The Thread, from Alpha

Episod

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  LC26 Bonus Episode: Digital Reset - Developing a Digital Rule of Life and Making AI Work for You 11.08.2026 56min

  We all live by a rule of life – including with digital devices which come with default settings that are poorly designed for genuine spiritual, mental, and emotional health. As AI expands, intentional personal and communal practices become more urgent. This episode will help you redesign life rhythms to use technology fruitfully while growing in wholeness, freedom, and deeper humanity.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: Unusual Suspects: Lessons in Leadership from Strange Corners of the Bible 04.08.2026 57min

  When thinking about biblical examples of leadership, we often turn to the usual suspects for wisdom and inspiration. But what might we discover if we mine the scriptures for leadership examples that are less commonly spotlighted? Join Tim Mackie from The Bible Project and The Orchard's Rachel and Amy Hughes, as they highlight a handful of unlikely leaders in the Bible.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: Stephen Foster, Shaken Yet Stirred 28.07.2026 30min

  From the main stage at LC26, Stephen Foster teaches on being a joyful leader in an anxious age. Looking to Paul's letter to the Philippians, he shares an exhortation to let the disruption and shaking around you stir a passion within you, to let gratitude fill your heart, and to stay in the fight – because He is worth it.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: Johannes Hartl, Are We Working Too Hard or Not Hard Enough? 21.07.2026 28min

  In his main stage talk from LC26, Johannes Hartl poses the question, "Are we working too hard or are we not working hard enough anymore?" Referencing Nietzsche's model of the camel, lion, and child, he explains why this is a spiritual question that demands the spiritual solution of being rooted and grounded in the love of God in order to no longer operate as orphans.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: An Interview with Louise Perry 14.07.2026 22min

  Through working as a journalist and a support worker at a rape crisis centre, Louise Perry began analysing the impact of the sexual revolution and went on to write The Case Against the Sexual Revolution. In this interview with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel at Leadership Conference 2026, she discusses her findings on the cost of removing Christian sexual ethics from society and how this led her to faith in Jesus.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: Tope Koleoso, Cultivating a Prayer Culture 07.07.2026 41min

  Exhorting the leaders at LC26 to "ask for rain in the time of rain" (Zechariah 10), Jubilee Church London pastor Tope Koleoso shares a powerful message on prayer. He calls believers back to a place of intercession, declaration, confession, and adoration, offering practical teaching on hindrances to prayer and cultivating a prayer culture in our churches and communities.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: An Interview with Tsitsi Masiyiwa 30.06.2026 26min

  Nicky speaks to award-winning philanthropist Tsitsi Masiyiwa, who has leapfrogged her way to incredible impact alongside her husband, Strive. The interview highlights stories from their inspirational journey, some of the challenges along the way, and the power of prayer.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: Nicky Gumbel in Conversation with Cardinal Tagle 23.06.2026 22min

  Speaking to Nicky Gumbel in Rome, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle – one of just 12 Cardinal-Bishops in the Catholic Church – shares his wisdom on humility, being a good listener, remaining anchored in Jesus, and being light of heart. He also gives a one-line response to each of the Alpha episode topics.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: An interview with Evika Siliņa 16.06.2026 23min

  "Fear is the worst advisor." In a captivating interview with Nicky Gumbel, Latvia's former Prime Minister Evika Siliņa shares her wisdom on leadership. She discusses everything from running Alphas and encountering the Holy Spirit, to being called into politics and her friendship with President Zelenskyy.
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  LC26 Bonus Episode: Nicky Gumbel, The Unshakeable Kingdom 09.06.2026 45min

  In his LC26 address, Nicky Gumbel reminds us that in a world marked by instability, anxiety, and uncertainty, the Kingdom of God remains unshakable. Drawing on Hebrews 12:28 and the biblical image of Jesus as the Rock, he shares a message of resilience and hope – encouraging the church to unite around Jesus, the unshakable rock, and challenging us to play our part in the evangelisation of the nations, the revitalisation of the church, and the transformation of society.  
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  The Open Generation, Going Viral, and Returning to First Love with Xenia James & Jesse Fellingham 18.03.2026 1j 8min

  Stephen Foster is joined by Xenia James and Jesse Fellingham, two hosts of the Alpha Youth Series and The Way UK. They share their personal journeys to faith, the story behind their street interviews with thousands of young people, and what they’re discovering about Gen Z’s openness to spirituality and Christianity. They also reflect on the pressures of online momentum, the importance of slowing down to prioritise time with God and tend to one’s own internal world, and the role of church community while working to reach a new generation.
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  Faith Across Borders with Miles Toulmin, Shaila Visser & Patricia Lau: Stories of Growth, Renewal, & the Next Generation 04.03.2026 40min

  Stephen Foster speaks with Miles Toulmin, CEO of Alpha International; Shaila Visser, Global Vice President and National Director of Alpha Canada; and Patricia Lau, Executive Director of Alpha Hong Kong about Alpha’s impact around the world. From church planting in Malaysia to student-led Alpha in schools, they explore a global surge in faith, innovative outreach, and how even children as young as 10 are actively sharing their faith. 
• 
  The Science of Happiness with Arthur Brooks: Leadership, Meaning, and the Cost of Success 18.02.2026 57min

  Join Stephen Foster and Arthur Brooks, Professor at Harvard University and New York Times bestselling author, live from Leadership Conference 2025 as they discuss the science of happiness for leaders and the importance of reckoning with idols. Arthur shares fascinating findings on neurochemistry, covering the concepts of enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning; the emotional cost of leadership; and insights on impulse control, dopamine, addiction, and truth-telling.  
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  Against the Current with Louise Perry: Sex, Truth, and the Return to Faith 04.02.2026 56min

  Author and journalist, Louise Perry, joins Stephen Foster to examine why the sexual revolution has failed many women and families. Drawing on data, lived experience, and her own journey from atheism to faith, she reflects on marriage, dating, power, and why ancient wisdom may speak more clearly to modern confusion than today’s promises of liberation.
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  Extraordinary Days with Archie Coates, Al Gordon & Pete Hughes: Spiritual Hunger, Openness, and the Call to Be Ready 21.01.2026 47min

  Stephen Foster is joined by church leaders Archie Coates, Al Gordon, and Pete Hughes. Together they reflect on a growing spiritual openness across society and a renewed hunger for God within the church. They discuss the surge of people exploring faith, stories of healing and encounter, and what this moment calls for in terms of prayer, invitation, and relational leadership – especially in raising up the next generation.
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  Faith in a Shaking World with Nicky Gumbel 10.12.2025 32min

  In this episode, Stephen Foster talks with Nicky Gumbel about faith and leadership in a world marked by conflict and uncertainty. Nicky reflects on a growing spiritual hunger and openness he’s seeing, including in his own Alpha group. They discuss leading like Jesus, the challenges of leadership today, and the importance of unity and learning from the global church.
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  LC25 Bonus Series: A Conversation with Bear Grylls 09.09.2025 25min

  In this Bonus episode of The Thread from Leadership Conference 2025, we hear from multiple Emmy and BAFTA Award winner Bear Grylls. Bear joins Nicky Gumbel live from the Royal Albert Hall and shares about his new book "The Greatest Story Ever Told", the process of writing it, and how deeply it has impacted his life.
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  Going to God for Creativity with Steve Chao 27.08.2025 51min

  In this episode of The Thread, Stephen sits down with Director of the Chinese Alpha Film Series, the Alpha Youth Series and the upcoming new Alpha Series, and the CEO of SignalFlare Productions, Steve Chao. Steve shares incredible insights into leading with faith in creative spaces and how his background in journalism at the heart of war zones across the globe shaped his passion for storytelling. Content Warning: This episode contains several mentions of topics associated with warfare.
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  LC25 Bonus Episode: Ordinary Jobs, Extraordinary Calling - Making a Kingdom Impact in the Workplace 19.08.2025 44min

  In this Bonus episode from Leadership Conference 2025, Patricia Lau, Executive Director of Alpha Hong Kong, is joined by global business leaders to look at how we can transform everyday work into patterns of Kingdom impact in the workplace.
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  Spiritual Inheritance with Jacintha Tagal 13.08.2025 43min

  Jacintha Tagal leads HTBB Church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with her husband, Abel Cheah. In this episode, she shares with Stephen how her father’s headhunting Lun Bawang tribe in East Malaysia received the gospel and experienced the miraculous. She and Stephen discuss revival, spiritual inheritance, ministry, grief, and doing succession well.