Back

Explore every episode of the podcast In:Dependence

Dive into the complete episode list for In:Dependence. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

Rows per page:

1–50 of 256

TitlePub. DateDuration
BONUS: On the Journey Into Ministry20 Nov 202400:09:45

Journeys is our re-imagined conference for those considering, or already on the journey into, Christian ministry.

On this bonus episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss what Journeys seeks to do and who should come.

You can find out more about - and book for - Journeys on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.

Follow FIEC on social media:


00:00 - What was The Hub conference?

01:39 - What is Journeys?

06:12 - Identifying and training the next generation

Makin Report, Donald Trump, and Gladiator II // In the News15 Nov 202400:30:50

How can we reflect on the Makin Report? Is the US election result good for the gospel? Can we watch Gladiator II?

In the episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the news over the past fortnight.

Show notes


You can get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/makin-report-donald-trump-and-gladiator-ii.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.

Follow FIEC on social media:


00:00 - Introduction

00:49 - Reflections on the Makin Report

08:28 - Implications for the wider church

11:06 - A new President and a new government in the USA

15:17 - Is Donald Trump's election good for the gospel?

18:18 - The 2024 FIEC Leaders' Conference

22:11 - Can Christians watch Gladiator II?

26:43 - Mark Cavendish retires with a win

Evangelical Unity, Escalation of War, and Assisted Suicide // In the News20 Sep 202400:33:59

How do evangelical church leaders work together in unity? How can we pastor people in the midst of war across the world? How should churches respond to a bill about assisted suicide?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the stories in the news from the past fortnight.

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.

Follow FIEC on social media:

00:00 - Introduction

01:58 - Evangelical unity

10:35 - Escalation of war in the Middle East

16:00 - Assisted suicide bill

22:01 - Pastoral implications of the assisted suicide debate

24:52 - 'Free gear Keir' and providing for workers

29:58 - Sir John Eliot Gardiner and gifting/character

Trust in the Police, Ofsted Evaluations, and The Apprentice // In the News24 Mar 202300:34:15

Can we trust the police? Is there merit in the Ofsted model of evaluation? Can we learn about leadership from The Apprentice?

In this episode, Phil Topham (Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (National Director) discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past couple of weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:40 - Can we trust the police?
05:32 - The dangers of elitism and hierarchy
11:53 - The Ofsted model of evaluating schools
17:39 - Evaluating a local church
20:28 - Did Boris Johnson mislead Parliament?
24:43 - Leading with integrity
28:51 - Leadership on The Apprentice

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to ⁠⁠the FIEC YouTube channel⁠⁠.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

The Pursuit of Diversity in Leadership (with Trevor Archer and Yannick Christos-Wahab)21 Mar 202300:35:05

Why is diversity in church leadership a good goal to pursue? How can we genuinely develop diversity in leadership without tokenism?

In this episode, Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries) is joined by Trevor Archer (Director for London) and Yannick Christos-Wahab (pastor, Stockwell Baptist Church) to discuss developing diversity in leadership and what needs to be considered to pursue this end in a genuine and healthy way.

00:00 - Introduction
02:14 - Why is diversity in leadership good?
07:29 - Diversity in pastoral ministry
10:08 - Diversity for complementarians
13:06 - Why do we default to appointing leaders like us?
14:28 - Team players in leadership
19:40 - Does diversity work top-down or bottom-up?
26:54 - Relationships as a foundation for diversity
30:31 - The fruit of the Spirit in relational leadership

You can watch a video of this podcast and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to ⁠the FIEC YouTube channel⁠.

About FIEC: We are ⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Talking About Giving and Generosity (with Paul Houghton)15 Mar 202300:32:51

Why is talking about money so difficult? How can church leaders think and talk about money in a healthy and helpful way?

In this episode, Adrian Reynolds is joined by Paul Houghton, CEO at Kingdom Bank, to talk about how money fits into church life, the principles of giving, how churches can anticipate financial change, and how to care for those in need.

00:00 - Introduction
01:02
- Why is it difficult to talk about money in the church?
08:29 - Principles of giving to the church
12:09
- Finances after the Covid crisis
14:45
- How can churches anticipate financial change?
17:09 - When money becomes power
21:47
- How do churches look after people in financial need?
26:54
- Looking after your church treasurer

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Illegal Immigration, Lockdown WhatsApps, and Nepo Babies // In the News10 Mar 202300:31:38

How do we respond to illegal immigration? What can we learn from the government's lockdown WhatsApp messages? Do nepo babies cause marginalisation?

In this episode, Phil Topham, Adrian Reynolds, and John Stevens discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past fortnight.

This episode was recorded on location at a leadership retreat.

00:00 - Introduction
01:24
- Illegal immigration
07:18 - Compassion, kindness, and politics
13:09 - Government Whatsapp messages about lockdown
21:07
- Church response to the government's lockdown messaging
23:54
- Do 'nepo babies' cause marginalisation?
25:57
- Nepotism in the church

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Helping People Sing Well (with Sally Jackman)08 Mar 202300:32:44

What is the place of singing in church life and how can church leaders help people sing well?

In this episode, Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries) is joined by Sally Jackman (Contagious Bible Ministries) to talk about her experience as a singer in church ministry, why singing is important in church life, and how we can help one another sing well.

00:00 - Introduction
02:21 - Why do we sing?
08:07 - How do you choose what to sing in church?
13:55 - Teaching new songs
17:10 - Learning new songs with few resources
20:35 - Planning songs in a Sunday service
26:11 - How do you lead sung worship?
31:21 - Will we have perfect pitch in heaven?

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Community Youth Work (with Antonia Sheldrake and Andy Mossop)02 Mar 202300:29:28

What does youth ministry in a local church look like when it seeks to reach young people in the community?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Antonia Sheldrake (Youth & Children's Worker) and Andy Mossop (Youth & Community Worker) from East London Tabernacle Baptist Church to talk about the ways in which they reach the young people in the community of Tower Hamlets.

This episode was recorded on location at the 2023 Growing Young Disciples conference.

00:00 - Introduction
04:15 - Youth work at East London Tabernacle
07:42 - A church youth group without the Bible?
13:29 - School work in a London borough
16:43
- Resources needed for youth work
19:57 - Training for youth workers
23:05 - Advice for future youth workers
25:53
- Lessons for churches looking to reach their community

You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

BONUS: Thrive & Ministry Wives Retreat 2023 (with Elinor Magowan)01 Mar 202300:18:07

Two conferences coming up in May aim to encourage and equip women in ministry and those married to men in ministry.

In this bonus episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Elinor Magowan (FIEC Director for Women's Ministry) to talk about two conferences coming up in May: Thrive for women in ministry and Ministry Wives Retreat for women married to men in ministry.

00:00 - Introduction
02:29 - Thrive: a conference for women in ministry
05:47 - Teaching from Revelation
09:43 - Ministry Wives Retreat
14:10 - Teaching from Philippians

You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

Links mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Nicola Sturgeon, Christian Illiteracy, and John Motson // In the News24 Feb 202300:33:02

Could we have an evangelical First Minister in Scotland? What is the effect of Christian illiteracy in Britain? What can John Motson's passion teach us?

In this episode, Phil Topham, Adrian Reynolds, and John Stevens discuss some of the big stories in the news from the past couple of weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:52
- Nicola Sturgeon's resignation
05:52
- Kate Forbes' leadership campaign
10:06
- Are Christians in politics persecuted?
13:56
- Should you always vote for a Christian candidate?
16:42
- Presidential elections in Nigeria and persecuted Christians
20:45 - Christian illiteracy in British culture
24:34
- One year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine
27:04
- The death of John Motson

You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

Stories mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Raising Lay Leaders (with Ray Evans)16 Feb 202300:32:00

How do we raise and train lay elders and other lay leaders in the church?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) is joined by Ray Evans ( FIECChurch Leadership Consultant) to discuss the topic of raising up elders, deacons, and other lay leaders in the church.

00:00 - Introduction
01:24
- Thinking about lay leaders in the church
08:45 - Teams over rotas
14:40 - CARE for training leaders
24:09
- Raising elders and deacons from team leaders
25:46 - How do you step back to initiate training?

You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Natural Disasters, War in Ukraine, and Worldliness in the Church // In the News10 Feb 202300:32:35

How can we answer questions about suffering? What is a right response to the ongoing war in Ukraine? How do we avoid worldliness creeping into our churches?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the big stories in the news this week.

00:00 - Introduction
00:21
- Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
03:45
- Answering questions about God allowing suffering
07:25
- Luke 13 and human suffering
08:54
- The ongoing war in Ukraine
17:00
- The General Synod vote on same sex blessings
20:28 - How do we protect against worldliness creeping into the church?
28:53
- God and pronouns

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

On South Wales (with Gareth Lewis)09 Sep 202400:29:43

The Christian heritage of South Wales has declined, but there remains great opportunity for the gospel. We must pray for workers for the harvest.

On this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Gareth Lewis (FIEC Director for South Wales) to hear about church ministry in the south of Wales.

You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.

Follow FIEC on social media:

00:00 - Gareth Lewis, Director for South Wales

06:53 - Life in South Wales

11:57 - Opportunities in South Wales for church ministry

19:15 - Church partnerships in South Wales

22:01 - Planting opportunities in South Wales

26:26 - How to pray for churches in South Wales

Safeguarding to the Glory of God (with Paul and Sue Harrison)08 Feb 202300:31:15

If safeguarding is about protecting people from harm and promoting their wellbeing, it can be done with joy to the glory of God.

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Paul Harrison and Sue Harrison from Christian Safeguarding Services (CSS) to talk about safeguarding and how it can be done in a way that glorifies God.

00:00 - Introduction
01:34 - A positive approach to safeguarding
04:06 - An outworking of biblical principles
06:53
- Statutory threshold and legal duty
09:54
- Who we are more than what we do
11:48
- How do we make a safeguarding policy engaging?
15:15 - Training in safeguarding
20:24
- Accessibility for different members
22:55
- Isn't the Bible enough?
25:00
- Safeguarding officers and safeguarding leads

You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Genuine Racial and Cultural Diversity (with Yannick Christos-Wahab)02 Feb 202300:34:41

How can churches that are culturally diverse, or that wish to be, foster genuine diversity and not tokenism?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) is joined by Yannick Christos-Wahab (pastor at Stockwell Baptist Church) to talk about his experience as a black pastor in FIEC and how churches with a desire for diversity can be genuinely diverse.

00:00 - Introduction
00:52 - Yannick's British-Nigerian background
03:24
- Growing up in British culture
07:53 - Growing up in a Nigerian church
10:44 - The journey to ministry at Stockwell Baptist Church
14:07 - What is it like to be a black pastor in FIEC?
16:04
- Avoiding missteps and welcoming well
20:54
- How to genuinely grow diversity
27:32
- Should we talk about white and black churches?
32:15
- Lean into the experience of other cultures

You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Same Sex Blessings, Integrity in Government, and the Value of Work27 Jan 202300:33:18

Will same sex blessings in the Church of England bring unity? Is there integrity in the government? How much should Christians value work?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:22
- Energised by The Hub
02:22
- Same sex blessings in the Church of England
08:45
- Unity at all costs?
17:50
- Should churches include their position on marriage in their basis of faith?
20:10
- Nadhim Zahawi's tax affairs and integrity
25:50 - The Vale of Mowbray pie factory
26:19 - Getting people back to work
28:40
- Stepping back from work

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Why Send Your Kids to Summer Camps? (with Sally Jackman)24 Jan 202300:34:10

What are summer camps for? Why should we encourage parents to book their children to go during the school holidays?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Sally Jackman (Contagious Bible Ministries) to talk about summer camps, what the benefits of going are, how to decide which one to attend, and more.

00:00 - Introduction
02:36
- What are summer camps for?
05:37
- Converting at camp
11:30
- Sowing and reaping fruit in children
19:01
- How old do children need to be for camp?
22:36
- How to decide which camps to go to?
26:12
- Thinking about the cost of summer camps
27:50
- Encouraging people to volunteer as leaders
30:03
- The story of Contagious

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Leading Worship with a Guitar (with Andy Fenton)18 Jan 202300:35:50

How can guitar players lead churches well in singing and worship?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Andy Fenton, Team Leader at Music Ministry, to talk about leading singing and worship with a guitar.

00:00 - Introduction
03:28 - Playing the guitar in church
07:52
- Using a capo
11:35
- Helping people sing well
16:51 - Keeping time with a guitar
22:32
- Introductions with a guitar
26:09 - What do you play between verses?
27:19
- Strumming technique
30:08
- Variation on chords

You can watch a video of this episode and access more resources like this for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Prince Harry, NHS Crisis, and New Year's Resolutions13 Jan 202300:31:55

Can there be reconciliation after Prince Harry's memoirs? How do we help our churches through a healthcare crisis? Are New Year's resolutions Christian?

In this episode, Phil Topham (Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (National Director) discuss the stories in the news over the past few weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:29
- Prince Harry's book: Spare
10:27 - The influence of Andrew Tate
17:20 - Cost of living and NHS crises
26:29 - New Year's resolutions and self-denial

You can watch a video of this episode and access more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

FIEC in 202309 Jan 202300:32:09

To kick off the new year, Phil Topham and Adrian Reynolds discuss what's coming up in 2023 for FIEC and how FIEC can help churches to work together to reach Britain for Christ.

00:00 - Introduction
00:52
- Cultural and church trends in 2023
04:05
- How can FIEC help churches in 2023?
08:52
- Helping 'lay leaders'
13:25
- Staff changes at FIEC
17:53
- 2023 Local Conferences
19:11
- 2022 and 2023 Leaders' Conferences
22:19 - Plans for In:Dependence in 2023
27:33
- Celebrating 100 years of FIEC

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.


Christianity and the Church in 2022 Britain20 Dec 202200:34:55

After Covid, war in Europe, "wokeism", and more, how has life changed in 2022? And what effects has this year had on church ministry in Britain?

In this episode, Adrian Reynolds and John Stevens review the year, discuss what Britain looks like in 2022, and explore what effect it has had on church ministry.

00:00 - Introduction
01:06
- Going into 2022's 'new normal'
10:33 - War in Europe and economic downturn
13:10 - How does instability in the world impact church ministry?
15:37 - Christians going more local
18:15 - The language of 'woke'
23:19 - FIEC in 2022
30:12
- Looking forwards to 2023

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this episode and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Stephen Sizer Tribunal, Migrant Crisis, and Artificial Intelligence16 Dec 202200:29:56

What should we take away from the Stephen Sizer Tribunal? What is the church's role in the migrant crisis? Can a chat bot write a sermon?

In this episode, Phil Topham, Adrian Reynolds, and John Stevens discuss some of the stories in the news over the past few weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:17
- Interacting with artificial intelligence
06:38
- The migrant crisis
11:44
- The role of churches in caring for migrants
15:56
- The Stephen Sizer Tribunal findings
21:20
- How the world has marginalised Jewish people
24:41 - Compassion in news reporting

You can watch a video of this episode and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Why Do We Need a Christian Bank? (with Paul Houghton)15 Dec 202200:31:08

Why do we need a Christian bank? How can such a bank help churches with gospel ministry?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Paul Houghton, CEO of Kingdom Bank, to talk about how a Christian bank can help churches with borrowing and saving and some of the innovative ways they do so.

00:00 - Introduction
01:20
- Kingdom Bank's story
05:53 - Why do we need a Christian bank?
11:18 - Should churches borrow money?
14:53 - Innovative property purchases
18:56
- When can Kingdom Bank help with a loan?
23:37
- Making the most of your savings

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Grenfell Blame, Keir Starmer's Realism, and Paralympic Inspiration // In the News06 Sep 202400:31:37

How holistic should our care of the flock be? How do you lead with bad news? What do the Paralympics teach us about church life?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss some of the stories in the news over the past fortnight.

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Show notes

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.

Follow FIEC on social media:

00:00 - Introduction and Leaders' Conference

03:06 - The FIEC view on the news

07:08 - The Grenfell inquiry

11:29 - Holistic care for the flock

15:20 - What does justice look like?

18:01 - Keir Starmer's realism and leading with bad news

26:57 - Overcoming adversity at the Paralympics

Census Figures, Institutional Racism, and Winter Strikes02 Dec 202200:31:37

What should we make of the figures from Census 2021? Do we have a problem with racism in Britain? Should Christians go on strike?

In this episode, Phil Topham, Adrian Reynolds, and John Stevens discuss some of the biggest stories in the news from the past few weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
01:01 - Census 2021 figures and self-identifying Christians
11:22 - Minority ethnicities and Christians in Britain
13:35 - Lady Susan Hussey and Ngozi Fulani
16:39 - Does Britain have an issue with institutional racism?
24:36 - Should Christians go on strike?

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this episode and access more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Expressions of Unity in Church Leadership (with Gavin Ortlund)01 Dec 202200:32:53

How do we navigate the issue of where the boundaries of our churches lie theologically and practically? How do we then find unity when disagreement arises?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Gavin Ortlund, pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai, California, and author of 'Finding the Right Hills to Die On'.

They discuss convictions in church life, how to deal with disagreements, and how to foster different expressions of unity in the church.

00:00 - Introduction
02:45 - Changing convictions
04:00 - Finding the Right Hills to Die On
07:06 - Church life convictions
08:59 - Working at the margins
11:11 - Tone in disagreements
13:36 - Micro and macro levels of unity and division
18:40 - Different expressions of unity
23:14 - Pastoral sensitivity in disagreement
25:42 - Disagreement in leadership teams

Resources related to this episode

You can watch a video of this podcast and access further resources from church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

To the Only God Our Saviour (Julian Hardyman, 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference)23 Nov 202200:25:04

We should fear stumbling. When we do, we have a promise from him who can keep us from stumbling.

Julian Hardyman (pastor at Eden Baptist Church in Cambridge) preaches the beautiful doxology at the end of Jude.

This talk is from the fifth of five main Gatherings at the 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 7-9 November 2022. You can watch a video of this talk on the FIEC website.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Make Much of Jesus (Andy Paterson, 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference)23 Nov 202200:29:33

What should be the heartbeat of a church? It should be the preaching of Christ.

Andy Paterson, FIEC Director for Mission, preaches from Colossians 1:15-23 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 on the centrality of mission for the church in the last days, and our motivation as the beauty, glory, and wonder of Christ himself.

This talk is from the fourth of five main Gatherings at the 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 7-9 November 2022. You can watch a video of this talk on the FIEC website.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Partnership in the Last Times (Andy Hunter, 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference)23 Nov 202200:37:44

New Testament partnership is more than a pragmatic aid to mission. It is part of the mission.

The book of Jude helps us to be realistic about division in the church and to fight against it for gospel effectiveness, and Philippians 4:14-20 shows an example of what that looks like. The FIEC was founded on the basis of this need to work together and support one another.

Andy Hunter, FIEC Director for Scotland and North of England, speaks on the power of partnership.

He is joined on stage by Ian Williamson (elder, New Life Church, Middlesborough), Dan Green (pastor, Banstead Community Church, Surrey), Simon (assistant pastor, Parr Street Church, Kendal), and Ray Lane (pastor, Hope Church, Ambleside).

This talk is from the third of five main Gatherings at the 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 7-9 November 2022. You can watch a video of this talk on the FIEC website.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

The Most Holy Faith (Paul Mallard, 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference)23 Nov 202200:33:54

The challenges facing the church shift from generation to generation, but our call is always to remain faithful and watchful. So, what theology do we need to contend for the faith today?

Paul Mallard (former pastor, Widcombe Baptist Church) leads us in thinking about the importance of rejoicing in and affirming our core doctrinal convictions, and passing them on to the next generation. With input from Dan Strange (Director of Crosslands Forum).

This talk is from the second of five main Gatherings at the 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 7-9 November 2022. You can watch a video of this talk on the FIEC website.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Contending for the Faith (John Stevens, 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference)23 Nov 202200:39:55

For 100 years, FIEC has enabled Independent churches to contend together for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. In succeeding generations the presenting challenges have changed.

United by our doctrinal basis we have stood firm against theological liberalism, Roman Catholicism, structural ecumenism, and separatist fundamentalism. Today, just as in Jude’s day, we must fight against apostate false teachers who have turned the grace of God into a licence for sexual immortality, promoting the acceptance of same-sex sexual relationships.

Jude 1-16 assures us that we should not be surprised by this challenge, and that such false teachers will ultimately be judged by God.

This talk is from the first of five main Gatherings at the 2022 FIEC Leaders' Conference held in Blackpool from 7-9 November 2022. You can a watch of it on the FIEC website.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Why Change Your Church Name? (with Andy Rees)22 Nov 202200:29:29

How important is the name of your church? What are the reasons you might change it, and what do you need to think about to do it?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Andy Rees, Lead Pastor at Surrey Chapel (now CityGates Church) in Norwich to discuss the importance of church names, the reason he changed the name of his church, and what the process looked like.

00:00 - Introduction
01:30
- Refurbishments for a better welcome
04:24 - Why is Surrey Chapel called Surrey Chapel when it's in Norwich?
06:22 - Popular church names
08:37
- Changing name to CityGates Church
15:36 - Changing name to ChristChurch Harborough
18:42
- Not changing name at East London Tabernacle Baptist Church
19:53 - Practical steps to changing names
24:52
- How is visual identity important for the church?
26:49 - Marking a church name change

This episode was recorded in August 2022. Surrey Chapel officially changed its name to CityGates Church in November 2022.

You can watch a video of this episode and access more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Autumn Budget, the World Cup in Qatar, and the Bishop of Oxford18 Nov 202200:33:41

How do we care for churches in a cost of living crisis? How can we support persecuted Christians in Qatar? How do we respond to Anglican bishops supporting same-sex marriage?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director), discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past few weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:51 - The Autumn Bidget, cost of living, and political honesty
13:31
- Criticism of the World Cup in Qatar
19:21 - Church of England bishops and same-sex marriage
24:26
- How can we pray for Anglicans unhappy with the debate
30:38 - FIEC Leaders' Conference 2022

You can watch a video of this episode and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Do Churches Need a Complaints Policy? (with Paul Harrison)17 Nov 202200:32:45

Having a clear complaints policy helps people in churches to listen to each other well and deal with problems that come along.

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) are joined by Paul Harrison (Christian Safeguarding Services) to talk about dealing with complaints in church and the new Complaints Policy template FIEC has commissioned.

00:00 - Introduction
01:55 - Why do churches need a complaints policy?
04:34 - Isn't Matthew 18 enough?
07:34 - The FIEC church Complaints Policy template
13:40 - Avoiding a cover-up
16:12 - Why is FIEC providing a policy template for Independent churches?
17:50 - How can churches introduce a complaint policy without it being a tick-box exercise?
26:40 - How should the policy be made public and transparent?
31:31 - How do you access and use the complaints policy template?

You can watch a video of this episode and find more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Resources mentioned in this episode

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

On Suffolk (with Mark Howson)30 Aug 202400:29:42

God is at work in Suffolk as churches work together and reach new areas with the gospel.

In this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Mark Howson (FIEC Director for Suffolk) to discuss church ministry in the county, the opportunities, and the challenges.

You can get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.

Follow FIEC on social media:

00:00 - Mark Howson, Director for Suffolk

06:17 - Life in Suffolk

09:45 - Working with Suffolk churches

13:00 - Ministry opportunities

17:26 - Ministry challenges

25:56 - How to pray for Suffolk

Promises for Gospel Ministry (Replay)01 Nov 202200:35:23

This is a special replay episode in the lead-up to the 2022 FEIC Leaders' Conference, featuring a talk from the 2018 Leaders' Conference by Dave Gobbett.

He preached a message titled Promises for Gospel Ministry from Acts 18:1-17.

You can watch a video of Dave's talk on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Rishi Sunak, Repressive Regimes, and Jürgen Klopp28 Oct 202200:30:35

How do we respond to another new Prime Minister? Should Christians boycott the World Cup in Qatar? How can we learn from Jürgen Klopp's leadership?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past fortnight.

00:00 - Introduction
00:50 - Rishi Sunak, another new Prime Minister
06:19 - How should we respond to a Hindu PM?
11:39 - Oppressive and repressive regimes around the world (Iran and Qatar)
20:29 - Jürgen Klopp's leadership example
26:48 - What should we get angry at?

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this podcast and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Prayer for Gospel Ministry (Replay)27 Oct 202200:41:33

This is a special replay episode in the lead-up to the 2022 FEIC Leaders' Conference, featuring a talk from the 2018 Leaders' Conference by Johnny Prime.

He preached a message titled Prayer for Gospel Ministry from Acts 4:23-31.

You can watch a video of Johnny's talk on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Reaching Parents Through Toddler Groups (with Liz Turton)18 Oct 202200:31:47

Groups for toddlers and their parents are popular church ministries. So, what does it look like for a church toddler group to reach the community in a meaningful way?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Liz Turton (Long Crendon Baptist Church) to discuss the toddler groups at her church and the ways in which they are seeking to reach parents.

Sensitivity warning: This episode includes discussions about baby loss and trauma.

00:00 - Introduction
00:49 - Toddler groups at Long Crendon Baptist Church
02:42
- Why are toddler groups at church so popular?
04:38 - The aim of a church toddler group
07:54
- Moving teaching from toddlers to parents and carers
13:39 - Talking about baby loss
21:43
- Preparing to talk about trauma and loss
26:51
- Training for toddler group volunteers
28:56 - How can church leaders support toddler groups well?

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this podcast and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Mermaids Criticism, the State of Theology, and Conspiracy Theories14 Oct 202200:30:56

Is criticism of transgender ideology growing?  What can we learn from the beliefs of US evangelicals? How should we respond to conspiracy theories?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past two weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:20 - Responding to government uncertainty
05:55
- The ideology and practice of Mermaids under criticism
13:03
- Lessons from the State of Theology in the US
19:36 - Alex Jones and the Sandy Hook conspiracy theory
23:02 - UK Evangelism Conferences with Randy Newman
24:28
- Midlands Gospel Partnership with Ed Stetzer
26:24
- Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef and R T Kendall
30:18 - FIEC 2022 Leaders' Conference

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this podcast and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Serving Women at the FIEC Leaders' Conference (with Rachel Sloan)11 Oct 202200:29:11

Women in any kind of leadership role in the church are welcome at the FIEC Leaders' Conference. There are various ways that we are planning to serve them at the 2022 conference, including a special lunch and seminar.

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of Local Ministries) and Rachel Sloan (FIEC Director for Women's Ministry) chat about the plans to serve women at the 2022 Leaders' Conference, and how to make the most of the conference in general.

00:00 - Introduction
01:20 - 'Complementarianism in Praatice'
08:10 - 'Women in Ministry Track'
10:53 - Regional gatherings for women in ministry
13:08 - Challenges for paid and unpaid gospel workers
14:28 - Serving all kinds of leaders at the Leaders' Conference
16:36 - How can elders care well for women in the church?
19:40 - The best and worst bits about the Leaders' Conference
24:44 - Coming to a conference when you're struggling

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this podcast and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Power for Gospel Ministry (Replay)05 Oct 202200:35:40

This is a special replay episode in the lead-up to the 2022 FEIC Leaders' Conference, featuring a talk from the 2018 Leaders' Conference by Mike Kendall.

He preached a message titled Power for Gospel Ministry from Acts 1:1-14.

You can watch a video of Mike's talk on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Mini-Budget Lessons, The Queen's Funeral, and Brother Andrew30 Sep 202200:33:03

How can church leaders learn from Liz Truss' mini-budget? How was the gospel seen at The Queen's funeral? What legacy has been left after the death of Brother Andrew?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Justin Gill (FIEC IT Manager), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past fortnight.

00:00 - Introduction
00:35 - Liz Truss and the mini-budget
08:03 - Responding to financial uncertainty 
11:45 - Lessons for leadership from political turmoil
18:38 - The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
25:22 - Brother Andrew and Open Doors
29:53 - Pakistan floods

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this episode and access more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Planning and Taking a Sabbatical (with Neil and Liz Turton)27 Sep 202200:29:55

Church ministry has a physical, emotional, and spiritual toll on church leaders. How do sabbaticals serve to replenish and refresh?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discusses sabbaticals with Neil and Liz Turton (Long Crendon Baptist Church), who recently took a sabbatical in a converted van.

00:00 - Introduction
02:23
- Why go on a sabbatical?
05:05
- A biblical basis for sabbaticals
06:43 - Planning a sabbatical
11:05
- Neil & Liz's sabbatical in a camper van
19:31 - Returning from sabbatical
21:45 - Reading on sabbatical
23:49 - The value of rest
25:04 - Practical steps to disconnect
26:43
- Communicating to the church

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can see photos of the van and watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

On Churches Without Buildings (with Richard Wardman)21 Sep 202200:31:54

What are the challenges and advantages of being a church that doesn't have a building?

In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries and elder at Christchurch Harborough) and Richard Wardman (pastor at New City Church, Milton Keynes) discuss their share experiences of leading churches without buildings.

Our apologies that the first 24 seconds of audio are low quality due to a technical glitch.

00:00 - Introduction
01:21 - New City Church in Milton Keynes
05:09 - Storage and set-up in a rented building
08:25 - Refreshments in a rented building
09:53 - Fighting against building envy
11:22 - Benefits of renting a building
15:51 - Relationships with building owners
18:39 - Flexibility in renting a venue
21:37 - The ministry of setting-up
23:59 - Meeting mid-week without a building
27:13 - Praying for a church building

You can watch a video of this episode and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

On North Wales (with Ben Midgley)20 Aug 202400:37:42

The landscape, history, and language of North Wales makes church ministry there distinct to other areas of the country.

In this episode, Joel Murray (Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Ben Midgley (Director for North Wales) to discuss what life is like in North Wales, and what opportunities and challenges it presents for the work of the gospel.

You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

Show notes

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners.

About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.

Follow FIEC on social media:

00:00 - Ben Midgley, Director for North Wales

09:46 - Reach North Wales and the International Mission to Jewish People

14:05 - Life in North Wales

22:42 - Opportunities for and barriers to the gospel.

28:27 - Working to reach North Wales

33:44 - How to pray for North Wales

The Queen's Funeral, Swearing on the Bible, and Lessons from Warfare16 Sep 202200:32:54

How should we prepare for the Queen's funeral? Is swearing on the Bible biblical? What lessons does the war in Ukraine have for Christians?

In this episode, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss the big stories in the news over the past two weeks.

00:00 - Introduction
00:31 - A week of reflection on Queen Elizabeth II
08:48 - Praying for the Queen's funeral
12:05 - Swearing on the Bible
16:19 - Life after the death of the Queen
18:57 - A turning point in the war in Ukraine?
24:51 - Cost of living crisis update
28:03 - Navigating the news cycle
29:51 - Evangelism Conference with Randy Newman
30:41 - FIEC's 100th anniversary thanksgiving service

Resources mentioned in this episode

You can watch a video of this episode and access further resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Ministry Training in the Local Church (with Dan Green)16 Sep 202200:31:26

How can church leaders raise up the next generation of pastors within the local church?  Many churches have ministry trainees or apprentices, a sort of non-conformist curacy. In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) is joined by Dan Green (Banstead Community Church) to talk about his experience of training up future pastors within the local church in such a way - the benefits, the costs, and the big picture.

00:00 - Introduction
01:08 - Training pastors in Independent churches.
06:56 - Challenges for training pastors within the local church
11:39 - The costs of training in the local church
12:54 - Preparing to serve in a smaller church
15:01 - What is and what isn't ministry training?
16:25 - Gifting and character
18:58 - Responsibilities for trainees
22:10 - How to end a traineeship
23:40 - Advice for leaders thinking about training a pastor
26:03 - Pitfalls to avoid
27:11 - Finding the right trainee
29:52 - Train the whole church

You can watch a video of this episode and access other resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

Leading the Church in Reflection on Elizabeth II 09 Sep 202200:28:00

In this special episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) reflect on the life and service of Elizabeth II, and discuss how church leaders can lead their churches well in response through a time of national mourning.

00:00 - FIEC statement on the death of Elizabeth II
01:38
- Prayer
03:31
- Reflecting on the reign of Elizabeth II
08:27
- The hope of the gospel
10:20
- Responding in our churches
16:39
- Things to avoid
21:08
- How to pray during this period
23:35
- Sung worship during this period
25:09
- Copyright on use of photos
25:49
- Conclusion

Resources related to this episode

You can watch a video of this episode and access related resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.

About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. You can access video podcasts by subscribing to the FIEC YouTube channel.

About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.

Follow FIEC on social media:

© My Podcast Data