A new year brings many things - one of which is the lists of resolutions and changes we hope to make in our lives. Malcolm eases us into 2024 with the challenge to make a list of our convictions for the new year - what are your permanent truths that guide your life? Malcolm shares 5 of his to serve as inspiration for us and our year ahead.
Jess Tasker gives us a personal perspective on life as a Christian, her faith and spiritual journey over the lockdown and following years as progressed through university and the impact of living in a new city, away from her family and the church family she has grown up with.
Jay Blades and his team of restorers put their individual talents to work to take precious heirlooms and beaten-up treasures and restore them to new life. This morning Andrew guides our thoughts about how, post-lockdown, we can be restored to something greater - as disciples, as a family, as children of God.
Leading us through some life lessons in community and perseverance, Jo brings us to the last few days of Jesus’ life before the cross, and how it might have felt to be there. How did the disciples keep going? Peter has his struggles but Jesus reassures us he is always there, he offers us forgiveness, a fresh start and healing.
Malcolm delivers another poetic encouragement about life and death, rest and restlessness, seeking and finding, futility and fulfilment. When we’re burdened and downtrodden, Malcolm suggests that all we need to is remember that we are loved.
The parable of the persistent widow - or in some versions, the parable of the unjust judge - is a short, sharp lesson in God’s infinite mercy. We have a teaching here to never give up on something we’re praying for if we know it to be good, just and to God’s glory. Colin studiously delivers an important lesson in discipleship.
This morning Ronnie asks us - are we hungry? The answer is - we should be! When our heads ache with thirst, desperately yearning for water, that’s the kind of thirst we should have for God, and when we’re filled - it’s beyond stuffed. Righteousness is not just doing right - if you know what you should do and don’t do it, it’s just as problematic. Ronnie challenges us to prioritise properly in our discipleship, to keep ourselves focused on Jesus.
Maurice takes us back to the Lord’s prayer, and shows us the challenge hidden within it. What follows is an exhortation all about how we forgive, what we decide we are able to forgive, and who we forgive for what. Our challenge is to compare how we forgive with how God forgives - when God forgives a lifetime of sin for each of us, we are called to truly forgive from the heart.
David challenges us to examine our personal religion and asks questions about what sits at the heart of our faiths? Where is the focus for your faith: is it what we should be doing or is it what God has done and is doing for us? How do we react to people who offend us or don’t think the way we do? This morning we pause to reflect on the people who have positively influenced our lives and how we ourselves interact with others.
In an interactive morning, Neil delves into spiritual growth. How does a plant grow - what does God provide to make those miracles happen, and how does God provide for us? Neil invites the audience to share what they think about growth and what makes them grow, and we are challenged to do something new that will help us grow spiritually, as well as to encourage someone else to get closer to God.
Martyn talks to us this morning about worshipping our God with the words we read, that we say, and that we write. Paul’s letters respond to the Greek churches - showing them that a Christian faith is not something that can be added to, that they aren’t able to achieve their salvation with achievement or by increasing their knowledge. But rather, that Jesus is the fullness of their religion - that He is the completeness of our salvation.
Red shines a light on the world of the tomato grower. From it he shows us the lessons the people of Israel learnt in the wilderness. In humility we need to acknowledge the sweetness of the gifts God has given us, the bitterness of the Jesus’ death on the cross. Miranda challenges us in our response to God’s gift - showing us where the Israelites went wrong, and where we need to put our trust and reliance on God, and not in ourselves.
Following a trip to the Dead Sea in Israel, Mark and Elaine found there were some spiritual lessons in the experience of floating - of resting and letting the water support you. How do we make rest our friend, and how do we rest with God? After all, rest is something that God created for our benefit.
Andrew explores several remarkable baptisms recorded in Acts and draws out the plans God had for each of these people. All three baptisms point to the love Jesus has for his church, and of the inclusiveness of his church. How can we live free in Christ - what does that look like? What is true freedom in Christ?
On the morning of the baptism of our sister Shayegheh, Rachel very aptly gives us a few thoughts about freedom. What are free from, and where does that leave us now? What does it mean to us and how do we let it impact our everyday lives?
In a break from the normal service structure, Zoe and Tim lead a special Easter Sunday, walking us through the week leading up to Jesus death on the cross and the days following as he rose to new life. This morning we meditate on those few days, on Jesus and his disciples, and the impact those events have had on our lives today and into the future.
Who is your king? We each hold a throne room in our hearts. Our king is the one who receives our time, our allegiance. This morning, Malcolm challenges us to reflect on this and how we have or are responding to what Jesus asks of us - to accept him as our king and allow him into our hearts.
This morning James spends time considering one of the female disciples - Martha. Whilst Mary, Martha’s sister, sat at the feet of her Rabbi, Martha is a disciple who focused her energy on service. Do we identify with Martha and how do we learn lessons from her and her relationship with her Messiah.
Following on from last week, Neil guides us through what it means to have faith in a living lord - to do what he calls us to do, that is to living out our Lord, and allowing him to guide us. Does the Spirit live in us? How does it affect us today in our lives and the gifts, the fruits of the Spirit that we are each given. We apologise for some notable audio issues on this recording.
The third in the series from the elders - this week we focus on Jesus’ presence in our lives today. Jesus tells his disciples to come to him if they are thirsty - the living temple through whom living water flows. What does this mean for us, and what does it tell us about the Holy Spirit?
Bob reflects on the world events dominating our news headlines - about the wickedness in the human heart that can cause so much suffering. In focusing in on Adam & Eve’s temptation - he demonstrates the power of Jesus’ temptations - and why we embrace the reinstatement of the kingdom through the blood of Jesus.
We aren’t as familiar with what the word ‘Lord’ means compared to ancient times, where a hierarchy in society was much stronger. How does what we’re used to affect our understanding of why we call Jesus ‘Lord’. Liz and Richard lead our thoughts about what the ‘Lordship’ of Jesus means to us.
As followers of Jesus, we are waiting for his return. But how focused are we on what we're waiting for and are we paying attention. Richard leads our thoughts on discipleship and the way we look to Jesus during our patient waiting.
Chris takes us through those days around the transfiguration - showing us how disconnected the disciples were around that time, and how Jesus might have felt, knowing about what was to come. In that moment on the mount of Olives, Jesus sees the ‘then’ and ‘now’ - and we are reminded today of the ‘then’ and ‘now’ of the kingdom that we hope for.
Liz and Pete lead us in a service of thanksgiving, focusing on the theme of past, present and future.
Sometimes in life, especially during the pandemic, we really feel distanced. Whether we feel exiled or we've exiled ourselves, it can be hard to find a new perspective. Rachel gives us a compellingly honest perspective when hopes are challenged. But as we see in Jeremiah, God has a message for us. Whatever you're carrying today, bring it to the cross.
What's your life like - are you blessed? We hear and see the word used a lot - and we take it to mean one thing: we have been given plenty - whether materially, with job security, with our health or with friends and family. This morning, Luke challenges us to see it differently. He shows us that the beatitudes have a lot to say about this, so how do Jesus' words shift our perspective on this?
The Western World functions in a humanist groove that centres on human rights, but the origins of the human rights we’re familiar with may surprise you. Charles takes us on a journey from where we are today, back in time to a faith centred society - and ultimately, back to Genesis to discover the power of being made in God’s image and how we need to respond to it. View PowerPoint: https://www.thebethel.org/podcasts/Charles_-_God_and_Human_Rights.pdf
It's the first week of advent and Andy and Vicky bring us the story of Simeon and Anna. They both had to wait a long time to see their Messiah. Our challenge is to wait patiently but passionately.
Martyn struggles with the idea of God resting. And yet, we’re told in Hebrews that that is part of what he promises us as disciples - that we will be welcomed into God’s rest. Genesis’ creation account has a moment where God rested. What does it mean?Martyn explores the answer to this question and helps us understand what it can mean to us and our discipleship.
