Just twelve months after lifting the Big Church Poetry Slam trophy, Jaykspeaks is returning to the competition but this time, he’ll be on the other side of the table.
The award-winning spoken word artist has been confirmed as one of the judges for the Big Church Poetry Slam Live Semi-Final, taking place on Saturday 18 July at King’s Cross Baptist Church (KCBC), London.
For this year’s shortlisted poets, something is fitting about being assessed by the very person who stood where they now stand. In 2025, JayKSpeaks delivered a standout performance that earned him the Big Church Poetry Slam title. Now, he returns to help decide which poets will follow in his footsteps and secure a place in this year’s Grand Final at Big Church Festival.
Presented through a partnership between Big Church Festival, AStepFWD, POETIC UK and Urban Wordsmiths, the competition has become a launchpad for Christian spoken word artists, offering a national stage where powerful stories, honest faith and exceptional writing come together.
Jaykspeaks has established himself as one of the UK’s leading voices in contemporary Christian spoken word, using poetry to communicate faith, hope and the Gospel to audiences in creative and new ways across the nation and beyond.
A former Gospel Factor Champion and the reigning Big Church Poetry Slam Champion, he has amassed a social media community of more than 378,000 followers, with his performances reaching millions of people around the world. His ability to combine compelling storytelling with biblical truth has made him one of the most influential voices in contemporary Christian spoken word.
His work has seen him headline the Southbank Poetry Festival, while his online poetry has reached millions of viewers, inspiring audiences with performances that blend creativity, authenticity and biblical truth. Through both live events and digital platforms, Jaykspeaks continues to make spoken word accessible to a new generation, encouraging meaningful conversations around faith, identity and purpose.
His return as a judge is a full-circle moment for the competition. Having experienced the pressure of the stage and the excitement of reaching the final, he understands exactly what this opportunity means for the poets preparing to perform next weekend.
This year’s competition challenged entrants to write and perform an original piece inspired by the theme “Valley and the Mountain Top”. The response was remarkable, with submissions arriving from across the country and showcasing the depth of Christian spoken word talent in the UK.
Those selected for the Live Semi-Final will now perform before the judging panel and a live audience, with the strongest performances earning a place in the Big Church Poetry Slam Grand Final on the Spoken Word Stage at Big Church Festival this August.
For the poets stepping onto the KCBC stage, the goal is clear. For Jaykpeaks, it’s an opportunity to encourage, challenge and help identify the next voice ready to make its mark on one of the UK’s biggest Christian festival stages.
Whether you’re cheering on a friend, discovering spoken word for the first time or simply love seeing faith expressed through creativity, this is an evening you won’t want to miss!
EVENT DETAILS: BIG CHURCH POETRY SLAM LIVE SEMI-FINAL
Venue: Kings Cross Baptist Church (KCBC) London
Saturday 18 July 2026 || Doors Open: 6:00pm
