The Profile

Andy Peck chats with James Poch and Iman Spearman, both part of Regeneration Church, London. James is the pastor who founded the church with his wife, Ruth. Iman came to faith at the church and now leads worship there. They talk about James's book: Holy Grit: Gaining traction on life's journey with Jesus and why he believes discipleship needs to be at the heart of any local church's ministry. Iman shares her remarkable story of coming to faith, at a time when she believed she was attending church for her last ever time. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Francis Spufford is a child of his times. He was raised on a university campus by “serious and convinced” churchgoing parents, in an era when Christianity was “taken for granted” as part of most people’s ordinary lives. His teenage years began two decades in which God was absent. In his 30s, Spufford committed what he calls a “classic, destructive male mistake of midlife”. He politely declines to provide any further details other than explaining: “They are my shames, but other people’s privacy is involved.” That the crisis somehow led him back to God is both a miracle and a testament to the creative ways that a creative God breaks through into our everyday, he says. In this in depth interview with Premier Christianity's Emma Fowle, Francis unpacks some of his books, including the "sweary" Unapologetic and talks about why Christian art is sometimes a little bit rubbish. You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine.

Andy Peck chats with Terry English, director of learning and development for Josiah Venture, ‘a movement of God among the youth of Central and Eastern Europe that finds its home in the local church and transforms society’. They look at the world’s longest continuous study of leadership by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner which has given rise to the five areas of exemplary leadership. What are they and how can they be exercised in your situation? The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Edward Stourton has been the main presenter of the BBC's Sunday programme for over a decade, and has worked in broadcasting for more than forty years, during which time he has been a foreign correspondent for the BBC, ITN, and Channel 4. In this in-depth interview with Premier Christianity's editor Sam Hailes, Edward recounts the highs and lows of his career, tells us about his Catholic upbringing and continued faith, and introduces his latest book, Sunday, which chronicles half a century of religious affairs and ethical issues. Sunday by Edward Stourton is available now The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity magazine, the UK's leading Christian magazine.

Andy Peck chats with Shauna Pilgreen who has planted a church with her husband in San Francisco, known as Epic Church and is the author of 'Translating Jesus: How to share your faith in language today’s culture can understand' She shares stories from her own life in the US and they discuss so how do we make sure our faith does not sound like gobbledygook, to those outside the church? And why do church leaders need to make sure they are not too insular? The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Cancel culture and woke activism are being driven by a dangerous anti-Christian ideology sweeping across the West. That’s according to the Christian Institute’s social policy analyst, Dr Sharon James, whose new book on critical theory promises to help believers discern the truth. Hear more in this interview with Abi Thomas. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine, where you can also read this interview.

Andy Peck chats with Steve Robinson, pastor of Cornerstone Church, Liverpool about his book, 'Serve'. They discuss how he 'replanted' a struggling church' of 15 members and what to do if you lose your energy for the work God called you to do. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Shane Lynch has coined a word for his bad boy years: “Shaneanigans”. The Boyzone singer spent much of his 20s – between concerts and autograph signings – drinking, swearing and getting into scraps. Around that time, he also became fascinated by the occult, the evidence of which is still visible in the tattoos etched on his skin. This “anti-God, anti-Christ” season became a problem when Lynch later became a Christian, so he added more ink to alter the meanings. In this interview with Premier Christianity's Megan Cornwell, Shane shares the full story. You can also read this interview in Premier Christianity magazine. Subscribe at a reduced rate now at premierchristinaity.com/subscribe

Andy Peck chats with Colin Edwards, a former lecturer from Redcliffe College who has served in South Asia and in a number of cross-cultural settings. They acknowledge the challenge of creating a church that is truly multi-cultural and discuss various models of church that seek to support people from different ethnic backgrounds and look at some of the strengths of each. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month

Andy Peck talks to Todd Hunter about his book, 'What Jesus Intended: Finding true faith in the rubble of Bad Religion'. They discuss why Christianity is losing followers on both sides of the Atlantic and how a return to Jesus' actual approach can help us regain lost territory. They touch on whether adjusting an approach to same-sex marriage might improve matters, and how as Christians we need to live for the sake of others. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK's leading Christian magazine Subscribe now from $1/month