Simon Blog

SermonsSimon Blog

In a talk for a local church last Sunday, I was asked to look at this passage and the question Jesus asks of His disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’ If you agree with what Peter answered then the implications are huge. Do take a listen.

You can also listen to the sermon or download the audio recording.

Some Quotes

Oswald Chambers: Is God going to help himself to me, or am I so taken up of my conception of what I want to make of my life?

CS Lewis: “Anything which isn’t eternal is eternally out of date”

My friend wrote this to me: “I long to preach and dispel the myth that is so readily received that ‘it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re successful, have fun, and have Jesus’. What a total lie of the evil one! It’s making our generation inept for the gospel.”

The young Zimbabwean martyr: “I am part of the ‘Fellowship of the Unashamed.’ I have the Holy Spirit. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ… I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.”

What’s your answer to Jesus’ question – who do you say I am?

GLOSimon Blog

It’s taboo. It’s hidden. It’s devastating.

So many girls suffer in silence, in shame, in sadness. We interviewed a few of them in the poignant video below.

Now that we have a teenage daughter, this issue resonates even more deeply with us than before. We would do everything in our power for her to thrive and not miss out on her studies.

We all are (or have) sisters, daughters, nieces, etc. So this is something we can all relate to and do something about. We can all spare £4/$5 to help one (or 5 or 10 etc) precious teenager in Burundi to continue her studies without having to miss several days of school each month.

It’s easy, it’s practical, it’s impactful. Do you want to help?

We’re looking at supplying 2,000 girls with a pack of five re-usable sanitary pads. It’ll be a total game-changer!

Please do join us in helping them…

With thanks,

Simon & Lizzie

I would like to help by making a donation in…
UK £ | US $ | Euros € | Australian $ | Canadian $ | Swiss Franc

BlogPodcastSimon Blog

ben kwashi jos nigeria

Ben Kwashi is one of my heroes, so I was thrilled to get to interview him today. You can hear it here. A little on him:

Benjamin Kwashi is the archbishop they just couldn’t kill. Three times, the terrorists tried. Each time, they failed to take his life, crush his faith or dampen his joy. Neither bomb nor bullet can silence this turbulent priest who courageously continues to speak truth to power. Ben Kwashi has been described as one of the most influential Christians alive. His home is on the frontline of faith in Nigeria. Here, Boko Haram and heavily-armed Fulani militants are fighting to create a hard-line Islamic state.

Before they killed him, he insisted his Islamist aggressors allowed him a last moment of prayer. They took him to his bedroom, he got down on his knees and shut his eyes…

Go on, get the book to find out what happened next! Here’s a link to buy ‘Neither Bomb Nor Bullet’, do keep supporting Christian bookshops rather than the Amazonian empire!

As well as Ben Kwashi’s remarkable ministry, there’s also a fabulous range of stories over the last few weeks of the podcast ‘Inspired’, so do take a listen and share with your friends:

Nicky Gumbel – Looking Back, Looking Forward

Pioneer of the Alpha Course Nicky Gumbel looks back on his life and remains excited about future gospel opportunities.

Dom Muir – Modern Day Elijah

Dom’s pleasure-seeking led him nowhere. When the day of change came, it was a radical one, and this modern-day prophet is fearless in calling out what he sees are dangerous cultural trends.

Joanna Whittaker – She’s Just Alice

Living with MS and losing her precious daughter, Joanna’s faith radiates through her hopeful story. Do pass this one on to others who would be encouraged by it.

Listen to Inspired…

You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and on all major platforms. No app? No problem, listen here.

BlogGLOSimon Blog

Great Lakes Outreach is a lean machine, I’m proud to say. And we use donated money carefully, accountably, and strategically.

Today is the culmination of 6 months’ intensive work, and is the launch of our spanking new website. You might think we commissioned a marketing agency for £20k, but no, it was all done in-house, so huge thanks to Paul and Adam – great work guys!

Why not take a look now, starting with the stunning short film on the front page explaining what GLO does? 
I’m very encouraged as we continue to have a nation-shaping impact. There are masses of positives in the mix. However, as you’d expect with the longer-term outworking of Covid, some people have understandably stopped their monthly giving to us. In fact, in the last few weeks, we’ve lost £685/month of regular support.

Monthly support is our bread and butter, and at GLO we’ve taken the title ‘GLO Ambassadors’ to describe those of you who are monthly supporters. We are so grateful to each of you because – as any non-profit organisation will tell you – it’s the regular monthly gifts that enable reliable planning and commitment of funds consistently in key areas.
Could you spare £10/20/50/month? Is there a luxury that you could give up to facilitate this?

What always happens in crises is the last and the least suffer the most. That’s Burundi. But in Jesus’ name, we’ll totally resist that trend – with your help.

So if you can dig deep, please do so HERE.

Do enjoy looking through the website. There are so many beautiful films, stories, and fresh content. One of our values is excellence, to the glory of God, and I think we’ve delivered that. Call me biased, but I think it’s as good as any international mega-minted NGO! 

God bless you all.
SermonsSimon Blog

I invite you to listen to this last Sunday’s sermon, it’ll challenge you to the core! We had a powerful time…

Watch the sermon:

Listen to the sermon below or download here.


Jim Wallis writes: “The danger of secular fundamentalism is its allergy to spirituality and disdain for anything religious. Prophetic religion is the antidote to bad religion. Prophetic faith is not the battle between secularism and faith, but rather between cynicism and hope. Prophets begin in judgment, social critique of status quo, but end in hope – that those realities can be changed. It’s a spiritual choice. Ultimately, cynicism protects you from commitment. If things are not really going to change, why try so hard to make a difference? And if you have middle-class economic security (as many cynics do), things don’t have to change for you to remain secure. That is not intended to sound harsh, just realistic. Cynics are finally free just to look after themselves… Perhaps the only people who view the world realistically are the cynics and the saints. Everybody else may be living in some kind of denial about what is really going on and how things really are. And the only difference between the cynics and the saints is the presence, power, and possibility of hope… Hope is not a feeling; it is a decision. And the decision for hope is based on what you believe at the deepest levels. You choose hope, not as a naïve wish, but as a choice, with your eyes wide open to the reality of the world – just like the cynics who have not made the decision for hope.”

Remember if we want to receive the Kingdom of God, we HAVE to be child-like (not childish). The stakes are high…

Here’s a little checklist for you to assess how you’re getting on.:

Needy and dependent v self-sufficient and independent

Humble and teachable v proud and having the answers

Curious v indifferent

Joyful v serious

Forgiving v resentful

Faith-filled v sceptical

Pliable v brittle 

Hopeful v cynical

Secure v doubting self

Trusting v fearful

Sermon notes available on request.

GeneralInspirationSimon Blog

hand on door handle opening door

I’ve had a fun day so far, and yet it’s been such a normal day. Let me explain:

Our church was serving the local community at the weekend by providing four skips for people to bring their stuff and save them a trip to the tip (many locals don’t have a car, so it’s very much appreciated). There was one last skip that needed filling, so a couple of us did that this morning. As the skip was loaded onto the truck and about to be driven away, I showed the driver a picture on my phone, and asked him if he’d seen it before. He said no, but the conversation that ensued led to me praying for him, exchanging numbers, and him expressing interest in doing an Alpha course.

I then showed the same picture to the guy who’d helped me fill the skip. He’s a lovely Hindu from India. We prayed together as well.

Then back home, the bell rang and I answered the door. I showed that lady the picture as well, and her English was very broken but we established that she was my catholic sister from Brazil, and parted joyfully.

And now I’ve just got off from a Zoom call with someone trying to sell me (good) stuff, at the end of which I asked if he’d mind me sharing with him for a few minutes. I pulled up the same picture again. Another great conversation ensued, at the end of which I prayed with and for him, and he agreed that when he was next in the area (he knew my address now because of what he was trying and succeeding in selling me), he’d come over for a beverage to talk further.

So what am I sharing with all these folks? Well, the picture I show them and the briefest summary outline of what I share is below:


Honestly, it’s so easy. And I’m genuinely not even that good at ‘doing’ it yet, as it’s a relatively new approach to me. But if you’re winsome, open, loving, respectful, it’s such fun – all four encounters today were so positive.

You could do this!

They were such simple encounters – with a truck driver, a man helping me fill a skip, a lady who knocked on my door, and someone selling me stuff – just day-to-day normal meetings.

So I’m offering and recommending you this simple conversation starter and tool. Let me say it again, you can do this!

A few Saturdays ago, 16 of us did it in the town centre, and in one hour we led 10 people to Jesus, including one Wiccan lady with her pentagram. People are spiritually hungry – not all by any stretch, but many – and they don’t want religion (yuck!), but many do want Jesus!

Why don’t you take an hour or so to memorise the script, check out these training/example videos, and then give it a go?!

Watch this video on YouTube
Watch this video on YouTube
Watch this video on YouTube

More resources available at jesusattheddoor.com


You can also download the app (free) with the picture and script using the following links:

Let me know how you get on!

BlogPodcastSimon Blog

Guys, I love hearing great stories, so here are the three most recent podcasts – so good!

We’ve just launched this today: Alli ‘Mbabazi’ Blair is nuts (in a good way)! What compels a 67-year-old a few months ago to pack all her earthly belongings in two 23kg bags and move to the jungle in the North of Cambodia? She discusses naked Mai Mai soldiers, her 4m pet python, post-genocide rebuilding in Rwanda, exposing a paedophile, Freddy with the melted face, injustice, craziness and more.

(If you don’t have access to Spotify or Apple Podcasts, scroll to the bottom of this post to listen on this webpage.)

How could you not only forgive your Dad’s murderer, but preach reconciliation with him where he’d buried your father alive, and then sponsor the now-deceased murderer’s kids through schooling? And also pioneer a fruitful street kids organisation and run for President? A-ma-zing! That’s part of Dieundonne Nahimana’s story…

Jodie Lintern is not just our house-mate, but she also has a stunning story of being a pro footballer and making lots of bad choices, and then having her life completely turned around. Now she’s turbo-charged, and her story will stir your own faith to believe God can use you as well.

Please enjoy, and spread the word – we need good news and inspiration amidst so many negative voices. Go for it!

GeneralSimon Blog

man sits on a bench by the sea reading a book

Hi folks,

In case you wanted some book recommendations, I thought I’d send a few your way:

A House Built on Love tells the stunning story of Founder Ed Walker’s journey in setting up Hope into Action, which has won secular awards as the nation’s best homelessness charity. I did a podcast with Ed which is also well worth listening to, click here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Eugene Peterson was a legend. A Burning in my Bones is his authorised biography, and is well worth reading to glean many gems from this remarkable man.

Guvna B and Michael Emmett’s stories make for challenging and stirring reading, and Katharine Hill’s A Mind of Their Own will hit the spot for many of us with kids struggling through their weird (post)lockdown times.

Here’s the full list from St Andrews Bookshop.

So let’s keep St Andrew’s key ministry going, get reading, and enjoy!

SermonsSimon Blog

Have you ever had a love bite?! No, I’m not talking about the hickey variety…

Below is last Sunday’s sermon from St Mark’s Battersea Rise as part of their series ‘Love Justice’. After so long in lockdown, it was lovely to be back preaching in the flesh. Have a listen, it’s challenging stuff:

Here are some quotes that I shared:

Anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Edmund Burke: “All that it takes for evil to prosper is for good people to do nothing.”

The Reverend Martin Niemöller, a pastor in the German Confessing Church who spent seven years in a concentration camp: “First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the labor leaders, and I did not speak out because I was not a labor leader.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.

A harried vicar was too busy to help a homeless lady needing help. He fobbed her off with a promise to pray for her. She subsequently wrote the following poem and gave it to a local Shelter officer:

“I was hungry,
And you formed a humanities group to discuss my hunger.
I was imprisoned,
And you crept off quietly to your chapel and prayed for my release.
I was naked,
And in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.
I was sick,
And you knelt and thanked God for your health.
I was homeless,
And you preached a sermon on the spiritual shelter of the love of God.
I was lonely,
And you left me alone to pray for me.
You seem so holy, so close to God
But I am still very hungry – and lonely – and cold.”

Food for thought…

Play/Download Audio:

Simon BlogUncategorized

Today we’re launching a new podcast: ‘Inspired… with Simon Guillebaud’.

Upbeat and uplifting, ‘Inspired’ introduces us to a stunning variety of people from all walks of life. It celebrates perseverance, overcoming, and costly faith. Stories of adventure and risk-taking stir the listener to imagine new possibilities.

I’ve loved recording the first few episodes already, which have included tales of dramatic answered prayers, Mai Mai militias, a 6-ft pet cobra, punch-ups, a melted face, witchdoctor and drag queen conversions and more. I have so many crazy/courageous/resourceful/faith-filled friends whose stories will be told over the coming months, and I’d love you to join me with them.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

I’ll record a new podcast every week, so do subscribe on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts and I’d be so grateful if (with integrity) you could do two things:

Give us a 5-star review on iTunes here so more people can discover us.
Spread the word by sending a friend to our podcast webpage!

The aim is to point people to Jesus, and to celebrate and promote what the Lord has done through His people – what’s not to like?!

This first week, my old mate Ed Walker interviews me so you get more of my own journey with stories you’ll definitely not have heard before, and then I interview him on his award-winning work through Hope into Action, which has seen beautiful fruit amongst the most broken people of society.

So inspiring!

Bring it on!