St Michaels Church Podcast

We look at Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well and the living water He offers. Her story reminds us that Jesus seeks out the overlooked, speaks into our deepest longings, and meets us with truth and grace. What begins with a simple request for a drink becomes a powerful revelation of who Jesus is and the life He gives. Through Him, our thirst is met by the presence of God that never runs dry.

Simon Watkinson explores Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus and the invitation to be born again. It reminds us that no one enters the Kingdom through status, knowledge, or goodness, but through new life in Christ. Jesus calls us out of hiding and into the light, where we can receive His forgiveness, be filled with His love, and live as people who draw others towards Him.

Jesus turning water into wine as a picture of his abundance, joy, and power to meet every need. It reminds us to bring our lack to Jesus, trust that He is more than enough, and live with expectation instead of a scarcity mindset. Obedience to Jesus is not restrictive, but the pathway into freedom, fullness, and joy. As we encounter Him, we are invited to be filled with his life and to let that overflow into the world around us.

Simon is in conversation with Alan Searle, following his ⁠talk⁠ in our Flourish series on the person and work of the Holy Spirit (watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlnYZe-diq0). We cover Alan's journey to faith and with the Spirit, how we might experience the regular filling of the Spirit, and what the Spirit convicts us of. We hope that this is an encouragement to any believer wanting to be more and more led by the Spirit, as well as those in various forms of leadership who are wanting to spur that on in others. And if you're curious about faith and what the Holy Spirit is and is for, why not try some of the practices Alan mentions, and see what you learn? Make sure to subscribe, and we'd love to see you on a Sunday soon. https://www.⁠stmichaelschestersquare.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/stmichaelschestersquare/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@st.michaels.chester.sqr

Jamie Mulvaney sits down with Miles Toulmin, CEO of Alpha International and former church planter in Malaysia, for a conversation that moves from dramatic healings in Kuala Lumpur to the unprecedented spiritual hunger sweeping Gen Z across the Western world. Through extraordinary testimonies and practical wisdom, Miles makes a compelling case: real transformation comes from encountering the Holy Spirit. Catch up on the Flourish series from St Michael’s Sunday talks: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFbwp0n7VmNTukTESX4k6RefnzB_9HRWZ&si=HNDLvMySFCX9NyMp Miles shares stories that sound more like the book of Acts than modern church life—a Taoist medium of 40 years who had to be baptised that day to break free from spiritual oppression, a man healed of a slipped disc after a word of knowledge, and a Malaysian family that came to Christ one by one until the local temple sent undercover agents to their Alpha course. But beyond the remarkable testimonies, Miles offers deeply practical wisdom on how ordinary believers can step into the gifts of the Spirit with confidence. The conversation tackles questions many Christians are too afraid to ask: How do you know if a word of knowledge is really from God or just your imagination? What do you do when you've prayed for healing for years and nothing has changed? Why do spiritual gifts seem to work more powerfully outside the Western church? And what's behind the staggering statistic that Bible sales in the UK are up 134% in five years—with the King James Version as the bestseller? This episode is for: - Anyone who's read about the Holy Spirit in scripture but wonders why their experience feels so different - Church leaders wanting to move prayer ministry from the margins to the centre of congregational life - Believers who've been praying faithfully for breakthrough and are tempted to give up - Those curious about spiritual gifts but unsure how to start exercising them—Miles calls it ‘exercising the muscle’ - Anyone tracking the remarkable spiritual awakening happening among Gen Z and wondering what comes next Miles reveals why the new Alpha series launching in May 2026 is targeting Gen Z as its bullseye, what he's learned about spiritual authority from a decade in Asia, and why he believes we're on the edge of a wonderful harvest—prepared by the faithful prayers of those who've ploughed tough ground for years. Before becoming CEO of Alpha, Miles was Vicar of Holy Trinity Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur, and Associate Vicar of HTB in London. Follow Miles on Instagram: @mtoulmin Find out about Alpha: alpha.org Make sure to subscribe, and we'd love to see you on a Sunday soon. stmichaelschestersquare.org/ www.instagram.com/stmichaelschestersquare/ www.tiktok.com/@st.michaels.chester.sqr

Jamie Mulvaney sits down with Associate Vicar, Simon Watkinson to explore human flourishing and the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. Following the launch of St Michael’s new Flourish series, they reflect on what it means to receive life from God rather than trying to manufacture it ourselves. You can catch up on Jamie's talk from Sunday: https://youtu.be/whCF79Ugyd4?si=5bdl1QNlnWwTLy1a Jamie shares what didn’t make it into Sunday’s talk, including the connection between being rooted in Scripture, delighting in God, and being sustained by the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit. Simon and Jamie discuss the pressure many people feel to create their own identity, control their future, and chase the next “life hack”, and how Christianity offers a different vision: receiving who we are from the God who knows and loves us. The conversation also looks at why flourishing is never purely individual. From gathering as a church to waiting faithfully on God, Jamie and Simon explore how the Holy Spirit forms people not in isolation, but in community. They reflect on prayer ministry, the importance of creating space for God to move, and how both giving and receiving prayer can become places of encounter, growth, and blessing. This conversation is for: –anyone feeling spiritually dry or unsure where God is in their current season –church leaders thinking about how to create space for the Holy Spirit in gathered worship –those wrestling with the pressure to define themselves, control their life, or find the next fix for flourishing –anyone curious about prayer ministry, the Holy Spirit, and what it means to meet with God in community Make sure to subscribe, and we’d love to see you on a Sunday soon. https://stmichaelschestersquare.org/ https://www.instagram.com/stmichaelschestersquare/ https://www.tiktok.com/@st.michaels.chester.sqr

Jamie Mulvaney sits down with Associate Vicar, Simon Watkinson to look back on their 12-week journey through the book of Nehemiah in the Rebuilders series. What began as a systematic walk through an Old Testament book became a catalyst for transformation at St Michael's Chester Square—culminating in an unexpected outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the series' final weeks. You can catch up on the Rebuilders series: • Rebuilders Jamie unpacks why he chose to move slowly and deliberately through Nehemiah rather than cherry-picking favourite passages. Simon and Jamie discovered unexpected treasures and challenges in chapters about marriage, Sabbath, and finances that might otherwise have been overlooked. Jamie explores the paradox at the heart of rebuilding: how do we partner with God in building His church when ultimately it's Christ who does the building? Simon identifies complacency as the series' most persistent challenge, asking penetrating questions: What have we settled for that's 'okay but not the best'? Where have we allowed God's renown to take second place to our comfort? Meanwhile, Jamie reflects on how prayer emerged as the undergirding theme—not prayer as passive waiting, but prayer as the furnace that fuels action and ensures God defines both the ‘what' and the ‘when' of ministry. This conversation is for: --church leaders navigating seasons of change and rebuilding --anyone wrestling with what it means to work hard while trusting God completely --those who want to see beyond the immediate project to the deeper work God is doing in building His people --pastors and ministry teams planning sermon series and wondering whether to go topical or systematic Make sure to subscribe, and we’d love to see you on a Sunday soon. https://stmichaelschestersquare.org/ https://www.instagram.com/stmichaelschestersquare/ https://www.tiktok.com/@st.michaels.chester.sqr

Welcome to our first episode of the Equip Podcast from St Michael’s Chester Square in central London. We want to equip the local and global church in ministry and mission through longer form conversations and talks. In today’s episode, Vicar Jamie Mulvaney sits down with Worship Pastor, Dwaine Morgan, for a candid conversation about authentic worship, sacrifice, and encountering God's presence. Dwaine brings his insight from stepping into the Church of England from a Pentecostal worship background, and what he’s learnt from both. You can catch up on the talk referred to in this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weJjwLqBfoU And you can catch up on the Rebuilders series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFbwp0n7VmNQweTMXIL4UjnCTR0Zf1Rig&si=fpXVa0dCDbsBRs1l Following an extraordinary outpouring of the Holy Spirit during Sunday services, Dwaine shares his insights on what it means to truly worship God—not just through music, but through our entire lives. Drawing from the church's Rebuilders series on Nehemiah, this conversation explores the tension between traditional and contemporary worship, the role of emotions in encountering God, and why dedication must precede celebration. Dwaine opens up about his personal journey through unimaginable grief after losing his daughter, revealing how worship became not just an act of service, but a weapon of faith in the darkest moments. He challenges listeners to move beyond preference-based Christianity to a life of radical surrender. This episode is for: --anyone wrestling with what authentic worship looks like in a culture of convenience --worship leaders seeking to create space for genuine encounter rather than manufactured moments --worship leaders looking to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary forms of worship --believers who want to experience the transformative power of God's presence in both the mundane and miraculous moments of life --believers who are unsure about manifestations of the Holy Spirit in church services Make sure to subscribe to the St Michael’s podcast, and we’d love to see you on a Sunday soon. https://stmichaelschestersquare.org/ https://www.instagram.com/stmichaelschestersquare/ https://www.tiktok.com/@st.michaels.chester.sqr