Family Church Waterside: Recent Episodes
Family Church Waterside
During the last months there has been a period of refresh and rebuild as Ps Paul & Wendy have been away on Sabbatical. Now, Waterside congregation enters a period of Embracing a New Season. For this we need
- Discernment
- Obedience
- Thankfulness
- Open Hands
- A Tight Grip
Ps Steu explores each of these areas in detail with appropriate scripture references and ends by inviting the whole congregation to pray....
Dear Father,
I accept that I cannot live up to your perfect standard, and I turn away from my sin.
Thank you for sending Jesus to pay the price for my sin.
I believe that You forgive me and make all things new.
I surrender to you and want to take your path for my life.
So please fill me with Your Spirit and empower me to live a life that honours You.
Thank you for loving me! Amen.
This is a cardinal message for Family Church Waterside Congregation.
Ps Geoff shares a powerful message titled "We Value Church Family – Part 3." He reminded us of the importance of standing together as the Church, the Bride of Christ, especially when division arises. As believers, we are called to remain united, always supporting and encouraging one another.
Ps Geoff also emphasised the importance of reading the Bible daily, describing God's Word as medicine. As 2 Timothy 3:16–17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." God's Word divides between soul and spirit, revealing truth and leading us on the right path.
Finally, we were reminded of our mission as followers of Christ: to make disciples and walk alongside them in discipleship after they are saved. Whether we have been Christians for seven years or seven months, we all share the same purpose—to lead people to Jesus and help them grow in their relationship with Him. As Ephesians 4:11–12 says, "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." Each of us has a role in strengthening the body of Christ by serving, encouraging, and discipling others.
Ps Steu continues speaking within the theme of 'We Value Chuch Family', this week asking whether we are a Consumer or totally Consumed.
He explores what it means to be God's church family - one body and one house, with every believer chosen for a reason and called to play a unique part. If every member plays their part, the whole body grows healthily, full of love. We are reminded that we are all called to be valuable contributors, consumed with service and not just consumers.
Jesus is the perfect example here, serving not out of duty, but form love of others who he treated a family. We are all called as a holy priesthood, to serve one another and those outside the church.
We had the honour of hosting Nimi at Waterside today. He shared a powerful message on finding our identity in Christ, our unity as members of one church family and our strength in being planted in the House of God. We were encouraged that knowing our identity and living it out through the guidance of the Holy Spirit is a vital aspect of our Christian race.
He also reminded us that:
- We are a children of God
- We are heirs of God
- We are joint heirs with Jesus
- We are chosen
- We are royalty
- We are Holy inside out
- We are God’s very own possession
This week Ps Andy challenged us to consider what 'P' are we resisting change in.. 'Places' (are you ready to move?), 'People' (are you ready to make way for new people?) or 'Plans' (are we ready to change our plans?).
This is a message about recognising where we are at in our attachment issues - to places, to people, to plans; letting the Lord reveal it to us, surrendering them to him and asking for his help, to take the next step, beginning to look forward to receiving the healthy and secure life God has planned for us and made possible through Jesus; to live in stability and freedom, comfortable in intimacy, trusting, and freely communicating our needs first with him and also each other, without fear of rejection or abandonment.
When speaking on money, Jesus said not to worry. Our God does not change. To live under God's blessing and protection, we need to first be willing to live under His instruction. Wayne shares some biblical principles to guide good financial stewardship.
Ps Steu speaks this week in our Waterside Congregation. He focuses on growing our relationship with God through prayer. He speaks about the account of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 seeing the importance of sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him. We are encouraged to engage in a healthy prayer life, staying close to Jesus and being yoked to Him.
This is the most important thing for us all to keep in mind......
Welcome to this series on authentic worship. Discover how worship is more than music, it’s a heartfelt response to God’s love, expressed through our words, our lives, and our service. Join us as we explore what it means to worship God in spirit and in truth.
There is a moment in Exodus 19 where Moses heads up the mountain to be with the Lord. His absence revealed the sound in the heart of the people, they may not have noticed the sound, due to the fact that the sound was reflected by others around them. However he noticed the sound when he returned. When there is an absence of the presence of God in our lives there is a sound that is produced, we may not notice, because we are busy, distracted, but there is a sound that others hear. We need to make sure that we end the absence of God's presence in our lives.
Ps Steve this week speaks about tghe Stoiry of our Lives. Do we live intentionally, or drift along? Is our life wasted or invested. This message helps us to understand the value of our days, they are never repeated! Listen with intent!
In the theme of "We Value New Life", Ps Steu speaks about Grace and Truth. Jesus dealt with people with tremendous grace but also in complete truth. The two go hand in hand not one or the other.
Ps Steu quotes 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NKJV), "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new".
As a church, we value NEW LIFE - unpacking this..
- We value the truth that everyone who accepts Jesus as Saviour is a new creation in Christ! Their once-dormant spirit is awakened and made alive to God.
- We value the truth that old things have passed away and all things have become new.
- We value the truth that we stand right before God because of His mercy and grace - not because of our works or performance.
- We value the truth that God has called us to live as new creations; He has called us to walk in righteousness, as God’s holy and set-apart people.
Its important to see oursleves as God sees us...Our ability to walk as new creations starts by accepting what God has done; seeing ourselves as God sees us. This involves letting go of the old and taking hold of the new!
Ps Steu then spoke about some situations in scripture where Jesus spoke to people with the utmost Grace but also in Truth....The Woman at the Well for example, the Prodigal Son...It is God’s mercy poured out through Jesus that welcomes us into His presence in the father’s arms.
As a church, it’s time to up our game when it comes to seeing people as God sees them. For those who are still lost, can we be ready to welcome them into God’s House with the same love and mercy that the Father showed his son in Luke 15? (The same love and mercy that our Heavenly Father showed us!).
Can we commit to being a ‘house of mercy’ rather than a ‘court of judgment’?
Ps Steu ends this challenging message with a prayer...
Dear Father, I accept that I cannot live up to your perfect standard, and I turn away from my sin. Thank you for sending Jesus to pay the price for my sin. I believe that You forgive me and make all things new. I surrender to you and want to take your path for my life. So please fill me with Your Spirit and empower me to live a life that honours You. Thank you for loving me! Amen.
Pastor Paul starts a three week series on the second Family Church value, 'We Value New Life', by exploring how through Jesus we have received the robe of righteousness (new life) as a completely free gift, as symbolised by the robe in the story of the prodigal son.
On this Resurrection Sunday, Ps Paul speaks about the story of the Passion of Jesus, how Pilate wased his hands and how the seemingly wrong person (Barabbas) was set free and the sinless Jesus was crucified for our sins. Jesus became sin in exchange for our sins. The Glorious Exchange..
Pastor Paul outlines the exciting vision for the Waterside congregation for 2026 and introduces the year's 'Next Level' Offering for Empower Centre Waterside.
Today is Vision Sunday 2026 for the whole of Family Church. Ps Steu speaks about the Mission and Vision of the church and introduces the six Family Church Values which will be expounded during the following weeks...
- We Value People
- We Value New life
- We Value Relationship with God
- We Value Church Family
- We Value Gathering
- We Value Commissioning
Each of these is represented by a part of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) - a central Christian teaching on God's unconditional love and forgiveness. All Family Church congregations heard this message and everyone received a booklet entitled Reach, Grow, Empower, explaining these values. Please refer to www.family.church for further details.
Pastor Paul explores what it means to live as an authentic disciple (follower/apprentice) of Jesus.
Love is what defines us as Christs disciples. Daniel speaks on what the Bible says love is and why we really need it especially in the days we are living in.
Rachel continues the three part series by exploring what Biblical hope is and how this outworks in our walk with God.
Steve Smith launches a new three part series titled 'Authentic Faith' by exploring how we live by faith in an authentic way, particularly focusing on the lessons we can learn from 2 Peter 1:1-12.
Ps Paul and Wendy conclude the series on 'New Beginnings' by exploring how we are all 'fellow builders' with Jesus as he builds His church.
Ps Paul continues the series on 'New Beginnings' - in the first service at Empower Centre Waterside, Ps Paul shares on the vision for the building - what has been accomplished so far in terms of the renovation of the building and future plans for further development and launch of brand new church projects/outreach etc. Using Habakkuk 2:2, he shares thoughts around this on how we are all called to 'run with the vision' together united as a church family.
Ps Paul starts a new series on 'New Beginnings', by sharing thoughts on thanking God for the past but looking forward to the future for all that God has in store for the congregation, related to the upcoming move to Empower Centre Waterside.
Ps Steu continues speaking in the current series about a Healthy Church. He likens the church to a flock of sheep, then sharing six indicators of a healthy flock...
- they reproduce
- they nurture
- they are well fed
- they are safe & secure
- they are on the move
- they are anointed
Ps Wendy shared thoughts on the rhythm of life that Jesus and the early church followed and how we can apply those same principles today in our devotion to God - living with purpose and on purpose.
Glen concludes the series on 'Life is a Garden', exploring the principles of operating our finances the way God intended, by looking at tithing, giving offerings, sowing and reaping and stewardship.
Ps Paul continues the series on 'Life is a Garden', exploring how the principles of sowing and reaping operate in our words, health and relationships.
Ps Paul launches the new series on 'Life is a Garden', exploring how the Israelites went from a stage of miraculous provision in the wilderness to sowing and reaping after they entered the Promised Land, where they become responsible for their harvest with God's help and how these same principles of seed, time and harvest apply to us today.
Ps Paul concludes the series from Acts 2:42, exploring how the early church knew the power of prayer and spending time in God's presence and made this their lifestyle.
Ps Paul continues the series on 'A Growing Church', exploring how the early church was always moving forward in God's plans - dealing well with transition and having a culture of growing people and leaders.
Elisa continues the series from Acts 2:42, exploring how the early church were committed to a lifestyle of fellowship with each other and how this can outwork in our congregation, particularly through Connect Groups.
Ps Paul continues the series from Acts 2:42, exploring how the early church were committed to correct teaching and how God intends for the Word to influence and change us as we put it into practice.
Ps Andy provides an introduction to the next series entitled "A Growing Church" and explains how this fits within our overall theme of magnify and multiply.
Ps Paul introduces various youth members speaking about summer camp and baptism testimonies....
If Jesus says we will do all the things He did and more, then are we ready to grow our faith from a mustard seed in to the tree that it is meant to be?
Jan Hayter explores Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to come to Him when we are weary and burdened (whether physically, emotionally or spiritually), in order to find our rest in Him.
Ps Paul concludes the series on miracles, by exploring how faith in God (trusting Him) is the key ingredient to seeing miracles in our lives.
Ps Paul continues the series on miracles, by exploring the principles we can apply to our lives from the widow's miraculous supply of flour and oil recorded in 1 Kings 17 and how we can trust God to provide for us, even in times of famine.
Ps Paul continues his series of messages speaking about miracles and how the scriptures reveal the herart of God in this respect. This week he focuses on the miraculous catch of fish, a well known miracle with a sub theme 'obedience unlocks overflow'. Without the obedience of Jesus' words, well trained fishermen who acted on the words from a carpenter would not have seen a miracle before their eyes!
Ps Paul continues the series on miracles, by exploring the principles we can apply to our lives from the widow's miraculous supply of oil recorded in 2 Kings 4.
Ps Paul launches the new series on miracles, by exploring the principles we can apply to our lives from Jesus' feeding of the 5000.
As part of Global Sunday, several members of the congregation read scriptures in their native languages and lead prayers for their nations. Ps Paul also gives a short message on how we are all one in Christ.
As part of My Church Sunday, Miriam and Mikey share their testimonies of how they encountered God and His work of redemption in their lives.
We apologise for the recording quality during these testimonies.
Following from previous weeks very much focusing on evangelism, this week Dan speaks about the importance of us living lives that point to Christ.
Ps Paul continues the current series about God wanting a big family, this week focusing on how we must not only reach our immediate personal family, but also look within our circle of influence (our Jerusalem) and initiate conversations here as well!
Ps Paul explores God's heart for household salvation & practical ways that we can reach our unsaved family members .
Ps Paul explores how it is God's desire that everyone becomes part of His family and the responsibility this puts on us as God's ambassadors to reach the lost.
Paul explores how the death of Jesus was necessary in order to be a seed to produce a harvest of souls (John 12:23-24) and how we are called to carry this message of the cross into our worlds.
Dan Webb launches the Multiply aspect of 'Magnify and Multiply', by exploring in the Old and New Testament how it has always been God's will for us to multiply and be fruitful for His purposes.
Pastor Paul concludes the series on the Word of God, further exploring its spiritual authority and how, through submission to the Word, we can operate in that authority.
Steve Smith continues the series on the Word of God, exploring its spiritual authority and how this outworks in our lives.
Pastor Paul continues the series on the Word of God, exploring the Parable of the Sower and God's intention for our heart to be 'good soil', so that the Word can produce a harvest in our lives.
Pastor Paul continues the series on the Word of God, exploring the unending truth of scripture and how His truth becomes our truth.
Dan begins the first of a five part series about the Word of God. This first message is all about revealing What is the Word of God. Its important we understand what the word is. The Word of God is God. Dan speaks about how Rhema words are those which are God breathed, inspired, and have a transforming nature in our lives. We need Rhema words for our situations, not just Logos words - the physical word itself.
As part of the building vision offering, Ps Paul explores FC Waterside's journey over the last 14 years.
Continuing the present mini series on Worship, this week Ps Paul speak on How do we Worship.
Ps Paul begins the new series of Magnify and Multiply, using Biblical examples to explore what worship is and how people can aim their worship in the wrong direction.
Ps Paul shared the local vision goals that Family Church Waterside are believing God for and working towards for 2025, as well an update on the purchase of St Francis Church and the upcoming building vision offering.
Ps Andy delivers a keynote message today regarding vision for the whole of Family Church during 2025. He explains how important it is for us to have a vision (Proverbs 29:18, Where there is no vision, the people perish) and thanks all those who have contributed in any way to the outworking of the church vision the previous year. Ps Andy then concentrates his message around two words the Lord gave him, namely Magnify and Multiply. With reference to a myriad of scriptures he explains the vision for all of the Family Church congregations tying this in with God's Word.
Ps Paul completes the three part series entitled God of My Yesterday Today and Tomorrow, this week speaking about how God is also God of our Tomorrows.
Ps Paul continues the new series by exploring that every day (today) is a gift from God, a fresh start in Him and a new opportunity to be used and changed by HIm.
Ps Paul starts a new three week series by exploring the importance of moving on from our past into all that God has for us and how He (as God of our Yesterday) empowers us to do this.
Finishing up one year and heading into another, we tend to review what has been and plan out what is to come. Do these plans ever consider God in them?
Steve Smith shares a Christmas message on how Jesus is the indescribable gift to our lives (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Ps Andy speaks about the Love of God, how God is Love, how His love is unconditional. Romans 8:38 tells us... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ps Andy delivers an awe inspiring message that ends quoting the hymn:-
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never have come to an end
They are new every morning
New every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord
Great is Thy faithfulness
God's love is steadfast, unchanging and is new every day for us!
Pastor Paul concludes the series on Psalm 23, exploring the sixth verse on how The Shepherd's desire is for His outpouring of blessings of goodness, mercy and love to be our everyday experience and how we dwell in the House of the Lord, whether that be gathering with other believers (church), spending time in His presence and carrying His presence as well as the eternal reality of Heaven itself.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Psalm 23, exploring the fifth verse on how Jesus as our shepherd prepares a feast before us amongst our enemies and anoints our head with oil.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Psalm 23, exploring the fourth verse on how Jesus is with us each step of the way through difficult circumstances and how He uses His Shepherd's rod and staff to bring us comfort.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Psalm 23, exploring the third verse on how Jesus refreshes/restores our soul and leads us along righteous paths, all for His glory.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Psalm 23, exploring the second verse on what it means for our lives as The Shepherd leads us into green (fresh) pastures.
Pastor Paul begins a new series on Psalm 23, exploring the first verse on why we need to be guided by The Shepherd and His promise that we will not lack in both our practical and spiritual needs.
As part of Family Church's Global Sunday, several people read scriptures in their native languages and share on their background and how Christianity operates in their country of birth.
Ps Geoff concludes the series on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit by exploring how He grows us through the fruit of the Spirit and equips us through the gifts of the Spirit.
Ps Gina continues the series on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit by exploring how He empowers us for all that God has called us to do.
Nacho continues the series Jesus Empowers, this week speaking on the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Ps Paula launches the series on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit by looking at who the Holy Spirit is.
Ps Andy speaks across all Family Church congregations about the next phase of our discipleship journey. At the start of the year we concentrated on two sets of teachings. The first one was called Jesus is - Christology. We looked at the person of Jesus, who the Bible reveals Him to be in the Old and the New Testaments. Following this, we moved on to a second series called Soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. We took a few weeks to study, how incredible our Salvation is, how wonderfully the Lord has saved us, what He achieved in the finished work of the Cross with Jesus.
Ps Andy then speaks about how we are to move to a third part of our discipleship series, which we are calling 'Jesus Empowers'. This is Pneumatology and it's the Doctrine or the study of the person and works of the Holy Spirit.
Ps Andy continues with an introduction to this series which again is fundamental to our understanding of our Christian walk.
Summer Camp attendees share their testimonies of how God has impacted their life over the week.
Ps Wendy explores our relationship with God as our father and how we should respond to this with childlike faith, fully relying upon Him.
Ps Paul explores how God desires to use every one of us for His purposes - are we willing to be a living sacrifice, trained and transformed by God and obedient to the call upon our lives?
Steve Smith brings a message on Faith and Words. He visits three miraculous healings performed by Jesus, and also those who took those steps of faith knowing that Jesus had the power to just speak healing into their situations.
Daniel speaks on the what are your steps as a Christian. How do you make sure you are following God? Are you being distracted and going the wrong way? Simple steps in looking at where you are and where you are going to keep your focus on Christ.
Ps Steu encourages us to never despise the day of our perceived small beginnings, based on Zechariah 4:6-10, as God is always on the move behind the scenes and as we choose to trust Him, He will fulfil His great plan ahead for our lives.
Ps Paul explores how God is not limited in any way in His thinking or abilities and that He therefore has a different perspective to us on our lives and the situations that we face. God's heart is to reveal more to us of who He is and how He operates in order to reframe our perspectives so that they line up with His.
Jan Hayter explores how spending time with Jesus covers us with His 'aroma' and how we can carry and spread this 'aroma' to others.
Ps Paul completes this series, Soteriology, speaking about Adoption. We have been adopted out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Understanding our Sonship, our adoption by God ought to give us greater information leading to revelation leading to transformation in our lives.
Continuing the present series on the benefits of our salvation, this week, Steve speaks about sanctification. Only Jesus can sanctify us though His precious blood. We are sanctified the moment we are saved when we accept Jesus as Saviour and our sins are forgiven.
Ps Paul continues the series on the doctrine of salvation (Soteriology), by exploring how God desires us to live in freedom through the revelation of the redemptive work of the cross.
Following on from the previous weeks messages on the series Jesus Saves, Dan speaks about 'Reconciliation'. We can be reconciled to each other, but more importantly we can only be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ who saves us.
Ps Paul continues the series about Soteriology, the study of our salvation though Jesus Christ. This week he speaks about 'Justification'. We are justified before God through the divine exchange that happened at the cross of Jesus. Nothing we can do makes any difference to our right standing before God....Ps Paul explains this in detail to enable us to understand more about this aspect about our salvation.
Ps Paul begins the new series on the doctrine of salvation (Soteriology) by exploring how forgiveness by God is key to our salvation and living in the spiritual freedom that God intends for us.
Ps Paul explores how we all follow something or someone in life but that the best decision we can ever make is to choose to follow Jesus - includes testimonies from Miriam and Pete on why they have made this decision.
Ps Paul completes the series on Christology, exploring how Jesus desires to be our Lord as well as our Saviour on our journey of discipleship, by us submitting our will and desires to His lordship.
Ps Steu speaks about how Jesus perfectly fulfilled the office of Prophet, Priest and King, both when He walked on Earth and now, as our risen and exalted Saviour. As the perfect prophet, He fully represents God to people; as the great High Priest, He represents people to God, having opened the way for all who believe to enter God's presence; and as King of kings, He rules and has authority over the lives of those who choose to bow their knee before Him.
Dan Webb continues the series on Christology, exploring the truth of how Jesus is exalted (lifted up) to His rightful place throughout scripture and the work of the cross and what this means for our daily walk with Him.
Ps Paul continues the series on Christology, exploring the truth of Jesus' incarnation, impeccability and death and what these mean for our daily relationship with God.
Ps Paul continues the series on Christology, exploring the deity and humanity of Jesus and what this means for our relationship with Him.
Today, Pastor Paul begins to unpack the meaning behind Christology - that aspect of our faith relating to the person, nature and work of Jesus Christ. This is all part of our overall theme of being deeply rooted. Ps Paul mentions how the word Christology comes from two words “Christ,” referring to Jesus, and “-ology,” meaning "the study of", ie the study of Christ, both Jesus as a person and His works.
This message is part of the series "Jesus is", which is part of our overall theme on being rooted in Him. Ps Paul explains how Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Ps Paul explores the principles of seeing ourselves on a lifelong journey of discipleship and that God's agenda for us is to be fully rooted in Him, living fruitful lives where we become more and more Christlike.
Ps Andy speaks about the Mission, Vision and Strategy for Family Church for the forthcoming year of 2024. The Mission is summed up on three words: Reach; Grow and Empower. The Vision is based around ten areas: Congregations; Services; Communities; Impact; Discipleship; Empowered; Leaders; Young People; Governance and Premises. Pastor Andy details each of these giving insight into the Strategy - the plans, goals and activities which during the course of 2024 will outwork the Vision. This is a year for everyone to deepen their relationship with God and put down deeper roots. There is a theme of being "rooted". We want to be rooted in our faith, place focus on helping people to learn about Him, believe in Him and walk in obedience to the things that He asks.
This is a MUST LISTEN message!!
Ps Paul explores how it is God's desire to build His church (house) and based on the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in the book of Nehemiah and the building of the temple/tabernacle, how He has called us all to be involved in providing financially for the building of His house.
Ps Paul explores how it had always been God's master plan to send his son Jesus to become 'God With Us', and how the gifts of the magi expressed who He truly was, as our king (to bring restoration), high priest (to bring reconciliation) and saviour (to bring redemption.
Ps Paul concludes the series on prayer, by exploring the scriptural and practical principles of spiritual warfare and how we apply these to our prayer lives.
Pastor Wendy continues in the series House of Prayer, this week speaking about praying for praying for the sick and oppressed. She talks about how Jesus often prayed for others, for both sickness and often those who were downtrodden or oppressed and how the results were life changing and amazing!
Pastor Steu continues the series House of Prayer, this week speaking about how we pray for other people apart from ourselves.
Steve carries on the series 'House of prayer' this week. He speaks about different types of prayer available to us as we communicate with our Lord.
Having the privilege of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and being able to pray the perfect prayer makes praying incredibly powerful. Pastor Paul continues the series House of Prayer this week speaking about Prayer Languages. The Lord has given us the ability to communicate to Him in our own mother tongue and also to pray in another tongue we do not know - praying in tongues - through the Holy Spirit.
Tanya Allen continues the series on prayer, by exploring scriptural and practical principles of praying with faith and expectation, including many testimonies of answered prayer from her own life.
Helen New continues the series on prayer, by exploring scriptural and practical principles of collective prayer, including how it's God's desire for us all to be involved.
Pastor Paul continues the series on prayer, by exploring scriptural and practical principles to develop and grow our personal prayer lives.
Pastor Paul continues the series on prayer, by exploring the principles that Jesus taught in 'The Lord's Prayer' (Matthew 6:9-13).
Dan begins the series on "House of Prayer" following the introduction by Pastor Andy last week. He begins quoting the well known verse in Matthew 21 (verse 13, NKJV) "And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves".
Pastor Paul launches the new 12-part series on prayer, by exploring why prayer is so important in our individual lives and corporately as a church family.
Pastor Paul explores five different lessons for us as a church family from Joshua chapter 1, where the Israelites are preparing to enter the promised land.
Pastor Wendy continues the exploration of the life of Daniel and his three friends (Daniel chapters 2 and 3), looking at God's faithfulness through the trials of life and how we can trust Him in all circumstances.
The youth who attended Summer Camp give feedback on what God has done in their lives over the past week and Elisa finishes up with a short message on being a 'trailblazer' for Jesus.
Pastor Wendy explores the life of Daniel and his three friends and how they refused to live under the culture of the land, allowing God, not people, to define who they were.
Pastor Paul explores how Jesus welcomed children, 'let the little children come to me' (Luke 18:16), and how our faith should always be childlike (but not childish).
Family Church Pastors gather for a Round Table discussion on the true meaning of the scripture Acts 2:42 and following....
The NIV Bible titles this ‘The fellowship of the believers’
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The NKJV Bible titles this ‘A Vital Church Grows’
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ [n]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
All of our Pastors draw vitally important nuggets from this scripture in relation to the future of our Church Fellowship. This is a ‘must listen’ message!!
Pastor Paul concludes the series exploring how Jesus was anointed for ministry (based on Luke 4:18-19), specifically how He was anointed to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour to bring us liberty in all areas of our lives.
When we put our trust in God, we have the strength to soar high on wings like eagles, to run and not grow weary, and walk and not faint. In this message, Ps Steu shares how God is calling us to fly high, gaining God's perspective on things; going beyond every 'ceiling'; and rising above every limitation.
Pastor Paul continues the series exploring how Jesus was anointed for ministry (based on Luke 4:18-19), specifically how he was anointed to bring recovery of sight to the blind in three different ways.
Pastor Paul begins a new series exploring how Jesus was anointed for ministry (based on Luke 4:18-19), specifically how he was anointed to preach good news to the poor and how we carry the same good news.
Rachel Arnold explores how we all go through pain and suffering at times in our lives and how God desires to heal us and replace our pain with His blessings.
It’s Pentecost Sunday and we’re excited to be joined by Micah Wood, a leader at Ramp Church, Manchester. Ps Micah speaks about Pentecost, the Passover and begins by focusing on Acts 2.
Pastor Paul continues the series on the Holy Spirit, exploring how the Holy Spirit desires to lead and empower our lives.
Pastor Paul starts a new series on the Holy Spirit, exploring how God's New Covenant plan was always for the Spirit to dwell within us.
Pastor Paul concludes the series on the Will of God, by exploring the daily need to choose the Will of God in our lives, not our own.
Pastor Paul explores the permissible will of God, His perfect plan for our lives and the reality that His plan is always better than ours!
Do you know the purpose God has for your life? Or do you know the pathway you are on? Is it Gods pathway for your life? Journey with us and learn the tools to review where you are and keep you on God's pathway.
Pastor Steu speaks this week for the second time in the series Pathways. Last week he spoke about pathways in scripture often being physical journeys that people took and then went on to talk about journeys being the course of our lives and the wise choices we need to make.
When we put our faith in Jesus for Salvation, we automatically are given access to the path of righteousness. We become children of God even though we still live in this world. Representing God’s kingdom, we need to know how to live in the ways of His kingdom. Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT) says “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God[e] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need”. So, living God’s way brings incredible blessing to our lives. The enemy however, wants to take us off God’s path. In Psalm 23 we see that walking closely with Jesus is the key, we are led by still waters, our souls are restored, we are led in the path of righteousness and even when we are in the valley of the shadow of death we fear nothing!
However the right path is often the hard path! Taking God’s path for our lives is possible but may not be easy (1 Corinthians 10:13). 1 Peter 2:9-12 tells us we are a chosen people and can show others the goodness of God, because He called us out from darkness into His wonderful light.
We may stumble and fall, in the future or in the past, but today is a new day and God is calling us to take His path that will lead us into a blessed and abundant life.
Pastor Paul introduces the new series on 'Pathways', by exploring what it means to walk every day in God's ways and within His will that He has purposed for our lives.
Pastor Paul concludes the series on 'Kairos' by looking at Pentecost in Acts 2 and exploring how we need to be empowered and equipped by the Holy Spirit to be effective Christians and live out God's purposes.
Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring two encounters with Jesus in the Gospels and how we can experience those same Kairos moments.
Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring how by trusting God and stepping out in faith, we can experience victory in our lives for His glory.
Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring how we should respond to God's purposes for our lives.
Pastor Paul continues the series on 'Kairos', exploring how God has a specific purpose and plan for our lives.
Pastor Paul teaches on how we need to be able to discern the times (Kairos) that we are living in, by keeping our spiritual eyes open and how it is time for us as believers to 'wake up and shine' for God.
Today is Vision Sunday across all congregations of Family Church. Pastor Andy speaks about the vision for the church for the whole of this year 2023. Naturally the church’s mission is to reach, grow and empower people and reach those who do not yet know Jesus. However, Andy has specific words for our Vision during 2023. We are in a moment, perhaps unprecedented, where God is about to move by His Spirit, through His church, in a way people have never seen before. Pastor Andy perceives we are in a Kingdom moment; this is a moment where His Kingdom which cannot be shaken will be experienced by those who live in kingdoms that can be shaken - viewing the world.
The Bible says in Hebrews 12 we are a part of a Kingdom which cannot be shaken. We are in a world where everything is currently shaking. There will be revealing of a Kingdom and a Kingdom people which cannot be shaken because their God is God. This is a Kingdom moment, a moment when God is about to move. We must be ready for what God is about to do – a continuation of the theme of encounter.
Pastor Andy defines this as a Kairos moment – a God ordained moment in history, as opposed to Chronos (sequential and quantitative). Alternatively, view Kairos as the most opportune moment for action. Andy refers to many scriptures as examples of God ordained moments of time but perhaps the best example comes from the book of Esther. Esther was positioned to prevent destruction of the Jews, although she did have to use her influence with the king in order to do so.
As we walk through this year just maybe we also have been positioned for such a time as this. Where we have congregations in England and the Philippines with any favour that we are walking in just maybe we have been positioned in life for a time such as this for a moment that God did long before any of us were born. God says there is a year called 2023, that's the Kairos, there is a moment in that year where the world is falling and in that moment, the church is going to stand on our feet, and begin to be my body, my hands, my feet, my whole life.
Esther could have shrunk back, she could have said “I like my life, I am the Queen, I could lose everything….” She knew when she appeared before the king, he would either extend his sceptre or not. If he didn't extend his sceptre, she would have been put to death. If he extended his sceptre, she could ask for up to half of his kingdom – quite a lot of pressure! She prays and fasts and walks in before the king presenting her request. A God moment follows resulting in a complete change of the circumstances saving the Jews.
This is a Kairos moment. Esther 4:14 (NKJV) says “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” We need to awaken our hearts and say, God use me. If we are a prayer warrior, it's time to pray; if we are a giver, it’s time to give; if we are a server it’s time to serve and so on. The Kairos moment is upon us….for such a time as this.
Pastor Paul explores the thought of Jesus as the Bread of Life and how He wants us to experience fresh encounters (fresh bread) with Him on a daily basis and throughout our lives.
Pastor Paul explores the three barriers in our lives that we need to overcome in order to encounter God.
Pastor Paul explores Jacob's encounters with God in Genesis and the importance of us all experiencing our own encounters in our journey with Him.
Pastor Paul concludes the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring how we should respond to the call of God over our lives.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring how we need to reflect God's heart for our community and how this should motivate us to help those in need.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring how we glorify God in our lives by honouring what He honours.
Steve Smith continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring the truth of the Bible and how it needs to be central to our Christian walk.
Ian Pritchard (Assistant Pastor and Worship Leader) continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring how a lifestyle of worship is our response to a revelation of who God is and what He has done for us.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring how church is one body and one family.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring how we are to live servant-hearted lives for the benefit of others, with Jesus as our example of the ultimate servant.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring the reality that the Holy Spirit dwells within us so that we can be empowered and equipped, by living in the fruit of the Spirit and operating in the gifts of the Spirit.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring the importance of being empowered and equipped by God in order to live out His purposes for us.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus, being constantly transformed by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring the great commission that Jesus gave us to reach the lost.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Family Church's 12 key values, by exploring what it means to keep Jesus and His teaching at the centre and foundation of our lives.
Elisa explores what it means to seek after God daily and live a life of surrender to Him, following her time at summer camp. Pastor Paul provides a short follow up response to this message.
Pastor Wendy explores what it means for our everyday lives to come to Jesus when we are weary and burdened and take his yoke upon us (Matthew 11:28-29).
Pastor Paul continues the short series on who is the real Jesus, by exploring His teaching on the difference between religion and relationship and three key ways we can maintain a healthy relationship with Jesus on a daily basis.
Dan Webb speaks on the certainty of trials, and the confidence, blessing and peace we can have walking with God through them.
Pastor Paul continues the short series on who is the real Jesus, by exploring who Jesus said He was, rather than our own misconceptions or attempts to put Him into a 'box'. Part 2 specifically looks at the example of Jesus, in how he reached out to others, particularly the marginalised, through love, compassion, grace and mercy.
Pastor Paul starts a new short series on who is the real Jesus, by exploring who Jesus said He was, rather than our own misconceptions or attempts to put Him into a 'box'. Part 1 specifically looks at how Jesus wants us to change to become more like Him and have a lifestyle of discipleship, by denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following Him (Matthew 16:24).
Dan speaks on the correct mindset of life and the stewardship over of what God has given you.
Pastor Paul continues the series on Kingdom Economics, by exploring the principles of sowing and reaping in terms of giving offerings above our tithe and how having a generous spirit reflects the character of God.
Pastor Paul starts a new series on Kingdom Economics, by exploring how God is our provider and the principle of putting God first in our finances by tithing our income.
Pastor Paul concludes the series by sharing on how we can avoid the 'sin that entangles' on our race (Hebrews 12:1-2) and live a life of victory.
Dan speaks about how to keep going in the middle of our race, when we have been going for sometime, not sure when the finish is, how do we make sure we are still running for God?
Pastor Paul shares from Revelation 7 and Galatians 3 on how the Kingdom of God is made up of people from every nation, tribe, people and language.
Pastor Paul shares on the importance of keeping our eyes focused on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, through the journey of life.
Elnur Jabiyev from Turkic Belt Ministries shares on his life experience of how he found Jesus growing up in a Muslim country and the call on us to live full on for Jesus with a passion to reach the lost.
Pastor Paul shares on principles from the story of Joseph on how to run our race with perseverance.
Change is another thing that stretches us, preparing us for the race that is ahead of us. I spoke about the importance of an athlete embracing change when it comes to a change of course, change of companions, and change of conditions. And that we, as Christians, should learn to embrace change in these areas rather than resist it.
Pastor Paul shares an Easter message on how Jesus ran his best race with purpose for our benefit, so that we could receive every spiritual blessing in Christ through the divine exchange of the cross.
Pastor Paul continues to share on how God uses times of 'stretching' to prepare us for the race that He has for us in our future, using lessons from the life of Peter and Jesus.
Pastor Paul shares on how God uses times of 'stretching' to prepare us for the race that He has in our future.
Pastor Wendy continues sharing how we need to seek God's calling for our life to ensure that we are running our best race for Him.
Pastor Wendy shares how we need to seek God for our calling in life to ensure that we are running our best race for Him.
Paul Drodge shares how we can run our best race for God by laying aside all our worries and cares by casting them onto Him.
Josh Smith explores how self-absorption can hinder and entangle us from running as best we can the race that is set before us.
Paul Drodge shares how we can run our best race for God by laying aside all that hinders us, focusing on living a life of forgiveness.
Paul Drodge shares how we can run our best race for God by laying aside all that hinders us, specifically focusing on forgiveness, starting with forgiving ourselves.
Paul Drodge shares from Hebrews 12:1-2 on how we can run our best race for God by laying aside all that hinders and entangles us.
Pastor Andy delivers an absolute ‘must hear’ message for Vision Sunday 2022. This is all about running our best lap yet in the race of life. Fundamentally this is being active doing what God wants and needs us to do to make a difference to the world we live in. We are leaving a season of lockdown and moving into a season of having a mighty job to do, running with passion in our hearts for all that God wants us to achieve. Pastor Andy speaks of the story of Joseph and his amazing release from wrongful imprisonment (Genesis 39-41) to provide interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams. The doors of lockdown were opened for him then and God did incredible things with Joseph becoming in charge of Pharaoh’s palace and all his people. God will do equally incredible things with us as he did with Joseph. He came out of the prison cell ready to run his best lap yet using the gifts God had given him! Just as God used Joseph in his time He will use us individually and as a church in all the places He has positioned us. Hebrews 12, 1-2 speaks of those who ran their best race (the great cloud of witnesses) but also speaks of us as well….instructing us to throw off all sin and that which entangles us and then to run with perseverance the race set out before us fixing our eyes on Jesus who perfects our faith. PS Andy goes on to speak of 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” Our hearts desire should be to say we have run the race God set before us, lived our lives in pursuit of Him and are ready to receive a crown of righteousness!
Wendy Drodge shares on how Jesus is the ultimate Truth and how this reality allows us to live in freedom.
Paul Drodge shares on Jesus' command to speak in faith to the mountains that we face and how to put this into practice.
Paul Drodge shares on how Jesus is the breaker who goes before us and how He desires to bring breakthrough in every area of our lives as we fully trust Him.
Pastor Paul continues this series and shares on how the reality of Jesus being born as our Messiah transforms our relationship with Him.
Pastor Paul shares on Jesus' words on building your life upon the rock and how this outworks in different areas of our lives.
Pastor Paul continues this series and shares on how the reality of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us empowers and transforms our lives.
Pastor Wendy shares from the Parable of the Ten Virgins and Jesus' interactions with Mary & Martha on how to host the presence of God well on a daily basis.
Pastor Paul shares on the reality of what Jesus has done for us on the cross and how we can therefore live in total spiritual freedom, no longer a slave to sin.
Pastor Misheck shares from Isaiah 54 on how God desires to expand our thinking and capacity, both in our individual lives and corporately as a church.
The Bible is not just a history book, but the living word of God. Journey through this message showing the precise accuracy of things foretold by God to many of the prophets that have been fulfilled and are being fulfilled, which gives us the complete confidence of the things waiting to be fulfilled.
Pastor Paul shares on four aspects of how God is our Father and how He desires to outwork this in our daily lives.
Pastor Wendy shares on ten very important lessons from the book of Genesis that we can apply to our daily walk with God.
Josh Smith shares from Matthew 6:33 on what it means for our lives to truly follow Jesus' command to seek first God's Kingdom and His righteousness.
Pastor Paul shares on how to live a life that flourishes, by planting ourselves in the House of the Lord.
Pastor Paul shares on how we need to live in the refreshing water of the Holy Spirit and how the onus is on us to thirst after God.
Pastor Paul shares on how it is always God's desire to work in new fresh ways in our individual lives and as a church body.
Pastor Paul shares on the final six of the Family Church values and how these outwork in us as a church body.
Pastor Paul shares on the first six of the Family Church values and how these outwork in us as a church body.
Pastor Paul concludes this series by exploring three key victories that Jesus won for us on the cross and how we can live in these on a daily basis.
Pastor Paul continues this series by exploring David's revelation of God as 'the Lord who breaks out' in 2 Samuel 5 and the lessons for us in our walk with God.
Pastor Andy’s message this week is titled “Where Next”? After discussing the shape of things to come for both the previously established congregations (pre Covid) and also the newly established online congregation, he speaks about the very definition of a Christian or more usefully a Disciple, or a Believer. Are we called something yet our attributes do not confirm the name we give ourselves? If we are a follower of Jesus do we properly purpose in our hearts to follow Him? Do we dedicate in our hearts to follow Jesus in all His steps, placing our attention in Him? Jesus called people to become followers and disciples in the Gospels and He does the same today – to have a daily experience of Him in their world. Jesus calls us into a daily relational walk with Him now just as He did in the Gospels. All Jesus disciples in the gospels had security in what they did and left this and at some cost started to follow Jesus in a new journey. They did not look back. They needed to leave their previous security to join Him and follow Him into something much better. Will we lay down our comforts and put Him first in all things advancing with Him?
Pastor Paul continues this series by exploring Saul's jealousy of David's victories in 1 Samuel 18 and how to overcome the challenges of comparing ourselves to others whilst continuing to trust God for our own victories.
Today is the last in the current series by Pastor Andy Elmes ‘Commissioned’, with this week’s message being about Kingdom Lifestyle. We've been looking at Matthew 28 verses 19-20. God says go into all the world and make disciples baptizing them teaching them to obey. People get really carried away with loving the word grace and love and mercy, but obedience is equally a powerful word. Matthew 28, 20 does say “teaching them to obey everything”….this means, training people to abide, to walk, in obedience to all that Jesus commanded. Jesus taught about Kingdom living, a new higher way of conducting ourselves. If we look at the teachings of Jesus in the gospels He often says to his disciples “go and declare the kingdom”. When Jesus walked the Earth, He didn't preach a gospel of atonement - He was the Gospel of atonement! He spoke of a kingdom, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven that was present now, on earth. In Matthew 5 and 6 Jesus talks about Kingdom life and how to live it. In this message Jesus suddenly begins to redefine so much of what people thought was normal, but he brings fresh definition to it and says, no, that's not how you live. This is how you live to me. That's what the Lord is asking us to do when he says “ …teach people to obey my Commandments”, - the ways that I've taught you to live. He talks about being Salt and Light and so much more in these two chapters. Romans 12:2 (NIV) says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will”. This is the Holy and best possible way for us to live beyond anything we ever imagined. In those moments in the battlefield of our minds we need to make sure the way He's taught us to live overcomes any previous way we may have lived before. This is when the victory that's contained in the word breaks into our daily lives.
Pastor Paul continues this series by exploring how David confronted his enemies and trusted God in his victory over Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 and the important lessons for us.
Pastor Andy continues his series on Commissioned, this week his title is Walking it Out. This series has been based on the incredible verses from Matthew 28:19 -20 known as the Great Commission. Andy speaks more about discipleship where we provoke each other to grow and develop a more intimate walk with the Lord than we've ever known before. We hear about each believer having a discipleship role……..being surrendered to someone so we have our own lives challenged and mentored and then also being able to help others as well. This richness gives us strength and daily growth in Christ which we need in order to prevent us stagnating in our relationship with Jesus. There are two experiences to being a Christian - we can go for a crowd experience or a disciple experience. If we go for a crowd experience, we will watch miracles. However if we go for a disciple experience, we get to handle them! Andy gives scripture references regarding how Paul speaks to the church in Corinth and elsewhere about still giving the people milk rather than solid food because they had not yet moved from being carnal Christians to spirit led ones. He warns us about not being offended regarding the purpose of the church in our lives – its easy to be led into a false sense of understanding here regarding the culture of Israel during biblical times. Andy speaks about how we want to help people to navigate their new life, the New Birth, the transformation of God that's happening in their world. So in Family Church, moving forward in regard to those who are be are giving their life to Christ in our services or in our in times when we meet each other, we want to be relational in our discipleship rather than purely educational. Andy gives a lot of details to some of the practical and exciting steps we shall be taking to outwork this vision. Next week is the final part to this series Commissioned.
Pastor Paul starts this series by exploring the journey of faith of Jonathan and his armour bearer against their enemies in 1 Samuel 14 and the lessons for us.
Today Pastor Andy preached the next message in his series ‘Commissioned’. The title is literally ‘The Next Step’! This amazing message is another of those absolutely must hear messages in the exciting time leading up to the regathering and rebuilding of the physical church as we move out of the lockdown we have been in this past year. Andy speaks in a captivating manner to further unwind the meaning of the scriptures in Matthew 28 where Jesus gives the great commission. Making disciples has to be part of the culture of whom and what we are as a church, daily not just Sundays. Andy speaks of disciples being ‘learners’ - everything that God could do for us is given us at the moment of salvation but we spend our lives ‘learning’ what that means and living in the reality of it. Christianity is simply a walk with Jesus. Andy speaks of the heart changing moments of conversion giving rise to the born again experience, he mentions Matthew 11 where Jesus is saying to people to come to him all who are laden with their past and effectively be learners in a new life. We commit to walk with Him all the days of our lives. Andy speaks significantly of the two baptisms – of water and also of the Holy Spirit. Our water baptism representing our own death, burial and resurrection with Jesus in newness of life and the then infilling by The Holy Spirit to guide us, empower us and lead us on our way henceforth. These are two necessary experiences for us in our life of discipleship! This is indeed a most challenging and exciting message!
Today is Pentecost Sunday and saw the beginning of a new series ‘Commissioned’ with this week’s title being Outward Looking. Pastor Andy speaks of us having our marching orders from Matthew 28 and how Family Church is going to be a flourishing Church coming out of lockdown, stepping into the next season. Key points from this Great Commission will be our focus in this series – Go; Make Disciples and Teach Kingdom ways of life to people and how they can walk in obedience to the ways that Jesus has taught us to live. Those three key aspects are our focus as a church coming out of lockdown into a time of flourishing that God has got for us. To begin, we must be a people of “Go”, sitting doing nothing will not get us anywhere and certainly not see any disciples made! The Great Commission isn't a commission alone? It's a Go-Mission. It's the great Go-Mission. We need to be outward-looking. When you watch our lives, it seems often we don't believe in Him. When we're outside the church, we stay quiet, we don't tell others and we’re not outward looking. But believe the power of the Holy Ghost is coming (even on this day called Pentecost Sunday!) to shake us up to a fresh awakening to be an outward-looking people, not a ‘stay’ people. We are all entrusted with a message; all are ambassadors to carry a message that has the power to take a person from Death to Life. Every believer, every follower of Jesus has been entrusted with a message, not just to be evangelists in the church, but everywhere we go. We have the power and the authority so how can we stay quiet?
Pastor Paul explores, through the example of Caleb, how God's desire is for us to be people who carry a pioneer spirit - a spirit that trusts God to take new territory for Him and believes God to work in our lives in fresh (and unexpected) ways!
This week Pastor Andy threw away his notes so he could preach the inspired word of God, titled ‘Get Ready’. This rip-roaring message was to stir our hearts as we gently come out of lockdown. Pastor Andy spoke about the church corporately and each of us individually coming out of our various lockdowns as Peter did in Acts 12 – story of his miraculous escape from prison. Andy likened Peter’s situation to that many of us find ourselves in (lockdown can be financial, emotional, relational, physical etc.) and then looked at how the bible spoke of Peters situation and how this is relevant to us. In Acts 12, the Angel of the Lord told peter to get up, get dressed and come, then the Iron Gate opened by itself and Peter was able to walk back into Jerusalem (the prison was outside the city) as God had more in store for him. But Peter knew how Jesus had spoken to him earlier – Matthew 16; 17-19 (NIV) - Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The “gates of Hades” was in fact a cave entrance leading to underworld of false worship at that time in Caesarea Philippi, so Jesus revealed to Peter that His church would be built on the rock of the revelation that the Holy Spirit had enlightened Peter with and that this was not able to be overcome even by the worst of falsehood….this applies today as well. So as Peter slept in prison (Acts 12), the church prayed for him and he knew in his heart that although chained and guarded, he would not be overcome by Herod and his schemes. Peter knew he had Christ in his heart. Out of chaos, God brings glory, turns graves into gardens. Individually we also must look to Christ as our Messiah, be ready to get dressed, stand up and walk away from our lockdown with faith and authority that our God is unstoppable.
The message this week is titled Heavenly Hope and is the third in the series Heavenly Minded by Pastor Andy Elmes. The essence here is based on what Paul says in the book of Colossians that we are to set our mind & affections on things above not on things below. There is a very real life here and now for us to be involved in but we need to be conscious of what's happening in heaven right now but also that our true home is heaven one day. We live in an uncertain world, especially in the hopes it offers, but we need to understand as believers children of God, we have a Heavenly hope which is a certain hope which we have in this current world of uncertain hopes. Philippians 3:18-20 (NIV) says “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”. Pastor Andy explains how this verse colours in his point! If we only set our minds on earthly things we shall only ever have earthly hope. Hope is the simple belief that things can and will change. What is our hope built on - the fickle promises of man, our own intentions, our own ability or something of much greater strength, which is what God is speaking over our lives in our situation and eternity to come? We need to build our lives on that which is unshakable. The Bible says (Hebrews 12:26-27) that everything that can be shaken will be shaken to reveal that which can't be shaken - which is His kingdom and His Kingship. Faith is for the moment. We have what God has promised in the moment we live in. Hope believes that you will have the things that the Lord said you will have. Faith is for the moment, “in faith” is believing. We have what God has promised in the moment that we live, but hope is believing we have the things the Lord said we will have. Hebrews 6:17-20 (NIV) states “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”. God is unchanging and all His promises stand true. Pastor Andy ends with many scripture verses relating to Heaven. Let us keep our hope on God’s Unfailing promises.
Pastor Paul continues this series by exploring how teamwork is God's idea and that it His heart for us all to get involved in serving the cause of Christ.
This message is titled Heavenly Treasure and is the second in the series ‘Heavenly Minded’ by Pastor Andy Elmes. Andy recaps on last week’s message about Heavenly Rewards before again looking at scripture starting with Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV) “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God”. Are we as Believers as aware as we should be about the ramifications from our life here on Earth for God? Paul says quite adamantly in Colossians 3 that we are to set our minds and hearts on things above Heavenly things, but do we? Are we as believers consumed with the life that we're living now? This life isn't the be-all and end-all. There really is an eternity. How we live now affects how we shall find rewards in heaven and also what treasures are stored for us there. Jesus openly talked on the ability to store up in heaven, a treasure. We must understand we are sojourners here. There is a life to come and it's wise for a believer to have Heavenly mindedness in their thinking. Matthew 6:19-21 says (NIV) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. We learn from these teachings of Jesus - He recognized and openly taught on the two very real realms. Yes, there's the possibility of storing up treasure here, but He also taught that while we live here we can be storing treasures there in heaven. Jesus is also saying that our hearts will be where our treasure is stored!! If our minds and our attention and our affection are set on His kingdom, the treasure that our life produces will be there. By the life we live will be located our treasure.
Pastor Paul continues the new series by exploring how church (the outworking of the Kingdom of God) is the greatest cause we can live for.
This week Pastor Andy begins a new series called Heavenly Minded. The first message in this series is Heavenly Rewards, as Andy begins to take some time to look at how the Bible teaches us concerning Heavenly things. We need to be wise with how we spend our time, how we love our families, how we love people around us. We need to be of use to God, understanding there's an eternal life following this temporal life. The Bible reveals to us how our minds will be fully restored; every tear will be wiped away. So we need to understand that things that we do in this life have ramifications in the life that's going to follow – in heaven. Colossians 3, early verses state (NIV) “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God”. Are we heavenly minded? Many are not giving any thought to living in the light of eternity. The Bible teaches us that there are heavenly rewards for those that chose to be faithful to God in His kingdom, in this chapter of Life called the here and now. For the believer, we are able to come to the big white throne (Revelation 20: 11-14) knowing we have salvation through our faith in Christ who saves us, but the bible also speaks of another judgement which gives us inspiration to live for our Lord. The judgement seat of Christ is rewards based – 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (NIV) “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad”. This isn't a punishment based reward or judgment. It's Jesus settling accounts with those who belong to him for how they lived out their lives on the earth before coming to their true home - eternity in heaven with him. The Bible reveals to us here that after we are saved, God Is watching how we live our lives. Do we live for others? Or do we live for ourselves? Do we live for the comfort and benefit of others? Or we just making sure we've got enough. Do we live for what matters to God? Or do we live for what matters to us? All of these things have a reward thats in heaven waiting for those who lived correctly. So our belief on Earth is what positions us in eternity - heaven or hell. But our behaviour on earth, what and who we lived for when we were here, will determine the rewards that we receive in heaven.
Pastor Paul starts a new series by exploring God's heart for the church and the principles of being a church family.
Today Pastor Gina Elmes speaks about our first love, Jesus Christ. For the Christian there is one central point within our lives that all other parts of our lives should flow - our love for Christ. Together with His love for us we have relationship. Gina looks at various books of the bible (Hosea, Son of Songs) before focusing on the greatest commandment (Mark 12:20 NIV “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”). She then looks in depth at Revelation 2, 1-7 (NIV) “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God”. Pastor Gina explains the background to the Book of Revelation, the meaning behind the references to stars and lampstands then challenges us personally to see whether we have forsaken our first love for Christ, and if so will we follow the instructions given above – will we repent and put Jesus first? Matthew 6:33 (NIV) says “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. If we seek Jesus first all the other things we were worried about will fall into place naturally. This is how God intended us to live.
Josh Smith concludes the series on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, by exploring how love should always be the motivation for using the gifts.
Pastor Andy Elmes considers what happened next after Easter Sunday – what happened on Monday Morning? Often we pack away the major festivals (Christmas, Easter) very soon after the event and then return to ‘normal’…but what is normal and how should we approach the days afterwards. Let us not think Easter is only a weekend. Let us make what happened 2000 years ago the ‘normal’ for our life. Peter was confused…in John 21:3 we see how he went back to fishing or tries to until Jesus meets with him and restores him to his intended ministry. Are we likewise confused or are we walking in the new creation that we have become? Just as Jesus’ disciples lives were changed forever after the resurrection, so are ours, there is no going back. Jesus followed in the tracks of the Jewish festivals – Passover, Pentecost & Tabernacles are three. The 50 days after Passover and Pentecost are as important to us as they were to the disciples. Jesus was the lamb whose blood was slain for the ceremonial marking of doorposts for Passover. He is our Passover Lamb now as he was then (in Exodus 12). When we place our faith in Jesus we experience a Passover in our lives. John 1:29 states (ESV), ‘The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”’. Death and the works of the enemy have no authority over us when we have Jesus in our lives. Fifty days after Passover came another feast – the feast of Pentecost, a celebration of First Fruits. In the intervening time, Jesus did two things 1), He appeared to many as the resurrected Christ who had conquered death and sin and 2) He spent many occasions teaching his disciples and followers about the Kingdom of God. Then He sent them on their way in the great commission before ascending in to Heaven. Acts 1:1-3 describes this time (NIV) ‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God’! A new way of living began – Kingdom living. In all the occasions when Jesus appeared to people (road to Emmaus etc), nobody recognised Him until He broke bread or something familiar. His spiritual, risen body was present and also our eyes need to be ready to be opened by Him daily. Let us not pack Easter away so quickly but live in the risen reality of everything Jesus did for us. Everything is now changed. The kingdom that was previously only in heaven now reigns here on earth. We are commissioned and also empowered. Let us live in the victory of the Passover.
Pastor Paul further explores how to operate in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, specifically the gifts of faith, healing and working of miracles.
Today is Easter Sunday and Pastor Andy Elmes delivers his Easter message. He refers to what Jesus did on the cross for us all 2000 years ago and quotes 1 Corinthians 15, 12-22 (NIV) “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive”. So this Resurrection Sunday is most crucial because if there had been no resurrection our hope in Christ would have been in vain. But no other person who claimed to be God or a Messiah made to it through the grave conquering death as Jesus did. Only our Lord can cause the dry bones in our lives to be risen to newness. Job 19:25 (NIV) says “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth”. Job stated these words in a time of trouble, confusion and despair, but he knows that his redeemer lives. Do we know our redeemer and do we know that he lives? Our redeemer saved us and brought us back to life, not just this Easter day but every day. He paid the price for our sins in that divine exchange on the cross. We are now righteous in His sight because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Are we ready for His second coming?, do we know Him as we should? Pastor Andy ends his message by praying for all those listening and watching that they may know the risen Jesus Christ. Amen!
Pastor Paul further explores how to operate in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, specifically the gifts of prophecy, tongues and interpretation of tongues.
This week is My Story Sunday. Pastor Andy interviews a member of our Portsmouth congregation whose life has been transformed from a ‘religious’ view of a ‘distant god’ to a personal relationship with our Lord and Father. Two other congregational members give their stories as well, illustrating how their lives have been transformed by God and how they have come to know Him as their saviour.
Pastor Paul further explores how to operate in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in our lives, specifically the 'Revelation Gifts'.
This week’s message is by Pastors Sean and Paula, entitled “Turn The Power On - Pause for Thought“. In their own inimitable style, Sean and Paula reflect on the last five weeks of messages from Pastor Andy in his series ‘Turn The Power On’: · Week 1 – You Shall receive Power – turning on the power of God to live a Spirit filled life · Week 2 – Be Filled with Power – know the power of God and his divine ability in our lives · Week 3 – Welcome Holy Spirit – How we need to experience the infilling or indwelling of the Holy Spirit · Week 4 – Walking with The Spirit – How the Spirit lives in us and what we can expect · Week 5 – The Overflow – Holy Spirit living in us to benefit others too Personal insight, husband and wife anecdotes and a revisit of some of the major revelations from this series of messages provides fresh perspective and personal challenge for us all regarding the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, His Temples. A ‘must hear’ message!
Pastor Paul explores how God has provided all the necessary tools, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to enable us to fulfil the plans God has for our lives.
This week saw the final part of the series by Pastor Andy Elmes titled ‘Turn The Power On’, with this session specifically called ‘Overflow’. In this blockbuster preach, Pastor Andy examines the how, why, what, where and who of the Holy Spirit living in and on us not just for our own benefit but primarily also for that of others around us. Andy speaks of Jesus life described in the scriptures…after His baptism, he is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is then led to a wilderness to be temped but the tempter does not succeed and then we see Jesus in the temple reading from a scroll. In Luke Chapter 4 verses 16 to 21, Jesus went to Nazareth where He had been brought up and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue as was his custom. He stood to read and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He didn't pick this book or that section. It was preordained. He found the place where it was written “The spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight to those who are blind, to set the oppressed free and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour”. Then in verse 20, then he rolled up the scroll. So Jesus was saying that the Spirit was upon him and that Spirit was there to set people free, break dominion over sins and heal people of their sicknesses………which he proceeded to do in the rest of His ministry. But Jesus did not do this in His own strength; it was the Holy Spirit working in and through him according to The Father’s will. We too have been called to do this - the same Spirit that was in Him and on Him and with Him is in us and on us and with us today and Jesus actually said we wouldn't do the same things as him… in fact we would do more! Jesus was speaking of every believer that would be filled with his Holy Spirit having an expectation that our lives aren't just benefited personally by the indwelling of the Spirit, but to bring freedom and wholeness to others. We need to change our expectations. We need to begin to believe to see others in our world touched by the life and the power of God. When we take time to pray for them we've got to stop ignoring them and find courage and confidence that comes from the Holy Spirit to begin to say ‘Hey the same Spirit that was in Jesus that healed the sick then is the same Spirit that now is in me and the agenda of the Father's heart remains the same – that none would perish. Let us be filled with His Spirit so our cup runneth over (Psalm 23) so we also can minister to others and allow Gods Spirit to do exceedingly and abundantly what we can imagine or dream in our lives (Ephesians 3:20). We've got to come to a point where we're not just seeing the filling of the Holy Spirit for our own lives or for our benefit, but that the overflow of the Spirit of God in our life would be that which blesses the lives of others. God looks for our availability rather than our ability.
Pastor Paul explores how we have received every spiritual blessing in Christ through God's amazing grace (unmerited favour).
Today’s message by Pastor Andy Elmes is the fourth in the series “Turn the Power On” and is titled “Walking with the Holy Spirit”. Andy speaks about the Holy Spirit today and how He lives in us and what we can expect from this. Last week Andy spoke about us hosting the presence of God in our lives. Today Andy speaks about the purpose of God’s Spirit in our lives; we have the indwelling of God or the inner presence of God within us and ongoing unbroken fellowship with the Holy Spirit. This means an ongoing walk with the Holy Spirit every day! The Second book of Corinthians 13:14 (NIV) says “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” The Holy Spirit is likened to many things in scripture….a dove representing the peace of God; fire which has refining capabilities; oil as in the power in a lamp and also for anointing and also wind, like the mighty rushing wind in our lives. Andy then spoke of four aspects that the Holy Spirit does and provides for in our lives. The Holy Spirit is our helper; we experience divine help as in John 14. This means we have an invisible assistant to help or assist us and also comfort us. God’s plan was not just to leave us after salvation but to provide the Spirit to assist us in our lives. We are not vulnerable or abandoned as orphans, we are children of God. We do need to accept this help and reach out for it though! The Holy Spirit is also our teacher. John 14, 25-25 (NIV) says “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”. The Holy Spirit comes to be the teacher within us helping us to understand what we couldn't understand with our own ability or reasoning; but without mocking or scorning. So the Spirit will help us discern what the words of scripture really mean, rather than us just reading it as any other book for example. Jesus said that when the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide us into all truth. He will not speak on His own authority, whatever He hears He will speak. The Holy Spirit is listening to the conversation of the Father and the Son and He's transmitting what's being said by God into our hearts and helping us to understand. This is Revelation knowledge - He says He will tell us things to come. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit is there to be our Leader and our guide. John 16:13 (NIV) says “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth”. The Lord has provided his Spirit within our lives to guide us and to lead us in the things that we're doing, but also the things yet to come. So are we just making it on your own? The Spirit is now the leadership of God in our lives and we should be looking to Him for all direction for the way forward. We all need a guide in our lives.. In Acts 8:29 (NIV) it says “The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it”. If Philip had ignored this guidance, the eunuch he met would never have been baptised. Lastly today Andy spoke of the Holy Spirit being the refiner in our lives, to sort out and get rid of the things in our lives that ought not to be there any longer. Although we are partakers of a new divine nature, old habits die hard. The Holy Spirit is there to put these things, thinking, mentalities etc. to death. Romans 8:12-13 (NIV) says “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live”. Here, Paul is telling us that to put to death the misdeeds of the body or the old nature will enable us to live free. The key agenda that the Holy Spirit has for us is to make us Christ-like. Jesus has placed His Spirit in us and as we yield to His Spirit we become like the one whose Spirit...
In Part 8 of the series Building the House, Pastor Paul explores how ultimately it is Jesus who will build His church, but we all have the privilege and responsibility of co-labouring with Him.
This week’s message in the series Turn The Power On is titled Welcome Holy Spirit. To fully walk or experienced the power of God in our lives we must experience three baptisms spoken of in scripture. These are the baptism into Christ which is our salvation. The Holy Spirit does this. There is also the baptism in water representing the burial of the old life; this baptism is done by other believers. When a person comes out of the water of baptism, their life is being resurrected into a new way of being - the New Creation life. The third baptism is to experience the infilling or the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is where the power of the Holy Spirit is released in our lives. This third baptism is spoken of in each of the four Gospels. Now if Jesus knew that he needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit to live out the life that God wanted him to on the earth, how can we presume for a moment that we don’t? John 1:32-34 (NIV) states ‘Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One”’. This was a different moment with Jesus from some in the Old Testament (Samson, Gideon…). The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus but remained with him and from this moment Jesus was led by and empowered by The Spirit in his everyday life. Having God’s Spirit come and live inside us is a very significant thing!....as His Spirit floods our lives everything else that's flooded our lives will leave. His presence will drown out every other noise in our lives. All lives have now become His Temple or His Dwelling Place. The Holy Spirit is now longer in a box or the Ark of the Covenant as in the Old Testament, but now lives and resides in us, in our human bodies! We are now invited to host the presence of God. As Spirit-filled people we now recognize the Holy Spirit is now living within us and we dedicate our lives to hosting His presence. Everything changes when we recognise this. Understanding that there is a remaining indwelling presence of God residing in us causes transformation in the life of the believer. Jesus said he would never leave us now, even until the end of the age he will be with us as we host his presence. The record of our sin has been removed – holy cannot sit next to unholy. In First Corinthians 6 verses 18 onwards, Paul addresses the Corinthian church regarding ungodly behaviour. Our lives are not our own any more, they have been bought with a price, and we are temples of the Holy Spirit. This means we are no longer mere human! Where God is celebrated all other authorities fall (1Samuel 5 :3). With God’s Spirit in us, nothing is impossible!
Pastor Paul explores why it is important to 'above all else, guard your heart' and four key ways in which we can do this.
This is week two of a series called Turn on the Power. The message today is titled Be Filled With Power. The series is about knowing the power of God and His divine ability in our daily lives. In John 7:37-39 we see Jesus making a prophetic statement for our experience the other side of the cross where we now live! – NIV “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” In the verse here Jesus qualifies the statement by saying that this Spirit would emanate from the centre of our being, our belly, our heart, our inner most self…..So His holy spirit was not to live in buildings, but to live in those who were and are His followers. Jesus was announcing in that scripture that which was fulfilled in the day of Pentecost. A key question to ask now is how does a person experience this situation or the baptism of the Holy Spirit personally? It’s profound maybe but simple as it involves faith, just as in anything we receive from God. Did we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we believed? It's not about straining, attaining or travailing but receiving! There is no Holy Spirit part 1 and part 2! The Bible says we are born of the Spirit, belong to God and His Spirit now lives in us - we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Some people unfortunately have received the baptism of salvation, but not yet experienced the baptism or the infilling of the spirit, so have not yet experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Gods plan was to reposition us in salvation and empower us. The filling of the Holy Spirit is relationally oriented, rather than us being in a special place, building or meeting. We can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the infilling of the Spirit by other people praying for as Paul did in scripture, but also by simply coming to God and asking in prayer. Often we wait for something to ‘fall on us’ rather than experiencing something that God is now releasing from ‘within us’. This is not something outside of us but a releasing of that which is dwelling in our inner most parts (John 7 scripture again). Often when people don't experience the power of God or the ability of God in their lives, it's because a section of their lives has not yet been submitted to God. We must come before God saying “Lord, I will not hold back an area of my life”. We need to be being regularly refilled or infilled with the Holy Spirit just as our cars require refuelling. In Ephesians 5:18 scripture tells us to be filled with the Spirit rather than wine that leads to debauchery. Paul is telling us not to be satisfied with broken things giving momentary pleasure but with the Holy Spirit. Other translations say “Be filled with the Holy Spirit”. This is the present continuous tense, ie an ongoing reality or experience in the life we live for God. This needs to be our daily prayer.
This is Part 6 of the series Building the House. Pastors Paul & Wendy explore how God desires for us to live victoriously for Him by overcoming opposition.
Today saw the start of a brand new series (Turn The Power On). Earlier, we spoke about being awoken by God, being set apart and living surrendered to His will, the result being that we can be ready for God to use us. If we have a desire for God to use us, this will not be in our own strength, but by God’s power and ability operating in and through us. The next four weeks is about turning the power on in our lives - living a Spirit filled life and how it was always the plan of God for us in the Salvation that he provided for us. God's plan in Salvation was not just to reposition us but also to empower our lives. 2 Corinthians 5 tells us that the “the old has gone, the new is here!” (NIV verse 17). Ephesians 1:13 says that we've been sealed by the Holy Spirit but also but we would be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need to know that the word of God reveals we are to be filled with the spirit for the work of regeneration. Sealing us in the Spirit labels us but being filled with the Holy Spirit enables us to live a Spirit filled life – real Christianity! Romans 8:9 even states (NIV) “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ”. A few verses later it says “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God”. In reality, it’s impossible to live the Christian life God expects without His spirit in us enabling us. We shouldn't settle for being a powerless church when the Bible says that his church should actually be a people of power and authority that make a difference on earth. The messages in this new series over the next three or four weeks will lay out how God intended us to be repositioned with a brand new life, but also that we would know His Spirit coming to live inside of us to enable and empower us to be all that he says we can be. The Bible teaches that God Almighty places His own Spirit in the lives of those he has redeemed - a powerful perhaps radical statement yet totally true. The next few weeks is about establishing the reality of this. If you've never experienced the baptism of a power of God, if you've never seen God turn up his power on in your life, why not take a moment to ask Him today. We're going to come back next week and carry on this new series about turning on the power in our lives.
Pastor Paul explores how it is God's plan for our lives to advance and take new ground for Him.
Sunday 7th February 2021 is My Sunday in Family Church. Today, after our Praise and Worship, three people give their story of how they came to know Jesus and how he has subsequently changed their lives for ever. Following this Pastor Andy interviews another church member as we discover how Jesus meets people in every walk of life, gives them peace, hope and love in an individual and wonderful way. The meeting today ends with opportunity for us all to resubmit our lives to The Lord and receive His Spirit.
Building the House - The Importance of Unity | Dan Webb | 31st January 2021. This is Part 4 in the series Building the House.
The title for this week’s message is “Pause for Thought”. Pastors Sean & Paula deliver an action packed MUST HEAR message which recaps and rediscovers the messages from January 2021 so far. Personal anecdotes and Godly insight into the gradually building themes of Awakening the Sleeping, Set Apart, All in for God, and Being Used by God bring fresh revelation and challenge to us personally regarding the true nature of our relationship with God. As Paula and Sean speak of Jesus surrendering His life for us in the most demeaning way possible how can our response be other than to wholly be available for Him and for His glory on earth?
Josh explores, through the account of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, how we carry God's heart by having a mindset to work in His plans and purposes for our lives.
Pastor Andy speaks about being used by God as we move out of the 21 days of fasting that began the year 2021. The set of messages so far this year have deliberately linked as God has inspired Andy in thought for this journey. God has awoken us and touched us with His Spirit, we made choices about being set apart for Him, we surrendered and submitted our lives unto Him and naturally now God wants to be able to use us………a wonderful destination to have arrived at in this early 2021 journey. Now our lives have become useable to Him as we belong to Him through the faith we set in Christ. We need to be ready for Gods purposes - Ephesians 2, v8-10 (NIV) “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. So God had a clear agenda always to save us, set us apart as we are his workmanship in order to do good or noble works - God’s business on earth.
Pastor Paul looks at the second part of us building our lives in this series by exploring how the key to living victoriously as a Christian is to keep Jesus at the centre of your life.
This week Pastor Andy speaks of being “All In” for God. The message begins by recapping on the last weeks of prayer and fasting bringing fresh presence of God to our lives. Scripture tells us if we draw closer to Him, he will draw closer to us. Recent messages have spoken of awakening to God from our slumbers, being consecrated for Him, being set apart and being part of His family. Last week referenced Romans 12 verses 1-2 (NIV) “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”. The Lord made us holy so He could fill us with His righteousness and Spirit! It says to be transformed by the renewing of our minds allowing the Word to renew what we think not about some things but all things. So having been awoken and consecrated will we live in submission to God, to the leading of His Spirit in our lives? Daily, we must resubmit our lives. Submission is not popular in the world but scripture endorses this for the best experience with God. James 4 verse 7 (NIV) states “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. Scripture also instructs us to submit to the authority of government as well - Romans 13 verse 1 (NIV) “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God”. God is a God of authority. Likewise we submit to our spiritual leaders – Hebrews 13 verse 7 (NIV) says “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith”. What causes us to walk in submission? Ephesians 5 verse 21 (NIV) states “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”. Our revelation of God will cause us to submit to Him but we submit to each other through respect for Christ. Submission is equivalent to saying “I am all in”. Jesus said to the Pharisee (Luke 10 verse 27, NIV) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbour as yourself”. That’s pretty much “all in”! All the great things that happened in the book of Acts happened because people were “all in” for God. His plans for us will not be fully evident if we are not fully “all in” for Him.
Pastor Paul explores how God is a God of new beginnings and can bring life to any situation we may face, however 'dead' it looks.
Pastor Andy again speaks of the breakthrough he believes will occur to us all in taking part in the twenty one days of fasting at the start of this New Year 2021. He speaks of the need for us to come before The Lord and rid ourselves of junk, pride and so forth, in bringing ourselves to God. Sometimes we need to rid ourselves of things first before we are able to come before The Lord. When we present ourselves to God, it is not the old but the new creation we present to Him. The blood of Jesus has washed away our past sins. Consecration is an interesting and important word if we live with Jesus. It means to be set apart. During Old Testament times it referred to material things being set aside, set apart for His use. Now it is relevant to us, God wants us he wants us to set our lives apart for His use. Consecration begins by us knowing we now belong to God; we have been set apart and bought at a price, by His own blood. Our lives are not our own. In 1 Corinthians 6 verse 15 (NKJV), scripture says “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” So we need to honour God with our bodies. Now we know and believe in the work of the cross, of salvation, we belong to the household of God. We need to understand this not through fear but from love. When we were our own we all messed up! Thankfully Jesus has saved us so this grace of God causes us to live a set apart life for The Lord.
This week Pastor Andy speaks about “Awakening the Sleeping”. He began by restating the invitation to a time of prayer and fasting for the first twenty one days of 2021. Fasting is not just about giving up things but being able to hear God in our spirits. Take moments not to feed our soul but our Spirits. Pray for our nation, our church, our families and ourselves. Laying aside things that get in the way of our pursuit of God will allow God to speak into our lives much more. God is in control! We should not be casual – it is vital we hear Him and see Him in our lives. We need an awakening in ourselves, in our nation, in our churches, so the hearts of men and women are awakened to the reality of God and His love. Isaiah 60 speaks of days of great darkness but these announce days of great light…that break and penetrate darkness. Let us pray prayers of awakening, an awakening that comes from heaven. An awakening in the world must start from an awakening in the church. We long in this New Year 2021 to see moves of Gods Spirit that will draw the hearts of the lost back home. But we need this in our churches and ourselves first. We need to see a move of God and kingdom mindedness rising up in the courtyards of government and the nation. But first we need to shake off slumber and awaken to a new place of intimacy with God…..walking closely with God. Oh that the church would awaken to the purposes of God – the great commission. Our lives need to crave the intimacy of God and be busy with His purposes. Romans 13, verse 11 onwards speaks of the time we are in and waking from slumber…. (NIV) “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh”. Ephesians 5, verse 8 onwards encourages us regarding who we were and who we now are (NIV) “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light”. This talks about our intimacy with God and then in verse 14..” This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil”. Only a person who is awake can awaken another, so we need to commit to being a people who are fully awake with Him. Only the prince of peace, the touch of the Holy Spirit will awaken us. Intimacy with God will awaken us for His purpose. We pray “Lord in these next twenty one days come and lean over your bride the church and awaken her from her slumbers, give her a fresh touch of your Holy Spirit to stir and shake hearts and let us all rise from any sleeping to seek your face in true devotion”.
The week Pastor Andy looks back at the year 2020 and rather more looks forwards into the year 2021. Covid has stolen much of what we came to know as Christmas but as the 25th December emerged we were left with Jesus. Nothing had affected the fact that The Father has given us His Son to bring us back to Himself. As we stand at the door of 2021 we step out of a very unusual 2020. Although life has been hideous in some ways, elsewhere the church has blossomed for example in the small groups and community work. But we can look into 2021 with hearts full of joy rather than disillusionment because Gods word still stands. His promises remain true. He has plans for us, the church and the nation. We need to be committed to these plans as God rebuilds in 2021. Andy spoke about how we need to be ready to seize the day or even seize the year (Carpe 2021) to make full use and enjoy the new season. In Philippians 3, verse 13, Paul speaks of his life and forgetting what lays behind and reaching forward for what is yet unknown. Andy speaks about how we also need to forget the negatives and disappointments of 2020 and be found reaching forward for the plan God has for us in 2021. In the next few days we need to be getting our hearts afresh for 2021 and for what God wants to do in our lives. In Jeremiah 21 it tells of the plans God has for us….to prosper us and plans of future and hope. The year 21 is often associated with getting keys to the door. In Matthew 16 verse 19 scripture speaks of The Lord promising us the keys of the Kingdom. Keys which can loose things and also bind things. Here, Jesus was speaking to His Church. Immediately before this Jesus speaks about building His church. During 2020 we rediscovered a fresh approach ot what the church really was, certainly not a building. God is standing ready to build His Church in 2021 with spiritual keys that have the power to bind evil and loose Heaven. Andy then spoke of the invitation for Prayer and Fasting starting day one of the New Year. A time to focus and pray for our nation, government, our church and be intentional not drifting as we commence 2021. Fasting takes prayer to a new level, it cannot be casual when we fast but intentional, releasing supernatural keys for supernatural breakthroughs.
This week Pastor Andy speaks of how even when the most stringent government regulations appear to strip back everything many of us associate with Christmas, that the Kingdom of Heaven is not stripped back, and in many ways the true purpose of Christmas remains…as Jesus for us all to see. Andy goes on to remind us to have a listening ear and a warm heart for those around us, let us make sure no one goes without, no one feels cut off from the world. Stripping back the Christmas allows us to see more clearly the wonderful gift of God’s son given to us for our salvation, to give us eternal life. He is the true gift this Christmas. Jesus is the constant, the usual within these unusual times. Let us celebrate Him.
Following from last week’s message by Pastor Steve telling us not to shrink back, this week Pastor Steu addresses the subject of rebuilding our Christian lives. In 586BC the Babylonian army ransacked, set on fire and ruined the city of Jerusalem. But behind the scenes of the ensuing period of captivity God was at work. In a way, at this time we have also undergone a period of captivity where some of our freedoms have been removed. Using the Old Testament stories, in the book of Nehemiah and more, Pastor Steu prophecies over an incredible time of rebuilding in our lives just as the Jewish peoples did after their captivity in Babylon. The Temple was rebuilt, the city walls were rebuilt. We shall see renewed worship, renewed commitment to Jesus and that all ground that has been lost will be taken back. God is still at work!
Pastor Paul looks at how God desires to change our perspective on giants that we face and how to trust Him for the victory.
This week Pastor Steve Carey speaks with a title ‘Don't Shrink Back’. His word from God is like a set of antibodies similar to a vaccine to kill off disease in our lives and release back faith. In Hebrews 10 verse 32, we read how the Hebrew believers were starting to ask questions about life as we might do now in 2020. The scripture goes on to tell us not to throw away our confidence which has great reward. We likewise must not shrink back in our lives. In Numbers 13 the Israelites are on the edge of inheriting the Promised Land and send in spies to check things out…Caleb and Joshua come back positively, but the rest came back with reports saying the opposite – that the people inhabiting the land were stronger and not able to be defeated – they felt like grasshoppers among giants. They had shrunk back! - In vision, faith and speech. Do we feel like them in 2020? Are we facing seemingly impossible mountains? Let it not be so. Let us not shrink back and be empowered by the word of God and power of His Spirit. Some key things…Let us Believe Big, God has not changed in 2020, He is faithful, loving, pure and true, unlimited by anything including Covid! His plans are not limited, shrunk, interrupted, socially distanced etc. Ephesians 3 verse 20 tells us how He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything we ask or think! Heaven is not bankrupt! In Proverbs 23 verse 7 we are reminded how we are what we think. This is challenging….maybe we need to think about what we think, taking our thoughts captive as per 2 Corinthians 10 verse 5. Let us not forget the basics. Now let us speak big, not complaining, criticizing, not limiting what God can do through us. Great practical tip here is to speak the word of God out loud, declaring His truths and promises. Also, let us Live Big again. Let us not shrink our lives, our social circles, our contributions to our church. Let us be givers rather than receivers only. Let us concentrate more on living what is best for Jesus, putting ourselves aside. The world of the generous get larger and larger… the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller (Proverbs 11 verse 24). Living with a generous spirit will cause our lives to change and we will not shrink back. Do we look to how God can bless us or how God can use us? The latter will cause the former. Let us this week set out to bless a few people in the ways we can and not shrink back in believing, speaking or living.
Pastor Paul looks at how God desires to change our perspective on our circumstances and how we respond with a heart of thankfulness.
Sunday 29th November is Global Sunday, Pastor Andy Elmes has Ray Mills with him who has recently returned from the mission field in the Philippines with his wife and children. Today we are focusing on the global aspects of what Family Church is doing across the nations, as a local church but with a global vision. A video compiled by Ray showed many of the missionary peoples and their families and gave us wonderful insight into their work, their situation and cultures. After watching the video, Pastor Andy chatted with Ray about his time in the Philippines. Ray spoke of the isolation that many missionaries feel when communications are poor or their lives are distracted. Pastor Andy encouraged all of us to be focused on supporting the world wide activities of God as well as our local tasks with our prayers, our communication and our giving. Our missionaries are an extension of our church family and do not, cannot, operate alone.
Pastor Andy’s message this week begins by recounting the story In Luke Chapter 19, verse 28, and the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. However, the key here is the part where Jesus sent two disciples on ahead to locate and untie a colt that had never been ridden. He told them to say that “The Lord had Need of it”, if anyone should ask why they were taking the colt. Jesus sat on the donkey and people shouted their praises for the miracles he had done as he rode into Jerusalem….a famous bible verse. As Pastor Andy explained, this must have been a pretty amazing time for the disciples – feeling they were about the steal a donkey but apparently Jesus knew the plan for this all along. In effect, Jesus had set the donkey free from being tethered….because he had a plan for the donkeys life…to carry The Messiah. Jesus had sent His messengers on ahead carrying a message of freedom for the donkey; it was to be untied from all the things that had held it, no longer captive, no longer a slave. In the same way, Jesus has a purpose for our lives and can set us free from everything that has been binding us. But what will we do with our freedom? Jesus has a purpose for it that brings fulfilment, alternatively we can do nothing. Just as in Luke 19, we too have a purpose in life and can carry Jesus to others. The Lord has need of us! He needs us to be a soul winner, a carrier of His presence. Jesus wants us to use the freedom he has given us to take His presence to our friends, families, neighbours and so on. Someone will have been the ‘donkey’ who brought Jesus to us. They cared enough for us to make sure we spent eternity with God. God now wants to use our lives to bring freedom to people in our circles from everything that binds them. The Lord has need of us for this purpose. Will we join Him in this great Commission? If we want to get the zing back in our Christian lives then we need to start telling others about Jesus. God needs our availability not ability. Are we available?
The fruit of the Spirit series concludes this week as Pastor Paul looks at how God desires to grow self-control in our lives.
This week Pastor Andy speaks about “Keeping it Simple”. He begins by recounting the story in Gospel of Mark, Chapter 7, Verse 1 where Pharisees came asking Jesus questions about religious practices, ceremonial washing, and other traditions. Their question was based on an understanding of the law & religion only. Jesus told them in no uncertain terms that their hearts were not where their lips were, that they were hypocritical! Jesus told them they had let go of the commands of God and were holding onto the traditions of men. There is a dichotomy between the religious do’s and don’ts and a simple relationship between us and The Lord. This simple relationship is what Pastor Andy was reminding us of today. Walking with God is meant to be a heart thing, a relational experience, quite simply. Adding religion to a walk or a desire for God turns the simple into something complex and confusing. We need to purpose in keeping our walk with God as simple as the first followers of Jesus did. Religion leaves us confused but relationship with Jesus leaves us fulfilled. Pastor Andy referred to the industry wide KISS principle – Keep It Simple, Saint! We are not to get bogged down missing the point. The relationship with God is not complex - in fact it is profoundly simple. Pastor Andy has three words to guide us through these Covid times and other circumstances (like the prime minister’s podium strapline has been). These are Love, Obedience and Faith. Love, First Book of Corinthians Chapter 13 reminds us of the qualities of real love, this is the love of God defining who He is. Verse 2 reminds us we have nothing without love even if we can move mountains, have all knowledge. Other verses tell us we can do all manner of wonderful things but they are worthless without love. Obedience is the true expression of our love. Gospel of Luke Chapter 6 and verse 46 is profound - it says ‘you call me Lord but you don’t do what I say’. Recognising the Lordship of Christ is simple but we confuse it with manmade issues. In a love relationship with God we are joined at the branch of his love and the natural expression of that should now be in the heart of one who was once rebellious. The favourite word of all Christians should be obedience. There are great consequences to obedience and also disobedience…Obedience means living in accordance with His Word. Faith to really believe as the scriptures tell us many people did like the Father with his mute child who came to Jesus immediately after the transfiguration in Gospel of Mark, Chapter 9 and Verse 17. The Father cries out to Jesus saying “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” then Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit in the boy. All things are possible to those who believe. Jesus told blind Bartimaeus, “your faith has made you whole”, after he healed his sight…… Pastor Andy spoke about how God brought us into a love relationship not slavery….he never brought us into something we were not meant to enjoy. Jesus loved us first and we did nothing to deserve it. So this week we need to just concentrate on loving at God loved us, being obedient to his word and having child-like faith. The bible says we are saved when we place faith in Jesus Christ.
After a particularly poignant live remembrance service today, Pastor Geoff Speaks on the subject of Remembrance. Geoff looks back not only at what our service men and women have done for us but also what Jesus has done for us on the cross. All of us are in daily battles, some we fail to recognise. We often sit and recall events of the past so Remembrance is part of life’s journey. However we need to bring back into that Remembrance some of the things God has done in our lives and the victories overcome. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to bring into our minds such things. We all face physical, mental and spiritual battles….. Then we need to hear the word of God in our lives today. Geoff continues to speak of us having a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives in order to live the abundant life God intends. The enemy comes to steal and destroy with anxieties, fears and troubling thoughts. The decision is ours though….to look towards our Father and choose to believe Him over our circumstances.
The fruit of the Spirit series continues and this week Steve Smith looks at how God desires to grow faithfulness in our lives.
Pastor Andy’s message speaks this week about going into the harvest. Andy speaks today as his new book Soul Winner is launched [soulwinner.co.uk]. This is a crucial time for us to understand the importance of salvation on a person’s life. Pastor Andy has authored his new book to mobilize and equip God’s people to be harvesters in their daily harvest, in their local Jerusalem. In these unprecedented times, God is still God, he is still our shepherd and is still holding our hand. We need to comprehend the times we are in from a biblical lens and then be active in responding to what God needs us to do. This may be ministering to people’s needs as well as ministering to God….the two great commandments! We need to be God’s light in moments of confusion ready to step in and help people navigate through their storms. However, we must not forget that the greatest need anyone may have is salvation, as this impacts them eternally as well as on earth immediately. Mark 8:36-37 instructs us it is no use for man to gain the whole world but lose his soul. All of us need to be ministers, introducers of Jesus to friends, family and those near to us. The Harvest is calling and we must go.
Pastor Paul continues to look at the different aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit and how God desires to grow goodness in our lives.
Pastor Andy continues speaking about walking with Jesus, this week Jesus the Good Shepherd. Last week we looked at Jesus the Lion of Judah as well as being the Lamb who was slain to take away our sins. The bible has portrayed Jesus in many differing ways each declaring a special part of who He is ….Son of God, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, Lion of Judah, bread of life, the True Vine and the Good Shepherd. In the Gospel of John Chapter 10, many verses are devoted to Jesus being the Good Shepherd. Verses 1 through 6 speak of us knowing the Shepherd’s voice, how the true sheep know the voice of their shepherd. Further verses speak of Jesus being the gateway to God’s field. We can enter relationship with God, come into his field of safe pasture through Jesus only. Verse 10 also speaks of the enemy, the bad shepherd whose only purpose is to kill, steal and destroy. Jesus, the good shepherd is here to give us life in all its fullness. Verse 11 tells us that the Good Shepherd lays down his life for us. In Verse 12 we find that the hireling is not the shepherd who owns the sheep so will abandon us in the face of trouble….a wolf attacks and scatters the flock of sheep in the face of a hired hand because he has no regard for the flock, he is just a hired hand. In Verses 16 to 17 scripture speaks of a gathering, the plan of God for us – bringing the different cultures into the same ‘sheep pen’, one kingdom. In the Old Testament God also reveals Himself as a shepherd. In Ezekiel 34, the first ten verses rebuke bad shepherds of the day (we still have them now!). Verses 11 through 16 prophetically speak of God being the Good Shepherd in our lives, enabling us to lay down in good rich pasture (sheep only lay down when they feel no fear). This refers to us having a sense of well-being and safety, as we should feel with God at the helm of our lives. David’s Psalm 23 reveals the same things God revealed to Ezekiel earlier. God has our back; we just need to ensure we are listening to His voice, not the myriad of others trying to deceive us. Scripture is so powerful Pastor Andy ended the service with every home reading this scripture out loud.
Psalm 23 (NKJV) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Pastor Paul continues to look at the different aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit and how God desires to grow kindness in our lives
Walking with Jesus – The Lion of Judah. Pastor Andy shares today from lessons, experiences and thoughts from his recent missionary trip to Zambia where he walked with lions! Before you walk with lions you need to be a member of their pack. This means going behind them and submitting to their pace. Also, letting them let them know you are there. In Daniel Chapter 6 there was a scary moment for Daniel in the pit with lions - but he knew the greater one the creator who made him was with him. Andy became conscious of the majesty of the lions when walking with them. Jesus is the Lion of Judah but also the Lamb of God. In Revelation 5:5 scripture speaks of “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed….” then in verse 6, reference to the Lamb who was slain. We need to know that Jesus is both the lion and the lamb. Seeing Jesus as a lamb is vitally important but we need to be able to relate to him as the Lion of Judah. Both these descriptions fully relate to Him. Proverbs 30:29 speaks of the Lion being majestic in pace and mighty among beasts. When it comes to walking with Jesus, we also need to avoid familiarity, keeping an awe of God in our hearts. When walking with a lion it’s important not to touch its head or mane as this represents its authority. So even though we are heirs to the throne and can walk in friendship we should never be over familiar with The Lord. We need to walk with a healthy honour and respect in our lives for Jesus, carrying reverence in our hearts. Additionally we need to walk in step behind Jesus, as you would do if walking with lions. We are followers of Jesus, as a follower we do not push in front. However, as followers, we also do not shrink back! If we shrink back and don’t keep being part of the pack, we lose our safety from being with the mighty lion of Judah. Galatians 5:25 (NIV) tells us “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. If we do this no matter what storms come along we have safety and victory in our lives.
Pastor Paul continues to look at the different aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit and how God desires to grow supernatural patience/longsuffering in our lives.
Pastor Andy speaks about Storm Management - Knowing How to Navigate the Storm. Last week Pastor Andy spoke about Jesus being in the boat of our storms. This week carries on reading from Psalm 46. In verse 10 the bible tells us “Be still and know that I am God”. This means let go of our striving and lean back into the Lord to experience stillness in the midst of storms, surrender our anxiety. Pastor Andy carries on from last week with four key things about storms we may all face. Firstly storms come in many forms – health, physical, mental, emotional, relational, financial, and spiritual, but Jesus is in the boat of all of these even if we face many at a time. Secondly, storms may come from different places – ourselves if we acted wrongly, the devil (but we do have authority to rebuke these!), even God might originate a storm as in Jonah Chapter 1 because Jonah was walking in disobedience and God wanted him in his perfect plan for life. Thirdly a storm we experience may have a purpose attached to it. If from the devil it’s to steal kill and destroy, perhaps to prevent you benefitting others. In Mark 4 &5 we see the purpose of the boat crossing the Sea of Galilee was to relive a man possessed by a legion of devils. Fourthly, to create simple faith in Jesus. Maybe faith isn’t effective or powerful until it’s all you have. Luke 10:19 clearly states that we have been given authority over all the works of the evil one. God is waiting for us to realise who we are in Christ, see that the keys that were stolen from Adam by the devil have been returned to us through Jesus. We must stand in the boat of our lives and speak the word of God because we have authority to do this. We do need to seek repentance, forgiveness, if necessary and also make sure our perspective on our storm is appropriate…..many people will be experiencing far worse. Life needs to be more than about our boat purely so we must be ready to assist and help others. These are all opportunities for outreach ministries. When we help other people with their storms, God will take care of ours. Proverbs 10:25 (TPT) states “The wicked are blown away by every stormy wind. But when a catastrophe comes, the lovers of God have a secure anchor”.
Pastor Paul continues to look at the different aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit and how God desires to grow supernatural peace in our lives
Pastor Andy speaks this week on “Know Jesus, Know Peace”. There are many storms in our loves right now so knowing Jesus and having His peace in our lives is really important. This is increasingly a time of anxiety and worry and people are experiencing uncertainty and pressure in aspects they used to have security in. The natural response here is fear. Just because we are believers and followers of Jesus does not make us exempt of storms in our lives. Jesus never took us out of the world when we were saved so we're going to experience and encounter things that the world experiences and encounters, but our experience in these storms should be a different experience. We are part of another kingdom, an unshakable Kingdom. Hebrews 12 says that everything that can be shaken will be shaken….this is happening now! We need to be making sure that our feet and lives are grounded in this unshakeable kingdom. God is our refuge and our strength. That's the truth but the truth is being tested in our lives today. God is our ever present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46). Therefore, we will not fear…… A very important fruit of the Holy Spirit living in us is peace - not the world’s peace but the peace that passes all understanding. In Mark’s gospel, the story of the disciples being in the boat with Jesus in a storm is recounted. A great storm rises up and it causes the disciples (even though they had the presence of God in the boat) great concern. The waves began to crash and break against the boat so that it was nearly swamped as Jesus was in the stern of the boat sleeping on a cushion. We are not exempt of storms around us, but we are different because we have Jesus in the boat of our lives and we can likewise have God’s peace in our lives which passes all natural understanding during stormy times.
Pastor Andy speaks about us being a Missional Church. Recently back from a trip to African nations, he is keen to impart his experiences. We need to shift our thinking from being church attenders and church members to be missionaries. Right now, the world is crying out for truth. For those of us who are followers of Jesus, we have the answer! As we move forward into whatever this journey we're taking together looks like, we would dare each of us to think more missional. Let's not be caught up in an attendee way of thinking. There's no lock down on us being missional. So let's begin to turn our focus and shift on reaching people. This is a challenge to our hearts today! If you send Pastor Andy who's been unable to travel for six months to Zambia and place him in front of two hundred odd hungry missionary guys, you're going to have an explosion! But that explosion wasn't just for them. It was for all of us. I came back feeling enthused. What if we change the way we see ourselves and become a missional church more than we've ever been before. We are all missionaries in the places we live, work and relax. This is the challenge!
Learn from Jesus is the title for this week’s message given by Pastor Steuart Payne. Lockdown and loss of weekly gatherings has presented many challenges, the loss of God’s presence in a large meeting possibly the greatest. The need for our own personal relationship with God is now paramount. In Matthew 11 Jesus speaks of taking the yoke from those who are heavy laden, giving them rest. There are two actions we must take daily – coming to Him and learning from Him. Jesus is the one who releases us from every burden including all our sins. We need to draw close to Jesus, opening our hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s role is to lead us and teach us every step of way as we make the choice to walk with Jesus and couple ourselves to him. Sometimes ignorance, laziness, fear of losing control or pride makes us unteachable but we need to walk with and learn from Jesus every day, not just hang out with him occasionally.
Pastor Andy speaks about Jesus being the centre of our lives, being Jesus Centric. Jesus deserves to be central to everything we are and everything we do now. We can look at an example of a person being egocentric where they are self-centred believing everything involves around them. But for followers of Jesus, He is to be the centre of all things in our lives.
The title for this week’s message by Pastor Andy is “Seeing Jesus for who He is”. This is in theme of celebrating our children. Matthew 19:13-15 (NIV) says” Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there”. Maybe we do not prevent children from coming to Jesus physically but perhaps by not allowing them to have real encounters with Jesus. We can learn from watching the way children are with Jesus. They have no agenda, but a child-like purity. In Matthew 18 Jesus tells his Disciples that if they want to become great in the Kingdom, they need to become child-like (not childish!) in our approach to God. When we are walking with the Lord, we need to have a child-like faith in acceptance of what he says. Adults often become sceptical but this robs us of receiving Jesus, but Jesus actually encourages us to be child-like in their approach. Children see and want Jesus for what He is. Often we see and want Him for what He can do for us! We need to see and know Jesus for what He really is. Jesus is a God of much more than what we usually see Him for. Even during Jesus time on earth, people missed Him because He was not what they were looking for. When the Messiah came, many could not see Him as He didn’t look like they expected or do what they thought He ought to. Such preconceived agendas are only one aspect of a hugely bigger God. The children of Israel in Exodus 24 were busy melting jewellery to make a representation of God as they wanted; meanwhile Moses was on the top of the mountain having a life changing experience! Many of Gods people could not see Jesus even when he was in the room with them as they were looking for a warrior character to overthrow the Roman Empire. Others looked for a ruling king like King David to rule as he did, but rather missed the point that Jesus’ throne was a heavenly one! Being saved from their own sins was more necessary than being saved from the Roman rule but this passed them by. Even after Jesus had died and risen before their eyes (Acts 1) the disciples ask if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. Their preconditioned thinking was of a Messiah coming to overthrow natural rule, missing the point of who Jesus was and why He had come to earth. Even John the Baptist got confused for a while because what Jesus was doing didn’t register with his expectations - (Luke 7:19 NIV) says “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” John had also thought Jesus should be overthrowing Rome, not sitting with children, healing people, forgiving sins. Children tend to have an attitude of “we want to know you as you are”. Adults tend to want to fit Jesus into their self-made boxes. Jesus was God on earth, the full and total manifestation of everything God the Father was and is. Colossians 2:9 (ESV) states “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily”. Jesus is not just a representative of heaven; He is the fullness of God in every respect. All we need to know about God we can see in Jesus and His Word. Let us see Jesus for who He really is. Let us have a child-like faith and a child-like approach.
Pastor Andy asks us “What is true repentance?” Recently we have focused on the gospel message, salvation, transformation, evangelism, believing and communicating the gospel. Communicating the message of Jesus is the key evangelistic activity. True salvation will allow God to move in someone’s life in a transforming way. This is often based on the decision made at the time of accepting Jesus. The difference between belonging to God and experiencing life change depends on whether true repentance has occurred. Repentance needs to be part of our invitation we make to people when giving the gospel message. The word must be understood correctly. It’s an invitation to come into a life better than anything known before. Jesus calls people to repent. Luke 13:3 or Matthew 4:17 (NIV) says “From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."” In Luke 5:32 Jesus calls sinners to repentance. In Acts 2:38, Peter preaches a similar message to that of Jesus “Repent and be baptized……” What did Jesus expect of someone who needed to repent? Old Testament repentance is more about feeling of remorse and regret. Wikipedia aligns with New Testament thinking and suggests that repentance as taught in the Bible is a call to persons to make a radical turn from one way of life to another. The repentance (metanoia) called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. So New Testament meaning of repentance includes sorrow and regret but includes a 180 degree turn from self towards God. Changing the way we think to bringing into alignment with Gods will brings the transformed life. The dual action is ‘turning from’ and also ‘turning towards’. Without the ‘turning towards’, we are left in no man’s land so to speak. The speed of this ‘turn’ determines the transformation experience. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) illustrates this “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land”. God is willing to forgive us when we turn away ‘from’ (self) and ‘towards’ (Him). There needs to be an absolute turning from our will to God’s will for our life. This is almost a reverse manoeuvre from that of Adam in Genesis when Satan deceived him. Our prayer of salvation needs to include a turning away from our way and bringing our will into God’s will. Then we will fly and soar in our lives. If we are willing to change the way we live and think our lives can change beyond our imagination. We also need to be able to apply forgiveness and grace to someone who has turned away and towards. Romans 2:4 tells us that it is God’s goodness and His Kindness that causes a person to repent.
Steve speaks about Sharing Jesus with Confidence. Steve says that he finds God is speaking the same thing across the whole people of God, so coming from Bookham Baptist Church, this message is totally in line with our current journey. Sharing Jesus with others is a key thing and our attempts can have varying success. Scripture is the greatest teacher; in John 4, Jesus shares with a Samaritan woman. He begins by asking the women for a drink. This is an act of friendship and breaks through the Jew/Samaritan barrier building a relationship lovingly (as is the gospel itself). Jesus then artfully interacts with the woman in a respectful way. The four qualities of conversation are to listen, to notice, to serve and to wonder. To listen well is really crucial. If we listen well, we will notice and will then be able to serve or pray for people. Sometimes we need to remember we are just a link in the chain of bringing someone to Christ. We need to learn from Jesus about the art of conversation. There are ways of going deep with a person by wondering rather than interrogating…..much less confrontational…. We can also notice if we listen well, notice the tone of someone’s words and this can open up a conversation. This may give us an opportunity to share about Jesus. The story we all have to tell is an amazing one. Our personal story of how grace came to us and how God filled our lives is a key one. Knowing the whole story allows us to bring connection to someone else by bringing them to part of it. Situation is important too. We don’t speak about Jesus in a vacuum. Often it starts by “how are you in this situation”, perhaps, lockdown….etc. If God has placed us in a situation, God will use us there too, however unsuited we may feel. Without the Holy Spirit there is nothing. We speak Gods work by the empowering presence of Him in our lives. In the story of the woman at the well, Jesus has a supernatural insight into the woman’s life and this opens the women’s heart. We are all called to live in the power of the spirit as Jesus did. The company of God, the presence is God is vital. Jesus told people to wait for the Holy Spirit before going out. As we begin to use spiritual gifts and insights we will not always get it right nor necessarily be successful first time, but God does also always use our mistakes! Sharing Jesus belongs to all the people of God. The words “Soul Winner” are for all of us.
Olivia asks us a key question – What do you believe about the Gospel? This is not what we have heard, or think, but what do we truly believe about the gospel. Many versions of what the gospel means exist for many people, but what does this mean for us? What we think can be fleeting but what we believe models our lives as deeply rooted convictions. What we believe determines our responses, rather than what we think. Romans 1:16 (NKJV) states “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek”. This is powerful! The gospel is the power of God to salvation for believers. It is not a story but the power of God and hence a call to action. We can know a lot about the gospel but it’s not until we believe with our hearts that our lives change. Do we know what we believe about the gospel? This is important. Sometimes we live in a glass box and we hear and know about the gospel but do not let Jesus into our lives because we have not believed His gospel message. The glass boxes need smashing! Are we hot or cold for Jesus? There is no middle ground or sitting on the fence. At some time we need to make the decision to believe the gospel for ourselves and become saved in reality. The gospel is a story of God’s love for us, a creator God loving His masterpiece of creation. But sin entered the world through Adam. Sin payments were made all the way through the Old Testament but the full payment was made by Jesus’ blood as He was sacrificed on the cross. John 3:16 (NKJV) says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. Note this does not say that God tolerated the world or similar words; it is an expression of His love. It also tells us that salvation comes from believing, not doing or anything else, solely believing. This is why the question about what we believe is so crucial. It is a call to action, what do we believe? All roads do not lead to God, only Jesus leads to Lord God. We were created for relationship with God. Let us make the decision to start this relationship with God.
There are similarities but great differences between the two. In Matthew 28, the Lord asks us to be a going people, to make disciples, not just to be saved. Help the people to learn of me, believe in me and obey my words and observe my commands….are words from the Amplified version of Matthew 28. So we are to go and make disciples and teach people to obey Jesus commands. Believing is having faith in something or someone. Believing in God is a powerful thing but even demons believe in God also! - James 2:19 (NKJV) “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” So God does want us to experience the powerful salvation which comes from believing….. But also more……. being a disciple as well. In believing, lives are saved but not transformed. When lives are positioned as disciples, followers of Christ, transformation takes place. It’s an ongoing commitment to the work of the Holy Spirit within. Unlike the thief on the cross next to Jesus, we do have time in our lives for the Holy Spirit to change us. Moving from being a believer to being a disciple was Jesus’ plan in order to transform lives. This is what he called us to be. Believing is not the final thing! Jesus ministered not only to many crowds but also to his disciples when he was not with crowds. Crowds maybe are there for what they can get but disciples are there for what they can become. Being a disciple means becoming subject to the disciplines of the person you follow. A life being transformed will always involve a level of discipline in order to cause the changes required. God calls us to be subject to His teachings and truths. Do we want our lives to adhere to Jesus’ teaching? The bible calls all believers to achieve Christ-likeness choosing discipleship over pure membership. We need to let Jesus train us or disciple us into a better way of living. This means living in the Word allowing the Holy Spirit to challenge us and moving from being in a crowd experience about God to being a follower of God. Believing is belonging but disciplining is submitting, allowing changes to occur, daily. When we are living in the Word of God we will be transformed – Romans 12:2 (NKJV) “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. Our thinking will be challenged and our wisdom altered, this needs to be our prayer. We must exchange incorrect philosophies for correct ones. Colossians 2:8 tells us (NIV) “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ”. The Passion Translation colours this in with even greater clarity in modern day English “Beware that no one distracts you or intimidates you in their attempt to lead you away from Christ’s fullness by pretending to be full of wisdom when they’re filled with endless arguments of human logic. For they operate with humanistic and clouded judgments based on the mindset of this world system, and not the anointed truths of the Anointed One.” So we have a choice as believers, carry on as we are or turn to God and choose His wisdom to operate in inside us. This means we redefine our belief system in accordance with Jesus words. As Jesus said, disciples live by and are obedient to His words (he was speaking to Jewish believers), read John 8:31 (NIV) “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’”. So Jesus was speaking to people who were saved telling them they needed to hold true to His words. The same is true for us in order to be disciples.