Inspirational Breakfast with Esther Higham

Back in the 1980s, fantasy games sparked fears they could corrupt young people, encourage occultism and even open the door to Satan. Some Christian leaders were reportedly so concerned they threatened to chain themselves to the railings to stop D&D being published in the UK! Today, it’s firmly mainstream, with millions of players, including Christians. So, were Christians right to worry, or was it a moral panic? Pastor and D&D player Tommy Pratt joined Esther to share more!

Esther Higham is joined by Rev Jamie Sewell, curate at St Michael & St George, and Abbiih Oloyede, pastor at City Chapel and a trauma-informed practitioner, to explore whether working for the church can actually be bad for your faith, and what we can learn from trade union concerns around bullying, poor pay and workplace culture in churches.

Esther is joined by Dr Ruth Bancewicz, Church Engagement Director at the Faraday Institute, to explore the environmental impact of using AI in everyday life, and how we weigh that up when it can save valuable time and money for smaller businesses, charities and churches, where resources are often already stretched.

What does it mean to be a Christian leader when you’re not working for a church? The Evangelical Alliance’s Public Leader Programme helps Christians think about what it means to lead faithfully — in their work, in themselves and in the wider culture. Fiona Stewart, formerly a daytime presenter here at Premier and now leading the programme, joined Esther alongside Chris Birks, a current participant, to share more about what Christian leadership can look like beyond the church.

Tina Amadi, a local councillor and Parliamentary Liaison for Christian Solidarity Worldwide, joins Esther to unpack the complex situation in Nigeria and ask whether ‘genocide’ is an accurate descriptor for what Christians are facing — plus, why we need to get more specific in our prayers for the country by learning the names of places and people.

Dan Barker, a founding member of Reform UK’s Christian Fellowship, joins Esther to discuss the Channel 4 investigation which showed senior Reform officials, including theologian James Orr, appearing to discuss ways of getting around electoral rules on foreign donations — and what he would say to his fellow Christian, who is now under investigation.

The Gather Movement brings churches, Christians, local councils and civic leaders together to mobilise communities and respond to local needs. Mark Cowling helps lead the movement, and he joined Esther to share some of the good work happening in communities, and reveal the ridiculous number of social initiatives being led by local churches across the UK (it's more than you think!).

A group of high-profile women in their 50s say they’re being screened out of jobs despite years of experience, with AI picking up on age, language and career gaps linked to childcare. Job 12:12 says: “Wisdom belongs to the aged.” So how do we make sure older women’s wisdom is valued in church and the workplace? Menopause coach Jo Ibbot joined Esther to share where she’s seen women in midlife starting to fade away.

What do you want your entrance to say about you? Boxing champion Katie Taylor made her final walk into the ring at Croke Park in front of 83,000 people. But instead of a high-energy boxing anthem, she chose the worship song "All Hail King Jesus". Graham Daniels from Christians in Sport joined Esther to reflect on her final fight and living out faith in the spotlight.

What legacy would you like to leave behind, and how much would you risk for it? William Tyndale helped transform the English-speaking world by producing the first printed English Bible translated directly from the original Greek and Hebrew, a work that ultimately cost him his life. To mark 500 years since his translation, the Tyndale Society is holding a conference exploring his legacy. Andy Johnston, Senior Pastor at King’s Community Church, joined Esther to discuss Tyndale’s remarkable story.

The Financial Times reports that more than £1 billion is needed for major repairs across 16,000 Anglican churches. Should we move away from increasingly expensive church buildings into modern, cheaper spaces? Or would we lose something important? Michael was joined by Sir Philip Rutnam, Chair of the National Churches Trust, and Jo Trickey of the Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication to explore the issue.

What’s your earliest memory? Those early experiences can shape who we become. Experts say the first 1,001 days, from pregnancy to age two, are crucial for our physical, mental and spiritual development. Dame Andrea Leadsom, founder of 1001 Critical Days, joined Esther to explain why it matters — and how you can help ensure this stage gets the recognition it deserves.

Inspirational Breakfast meets the Life in the Uni-verse podcast as Esther welcomes graduates Lucy Robinson and David Colwill for an honest conversation about following Jesus as a student. Despite the stereotype that university can be a faith killer, surveys suggest most Christian students actually thrive. So what does it look like to pursue Jesus amid the pressures and opportunities of Freshers’ Week, flat life and studying — and avoid the clichés of being an over-partied, underslept and homesick student?

Could you fake your way into faith? That’s what New York influencer Brian Guan set out to discover. Fed up with life, he challenged himself to spend 30 days living out Christianity, without the faith — and documented it all online. Within weeks, he’d gained over 100,000 followers, including Christians encouraging him on. But after just 20 days, something happened. Producer Jamie Pratt caught up with him to find out the whole story.

Back to school can bring excitement – but also anxiety about money, friendships, exams and faith. The hovernment has announced new measures to ease the financial burden on families, but what difference will they actually make? Headteacher Miriam Manderson joined Esther to discuss the reforms and how parents and pupils can prepare for the year ahead, before former Young Preacher of the Year Grace Keir shared her advice for young people wanting to be bolder with their faith at school.