Episode 7: Hueston Finlay - Preaching as a sacramental act and being faithful to the Scriptures

Few people know the hidden work behind public preaching. In this moving conversation, Archbishop Sarah Mullally shares the realities of preaching with dyslexia: the fear of reading aloud, the discipline of preparation, the challenge of comparison, and the joy of finding her own voice. Together, we explore how sermons are born, why accessibility matters, how confidence grows, and what happens when weakness becomes a gift for others. Warm, practical and profound, this episode will encourage preachers everywhere to trust that God can use their voice, exactly as it is. It is a conversation about preaching, calling and becoming who God has made and called you to be.

Eight pilgrims from Leicester travel down red-dust roads beneath Mount Kilimanjaro to learn from a bishop whose diocese has planted hundreds of churches, many meeting under trees. In this powerful conversation, Bishop Stanley Elilekia Hotay shares a startlingly simple vision: preach Christ, go where people are, and never avoid the places nobody else wants to go. Along the way, he challenges Western assumptions about preaching, leadership, and church growth. He speaks of sermons that first wound the preacher before they heal the listener, of faith that builds churches before the money arrives, and of a gospel that must transform culture rather than be shaped by it. Full of stories, wisdom, humour and hard-earned conviction, this episode is a reminder that preaching is more than information. It is truth carried in the heart, spoken with love, and lived among the people. From the foot of Kilimanjaro comes a fresh invitation: stop decorating the gospel. Preach Christ.

Jonathan Agnew: Cricket, Trust, Voice and the Art of Communication. What can preachers, leaders and communicators learn from one of the most recognisable voices in British broadcasting? In this special episode of Preaching Well, Bishop Saju Muthalaly and Rev James Pickersgill sit down with Jonathan Agnew, the legendary BBC Test Match Special commentator, for a conversation that goes far beyond cricket. Together they explore the surprising connections between cricket commentary and preaching: how to build trust, hold attention, tell compelling stories, communicate under pressure, and find the right words when millions are listening. Agnew reflects on: * The secret of great broadcasting * What he learned from Michael Parkinson * How to interview people in moments of triumph and failure * Why trust takes decades to build and seconds to lose * The power of voice, silence and timing * Commentary, leadership and communication in an age of social media * Lessons from cricket that apply equally to pulpits, classrooms, boardrooms and public life Along the way, there are memorable stories involving Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Test Match Special, St Paul's Cathedral, radio broadcasting, and the craft of communicating with authenticity. Whether you're a cricket supporter, preacher, journalist, teacher, podcaster or leader, this is a masterclass in how great communicators earn trust and keep it. A conversation about cricket. A masterclass in communication. A lesson in trust. Jonathan Agnew has spent more than three decades helping millions understand what is happening on the field. In this fascinating and unexpected conversation, he reveals what every communicator can learn from a lifetime behind the microphone.

Content Warning: This episode contains personal stories and descriptions of violence, war, armed conflict, death threats, bereavement, and traumatic experiences from ministry in Burundi. Simon recounts incidents involving killings, threats to life, severe suffering, and the effects of conflict on families and communities. Some listeners may find these stories distressing or triggering. Please take care while listening and consider whether this episode is right for you at this time. What happens when a prayer changes the course of your life? Simon Guillebaud takes us from an awkward first sermon at boarding school to war-torn Burundi, where a single phone call set him on a path of danger, faith, miracles, heartbreak, and radical discipleship. Along the way, he wrestles with fear, faces death threats, watches God show up in extraordinary ways, and learns that preaching is far more than communication. It is surrender.In this raw and deeply personal conversation, Simon explores courage, storytelling, spiritual warfare, prayer, suffering, and what it means to preach Christ without compromise. From refugee camps to revival meetings, from parenting struggles to moments of breathtaking hope, this is a conversation that refuses easy answers and keeps pointing back to Jesus.If you preach, teach, lead, or simply want a faith that moves beyond comfort, this episode will challenge, encourage, and stay with you long after it ends.

A barrister turns preacher... Stephen Foster from St Aldates, Oxford strips preaching back to its core: speak Jesus, trust the Spirit, love the people in front of you. From serving coffee to leading a new generation of preachers, he shares what actually forms a voice that connects—across ages, doubts, and a culture that feels "pre‑Christian” again. Expect sharp honesty, surprising hope, and a simple challenge: - Don’t impress—serve. - Don’t complicate—proclaim. - Don’t move on—stay with the gospel. Because you never graduate from it.