From a cross-cultural guest, today's episode picks up two different strands to sharing faith. First, how do we respond to those who reject their experience of church, even those who have suffered spiritual abuse? As well, what can the contrast between "Christian" and "secular" cultures teach us about conversations centred on Jesus? In both areas, it can be tricky to unpack the individual's experience from the true gospel. Inonge Siluka grew up in Zambia and moved to Scotland with her family when...
Dec 28, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Today's guest reflects on a traumatic childhood event and how it shaped his pursuit of God. These kind of experiences can cause many to wrestle with the love or the hiddenness of God. How can we journey with others to find a God of purpose and hope? Dan Paterson is the founder of Questioning Christianity , an Australian ministry helping you connect the Christian story to life’s deepest questions. He has experience as a pastor, lecturer, and public speaker, having studied Theology and Apologetics...
Dec 07, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 80
Fear. Lack of knowledge. Busyness. These are some of the top reasons given when Christians are asked why they don't share their faith. How do we address these issues within the church? Today's guest has years of experience teaching seminary students, and shares how he prepares them for a life of confidence in sharing the gospel. Tim Beougher ( pronounced Boo – ker ) has served as the Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism and Associate Dean of the Billy Graham School at the Southern Baptist Theolo...
Nov 23, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 79
In this guest-free episode, Andy and Kristi reflect on the many questions they've heard in discussions of faith over the years. Traditional apologetic questions about the rationality of faith, once so prominent in the era of Richard Dawkins, have largely been replaced by questions of desirability, longing and meaning. How has this impacted the approach we make in listening to and responding to sceptics and seekers we encounter at work, school or in our families? Support the show...
Nov 09, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 78
With the recent death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, her life of service and character has been honoured and spoken about throughout society. Her Christian faith was the source of those qualities, admired by everyone from prime ministers to hairdressers. What a great time to show our friends or colleagues that these qualities of servant leadership they respect and value are modelled on Christ's own Kingly service. Ex-New York Adman, formerly London School of Theology vice-Principal, Mark Gre...
Oct 26, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 77
The Church Behaving Badly can be an insurmountable obstacle for many people in coming to faith in Jesus. In the case of religious justification for racism and slavery, this issue impacts whole communities and ethnic groups. How can we de-bunk the concept of "the white man's religion" when speaking to our friends in black communities? Andy and Kristi speak with Clare Williams on PEP Talk to unpack this obstacle to evangelism. Clare Williams is the founder of Get Real, a Christian apologetics orga...
Oct 12, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Have you put a "no" in the mouth of a non-Christian friend before you've even invited them to investigate the Bible? Isn't it surprising how people we know well react once they're given an opportunity to speak about Christ? Today on PEP Talk we chat about some great resources helping Christians walk through the Bible with their enquiring friends - why not invite yours? John MacKinnon is based in East Kilbride, Scotland, where he served as the Lead Pastor of Calderwood Baptist Church for more tha...
Sep 28, 2022•26 min
All the way from Australia, today Andy speaks with Natasha Moore on PEP Talk. Both there and here in the UK, there are similar needs to speak into our changing cultures, whilst retaining the winsomeness and grace that remains attractive whether we have a public platform or a private conversation. Natasha Moore is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity . She has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Cambridge and is the author of For the Love of God: How the c...
Sep 14, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Here at Solas we love hearing about how Christians are living out their faith and sharing it creatively in all kinds of contexts. Today we hear from a policeman about the particular challenges and opportunities he finds in his line of work. Graham Alder is a Police Sergeant and Christian Police Association Scotland Branch Leader & Trustee. He has over 18 years Police service in a variety of roles and locations. Blessed with a wonderful wife and children, a keen musician and late comer to enj...
Aug 31, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Today we welcome back a previous guest on the podcast to discuss Gen Z, deconstruction and the role of apologetics in the church today. Mary Jo Sharp also introduces Darkroom , a new, free resource for young people and youth leaders to address the issues Gen Z cares about in terms they understand. Clare Williams also joins the podcast as our guest co-host for this episode. A former atheist who came to faith, Mary Jo Sharp has experienced two worlds of American culture: the post-Christian culture...
Aug 17, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 72
We have recently heard more stories of Christians "deconstructing" their faith before eventually leaving it. But today we speak with an academic and historian about how her atheism was "deconstructed" when she discovered its true implications for morality, value and equality. She goes on to show how hospitality and relationship can be radical evangelistic tools in the context of our secular individualised culture. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker is an Australian-based academic, focusing on the history ...
Aug 03, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Andy Moore joins us this week to bring us insights from his unique background spanning full-time evangelism and corporate finance. Looking at the shifts happening in big business and the personal lives of his financial colleagues, how can we respond to the questions of purpose, moral responsibility and meaning that dominate these worlds? Andy Moore is a Director and Entrepreneur with experience across Corporate, Private Equity, Charitable and start-up sectors. Andy leads an Angel-investment netw...
Jul 20, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 70
Andy's just moved house and discovered a new neighbour sharing the gospel on his street! They meet up in a local cafe to discuss evangelism, spiritual MOTs, church planting and encouraging others to share their love of Christ. Eavesdrop on their conversation in this unique episode of PEP Talk. Carl Porter is married to Sarah and has two daughters. Carl became a Christian in 2014 and since then has been passionate about personal evangelism and trying to help others grow in their own evangelism. F...
Jul 06, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Today on PEP Talk, Andy and Kristi speak with a chaplain working in a hospice setting. Here, mortality is a daily reality, as are experiences of suffering. What is it like to talk with folks and share the hope of Christ in such an environment? Although most of us aren't in that position, many of us will go through the process of dying with loved ones, and our guest Jackie helps us think through how to approach it. Jackie Whyte serves as the Chaplain working at Northern Ireland Hospice and Childr...
Jun 22, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Pray. Care. Share. Such a simple approach, but one that J. John has been employing for over four decades of ministry. He shares with us about how he first became a Christian at college, and how he carries his passion and enthusiasm for the gospel with him today. Listen now for more memorable insights and encouragement for you to pray, care and share! J. John (Revd Canon) has been an evangelist for four decades. He has spoken in towns, cities and universities in 69 countries. A minister, speaker,...
Jun 08, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Get ready for some real inspiration from today's guest! After years of keeping his faith quiet, he's found incredible liberty and opportunity to share Jesus within his workplace - a modern and sprawling local council. Many would say it's an environment pushing "inclusion and diversity" policies that sideline Christians, but Matt explains the incredible openings this gives for the real message of the gospel. Matt Chapman is the Training and Development Group Manger for the fire service at Oxfords...
May 25, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 66
We often speak on PEP Talk about sharing our faith with "friends, colleagues and family". Speaking of family, how do we share our faith with our children? Is that even evangelism? Or is it something we just assume will happen? Today Andy speaks with a self-described "regular guy" who thinks Christian parents can be intentional and persuasive (without guilt or pressure!) in the way they share God's truth with their kids. Mike D'Virgilio has a B.S. in Communication from Arizona State University an...
Apr 27, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 65
In our western cultures, the way we present the gospel and the way it is embodied appears to be anything but "good news". It's worrying, disappointing, even life-diminishing news! But in a world of pandemics and Putin, how can we hold out real, authentic good news to our friends who are so desperate for it? Andy and Kristi explore this question with Paul Woolley this time on PEP Talk. Paul Woolley joined the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity as CEO in January 2021, having been Deputy...
Apr 13, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Apart from toddlers, teenagers probably ask the most questions about difficult subjects! Spare a thought, then, for Christians teaching adolescents in our schools. What can we learn about how to handle faith-questions in such an environment, where a mis-step can land you in hot water so easily? Today we hear from a science teacher about using questions like "Do you believe in aliens?" to encourage gospel conversations. David Hutchings is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and physics teacher a...
Mar 30, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Jesus didn't spend his life in church, he ministered in the real world. How can we think about life with Jesus as an adventure in the real world, not just someone we meet in church? Today's guest Tracy Cotterell speaks to Andy and (filling in for Kristi) Gavin from Solas. She encourages us to identify our primary role as God's child, participating in the Father's business to reach the world. Tracy Cotterell is a former advertising planning director and served the London Institute for Contemporar...
Mar 16, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Today on PEP Talk we hear from an inspiring couple in evangelistic ministry together. Andy and Kristi cover all sorts of ground with them, from experiences in street evangelism, the gospel opportunities across Ireland, to the joy of working together. Mitch and Amanda have been married for 22 years and together they lead Crown Jesus Ministries in Ireland. Their passion for evangelism drives the ministry to fulfil its vision; to see the people of Ireland Crown Jesus Lord of their lives. They have ...
Mar 02, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Top Tip: If you want to start a conversation, give yourself an unusual ministry job title that gets people intrigued! Today's guest tells us about the fantastic opportunities his unique position affords him in the armed services. What is it like sharing the gospel amongst service personnel? Lee McDade has worked with SASRA (Soldiers' and Airmen's Scripture Readers Association) for 13 years, based at Wattisham Flying Station near Colchester. His official title is “Army Scripture Reader”, an archa...
Feb 16, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Pete Nicholas joins us today to speak about sharing Jesus in a diverse part of London. What are the questions cropping up and challenges to be had when sharing the gospel? Pete Nicholas is Senior Minister at Inspire Saint James Clerkenwell in London and Chair of Trustees of City to City UK. After working for Christians in Sport, Pete co-led the church plant 'Inspire London' which started back in 2013 and when Inspire combined with Saint James Clerkenwell as a revitalisation the two churches beca...
Feb 02, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Chris Sinkinson chats with Andy and Kristi about using your passions to share the gospel. For him, archaeology and the history of the ancient world opens up the Bible as a rich historical document - where we discover the amazing person of Jesus Christ. Chris Sinkinson is on the teaching staff at Moorlands College . He has been involved in Christian ministry with UCCF as a Regional Staff worker and as a Church pastor. He was the senior pastor of Alderholt Chapel in Dorset for over ten years. His ...
Jan 19, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Today on PEP Talk we explore the changing relationship of culture and Christianity, with a look into the example of Northern Ireland. How do we adapt as Christians and churches to be authentic salt and light whether we are a cultural majority or marginalised minority? Andy and Kristi speak to a pastor, author and poet for some great thoughts on reaching out. Andrew Roycroft recently became pastor at Portadown Baptist Church , before that he served 10 years at Millisle Baptist Church. He is marri...
Jan 05, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 57
When sharing the gospel, perhaps no response is more common or more scary than "How can God allow suffering?" It's an ancient question, but can relate to the present moment more than anything else. Sharon Dirckx joins us today to think about how to navigate this particularly sensitive and personal area of evangelism. Sharon Dirckx is a Senior Tutor at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) . She has a PhD in brain imaging from Cambridge and has held research positions in the UK and U...
Dec 22, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 56
With all the topics, arguments and questions one could address in speaking about the gospel, sometimes it's hard to know where to start. Today we hear from someone who decided to investigate the simple question "Was Jesus the Son of God?" and was surprised at the overwhelming amount of convincing evidence he found. Derek McIntyre comes from a science background and came to Christianity in middle-age when he discovered the wealth of compelling evidence pointing to Jesus being the Son of God. When...
Dec 08, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 55
The life of a Hindu monk can seem extreme–celibacy, poverty, thousands of miles of pilgrimage–but what are they searching for? Today we hear from a former priest about how Christianity met his heart's desire. He offers some important guidance on how to reach out to others from Eastern religions, when the cultural gap can seem so daunting. As a Hindu priest Rahil Patel was a renowned international speaker whose spiritual counsel was received by politicians, industrialists and celebrities. His lif...
Nov 24, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 54
During the periods of restrictions we've had during the pandemic, some churches have become very creative with their outreach activities. Today Andy speaks with the pastor of a small church plant about their "drive-in church" and Christmas carols on the back of a tractor and trailer. Full of ideas and enthusiasm, it's great to hear how a small church is having a big impact. Richard Gibb is on the leadership and preaching team at Loch Leven Church in Kinross. He is married to Alison and works as ...
Nov 10, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Street Evangelism. A phrase conjuring up images of crazy preachers with placards reading "The End is Nigh", one that strikes fear in many Christians. Is it a thing of the past, with no place in our multicultural 21st century cities? Or is it still a means that God can use, even one He still calls us to? Dominic Muir is an evangelist, teacher, author ( 'God Hunger: Meditations from a Life of Longing' and ‘ Firebrand: Devotions from a Life of Burning ’) and revivalist with a passion for street min...
Oct 27, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 52
