Poema Podcast

Episode 34 | Shane Blackshear & Seminary Dropout

Shane Blackshear of the 'Seminary Dropout' podcast joins me today, to share his own powerful story of being a seminary dropout, then pastor & planting a church. He shares lessons he's learned about faith, and what led him to start his 'Seminary Dropout' podcast. 
We talk about what it really means to be a 'minister', the role of church & what 'church' really means, as well as the creative process & artistic integrity. 
Come & join us!

Episode 33 | Pete Rollins on Certainty, Critiquing Faith & Confronting Truth

Today philosopher, poet & theologian Pete Rollins & I discuss the problem of certainty in our spirituality & daily lives, why we need to critique our faith and how important it is to confront the truth of who we are to have true spiritual growth. 
We discuss Pete's 'Atheism For Lent' project and how it critiques Christianity, the idea of our faith as a magic trick with a pledge, a turn and prestige, our own holy ghosts, and also touch on Pete's vision & hope for the church. 
Finally, Pete and I talk about the political situation in the US right now, chronological snobbery, learning lessons from history and the bigger problems behind the surface of American culture.
It's one of the most fascinating, thought-provoking, challenging interviews you'll hear - Pete speaks with such wisdom, intelligence and grace. Come and join us.

Episode 32 | Andy Gray & The Karma Shema Drama

Today pastor & author Andy Gray shares his own powerful story, and talks about the revolutionary yet Biblical idea of Shema. 
Shema means to hear, and Andy passionately explains how God wants us to hear His call to live lives overflowing with God's love. A love which was to be on our lips every morning, and which we were to teach to our children, and to be creatively expressed in our daily lives.
Andy also discusses the creative process behind his book 'The Karma Shema Drama', and how he overcame dyslexia to write a book which has had an impact on many people around the world.

Episode 31 | Steve Chalke & A Vision For Inclusive Church

Today I host pastor, speaker & author Steve Chalke. Steve shares the powerful story of how Oasis Trust - a network of churches, schools and more - started and the impact it's had on individual's lives. He outlines his vision of what church can and should be, and what our part can be in that.Finally, Steve speaks passionately and honestly about LGBT inclusion, how important is for the church and the world, and how we can begin to build a more inclusive church.*****You can connect with Steve on Twitter at @SteveChalke. His church are running a conference about inclusive church - 'Open Church' - in central London soon. You can find out more about that & book tickets at the Oasis website.

Episode 30 | Repentance Part 2 - Turn & Return

Today is the second & final part of my series on repentance. In this episode I unpack the true meaning of the word 'repent' & reflect on what this might mean for us. Ending with a message of hope, and a challenge as to how we might respond.*****This series part of this months #synCREATE theme of repentance.

Episode 29 | Repentance Part 1 - Archery & Living Out Of Tune

Today is the first of a two-part series on Repentance, unpacking & exploring sin, and what we really mean when we use that word. Because our understanding of sin is fundamental to understanding repentance.This series is linked to this months #synCREATE theme of repentance.Keep your eyes peeled for Part 2 tomorrow!

Episode 28 | Lorna Kopp On The Links Between Creativity, Vulnerability & Faith

Lorna Kopp (aka Lorna Faith) is my guest today. Lorna, a writer, author & coach, shares her story and we talk about the importance of vulnerability in creating authentic work. We also discuss how her faith has impacted her creative work, and the power of encouragement. 

Episode 27 | Pamela Hodges on Creativity, Cats & Meeting Bono

Today I'm joined by writer, blogger, painter & author Pamela Hodges. Pamela shares her unique story - including when she met Bono - and talks about maintaining authenticity & artistic integrity in our creative work. Finally, Pamela talks about about her struggles with faith, dealing with loss, and how she encourages her cats to express themselves creatively. 

Episode 26 | Andi Cumbo on Writing, Calling & The Spirituality Of Farming

Andi Cumbo is an experienced writer, coach, author and editor, and a good friend. Today on the podcast she shares her powerful & challenging story, with wisdom about creativity, calling, and how this ties in with her spirituality, and her life running a farm.Andi has so much wisdom to share about creativity, spirituality, calling & living a balanced life, and I know you'll really benefit from her words today. *****You can connect with Andi online at @andilit or andiit.com 

Episode 25 | Start To Write with Christine Niles

Today I talk to my good friend, writer, blogger & coach Christine Niles, about writing and the creative process. Christine has years of blogging & writing experience, and like me has spent a lot of time coaching writers. She's seen the ups & downs, the challenges, the failures & the successes, and has a lot of wisdom to share on things like finding your voice, overcoming writers block, and overcoming resistance and beginning your writers journey. *****As a special exclusive for "James Talks" listeners, you can access her three week mini-course "Start To Write" for free - the course is three weeks of daily writing prompts, tips, and daily reminders to get you going on your writers journey, and highly recommended!You can access this special offer at: http://riverofthoughts.com/jamestalks/Start your writing journey today!