Living Out Podcast

Friendships bring with them all kinds of blessings, but how do we handle the challenges that also come with them? How should we respond to changes in circumstances, for example when friends move away? Being vulnerable is so important for building friendships, but isn’t it risky? And how can we speak and receive hard truths when we do things which hurt each other?  

We’re joined by Kevin Morris, host of the Professional Third Wheel p...

For our very special 100th podcast episode, we’re joined by John Wyatt – author of Transforming Friendship – to talk about how we can foster healthy intergenerational friendships, what friendship looks like at different stages of life, and how we can go about strengthening existing friendships.  

There’s also the chance to enter our 100th podcast episode giveaway, and if you’re desperate to hear about Thomas the Tank Engine, The Mus...

So far in this series we’ve talked about why we need friendships and the difference Jesus makes to them, but what does that look like in reality? Adam and Ashleigh each sit down with a friend to talk about how their friendship has brought them closer to God and taught them more about him, and share their reflections on what has helped their friendships to thrive. Why not share this episode with a friend and let them know how much y...

Isn’t intimacy all about sex? How and why should we pursue intimacy in our friendships? We’re joined by Katherine (Kaleidoscope contributor and part of the Being Human team at the Evangelical Alliance) for a conversation about different kinds of intimacy, how we can practically cultivate deeper and more intimate friendships, and how to navigate some of the risks inherent to pursuing intimacy in friendships.   

Resources mentioned an...

How does being friends with Jesus change the way we do friendship, with Christians and non-Christians? What are the most encouraging and challenging things about the friendship Jesus offers us? And how do we practically go about addressing the friendship deficit in our own lives, while having realistic expectations of ourselves and our friends?  

We’re joined by Vaughan Roberts for a challenging, encouraging and liberating conversat...

How can we be friends with God? What does that actually look like in daily life? Does being friends with God mean we don't need human friends? 

With Phil Knox - evangelist, missiologist and author of 'The Best of Friends' - we're kicking off our series on friendship thinking about what friendship is, why it matters, and some top tips for cultivating friendships with God and with other people. 

...

James, a youth leader and Kaleidoscope contributor, shares his experience of trying out the series with some of his youth group, including what they particularly enjoyed about the series.  

We also hear from Eleanor, who tells her story in episode 3 of Kaleidoscope, about some of the blessings of singleness, her reflections on how the Church has handled the wider issue of sexuality, and why she as a church leader is excited about Ka...

We speak to two parents, Jo and Claire, about the world their children are growing up in and their experience of talking to them about sexuality, gender and faith. They share how their churches have tackled these issues so far, and why they’re excited about Kaleidoscope. 

We also hear from Sean – a parent, church leader, and someone who experiences same-sex attraction – about the difference Kaleidoscope would have made for him as a ...

What is Kaleidoscope? Why have we made it? Andrew and Ashleigh, our Emerging Generations team, share their hopes for the series, and catch up with two of the people who contributed to it.  

Katherine tells us what conversations about sexuality were like for her growing up, and why she’s excited for Kaleidoscope giving space for more open conversations in churches. And Ben shares his thoughts on how we can have those conversations we...

As a teenager, Nat was fascinated by God and got confirmed. But when she came out as a lesbian at 16, she was met with rejection from her peers and a Christian school teacher. At university, she joined the LGBT society and remained angry at God and at Christians for the way she’d been treated. 

But then she met Matt when she started working, and his reaction to her story was different. They tell the story of how they met, how Nat ga...

This episode contains discussion of childhood sexual abuse, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Sometimes God breaks into our lives in the most unlikely circumstances. Robert was sexually abused by a teacher at school, forced into becoming a Christian, and went on to marry a woman and lead a church – all while being same-sex attracted and not truly knowing Jesus. From there things fell apart, and Robert began living as an out gay man...

As a gay teenager, David felt rejected by the Church and couldn’t see a plausible way for him to be a Christian. He became an activist set on destroying Christianity and opposing it at every turn. But his time at university found him looking for something deeper, eventually leading to an unlikely encounter with Jesus and the love of God. 

Now a theologian, David shares how his research has helped him see that living a sing...

Looking for purpose and meaning at medical school, Laura spoke to a Christian friend who invited her to church. She decided to put her trust in Jesus, and it was only several years later she realised she was same-sex attracted. We chat with Laura about how she’s found trusting that God’s ways are good since then, and why good friendships are so important as she seeks to follow Jesus. She shares how her friendships have sometimes be...

Paul tells us how he came to faith as a teenager, and how a combination of clear teaching and sharing with good friends has helped him navigate same-sex attraction and stay faithful to Jesus. Paul also shares how he unexpectedly fell in love with his now wife, and his advice for any same-sex attracted Christians considering an opposite-sex marriage.

We also chat about how we respond to our desires. Is it harmful to deny ourselves th...

We chat to Simon about how understanding God’s bigger purposes for his people has helped fuel his excitement for living God’s way when it comes to sexuality. Simon tells us how getting involved in True Freedom Trust helped him find a supportive community where he could be more open about his sexuality, having not come out to anyone until his early 20s. 

Simon also shares his experience of emotional dependency and what God has taught...

Katherine shares her story of dating a girl as a teenager, and noticing how Jesus genuinely transformed the lives of Christians she knew. As she opened up the Bible for herself and got to know and love Jesus, Katherine tells us how she accepted the invitation to follow him in all areas of her life, including with her sexuality. 

We also chat to Katherine about how she ended up marrying a man, and why she thinks it's s...