WHOA That's Good Podcast - Proof That God Exists

Episode Date: February 24, 2021

Sadie shares her prophetic dream and what she learned from Uncle Si as she introduces Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, best known for Alpha Course, Bible in One Year, and their brilliant accents and advice. Ni...cky describes how he went from atheist to believer and talks about overcoming his negative view of Christianity, how to accept God's love and approval, and why belief in Jesus isn't a blind leap of faith. Pippa describes what she learned about faith and fear in the face of cancer. Nicky has a mic drop when he lists 5 things everyone should do while preparing for a talk. And Sadie and Christian answer a question about what makes someone marriage material. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Honestly, Emerson will be on this in a second. If you leave it to us, we will do something completely disastrous. We will have deleted everything you've not only this interview, but every interview you've ever done will be deleted. We are capable of doing huge amounts. Here comes Emerson's. Oh, there they are. Great. Oh, right. Oh, back. Perfect. I never knew a computer could run out of space. All right, well welcome to the podcast, Nicky and Pippa. I am so, so, so excited that y'all are here.
Starting point is 00:00:44 Honestly, you know, I've done a lot of interviews, but I was like giddy about this one I was like nervous and giddy because I just love y'all so much. So welcome to to the whoa that's good podcast Yeah, we are so thrilled to be with you. Oh It's absolutely wonderful to be with you. I'm so excited. So for those who don't know who you are, y'all are over in London, right, England? And I got to meet you in a really unique, special way. So I'll kind of connect the dots for people who don't know how we met.
Starting point is 00:01:18 It was actually really crazy because you're part of starting the Alpha thing and I went to the Alpha conference, but the reality is I just signed up to go to the conference. I was just like going to attend with my friends because I heard that it was amazing. My mom and dad actually went the previous year and called me and she said,
Starting point is 00:01:38 say we are moving to London. We are joining H2B. We are starting this Alpha thing with like, she was so excited. And I was like, well, that's a big leap. But I'll start by just going and seeing the alpha conference. And so in the meantime, y'all reached out and asked if I would do a Q&A.
Starting point is 00:01:57 And I was like, wow, that is so amazing. And I just felt really humbled that y'all would want to interview me and really thankful, well, when we get on the phone and we start talking, as you're telling me what we're going to be doing, I'm like, wait a second, I think I had a dream that was exactly like this. And it was just so cool because fast, like, flashback to six months before, I had a dream that I would be speaking on the same night as Mike Todd and event and that it would be a global event and that song Set a Fire would be just kind of the anthem of what we would be doing that we would be wanting to set a fire
Starting point is 00:02:37 in the different countries that we were speaking to. So a very prophetic dream because fast forward six months later and I'm talking to y'all not knowing I'm going to speak at alpha, you you're like Pippa said this night is gonna be set on fire because it's gonna be you and Michael Todd and it's a global leadership there's gonna be people all over the world and I'm like wait I totally have had this dream and so we get to meet really in such a god encounter way and that just set up our relationship to be so special I spent some time with y'all in London and then was supposed to do a Christian spend all summer
Starting point is 00:03:12 This past summer and London with y'all but the pandemic kind of kind of ruined those plans a little bit But God had different plans obviously we didn't know we would be expecting a baby and all the different things and so For for those of you who didn't know Nicki and Pippa, that's how we met. But actually, the funny thing is, as I talk to people, I'll say, one of my favorite leaders is Nikki Gumball and Pippa. And people say, oh, who is that?
Starting point is 00:03:38 And as soon as I say, back one, when you're, I was like, oh my goodness, we love them because so many of my friends listen to the back one one year. So I'm excited to hear from you all as I know many are. But we'll start with the opening question about piecast. What is the best piece of advice that you two have ever been given? I was very struck by somebody called Cardinal Tagli who is the Cardinal in charge of the Philippines church, all those millions of people there. He said to us, I take myself, I don't take myself seriously, but I take Jesus seriously.
Starting point is 00:04:16 That's good. And that has always struck me that I've worried so much about what people think, what I'm doing, what I don't do. But he said, don't take yourself seriously. Not for yourself. Make mistakes. Do things wrong. But take Jesus seriously. I love that. That's so good. I feel like, you know, people always ask me for people who watch our TV show about Uncle Side because if you've ever seen our show, my uncle is like crazy. And people have said, what have you learned from your uncle? And I always say, well, he doesn't take himself so seriously, but he is so serious about his faith.
Starting point is 00:04:53 So I love that that is a piece of advice that's stuck with you. And I hope to do the same with my life, the same that I don't take myself to seriously. I can laugh at myself, but at the same time, like Jesus is a very serious thing. I love that. That's so great. Nikki, what about you? So I had this pastor, very old man. He's no longer alive, but he was just a wonderful man. And I hadn't given this talk where he said, God loves you unconditionally, wholeheartedly and continuously. And after the talk, he came up to me and he said, do you believe that God approves of you? And I said, well, actually, I struggle with that because I know things that, you know, everybody else doesn't know and I find it difficult to believe that God really loves me. And he said to me,
Starting point is 00:05:45 God wants you to know that he approves of you. Wow. He loves you wholeheartedly, continually and totally. And I found that one of the hardest things, most important things to know in life is that you are loved. And you're loved totally, totally continuously wholeheartedly. And so that was a very profound and to know
Starting point is 00:06:10 that got approved of you. Yeah, well, that's beautiful. I love that. And I just love that you shared that because I feel like people already listening struggled to believe that about themselves. You know, struggled to believe that they're loved and that they're approved and that they're a part of a good creation, you know. And so I think that already people listening to this podcast can take that word and know that they're loved and know that they're approved.
Starting point is 00:06:34 And that's something that shapes your whole life. So I got to say, you two really are some Christianized favorite people. And I know we don't even know Yossi very well. But we just look up to you all so much from afar. And we're not the only ones. We were talking to Louis and Shelley Gaglio one day about y'all. And Louis said, Nikki is one of my favorite leaders to look up to because of his humility. And you're both of you, your humility and what you've done and how you've led is so beautiful. But also, not just leaders in the church, honestly, y'all are like our relationship goals. Like,
Starting point is 00:07:10 a lot of people here, you know, have like celebrities that are like their relationship goals, but Nicki and Piffekumble are our relationship goals. So, tell us back up, way, way, way, way back. How did y'all first meet and how did y'all start y'all's relationship? Well, that was before we were we were Christians. Oh, well, yes, we're back at about age 17, 18 and I wanted to get into a nightclub and then you had to be a member. And someone gave me Nick's telephone number. I'd never met him and I rang him up and asked him whether he'd get me into this nightclub. That is amazing. So, you all come a long way. A lot of questions. Okay, so your work Christians, but now obviously I've hyped you all up to be
Starting point is 00:07:57 these incredible church leaders. So, when did you all become Christians? How did you join me, Jesus? Well, I encountered Jesus through reading the New Testament. I was an atheist. I'd sort of written essays proving that God didn't exist. And my two closest friends told me that they had become Christians. And I was so horrified that I wanted to help them. And so I decided to read the New Testament. And as I read the New Testament, it was as if the person I was reading about in the New Testament, Jesus, emerged from the pages, and I encountered him. Wow. And that was a life-changing moment. I discovered that Jesus,
Starting point is 00:08:40 Jesus said, I came that you might have life and life in all its fullness. And since that time, that's what I discovered. Wow, that's so powerful. So I heard you tell your story one time and how when your friends started becoming Christians, you were like so worried about them. And you said, they were such wonderful people. I didn't know what happened to them. And so you had this like view of Christianity as such like a negative thing. Why? Where did that come from? That you had this like view of Christianity as such like a negative thing. Why? Where did that come from that you had this negative view of Christianity and who Christians are? I think I think it was maybe just a view of church.
Starting point is 00:09:16 I've been into I found my impression of church was that it was boring. I've been to services that were very dull. I thought it's boring. I thought it was irrelevant to my life. How could someone who lived 2,000 years ago, 2,000 miles away, be relevant to my life? And I thought it was untrue. I didn't think there was any intellectual basis for Christianity. And I couldn't have been more wrong. Jesus said, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. Come on. that is awesome. So, Pippa, what about you? You went from getting to a nightclub to helping
Starting point is 00:09:51 lead the church. So, where did you encounter Jesus? Well, I think I sort of had had a nominal Christian up at bringing it. You know, that we'd certainly wouldn't have called ourselves not Christians, but we never talked about God. We didn't have a Bible in the house. We didn't pray together. So I sort of like and it's slightly to saying, I know the Queen, but I've never met the Queen. I think that was a slightly bit like I felt of God, Jesus. I knew of him, but I'd never met him. I'd never encountered him. I didn't have a relationship with him and I had no concept that I could know him. And yes, I met Nikki and he, then, and he was very zealous of, he became a Christian.
Starting point is 00:10:32 So when I re-saw him, he was running around with tracks in his pocket trying to convert everybody, and I was, ah, he's been here waiting for this man. I think he's gone crazy. So totally separately, I met these other young people who'd arrived in London, who were Christians, who wanted to talk about their faith. And I was captivated by them because they were genuine, they were real, they loved me for who I was, not anything that I could give them. And as they talked to me, they opened the Bible one day with me and read from John chapter 10, verse 10, that Jesus says, I came that you might have life and life to all its fullness. And I thought, yes, that's what I want. I have a life and it's great, you know, it's fine, It's great, but I'm missing something. I want this fullness of life. And I went back that day, knelt down
Starting point is 00:11:29 and asked Jesus into my life. Well, that's incredible. So here, you're both talking about this life and life abundantly, life and life to the fore. And you're both had an experience living life without Jesus and you've had an experience and the majority of your life living life with Jesus. Can you tell an obvious difference of the fullness of life from where you were and where you're at now? Like that promise that initially
Starting point is 00:11:54 sparse y'all to get into faith has that carried through for you all in your life? Well I think the difference for me is like before I was always looking for the next thing. I was never really satisfied. I thought I was always looking for the next thing. I was never really satisfied. I thought I was. At the time I wasn't going around and I was in my first year at Cambridge University. I had loads of friends. I was having fun.
Starting point is 00:12:18 I was at parties every night. I was at this nightclub every night. I was like, that was my life. And I thought it was great. But there was always, I was always looking for the next thing. And it was like there was something missing. And it was only when I encountered Jesus that I realized there was something missing. I was like, I had a spiritual hunger. And that spiritual hunger was satisfied. Jesus said, I'm the bread of life. And it's like, you know, in the morning, I'm hungry for breakfast, but there's also a spiritual
Starting point is 00:12:51 hunger. Right. I'm hungry for a relationship with God. We're created for a relationship with God. It's like until we find that relationship, there'll always be something missing. And I think that's what I discovered that it really is true that in that relationship, you find the purpose of your life. I think everyone's looking for purpose. Everyone's looking for love, and everyone's looking to belong. And in Jesus, I found all those things,
Starting point is 00:13:16 a purpose through a relationship with God, through Jesus, I found love, found that I was loved, and I found a belonging. I found this, found that I was loved, and I found a belonging. I found this community of people that I had loads of friends, but the relationships that I've had since, with people who are also sons and daughters of God, follows of Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
Starting point is 00:13:40 it's a different kind of relationship, it's a closeness of relationship. That's amazing. is a different kind of relationship, it's a closeness of relationship. That's amazing. And I think for me, it sort of, again, I thought I had a great light in a way because I had sort of, but it was,
Starting point is 00:13:55 looking back, it was so superficial. And I think Jesus hadn't found me and rescued me. I don't know where I'd have ended up. I think I was so into just going along with the flow of things I could have gone in any direction. Right. And I realized that actually, that God has a plan for our lives.
Starting point is 00:14:15 We're not just wandering around aimlessly, trying to have the most fun we can have or do whatever we want as to please ourselves, but actually that God has a plan and a purpose for my life has given me direction. I'm not saying I haven't wandered from the plan or struggled at different times, but I've known that there is a plan and a purpose for my life that Jesus has mapped out and has gone before me and I want to follow that plan. That's amazing. I love that. It's so cool because one of my favorite verses is that I am the way the truth and the
Starting point is 00:14:48 life and that no one gets to the fall. I've stepped through me and y'all mentioned that several times and I think why I've loved that so much is because not just this generation but just everybody living right now. We're looking for a way. We're looking for direction. We don't want to think that we're just walking around aimlessly, doing stuff for no reason, for no purpose. A lot of times this generation also is so loose with what truth is and we're so confused by that.
Starting point is 00:15:14 And then what is life for? And Jesus just simply says, I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. And if you want to get to the Father who is love, you come through me. And so in that, it literally answers like everything that we're looking for,
Starting point is 00:15:31 everything that we're searching for. And it's so cool to hear your stories because YouTube are people that Christian and I, and several others look up to so much. And I know that y'all went through that journey of struggle and went through the journey of, you know, turning away from God, thinking this has no relevance to me, thinking, how is this man 2000 years ago, any relevance to me to now finding the way, finding the true final life is so inspiring,
Starting point is 00:15:55 so encouraging. Nikki, I know that you come from a family of lawyers, you yourself studied that for years and were a lawyer for years. And then also in your Alfa Course, you talk a lot about evidence, evidence about Jesus, evidence that God is real. So what does evidence mean for you in your life of faith, you know, since you have that law background and you crave that evidence? Yeah, sometimes people talk about Christianity being a blind leap of faith.
Starting point is 00:16:28 I don't believe it is. I think it's a reasonable step of faith. I liken it to a jury trial having to return a verdict. They hear the evidence, but they weren't there. They have to take a step of faith to return their verdict. And I think it's the same. You can't prove Christianity's truth. It's not like two plus two equals four. That's like a mathematical proof. You can't prove it scientifically, but there is good historical evidence on which you can put your faith.
Starting point is 00:16:57 And faith is much more like love. You know, you can't prove love. If you say, how can you, does people love you? Oh, well, I believe she does. Can you prove it? I can't prove it to you. After I think, but I think there's not so good evidence that she does,
Starting point is 00:17:14 but I can't prove it. I can't, there's no sort of mathematical scientific proof that she does, but I believe it. And I think faith is very much like that. There's good evidence that Jesus existed. He lived, he died, and he was raised from the dead. There's good evidence for the resurrection. But at the end of the day, that's historical evidence. It's like the kind of evidence that a jury would hear. And then you have to put your faith and you have to take a step of faith.
Starting point is 00:17:41 But when you take that step of faith, then you have an experience of that relationship. So that confirms that there was a great, one of the great Theologians of the Church, Sintergaston, said that people think that you put your faith because you've seen. You need to see in order to believe. But he said it's the opposite. You believe in order that you might see. And it's actually when you put your faith in Jesus, that was my experience. The moment I put my faith in Jesus, I knew it was true.
Starting point is 00:18:20 That's amazing. Because of the experience. And I think the same is true. You have to take a step of faith. When you take that step, then you see. And you can't... So that's the way around. People often say, you know, another Theologian said, it's not that I understand in order to believe.
Starting point is 00:18:44 I believe in order to understand. Wow. And you can never fully understand this world until you put your faith in Jesus. And when you put your faith in Jesus, it's like your eyes are open to understand that this world is created by God, that there is a God. And that Jesus is the Son of God and that the Holy Spirit comes to live within you and he opens your eyes to see and to understand. Wow.
Starting point is 00:19:09 That's amazing. You know, it's so cool that you shared that because this morning I was like praying for this conversation and just God, what do you want us to talk about? What do you want us to get? And I was thinking about how cool it is that, you know, because honestly before I do any interview I study, because actually, Nikki, you gave me the advice. You said, to be a good interviewer, ask questions you already know the answer to. And so I make sure, I make sure I really study who I'm about to talk to you. And I mean, I was like on a roll yesterday, I was listening to all your alpha
Starting point is 00:19:44 talks and you're right and I'm actually on day 40 of Bible in the year, so I've really been keeping up with you guys. And I was thinking about just how much I've done in ministry and how much you've started and everything, but I was thinking back to whenever you were an atheist and how it was just so crazy to me to think that, okay, so if y'all had stayed with that path, then maybe you wouldn't have seen God do all the things that you have. But because you took a chance to believe,
Starting point is 00:20:11 you've seen God time and time and time again, to bring confidence to the evidence that God is real for you. And so now, you couldn't say, no God isn't real because of all the evidence that he's done, even whenever I call y'all, and when y'all called me and we're interviewing me and I told you about the dream and you all both got out your pins and your paper and you're
Starting point is 00:20:30 writing it down, it's evidence. It's like, wow, God, you're showing up. You're doing something. And so that just proves that thing that, you know, a lot of times you do have to believe before you see. But when you start to believe, the all and wonder you will walk in, seeing the amazing glimpses of God and the day-to-day things, the big moments, the quiet moment during a pandemic, during the years that the church is driving, all the different ways. And so that's
Starting point is 00:20:56 super cool that you brought that up. Pippa, I want to talk to you about, I know, I just found this out that you got lung cancer this past year. And first off, I was so crushed and I was so sorry that you've been going through that and you've been dealing with sickness. And I watched the interview you all did about having faith over fear in those times. And I think that that's such an important message right now because not everybody's dealing with the face and the fear of cancer. But people are dealing with the fear of this virus. People are dealing with the fear of their parents getting it, their grandparents who've gotten it.
Starting point is 00:21:32 And there's a lot of fear right now. And beyond even this year, there's fears that spark up in our everyday life. And so what have you learned this year, battling this about having faith over fear? Well, it was back in, it was in November 2019 that I had it to just over a year ago that I had all the sudden I'm so glad I had it that year and not this year in Coke with all the lockdowns and I was you know was, I was blessed that they found it early, but anything like that, hospital appointments, scans and, you know, endless sort of tests
Starting point is 00:22:11 and seeing people is scary. I think it's scary for us all when you face those things. And I suppose, you know, the dangers were frightened of death. And of course, death is a very difficult thing. We don't death is a very difficult thing. We don't talk about it very much today. It's not something that the people talk about in the early church. They were, you know, as Paul said, to live is Christ to die is gain.
Starting point is 00:22:36 You know, that actually they had their eyes set on heaven and the resurrection. Much more than I think we all do now and I know I do too I hold on to life I want to do this I want to be here and all the rest rather than thinking when I get there that's gonna be the best that's gonna be far more than we can ever ask or imagine that it's gonna be so beautiful in heaven seeing and being with everybody so I. So I think we battle with our human sort of failings and fears are a very real thing. But I think it is, you know, I'm so
Starting point is 00:23:11 glad for the Christian community because they prayed. I wouldn't pray. It makes a difference. And I would naturally have been very fearful. But I have to say going in for the operation and everything, that because people prayed, I actually felt peaceful. I, you know, I have to say going in for the operation and everything, that because people prayed, I actually felt peaceful. Someone had left a little present on my doorstep who'd come over night and it was there in the morning, you know, very touched by people in the church, so that we're praying. And I actually did sleep the night before, fine, before it's ready. And in a sort of way went into it feeling that the Lord was with me. Now, I can't say I enjoyed the next few weeks very much. I mean, it was tough. It was very tough. It was tough. It was tough. It's not fun, but...
Starting point is 00:23:58 I slept on two chairs. I set up two chairs. And I set 11 nights on these two chairs. And I went home one night and I went home one night and I decided after that one night, I would much rather be uncomfortable with her than comfortable without her. Oh, that's so sweet. I love her. Oh, that's so sweet. I love her. Yeah, I mean, he was amazing. He stayed with me. The doctors and nurses were amazing.
Starting point is 00:24:30 And I'm so thankful for modern medicine, what they can do. I'm thankful even now that they're working on cures and vaccines for pandemics. Modern medicine has saved my life. And it saved Nicky's life, you know, many times over. So, but I think it is a choice about faith over fear because fear lurks, it sort of skirts around. Someone described it as a bit like sitting at a table and you can have love and joy and happen, all those things sitting at the table, but fear comes to the table and he can't sit down unless you let one of those things go like faith or hope or joy or peace go
Starting point is 00:25:14 But he lurks around trying to come and sit down and you have a choice you can either let him in or you can rebuke him and tell him to go running. That Jesus has the victory. That's so good. It is a choice all the time for that. But I think prayer is supernatural. He can do an amazing thing that we can't do. But thank you for your concern. And I'm doing really well now. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:25:40 I'm so glad that I love how you just put that, the table. I've never thought about it like that or heard that said but that's so true Something has to go for fear to come in and I've seen that time and time again I'll let joy go for fear to come sit and I'm like wait, I don't want this I don't need this like bring joy back, but you have to be serious about it It has to be a choice. Oh, I love what you said, Nikki, about sitting with Pippa for 11 nights and how you'd rather be uncomfortable with her than come to her without her.
Starting point is 00:26:09 Because it leaves me to my next question about how y'all did the Bible and when you're commentary together. And I had to say, I love listening to it on the Bible app. Like I listen to it every time because y'all's voices are so sweet. And I love when she says, Pippa adds, and then Pippa adds a little thing at the end and it's always just so sweet. But
Starting point is 00:26:28 what was the importance, Y'all, that you all did that together? And why did y'all want to do tackle the Bible in a year commentary together? Well, ever since I encountered Jesus, which is quite a long time ago, every day pretty much, I've wanted, all relationships thrive on communication. That's a key to every human relationship is communication. And it's the same with your relationship with God. And it's more important that God speaks to you than that you speak to God. And the main way that God speaks to you than that you speak to God. And the
Starting point is 00:27:05 main way that God speaks to you is through the Bible. So God originally spoke to me through reading the Bible. That's how I encountered Jesus. So every day since then, I want to keep that communication up. I want to keep that relationship up. So about 30 years ago, I was given the Bible in one year, which is like a Psalm, bit of new testament, bit of Old Testament. And I started reading it and I have done ever since, I mean, every day for the last 30 years. And about 13 years ago, I think was maybe 12 or 13 years ago, someone who done Alpha said, could you help me? I'm trying to read the Bible and I can't find any way to get into it. I'm finding
Starting point is 00:27:42 it really difficult. So I said, well, I'll do some notes each day from the Bible in one year. And so I just did some notes for him, really, and for the rest of the congregation. And I did it on January 1st, and Pippa wrote something as well, and someone suggested, let's go right. My bit, it was a sort of joke at first,
Starting point is 00:28:01 because Nick has been hours of fear, you know, being to comment trees and all these serious things. I was, should I just add a bit? It was just sort of joke. And I didn't know somehow it's all sort of stuck and come together. But if I was given a dollar for all the people who say to me, I don't really read your bit. I just skip your bit.
Starting point is 00:28:22 I go straight down to the fifth house. I would be a rich man. The paper ads is so great. I love it. It's always the best fit. Everyone says it's the best fit. It makes us laugh. It's so real. It's very human. It's my favorite bit definitely. It is so funny because yours is so deep and so great and so put together and then I love it. It's like let me just add a very real note real fast about life. It's so great. I love it. Oh man, it's so good. So you kind of might have answered this in that because of how much you read. But one of my questions for you personally because you know I preach a lot of different sermons and I study a lot for them. Whenever I watch
Starting point is 00:29:03 a sermon you've done, I love it because when it's filled with stories of your life, you and Pippa's life, it's really fun, but it's also so deep. You have so many quotes from people. So when you're about to go into a message, how do you study for a message? Well, I'm saying, I think you are such an anointing preacher. You are just an amazing communicator. And it definitely wouldn't be for me to tell you anything. I have quite the best. I could learn from you. I think you're a phenomenal communicator.
Starting point is 00:29:34 And as you know, and I was, I'm still hoping you'll come back to the UK. Yes, we want you back. We do too. We actually said we're like hoping to come back. And we were like, this would be great if our little girl learns to talk there so she'll talk like y'all. So we're just going to let her hang out with Pippa all day long. So she'll talk like Pippa.
Starting point is 00:29:56 We would love that. We would love that. I mean, the thing, what I would say to the young guys, by guys, I mean, men and women here who are preaching, five things. First of all, think of self-empty. In other words, everything you can think about that subject right down. You don't have to do this, you don't have to do it in this order, but think of self-empty. Read yourself full. Read around the subject. I mean, how amazing, how much research you did for this conversation. I really take my hat off to salute you for that. That is so, it's so obvious you've done that.
Starting point is 00:30:29 And that's hard work. Read yourself full. Write yourself clear when you're starting to speak. You know, writing makes you clear. Write yourself clear. Maybe on a computer, not this. Yeah. Yeah. And written.
Starting point is 00:30:41 That would be a little easier. Put it here. I'm listening. A little. Pray yourself listening. A little prayer. Have got pray yourself hot and set yourself free. Well, so in the end of the day, you just just go for it. But those those are the five things. I think every talk should every every that's that would be my tip
Starting point is 00:30:58 for if you're preparing a talk. That is so good. I'll say that's brilliant as you all would say. That that whenever I was there, I remember telling you, I said, I want to start saying things like you say like brilliant, and then hip, but you're so sweet. You said, but you say really cool things too, like awesome. And I was like, it's not as cool. But no, I love that.
Starting point is 00:31:19 That's so good. I'm definitely going to take that advice. And I know so many people are because people ask me that a lot. How do you study? And I've not given anybody a clear answer because I'm all gonna take that advice and I know so many people are because people ask me that a lot. How do you study? And I've not given anybody a clear answer because I'm all over the place. But when I think about it, it all does fall under those five categories.
Starting point is 00:31:33 It's not that I can say do this, do this, do this. But just read, read, read. Study, study, study. Pray, pray, pray. All the things that you just said, so it's so cool. Well, I have one more final question for you all and it kinda goes back to what I said at the beginning. It, you know, I'll say to people, when people ask me who do I look up to or who somebody's impacted my life,
Starting point is 00:31:52 I oftentimes say the two of you because of what that time in London really taught me in Christian about the church, about ministry, just watching you to up close for just even a few days. And again, people will say, well, who is that? And then I say the alpha course. And everybody's like, oh, or I'll say the Bible in one year. And everybody's like, oh, or I'll say, you know, you've written several best, seller books. And they're like, oh, okay, cool. And I thought that that was so cool that people, you know, know these resources, but sometimes don't always know your name. And I wanna live a life like that.
Starting point is 00:32:28 I want people to know the things I've done for Jesus and it doesn't really matter what my name is. And so how do you build something that's bigger than yourself or start something that's bigger than your name? Gosh, I don't know, Sadie, we've just done whatever we've been in front of us to do. I think we never set out.
Starting point is 00:32:51 We run a local church and that's been amazing. And then when Alfa started, we started this course for non-Christians in our church. And we never planned it to be for anything other than in our church and we never planned it to be for anything other than in our church here. Wow. But as it grew, then people started asking us how to run it. So we thought, oh, well, maybe we should do a conference. And then we sort of opened up to do a conference and a thousand church needed to turn up. We thought, oh, there are lots of people who are interested in this.
Starting point is 00:33:23 You know, and and then we found being in London, two people come here and then they go back to Kenya or they go back to America or they go back to Australia. And suddenly it's all over the place. And it felt as though the Holy Spirit has sort of run ahead of us. It's not that so much that we've set out to do all this, but the Holy Spirit has just done these things, and we've tried to run and catch up and try not to get in the way, but try and do what we believe that God is leading us to do, or leading the church to do. It's amazing. I think that's so good, because I think a lot of people, when they start something, they, you know, sometimes get ahead of the Holy Spirit and say, well, I'm going to do this and it's going to be global and it's going to be amazing and everybody's
Starting point is 00:34:10 going to love it. But whenever what y'all were doing was a response to what you saw the church needed, it was a response to something that you to needed when y'all were, you know, trying to find Jesus. And you answered that response in your heart and because it was needed and it was a tool for the church to use, it exploded. And people have found so much, you know, honestly life through it because they found Jesus. And so for those of you who are listening
Starting point is 00:34:40 that have never heard of the Alpha Course, I highly recommend it. Last night as I was watching the video through alpha, I couldn't stop. I woke up this morning watching more. I was like, I was learning so much and I've been in church my whole life, but this really is different than just a church sermon. It's for the person who doesn't believe. It's for the person who doesn't necessarily want to go into a church yet. It's for you. And also, if you are a Christian, if you're put into church and you're trying to maintain
Starting point is 00:35:10 that literature with God, they also have the Bible in when you're a commentary. It's on the Bible app. You can also buy the hard copy. They have so many resources they put out. Nicky's written several books. And so I just couldn't shout out more the things that y'all are doing. I think y'all are such humble, incredible leaders. And Christian and I are thankful for your leadership.
Starting point is 00:35:29 And just thankful for how y'all have believed in me and us and all the things. So thank y'all for taking time to just pour out some of your wisdom on this podcast. And I hope this is just the start for people to learn from you guys. Oh, Sadie. Well, we absolutely love and admire you. And your family. Your whole family, amazing. Absolutely amazing examples.
Starting point is 00:35:51 And the influence that you are having is so impressive. And you're using it in such a humble, godly way. And you are so anointed and the way that you speak. You speak the gospel. You tell people about Jesus and the Holy Spirit has anointed and the way that you speak, you speak the gospel, you tell people about Jesus and the Holy Spirit has anointed you to preach good news, particularly to this generation, which is why we would love you to come back to England. I think you will have a huge impact on the young people in this country and we really need, they really need to hear good
Starting point is 00:36:22 good role models of faith and you and Christian are such good role models to people that learn from. So thank you for all you're doing and we really, we really honor you for what you're doing. Thank you so much. That means so much to me and trust me just because we're having a baby does not mean that change our plans. We still want to come to London and we would love to pour into people there and vice versa so I hope to see you guys soon and sooner than later for sure but we love you guys thank you all again. God bless you guys love. Thank you. Hi, hey, is this Emma? Yep.
Starting point is 00:37:08 Hey, this is Sadie and Christian. How you doing? I'm good. How are you guys doing? Fantastic. Good. Christian's fantastic. We're doing great.
Starting point is 00:37:18 Yes, so what's your question that you sent in? Oh, my question was what to look for that makes someone marriage material. Ooh, I like that. That's a loaded question. Are you are you currently single or dating? Yes, I'm single right now. I just got out of a long relationship. Oh, well, well, sorry to hear that, but hey, I always say breakups get you where you're going. They're necessary. Yeah, but they're necessary. That is true. And you know, this is the perfect time that you're going. They're necessary. They're hard, but they're necessary. That is true. And, you know, this is the perfect time that you're single to just get in that state of, like, asking yourself, what is marriage material? What am I looking for and going in with intention, but babe, do you want to start it off? Yeah, that's good. And Emma, yes, such a great question. I think, for me, the two things
Starting point is 00:38:00 I think of first, one is consistency. I think that if you can find someone who's consistent with the way they treat you, the way that they treat their friends, the way that they are with their parents, and the way that they are just all around with consistency, because you know, you could date somebody for six months, and then they can be an amazing person for six months. And then after that, they're not the person that they were when you first started dating. So I think over time, just look for those consistent qualities.
Starting point is 00:38:29 And I also think someone who has integrity and who lives with conviction and who is always in for your best interest and wouldn't, would fear the Lord before they feared what the other person would think of them. So for me, I think consistency, that person who's always going to be there for you and integrity knowing that you can trust them and not, you know, feel like you have to wonder or stress about what they're doing or what they're watching or
Starting point is 00:38:59 all those things. That's so good, babe, because used to, you know, I would date guys and be so worried about who they're following, what they're looking at, and I would date guys and be so worried about who they're following, what they're looking at, and I would step in and try to control that. Like, hey, I see you're following this person. Can you unfollow them? I had to say all that stuff. And they would, but it's like, you want somebody that's like, you don't have to say that. It's like, they're just doing that because of their own integrity, because of their
Starting point is 00:39:24 own relationship with the Lord and like they're not just changing because of you They've already been changed because of Jesus and so with Christian like I didn't have to say like can you do this? You do this you do this like because I Could just gladly welcome him to be who he is and who he's called to be And I could be in relationship with that because it aligned with my relationship with the Lord. It didn't take away from my relationship with the Lord. So that's what I would say.
Starting point is 00:39:53 It's just somebody pursuing God, somebody who's been pursuing God, and then can also pursue you out of that pursuit. I think pursuit is something that is so important. And I think it should be something that never dies. I think, oh sorry, we have this giant fly flying. There's a marriage material. Yeah, marriage materials, wow,
Starting point is 00:40:12 someone who can kill a fly with their hand. That just, I don't even get to see it. But Krishna just killed a fly with his hands. Oh my god. Daniel said. Hey, let's go. I just got some chops. OK, put the fly away. I'm finishing this. This is really cool. Someone who can kill a fly, am I? Someone who can kill a fly. Yeah, you want a man. But yeah, someone who's pursuing the Lord and then lastly, I would say, which obviously these
Starting point is 00:40:27 are just a few things. There's so many things. I think more than making like a checklist, you know, you need to like actually think about the heart of the person that you're going to be with. And just the quality of the person that you're going to be with. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do.
Starting point is 00:40:37 And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think that's the most important thing to do. And I think more than making like a checklist, you know, you need to like actually think about the heart
Starting point is 00:40:46 of the person that you're gonna be with and just the qualities that you're gonna see in them. But one thing I would say is just intentionality. It's kind of funny because my dad always makes fun of Christian for how much he says the word intentional. But that way he says it is to make it fun of me for that. You didn't know that? I kind of knew that.
Starting point is 00:41:03 And then that was like the root of the word. That was what it was. What it was? Chris Christian always says like, is it just to be intentional or trying to be intentional? Or the intentionality? Like he says that all the time. But Christian says that because that's how he is.
Starting point is 00:41:16 He's so intentional with his words, with how he listens, with how he steps into moments, who he calls, when he calls them. And I think contentionality is a really huge quality to look for in someone because they're going to be intentional with you and your time and your heart. And so that's really important.
Starting point is 00:41:39 And I think one thing to look at whenever you start dating someone is maybe like a month or two months in, like just take a self evaluation of like, am I a better person and close to the law because this person or am a less person myself in a further way? And if you're better and if you're pursuing God harder, then I would say, hey, that's marriage material right there. So I know you just got out of relationship, you're single, enjoy this time of just you doing those old things in your heart, you know, but come
Starting point is 00:42:10 in more into a personal person, become someone with the integrity, pursue the Lord now, and then whenever you have a guy come into the picture, you'll be able to see it clearly, because you will have already done it. But I hope that encourages you today, and I look forward to your future story and all the things that God's gonna do here life Because you're in an exciting time. I know singleness can sing like something you dread But it's actually such a gift and so enjoy it and enjoy what God begins to write with your story Yeah, thank you guys so much. I appreciate it. Yeah, thanks. Well, thanks for sending in your question, and it was great talking to you. Yep, you too. Bye. Bye.
Starting point is 00:42:50 I can't leave. That was legit. That was legit. Before we started filming, I said, what if I killed it on the while we were going, and I said, not that smear is what you do. That actually happened. That was rehearsed. But I like, that's really cool. You're so happy right now. You're so happy right now. Well thanks for sitting in your question. We love getting to look through them and getting to call people who send it in. So keep sitting in questions of advice that you need and we'd be so happy to answer. And that was a big thank you thank you
Starting point is 00:43:26 okay bye guys you

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