PEP Talk

It seems that in our culture today, it is all too easy to offend a person by disagreeing with their ideas. This fuels our fear of rejection, broken relationships, consequences for career or reputation when it comes to discussing our faith. What can we do to foster respect, humility and love that wins the heart of a person, instead of winning an argument? Today's guest urges us to look to Jesus for a great example.David Nixon is Associate Pastor at Carrubbers Christian Centre on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. After studying Law at the University of Edinburgh, David went on to study Theology at the Faith Mission Bible College and London School of Theology, while also training and working in church-based ministry. He regularly writes for the Solas website. David is a husband to Kirsty and father to two energetic young boys.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

Today we hear from Craig Dyer about how the popular Christianity Explored courses have adapted to life in a pandemic. How can we best use these evangelistic tools, still make connections online, and meet people where they're at during a difficult period for us all? Craig also shares about the unique opportunities his home church in Glasgow has to reach out to asylum seekers.Craig Dyer is the Training Director for Christianity Explored, where he provides evangelism training for gospel-hearted churches around the world by developing a network of qualified trainers. Prior to this position, having graduated from Irish Baptist College in Belfast, he served as Pastor of Bellshill Baptist Church for just under 6 years and Harper Church in the south side of Glasgow for 13 years. He still serves there as an Associate Pastor. Craig and his wife Margaret have three daughters.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

What happens when presenting the Gospel puts you on the wrong side of 'cancel culture'? In places like our work or university, we can sometimes feel like the 'bad guys' when we try to espouse Christian truths. Today's guest has thought long and hard about how we can adapt to these difficult environments with his book Being the Bad Guys. Stephen McAlpine is a blogger and ex-journalist who writes on issues of theology, culture and the church. He is a pastor at Providence Church in Perth, Australia, and also works at a national level for City Bible Forum, developing and presenting evangelistic material for a project called Third Space. He is married to Jill, loves running in his spare time, and blogs at stephenmcalpine.com.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

In today's episode we think about the relationship between the Gospel and our culture.  Is there merit in finding touchpoints between the two, or should we always seek to share the "pure"  or "transcendent" Gospel?  Our guest Tony Watkins finds that arts and media can provide helpful inroads for the Gospel into individual lives, as we consider the values, needs, and aspirations found in our shared culture.Tony helps Christian leaders relate media and the Bible through his writing and teaching, and is studying for a PhD exploring connections between the media and the biblical prophets. He is the Media Engagement Network Co-ordinator for the Lausanne Movement.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

When we hear from those with degrees in theology and positions in ministry, it can be tempting to feel inadequate or guilty about our own efforts in evangelism. So how can we make efforts at sharing the gospel without falling into a performance-driven mindset? Susie Ford works in ministry and studies theology part time with Highland Theological College. She is a member of the Passion for Evangelism community which mentors and encourages women in public proclamation of the gospel, and loves discussing faith issues with those exploring Christianity. In her free time Susie can always be found with people, whether drinking coffee, baking or walking.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

We can sometimes make too much of the distinction between practical ministry and spiritual ministry, emphasising one at the cost of the other. But what is it about meeting physical needs (especially in a deprived urban environment) that lends credibility to our spiritual efforts in the area of evangelism? This time on PEP Talk, Andy and Kristi hear about how both are being put into action at Edinburgh City Mission.Our guest is the CEO of Edinburgh City Mission, Duncan Cuthill. He was converted at an Edinburgh mission event as a young person, later working for the Scottish Tourist Board and UCCF. He left Scotland in the mid-00s to study theology at Cornhill in London, subsequently working with London City Mission for twelve years. Duncan returned to Edinburgh to lead Edinburgh City Mission in 2017.Sign up for the Edinburgh City Mission "Restless for Mission" conference here.Support the show

Is there any mission field as close to our hearts as our own family? If you are a parent, it can be an overwhelming burden to pass on your faith to your children.  It is a unique form of "evangelism", much different to sharing with other adults but still has some similarities. Today Andy and Kristi speak to the authors of Faith That Lasts: A Father and Son on Cultivating Lifelong Belief  where they outline three dangerous myths that we all too easily buy into: that fear can protect our children, that information can save them, and that their spiritual education belongs to the experts. Stuart McAllister comes from a non-Christian home in Glasgow. He joined Operation Mobilization in 1978 and was once imprisoned for distributing Bibles in Yugoslavia. Stuart joined RZIM in 1998 as the International Director and today serves as Global Support Specialist. He regularly speaks in churches, universities, and other forums (including a Solas conference in 2010) all over the world. Stuart's son Cameron McAllister was born on the mission field in Vienna. Cameron is now an itinerant speaker at RZIM. He is the host of the Vital Signs podcast, a weekly podcast exploring signs of life in today’s culture, and the co-host of Thinking Out Loud, a podcast that considers current events and Christian hope. Support the show

Whew! It is finally 2021 and everyone is glad 2020 is behind them. But wait, something good must have happened. Although it was different and challenging, there was still a lot to thank God for in terms of how His gospel was advancing.  Whether it was reaching new people online or a new openness brought about by difficult circumstances, Andy and Kristi reflect on the highlights of sharing the gospel in 2020.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

Church outreach events and evangelism courses sound like a great idea, but do they actually work? Here on PEP Talk we discover that, yes, they can! We hear today from an ordinary guy (chartered accountant, no less) from an ordinary church that is developing an amazing culture of outreach - and seeing God at work through it all!Murray McNicol is a member of Maxwell Mearns Castle Parish Church, just south of Glasgow in Scotland. His background is accountancy but currently runs a small software business. Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

If you haven't heard of the Alpha Course, it's a popular tool used by churches and small groups to create a welcoming place for others to ask questions. This year has seen an sudden move to online Alpha courses, which continue to be effective places for ministry. In this episode, Kristi and Andy welcome the Director of Alpha Scotland to learn about his journey to faith and the various ways he's seeing the gospel at work today. Dez Johnston was a Glaswegian bouncer with a drug problem who came to faith 12 years ago. Now an ordained Baptist minister, Dez worked in youth ministry before becoming the Director for Alpha Scotland. He continues to live in the Glasgow area with his wife Fi and two small children.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)