In this weeks episode, Mez and Ian introduce The Ragged Podcast — a collaboration between 20schemes and Medhurst Ministries, bringing honest, gospel-centred conversations about life and ministry in some of the UK’s poorest and most overlooked communities.

They explain why the podcast exists, what listeners can expect, and why reaching working-class and deprived communities with the gospel matters.

Tommy or Timmy?
Tim Farron’s article on patriotism and idolatry prompted Ian to write Before You Diagnose Idolatry, Listen to the Working Class. In this episode of The Ragged Podcast, Ian and Mez pick up that conversation.

Why do some working-class people feel that Tommy Robinson hears their concerns more readily than church leaders do? The conversation takes in flags, migration, cultural loss and the difference between challenging those who think differently to you and assuming you know what is in someone’s heart.

Ian and Mez ask whether Christians have spent enough time listening to the communities they hope to reach. If we want to speak faithfully about Jesus, we need to understand what people mean before we tell them what they’ve got wrong.

They also find time for Mez to compare Ian to comedian Jeff Innocent, and to remember the Tall, Skinny Christian politician whose name escaped them: Jonathan Aitken Jonathan Aitken’s story

Links mentioned: Tommy Robinson’s apology to and defence of Aisha Khan-Aziz

What does it take to be a church where people on the margins find welcome, care and belonging? In this episode of the Ragged Podcast, Ian and Mez talk with Jonathan Parkinson, CEO of Caring for Life and pastor of Grace Community Church Leeds North, about how churches can better reach and care for those society often overlooks. Together, they explore what it means to share the hope of the gospel through practical compassion, faithful friendship and a commitment to walking alongside people for the long haul.

Sign up for the Caring for Life Weekender here https://www.caringforlife.co.uk/events-1/caring-for-life-conference

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From a life of crime and violence to preaching Christ and pastoring a church plant—Sam Wilkins joins us on The Ragged Podcast to share his remarkable story.

Sam, a church planter at Gorgie in Edinburgh, sits down with Mez and Ian to talk about how Jesus saved him and how eight years of intentional discipleship and training prepared him to serve others. Together, they explore the patient, long-term work of growing in faith, the critical role of working-class ministry training, and the essential people who walked alongside Sam on his journey.

In this honest conversation about grace and changed lives, Mez, Ian, and Sam dive deep into what it truly takes to train people for ministry. They emphasise that when equipping leaders—especially in working-class contexts—they need to be more than a preacher: never less, but always more. Preaching the Word is essential, but faithful ministry requires stepping into the messy, relational reality of being a true pastor who shepherds, loves, and walks with people through everyday life.

Key Themes Covered:

• A Transformed Life: Sam’s journey from crime and violence to finding salvation in Christ.

• Patient Discipleship: The vital role of an eight-year journey of training, mentorship, and spiritual growth.

• Working-Class Ministry: Preparing gospel workers specifically for the unique opportunities and challenges of working-class communities.

• Shepherd's Heart: Why preaching alone isn't enough, and why ministry candidates must be formed into holistic pastors.

Can a Posh Southerner Cut It in Scotland’s Schemes?

In this episode of The Ragged Podcast, Mez and Ian sit down with Andy Constable, Senior Pastor at Niddrie Community Church, for an honest, inspiring, and off the wall conversation about cross-cultural ministry, calling, and unexpected journeys.

Long before Niddrie, Andy was playing chess and inline skating with the Paddington Massive. After studying theology in Edinburgh, his path took a dramatic turn into full-time ministry in the townships of South Africa. But how does a posh Southerner transition from international mission fields to the heart of an Edinburgh housing scheme?

Andy shares what it was like returning to Scotland to train alongside Mez and the 20schemes team, the steep learning curves along the way, and what it truly takes to plant deep roots, preach the gospel, and serve long-term in scheme ministry.

Whether you're considering gospel work in hard places or just want a front-row seat to Andy's journey, tune in to hear how grace breaks through every cultural barrier.