People are exploring faith more online but how can we reduce the barriers for people coming to faith and disciple them well?

In this Q&A episode, Siân and Andrew tackle some big questions that church leaders face today, from the gap between online curiosity about faith and in-person church engagement, to helping people trust that the Bible is reliable.

We cover:

• How podcast culture has led to more people exploring faith online before stepping into a church
• How to disciple new believers who have preconceived ideas from their online exploration
• How churches can bridge the gap between online exploration and in-person attendance
• The most common questions people have about the Bible
• How to navigate questions about the Bible's accuracy and reliability
• Practical tips for both small group discipleship and personal devotion, with a framework for how to approach Bible reading

If you're a leader looking for ways to help people come to faith, we hope this discussion will enable you to explain how the Bible is trustworthy and give you some ideas as to how you can disciple and lead others.

This episode will encourage you to build confidence in the reliability of the Bible in your congregation or small group, and to equip your community to share that confidence and point people to Jesus.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Bible Course
The Romans Course
God's Book: An Honest Look at the Bible's 7 Toughest Topics
Rooted devotional journal

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro

Bible Society socials:  

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Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

How can church leaders help people encounter God through creation?

Revd Peter Lewis shares his experience on the Gower of helping people explore faith, encounter Scripture and connect with Christian community in the great outdoors.

Through Wild Church, reflective pilgrimage walks, pop-up art galleries and prayerful outdoor gatherings, Peter is creating spaces in the great outdoors where locals and visitors can slow down, reconnect and explore faith creatively.

Peter explains that many people come to the Gower ‘looking to get away from something and find something’, and the church has an opportunity to gently help them discover where God is in that search.

If you’re wondering how to respond to spiritual curiosity today, listen as Peter explains what can happen when we’re willing to slow down and connect with God and his word in nature.

Find out more about The Wonder of Wellbeing

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro

Everyday Faith Bible

Let Scripture transform every part of your life with the Everyday Faith Bible.
Created in partnership with the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC), the Everyday Faith Bible will help you to:

•  Understand Scripture’s real-world context
•  Relate to experiences and emotions in the passage
•  Respond to what you read with practical action

Key features:

• Up to 1,000 margin annotations throughout the Bible, to encourage ‘head, heart and hands’ confidence in applying Scripture to everyday life
• Real-life stories and quotes from Christian expert practitioners across the UK
• Whole-page introductions to each genre of biblical writing
• Whole-page features on important biblical themes

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

Passionate about helping people grow in their faith, Ministers Benjamin and Shermara Hoyte have chosen to be relational, not transactional.

The couple provide a safe space for people to voice questions and doubt and even open up about past trauma.

Shermara and Benjamin believe in discipleship across differences, whether intergenerational or interdenominational. Unity is not uniformity.

Despite their vast experience in the field, they recognise the importance of being discipled while discipling others. It’s not a one-way street. 

‘Newcomers teach us to be authentic,’ says Benjamin. ‘Discipleship is messy,’ Shermara adds. It takes time and patience. ‘Leaders,’ Benjamin concludes, need to ‘get dirty with the sheep.’

Hear all about Discipleship through relationships …

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Introducing Benjamin and Shermara Hoyte

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

City Church Cardiff recognised that Sunday sermons weren’t enough. People in the pews wanted to study the Bible for spiritual growth.
 
Discipleship pastor David describes how the church developed communal Bible-reading plans to meet the need. Sure enough, Bible groups started to form, in-person and online.
 
Interactive daily Bible encounters have since become the new normal. People of all ages are getting stuck into the Bible and sharing lessons learnt. Accountability and mutual support are key. No-one is left out.
 
Youth worker Keren, meanwhile, says teenagers are confused by cultural relativism and individualism. She’s found that the recent surge in young people people’s interest in the Bible comes from a deep desire to tell right from wrong.
 
Andrew’s Bible reflection on Acts 2.42 revolves around the centrality of Scripture in the early church. Teaching the Bible, Andrew finds, is not an accessory but the engine of discipleship for the church.
 
Listen to how a Bible based community can change lives for good.

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Introducing City Church Cardiff

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

We visited Cirencester Baptist Church to hear from pastors Matt and Caz how bible study is at the heart of their ministry. People are encouraged to make space for the Bible daily, no matter how busy their schedule. 

Together they delve into useful resources for navigating and engaging with the Bible, such as The Bible Course, Immerse and The Bible Project.  

Questions around faith and the Bible are encouraged in order to deepen their understanding. 

Andrew brings a reflection from 2 Kings 22 on rediscovering the centrality of Scripture to faith. 

If you want are looking for ways to get your church reading the Bible, this episode is for you. 

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro

The Bible Course New Edition:
This new and improved, free small group resource will help you and your church discover how Bible characters, stories, and themes are connected, from Genesis to Revelation.
Find out more

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

Why does community matter when it comes to discipleship?

Imagine a newly planted church receiving a £2,000 grant by the local police in recognition of its transforming impact on the community. That’s exactly what happened to Jos Edwards and his team. Their outreach work has turned over 100 young people into regulars at Blaenau Ffestiniog’s Craig Blaenau church. 

The spiritual hunger among the local population is palpable. When first arriving in Blaenau, Jos and his wife Lydia quickly realised that becoming part of the community and inviting people into their home was key. Rather than preaching at them from a distance, Jos has been sharing the Bible’s message with unchurched locals through unpressured conversations and shared living. 

Hear from a young mother Jez Jones at Craig Blaenau who found healing in adversity through worship and prayer, and learnt to rest in God’s unconditional love. 

The podcast concludes with Andrew Ollerton reflecting on the connection between mission, community and incarnational living.

Find out more about Safar

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

Join us as we explore ways of raising Bible confidence, hear stories of effective Bible mission and spiritual change.

In this episode, Siân Rees is at Saint Paul’s Church in Hammersmith talking to the senior pastor, Pete Wynter, and Emmanuel, Miacah, Luke and Arthur who are on the team there about high-bar Bible engagement and deep discipleship. 

Pete and Arthur present the Awaken 50 programme, a 50-day journey of spiritual formation and discipleship. They discuss the transformative power of encountering God: spending 50 minutes a day in his presence and 50 days in an accountability group practising spiritual disciplines and reading the Bible.

Andrew Ollerton reflects on how in Luke 5 Jesus switched between modes of communication depending on his audience, and how this might inform our preaching and outreach methods in a new spiritual landscape.

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro

Everyday Faith Bible

Let Scripture transform every part of your life with the Everyday Faith Bible.
Created in partnership with the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC), the Everyday Faith Bible will help you to:

•  Understand Scripture’s real-world context
•  Relate to experiences and emotions in the passage
•  Respond to what you read with practical action

Key features:

• Up to 1,000 margin annotations throughout the Bible, to encourage ‘head, heart and hands’ confidence in applying Scripture to everyday life
• Real-life stories and quotes from Christian expert practitioners across the UK
• Whole-page introductions to each genre of biblical writing
• Whole-page features on important biblical themes

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

Take our short survey
Hearing from our audience is so important for us in order to provide you with useful content. We'd love to hear what would benefit you as you lead in this exciting missional moment. We're planning series 2 right now so we'd really appreciate your feedback and ideas to help us shape the future of the podcast.

Is the Church aware of the wider culture’s revived interest in faith, especially among young people? And is it ready to meet them where they’re at? 

In this episode, Andrew and Rhiannon discuss ways of increasing Bible confidence among churchgoers and seekers alike. 

They look at two of Bible Society’s new resources: the new and improved edition of The Bible Course and Andrew’s new book God’s Story which addresses the current dilemma: young people are interested in the Bible but easily put off by its more challenging aspects.

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro

The Bible Course New Edition:
This new and improved, free small group resource will help you and your church discover how Bible characters, stories, and themes are connected, from Genesis to Revelation.
Find out more

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

In this episode The Quiet Revival Podcast, Dr Belle Tindall – writer and podcaster for Seen & Unseen – and director of Theos, Chine McDonald, join Andrew and Rhiannon to discuss the increase in spiritual interest in England and Wales, and where the Bible fits into that. 

Together, they discuss the popularity of alternative spiritualities and the evolving public perception of the Bible – with 32 per cent of 18–24-year-olds now agreeing with the statement: ‘I’d be happy to be seen reading a Bible in public.’ 

Hit play to discover why we need nuanced discussions of Scripture within the political sphere and why the Church can’t allow in-depth Bible studies to become a thing of the past. 

Timestamps:

• (00:00) - Intro

Belle Tindall:
Find Belle's written work for Seen and Unseen and The Re-Enchanting Podcast with Justin Brierley on YouTube

Bible Society: 
The Quiet Revival Podcast is brought to you by Bible Society, a charity that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible. We communicate its relevance and invite people to experience the transforming power of Scripture today. Visit our website to find out more. 

Bible Society socials:  

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:  

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible and culture together. We won’t get everything right – and we won’t always agree. Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. Bible Society is very proud of its generous orthodoxy.

We are aware that Chine's audio isn't perfect in this episode but we believe that the conversation has a lot of value. Thank you for bearing with us!

#TheQuietRevival #BibleSociety #Podcast #Bible #Faith #Christianity #Church #Culture #PublicFaith #BibleConfidence #SpiritualOpenness #Nuance

The Bible Course New Edition:
This new and improved, free small group resource will help you and your church discover how Bible characters, stories, and themes are connected, from Genesis to Revelation.
Find out more