The Roots for Churches podcast

Melanie Cave speaks with historian and writer Professor Sarah C Williams about her book 'When Courage Calls', which explores Josephine Butler’s life, activism, and deep prayerfulness. The conversation traces how Butler became a leading voice against the Contagious Diseases Acts, why her work was so controversial, and how her faith shaped every part of her public witness. Sarah shares how researchi...

In this episode of Roots for Churches, Melanie Cave speaks with Dr Tamara Knudson about stereotypes of women in the Bible and how the Old Testament lectionary readings invite us to look again. Together, they explore Rebekah’s story, the women who help bring about the Exodus, and the ways our assumptions can turn complex biblical characters into side characters or simple moral examples. Tamara, who...

Melanie Cave speaks with Dr. Jared Neusch about the hard parts of the Moses story—the plagues, the death of the Egyptian firstborn, and the parting of the sea resulting in the death of the Egyptian army—and how to approach these passages with children and congregations, without flattening its tension. Jared explains why he starts with Jesus as the clearest revelation of God, then works back into t...

Melanie Cave speaks with Will van der Hart about what churches can learn from crisis response in moments like the 7/7 bombings and the Grenfell Tower fire. The conversation focuses on trauma, presence, and the long-term pastoral work needed when a community is shaken by grief, distrust, and loss. There. ispractical guidance on ways churches and leaders can prepare Will shares hard-won insight from...

Suicide prevention starts far earlier than most churches realise. In this episode, Melanie Cave speaks with Bejoy Pal of Ascension Trust, the organisation behind Street Pastors, Rail Pastors and Bridge Watch, about how Christian volunteers are supporting people in crisis through simple presence, listening and practical care. Bejoy shares how Street Pastors began in response to youth violence and h...

Melanie Cave speaks with Justin Brierley about the surprising shift from New Atheism to renewed openness toward Christianity. Justin shares how his own faith journey began in a churchgoing family and became personal as a teenager, before intellectual questions at Oxford and years in broadcasting led him deeper into Christian apologetics. Together, they explore why the culture has changed, why thin...

Melanie Cave speaks with Peter about his book Collaborative Sermons and the Living Stories approach to preaching, where sermons become facilitated conversations rather than one-way monologues. They explore how this emerged from St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco, why it fits intergenerational worship, and how it changes what a congregation can hear, remember, and carry into the...

Melanie Cave speaks with the Reverend Dr. Dave Bookless about the new Feast of Creation in Christ (Creation Sunday), the church’s environmental conversion, and how scripture and theology can inspire faithful stewardship of the planet. They discuss the history of creation care in the church, biblical perspectives on new creation and eschatology, practical ways churches can celebrate and engage duri...

Melanie Cave talks with Dr. Andrew Ollerton about how to understand violent and judgmental passages in the Old Testament, including the conquest narratives, the plagues, and commands that trouble modern readers. They give historical and theological context, distinguish descriptive from prescriptive texts, and explain how these stories point toward Christ and the new covenant. Practical and pastora...

Melanie Cave interviews Andrea Campanale about the rising spiritual hunger in Gen Z and how churches can respond with curiosity, friendship and empathy. Andrea shares stories from New Age and green fairs, fresh expressions of church, and practical ways to disciple seekers who practise manifesting, crystals, tarot and other spiritualities. The episode explores embodied worship, addressing shame and...

Melanie Cave and Dr. Henna Cundill explore predestination, suffering, free will, and how to pastor people through hard questions with honesty, hope, and trust in God. Starting with the story of Joseph forgiving his brothers, they discuss what it teaches us about predestination, God’s knowledge and the problem of suffering.  They explore biblical tensions between God’s plans and human freedom and h...

Three to five percent of the population has autism, so many church communities include autistic members. In this episode Melanie Cave speaks with Dr. Henna Cundill, a youth worker, minister and researcher at the Centre for Autism and Theology, about her book and PhD research on autism and prayer. They discuss how neurodiversity affects prayer, social anxiety, masking, rule-following, and practical...

Join Melanie Cave and Cameron Lee Hume as they explain how churches can host safe, welcoming solar-eclipse viewing events on August 12, 2026 — a rare opportunity visible across much of the UK. The episode covers practical safety tips, free Methodist resources (posters, planning guides, Canva materials), and ideas for using the eclipse as a gentle gateway to faith conversations. Learn about the Met...

Melanie Cave interviews Anglican priest and family ministry consultant Gail Adcock about the theology and practice of play in church. They explore how play appears in scripture and Jesus’ interactions, the difference between being childlike and childish, and how play can be a spiritual discipline that fosters connection, emotional expression, and wonder. The episode also covers practical ideas and...

Melanie Cave speaks with Andy Frost of Share Jesus International about making evangelism less intimidating and more practical for churches. They explore starting small — prayer, telling brief personal stories, and ‘dropping the Frisbee’ into conversations — building church cultures of prayer, hosting accessible events, and supporting people to take their next steps in faith. Andy shares practical...

Melanie Cave speaks with Joy and Darren Stevens of Start to Stir about sharing faith with young people who are indifferent or exploring spirituality, manifesting, crystals or witchcraft. They outline a gentle, relationship-based approach: listening well, finding common ground, stirring spiritual curiosity, and pacing conversations over time rather than expecting one-off conversions. The episode of...

Melanie Cave interviews Jonny Baker, discussing his new book 'Fringe Dweller,' exploring the life of Jesus at the margins and how this perspective can transform church practices and mission. The conversation reflects on the life of Jesus as an example of one who reaches out, creativity in scripture engagement, mission at the edges, and practical practices for churches to inhabit scripture and live...

In the next in our series on helping young people share faith, Melanie Cave interviews Jill Appleton of The Feast. They discuss how interfaith dialogue and the guidelines for respectful conversation can empower young people to share their faith confidently, build bridges between communities, and foster understanding in diverse societies. In these settings Christian teenagers become more confident...

Imagine grandparents, grandchildren and whole families boarding a vintage train for the journey of a lifetime — meeting Jesus at every station through prayer, games, serving, learning and collaborative crafts. Together they eat, laugh, share stories of faith and explore Bible stories from Luke with simple spiritual practices that welcome every age. Explore the innovative intergenerational holiday...

Melanie Cave talks with Jess Masters-Carrer about why Gen Z and Gen Alpha are increasingly drawn to sacramental spirituality and how churches can welcome and equip young people to share faith. They explore themes such as belonging before believing, the role of liturgy and ritual, embracing mystery, and practical mission approaches focused on invitation and relationship. The episode offers practica...

The spiritual climate is shifting and Gen Z and Gen Alpha are more open to the gospel than many expect. Melanie Cave interviews Aaron Routledge about why evangelism can feel awkward, how culture has changed, and why we need to move from scripted presentations to natural, curiosity-led conversations. They explore practical steps (the Five B's), encouraging stories, and resources for churches and yo...

From a talk at the Intergenerate '26 conference, this episode explores Roots’ Bread & Wine research into making communion accessible and invitational for the whole church. Melanie Cave shares findings, practical case studies (toddler services, multilingual parishes, youth-led reflections, outdoor and care-home eucharists), and adaptable prayers and choreography to help churches include childre...

Melanie Cave interviews Martin Shaw, exploring the profound role of storytelling, myth, and wilderness in our spiritual growth. We explore the importanceof stories in church life, personal initiation, and cultural identity, unpacking how stories shape our understanding of God, community, and ourselves, and advocating for a more untidy, questioning approach to faith and spirituality. Keywords story...

Show Notes: A concise collection of excerpts from the Children’s Ministry Network Conference (March 2026) on how churches and children’s ministries can respond to a changing, multicultural UK. Melanie Cave introduces the theme, followed by Dr Israel Olofinjana on intercultural theology, Dr Phoebe Owen on identity, and Nathaniel Jennings on intercultural discipleship. Listeners will hear theologica...

Melanie Cave speaks with Charnelle Barclay from the Centre for Theology and Community about reimagining evangelism as a call to justice and holistic transformation. Charnelle explains how community organising—listening deeply, empowering agency, building relational power, and addressing root causes—connects faith with practical action, examples include a local safety campaign and a food-share proj...