Towards Understanding

Towards Understanding

Towards Understanding is a full-length feature interview radio program hosted by Clayton Bjelan. The show contains a mix of interviews based around the understanding and living out of Christian faith and those just doing remarkable things in our world. It focuses on three key groups of people - The Known, The Overcomer and The Unknown. 89.9 | TheLight | PositiveMedia | LightFM | Melbourne

Episodes

October 8, 2025 34 mins

In Unfailing Love, Georgia Morris shares hard-won truths of her dependence on God to fight her battles. Those who have family members or friends suffering with mental illness or going through trying times in a family relationship will be encouraged by this story of a woman who learned that God was faithful to carry her through. Georgia's husband began exhibiting unusual symptoms of behaviour on their honeymoon. She shares how ...

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Melissa Lipsett is the CEO of Baptist World Aid. She believes leadership matters, and so does the call of God on our lives. She is an outspoken advocate for the poor, for inspiring not just international action but also local action. Melissa also holds dearly to the importance of hearing women’s voices and empowering them to use their God given gifts and graces for the sake of our world.

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September 29, 2025 18 mins

Clayton chatted with author, critic and lecturer, Richard King, who talked about his newest book, 'Here Be Monsters: Is Technology Reducing Our Humanity?'. He spoke deeply about the fact that we are in the midst of a technological revolution and is this, therefore, changing what it means to be human? Richard challenged us, as modern societies, that we need to develop a more critical attitude to new and emerging technologies. We nee...

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Philip Yancey is a familiar name in Christian households. Known for his many books, Philip spoke openly and honestly to Clayton about his recent diagnosis of Parkinsons Disease and how he still trusts a good and loving God who often chooses to reveal those qualities through his followers on earth. He has written many words on suffering and is now being called to put them into practice.

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David is passionate about the rescue and long-term wellbeing of children. In January 2010 David and his wife Andrea, along with their children, moved to Thailand where David served with ZOE for over 11 years.  During this time David worked to prevent the trafficking and exploitation of children (as well as being involved in rescues). David now heads up the ZOE Foundation Australia and has some radical, creative and unique solu...

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September 14, 2025 30 mins

A collective of faith-based organisations have joined together to create the Christian Foster Care Network, and to bring the issue of foster care into focus during that week. Heather Packett's organisation, ARK is a part of this network. Heather shares why you should be involved in Foster Care - and the support Ark is providing to carers. For videos and resources for churches to use to highlight foster care and have a website ...

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On Father's Day, Clayton spoke to Wayne Alcorn, the author of "My Father's Son", and head of the ACC church in Australia. Wayne explained he has seen God's love heal and transform men’s lives – his father’s, his own and the countless men across Australia he has talked to and helped heal.

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Paul Syrstad is the creator, director, and executive producer of Testament, a bold reimagining of the Book of Acts set in an alternate modern world still ruled by the Roman Empire. While training as an actor at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, he discovered a calling for storytelling behind the camera and creating one of the more spectacularly dynamic visual telling of a book of the Bible.

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August 20, 2025 21 mins

Rush Witt, Author of ‘Want to Escape’ is a pastor and counsellor who has some encouraging things to talk to Clayton about how to battle the desire to 'escape' during life.  As you listen, you may find yourself reflecting on the 4 D's that you might escape to and how to combat them.  Oh, and yes, Clayton asks if Rush is his real name!!

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Sarah Ogilvie is Professor of Language and Lexicography at the University of Oxford. Her latest book is ‘The Dictionary People: the unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary’. The creation not only was remarkably universal in its work - but has long lasting impact on our language and culture today!  Sarah, as a lexicographer, has been an editor at the Oxford English Dictionary and was Chief Edi...

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August 13, 2025 40 mins

Melissa chatted to Clayton about the documentary about her life - Return to Palau. After her whole family was tragically murdered, Melissa returned to Palau many years later and miraculously met with her family's killer, and her abductor, who left her for dead in a ravine.  The impact on both Melissa's life and the entire population of Palau is truly amazing.

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Dr. Ming Wang, a Chinese immigrant who defies all odds to become a world-renowned eye surgeon in the United States joins Clayton to talk about the so called 'Cultural Revolution' in the 1960's & 70's that destroyed Dr Wang's childhood education. He shares about his journey to America, his development of ground breaking eye technology that he gifted to the world (now worth $5billion). And shares how his Christian faith guides hi...

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August 6, 2025 34 mins

 

Bill Sutcliffe shares with Clayton a story of overcoming unimaginable abuse as a child (on multiple levels) to a moment of forgiveness that changed his world.  Hear Bill's story as he shares about his world changing relationship with Jesus and the subsequent life changing moments he has been able to give to prisoners and those who have been abused themselves.

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Sheila Wray Gregoire is the author of eleven books including She Deserves Better: Raising Girls to Resist Toxic Teachings on Sex, Self, and Speaking Up, the host of the Bare Marriage podcast, and the founder of To Love Honor and Vacuum. An award-winning writer, Sheila calls the church to more than just pat answers by conducting original research to find out what advice works–and what really doesn’t...

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July 30, 2025 18 mins

 

Dave Fishwick is the 'Dave' behind the UK movie, Bank of Dave. He chats to Clayton about being driven by the need to help others and is constantly seeking ways to make the lives of those around him, better. He shares with Clayton, his journey of being a working-class man from the small English town of Burnley in Northern England and fighting the elite London banking establishment to establish a local community bank.

&nb...

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July 27, 2025 28 mins

 

Jo Hood is the Founder/CEO of mainly music. Originally starting in New Zealand in 1990, mainly music is now also in Australia and the UK, plus a handful of groups in other countries. In 2025, mainly music celebrates 35 years in NZ, 25 years in Australia, and 20 years in the UK, since the first group was established in each location. Tens of thousands of families over this time have enjoyed many moments together, singing, dan...

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Victoria Sinis once used her skills to market OnlyFans creators, she now uses them as a speaker, strategist, and founder of Creating Gems, to equips counter-cultural voices, nonprofits, and advocates to grow with integrity online. With a background in marketing and lived experience in the adult content industry, Victoria now uses storytelling to challenge harmful narratives, educate on digital exploitation, and empower others to re...

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July 23, 2025 19 mins

Don Spence an Australian singer-songwriter, musician, and former children's television presenter, known the best for his long tenure as a host on Play School.

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Author, missionary, pastor and sometimes-actor Max Lucado chatted with Clayton about his motivations and creative processes. With over 100 books published internationally, Lucado is a passionate and inspired author. He discusses his creativity and love for writing, and the joy that the practice elicits within him. Showing no signs of slowing down, the full-time pastor revels in his busy and inspired lifestyle: “I love ...

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Boxing champion Nigel Benn opened up to Clayton Bjelan about the misguided path he led during his boxing career. “I just thought it was great at the time because I’d come from nothing. I’d gone straight to the top of the food train.” With the overwhelming changes to his everyday life, Nigel found himself surrounded by a different crowd of people, got into drugs, and became addicted to adultery. Unable...

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