Are you a survivor of childhood sexual abuse? Were you sexually abused as a teenager, or even as an adult? Perhaps the abuse is even now ongoing and you feel powerless to stop it. In the UK alone, according to a 2000 study by the NSPCC, one in 6 children will experience some form of sexual abuse by the age of 16. 8 out of 10 children abused know their abuser. In the USA, a person is sexually assaulted every 98 seconds. Many abusers are family members, friends, or people in positions of trust; many are well-known and respected by the victims' family. Jean Dobson courageously speaks out abuse her multiple experiences of sexual abuse, beginning from when she was a young girl and continuing through her early adult years. Rather than being stigmatized by it, she has found healing, hope and restoration--but it certainly has not been an easy journey. She's now in a place where she can help other sexual abuse victims. Don't miss this episode--this is a powerful and compelling story that needs to be experienced.

"Everything rises and falls on leadership" (John Maxwell). If you're a leader, or a member of a leadership team, how would you even know if the culture of your team is dysfunctional or unhealthy? For that matter, what are the qualities that make up a good and effective leader? In this second episode on the subject of leadership, I'll help you to begin to turn the negatives into positives. Beyond merely identifying what areas might be going wrong with your leadership team, in this episode we'll explore how to turn the "5 Dysfunctions of a Team" into the "5 Functions of a Team." Beyond the team, the episode will conclude by offering helpful advice regarding your own personal development as a leader...humility and credibility are critically important!  

Exactly how important is the culture of an organization? What role does leadership play in shaping and building the culture? How does culture fit into mission, vision and values? If you're involved in leadership on any level--be it a business, a church or any other organization--then this episode is for you. Whether you're a leader of a team, or a member of a leadership team, then join me for the first half of two episodes I'm doing on exploring the concept of "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team." Based on the book of the same name, written by leadership guru Patrick Lencioni, I'll unpack and explore some of the major dysfunctions that affect leadership teams, and ultimately the organization itself.  In next week's episode, I'll turn the negatives into positives, and explore "The 5 Functions of a Team." Don't miss this incredibly helpful series!  

Why did one fish turn to the other at fish church on a Sunday and say: "I'm sure glad the ocean turned up today." What does that have to do with our views of God? Explore the subject of theoclasm with us: It has to do with challenging, deconstructing, and possibly even tearing down our received, inherited views of God. How do you see God? As an angry father? Or is he disappointed with your lack of effort and behavior? Possibly you don't believe in God...or perhaps your views are in the process of changing and evolving. In this conversation with Gary Hayes, we delve into the subject of God, and challenge some of the more traditional and received views of the Almighty. Don't miss this conversation--you'll be glad you investigated this subject with us!

What does it take to have a MindShift and move from being a negative, cynical person to a person of positivity? This involves far more than just "putting on a happy face" and pretending that everything is fine. It's a MindShift...a complete transformation of your mental awareness and thought-processes, which is extremely difficult. Lisa and I talk about how hard it is to become a "person of positivity." This means on the one hand, not living in denial; on the other hand, avoiding over-spiritualizing your life. At times, it may involve even removing extremely negative people from your life. Will your circumstances change? Most likely, no. But the way you perceive them will change. It's not necessarily what happens to us that ultimately matters; it's how we respond to it that makes all the difference.

In the second half of my conversation with Bishop Mike Royal, the conversation pursues the question: "Is the church relevant today?" We explore this question from the point of view of the election and presidency of Donald Trump; the recent Grenfell Tower fire; and speaking out as a Christian, confronting the injustices and inequalities in society. Bishop Mike Royal is a committed social activist, a passionate black theologian, biblical scholar, health worker and leader of a Pentecostal church in Birmingham, England. You won't want to miss this episode--speaking truth to power and seeking to make the church relevant in our society today.

Much of current theology and biblical studies, despite the multi-global and multi-ethnic makeup of our society and churches today, still tends to be predominantly white, Euro-centric, male and Protestant. In this landmark show--number 30 on The Preacher's Forum podcast--I'm excited to bring you the first half of my conversation with Bishop Mike Royal, recorded recently in Birmingham, UK.  Bishop Royal represents a black, British, African theological and biblical point of view, which is sorely needed today. What Bishop Royal brings to the table, then, is a new and fresh perspective on the Bible, the relevance of the church today, Jesus and his subversive message, and social activism. This is an interview you don't want to miss!

In the second half of my conversation with Mike Nimz of the Anabaptist Network UK, Mike shares his difficult experience as the pastor of a Mennonite church in Canada. If you're a pastor or church leader, then you need to listen in to his story! This is helpful because now, more than 3 years after burning out in ministry, Mike is able to reflect critically on his experiences. We also talk about preaching, Pauline theology, mission, and attending the Pride Parade in Birmingham from a perspective of theological reflection. Don't miss this episode!

What exactly is an Anabaptist, or a Mennonite? What's the relationship between those two traditions? Do you have to become an Amish person in order to join such a church? Mike Nimz and his wife Cheryl are part of the Anabaptist Network in the United Kingdom. Originally from the US and Canada, they now live in Birmingham, England, and are devoted to promoting the Anabaptist and Mennonite core values all over the country. In this first half of our conversation, Mike and I discuss Anabaptist history, unique core values, and how that relates to the concept of mission for Christians today, in light of those values.

Does a person have to believe a set of theological doctrines in order to belong to a church? Or is it more of a priority for someone to belong first, and worry about beliefs later? Most churches and leaders would say that belief comes before belonging. And beyond that, what is the purpose of the church? Is it about attracting people into a building, or is about going out into the community? How do you "think strategically" and maximize your efforts, and those of your people, if you're a church leader or pastor? In this second half of the conversation with Dr Ash Barker, we explore further the concept of "incarnational living in the neighbourhood." What does that mean, how do you go about it, and what does it look like? Dr Ash Barker and I explore this in more detail, and he explains more of his philosophy of ministry and mission and incarnational living: "Discipleship is a by-product of the love we have for people."