July 15, 2025 • 32 mins
Join host Matt McChlery on the Christian Book Blurb podcast as he delves into a conversation with author Leon Evans about his new book, "No Greater Story." Discover how Leon uses the book of Isaiah to explore God's redemptive narrative and how our personal stories fit into this grand design. From overcoming fears to finding purpose in life's messes, Leon shares insights that inspire faith and transformation.
Links
Buy a copy of Leon's book 'No Greater Story' from St Andrews bookshop online
Help keep this podcast on the web by simply buying me a coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattmcchlery
Sponsor an episode of this podcast Click for Advertising info
Visit Matt McChlery's website mattmcchlery.com
Visit Leon Evan's website thethingsofleon.co.uk
With thanks to this episode's sponsors 'God Whispers are Life Changers' by Michael and Delane Salkheld
Takeaways
- Embrace Your Story: Accept the story God has given you, even if it's not what you expected, to find meaning and purpose.
- God in the Middle: God is present in the midst of our messes and pain, capable of transforming them into messages of hope.
- Dealing with Fear and Doubt: Fear and doubt are natural but should lead us to trust in God's greatness, potentially strengthening our faith.
- Sharing Your Story: Personal stories are powerful and can serve as a form of evangelism, as they are difficult to dispute.
- Transformation through Information, Inspiration, and Application: The book's structure aims to facilitate transformation by providing information, inspiration, and practical application.
Sound Bites
"If God is as great as he is, scriptures says he is, He's greater than those things that are against us and those things that are, you know, before us." - Leon Evans
"When we're in a mess, that's where God is. He's in the middle of our mess. When we're in pain, he's in the middle of our pain. When we're in doubt, he's in the middle of our doubt." - Leon Evans
"We might not get the story we want, but when God is in our story, he's writing something that's well worth talking about and sharing with others as well." - Leon Evans
Chapters
[00:00:00] Introduction to Christian Book Blurb
[00:01:30] Meet Leon Evans: Author of 'No Greater Story'
[00:03:00] The Theme of 'No Greater Story'
[00:06:15] God is Greater Than Our Fears
[00:09:45] Mess and Pain: Finding God in Our Stories
[00:14:00] Doubt and Faith: Navigating Uncertainty
[00:18:30] The Structure of 'No Greater Story'
[00:22:00] Accessibility in Publishing
[00:24:30] Embracing Our Stories in a Hurting World
[00:28:00] Getting to Know Leon Evans
[00:33:00] The Holy Spirit's Work Today
[00:37:00] Future Projects and Resources
[00:41:00] Conclusion and Farewell
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
This is Christian Book Blurb brought to you by author and songwriter Matt McChlery Get abehind the scenes glimpse into the lives of some of your favourite Christian authors, hear
about their books and faith.
Also, why not check out my website, mattmcleary.com
This episode of Christian Book Blurb is sponsored by the book God Whispers Our LifeChanges by Michael and Delaine Sulkeld.
(00:27):
Available now from GodWhispersForLife.com.
Well, hello and welcome to this edition of the Christian Book Blurb podcast where we liketo encourage you in your discipleship one book at a time as we meet some amazing Christian
authors and learn about their books, their lives and their faith.
I'm your host,
(00:48):
Matt McChlery, thanks so much for clicking on over here and joining in today.
Now today I am going to be speaking about being part of God's redemptive story with theauthor Leon Evans.
Let's welcome Leon to the podcast.
Hi Leon!
It's good to be here.
(01:08):
It's great to have you with us and you've just written and released a brand new bookcalled No Greater Story.
So could you just explain for our listeners what is the theme?
Well it was the theme book for Spring Harvest wasn't it?
Yes, Matt, it was.
Yeah.
So this is the first book I've written.
So that's quite exciting as well.
(01:30):
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
I've aged a few years in the process of doing it.
yeah, Spring Harvest is a big Christian festival that's been around for decades now.
And I'm part of the leadership of Spring Harvest.
And so I was asked if I would write the book.
Every year somebody's commissioned to write a theme book, which becomes the book for thattheme for the year.
(01:52):
it
It's hoped that the book goes on beyond the event, really.
So was very honored to be invited to write that.
It's funny because 40 years ago, I went to the event as a teenager with my family, and ourlives were transformed, changed.
The spiritual trajectory of our lives was changed really as a result of the event.
to be invited 40 years later to go back and not only write the book, but to do the Bibleteaching as well was just a great honor, really.
(02:18):
So that's the kind of background.
to the book.
The book is part of a trilogy of books really that the next three years Spring Harvest isgoing on this theme around the word greater.
So I was asked to write really about the greater story of God, which is quite a big themereally.
And so I decided to do it through the eyes of Isaiah.
So that's kind of looking at the big story of God, the creator, the redeemer, theperfecter, know, the God at the beginning, God in the middle and God at the end.
(02:47):
And where do our lives, where does our stories fit in?
to that bigger story of God.
And it's very interesting how you've managed to use, um, the book of Isaiah to kind ofgive a broad overview of the entirety of scripture in a way.
You've kind of gone right from Genesis all the way through to Revelation, kind of mappingit out using Isaiah as like a focal point to do that.
(03:13):
Now it's not just a broad biblical brushstroke.
I mean, it is that.
But you just zoom in, you hone in on certain things, which I think is really useful for uson some really relevant themes.
ah So for example, you've got a chapter called God is greater than our fears.
(03:38):
So could you just tell us a little bit more about that?
Yeah, think, you know, we've come out of an unprecedented season of chaos and change andtrauma really as a world and I think we've lost a little bit of a sense of the bigness of
God and this greater story that we sit under.
And so I wanted to do two things.
(03:59):
I wanted to paint the picture of the greatest story of God, but also to say that meanssomething.
That means that if God is as great as he is, scriptures says he is,
He's greater than those things that are against us and those things that are, you know,before us.
And one of those is our fears.
I think we live in an increasingly fearful age.
And I get that, you know, the world is changing globally, crisis after crisis,instability, geopolitical unrest.
(04:27):
And we can lose the sense.
And we can think that like, a little bit like when the children of Israel went in thepromised land and it says they seem, you know, they were giants and we seem like
grasshoppers, you know.
And I think when it comes to fear,
and anxiety, which I think are quite linked.
You know, we live in a world now where fear seems bigger than God and it isn't.
And so I wanted to be very practical.
(04:48):
not really a theologian as such.
I'm more of a practitioner, leader of a church.
And I wanted to be really practical.
If God is greater than, He's greater than our fears.
And so in that chapter, I try to take people on a little journey to say, hey, as aChristian, it's okay to be fearful at times, but where does that fear take you?
Does that fear take you down or does that fear cause you to look up?
(05:10):
And when we look up, we see a God who is greater than our fear.
And so that's kind of the basis of that.
That's so important, isn't it?
Not to sort of be afraid of fear.
Although that sounds weird.
Sort of, I'm a Christian, I shouldn't be feeling this, so I shouldn't be experiencing it.
Well, yes, you can experience it, but the important thing, as you said there, is what dowe do in those moments?
(05:35):
Do we let it drag us down and take us away and our focus away from God?
Or do we turn towards God in those moments?
Really, really helpful.
Thank you.
Now you also deal with all sorts of things.
this is great for a podcast like this.
at this.
So you deal with the mess and the pain of life.
(05:58):
know I'm kind of mushing two chapters together here, but the mess and the pain of life andwhat should our response be when we find ourselves in a mess or indeed if we're
experiencing pain, what should we do?
Yeah, you know, the kind of thread that runs through the book really is these kind ofideas that every one of us has a story.
(06:23):
Nobody really gets the story that they want.
You I haven't, you probably haven't, the listeners haven't, but all of our stories can beredeemed, can find meaning and purpose when they become part of God's bigger, greater
story.
So that's the kind of premise to the book really.
And that means that, and if God is the creator, he's there at the beginning.
But if he's the Redeemer, he's really there in the middle.
(06:46):
And I love that idea that actually we're all in the middle of our story to some degree,and God is there in the middle.
And I think when you look through the eyes of Isaiah, you see the prophetic pictures ofthe suffering servant and Jesus that is going to come and literally be in the middle of
our story really.
And so that means that when we're in a mess, that's where God is.
(07:06):
He's in the middle of our mess.
When we're in pain, he's in the middle of our pain.
When we're in doubt, he's in the middle of our doubt.
He's not distant, he's not away in a loop, but he's right there in the middle.
And to me, that's part of the greater story of God.
Ultimately, in Jesus, we see a God who didn't remain distant or separated or set apart,but actually became one of us, you know, and became into the middle of our story.
(07:28):
And I think I try to tell a lot of stories in the book as well.
So I tell the story of a friend of mine called Simon, who became a Christian in our churchmany years ago, and he was in the middle of a mess.
you know, and yet God has transformed his mess into a message and he's now leading achurch just a few miles away from us.
And God can do that because so whatever your mess, whatever your pain, when you allow Godinto your story, he can redeem that story.
(07:56):
He can turn that mess into a message and he can bring healing out of pain.
And that's one of the things that I love about God.
And that's what I wanted to try and bring out in the book and make it intensely practicalfor those of us that are sometimes in a mess.
And let's face it, we're all one decision away from being in a mess, whether it's ours orsomebody else's.
And to know that God is in the middle of that, I think is really important.
(08:18):
And that idea of turning our mess into a message, I know the example you gave there is agreat one, but I guess sometimes people get stuck a bit because they think, oh well, if
God's done something for me, therefore that equals I must go into ministry, I must start achurch.
And I know your friend did in that story you shared, but I guess it reaches much morebroader than that, just because God's helped you in the middle of your mess and you
(08:48):
have...
a message, it doesn't necessarily equal, well, now I'm going to lead a church or now I'mgoing to preach sermons.
could look like, what could it look like?
Well, it can look like, I mean, I can't tell you how many marriages I've sat with, youknow, that have been in the middle of a mess.
And in the natural, you think there's no way this is going to last, you know, andactually, and sometimes it doesn't because we're human and we're broken.
(09:15):
But sometimes it does.
when people allow God into their story, which is the story of marriage or parenting orhealth or whatever it is, God can transform that.
I can think of some people now whose marriages are stronger, healthier.
you know, the other side of the mess, you know, because God's always writing a story if welet him and if we invite him in.
(09:37):
So you're right, it doesn't mean that we're going to lead a church or preach a message.
But I think it does mean that God's got a story for all of us and he's not finishedwriting yet.
And, the Bible says he's the author and the perfecter.
And if he's the author, he's got the pen.
You know, and I think often what we do is that we take the pen from him rather thaninviting him to write what he wants to write in our story.
(10:00):
And I guess thinking of it from a, with sort of like a
hat on where we want to share our faith with others.
um This whole idea that we're part of God's story and he's given us a story and he'sinvolved in the story of our lives.
It's actually sharing that with others, not necessarily from a pulpit, but just sort of aswe live life, as we interact with our family members, as we chat in the office about,
(10:29):
know, oh, that was really hard, but you know, God saw me through or whatever it is.
it's acknowledging um God's role in the story and not sort of hiding away or shying awayfrom actually sharing the story of our lives with others.
(10:50):
I think that's so true because in reality people can always debate or disagree with ourfaith and our belief.
Very hard to disagree with a story because a story is what you've lived.
Now they may not attribute that to God and that's up to them, but they can't take awayyour story really.
And I think that's really powerful.
think the woman in John 4, the woman at the well, Jesus interacted with her.
(11:15):
She then went and told her story to her community.
said, come and see a man.
you know, he's told me everything all about me really and she began to tell her story andshe became kind of an evangelist in her community, not because she preached but because
she shared her story about what Jesus had done in her life.
And I think that's what I want to try and come through the book as well, that all of ushave got a story.
(11:36):
We might not get the story we want, but when God is in our story, he's writing somethingthat's well worth talking about and sharing with others as well.
uh And one of the other things you deal with is that of doubt.
And I guess so often we can feel guilty about doubting, especially as Christianssometimes, because, you know, we've said we believe, so now how can we be doubting this?
(12:02):
But, you know, what does Isaiah have to say about doubting and how can we navigate doubtsas Christians today?
Yeah, Isaiah talks a lot about trust and he's talking into a context, you know,historically of a nation that's in crisis, that's lost its way, where its leaders have
lost their way, you know, they're falling away from faith.
(12:24):
It was a big political, economic, religious, confusing time and he's talking a lot abouttrust.
But the reality is he talks about trust a lot because he knows that doubt is a real issue.
I think for me, think doubt gets a bad press.
And I understand that.
Doubt to me is not the opposite of faith.
know, doubt is really to me in two minds, you know, and I love the character of Thomas,which I talk about in the book.
(12:50):
It gets a bad press, you know, I think Thomas wanted to believe, but he was uncertain.
He was in two minds, you know, and I think that's not the same as unbelief, which is to bein one mind.
rejecting really, think doubt just means, I'm not sure.
And I just think the longer I've been a Christian, I think I know more answers, but I'veprobably got more questions.
(13:11):
You know, and I think some of the things that I was certain about when I was younger, I'mnot so certain about, and other things I'm really certain about.
And I think for me, the journey of faith has to embrace the journey of doubt and doubtingcan lead you, it can be a doorway to a stronger faith, it really can.
It's what we do with it.
when doubt comes our way, which I think is important.
(13:31):
And I think sometimes our churches need to be places where we're okay.
mean, Jude talks a lot in his little letter about having mercy on those who doubt, havinggrace and creating an environment and a culture where it's okay to explore some questions.
That doesn't mean that we're uh in unbelief.
It just means we're not sure about some things.
(13:52):
And actually the other side of that, I think it can lead to a stronger faith.
That's really helpful, thank you.
Now your book No Greater Story has an interesting structure in it where it's divided intothree parts and in those three parts are split into three smaller parts and you've
(14:13):
helpfully labeled them the classroom, the living room and the playground.
So how are these sections different and how do you hope readers would engage with them?
Yeah, I think looking at a book like Isaiah, I mean Isaiah is like the Mount Everest ofthe Old Testament really.
If the book of Romans is Mount Everest of the New, Isaiah is.
(14:34):
It's 66 chapters that kind of mirror the 66 books of the Bible.
It tells the whole big story.
It's incredibly dense and theological and I didn't want to do to write something just likethat.
I wanted something to be intensely practical and so I thought, you know, transformationfor me is the goal and transformation for me comes through information.
(14:54):
inspiration and application.
So then I started thinking about those environments.
So the classroom is really where we do the deep dive in Isaiah and that's information.
The living room is how does this play out in our life?
And that's the inspiration, that's the story, that's the, does it, what does it mean thatGod is greater than our fears, our limitations, our pain, our mess, et cetera.
(15:16):
And then the playground is the application, you know, so hey, everybody gets a chance toplay in this great story of God.
And so that's where we get creative.
That's where there's a website link in each of those chapters so you can go on the websiteand there's extra resources, extra books, extra other organizations that have written into
these things far better than I could.
(15:38):
So again, it's those three environments, which I think the cluster in the living room, theplayground, the information, the inspiration and the application.
We need all those three ingredients if we're to see transformation in our life.
So that's the kind of thinking.
behind that.
And then we kind of looked, we used that structure at Spring Hivest as well.
And we talked about that in some of the sessions, say this is a kind of more of aclassroom situation, where we're to look at some information, this is more of a, you know,
(16:03):
living room where we're to be inspired.
And this is more of a playground where we're going to learn to play and have a go and havesome application as well.
So that's the kind of thinking behind the structure.
Mm, great.
And I noticed in the book as well, it talks about a certain kind of font that's being usedin the actual publication of the actual book itself being a dyslexia friendly font.
(16:27):
What can you tell us about that and the decisions behind that and everything?
Yeah, so Spring Harvest have commissioned the book are super focused on accessibility.
know, it's one of the things that I think is such a unique thing about Spring Harvest.
So we do, we spend a lot of time saying how can we make sure everything we do isaccessible, you know, to whether someone has a visual impairment or hearing impairment or
(16:52):
ability, you know, accessibility issue, whatever it is.
And then the grace font is something that's recently been developed.
and the publisher was really keen to explore this new font, which is what we've done.
And I have to say, I've had lots of people who do have some dyslexia, who don't readbooks, know, find reading books very difficult, saying to me, I can read this book, you
(17:15):
know, and I can really access it.
And some people in my own church, I've sold the book in my own church here, and theyconvinced me, says, I don't normally read books, but I'm really enjoying this, and I'm
able to read it.
And when I look at it, because I don't have dyslexia, it's just a different font to me,you know, it doesn't mean anything.
But I know to people that do struggle a little bit with dyslexia, it's been a help reallyand so on.
(17:36):
I'm really encouraged about that.
that's great.
Now, just before we take a short break, what advice can you give to our listeners abouthow we can live our lives in such a way as to become part of God's greater redemptive
story, especially living within this lost and hurting world?
(17:58):
That's a great question, Matt.
Yeah, think I'd say first, I think we have to embrace our story, whatever it is.
You know, I talk a lot in the book about our youngest son, Simeon, who's got complexadditional needs and, you know, very, very difficult.
And I don't say everything in the book, but I say quite a lot.
And I think, you know, as young parents, we didn't want to accept that.
(18:20):
We didn't want to embrace that.
We've gone on a journey and are going on a journey.
So, do you know what?
We have to embrace that.
That is the story we have.
What does God want to do in and through that?
And he has and he is.
And I would say the first thing is to embrace that story that God has given you.
But the second thing I'd say is that, and go to God, you know, because sometimes when wedon't get the story we want, it can turn us in two directions.
(18:44):
It can turn us away from God, you know, and we kind of shake our fist at God and say, God,how could you allow this to happen?
Or we could say, God, where else can I go?
You know, like Peter said, only you have the words of eternal life.
what else am going to do?
I've got this story, whether I like it or not, I can either turn away from God or I canturn towards God.
So I'd say embrace the story that you've got and make sure you turn to God, don't turnaway from God, because he's the only one that can really help and bring some meaning and
(19:11):
some hope and some purpose out of that story.
That's really great, thank you.
And we'll be back after these chatting more with the author Leon Evans about his life andhis faith, so stay tuned.
God Whispers Our Life Changes, a book by Michael and Delaine Sulkeld, is an incredibletrue-life story of Michael and Delaine, an ordinary couple who listened as God led them
(19:39):
from joblessness to starting and growing a business.
then into ministries that have taken them from underprivileged neighbourhoods in theUnited States to rural villages and orphan care in sub-Saharan Africa.
It is story of life lessons by example, of the elation and frustration in starting andgrowing a business, interwoven with heartwarming and heartbreaking stories of serving in
(20:07):
their community and abroad, and how God led the way in it all.
God Whispers or Life Changes by Michael and Delane Selkeld is described as a must read foranyone looking for God's direction in serving others.
It is available now from their website GodWhispersForLife.com as well as on other onlineretailers.
(20:33):
Do grab yourself a copy today.
If you enjoy listening to this podcast, you can help keep it on the web.
All you've got to do is buy me a coffee.
Head over to buymeacoffee.com slash Matt McChlery to make a donation.
There is a link in this episode's show notes.
So go on, buy me a coffee today and help this podcast to keep supporting Christian booksand authors.
(21:01):
Hello, welcome back to the Christian Book Blur podcast.
I've been chatting with author Leon Evans all about his new book, No Greater Story,Rediscovering Your Place in God's Epic Adventure.
Now, Leon, at this side of the adverts, as it were, we like to get to know the author alittle bit better.
So what do you like to do for fun?
(21:25):
For fun.
Well, yeah, I love traveling.
And I mean, I travel a lot in my ministry, but I love traveling at any given opportunity.
I love experiencing new cultures.
I love eating different kinds of food from all around the world.
I love that, you know, kind of bush tucker trials.
I embrace all of that kind of stuff as well.
(21:48):
love that.
I love football.
an Aston Villa supporter.
I'm a bit passionate about my football.
I also love music and
theatre and movies.
I'm a creative by background.
was a musician by background.
Keyville player, Keyville player.
In fact, at Spring Harvest, I led worship there for several years.
(22:08):
now I'm more on the speaking side.
I don't do so much worship leading, but that's my background.
So yeah, so I love the creative arts.
I love going to the theater, love movies.
Yeah, traveling, sport.
Yeah, all that.
On your travel, um your interest in travel, do you watch the program that's out at themoment, Race Around the uh
(22:33):
little bit of it, not a lot of it, but I've seen, I know a lot of people that do watch itavidly as well, so.
that's good.
was going to say, would that be something you'd consider, especially with, you know, BushTucker trials and all that kind of thing?
it, mean, wife and I, well, we, we, say we like to travel.
don't get much opportunity, but we were watching that and sort of, think they were in,they were in Nepal or something going on a bus up the side of some mountain on this sort
(22:58):
of uh very suspect one single track road with, you know, streams of cars coming.
in the opposite direction, there's just like nowhere to go other than off the side of acliff.
And we both looked at each other and we were like, no, maybe not.
We're not that brave.
We're not that sort of epic.
(23:19):
But you sound like you might be up
Yeah, I think I might.
You do feel alive.
I've been to India many times on the streets of New Delhi and Bangalore and you do feelalive.
It's good for your prayer life as well.
It's really good for your prayer life.
uh
Yeah.
Very good.
Very good.
Um, do you have any favorite things to do like eat or watch?
(23:45):
Or have you got a particular favorite book that you're reading at the moment?
Anything like that?
I love reading books.
mean, most of the books I read are leadership books or theology books.
I read novels when I'm on holiday.
I like to switch off when I'm on holiday, but usually I'm reading.
But I like autobiographies as well.
Love that.
Watch a lot of box sets, sometimes too many.
(24:07):
I love historical things as well.
Historical movies, historical dramas.
I've got a big love of history, always have had.
So I like to do that when I can.
Mmm, tea or coffee?
Do know what?
It's a tough, both, know, tea in the morning, first thing, then coffee, then tea in theevening.
(24:28):
I'm a little bit of a tea, coffee, tea sandwich person really.
So it's a hard one to choose for me.
It's a hard one.
When you said both, it kind of took me back to when I was a teenager where, yeah, someoneput like some coffee in the tea and, oh, it was awful.
So not at the same time.
it's a tea and coffee sandwich.
(24:49):
Very interesting.
Uh, chocolate or sweets.
What would you go for?
Candy, let's say in America.
Yeah, candy.
Probably sweets.
Yeah, I'm a little partial to sweets to be honest.
am.
Okay, and are the hard ones or the like squishy chewy?
either.
Anything.
I love sweets, I love sweets.
(25:11):
I really shouldn't at my age to be honest, but I do.
I'll give you a healthy option now, cake or fruit.
cake!
Anytime!
uh You've spoken a little bit about your family.
What more could you tell us about family?
(25:31):
so we've got two sons, Josh, who's 33 and Simeon, who's 30.
Josh is married, got two kids, two daughters.
So we've got two granddaughters, which is great.
They're in the church in our town.
And then our youngest son, Simeon, has got very complex additional needs.
He's on the spectrum.
He's got learning difficulty.
He's got epilepsy, ADHD, and he's in residential care now.
(25:54):
So he went into care when he was about 15.
So this year it's like he's been in residential care as long as
He's been at home really.
yeah, we love him and we see him every week.
But he's very complex and got a lot of challenges, bless his heart.
But yeah, like I say, we see him, we're very involved in his life.
(26:15):
But yeah, that decision that we felt was the right decision many years ago.
So yeah, so that's our family.
Yeah, great.
What is the Holy Spirit doing in your life or what has he put on your heart at the moment?
Yeah, that's a great question.
think, you know, at the moment I'm sensing God, there's a couple of things really.
(26:36):
I mean, we're hearing all of this conversation around the quiet revival, you know, whatGod is doing in the nation.
And we are, as a church, I lead a church here in Howes O'Connor, just outside Birmingham.
We're seeing God do some amazing things with people coming to faith.
And I'm hearing a lot about that in churches that I relate to.
So I think God is doing something.
And at the same time, in the 35 years of ministry,
(26:59):
I don't think I've ever known a time where people's lives are so broken.
A minister friend of mine said to me recently, know, hey, I was leading church for 30years and I didn't deal with hardly any suicide.
And yet I have dealt with five suicides in the last two years, you know.
So I think we are facing a situation where the family unit is very struck, is broken downin lots of ways, mental health, anxiety.
(27:25):
So there's almost like these two things.
And I think the Holy Spirit is saying to me,
This is like the best of times and the worst of times, you know, to quote Charles Dickens.
But actually, God is doing something and maybe even in the brokenness and in the anxietyand in the, you know, the confusion, actually, God is doing something.
think people are discovering that secularism doesn't pay what, you know, doesn't doesn'tgive you what it promises, really.
(27:47):
And so I think there is an openness to God, which certainly I haven't seen in quite thisway for a long, long time, which is encouraging.
But it's in the backdrop.
of some really challenging times in people's lives as well.
Have you got anything coming up soon?
I know you said that this is your first book.
(28:09):
it put you off completely altogether?
Because I know writing a book can be a really tough thing to do.
Has it put you off or you're now starting to get ideas and oh, that could be a book andoh, how about this?
Maybe I'll do that.
Where are you at?
Yeah, I've always wanted to write Matt, I've always wanted to write and other people havesaid you should write and I've just either, well I'll say I've not had the time, I haven't
(28:36):
had the motivation enough to make the time.
You've always got the time haven't you for what you want to do and I think with SpringHarvest commissioning this and the team behind that and the deadline of that, that gave me
all of the motivation to do that which is great.
So I think I will write again, I want to write again but right now what I'm focused on is
is the book and I'm just working on developing some other resources to go around the bookas well.
(29:01):
So what I'd love to do, several churches have asked me, say, I'd like to do this as aseries.
And so what I want to do is I want to create some resources for them.
So small group notes and teaching, some sermon outlines, some other creative pieces.
So actually it isn't just a book, but actually it could be something that really helps andspeaks into people's lives.
So that's what I'm focused on at the moment.
(29:23):
I do quite a lot of blogging.
So I've got,
website called The Things of Leon, which is kind of if you know, the Kings of Leon, theold band.
Yeah, so I put The Things of Leon and I blog occasionally on there as well.
And I'm developing some resources, which we hope will be out by the summer around NoGreater Stories so that people could go on a journey as a church, you know, read the book,
(29:49):
have sermons on it, you know, small groups and really try and
try and imbibe this greater story of God and what does it mean for you and I to play ourpart in that greater story as well.
So that's kind of what I'm working on at the moment.
Mm, great.
And the website you've mentioned, your blog, is that where people can connect with you andbuy the book or are you on social media?
(30:11):
Yeah, we haven't set the book up on that yet.
I have got a website, NoGreatestStory.com.
we are looking to set that up.
that's going to be set up as well.
And that will probably piggyback off.
So it's called thethingsofleon.co.uk.
And that's got some podcasts on there, but I don't do podcasts so much now.
So that's probably down actually.
(30:32):
So yeah, the blogs are on there as well.
So people can connect with me.
And then I'm on Instagram.
and Facebook, uh Meta as well.
yeah, connect with me in those ways as well.
Great.
So we'll put a link to the nogreatestory.com website.
Is that one alive and kicking at the moment?
It's not alive and kicking yet, but it's going to be very soon.
(30:54):
Okay, fine.
hopefully by the time this episode comes out, it will be live and kicking and I'll put alink to it in this episode show notes so people can click on that and just go straight to
where they want to be.
So that's wonderful.
Well, Leon, thank you so much for joining me today on this episode of Christian Bookblib.
It's been fantastic chatting with you.
(31:17):
I've enjoyed it so much.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for all that you're doing as well to encourage authors and to encourage peoplethrough what they're producing so good.
I you.
Thank you.
I just want to give a really big thank you to the sponsors of today's episode.
This is the book, God Whispers Our Life Changes by Michael and Delaine Selkeld.
(31:38):
That book is available now from their website, GodWhispersForLife.com.
Do go and check it out.
And thank you as well for listening to this episode of the Christian Book Club podcast.
Don't forget, another one drops on the 1st and the 15th of every month.
So I'll be back really soon chatting with another Christian author.
all about their books, their life and their faith in order to encourage you in yourdiscipleship one book at a time.
(32:02):
So do join me again really soon.
Thank you and goodbye.
uh
This is Christian Book Blurb brought to you by author and songwriter Matt McChlery Get abehind the scenes glimpse into the lives of some of your favourite Christian authors, hear
about their books and faith.
Also, why not check out my website, mattmcleary.com
This episode of Christian Book Blurb is sponsored by the book God Whispers Our LifeChanges by Michael and Delaine Sulkeld.
(00:27):
Available now from GodWhispersForLife.com.
Well, hello and welcome to this edition of the Christian Book Blurb podcast where we liketo encourage you in your discipleship one book at a time as we meet some amazing Christian
authors and learn about their books, their lives and their faith.
I'm your host,
(00:48):
Matt McChlery, thanks so much for clicking on over here and joining in today.
Now today I am going to be speaking about being part of God's redemptive story with theauthor Leon Evans.
Let's welcome Leon to the podcast.
Hi Leon!
It's good to be here.
(01:08):
It's great to have you with us and you've just written and released a brand new bookcalled No Greater Story.
So could you just explain for our listeners what is the theme?
Well it was the theme book for Spring Harvest wasn't it?
Yes, Matt, it was.
Yeah.
So this is the first book I've written.
So that's quite exciting as well.
(01:30):
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
I've aged a few years in the process of doing it.
yeah, Spring Harvest is a big Christian festival that's been around for decades now.
And I'm part of the leadership of Spring Harvest.
And so I was asked if I would write the book.
Every year somebody's commissioned to write a theme book, which becomes the book for thattheme for the year.
(01:52):
it
It's hoped that the book goes on beyond the event, really.
So was very honored to be invited to write that.
It's funny because 40 years ago, I went to the event as a teenager with my family, and ourlives were transformed, changed.
The spiritual trajectory of our lives was changed really as a result of the event.
to be invited 40 years later to go back and not only write the book, but to do the Bibleteaching as well was just a great honor, really.
(02:18):
So that's the kind of background.
to the book.
The book is part of a trilogy of books really that the next three years Spring Harvest isgoing on this theme around the word greater.
So I was asked to write really about the greater story of God, which is quite a big themereally.
And so I decided to do it through the eyes of Isaiah.
So that's kind of looking at the big story of God, the creator, the redeemer, theperfecter, know, the God at the beginning, God in the middle and God at the end.
(02:47):
And where do our lives, where does our stories fit in?
to that bigger story of God.
And it's very interesting how you've managed to use, um, the book of Isaiah to kind ofgive a broad overview of the entirety of scripture in a way.
You've kind of gone right from Genesis all the way through to Revelation, kind of mappingit out using Isaiah as like a focal point to do that.
(03:13):
Now it's not just a broad biblical brushstroke.
I mean, it is that.
But you just zoom in, you hone in on certain things, which I think is really useful for uson some really relevant themes.
ah So for example, you've got a chapter called God is greater than our fears.
(03:38):
So could you just tell us a little bit more about that?
Yeah, think, you know, we've come out of an unprecedented season of chaos and change andtrauma really as a world and I think we've lost a little bit of a sense of the bigness of
God and this greater story that we sit under.
And so I wanted to do two things.
(03:59):
I wanted to paint the picture of the greatest story of God, but also to say that meanssomething.
That means that if God is as great as he is, scriptures says he is,
He's greater than those things that are against us and those things that are, you know,before us.
And one of those is our fears.
I think we live in an increasingly fearful age.
And I get that, you know, the world is changing globally, crisis after crisis,instability, geopolitical unrest.
(04:27):
And we can lose the sense.
And we can think that like, a little bit like when the children of Israel went in thepromised land and it says they seem, you know, they were giants and we seem like
grasshoppers, you know.
And I think when it comes to fear,
and anxiety, which I think are quite linked.
You know, we live in a world now where fear seems bigger than God and it isn't.
And so I wanted to be very practical.
(04:48):
not really a theologian as such.
I'm more of a practitioner, leader of a church.
And I wanted to be really practical.
If God is greater than, He's greater than our fears.
And so in that chapter, I try to take people on a little journey to say, hey, as aChristian, it's okay to be fearful at times, but where does that fear take you?
Does that fear take you down or does that fear cause you to look up?
(05:10):
And when we look up, we see a God who is greater than our fear.
And so that's kind of the basis of that.
That's so important, isn't it?
Not to sort of be afraid of fear.
Although that sounds weird.
Sort of, I'm a Christian, I shouldn't be feeling this, so I shouldn't be experiencing it.
Well, yes, you can experience it, but the important thing, as you said there, is what dowe do in those moments?
(05:35):
Do we let it drag us down and take us away and our focus away from God?
Or do we turn towards God in those moments?
Really, really helpful.
Thank you.
Now you also deal with all sorts of things.
this is great for a podcast like this.
at this.
So you deal with the mess and the pain of life.
(05:58):
know I'm kind of mushing two chapters together here, but the mess and the pain of life andwhat should our response be when we find ourselves in a mess or indeed if we're
experiencing pain, what should we do?
Yeah, you know, the kind of thread that runs through the book really is these kind ofideas that every one of us has a story.
(06:23):
Nobody really gets the story that they want.
You I haven't, you probably haven't, the listeners haven't, but all of our stories can beredeemed, can find meaning and purpose when they become part of God's bigger, greater
story.
So that's the kind of premise to the book really.
And that means that, and if God is the creator, he's there at the beginning.
But if he's the Redeemer, he's really there in the middle.
(06:46):
And I love that idea that actually we're all in the middle of our story to some degree,and God is there in the middle.
And I think when you look through the eyes of Isaiah, you see the prophetic pictures ofthe suffering servant and Jesus that is going to come and literally be in the middle of
our story really.
And so that means that when we're in a mess, that's where God is.
(07:06):
He's in the middle of our mess.
When we're in pain, he's in the middle of our pain.
When we're in doubt, he's in the middle of our doubt.
He's not distant, he's not away in a loop, but he's right there in the middle.
And to me, that's part of the greater story of God.
Ultimately, in Jesus, we see a God who didn't remain distant or separated or set apart,but actually became one of us, you know, and became into the middle of our story.
(07:28):
And I think I try to tell a lot of stories in the book as well.
So I tell the story of a friend of mine called Simon, who became a Christian in our churchmany years ago, and he was in the middle of a mess.
you know, and yet God has transformed his mess into a message and he's now leading achurch just a few miles away from us.
And God can do that because so whatever your mess, whatever your pain, when you allow Godinto your story, he can redeem that story.
(07:56):
He can turn that mess into a message and he can bring healing out of pain.
And that's one of the things that I love about God.
And that's what I wanted to try and bring out in the book and make it intensely practicalfor those of us that are sometimes in a mess.
And let's face it, we're all one decision away from being in a mess, whether it's ours orsomebody else's.
And to know that God is in the middle of that, I think is really important.
(08:18):
And that idea of turning our mess into a message, I know the example you gave there is agreat one, but I guess sometimes people get stuck a bit because they think, oh well, if
God's done something for me, therefore that equals I must go into ministry, I must start achurch.
And I know your friend did in that story you shared, but I guess it reaches much morebroader than that, just because God's helped you in the middle of your mess and you
(08:48):
have...
a message, it doesn't necessarily equal, well, now I'm going to lead a church or now I'mgoing to preach sermons.
could look like, what could it look like?
Well, it can look like, I mean, I can't tell you how many marriages I've sat with, youknow, that have been in the middle of a mess.
And in the natural, you think there's no way this is going to last, you know, andactually, and sometimes it doesn't because we're human and we're broken.
(09:15):
But sometimes it does.
when people allow God into their story, which is the story of marriage or parenting orhealth or whatever it is, God can transform that.
I can think of some people now whose marriages are stronger, healthier.
you know, the other side of the mess, you know, because God's always writing a story if welet him and if we invite him in.
(09:37):
So you're right, it doesn't mean that we're going to lead a church or preach a message.
But I think it does mean that God's got a story for all of us and he's not finishedwriting yet.
And, the Bible says he's the author and the perfecter.
And if he's the author, he's got the pen.
You know, and I think often what we do is that we take the pen from him rather thaninviting him to write what he wants to write in our story.
(10:00):
And I guess thinking of it from a, with sort of like a
hat on where we want to share our faith with others.
um This whole idea that we're part of God's story and he's given us a story and he'sinvolved in the story of our lives.
It's actually sharing that with others, not necessarily from a pulpit, but just sort of aswe live life, as we interact with our family members, as we chat in the office about,
(10:29):
know, oh, that was really hard, but you know, God saw me through or whatever it is.
it's acknowledging um God's role in the story and not sort of hiding away or shying awayfrom actually sharing the story of our lives with others.
(10:50):
I think that's so true because in reality people can always debate or disagree with ourfaith and our belief.
Very hard to disagree with a story because a story is what you've lived.
Now they may not attribute that to God and that's up to them, but they can't take awayyour story really.
And I think that's really powerful.
think the woman in John 4, the woman at the well, Jesus interacted with her.
(11:15):
She then went and told her story to her community.
said, come and see a man.
you know, he's told me everything all about me really and she began to tell her story andshe became kind of an evangelist in her community, not because she preached but because
she shared her story about what Jesus had done in her life.
And I think that's what I want to try and come through the book as well, that all of ushave got a story.
(11:36):
We might not get the story we want, but when God is in our story, he's writing somethingthat's well worth talking about and sharing with others as well.
uh And one of the other things you deal with is that of doubt.
And I guess so often we can feel guilty about doubting, especially as Christianssometimes, because, you know, we've said we believe, so now how can we be doubting this?
(12:02):
But, you know, what does Isaiah have to say about doubting and how can we navigate doubtsas Christians today?
Yeah, Isaiah talks a lot about trust and he's talking into a context, you know,historically of a nation that's in crisis, that's lost its way, where its leaders have
lost their way, you know, they're falling away from faith.
(12:24):
It was a big political, economic, religious, confusing time and he's talking a lot abouttrust.
But the reality is he talks about trust a lot because he knows that doubt is a real issue.
I think for me, think doubt gets a bad press.
And I understand that.
Doubt to me is not the opposite of faith.
know, doubt is really to me in two minds, you know, and I love the character of Thomas,which I talk about in the book.
(12:50):
It gets a bad press, you know, I think Thomas wanted to believe, but he was uncertain.
He was in two minds, you know, and I think that's not the same as unbelief, which is to bein one mind.
rejecting really, think doubt just means, I'm not sure.
And I just think the longer I've been a Christian, I think I know more answers, but I'veprobably got more questions.
(13:11):
You know, and I think some of the things that I was certain about when I was younger, I'mnot so certain about, and other things I'm really certain about.
And I think for me, the journey of faith has to embrace the journey of doubt and doubtingcan lead you, it can be a doorway to a stronger faith, it really can.
It's what we do with it.
when doubt comes our way, which I think is important.
(13:31):
And I think sometimes our churches need to be places where we're okay.
mean, Jude talks a lot in his little letter about having mercy on those who doubt, havinggrace and creating an environment and a culture where it's okay to explore some questions.
That doesn't mean that we're uh in unbelief.
It just means we're not sure about some things.
(13:52):
And actually the other side of that, I think it can lead to a stronger faith.
That's really helpful, thank you.
Now your book No Greater Story has an interesting structure in it where it's divided intothree parts and in those three parts are split into three smaller parts and you've
(14:13):
helpfully labeled them the classroom, the living room and the playground.
So how are these sections different and how do you hope readers would engage with them?
Yeah, I think looking at a book like Isaiah, I mean Isaiah is like the Mount Everest ofthe Old Testament really.
If the book of Romans is Mount Everest of the New, Isaiah is.
(14:34):
It's 66 chapters that kind of mirror the 66 books of the Bible.
It tells the whole big story.
It's incredibly dense and theological and I didn't want to do to write something just likethat.
I wanted something to be intensely practical and so I thought, you know, transformationfor me is the goal and transformation for me comes through information.
(14:54):
inspiration and application.
So then I started thinking about those environments.
So the classroom is really where we do the deep dive in Isaiah and that's information.
The living room is how does this play out in our life?
And that's the inspiration, that's the story, that's the, does it, what does it mean thatGod is greater than our fears, our limitations, our pain, our mess, et cetera.
(15:16):
And then the playground is the application, you know, so hey, everybody gets a chance toplay in this great story of God.
And so that's where we get creative.
That's where there's a website link in each of those chapters so you can go on the websiteand there's extra resources, extra books, extra other organizations that have written into
these things far better than I could.
(15:38):
So again, it's those three environments, which I think the cluster in the living room, theplayground, the information, the inspiration and the application.
We need all those three ingredients if we're to see transformation in our life.
So that's the kind of thinking.
behind that.
And then we kind of looked, we used that structure at Spring Hivest as well.
And we talked about that in some of the sessions, say this is a kind of more of aclassroom situation, where we're to look at some information, this is more of a, you know,
(16:03):
living room where we're to be inspired.
And this is more of a playground where we're going to learn to play and have a go and havesome application as well.
So that's the kind of thinking behind the structure.
Mm, great.
And I noticed in the book as well, it talks about a certain kind of font that's being usedin the actual publication of the actual book itself being a dyslexia friendly font.
(16:27):
What can you tell us about that and the decisions behind that and everything?
Yeah, so Spring Harvest have commissioned the book are super focused on accessibility.
know, it's one of the things that I think is such a unique thing about Spring Harvest.
So we do, we spend a lot of time saying how can we make sure everything we do isaccessible, you know, to whether someone has a visual impairment or hearing impairment or
(16:52):
ability, you know, accessibility issue, whatever it is.
And then the grace font is something that's recently been developed.
and the publisher was really keen to explore this new font, which is what we've done.
And I have to say, I've had lots of people who do have some dyslexia, who don't readbooks, know, find reading books very difficult, saying to me, I can read this book, you
(17:15):
know, and I can really access it.
And some people in my own church, I've sold the book in my own church here, and theyconvinced me, says, I don't normally read books, but I'm really enjoying this, and I'm
able to read it.
And when I look at it, because I don't have dyslexia, it's just a different font to me,you know, it doesn't mean anything.
But I know to people that do struggle a little bit with dyslexia, it's been a help reallyand so on.
(17:36):
I'm really encouraged about that.
that's great.
Now, just before we take a short break, what advice can you give to our listeners abouthow we can live our lives in such a way as to become part of God's greater redemptive
story, especially living within this lost and hurting world?
(17:58):
That's a great question, Matt.
Yeah, think I'd say first, I think we have to embrace our story, whatever it is.
You know, I talk a lot in the book about our youngest son, Simeon, who's got complexadditional needs and, you know, very, very difficult.
And I don't say everything in the book, but I say quite a lot.
And I think, you know, as young parents, we didn't want to accept that.
(18:20):
We didn't want to embrace that.
We've gone on a journey and are going on a journey.
So, do you know what?
We have to embrace that.
That is the story we have.
What does God want to do in and through that?
And he has and he is.
And I would say the first thing is to embrace that story that God has given you.
But the second thing I'd say is that, and go to God, you know, because sometimes when wedon't get the story we want, it can turn us in two directions.
(18:44):
It can turn us away from God, you know, and we kind of shake our fist at God and say, God,how could you allow this to happen?
Or we could say, God, where else can I go?
You know, like Peter said, only you have the words of eternal life.
what else am going to do?
I've got this story, whether I like it or not, I can either turn away from God or I canturn towards God.
So I'd say embrace the story that you've got and make sure you turn to God, don't turnaway from God, because he's the only one that can really help and bring some meaning and
(19:11):
some hope and some purpose out of that story.
That's really great, thank you.
And we'll be back after these chatting more with the author Leon Evans about his life andhis faith, so stay tuned.
God Whispers Our Life Changes, a book by Michael and Delaine Sulkeld, is an incredibletrue-life story of Michael and Delaine, an ordinary couple who listened as God led them
(19:39):
from joblessness to starting and growing a business.
then into ministries that have taken them from underprivileged neighbourhoods in theUnited States to rural villages and orphan care in sub-Saharan Africa.
It is story of life lessons by example, of the elation and frustration in starting andgrowing a business, interwoven with heartwarming and heartbreaking stories of serving in
(20:07):
their community and abroad, and how God led the way in it all.
God Whispers or Life Changes by Michael and Delane Selkeld is described as a must read foranyone looking for God's direction in serving others.
It is available now from their website GodWhispersForLife.com as well as on other onlineretailers.
(20:33):
Do grab yourself a copy today.
If you enjoy listening to this podcast, you can help keep it on the web.
All you've got to do is buy me a coffee.
Head over to buymeacoffee.com slash Matt McChlery to make a donation.
There is a link in this episode's show notes.
So go on, buy me a coffee today and help this podcast to keep supporting Christian booksand authors.
(21:01):
Hello, welcome back to the Christian Book Blur podcast.
I've been chatting with author Leon Evans all about his new book, No Greater Story,Rediscovering Your Place in God's Epic Adventure.
Now, Leon, at this side of the adverts, as it were, we like to get to know the author alittle bit better.
So what do you like to do for fun?
(21:25):
For fun.
Well, yeah, I love traveling.
And I mean, I travel a lot in my ministry, but I love traveling at any given opportunity.
I love experiencing new cultures.
I love eating different kinds of food from all around the world.
I love that, you know, kind of bush tucker trials.
I embrace all of that kind of stuff as well.
(21:48):
love that.
I love football.
an Aston Villa supporter.
I'm a bit passionate about my football.
I also love music and
theatre and movies.
I'm a creative by background.
was a musician by background.
Keyville player, Keyville player.
In fact, at Spring Harvest, I led worship there for several years.
(22:08):
now I'm more on the speaking side.
I don't do so much worship leading, but that's my background.
So yeah, so I love the creative arts.
I love going to the theater, love movies.
Yeah, traveling, sport.
Yeah, all that.
On your travel, um your interest in travel, do you watch the program that's out at themoment, Race Around the uh
(22:33):
little bit of it, not a lot of it, but I've seen, I know a lot of people that do watch itavidly as well, so.
that's good.
was going to say, would that be something you'd consider, especially with, you know, BushTucker trials and all that kind of thing?
it, mean, wife and I, well, we, we, say we like to travel.
don't get much opportunity, but we were watching that and sort of, think they were in,they were in Nepal or something going on a bus up the side of some mountain on this sort
(22:58):
of uh very suspect one single track road with, you know, streams of cars coming.
in the opposite direction, there's just like nowhere to go other than off the side of acliff.
And we both looked at each other and we were like, no, maybe not.
We're not that brave.
We're not that sort of epic.
(23:19):
But you sound like you might be up
Yeah, I think I might.
You do feel alive.
I've been to India many times on the streets of New Delhi and Bangalore and you do feelalive.
It's good for your prayer life as well.
It's really good for your prayer life.
uh
Yeah.
Very good.
Very good.
Um, do you have any favorite things to do like eat or watch?
(23:45):
Or have you got a particular favorite book that you're reading at the moment?
Anything like that?
I love reading books.
mean, most of the books I read are leadership books or theology books.
I read novels when I'm on holiday.
I like to switch off when I'm on holiday, but usually I'm reading.
But I like autobiographies as well.
Love that.
Watch a lot of box sets, sometimes too many.
(24:07):
I love historical things as well.
Historical movies, historical dramas.
I've got a big love of history, always have had.
So I like to do that when I can.
Mmm, tea or coffee?
Do know what?
It's a tough, both, know, tea in the morning, first thing, then coffee, then tea in theevening.
(24:28):
I'm a little bit of a tea, coffee, tea sandwich person really.
So it's a hard one to choose for me.
It's a hard one.
When you said both, it kind of took me back to when I was a teenager where, yeah, someoneput like some coffee in the tea and, oh, it was awful.
So not at the same time.
it's a tea and coffee sandwich.
(24:49):
Very interesting.
Uh, chocolate or sweets.
What would you go for?
Candy, let's say in America.
Yeah, candy.
Probably sweets.
Yeah, I'm a little partial to sweets to be honest.
am.
Okay, and are the hard ones or the like squishy chewy?
either.
Anything.
I love sweets, I love sweets.
(25:11):
I really shouldn't at my age to be honest, but I do.
I'll give you a healthy option now, cake or fruit.
cake!
Anytime!
uh You've spoken a little bit about your family.
What more could you tell us about family?
(25:31):
so we've got two sons, Josh, who's 33 and Simeon, who's 30.
Josh is married, got two kids, two daughters.
So we've got two granddaughters, which is great.
They're in the church in our town.
And then our youngest son, Simeon, has got very complex additional needs.
He's on the spectrum.
He's got learning difficulty.
He's got epilepsy, ADHD, and he's in residential care now.
(25:54):
So he went into care when he was about 15.
So this year it's like he's been in residential care as long as
He's been at home really.
yeah, we love him and we see him every week.
But he's very complex and got a lot of challenges, bless his heart.
But yeah, like I say, we see him, we're very involved in his life.
(26:15):
But yeah, that decision that we felt was the right decision many years ago.
So yeah, so that's our family.
Yeah, great.
What is the Holy Spirit doing in your life or what has he put on your heart at the moment?
Yeah, that's a great question.
think, you know, at the moment I'm sensing God, there's a couple of things really.
(26:36):
I mean, we're hearing all of this conversation around the quiet revival, you know, whatGod is doing in the nation.
And we are, as a church, I lead a church here in Howes O'Connor, just outside Birmingham.
We're seeing God do some amazing things with people coming to faith.
And I'm hearing a lot about that in churches that I relate to.
So I think God is doing something.
And at the same time, in the 35 years of ministry,
(26:59):
I don't think I've ever known a time where people's lives are so broken.
A minister friend of mine said to me recently, know, hey, I was leading church for 30years and I didn't deal with hardly any suicide.
And yet I have dealt with five suicides in the last two years, you know.
So I think we are facing a situation where the family unit is very struck, is broken downin lots of ways, mental health, anxiety.
(27:25):
So there's almost like these two things.
And I think the Holy Spirit is saying to me,
This is like the best of times and the worst of times, you know, to quote Charles Dickens.
But actually, God is doing something and maybe even in the brokenness and in the anxietyand in the, you know, the confusion, actually, God is doing something.
think people are discovering that secularism doesn't pay what, you know, doesn't doesn'tgive you what it promises, really.
(27:47):
And so I think there is an openness to God, which certainly I haven't seen in quite thisway for a long, long time, which is encouraging.
But it's in the backdrop.
of some really challenging times in people's lives as well.
Have you got anything coming up soon?
I know you said that this is your first book.
(28:09):
it put you off completely altogether?
Because I know writing a book can be a really tough thing to do.
Has it put you off or you're now starting to get ideas and oh, that could be a book andoh, how about this?
Maybe I'll do that.
Where are you at?
Yeah, I've always wanted to write Matt, I've always wanted to write and other people havesaid you should write and I've just either, well I'll say I've not had the time, I haven't
(28:36):
had the motivation enough to make the time.
You've always got the time haven't you for what you want to do and I think with SpringHarvest commissioning this and the team behind that and the deadline of that, that gave me
all of the motivation to do that which is great.
So I think I will write again, I want to write again but right now what I'm focused on is
is the book and I'm just working on developing some other resources to go around the bookas well.
(29:01):
So what I'd love to do, several churches have asked me, say, I'd like to do this as aseries.
And so what I want to do is I want to create some resources for them.
So small group notes and teaching, some sermon outlines, some other creative pieces.
So actually it isn't just a book, but actually it could be something that really helps andspeaks into people's lives.
So that's what I'm focused on at the moment.
(29:23):
I do quite a lot of blogging.
So I've got,
website called The Things of Leon, which is kind of if you know, the Kings of Leon, theold band.
Yeah, so I put The Things of Leon and I blog occasionally on there as well.
And I'm developing some resources, which we hope will be out by the summer around NoGreater Stories so that people could go on a journey as a church, you know, read the book,
(29:49):
have sermons on it, you know, small groups and really try and
try and imbibe this greater story of God and what does it mean for you and I to play ourpart in that greater story as well.
So that's kind of what I'm working on at the moment.
Mm, great.
And the website you've mentioned, your blog, is that where people can connect with you andbuy the book or are you on social media?
(30:11):
Yeah, we haven't set the book up on that yet.
I have got a website, NoGreatestStory.com.
we are looking to set that up.
that's going to be set up as well.
And that will probably piggyback off.
So it's called thethingsofleon.co.uk.
And that's got some podcasts on there, but I don't do podcasts so much now.
So that's probably down actually.
(30:32):
So yeah, the blogs are on there as well.
So people can connect with me.
And then I'm on Instagram.
and Facebook, uh Meta as well.
yeah, connect with me in those ways as well.
Great.
So we'll put a link to the nogreatestory.com website.
Is that one alive and kicking at the moment?
It's not alive and kicking yet, but it's going to be very soon.
(30:54):
Okay, fine.
hopefully by the time this episode comes out, it will be live and kicking and I'll put alink to it in this episode show notes so people can click on that and just go straight to
where they want to be.
So that's wonderful.
Well, Leon, thank you so much for joining me today on this episode of Christian Bookblib.
It's been fantastic chatting with you.
(31:17):
I've enjoyed it so much.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for all that you're doing as well to encourage authors and to encourage peoplethrough what they're producing so good.
I you.
Thank you.
I just want to give a really big thank you to the sponsors of today's episode.
This is the book, God Whispers Our Life Changes by Michael and Delaine Selkeld.
(31:38):
That book is available now from their website, GodWhispersForLife.com.
Do go and check it out.
And thank you as well for listening to this episode of the Christian Book Club podcast.
Don't forget, another one drops on the 1st and the 15th of every month.
So I'll be back really soon chatting with another Christian author.
all about their books, their life and their faith in order to encourage you in yourdiscipleship one book at a time.
(32:02):
So do join me again really soon.
Thank you and goodbye.
uh
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.