Inspired... with Simon Guillebaud
Inspired... with Simon Guillebaud is an upbeat and uplifting podcast that introduces listeners to a diverse range of people from all walks of life. It celebrates perseverance, overcoming adversity, and costly faith, sharing powerful hope-filled stories of adventure and risk-taking. Hosted by author, speaker, and founder of Great Lakes Outreach, Simon Guillebaud, each episode aims to inspire new possibilities in a world often filled with bad news. New episodes are released every Thursday.
Episodes
The Secret Place | Rob Scott-Cook
Rob Scott-Cook is a general of the faith, winning many spectacular victories on his knees. We often feel like failures in the area of prayer, but Rob’s stories are so helpful and practical in terms of equipping us to be able to hear God’s voice and see His Kingdom come. Absolute gold!▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EebogLIbYaIConnect with him at robscottcook[@]blueyonder.co.uk -
Trophies of Grace! | Krista Coulson
What a story! Krista and husband Niki were typical products of South Bank in Middlesborough - teen-pregnancy and drugs for her, serial criminality with 16 Christmases spent in prison for him. But once they had both encountered Jesus, everything changed. They chose to return to live in South Bank with their seven children, and over the last few years many hundreds of lives have been transformed thr
Leading with Faith and Courage | Pr Agu Irukwu
Raised in a family of successful lawyers, it seemed likely that Agu Irukwu would follow the same path. He began his career in law, but the high-octane pursuit of pleasure and success that surrounded him in those circles ultimately left him hungry for more. At that point he was invited to a meeting that would change the entire trajectory of his life.Years later, having been invited from Nigeria to
A Passion for People | Nic Harding
Nic was working as a doctor in Bristol whilst seeing the house church he was part of grow from 12 to 700 people; and then he planted a church with another 12 adults in Liverpool which exploded to a thousand over the following years. His passion and DNA is to help communities on mission to form disciples who make disciples and impact society around them. He’s lived it, understands it, and shares fr
God Has a Plan! | Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson gave his life to Jesus while serving in the Parachute Regiment—a place where following Jesus wasn't always easy. From the military, God led him through careers in IT, church ministry, and the Red Cross before calling him to serve as CEO of Voice of Persecuted Christians, a role he's held for the past 14 years. In this episode, Paul shares remarkable stories from believers around the
House of Prayer | Johannes Hartl
Theologian and philosopher Johannes Hartl had the conviction that having 24/7 prayer was at least as important as the fire service or police being active 24/7; and so began a movement through the Augsburg House of Prayer that has seen constant uninterrupted prayer since 2011. Out of that has come the ‘Mehr’ (More) conference, which has exploded to 11,000 participants this last January, full of you
Lost and Found | Robby Keen
Robby Keen lived an outwardly successful life in the fast lane into his 30s. He shares stories of how somehow he stayed alive and out of prison against all odds, until his spiritual search took him to the UK headquarters of the spiritualist movement; it was there he attended a seance which got so out of control that he fled the premises and found Jesus through his local church and an Alpha course!
Messy Discipleship | Sharon Dickens
Sharon shares candidly about growing up in a scheme (Scottish term for council estate), making bad choices in her teens, working with the homeless and vulnerable, discipling very broken people, living with chronic fatigue, forgiving marital infidelity, and more. She has packed a huge amount into her life so far, and her passion remains to equip and disciple women, which only happens through costly
Meaning in the Matrix | Luke Richey
Luke Richey began coding software at age 14, including work for NASA, and went on to build and sell multiple successful startups. He made a lot of money, lost a lot of money, made some wise decisions, and many terrible ones. A selfish narcissist, he reached the point of taking his own life… except he survived. What followed was a series of extraordinary encounters that led to a radical transformat
From Graveyard to Vineyard! | Bishop Abraham
As a despairing teenager, Abraham was about to commit suicide when he heard the audible voice of God. Bihar in Northern India was known as the graveyard of missions - 90 million people fiercely resistant to the gospel. He went in obedience, and after ten years of persecution and rejection had nothing to show for it. Kidnap and murder attempts did not deter him. The second decade saw a trickle, and
Fully Alive in Sacred Community | Elizabeth Oldfield
Former BBC journalist and current Sacred podcast host Elizabeth Oldfield asks great questions, which is why she lost her faith… but then found it again. Deconstructing her shallower assumptions led her to a dark place, but out of the depths has emerged a fuller, richer, more nuanced and rigorous faith - which she is passionate to share and live out. I think we’d all enjoy joining her family and ex
The Passionate Professor | Dr James Tour
James Tour is not your average university professor - not only is he a professor of three different fields (chemistry, materials science, and nanoengineering) at Rice University in Houston, Texas, but he’s also started 17 companies, has many hundreds of patents, and has written over 850 scientific publications. However, those achievements are not what he’s most excited about; rather, it’s sharing
Day-to-day Miracles | Sid Williams
Sid Williams has lived 41 very full years. From being raised in Rwanda and experiencing the early days of the 1994 genocide, through choosing to live in deprived areas, discussing the journey of adoption, dealing with anxiety, crazy and creative ways of sharing his faith, etc, this is a wide-ranging discussion. More recently, from 2019 onwards, he has been the co-founder and director of Embassy, a
The Cost of Conversion to Christ in Somalia | Aweis Ali
Of his church of fourteen members in Mogadishu, twelve were systematically murdered for their faith. Being a Muslim convert to Christ in Somalia is a costly decision. Aweis Ali has survived thus far to tell the tale, which includes stunning church growth through persecution and trials. What a challenge to those of us in the West! Listen here, and receive a dose of courage to be bold in your own go
Showing up…to the End | Allan Finnegan
We recorded this a few weeks before Allan died. He was both a comedian and a Baptist minister. His comedic peak was being seen by millions on Britain’s Got Talent, in which Simon Cowell said he was the best audition of the series.Allan served Jesus for 42 years at the church where he came to faith, 20 of those years as pastor. It was on a tough patch, where arson, theft and smashed windows were co
Back from the Brink | Mary Hulgraine
Mary Hulgraine dreamt of becoming a professional basketball player. On scholarship at college in the USA, a terrible injury dashed that dream and led to addiction to painkillers. Back in her native Ireland, her life spiralled down and down to the depths, before a dramatic intervention. Just under a million people follow her now on social media as she shares messages of hope and life. What a story!
Life on one Leg | Chris & Denise Arthey
Chris and Denise Arthey were successful and happy empty-nesters when they moved to Texas in 2007 for Chris’ job. A few months later, their lives changed in an instant when they had a head-on collision on their motorbike with a drunk driver. How do you bounce back from that? Is there hope after both of them needed a leg amputation?Check out chrisarthey.co.uk to contact them or buy ‘Highway 35 - Mee
Ski Angels | Will and Lara Sussman
34 years ago, a drunken couple avoided the long queue into a bar by her benefitting from his fireman’s lift and squeezing headfirst through the men’s toilet window! Decades later, that same (sober) couple now host community outreach evenings in that very bar through their team of Ski Angels who live together in Meribel as part of Altitude Mission. It’s a fantastic story!▶️ Watch this episode on Yo
Growing Hope | Naomi Fox
When a lady in the congregation went up to the vicar and told him she had a vision for helping kids with additional needs, little did anyone realise that a decade later there would be ten charities working across the UK, helping thousands of children, parents and indeed families navigate the challenges life throws at them. Wow! Naomi's story is fantastic!▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://y
Foot on the Gas! | Tim Hughes
‘Here I am to worship’ was the most sung song in the world apart from ‘Happy Birthday’ when it was released in 2001, but there is so much more to Tim Hughes’ story. He could have pursued a career as an artist in the USA, instead he intentionally stepped away from the huge opportunities on offer. Raising up and equipping worship leaders was a passion, but so was leading a local congregation. The la
Muslims Meeting Jesus in Iran | Sara Akhavan
Sara’s spellbinding story of coming to Christ, planting seven churches, being imprisoned, and now working outside Iran with the Iranian diaspora is deeply challenging, encouraging and inspiring. Wow!▶️ Watch this episode as a video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xBHEJUqLxgcCheck out Elam Ministries at elam.com and Hamsayeh International at www.hiuk.orgTo pray daily for Iran, download the app ‘Iran30
From Hamsters to High Sheriff | Mark Mitchell
Mark Mitchell’s entrepreneurial gift was evident as an 8-year-old when he bought two hamsters, dimmed the lights, put the mood music on, and began raking in the cash after a short gestation period! Nowadays, he has three car dealerships and 106 happy colleagues (not employees) with no HR department because the need is not there, such is the joy and job satisfaction of his crew! What a story!▶️ Wat
Walking Free | John Edwards
John Edwards was, for many years, a homeless drug addict and alcoholic. His dramatic conversion at rock bottom launched him into the craziest adventures of being repeatedly buried alive (seen by c.100 million people through the airwaves), walking across whole nations whilst carrying a cross, helping criminals and addicts out of their own prisons of addiction, and more. It is a stunning and heart-w
Hearing God | Hellie Glynn
Hellie Glynn shares her story of a faith shaped by the powerful whispers of the voice of God. This episode is packed with rich stories and real wrestles like “how do we handle disappointment in leadership, rebuild broken trust, and walk in forgiveness?” Hellie’s 25 years of leadership across different church traditions and festivals challenge how we hear God—and inspire new ways of listening to Hi
The Faithful Scientist | John Lennox
John Lennox came to worldwide attention and renown through debating the likes of famous atheists Dawkins and Hitchens, but less well known is his work behind the Iron Curtain, which impacted millions in its own right. At 82-years-old now, he’s still managed to come out with two books this year alone, including his autobiography. His is a high-profile life well-lived indeed, free from any whiff of
Preach Christ! | Charles Price
From a timid introverted childhood to preaching in 110+ countries and criss-crossing the world for the last 45 years (so far) in fruitful ministry, Charles Price has become one of the senior statesmen in the world as a gifted and anointed Bible teacher. It was a total treat to hear him share his story.Check out www.charlespriceministry.org---📚 Help us send children back to school in Burundi❤️ Supp
EXTRA | Pulling No Punches | Extended chat with Mez McConnell
Make sure you check out Part 1 to hear Mez's astounding story!What does it actually look like to reach the people the Western church has largely abandoned? Mez McConnell has spent 30 years doing it — in Brazilian favelas, Scottish housing schemes, and some of the most deprived postcodes in the UK. In Part 2, he pulls no punches. This is a conversation that will unsettle comfortable Christianity an
Never Beyond Hope! | Mez McConnell
A rough childhood spent in numerous foster homes led to drug addiction to crime to maximum security prison, but Mez McConnell’s extraordinary story shows that nobody is beyond hope. He’s been planting churches now for the last two decades in the toughest parts of Scotland and seeing long-term costly transformation. Get ready to be very challenged, inspired and stirred. What a listen!▶️ Watch this
The Power and the Glory | Arthur White
Arthur White had it all - a great wife, healthy kids, a successful business, a villa in Spain - as well as being four-time World Powerlifting Champion. But when someone handed him a pill in the gym to speed his recovery, it was a slippery slope to addiction, infidelity, and losing it all. By all accounts, he should be long dead, but three decades after a remarkable encounter, he’s still fighting f
Gay Activist Turned Evangelist | Dr David Bennett
David’s unexpected story of being a gay activist discovering Jesus is told in his book ‘A War of Loves’. Now an academic at Oxford University, he is living out his call to obedience to Jesus as a celibate gay Christian - a life-script nobody in their wildest imaginations would have predicted.▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3x5LW9J2E0wCheck out: dacbennett.com | Instagram: @david
Listen up! Do as you’re Told! | Russ Parker
This was soooo good, it just blew me away! Russ Parker saw stunning fruit almost immediately after his dramatic teenage encounter with Jesus. That propelled him into a life of radical witness across many nations, from reconciliation in Northern Ireland to preaching from the platform where Martin Luther King Jr delivered his final sermon. Russ focuses on listening to the inner voice of the Spirit,
Gobby Jewish Geordie! | Michele Guinness
This conversation covers Michele’s costly conversion from Judaism, the four-year wait for her lovemate to recognise she was the one, her fruitful gospel ministry with youth in Manchester and then during the miners’ strike in an impoverished community, her successful media career before working in the NHS, her writing of many books, her now living with chronic pain, and more. She’s feisty, larger t
Still Wild at Heart! | John Eldredge
John Eldredge is an author, counselor and teacher. His books have sold over 16 million worldwide. Wild at Heart as a ministry has exploded in impact, but I love how John has followed God’s instruction to keep the organisation small and give it all away. Staying humble, rooted in community, and listening to God’s voice have been the keys to longevity in fruitful ministry through the decades where m
Lord of the Dance! | Amy Boucher Pye
Amy Boucher Pye comes from the USA but is now a London-based author, speaker, retreat leader, and spiritual director. She oozes gentle wisdom, and shares openly from her own painful life experiences. Most of us in the frenetic West could do with slowing down, breathing deeply, and hearing God’s words of tender affirmation and acceptance of us. Hearing it through Amy is a gift, so do take a listen.
Protection, Power, Provision | 250th Episode
Wow! We’ve now reached 250 episodes of Inspired, so this week we’re digging into the archives to bring you some beautifully crazy stand-out stories from older episodes. I’ve no doubt that you’re going to be blown away, stirred and encouraged, on the back of which you’ll have a shopping list of classic Inspired episodes to check out. You can find links to the full episodes at greatlakesoutreach.org
Active in the Blind Spot | Christian Hacking
Christian Hacking’s life swung when he broke his back in a rock-climbing accident. His high-octane lifestyle came to a smashing spinal-cord-severing halt, leaving him wheelchair-bound and grappling with God’s purpose for his life. He tells his story with searing honesty and humour, and still lives life to the full despite severe physical limitations. He’s married a single-mum and they have four ch
Loving Young People | Rachel Gardner
Rachel Gardner shot to prominence as Founder of the Romance Academy on the BBC. She is part of the Youthscape team and has always been a passionate advocate for youth. Over the last few years she has planted a church in Blackburn with her husband Jason, and their two adopted children, and shares lovely stories of messy transformation there. She’s a great communicator, has written a number of books
Loving Business! | Peter Vardy
I think we’d all like to work for Peter Vardy! When starting up his businesses, he set the ground rules as doing the best for 1) his employees, 2) his customers, and 3) the surrounding community. The results have been (un)surprisingly spectacular. Profits have been ploughed back into projects both nationally and internationally, and hundreds of thousands of lives have been changed. What a story! S
Bezalel Building Beauty and BizMin | Paul Bulkeley
Paul Bulkeley’s story is that of an underachieving, average student architect being transformed through an encounter with the Living God into an award-winning, high-achieving, distinguished leader in his field. And his passion as founder of BizMin is to equip entrepreneurs, creatives and businessfolk worldwide through his BizMin course to shine bright and thrive in the workplace. What a story!▶️ W
Encountering His Presence | Eric and Erika Andersson
Eric and Erika Andersson lead Ark church in Copenhagen. The last few years have rocked their world both negatively and positively with her cancer diagnosis, dramatic healing, and an encounter with Jesus that has completely redefined their philosophy and practice as they seek to follow, model and live for Jesus. Their voice is a profound challenge to how we do church, and what is most important. ▶️
Supreme Ascended Master | Charlotte Meadows
When marks appeared on Charlotte’s body after experiencing repeated night terrors, she knew something was seriously wrong, and that all her spiritual seeking had taken her to a dark place. Was Jesus more than just an ascended master? It’s a great listen!To be in contact with Charlotte, contact podcast@greatlakesoutreach.orgHer story appears in Lucinda Button’s book ‘New Age to Jesus’, well worth o
Catalyst for Healing | Paul Skelton
Paul Skelton spent years sat in a church pew as a spectator before realising that he could be used by God ‘out on the pitch’. Having seen God manifest His kingdom power and presence across different nations, Paul’s desire is to equip everyday believers in the realm of healing and the prophetic. His down-to-earth, scripturally-rooted and practical training has been a game-changer for many, and the
Witness at Work | Chris Mould
Profiled by Guardian Newspapers as one of the UK’s top social entrepreneurs, Chris Mould has been involved in over twenty start-ups and new ventures. Between 2007 and 2017 he led the Trussell Trust through its transition from a small Christian Charity to a multi award winning national organisation that launched over 450 foodbanks. Amidst all the success, he speaks candidly and movingly about the l
Office or Estate | Daphne Clifton
After some years living with trauma and off the rails, Daphne was divorced and raising her young son. Reconnecting with God transformed her inwardly and outwardly - from bringing God into the workplace, sharing Jesus at New Age events, or working with troubled kids on her local estate - Daphne has never shied away from a challenge. She spent 25 years as a senior leader in media sales and marketing
Happy Christmas!
Happy Christmas from Simon and all the Inspired... team! Thank you for listening this year.Please consider giving us a Christmas present of a top-quality review to help spread the word. And can you think of 3 friends/family members/colleagues you could share the podcast with over the holidays?Support our families in ministry this Christmas at greatlakesoutreach.org/christmasJoin us for Choose Life
Strongman! | Phil Roberts
Phil Roberts was England’s Strongest Man in 2017. Behind the success was a trainwreck of womanising, violence, cocaine, and more. He describes the day in front of 10,000 in competition when he dropped a 160kg Atlas stone on his knee as the best and most painful of his life. Encountering Jesus began dramatically with a demon coming out of him, but his discipleship journey has been a long one, worki
I Heard that Voice | Peter Jenkins
From an early age, Peter has heard God’s voice, be it in Wales, the Philippines, India or England. After a recent heart-attack, his heart stopped for 20 minutes, and yet here he still is, with story after miraculous story of God’s faithfulness, healing and multiplying of Peter’s five loaves and two fish. 64 years into his discipleship journey, God’s not done with him yet. What a life! Listen here:
Choosing Faith over Fear | Renita Reed-Thomson
Choosing to send her kids to an inner-city failing school, choosing to leave her Western comforts for the carnage and danger of post-war Liberia, choosing to stay on in Ghana after her husband died… Renita has made a succession of bold faith-filled choices throughout her life, and God has used her to launch a movement of empowered businessfolk across twenty-five nations (and counting). She is the
Kingdom in Kings Cross! | Pete Hughes
Two decades ago, rundown King’s Cross in London was synonymous with seediness. But now, alongside the likes of Google moving in, there has been a stunning spiritual regeneration taking place, with hope brimming and lives changing. Pete Hughes and his team at KXC are riding the wave of God’s Spirit and playing their part in changing the narrative. Pure Kingdom! His authentic and vulnerable story-te
Grace-filled Business | Matt Parfitt
Matt is a teacher turned serial social entrepreneur! Inspired by a visit to a church in Kenya, he has started businesses to create jobs for people on the margins. From gardening to cleaning to marquees to biscuits... and with a vision for more. Hear some amazing stories of lives changed, and what happens when you take God at His word and step out in faith!You can find out how Grace Enterprises cre
Kingdom Entrepreneur | Henry Kaestner
Faith, family, work, and fitness. That is the order of priorities in just one of the several multi-million dollar companies Henry Kaestner has started. So faith is the driver, family comes next, and then work… and the 1,600 employees all get two hours off at lunch so they can go to the gym! He’s got a different way of doing things, but it obviously works, and there’s so much wisdom in this belter
From Mecca to Christ | Dr Ahmed Joktan
Ahmed Joktan had memorized the Qur’an by heart. Yet through an extraordinary succession of dreams and divine appointments, he became a follower of Jesus. When he shared his faith with a fellow Saudi, the religious police burst in and immediately came and knocked thirteen teeth out of his mouth. Imprisonment, torture, attempts on his life, all meant he had to flee from the land of his birth. The st
EXTRA | Exposing the dark side of the spiritual world (and why we don't need to fear) | Extended chat with Ex-Satanist Riaan Swiegelaar
Yesterday we heard Riaan's amazing story (check it out here) of operating as a practicing witch, a psychic, and latterly the founder and leader of the South African Satanist Church, before an earth-shattering supernatural encounter with Jesus changed everything. Today, we dig into more questions about deliverance, crystals, yoga, Reiki, and more. What is beautiful is the reminder that, as follower
Escaping Satanism | Riaan Swiegelaar
Riaan Swiegelaar operated as a practicing witch, a psychic, and latterly the founder and leader of the South African Satanist Church, before an earth-shattering supernatural encounter with Jesus changed everything. Released the week of Halloween, he shares from his very real personal experiences that we shouldn’t treat these things lightly. Get ready to be blown away.Watch this episode on YouTube:
The Struggle for Freedom | Angela Kemm
Angela Kemm broke all the rules as she risked life and limb in working in apartheid South African townships. Without much training, she took God at His word and saw the Bible re-enacted before her very eyes in miracles of food-multiplication, healing, exorcism and more. What she learnt and lived in the townships, she then brought and taught in the UK, and what you hear will totally blow your mind.
Rollercoaster Ride | Jarrod Cooper
After years of miraculous healings, Jarrod and Victoria Cooper became jaded and discouraged. They gave God until the end of the month to show them He still wanted them in church leadership. Within days, they were at a 4-acre adventure park, which is now their church and launch pad for community transformation! That story, and many others from Jarrod’s varied life and ministry, bring us huge encour
Blessed to be a Blessing! | Ken Costa
Ken Costa has had a hugely successful career in the banking sector, but has had an even greater impact through investing in the next generations, and using his skills for Kingdom advancement in multiple areas. With privilege comes responsibility, and he has stewarded his talents well. Enjoy lots of pearls of wisdom from an old-timer!▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube here.Connect with Ken at ken[@]k
Compelled by Love | Andrew Fanstone
Andrew Fanstone’s faith journey has taken him to the slums of Fortaleza, Brazil, where he’s experienced both highs and lows over two decades of working with streetkids, drug-dealers, and various people who have fallen through the cracks. It’s a powerful story!I recommend his book ‘God Plus One’. Insta: @andrewfanstone @irisfortalezaConnect with Andrew at andrewf[@]irisglobal.org ---📚 Help us
Kingdom Influence | Archie Coates
Archie Coates is the vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton, the largest Anglican church in England. So he carries huge responsibility, and yet shoulders it with calm and steadfast humility. The vision is huge: the evangelisation of the nation, the revitalisation of the Church and the transformation of society. He and his team are doing all they can to play their part in it.▶️ Watch this episode on YouTub
Honest to God, Walking with a Limp | Jeff Lucas
I love Jeff’s raw honesty as he discusses depression, loss, and being used around the world through his writing, broadcasting, and traveling ministry (not to mention his humour!). It’s pure gold! Make sure to listen to this one.▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube hereCheck out www.jefflucas.org---📚 Help us send children back to school in Burundi❤️ Support our work in Burundi: greatlakesoutreach.org/i
Talking Jesus | Rachel Jordan-Wolf
Rachel is the Executive Director of HOPE Together, and is all about helping people share their faith with others. Backing up stories with stats, she paints an exciting picture of the current openness in the UK right now. You’ll be encouraged!Check out hopetogether.org.uk---📚 Help us send children back to school in Burundi❤️ Support our work in Burundi: greatlakesoutreach.org/inspired💡 Stunning 2-m
The Fruit of Total Consecration | Kevin Wurfel
At just 20-years-old, Kevin Wurfel has already traveled the world and been involved in witnessing God at work across many cultures. Stories abound of him seeing lives changed through his direct but winsome engagement with anyone, anywhere, anytime. He talks of his total surrender to Jesus and hours spent in God’s Word (including recently reading the whole Bible in 70 hours!). May his zeal rub off
From Hindu Priest to Follower of Jesus | Rahil Patel
Rahil Patel graduated to become a high-ranking, crowd-drawing, world-traveling Hindu monk who spent 20 years immersed in ascetic practices and working on his karma. However, a growing dissatisfaction slowly but steadily eroded his commitment until he couldn’t continue along that path any longer. Disillusioned but still spiritually seeking, he was ripe for a beautiful encounter. It’s a powerful sto
A Class Act! | Natalie Williams
Natalie Williams grew up in a working-class family in Hastings, one of the most deprived towns in the UK. After working as a journalist, she is now Chief Executive of the charity Jubilee+, which equips churches to change the lives of those in poverty in their communities. She’s got a great story, and has gained some real wisdom along the way. Listen and be inspired!Check out @natwillnatter and @ju
Surgeon to the Poor | Tertius Venter
Tertius was living the dream as a wealthy plastic surgeon until God called him to serve the world’s poorest on a mobile hospital boat with Mercy Ships. That surrender has taken him on a wild adventure impacting thousands of lives across many nations. Check out www.mercyships.org | www.tertius26.org---📚 Help us send children back to school in Burundi❤️ Support our work in Burundi: greatlakesoutreac
The Simple Way of Love in Action | Shane Claiborne
Shane Claiborne’s deepest conviction is that we are meant to live ‘as if Jesus meant the things he said’. So for him that has meant living in community in inner-city Philadelphia for a few decades now, having picked up some lessons from a stint working under Mother Teresa in Calcutta. His activism has involved confronting various systemic injustices and speaking up for and standing alongside those
From Prison to Pastor | Clyde Thomas
A life of escalating drugs and crime caused Clyde Thomas to end up in a prison cell, where he started reading a Gideon New Testament. The Jesus he found in those pages totally transformed his life. Now he pastors Victory Church in Cwmbran, and runs Christian rehabilitation houses with his wife Rebekah, helping folks who are just like he was twenty years ago break free of addiction and destructive
Living Fearlessly | Donna Winship
Donna spent 25 years in various countries in Asia, including warzones. Her stories of listening to the ‘inner voice’ of God to guide and draw people into His Kingdom are beautiful, instructive and challenging to us in how we seek to share our faith. “God, what do you want me to know in this situation” is a simple (and profound) prayer, whether being held at gunpoint in the extreme, or whenever fea
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus | John Ghanim
John is a fearless follower of Jesus who gets bombarded daily with death threats from across the world for his outspoken witness for Christ. His back story was that he had misgivings with the faith of his birth when on pilgrimage from Yemen to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. As a disillusioned but spiritually searching agnostic, his convoluted travels led him to meeting a Syrian refugee in Greece with a tatt
Heartcry for Change | Rachel Hickson
From being bullied at school and feeling a persistent failure to miraculous healing from a brain-dead coma, Rachel’s remarkable life is a story of God’s empowering and equipping to be a prophetic voice with a compassionate heart across the globe. Check out Rachel’s works at heartcryforchange.com and get her books at Rachel's Amazon author page. YouTube: youtube.com/@HeartcryforChange | Facebo
EXTRA | How AI will change your life | Extended chat with Futurist Dr Patrick Dixon MBE
Our interview with Patrick was so interesting, I just wanted to continue. So we've uploaded this bonus episode where we tap into some of his knowledge and insight. Make sure you listen to Part 1 first.Watch both of these episodes on Youtube.Patrick Dixon was thrust to the forefront of the worldwide AIDS pandemic in the 1980s, and suddenly found himself becoming a truth-telling and influential worl
The Futurist | Dr Patrick Dixon MBE
Patrick Dixon was thrust to the forefront of the worldwide AIDS pandemic in the 1980s, and suddenly found himself becoming a truth-telling and influential world authority on the subject. He founded ACET which has impacted millions of lives across the globe.His life then pivoted to working as a futurist, which has involved speaking at Davos, and advising and equipping some of the biggest companies
The Scars that Witness | Eddie Lyle
Eddie Lyle’s stories of unsung heroes of the faith in the persecuted church throughout the world blew my mind, and will humble, challenge, and stir you in equal measure. For example, he tells of the extremist’s machete falling, but stopping inches from the believer’s neck as light flooded the room and the gang fell to their knees and then ran away. That’s just for starters! I love Open Doors
Hunger for Life | Emma Scrivener
Emma Scrivener shares with raw honesty about her struggles with anorexia. *Content Warning: Contains frank discussion of eating disorders and mental health struggles.Contact Emma at emmascrivener.netIf you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, do check out Taste Life at tastelifeuk.orgWatch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uARGazdzjooCheck out our episode with Emma's husba
Boots on the Ground | Ash Barker
For 35 years, Ash and Anji Barker have made bold, countercultural choices—embedding themselves in some of the world’s most overlooked and underestimated neighbourhoods. From the rough edges of Springvale in Australia, to the vibrant resilience of Bangkok’s Klong Toey slum, to the heart of inner-city Birmingham, their journey is one of hope, grit, and deep-rooted faith.Through it all, they’ve champ
Awakening! | Pete Wynter
Pete Wynter leads St Paul’s Hammersmith with his wife Sarah. As statistics are increasingly showing, something significant is going on across the nation. And Pete backs up those stats with story after story of lives beautifully transformed on his patch. Indeed, it’s a great time to be alive!---📚 Help us send children back to school in Burundi❤️ Support our work in Burundi: greatlakesoutreach.org/i
A Severe Mercy | Nadim Ednan-Laperouse OBE
Nadim was a successful entrepreneur, happily married, and with two wonderful children. But the dream life was shattered when he took his daughter Natasha and her best friend on holiday to France. Tragically, Natasha had an anaphylactic reaction shortly after takeoff after ingesting sesame seeds in her sandwich, from which she never recovered. Subsequently, Nadim and his wife Tanya founded the
No Risk No Story | Costa Michael
They say barbers are therapists, but Costa Michael is certainly more than a barber and/or a therapist! He’s also the founder of a clothing label, he’s a podcast host, and a bold evangelist using every opportunity to point people to Jesus.Check out norisk-nostory.comConnect with Costa:Instagram: @costantinos.michaelTiktok: @costa.michael_ YouTube:@nrns.podcast---📚 Help us send children back to
Saving my Assassin | Virginia Prodan
Frankly Virginia’s story is nuts. Standing up to the Romanian dictator Ceaucescu, she used her skills and courage as a lawyer to defend persecuted Christians and fight for religious freedom. She was tortured repeatedly - yet even blessed her abusers as they did so, who on occasion turned away with tears in their eyes. And then one day a hired assassin drew his gun in her office and the game was up
Surprisingly Reasonable! | Justin Brierley
Justin’s big brain gets put to good use as a writer, speaker and broadcaster. Over the last couple of decades, he’s brought together the world’s most famous atheists for debates and discussions, and has had a front seat in observing a massive shift away from angry atheism towards openness to the gospel, including some very high-profile converts to Christ. It’s deeply encouraging!You can also watch
