God Conversations with Tania Harris

Voices in the Muck: When the Spirit Won't Stay Silent When Don arrived to take up a leadership position at his new church, the Holy Spirit gave him a dream. He saw a group of men dressed in white hazmat suits. They were cleaning out piles of horrible muck from a culvert and moving it to the roadside nearby. Don woke up thinking how horrid it was that the muck was being exposed to all those driving by. Two days later, the nature and depth of the "muck" became clear as one by one, six different women came to Don to confess an affair with the former senior pastor. This episode of the God Conversations podcast is a heavy but important one. Our guest is a pastor from New Zealand who has decades of experience in ministry but has also been privy to some God conversations he'd rather not have. Along with his wife Karen, he led Gateway Church in Hamilton, New Zealand for 20 years. During this season, they watched God restore a church that had been torn apart by the sexual failure of its senior leadership to become a thriving congregation of over 1200 people. Don Barry is a gifted teacher whose ministry has been appreciated throughout New Zealand and many other nations. You'll learn so much from his wisdom born of experience walking with the Spirit. On the show you'll hear about: Don's spiritual journey and pathway into ministry leadership, beginning with a startling God conversation that led Don and Karen from their church in Cambridge to a church in Hamilton. Don reflects on how the Spirit used a feeling of being unsettled and then spoke through three different people to speak the same message. God may speak clearly but doesn't always give the details! Don's dream that God gave him twice when he arrived to take up a leadership position at his new church and the events that occurred almost immediately after, with six different people  confessing affairs all independently of one another. A second vivid dream that showed how God was bringing sin to light so that it could be cleaned up. Instead Don faced pressure to cover it up. “I knew it was the Lord and we needed to know it was the Lord because a couple of voices from our executive said to me that this is the devil's attempt to destroy a good man's ministry. You should keep this covered…” Don reflects on the reasons why sin cannot be hidden. The only way God can transform our hearts and set us free is to convict and expose our sin. Transformation requires truth - you cannot receive grace without first confronting truth, ugly as that may be. Covering up is the worst thing we can do. There are rotten apples in any barrel. The test is what leadership do with them. The answer is not to put the lid on and hope they go away. People felt safe confessing it to you. Perhaps there was safety and integrity in your heart. Uncovering sin is painful. There's no such thing as "Dr Painless the dentist." We must confront the ugliness of of our lives. It's not to condemn but to deliver, but it does require the drill! The need for safe and trusted spaces so that sin can be exposed and people can be restored. Don reflects: “If could be our turn next week.” The role of conscience in relation to God's voice. For Don, the longer we walk with Jesus, the more our conscience and God's voice close ranks! God's purpose in exposure is always redemption. There is no shame or condemnation. God has incredible love for his church. If we don't discipline our children, we hate them. Truth-telling is an act of love - not a thing to be feared, but to be welcomed. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Bio Don Barry has been involved in church leadership for five decades. For the last 30 years he has been a senior leader of Gateway Church in Hamilton, New Zealand. During this season he has watched as God has restored a church, broken and bruised by the sexual failure of leadership, into a thriving congregation.

How Does God's Audible Voice Really Sound? Insights from a Modern-Day Encounter Some people talk about hearing the audible voice of God. What does that sound like? And should we expect to hear it?  On this episode of the God Conversations podcast, we're talking about the "audible" voice of God, why God rarely speaks this way and what our expectations should be for how the Spirit speaks. Our guest has heard the audible voice of God five times and has plenty of insights from his story. Patrick Hegarty is a pastor of a church in Brisbane, Australia but also heads up a a national church planting organisation. He's also authored several books on spiritual formation and renewal.  In this episode, you'll hear about: Patrick's back story, raised in an atheist environment and becoming a Christian at age 19. After 20 years of working in business and “avoiding God's call,” Patrick changed careers and became a full time minister. Patrick's experiences of God's audible voice. Patrick describes it as feeling “almost normal," since it involves the God you know in everyday life. When God speaks out loud, it is almost like the Spirit is shouting in the moment, but as you reflect, you realise no-one else heard it. “God's voice is normally very disruptive. I've never found God to speak at a convenient time!” The God conversation that inspired Patrick's book on leadership and discipleship such that he finished 90,000 words in just three weeks. Patrick's God conversation in Kenya. Patrick was on a ministry trip surrounded by poverty and devastation in the biggest slum in Africa when God spoke out loud: “I remember these people, I want you to remember them.” In Patrick's words, it was like “listening to heaven while looking into hell.” As a result, Patrick started a charity in the area that continues to this day.  As I was looking down in the valley - the biggest slum in Africa - I saw toddlers looking in a stream of rubbish and sewage for food. I had my ears listening to heaven and my eyes looking into hell. Suddenly I heard the out loud voice of God. Everything else went quiet. “I remember these people, I want you to remember them.” The difference between God's “quiet” voice and God's “loud” voice. Patrick sees the audible voice as God's way of making a point that would otherwise be difficult to make. At the same time, the out loud voice is not necessarily the preferred form, since God wants to speak in our everyday moments. The quieter voice also tends to call us to actively seek and listen to God. Like a game of spiritual hide and seek, it's in the seeking that we build the spiritual muscles we need. The outside voice has to be the exception, while a quiet voice is a mark of intimacy. We should always seek the person not the experience.  Advice for hearing God's voice. Patrick says with a smile, “buyer beware.” God's voice calls for transformation and action! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Patrick Patrick has worked for over 20 years in a broad range of Christian movements. Having authored several books on formation and renewal, led and planted churches, and taken over 10,000 people through courses and spiritual retreats, he has seen God do many incredible things across the globe. Patrick leads Kenmore Church in Brisbane, founded the Connexa development incubator, and is currently launching M4 Australia, a national church planting organisation. Previously an engineer and business owner, Patrick has been married to Trish for 36 years, with whom he spends any spare time along with their two children and six grandsons. Find out about his work on spiritual formation at thegrowthtrack.com.au.

God spoke to Craig about healing for a lame Sikh priest. Then the police came... Jesus said it was for our good that he left the earth (John 16:7). That seems hard to believe. What could be better than sitting down and having a coffee with Jesus?  Jesus is described as the living "word of God" (John 1:14) - that meant everything he said was God's voice as well as everything he did. The early disciples could hear God's voice as they were walking down the streets of Jerusalem, as they were sharing a meal with Jesus over bread and olives, as they were listening to Jesus preach on the temple steps. How could anything be better than that? The answer of course is that Jesus' departure signalled the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was better not only because the Holy Spirit would remind us of everything Jesus said and did, he would also speak about things to come - that is, the issues that Jesus didn't cover while he was on earth! It's better because unlike Jesus who was limited to a physical body and the language and customs the first century Jews in the Greco-Roman world, the Holy Spirit speaks to apply those truths to new times, places and cultures! In this episode you'll see the truth of Jesus' words. Our guest, Craig Stephens is an officer of the Salvation Army and has heard God speak in places like India, China, Pakistan and communities in his own hometown. Craig ministers as an evangelist across Australia and beyond and trains others to share the good news. He also works with global missions movement, Impact Nations, and loves to take teams across the world to train them in preaching the gospel and healing the sick.  In this episode, you'll hear about: Craig's God story, growing up in church but then leaving as he didn't feel like he could behave well enough to meet the church's standards. It was a few years later that Craig re-entered the church after a miraculous encounter with the Holy Spirit that changed his heart and gave him boldness to share his faith with others. The Holy Spirit lit a fuse that wouldn't go out! Craig's God-conversation that led him into ministry and in particular, working among the marginalised and broken in Sydney. Craig tells how the Holy Spirit showed him a vision of his middle-class church being mobilised to serve the poor with details about the actual building they could use. Later Craig shares how a visit to the local police and an offer to serve in the most difficult area of the town led them to the exact building! Then they watched as God brought transformation… I could see the people in our church carrying the grace they had in the community… the schoolteachers sitting alongside bedraggled, roughed up kids and coaching them in their schoolwork… the physiotherapists doing therapy in a particular room… the ladies who serve the morning tea hosting the community in a cafe. I couldn't stop seeing it. The incredible God-conversation that led Craig and his team to pray a Sikh priest who had been lame since birth and the God-conversation that subsequently led to a last minute escape from arrest by the Sikh police. A God conversation that led Craig and his team to reach people by the side of the road at the Athens Olympics. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Craig Stephens Craig is a Salvation Army Officer with a deep hunger for encounters of God. As the Australian Eastern Territorial Evangelist, he trains and equips people in evangelism and is responsible for “New Expressions” of The Salvation Army. Craig also oversees the Central Coast Regional Prayer Room (an interdenominational regional prayer space), a small network of house churches called “community tables”, a company of people gifted in evangelism across nearly 30 churches. Craig further serves on the board of Impact Nations (a global missions movement) (impactnations.com) and loves to take teams across the world to train them in ...

Brian committed himself to practising contemplative spiritual disciplines every day for a month. Here's what happened... Psychological studies suggest that certain personalities are better suited to hearing God's voice than others. Those who are “feelers” rather than thinkers seem to be pre-disposed to experiencing the Spirit in sensory ways. So what does that mean for the thinkers and the intellectuals among us? On this episode of the show, we're talking Spirit experiences and analytical thinkers with someone who appreciates both. Dr Brian Ross is an associate professor at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary in California who hails from the Anabaptist tradition but regularly ministers at a wide range of churches. In Brian's words, he's always "lived in his head," but things changed when he began practising some of the contemplative spiritual disciplines. You'll love this conversation, particularly if you're a “thinker” rather than a "feeler”! Brian brings some wonderful wisdom and insight to the topic.  In this conversation, you'll learn about: Brian's journey to faith from a broken home, through a nihilistic and depressing season as a teenager to his decision to follow Jesus and enter pastoral ministry.  Brian's angst in discovering that the church was not always a place where people were naturally oriented to answering his questions. Relating to God as an intellectual:  I've always lived in my head by nature, but this doesn't mean my walk with God isn't practical or personal. God as an incarnational being meets us where we are - that's where God has met me. Sometimes you might hear people say things like Christianity is not a philosophy - it's a relationship and I know what people mean by that, but I would always say, “what's wrong with it as a philosophy?” because I find that compelling. Brian's initiation into the spiritual disciplines and the Spirit encounters that followed. Brian committed himself to practising the disciplines - such as contemplative prayer, meditation and sitting in silence​ - every day for a month. He explains what happened: Nothing changed for a while. Then after a few weeks, I began to have experiences I'd never had before… that I do not have words or categories for. I found them often beautiful and compelling… So, this is what Pentecostals and Charismatics talk about! Brian's reflections on the variety of personalities God has created and how we all experience God differently. Since we all reflect God's likeness, we should expect that we would relate to God in different ways. For example, through acts of service, doing justice, intellectual enquiry, participation in nature and prayer or worship experiences. The need to incorporate all aspects of our intellect to know the fullness of God including rational discourse and deep thinking. Indeed all the early church leaders related to the Greek thinkers of their time. The impact of spiritual experiences on Brian's life… These experiences that are often beyond words are a visceral reminder that there's much more to reality than what we see or understand or control. Some advice for those who haven't had those Spirit experiences. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Brian Brian A. Ross, DMin (George Fox University), is Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary in California. He has taught everything from the history of the rise of secular ideas to courses on prayer, from church planting to guest teaching in business courses. A twenty-six-year ministry veteran, he has served as a: youth pastor, church planter, Senior Pastor, interim teaching pastor, church planting coach, preaching coach, pastoral search consultant, and outreach/strategy consultant. He is a minister with the Brethren in Christ Church and currently volunteers as a founding board member at the Midtown Vineyard Church in Fresno.

Terry Prayed for God to Heal his Church. God Answered with an Invitation to Heal his Heart. Have you ever prayed for something in your life and God answers in a completely different way? Pastor Terry Bone was praying for all the problems of the church when God answered with a vision that pointed to all the problems in his heart! Our show today is about the unexpected journey God takes us on when we begin listening for the Spirit's voice. This was the experience of our guest, Terry Bone. His God-conversations led to him to receive healing for some of the painful experiences from his childhood to a place of freedom. This has to be one of my favourite God conversations on our show - partly because Terry shares so honestly and openly from his own experience! Terry is from Ontario, Canada and after 20 years pastoring, now has a ministry as a “transition pastor” and consultant for churches across the country. He has authored two books and is involved in overseas missions. He has a passion for the Holy Spirit and even gives a plug for my book! You are going to love this conversation and I know it's going to challenge you to allow God to speak into your own heart. In our conversation, you'll hear about: Terry's God story, coming from a nominal church background and the party scene, to the days of the Jesus Revolution where Terry was drawn to God by the idea of a personal relationship with God rather than the empty religion he had previously known. How the Holy Spirit spoke to Terry to lead him on a journey of emotional healing. Terry realised that hearing God's voice was not just about trying to find direction and guidance: “I was driven, focussed on performance - a Type A personality. So for me, hearing God was always about trying to find direction rather than the “search me O God and know my anxious thoughts” prayer. I didn't want to go there but I got cornered." Terry's testimony of praying for his church that was fraught with problems - a huge debt, dwindling numbers, an empty building and a board in conflict, and the vision God gave me in response.  “I saw the roof of a church replaced by a stain glass dome. One of the panels had my name in it. As the picture zoomed in, I heard the words, 'that's the church you're trying to build.'” Terry's experience with the Holy Spirit as counsellor, setting him free from fear and how his ministry completely changed as a result. Terry's journey to freedom effectively led to healing of many others in his church! Today his ministry involves guiding others through the same process as they open their hearts to God. How could I live and teach without seeing this? It's like a conversion experience. The Holy Spirit is a genius. God knows exactly what path to take us on! Terry's reflections on our the nature of our relationship with God and the reward that comes as we continue to listen and respond to God's voice. To just want God's voice for guidance, that's not friendship. When God becomes our friend, the guidance is easy. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Terry Bone Terry was radically saved as a teenager during the ‘The Jesus Revolution' of the 19070's in North America. For 18 years he served two churches in various pastoral roles. Since 2003, Terry transitioned to full time itinerant ministry helping leaders succeed in their calling with a focus upon spiritual and emotional health. Terry's ministry extends beyond Canada to several countries overseas. Terry has also served as a Transition Pastor and consultant for many churches. Terry has authored two books, The Family Blessing Guidebook and The Great Exchange. www.exchangezone.ca Terry and his wife Melissa have lived in the Niagara region of Ontario for more than thirty years. They have three children and eight grandchildren (so far).

God's most common way of speaking in biblical history is through dreams and visions. But today many of us are more likely to dismiss our visionary experiences as the product of a spicy meal rather than a potential message from God. But could we be missing out on the voice we so long to hear? Today's show is a different one where we flip the roles around on the show! Hosted by one of our volunteer God Conversations team members, Ali Kennedy, we hear from Tania Harris, Director of God Conversations and the author of the brand new book, God Dreams: How to Hear God's Voice in Dreams and Visions. You'll get a taster of what the new book is all about, plus a peak behind the scenes of the writing process. You'll hear about: Tania's motivation for writing the book… 25 years in the making, the book began with a personal journey when Tania first heard God speak in a dream. The problem was she had never heard teaching on the topic and when she sought to seek understanding from others, she encountered skepticism, misunderstanding and even mockery. I told my friends about my God dream and they thought I was strange. I told my pastor and he said I was strange. Then I read my Bible and I realised they were strange too, because they heard from God in dream-visions all the time! Why the topic of dreams and visions is so neglected in the church - even when it makes up an enormous proportion of the biblical material. Tania explains the reasons for this “blind spot” in the Western church. Some of the most pivotal points in biblical history happened while someone was sleeping. Why God might favour dreams and visions as a form of communication above other means. Tania reflects on the insights of neuroscience and why they point to our masterful communicator who knows the best way to get the message across. A picture really does tell a thousand words! The difference between a dream and a vision. Tania's greatest challenge in writing the book - exploring John's visions of Revelation, our best example of a visual God conversation in the early church. Tania joined a Revelation scholars group to ensure her interpretations had solid grounding in church tradition and biblical exegesis! Tania explains that John's visions are not difficult to understand once you know how to interpret the language of symbolism.   Listen to the interview!   Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Inspired by the interview? Check out God Dreams the book!

It's Not our Job to Convert Anyone! Jesus' last words on earth was to go into all the world and share the good news (Matt. 28:18-20). But at the same time, we know that it's not our job to convict, convert or save anyone! The Holy Spirit alone works in people's hearts and we should never try to control or coerce another person's choices. So how does this work in practise? What role does the Holy Spirit play in evangelism? These days, evangelism doesn't have such a great name. Whether it's the image of the Bible-thumping, money-seeking TV evangelist or the fire-breathing angry preacher on the street corner, no-one seems to be listening. Perhaps we've forgotten what our job is? What should evangelism look like when the Holy Spirit is working with us?  Our guest Dave Shepherd is here to offer some insights. Dave is a Baptist preacher from Adelaide who had a spectacular God conversation in his teens that changed his life. His insights point us to a way of working with the Holy Spirit that is powerful and beautiful. And it takes the pressure off! On this episode of the show, you'll hear about: Dave's back story -  how Dave grew up serving the “God of sport and basketball,” and how a God-encounter at age 16 changed the trajectory of his life.  Dave's reflections on being raised in a church family and dealing with the questions that confronted him as he grew into adulthood.. Is this real or fake? Is Jesus the one? Why should I follow Jesus? How God answered Dave's questions through a powerful God dream. Jesus was literally standing right in front of me and he had tears in his eyes and he looked at me and he said, “this is why.” The role of the Holy Spirit - who speaks to draw people closer to God as they posture their hearts to seek him. The motivation for evangelism. The first disciples shared their faith because Christ's love compelled them. No specific "program" was needed because they operated out of relationship. Our role in sharing faith. The Holy Spirit is already at work in the world - our role is to discern and co-operate with what the Holy Spirit is doing. This is incredibly freeing as it takes the pressure off! I cannot change anyone no matter how convincing I am, how great my theology is or how wonderful my apologetics are - none of that can make faith come alive in a person's heart. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Dave Shepherd Dave Shepherd is the Lead Pastor of Hills Baptist Church (www.hillsbaptist.com), a multisite church community in Adelaide with a vision to see Jesus glorified, lives transformed and the hope of the Gospel revealed throughout the world. Dave is a co-founder of Ignite Ministries and the One Church podcast, where he works with other believers and church leaders to call the Church to unity, prayer, and worship. Dave's heart and gifting is to fearlessly proclaim the truth of the Gospel, to raise up the next generation of leaders, and to plant churches that plant churches. Dave is married to his wife Jo and together they have three children, Bailey, Mabel and Benji.

The Salvation Army is an incredible movement that works in 136 countries around the world and began in the streets of nineteenth century London by William and Catherine Booth. It is both a church and charity, known for its focus on justice, compassion, and supporting the welfare of others. But did you know that the Salvos began in the power and revelation of the Holy Spirit? On this episode of God Conversations, we talk to Major Kim Haworth about the God conversations that shaped the Salvation Army - affectionately known (in Australia!) as the Salvos. Kim is a major in the Salvos and leads the state of NSW/ACT as Divisional commander. She explains that the Holy Spirit was at the centre of the Salvation Army work from the very beginning. You'll hear about: Kim's story - how she made a decision to follow Jesus at age 31. Kim tells of her belief in God in her earlier years, but how a life-changing encounter in church introduced her to relationship with God at a personal level. Kim's unexpected God conversation that led her into ministry with the Salvation Army. I heard in my mind, “you know you're going to be an officer don't you?” To which I replied “yes!” and felt this crazy sense of peace from the top of my head to the tips of my toes - that is until I realised what I said! The origins of the Salvation Army and how the Holy Spirit led William Booth to reach "the lost, last and least." These were the people other churches weren't reaching because they were the "tough ones." Booth's approach was to raise up a volunteer army to fight for God's kingdom in a spiritual battle. He used military vocabulary because it was well respected and widely understood at the time. The fundamental understanding of the Salvation Army that salvation is wholistic and involves every part of ourselves. “There is no gospel, but the social gospel - salvation is wholistic - the total redemption of mind, body and spirit. People can't hear about the gospel while their tummies are rumbling.” A little of William Booth's story and how he received pushback from the established church because the people he was ministering to didn't fit in and weren't welcomed. Booth realised he would have to create a safe place for them to flourish and hence, new churches were founded. The role of the Holy Spirit in establishing new movements. Often we begin in the fire of the Holy Spirit, but then we get comfortable and shift into maintenance mode. Hence the need to constantly stir up the Spirit in our hearts, listen to what God is saying and bravely re-pioneer... “We see God move most in our lives when we're out of our depth.” Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Kim Haworth Major Kim Haworth is the Divisional Commander of the NSW and ACT Division of The Salvation Army. She has served in pastoral ministry for 10 years with her husband, Steve as Corps Officers (lead pastors) in country Victoria and Melbourne, as well as four years as the Divisional Commander for Tasmania. Kim has completed undergraduate and post graduate studies in Ministry and Theology and holds a Vice Chancellor's Scholar award from the University of Divinity. She have three great adult kids - Jayden, Stacey and Bryce. Kim is passionate about living in the presence of God every day, and sharing the life of freedom and joy, that Jesus died to give all people who call on His name.

A School without Rules? How Holy Spirit can Change How we Learn When we think of the Holy Spirit, we think about the God who saves us spiritually, but did you know that an encounter with the Spirit also helps us to learn? Experiencing the Holy Spirit could even improve your grades at school! In this fascinating interview, I talk with Jeff Davis, Principal of Hillcrest Christian College on the Gold Coast, Australia. In the past year, they've experienced incredible revival among their students, with over a hundred baptisms, the commencement of over 20 new bible study groups and enthusiastic mosh pit worship sessions. Jeff talks about how the faith of the students has become real; how they've seen healing and transformation of behaviour and how they students have even been leading the adults! More so, Jeff reflects on how understanding Jesus and encountering the Spirit changes the way we do education.   You'll hear about: Jeff's back story and his own God conversation story that led to the miraculous conception of his first child.  How the revival at Hillcrest College began when staff were inspired by the events at Asbury University, USA and felt led to pray. An altar call at the school chapel service followed and 400 students came forward…  One boy who was suspended at the time felt God's presence come on him in his home. He rang the school and said, “what happened?” The difference revival has made in the school. Jeff tells of the damage done to students' learning ability through exposure to certain material to the internet, and how the Holy Spirit is restoring hearts and minds. People without faith know there's something different - they just can't understand what it is.  How Spirit encounters reorient us to a more wholistic approach to education. The spiritual dimension is necessary for success! The need for safety and vulnerability to experience God. Jeff explains that the Holy Spirit is free to move when we feel safe and secure. This includes our emotions.  A school without rules? Jeff explains how the school aims to shift from a negative orientation to a positive, redemptive approach that is based on the way of Jesus. The goal is for relationships, safety and emotions to be a part of education so that students can come to school seeking to grow not thinking they're going to get into trouble.  This is the power of the Holy Spirit in education. We encourage you to listen to Jeff's interview and pass it onto parents, teachers and school leaders or anyone who is seeking to learn! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Jeff Davis Jeff Davis is the Executive Head of College at Hillcrest Christian College on the Gold Coast, Australia. With over 35 years of experience in education and more than 20 years as a principal, Jeff has led some of the largest and fastest-growing schools in Australia. His passion lies in challenging current education norms and driving change to provide a world-leading educational experience. At the core of this approach is a focus on wellbeing and emotional intelligence, aiming to prepare students for the evolving global landscape. Jeff believes holistic learning involves developing the whole child across four domains: Intellectual, Emotional, Spiritual, and Wellbeing. He shares his insights on innovation and leadership at conferences, on radio and various podcasts, and through his latest book ‘Leading the Learning Revolution'. Hillcrest Christian College has achieved remarkable growth and recognition under Jeff's leadership, labelled one of the fastest-growing independent schools in Australia and receiving an Innovative Schools Award from Educator Magazine. In 2018, Cambridge University recognised Hillcrest as one of the top 100 Most Innovative Schools globally.

Hearing God in a dream can be a life-changing experience, but it can also be a confusing one! Dreams speak a symbolic and sometimes confusing language and the process of interpretation is not well understood, making it subject to mistakes and abuse. It's no wonder the claim to hearing God in a dream is often met with skepticism, disinterest and even mockery. Dream interpretation is more art than science, so it isn't always straightforward or formulaic, but there are some principles we can learn that will help us hear God more clearly in this creative and powerful way. In this episode of the show, I talk with British dreams expert Tony Cooke about the common mistakes people make when learning to hear God in dreams. We unpack the dynamics of the God-dream experience so that you can confidently discern God's voice as we sleep. You'll discover: A little of Tony's back story and how he became interested in dream interpretation when prophetic experiences broke out in his church. Mistake 1: misunderstanding the symbolism of people in our dreams. One of the biggest mistakes people make is when they see a related person in their dream and they assume the dream is about that person. Mistake 2: over-reliance on dream dictionaries. A dream dictionary is helpful in teaching us about symbolism, but has limited use, because symbols must be understood in the context of the dreamer's life. Mistake 3: fixating on individual symbols while not considering the bigger picture. Mistake 4: dream interpreters who lapse into prophecy and thereby add to the message of the dream. Mistake 5: the inability to discern between soul and spirit in a dream. A reminder that making mistakes is part of the learning process! Given our propensity for error, humility in dream interpretation is crucial. We also need to receive training and be willing to reflect on our experiences in community. The biggest mistake of all is not getting trained properly. Humility says, “I need to know how to do this properly or I can do damage.” Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Tony Cooke Tony is the founder of The Dream Academy (www.thedreamacademy.online), an online training and support site for biblical dream interpreters. He and his wife Dwee planted pastored the Cheltenham Vineyard Church in 2009 and later continued to teach and train in many countries including The Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, India, South Africa, USA, Spain and Ireland. Tony is also on the Leadership Board of Patria Ministries International, a global family of businesses, churches, ministries and itinerant ministers which provides a highly interdependent personal environment where leaders can build relationships and be strengthened and equipped for greater Kingdom influence. Tony and his wife Dwee have two grown up children and live on the south coast of England.

Bob heard God speak at a Bible Study with Prisoners. Then this happened... Jesus was known for the way he interacted with those on the margins of society - the tax collectors everyone despised, the lepers no-one would touch, the cripples and the prostitutes society rejected. Jesus' teaching and interactions constantly reflected God's heart for those who had been forgotten and left behind. So today, when we hear the Spirit as Jesus' continuing voice, we shouldn't be surprised that we find themselves in similar places! That is, we will be led to love the poor as Jesus did. In this episode, we talk about the revelatory work of Holy Spirit among the poor with someone who is doing just that. With his wife Gracie, Bob Ekblad lives out the heart of Jesus through the power and revelation of the Spirit. After living several years working in sustainable farming in Honduras and then studying theology in France, Bob and Gracie lead a church community known as Tierra Nueva (New Earth) in Washington state USA. Here, they come alongside immigrants, street people, addicts and prisoners to demonstrate the love of Jesus in practical and profound ways. You'll hear about: Bob and Gracie's fascinating story from a kibbutz in the Middle East to the cornfields of Honduras, the study halls of Paris and the streets of Washington state… How working with impoverished peasants in sustainable farming led to an unexpected request: “A lot of us are tough. Some of us are violent. We don't put God first, but we notice you do. Could we begin our weekly farming courses with a Bible study?” Bob tells of his surprise and excitement as well as a deep sense of trepidation: “You pull out a Bible in that setting, and the people look like stray city dogs who are used to being kicked. They sleek off and lurk away, fearful of being beaten by the Bible, because that's how the Bible has been used…” How reading the Bible with semi-literate, impoverished Latinos expanded Bob's view of the Gospel story “When people are marginalised and from the lowest classes of society, they abandon all hope and throw themselves into a life of drinking and violence.” A defining moment in Bob's journey towards understanding the Holy Spirit… Bob and Gracie came from a background of seeing only the abuses of Holy Spirit ministry and were fearful of engaging with Charismatic Christians. Yet, they recognised that their ministry desperately needed the power of the Holy Spirit, particularly as they were dealing with hardened criminals and addicts who easily relapsed. When Bob found himself in a charismatic conference, he felt the need to pray a prayer of protection over the Christians praying as they prayed! Then he received a piercingly accurate prophetic word that changed his life: “I see you in a circle of men in red uniforms sitting on blue plastic chairs. I think they're prisoners. I hear the Father saying, “I love how you love my prisoners.” The shift in Bob's ministry after receiving prayer for a healing anointing. Bob tells how Jesus' teaching from Luke 15 became relevant for a self-confessed racist, neo-Nazi gang member in jail who wanted to learn how to get along with Mexicans. After the Bible study, a word from God and a simple prayer led to a miraculous healing for one of the jail members. The connection between hearing the Spirit and developing a heart for those who have suffered, even violent offenders. Bob shares how hearing God speak about the health conditions and root emotional problems of others revealed the kind of grace that did not require change of even faith to bring healing. In his words, "pre-emptive love doesn't require a response - it elicits a response." About Bob Ekblad Bob and Gracie Ekblad are founders and co-directors of Tierra Nueva (New Earth) in Burlington, Washington. Together they minister at Tierra Nueva and at their home-based retreat centre, New Earth Refuge in the Skagit Valley.

If you had to sum up the ministry of Jesus, it would include three features: teaching, exorcising demons and healing! As followers of Jesus and recipients of his Spirit, the church should also be known for healing. But how does it work, and what role does the Spirit's voice have to play? In this episode of the God Conversations podcast, we talk with Kirk Delaney, Pastor of Pine Rivers Vineyard Church in Brisbane Queensland, Director of the Australian Vineyard Churches and a follower of Jesus who is experienced in hearing God's voice for healing. You'll hear about: Kirk's initial attraction to the Vineyard movement that came about because they were not just concerned with moral and spiritual transformation, but in partnering with the Holy Spirit to do the empowering works of Jesus, including healing the sick and casting out demons. "My question was, why are signs and wonders happening in the Majority world but not in the West?" The first major healing Kirk witnessed when the Holy Spirit fell on a woman with a pronounced curvature of the spine and a large protrusion on one of her shoulders. Over 45 mins of prayer, Kirk watched as her leg grew, her spine straightened and the bump on her shoulder disappeared like a deflating balloon. Kirk's response was, “God, I don't know you, do I?!” The connection between compassion and the the healing ministry of Jesus. Holy Spirit speaks to move us with love for hurting people in the manner of Jesus. The mandate on every person to continue Jesus' ministry of healing. Everyone has authorisation to engage - not just the "super healers" on stage! “Everyone gets to do the work of Jesus!” The first time Kirk stepped out in hearing God's voice and healing, involving an unusual story of a woman who had recently lost her husband and was suffering from an arthritic pinkie finger. Kirk explains how we hear God through all the senses - feeling, seeing, hearing - as God draws our attention to something in another person. “God I know you want to talk to me about healing for someone, but my right pinkie finger is really throbbing!” Advice for starting out: start simply - ask God, “is there anyone here on your heart that you would like to touch with your love today?” Kirk's thoughts on why healing doesn't always happen. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Kirk Delaney Kirk is married to Nichole and they have three young adult children and a new son-in-law. Together they pastor the Pine Rivers Vineyard Church in Brisbane and serve as the national directors of Vineyard Churches Australia (https://vineyard.org.au/). Kirk has been serving in local church ministry for 30 years and has a big heart to see God's people equipped for living the message, ministry and mission of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

All over the Western world, people are revisiting their history and in particular, their participation in colonialism. Many nations in the West were established in lands that were long inhabited by indigenous or First Nations peoples, with European settlement coming at a deadly and devastating cost. Debates rage as to how we should respond to a history that is often brutal and violent. For the Christian church, this means asking what the Spirit is saying about the topic. How do we respond to the cries of the native Indians of North America, the Inuit of Canada, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples of Australia, the Maori of New Zealand and so many others who still suffer from the effects of colonial domination? What does the Gospel of Jesus look like when it comes to reconciling our past with our future? On this episode of the podcast, we explore the question of what the Spirit is saying about First Nations people with Ps Lydia Read, leader of the New Wine Movement in New Zealand. Lydia is well-positioned to answer this question, having lived it alongside the Maori peoples of New Zealand. You'll hear Lydia talk with Tania about: The history of the New Wine movement as well as Lydia's personal story into her family's adventures with the Holy Spirit. Lydia talks about the emphasis of New Wine on healing, reconciliation, justice and its role standing alongside the local church asking, “how can we help?” Lydia's experience of reconciliation with the first peoples of her land - the Maori. Lydia explains that we start by making deep friendships with First Peoples in a way that reflect the ideals of covenant. That is, we form relationships as brothers and sisters together as the family of God. The need to watch our hearts and pursue the face of God in the journey of reconciliation. This calls us to deep humility. It involves learning together and talking about our cross-cultural differences. You start with watching your heart - the wellspring of life. Reconciliation calls us to deep humility and seeking after the identity God has for us as a nation and the people of God. How one of the earliest God conversations in the early church between people of two different cultures provides us with an example for us to follow. The Ethiopian Eunuch's interaction with Phillip marked the first conversion in the church outside the Jewish race (Acts 8:26-40) and crossed enormous social barriers including race, sexuality and class. Lydia explain how conversations with the Maori about Scripture broadened her understanding of the Gospel. What it means to do “church” with people of different cultures - while cross-cultural integration is challenging, we are so much richer for it! Lydia shared how she learnt to play differently as a result of her relationship with Maori! The enormous significance of Jesus' prayer that we may be one (John 17:20-23).  How the process of reconciliation leads us into the heart of God as the Holy Spirit challenges how we think, even while our upbringings have shaped our thinking and often led us to avoid those who are different. When the Spirit falls and you pursue the things on God's heart, everything falls into the right order. You start to see God's justice and love for those on the margins. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Lydia Read The Spirit-stirring feeling that there must be more, and that a life of faith should mean a life of adventure is what first led Lydia (and husband Shane) to the New Wine movement (www.newwine.org.nz). A wild roller coaster ride of fun and adventure is one way to describe what's happened since! Lydia leads the charge at New Wine with joyful devotion! She is energised by God's church and being with ordinary people who live dynamic personal faith journeys - the true heroes of the faith. With the rest of her time, Lydia masters the role of cool grandma to six mokopuna ...

How do we hear God's voice? Perhaps the best way to describe the forms of Holy Spirit communication is by starting with the human forms we're familiar with. This includes all of our senses! So we can hear God's voice, but we can also see it, taste it, smell it and feel it! On this episode of the show, we focus on hearing God through our “spiritual senses” with prophet and pastor Maria Mason. You'll learn about: Maria's back story, from being raised in a Catholic family to walking away from God and later, coming to terms with her experiences of seeing in the Spirit realm from the age of five. The variety of sensory ways we can hear from God. Just as we have sight, hearing, touch, taste and feeling as our five natural senses, we have five senses in the spiritual ream - spiritual eyes, spiritual ears, spiritual taste, spiritual smell and spiritual touch. “God is a god of variety. It is the Father's intention that each person has their sensory realm opened up.” How God uses “Spirit feelings” to communicate. For example intercessors can receive "intel" from God through their emotional selves by tuning into God's heart for a situation. There are plenty of examples of this in Scripture, such as with Jeremiah - the weeping prophet, and Isaiah who felt the groans of God. Prophetic people who are tuned into their senses can feel for other people and receive information about them. The importance of emotional healing to sharpen our spiritual senses. “Wounded emotions struggle to feel in a clean way. You get mixed intel…” The profound connection between hearing God's voice and healing. Maria says we need to become "students of our own hearts." She reminds us of the proverb to “watch over your heart with all diligence because from it, springs life” (from Proverbs 4:23). Watching over our hearts includes noticing trigger points that come up and present an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to bring healing. As Jesus said, the Spirit is present to heal the broken-hearted (Luke 4:18). Prophecy is not just for revival - it is one of the tools that God uses to bring emotional healing. “The more our hearts get healed by the Father, the more we can be confident that we are experiencing clear communication in our human relationships and our relationship with God.” The value of “Highly Sensitive People” (HSP). Neuroscientists have discovered that there are some brains (approximately 25% of the population) that are particularly sensitive to stimuli. That is, highly sensitive people are quicker to discern things when they walk into a room. They can be hyper aware of what is going on in relationships and can even sense the presence of demonic forces. HSP people are almost pre-wired to be prophetic! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Maria Maria describes herself as a “cultural architect,” who lives to see the Church become powerful in God's presence. Together with her husband Phil, Maria pioneered a community in northern NSW, Australia in 1998 called Tribe Church. She is a recognised prophet and speaks on the subjects of church culture, relationships, leadership, prophetic ministry, worship, community and revival. Maria loves to coach leaders and is an ordained pastor in the Crosslink Network and a member of the Australian Prophetic Council. Her books, “The Glory Community; Building Heaven's Culture on Earth” (Part 1 and 2) and “Heart Prophet: a manual for feelers, seers and heart restorers” are designed to inspire the church to live in the realm of God's glory here on earth. 

One of the most challenging times to hear God's voice is in seasons of suffering and ill-health. Clarity is difficult to find in the midst of pain, fear and doubt. On this episode, we talk to someone who understands this more than most. British author, communicator and friend, Kate Nicholas joins us on the GC podcast to talk about her rollercoaster ride of cancer diagnoses and how she heard God speak in the midst of them. This episode will encourage anyone who is seeking to hear God's voice in the midst of suffering. On the show, we talk about: Kate's fascinating faith journey, beginning with her bohemian upbringing and faithful attendance at a Baptist church in childhood. This was followed by a season of rejecting her faith when she was unable to reconcile God's goodness with her father's mental illness. Finally, a time of spiritual exploration led her to travel, studying Buddhism in India and experiencing God's presence in the Australian outback. Kate's first diagnosis with advanced breast cancer in 2014 and the extraordinary journey of healing that followed. The prognosis was devastating - Stage 4 cancer had spread to some of the main organs of her body - but through it all, Kate clung to a promise that God had given her - she would “not die, but live and declare the works of God” (Psalm 118:17). It was during this time that Kate wrote her first book, Sea Changed in order to show her children that God was with her and so that they wouldn't reject God as she had. Kate's insights on healing - though Kate still doesn't understand why some experience physical healing and others do not, she explains how God's healing is bigger than a cure. She tells of one of her early meetings with the oncologist and how she experienced such a deep peace, that the oncologist questioned her understanding:  “You do understand the implications of what I'm saying to you, don't you?” “Yes, you're telling me that I'm dying. But I'm going to leave the door open to God.” Kate's second cancer diagnosis in 2021 - this time in the other breast and far more aggressive than the first. Though initially bewildering for Kate, the cancer became a profound gateway to a greater connection with God. Kate's discovery of the contemplative tradition. During her cancer treatment and the isolation caused by COVID, Kate learned about the contemplative practises used by the Apostle Paul, the early desert fathers, the Celtic Christians and the medieval mystics. These all focus on being close to God in solitude and hearing God in silence. As a self-proclaimed “raving extrovert”, Kate explains how this was a challenge at first! "I discovered a whole tradition I knew very little about which goes back all the way to the dawn of Christianity. These contemplative practices focus on being close to God and hearing his voice in solitude and silence. This was a challenge for me because I am a raving extrovert!" Kate reminds us that Christianity is an Eastern faith at its roots - and that sadly, the Western tradition has lost much of this emphasis. Kate tells of the riches to be found in Christian mindfulness, centering prayer and opening up to our intuition. She encourages us all to “be still and know that he is God.” (Psalm 46:10) About Kate Nicholas Kate Nicholas is a Christian author, TV presenter and speaker with over thirty years working experience as a journalist and editor and more recently global communications chief for Christian aid agency World Vision. She also preaches at the Amazing Grace Church of St Peter and St Paul in the British market town of Olney in Buckinghamshire.  When first diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2014, Kate was given a promise that she would ‘ not die, but live and declare the works of God' (Psalm 118:17). And when, against all odds she survived, this became the mission of her life beginning with her first book Sea Changed - an account of her unconventional journey of faith and h...

Lyn Packer thought that one day she'd end up in a mental institution. As a young prophet, she experienced revelatory encounters on a regular basis, but didn't understand the nature of her gifting. Her church wasn't much help either since they didn't believe in modern-day prophecy. So Lyn just thought she was weird. Mixed in with the confusion, Lyn was suffering the effects of sexual abuse from the hands of both her father and grandfather up until the age of 16. Again her church wasn't much help - they frowned on both medication and professional counselling. That left Lyn to work out much of the healing journey on her own.  Thankfully the Holy Spirit stepped in, leading her step by step into a place of healing and wholeness. Today, Lyn draws on the wisdom of her experience to talk about an area that is often fraught with unhelpful and misguided ideas. You'll love hearing her story and the insights that she brings. In the episode, you'll hear about: Lyn's back story - how she became a Christian at 16 in a youth meeting and how her decision to follow Jesus led to a confrontation with her father and grandfather about their abuse. At that point the abuse stopped, but Lyn still slept with a knife under her pillow in case they tried to attack her again. “The Christian meeting was bound to be a little better than watching my grandparents at home getting drunk.” Lyn's call to be a prophet as she read from the book of Isaiah (even when she didn't know what a prophet was!) “I used to think I was weird because even as a child I could see stuff in the Spirit.” Lyn's long healing journey beginning in her early 30s. During this time, she would be triggered by something, a traumatic memory would surface and she'd find herself shaking in the bathroom. She was later diagnosed with dissociative amnesia, complex post traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety. She lived with this condition daily - even as a pastor. At first Lyn suffered in silence, trying to deal with it on her own, but then the Holy Spirit led her to embrace medication and counselling as well as prayer. Some of the spiritual encounters that were instrumental to Lyn's healing, including a vision she had while lying on the bed where the abuse took place. How to discern the difference between the voices of the demonic, the effects of trauma and the voice of the Holy Spirit. The relationship between healing and forgiveness. Lyn explains that forgiveness requires healing first - not the other way around.  “To say, ‘just forgive and get healed' is like putting a bandaid on an infected wound. It just covers it so you can't see what's underneath. True forgiveness comes only as you heal.” Some advice for pastors and leaders, including the role of anti-depressants, the fear and shame associated with exposure and the importance of being trauma-informed. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Lyn Packer Lyn's call and gifts are expressed multi-dimensionally as a speaker, teacher, prophet, author, and artist. Her ministry carries a revelatory anointing that is catalytic, bringing breakthroughs and shifts to both individual lives and Churches as she ministers. As a prophet, Lyn carries the heart of God and calls the church to walk in the fullness of its identity in Christ. She is a member of the New Zealand Council of Prophets, facilitates the New Zealand Prophetic Network, and is part of a group of prophets who run the annual School of Prophets Aotearoa. She and her husband Rob live in Christchurch, New Zealand and attend Living Waters Christian Centre. Find out more: www.robandlyn.org and www.nzpropheticnetwork.com 

Lucky Te Koha was a prominent leader of an infamous crime gang in New Zealand. His was a life of extreme violence, crime, drugs and prostitution. Lucky was known across New Zealand prisons. His nickname was ‘Famous' - and you didn't mess with him. But five years ago, everything changed when a local church pastor invited him to church. At first Lucky hated it. But then God met him when the local cop - and a member of the church - prayed for him. Today Lucky is a pastor, leading gang members and others in a pathway of healing and reconciliation through trauma workshops, speaking at police conferences and training churches. We have virtually nothing in common except perhaps the most important thing - believing in the importance of listening and following the Holy Spirit! On this episode Lucky shares his breathtaking story, including: His dissatisfaction with life: As he approached 50, Lucky was outwardly “successful” making big money in crime syndicates, owning a large house and luxury cars. There was a lot of drugs and women - life was a “full time party.” "I had everything, but I had nothing.” Ps. Lucky Te Koha Finding camaraderie in boys' homes and gangs: “they were the only people who wanted me.” After being raised in a home where violence alcoholism and sexual abuse was the norm, here was a brotherhood where everyone was just like him.  Being invited to the local church by the “stalker” pastor who kept showing up unexpectedly when he was in town. Lucky's innate inability to lie meant that he was cornered into accepting the pastor's invitation every time. Lucky tells of his first two visits - how much he hated everything about church - the music, the sermon and all those church people who "kept looking at him and wanting to give him a hug." The day everything changed. After being inadvertently found in church the day after he was arrested, Lucky spotted the very cop who had arrested him! Dave offered to pray for him and Lucky literally felt his old heart being squeezed out and replaced by something new. God said, “I'm giving you a new heart. Your heart was too cold and too hard. Now you will feel empathy for people like you never have before.” Lucky's vision and calling with a new ministry called Kingdom Brotherhood. This is largely a men's ministry that involves helping others deal with their emotional wounds and trauma. In this, Lucky leads the way by sharing from his own story. He tells of how confession, vulnerability and honesty can open up the way for healing. Lucky's vision came directly from God, to “raise up an army” of righteous and fearless leaders. "I thought I'd just be cooking the sausages. Now I run a trauma program with the gangs, because I'm an 'expert on trauma' - I've had every trauma you can think of!” The story of how a whole chapter of the Black Power gang surrendered their life to Jesus and were baptised.  The continued journey of healing and freedom in his own life. Lucky shares how God spoke to him when he prayed for healing for his eyes: “Why would I heal your eyes when you watch so much rubbish?” When Lucky responded to the Holy Spirit and stopped watching violent videos on YouTube, his eyes were healed instantly. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

Does our personality have anything to do with hearing God's voice? How does our human imagination, thinking and intuition interact with the Spirit? Our guest on this show Mark Chironna, calls our human interaction with God a “dance,” where God never violates our humanness and the journey to wholeness is the place where theology and psychology meet. Mark calls himself a dysfunctional Italian from New York City. He grew up in a Presbyterian church, but was disillusioned by the lack of evidence of the power of God. So he dabbled in metaphysics, esoteric Christianity and even the occult before finding himself radically converted to Jesus at 19 years of age at the height of the Jesus people movement (Think the movie, Jesus Revolution). Mark says he knew the devil and that scared him enough to realise Jesus must be real! Today Mark is a theo-semiotician, prophetic minister and media personality who holds a Doctorate of Ministry in Future Studies and a Master of Arts in Psychology. While at times in the church, psychology was seen to be a kind of enemy to spirituality, Mark firmly believes theology and psychology need to be in conversation with each other. He brings a unique and necessary psychological perspective to the experience of hearing God's voice. This is a rich and deeply insightful conversation! Tania and Mark talk about: Mark's story and how he experienced prophetic inclinations at an early age. He “just knew things about people.” The interaction of our humanness and God's divinity:  “At that place where the divine and human interact, God never violates the way he made us, so there's this dance - this participation with the Spirit - that graces us to yield to insights and intuitions that come." The importance of quietness and contemplation in hearing God. The interaction of personality and hearing God. Mark suggests that that people who lean towards the prophetic tend to be more introverted and spend more time in self-reflection and self-awareness. The connection between creativity and prophetic expression. How our pain and suffering teaches us to listen and hear. This is very different to “magical thinking,” where we've been inundated with the idea to “make this decree and it will come to pass.” The importance of the cross in recognising and understanding the Spirit's voice. “There is no prophetic without cruciformity. The cross has to touch all of us: introvert, extrovert, thinker, feeler, judger and senser." Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Dr. Mark Chironna Helping people learn how to flourish and become life-long learners has been Mark's life's journey. As an avid student, Dr. Chironna is a theo-semiotician, holding a Doctorate of Ministry in Future Studies and a Master of Arts in Psychology (www.markchironna.com). He is also an author, BCC certified coach, and is currently seeking a Ph.D. at the University Of Birmingham, UK. Most importantly, Dr. Chironna has been in the people-helping arena for over forty-seven years, guiding others towards growth in Christ and all areas of life.

Have you ever heard God speak in a riddle or a pun? God is a masterful communicator with a great sense of wit and humour! We see God's communicative ability from the beauty of creation. The same God who breathed diversity and creativity into the natural world continues to speak with the same qualities by his Spirit. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1-2) On this podcast episode, Tania talks to pastor and prophet, David Shadbolt, a minister from the UK who is passionate about communication with both God and people. In this episode, David shares his experience of Holy Spirit's creativity, including: His first experience of hearing God's voice and the simple advice of his mentor, “read the Bible, listen to God and ask what you should do.” His insights about the importance of having the freedom to step out and explore what Holy Spirit is saying. The importance of hearing God in the small things of our lives. “God speaks into the context of our lives. Most of the time, God speaks about simple and small things, but the small can become extraordinary in the hands of our God.” The power of the prophetic Spirit who reveals the secret of our hearts and we learn that God is really among us (1 Corinthians 14:25) “When God reveals the secrets of our hearts, we realise that God is no longer just historical - the God of the dusty Bible - he is also one living among us.” Some wild and creative God conversation stories that involved riddles and puns. How to expand and deepen your prophetic imagination. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About David David Shadbolt is the founder of the School of Prophecy in the UK and part of the wider  leadership team across the five congregations of Hope Church in the borough of Bromley, Kent, UK. He is a speaker, entrepreneur, author and prophetic teacher in the marketplace. and has authored a number of books including ‘God's Healing for Businesses'. David is based in London, but travels globally ministering into a range of church and business contexts. He helps people discover for the first time, or maybe afresh, the wonder of true spiritual communications and the myriad of ways that God communicates to us - and then, through us, to others. School of Prophecy UK 

Ps. Adam Dyer grew up with the "Titanic Gospel.” Here, the only thing that mattered was people's “souls.” The "ship was going down" so, you had to get as many people to heaven as possible before they died. This perspective failed him as a child and, along with the moral failure of his pastor (his father!), led him through a process of deconstruction as a young adult. Later, God called him into pastoral ministry and he reluctantly obeyed. His question at the time was, "where did the church go wrong and how can we do it differently?" On this episode of the God Conversations podcast, Tania and Adam discuss a much bigger gospel than the "Titanic Gospel" and show how the Spirit works both inside and outside the church to bring about the reconciliation of all things. The Gospel.. “should be good news for everybody, not just good news for a few and terrible news for everybody else.” In the podcast, Adam: Tells his personal story of deconstruction as he struggled with the person of Jesus and the church who had failed him. Shares his hearing God experiences and how as a young boy, he just “knew stuff about people. For Adam, “sensing the Spirit moving was like sherbet running through my veins.” Reminds us that the Spirit isn't just what shows up when “we sing the right songs and get the right key change.” The Spirit shows up in families who are trying to navigate chaos and brokenness. “When you encounter Jesus in the homeless person, you encounter a different Jesus to the sanitised version you might sing about on Sunday morning.” Tells the story of woman on suicide watch and how volunteering with the church's homeless program (even as a non-Christian) saved her life. Shares the conviction that if God is involved in community, the whole community should be blessed whether they believe in Jesus or not. Tells a story about the signs of spirit at work when a formerly homeless woman bought a stack of potato crisps (chips!) from the supermarket and insisted on giving them out.  Shows us how to work with the Spirit inside and outside the church. “It's not about about choreographing the Spirit. We create space for God to do things. It's a posture shift… God is saying 'Stop trying to do things for me!'" Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Ps. Adam Dyer is leader of Yeovil Community Church in the south west of England. YCC is a vibrant church who is pioneering in community transformation. Adam is also the executive director of Jesus Collective and the author of Unknown: What if God's Not Like That? He is married to Rachel who also leads at YCC, and together they have four children and two grandchildren. Find Adam at: Jesus Collective  Yeovil Community Church UK Adam's Book: Unknown: What if God's Not Like That? 

  God Told Arthur Guinness to Make a Better Drink and other Famous God-conversations in History God is and always has been a talking God. The Hebrew Scriptures alone record over 3500 different God-conversations. Then in the New Testament, we read of at least another 30 more. But God continues to speak beyond the stories of ancient Israel and the early church. God has spoken throughout history and the stories continue to be thrilling. On this episode, I join North American evangelist and filmmaker Reverend Carl Wesley Anderson, to talk about God conversations in history. You'll hear about Carl's own life-changing God-conversation in his journey through cancer as well as three others that changed the course of history. 1. Carl Anderson (21st C): “Choose this cancer treatment” God spoke to Carl throughout his recovery from Stage 3b skin cancer, including a dream of his oncologist revealing which cancer treatment he should opt for. 2. Evan Roberts (20th C): “Preach this sermon” God told Evan Roberts to preach to the young people of his hometown. God even gave him the four key points. When Evan did what God said, it sparked a powerful revival that led to 100,000 people coming to faith in 5 months. 3. St Patrick (5th C): “Go! Your ship is ready" Patrick was an English slave in Ireland when God spoke to him in a dream, “Go, your ship is ready!” Patrick escaped during the night and walked 100 miles to the coast where he found the ship from his dream ready to return him to England. Some years later, Patrick had another dream - this time, he saw a group of people on the shores of Ireland beckoning him to return. Again, Patrick heeded God's voice, moving back to Ireland to preach. So began the transformation of a nation. 4. Arthur Guinness (18th C): "Make a better drink" God spoke to Arthur to make a better drink than gin with minimal alcohol and high levels of nutrients. And so Guinness was born. The profits from this God-conversation and Arthur's very successful drink was used to finance a range of philanthropic projects including missions to China and beyond. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Watch Carl's series: Love Speaks, Episode 1 for free! 20% discount on Love Speaks Documentary Film Series. Use the CODE "TANIA20" at the checkout! SUBSCRIBE to Carl's YouTube channel "To the Ends of the Earth.” About Carl Wesley Anderson Rev. Carl Wesley Anderson (B.Comm Arts, M.Div) is an international equipping evangelist and documentary filmmaker. His vision is to inspire and equip believers for passionate discipleship and hearing God's voice through itinerant ministry and as a “media missionary." Carl is the Founder and Executive Director of Born to Blaze Ministries, the author of the book Love Speaks, the writer/director/producer of two television series, Love Speaks & From History to Hope and documentary Does God Talk Back? He resides in Buffalo, Minnesota, USA with his wife Sarah and their three children.

We're called to become more like Jesus. But does that mean we're supposed to become more like a Middle-Eastern man? When we become a Christian, we learn that the goal is to grow “more like Jesus.” As a young person, I used to wonder what that meant. I wasn't very enthused by the thought that I should aim to become like someone other than myself! So what does it look like to become spiritually mature?  Spiritual growth is work of the Spirit and involves deep and thorough transformation. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor 5:17).  But that doesn't usually mean that God snaps his fingers and the work is done. Formation is a process outworked in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. In other words, we have an important role to play too.  In this episode of the God Conversations podcast, Tania explores the process of spiritual formation and how we co-operate with the Spirit to make us new. Her guest is Ps Ally Cawthorn from Western Australia. Ally pastors a church with her husband and is the founding director of ‘The Immersion Academy', a spiritual formation academy that seeks to reimagine ancient Christian formation practices for a contemporary context. The episode covers: Ally's story and how spiritual formation came to be a key part of her leadership journey. The goal of spiritual formation - to become our true selves. That involves letting go of false ways of being and removing the masks we often wear. The Spirit works to set us free from death-producing behaviours and become the person we've been created to be. The pathway of spiritual formation as individualised. While the goal is spiritual maturity, the pathway will look different for every person. Spiritual practices that facilitate the work of the Spirit - including contemplative practices such as slow-down prayer and slow reading of Scripture, journalling, silence and spiritual direction.  The way triggers in our behaviour such as anger, jealousy and anxiety can act as opportunities for reflection and growth. In following Jesus and allowing the Spirit to work in us, we become more like true selves. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Ally Cawthorn (D.Min, MA. Bib. Stud.) pastors Urban Church in Western Australia along with her husband. She is the Vice President of Australian Christian Churches (ACC), Western Australia and was elected as a member of the ACC National Executive in 2021. She is also the Founding Director of ‘The Immersion Academy' (www.theimmersionacademy.com), a spiritual formation academy that seeks to reimagine ancient Christian formation practices for a contemporary, Pentecostal context. Ally is passionate about equipping believers to live a prophetic life and is seeing Christians experience a deeper relationship with God.  

If God truly is the Creator, that makes him the supreme artist. We've all enjoyed the beauty of a world that never ceases to amaze and delight. But if God sent his Spirit to fill us and speak to us, what does that mean for human creativity? How does having God's creative Spirit make a difference in our lives? On this episode, we're talking all things Holy Spirit and creativity. Our guest Ps. Bruce (Robbo) Robertson is a unique combination of pastor, prophet and a creative! After many productive years in youth ministry and a variety of church leadership roles, he is currently serving as a pastor at Hope Unlimited Church (Hope UC) in the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. In the podcast, we talk about: The creativity of God! “God the most dynamic, creative being imaginable. All our creative urges derive from God. We call God the "Ancient of Days", but God is not old. God is ever present and infinitively beyond our capacity for imagination. We must not reduce the communicative side of God into our very small condensed, ritualised world.” The link between hearing God's voice, creativity and the diverse ways God speaks How God speaks through the beauty and diversity of creation. "The whole universe resonates with the incredible sound of God's creativity. This utterly creative God wants to communicate to us and speak through us. What an incredible privilege. We mustn't dumb that down. We cannot miss the beauty of what God is like!" Bruce's story from agnostic to Jesus-follower and how God has brought out his creativity. His spiritual journey led him to become a musician, then a script writer, advertising agent and a minister. He even wrote his first song after learning the guitar for two weeks! Bruce shares how his divinely inspired creativity has flowed in both the church and the corporate world through media and advertising. What it means to be an artist "for God's sake” rather than for its own sake. The role of vulnerability in creativity. To create something new is to risk rejection and mockery as it leads us into the unknown. The role of creativity in mission. “We've become so boring as churches that we've sometimes lost our capacity to communicate what God is really like. We are too mundane, too monotone. Yet none of those words would be used to describe God!” Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Ps. Bruce (Robbo) Robinson Robbo is a unique combination of pastor, prophet and a creative! He has been involved in in youth ministry and several church leadership in a long and productive ministry career. Currently, he is a pastor at Hope Unlimited Church in the Central Coast of New South Wales. He and his wife Kate function as part of the leadership team with emphasis on the teaching and prophetic ministries of the church and leadership coaching across Hope UC's campuses.  Bruce is a writer and creator of a whole range of media. For several years, he headed up the Church Media Association in the Hunter region, and produced a range of media including community TV ads and press articles. Bruce also has a passion for mission and consults to the Hope Global Board on mission projects and the delivery of community aid and church planting.

There's a lot of talk around discipleship at the moment, but what does discipleship actually look like? We know it's all about following Jesus. But if Jesus isn't here, how do we follow?  This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. Before Jesus left the planet, he said that the Spirit would come to remind us of everything Jesus said and then to speak about things to come (John 14:26, 16:13). So to follow Jesus is to heed his continuing voice, the Holy Spirit. In this episode, we talk to Prophet and Pastor Murray (Muz) Newman about the relationship between hearing God's voice and discipleship. We learn that hearing the Spirit and discipleship is essentially about  building intimate relationship with God. "There's no topic that's taboo. There's no topic that the Lord won't talk to you about.” Listen to Muz and Tania talk about: How everyone experiences the voice of the Spirit differently. Therefore, discipleship involves helping people  recognise how God speaks to them. How a sense of love and concern for others led to the development of the gift of prophecy in Muz's life. Hearing God involves "keeping our eyes open to what God is saying and doing in other people.” The need to “exercise” our spiritual senses; it's “lots of practice doing a very simple thing.” “…that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14) The exposing God! In our walk with Holy Spirit, there's no topic that's taboo. “Holy Spirit gets under our skin to transform us from the inside out." Muz talks about an everyday example of what this looks like in his own life: In the midst of our problems, ask God, “what are you doing in the midst of this?” Hearing God's voice involves following through and acting on what we've heard. What stops us from following the Spirit? Pride, unbelief and maybe, a motorbike…   Murray Newman, known locally as “Muz,” is both an expert in hearing the Spirit and discipleship. He helps to pastor a church in the central coast of NSW Australia, travels and consults in many other churches around the world and is passionate about communication, healing and the miraculous. Find out more abut his ministry here. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!  

  A Dream of a Child's Toy and Feet Full of Maggots One Christmas morning Nicola had a dream that would change her and her family's life. It involved a Buzz Lightyear toy, a child in the African slums and feet infested with maggots.  In this podcast episode, Tania talks to Nicola Neal about her journey into ministry, beginning in a church in the town of Bath, UK and finishing in the slums of Africa. You'll hear the dramatic way God turned Nicola's life around through a vivid God conversation, how that same God-conversation was confirmed multiple times and how it led Nicola and her family to pack up their life in the UK and move to an unknown region of the world in just eight weeks. There Nicola began to understand the dream she had experienced so many years earlier. She and her family saw the supernatural work and grace of God in the face of extreme poverty, violence, sickness and death. You'll be inspired as Nicola shares God's heart for the poor and how the kingdom transforms at the deepest level. We also talk in the episode about everyday God-conversations and how each of our interactions with the Holy Spirit lead us step by step into God's plan. Nicola shares how we hear God's voice most of the time through the small, quiet and the everyday. A lot of time it feels like tuning into a whisper and sense on the inside that God is with us. As with any relationship, with time and intentionality, we gain clarity. About Nicola Neal Nicola and her husband Simon served as church leaders up until 2009 when they followed God's calling and moved with their two children to Uganda. There they got to see life as it really is for those living in the slums of Kampala and became passionate about bringing the God-given potential to light in people's lives. Not only through partnering with them to see change in their homes and families but by helping them encounter their heavenly Father. Since then, Every Life has grown into the team of over 50 dedicated men and women it is today. Simon and Nicola have now relocated back to the UK with their family, where they work with the International Office, guiding and overseeing Every Life's mission bases around the world. Nicola regularly speaks at churches and conferences around the country. Learn more at everylife.org.uk. Nicola's books Gold and Journey into Love are available at nicolaneal.uk  Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

We all know that we should do it, but the question is how? Prayer - one of the main callings of Christians and the key means to relationship with God. The question is how do we approach this mystical thing called prayer: What works and what doesn't? And how does prayer connect with listening to the Holy Spirit? Today's podcast is all about prayer and we have a brilliant guest to guide us. Ps Stacey Hilliar is on the Executive team at Neuma Church in Melbourne, Australia and looks after the prophetic leadership of her church. We talk about:  Stacey's church and their innovative “fivefold model” which means her job title is the “prophetic pillar” of Neuma Church. The story of how God led Stacey to work in prophetic ministry in the local church. Stacey became familiar with the voice of God as early as 8 or 9 years old. As she tells the story, she just “knew” things. But growing up in church that didn't believe in Spirit speech made her experience difficult. Let's just say it was a messy start.  How a demonic encounter led Stacey and her husband to return to church after a dark season. The truth that prayer fuels power. A key question is to always ask; “Have you prayed about it?” Specific spiritual practices inspired by ancients such as Ignatius of Loyola - reading the Scripture slowly four times slowly out loud (also known as “Lectio Divinia”). This involves picturing yourself in a scene with Jesus and allowing Holy Spirit to speak to you. How God can speak to us through our redeemed imagination.  Why discipline is important for our prayer-life. This means we pray regularly even when we don't feel like it. ie. Put the phone away! The role of music in prayer. How the Holy Spirit spoke to Stacey about her own personal development through a Jesus story. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! We highly recommend Stacey's podcast: available here on Apple and Spotify.  Ps Stacey Hilliar and her husband Jai live in Melbourne with their four children. Stacey is on the Executive team at Neuma Church, overseeing the Prophetic Pillar globally. Neuma Church has multiple locations across Australia, Bangkok, Thailand and San Francisco. Stacey is passionate about equipping and empowering individuals, churches, families and teams to grow in freedom, intimacy with Jesus, and build prophetic cultures with excellence in their love for the Church. Whether it is preaching, teaching, worship leading, podcasting or writing, Stacey loves to represent the fullness of joy and freedom found in Jesus, and she's always up for a good laugh.

I grew up in a church that believed that God had stopped speaking outside of the Bible. This teaching, known as Cessationism, is seen throughout the church world today and has appeared periodically in history. But the question is, why would someone believe God has stopped speaking, given that the New Testament is clear that the Holy Spirit was given to everyone to hear from God on the Day of Pentecost? (Acts 2:16,17). The Apostle Peter himself said that this promise was for all generations - beyond the early church and beyond Jerusalem and Judea (and beyond the canonisation of Scripture!) (Acts 2:39).  One of the answers lies in the theological problem of how Spirit relates to Scripture. That is, how do my Spirit-speaking experiences today relate to the Spirit speaking experiences of Scripture? God's words are both a vessel of his power and a reflection of his character. Therefore, any claim to hearing God's voice today represents a claim to divine authority. This looks as if we're placing our experience on par with the Bible, something most Protestant Christians would emphatically reject. This episode of the podcast begins to resolve the problem by featuring a reading from my new book, The Church who Hears God's voice: equipping everyone to recognise and respond to the Spirit. It's the third in a 3-part series that features readings from the book - a bit of an entree before you enjoy the main meal! In the episode, you will learn about: The questions of a real life situation. If God said it, should I obey it? Four answers to the theological problem.  The first answer to the theological problem: “God on Mute” (Cessationism) The second answer to the theological problem: Christians who don't read the Bible! (Why would you if you have the Spirit) The remainder of the chapter goes on to discuss a third (“Good but not as good”) and fourth answer (“This is that”). The fourth option is the one I arrived at and expand at more detail in the rest of the book. You'll begin to see why this question is so important and how it has practical implications for how we experience the Spirit today as well as how we read the Bible. The theological conundrum can be solved and it all starts with looking at how the early church dealt with it. I pray it is a blessing to you! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

The concept of hearing God's voice for yourself bears enormous potential, but it is also fraught with pitfalls. Indeed, the entire scope of history tells of the problems associated with claims to divine revelation. Torrid tales of manipulation, deception, and even murder have all been justified by the claim: ‘God told me'. The proliferation of a wide range of unorthodox beliefs and abuses of power have been so heinous, it's not surprising that many church leaders throw their hands up in the air and reject any idea of personal communication with God! The dynamic experience given at Pentecost not only has the power to bring God's kingdom to earth but can also work astoundingly against it. How are we to harness the potential of hearing God experiences in our churches and deal with the problems that arise from them? This episode of the GC podcast is the second in a three-part series that features readings from my new book, The Church who Hears God's voice: equipping everyone to recognise and respond to the Spirit. It's a little entree before the main meal! In this episode, you'll learn about: The potential for breaches in theological orthodoxy in hearing God. The book tells of two men and their spiritual experiences. One heard from God and changed his world. The other made claims that added to Scripture and we still live with the consequences today. The pastoral fallout that occurs when people try to hear God's voice, You may have seen and heard about these kinds of problems in your own life.  When I was writing the book I felt the Holy Spirit say to tackle the "hard stuff" in church life. To that end, the book contains both the good stories and the bad! The good news is that there are some simple ways to address the ministry issues that arise when we seek to hear the voice of the Spirit. Admittedly, they won't all disappear - the fallenness of our humanity guarantees that(!) - but there are certainly things we can do to mitigate the problems. I pray it helps you in your own walk and in the life of your church! Enjoyed the excerpt? Purchase the book here. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

Hearing God's voice may well be the most powerful experience on earth. Think about it. How was the earth created? It began with God speaking (Gen. 1:1). How are people healed? It is the word ‘sent forth' that overcomes disease and death (Ps. 107:20; Mark 7:34; 9:25; John 11:43). How are people saved? It is made possible through the living Word, Jesus, who became flesh to atone for our sin (John 1:1). This is the pattern throughout the Scriptures. It all starts with God speaking! This episode of the podcast is a special one. It's the first in a three-part series that features readings from my new book, The Church who Hears God's voice: equipping everyone to recognise and respond to the Spirit. It's a little entree before you may choose to enjoy the main meal. In the episode, we learn about A God-dream that saved a drought-stricken Australian farm The power of hearing God's voice in biblical history and, The impact of "love energy": what sociologists tell us about the power of hearing God's voice in the contemporary church. Hearing God is powerful because God's words are powerful. The Scriptures present the experience of the revelatory Spirit as central to God's plan. That truth calls us to listen to what the Spirit is saying to us. Enjoyed the excerpt? Purchase the book here. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

During my time in church life, I've heard some pretty interesting prophecies. Some of them have been couched in a strange “King James” language. Others have been so vague in content that they count for little. But I've also received some breathtakingly accurate prophetic words that are unmistakably from God. Prophecy is when we hear God's voice on behalf of another person. We become like a “messenger” for God. But how do we prophesy? Can we all hear God's voice for others? And how do we improve our ability to prophesy? Pastor and friend Roma Waterman joins us in this episode of God Conversations to talk about the gift of prophecy. Roma has an unusual ministry mix. She has been one of Australia's foremost Christian artists for over 20 years and is also an internationally recognised prophet. She combines these two passions to lead worship and teaching on the prophetic, worship leading and songwriting. Her passion is to “release heaven's song over the nations” and to teach others to do the same. In this episode we talk about:  Roma's story - how she became a worship leader, songwriter and prophet. Roma compares finding your calling to taking off a pair of 6 inch heels and replacing them with a comfy pair of slippers. The difference between the gift of prophecy and the calling of a prophet. The misplaced idea of prophecy as telling the future - akin to visiting a fortune teller or looking into a crystal ball. Prophecy is primarily a “message from God.” God may speak about the past, present or future. Jesus - the best example of a prophet we have.  Some tips on how to prophesy. How God speaks in different ways: through seeing, hearing and feeling. We often have a predominant spiritual sense and should avoid copying others. A simple key for growing in the prophetic. To find out more about Roma's ministry and her prophetic school, go to romawaterman.com Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

"Listen to the Holy Spirit" is not the usual advice you hear at a business seminar. Yet this is the approach pastor and business consultant David Balestri takes every time he goes into an appointment. It's a practice he's also applied to his own career with great success. On one occasion, God told him to say just one word to address the lack of productivity at a company who was struggling to meet its targets - work performance increased so much that David was tasked with rewriting the training manual! When we think about hearing God's voice, we often think about the times when we're sitting in a church or singing worship on a Sunday. But God can speak to us anywhere at any time. So what happens when we hear God's voice outside of church - when we're going about our everyday activities during the week? On this episode, Tania talks with David, a man who has one foot in the church and another in the business world. He is a nationally recognised prophet with 20 years of ministry and works as the Executive Pastor of Hope Unlimited Church on the Central Coast in NSW, Australia. David is also a “marketplace minister” and heads up several businesses with his wife Nicole. This episode is full of incredible God conversations! Tania and David talk about: David's spiritual journey - how he came to God through his Mormon girlfriend, the unwavering prayers and clever intervention of his mother and when he read the bible story of the woman caught in adultery.  Am I a pastor or a business person? - how David reconciled a call to church ministry and a call to the business world by breaking down the unhelpful divisions we make between sacred and secular spaces.  David redefines sacred space as “anywhere God is.” This understanding effects how we live, and how we speak! (No “Christianese” here) How the Holy Spirit helps David advise CEOs!  The reason why God initially asked David not to coach Christians in business, and how leaders described David as a “futurist” and a man who “knows things about people.” Some great advice about hearing God for others outside the four walls of the church. David's thoughts on a person who had a dream about the stock market and made a lot of money as result. Is this Holy Spirit insider trading?! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! David is a recognised prophet and works with senior pastors, networks and denominations in building functional prophetic architecture and strategies for the extension of the kingdom in the context of local church, territorial and national expressions. He sits on the national leadership of the Australian Prophetic Council and travels extensively around the globe as an advocate for the apostolic and prophetic ministry.  See more at: www.newpropheticdimension.com    www.marketplaceinvasion.com.au  www.elitehumandevelopment.com.au  

What does hearing the voice of the Spirit look like in the business world? How do you balance the tension between working with the natural and and the supernatural in starting and building a business? On this episode of the podcast, we talk to someone who knows the answers to these questions... Meet the man behind the coffee! Peter Irvine cofounded the Gloria Jeans Coffee franchise in 1996. By the time the company was sold in 2014, there were over 400 Gloria Jean's stores across Australia and over 800 coffee houses in 39 countries worldwide! Today, Peter is currently the CEO of Kingdom Momentum LTD and has more than 50 years of experience in business at a high profile management level. He is passionate about providing tools, encouragement, advice and expertise to businesspeople both inside and outside the church. On the show, we talk about: Peter's business journey and some highlights of his work co-founding Gloria Jeans' coffee. The Holy Spirit as the Great Problem Solver. Peter shares a time when God spoke to him from a passage in the Bible (Isaiah 48:6,7) about his ability to give us creative and innovative ideas for business. The ultimate purpose of business to be a blessing to others. As Peter says, “It's not about us.” Prosperity has a purpose! The importance of patience and clear communication. Success comes not so much by financial growth, but by our own growth and development. The dynamic of God-connections and how to watch out for them.  How to partner with the Holy Spirit - allowing for the supernatural input of God as well as our own natural input from Proverbs 21:31: The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. Learn more about how to connect Christian faith to business via Peter's YouTube channel. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

In a dream, a man saw a vision of Jesus. To his surprise, Jesus gave him a "Liverpool kiss” (a head-butt in English football terms!) The dream led him to make a decision to follow Jesus. But how does a dream about a head-butting Jesus result in someone becoming a Christian? Dreams and visions are the most common form of God-conversation in the Bible, but they're the one we know least about. Dreams are often full of weird and wonderful scenes and symbols. How do we know when they're from God? And then, how do we know what they mean? On this episode, we talk to Ps Zoran Paunovich, a well-known Australian church leader who has been teaching on the topic of dreams and visions for over 30 years. Zoran has also been involved in a wide range of ministries, including youth work and Bible College lecturing. He is currently the senior pastor of New Life Chapel in Victoria, Australia.  This episode will help you understand your dreams and recognise God's voice in them. It will also explain why a dream of a head-butting Jesus could change your life... Listen to hear more about: Zoran's personal journey into hearing God in dreams and visions. Zoran shares a fascinating experience of how God answered his question about relocating to another city. God's answer came in the form of a dream with three men dressed in suits conversing around the dinner table! Why Christians are often skeptical of hearing God in dreams and visions. The power of picture language and why God might use visual imagery and symbols. Zoran's advice for those who say they can't hear from God in dreams. The key to understanding symbols and how they are tailored to the individual.  How dreams reflect the God who incarnated himself in Jesus who walked and talked among us. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Notes The story of Elisha and his servant Gehazi is found in 2 Kings 6:8-20. Herman Riffel's book, Dreams, God's Neglected Gift mentioned in the podcast is no longer available. An updated version, Dream Interpretation: A Biblical Understanding is recommended and available here. Zoran's book, In Your Dreams - both hard copy and e-version - is available here.

In church life, there seems to be two groups of people. There's the group who seem to hear from God really easily… God's speaking about this; God's speaking about that. It's like God is speaking every day! Then there's another group who struggle to hear God's voice. They heard God speak five years ago and there's been silence ever since.  Which group do you fall into?  Is there anything we can do to help those who struggle to hear God's voice? On this episode, we talk about hearing God's voice for those it find it difficult and we have the perfect guest to learn from. Ps. Pernille Liland is a prophet, teacher, author, business leader, wife and mother from Denmark. She has many years of ministry experience and prophetic expertise to share. Pernille distinguishes between two types of experiences - a distinct voice that interrupts or overrides your thoughts that appears to come on God's initiative, and a second type of experience that occurs when we take the initiative. We do this by creating space to connect with God by actively engaging with the Spirit through our imagination. During the process, we take time to wait on the Spirit and develop our spiritual senses, including hearing, smell, taste, touch and feeling. We become aware of our thoughts, meditate on Jesus and allow the Spirit to take it from there.  Some of us may have questions about using our imagination in the process of hearing God, but all this means is that we are engaging the Spirit in the realm of our minds. Where our spirit meets with God, revelation comes. Pernille takes time to break down the process simply and clearly, making it accessible to everyone. She reiterates how personal God is and how the gift of the Spirit is for everyone, not just a prophet, priest, pastor or pope. We can all hear the Spirit for ourselves! Reference Gregory A. Boyd, Seeing Is Believing: Experience Jesus through Imaginative Prayer. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2004. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Pernille   Pernille has been preaching and prophesying in Northern Europe for 25 years. She has been involved with the planting of several local churches and a bible school. She leads the Danish/ Nordic Prophetic Apostolic Network, runs the Danish School “Prophets In Training”, serves on the “European Council of Prophets” and the “Global Council of Prophets”. And just this month, here and her husband Andreas, launched a new church in the city of Sorø, Denmark.       Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels

God is speaking to Muslims all over the Middle East and he's doing it through dreams of Jesus! You may have heard the stories. In a vision, Jesus appears in a robe of blazing white. The dreamer is filled with a deep sense of love and is drawn to follow him. Missiologists tell us that between 1 in 2 and 1 in 3 Muslims have become Christians because of a dream. The Spirit is at work drawing people to himself and it's all happening while they are sleeping! In today's podcast, we have two special guests all the way from Texas, USA. Tom and JoAnn Doyle have been reaching out to the people of the Middle East for 20 years. Their ministry inspires the church to share the good news with Jews and Muslims in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and the Palestinian territories of Israel. On the show, you will hear some of the incredible stories coming of the Middle East. Many of them are hard to believe! Tom and JoAnn tell of how a dream of Jesus often marks the beginning of a journey for Muslims to discover more about the man they call Issa. For Muslims, Jesus is an important prophet, but not the Son of God. They also believe the Bible has been corrupted. But when they experience the love of Jesus for themselves, these arguments are instantly dashed and they become motivated to find out more. One woman had been having dreams of Jesus for 30 years and was waiting for someone to tell her what they mean. She finally received answers when she met Tom at a petrol station and prayed a prayer of submission to Jesus. Another woman said “I have never felt so safe with a man in my life as I have in dreams of Jesus. He loved me like a father.” This episode will not only inspire you to worship the God who is constantly reaching out to people, but to become like him in connecting with Muslims in your own neighbourhood. A great way to start the conversation is, “Have you ever had a dream of Jesus?"! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! About Tom and JoAnn Doyle Tom Doyle fell in love with the Middle East on his first Bible tour of the Holy Land.  In 1995 he became an official tour guide for the state of Israel and developed a passion for ministering to the Israeli people, Arabs and Jews alike. He and his wife, JoAnn, felt a call from God to full-time ministry there in 2001. In 2017, the Doyles launched Uncharted Ministries, which seeks to inspire the church to reach Jews and Muslims in the Middle East and uncharted territories around the world.  They serve in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Palestinian territories of Israel and often lead groups to the Middle East through their Lands of the Bible tours. Tom is a master storyteller with several books highlighting God's miraculous work among the Muslim people. His best-known books are Dreams and Visions, Killing Christians and Standing in the Fire. Learn more about their ministry at https://unchartedministries.com    Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

"My Mum was clinically dead for 8 minutes. She saw a beautiful light and moved towards it, but then she heard a voice say, 'you don’t have access here.'" "An inmate who was deaf in one ear prayed for his friend who was blind in one eye and they were both healed." How is God real for us? Stories like these reveal the reality of God and his heart for people. But how does this work for us? I can still remember how at 21, I sat on a beach in New Zealand reflecting on my life up until that point. I believed in God, Jesus and the Bible, but God wasn’t real to me - I couldn’t put my finger on a single incident where I’d experienced the reality of God in tangible ways. Thankfully, since then I’ve witnessed God in action and it’s changed my life. But I’ve also watched as others have lost their faith, particularly as they’ve moved from childhood into adulthood. How do we help people experience the reality of God? In this episode we’re talking with a man whose made it his life mission to make God real for people. Pastor Andrea di Meglio is a pastor, itinerant speaker and film-maker who oversees several ministries focussing on the supernatural in his hometown in Bern, Switzerland and beyond. Andrea and his team have made two life-changing documentaries about the reality of God. The first, Christ in You, depicts ordinary people experiencing signs and wonders and healing on the streets. The second, The Voice, looks at how to hear God’s voice for others, including those who don’t know God. Both films are full of inspiring stories and interviews with world leaders like Bill Johnson, Heidi Baker and Randy Clark. Andrea also shares the story behind the movies and their unlikely beginnings in a Philipino prison. His own journey began as a child being raised in a home where unusual and frightening spiritual happenings were part of the norm. He tells the story of his Mum, who began her spiritual search after a near death experience and dabbled in witchcraft and New Age practises before she found the source of light in Jesus. Andrea also shares how to experience God’s reality in your own life and in the lives of others. You’ll be encouraged to seek after the God who continues to show himself powerfully to those who seek him! You can find out more about Andrea’s ministry at https://andreadimeglio.com. The Film: Christ In You - The Voice The voice of God changes everything! This documentary features a captivating exploration of the power of prophecy. It shows ordinary Christians, who set an example by partnering with the Holy Spirit and releasing God’s perspective wherever they go. Amazing interviews with Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, Lisa Bevere, John Bevere, Graham Cooke, Bob Hazlett, Raniero Cantalamessa and more provide wisdom in navigating towards a prophetic lifestyle. Check the films out here: https://www.christinyoumovie.com Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Andrea di Meglio is on pastoral staff within his local church, the Vineyard Bern, where he has been honored to serve since August 2012. He leads, coordinates and oversees several ministries related to the supernatural. He is passionate about and works tirelessly to equip the body of Christ for a supernatural life-style all over the world. He is an author, filmmaker, leader and itinerant revivalist. He carries great value for local churches and participates in his whenever possible. Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor. My Mum was clinically dead for 8 minutes. She saw a beautiful light and moved towards it, but then she heard a voice say, "you don’t have access here." An inmate who was deaf in one ear prayed for his friend who was blind in one eye and they were both healed. How is God real for us? Stories like these reveal the reality of God and his heart for people. But how does this work for us? I can still remember how at 21, I sat on a beach in New Zealand reflecting on my life up until that point. I believed in God,

“Everybody’s looking for something,” the Eurythmics once sang. Augustine referred to a “god-shaped hole” within each one of us that longs to be fulfilled. There seems to be a universal human need to find meaning and purpose in our lives. But where do we find it? During the time of the first Christmas, people were searching too. The wise men, King Herod, Simeon and Anna were all “looking for something” around the time Jesus was born. As we celebrate the festive season, this podcast reflects on the journey of each of the Christmas characters to see if they found what they were looking for. Their stories give us insight into our own. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Photo by Jonathan Meyer

"The root of disappointment is misplaced expectations. The question is, what should our expectations of God be?" - Lynn Moresi What does God promise when we sign up to follow Jesus? I still remember as a young woman dreaming of the future. We had such expectations for "greatness." God was going to give us the desires of our heart. He was going to make all our dreams come to pass. The future was guaranteed and it was bright. But, then the future hit and it was full of disappointment. Death, sickness, loss, divorce. We felt attacked, let down and betrayed. Did God fail us? Or was our disappointment due to misplaced expectations about what God had promised in the first place? On the show this week, Rev Dr Lynn Moresi from Melbourne Australia joins me to talk about disappointment and what God is saying in the midst of it. Lynn is a preacher, prophet, lecturer and someone who knows how to hear God’s voice. She is also a biblical scholar who has experienced all the joys and disappointments of life and has thought about these questions for a long time. We talk about: Lynn’s journey hearing from God and some of the God conversations that have defined her life and ministry Why we are often disappointed by the challenges of life and how they begin with misguided expectations The “abundant life” (John 10:10) Jesus promised and what it actually means. We compare the meaning of "success" in our current culture compared to the meaning of success in God's kingdom. Some great advice for those who are going through a time of disappointment. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!   Dr. Lynn Moresi is a popular itinerate minister and bible college lecturer with a prophetic edge that opens ministry moments in people’s lives. Lynn has the unique ability to combine strong biblical teaching with relevant personal stories that ensure her messages are always challenging and engaging. Her meetings are characterized by fun, laughter and a deep awareness of God’s presence where people are encouraged to engage personally with the Spirit. She is based out of CityLife Church where she pioneered the "School of Ministry” internship program, and travels regularly to teach and minister in seminaries and churches both here in Australia and overseas. She is married and has two adult children. Image by Lisa Runnels

Recently I completed my PhD in practical theology, examining the theology and practice of hearing God’s voice. Since then, people have asked me about my thesis and what I’ve learnt from it. As with all PhDs, it’s a long and sometimes complex read, so instead of you having to fossick through 80,000 words, we’re bringing you the highlights! In this podcast, I look at three surprising theological insights from my PhD on hearing God’s voice. I first of all introduce the thesis itself including its general approach and methodology. The research involved approximately 100 people from three different Pentecostal churches on their hearing God experiences. A major focus was on experiences that occurred directly, without the mediation of other people or objects such as books, sermons or nature. These are the experiences that tend to cause the most problems in the church, but can also be the most life-changing! Here are the three major insights from the thesis that stood out from the many discoveries I made: 1. The Neglect of Revelatory Experiences in the Protestant Academy and its Place in Catholicism One of the most surprising insights I discovered in my research was the neglect of the topic of hearing God’s voice in the Protestant academy. While, there’s plenty of related material available (such as the gift of prophecy, tongues and Spirit baptism and hermeneutics (the effect of revelatory experiences on Biblical interpretation)), there’s very little on the experience of hearing from God through experiences like dreams, visions and voices (also called “auditions”/“locutions”). In fact, it took four years of reading before I finally found a theologian whose work aligned with the experiences of participants in the study! Even more strangely, this theologian hailed from the Catholic tradition. This unexpected discovery only makes sense when you realise that Protestantism originally rejected revelatory experiences in their debates with the Catholics back at the Reformation in the 16th Century. This way of thinking has formed a trajectory that has shaped scholarly and popular works ever since. 2. The Central Place of Revelatory Experiences in the New Covenant and Discipleship The second insight in my research was the central role hearing from God plays in discipleship. Often in churches today, we see hearing God’s voice as kind of an “optional extra” to the Christian experience. But when we understand that the primary feature of the New Covenant was the ability for every person to hear God’s voice in the same manner as the Old Covenant prophets (Acts 2:16,17) and how Jesus described the role of the Spirit as a continuation of his ministry (John 16:7), we see how important hearing from God is for discipleship. Like the disciples of Jesus’ day, we recognise God’s voice and follow (John 10:27). This connection between Jesus’ ministry and the Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost is missing in both the academic and popular literature (read any book on hearing God’s voice and see if you can find it). That means we don’t always link our Spirit experiences to the work of sanctification and mission. The Spirit speaks today to lead us to the cross, to crucify our old selves and make us into new creations. That means I’m more likely to hear God speak about forgiving my father than showing me the new red sports car I’ve been dreaming of. Hearing from God will always lead us down the path of discipleship and make us more like Jesus. 3. The Unnecessary Conflict Between the Scriptures and Spirit The final insight in my research provides an explanation for the conflict that people often see between the Bible and ongoing experiences of hearing God’s voice. This conflict is so significant that many churches around the world reject extra-biblical Spirit-encounters altogether (a position known as “Cessationism”). This was the position of the church I grew up in. In order to protect the uniqueness of the Bible,

"This is a season of divine paradox. It looks like everything is 'Stop, stop!' but in God everything is 'Start, start.'” (Ps. Vicki Simpson) What is God saying in the midst of this pandemic? It’s been nearly six months since we first heard about the Coronavirus. But during times like these - disasters, big world events our thoughts turn to heaven. God what are you doing? We know that God is not the cause of the pandemic, but we also know God is brilliant at using difficult times like these for his purposes.  On the show we talk to someone who is well-qualified to know what God is saying. Vicki Simpson is an Aussie-Italian prophet, from Sydney, Australia. She is an ordained minister with the C3 movement and is nationally and internationally recognised as a dynamic prophet and preacher who brings breakthrough and releases faith wherever she goes. Sought after by ministers in local churches and conferences across the globe, Vicki also consults in her capacity as a prophet with church leadership teams, businesses and boards. We talk about: Vicki's story and how she was called into her current ministry What a prophet is and how they operate in the church of today What God is saying personally and corporately to the church during this pandemic. You can find out more about Vicki’s ministry here. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Photo by Anna Shvets

“There are places in my heart that I am still hiding from God.” (Andy Wallis) Why are we afraid to hear from God? I suspect it is because we fear what God might say. Most of the time we ask God to speak, we steer the conversation towards the things we need in life: Should I take this job; should I buy this house; should I marry this person? God is interested in these questions, but he is looking for more. His heart is for intimate relationship. That means he is likely to speak about the areas of our heart that we would rather not talk about. This is what it means to get up close and personal with the Holy Spirit. In this episode of God Conversations with Tania Harris, we talk about how God speaks to us about the issues of the heart and how we can overcome the fear of what God might say. Pastor Andy Wallis is our guest and he is well-equipped to talk about this topic. Andy is an Australian, but has been ministering in Denmark for the past 15 years and is currently resettling back in his home country with his wife Hannah and their five children. He is a powerful speaker, worship leader and recording artist whose heart burns to equip local churches in the miraculous ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is also a man who hears from God and is passionate about helping others to hear from God for themselves. We love his ministry because he operates out of a spirit of humility and self-awareness. His ministry is authentic and powerful because he has done the healing work behind the scenes. On the show, we talk about how God speaks to us about our identity. The Holy Spirit is described as a counsellor (John 14:26). Listening to him can be like going to counselling - it can be intimidating at times! But his words have the power to change us from the inside out. God's promise is for healing, wholeness and freedom. Then, it is out of our renewed identity that our behaviour is transformed and we are mobilised into God’s purpose for our lives. It's not the other way around! This is a deeply personal episode that focuses on being instead of doing. You will be encouraged to go further on your own journey with the Holy Spirit as you listen. You can find out more about Andy’s ministry here. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Photo by Nik Shuliahin

We know that God can speak in dreams, but it can be a challenge to know what God is saying. How do we know if a dream is from God? What do the symbols in our dreams mean?   This episode on the podcast gives us an opportunity to learn from the dreams of others. Our host Tania Harris draws on the dreams of five different individuals to provide pastoral guidelines and advice that will help you interpret your own dreams; a woman dreams of a snake stealing a gold chain; a man dreams of his surf rope getting stuck on a microwave that is sunken beneath the waves; a teenager dreams of being chased by a monster. The message of these dreams were significant, but they all required interpretation in order to be understood. Not every one of our dreams are from God, but even the dreams that are not provide us with helpful insights into what is happening beneath the surface of our lives. Learn from the dreams of others in order to understand your own! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

Our podcast this week is an encore episode from a couple of years ago. Back then it was terror attacks in Paris and Beirut, a devastating earthquake in Nepal, and the Syrian crisis spilling millions of desperate refugees into Europe. Today it's a virus that threatens the health of millions and the stability of economies all over the world. As Christians, how do we respond when we hear the nightly news? How do we relate from the positions of our comfy lounge-room chairs when we hear about the latest virus statistics? What is God saying to us in the midst of global chaos? On this podcast, be encouraged as we learn from the God Conversations of the early church and how we can apply it to our own global crisis today. Just before Christmas in 2015, I spoke with John Peachey from Rhema's Morning Show in New Zealand. In this podcast, we talk about some of these important issues by looking at what God has already said. The first century church faced threats of persecution in their day not by terrorists, but by a brutal Roman empire. God's words came then in the form of a series of symbolic visions via the Apostle John - a message that is still relevant to us in our time. You may never read the book of Revelation in the same way! Our conversation also brings it back to the state of our own hearts and what our response should be, even in the relative safety of the West. We pray it brings you hope and inspiration as well as some tangible strategies to how to respond when you hear the latest news. Here’s Hearing God’s voice in the Global Chaos! Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! Comments What has your response been the turmoil in our world today? We'd love to hear your thoughts here:

Nightmares are common to us all. By definition, they are vivid and frightening dreams that have no resolution. You may see yourself being attacked by a fiendish character or find yourself in a death-defying situation. The experience can feel so real that your body has a physical reaction to it and you wake up sweating and traumatised. When children experience nightmares, they often dream about monsters or ghosts. Sometimes nightmares are recurring and cause serious problems with your sleep health. That's why it's important we talk about them.  In this episode of God Conversations with Tania Harris, we talk about where nightmares come from and how to deal with them. We know that God can often speak in dreams, but it's important to distinguish God-dreams from nightmares. Knowing where they come from helps to determine the most appropriate response. We discuss three possible sources: Nightmares from God Nightmares from the Spirit Realm Nightmares from ourselves In the podcast we look at a number of different real life scenarios to illustrate how to deal with each type of nightmare. A nightmare from God may be a warning that calls for preventative action. A nightmare that originates in the Spirit realm apart from God will call for prayer. A nightmare that comes from ourselves will require personal reflection and counselling. This podcast will help you understand the nature of nightmares and how best to respond to them in your own life. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

If I were to ask you, what was the one thing that was stopping you from being successful in your life, what would you say? Often we point to some sort of obstacle in our circumstances - a lack of money, a bad job or a poor turn of luck. But the truth is, the things in our lives that most thwart our progress are the obstacles inside of us. When we change us, we change our world. On this episode, we’re talking about “Growing Pains” - how God speaks to us to change us from the inside out. When we choose to listen to the voice of God, he will call us to grow and change. God starts from the outside in. He calls us to become more like him. And as we do, we will become more fully ourselves.  Unfortunately that process isn’t easy. The greatest obstacles to our success lie within ourselves - feelings of inadequacy, a love of comfort and fears of failure. These are the growing pains each one of us will experience as God speaks and calls us to grow.  But there’s also greater pain that comes when we ignore what he is saying to us. It’s the pain of no growth at all.  On the show, we talk about how God leads us to grow and the process he takes us through. We encourage you to respond to what the Spirit is speaking to you about as you listen. When we follow his lead, we will see how he changes us from the inside out. The result will be the success and empowerment we all long for. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

We know that God is able to speak to us by his Spirit, but does God speak to those who don’t know him? You may have heard the incredible stories coming out of the Middle East where Jesus has been reported to be appearing to Muslims in dreams. Thousands of lives have been transformed as a result. Some missiologists say that around ¼-⅓ of Christians in the Middle East follow Jesus today because they've seen him in a dream or vision. But does that happen in other parts of the world as well? Does God speak to non-Christians everywhere? This episode was recorded live at two "Awaken Your Dreams" events that were hosted by a local church for the community in New Zealand. Both events were sellouts! On the podcast, we share some of the testimonies that came from the events, as well as some of the biblical precedents for God speaking in dreams to those who don't know him. A quick overview of church history reveals a God who is ever reaching out to people, speaking to them in whatever ways he will be heard. Attending to the dreams of others not only provides insights into what is going on subconsciously in their lives, but opens up the opportunity to see where God may be speaking to them.     Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!   Interested in hosting an Awaken Your Dreams Community Event at your church or organisation? Learn more about it here.  

Unforgiveness stops us from hearing God’s voice almost more than any other area. When we bear unforgiveness in our heart, we can’t get through to God and we won’t be able to hear him. Jesus spoke about unforgiveness many times. He said that if you’re coming to meet with God and you have an issue with someone, first be reconciled to them, then come to him (Matthew 5:23-24). In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus talked about asking God for forgiveness when we have forgiven others who have sinned against us (Matthew 6:12).  At the same time, forgiveness is one of the most difficult challenges of living in a fallen and broken world. On the podcast, we look at how to forgive by sharing some stories of those who have forgiven under the most difficult circumstances you can imagine. We also look at what God does when we forgive, how forgiveness does not equate with condoning evil and what God does to bring justice on our behalf. The show begins with the story of an incredible Iranian woman who was seriously wronged. The Story of Ameneh Bahrami In 2004, Ameneh Bahrami was returning home from work, when a man named Majid Movahedi threw a bucketful of acid into her face, leaving her blinded and horribly disfigured. Bahrami had repeatedly turned down Movahedi's proposals of marriage which included promises to kill her unless she consented. Instead of carrying out that threat, Movahedi decided that if he couldn't have her, then he would make sure that no other man would want her. So he made sure of it by throwing acid own her face to permanently disfigure her. The Iranian courts determined on a fine and prison sentence for Movahedi. But Ameneh insisted that she was entitled by law to retribution because, in it was "only in this way that he could understand her pain. Four years later she won her case. On 14 May 2011, Bahrami's wish was to be carried out. Movahedi was taken to Tehran's Judiciary Hospital. There, under full anaesthetic, he would have drops of acid put into each of his eyes that would render him blind. The day arrived. Movahedi was prepared by the nurses. But in the final minutes - just as the doctor asked Amenah what she wanted to do, she decided not to do it, saying instead: ”I forgive him, I forgive him.”  Back then, the story hit the international news. All sorts of opinions were given. Some said forgiving the perpetrator was a beautiful gesture - an act of incredible grace and kindness. Others said, no, she shouldn’t have forgiven him - it was right that he experience what she had. Her forgiveness him meant that justice wasn’t really done. What do you think about Ameneh’s story? Forgiveness and Justice The podcast goes on to discuss what forgiveness is and what it isn’t. I share a story of a woman from Rwanda who forgave and adopted her son’s killer during the time of the genocide and what happened in her country afterwards as a result of her actions. We also talk about two young men, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumarun who were convicted of smuggling in Bali and the meaning of restorative justice in contrast to retribution. May we learn the power of forgiveness!  Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy… Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us (Matthew 6:9,12 (NLT)). Listen to the podcast: Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

At God Conversations, our emphasis is on how to recognise God's voice when he speaks back. However, this podcast is all about the other side of the conversation - how do we pray and how do we get better at prayer? We talk about what prayer is, what it does and most importantly, how we build the kind of relationship that invites two-way communication with God. What have your experiences with prayer been like? As a young girl, I would visit my friend’s place and there we would always say grace before meals. My childhood friend prayed the prayer her dad taught her - it took me years to work out what was being said; "forwhatforout about to receive… make us truly thankful, Amen.” When I finally worked out what it meant ("for what we are about to receive"), I thought it was a little odd to ask God to make us thankful - couldn’t I make myself thankful? In the church I grew up in, prayer was a very solemn experience - heads were bowed and everybody sat in a tightly crouched position. It was very quiet – there were lots of awkward silences and people would often speak with a kind of King James English. Prayer was a serious activity that required deep reverence. When I moved churches at 21, it was a bit of a shock to the system. In my new church, prayer was LOUD. People would often shout and prayer felt like a football match with regular waves of noise that built to a high-pitched crescendo. Instead of sitting down with our heads hunched over, we stood up. Hands were raised high in the air and everyone prayed at the same time. At first I found it intimidating - both because they were so emotionally expressive and because they prayed for so long... It made me want to run out of the door but I was impressed by their passion and enthusiasm. A few years ago, I visited a Benedictine monastery in Europe and it felt like I was stepping back in time. Prayer took place at five set times each day, with the first at 4am (we didn’t attend that one). All the prayers were spoken or sung in Latin using traditional Gregorian chants. I couldn’t understand what they were saying and I wondered if they got bored repeating the same words day after day, week after week.  What is your experience of prayer? What should our experiences of prayer be like? So, what is prayer? We often associate prayer with asking God for things, but it is much broader than that. Essentially prayer is communication between ourselves and God. We speak to him and he speaks back. Prayer then, is the substance of a relationship. You cannot have relationship without communication. At its core, prayer is about our relationship with God. That means the way we view our relationship with God will impact our ideas about prayer. Conversation happens in the context of relationship. To understand prayer, we really need to ask, what kind of relationship do I have with God? That is not always easy to answer. How do you describe a relationship with an invisible deity? I believe that’s part of the reason why the Scriptures use a lot of metaphors in their stories. Metaphors are a tangible way to describe a relationship with a God who is unseen.  For example, there’s the imagery of bride to groom. We are the bride, God is the groom. God is the King and we are his servants. God is the parent and we are his children. God is the shepherd and we are the sheep. Each type of relationship will see prayer in a different way. The nature of our relationship with God will shape our conversation with him. So, using the metaphor of bride to groom (eg. Rev. 19:6-9), prayer will likely be intimate, full of love with elements of surrender and self-sacrifice. It may have romantic or adoring feelings attached to it. In contrast, the metaphor of servant to king (eg. Revelation 19:16) will have a different emphasis. In prayer, there may be a recognition of lordship and authority. Instructions, commands and submission will be key parts of the conversation.

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to hear from God every day, while others seldom hear from God? What is happening here? We know that God is talking, but is he talking to one and not the other? In this episode, I talk about these questions by discussing the impact of personality on hearing God’s voice. We’re going to look particularly at how people interpret and discern their experiences differently and how some forms of hearing from God seem to be better suited to certain personalities.  1. Be careful not to attribute everything to God We also talk about:  The different criteria people use to discern their experiences. Some people are more likely to attribute experiences to God than others. More skeptical types are more likely to attribute an experience to coincidence, creative inspiration or intuition or memory recall. In the Catholic tradition, you need some sort of external evidence to know something is from God such as a sign or a miracle! Problems come when we compare our experiences - each one of us has a responsibility to work out our own faith within the reference points of our own personality and the journey we are on. When we do attribute every creative experience to God, we risk diminishing the potential of our human nature. God has gifted us with ingenuity and creativity and given us abilities that we have yet to fully tap into. We do not need to hear from God on every aspect of life. Some studies have linked diminished ego control to an over-emphasis on Spirit-leading. God’s way is friendship and partnership, not dictatorship (John 15:9-15) We need to be approach God-breathed experiences with reverence and be slow to attribute all experiences to God. Sometimes people use the phrase “God said” to sound spiritual or to claim extra authority for their position. Making the claim to “God said” is a serious claim to divine authority - it carries the weight of heaven behind it and demands our attention. God may have spoken, but we must always test our experiences before making emphatic statements.  2. Be open to growing in this area On the podcast we also talk about the need to grow in this area. While studies appear to show that hearing God is an experience that is more readily received by some personalities more than others, it also seems that noticing the voice of a Spirit when he speaks is a skill that can be learned. Prayer training that teaches people ignore the distracting world and to focus on the inner experience has been shown to have positive outcomes. Whatever your personality type, I know you’re going to find this episode helpful. Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode! References: Luhrmann, Tanya M, When God Talks Back (New York: Vintage Books, 2012). Parker, Stephen E, Led by the Spirit: Toward a Practical Theology of Pentecostal Discernment and Decision-Making (Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Academic Press, 1996).

Loneliness has become the plague of the modern world. Even though our widespread telecommunication systems and sophisticated transport networks make us more connected than ever before, we’re also lonelier than we’ve ever been. Recent sociological studies show that the levels of loneliness in Western urban society today are unprecedented. Last year, the British Parliament even created a new position for a “Minister for Loneliness”! Sometimes people think that if you know the God who speaks back, you shouldn’t be lonely. If God is a God of love, surely he would fill every need? Sadly that’s just not true. We need people. God created us to be in relationship with others. Our heavenly father is not in the doorway to greet you at the end of the day. Jesus does not wrap his arms around you in a bear hug when you’ve just received the worst news of your life. Even though his presence is always with us, the Holy Spirit cannot take you literally by the elbow and escort you to that event you fear. God himself said, it’s not good for people to be alone (Genesis 2:18). In this episode, we’re talking today about what to do when you’re lonely. We’re looking at some of the theology that needs to shape our thinking and the God-given need for intimacy we all share. We’ll look at how God uses people to be his hands and feet, and what practical things we can do in those times of loneliness that are inevitable as we go through the seasons of life. Listen below: Subscribe to God Conversations with Tania Harris and never miss an episode!

Dr Craig Keener tells the story of his wife to be. He and his wife met in seminary, but he confesses he was a bit slow on the uptake... Medine waited years for the love of her life. During that time, God encouraged her not to give up through prophetic words from three different people: "You'll marry a white man with a large ministry" they said. At the time, none of them knew the details of her situation. Today Craig and Medine are a happily married couple who can testify to the power of God's word in bringing them together. But not all stories end this way. Although there are plenty of miraculous stories of God speaking, there are also plenty of not-so-great stories too...  A person hears God speaking about marriage and filters it through their own emotions. God speaks randomly through Scripture verses, but it distorts the original meaning of the text. How do we avoid the mistakes and pitfalls of hearing God’s voice and instead, position ourselves to experience the same kind of miracles we see in the New Testament? Meet Craig Keener In this episode, we talk to Dr. Craig Keener. Craig is a professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is an incredible academic and teacher and is known worldwide for his work as a New Testament scholar. His award-winning commentary on the New Testament has sold over half a million copies. In addition, he’s authored another twenty books - works on hermeneutics, miracles, the historical Jesus, commentaries on Acts and Romans, Corinthians, the Gospel of John, five of which have won awards in Christianity Today. He has has taught in various countries at pastors and scholarly events as well as a diverse range of theological institutions. Craig is not only a careful and brilliant academic, but he "walks the talk" with many God conversations of his own to share. Tania met Craig and his beautiful wife Medine at the Society for Pentecostal Studies Annual conference in Tennessee USA, where they talked about marriage, miracles and mistakes hearing God’s voice. This man brings a wealth of wisdom, sensitivity and depth to our topic. Enjoy!