Today on PEP Talk we look at some of the cultural and spiritual dimensions of Islam that can often be hidden from our Western perspectives. If you want to share your faith with Muslim friends or colleagues, these insights can be so helpful! Our guest today shares his experience across church planting ministry, working with immigrants and linguistic studies, especially drawing on his book, Liberty to the Captives.

Rev Dr Mark Durie was born in Papua to missionary parents and grew up in Canberra. His PhD in linguistics studied the language of the Acehnese people in Indonesia. Mark spent ten years on the Linguistics faculty at the University of Melbourne, but was ordained in 1999, serving in three Melbourne Anglican parishes over the next two decades.  Now at Melbourne School of Theology, Mark teaches in Islamic studies and pastoral theology. The author of many articles and books, which have been translated into numerous languages, Mark’s research interests include missions to Muslims, discipleship, Islamic origins, human rights, religious freedom, and deliverance ministry.

Steve Osmond chats with a UCCF student worker this week on PEP Talk. She helps explain some of the trends, challenges and opportunities happening right now on university campuses. From awareness of spirituality to ignorance of basic Biblical concepts to a loneliness pandemic, these are the things shaping evangelism and discipleship amongst young adults today.

Amber Nesbitt is a Staff Worker for UCCF based in Edinburgh, where she works alongside Napier and Queen Margaret Christian Unions. She attends Charlotte Chapel Church in Edinburgh and her family are in Surrey. She loves to hang out with friends/family, learn about different cultures and food, explore new places and dance!

Find out how to support Amber at https://www.uccf.org.uk/our-team/amber-nesbitt

After the Covid pandemic, we've all had enough of statistics! But sometimes they can reveal amazing surprises about things we take for granted. Today Gavin Matthews learns more about the fascinating "Talking Jesus" report, which tells us so much about the nuances of faith in the UK and the untapped opportunities for sharing Jesus today. 

Find out more about the Talking Jesus research here and watch  a summary on YouTube here. The Talking Jesus course for churches is here.

Dr Rachel Jordan-Wolf is passionate about sharing the gospel of Jesus and has worked for various churches and mission agencies in places such as London and Amsterdam. She’s involved in a church plant in London and is a adjunct lecturer in mission in the UK. She holds a PhD in Church History, focussing on women in mission in early 20th Century Britain. She has been an advisor for the Church of England on mission. Rachel is the Executive Director of Hope Together - a ministry which works with local churches to share the gospel of Jesus. She also loves chocolate!

Stories resonate deeply with human beings and we all have two powerful stories in our lives: God's story and our story. What does it mean to bear those stories through our lives in a way that impacts those around us? Phil Knox speaks with Andy and Kristi to unpack his latest book, Story Bearer.

Phil Knox is the head of mission to young adults at the Evangelical Alliance UK. He has a passion for his generation, the local church, loves learning and has degrees in law and mission and evangelism. Phil is married to Dani and they have two sons, Caleb and Jos. He is an avid runner, enthusiastic water-skier and also a performance poet. He lives in Birmingham.

Universities and colleges can provide incredible opportunities, not just for education and career, but also developing one's relationships, worldview and values. Bringing the gospel into this environment can be challenging but very rewarding, as we hear from a former Christian Union leader about his experiences.

Cameron McCartney is a Primary Education student at the University of Stirling in Scotland. He has been involved in CU leadership and student evangelism throughout his time at university. He is passionate about people discovering more about who Jesus is and walking with them through that journey. He loves how God uses weak and unworthy people to proclaim the glorious and precious gospel.

Is there room for imagination, romance, even enchantment, in our evangelistic endeavour? In this episode we speak with Paul Gould about the concept of cultural apologetics and how it deals with the desirability of the gospel as it connects with deep-rooted cultural ideals.

Paul M. Gould (Ph.D. philosophy, Purdue University) is the author or editor of ten scholarly and popular-level books including Cultural Apologetics, Philosophy: A Christian Introduction, and The Story of the Cosmos. He has been a visiting scholar at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School’s Henry Center, working on the intersection of science and faith, and is the founder and president of the Two Tasks Institute. He speaks regularly at Summit Ministries, the C.S. Lewis Institute, and the Evangelical Philosophical Society’s annual apologetics conference. 

https://www.twotasksinstitute.org

http://www.paul-gould.com

This time on PEP Talk, Andy and Kristi speak with Anne Witton about Iranian home-cooking, discussing aliens and giving out donuts in your front garden. It's all part of reaching out, building community and sharing the love of Christ!

Anne Witton is based in Newcastle, UK and is one of the leaders of Living Out and heads up mission at her local church (Durham Road Baptist). She also speaks on behalf of True Freedom Trust and is studying for an MA in Contemporary Missiology at Redcliffe College.

Anne loves to help others know life in all its fullness in Jesus. She is happily single and loves Christian community, books, and playing her ukulele.

https://www.annewitton.uk/ | Twitter - @MissionWitton | YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/bluemackerel 

With the Coronavirus lockdown, many of us are having our relationships deeply disturbed as we struggle to connect with others from a distance. What impact does this have on the gospel? This time on PEP Talk, Andy and Kristi speak with small town pastor and football chaplain David Barrie about connecting and sharing with others in our churches, sports clubs and our communities.

David Barrie is one of the pastors of Pitlochry Baptist Church in Highland Perthshire. He has served as a chaplain in Scottish Football since 2001, and for the past 8 seasons, chaplain to St Johnstone Football Club in Perth. 

Sometimes Christians focus on proving that Christianity is true, failing to realise that many people don't care that it's true. But what do they care about? Andy and Kristi are joined by Greg Ganssle to discuss how focussing our conversations on the deepest human desires can bring us right to the heart of the gospel. Greg also reminds us that "Any conversation that continues is a successful conversation."

Greg Ganssle is Professor of Philosophy at Biola University in Los Angeles. Greg worked in campus ministry before earning his doctorate at Syracuse University in 1995. He worked at Yale University for nine years before joining Biola. He is author of several books, including Our Deepest Desires: How the Christian Story Fulfills Human Aspirations (IVP, 2017)

Kristi found the book "Questioning Evangelism" by Randy Newman to be a fantastic tool in her work ministering with university students. Today Andy and Kristi welcome Randy to the podcast to answers questions about questions with questions!

Randy Newman is Senior Fellow for Apologetics and Evangelism at the C.S. Lewis Institute near Washington D.C. He served for over 30 years with Campus Crusade for Christ and has taught at a number of seminaries. He has written five books and numerous articles, including his latest Unlikely Converts: Improbable Stories of Faith and What They Teach Us About Evangelism.

Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

Sometimes we can think of the "new atheists" like Richard Dawkins as the biggest enemies of Christianity today. When we speak about God with our friends, we wonder if they think we're suffering from a "God Delusion". How can we respond in a positive way, or even take advantage of the opportunities the new atheism presents? Andy speaks with philosopher Peter S Williams to find out more.

British philosopher and apologist Peter S. Williams is ‘Assistant Professor in Communication and Worldviews’ at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication, NLA University College, Norway. Peter is a trustee of the Christian Evidence Society, a Montgomery Trust Lecturer and a Travelling Speaker for the European Leadership Forum. His books include: A Faithful Guide to Philosophy: A Christian Introduction to the Love of Wisdom (Wipf & Stock, 2019) and C.S. Lewis vs the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013). His papers have appeared in journals including Philosophia Christi, Theofilus and Think. See: www.peterswilliams.com

How can we present the gospel through our lives and in our churches when, unlike Christ Himself, we are far from perfect? Navigating the tricky waters of hypocrisy or painful experiences is so important in bringing friends and family to Christ. This time on PEP Talk, Mary Jo Sharp reflects on her own journey from atheism to faith, and how she dealt with these kind of issues.

Mary Jo Sharp first encountered apologetics in her own spiritual search while seeking answers. She is now an Assistant Professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University and the founder and director of Confident Christianity Apologetics Ministry. She has been featured in Christianity Today’s cover story “The Unexpected Defenders” and is an international speaker on apologetics, focusing on love and logic to uncover truth. She lives with her husband and family in Portland, Oregon. She serves on faculty with Summit Ministries Student Conferences, and is a guest lecturer with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. She is the author of the top-selling Bible study, “Why Do You Believe That?” as well as Living in Truth with LifeWay Christian Resources. She recently released her book Why I Still Believe.

Zealots. Fanatics. Terrorists. Religion causes conflict, wars and hatred - it's a common idea. So how can we remove this great stumbling block when talking about Jesus? This time on PEP Talk we chat about the relationship between war and religion, and what it means for evangelism.

Our guest is Meic Pearse, who taught church history and theology (to Andy Bannister!) at London School of Theology for 10 years and has over 25 years of experience working with the evangelical church in the Balkans. His work with student ministries and individual churches has covered Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Germany, Russia, the U.K. and U.S. He is the author of Why the Rest Hates the West and Gods of War. He travels regularly between homes in Croatia and the USA.

Where does our desire for the supernatural fit in the modern world? With a society built on rationality and technology, do we still have longings for a connection with something transcendent? Steve Osmond sits down with Belle Tindall to identify areas in our friends' lives where we can show how the gospel story meets those longings.

Dr Belle Tindall is a biblical scholar, writer, speaker, and podcaster. Based at the Centre for Cultural Witness, she is the writer in residence at Seen and Unseen. She is also a columnist for Premier’s Woman Alive magazine and co-host of Re-Enchanting, a podcast that ponders whether our disenchanted world can be re-enchanted with the wonder and mystery of the Christian story.

When you are sharing the gospel with the people around you, do you think about connecting with them or confronting them? How did Paul approach the members of the culture he worked in? This time on PEP Talk we discuss bringing the gospel into our secular culture.

Our guest is Director of Oak Hill College and lectures in culture, religion and public theology. Dan Strange also worked for UCCF as Co-ordinator of the Religious and Theological Studies Fellowship. He an author whose latest work is Plugged In: Connecting your faith with what you read, watch and play.

This time on PEP Talk, Andy and Kristi chat with pastor and teacher Brian Brodersen about your personal story, avoiding pressure, brief conversations and seeing yourself as a small step in others' faith journey.

With a history of church planting in the USA, England, Eastern Europe and the former USSR, Brian Brodersen works with the Calvary Chapel network. Today he serves as the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in California. Here in the UK, Brian teaches through the "Back to Basics" programme on Premier Radio and serves as Festival Director for Creation Fest.

Support the show (https://www.solas-cpc.org/podcast-book-offer/)

Your hosts Andy Bannister and Kristi Mair are joined by Joel Turner for this episode of the Persuasive Evangelism Podcast, recorded live at CreationFest 2019.

Joel fully surrendered his life to Christ while operating a comedy club in Western Canada. He is currently the Lead Pastor/Evangelist at Mountain Springs Calvary Chapel, Calgary, a church he planted over 10 years ago. Across Canada, the U.S. and overseas, Joel’s teaching work includes his association with Creationfest, Calvary Chapel International, RZIM (Ravi Zacharias International Ministries), Fred Stoeker (Every Man’s Battle) and Gravity Canada.

Questions about the show? Contact Andy on Twitter @andygbannister

When you run one of the biggest evangelistic events in the UK, can you take a holiday from sharing the gospel for the rest of the year? 

Sarah Yardley is a Californian based in Cornwall who loves Jesus, family, friendships, coffee, travel, and guacamole. She grew up at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, served at Reality Carpinteria, and currently lives in the UK, serving full-time with Creation Fest UK and Tubestation in Polzeath. She loves discovering what it means to follow Jesus and inviting others to know and follow Him.

Nigel Watts is currently the British Isles Director of Precept Ministries. But he also served over 25 years in the British Army, many as a helicopter pilot in active war zones. What lessons has he learned about sharing your faith in such diverse situations as the Green Zone in Baghdad or a taxicab in Cornwall?

The Persuasive Evangelism Podcast is hosted by Andy Bannister and Kristi Mair. It is a production of Solas Centre for Public Christianity. Support us here.

Your hosts Andy Bannister and Kristi Mair are joined by David Bennett for this episode of the Persuasive Evangelism Podcast, recorded live at CreationFest 2019.

Last year David Bennett released "A War of Loves" which was his personal story of transformation from atheist gay activist to Christian theologian. He is from Sydney, Australia and currently studies theology at Oxford.

Questions about the show? Contact Andy on Twitter @andygbannister

Co-host Kristi Mair swaps chairs this episode to become a guest and let Andy Bannister interview her. They discuss her background in student ministry, the current questions she's hearing and why you don't need a dramatic testimony for effective evangelism.

Kristi currently works as Pastoral Support and Research Fellow at Oak Hill College, whilst studying for her PhD at University of Birmingham.  Kristi is also an apologist and evangelist who speaks regularly at evangelistic events. While pursuing her academic career, she has worked with Friends International and the UCCF as their Assistant Team Leader for the Midlands.Kristi's latest book is More Truth: Searching for certainty in an uncertain world. Get a free copy when you support the podcast!

Contact Kristi or Andy on Twitter - @KristiMair or @andygbannister

Your hosts Andy Bannister and Kristi Mair are joined by Andy Kind for this episode of the Persuasive Evangelism Podcast, recorded live at CreationFest 2019.

Andy Kind is a preacher and stand-up comedian. As well as travelling the world telling jokes and talking about Jesus, he lives in Chesterfield and is on the staff of Redeemer King church. Find him @andykindcomedy or andykind.co.uk

Questions about the show? Contact Andy on Twitter @andygbannister

Your hosts Andy Bannister and Kristi Mair are joined by Jonny Somerville for the first episode of the Persuasive Evangelism Podcast.

Jonny Somerville is a Dublin native who’s worked for more than ten years in Irish schools and churches across denominations. He’s passionate about faith development and the opportunity to supplement school curriculum that helps young people grapple with their faith. He currently leads the NUA Film Series for Alpha and Scripture Union Ireland. Find him on Twitter @jonnysomers

Questions about the show? Contact Andy on Twitter @andygbannister

Steve Osmond fills in as host this week on PEP Talk and gets the chance to speak with an expert on mission and evangelism in postmodern culture. Hannah Steele is an academic and author whose passion is to see churches and groups of Christians grow together to become more missional and evangelistic.

The Revd Dr Hannah Steele is Director of St Mellitus College, London and Tutor and Lecturer in Missiology. As well as Living His Story, she is author of New World, New Church? (SCM Press, 2017). Alongside her academic work, Hannah has spent time engaged in mission and evangelism among students in central London as a staff worker with UCCF.  She is married with three sons and loves watching football, baking and traveling.

Pre-order her next book here: Living His Story Together, due out 20 June 2024.

Today on PEP Talk we chat with a church pastor about how sharing the gospel is a natural part of both his church work and personal relationships. With a particular emphasis on the essential role of prayer, Matt talks with Gavin Matthews about the formal and informal elements that make up a vibrant evangelistic lifestyle.

Our Guest

After 14 years as senior pastor of City Gates Church in central London, Matt Frost moved to Cirencester in July 2009 to become pastor at Cirencester Baptist Church.  Matt loves playing cricket for North Cerney CC, praying for the sick, supporting Liverpool, sharing the good news of Jesus with all kinds of people, listening to jazz-funk, bringing change, watching films of all kinds and chatting with God. You can follow Matt on Twitter here.

His podcast “Two Pastors in a Pub” is available from Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.

Today's guest can relate amazing stories of adventurous missions in remote areas experiencing miracles and dramatic conversions. But even if that is not what most of us experience, we can still take from it practical lessons about prayer, following the Spirit's leading and hospitality in our day-to-day lives at home.

Kevin Elliot is chair of trustees for the Christian charity Mission Macedonia. He makes regular mission trips to North Macedonia, and has also worked alongside churches in East Africa. With 30 years’ experience in Christian youth work and church-based outreach in the UK, Kevin also has an on-line ministry, ‘allaboutjesus.info’, teaching the four gospels through video talks. Kevin’s first book, See Miracles, was published in November 2023.

One of the most effective methods for sharing the gospel is through personal conversations. But in our modern world, many of us struggle with 'personal' and 'conversation' for a variety of reasons. Today on PEP Talk we discuss the issues and struggles we have with conversation, personal connection and empathy in an age of digital distraction and polarised public discourse.

For further reading, books mentioned in this episode include Disruptive Witness by Alan Noble and Reclaiming Conversation by Sherry Turkle.

Our Guest

Nathan Rittenhouse is a speaker, preacher and podcaster. After double-majoring in Physics and Philosophy, Nathan studied theology and pastoral studies in several institutions and holds an M.Div from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Nathan has been preaching and speaking in the field of Christian apologetics at churches, campuses, and conferences for the last 8 years. He is the Co-Founder of Thinking Out Loud. Nathan, his wife Erin, and their four children enjoy the great outdoors and are grateful for the wisdom, support, and opportunities to serve and grow in their local church.

Today we hear from an incredibly successful businessman and philanthropist and discover his heart for the gospel. Starting with the influence of his mother, he explains how his relationship with Christ has shaped his life, his giving, his ministry and his own personal evangelism.

Sir Brian Souter grew up on a council estate in Perth, Scotland. He and his sister built the Stagecoach  company into one of Britain's largest bus companies in the 1990's, moving into other transport and international ventures.  He set up the Souter Charitable Trust with his wife Lady Elizabeth in 1992. Since 2006 the Trust has awarded more than 15,000 grants totalling over £100 million (including support for Solas). He received a knighthood in 2011 for his contributions to transport and the voluntary sector. Still resident in Perth, Sir Brian has four grown up children and five grandchildren.

In this episode we chat with a church planter and football chaplain working in the heart of Edinburgh. Be inspired by his approach to multiplying churches by sharing life and faith with individuals in a busy and cosmopolitan city. 

Derek Lamont has been a pastor for 33 years, 22 of them in the centre of Edinburgh, with the Free Church of Scotland. His current church, St Columba's, has planted four new churches in different communities of the city. He will be leaving St C's in January to re-plant a Gospel church at the foot of Leith Walk.  Derek is married to Catriona with four grown-up kids - two of whom live in America, the other two are married and work for churches in Edinburgh.

Andy and Kristi sit down with the newest member of the Solas team to discuss his passion for evangelism. Having arrived in Scotland recently from South Africa, Steve Osmond reflects on the opportunities, surprises and challenges we have here. Kristi is also interested in Steve’s background in zoology and how that has informed his conversations with atheists.

Steve Osmond hails from South Africa, where he earned his MSc in Zoology from the University of Johannesburg, specialising in ecotoxicology and ecological risk assessment. Along with his passion for the natural world, he also has a love for theology: exploring the connections between faith and reason, and how Christianity makes sense of the world. He has been involved in pastoral ministry and creating training programmes for discipleship in theology and apologetics. Steve holds a MA in Apologetics & Theology from Southern Evangelical Seminary. He now lives in Perth, Scotland with his wife Robin and two young daughters.

Listen through to the end for a special 20% off discount code from 10ofThose.com!

When it comes to sharing our faith, we are blessed with a wealth of books and writings available from articulate Christians defending and presenting the gospel. Today on PEP Talk we have a great testimony from someone whose reading quest helped immensely in moving him from atheism to Christ. He now works for a Christian book distributor and gives us some great recommendations for books and evangelistic tracts we might find helpful.

Adam White became a Christian in 2020 after reading book after book on the evidence for Christianity. He now travels around Scotland recommending books that point people to Jesus in his role with 10ofthose.com, the Christian book ministry. Adam loves reading and has a keen interest in apologetics, spending his free time giving seminars on how to talk to atheists and engaging people in 1-2-1 evangelism.

Adam's Tract Recommendations:
Christmas tracts by Roger Carswell
Peace on Earth?
Love at Christmas
Whiter Than Snow

Titantic (A night to remember)
Last on God's List

The Scariest Stories Are the True Ones - Halloween tract 

Book Recommendations:
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Mere Christianity and The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
Strange New World by Carl Trueman
Can Science Explain Everything? by John Lennox

In many ways, the practice of sharing the gospel is the art of conversation. Though some may be more gifted than others, there are many simple ways to start and build great conversations. Today's guest shares his experience starting conversations with strangers and the tools he's developed to help us all gain traction in our evangelistic efforts.

Stephen Caldwell trains people to build and deepen relationships with others. In his program called Traction, he teaches people how to perceptively listen and ask probing questions during conversations that are spiritually or existentially focused. The book for Traction is titled Making Inroads: How to ask questions to better understand others. He has gained his experience by using the Socratic Method teaching English, serving as a chaplain during a year of clinical pastoral education, study of and participation in Ignatian spiritual direction, and both practicing and training others in consultative selling and non-directive coaching. He has developed, practiced, and led Traction since 2002.

There has been a surprising rebirth in belief in God in some quarters formerly dominated by the "New Atheism" of Richard Dawkins and Stephen Fry. It seems to have disappointed many who were left without answers to their purpose or meaning in life. How is the Christian story gaining traction, and how can we show that it is both meaningful and true? Andy and Gavin are joined by Justin Brierley to discuss his observations from his latest book "The Surprising Rebirth of God".

Justin Brierley is a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster who has become known for creating dialogues between Christians and non-Christians. He has worked in radio, podcast and video for over two decades. Until April 2023 he was Theology & Apologetics Editor for Premier Christian Radio, and hosted the Unbelievable? radio show and podcast as well as the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast. Justin was also editor of Premier Christianity magazine from 2014-2018, for which he continues to contribute articles. Justin's first book 'Unbelievable? Why, after ten years of talking with atheists, I'm still a Christian' (SPCK) was published in 2017. Justin is married to Lucy, a church minister in Surrey, and they have four children.

Everyone knows about the "culture wars" and some champion following Jesus as being "counter-cultural". What precisely is the relationship between the Christian faith and human culture? Reflecting well on that relationship and our own place in it can lead to some great insights into how we live out and share our faith. Helping us do that on PEP Talk today is a minister and academic with experience on both sides of the Atlantic.

Rev Dr Anna Robbins is President of Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has served several churches as an ordained minister of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Near the end of her doctoral studies in Wales (PhD 2001), she was appointed to the faculty of the London School of Theology in the UK where she served for 12 years. In London, she was theological consultant to organisations including Theos, Christians in Politics, Tearfund, and the Evangelical Alliance. She returned to Nova Scotia in 2012, where she lives with her husband and son.

How are the arts effective in sharing the gospel? What are the issues in reaching young adults for Christ? And what does it mean to be pastoral in evangelism? These are just some of the questions covered in a wide-ranging PEP Talk discussion today with Andy Bannister, Gavin Matthews and our guest Callom Harkrader from Southampton.

Callom Hardraker is currently the Young Adult Pastor at Above Bar Church in Southampton, where he has been on the staff team since 2015. Originally from the USA, he has apologetics training from The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Callom also serves on the steering group for The Mark Drama, an innovative theatre tool for learning the gospel story.

Sometimes on PEP Talk, you just need a pep talk! Our guest today is full of passion, experience and enthusiasm for sharing Jesus that will get you excited to do the same. Have a listen to her amazing stories of how God does unexpected works when we just say yes to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Rowena Cross experienced a dramatic conversion to Christ, along with her husband, when they were in their thirties. While he went on to become a Vicar, she has been a passionate evangelist, working alongside him sharing the gospel in all kinds of ways - street-work, door-to-door, Alpha and organising large-scale evangelistic events. She has recently released a book, which is daringly entitled, "Be Bold Stop Faffing About and Crack On For Jesus"

Also check out "Mission Shaped Grace"  by John McGinley, which was significant in mobilising her church in evangelism. 

Equality, compassion, consent, enlightenment, science, freedom and progress. Beliefs that are the air we breathe as a society and values that most people hold dear. In that sense, nearly everyone we meet is already a believer! But only one Person makes real sense of these beliefs, and it's our privilege to introduce Him to them. Andy and Kristi are here to chat with Glen Scrivener this week on PEP Talk.

Glen Scrivener is an ordained minister and the Director of Speak Life, an organisation that exists to share the love of Jesus through creative communication. An author, speaker and media presenter, his latest project is The Air We Breathe. He has also authored The Gift, 321, The Story of God, the World and You and Long Story Short: The Bible in 12 Phrases. Glen is married to Emma and they have two children.

Gavin Matthews fills in as host this week, so Andy can swap chairs for an interview about his latest book, How to Talk About Jesus Without Looking Like An Idiot. From "crunchy Christians" to comedy footnotes to Master Question-Asker, Gavin finds out what to expect from Andy's book-length version of his highly popular seminar.

Andy Bannister is the Director of Solas and is a highly in-demand speaker, writer, and broadcaster. From universities to churches, cafes to pubs, schools to workplaces, Andy regularly addresses audiences of both Christians and those of all faiths and none on issues relating to faith, culture, politics and society. His previous books include Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? and The Atheist Who Didn't Exist. He also hosts two podcasts, PEP Talk and Pod of the Gaps and presents the Short Answers video series for Solas.

Today on PEP Talk we hear from a ministry leader helping to train, equip and release other missional leaders across Europe and Central Asia. Although his earliest experience was one of rejection and lack of support, today he has some amazing insight into what coming alongside gospel workers looks like. The lessons learned can help us no matter what our context for sharing Christ is today.

Jason Lane founded Innovista, aged 26, to equip leaders and teams to change their communities with the hope of Jesus. He holds an MDiv in Theology and Leadership from Bethel Seminary having graduated in Business Management. The practical, experiential and insightful training experiences developed by Jason and his team have been translated into ten languages and deployed in more than twenty countries. In his free time Jason enjoys windsurfing (badly) and good coffee. He lives with his wife Rachel, daughter and dog in Oxford, UK.

When most of us think of an "evangelist", it's usually a heroic example like Billy Graham or else a bit of an oddball operating on the fringe of our church. We don't see ourselves as Billy and we don't want others to think we're the oddballs, so we shy away from evangelism altogether. Our guest on PEP Talk today wants us to realise that different types of evangelism can match our unique personality and gifts. It's a liberating idea that means we rely on other members of the Christian body as we support each other in reaching out with the gospel.

Mark Mittelberg is a bestselling author, international speaker, and the Executive Director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University. Mark recently released his all-new book and training course, Contagious Faith: Discover Your Natural Style for Sharing Jesus with Others
He also wrote the leadership-oriented book, Becoming a Contagious Church, which presents an innovative blueprint for church-based evangelism, as well as several
books on apologetics. He lives with his wife Heidi near Denver, Colorado.

This week on PEP Talk, Andy chats with US author and speaker Sean McDowell about reaching students and young people with the gospel. What themes pervade the lives of young people on both sides of the Atlantic? From science to identity to the goodness of God, Sean provides insight into how we can equip our children and young people to respond well to these questions.

Sean McDowell is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University in California. He is a speaker and author, co-author, or editor of over twenty books including Rebel's Manifesto, Chasing Love, The Fate of the Apostles, So The Next Generation Will Know (with J. Warner Wallace) and Evidence that Demands a Verdict (with Josh McDowell). Find out more at seanmcdowell.org

Sometimes you just need a bit of enthusiasm to get out there and do it! Today on PEP Talk, Andy chats with a couple engaged in old-fashioned street evangelism and tract distribution.  Having seen God work through these in their own lives, Jon and Penny encourage their church family to be actively speaking to others at work, in the community and on the High Street.

Jon & Penny Thorp met through their work driving buses in West London. Penny was saved through an addiction recovery program and Jon came to the Lord in 2019 after knowing Penny for six years. They are now married and active at Feltham Evangelical Church.

Here at Solas we love partnering with Christian Union groups on university campuses across the UK. Today we speak with a student from Lancaster University where Andy spoke at their mission week this year. So what is a mission week? What sort of topics appeal to students? And  how would you convince a history student that Jesus really rose from the dead? All that and more in this episode of PEP Talk.

Lena Dacca is a history student at Lancaster University, and recently served on her Christian Union’s committee as the Mission Week Coordinator. She is an aspiring historian and evangelist, and is especially passionate about sharing the gospel in a way which points people toward both the evidence for Christianity, and the transformative love of Jesus. 

Kristi and Andy chat with pastor and author Sam Allberry about the primacy of Jesus in our gospel conversations. Sam offers his thoughts on evangelism with LGBT friends, the balance of truth and narrative, and the importance of deep Christian community.

Sam Allberry is a pastor based at Immanuel Nashville and Fellow at the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He is the author of a number of books, including Is God Anti-Gay? and 7 Myths about Singleness. Find out more at samallberry.com

This week on PEP Talk, Andy and Kristi chat with Kiri from British Columbia. She shares her story of conversion from a non-Christian household and journey through different cultural landscapes ministering to young people. An emphasis on discipleship shows how the gospel touches our deepest longings, sufferings and hopes.

Having Co-Lead Soul Edge Ministries (Canada) for over 12 years, Kiri Jane Erb has had the privilege of investing into hundreds of young Christian leaders, equipping them for resilient church leadership. With a multidisciplinary approach to apologetics, she is passionate about the clarity, beauty and relevance of the Gospel message gaining traction in human hearts. Her upcoming novel carries this same heartbeat, nestled in historical fiction. She is currently completing her MA Systematic and Philosophical Theology at the University of Nottingham and is also an adjunct speaker for Apologetics Canada.

Today on PEP Talk we're all about workplace ministry. The opportunities, resources and support are extensive for Christians who want to connect with other believers in their places of employment. And stories of the creative ways employees find to share their faith at work are surprising and encouraging. 

Download the Starting A Christian Workplace Group booklet from the Transform Work UK website. In Scotland, have a look at the Thrive Scotland website.

Ros Loaker is the CEO of Transform Work UK. She has been involved with workplace ministry since 2003, supporting and growing leaders of Christian Workplace Groups across the professions, industry and commerce.

Looking at the state of the church in the UK today, it can be quite discouraging. Although there are areas of growth and dynamism, there can be quite challenging situations in rural areas or even cities with disconnected communities. What are some effective strategies for sharing the gospel and developing healthy churches in these "spiritual deserts"?

Stephen McQuoid spent the first twelve years of his life in Ethiopia where his parents were missionaries.  He then lived in Ireland where he qualified as a nurse before going on to study theology.  He was the Principal of Tilsley College for ten years, and is currently the General Director of GLO Europe where he has overall responsibility for the running of the organisation.  Stephen is married to Debbie and they have three children.  Stephen has a preaching ministry that takes him throughout the UK and abroad and is the author of several books.  He has a passion for evangelism and mission and helping churches to reach out relevantly to their community. 

In today's PEP Talk, Andy chats with a church pastor with a passion for evangelism through the local church. What are the challenges for developing a culture of evangelism, whether your church is rooted locally or a "commuter" congregation? What is pre-evangelism? And how can pastors "lower the bar" on evangelism so that everyone feels confident to do it?

Tom Heasman currently serves as Co-Pastor at Widcombe Baptist Church, in Bath, having moved there recently from a church in SW London. His biggest passions in life are telling people about Jesus, making nice coffee, and spending as much time outdoors as possible with his wife, Josie, and three young children. For an idea of the various evangelism tools Tom has worked on, visit somethingbetter.org.uk

In today's culture, sexuality and gender are the embodiment of happiness, fulfilment and our sense of self. It's no surprise that especially young people can find a God-centred view of sex to be oppressive, unfair or even hateful.  No wonder Christians can find this area such a stumbling block to presenting the gospel. How can we help our friends and family discover a deeper and more satisfying view of Christ, His calling and our identity in Him?

Andrew Bunt is a writer and speaker who studied theology at Durham University and King’s College London. He is the Emerging Generations director at Living Out and the author of People Not Pronouns: Reflections on Transgender Experience (Grove Books, 2021) and Finding Your Best Identity: A Short Christian Introduction to Identity, Sexuality and Gender (IVP, 2022)

Have you ever heard someone dismiss the Bible "because it's just a fairy tale"? Or maybe that it was basically invented by the early Church to peddle their religious fiction? But if either of those were true, would the Bible be what it is today? Today's guest on PEP Talk introduces us to the myriad reasons why the Bible would be impossible to invent.

Mike D'Virgilio's latest book is Uninvented: Why The Bible Could Not Be Made Up, and The Evidence That Proves It. He has a B.S. in Communication from Arizona State University and an M.A. in Systematic Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary Philadelphia. He has worked in public relations, sales, and marketing for over three decades. His first book was an exploration of apologetics for parents called, The Persuasive Christian Parent: Building an Enduring Faith in You and Your Children. He also blogs on apologetics and a variety of topics at mikedvirgilio.com.