Salford Elim Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Salford Elim Church Podcast
Were apostles only for the first century church, or does God still gifts some of us with these gifts for the sake of the church?
What might that look like?
Writing to a divided church, Paul highlighted the character that individuals needed to ensure that everyone could move forward together.
On Sunday, we began a new 7-part sermon series, exploring Ephesians chapter 4.
On Sunday, we celebrated this milestone together – reflecting on the past and looking towards the future.
Like individuals, churches have personalities formed by gifting, calling and experience.
As we look ahead, we need to ensure that we move in line with the community that God has called us to be.
Salford Elim Church has a history but it also has an inheritance. There are things in our history that shaped us, and that should still shape us as we move into the future.
Exploring them will feed our faith.
If you knew what the person sitting next to you did in secret last week, you’d probably think they don’t belong in church… Then again, what if they knew about you?
Jude teaches us how Christ’s love and truth work together to keep hypocrisy out of the church, while keeping hypocrites in.
Do our lives look any different to those around us? What difference does the gospel make to our lives?
Rules come at us from many places. Some protect us while others restrict and diminish us.
What do we do for the eyes of man, rather than for the love of, and submission to God?
The gospel message is simple but so significant to our lives when fully grasped.
What impact can the gospel message have on your life today?
Jesus is the centre of the universe, and only in him does everything hold together.
He should be the centre of our lives too.
Sunday was the beginning of our new sermon series titled ‘A Better Story’, where we began exploring the letter to the Colossians.
Listen or watch back to our Pentecost Sunday joint service with St James’ congregation.
Self-centredness and self-entitlement are ugly things. Like Jonah, we can easily care more about our own comfort than the salvation of others. We need God to give us his heart for the world.
After the whole city of Nineveh repented, you would have thought Jonah would have been ecstatic – it was an incredibly successful street outreach!However, his self-righteous prayer shows just how much he still had to learn about the mercy of God. We may be the means of God’s mission, but we must also heed the message for ourselves.
Despite our disobedience, God refuses to give up on us – his mission is far too important. Through Jonah, God used a message of judgement to change a whole city. As we are obedient to God’s missional call, we may well be surprised by how people respond.
Like Jonah, we often try in vain to run from God’s call to mission, but he will use any means necessary to get our attention and to expose our fears and prejudices: sometimes storms, sometimes the very people we are trying so hard to avoid.
A celebration of salvation. We joined together and heard from different voices sharing what God has done in their lives, and we remembered the significance of the resurrection for us all.
We all want peace: world peace and personal peace. But do we know what will bring us the peace we all seek?In his final week on earth, Jesus entered a city that was in turmoil, but they didn't recognise him as the one who offered the only thing we all really need - peace with God.
This is the word that earliest Christians would repeat to one another – a cry that Jesus would come quickly. That history would be resolved. That all would be well. It’s a good prayer!
Christianity is a realistic religion. It doesn’t avoid the truth that life can involve pain. Physical pain, relational pain, mental pain. But all this pain won’t get the last word. The tears may last a while, but there’s joy coming.
The world has too many evil regimes. Too many people are oppressed. Too many suffer at the hands of the powerful. How will this be brought to an end by a rider on a white horse?
What has happened to all those who have died waiting for Jesus to return? What will eternal life be like? How does this hope help us live well now? On Sunday, we explored the possible answers behind these questions.
We know that being in healthy communities brings us health. What practices build these communities? How can we stop churches becoming unhealthy?
We know Jesus said he would build the church – but how does that happen? Can we just sit back and chill out? Or do we have to work hard for him? Or is there another way of seeing how our small, non-anxious decisions can be used by him in his work. We think so!
The Spirit helps us hear God In the early church it was normal to expect that you would hear from God – through one another. What does it means to be ready to speak in this way to one another and how can we make sure we can hear properly?The temptation to be self-sufficient is ever present. The Spirit guards us from the temptation by reminding us that we need what others can give us. We all get to play, we all get to join in, we all get to receive.
The temptation to be self-sufficient is ever present. The Spirit guards us from the temptation by reminding us that we need what others can give us. We all get to play, we all get to join in, we all get to receive.
The Spirit takes you on surprising pathways. It’s a familiar mistake to think that being committed to God will protect you from difficult days. The Spirit is not an insurance policy shielding you from problems but a companion who guides you through them.
The Spirit includes the unexpected. There are three stories, one after another, that Luke includes in his story of the early church. Each of these surprising stories are about men who were surprising converts. God still seems to take delight in calling to himself those who feel the least likely to be on his side.
Why do my words matter? God’s Spirit gifts us in many different ways, but the mark of an initial encounter with God in the book of Acts normally included a change in speech. Why is speech one of the main differences when the Spirit fills us?
How is God involved in the world? ‘Where is your God?’ is a question many of us have faced at one time or another. It is a good question, and one that the Bible doesn’t shy away from. The answer is daunting. God is at work in His world through us. But the good news is that He will give us His strength, direction and presence. We will not be alone. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s why it’s the gift that we can receive.
Who we are on the hard days? Jesus rescues us from the power of sin and then enables us withstand all the attacks that come our way. There is strength in a salvation that is ours.
Who are we when we think no one is watching? Knowing that Jesus is our Saviour changes our everyday relationships – in family life and work life, following Jesus makes all the difference in the world.
Paul’s vision for the church was that it would demonstrate the unity of Jew and Gentile. The wider world could only see their differences. Paul knew that they could be one because of Jesus – and that it was the grace he showers upon us in salvation that is the source of our unity.
Who do you think you are? Paul’s vision for the church was that it would demonstrate the unity of Jew and Gentile. The wider world could only see their differences Paul knew that they could be one because of Jesus – and that it was the grace he showers upon us in salvation that is the source of our unity.
Today we welcomed Sarah to be an assistant pastor with us in Salford. Together with Phil, her husband, and her children they will be making our church their home. We were also joined by our Regional Leader, Pastor James Glass.
Join us and listen to people share their stories of how faith in Jesus has led to changed directions, new priorities and a deep sense of purpose.
Sometimes it feels like you are the only person sitting in the church with doubts. The next thought is to accuse yourself of being a hypocrite. The next move is to stop coming.
Here’s the truth: you’re not the only one. You’re not a hypocrite and you shouldn’t leave. Doubt can be the gateway to deeper understanding.
They know what we want. We are bombarded by ads that are personalised. They all offer a better life, better stuff, better experiences. And the advertising world is right. We do want life to be better. We are tired of what we have been offered so far.
Jesus points the way to this blessed life. It’s remarkably simple to understand.
And extremely hard to do.
Are you ready to explore?
Jesus was such an attractive teacher. He drew all sorts of people to himself: the clever ones, the sophisticated ones and the desperate ones.
What he asks of those who want to follow him is to lay aside their fear of what people might think of them and be courageous enough to follow a totally different path through life.
What does a successful life look like?
Is it when everyone praises you – as long as you are doing what they want?
Or is it about everyday acts of consistent service and courageous acts that change things?
Explore with us what Jesus thought was important and the difference it can make for us.
Jesus is the Resurrection.
Let’s explore the themes of grief, loss and hope in John chapter 11.
What does Freedom look like for us? Who can you trust? Which leader is worth our vote? Who will lead us out of the mess we are in?
Jesus promised that we would be able to hear his voice – and that he would be the leader we have been looking for all this time.
Jesus makes us choose and gives us questions to ask ourselves.
Are we willing to make a choice? Are we willing to make a stand?
The first Easter Sunday began with frightened women and perplexed men peering into an empty grave looking for their friend who had been killed a few days earlier.
They were looking in the wrong place.
They would find him and their worlds would be turned upside down.
It’s just that he was never going to be found in a graveyard. He had risen.
Life would never be the same again.
Sometimes our pain is caused by the reactions of others.
We can be overcome by their disapproval and condemnation of us and the way we live.
Watch how Jesus deals with the sense of guilt and the condemnation of others.
Everyone wants to be ‘spiritual’ but no one wants to be ‘religious’.
What do we mean by ‘spirituality’ and what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit of God in everyday life?
What did Jesus mean when he identified a piece of bread with his flesh?
What does it mean to feed on Jesus?
What is happening in communion?
And is it any surprise that people were confused by Jesus at times?
What is your deepest hunger?
What are the things that feel insatiable?
For some it’s intimacy, for others security, for others it might be approval.
John points us to Jesus who feeds our deepest hungers.
Anxiety preys on all of us.
It makes us fear we won’t have enough, or that we will be overwhelmed.
Jesus knows this and is able to transform these fears of not having enough to living abundantly.
In a world where it feels everyone is ready to argue, it’s easy to be defensive about our own assumptions.
But if we are going to see the world differently, we need to allow our assumptions about life to be challenged.
It’s what Jesus did to people in his time. It’s what he still does.
When John wrote the gospel, he includes just 7 miracles – even though he knew a lot more happened.
What his account highlights is how Jesus engages our vulnerabilities and brings us back to health.
Back to life.
You can see that some people have been broken by life.
Others just hide it well.
How honest can we be?
Jesus steps into our brokenness and stops us being defined by it.
One of the questions that crops up at regular intervals throughout life is one of the most basic ones: ‘Can we change? Can the direction of my life change?’
Jesus offers hope that things are not fixed, that change is possible to all who are open.
It begins with the heart.
Too many of us wonder whether we are good enough, or fear what others might think about us.
The power of shame can be crippling.
Jesus rescues us from that power so that we can live joy-filled lives.
Life is complicated.
We can either try to work out our own pathway, or we can accept the invitation of the One who knows where he is going and wants us to walk alongside him.
Every generation of Christians needs to be taken back to their origins.
Faith can become fluffy, sentimental, or detached from the reality of Jesus.
John’s gospel, written for people who may never have met Jesus, or perhaps even been born when Jesus was on earth, needed to be rooted in understanding who Jesus was and what his actions meant for them in their time.
We are in the same place as them.
Reading John’s gospel together will take us ‘Further up and further in’ with Jesus.
What happens when we die?
What are our hopes for those who have already died?
What is our ultimate hope?
Forgiveness can help us to make sense of our past.
It enables us to release the things that hold us prisoner and lets us write a different future.
How do we invest well in the next generations?
Into our children’s lives, and the children in our church, and in grandchildren?
On Remembrance Sunday we recall those who went through the awfulness of war in years gone by, and pray for those caught up in it today.
How can we practise the wisdom of peace-making when there are so many conflicts around us?
What hope does Jesus bring?
How do we honour elderly parents at the same time as we ensure that we age well – flexible in outlook, gracious in judgment, loving to all?
We know that good friendships are not only part of an enjoyable life but are one of the factors in helping you live a longer life.
But true friendship demands vulnerability.
How do we keep developing this?
What part does friendship and vulnerability play in marriage?
Humility is the key – it marks out God’s people as following Jesus. It can be the mark of our relationships together and can be the mark of church together.
The Christians that Peter wrote to were beginning to face the social stigma of being known as Jesus followers.
They are helped to see how to build resilience and how to resist the pressures they were facing, but also how the promise of God’s restoration could change everything.
These 3 Rs are still the way we can navigate the tough periods of our lives.
Holiness is designed to be lived out in the mess of normal relationships, not least our lives at home.
What did priests do?
What does it mean to be a priest for our families, our friends and colleagues?
What did God choose us to do?
What does it mean to be a faithful presence in situations that are difficult?
Peter paints a rich picture of all that God has done for us, so that we can live consistently in all our different situations in life.
We are born again to live again…
Paul’s extended reflection on why love is so central to the life of a church gives us a sense of what the church can offer a divided world.
We can be part of the answer, rather than adding to the problem.
The early church had to navigate all the challenges of being small communities who came from different backgrounds.
What were these differences and how did they manage the tensions and turn them to strengths?
The earliest Christians demonstrated their unity when they ate meals together.
It would have been shocking to those who watched on.
The meal that carried the memory of Jesus’ last meal was the most powerful of all.
Prayer shapes our character and in times of crisis, we reveal who we really are. As Jesus hung in agony on a Roman cross, unjustly brutalised, facing certain death, his prayers revealed who he was and defied the expectations of everyone.
How might our prayer life shape us to do the same?
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus enacted a part of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, ‘Your will be done’, and he did it alone.
How can we learn to pray, trusting in God, when things are not as we would hope and we feel we are facing them alone?
In John 17, Jesus prays for his disciples to be protected from the evil one, to be full of joy, to be sanctified and to be unified.
Could he still be praying those things for us now and how might we part of the answer?
John 17 is the most revealing of all prayers: it’s a window into the intimacy shared between Jesus and his Father before the creation of the world and his desire for us to share that same intimacy.
How can we respond to that prayer?
A joint Pentecost service with St James, as we celebrated this important event and prayed together that the Spirit will re-fill us all again.
This Sunday we had Luke Sharp from Compassion with us for the service.
Quite a few of us have sponsored children through Compassion over the years.
This gave us a chance to get some updates and insights into all that Compassion are doing at the moment.
The most famous storm was a long one – 40 days of rain.
And one man and his family lived with the hope that one day it would cease.
His hope was not disappointed, the rains stopped and Noah and his family and the zoo he saved could live again.
But they had important lessons to learn when the sun came out again.
Jesus’ teaching about the wisdom we need to build into our lives offers us the only chance of surviving the storms that we cannot predict.
But if we build well, the houses of our lives will survive.
The story of Jonah is famous because of the whale.
But it’s actually about a man being brought face to face with his own religious and racial bigotry.
Sometimes only a crisis can make you realise what you need to face up to.
Matthew retells the story of Jesus stilling the storm as part of a group of stories about how Jesus confronts all manner of hell-bent evil.
He did it because we need to hold onto the core truth of Jesus’ authority over everything – especially when things seem to be going wrong.
Storms come to all of us.
Without the storm Peter would have never had the chance to walk on water.
Peter’s experience was written for the next generation of Christians to be encouraged by, because every Christian has to learn to walk by faith in the middle of the storms.
Crosses make nice necklaces, lapel pins and tattoos.
Take your pick. It’s a good reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus. But today the cross is vacant.
Jesus’ story is that death didn’t get the final word.
Life did. Resurrection life.
And his promise was that this new life is ours to share. Life always trumps death!
Jesus said just a cup of cold water would make all the difference.
What is the equivalent for us today?
What is the small action that shows a heart of kindness in action?
The call to be as holy as God is holy sounds as odd now as it probably did when it was first written down in Leviticus.
Is this even possible? And what would it look like on the school run, or handling finances, or dealing with the awkward colleagues or aging family?
Many people are good starters. Perseverance is the quality that ensures you finish well.
Peter sees it as essential for those running this Christian race.
The Forget Me Not that Jumi mentioned in her sermon.
Self-control is one of the most underrated virtues. We can excuse ourselves too easily when we give in to the temptations that surround us so often.
How do we grow in self-control?
Today knowledge can feel just 2 clicks away on Google. But is that knowledge, information, what Peter meant? Sometimes it can feel like it is, and those who have this knowledge can feel superior to everyone else.
That’s dangerous.
But what if Peter meant there was a different way of growing in knowledge? What if it was about a growing relationship – both with God and others. What does it take to get that sort of knowledge?
Goodness can sound soft and prissy. No one wants to be called a goody-two shoes.
Unless you have faced the opposite and been the victim of evil.
Goodness is the authentic integrity that is creative and trustworthy.
It may not be glamorous but it makes all the difference in the world.
I believe lots of things that make no real difference to my day to day life.
New Testament faith is different. It was never a static acceptance but trust in a person who transformed everything.
Faith was dynamic.
And it was the bedrock for everything else that would be possible…
Why did Paul send Onesimus back? Was he encouraging slavery?
How do we read the New Testament on these issues when we hold to different views of what is right?
Let’s not fool ourselves: forgiveness always costs something. Always did, always will.
Relationships will occasionally rupture. Forgiveness is the way they can be repaired.
How do we do this?
Faith in Jesus means nothing if you don’t love Jesus’ friends.
And love means nothing if it isn’t accompanied by action.
It’s what we do, not what we say.
This church lived at a time when everyone knew their place. Rank mattered and brought privileges. If you were at the top of the pile you could order people around.
Paul modelled a different way. He chose to appeal rather than to order.
He demonstrated how we subvert the natural hierarchies.
Church is never about preserving your anonymity. It’s about allowing people to know you.
For some of us, we have been so hurt or disappointed that this can be really hard.
But as we learn one another’s names and enter one another’s stories, we are given the opportunity to grow more than we might ever have imagined.
The angels met shepherds and told them that peace had come to earth.
Foreign wise men made an epic journey to see the new king.
The poorest and the richest knew that things needed to change.
It’s our joy to be able to say: change can happen. There is something new to be experienced.
Now that’s good news at Christmas time.
Christmas reminds us that God became like us. He got tired, hungry, thirsty, and could be injured. We know how all that feels.
But we are waiting for the day when this is a memory, on the day we step into eternity.
So what will it be like when we die? Is it worth waiting for?
Christmas is coming. And we will celebrate God coming as a baby. But there is a bigger story.
There’s more than a manger.
There will be a day when Jesus will return, and the earth will be fully restored to all that God intended.
It’s a beautiful hope to be reminded of at Christmas time.
When hope goes, we die. Zechariah wanted the people to know that they had a future that would be good.
That hope is really important when we face hard times.
This year we have seen the awful consequences of war in Europe. How do we continue to pray and hope for peace, when some seem to push for war?
Zechariah could see a king coming who would bring peace, not by force but through humility.
Jesus walked in those very footsteps.
He still does.
What’s God’s picture of prosperity? What does blessing look like for a nation? What will life be like when Jesus, the King, returns? How do we live this out in practice ahead of that day?
From childhood we tell stories about super-heroes who will save us.
It’s easy to point out all the ways that our leaders fail us. It’s almost inevitable, they are as fragile as we are.
What Zechariah knew was that a new leader was needed. He had a job spec, but he didn’t live long enough to see the one who would take the role.
It was Jesus, the one we all need.
God seems to take great delight in using people who don’t feel capable to do remarkable things.
The main reason may be that He wants us to remember that He is doing the work – it’s just that He invites us to be part of it.
So, to those who don’t feel particularly strong, there’s good news. You’re the sort of people that God loves to work through.
Most of us suffer from Imposter Syndrome. We hear the whisper that says we are not good enough. And the voice isn’t telling lies. We mess up too often.
But that’s not the final truth.
God promised his people that he would deal with their sin in a day. And he did – dramatically and unexpectedly. There’s a louder voice than the accusing whisper.
For many of us, our lifetime has seen many churches growing smaller, looking weaker, feeling more fragile and many younger people have grown up thinking that Christianity is irrelevant.
But you know what?
God’s desire and plan is still to have a multi-generational, multi-ethnic kingdom. And our call is to be part of it.
How can the dreams, visions, songs from 2500 years ago help us here in Salford today?
Zechariah, a Jewish prophet, longing for change knew that it could only happen if people accepted the invitation to live as part of a much bigger story. It was a story of hope that kicked against the darkness. That invitation is still open to us.
Have you ever gotten to the point where you don’t know who you are or what you want anymore and, when you think about it, you’re not even sure you like who you’ve become?
I want to encourage you: We are God’s inspired creations, we’re chosen and every one of us is needed!
Some days it’s hard to bite your tongue. You want to say ‘I told you so’. The hurt you might have felt can still linger.
So what does it mean to welcome prodigals?
What does it mean to act like a Father who always goes to meet lost children?
You don’t need to be miles away to be away from home. Sometimes the most difficult thing is to cope with the resentment in your own heart that stops you joining the party.
There is an invitation offered to you, you just have to step inside the door.
It’s one of the oldest plotlines in the world: a youngster longs for adventure, burns his bridges at home, gets onto the open road and in time gets into a mess. That’s when they realise they have a choice. You can stay in the mess or you can return home – but changed.
It’s the basic story in the Bible – ever since we got evicted from Eden. And it’s still the choice we all have to make.
We can know more about what we ought to do than we actually practise.
Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount with the simplest of commands – don’t just listen to all this, live it out!
Jesus seemed to think that we would meet fake Christians. And that we might be impressed by them and even taken in by their dynamic spiritual power.
How do we make sure that we don’t get deceived – and perhaps more importantly, how do we make sure we are not the fakes!
There are certain things that we hear said that we often just accept, but Jesus invites to see that there’s another way…
What have we learnt about prayer over the years? Can it be as simple as Jesus makes out?
How do we handle the times when we ask, knock, seek but find that it all doesn’t work out as we thought it should?
It’s hard being right all the time!
What if we could take the burden of judging others off our shoulders.
What if we believed that they don’t have to answer to us?
What if we practised grace a bit more?
Would that mean we would become gullible or lose discernment?
Can you be discerning and not judge?
Is it possible to live a simpler life that is less worried about what we don’t have and more grateful for what we do have? Is it possible to worry less?
Religious people have become experts at making spiritual practises complicated. They get twisted by our motives as well as the lengths we go to make ourselves look better than we are.
What if we could just keep it simple? More normal? What would be gained?
Songs used during this service* This Is Amazing Grace – Phil Wickham * Revelation Song – Mission House & Citizens * Purify My Heart (Refiner’s Fire) – Jeremy Riddle * Build My Life – Housefires * Mighty to Save – Hillsong Worship
What does Jesus really mean in the Sermon on the Mount about enemies?
Is this really how we should act towards evil people, structural injustice, and deep-seated enemies? If we think it is unlikely, what is the alternative?
If we do follow Jesus’ teaching, what might it look like today?
When we make commitments to one another – Jesus wants us to keep them alive. Our promises to be loyal to one person challenge FOMO, or the sense of being bored, or disappointed by the other person.
Jesus suggests some radical ways to make sure we keep those promises – what does that mean for us?
How do you keep married love alive? How do you make sure you don’t break other people?
Wouldn’t life be simpler if we just said what we mean, and meant what we said?
Wouldn’t it mean that we could be trusted?
The promises we make and the way we try to get others to believe us gets more complicated if they think we won’t keep our word.
Israel knew that murder was wrong – but Jesus puts his finger on the contempt we can feel for one another when they don’t match up to our expectations.
Think of the outrage on social media at times.
He warns us of the consequences of those reactions, urges us to put things right with one another and uses an everyday example (making a last minute court settlement) to demonstrate how important our relationships are.
Jesus saw himself in the line of tradition of the law and prophets. He was calling his disciples to live righteously – in their everyday lives.
So did the Pharisees.
So how was Jesus different?
The poor, the meek, the merciful etc are the salt of the earth and the light of the world – they influence the world around them.
We might not think we are very powerful, but we can make a difference – as long as we stay true to who we are as disciples.
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount by describing who the blessed are – and they are the last ones you would expect.
He is not instructing us to be poor in spirit etc – he is telling those who are that there is a bigger picture, and he is reminding all of us not to be seduced by what we usually think of as ‘the good life’.
Songs used in this service Lovingkindness (Matt Redman) * Sing to the Lord (Pat Barrett) * All I Once Held Dear (Robin Mark) * God in my Living (Tim Hughes) * Living for Your Glory* (Tim Hughes)
Have you ever been in a situation where you suddenly feel something is happening here that is beyond the ordinary?
It can almost feel like God has brought you into this moment intentionally, but why?
This week we look at what it means to stand on Holy Ground.
A chance to reflect on what we are doing – but much more importantly why we are doing it all!
It’s journey that takes a lifetime and is the most important journey we can take – the transformation of mind, heart and body.
Who were the women leaders in the early church & what does that mean for all of us – men and women?
Jesus appointed the women to tell the men. Why the resurrection accounts were so outrageous and why they point to the accounts being true. (After all who would have invented the women telling the men?)
What did she do that was so good? Why was Jesus so impressed by her? What are we supposed to remember? Jesus made this woman feel safe among the men.
Five overlooked women save a nation.
God takes our everyday contributions and creates a new story for everyone.
The pain we cause one another (men to women and women to women) in dysfunctional families, organisations and church, and God’s response.
Relationships between men and women can be complicated. The Garden Story in Genesis 3 explains why that is the case. But it doesn’t need to be the final word.
There is a new creation – and we are invited to be part of it – which affects everything, including our relationships with one another.
The loss of relationship, the curse of power between the genders and the victory that Jesus brings (the serpent is crushed).
Why it all matters.
When disaster and tragedy strike, how can we ensure that we don’t lose heart? It’s so important when you look at what is happening internationally, and vital when a local church comes face to face with a tragic death. It’s a permanent challenge.
But the apostle Paul went ahead of us on days like these. He helps us keep our eyes fixed on the only true things – the things that are unseen.
There are times when we just can’t hear, and it may be that we are sure God is silent.
What do we do in these situations?
Paul and his companions were stuck because of circumstances and they changed their plans because of that and a vision.
How do we know how to make sense of the circumstances we find ourselves in?
When should we press on regardless of roadblocks and when should we take stock?
Prophecy is for the sake of others. It’s a clear reminder that we listen to God because we are part of a community that we care for.
Hearing from God is not a personal luxury – it’s a church necessity.
Angels, visions, unexpected meetings, dramatic turns. If angels only turned up once in the Bible it would be easy to overlook them. But they are everywhere!
How do we make sense of that today in a society that sees itself as far too sophisticated to believe this?
We believe that reading the Bible is one of the foundational ways to hear God speak to us. But how do we hear a word that we might find difficult to understand? How do we read well so we can hear well?
The psalmist believed that observing nature was a way of hearing the Lord who is speaking every day to any who have eyes to see. How do we see clearly so that we can hear well?
The promise of Jesus was that God would speak to his people because we are his friends. We would increasingly grow to recognise his voice.
Of course, the challenge is: do we want to hear? Are we prepared to listen? Are we ready to respond if we do hear his voice?
A young out-of-town couple in a whirl, an old couple, part of the furniture in the Temple, easily overlooked. And a baby.
Luke loves these sorts of people, because he knows that Jesus loves to spend time with them. And it's the way the salvation story unfolds.
It did then, it still does now. As another uncertain new year begins for us.
Jesus the Nazarene is the hope of the nations and the hope of us all, He has come that we may know freedom when all seems lost.
Jesus was a toddler whose family had to escape violence. Immanuel came to earth and one of the first things that he did was to join the long line of refugees…
They came looking for a king. But they had no idea what sort of king he would be – or indeed the type of leadership/service he would ask of his followers.
If you're going to live well, you need to be able to understand Jesus profoundly.
Matthew wrote his gospel so that you wouldn't have to guess, and this week we explore the two titles he introduces in his story of Jesus - Saviour and Immanuel.
If we can get to grips with these, they will change how we see life, those around us and ourselves.
Another Remembrance Sunday when we are reminded of the catastrophe of war, the effects it has on those directly involved, as well as those bystanders who get dragged into it all.
Jesus told his disciples to expect war, but that in the midst of it all there would be reasons to retain hope for the future.
We need to hear it again this week as Russian troops advance on the borders of Ukraine.
What's Jesus being the Messiah got to do with COP26, your own very personal life and our life together as a church?
Much more than we might imagine…
At the heart of Christianity is an account of failure.
Politicians failed, being swept along by a mob’s cancel culture.
Justice failed, money changed hands and the innocent paid the price.
Friends failed to keep their promises.
Light turned to darkness.
Jesus died.
Nothing changed…
It’s been a long 12 months.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. The roll out of vaccinations has meant that we can hope that relaxing the restrictions we have lived under will come to an end soon, even if we will have to accept that face masks will continue to be uncomfortable fashion accessories…
On Sunday we shared the news that we will be moving to St James, Eccles Old Road when we begin to meet again in person as a church.
Here's some FAQs…
Throughout last year, we were encouraged to support the NHS. So children drew pictures to put in their windows, councils painted slogans on roads, we stood at doorsteps clapping week after week, we stayed away from the surgeries and A&E. And it was genuine – we were and are immensely grateful and proud of those who were in hospitals at a time when no one really knew how things would develop.
That’s why a 1% rise in pay became an issue last Wednesday.
Because it’s not enough to say that you are grateful, if your actions suggest something different…
Jesus was regularly invited to meals. Some wanted to argue with him, others just wanted to get close to him.
Some folks were socially at ease with him. But some seemed to make a fuss - to such an extent that it could be embarrassing.
But Jesus didn't seem fazed by it, In fact he seemed to enjoy it. Maybe it was because he knew that this is how grace feels to those starved of hope.
That's still how it feels.
It’s easy to think that healthy churches will never have disagreements. But that’s wrong. Every time God puts us in a new situation, opens up new doors of mission, or challenges us with new ideas, it’s easy for us to become defensive and controlling.
Paul's first missionary journey took him into new situations that he couldn't have imagined. But God was working through him.
It's just the same today for us.
Here are my song choices for this week's Sunday Playlist podcast episode…
The early Christians had a better story to tell and they pass it to us to tell our own generation.
It’s a story that we all need to hear – again and again.
Here are my song choices for this week's Sunday Playlist podcast episode…
The apostle Paul's experience in Cyprus offers us a picture of the exciting Christian life that offers good news to people.
As we think about his experience in Acts 13, we have the chance to see our own situations much clearer.
Here are my song choices for this week's Sunday Playlist podcast episode…
In Acts 12 we see people praying earnestly in the middle of the night; one of the disciples is executed, while the other is miraculously released from prison. But when he turns up at the house of prayer, the Christians just don't believe it and try to explain it away.
It seems that like most of us, they were not actually bold prayer-warriors, but people who prayed with a mixture of faith and uncertainty, got down on their knees and prayed anyway.
In this latest podcast episode, I've chosen some songs to reflect on this story & inspire us…
The church in Antioch was a flexible, generous, boundary-breaking church.
In this latest podcast episode, I've chosen songs to reflect on this & inspire us to keep growing…
In Acts 9:32-43, we meet a woman who has two names; "Tabitha" in Aramaic and "Dorcas" in Greek. She was just one of those unsung heroes of the church community. Luke describes her as full of good works and charity and she was part of a group of widows who made clothes by hand. When she died, the weeping widows did what most of us do when we lose someone we love. They clung to items and memories associated with her; the clothes she'd made. They showed them to Peter as they grieved the loss of their close friend.
Here are some songs I've chosen that will help us reflect on this story…
After his conversion Saul arrives back in Jerusalem, but not to the welcome he had hoped for.
The disciples there are fearful of Saul and his intentions. Saul needs someone to be his advocate and stand with him.
Barnabas is just the man for the job…
Within 3 years of Saul's dramatic conversion in Damascus, his life is under threat and he has to escape with the help of some disciples. This became a recurring theme throughout the rest of his life.
Saul paid a really high price to follow Jesus, but he was willing to count up the cost and decided it was well worth it.
In this episode of our Sunday Playlist podcast, I share some songs that explore this theme…
In Luke's tale of two visions, God calls two people to change their life plans in order for the gospel of Jesus to spread further.
In Luke's tale of two visions, God calls two people to change their life plans in order for the gospel of Jesus to spread further.
Here are some songs I've selected that explore the themes in the passage…
Most of us live with two nagging questions that keep coming back.
'How do we know what we should be doing?' 'I don't think I fit in here, am I good enough?'
Acts 8 gives us a glimpse of the answers to both of these questions.
This week's story from Acts 8 shows us the lengths that God goes to to show his love to outsiders and the willingness of people to deliver that message.
Here are some songs that explore the themes in the passage…
The action has all been in Jerusalem up to now but with the persecution, the gospel travels to the places where people had thought things could never change.
Samaria was an ongoing problem to the Jews – history and culture meant that they could never imagine that things could ever be any different.
Yet change happens because of the bravery of people and the power of the Spirit.
How might this lead us to see our own situations and our city differently?
This episode of our podcast series led by the young people in our church features Lauren, Jay and Emily sharing their hopes, struggles and prayers, along with their favourite worship songs.
The religious folks resisted what was happening, and charge Stephen with going against the temple and the law. Stephen re-tells their own history to them, showing that God has always operated outside of the temple, Jerusalem and Israel. God was with his people, and at work, in all the difficult places.
God is in the business of doing new things. We are on a journey with him. In difficult times, times of change, times of uncertainty, we follow Jesus.
Sometimes in order to pick up new things, we have to lay other things down.
At times of stress, or change, old animosities can emerge. They need to be addressed. If they aren’t what makes us think we will be ready for what God has in store for us in the future. If the early church hadn’t solved this problem, they would never have been able to deal with the questions that would be raised when Gentiles accepted the gospel.
The latest episode in our podcast series led by the young people of our church sharing their hopes, struggles and prayers as young people living a Christian life under lockdown.
News of the resurrection of Jesus was deeply disturbing to the authorities, who were desperately trying to keep order. The apostles directly threatened the status quo – they stood in the temple offering a radically different understanding of all that God was doing.
They were arrested and put in jail, but the angel broke down the door – and gave them specific orders to go back and to keep on speaking.
In contexts where it’s easy for faith to be kept private, we are called to this same bravery…
In a week where we have seen protests about blatant acts of injustice, and against a backdrop where coronavirus has affected BAME people more than others, it’s easy to feel disempowered to know how to change anything.
But Acts 4:32-5:11 shows the result of being filled with the Spirit and how the resurrection of Jesus created the foundations of a new society. That society challenged the existing culture, but also revealed the best and the worst of the community…
The second in our series of worship podcasts led by the young people of our church sharing their hopes, struggles and prayers as young people living a Christian life under lockdown.
The healing of the crippled man really disturbed the establishment. The only thing they could do was try to intimidate the apostles. But it didn’t work...
A man who has been begging for 40 years - a lifetime of not being able to walk. But then something happens to that man, because two men slowed down enough to notice him...
God sent the Holy Spirit and did remarkable things amongst the early church. On the day of Pentecost there was a new routine for them...
The first in a series of worship podcasts led by the young people of our church sharing their hopes, struggles and prayers as young people living a Christian life under lockdown.
Something amazing has just happened and people are asking, "What does this mean?" Then Peter begins speaking to the crowd about it...
Our different dialects and accents can make us feel like we belong, but they can also make us feel like we're judged and misunderstood. It was no different for the early church, yet they were able to be heard and understood.
Judas commits suicide and now there are only 11 disciples; the disciples need to replace him. How will the new twelfth disciple be chosen?
At a time when everything seems to be on a knife edge and we're not sure what will happen next, the book of Acts is really helpful. The church was birthed into the unknown. They didn't know what happen next, but they learned to respond to the moving of the Spirit because they were really aware that they weren't in control of things.
Mary and the disciples go to Jesus' tomb knowing that people don't rise from the dead, but Jesus did and proved to them that He was alive.
This changes everything.
When we think about the cross on Good Friday, it's not just some religious activity that we engage with; it's because we know that we're set in motion by the power of the cross, we're energised by it, we're upheld by it, we're guaranteed a future by it, we're secured for the future because of it.
Good Friday is not the whole story, but it's worth slowing down because it's such a vital part of the the story.
Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey; on the sides are the people cheering him and the Jewish leaders trying to stop him; behind are the disciples following him. Where do you feel you are in this picture?
What does it mean to live well and to pray well, when things are not so great? What can we learn from Paul's letter to the Ephesian church about praying with authority?
How should we pray during anxious days? We need to be joyful and gentle, with prayer that overcomes anxiety, guarding against anxious thoughts and put our faith into practice!
When Peter was imprisoned, the church prayed with conviction and passion for his release and yet seemed astonished when he was. How do we pray when faced with a crisis? How do we make sense of both the answered and unanswered prayers?
Matthew's gospel tells two stories of outsiders who come to Jesus determined and confident that he will do something incredible for someone they care about. Will we do the same for one another?
It's easy to become discouraged when we don't see the results of our prayers but, as the story of Abraham reminds us, we must take our place as priests who will intercede on behalf of the world.
Psalm 23 is much more than a scripture to read at funerals. It's a radical reminder that we pray to a God who is the shepherd of our lives.
Paul's prayer for the Ephesians reminds us of the core business of prayer - that we may know God better.
Luke's telling of the birth of Jesus reminds us that God acted at a real time in history, in a real place, with real people. If we pause from our busyness, we might just be amazed again at the one who comes close to us.
The genealogies at the end of Ruth & at the start of Matthew's gospel are full of remarkable people. What has God called you to continue to be committed to?
The end of the book of Ruth is much better than a simple love story; the actions of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz have much bigger consequences.
Both Ruth and Boaz took risks in order to create new possibilities for others. What might God be asking of us which could prove redemptive for others in our families and work places?
How do we make sense of the good things that happen in life which are beyond our control? Do we put them down to luck or is God involved somehow? “When I pray, coincidences happen; when I don’t, they don’t.” William Temple pic.twitter.com/0XmpodIG3c — Salford Elim Church (@SalfordElim) 17 November 2019
The book of Ruth is a story of God's hand in the midst of an ordinary family. When tragedy strikes, we, like Naomi, may well ask: 'where are you God?'
The story of the blind beggar reminds us that we are all spiritually blind until we see Jesus for who he really is. The question is, how much do you want to see him?
Paul ends his letter to the Galatian church with an encouragement to do good; particularly to carry one another's burdens. We still need to hear that encouragement today.
We can believe the lie that everything depends on us. Sometimes we need reminding to simply trust in the Father who holds all things in His hands.
The temptation to compare yourself with someone else has always been part of a diverse church community. Thankfully Paul reminds us that God sees us all in the same way; simply as his children and that means we are free to be ourselves.
The past can be hard to shake off but God calls us to a bigger future in which our identity is in Christ alone.
We may be tempted to try hard to earn the approval of those we respect, including God. Paul reminds us of the true gospel which tells us we don't need to.
The early church asked itself a question that still echoes through the centuries: 'Am I good enough?' Paul's letter to the Galatian church responds definitively to that question.
Ananias was a simple man, living an ordinary life, when God asked him to take a risk. What might God be asking of us in order to impact the lives of those around us?
We are called to follow in the footsteps of the one spoke up for truth and justice. He uses people like us to be part of his great restoration plan.
We may not all be confident evangelists, but God wants to use each and every one of us to share the great news of Jesus.
Not many of us are able to change the world, but we can have an influence on the little part of the world God has given us responsibility for.
We were created to work; not just for money but for the glory of God. How can we rediscover our sense of purpose in our workplaces?
In a culture obsessed with performance and status, we need to be reminded that God cares more about our character than our vocation.
In times of political upheaval and uncertainty, how should Christians pray? As we look to the early church fathers, we may be challenged by their example.
Christians have always disagreed with one another over various things. Paul's instructions to the early church in Rome are as relevant now as then.
In an ever-changing culture, we may find ourselves at odds with wider society. How do we hold to what we believe whilst communicating the brilliance of Jesus to those with whom we disagree?
Families are often the place where we let our guard down as disciples. Listen to how four people are working out how to follow Jesus at different stages of family life.
We want to become a cross-shaped church: a place where diverse people find community and all have something to offer. A place where we shape one another and commit to the counter-cultural way of Jesus.
Nobody expected Jesus to rise again - dead people stay dead. But what if he really has risen? What difference could it make?
Sometimes life can feel like a stuck record, but the death and resurrection of Jesus allows us to hear a different song; one we can join in with.
What difference does the cross actually make to the past, present and future of the human race and the material world?
What did the cross actually achieve? It stripped the authorities of their powers and broke the chains of things that hold us.
The book of Proverbs ends with the description of an amazing role model who shows us what Godly wisdom looks like, lived out in every area of life.
The book of Proverbs contains lots about humility. In fact, it's where wisdom begins; with a realisation that you know nothing in comparison to the creator.
Life is full of choices. Sometimes two paths can look the same but one way leads to life and the other to death. Wisdom helps us to choose the right one.
Many of Solomon's proverbs are given by a father to his son. Rather than hoping for our children purely to be happy, surely it's better that they are wise?
Whatever difficulties we face, whatever mess we are in, however broken the world is right now, this is not the end of the story.
Even when we are facing the consequences of our own poor judgement, we can be sure that God is ready to lift up our heads to face the day.
Psalm 2 is an introduction for how to pray not for ourselves as individuals, but with a broader view; for those in authority to have wisdom.
God has given us everything we need in order to know him better and apply that knowledge in our everyday lives - his word and his Spirit.
Who do we need to thank for getting to where we are now? Who do we need around us to enable us to continue to run the Christian race well?
Christmas reminds us that we seek an ongoing, unconditional love. It's also the time when we remember that such love has already been given to us, and we can demonstrate this love to others.
In a society looking for happiness in all sorts of ways, how do we experience real joy that lasts through any and every situation we might face?
As Christians we are called to have hope in the faithfulness of God, and to be people who bring hope into the lives of others. That's the message of advent.
The parable of the lost sheep shows such extravagant inefficiency, and highlights the lengths God will go to search for those who find themselves separated from him.
We want to be a church who pays careful attention to one another, so that we can help each other grow as disciples.
God is still speaking, but are we listening? We want to be a church that is alert to the Spirit's leading through the gift of prophecy.
As followers of Jesus, we may be in the minority but we can make a real difference to society if we maintain our distinctiveness in the whole of our lives.
If we're going to be a growing community of whole-life disciples, we have serve God where He's placed us; whether it's where we expected to be or not.
We want to be a growing community, not just a growing church. But what does this look like, and what can we learn from the early church?
As we reach the conclusion to Luke’s book of Acts, we are reminded of Paul’s dogged commitment to the people God called him to minister to.
Paul knew that his journey by sea to Rome might mean disaster, having been shipwrecked before. Sometimes we need help to get us through the storms of life.
Paul was imprisoned but not intimidated, because he knew the risen Jesus and the promise that God would be with him on days like these.
Paul's third missionary journey was chaotic. He faced confrontation head-on but he also knew when to walk away. We often need wisdom to know the difference.
The gospel will be good news for some, but bad news for those who stand in opposition to its principles.
The Spirit who birthed the church at Pentecost continues to breathe life in to us, so that we can be more than we could ever be on our own.
When Paul visited Athens, he saw a culture full of worship. How do we respond to our own culture and its objects of worship?
Sometimes, God blocks doors in order for his plan to be accomplished. How do we embrace the opportunities God presents to us?
Unfortunately, church can often be a place of conflict and hurt. How do we disagree well?
Three short stories in the growth of the early church show how Christians stood against deceit, stood for more and stood out as different.
The story of the early church reminds us that there are days when God does amazing wonders and there are other days when everything seems to be lost.
These stories of Paul and Peter show how God speaks to each one of us differently and wraps us in to his ambitious plans.
As the early church scattered, so did the good news of Jesus. But the first missionaries weren't necessarily those that you would have expected...
A sermon about church rotas! A growing church needs organising if it is to stay true to its DNA; a people who look after the poor.
How can we better sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit and be ready to give the unexpected answer?
Paul was surrounded with people who had a clear aim together & lived sacrificially. What does it take to be that sort of friend for one another?
Paul's teachings were radical in their day. We are called to live equally radically today. What does the gospel look like Monday-Saturday?
There are things Paul wants people to stop doing, but there are far more new ways of life to live in.
Paul wants the Colossians to know that their lives are intrinsically linked to Jesus. What happened to him happens to us. It changes how we see everything.
How do we deal with guilt? In a performance-based culture, we find that the cross is scandalously good news.
In a culture of competing worldviews & religious ideas, we're reminded to keep Jesus at the centre of our lives.
Paul prays for us to bear fruit as the Spirit does his work in us. What does fruitfulness look like where you live and work?
What does it mean to be a community built on faith, hope and love? We explore these three principles which became the foundation of the early church.
A woman does something extravagant for Jesus & the disciples are outraged. But Jesus says she's done a beautiful thing that will be remembered for all time.
The last and, perhaps most important, question posed to Jesus was this: "What is the greatest commandment?" Jesus' response was clear and simple...
The Sadducees didn't believe in resurrection but they asked Jesus about it to trip him up. It gave him a chance to explore what life after death means.
The tax question was designed to see which side Jesus was on; the Romans, or the Jews. But he sidesteps the question, because he’s building a new kingdom. How does this help us in our workplaces?
This is more than a bad day, Jesus is stopping business as usual to offer the chance of something new. That was the threatening thing. It still is.
The crowds can see the blessing that Jesus could bring. The authorities can only see problems. What can you see?
Jesus tells the disciples how he will change everything by dying on the cross & rising from the dead, but two mishear think only of their own future.
Once again Jesus defies the expectations of his culture (including his disciples); this time by welcoming children. In fact, he went much further than that…
Once again, the Pharisees came to try and trip Jesus up; this time about the issues of divorce. But Jesus refused to play their game.
We're called to take care of one another; treat each other gently; act as though we belong to one another. Even when we're very different from each other.
Jesus and the disciples were on a long journey, and the disciples were arguing about who is the greatest. We have a look at Jesus' response to them…
Jesus, Peter, James & John come down from an incredible mountaintop experience to find the other disciples arguing about why they couldn't exorcise a demon.
The transfiguration is the mind-blowing final scene of Mark's three-part drama of who Jesus is. Jesus is transformed and a voice calls us to listen to him…
Jesus continues to develop the implications of what it means to be a disciple. There's no way around this - we have to walk the same road as Jesus.
Jesus asks the disciples who they think he is. Peter answers: You are the Messiah. This sermon explores that whole moment, and the expectations Peter had.
The question that has been bubbling under the gospel of Mark is now becoming central: who is Jesus?
Have you ever felt isolated? This story sees a man isolated from others because of his disabilities meeting Jesus and becoming a mouth piece for the gospel.
This episode in Mark's gospel is at first sight uncomfortable: it sounds as though Jesus doesn't want to get involved in the woman's painful situation. So what is going on here?
It's been a difficult week in Manchester. Last Monday so many lives were changed for ever. How do you hold on to faith in the middle of events like that?
Mission is about more than talking about personal salvation. Sometimes you need to take a stand because things are not right.
Jesus went to his home town and couldn't do many miracles there. It appears that familiarity had bred contempt.
What does it take to become so desperate that you are willing to lose your reputation to find healing?
Jesus disrupted the status quo but in doing so, brought freedom and change to someone who had been written off by everyone else.
Jesus was clear how the kingdom would take hold in the world. It wouldn't be with a bang that could not be avoided - it would start small...
The parable of the sower is the first of many in Mark's gospel account, and there is an obvious application for us today.
Why did Jesus break the rules? Was he trying to be deliberately shocking, or was there something else going on?
Being offered forgiveness makes us feel vulnerable. But if we can admit our need, the future changes unrecognisably - for us and those around us.
So Jesus' ministry begins, and it begins with a clash in the synagogue. If we weren't clear what the kingdom of God might look like, we soon get to see...
This is how newness begins; not with hopes of nationalism, but news of a whole new kingdom. And Jesus calls us to be embraced by it all.
This is where newness starts: by a river side in the wilderness. It starts with the new King acting in ways that are so different than would be expected.
The story begins with an announcement that things are going to change. That all that was hoped for is to be fulfilled. That it won't always be like it is.
If the Bible finished at the end of Judges, we'd be depressed and hopeless. But God doesn't finish here. The story continues. The story of grace.
Trump. Samson. Jesus. What do they have in common? They each allow us to be honest about our real needs, hopes and fears. But how are they different? Only one wants us to be the society that God has designed us to be.
Words can be very powerful, used both for good, and for bad. They can carry the power of rejection, agreement, diplomacy, dangerous vows, and division.
Abimelek is one of the most ruthless leaders in Judges - grabbing power and manipulating people. Is there another way of doing business in the 'real world'?
Gideon: the weakest in his clan, used by God to deliver his people. But it didn't take long for his biggest strength to become his biggest weakness.
Every generation, God gives people the resources to do the unthinkable, and to do the remarkable. Judges 4-5 is a story that shows us exactly that...
What happens when God's people forget their own story? What does God do when they forget their story? Judges gives us some thoughts on this...
Dodgy dealings, brutal murders, leaders that you lose confidence in. Our first sermon looks at why the book of Judges is even in the Bible.
Missed a sermon over the summer holidays? We've collected them all together below for you to listen to.
It's always dangerous to imagine that God feels the same about our enemies as we do. It's always a shock when we find He sees them so radically differently.
It's a phrase we hear used a lot, but it was always designed to surprise us, as well as to invite us to see the whole world so very differently.
I'm not going to tell you how I'm going to vote, or how I think you should vote. But what does the Bible say about making this sort of decision?
Some things never end as you expect, but when wonderful things happen, we need to ask ourselves what it all means.
Paul not only talks about hope, but he demonstrates it too. The chapter is full of hope for himself, what God's going to do, and for the church in Philippi.
The prophet had warned the people about their complacency but they took no notice. Is there any hope when things have all gone wrong?
To be a prophetic people, we need to be ready to speak up for those who have no voice of their own.
Amos knew that people loved worshipping, singing new songs, the sense of God being near to us. But he also knew they could easily be fooling themselves.
Amos is an uncomfortable read. But we need to be discomforted from time to time. Religion can be dangerous when it makes you think that you’re always right.
Playboy have claimed that their battle has now been won. But how does the Bible help us make sense of the world that Playboy has created?
Often men dominate women in society, but that's not how God created us. Men & women were created to be interdependent, working together to look after creation.
The temple was where Heaven met Earth; where sins were forgiven & impurity cleansed; a source of political power. But Jesus said He'd replaced the temple...
The disciples returned from the mission that Jesus had sent them on full of joy, sharing stories of how what Jesus had told them to do, had actually worked!
Being told to ‘Go’ by Jesus would have filled the 72 disciples with a range of emotions. They would go with a sense of vulnerability.
We need to trust God for the seemingly impossible to happen, whilst telling people that Jesus is near.
The anointing of Jesus by Mary is in all 4 gospels - all the writers thought that this was an important part of Jesus' story.
How can we do generosity for the sake of others, and not for how it makes us look, using Paul's example in his letter 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.
How can we be generous and give to the needy, without doing it to be seen by others, and in order to impress them?
Prayer shapes us, teaches us to pray on behalf of others, and causes us to stop and listen. Let's train our minds to pray with others in mind.
The central work of the Spirit in our lives is enabling us to change. How does the Spirit change us?
The gifts of the Spirit are given to the church, not to individuals so that the body of Christ can act in effective ways in their world.
What does it mean for us to embrace the gifts that the Spirit offers the church?
In Exodus 31, the Spirit gives Bezalel gifts so that he can create something of beauty. How does the Spirit work like that in our lives?
The Spirit is involved in the creation of the world, the people of God and the church. He is the life-giving Spirit – God’s breath living in us.
From the opening verses of the Bible to the final words, the Spirit is present in the Bible. Always creative, always bringing new life into being, always pointing forwards.
As we approach Christmas Day, we pull the lens back a little bit on the Christmas story, and ask the question, "What sort of God does this sort of thing?"
This week we came to the end of Romans, looking at Paul's plans, and the people who mattered to him.
The temptation for some Christians is to think that what God's really interested in is the inward life of his people. Romans 13 says that's just not true.
'What about Israel?' is a question Christians will argue over - sometimes furiously. In this sermon, we look at what Paul says.
At this point in the his letter to the Romans, Paul deals with the question, "So what about the Jews?"
One of the things that we all find ourselves wondering from time to time is: Can I change? The Bible suggests a clear answer: Yes, we can change!
Paul takes us back to why we got in a mess in the first place, and how we can get out of it, and stay out of it.
How do we help 'good' people - and we all think we are those people - make sense of why we need to hear and respond to the claims of Jesus.
4 inconvenient truths of the gospel - truths that don't seem to fit in our world easily.
Paul starts this major letter with a really exciting exploration of what the gospel is.
Can we watch the news, and see all that's going on in the world around us, and still know God's peace?
Some days it's difficult to find joy. But we're called to rejoice in the Lord. Even in trials, the joy of the Lord will stop a descent into despair...
The closer you get to situations that seem hopeless, the harder it is to hold on to any sense that God can do something to change things.
What does God want of humanity: 'to act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God' (Micah 6:8)
Micah offered hope to a beleaguered people by telling them that God would send them a new King, one who would lead them with justice and would give them safety.
The first sermon in our series 'Hearing God's Heartbeat', looking through the book of Micah.
We read the story of Jairus and the woman losing blood, and see ourselves in them.
But what was Jesus trying to do?
And what does the way Jesus acted mean for our church life together?
When the storm hit the boat the disciples were in, they were afraid and thought Jesus didn't care. When the storm was stilled, they were terrified and wondered who this Jesus was.
What does the Christian life look like in practice? What are the foundations on which we make decisions and develop a Christ-formed lifestyle?
The three areas that Paul addresses here as arenas for holiness are sex, relationships, and work – the creation ordinances.
Paul lived without spin – he was aware that he could manipulate people and situations – but he wanted to live holy and whole – his calling was to the church.
The church finds its identity by being ‘in God’ – we get our self-awareness from this relationship. Then we live it out...
When you live a life of wisdom there may well come a moment when you have to be courageous as you take a stand for what you believe God has asked you to do.
The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into a furnace for not obeying the king, and how this story relates to us today.
When God chooses to do something new for the world, he chooses people. People who are often put in positions that feel uncomfortable, that feel like it’s not possible to survive.
Our lives are built around expectations at the different stages of our lives. Our resilience is developed as life occasionally fails to live up to expectations.
We expect love to lead to partners for life, but it may not have done, or the partner left us, or died and we ended up single... How do we make sense of that?
Psalm 2 is like a bucket of cold water thrown on anyone who thinks prayer is about retreat, serenity and comfort
Neil will be preaching from Psalm 2 next Sunday, and here's a song I've written based on it, which I plan to introduce as part of the service.
A look at Psalm 23, a psalm written by a guy struggling with jobs, family, failure and guilt.
Paul emphasises how he has faced the worst of experiences aware of the presence of God and how his experience fits into the work of Christ.
Jesus and his enthusiastic entourage embark on the final leg of their journey to Jerusalem. The scene is alive with theatre and with prophetic significance. Where do we stand in this story? And do we need a fresh perspective?
When Jesus was transfigured, it wasn't that something new happened to him. Rather, it was the reality about him that became apparent...
Leviticus 25 is one of the chapters in the Bible that demonstrates how differently we see life than the way God suggested it should be for his people.
Why sex matters, why it doesn’t have a life of its own, and why sex is not the only thing that matters.
How do you get right with God? How does God allow his justice and love to sit side by side?
The priests were given clothes that set them apart, and then given a task of representing God to people and people to God. We have become that people for the sake of the world.
In this sermon Neil explores the significance of the sacrifices in Leviticus – God expects people to mess up, but gives them a way out of the mess!
A few days ago, Mike Shaft's show on BBC Radio Manchester featured a report from Rebecca Kelly about Christmas Alive.
A story that we know so well - a Good Samaritan that deserves his fame. But could a real world embrace radical grace?
In our Sunday morning services at the moment, we're looking at life through the lens of early Christians living in what is now called Turkey.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been going through Ecclesiastes in our Sunday morning services. We’ve now collected these together on this one page, so that you can listen again to what was said. 1: Life In A Meaningless World The preacher begins the book with an overview of his story – he’s looked all…
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Over the last few weeks, we've been looking at the Lord's Prayer on Sunday mornings. We've now collected together all the sermons, so that you can listen again to what was said.
How do we engage with elections and politics as Christians? What does the Bible say about politics? How should we pray about elections?
This sermon from this Sunday, ‘What Sort Of Church Does Paul Expect?’, looks at 1 Corinthians 14 in the widest sense. To get a decent overview of the chapter, either listen to the sermon from January 2008 (see below) where we looked at the whole chapter, or read this web page. It does a good job…
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