In:Dependence

How many evangelicals are there in the UK? Should we slow down the development of AI? Can anyone simply become independent?In this episode of In:Dependence, Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) and John Stevens (FIEC National Director) discuss stories in the news and lessons we can learn for church leadership.Show notesPlanters 2027 conference (FIEC)Church Planting support (FIEC)Understanding UK Evangelicals (EA UK)Anthropic boss Dario Amodei calls for AI development to slow down (BBC)A Christian’s Guide to AI (The Good Book Company)Rising Lights 2027 (Rising Lights)Social Issues Bulletin (Affinity)Village votes to leave UK over asylum housing plan (BBC)The Proclaimers - Knock It Down (Official Video) (YouTube)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.Podcast music: Drifting by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future Infinite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - FIEC update: affiliations and church plants09:55 - EA's Understanding UK Evangelicals survey17:16 - Should AI development slow down?27:28 - Piddington and independency30:38 - The Proclaimers and honouring unsung heroes

Health and safety is an important issue for all church leaders as a way to help us care for and love one another.Health and safety is not just a box-ticking exercise, nor a necessary response to interfering authorities. A proper regard for people's well-being goes to the heart of Christian ministry.As church leaders, we should be invested in it, and glad to be - seeing it as a positive way of caring for and loving others.In this episode of In:Dependence, Becky Thomas, FIEC's Director for Church Governance, joins Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) to talk about risk, keeping people safe, and why we should all be on board.Show notesChurch Policies and Templates (FIEC)Protecting People (FIEC)Risk Assessment templates (FIEC)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.Podcast music: Drifting by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future Infinite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - The importance of keeping people safe02:52 - Health and safety is for every church leader09:38 - Eliminating risk?14:30 - Re-using and refining risk assessments18:01 - First steps towards health and safety21:47 - Communicating health and safety to the church25:00 - Using templates27:46 - Help and resources for health and safety

How do we reconcile tragedy at Christian events? When is style too much over substance? Does the Antichrist walk among us?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news over the past weeks and lessons we can learn from them for church leadership.Show notesFIEC Leaders' Conference 2026 (FIEC)Rising Lights 2027 (Rising Lights)Planters conference (FIEC)Journeys conference (FIEC)Church leads tributes for man killed at festival (BBC)Burnham's PMQs debut shows the challenge of delivering new style of politics (BBC)Keir Starmer announces he is standing down as MP (BBC)JD Vance says he’s doing ‘God’s work – and if that leads to the end times, OK’ (The Guardian)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.Podcast music: Drifting by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future Infinite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - FIEC update06:57 - Big Church Festival tragedy13:29 - Andy Burnham and style or substance19:07 - Keir Starmer and moving on23:16 - JD Vance and the end times

God who delights in those who "pour out their hearts to him" (Psalm 62:8). Explore what this means in church life at the 2026 Leaders' Conference.In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director) and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) talk about the FIEC Leaders' Conference and why we chose the theme of prayer for 2026.Show notesDates: Monday 9 - Wednesday 11 November, 2026Tickets: £285 per person when booking before 6 OctoberFind out more and book: https://fiec.org.uk/events/leaders-conference-2026About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.Podcast music: Drifting by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future Infinite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - What is the FIEC Leaders' Conference?02:48 - 2026 theme: Pour Out Your Hearts07:00 - Seminars, marriage MOT track, drop-ins, and more09:17 - After-event: leading a prayerful church10:58 - How will the conference help you with prayer?

What does the PM's northern office teach us about mission? What is a gospel response to the death penalty? Does football bring happiness?In this episode of In:Dependence, Phil Topham (FIEC Executive Director), John Stevens (FIEC National Director), and Adrian Reynolds (FIEC Associate National Director) discuss stories in the news over the past weeks.Show notes:Rising Lights 2027 (FIEC)Leaders' Conference 2026 (FIEC)Navigate Church Planting Challenges Together (cohorts) (FIEC)Behind the scenes at Number 10 as Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister (BBC)What does Manchester think of new Number 10 North? (BBC)Ruth Ellis, last woman hanged in UK, granted posthumous conditional pardon (The Guardian)Infantino tells Fifa critics to 'meditate, pray or watch football' (BBC Sport)England and France players lauded for praying together after World Cup thriller (The Independent)About In:Dependence: In:Dependence is FIEC’s official podcast, where you’ll hear conversations on topics for church leaders.Podcast music: Drifting by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Future Infinite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.About FIEC: We are ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a fellowship of Independent churches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with members of the family across England, Scotland and Wales. Our mission is to see those Independent churches working together with a big vision: to reach Britain for Christ.00:00 - Giving thanks for holidays02:49 - FIEC update09:49 - Andy Burnham, Prime Minister16:00 - Valuing the whole UK19:18 - Ruth Ellis' death sentence and the gospel27:18 - The World Cup and happiness