In:Dependence

We all value good preaching and want to encourage it in our churches. How do preachers develop and grow in this skill for the sake of the gospel? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) is joined by Colin Smith (Founder and Teaching Pastor of Open the Bible) to talk about preaching. Colin shares his preaching experiences, advice, and encouragement from...

Should church leaders be fearful of another "conversion therapy" ban? How can you leave your role well? What should preachers wear? In this episode, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news and what lessons we can learn for church leadership. Show notes Leaders' Con...

Church leaders can be described as stewards of the mystery of God and his church. How does this description help leaders in their ministry? In this episode, Adrian Reynolds (Associate National Director) is joined by Colin Smith (Founder and Teaching Pastor of Open the Bible) to discuss the parable of the faithful manager in Luke 12:42-48. This episode was recorded at the 2026 European Leadership F...

What is the best way to choose our leaders? How do we pastor those impacted by adoption and abortion? Is social media that bad for us? In this episode, Phil Topham, Adrian Reynolds, and John Stevens discuss stories in the news from the past weeks and what lessons we can learn from them for church leadership. Show notes : FIEC Leaders' Conference 2026  - earlybird price ends 20 July (FIEC) Burn...

You might know faithful but smaller churches that are struggling to keep going. Replanting and revitalisation could be the Lord's provision to bring new life to that gospel work. In this episode of In:Dependence, FIEC Associate National Directors Adrian Reynolds and Graham Beynon are joined by John James - current Lead Pastor at City Church Birmingham but formerly involved in a revitalisation...

How can we ensure church money is spent wisely? What are the dangers of leadership structures being influenced? How should we treat junior team members? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news from the past weeks and what lessons we can learn fr...

To reach people in areas without a gospel presence, we need to plant new works, often starting with a very small team. In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) and Graham Beynon (FIEC Associate National Director) are joined by Mark Selby, pastor at Grace Church Hilton. Grace Church started in Mark's living room in 2013 with a small team of four adult...

What does the guidance on single-sex spaces mean for churches? What should we think of reality TV abuses? What can we learn from successful football managers? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news and lessons we can learn from them for church leadership. About In:Dependence : In:Dep...

Planting a church from a larger church can have advantages as well as challenges. The story of Rylands Community Church in Beeston, Nottinghamshire gives examples of both. In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) and Graham Beynon (FIEC Associate National Director) are joined by Steve Baraniak (minister, Rylands Community Church) to discuss mother-daught...

What can we learn from David Attenborough's 100 years of life? How should we respond to leaders that fail? How can we help people navigate polarised views? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss the stories in the news from the past weeks and what lessons we can take for church leadership. About In:...

We need more churches across the UK, so every church leader should be concerned for new churches to be planted. In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) and Graham Beynon (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss why all church leaders should care about church planting, and what different methods there are to start a new church. Graham has been involved...

How do we respond to religious violence? How should leaders post on social media? What can we learn from the decline of former champions? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news from the past weeks and what we can learn from them for church lead...

Should we now disregard the Quiet Revival findings? What kind of leader will Sarah Mullally be? How can we combat social media addiction? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news and what we can learn from them for church leadership. Show notes S...

How can telling personal stories help in sharing the gospel? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) is joined by Karl Faase (Olive Tree Media) to talk about evangelism, the role of stories and testimonies when witnessing, and how the Encounter video series can help churches make the most of the stories in their congregations. Show notes Encounter  (oli...

How do we lead through the complexity of the Iran War? Does a new government definition curb free speech? How can reframing questions help share the gospel? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news over the past weeks and what lessons we can lear...

Is the work of Bible translation done? What impact does it have when the Bible is translated into a new language? One in five people across the world do not have access to the Bible in their language, around 1.5 billion people. Translating the Bible in these languages not only allows them to read God's word in their first language, but has many more benefits including evangelism, church growth...

How do we deal with polarising views in church? What can we learn from the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor? What does a toilet say about a church? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss news stories from the past weeks and what we can learn from them for chur...

The story of how Trinity Church, Oxford are becoming an intercultural church and what they do to welcome those from different cultures. In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) is joined by Peter Comont and David Ojeabulu from Trinity Church in Oxford to hear about how they are becoming an intercultural church, what wisdom they have to share, and what challenges they...

Is ignoring abuse a case for resignation? How can we ensure caution when speaking in public and online? When is it appropriate to make a vow? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director), and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news from the past weeks and what they can teach us about church lea...

What are some simple things that churches and Christians can do to reach out to their increasingly diverse communities with the gospel? In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) is joined by Nick McQuaker (Mission Director, A Passion for Life) to discuss reaching people of other faiths, cutting through the complexities that can get in the way, and how to...

How do you lead well under opposition? What impact will the new Archbishop of Canterbury have? What is the importance of coaching and mentoring? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news from the past few weeks and how they relate to church leader...

Why is it important for Christians to gather with others, to take time to be refreshed, and to continue to strive for growth in their faith? Gathering as believers, taking time to rest, and growing in faith are important priorities for Christians. Rising Lights - taking place this Easter in Torquay - offers the opportunity for all three. In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executiv...

How do we lead our churches through global instability? How should we respond to Philip Yancy's affair? What can we learn from an FA Cup upset? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss news over the past few weeks and how they can teach us about church leadership. S...

2025 has seen encouragement and growth in the church in the midst of division and polarisation across the culture. As the year comes to an end, Adrian Reynolds (Associate National Director) and John Stevens (National Director) look back at the big picture of 2025 and the themes that have impacted church leadership during the past 12 months. Show notes The Quiet Revival: Gen Z leads rise in church...

What should we make of the terror attack in Australia? Do we need to put Christ back into Christmas? What can we learn from losing a cricket match? In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news and how they relate to church leadership. Show notes Visu...