Outside of Sunday

This week Laura and I tackle a couple of topics we've genuinely been wrestling with. We discuss Brian Tamaki's suspended firearms licence, what role Christians should play in politics, and whether we're called to fight for our beliefs—or faithfully suffer for them. We also reflect on part two of my conversation with Henare Whaanga, including his thoughts on Matariki, Māori culture,...

In Part 2 of our conversation with Henare Whaanga, we move into some of the practical questions New Zealand Christians are wrestling with today. Should Christians celebrate Matariki? What does Toitū te Tiriti actually mean? How should believers respond when they're expected to participate in Māori religious practices at work, school, or community events? Henare also shares his own journey aft...

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Laura and I chat through a couple of topics that have been getting a lot of people talking lately: viral conversions and what it really means to keep Christ above culture. We start by discussing Alex Reads Tarot's recent testimony and what the Bible shows us about genuine repentance. How should we respond when someone publicly professes faith? Wh...

Last year, I had the privilege of interviewing Henare at the Thinking Matters Conference. Clips from that conversation reached hundreds of thousands online, sparking passionate discussion from people on all sides. Recently, Henare joined me again to unpack some of the biggest questions surrounding Māori identity, Christianity, and colonisation - and to respond to some of the criticism. In the firs...

In this special 200th episode of Outside of Sunday , Laura and I sit down for another Insights conversation as we reflect on some of the themes that surfaced in part two of Sonia Barrish's testimony and unpack a topic that keeps coming up again and again: our tendency to rely on ourselves instead of God. We begin by talking about the recent backlash surrounding Israel Folau and the double sta...

In this episode of Outside of Sunday, Sonia continues her testimony by sharing the frightening reality of severe sleep deprivation and the mental and physical toll it took on her life. As her health rapidly declined, she experienced terrifying blackouts, medical intervention, and a season of being completely stripped back. Sonia opens up about what recovery looked like, how her family navigated th...

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa and Laura reflect on the recent conversations surrounding women in ministry and explore how Christians can hold differing convictions on secondary issues while still preserving unity and loving one another well. They discuss the importance of humility, the example of the early church, and why our love for fellow believers should be one of the...

In this episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa sits down with Sonia from Urban Self Sufficiency, from transforming an ordinary suburban section into a thriving food-producing garden (that harvests over 500 kilograms of food each year!!) to raising a family with self-sufficiency at its heart, Sonia shares practical wisdom, honest reflections, and encouragement for anyone wanting to start where they...

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa and Laura reflect on several conversations currently shaping the Christian space online. They discuss the recent abortion announcement from Jesse and Ashley Ridgeway, explore John Lennox's appearance on Diary of a CEO, and share reflections from Rebekah Heslop's powerful testimony. Along the way, they discuss friendship as a foundati...

In Part 2 of my conversation with Rebekah Heslop, we dive into an extraordinary love story that began long before either of them realised where it would lead. Rebekah shares how her husband pursued her for years, the terrifying allergic reaction that nearly took his life, and the final words he spoke before he stopped breathing. We also explore Rebekah's cancer journey, the loss of her voice,...

In this week's Insights episode, we reflect on Rebekah Heslop's testimony and the powerful biblical picture of adoption that runs throughout Scripture. What does it mean to be adopted into God's family? Is adoption the whole story, or does Jesus offer us something even deeper? Join us as we explore being born again, the significance of baptism and communion, and the incredible privi...

In this episode - the first we are releasing from our South Island recording series - I sit down with Rebekah Heslop to hear her story. Rebekah was adopted at just 10 days old, she shared with us the internal feeling of rejection that followed her into adulthood, and into her radical return to Christ. Even though Rebekah always knew she was adopted, loved and cherished by her adopted parents, she...

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa and Laura catch up after Christa’s South Island trip - reflecting on answered prayers, unexpected moments, and some of the stories from the road. They also unpack the conversation sparked by Phylicia Masonheimer’s recent episode on women in ministry, diving into what it looks like to disagree as Christians without losing unity. From secondary...

In this solo episode of Outside of Sunday , I wanted to sit down and give you a bit of a life and podcast update - including why we’ve moved to one episode a week for a short season. I'm talking about our upcoming South Island recording trip and the heart behind why we’re doing it. I also talk about the verse that has become such an anchor for me as we prepare for this new season of recording...

In this episode of Outside of Sunday, we sit down with Phylicia Masonheimer, founder of Every Woman a Theologian, for an honest and thought-provoking conversation about faith and what it means to be a woman passionate about ministry. Phylicia shares her powerful testimony - from growing up in a Christian home to walking through a hidden addiction at a young age, and ultimately finding true freedom...

In this Insights episode, Christa and Laura unpack a topic many wives wrestle with - the difference between helping and nagging. With honesty and biblical insight, they talk through communication in marriage, checking our motives, and learning how to approach our husbands with wisdom and grace. Along the way, they reflect on the freedom we have in Christ, the beauty of God’s design for marriage, a...

In part two of Chantelle’s story, the journey continues through heartbreak, hard biblical questions, and the painful reality of a marriage falling apart. At the centre of this episode is a deep conviction Chantelle carried through it all: I made a covenant. She shares what it looked like to cry out to God in despair, seek to honour Christ in an unequally yoked marriage, and wrestle firsthand with...

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa and Laura open up a candid conversation about Christian dating - from boundaries to red flags, wedding jitters, and the deeper purpose of marriage itself.  With wisdom, laughter, and a few vulnerable stories along the way, this episode invites you to think more deeply about relationships, purity, expectations, and what it means to pursue marri...

In this episode of Outside of Sunday, Chantelle shares a deeply personal testimony all about faith, love, and how things don’t always turn out the way we hope. Chantelle grew up in New Zealand, came to know and love Jesus from a young age, and genuinely wanted to honour Him with her life. When she started a relationship with someone who didn’t know Christ, it was complicated - but over time, thing...

In this Insights episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa and Laura open up a thoughtful and honest conversation around our response to biblical truth - do we love it, or resist it? Reflecting on Julie Colbeth’s recent episodes, we revisits powerful moments and quotes that challenge the way we approach God, truth, and sincerity. From the tension between appearance and reality, to the danger of coming...

In this final episode of the Whispers of Grace takeover on Outside of Sunday, Julie leans into a confronting but necessary conversation around mistakes—and the way we approach God. Looking at both Old and New Testament accounts, this episode gently but honestly exposes the danger of coming to God on our own terms. From Cain to Nadab and Abihu, Uzzah, and Ananias and Sapphira, we’re reminded that s...

In this third takeover episode of Outside of Sunday, Julie Colbeth from Whispers of Grace continues her powerful teaching series - this time turning to the heart of ministry . Drawing from the Old Testament priesthood and the ordination process in Exodus, Julie unpacks how ministry with God has always been rooted in something deeper than what we do - it flows from grace, and connection with God. F...

In this second takeover episode of Outside of Sunday, Julie Colbeth from Whispers of Grace continues her four-part teaching series - this time exploring the method behind how we serve God. Following on from 'Motivation', this episode shifts the focus from why we serve to how we serve - and it might not look the way you expect. This episode gently challenges the way we view our gifts, rem...

In this special takeover episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa hands the mic over to Julie Colbeth from Whispers of Grace for the first of a four-part teaching series - and it couldn’t come at a better time. As Christa takes a break over the school holidays, Julie brings a rich and grounding message on motivation - the heart behind why we serve. Looking at the lives of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and...

In this episode of Outside of Sunday, Christa and Laura reflect on the resurrection of Jesus and some of the powerful moments that happened straight after it. From Mary Magdalene being the first to see the risen Lord to why Thomas is often labelled “the doubter”, this conversation gently explores what faith really looks like - especially when questions and doubts are part of the journey. They also...