TEACHING SERIES: From Weary to Wonder TITLE: The wonder of the God’s promises BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 29 June 2025 Bible Passage: Acts 27:13-44 Life doesn’t always go as planned, but we can trust that God is always present and His promises never fail. He is the unshakable rock on which we build our lives, the only secure foundation. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Je...
Jun 29, 2025•25 min
TEACHING SERIES: From Weary to Wonder TITLE: The wonder of the Holy Spirit BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 22 June 2025 Bible Passage: Acts 19:1-7 The Holy Spirit empowers the Church. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit, along with spiritual gifts like prophecy, tongues, and discernment, not for show, but to strengthen our faith and encourage others. These gifts are meant to build up the Church and draw people closer to an understanding of who God is. When used with humility and love, they become powerful...
Jun 22, 2025•37 min
15/06/2025 | 250615-From weary to wonder | The wonder of prayer | Tim Chilver by Riverside Church
Jun 15, 2025•21 min
TEACHING SERIES: From Weary to Wonder TITLE: The wonder of healing BY: Sarah Auger DATE: Sunday 8 June 2025 Bible Passage: Acts 9:32-43 Healing is a topic that we each might approach with different feelings and experiences. But we see in Scripture that healing was never only for the individual, it served as the Gospel message pointing people to God’s love, power, and the hope we have in our eternal home. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us...
Jun 08, 2025•24 min
TEACHING SERIES: From Weary to Wonder TITLE: The wonder of legacy BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 1 June 2025 Bible Passage: Numbers 13:1-3a; 26-30 Numbers 14:5-9; 20-24 What do you do when the future looks uncertain…or even impossible? In a land full of giants, Caleb and Joshua saw a promise—not a problem. While fear paralysed others, they moved forward in confidence—not in themselves, but in the God who had proven faithful time and time again. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we mee...
Jun 01, 2025•27 min
TEACHING SERIES: From Weary to Wonder TITLE: The wonder of a new identity BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 25 May 2025 Bible Passage: Acts 9:1-19 A relationship with Jesus brings us a brand new identity: one not based on the things of this world—power, position & popularity—but instead one simply based on being His child. The quiet faithfulness and assurance Ananias had from his identity as a child of God was used by God to help give Saul a brand new identity and turn his life upside down for the...
May 25, 2025•30 min
TEACHING SERIES: From Weary to Wonder TITLE: The wonder of discipleship BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 18 May 2025 Bible Passage: Acts 8:26-38 The things we meditate on and fill our minds with are reflected in the person we become. To become more like Jesus—and understand what He meant when He said that by knowing Him, we can have life and have it to the full—we must spend time with Him. How do we rediscover the joy of personal discipleship, a hunger to engage with God’s word, and encourage one a...
May 18, 2025•26 min
From weary to wonder BY: Sarah Auger DATE: Sunday 11 May 2025 Bible Passage: Acts 8:8-18, Isaiah 40:28-31 Out of our prayer and fasting days in January, there was a sense of weariness and a need to reawaken our relationships with God. We’ll read about the early church in Acts, looking to see what happens when the excitement stops, when tough times come and when we feel weary. How do we find a fresh perspective on life and a relationship with God? Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we ...
May 11, 2025•27 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: What God asks of you BY: Nathanael Ballew DATE: Sunday 4 May 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 23:23-24, Micah 6:8 Have you ever been so obsessed with the little details of a task, you’ve missed the big picture? Some call this “missing the forest for the trees”, and our relationship with God can be a lot like this. We can become so focused on external rule-following that we miss the deeper call to justice, love and faithfulness. True faith is not just about ch...
May 04, 2025•30 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: What is our Misson? BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 27 April 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 28:16-20 So we know Jesus as King. He has all the power and authority in the world and in our lives. We have seen the ways he has claimed the victory on our behalf—but now what? Turns out, we have a part to play as well. Jesus gives us a clear mission, one that requires faithful action and steadfast obedience. Will we accept it? Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church...
Apr 27, 2025•28 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: Easter: The King Who Reigns BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 20 April 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 28:1-15 It’s Easter Sunday! Jesus has risen, just as he said he would. What great news we have to share now! Jesus is alive and reigns as King over all of creation. This is the King that we have been preparing the way for—one who was able to defeat death once and for all and prepare a way for us to come into relationship with God the Father. Welcome: What's true ...
Apr 20, 2025•23 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: Welcome the King BY: Sarah Thompson DATE: Sunday 13 April 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus is the King of kings, and yet the image we have of him riding into the city on a donkey doesn’t feel very valiant. Matthew records Jesus stating that the kingdom of heaven is near, and every kingdom needs a King. But what kind of King is Jesus really? Are we prepared to lay down our cloaks and cry out “Hosanna, save us”? Or subtly, has the notion that we a...
Apr 13, 2025•25 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: What is the Cost? BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 6 April 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 8:18-22 Following Jesus is the best choice anyone will ever make, but it does come at a cost. Jesus models a life of sacrifice and service where he puts others first. What if we are faced with choices where we need to decide whether we have the stuff we’ve been dreaming of, or we lay it down to follow the servant, King Jesus? Perhaps we will discover there is a greater tr...
Apr 06, 2025•26 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: What I’m Weary BY: Mel Lynch DATE: Sunday 30 March 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 11:25-30 There is an expectation that we always have more to do, that resting is lazy, and that taking time out can be seen as failure. What if the Kingdom of God offers an alternative lifestyle to the constant capitalist wheel that never sleeps? God himself was the author of resting in the creation narrative. Is chilling on the sofa with endless streaming options enough? Or i...
Mar 30, 2025•29 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: Who Is Greatest? BY: Nathanal Ballow DATE: Sunday 23 March 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 19: 13-15 All of us will have tried to aim high and achieve greatness at some point in life—it’s conditioned into us from a young age. The teaching of Jesus often goes against the ways of the world—the last shall be first and the poor and meek are blessed. The status quo is flipped upside down by Jesus throughout his years in ministry. And children, who were seen as nu...
Mar 23, 2025•27 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: When We Get Tempted BY: Sarah Auger DATE: Sunday 16 March 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 4: 1-11 The Bible says that we won’t be tempted beyond what we can bear, but that doesn’t mean we get to go through life without any temptation. Jesus himself was tempted physically and emotionally in the wilderness with desire, power and control. He uses his knowledge of scripture to counter the words of the devil. When we are distracted with other gods, kings and powe...
Mar 17, 2025•27 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: Interior Life BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 9 March 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 6:1-18 How much of our lives are for show? It’s not uncommon in church to feel the need to present as ‘good’ or ‘righteous’. And yet, how often to we fall short of the expectations we put on ourselves? What if Jesus isn’t as interested in what we are showing externally, but instead wants full commitment from our inner lives? Fasting is a useful personal discipline of abstinence...
Mar 09, 2025•26 min
TEACHING SERIES: Preparing the Way TITLE: Where the Fruit? BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 2 March 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew 3:1-12 In a world where world leaders, on public stages, are seeking to build their own kingdoms—where do you go and what kingdom do you want to be part of? John the Baptist knew a different King and a different kingdom were coming. He prepares the way for that new King by giving one simple, and often misunderstood, direction: repent. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Chur...
Mar 02, 2025•27 min
TEACHING SERIES: Not me, but you TITLE: Ruth Chapter 3 BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 16 February 2025 Bible Passage: Ruth 4:1-22 Sometimes the greatest acts of love can be seen in the midst of the greatest challenges and suffering. Through these acts of love, we can realise that even in the darkest times, God is still very much present.. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jes...
Feb 23, 2025•24 min
TEACHING SERIES: Not me, but you TITLE: Ruth Chapter 3 BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 16 February 2025 Bible Passage: Ruth 3: 1-18 When we try to go it alone, our plans can often falter and fail or not live up to our expectations. As we follow God’s plan, we can find a fulfilment and outcomes way beyond our own expectations. We can trust God for our future. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help peopl...
Feb 16, 2025•26 min
TEACHING SERIES: Not me, but you TITLE: Ruth Chapter 2 BY: Sarah Auger DATE: Sunday 9 February 2025 Bible Passage: Ruth 2:1-23 When we come into God’s kingdom, we realise there are no outsiders. See how Ruth brings redemption to those who had been left out of God’s family. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riversi...
Feb 09, 2025•22 min
TEACHING SERIES: Not me, but you TITLE: Ruth Chapter 1 BY: Naomi Woodruff DATE: Sunday 2 February 2025 Bible Passage: Ruth 1:6-22. Ruth put her focus on God, and in doing so found the strength to support Naomi in her greatest time of need. How can we point others to Jesus through the love and support we give to them, even if it comes at a cost to us? Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people ge...
Feb 02, 2025•26 min
TEACHING SERIES: Not me, but you TITLE: Overview of Ruth BY: Nathanael Ballew DATE: Sunday 26 January 2025 Bible Passage: Matthew Chapter 1 Verse 1-6 and Ruth Chapter 1 Verse 1-5 In today’s western world we are so often told to focus on meeting our own needs and our own self care. However, Ruth is a book that turns this narrative on its head. It's a story about someone who changed the lives of others for the better because they put God, not themselves, at the centre of their story. Welcome: What...
Jan 26, 2025•25 min
TEACHING SERIES: Foundations TITLE: Worship BY: Ben Pearson DATE: Sunday 19 January 2025 Bible Passage: Psalm 63 The world often has us looking inward, focusing on our own desires and struggles. But what if we turned our gaze outward and upward, discovering a greater purpose? What if our true fulfillment is found not in ourselves, but in worshipping a God who is unchanging, unfailing, and perfect in love? Worship is more than just a response—it’s a foundational aspect of our faith, shaping our r...
Jan 19, 2025•27 min
TEACHING SERIES: Foundations TITLE: Prayer BY: Tim Chlivers DATE: Sunday 12 January 2025 Bible Passage: Psalm 86:1-13 Why is it that when most people experience a moment of crisis, we tend to cry out for something greater than ourselves? Is prayer only something for the hard times? What if instead, we view prayer as our foundation for a relationship with God—a two-way conversation, where we get to express our awe, give thanks, say sorry for our mistakes and ask for help in the big and little thi...
Jan 12, 2025•27 min
TEACHING SERIES: Foundations TITLE: The Bible BY: Tim Chlivers DATE: Sunday 5 January 2025 Bible Passage: Psalm 119:97-104 Where do you turn when you’re seeking answers—especially when you want to uncover the truth? What shapes your understanding of yourself, the world around you, and God? The Bible is more than just a source of information; it’s a foundational guide filled with wisdom to help you navigate life and make sense of it all. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet toget...
Jan 05, 2025•26 min
TEACHING SERIES: Can I Get a Witness? TITLE: It’s the truth BY : Sarah Auger DATE: Sunday 8 December 2024 Bible Passage: John 21:20-25 In court cases, there are usually three types of witnesses: expert witnesses, character witnesses, and eye-witnesses. If you are an expert or character witness, you are usually being asked to comment on the basis of previous experiences, information and expertise. An eye-witness is very different—you are being asked to comment on what you actually saw and experie...
Dec 08, 2024•26 min
TEACHING SERIES: Can I Get a Witness? TITLE: I don’t believe you BY: Nathanael Ballew DATE: Sunday 1 December 2024 In psychology, there is a well-known concept called ‘confirmation bias’. It is our tendency to interpret information in line with the beliefs and values that we already have. For example, imagine a scientist doing an experiment in which they get some new data. If that new data backs up their hypothesis, then they readily accept that data. However, if the data appears to contradict t...
Dec 01, 2024•30 min
TEACHING SERIES: Can I Get a Witness? TITLE He told me everything BY Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 24 November 2024 Bible Passages: John 4:1-26, 39-42 Have you ever been nervous to share something personal with your friends or family? Perhaps there are some secrets you hold that you feel too much shame around—but by withholding those secrets, it means no one could ever truly know the whole of you. When one woman encountered Jesus, he knew her secrets. But instead of shaming her, he showed her honour, ...
Nov 24, 2024•26 min
TEACHING SERIES: Can I Get a Witness? TITLE I’m Not It BY Sarah Auger DATE: Sunday 17 November 2024 Bible Passages: John 1:19-37 Have you ever pretended to be something, or someone, you are not? Perhaps you tried to convince a new boss that you knew what you were doing, when you didn’t have a clue. Or maybe, you hoped no-one would notice that you weren’t as impressive as they thought you were. Or maybe you actually believed you were more competent at something, and then discovered you actually h...
Nov 17, 2024•22 min