New City Church Sydney: Recent Episodes
New City Church
New City Church is passionate about Jesus, justice, and community. Join us in exploring faith in engaging and practical ways.
Let's begin our adventure in Luke/Acts! In his opening chapters, Dr Luke introduces us to a cast of nobodies who are about to witness a remarkable work of God. Consider this your invitation to see God move in new and exciting ways as we consider what it means to encounter God.
Jesus could have been overwhelmed by the thronging crowds or those who misunderstood Him. Here Jesus calls His followers to, and explains how to be "more righteous than the Pharisees and Teachers" - remember who God is and what They have promised, remember who you are, and remember who others are.
Whatdoesitmeantolivethe "GOOD LIFE"? So much of our time and energy goes in to pursuing a life that we (or others) deem to be of value - but howdoyou go about defining this?Doyou turn to philosophy? Religion? Tik tok? Andwhatdoesit look like to bring this vision of the good life in line with Jesus? Thisisthe task of the opening of the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus elevates those who he sees as foundational to God's kingdom. Spoler alert, it's not who you'd expect. Thesearethe people whoare#BLESSED.
What if the Kingdom of Heaven was not far? What if it truly was in our midst? And what if it has been here all along, waiting to break through?This week we begin our series in the Sermon in the Mount with a radical proposition - that the Kingdom of Heaven starts here, and now, with you. In Jesus radical new vision for a transformed humanity, he offers a challenge. Will you live and love in such a way as to bring this kingdom to earth?
"Getting through hard times is a challenge and can break down our wellbeing and faith when we do not know our worth and purpose. Lets look at how the wisdom books share about how being loving to our humanness and how living with the value and actions of shalom can nurture our dignity, resilience and joy no matter what experiences we are facing."
The world is in dire need of less jerks. Thankfully, we have ancient wisdom that guides us in how to achieve that exact goal, and it all centres around one deeply subversive idea: humility.
Out beyond the rules, past the guilt trips, and more powerful than the nagging lies a deeply liberating invitation to take on a posture of generosity. As we continue our journey through the Wisdom Literature we are reminded of ancient postures which sidestep the rat-race and free us to reconsider how we relate to money.
Our modern world craves wisdom - and in this series we turn to the ancient books of Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs to discover a type of wisdom that is woven into the very fabric of the universe. As we kick off the series, we discuss how to hand conflict in relationships - the dos, the don'ts, and the liberating invitation of working toward Shalom.
As we conclude our series in Ezekiel, we discuss a foundational affirmation: NCC exists in the hope (and belief) that God is loving, that all of creation is being and will be restored. We believe that teachings of the prophets and Jesus are counter-cultural to the ideas of profits at the expense of everything else. And to quote Rogue One, rebellions are built on hope.
As we move through Ezekiel, we encounter a God who uses violence to overpower overpower and control. How do we sit with this tribal deity, and still find a way to worship? In this week's talk we encounter an ancient way of understanding YHWH, while finding glimmers of hope that call us home. We also explore notions of domestic and family violence, and place this within the context of Jesus - the prince of peace.
As we dive into our new series, we meet Ezekiel (let's call him Ez) sitting on the banks of a river, in exile, pondering what on earth went wrong (spoiler alert - a lot went wrong). And yet as he sits by the river he has a vision that upends how his life is going to unfold... it also happens to change the course of history at the same time. It turns out God didn't work to Ez's script, and maybe doesn't stick to ours either.
As we close of our Communitas series, we explore what it means to be a people of spiritual growth. In a world craving something more, could NCC pave the way for a new way of going deeper?
As we begin our series in Communitas, Rev Karina Kraminski opens up the mystery of mission - what it means to be listening to the heart cry of our world, and simply allowing the universal luminosity of Christ to shine in and through us.
As we end our series in Revelation, we encounter a deep reality, summed up brilliantly by Robyn Whitaker: To live with hope is not to live without despairthey are two sides of the same coin. Indeed, hope is required precisely in moments of despair when we feel utterly powerless to change our fate. We dont need hope when life is going wonderfully well! Perhaps that is why this text has particular appeal for those who know oppression all too well. It is a text for those who are in the minority, for those who feel powerless and face overwhelming injustice every day. The hope that God will act is not an excuse for inaction in the present: this hope fosters courage to act and to resist systems of evil and oppression in anticipation of Gods new world.
As we are drawn into the very throne room of God, we discover a ceaseless cycle of worship across the cosmos. Here, we are invited into a divine chorus that subverts the power of empire to worship the lamb that was slain.
Identity, Culture, and FaithIn this talk, Robyn Whitaker explores the history and meaning of Johns messages to the seven churches inRevelation2-3. The common thread in the messages is an anxiety about how Christians maintain their identity and faithfulness to Jesus in the midst of a world that is sometimes hostile and mostly quite different to them. The messages of complacency, encouragement and rebuke raise questions that remain relevant for contemporary Christians as we seek to with in the world, for the world, but not be entirely of the world.
Revelation throws us into unknown waters, holds us gently, and transforms us with a fierce love. As we begin our series in this dangerous, wild book, we orient ourselves to the style of literature, the themes, and our ways of reading it, and we prepare ourselves to slay dragons, cast crowns, and rest in hope.
Some thoughts on how an adult ADHD diagnosis shifted Matts theological thinking on faith, fear and fellowship.
Let's bring children in from the margins today with Jesus in Luke 9:43-48. And welcome the most important kid in your life: your younger self, a child of God.
Ever found yourself sitting across from someone thinking "we do NOT see the world the same way"? Ever been tempted to look down on that person? Label them a "deviant", a "fool", "sinner" or perhaps even "evil"? Maybe more to the point, have you ever looked at yourself and thought "I do not live up to the person I want to be"? Have you ever labelled yourself "pathetic", "loser", or "worthless"? Or maybe other people have slapped those labels on you? When Jesus dines with a man with labels ("tax collector!" "sinner!") the people aren't happy...but what happens next is utterly transformative - and we are invited into the journey both for others AND for ourselves.
Miracles Challenge the Status QuoMiracles leave room for possibility - for God to move in our midst.
Have you ever felt like throwing Jesus off a cliff? You're not alone. Plenty of people have tried before, and usually it's because Jesus says something we aren't a fan of - like "my love is for EVERYBODY." As we begin a series in the book of Luke, we explore how Jesus went to the margins, and how we are called to follow.
As we hurtle into 2024, we stop as a community to picture the true New City - a vision of shalom as Jesus takes his rightful place of worship among the nations of the earth. And as we do so, we ask "how can we take part in this kingdom in 2024?"
Jonah : How does he keep making it into children's Bibles?The Jonah we meet in the biblical text is not the hero of my children's Bible. He's insular, exclusive and judgmental. When commanded to share the gospel with a group of people he despises, he can only manage 4 words in Hebrew. Yet that doesn't mean we can't learn something from him: don't be like Jonah. Instead, be like the "pagans" he abhorred - merciful, willing to repent, and compassionate towards outsiders. Now, doesn't that sound more like Jesus?( Please note that slides for this sermon are also available for download. )( Apologies for the reduced audio quality due to technical issues. )newcitychurch.com.au
The Cry of the Human HeartA longing for PeaceA chasing of AweThe presence of JoyA need for ConnectionA pursuit of EqualityA call to CourageAn invitation to UnityA pronouncement of HopeA declaration of Emmanuel
As Mary prepares for everything to change, she bursts into a song of revolution and hope. In a season of waiting, she shows us what it means to worship, because God has not finished working
Courage Like a Scared Young GirlAs we go into Advent, we ponder the wonder of the incarnation - the perplexing, mystifying, divine reality that God would take on flesh. The eternal, bound by proteins and enzymes. The glory of God subjected to hiccups. And all the glory of the incarnation pivots on a young girl, in a land occupied by an oppressive force, in a backwater part of Galilee, who is betrothed to a man who just happens to have, somewhere in his lineage, a distant king. This girl would go down in history as a mover and shaker, who saw the task ahead and with courage simply said "yes". Could you do with an extra dose of courage this week?[Please note slides for this sermon are also available for download.]newcitychurch.com.au/podcasts
Reading the Bible like JesusAs we wrap up our series on how to read the Bible, we look to the surprising way Jesus handles his holy texts.[Please note that the Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
The Bible as an Art GalleryFor many of us, Reading the Biblehas been a task required or even demanded of us. Despite this, the Old and New Testaments have been a source of joy, hope and revelation for thousands of years. This sermon briefly suggests one reading style which has breathed joyful life back into the speakers own reading experience.[Please note no slides were used for this sermon.]
How to read the Bible using a Liberation Theology lens.We also explore the defining of "Slavery" ... spiritual slavery vs bonded labour.[Please note that the Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
LGBTQIA+ INCLUSIVE READINGS OF THE BIBLEIn this week's gathering, we dive into some of the "clobber passages" - parts of the Bible often weaponised against queer folk.Ultimately, we share a new way of reading the Bible, which follows Jesus model of asking "what is the fruit of this teaching?"[Apologies, due to technical difficulties the audio is somewhat unclear on this recording.][Please note that the Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
LGBTQIA+ INCLUSIVE READINGS OF THE BIBLEThe Bible has been used to oppress, marginalise, and ostracise countless LGBTQIA+ people. It's easy to point to verses and hide behind the "plain reading" of a text, but what happens when we scratch below the surface? This talk leads us to go beyond the words to discover the heart of the God who moves within the pages of the Bible.[Please note that the Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
In this week's gathering, we're continuing our journey through our "How to read the Bible" series, diving into the idea of Inspiration.How can a book that is so complicated, be truly inspired by a perfect God?And if the Bible is not a direct revelation of the Divine, what does that mean for our faith?[Please note that this sermon did not feature slides, so no slides are available for download.]
This is a time to think about creation, how weve impacted it, and how we can work to make things better. What does that look like?In this sermon, Raven refers to the song "Hear the Song of Our Lament" by Resound Worship. The video above is a link to this song.[Please note that this sermon did not feature slides, so no slides are available for download.]
Three women of New City Church talk about their experiences as women growing up in Christian faith communities[Please note that this panel did not feature slides, so no slides are available for download.]
This Sunday, we are entering the book of Judges using our imaginations. This sermon might be different to what you are used to hearing. Christine will be telling us this story from Achsahs perspective. This story from Judges 1 invites us to ask:What do we remember, and what do we forget that we shouldnt?Do you ever feel like you are forgotten? That your life is insignificant? It is easy to forget the women and their stories in the Bible, but I believe that God does not forget them. When I look at Jesus and see how he interacted and noticed women I see God. We need to tell these small stories as well as the big stories to hear Gods love and concern for all people. Who are we danger of forgetting or erasing today? Lets pray and ask God to help us remember.The reading at the start is from Judges 1:9 to 15.[Please note that the four photo Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
"Eve wanted to eat good fruit and gain divine knowledge. Those are great things to want. She wanted good things but she made a mistake about how she got them..."As the original woman, Eve's story is a template for all who come after her. So what story are we telling?We explore Eve's legacy of sin, seduction, submission and suffering in the traditional view.And we mine the riches of what Genesis actually says.[Please note that the Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
In the story of Hagar, Love appears as the experience of being seen.For so many, the idea of being seen by God has been used to create shame, but what does it truly mean to be witnessed by the Divine, each other, and ourselves?[Please note that this sermon did not feature slides, so no slides are available for download.]
In Australia, who is included in the story we tell about faith and belonging?What is present-day impact of leaving women and other groups out of recorded history?What role did language, labels, separate spheres, gendered roles, and racism play in these histories becoming forgotten?[Please note that the Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
Looking at how community is the foundation to our physicial, psychological and spiritual health and well being.[Please note that the Slides from this sermon are also available for download.]
As surely as the sun rises, life is fleeting. Hurtling through history on this speck of dust, the universe rolls on as we try in vane to make our indellible mark. In true liberation, Ecclesiastes calls us to give up our pursuit of gain, and simply enjoy the good gifts God calls us to enjoy.
HOPE Holds on, is open to healing, is patient, and expansive. In this discussions, we explore what it means to be a community that embodies this bold vision of hope and look forward to building it together in 2023
In this discussion, Steff leads us to consider where we see God's grace breaking through, and how we can move into these rhythms in 2023. Full of hope and the promise of fresh starts, we discover a God whose grace is abundant and love overflows.
Here is the scandal: You're in. But so is the person you struggle to love. What next? In this parable, Jesus opens us up to a host of confronting, but radically beautiful truths.
Beth leads us in a 'dip' under the surface of things into an invitation for healing from a curious passage
In this discussion, Raven asks us to consider what truth is, how we seek it, and more importantly, is it even possible to find?
As we close our Reravelled Yarn series, Joel and Steff talk about what it is like to step back in, how they went about it, and the joys and challenges of reconstructing.
In this third chapter of Reravelled Yarns, we discuss what it is like to go through doubt and uncertainty. How do we sit with the unknown?
Its week two of our series, Reravelled. In the stories of people who have left their churches, we commonly hear the phrase I realised how disconnected from my body I was or Im learning to trust myself again. This disembodied version of Christianity often comes in the form of a heady intellectual faith, where theres an emphasis on words and thoughts, rather than on being and doing. Or where ideas and doctrines trump peoples lived experiences (how many people can resonate with the experience of being told this is me loving you when it didnt feel like you were being loved?). For many of us we have been taught to distrust our brains and bodies and put our faith in the church, or the churchs construction of what it means to know God. Today we unravel and reravel a dis-embodied faith and explore what it means to connect with ourselves again.
Many of us share the experience of reaching a point where for a variety of reasons - our faith wouldnt stand up to criticism anymore. We were left with holes or gaps. For some of us, that was accompanied by deep pain, realising that what we had been so passionate about, what had been the source of purpose for us for years now felt incompetent or wrong, we realised ways it was hurting us or hurting others, or we realised being part of the church left us wanting and we lost a lot of community in that process. So, we start this Rerevalled series, asking the question, why do people deconstruct or reconstruct their Christian faith?" and secondly, "What can we learn from these stories?
As we continue in our season of Creation, Steff leads us to consider how Creation is seen in the Bible as consistently and persistently worshiping God - crying out in silence and wonder. At it's core, Creation calls us to follow.
Christians are uniquely primed to experience AWE - a discovery of God's vastness and an adventure in discovering life beyond the boxes we put God in.
What does it mean to cry out to God? To express our sorrows, griefs and frustations to God?
As we tackle the last part of Jonah, we will take a detailed look into how Jonah 'cries out' to God - or does he?
Have you ever run from God? Turns out, you're in good company. It also turns out God isn't surprised by your running, and is waiting with open arms to guide you in to a more life-giving path.
What happens when God loves our enemies far more than we do? Jonah (which is NOT a kids book) holds up a mirror to our lives, declaring in extravagant terms that God's love goes far further than we could ever hope to imagine, and further still.
In our final installment of Trauma-Informed church, we dive into the practices of how we can build a psychologically safe church.
What does a trauma-informed church look like? Smell like? Feel like? This week, we dive in to understanding the impact of trauma on the body and mind, and explore how we can, as a church, navigate being a safe space.
What does a trauma-informed church look like? This week, we dive into the complex, yet vital realm of trauma-informed care. Part one of a three part series.
What does a truly diverse community look like? How do you know if we are creating a safe space for many different walks of life? The best way, I think, isto listen and give voice! This week, Bren is leading us in thinking aboutNeurodiversityin the Church.
Have you ever feared that God might just leave you? Like you have gone too far and God might just one day up-and-go? That's exactly what appears to happen in Ezekiel... but there is a twist! In this episode, we are keen to jump into an exceedingly weird, deeply refreshing passage in our time together. Ezekiel 37, here we come!
Join us as Steff leads us to discover the beautiful truth that "your scars are holy, because what God is is holy, and God is scarred."
A rich young man asks Jesus "How do inherit eternal life?" and Jesus answer stuns him. Steff leads us to discover that eternal life both a gift, and something we walk into now. As we embrace the way of God, we find God's life animating our world in new and exciting ways.
"Christ is Risen" is not a statement that covers over the darkness, the pain, and the turbulence of life. It is not a statement that "all is well" right now. Rather, it is a proclamation that even in the midst of all these things, God is present. God is moving. God is bringing new life. Content warning: In this episode, we discuss topics around death and suicide, and reflect on the passing of a dearly loved friend to many in our community. Please be aware of this as you listen.
Mary of Bethany acknowledges the brevity of Jesus' death and resurrection in this act of self-giving love. In this sermon, we pause to acknowledge the leadership of women as disciples of Jesus.
In the face of death, Jesus weeps. But then hope breaks through as Lazarus is called out of the grave. Empty tombs invite us into a dangerous hope as we discover new ways of God moving in the world.
What if there was a leader who guided sheep with abundant love, overflowing integrity, and selfless care? What if we (sheep as we are) could find rest in the care of this leader? Taking aim at the religious leaders and power figures of his day, Jesus condemns them as "thieves and robbers" and gives us a better image of what true leadership can look like.
Is the Bible mysoginisic? Is God a anti-women? What does the Bible say about gender equality and patriarchy? How about gender diversity and being transgender?
Join our world-class panel of Steff Fenton, Rosie Clare Shorter and Sammi Shead as we talk about 'Christianity & Gender'.
In the healing of a man born blind, the Pharisees' blame, judgment and exclusion are confronted by Jesus' mercy, healing and welcome. Steff attempts to disrupt some bad disability theology and develop a more nuanced doctrine of sin, as we explore how to see God's presence differently.
Jesus, the true light, has come into the world. But what happens when the light shines in places that don't want light? And what happens when we are invited into those places? In step with Jesus, and together, we are called to shine with a new type of life - a powerful, prophetic and subverssive life.
What if our actions are not governed by keeping rules that set us apart from others, but instead are guided by making the world a better place? What if the freedom and healing we find with Jesus is good news? What if the future restoration of all things gives us hope to live now for a world made right? What if living justly is how we embody holiness?
Jesus promise of freedom cuts to the heart of who we are - we are called to be children of the most high God, speaking the language of heaven and unshackled from the bounds that hold us down.
What happens when the God who wrote the rules has a person to person encounter with a flagrant rule breaker? He refuses to condemn. Instead, Jesus lifts her out of the dust of shame and demonstrates the depths of his love. If we were to live and love like Jesus, we need to stop throwing rocks of condemnation and judgement. And we must be people who lift others out of shame and restore them to the fullness of love and grace.
Tonight, Karen does a very different sermon where as a community we explore and unpack the text together, recongising the unique gifts God has given each person in the community.
The thing I most love about Jesus is that he deliberately walks towards people and places that others walk away from. In John 4, Jesus crosses racial, gender and moral boundaries to let a marginalised woman know that she is welcomed, known and loved. For us, walking with Jesus means loving like Jesus and walking with him into disputed territory.
Jesus sermon on the mount introduces us to a new kingdom - a kingdom where the outcast, the mourners, and the poor in spirit are honoured.
In the ancient city of Jerusalem, the people had the security of knowing that they had a pure and certain water source from the Gihon Spring, which flowed directly into the pool of Siloam in the city. When attacking armies laid seige to the city, they knew they would never go thirsty. We, too can experience the peace and refuge of God. Jesus has promised that those who trust in him will know streams of living water welling up within them. NCC exists that all might find refuge and life in Jesus. We are able to beome a place of refuge as we experience God our refuge, stilling the chaos around and within us.
The prophet Elijah, alone, disheartened and destraught, flees to the wilderness wanting to die. There, he finds the God who whispers hope. As we discharge our duties as prophets to the world, we discover a God who honour our trauma, meets us in our need, and strengthens us.
Jesus' life shows us that God is a refuge to all those who find themselves isolated or excluded. For a man controlled by a demon, a woman bleeding for 12 years, and a group of children disregarded by the disciples. These stories show us there is true refuge and empowerment in Jesus.