Being Human

In the final episode of this season, Peter and Katherine ask whether today’s surge in spiritual curiosity is hiding a discipleship deficit: many people are encountering Jesus through online content without anyone guiding them into ongoing faith. They share personal discipleship stories and highlight the vital role relationships has to play in the discipleship journey. They discuss the rise of online “baby Christians,” including a former tarot reader who publicly converted to Christianity, and note survey findings that 40% of people come to Jesus without someone present at the moment of faith. The conversation explores why local church community matters, how the online world can be a great tool for evangelism and practical ways churches can respond by offering community, intergenerational relationships, clear signposting, and helping new believers connect to a local church. 00:00 Intro 00:59 Discipleship deficit 01:52 Discipleship stories 03:50 What is discipleship? 04:52 Online conversions 08:23 From screen to church 12:00 Why church matters 14:40 Social media formation 15:31 Healthy online boundaries 23:15 Churches in the digital age 30:20 Intergenerational relationships 32:33 Final takeaways   Find a church here: https://www.eauk.org/churches If you're spiritually curious and looking for meaning, try Ethos a new digital pathway designed just for you: https://ethos.beinghumanlens.com/

In this episode of Being Human, Katherine and Peter explore two big cultural trends happening at the same time: rapid AI acceleration and a growing desire to “go analogue.” They talk about how AI is already improving everyday tasks but how it is beginning to replace entry-level work like junior lawyers, leaving younger people unsure how to start careers. They discuss the rise of AI therapy and companionship highlighting that AI can mimic language but not real relationship. As a response, they unpack trends like digital detoxing, “friction-maxxing,” trad wives, and renewed interest in ancient, rooted forms of spirituality. They look at how Christians can engage wisely and point people towards Jesus.

After many years of decline, male church attendance appears to be on the up. It's official – the boys are back! In this episode, Katherine and Peter look at some of the high-profile men exploring Christianity and what is causing this trend as Christian footballers are casting their crowns, praying and worshipping before and after matches and celebrity converts are encouraging others to explore Christianity. Delving deeper into the cultural stories, they uncover the consumerist mindset around 'bolt-on' spirituality where the wellness world uses prayer alongside supplements and routines as a way to self-optimise. The conversation then shifts to political trends which sparks discussions about Christian nationalism and the rallies associated with Tommy Robinson.   Show notes: 00:00 Expressions of faith in pop culture 00:55 Men Returning to Church 01:26 Supplements and tracking your existence 02:54 Footballers sharing faith 07:46 Wellness and self-optimisation 11:30 Self-help, discipline and Jordan Peterson's rules 14:04 Prayer as a life hack 15:23 Consumer church mindset 15:40 Young men and right-leaning politics 17:18 Defining Christian nationalism 18:31 Algorithmic influence 19:35 Tommy Robinson rallies 22:06 Charlie Kirk funeral fallout 23:12 Discipling brave and bold believers 23:53 Where do we find our identity? 24:57 Discipling young men in your church 27:34 Our resources and the next episode

Crystals, tarot, manifesting and “Witchtok.” Alternative spirituality has become mainstream. In this episode, Katherine and Peter explain the differences between manifesting and prayer, how crystals are used for specific intentions and why women seem to be turning to alternative spirituality. They also share stories of people buying spells from “Etsy witches,” using horoscopes on dating apps and the rise of Witchtok. They discuss the roots of this trend - secularism, individualism, and postmodernism and the pick-and-mix spirituality it has created. They conclude by highlighting both the opportunities and challenges for churches: clearer teaching about Jesus, better discipleship and readiness to address occult involvement, including deliverance and spiritual warfare.   Show notes: 00:00 Alternative spirituality is now mainstream 01:42 Gen Z spirituality stats 04:06 Celebs on manifesting 05:09 Manifesting vs Visualising 08:38 Manifesting vs Prayer 10:06 What are crystals? 12:51 Witchtok has gone viral 14:54 Etsy Witches and wedding spells 16:40 Why are people engaging in spirituality? 17:20 Cultural stories of spirituality 18:11 the burden of manifesting 19:00 Pick'n'mix spirituality 20:12 No rules, no authority 22:47 Crystals, manifesting then Jesus? 25:35 What's the church's role in this? 29:59 Jesus is the only way 31:04 What about the men? 33:37 Spiritually curious? Try Ethos 35:42 Next episode: the boys are back!  

We're back with Season 8 of the Being Human podcast! In this episode, Peter Lynas is joined by new co-host Katherine Brown to explore "spiritual curiosity" across popular culture. From feminists and historians to podcasters and footballers it seems like many people are curious about faith. They discuss the Bible Society’s “Quiet Revival” report and its retraction, while pointing to other research and many UK stories of people praying, buying Bibles, and simply showing up at church. The episode also highlights challenges like pick-and-mix spirituality and online-only discipleship and stresses the value of local church community. Finally, they introduce Ethos, a digital pathway which includes a quiz, personalised insights and suggested Christian practices to help spiritually curious people explore the way of Jesus. 00:00 Celebs are spiritually curious 01:19 Welcome to Being Human 01:42 Meet the new co-host 03:11 The Jordan Peterson effect 05:18 Theo Von and prayer 06:39 Bryan Johnson tries prayer 08:21 Steven Bartlett is spiritually curious 11:24 Feminist author Louise Perry becomes a Christian 13:11 Ayaan Hirsi Ali: from Islam to Christianity 15:08 The Alex O'Connor effect 17:02 Quiet Revival or a loud awakening? 19:44 Stats and stories of people coming to church 23:29 Cultural shifts in faith 26:45 Pick-and-mix spirituality 28:10 Online discipleship challenges 30:27 Why local church matters 32:56 What's next? 35:18 Ethos: for the spiritually curious 37:20 Connect with us online

It's our final episode of Being Human Season 7. Jo Frost, Peter Lynas and special guest Katherine Brown (Being Human’s engagement lead) complete the mini-series with some big announcements.  We get to know Katherine as she makes her Being Human podcast debut by sharing her story of becoming a Christian at drama school and how she ended up at Being Human. Revisiting the Quiet Revival, the team probes further into some of the themes, trends and motivations for faith exploration. The team use the Being Human Lens to explore how spiritual practices are becoming a popular gateway to faith as things like sabbath, fasting and digital detoxes become commonplace in our culture. Connect with us on social media instagram.com/beinghumanlens Connect with Jo instagram.com/jofrostie Connect with Peter instagram.com/peter.lynas Connect with Katherine instagram.com/katherinexbrown Read more about how spiritual practices are leading people to Jesus https://beinghumanlens.com/articles/spiritual-practices-are-leading-people-to-jesus  Do your values and behaviours align? Sign up to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with Ethos beinghumanlens.com Phil Knox's Missional Trends for 2026 Missional Trends 2026 - Evangelical Alliance Find out more about the Evangelical Alliance eauk.org Show notes: 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 02:23 Get to know Katherine Brown 04:50 Continuing the conversation on the Quiet Revival 06:30 Faith exploration journeys 15:42 Is there a formula for discipleship? 16:51 Jo's next adventure at OCCA 20:07 Ethos explained 23:38 He tried fasting and found Jesus 28:18 Ethos teaser and sign up 29:42 The journey to faith through spiritual practices 31:36 Jo's final hurrah and plans for Season 8

In this episode, Jo Frost and Peter Lynas jump in to the Quiet Revival research. Unpacking the trends they are seeing emerge between men and women's approaches to faith. Men seem to take a "Jesus plus politics" approach whereas women are taking a "Jesus plus spirituality" approach. Sharing their observations from traveling and hearing stories, they chat about differences across nations and how the church can be equipped to navigate and disciple all of these newcomers. Shownotes 00:00 Welcome to Being Human: what is the 'Quiet Revival'? 02:21 Bible Society & YouGov Stats: Why the numbers surprised everyone 03:30 Other research confirms the trend (Bibles, students, Belief in Britain) 05:32 Where it’s showing up: regions, church types, and size effects 07:23 Baptisms, attendance, and ‘It’s not my church’ 09:41 Public male converts & the politics question: What’s driving it? 10:29 Fear narratives: ‘Where are the men?’ and the discipleship challenge 11:55 Men’s pathways: solo faith, podcasts, and right-leaning baggage 15:15 Women’s pathways & ‘Jesus+’: experiential spirituality vs logic 18:00 Why are women’s stories quieter? Influence, platforms, and blind spots 22:02 Discipling the newcomers: From ‘Third eye’ stories to core formation 24:34 Openness Is Rising, now the church must disciple well 25:30 Identity, community & nationalism: flipping the lens 25:55 How to respond: share your local church story 27:13 Digging deeper: why the ‘quiet revival’ is happening 28:14 Chaos, deconstruction & openness to the Christian story 29:23 From Tom Holland to Jordan Peterson: intellectual, community & spiritual pathways 30:16 Is fear driving faith? What our research found about anxiety & hope 33:28 Viral moments & messy catalysts: funerals, livestreams and unexpected seekers 35:01 Google as evangelist: why SEO, online clarity & welcome matter 36:11 So what do we do? Step into the missional moment 37:54 A real-life nudge: the devotion book that opened a Jesus conversation 39:54 Discipleship in real time: handling messy journeys and public voices 41:56 Final landing: be a non-anxious presence and nurture what the Spirit grows  

In this episode of Being Human, Jo Frost and Peter Lynas take a deep dive into the controversial public figure Tommy Robinson, examining his conversion to Christianity and asking how it compares with the well-known faith journey of historian Tom Holland (Dominion). The conversation explores the growing influence of Christian nationalism in the UK, Robinson’s cultural impact, and the wider debates shaping British society today, including Islam, immigration, national identity, and free speech. Jo and Peter go on to ask some of the biggest questions facing the UK right now: Can Britain still be called a Christian nation? What cultural, political and spiritual forces are redefining that identity? How should the church respond in an age of polarisation, especially when fear often shouts louder than hope? 00:00 Introduction and welcome 00:27 Exploring fear in relationships 01:36 The tale of the two Tommys 02:03 Tom Holland's journey to Christianity 07:42 Tommy Robinson's perspective 17:45 Fear and identity politics 20:39 Christian Nationalism: definitions and debates 23:52 Tommy's provocative questions 24:45 Christianity's influence on society 25:36 The role of Christianity in modern cities 26:35 Challenges and critiques of Christian values 29:15 Fear vs. hope in Christian response 29:54 Addressing violence and fear 31:14 Christian citizenship and identity 38:06 Navigating fear and relationships 42:51 Conclusion and call to action

Jo Frost and Peter Lynas are back with the seventh season of the Being Human podcast - Fear Makes The World Go Round - focusing on the chaos of the world today and its impact on our human story. They chat about how global instability, health anxieties, and geopolitical chaos are shaping our lifestyles and invoking fear responses. Delving deeper, they explore the rise of new leadership styles and the deconstruction of international norms. It's not all doom and gloom as they conclude with the story of Daniel as an example to living with a supernatural hope in the face of turbulent times. Jo also shares her upcoming departure to the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, marking this mini-series as her final contribution as a co-host. 00:00 Welcome to Season Seven 00:23 Introduction to the mini- series 02:18 Fear makes the world go round 04:26 Health and Wellness Trends 06:33 Geopolitical chaos 08:21 Raising families when the future seems bleak 11:11 The spheres of fear in our society 12:54 Hope in the midst of chaos 14:20 New leaders and deconstructed norms 20:23 A fear response 27:04 Fighting fear and finding hope 30:59 Living the countercultural Christian story 34:05 Conclusion

Join Jo Frost and Peter Lynas as they chat about all things sexuality and gender with Dr. Preston Sprinkle in the first-ever live recording of the Being Human podcast.   Known for his work with the Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender, Preston shares his top tips and insights for navigating these conversations in Christian spaces.   Highlights include the importance of speaking up, the experiences of LGBT people within the church and the differences in approach between US and UK law. Prepare to be welcomed and challenged compassionately.    Want to explore more about what the Bible says about sex, sexuality and gender?   Check out our video series  Relationships Matter: Course - Evangelical Alliance  Follow our socials for more conversations  https://linktr.ee/beinghumanlens   Follow Preston  https://linktr.ee/Prestonsprinkle    Chapters  00:00 Welcome and introduction  00:44 First live recording experience  01:28 Reflections on discussion  05:00 Getting to know Preston Sprinkle  06:36 Preston's academic and personal motivations  08:02 Future of sexuality and gender conversations  16:22 Understanding different perspectives  21:02 LGBT stories in the church  23:39 ‘Silence is not an option’  24:21 Navigating church conversations on sexuality and gender  25:39 How to speak up as a church leader  28:06 Gender conversation shifts in the UK and US  34:51 Theological anthropology and transgenderism  36:47 Balancing public engagement and pastoral care  41:37 Final reflections and prayer requests