The Profile

Rich Johnson wears two hats quite comfortably. On the one hand he's an archetypal parish vicar working out of a parish in Worcestershire, and, on the other, he is the leader of New Wine England a non-denominational charity supporting Christian leaders in their everyday work.

Johnson grew up in Manchester and moved abroad with his family where he was educated in Belgium and Hamburg. He went on to study Geography at Cambridge and through a college chaplain was introduced to Jesus.

He describes his conversion as 'intellectual' with the Holy Spirit coming in later and he realised quite quickly that he wanted to become a vicar. He now ministers at the 'dreamy church' of All Saints in Worcester which he took over in 2009, a place for and by families.

Stewardship of New Wine came later. The organisation has made a name for itself primarily through its summer festival in Bath - a hit for those who like loud worship and family focussed seminars. "What is new wine?" he answers, "it's about renewal."

In his latest book Holy, Healthy Humble he invites the reader to a smaller more authentic vision of Christian leadership in a world saturated with look-at-me celebrity and explores the idea of what the Lord is doing in the Church right now.

In this edition of The Profile he talks to Premier Christianity Editor Sam Hailes about his happy but non-Christian upbringing, how everyone needs therapy and how to keep new wine 'new.'

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Enjoy thought-provoking Christian content, including the latest news, inspiring interviews, and exclusive commentary on all that God is doing in the world today. Grab the next 3 issues for just £6. Subscribe today at premierchristianity.com/subscribe.

Andy Peck chats with the author of ‘The Glorious Risk: Freeing the Church from managerialism and the martyr complex’.
The lecturer in practical theology at London School of Theology explores why having friends in the local church, may not be just vital for a church leader but a key way of leading. How has she come to this view, and what happens when the pathway is painful?
The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Check out the latest offers at premierchristianity.com

How do you know whether you are being whispered to by the evil one?

Spiritual warfare and the unseen battle for our soul has always fascinated theologian Dr. Joel Muddamalle.

He was brought up in a strong Christian household in India and says his grandparents were arguably the strongest influences on his life. As missionaries, he saw first hand how hard you had to work to reach people in marginalised rural communities and the level of joy when you did: "there was a passion for the ministry."

Later his parent moved to America, with him becoming a "Chicago kid, through and through." He went on to study theology, completing his PhD in the subject of St Paul's household language in Ephesians and how it referred to the Old Testament.

Spiritual warfare is a topic that has always interested him and in this interview Muddamalle takes a deep theological dive into how the enemy seeks to trick us. His latest work: The Unseen Battle: Spiritual Warfare, the Three Rebellions, and Christ's Victory Over Dark Powers is about just that.

As well as his life as an author, Muddamalle also works with Proverbs 31 Ministries, a non-denominational, non-profit Christian organization women's ministry.

In this interview with Premier Christianity magazine editor Sam Hailes, Muddamalle talks about the negative influence of celebrity culture in social media, how the devil likes to trick us and the impact his missionary grandparents had on his understanding of The Gospel.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Enjoy thought-provoking Christian content, including the latest news, inspiring interviews, and exclusive commentary on all that God is doing in the world today. Grab the next 3 issues for just £6. Subscribe today at premierchristianity.com/subscribe.

Husband and wife Makoto and Haejiin Fujimura are a couple who have blended their two passions and found a deep connection between them. Makoto is a Christian artist born in the US to Japanese parents. His scientist father instilled in him a deep appreciation for beauty and creativity from childhood and after spending his formative years in Japan, he later began to pursue traditional Japanese painting at Tokyo University of the Arts.

Fujimura encountered Christ in his late twenties. The poems of William Blake became instrumental in his conversion, helping him reconcile his newfound Christian faith with his artistic expression. Today, Fujimura is recognised as one of the most significant contemporary Christian artists, creating stunning abstract works while advocating for the role of beauty and art in culture, faith, and renewal.

Haejin Shim Fujimura is a Lawyer and Justice Advocate who was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States during her teenage years. She pursued a career in law, bringing her Christian faith into her professional calling. Today, she is a seasoned attorney with over 20 years of experience and the founder and managing partner of Shim & Associates, P.C., a firm founded on the vision of cultural renewal within the legal industry.

Her Christian conviction animates her work as a human trafficking advocate. She is the co-founder and CEO of Embers International, a global NGO dedicated to protecting, restoring, and empowering victims of injustice. She also serves as the NYC Area Leader of International Justice Mission, the world's largest anti-slavery organization.

Together with her husband Makoto, their joint missional work is around the transformative movement of beauty and justice, exploring how Christian principles of justice and redemption apply across every sector of society which has resulted in their latest book: Beauty and Justice: Creating a Life of Abundance and Courage.

In this edition of The Profile they talk to Deputy Editor of Premier Christianity magazine Emma Fowle about how their professions have informed their practice of restoration, justice and beauty, how it is not the job of the Christian to 'end' evil and the impact of being a 9/11 survivor.

The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Enjoy thought-provoking Christian content, including the latest news, inspiring interviews, and exclusive commentary on all that God is doing in the world today. Grab the next 3 issues for just £6. Subscribe today at premierchristianity.com/subscribe.

Andy Peck talks with founder of the Satellites Youth Event, and deputy director of Youthscape about the extraordinary events surrounding the call to run a youth event following the closure of Soul Survivor in summer 2019.
They discuss stories of how God gave both a green light and a red one, and what is unique and fresh about this Youth Event running for its fifth year in 2026.
The Profile is brought to you by Premier Christianity, the UK’s leading Christian magazine. Check out the latest offers at premierchristianity.com