Big Breakfast

Former Olympian and British track and field athlete Marilyn Okoro speaks to Max and Lydia about the challenges and blessings of being a Christian within a competitive sporting context. How do you perform under pressure for God’s glory? What do you do when you encounter failure as an athlete with a Kingdom calling? With her experience competing at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Marilyn provides special insight into the topic of Christians in sport.

Hannah Miller, author and founder of Purpose Pursuit, talks to Max about something that never feels easy… loving ourselves. How do you love yourself without becoming self-obsessed? Are self-affirmation exercises biblical? And can you really put your mind to anything?

How do you decide who gets your time, trust, and closeness? And in a world that moves faster than ever, are long-distance friendships quietly set up to fail? Sophie Crew, one half of the Soph and Rach duo behind the It’s Not Just You podcast, joins Max and Lydia to unpack “catch-up culture” and ask whether it’s weakening the depth of our friendships.

How would Jesus play a game of Fortnite? Would He be on PlayStation or Xbox? And more importantly, what would His attitude be when the competition gets fierce? Jonathan Beecham from Emmaus Gaming joins Max and Lydia to explore what it looks like to reflect Jesus in the gaming world — from rage quitting and trash talk to humility, integrity, and the humbling experience of being destroyed by a 12-year-old. They unpack how faith can shape the way we play.

Author, singer and entrepreneur Shell Perris sits down with Max to chat about what success looks like in business as a Christian. They talk her early pop career, the difference between a good idea and a God idea, and being part of what she calls the “Christian Dragon’s Den”.

If you’ve grabbed a coffee at a major Christian summer festival, there’s a good chance it came from CLO Coffee. Founders Linda and Nick Castle joined Max and Lydia to share how a simple cup of coffee can create space for connection, conversation and even faith. They also opened up about the joys and challenges of building a business together as husband and wife and revealed what really makes the perfect latte!

Would Jesus be a winger, midfielder or goalkeeper? With World Cup fever in full swing, Max and Lydia wanted to know what it would look like to reflect Christ on the pitch and on the sidelines too. From sportsmanship and competition to handling pressure, success and disappointment, they were joined by Julian Powell, chaplain to Crystal Palace Football Academy, founder of HALFSPCE and curate at HTB, to explore how faith can shape the beautiful game.

Jacob Riddall and Emily Daglish from St Nicks Bristol join Max & Lydia to chat about every Christian’s favourite topic…dating. They talk app exhaustion, what to do when you and your mates fancy the same person, and why they’re hosting a “Date My Mate” event.

The Higham family join Max and Lydia to chat about being more like Jesus at the pub during the World Cup, and how sharing faith can start as simply as buying someone a pint. They also talk Bible studies at Boardmasters Festival, their love of gigging together, and dive into family dynamics with a game of 'Who'am in the Highams?'.

Spiritual retreats often sound wonderful in theory — time with God, space to reflect, and a chance to recharge. But the reality can sometimes be quite different, with distractions, discomfort, and moments when God feels distant rather than close. So what does genuine spiritual refreshment look like? And how might Jesus have approached retreat and rest? Lydia and Max spoke to Anglican priest, poet and retreat leader Ian Adams.

Are you a hedgehog or a rhino? When conflict comes your way, do you charge straight into it... or curl up and avoid it altogether? And more importantly, what does it look like to handle disagreement the way Jesus would? Lydia and Max were joined by Lydia’s mum, Alison Bennett, mediator, coach and conflict specialist, to explore how followers of Jesus can navigate conflict with wisdom, grace and courage, even when conversations get difficult.

Be honest... does a church leadership meeting fill you with joy, or dread? In this edition of Just Like Jesus, Lydia and Max are joined by Rev'd David Senior to explore why PCC or eldership meetings are important and how we can make them more fun!

Depending on your church background, your understanding of the Holy Spirit may look very different. For some, prophecy, tongues and being “slain in the Spirit” feel normal - for others, deeply uncomfortable. Ahead of Pentecost Sunday, Tim Muller from St Alban’s Fulham joined Max and Lydia to unpack some of the big questions around the Holy Spirit. They chat cessationism, prophetic dreams and Aussie stereotypes...

Artist and creative director Junior Garr joins Max & Lydia in the studio to share his story, from growing up in Ghana to how God redirected the trajectory of his career. He talks about his heart behind SpiritCon — a new conference calling Christians back to “sacred living” and what that actually looks like in everyday life — as well as reflecting on his time at Bethel, recording for The Lion King, and the realities of building and running a conference.

Author, preacher, and broadcaster Jeff Lucas joins Max to chat about doubt—and why questioning your faith doesn’t necessarily mean losing it. Jeff speaks candidly about the realities of following Jesus, why he is honest about his questions, and how Mother Teresa’s story can help us deal with God’s seeming silence.