The official FIEC podcast, where you'll hear discussions and interviews on church leadership, theology, and current affairs from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests. The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical (FIEC) is a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together to reach Britain for Christ. Being part of FIEC links you to a growing number of Independent evangelical churches and there are now more than 50,000 people who are part of churches affiliated to FIEC.
How can Donald Trump help us to be aware of overstepping? What is the place of masculinity in church? How does integrity affect our ministry?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news from the past few weeks and how they relate to church leadership.You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/trumps-tariffs-masculine-church-and-the-professor-of-dishonesty.Show notesEuropean Leadership Forum 2025: Blessed Are The Gospel Leaders, Zefjan Nikolla (youtube.com)European Leadership Forum 2025: Why Should I Care About The Counsel of Nicaea?, Leonardo De Chirico (youtube.com)FIEC Leaders' Conference 2025 (fiec.org.uk)Trump tariffs can stay in place for now, appeals court rules (bbc.co.uk)FIEC Advice Line (with Becky Thomas) (fiec.org.uk)Young US men are joining Russian churches promising 'absurd levels of manliness' (bbc.co.uk)Harvard Revokes Tenure of Star Professor Accused of Research Misconduct (wsj.com)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - FIEC news04:07 - Council of Nicea and the Nicene Creed10:44 - Donald Trump's tariffs, and overstepping20:59 - The Russian Orthodox Church and hyper-masculinity28:48 - Francesca Gino, 'professor of honesty'
How should church leaders think and speak about immigration? How should we engage with the Assisted Dying Bill votes? What does AI teach us about being human?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director), discuss some of the stories in the news and how they relate to local church leadership.You can watch a video of this episode and get and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.Show notesFIEC Leaders' Conference 2025 (fiec.org.uk)UK risks becoming ‘island of strangers' without more immigration curbs, Starmer says (theguardian.com)Scottish assisted dying bill passes first vote (bbc.co.uk)Assisted Suicide (christian.org.uk)Spotlight: AI (North Bradley Baptist Church) (youtube.com)ChatGPT is getting smarter, but its hallucinations are spiraling (techradar.com)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - European Leadership Forum and Korean connections08:55 - The challenge of immigration15:53 - Speaking about immigration20:05 - The Assisted Dying Bill in Scotland25:18 - When AI gets it wrong
The world is changing and the way we reach the world with the gospel is changing.In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the importance of world mission and how this year's Leaders' Conference can help church leaders get it on the agenda in church life.Find out more about the 2025 FIEC Leaders' Conference and book your place: https://fiec.org.uk/events/leaders-conference-2025.About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - Why world mission?05:27 - Preaching from the book of Acts at the 2025 Leaders' Conference07:39 - Telling stories of mission today08:50 - How do we get excited about world mission?12:13 - Seminar topics on world mission19:01 - More at the conference23:27 - Making the most of the opportunity27:00 - Preachers and contributors
How do we reach Catholics with the true gospel? How should Christians respond to the Supreme Court ruling on gender? What can we learn from Liverpool FC?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss the stories in the news of the past weeks and what they can teach us about church leadership.You can watch a video of this episode and get and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.Show notesLeaders' Conference 2025 (fiec.org.uk)Rising Lights 2026 (fiec.org.uk)Pope Francis has died, the Vatican says (news.sky.com)Gospel Unity Ethos Statement (fiec.org.uk)Five key takeaways from Supreme Court ruling (bbc.co.uk)English FA will ban transgender women from women's football from next season (news.sky.com)What is a woman? (eauk.org)Arne Slot details message from Jurgen Klopp after delivering title success to Liverpool (mirror.co.uk)Andrew Flintoff ‘Field of Dreams' refugee Adnan Miakhel a hit on Lancashire debut (telegraph.co.uk)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - Rising Lights 202603:01 - Evangelism to people from other faiths07:36 - Pope Francis' funeral and reaching Catholics with the gospel14:40 - Implications of the Supreme Court gender ruling24:24 - Succession lessons from Liverpool FC
10.6 million people live in rural communities in Great Britain. If we want to reach all of the country for Christ, we need to reach rural areas.Whether you live and serve in an urban city, a rural community, or anywhere in between, we need to be thinking about reaching people in rural places.In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) and Rob Scothern (pastor, Peak Trinity Church, Bakewell) discuss life in rural places, the benefits of rural life, and the challenges of sharing the gospel there.You can watch a video and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.Show notesWilliam Bagshawe (1628-1702) (website.ukwells.org)The Rural Project (theruralproject.org)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - Introduction01:58 - Rural places in Britain05:05 - Reaching the lost in rural places13:24 - Decline from past revival15:47 - Peak Trinity Church in Bakewell17:59 - Challenges of rural ministry23:49 - The Rural Project26:49 - We all need a heart for rural ministry
What can church leaders learn from Trump's economic u-turn? How can churches freely preach in public? Can we be gospel optimistic for the UK?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news over the past weeks and how they relate to church leadership.You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/trumps-economics-freedom-of-speech-and-a-quiet-revival.Show notesTrump's ‘Liz Truss moment': when economic bravado meets market reality (theguardian.com)Woman guilty of abortion clinic safe zone breach (bbc.co.uk)When does street preaching become anti-social? (bbc.co.uk)The Quiet Revival: Gen Z leads rise in church attendance (biblesociety.org.uk)Rising Lights (6-10 April, 2026) (fiec.org.uk)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - Introduction01:09 - Trump's bombastic economic leadership07:46 - Plurality and admitting failures11:54 - Freedom of speech and Christian persecution22:31 - The Bible Society's "The Quiet Revival" report29:48 - Rising Lights at Easter 202630:34 - The most wonderful time of the year for Christians
Leading a church alongside another salaried job can open opportunities for church planting, smaller church ministry, and more.In this episode, Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries) is joined by Rob Scothern, pastor at Peak Trinity Church in Bakewell, Derbyshire.Rob was involved in planting Peak Trinity whilst also working as a teacher in a local primary school. He shares his story and experience of what this bi-vocational ministry enabled him to do, and the challenges it brought.You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/why-bi-vocational-ministry.About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - Introduction05:25 - From army officer to church planter12:07 - Why bi-vocational ministry?22:30 - Challenges for bi-vocational workers28:33 - Opportunities for bi-vocational workers
How can we balance confidentiality and integrity? Is democracy under attack in Turkey? What are the benefits of independency?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss the stories in the news over the past weeks.You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.Show notesFIEC Leaders' Conference 2025 (fiec.org.uk)Rising Lights (fiec.org.uk)Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump's Advisers Shared on Signal (theatlantic.com)Protests erupt in Turkey after Erdogan rival arrested (bbc.co.uk)Assisted dying in doubt as rollout could be delayed until at least 2029 (news.sky.com)Wigmore Hall quits 'crippling' funding system (bbc.co.uk)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - FIEC news04:40 - Signal chats and confidentiality13:25 - Political arrests in Turkey16:24 - Religious or secular societies20:17 - Opposition to the Assisted Dying Bill25:16 - Wigmore Hall and independency
How can a nationwide week of evangelistic events equip and help local churches to reach their communities and contacts with the gospel?For fifteen years, A Passion for Life have been equipping, encouraging, and enabling local churches to be involved with a national week of mission events - most recently in 2022 with Life '22.As they gear up for the next week of mission in 2026, Adrian Reynolds is joined on the In:Dependence podcast by Nick McQuaker, A Passion for Life's Mission Director, to learn more about the mission and why being part of a nation-wide mission week can be a help for local churches to reach their own local communities with the gospel.You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - A history of A Passion for Life09:00 - The benefit of running events alongside others across the UK14:23 - Why plan so far ahead?16:04 - Contextual evangelistic events21:10 - Evangelistic event ideas23:43 - Connecting with other church leaders in similar contexts25:10 - Next steps towards Life '26
What can a Ukraine ceasefire teach us about biblical peace? How can we pastor people well who are affected by welfare cuts and NHS changes? Where can we find the true justice we long for?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news over the past weeks and how they relate to church leadership.You can watch a video and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/ceasefire-peace-cutting-welfare-and-longing-for-justice.Show notesLocal Conferences 2025 (fiec.org.uk)Evangelical Alliance resources (eauk.org)Russia sticks to red lines on 30-day Ukraine ceasefire plan - as Zelenskyy attacks 'manipulative' Putin (news.sky.com)Rachel Reeves insists changes to welfare needed (bbc.co.uk)Thousands to lose jobs as Starmer scraps NHS England to cut 'bureaucracy' (bbc.co.uk)The response to two-tier sentencing? A lot of finger-pointing (thetimes.com)Crossbow killer jailed for life for triple murders (bbc.co.uk)UN judge ‘exploited and abused' woman she forced into slavery, court rules (theguardian.com)Judge who slammed ‘pitiful' driving crime punishments caught speeding for fourth time (thesun.co.uk)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ..00:00 - FIEC update05:29 - Ceasefire in Ukrain and biblical peace12:55 - Cuts to welfare in the UK and compassion for the vulnerable20:18 - Changes in the NHS and hope in uncertainty26:23 - Two-tier justice, Kyle Clifford, Lydia Mugambe, and true justice33:15 - Adrian Reynolds banned from driving for speeding
How can churches develop a culture of evangelism in all of church life? Are we ready to receive people who are searching for spiritual answers?With more people becoming open to spiritual things, churches need to be ready to be the place they can find answers and meet Jesus.In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) and Nick McQuaker (A Passion for Life) discuss what a culture of evangelism might look like in our churches and what small steps church leaders can take to begin to develop one.You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/a-culture-of-mission.About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - Introduction02:08 - The mission climate in UK churches06:51 - Sunday services as an evangelism strategy12:34 - Displaying the gospel away from Sunday services15:50 - How do you make a start in developing a culture of evangelism?18:49 - Mission dependency, mission heat, and mission pathways25:17 - Understanding your context29:31 - Help for churches
What is God doing in the war in Ukraine? What impact does 'Christian speaking' in culture have on the church? What is a true marker of wealth?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the stories in the news over the past weeks and how they relate to church leadership.You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website.Show notes Trump commends Zelensky ahead of White House talks (bbc.co.uk) The Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (arcforum.com) The Defining Moment of ARC 2025 - Speak Life (youtube.com) 83-year-old Philosopher's message to our generation and time | Os Guinness (youtube.com) Making Faith Magnetic, Daniel Strange (thegoodbook.co.uk) School worker sacked for LGBT+ posts wins appeal (bbc.co.uk) The ultimate signs of wealth: do you most covet a kitchen island – or early retirement? (theguardian.com)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.Follow FIEC on social media: Facebook X Instagram00:00 - Introduction01:18 - Three years of war in Ukraine08:59 - Investing in your own activities12:41 - Leading through provocation15:43 - ARC 2025 and people speaking Christianly25:32 - Free speech and the Kristie Higgs appeal32:01 - Does a kitchen island mean you are wealthy?
Why is it important to remember the holocaust? How can we respond to yet another church abuse scandal? Are there true believers in the Catholic church? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the stories in the news over the past few weeks. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Planters 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Among monarchs and presidents, focus of Auschwitz anniversary is on 50 survivors (theguardian.com) Church scandal: Man behind cover-up was abuser (channel4.com) King Charles to visit Italy and meet Pope Francis, Buckingham Palace says (uk.news.yahoo.com) FIEC Gospel Unity Ethos Statement (fiec.org.uk) The Dynasty: New England Patriots (apple.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Facebook X Instagram
The sparse yet diverse nature of Cumbria and the North East of England provides opportunity for gospel partnerships between local churches. In this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by our Director for Scotland and the North of England, Andy Hunter, to talk about life, ministry, opportunities, and challenges in Cumbria and the North East of England. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/on-the-north-of-england. Show notes The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God (justinbrierley.com) Gospel Partnerships in Practice (fiec.org.uk) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear conversations on topics for church leaders. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Facebook X Instagram 00:00 - Andy Hunter, Director for Scotland and the North of England 11:22 - Cumbria life 14:20 - Opportunities and challenges in Cumbria 18:48 - Life in the North East 23:14 - Medhurst Ministries and church partnerships 27:55 - Pray for the North of England
How can church leaders think wisely about stories of evil? Should we hold church and political leaders to the same standard? What can we learn from The Traitors? In this episode, Phil Topham (Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (National Director), discuss the stories in the news. You can watch a video of this epoisode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Facebook X Instagram 00:00 - FIEC update 07:42 - Thinking wisely and responding to violence and evil 21:21 - Donald Trump's executive orders 28:44 - Lessons from The Traitors
The past year has had several stories of leaders who left their leadership positions - or who returned to it - which can give us lessons to learn for leadership in church life. In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss lessons for church leaders to learn from other leaders who left in the past year. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes From Plains to the White House: Jimmy Carter's Legacy for Evangelicals (thegospelcoalition.org) Canada's Justin Trudeau cites 'internal battles' as he ends nine-year run (bbc.co.uk) Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over Church abuse scandal (bbc.co.uk) Donald Trump will become president on 20 January - but what happens to his criminal cases now? (news.sky.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Facebook X Instagram 00:00 - Jimmy Carter and Christian politicians 10:32 - Justin Trudeau and resigning politicians 19:41 - Justin Welby and leadership legacy 29:05 - Donald Trump and a return to leadership
How do the Californian fires illustrate biblical ideas? What do churches need to beware of with 'free speech' on social media? What can we learn from Wes Huff's appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast? In this episode, Phil Topham (Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (National Director) discuss stories in the news and how they relate to church leadership. Show notes Journeys 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Planters 2025 (fiec.org.uk) FIEC Events & Conferences (fiec.org.uk) LA fires updates: LA 'not out of danger yet'; Olympian loses medals to blaze; firefighters 'can't stop' destruction (news.sky.com) Facebook and Instagram get rid of fact checkers (bbc.co.uk) Joe Rogan Experience #2252 - Wesley Huff (youtube.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - FIEC events in 2025 04:50 - Californian fires and hell fires 13:53 - Disinformation and harm on social media 25:12 - Wes Huff, Joe Rogan, and sharing the gospel in secular spaces
What have been the trends in the world and in church life during 2024? How can they help us look forward to 2025? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) and John Stevens (National Director) look back over the year gone by and discuss how it can help us think about church life going into 2025. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Lessons from the Global Church (fiec.org.uk) A Small Part of the Worldwide Church (fiec.org.uk) Leaders' Conference 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Local Conferences 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Journeys 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Planters 2025 (fiec.org.uk) FIEC Events (fiec.org.uk) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 02:37 - The triumph of populism 10:07 - Populism in church life 15:32 - The 'smallness' of evangelicalism in the UK 20:51 - The growth of evangelicalism across the world 27:28 - FIEC in 2025
What impact will the fall of Assad in Syria have for Christians? Should we engage with pop-culture representations of the Bible? Can we have the words without the heart? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news from the past two weeks. You can watch a video and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Rebels seize Damascus as Assad flees Syrian capital (bbc.co.uk) Who are the MPs who will scrutinise the assisted dying bill? (bbc.co.uk) Assisted suicide: a better story (care.org.uk) Assisted suicide (christian.org.uk) Netflix viewers slam ‘offensive' new movie about Mary with Bible inaccuracies (metro.co.uk) Conclave - Lessons for Evangelical Leadership (john-stevens.com) He won the Spanish Scrabble championships, yet he doesn't speak Spanish (edition.cnn.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 01:16 - The miracle of Christmas 05:31 - The fall of Assad in Syria 12:41 - Assisted Dying bill scrutiny 17:22 - Netflix's Mary and engaging with pop-culture representations of the Bible 25:38 - Nigel Richards: Scrabble Champion
How should we conduct debates in the public square? Could abuse happen in FIEC churches? Should past actions disqualify you from present service? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the stories in the news over the past fortnight. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes On the Journey Into Ministry (fiec.org.uk) Journeys 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Planters 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Thrive 2025 (fiec.org.uk) Ministry Wives Retreat 2025 (fiec.org.uk) What is assisted dying and how could the law change? (bbc.co.uk) ‘Prolific, brutal and horrific': Makin report calls out the Smyth abuse and the cover-up (churchtimes.co.uk) thirty-one:eight (thirtyoneeight.org) Christian Safeguarding Services (thecss.co.uk) FIEC Advice Line (fiec.org.uk) Minister Louise Haigh quits after fraud offence revealed (bbc.co.uk) Boris Johnson blames the Church of England for obesity crisis (thetimes.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction and FIEC news 04:07 - Debating assisted suicide in the public square 12:30 - How do we respond to an assisted suicide law? 15:19 - Could abuse happen in FIEC churches? 23:34 - Are past demeanours disqualifying? 31:01 - Is the Church of England to blame for obesity?
Journeys is our re-imagined conference for those considering, or already on the journey into, Christian ministry. On this bonus episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss what Journeys seeks to do and who should come. You can find out more about - and book for - Journeys on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - What was The Hub conference? 01:39 - What is Journeys? 06:12 - Identifying and training the next generation
How can we reflect on the Makin Report? Is the US election result good for the gospel? Can we watch Gladiator II? In the episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the news over the past fortnight. Show notes Independent review into Church's handling of Smyth case published (churchofengland.org) More than 30 Church officials face the sack after Archbishop of Canterbury quits (telegraph.co.uk) Justin Welby Resignation: CofE Minister REACTS (youtu.be) Five takeaways from Trump's first week as president-elect (bbc.co.uk) Gladiator II review — are you not entertained? No, not really (thetimes.com) Mark Cavendish retires: Tour de France record-breaker announces retirement from professional cycling (skysports.com) You can get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/makin-report-donald-trump-and-gladiator-ii. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 00:49 - Reflections on the Makin Report 08:28 - Implications for the wider church 11:06 - A new President and a new government in the USA 15:17 - Is Donald Trump's election good for the gospel? 18:18 - The 2024 FIEC Leaders' Conference 22:11 - Can Christians watch Gladiator II? 26:43 - Mark Cavendish retires with a win
Churches are working together to reach the growing population of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. In this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Paul Mallard, the chair of the FIEC Theology Team and the FIEC Director for the West Midlands, to discuss ministry in the West Midlands, the challenges of ministry there, and the opportunities for growing the kingdom. You can find this and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/on-the-west-midlands. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Paul Mallard, Director for the West Midlands 09:15 - The FIEC Theology Team 14:14 - What is the West Midlands like? 18:29 - Opportunities and challenges in the West Midlands 27:49 - How to pray for the West Midlands
What implications will the budget have for churches? Should you vote for a rock or a hard place? Can monkeys type Shakespeare? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news over the past weeks. You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/the-budget-us-elections-and-infinite-monkeys. Show notes Safe zones outside abortion clinics come into effect (news.sky.com) Justin Welby accused of ‘abandoning Church of England doctrine' over same-sex relationship comments (telegraph.co.uk) Budget 2024: Key points at a glance (bbc.co.uk) Employment Allowance: Check if you're eligible (gov.uk) Gospel-Driven Wills and Legacies (fiec.org.uk) What the US election outcome means for Ukraine, Gaza and world conflict (bbc.co.uk) Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds (bbc.co.uk) Charli XCX influence makes 'brat' Collins Dictionary word of the year (news.sky.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction & Leaders' Conference 02:00 - Abortion buffer zones 04:19 - Archbishop Justin Welby on gay sex 07:34 - Labour's first budget and trailing bad news 13:58 - The budget for churches 21:56 - The US election, rocks, and hard places 25:46 - THe infinite monkey theorem 30:22 - Is FIEC brat?
What could a gospel partnership between a church in the UK and a church in Mississippi look like? FIEC churches and the Mississippi Baptist Convention have worked in partnership for more than ten years with the aim of encouraging each other in the work of the gospel by serving in various mission activities. In this episode, Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries) is joined by Andy Rees (CityGates Church, Norwich) and Greg Spencer (First Baptist Church, Ellisville, Mississippi) to hear about their partnership, the benefits of such work between the US and UK, and how other churches could do the same. Show notes Why Change Your Church Name? - Surrey Chapel to CityGates (fiec.org.uk) Reaching Your Community in the Summer - Norwich SummerFest (fiec.org.uk) Greg and others from Mississippi will be hosting a table at the 2024 FIEC Leaders' Conference on Wednesday lunchtime for anyone who wants to find out more. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X
What encouragements came from the A Passion for Life Evangelism Conference? Should we lose weight simply through medicine? What can the Tory leadership contest teach us about church votes? In this episode, Phil Topham (Executive Director), John Stevens (National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries) discuss some of the stories in the news. Show notes FIEC Leaders' Conference 2024 (fiec.org.uk) Connecting Diverse Churches (Partnership Day) (fiec.org.uk) Partnerships Across Contexts (fiec.org.uk) The Compelling Community, Mark Dever & Jamie Dunlop (9marks.org) Obesity: unemployed could get weight loss jabs to return to work (bbc.co.uk) Badenoch and Jenrick reach final two in Tory race (bbc.co.uk) Thomas Tuchel confirmed as new England head coach and will start work on January 1 (skysports.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 03:51 - Conflict in the Middle East 04:51 - Assisted suicide bill 08:46 - Encouraging signs from the Evangelism Conference 15:48 - Smaller churches that are growing in number 18:22 - Tackling the obesity crisis 23:24 - Tory leadership contest and voting in church life 29:12 - Thomas Tuchel: England Manager
The Lausanne Congress brought together 5,000 evangelical leaders from every region of the world for a week-long event in Seoul, South Korea. What lessons can UK church leaders learn from it? In this episode of In:Dependence, John Stevens (FIEC National Director) attended on behalf of FIEC and shared some of his reflections and learnings with Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries). Show notes Lessons from the Global Church (fiec.org.uk) State of the Great Commission (lausanne.org) The Fourth Lausanne Congress (congress.lausanne.org) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction to Lausanne 06:46 - The growing gospel across the world 15:06 - The persecuted church 19:20 - Godly self-awareness 22:15 - Defining mission 26:33 - The prophetic voice we need to hear 30:33 - Where the real work of the gospel takes place
How do we keep praying for the Middle East? What lessons are there from recent church abuse scandals? Why should we try to stay optimistic? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the stories in the news over the past weeks. You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/middle-east-conflict-church-abuse-and-catastrophising. Show notes FIEC Leaders' Conference 2024 (fiec.org.uk) The Evangelism Conference (fiec.org.uk) Iran launches more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel (bbc.co.uk) How Can We Talk About Israel and Gaza? (fiec.org.uk) Independent Review into the culture and practices of Soul Survivor (soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk) Dallas Pastor Steve Lawson removed from ministry over 'inappropriate relationship with a woman' (christianpost.com) Ian Hislop thanks people for concern after suspected gunshot has 'innocent explanation' (news.sky.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction and FIEC update 03:04 - Praying for the Middle East 09:04 - Mike Pilavachi, Steve Lawson, and church abuse 17:35 - 'Invincible' ministries and leaders 20:31 - When those we respect fail 23:35 - Lessons from the Soul Survivor report 27:45 - Was Ian Hislop shot at?
From large urban churches to tiny rural churches across the south coast, each needs encouragement to persevere and boldness to reach the unreached. In this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by John Samuel, FIEC Director for Hampshire and Dorset (and Salisbury!) to talk about ministry in that area of the south coast: the distinctive, the opportunities, the challenges, and how to pray for the area. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Advice from a Retiring Minister (fiec.org.uk) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - John Samuel, Director for Hampshire and Dorset 06:49 - What is life like in Hampshire and Dorset? 10:48 - Gospel ministry in Hampshire and Dorset 21:54 - Church planting on the south coast 24:19 - How to pray for Hampshire and Dorset
The densely populated cities and the smaller rural communities in Yorkshire all need the same gospel but for it to be shared in different ways. On this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Daniel Grimwade (FIEC Director for Yorkshire) to discuss ministry in Yorkshire: the opportunities, the challenges, and how to pray going forward. You can get this and other resources for church leaders on the FIEC website: https://fiec.org.uk/resources/on-yorkshire. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Daniel Grimwade, Director for Yorkshire 05:32 - What is Yorkshire like? 08:40 - Gospel opportunities in Yorkshire 11:31 - Partnerships between churches 13:40 - Strengthening the brothers 18:54 - Challenges of ministry in Yorkshire 26:44 - How to pray for Yorkshire
How do evangelical church leaders work together in unity? How can we pastor people in the midst of war across the world? How should churches respond to a bill about assisted suicide? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the stories in the news from the past fortnight. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 01:58 - Evangelical unity 10:35 - Escalation of war in the Middle East 16:00 - Assisted suicide bill 22:01 - Pastoral implications of the assisted suicide debate 24:52 - 'Free gear Keir' and providing for workers 29:58 - Sir John Eliot Gardiner and gifting/character
The Christian heritage of South Wales has declined, but there remains great opportunity for the gospel. We must pray for workers for the harvest. On this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Gareth Lewis (FIEC Director for South Wales) to hear about church ministry in the south of Wales. You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Cant i Cymru (100.cymru) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Gareth Lewis, Director for South Wales 06:53 - Life in South Wales 11:57 - Opportunities in South Wales for church ministry 19:15 - Church partnerships in South Wales 22:01 - Planting opportunities in South Wales 26:26 - How to pray for churches in South Wales
How holistic should our care of the flock be? How do you lead with bad news? What do the Paralympics teach us about church life? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss some of the stories in the news over the past fortnight. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes FIEC Leaders' Conference (fiec.org.uk) Kingspan was dishonest and cynical, Grenfell Inquiry finds (bbc.co.uk) Counsel to the Inquiry's Closing Presentation (grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk) Sir Keir Starmer: Prime minister to say things 'will get worse before it gets better' in key speech (news.sky.com) Storey extends record as GB win 13 medals on Wednesday (bbc.co.uk) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction and Leaders' Conference 03:06 - The FIEC view on the news 07:08 - The Grenfell inquiry 11:29 - Holistic care for the flock 15:20 - What does justice look like? 18:01 - Keir Starmer's realism and leading with bad news 26:57 - Overcoming adversity at the Paralympics
God is at work in Suffolk as churches work together and reach new areas with the gospel. In this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Mark Howson (FIEC Director for Suffolk) to discuss church ministry in the county, the opportunities, and the challenges. You can get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Mark Howson, Director for Suffolk 06:17 - Life in Suffolk 09:45 - Working with Suffolk churches 13:00 - Ministry opportunities 17:26 - Ministry challenges 25:56 - How to pray for Suffolk
The landscape, history, and language of North Wales makes church ministry there distinct to other areas of the country. In this episode, Joel Murray (Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Ben Midgley (Director for North Wales) to discuss what life is like in North Wales, and what opportunities and challenges it presents for the work of the gospel. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Justification Impacts Ministry (Local Conferences 2024) (fiec.org.uk) Reach North Wales (reachnorthwales.org) International Mission to Jewish People (imjp.org) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Ben Midgley, Director for North Wales 09:46 - Reach North Wales and the International Mission to Jewish People 14:05 - Life in North Wales 22:42 - Opportunities for and barriers to the gospel. 28:27 - Working to reach North Wales 33:44 - How to pray for North Wales
Why are holidays important? Have the 2024 Olympics been equal? What is the legacy of Timothy Dudley-Smith? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the stories in the news over the past fortnight. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Keswick Convention (keswickministries.org) #GenderEqualOlympics: Paris 2024 making history on the field of play (olympics.com) Ukraine hopes its incursion into Russia changes outcome of war (bbc.co.uk) Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024): The supreme hymnwriter of his generation (premierchristianity.com) Street cleaner Paul Spiers enjoying free holiday after £3,000 fundraising gift blocked by bosses (news.sky.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 00:54 - A theology of holidays, and Keswick Convention 07:41 - What is so special about the Olympics? 11:09 - An equal Olympics? 14:15 - Responding to the Ukrainian incursion into Russia 21:12 - Timothy Dudley-Smith's hymns and legacy 26:35 - Paul Spiers, leadership integrity, and money
How should we respond to the horrible news in Southport? What is there to learn from the Olympic Games and opening ceremony? How transparent should we be in pastoral matters? In this episode, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) and Andy Hunter (FIEC Director for Scotland and North of England) discuss stories in the news from the past fortnight. You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 00:43 - Atrocities in Southport 04:18 - Disinformation on social media 10:57 - Offended by the Olympics? 15:33 - The glory of the Olympics 18:30 - Equality and fairness in sport 22:28 - Huw Edwards' guilty plea and trust in the BBC 26:07 - Transparency in church life
What is church ministry in London like, what opportunities do churches in the city have, and what challenges does London present? In this episode of In:Dependence, Joel Murray (FIEC Communications and Media Officer) is joined by Johnny Prime (FIEC Director for London) to talk about his role in London, and his thoughts on church ministry in the city. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources like this on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 01:14 - Journey to faith and into ministry 08:12 - London: a unique city 12:12 - Gospel opportunities in London 18:41 - The challenges of ministry in London 23:39 - A Bible church in every 'village' 28:11 - How to pray for London
Did strong rhetoric lead to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump? How do you deal well with change? What can we learn from Gareth Southgate's resignation? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Rachel Sloan (FIEC Director for Women's Ministry), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss some of the stories in the news over the past fortnight. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Update on Affinity and The Gospel Coalition UK (affinity.org.uk) Seminar Options at the 2024 Leaders' Conference (fiec.org.uk) Trump rally shooting: Ex-president injured in assassination attempt at rally that leaves spectator and gunman dead (news.sky.com) Labour's first week: Eight key plans, and the challenges ahead (bbc.co.uk) Strictly to give stars chaperones after complaints (bbc.co.uk) Gareth Southgate steps down as England manager after Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain (skysports.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction and FIEC update 08:59 - Assassination attempt on Donald Trump and strong rhetoric 15:28 - Quick changes from the new UK government 20:34 - Allowing change to happen 24:02 - Issues for church leaders to be aware of from the King's Speech 26:20 - Chaperones to check behaviour on Strictly Come Dancing 31:50 - Gareth Southgate resigning after success
Our Leaders' Conference this year is exploring healthy church leadership by looking to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and learning to love like Jesus. In this episode, Phil Topham (Executive Director) and Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries) discuss what you can expect from the conference: the theme, the programme, the speakers, the seminars and tracks, the venue, and the post-conference event. Book before the end of September to get an advance discount. Show notes 2024 FIEC Leaders' Conference - book now (fiec.org.uk) The Ministry of Administration (with Gavin Smith) (fiec.org.uk) The Church Office (thechurchoffice.co.uk) Practical Shepherding (practicalshepherding.com) The Unhurried Pastor, Brian Croft (thegoodbook.co.uk) You can get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - What is the Leaders' Conference? 05:02 - Who is the conference for? 06:24 - Brian Croft 08:38 - Bible teaching on the Good Shepherd 11:42 - Seminar sessions 18:16 - New seminar tracks for new and experienced church leaders 23:34 - Gathering in Blackpool 25:58 - New post-conference event
What do the general election results mean for church leaders? What might a 'conversion therapy' ban look like? What can leaders learn from Joe Biden and the upcoming US election? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Andy Hunter (FIEC Director for Scotland and North of England) discuss the results of the 2024 general election and other stories in the news over the past weeks. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Leaders' Conference 2024 (fiec.org.uk) Realising Justification (with Glynn Harrison) (fiec.org.uk) Starmer vows to serve whole UK as new Labour PM (bbc.co.uk) Navigating new laws on Conversion Practices: A Pastoral Approach to Compassion and Legal Compliance (thepastorsheart.net) Donald Trump and Joe Biden: The key moments in the first US presidential election debate (news.sky.com) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction and FIEC news 05:17 - Do the election results display a divided country? 12:06 - Christians in Parliament 13:38 - Responding to the election on Sunday morning 22:25 - Proposals for 'conversion therapy' bans 33:07 - US election debate and passing on the baton
The diversity of the local church is a beautiful and unique thing. The different generations in our churches offer an opportunity to grow in faith together and witness to the world around. In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Graeme Shanks (Bruntsfield Evangelical Church, Edinburgh) and Rachel Sloan (FIEC Director for Women's Ministry and Women's Ministry Coordinator at Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh) to discuss how an intergenerational church shows the beauty of the church to those around, how that works out in practice, and first steps towards becoming truly intergenerational. Show notes Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents―and What They Mean for The Future, Jean Twenge (amazon.co.uk) From Generation to Generation, Graeme Shanks (fiec.org.uk) You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 01:26 - The beauty of the church 08:50 - Generations in the church 14:51 - Intergenerational church in practice 20:57 - Moving from cross-generational to inter-generational 26:00 - The importance of listening well 28:28 - The witness of intergenerational church 32:01 - First steps towards intergenerational church
How can we lead fairly when one group has a majority of power? Why are church buildings in Scotland being sold off? How does Rory McIlroy's marriage reflect the gospel? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the news over the past fortnight. Show notes FIEC Leaders' Conference 2024 (fiec.org.uk) Impassioned Question Time audience puts leaders on the spot (bbc.co.uk) General Election: How to Think Christianly (fiec.org.uk) How Christian charities and churches can engage in politics (edwardconnor.com) Hundred of Scottish churches up for sale as UK turns away from Christianity (telegraph.co.uk) What All Churches Can Learn from Scotland's Census (fiec.org.uk) Rory McIlroy's divorce off before US Open as couple resolve differences (theguardian.com) Post Office campaigner Alan Bates given knighthood - but insists there's still 'work to do' (news.sky.com) You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction & FIEC news 07:06 - General election swing? 18:38 - Church of Scotland church buildings for sale 24:04 - Rory McIlroy's reconciliation 29:04 - Sir Alan Bates
A surprise general election brings with it temptations to grumble and divide. How can we help our churches to think "Christianly" about the election as they come to vote? How can we keep unity even when our political opinions may differ? On this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Simon Calver (The Christian Institute) to discuss the general election, biblical principles on voting, and how to disagree well with other Christians. You can get the show notes and more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Some sad news about our Director, Colin Hart (christian.org.uk) The Christian Mind: How Should a Christian Think?, Harry Blamires (amazon.co.uk) Election Briefing 2024 (christian.org.uk) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 02:16 - Remembering Colin Hart 04:12 - Thanking God for the UK government 07:54 - The privilege of voting in an election 12:53 - Teaching biblical principles about voting 20:47 - Complexity in politics and policies 24:00 - Keeping unity through an election
How can we help those in our churches to flourish as they live as believers in an age of technology? How can leaders set an example in their living with technology? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Nathan Weston (Moorlands Church, Lancaster) to discuss technology, its effect on our lives, and how we can disciple people to live well in a society full of technology. You can watch a video of this podcast and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes A Theology of Technology (fiec.org.uk) Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age (crossway.org) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction04:39 - Living with technology as church leaders15:52 - Redeeming technology in our lives20:11 - Pastoring people with a better vision for technology27:06 - Helping parents with technology
What reflections are there to be had from the D-Day anniversary? How can we learn from the TV election debates? What can we take from Rob Burrow's heroism and friendship? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) discuss the big stories in the news over the past fortnight. Show notes ChristChurch Harborough Sermon Library (christchurchharborough.org.uk) FIEC Leaders' Conference 2024 (fiec.org.uk) Donald Trump Found Guilty (twr.org.uk) In pictures: Events commemorate 80th anniversary of D-Day (bbc.co.uk) General Election 2024: Key moments from first TV debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer (news.sky.com) Rob Burrow: Rugby league great urges people 'don't waste a moment' in final message (skysports.com) Kevin Sinfield carries Rob Burrow over Leeds marathon finish (bbc.co.uk) 'Strong argument Southgate got big calls right' (bbc.co.uk) You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction and FIEC news 04:48 - D-Day 80th anniversary 09:46 - The power of eye-witness testimony 13:08 - Rishi Sunak leaves D-Day ceremony early 18:20 - Election debates and murky promises 24:41 - Rob Burrow: "live in the moment" 29:53 - Gareth Southgate's difficult decisions
How can biblical principles help us flourish as Christians in a society that values sporting activities on Sunday mornings? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Graham Daniels (Christians in Sport) and Jonny Reid (Christians in Sport and Town Church Bicester) to discuss the challenges that Sunday sport presents for churches, the importance of the gathered church, and the biblical principles that we can hold out to help believers flourish. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. Show notes Why church is so important for sportspeople (christiansinsport.org.uk) Should I play sport on a Sunday? (christiansinsport.org.uk) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction02:37 - Sport on Sunday is here to stay05:25 - The importance of gathering together15:21 - When your children want to play on Sunday morning18:38 - Mission on Sunday mornings22:08 - Sport on Sunday for church leaders24:14 - Principles before application27:14 - Teaching the importance of church to children
As we approach a general election, we need to help those in our churches to be confident in God's sovereignty, to be prayerful, and to be thoughtful in decision-making. In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Justin Gill (FIEC IT Manager) discuss the lead-up to the 2024 general election, how Christians should think about voting, and how church leaders can pastor their churches through the vote. Show notes Thinking faithfully about politics - survey results (eauk.org) General election - Evangelical Alliance (eauk.org) engaGE24 - CARE (engage24.org.uk) General Election 2024 - Christian Institute (christian.org.uk) You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction 01:53 - Praise for a fair democracy 09:18 - General election quiz! 14:08 - Do the polls tell a true story? 16:36 - Should Christians focus on ethical issues when voting? 23:49 - Pastoring the church through the election 29:54 - Should Christians vote for Christian candidates?
Why do we so often try to cover-up scandals, like the contaminated blood scandal? Are people 'fundamentally good'? How are pastors like football managers? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Graham Beynon (FIEC Head of Local Ministries) discuss some of the big stories in the news over the past few weeks. You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction and FIEC news 09:48 - Slovak PM assassination attempt and abortion figures 12:41 - Contaminated blood scandal 22:16 - Pope Franci: "we are fundamentally good" 27:49 - Mauricio Pochettino and pastorate length
How can we think theologically about technology to help us use the gift of technology in a godly way? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Nathan Weston (Moorlands Church, Lancaster) to discuss technology: how do we define it?; is it good or bad?; how is it changing the world?; how does it fit into the story of redemption? You can watch a video of this episode and get more resources for church leaders on the FIEC website. About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction01:57 - Is technology new?05:44 - Is technology good or bad?15:54 - Using the gift of technology18:40 - Technology in the story of redemption21:49 - How technology is changing the world27:15 - A theology of dishwashers
More than 5% of England's working population work in care, and carers face particular demands both physically and emotionally. How can church leaders support the carers in their churches? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Head of National Ministries) is joined by Lucy Honeysett (Christians in Care) to discuss how churches and their leaders can support Christians who work in the care sector and care for loved ones in other parts of life. You can watch a video of this episode on the FIEC website. Show notes Christians in Care (christiansincare.org) Adult social care workforce in England (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) Register with Christians in Care (christiansincare.org) About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC's official podcast, where you'll hear teaching and resources for church leaders from the FIEC Ministry Team and guests from FIEC churches and partners. About FIEC: We are a fellowship of Independent churches with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ. Follow FIEC on social media: Instagram Facebook X 00:00 - Introduction01:19 - The care sector in the UK04:35 - Carers in our churches09:01 - How can church leaders support carers through the week?11:56 - Caring as a vocation15:39 - Emotional demands for carers17:36 - Spiritual demands for carers19:27 - Personal evangelism for carers23:45 - A vision for care as a calling29:32 - The mission of Christians in Care
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