The Profile

Andy Peck talks to Richard Gamble, the founder of the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, about his vision to see a wall with one million answered prayers that will stand as a monument to God’s faithfulness in a land where he is too often forgotten. They discuss how he acted on what God had birthed within him and the challenges he has faced in bringing it to the point where the vision will soon become a reality. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Fergus Butler-Gallie: Confessions of a young priest God calls into ordained ministry those who he cannot save any other way. That's what Fergus Butler-Gallie was once told. It was a tongue-in-cheek remark, nevertheless, Fergus thinks there's something in it. The 31 year-old was ordained in his mid 20s and has since enjoyed a front row seat to the peculiarities and eccentricities which make up the fabric of ordained ministry. His latest book, Touching Cloth, is a treasure trove of entertaining anecdotes and in this candid interview with Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes, Fergus retells some of the stand out moments, including the time he and a group of flower arrangers were stuck in the vestibule trying to disable an exceptionally loud rape alarm. He also opens up about the difficulties he's faced within the institution of the CofE and gives his view on what the future of the Church might look like. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity. Subscribe now to get our Christmas special, plus the next two print issues for just £5.99. Visit premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Andy Peck talks to Steve Cockram, the Co-Founder of GiANT Worldwide and a director of GiANT London about a book written with his business partner Jeremie Kubicek, Cracking the Communication Code Unlock Every Relationship, One Conversation at a Time How do we ensure that we communicate well, and ‘unlock’ the code that will enable our daily interactions to move our work and relationships forward? Steve claims that his book and his work are sparked by things that he and his partner Jeremie fail at, and this book is no exception. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Devon-based Lucy Grimble has led worship at venues as large as Wembley Arena and The Royal Albert Hall and her fourth album, Between the Shadow and the Sun, was released in October. Here she speaks with Woman Alive's deputy editor Jemimah Wright about how she moved from being a private worshipper to leading thousands of others. This interview was also published as the cover story for December's Woman Alive magazine. Read the article online and become a subscriber here

Andy Peck talks to Keith Foster, head of contemporary chaplaincy at Waverley Abbey College about the importance of chaplaincy at a time when many have little or no connection with a local church. They discuss how he became a chaplain at a local running club, what chaplaincy is and why so many are finding this a fruitful area of ministry. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

The CEO of the Christian charity, CARE, speaks to Premier Christianity's Sam Hailes about his life and faith. Ross Hendry was born in Wales, has worked for a trade union and held senior positions at a number of Christian charities. Opening up about the time he stood to be a Labour MP, Ross recalls the hostility he encountered from his opponents who portrayed his evangelical faith as something to be feared. "There was the suggestion I was running a homophobic campaign as an evangelical Christian. There was no evidence of that...for example there was a suggestion that because I had a picture of my wife and I on our campaign literature I was somehow flaunting my heterosexuality." Despite these, and other challenges, Ross continues to be a passionate advocate for Christians being involved in all areas of politics. Today, CARE campaigns on a variety of issues, from euthanasia to artificial intelligence and has recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. In this interview the pair discuss various Christian attitudes to politics and Ross comments on how people of faith can ensure their voices are heard. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe at premierchristianity.com/subscribe

Andy Peck talks to Dan Blythe, Global youth director for Alpha International and has been involved in youthwork for 20 years including serving at Hillsong London. Dan Blythe is the co-author of Facing Fear 365 Daily reflections for hope, peace and courage. They talk of how he has overcome many fears as he has grown into leadership, and how church service styles may be a barrier for many young people open to hearing about God. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Kate Coleman never intended to become a Christian, yet alone blaze a trail for women in ministry. The first Black female minister in the Baptist Union, as well as the denomination’s first Black female president, when she was first asked to be a church elder (itself a miracle as her church had, up until that point, no women leaders) she was wary of saying yes. She knew God had called her, but was reluctant to be the cause of a potential church spilt. She describes the fallout as “a baptism of fire”. Three decades on, she’s still pioneering new ways to equip and resource female leaders around the world. In this in depth interview with Premier Christianity's Emma Fowle, Kate unpacks her unorthodox journey to faith, what she’s learnt from Christians behaving badly and shares her hopes and dreams for the future of the Church. You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe now to receive the next 3 print issues for just £5.99

Andy Peck chats with Major General Tim Cross (retired) about encouraging godly leadership as a lay Minister. Tim served in the British Army for 36 years, and they discuss his assessment of the Israel-Gaza conflict, the kind of leadership every Christian needs to bring and the tools he finds helpful in developing lay leadership. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

This week on The Profile, Tony Wilson catches up with the church leader behind the #1 hit podcast, 'The Bible in a Year'. Fr Mike Schmitz explains how he came to faith, why he prays for church unity every week and gives his perspective on Pope Francis' recent comments on LGBT relationships. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine. Take out a print or digital subscription now at premierchristianity.com/subscribe