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Your most successful activations will be the ones that makes stakeholders squirm. Just a little. Still, most organisations are more fearful of perceived backlash than ever before - but not Channel4. As the ‘alternative' UK broadcaster with shows that range from Virgin Island to Trump V The Truth, the nature of its programming opens doors for the nature of its marketing. In this episode, 4Studio's senior content strategist Aaron Gillies tells all. Whether it's sending Handmaids in full regalia to parade The Palace of Westminster a week after Roe Vs Wade was overturned, or letting mischievous Yorkshire teens take over your socials and post things like “Channel4 is for people who belong in a nursing home”, this broadcaster is no stranger to bold tactics. Is its reputation risked or ruined? No. Far, far, far from it.Got a question or a suggestion for the SocialMinds podcast? Get in touch at socialminds@socialchain.com.

Ben Wright has all the latest from the Conservative Party Conference

In this solo episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb explores the profound depths of Jesus' Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. While this parable might seem unassuming compared to others, Jesse reveals how it serves as the "granddaddy" of all parables—offering a God's-eye view of salvation through the ordinary imagery of farming. The episode examines why different people respond differently to the same gospel message, and challenges listeners to consider what kind of soil their own hearts represent. Through historical context and theological reflection, Jesse unpacks how this parable prepares believers for the mixed responses they'll encounter when sharing the gospel and reminds us that the efficacy of salvation depends not on the sower's skill, but on God's sovereign work in preparing hearts to receive His Word. Key Takeaways The Parable of the Sower provides a framework for understanding the various responses to the gospel message, serving as preparation for disciples who would face both acceptance and rejection. Jesus' parables, particularly the Sower, demonstrate how God uses ordinary, mundane things to express profound spiritual truths about His kingdom. The efficacy of salvation doesn't depend on the skill of the sower but on God's sovereign work in preparing the soil of human hearts. God's Word never returns void but always comes back "full" of either acceptance or rejection—it accomplishes exactly what God intends. Historical context matters: Jesus' audience had high expectations for a Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom, but Jesus was revealing a different kind of kingdom. The Parable of the Sower shows that the kingdom of God isn't received equally by all—some receive it with joy while others reject it outright. Having "ears to hear" is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit, not merely intellectual understanding but spiritual receptivity. The Word That Never Returns Void The power of God's Word stands at the center of the Parable of the Sower. Jesse highlights Isaiah 55, where God declares that His word "shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose." Unlike human words that often fall flat, God's Word always achieves its intended effect. This doesn't mean universal salvation, but rather that God's purposes are never thwarted. When the gospel is proclaimed, it always returns to God "full" of something—either acceptance or rejection. The parable illustrates this reality by showing the various responses to the same seed. This should encourage believers in evangelism: we are simply called to faithfully sow the seed, while God determines the harvest according to His sovereign purposes. Our success is not measured by conversions but by faithfulness in proclamation. Kingdom Expectations vs. Kingdom Reality The historical context of Jesus' ministry reveals a profound disconnect between what people expected from the Messiah and what Jesus actually delivered. Jesse explains how the Jewish people anticipated a conquering king who would overthrow Roman oppression and establish a visible earthly kingdom. Instead, Jesus announced a kingdom that begins in the heart, dividing even families according to their response to Him. The Parable of the Sower anticipates this mixed response, preparing disciples for both acceptance and rejection. This teaches modern believers an important lesson: the gospel will not be universally embraced, even when perfectly presented. Some hearts are like paths, others rocky ground, others thorny soil. Yet we continue sowing because God has appointed some to be good soil—hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Word and bear fruit. This reality should both humble us and embolden our witness. Quotes "The power of this message is in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered... it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial." - Jesse Schwamb "We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in, coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him." - Jesse Schwamb "Consider what it means that this good news... that God's word is his deed. This is why... it's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit." - Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript Welcome to episode 463 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for those with ears to hear. Hey, brothers and sisters, so I am just one half. Of the Reform Brotherhood squad. Tony, of course, wanted to join us on this episode, but it sometimes happens in life. Our schedules were a little bit crazy this week, and God gave us responsibilities that put us in opposite directions for part of the time. And so that means that today on this episode, I thought. You and I, we could just hang out and Tony will be back to join us in the next episode. [00:01:20] Solo Episode and Parable Series Overview But for now, this is one of those solo or formed brotherhood episodes. And if you have been tracking with us, we just started this great and amazing journey on going through all the parables that our Lord and Savior gives to us in teaching us about the kingdom of God and its power. And we just started by talking about the parable of the sower, in fact. In the last episode, we just covered basically the first two soils, the first half of that amazing little story, and I thought it would be really, really great to camp out in that for just a little bit more because even though Tony's not here, the podcast goes on and we, Tony and I never really. Thinking about these things and when we start a series in particular, we always find that we just gotta keep going back on it in our minds ruminating on what we said and what God was teaching us and the conversations like all good conversations that draw your mind back to the things that you talked about, which I should say maybe before I begin in earnest, that is also my denial, which is saying things like, let's camp out in this text now to be. Sure. There's no wrong reason why, or there's no bad reason to say words like that. It's just when I hear myself say them, I think about all the things that Christians say, like saying like, we should camp out in this text, or Let's sit in it for a while. And I think maybe it's because I'm just not into camping or maybe because I think most of the time when you use the phrase like, sit in, it's not. A happy or blessed or joyful thing that you're describing. So I always find that funny, and yet here I am saying it because I just couldn't think of anything better to say except, you know what? We should pause and maybe ruminate a little bit more. On all of this good stuff that's in Matthew chapter 13, where Jesus gives us the parable of the sower, so you can join me in sharing which little Christian phrases maybe you think you hear, we say too much or just become rote or part and parcel what it means to talk. The best way for you to do that is do me a. Go to your favorite internet device and in the browser, type T me slash reform brotherhood, that will just take you that little link to a part of the internet using an app called Telegram where a bunch of brothers and sisters who listen to the podcast are chatting about the podcast, their live sharing prayer requests, and there's even a place for you to share, Hey, what are the things that Christians say that you think. Why do we say that? Why are we always talking about hedges of protection? Why are we always talking about camping out in a text? So that's a place that you can come hang out. So go to t.me/reform brotherhood. [00:03:56] Deep Dive into the Parable of the Sower But enough of that, let's talk a little bit more about this incredible parable that our Lord and Savior gives us in Matthew chapter 13. It's so, so short in fact that I figured. The best parts of any conversation about the Bible is just hearing from God in his word. So let me read just those couple of verses. It's just eight verses beginning in Matthew chapter 13, the parable of the sower. That same day, Jesus went out from the house and sat beside the sea and great crowds gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat down and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables saying a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no roots, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and produced grain. Some a hundred fold, some 60, some 30. He who has ears let him hear. [00:05:09] Personal Reflections on the Parable I have to say that of all the parables, and we mentioned in the previous episode that this one is kind of the granddaddy of them all. It's a god's eye view on salvation told in this lovely kind of encased way about horticulture and farming and growing plants. But to be totally transparent, I never really got into this parable. It was never really my favorite one. Like of all the things that Jesus says, of all the creative and wonderful terms of phrase, this one for me always just seemed to be lacking That stuff. You know, it doesn't have really strong characters. It's about a sower, seed and soil, and compared to some other things that seems kind of unassuming and. Not very exciting, quite honestly, to me, and it's not as exciting, I think, as stories about, I don't know, losing something of value and then suddenly finding it and rejoicing and having the characters, feeling yourself in those characters as they go about experiencing all the emotions. That Jesus expresses and keyed in these lovely little riddles called parables. And so for this one, it's always been a little bit kind of like a, okay. It's interesting and the point seems fairly straightforward and it just doesn't captivate me as the others. And I've been thinking about about that, how even in this, it just seems like a really normal, mundane, kind of pedestrian expression of a life in that time. And it's all wrapped up in gardening. And throwing seeds into the ground, not even having control of their outcome. And then in this way, though, expressing and explaining this grand narrative and arc of salvation from God's perspective. So it is, again, another lesson in God using ordinary, normal, almost seemingly mundane things to express his power, to express our lack of control and to show so that he does. Did I just say so to, so that he does all things and certainly we get so much of that in this parable, and so it made me think this week after Tony and I talked about it a little bit. Just how it raises a question in this really normative, kind of unassuming, almost boring, if I can say way, this really profound question, which is, will we be this fruitful, fertile soil? Will we be fruitful followers? Of Jesus Christ. And it doesn't just raise this question, I suppose it also gives us some hope, but it also does so with a warning. It is a maybe a little bit of law and gospel even embedded in these simple means of, again, talking about what it means to plant something and to entrust the planting, the acy of the growth there to the soil and the seed, and there's hope. There's warning and there's so much of that that's in this context of the parable, and that's what's led me to wanna talk to you all a little bit about that as we kinda process together more of what this means. [00:08:00] Historical Context and Expectations of the Messiah I was thinking that when Jesus began his ministry, when he's coming forward, he's really announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God. And it's helpful, I think, to meditate as a second on how profound that is, that he comes again, not just as the message, but the messenger and the medium of that message. I was just kinda ruminating on the fact that. Everybody had high expectations. There was no one, I think, with kind of a low opinion of what was about to happen or of what the Messiah was going to bring or what he was going to do. And here you have like explicitly Jesus' hearers, their ancestors would've been taken into exile and captivity because they had broken the covenant with God. And the prophets had made this case for God's punishment because of their idolatry and their injustice. But that message, and you get this especially in in books like Isaiah. Where there's this mixture that's bittersweet. There is not only an exclusive message of woe for the people, but there is at the same time up against sick, almost running parallel. This promise of a day when God, by his own effort in Zeal, would bring about a restoration where he'd set up visibly an earthly reign through his anointed Wanda Messiah. And so I can only imagine if I could. Even partially put myself in the place of these people who are hearing this particular parable, that there is all this sense that we have strayed from God, that we're covenant breakers, but that he has promised to make a way and that his own zeal will very much accomplish this, but it will be visible and earthly, not just spiritual in the sense that we believe these things and we internalize them in the sense for our being, and therefore we speak about them in these kind of grandiose and ephemeral terms. But more than that, that God was going to come and set up an earthly reign, purely manifested in the world in which we live and breathe and have our being. And so two things would happen. Israel's oppressors would be defeated. And God would institute a pure worship and a reestablished pure worship. And so I can't help but think maybe there was some of this expectation. They're, they're seeing this Messiah, this Jesus, the one who speaks with a different kind of authority, come into their midst. And there I think all these things are somewhere in their minds as their processing. Maybe they should be in ours as well. And so there's this portrait that's being painted here of the prophet saying there's gonna be. Restoration and this image of a seed being sown. And then of course you have these metaphors that Jesus is employing in his own time. Very reminiscent of passages like in Isaiah 55, where you find the prophet saying, for as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. It shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and I shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. What an amazing, glorious promise of God that there is no suboptimal nature. In his expression of who he is and what he's accomplished, that the very thing that he intends to do, he always does, and this word comes back. I think what really strikes me about this passage in particular is the fact that it does not return to God empty. I mean, think about what that means. It's strange in a way. That. In other words, it's full of something. And here I think it's full of response. It's full of anticipation. It's full of this. Like what? What has gone out is now received by the individual and then returns with either acceptance or denial, very much in the same way that we're about to receive it in this parable before us. And in fact, even our ability to understand the parable. This if you have ears, he has ears. Let him hear that itself is an expression. So in other words. The power of this message is again, in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered, it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial. And so when we think about the people of Israel. They exactly in that way. They return from exile under Ezra Nehemiah. But even those returns, even those improvements or some of that remediation seems to me like to come short of expectations. You know, Ezra rebuilt the temple, but it paled in comparison to Solomon's original, in fact. If we go to Ezra chapter three, there's like so much honesty as the people are seeing this rebuilt temple. Their response is, is like tragic in a way. So this is Ezra chapter three, beginning verse 12. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers houses, old men. Who had seen the first house as the temple of God wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy so that the people cannot distinguish the sound of the joyful from the sound of people's weeping for the people shouted with a great shout and the sound was heard far away, even in just the setting up the foundation, the base layer. There are those saying this is. This is not like it used to be. Even this is just far piles in comparison and falls very far short of the original. And of course you have Nehemiah's rebuilt wall around Jerusalem. Couldn't even ensure the holiness of God's people. And so everything up to that point. All of it was still just a shadow. It was like a big, giant disappointment, a blemish as it were, on God's people. Even as there was an attempt to restore, there was still this longing from the inside to have the real McCoy to everything made right to have the true Messiah come, not the one that was the type. Not the thing that was the shadow, not the the poor replacement or the analog, but the real thing. And so you have in response to this, you know, some of God's people move into the wilderness and pursue holy living. Some accommodated to Roman occupation like the Sadducees, some retreated into kind of individual individualistic piety or rule keeping like the Pharisees. And then there's all kinds of accounts of God's people in rebellion. Like Simon, the Zealots. There were some who even located themselves under the legitimate, yet Roman endorsed leadership of Herod, you know the Herodians. So you have all of these people you can imagine literally in the same audience. Jesus pushes back and he begins to teach them. And he starts by talking about horticulture. He starts by saying, A sower goes out and he throws all this kind of seed. And it's not difficult to imagine that all of the seed, all the soil, everything is represented in what he's saying right there. And then it's not a story as if like, well, you take this away and try to process it in such a way that you might come to terms with it later on. It's happening in the here and now. Even what he's saying. Even the message that he's communicating is being man made manifest right there in their midst, and it's not returning a void to him. The one who wrote it to begin with is the one who's speaking it, and it's having its desired effect, even as we read it now, and it reads us today. [00:15:13] Jesus' Ministry and the Kingdom of God And so it's amazing that it's on this stage that Jesus steps out and he stands, especially in the synagogue when he reads from the Isaiah scroll. And he announces that the true jubilee has now arrived and it's arrived in him. You know, by the way, what's interesting there is we have, we have no real reason to think that Israel ever really practiced Jubilee as it was outlined in the scriptures. So we have this beautiful instruction for a reset, a pure reset, and one that is liberty and freedom in so many ways, but especially demonstrated in this economic reality. And Jesus commences his public ministry proclaiming the good new. News that the kingdom of God has arrived. I feel like we have to go there, right? Because this is just so good. So in MOOC chapter four, Jesus stands up. He asks for the scroll, and this is what he reads. Loved ones. These are fantastic words. I mean, hear them from the mouth of our Savior. Again, Jesus reads this, the spirits of the Lord is upon me. Because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. It's such incredibly strong and powerful news. We're getting this sense that there are those who are poor that need. To hear that something will be different. That they are her, that they're seen that all of the straining in life and all of their labor is not in vain, but here is one who's come to rescue them and that those who have been set in prison, those who are chained and under duress and find themselves locked up. That here he has come to proclaim liberty to the captives, and then for those that cannot see, that have lost their way entirely, that are groping in the dark, here is one that's coming to recover the sight. Hear that word, not to give it brand new, but to restore that which was originally present to begin with. Imagine the horror of having your sights and then having it taken away that. Knowing that there was something there that was beautiful in your midst, something that was precious to you, and now to have that restored, in fact, like Blind by de MEUs the Greek, there is more when God says, or Jesus rather, says, what do you want me to do for you? The Greek is very clear, just says, sight again, sight again. And I think we like our ancestors and Israel here before us. We ought to be always clamoring and crying. Then I tell God like, son of David sight again. Would you help me to see truly not as the world appears to be, but we spiritual eyes, to know the truth, to understand how much you love me, and would you gimme the strength to love you? Me back love you back by way of giving, yes, this sight. And then for all those who are downtrodden. Where, wherever, and whatever that means, physically, emotionally, spiritually, that here's the one who has come to, again, set you at liberty and then to say, do you know what this time is? This is the time of the Lord's favor. Why? Because the son of man is here and where the son of man is. There is freedom and restoration. There is a new king over all things. There's one who super intends over all of the earth. Who has been given control over all things and has come to win literally the day for those who are rebellious before God, for those who have sinned, who are covenant breakers, who are gospel abusers, while we were at yet enmity with God at the right time, Jesus and his son for us. And so we find that it's like the pretext, it's the context for all of this, and especially this parable. And of course, rather than. Everybody listening to what Jesus has to say here and just being one over being filled with some kind of winsome logic of what's being said here, of being thoroughly convinced. We know that of course it's not just a matter of evidence, but unless the Holy Spirit comes the same spirit, which is upon Jesus, the sin of God, to change us, to open our ears, that we do not hear these things, we don't hear them as we ought to. We do not give them heed. We do not internalize them, and we cannot understand them. And so because of that, rather than of course meeting with universal acceptance, Jesus, of course, he encounters a host of reactions. Some opposed him. The crowds sometimes were way more motivated, like people in our day by novelty or curiosity or by presume rewards or blessings. You can imagine this is what makes, of course, something like the Blat and grab, its kind of gospel, the prosperity of some of our modern evangelical expression, so incredibly dangerous. Because of course people will say, well, if I can get that blessing, of course I want Jesus. Or if I'm gonna be made, well, yes, I'll, I'll find, I'll take Jesus. If I'm gonna get wealth and riches and a 401k, that's gonna suit my every need. Well sure I'll take Jesus. And of course, the blessing, the reward of getting Jesus is getting the son of God, getting the one who restores us first and predominantly. With God the father himself, that all of those blessings are already ours in the spiritual realm because of Jesus. In fact, we've, we've already been placed with him in the heavenly realms. That is the reward. And so sometimes the gods were a little bit more motivated by, this guy's given us bread before. Let's see if there's gonna be another buffet, rather than he says We ought to eat and drink his flesh. That in that is eternal life, and so we get distracted. And so sometimes novelty and curiosity just win the day. And then of course, on the other hand. Some of the most unlikely unseemly, most sinful were responding with incredible joy and embracing Jesus and his announcement. Tenaciously like voraciously, the ones who were humble, who knew that they needed a savior, they needed a reconciliation that was alien and outside of themselves. Something powerful that could defeat even the sin that was within them and bring about a pure and unbridled atonement, unreserved in its ability to clean. These were the ones who were saying, come, Lord Jesus, these were the ones crying out, saying, have mercy on me, son of David. And we like them. Ought to follow that example. And so throughout Matthew's Gospel and Luke's gospel. There's a mixed response throughout the entire ministry of Jesus. And again, what's unique about this parable, I think, is that Jesus comes setting the stage for that unique response. All of those different kind of options and how people will perceive him, how they respond to him, what they will say to him. And so whether as you go through the narratives in the gospels, you look to. The Samaritan Leopard or the blind beggar, or the Chief tax Collector, or the impoverished widow, all of these were those who were forcing their way into the kingdom in response during the good news. There's really something I think that's beautiful about that, that God allows for us to force our way as it were. When we are convicted of this kingdom, that he is the kingdom and that he brings it to us. That we come headlong, rushing in, falling over ourselves to get into that kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. And that's why I think, why, why Luke writes in chapter 16 of his gospel. The law in the prophets were until John. Since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it. What a amazing and lovely thing that God allows us. Which is the truth, to force our way into that. So these were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil for the word of the kingdom, not the ones who chose the places of honor or the privilege, or we saw Jesus one of many important priorities to be managed. What we have here is the ones who forced their way in. These were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil, and I'm not gonna steal. Any of our thunder, because Tony and I are gonna talk about that in the next episode. But I bring that up merely to say there's so much that's rich here. When we think about are we as Christians fruitful and fertile? In our following, after the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's Matthew's great theme of reversal, like beginning in the birth narratives of Jesus and continuing through the very end of his gospel count. Even like in his final parable, Jesus forced the confrontation with his opponents by declaring that God would give the kingdom to those who had produce a harvest for God in honor. His son. That's the truth. And so he was more than simply this messenger in these cleverly created stories announcing the arrival of God's reign. He was the one who brought the kingdom. And actually, in fact, Jesus embodies the kingdom because he was the king, not only of Israel, but the royal son of God who would rule the nations. And because of that. He did represent a threat to overthrow to some just as much as he was meant as a salvation and a blessing to others. He is divisive. In fact, what's interesting is if you track Jesus standing up in the temple. And he comes forward and reads from Isaiah. It's interesting where he stops reading. This is really before kind of the, all the language about the second coming back, him really coming not to bring just salvation, but to bring retribution, to bring justice and punishment for those who are God's enemies. And so really this first coming. Jesus is all about this. It's it's all about having the message of God go out in that return void. It's returning full of the response of God's people, full of the response of God's enemies and therefore. This parable, an ex explanation to his inner circle would be understood as an accounting for the surprising range of responses. And even more than I think like an ex explanation, like explicitly it would be this kind of preparation. This kind of, again, setting a table or opening up a pathway for this hard road that lay ahead for those who would remain true to Jesus. These would be the ones who would serve the ultimate purpose of God's great act of sowing in his son to produce a great harvest. And of course. That is partly what lies the hope for us. I mean, I think I said last time we spoke about this, what I appreciate about this teaching is not only that it doesn't pull any punches, but it's just so. Real, it's so resonant because Jesus already gives us some of the breadth and scope or the continuum of the responses so that when we go out and we should so unreservedly that that is by proclaiming Jesus as the king who has come as the kingdom already ushered in as here, but not yet. When we do this, we can expect already that there'll be various responses. So one for us, it takes away the surprise. The second is it does prepare us. That these things might in fact happen. And three, it gives us a sense that, again, the efficacy of salvation. And we're getting, by the way, this view of salvation from, from God isn't again dependent on the skillset of the sower. Instead, it is God's prerogative. It's always God's prerogative. And here as loved ones, you've heard me say again, I must invoke the phrase, we have God doing all the verbs, right? He's the one walking in the field. He's the one reaching in into the seed bag, as it were. He's the one casting it liberally across the ground. He's the one making it grow. All of this is what God is doing. The preparation of the soil, the casting of the seed, the being present in. Farmland. All of this is what God is doing now. We emulate that by design. So now the call is to do what Jesus has done here in Mala for us, and that is that we also go out into the world and we proclaim this good news because what is unequivocally true is that the good news of Jesus Christ. Is for all people. Now, this does not mean that all people will accept it. That is abundantly clear in the message that Jesus gives to us. It does not prevent though us or him from casting it out to all people. We see that really, really. Vividly. Some will be given ears to hear. We ought to pray that our neighbors, our children, those in our churches and our communities, our politicians, we ought to be praying that all would be given ears to hear, and the seed of God's word will accomplish exactly what God intends and Jesus' word, a proclamation announcing the good news of the kingdom of God. We see vividly the point that God's word is. Deed that this word that he spoke speaks is his action. It's not simply that God says what he will do, but that his very act of speaking is the means by which he does that very thing. When we hear God speak to us, it is proof that we are alive. Not only do like dead men tell no tales, I think I've just inadvertently like quoted from Disney's. Um. Pirates movie, but they hear no tells as well. You know, you have been born again, not a perishable seed, but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God. Incredible. Isn't it? Loved ones like it's incredible this story that to me on the beginning seems like so kind of. Boring and not particularly catchy and maybe not as interesting as some of the others contained within. This is literally all the words of life in the seed that we've seen thrown and in. It is like the continuum we find, not that it emulates the Old Testament, or that it somehow compliments New Testament, but within all within this parable is all of the scriptures and all of the full plan of God and all of his great love for us. That again, while we were at his enemies, he came and on this path, as he walks among the field, he casts the seed. To all, and he, by his power, gives to some these ears to hear. We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him, fall down and find. The one who is our savior, who ushers in the visible kingdom of God, the one that is not built merely on political theories, on good rules. The kind of gospel that didn't come to make bad people good, but came to make dead people alive again. And I think that that is the absolute. Untouchable, unfathomable, almost completely un understandable, if you will, truth of this particular parable. I think this is why the Westminster confession describes the word of God, and particularly the preaching of the word as a means of grace. The word is powerful in itself by the spirits of God. I had to quote the Westminster, of course, at least in honor of Tony, so. [00:30:02] Call to Action and Final Thoughts That's my little challenge to you on this short little episode. It's just you and me and I'm saying to you loved ones. Consider this parable again. Consider how palpable this parable is. Consider what God has for us in it. Consider this soils. And then think about what it means that this good news, we see this within it, this vivid point again, that God's word is his deed. And so this is why though we do not create any kind of legalistic, conscription, or prescription around something like daily Bible study. Why? It's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because, because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit that is always going out into the world and returning full with response and that when God. Speaks his word. He's always accomplishing his act in that very deed. And so it should be a blessing. We should be compelled to find ourselves in it as much as often as we can because what we're finding there is the power of God for us, in us speaking, administering to us to produce in us a great harvest. That's the promise it's coming, and we're gonna get there in the next. Episode, but what I'll leave you with is just those first two soils thinking about if you have ears to hear, if you have been made alive together with Christ, then consider that there was a time when you are one of the other soils and God who's being rich in mercy has rescued you. Not because of work done in righteousness, not because you've come forward and. Elevate your place to the, to elevate your state to the place of deserving poor. Not because like you came forward with, with empty hands and somehow convinced God that you are worthy enough, or sorry enough or contrite enough. But because of his great mercy, and it's that mercy, I think that compels us to say things to Jesus like Son of David Sight again. Son of David, have mercy on me, son of David. You are the real arrival of the Kingdom of God and your word bears testimony and your Holy Spirit has in a great work in my life. And to that end, I want to follow you and I want to ensure that this word that you've given to me is given to all people. So there's work to do, loved ones. And there's a lot there to process. I hope that you will take some time. Think about this in your own way, and as you are processing this as God is speaking to you, as you are joining together with loved ones from literally all over the world who are hanging out and listening to Tony and I chat about this stuff, that again, you would share your own voice, the best way to do that. Why do you make me beg you? Come join the Telegram chat. You'll have a great time. It's super fun. T me slash Reform Brotherhood. I would also be remiss if I didn't on behalf of myself and Tony, thank everyone who does hang out there, everyone who sent us the email, everyone who shares prayer requests or has prayed for us, and as well everyone who makes sure that this podcast. Is free of charge. It comes with its own expenses. It's not free to produce. And so we're so thankful that those who've said, listen, I've been blessed by the podcast, or It's just been important or special to me. God has done something in it. Or God has renewed a different kind of desire and passion to talk about the things of God or to encourage me in my life. I'm so happy if other things have happened. By the way, it's not because of Tony or me. It's because God is good to us. I mean, can I get an amen? I see that hand. In the back, God is good to Tony and me and we're just so thankful that we get to do this. And so if you'd like to join in supporting financially. Every little gift helps. You can go to patreon.com/reform brotherhood patreon.com, reform Brotherhood, and there you can find a way to give one time or reoccurring all of those gifts together. Make sure that there's no payrolls on this bad boy that you're not gonna get any super weird ads in the middle of it. You're just gonna get us talking. We want to em, I would say be emblematic of what we've talked about here, which is. Freely we've received freely want to give. And for those who join and say, I wanna make that possible so that no one has to be compelled to pay for this kind of thing, I love that we are here for that every day of the week and twice on the Lord's day. So next episode, Tony and I are gonna continue in this parable. We're probably, you know, gonna get together. We'll set up our tents, we'll just camp out here for a little bit. So until we get the tents out, we get the s'mores. And we start camping. Honor everyone love the brotherhood.

From Putin's alsatian to an alligator in the White House, pets have played a surprising role in politics.Joining Seán to discuss is Peter Cardwell, Journalist and author of ‘Political Animals: The secret life of the political pets of Westminster and Washington'...

Introduction to Total Christ & the Five MarksIntroduction: The Mission of Christ and the ChurchRead Acts 2:22-47• What is Peter's argument about who Christ is and where Christ is now?• What is the proper response recorded here to Christ's exaltation? What didthese first disciples specifically do?• What is the role of the Holy Spirit in this passage?• “Five Marks” at CPC means gospel-centered, missional, confessional,sacramental, and communal. Where do you see each of these in this passage?Read Matthew 28:16-20• “All authority” - Christ is King (communal) because of what He has done oncefor all (gospel-centered)• “Make disciples” is the main verb of v. 19 and the main overall mission of thechurch. We are to do that by:• “Going” (v.19) - on the move, no longer constrained to Israel, hence “allnations” (missional)• “Baptizing” (sacramental)• “Teaching” (confessional)• Christ-centered - what Christ commanded, baptized into the name, and in/with Christ's presenceJohn 14:12 - “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the worksthat I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”• Why “because…”? Once Christ goes to the Father, He will send the Spirit,enabling the church to do “greater works” because the presence of God inChrist will be global through the church.Augustine wrote, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us; to thatflesh is joined the church, and there is made total Christ, both head and body.”2 of 4“Five Marks” at CPC also means we hope to experience the FULLNESS ofChrist, not just one emphasis or pendulum swing!1. Gospel-Centered: Trust in the gospel motivates us to be humble because weknow Christ's work to us is purely a gift, but also boldly confident in the faceof shame and sin because it's based in God's power! This grounds us in God'sfinished work on the cross, where he forgave our sins and reconciled us tohimself. Everything we do is motivated from and by the gospel. Think:Humble, honest, authentic, gracious, safe, desire to be truly known and lovedby God and others2. Missional: More (though not less!) than being evangelistic, we strive to bemissional because God promises to dwell with His people in all their Godgiven cultures, languages, and demographics through the church. Thisgrounds us in God's global presence, where the church is the evangelist for awhole new way of life, showing the world who Jesus is and what it means tofollow Him in all our relationships. Think: Culturally self-aware, open &inviting, purposeful, holistic evangelism3. Confessional - Christ as our Prophet: We are not the first ones to considerwhat church should be (thank God!). We humbly submit to God's revelationin the Word as it has been historically interpreted, seeking to be united inbelief across generations and cultures. Officially, we subscribe to thedocuments of Westminster (c.1630) as the summary of our faith. This groundsus in Christ as our Prophet who still speaks. Think: doctrine that is alive andan unwillingness to be distracted by cultural fads4. Sacramental - Christ as our Priest: Christ is "fleshed out" in a carefullydesigned four movement worship service that follows the logic of the gospeland culminates every week in a participation in eucharistic communion withChrist. Jesus is experienced in the body of Christ through different culturalstyles specific to each local community. Think: Friendly, worshipful,mysterious5. Communal - Christ as our King: Christ did not leave us as orphans, butjoined us with Himself to the church, so to be a Christian is to be a part of theredeemed community.

Sir Keir Starmer leaves Labour's party conference in Liverpool with a bold new strategy: frame the fight as Labour vs Reform UK. But is calling Nigel Farage's immigration policies “racist” a huge political risk?On this episode of Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan (former No.10 adviser to Theresa May) and Jo Tanner (political strategist) break down:What really happened at Labour conference – and why the media narrative may differ from the inside story.The launch of Senedd Sources – completing the “Sources family” across Westminster, Holyrood, Stormont and now the Welsh Senedd.Why Wales could deliver the biggest shock of the May 2026 elections if Labour loses power for the first time.Starmer's strategy against Reform UK and Nigel Farage – smart politics or a dangerous gamble?Reform UK's rapid pushback, claiming Labour's rhetoric endangers Farage's security.How this all shapes up for Labour ahead of the looming Budget and next year's elections.

On 1 October 1526, Dorothy Stafford was born, a woman of Plantagenet blood who would spend forty years at the heart of Elizabeth I's privy chamber. In this episode, I trace Dorothy's remarkable path: Family webs: Stafford–Pole lineage (Buckingham & Clarence), and marriage to Sir William Stafford, Mary Boleyn's widower. Exile & faith: Under Mary I she fled to Geneva; in 1556 John Calvin stood godfather to her son (then they famously fell out, and she moved to Basel). Return & rise: With Elizabeth's accession (1559), Dorothy joined the privy chamber and became one of the queen's trusted sleeping companions. When she broke her leg in 1576, the court scrambled for a replacement so the queen could sleep peacefully. Storms weathered: Even the Stafford Plot involving her son didn't unseat her. Dorothy died in 1604, remembered at St Margaret's, Westminster, as a “continual remembrancer of the suits of the poor.” A royal confidante. Mediator. Quiet backbone of a court. Had you heard of Dorothy Stafford before? Tell me in the comments! If you enjoy daily Tudor stories, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell. #DorothyStafford #ElizabethI #OnThisDay #TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #PrivyChamber #Plantagenet #JohnCalvin #WomenInHistory #HistoryYouTube #ClaireRidgway

It's easy to write off the launch of Your Party as a side-show, away from the centre of politics in Westminster. But, according to Zarah Sultana, 750,000 people have registered interest in the party. Writer: Poppy BullardProducer: Amalie SortlandHost: Casey MagloireEpisode photography: Joe MeeExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has continued to grapple with the subject of immigration during the Labour Party conference - where a desire to fight Reform UK's rhetoric has come up against the political reality of public opinion.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has openly called Reform UK's policies "racist" - at the same time as his new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has highlighted the need to review the rules over indefinite leave to remain.Nowhere is this paradox more acute than in Glasgow, where an apparent rise in anti-immigrant sentiment is as much a worry for the SNP as it is for the Westminster government - with both struggling to counter the rise of Nigel Farage's party.Many are now more comfortable voicing legitimate concerns over housing and other social pressures, but are some people using the current debate as an excuse to stoke racial stereotypes and hatred?Niall is joined by Sky News' Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies in Glasgow - while political correspondent Rob Powell also speaks to the podcast from the Labour conference in Liverpool.Producers: Araminta Parker and Tom Gillespie Editor: Mike Bovill     

James Beevers is a PhD student at Westminster and he has an interesting personal history. He comes from a WTS family in that his father is an alumnus from the PhD program and his mother from the MAC program. But his reformed roots go potentially so deep that he may be related to Theodore Beza himself. Lineage aside, Nate and James also chat about his dissertation topic, the warning passages in Hebrews, as well as various other topics. Sign up for the Preaching conference here ⁠⁠⁠https://wtspreachingconference25.rsvpify.com⁠⁠ If you enjoy this episode, you can access tons of content just like this at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wm.wts.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you would like to join us in our mission to train specialists in the bible to proclaim the whole counsel of God for Christ and his global church, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wts.edu/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening!

9-28-25 Sermon by Pastor Kehl Hudson.Part 3 of our Old School Faith: Nehemiah series.Worship songs from this service:God of RevivalYou Are HolyO Praise The NameAbandonedLike what you hear? Join us this Sunday at 8:45am or 10:45am @ 6979 West Oak Highway, Westminster, SC. Come a few minutes early and grab some free coffee and snacks - we'd love to have you!You can also find all of our sermons on our website: www.lifelinecc.com/podcast

All the thrills of the Labour Party conference.

A message by Pastor Jared Burke from 1 Samuel 13-20 at Bethany Bible Fellowship, Westminster, California

Westminster Larger Catechism - Questions 13-14

ANNOUNCEMENT -- IT'S HERE! 'Being James Bond: Volume Two' is officially launching! After 15-years of researching, writing, and editing, I'm both excited and relieved to share that the second volume of Being James Bond is officially out there.

Sir John Major, British Prime Minister from 1992 - 1997, is our guest today. In this deeply interesting, personal and touching conversation, Sir John talks to Gyles about his childhood in South London and about his unusual and inspiring family. Sir John's background is unconventional. His father had been a successful music hall artiste, and was a great storyteller, much older than the fathers of John's friends. His mother had been a balletic dancer, and was an extremely kind and selfless wife and parent. Both of them were role models to John; his love and admiration for them shine through in this conversation, and will move you. Sir John talks about their extremely humble home and lifestyle - the family fell into hard times and were poor - and about the anger he felt at his family becoming a subject of ridicule by the press in later years. Sir John talks about how he got into politics, about what he believes is missing from today's Westminster scene, and about how he met and married Norma. We're extremely grateful to Sir John for speaking to us with such candour, and for his delightful company, and hope you enjoy this. It really is worth your time. Sir John Major's book, My Old Man, which Gyles mentions, is available here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four and a half thousand miles away in Nepal, Gen Z protestors recently brought down their government in just 48 hours, amid roiling anger over corruption and nepotism. The uprising, led by online influencers harnessing the power of AI and Tik Tok, has sent shockwaves through South Asia. So, this week on Westminster Insider, host Patrick Baker decides it's time to look at U.K. politics through the eyes of Gen Z  —  generally regarded as those born between 1997 and 2012. Luke Tryl, UK director of polling company More in Common, sheds light on the concerns of a generation that has only ever known constant crisis — from the 2008 financial crash to Brexit paralysis and then the Covid-19 pandemic.   A Gen Z focus group describes what matters to them, and which political parties are grabbing their attention. Gen Z MPs — Sam Carling, the Labour MP known as the ‘Baby of the House', Keir Mather, who recently became the youngest Government minister in 200 years, and Lib Dem MP Joshua Reynolds — set out their plans to restore their generation's faith in mainstream Westminster politics. ‘Your Party' co-leader Zarah Sultana, which has polled well with young people, speaks to Patrick at a grassroots party meeting in North London, where we hear from Gen Z about their hopes for the future, and why they still back Jeremy Corbyn. With a big increase in Gen Z men voting for Reform UK, Owain Clatworthy, a 21-year-old Reform UK councillor in Bridgend in Wales, explains why he stood for Nigel Farage's right-wing populist party at such a young age. And following the recent killing of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a U.S.college campus, Patrick attends his memorial in London to speak to young men inspired by Kirk's ultra-conservative brand of right-wing politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest Whitehall Sources episode is packed with political drama.

With party conference season underway and Andy Burnham circling with a bolder agenda, former special adviser Callum Price asks the hard questions: Why is Labour so wary of defining its purpose? Why does Starmer still seem like a fox pretending to be a hedgehog — chasing contradictory goals without a guiding principle? And what happens when a party with power has no story to tell?Drawing on lessons from Isaiah Berlin and even Margaret Thatcher's ideological clarity, this edition explores what happens when governments try to govern without vision — and why the vacuum is already being filled.Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the focus is on the Liberal Democrats after the party held their annual conference in Bournemouth.Which despite still giving off a celebratory mood at becoming the third-largest party in the Commons last year, was beset by questions over whether Ed Davey's stunt-based leadership style is wearing a little thin.And a discussion whether they are punching below their weight in the political discourse 12 months on from their biggest electoral success, as Reform and Nigel Farage continue to pull Westminster and the media's focus.The episode starts with some despatches from the south coast, recorded by PolHome reporter Zoe Crowther at the event, who spoke to a number of the party's MPs about the big themes of conference, and where the Lib Dems are positioning themselves in our fractured political system.She spoke to Jess Brown-Fuller, former leader Tim Farron, and James MacCleary, before joining host Alain Tolhurst alongside another Lib Dem MP, Alison Bennett, her party's spokesman on care and carers, as well as Sophie Church, reporter on our sister title The House magazine.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot

Celeste joins Carson Medor & Alex Garcha to discuss the fall play Little Women and all things Westminster Theater.

Is Labour's king of the north about to challenge the Prime Minister in Westminster?  After an explosive interview – the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, says MPs are urging him to challenge Keir Starmer.  The duo consider: What vision Mr Burnham has for the country? Can the PM match him and how could he respond? How much will it impact political and policy narrative ahead of Labour's party conference in Liverpool next week?

Rachelle speaks to YouTuber Brandon B on the importance of the creator economy to the UK.A new cross-party forum to support the creator economy has been unveiled at the YouTube festival.This will act as a bridge between creators and Westminster.According to an impact report carried out by Oxford Economics, YouTube content creators contributed £2.2bn to the UK economy in 2024 and supported 45,000 jobs.Plus, following the major cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover, the Government is now considering stepping in to help keep its suppliers.Earlier this week, JLR extended its pause in production until October 1st.And, a warning to the band Muse… Scientists discover that supermassive blackholes may not be as massive after all.Also in this episode:PlayStation State of Play: A release date and trailer for Marvel: Wolverine revealedNew cancer cases worldwide could rise by 61% by 2050 – studyNew nature detecting sensors have been added to the Natural History Museum gardens Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham, Manchester's mayor and self-styled champion of the North, is openly flirting with a return to Westminster just days before the Labour Party conference. In a revealing interview, he outlined his 'Manchesterism' – a blend of business-friendly socialism and public control of essential services – though what that actually means remains unclear. Typically, he is full of inconsistencies, criticising Westminster and how it 'makes you look false', while openly seeking a route back. Does he see the irony? Meanwhile, Keir Starmer faces challenges on multiple fronts: his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is embroiled in a controversy over nearly £740,000 of undisclosed donations to Labour Together, threatening to overshadow conference proceedings.Labour's conference promises to be anything but dull, but who will steal the headlines: Burnham or McSweeney? Lucy Dunn speaks to Isabel Hardman and Tim Shipman. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Charlie Kirk becoming America's new martyr for the far right? How deep does Chinese spying go in Western politics? And,  is Moldova the next target for Russian meddling? The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away free TRIP Plus membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups

Are we all in danger of missing the biggest story of the day? Sam ponders that as he links up with Anne to go over Westminster's day.  One of the country's biggest car producers is shut because of a cyber-attack. The problems at Jaguar Land Rover have been going on for weeks – we discuss why this might be more of a political story than it seems.  Elsewhere, the Tories continue to pile the pressure on the PM's chief of staff - Morgan McSweeney - over leaked lawyer advice and a £700,000 “admin error.”  In response a Downing Street source said "everything was declared properly in relation to the leadership election".  

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure from both the left and centre of his party ahead of conference. With questions over his leadership, his political voice, and Labour's direction on key issues like energy policy, immigration, and economic growth, this episode asks:Does Starmer have the authority to unite his party?Could figures like Andy Burnham challenge him?Is Labour heading for a damaging split – or a chance to reset?Will Ed Miliband's reported U-turn on North Sea oil and gas reshape the government's energy strategy?We also compare Labour's struggles to historic SNP and Lib Dem conferences, and discuss how Reform UK is reshaping the political battlefield.Plus:Why Scottish Labour's new Westminster ministers could act as a “shadow Scottish Government” to boost Anas Sarwar's election chances.The role of Douglas Alexander as Scotland Secretary – and whether he can coordinate Labour's strategy effectively.Could Reform UK split the Tory vote enough for the SNP to win all constituency seats?Should there be a clear constitutional process for another Scottish independence referendum?Plus: the bizarre scandal of Seagullgate, which forced a minister to resign after a row with Douglas Ross.We also hear from listeners on Scottish education, independence rules, and whether Holyrood needs reform to handle the growing scale of devolved powers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigel Farage and Sir Ed Davey may sit on opposite ends of the political spectrum, yet both share a flair for spectacle — deft at seizing headlines, even when the substance is thinner than the show.Reform UK's proposal to scrap the route to permanent residency for migrants marks a striking departure from the policies of Britain's main parties. But beyond all the talk, what would such a move really mean for the economy? CapX's Marc Sidwell speaks with Daniel Freeman of the Institute of Economic Affairs and Maxwell Marlow of the Adam Smith Institute to separate fact from fiction.Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats are often cast as too staid to capture attention – yet their strong election performance suggests that there may, in fact, be an appetite for more measured politics. And across the Atlantic, freedom of speech is often celebrated as a cornerstone of American life. The recent controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel, however, underlines how contested the principle has become – in the US as much as in Europe. As the digital age reshapes debate, are our assumptions about liberty shifting too?Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listeners on the Best of Spectator playlist can enjoy a section of the latest episode of Quite right but for the full thing please seek out the Quite right! channel. Just search ‘Quite right!' wherever you are listening now.This week, Michael and Maddie lift the lid on the strange rituals of party conference season and why the ‘goldfish bowl' reality of a week in Birmingham (or Manchester, or Liverpool) often leaves politicians with ‘PTSD'. They then turn to the government's revived enthusiasm for digital ID cards. Is this a sensible fix for illegal immigration – or, as Michael puts it, ‘snake oil rubbed onto an already weak idea'? And why does Tony Blair always seem to be the ghost whispering ‘ID cards' into Westminster's ear?Next, Keir Starmer's recognition of a Palestinian state: a principled step, or a political stunt designed to placate his backbenchers? Michael and Madeline dissect the backlash, the ‘terrorist chic' of pop-concert activism, and what this move really says about Labour's priorities.Finally, they reflect on the extraordinary words of Erika Kirk, who publicly forgave her husband's alleged murderer. What does Christian forgiveness look like in an age that prizes vengeance and why do so many secular commentators miss its radicalism?Produced by Oscar Edmondson, Oscar Bicket and Matt Miszczak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Midweek Discipleship Session: Westminster Catechism Part 1 takes place on Tuesday evenings from September 16 through October 28, from 6 - 7:30 PM at the Coram Deo Church building. This week, Pastor Rusten taught through questions 5-8 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Deux aéroports, celui d'Oslo et Copenhague, fermés plusieurs heures hier soir en raison de drones suspects. La semaine dernière, des avions de chasse russes dans le ciel estonien, sans compter la vingtaine de drones russes qui ont survolé la Pologne, il y a dix jours... Ces violations aériennes répétées alimentent la tension en Europe et au sein de l'Otan qui a appelé à la désescalade. Dans l'est de la Pologne, la petite ville de Chelm, située à 25 kilomètres de la frontière ukrainienne, se remet à peine de la frayeur. Et aujourd'hui, les habitants dénoncent surtout le manque d'informations et de préparation face à ce type de menace. C'est le reportage d'Adrien Sarlat.   Les mines antipersonnel  C'est l'une des conséquences de l'invasion russe en Ukraine. Depuis le début de l'année, six pays européens se sont retirés de la Convention sur l'interdiction des mines antipersonnel. La Pologne, les trois pays baltes, la Finlande et l'Ukraine invoquent l'autodéfense face à la Russie qui n'a jamais signé cette convention.   C'est dans ce contexte qu'un ancien fabricant de mines antipersonnel, sort son autobiographie... Celle d'un parcours de la rédemption... de la fabrication d'armes jusqu'au militantisme contre le réarmement. Son titre «J'étais un homme de la guerre». Cécile Debarge, l'une de nos correspondantes en Italie est allée rencontrer son auteur.     L'extrême droite roumaine s'immisce dans les élections moldaves Petit pays, situé entre l'Ukraine et la Roumanie, soumis à une intense propagande russe, la Moldavie se prépare à des élections législatives ce week-end qui seront scrutées de très près. La présidente pro-européenne Maia Sandu, et son parti PAS risquent de ne pas obtenir la majorité. Elle fait face à une vaste campagne d'influence anti-occidentale sur les réseaux sociaux... Mais derrière cette campagne, on ne trouve pas que la Russie, de l'autre côté de la frontière l'extrême droite roumaine est également très active pour discréditer le pouvoir en place. C'est le reportage de notre correspondante à Bucarest, Marine Leduc.     Un leader écologiste atypique  Et on terminera cette émission avec un portrait, celui du nouveau patron des Verts au Royaume-Uni... un petit parti qui n'a que 4 députés à Westminster. Mais en prenant pour leader Zach Polanski, la formation écologiste espère bien engranger de nouveaux soutiens grâce à un profil très atypique, voire très marketing. Son portrait signé Marie Billon.

Dr. Natalie Nixon discusses how to develop strategic thinking, prevent burnout, and enhance creativity through her move, rest, and think framework.— YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The inner skills that make us more strategic and effective2) The neglected skill that makes us more strategic3) How to prime your best ideas in 90 secondsSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1095 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT NATALIE — Dr. Natalie Nixon, creativity strategist and CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, is known as the ‘creativity whisperer to the C-Suite' and is the world's leading authority on the WonderRigor™ Theory. She excels at helping leaders catalyze creativity's ROI for inspired business results. She is the author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap and the forthcoming Move.Think.Rest. With a background in cultural anthropology, her career spans global apparel sourcing with The Limited Brands and a 16-year career in academia, where she was the founding director of the Strategic Design MBA at Thomas Jefferson University. She received her BA from Vassar College and her PhD from the University of Westminster in London. She's a lifelong dancer and a new aficionado of open water swimming.• Book: Move. Think. Rest.: Redefining Productivity & Our Relationship with Time• Book: The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work• Website: Figure8Thinking.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Study: “Knowing your own heart: Distinguishing interoceptive accuracy from interoceptive awareness” by Sarah N. Garfinkle, et al.• Study: “Effects of interoceptive training on decision making, anxiety, and somatic symptoms” by Ayako Sugawara, et al.• App: Fitebo• Book: How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett• Book: Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross• Book: Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina• Book: The Covenant of Water: A Novel by Abraham Verghese• Book: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese• Book: In Search of Satisfaction by J. California Cooper• Past episode: 1005: How to Feel Energized Every Day with Dr. Michael Breus— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Strawberry.me. Claim your $50 credit and build momentum in your career with Strawberry.me/Awesome• LinkedIn Jobs. Post your job for free at linkedin.com/beawesome• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/AwesomeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Donald Trump hails Charlie Kirk as a martyr before a packed Arizona stadium of 100,000, where leaders from Tucker Carlson to RFK Jr. compare him to Jesus and call his death a turning point for faith and politics. Erika Kirk forgives her husband's killer, Stephen Miller thunders that Charlie has been made “immortal,” and Elon Musk joins Trump on stage as the crowd erupts. Beyond the memorial, the show tracks global fallout: Starmer sparks Israeli fury over Palestine, Van Jones reveals Kirk reached out just before his death, and the censorship battle escalates with Jimmy Kimmel's suspension and free speech fights stretching from Washington to Westminster. http://www.BalanceofNature.com  and sign up as a new Preferred Customer with code RUSSELL to get 35% OFF your first order, plus a FREE Fiber & Spice supplement. Hurry! This offer is only available while supplies last. https://balanceofnature.com http://www.1775coffee.com/BRAND to save 15% off your order of 1775 Coffee.  

Nate is joined by Westminster's new Dean of Online Students, Paul Wolfe. They discuss his experience in seminary at Westminster, his battle with cancer, his heart for pastoral ministry, and many other things. Sign up for the Preaching conference here ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wtspreachingconference25.rsvpify.com⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoy this episode, you can access tons of content just like this at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wm.wts.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you would like to join us in our mission to train specialists in the bible to proclaim the whole counsel of God for Christ and his global church, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wts.edu/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening!

Live set from a wedding at the Westminster Hotel in Venice, CA on 09/13/2025 Tracklist: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO8weBMETIp/?img_index=1

For our season finale, Amber is in conversation with multi-disciplinary artist and designer Aitor Throup, and Andrew Groves, Professor of Fashion Design at the University of Westminster and founder of the Westminster Menswear Archive. The discussion is a deep dive into the conceptual framework behind Aitor's practice, considering the avant garde at the intersections of football and fashion, the paradoxes at the heart of terrace style, and how racial discrimination is confronted in his designs. It is linked to Aitor's retrospective in Burnley for the British Textile Biennial this year, titled From the Moor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9-21-25 Sermon by Pastor Kehl Hudson.Worship songs from this service:Holy ForeverBuild My LifeWay MakerGod Of RevivalLike what you hear? Join us this Sunday at 8:45am or 10:45am @ 6979 West Oak Highway, Westminster, SC. Come a few minutes early and grab some free coffee and snacks - we'd love to have you!You can also find all of our sermons on our website: www.lifelinecc.com/podcast

Recognising Palestine, The Party Conferences and Patriotism.

A message by Pastor Jared Burke from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 at Bethany Bible Fellowship, Westminster, California

It's not every guest who would admit in their new book, with brutal honesty, “I've been vilified, satirised, protested against- a hate figure both on left and right.”  But it is also uncommon, if not without precedent, for someone who has led their political party, been deputy Prime Minister for 5 years, to then re-invent themselves, chameleon-like, move to silicon valley and join the senior ranks of one of the world's most successful technology companies, Meta.  Before he discusses his new book “How to Save the Internet - The Threat to Global Connection in the Age of AI and Political Conflict,” Nick explores power and politics, ambition and insights.   He speaks about content moderation and removing Trump from Facebook, the balkanisation of the Internet, and why AI might not be the existential arrival feared by some.  He laments Europe's failings, US tech dominance, why China is an immense technology force, and what is needed to achieve cohesion amongst the democratic powers in developing a tech roadmap. The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.    Sign up to our Newsletter | Follow us on LinkedIn | Watch on YouTube  

The role of the Assembly and ExecutiveIf we were to listen to and accept at face value those in the media who criticise the Assembly and the Executive as ineffective, and who question their value or use, we would mothball both institutions and sack the MLAs.Yes, there is justifiable frustration at the failure of the institutions to address concerns on health and education and delivery on Casement Park, Saving Lough Neagh, building the A5, delivering for Gaeilgeoirí, tackling poverty and hate crimes and legacy issues alongside problems in our public services. But that is not the fault of the institutions. It lies with the political parties and others who are blocking progress.Yes, there are problems but it is wrong to tar all our politicians with the one brush and it would also be wrong to hand over responsibility for these issues to unelected civil servants and to the British government. That would be irresponsible and stupid.Does anyone really want another British Secretary of State running this place? There have been 25 British Secretaries of State, mostly mediocre and forgettable, including some who contributed enormously to the conflict.We also need to appreciate that the London government is adding to the difficulties faced by an Executive which doesn't have the financial resources to tackle some of the issues of greatest concern. All of this is an argument for the end of Westminster rule. We need to say that loudly and often. London has never ruled us in our best interests. We who call this place home are the only ones entitled or fit to do that. That includes our unionist neighbours and their representatives. The reality is that the Northern statelet was not and is not a normal society.  Partition was a unionist and British imposed response to the demand by the people of this island to independence and sovereignty. The unionist regime at Stormont immediately and successfully deepened political and sectarian discrimination and the inequalities that were part and parcel of colonisation. The Northern state was a place where non-unionists were to have no say in its running and where the institutions of the state were closed to us. After 78 years of ‘Northern Ireland' the Good Friday Agreement began a process of fundamentally changing that system. It is a process. The Agreement was and is a unique arrangement to facilitate conflicting political visions. Republicans decided to enter Stormont – a place that represented all that was wrong with the Orange State – because we believed that a space was needed in which we and unionism could moderate our differences. Other venues were considered but we believed that unionists would be comfortable within the Stormont setting. And we opted for that. However, did anyone seriously think that generations and centuries of colonisation and prejudice could be overturned quickly? That the deep rooted antipathy to all things progressive or rights based, never mind nationalist or republican, would disappear overnight or even in the short term?  Only the most naive or stupid among us would have thought the British State would acknowledge its wrong doing and embrace equality and democracy?  No dear readers.  It was always going to be a battle a day- a process that demanded and demands perseverance, doggedness, generosity, resolve and strategic focus. Especially strategic focus.Cearta Anios. In May 2022, 20,000 activists took to the streets of Béal Feirste to demand Irish language rights. This An Dream Dearg mass mobilisation of both young and old was highly symbolic, positive, cheerful and confident. Four days after this protest, the British government took the first step to introduce Irish-language legislation, paving the way for historic social change in the Northern state. This legislation provided for the repeal of the centuries old  penal-law ban on the use of I

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Four arrests after images of Trump and Epstein projected on Windsor Castle Renters Right Bill Ive sold my flat before new bill becomes law Winfield House What to know about Americas unofficial party house in London Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Br ckner freed from German prison UK inflation remains at 3.8 in August as food costs grow Ex Labour councillor charged in Westminster honeytrap case AI could boost UK economy by 10 in 5 years, says Microsoft boss Charlie Kirk suspect confessed in note to roommate, prosecutors allege Ben and Jerrys co founder Jerry Greenfield quits over social activism row Read the text messages between Charlie Kirk accused and roommate

Should we worry that all our AI infrastructure will be owned by US firms? How can we turn schools and colleges into the drivers of economic recovery? How much of education and investment power should be transferred from Westminster to mayors?  Steph and Robert speak with Andy Haldane, former Chief Economist at the Bank of England about his influential report on boosting regional prosperity No other British bank has helped more businesses get started than NatWest. Whatever your idea, it doesn't have to be perfect, just start! Search ‘NatWest Business Accounts'. Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠restismoney@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheRestIsMoney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheRestIsMoney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@RestIsMoney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠goalhanger.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Assistant Producer: India Dunkley, Alice Horrell Producer: Ross Buchanan Head of Content: Tom Whiter Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lawyer and intelligence historian David Burke reveals a shadowy chapter in the story of Anglo-Irish relations in the 20th century. Irish police intelligence analyst Patrick Crinnion was a man of rare intelligence. He had also been groomed from a young age to spy for the United Kingdom. When the Troubles in Northern Ireland broke out, he was feeding information on the IRA to Westminster. But the IRA had its own, highly effective spymaster. In time, both men would pay a heavy price for their part in an old and dangerous game. From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Joe Foley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starmer is Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party – but does he feel totally in charge of things? Plus, the race to be Deputy Leader of the Labour Party is down to the final two. Who's the most likely to take the role? And Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is being increasingly tipped to swoop back to Westminster. Could he be the answer Labour has been searching for, realistically? Join Ros Taylor, Jonn Elledge, and Rafael Behr for all of that and a deep dive into the reality of party democracy. Escape Routes: • Jonn: Buy Clown Town through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund Oh God, What Now? by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Ros: Buy Waterland through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund Oh God, What Now? by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. She also watched Hostage on Netflix. • Raf recommends a band called This Is The Kit - specifically a song called Our Socks Forever More www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Ros Taylor with Rafael Behr and Jonn Elledge. Audio/ Video Production by: Chris Jones. Art direction: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Michael and Madeline unpick the shock defection of Danny Kruger to Reform UK's ‘pirate ship' – as described by Michael – and ask whether this coup could mark the beginning of the end for the Conservative party.They also dive into Westminster's most charged moral debates: the assisted dying bill in the Lords and the quiet decriminalisation of abortion up to birth. What do these changes say about parliament's ‘intoxicated liberal hubris' – and the protections given to the vulnerable?Also, Donald Trump lands in Britain this week – but why is it that the Prime Minister acts ‘like Carson the butler' in his presence, and who exactly is the ‘diplomatic secret weapon' that the Palace deploys to manage ‘the Donald'?Finally, Michael and Madeleine (re)turn to Oxford, where the Union has been engulfed in controversy over free speech and political violence. Has one of Britain's oldest debating societies become a cautionary tale for our universities? Is there such a thing as ‘right-wing cancel culture'?Produced by Oscar Edmondson, Oscar Bicket and Matt Miszczak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The big news in Westminster today is that there has been another defection to Reform. But this time it feels slightly different: a front bench Tory with a CV that spans multiple Tory leaders and a number of books on Conservative thought is now batting for Reform.Danny Kruger, Nigel Farage's latest defector, served as David Cameron's speechwriter, Boris Johnson's political secretary and Robert Jenrick's campaign manager just last summer. His defection will therefore come as a serious blow to those who argue that the Conservative party stands a better chance than Reform of winning the next election.Kruger told the room that he believes Reform now stands the best chance of saving the country at the time of the next election and that his former Tory party was ‘finished as the main opposition to the left'. His argument is that Reform is the ‘new home' of conservatism. Where does this leave Kemi Badenoch? And will his defection open up the floodgates for more to follow?Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Lucy Dunn.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patricia Lockwood is a poet, memoirist and novelist whose work straddles the literary world and the wilds of the internet. Patricia first went viral with her traumatic poem Rape Joke, while her memoir Priestdaddy, about being the daughter of a Catholic priest, has been called a modern classic. Patricia talks to Nuala McGovern about her new book, Will There Ever Be Another You, which explores the surreal disorientation of illness, memory and recovery in the wake of Covid. The list of hospital trusts that will be looked at as part of a rapid review of maternity care in England have just been announced. This is part of an independent, national, investigation into harm to hundreds of babies, that might have been prevented with better maternity care. However some of the families, whose cases will be part of it, have expressed concerns about its scope. Nuala is joined by BBC Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan to find out more about this review. Parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are heading to Westminster today. They are taking part in what they are calling a ‘Day of Action,' organised by parent support groups, which includes a rally at Parliament Square, MP drop-ins and a Parliamentary debate on SEND children's rights. 18-year-old Katie Nellist, who has autism and struggled to attend school, will be giving a speech at the rally. Katie and her mother Ruth tell Nuala why they are taking part in this 'Day of Action'. The BBC Eye documentary and podcast called Death in Dubai has identified a former London bus driver running a sex ring exploiting young vulnerable Ugandan women. The programme has been told that hundreds of women are going to Dubai from Uganda, seeking their fortunes and ending up in sex work. Two of the women have died falling from tower blocks in Dubai. Nuala talks to the BBC Eye producer and reporter Runako Celina, who has spent two and a half years investigating this story. Kathrine Switzer was the first female to officially run the Boston marathon back in 1967, at that time considered a men's-only race. However a race official tried to stop her mid-event when they discovered she was a woman. She went on to complete the course and she's dedicated her life to enabling women to participate in the sport. Now in her late 70s, she's run 42 marathons and is the co-founder of 261 Fearless, that aims to empower women through running. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

The fallout from Lord Mandelson's sacking continues. All eyes are now on Keir Starmer's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney – could he take the fall for Mandelson's appointment? As Whitehall editor of the Sunday Times Gabriel Pogrund tells James Heale and Lucy Dunn, Mandelson and McSweeney's relationship stretches back to New Labour. But, Pogrund warns, as McSweeney lay the foundations for Labour's victory in 2024, losing him would mark a 'revolution in the Starmer project'.Plus: after a slew of bad news for the government, there was one Labour victory this week – at the annual Westminster dog of the year competition. Megan McElroy interviews some of the MPs who took part; we hope their dogs are more loyal than their colleagues...Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick is joined by Mirror journalist David Yates to discuss yesterday's events in Westminster, featuring the first podcast interview with new BHA Chair Lord Charles Allen, plus contributions from Mims Davies MP and Emma Lavelle and a statement from Flutter. Also on today's show, continuing coverage of the Hillsin enquiry plus a look ahead to the weekend with final declarations for the two big races at Doncaster and Leopardstown.