The Profile

Though you will have heard of many of the household names that Ashley Null has worked with, he will not discuss any of the athletes he works with in this interview, nor are we permitted to namecheck them in this introduction. Too many wish to trade on their connections to star power, he says, and he will not be one of them. What Emma Fowle does hear, though, is a man with a fierce intellect and a pastor's heart discuss the unique pressures of elite sport. Paris was his sixth Olympics. "The gospel is the antidote to performance-based identity," he says. And who, more than anyone else, he asks, needs to know that their achievements aren’t the basis of their relationship with God, or their hope for wholeness than sports biggest athletes?

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity

The apologist and spoken word poet Preston Perry speaks to Emma Fowle about growing up in gangs, finding Christ and how God convicted him about his old approach to evangelism. Preston is the author of new book How to Tell the Truth: The story of how God saved me to win hearts – not just arguments (Hodder).

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine

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Andy Peck talks to two directors of The Lead Academy, Martin Williams and Rachel Roberts about the work of the charity in working with church leadership teams over a two-year period. What plans can you execute in two years? Why do teams find this so valuable, and how do you discern whether this programme is for you? 

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Andy Peck talks to Dallas Willard (1935-2013) about his book 'Personal Religion, Public Reality? Towards a Knowledge of Faith'. Dallas Willard was valued as a key thinker on spiritual formation, offering fresh biblical insights into personal change. They discuss how Dallas' understanding of Jesus teaching on the kingdom of God is the foundation of the book and a key idea for Christians in leadership, wherever God has called them to be. 

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Andy Peck talks to Dave Roberts, author, editor and publisher who now pastors The Gather Collective, a church in Eastbourne.  They talk about why Eastbourne, a town with many churches, needed another on; why he switched from writing to pastoring close to retirement and how he compares the revival in Toronto back in the 90s with more recent 'outpourings'.

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Andy Peck talks to Tim Rowlands who is the newly appointed Leader of the Evangelical Alliance in Wales . They talk about how he was a 'pastor's kid' who fell in love with church; his love of music as a classically trained musician, his extensive experience in local and national politics, and the challenge of reaching Wales with the Gospel. 

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Andy Peck talks to Os Guinness whose latest book, Signals of Transcendence: Listening to the Promptings of Life celebrates 50 years of publishing, and tells the stories of 10 well known authors who have sought God following unexpected moments. These include C.S. Lewis, W.H. Auden and Malcolm Muggeridge. They also reflect on what Christian leadership is and how we can all play our part. 

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Andy Peck talks to Ian Soars, CEO Spurgeon's Children's Charity, about its merger with Fegans Children's Charity, a charity he used to lead. He explains why the local church can be the answer to the need in children's lives. They consider whether simply meeting needs has any eternal value and why Spurgeon's have developed a tool for parents to provide early intervention with eating disorders.

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Andy Peck talks to Andy Monks head of Children and Youth at Ascension Church, Balham, London about his book, 'The Now Generation: Empowering people to lead and have influence today'. They discuss his own journey to becoming a youth leader and how the encouragement he received can be a model for how the church can empower young people today. They also look at the argument that suggests it's foolhardy to expect too much because young people often lack maturity. 

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Premier Christianity magazine is proud to be supporting this year's Spring Harvest event!

Every delegate at Spring Harvest will receive a free copy of our Easter issue - plus you can pick up extra boxes to take home to your church on our stand.

Not going to Spring Harvest? Order up to 74 FREE copies of the latest issue for you and your church now at premierchristianmarketplace.com

Hurry, offer only available while stocks last!

After being bullied as a child, Oli London struggled with low self-esteem and self-worth. He had hoped a series of transitions and expensive plastic surgery would him feel better. Instead, he became addicted to surgery, spending $300,000 on botox and skin-whitening injections in order to look more Korean - a culture he had become "obsessed" with. The controversial decision to appear more Korean resulted in critical articles and hateful messages on social media. But in the end it was the kindness of a priest that drew him to the Christian faith and turned his life around. Sam Hailes hears the full story

Andy Peck talks to Larry Collett, former chairman of the Board of Cass Information Systems in St Louis Missouri, about 45 years working at the same organisation and how he maintained a vibrant spiritual life in the world of finance, business strategy and technological development. They also looked at how easy it is to translate business leadership approaches to running a local church. 

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Andy Peck talks to Bobbi Kumari, founder of 'Living in Light', and the Sexposed conference and author of 'Sacred Sexuality: Rewire Your Desire Towards True Intimacy'. They talk of the challenge of launching a fashion brand and how she felt the need to start to educate today's youth on what the Bible says about sexuality. 

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Craig Greenfield moved his family to a Cambodian slum. But don’t call him a missionary. The New Zealand-born social entrepreneur has made his home among some of the most disadvantaged people in the world, and learned some huge lessons along the way. Having served cross culturally for more than two decades, the 49-year-old is reflecting on the changing landscape of overseas mission, and how we share our faith with others. In this interview with Premier Christianity's assistant editor Emma Fowle, Greenfield explains how he's aware of negative perceptions around “pith helmet-wearing colonialists – forcing their culture and religion on people who don’t want it”. The pair also discuss what it means to empower local leaders, and what "subversive mission" (the title of Greenfield's latest book) can look like.

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe from $1 at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Andy Peck talks to William Wade, pastor of Life Church, Cuffley, Hertfordshire. He has a wide experience, serving in international churches in Germany and the Netherlands, and believes that self-promotion has no place in Gospel focused ministry. They also take about creating sustainable working patterns for the long haul. 

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What began as a small side project, leading a Christian exercise class during the height of the 1980s aerobics craze, has morphed into an international speaking and writing ministry for Beth Moore. Known as Living Proof, Moore's ministry enabled her to address thousands in packed-out stadiums across America at a time when women in her denomination - the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) - were encouraged to be stay-at-home mothers and wives. Her books and Bible studies went on to sell in their millions. In more recent years , it has been her condemnation of what she feels is “rotten” at the core of American evangelicalism that has seen her hitting headlines. In this interview with Claire Musters, Beth speaks candidly about the childhood abuse she experienced, the growth of Living Proof and why she left her "beloved" denomination behind. 

Beth Moore's memoir All My Knotted Up Life (Tyndale) is available now

Andy Peck talks to Jordan Whitmer, the US founder of the 'How to Life' Movement, a movement of Gen Z students reaching their peers that is active in 47 US states and 40 countries around the world. Josie Galopin heads up the How to Life UK, and provides a UK perspective. 

Jordan talks of his own visit to the outpouring at Asbury College, Kentucky and how God seems to be reaching more and more Gen Z students today. 

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Rt Rev Lord Richard Harries is the former Bishop of Oxford and a life peer in the House of Lords. A renowned clergyman, broadcaster and Christian thinker, he talks to Justin Brierley about his life, faith and ministry in the Church of England. His autobiography ‘The Shaping Of A Soul: A life taken by surprise’ is available now https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/christian-alternative-books/our-books/shaping-soul-life-taken-by-surprise

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month 

Andy Peck talks to Sharon Dirckx, adjunct lecturer at The Oxford Centre for Apologetics and author of 'Broken Planet: if there is a God why are there natural disasters and disease?' In the light of the Turkey/Syria earthquake on February 6th, they discuss ways to think about natural disasters and disease and how to best handle people who question the goodness of God. 

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Andy Peck talks to Anna Randall founder of 'The Speaker's Coach, and one time expert on GNB news, on how you can take your verbal communication to groups to the next level. They look at how you can be yourself as you communicate, what kind of speaking notes you might need and how to look the part.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month 

Andy Peck talks to Nick Pollard who co-founded Family Mental Wealth which provides online tools to help parents and children navigate a variety of mental health issues. He explores how the illness of their daughter was the catalyst and led to academic and government bodies becoming involved. 

Andy Peck talks to Lee Kricher author of 'Seamless Pastoral Transition: 3

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Renowned pastor, author and Christian thinker Tim Keller joined Justin Brierley and Ruth Jackson of Premier Unbelievable? for a live show. Keller, who led Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York for over 25 year, talks about his life and faith, his new book on forgiveness and his recent journey with cancer. Unbelievable listeners also ask their questions.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity. Receive the next 3 print issues for just £5 now. Hurry - limited offer! premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Andy Peck talks to Tim Gough, who is the Pioneer Director for YFC Wales and the author of Rebooted: Reclaiming Youth Ministry for the Long Haul. They talk about how the decline in young people took place despite a rise in paid youthworkers and what we might do to repair the damage in local churches.  

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month 

Francis Chan left his thriving US megachurch, turned his back on the fame that ministry had brought him and moved his family to a developing country. He tells Sam Hailes the full story. 

This interview was first broadcast and published in 2019. 

Andy Peck talks to Yetunde Hofmann, who has been involved in leadership for over 25 years in the corporate world and now has a portfolio career which includes leading an international leadership and change consulting practice and organisation that supports black women leaders. They talk about why the death of George Floyd was an impetus to helping black women and why love is such an important element of good business leadership.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

For reasons that were never fully explained to him, Ram Gidoomal CBE and his family were forced to flee their home in Kenya when he was just 16 years old. Having previously left India during the 1947 partition, they said goodbye to the life of wealth and comfort they had created for themselves in east Africa to arrive in a hostile 1960s London as refugees once more, with no money and little to their name. Gidoomal was brought up in both the Hindu and Sikh faiths, but Jesus started to become real to him through the lyrics of a song he heard in a London pub. At the time, he was a student at Imperial College London. His business skills had won him a scholarship and would eventually lead to him earning so much money he couldn’t even spend the accruing interest. In this interview with Abi Thomas, Ram explains how God led him to raise millions for charity. 

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now from $1/month 

Sometimes the demands of leadership can overwhelm us. In this interview, mental health specialist Will Van Der Hart explains how Christians can build resilience and keep going when times are tough. This interview was conducted by Andy Peck, Premier's resident leadership expert. Will is a Pastoral Chaplain at Holy Trinity Brompton. Based on his book, The Power of Belonging, Will looks at being vulnerable as a leader and how shame works against out engagement with others. He shares why 'success doesnt equal security' and touches on his own mental health issues and the importance of being authentically present in our leadership. Why 'fake it to make it' is lousy career advice and why he hates the phrase 'becoming the best version of ourselves.'

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. This week, Andy talks with Jen Baker who moved from Michigan in the USA to the UK in an Abraham style call where she knew very little of God’s intentions. She now helps Christians live without fear, through a writing and teaching ministry that takes her all over the world. They talk about her latest book Unwavering: The Power of Choice and find out what holds people back from making progress in what God has called them to do. The key is learning how to make decisions based not on fear, but on faith. 

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

As the year draws to a close, our presenter and producer Sam Hailes says thank you for joining us in 2022, and asks - who would you like to hear being interviewed next year?

Send your requests to [email protected]

Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year, with lots of love from all the team at The Profile podcast and Premier Christianity magazine

PS there's still time to bag a HALF PRICE subscription to the UK's leading Christian magazine - premierchristianity.com/subscribe (offer expires at the end of December)

Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. This week, Andy Peck chats with Tim Alford, the National Director of LIMITLESS, the youth and children's movement of the Elim Pentecostal Churches in the UK and Ireland about how local churches might start groups designed to reach and disciple more young people.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Have you realised that the Nativity plays in many local churches actually have little to do with the birth of Jesus as depicted in the Gospels? In this interview with Premier's resident leadership expert Andy Peck, Rev Dr David Instone-Brewer Research Fellow at Tyndale House, Cambridge, tackles some of the mythical elements surrounding the incarnation and suggests a new way and better way of understanding what was really going on.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The unorthodox pastor Mick Fleming is a man on a mission, to change the Church – and society in the process. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Emma Fowle, the Burnley-based leader tells his story of abuse, homelessness and salvation. His own story of being thrown out of church, and miraculous experiences which prompted him to forgive the man who raped him, has resulted in a desire to serve those on the rough edges of society. "Stained-glass windows won’t feed children," he says. Instead, Christians must step up to serve the lonely, lost and hungry. "We need to repent so that God can move...we haven’t provided for the poor as we should have done," he says. 

Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. This week Andy talks to Nick and Becky Drake who launched the ministry ‘Worship for Everyone’ in 2010 in order to unite all ages in worship. They serve at Gas Street Church in Birmingham, Nick as Associate vicar and Becky running ‘Worship for Everyone’ in the church and further afield. They talk about how to transform the ‘all-age’ service from something ‘no-one enjoys’, to a service that blesses all ages.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

After leaving the army, Patrick Barrett turned to alcohol to cope with trauma, but God called him back to his childhood faith using the most unlikely means. He tells Rachel Matthews the full story. 

In the midst of ongoing pressures on all our finances, Emma Fowle sits down with Emma Revie, CEO of the UK’s largest network of foodbanks, Trussell Trust. In this in depth interview, Emma talks about how her faith motivates her work and what she thinks should be done about the cost of living crisis. 

Powerful Leaders? is a book that exposes and explores how leaders are tempted away from a biblical model of leadership into illegitimate - and in the worst cases abusive - use of authority and power. It's written by Marcus Honeysett, the director of Living Leadership, a charity that focuses on healthy leadership and church culture. In this conversation with Andy Peck, Marcus explains how leaders can safeguard themselves against moral failure. 

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Profile podcast is now bringing you a bonus interview every week! Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. You'll now be able to hear some of the best of his interviews. This week Andy meets the founder of Christian mental health charity Kintsugi Hope and author of Bouncing Forwards, Patrick Regan. 

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Profile podcast is now bringing you a bonus interview every week! Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. You'll now be able to hear some of the best of his interviews. This week Andy meets the UK Director of Care for the Family, Katharine Hill, who is the author of Left To Their Own Devices? Confident Parenting in a World of Screens

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Joseph D’souza is a civil rights advocate and Anglican bishop whose work in India has drawn the praise of many civil and religious leaders. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, the primate of the Good Shepherd Church of India talks about his calling to advocate on behalf of poor and marginalised groups, and stand against the caste system, which he says is pervasive not just in India, but around the world. Neither Christians nor other religious groups have a good track record in this area, he argues. Bishop Joseph also speaks about the reality of persecution which is faced by many Christians in India (see Premier Christianity's special report on the subject here), why the sacramental tradition of Anglicanism is so appealing, and his own story of coming to Christ. 

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity. Subscribe now from just $1 at premierchristianity.com

The Profile podcast is now bringing you a bonus interview every week! Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. You'll now be able to hear some of the best of his interviews. This week Andy meets Hope Virgo, who has run award winning campaigns on mental health and eating disorders, including #DumpTheScales. She is also the author of You Are Free (Even if you don't feel it)

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe for news, features and analysis from £3.95 (UK) or $1 (International) at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The head of 24-7 Prayer USA, Tyler Staton’s love affair with talking to God started when his youth leader challenged him to prayer walk his school every single morning for the whole of his summer holidays. Not only did find that he enjoyed God’s company, by the end of the year, half his classmates had been saved! In this interview, he chats to Emma Fowle about spiritual hunger, his latest book and why a church should be known for the character of its congregation, not the stature of its leaders.

Tyler is the author of Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools (Hodder & Stoughton)

The Profile is brought to you in association with the UK's leading Christian magazine. Subscribe to Premier Christianity now for only £4.95/month at premierchristianity.com/subscribe/

The Profile podcast is now bringing you a bonus interview every week! Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. You'll now be able to hear some of the best of his interviews. This week Andy meets the Northern Irish church leader, speaker and author of Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples, Rick Hill. 

The Profile podcast is now bringing you a bonus interview every week! Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. You'll now be able to hear some of the best of his interviews. This week Andy meets TV presenter, and author of A Good Friend, Gemma Hunt. 

The Profile podcast is changing! In the coming weeks, we'll be bringing you bonus interviews on the subject of leadership, in order to help you use your influence for God's purposes. Premier's resident leadership expert interviewer Andy Peck has been having conversations with preachers and pastors for the past 17 years. You'll be hearing some the best of his interviews right here on The Profile podcast. First up is the "bewildered founder" of 24-7 prayer, Pete Greig. 

How did a former stand-up comedian, referee and Argos manager become the vicar of St Matthew's the Apostle, Burnley? In this in-depth interview Fr Alex Frost speaks to Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes about his call to ordained ministry, the challenges of working in an area where poverty and addiction are commonplace, why he struggles to read his own book and his passion for inclusion within the Church of England. Fr Alex featured in a BBC documentary entitled 'The cost of Covid' which shone a spotlight on deprivation in the town. But today, Fr Alex says "no one cares" and is angry that despite widespread media coverage of the serious challenges facing Burnley, many politicians continue to appear disinterested. What's the answer to the problems he's witnessing? "You'd perhaps not be surprised to hear a Christian minister say this, but...the Gospel of Jesus Christ" he says. 

Fr Alex Frost is the author of Our Daily Bread (Harper Collins) which is published on 27 October. 

The Profile is sponsored by Premier Christianity magazine. Receive our special Queen tribute edition, plus the next 5 print issues for just £9.99. Visit premierchristianity.com/subscribe

As Nicky Gumbel retires from leading the UK's largest Anglican church, Megan Cornwell sits down with his successor, Archie Coates, to discuss the new direction of the 3,000-strong evangelical community of HTB. In this exclusive interview, Rev Coates explains his position on LGBT issues and reveals the painful past experiences that have shaped and influenced his walk with God.

The Profile is brought to you in association with the UK's leading Christian magazine. Subscribe to Premier Christianity now for only £4.95/month at premierchristianity.com/subscribe/

Michael Youssef doesn’t pull his punches. Within minutes of his conversation with Premier Christian Radio's Esther Higham, the 73-year-old preacher was holding forth on “the woke movement”, warning that Black Lives Matter was “Marxist” at heart, “based on a lie” and wanted to destabilise Western democracies. Dr Youssef has strong political views. But he’s much better known for his theological stances. His fervent gospel preaching and unequivocal style has won him large audiences all over the globe. While some ministers might avoid preaching on controversial topics, Youssef positively embraces them. In this interview Dr Yousef speaks about how he keeps himself spiritually fit, why false teaching makes him weep and comments on what he'd like his legacy to be.

This interview was first published in Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine. US listeners can subscribe from $1/month. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Dr Youssef's organisation Leading the Way is celebrating 20 years of ministry in the UK next month. See here for more details

"Christianity isn't about rules, it's about a relationship." It's a common phrase said by many Christians, but it isn't true. That's according to Bible teacher Jen Wilkin. In this in depth interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, which was recorded on location at The Village Church (Dallas, Texas) Jen reveals the deeply personal reason behind her passion for Bible literacy among women. She also explains why she's never had a typical "quiet time", comments on the best way church leaders can handle the 'deconstruction' movement and unpacks some of the teaching contained in her popular books. 

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Get the next 3 issues for just £5 premierchristianity.com/subscribe

For more on Jen Wilkin, visit jenwilkin.net

In her student days, Cole Arthur Riley was an atheist eagerly searching for peace, in what she now smilingly describes as a "grand search for ultimate truth". Reflecting back, she thinks that journey turned out to be a mask to placate her own discomfort with mystery. In this in-depth interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, the author of the critically acclaimed book This Here Flesh and founder of Black Liturgies unpacks how she ultimately found faith. 

The Profile is sponsored by Premier Christianity magazine. Receive the next 3 print issues for just £5. Visit premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The British entrepreneur and founder of Vitae London is our guest on The Profile podcast this week. William Adoasi sits down with Sam Hailes to explain how profits from the sale of every watch funds a school uniform for a child in sub-Saharan Africa. Given that he has been mentored by Richard Branson, the company has generated £1.1m of revenue and celebrities such as Paloma Faith and Emeli Sandé have been spotted wearing Vitae timepieces, you’d think it would be mission accomplished for William. “It has been an amazing journey,” he agrees, “but I would say we’re just getting started.”

You can also read this interview in the latest issue of Premier Christianity. Receive the next 3 print issues for just £5.

Visit premierchristianity.com/subscribe

He may be retiring from leading the largest Anglican Church in England, but Nicky Gumbel has huge plans ahead of him. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Emma Fowle, Nicky reveals what's next...

You can also read this interview in the latest issue of Premier Christianity. Receive the next 3 print issues for just £5. Visit premierchristianity.com/subscribe

John Sutherland joined the Metropolitan Police in 1992, having dreamed of being a police officer since his teens. Rising quickly through the ranks, he experienced all that is extraordinary about a life in blue: saving lives, finding the lost, comforting the broken and helping to take dangerous people off the streets. But for every case with a happy ending, there were others that ended in desperate sadness, and in 2013 John suffered a major breakdown. In this interview with Premier's Esther Higham, John reveals how his Christian faith was torn apart and rebuilt again. "I'm less certain of more things than I've ever been in my life," he says, "but I do believe that God is love."

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine. Enjoy 3 issues for just £5 now at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Ex soldier Eric Maddox pioneered an interrogation technique which led to the capture of one of the world's most wanted men. But if it wasn't for hearing the voice of God, he never would have joined the military.

The Profile is brought to you in association with the UK's leading Christian magazine. Subscribe to Premier Christianity now for only £4.95/month at premierchristianity.com/subscribe/

Subscribe and receive 3 issues for just £5 now at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe to the UK's leading Christian magazine in print and online for just £4.95/month. http://premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Nia-Cerise Conteh was living a life of pleasure and idol worship before an encounter with the Holy Spirit in her kitchen changed the trajectory of her life. In this episode of The Profile Nia-Cerise tells Premier Christianity's Megan Cornwell how God has been using her story to bring thousands of non-believers to a knowledge of Christ. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with the UK's leading Christian magazine. Subscribe to Premier Christianity now for only £4.95/month at premierchristianity.com/subscribe/

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe to the UK's leading Christian magazine in print and online for just £4.95/month. http://premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The beheading of 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians in Libya by Islamic State in 2015 brought worldwide attention to a Church that has endured persecution throughout its 2,000- year history. The first Coptic (the word means ‘Egyptian’) Orthodox Archbishop of London, Archbishop Angaelos, said he forgave the killers, and in the same year was awarded an OBE for his work as an advocate for religious freedom. Today, he continues that work, as well as overseeing the 35 Coptic Orthodox parishes in the UK. Abi Thomas met Archbishop Angaelos at the Cathedral of St George, part of the Coptic Orthodox Centre in Hertfordshire. The building, which was completed in 2006, contrasts many modern elements (including the large sports hall under the same roof) with an abundance of traditional Coptic icons dedicated to past saints. The pair spoke about a range of issues including Thy Kingdom Come, a prayer initiative begun by the Church of England but now supported by a range of denominations, including the Orthodox Church. 

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine. Enjoy full online access plus the print magazine delivered to your door for just £4.95/month at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Franklin Graham is in good spirits when he meets Premier's head of news Marcus Jones in London's Hyde Park Corner. He's excited to be visiting Speaker's Corner, the place where many evangelists have preached and debated over the years. Many there have faced fierce opposition because of the message they preached, something Graham himself can sympathise with. The US based evangelist, whose father was the renowned Billy Graham, is in the UK for the God Loves You Tour. The tour was due to take place in 2020 but every venue he'd booked to preach in cancelled him after complaints were made about past comments he'd made about homosexuality and Islam. He would later take successful legal action against some of the venues, meaning the tour is back on, stopping off at Liverpool, Newport, Sheffield and London. Hear their conversation in full now on this special bonus episode of The Profile podcast.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe to the UK's leading Christian magazine in print and online for just £4.95/month. http://premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine. Enjoy full online access plus the print magazine delivered to your door for just £4.95/month at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Shermara Fletcher might be the Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations at Churches Together in England, but she's also learned to appreciate - and even embrace - other Christian traditions. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, Shermara explains how Anglo-Catholic spirituality is nourishing her right now. She also opens up about her experience ministering alongside the homeless in Birmingham and London, and reflects on how her deeply Christian upbringing has shaped her life. Shermara, who has been invited to address politicians on the impact of Brexit on homeless women, says: "We don't worship politics, but the reality is policy governs and shapes our lives and the decisions we're able to make. The text talks about praying for leaders who are in charge, so I don't think we can detach from the political conversation. We should be pointing to morality and showing a different way, but not disengaging from the conversation altogether."

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine. Enjoy full online access plus the print magazine delivered to your door for just £1/month at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity. Subscribe to the UK's leading Christian magazine from just £1

When Rhys Stephenson joined Strictly Come Dancing, most people over the age of twelve would have been forgiven for not knowing who the CBBC presenter was (the 28-year-old has spent the majority of his professional life interacting with a puppet dog called Hacker!) But the prime time BBC One show has propelled the presenter to new heights, and in this conversation with Premier Christianity's Emma Fowle Rhys reveals how a 'desperate' prayer and the support of his church family led him into his chosen career. Rhys also explains why he feels so strongly that Christianity gets a bad rap in the media. He worries this has led many Christian young people – and adults – to feel embarrassed about expressing their faith. The star narrowly missed out on the final, but says if his Strictly journey helped others to “feel seen… feel represented”, that’s the real prize.

You can also read this interview on premierchristianity.com. Subscribe now for just £1

He might be best known for penning congregational hits such as ‘Amazing love’ and ‘Shine, Jesus, shine’ (the latter is now fondly referred to by millennials as a “primary school assembly banger”), but Graham Kendrick started out by writing story-based songs. This year marks 50 years since the release of Graham's first album Footsteps on the Sea. In order to celebrate, Graham has re-recorded the song that started it all, and put out a new EP entitled Where It All Began which sees him collaborate with singers Lucy Grimble and Lurine Cato MBE. The four-track EP is a tribute to that 1960s/70s era when the bearded guitarist was pioneering musical evangelism in coffee bars and folk clubs. In this in-depth interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, Graham reflects on his life and career in music, comments on the highs and lows of the modern worship movement and explains why the Church needs to be singing the stories of scripture. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Subscribe now for just £1 at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Subscribe now for just £1 at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Stacey Morgan kissed her husband goodbye before he donned his space suit on July 20, 2019, and headed to his waiting Soyuz rocket. With an overwhelming mix of pride, excitement, and terror, she and her children held hands and watched the rocket ignite and lift off for a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station. In this interview with Premier's Rachel Matthews, Stacey speaks about the difference her Christian faith has made, and the lessons God has taught her through her unique experiences. Find out more in Stacey's book The Astronaut's Wife, which is out now. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Subscribe now for just £1 at premierchristianity.com/subscribe 

The straight-talking pastor who isn't afraid to preach on controversial topics speaks to Emma Fowle about embracing God’s heart for the lost and why he’ll always value honesty over self-preservation. The pair also discuss the impact of Covid and social unrest on his ministry, how he's able to read hundreds of books a year and what made him leave his home nation of Australia in order to minister in one of America's most secular cities. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Subscribe now and receive John Mark Comer's new book free premierchristianity.com 

38 per cent of pastors are considering quitting the ministry. A combination of Covid and significant cultural shifts is arguably making it harder than ever to be a church leader. Having researched this worrying trend, the US based theologian, worship leader and pastor Rev Dr Glenn Packiam is visiting the UK in order to share his findings. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, Glenn shares his testimony, explains why he is simultaneously the leader of a non denominational evangelical church and ordained in the Anglican church, gives his view on how congregations can better support their pastors and also comments on how the Church can avoid further ministry scandals. Glenn's latest book The Resilient Pastor is out now. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Subscribe now and receive John Mark Comer's new book free premierchristianity.com

Having worked as paediatrician specialising in the care of newborn babies at a leading neonatal intensive care unit for more than 25 years, Dr John Wyatt became increasingly aware of the ethical maelstrom caused by advancing technology and contentious debates about the nature of humanity at the beginning and end of life. Now retired, he spends his time writing and speaking on a range of subjects including AI and robotics, science and faith and medical ethics. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Megan Cornwell, John reflects on his career so far and explains how his Christian faith has informed his work.

Prof John Wyatt is the host of a new podcast from the Premier Unbelievable? team. Just search 'Matters of Life and Death' via your podcast provider.

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The desire of Delirious? frontman and principal songwriter, Martin Smith, to reach the masses is undiminished. He loves leading worship in church (“I’ve given my life to it. I believe in it”) but doesn’t want to be constrained by it. Performing at Glastonbury is top of his bucket list and when  he doesn’t hesitate when asked about his dream collaborations: Adele, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Stormzy (“I think I could retire after a day with Stormzy”). For Premier Christianity’s first in-person interview in 18 months, our editor Sam Hailes met Smith in his home on the south coast of England (forgive the sound of our photographer clicking away in the background). Fresh from a run along Brighton beach, Smith is relaxed throughout the conversation, and excited about the release of his new solo album, Dancing In The Fire, which has emerged out of the ashes of Covid-19.

Dancing in the Fire is out now. Find out more at martinsmith.tv

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Read this interview with Martin Smith now at premierchristianity.com

Despite a career that might suggest otherwise, talking about ‘it’ was never the aim, says youth worker and church planter Rachel Gardner. Her latest book is The Sex Thing: Reimagining Conversations with Young People About Sex but “My big thing is Jesus,” she says, adding, “because my big thing is Jesus, of course I talk about sex and masturbation and eating disorders and exam results and stress and mental health.” In this in depth interview, the pair discuss how the Church can get better at having tricky conversations with young people.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Northern Irish philosopher Peter Rollins chats to Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes about his vision of a "religionless" Christianity. For Peter, the good news that we can’t be satisfied, that life is difficult, and that we don’t know the secret. It's a highly unusual take on faith, but for Rollins its grounded in a vision of Christ crucified. The pair discuss his upbringing during the Troubles, his conversion to Christianity, and how his thinking has changed over time. For more information, including his 'Atheism for Lent' project, which helps people move from fundamentalism to "a richer kind of faith", visit peterrollins.com 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Three years before the pandemic struck, Greg Boyd received an unusual prophetic word, which prompted him to move his church’s material online. We asked him about this seemingly unique warning about Covid-19, and how he feels about being labelled both ‘charismatic’ and ‘progressive’.

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe 

Aled Jones’ path to stardom was littered with occurrences that many would call God ordained. His first break came, aged twelve, after a congregation member wrote to a record company without his knowledge. Soon afterwards he'd recorded his debut album, toured the Holy Land with the BBC and shot to fame as the angelic, golden-haired chorister who sang ‘Walking in the air’. More than three decades later, Jones is still making a living singing the nation’s favourite hymns. But what of his own personal faith? Emma Fowle spoke to him to find out more, and hear about his new children's book Bobby Dean Saves Christmas. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Five years on from a cancer diagnosis that changed her life forever, the Christian academic Kate Bowler speaks to Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes about her new book 'No Cure for Being Human'. The pair also discuss the pressure often felt in churches to be positive, and how even well-meaning comments about faith, healing and prayer can often be hurtful or damaging. For Kate, real Christianity offers a deeper and far more meaningful hope than what the prosperity gospel, or an endless quest for 'progress' could ever bring.  

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity. Get John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies free when you subscribe. See premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Sheila Wray Gregoire is a popular speaker, blogger and author of The Great Sex Rescue. The book is based on an in-depth survey of 22,000 Christian women, and argues that generations of women have grown up with messages about sex that have made them feel dirty, used or invisible. In seeking to provide a better biblical understanding of sex and intimacy for Christian women and men, Sheila touches on issues that other Christians might be tempted to shy away from. Abi Thomas sat down with her to find out more.  

Note: This interview contains adult themes, so listener discretion is advised. 

If you have been effected by any of the issues raised in this programme, you can phone Premier Lifeline, the national Christian helpline on 0300 111 0101

For more about Sheila, visit https://sheilawraygregoire.com/

Max McLean, founder of the Fellowship of Performing Arts talks to Justin Brierley about his life, faith and playing the role of CS Lewis in the new film biopic ‘The Most Reluctant Convert’.

For The Most Reluctant Convert: http://www.cslewismovie.com

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now and receive a copy of John Mark Comer’s book ‘Live No Lies’

Yvonne Orji is a Nigerian-American actress and comedian. She talks to Premier's Cassandra Nelson about new book Bamboozled by Jesus. In part two, Justin Brierley meets the Catholic priest and noted CS Lewis scholar Michael Ward. The speak about Michael's role in the new CS Lewis movie and his new book After Humanity: A Guide to CS Lewis’ The Abolition of Man. 

For ‘After Humanity’: https://www.wordonfire.org/humanity/

The CEO of Christian Vision for Men (CVM), Nathan Blackaby, chats to Emma Fowle about finding faith in the mean streets of Brazil, what it was like to cycle a bathtub across the UK, and his organisation's plan to reach a million men with the Gospel.  

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now and get a FREE copy of John Mark Comer's new book Live No Lies.

It's a double bill this week as we hear the life stories of church minister and founder of the Pentecostal Credit Union Rev Carmel Jones and the veteran worship leader and songwriter Chris Bowater. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for only £1

Joshua Sutcliffe has lost his job twice, and been caught up in media storms over his Christian views on sexuality, gender and other religions. Sam Hailes asks the maths teacher turned street preacher why he keeps finding himself at the centre of controversy.

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for only £1

Claud Jackson was dealing class A drugs and driving expensive sports cars before an encounter with God changed everything. Sam Hailes sat down with Claud to hear his testimony in full. 

You can also read Claud's story here.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for only £1

Find out more in Claud's book From Guns to God (SPCK)

Journalist-priest Giles Fraser talks to Justin Brierley about his conversion, ministry, change of politics and new memoir ‘Chosen’ which tells the story of his spiral into depression after resigning from his ‘dream job’ at St Paul’s Cathedral, and how he found healing through reconnecting with his Jewish ancestry.

Read this interview: https://www.premierchristianity.com/giles-fraser-how-the-journalist-priest-discovered-his-jewish-roots/5507.article 

For ‘Chosen’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chosen-Found-between-Christianity-Judaism/dp/0241003261 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for only £1

Chrissie Chevasutt battled gender dysphoria for decades. They explain how a dramatic encounter with the Holy Spirit during a transgender dressing appointment changed everything.

Read their story in full here. 

For an alternative perspective on transgender, see here.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for only £1

Emma Fowle speaks to the Executive Director of Elim, Olivia Amartey. In this in-depth interview, Olivia talks about losing her father to Covid, how she has never let her race or gender hold her back and what it looks like to steward a national organisation well.   

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for only £1

When a bullet tore through Taylor Schumann's left hand on an otherwise average afternoon at New River Community College in Virginia, it changed everything. In the split-second moment of the shooting, and the long work of healing and trauma recovery that followed, her beliefs about gun reform and the role of the church in the USA's historic and future violence were irreversibly altered. She speaks to Premier Rachel Matthews about the events, and how she came to forgive her attacker, as explained in her new book When thoughts and prayers are not enough.

In part two Justin Brierley meets Mark Vernon, author of Dante’s Divine Comedy: A guide for the spiritual journey. As Italy marks the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death this month, the pair discuss the medieval writer’s literary and spiritual legacy.

For Taylor Schumann: taylorschumann.com  

For Mark Vernon: markvernon.com/books/dantes-divine-comedy-book

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Dr. Michael Guillen is a former Harvard physics instructor and Emmy award-winning News Science editor. He talks to Justin Brierley about his new book ‘Believing is Seeing’ which tells the story of his journey from atheism to Christianity via science, and why everyone needs to examine their own worldview.

For ‘Believing is Seeing’ by Dr Michael Guillen: https://michaelguillen.com/ 

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Rachel Matthews meets the five time world record holding Paralympian Stef Reid. In this in depth interview, Stef talks about the accident which changed her life and how her perspective on what it means to be a Christian has matured over time.  

Read her story in full here

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for only £1

Imagine if terrorists hijacked a plane and flew it into an American city. What if that led to the US President attempting to overthrow Saddam Hussein's Iraq. This was premise of Joel Rosenberg's first novel - and it was written months before the September 11th attacks took place. The astonishing story of how Rosenberg appeared to have predicted geo-political events led to a huge amount of media. In the 20 years since, Rosenberg has written many more books - both fiction and non fiction - all with the aim of helping Christians to understand the times we live in. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, Joel explains how he came to Christ from a Jewish background and why the landscape of the Middle East is changing so dramatically - a subject he unpacks in his new book Enemies and Allies. The pair also discuss Israel, Bible prophecy and the current situation in Afghanistan.  

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Lindz West may be best known as the energetic frontman of Christian dance band LZ7, but he is also a passionate evangelist with a heart for taking the gospel to the hardest to reach young people. In this week’s The Profile, he talks honestly to Premier Christianity’s Emma Fowle about growing up on Billy Graham tent revivals, why he walked away from Jesus as a teenager and how he was drawn back to God through music and miracle stories.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. *SPECIAL OFFER ​*Subscribe now FOR JUST £1/month

It's a double bill this week! Jackie Hill Perry is an American Christian speaker, author and poet who’s widely known for being raw, open and honest about her sexuality. Jackie, who says she remembers being same-sex attracted from a young age, now uses her Christian ministry to share God’s work in bringing her out of a homosexual lifestyle, which she also detailed in her first book Gay Girl, Good God. 

In an in-depth interview with Premier Christian News journalist Tola Mbakwe, Jackie talks about her journey to faith, the backlash she gets for sharing her testimony, her thoughts on conversion therapy, motherhood and what she calls cringeworthy moments of ‘Baby Christian Jackie’. But don’t be mistaken, Jackie brings more to the table than discussions on sexuality and the Church. We delved deep into the topic of holiness. What makes someone holy? Do church denominations differ in the way they respect God’s holiness? What does holiness even mean? Despite having a laid-back, and easy-going personality, what’s clear from this interview is Jackie is a very deep-thinker and is a student of the Bible. Jackie and Tola discussed all things holiness as revealed in her brand new book Holier Than Thou.

Plus, in part two, Cassandra meets the British evangelist Daniel Chand to hear about his testimony, and talk about his 'Tent Revival' ministry.  

The Mayor of Bristol found himself in an awkward position last summer. Marvin Rees was visibly delighted that the statue of slave trader Edward Colston, which had stood in the city centre for 125 years, had been torn down by Black Lives Matter protestors and thrown into the harbour. But given his position as mayor, he also told reporters he could not condone criminal damage. When I put this disparity to the 49-year-old, he shrugs. “Yeah, absolutely, but we live in a complicated world, and sometimes two things can be true at the same time.” Rees has learned to embrace complexity and paradox, especially when it comes to his faith. He became a Christian aged ten at an evangelical crusade, and was taught “certainty is the mark of faith” at university. In this in depth interview he explains how his faith has changed over time and why Jesus' parable of the talents is inspiring him to work for change in Bristol and beyond. 

You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now FOR JUST £1/month 

Sarah Kroger's life dramatically changed when she encountered God at a youth conference. Today, she describes her calling has helping others to understand that they too can have a personal relationship with Jesus. In this in-depth conversation with Premier's Rachel Matthews, the Nashville-based worship leader opens up about her testimony, music and songwriting career.

The Profile is sponsored by the UK's leading Christian magazine, Premier Christianity. Subscribe now for £3.95/month

Sohrab Ahmari grew up in Iran before becoming an atheist as a teenager after moving to the USA. An adult convert to Catholicism, he is a widely-published journalist and social commentator in the US. He talks to Justin Brierley about his new book ‘The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos’.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

Jeff Lucas is a popular Bible teacher, speaker and author. He's been a regular columnist for Premier Christianity for over 20 years. But what makes him tick? How did his Christian journey begin? And where does his trademark humour come from? In this in depth interview, Jeff opens up about a range of topics including understanding God's guidance, why he finds prayer so difficult, his new book Singing in Babylon, and why he's still hopeful about the future of the UK Church. 

Read Jeff Lucas' columns in every issue of Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £3.95/month

2 guests are featured this week on The Profile speaking to Justin Brierley and Ruth Jackson:

Jon Yates is Executive Director of the Youth Endowment Fund and author of ‘Fractured: Why our societies are coming apart and how to put them back together again’

Sam Chan is an Australian evangelist and author of ‘How to Talk about Jesus (Without Being That Guy)’

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

There is an honesty about Christine Caine that is rare in high-profile leaders. When the bestselling author, internationally acclaimed speaker and leader of multiple international organisations appears Zoom, she is straight off the treadmill, laughing and apologising for her appearance in a sorry-not-sorry way that epitomises her no-nonsense attitude. “I cannot be made up like I am for television for everything I do, or I will never have a life!” she says. “So here I am! I want to share my life, not a filtered life.” In both her writing and speaking, no topic is off-limits – whether it is the sexual abuse she suffered as a child, finding out that she was adopted in her 30s, battling thyroid cancer in her 40s, or the panic attacks that she started to experience in her 50s. It was this last experience, she says, which prompted the writing of her latest book How Did I Get Here? Finding your way back to God when everything is pulling you away (Nelson). In this in-depth interview, this self described "old school revivalist" explains the importance of staying connected to Jesus. 

Read this interview in the new issue of Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £3.95/month

Rachel Pieh Jones grew up in the USA but has spent most of her adult life in the Horn of Africa. In this in-depth interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, Rachel explains how meeting and living alongside Muslims radically changed her perception of them. Now based in Djibouti, where almost everyone is a Muslim, Rachel says she's experienced remarkable hospitality, even as she's experienced what it's like to live as a minority, and a stranger in a foreign land. Her new book Pillars: How Muslim Friends Led Me Closer to Jesus is available now. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £3.95/month

Veteran broadcaster Patrick Forbes talks to Justin Brierley about his varied life and ministry, which includes seafaring, clowning and being a parish priest, as related in his new autobiography ‘A Roomful of Elephants: My first eighty years in the church’.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The CEO of Mercy UK explains how miraculous financial provision has allowed them to run a residential home for vulnerable young women. In the 15 years since the house in West Yorkshire opened, more than 320 young women have been through the residential discipleship programme, with 82 per cent of residents testifying afterwards: “My life was transformed.” In this interview with Premier Christianity's Emma Fowle, the pair discuss how the home was founded and what Arianna has learned in the process. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £3.95/month

It has taken the Northern Irish collective a few years to realise it, but they're more of a ministry than a band. That's according to Gareth and Ali Gilkerson, the husband and wife duo who are founding members of the popular worship group Rend Collective. In this in depth interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, the couple talk about their decision to preach the Gospel at every gig, why Covid-19 has affected the band's finances and how criticism and online trolling hasn't dampened their passion for church unity. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £3.95/month

Richard Stearns was President of World Vision USA for 20 years. In this in-depth interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, he talks about his unexpected calling into the ministry and how he felt completely unprepared and ill-equipped for the role. "I knew nothing about poverty and I remember saying 'Lord I don't know what to do'. It was almost like the Lord said to me 'that's exactly where I want you - dependent on me." Richard also explains how he was able to generate millions of dollars in fundraising for the charity, why Donald Trump's "rhetoric" around refugees has hurt their work and the various challenges which Covid-19 has brought. Richard says the many good news stories about the reduction in poverty are "too often untold". For example, the number of children dying from preventable causes has halved in the past 25 years he says, explaining that he believes charities need to broadcast their successes as much as their pleas for support. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with  Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Archbishop of York is an evangelist. Speaking about the Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative, he says, "We all long, of course, to share our faith.” A significant proportion of the 38 books he’s authored are either about mission and evangelism or, in the case of his newest title, Dear England (Hodder & Stoughton), are aimed at those who don’t yet share his faith. In this in-depth interview with Premier Christianity's editor, Archbishop Stephen shares his own life story, and explains how he's "longing" to bring "evangelistic renewal" to the Church of England. 

You can also read this interview in the latest edition of Premier Christianity magazine.  Subscribe now for £4.95/month

Scientist Rosalind Picard speaks to Ruth Jackson about her faith journey from atheism, how she has used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create life-saving technology and where she sees the future of AI. She also shares her thoughts about working in science as both a Christian and female, as well as how we can help people to meet God in the midst of suffering.

Watch Professor Rosalind Picard discuss Artificial Intelligence and whether new technology removes the need for God with Professor Nick Bostrom on the Big Conversation https://www.thebigconversation.show/aiandtechnology

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine.  Subscribe now for £4.95/month

Apologist Clare Williams, who is one of the speakers at the upcoming Unbelievable? conference, speaks to Ruth Jackson about some of the big questions young black people face. Clare spent over ten years working as a teacher before training in apologetics and uses her experience to help provide Generation Z (those born after mid-90s) with answers to some of life’s toughest objections about the Christian faith.

To listen to more of Clare, join us at the online Unbelievable? conference on Saturday 15th May https://www.unbelievable.live​.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine.  Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine.  Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine.  Subscribe now for £4.95/month

As a much in-demand actor, David Oyelowo OBE can’t say ‘yes’ to every film he’s offered. So how does he decide which projects to take on? His answer is simple: “As a Christian, I don’t really do films that don’t have some kind of message to them.” In this interview with Sam Hailes, David explains how God became real to him, what it was like playing Martin Luther King Jr in Selma and why he wishes British Christians would be more up front about their faith. In part two, Justin Brierley meets Mark Clark, pastor of The Village Church, Vancouver. He talks about his conversion to Christianity through reading the Bible, why he gave up academic dreams to become a pastor, and about his new book ‘The Problem of Jesus: Answering a Skeptic's Challenges to the Scandal of Jesus’.

Read the interview with David Oyelowo now in Premier Christianity magazine.  Subscribe now for £4.95/month

Gospel heavy weight Fred Hammond is well known for his extensive music catalogue, but he's been quietly honing his writing and stage directing skills for almost two decades. Now his virtual play "Surviving Williams" is set to reach a global audience. In this interview with Premier's Muyiwa, Hammond says his greatest gift is the anointing to help people. “I love to see people grow. I love pouring into folk…I’m a coach." Hammond was pivotal in launching the careers of Marvin Sapp, Christina Bell and Israel Houghton and continues to take new talent under his wings. During this conversation, Hammond also reflects on his divorce and even opens up about his most embarassing experience in music to date. Sharing his secret to bouncing back from rejection, Hammond quotes Isaiah 40:31 – “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,” adding that the definition of patience, is the ability to remain the same while you wait.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The author of In the Shadow of the Shahs spoke to Ruth Jackson about being raised as a Persian Muslim in Europe, the Iranian revolution and how she discovered Jesus. 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

Gospel’s most celebrated female artist Cece Winans, is set to release her brand-new project Believe for it next week. In this interview with Premier's Muyiwa, Winans shares her heart for the project saying: “I want to ignite faith in the people of God. It’s time for us to release our faith for the impossible.” In part two, Ibe catches up with the American actor and comedian Kel Mitchell, and finds out how the actor has been able to maintain a strong Christian faith, even while working in Hollywood.  

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The pastor, preacher, writer and broadcaster speaks to Premier’s Andy Peck about his humble start in a Scottish mining town, and pastoring a number of churches with the Salvation Army. This included a spell in California and an appearance on ITV’s Jeremy Kyle Show to give a Christian angle in the heat of a debate about the ethics of same-sex relations. He says: “in the middle, was me trying to explain to the studio audience and the ITV audience that Christianity and total insanity, we're not related terms!”  

His heart to reach the many who aren’t aware of the Gospel led to his writing novels for the mass market and his lifelong enthusiasm for radio is behind his delight at presenting on Premier Christian Radio’s on Friday mornings. At 74 years of age, he’s still exercising daily and has the enthusiasm of a 20 year-old. 

The multi-award-wining singer and actress with millions of social media followers spoke to Ruth Jackson about Hamiliton, how she came to faith and clinging to God through tough times.

You can read more about Rachelle An Go in the February issue of Premier Christianity magazine https://www.premierchristianity.com/Past-Issues/2021/February-2021/Rachelle-Ann-Go-How-the-musical-theatre-superstar-became-a-Christian

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

Award–winning conservation expert Dr Simon Stuart is the newly-appointed Executive Director of the leading Christian conservation charity Arocha International.

He talks to Justin Brierley about the tragic death of leading members of Arocha in a road accident in South Africa in 2019, and his own life as a Christian at the cutting edge of researching wildlife conservation.

For Arocha International: https://www.arocha.org

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month

Skip Heitzig, pastor of Calvary Church in Albuquerque and author of the new book ‘Biography of God’ joins Justin Brierley. 

They chat about Skip’s journey of faith, pastoring a megachurch through a pandemic, and his new book which aims to show sceptics, saints and seekers the true character of the biblical God.

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month 

The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now for £4.95/month