Upside Down People

In this EP I sit down with Mark and Nasia Tapping to chat about Santa, his little friends and all the bells and whistles that come along with it.

Christmas is both the most wonderful time of the year and arguably for many, the most isolating and anxiety inducing time of the year.  But how can we as Christians both engage in and enjoy this season in a way that celebrates Jesus and loves others? With many looking forward to spending time feasting with family and celebrating it’s helpful to try reframe how we look at this season through a gospel lens, as it is only through this lens that we see how all things can be redeemed.

Mark and Nas are the perfect people to have this conversation with as they bring their authenticity, intentionality, joyful hearts, love for Jesus and love for others in how they approach celebrating Christmas. Through the conversation we have fun in discovering how Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year.

In this EP I sit down with Jasmine Fischer who is an award-winning author of Christian fantasy. Her recent book, "CALOR (The Nightingale Trilogy Book 1)" received the Realm Award: Book of the Year 2023.Jasmine is also a qualified psychologist with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in clinical psychology.

Through the conversation we explore how her passion for mental health, struggles with chronic illness and love for Jesus outwork themselves through her ability to craft and create fantasy stories. We also talk about the the importance of maintaining a sense of

To find out more about Jasmine or her books you can visit her website at www.jjfischer.com.

In this EP, Rory Shiner returns to the show with some wonderful insights into the human identity through a gospel perspective.

Rory is a senior pastor of Providence City Church in Perth and he is the Chair of the TGC Australia Council. He has written books on Union with Christ and on the relationship between Jesus’ resurrection and our own. His most recent book, The World Next Door: A Short Guide to the Christian Faith, is out now. Rory has previously recorded with us in an EP entitled “Navigating secular seas in discipleship and evangelism” - Have a listen if you haven’t already! 

In this conversation we tease out how our perception of our identity impacts the way we see and relate to others. Rory draws on thinkers such as Charles Taylor in unpacking what we see in our age of expressive individualism and authenticity. We try unpack how the pillars of our identity determine how we understand our world and how the gospel gives us the opportunity to reconcile and change our identity in Christ. 

Special Thanks to Rory Shiner for joining in this conversation and sharing his experiences and insights with us. To find out more about Rory or Providence Church follow this link - ⁠https://providencechurch.org.au/city/⁠ 

In this EP I sit down and chat with Mark Hayes. Mark is both a businessman and a man of the people. His professional career has been vibrant and eclectic to say the least. From Pastor to airline Pilot, his experiences have taken him high and low and have shown him both the beauty and the harsh reality of humanity. His passion to help people led him into the increasing mental health issues experienced within the mining industry, particularly in Western Australia.

This led Mark to spend eight years in remote Western Australia, where he worked for a major international mining company creating strategies to help support the well-being of employees across multiple sites.

Mark talks openly and vulnerably on his own lived experience of trauma and journeying through pain and suffering has shaped his life and empathy for others.

How do we understand trauma? How do we wrestle with the feelings of isolation and abandonment in trauma? Is there any hint of beauty that comes through the journey we take through trauma? This conversation covers those questions and more.

In this EP we have a conversation with Dr. Katherine Thompson about how we can frame the pain and suffering we experience so that we are neither defined by or defeated by it. Katherine challenges the narratives we create during times of pain and suffering. Additionally, we explore how the gospel informs our approach amidst the struggle of suffering and redeems our stories of pain.

Katherine is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker/Psychotherapist and has done extensive research in youth mental health, psychosis and borderline personality disorder. She has been assessed by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) as having specialist mental health expertise and advanced clinical practice knowledge and experience. Katherine is also considered a leading expert in Christian Mindfulness in Australia.

To find out more about Dr. Katherine Thompson - http://www.drkatherine.com.au/

Colin Buchanan is an Australian singer, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist. His achievements span the musical landscape with an ARIA, APRA and 9 times Golden Guitar winner, ABC TV Play School presenter, Australia's #1 kid's Christian artist, sought-after co-writer and the Bucko of Bucko & Champs' classic "Aussie Christmas" - an Australian institution! 

In this EP we discover how Colin became Australia’s #1 kids Christian artist, his secret to writing music that children love, and unpack his passion surrounding the transformative goodness of the Gospel.

To find out more about Colin or to grab some tickets to his Big Christmas Part National Tour -  colinbuchanan.com.au

Christopher Watkin (PhD, University of Cambridge) is a scholar with an international reputation in the area of modern and contemporary European thought, atheism, and the relationship between the Bible and philosophy.

His most recent work, "Biblical Critical Theory", forwarded by the late Timothy Keller, was awarded the 2023 SparkLit Christian Book of the Year. Tim Keller wrote about Chris's work as "A bold vision for Christians who want to engage the world in a way that is biblically faithful and culturally sensitive."

In this EP, we explore  how the Bible and its unfolding story help us make sense of modern life and culture.

To find out more about Chris Watkin: https://christopherwatkin.com/

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In this EP, Caleb and Jarryd explore the interplay between vocation and personal identity, seeking to understand how the gospel influences our approach to work.

We chat with Andrew Hamilton, an author , entrepreneur and pastor about some ideas found in his recent book "The Future Is Bivocational". Andrew discusses the significance of diverse vocations and the fusion of faith with daily tasks. The conversation navigates the challenges within traditional ministry systems, emphasising the need for Scripture-driven, prayerful, and worship-infused leadership, and calls into question the state of the conventional Western church model.

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To find out more about Andrew's book *click here*

Michael Wood is an Anglican priest, author, chaplain and a leadership coach in Melbourne, Australia. His book “Practicing Peace: Theology, Contemplation and Action”, was nominated for the SparkLit 2023 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award, through which he explores the struggles of embodying peace and how we can practise it in our daily lives. 

In the conversation Michael discusses the importance of nonviolence and dialogue in human relationships, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Michael suggests that finding peace doesn't come from heroic efforts, but rather through Christ's unexpected grace, which is both received and accommodated within the open space of God's creation.

The conversation highlighted and unpacked themes of self-reflection, self-awareness, accepting oneself and others, with an emphasis on engaging in meaningful conversation and releasing resentment through practising forgiveness found in the gospel.

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Find out more about Michael J Wood: https://www.michaeljohnwood.com/ 

Find out ore about his book “Practising Peace”: https://www.amazon.com.au/Practicing-Peace-Theology-Contemplation-Action-ebook/dp/B09Y66RF3D 

Dr. Bernie Power is no stranger to the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict having studied Muslims for four decades and living in the Middle East for over two decades. His doctorate compared the Hadith, the early traditions about Muhammad, with biblical teaching. He currently lectures at the Melbourne School of Theology in Islamic studies. He travels to many countries to teach about Islam and to share the good news with Muslims through story telling rhetoric. Bernie’s passion is to teach Christians about Islam, and Muslims about Jesus

In this EP we have a detailed conversation about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Bernie, an expert in comparative studies of Islam and Christianity, shared his personal journey and extensive knowledge about the region. Bernie explained the complexity of the conflict, tracing the history of Jewish people in Palestine and also discussed the challenges of evangelising in the region and the importance of understanding the intersection of different religions.

We cover topics around the complex history and ongoing conflict between Jews and Palestinians in the region. Bernie highlighted the radical groups among the Palestinians, such as Hamas, who are committed to the destruction of the Jews. Is there hope for peace or is a violent resolution pursuant of this conflict? Finally, Bernie highlights the importance of unity in diversity, emphasising the Christian principle of Jesus breaking down dividing walls between groups. 

If you want to find out more about the Israeli-Palestine conflict or how we should respond as Christians you can register for the MST webinar here: https://ajc.mst.edu.au/ 

If you want to access Dr Bernie power’s material you can find it here https://berniepower.com/home-1/ 

#Israel #Palestine #Hamas #Justwar