PEP Talk

We know there are many different immigrant communities behind our corner shops, kebab houses and barbershops across Britain. How can we begin to understand their history and culture, to find where the Gospel might reach? With examples from the Kurdish culture, today's guest helps us understand this particular group, with lessons that can help us reach many of our Muslim friends and neighbours.Jeremy Fowler is a writer and speaker based in Oxford, specialising in the Kurdish world. He lived for eleven years in Iraqi Kurdistan, where he ran a language consultancy and helped serve the churches in Iraq, and is now writing a biography of Roger Cumberland, martyred in Kurdistan in 1938. He studied History at Oxford and Theology at Oak Hill. He is married to Joy and they have four children.

In our modern life, it is rare to actually listen to other people, or to feel listened to. But we have the immense privilege in prayer to know that God listens to us. So perhaps one way to share the gospel of God is to take the time to listen. Today on PEP Talk, Dr Karamat Iqbal shares his experience of hospital chaplaincy, where patient listening is a powerful tool for showing God's love.Dr Karamat Iqbal is an education and diversity practitioner. Born in Kashmir, he has been in Birmingham since 1970. He is a member of the Wider Leadership at Riverside Church, where he has worshipped since becoming a Christian in 1995. He has authored British Pakistani Boys, Education and the Role of Religion: In the Land of the Trojan Horse. He volunteers as a chaplain at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

But I'm not an evangelist! Well, that doesn't stop you from being evangelistic! In this wide-ranging conversation, Simon Wenham and Gavin Matthews chat with Graham Albans about how "normal people" can be sharing the gospel in everyday life. With reminders about authenticity, prayer, patience, and joyful living, there's plenty for everyone to consider in the day-to-day life of a Christian.Graham Albans is the Director of Mission & Outreach as part of the leadership team at Grace Community Church in Bedford, where he lives with his wife Jo and their three kids. After a decade at the BBC producing Chris Evans and Zoe Ball's breakfast shows, he studied at Oak Hill College, and is now also involved with the work of Speak Life and Keswick Ministries. His evangelistic book 'How One Weekend Can Give You Everything You Ever Wanted' (10ofThose) came out in 2025.Check out the "Everything You Ever Wanted" podcast here:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-you-ever-wanted/id1872466750Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5xzpindfCKgNCj4FB9zM3J

If a promising gospel discussion turns into an argument or reaches an impasse, that's often a sign of conflicting worldviews. Many of us don't think too much about our worldview, the underling values and assumptions that inform our more obvious beliefs and opinions about, for example, sexuality and gender. Recognising and discussing our worldviews can be a great way to progress gospel conversations without getting stuck on difficult issues like these.  Simon Wenham and Gavin Matthews speak with author Andrew Bunt to find out how.Andrew Bunt has degrees in theology from Durham University and King's College London. He is the author of Getting God’s Perspective: A Short Christian Introduction to Worldviews, Sexuality and Gender along with several previous books. He serves as the Content Director for Living Out.

The Big 'Yes'. Conversion. Public declaration of faith. That's what evangelism is all about isn't it?  That might be the destination, but the journey of faith is full of little 'yeses' and healthy 'maybes' as well. And sometimes, only God knows how important each step is for each individual. How can this perspective encourage us as we seek to share the gospel with those in our lives?Mark Greenwood is the Director of Evangelism for Elim Churches UK. He has been a full-time itinerant evangelist since 1988 and is an associate evangelist with J.John. He is a speaker, author, broadcaster and podcaster. His latest book is Big Yes, Little Yes, Healthy Maybe.

Many people are afraid to share their faith because they're worried about the questions they might encounter. But one church chose to turn the tables on that idea. They asked the people of Maidenhead what questions they had for God. After receiving 468 responses, they invited respected Christian thinkers to give their answers to the most popular topics on the Maidenhead’s Questions Podcast. Here to tell us about the project are Adam and Ian from St Mary's Church Maidenhead.Listen to the podcast at maidenheadsquestions.co.uk/Adam Curtis is taller than the average doorframe, a Minister in Maidenhead, and co-host of Delight Podcast. He enjoys country walks, deep chats over cold pints and has recently got into gardening.Ian Miller is the other Associate Vicar at St Mary's Maidenhead. He practised as a barrister for 18 years before becoming a vicar. He is married to Tamsin, has four daughters and enjoys languages, running, history, woodwork and playing music.

Sam is a youth worker who wanted to reach thousands of students across 11 schools in his area – within the schools themselves. Impossible? Maybe not when you tap into the "best-kept secret" network of scientists, researchers, and academics who profess Christ. By bringing credible, yet faith-grounded, professionals to speak at assemblies, Sam has created an incredible system for helping schools, getting faith conversations started, and helping young people hear a Christian witness right inside their school.  Sam McKee is a research scientist in cancer genomics and DNA repair. Sam speaks regularly to both students and adults on biology, aspects of religion and science, and history/philosophy of science.He joined Aylesbury Youth For Christ as Director in early 2021. He has worked in youth work for 16 years full-time in a variety of roles, as well as spending 3 years in business. He gained a BSc in genetics at Cambridge University, a BA (Hons) in theology at Chester University followed by an MRes. He has a second master’s degree in molecular biology from Birkbeck and two qualifications in education. Sam lives in the Wycombe area with his wife Naomi and 3 daughters.If you're keen to find speakers for your school, reach out to Sam on LinkedIn or at sam-mckee.co.uk He mentions the Faraday Institute, The OCCA, Christians in Science and even Solas as sources for speakers.

What if evangelism on the street, speaking to random strangers, wasn't the scariest thing ever? We are British, after all! PEP Talk is here to break down the barriers, exploring the role of prayer, the importance of community, the release of expectations and the joy of joining God's work in sharing Jesus on the streets of London.Isaac Olaleye works in tech and is also a musician with a heart for people and community. He leads and teaches the evangelism team at Jubilee Church in North London, helping equip believers for monthly street evangelism and outreach. He also serves as a youth leader and is passionate about seeing people live out mission within their everyday lives.

“Did Jesus really live, die, and rise from the dead? " Using ancient sources, historical records, and reasoned logic, Jesus the Evidence invites readers and listeners to explore the evidence and draw their own conclusions. Here on PEP Talk, we speak to the honest, no-nonsense Derek McIntyre about his own journey through the evidence and how he is bringing his findings to churches across the country.Derek McIntyre comes from a science/engineering background and was a resolute agnostic until his early 40's. He came to Christianity when he discovered the wealth of compelling evidence pointing to Jesus being the Son of God. He now shares this evidence with others through the Jesus: The Evidence website, presentation and booklet. Derek is also a Street Pastor in Glasgow and helps at Glasgow City Mission.

Whether it's a young person encountering the first challenges to their childhood faith, or a curious person anonymously ordering a Bible online, it can be easy to be thrown off track by stories of slavery, animal sacrifice or other tricky topics found within the Bible. Or if we're in a position to speak about the Bible to others, what happens when we're asked a question about these potential pitfalls? Here on PEP Talk, we find out about a new book by Andrew Ollerton that takes the Bible on its own terms to help address the toughest topics. Andrew Ollerton is a theologian, pastor, author and presenter who makes complex ideas simple and relevant. Andrew lives in Wales and regularly speaks at conferences, festivals and churches and films video content on locations around the world. Andrew recently developed a new edition of The Bible Course with Bible Society and published a new book called God’s Book: An Honest Look at the Bible’s 7 Toughest Topics. Andrew also works closely with the explorer Bear Grylls. They’ve published a Bible called the NIV for Young Explorers, produced a TV series in Israel and Andrew recently helped Bear develop a brilliant new book called The Greatest Story Ever Told.