Lagan Valley Vineyard: Recent Episodes
Lagan Valley Vineyard
Lagan Valley Vineyard is a church based in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, that is passionate about Jesus and the transformation of our communities.
Chris McNaught reminds us in times of doubt, disappointment & questions we need to learn to trust in the resurrection King to make a way.
Leah Grant opens up the scriptures & reminds us of the peace that the holy spirit provides in our lives as we move towards Jesus & open up our hearts to him.
Stu encourages us to not live in the past but to open up our hearts to the new thing that God is doing.
Stu Bothwell teaches on & challenges us to practice Resurrection in our every day lives.
Andy Masters unpacks how the inheritance of God is released to us both today and forever through the resurrection of Jesus.
Stu Bothwell finishes up our series reminding us of the hope we have in Jesus and his kingdom.
Stu Bothwell continues our series reminding us that in light of redemption and the resurrection our hearts can burn with hope.
Andy Masters continues our series unpacking how in the in-between of the Now and Not Yet of the kingdom of God we can learn to stand with Jesus in the storms of life crying out with open hands.. 'Jesus save me'.
Stuart Bothwell continues our series reminding us of the hope that we have with Jesus in the face of physical death.
Join as Stu takes us through the practice of the 'Four R's'- REST, READ, REFLECT, RESPOND from our Daily Rhythms series
Join as Stuart Bothwell kicks off our new series 'Daily Rhythms' and shares with us the importance of daily scripture reading.
Jamie continues on our Advent series. Teaching on how we receive Christ through Advent.
Join Dana and Stu for the second season of the Habits of the Home: Advent podcast.
We have created a prayer book for the community at Lagan Valley Vineyard to journey through the rich season of Advent together, with our families and in our homes. Through a daily rhythm of blessing, prayers and scripture we are invited to open ourselves to the arrival of Jesus once again.
In the third episode of this season, Dana and Stu look ahead to the celebration of Christmas Day, sharing their excitement and hosting hacks for the feast.
You can pick up a copy of the Habits of the Home prayer book at Sunday services in our Church Venue throughout December. For more information, visit laganvalleyvineyard.com/habits
Dana introduces our Advent series, teaching on some of the practices and prayers found in Habits of the Home
Join Dana and Stu for the second season of the Habits of the Home: Advent podcast.
We have created a prayer book for the community at Lagan Valley Vineyard to journey through the rich season of Advent together, with our families and in our homes. Through a daily rhythm of blessing, prayers and scripture we are invited to open ourselves to the arrival of Jesus once again.
In the second episode of this season, Dana and Stu discuss how we can live open to hope this Advent as we await the arrival of Jesus. As well they chat about the value of hospitality and setting realistic expectations for our family rhythm in our preparation for Christmas.
Show Notes
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You can pick up a copy of the Habits of the Home prayer book at Sunday Services in our Church Venue throughout December. If you are unable to join us on Sundays but want to receive a copy, email stuart@laganvalleyvineyard.com
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We have created a series of playlists for your families, which you can find here: laganvalleyvineyard.com/habits
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To listen back to Season One of our podcast, visit: youtube.com/watch?v=4NYxwd5UkOA&t=1397s
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Acknowledgements: 'Every Moment Holy' by Douglas Kaine McKelvey, 'Domestic Monastery' by Ronald Rolheiser and 'Luminous Dark' by Alain Emerson
Join Dana and Stu for the second season of the Habits of the Home: Advent podcast.
We have created a prayer book for the community at Lagan Valley Vineyard to journey through the rich season of Advent together, with our families and in our homes. Through a daily rhythm of blessing, prayers and scripture we are invited to open ourselves to the arrival of Jesus once again.
In this episode, Dana and Stu discuss how we can set liveable expectations for engaging with the rhythm of Advent. They also take time to reflect on the shape of family devotional rhythms in their everyday lives.
Show Notes
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You can pick up a copy of the Habits of the Home prayer book at Sunday Services in our Church Venue throughout December. If you are unable to join us on Sundays but want to receive a copy, email stuart@laganvalleyvineyard.com
-
We have created a series of playlists for your families, which you can find here: laganvalleyvineyard.com/habits
-
To listen back to Season One of our podcast, visit: youtube.com/watch?v=4NYxwd5UkOA&t=1397s
Chris McNaught continues our 'Here for Now' series challenging us to live out and embody service & embody love.
Emma Harris & Yvette Wilkinson share all the details and how to be involved with Love Lagan Valley at Christmas giving.
James continues teaching on 'Community' and reminds us to forgive one another, challenge one another & to love one another.
Hannah challenges us to commit to both the practice of worship punctuated throughout our everyday life as well as joining in corporately in worship which forms us not just individually but collectively as we fix our attention on God.
Andy Masters challenges us to be a part of a community of faith so we can commit to following Jesus seriously here and now.
Stuart Bothwell kick off our new series 'Here for Now' and reminds us to live out a daily rhythm of connecting with Jesus through scripture and prayer which are pathways to Intimacy > Attention & Devotion.
Andy Masters finishes off our 'What is the Church?' series by teaching through Proverbs 3: 5-6, reminding us to trust in the Lord as we invite him into our finances.
James Toal continues our series 'What is the Church?' challenging us to choose commitment to Jesus and our community over preference.
Andy Masters reminds & challenges us on the practices & habits in our lives which hold our intentions if we are to root and anchor ourselves in the area of spiritual formation.
Chris McNaught challenges us to lay down our lives so we can serve the least, the lowly and find moments & doorways to encounter Jesus.
Kicking off our new series 'What is the Church?' - Stu Bothwell reminds us that the church is God's pure gift to us as well as challenging us on whether we will consume it or throw our life into participating in it, once again falling in love with it's bride...
Dana Masters unpacks Revelation chapter 5: 1-9 & encourages us as we continue our summer series to be dreaming for a glimpse of Gods good future for our land.
Stu Bothwell encourages us to root ourselves deeply in the community we live in as we serve it, bless it and love it.
Rick Preston from Emmanuel Church joins us to teach through 1 Kings 5: 1-12 & challenges us to know peace, rest & grace in transition.
Chris Phillips from Open Doors joins us and challenges us to take action for our brother and sisters in Christ who are persecuted across the world.
Andy Masters continues our series in the beatitudes teaching through 'Blessed are the peacemakers'.
Chris McNaught continues our series looking at the beatitudes, 'The blessed life'.
Chris leads us to the prayer 'Search me God' unpacking how through confession and repentence we can seek the Lord pure in heart.
On Sunday we continued our series in beatitudes 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness'.
Stu through his teaching encouraged us to have an undivided heart.
Andy and Stu give us a glimpse into a larger discussion on finding God's blessing in the middle of grief, sorrow, and loss. They outline four waypoints based on their own personal experiences and the example of Jesus encountering two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus after His death.
Stu Bothwell kicks off our new series in the Beatitudes 'The Blessed Life' looking at Humility.
On Easter Sunday Andy Masters teaches through celebrating Jesus resurrection - that easter changes everything. As new life invades our present, we are restored into our human vocation of loving God, loving each other, caring for the world and anything is possible!
Heather Torney finishes our Lent series 'The Great Fast' challenging us to practice Kingdom Hospitality.
Beginning a new Lent teaching series 'The Great Fast', Andy Masters challenges us through this teaching to look at what is in our hands that we need to be grateful to God for.
Finishing off our series in Isaiah 61 Andy Masters challenges us to allow God by his spirit to renew us so we can be open to the new things he is inviting us into.
Continuing our series in Isaiah 61 Dana Masters reminds us to delight in the Lord through knowing him.
Mark Wilkinson interviews Ivan Major and Peter Crory on how following Jesus led and continues to guide them to seek justice.
Chris McNaught continues our 'Rebuild the Ruins' series in Isaiah and challenges us to not just believe in but to trust & know God at work in our lives.
Emma Wilson challenges us in pt.3 of our 'Rebuild the Ruins' series in Isaiah to be kingdom builders in this land and to stand in the authority and identity that God has called us to.
Yvette Wilkinson reminds us in pt.2 of our 'Rebuild the Ruins' series in Isaiah to listen for God's still small voice as he continues to speak today and to trust in him as we learn to grieve...
Heather Torney continues our series in Isaiah 61 teaching us on giving God our brokenness and the things that imprison us in exchange for his healing and freedom.
Andy Masters kicks off our new series in Isaiah, challenging to us to receive the good news of Jesus and to be good news to those places and people around us.
As we open ourselves to the arrival of Christ, we want to invite you to gather with our family everyday to practice a rhythm of blessing, scripture and prayer. We have created the Habits of the Home: Advent Prayer Book for everyone in your home to prepare their hearts for the joyful feasting that awaits us at Christmas.
Join Dana and Stuart as they share the heart of the Advent prayer book, introduce its pattern and equip you to practice its habits in your home, together.
You can pick up a printed edition of the Habits of the Home: Advent book as you gather with us on Sundays at Lagan Valley Vineyard. A version is also available online at laganvalleyvineyard.com/habits
As we open ourselves to the arrival of Christ, we want to invite you to gather with our family everyday to practice a rhythm of blessing, scripture and prayer. We have created the Habits of the Home: Advent Prayer Book for everyone in your home to prepare their hearts for the joyful feasting that awaits us at Christmas.
Join Dana and Stuart as they share the heart of the Advent prayer book, introduce its pattern and equip you to practice its habits in your home, together.
You can pick up a printed edition of the Habits of the Home: Advent book as you gather with us on Sundays at Lagan Valley Vineyard. A version is also available online at laganvalleyvineyard.com/habits
Stu continues our Advent series teaching unwrapping how we can receive joy through being filled with the life of Jesus.
As we open ourselves to the arrival of Christ, we want to invite you to gather with our family everyday to practice a rhythm of blessing, scripture and prayer. We have created the Habits of the Home: Advent Prayer Book for everyone in your home to prepare their hearts for the joyful feasting that awaits us at Christmas.
Join Dana and Stuart as they share the heart of the Advent prayer book, introduce its pattern and equip you to practice its habits in your home, together.
You can pick up a printed edition of the Habits of the Home: Advent book as you gather with us on Sundays at Lagan Valley Vineyard. A version is also available online at laganvalleyvineyard.com/habits
As we open ourselves to the arrival of Christ, we want to invite you to gather with our family everyday to practice a rhythm of blessing, scripture and prayer. We have created the Habits of the Home: Advent Prayer Book for everyone in your home to prepare their hearts for the joyful feasting that awaits us at Christmas.
Join Dana and Stuart as they share the heart of the Advent prayer book, introduce its pattern and equip you to practice its habits in your home, together.
You can pick up a printed edition of the Habits of the Home: Advent book as you gather with us on Sundays at Lagan Valley Vineyard. A version is also available online at laganvalleyvineyard.com/habits
Andy & Dana Masters open up this Advent season by teaching us on the 'not yet' of the kingdom of God & challenging us to practice the words of Psalm 130 "I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning."
Yvette Wilkinson our Compassion pastor launches & teaches on some of the ways we can pray, serve and give through Love Lagan Valley at Christmas.
Laura Laverty teaches on our series in Colossians, encouraging us to be Renewed, Restored and Transformed.
Join Andy Masters alongside some of our staff team as we look ahead to what we sense Jesus wants us to partner with him in doing over the next 10 years of LVV.
Stu Bothwell, Andy Masters and Mark Wilkinson bring an update on our plans for a New Building.
Priscilla Reid joins us and encourages us to flourish as we serve Jesus in community with one another.
Join Lauren Jackson as along with John Haw, Charlotte Lewis and Andy Masters they wrap up our Walking with God series.
Andy Masters continues our 'Walking with God' series.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What is your engagement with the scriptures like at the moment?
Q U E S T I O N T W O When did you last ask someone to pray for you?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How could you better practice the way of Jesus this week through simple acts of selfless love?
Chris McNaught continues our series 'Walking with God'.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
"We are not merely passive set pieces in a prearranged cosmic drama, but we are active participants with God in the writing, directing, design, and action that unfolds. Prayer, therefore, is much more than asking God for this or that outcome. It is drawing into communion with him and there taking up our privileged role as his people. In prayer we are invited to join him in directing the course of his world’ - Skye Jethani
How does this quote change or challenge your posture towards prayer?
Q U E S T I O N T W O ***Chris mentioned that we dream of God, who brings heaven to earth.
God dreams of a praying people who long to demonstrate heaven on earth, His desires on earth. What do the desires of God look like around you?***
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
"To pray in Jesus’ name means that we enter into Jesus’ status in God’s favor, and invoke Jesus’ standing with God." Larry HurtadoWhen it comes to praying 'in the name of Jesus', do we fully grasp the power and authority that comes with that? How does this phrase change how we pray?
Hannah Toal continues our 'Walking with God' series.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
When was the last time you heard from God? Are there moments or events in your life that could have been God trying to communicate with you, but you passed them off as something else?
Q U E S T I O N T W O Are you open to hearing God in your day-to-day? What stops you from listening?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How can you practice being obedient to God’s voice this week?
Chris McNaught unpacks Petition as we continue our teaching series 'Walking with God'.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
*“Prayer means many things to man people, but at its simplest and most immediate, it means asking God for help. It’s a solider begging for courage, a soccer fan at the final, a mother alone in a hospital chapel. The Lords prayer invites us to ask God for everything from 'daily bread' to the 'Kingdom come'."
- Pete Greig*
What do 'daily bread' prayers look like for you?
Q U E S T I O N T W O When you imagine and picture the face of God, what expression does He wear?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
The pathway to gratitude is hidden in the prayer ‘Give us today our daily bread’. What does it looks like to trust God not only with the big things, but the small day to day things?
Stu Bothwell continues our Walking with God series challenging us to find daily sustainable rhythms of worshipping through prayer which will enable us to anchor ourselves in the kingdom throughout our everyday lives.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
David Foster Wallace said, “In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.”
Take time to consider what rivals/substitutes/idols pull our attention and devotion away from the worship of Jesus.
Q U E S T I O N T W O Do you have a framework or a foundation of worshipping through prayer that can carry you in the direction of Jesus on the days when you just aren’t feeling it?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How can you develop 'practicing the presence of God' by recognising His goodness through prayer, worshipping Him in the thick of your everyday life?
Lauren Jackson unpacks how we can develop rhythms of being still with God in the midst of our everyday lives.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Do you struggle to be still? What in your life currently pulls your attention away from Jesus and towards the circumstances surrounding you?
Q U E S T I O N T W O Often, fear highlights areas in our lives where we struggle to trust God. What are you afraid of?
(Invite God to meet you and bring you into stillness with Him.)
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What would it look like, feel like, sound like in your everyday life to ‘be still’ in the midst of an active day - of life, work, decision making, fear, uncertainty, etc.?
Andy Masters kicks off our new series where we will discover what it is in our everyday lives to walk with God in intimate friendship.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How do you find giving God the things that burden or worry you? What works? What doesn’t?
Q U E S T I O N T W O What does it look like for you to ask Jesus to 'stay' with you? What practices would possibly help that?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
When do you find yourself most passionate in life? Invite Jesus to set your heart on fire for Him again.
Andy Masters teaches on Easter Sunday as we remember the cross and celebrate new life. As we all receive this new life with Christ defeating death on Resurrection Sunday!
Dr Ruth Valerio joins us to challenge our response as a church to be significant in how we think about the way our faith fits into the climate crisis around us.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What was new to you in thinking about what the Bible says about creation care?
Q U E S T I O N T W O What struck you most from the video?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How could you continue to think and talk about these issues in your church community?
Andy Masters finishes our New Ground Series & our study in the book of Joshua.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What has challenged you the most in this series?
Q U E S T I O N T W O What choices are you making now because of what God has been saying to you through this series?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Have you been baptised yet? If not, why not?
Andy Masters challenges us as he teaches through Joshua chapter 10 in our 'New Ground' series.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How healthy are the choices you are making when no one else is looking?
Q U E S T I O N T W O How dependant on God do you feel in your life at the moment?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How big are your prayers right now?
Andy Masters continues our series 'New Ground' in Joshua chapters 8 + 9.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Who in your life do you tend to hide from when things get hard?
Q U E S T I O N T W O What would it look like for you to more intentionally seek out the wisdom of God in your life?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
When was the last time you were tempted to compromise you integrity?
Stu Bothwell leads us into a study of Joshua chapter 7 as we continue our 'New Ground' series..
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
"The more intimate you become with Jesus, the more boldly you can wrestle with him." How 'bold' can you be with Jesus in prayer and practice?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
On Sunday, Stu spoke about 'scapegoat spirituality' and the sense of relief or being off the hook with God that we can sometimes feel following our salvation. Does that feeling resonate with you? What would it look like for our relief to no longer lead to retreat but instead move into new ground with the good news on our lips?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Are there Achan-types that you have walked away from? How can you move towards them with a Jesus-like love?
Hannah Toal, WTC Hub Director at LVV continues our study of Joshua in chapters 5 + 6.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What rituals do you have that keep you rooted in love for, and love from God?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What areas of your life have you submitted to God, and what areas haven't you?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What's stopping you from being willing to practice obedience in the small things? When was the last time you felt like God asked you to do something, and did you do it?
Andy Masters continues in chapters 3 & 4 of our study in the book of Joshua.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What is currently distracting you from focusing more of your life on God?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
Where in your life is God asking you to do something that scares you?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What stories of God’s faithfulness in your past do you need to remind yourself of at this time?
Amy Woods (Youth Intern) continues our New Ground series / study in the book Joshua in chapter 2.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Where have you disqualified yourself from God's plans and purposes?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What sacrifices can you and your family make this week to love and serve others well?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Sacrifice precedes miracles. In which areas of your life are you expectant for a miracle?
Andy Masters continues our new series around the book of Joshua - New Ground.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
When did you last encounter the love of God?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
When did you last hear the voice of God in a specific and life altering way?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
When did you last obey God in a radical and risky way?
Andy Masters is back and kicks off a brand new series 'New Ground - A study in Joshua.' New Ground will explore God's faithfulness through every stage of our journey.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What have you let go of over the past two years?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What have you grown in over the past two yers?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What new things do you sense God speaking to you about?
Stuart Bothwell interviews our friends at International Justice Mission & Flourish NI as well as hearing from Den who wants to share his story with the church for the first time to give a voice to the voiceless and to raise awareness of the horrific reality of modern slavery.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Who is called to do justice? Read Psalm 82:1-4, Micah 6:8, Proverbs 21:3 and Isaiah 58. Who is being asked to take action?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What does loving people look like for God? How could this apply to how we use our time, money, and talents?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
List as many people (groups or individuals) as you can think of who suffer injustice on a regular basis, in our community and in the wider world.
James Toal finishes off our series Grace & Peace exploring how the Lord is reminding us of the call to lives of sacrifice.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Where are you currently giving the least when you could be giving the most?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What was the last thing Jesus asked you to do that you need to say yes to?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What do you think the new thing Jesus is calling you to say yes to is?
Chris McNaught continues our series Grace & Peace.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
In regards to pace and load, how do you reflect on entering a new year?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
". ..Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” What does it practically look like to keep company with Jesus in our everyday lives? How do we respond to Jesus' invitation to live freely and light?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
The trajectory of the pace that Jesus sets in our lives is always towards people. This week what does that look like for you?
Lauren Jackson continues our series Grace & Peace.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Waiting, enduring delays, disappointments and discouragements without giving up or backing down is the opportunity for our faith to expand to faithfulness. It is impossible to grow in faithfulness if everything is instant and every prayer answered immediately.
Your waiting is not wasted…. Let faith become faithfulness.
Take some time to reflect on these questions, inviting God into the conversation as you are open and honest with Him.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What have you been waiting for this year, in the last 2 years?
What feels wasted? (Pray into this by simply telling God about it and asking for Him to reveal Himself to you and show you where He is with you and working)
Q U E S T I O N T W OWhat has left you wondering, where God, what God and why God? (Be really honest with God in conversation.)
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What has left you worrying?
(1 Peter 5:7 calls you to give ALL your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. What would your day look like if you gave up worrying and fully believed God cares about you? Ponder this, and begin to think how you could enter this new year making the choice to WORSHIP when the world is screaming at you to worry. It could be helpful to note a few tools that help you enter into worship as (eg. getting outdoors, getting music on, practicing gratitude, talking to God throughout your day...) but what also could be helpful is to make a note of the things that don't help, ask God to help bring them to your mind, the things that trigger worry or that you can worship instead of God, talk to God about them.
Stuart Bothwell kicks off our teaching for 2022: - Stu shares a grid which can help us find our bearings and direction as we follow Jesus together.
Stuart Bothwell shares with us on Boxing Day 2021.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
When in your own life story can you recall God being faithful? Take a moment and ask God to bring to your memory times of His faithfulness. Make a list and go back to it as you need a reminder! (If you find this hard to do, start by looking at scripture and where He has been faithful then!)
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What are you waiting for? God knows and He cares and He wants you to talk to Him about 'everything'! Speak to Him about those things you long for and wait for.
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
***In times of waiting, do you commit time to wait on God? How can you incorporate waiting on God into your everyday life?
Commit this year to wait in wonder and remember who God is.***
Stuart Bothwell continues our advent series.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Advent is a season of waiting, something we don't like to do. Oftentimes we can distract ourselves away from waiting or never bring our longings to God in honest prayer.
What are you waiting for?
Take time in the presence of Jesus to articulate your longings and recognise that Jesus is with you right now.
Q U E S T I O N T W O
This week in advent we celebrate the love that we have received through Immanuel.Do you live with an awareness of the Father's love for you? If not, how can you open yourself to receive the love of Christ once again this Christmas?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How will you and your family take time this Christmas to celebrate the joy that Jesus brings?
You may want to map out certain times and moments to pause, pray and celebrate over the next few days - some of the prayers and scriptures below can help you in that.
Stuart Bothwell continues our Advent Series.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How do you define joy?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
On Sunday, Stu talked about us living in the time of "no room." Does that rushed, hurried, preoccupied feeling resonate with you?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How can you make more room for abiding with Jesus this Christmas?
Chris McNaught continues our Advent Series.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How do you reflect on the last 12 months and where do you see a need for peace, both in your life and the world around us?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
Peace played out in the world around us is focused on the absence of external powers or people, yet Peace played out in the Scriptures is very different. Biblical Peace is a prophetic promise and a presence. Peace Himself came into our mess and chaos to bring order. How do we connect to the promise and presence of peace this Christmas?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
'In making peace we find more of it.' How can we be peacemakers this advent season?
Stuart Bothwell kicks off our Advent Series.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
It's easy to rush ahead and begin celebrating Christmas before the waiting of advent. How can you and your family slow down and settle into a few weeks of practicing advent to open yourself up to a sense of expectation and hope? You may want to bring this up around your dinner table to share practical ideas as a family.
Q U E S T I O N T W OOn Sunday, Stu shared this quote from Alain Emerson. Take a moment to read it again. How can you open yourself up to Hope being both your compass and your destination?
“To be fully alive is to be hope-filled. It follows that when we are hope-less we are less than our true selves, we are deficient. We can’t avoid disappointment in life, and we are certainly not immune to it, but the greater truth is that we were created for hope. Seasons of disappointments will come, we should expect them, and we may go through times when disappointment is a deeply real experience - but it should not be our fixed position. Hope should be our default mindset, our go-to theme, the soundtrack of our lives. Hope can become a constant for the child of God. Hope is both our compass and our destination. Not only is hope the resident theme of our story, it also shapes and forms our very souls.”
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
If attention is the beginning of devotion, how will you become more like L’Enchanté and attend to Jesus, the source of hope this advent?
Our dear friend Michelle Scott from Vineyard Church Dungannon teaches on what it means to be "Open-Broken-Hearted" like Jesus.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Consider the feelings of Jesus and the others in this passage, remembering that Jesus is as fully human (while still fully God) as the others are. How might Jesus be broken-hearted?
Q U E S T I O N T W O From this passage how can we learn to live open-broken-hearted?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What is Jesus asking of you as you dwell on this passage? What action is He requiring of you?
Yvette Wilkinson our compassion pastor shares how we can get involved this Christmas as we partner with agencies in the Lagan Valley area who provide crucial social care and support to families in our communities.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What are some ways you and your family can get involved in giving?
Q U E S T I O N T W O Think about a time when someone's generosity deeply impacted you. How did this change your day to day? How did it help your future?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How can you infuse the active and living love of Jesus into what you do for Love Lagan Valley?
Stu Bothwell finishes our 1 John series - Love Alive.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What has been your main takeaway from the 'Love Alive' series?
Q U E S T I O N T W O Do you find yourself at times narrowing down Jesus' desire for us by forgetting to see that others are loved by Jesus, just as we are loved by Jesus? What would it look like for you to see others through the loving eyes of Jesus?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
***Eugene Peterson writes, “You are the one He loves, and this world is the ground on which He loves you. This is who you are, your identity, loved by God. But being loved is not all there is to it. Being loved creates a person who can love, who must love. Getting love is a launch into giving love.”
In light of the love you have experienced, how can you extend that love through tangible, proactive, and sacrificial ways this week?***
Stuart Bothwell continues our series - Love Alive.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Do you feel the temptation to try to connect with God and by-pass others as you do it? Why may that be?
Q U E S T I O N T W O In 1 John, we see him reminding us of our core identity as children of God, the beloved and brothers and sisters. Which labels do you place upon yourself that distort these core identities?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Reflect upon a moment when you received encouragement from a brother or sister in the faith. What impact did it have on you? How could you imitate this practice and encourage someone else this week?
Stu Bothwell continues our 1 John series - Love Alive.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
On Sunday, Stu highlighted how through individualism we have moved from living as a 'We' to living as an 'I'. Do you agree? If so, what everyday practices pull you towards individualism?
Q U E S T I O N T W O What tangible, proactive and sacrificial practices could you have a go at this week?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Do you sense a degree of hesitancy when it comes to throwing your life into the community of the church? If so, where is the source of that hesitancy?
Stu continues our series on John 1 - Love Alive.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Do fight the temptation to hold to a dream image of the 'perfect church'?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
How have you experienced God's love through someone else's tangible, proactive, and sacrificial love in the past?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
This week, how can you practice proactive love? Who may Jesus be leading you towards to embody His love?
We take a break from our series on John 1 to hear from John Dickinson. John is a dear friend of ours at LVV and he is Minister Emeritus at Carnmoney Church.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How have you experienced loss in the past 18 months? Remember, every part of the human experience is a valid entry point into prayer. Therefore, if you have not invited Jesus to minister to you, take a moment to present your loss to him in prayer, trusting that he draws close to the brokenhearted.
Q U E S T I O N T W O
On Sunday, John reminded us of how our losses remind us how small, how creaturely we are. How do you respond to the realisation of our smallness and our lack of control?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Times of loss can open up the possibility of new opportunity. What new direction may Jesus be inviting you into?
Yvette Wilkinson our Compassion Pastor shares ways we can spend local in our community and continues our series 'Love Alive.'
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Would you describe yourself as a "disciple whom Jesus loves"? If that feels awkward, we encourage you to lean into the awkwardness and practice saying it over yourself this week.
Q U E S T I O N T W O Take a moment to reflect upon the moment you encountered the love of Jesus for the first time. What memories, feelings, or emotions does this reflection evoke?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
In light of the love Jesus has for you, who can you share His love with this week?
Stuart Bothwell continues our new series Love Alive.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
In the pilgrimage of becoming more like Jesus, at what stage would you locate yourself?
Q U E S T I O N T W O "In Jesus' life we do not just see a legacy to be admired, but a lifestyle to be imitated." Are you actively and intentionally practicing the lifestyle of Jesus these days? If not, as you read through the Gospels, with which practices of Jesus could you begin to have a go?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Where in your life does it cost to love? Who may Jesus be leading you towards this week to love in a sacrificial way?
Stu introduces our new teaching series 'Love Alive'.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How has the crisis of covid affected your life with Jesus and with others?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
Could you describe yourself as a 'disciple whom Jesus loves'? If not, what is holding you back from embracing the depths of your belovedness?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How close is your relationship to Jesus right now? How could you practice drawing closer to Him this week, like John leaning up against Jesus?
Andy Smith who leads Belfast City Vineyard joins us this week. Andy along with his wife Harmony set the vision and direction for BCV and lead the staff team. Together, Andy and Harmony also provide leadership for the Vineyard churches in Ireland.
Andy Masters interviews Julie Hoey.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How intentional are you in the way you engage with your local community?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
How could you more intentionally seek to be a blessing to those in your local community?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Would you consider using your high street voucher to support one of our local charity partners?
Andy Masters continues our summer series - The Rebuild.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What is the most valuable thing in your life?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
How can you grow in your acceptance of God’s love for you?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What does it look like for you to love others more this week?
Stuart Bothwell continues our summer series - The Rebuild.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Do you feel you need to hide your vulnerabilities and weaknesses away from Jesus, like a beachball under the water? Why might that be?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
When have you experienced the power of Jesus rest upon you, even when you were at a weak point in your life? What did this experience teach you?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Who are your 'Anam Cara' (soul friends), with whom you can be open and unafraid? When was the last time you spoke truthfully to them?
Dana Masters continues our summer series - The Rebuild.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Am I in the “good times” or am I at the wall?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What is my relationship like with Sacrifice?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
What is my relationship like with Joy?
Emma Wilson continues our summer series - The Rebuild.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What areas of you life do you feel pressure to look or act a certain way or to conform to a certain type of behaviour? Take time this week to seek freedom by bringing these to Jesus in prayer.
Q U E S T I O N T W O
As we consider what it means to “Seek first the kingdom of God,” are there areas of your life that you need to surrender once again to God's will?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Allow yourself time this week to rest in the knowledge that we have nothing to gain and nothing to lose, we are loved unconditionally. “Success is becoming the person God calls you to become, and doing what God calls you to do - in his way and according to His timetable.”
Are there areas of your life where you are striving for success? Do you need to let go of them?
This Sunday Lauren Jackson continued our series - The Rebuild.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Lauren challenged us to reflect on what Pete Scarzzero refers to as God's three phases of processing grief and loss:
O N E
Pay attention to pain
What are you angry about? (a betrayal, a hurtful word, unanswered prayer, not being able to fix a situation....etc)
T W O
Wait in the confusing in-between
*What are you sad about? (a loss of any size or form, a disappointment... etc)
What are you anxious about? (finances, health, business, family...etc)*
T H R E E
Allow the old to give birth to the new
What are you glad about?
Mark Wilkinson continues our summer series: The Rebuild.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
We are all equal in value and worth (made in the image of God) but we all have different talents, gifts, abilities, and capacities. Is this something you feel you have embraced or do you sometimes expect too much from yourself or others?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What are some of the limits in your current season of life and how are you responding to these?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Are there some things in your life that you need to change or say "No" to?
Stuart Bothwell continues our summer series: The Rebuild. Listen as he teaches about how to reorder and rebuild our lives, to live and love like Christ.
Hannah Toal challenges us as she continues our series: The Rebuild.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Do you find doing things for Jesus and others easier than being with Jesus? When was the last time you spent time simply being with Jesus?
Q U E S T I O N T W O What radical decision do you need to make this week in order to make room for time to be with Jesus? (e.g. Reading a Psalm before looking at your phone when you wake up in the morning)
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Do you see some parts of your life as sacred and some as secular? Set yourself reminders throughout the day to remember that every part is sacred and that life with Jesus is a constant conversation. (e.g. Set a phone reminder every hour, or a post-it note on your front door)
The Rebuild. - Andy Masters continues our new summer series.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
Would you say your love for God is growing, stagnating, or declining at the moment?
Q U E S T I O N T W O How aware and connected are you to your own emotional world?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
Who in your life at the moment are you finding it difficult to love?
Andy Masters kicks off our new summer series 'The Rebuild'.
We've included some discussion questions for you to reflect on as a response to this teaching.
- What impact has the last year had on your relationship with Jesus?
- What does beginning to “rebuild” look like for you?
We were deeply moved by the profound faith stories our friend Chris Phillips from Open Doors shared with us yesterday. Thankfully, there are many ways we can support our persecuted brothers and sisters - starting with India.
Swipe to find out how you can help the church in India keep going, or visit https://www.opendoorsuk.org/act/stand-for-truth/
Andy Masters continues our current series Matthew: Be the Church.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
What do you believe God is like?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
What makes you angry? What does that reveal to you about what you love?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How could you spend more intentional time worshipping Jesus this week?
Andy Masters digs into Matthew 20: 29-34 this week as our series continues on Matthew: Be the Church.
Q U E S T I O N O N E
How are you handling interruptions in your life at the moment?
Q U E S T I O N T W O
Where in your life do you need to ask God and others for help right now?
Q U E S T I O N T H R E E
How can you open your life to receive the compassion of Jesus this week?
Yvette our Compassion Pastor reflects on this season of showing the generosity of the church across the Lagan Valley Region.
Andy Masters continues our series in Matthew.
What questions are you asking God at the moment?
How can you be more vulnerable with Him?
What parts of your past need healing from Jesus?
Andy continues in with our series in Matthew: Be the Church.
-What does it look like for you to more intentionally seek Jesus at this time?
-How can you encourage someone else as they seek to “climb” towards God?
-Which mountain top experiences with God from your past would be good for you to remember and reflect on now?
Andy challenges us as we set sail into 2021 to be the Church, to re-prioritise and embody worship, community & service in our lives.
Andy kicks off 2021 by encouraging us to reflect on three questions: What is God giving to you at this time? What is God asking from you at this time? Do you love Him?
To help us take stock of 2020, Stuart unpacks Romans 5 to offer us a grid to help us prayerfully process all that has taken place. Even in the midst of a hard year, Jesus is not done with us yet as He continues to transform us into His likeness.
James continues our Advent Series. Where in your life do you need to move from fear to surrender?
Andy kicks off our Advent Series for 2020. What would it look like for you to more humbly receive Jesus this Christmas?
Andy finishes off our Matthew Series for 2020. Where do your own habits or traditions get in the way of you engaging with God?
Yvette spends time with us challenging us how we can embody the goodness of Jesus as we give generously this Christmas time.
Laura Laverty digs into this weeks scripture & encourages us to invite Jesus' courage into our fears and worries today.
Stu challenges us this week to explore what holds us back from being honest with the Father with what's really going on?
Do you find yourself more caught up in the unending pursuit of happiness or living open to the cultivation of joy? Stu reminds us joy finds its source in our intimacy with Jesus and our living in the way of His Kingdom.
Andy digs into what our relationship with disappointment is at this time & what God is asking us to see differently.
Continuing on our series in Matthew: The Way of the kingdom. Andy dives into what we see God doing in and around your lives at the moment? What weeds do we know are growing in our lives right now? & how can we better cultivate good fruit in this season of life?
What seeds has God planted in you? What fruit are you longing to see in your life? This week Laura challenges us to engage with God in the 'secret place'.
Have you become overfamiliar with Jesus, allowing a distance to develop? Join us as Stu explores & challenges us to practice intimacy, taking time to sit at Jesus feet and abide in His presence - doing the will of the Father in our everyday by living in the way of the Kingdom.
Join us as Andy and Stu share an update on our plans moving forward over the next few months.
This week, our friend Alain Emerson who is one of the lead pastors of Emmanuel Church in Lurgan/Portadown, Irish National Director of 24/7 Prayer, and also founder of the Tobar network, joins us to share on the sacrificial love of the Kingdom.
Andy unpacks intentionally investing our time in living out the desires of God in our normal everyday lives...
Chris McNaught continues our series on Matthew || The Way of Jesus using the teaching text for this week - Matthew 6: 1-18.
At the start of our week of Prayer and Fasting, we explored Jesus' desire for us to live in the direction of His Kingdom by being distinct and visible. What does it look like for us to cultivate a passionate pursuit of Jesus? Stu also teaches into prayer and fasting and what it looks like for us to engage in these practices today.
The Second MountainMatthew 5:1-12
At the beginning of His manifesto for how we are to live in the Kingdom today, Jesus shares a series of blessings, disrupting our understanding of the good life and who is blessed. Through the Beatitudes of Jesus, our vision of the Kingdom can't help but be extended and expanded.
Matthew 4:1-11
What does God’s love and blessing look like in our lives? Andy unpacks the temptation of Jesus and how we respond to testing in our lives.
Matthew 3 13-17
CS Lewis said humility is not thinking less of yourself it is thinking of yourself less, Andy unpacks the baptism of Jesus this week and how we as followers of Jesus should respond to it.
Hope is both our compass and our destination. Stuart navigates us through Week 3 in our Matthew series this advent.
In week 2 of our series on Matthew, Stuart explores how we can begin to practice rituals of presence and attention in our everyday lives this Advent.
Stuart kicks off our new series in Matthew this Advent, challenging us to be open to the Messiah who will reveal Himself beyond our expectations.
Laura continues our Galatians series exploring pathways for us to sow good seeds in our lives and in our community in order to see the kingdom flourish.
Dana Masters continues our Galatians series unpacking how we can find & move into more freedom in our everyday lives.
Stuart this week looks at formation & explores how presence & patterns can be key to us becoming more like Jesus.
Andy discusses fully being aware of the decisions we make everyday, whether good/bad/legalistic or in grace & peace because of our faith in Christ.
This week Stu Bothwell digs into the difference it makes in our lives when we see that following Jesus is not all down to us & our performance.
Stuart Bothwell kicks off our Galatians series challenging us to examine whats binding us up from experiencing the grace and peace that only Jesus can bring.
Finishing off our 'Immersed' series, Andy unpacks the freedom and the fullness of experiencing the life of Jesus in our everyday ordinary lives.
"You are the Body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.” Stuart continues our immersed series exploring what it looks like to live fully into community.
Andy kicks off our new series 'Immersed'. What’s your story? Where does your sense of value come from?
Andy unpacks why Jesus commands us to love each other & why community is so important in our everyday lives.
Stuart Bothwell continues our series this week by unpacking the question, 'What does community look like?'
James kicks off our new series - Community? This week we unpack how Gods plan has always been for us to live in Community & what action points it will take for us as a Church to thrive in loving one another & others well.
This week Chris McNaught wraps up our Series by exploring what it means to live freely & lightly from performance and works-righteousness mindsets into freedom.
Join us this week as Laura Laverty shares how we can all learn to embrace our unique destiny.
Join us this week as Jess McConaghie shares what it means to live a life of friendship and apprenticeship to Jesus.
As we prepare for our Love Lagan Valley weekend, Stu and Yvette unpack how we serve from a place of rest and how it is through serving we recover our lives.
Join us this week as Dana Masters continues our "Back to Basics" series, unpacking how worship provides us with the opportunity to both declare truth and trust.
Following the release of his new book "No Neutral Ground", Pete Portal shares his journey from London to Cape Town and the mission he has given his life to.
Following the release of his new book "No Neutral Ground", Pete Portal shares his journey from London to Cape Town and the mission he has given his life to.
Join us as Stephen Backhouse, Dean of Theology in the Local Church at Westminster Theological Center and founder of Tent Theology, shares on the Kingdom.
Revisiting our "Basics" series, James explores how we are called to be a people faithfully committed to prayer and how prayer is our primary way of joining in with what God is doing in the world around us.
Continuing in our "Back to Basics" series, Stu unpacks the call to become a community of power and practice and how the two are inseparable in our quest to see the transformation of our city and region.
Continuing the conversation of how we become a family on mission, Andy explores how commitment is the bedrock of releasing the Kingdom in the world around us.
Join us as Andy and Laura share how we as a community become a family on mission, embracing the tension of both values to move towards each other and those around us.
Our "Metrics" series' got us to look past what size of church we were and into the kind of church we are becoming. This week we shared the results from seven different areas of discipleship to Jesus including submission, daily devotion, generosity, and more, and looked at how we move forward in light of the results.
As trusted rulers we have been invited to partner with God in his own work of bringing the world around us to life. This week Stu explores how we move from being mere consumers to becoming committed contributors, stewarding the creation entrusted to us.
As followers of Jesus he has entrusted us with the "ministry of reconciliation." While life is better when we do it with other people, it isn't always easy. How do we become vehicles of reconciliation in our families and communities? Join us as Andy dives into God's heart for our relationships and how we discover true, authentic connection.
In light of the celebration of Resurrection Sunday join us as we begin our new series "Reconciled", unpacking what the Cross and Resurrection have achieved and made available to us in our everyday lives.
As followers of Jesus our lives should be marked by the supernatural. As we learn to surrender our entire lives to the rule and reign of Jesus, we become increasingly aware of the power available to us and learn to demonstrate that power for the transformation of our communities. Join us this week as Andy unpacks what it means to live a life of the supernatural.
Join us as we celebrate those in our community making a public declaration of devotion to Jesus through baptism.
Join us as Andy continues in our "Metrics" series looking at how community and relational health are some of the keys to unlocking the rule and reign of Jesus in our communities for the flourishing of everyone around us.
Join us this week as Stu and Emma Bothwell both share about what it means to carry the presence of Jesus into our everyday, nine-to-five jobs. We explore what it means to view our work as a part of our worship and how our work is one of the greatest tools we have in releasing the divine potential that God has stored up in the communities we find ourselves in.
As we continue to look at how we demonstrate the rule and reign of Jesus in our lives, Andy explores how living lives of radical generosity contributes to the flourishing of our communities.
Listen as Andy reflects on the life and mission of St Patrick on the island of Ireland and how the commission of Jesus is still the same today: to demonstrate the rule and reign of Jesus through of lives for the flourishing of our communities.
The Scriptures are not a mere collection of information rather an open door to encounter the presence of God. This week, Andy takes us right back to the start answering the question of what relevance an ancient text has to a 21st century, post-modern culture.
Jesus' invitation to the disciples is the same invitation extended today: "follow me." As followers of Jesus he invites us, through intimacy and relationship, to be with Him and to become like Him. In a world where busyness has become a badge of honour, is it a realistic goal to cultivate daily devotion to Jesus? Listen as Stu explores how an age old spiritual practice is the gateway to freedom in a digital age.
Acts 8:26-40 recounts how the life of a eunuch from Ethiopia was transformed by Philip's commitment to living a life of radical submission to the voice of God. Listen as Andy unpacks how our lives should be marred by the same radical submission and the markers we have been given to measure submission in our lives.
Worship is more than a genre of music but a posture of the heart. This week James explores how worship amplifies the voice of Jesus in our lives and allows Him to form our hearts to become more like his.
Our understanding of what we think God is like effects how we pray and just like Moses spoke to God as a friend, face to face, the greatest privilege of our journey with Jesus is that we get to be with Him. Join us as Stu explores how we can cultivate a life of intimate prayer and connection to the Father.