The Leadership Journey Podcast

For the past 16 years Fred Drummond has been the director of the Evangelical Alliance in Scotland – a role he is leaving in a few weeks. He also has a role with the EA in encouraging and developing prayer. In our podcast conversation he talks about his early years, including the story of coming to faith in Jesus and how he was mentored both in his first steps as a Christian, and as he developed in ministry. He also talks about his work in Scotland, with the challenge of encouraging Christians to cultivate intimacy with Jesus, hope in the gospel, and confidence to live as disciples in a rapidly secularising culture. He shares personally about his own habits of prayer and – as with other guests on the podcast – about what pieces of advice he would share with his 20-year-old self. You can find a selection of Fred’s writing, including his articles on woundedness in leaders, via the website of the Evangelical Alliance.

On this episode of the podcast, the guests are husband and wife team, ‘Mitch’ and Amanda Mitchell who are based in Belfast with Crown Jesus Ministries, a Christian charity at work in evangelism across Ireland. In our conversation they talk about their own story – how they became Christians and some of the ways their faith has grown – as well as the remarkable story of Crown Jesus, birthed in a dramatic encounter at a conference in Germany 25 years ago. They bring a challenge in terms of how we think of evangelism and what they believe needs to happen in the Church (and academy) for witness and evangelism to regain their rightful place. Of course we also wrap up the conversation by hearing them share what they would say to their 20-year-old selves. You can visit their website to find out more about Crown Jesus and their mission to ensure that everyone on the island of Ireland has the opportunity to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus.

This week the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland released a detailed snapshot of evangelicals in this part of the world. ‘Good News People’ brings together the results of two surveys that were carried out in 2023: one, a representative survey of the general population, and the other, an online survey of professing Christians. David Smyth, head of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland, joins me to talk about the report. You can download your own copy of the report, or read it online, on the EA website.

Colin Holmes is pastor of Ferrybank Christian Community Church in Waterford. Four years ago he suffered a brain injury (from which he has thankfully recovered). He has recently written about his experience in a new book, Recovering Life: Searching for a Healthy Spirituality for the Whole of our Humanity. Not only does the book reflect on Colin’s experience of a health crisis, but it also seeks to reflect on a number of themes that Colin believes have been brought into focus during the recent pandemic. Colin takes these themes and turns to Scripture to trace ways in which they are discussed there. In our conversation we talk about Colin’s story and about aspects of the book. For anyone in Northern Ireland, there is a launch event in Ballymena on Friday, February 16. It’s a ticketed event and the price of the ticket covers a meal as well as a copy of the book. Tickets are available on Eventbrite (follow the link). Otherwise, the book is available at various Christian bookshops.

My guest on this episode of the podcast has been described as ‘the nicest man in politics’. While John Kyle is no longer involved in electoral politics, he has some fascinating things to say about his career (which culminated in him serving as High Sheriff of Belfast) and on the role that Christians can play in civic life – and it was pertinent that we were having this conversation what may turn out to be a(nother) pivotal week in Northern Ireland politics. As well as his political career John has worked as a GP and has been very involved in church and pastoral work. Our conversation covers his formative years, including his experience in the fledgling Charismatic movement in Belfast and runs through his time as a GP and on to his time as a member of the Progressive Unionist Party in Belfast. He has a lot to say about the idea of vocation outside of the conventional understanding of church or mission work and he brings encouragement for Christians involved in politics and other areas of civic life: the key is servanthood. He’s also given some thought to the five things he would say to his twenty-year old self.

The guest on this episode of the podcast is Justin Irving. Justin is Professor of Leadership at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and his new book, Healthy Leadership for Thriving Organizations: Creating Contexts Where People Flourish, is set for publication this month. Previously, along with Mark Strauss, he wrote Leadership in Christian Perspective: Mark Strauss joined me on the podcast four years ago to talk about the book. Justin’s new book focusses on the work of organisational leaders, what he describes as ‘the thirty-thousand-foot-level of leadership’. Such leaders are still required to pay attention to how they lead individuals, but they also lead at a level that requires them to pay attention to the big picture. Behind the book are insights from a survey that was carried out among over two hundred leaders. In our conversation we spend some time talking about the book and some of the ideas it covers, but Justin also talks about his own story: how he has been shaped, and what he has learned along the way. The book’s official launch date is Tuesday 19th December in the US and as a Kindle e-book in the UK: you will have to wait another two months to get your hands on a paper copy here. That’s all for the podcast for 2023. If you have been following along – or even just dipping in from time to time, thanks for listening, and may you have a wonderful Christmas!

Paul Williams is the Chief Executive of the Bible Society, a charity dedicated to making the message available to everyone. Previously he has worked in business in London and has taught at Regent College in Vancouver, where he is Research Professor of Marketplace Theology and Leadership. He is the executive producer of Reframe, a resource that aims to help Christians see how the gospel reframes all of life. Paul is also the author of Exiles on Mission: How Christians Can Thrive in a Post-Christian World. The book is the fruit of years of reflection and challenges Christians to engage missionally in the world. The late Tim Keller had this to say about the book: “This book comes at a most important time, when orthodox Protestant believers in particular are struggling. In some ways it is the age-old problem of how to relate Christianity to culture, but in other ways we are faced with some unique challenges–namely, how to engage not merely a pre-Christian or a non-Christian but a post-Christian society. Williams’s book helps us avoid the twin dangers of being too at home in or too withdrawn from our culture. We are exiles, but exiles on mission. Highly recommended.” In our conversation Paul talks about some of the ideas behind the book and we also spend some time exploring Paul’s leadership journey, from his earliest interest in the Bible through a developing path that has brought him to his current role with the Bible Society. The book is available from the Bible Society; if you live in Northern Ireland you can get a copy from ICM Books or the Evangelical Bookshop, and there are various online options for ordering, as well as a Kindle version. There is one more podcast episode planned for 2023: I will be talking to author and seminary professor Justin Irving about his new book, Healthy Leadership for Thriving Organizations: it’s filled with helpful ideas for leaders of churches and Christian organisations or businesses.

Jonathan Thomas is pastor of Cornerstone Church in Abergavenny, Wales. He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Wales, has written and presents the material in a recent film on ‘Welsh Awakenings‘ and has published ‘Intentional Interruptions‘, a book that challenges us about the interruptions we experience in our distractedness and encourages us to seek the ways that God wants to interrupt us. In this episode of the podcast, Jonathan talks about his journey as a Christian and in leadership, from his early years in a Welsh-speaking chapel, through his conversion and early steps in ministry. He. talks about some of the challenges that leaders can face in remaining focussed on the core of their calling and reminds us of the ‘glorious mundane’ – the sphere of simple service to God, perhaps in smaller or apparently less-spectacular places. He also talks about his book and – of course – what he would say to his 20-year-old self. Watch out for a moment of poetic irony towards the end of the conversation! The book, Intentional Interruptions, is available through various outlets: you might like to consider buying several copies to use with a small group. In December I will be talking with Paul Williams, Chief Executive of the Bible Society.

Jo Frost and Peter Lynas talk about their new book 'Being Human: A New Lens for our Cultural Conversations' and discuss their journeys in Christian leadership. They explain the concepts and ideas behind their book and the Being Human Project. Topics include powerful metaphors, the importance of aligning personal stories with the God story, and obtaining a copy of the book. They also reflect on character, relationships, and God's faithfulness in their own lives.

Retired professor Iain Provan discusses his book Cuckoos in our Nest, presenting a biblical theology of what it means to be human and identifying false ways of thinking. They explore the danger of neglecting the Old Testament, the metaphor of invasive ideas in the church, and the sources of knowledge and understanding. They also discuss priorities for Christian leaders and reflect on their younger selves.