Making Sense of Life

S3 E11 What does it mean to grow old gracefully? Welcome to a serious, but light-hearted conversation between two 'old men' who at the time of recording were only 69 and 56 years young!

S3 E10 Is it possible to enjoy lasting friendship – friendship so good that it lasts forever?  In a cynical, complex and challenging world, we might wonder at the idea. Cultural forces of individualism, loneliness and suspicion question the ideal. And personal stories of betrayal and disappointment plague our ability to try or trust again. 

S3 E09 There is a dark side to friendship that destroys relationships and damages people. In this 2nd episode of our 3-part series on friendship, we look at how we can apply wisdom to guard against friendship's dark side.

S3 E08 Friendship allows us to be the best of ourselves. It confirms what we know to be true – that we were made for relationships. Yet many people lack friendship in their lives.

S3 E07 The path to a fulfilling life isn't always what it seems. Our culture tells us all sorts of stories about what can make us happy. For example, you can be successful and then relax....

S3 E06 How do you define success? This is our third and final conversation with Mark Greene, author of “Thank God It's Monday: Flourishing in Your Workplace”. God is interested in all of our life including the work we are doing. Our work can be an opportunity to bless and serve others in the midst of our more mundane responsibilities.

S3 E5 We continue our conversation with Mark Greene, author of the book “Thank God It's Monday: Flourishing in Your Workplace”. Mark is passionate about whole life integration so that our faith and work are not separate from each other, but a continuation of who I am.. This is the second of a three-part interview with him.

S3 E4 How can the work I do better reflect the person I am and aspire to be? To help us answer that question we have the privilege of interviewing Mark Greene. Mark is currently Mission Champion at the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. He is also author of the book "Thank God It's Monday: Flourishing in Your Workplace". https://youtu.be/3fPgJlLfplI Here is some more background on Mark from his bio that we unpack: "Mark grew up Jewish and joyous in North-West London. In his last month at university God wooed him not his kingdom and he went on to work for ten years in advertising in London and in New York. Gripped by a desire to dig into God's word, he took a career break to study at the London School of Theology. The career break turned into a career change and he ended up on the staff, teaching Communications and Engaging with Contemporary Culture, and serving as Vice Principal. He joined the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity in 1999, eager to focus on the call to see all God's people empowered to live their whole lives - Monday to Saturday as well as Sunday - in dynamic and fruitful relationship with Christ. His other books include Probably the Best Idea in the World, Fruitfulness on the Front Line, Adventure and the million-copy selling The Servant Queen and the King She Serves which explores the faith of Queen Elizabeth II. Mark's married to Katriina, a Finn, and they have three splendidly different adult children. He enjoys films and fiction (a lot) and does a passable imitation of Mr Bean and a terrible one of Sean Connery. His wife wishes it were the other way round. His children wish he wouldn't do either." Do join us in this fascinating conversation on Mark's life as we unpack what it means to live life as an integrated whole encompassing body, mind and spirit. The quote from L P Jacks we mention is: "A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labour and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both."  

S3 E03 The way we look at the world and ourselves profoundly impacts the way we live our lives. In a world of so much cynicism, complexity and confusion, wisdom can help us move forward with less emotional baggage and more hope, awe and wonder with the daily decisions we have to make. How can we unpack what we mean by wonder?

We are arguably the most overstimulated and under-reflective generation in all of world history. Do join us in this 30 minute conversation as we explore timeless truths about what it means to live with awe and wonder in a cynical world.

S3 E01 We have an exciting and fascinating series of conversations in store for you in this new series of the Dancing With Wisdom Podcast! In this first episode of series 3 we discuss: - How wisdom is much more than dealing with the complex problems of life - The promise of wisdom being the key to the whole universe - Unpack the proverb "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." - Fear as awe, reverence and wonder. - Wonder as bewildered curiosity. These are more than mere words. I believe they hold the key to combatting the deep cynicism and mistrust of our age. You can listen to or watch this 28 minute conversation below: https://youtu.be/NRGPFildnxI Do let me know what in our conversation particularly resonated with you.

S2 E16 The place of discipline in learning to grow in wisdom

S2 E15 Silence, solitude, and a deep relationship with God though His word are often in competition with an inner restlessness, worry and anxiety. How do we tap into the wisdom of silence? In this podcast, Sunil and Elliot discuss the power of solitude, and what we can find when we can comfortably sit in silence.

S2 E14 The legacy I leave in the lives of others. Do join us in this conversation as we seek to live with confidence, joy, and the responsibility of knowing our life has consequences.

13 Dancing With Wisdom: What should I do? The question of discerning what I am uniquely called to do.

12 Dancing With Wisdom: Who matters to me? In case you're wondering the picture is of me around early 1968 with the friends from the street where we lived at the time in Allahabad, India. I am the one on the lower step at the front. We have no idea of what lies in store for each of us in the future! Life only makes sense in the context of relationships. That is the conclusion I have come to after many years of questioning and searching. When relationships are going well there can be no greater sense of joy and fulfilment. On the other hand, when relationships are going badly there can be no more painful frustration or headache. That's certainly been my experience.

11 Dancing With Wisdom: The problems of basing my identity on my performance. "How does wisdom equip and empower us to live life such that we rise above the meaninglessness and mediocrity around us and the different challenges we face?" That is the opening question of chapter 8 of the Dancing With Wisdom book. To answer that question we begin by raising the question of identity or being - who am I called to be? It is the most fundamental question of my personal existence. We are, after all, human beings and not human doings! Yet how often so much of our identity seems to come from what we do? Its the basic question often to a stranger we might meet at an event, asking them "What do you do?" The problem is by basing my identity on my performance I can quickly fall between the extremes of arrogance at how well I am doing or despair when I don't measure up to my own or other people's standards. This is something we don't necessarily give much conscious thought to but in deep and even mysterious ways it can drive our behaviours, actions and motivations.

Exploring the subject of wisdom is like looking at different facets of a diamond and even more so when we add an infinite reference point. As my co-host Elliott Frisby and I continue our conversation on what it means to define wisdom with respect to the Divine, we face the insight that our secular world conditions us to believe this life is all there is and that is all that matters. However, the fact is all religious traditions for thousands of years are agreed there is more to life than what we experience in this world. Indeed modern secular belief is out of keeping with much of human thinking since the dawn of time. It is not possible to make sense of this finite world without an infinite reference point. Do join us in this conversation as we explore: How the concept of emotional intelligence overlaps with wisdom, but is also different. The role of the Jewish carpenter in understanding wisdom. How the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job look at wisdom from different angles. How understanding wisdom is not just an intellectual exercise, but has a calling on how I fundamentally conduct my life. The link to the podcast is below. You can also watch the conversation on video here.

In our quest for wisdom it is vital to grasp that this is much more than simply making better decisions or getting what we think is best for us. Understanding wisdom in all its richness gets to the heart of what it means to be human. It is as intense as thinking about the wonder of a baby's birth. While the physiological and genetic details of birth are well understood and documented, a scientific approach does not account for the wonder of bringing a new life into the world. I remember as a medical student witnessing a birth. On one level, this was another of the 130 million born every year into the world. But for me, as a raw eighteen-year-old, it was a profoundly reverent experience. As the writer Eugene Peterson puts it: "In the presence of birth we are at the source of life . . . Here is a mystery, but a mystery of light, not darkness, full of goodness, brimming with blessing. Every birth powerfully recalls us to this source: we have our origins in someone other than ourselves, and greater than ourselves." There is something of this awe and wonder when we approach the subject of wisdom. It is wisdom that enables us to realise and appreciate we are far more than our own existence and the narrow world we live in with our preoccupations, doubts, fears, insecurities and often petty concerns. Through wisdom we are invited into an encounter. This is an encounter with the God of the universe - The Ultimate Infinite Intelligence. Not a god of our convenience or that measures up to the best parts of who we aspire to be, but as the One who is more in control than we are and sees way beyond what we can see. In this podcast discussion with my cohost Elliott Frisby we explore: How God is intimately connected to the challenges of our life. The importance of getting past our own prejudices and assumptions around who we think God to be. God as the highest ideal we aspire for and long to be. A definition of God as " a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness truth." Engaging with a worldview that believes there is no God The Biblical worldview and wisdom. How we need something more than just our subjective feelings (or as Elliott describes 'goosebumps'!) to know we are encountering God's wisdom How wisdom challenges our assumptions about life and ultimate reality. The link to the podcast is below. You can also watch the conversation on video here.

Do you find some people really annoying? The things they say or the way they behave can be so bothersome and irritating. I know I do and I am sure I am not alone in that! We say things like ‘she makes me so mad' or ‘he frustrates and irritates me so much'. And maybe there are legitimate things that the other person says or does which are understandably frustrating and annoying. However, the diagram below (from Stephen Covey's book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) challenges those assumptions in some radical ways. In Biology at school we learnt that for simple organisms like an amoeba or relatively straight forward structures like the knee joint, there is a predictable response to a stimulus. You prod an amoeba and it goes in a certain direction. Or you strike the front of the knee and you get an involuntary knee jerk reaction. But we as human beings are much more complex than that. Granted most people do react to circumstances, but just because they do does not mean you and I have to do the same. The fact is that for human beings between stimulus and response is a space. In that space we have the power to choose how we respond. If you think about the word ‘responsibility' you will notice it is from 2 words – response and ability. In other words responsibility is the ability to choose your response. An extreme example illustrates this….. Victor Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist caught in the terrible and brutal horrors of a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Apart from his sister, his entire family perished. For Frankl himself there was torture, physical and psychological abuse on an unimaginable scale. At any moment death could be around the corner or he could be called to remove dead bodies or shovel the ashes of fellow prisoners. It was in this truly horrific environment Frankl became aware of what he would later call ‘the last of the human freedoms'. It was a freedom his Nazi captors could not take away. His physical environment was completely controlled by others; he had no choice as to how he spent his day and his tormentors could do what they wanted to his body. He began to realise he was self-aware and could look at everything happening to him as a detached observer. There was a part of himself no one could touch. His identity did not have to be affected by all that was going on around him. In his mind Frankl created a small oasis that was impervious to all the brutality that was going on in his external environment. He could decide within himself how all this was going to affect him. Between what happened to him, or the stimulus, and his response to it, was his freedom or power to choose his response. Here is how Covey builds on this: “In the midst of his experiences, Frankl would project himself into different circumstances, such as lecturing to his students after his release from the death camps. He would describe himself in the classroom, in his mind's eye, and give his students the lessons he was learning during his very torture. Through a series of such disciplines – mental, emotional and moral, principally using memory and imagination – he exercised his small embryonic freedom until it grew larger and larger, until he had more freedom than his Nazi captors. They had more liberty, more options to choose from in their environment; but he had more freedom, more internal power to exercise his options. He became an inspiration to those around him, even to some of the guards. He helped others find meaning in their suffering and dignity in their prison existence.” Yes it is an extreme example, but it illustrates how through stimulus (the irritation or external suffering) and response (how we think and behave) there is the freedom to choose. Within this freedom to choose, and in addition to self-awareness, we can call upon: Imagination – that is the ability to create in our minds something beyond our present reality.

"What you don't know can't hurt you." Such is a famous English saying. The problem is it assumes much which is frankly wrong. Think of a fish (hang in with me, this is going somewhere!) If you ask a fish to describe the water it is swimming in, and if it could answer, it would not know what to say because the water is all it knows about its existence. The water just is and naturally cannot be questioned as it is assumed to be always there. Now, surprise surprise, we are not fish (another profound thought!) But we also make assumptions about life and our environment that we don't naturally question. We have assumptions about ourselves and life that we take for granted as they are so much a part of the world around us. They can hold us back from discovering the wisdom we are called to live by. By understanding and challenging those assumptions we can learn to begin to dance with wisdom in spite of all the complexity or confusion we commonly see around us. In this podcast conversation with my cohost Elliott Frisby we discuss three common myths when it comes to wisdom: Wisdom is the same as common sense. Wisdom comes with age and time If I live with wisdom then everything in my life will naturally go well and according to my plans and ideas. Such assumptions can seriously hold us back from living life with the purpose and fulfilment we were intended for. We need wisdom to appropriately handle and overcome the irritations and frustrations of life; the intractable problems we face in getting things done and most importantly to face the major devastations we will ultimately face in terms of death and other disasters. A sobering example of that is King Solomon who lived in the 10th century BC and was described as the richest and wisest man of his time. Yet in spite of this Solomon made some significant misjudgements and mistakes in his own life that lead to a tragic overall evaluation by his Creator. After you have listened to the podcast can you think of any other assumptions that may hold us back from dancing with wisdom? Life's challenges can diminish, define or develop you. Which will it be? The choice is yours through wisdom. Make sure you choose the right one. The link to our 27 minute conversation is below. You can also watch our conversation on YouTube here  

What do you think of when you hear the word idols? Eastern religious statues or the famous world-wide TV show popularised by Simon Cowell? Whatever your answer I want to show you how essential understanding our own personal idols and removing them are to learning to dance with wisdom.  There are many secular and religious examples of idols. Indeed more than 500 years ago Martin Luther described the human heart as 'an idol factory'. What did he mean by that? Is such a statement still relevant to us in our modern age? I very much think it is. Perhaps the simplest explanation of idolatry is that we are continually looking for something to give us ultimate meaning, purpose and significance. We may not be even consciously aware that is what we are doing. Our hearts are continually putting weight and significance on objects and desires that cannot ultimately deliver all we long and hope for. Our worldwide economy can often seem based on our hunger to buy more and more to satisfy deep longings. As someone has humorously said, "We buy what we don't want with money we don't have to impress people we don't even like!" The atheist American author and professor of English David Foster Wallace surprisingly calls this insatiable desire for more as worship. When we worship someone or something we give it our committed attention and focus. Its where our minds go to when we have nothing in particular to think about. So worship is primarily an attitude of the heart seeking rest and consolation. Do join my cohost Elliott Frisby and I as we unpack this and discuss: the attraction of idolatry how it cannot ultimately satisfy how the finiteness of this world causes us to yearn for something this world can ultimately never fulfil. the big 3 idols of money, sex and power. how an important wisdom skill is the ability to recognise when I am veering into idolatry how the path of wisdom includes following your fears and frustrations to unmask those idols controlling you. In the words of Don Carson, "We must eschew the abominable idolatry of thinking that the universe must dance to our tune." Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do let me know. Life's challenges can diminish, define or develop you. Which will it be? The choice is yours through wisdom. Make sure you choose the right one. Listen to the 25 minute conversation below to explore this more. You can also watch on YouTube here What questions, thoughts or comments does the question of idols raise for you?

Do you have an ego problem? A few years ago I had an argument with my wife, Sally and I was challenged by how my ego was actually making things worse. But, before we get to that, what do we actually mean by ego? When we talk of someone having an ego, we're more than just stating a fact and we're certainly not offering them a compliment! The truth is we all have an ego. On our quest for wisdom why can ego cause such great problems in our own lives and the lives of others? Is there such a thing as a healthy amount of ego? If so we will need much wisdom to get that balance right! On this podcast do join my cohost Elliott Frisby and I as we discuss: How do I use my ego to help rather than hinder me? How ego is a problem both when I think too much and also too little of myself. Why the most dangerous thing in the world is unhealthy pride. What healthy pride looks like. The connection between a healthy ego and our toes! How do I develop the wisdom to recognise when my ego is getting out of control? When following an argument with my wife Sally I was challenged about my ego problem. What healthy ego can look like. Life's challenges can diminish, define or develop you. Which will it be? The choice is yours through wisdom. Make sure you choose the right one. Listen to the 25 minute conversation below to explore this more.

How do you navigate through life so as to not just survive, but actually thrive and even dance through the confusion and mess?  That is much easier said than done! More than we care to admit life is so often full of challenges and complex situations where we can feel at the end of our resources. How do we navigate our way through for the greater good of ourselves and others? In this podcast conversation we discuss the subject of wisdom for life. It's only a small subject to cover in 25 minutes! :) All around us we see disordered lives that arise from a lack of wisdom. That can start as a sense of disappointment or general frustration before leading, if unchecked, on to fear, dread, shame, worry, anxiety, stress, burnout, depression and even suicide. As a psychiatrist I have sadly seen those consequences in many people's lives. Our restless hearts are constantly looking for security and comfort, while our questioning minds can feel they are drowning in too much information. The result can be disordered lives with rising rates of mental illness and discontentment. The secular atheistic worldview that is so much a part of our lives cannot provide the meaningful answers we long for. On this podcast we discuss how the timeless truths of wisdom provide answers to: A path to learn and grow past the sorrow, sadness, suffering and sickness we see around us Something much more than the quick fix solutions of our age be that in terms of superficial entertainment, a tablet, victimhood, cynicism or self-righteous indignation. A way of understanding how while pain in life is inevitable miserable suffering is not necessarily so. The dangers of making happiness our main goal in life and why good news only makes sense in the context of bad news Understanding the two types of regret and why it is important to be able to tell the difference. Life's challenges can diminish, define or develop you. Which will it be? The choice is yours through wisdom. Make sure you choose the right one. Listen to the 25 minute conversation below to explore this more. You can also watch on YouTube here.

We live in the age of information. Perhaps it is more accurate to say we are drowning in the information constantly presented to us. In previous generations it took 1000 years for human knowledge to double. Currently human knowledge doubles every 12 hours! Is it any surprise that we struggle to keep up? But our minds and souls need so much more than just information. We need wisdom. Our restless minds struggle to make sense of life with all the information coming at us from all sorts of directions. We are so much more than our minds. We are body, mind and spirit that are interconnected and inter-related in marvellous and complex ways. On this podcast conversation do come and join my co-host Elliott Frisby and myself as we discuss: Our fundamental need for human connection that technology can only partly satisfy. How do we create the space in our lives to remain focussed on what is truly important and not be distracted by the latest and loudest? The importance of silence and solitude to handle negative thoughts that come from our restless minds. Lessons from my own personal burnout during 2008-9. The role of Biblical scripture in our lives during times of silence and solitude. How when I worry I am attempting to control the universe - a job that has already been taken by someone else! Why it is important to not believe everything you think, but to think carefully about what you believe.

Understanding wisdom is not a one-off event, but the quest of a lifetime. A quest is long search for something difficult to find or an attempt to achieve something difficult. A quest is different from an adventure. In a adventure, you choose to go out on an exciting journey. It spices up your life and then you come back home to pick up where you left off. By contrast a quest is not something you choose. Rather, the quest chooses you. You are called to it because of what is going to be demanded of you. In many ways the person you are at the beginning never really comes back from a quest. Either you die on the quest or, if you do come back, you are so fundamentally changed that you are not the same person as when you set out. Understanding wisdom is something of a quest. The more you learn the more you want to know. It is also incredibly life-enhancing and enriching. This second podcast conversation with my co-host Elliott Frisby is about wisdom for the heart. We discuss the circumstances around the sudden death of my friend, Abhishek Banerjee on 17 March 2014 and how that was a defining moment in my own life on my quest for wisdom. We discuss what the implications can be us as we seek to make sense of life in this often cynical, chaotic and confusing world. You can access the podcast on iTunes, your favourite podcast platform or watch on YouTube! For the iTunes link see here For the 26 minute YouTube video conversation just click the image below: If you haven’t yet downloaded the introduction to the book then you can do so from the home page. Who could you share that with? Also have you signed up for my virtual book launch on 17 March at 5.55pm -7.30pm GMT (1.55-3.30pm ET and 11.25pm -1am IST. Sorry it is so late India!)? There is still time to do so at this link here Do feel free to leave your comments or questions from the podcast.    

From Making Sense of Life to Dancing With Wisdom! I'm delighted to announce Season 2 Episode 1!  On Series 2 Episode 1 of the Dancing With Wisdom Podcast we explore the question of Why Wisdom? Do come and join my new podcast host, Elliott Frisby and I as we explore this question in detail. Elliott gives us the dictionary definition of wisdom as "The ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have." In our conversation we explore why wisdom is much more than that simple definition. Instead wisdom is about connecting us to timeless truths in a world which we find is increasingly cynical, confusing, complex and chaotic. The explosion of choices around us only adds to this. Indeed it could be argued that we are the most over-informed and under-reflective civilisation in human history. There are three questions we are going to seek to unpack in this and future conversations: Why do some people grow and develop in their lives in incredible ways? How are some people not just productive, but able to be at peace with themselves and others? How do such people think, feel and behave to flourish so well in their lives? We unpack wisdom as timeless truths that can connect you with the ultimate best version of who you are and who you long to be. It is about making sense of life in the fullest sense. You can access the podcast on iTunes, your favourite podcast platform or watch on YouTube! For the iTunes link see here For the 26 minute YouTube video see here If you haven't yet downloaded the introduction to the book then you can do so from the home page. Who could you share that with? Do feel free to leave your comments or questions.    

What makes this interview particularly fascinating is that it was recorded in January 2020 before the start of the global pandemic that has turned all of our lives upside down. In that time churches have had to go from being based in buildings to being forced to present their services online as there has been no other option. When we recorded this interview we had little idea how much our world was going to change in such a short span of time. While this has created significant challenges it has also led to unprecedented opportunities to present the unchanging message of the Gospel to the world. Peter and I discuss how technology is becoming more and more an integral part of our lives. Indeed we are just seeing the beginning of a huge revolution in digital technology, which the pandemic has only accelerated at a faster pace than we had imagined. That uneven distribution around the world is becoming rapidly less uneven. We are entering the age of "The Internet of Things" where there is a greater blurring between the physical and virtual worlds. We are going to see a lot of the things previously done by humans replaced by artificial intelligence. Moore's Law that says the power of the microchip doubles and its size halves every 18 months is creating at an ever increasing rate unprecedented changes in the ways that we live. COVID has only further accelerated those changes. Before the COVID pandemic Premier Christian Radio, of which Peter is CEO since 1995 had grown to over 1.2 million listeners and 8 million website visitors. Since the pandemic that has grown even further and faster. How does this changing world impact the unchanging truths of the Biblical Gospel message? Do join us in this conversation as Peter and I discuss: How technology can be a tool to ensure that faith stays at the heart of a disciple's life to bring Christ to others. How churches are going to need to grow in confidence in the use of technology to bring timeless truths to the world. How Premier has used its reach to galvanise Christian disciples to engage with pressing issues of our time. How mobile devices are the tools by which the unchanging truths of the Christian Gospel can spread far and wide With people generally reading less and auditory communication through technology more prevalent the opportunity that is growing to bring more personalised content tailored to the needs of individuals through their mobile phones. Premier's Leap of Faith to expand the vision of a clear, confident voice for the Christian faith in the UK and around the world. You can connect directly with Peter at peter.kerridge@premier.org.uk For a 4 minute video on how Premier has pivoted its influence and outreach during 2020 with the pandemic see this 4 minute video here You may also find of interest: Podcast #064: Peter Kerridge and the story behind Premier Christian Radio Podcast #065: Leadership lessons from Peter Kerridge Podcast #036: Virtually Human Podcast #037: Making Sense of Technology Podcast #038 How technology impacts time and sex Podcast #048: Finding meaning and direction    

As we continue our conversation with Peter Kerridge, chief executive of Premier Christian Communications, we ask him a variety of questions around his life and leadership. Peter is well qualified to answer such questions as he has guided the development over the last 25 years of Premier Christian Radio from its humble beginnings to become the largest Christian Radio station in the world. In particular we explore: How God has guided Peter as a continual worrier about where he is supposed to be and what he is supposed to do. The greatest lessons he has has learnt in his life. His greatest successes and why. How failure has shaped his life. What he sees as his greatest strengths. His mentors and role models. What these days makes his heart beat faster. What he enjoys reading. Specific life shaping experiences. How his understanding of God has grown. What he would want to do if he had unlimited time and money with no responsibilities. The link to Premier Christian Radio is here You may also find of interest Podcast #015: Why your leadership matters. Our previous interview with Peter is at Podcast #064: Peter Kerridge and the story behind Premier Christian Radio

How does God guide an insurance salesman, self-confessed worrier and part time radio commentator to start what would become one of the largest Christian radio stations in the world? Do join us on the first of three conversations with Peter Kerridge, CEO of what has become Premier Christian Communications, Europe's largest Christian multimedia group. It works with a wide range of Christian churches and organisations across the UK through radio, Internet, video and magazine platforms. Its mission is to help the UK by enabling people to put their faith at the heart of daily life and to bring Christ to their communities. It is an impressive vision, but what is even more impressive is how over 25 years that vision has been implemented and brought to life. Peter's leadership has been a pivotal factor in getting the vision off the ground to become reality and then to grow and develop in a sustainable way over more than two decades. As the UK's largest Christian media organisation its reach is significant. In 2019 (before the impact of COVID which will have dramatically increased even these figures), there have been: - over 8 million website visits per year - 6.6 million YouTube video views in 2018 - over 1.5 million tune into Premier Christian radio programmes every week - over 1.2 million calls are received each year into Premier Lifeline, the National Christian Helpline - 560,000 copies of Christianity magazine, Voice of Hope and Premier Hope and Premier Youth and Children's Work were published in 2019. 2020 has been a challenging year for us all, but it is also remarkable as the 25th year anniversary of Premier Christian Radio. Peter is married to Karen, has two sons and enjoys reading, following Newcastle United football club and sleeping! On this podcast we delve into Peter's life including: Coming to faith as a 7 year old boy Learning about being a football commentator Working as an insurance salesmen and night club DJ Resisting the call to full time Christian work, but also experiencing the clear guidance of God Going to Oxford University to study theology and training for the baptist ministry Becoming associate minister at Avenue Baptist Church in Southend-on-Sea while at the same time doing freelance presenting at Essex Radio Station Peter's ongoing fascination with radio programmes as a way of bringing spiritual truth and encouragement to others. We also explore Peter's growing vision for a Christian radio station at a time in the mid 1980s when the mainstream media was beginning to sideline and ignore religious programming. This was at a time when there were only four main TV stations and as many as 16 million people watched religious programmes. Peter discusses: Campaigning during 1989 for the law to change to allow a Christian radio station The lonely journey this was with very few within the church having a vision for the potential How when a proposed change in the law was debated it was opposed by every bishop in the House of Lords The 1990 Broadcasting Act allowing specialist radio and TV licenses for niche areas, including pornography The launch of Christian radio in 1995 with no money, no church leadership support, no clear management structure and no identifiable presenters A very different form of technology to contend with at the time and Premier being given the worst frequency and lowest reach of any radio station To keep tuned to the radio station at the time you would need to keep changing the medium wave channel as you drove around the M25 that circles London! Keeping the business sustainable over 25 years with every year presenting financial challenges. Peter's vision of using radio to meet the spiritual needs of the vast majority of the UK population who would be unlikely to ever enter a church, as well as the 90% of those who went to church but also confessed to not having an inner devotional life.

On this podcast we continue our conversation with Amanda Clegg about her book co-written with Victoria Byrne, “Hope and Spice: […] The post Podcast #063: Life lessons from a remarkable cookbook appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

On this podcast we continue our conversation with Amanda Clegg about her book co-written with Victoria Byrne, “Hope and Spice: Authentic recipes and stories of transformation from the slums of Delhi.” Its one thing to have a good idea, but its another to see that idea through to completion. That is even more so for a cook book that combines not only authentic recipes, but inspiring stories of the slum dwellers themselves. Do join us in this conversation with Amanda as we explore: Why she could have the audacity to write an Indian cook book! The logistical challenges of visiting  100 homes in 12 slum communities over 17 days to sample recipes, listen with the help of an interpreter and collate the stories of some remarkable men and women. The power of food to bring down barriers of race and caste. The story of Rajwati who in 2010 overnight lost her slum dwelling to make way for building for the Commonwealth Games. How lobbying by the charity Asha eventually led after 3 months to Rajwati and the rest of her community being found new homes. The story of Gyanwati who twenty years ago lost her son from dehydration at the age of two years old. Since then she has trained as a community health visitor and is determined that no other family will lose a child through dehydration. Secrets and surprises of Indian cooking that Amanda has learnt. If you have not listened to my previous conversation with Amanda that can be accessed here at Podcast #62: Much more than your average cookbook! Hope & Spice has been named a double Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2020 winner, winning Best Indian Charity Cookbook, and gaining a second award for People Cuisine (India)! The Hope and Spice website is here The Asha charity that works in Delhi's website is here You can order the book from the link below: The podcast is below or can be accessed at Making Sense of Life on iTunes After you have listened to the podcast do let me know by telling me what you found helpful or inspiring or any feedback you have.   

Cook books are hugely popular the world over. Amanda Clegg and Victoria Byrne have together written a cook book that […] The post Podcast #062: Much more than your average cook book! appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

Cook books are hugely popular the world over. Amanda Clegg and Victoria Byrne have together written a cook book that is unique in so many ways to the vast number that are out there. On this podcast I have the privilege of interviewing Amanda about her book "Hope and Spice: Authentic recipes and stories of transformation from the slums of Delhi." Here is a short video recorded with Amanda and Victoria at the launch of the book back in November 2018: Do come and join us on the podcast for this fascinating conversation with Amanda as we explore:  How Amanda's passion for India, food and encouraging those in slum communities in Delhi came together with an idea of an Indian cookbook. The work of the charity Asha started by Dr Kiran Martin in a slum in Delhi in 1988 has dramatically grown and multiplied to bring holistic health and wellbeing to greatly disadvantaged individuals and famillies. The story of Samina who has been empowered to be a community health volunteer to other women in her slum. Chandan who not only has been able to complete a degree in Mathematics, but has also been granted a scholarship to do a Masters degree in the UK. The evolution of the idea of a cookbook to combine recipes with inspiring stories of changed lives from the Delhi slums. Hope & Spice has been named a double Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2020 winner, winning Best Indian Charity Cookbook, and gaining a second award for People Cuisine (India)! The Hope and Spice website is here The Asha charity that works in Delhi's website is here You can order the book from the link below: The podcast is below or can be accessed at Making Sense of Life on iTunes After you have listened to the podcast do let me know by telling me what you found helpful or inspiring or any feedback you have.  Thank you!

Welcome to a new year and a new decade! What will 2020 hold in store for you? While there are […] The post Podcast #061: How 2020 can be your year of wisdom appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

Welcome to a new year and a new decade! What will 2020 hold in store for you? While there are many unanswered questions, and the year before us is at this point a somewhat blank slate, what we are most definitely going to need is wisdom. Do join my co-host Andrew Horton and I on this third and final podcast as we continue to unpack this subject of wisdom. Also my book on wisdom is scheduled to release in 2020! Wisdom comes from a daily discipline but not in a day. It does not come through a quick fix or by microwave! In particular we will be exploring: How developing wisdom can be compared to becoming healthy and fit as well as growing a beautiful garden. The dangers of over-control and why I am tempted to so often be a control freak! How wisdom is ultimately found in the person of Christ and what He has done for us. The lessons and warnings when it comes to wisdom from the life of Solomon. Whatever 2020 has in store for us, we are going to need wisdom at every level of our lives - personal, family, community, national and international. As the writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky said: “Every ant  knows the  formula of its ant-hill, every  bee knows  the formula  of its  beehive. They know it  in their own way, not in our way. Only humankind does not know its own formula.” Where are you looking for wisdom in 2020? You may also find of interest: Podcast #060: Why you should hunger for wisdom. Podcast #059: How is Sunil's book on wisdom going? Podcast #001: Wisdom You can access the latest podcast below or also at Making Sense of Life on iTunes Happy New Year again and let's make 2020 our best year yet!

Wisdom. What is it? Why do you and I really need it? What do we mean by the word wisdom?  […] The post Podcast #060: Why you should hunger for wisdom appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

Wisdom. What is it? Why do you and I really need it? What do we mean by the word wisdom?  Do join my cohost Andrew Horton and I on this podcast as we unpack some of the ideas from the book on wisdom I am currently working on. In our conversation we unpack the following  draft quote from the book: "Wisdom comes not to the most fortunate or intelligent, but to those who are most determined to find it. We should hunger and thirst for wisdom above everything else and what that can mean for your life. My challenge to you is that what you need first and foremost in your life is wisdom. I want to demonstrate to you why that is the case." We also explore how wisdom: is much more than the stereotype figures of Gandalf from The Lord of The Rings or Yoda in Star Wars! how wisdom starts from an awareness of who and where I am with regard to where I intend to be. can be defined as capability in the complexities of life where the rules don't help. provides a way through the deceptions, discouragements, disappointments and distractions of modern life without giving in to cynicism and regret. comes from living in reverential relationship with the living God who can show us the principles, path and power to a well lived life.  is a the path by which we grow out of our natural self-centredness. provides a clue to the answer G K Chesterton is reported to have given to a question posed by The Times newspaper in the early part of the 20th century. You may also find of interest: Podcast #059: How is Sunil's book on wisdom going? Podcast #001: Wisdom If you have any questions, comments or ideas on the subject of wisdom do let us know!

“Don’t wish it was easier. Wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems. Wish for more skills. Don’t wish […] The post Podcast #059: How is Sunil’s book on wisdom going? appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

"Don't wish it was easier. Wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems. Wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom." If you have been a regular follower of the blog and podcast you will be aware that over the last year  I have significantly reduced my online activity. The main reason is to find more time to write the book on wisdom that I have been developing. So how is it going? While it is certainly not yet finished I am pleased to say I'm making good progress. On this podcast Andrew and I reconnect after a gap of 20 podcast episodes Do come and join our conversation as we discuss: The need for wisdom in our increasingly challenging  and complex world that is overflowing with unprecedented and overwhelming levels of information. How wisdom is about capability in the complexity of life when the rules don't help. How much of life impacts on the need for wisdom. Why I am writing this book. Why I have dedicated this book to the memory of Abhishek Banerjee (Bunty) who died in 2014. Proverbs 4:7-8 "The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honour you." You may also find of interest: Andrew's book that he mentions on the podcast about how to commission better videos is here. Podcast #001: Wisdom Podcast #039: Overcoming Failure A tribute to my dear friend Abhishek Banerjee (12 October 1981 - 17 March 2014) Also I am setting up a Facebook support page to help me keep focussed on getting this book done as I know how easy it is for me to let this project slip! Thank you for your suggestions, encouragement and support! You can also connect with me on my Facebook book writing support page that is here The podcast link is below. Do feel free to share any thoughts and comments you have about our conversation or on the subject of wisdom .

You rarely hear it mentioned in the mainstream media, but it is those who profess allegiance to Jesus Christ who […] The post Podcast #058: The world’s most persecuted religious group appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

You rarely hear it mentioned in the mainstream media, but it is those who profess allegiance to Jesus Christ who are the world's single most persecuted religious group . In face more Christians have died for their faith in the last 100 years than in the previous 2000 years combined! In our third and final conversation with Patrick Sookhdeo we discuss: The origins of the charity Barnabas Fund which Patrick helped to start. How even though Western nations like to regard themselves as secular they are still perceived as Christian by the rest of the world. How Western foreign policy has inadvertently led to the increased persecution of Christian minorities in the Middle East and around the world. How in spite of this the church outside the West is growing faster than at any other time in world history. Why it is through weakness and suffering that the church grows. Patrick's motivation to keep going in spite of many setbacks in his life. The importance of the Christian community being a place of genuine love for one another. You can access the podcast below or at Making Sense of Life on iTunes here. Our previous conversations with Patrick are:  Podcast #056: Patrick Sookhdeo - An Immigrant Story Podcast #057: Patrick Soohdeo and Understanding Islam The Barnabas Fund website is here. Patrick's latest book, “Hated Without A Reason: The Remarkable Story of Christian Persecution Over The Centuries” is a history of persecution from the first century to the present day.

On this podcast we continue our conversation with Patrick Sookhdeo and his journey with Christ in a hostile British environment […] The post Podcast #057: Patrick Sookhdeo and understanding Islam appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

On this podcast we continue our conversation with Patrick Sookhdeo and his journey with Christ in a hostile British environment in the 1960s and 1970s. Patrick  is currently Director of the Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity as well as the International Director of Barnabas Fund. The latter is an interdenominational Christian charity that supports Christians who face discrimination because of their faith. It was established in 1993 and channels aid through national Christians to more than 60 countries around the world. He campaigns for the abolition of Islamic apostasy laws around the world and has written to date 33 books. Do join us in our ongoing conversation with Patrick as we discuss: Planting a church in one of the most violent parts of the UK. The importance of incarnational ministry and being present with others in their suffering. How his interest in Islam was awakened by the first international conference on mission to Muslims in 1976. Being an advisor to the Police in the UK on Islam until 1999 when his views were felt to be too controversial. How that all changed after 9/11 Patrick's helpful three points on understanding Muslims and Islam that comprises: Muslims like all people are made in the image of God and so we are called to love all Muslims. Because we live in a liberal democratic society we must learn to accept one other regardless our personal views and opinions. This includes the freedom to criticise. While people are equally valuable not all ideas and opinions need to be equally valued. We must accept that there is a politicised form of Islam that seeks to dominate the world through violence and this must be rejected as it challenges the very basis of a democratic society. Patrick's role as a military advisor to the British Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. You can access the podcast below or at Making Sense of Life on iTunes here. Our previous conversation is Podcast #056: Patrick Sookhdeo - An Immigrant Story The Barnabas Fund website is here. Patrick's latest book, “Hated Without A Reason: The Remarkable Story of Christian Persecution Over The Centuries” is a history of persecution from the first century to the present day.

The 1960s in Britain are popularly associated with black and white television, The Beatles, a sexual revolution and England winning […] The post Podcast #056: Patrick Sookhdeo – An immigrant story appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

The 1960s in Britain are popularly associated with black and white television, The Beatles, a sexual revolution and England winning the football World Cup in 1966. But what was it like for those who came as outsiders to England at that time? One such person who came in 1959 at the age of 12 with his family was Patrick Soohdeo. Patrick  is Director of the Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity as well as the International Director of Barnabas Fund. The latter is an interdenominational Christian charity that supports Christians who face discrimination because of their faith. It was established in 1993 and channels aid through national Christians to more than 60 countries around the world. He campaigns for the abolition of Islamic apostasy laws around the world and has written to date 33 books. Patrick is married to Rosemary, who is from New Zealand, and they have three grown-up daughters. Do join us on this podcast interview with Patrick where we discuss: His upbringing in British Guyana with a Hindu father and Muslim mother in an environment of remarkable religious harmony and tolerance. How he came to have the name Patrick. The violence and racism he and his family experienced coming to Hoxton in East London in 1959. His initial impression of Christianity as a racist, barbaric religion of white people. How that radically changed in 1964 when he started to hear teaching from and began to read the Bible for himself. How his faith in Christ led to him having to leave home and become a vagrant because "the Christians who loved me into the kingdom then disappeared." Rejection from many Christian organisations before eventually going to London Bible College. Hostility and lack of understanding of him from indigenous Christians in the UK when he met Rosemary and they decided to get married. His motivation and faith to keep going in spite of all the challenges of his life. Much of Patrick's experiences make for disturbing listening, but it is a story that needs to be told. Indeed it is remarkable how much the UK and the church has changed for the better in terms of race relations since the 1960s. You can access the podcast below or at Making Sense of Life on iTunes here. The Barnabas Fund website is here. Patrick's latest book, "Hated Without A Reason: The Remarkable Story of Christian Persecution Over The Centuries" is a history of persecution from the first century to the present day.

Now that sounds like a difficult subject! We all shy away from talking about it and yet what could actually […] The post Podcast #055: How to talk about dying well appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

Now that sounds like a difficult subject! We all shy away from talking about it and yet what could actually be more important? On this podcast we return to our conversation with the author John Wyatt and explore the subject of what it means to die well. Do join us in this 35 minute conversation when we explore: How to prepare the space to talk The importance of asking open-ended questions such as ‘What is your understanding of what is going on medically?'... ‘What are you afraid of?'.....'What are your dreams and goals for the remainder of the time you have left?' The four kinds of pain - physical, psychological, relational and spiritual How do we help those with a different faith to our own? The meaning of the poem ‘Between the saddle and the ground, he mercy sought and mercy found.' Dealing with the fear of abandonment. Understanding the importance of physical presence with loved ones The importance of advanced care planning. We close with the ancient Old Testament blessing that has been given over many centuries: ”The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you, The LORD turn His face towards you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) You may also find of interest the following podcasts and related articles Podcast #017: The Last Taboo Subject Podcast #049: The Strange Adventure We Must All Take Podcast #050: More About The Strange Adventure We Must All Take Podcast #029: The Literal End Of The World? Podcast #042: What Does It Take To Live A Meaningful Life? An interview with Dr John Geater who has pancreatic cancer. A Tribute To My Dear Friend Abhishek Banerjee (12 October 1981 -17 March 2014h Podcast #031: How Do I Live With Hope Today?

We live in a world that celebrates success, achievement and strength. Crowds flock to watch or hear about the fastest, […] The post Podcast #054: Broken But Blessed appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.

We live in a world that celebrates success, achievement and strength. Crowds flock to watch or hear about the fastest, strongest, most beautiful and accomplished men and women of the world. However, there is another deeper and more lasting perspective. https://youtu.be/eojeiQDvxGY   I was recently at a conference for Christian doctors and had the unexpected privilege of meeting Rebekah Domer. She is the author of the book,  "Broken but Blessed: Journeying from Pain to Peace with Unlikely Guides." Rebekah is a hospice chaplain who currently works at St. Michael's Hospice in East Sussex. She is a part of the Bruderhof  which is a church whose members live in intentional community, seeking to follow Jesus' command to love God and neighbour. Like the early disciples described in the New Testament, they share all their possessions, work and worship together so as to put their beliefs into practice in their daily lives. On the podcast Rebekah opens up for us answers to the timeless question of why does a loving God allow us to suffer. She takes the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and in her book unpacks what that looks like in different people's lives. In our conversation we learn: How Rebekah was an accomplished medical laboratory technician who had studied at Harvard and been to Nigeria to set up a tropical laboratory. Then at the age of 28 she suddenly developed a paralysis of her left leg that led to her having a permanent disability and being in constant pain. From the life of her father who was a high ranking naval officer in World War 2. He was someone who was very knowledgeable on history and world affairs, but at the age of 70 developed Alzheimer's Disease. Rebekah describes to us how he allowed his memory loss to transform him into a more loving and caring person. About Rebekah's sister Louisa who had Down syndrome and because of a heart condition had 13 years of extreme physical suffering. However, Louisa was able to say as she came to the end of her days, "I am for life!" and "My task is to bring joy!" From Rebekah's book: "The Beatitudes say that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit and know their need for God. Louisa possessed these qualities naturally and radiated Christ unawares. She showed me how to live, through love that suffers and is kind.... Modern society touts a different Gospel: Blessed are you who achieve. Blessed are the prosperous, the politically successful, the powerful. Blessed are you who are beautiful and athletic. Blessed are those who win scholarships to prestigious universities. Most of us strive for perfection. But wha of people like Louisa? why do they exist? Vulnerable and dependent, people with Down syndrome are easily dismissed as "defective" and often aborted. And yet Louisa and the many like her are truly our teachers - for didn't Jesus admonish us to 'change and become like little children?" What can we learn about what Jesus means to become like little children to enter the kingdom of God? When Jesus speaks of treasures in heaven how this points to encounters with others, and especially those who are suffering. This is just a taste of our rich and powerful conversation! Do join us to learn more. A link to the book is below. You may also find of interest: Podcast #028: The God I Don't Understand Podcast #049: The Strange Adventure We Must All Take Podcast #050: More about the strange adventure we must all take  

That is certainly a deep question to ask! Most people spend more time planning a two week holiday than the […] The post Podcast #053: What is your life purpose? appeared first on Dr. Sunil Raheja.