ICMDA Recordings

Recorded on 16 April 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with Dr Sharon Dirckx

Modern research is uncovering more and more detail of what our brain is and how it works. We are living, thinking creatures who carry around with us an amazing organic supercomputer in our heads.

But what is the relationship between our brains and our minds-and ultimately our sense of identity as a person? Are we more than machines? Is free-will an illusion? Do we have a soul?

Brain scientist Sharon Dirckx lays out the current understanding of who we are from biologists, philosophers, theologians and psychologists, and points towards a bigger picture, that suggests answers to the fundamental questions of our existence. Not just "What am I?", but "Who am I?" - and "Why am I?"

Sharon Dirckx is a speaker and author whose work focuses on responding to the spiritual and faith-related questions that people ask today.

She is motivated to show how and why the person of Jesus Christ remains as relevant as ever to the pertinent questions of our time, and to do so in an engaging way.

Originally from a scientific background, she has a PhD in brain imaging from the University of Cambridge. Sharon is invited to speak and lecture across the UK and internationally, in workplaces, universities, schools, churches and conferences.

For more from Sharon, visit ⁠https://www.dirckx.org/

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 9 April 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with David Oliver

‘When Gill and I faced our own loss, we found that grief didn't follow any neat pattern. It wasn't something to get over! It came in unstoppable, irrepressible, unwelcome, uninvited waves. However, gradually we began to experience that even in the darkest of places God's light could be found. I want to help people understand that grief isn't a problem to solve, is not a location to ‘move on’ from, it's a journey to walk through.’

Drawn from David’s latest book, All About Grief, this webinar explores how we can live through the darkest moments of loss without losing hope, comfort those who mourn and equip those who care.

David Oliver is a speaker and author, and has ministered to over 400,000 people in churches and organizations including Focus on the Family, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Care for The Family, New Wine, and Spring Harvest.

He has written 15 books including, All About Grief, All About Heaven, Work Prison or Place of Destiny, and Find Your Voice.

David is based in the Salt and Light family of churches where he serves internationally in a prophetic capacity.

David and Gill have been married for 50 years with four children and five grandchildren, they have been church leaders in the UK, for 50 years, with a speaking ministry both in the UK and internationally.

For more from David, visit https://davidoliverbooks.com/

⁠⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 2 April 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with Dr Jenny Taylor

Jenny Taylor presents a thought-provoking webinar exploring the crisis and calling of modern journalism. Drawing on her book Saving Journalism, she asks: why has the press drifted from watchdog to confusion, and what will restore trust? As digital media and AI accelerate misinformation, audiences are turning away.

Jenny traces journalism’s moral and historical roots—from ancient public discourse to today’s media landscape—and challenges us to recover its ethical foundations. Discover how responsible journalism can be renewed—and why its future matters for society. Be inspired to engage critically with media and play your part in shaping journalism’s future.

Jenny Taylor specialises in religious literacy. She is Research Fellow in Communication, Media and Journalism at the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge (appointed 2019). She pioneered religious literacy in journalism by founding Lapido Media in 2005, a ground-breaking online publisher hailed by historian Tom Holland for helping journalists "get religion" amid globalization and shifting secular discourse. Holding a doctorate from SOAS, she has published widely in outlets including The Guardian, The Times, and academic journals. Her books include Faith and Power; A Wild Constraint; and her latest Saving Journalism. An Associate of the Community of St Mary the Virgin, she lives in Suffolk.⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 26 March 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with Echo VanderWal

Faith in Action: Building a Community-Based HIV Care System in Africa

In Eswatini, one of the countries most affected by HIV, The Luke Commission has developed a community-based model that integrates HIV services within comprehensive primary care.

Rooted in Christian mission and local leadership, this approach combines mobile outreach, patient-centered care, resilient supply chains, and digitally enabled systems such as Luvelo to deliver consistent, high-quality care to underserved communities.

Rather than vertical programming, the model strengthens the entire health system while ensuring people living with HIV receive lifelong support. This presentation explores how faith-driven innovation can advance efficiency, accountability, and sustainability while ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left behind.

Echo VanderWal is Executive Director and co-founder of The Luke Commission (TLC), a faith-based nonprofit advancing equitable healthcare in Eswatini and other resource-limited settings. A visionary global health leader, she helped pioneer TLC’s holistic care model in response to the country’s high HIV prevalence. Under her leadership, TLC has grown into a major healthcare system serving hundreds of thousands annually. Echo graduated with highest honors from Cedarville University and lives in Eswatini with her husband Harry and their seven children.

⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 19 March 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with Larry Worthen

CMDA Canada’s Executive Director, Larry Worthen, will provide timely information on euthanasia and assisted suicide (euphemistically called MAiD) in Canada. This will include discussion of regulatory policies, the impact on vulnerable Canadians, and how CMDA Canada is helping Canadian Christians to embrace Christ’s plan for life and death.

Larry will deconstruct global narratives that dismiss the value of human life and propose instead the need for compassionate end of life care. It is hoped that Canada’s unfortunate experience will help other nations immunize themselves against this destructive practice infecting medical care around the world.⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For the Dying with Christ - Living with Hope course, visit https://cmdacanada.org/dying-with-christ-living-with-hope/

Recorded on 1 March 2026

In this interview, Pablo Martinez is interviewed by Peter Saunders, CEO of ICMDA, about his recent book Take Care of Yourself: Survive and Thrive in Christian Ministry and how Christian leaders can flourish in their work.

To love God and serve others well, we often need to be still, rest and be renewed. Listeners will learn what it means to care for their own ‘vineyard’—the talents, gifts and emotional resources of their personality—so they can be effective ministry leaders.

This webinar is run in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠Forum of Christian Leaders⁠⁠⁠ (FOCL).

⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 12 March 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with Dr Daniel O'Neill

God’s word is a meta-narrative, and threaded throughout the ancient text is a healing meta-narrative. The bible reveals a unique way to engage in purposeful, health-promoting, missional living wherever we are called to serve.

This second of a three-part series will present a comprehensive overview of the biblical healing meta-narrative in the Greek New Testament.

Jesus’ healing ministry, the Gospel writers, the Apostles, and the early church can enhance our understanding of the vital role of healthcare and global health engagement for the healing of all nations.

Daniel O’Neill, MD, MTh is a physician-theologian and managing editor of Christian Journal for Global Health, Assistant Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and holds a master’s degree in biblical & theological studies from Bethel Seminary. He serves as pastor of missions in his local church. He is a co-founder and Interim Director of Health for All Nations Institute at William Carey International University and author and co-editor of the book All Creation Groans: Toward a Theology of Disease and Global Health.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 5 March 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Howard Lyons and Dr Mark Pickering chair a webinar with Dr Jim Ritchie

Moral injury is inevitable when serving in medicine, especially cross-cultural medicine. Medics often feel powerful emotional burden from moral injury, a leading cause of early departure from practice. But we have learned proven methods of preventing and dealing with moral injury. These methods can be especially powerful when abiding in God’s promises.

Jim will guide us through these methods, using lessons learned from research and his own experience as a medical missionary in Kenya and a combat emergency physician in Afghanistan. When serving in medicine, you will experience moral injury.  Use God’s powerful methods to protect yourself and your team, and to grow in wisdom and spirit!

Jim Ritchie has been a physician for 37 years, and served in the Navy as an Emergency Physician for 25 years, including seven years as EM Residency Director, and two combat support tours in Afghanistan. He was a medical missionary in Chogoria, Kenya from 2014-2020, and helped start the Family Medicine program there.

He helped build the Longevity Project at MedSend, and now serves in member care for the Post-Residency Program with Samaritan’s Purse/World Medical Mission, and leads the MedTeam at Alongside Counseling, serving healthcare missionaries. He is devoted to helping medics thrive in their profoundly spiritually challenging and meaningful ministries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 26 February 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with Dr Paul Coulter

Everything is ethical. Thoughtful decisions inevitably involve questions about right and wrong, good and bad. In the complexities of modern healthcare, ethics is increasingly important as decisions have become increasingly complex while foundations for ethics are often eroded.

Christian healthcare professionals need to develop a clear biblical approach to ethics. This webinar will use the organic, biblical image of a tree to outline an approach to ethics that is rooted in the character of God, fulfils duties and rules, and also cares about consequences. It aims to help you approach real-life decisions for God’s glory and the good of others.

Paul lives in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, with his wife and two teenaged children. As Executive Director of Christianity in Society, he encourages Christ-centred thinking and living through consultancy and training in evangelism, leadership and pastoral care. He also teaches in four theological colleges and for churches and conferences across Ireland and beyond. Author of eight books, he blogs and podcasts regularly. His ministry draws on experience working as a medical doctor, lay magistrate and lecturer in theology, as well as in youth work, cross-cultural pastoral ministry, and charity management. For recreation he enjoys walking hills, writing poetry, and reading history.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recorded on 19 February 2026 for ICMDA Webinars.

Dr Peter Saunders chairs a webinar with Dr Trevor Stammers

Autonomy has arguably become the ruling ethical principle in contemporary bioethics and clinical decision-making, certainly in Western medicine. In an age of ‘patient-centred care’, everyone is aware of the importance of patient autonomy.

But what does autonomy mean conceptually and practically in the complexities of health care systems? What are the different concepts of the meaning of autonomy? Is autonomy a worthy ‘First among equals’ or an over-reaching tyrant? Is there a biblical theology of autonomy and if so, how does it help us to evaluate the current primacy of autonomy in policy decision-making on patient care and services?

Trevor Stammers was Associate Professor of Medical Ethics at St Mary's University, Twickenham until retirement in 2021. He is the author of The Ethics of Global Organ Acquisition: Moral arguments about transplantation, published by Bloomsbury in 2023.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To listen live to future ICMDA webinars visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠