Affinity Talks Gospel Podcast

Affinity podcast hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Martin Gliniecki from SASRA (The Soldiers' and Aviators' Scripture Readers Association) to talk about:

• his history with the armed forces and how he became a Christian during his time serving with the army;
• the different ways human beings can respond to extraordinary evil;
• what SASRA does and why, as well as its amazing recent growth;
• growing individualism in Britain and its impact on and contrast with the armed forces;
• morale in the armed forces and the many spiritual opportunities;
• how churches can serve veterans as well as those currently in the military;
• how to find out more about and support SASRA (https://sasra.org.uk/)

Read the transcript in full on our website affinity.org.uk/podcast/podcast-seeing-god-at-work-in-our-armed-forces/

Affinity podcast hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Collin Hansen from The Gospel Coalition (TGC) to talk about:

• Collin's current role with TGC, as well as his previous experience and family background;
• his published works, particularly Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation (2023);
• his current project (which he'll speak further on at the Affinity Theological Study Conference in March 2027) comparing and contrasting C.S. Lewis and Winston Churchill;
• the post-Christian era and its connections to the Second World War and its immediate aftermath;
• the concept of people being either 'somewhere' people or 'anywhere' people;
• the differences between ministry perspectives at national, regional, local and parish levels;
• the role of Christianity in Britons' understanding of their own cultural identity;
• the contrasting impacts of established and independent churches.

Tickets for the Affinity Theological Study Conference 2027 are £279 (early bird rates apply until 12 Nov 2026) and £199 for students/concessions. Book on today at https://www.affinity.org.uk/studyconference/

The transcript for this episode is also available at affinity.org.uk/podcast/podcast-understanding-britain-now-with-help-from-britain-then/

In this latest episode of Affinity Talks Gospel Podcast, Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with CARE's James Mildred to talk about:

• why Christians should care about politics;
• the significance of passages such as Genesis 9, Mathew 22 and Romans 13 for helping us to understand what governing involves and how we should relate to our government;
• the importance of churches being willing to speak about political theology and encourage genuine discussion;
• the current state of British politics (as of 13 May 2026) and the historical stepping stones that have helped us get here;
• what Christians can be praying about politics and political leaders;
• and whether it is appropriate/useful for Christianity to retain the privileged status it's historically had in the UK.

You read the transcript in full on our website at affinity.org.uk/uncategorised/podcast-why-being-a-christian-means-being-political/

In this episode of the Affinity Talks Gospel podcast, hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Martin Dickson from Wycliffe Bible Translators. They discuss:

• Martin's role at Wycliffe and his pre-Wycliffe story;
• the extraordinary number of people who don't yet have the people in their heart language;
• Wycliffe's approach to translation;
• Wycliffe's current projects and prayer points.

You can also read the transcript in full on our website: affinity.org.uk/podcast/podcast-the-1-5-billion-still-waiting-for-a-bible-with-martin-dickson/

In this episode of Affinity Talks Gospel, host Graham Nicholls sits down with Jim Sayers from Praise Trust and Grace Church Didcot to talk about:

• the story of Grace Church Didcot and the blessings of being a smaller church;
• Jim's life-long love of Christian music;
• the role of Praise Trust and its criteria for including a song in its collection;
• current trends in Christian music;
• what makes a Christian song timeless;
• biblical areas which tend not to feature in Christian music;
• helps for congregational singing.

In this episode of the Affinity Talks Gospel Podcast, hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Andy Bannister, Director of Solas Centre for Public Christianity, to talk about:

• the origins of Solas;
• a working definition of Christian nationalism;
• the importance of having Christian parliamentarians;
• a Muslim perspective on Christianity in the UK;
• the Tommy Robinson rally;
• defining Britain's cultural story;
• newcomers arriving in British churches;
• differences between British and American Christianity;
• evangelism that engages with right- and left-leaning listeners;
• encouraging Christians to engage across political divides.

In this sixth episode of the new series of the Affinity Talks Gospel Podcast, hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Cameron Shaffer, author of Keeping Kids Christian, to talk about his book and the topics he covers in it, including:

• assumptions underpinning children's and youth ministry in both the US and the UK;
• the growth in the US of those identifying as believing in "nothing in particular";
• the significance of parental influence in handing down the Christian faith;
• the impact of different parenting styles;
• the importance of intergenerational ministry;
• parenting adult children.

In this fifth episode of the new series of the Affinity Talks Gospel Podcast, hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Steve Midgley, Director of Biblical Counselling UK, to talk about:

– a definition of biblical counselling and the importance for churches to re-skill in pastoral care;

– personhood and the problems with defining problems as either spiritual or non-spiritual;

– what trauma is and how prevalent it is in our churches;

– how churches can support people with trauma;

– Steve's new book, Understanding Trauma: A biblical introduction for church care.

You can find out more about BCUK at bcuk.org/ and you can buy Steve's book at thegoodbook.co.uk/understanding-trauma

This episode comes with apologies for the lack of a proper video – we had some technological issues this week. We'll be back to full video and audio next week!

In this fourth episode of the new series of the Affinity Talks Gospel Podcast, hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Girma Bishaw, Director of the Gratitude Initiative, to talk about:

• his coming to faith and his journey from Ethiopia to the UK;
• his gratitude for the UK's welcome and admiration of its strengths;
• his desire to help other Christian immigrants share responsibility for mission to the UK;
• the way the UK has been blessed by generations of immigrants;
• the theological and practical value of gratitude;
• and the importance of celebration.

You can read the transcript in full on our website affinity.org.uk/podcast/podcast-gratitude-in-and-for-britain-with-girma-bishaw/

And do pick up a copy of Girma's book on Amazon or IVP!

In this third episode of the new series of the Affinity Talks Gospel Podcast, hosts Graham Nicholls and Lizzie Harewood sit down with Brephos Director to talk about:– the scale of abortion in England and Wales;– the church's and individual Christians' relative quiet on the issue;– the timeline behind the legalisation and increasing demand for abortion;– the approach taken by Dave and the team at Brephos into raising awareness about abortion (including reflecting on the events in Keswick last summer) as well as engaging with women who have had one;– the importance of the gospel of grace in talking about abortion;– the importance for men to own their responsibility in caring for the unborn and for women.Read the transcript in full at affinity.org.uk/podcast/podcast-abortions-scale-and-christians-silence-with-dave-brennan/