This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Eddie Boon, and features our special guest Andy Flannagan!

Andy Flannagan’s album “Drowning in the Shallow” was described as “near-perfect” by Cross Rhythms, but he remains disappointingly imperfect. He wrote the critically-acclaimed book “Those Who Show Up” which has inspired many normal people to get involved in politics and is now the Executive Director of Christians in Politics. Longing to see the church invest as much in the ‘dispersed’ as it does in the ‘gathered’, he is leading on releasing and equipping Christians to be influential in the spheres of culture for the Gather UK Movement. His songs “We seek your kingdom” and “Tears and Celebration” have been taking words of worship beyond the sanctuary into the civic space and gleaning huge use around the UK and beyond. He is now helping to co-ordinate the BOUNDLESS collective – songs by UK songwriters for the whole of life, not just Sundays. His worlds collided perfectly in 2022 when leading worship at the now famous National Prayer Breakfast that precipitated a change in Government.

This week, Eddie, Andy, and Roo explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 16th August.

Timestamps

Mentions

Those Who Show Up by Andy Flannagan

Christians in Politics – https://www.christiansinpolitics.org.uk/

Gather UK Movement - https://gathermovement.org/

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Eddie Boon, and features our special guest Dave Mann!

Dave Mann has been involved in urban mission since the ’80’s in Tower Hamlets, and has been pastoring and church planting in London since 1996. He has extensive experience of setting up and running charities and schools and has taught and spoken at churches, conferences and colleges around the world on mission, leadership and community organisation. 

Dave has worked across denominations in his role with Seedbeds.org and as one of the founders of Red Letter Christians UK. Dave and his wife Sally are two of five ministers at Bonny Downs Baptist Church in East Ham, all sharing one stipend. Next year Dave & Sally will move in to the new Bonny Downs Abbey to share life and a rhythm of prayer with eight friends moving on from homelessness. 

In his spare time, Dave is a pioneer of walking football for over-50’s and chair of Newham Cricket Club.  This week, Eddie, Dave, and Hannah explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 9th August.

Timestamps • 00:00 – Intro

• 07:20 – Psalm 85: 8-13

• 17:56 – Matthew 14: 22-33

• 23:08 – Psalm 105: 1-6, 16-22, 45b

• 24:53 – Genesis 37: 1-4, 12-28

Mentions:

Message Translation of 1 Corinthians 13, especially verse 13 - Love extravagantly https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...

‘Here is Love, Vast as the Ocean’, by William Rees, translated by William Edwards: https://hymnary.org/text/here_is_love...

Everything must change by Brian McLaren: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pro...

Red Letter Christians: https://redletterchristians.org.uk/

Dave has contributed to Living for Jesus & Justice – Daily Prayers for Radical Christians – Simon Jones and Red Letter Christians UK: https://www.dltwritingforyou.com/prod...

Bonny Downs Baptist Church Is working with NEWway project, J49 Housing Association and Bonny Downs Community Association (BDCA) to develop Bony Downs Abbey, converting an old church hall into an intentional community committed to sharing life and enabling people to flourish. The Abbey will include 8 studio flats for vulnerable homeless adults & 2 ministry flats, and Dave will move in alongside ministers Jonny and Sally. If you can help us get Bonny Downs Abbey over the line, please give to the fundraising appeal: https://www.stewardship.org.uk/pages/...

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Alex Clare-Young for one week only, and features our special guest Michael Jagessar!

Revd Dr Michael N. Jagessar is a theologian-writer-researcher-blogger and retired minister of the United Reformed Church. He describes himself as an Indo-Guyanese-Caribbean now living in the UK, or “caribleaper”. This is reflected in his writings, which feature the Caribbean tradition of resisting, negotiating limbo spaces, fighting back and refusing to give up. His religious heritages include Islam, Hinduism and Christianity, meaning that he has a variety of religious impulses. He is interested in all things interreligious, intercultural and hybrid.

He gets excited over cricket, big screens and good films, authentic rum punch, good Caribbean curry and of course, the ever-elusive Anancy-Anansi (patron saint of the Caribbean). He calls himself wayward and transgressive!

This week, Alex, Michael, and Thomas explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 2nd August.

Timestamps

Mentions

Wrestling with Imperial Christianity: Biblical Anti-Domination and Anti-imperial Strategies for Liberation, Justice and Peace in Our Fallen World by Mukti Barton

Trussell - https://www.trussell.org.uk/

Church leaders write letter to Andy Burnham - https://jpit.uk/burnham-letter

Plowshare Prayer by Spencer LaJoye - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhOZv5i7CHY

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Eddie Boon, and features our special guest Nathan Jones!

Rev Nathan Jones is the Senior Minister of Oasis Church Waterloo and Executive Director of Oasis Hub Waterloo, a charity committed to radical local community transformation. Oasis runs the local primary and secondary schools, advice work (debt, welfare, immigration, and housing), the Lambeth & Croydon Foodbank, an open-access community space, youth work, a children’s centre, mentoring, counselling and more - and at the heart of all this, is still a church community.

Nath spends as much spare time as possible playing sport or guitar, but as the dad of two kids, this amounts to not a great deal of time. He would give almost anything to see Wales win the Rugby World Cup.

This week, Eddie, Nathan, and Erica explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 26th July.

Timestamps

Mentions

Oasis Waterloo’s website to find out more about their activities - https://oasiswaterloo.org/

JPIT’s Christian nationalism resources – jpit.uk/responding-to-christian-nationalism

People’s History Museum, Manchester - https://phm.org.uk/

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Eddie Boon, and features our special guest Julie Bryan!

Julie is a part-time minister at a small Baptist church in the north of England, in the area where she grew up. She holds a master’s degree in Contextual Theology from Luther King Theological College in Manchester. Julie is also part of the Northumbrian Collective, a group of friends committed to listening well, thinking deeply and living authentically. The Collective produces podcasts and blogs, and occasionally leads in-person retreats.

Julie lives on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border with her husband, Stuart, a GP. In their spare time, they enjoy walking in the countryside, both near home and further afield across the north of England.

This week, Eddie, Julie, and Simeon explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 19th July.

Timestamps

Mentions

JPIT’s refugee family reunion campaign – jpit.uk/refugee-reunion

Government apology for historic forced adoption practices - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-apologises-for-historic-forced-adoption-practices

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest, and next host, Eddie Boon!

Eddie serves the Thames North Synod of the United Reformed Church as Discipleship Enabler (Special Category Ministry). His main focus is encouraging people, leaders and churches in becoming more intentional in whole-life discipleship as gathered and scattered church.

Eddie has served and led URC congregations for over 40 years and has experience of ministry in the Church of South India. He is a massive fan of Everton FC, Hampshire County Cricket and the band The Stranglers. He loves to swim, cycle, walk, go to the theatre, cinema, and art galleries and take part in book clubs locally.

This week, Naomi, Eddie, and Thomas explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 12th July.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

05:19 - Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

19:53 - Genesis 25:19-34

32:11 - Romans 8:1-11

35:15 - Psalm 119:105-112

Mentions

The Homilies of St john Chrysostom on the Gospel of Matthew - The homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew of S. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople

Isaiah 55 - Isaiah 55 NRSVUE - An Invitation to Abundant Life - Hear, - Bible Gateway

‘Parables’ by Dr Paula Gooder Parables - Paula Gooder

Psalm 65 - Psalm 65 NRSVUE - Psalm 65 Thanksgiving for Earth’s - Bible Gateway

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Anthony Lees-Smith!

Canon Dr Anthony Lees-Smith is Canon Missioner at Chester Cathedral where he oversees the education programme, arts and exhibitions, and community engagement. A former primary school teacher, Anthony has spent most of the past 25 years living and working in religiously diverse communities, an experience which became the focus of his doctoral research.

This week, Naomi, Anthony, and Adam explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 5th July.

We apologise that there is no video recording from this week’s episode due to technical difficulties.

Timestamps

Mentions

Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now by Walter Brueggeman

Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

JPIT’s resource bank on Artificial Intelligence - https://jpit.uk/ai-faith-and-justice-resources

JPIT’s campaigns on gambling - https://jpit.uk/issues/gambling-and-alcohol

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Anna Jones!

This week, Naomi, Anna, and Erica explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 28th June.

Timestamps

Mentions

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by Desmond Tutu and Dalai Lama

Refugee Week 2026 - https://refugeeweek.org/

Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson

Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit

JPIT’s resources on Christian nationalism - https://jpit.uk/responding-to-christian-nationalism

Guest blog from Welcome Churches for Refugee Week - https://jpit.uk/welcome-churches-for-refugees

Pope Leo’s encyclical on AI - https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Kathy Bevan!

Kathy is the Evangelism & Justice Enabler for the Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Methodist District and also a student Deacon, studying part time at Queens Foundation.  Her work across the District involves supporting churches to consider how they might partner with their communities in the work of social action and social justice; and encouraging and enabling them to share their stories of lives transformed by relationship with Jesus.

This week, Naomi, Kathy, and Thomas explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 21st  June.

Timestamps

Mentions

Refugee Week 2026 - https://refugeeweek.org/

BBC Sounds podcast – In Detail (Viraj Mendis’s story seeking sanctuary) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0m2zr57

Open Doors charity - https://www.opendoorsuk.org/

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Pope Leo’s encyclical on AI - https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html#can_all_do_our_part

JPIT’s Future of Arms work - https://jpit.uk/issues/peacemaking/futureofarms

Just a Sister Away: Understanding the Timeless Connection Between Women of Today and Women in the Bible by Renita Weems

Sisters in the Wilderness by Dolores S. Williams

This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Matt Ceaser!

Matt is the 18-35s Development Coordinator for the Baptist Union, working to make space for a new generation of leaders in Baptist life. He was previously a JPIT intern (and producer of this podcast) before working on Methodists for Ukraine and then joining JustMoney Movement, a Christian charity with a vision for a world where money shapes a fairer, greener future. He is passionate about equipping people for action and seeing them grow in confidence as they learn how they can exert agency in the world, and he lives in East London where he serves as a deacon at his local Baptist church.

This week, Naomi, Matt, and Simeon explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 14th June.

Timestamps

Mentions

JustMoney Movement - https://justmoney.org.uk/

Baptist Union NextUp learning community for 18-35s - https://www.baptist.org.uk/nextup

Tommy Sharpe’s blog reflecting on the Tommy Robinson counter-demonstration - https://tommysharpe.substack.com/p/the-need-to-see-one-another-lessons

Refugee Week 2026 - https://refugeeweek.org/