Faith, Hope, and Love

It remains one of the hot-button issues that the Church continues to squabble over, so how we approach the conversation around sex and sexuality with a Jesus-lens? Vaughan Roberts is an author, speaker and the Rector of St Ebbe's Church, Oxford. He sat down with Carlton Baxter to chat about his latest book 'Full of Grace and Truth: The gospel and sexuality in the global church'.

Soore Oloaye's calling has been shaped by a deep conviction that the Gospel is good news meant to be shared. He is the founder of Reconcile UK, an interdenominational movement taking the message of Jesus into UK cities, with a heart to see people reconciled back to God. This he does alongside his work in the energy industry. He joined Carlton Baxter to share how it all started and the incredible testimonies he has seen so far

The Gospel is good news for everyone, yet despite Jesus coming for all, the Church still struggles to reach every part of society equally. One group often missing from our congregations is white working‑class men. William Wade, Senior Pastor of Life Church in Cuffley, Hertfordshire, and Alison Hockney, worship leader and trustee at the church, joined Carlton Baxter to unpack how we can reach out to this group.

We live in unprecedented times. If you keep an eye on the news you’ll know that the world is unsettled. Wars, political uncertainty, cost of living crisis, cultural change - it's no wonder people are anxious. How should Christians respond to all of this? Berni Dymet is a Bible teacher, broadcaster and former leader of ChristianityWorks. He sat down with Lydia Bennett to share some encouragement and challenge on staying rooted when the world around us is so turbulent.

Careena and Nigel Van Zyl's love story began when they were on a singles ministry course in their church. They've now been married for 2 years and lead their own singles ministry called Cherish. They shared their stories of faith with Lydia Bennett and how God was forming them and shaping them in both singleness and marriage.

Matthew 6 says "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness". The things that we watch can have a significant impact on our walk with Jesus so does that mean we stay away that aren't explicitly Christian? Charles Merritt from Youthscape joined Lydia Bennett and Tash Kusi to chat all things films, including thoughts on The Lion King, K Pop Demon Hunters and Harry Potter...

Melanie McDonagh is a distinguished journalist who has written extensively about religion and ideas for the Spectator, The Times, and the Daily Telegraph. She sat down with Lydia Bennett to discuss her latest book 'Converts: From Oscar Wilde to Muriel Spark, why so many became Catholic in the 20th century', the class-defying nature of the contemporary Catholic Church and why we may be going through a similar era of Catholic rediscovery now...

Dionne Simpson is a survivor of extreme domestic and spiritual abuse but she has turned her pain and trauma into advocacy for the vulnerable in the Church. Dionne encountered Jesus in a powerful way when in rehab, and now trains faith-based communities in safeguarding and victim support. She shared her story with Carlton Baxter.

What makes preaching truly powerful? Is it information, inspiration, or the Spirit who breathes through both? Rev. Malcolm Duncan, Senior Pastor of Kensington Temple, theologian, and communicator, joined Carlton Baxter to unpack the vital role of teachers in the life of the church.

Sr Gemma Simmonds sat down with Premier's Carlton Baxter to share why cultivating the spiritual disciplines is vital for a healthy relationship with God. They chat about the life-changing effect of gratitude, keeping good rhythms when things get tough and the habits that make prayer exciting! Sr Gemma is a sister of the Congregation of Jesus and a theologian working at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge.

Emma Fowle grew up in the shadow of her father, Arthur White—a four‑time world powerlifting champion whose drive for strength and success nearly tore their family apart. In her new book, All the Times You Were Not There, she shares what it was like to live through addiction, debt, and infidelity, and how her family ultimately found recovery, faith, and redemption. Emma joined Carlton Baxter to share her story.

The Great Commission calls us to “go and make disciples of all nations...” but what does that actually look like in our world today? Colin Piper, Director of Global Community at NXTMOVE, and a leader with over 40 years of youth ministry experience across 80 nations, joined Carlton Baxter to unpack this.

God delights when we live out the purpose He created us for, yet we often drift and try to go our own way. That tension sits at the centre of Leanne Evans Harknett’s story. As the founder of Lifted Spirits Wellbeing, her journey began with a search for meaning that led her into dark places, until a life‑changing moment pulled her out. She joined Lydia Bennett to share how it unfolded.

What does raising godly children actually look like in the midst of real family life? That’s at the heart of Anna Hawken’s work. She leads Parenting for Faith, part of BRF Ministries. In a world where formulas and quick hacks promise faster success, is there something parents can intentionally do to help raise godly children? She joined Lydia Bennett to unpack this question.

Dr Naomi Fox is the founder of Growing Hope, a Christian charity that provides free therapy for children and young people with additional needs in collaboration with local churches across the UK. Naomi sat down with Mal Pope to share the story of Growing Hope and to combat some long-held beliefs and myths about additional needs that need challenging.