Politics in the Pulpit is JPIT’s lectionary-based weekly preaching resource.
We ask how the justice issues present in the Bible spur us to be good news in the world today. Each week, we welcome a different guest, discussing the political dimensions present in the Bible readings explored by many churches the following Sunday, and reflecting on how they connect with the week’s current news and our calling to be justice seekers.
Episodes are released on Tuesday mornings. Discussions focus on some of the passages listed in the Revised Common Lectionary, but our exploration of current issues will be also be of interest for preachers who aren’t following the lectionary.
Current Host – Revd Steve Tinning

Steve is currently the Baptist Union’s Public Issues Enabler, in which role he works as part of the Joint Public Issues Team. He’s previously served as a local minister in Southend on Sea, where he was very involved in supporting refugees. At heart, Steve describes himself as “an activist, with practical theology and community-organising theory working as the foundations of a ministry of justice and compassion.”
Latest Episode – with Revd Chris Upton for Sunday 1st October
On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Steve is chatting to Revd Chris Upton.
Chris grew up on a small island in Essex, but has recently been landlocked in Haworth, West Yorkshire where he has been served as a Baptist minister since 2000 and a pastoral supervisor since 2019. At the start of this year he stood down from the pulpit and took up the role of church funding officer for Christians Against Poverty, and in August he also became the National lead for the Waterways Chaplaincy. In his spare time he runs the local cinema, enjoys cycling and playing cards.
They discuss preaching on the lectionary readings for Sunday 1st October:
Exodus 17: 1-17
Philippians 2: 1-13
Matthew 21: 23-32
Psalm 78: 1-4, 12-16
‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter/X at @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community – find the group here or from the Joint Public Issues Team’s Facebook page.