Broadcast Church Planting Podcast

In this episode, we chat with Tony Thompson, long-time church planter, leader of Hope Church Luton, and passionate advocate for cross-cultural mission in the UK. Tony shares wisdom from years of planting and leading churches in diverse contexts, including insights from his new book Building Multicultural Churches. He unpacks the challenges and beauty of creating church communities that reflect the rich diversity of God’s kingdom, not by flattening differences, but by embracing them. We talk unity, race, mission, leadership, and how the Church can respond to the shifting cultural landscape with authenticity and gospel-shaped inclusion.

Explore the beauty of Song of Solomon in this opening session. Discover why this poetic book has inspired believers for centuries, and how its themes of love reflect God’s heart for His people.

This session unpacks the passionate imagery of longing found in the Song, drawing parallels to our desire for intimacy with Christ. Explore how this spiritual yearning transforms our relationship with God.

Let’s look into the dual dynamics of love: the discipline of keeping oneself for God and the joy of giving oneself fully to Him. This lesson provides insights into living out a covenantal relationship with Christ.

Addressing the bride’s insecurities, this session highlights how God sees His people as wholly beautiful and cherished. Learn to let go of self-doubt and embrace the identity Christ gives you.

Explore the profound delight of the Bridegroom for His bride and the theological truths that underpin God’s love for His people. This lesson reveals the depths of Christ’s adoration for you.

Reflect on the moments of spiritual longing and apparent absence, exploring how God’s silence invites us to pursue Him more passionately. Discover the beauty of seeking and being sought by the Savior.

Celebrate the power of the bride’s voice in the Song of Solomon. This final session encourages believers to find their voice in prayer, worship, and witness, resonating with the Bridegroom’s delight in hearing His beloved.

In Episode 5 of our Holy Spirit series, Tom O'Toole and Tim Simmonds explore how the Spirit empowers mission, not just meetings. They reflect on the difference between ‘glamour stories’ and the quiet, everyday work of the Spirit in family and church life. From spiritual gifts to worship, preaching, and communion, how do we move from knowledge to encounter? What does it mean to meet with God now, not just remember how He moved in the past? They also discuss giving leaders space to grow and the kind of church culture that helps people draw closer to God and go further in mission.

In this episode, Tom O’Toole and Tim Simmonds explore the messy middle of charismatic church culture. Where awe, awkwardness, emotion and expectation collide. They talk honestly about discomfort in spiritual spaces, navigating the weird and the wonderful, and learning to pray with faith (without the caveats). From stories of physical encounters with the Holy Spirit to the challenge of worshipping freely in a British church context, this episode wrestles with how we experience God, and how not to lose sight of Him amid the noise. They also reflect on: • The impact of growing up in charismatic churches • Cultural baggage around worship styles • Praying for parking spaces vs praying for healing • The risks of hype vs shame • Encouraging gifts without replicating hype Real talk, raw reflections, and lots to chew on.

In this episode, Tom O’Toole and Tim Simmonds dive into what prophetic culture looks like in the Church today, and how we can make space for the miraculous, even in small, local church settings. They explore how to nurture healthy prophecy, build faith for signs and wonders without hype, and keep the focus on what the Holy Spirit wants to do in everyday church life.

In this second episode of our Holy Spirit series, Tom O’Toole and Tim Simmonds explore what it looks like to be open to the Holy Spirit in the Church today. Tim reflects on both the challenges and encouraging signs he sees across the UK church, from generational shifts and spiritual openness to the influences from the USA and the rise in cultural spirituality. They talk honestly about the baggage some carry from past ministry moments, how to navigate cynicism (especially in British culture), and how churches can encourage environments where the Spirit can move freely again. They discuss “Think the Best” culture at Christ Church Manchester, and how a fresh move of God may look very different to the ones we’ve seen before.

In this brand new podcast series from the Broadcast Network, Tom O’Toole sits down with Tim Simmonds, senior pastor of Christ Church Manchester, to talk all things Holy Spirit. Together they reflect on past moves of God, including movements like the Toronto Blessing, and ask how the Church has generally changed since the 90s. What does it mean to lead when many younger leaders have never experienced a move of God in their lifetime? Tim shares his prophetic vision for “replumbing the house” so the Spirit can move freely, the lessons learned post-lockdown, and the importance of starting new prayer meetings, and giving them names. They also explore the charismatic/traditional church divide, their frustration with performative spirituality, and the challenge of building a multi-site church that genuinely serves different communities across Manchester.

Project Weekender is a 24-hour conference for students and 20s passionate about seeing God move in their generation. In our second Saturday afternoon session, Liam Thatcher brought a high-voltage message on living an empowered life in the Spirit. A writer, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus, Liam’s talk crackled with insight and encouragement. We were so honoured to have him with us, listen back now and stay powered up! ⚡

Project Weekender is a 24-hour conference for students and 20s passionate about seeing God move in their generation. Bringing a surge of wisdom and challenge, Damilola Makinde from King’s Cross Church, London, delivered an electrifying message in our Saturday afternoon session. Damilola is the Formation Pastor at King’s Cross Church and the Advocacy Engagement Lead at the Evangelical Alliance.

Project Weekender is a 24-hour conference for students and 20s passionate about seeing God move in their generation. In our Saturday morning session, TJ Koleoso from Jubilee Church London brought a powerful message. TJ is a Mercury and Brit Award-winning musician with Ezra Collective and leads the young adults ministry at Jubilee Church. Listen back now!

Project Weekender is a 24-hour conference for students and 20s with a passion to see God move in their generation. This year, the event was opened by Andrew Wilson, Teaching Pastor at King’s Church London. Andrew holds degrees in history and theology from Cambridge (MA) and King’s College London (PhD). He is a columnist for Christianity Today and the author of several award-winning books, including Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West.

We recently released a Theology Club course on The Song of Solomon, a book of the Bible that many find tricky to understand. In this episode of The Broadcast Podcast, Tom O’Toole explores a topic that some may find challenging—intimacy with Jesus. He unpacks why this kind of closeness with Christ is deeply fulfilling, going beyond marriage or singleness and into the embrace of our Saviour, whose love is unconditional and beautiful. Listen now, and dive deeper into intimacy with Jesus alongside our Theology Club series.

In this episode of the Broadcast Podcast, Tom O’Toole chats with Abi Flavell exploring the themes of her new book, Healed & Whole: Biblical Wisdom for Men and Women in Ministry. They discuss how healing and wholeness impact ministry, leadership, and church life for women and men, offering practical insights for those serving in different capacities. Tune in for a conversation full of wisdom, encouragement, and practical solutions.

In this introductory session, Andy Brownlee outlines the journey ahead as he covers the principles of serving under apostolic leadership. Drawing from years of experience at Christ Church Manchester, Andy sets the stage for the upcoming sessions by discussing the significance of humility, loyalty, and servant-heartedness in ministry. He introduces the key themes of the course, including how to support senior leaders effectively, build strong relationships, and raise up new leaders for future generations. This session provides a roadmap for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of leadership within a church context.