Season over for popular podcast
- deansimpson7
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
BY LAUREN MARTIN
Over the past five years, the life and faith of Major Bryce Davies have been authentically laid bare through the ‘Stories of Hope’ podcast he started during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
But after 600 episodes, Bryce is turning off the microphone.
He has been given a new appointment – as a Team Member at The Salvation Army’s Goodna Mission in Brisbane’s west – after serving for several years as the Faith Communities Development Coordinator based out of Divisional Headquarters in Brisbane.
The podcast series has been aired on his own Stories of Hope website each week, and for the past two years on Salvos Online Facebook each Saturday. Even though Bryce has recorded his last interview, Salvos Online will continue the Saturday series from his vast library of pre-recorded episodes.
Bryce said the Stories of Hope podcast emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’d been working in Villawood at the time that COVID hit,” he said, referring to his involvement in building the Community of Hope in the south-west Sydney suburb.
“I had been doing social media posts about the living out of the Gospel in real life. It felt like all the things that the Salvos and the Church should be like, and a friend of mine pointed out how popular the posts were and how much people engaged with them.
“There was this idea that there was more potential, that there was a way that I could be involved in a more public space.”
And so, ‘Stories of Hope’ was born, resulting in hundreds of devoted listeners, thousands of online interactions and hundreds of episodes. And it’s even birthed a book, Doing Life With Bryce, which has just been released by Salvos Publishing.
Through the podcast, Bryce inspired both Salvos and non-Salvos, Christians and non-Christians, with his practical, earthy theology (“I’m just an ex-plumber” is a line heard often throughout the podcasts.)
Starting with three podcasts per week – the ‘Monday nuggets of truth’ series mostly focused on Scripture and how we can practically live out the Gospel, the Wednesday stories were heartwarming moments Bryce shared, illustrating how God is at work in the world, and the Friday interviews, where people discussed life, love, faith and connection. It was the ‘Monday nuggets of truth’ series that inspired the book.
“I think the podcast has made me more reflective,” he said. “It has shaped my theology. I think a lot of people’s ways that they think about God have been heard and respected and understood in a way that it may have not been heard before.”
Impact on listeners For his listeners, the ‘Stories of Hope’ podcast has inspired and challenged them to think outside of religious tradition, to the heart of how Jesus lived, loved and ushered in the Kingdom of God here on Earth.
Major Sandra Pawar reflected, “This podcast has been amazing, and I have listened to every episode. Thank you for the investment … it has blessed and challenged me.”
Another listener, Territorial Envoy Bronwyn Bithell, said, “I have been educated, encouraged and challenged by your teachings and the stories of those you’ve interviewed.”
Andrew Grinsted, who met Bryce when both were young adults and Bryce was the youth worker at Camberwell Corps in Melbourne, said his faith has been shaped by not just the ‘Stories of Hope’ podcast, but Bryce’s ministry across his officership. He was interviewed by Bryce for the podcast, during which he expressed his deep desire to be a “good neighbour”.
Writing to Bryce after learning about the podcast ending, Andrew shared that following that interview, he felt called to step out in faith and is now working as the Community Mission Lead for The Salvation Army in Merton, south-west London, where his wife, Jill, is the leader of Raynes Park Corps.
“I just wanted to let you know, after listening to my interview with you again, that I am now taking this opportunity that has come my way and doing my dream job of being paid to be neighbourly.
“I use you and the work you have done, not only as an officer with Streetlevel and other community projects, but the role model you were when we were both a bit younger when I speak to people about my journey and my hopes for this new job. You have always been and will continue to be an inspiration to me! Thank you for just being you and letting God use you!”
Bryce says looking back over the last five years, probably his favourite interview, the one that he has listened back to more times than others, was the one he did with his daughters for a Father’s Day podcast. “I find myself laughing and smiling. I love those two girls, so that’s pretty special.”
His final episode will feature none other than his wife, Sue, whom he has affectinately called “the lovely Sue” throughout the podcast episodes.
