How do we respond to religious violence? How should leaders post on social media? What can we learn from the decline of former champions?

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 from the past weeks and what we can learn from them for church leadership.

Show notes

• Rising Lights highlights (youtu.be)
• Thrive 2026 (fiec.org.uk)
• Ministry Wives Retreat 2026 (fiec.org.uk)
• Two teenagers arrested over arson attack at synagogue in Harrow (independent.co.uk)
• Trump deletes post depicting him as Jesus-like figure after backlash (bbc.co.uk)
• How Leicester went from champions to League One in a decade (bbc.co.uk)

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 - Rising Lights review

04:32 - A new Local Director

08:20 - How do we respond to violence inspired by religion?

17:50 - Donald Trump's AI Jesus image, and social media use

28:01 - The decline of Leicester City and complacency in leadership