Faith, Hope, and Love

In West Africa, millions of children lack safe surgical care—a need that feels overwhelming. Yet God is raising people to step out in faith. One is Dr Justina Seyi-Olajide, a Nigerian paediatric surgeon serving on Mercy Ships, the world’s largest hospital ship. She joined Carlton Baxter to share her testimony.

How do you overcome something you feel you can’t live without? Addictions often seem impossible to break—but is that true? John and Sally Childress, founders of Free! Recovery, joined Carlton Baxter to explore the path to freedom.

Jennifer Hebert knows firsthand how God can turn pain into purpose. A survivor of domestic abuse, she now leads The Lampstand Group—a charity providing safe housing and specialist support for women escaping abuse in Hull and the East Riding, where refuge spaces are scarce. She joined Carlton Baxter to share her story and offer practical wisdom for those navigating or recognizing abusive relationships.

The new year is a time to reflect, leave some things behind, and look ahead. But how do we discern what God wants for us in this season? Should we expect an audible voice—or is that only for prophets? Hellie Glynn, prophetic speaker, Bible teacher, and regional consultant for The Filling Station, joined Lydia Bennett to share practical insights on hearing God’s voice in the year ahead.

Revd Ben Cahill-Nicholls is the Chief Executive of the Clergy Support Trust, a charity supporting those in ordained Anglican ministry and their families. He sat down with Lydia Bennett to chat about the stresses and strains of being a church leader and Christmas and how we as the Church can ease the burden on them!

Jesus asks over 300 questions in the Gospels yet many of us struggle to ask even one. Lydia Bennett sat down with J.R. Briggs to talk about his new book 'The Art of Asking Better Questions'. They chatted about the best question he’s ever been asked, when our questions cross the line, and what happens when we don’t like the answers we get.

Howard Espie joins Mal Pope to unpack how we can make Christmas a time to pause, celebrate the birth of Christ, and reflect on the reconciliation of humanity with God.

Holly Phimister, a trained classical singer, once had a life full of promise. But everything changed—financial struggles, emotional battles, and the challenge of single motherhood. Then came a Christmas miracle: through Christians Against Poverty and the kindness of a local church, Holly began her journey to recovery and faith. She joins Mal Pope to share her story.

Lydia Bennett interviews all five members of the Robinson family from The Famalam podcast. They discuss the background and inspiration for starting the podcast, sharing insights into family dynamics, Christian parenting, and how parents and kids can engage in meaningful dialogue together.

Amy Conroy, four-time Paralympic basketball player, has partnered with Christian charity International Needs UK to launch Sports for Change in Uganda. Her journey from childhood cancer and losing a leg to finding hope and purpose through wheelchair basketball is extraordinary. She joined Mal Pope to share her story.

Caroline Chalkley, a Single Parent Pastor with a deep passion for helping those parenting alone get back on their feet—regardless of their background—joined Mal Pope to share practical insights and encouragement on how to do this well this Christmas.

This year, Cyber Monday alone saw an estimated $14.2 billion spent online, with Black Friday adding even more to the total. But is all this spending just clever marketing—or could it be a chance to make our gifts truly meaningful? Laura White from eden.co.uk, a Christian online marketplace, joined Mal Pope to unpack how to choose meaningful Christmas gifts for our loved ones—and beat the shopping stress.

Christmas is just days away, and Bethlehem—the heart of the Christmas story—naturally comes to mind. But today, Bethlehem and other parts of the Holy Land face complex realities, including ongoing tensions in Palestinian territories like Gaza. Martin Thomas from SAT-7, a Christian satellite network broadcasting hope across the Middle East and North Africa, joins Mal Pope to explore what life and faith look like in the Holy Land right now.

Alexandra Walker is a life and leadership coach helping people to 'sing after the storms' of life. She's been through a few storms herself, growing up with an emotionally abusive father that left her with multiple mental health issues. She sat down with Lydia Bennett to share her story of pain, processing and conquering her past with Jesus.

The start of Advent is a beautiful reminder that Christmas is just around the corner. Yet, in the midst of all the commercial buzz, it’s easy to lose sight of the true purpose of the season. Catherine Campbell, author of Journey with Me Through Christmas, joined Lydia Bennett to explore how we can cut through the distractions and embrace the rhythms of Advent.