The Profile

In this week's edition of the Profile we celebrate Professor John Lennox, one of the most compelling voices at the intersection of Christian faith and modern science. Born in Northern Ireland in 1943, he was raised in a family of deep faith and went on to earn doctorates from both Cambridge and Oxford universities, specialising in mathematics and the philosophy of science. He served for many years...

Andy Peck chats with the Learning and Partnership Development lead for the Gregory Centre for Church multiplication about her call to serve in the church, as a mum and as one keen to see the church engage in culture. Do we still have a sacred-secular divide and how easy is it combining running a home of small children with work in a charity? The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, t...

The theologian Andrew Ollerton is probably best known for presenting Christian theology in an accessible and engaging way and his work as a pastor and author centres on making the Bible accessible to modern audiences without sacrificing intellectual rigour. He grew up in a Christian home where The Bible was 'part of the furniture' but when he hit his teens, he pushed back, sometimes, like Peter, p...

Andy Peck chats with one of the editors of The Oxford Handbook of Digital Theology about how we lead differently when we are conscious of the changes in technology that are transforming our world. What does this mean for our discipleship? Is AI an enemy to be aware of or a tool to embrace? How might we engage with The Global Network for Digital Theology conference coming up soon? The Profile is br...

Rich Johnson wears two hats quite comfortably. On the one hand he's an archetypal parish vicar working out of a parish in Worcestershire, and, on the other, he is the leader of New Wine England a non-denominational charity supporting Christian leaders in their everyday work. Johnson grew up in Manchester and moved abroad with his family where he was educated in Belgium and Hamburg. He went on to s...

Andy Peck chats with the author of ‘The Glorious Risk: Freeing the Church from managerialism and the martyr complex’. The lecturer in practical theology at London School of Theology explores why having friends in the local church, may not be just vital for a church leader but a key way of leading. How has she come to this view, and what happens when the pathway is painful? The Profile is brought t...

How do you know whether you are being whispered to by the evil one? Spiritual warfare and the unseen battle for our soul has always fascinated theologian Dr. Joel Muddamalle. He was brought up in a strong Christian household in India and says his grandparents were arguably the strongest influences on his life. As missionaries, he saw first hand how hard you had to work to reach people in marginali...

Husband and wife Makoto and Haejiin Fujimura are a couple who have blended their two passions and found a deep connection between them. Makoto is a Christian artist born in the US to Japanese parents. His scientist father instilled in him a deep appreciation for beauty and creativity from childhood and after spending his formative years in Japan, he later began to pursue traditional Japanese paint...

Andy Peck talks with founder of the Satellites Youth Event, and deputy director of Youthscape about the extraordinary events surrounding the call to run a youth event following the closure of Soul Survivor in summer 2019. They discuss stories of how God gave both a green light and a red one, and what is unique and fresh about this Youth Event running for its fifth year in 2026. The Profile is brou...

In this week's edition of the Profile we remember the late Lord Richard Harries, who was one of the most beloved and influential voices in British Christianity of his generation. Born on 2 June 1936, he served briefly as a British Army officer before answering the call to ordained ministry in the Church of England. He was consecrated Bishop of Oxford in 1987, a role he held until his retirement in...

Andy Peck talks with a retired head teacher about what he’s learned from several decades leading Reigate St Mary’s Preparatory and Choir School. What parts of his role has he warmed to, what Christian influence does he think he has been able to have and what are the transferable principles for leaders in other walks of life? The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading C...

Best known for leading the multi-site National Community Church (NCC) in Washington, D.C., Pastor Mark Batterson has also authored nearly 30 books, most notably The Circle Maker, a guide to persistent prayer which has sold over a million copies. Batterson came to Christ at the age of five after watching a Billy Graham film and describes himself as a "congregational mutt" going Church to Church in...

Andy Peck talks with the founder of ‘28 Too Many’ about her work helping raise awareness of the downsides of FGM (female genital mutilation) in African nations and the diaspora and her progress since the work started in 2010. How have local churches responded to the campaign, which nations have seen a reduction in the practice and what would she say to younger leaders who have a similar passion to...

Philippa Hanna, the British Christian singer-songwriter, is best known for her heartfelt vocals that bridge worship and mainstream music and which have made her a familiar face at large-scale Christian festivals for the last two decades. Hanna was born in Sheffield in the mid-80s and grew up in musical family, influenced by her Irish father, who was a touring performer. As well as her own musical...

In a repeat of a classic episode Andy Peck chats with Kathryn Segal about how God led her to share her challenges with depression on social media, and how she saw so many helped by her revelations. As a pastor’s wife in Canterbury, they look at the value in a leader sharing their weakness. There must be limits to what and how you share? The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK...

In a repeat of a classic episode Andy Peck chats with Kathryn Segal about how God led her to share her challenges with depression on social media, and how she saw so many helped by her revelations. As a pastor’s wife in Canterbury, they look at the value in a leader sharing their weakness. There must be limits to what and how you share? The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK...

Broadcaster Swarzy Macaly is known for her infectious energy and can be heard on both BBC Radio 1 and the BBC Radio 1XTRA's Weekend Breakfast Show. She's not shy about being real about her faith and tells the story of finding God after being caught shoplifting, and praying to be let go. Not long after that she found herself in church, gave her life to Jesus and hasn't looked back since. After winn...

In a repeat of a classic episode, Andy Peck talks to the co-authors of Mid-Faith Crisis: Finding a path through doubt disillusionment and dead ends, about their own journeys and how we might help those we know whose faith is 'not working'. How can we listen well to their concerns . The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Check out the latest offe...

Dr Martin Shaw the storyteller and mythographer - someone who studies myths - was well exposed to the ancient tales from an early age. He grew up in a Baptist household in Devon in 1970s with a preacher for a father ad in a house with no television or phone but with access to lots and lots of books. It is no wonder then, that he became fixated with stories and particularly myths. However by his ea...

Andy Peck chats with one of the directors of Eastgate Church in Gravesend and author of ‘Unwrapping Lazarus: Free to live as God intended’ and ‘Faith: Discovering and using the resources of Heaven’. They discuss his new venture supporting a church in the Netherlands and how particular mindsets might affect a nation. They also consider developments in a ministry he founded, 'Heaven in Healthcare',...

As the world waits to see how humanity might be reshaped by artificial intelligence, Al Gordon believes now is the time to protect human creativity. As rector of SAINT Church Hackney in East London, he is passionate about the idea that our creativity comes from our connection with the ultimate creator, and that this divine spark is something worth guarding. SAINT itself has undergone a remarkable...

Andy Peck talks with the Associate Minister, Lansdowne Church and Director of the School for Discipleship about how the importance and assurance of the resurrection of Jesus. They also talk about how the Discipleship School began and is run. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Check out the latest offers at premierchristianity.com

With a Catholic mother and a Jewish father perhaps Aaron Abrahamson was always set to spend his life bridging two different traditions. He grew up in America and after his mother converted to Judaism his parents brought him up in the Jewish faith eventually moving to Israel themselves when he was a teenager. There Aaron attended Yeshiva - a traditional Jewish school which focuses on studying the T...

Andy Peck chats with the author of ‘Beautiful Leadership: your personal framework for authentic impact’ about how the book came about and two themes explored in the book: listening and empowering. Can we listen too much? How does empowering differ from delegating and how might be better empower those we lead? The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazin...

As the former head of Religious Broadcasting, Michael Wakelin knows a thing or two about producing programmes about God, often to audiences who have little or no faith. He spent his early life in Africa with his missionary parents, first in Sierra Leone and then later in Kenya, which he says influenced his own faith in his formative years. Returning back to the UK he went on to study theology at B...