In the first few weeks every year, Christian Unions across the country put in a concerted effort to reach their campuses - with around 85 'events weeks' happening recently.  For many young people, their time at university is a formative and energetic experience, and it is a great opportunity for students to reach their friends for Christ. UCCF is helping them do this through 3"D" ministry: Delighting in Jesus more deeply, Displaying Him more fully and Declaring Him more boldy. UCCF leader Matt Lillicrap explains more to Gavin and Simon on this week's PEP Talk.

Matt Lillicrap studied Medicine in Newcastle and qualified in 2006. Until 2013 he worked as a junior doctor, alongside a stint as a staff worker for Christian Medical Fellowship. From 2013-2017 he studied theology for pastoral ministry at Oak Hill College in London, then served local churches in Cambridge for seven years. He is now CEO of Universities & Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF), guiding Christian Unions across England, Scotland and Wales. Matt is married to Anika who is a pastoral counsellor. 

Student Mission in 3-D (with Matt Lillicrap)

Have you ever wondered why music moves us? It transcends culture, yet is an important part of most cultures. Today on PEP Talk, we reflect on how the gift of music speaks to us about God's character. That makes it an excellent medium for communicating God's truth not only within the church, but also with the culture around us.

Greg de Blieck is a Glasgow-based musician and hymn writer. He serves as a Worship Leader at his local church and is involved with the New Scottish Hymns music ministry.

Music For Mission (with Greg de Blieck)

Many sporting clubs are the largest social group in any given local community. Do the local churches view them as rivals, or mission fields? Today, more clubs are recognising the competitive benefits of caring emotionally and spiritually for their athletes, opening up huge opportunities for Christian ministry. Here on PEP Talk, sport enthusiasts Gavin Matthews and Simon Wenham learn more about the the area of sports chaplaincy.

Mark Fleming has been chaplain to Partick Thistle Football Club since 1989. He now serves as National Director for Scotland at Sports Chaplaincy UK [https://www.sportschaplaincy.org.uk/Groups/426259/Scotland.aspx], where he recruits, trains, and mentors chaplains across the nation. He has provided in-house mental health awareness training at a range of football clubs and sporting governing bodies such as the English Football Association, Scottish Football Association, Scottish Rugby Union and the Camanachd Association. He has written a book on his experiences titled "Confessions of a Football Chaplain" available here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Confessions-Football-Chaplain-Mark-Fleming/dp/B08KJ24G2P].

Playing the Long Game (with Mark Fleming)

Is it the dawn of an utopian age? Or will humans be relegated to the Matrix? It certainly seems that recent developments in artificial intelligence will bring profound changes to our world. But right now, profound questions are there to be asked. How can we show that the Christian message gives the best answers, and use AI as a platform for the gospel? Andy Bannister and Simon Wenham chat with Australian author Stephen Driscoll about God, AI and humans.

Stephen Driscoll wrote Made In Our Image: God, Artificial Intelligence and You [https://uk.10ofthose.com/product/9781922980199/made-in-our-image-paperback] (2024 Matthias Media). He studied at Moore College, the University of Sydney and the University of NSW. Stephen serves with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students in Canberra, where he disciples Christian students and shares the gospel with nonbelievers. He is married to Lauren and they have two young children.

Evangelism in the Age of AI (with Stephen Driscoll)

Many Christians will be familiar with the practice of praying for and visiting those from their own church who might be sick in hospital. But the role of the hospital (or hospice) chaplain can allow for ministry to all kinds of people. What are the challenges, joys, and opportunities experienced in this unique role? This time on PEP Talk, we hear from a hospital chaplain who himself spent eight months in hospital after a car crash which left him permanently paraplegic.

Kelvin Burke is the author of "Lake of Tears" [https://www.kelvinburke.org/shop/p/lake-of-tears], a compelling book with a unique application of God’s partaking in the face of suffering. Kelvin is an Anglican minister and Healthcare Chaplain. After his time as Priest-in-charge at St Andrew’s Wakefield Kelvin was called to Minister in Healthcare Chaplaincy, starting out as Honorary Chaplain at Wakefield Hospice and then Pinderfields Hospital where he had been an inpatient for nine months in 1979/80 following a Road Traffic Accident which left him paraplegic. 

He was appointed Chaplain at Leeds Teaching Hospital during which time he studied for and attained a Masters in Theology at Cardiff University. In 2010 he moved with his wife Jennie and three teenage daughters (Chloé, Katie and Ellie) to the Isle of Wight, and after a short time as Chaplain at Mountbatten Hospice and St Mary’s Hospital, he was appointed Senior Chaplain of Isle of Wight NHS Trust.

Witnessing on the Ward (with Kelvin Burke)

What happens when Christians truly embrace reaching out to the 'least of these' right here in the UK? Those marginalised even by mainstream society - sex workers on the streets of our cities. While we don't think of it as 'evangelism,' surely being 'the hands and feet of Jesus' is a concrete way of sharing the gospel? It's certainly a challenging one!

Find out about how Embrace [https://www.embrace-uk.org/] is ministering to those selling sex on the streets of Birmingham and Coventry.

Kaeli Murphy is the Project Manager for Embrace in Birmingham and began in post in June 2023 as the services were expanded from Coventry. She has been volunteering and working with Embrace for 6 years alongside working for a community centre as a Youth Worker, and has a Masters in Youth Work and Community Development. Kaeli lives in Birmingham with her husband and leads the youth work at her church. She loves spending time with people, hosting, music and DIY (or anything creative!)

Embracing the Marginalised (with Kaeli Murphy)

“When people realise that their questions about faith aren’t brand new in the last two minutes, but have been asked thousands of times with really good answers - that would be how history and apologetics meet.” Gavin and Simon (the resident Solas history buffs) hear about an amazing project to bring the history of Christianity to the world - via animation on YouTube! Check out the results at christianstory.com [https://christianstory.com/]

 Oliver Dürr and Daniel Kim are co-founders of Christian Story.

2,000 Years on YouTube (with Oliver Dürr and Daniel Kim)

Following in the footsteps of Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, today's PEP Talk guest runs a social media platform. It may be a bit smaller than X or Facebook, but it's purpose is much narrower and nobler. As Christians grapple with what it means to live out their faith online, the team at Grow Faith has built a platform just for them. Simon Wenham finds out more...

Richard Matthews is co-founder and COO of Grow Faith [https://growfaith.co/about], which produces the Grow app.

Faith in the Feed (with Richard Matthews)

Here on PEP Talk, we often think about how each of us can share our faith, perhaps on our own or with our local church. But what about the big picture - the REALLY big picture? On a global scale, in this century, what is happening as Christians everywhere seek to fulfil the Great Commission? Today Simon and Gavin speak with the director of the "State of the Great Commission" report from the Lausanne Movement.

You can access the full report here: https://lausanne.org/report

Matthew Niermann has served the Lausanne Movement since 2010 in a variety of roles including research and operations. He is currently serving as the director of the State of the Great Commission Report for Lausanne 4 [https://lausanne.org/]. In addition, he serves as a dean and professor of architectural design at California Baptist University, where his research partially focuses on the relationship between creativity and Christian witness.

The Global Great Commission (with Matthew Niermann)

Youth for Christ has recently produced an incredible two-part report on the recent growth of spirituality amongst Gen Z and Gen Alpha. What can we learn about the experiences of young people, their desires and interests, and their new paths to finding Jesus? Steve Osmond and Simon Wenham chat with the report author and youth worker, Laura Hancock.

Get access to the full report here - https://yfc.co.uk/z-a-growing-spirituality/

Laura Hancock is Senior Lead of Ministry and Research at Youth for Christ, and is also part of the Limitless youth ministry team. She loves volunteering with the church’s youth group, leading a small group and helping people think through how we creatively communicate Jesus to the next generation. She lives in Halesowen with her husband Andy and her two kids where they all attend Lifecentral Church. She loves reading, running, shopping, hanging out with her dog, and never says no to an offer of pick and mix!

Seeking Spirituality: Gen Z, Gen Alpha and the Church (with Laura Hancock)

The Persuasive Evangelism Podcast equips listeners to share their faith more effectively in a sceptical world. Andy Bannister (Solas) and Kristi Mair (Oak Hill College) chat to a guest who has a great story, a useful resource, or some other expertise that helps equip listeners to talk persuasively, winsomely, and engagingly with their friends, colleagues and neighbours about Jesus.

Andy Bannister

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