Steve Chalke on choosing welcome over isolation and division

The Revd Steve Chalke is a Baptist minister and the founder of the Oasis Charitable Trust. He recently co-founded the We Are United campaign, which aims “to create at least 1,000 Festive Tables of Welcome across the country in the month-long run-up to this Christmas”. On the podcast this week, Ed Thornton visits Steve Chalke at Oasis St Martins Village in South London, a hub for community transformation. Mr Chalke talks about the role of faith-based groups in delivering social change, his new voluntary government post as Enrichment Ambassador for Civic Engagement, and about the We Are United campaign. Read his Church Times article about the campaign here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/2-october/comment/columnists/steve-chalke-let-s-choose-connection-over-division Read more about We Are United here: https://peopleunite.org.uk/ Steve Chalke’s books include: • A Manifesto for Hope: Ten principles for transforming the lives of children and young people (SPCK, 2023). • The Lost Message of Paul: Has the Church misunderstood the Apostle Paul? (SPCK, 2019). • Being Human: How to become the person you want to be (John Murray Press, 2016). Read this week’s featured headlines here: • Bishops decry Green motion on Zionism: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/9-october/news/uk/bishops-and-british-jewish-leaders-voice-concern-about-green-party-motion-on-zionism • Our door is open to church voices, say Conservatives: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/9-october/news/uk/our-door-is-open-to-church-voices-say-conservatives • The last temptation of TikTok: interview with Pippa White: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/9-october/features/features/the-last-temptation-of-tiktok Music for the podcast is by Twisterium. Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader