In these extraordinary times, we need to realise where our hope comes from.
Our meeting for Sunday 29 March 2020 Including a special music video of My Lighthouse (Rend Collective) During Worship: Song 1 - Cornerstone: https://www.you...
Preaches
We make as many talks, preaches and discussions available for download as possible. The most recent series is at the top and you should scroll down to find previous talks and series.
You can subscribe to our talks as a podcast.
Love Drives out Fear - Video
Our first online church meeting.
These are extraordinary times, which call for an extraordinary response from the church. Your love never fails - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_KXsMCJgBQ ...
Prayer: Against Principalities and Powers
It pays to know scripture. Jesus was able to quote scripture back at the devil who had tried to entice Him (Jesus) into worshipping him. Paul quoted from the Old Testament to support his arguments in favour of ‘the Way’, particularly when faced with hostility. So it stands to reason that, if we know God’s word, we should use it as our weapon to defeat the strongholds we face, to make a stand against the enemy. In this talk, Angela Siderfin explains how we can use God’s word to pray more effectively against powers and principalities.
Read MorePrayer: For Redemption and Forgiveness
Jesus taught unequivocally that, to fully experience God’s forgiveness in our own lives, we must not only forgive those who mistreat or wrong us, but also actively examine ourselves when we pray to see if there is anyone whom we need to forgive (Mark 11 v25). Forgiveness helps to release the peace of God in our lives, to remove any bitterness we may feel towards another. To help us understand this more clearly, Pete and Jules Bond offer practical advice on why we should forgive and why we too need forgiveness and redemption.
Read MorePrayer: For Nations and Authorities
The Bible makes it clear that we should pray about all things and on all occasions. In his letter to Timothy, Paul clarifies this by urging that ‘….petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.’ (1 Timothy 2 vs 1,2). Ted Winter here explains what this means for us today and why we too should pray regularly for nations and authorities, both nationally and internationally.
Read MorePrayer: Contemplative Prayer
We are generally most open to hearing from God when we make a point of sitting still, focusing on His word and keeping our minds clear of the mundane. Contemplative prayer, meditative prayer or just listening to God - call it what you will - is a form of praying that most of us need to try more (note to self!) in order to know what He has for us. With this in mind, Steve Gibbons talk and practical demonstration of contemplative prayer has been left pretty much unedited to allow listeners to get into that place where His voice can break through.
Read MorePrayer: Praying for Healing
Do you believe that God wants to use us to heal others today? Jesus is our example and demonstrates the true nature of God - compassionate and wanting to bring healing where healing is needed. He wants to work through us, if only we will take the risk! After all, healing itself is not down to us; the outcome of prayer is God’s responsibility alone. In this talk, Graham Palmer teaches us about healing prayer and leads us in a practical demonstration.
NB: This talk has been highly edited due to privacy and copyright issues, plus the recording starts several minutes into Graham’s talk.
Read MorePrayer: Praying for our needs
With this talk given by Andy Sparkes, we start a new series of teaching on the subject of prayer. It’s a fact that most, if not all, of us will at some time find the act of praying such a hard thing to do, without being distracted by intrusive thoughts or other interruptions. However, Jesus gives us clear instructions as to how we should pray in both Matthew and Luke, in order that we can more effectively converse with our Heavenly Father. Over to you, Andy….
Read MoreThe Lord's Supper
In our “One-Offs” series, Steve tackles thee important subject of the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, Communion, the Bread and (in our case) red juice of some description.
What is it? Why do we do it? How should we do it? As we continue to meet at our new venue of The Spire, we will experiment with and continue to refine the mechanics of how it actually plays out, but this is more about the “why” and “what” than the “how”.
Also, apologies about the sound quality. This is the “backup recording” which starts after Steve introduces some pictures of “the Lord’s Supper” ranging from the Simpsons to Leonardo DaVinci’s classic.
Guest Speaker: David Campbell
Jonah, Jesus, Jamaica and Us
David Campbell (of Fusion, Jamaica) is an always-welcome guest at GCC and has come to bring us an update on their work and intent for the future, and to inspire us with a message of hope.
Read MoreBIG Topics: The Word Became Flesh
The first few verses of John chapter 1 are some of the most difficult ones to understand, particularly for those new to the Christian faith. What does it all mean, the Word became flesh (also referred to as the Incarnation) and why is it written in such a mystical way? Ted Winter helps to unravel the meaning contained within these verses and explains why it is so important to our perception of Jesus that we gain a good understanding of them.
NB: Please be aware that, due to technical difficulty, this soundtrack is an edited version of a recording made on a mobile phone. Bear with it!
Read MoreBIG Topics: Why is there Suffering?
When we talk about our faith with those sceptical about our loving Heavenly Father, inevitably the question will arise “Alright then, why does a loving God allow suffering in the world?” - usually accompanied by a smug grin that says ‘got you there then’. Sadly, many of us struggle for a coherent response, when actually the Bible has the answer all along. So, why is there suffering in God’s world? Listen to what Angela Siderfin has to say on the subject, highlighting some of the many examples of suffering in the Bible and God’s response to them.
Read MoreBIG Topics: Handling Our Emotions
Not only did God create us in his own image but He gave each of us the whole range of human emotions. The new testament shows that Jesus demonstrated many emotions during his earthly ministry, from anger to sadness, grief to anxiousness. The Psalms are full of poems revealing David’s state of mind when he wrote them. So why do we believe the myths that emotions are fickle, untrustworthy? Jules Bond sets the record straight in this talk, explaining why emotions handled in a Godly way can be good for us and even detailing how she once elicited complaints from actors at a theatre when her emotions got the better of her….
Read MoreBIG Topics: Do Demons Even Exist?
The subject of demons is, to some Christians anyway, something like Marmite (other savoury spreads are available) in that they either believe there’s one around every corner or else they merely pay lip service to that which is hidden. To be a sound Christian, we need to have a healthy balance between these two positions and understand that God, the uncreated being, is greater than satan, a created one. In this talk, Steve Gibbons refers to several Bible passages, both old and new testament, in which we are alerted as to the devious ways that satan works.
Read MoreBIG Topics: The F word
Forgiveness. Possibly the hardest thing we are required to do as a Christian. Because it costs us. Yet, to put things in perspective, we ourselves have been forgiven when we didn’t deserve to be. And at what immense cost; Jesus, God’s only son, vicariously dying for all our sins, past, present and future, on the cross. Wow. So why do we find it so hard to forgive sometimes even the most petty of offences against us? Andy Sparkes helps us to new understanding of what it means to be forgiven - and to forgive.
Read MoreBIG Topics: Does Religion Do More Harm than Good?
Most of us, when challenged about our Christian faith, will no doubt have heard the words ‘ religion is the cause of all wars’. Unfortunately, that’s what can happen when people of any faith allow ritual and dogma to become the priority in worship, when the doctrine becomes more important than God. James states clearly in his letter as to what God considers to be ‘true religion’ - see chapter 1, vs 26 & 27. In this talk, Pete Bond examines why religion can do more harm than good and how we ourselves can avoid becoming ‘religious’.
Read MoreMental Health and the Church
Statistics tell us that 1 in 4 people suffer from some sort of mental illness - and that’s just the ones known to medical professionals. Yet, unlike physical illness, there is still a stigma attached to anything to do with mental health. Even the church hasn’t always dealt sensitively with the subject, leading to many people feeling even more vulnerable and isolated. Dawn Holmes, from Yeovil Family Church, shares how we might be more empathetic of mental health sufferers
Read MoreBIG Topics: Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
We don’t all experience God’s Holy Spirit in the same way - for example, Paul himself acknowledged in 1 Corinthians 12 that there are different gifts given according to God’s will. If we want to receive the Holy Spirit, we first need to ask God to bestow Him upon us, fully surrendering to God and being open and willing to receive. So, if you’ve yet to discover the Holy Spirit working within you, the practical advice offered by Steve Gibbons in this talk will help to set you on the right path.
Read MoreBIG Topics: Did Jesus Tell Me to Hate my Parents?
What?! Jesus tells me to hate my parents? Really? Well, yes, he did say that - but he was using hyperbole (exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally) to capture our attention and get his point across. What he means in this case is that, if we truly want to be his disciples, our security and identity must be in him and not family, friends or other comforts. He wants disciples who aren’t just part of a crowd, but ones who are willing to learn from Him and are prepared to act upon his teachings. In his talk, Andy Sparkes helps to make it easier to understand what Jesus demands of us in placing our allegiance in Him
Read MoreBIG Topics: The Unforgivable Sin
The unforgivable sin. Perhaps the least understood but most controversial words spoken by Jesus.. What exactly did He mean when he warned against blaspheming the Holy Spirit? And why, when we associate Jesus with complete forgiveness, did he warn that this is one sin that is beyond all forgiveness? Steve Gibbons tackles this difficult subject by using 3 important principles for reading scripture - definition; context; alternative passages - to help us better understand how we can avoid committing the unforgivable sin. Not sure about calling it the Meatloaf principle though…..
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