5vdD

— Martyn Iles (@MartynLloydIles) June 6, 2025

In earlier seasons, Iles was best known for his widely viewed series “The Truth of It” and “Living in Babylon”, which tackled modern culture through a biblical lens. Those efforts drew strong audiences and made Iles a familiar name among Australian and international Christians. Now, with At the Crux, he intends to be even more explicit in gospel proclamation.

“I want to take up the curiosity that’s simmering out there – not just to answer people’s questions – but to bring them all the way to the cross,” he said.

The initiative reflects what Iles sees as a God-given moment: to speak into our modern culture not with the “wisdom of man,” but with the clarity and conviction of Christ crucified.

Proto: Reimagining Christian Education

In addition to At the Crux, Iles and his team have unveiled a second major project – “Proto”, a comprehensive Christian education platform designed to equip children from ages 5 to 18 with a robust biblical worldview.

Built in partnership with experienced educators, software engineers and policy experts, Proto promises a cutting-edge app experience tailored for Christian families. It aims to support parents and educators – whether homeschooling or using other educational models – with tools to instil faith, knowledge, and critical thinking from a Christian foundation.

Key features under development include:

• Bespoke Christian curriculum aligned to international academic standards
• Substantive and age-appropriate content across core subjects
• Leading Christian educators as content creators
• Advanced AI-powered assessments and personalised progress tracking
• Parental controls and content safety features
• Free foundational content with extended features available through subscription
• Community tools to foster local connection among Christian families

Ultimately, the team behind Proto plans to offer not only worldview training but also full-spectrum academic coverage – integrating humanities, sciences and electives into a Christ-centred education model.

A Team Built for Impact

Iles leads both initiatives as Chief Executive Officer, bringing years of experience in Christian advocacy, law and digital content. Formerly the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, which grew by more than 400% during his tenure, he is known more recently for serving in executive leadership with the US-based Answers in Genesis apologetics ministry.

Iles has announced that he is joined by a distinguished team of co-founders, including:

• David Cook, Chief Technology Officer, is a Silicon Valley veteran who helped build Apple iTunes and contributed to platforms like Netflix and YouTube. Converted six years ago, Cook now devotes his technical expertise to Christian mission.
• Dr Paul Henderson, Chief Education Officer, is a global education expert who has advised prime ministers, authored national curricula, and holds advanced degrees from Cambridge, Aberdeen, and other leading institutions.
• José Ziebarth, Chief Product Officer, is the former Head of Privacy at Facebook and an anti-corruption and de-bureaucratisation reformer in Brazil’s government. Once an atheist, he became a Christian seven years ago and now home-educates his three sons with his wife.

“These projects are ambitious—but they’re timely, strategic, and already underway”, Martyn revealed.

“Early support has been encouraging, and we’re praying for provision to fully launch At the Crux and accelerate the build of the new platform.”

At a time when biblical truth is often sidelined or diluted, Iles aims for At the Crux and Proto to fulfil a dual commitment: to proclaim Christ crucified and to raise up the next generation in truth.

Those who want to financially support Ilies’ efforts to present Christianity’s centuries-old core claim in a new format can do so here.

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Image via Martyn Iles.