Nick Taylor tried everything to overcome a gambling addiction that had cost him tens of thousands of pounds and created a distance between him and his family. In the end, only Jesus could set him free. Nick joined Lord Bishop Alan Smith, an anti-gambling campaigner, and Esther Higham to chat about changing betting laws, the book of Proverbs, and whether it's time to ditch your church raffle.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria faced criticism for accepting over £100,000 in gifts and hospitality. Despite repaying £6,000 last week, controversy remains. The Bible advises honouring leaders for their hard work and guidance. Should we extend this to church leaders, councillors, and prime ministers? Dr. Nick Spencer from Theos and Rev. Allison Harding discussed this with Esther Higham.
Have you ever seen a movie that changed your life? The people behind The Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot hope their film will inspire hundreds of families to adopt or foster. The film tells the incredible true story of a small church in rural Texas that rallied to adopt over 70 children in care. Esther Higham spoke to actor Nika King and producers Joe Knittig and Rebeka Weigel . The film is out in cinemas from 11th October. You can find out more at soundofhopemovie.co.uk
Despite a large majority win, the new Labour government faces challenges, including controversy over the Winter Fuel payment and the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer's Chief of Staff, Sue Gray. So what is really happening at the heart of our corridors of power? James Mildred from CARE discussed these issues with Esther Higham.
Former Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees joins Esther Higham as part of our Black History Month celebrations and conversations. They discuss whether diversity in government matters, how we reconcile with the UK's history of enslavement and why the Parable of the Talents encouraged him to go into politics.
A study from the Hebrew University reveals that most Israelis support the new military push into Lebanon aimed at halting Hezbollah’s near-daily rocket fire. One year on, the Middle East is on the brink of an even larger and more destructive war. Is the military strategy effective, and what lies ahead? Major General Tim Cross discussed this with Esther Higham.
A year after Hamas's attack on Israel, with conflict now extending to Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen, we continue to ask: how can we pray for peace in the Holy Land? Esther Higham spoke with Rev. David Hardman, the Liaison Officer in Jerusalem for the Methodist Church, Janet Symes from CAFOD, and Drew Caldwell and Christelle Hayek from the 24-7 Prayer team in Lebanon
Becoming a church leader is a complex business and requires much more than just a CV and job interview. But should it be this hard given the types of people who became leaders in the Bible? How do we 'discern' if we're ready to be leaders? Esther Higham spoke to Rev Michelle Nunn, the Principal of Regents College and a member of the Elim Church National Leadership Team, and Rev Phil Jump, the Regional Minister for the North West Baptist Association..
Lucy Stevens and Chris Joseph are both part of a new community of Christian Poets. They joined Esther Higham to share their top tips for writing, why scripture is a "never ending stream of inspiration", and how poetry helps us to express our faith.
Do you know anyone that’s come to faith via social media? David Lochhead does! David is the Head of Development at Streams Studio, a platform sharing encouraging testimonies and stories of faith. He spoke to Esther Higham about social media prodigals, being patient with your content, and why consistency is key when evangelising online,
Shermara Fletcher-Hoyte from Churches Together in England joins Esther Higham for the start of Black History Month. Shermara tells us why she would rather be woke, what it means for Black British people to "reclaim the narrative", and what we can get wrong about the month.
Steve Beegoo, Head of Education at Christian Concern, and former Labour MP Stephen Pound chat with Esther Higham about the government's proposed VAT on private school fees and why religious schools are so important.
Arthur Mist from World Vision chats to Premier's Max Avard about the tension in South Sudan, witnessing countries being transformed, and why he's leaving for his will with his employers.
A Santander UK survey of 2,000 UK residents revealed that 75% of Gen Z aspire to be entrepreneurs rather than work traditional 9-to-5 jobs. With job satisfaction in the UK being among Europe's lowest with only 64% reporting happiness in their roles. So is entrepreneurship more aligned with the bible than standard employment? Author and entrepreneur Chris Spicer, Executive & Behavioural Change Coach Dr. Lanre Olusola, and Wonderful Group Founder & CEO Dan Maudhub discuss this with Esther Higham.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his "true shock" at the condition of the prison system left by the former administration. Over 1,700 inmates were prematurely released in England and Wales to mitigate prison overcrowding. In light of these dire circumstances, Luke Carson, the Team Leader for Prisons and Resettlement at London City Mission, discussed with Esther Higham the impact on prison ministry work.
