Life Issues

There are 16 million disabled people in the UK, many of whom continue to be at risk of poverty and exclusion from education and employment. So how can a Paralympian, whose resilience and adaptability has been celebrated, use their status to bring change and inclusivity for all? Vicky Gibbens is joined by Stef Reid MBE. 

This week on Life Issues we are talking about vision –

how to find it/cast it/pursue it/live in light of it and why vision as a spiritual reality is very different from what the management training books recommend. Joining Paul for the conversation are Senior Leaders of All Nations Church Steve and Esther Uppal.

If God created men and women equally: Why did the Apostle Paul write: I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man?

If the risen Jesus showed up to women first, what's so controversial about women leading in church? Helen’s guests to explore in this week's Life Issues are Rev Dr Katie Stock, Lead Pastor at Christ Church Summerfield, and Amy Wicks, Associate Minister for Women and Pastoral Care at St Silas church in Glasgow.

Are you someone who can fall asleep easily? Or do you have trouble nodding off and struggle to wake up?

Have you ever wondered why we need sleep? Or what is happening to our bodies and minds when we are in slumberland?

Joining Helen to explore in this week's Life Issues is Dr Lindsay Browning, a neuroscientist and author of navigating sleeplessness.

These days it is more and more common for those responsible for things that go wrong to fail to take ownership of their actions – or worse to hide behind blame shifting and cover ups. So, whether it be governments, church denominations or even closer to home, Paul is exploring why taking responsibility seems such a struggle with Revd Jonathan Aitken in this week’s Life Issues.

Millions of people globally will be heading to the polls as part of national elections in 2024. But what about the sovereignty of God and understanding his will when it comes to voting? Vicky Gibbens is joined by Danny Webster, the Director of Advocacy at the Evangelical Alliance in this week’s Life Issues: Does God care about my vote?

They say like father, like son, and for the majority, the fact that we sow into the next generation is a good thing. But what if Dad isn’t a good example?                               

What if he has his own behaviour problems or addictions? Does that have to manifest in the next generation or can the cycle be broken? Author James Goldie joins Paul to explore what dads can be and whether it always has to be “like father, like son”?

Do you struggle with the relentless demands of life?

Is it possible to live slower and freer but still keep up with all our responsibilities?

And what can ants teach us about living in freedom?

Katharine Hill, UK Director at Care for the Family and author of Born Free joins Helen Lea in this week’s Life Issues: How to flourish in a hectic world.

It can increasingly feel as if we are living in a society that has moved on from Christianity – either deeming it irrelevant or responsible for doing more harm than good. In this Life Issues, Dr Sharon James encourages us to take confidence from and maybe shout about the way Christianity has changed the world, and share a Gospel that is and has always been a force for good.

We have thousands of thoughts every day. The challenge for us is to fix them on what is true and right, pure and lovely. So how much attention should we pay to the latest news bulletin or online article when the content is often shocking and woeful? Vicky Gibbens takes up the conversation with Tim Levell and Julia Bicknell, both mentors for Christians in Media with considerable experience working for some of the UK’s major broadcasters.