Deep Roots

<p>Pastoral ministry is deeply rewarding — but it can also be deeply lonely. </p><p>In this episode of Deep Roots, Jonny Reid sits down with Andrew Nicholls, Director of Pastoral Care at Oak Hill College, to explore what it really takes to sustain ministry over the long haul.</p><p> Andrew shares his journey from medicine to pastoral ministry, the lessons he learned about truly knowing people (not just preaching to them), and insights from a five-month study leave in South Africa, Kenya, the United States, and Australia. </p><p></p><p>They discuss: </p><p>Why pastors must understand people — not just theology </p><p>The difference between warning the idle, encouraging the disheartened, and helping the weak </p><p>The loneliness many ministers experience </p><p>The growing model of pastoral supervision in Sydney </p><p>How churches might better sustain their leaders </p><p>A new small group resource designed to deepen Christian conversations </p><p></p><p>If you’re in ministry — or care about those who are — this episode offers wisdom, honesty, and hope. </p><p></p><p>👤 ABOUT ANDREW NICHOLLS Andrew Nicholls serves as Director of Pastoral Care at Oak Hill College. Before theological training, Andrew worked as a doctor for ten years before moving into pastoral ministry in South West London. He later trained in biblical counselling with the Christian Counseling &amp; Educational Foundation (CCEF) in Philadelphia. </p><p>He co-authored: Real Change (with Helen Thorne) — a small group resource on spiritual growth </p><p>🔗 Oak Hill College: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oakhill.ac.uk">https://www.oakhill.ac.uk</a> </p><p>🔗 CCEF: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ccef.org">https://www.ccef.org</a> </p><p></p><p>📌 SHOW NOTES In This Episode: </p><p>From medicine to ministry: Andrew’s story </p><p>Why preaching isn’t enough without knowing your people </p><p>Lessons from South Africa on cross-cultural pastoral conversations </p><p>Learning from CCEF in Philadelphia </p><p>What Sydney’s model of pastoral supervision can teach the UK church </p><p>Building resilience in ministry Why “one another” ministry matters </p><p>A new small group course on deepening Christian conversations </p><p></p><p>0:00 Introduction </p><p>1:12 From Medicine to Ministry </p><p>3:48 Why Pastors Must Understand People (Not Just Preach Well) </p><p>5:03 Warn the Idle, Encourage the Disheartened, Help the Weak </p><p>6:06 Why Misdiagnosing People Makes Things Worse </p><p>8:15 Learning from South Africa: Cross-Cultural Pastoral Conversations </p><p>12:40 Training with CCEF in Philadelphia </p><p>16:30 The Loneliness of Pastoral Ministry </p><p>19:55 Ministry Burnout and Sustainability </p><p>23:40 Pastoral Supervision in Sydney </p><p>28:10 What Is Pastoral Supervision? </p><p>33:25 Building Resilient Church Leaders </p><p>38:00 Deepening Christian Conversations (New Small Group Resource) </p><p>42:15 Final Reflections on Sustainable Ministry </p><p></p><p>#DeepRootsPodcast #ChristianLeadership #PastoralCare #ChurchLife #MinistryMatters #PastoralSupervision #ChurchLeadership #TheologicalTraining #MinistryResilience #BiblicalCounseling #ClergyCare #LeadershipDevelopment #ChristianFormation #SustainableMinistry</p>

<p>What if mission isn’t just one theme in the Bible — but the very framework that holds the whole story together?</p><p>In this episode of <strong>Oak Hill College’s Deep Roots Podcast</strong>, Chris Howles is joined by <strong>Revd Dr Christopher J. H. Wright</strong>, one of the world’s leading Old Testament scholars and a key voice in global mission theology. Together, they explore what it means to read Scripture through a <em>missional lens</em> — seeing the Bible not as a collection of disconnected texts, but as the unfolding story of the God who is on mission to redeem the world.</p><p>Chris Wright reflects on the newly released <strong>second edition of <em>The Mission of God</em></strong>, first published 20 years ago and now widely used as a core text in theological education around the world. He explains why mission is not something the church <em>does occasionally</em>, but something the church <em>is</em>, and why every Christian is called to participate in God’s purposes — wherever they are.</p><p>From Luke 24 to Genesis, from Israel’s calling to the Great Commission, this conversation offers deep biblical insight alongside practical wisdom for pastors, leaders, students, and anyone who wants their life to count within God’s great story.</p><p><strong>Whether you preach, teach, lead, or simply read the Bible devotionally, this episode will reshape how you see Scripture — and your place within it.</strong></p><p>🎙️ In This Episode</p><ul><li>What it means to read the Bible as <strong>one unified mission story</strong></li><li>Why mission is not just an activity but the <strong>reason the church exists</strong></li><li>A missional reading of <strong>Luke 24</strong> and the Old Testament</li><li>How pastors and churches can move beyond a once-a-year “mission Sunday”</li><li>Key updates in the <strong>second edition of <em>The Mission of God</em></strong></li><li>Why every Christian is a “mission partner” — wherever they live and work</li></ul><p>👤 About the Guest: Chris Wright</p><p><strong>Revd Dr Christopher J. H. Wright</strong> is an Old Testament scholar, author, and international ambassador for <strong>Langham Partnership</strong>, a global ministry founded by John Stott to equip church leaders in the Majority World through theological education, preaching, and literature.</p><p>He has taught in India and the UK, served at All Nations Christian College, and written extensively on mission, Scripture, and biblical theology.</p><p>📚 Featured Books</p><ul><li><strong>The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative (2nd Edition)</strong></li><li><strong>The Great Story and the Great Commission</strong></li><li>Numerous other works on biblical theology, mission, and ethics</li></ul><p>🔗 Helpful Links</p><ul><li>🌍 <strong>Langham Partnership:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://langham.org">https://langham.org</a></li><li>📖 <strong>Chris Wright’s website (books, sermons, articles):</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://christopherjwright.com">https://christopherjwright.com</a></li><li>🎓 <strong>Oak Hill College:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oakhill.ac.uk">https://www.oakhill.ac.uk</a></li></ul><p></p><p>#DeepRootsPodcast #ChristianPodcast #BibleAndMission #MissionalChurch #BiblicalTheology</p>

<p>In this episode of Deep Roots, the podcast from Oak Hill College, Jonny Reid, Director of Engagement at Oak Hill College and church elder in Oxfordshire, speaks with Luke Foster, Tutor in Doctrine and Church History.</p><p>They explore liberation theology through the lens of Luke’s personal story—growing up in the Roman Catholic cultural context of the Philippines, serving the Anglican church in Chile, and researching the theology of Gustavo Gutierrez.</p><p>Luke explains that liberation theology is not simply a “social gospel,” but at its heart a theological response to inhumanity—asking how we speak of God as Father to people who haven’t even been told they are persons.</p><p>Jonny and Luke discuss how to engage other theological traditions wisely with grace, confidence, and discernment. The conversation highlights:</p><p>The resonant pastoral question at the heart of liberation theology</p><p>Concerns about continuity between nature and grace</p><p>The distinctive Christology of the Protestant Reformed tradition</p><p>Why modern theology still matters for churches today</p><p>A thoughtful, warm, and robust discussion on theology, gospel proclamation, culture, and pastoral care.</p><p></p><p>🎓 Want more from Luke Foster? Check out his book club in January on the Beatific Vision and the book To Gaze Upon God. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oakhill.ac.uk/our-courses/short-courses/to-gaze-upon-god">https://www.oakhill.ac.uk/our-courses/short-courses/to-gaze-upon-god</a></p><p> 📖 Explore courses and training at Oak Hill College. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oakhill.ac.uk/our-courses">https://www.oakhill.ac.uk/our-courses</a></p><p>0:00 – Opening Moment &amp; Podcast Introduction</p><p>1:30 – Luke’s Personal Story &amp; Journey into Liberation Theology</p><p>6:00 – The Historical &amp; Cultural Context of Liberation Theology</p><p>12:30 – Liberation Theology: Core Question Beyond the Stereotypes</p><p>18:30 – Gutierrez’s Answer &amp; Catholic Theological Paradigm</p><p>25:00 – Theological Concerns &amp; Instability of the Catholic Answer</p><p>31:00 – Resources in the Protestant Reformed Tradition</p><p>36:30 – Engaging Other Theological Traditions with Wisdom &amp; Grace</p><p>41:00 – Final Reflections, Application to Ministry &amp; Outro</p><p>#biblical #theology #pastoral #ministry #theological #traditions #liberationtheology #Reformation #Protestant #doctrine #incarnation #sacraments #gospel #culture #churchhistory #Bonhoeffer #C.S.Lewis #Calvin #romancatholicism #Gospelproclamation</p>

<p>Why should Christians—especially pastors and Bible teachers—bother with biblical languages today? In this episode of <em>Deep Roots</em>, Jonny Reid sits down with Rev. Dr. Andrew Cowan, Oak Hill College’s new tutor in Greek and New Testament, to explore the real value of learning Scripture in its original languages.</p><p>Andrew reflects on how Greek first came alive for him, how it has deepened his devotional life, and why slowing down in the text changes everything. Together, they address the most common misconceptions: <em>Is it too time-consuming? Can you ever become proficient? Don’t modern translations and digital tools make languages unnecessary? What if you think you’re “not a linguist”?</em></p><p>They also unpack practical examples from Colossians, Revelation, and John 1 that show how Greek and Hebrew reveal nuance, structure, and richness that translations inevitably flatten.</p><p>Whether you're a ministry leader trying to keep your languages alive, a student considering theological training, or simply an interested believer who wants to understand Scripture more deeply, this episode offers clarity, encouragement, and a reminder that God’s Word is worth the effort.</p><p><strong>Topics covered:</strong></p><ul><li>Why Andrew first fell in love with Greek</li><li>Spiritual impact of reading Scripture slowly</li><li>Four misconceptions about biblical languages</li><li>Whether modern translations make Greek/Hebrew unnecessary</li><li>How not to misuse “a little Greek”</li><li>Textual examples: Colossians 1, Revelation, John 1</li><li>How to start learning Greek or Hebrew today</li><li>How pastors can revive rusty language skills</li><li>Tools: Daily Dose of Greek, Alpha with Angela, reading groups</li><li>Why God’s Word is worth the effort</li></ul><p><strong>Resources mentioned:</strong></p><ul><li><em>Exegetical Fallacies</em> – D.A. Carson</li><li>Daily Dose of Greek</li><li>Alpha With Angela (YouTube)</li><li>Greek/Hebrew reading groups &amp; refresher retreats at Oak Hill College</li></ul><p>00:00 – Intro: Why Study Biblical Languages Today? </p><p>02:00 – Andrew's Journey Into Greek &amp; Hebrew </p><p>06:30 – How Languages Deepen the Way We Read Scripture </p><p>12:00 – The Four Big Misconceptions </p><p>18:30 – The Danger of Knowing Just a Little Greek </p><p>24:30 – Key Payoff Example: Colossians 1:28–29 </p><p>31:30 – Greek, Grammar &amp; Theology </p><p>40:30 – The Bigger Picture: Structure, Wordplay &amp; Nuance </p><p>48:00 – How to Start Learning Greek or Hebrew </p><p>55:30 – Reviving Rusty Languages for Ministry </p><p>01:03:00 – Resources, Community &amp; Learning Support </p><p>01:10:00 – Final Answer: Because the Word of God Is Worth It </p><p>01:14:00 – Oak Hill’s Training Pathways &amp; Close</p>

<p>What does it mean for the <em>local church</em> to truly “send well”? In this episode of Oak Hill College’s <em>Deep Roots</em> podcast, host <strong>Chris Howles</strong> sits down with <strong>Bradley Bell</strong> and <strong>Larry McCrary</strong> from <strong>The Upstream Collective (USA)</strong> to explore what it looks like for churches to reclaim their biblical role in global mission.</p><p>Together, they unpack the vision behind the Upstream Collective’s motto — <em>“The church sends, we help”</em> — and discuss key insights from their book <em>The Sending Church Applied</em>, including their “Periodic Table of Sending.”</p><p>🕊️ <strong>Topics include:</strong></p><ul><li>Why every believer is a “sent one”</li><li>How churches can move from reactive to proactive mission sending</li><li>The four stages of a healthy sending culture — <em>Establishing, Developing, Engaging,</em> and <em>Multiplying</em></li><li>The crucial role of care, commissioning, and re-entry for missionaries</li><li>Practical steps for pastors and leaders to start cultivating a sending culture</li></ul><p>📚 <strong>Resources mentioned:</strong></p><ul><li><em>The Sending Church Applied</em> by Bradley Bell, Larry McCrary, and colleagues</li><li>Learn more about <strong>The Upstream Collective:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.theupstreamcollective.org">https://www.theupstreamcollective.org</a></li><li>Explore <strong>Oak Hill College’s Cross-Cultural Training:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oakhill.ac.uk">https://www.oakhill.ac.uk</a></li></ul><p>🎧 Subscribe for more conversations helping you grow deep roots in theology, mission, and ministry.</p><p>🔗 Learn more about Oak Hill’s courses and resources: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.oakhill.ac.uk">https://www.oakhill.ac.uk</a></p><p>🎧 Subscribe to Deep Roots for more conversations on theology and ministry.</p><p>#DeepRootsPodcast #MinistryLife #OakHillCollege #mission #upstreamcollective</p>