God's Gym

Remembrance honours those who serve to defend our freedom and way of  life. It recognises the sacrifice of the Armed Forces across history, as well as loss of those emergency services and innocent civilians killed through conflict and terrorism. As we reflect on the importance of this moment, we consider the importance of asking the right questions: Why are people willing to serve and sacrifice everything and what should our response be as we face the future? 

Sacrifice can be a sign of great strength rather than weakness and to put others first can be the key to success rather than failure. In this podcast we explore the fundamental value of the soldier in putting their life on the line for their cause, country and comrades. 

Who are you loyal to? Who is loyal to you? Does it matter? In this episode we discuss the power of loyalty but also the dangers and ask how we manage this vital value to become the best we can be.

Respect is fundamental to people's lives and mission success and flows from an understanding human dignity and value. In this podcast we discuss how teams that embrace diversity, and value each individual for their contribution and viewpoint are always stronger for it and how important it is to follow the words of Jesus when he says: 'We must treat everyone we encounter, as we would wish to be treated.'

Discipline: to punish or to strengthen and liberate? Discipline is the essence of military strength and resilience. In this podcast we explore the value it brings in shaping our moral character and helping us keep order, focus and ultimately to achieve success.

Courage is the value that underpins everything that the army does and without which all is lost. In our latest podcast we look at the importance of courage and how we can develop the moral and physical bravery to face anything the world throws at us. 

The British Army tagline is 'Be the Best'. Is this just hype or might it be a powerful statement based on its core values and a realistic focus on the true foundation of greatness? Colin and Mark, both Army chaplains, discuss this in our latest episode.

When it gets hot, we don't need to. Today we explore the creative ways we can stay cool when the sun beats down!

When we live in a world with so much information flowing around us, it is hard to analyse and reflect and we are vulnerable to persuasive and manipulative forces. In this podcast we reflect on this challenge and consider how a solution begins with being truthful to ourselves. 

Making good decisions fast is a core skill for a resilient life and there is plenty of evidence that this skill can be learned. Col John Boyd was a US Air Force Pilot from the 1950's and pioneered a way of thinking fast to aid pilots in air combat. Today we discuss how this technique can help us survive and flourish in an ever changing world.

Video games often don’t get enough credit for the beneficial effects they bring, not only for gamers, but for society as a whole. Games have become so much more than mere entertainment. They are formats for complex storytelling that foster players’ imaginations, creativity, problem-solving, and even humour. Just like any form of activity, video games are not without their dangers, but used the right way they can certainly give us a boost in reaching our full potential in life.  

Deep within all of us is a desire for meaning and significance as well as a deep reliance on hope. Without these things we cannot flourish. Creation versus evolution has long been talked of as a battle between religion and science but in reality these are two ideas about our origins that lead to very different conclusions regarding the meaning of life and hope for the future. In our podcast we consider some of the evidence for both and look at why we can have complete confidence in a God who made us and gives us purpose and hope even in the darkest of times. 

Why do so many of us spend our days trying to multitask? We face ever increasing pressures on our time and resources, but is it healthy to focus on more than one thing at a time? A renewed emphasis on an ancient discipline may challenge that behaviour and offer a far better way of managing our busy lives.

In this episode we discuss why you should build a home gym. We explain how easy it is and why it is key to growing to your full potential. 

The smartphone has changed our lives for the better in many ways, but it definitely has its drawbacks. In this podcast we discuss the best way to use a smartphone to enhance our resilience and reach our full potential.

In this episode, we ask whether Christians can belong to an organisation like the Army that may, if necessary, use lethal force in defence of country and others? How do we reconcile military service with the commandment not to kill and what about the challenges of self-defence and protection of others?

Movies have the power to reach into our mind and our chest and move us to tears or inspire us to action. In this podcast we ask why so many movies touch on spiritual themes and what does that say about us. We also reveal the truth behind Raiders of the Lost Ark and Paul mentions the Rocky movie again. 

The Easter story is an explosive one with implications for all of humanity. In this podcast we look at how the involvement of military forces confirms the facts of the story and how professional soldiers force us to reckon with a powerful event, the resurrection of a man from the dead.  

Resilience is the preventative side of mental fitness and is something we can all develop with the right techniques. In this podcast we explore how the Christian life, beliefs and disciplines are uniquely able to foster a resilient mind, body and spirit.

Meat eating has many serious implications for the world and our health. Do Christians have responsibilities to consider these implications and if so where else can we find the protein we need to remain robust and strong?

Knowing who to listen to can be difficult when there are so many competing voices. In the second of a series exploring the role of the Bible in our  lives, we examine the evidence that the Bible is both truthful and effective as our guide for life. 

The difference between success and failure might be down to the book you read. In the first of a series exploring the role of the Bible in our lives, we explore the potential we all have to accomplish great things and how to push yourself beyond your limits. We also discuss the US Navy Seal's 40/60 rule, how British Cycling became the best in the world and a man who dead-lifted 500kg!

In this podcast we discuss why we need other people around us to maintain good physical, emotional and spiritual health. We also discuss survival techniques, the zombie apocalypse, and why 'Die Hard' is the ultimate Christmas movie. 

British Army doctrine says a spiritual foundation produces a solid moral and mental foundation which gives us the strength of will to endure suffering, to face challenges, to make sacrifices and to keep going when we might wish to give up. We discuss spiritual fitness with our guest, Army Padre Colin Bell. 

Some say there is power in positive thinking. Are they just being optimistic or can we tap into something powerful by adjusting the way we think about life and its challenges and opportunities? We look at lessons from sport psychologists, Nobel prize winners, the comedian Robin Williams and the bible to discover more. 

Christians are suppored to be humble, forgiving and selfless in the way they live. Are these things incompatible with competitive sports? As we unpack this topic we look at the  advantages of a competitive spirit as well as the pitfalls and Paul reveals a past life that may shock you!

In this first podcast we begin to consider and unpack how God can help us to reach our full potential in life, physically, mentally and spiritually. We begin, as every day begins, by thinking about that warm, nutty, smoky, aroma of fresh coffee and consider whether its performance enhancing properties are really consistent with a truly spiritual life?