‘Be an optimist; I think that’s the Biblical worldview'
Jake Owen
Jake Owen interviews Peter Baker, who is shortly not only stepping down as senior pastor at Lansdowne Church (affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches) in Bournemouth but also retiring from full-time ministry after 43 years.
During that time, he has also served congregations in Southampton, Romford and Cardiff, and written a commentary on Mark’s Gospel. In 2027, he will be taking on the role of part-time National Director of the Wales Leadership Forum (WLF), an organisation set up to support pastors and their churches across the country. He describes to Owen the different initiatives run by the WLF, and shares advice to those starting out their pastoral ministry.
Meet Gen Z's Christian entrepreneurs
Jake Owen
A research briefing in the House of Commons Library records that between February and April this year, “there were 735,000 young people aged 16 to 24 who were unemployed, 109,000 more than the previous year.”
Do not think, however, that all of Gen Z has become passive and lost determination. According to the business support platform, Enterprise Nation, in 2025 62% of Gen Z were “thinking about starting a business or side hustle”, 11% higher than Millennials.
An interview with Christian drill producer Scotty C
Jake Owen
Often described as the UK’s leading Christian drill producer, Scotty C here chats with Jake Owen about starting out in the Christian music scene, collaborating with other artists, and the recently launched Official UK Christian and Gospel Singles Chart. For the uninitiated among us, including the en editor, drill music is, according to this explanation, "a type of contemporary rap from Chicago. It came to the UK in 2012 and has spread from Brixton to all areas of the country. It's characterised by ominous beats, haunting melodies and dark lyrics. With roots in disadvantaged inner city London, it appeals to young people who grow up in deprived areas. It is a form of expression for otherwise voiceless communities."
Why the 'Christian nationalism' discussion is so divisive
A few years ago, I would rarely hear the concept of “Christian nationalism” discussed in a British context.
Aside from a passing mention by a speaker I heard in 2023 whilst at Forum - the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) summer gathering of students - the term's use was confined to American discourse on American phenomena, such as the 6 January Capitol riots and the theonomic propositions of Presbyterian pastor Doug Wilson.