Question MARK

In this episode, ‘The Rich and the Kingdom of God’, former pastor, World Vision charity worker and special friend of the show, Matt Hyam, joins us to discuss one of those parts of Mark’s gospel, about which, frankly, most popular commentaries leave a lot to be desired. Reading the text closely, seeing what lies between the lines, and, crucially, really understanding the context in which these word...

Who better to discuss ‘Jesus Blesses Little Children’ in Mark 10:13-16, than the wonderful Linden Boothby? As well as being a gifted teacher, Linden works with the PottersHeart, an Adult Education Charity operating in some of the poorest communities in rural Kenya. By providing often quite basic education in health, nutrition, farming and business skills, Linden and her team enable village familie...

In this episode, ‘Divorce’, we welcome Joth Hunt, Southern East Baptist Association Regional Minister Team Leader. With his extensive pastoral experience, who better to ask to comment on this notoriously thorny passage in our gospel? You can find out more about Joth and what he does here: https://baptisttimes.co.uk/Articles/631887/Joth_Hunt_appointed.aspx

This episode we welcome pastor and YouTube influencer, Brandon Robbins, whose series on ‘The Chosen’ ‘The Truth About’ and ‘Beyond the Words’ are required listening for anyone who enjoys this podcast. Brandon has long experience of Mark’s Gospel and his fresh, personable approach to scholarly concepts has already made a huge impact on his audiences, with 141,000 subscribers and many more thousands...

Today we welcome Kirsty Asher, archive researcher, film critic and, amazingly, one of Stef’s former English Literature A Level students! We’ll be discussing that often quoted passage in Mark about Jesus and little children. But what we explore together may surprise you. Are we in fact in danger of over-sentimentalising Scriptures like these and run the risk of missing its original meaning?

This episode we welcome the inspirational singer, author and podcaster, Luke Strickland, to a show in which the the proverbial really begins to hit the fan. Who knew that Mark’s story of the demon~possessed epileptic boy, at once so full of mysterious sayings and circumstances, could hold within it the answer to the very nature of existence? So far in this podcast we’ve seen that Mark builds in an...

This episode (the thirty fifth) David and I were joined by the wonderful Lynn Swart, a friend of many years’ standing and the director of NewDay United (NDU), a charity which brings much needed help and encouragement to some of the poorest communities the world, in Cape Town, South Africa. Lynn’s views on the Transfiguration moved us to think again about what it takes to follow Jesus and together...

This episode we welcome fellow thespian, Anne Middleton, founder of the Performing Arts Mission in Plymouth, as we tackle one of the most controversial and often misunderstood speeches of Jesus - the invitation to “deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him”. You can read more about Anne’s pioneering work in promoting the Christian creative arts at www.performingartsmission.com. To find out...

Andy Drozdziak is the News Editor of Universe Catholic Weekly and web editor of Catholic Charismatic Renewal and a great friend of the show. It’s enlightening and sometimes challenging to explore all kinds of perspectives on this amazing story, and Andy’s is no exception. In view of Peter’s actions here, who is Jesus and why did he come? The answers may surprise you! For more on Andy’s work go to:...

Episode 27: ‘That Which Defiles’. Today’s guest is the inspiring Caro Meers, leader of Central Church, Port Kembla near Sydney, Australia, part of the Pioneer Network. In today’s episode we ask ‘What’s the difference between outward show and true faith?’ and reach some surprising conclusions. To find out more about I AM MARK, Stefan Smart’s solo performance of Mark’s Gospel, which accompanies this...

Welcome to the thirty-second episode of Question MARK, ’Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida', in which David and Stef are joined by Jenny Baker, national leader of Celebrate! and a prominent member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the UK. See https://www.celebratetrust.org for more details. What happens next is anything but expected as together they discover the profoundly revolutionary imp...

Episode 31: The Yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod. Today we welcome church leader, philanthropist and local politician, Sean Blackman to discuss one of those episodes in Mark which leave most of us scratching our heads. Can Stef and Sean finally shed light on this age old conundrum?

Episode 30: Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand. Dave is a consummate musician, associate pastor of Cheltenham Elim Church and all round nice guy, whose rumination on this amazing story is bound to make you sit up and take notice. Listen out for some little known facts about this episode and some smart ideas on how it relates to your life and mine. 

This episode features none other than the person behind this podcast’s Intro music, Neil Maddock. As the founder and director of MARTIS Productions, Neil is not only an accomplished musician, he’s also a brilliant preacher, a multi-talented actor and the director of several popular large scale open air musicals such as ‘The Passion’. Today Neil helps us examine in depth the story of Jesus healing...

Is Jesus a ‘racist’? If a recent Facebook post is to be believed, this mysterious episode reveals nothing less than Jesus' intrinsic racism and misogyny. Thankfully, he is forced to change his mind by this ballsy Greek woman from Syro-Phoenecia, particularly in his attitude to the Gentiles. Perhaps you agree. On the other hand there may be other more cogent, less anachronistic explanations for Jes...

Episode 26 with Neal Parker: ‘Jesus Walks on Water’. Today’s guest is Stef’s former boss (no less!), Neal Parker, Head of King Edward VI School, Southampton, UK. In this episode we take a close look at one of the most famous and profoundly disturbing episodes in the whole Bible - if not in human history: Jesus walking on water. To find out more about I AM MARK, Stefan Smart’s solo performance of M...

Episode 25: ‘Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand’. In today’s episode with leading actor, David Robinson, we explore one of the most dramatic moments in the gospel story - the day when Jesus fed 5000 people with a few loaves and fish. What exactly happened on that day? And what on Earth can it mean? These questions are as pertinent for us today as they were for Mark’s first readers. To find out more abo...

Episode 24: ‘John the Baptist Beheaded’ with John Burnett of https://gospelofmarkworkshop.com. To find out more about I AM MARK, Stefan Smart’s solo performance of Mark’s Gospel, which accompanies this Podcast, go to https://sleek.bio/iammark In addition to teaching Mark’s gospel through https://gospelofmarkworkshop.com , John runs the St Nicholas Africa fund to support children’s education in Afr...

Episode 23: ‘Jesus Sends Out the Twelve’ with David Hewitt of https://wellsprings.uk.net .To find out more about I AM MARK, Stefan Smart’s solo performance of Mark’s Gospel, which accompanies this Podcast, go to https://sleek.bio/iammark

Episode 22: ‘A Prophet Without Honour’ with Dave Adcock. To find out more about I AM MARK, Stefan Smart’s solo performance of Mark’s Gospel, which accompanies this Podcast, go to https://sleek.bio/iammark

Episode 21: ‘Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman’ with Theo Amer. To find out more about I AM MARK, Stefan Smart’s solo performance of Mark’s Gospel, which accompanies this Podcast, go to https://sleek.bio/iammark

With special guest, Peter Butt. Welcome to the twentieth episode of Question MARK: The Podcast! In this episode, ‘Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man’, I was joined by my great friend, Peter Butt. Peter is the founder of School of Ministries, which provides in-depth foundational training in areas of Theology, Leadership and Christian Life Skills to church leaders and aspiring leaders around the w...

Welcome to the nineteenth episode of Question MARK: The Podcast! In this episode, ‘Jesus Calms the Storm’, I had the honour of meeting pastor, academic and fellow biblical storyteller, Phil Ruge-Jones. Listen out for his original and extraordinary take on the significance of this famous story for our everyday difficulties and challenges. And consider with us the electrifying answer to the question...

Welcome to the eighteenth episode of Question MARK! In this episode, 'The Parables of the Seeds', I was joined by author, theologian and former church leader, Matt Hyam. As his many students will avow, Matt is one of the most interesting and intellectually engaging people one could hope to meet. And his unique take on these parables shows how central they were to an understanding of Jesus’ entire...

Welcome to the seventeenth episode of Question MARK! In this episode, 'A Lamp on a Stand', I had the pleasure of the company of one of the humblest yet most quietly influential people I know, Dr Rich Roberts. Rich is a prominent author and theologian, a house church leader, a trustee of the Ffald-y-brenin Retreat Centre and a member of both the Gathering in the Holy Spirit (in the Vatican) and the...