The Profile

Find out what makes influential Christian leaders tick! Hear the faith stories of a huge range of church leaders, musicians, preachers and more, as they share how God has led and guided them through both valleys and mountain-top experiences. The Profile brings you in-depth interviews to help you learn from the wisdom and experiences of people who have gone all-in for God. Past guests include church leaders such as HTB’s Nicky Gumbel, the world renown DJ Moby, Bible teachers Joyce Meyer and John Mark Comer, missionary Jackie Pullinger, Gospel superstar Fred Hammond and worship leaders Martin Smith and Tim Hughes. New episodes are published every Friday, PLUS check out bonus episodes every Wednesday, where our resident leadership expert Andy Peck interviews a range of pastors, preachers and practitioners on the topic of Christian leadership. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. If you enjoy The Profile you’re sure to love Premier Christianity magazine which will help you understand the changing culture around us and what God is doing through his Church today, read for free now at premierchristianity.com.

  1. 18 HR AGO

    Mythographer Dr. Martin Shaw on his Eastern Orthodox faith and being re-enchanted by God in the wilderness

    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 early adulthood he had grown tired of the way the stories of Jesus were told in church, always with a message and a point that made a "muscular sermon." He came to a point, where, in his own words, he "hit the enough button." A number of decades later, following a long stretch living in a tent, as well as writing and performing as a musician and oral storyteller, he found himself praying to God in nature and had a profound spiritual encounter. The experience brought him back to Christianity and he is now a practising Orthodox Christian. Shaw has written a number of books drawing on Celtic, Siberian, Greek myths as well as Christian traditions. His latest title: Liturgies of the Wild released earlier this year is already New York Times bestseller. In this episode of The Profile with Premier Christianity Editor Sam Hailes he talks about his early life story, how myths and stories provide a link to our ancestors and the incredible story of what brought him back to Christ. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Enjoy thought-provoking Christian content, including the latest news, inspiring interviews, and exclusive commentary on all that God is doing in the world today. Grab the next 3 issues for just £6. Subscribe today at premierchristianity.com/subscribe.

    58 min
  2. 9 APR

    Church leader Al Gordon on sparking human creativity in the face of AI

    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 restoration. The church has stood in East London since 1275, but with an injection of £6 million in National Lottery funding, it has been transformed into a landmark building, now serving both its parish and hosting international musicians and world-class artists. Gordon became a Christian alone in his bedroom while listening to worship music. Raised outside The Church, that moment led to a journey of curiosity as he began asking questions and exploring faith more deeply. In his twenties he worked in film before being drawn to Holy Trinity Brompton in London. He later became a church leader himself and helped found Renaissance movement, which encourages artists and creative professionals to integrate faith and vocation, while also reimagining cathedrals as centres of culture. Gordon is also the author of Spark: Ignite Your God-Given Creativity, where he encourages Christians to resist burnout and the algorithm driven culture, instead rediscovering their God given creativity. In this edition of The Profile, he speaks with Sam Hailes, editor of Premier Christianity, about why he believes technological change may be accompanied by a new spiritual and creative renaissance, much like the one that followed the Middle Ages. He also reflects on his visit to the revival at Asbury University in 2023 and the signs of what he describes as a quiet revival already stirring. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Enjoy thought provoking Christian content including the latest news, inspiring interviews and commentary on all that God is doing around the world today. Get your next three issues for just £6 at premierchristianity.com/subscribe.

    52 min
  3. 2 APR

    Jews for Jesus' Aaron Abramson on a lifetime of taking Christ to the Jewish world

    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 Torah, Talmud and Jewish law. He completed his mandatory military service in the Israeli army and served in Lebanon 1992-95 which he describes as a "volatile period". During that time a close friend was kidnapped, tortured and killed and the experience shook him. After three years he left the military with a desire to look for answers to life's big questions. He came back to America and began travelling, encountering people along the way, some of whom introduced him to The Bible and one of whom who directly challenged him to read The Gospels: "I felt drawn to his person of Jesus and I couldn't explain why and a lot of the things he (Jesus) was addressing were questions I had had in the Yeshiva." Abramson joined Jews for Jesus over 20 years ago, directly evangelising to the Jewish community in places like New York, often on the streets in bald, quite direct ways sometimes garnering criticism for that -but he hasn't looked back. His new book Mission Design talks through how the organisation deconstructed their approach, figuring out what worked and what didn't and sharing it with people undertaking similar missions of their own. In this episode of The Profile he talks to Sam Hailes, Premier Christianity magazine editor, about his own search for Christ, the struggles connecting his Jewish heritage with his Christian faith and how unique and important Jews for Jesus mission is. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Enjoy thought-provoking Christian content, including the latest news, inspiring interviews, and exclusive commentary on all that God is doing in the world today. Grab the next 3 issues for just £6. Subscribe today at premierchristianity.com/subscribe.

    53 min
  4. 27 MAR

    Michael Wakelin: The ex-head of Religious Broadcasting at the BBC talks about representing faith on air

    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 Birmingham University. As a graduate he landed his first job reporting church news at BBC Radio Norfolk before moving onwards and upwards, later working for The Sunday Programme at Radio 4 as well as the iconic Thought for the Day - eventually heading up Religious Broadcasting for the BBC. Wakelin is now Executive Chair of the Religion Media Centre, an independent charity which serves to improve the quality of media coverage of religion and belief by offering daily religious news briefings, context and background information to big news stories as well as media training. In this episode of the Profile he talks to Premier Christianity Magazine Editor Sam Hailes about his life and career, his desire for what he calls 'religious literacy' in the media and his passion for Norwich City football club. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Enjoy thought-provoking Christian content, including the latest news, inspiring interviews, and exclusive commentary on all that God is doing in the world today. Grab the next 3 issues for just £6. Subscribe today at premierchristianity.com/subscribe.

    53 min
4.4
out of 5
86 Ratings

About

Find out what makes influential Christian leaders tick! Hear the faith stories of a huge range of church leaders, musicians, preachers and more, as they share how God has led and guided them through both valleys and mountain-top experiences. The Profile brings you in-depth interviews to help you learn from the wisdom and experiences of people who have gone all-in for God. Past guests include church leaders such as HTB’s Nicky Gumbel, the world renown DJ Moby, Bible teachers Joyce Meyer and John Mark Comer, missionary Jackie Pullinger, Gospel superstar Fred Hammond and worship leaders Martin Smith and Tim Hughes. New episodes are published every Friday, PLUS check out bonus episodes every Wednesday, where our resident leadership expert Andy Peck interviews a range of pastors, preachers and practitioners on the topic of Christian leadership. The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. If you enjoy The Profile you’re sure to love Premier Christianity magazine which will help you understand the changing culture around us and what God is doing through his Church today, read for free now at premierchristianity.com.

More From Premier Plus

You Might Also Like