Bigger Questions is an interview and conversation recorded before a live audience in Melbourne?s CBD. Your host is Robert Martin from City Bible Forum in Melbourne. Rob loves asking the big questions of life and discussing these with the interesting and engaging guests on the show. They tackle all sorts of bigger questions from the inspirational to the confrontational; sharing stories and seeking answers through the Bible. The show is fun, thoughtful and stimulating. And you never know, you m

Sam and Julie-Anne

The opening of the first Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 was conducted as a Christian service - ’Prayer and Praise’ was offered after 'God save the King' and before the singing of the ’Hundredth Psalm’. Yet today, ’no religion’ is the single largest ’religious’ group in Australia. The Christian influence on our culture is waning; should this passing be mourned or celebrated? Our guest: Al Stewart is the National Director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC). He used to work with City Bible Forum as a national communicator in Sydney and is a former Anglican bishop. He is also an author, and regularly speaks at conferences in Australia and around the world.

What place does the Bible have in modern day Australia? Is it illegitimate in a now secular nation or a treasured part of our Christian heritage? In a stimulating and surprising conversation, we get under the skin of an ancient text that has been read, preached and even tattooed into Australia’s cultural history. Our guest: Dr Meredith Lake is an honorary associate of the Department of History at the University of Sydney. Her PhD was on religious ideas of the environment in early colonial Australia, and she is the author of The Bible of Australia: A Cultural History, which won the 2018 Christian Book of the Year.

For centuries, people have been intrigued by the book of Genesis. But is it myth or history? Or something else? In this insightful conversation, we delve into the fundamental questions of human origin. Our guest: Dr Andrew Brown lectures in Old Testament at the Melbourne School of Theology. He previously worked as a Baptist pastor and his PhD topic was on the history of Christian interpretation of the Creation Week in Genesis chapter 1.

Is there any archaeological evidence for the Bible or is it all just a fabricated myth? We confront this big question and more in an entertaining journey into the past as we examine long buried secrets, and unearth some surprising finds. Our guest: Dr Gillian Asquith lectures in New Testament and Greek at several Melbourne theological colleges. Her areas of interest include the transmission of the text of the New Testament and Biblical archaeology.

Are statistics useful, and can they be trusted? Some have said that the elegance of mathematics, or specifically its applicability to the natural world, provides evidence for God, but others are not convinced. Does maths reveal something bigger? Our guest: Dr Sandy Clarke-Errey works as a consultant with the Statistical Consulting Centre at the University of Melbourne. She has a PhD in Statistics, is an accredited statistician and also works part-time with the Simeon Network, a network for Christian academics.

How big is the universe? Is there really a cosmic designer? Are humans actually significant? In this extended episode, three eminent and award-winning astronomers tackle some of the biggest questions in astronomy; along with smaller questions, like the science of Star Wars and what should we make of the downgrading of Pluto. This episode was recorded at the Conference on Science and Christianity (COSAC) organised by ISCAST.

Does the Bible’s framework for life really work? How could an ancient book provide wisdom for today? Graham Hooper shares from his many years of experience about what makes a truly wise life. A conversation with humour, wisdom and practical advice assessing how the Bible is relevant to our lives today. Our guest: Graham Hooper has worked for over twenty years in senior executive roles with a global infrastructure company, and has worked in some twenty countries around the world. He’s the author of two books, Undivided: Closing the Faith-Life Gap and A Better Way to Live.

At the point of recording this episode, Alex McCullie had spent over two years reading the Gospel of John with Bigger Questions host Robert Martin. It was a profound and unexpected experience. Alex thoroughly enjoyed these sessions and they became a highlight of his week; listen as he shares why. Alex and Rob used a resource called The Word 1-2-1 to read the Bible.

Do near-death experiences point to life after death? This is a terrific conversation with a bit of everything-fascinating reflections, a great testimony involving the Everton Football Club, deep Biblical contemplation and a very moving story. Our guest: Dr Steve Brady has been in Christian ministry for over forty years and holds a PhD in theology. He was the Principal of Moorlands College before accepting an invite to be a minister at the First Baptist Church in the Cayman Islands. He’s an author, as well as a keen sportsman.

What does it mean to finish the race? Is the Christian life a race worth finishing, or even starting in the first place? Our guest: Nick Hearnshaw is a retired Melbourne pastor and he reflects on his love for running, and what it means to finish the race.

We all face limitations; be it time, ability, and even the greatest limiter of them all-death. How can we live in light of these? Should we learn to embrace our limitations? Will that help us find greater value, peace and purpose in our lives? Our guest: An ordained minister in the Anglican Church, Stephanie Judd is a preacher, teacher and a writer who is committed to helping people find life and joy in Jesus. She also serves as the Director of Ministry at City on a Hill Melbourne. Before training as a Christian minister, she trained as a classical singer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Why is it 'soul' music and not 'larynx' music? We have a spiritual side-but how do we nurture true spirituality? In this episode of Bigger Questions, we explore spirituality through the lens of soul music to find out what makes us spiritual, and where we should look for spirituality. Our guest: Michael (Mike) Raiter is the Director of the Centre for Biblical Preaching, which he launched in 2012. He is also an internationally-recognised Christian speaker and the author of Stirrings of the Soul. He was a former principal of the Melbourne School of Theology.

Do you try to do too much? We talk with someone who tries to do too much and struggles to find balance. We chat about being busy, the seasons of life and the remarkable ways in which God has cared for her, despite very difficult circumstances. Our guest: Michelle Monro is an adjunct lecturer at the Melbourne School of Theology.

There are challenging and difficult times in life-how should we deal with them? Hear Julie’s incredibly inspiring story of adversity and how the challenges in our lives can in fact be soul-enriching. Our guests: Anne Winckel has worked in education, legal recruitment and runs her own executive search business-Delta Partners. Anne also wrote Time Poor Soul Rich, to help the inescapably busy develop a rich soul. Anne’s book also features the stories of many inspiring women, and we’re privileged to be joined by one of these women, Julie, whose story features in the chapter on adversity.

We are often so busy that we end up neglecting many things. What is the biggest casualty of your busy life? Is it creativity? Serenity? Intimacy? How can we cultivate the things that are really important? What are the ways in which busy people can achieve soul richness? Our guest: Previously on the Board of Australian Women Lawyers, Anne Winckel is currently a member of the Victorian Women Layers, the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association, and the Law Institute of Victoria. She wrote the book Time Poor Soul Rich, which this episode is based on.

Is life about pleasure, happiness, accumulating things, or perhaps something more? AWe confront some of the biggest questions surrounding our life’s purpose and encounter a pathway to much more satisfying, life-changing meaning. Our guest: David Cook was the Principal of Sydney Missionary and Bible College (SMBC) for 26 years. After leaving SMBC, he and his wife Maxine set up the Expository Preaching Trust, in order to encourage faithful and engaging preaching of the Bible. He continues to preach at conventions throughout the world, along with lecturing on preaching at colleges in Australia.

The Christmas story contains many fantastical elements: the appearance of angels, a virgin birth and God becoming...man? Isn’t all of this just a bit too unbelievable? We examine the Christmas story and see how the unbelievable might really be unbelievably good news for us. Our guest: Dr Rebecca McLaughlin holds a PhD in English literature from Cambridge and a theology degree from Oak Hill College, London. Having garnered extensive experience developing content at the highest level, she is an award-winning author and has released a book of the same title Is Christmas unbelievable?

Have you ever felt broken? Are we thirsty for something more? What do we do when life is a mess? We dive into the brokenness of the world and how Jesus can turn that around, giving us an everlasting hope that quenches our innate brokenness and desperation. Our guest: At the point of recording, Tim Curtis was a pastor at St Jude’s Unichurch. At present, he is the Anglican Chaplain at The University of Melbourne, and is also a pastor at Rope Factory Church Warragul.

Are you feeling overworked, overwhelmed and overcommitted? Mindfulness is a new tool that is claimed to help modern workers keep up with the demands of our increasingly complex and uncertain world. But is mindfulness really the answer to these problems? Where can we find true peace? Is there another way of coping with the challenges of the modern world? Our guest: At the point of recording, Mark Trench was the Learning & Development Manager at St Vincent’s Hospital. At present, he is the Learning & Development Manager at the Department of Justice and Community Safety Victoria, now holding over 20 years of organisational development experience.

What do we make of blood of violence in the Bible? The so-called ’good book’ contains many stories of killing and death and Christians even rejoice over the ’blood of Jesus’. Why is there so much blood in the Bible? We explore some of the most confronting parts of the Bible with sensitivity and wisdom, and perhaps, even find some good news. Our guest: Mike Raiter is the Director of the Centre of Biblical Preaching based in Melbourne. He is an in-demand speaker across Australia and around the world.

What do we make of the scientific response to Coronavirus? The swift development of a COVID vaccine has been described as a ’miracle’. We explore the scientific response to COVID, the impact of religion on science and consider an even bigger problem which also requires salvation. Our guest: Dr Denis Alexander is the Emeritus Director of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion and Emeritus Fellow St Edmund’s College, Cambridge. He worked for many years as a molecular biologist and now he writes, lectures and broadcasts widely in the field of science and religion.

The Bible is one of the world’s most influential books, but...is it true? We debate the claim that the Bible is no more than ancient fiction, explore objections to it being true, and uncover what the Bible originally said. Our guest: Dr James White is the Director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, an organisation based in Phoenix, Arizona, defending the Christian faith. He is the author of more than 20 books, and an accomplished debater, having participated in over 150 moderated debates.

What is truth in a world of fake news and alternative facts? We confront some of the mind-bending challenges truth & language pose, and discover an even bigger truth that remains relevant to our lives till today. Our guest: Dr Ryan Young is the Director of the National Security College Futures Hub. He has worked across multiple Departments in the Australian Public Service, and also holds a PhD in philosophy and logic.

We all make mistakes, but what if your mistakes cost a bank over $1 billion dollars and resulted in a jail term? We meet a man who went from a wild, deceptive life as a trader to jail, and how time in jail helped transform his perspective on life. Our guest: John Rusnak is a former Wall Street trader, and in 2001, he was convicted for his part in a financial scandal at Allied Irish Banks, resulting in a jail term. Since his return to society, John has become an advocate for second chances for men coming home from incarceration, for those in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

There are many things in the world we should fear. Some minor, others irrational, but with several that are deeply ingrained. We chat with someone who had a powerful fear, but then something changed, transforming his outlook on his fear entirely. Our guest: Russ Grinter grew up on a farm in New South Wales where he planted lots of wheat, barley and canola. He studied at theological college, and is now the lead pastor of Reforming Church in Bendigo. He loves his family, eating hot dogs, kicking a rugby ball and talking.

Olympic glory is often seen as the ultimate prize for athletes. But how much of this defines an athletes worth? We speak to an Olympian about her quest for Olympic Gold, and how she’s found a prize even greater than an Olympic medal. Our guest: Nicola McDermott (now competing under Nicola Olyslagers after getting married in 2022) is an Australian high jumper who held the Australian and Oceanian records; being the first female Australian high jumper to clear the 2.00m jump, quickly followed by an improved personal best 2.02m jump at the Tokyo Olympics.

The search for God or a higher being (or power) is one of the biggest and most profound questions in human experience. We join one of the world’s finest thinkers in t he search to find God in an age of science and skepticism. Our guest: Professor John Lennox is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and is an internationally-renowned author and speaker on the interface of science, philosophy and religion. He has also debated some of the world’s best-known atheists like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Singer. He also starred alongside Kevin Sorbo in the film Against The Tide.

Aren’t ancient religious figures boring and irrelevant in the modern world? Considering the religious questions and learning about religious figures can seem extraneous to our everyday lives. To many, the Christian life can also feel safe, traditional and mundane. Yet, we encounter someone who found something different and transformative in an ancient religious figure. Our guest: Andrew Palau is a popular author and speaker, as well as the son of late international evangelist Luis Palau. He works with the Luis Palau Association where he coordinates worldwide outreach events. PALAU: The Movie, a film based on Luis Palau’s story, is also available on Wonder.

Many claim that faith in God is irrelevant, irrational and even immoral. But what if the Christian faith makes sense of all that matters? We confront this big question with someone who found faith not only to make ense, but to make the most sense of the things we love. Our guest: Simon Edwards is originally from Australia and worked as a lawyer before moving to the UK to study at The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and later Oxford University. He’s a popular speaker and is the author of the book titled The Sanity of Belief: Why Faith Makes Sense.

Death is the universal reality for everyone, but it can be an awkward and unpleasant topic to discuss. Two doctors with extensive experience of speaking with the dying confront this challenging and deeply personal question with sensitivity and wisdom. Our guests: Dr. Aaron Wong works as a palliative medicine physician and medical oncologist. He is passionate about holistic compassionate care for people with incurable illness and has a keen interest in improving the quality of palliative care. He leads a clinical team and is doing a PhD in pain management in palliative care. Dr. Michael Cai works as a nephrologist-a kidney specialist-at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he is the lead for Peritoneal Dialysis at the Home Dialysis Unit. He has completed a PhD on bone dysfunction in renal disease.

The Bible is a large complex book, but is it clear at all or can you just make it say whatever you want it to say? We confront this big question by exploring how different people used the Bible to either justify or abolish slavery. Our guest: Andy Judd works at Ridley College in Melbourne. He’s worked as a church pastor, played in a band and has completed a PhD on Biblical interpretation.

The Bible is the most printed book in history, but it’s not read much today. Why bother with a two thousand year old religious book? How could an old religious book be relevant in the modern world? We meet someone whose life changed dramatically through an encounter with the Bible. Our guest: Richard Borgonon has been in Lloyd’s of London insurance market for over 45 years and he’s held various international industry leadership positions, including being chairman of a Lloyd’s broking firm. Today, Richard runs his own broking and consulting company and is an enthusiastic entrant in classic car rallies. However, Richard now spends the majority of his time sharing the Bible with senior city executives, having co-written The Word 1-2-1, a set of user-friendly notes which help people engage with the person of Jesus.

Christian history offers plenty of ammunition to its critics-the crusades, the inquisitions, the witch trials, the oppression of women and more. This episode addresses the many questions brought up by For The Love of God: How the church is better and worse than you ever imagined, a documentary by the Centre for Public Christianity studying the worst of what Christians have done; along with tracing the origins of Western values like human rights, charity, humility and non-violence back to the influence of Jesus Christ. This is not the history we think we know. Our guests: John Dickson has a degree in theology and a doctorate in ancient history, specialising in the birth of Christianity. He’s the founding director of the Centre for Public Christianity, a Senior Research Fellow of the Department of Ancient History at Macquarie University, an Anglican Minister and an author of over a dozen books. Along with being the host of the popular Undeceptions podcast, he is also hosting this year’s Undeceptions Conference. Simon Smart of the Executive Director of the Centre for Public Christianity, with a Masters in Christian Studies. He is also a prolific writer, having contributed to the book For God’s Sake: An Atheist, a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim Debate Religion.

Does Christianity stop you from having fun? Why is it that Christians today seem to be opposed to anything that might bring anybody any kind of happiness? The do’s and the don’ts in the Bible all sound incredibly restrictive, don’t they? We ask our guests Chris and Rebecca Berry this big question. Our guests: Chris Berry grew up in Warragul on a dairy farm, worked as a high school Maths teacher, and is a chaplain at a university while studying theology. He enjoys cricket, gardening, op shopping and coffee. Rebecca Berry grew up in Torquay, and is now an intensive care nurse at The Alfred. She enjoys coffee, running and terrible reality TV shows.

Can the Bible still be applied to our lives today? Many people find the Bible strange and weird. In an amusing conversation, author Tom French explores some weird parts of the Bible and shows how it might have something worthwhile to say to us today. Our guest: Tom French is a speaker, writer, Bible teacher, human and animagus (according to his website). He’s the author of A Dozen Disappointing Disciples and Talks That Don’t Suck, along with his latest book titled Weird, Crude, Funny and Nude: The Bible Exposed.

The dystopian genre grows increasingly popular, but...what exactly is it? What makes something dystopian? What are we really afraid of, and why is fear so powerful? We explore the big questions dystopian novels (e.g. The Hunger Games, 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale & Where’s Wally) raise in an engaging conversation confronting our fears, but offering hope of overcoming them. Our guests: The senior minister of St Matt’s Anglican Church in Prahran, Shane Rogerson is passionate about engaging with the bigger questions of life. Running her own Melbourne-based catering business on top of working at City Bible Forum, Stephanie Gear is also a passionate reader.

The line between comedy and tragedy can be very fine, so...what makes something funny? Author Aaron Allston once commented on the difference between comedy and tragedy: 'Tragedy is something awful happening to somebody else, while comedy is something awful happening to somebody else.' Is this true? What actually makes something funny? Our guest: Cultural analyst Dr Sam Chan explores comedy, cracks a joke or two, and helps us see something bigger from the shows that make us laugh.

We love our TV shows. Watching TV is Australia’s most popular after-dinner activity. Why are shows like Married At First Sight so popular? Why is reality TV so addictive and compelling? And if it was actually real-would it be as interesting? What does reality TV tell us about ourselves? Our guest: Cultural analyst Dr Sam Chan shares about how these shows are a window to an even bigger and better story.

The record holder of the world’s longest period without sleep, Maureen Weston, reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses at the end of her record breaking stint. Is this why sleep is so important? Do you find it hard to sleep? We hear from someone who struggles with sleep about how sleep works and some surprising ways to get better rest. Our guest: Andrew Laird. Andrew works for City Bible Forum in Melbourne and oversees the Life@Work Conference - an initiative aimed at connecting Christian faith with our daily work. He is a popular author, speaker and writer.

What makes for a great friend? Are Facebook friends inadequate? We reflect on what makes for a great friend and how we can have great relationships today. Some practical wisdom to help us live well. Our guest: Andrew Laird. Andrew works for City Bible Forum in Melbourne and oversees the Life@Work Conference - an initiative aimed at connecting Christian faith with our daily work. He is a popular author, speaker and writer.

We live in a busy world and a busy society. Yet people still pretend to be busy - why is this? In this episode, host Robert Martin speaks with Peter Adam (Vicar Emeritus of St Jude’s Anglican Church) about busyness. They diagnose why we’re busy and how to work out if our busyness is because we have a lot to do, or if we’re trying to be significant. They reflect on the Proverbs in the Bible and unearth a solution to busyness - trusting God. But how can we trust someone who is invisible? Peter shares a fascinating story of an unbeliever who tried trusting God for a week - listen to hear what happened. A potential paradox is created when we consider another Proverb which advocates taking responsibility. How can one simultaneously trust God and take responsibility? How is this paradox resolved? Peter provides a way forward in an enjoyable and thought-provoking episode of Bigger Questions.

How do we make wise decisions? The late Apple founder Steve Jobs once said that 'you’ve got to find what you love' and that 'the only way to do great work is to love what you do'. Is this realistic? Should we do what we love and follow our dreams? How do we make wise decisions? Our guest Allan Bulman (Director of the Takeovers Panel) is someone accustomed to expediting decisions for a living. Allan has observed the consequences of his own personal decisions and the decisions of others. Drawing practical wisdom from a potentially surprising source, this episode offers practical and helpful advice on living and thriving today.

'When it comes to facts and explanations of facts, science is the only game in town.' Is this true? Are there any other games in town when it comes to working out what’s true in the world? Is science enough? In this episode, host Robert Martin speaks with Rev. Dr. Chris Mulherin (Executive officer of ISCAST) about science, Christianity and how we work out what is true in the world. Are there limits to science and the scientific method? How do we gain reliable information about the world? Should we live by evidence? We also reflect on a Bible passage and think about one of Jesus’ disciple’s ’demand’ for evidence. Professor Richard Dawkins was invited to the recording, but he was unable to attend because of health reasons. Hear what Chris would say to Professor Dawkins if they ever had a private word, as we ask him some bigger questions.

How can a person of integrity defend big wealthy companies? We ask some big questions of a lawyer about the role of law, justice, equity and judgement in a complex world. Our guest: George Mallos is a partner in a law firm with over 40 years of experience in a wide range of matters. For almost 30 years he’s acted predominantly for large multinational insurers in general insurance.

Life is hard for many people at present - is it appropriate to sing? What would you sing? We join a lover of heavy metal music for a conversation about extreme emotions and extreme music that offers solace in troubled times. Our guest: Ben Pakula is assistant minister at Harrington Park Anglican Church, in South Western Sydney. He enjoys progressive metal music and coffee, and has written several music albums including his latest album Songs in Hard Places.

The quest for justice is a common human experience and we can get deeply embittered and frustrated when we don’t get it. So how can we find true justice? A conversation confronting life’s injustices where we find something bigger. Our guest: Jennie Pakula works as a lawyer and is manager of Innovation and Consumer Engagement at Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner. She has been working in the legal profession for over 30 years.

Anzac Day has gone simply beyond a holiday of remembrance, to a ’holy’ day - a day more sacred to Australians than Australia Day. Is Anzac Day now the national Australian holiday? Indeed, the stories about Anzac Day have ’grown in their retelling’. Is this a problem? Does this process describe the way in which the stories of the New Testament have come to us? Our guest: Mike Raiter is an international speaker and the director of Centre for Biblical Preaching (CBP). He is also the author of several books, including Stirrings of the Soul: Evangelicals and the New Spirituality, which won the 2004 SPCK Australian Christian Book of the Year Award.

According to the German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach, the idea of the resurrection of Christ was nothing more than an echo of the deep human longing for immediate certainty of personal immortality. Was the resurrection of Jesus simply wish fulfilment? Is it too good to be true? How is the resurrection of Jesus good news today? Our guest is Helen Bell. Helen previously worked as a policy advisor for Commonwealth Treasury on GST. She now works for a Christian group with university students at LaTrobe university. She will share in a profound and powerful way how the resurrection of Jesus makes a difference in her life. We ask Helen some Bigger Questions.