Hope Church Cornwall: Recent Episodes
Hope Church
Listen to the message on encouraging one another using the story of Barnabas. Delivered to us by Nigel Argall 03.03.24.
A brilliant and thought provoking message from Dave Francis. To watch the video he refers to, search for Social Conformity - Brain Games on You Tube - it's just over 3 minutes and is definitely worth a watch.
A message from Sarah about how God chooses, and uses, insignificant places and people to fulfil His plan.
Listen to the message brought to us last Sunday by Dave Francis on what it is to be a living sacrifice.
A look at 1 Timothy 4, it's relevance today and the importance of fighting for Godliness.
Listen to the preach "Be Still" given this Sunday at Hope Church Penzance & Newlyn by Phil Coleman.
Gathered together, or dispersed far afield - what difference does this make to our view of our role in the Kingdom of God?
Gathered or scattered - what does this mean in the everyday life of a follower of Jesus?
Have a listen to Guthrie as he discusses the concept of 'passing on the baton' from Acts 20.
When disciples of Jesus worry it weighs them down and steals their joy, but it also reveals a deficient understanding of the character of God. Join us as we continue to explore Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and discover that the antidote to worry is not more favourable life circumstances, but a deeper faith in God.
Over and again Jesus warned his disciples about the dangers of money and wealth because he knew the potential it has to enslave human beings and draw them away from the Kingdom of God. In this sermon, we reflect on Jesus' instructions about handling money and wealth and discover that there is a way to be free from its vicious tyranny.
Prayer is a wonderful gift, but can often be perplexing and frustrating. Jesus knew that his disciples would struggle with prayer from time to time, so he took great care in the sermon on the mount to teach them the 'what' and 'how' of conversing with God. Listen in as we reflect deeply on the opening words of the Lord's prayer and consider how they should impact our prayer lives.
Disciples are called to be full of 'good deeds', but Jesus wants us to pay careful attention to the heart posture that lies beneath our religious devotion. It can be very easy for good works to become more about performing for people rather than pleasing the Father. Join us as we reflect on what it means to love God in 'the secret place'.
One of Jesus' most radical and powerful commands is to 'love your enemies'. Join us this week as we explore what this might mean and look like in the life of the disciple.
Jesus calls his disciples to respond to evil in a radical posture of love, humility and service. Listen in as we reflect on what the Rabbi from Nazareth has to say about evil, love, and justice.
The bible teachers of Jesus' day were often guilty of misreading and misusing scripture, and in so doing they turned the 'perfect law of freedom' into an instrument of pain and slavery. It's a danger that every generation must guard against as we aim to stay true to God's word. Join us as we explore Jesus teaching on marriage & divorce in the latest teaching from our series on the sermon on the Mount.
Sexual desire is a good gift from God but can be devastatingly harmful when misdirected. Join us as we reflect on Jesus' teaching about love and lust.
If we are listening carefully, Jesus' teaching in the sermon on the mount will make us deeply uncomfortable. His words expose the true condition of our hearts, and reveal how broken and sinful we really are. In this sermon, we take time to think about the kind of righteousness that Jesus demands, and marvel at the grace that he provides.
NOTE: There were some significant recording issues with this episode. Consequently, the first half of the teaching is missing and the quality is a little poor. Sorry!
Jesus was deeply committed to the Hebrew scriptures. In his view, every word of the Old Testament carried the power and authority of God himself. Yet Jesus also seemed to read the scriptures in a way that was different from the bible teachers of his day. Join us as we try to discover what it means for Jesus to fulfil the law and the prophets.
Jesus calls his followers to be his agents of transformation in the world. It is a wonderful privilege but, at times, a costly calling. Listen in as we explore what it means to be the 'salt of the earth' and the 'light of the world.'
When Jesus first delivered the sermon on the Mount he was surrounded by those who were considered to be the lowest and the least. It was a deliberate strategy designed to reveal the counter-cultural, upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God. Listen in as we consider who the truly blessed ones are.
As we introduce a new teaching series exploring the sermon on the Mount, we begin by exploring the backdrop to Jesus' famous teaching and reflect particularly on the identity of the preacher and the context of the sermon.
Genesis 32 records a fascinating encounter between God and Jacob. In this sermon, we reflect on what this encounter has to teach us about who God is and who we are.
Philippians 4 v 4-7 offers a beautiful description of what the inner life of a Christian could be. It also provides a strategy for how to get there. Join us as we think together about how we can pursue a life that is free of anxiety and fear.
The Resurrection of Christ is a wonderful and powerful reality, but for the first disciples it was difficult to make sense of. In Luke 24 Jesus joins two of his followers on the road and leads them on a journey from doubt to faith, from confusion to confidence, and from sadness to joy. It is a powerful story that will comfort and help us, especially in times of doubt and disappointment.
When the first humans chose to reject God's command in the garden, sin entered the world, and with it came a deep and tragic sense of shame that humanity has been grappling with ever since. Wonderfully, God covered the shame of Adam & Eve, and he offers to do the same for us too.
Adam & Eve were given a choice in the garden. Life or Death? We all are faced with a similar question every day. God invites us to receive His life and goodness, but like Adam & Eve, we often choose death over life. Join us as we explore the events of Genesis chapter 3 and discover again the depths of God's compassion and grace towards stubborn and foolish humans like us.
Sin is never simply about 'breaking the rules' or 'doing bad things'. There is always some misguided belief underneath all sinful behaviour. Join us as we explore Genesis 3 and discover the story that lies behind every sin.
God is the owner of everything, and all that we have belongs to him. Join us this week as Dave Francis helps us to discover what it means for us to be stewards of all that God has made.
Join us this week as we reflect on the first-ever wedding day in history and discover what God's good design, pattern, and purpose for marriage is.
When God created humanity in His image He chose to make them as Male & Female. This wasn't accidental or incidental; it was the careful design of the God who desires to reveal Himself to HIs creation. Listen in as our guest speaker for the weekend, Tim Coleman, opens Genesis 1 to explain why God's purpose for men & women is good news.
According to the story in Genesis 1, human beings were made in the image of God. This unique privilege was not bestowed on anything else in God's creation, and when we take the time to reflect on its meaning it should fill us with wonder and joy as we realise how loved and treasured we are in the sight of God.
Genesis 1 tells the story of how God took a dark mass of chaotic water and transformed it into a world of vibrant beauty. It's a powerful story that should give us hope to believe that no matter how messy or broken the world, or our lives, may become, we are never beyond the redeeming power of God.
Day one of creation is doing more than just telling a story about history; it is proclaiming a message of hope. Listen in as we behold the God who rules over the night and conquers the darkness.
The first image we are given of God in the bible is that of a bird hovering in the dark over the deep waters. It is a powerful picture of the tenderness of God and brings great comfort to us in times of life when it feels like the world is nothing but darkness and deep waters.
Genesis 1 is not a history lesson or a scientific explanation, it is a declaration of the supremacy and greatness of God. Therefore our response should not be to scrutinise the text with questions but to pour out worship and praise to the creator. Listen in as we marvel together at the God of Genesis 1.
In the story of the universe, God is the main character. Within four words of the opening sentence of the Bible, our attention is directed away from ourselves and 'up' towards God. Listen in as we begin a new teaching series exploring the story of the beginning in Genesis 1-3.
As we reflect on the Christmas story it is important to remember that Jesus came not only to be the Saviour who rescues us from sin but also to be the King who heals the world of brokenness. Listen in as we unpack the famous promise of Isaiah 9 and discover that Jesus truly is an incomparable King.
There is a recurring pattern in the storyline of scripture whereby God's people choose to reject His goodness and love towards them. This inevitably leads to distress, misery and darkness. It is into this environment of spiritual compromise and rebellion that the famous words of Isaiah 9 arrive. God's promise to shine light in the darkness offers unshakeable hope to us all, especially when we reflect on our own tendency to reject the goodness of God for lesser things.
Most everyone agrees that love is a virtue that we should all pursue, but what actually is love? In this sermon, we reflect on Peter's command to 'love one another deeply' (1 Peter 4 v 8) and discover that Christian love should be both fervent and forgiving.
The church is called to be a group of people who love each other deeply. In this sermon, we reflect together on what this actually means. Using the New Testament description of the church as living stones, Phil reminds us that one of the ways we express our love for one another is by bearing each other's burdens.
Every disciple is called to pursue blameless living, not in an attempt to earn God's love and favour, but in response to it. As the church moves towards blameless and innocent lives, God is honoured and Jesus is seen as we 'shine like stars in the sky'.
In his letter to the Thessalonian church, Paul provides a beautiful and challenging model of church leadership and pastoral ministry. In this sermon, Phil shares a little about how this particular passage of scripture has shaped his own heart and mind as a local church Pastor.
Why do we pray? There are lots of answers to this question, but at its simplest, prayer is an expression of humility and an acknowledgment of our own deep need. We pray, therefore, because we don't have what it takes to do life on our own. Join us as we explore this idea further in today's sermon.
In this talk from our recent family service, we reflected on some words from 2 Peter and were reminded of the importance of 'paying attention' to the message of the scriptures.
As we come to the end of our journey through Mark's gospel, we continue to reflect on the experience of Jesus on the cross. In this sermon, Phil reminds us that even though the crucifixion was a moment of intense darkness and anguish, it is not where the story ends. Jesus' story ended in glory and joy, and because of this we can be sure that our stories are all destined for the same.
As Jesus dies on the cross, he famously cried out 'My God my God, why have you forsaken me?'. It was a cry of deep anguish that powerfully reveals how Jesus is our companion in the suffering and anguish that is so often part of the human experience.
This week we begin an exploration of Mark's description of the crucifixion, paying particular attention to Jesus' silence in the face of his accusers, and the darkness that fell as he was dying on the cross. These details are not incidental; they reveal profound truths about the character of Christ and the meaning of his death. Listen in to discover more...
A crucial component of a healthy church is Unity, but it is not easy. In this message, Phil reminds us that we are all responsible for creating unity, and challenges us to 'make every effort' to pursue it, so that the beauty of Christ might be revealed through us.
In this message Pastor Dom Bird (Sunnyhill Church) explains how the church is God's only plan for the renewal of creation, and therefore challneges us to be people who are devoted to the church of Christ.
In this message, Tony guides us through Mark 14 and shows us how Jesus was the true Passover Lamb who died to save us from our sins.
In Mark 14 we read about a woman who anointed Jesus with very expensive ointment. It is a stunning picture of extravagant worship and whole-hearted devotion that should inspire and challenge us to think about how much we really treasure and value Christ for ourselves.
In this sermon, we continue to explore Jesus' teaching in Mark 13. We are reminded of the fact of Jesus' imminent return and as his disciples we must pay careful attention to the warning to 'stay awake.'
In Mark chapter 13 Jesus begins to forewarn his disciples about some of the events that will take place in the coming years. He explains that life will become quite uncomfortable and challenging for them. In the midst of these warnings, Jesus provides some words of encouragement and instruction for them in order to prepare them and ensure that they will be able to endure to the end. Jesus' words are powerful and just as relevant to today as we try to make sense of the world around us which seems to be spinning more out of control daily.
In Mark 12 Jesus uses a parable about a Vineyard to retell the story of God and Israel. It is a fascinating story that reveals some profound truths about the human condition, the mercy of God, and the centrality of Christ.
In Mark 11 Jesus gets angry. Really angry. In this sermon we explore this side to Jesus character and reflect on what it reveal to us about the heart of God.
Jesus' favourite title for himself was 'The Son of Man'. In this sermon we explore the rich Old Testament background to this concept and reflect on the surprising way it finds fulfilment in the person of Jesus.