PEP Talk

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 enjoying books, mainly on apologetics and church history.Christian Police Association UKCPA Scotland Facebook page Support the show

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 of the Pacific Northwest and the evangelical culture of the Bible Belt. She first encountered apologetics in her own spiritual search while seeking answers. Mary Jo is now an assistant professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University and the founder and director of Confident Christianity Apologetics Ministry. She has been featured in Christianity Today’s cover story “The Unexpected Defenders” and is an international speaker on apologetics, focusing on love and logic to uncover truth. Support the show

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 of Britain and the colonial world and especially the intersection of religion, science, and politics. She was awarded her PhD in History from Cambridge University and has lectured at Western Sydney University since 2012. Sarah and her husband, Johnathan, have three children. The family lives in the Hawkesbury region outside of Sydney where they are active members of a Sydney Anglican Church.Support the show

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 network, with a sister-Venture Capital fund focussed on scaling for-profit businesses that solve social or environmental problems. Besides this, Andy serves on the Board for a Christian charity which focuses on human rights and religious freedom.Andy is an experienced public speaker and holds associate positions with The OCCA, Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and Transform Work UK. Andy has spoken at some of the world’s largest corporates, including Facebook, UBS, Goldman Sachs, KPMG and Barclays among others. Andy is a Chartered Accountant in England and Wales and holds a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Birmingham. Andy is married to Rachel and enjoys the highs and lows of following Manchester United and the Irish rugby team!Support the show

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. From October this year Carl will be leaving secular employment to allow him to go full-time into evangelistic ministry in both his local community and more widespread by providing practical evangelism training to other individuals, groups and churches.Support the show

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 Children's Hospice. Having given his life to Jesus as a teenager, he worked in engineering before moving into Christian ministry. Jackie enjoys listening to Deacon Blue, watching football and walking sections of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. He lives in Carrickfergus with his wife Nicola.Support the show

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, broadcaster and writer, J. John communicates the Christian faith in a practical way. He has his own weekly TV programme, which is broadcast globally, and a number of podcasts. He has written several books across a range of subjects including the ‘Theology for Little People’ series to help children understand biblical truth. He lives in Chorleywood with his wife Killy.Support the show

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 Oxfordshire County Council. He serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Group and runs the Christian Network Group at the council. Support the show

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 and an M.A. in Systematic Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary Philadelphia. He has worked in public relations, sales, and marketing for over three decades. His first book is an exploration of apologetics for parents called The Persuasive Christian Parent: Building an Enduring Faith in You and Your Children.  He also blogs on apologetics and a variety of topics at mikedvirgilio.com.Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

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 Chief Executive at Bible Society. He was previously the founder and director of the influential faith and society think tank Theos. In addition to studying theology, he has worked in parliament and the media. He is married to Ruth, and they have four young children. They live in Wiltshire and enjoy being outdoors, playing board games, and keeping chickens.Have a look at these resources from LICC which Paul mentions:https://licc.org.uk/resources/6ms/https://licc.org.uk/events/40-cities-tour/Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)