The Well Community Church: Recent Episodes
The Well Community Church
We are a family network of Jesus followers based in South East London. We gather on Sunday mornings in Camberwell, and in smaller, more localised communities that are active in a variety of different ways in local areas
Here you can catch up on some of our latest talks and access other related media.
This is a general overview of the first 5 chapters of the book of Joshua in which Chris draws out a number of points that resonate with our current situation.
Phil share how Jesus as a boy is recorded as growing in wisdom, in stature and in favour with God and men. And that he was obedient to his parents. His obedience wasn't from a desire to gain identity, but was the natural outflow of embracing his identity as a Son of his Father. This is the same path for us. We are also called to grow in this way. Extended and returning in a rhythm of learning that builds our wisdom, stature and favour.
Here we explore Jesus' developmental years, asking; what is the foundational awarenesses that is important to Jesus, and therefore important to us? This is part one of two sessions exploring the account in Luke Ch 2:41-50 of Jesus remaining in the temple after his family had set off home at the end of the Passover Festival... a nightmare scenario for any parent.
The second in the series of devotions on Jesus. Phil examines how Jesus as hero steps out of Celebrity into many years of obscurity before stepping up to his call. Just as with all of creation, He then leaves the task to his progeny. Hero's are meant to step out of obscurity into celebrity, then return back into obscurity. We are not meant to live our lives on the crest of a wave but to grow through seasons of celebrity followed by obscure and quiet influence.
Phil Launches a Hero's Journey series of devotionals looking at Jesus. Reflections: - We discover that our lives are reflected in His life. Jesus steps into our story to redeem it, rewrite it and re-publish it. - Jesus cannot give up his identity, only the power and benefits of his identity. He was the Word, is the Word and will always be the Word. He was the Son, is the Son and will always be the Son. - The Word became flesh and lived among us. - He had a choice and he chose to come.
Phil shares a short 10 minute reflection on Mark 12:13-17 where Jesus skilfully tackles one of the many traps that the Herodians and Pharisees were laying down. They (polar opposites) unite to get Jesus killed, but Jesus side-steps their verbal traps. In the process, He begs the question, 'to whom do we belong?'. Clearly we belong to God as we bear his image. Money (in almost every age) clearly bears the image of its maker and so we should give it back to its owner. The pure genius of Jesus is clear in every encounter. Enjoy.
Alison continues our series on Mark with a message from chapter 14 where Jesus is rejected, falsely accused, betrayed & abandoned leading up to His crucifixion. Many of us have experienced rejection, false accusation, betrayal & abandonment in our own lives, & Jesus knows how that feels. Although God never brings this pain into our lives, He is always there with us in it, & nothing is ever wasted in the Kingdom. Our struggle is the journey, & our breakthrough releases the same Kingdom breakthrough for others.
This was a short encouraging message from Alison which draws inspiration from the Christmas message. God not only gets the job done, but He is also endlessly creative in how He accomplishes that! Who would have anticipated the birth of the saviour of the world in such circumstances? God's wisdom and zeal are awesome!
Haydon shares a message on the grace of God - and explains how Jesus is the living embodiment of God's grace. God's grace is not only inextricably linked to our salvation, and there always enough for every situation made freely available to all those who need it, but also, His grace empowers us sufficiently to do what would otherwise be impossible for us to do on our own. There really are no limits to what is possible when we are empowered by the God of the universe - so lets hope beyond our wildest expectations, because God is able.
Hosted by Phil Stokes, this is a not to be missed opportunity to listen to some of our church family who are engaged in different spheres of influence (sometimes referred to as seven mountains) in their day to day lives. We managed to cover religion, politics, arts, medicine, family and business in the time we had available, so look out for media & education & perhaps some more new voices when we do this again in the future.
In this message, Phil wisely chooses not to attempt to explain the love of God in 30 minutes! Instead, He brings a thoughtful & coherent message from the heart that reminds us of the supremacy of God's love. Love isn't just one of God's attributes - it's the very essence of all that He is, & our privilege is to partner with Him & express His love in every way & in every place if we are going to represent Him well.
This is an interactive/conversational message in which Chris & Nicky dig down to find out what we believe about God's mercy. There is input from different members of our congregation, and Chris breaks up the interview style with some observations, summing up & exhortation for us all.
In this message for the New Year, Haydon shares what new things he believes God has for The Well in this New Year. Transformed lives through renewed minds; countering negative neural pathways and embracing the opportunity to think differently this year! Upgrading to the operating system of Jesus, where the joy of anticipation overtakes the disappointment of not always getting what we want, when we want it! Celebrating the small & stewarding the increase well!
This is a great message from Phil that really articulates well the truth of God as our loving Father, full of joy! Jesus didn't come to save us from the wrath of an angry God, but to save us from a joyless existence of separation from our Father's love and to reveal the true heart of our heavenly Father to us. That really is good news & definitely something for us to celebrate! There will always be seasons & circumstances that seek to steal our joy, but God's heart is that our joy in Him would be complete, & that we would find strength in Him, our joy.
Alison brings part two of our new series celebrating aspects of the character & nature of God. In this message, Alison shares how God is faithful & true - it's who He is, & He can't ever deny Himself. His faithfulness is experienced through His thoroughness - He has every base covered, & even when we are faithless, He always remains faithful. What a wonderful God we worship!
Heidi introduces our new series for 2020 with a look at the goodness of God. God is inherently good, and by nature, in a good mood, which is good news for all of us! God is for us and not angry with us; His heart is that we should prosper in every area of our lives. In this talk, Heidi shares personally how she has experienced the goodness of God even in the darkest & apparently hopeless of times, She reminds us that however it may feel, God is always with us: even in adversity, we are never outnumbered or alone.
In this message, Phil is speaking from Mark 5 ; the story of the Gadarene Demoniac. A powerful encounter with Jesus transforms this man's life completely as he is delivered from a legion of demons & totally set free. With such a powerful testimony, Jesus sends him back to his region to share the story of all God has done for him. Drawing on personal testimony, Phil talks about his own experiences of seeing the power of God set people free, & the fruit that followed the breakthrough.
In this first session, Haydon sets out the Biblical basis for dreams. There is a brief overview of the occurrence of dreams in scripture, with an explanation of their significance, & the 'dream culture' in which they were experienced. The aspects of the elusiveness & mystery of dreams is discussed, along with the ability of God to communicate, and 'get past our defences' through dreams.
In this message, Haydon discusses the occurrence of both literal visitations and dreams for interpretation in scripture, before explaining why God uses the medium of dreams to bypass our defences and get our full attention to encourage, challenge and connect with us. Touching on their mysterious and symbolic nature, we learn that like parables, dreams are an invitation into deeper intimacy and revelation if we are open to that.
In this second session, Haydon explains the four different sources for dreams and the three aspects of 'revelation, interpretation and application'. Focusing on 'God dreams', Haydon highlights their frequent symbolic and metaphoric language, and discusses some common 'root metaphors' before presenting a helpful interpretive process. The introduction to session three is included here, which covers the practical cultivation and stewardship of dreams.
In this message, Alison talks about an important aspect of Church life that has often been overlooked & sometimes forgotten. Using the examples of Ruth & Esther, Alison explains how blessing & favour are released through healthy submission in the context of family, as identity is realised & destiny is fulfilled. Alison challenges us to identify where & with whom we should be connected in this season.
In this message, Heidi invites us to consider the well known story of the woman at the well by looking through a different lens. We don't know the complete back story, but there are clues within the account which point to a reality within the story that might otherwise be missed. Ultimately, in this encounter, Jesus is revealed as one who is happy to break with societal norms to make connection & bring transformation.
This is the final session of a two year arc of learning and practice for leaders leading out on missional communities and missional discipleship. The focus is on Leading Kingdom Movements,
This is the final session of a two year arc of learning and practice for leaders leading out on missional communities and missional discipleship. The focus is on Leading Kingdom Movements,
This is the final session of a two year arc of learning and practice for leaders leading out on missional communities and missional discipleship. The focus is on Leading Kingdom Movements,
This is the final session of a two year arc of learning and practice for leaders leading out on missional communities and missional discipleship. The focus is on Leading Kingdom Movements,
This is the final session of a two year arc of learning and practice for leaders leading out on missional communities and missional discipleship. The focus is on Leading Kingdom Movements,
This is the final session of a two year arc of learning and practice for leaders leading out on missional communities and missional discipleship. The focus is on Leading Kingdom Movements,
This is the final session of a two year arc of learning and practice for leaders leading out on missional communities and missional discipleship. The focus is on Leading Kingdom Movements,
In this short introduction to our 'Encounter' series, Haydon reminds us that we were made for relationship. Our primary call & purpose in life is to know God & be known by Him. Those that know Him will love Him & carry His glory; all creation is waiting for this revelation. By encountering God & experiencing transformation ourselves, we become the encounter that all those who are far from God need for transformation themselves.
Concluding our Summer series of talks, Roanna shares vulnerably as to what it means for her in this season to 'manage the gap' between future fulfilled promises & current reality. Speaking candidly about the priority of thankfulness, bible reading & worship in her own life, Roanna explains how we can hold on to higher truth when the facts we are facing are not in alignment. Ultimately, our hope is anchored in God whatever our circumstances.
As part of our Summer series of talks, Jonathan shares about his own journey of faith which began with religion that was initially based on rules, but which has brought him to a deeper place of honest relationship with God where having to achieve, perform or prove himself is no longer the basis for acceptance by a loving Father. In telling the story of his recent cycling accident, Jonathan invites us to embrace our true identity as children of God as he explains how for him, this was brought into focus through a process of reflection in the aftermath of his trauma.
Alison concludes our series on Philippians by looking at what Paul really meant when he said he could do all things through Christ. This is a concise message that explores what it looks like to thrive in any and every circumstance (he was in prison when he wrote this). If Paul could do it - then so can we ... because with God, nothing is impossible! Are we believing that, & can we experience it in our own lives today? The answer is YES! Focus on God rather than your problems & watch what happens.
After serving in Church leadership on the East Coast of the USA for 16 years, God called Rich, Danielle & their family to California through a series of divinely orchestrated words & events. Listen as they share their story of what transpired on the way - their journey out of pastoral performance, breaking through fear, provision & security issues & moving into a new rested identity in Christ, fully alive & stepping into all God created them to be. This is an authentic & encouraging message that explains what it looks like to hold on to the 'rope of hope' through adverse situations, believing God when He says that 'everything will change on a dime'. There is wisdom here for anyone questioning what God is doing in their life!
In this message, Phil asks the question, ‘what (or who) will be the focus of your life?’ Drawing from Paul’s inspired & inspirational text, he explores the reality of how our actions flow from the focus of our thoughts as we train ourselves to listen to God and discover our true identity. With personal testimony Phil shares his own journey in becoming who God created him to be, & exhorts us to partner with God to continue on that journey for ourselves.
James shares a personal & candid message concerning this passage that emphasizes the practical aspects of what Paul has written. By sharing his own testimony, he brings into clear focus what it means to keep the first thing first while running in the right direction through life. James' exhortation is for us to forget the past, & have the right focus in the present so that Jesus leads us into all the fullness of the future he has for us.
Haydon talks about why we should rejoice in the Lord & what that requires in every season. God has given us the power to choose - which makes us truly free. Our choice to reciprocate the love of a good Father can be costly, but it glorifies God. This is an exhortation to boast in His goodness, & remain thankful for that fact that we are deeply loved, & get to enjoy a relationship with Him rather than observe a set of rules.
Roanna takes an in depth look at what it means to work out our salvation with 'fear and trembling' in this challenging but inspiring message. If we make faith our highest priority, then living in community, we can be confident that He has given us the ability to become more like Him each day. Roanna does an excellent job of presenting these truths, & includes a radical testimony of what this has looked like in her own life that you won't want to miss!
'We are to work out what God in His grace has worked in' George Muller
Richard Wells shares his perspective on the latter part of the first chapter of Philippians in this message. Writing from Prison, Paul expresses his confidence in the goodness & faithfulness of God. Drawing on personal testimony, Richard speaks about what it looks like to trust in God's goodness even when the circumstances contradict, the importance of laying hold of joy in every season, and the freedom that comes from allowing ourselves to be transformed by God's perfect love.
Alison launches into Philippians with a look at the lessons from Paul's life in this letter of joy. During his imprisonment, Paul is still able to confidently attest to God's faithfulness & ability to come through for him. He models what it looks like to trust in a good God, focus on what God is doing & celebrate others whilst not slipping into jealousy or comparison.
This Easter, Haydon asked the question as to what it looks like to live a resurrection life. Jesus came that we might have an abundant life. He not only died for us, but also as us, so that our resurrection empowered, joy filled lives would be free from sin's power, all fear & hopelessness. Resurrection life is transformational for all those who embrace it!
Phil provides an overview of what it looks like for us to follow Jesus & go the way of the cross. This is not about discipline & resuscitation; following Jesus is more radical than that - only death & resurrection provides the pathway to freedom & life in all its fullness. Transformation is not an upgrade on our old self ... we must be born again!
Three adult baptism candidates share their stories as they step up for baptism. These are honest, powerful and compelling testimonies of how God has revealed his love.
Phil & Julie led this seminar at the Pioneer Leaders Conference 2019 in Manchester. It was a popular session with a packed audience as they explored questions around what it looks like to build a culture of emotionally healthy leadership, drawing from the EHS material by Peter Scazzero.
Jumping off Paul's warm greetings at the close of his letter in chapter 16, Alison explores what it looks like to be vulnerable both to God & those within the family of God. With Jesus as our example, truth & vulnerability provide a way out of shame & into the fullness of life & relationship God always intended.
Paul writes to the Corinthian Church with an exhortation for them to stand firm, holding on to the truth of what they first believed. In this message, Chris also encourages us to take God at His word. Just like the dead seed that goes into the ground & then sprouts into life, so we are reckoned dead in Christ, only to be raised up to share in His glorious resurrection life & power. Death is swallowed up & has lost its sting: resurrection is real!
Haydon sums up Paul's teaching on charismatic gifts from this section of his letter to the Corinthian Church, where the believers' spiritual gifting was not equally matched by their maturity. Love is the key for both Christian ministry & order in the Church where spiritual gifts are used to build up, strengthen, encourage & comfort.
Haydon tackles a tricky chapter that has been a source of contention & pain for many down the years. Starting with personal testimony, he articulates our DNA with respect to male & female leadership at the Well ... different & equal. Establishing God's heart for female empowerment & leadership in the Church, he also brings a fresh understanding of both the language in which the text was written, along with its historico-cultural context.
Phil delivers an absolutely foundational message from chapter 10 here. God is relational & all about connection; We, the Church, are a family & community! This revelation challenges the individualistic Western mindset, but God has called us to live with one another & love one another, in the way that Jesus both modelled, & prayed for us. Individualistic lifestyles lead to isolation, but lives lived in community bring us into breakthrough!
Heidi shares an encouraging message for us all from chapter 9, in which she explains that our qualification is not found in our origins, upbringing or advantage, but in God. We are all qualified in Christ because the basis of our qualification is not in what we have done, but what He has done for us. Through personal testimony, Heidi shares how we can be inspired with living & infinite hope in the face of finite adversity & disappointment. God is good ... He doesn't call the qualified, but He qualifies the called!
Alison delivers a New Year's message that sets us up for 2019. We're all affected by disappointment, but the key thing in our development & growth as believers is how we respond to it. Do we withdraw, take offence & allow our faith to shrink, or do we pursue connection with God & allow Him to bring healing to areas of pain, build our character & lead us into fresh adventures of faith with Him. Alison explains what it looks like to dispose of the limited box of expectation & embrace a life of hope & expectancy. ... and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5: 5 NASB
While our overall vision to Build Community, Equip People & Transform Culture remains unchanged, this brief message that Haydon shared on our first Sunday gathering of 2019 outlines where we feel God is showing us our emphasis should be in 2019. Presence, Discipleship & Evangelism are our three big words for this year & we are excited to partner with God as we journey & grow into all that He has for us in the months ahead.
Chris shares a Christmas message from Matthew's account of Jesus' birth. Jesus is the reason for, & the cause of all our celebration in this (& every) season! Joy to the world indeed - Heaven's gift is peace on earth & goodwill to all. Immanuel ... God is with us. Amen.
Roanna shares an exhortational message full of hope for all of us in this Advent season. Remember, peace is not the absence of anything ... but the presence of someone! Jesus Himself is not only the Prince of Peace, but He is our peace (Eph. 2: 14). He is our unique distinctive - He marks us out from everything else the world has to offer, & so we get to share His peace wherever we go with Him. Atmospheres are shifted, lives are touched & transformed. Let's cultivate our relationship with Jesus, staying thankful & true to our first love.
Heidi shared this testimony recently at The Well; it's a story of God's faithfulness & His ability to give us our heart's desire with so much more besides. If you're in a season of uncertainty, or not sure what God is doing in your life, take encouragement from this testimony. God knows you intimately, He is both for you & with you. Trust in Him - He is faithful.
Heidi brings a succinct but powerful message concerning the giving & taking of offence among believers; Paul's counsel is as relevant to us today as it was to the Corinthian Church of the first century. This message includes reflection, prayer, ministry time, & includes contributions from Cheriel, Haydon & Phil.
Richard covers issues of marriage, divorce, visiting prostitutes, submission & grace in an expansive message that seeks to unpack Paul's response to the Corinthian Church as laid out in chapter 7. Explaining the context in which it was written, he also helps us understand how these issues may affect, impact & apply to us all today.
Phil grounds this message within the framework of Covenant & Kingdom by sharing about the significance of both for the believer as he unpacks this chapter. Lawsuits, relationships & right use of the body all get a look in here, as he inspires us to be the best version of ourselves that God created us to be.
Haydon majors on three areas as he gets to grips with this difficult chapter; God is a loving Father who sets us up for success - there is always sufficient grace available for us to do with Him what we could not do on our own, Holiness is our identity - we're called to be perfect just as He is, & forgiveness is our privilege - both to receive & release.
Haydon talks about healthy Church family by explaining what it looks like to be part of a prophetic community, free from shame, mutually accountable & experiencing the manifest power of God. Imitation is part of discipleship which establishes & reinforces our culture: our challenge is to ask, 'who are you imitating, & who is imitating you?'
In this message, Julie speaks from a place of vulnerability & authority on what it looks like to be holy - full of authenticity & integrity. Touching on areas of perfectionism, proving, pleasing & pretending, she shares candidly what it means to take up our cross daily, & leads us in a powerful prayer of release to finish.
Alison & Laura share on the Spirit of God & the mind of Christ, as they unpack this passage with a mixture of revelation, teaching & testimony. Don't be surprised when people think you're crazy, & remember that God always has a solution!
Haydon & Alison take 12 minutes of your time to give a brief overview of the last year at The Well, & what lies in store for the year ahead. Listen here in case you missed it on the day of our recent AGM.
This week Phil talks with Dr Andrew Parham who has published a new book called 'Lasting Happiness - In Search of Deeper Meaning and Fulfilment'. (Available on Amazon). Dr Parnham also runs The Happiness Course. Drawing on both current research and from his own expensive experience as a doctor, a community leader and teacher, Dr Parnham talks about how we are wired and what actually makes us happy.
Chris Harris speaks on the wisdom & power of God, who has entrusted us with what seems to be a foolish message of weakness in the eyes of the world, yet which carries the power to save & transform lives through its sharing. No qualifications required - everyone is welcome & our boast is in Him!
Phil launches our new series on 1 Corinthians with a message that blends personal testimony & storytelling. Drawing on experiences from his recent sabbatical, he shares what it looks like to listen intently & engage with those around us part of a family of sold out lovers of Jesus.
In this short and succinct message, Heidi sums up wonderfully, & brings our current series on Prayer to a close, as she speaks prophetically about what it looks like to 'throw caution to the wind' & be 'all in' for God. The best is yet to come!
Chris shares his reflections on the three realities that conclude the Lord's prayer. It all belongs to God, but He's given it all to us! We're invited to partner fully with Him.
Our guest speaker Jill Talbot, from Bethel Church Redding California, oversees prophetic sessions at the Church & teaches in the School of Supernatural Ministry. In this message, which is part of our series on prayer, she explains what it looks like to be authentically you in Christ, & how we get to impact our environment & the atmosphere around us, as we 'take dominion' & experience/express His Kingdom in our lives.
Phil & Julie reflect on a recent sabbatical in which they shaped their three months around three questions, What Is? What Could Be? What Will Be.
There are two related blogs from Phil that you can read on this subject. https://philsfocus.blogspot.com/2018/08/deep-listening.html & https://philsfocus.blogspot.com/2018/05/phil-julie-do-sabbatical.html
Continuing our series on prayer, Haydon unpacks what it means to pray, 'Lead us not into temptation'. In this message, Haydon deals with core identity issues (what we believe about the nature of God, & what we believe about ourselves), by exploring our understanding of both how God leads us, & how we align with the truth of how He defines us. This message touches on areas relating to temptation, sin, our new nature, free-will, forgiveness & personal empowerment.
Roanna continues our Prayer Series with a foundational message on our forgiven identity in Christ. When we embrace God's perspective on who we are, we leave the lies of the enemy behind, & step into the freedom & fullness of all He has for us. We are fully forgiven Sons & Daughters of the King.
Kelly Cotterell (our guest speaker from Woolwich Community Church)speaks on the subject of forgiveness. Using the Lord's Prayer as her springboard, Kelly delivers a powerful message, drawing attention to our responsibility to forgive as we are forgiven, along with personal testimony & ministry time.
Chris speaks on the place of daily bread in our lives. Drawing from Haggai & Malachi, Chris explains, & challenges us with what it looks like to become distracted, or forget God's desire & ability to provide for all His children from the abundance of His generous heart. God calls us back to remember, & partner with His goodness & generosity in our own lives & the lives of those around us to release God's blessings.
Savie shares on the subject of daily bread. Our God is a good Father who delights in providing for his children; meeting our every need, whether physical, mental/emotional or spiritual. Jesus is the bread of life!
Alison develops our series on prayer by speaking about what it looks like to see the Kingdom released through process & power.
Heidi continues our series on prayer speaking of the intimacy of our relationship with 'Our Father'.
Haydon launches our series on prayer by looking at the opening line of The Lord's Prayer: Our Father in Heaven, Holy is Your Name (Mt. 6: 9). More than just a conversation, prayer is an opportunity to connect with our Heavenly Dad intimately; to encounter Him & be transformed as we come to know Him as Father.
Guest Speaker Tricia Jerman (BSSM) speaks on three significant areas in the life of a believer; includes personal testimony.
I Believe in the Church. Julie shared her vision and experience of what the church has been, the numerous levels in which it is expressed, and also explored how it is often distorted or viewed by others.
'We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life.' Alison and Laura shared how we can walk with the Spirit and experience him in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit is a person who lives with and in us as we acknowledge and welcome.
Haydon shares on the increasing, advancing Kingdom of God in the fourth part of our 'Believe' series based on the Nicene Creed.
Heidi shares on what it means to have a heavenly perspective on life. She spoke on how our perspective on everything in life is affected by the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
Roanna Day shares on Jesus in the second part of our #Believe series centred around the Nicene Creed. Jesus is alive! He wants us to connect with Him in every area & aspect of our life.
Phil shared on some of the background to the Nicene Creed and why it is of great value to the church. He closed with the story of the Prodigal Son, bringing home the shocking nature of Jesus' depiction of a God who would embrace such a wastrel. We are never too far from God, and if we will only turn our face from the dirt and turn our feet towards him, he will cover the distance and embrace us, restoring our dignity and identity as sons of a generous and wealthy Father.
Haydon shared on the nature of faith and how we are empowered by believing God when he speaks to us. We can alternatively empower the enemy by believing his lies. He shared some of his own adventures in faith.
Heidi spoke on living adventurously, sharing stories and encouraging us to let our lives clearly speak of the faith that we have. Making choices that put us in the adventure. It may be dangerous and dark at times but we are made for this.
Phil open the year talking about the adventure of trusting in the God who does things. 'Give and it shall be given' is a redemptive law as certain as gravity is a natural law. This is the only area in which we are invited to 'test' God and see if He will not pour open the floodgates of heaven. It is not foolishness, nor is it automatic as the promises of God are all contested, and nor should we give simply the motive of getting, rather simply as a love gift to God. Phil read Malachi 3:8-12 1. It is possible to rob God. 2. It is possible to live under a curse 3. We are invited to test God 4. We are encouraged to expect a flood!
Jonathan shared the timeless Christmas story from the perspective of the main characters.
Nic Harding shared on the foundations of a missional life and the things that make Joy and break Joy. These are the things that make our life of faith fruitful or frustrated.
Roanna spoke on how God is a Romantic. He is fully father, teacher, judge, king, etc. He has made a world of romance and beauty which cries out for relationship. Such romance requires intimate communication.
Phil landed our 5Q series by reminding us that in our growth to maturity we each are to experience and learn to leverage all of the other APEST functions, even as we grow in our main calling. He then spoke on how our discipleship can be seen in the classic 'Hero's journey' which is embedded in all great stories and myths. Jesus is the archetype and fulfilment of these legends as he completes his perfect hero's journey, and wins APEST to distribute to us at his ascension. Phil explained the cultural tradition of the victors Triumphal Entry, which Paul is referencing in the Ephesians 4 passage. Jesus both affirms and subverts the image of a conquerer by entering Jerusalem on a donkey.
Heidi spoke about living into our calling and functions in the APEST fivefold ministries, and that when we do this God builds a body that can really be impactful; holding us in our storms and reaching the last, the least and the lost for his kingdom.
Richard spoke again on Ephesians 4 ministries, emphasising how we are not just meant to function as the component parts of church but to create a Kaleidoscope of colour and light through our interaction. We are each called to take the next step up as disciples, each growing in confidence in expressing our callings, and working with others so that we become competent and well able as a church to equip and lead others.
Richard brought a further overview of the fivefold ministries (APEST) and talked about how we might mature as we reflect on our responses to one another, and how we might turn our gifts 'outwards' so that the church isn't self serving but fully able to fulfil its mission.
Heidi further unpacked the Ephesians 4 'APEST' gifts, recognising that we each have a unique and essential call in Christ and asking how we begin to mature and function in these callings. Are we 'hosts to God' or 'hostages to our egos'? For us to function well in our gift requires emotional growth and regular spiritual disciplines. The Body of Christ needs us to say 'Yes' to whatever God wants from us,
Phil recapped our call to maturity through all fivefold (APEST) callings of God functioning together. That may primarily be one, but that we can grow in all of them as we work in unity. Then we get revival. He then took APEST out of the ecclesiastic setting and took us on a tour of Theology, Cosmology, Culture (Anthropology), Christology, Ecclesiology and Eschatology... APEST is seen in all of these and we get to play in all of these areas as we are breathed on and sent by Jesus.
Phil Gave his annual 'state of the communion' and a vision for the coming year. He reviewed last year and reminded us of the the overall vision and of The Well. There is an accompanying PDF file of the slides that go with this talk.
Alison and Haydon Murr shared on the art of prophetic encouragement and led exercises in hearing God for others. They spoke on how encouragement is related to our identity and knowing that we are loved.
Phil introduced our series on the fivefold, or APEST ascension gifts of Jesus. Paul in Ephesians 4 gives the big picture of how Jesus gave these 5 at his triumphal ascension and how they are meant to work together to bring the church to maturity in Christ. When this happens there is revival. Sadly, many operate in a less than mature fashion and so the church is hindered in its growth. He caricatured how they sometimes function. He encouraged us to have 'soft eyes' as we look at these gifts, as we will begin to explore (in further weeks) how APEST is the latent dna of all mankind.
Jonathan spoke on how being unbalanced was a central part of moving forward and that God frequently unbalances us to get us to a new place. Walking is a dynamic illustration of this process. We are given simple ways to assess whether the pressure we are experiencing is from God and will lead to God glory in and through our lives.
In the final talk of the series Julie Stokes spoke on the disciplines that are part of our emotional healthy spirituality. We all have need of a 'trellis' upon which the fruit of our lives can grow. Without it, the fruit is lost. The 12 practices she listed were; Scripture, Silence and Solitude, The Daily Office and Prayer, Study, Sabbath, Simplicity, Play and Recreation, Service and Mission, Self Care, Emotional Health, Family, Community. We all stuck a leaf to the one or two that God was speaking to us about on the trellis.
Phil Spoke on the need to grow to an emotionally mature adult. Only a fully mature adult can love others in the way that Jesus directs us towards. Even though we grow physically and mentally, the growth stages to emotional maturity are not always nurtured well and we need to identify the roots of our emotional immaturity so that we can start to address it. Understanding the capacity of our family of origin to nurture our emotions is a crucial part of this journey.
Chris gave this short talk at our family service, laying out Fathers plan for growing our soul, explaining what our soul is and how it grows through grief and loss as we deepen our relationship with God in the hardships that we face. We become, like the Tardis in Dr Who; 'bigger on the inside than we are on the outside'.
Heidi talked about slowing down, not rushing, learning to work from rest and the practices of Sabbath and the Daily Office; two ancient rhythms that saints through the centuaries have found to be a great source of life and spiritual nourishment. She shared her journey through various traditions of church to a mix of both celebration and stillness.
Introducing it with the verse in Matthew 17:5 where God speaks through a voice from heaven saying 'This is by beloved Son, listen to Him', Phil Stokes spoke on the seven times in scripture where God calls and repeats someones name twice. On each occassion it is a pivot point in their life - it is the end of one thing or season and the beginning of something new. The key for all of us in each of these vital discipleship moments is being attentive to Gods voice and instructions.
Julian spoke on the place we all experience in our discipleship journey of coming to the end of ourselves and realising that we can't do it. We 'Hit the wall' and start to access Fathers love and resources at a new depth.
We live in a culture that is often dominated by fear of various kinds. Jo and James addressed how we are to deal with the realities of fear, sharing some of their journey of living a foreign culture and seeing its control over peoples lives.
Haydon spoke on Acts 1:4-9 on three 'buts' in the passage. 1. '..but wait for the promised Holy Spirit'. This was still a dynamic situation of change and there was more to be received. This remains true for us - there is always more. 2.'..but you will be baptised'. Jesus compares and contrasts regarding Johns baptism and the promised baptism of the HS. 3. '..but you shall receive power when the HS comes upon you'. Jesus responds to our questions, which is how genuine relationship grows.
Phil spoke on the need for a healthy self awareness as the foundation of the journey into emotionally healthy spirituality. We are to embrace our emotions and recognise how God speaks to us through them. As we become emotionally healthy we are able to live from our true identity in Christ rather than the false identity that others place upon us. Jesus stayed true to himself and disappointed the many groups who tries to make him in their image.
Richard spoke on how we need to work through the patterns we inherit from our earthly family, learning how to let Gods grace reshape us in His family patterns.
Julie introduced our series on EHS, sharing how God wants to build emotional health into our foundations, so that we can be spiritually mature. God creates healthy alignment - body, soul and spirit, when we allow His Sprit to direct us. Emotional health is a current topic of conversation, so lets start this conversation in our families and communities at The Well, and not shy away from whatever healing processes the Father has for us.
Phil gave a summary overview of the beatitudes as a Kingdom revolution, speaking on how they serve to point us toward the Kingdom and keep us on track. The blessings lie in the fruit that each beautiful attitude bears. They are the natural outflow of following Jesus and lead us to eternal life. The opposite is life in 'the flesh' which leads to death.
Heidi (and Ed) shared a mix of personal testimony and a vision of the Kingdom and how following Jesus carries ultimate blessings.
Chris spoke on receiving the Peace of the Father, living in the peace of the Son and spreading the peace of the Holy Spirit,
Phil spoke on Mercy as the internal transformation that makes us see God. Seeing God is a natural consequence of being Merciful.
Andy spoke about the cost of love, that we cannot love without experiencing pain and loss, but in the end it is all worth it. If we numb out the pain then we lose the joy. The OT prophets describe Gods mourning and pain, but also his great joy, hope, and promise of comfort. There is a suffering unique to followers of Christ.
Several Communities share their reflections on where they are at in relation to the Up, In, Out, rhythms of growing deeper relationships. (The Triangle)
Jenny spoke on the need for families on the frontiers of mission as we lead into a movement.
Julian brought a simple and encouraging reflection on listening to Gods voice from Isaiah
Phil spoke on the need for churches that are Red Hot centres of passionate worship, radical community and innovative mission.
Phil spoke on Matthew 5:5 'Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth'. He reminded us that if the Kingdom is Jesus' mission statement, that the beatitudes are Jesus' kingdom values. As disciples we all have to do the journey of discovering that we can't do what is required in our strength. Meekness is not weakness, it is our strength fully submitted to the Lord.
Phil spoke on the first of the beatitudes, the poor in spirit. The Message translation says 'You are blessed when we are at the end of your rope, with less of you there is more of God and His rule.' This is the journey of discipleship. We are called to a kingdom of dependence upon God, where we have been weaned off the idols that we use to feel full. Then Gods kingdom can come.
Julian introduced the new series on Beatitudes, explains how Jesus sets the scene for his Kingdom by sharing these unprecadented statements. This is a New Torah, a new Exodus and a new Moses. Jesus calls us to align ourselves comepletly with his kingdom, allowing the Holy Spirit to shape and change our minds.
Richard spoke on prayer as a discipline, and in particular the 'If - then' statements about prayer. Scripture speaks frequently in terms of prayer as an 'if you... then I...' promise. God declares that His house is to be a house of prayer for all nations. Individual and corporate prayer are meant to flow into each other and establish a relationship that allows Gods blessings to flow to us and to the nations.
Julian spoke on the spiritual discipline of giving, emphasising that it is not just about tithing. Jesus is more interested in the effect of money on our lives, for where our treasure is our heart will be also.
Phil Launched the year with a call to and a teach on the discipline of fasting, its biblical and contemporary history, its benefits, and the spiritual, emotional and physical alignment it brings when done as an act of worship.
Julian spoke on the intimate nature of the incarnation. God the son has taken on flesh, and will always share our nature in this aspect.
Phil spoke on the Great Commission, and how we are called to take part in a movement. Movement is a mark of life, and there are healthy signs all over the UK. Healthy movement is a sign of a healthy family. He shared #TheVision video
Julian spoke on the cross and the call to discipleship. Discipleship was what Jesus modelled to us in relationship with his Father. It isn't a dark or heavy thing - its a life of joy, but its also a costly joy. When we choose to live life this way - more life breaks out!
Richard explores the three parables that Jesus tells in Matt 25. There is an invitation and a challenge to 'a long obedience in the same direction'. Richard asked us what our rhythms are for reflecting and staying known by the Father. If we lose our direction are we willing to receive fresh direction?
Julie & Savie shared on how to read Matthew 24. Jesus wants to make sure that his disciples have two dispositions. Firstly, he doesn’t want us to be alarmed. (vs6) and secondly, that we have a dogged determination. Perseverance. We are to seek the love God and love our neighbour come what may, as we disciple and lead people to Jesus. This will mark us out as his disciples.
Matthew 23 Camels, Gnats and Masks By Heidi Damon 18 - 09 - 2016 by The Well Community Church
Phil spoke on the parable of the wedding invitation and how it emphasises both the open invitation of the gospel to everyone in the whole world, and also warns of the consequences of rejecting the King and his Son. He also shared on how we carry the image of the Father and are invited to do so without hypocrisy or 'mask wearing'.
David spoke on the cleansing of the temple and Jesus' authority to challenge the things that come into the place that is meant to be holy. Jesus is the rock that we should build on and no other.
Alison spoke on the ways that love pursues us. She shared testimonies and illustrations of how our heavenly Fathers' love breaks into our lives.
Phil covers the themes of Matthew 18 as Jesus lays out some simple illustrations and guidelines for how we should relate to one another as believers. We are not to build hierarchies, but rather we should behave as children with a common loving father - with different responsibilities but the same status. If /when conflict happens there is a practical way to handle it.
James shares his experience of being called to move to another country and some of the ways God is affecting change in his own life as a result of hearing and obeying the call.
Alison & Haydon are from The Well and currently interning at Bethel Church in California. They shared the morning speaking on some of their experiences and how God speaks to people, in particular through prophetic gifts.
Julian explores what it is that God truly requires. He deconstructs the idea that 'religious observance' is the way to experience Gods presence and takes us through a few exercises to help us reflect on how we can have a heart to heart connection with Father God.
Phil spoke on Matthew 14 on how Jesus reveals the need to process our losses and griefs, and that grief is a gift from God to keep us being weighed by depression. He also shared on the mindset of scarcity that dominates the world, and how Jesus can lifts us to a different worldview. When we give our scarcity to Christ he is able to do a miracle. "There is always enough"
Jenny talked about how we engage with scripture. The realities of hearing and wrestling with scriptures to produce faith. The need for patience, and the role of community in this task.
Dr Jonathan shared on the importance and the physiology of our choices. We are shaped by our choices in a way that transforms us, spiritually and physically. So how can we learn to make good choices?
Matthew 10 Identity And Authority By Julie Stokes 15 - 05 - 2016 by The Well Community Church
Phil spoke on how we carry the presence of Jesus. Because of who he is and what he has done, we have the same authority to bring the Fathers presence into situations.
Phil showed a clip of him teaching on giving followed by a reflection from Matthew 6. He challenged us to engage in a discipline of generous giving that breaks the power of fear and releases us from the control of 'stuff'.
Phil spoke on how Jesus expertly leads his disciples (and us) through a process of Invitation and challenge into a deeper relationship with himself. Jesus reinterprets the law of Moses to reveal the intentionality of hearts. He squeezes us in the Gospel Vice until we realise we can't live up to the standard of holiness required, and that we can only do his will through his grace gift of a relationship with himself.
Our gift and calling are secondary to our identity as loved children of our Father. The Fathers love for Jesus were the foundations for Jesus war on sin and death.
Savie shared her experience of 'spiritual loitering' in Peckham, declaring that there is a harvest. She exhorted us to be available to people, to get out more and be good news to those in our communities. We affirmed those who are particularly called as evangelists amongst us, and prayed for them that they will be ready to equip the rest of the church to be bringers of good news.
Chris shared on the role of the Holy Spirit as he leads us into all truth and anoints us with wisdom.
Phil shared on the Trinity. He spoke on how the person of the Holy Spirit comes as our friend and begins to transform to be more like Jesus us as we let him.
Lincoln shared his testimony of the presence of God breaking into his life as a youth in Uganda and taught how the 'weight' of Gods glory increases in our lives as we continue to seek and hunger after His Spirit. He shared testimonies of healing and prophesied over our young people and The Well generally. Lots of worship and prophecies.
Julie shared how we are called as whole people to follow Jesus and learn his moves. This is a call to discipleship and the disciplines of a follower.
Phil talks about one aspect that marks out Jesus in all history, his dynamic deeds or miracles. He explores our reaction to miracles and what they point to. It was short and led to group work.
Phil shared how the name Immanuel is developed through scripture as a sign and a stopwatch. How 'God With Us' is a call the faith over fear.
Julian spoke on how Jesus is central to everything. How he identified himself clearly, knowing who he was. Are we also clear who we are?
Who are we becoming? The unique name and place of God as 'Father' in Christian theology.
This message is about The embrace of the Father and how we are enfolded in the Perichoresis of God. Phil spoke on Jesus amazing prayer in John 17 and how we participate in the love of the Father.
Phil introduces our series on the Trinity by looking at Father as seen through the story of the prodigal Son. Access is through the younger sons humility.
Continuing our series on Covenant and Kingdom Jenny spoke on the story of Moses and how he brings both his deep relationship with God and kingdom authority together.
Julian continues the series on Covenant and Kingdom, speaking on Joseph and the way God grows our authority in the kingdom.
Phil introduced our series on Covenant and Kingdom by sharing how these two are the DNA of the Bible. If we are to understand the Bible, and help others understand it, it is through the lens of Gods covenant relationship making and his kingdom authority and rule through the personalities that we are introduced to, starting with Abraham and right through to the NT.
Following a dramatic rendering of Daniel and the lions from Daniel Ch6, Phil told the story of Matthew and the bullies.
Seated In Heavenly Places By Nathan Lechler 26 - 07 - 2015 by The Well Community Church
The Victory Of The Cross By Haydon And Alison Murr 05 - 07 - 2015 by The Well Community Church
High Call. Inner Calm. Outer Challenge By Phil Stokes - 31 - 05 - 2015 by The Well Community Church
The Father Heart Of God Towards Us By Julian Marriott 08 - 03 - 2015 by The Well Community Church
Forgiveness (Practical Exercises) by Steph Marriott 17-05-2015 by The Well Community Church
The Cross is central to our faith and is the source of all our provision, as Christ is 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth'. Phil explains this and shares some examples of forgiveness.
Phil talks about the root of the word Hospitality, about its biblical use as a motif for faith that leads to salvation, and about Rahab and the spies in Joshua 2.
Sofa Service On Prayer Led By Steph Marriott 29 - 03 - 2015 by The Well Community Church
Don't Get Tired of Doing Good by Nathan Lechler 15-02-2015 by The Well Community Church
Fasting is part of the fight as we seek to advance God's Kingdom of justice peace and joy.
Andy brings the challenge of creating a new 'normal' for our lives and communities. If Jesus fasted to set his 'new normal', then maybe we could too?
Prepared for Grace [Luke 3:1-20] by Phil Stokes(Anna on evangelism – at 19.21) on 07-12-2014 by The Well Community Church
Chat show style discussion based on the John series on 30-11-2014 by The Well Community Church
Mission and Calling [John 21:15-19] by Simon Boxall 23-11-14 by The Well Community Church
Resurrection Through Crucifixion [John 19 & 20] by Phil Stokes on 16-11-2014 by The Well Community Church