Terry Virgo: From Party Life to a Global Church Movement - A Story of Grace and TransformationAt 16, Terry Virgo’s world was all parties and pleasure—until one moment changed everything.In this Dancing With Wisdom conversation, Dr. Sunil Raheja explores how God’s grace turned a restless youth into a leader of Newfrontiers and a voice of revival.What turns a hard-partying teen into a father of a global church movement? In this fascinating opening to a series of conversations, I have the privilege of sitting with 85-year-old Bible teacher Terry Virgo to trace the surprising twists: a sister’s bold question after a Billy Graham rally, four years of a “double life,” a thunderbolt sermon that forced a choice, and a leap from safe Civil Service career to living by faith—with jaw-dropping stories of provision down to the exact pound.Along the way you’ll hear:How Terry broke free from “Romans 7” legalism into the joy of grace—“I don’t have to impress God; I’m hidden in Christ.”The moment he nearly lost heart…and the promise in Genesis 28 that steadied his calling for decades.Why stale, formal church life pushed him to pioneer grace-soaked, Spirit-alive communities—the seeds of Newfrontiers across 70 nations.The love story with Wendy that began with a hockey stick, a blunt letter, and a chapel prayer.If you’ve ever wondered whether people (or churches) really change—or how grace moves from page to pulse—this conversation will stir your faith and reframe your future.Listen now to see how one ordinary life became an extraordinary legacy ...

I’m delighted to announce Series 4 of Dancing with Wisdom Podcast is here!

https://youtu.be/Lh761Tpmgog

This season is all about thriving in the second half of life and learning to live in the light of eternity.

To open the series, I sit down with my daughter Nisha for a warm, honest, and often light-hearted conversation reflecting on my recent milestone—turning 60.

Or put another way: rather than counting our days, how do we make our days count?

Our culture often paints aging as decline, but I believe it’s actually an invitation to grow deeper in wisdom, gratitude, and joy.

In our conversation, we touch on the four themes of wisdom from my book
—Being (who am I becoming?),
—Relating (how am I loving those around me?),
—Doing (what meaningful work is mine to do?), and
—Leaving (what legacy will I leave?).

We talk about why leadership is more about influence than titles, and why the hardest person to lead is yourself.

There’s also a moment when I recall being nicknamed “Puddleglum” by my children—a wake-up call to choose gratitude over cynicism.

We talk about how a sciatica scare taught me to care for my body as well as my mind, and how gratitude, practiced daily, shifts life from entitlement to gift.

Looking ahead, you’ll hear from inspiring leaders in later life who are reinventing themselves, deepening relationships, and showing us it’s never too late to grow. Whether you’re younger and want to learn from those who’ve gone ahead, or you’re in your own second half of life seeking encouragement, this series is for you.

Above all, this milestone has reminded me of the eternal perspective: if death isn’t the end, then what matters most is character, love, and faithfulness. In Christ, bad things can turn for good, good things can never be lost, and the best is yet to come.

The video can be accessed above and I also attach the audio podcast below

S3 E11

What does it mean to grow old gracefully?
Welcome to a serious, but light-hearted conversation between two ‘old men’ who at the time of recording were only 69 and 56 years young!

Western culture celebrates and idolises youth. At the same time there is a nagging fear of the process of dying and losing control at the end of life. We anaesthetise and distract that fear with amusement. Indeed the word ‘amusement’ itself means ‘without thinking’.

https://youtu.be/ylArfKOvpok

In this 31 minute conversation Professor John Wyatt and myself joyfully explore what it means:
– to not look to the future with anxiety or even terror.
– the dangers of nostalgia and living in the past.
– from an ancient proverb how light overcomes darkness.
– how to not live in regret
– the importance of not just physical pain at the end of life, but also relational and psychological pain.
– why the fact you are alive means there is more for you to learn and more to give.
– finding confidence in how the good cannot be lost, the evil will be redeemed and the best is yet to come.