God gives Life. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God – and we need to make choices to protect the sanctity of life (mother and child) even in hard or unwanted circumstances.
In this talk, Ken Noakes looks at the wonderful, sometimes difficult, and always emotive topic of start of life matters with particular reference to decisions about medical termination (abortion).
The approach here is pastoral as the Christian response should always be one of embrace and comfort as we draw towards both mother and child in Christian faith.
We see ourselves as choosing individuals. Our strength is measured by our ability to stand on our own two feet and make decisions (we value agency). And we live in a society which views the autonomy of the individual as sacrosanct and defining, and that any challenge to that autonomy is regarded as a threat (we value choice). In addition, we live in a consumer culture, which tells us that we deserve to have whatever it is we want (we value entitlement). Yet, Christians hold to the biblical view that God makes men and women in his image. He gives life, shapes life, and takes life – and we experience that life both individually and collectively.
This ‘God & Life’ series looks at some of those key and ethical life matters where we, as choosing individuals, are now able to make decisions that will impact our life or another’s life: Abortion, Disability, Euthanasia (to pick three examples).
In this first talk, Ken Noakes sets the scene which help us think theologically about life matters over the next three talks. The purpose: to start a conversation – how can we value humanity as created by God and so in our care for ourselves and others, how do we think Christianly?
As Christian citizens, our role is not to seek worldly power, but to remain faithful to Christ, knowing that he has established his forever kingdom in heaven. The challenge is to resist the temptations of a Kingdom without the King, to give Caesar what belongs to God, to let cultural trends dictate faithfulness, or to seek glory in this life. Instead, Christians should engage in public life with wisdom, love, and conviction as the Kingdom of God overflows in all of our life, standing firm in truth even when it means losing. Like the widow who gave all she had, true discipleship means surrendering everything to God, knowing that we serve a victorious King whose Kingdom will never fail.
In this Bible Talk series, Nick Lindeback uses Mark 12 as a foundation to help us think about what it means to be a Christian Citizen. Across four talks, this series moves from theology to practice, showing how Christian citizenship in God’s Kingdom affects our engagement with culture and politics. It challenges us not to fear, compromise, or grasp for power, but to trust, engage wisely, and remain faithful, even when it costs us.
Talk 1 lays the foundation: Jesus is the King of the Kingdom. As we live for him, we are Kingdom driven in all of life.
Talk 2 addresses engagement with earthly authorities: Our faith does not make us silent or apathetic but leads us to engage with government whilst keeping our ultimate allegiance to Jesus.
Talk 3 confronts moral collapse and our actions: Without a right love for God, society loses its moral and spiritual fabric. Political engagement is one way we can love our neighbour.
Talk 4 calls for courage and faithfulness: True discipleship means standing firm in truth, even at great personal cost. We can do this because we know Christ is the risen King.
In the final sermon of ‘Hope 25’, we look at the meeting of Nicodemus and Jesus. John Lavender speaks on this example of a hardened, misguided heart, and how we all need Jesus to heal our own hardened hearts.
As we continue in the year 2025, it becomes more apparent that we need hope. In this mini-sermon series ‘Hope 25’, John Lavender look’s at the book of Ezekiel to find where we should put our hope, and why we desperately need it.
In this special Easter series, we explore the Death of Jesus Christ, the events that proceeded it and what it means for us as Christians. For Easter Sunday of 2025, Gary Haddon speaks on why we need Jesus as our hope.
In this special Easter series, we explore the Death of Jesus Christ, the events that proceeded it and what it means for us as Christians. In this sermon on Justice, Paul Hallam speaks on the unjust trials that led to Jesus’s crucifixion, and how it lead to an ultimate justice for all of humanity, whether we deserved it or not.
In this sermon series, we’re going through the events before Jesus’ Crucifixion. In ‘The Truth on Trial’, Dave Swan explores what it takes to stand by the truth, and why we need Jesus when we feel pressured to lie or deny our faith.
In this sermon series, we’re going through the events before Jesus’ Crucifixion. In ‘Deserted and Delivered’, we look at his betrayal. Everyone have moments they feel strong, and moments when they are weak. In this sermon by Paul Hallam, we look at the weakness of ourselves, and the strength of Jesus’ character and passion nearing his gruesome end.
In this next sermon of the series, ‘Passion of the King’, Joshua Schroder talks on the famous Last Supper. And through the events of that fateful evening we see how Jesus knew all the troubles he shall face, and the promises he will fulfill.
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