Life Issues

Giving – it’s certainly a biblical principle for the Christian life, but there’s often truth in the old saying that ‘the last part of a man (or woman) to get saved is their wallet’. Yet, if we don’t embrace the “gift of giving” who is really missing out? Stewardship’s Daniel Jones takes up the conversation with Paul Hammond in this week’s Life Issues.

Believing that everyone has the right to live a life of freedom, and deserves dignity and respect regardless of circumstances should have consequences for us as Christians, right? But what about when those circumstances make us feel...well uncomfortable?

In this week’s Life Issues Sophia Burley tells Vicky Gibbens why she is passionate about reaching out to women in the sex trade.

Are you passionate about looking after the planet? Or does talk of the climate emergency fill you with a sense of dread? Guilt? Or Hopelessness?

Jo Musker Sherwood, a Researcher on resilience strategies for climate activists, joins Helen Price for this week’s Life Issues.

Questioning our beliefs is healthy right? Yet a trend for ‘deconstructing’ faith to the point of some even denying the name “Christian” is emerging. So, what has created this tide of disillusionment and what can we do to protect people from falling away from the truth? Alisa Childers joins Paul Hammond to share her insights on progressive Christianity in this week’s Life Issues. 

For centuries, fasting alongside prayer was the cornerstone of spiritual development. So how did we get to the point where fasting is just not on the agenda in many of our churches today? For those of us not sure where to begin, Jo Frost joins Paul to talk about the why, the when and the how of fasting in this episode of Life Issues.

“For over five hundred years, Gypsies, Roma and Travellers have been persecuted, misrepresented, enslaved and even murdered in whatever land they reside ” and the role of the church in that is often overlooked. So what do you think of when people talk about Gypsies, Roma and Travellers?

Dr Steven Horne, First Romany from the UK to be awarded a PhD in Theology joins Paul for this week’s Life Issues Myth –busting the Gypsy story.

Going through grief can shake a person’s faith, but in this week’s Life Issues, author Louise Blyth tells her powerful experience of finding faith in a place of loss and how it helped her to grieve with gratitude. 

Vicky Gibbens speaks to Louise Blyth is author of Hope is Coming: A true story of grief and gratitude

What does it mean to be a person of justice? And how far should we go to fight for it?  Bishop James Jones, who chaired the Hillsborough Independent Panel and is author of Justice for Christ's Sake: A Personal Journey Around Justice Through the Eyes of Faith, joins Paul Hammond for this week's Life Issues.

Why is it that people see faith as a bit miserable and hard to imagine that God & His people have a sense of humour? Paul Hammond is joined by James Cary, Comedy Writer and Joy Carter, Comedian, Writer and Speaker for this week’s Life Issues as they ask Does God LOL? 

Marriage is often seen as the ultimate life goal, particularly within the church.

But what about people who haven’t met someone yet, people who are divorced, bereaved or would rather remain single?

How can we be single and fulfilled - even with a desire for marriage?

Lauren Windle explores this question with UCB’s Helen Price.