Pod of the Gaps

Well, as Solomon said, "there is a time for everything under the sun, a time to be born and a time to die" ... and this includes podcasts too! After half a decade of plugging the gaps between the Church and the culture, Andy and Aaron are finally calling time on Pod of the Gaps. In this final swansong episode they reflect upon some of the key themes of the podcast over the last five years, the way...

What are the crucial issues facing the Church right now? What should pastors and Christian leaders be looking out for in the months ahead? How should we diagnose the cultural moment and respond to it with both wisdom and faith? Pod of the Gaps returns with our (slightly delayed!) episode looking ahead "prophetically" at the issues in the coming year. As always, Aaron and Andy will each live-reveal...

Well, it's that time of year again when Andy and Aaron discuss Christmassy things. Tune in to hear them each discuss their favourite Christmas tradition, Christmas movie, and Christmas movie. The podly duo draw out from their choices various theological and cultural insights about the meaning and application of Christmas in today's world. And as ever, they also have a good bit of fun along the way...

In this very special 100th episode of Pod of the Gaps, Andy and Aaron answer questions from listeners. Naturally they cover a wide range of themes, including their takes on things like Genesis 1-11, the age of the earth, the issue of "toxic empathy", the BBC and penal substitution, whether Christians should seek to take over entire boroughs, whether Andy and Aaron should move to America, and who f...

Have western Christians become so comfortable that we no longer exercise faith? How can we renew a radical trust in God's provision and protection without abandoning our wisdom and responsibility? In this special episode, Aaron and Andy are joined by the well-known missionary and podcaster (and long-time Pod of the Gaps fan!) Simon Guillebaud, who spent many years working in the warzone of Burundi...

The assassination of the Christian apologist and debater, Charlie Kirk, has shaken western civilisation to its core. Even many who opposed his views have come to recognise that the moment had unusual significance not only for freedom of speech but also for Christian engagement in politics. What lessons can be learned from the aftermath? Are there things we need to realise about left-wing ideology...

Immigration continues to be one of the most important socio-political talking points in western societies today. This is especially so in Britain, where various controversial events in recent times highlight the growing concerns of the populace. Too often, genuine conversation about the problems of mass immigration are shut down without due reflection even on the numbers, let alone more particular...

As modern Britain is mired in confusion over its multicultural identity, growing Islamisation, and moral decline, surprising numbers of people are re-looking to Christianity as the country's foundation. But is Britain a Christian nation? Was it ever a Christian nation? What makes (or breaks) a Christian nation? What can churches and individuals do to work towards the Christianisation of Britain to...

Why do many Christians today lose heart for evangelism? Are we fatigued by negative responses? Are we fearful of stepping outside our comfort zone? Do we overcomplicate it by listening too much to the "wisdom" of this world? In this special live episode recorded at Cedarwood Festival, Andy and Aaron are joined by Rev. Mark Greenwood, evangelism director for Elim Pentecostal Church, to wrestle thro...

When it comes to evangelism, a surprising number of Christians find themselves fearful, lethargic, confused, and out of their depth. We can find it hard to make clear connections to the Gospel, or to see the light of Christian truth in relation to the everyday interests of strangers and neighbours alike. Is this due primarily to a lack of conversational wisdom or a lack of spiritual boldness? Andy...

What’s so special about the Sabbath? Many modern Christians don’t quite know what to do with it, and often end up practising elements of it inconsistently—or avoiding it altogether. But whatever we do (or don’t do) will have wider consequences somewhere down the line. Should Christians keep a day dedicated to rest “unto the Lord”? What does that look like? Where does modern Sabbath-keeping (or Sab...

Today’s culture celebrates tolerance of other faiths, but for Christians, engaging neighbours of different religions while opposing what they believe can be tough. How do we do this robustly, truthfully, and lovingly? Aaron and Andy dive into this complex issue, share personal stories—including Aaron’s recent visit to Iraq—and discuss how Christians can build meaningful bridges to those of other b...

As the UK government continues to float the "Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill" through parliament, it could have a significant impact on the freedom of Christians to homeschool their children in future. While some aspects of the bill will seem like common sense, others raise red flags over government intrusiveness into families, signalling the thin end of the wedge towards effective state con...

The advances in AI have skyrocketed, with more and more people beginning to make use of it in everyday life. In time, AI will have a monumental effect on society at virtually every level. As such, questions about the ethics and theology of artificial intelligence. are no longer speculative, but are right here on our doorstep. How should Christians respond? What positives are there in AI? Where can...

The history of humanity is replete with examples of trailblazers able to think outside the box, disrupt existing conventions, pioneer new ways of thinking, and advance into new territory. We might think of great geniuses of the past like Thomas Edison, or perhaps the more recent technological pioneers like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. Such people have often had the ability to lead and advance with ext...

Pod of the Gaps returns for another year, kicking off with our annual New Year live-reveal of Aaron and Andy's six key challenges for the Church in the year ahead (three each!) as we seek to meet this cultural moment wisely and faithfully in light of the Word of God. As always, if you care about the direction of the Church in the challenging times ahead, you'll want to listen to this one!

Christmas comes but once a year, but over the years we each tend to build up a collection of favourite and not-so-favourite parts of it. In this special festive episode, Aaron and Andy each reveal their best and worst from the ghosts of Christmas past, from six categories including everything from movies to traditions to carols to evangelism, and more! They also talk through once again why Christm...

The resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, made headline news across the UK and the wider world. This itself points to the ongoing public significance of the CofE and the knock-on effects for the wider church. Why did Welby choose to resign after pressure of public disrepute from external liberal media and government, rather than after the pressure from faithful Christians over...

Euthanasia (or "good death") often returns to the front line of political, ethical, and religious debate, most recently with the "Assisted Dying" bill brought before the British parliament. The language used to describe euthanasia (as with abortion) is often very reasonable-sounding and compassionate. But does it conceal? How does such language subtly change our response to what is really going on...

Why do many historic church institutions often end up undermining the very reason they are meant to exist? There have been many movements and institutions in the history of the Church. Some last longer than others. But over time, they always become more complex, more unwieldy, more difficult to “manage”. Why do the inheritors of incredible legacies of vibrant Christian faith often act so different...

Despite the obvious anti-Christian trajectory of Western society, a growing number of influencers are beginning to see the moral and cultural benefits of Christianity. It could even be said that Christianity is becoming "cool" again! But is there a danger that people misunderstand Christianity by merely seeing its general moral value? Are such people merely becoming inoculated to true Christianity...

They say "you are what you read!" We read all sorts of things in life but rarely do we think all that much about reading as we struggle to keep up with the many words and authors that cross our path. In this special episode, Andy and Aaron met up in Oxford to talk about the books they've been reading of late, and how these books relate to life, the universe, and everything. They discuss numerous t...

Given the fractious political climate of the last decade, and the lack of consistently good candidates and policies on offer, it's understandable that many Christians might be unsure of who to vote for, or even whether to vote at all! But even if there may be no perfect party on offer, Christians have a duty to be salt and light in whatever way they can. What principles ought to guide the way we t...

Punishment is an easily avoidable topic for modern Christians. We tend to leave it for the “experts” beyond the Church. But what if the increasing injustice in criminal prosecution and punishment in wider society infiltrates our thinking as Christians? Does our squeamishness over things like the death penalty mean we become squeamish about the Bible too? What does it mean, for example, that the Go...

Over the last decade and a half, the pervasive use of smartphones has become the norm across the western world. Yet we’re still unaware of the precise long-term consequences. For those brought up without smartphones (or without the internet!) we may not even be in a position to know the full extent of the most negative effects upon child development and socialisation. As politicians consider banni...