The Profile

Lakwena Maciver is a London-based artist whose bold, brightly coloured paintings, murals and large-scale public works combine op-art geometry, 1980s-style graphics and short, uplifting words. Her work draws on The Gospel, worship, themes of hope and joy and is rooted in her Christian faith.

Born in the eighties to an English mother and a Ugandan father in north London, she has roots in Ethiopia too. She grew up thinking of herself as African, and experienced racism and the pain of not feeling accepted which led her to ask questions about where she belonged.

After studying graphic design at the London College of Communication her style took shape when she was invited to paint a mural for a church in Brazil. Her breakthrough came with I Remember Paradise, a mural for the Wynwood Walls festival in Miami in 2013. Since then her work has appeared across the world, from the Bowery Wall in New York and a monastery in Vienna to Tate Britain and the Southbank Centre in London.

In this episode of The Profile she talks to Premier Christianity journalist AJ Gomez about her childhood and the journey of her developing her sense of identity, the importance of colour and how God is the ultimate creator.

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.

31-year-old Revd. Pippa White is not what most people picture when they think of a priest but with her popular TikToks published under the handle @not_a_priestess, she shares with her 32,000 followers the real life of a young Church of England parish priest.

As the new Rector of the Benefice of Newport with Longford and Chetwynd in Shropshire, White's life is as regular as any other vicar's; leading church services, conducting christenings and officiating at weddings. But as she writes frankly in her new book Not a Priestess: Tales from Beyond the Pulpit there can be challenges as well.

In this episode of The Profile she talks to Premier Christianity magazine Deputy Editor Emma Fowle about the struggles of ministering to a congregation that is often much older than her, the pressures of having a home as a lone woman in a vicarage where everyone knows where you live and the joy of connecting with a younger generation.

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.

Father Patrick van der Vorst gave up a successful career in the art world, including his home, his possessions and even his dog, to become a Catholic priest at 52.

Born in Bruges, he grew up attending mass and learned about monastic living at boarding school. His parents loved art and auctions, where you could touch as well as look, and he found himself torn between the art world and a religious calling.

He went on to become a director at Sotheby’s, specialising in 18th-century French furniture. In 2010 he appeared on Dragons’ Den and won a £100,000 investment from Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis, going on to launch the online valuation company ValueMyStuff.com, often called the “Antiques Roadshow online”. But he felt a growing sense of restlessness, sold the company and began training for the priesthood.

He was ordained a deacon in June 2022, and Cardinal Vincent Nichols ordained him a priest of the Diocese of Westminster at Westminster Cathedral in June 2023.

In this episode of The Profile, he talks to Premier’s Christianity Magazine journalist A J Gomez about the moment he gave up a successful business career, his upbringing in Bruges- “the Venice of the North”, and coming to the priesthood later in life.

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.

Helen Thorne-Allenson is Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK, where she helps churches to offer compassionate and theologically grounded care to those who are struggling.

She's worked with London City Mission and is an experienced speaker and counsellor, known for tackling difficult pastoral topics like mental health issues, domestic abuse, anxiety and sexual purity with honesty and Gospel hope.

She is the author of several books, including Hope in an Anxious World, Walking with Domestic Abuse Sufferers, 5 Things to Pray for a Suffering Friend, Purity Is Possible, and Mental Health and Your Church: A Handbook for Biblical Care, co-written with Dr Steve Midgley.

Her latest book, A Church That Cares: A Biblical Guide to Loving One Another Well, is out now and continues her focus on helping congregations to support one another through life's hardest seasons.

In this episode of The Profile she talks to Premier Christianity's AJ Gomez about her conversion to Christianity as a young woman, how you can tell if a church is fostering an emotionally open culture and what it was like marrying for the first time in her fifties.

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

At 16-years-old Terry Virgo became a Christian through his sister during the years of Billy Graham’s greatest impact on Britain. He went on to train at London Bible College at a time of the charismatic movement of the 1960s. It shaped his early faith and ministry.

Virgo spent 11 years leading an Evangelical Free Church in East Sussex, before moving to Brighton in 1979. From there a network grew into what became Newfrontiers, a movement that sought to combine Biblical principles whilst being open to the Holy Spirit. It now has more than 1,500 congregations in over 70 countries.

In this episode of The Profile Premier Christianity Editor Sam Hailes talks to him about his first experiences of becoming a Christian, how the Holy Spirit changed him and how being "born of the Spirit" is an idea that cuts right to the heart of Christianity.

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.