Inspirational Breakfast with Michael Fanstone

Many Christians inside Iran are cut off from prayer, worship, and support. But SAT-7 is one of the few ways people can still connect, find hope, and hear encouragement. Martin Thomas, Senior Director at SAT-7 UK, and Omeed, joined Michael to share more on the story.

After the recent storms battering the coasts of the UK, we wanted to shed light on the challenges rural churches face, not just from the weather, but from the many other pressures on their communities. Revd Canon Marc Lloyd, Rural Dean of Dallington in East Sussex, and Bob Goody, CEO of Rural Mission, joined us to share what rural life really looks like in the face of a storm.

Vernette John-Joiles, founder of Digging into Digital, joins Michael to share the do’s and don’ts of WhatsApp etiquette, particularly in our church groups. How do we handle the 'trauma dumps'? Is it bad to ignore prayer requests? And what's the way best way to leave a group?

If the resurrection of Jesus could be 100% verified, how would it change your faith? Mike Hood explores this life-changing question in his new book The “If” That Changes Everything, with Michael on Inspirational Breakfast.

From the earliest days of the Church, Christians have grappled with how to engage with political power. Jesus’ call to “render unto Caesar” points to both engagement and distance. Partnership with government has at times enabled churches to serve the poor and pursue justice — but at other moments has risked diluting the Gospel. Jack Palmer White and Bishop Mike Royal are part of ChurchWorks, and they joined Premier’s Michael Fanstone to explore the issue.

As fewer young people are able to take up music in school, could the church step in? Musician and worship leader Simon Nelson chats with Michael about what makes someone 'musical', developing into a worship leader, and how you can learn guitar in just ten weeks.

Does life feel permanently hurried? Is your brain always running at full speed? Mutsa James, founder of the Kindred Workshop, and Caro Penney, Abbey Warden at the Iona Community, join Michael to explore what it really means to live slowly without dulling our ambition for the gospel — and why a quieter life isn’t about location, but intention.

After images emerged of Russell Brand baptising several people in a penguin enclosure, Michael sat down with Anglican minister Howard Espie to explore whether this was ok, or whether the sacraments of baptism and communion should be approached with greater reverence in Uk Churches.

Allan Finnegan is a Baptist minister, stand-up comedian, Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist, and the author of the memoir I Didn’t Ask for Any of This, which looks back on his life, but also his cancer diagnosis. As Christmas approaches — a season full of joy, pressure, memories and emotion, Allan brings a unique perspective on finding faith, hope and humour in the midst of whatever life throws at us. Michael began by asking Allan what life is like for him now.

For refugees and asylum seekers, Christmas is often spent far from family, traditions, and sometimes even their own faiths, with little security and limited hope for the future. Kathryn Burgoyne, who has led the Foodshare initiative at Wycliffe Baptist Church in Reading, spoke to Michael about how it sets out to make a meaningful difference to many lives over the Christmas period.

Supporters of Tommy Robinson are reportedly coming to church—some driven more by politics than by faith. Should this make us wary, or should we welcome them in? To explore this polarising issue, writer and socially conservative commentator James Cary and Danny Webster, Head of Advocacy at the Evangelical Alliance, joined Michael. They also heard from Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat MP and host of Premier’s politics podcast A Mucky Business.

In the build-up to the Autumn Budget, there’s been criticism of last-minute U-turns by Labour on key promises. But is changing direction always a sign of bad leadership? Michael spoke with Rachel Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, alongside Gary Spicer, professional mentor for Christian entrepreneurs, and Graham Miller from London City Mission, to explore what strong Christian leadership might look like.

If your music is meant to encourage faith, shouldn’t it ultimately come from God? Yet God created all music, so is it also right to learn from what already works and sounds good? Professional worship leaders Josh Carr and Fiona Crow joined Michael to help all creatives find that sanctified balence.

What should Christians make of the BBC at the moment? A leaked memo showed a BBC show edited a Donald Trump clip to sound like he incited the January 6th riots, prompting the resignations of Director General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness and an apology to the White House. Comedy writer and broadcast historian Paul Kerensa and former BBC journalist David Campanale joined Michael Fanstone to discuss the BBC’s future and its Christian roots.

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to truly switch off? Dr Gemma Simmonds, sister of the Congregation of Jesus, joined Michael Fanstone to explore the what, when, why, and how of taking a sabbatical - and why it’s anything but a sign of weakness.